Tales for the CVS Love Lorn

Most recently, I have been missing some of the comforts of my American home--Indian food on every street corner, Uniqlo and most of all CVS.

Perhaps these are odd things to miss, and certainly not the normal things olim yearn for. But while I have been learning to make indian food at home (and enjoying the shuk's bountiful spice stores which only help in this endeavor) and my mother is bringing over some Uniqlo purchases over for me on her next visit, CVS is something I really miss.

You have to understand, it is more than just amazing products that simple don't exist on this side of the Nile, like aveeno lotion and facial sunscreen over SPF15 at a reasonable price. It is the whole shopping experience: going into a store at all hours of the night, having thousands of amazing options to choose from, buying a cheesy magazine and being able to pick up some groceries while you are at it. American consumerism, simply but perfectly done.

As I wrote earlier, finding a shampoo that works with Israeli weather/ water was in itself a year long battle. But now that I am over that hurdle (and have spent too much money testing and trying), I am starting to enjoy toiletry shopping once again.

One common complaint of olim is that the pharmacies here are super expensive. While that may be true, one thing that Israeli stores do best is offer a bargain. One tip: always keep an eye out for a good deal.

So, in this next entry, I will share my adventures and hope to combine three things I love best: a good sale, magazine-type product recommendation (I hope!) and toiletries.

--~--~--

WHERE TO SHOP: JERUSALEM

Best Discount Store:

Not sure what it's called, but is just after the Maccabi building on Agrippas if you are walking downtown (pictured left). They have red crates of different products on sale.

Purchase here 2 colgate toothpastes for 20NIS. The toothpaste tubes seem legit, so I will leave it at that. Interestingly, half the store has hair accessories, tights and socks.

Another tip: Visit your kupat holim's pharmacy for discounts on prescriptions, sunscreen, painkillers and more. And always keep an eye out, especially around the shuk: there are a lot of good deals to be had.

Store Open Latest:

Superpharm, downtown Jerusalem.

While apparently Superpharm is a canadian company, they are a chain with stores throughout Israel. The one near me is open most nights till 11 PM, which is not too shabby. While often overpriced, they are where I found my beloved shampoo. They have had good deals in the past: one of my friends said she found clinique makeup remover here cheaper than it is in the USA.

Favorite Pharmacy

The Mashpir, downtown Jerusalem.

I am not sure why I love this pharmacy so much. It could be their excellent selection, their great deals, their high end selection of makeup and (apparently overpriced) perfume, their renovated interior.

But I do love the Mashpir pharmacy. I love that they are the only legit drugstore I have seen with Premier products, offered at 1 + 1 (an Israeli classic, buy one get one free) or 30% off just one. I love that they have a whole section of just "natural" stuff. I like that they have actual good deals at the checkout counter.

~~--~~

WHAT TO BUY

SHAMPOO:

I have fine, straight and dafka blond hair... not too typical in the Mediterranean or among the Jewish people. I have tried and failed to find an Israeli shampoo that works for me. When all efforts failed, I brought over two luxury American shampoos including Frederic Fekkai voluminous shampoo, which I love in the USA. However, these were also a FAIL because they were made to work with American water, not Israel's hard ward.

I stumbled on this shampoo (purchased at 1+1, pictured left) a few months ago and am happy as a claim with it.

My coworker, Raizee, who loves all things beauty (she does everyone in the office's makeup and hair and gives us all styling tips) raves about the shampoo above ("7"), saying it is great for dry hair.

 

FACE LOTION:

I got this huge jar at Ramat Rachel's Spa. I put a little at a time into a smaller jar so the big  jar doesn't get so much bacteria. This stuff is amazing. I apply it liberally, and though it is a tad pricey (NIS255 or about $70), I have had the same jar for over a year and couldn't be happier.

BODY WASH:

Hawaii is definitely not the most luxurious of brands, but makes my favorite of all drug store brand body wash. It comes in awesome flavors, including a very middle-eastern pomegranate smoothy. Best of all, if you look hard enough, you can find a big bottle for 10NIS (roughly $2.50) so its a good deal so you can collect them all!

EXFOLIATOR:

I have to admit that I was among the downtrodden. I needed an exfoliator, but could not find one in the pharmacy. I looked and I looked and nothing! And then, on my daily walk during my break, I found this exfoliator at one of the dead sea products shops on King George, in a bin outside for 10NIS (pictured to the right). I swapped it for a cleaner bottle inside, and have been very happy with it. Gets the job done, smells good, non-greasy. Best of all, I searched online and it was actually cheaper here than in the USA!

That said, my friend told me you can get it in Walmart, so part of its allure has been reduced... but it is made with dead sea salt. For a close up of the exfoliator, see picture above with shampoo.

 BLOWDRYER:

My mom loves this blow dryer (pictured to the right) and I actually own two for when she comes to visit. She loves it so much she wanted to bring it back to America. We got one at an appliance store on Emek Reffaim and the other at another appliance store on Derech Beit Lechem.

TISSUES:

I guess it is really the little things, but I love these tissues 
(pictured to the left). The most popular tissues I have seen in Israel are called "tsivoni" or something like that meaning colorful or with colors... They alternate between pink and white tissues and I just can't do it anymore!!! Things were looking up when I found just white tissues, but these are king: I love the packaging and the tissues are soft. Of all places, I found them at a disposable table setting store on Agrippas.

ETC...

Two great, random purchases to consider making. I got an excellent "Life" brand tweezer at Superpharm earlier this year. (Please note, I really like CVS brand things but I am not usually a fan of Life brand). Also--10-12NIS nailpolishes in every color. I am currently debating whether to next purchase a pea green, lime green or butter yellow polish next.

~~-*-~~

NEXT UP: A WISHLIST

BODY LOTION:

My stylin' coworker, Abi/Abigail, suggested this lotion (Lactofil). I still miss aveeno, but am consider purchasing it as part of my effort to reduce needing products from America/ support Israel.

FACE WASH AND EXFOLIATOR:

I have used Premier's facewash before and loved it, and am excited to try their exfoliator. Premier also seems to be much cheaper in Israel (though still expensive comparatively to other Israeli facewashes). But a little bit of luxury is always well deserved.


HAIR OIL:
Moroccan hair oil is apparently Israeli and a big deal. I guess I can add this to my wishlist of what I will do when I have thick, curly hair (#1: get a big afro and wear a lot of cool hair scarves and button downs).

A Curried Shabbat

Last Friday night, 15 people somehow managed to squeeze into my very tiny, New York-sized apartment in Nachlaot, Jerusalem for Shabbat dinner. The meal was cooked by a professional cook, Orit Bon Appetit. The food, delicious. The goal? To bring together Israelis and Olim. The how? An Israeli host and an oleh/olah host each invite 5 guests or so to come together for an amazing meal. The sponsors? None other than the young-at-heart-and-in-years, Jerusalem Village.

I had actually found out about this amazing program from another blog post, and like that writer, I too jumped on the opportunity. What could be better? Food and dinner parties and new friends and old. But mainly, free food. Really, too good to be true!

The logistics: work on a menu with Orit. When asked what is my favorite food my family makes, I mentioned that I loved indian food and veggies (true story: my mom makes delicious alu gobi and chicken curry). With those few words, somehow Orit managed to use all of my favorite foods: ginger, scallions, cabbage (something I have only come to appreciate in Israel), sesame oil, cilantro and mint.

First, the menu was decided on and created:

Starters
  Spring Rolls* (see below for a how-to)
filed with vegetables, rice noodles
and Asian dip

Salads 

Asian Cabbage Salad

with carrots, mushrooms and toasted sesame seeds 

Broad Beans

 with Tomatoes and Coriander with Lemon

Green Salad (see below center)

with Lettuce, Tarragon, Pumpkin Seeds, Green Apple and Sprouts in a Lemon-Date Vinagrete

Main Dish 

Chicken with Green
Masala
An Indian-Style Stew
 
Side Dishes 

Azuki Beans and Coffee (see below right)
 

Potatoes and Peas with Coconut Milk Curry (see below left)

 White rice

~~~

 Then, we cooked said menu with Orit....

My Roommate and Co-Olah Host, Malka, and I Hard at Work

Assaf, the Israeli Host, Prepping Some Potatoes

Then, all we had to do was serve the aforementioned food at a Shabbat meal with Israelis and Olim.

Done, done and done. We had a blast. Really fun. A lot of wine and great food. And, on a deeper level, I hope that we brought together Israelis and Olim, and that we helped spread the word of this amazing program. But, most of all, I enjoyed eating the leftovers!

~~~

* How to make Spring Rolls with vegetables, rice noodles and Asian dip

Step One: Prep your vegetables/ fillings. We used cabbage, carrots, zucchini, cucumbers and radishes all cut very finely, as well as cut up sections of mint (I LOVE mint in spring rolls), scallions and avocados. Then, if you are feeling adventurous or healthy, just add cooked rice noodles/ tofu (ours had a light dressing of sesame oil and/or soy sauce I think)

Step Two: Assemble the fillings and lay out on a table. Put hot water in a large pot and use the back of a large cutting board as a work surface

Step 3: Dip circular rice paper into the pot of hot water to soften (see picture above) and let sit for a few moments. The rice paper design should still be in tact

Step 4: Put a softened piece of rice paper on the work surface. Fill with fillings. Pull over the left side of the paper, then the right side, then roll up from the top to bottom.

Step 5: Brush with a combination of extra virgin olive oil and sesame oil to keep the rolls from sticking together.

Step 6: Serve with asian chilli sauce (surprisingly popular in Israel). I added some soy sauce (Orit's suggestion to stretch the sauce) and really liked it--oddly enough, the soy sauce gave the sauce both a fruity flavor and helped cut the sweetness.

Batay Avon!

Botega Botata, or The Comforts of Home

My Favorite 24/6 Macholet on Bezalel Street

I am a real believer in the corner store, and quite possibly one of their best customers internationally.Corner stores are a good litmus test of a place's character and culture. Don't believe me? What type of people go in there? What type of goods to they carry? Where are they located and when are they open? When do people shop? Yup, you can learn a lot from them.

In New York City, we don't really have "corner stores." We call them "bodegas." In fact, I didn't even realize this was a New York thing till I met Americans from other parts of the country... in Israel.

When I lived in Williamsburg, there were three main population groups (hipsters to the North, Latin Americans in the middle and then my Satmar Haredi brethren below South 8th street). Each area had its own characteristics with regards to the local bodega and each bodega took into consideration the local population. I can't quite remember them in the northern area of Williamsburg, mainly because I lived and worked farther down South, though I do remember the newly constructed, glossy 24 hour pharmacy with beer on tap and some fresh produce (ah, liberals in America...) and organic juices. Magazines galore to match the glossy exterior. In the central section of Williamsburg, the stores had mucho Latin American products--tons of goya spice mixtures and juices for example, and stuff with Spanish all over it. And lastly, in the Satmar section, corner stores were more like mini-supermarkets, with Israeli products dotting the shelves. No magazines here that I can remember. Some Yiddish.

In Italy, I cannot remember seeing any corner stores, probably because everything was so specialized. In Spain, I remember corner stores being called "chinos," probably in reference to the Chinese people who so often seem to own them. (Note to the wise: when discussing immigrant populations in Europe, it is quite possible that "Chinese" refers to anyone who looks remotely Asian.)

And now, on to my time in Israel.... Macholet, or corner store, is one of those words everyone uses in Jerusalem, even people who don't speak Hebrew. Interestingly enough, it was a word that I didn't learn till after I started living in the "real world" (i.e. working, albiet in an American company).

Probably the Cheapest Macholet I Have Seen in Jerusalem,
Located on Shatz Street (Soda is 1 NIS Cheaper!)

In Jerusalem, there are two main types of macholets: SOS 24/6 (referring to 24 hours a day, 6 days a week and not Shabbat), and then local corner stores. SOS stores may be considered sketchy by some. My coworkers will not visit the one I most often frequent, shinning brightly on Bezalel street. But for me, as a former New Yorker, what greater luxury could there be than picking up ice cream at 11:30 PM after a long day's work? Than strolling down the isles and grabbing a carton of milk on the way home and pretending I work normal hours, rather than American ones (3-11 pm)? When I go in late, there are all sorts of clientele. Sure, there are the strange ones who tell you to rub arak on your belly when you have a stomach ache. But there are also other 20-somethings, and even some married folk going in. When I was frantically doing Passach cleaning, I ran into a SOS macholet that was even closer to me (the beauty of living downtown). I was not the only one in frantic cleaning mode! And the clerk seemed to take pity on me and help me find stuff in the store, even giving me old newspapers to cover the counter tops with. Oh, the little things...

Then, there are the local macholets like the one we all visit at work, that is actually shutting down in the next few weeks because the landlords want to renovate the building. We are all a little sad at the office to see them go. They had been open some 20+ years.

Fresh Produce All Lined Up at a Neighborhood Macholet in Katamon

All corner stores in Jerusalem seem to have their fair share of fresh produce, ranging from so-so to really excellent quality. Sometimes, there is fresh-squeezed juice, especially of the orange variety. A great selection of yogurts and dairy products. A great selection of candy and gum and cigarettes. Newspapers (English language ones too, depending on the 'hood) and often magazines. Salatim (dips like hummus and babaganush). Baked goods like cookies and bread that look semi-locally made. Sometimes they even have specialty items, like American Reeses or Bailey's. And of course, the random (they are Israeli, afterall) like Hanukkah oil in the middle of the Spring. Quite often, they even have a space to sit in outside, under the sun... or, as is the case in the cheapest macholet I have found in the center, the owner's friends will sit on crates and talk to him, while he smokes a cigarette and rings up customers. Humble corner store or not, Israelis love to sit and chat.

See, there really is a lot to say about the corner store.

Salatim (Middle Eastern Dips Like Hummus and Schug) Galore Inside 24/6 Macholet

Land of Milk... at the 24/6 Macholet (See? Really NOT That Sketchy, Folks)

Assorted Jewish Things: Chanukah Oil (Green Bottle on Left); Memorial Candles; and Toothpicks, an Israeli Staple 

Fun in the Sun

Bus in Downtown Jerusalem Baring Season's Greetings

Remebering exile never felt so good as it does here in Israel.

This year, the Jewish calendar is the earliest it will ever be as compared with the Gregorian calendar, or so I hear. It seemed like Purim had just ended when I first encountered Passover memorabelia this March. I remember walking into the supermarket and seeing the Passover stuff all out on display (including Kosher for Passover rice for my Sephardi friends). And thinking no!!! Not yet, too soon. Too soon for massive cleaning, too soon to stop eating bread.

Around Jerusalem, There Are Piping Hot Water Mikvas
to Kasher  Your Dishes for Passover

Chametz Being Wrapped Up in the Supermarket, Pre-Passover Prep

Here in Israel, and Jerusalem especially, Passover is really a national event. Here, instead of 1 day of Easter, we get 8 crazy nights... of chag for Passover. Technically, schools seem to get off at least 2 weeks. My drycleaner has closed shop and other stores go away. Pizzarias shut down but other restaurants often have Kosher for Passover  menus (with kosher certificates specifiying if the restaurant is kosher for kitneyot eaters or not).

Here, all chametz must be covered. It's the law, or risk being fined (which apparently many restaurants do in Tel Aviv)! Though interestingly, as a Passover gift, the army gave my lone-soldier roommate a sandwich press, which happen to be used quite often in Israel. Many companies likewise give special Passover gifts or bonuses.

So what have I been up to? A bunch of things, zipping here, visiting friends throughout Jerusalem, making my way to a hippy dippy Carlebach moshav for a special Chol Haomed festival with music, bbq, arts fair and  homeopathic medical consultation; eating in Kosher for Passover restaurants and watching my Sephardi friends enjoy kitneyot.

I could get used to this. And to top off a great week, off I go to Mimouna.... music, Moroccan pastries and more await. Editor's note: after publishing, I also went off to enjoy two late night slices of pizza. Throughout the city, people could be seen sitting in chametz filled shops chowing down.

Beware the Chametz! The Famous Marzipan Bakery in the Shuk Becomes Yet Another War Zone in the Middle East

\Kosher for Passover, Kitneyot Free Gnocchi in an Articoke Cream Sauce from Tmol Shilshom

Details of the Chol Haomed Festival at Carlebach Moshav, Mevo Mod'im. Yes, I did do the Keren Kayemit Walking  Tour!

Booths, Music, Nature at the Festival. Tons of Fun!

All Grown Up!

Happy aliyahversary to me, right over here!

Ok, just kidding... this is from my office birthday party!

 Photo courtesy of Malka Kraus

I've made it one year in this crazy land called Israel, B"H! I wouldn't have it any other way.

B"H that I live in the most beautiful city in the world, that Jerusalem is my home. I am settling in, owning furniture, and have somehow found the lone naturally warm apartment in Jerusalem (I got sunburned last week cooking for Shabbat!).

B"H that I have some of the most amazing friends in the world here, that I have acquired quite a few funny stories in my time, and most importantly, that I have developed a real taste for tehina and parsley, which combine into the culinary masterpiece that is green tehina.

I often think that I am truly the luckiest little girl (grown womyn) in the whole wide world.

The Great Cat Divide

Cat in Baka, Jerusalem. Summer 2011? Photo courtesy of my father, David Nechamkin

My sister came to visit, and instantly fell in love with all the cats that creep around Israel, ruling the school that was Ulpan Etzion Beit Canada, pouncing on the garbage dumps and attacking each other in the night. She cooed at them, and pet them. And she is not the first anglo I've seen to approach the cats (at times, even I must admit to thinking they are cute. There was this fierce one at Ulpan that looked like a lion...)

Israeli cats match the terrain here. Supposedly they were brought over by the British to control the rat problem, but now they are true Israelis. They are tough and not to be trifled with. I have heard horror stories, urban legends involving cats. About a really macho, former big-deal guy in the army who got a cat bite, wasn't gonna go to the hospital, finally after much nagging did go to the hospital, and then was told that had he not gone to the hospital he would have died. And yet, for non-Israelis, the cats are cuddly-cute. Even in the ulpan, people took care of them and in anglo-heavy neighborhoods like Baka, cat kibble is left out.

My sister with a "meow-meow." Sorry, ma...

True story: at an outdoor cafe in the chic Tel Aviv, my little sister scooped up a cat and put it in her lap. PUT A STRAY TEL AVIV CAT IN HER LAP!!! The cafe goers were all horrified, but she insisted it was clean. The cat jumped on the table and its tail swooshed by the sugar packets. I've seen where those cats go, and I was terrified it would touch me.

This brings me to the great cat divide: Israelis do not understand Americans' obsession with the cats. Never have, never will. They do not get why we find them so cute, so adorable, so cuddly-wuddly. I am sure the lack of understanding between the two sides is indicative of something larger.

My sister and I went out with some Israelis and we were discussing the cat situation and the events of the past few days. My sister was saying how she wanted to get a cat now for sure. We were drinking choco (hot chocolate), sachlev and milk shakes on a Saturday night.

I was thinking about how much had changed since I first came here to about a year and a half ago. About how Israel makes sense to me, how it really is home and how the cats are really just rats here. About how certain things no longer wow me, how maybe I'm no longer so moon-eyed and perhaps the honeymoon phase is drawing to an end as I enter year II of Aliyah. How I am starting to feel like a local. How my Hebrew has improved B"H and how I am starting to understand the culture. But, just when I thought I had the Israeli mentality all figured out...

"Now squirrels," said one of the Israeli girls who had spent a year in Ohio. "Now those are funny."

Keeping It Real and Classy

Click on "article" for an excellent article about life as an oleh/ olah (olim olot, for those of you out there who did ulpan) from my former Pardes chevruta, Lance Levenson.