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My Express Travel Guide to Berlin; Where to Stay, Shop, Sip and Eat

May 29, 2013

Spring, Berlin, Germany, Travel

The first time I’ve been to Berlin was six years ago. I was going through a rough time in my life (a breakup, to be more precise) and needed a place to escape to from New York. I have always wanted to go to Berlin and that was the right opportunity. I’ve stayed with some good friends and walked a lot around East Berlin. The only thing that bothered me (beside my broken heart) was the cold European winter. Back then I was not a photographer yet (I was walking around with a pocket camera) and was quite in distress. Therefore, this recent visit was sort of a redeeming experience.

Presently, there is a buzz going on about Berlin. I know some Israelis who are investing in Real Estate and some International Artists who find an inspiration in this city.

If I have to describe Berlin in one word, it will be Urbanism. As I was staying mostly in East Berlin, navigating back and forth from Mitte to Kreuzberg, the architecture I was exposed to was a combination of Stalinist architecture, a refurbished 18th-19th century apartment buildings (buildings look like they came out of the same assembly line), Bauhaus style and some nice surprises in the shape of contemporary architecture (lots of big windows and glass) and new modern buildings and condominiums, which are mostly occupied by International residents and young families. I think May is the best time to visit Berlin. Weather is nice and the Berliners are getting quite loose and relaxed right after May Day, the official day that welcomes Spring. If you have an option to choose, than prefer the Spring and Summer days to the Winter ones.

Here is my Berlin’s intake and my express guide to East Berlin; Where to Stay, Shop, Sip and Eat.

Stay: Hotel Gat Point Charlie

Hotel Gat Check Point Charlie, Berlin, Germany

Hotel Gat Check Point Charlie, Berlin, Germany

Hotel Gat Check Point Charlie, Berlin, Germany

Hotel Gat Check Point Charlie, Berlin, Germany

My first interaction with GatRooms hotel chain was last year in Lisbon. Since it was a very successful experience, I decided to visit their hotel in Berlin. (If something is working well, I’d better stick with it, right?). One of the best things about GatRooms hotels is their premium locations. In Lisbon it was Rossio Square and in Berlin the location is just around the corner from Check Point Charlie. From there, it is a walking distance to Unter Den Linden, The Jewish Museum, Brandenburger Tor and more. Beside its reasonable prices, the young and hip rooms’ design, the breakfast in GatRooms is great and generous. It is not the typical continental breakfast that offers a toast, jam and coffee. The breakfast is rich and varies from different kinds of breads, cheese, confiture, cereals, eggs and cakes.

The hotel offeres bike rentals (the easiest way to travel around in Berlin like a local) and the staff is extremely helpful.

Hotel Gat Point Charlie, Mauerstrasse 81-82. 10117 Berlin

Shop: Pro Qm 

Pro Qm, Berlin, Germany, Books

Pro Qm, Berlin, Germany, Books

Pro-Qm, Books, Germany, Berlin

I have been reading about this store even before I booked my trip to Berlin and intended to go there ever since I read about it in my Wallpaper Berlin City Guide. I love visiting book stores wherever I travel, and moreover, when the book store is dedicated to design , graphic design, architecture and pop culture. Needless to say I was in awe when I got in. Mostly because I was planning to visit this store for a while now. I loved the clean, simple white shelves, loaded with books and the blast of shocking pink color in the shape of ladders and some shelvings. If the majority of the books was not in German, I could stay there forever.

Pro Qm, Almstadtstraße 48-50, 10119 Berlin (closed on Sunday) 

KM Shop, ThisDas

DAS, Berlin, Germany

Just down the road from Rro Qm, I found this nice beautiful shop KM (I love how the shops are called by single letters). The yellow chairs outdoors just called me in. If I need to describe this store in one word, it will be Minimalism. A collection of various artists (locals and internationals) and a variety of Jewelry, stationary, home accessories and personal ones. I love the yellow walls and how everything, as small as they are, just pop up and make you want to buy them.

Km Shop, Almstadtstraße 1, 10119 Berlin

Flohmarkt, Flea Market in Mauer Park 

Flohmarkt, Flea Market in Mauer Park

Flohmarkt, Flea Market in Mauer Park

Flohmarkt, Flea Market in Mauer Park

I’m not necessarily a flea market’s fan, but I find flea markets quite captivating from a photographer’s perspective. I think that flea markets are like small melting pots. They can teach you a lot about the culture, the tradition, the custom and the style of the city they are located. As the idiom says: ‘One man’s trash is another man’s treasure’, I find my ‘treasure’ in photographing the scene. Flohmarkt is one of the biggest flea markets in Berlin and it is located in Mauer Park. (The name Mauer Park means Wall-Park, named after the former part of the Berlin Wall, which can be found there). Even though my girlfriend dragged me to this market and it was such a hot day, I enjoyed the scene very much. If you are a Vintage junky, this market is for you. Plan it wisely and take a stroll along the Wall.

Flohmarkt, Bernauer Strasse 63-64, 13355 Berlin-Mitte

Sip: Napol Jonska

Berlin, Cafe, Germany

cafe Berlin, Germany

Cafe Berlin, Travel, Germany

Nothing can go wrong when the walls of the cafe you have just discovered are colored in pink. I came across this cute cafe while coming back from the Flea Market in Mauer Park on Sunday. When I got in, people were busy having a late brunch which included mostly waffels and crepes. The owner of the cafe was also having a brunch with her family and friends at that time. She was happy to tell me that she was buying most of the products from organic farming and was making the majority of the products herself with her staff. She is using only fresh fruit, fresh milk and organic eggs.

Napol Jonska, Kastanienallee 43, 10119 Berlin

Cafe Kauf dich Glücklich

Cafe Kauf dich Glücklich, berlin, Germany

Cafe Kauf dich Glücklich, berlin, Germany

I tend to believe that if my friend Peter hadn’t told me about this place, I would have had to find it by myself. This vintage-look cafe reminded me so much of a place I use to go to in the flea market of Jaffa when I am in Tel Aviv. To ‘try out’ this gorgeous cafe, I scheduled a meeting with Thea and Tony, aka as SisterMag. I loved it when the furniture all looked like taken from a different store or different era, all collected together in one place.

I think there is something going on with waffels in Berlin, as it was also the highlight of the place. (same as in Napol Jonska). The cafe is located in one of the trendiest streets in Prenzlauer Berg in East Berlin. Prenzlauer Berg is one of the most popular districts in Berlin, and one of Berlin’s prettiest neighbourhoods, known mostly for its Art scene. Cafe Kauf dich Glücklich is among the popular places where locals hang out.

Cafe Kauf dich Glücklich, Oderberger Straße 44, 10435 Berlin

Eat: Monsieur Vuong

Monsieur Vuong, Berlin, Spring, Travel, Germany

Not sure about German food and German dishes, as I didn’t have the chance to try them out. But one evening, while I was strolling in the streets of Mitte, I have noticed a hectic scene and a young crowd outside a buzzing restaurant. It was Monsieur Vuong, a hype Vietnamese restaurant with Pink and Red colored walls, great cocktails and a fresh Vietnamese food. It was actually my last night in Berlin and I wish I would have found Monsieur Vuong earlier. Great variety of food, refreshing cocktails, reasonable price and fun, live atmosphere.

Monsieur Vuong, Alte Schönhauser Str. 4610119 Berlin-Mitte

Editorials Travel

At Magazine March Issue

March 12, 2013

For the last couple of months I wrote so much about Lisbon, which is starting to be one of my favorite cities I visit. I’ve visited Lisbon last February as I was writing an article about the city. I’ve discovered so many new locations, hotels, restaurants and nice boutiques and decided to share this information with my Israeli readers.

My recent article about Lisbon is now featured in At Magazine, a Fashion and Life style magazine in Israel. The article will be on an A3 format, especially for the Spring Holidays.

Lisbon, Portugal, Travel, At Magazine

Lisbon, Portugal, Travel, At Magazine

Lisbon, Portugal, Travel, At Magazine

Editorials Travel

Featured Traveller on AFAR

February 9, 2013

Just a day after I saw my Vietnam image published in AFAR March-April issue , an interview I did as a Featured Traveller was highlighted on AFAR’s website.

If you want to know what can be my biggest travel mistake or where would I go if I had a whole month or a whole year to travel, read it here.

I’m really excited to be part of AFAR’s Local Experts, sharing some tips about Tel Aviv, Paris and Lisbon and probably more locations in the near future.

Afar, Travel, Feature Traveller

Travel

A Long Weekend in Porto

February 4, 2013

Porto, Portugal, Travel

I didn’t travel to Porto for its wine, nor did I travel to Porto for its delicious sea food, or its beautiful churches and towers all covered in Azule tiles.

I traveled to Porto mostly because I had an image in my mind of colorful low-rise buildings streaming down the hills all the way to the river ; an image I had to see in my own eyes and shoot with my camera. (like the one above)

An IMAGE…This is what photographers are mostly after… The rest is just a bonus.

But don’t get me wrong. I loved the wine! – I drank three kinds of Port wine in one lunch and one dinner. I loved the food! – I ate in Rui Paula’s DOP gourmet restaurant a five-fish dish, which I had to eat only clockwise and I loved the Azulejo tiles! – I didn’t stop shooting them.

But Porto mostly fascinated me for its magical atmosphere of an old mysterious or gothic (as my friend called it) city.

Porto, Portugal, Travel

There was something quite special about this city. When I climbed to the top of the hill where the Cathedral is located and overlooked the red roofs of the old crumbling buildings, I instantly felt there are few sides to Porto; The Porto of the top-level, with the old churches and the bell towers and the one of the low-level, with the residential colorful buildings. I stayed in Infante Sagresa five-stars hotel in the center of the city, but I could hear through the windows the seagulls in the sky and the church bells beaming in the background. I felt as I was on an island.

Although it is not an island, walking along the Riberia of Porto, which is one of the oldest parts of the city and was classified as World Cultural Heritage by Unesco, might give you the feeling you are on one. The river front and the dotted ships on the Douro river are really close.

Porto DOES have all the right ingredients for a perfect long weekend or a short vacation in Europe;  Its gastronomy is a mirror of its cultural diversity and there are a lot of great chefs’ oriented restaurants in the city. The Port Wine, which stands out from ordinary wines thanks to its huge range of variety. The different kinds of architectural styles; from the Neoclassical to Art Nouveau (I specially loved the variety of the signs fonts) and of course, the comfortable weather.

When you book your next Porto vacation, I highly recommend to follow O Porto Cool blog. It covers almost every corner in the city and it is very up to date. I checked it on a daily basis and it really made my visit more enjoyable, knowing where to go, on a specific time of the day.

Porto, Portugal, Travel

There are so many things to do and see in Porto. A long weekend that lasts for three days obviously will not be enough, but beside the beautiful churches, the marvelous castles and other iconic buildings, here are some highlights I recommend not to miss.

Sao Bento Railway Station

Might be one of the most beautiful train stations in the World, Sao Bento Railway Station was opened to the public in 1916 and is well known for its walls covered with 20,000 splendid azulejo ceramic tiles which describe the  History of Portugal. It took Jorge Colaço, the artist, 11 years to complete this building. The railway station is located in the Almeida Garret Square, in the centre of the city. I happened to be there on a Saturday rainy morning, while I was looking for a place to hide from the heavy rain. It was quite interesting watching the people’s dynamics, which might look the same in every major Railway station, despite its location. This place is beautiful all year around and probably most hours of the day. Indulge in this beauty and pay attention to the little details.

Address: Praca Almeida Garrett

Porto, Portugal, Travel, Sao Bento Railway Station

Porto, Portugal, Travel, Sao Bento Railway Station

Porto, Portugal, Travel, Sao Bento Railway Station

Miss’Opo

This is a great spot for a Weekend brunch, especially if it is raining outside. (At least that what happened to me). I loved the contrast between the raw grey industrial walls and the warm chocolate-colored wood furniture and the green plants. The furniture and accessory have that vintage touch, which I found quite unique and surprising. The place serves as a restaurant and a bar, where at the back of it, there is a minimalistic clothes store.

And then, there is the guest house, which is designed in the same atmosphere of the restaurant; grey industrial walls and minimalistic wooden beds. I love that Miss’Opo is a multi-functional space that can offer both food, style and accommodation in style. It is definitely one of the great spaces that Porto has to offer to a young and hype crowd.

Address: Rua dos Caldeireiros nº100 (restaurant)/ Rua de trás nº 49 (guesthouse) 

Porto, Portugal, Travel, Miss Opo, Brunch

MissOpo, Porto, Portugal, Travel

MissOpo, Porto, Portugal, Travel

Casa da Música  

Casa da Música, designed by Rem Koolhaas, is the first building built in Portugal which is dedicated entirely to music in various aspects; presentation of music (concerts), education of music and creation of music. The building was intended to be finished on 2001, to mark the year in which Porto became a Cultural Capital of Europe but eventually Casa da Música opened its doors to the public on April 15th , 2005. I first heard about Casa da Música when I read my travel guide about Lisbon and Casa da Música was a suggestion for a weekend getaway. The VIP Room grabbed my attention right away and I knew it was something I had to shoot. It is a multifuncional space, mainly used for sessions for small groups, installations or ceremonial occasions. The room pays an homage to Portuguese tiles and each of its panels is a reproduction of an original panel to be found in different museums in Portugal and the Netherlands. When I got to the building I was quite surprised to discover that the next time I can see the room was at 4pm. Mind you, it was only noon, but eventually (thanks to my Journalist pass) I had the chance to be in the VIP Room by myself and shoot it as much as I want. When you plan your visit in Casa da Música, plan it wisely time-wise. And treat yourself to a concert. It is worth it.

Address: Avenida Boavista 604 

Porto, Portugal, Travel, Casa da Musica

Porto, Portugal, Travel, Casa da Musica

Livraria Lello

Another known architectural jewel in Porto is Livraria Lello, a bookstore well-known for its red stairways that look like a giant tongue. This beautiful bookstores, which was opened in 1906, was chosen one of the ten most beautiful bookstores in the world. The store was designed by Xavier Esteves and it is the flagship store for one of the most important Portuguese publishing houses. Co-owner Antero Braga is usually around, knows the Portuguese book market in and out, and will be glad to help you find exactly what you want even when you don’t have a clue about what that may be. Photography inside the store is not allowed but if you flash your Journalist card again and show up just before the store is opened, than taking pictures might be an option.

Address: Rua das Carmelitas 144

Porto, Portugal, Travel, Lello Book store

Porto, Portugal, Travel, Lello Book store

Book Restaurant 

Speaking of books, Book Restaurant (which is next door to Infante Sagres hotel) is designed as a library as well and reflects the connection between literature and gastronomy in a very contemporary way. The architect is Pedro Trindade and the chef is John Mendes serving Mediterranean cuisine. I first saw the restaurant from the outside and was curious to see the decor. When I got in and sat down, the waiter handed me the menu inside The Historia da Filosofia book. I knew my dinner couldn’t be better than that! 

Address: Rua de Aviz, 10 

Porto, Portugal, Travel, Book restaurant

Porto, Portugal, Travel, Book restaurant

Era Uma a Vez em Paris, Once Upon a Time In Paris

One of the busiest and fashioned streets in Porto is Rua Galerias de Paris, which, no wonder, is spotted by some cafes and restaurants that remind you of Paris. There is a cute cafe called Galeria de Paris which was quite busy during lunch time, and next door there was Era Uma a Vez em Paris, a dark cafe with great green lamps that grabbed my attention right away to get inside. When I got in, I could easily think I entered a Bohemian Parisian cafe back in the 20’s. No wonder. Era Uma a Vez em Paris, which means ‘Once Upon a Time in Paris’. I loved the decor. The dark room with the red walls, the velvet heavy sofas and the velvet green lamps transformed me immediately. Really recommended during night time, when the place becomes more intimate.

Address: Rua Galerias de Paris 106

Porto, Portugal, Travel

Majestic Cafe 

Might be one of Portugal’s most famous cafes with a beautiful interior, Majestic Cafe is one of the best historic cafes in Europe and one of the most beautiful ones in the World. The façade, same as the interior, enlightened the street with its Art Nouveau decoration, designed by architect João Queiroz. It has a great atmosphere and not only a touristic attraction. Come with your cameras because pictures are allowed but also sit down for a coffee and a Portugese cake.

Address: Rua Santa Catarina 112

Porto, Portugal, Travel, Majestic Cafe

More recommended locations: 

B & B hotel is a great alternative for the budget traveler. The hotel, which was opened in the end of 2011, is located right in the city center in an Art Déco building that used to be cinema “Águia d’Ouro”. The hotel has stylishly furnished rooms and a modern design and despite its luxurious facade, it offers an econo-chic concept with good price for travelers.

A Vida Portuguesa is a concept store I first discovered in Lisbon. I was quite happy to find a similar store on Rua Galerias de Paris and get some hand made olive oil soaps with funny wrapping. Definitely, get a glimpse inside the store.

DOP Restaurant which stands for ‘tasting and daring in Oporto’, is a gourmet restaurant owned by the chef Rui Paula, who combines traditional Portuguese cuisine with international flavor. The restaurant is located in Palácio das Artes (Palace of Arts), an original building from the 14th century, which used to be a youth foundation but recently was reconstructed and reopened as a restaurant. Highly recommended and preferred to book in advance.

De Castro Gaia Restaurant is located in The Porto Cruz Space  just acros the river of Porto. The chef Miguel Castro Silva, unites the Porto Cruz wines with the culture of gastronomic Portuguese cuisine. Better take your drink to the rooftop of the building and sip it while looking at the beautiful view of Porto.

Porto is by far, a very fascinating city to visit. You can see it by bike, on foot and even by boat. Take advantage of the great touristic information and plan a great vacation with Porto Card. It will make everything much easier.

Igreja dos Congregados, Porto, Portugal, Travel

Porto, Portugal, Travel, Rooftops

Travel

Been There, Done That; My 2012

December 31, 2012

It is quite impossible to sum up a full year in one post or in a few pictures. I’m sure a lot of things that happened I don’t even remember and there are few things I want to forget.

For me, the New Year is always filled with a sense of anticipation but mostly curiosity, followed by a constant obsessed reading of the yearly horoscope’s predictions that I tend to compare from different sources. Looking back at the predictions of 2012, I can’t say my horoscope was right or wrong, vague or clear. It was what it was, and I did what I did. (It doesn’t mean I will stop reading my yearly horoscope predictions for the next year) and yet, 2012 was quite an interesting and a challenging year.

But if I DO need to sum up this year somehow, then I will say that 2012 was the year of Places and People. After all, it is the people you meet through your journeys to make them memorable.

I have travelled to Vietnam in February, a country I’ve always wanted to visit.

An article I read about the Vietnamese food and an image of the lanterns festival I saw in a Nikon magazine, made me book a flight in a short notice and plan my trip by talking to Juliette, my friend, who used to live in Hanoi few years ago and talking to my friend Meirav, who was convinced I can get great images for my portfolio.

As much as I didn’t plan my trip, one thing was planned for sure; I wanted to be in HoiAn on February 5th for the first full moon of the New Year. It was one of the most beautiful ceremonies I have ever seen to welcome the New Year in Vietnam, and if you ever plan a trip there, you should definitely consider it. In Vietnam I was exposed to great street food, even though there were places I couldn’t believe I would eat there, and yet, I survived it and the food was delicious. I met some interesting people, some were travelers like me, I took a midnight train from Hanoi to Sapa, just to realize Sapa was so cloudy and foggy. I got so antsy and impatient to go back that I’ve decided to take a midnight train back on the same day. I was exposed to the un-explained rhythm of the scooters and motorcycles, drank a lot of condense milk (just to realize afterwards how fatty it was) and most important, took tons of pictures.

Vietnam, Travel, New Year

Vietnam, Travel, New Year

Travel, Vietnam, New Year

After Vietnam, on my way back to New York, I had a stop over in Tokyo.

At first, I was supposed to stay in Tokyo only for a 10 hours time in between flights, but Alfredo, one of my close friends who used to live there for few months, encouraged me to stay longer ‘because if you are already in the area…why not to stay?’ He was so right! I was in Tokyo for 72 hours and slept only four hours a night. Tokyo was like a dream come true. Like New York but on Steroids.

As much as Tokyo is crowded and massive and, obviously, I saw only the tip of it, serendipity took a place and led me to have some really great experiences. I was shooting two! articles in three days, and a random conversation with a local fashionista, got me into the hard core of the fashion scene in Tokyo. Never imagined I will do so much in such a short time. To balance out the craziness of this city, Meri, a Japanese friend who I met online and finally got the chance to meet in person, took me to a high-end tea ceremony in Ginza. Even though I didn’t understand a word, I was having the time of my life.

Tokyo, Japan, Travel, New Year

Tokyo, Japan, Travel, New Year

This year I have been to Paris three times!!!

Combining business and pleasure, Paris is becoming one of my most favorite cities (after Manhattan, of course) a city I aim to live in for a few months and experience the ‘La Vie en Rose’. Whenever I have the opportunity, I will go to Paris. Even if it is for a short while. Three times in Paris this year, I had the opportunity to live like a local in different arrondissements and experience the city in so many different ways.

In March I was staying in Montparnasse. I was writing and shooting an article about the design scene in Paris and thanks to some insider information from my friend Anne, who lives in Paris and blogs about it, I got to shoot some new locations, a beautiful Philip Starck’s hotel and some great concept stores.

In June I traveled to Paris mostly to celebrate my birthday in the city of lights but also to shoot some great Parisian apartments. My sister came from Tel Aviv and I came from New York and we met right in the heart of the city, in one of the trendiest neighborhoods in Paris; the Northern Marais (NoMa). Even though it rained on my birthday, that day was very special and an eye opener. During my week in Paris, I met so many new people (some became really dear to me) I met and followed one of my favorite Street Artist and participated in a real French Cooking class.

In October I visited Paris again. This time it was a way different experience than what I knew before. I was invited by Tonya to document with my camera a group of great women who came to Paris to learn how to French Kiss their lives and fall in love with themselves again. Where else if not in Paris, will your senses be alerted and awaken? During this visit I’ve stayed in the high-end 16th arrondissement where I could see the Eifel tower glittering through the living-room’s window and the Arc de Triumph on my way to the Metro station. I was exposed to great restaurants (eight-course dinner, for example) learned some fashion secrets from a real Parisian stylist and finally understood what behind a great perfumes and scents.

These Paris’ glimpses were also a great opportunities to finally meet the people I knew from the online world in reality. (Greg, Ben, Lindsey, Daniel, Gale, Yetunde, Eric and Chef Constance to name a few) Even though these glimpses were short, I am so grateful for these opportunities.

Paris, Travel, New Year

Paris, Travel, New Year

Paris, Travel, New Year

In June I also visited Lisbon for the first time.

I’ve always wanted to visit this city and I can’t pinpoint exactly on the reason. Curiosity for sure. I’ve stayed 48 hours in Lisbon and did so much. I let serendipity play its tricks again and a random turn led me to discover one of the most beautiful castles in Lisbon, write an article about it and become friends with its owner. I traveled to Lisbon with zero expectations but discovered so much. A recommendation from a hotel manager to visit Pharmacia, one of the trendiest restaurants in the city, grabbed my interest to find this place and shoot it. It granted me my debut picture in Travel +Leisure Magazine on November and a private tour by one of the restaurant owners.

Lisbon, Travel, New Year

lisbon, new year, travel

And then in September a stop over in Rome, the Eternal City.

I haven’t been to Rome for over five years as I was quite reluctant that some nostalgic moments will get over me. But this current trip to Rome eventually was a closing circle of the past. I met with my Italian friend and colleague Peter and we scrolled the streets of beautiful Trastevere (how did I miss this neighborhood in my previous visit?) and for a second I felt like a character in Woody Allen’s movie ‘To Rome with Love’. I stayed in a great vintage hotel just in the smack of the Colosseum area and yes…I became friends with the owner as well.

Rome, Travel, New Year

But the highlight of my Italian jump (beside missing my suitcase for most of my stay) was a day in Naples.

I admit. I swore to go to Naples in my next opportunity I visit Italy again and so it happened in September. My main goal was to shoot laundry for my on going photography project ‘Intimacy under the Wires’ but my private tour guide Marina, showed me so much of this ambiguous city that one day was surely not enough and left me with a desire to visit this city again.

Napoli, Travel, New Year

In between, I’ve spent some time in Tel Aviv.

Even though I am an Israeli, I still can’t call myself a local in Tel Aviv. Spending my recent years in New York and spending the holidays in Tel Aviv still doesn’t grant me that title. Not yet. I enjoy being a semi-tourist in Tel Aviv. Let my friends guide me. Show me new places, recommend me on some great restaurants and even take me for a graffiti tour around. Don’t get me wrong. I am not a stranger in Tel Aviv, but these little discoveries make my stay a little bit more enjoyable. This year I had the honor to have my picture featured on the cover of Hemisphere Travel Magazine and a four-double spread feature in Resource Magazine, in case you are planning your next photo production in this neve-sleep-city.

Tel Aviv, Travel, New Year

And then, New York, of course.

I love discovering new places, streets, locations, restaurants, bars and so on so forth in the city I live in. Can’t think of anything in specific but I just enjoy these moments when I take my camera out of my bag to capture some of my favorite frames. I can’t sum up New York for this year. New York has been and will always be a great challenging ride.

New York, Travel, New Year

New York, Travel, New Year

As much as I met new and interesting people and made some new friends, there were few friends who disappeared and few I had to let go. That’s the Nature of  Relationships, I guess, and as I’ve learned from past experience, I shouldn’t regret it. People come and go for a reason.

Starting tomorrow, I’m sure I will read all the yearly horoscope predictions for 2013. I will probably read the Hebrew and English versions as well.

New Year’s resolutions? It might be too presumptuous for now.

Meanwhile, I will take it one day at a time.

Happy New Year Everyone.

Sivan

Design & Lifestyle Editorials Travel

Travel + Leisure November Issue

October 20, 2012

For years, I’ve been an avid reader of Travel + Leisure, one of the most leading travel magazines in the world. The magazine serves as an on-going inspiration for my next travel destinations and not once do I buy an issue and highlight some articles and find tips on where to stay, what to see, where to eat and what is the next ‘most desirable’ place these days. Truth is that my in flight read (beside the magazine they give you on the plane) is always the recent issue of Travel + Leisure, and since I’ve started my Travel Photography career, Travel + Leisure was definitely something to look for.

I am so excited one of my Pharmacia Restaurant images has made it to the ‘Lisbon by Design’ segment in November issue. It seems Lisbon gets the exposure it deserves and I’m glad to be part of it.

Here is my intake on Lisbon’s Design Scene  and my experience of Pharmacia restaurant.

(My image is on the second page, on the lower left of the article)

Travel and Leisure, Lisbon, Portugal

 Travel and Leisure, Lisbon, Portugal

Travel

The Art of Travel and Why we Travel

August 19, 2012

Why we travel, Vietnam

A few weeks ago I had a semi-argument with my mom in which she said I was addicted to Airport terminals and the act of traveling.

While I tried to explain to her that traveling is part of my job and actually part of who I am as a human being, I had to think about it more; (Jewish mothers are always right)

Am I really addicted to Airports? (well, addiction runs in the family)

Can’t I really sit still in one place and need to wander? (I was always the ‘curious cat’)

What is it in the ‘act’ of traveling that makes me happy to the point that I always want more? (I often plan my next travel before the current one really ends)

Not to mention, the urge to take pictures and look at the reality in front of me, fit into a frame.

Was it a coincidence or not, but A few days after my conversation with my mom, a friend of mine got me the book The Art of Travel’ by the philosopher Alain de Botton, and I dwelled into it. The book is not a typical Travel book that suggests its readers where to go, but it is more a philosophical one, that brings up questions of WHY we travel and WHAT do we get out of this experience. Alain de Botton keeps reminding the readers that travel is a learning experience and if we be open and use all of our senses, than we be well rewarded and so our travel experience.

…Journeys are the midwives of thought. Few places are more conducive to internal conversations than a moving plane, ship or train. There is an almost quaint correlation between what is in front of our eyes and the thoughts we are able to have in our heads: large thoughts at times requiring large views, new thoughts new places. Introspective reflections which are liable to stall are helped along by the flow of the landscape. The mind may be reluctant to think properly when thinking is all it is supposed to do. 

At the end of hours of train-dreaming, we may feel we have been returned to ourselves – that is, brought back into contact with emotions and ideas of importance to us. It is not necessarily at home that we best encounter our true selves. The furniture insists that we cannot change because it does not; the domestic setting keeps us tethered to the person we are in ordinary life, but who may not be who we essentially are.

If we find poetry in the service station and motel, if we are drawn to the airport or train carriage, it is perhaps because, in spite of their architectural compromises and discomforts, in spite of their garish colours and harsh lighting, we implicitly feel that these isolated places offer us a material setting for an alternative to the selfish ease, the habits and confinement of the ordinary, rooted world…” 

The Art of Travel, Alain de Botton

As I’m still reading de Botton’s book, I came across another travel essay, that was on point with how I feel when I travel. If I ever need to justify myself in any future argument, the essay ‘Why we Travel’ by the philosopher Pico Iyer, will be a winning case.

“…We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next, to find ourselves. We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate. We travel to bring what little we can, in our ignorance and knowledge, to those parts of the globe whose riches are differently dispersed. And we travel, in essence, to become young fools again—to slow time down and get taken in, and fall in love once more. The beauty of this whole process was best described, perhaps, before people even took to frequent flying…”

While each of us has his own reasons to travel, here are some of mine;

Travel, Vietnam, Ho chi Minh, why we travel

Travel, Vietnam, Ho Chi minh, Why we Travel

Travel, Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh, Why we Travel

Travel, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Why we Travel

Travel, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Why we Travel

Travel, Israel, Tel Aviv, why we Travel

Travel, Tokyo, Japan, Why we Travel

Travel, Lisbon, Portugal, Why we Travel

Travel, Rome, Italy, Why we Travel

Travel, Florence, Italy, Why we Travel

Travel, Venice, Italy, Why we Travel

Travel, Florence, Italy, Why we Travel

Travel, Paris, France, Why we Travel

Travel, Paris, France, Why we Travel

 

Travel

Rooftops Obsession

July 29, 2012

Travel, Rooftop, Photography, Madrid

When I travel to a new place, there are few things I make sure to look for and find (The rest I leave for serendipity): An area where I can find great graffiti and street Art, an area where I can find people hanging their laundry outdoors and the best view of the city.

There is nothing like walking all day in the streets of a new place and then (usually at the end of the day just before sunset) climbing up a mountain, a hill, a tall tower, a bridge, the 43rd floor (in case of Manhattan) the 6th floor (in case of Montmartre in Paris) or anything that helps you see the city in a whole new different perspective. When you are up, overlooking the city, you no longer hear the traffic in the streets (you just see the cars), you don’t see the people in eye level and you don’t smell the street vendor’s food, the smoke or anything else.

It is a sort of serenity. a state of mind. (and an important addition for a Travel Portfolio)

Here are some rooftops locations from Madrid, Barcelona, Bologna, Rome, Florence, Buenos Aires, Lisbon, Paris and Manhattan. If you have more recommendations, please send me a message.

Travel, Rooftop, Photography, Barcelona

Travel, Rooftop, Photography, Barcelona

Rooftop, Travel, Photography, Bologna

Rooftop, Travel, Photography, Roma

Rooftop, Travel, Photography, Florence

Rooftop, Travel, Photography, Florence

Rooftop, Travel, Photography, Buenos Aires

Rooftop, Travel, Photography, Lisbon

Rooftop, Travel, Photography, Lisbon

Rooftop, Travel, Photography, Paris

Paris, France, a room with a view, Travel, Rooftop

Rooftop, Travel, Photography, Paris

Rooftop, Travel, Photography, Paris

Rooftop, Travel, Photography, New York

Rooftop, Travel, Photography, New York

Few days after I wrote this post, I was chosen by Easy Jet Holidays as one of their Bloggers of the month as they chose to feature this post on their website. Check it out and some other great inspiring bloggers.

Design & Lifestyle Travel

Meet Me in the Bedroom; Pensão Amor

July 16, 2012

Pensao Amor, lisbon, Portugal, Nighlife

When I asked the concierge of the hotel I was staying in, what was the most popular place and bar to hang out in Lisbon, I didn’t know what to expect when he told me about Pensão Amor.

You have to go to Pensão Amor’ he said and winked as he was telling a secret, and wrote me the address on a piece of paper. ‘If you go there during the weekend’ he said ‘be prepared to wait in a long line outside, but it is worth the wait’ he smiled.

Luckily, it wasn’t the weekend yet, but Thursday evening and I jumped into a cab up the hills of Bairro Alto, toward Cais do Sodré area. The cab driver dropped me in Rua Nova do Carvalho at the entrance of Pensão Amor and winked as well. Apparently, Rua Nova do Carvalho used to be the ‘red-light-district’ area in Lisbon for decades. In recent years it has been transformed and became one of the most hip and trendy streets in Lisbon, lined with hip bars and clubs that become crowded after 2AM when the bars in the legendary area Bairro Alto start to close.

I knew I was in the right place.

But what I didn’t know was what to expect when I got inside.

It used to be a cheap pension with rooms rented by the hour to prostitutes and their clients in that area. Pensão Amor, or ‘Guesthouse of Love’ is now a chic place of five floors; In the first floor you can find the bar that serves drinks and Peruvian food, a small bookstore with erotic books and literature and a pole dance room decorated with leopard and gold. Someone just told me that Pole dance workshops are held here to learn the tricks of seduction…In the other floors you can find a boutique that sells sexy lingerie and some vintage clothing and a trendy hair salon. Don’t forget to visit the restrooms; neon lights are all over!

Fun!

I loved the decoration of the place and every room is different than the other. The ceilings of this former ’guesthouse’ are painted with frescoes, some walls are covered with mirrors, paintings and old posters, and some rooms might be too dark to notice anything. If you visit Lisbon and look for a trendy and relaxed atmosphere to hang out, I highly recommend this place. You will not get bored, for sure.

Pensao Amor, Lisbon, Portugal, Nightlife

Pensao Amor, Lisbon, Portugal, Travel, Nightlife

pensao amor, lisbon, Portugal, Travel, Nightlife

 

Intimacy Under the Wires

Featured in Le Cool Lisboa

July 11, 2012

Le cool Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal, Travel, Laundry, Intimacy under the Wires

I spent only 48 hours in Lisbon and yet, I managed to do, see and shoot so many things.

Especially Laundry! 

I’m really excited and honored my on going photography project ‘Intimacy under the Wires’ grabbed the attention of the Editor of Le Cool Lisboa that he has decided to feature one of my laundry images on the cover of the magazine (issue *348) and also interview me about it. If you know Portuguese, here is the interview.

The week after I was also surprised to find another image on the cover of the magazine (issue *349) in which I am talking about the Love signs on the walls of Lisbon.

Le Cool Lisboa, Travel, Lisbon, Portugal

Le Cool Magazine is a free weekly magazine distributed every Thursday that features a selection of cultural events and leisure activities, revealing the things you really shouldn’t miss. The magazine filters out, among other things, the best art, film, music, and club nights, as well as a careful selection of extraordinary bars, restaurants and other fine places. Le Cool is featured in Barcelona, Budapest, Dublin, Istanbul, London, Lisbon, Madrid, Paris, Rome and Vienna.