I am very honored and excited to have my debut image of Porto featured as the travel story opener in Elle Decor US, May Issue.
Beside Travel Magazines that inspire me, Elle Decor is an inspiration for everything that has to do with design. Quite often I get myself a copy of the magazine and dive into the homes and lives of others. Therefore, I was quite excited when the Photo Editor of Elle Decor has contacted me two months ago, asking me to share some images I took of Porto.
I visited Porto last February and spent a long weekend in that old mysterious and gothic city. I was quite lucky to experience so much in such a little time and get a sense of that city, which left me, of course, with the desire and curiosity to visit it again and experience it even more. (Hopefully during the Summer Season).
If my A Long Weekend in Porto post doesn’t convince you to book a flight or a vacation in this city, maybe the fact that Porto has just been selected as the Best European City for 2014, will do the trick.
Tel Aviv is becoming quite a HOT destination recently, not only because of the weather, but mostly for the things it has to offer; Culture, Beach life, Night life and the Food. Oh yes…The Food.
Travel+Leisure April Issue is always a food related one. This April issue I was assigned to shoot the ‘Street Smart’ segment for ‘On the Radar’ and I found myself looking for a variety of interesting characters in HaCarmel Market in Tel Aviv. I must admit; I haven’t spent so much time in HaCarmel Market before, mostly because it is always busy and crowded. But for this assignment, I walked around the alleys in different hours of the day, spoke to Patrons, followed customers, photographed dogs, tried out some Humus places, Beer Bars and got myself familiar and comfortable with that special rhythm of the market.
I highly recommend to get yourself familiar with these locals picks…and if you are a foodie, stick around, because there is so much more to come.
My first introduction to Aveiro in Central Portugal was through the window of a train.
Last year I was taking a train ride from Lisbon to Porto and the train had a stop in Aveiro, allowing passengers to get off the train and get on. I remember when I looked outside the window, the first things I have noticed were the marvelous blue tiles and the figures decorating the walls of a white washed building. (The old train station) This sight got me fully awake. I remember writing down the name of the station ‘Aveiro’ and made a note to myself to be back and see that place again and not only through a window of a rushing train.
So here I am! A year after. I am keeping my promise and visiting this city.
Aveiro is the second biggest city after Coimbra in Central Portugal. I have stayed only 24 hours in Aveiro and I can easily describe it as a must destination for Art Nouveau lovers and for those who blue azulejo (Portuguese tiles) make them tick. (Me).
Here are some of my favorites ‘to do’s’ of the city of Aveiro;
* Taking a Boat Ride along the Canals: Aveiro is known and nick named as the ‘Portuguese Venice’ thanks to its canals, the bridges over the canals and the painted colorful moliceiros (boats) which replace the gondolas in Venice. The original usage of the moliceiro was to transfer the harvest of seaweed, which was the main source of fertilizing the farmland of Aveiro, but these days they are mostly touristic and used for boat rides along the canals. The moliceiros are known for their bold colors and humorous decorations (including nudity) that ridicule situations of everyday life. Even though it might be too touristy (and I’m against everything touristy) sometimes it’s fun to have a boat ride, especially before sunset.
* Aveiro’s old Train Station: Even if you don’t travel to Aveiro by train, don’t miss a visit to the old train station. The white washed facade is covered with blue Portuguese tiles (azulejos) which tell a story of a typical everyday life in the ancient times in Portugal. This train station was built in 1861 and the constructions last for three years. It was opened for service on April 10, 1864. This station is currently not in use, as a new and modern building next door is now serving as the new train station. If you want to learn more about the history of the city, there is no need to open a History book. Just tour around this station.
* Art Nouveau Architecture: If you are a fan of Art Nouveau movement in general and Art Nouveau Architecture in specific, you should visit Aveiro. Walking in the streets, especially alongside the river, bring a lot of encounters with this style; The usage of exposed iron and large, irregularly shaped pieces of glass for buildings is fairly common. There is also a special museum for Art Nouveau, Museu de Arte Nova, located in Casa Major Pessoa, a true icon of Art Nouveau architecture. Casa Major Pessoa was initiated by Mario Belmonte Person in 1907 and was designed by the architects Francisco Augusto da Silva Rocha and Ernesto Korrodi .The building was purchased by the city of Aveiro in 2004 and in 2008 was converted to what it is now, a museum. It is a relatively small museum. The spread of Art Nouveau (Arte Nova) in Portugal flourished mostly in Porto and Aveiro.
* The Biggest Collection of Colorful Portuguese Tiles: I have been to various cities in Portugal before visiting Aveiro, but walking through the little streets of the old part of the city, it seems as though Aveiro has the biggest and maybe the most diverse collection of Portuguese tiles which are decorating the walls of the buildings. The first time I saw this design called ‘walls covered with ceramic tiles’ was in Lisbon. I remember taking a lot of pictures of these building (mostly located around Alfama area). But being in Aveiro, I didn’t put the camera down. Every building was different than the one next to it, both in color and the pattern of the ceramic tile, making my photography experience even richer and more exciting.
* The Stripped Houses of Costa Nova: A short driving distance from Aveiro toward the ocean, you can discover a typical beach where the charm of many wooden houses with colorful strips is quite exceptional. If you can plan your visit, make sure not to miss the sunset or sunrise over Costa Nova, when the colors of the houses are dramatically showing. Beside the ‘haystacks’ (the name for these wooden stripped houses) Costa Nova is also one of the great Portuguese beaches for water sports, windsurfing and kitesurfing. Walking along these colorful houses made me feel as I was visiting the movie set of ‘The Truman Show’, maybe because the houses looked quite the same and the streets were quiet and still. Or maybe my imagination was just running wild. Regardless, bring your camera to have some picture-perfect spots there, all hours of the day.
* O Barrio Restaurant: O Barrio Restaurant (opened in 2012) is a young, trendy and hype restaurant which gives the traditional Portuguese cuisine a fun twist. The owners of O Barrio wanted to keep the roots and tradition of Aveiro, but also to approach a younger crowd with less traditional palette. The menu is quite colorful and diverse; small fish dishes, grilled and stewed, small burgers, sea food soup and great desserts. Even though I’ve spent only 24 hours in Aveiro, I made sure to visit the restaurant twice(!) as I wanted to try the different dishes as much as possible. The service is really good and friendly and there is a good chance to see one of the owners enjoying a family dinner sitting at the table next to you.
My favorite dish in O Barrio (rest assure I had it twice, right?) was the combination of a Cheesecake and the Ovos Moles. Ovos Moles is a typical dessert from Aveiro, made with egg yolk and tons of sugar. All of this goodness comes with an orange flavor ice cream and crusted dough. For me, it looked like the Pac Man figure I used to play when I was way younger. Nevertheless, this dessert is delicious. Don’t miss it.
Whether you are taking a train from Lisbon to Porto, or going on a day trip out from Coimbra, don’t skip Aveiro. Spend at least a day or two (I wish I had more time to explore) and enjoy a quiet city, which combines the old and the new, the crumbling buildings in the old town vs.the modern and advanced University of Aveiro, the colorful tiles decorating the buildings and the over – the -top sweet Ovos Moles and other egg based desserts.
I will start this post with a confession and admit right from the start that this is not an easy post for me to write. We, the photographers, might find it sometimes easy to snap a beautiful picture which captures what we see in front of our eyes, or through the lenses. But the truth is that reality and life are not always like that.
But what these pictures can’t and couldn’t tell, is how sad and heartbreaking the year of 2013 has been for me.
It was the year when I changed my life almost 360 degrees so I could be next to my dad while he was fighting cancer. The year I ‘danced’ through my photo assignments and deadlines so I would never skip any kind of treatment my dad went through. The year in which I spend some nights in the hospital alongside my dad, just so he would see a familiar face when he woke up. The year in which the sentence ‘Family Comes First’ was not just a sentence, but an act of life.
It was a very tough year. Words can not describe. Not even my pictures!
And throughout this hard time, I got to realize what is the Importance of Life (spend as much time as possible with your loved ones and never hold back)
Who are my REAL friends (those who will always be there for me and will come over when I ask them to, or even without me asking…they will just BE THERE)
and no matter what kind of personality I have or mood-swings I was going through, I had to keep being strong and optimistic.
Till the end.
My dad passed away on November 2013. When someone who is so close to you dies, it is always too soon.
My dad is the one who taught me everything I know about Photography and the one who always encouraged me to take risks and chances and live life with no regrets.
When I look at the images at the top of this post and count the features and assignments I did throughout this year, I know I owe this all to him. To My Dad.
My New Year’s resolutions? Live each day as it was your last and shoot as though tomorrow you will be strictly blind….
I am quite excited to announce my first giveaway on my blog.
I know the Holiday Season and the New Year right after always draw attention and the urge to give special gifts. So now this is my time to give a special gift to you.
Why? I have been an AFAR’s Ambassador for quite a while now, and it has been a great honor to share with AFAR’s readers my Wanderlists and things to do while traveling.
Each action counts toward one entry. (please leave a comment below per action). Entries must be posted by December 26 to qualify. The winner will be drawn at random and announced at the bottom of this post by January 1st.
Who can win: Open to readers worldwide. (If you are a US Resident you can win a one-year print subscription and if you are Overseas, you can win a one-year digital subscription)
A few months ago I made a phone call to Bill Cramer, the founder of Wonderful Machine. Bill was very friendly (I remember it was a holiday eve but he was still at the office) and he answered all my questions I wanted to ask about his company, while I was debating if I should join Wonderful Machine or not.
Wonderful Machine is an online interface which provides clients with the most comprehensive source of high quality photographers doing all kinds of work, all over the world. Bill and his team are quite selective about the photographers they show, they list them only in locations where they actually live, and only in specialties in which they are highly proficient.
For us, the photographers, is a great way to be exposed to new clients and different assignments, stock requests and so on. After I hung up the phone with Bill, I felt very confident to join the site.
And indeed…good things started to happen. I do believe it is a combination of my hard work as well and the face-to-face interactions I make an effort to maintain with photo editors and colleagues. Few days ago Wonderful Machine mentioned me on their Spotlight page and wrote few facts you should know…
…She doesn’t watch TV, but swims every morning. Was introduced to photography by her Father, who always carried his Nikon around with him. Grew up in Israel, but moved to New York at age 26 where she resided for 12 years. Recently shot a double-spread for Conde Nast Traveller…
There is one thing to live in a city and another thing is to write about it.
Despite the fact I haven’t been living in Tel Aviv for twelve years now, my ‘Israelism’ grant me the title of a Tel Aviv expert among the readers abroad. I’ve been writing about Tel Aviv to EasyJet Blog, than a detailed article to Resource Magazine and my recent Tel Avivism article is Tel Aviv City Guide on DesignSponge.
I had to divide Tel Aviv to areas, such as The North and Tel Aviv Port, City Center, The Heart of Tel Aviv and the White City, The South part of the city and of course, Jaffa.
Here is a detailed list of restaurants, hotels, shops, studios and cultural locations in Tel Aviv, the city that never sleeps. Highly recommend to bookmark this list when you next travel to Tel Aviv.
Thanks Amy, Grace and Stephanie for this great opportunity.
Since my recent visit to Flanders on July, I’ve written a few articles about Antwerp; The main one was my Wanderlist on AFAR Magazine, on my blog and the recent one, for At Magazine, a Fashion and Lifestyle magazine in Israel. The article is about Antwerp and my recommendations where to shop, dine and what to do. I like the layout and how it came out. Hope it makes the readers book a flight to Antwerp.
‘Israel’s cool coastal city is an electrifying mix of stylish hotels and high design landmarks- all along miles of white- sand beaches’
This is how Tel Aviv is described in the October issue of Travel+Leisure magazine.
Last April I was contacted by one of the Photo Editors of Travel+Leisure Magazine, asking me if I was by any chance in Tel Aviv and available for a shoot. The timing was perfect and I was assigned to shoot the monthly column T+L Decoder for Tel Aviv. The Decoder is actually the definitive guide which covers the best places to Eat, See, Shop and Stay in one city. Tel Aviv was chosen for October issue. Needless to say how excited I was and honored to shoot Tel Aviv. A few days later I got a list of places and locations I had to cover. As someone who lives in New York for a while now and comes to Tel Aviv for holiday visits, I must admit I was thrilled to discover new locations in the city and capture them from a different point of view. Not a local.
Beside shooting the various locations, I also had to keep in mind an interesting, graphic and impressive image for the guide’s cover. When I mentioned it to some of the ‘objects’, they got enrolled and excited and all wanted to be chosen for the cover. When I was in need for people as objects, some of my friends happily volunteered to be photographed as they also wanted to see me in my ‘working mode’.
The article was written by David Kaufman, a great NY based writer who, as I’ve heard, loves Tel Aviv. Here is the online version of the article. (I highly recommend to download the interactive iPad version)
Hope this article and the images will take you soon to Tel Aviv.
If you want to see young guys talking about laundry detergents or getting some folding tricks, head towards WasBar (available in Gent and Antwerp, Flanders)
WasBar is a winning concept of a launderette and a cafe, which is now getting a twist and raising its functional appeal with the addition of a hairdresser and a working space, all under one roof in a well designed space.
Here is a great clip that explains about the place and its concept.
The founders of WasBar are two young guys, Dries Henau and Yuri Vandenbogaerde, both live in Gent, known as a University city, with lots of students who live in dorms or student apartments that sometimes lack the laundry machines. Dries and Yuri themselves, used to take their laundry to their mothers during the weekend, and I guess at a certain point they got tired of it. They asked themselves ‘What does the student want?’ They came out with the assumption that students want to spend their time more usefully and enjoy while waiting for the whirring machines.
So they decided to create a special place for that.
Their concept won a TV competition for young entrepreneurs (The flemish version of The Apprentice) and they opened the space in Gent on October 2012 and recently expanded to Antwerp.
Dries and Yuri pay attention for everything. They chose a young and hype design studio, PinkEye which created a suitable designed and colorful space for the students and the young professionals in Gent. I loved the graphic identity of the place; from a clothes-pin crossed with a bottle opener logo, to the pink-light blue and mint green color palette, not to mention that each laundry machine has a name! The laundry machines are named after women while the tumble dryers are named after men.
The space is opened till 10pm and there is no better thing than overhearing two young guys in their 20s discussing laundry matters.
