Trumped in Booland

As you know, I came to visit my granddaughter Mermaid Girl in time for her fifth birthday. And as thrilled as she was with the many gifts she received from her friends and relatives, none was as spectacular as the pink cowboy boots from her very cool 90-year-old Great-Grandmother.

It's hard to tear your eyes away from the boots, but if you do you can catch a glimpse of the hem of a flourescent polka-dot nightgown from one of the many stylish kid's clothes shops on Sheinkin Street.

We've been busy playing with the 168-piece build-your-own-make-believe-aquarium set, complete with mermaids and various other sea creatures, making fairies from a build-your-own-fairies set, taking pictures with her new (digital!) camera, reading some good stories, and generally having special times together. I've also finally seen Rug Rats and Angelina Ballerina videos, removing a huge gap in my cultural grounding.

It's also fun to blog upstairs and hear Elswhere tap-tapping away at her computer downstairs.

And so far, the requisite heat wave has stayed away.

Relativity

Seventeen years ago today I was leaving the USA with a one-way ticket to Israel: making aliyah. Reading Yael's recent experiences reminds me that when I landed in Tel Aviv there was no Internet, no e-mail, no cell phones. In fact, in the absorption center where I stayed there were only two phone booths in the lobby, both either in use or out of service. And the phone booths took only tokens that you had to buy at the Post Office which kept opening and closing like a clam because it was the hagim, and your call would get disconnected without warning when your time ran out.

I had no friends, no family, no Hebrew, no independent income, and no job. What was I thinking? (For details, see Why I Moved to Israel.)

Now I remember! I was thinking how easy I had it compared to my grandmother, a widow with five children, moving to New York City from Bucarest at the beginning of the twentieth century.

AND, five years ago today Mermaid Girl was born and I became a Savta!

Goodbye, LA (Updated)

There seems to be a heat wave wherever I go this summer.

My next stop is the Pacific Northwest, but I don't expect cool weather there either. Next year I suppose I'll have to consider going south of the equator if I want to escape Tel Aviv-style heat.

Shalom Shalom, Santa Monica Mall and Third Street Promenade!


Update

This is where I stayed most of the time.

Swans at the Bel Air Hotel

The swans didn't join us for high tea yesterday, which was somehow reminiscent of "Gosford Park."

Five more days in LaLaLand...

Greetings from Parking City

I thought I was in LA, but the sign at a local restaurant set me straight. The $3.50 charge "includes 10% parking city tax."

Little Bear's and Pappa Bear's Shoes

Little Bear's and Pappa Bear's Shoes
Originally uploaded by savtadotty.

They took their shoes off on the long translatlantic flight from Tel Aviv to Newark.

Did I mention there was a clown on board?

New York City Shoe Display

One Pair of Very Expensive Men's Shoes
Originally uploaded by savtadotty.

I think the price of these men's shoes was $4,300. That's US dollars. Don't shop on Madison Avenue in New York City if you can't afford stuff like this. Window-shopping is free, though.

Gone Coastal

Greetings from Southern California! My whirlwind week in NYC is now history. Fleeting impressions of the USA, based on limited observations: lots of tourists in New York in August, many notably obese people, relatively few kids in strollers. Even though my flight to LAX was delayed at JFK, we landed almost on time, and they even served dinner. I hadn't expected a meal, so I had a yummy sandwich that I'd bought at Whole Foods. Tomorrow I visit my brother.

A New York Minute

I've been in New York City for a whole week and it feels like a minute...a very hot and humid minute. Went wild with museum-going: Maurice Sendak exhibit at the Jewish Museum, Matisse at the Met, Cezanne and Pissaro at MOMA, Cambodian dancing at the Museum of Asian Art. Plus one terrific movie "Mad Hot Ballroom," and one very entertaining musical, "Sweet Charity."

No time to contemplate...rushing off to dinner with friends. Tomorrow...LAX.

Little Bear Does Tel Aviv (4)

At the Beach01
Originally uploaded by savtadotty.

There's nothing like eating pita and watching the sunset over the Mediterranean.

More photos at Flickr.

Little Bear Does Tel Aviv (3)

Security1
Originally uploaded by savtadotty.

Little Bear thinks the security guards are so handsome. She feels quite safe.


More photos at Flickr.

Little Bear Does Tel Aviv (2)

Playground: Rocking Horse
Originally uploaded by savtadotty.

This horse really rocks! And when I dismount, I'll go and learn a little Hebrew.

More photos at Flickr.