Spreading The Word On What’s Hot In TA

Nothing makes us prouder than when a mainstream publication splashes a spread on Israel’s funkiest city, Tel Aviv.

I mean, any one us here at isrealli.org could have told you that Tel Aviv is bursting with ultra-hip cafes and bars, classic architecture and a vibrant night culture, but it’s even nicer to hear it coming from the jet-setter’s magazine of choice, Travel + Leisure.

So stay on top of the trends, and read the following article about Gan HaHashmal, from the March 2007 issue of Travel + Leisure. Or click here to read the story online:

Tel Aviv Renaissance
By David Kaufman

Searching for a stretch of Israel’s favorite coastal city that’s undiscovered by everyone but the chic locals? Look no further.

The neighborhood of Gan HaHashmal takes its name from Israel’s first “electric park,” which opened in Tel Aviv in the early twenties. Surrounded by manicured greenery and a cluster of elegant, late-Ottoman-era houses, the area flourished during Israel’s pre-Independence period in the 1940’s—before the citywide Bauhaus architectural boom. But in the seventies, the Gan fell into decline when the power plant that put it on the map closed. That is, until Tel Aviv’s indie-fashion crowd found it in the new millennium and moved in. Today, cutting-edge boutiques, restaurants, and nightspots populate every block. Below, six plugged-in addresses.

SLEEP
The stylish Nina Café Suite Hotel (29 Shabazi St.; 972-3/ 516-1767; www.ninacafehotel.com; doubles from $150) is located in the nearby Neve Tzedek quarter. Opened by the owners of boho-cool Nina Café, the property’s four airy rooms are decorated with custom wood furnishings and bold Art Deco-inspired textiles. L’Occitane bath products, pillow-top chocolates, and indulgent breakfasts of croissants and café au lait make this hotel the area’s most inviting.

EAT
Stop for lunch at Daddy Gil’s Organic Hummus (55 Yehuda Halevi; 972-3/566-3320; lunch for two $16), where owner Gil Moaz pairs his classic spread, served “country-style”—spicy and flecked with whole chickpeas—with freshly baked pitas. Come dinnertime, head a few doors down to Joz Ve Loz (51 Yehuda Halevi; 972-3/560-6385; dinner for two $60) for dishes that are miles more ambitious, such as chicken tagine with apricots.

SHOP
FIT graduate and Tel Aviv native Idit Barak was one of the first boutique owners to open here when she debuted Delicatessen (4 Barzilay St.; 972-3/560-2297) in 2004. Her quirky yet crafty designs capture the Gan’s sartorial spirit. Expect high-waisted trousers and embellished clutches that are unconventional but practical, alongside handmade jewelry and knitwear.

SNACK
With its massive glass windows and neon-colored interiors, LovEAT (1 Barzilay St.; 972-3/566-6699; lunch for two $25) literally shines bright in the heart of the new Gan. This espresso-and-sandwich bar, which sources its beans from Costa Rica, Brazil, and Guatemala, helped pioneer Israel’s fair-trade consciousness. Wi-Fi-equipped, it’s the neighborhood’s de facto headquarters.

SHOP
Uzbek-born Helena Blaunstein (pictured below) designs an eclectic women’s clothing line for her store Frau Blau (8 HaHashmal St.; 972-3/560-1735; www.fraublau.com). Typified by vibrant colors, patchwork patterns, and fitted, feminine shapes, her clothes have a vintage edge paired with a decidedly 21st-century playfulness (“Frau Blau” is German slang for “drunk woman”).

PLAY
Levontin (11 Levontin St.; 972-3/ 560-7934) draws a lively flock of night owls, especially on Wednesdays, for its Middle Eastern music fête. Down the street, the final touches have just been put on Levontin 7 (7 Levontin St.; 972-3/560-5084), which alternately plays host to classical quartets and hip-hop parties.

And click here for a WEB BONUS: More shopping in the Gan.

Reprinted by permission of Travel+Leisure magazine, a publication of American Express Publishing Corporation

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