Pishers' Guide to Ariel #2 Conveniently Close to University & Bus Stops

Besides my entire Pishers' Guide series, I reviewed the Super Sol Deal loo here.

On the street level floor of the mall across from Ariel University, where you'll also find a drug store, bakery, FOX Home, Super Sol Deal, Tamnun, Golda Ice Cream and lots of other stores, there are public toilets. One is "regular" unisex, and the other is "handicapped," meaning the door is wider, room larger etc. according to standards.

Everything was pleasant smelling and clean. There was toilet paper, soap, paper towels and a ritual hand washing cup.

I was there just after 7:30am Friday morning before catching my ride to a Jerusalem "Big Blue" Lions football game. It's a good thing I found that WC, because there wasn't any proper public toilet at the field in Ramat Hasharon. 

This shopping area is just a short walk to the bus stop to Shiloh/Jerusalem, which is also a popular trempiada, place to get rides.

It's always nice to be able to discover well cared for public toilets.

Pishers' Guide to Ariel #1, Good Deal in "Supersol Deal"

This is a continuation of my public service posts, which review public toilets. Originally I titled the page "Pishers' Guide to Jerusalem," but now the ongoing series is called "Pishers' Guide to Jerusalem & Beyond."

Last week I had some time to spare in the new Ariel mall, which is across the road from the Ariel University. And I've already blogged about the dangerous situation due to the lack of a proper sidewalk. Besides that, there's a lovely health food store and a branch of the BIGA dairy restaurant chain.

The Ariel Mall is also very close to the various bus stops and hitchhiking posts in all directions, Tel Aviv, Shomron, Binyamin, Petach Tikvah and more, so convenient public toilets are extremely necessary. I wandered around the multistory shopping complex -it's an "open Mall," more like a modern version of a shopping center/strip mall. Usually I'm pretty good at finding public toilets, but besides at the not fully open gas station, I found nothing.

In my experience clinics and supermarkets always have public toilets. Since there was no clinic, I went to the "Super Sol Deal" and cased the "periphery." The WC won't be in the middle of the store, right? Success!

clean and equipped

This "Super Sol Deal" loo is nicer than most I've seen in restaurants.

I was also very impressed by the supermarket, layout, prices etc. No doubt that it's competing with Rami Levi, which is at the other end of Ariel.  For those of us in northern Binyamin, this is very good news. Ariel University and the mall are a lot closer than Sha'ar Binyamin. Besides the two malls in Ariel, there's an old "industrial zone" with lots of stores and other shopping areas. The Ariel malls have many of Israel's popular chains, which aren't yet in Sha'ar Binyamin. One needs to travel to Pisgat Zeev for them.

For those of us in Shiloh, there are two supermarkets to shop in, so if that's all you're looking for, there's no need to travel.

In terms of public toilets, this one in Ariel is the nicest.

Friday's Travels, Tremps & Buses, Life in The Slow Lane

Friday morning when I left home to catch a ride at the Yarkon Junction, I was very optimistic that I'd be on time. Usually I am. I got to Ariel, near the university with time to spare, so I decided to go to the nearby mall and use the loo. Blog post on that, Gd willing, in a few days.

I was disappointed to discover that the Ariel Municipality still hasn't made a safe sidewalk for pedestrians entering the new mall from the university, bus stops etc.

 As you can see from the above photo, there's still a dangerous "under construction" sidewalk of sorts along the main road to the mall. Whenever I've found myself walking in the dangerous mess over there, I think that Ariel Founder and Mayor, the late Ron Nachman, Z"L, would have made sure the sidewalk was safely completed before the stores had opened.

Not wanting to walk on the rocks and along the road in the direction of traffic, I crossed back to the bus stop I needed far from the "crosswalk."

Unexpectedly I discovered that it would be at least fifteen minutes to a bus, which meant that I'd be cutting it close at best. Davka, I didn't check in advance and chose the time of the morning with the least buses.

Of course, the bus was late, and a dozen or more people got on. Some of them with travel bags, which the driver insisted should be put under the bus. When one of the passengers with a bag on wheels sat in the front and looked totally blank and uncomprehending at the driver's request to sit in the back, I spoke to the man in English. Thank Gd, I guessed correctly, and he took himself and his bag further back.

There are signs available for those looking for rides that can show where you need to go.

Of course I updated my ride that I'd be late.

I'm glad to have discovered that bus routes in Ariel have changed. I don't know if it's all the buses, or just the ones I went on, 186 and 86, if I remember correctly. They now take the new bypass road at the Rami Levi Mall. This makes it easier to get to those stores. That means there's less bus service to the old industrial zone.

Luckily it didn't really matter that we were "later than planned" to the event we were going to, because there was no formal program.

Going home, I was dropped off at the Yarkon Junction and got a ride to the Gittit (Revava) Junction. There after a short wait, I caught a bus which took me to the Ariel University. I got off a stop early, so I could walk a bit. Then I got a ride with a neighbor.

And I managed to finish everything necessary at home before Shabbat. That's pretty good, since it was one of the "shortest Fridays" of the year.

Yes, this is how I survive without a car.

New Health Food Store in Ariel Grinds Coffee

When I went to Ariel yesterday for a "lunch date" in BIGA in the new mall across from Ariel University, I spotted a nice big, clean, orderly attractive Health Food Store. Of course I walked in to check it out. I bagged some raw nuts, good prices, and then I spotted... 

coffee beans, priced less than I've seen in Jerusalem

"Do you grind the coffee beans?" I asked the staff.
"Yes, of course," she answered.

I took a look at the selection, about four different kinds of beans. I chose the strongest flavor they had. They weighed the beans, subtracted the weight of the plastic containers*, asked me how fine or coarse I needed the coffee and then went to their coffee grinder to grind for me.

There are a lot of products, and I hope people shop there. For me it's a great location, since I can get to and from that part of Ariel very easily. The owner and staff were nice and helpful, too. And the nuts, which I bought, taste nice and fresh.

Here are photos to give you an idea. The Health Food Store is on the lower level of the shopping center. There are elevators in the building.

*Actually, I had to request it, explaining that it was the normal procedure, and when they saw how much the two containers weighed, they understood.

BIGA, Ariel, Great Food and Service

Last week I blogged about my trip to check out the new mall across from the Ariel University.   It's only a few minutes from Shiloh and right near the bus stop/trampiada to a from Shiloh. I was with a couple of friends, and we had lunch out together in BIGA, a kosher dairy restaurant/bakery chain.

The mall has a couple of levels, and there are stairs and an elevator to get from one to another. BIGA is on top with a nice terrace, though my friends and I ate inside.

The menu was interesting, even though it's a chain. I had a delicious lentil salad and tried the bread, so I could review it...

My friends tried other dishes, and we were all very happy with our selections. Another good thing was that the staff was very accommodating when we requested that they lower the volume of the music.
I was the youngest in the group, and most of us are at the stage where hearing conversation can be difficult when there's too much background noise. We made a point to sit in a quiet corner.

The BIGA Bakery is very popular. My friends also stocked up on their bread. I saw that they also have a selection of gluten free breads.  I couldn't find the opening hours, but the telephone number is 03-7721779‬, and it's on 2 Moriah Street, Ariel, across from the Ariel University.

We all agreed that BIGA is the best restaurant in Ariel. I just hope it keeps up its standards.

New Mall in Ariel Near The University

For months, OK ever since I noticed the construction, I've been impatiently awaiting the opening of the new mall in Ariel. It's right across from the Ariel University and a minute from  where we catch rides and buses to Shiloh and nearby communities. The Rami Levi Mall, which is at the other end of Ariel, is very inconvenient for me, since I don't have a car.

This new Ariel mall has a gas station, a supermarket (Supersol Deal,) quite a few restaurants, a bookstore, clothing and accessory stores and best of all a FOX home, which is a big favorite of mine. The only thing I didn't see was a children's clothing store. The clothing stores in the mall all seem to cater to adults only. Like the Rami Levy Mall at the other end of Ariel, this "mall" is open. In that way it resembles "shopping centers" of my childhood, except for the fact that it's two stories tall and has an elevator. Rami Levy's also has an escalator.

I was in the new Ariel mall yesterday with a couple of friends. We ate lunch, and Gd willing I'll review the restaurant in a couple of days.

I can imagine myself tremping to the new Ariel mall just for fun.