Great Room, Though Not For The Superstitious

Yes, we spent Shabbat in Tel Aviv at the Carlton Hotel.  Our room had a gevaltic view of the Mediterranean Sea.  Some people would have freaked out at the room because of its number.  Do you want to guess the number? 

OK, would you believe 911?  At least it was easy to remember!  I'm sure that some people would refuse to stay there!  Not us.  We didn't mind.

It was a very "domestic" set up, with iron and ironing board in the closet, as you can see. 

The lobby of the hotel was totally changed since our last time there.

Enjoy some of the pictures I took from our room.

Tel Aviv does have its beauty.  Nice to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there. 

Yes, Green-Nailed, I Was In Tel Aviv

photo by my husband

If anyone saw that green creature wandering around Tel Aviv Friday before Shabbat, I admit that it was me.  We were guests of a dear friend  and were put up in the Carlton Hotel.  My married daughter had my father over.  I sent a ton of food for them all.

We had a great time, and I'll blog more about it after I burn the pictures on a CD.  Nu, you do want an illustrated post, don't you?

Apple Green

I'm not quite sure that's the name used for it, but it seems to be a big color of late.  My NY daughter carries around a gorgeous leather bag of that color.  And somehow I bought (when last in NY) a shimmery nail polish which I actually wear a lot.

I like it much better than red or pink.  I should have gotten a whiskey-champagne color, which is more neutral.

I was surprised when a neighbor exhibited surprise/revulsion at the color.  It had never occurred to me that she was so staid and conservative about these things.  Of course, most of my neighbors would never wear any nail polish that you could notice.  I used to hate my hands, but I can bear them when I have the right nail polish.

I hope it looks OK with what I've planned for Shabbat, a brown herring-bone vintage suit for tonight and black with a fancy cherry red cardigan for Shabbat day.

Digital TV? Nu, What is it?

Loyal readers know that we're planning on having a TV that actually receives broadcasts, G-d willing.

After I blogged about getting one of those satellite dishes, I got an email from someone about a "digital box" to receive TV broadcasts, since Israel is leaving analog and going digital only.

So, my dumb as usual question is:

Vhot's dot?

What is digital vs analog?

I'd appreciate some help. Thanks!!

TV Reception

For all practical purposes we don't have a television.  We just have a DVD/VCR screen.  That's because we don't receive television broadcasts.

Nu, how do news junkies like me and my husband write our very erudite news commentaries without TV News?  We read, listen and watch the news mostly via the internet.  We've also been following the news  for decades and have a historical perspective, because we remember when important events occurred.  Yes, we are old!  And in my experience, considering how many journalists have interviewed us, that today's don't know bupkes.  They lack the most basic knowledge of history.  The same goes for politicians who make their grandiose statements and demands.

Gevalt!  How did I get to write such politics here on me-ander?

Back to TV reception.  We're very seriously thinking of buying one of those round TV "antennas," aka satellite dishes.  I am not working, and we don't have the income to pay hundreds of shekels (close to $100) every   month on a "cable" deal.

For no more than what six months "Yes" would cost us, we can buy one of those "dishes."  The Milstar "American package" would give us the five Israeli channels plus some news and movie channels.  That's all we need.  When I've tried to find something to watch at my parents Long Island, NY, home with their hundreds of channels, I found nothing most of the time.

My father misses the news.  It never occurred to me that he'd be here in our house so long.  I was sure that my mother would be in Israel by now and we'd have set them up in their own apartment.

I'd appreciate input, if you know of anything helpful.

Isramom Guessed It!

Previous post asked for guesses about which movie we must have seen today, and Isramom got it.  Yes, we saw, My Big Fat Greek Wedding.  Yes, it was a healthy movie with all the laughing.  Now I must pick one for next week.

I'm running out of movies, since some are too intense and some are just not for my father.

It Could Have Been Jewish, awaiting your guesses, so please hurry and send them in as comments, thanks

Yes, it's Wednesday, so are you trying to guess which movie the Movie Club saw?

Nu, what could have been Jewish?  Well obviously the movie was about a different ethnic group, or I wouldn't be saying that it could have been Jewish, right?

Now which ethnic groups have similar movie topics to Jews?

I'll let you guess while I take a walk.

The Time Has Come... Actually, It's Long Overdue

The women who had been in my Diet Group last year have been asking me when we're resuming our meetings.  The time has come to reactivate the group under new "rules."  No, "rules" isn't the right word/term.  Maybe "conditions."

It's time for me to break into the Coaching profession more seriously.  I do it well as a friend, and the women who had been in my Diet Coaching Group were extremely pleased with my way of dealing with things.

There's  also English Tutoring.  I'm a qualified, licensed, experienced teacher.  I need to earn money.  I also have photos of Shiloh and Jerusalem to sell, and I can photograph events and other things and do public relations.

The time has come...

I have to start promoting myself as a professional a multitalented and skilled professional.

The time has come to shoot for the stars!!!

It's "Only" The Washing Machine, Life's Never Dull in the Ongoing Saga...

There's a major leak from the washing machine.

But B"H my father's well.

So, consider, he has had all vaccinations, but not me and my husband.  So I had a cold and my husband's back has been "out."

The washing machine can't be used, but thank G-d my father's doing fine. Right now he's visiting his great-grandkids.  And I'm off for my third walk of the day!

Not Burnt Out, But... The Latest in the Saga

Yes, this is the latest in the  very "sandwich generation" saga of my caring for my 89 year old father.

It's not "burn out" but the ramifications of the canceled invitation to a Shabbat in a hotel rankle.  Over the years, a wealthy friend would mention that we would be invited to his annual bash in a fancy hotel, but only once did the "invitation" actually result in our actually being invited and enjoying the treat.

This year, it looked like we'd be going, and my daughter very enthusiastically offered to have my father over.  Then, after we'd RSVP'ed that we could go, we got a call that the hotel was fully booked and we were "uninvited."  OK, we're on the waiting list.

That's a tough break.  Maybe we'll end up going, maybe not.

Until now, I've been OK with Shabbat, trying to invite at least one person each week and extremely thankful for the invitations we've gotten.  I've gotten used to dovening (praying) at home, no complaints, being as pragmatic and thankful for what we have as can be. 

But I really was looking forward to going away, being wined and dined, seeing other people and places, having to pay no more than our transportation and a gift to the host.  Now that it was offered, I need it.  Maybe that sounds strange.

I must refocus, change gears, go back to where I was before the invitation.  It's like those computer card games.  When I play freecell, I can only "undo" one move.  I need to "undo" more than that to return to the peace I had felt.

Shabbat and Saving a Life

I posted an important article about Shabbat and Pikuach Nefesh on Shiloh Musings.

Brigadoon

Could the mythical village of Brigadoon be under this mist?

Decaffeinating Tea? Does This Work?

I had sent a query to an Israeli food list about where to find decaffeinated "black" tea, since among the dozens of teas in our local supermarket there isn't any.  Actually someone on the list suggested a Jerusalem supermarket where my husband bought a couple of types for my father.

Someone else wrote me the following:

-- I won't totally promise this is true but I read that if you steep the tea a few seconds, dump it out and then brew the tea it is pretty much decaffeinated - I guess the home version of water decaffeinated - only for tea.

 I wonder if it's true.  If you know, please reply in the comments.  Thanks

One of The Advantages...

... of our* walks around the neighborhood.

This tree looks different every time I see it.  It's almost like a sun dial telling the time with its shadow.

*my father and I

Just HH on Tzedek-Tzedek

Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems to me that this week's Havel Havelim, hosted very justly by Tzedek-Tzedek has an unusually large proportion of posts by female jbloggers.  I didn't count, but it does seem that there's no glass ceiling in Jewish blogging.

Count them up, if you wish, but most important is to visit, read all the posts.

Enjoy and have a great week!!

And just a reminder to send in your kosher cooking posts to the Kosher Cooking Carnival.  It's not just a recipe carnival.  There's more to kosher cooking than food.

Hotlinking, Pros, Cons, Now I'm Confused

Hotlinks?  No, it's not that, not at all.

Actually, I only heard of the term today when Shy Guy, who comments on Shiloh Musings, told me I shouldn't do it.

hotlink
1 (n): A hyperlink to a media file (video, audio, Flash, image, etc.) on another site that bypasses any html pages that would identify the site or earn it advertising revenue. Prohibited on many message boards and blogs, as it saps bandwidth from the site serving the media and earns the ire of the site's owners.

2 (v): To post a hotlink.
Hotlinking is not only bad netiquette, it's theft.

An active hyperlink to a media file on another site that is active in the page it is used in without using the home sites HTML code.

Hot linking is prohibited on many message boards and blogs as it saps bandwidth from the home site serving the media file(s). It's illegality has yet to be tested.

In some instances hot linking is encouraged due to it's ability to draw eyes to the home site.

I've been doing it for awhile, considering it preferable to copying someone's picture/illustration and posting it as though it's mine.

Now, I don't know what to do.


Input requested, please!!

What Happened to All the Recipe and Family Blog Carnivals?

I wanted to submit my latest family recipe post about waffles to some blog carnivals and was shocked to discover that all the suitable ones have been discontinued.  Besides my own Kosher Cooking Carnival, all the other food carnivals are healthy food only.  That's shocking.

My waffles are made with whole wheat flour, but I doubt that those health carnivals would accept the recipe, nor would the gluten free carnival for celiacs.

On with my day.

ps No, I'm not starting yet another blog carnival!

Waffle-Making Tips and Report

Ever since my husband won the fancy new waffle-maker at the First International Jewish Bloggers Convention, I've had to find excuses to make waffles.  Well, that was a year and a half ago, and I must admit that last night was maybe the second time I've done it.

Making waffles is very easy.  One secret: waffles and pancakes are the same recipe.

Another secret:  I didn't even measure this time!  The basic ingredients are:

• flour (we used light whole wheat)
• sugar (I used demara)
• baking powder
• eggs
• oil
• milk (plain yogurt is good, too, but we only had goats and fruit in the fridge)
• vanilla extract (I used my homemade in vodka)

It is like a slightly thicker than normal plain cake.

I preheated the waffle iron (a bit more than my daughter thought was necessary,) and put a bit of oil on it ever few batches.  Actually, that was perfect, since nothing stuck.  I waited until smoke or steam came out or the green light was on, and the waffles were stuck to the top.  They were perfectly cooked and the waffle iron was perfectly clean.  It must be hot before you add batter, and don't add too much.

That didn't stop anyone from eating.  Of course, with the toppings (carob spread and bubblegum flavored syrup) my daughter brought along, they probably would have eaten cardboard without complaints.

Sorry, I admit that I purposely took awful pictures to be more discreet about the family's identity.  My kids don't like to be identified as my kids.

My daughter lives only about 15 minutes away, so this was a nice Saturday night family outing for them.  When they finished eating the kids got into pajamas, brushed their teeth and then we walked them to the car, and they drove home.

I guess it's like going to a waffle shop for a family treat!  It was a treat seeing the kids.  My father kept saying that my mother would really get a kick out of seeing the great-grandkids singing, dancing and eating.

The Kiddies...

My daughter called a while ago, asking if we'd like guests, meaning the youngest generation.  How could I say no?  Then she mentioned that it would be nice if I served waffles.  So now I'm waiting to hear that they're on their way.

My father is excited to be seeing his great-grandchildren.

I checked the IFL and discovered that my baby has been busy winning.  It shouldn't be difficult to figure out who is is and what he did.

Of course, I don't plan on eating the waffles!

KCC Update, Looking Up

I'm getting very excited about the upcoming Yovel (50th) edition of the Kosher Cooking Carnival.  We're switching to the Jewish Calendar, so consider it the Shvat edition.  Please send in your posts whenever posted.  Don't wait until the last minute; that's how people forget.  I collect them as they come in.

Adar will be hosted by  Adventures in Mama Land.  And Nissan will be at the  Ima on (and off) the Bima.  If you're interested in hosting an edition please contact me here.

KCC isn't just a recipe carnival.  It includes everything about kosher food, halacha (Jewish Law), cookbook and restaurant reviews, traditions and yes, recipes, too.