Travel
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Historic Stucco Homes In Cleveland Heights Oakland
As an architecture buff, with a love for historic architecture, a stay in the historic Cleveland Heights neighborhood of Oakland CA was indeed a pleasure. Truthfully, when I booked the vacation rental I really had no idea that such a charming area would be our home for a week while visiting family, and while I…
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The Historic Kaiser Mansion, In Oakland, California
This past August we rented a home in the historic Haddon Hill neighborhood overlooking Lake Merrit in Oakland California. I of course took many walks to enjoy the gardens and architecture, and photographed this large house on the corner not knowing that it was the Kaiser House at 664 Haddon Road, built by shipbuilding mogul…
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The Stunning Glory Bush, Pleroma Heteromallum, Blooms In Northern California
Glory Bush also called silver leaved princess flower with the botanical name of Pleroma Heteromallum (though it has a few botanical names as well, strangely enough!) is a stunning purple flower with velvety leaves that is quite unique and happends to grow very well in Northern California, specifically, the historic Haddon HIll neighborhood in Oakland,…
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Stunning Amaryllis Belladonna Blooms In Oakland, California
One of the many treats of visiting my mother for a few weeks, this August, in Oakland California, as all the amazing gardens I enjoyed in the neighborhood where we stayed, historic Haddon Hill, just above Lake Merrit. Northern Californians love drought resistant and dramatic front yards these days, that front lawn is long gone,…
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Huge Agave Plants Thrive In Historic Haddon Hill, Oakland
I have yet to share the many many photos from our summer vacation in California, but thought I'd start by sharing with you these amazing giant Agave plants that were everywhere in the Haddon Hill neighborhood of Oakland, CA. I love agave, but they are very expensive in Israel, and the small one I once…
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The New Mediterranean Seashore Trail Starts In Rosh HaNikra, Israel
If you love hiking, Israel is full of amazing trails, both moderate and difficult, so there is something for everyone. Despite the small size of our country, there is a huge variety of experiences, from mountain, to lake, to sea, to volcanic plateaus, to rolling hills, to dessert, to red rock canyons, together with a…
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An Ancient Rock Quarry On The Mediterranean In Rosh HaNikra, Israel
One of my very favorite sites in Israel, Rosh HaNikra just got even more special, as I seriously did not know that seashore area below the famous cliffs is a huge archeological site, who knew? I did notice that the rocks were an interesting shape, but until Iooked it up it did not occur to…
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The Rosh HaNikra Seashore
At the very northern tip of Israel, on the Mediterranean Sea and just below the border of Lebanon lies one of my very favorite spots, Rosh HaNikra. For years and years I'd only visited the mountain top area, never venturing to the shore below, until this past passover holiday week, when I suddenly realized that…
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7 Best Ways to Learn a New Foreign Language for Travel
With Passover starting tomorrow night, the travel on our minds right now is how the Jewish people were delivered from slavery in Egypt, which required lots and lots of walking! Today of course with the ease of travel, seeing the world is something many people hope to do, but then again, how can one get…
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Cyclamen Bloom In The Golan Heights!
This past week we spent three nights in a lovely Moshav (agricultural community) by the name of Keshet, and wow, all the flowers in bloom made our stay even more lovely. Many of the stone walls were home to bunches of cyclamen in bloom, and while they may have been planted and are not wild,…
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How To Plan a Family-Friendly Vacation in San Diego
The sunny California coast is truly an amazing destination for a family vacation. With a gorgeous climate, beautiful beaches, exciting, kid-friendly attractions, and a laid-back and relaxed vibe, California really has it all. Whlle I was born and raised in Northern Calfiornia, so I'm admittedly partial to that part of the state, if I had…
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A Visit To Kerem Ben Zimra, Northern Israel
Last shabbat my husband and I had the chance to go away, just the two of us, and at long last we spent Shabbat in Kerem Ben Zimra, just a 20 or so minute drive from our home, but a special place indeed, with gorgeous sweeping views of the surrounding hills and mountains, and the…