Israel for Beginners

In the words of Galit Gaon , the creative director of the Design Museum of Holon , "the building itself is the biggest object in our collection". I found the exhibitions of the museum too avant- garde for my taste, but I was blown away by the building itself and its brilliant design. Upon admission to the museum, one is given an audio guide (with a screen) that highlights the many unique aspects of the building that combine creativity with practicality. And, there is a small film that discusses the challenges in constructing such a special building. If you do nothing else on your visit, make sure to see the film and use the audio guide . Also, there is a gift shop that is very pricey but offers some very unusual and interesting objects. If you have time, there is a lovely indoor outdoor cafe tucked in the belly of the building where one can enjoy a cup of coffee among the amazing architecture. Design Museum Holon - 8 Pinhas Ellon Street, Holon - 03-215-1515

Gabriela is the dairy counterpart to Gabriel, an upscale meat restaurant located on the Ben Shetach pedestrian mall in downtown Jerusalem. Gabriela is located right next door, and like Gabriel, offers both indoor and outdoor seating. But, there were two pleasant differences. First, Gabriela offers a much more reasonably priced meal. Second, I am one of the few individuals who has never been a huge fan of Gabriel, but I thoroughly enjoyed the meal at Gabriela. I find that here in Israel there are an abundance of great cafes but few dairy restaurants that leave me satisfied. Gabriela definitely feels the void. We sampled pizza, pasta and fish dishes and all were good to excellent. And the chef makes good use of dairy ingredients to create delicious desserts. I left with a good feeling in my stomach but not at a huge expense to my wallet. Gabriela - 5 Shimon Ben Shetach, Jerusalem - 02-624-6261 - reservations recommended