Tel Aviv / Athens Trip

Gents:

As luck will have it, I am on a business trip to Tel Aviv in the middle of August and then am staying a few days in Athens, Greece prior to returning stateside.

My first question is as follows: i will be doing a couple depositions in Tel Aviv. While i would normally just throw on a suit, i was curious to know what the formality level is there for lawyers when not in court. Am i going to be insulting anyone, if i show up in a suit?

The next and more important question --- is there anything sartorial related that I should check out when there? Don't know what i am looking for -- I assume tailors there would be expensive? At least more so than Greece?

Finally, when i am Athens -- where should i go. I have read that it is the height of the bargain season there. Any ideas as to where i should look? Also, anyone recommend any tailors for shirts, trousers, or suits?

Any recommendations as to food, wine, and women would also be greatly appreciated.

I lived in the Tel Aviv (and I am there now for a month), but I am not up to date on trends and lawyers, so things may have changesd:
No one in Israel will be insulted if you come with a suit - even though you might be grossly overdrssed (some of the lawyers I know in Israel don't even own a suit).

Restaurants:
My favorites are: Carmela Be Nachala (46 Ha Tavor St, Tel Aviv) and Orca (57 Nahalat Binyamin, Tel Aviv).

I don't think you can find anything sartorialy related that you cannot find in the US at a lower price (most people in Israel that condier these things, travel quite a bit to the states and Europe and do their shopping there).

I've only visited -- several times -- so I can't help you out on the dress issue, but I Imagine that you will probably be overdressed. Only recently Knesset members didn't feel the need to wear suits, sportsjackets, or even dress shoes to sessions of the Knesset.

As for restaurants, I would recommend Maganda.

And I don't recall ever seeing anything of interest over there clothing-wise.

There is a great restaurant called Pasta Mia in Tel-Aviv that makes pasta daily, normally 6 different types and you choose which of that pasta you want to eat and that's what they make. The sauces are also quite good. I think I had better pasta here than at some of the "˜finer' restaurants I ate at in Rome! Their phone number is: 03-5669967.

Tel-Aviv has a pretty good night life, so you should check it out, as well, go to the ocean, sit down, order something to eat and if you smoke hookah, order a hookah as well. Oh, and definitely check out the observatory on the top of the Azrieli center, the view is amazing!

Jon.

keep in mind that wearing a suit in Tel Aviv in the summer you will be very very hot, and humid. if you are sweating like a pig, you won't look that cool.

I don't think that anyone will be insulted by your weariing a suit, but you may look very out of place.

I would try to get to one of the fish place in old jaffa, overlooking the water. that is a little different from what you find in the west.

Thanks for the replies. Yeah i am looking now... 95 degrees and a nice wool JPress suit -- just doesn't make sense and borders on insanity. Maybe i will wear my khacki cotton suit? Again... prob over kill but will be more comfortable.

Any suggestions for Greece. I read elsewhere that Carouzos may be a good stop to shop. I am staying at the Grande Bretagne there and so one night dinner will be on the rooftop. Any suggestions for anything else?

I have no comment on clothing but here are my thoughts on food. Nice restaurants are more or less the same the world over, with some being better than others. Unless you keep kosher and will benefit from the greater variety, in Israel, you are not likely to find anything that you can't find much better somewhere else. The one exception is ethnic food. If I were in your shoes, I would spend every day sampling the various street food available especially in Jaffa. There are a million ways to make and serve falafel and schwarma and you might as well get a good start on working through the list. Also, try some of the yemenite restaurants, which abound and are more likely to be different from what you will see elsewhere.

Ditch your suit. I traveled to Israel two years ago, in July. It was warm, and had a series of meetings with cabinet-level government and larger businessmen and women. The whole time I saw only one person in a suit and tie, "Bibi," enjoying a cigar after hours in my hotel (the Hilton). You can opt for a sportcoat. Not sure where you are staying, but there is an excellent paddling outfitter right in front, where you can go early-morning sea kayaking.

Everyone has excellent recommendations for restaurants. I have one other, in Jerusalem, the American Colony hotel. Predominantly Palestinean. Try the Moussa Khan, chicken cooked in sumac (dried cherries), garlic and pine nuts.

What's not to recommend about the women? Lehitraot!

Originally Posted by dopey

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Unless you keep kosher and will benefit from the greater variety, in Israel, you are not likely to find anything that you can't find much better somewhere else.

While I endorse your suggestion of shawarma et al, I disagree with your above point. That was true before but Israel now has a very high concentration of excellent restaurants with top chefs, some are in picturesque locations or in out of the way places that cannot be matched by any world-class city.

I forget the names and exact places but I have been to several where after driving in what seems like the middle of nowhere, you get to this old castle or this restored farmhouse and inside is an excellent restaurant with an extensive wine list.

I live in NYC which means I live in the middle of the best of everything.... so theoreticaly i should never have to leave. (j/k).

Point Noted El72 it is the random things like that that make a trip memorable.

Originally Posted by EL72

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While I endorse your suggestion of shawarma et al, I disagree with your above point. That was true before but Israel now has a very high concentration of excellent restaurants with top chefs, some are in picturesque locations or in out of the way places that cannot be matched by any world-class city.

I forget the names and exact places but I have been to several where after driving in what seems like the middle of nowhere, you get to this old castle or this restored farmhouse and inside is an excellent restaurant with an extensive wine list.

I am glad for the correction. But please, do some work and make a list. I would love to have it as I may be forced to go soon myself.

Originally Posted by dopey

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I am glad for the correction. But please, do some work and make a list. I would love to have it as I may be forced to go soon myself.

I will try but will have to ask my stepfather or uncle for those out-of-the-way places. In the meantime, check out Daniel Rogov's web site who is Israel's premier food and wine critic where he has lists of top restaurants, wine...

http://www.stratsplace.com/rogov/index.html

Originally Posted by EL72

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I will try but will have to ask my stepfather or uncle for those out-of-the-way places. In the meantime, check out Daniel Rogov's web site who is Israel's premier food and wine critic where he has lists of top restaurants, wine...

http://www.stratsplace.com/rogov/index.html

Thanks for the link. For Zarathustra's benefit, here is Rogov's article on street food, which would still be my recommendation.

Originally Posted by dopey

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Thanks for the link. For Zarathustra's benefit, here is Rogov's article on street food, which would still be my recommendation.

Damn, reading that has made me hungry I love Israeli street food. I spent a summer there spending only 4 shekels a day on food (saving $ for booze) by eating only one shawarma a day.

In Athens there is Ermou street (full of shoes shops) and then a couple of nice shops up in the higher deluxe suburb (I forgot the name ) on the way to Licavetos.