I had some errands to run in the big city. Near the intersection of the two major streets Allenby and Rothschild, I noticed... (how could I not? the cool music that emerged from that direction was loud and inviting) an indoors food market that was not there several months ago. I entered the place (located in a passage of a building) to have a closer look at it.
It is not big but it has a great variety of food displayed in a few small shops (fruit and vegetables, fish, liquor store), and on many stands (coffee, bakery products, fish and chips, freshly squeezed juices, pasta, sandwiches, japanese dishes, etc..).There's something for everyone, as they say.. At the entrance/exit - a stationary trike with young vendors selling ice-cream.
Nothing special about the food concept.. The design of the place, however, is eye-catching: six-seven columns with scenes from daily life created in colorful mosaics; the entrance wall, the roof and some columns are covered with lovely decorative tiles. Interesting light fixtures too, and a variety of chairs and tables to acommodate the needs of the customers. No doubt, food goes well with good design and architecture.
Allenby street (named in honor of the british field mareshal Edmund Allenby) is a very busy commercial street with all kinds of shops and eateries.
Rothschild Boulevard (named in honor of baron Edmund James Rothschild of the european banking dynasty) is a more elegant and iconic street. It has superb architecture and houses cultural institutions, art galleries, gourmet restaurants, bank headquarters.
Allenby-Rothschild intersection
Both 'Edmunds' - the army figure and the financial magnate- would have been pleased. People- locals and tourists - love these two lively streets in the heart of the city of Tel-Aviv. And now this food market thing...
The Rothschild-Allenby food market seems to be a fusion of two worlds represented by the two different streets which sit in the same area. It fits the simplicity of those who live/shop/walk on Allenby street, and the sophistication of those who live/work/ enjoy culture on Rothschild boulevard.
That's how it goes today - flexible boundaries; fast food near chef food, soldiers sitting at the bar next to bankers, locals mingling with tourists, young and old - all looking for a tasty bite at a decent price.
A fascinating post, and lovely photos, Duta. Thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHi Linda, Thanks for your kind words. I hope to visit there again. This time I was in a hurry as I had some other things to do in the vicinity.
DeleteInteresting how these streets are named; very good research! I like the tiles, too, and the artwork and the vibrant color. Everything looks so organized and the food inviting.
ReplyDeleteStreets are usually named after the great and the good. It's an honor to have a street named after you after you're gone. Lately, however, corruption has reached even this area of life; politicians and other interested parties name streets after living persons.
DeleteI've seen similar tiles in Moscow at the hotel I was staying (inspired by the ones at St. Basil's Cathedral).
What a great find! I'll bet the aromas are wonderful, too.
ReplyDeleteIn a place like this, aromas and smells are an integral part of the whole concept.
DeleteI like them all: the coffee aroma, the beer smell, the fresh pastries' smell, the fruit aromas etc..
Great thoughts and nice photos too. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThank you. In my posts, I humbly try my best to combine the elements of thoughts and feelings with photos. They say photos are worth a thousand words -that's true - and still you need the words too.
DeleteVery interesting post. I love how you see something interesting and you stop and explore. We all need to do more of that!
ReplyDeleteWell, as long as I can go on my feet, I wish to use them and at the same time satisfy my curiosity about things - in this case, a new food place.
DeleteAfter all, food is both the fuel of life and a major cause of death. So it is, and always be interesting.
The Rothschild-Allenby food market looks to be a very interesting, fascinating place to stroll through...to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee while watching others stroll by doing similar.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, Duta...your photos give a wonderful insight to Tel Aviv...one I'd enjoy seeing more of. :)
It's a relatively new place. There are some three other food markets in the greater Tel-Aviv area. The food market concept seems to get popularity.
DeleteI'm glad you like my photos.
It's always a good thing when tasty food and intriguing decor are combined to create a pleasant dining experience and this new food market, no doubt, fits the bill. Did you taste any of the offerings? Your photos do a great job of providing us with a real 'taste' of how the place operates. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletePoppy
Indeed so; good food + attractive decor =pleasant dining experience.
DeleteTo answer your question, I had an iceceam cone only, and it was good.
I'm glad you liked the photos. The place was new to me, rather narrow with high ceilings, and I was in a bit of a hurry, So, for a non-professional like me it wasn't easy to take pictures.
Interesting post, Duta! You are very observant and take it all in. The market is definitely unique and would be something great to see. I can't think of any market such as this in our neck of the woods. I'd love to visit Tel Aviv, so I really enjoy the posts about your area. Good for the "Edmunds!"
ReplyDeleteWe copy a lot of things from our great friend America, so it surprises me that the food market seems rather unique to you.
DeleteAnyway, your comment left a big smile on my face with your "Good for the Edmunds" temark.
love this! i would stop there too. the architecture really does add to the grandeur of such an event. i was in madrid and visited two VERY different markets, one in a white sterile hallway and another in a grand big old building - and i didn't even want to taste the food in the boring white one. reminds me of alain de bottons 'architecture of happiness'
ReplyDeleteand i love that you looked in to ikou tschuss...i'll go to the design show tomorrow, but i'm sure their pieces are way too expensive!
The truth is I prefer outdoor markets ; there's lots of space and natural light which you don't have in an indoor market. But times change...
DeleteGood Luck at the Ikou Tschuss design show!
I love markets everywhere, that looks like an interesting place for a bite to eat
ReplyDeleteI'm a lover of markets too as these are welcoming places offering you the essentials of life - the first first of which is food.
DeleteYes, the Rothschild market does have good potential.
Its nice to see a part the city of Tel Aviv through your post! When I first started reading it I didn`t realize it was Israel, and kept reading and saw it was Tel Aviv! Enjoy your days and finding new places even in the place where you live! Shabbat Shalom!
ReplyDeleteAs a matter of fact, I don't live in Tel Aviv. I used to work there. Now it's changed - many high towers,lots of strangers, messy traffic. But to me it was and ,I guess, it'll always be "the big city" I must visit now and then. Shabbat Shalom!
DeleteWhat a delightful adventure! I like learning about different places in the world!
ReplyDeleteTo me it was more like an 'interlude' as I was on my way to some other place - but a pleasant one , nevertheless, and I enjoyed it.
DeleteI could walk through markets all day. Beautiful pictures!
ReplyDeleteMe too.When I was younger I used to "devour" them with my eyes,legs. and fingers.
DeleteThat's the sort of market I'd like Duta.
ReplyDeleteI was interested to know about the columns in mosaic showing everyday life. I've picked them out in your photos and they're very colourful. Nice to look at while having a coffee (of course, once plenty of 'people watching' has been done ;D)).
Once you see the columns, you forget about food and coffee. Great work! It's just magnetizing.
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