Tel Aviv and Shabbat dinner

After Double Ulpan, I came back to the apartment for a bit, intending to make pecan squares.  I realized though that with volunteering at 4, I wasn't going to have enough time to do that - so instead, I cleaned up.  A little before going, I spoke with a friend in Tel Aviv, who told me about plans to go to a restaurant where all the waiters are deaf (in another section of the same restaurant, the waiters are blind and you eat in complete darkness - for another time). 

After a side tour of Jaffa, we got out of our cab a bit to early - at one point we had to ford a small river, but no one's oxen drowned.  We arrived at the restaurant where we discovered the difficulty of conveying allergies to dietary restrictions without speaking.  Survived that portion, and had a lovely meal.  Two bottles of wine later, we realized that we had been there for long enough when we received the same sign language crash course for a second time (it's given to the whole restaurant at the same time).

We discussed and agreed to return to Bala.  After only just arriving, the two friends visiting Israel who were out with us found themselves dancing the night away with two Israeli's - one in the army, the other a university student.  We talked, drank beer and then moved on to cava before eventually going home in a cab very late.

I woke up late shabbat morning, and remembered how the previous time there wasn't any challah left at the place across the street.  I had offered to make shabbat dinner for everyone from the night before.  After picking up the challah, I went to the shuk with Ben and Josh, purchasing vegetables and fruit and a few other small things.

Back at the apartment, I started to cook a little after 1PM.

I prepared stuffed onions (I think I went a little bit overboard on the cheese, but it's like the saying about the secret to french cooking: butter, butter, butter) and a vegetable soup that turned into a vegetable stew.  Izy was going to join us, but had a commitment with his host family.  He still helped though, dipping the strawberries I purchased into melted chocolate.

We set the table, and then Jeff called without a place to go - so I invited him to join us as well, and then Argentinian Jonathan showed up and joined in as well.  After dinner, my two other roommates came out, and finished the left overs.  I had invited them to sit with us for shabbat dinner earlier, and thought that they were planning to, but I guess they slept through it.

We ate relatively early since two of my guests had a flight tonight that they needed to catch. 

They left, ran home in the torrential pouring rain, and happened to call their parents.  The airline called, the flight was delayed.  Back they came.  Another bottle of wine was opened (bringing the total to 5 for the evening).  I was laughing about how I bought bourbon just for a spoonful.  Nicole had come over earlier to help make the Pecan Bars, and we had used the spoonful.  We decided to do a L'Chaim.  I think we should stick to cooking with the bourbon.

Judita also arrived at the apartment, and we had turkish coffee, and more wine.  This is the type of shabbat meal I enjoy, lots of friends, talking, sharing wine, telling stories.  As it got later, Jeff, Jonathan, Judita, and our two traveling friends (we learned at this point that their flight was delayed 9 hours - now we know it's closer to 12 hours delay) went to Tel Aviv for a cover band.

Nicole stayed to help me clean up a few last things, and we sat and talked and listened to some music waiting for them to make it back so they could catch their flight.  They did, and left for the airport this morning.

I woke up this morning wondering if I had played in traffic last night.  I felt like I had been run over by a bus. 

Note to self, avoid cheap wine.

Actually, I felt relatively good, except that I slept weird and my neck bothered me - but Izy had some ibuprofen, so all feels better now.

Looking forward to a day of rest and relaxation.  Some writing to do, some reading to do, and of course, some cooking to do.

What's for lunch?