Spring "Elder" flowers

One of the best things about being in New York is experiencing Springtime. This time of year, the trees are in bloom and everything seems so sexy, however, that also means that soon enough I will have to slip into my bathing suit and that makes me very aware of my diet. I'm one of those guys that always feels fat and out of shape, despite my five day workout schedule. With that in mind, I do try keeping an eye on my diet monitoring what I am taking in.

This season allows for me to get creative drinking fresh fruit cocktails through the summer. While cocktails contain a lot of sugar and therefore a high calorie count, I try to limit my consumption. I discovered Elderflower juice in the past year. Elderflower juice can be a great ingredient to add to a drink instead of Triple Sec in Cosmos and Margaritas! Then there is St. Germain, which is a liquor made of the European elderflower that has a fantastic flavor. St. Germain is very sweet (many calories) but if used in the right quantity and balanced with other
mixers and served very cold, your drink will be a refreshing flavor stimulation. I wanted to share with you a recipe for a drink I created using St. Germain and freshly squeezed orange juice called Golden Spring. ENJOY!


Golden Spring
1 oz. St. Germain,
2 oz. Fresh squeezed OJ
2 oz. Moet Chandon, White star
1 halved Orange wheel

Fill a double rocks glass with ice.
Pour in the St. Germain, followed by the Orange Juice.
Top it off with White star.
Garnish with an orange wheel.

Journeys End...

One of the most exciting things about this trip to Israel with my friends was that it was a culinary delight. All of our meals were wonderful, especially a beautiful dinner at Suzanna located right outside of the Suzanne Dalal Dance Center in Tel Aviv. The food was rich with local flavors and the restaurant’s simple design aesthetic had a casual yet sophisticated feel. My German friend Frank says Suzanna served ‘deli food’, but a deli perhaps if only Jean George had opened one! Some of the other dining highlights of my trip were the sweet potato mousse latkes with chive yogurt sauce at Orna and Ella on the trendy Shenkin Street, jumbo shrimp wrapped with smoked duck breast in a red wine sauce at Goocha on Dizingof Street, and the Yemeni bone marrow soup at Gafla in Rehovot. All and all the flavor stimulation of our dining experiences were superb! New York chefs and foodies should get a ticket to Israel immediately! I'm sure you will enjoy it and possibly learn a thing or two about the Israeli art of cuisine.

The other great thing about heading to Israel with my New York friends was that it invoked many childhood memories. The youthful visions I had of Israel have always been that of a slight haze casting a yellowish tone on the pretty yet less developed country. Today this slight haze still exists casting a glaze over the country, providing inspiration for many brilliant minds in this country manifesting great talent. This ultimately reminded me of our connection to the infinite source.

As my journey ends, I will head back to the states where I will begin celebrating the 7th anniversary of my company, sharing with you memories of the past and tips for the future!

Unmistakably Tel Aviv...

Stepping out of the beautifully designed Ben Gurion terminal in Tel Aviv, I was greeted with the most wonderful scent of orange blossom...unmistakable and delicious. Spring in Israel is a blessing for your senses. With every step you take, you are treated to the overwhelming scent of great blossoms and the beautiful sight of vibrant greenery...quite different from the streets of New York.

Tel Aviv like New York is a very modern and hip city, blending the vibes of Miami and NYC together to create a place that is unbelievable fun for anyone who visits. You can’t help but feel the magnetic energy while you walk safely in the streets at 3 am and see people still sitting out on the side walks of coffee shops chatting.

One of the best things about Tel Aviv are the restaurants. Some of the restaurants that I have visited already are well designed and touched with that whimsical Israeli style that is fresh and unique to this land. Two of my favorite places that I would recommend for anyone coming to Israel are:

Herbert Samuel (6 Koifman St. +972-3-5166516)
The most beautifully presented dishes that were all very creative and delicious including their Tuna Sashimi with beets and their filet of beef! The restaurant is contemporary in its design and includes a major natural wood element.

Messa, Ha'arba'a (19 st. +972-3-685-6859)
This flow and energy of this place was brilliant, combining whites with earthy tones, draping the walls and seating areas with beautiful shades of white. The food fit the atmosphere being inventive persuading the guest to take a delightful chance enjoying each moment of the fois gras presented on a Belgium waffle.

Next week I will continue giving you insight into my trip and experiences in Israel. When I arrive back in NYC I will be offering you ways to bring these experience to your home, as Israel and my company Shiraz NYC are both celebrating their anniversaries!

In The Beginning...

After the development of Shiraz NYC, Shiraz FL, and the most recent partnership with Michael Rogers PR, many friends and colleagues began telling me the next thing I should create is a blog. I realized that it would be very important for me to make sure that I begin this blog when I begin my journey back to Israel. The timing is symbolic as I approach the seventh anniversary of being in business while Israel celebrates their 60th anniversary. Israel is where my life started and I felt that this would be the perfect jumping off point for me to allow my readers to get a clear glimpse into my past and how that shapes my present and my view of the future. As I embark on this two week trip with friends, I will write to you all about the choices that I have made and how I came about making them, also providing one with an insight into how I edit my life. The key element of this ongoing blog will be to make my vision accessible to everyone.
Traveling back to Israel is an important thing for me to do. I will have the luxury of traveling with great friends introducing them to Tel Aviv, the beautiful Mediterranean coasted city and Petra among other places. I will be guiding you along this journey of ours giving you an idea of our experiences ranging from our time on the eleven hour flight to the evenings at the gorgeous apartment five minutes from the beach to the place where I was born thirty three years ago. I finished three years in the Israel Army before becoming accepted into Technion, the MIT equivalent. I began on a path very different than the one I am on today, heading into medical school; yes to become another Jewish Doctor!! Eventually my goals changed, I moved to Manhattan nine years ago where I began traveling down the road I am currently on now.
I will be guiding you throughout this blogging process with the challenges that I face in creating some of the most spectacular events and how to recreate them on your own. Follow me along the process of designing my new apartment giving you a glimpse into my world, providing you with an insight into what I do and how to bring it into your life making it your own. I will also keep you a float on the best home design furnishings, restaurants, travel destinations and more that I find worth sharing, allowing you to see the beauty in all that I see. Get on board for this wonderful journey.