Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Lost and Found

I've lost it. I've finally lost it. I used to have the best celeb-radar around. When I was 14 and hung around NYC waiting for the Beatles (separately) to show up - at their hotels, recording studios, business offices - I always knew where they would go, when the concert tickets would go on sale and who to contact for freebies or gifts or whatnot. But that is true no longer.

I drove home with my newly-married daughter and my son-in-law. He asks me:

"It's crazy trying to get Madonna tickets. Nobody can get through to the ticket offices. Are you going?"

"Going? Going where? To Europe to see Madonna?"

"She's playing here in September. You didn't know that?"

I would have throttled him as only a mother-in-law can do, but as he was the driver, I held myself back.

No I didn't know that. Since when did she creep up on us like that? And since when have I lost my touch for knowing everything there is to know about concert tickets in Israel?

Son-in-law blames me for not reading the Hebrew papers.

"You read the Jerusalem Post - that Settler paper. Of course you wouldn't see it there."

"I perused the Hebrew papers over the weekend. I read the headlines and the ads. And there was NOTHING about Madonna. There was an ad for Blue Man Group, but I haven't a clue who they are. So, sorrrreee." I glared at him, but he couldn't see this because he was looking out the front window.

"Are YOU going?"

Of course he would take her. He bought her diamond earrings for her birthday and sent her to a luxury spa. Ahhhh there are good husbands in the world, I just didn't fucking land one.

But my ego didn't get too busted up because just before I got into their car, I went over to check out a new restaurant in town called Simneh, a Yemenite bakery/coffee shop of sorts, beautifully decorated with Middle Eastern floor tiles, and Arabesque wall tiles. The place was spotless. The owner kept giving me samples to taste and I didn't have to buy a thing. Every half loaf of exotic Yemenite bread he gave me as a "treat" including a half piece of Knafe, which was more light-tasting than its Arab counterpart in the Old City's Jafaar Bakery. I was thinking perhaps I'll take my DA sponsor to meet with me here tomorrow and asked if it was kosher. Sure, they said, showing me the certificates. "I just need to know for my friend, because I'm not religious, but she is."

"What do you mean you're not religious??" the owner smiled at me. "There's no such thing." He was blond, tall, a proud Uber-Zionist Jew.

"HUH?"

"You ARE religious. Because you're living in the Land of Israel. You're doing the mitzvah (good deed) of living in the Land of Israel. THAT'S being religious."

Wow. I wasn't even trying. So here, I may have lost my celeb-radar but I have found that others believe there is some good in me.

5 comments:

muriel may campbell said...

Hey Gypsy,
Having a late lunch and just read your blog.
I agree with UBer, you are living the faith by your description.
What does the word Religion mean? It all seems to be cruelly subjective, to me, sounds like an oxymoron to my ear.
I guess I see it as a verb, any faith, any religion.

Positive Action=God intention


......."as they would want to be treated" or basically being indifferent to self and others.

I hope my comments do not offend you, I was moved by your post and am speaking freely.

PS As far as celeb-radar goes, it helps to have son's who have roots in music and theater. They have taken over for us, in that dept and keep us well informed. We were given four passes for back stage following the performance of the Blue Man Group in Boston, ~ ten years ago. (all but me :-(,I missed a lot of theater as a result of injuries, i guess (long story)
Understand it is quite a show!

Peace be with you,
em

Anonymous said...

so where is this restaurant? think I'll find mb options there? I love authentic ethnic foods, and the guy there sounds very authentic!!

Klara

Unknown said...

It's at 16 King George Street in the courtyard by the Bank Hapoalim building.

Anonymous said...

and to keep you in the loop, did you know that Leonard Cohen is coming to Tel Aviv?
Anna

Unknown said...

yes, of course I know about Mr. Cohen. We're all quite excited about it. But I understand he will be playing in Ramat Gan Stadium when he should be playing at Sultan's Pool in Jerusalem (Dylan played there). It's a smaller venue and more suited to the "spiritual" experience that is Leonard Cohen. If tickets are 1,000 NIS, I don't know if I'll be able to do that, as I've just bought 2 Madonna tix. That will be less of a spiritual experience but fun nevertheless.