Tel Aviv: The Mini New York

A friend of mine just returned from her first trip to New York City and could not stop raving about what a great time she had. As someone who grew up only 2.5 hours from “the city” I have mixed feelings about the place. Sure, I loved to drop by for a Saturday afternoon Broadway show, but I always felt crowded in Manhattan and my favorite part of the weekend was when I would drive out of the city.

Various tour books label Tel Aviv the “mini New York” of Israel. Some may disagree with this tagline, but I believe it to be quite fitting. Tel Aviv has an air about her like no other city in Israel. It is the “big” city more in attitude than perhaps square meters where there is always something to do day and night. Living in the center of the city I can attest to the fact that people are always walking around, be it 2 pm or 2 am. Cafes don’t close until the last person leaves and you can always find some place that is open 24 hours. Some Tel Avivians get up to do Yoga on the beach with the sunrise while others are just making their way home from the clubs they arrived at the night before. Tel Aviv is a hub for art, music, cuisine and fashion; it is the city that people dream of coming to for their shot to make it. Rent is sky high and there is always a shortage of housing. Parking is even less existent and you can end of paying a fortune in a parking lot for 30 minutes because last time you got towed and had to pay 500 NIS ($100) to get your car back. The streets are often littered with trash and there is a layer of smog that seems to hover over the city. The list can go on and on.

Just like New York, the list of positives can be just as long and makes it well worth the hassle. Tel Aviv has a beach that goes on for miles with guys selling popsicles and beach stands selling beer. There are so many events going on here that you could not possibly attend them all- the majority of which are free. Last week there was an evening of free music all around the city from African to French to Gypsy tunes. The month before there were theatrical performances held in the boulevards with 15-30 minute sketches of the biggest plays in the theaters. This week there are free movies and reduced menus at restaurant around the city as part of a week long annual festival that promotes Tel Aviv.

I never had the desire to live in New York after college. When many of my friends from Connecticut choose to go south to New York, I opted for the northern route to Boston. Perhaps now I’m making up for it.