The trapeze act is part of the standard repertoire of the Tav Cafe but it’s always enjoyable. The last time I was here, I was seated almost directly below the trapeze, almost impossible to photograph or video. This time I was in a much better position, at a table in the center of the cafe. If you get there early enough (around 7:15) and can choose your seat, try to snag a place in front of the stage. The floor section with tables is for paying guests (a beer will last you a long time if it doesn’t get knocked over by a juggler). The seats on the outside are for people who don’t want to order anything to eat or drink.
The Tav Cafe show doesn’t change a lot from year to year but it’s still enjoyable. This woman is balancing on ordinary bottles, set into a wooden base on a table.
In the photo below, she steps from a steel cylinder to an ordinary glass bottle.
I love the bright colours of Mexican beadwork. I didn’t buy anything this year, though. The prices were somewhat higher and the designs were more mundane. Last year, there were a couple stunning necklaces that I photographed and then kicked myself for not buying on the spot. I bought one of the floral necklaces last year and I hang it on the wall.
Eli Avisera was back this year, giving wood-working demonstrations. He founded the Wood Craft Center in 1988 and gives courses. One of my coworkers took a course from him and enjoyed it very much. I’m always fascinated by how he can take a block of wood and turn it into a gorgeous box within minutes. His work is magical (check out the video below).
One aspect of Hutzot Hayotzer (Jerusalem International Arts & Crafts Fair) that we always look forward to is the concerts. For 65 NIS (less than $20), it’s a bargain (if you don’t want to hear the concert you can buy a cheaper ticket for 50 NIS). The last evening we went (Aug. 11), I wasn’t able to visit the craft stalls at because we went to two performances: Tav Cafe, followed by Eviatar Banai. Eviatar Banai is a 41-year-old hozer betshuvah (returnee to Judaism) with a clear tenor voice and a soft rock/ballad style. He belongs to the Banai family, which has produced a large number of Israeli performers.
The concert was sold out, another reason to buy or pick up your tickets early. Mayor Nir Barkat, in his opening remarks, said that each night of Hutzot Hayotzer was dedicated to a different division of the IDF. (We were wondering why the Armored Corp insignia was displayed on the screen before the concert.) He was followed by a high-ranking officer from the Armored Corp, who gave a short speech about how life has to go on (that division lost a lot of soldiers in Gaza) and we have to keep singing.
I made a short video of one of songs near the end. Around the 45-second mark, he segues from rock to a hassidic nigun and lots of people got up to dance. It was good to forget the war for a while.
Flamenco Natural, led by Sharon Saguy, appeared on the small stage of Hutzot Hayotzer (Jerusalem International Arts & Crafts Festival), May 11, 2014. Flamenco is quite popular in Israel. If I were tall, skinny, and blessed with excellent coordination, I’d sign up for classes immediately. <sigh!> Flamenco is beautiful to watch and tricky to photograph without a tripod.
I don’t know how many of you know Pam Harris, who has been like a mother to so many craft bloggers around the world. She was tireless in her encouragement and support of novice bloggers. She was my first photography mentor and gave me so much advice and encouragement over the years.
Her dear husband of 25 years, Kirby Harris, died suddenly of a heart attack. Kirby was a very special guy, a great photographer with a wonderful sense of humour. Sadly, he had no life insurance, so Pam has been left with a lot of expenses. Her daughter Diane (of CraftyPod) has set up a fund to help defray costs. So if you knew Pam and have lost touch with her, I’m sure she’d appreciate a note or a donation.
This is a photo of one of the Iron Dome systems, taken from a window at work. It’s on a hillside in the valley near Ramot. I’ve never seen it in action, but I’ve heard it on the one occasion when I was at work during a missile attack.
Life goes on–ceasefire, rockets, ceasefire, rockets….
I’m slowly recovering from the whooping cough. I can do most things (including running) but occasionally I have a few nights of disrupted sleep and that wreaks havoc with my system, so it’s a long process of ups and downs. The coughing is still there but not as bad as three weeks ago.
The good news is that it looks like Hutzot haYotzer (Jerusalem International Arts & Crafts Fair) will be starting tomorrow as planned. (You should be very happy, Debbie!) I checked the Jerusalem Municipality site for the prices. Adult admission, including the concert, is 65 NIS. For the crafts fair alone, it’s 50 NIS. I think this is the first time I’ve seen a separate price, but they only started enforcing crowd control of the concert venue last year.
This and That 