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Sunday, May 14, 2006
Two ways to completely charm me
1. If you're a restaurant:
When I walk into your establishment for the first time to place a take-out order, greet me warmly... walk me through your beautiful menu... offer me a comfortable seat while I wait for my order... bring me a free glass of fresh orange juice to drink for no apparent reason... comp me a free order of mushu chicken because I "had only ordered side dishes and sushi, and you should really taste how good the main courses are if this is your first time"... bring me my (what turned out to be delicious) order in record time, beautifully packaged with utensils/chopsticks, napkins and condiments ... smile and wish me 'shavuah tov' (good week) on my way out the door.
Thank you 'Yoja' (on Emek Repha'im street in the German Colony) for charming me with thoughtful service... and great food.
~and~
2. If you're my two-and-a-half-year-old son:
Stand on a wobbly step-stool with your little tushy peeking out from under your shirt tail and pee into the toilet... and all over your mother who was kneeling next to you to keep you from falling.
OK, the peeing into the toilet like a big boy for the first time was the part that charmed me. The part where you peed all over your mom was just laugh-out-loud funny (sorry sweetie, you'd have laughed if the roles were reversed... admit it).
Thank you Yonah for charming me... for making me proud... and for giving me a hilarious memory I'll treasure for the rest of my life.
Posted by David Bogner on May 14, 2006 | Permalink
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We also like Yoja. But in my opinion, if you're looking for the best kosher Asian food in Israel, you need to try YokoUno ( http://www.eluna.com/Rest/YokoUno.asp ).
True, Tel Aviv is further than Jerusalem, but if you're ever in the area - it's worth the trip.
Posted by: Dave | May 14, 2006 2:08:38 AM
Hee hee. That is pretty funny.
Posted by: Jack | May 14, 2006 5:13:15 AM
David, it's so nice when you share your family's "firsts" with us, most of whom are complete strangers.
But by further embarrassing Zahava by repeating the story...ah, now I feel just like "mishpacha"!
Shavuah Tov.
(hope you'll do a post about Lag Ba'Omer festivities in your neck of the woods)
Posted by: Pearl | May 14, 2006 5:24:53 AM
Happy mother's day! Having a toddler pee on your shoes is part of being a mom... We're also going through the potty training stage so you have my sympathy.
Posted by: MamaWombat | May 14, 2006 5:32:40 AM
Mazel tov to you, Mama & Yonah! One less Bogner in diapers... AMEN!
Posted by: val | May 14, 2006 6:17:43 AM
Is that my'n? No. It's urine.
(It's good that we can be peed on without getting peed off.)
Posted by: Doctor Bean | May 14, 2006 8:18:41 AM
Ah, too bad we couldn't have had a Photo Friday for #2!
Thanks for the smile!
Posted by: Carol | May 14, 2006 12:13:53 PM
Ummm Dr. Bean? Thought that saying was "Better to be pissed-off than pissed on!" Based on yesterday's incident I'd say it may not be better, but it certainly IS drier. LOL. =:-P
Posted by: zahava | May 14, 2006 1:14:04 PM
wow, good times, good times...
where on emek is it? in between pizza meter and burger's bar...? im never noticed it, ive been there laods of times--my cousins live in baka two minutes away.
Posted by: Tonny | May 14, 2006 2:18:35 PM
Tonny - cross the street (a bit before Burgers Bar).
Posted by: amechad | May 14, 2006 4:40:04 PM
Dave... Unless I'm meeting someone I like in Tel Aviv, I'd rather have dental surgery than go there. :-)
Jack... Thanks.
Pearl... Count on it.
Mamawombat... My sympathies. Our first one went very quickly... and she ended up potty training our second one. This third one seems to be some sort of cosmic payback. :-)
Val... No, we have a ways to go before we stop supporting the diaper syndicate. But there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Doctor Bean... All I could think about was the old story about why Frank Sinatra used to demand a private bathroom whenever he performed in Vegas. Apparently he got tired of men recognizing him at the urinal and turning towards him saying "Hey, you're Frank Sinatra!" while peeing on his pants.
Carol... Sometimes the imagination is better than any camera. :-)
Tonny... Like Amechad said...
Amecahd... Thanks.
Posted by: treppenwitz | May 14, 2006 5:13:15 PM
You know, you can get a lot of joy out of eating establishments.
During Spring Break, I drove down to a diner two hours away to meets some friends that I hadn't seen all year. Not knowing the area too well, I royally took advantage of the diner: parked in their lot for several hours, loitered around, used their bathroom. Finally, my friends showed up, we ate a great meal, and then we puttered around town (my car was STILL parked in the diner's lot). Hours later, I came back to the car and, as a failsafe before another two hour trip, used the diner's bathroom.
I'm not a total jerk and I was feeling very guilty for having to use the diner's resources, so I stepped up to the counter and asked for a cookie. The man, who looked to be of Middle Eastern descent, looked at me funny and asked me if I had a twin. I shook my head, to which he replied that he had been watching me wait around and I looked like someone who used to work there. Then he gave me the cookie. Confused, I toddled over to the cash register and presented both the cookie and my cash. The owner smiled and said "You were here before, weren't you?" I said yes, face burning. The owner grinned, and pushed my cash away. "It's on the house."
No matter how hard I tried to persuade him to take the money, he refused. The whole drive home, I had the happiest feeling in my heart and a big stupid grin on my face. That diner now has a customer for LIFE! Your post reminded me of that. Thanks. :)
K.
Posted by: Kate | May 14, 2006 5:42:20 PM
Having suffered plenty in Tel Aviv over the years, I would tend to agree with you.
But this place is by the Diamond Boursa, basically in Ramat Gan.
And trust me - it's worth it. In terms of food, in terms of the environment and in terms of service. Treat Zahava sometime.
Posted by: Dave | May 14, 2006 5:42:27 PM
Having raised two sons, I can relate. Hopefully being 16 and 19, we're past that stage ;)
Posted by: Randi(cruisin-mom) | May 14, 2006 5:58:01 PM
Its got to be one of those moments privately shared around the world: a boy peeing while standing for the first time. My son recently decided he wanted to be a big boy and stand while peeing. I was so happy for him (and me, of course) not to have to worry about sitting him down in a public bathroom that I let caution to the wind and let him do it. He was a little short for the edge of the urinal, so I had to lift him a little. Talk about a fire hose with no one holding. I nearly got it in the face and all over the place. The next time I advised him to hold it and aim for the bottom!
Posted by: Another David | May 14, 2006 6:21:23 PM
I bet you warned her she was in the line of fire too! They never listen to us.
Posted by: Scott | May 14, 2006 8:50:14 PM
That restaurant sure sounds good... if you substitue cranberry juice for orange! ; )
Hilarious story with Yonah! But how embarrassed is he going to be in a few years, surfing the net!
Posted by: Irina | May 15, 2006 6:24:51 AM
Yoja is probablly one of my favorite resteraunts, the food is really amazing. Right now my son is still too young to potty train, but he is old enough to be curious and follow me into the bathroom, oh well so much for privacy.
Posted by: Max Power | May 15, 2006 7:15:59 PM
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