Art: Fresh Paint, DocAviv, and Houses from Within

Get ready for an art-filled week. First up is Tel Aviv's third annual Fresh Paint Art Fair, which opens today in Yaffo. The showcase for contemporary artists and galleries is unfolding in a newly renovated warehouse along the old port, as well as in several other nearby buildings. At last night's preview, a packed crowd remained until late in the evening, indicating that, this year's fair is hotter than ever, with the focus as much on the art as the fashionable people viewing it.

From Wednesday through Saturday, entrance is open to the public for a fee of 35NIS. The ground floor contains works by artists who do not yet have gallery representation, while the upper floor is built as a series of showrooms for Tel Aviv's main contemporary galleries. Both levels have their own merit: many of the emerging artists' works, while ranging in their taste and ability, are at least financially accessible. The mini galleries, on the other hand, provide a compressed tutorial on what is considered to be the best work the city has to offer. Rather than trekking the streets from gallery to gallery, visitors receive a taste of them all in one place.

Stop at the Caffe Tazza d'Oro cafe on the top level for sea views and a bite to eat. Visit the bookstore for gifts, and especially make sure to check out the "mystery postcard" room. This is a wonderful gimmick in which hundreds of handmade postcards are displayed, each one designed by either an unknown or famous artist. No names appear on the cards, so you must purchase one to find out if you've just made the best investment ever or thrown 180 NIS down the drain.

Fresh Paint Contemporary Art Fair
May 5th & 6th: 12:00 - 22:00
May 7th: 10:00 - 18:00
May 8th: 10:00 - 22:00
www.freshpaint.co.il


Next up, DocAviv begins May 6th and runs until the 15th, with films showing at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque, the ZOA House, and the Tel Aviv Museum. The program boasts twenty-two documentary works, half from Israel, and half from international directors, as well as student competitions, meet and greet events, and special screenings. Advanced ticket purchases are recommended and special deals are available for packages; normal entrance is 35 NIS per ticket, although a reduced fee of 25 NIS is available for filmmakers, students, soldiers, and senior citizens. The complete schedule is listed on the DocAviv website.

DocAviv
May 6th - 15th
Daytime and nighttime screenings.
www.docaviv.co.il


Finally, Houses from Within is an annual two-day event in Tel Aviv that offers a unique opportunity for visitors to view inside private residences, business, and historic sites around the city. In the organizations own words' it is an event to "open your eyes and mind to the built environment" around you, and it certainly serves as a sort of bonding experience for the city. This year's open properties are listed on the organization's website, which helps guests conveniently sort through the selections by area, type of activity, or specific timeframe. Reservations are needed for the most in-demand properties, so it's wise to plan ahead if there's something of particular interest. Otherwise, a hardcopy of the schedule is available in the weekend magazines and can be used for touring the day-of. Cost is free.

Batim me'Befnim (Houses from Within)
May 7th & 8th
Each property has separate hours.
www.batim.mouse.co.il

Images credited to the Fresh Paint, DocAviv and Batim me'Befnim websites.

Eat Well: Charcuterie

Now is the time to enjoy the outdoors in Israel. The unbearable summer heat has yet to hit, but the weather is perfectly warm enough to enjoy an evening meal outside without needing to jostle for space next to an electrical heater.

Yaffo immediately comes to mind in such weather, because of its concentration of dining and nightlife options that are tucked away in HaShouk HaPishpishin. The streets of the old flea market which, during the day can be somewhat of a tourist trap, come alive with a diverse crowd at night, several hours after vendors' stalls have been closed.

One of the largest and, perhaps, best-dressed crowds can be found in front of Charcuterie, a restaurant that spills out of its tiny closet-like space to take over nearly an entire block with tables and a makeshift outside bar. The menu is decidedly simple, with several typical appetizers, pastas, salads and, of course, the tasty platters of charcuterie meat for which the place is named.

The music is loud and the drinking is heavy. Well-heeled Tel Avivians converse animatedly and the entire scene eventually assumes the look of a lively street party. Charcuterie's new extension, a similarly styled bar with a small selection of the restaurant's meats and appetizers, occupies a corner spot just a few doors down, thus increasing the block's traffic.

Reservations are essential, unless you're a small group happy to angle for a position at the outside bar, whose seats are kept open on a first-come-first-served basis. The whole menu can still be ordered here, making it a perfect option for those hopping back and forth along the flea market's alleys, shifting through the different scenes at Yaffo's plethora of new outdoor dining options.

3 Rabbi Hanina St.
Yaffo Flea Market
+972 03 682 8843