My Washington DC Tried and Trues

I lived in DC for six years before starting this Foreign Service life. I had some of my most fun, formative, lonely, educational, frustrating, exciting, lovely times of my life here and coming back, not surprisingly, makes me so darn nostalgic. I just stroll around and picture 22-, 24-, and 26-year-old Emily walking home afterContinue reading “My Washington DC Tried and Trues”

Sabih in the City

Falafel and shawarma: You know ’em, you love ’em. But I’d like to introduce you to another mouthwatering sandwich commonly found in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv: The sabih. I eat sabih (or sabich – it’s that aspirated sound that somewhere between a “k” and an “h” in English) all the time, and I’m a littleContinue reading “Sabih in the City”

A Bedouin Goat Adventure

I recently had a weekend trip to top all weekend trips: A group of Jerusalem friends and I drove to Jordan’s second largest nature reserve and spent two serene yet adventurous nights in an ecolodge run by Bedouins and spent a day herding goats with a local. We left Jerusalem on a Saturday morning andContinue reading “A Bedouin Goat Adventure”

A Roman (Foodie) Holiday

We were in Rome this past weekend to celebrate a friend’s 30th birthday and the ancient/modern city far exceeded my expectations. I feel like those who travel to Italy rave about Florence or Venice but don’t say much about Rome. This led me to believe it wasn’t going to be that awesome, but I canContinue reading “A Roman (Foodie) Holiday”

Colombia Trip: Bogota, Cartagena, and Medellin

Prior to our recent trip to Colombia (a destination chosen by Mr. Em in Jerusalem), I can’t say I knew much about the country. We watched Narcos in preparation, and the Netflix series about notorious drug trafficker Pablo Escobar and his reign of violence throughout the ’80s and the early ’90s didn’t paint a prettyContinue reading “Colombia Trip: Bogota, Cartagena, and Medellin”

I’ve Found My Food Happy Place

Back when we learned we’d be moving to Jerusalem, the thing I was most excited about was the food. And, after 10 months here, I’m happy to report: It has met my high expectations. This part of the world is a vegetarian’s paradise. The creamy cheeses, the crisp salads (eaten with every meal), the hummus, the falafel, theContinue reading “I’ve Found My Food Happy Place”

Two Spanish Summer Soups (That Aren’t Gazpacho)

One of the absolute best parts of living in foreign places is eating delicious local foods and taking those recipes with me wherever I go. I imagine being old and having a recipe book filled with interesting dishes from places around the globe. File under the Spanish section: Two incredible, easy, no cooking required, refreshing-yet-creamy Spanish summerContinue reading “Two Spanish Summer Soups (That Aren’t Gazpacho)”

The Transient Nature of Perception

We recently wrapped up a three-week stay in Washington DC. And man, was it hard to leave (even though I was heading to Paris, oh beloved Paris). The three weeks was filled with catching up with good friends, family, cocktails, dinners, strolling the beautiful DC streets, museums visits, a ballet, a musical, and lots of yoga.Continue reading “The Transient Nature of Perception”

The World Beyond the Grocery Store

Every grocery store here seems to have “Super” in its name, like Super Deal or Super Sol. I don’t read Hebrew, so I’ll just go ahead and assume the grocery store closest to my apartment is called Super Sad because everyone in it wears a frown and if it was sunny when I entered the store, nine timesContinue reading “The World Beyond the Grocery Store”

Delhi in My Belly

I went to New Delhi to experience the vibrancy I’ve found lacking in Jerusalem, and to see where I’d fall on the “India: You either love it or hate it” binary. But mostly, I went for the food. I can report the city is the most vibrant I’ve ever seen, in ways both good and bad. TheContinue reading “Delhi in My Belly”