The International Edition: 6 Hours in Tel Aviv

Ok, so, when I brought the blog back, the goal was to blog twice a week. Clearly that's not going very well so far. So, we'll aim for once a week while I get back into the swing of things. Better a little than never, right?

When I was in Israel (admittedly, already a long time ago), I forgot to make plans in advance. Oops. It's because I was so excited to hang out with Gila, I didn't think about anything else. Also, it was so hot that it was sometimes difficult for me to motivate myself to go outside. (That's why there aren't more blog pictures from this trip. Tooooo much sweat.) But one morning, two days before I left, I realized I had nothing to do and Gila had to work all day. So... time for a spontaneous trip to Tel Aviv!

Everything is better on the beach.

Literally, when we left the house (for Tuesday coffee and AMAZING PANCAKES), I didn't know I was going. But then I decided to get on the train. I'm so impulsive guys!

Tel Aviv is hopping, but also pretty strange (is it a city? super fancy? full of slums? high rises? low rises? Yes to all of the above!) I don't know my way around there at all, unlike in Jerusalem, so I got lost more than once, but I persevered.

This is why I don't pose for pictures.

 Luckily, my friend Shayna has been living there for the past two years on a post doc, so she gave me excellent advice about where to go, and also met me for delicious frozen lemonade and a walk to the beach. My favorite place was the Carmel Shuk (see pics below!) mostly because it was so bustling and crazy. It's what the Shuk in Jerusalem used to be like, before it got super fancy and filled with expensive restaurants. I walked back and forth probably five times, just taking in the sites and occasionally dodging the vendors who tried to shove things in my mouth to get me to eat them.

I decided to finish off the day at the beach, which was beautiful. As you can see, I was not at all dressed for it, but really, as long as you can take off your sandals, you can always make it work. I might have been the only woman not in a bikini. I'm an individual through and through, even internationally. And I was extremely proud because I asked someone to take my picture in Hebrew and she didn't answer in English.

I started work this week. It's actually the best (I heart teaching), but there is a part of me that misses vacation. And Gila. And pancakes. Oh well.

Coming soon: the unveiling of the new Summer Bucket List (aka SBL2.0). Get psyched!

What I'm wearing: Boden skirt (with pockets!), Jones New York top via TJ Maxx (similar here), Bare Traps sandals (similar here)

A Tisket, A Tasket....

A dress like a picnic basket! (Or blanket.)

I actually can't believe that this dress hasn't made it onto the blog until now, as it is one of my absolute favorites. I love the gingham and the bright green color. It came with a sash, but I swapped it out for a tan belt, which I think works much better. As you can see above, I am VERY excited.

These pictures were taken at my Uncle Joel's 60th birthday party. Poor Uncle Joel has a 9/11 birthday, but we celebrated the weekend before at the picnic grounds at Greenwich Beach. The weather was perfect and great fun was had by all.

Some highlights: the gorgeous views, hilarious speeches, and many, many cousins of all ages. 

Soooo many children...

Simon, bossing people around. As usual. 

Maddie, in her cousin's hat

These are my cousins Paul and Stephanie's twin girls. They are adorable and also difficult to both hold at the same time. Stephanie is some sort of superhero. I cannot explain how she managed to come to Connecticut with four children and stay totally chill the whole time in any other way.

And, just to take it home, here is some MAJOR cuteness. Maddie hearts Leo.

What I'm wearing: old Boden dress (vaguely similar here), Franco Sarto sandals (similar here), LOFT belt (similar here), fedora bought at Santa Monica Pier (find on the NYC streets)

Remember When It Was Summer? (3 Days Ago?)

Dear readers, Labor Day was only 3 days ago, and yet, summer still feels like it was over a million years ago. Sigh. Let us use this time to reflect, remember, talk (once again) about modest beachwear.

Next time, perhaps I will remember to take
pictures before I'm soaking wet and standing
super funny. Oh well.

 As you might remember, I had a day at the beach on the bucket list. I ended up going to Sarah, my mom, Simon and Leo, so it was a whole family party. My mom grew up in Freeport, Long Island, so we ended out to Jones Beach so she could get emotional and sentimental and stuff.

Jones Beach is beautiful, if you've never been there. The sand is super soft and the ocean is clear. Plus, when we were there, there were excellent waves, which Simon, Sarah and I had a great time riding.

And of course, no day at the beach would be complete without ice cream. Obviously.

We also got to try out my waterproof camera bit. There aren't so many pictures, but as Simon said, "Sometimes the best souvenirs are your memories." Truth. Although weird for a seven year old to say that. He's pretty deep when he isn't talking about poop.

This is my second rash guard. Obviously I chose it because it was polka dotted, which you all know by now that I love. However, since the black and white is pretty plain, I paired it with these board shorts, which were both long enough, super neon, and really cheap. I probably should have gone down a size, as they are sort of huge, but whatever. Live and learn. At least I did not get a sunburn. Modest and practical all in one.

I know it seems sad to talk about swimwear right now, but now is actually the season to buy if your body is more or less staying the same, because everything is on sale. (Up to 65% off at Lands End, where I got my fun rash guards.) So think ahead-- there's often an advantage to buying off season. Plus, then you have something to look forward to! A win-win.

And for those of you keeping track of the bucket list, Sarah and I also hit Hurricane Harbor at Six Flags to fulfill the amusement park item. It was really fun, and some of those slides are super bonkers. Like the cobra.

Great fun was had by all, in the same outfit I wore kayaking.

You don't scare me, shark!

And now, summer is over and I am back to tackling my comps list. I'm 44% done! Not that I'm counting or anything.

I hope to get one more post in before Rosh Hashanah, but if I don't, Shanah Tova-- a sweet new year to everyone celebrating. Hopefully this will be a great year filled with new adventures, exciting opportunities, and adorable outfits.

What I'm wearing: Lands End rash guard (both of them, buy now on sale!), US Polo board shorts via 6pm

The Blog Hits the Road: Party at the Beach, Party in the Back

Here we go, the final of the three part series of my DC adventures!

When I talked to my close friend and former roommate Divi about my trip, she asked what I wanted to do and I immediately said, I don't care except that I want to go to the giant ball pit. You see, all of these pictures had been showing up on facebook of a ball pit for grown ups! To quote Liz Lemon, I want to go to there.

The ball pit, which was officially called the Beach, was at the National Building Museum. I had never been there before because why pay to go to a museum when there are so many free ones in DC? But the Beach lured us in and then we actually really liked rest of the museum too. So everyone was happy.

The fun part.

This dress is SUPER comfortable and I love the color. Plus, it's a party in the back look, with an open triangle and a bow. I added a tank top for extra modesty, but I still felt a little sassy. (Because you know. When people think sassy, they think Rachel.) The only problem was, dresses don't do great in giant ball pits. One is much better off wearing pants. I'll keep that in mind in case this opportunity ever comes up again.

Drowning in a sea of plastic balls

Hi Div!

 We discovered that the pit was a little scarier than expected because it took a while to find the floor in the "deep" end, which was sort of disconcerting. So then we went to hang out in the shallow end. But still, a great time was had by all and now there are pictures of me covered in plastic balls. Really, what more could one want in life?

The sand, for relaxing, if the water gets too rough.

Now picture over a million of these.

What I'm wearing: Eshakti dress (modified to add length and slightly longer sleeves; sold out in purple but available in other colors here), Downeast Basics cami

Summer Bucket List: Free Kayaking!

Lately, I've been finding myself longing for last summer, when I only turned on my air conditioner four times all summer. Since I have already used it that many times this week. And it's only Wednesday.

It has been a rough summer, weather-wise. With the temperature scheduled to hit 90 for yet another day, Sarah and I decided that it was the perfect day to hit the Hudson River. One would not want to swim in the Hudson, in my opinion, but kayaking is perfect!

Every weekend in the summer, the Downtown Boathouse hosts free kayaking in the Hudson off of Pier 1 at 70th street from 10-5. Although swimming gear is not required, I highly recommend it, as you do get quite wet. Plus, I got to wear my awesome rash guard! Hurrah! Modest and sunburn-free. Plus, adorable. Wins all around.

Also, the kayaking was super fun. We weren't great at steering because we have little upper body strength and even less coordination, but we had a delightful time and didn't get stuck in the middle of the river even once. Go team!

Sisters: two out of three.

If you have been reading all along, you might remember my post on modest swimwear. Here you can see it in action. Plus, since it's in July, a lot of places have their swim stuff on sale, so it might be the perfect time to make an investment. I heart my rash guards.

In vaguely self-serving news (because what's the point of having a blog if you can't be self-serving occasionally?), I just listed a bunch of stuff on eBay-- things that don't fit, that I never wear, etc. If you want to dress like me, here's the chance to do it at a discount! (Sorry, that was obnoxious.) Anyway, you can see the listings here.

What I'm wearing: Lands End rash guard (similar here), Target board shorts (similar here), Chaco sandals, '47 Yankees hat

Summer Bucket List: Coney Island!

Summer fun continues, friends! I'm making good progress on my bucket list, but all the fun means I'm behind on my blogging. So while I crossed something else off the list today, let's backtrack to last Friday, when some of my friends joined me on a Coney Island adventure.

Unlike many people, I suppose, I actually love the beach in almost any weather. Of course, it's nice when it's hot, and you can go in the water. I also love it in the late fall, when it's sort of cold and gloomy. Last Friday was unseasonably cool and cloudy, but it meant we had the beach all to ourselves. I'm telling you-- just put on a sweatshirt and you'll have a great day.

Of course, there are many other fun things to do at Coney Island, including going out on the pier, seeing the Brooklyn Cyclones play, and hanging out at Luna Park and riding the Cyclone. We mostly stuck to the beach, but I hope to go back later in the summer to see the Cyclones play, so hopefully I can get some rides in then as well.

Sarit's Instagram Masterpiece

There's something really beautiful about the beach on a cloudy day, I think. And it means you get to spend as many tries as possible to get a picture of yourself jumping in the air without anyone getting in the way, so that's always a win.

The beautiful view from the pier

Coney Island, guys. The 50s live on, in the best way possible. Where do you like to go for kitschy fun?

What I'm wearing: Esprit sweatshirt (super old), GAP long sleeved shirt (similar here), Lucky Brand jeans via TJ Maxx, chacos (not shown, because who wears shoes on the beach?)

Q&A: Modest Swimwear

Hello, dear readers! Welcome to our first question and answer feature on the blog! Today's question comes from Hollis, and it is about how to find modest swimwear:

Question:With the hot summer weather coming, I'd love to see a modesty post about swimming/swimwear! New York doesn't have the same kind of scene, but here in the suburban south I'm at the pool with my kid almost every day all summer long and I feel uncomfortably naked in a bathing suit. If I want to swim, I go at a lower traffic time and get in and do my workout and get out. It's the lounging that's weird. As I'm sure you can guess, this is both a pragmatic fashion question and a larger question about modesty and exposure. I wear a long sleeve rashguard over my suit, primarily to protect me from the sun but I like the coverage too. But I'm still so uncovered everywhere else. Do you have any suggestions? -- Hollis

Answer:Ah yes. As the weather warms up, the swimwear question always comes with it. Swimwear is a source of anxiety for many women, modestly inclined or not. I'm not going to deal with the body image piece here today; we will leave that for another time. However, I will cite my friend Amy's wisdom: You know you get a bikini-ready body in one quick step? Step one: Put on a bikini. True story, Amy.

Anyway. For those of use for whom modesty is an issue, however, swimwear is complicated beyond just body image. There are a few ways to go, in my experience.

Option #1: Just wear a bathing suit. A good number of my friends end up suspending modesty parameters when they are at the beach, under the assumption that that is actually the normal mode of dress there, and also that nobody is looking. It is also true that a one piece/ skirted bathing suit/ long tankini (God bless whoever invented the tankini, making it easier for us to go to the bathroom without taking off all of our clothes) is often much more modest than the string bikinis many people wear. If this option works for you, I have had great success with Lands End bathing suits for providing a little more coverage. (And they seem to be having a sale until tomorrow, if you're in the market.)

Option #2: Modest swimwear. I don't have a lot of experience in this area, but I have friends who have bought bathing outfits through companies like Hydrochic and Modli. The nice thing about these companies is they tend to offer a range of styles depending on your standards of modesty, including skirt options, for those whom that is a requirement. They also sell water-friendly hair coverings. I've never gone this route, partly because I don't spend enough time at the pool to justify the expense and partly because I'm fairly certain I would drown if I tried to wear a swimming skirt. But for people for whom maintaining the same standards of modesty at the beach as they do in day-to-day life is a requirement, this is definitely good to know about.

Option #3: This is sort of a middle ground, and where I hang out. I usually wear a normal swimsuit under a t-shirt/ rashguard and men's board shorts. (See the picture above, from a delightful week at the Jersey shore last summer.) I don't wear shorts in normal life, but I've found that many men's bathing suits provide me with the level of coverage I feel comfortable in at the beach. The nice thing about them is that they are meant to be used for swimming, so they don't weigh you down the way a bathing outfit might, but they still provide a lot of coverage, which is useful for both maintaining modesty and sun protection. It's not necessary to spend a lot of money on them-- mine come from Old Navy and Target-- and they could theoretically be worn without a bathing suit underneath, although I've never done so. Look for a board short that has a 10 inch inseam or longer. Also, remember that men's clothing are not cut for hips, so I often end up going up one size so that I don't feel like my legs are sausages. You'll still be more covered than basically every woman you see, but long shorts and a t-shirt are much less conspicuous, if that's a factor for you. (In a pinch, basketball shorts work as well, but they can fall down if you're in rough water.)

So those are my thoughts on swimwear. Hope that helped! Certainly, this is one of the more complicated areas of modesty, so it's important to figure out what's right for you, rather than worrying about what other people are doing. And no matter what, remember to wear sunscreen! (Especially if you're exposing parts of your skin that are usually covered. That's a lobster waiting to happen.) Happy swimming everyone!

Have a question you'd like me to answer? Leave it in the comments, or email me here!