My City: Sagiv Galam

Smultronstället, which literally means the wild strawberry patch, is not only the title of a Ingemar Bergman movie, but also the word for an underrated gem of a place, often with personal or sentimental value. Every once in a while we will ask our favorite Telavivians where they are having morning coffee, where they are buying t-shirts and where we can find them dancing in middle of the night. This week we have talked to Sagiv Galam, the creative director of Castro Men. 

“I love Dizengoff Street. It’s one of my favorite places and most comparable to any main street abroad. I had my first apartment on Dizingoff and still live there. I hold this street close to my heart, probably due to my childhood memories in the 80’s when Dizengoff was a pedestrian zone, opened exclusively for people to walk there.”

“Something from there stayed with me… As a child, I used to hang around in Dizengoff Center for hours. We didn’t know it was cool, now we know. It was magnetizing, not like the other generic shopping malls. You can buy anything there.”

“If I had to choose another favorite, Allenby Street would fall close because of its real and authentic feeling.”

BREAKFAST

Basher Fromagerie – ”There is nothing like a Friday morning in Tel Aviv. I usually start the day with a glass of Champagne and tartine.”
201 Dizengoff Street, 03-522-5077, website.

Orna ve Ella – ”I used to go there when I was 19, when they only served sandwiches. I either go there for breakfast or lunch.”
33 Shenkin Street, 03-620-4753

LUNCH

Anat – “Yemenite home cuisine”.
23 Simtat HaCarmel Street, Carmel Market, 054-8372833

Coffeebar – “Café Bistro – associated with The Brasserie, Hotel Montefiore, The Bakery, Cafe 12/Rothschild 12, and Delicatessen”.
13 Harutzim Street, 03-688-9696, website.

DINNER

Hotel Montefiore – ”My friends and I usually go here for dinner around 8, 9 pm. We know the waitress, which makes it feel like home”.
25 Montefiore Street 36, 03-564 6100, website. 

Port Said,
2 Har Sinai Street, 03-6207436, Facebook.

Joz ve loz,
51 Yehuda Halevi Street, 03-560-6385, Facebook.

CAFÉ

Loveat,
23 Dizengof Street, 03-544-6470, website.
DRINKS

Anna Loulou Bar – “I go here for drinks”.
1 HaPninim Street, Jaffo, 03-7168221, website, Facebook 

DANCING

Cheesecake, Breakfast Club – “The music is super nice. Cool crowd.”
6 Rothschild Blvd., 054-816-1860, Facebook.
SHOPPING

Tel Aviv Bicycle – “I like to take a bike around the city. I fix it and go there every time I need something for my bike. It’s my favorite bike store”.
62 Pinsker Street, 03-6205104

American Apparel – “I am buying my t-shirts here”. 
Dizengoff Centre/69 King George Street, 03 620-0481, website.

FURNITURES

Kastiel
36 Alfasi Street, 03-6836334, website.

Habitat 
2 Beit Eliyahu Street/Ibn Gvirol Street, 03-6951282, website. 

Primitive
77 Yehuda Halevi Street, 03-5660551

GALLERIES

Alon Segev Gallery,
6 Rothschild Blvd., 03-6090769, website.

Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Helena Rubinstein Pavilion,
27 Shaul Hamelech Street, 03-6077020, website.

OTHER

Peres Center for Peace – “Israel’s leading non-profit organization promoting peace building between Israel and its Arab neighbors.
123 Kedem Street, Jaffa, 03-5680680, website.

Tel Aviv University Pool – “ Sometimes it’s nice to get out from the city and enjoy a swim at the Tel Aviv University Pool, they have a variety of three pools.”
7 Haim Levanon street,Ramat Aviv, 03-640-7291, website.