Two Women

I met with two interesting women today. Separately, of course and with ages on different ends of the scale.

I had breakfast with "the beautiful Tal" at some hip place in Tel Aviv (some place called Zorik). She seems to still be glowing from her recent wedding, so much so that strangers butted into our conversation just to be acknowledged by her. We spoke about married life, university and how one should not eat "A" vegetables. She had an avocado sandwich none the less.

Later I met with Noami who grew up in the house I am researching for my Standing Buildings project. She is in her late eighties, but is totally together. She lives in a airy, light penthouse next to the Beit Rishonim (in Herzliya, the house I'm investigating). She told me stories of growing up in Herzliya in the 1920s while they were building the house. She pointed out the rooms and who stayed where (I got some of the old plans from the city archives). She's a wealth of knowledge and stories. I am now trying to make sense of all the changes and additions to the house over the years. She's an artist who amongst her other creations are some amazing needlework pieces. Her father, who built the house, was an agronome (not sure what that is in English, possibly a botanist) - one of the leading figures in the fledgling country. He compiled a book of fables around plants (called Tzimchiel) and she put together a needlework version of every colorful page. An amazing women. Her parting words were something to the effect of "if you aren't creating you may as well be dead".

Nice.