"It's Israel!"

This is a common phrase heard throughout Israel to "explain the unexplained or absurd."

I was throwing my hands up in the air, shouting "It's Israel!" during a recent performance I had with the Herzliya Chamber Orchestra. They called me to sub in on a performance they were having last week. I said, "Sure." How little I knew.

During the final piece, Handel's Royal FIREWORKS (emphasis on FIREWORKS), the conductor/music director thought it fitting to have a full fireworks display on stage...INDOORS. Needless to say, the video you are about to see was filmed by fellow horn player and video-editor extraordinaire Kyle Hoyt. Enjoy, y'all.



***UPDATE!***
Here's the original version of the aforementioned gig. It's just as good.

You can get yourself cleaned, you can have a good meal, you can do whatever you feel ...

I took a few shots of the YMCA here in Jerusalem. It's absolutely gorgeous. I think all YMCAs should look like this.














(with special guest appearance of friend Angie Lin)

This is supposedly the place where the Village People wrote their (in)famous tune and heterosexual anthem Y.M.C.A.

How to learn Russian*

Here's a few easy steps for you to be on your way to the Russian language!

Step 1: Carpool a ride with all Russian musicians, no other language spoken; listen to conversation during the 3 hour ride to and fro.

Step 2: Repeat Step 1 six times a week for two weeks.

Step 3: Pretend to smoke a cigarette (those of you who are smokers, please feel free to light up); converse in said Russian with smoke billowing out of your mouth, seems to help.

Step 4: Wear this hat.

Step 5: Speak!

*this post is in no way intended to be a racist quip on all Russians out there - this is how I learned a language.

Weird Sighting #2

(actually should read AMAZING Sighting #2)

Baka, Jerusalem - Seeing a woman carrying an armchair on top of her head. Sans hands.

Not-So-Alive Sea

Okay kids. I went to the Dead Sea today. Mind-blowing experience. We arrived at this gorgeous beach about 45 minutes outside of Jerusalem:





I can't believe it's a lake, but that's what they tell me. Whatever.

Anywho, one of the first things to do is take a dip. The water is wildly salty, slimy, oily and warm. It's a strange feeling, yet instantly relaxing. In fact, it's so relaxing that...





...you cannot not float. It forces you to become flotsam.



No, this is not some horribly racist Halloween costume, this is the famous mud of the Dead Sea. It does wonders on the skin.



And supposedly Mitsu's ass. Those crazy Japanese:



Jenny was a bit afraid of the camera:



I didn't get it:



(BTW: I have no idea who the guy to my right is. I checked to see if he was actually dead, but he wasn't. Wouldn't that have been ironic!)

Other than the mud and the salt, one can play shesh besh on the shore:



For all you silly, uniformed Amerikans, that's a lot like backgammon. Huh. Amerikans are soooo silly.


Wait.


All in all, I'm thoroughly scrubbed and moisturized, and feeling like I just stepped out of a salon. Life is tov. (that's good in Hebrew) I'm learning fast - can't you tell? I'm currently taking reservations here in Jerusalem. They're filling up...slow. So you have plenty of time. Everyone: MAKE THE JOURNEY OUT HERE! I'm feeling spoiled experiencing this all on my own. Right Shai?:



Yeah! That's right!