Author name: Orit

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Orit is a journalist, multi-media producer, and author currently based in Berlin. Prior to living in Berlin, where she covers German-Jewish-Israel affairs, she covered Israeli politics, society, lifestyle and culture for a variety of publications.

Sex and the Column

One of the first things I did when I arrived in my hometown of Los Angeles for the summer was to rush with my friend Lori to see “Sex and the City” on opening night. We weren’t the only ones. The movie was sold out all over Los Angeles, but as committed fans, we made the trek to Manhattan — Manhattan Beach, that is — despite the current gas prices, to see the only 10:30 p.m. Friday showing available within a 30-mile radius. The line, filled mostly with women, went around the block. I had gotten all dolled up in shiny golden (knock-off?) Kenneth Cole heels, brown leggings and a golden wrap — just to sit in a movie theater. We stood for a half-hour in the cold beach weather — me in my heels and Lori wrapped in a blanket she found in her car — but we didn’t mind. The mood was cheerful and expectant. It wasn’t the sluggish anticipation we experienced in line for the new “Indiana Jones” movie along with fathers and sons. We passed the time examining everyone’s shoes and chatting with a 50-year-old mother of five kids who’d brought her 18-year-old daughter to see the movie. Already, during the previews for romantic comedies, we were all cheering and jeering. We weren’t strangers — but sisters — all connected by our familiarity and sympathy for our mutual best friends: Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha. READ

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‘The Comfort Girls’ satisfy in three part harmony

The desert air was balmy and hot. The almost-full moon hung over palm trees and the fireflies glittered amid a spotlight’s beam. More than 1,000 people sat on the blanketed stone bleachers of the outdoor amphitheater at Mineral Beach for the Passover Dead Sea Music Festival, waiting patiently for the Israeli trio, HaBanot Nechama (translated as “Comfort Girls”), to hit the stage. The crowd occupied themselves with kosher-for-Passover pizza and crepes but got grumpy when the trio delayed for more than a half-hour. Finally, the three “girls” walked onto the stage, two barefoot, one in sandals: Yael Deckelbaum, with her dirty-blonde hair and green eyes; Karolina, (who goes by one name only), with her unmistakable afro; and Dana Adini, with long brown waves that look like dreads-in-formation. As soon as their angelic harmonies opened the show with the lyrics: “Lovers/ Don’t be afraid/ I have come to save you from the pain,” the crowd was soothed. The sound matched the surroundings — natural, organic, earthy, relaxing and glam-free. On May 10, HaBanot Nechama will perform at their most glamorous venue yet — the Kodak Theatre — in the gala finale of the “Let My People Sing” music festival celebrating Israel’s 60th anniversary. These Israeli natives are sure to bring raw soulful simplicity and natural girl power to a stage known for hosting Hollywood’s most primped affairs. They’ve been likened to the Indigo Girls, Crosby Stills and Nash, and even the

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Molten Mozzarella (Restaurant Review)

Iceberg Vulcano clearly comes across as a family pizzeria – easygoing, child-friendly and a tad boisterous. Children were getting their faces messy licking ice cream cones at the table. Teenagers were munching on pizza alone. Adults streamed in every so often to pick up cartons of ice cream. But the casual family feel does not translate into a small or simplistic menu. Devised by Laurent, it offers options for all age groups. For example, kids can order milk shakes while adults can order the warm, almond-tinged sangria, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

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