Region

Middle East

Levantine hills and coastlines — Arabic calligraphy on an Amman bowl, a Tel Aviv cup the color of the sea, histories sitting close to the surface.

Cities

Jordan

Amman

A city of pale limestone hills and three-a.m. prayer calls. A studio city that rewards return trips — Jabal al-Weibdeh mornings, Rainbow Street dusk, one bowl retrieved from an airport bathroom.

Israel

Jerusalem

Yad Vashem looking out at the Old City. Stone everywhere — walls, streets, the way light lands on them in late afternoon.

Israel

Tel Aviv

Mediterranean blue, salt in the clay. A street fair and a cup with a glossy blue interior — the beach city that counters Jerusalem's gravity.

Entries

Travel Recs

Amman

A legendary downtown institution serving the city's best falafel and hummus. The no-frills setup — plastic chairs and fluorescent lights — is part of the charm. Order everything and expect to be st…

February 2026

Pottery

Arabic Script and Mountain Views: A Bowl from Amman

I left the bowl in the bathroom at Amman's airport. Set it on the counter while washing my hands, then walked straight to my gate without it. The realization hit somewhere between security and boarding.

February 2026

Pottery

Street Fairs and Shawarma: Pottery from Israel

They don't ease you into Israel on Birthright. You land after a ten-hour flight, clear customs with eyes that won't focus, and get on a bus. There's no hotel room waiting. No afternoon to sleep off the jet lag.

February 2026