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A hipster tour of Jerusalem
Spearheaded by its edgy art schools and a vibrant, gritty nightlife scene made for and by its snarky-enough youth, Jerusalem is bursting with underground culture. But here, members of the scene rarely maintain "too cool for school" postures. Many urban subculture haunts are available for perusal by anyone, from casual visitors to the city to those seeking to infiltrate Jerusalem's hotbeds of alternativeness.
So what's the Mighty Mouse T-shirt-wearing, horn-rimmed glasses-sporting, iPod-clutching hipster to do when he's left the confines of Williamsburg and finds himself in Jerusalem? Don't worry, we've got the whole day set up for you in such a rad way you'll be tweeting about it before you can say "double rainbow."
First sleep in. Whether you are jetlagged, were up late partying or trying to figure out what the heck Thomas Pynchon was writing about, let your wry little head enjoy the pillow a few more moments.
Once you do get up and out of bed, make your first stop Bolinat, for a breakfast that dispels your hunger and any lingering hangover from the night before. Bolinat, where a large dose of urban cool (they even host street parties in the summers) is served alongside the food, does offer a menu to back up the talk. Besides for some good eats, the 24-hour city center bar/café also boasts speedy wi-fi and some seriously cute waitresses. Getting their phone numbers is up to you, muchacho.
Once you've filled your belly, fill your mind with some edgy art, courtesy of the galleries along and just off of nearby Agrippas Street, the main thoroughfare of the Machane Yehuda market (the shuk). The Barbur gallery offers constantly changing exhibitions by the up-and-coming artists of Jerusalem, Israel and around the world. Plus, they often host cool events, from film screenings to concerts. Also hit up Agrippas 12, the hyper-independent gallery founded by graduates of Jerusalem's world-renowned art schools. In the ShuKenyon, down at the bottom of the street, is the relatively new project Urbanica, an artists' studio incubation and gallery space spearheaded by the student group Ruach Chadasha.
No trip to the shuk area is complete without a good cup of Joe to keep you going. Forgo the square's choice of latte (or café hafuch, as it's called locally) and grab an espresso from Café Mizrachi, a high quality and hip eatery right inside the Machane Yehuda market.
Some prefer to do their shopping at Jerusalem's malls, and while there is nothing wrong with that, getting off the beaten path of the retail scene can turn up some great discoveries. On Little Bezalel Street in the city center, a number of local designers have opened up shops with stylish wares for your perusal and potential purchase. From Momi's to Homi's, the clothes you find here are definitely one of a kind. And should you be in town on the right day, you may even catch the Bezalel Arts Fair, featuring the creatives behind many of these stores, occasional live performances and plenty more local wares.
While certainly not the center of the Jerusalem culinary universe, the low-key counter service joints towards the bottom of Hillel Street are a world away from the chain fast food places and cookie cutter grilled meat spots and cafes that dot the landscape. A trio of non-kosher restaurants make up the heart of a hipster-friendly strip on Hillel, including pizza place Chilis; Jachnun Bar, which serves up, you guessed it, the flaky Yemenite treat jachnun; and the decidedly un-kosher Iwo Meat Burger, where you can grab one of the city's only bacon-topped cheeseburgers. Sacriliscous.
If you're into getting around on four wheels and two feet, then Jerusalem landmark Gili's Skateshop, just one block away and where all the skaters hang out, should be your next stop. Either way, make your afternoon oh so sababa, as the local cool kids say, with a trip to the Musrara photo school's gallery space, an artsy stronghold in the funky mix of a neighborhood that is Musrara.
You've got a big night ahead of you, so find the nearest park bench, couch, home or hotel and get thee to a nap. Once you awaken, refuel at funky hole-in-the-wall soup bar Marakia for dinner. Don't fill up too much, though, as you've got a long night of drinks, dancing and good times ahead of you.
The Jerusalem nightlife scene is large enough to cater to all types, and for a hipster like you, that means a wide array of options for where to get a drink, music, intellectual debate or whatever floats your proverbial boat this particular night. Whether you like chilling with students (Tza'atzua), leftists (Uganda), stoners (Birman) or post-India hippies (Slow Moshe), Jerusalem has a place for you. There's also Stardust, which has an alternative vibe, and P7 is home to the literally underground fusion music scene.
After a long night of partying, there's nothing better than a giant waffle, courtesy of the late-night Waffle Bar, or bourkeas from the 24-hour Turkish Bourekas from Haifa.
So that's your day. Pull out your earbuds, ditch the bourgeois crowd and get out and experience Jerusalem.
Photos by Flash90 and by New Spirit (Urbanica) for GoJerusalem.com.
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