Name: Emanuel ~
Age: 37
Hometown: Birthplace: Tel Aviv, Israel (currently living in the SF Bay Area)
Occupation: Realtor, Martech Trainer, Multimedia Architect (any self-respecting Silicon Valley entrepeneur has to have at least three companies)
Status: Lovelorn

1. Where do you like to flirt?

I believe that where you are, is where it’s at. The opportunities are all around us. From the airport to the Apple store! You never know what might happen…

2. What are your favorite places to eat and drink?

Show me a place where the food is amazing but the energy and character is lackluster and I’ll show myself the DOOR! On the flip side, show me a venue that has that intangible “X-factor,” people watching and Grey Goose martini’s (extra dirty, extra olives; bonus points for frosted glasses) and I am SO there!

3. Where should we stay when we visit?

Best to stay with friends (duh Emanuel). But if my family chateau is not available, I prefer near the beach culture so stay at the Basel Hotel. The facilities are alright and the rooms are clean and relatively bright, with wide windows which allow plenty of light to come in.

There is a pool outside which seems nice enough, but you might prefer the nearby Gordon Beach, where you can enjoy Tel Aviv’s vibrant “beach culture” (if laying in the sun and sipping some beer could be considered culture ;).

4. What qualities do you find irresistible in a woman?

There is NOTHING more intoxicating to me than a woman with a sharp MIND. A playful mental sparring partner that can lock horns in a non-threatening yet engaging mental joust. I’m talking less Trivial Pursuit, more Pictionary ;)

No winner or loser, just two gladiators calling one another higher…

I respect the hell out of higher education but show me a street savvy, intuitive, sassy sensualist like myself, who takes pride in who she is without being unapproachable.

Finally, a woman who thinks she is sexy, regardless of if her appearance lines up exactly with the idealized mental version of what most feel they need to look like in order to be desired.

Be Brave.

Cancel your subscription to “Guilt Magazine.”

Become a sexy thinker, and you’ll become a very sexy woman.

5. Where can we find you on a free Sunday afternoon?

You mean after church? (just kidding) The only congregation I attend regularly is “Our Lady of the Blessed SUNDAY BRUNCH,” followed by a spontaneous music up, top down drive to wherever the road leads and whoever it may lead to.

Of course, creating fun. visually arresting multimedia content for Tango Diva is just a cover for me be-boppin around some of the Bay Area’s most eclectic WIFI cafes. Ritual Roasters in the Mission is refreshingly gritty! Check your metrosexuality at the door and lose the tie, lest you be fending off the native latte-sippin communistas!

6. What do you love most about your hometown (besides our arrival)?

When you strip away religion, or anything Iraq related, you are left with the purity of a region that has a terrifically rich culture and people. Having dual-citizenship, I’ve been back here many times. This City never sleeps. If you love New York, Toronto or London, you will love Tel-Aviv. The night life is incredible here and the people are really super warm. The beach is beautiful and there is no shortage of good food and cafes.

7. What should we bring when we visit? What should we leave with?

Dress is informal for Tel Aviv. Bring comfortable clothing, such as a pants, jeans, and/or khakis. If you plan to go “out on the town” at night, bring clothes appropriate for partying! If you are going to be in TA for Shabbat, I’d advise women should bring skirts and shirts with covered shoulders just as a guest in someone else’s country.

Sports jackets are optional for men. Comfortable walking shoes, a sweater or light jacket are needed, as March weather can get chilly at night. What should you leave with? Spices and mud masks!

8. What do we absolutely have to see while we’re there?

A wise man once told me that bathing in the sea is, for most cultures, an unparalleled spiritual and physical cleansing. So one day, in TA, I overcame my fear of oceans and took a nice dip in the Med. I don’t know if I was physically cleaner, but I certainly felt like a new person. Do it.

9. Any areas of town we should avoid?

Best to steer clear of Florentine Neighborhood. It’s charming but has been unable to overcome financial and social difficulties. Daytime is O.K. but only if you are interested in visiting the excellent Levinsky Market. Oh, one other thing, all you blue-eyed blondes, become a temporary brunette so you don’t stand out so much as a “tourist” a.k.a. “target” (not many blondes here *ahem* ;)

10. Any local secrets you want to share?

If you never have been to TA before, you should visit The Minzar (one of the most reputable bars in Tel Aviv) on your first evening. After a beer and a bath in the Mediterranean Sea (which is only 5 minutes away) you will truly feel the spirit of the city.

For the Epicurian Diva who doesn’t mind shellin’ out a few extra shekels, don’t you dare leave TA without dining at Mol Yam restaurant. Recently chosen by “Les Grand Tables du Monde” to be included in the list of the 140 best restaurants in the world, Mol Yam has been carrying the torch for Israeli cuisine for years.

Translated to “opposite the sea,” Mol Yam’s food, wine, service and ambiance are superb. Humble decor, perfect service, divine food made from the BEST ingredients.

Try the Grilled Langoustine and Lobster dishes…Holy Jaffa!