Opal – as Blue as Heaven

December. The sultry summer and full months are over. A hot, dry season was too long this year but at last the long-awaited winter has come. In Israel, especially at Sea coast, arrival of winter only means the arrival of a little bit cooler days, rains and thunder-storms which come from the sea and quickly run away aside Mountains. After fertile rains, inhabitants of seaboard enjoy the sun again and the sky gets the immensely deep blue color.

Generally speaking, Israelis have peculiar “relationship” with blue color. It is enough took a look at state flag or, for example, please go back to my telling about ancient Safed (The first aquintance with ancient Safed, the city of Kabbalah) and take a look at “design” of the city once again. You see a blue color everywhere. And the reason is: when we look at this dye we will think of the blue sky and of the God above people in Heaven.

In a collection of “Green Diamond SJD” we have series jewelry with Blue Opal that is very popular not only inside the Israel market, but also worldwide. The creative jewelry, created in oriental style are made of silver or of combination of silver and gold with blue opals. Today I offer to appraise the a combination of two cold colors – silver and flaring blue that is particularly timely for winter collection, and gold – it is used in very little proportion in comparison with silver but the warm gold will remind you the bright sun of the Holy Land.



Israel. Mount Carmel forest fire

I break off my pleasant memoirs related to 15^th Anniversary of our company “Green Diamond”.

In middle of October I’ve returned to Israel for winter and planned one more report for Karlsplats and then say “Goodbye, beautiful Austria!” till next spring but day before yesterday the tragedy has happened in Israel and I report about today.

In February, telling about “Tu Bishwat” (New Year of the Trees), I mentioned the Mount Carmel and was going to continue the story about this unique reserve this winter. And today I again tell about Mount Carmel but this isn’t pleasant report about historical discoveries and the wonderful overlooks in all directions but my telling related to huge ecological tragedy in Israel history.

Two days ago the unprecedented deadliest forest fire on Mount Carmel has began. It has prejudices not only for ecology but on the present it became known that fire has claimed at least 42 persons.

In the afternoon day before yesterday called my son. He lives in Tel-Aviv and has asked me, what has happened in Haifa as there is the huge clubs of a smoke are visible from his place. I turned on the TV set and saw the mountain slopes enveloped in flames. During 10 months there is no rain in Israel and dry winds from desert blow constantly.

And now, on tentative estimations, some year’s decade will be required for restoration of forests. Besides, the northwest part of a ridge is in the Haifa city and also practically at all extension of mountain ridge various settlements are built. Yesterday almost completely burned down the settlement “Beit Oren” (the Pine House) located in the heart of Carmel mountain range (this area often called “small Switzerland”), loved by tourists for rest given here and horse riding routs. Today is known that the artist’s colony Ein Hod is burned just now.

By now, we know about 20 centers of fires and I’m upset so much in the fact that this collapse may be not accidental. In the first December days we observe a feast Hanukkaha – a Festival of Lights and I was going to tell about, but what has taken place, it simply isn’t stacked in consciousness of normal person if nevertheless it were the intentional arsons.

Various photos and reports on a conflagration are much enough in internet but I placed in my report a little bit other photos that I took last winter when the Mount Carmel was green and you see how many houses are built in a small interval that I have caught. And the last photo represents a view from terrace of my apartment yesterday morning. I live in Nahariya and a white cloud between houses it is the smoke cloud.  



The 15th Anniversary of "Green Diamond SJD"

November of this year is very peculiar month for my family. Fifteen years ago my husband and I merged our businesses working before independently. And today looking back the way we had come, I’m thinking – every business has a story. This is ours…

My business was flora and home design, while I was continuing an education in Moscow, upgrading the skills.

Our first joint effort was: opening the art & jeweler gallery in our hometown. We have named it “Green Diamond”.

It was an unusual combination - “The Green Diamond”. It designated our activity: the name of my business The Flower House “Rene” got a word “Green” and the word “Diamond” indicated the my husband’s business.

We would like to make up our own style of new gallery. It was experiment, and at first, even journalists wrote that we united incompatible things before: “Who have told – there is no green diamond in the world?” Actually, green diamonds are found but they are rare quite enough, and we knew about.

It is a true history of our brainchild the “Green Diamond”.

And now I’ve got the photos from my archive the fifteen year’s prescription when we represented gallery “Green Diamond”. I have only few photos and in present I would take everything in another way and other subjects, but just these photos are very dear to me. I look at them and think of these years when I began a new stage of my life, which lead me forward up to this date.





Kurpark Baden

Like many spas, Baden has some attractive parks and today we will visit Baden the last time this year and I’ll tell about Kurpark. The name Kurpark speaks for itself, “kur” means in German, “cure” so the name Kurpark can be translated Resort Park. I would like to tell about structure of Kurparks a little.

The Kurpark it is an internal City Park, which is classical informal Landscape Park with pieces of garden’s architecture on the one hand, but also is a part of the medical structure at the same time. You remember, that Baden, it is a spa town and so all Baden’s structures have attention to recovery of a human body and soul. Kurpark is one of the important “players” of this complex.

Kurpark is as well the major park of the city of Baden. Park is rather spacious one; you can lead here all day long. You will find everything here: a nature in “designed variant”, various steep paths and hiking routs, cafés, lawns for relaxing with magnificent views from the hill, a summer stage where since “living” music sounds from May up to October and certainly the Casino.

Kurpark is very picturesque at any time, but in fall, it has and peculiar air. I visited Baden close to mid of October and it wasn’t the time of nature’s attire in flamboyant yet that usually appears at the end of October, but nevertheless takes a look at Kurpark with me and leave Kurpark of Baden in your memory. And, when you will have an occasion to visit Vienna I advice to take a train and go to Baden for one-day relax from big city here.

Baden in October

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Today we once again will visit vicinities of Baden. We stroll along the Schwechat River. Many already have heard this name. Schwechat, the Vienna International Airport often call by this name. Schwechat, where the airport and headquarters of Austrian Airlines are situates, is named after the river Schwechat, which flows through the center of town. By the way, this small river flows through Baden too, but Imperial Spa Resort Baden is famous for its warm mineral baths therefore is named Baden (from bad – bath).  

So, two weeks have passed and we again stroll on comfortable paths along Schwechat River.

All time I postpone excursion through a town but still were fine and silent October days and I would return to Israel in few days therefore I had enjoyed by autumn paints and fresh air and was saying goodbye to Baden till next spring.



Baden in Autumn





Today I wanna distract your attention from Viennese architecture and go to Baden. We already visited Baden during roses’ flowering and now autumn has come. I offer to look at fall Baden’s fall twice. Our first walk has taken place at the end of September and the second one two weeks later. You will see how quickly change the color of fall from green to bright yellow and red.

Baden is the imperial spa town and here are a lot of guests all the year round but in the same time Baden is perfect stating point for excursions into the surrounding area. I mean Haiking and Nording Walking trails.

And now I invite you to walk along magnificent forest roads to ruins of Rauhenneck (right bank of river) and also look at ruins of Rauhenstein castle that situated on the left bank of river. Both castles are dated the 12^th century. Our stroll will short, I’m not a good hiker but every time I appreciate the effects of exercise on body and mind.

On a way we admiredwith beautiful views from the mountain and as surprise we find a place where picked up mushrooms and returned to Vienna with “catch” and, please ….. distract a little from everyday cares and stroll along the mountain river Schwechat with me.







Vienna. National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Last time we‘ve stopped at monument “Last of the Mankind” and in continuation of my words about fragile but very important life of each person, I write today’s report.

Every October for 25 years, the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is conducted in many countries. This campaign organized to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention and cure.

The Pink Ribbon is an international symbol of breast cancer awareness.  

I’ve attached some photos took in Vienna on different years. As you see, the Pink Ribbon presents in every photo and it indicate to partners of this program: Pharmacy (photo 3,4 ), shoe giant ‘Salamander’ (photo 5, 6) as well as outdoor advertising on Casino Vienna building (photo 1). There is even the tram (route D) run in the city center completely designed in Pink Ribbon style (photo 2).

Within October many actions have arranged to support National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and one of them is the Global Illumination when more than a dozen world-famous landmarks illuminated in pink light draw attention to the importance of mammography screening for early diagnosis of breast cancer as well as the research for finding ways to cure and prevent breast cancer.

We don’t arrange this action in Vienna but the Azrieli Center in Tel-Aviv take part in this action.

Soon I move to Israel to lead the cold season there and I’ll try to take some photos of this building in pink light.

I wanna finish today’s report with wishing of health to every woman!



Vienna. The Project "Kunstplatz-Karlsplatz"

Today I wanted to finish the story about Karlsplatz and continue a walk, but while I was writing about, I remembered Otto Wagner’s words: “It isn’t city square it is an area”. I tried to present my telling in compact form but after all I’ve decided to continue the detailed description.

We still are near to Karlskirche. In front of church is constructed a water reservoir. The sculpture “Hill Arches” (photo 1) designed by English sculptor and artist Henry Moore is located in water in front of the Karlskirche. First of all, it may interest connoisseurs of modern art. The sculpture was presented to the City of Vienna by artist in 1978.

Now we shall take a short walk through the Ressel Park (photo 2). Today my post is devoted to Karlsplatz as the Art Project. This project named “Kunstplatz-Karlsplatz” was launched in 1997. The goal of this project is the coordination and cooperation among the entire spectrum of cultural instituted situated around the Karlsplatz.

Hidden in a shadow of trees and bushes, there is a monument to Johannes Brahms (photo 3). The author of monument is Rudolf Weyer and it was unveiled on May 7, 1908. When I come up to the monument, I always wanna stay a little in front of it or sit down on a nearby bench, I fell marvelous calmness in this place.

The monument is no mere chance located here. The city of Vienna thus honoring the great composer and the second reason is – the Wiener Musikverein/ Viennese Music Association (photos 4, 5) is situated just on the opposite side. The concert Hall was constructed on the place granted by Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph to Wiener Musikverein in 1870. The Musikverein is famous for its acoustics and is considered to be one of the three finest concerts Hall in the world.  

I only need to add, Musikferein is the home stage of the Viennese Philarmonic Orchestra and exactly in this Concert Hall, the famous Vienna New Year’s Concert is held here.

We shall finish today’s walk with sculpture created by Austrian sculptor of early 20^th century, Anton Hanak. The sculpture is named “Last of the Mankind” (photo 6). And I would like to stop just here and think about so fragile but very important life of each person.