Since Valentine’s Day is really just an excuse to dole out the shekels on last-minute kitschy gifts, over-priced multi-course meals and uncomfortable lingerie, we decided to profile 10 locals on the stuff everybody actually wants to talk about: kinky fetishes, dating deal breakers and where to get drunk on V-Day.
■ Photos by Ilya Melnikov
The Sex Pot: Adi Sasson
© Ilya melnikov
Age: 28
Profession: Telecaster for radio station 103; Manager at Rothschild 12
Relationship status: Single and livin’ it up (“I’ve been single all my life”)
How do you gauge if you want to spend time with someone?
First we have sex, and if it’s good, we’ll see.
When was the last time you had sex?
Yesterday. I don’t remember his name.
Weirdest sexual experience?
I had a threesome with my two best friends. In the middle of having sex the two of them got into a fight over something. Needless to say, we’re not friends anymore.
I had a threesome with my two best friends. In the middle of having sex the two of them got into a fight over something. Needless to say, we’re not friends anymore.
Deal breaker?
Ugly shoes (Crocs, Teva, those nasty brown boots, etc.). If a guy is wearing good shoes, I’ll totally sleep with him.
When did you lose your virginity?
18.
How many men have you slept with?
Maybe a million.
Maybe a million.
Most romantic date? Once a guy drove all the way to Tiberias to pick me up for a date in Tel Aviv [it’s a 3.5 hour drive].
What happened?
We had sex twice. Once in the car and once back at my apartment.
Do you believe in love?
I did, but only for a short time. It always has an end.
Valentine’s Day plans?
Last year, I read an article about a guy in California who hated Valentine’s Day so much that he went to his local movie theater and bought the second seat of every pair in the movie theater so that no one could sit together. I think I will try that out here this year.
The Good Jewish Boy: Guy Farchi
© Ilya melnikov
Profession: Culture Writer, Time Out Tel Aviv
Relationship status: In a relationship for 2.5 years
Where did you meet your girlfriend?
At Rokoko bar on Allenby. Before that, I was in a relationship for 1.5 years. I met that girl in the very same place, actually.
At Rokoko bar on Allenby. Before that, I was in a relationship for 1.5 years. I met that girl in the very same place, actually.
What do you love about her?
That she is the exact opposite of me. I’m the anal person in the relationship. She’s like some kind of hippie, deeply in her soul. During these years together, I made her a little anal, and vice versa.
That she is the exact opposite of me. I’m the anal person in the relationship. She’s like some kind of hippie, deeply in her soul. During these years together, I made her a little anal, and vice versa.
So you think opposites always attract? Does it ever cause any friction?
Like I said, she has the hippie gene, and it is contagious. After the time I’ve spent with her, exceedingly jealous relationships seem hard to understand. When your relationship is deeply, profoundly true, you don’t have to worry each time your girlfriend looks at someone else at a bar.
Like I said, she has the hippie gene, and it is contagious. After the time I’ve spent with her, exceedingly jealous relationships seem hard to understand. When your relationship is deeply, profoundly true, you don’t have to worry each time your girlfriend looks at someone else at a bar.
Biggest deal breaker? Can I be superficial?
I’m short - so heels.
Plans for Valentine’s Day?
I’m going to break up with my girlfriend. I’m a good Jewish boy. Look me up on Tinder.
The Asian Persuasion: May Lee
Profession: Head of Digital Marketing at a business consulting firm
Relationship status: Single
Last relationship?
1.5 years ago. We ended it because he was going through a quarter life crisis.
What are you looking for in a guy?
Someone who is multicultural. Most guys I date are Israeli or at least half of something else. My mom is Moroccan and my dad Japanese/Korean. They met when my mom was hitch-hiking on her last day of army service. He picked her up. So I am always looking for someone who is a bit mixed.
What is the biggest misconception of you?
Well, because I look totally Asian, most people would never assume I was born and raised here. People actually say to me, “if you are Asian, how do you speak Hebrew so well?” I’ve gotten used to it and surprise the hell out of a lot of people.
Deal breaker? Bad manners and obnoxious behavior. Also, I can be really sarcastic, so I need someone who is very open-minded.
Fetish? British accents.
Plans for Valentine’s Day?
I’ll probably go out with my single friends and laugh about how we are single.
The Moroccan Angel: Sol Gruffy
© Ilya melnikov
Profession: Producer, Time Out Israel
Relationship status: Single for the past week
Longest relationship?
Two years. He was the loveliest guy and I was just a selfish bitch.
Deal breaker?
Smart-ass, good looking douchebags who are obsessed with money and themselves.
Sexiest trait?
I am really affectionate. I love to touch my friends, guys and girl, all the time.
Biggest fetish?
I can't say, i’m half Moroccan and we really like to hold in our emotions until we get crazy mad and beat each other up.
But I'm really attracted to weird and funny looking guys.
What do you think is the sexiest film?
The sensuality of visuals is what I love most about movies - especially horror movies like The Others. I would say definitely Lost in Translation and I’m Not There. Cate Blanchett playing Bob Dylan is the just the best.
Plans for Valentine’s Day?
To eat Hummus at the Shuk.
The Activist: Ehud Aner
Profession: Works at Chosen, an organization for education & change in the local LGBTQ community; Volunteering at IGY and part of the 'Haifa Rainbow'
Relationship status: In a relationship for two months
Longest relationship? Four months.
When did you come out?
When I was 17 I first came out to my brother, who is 10 years older than me and also gay. I started to laugh and said, “you can’t tell that I am like you?” Our sister is also a lesbian.
Was that hard?
It was just different for me because I am more outwardly gay than them. I expose myself more physically and I identify as ‘gender queer’. Also, we grew up in a small village in northern Israel.
When was the first time you had sex?
When I was 18 years old.
Have you ever had sex with a girl?
Not full on. My very first relationship was with my best friend,who was a girl, but she knew I was gay. We just really loved each other. But that was the point I understood that relationships have to have chemistry.
How do you dress as a gender queer?
Well, when I moved to Tel Aviv, I really felt free. And freedom is not something that has to be defined. So I started dressing in a way that expresses that. I relate to unisex freedom.
Well, when I moved to Tel Aviv, I really felt free. And freedom is not something that has to be defined. So I started dressing in a way that expresses that. I relate to unisex freedom.
Deal breaker? I’m always trying to connect to people who are mostly trying to do good, who are mindful about their community. So a deal breaker would be someone who doesn’t carry a similar need to do good.
Plans for V-Day? Well, I have actually never celebrated it in my life. But for me, as an activist, love is love. Especially these days, we need to be more sensitive to what we are saying and doing. Where I volunteer in the 'Haifa Rainbow', it is a community PRIDE organization, and they have a line of new queer parties opening in February, and they welcome all the colors of the rainbow.
The Wild Child: Noa Bonné
Profession: Journalist, part of the Digital Team of Time Out Tel Aviv
Relationship status: Single
Last relationship? 1 year ago.
What did you love the most about your last relationship? He was my best friend.
Biggest deal breaker?
Someone who makes me feel uncomfortable about myself. I like a guy who can make me laugh. I am into pretty boys. I guess it is me compensating for being a chubby little girl.
Best date?
Smoking a joint at a bar, having fun with someone one-on-one with no expectations.
Most disappointing date? One time this hot-ass guy asked me out, but then he came to pick me up on his electric bicycle. It wasn’t cute or funny. But we still had sex. Then, a while later I saw him on the street, but he was barely recognizable. He had gained a ton of weight and went completely bald. I said “hi, remember we had sex once...?” And he looked totally confused. Then he said, “yeah, I was addicted to drugs all of last year, so don’t take it personally that I don’t remember.”
Plans for Valentine’s day?
Going to all the places I can drink for free.
The Artist: Assaf Hinden
Profession: Artist
Relationship status: Single
Longest relationship? Three years.
Biggest deal breaker?
Someone who doesn’t make me laugh or has bad social skills.
Where do you go out?
K Bar, it’s really intimate with great music and a great sound system. Mostly light and chill electronic.
For gay bars? Shpagat is nice.
Kinkiest fetish? Googling myself.
What is the biggest misconception of you?
That I am not funny.
That I am not funny.
Do you get hit on by girls all the time?
They might smile at me and want to initiate a conversation...until I open my mouth (and then theyre like - “oh”).
They might smile at me and want to initiate a conversation...until I open my mouth (and then theyre like - “oh”).
What embarrasses you? This specific moment, actually.
What do you think is sexy? Natural charisma.
Tip for Valentine’s Day?
If you celebrate it, you are already automatically a kitschy kind of person, so don’t fight it, go all out! Go to Yotvata or something. Make your person a smoothie, get balloons, project a movie and watch it together in the car. Or, just go get drunk.
The Delivery Boy: Roee Greenberg
Profession: Delivery boy, Domino’s Pizza; Psychology/Criminology student
Relationship status: In a relationship for 2 years
Where do you live?
Both my girlfriend and I live at our parents’ houses.
Where did you meet?
In elementary school. We reunited 2.5 years ago and started dating.
How did you meet girls before her?
Facebook, the Tindersphere, pubs like the Flame on Nachalat Binyamin.
Biggest deal breaker?
If she was married it would be kind of weird, I think. Or like, if she turned out to be a dude - that would definitely be a deal breaker.
What do you love most about your girlfriend?
She is smart...and she gets my fucked up head most of the time.
Plans for Valentine’s Day?
I have two options: one is to get a limo and rent out the most expensive restaurant in Tel Aviv - like Toto - just for us....and the other is to go back to one of our houses, drink wine and play on the computer together.
The White Russian: Julia Furshchik
Profession: Student in Urban Planning
Relationship status: Single
Longest relationship? Three years.
Deal breaker? Obsessive texting during a date.
Sexiest trait in the opposite sex?
I love hyperintelligent guys.
What are you looking for now?
Something I don’t have to think about...the easiest, most natural thing.
What movie makes you want to get it on? Buffalo 66. It has a dark aesthetic that ranges from hopelessness to hope and beautiful innocence.
Plans for Valentine’s Day? When is Valentine’s Day? Bemet...
Kinkiest experience? I’m a classy girl from St. Petersberg [winks].
Credits:
Handcufs // Sisters (Hanger 26, Tel Aviv Port)
Roses cake // More than Cake (@morethancake_moevi)
Flowers // Shoshan’s (13 Shalma Rd, Tel Aviv)
Balloons // Allenby Flowers (119 Allenby St, Tel Aviv)
Make-up artist // Sima Weidman for studio Adah Lazorgan