This Week’s Plans

In these weekly posts, I try to sift through everything happening in Beirut and Lebanon and select the ones I think will be nice. It focuses mostly on nightlife, but there are other cultural, social and political events I include as well.

Thursday

Aya Metwalli at Dawawine

I love Aya Metwalli’s sound. That’s why I embedded one of her originals from her SoundCloud above. “Muthalath” is the one I love the most, and as she describes her sound on her Facebook page: “Strange sounds juxtaposed, cushioning distressed yowling of a wildcat.”

So, if you’re in the mood for a nice show with the live element merging with an electronic one, it’s just 5000LBP entrance at the intimate Dawawine venue.

RSVP here

Uberhaus x Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE


This one’s a shout out to all the peeps who read my blog in the DXB. Despite your cheesy #mydubai hashtagged photos, we love you, and you always show us a very good time when we visit the Emirates. The boys at Uberhaus have shipped the iconic dome all the way to Dubai, and installed it on Blue Marlin’s beach. So, on Thursday night, the dome is coming to y’all in the UAE, so take good care of it and have a blast! Oh, and as if the deal wasn’t already sweet enough, Dixon, Ame, Romax, Trikk and Jixo & Dansz are on the night’s ticket!

Tickets are for 250 AED

RSVP Here

Friday

Follow the Rino with Julian Jeweil


The team behind Follow The Rino have been steadily churning out quality Techno parties in venues that never disappoint. This Friday, they’re getting M_nus’ Julian Jeweil to Beirut, along with local sweethearts Eli, Jean J, Rolbac and Kapush. They haven’t revealed the location yet, but I am sure they’re going to surprise us with another one of their sick, new locations!

RSVP here to make sure you know the location before Friday!

Vellocet with LUCY


I love Techno. That’s abundantly clear I guess, but that means that I’m always extra delighted that most of the hot acts in town these days are right up my alley. Vellocet are back this Friday, with Lucy from Stroboscopic Artefacts, Gunther and Jool on the ticket at Minus 5. Wear black and put on comfortable sneakers.

RSVP Here

Metro Beirut x Matthieu Faubourg at Rave Cave

If you’re in the mood to get out of Beirut on Saturday night, but not drive too far away, you might wanna check out Metro Beirut’s party at Rave Cave. It’s a charming, traditional stone-masonry venue nestled up in the mountains a short drive from Beirut. Matthieu Faubourg will be spinning this Saturday night, and best part is, entrance is free!

RSVP

Saturday (Day)

Ski and Swim on the Same Day! (MARCH Fundraiser)


So, someone’s finally gonna put the penultimate Lebanese myth to the test: can you ski and swim on the same day? That’s the plan this Saturday, with skiing in Laqlouq in the day, then beach at Batroun’s O Glacee in the afternoon! Tickets are for 80$ for skiers (all inclusive) and 50$ for the folks that will just be enjoying the sun on the snow. The organizers of this event have decided they will donate all proceeds to MARCH, so, it’ll all be for a good cause as well!

RSVP here

C U ON THE SNOW


The guys at C U NXT SAT and ODIN are teaming up on Saturday afternoon for 6 hours next to the slopes, with Jade playing b2b with Ziad Ghosn, and 2Third and Trebien on the lineup as well! So, if you’re on the slopes in Mzaar this weekend, this might be the best apres-ski party you’ll find.

International Women’s Day March


Today is International Women’s Day, and on Saturday, there will be a march from Sassine Square to Kaskas Garden. It’s no longer ok for women to not have full and equal rights in Lebanon, so it’s important we show how many of us feel the same way and aren’t happy about the patriarchal society we were brought up in.

RSVP here

Saturday (Night)

Open House with OXIA and Nicolas Masseyeff


OXIA is in town!!!! You all definitely know “Domino”, and this weekend, Oxia will be with Nicolas Masseyeff at The Grand Factory. To get an idea of what that will be like, here’s a track by both of them…

RSVP

BBC Pop Up’s Lebanese Hashish Documentary

You probably already saw the documentary above, but if you still haven’t, I suggest you do. There are several things in it that are very important, but maybe not new. Here are some:

Impunity for Druglords

The hash part is definitely not the surprising one for most folks. What is though, is how druglords who openly admit to murdering a lot of people, still roam free, while Lebanese drug enforcement agents lurk around gas stations to follow and entrap young Lebanese folks who buy rolling papers before going to their home and minding their own business.

It reiterates the feeling that most Lebanese have, that the government is only powerful against the helpless and innocent. Against the criminals, it dares not budge a finger, and if by some miracly they do, the political godfathers swoop in and send their private armored cars (paid for by your taxes) to bail them out. As for those kids they pounced on for buying rolling papers? They rot in jail with ISIS members till someone pays somebody off or gets a wasta, or a judge that isn’t from the Dark Ages.


Gross Incompetence by Drug Enforcement Officials

I’ll just put some quotes from drug enforcement chief Chamseddine here to illustrate just how sadistic and misinformed drug enforcement is in Lebanon

“The hashish, is the most dangerous drug for the human being”

Seriously?

“We arrest thousands of people. Hundreds for drugs dealer, but thousand for addicts. Two thousand. Three thousand during the year.”

How shameful is it that 1–3 thousand taxpayers are arrested each year for smoking hash? That’s between 3 and 9 people every single day, who go through the living hell that is Hobeich police precinct, under conditions that can be described as inhumane at best, and medival at worst.

“I can put you in jail for 3 years, if you smoke hashish”

For a victimless crime, when those who boast about killing people that wrong them, roam free in their fancy villas.

“Our ability, it’s not enough to make big ride to there, because most of guy there have maybe weapon, more than police”

It’s enough to catch 3000 people though. That needs a lot of ability and effort and resources, why don’t you spend them on the ones doing actual crimes?

“Nobody can touch him? If I have 100 soldier, I can go and put him like a mouse, ok?”

So, we have less than 100 soldiers in Lebanon? Our soldiers can bounce back ISIS fighters, I’m sure druglords won’t be an issue for them. There must be a different reason they aren’t being caught “like a mouse”, while innocent Lebanese taxpayers get treated worse than a lab mouse…

“We treat addicts and users like sick people”

If that’s true, sick people need care and support, not enhanced interrogation techniques and subhuman detention conditions

“It’s war between the good guy, and the bad guy”

How is the good guy the ones that wait outside of clubs in the morning, then cut off a car full of young people going home sober, and strip-search them on the street and threaten them when they’re clean?

“I cannot expect in some day, the hashish will be legal in Lebanon, ok?”

Luckily, that’s not for the police to decide, and no one is asking for it to be legal, just not a criminal offense. Maybe when it’s no longer treated like a violent crime, they might have enough capability to actually bust the real criminals?

Incalculable Harm to Lebanon’s Youth

Let’s not kid ourselves. A lot of people smoke hash in this country. A lot get busted for it too. The physical and psychological trauma caused by being put through Lebanon’s judiciary is one that is decimating Lebanon’s youth. Even if you don’t spend months and years locked up with murderers and terrorist in an overcrowded prison, the fact you got caught and spent a few nights behind bars is tantamount to social suicide. No one will want to be your friend anymore. No one will trust you. You will forever be “that girl who went to Hobeich” or “that guy who was in Roumieh prison” as Sadek put it in the last part of the documentary.

As if that wasn’t enough, for a non-violent crime with no victims or harm, even just smoking hash, will get you a “black dot” on your criminal record which you cannot appeal to remove for at least 3 years. That’s 3 year you’ll probably not be able to land a job, go to grad school, get a residency permit abroad, vote, run for elections and pretty much everything else that needs a “background check” (sejjel 3adle). For what? Smoking hash? For real? When serial killers and genocide architects hold elected and appointed office? For shame.

It’s Time To Speak Up

The taboo around this subject is the main obstacle it has. Most people are with decriminalizing, if not legalizing. It’s 2017. We cannot let 3000 lives be ruined every year so that some folks can make money off bribes by taking advantage of the helpless, while turning a blind eye to the real criminals and actually dangerous hard drugs.

Politicians sometimes say they support legalization, and even though that’s just talk to pander to their disgruntled base, they wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t almost at its tipping point. The elections are around the corner, and many of you will be voting (I hope) and some of you will be campaigning and a few of you will be running. It’s time to make decriminalizing hash one of your priorities. If you don’t smoke hash, someone you love surely does, and trust me, you don’t want them getting arrested for that. Khallas, it’s enough. Till then though, be careful and inform yourself. Check out Skoun’s Know Your Rights guide so that the next time someone tries to set a trap for you thinking you’re a “mouse”, you’ll be a smart mouse that knows its rights and how to demand they be respected.

This Weekend’s Plans in and Around Beirut

So, you guys love these series, and I love doing them. I love doing them because it makes the week pass by quicker, when I look through all the event invites and try to plan accordingly.

Thursday

The Big Red at The Grand Factory with DSC Lebanon

RSVP here

I love Donner Sang Compter (DSC Lebanon). I wrote about their awesome blood donation campaign last week, and this Thursday, they’re taking over The Grand Factory to help raise funds for their massive, life-saving operation. 60,000 lives have been saved, with 15,000 donors and 250 volunteers in the past 6 years. Come down and support, register to be a donor or a volunteer if you still haven’t, and come party your ass off on a Thursday.

Tickets are for 22$ with 2 drinks (1 drink after 10PM) and 33$ after 11PM. ALL proceeds go to support DSC Lebanon, so, party for a good cause this week!

Saturday

Ollie Daze Space Jam in Les Jardins du Mzaar

Ollie Daze — RSVP here

I love the guys at Ollie Daze. If I’m in Lebanon, I try my absolute best to never miss their events, whether up in the mountains on the snow, or down on the coast lounging at the beach. They combine the awesomeness of good music and parties, with nature and extreme sports. They’re an extremely fun bunch and the atmosphere at their events is always very laid-back and chill, with wholesome sports activities everyone can take part of, as well as chill-out areas and dancing spots, making it a crowd-pleaser no matter what you’re up for. Doing tricks in a half-pipe, having a cocktail in a beanbag or showing off your dance moves, you can probably do all three at Ollie Daze.

They’ve set up an awesome igloo in Les Jardins du Mzaar, with an indoor and outdoor section. Damage is 20USD with 1 drink, and party starts at 2PM on Saturday till 2AM on Sunday!

RSVP here

BLOND:ISH, BLANCAh, UNDERS at C U NXT SAT

RSVP here

Quite a massive lineup at The Grand Factory for C U NXT SAT this Satuday! BLOND:ISH return, and I loved their most recent EPs and releases, so can’t wait to see the ladies again ❤. It’ll be my first time seeing BLANCAh, so I’m excited about that. Honestly though, it’s Unders I’m looking forward to see the most. His sets are always our go-to ones in between festival days. They’re always a pleasure, and his most recent release is titled Syria, which you can listen to below: (this is what he had to say while producing this slower groovy track: “between all the negativity, the more i looked into the situation, the country, its people and its culture, the more this track reminded me of so much beauty the media doesn’t portray.” How awesome is he?)

TRIBE with Herodot and R2M2

RSVP here

TRIBE is a new party crew in Beirut, and their nights at Off & On have been off the hook so far. This Saturday, they’re flying in Herodot and R2M2 to Beirut and partying till the wee hours of the morning in the intimate club nestled in the capital’s central district. If you’re looking for a more intimate setting, or somewhere to go party late this Saturday, then consider trying TRIBE.

Entrance is for 33$ and 1 drink, and free before 12:30AM

Sunday

Farm Jam with Board Inc.

RSVP here

This one is dedicated to all the skiers and snowboarders out there. Board Inc’s doing their 3rd annual slopestyle competition at the Mzaar Snow Park this Sunday. If you think you’ve got what it takes, the prizes are worth more than $5000, so register. The trophy ceremony will happen on the Jonction Terrace, with an apres-ski kind of gathering!

Fed Up of Whatsapp?

@AnisTabet’s FB

Aren’t we all? And I guess the new “Status” features kinda was the last straw for a lot of folks. I mean, why would I need a 24h story on Facebook Messenger, Instagram and Whatsapp? Is the Zucks really that intent on pummelling Snapchat by cloning its trademark service on every social network he owns?


For me personally though, what annoys me the most is that a lot of people have my number, and most people think it’s just fine to Whatsapp you and that’s become extra tiring, and made Whatsapp somewhat of a nuisance on most days.

That’s why I use several other chat clients as well, such as Telegram, Signal and Threema among others. Here’s a little bit about each and why I use them, in case you really decide to ditch Whatsapp.

Signal


Encryption is everything these days. Open Whisper System’s end-to-end encryption is open-source and free, and what many other encrypted chat clients use. So, why not use their own chat and call client? There’s a few extra security features in this messaging and call app, and it doesn’t have the annoying stuff like profile pictures and statuses. I love the dark theme on it too, and I suggest you lock it with a passphrase so that if a robber (or cop?) is unlawfully looking through your phone, they won’t be able to access any of your private chats.

Download it for Android here and for iOS here. It’s desktop version(Chrome extension) is also awesome when you’re on your machine and not your device.

Telegram


This chat client is for our Ingress gaming groups. It’s my favorite when it comes to group chats, with a lot of useful tricks like “pinned messages” so you don’t have to read through your friends 1132 drunk messages to get the summary of what’s important. Also, the custom “stickers” are a lot of fun, we have some of your favorite dictators doing funny stuff, as well as plenty of inappropriate memes and funny images instead of boring old emoji. It’s like messaging app meets 4chan sometimes. Also, the “channels” feature is cool, where brands or influencers just broadcast stuff. Sharing files is also easy, and often, you get a snippet of a link or image you shared without needing to open it (basically all the watered-down features Whatsapp adds years later)

Download it here for Android, and here for iOS

Threema


If your work involves a lot of sensitive or confidential information and files, this might be what you pay those 2.99USD for. It’s not free like the rest, but it has some extra security features and a lot more anonymous. It doesn’t require you to punch in an email and doesn’t user your mobile number. They even have an “Threema Work” tailored for businesses that wanna keep their intellectual property and plans secure. I use this when I really need to and with contacts I have verified via the app. It’s definitely not a replacement given it’s not free and most people wouldn’t shell out the 3$, but if security and anonymity matter a lot to your work, then you might want to use Threema for those chats.

Buy it for Anrdroid here and iOS here.

IPSOS and Nielsen Television Audience Results for 2016

You guys loved the ratings posts I shared last month in trying to understand why TV stations’ behavior was becoming so juvenile. This week, IPSOS and Nielsen released their Television Audience Measurement Results for 2016. So, I picked out a few of their slides and I’m publishing them here with a couple of comments of my own on some. I feel this paints a clearer photo of the TV landscape, with some cool numbers on TV, smartphone, Internet and Social Meida penetration in Lebanon.

TV Users in Lebanon


Smartphone Users


Social Media Penetration


Ad Revenue Share in Lebanon vs Other Countries


What’s interesting is how low the share of digital ad spending is in Lebanon. Globally, in the US, UK and Western Europe, digital gets 36–39% of the share, tied to or slightly above TV ad spending. Even in the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) it’s at 17% whereas in Lebanon it’s at a tiny 8% compared to 46% for TV…

(I wish digital ad spending would increase, it’d make monetizing online projects and expanding them a lot more attractive)

Lebanese TV Stations


So, the MTV squad was right, it does make the most money when it comes to ads. However, if you combine the different LBC channels (LBCI, Drama, LB2) it still makes the most money from selling ads, with Al Jadeed a close second. Sorry guys!

Top Stations by Genre Throughout the Day


The top 3 stations rank first in the three “genres” studied when it comes to all-day totals. Al Jadeed is close first in political news, MTV is a close first in Social and Cultural programs and LBCI is way ahead of all of them in Series.

Local TV vs Satellite TV Performance


However, the only time local TV beats Satellite ones is from 7PM to 11PM.

Top Station by Genre at Peak Time


Accounting for that, the “top channels” at peak time are somewhat different.

News


Personally, I just watch local channels for the news, and here’s the evening news viewership slide.

The Reason Behind Lebanese Blood Donation Pleas Posted Worldwide


I’ve been a donor with Donner Sang Compter (DSC Lebanon) for more than 7 years now. I love what they do, and the urgent, life-saving need they have been filling in light of the unaddressed vacuum by the government and medical authorities in Lebanon. Since its founding, DSC has saved more than 60,000 lives with its 15,000 donors and 250 volunteers.

Blood Demands are a Nightmare for Patients and their Families

Imagine a loved one is ill or injured. Chances are they might need blood transfusions to ensure they survive and have a speedy recovery. In Lebanon though, getting a blood bag means you need to exchange it for another one. In most cases, especially with a lack of a national blood bank, it’s the patient’s family that has to scramble to find willing donors, usually via social media or on radio channels’ news bulletins.

Sadly, the procedure is excruciating for the patient’s friends and loved ones, especially when those calls go unheeded, which is more often than not the case in our country…

Why DSC Matters

DSC makes that process streamlined. It has a database of willing donors who it can dispatch to go and donate for a specific patient at a specific hospital. It also raises awareness constantly, and does regular blood drives to replenish the blood banks of medium and small sized hospitals who don’t always have enough on reserve in case the worst happens and the need arises. 60,000 calls have been answered in the past 6 years.

Why You Should Care

Despite the success DSC has achieved in helping link those who want to donate blood and platelets, and those who need it most, the need in Lebanon is constantly on the rise. Perhaps the greatest challenge is people’s unwillingness to give less than 30 minutes of their day, and in the process, save up to 3 lives with their 450ml bag of blood.

If you are a healthy, young person, you have no excuse not to donate blood when you can. Register here now if you still haven’t after all these years. Make sure you check out when DSC has blood drives and go donate then and there if you can’t give the time to go to a hospital and donate when there’s an emergency.

The campaign by DSC of posting these urgent calls for blood donation around the world is a powerful message to everyone still apathetic about all the posts they see and ignore on their timelines and newsfeeds. So, please, consider becoming a donor too. It’s good for your fellow human beings, and it’s good for you too. We shouldn’t go as far as Shanghai and New York to be able to find a blood donor in Lebanon anymore…

Where to Uber it this Weekend in Beirut

It seems that with each passing weekend, Beirut’s upping its game when it comes to nocturnal dance parties and cultural and culinary experiences. This weekend is no different, and since Uber has cut its base fare price to the same as a mankoushe xtra, you have no excuse not to hop around without worrying about driving drunk, getting flashed by those new traffic cameras, or dealing with valet parking services.

Uber’s Price Cut

Source: Uber

I know a lot of you are still worried about using Uber cause of the credit card payment, but in Lebanon, you can pay your driver in cash too. If you still haven’t signed up, make sure you punch in my promo code “prnib”, so we both get 10$ credit each (so you’re first ride will probably be free).

Now, onto the main course:

Friday

The Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra

I know some of you might gasp that I’m including this in this weekend’s plan, but deep down, I’m a huge classical music buff. I love the LPO, and it’s always such a pleasure seeing them perform. This Friday, at 8:30PM, this is what awaits you in the USJ’s St Joseph Church right off Monot.

  • L. van Beethoven: Egmont Overture
  • G. Mahler: Des Knaben Wunderhorn
  • G. Mahler: Totenfeier
  • R. Wagner: Liebestod from Tristan & Isolde

Soprano: Béela Müller
Conductor: Harout Fazlian

Entrance is free, but the church fills up quick, so get there early and make sure you silence your phones and don’t clap till the very end!

Nesta at Reunion


After some LPO therapy, what better than an extended set by Beirut sweetheart Nesta at Reunion? It kicks off at 1:30AM till the early morning, so make sure you grab a bite and check out Factory Friday at The Grand Factory before walking into the tunnel for a night with Nesta on the decks.

Entrance might be limited, so if you can’t get your name on the door list, you might wanna try to!

Saturday

Boris Brejcha at B018

RSVP Here

This is one of the bookings this year that had me hyperventilating when I found out. I LOVE Boris Brejcha. I discovered him in DGTL Amsterdam in 2015, and ever since, he’s always been in my SoundCloud likes. It’s a new party crew called TeknoAnd, and they’ve had some solid Techno bookings so far and are bringing Boris Brejcha to Beirut for the first time this Saturday. Here’s a preview of what’s in store:

PAN-POT at the Grand Factory

RSVP here

It’s quite the Techno night this Saturday in Beirut, and with just 3.33USD from The Grand Factory to B018, you have no excuse not to try and make it to both bangers that night. I love PAN-POT, and with local darlings Jade, Eli, Rita and Vanclod Jandam on the ticket at Grand and in Reunion, it’s bound to be another beautiful night on the industrial complex rooftop we all love to dance at.

Kahwet Beirut Munchies


After all that clubbing, or before it, why not eat a wholesome Lebanese meal or dessert, with an arguileh, if that’s your vibe, in an atmosphere that feels like Beirut’s old neighborhoods and streets. Kahwet Beirut opens till 6AM, so, if you’re in the mood for a post-clubbing munchies session that’s a bit different than what you’re used to, it’s one short Uber ride away.

Don’t Drink and Drive

I hope you have an awesome weekend in Beirut, and that this short but very sweet selection helps you decide what to do. Whatever you do though, please don’t drink and drive. Hail an UberX, it’s cheaper and less heavy on your nerves and anxiety with all the new traffic cameras, rising valet parking services and non-existent free parking spaces in our beloved, congested city.

See-Through Shots in War-Torn Neighborhoods

I’m not much of a creative type, but one thing I have begrudgingly began to accept is that I really love taking photos. Instagram is by far my favorite social network. It’s also the one I put the most effort into. Heck, I think I’d even be willing to deactivate my Facebook and stick to Instagram if I didn’t enjoy trolling statuses so much.

Before, the idea of buying a camera was always so farfetched to me. My smartphone cameras were always enough, and I used to tell myself that when you see a good shot, you probably won’t have your camera and its settings ready to take that shot. In 2015, after going to Dubai with Canon for an awesome workshop and street photography weekend, I kinda understood why a camera isn’t as much of a hassle I thought it would be, and that it’s actually a lot of fun and gives you a lot more to play with before sharing an image.

On my way back from JFK in late 2015, I had a layover in Doha’s Hamad International Airport. I remember checking Amazon for mirrorless cameras, and thinking the Fujifilm XA-1 seemed within a price range I was willing to part with. I had second thoughts, and didn’t up ordering. At the duty free in Qatar though, I saw a tech store with that same camera, two lenses, a camera bag and a 64GB SD card for the price of the camera on Amazon. I picked up the box, headed to the cashier, and what’s when I bought my first camera.

The first time I tried using manual settings, I watched 4-minute YouTube clip about how to take shots in low light, and headed down to Mashrou’ Leila and spent the entire night trying to capture something decent. I did. I was in love. I don’t think I’d ever go down the DSLR path, cause quite frankly, I’m lazy and my XA-1 fills in for me so I just have to point and shoot when not at night or at a club.

Anyway, recently, I’ve noticed I love themes in the shots I take, and one theme I am particularly fond of is my “See-Through” shots. They’re shots taken in neighborhoods and cities that have been torn apart by war and are still struggling to pick the pieces up. In Lebanon, it’s hard for your eyes to not fall upon a bullet-ridden abandoned building with shrapnel wounds every few hundred meters. In some places, it’s a long-gone memory. In others however, it’s an ever-present warning of how quickly things can go downhill again.

The name was just a lazy Instagram caption at first, but then I realized it kinda had a double entendre. See-through as in transparent, but also, see through as in not fall for the deception, and see things for what they truly are.

Here are some of my “See-Through” shots, taken with my Fujifilm XA-1 and my Motorola Moto G4+

Taken in Tripoli, from what’s left of a building damaged by dozens of rounds of violence since the Lebanese Civil War (Fujifilm X-A1)

That same building in Tripoli, but from the other side of the former frontline, taken a week after the first one above (Fujifilm X-A1)

This shot summarizes the decades of fighting all in one frame. The wall is traditional Lebanese stone masonry, damaged so heavily, that it was plastered with cheap material and painted orange to cover it up. The wall was then punched through by a shell shot from below, and eventually served as an opening to shoot rocket-propelled grenades from above in retaliation. (Fujifilm X-A1)

Despite the damage though, and being burned and destroyed many times over the past few decades, someone still lives there, and attempts to renovate the building are clear. (Fujifilm X-A1)

This building used to be a printing press on the corner of Monot Street and Huvelin Street. Today, only parts of its facade still stand, flanked by student parking on one side and pubs on the other. The bullet holes on a building so close to the “Green Line” that used to divide East and West Beirut are a gentle reminder to people walking through those streets who bother to glance up and care to notice the scars, and see the sky through them.

This building off Sassine Square is also a phantom that many of us pass by almost on a daily basis, but never bother to look at. This shot has special significance for me personally, since for once, I wasn’t alone while taking it, but with a person I care for deeply who agreed to venture into the abandoned building and explore it with me.

Not all the See-Through photos are sad or somber though. Some are liberating and comforting, capturing an intense love for Techno and the culture that surrounds it.

Richie Hawtin performing at Club Der Visionäre in Kreuzberg in Berlin. Hawtin is one of the producers that helped me discover how much I love Techno growing up, taken in a city I spent most of last year revelling in. It’s blurry because photography is not allowed in that city while clubbing, or at least exceptionally frowned upon. This shot was just too good though, and it brings back fond memories in a city that has embraced its dark, war-torn past, and transformed into something better and teaming with life.

Across the river from this gig is where one of the final major battles of WWII happened. Where Soviet troops overwhelmed Nazi defenses in Berlin, close to Treptower Park. That day, it was full of happiness and people dancing. It was also when I felt it was time to go home, which is why I was standing behind, looking through, no longer on the dance floor, but merely admiring from afar what had made my year special, all the people I met there, all the conversations I had and all the art my ears were privy to. I was seeing through the art installation behind the DJ booth, but also, I could see through the reason I needed a long break, and that it was time to leave and go back home.

I’m sorry for the cheesiness and preachiness of some of the captions, but even when it’s a quick, blurry shot, there’s always a story behind those shots and this is the first time I share them here and try to put what they mean to me into words. I’m used to using words, but this images thing is new and I’d love it if you guys tell me what you think.

Beirut Yesterday, Taken from the ISS

Soure @Thomas_astro on Twitter (Feb 8th, 2017)

On Wednesday around 1PM, while all of you were at school, work, stuck in traffic or probably just eating your lunch, the International Space Station zoomed past us at 7.66km per second, 400 kilometers above our heads.

French astronaut Thomas Pesquet took this beautiful shot, and tweeted it in both French and English

I hope Thomas will come visit Beirut when he comes back from orbiting the Earth for the next 6 months. I’m sure many of you guys are like me, and are fascinated by space. I’d watch every ISS documentary I could on the Discovery Channel as a kid. Today though, with astronauts doing research up there having access to the Internet, we get a lot of amazing first-hand stories, photos and videos. Who didn’t spend hours sifting through Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield’s epic timeline? After Chris came back to the surface though, I stopped getting updates like these, so I’m extra happy I discovered Thomas today!

His shots and animated gifs are all awesome, and his captions are always lighthearted and sweet. Here’s a couple more I liked:





Don’t forget, no matter how bad things are, and how huge your problems might seem, at the end of the day, they’re just a tiny spec on a tiny planet in an infinitely vast and gorgeous universe. Take some time out of your week to go somewhere dark and lie back and look up into space. Who knows, there might be an astronaut zooming past and looking back at you, like on Wednesday afternoon!

If You Haven’t Watched NUTS Yet, You Should


I’m ashamed to admit I’m not the biggest fan of Lebanese cinema. My main issue is that the plots always revolve around how Christians and Muslims are friends despite the war and whatever, and frankly, we’re over that cheese fest. The dialog is usually nothing like what Lebanese people talk in their daily lives (or this reality). The acting is always over-acting. Kinda like that video BBChi did about Lebanese drama.

Unfortunately, the above has made me steer away from Lebanese productions the past few years. I think the only one I watched and enjoyed was “Film Ktir Kbir”, which for once, wasn’t too preachy and was actually a lot of fun to watch.

However, last week, I was at a friend’s and we were watching “Lil Nasher” for shits and giggles, and that’s when I saw Tony Khalifeh try to lecture us about how it’s inappropriate and doesn’t represent the spirit of Lebanon and the Lebanese, bla bla bla a la MTV style of backwardness and stupidity. What struck me though, after years of militating with MARCH, is how could a movie like NUTS pass through Lebanon’s infamous censorship bureau in the General Security.

The movie had it all: sectarian references, explicit sexually and language-wise, it involved themes thought “too much” by the likes of Khalifeh and Lebanon’s misinformed censors. That’s when I decided I had to see it.

It Was Fun

I had a blast. I was laughing out loud almost throughout the movie. The witty dialog and layered character development was brilliant. Hearing them speak Lebanese, with sequences that remind you of Tarantino flicks, was beautiful. It wasn’t all funny though, some scenes were brutally painful and you could hear the gasps and exhales of frustration by other people in the audience, who I assume could relate to some of the issues tackled, or were horrified to imagine such events might take place in Beirut’s darker underbelly.

The Production

I saw Beirut and parts of Lebanon in a new light. Whether it was on Ashrafieh’s rooftops, between Mar Mikhael’s pubs, through Hamra street or in the Charles Helou creepy parking complex, it was all beautifully shot. Beirut wasn’t the only one that got the beauty shots though, areas of Chouf, Jounieh and the South were also important scenes and parts of the movie. The aerial shots were especially nice and I loved how they used them so masterfully at a time we’re kinda oversaturated with drone footage.

The one thing that bothered me was some of the special effects. They put a damper on otherwise very artsy and ingeniously crafted sequences.

The Music

The soundtrack was one of my favorite aspects of the movie. Instead of getting generic background music for the most intense scenes, they chose to include masterpieces by brilliant local artists. Hearing songs by Who Killed Bruce Lee, Mashrou Leila and The Wanton Bishops gave me goosebumps and it fit absolutely perfectly with the movie. WKBL’s rework of Warda’s “Betwannes Beek” was exceptionally beautiful.

The Acting

The actors were brilliant. For once, I feel that I could relate to the dialog and mindset of some of the characters. They also managed to capture the horror and disgust we feel at some of the less-desirable kind of individuals we come across in Lebanon (the pimps, the illegal gambling rings, etc.)

Darine Hamze was perfect as Lana. It was refreshing to see a female lead that wasn’t the typical melodramatic, victim-y, shallow woman we’re used to seeing on Lebanese screens. You couldn’t help but root for her throughout the movie. Even the villains captured the nastiest aspects we all hate about the drug pushers and pimps that lurk in the night around Beirut.

Edmund Haddad, who we’re used to seeing in more lighthearted roles, took on a far darker role in Nuts and he pulled it off with flying colors. You really hated his character most of the time, but when you get his back story, you kinda get what got him to that point.

The Witty References

Even though some people found the references and innuendos offensive, they were an on-point portrayal of many of the ills in Lebanese society. They featured both extremes we come face to face with, from a girl who abuses every kind of substance and makes questionable life choices, to women restricted to their homes and the mercy of their violent, macho husbands, it was poignant and nicely executed. To the people offended, I say grow up and face the fact that even if not all Lebanese are like that, some definitely are and shedding light on the plight of these folks was a nice change from the usual stereotypes we see on screen in Lebanon.

The Plot

As I mentioned before, the character development was very nice. Watching Lana’s transformation was especially good. What’s nice is that the movie wasn’t too predictable, you don’t really know what’s gonna happen next and the twists are definitely satisfying. I won’t spoil the ending, but I’ll say it was nice not to have the usual “they lived happily ever after” crap.

Impressed

I was impressed. I genuinely enjoyed this movie. It caught my attention, had me rooting for some characters, hoping the worst for others. It masterfully captured a lot of sides and stories that never make it on-screen in Lebanon. The soundtrack, the scene sequences, the acting, the dialog and the editing secured NUTS as one of my most enjoyable Lebanese movies ever. I hope they make more movies like this, and if you still haven’t, I suggest you do.