I’m definitely an early adopter of Uber by Lebanese standards. I remember using it for the first time in San Francisco back in 2011, and would then order it in New York on date nights when the subway was just too stinky on summer nights. Naturally, when Uber made its Lebanese debut, I was the first to announce it on this very same blog.
Today, I use Uber mainly to shuttle between meetings in parking-less Beirut, and when out clubbing to avoid the horrible valet parking gangs. I can’t explain how awesome it is to be dropped off and picked up right from the entrance of a club, with just a couple of taps on your phone. No need to worry about driving while under the influence of alcohol, unexpected traffic jams putting a damper on your night or getting angry that valet parking mafias have taken over every single parking spot within walking distance.
With that news, I was thrilled that Uber has set up 15 promo codes in Lebanon recently for Beirut’s hottest clubs, and the place most of us after-party at to stave off the post-dancing munchies during the wee hours of the morning.
So, this weekend, and for the next few weeks, you will get 50% off on 10 rides to and from the following places:
Yesterday morning, Uber Lebanon announced its plans to make sure voters in Beirut get to and from polling stations on elections day for free. This is amazing news, given that Lebanon is a country where candidates and political parties are actually allowed in the law to bribe voters by giving them money in return for transportation on election day.
The fact that voters who don’t live close to their home district, where they vote, means they are vulnerable to be “persuaded” by political parties who give them gas coupons or get them cars to pick them up so they vote for the list or candidate.
Beirut’s voters won’t have this problem this time, and they can use a promo code that’ll take them to vote for free. I’ll share the promo code when it’s out.
I hope as potential voters, you don’t let something as stupid as a 20 liter gas coupon make your decision on elections day, especially given the billions those giving you that 20$ or so coupon have stolen from your money over the years they extended for themselves.
I’ll be beginning my elections coverage, endorsements and tips this week. So, stay tuned!
Donner Sang Compter (DSC Lebanon) is a group of amazing people very dear to my heart. I remember the early days, when it was a handful of committed, awesome people working to fill a life-threatining gap that the government wasn’t even trying to solve: blood donation in Lebanon.
Today, DSC Lebanon saves thousands of lives every year, by linking up patients who need it, with healthy donors who want to help. If you’re not a donor with DSC yet, then sign up now.
Donors Get Free Uber Rides Now
Uber has partnered up with DSC to make sure donors who are willing to save up to 3 people’s live with each donation, don’t have to get into the trouble of getting stuck in traffic, finding parking spots or paying high prices for hospital parking time that unfortunately Lebanese hospitals do not exempt donors from paying.
This wastes valuable time, from both the patients who often need a transfusion urgently, and the donors sacrificing their time to help someone who desperately needs blood or platelets.
Also, we really appreciate our donors, and the least we can do is help them get to the hospital that needs them most. So I’m glad DSC and Uber did this partnership, making it even easier to go and do your fellow human an extremely noble deed.
How it Works
After you sign up, if you get called up by DSC to go down and donate to a patient in need, you will be given a unique promo code that will allow you to get to and from the hospital, which is usually close to your home or place of work/study, meaning it will never be more than 15USD each way, and Uber will cover up to 15USD for each trip.
So, there is no excuse if you are a healthy person not to go donate anymore. Your ride is for free, and our gratitude and the patient’s gratitude are endless.
I’m sure you all saw the Careem billboards challenging Uber to a Dance Off. I personally saw them while stuck in traffic in Ubers all this week since my car is in the shop. Anyway, the campaign was all over the place, and here’s the official challenge posted on Careem Lebanon’s Instagram page.
Pepsi vs Coca Cola abroad? Almaza vs Beirut Beer here at home? Yes please! I love the more aggressive marketing campaigns that make each brand seek to one-up the other in comebacks and execution of each campaign.
It’s been a delight, although a little confusing, seeing that unfold between Careem and Uber in Lebanon the past couple of weeks. Lots of you asked me what this campaign was about, and to be honest, I just understood what was happening today, after the Dance Off had already happened…
Post-Dance Off
Now, for some reason, the Facebook Live video on Careem’s Facebook page doesn’t have any dancing in it, just over 9 minutes of the MC introducing what’s gonna happen after no audio for a few minutes at first. I guess maybe they’re working on the final video with the actual dance off, but as of this post, 2 hours after the #DanceOff happened in Beirut Souks, there was still nothing.
I did manage to find a clip posted by Beiruting.com on their Instagram page though:
I was wondering why Uber hadn’t come out with anything, seeing how the Careem campaign was all over the place. Then, they unleashed this savage comeback, turning Careem’s publicity stunt into a chance to do some positive impact by painting one of Beirut’s iconic stairways, as well donate to the Ayadina NGO. Ayadina’s “about” section states:
For children and youth, the association offers an Arts Education program. This unique program addresses social problems by providing opportunities for channeling emotions into creative expression, cultural and artistic exposure, talent development, improved academic achievement, and economic empowerment
I guess it’s safe to say that Careem just got seriously #Ubered… Here’s why:
The campaign wasn’t clear. How is it a dance off if Uber isn’t part of it? Who’s gonna do the dancing? At first I thought they got the Uber and Careem drivers to rehearse interpretive dance routines and perform them on a Sunday afternoon at Beirut Souks. I was obviously wrong 😛
The technical difficulties and lack of engagement on the #CareemDanceOff hashtag made the handful of people who happened to be in Beirut Souks actually see what happened.
Uber Lebanon’s savage comeback was both tasteful, and for a more noble cause, making Careem’s fun and edgy dance off idea seem a bit tasteless in comparison. Uber was “too busy painting stairways” *BURN* to participate, but committed to donate an amount that matched Careem’s viewership on their Dance Off live-streamed video to Ayadina. That’s some woke stuff. Brilliant.
So, I’m calling the first round in this epic marketing clash between Uber and Careem in Lebanon, to Uber. Can’t wait for the next one!
If you’re anything like me, the time you really love Beirut the most is at night. After all, it’s less hot at night, there’s definitely less traffic, you can usually find a free parking spot somewhere on the street and all in all it’s a lot less chaotic than daytime Beirut.
But, we’re also a city that likes to party, almost every day of the week, then later have a hearty breakfast at a restaurant that stays open till late. This means that driving at night is dangerous and stressful, and that the hundreds of young people who die on the street each year, do so at night…
That’s why I absolutely loved the new Uber promo codes you can get from some of your favorite clubs and 24/7 restaurants. Each venue’s promo code gets you a 20% discount on your ride to and from your nocturnal (or early morning!) destination
The Venues
Bar Du Port
Located in Saifi, right after Freddy’s.
Caprice
Located on the Dora seaside
Discotek
At The Garten venue on the Beirut Waterfront
Iris
On the Annahar building rooftop
The Garten
At the Beirut Waterfront
Zaatar w Zeit
ZwZ Sodeco, Bliss, Zalka and Gemmayzeh branches.
Why It’s Better to Uber When Out Clubbing
Cars are the worst hassle when you go clubbing:
You’re always a bit worried about how much you drink, and how late you stay out.
You always have to put up with the valet, then spend way too much time waiting for your car to arrive as you stand outside the club in the heat/cold. And of course, hope your seat and radio settings are still the way you left them when you handed them the keys…
The valet occupies most of the reasonably-distanced free parking spots, and in other places, the city or landowner doesn’t let you park on the side of the street, like at the Beirut Waterfront.
You’re always anxious about that friend you’re worried had too much to drink, with a dead phone battery, who you’re not sure got home safe after the club.
Accidents and checkpoints mean you sometimes spend time stuck in traffic, even in the middle of the night, which only bums you out on the way to or back from wherever you want to go.
All that could be solved by just cabbing it. No 10,000 LL parking 1000 meters away. No valet that you can’t really trust your car with, which makes you wait when all you wanna do is just get home and into your bed. No driving through traffic. No getting a fine for speeding or parking. No worrying if you can have those two extra shots and still be ok to drive home at night with drunk drivers all around you…
I’ve posted the promo codes from most of the venues below. You could always just ask them for it too. These promo codes are valid through the summer!
Please, don’t drink and drive. Focus on having an awesome night, and don’t risk your life or the lives of other people by driving while intoxicated. Why stress yourself out with parkings, valets and walking to the venue when someone can drop you right at the line into a club and then pick you up so you can get back safe and sound to your bed? Most nights I go clubbing, I Uber, and I don’t even drink that much, it just saves me the hassle of parkings and valets (and the long drive home after 6AM!)
If you still aren’t an Uber user, make sure you also use my promo code: “prnib” and that way we each get $5 of Uber credit ❤
It’s no secret that during holiday seasons, many of us feel the urge to help those in need. Maybe because celebrating with loved ones makes us realize that so many, unfortunately, aren’t as lucky. The problem is, many folks don’t know what they can do to help, or where they can go to donate.
This Ramadan, Uber has made it a lot easier to donate your gently used clothes that are just sitting their in your closets. All you need to do is:
Request “UberCOMFORT” any day during Ramadan from 5PM till 10PM
Bag your clothes (Uber drivers can’t accept the clothes if they’re not bagged)
Meet your Uber drivers and hand them your bags
The clothes will go to Comfort and SOS Children’s Villages
There’s no excuse not to help, and this takes out all the hassle you might have been worried up. Just order your UberCOMFORT from your app, and they’ll collect your clothes and get them to Comfort and SOS, free of charge.
This Eid, if you’re an expat coming home to celebrate with loved ones, you also get a 20% discount on your trip from the airport by using the promo code: “EidLeb17”
If it’s your first time using Uber, make sure you punch in “prnib”, so that you get 5$ off your first ride, and I get 5$ credit too ❤
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.
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!
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:
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.
New Year’s Eve is a great opportunity for many of us to get together with our friends and loved ones to celebrate (a hopefully good) the past year, and usher in the new one. It can also be quite annoying, with higher than usual traffic, increase in drunk driving, extremely high prices and an increased security presence.
Don’t Drive, Use These Instead
Don’t drive. It’s that simple. There are plenty of cabs you can call or hail by app. Think of it this way, you won’t have to suffer the humiliation of being strip-searched at a checkpoint, and you won’t have to deal with valet parking attendants.
UPDATE: Thanks to an initiative Syndicate of Restaurants, Cafes, Nightclubs and Pastries Owners, in cooperation with the Internal Security Forces and by the General Syndicate of Taxi Drivers in Lebanon, you can also call 1514 for a free cab ride home if you’ve had too much to drink.
Just call 1514
Flugen Rides
This is a brand new awesome taxi-hailing service from the folks at Kunhadi. The app includes several cab companies you can choose from. What’s nice is that all their drivers have undergone training programs for responsible driving from Kunhadi. Also, they include wheelchair-accessible cars, so everyone can hail a cab.
For the holiday season, Flugen Rides will help discourage drunk driving by giving you a free ride to your car if you drove to your party and got too drunk to drive back. Read more about their life-saving holiday campaign here.
I’ve been using Uber for years, in every country I’ve visited and lived in. If you hate calling the cab and giving directions, just drop your pin and see how long your driver needs. If you still don’t have the app, download it for Android here and for iOS here.
However, beware, Uber is expecting a lot of demand between 12AM and 3AM tonight, so take into consideration a higher fare and longer wait times. If you are a new Uber user, use my promo code “cvrp5” so you get your first ride free or click this link to download and get a free ride (free up to 15$. So you get an idea, a trip from Jounieh to Downtown costs aroun 12 to 14$ usually)
Careem
Careem is another ride-hailing app I love. It’s developed in the Middle East and I love it, especially when I’m in the UAE. My favorite thing about this service is that they allow you to schedule well in advance if you already know what your schedule is gonna be (plane lands, shift ends, etc.) Download it for Android here and iOS here.
You can use promo code “EZH0YA195W” or click this link to download the app and get 10$ off your first ride. Remember, 12AM-3AM is peak time tonight, so expect longer waits and higher fares.
Know Your Rights
In Lebanon, you can get arrested for just a suspicion that you might use drugs. In other words, even if you haven’t taken any drug in your life, if a cop thinks you look like you might, they’re allowed to take you in and interrogate you. Despite the many daily horror stories, blatant disregard for human rights and legally questionable behavior, you do have rights, even if you use drugs. There are awesome folks like Skoun who do amazing work in rehab for addicts as well as campaigning for rights of drug users with their “Support, Don’t Punish” ethos.
Before going out, and whether you use drugs or don’t, make sure you check out Skoun’s amazing Know Your Rights Website. It has all the info you will ever need in case the worst happens. Be safe and careful tonight, and empower yourself with the laws and rights you have to make sure you or someone you care about aren’t a victim of wrongful arrest or entrapment.
We all know we tend to drink a little more than we should tonight. So, please, try not to drive.
If you’re heading up to the mountains, stay there. Don’t risk driving back down in bad weather and road conditions.
If you have more than one party or place to be, take into consideration traffic and plan your schedules accordingly. No one likes to do the countdown in their car stuck in traffic…
Be a little nice to everyone who’s working tonight. It’s their NYE too, but they’re stuck doing their job, whether it’s the 24/7 supermarket cashier, the waiter at a club or a security guard or soldier or even a police officer.
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