Category Archives: Rumor Has It…

In Lebanon- Sex Sells Chicken

I’ve never before been to “al Saniour” located in Antelias but I’ve heard many stories about how that restaurant is THE pick-up spot for many ready-to-mingle people in Lebanon, both men and women.

The strategy? Bluetooth. Just switch on your Bluetooth and before you know it you’ll get flooded with messages, pics or in some cases, cheesy songs. Of course I did not believe that for one second until I stepped in to the immensely condensed place yesterday (a friend of mine was in town and she just loves that place) and not-to-my-surprise almost every single lady and man had attached themselves to two very peculiar objects, their cells, that were placed right in front of their faces, and their arghilehs ( hubbly bubblies)  that went into their mouths. As customers walked in those  people would put down their cells,  bluntly assess what they see and begin typing vigorously on their smart phones. It was though a network was put in place and we were mere contestants amongst a panel of judges who would soon provide us with their verdict.  Only after twenty minutes of being seated did the crowd-with-a-staring-problem finally get used to our presence and accept us as part of the herd. i.e. they stopped staring us down so hard.

No,we did not turn on our Bluetooth, we were way too busy AWE-ing over the menu that did not seem to hold back on the sexual innuendos.  If you thought strawberries and whipped cream are sexy you obviously  haven’t been exposed to some taouk and garlic. Take a look…

And in case you were in the mood for something light, how about..

Your Speeding Ticket- Delivered!

That’s right! I was getting my nails done this afternoon and my “aesthetician” lady tells me that she received a call today from a police station branch to inform her that she has a 50,000LL  “zabet” for speeding. Better yet, the cop was calling to inquire about her home address. In fact, he sent another cop from the station to deliver the ticket  right to her door. Convenient or downright strange? Either way if you thought you’d be procrastinating on that pending ticket you got because you thought the radars stopped working, think again!

Where Do We Go Now? وهلّأ لوين

Many are calling Nadine Labaki’s latest film Where Do We Go Now?- a drama, indeed it is, but amidst the sincere real-as-can-be scenes that will leave you in tears and sniffles, you will sporadically burst out in laughter, as the movie captures the essence of EXACTLY what a remote Lebanese village would be like with everyday authentic characters many of us can relate to.

I don’t want to give away too much, but I have to say this, Where Do We Go Now?, carries a powerful message with the witty style, charm, song and dance that Labaki’s previous movie Caramel brought to us, set in a time when many Lebanese have allowed their sectarian differences to take front seat, mocking things some of us may hold so sacred, breaking taboos, at times even smashing a  statue of the Virgin Mary and ransacking a mosque with livestock- Yup this all seems so over-the-top and risky, but in its context,  it miraculously ( no pun intended) manages to offend no one ( until now at least.)

It’s about a group of women in a village, who come together and do whatever it takes to try to maintain peace and harmony between the Christian and Muslim inhabitants  at a time when sectarian strife erupts in surrounding Lebanese regions.

We all have preconceived notions and prejudices of people we perceive as “different” than us, this movie will call you out on all of these stereotypes and mock you until you laugh and cry, it will also bring you to the realization that the things that can bring you closer together are definitely more than the ones that take you apart. Go See It!

Check out my new favorite song called ” Hashish of My Heart”

Miss Lebanon At Miss Universe 2011

So much for fighting stereotypes. Has anyone bothered to look at Miss Lebanon Yara Khoury Mikhael’s  promo shots for Miss Universe 2011? Was it really necessary that she represents this country wearing a tacky leaving-nothing-to-the-imagination bellydancing outfit? *To be fair, the stylist made all the contestants dress in similar outfits so we know it wasn’t her pick*  Still though, blame the Trump people or organizers if you may, but the next time I’m asked by a foreigner if I belly dance because I’m from Lebanon what am I supposed to say? They’re right to think so.. take a look

Dumbledore the wizard called , he’s furious you stole his outfit.

When SuperGirl Came To Lebanon…

TFEH of the Day

If you’re a woman looking at this you’re prolly really pissed right now. If you’re a man with some good judgement,  you should be too.  If milk could talk, it would retract this Ad.

This disgrace of an Ad @stephanienour  tweeted this morning calls for the re-invigoration of the Open Letter To Men I wrote back in December.

 My Dearest Men…

The Miss Lebanon 2011 Competition- What A Joke!

Did anyone go through the painful ordeal of watching the disaster that  was Miss Lebanon 2011 yesterday? I’ve never cringed more in my life while watching the pageants answer the judges’ questions,trip on stage and attempt to dance or preform. No really, it was out of this world! I had to cover my face with my hands for half the time, I was sooo embarrassed for them and I don’t even know them.  And the judges?  Almost every single lady judge except for the amazing designer Reem Acra had overdosed on Botox and facelifts before the show, how can such women possibly be chosen to select the fresh face of Lebanese beauty when they clearly don’t realize the abuse they’ve inflicted on their own faces and how fake they come off to regular folks!?

Every year the contestants in Miss Lebanon get less and less, I’m not gonna say pretty, let’s just say less up to Miss Lebanon or beauty pageant material. We’ve all heard the same thing, many beautiful  girls that would qualify come from ” good” families who would not allow them to enter  a pageant. I don’t know if that’s true or false, all I know is that if the folks over at this Miss Lebanon Committee can’t find some decent looking girls to throw a pageant, then they should seriously reconsider throwing it in the first place. Now I get that the new Miss Lebanon 2011 has a huge following, many friends and fans, perhaps  my standards of beauty are all messed up but I don’t think the new Miss Lebanon Yara Khoury deserves that title, both physically or intellectually. Don’t get me wrong, I am by no means insinuating she is ugly, she is a pretty girl , but by no means or under no beauty standard does this young lady qualify to represent Lebanon locally or better yet at ANY international beauty pageant. Why don’t I let you guys be the judge?… Bisoux

Beating Breast Cancer- One Couture Bra At A Time

If you haven’t yet heard of the newest campaign to rock the Middle East, then you must seriously consider making more friends, because the fight against Breast Cancer just got Hauter!  It’s called Bras For A Cause, and those ladies weren’t kidding around when they decided to  “bridge the gap between Middle Eastern fashion designers and breast cancer survivor” because “ wearing the right bra and prostheses can tremendously improve the healing process – both emotionally and physically”

Brought to you by the fashion forward ladies at Fustany.com and the Beirut-based Breast Cancer Support group  OneWigStand this powerful duo has gone full-throttle with this innovative campaign and have gotten some of the most talented designers in the region to design some of the sexiest and whimsical bras!

Better yet, you can vote for your favorite bra, link it and like it, the winning designs will be brought to life and showcased later this year in exclusive Fashion Shows in Dubai and Beirut.Voting  ends on July 12th so what are you waiting for? Pick your Fav here!

I was lucky enough to be one of the Ambassadors for this great cause, and also privileged enough to pick and represent my favorite bra. Most of you know I’m a self-proclaimed baker so naturally I fell in love with “The Cupcake Bra” from the ” Her Bra” category designed by Rana Muallem! Check it out below!

Help bring this cause the attention it deserves. Each year the rate of women diagnosed with Breast Cancer is on the rise, don’t you think it’s time we fought back hard, one fashionable bra at a time!

Whiskey Mist. Beirut’s Best Kept Secret

So you’re in the mood for something different? Something out of the ordinary? An escape from Lebanon’s clubbing clichés, a trip, if only for a short while, into of world where, sexy is an understatement, glamor is in abundance and where everything that glitters is actually gold.  A nocturnal gem, where the elite come out to play and the sexy get frisky. Let me let you in on a little secret that’s about to take Beirut by storm:  it’s called Whiskey Mist.

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What’s Wrong With This Picture?