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..

Mon Obsession Du Jour

Say what you want about her dancing- this is how you dance like no one’s watching. Introducing THE break-up song of the year!!

 

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!

Facebook Status Of The Day

Hit or Miss?

Yes those are actually 3D aluminum pipe-shaped objects attached to Maya Diab’s dress. I was worried she’d stab herself in the arm as she was dancing at one point.  So what do you say genius or has this lady finally lost it? You decide…

My Best Friend’s Girlfriends

My male best friend loves the ladies. He’s a dog and he knows it. He sees nothing wrong with trying to get with as many girls as he can. Just to be clear, they’re all more than happy to comply.

Of course he’ll meet the “occasional one” which he’ll momentary picture a future with, and then snap right back into reality as soon as she says or makes one move towards that future path. He enjoys calling all of the girls “wifey” or “marteh” and to be fair they love it too- yes even after only two weeks of dating. Then  he’ll proceed to leave them, either by text or phone or by simply fading out of their lives. Charming I tell you.

Here’s where I come into the picture. I’m a girls’ girl. And usually I end up getting along with most of them, except for a few psychos, but we can leave those stories for a different post ;)

It’s so hard for me to let go sometimes. I end up forming strong bonds with these women, we become close and before you know it we’re practically BFFs. When I finally pat myself on the back for ensuring my best man found the perfect girl, he decides to move on to the next one. The worst part, he expects me to drop them as fast as he did.

I try to reason with him, but he says my loyalty should lie with him and only him. Yes my friends, the average Lebanese man is VERY territorial even when he isn’t your boyfriend. So I told him I’m not gonna stop hanging out with her and he  felt betrayed.  I’m putting my foot down, I am no longer gonna meet any of  his girls until he is 100% sure she’s a keeper. He thinks I’m being irrational. I think I’m minimizing drama. What do you think?

The Sweater Kind of Weather

Patterns and knits aren’t always so hot, but let’s face it, winter came early this year and the ski-season is just around the corner so as much as we all dream of  sliding the slopes in something more flattering, chances are you won’t survive. So here are some of my Fav sweaters and leggings Shopbop‘s got in store this  season.  Stay Warm!

Ella Moss Sweater

Thakoon Addition Pullover

Juicy Couture Pullover

Free People Leggings

Club Monaco Leggings

Lebanese Woman Murdered In Jounieh

I’ve been deeply disturbed by the story of the young woman who was found dead in the area of Sahel Alma in Jounieh yesterday. Miriam al-Ashqar, 28, was last seen by her family Monday as she made her way to a monastery she regularly visits. The details are shady but some outlets are reporting that her body was found in the woods Tuesday with inherent evidence of abuse and rape, details of which I would rather not get into. All evidence led back to the foriegn janitor that works at the monastery who is now in custody. Rumors have also been circulating about the possible involvement of two other men in the murder who are still at large. Everyone seems to have something to say about this murder and suddenly many people seem to be distant relatives of the victim. It’s understandable how people are shocked by this horrific murder as incidents like this are really not that regular in Lebanon, I just wish everyone would take it easy on the conspiracy theories and leave it to the investigators on the case. I hope this man is brought to justice and gets what he deserves and I urge all women in the area and others to be extra careful and cautious in all their whereabouts. My deepest condolences go out to the Ashqar family for their big loss.

It’s Raining It’s Pouring

We all need a good sturdy waterproof pair of boots to get us through the mini-floods we have to bare when it rains in our part of the world. But who says you have to sacrifice style just to stay dry? Check out these hot rain boots with some chic matching umbrellas.

1) Python Umbrella- Marc by Marc Jacobs

2) Vintage Dot Umbrella- Felix Rey

3) Rubber Boots–AIGLE

4) Regent boots- Hunter Boots

5) Blaire Riding Boots- Tory Burch

The Story of A Street Walker in Beirut

Tamara lived with her parents and 5 brothers and sisters in a two-bedroom broken down apartment in one of Beirut’s not-too-glamorous neighborhoods.  She never gave much importance to school and ended up dropping out of her last year. She got a full-time job at a local clothing store called “Silka” close to home and felt content with the 650,000LL she made a month. Every day she would quarrel with her father and brothers before she stepped out of the house. She insisted on wearing her skimpy flashy outfits .Her parents always knew that would bring her the “wrong” kind of attention.

It surely did. She fell in love with Rani who she met in the store one day. For a month after work he’d pick her up in his Black Range Rover work and they’d drive down to his place where they’d spend the rest of the night.

After a couple of months, Tamara began experiencing symptoms and found out she was pregnant.  She was devastated. Two months along she knew her secret would soon be out. She confronted Rani and asked him to marry her. He refused. He said he would help her pay for an abortion but that would be as far as their relationship would go. Although she was against the procedure she knew she had no choice but to go through with it. Rani took her to some shady doctor in an area she’s never been to before and the job was done.

The next week Tamara fainted at work. Her temperature had skyrocketed when her supervisor found her and rushed her to the hospital. Turns out she had caught a nasty infection following the “procedure.” Nurses whispered about her as they tended to her. She could see the judgment in everyone’s eyes as they discussed her “case.”  Her parents were informed but no one showed up, not even her mother. She was told she was no longer welcome at home. When she tried to call Rani, his phone was no longer in use.

Tamara checked out of the hospital with a 225,000LL pending bill and nowhere to go to. She walked and walked until a car stopped on the side of the road. A man offered her money and some food if she would get in the car. She was too exhausted to resist.

Tamara now walks the streets for a living. Life had not given her many options and even if it had, she wasn’t prepared enough to recognize them.