Lebanon's Lifestyle, Beauty and Fashion Blog
Wedding season is officially in full swing. This part of the world prides itself on lavish grand wedding extravaganzas; some so big in size, walking in could feel like a strut down the red carpet. So here’s a little inspiration for all you divas gearing up for the occasion, because nothing says wedding like tulle, sequin and a Lebanese-born designer!
Gown Reem Acra
Pumps Badgley Mischka
Clutch Whiting & Davis
Earrings Michael Kors
Bracelet CC Skye
Ring Jules Smith
It’s official. We live in a primitive state of nature, a lawless country where every man is against every man.
So I was innocently making my way to a meeting this morning when two guys on a roughed-up motorbike appeared to be having a joy ride between jam-packed cars, cramming their way through tiny spaces and driving with excessive force while inducing sudden skids in a clear attempt to attract everyone’s attention. They literally behaved like two domineering hyenas that have come to disturb the peace and create chaos.
Before I knew it, the two animals decided to tail me and occasionally show up at my window flashing their crooked teeth in what seemed like the most pathetic attempt to pick me up. So naturally I was keen on not making any sort of eye contact with them and did my best to get as far away as possible from them. Ironically, this seemed to only encourage them further. Before I knew it traffic came to a screeching halt and I felt a loud thud on the side of my car. It turns out my sudden brake had caused them to ram their bike into back right side of my vehicle.
I turned around to comprehend the situation but the thug was yelling profanities at me and punching my car with his hand. At first I thought perhaps he wanted to tell me something or needed help but I looked into his eyes and realized that he was in a state of rage demanding I stop my car and get down. “I’ll teach you a lesson you bitch” he kept saying. So I stepped on it though there was nowhere to really go. They started following me for a good 3 minutes while I fumbled with my phone to call for help. Everyone around me just sat back and watched it all go down in the comfort of their cars. No one lifted a finger.
The funny part is one swerve from my car would have probably incapacitated the guys but my good judgment told me to just drive as far away as possible. They followed me some more until traffic finally cleared and I made a run for it.
Following the dramatic series of violent incidents and bloody crimes carried out over the past couple of days in Lebanon, everyone seems hypertensive to their surroundings including myself. I’m usually confrontational in such situations but an alarm kept going off in my head, what if they had a gun?
Some of you may tell me that I should have reported them to the police or at least noted their plate numbers. Maybe I should have but I did neither. I was in full-survival mode, I couldn’t even dial a number on my phone. To be honest, I freaked out. And to be even more honest, I’ve simply lost trust in the system. I think it may be time for a move. Air miles anyone?
I’m punctual. Yes, it’s a terrible plague I’ve been cursed with every since I was old enough to make appointments. It’s been a source of my absolute disdain for my entire tenure here.
You see my problem is that not only am I on time to all meetings I’m usually at least ten minutes early. No, it’s not because I’m overtly eager and easily excitable and believe me it’s not because I wouldn’t have LOVED to snooze my alarm for an extra half hour in bed as I contemplate if any job is ever worth interrupting peaceful sleep. I’m punctual and my punctuality is simply out of my control.
I’m the idiot that continues to fall into the same trap over and over again. Like the girlfriend that keeps taking back her cheating man. If someone tells me to meet them at Paul’s at 11am, not only would I be there at 11am, but I would’ve also have gotten a table and taken the liberty of getting us some bottled water. By the time the clock strikes 11:20am it all starts coming back to me and I beat myself up for naively forgetting that Beirut time is unique to the rest of the world in the sense that a meeting at 11:00 am by default is a meeting at 11:30am.
So after receiving several pitiful looks from waiters as I play Fruit Ninja on my phone and ponder the idea of simply walking out for the sake of making a point, my appointment finally arrives and says the words every punctual person dreads to hear “ Oh you’re here already? Sorry, traffic was crazy.”
It’s like throwing salt into an open wound. Yes, if you can see me then that definitely means I’m there, unless you’re prone to seeing things, and let’s not act like we live in a country where traffic comes as a surprise, we both know I didn’t arrive by helicopter.
Though May is a little late in the year for resolutions, I’ve decided to do the best I can to never make it on time for anything ever again; heck I may even ditch a few meetings just for the fun of it. (Just kidding boss)
How is it possible that in this day and age a majority of expecting parents hope and pray to be blessed with a baby boy? You know exactly what I’m talking about here, modern couples that cringe at the thought of not having an heir to carry the family name.
I’m very well aware of the prehistoric prejudices that past generations have had about having baby girls, what I’m referring to, is your average young expecting couple one would spot at a mall and never guess that they too are consumed with the obsession of their first born being a boy.
Success! Boys from the first go. The family can sleep better at night knowing that the blood line will live on. Please. This needs to stop. Someone needs to tell these ignorants how stupid they sound and how medieval they come off to the rest of us.
Such tacky mentalities can only mean one thing, daughters are a burden, and they’re going to have to spend all that money raising them only to marry them off to another family. What a losing investment.
I know a 32 year old educated woman that did everything to conceive. She experimented with all sorts of “advanced” reproductive techniques in modern science to become a mother. She had one shot at getting pregnant and this would be it. I admired her dedication until she got pregnant with not one but two babies. This should have been the happiest day of her life right? Until she found out that she would be having two baby girls. Suddenly, she felt unlucky.
We all know this is not an isolated incident. And I’m not judging people who have baby girls and would like to have a boy as well; I’m referring to the people that would much prefer to have boys over girls, the men that pressure the women, the silly women who think they haven’t done their duties “producing” a male and will keep popping out babies until they have the next king of the jungle.
Kaslik is fast becoming a prime shopping hot spot in Lebanon, home to a trendy boulevard showcasing some of the world’s most popular high-street brands. The latest store to open its doors last fall is one of my personal favorites from back in the day, American Eagle Outfitters.
Here’s the thing, I’m the type of girl that one may call a shopping-glutton, you know, when you’re trying so hard to decide which flats you want and end up buying the same pair in three different colours? Yup, that’s me.
So when I finally get a chance to indulge in my dirty little habit without burning a hole in my pocket, I’m pretty much a happy camper. Yes, last night what was supposed to be an innocent tall skimmed milk Frappuccino rendezvous at the neighbouring Starbucks turned into a shopping galore at American Eagle. I felt like a kid in a candy store, rummaging through the whirlwinds of colors and endless denim selections. I bought myself three, yes THREE skinny jeans in different shades of blue and four feather light pastel T’s and this adorable little Boho dress! There’s nothing like stocking up on some basics just in time for summer. Bisoux
Peplum Dress: Alice + Olivia
Silicone iPhone Case: Tory Burch
Wallet Bag: Rebecca Minkoff
Suede Pumps: B Brian Atwood
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