I absolutely love the astronomy photography and time lapse videos Moophz shares online from around Lebanon!
His most recent work is a time lapse video of the milky way rising horizontally above Jerd Al Akoura in North Lebanon. I just watched it in Full HD on my laptop and it’s just stunning, so make sure to watch it in high resolution on whatever device you’re using.
You can see more of these eye candies he takes around Lebanon and abroad on his website and Facebook page.
Here are my picks from Lebtivity for this week. I know many of you search during Ramadan for a nice restaurant to gather with your friends and family over Iftar, so here’s a list of my favorite Iftar/Souhour places.
Make sure to check Lebtivity.com for much more options.
I remember at least two artists who were subject to online and offline boycott campaigns in Lebanon over the past few years due to their alleged support to Israel, Gad Elmaleh in 2009 and Lara Fabian in 2012. Gad Elmaleh was accused of serving in the Israeli Defense Forces (which wasn’t true) while Lara Fabian faced so much criticism for performing at an event to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Israel, and civil society groups of course tried to keep the two artists from performing in Lebanon.
Fast forward to the present, Wonder Woman starring Gal Gadot is scheduled to start showing across Lebanese theaters on June 1st. However, Gal Gadot is an Israeli actress and model who first appeared as Wonder Woman in Batman VS Superman last year and her upcoming movie posters have been surprisingly all around the country for a while now! That’s not just any actress supporting Israel, that’s an Israeli actress who served as a combat trainer in the Israeli Defense Forces with her posters all around Lebanon.
Anyway, the movie is showing in two days so let’s see if any cyber activists will try to take a stance against it!
Update:
I just learned the Ministry of Economy and Trade demanded the General Security to withdraw the movie from Lebanese theaters. However, the questions I raised above still stand.
Do you remember this old Kassatly Chtaura Jellab ad from the 80s and 90s? It has been 30 years since it was first aired on TV and I guess nothing signals the time for Ramadan nowadays like this ad tune does every year on Lebanese TV stations (though it has now evolved a bit of course).
Anyway I wish all a blessed Ramadan!
We always encounter strange stuff on the internet and this YouYube channel I stumbled upon today is one of the weirdest I’ve seen so far. “Batatavator” is a channel full of videos shot just inside elevators around Beirut.
From old to new, slow or high speed elevators, the YouTuber behind Batatavator likes all kinds of them.
If elevatorphilia is a thing then this guy is most probably an elevatorphile.
Here are my picks from Lebtivity for this week. I personally will be taking my kid out to the car free day in Mar Mikhael.
Make sure to check Lebtivity.com for much more options.
On the highway from Beirut to Saida there probably not a single restaurant or sandwich joint worth seeking for good food except for this burger place called Munchease.
Until last summer I never thoigh of checking it out even though a couple of friends kept talking about how good it is, but it wasn’t until they once dragged there me that I knew what I was missing!
I know there are several good burger places in Beirut but Munchease is probably the most underrated one among them. Passing on the highway you can’t miss it after COOP as it stands out with the wooden design and cool ambiance.
The menu is straight forward and is divided into 4 sections, starters, subs, burgers, and hot dogs. By now I can claim I tried almost everything they have and was never left disappointed except for when it gets too crowded inside (especially on weekends) even though the friendly waiters try their best to cope with everybody.
The portions are in general quite generous, and you can sometimes get enough with appetizers alone whenever you do not intend to go on an eating spree! My personal favorites are the mozzarella sticks, onion rings and chicken wings, and although they’re all fried items but they always served crispy and taste “clean” (or non-oily). I highly recommend you try the chicken wings by the way because they’re as good if not better than those served at popular american diners in town.
On to the burgers. They’re good, trust me, and I won’t go on to describe the bun and the patty because they’re just good! However, one thing you have to know about the people at Munchease is that they like their items to be overloaded with sauces and cheese. So the burgers they serve will always be messy (good luck avoiding to drip) and quite heavy with all the cheese inside. I personally always feel full with their decadent combo meals and never managed to finish the fries at the end.
For starters, I recommend you go with my all time favorite “Munchease Special” since it has the least amount of cheese, and make sure to try their different dips since they all taste good especially the honey mustard.
Price wise, value for money is quite fair compared to other places, a fulfilling meal for two with drinks will set you back around $20-25 which is far less that what you’d pay at other popular diners or burger joints.
Long story short, Munchease is worth the 10 minutes drive from Beirut to change from the usual places you’re used to, and with the summer season ahead, it’s also one of the ideal places to hit on your way back from the southern beach resorts.
Here are my picks from Lebtivity for this week. Whisky lovers should not miss the World Whisky day event taking place this Saturday at Eau de Vie.
Make sure to check Lebtivity.com for much more options.
Imad Kreidieh, the general director of OGERO, announced on his twitter account last night the new DSL prices that should soon be offered to the public once approved by the cabinet and they are as follows:
Note that open speed means as much as your phone line can handle. And according to the tests OGERO is currently conducting the speeds are reaching up to 10 and 12Mbps for people that are close to the exchange offices. As for free night quota, Kreidieh claimed it will not be available at this stage.
Needless to say, any price reduction to the DSL service is good to us, and I believe these new prices are quite fair. What I also wish is to have the process of switching from one ISP to another made easier since it takes up to two months right now.
Here are my picks from Lebtivity for this week. The 2017 City Picnic so do check it out for something different to do this weekend.
Make sure to check Lebtivity.com for much more options.
