Tag Archives | mar mkhayel

Pick a Flower, Snap a Photo, and Win $500 This Valentine’s Day

By Rami on February 14, 2019 in Social

If you pass by Mar Mikhael today then you will definitely notice red flowers bouquets hanging around the place and up for grab to anyone roaming the street. I first thought it was some sort of a practical joke when I was passing by last night since red flowers tend to get expensive around Valentine’s and you would not expect someone to just give them away for free during this period.

As I got closer, I figured it was Banque Libano-Française who staged that stunt around their e-branch in the area, and aside from giving people flowers to offer to their loved one they are also giving them an opportunity to win $500.

To qualify for winning the prize, all you have to do is taking a cool picture of the hanging bouquets or the flower that you pick (they’re staying there until tomorrow evening), share it it on Instagram via post or story tagging @blflebanon or @luckytobeyoung, and wait for their jury’s decision ext Wednesday February 20th.

You know everybody hates overpaying a red flower on Valentine’s, so there’s nothing wrong with getting one for free this year and even having a $500 on top of it! So Happy Valentine’s and good luck winning.

Valet Parking Fee Officially Set at 5,000L.L.

By Rami on August 4, 2017 in Law

If there’s one thing that unites the Lebanese people then it must be their hate for the Valet Parking workers. They’re overpriced, always rude, and they have the capability to doom a whole areas just like what they did in Gemmeyze and Mar Mkhayel! I seriously pity the people living in that surrounding as I personally do my best to avoid going there at night…

And unfortunately, just as in the case with illegal internet and cable TV providers, the government couldn’t keep the valet parking thugs from hijacking public spaces so it simply resorted to “regulating” their activities. For years now they have been imposing ridiculous prices up to 10,000L.L and sometimes more at lush venues, but a recent joint memo by the ministry of interior and the ministry of tourism fixed their service fee at 5,000L.L. So let’s hope it gets applied!

I’m not sure though if hotels are also subject to this memo.

Nadim Gemayel, Nasawiya, and the sick degree of followership

By Rami on June 30, 2013 in Lebanon

If this video is a proof of something, it would be that all politician are equal in being corrupt and believing they’re above the law.

This is actually the same Nadim Gemayel who always complains about the militia-like behavior of Hezbollah, now giving silly excuses and justifying their actions. The people at Nasawiya might have started the whole thing after chanting against all MPs when they knew Nadim Gemayel was in the area, but that definitely doesn’t give the bodyguards the right to abuse their power.

But to be honest, I wasn’t surprised by the whole incident, I mean what do you expect from Lebanese people in power? What surprised me the most were those people on social media and blogs who were actually defending Nadim Gemayel and calling to take the incident more lightly, just because they support him or his political view. What degree of followership are these people exercising?

Cabriolet Film Festival 2013

By Rami on May 23, 2013 in Events

Cabriolet Film Festival 2013 will be held on 24th, 25th, and 26th of May at 8 pm on Saint Nicolas Stairs in Gemmayzeh.

A total of 47 short films from 21 different countries will be presented to the public during this three day event, with free entrance for everyone. The festival program is available here if you’re interested.

On Fouad Boutros highway

By Rami on May 11, 2013 in Lebanon

According to an article on Now Lebanon and another on Beirut Report, it seems like the post I wrote back in March on the new highway in Achrafieh connecting Hazmieh to Charles Helou is true, since the project has already been given a green light and works might start in a month or so.

And ever since the news was spread, “Save Beirut Heritage” has been opposing the project as it requires destroying 28 old buildings. But how true is that?

fouad boutros highway 1

I mean let’s assume each building has only 3 to 4 families living in it, then the government should currently be in the process of buying a minimum of 90 apartments in order to later destroy them and be able to go forward with the project. But 90 isn’t a small number, that’s 90 families who can easily coordinate a protest or at least appear on TV to oppose being evacuated from their apartments, which is not the case right now.

That means the number of buildings is either much lower than 28, and therefore a large chunk of the highway will be underground, or the government is offering a really large sum of money for the families and they’re simply happy with it.

And let’s be real for a moment, the highway might be seriously endangering Beirut’s heritage, but old buildings in the areas of Achrafieh and Mar Mkhayel are rapidly disappearing anyway to make way for high rise towers! So are we over-reacting a little bit here..?

Anyway, I personally don’t really see the need to connect Charles Helou with Hazmieh through a highway passing by Achrafieh, since there’s already another highway connecting Hazmieh to Karantina which is pretty close to Charles Helou!

Photos of Discover Mar Mikhael

By Rami on April 8, 2013 in Events

Discover Mar Mikhael is an event organized by Achrafieh 2020 that turned the Mar Mikhael neighborhood into a car area yesterday in order to motivate people to discover it either walking or by bike, and enjoy the cultural and artistic events that were taking place.

Below are some photos shared by Achrafieh 2020 showing how was the event like.

Beirut Harlem Shake

By Rami on February 14, 2013 in Lebanon

Some group is planning to organize one giant Harlem Shake dance in Beirut this Sunday February 17th and are calling for everyone to go act all funky in Mark Mkhayel near Portview Hotel to do the video!

For full details, either check the website BeirutShake.com or this Facebook event.

Let’s get stupid

Through our wars and politics, we have proved our supreme stupidity many times. Let’s set a definite milestone proving who are the stupidest people on Earth by holding a giant Beirut Harlem Shake.

Step 1
Prepare stupid props. Masks, weird costumes, whatever. If you’re lazy, you can just decide to get naked. If you’re inspired, be as spectacular as you want!

Step 2
Be at Mar Mikhail, on the stairs near Portview hotel, Sunday the 17th of February 2013 at 12:30pm sharp (That’s 30 minutes after lunch)
Hang around in the area, seem natural, hide your props, and don’t look at the person who’ll be dancing there

Step 3
When the music sounds, put your props on and dance! Later that day, check back this site to watch the video

The whole event is 10 minutes long, so don’t be late!

PS: Don’t be a Buzzkill! Fun, kinky,colorful,party, ridiculous props only. This means no flags or other BS symbols. See you there peeps!

Links via @tramsh

Lebanon to witness total blackout tonight?

By Rami on July 30, 2012 in Lebanon

The EDL Board of Directors declared n Monday that the company will be forcibly closed until contract workers and collectors end their sit-in.

In a statement, the Board said that due to this step, power cuts are expected all across Lebanon in the next few hours.

Later in the afternoon, the EDL administration announced that it will be moving to the Zouk power plant and called on President Michel Sleiman to task concerned authorities with ridding the company’s main building of protestors. Source

Now that the EDL building in Mar Mkhayel is officially closed, when is the security forces willing to intrvene and send the clowns occupying EDL back home? If not now then when?

While many online campaigns are showing support to the contract workers, I personally support Minister Gibran Bassil in this matter. Those people were almost all hired through politicians like Berri and the alikes, and of course there’s an excess number of them now who are becaming a burden on EDL.

To me, these workers represent corruption at its best in our government, and Bassil SHOULD win his battle against them. Otherwise, workers in other sectors will follow the same path to stay in their positions and keep earning their undeserved salaries!

Photo via Marwan Tahtah from Al-Akhbar

Paint Up – Making Beirut brighter!

By Rami on June 19, 2012 in Lebanon

I’m really loving what this group of artists and designers are doing to Beirut. Equipped with colors and skills, these guys are painting staircases around the city with cool designs.

Bliss Street

Mar Mkhayel

Sakiet El Janzir

I hope their work won’t be limited to painting up staircases only, and maybe push it further to make walls brighter even.

Anyway, you can check their Facebook page here.