Don’t you just love March for the lingerie shows it brings every year?
Yesterday was K-Lynn’s turn to show the best of their designs at Rikky’s in Faqra. A friend of mine got these photos from Facebook and was good enough to share them with me. Thanks S! (Images courtesy of photographer Gilbert Kahawaty)
Click here to check the rest of the photos. (190+ photos).
Click here to check the rest of the photos. (190+ photos).
A cold weather and a good company is all you need to enjoy a pierrade at Le Montagnou Faraya! The restaurant has a really beautiful scenery in daytime, and feels really cozy at night.
I had a mushroom soup as a starter with a small share of a grilled chicken fillet course, and they both tasted good.
Then came the yummi pierrade with this large pot of cholesterol melted cheese. I had to deal with some guilt afterward but it was ok! 😛
… but I got a bit disappointed towards the end with the chocolate fondue, as the chocolate didn’t really taste the way it should be.
Anyway, having a friendly staff, a nice atmosphere, and good food, the place is totally recommended!
I was invited to a tasting at Eau de Vie Phoenicia last night which has been renovated and re-opened in November with a new design and exquisite menu.
I’ve never been to the place before, but I’ve been told it used to target old people prior to the renovation, and they’re now trying to attract younger people. Although I’m not really sure how many “young” people will be able to afford the prices on the menu, but I believe the overall experience of the place is worth it!
The staff was so friendly and took us on a small tour around the place to show us their new wine, whiskey, and cigar storage rooms, the new lounges and how small private areas can now be booked for groups of 50 people without really disturbing other guests, and of course their fantastic view of the Mediterranean and the mountains.
And then came the food… which was no less than awesome! We first got served some smoked salmon and a variety of salads, followed by our choice among 4 mouth watering main dishes, and finally a variety of really really REALLY GOOD desserts.
I totally recommend the place and I really hope they maintain their taste and quality of food, unlike other places in Beirut.
Oh and now that Valentine’s day is getting near, I suggest you book a table for two by the window at Eau de Vie if you’re on the look for a nice fancy place for you and your loved one, and I guarantee it’ll be your winning card 😉
I came across this profile on Gigapan today by a Lebanese photographer called Karim Saad who shoots cool panoramic scenes in Lebanon and the UAE.
My favorite among his work was this huge panorama of Beirut Central District.
Double click on the photo or use your mouse wheel to zoom in. The shots are so clear that you can even see the car plates numbers.
In this Panorama you can browse and discover a lot of landmarks as well as the beautiful architecture of Beirut downtown.
http://gigapan.org/gigapans/67894/Make sure not to miss the following:
1- Martyr’s Square and the famous Statue
2- Grand Serail also known as Government Palace
3- Al Amine Mosque
4- Hariri Burial site
5- St. Georges Church
6- Beirut Ports
7- Holiday Inn Hotel
8- UN Headquarters
9- Burj el Murr, Starco, An Nahar, Virgin, Burj Al Ghazal, UFA buildings and many others…Also on the far right, you will see a big part of the Lebanese coast including:
1- La Marina Joseph Khoury
2- Zouk Power Plant
3- Rimal, Holiday Beach, Aquamarina, Tabarja…
4- Notre Dame du Liban also know as Harissa
5- Casino du LibanIf you can’t find them on the map, they are all snapshot. All you have to do is to hover the mouse over the image a check the name. Good hunting!
Make sure to also check other panoramas he did of Kesrawan and Sannine Mountain, the Cedars, and Jounieh Bay.
It was good, but it definitely doesn’t beat Paul.
Aside from a simple thyme or cheese man’ouche, what else beats a breakfast at Paul??
Everyone seems to be on the quest for the best burger in Lebanon nowadays! Especially with the rise of several new burger places, like Classic Burger Joint, Brgr Co., and few others.
Until last week, my favorite burgers were the ones I usually have at Roadster Diner and Classic Burger Joint. But that totally changed as soon as I got introduced to Smokey O’z! And I bet you’ve seen their ads on Facebook a lot lately.
I decided to give it a try after I saw the extensive talks about the “Big Bad Wolf” burger on their Facebook page. The place is located at Sassine Square Achrafiyeh, and to my surprise it turned out to be so small! It only has a bar with 6 seats where you get to see the chefs preparing your burgers and sandwiches, no tables, and it mainly relies on take out and delivery orders.
Anyway enough talking, let me show you what I had!
They first start with charbroiling a drooling half pound patty…
Ketchup, mustard, and swiss cheese…
Crispy onion straws, aged cheddar cheese, and the juicy patty, waiting for tomatoes and iceberg lettuce to complete it.
… making up the Big Bad Wolf! Accompanied by just good enough french fries.
It was a treat! I had the burger for dinner after skipping lunch that day, so I leave you to imagine how delightful it was! The overall taste was really good, juicy patty, soft fresh bun, good cheese and fresh tomatoes.
Oh and it is easily eatable regardless of how oversized it looks! I mean you will not suffer from the patty (or any other ingredient) suddenly slipping out of the bun. A definite winner for me, and totally recommended. The burger is priced at 15,000L.L, and you get fries and a soft drink for an additional 4,000L.L.
Finally, the two chefs behind satisfying my hunger that night!
So.. are you drooling already? 😛
… Yep, the same one that got Sietske into trouble when she was taking a photo of it. Fortunately no guards came to forbid me from shooting the tree though one of them saw me taking a panoramic photo using my cell phone, I believe it all depends on what gear you are using!
It’s pretty cool to see, in addition to the decoration they set up on the 3rd floor.
Thanks to global warming, the weather on the independence day in Beirut was just awesome! Warm temperature and -almost- clear blue skies made it perfect for a walk at Ain El Mrayseh.
Fortunately the corniche was not congested with joggers and bikers, but fishers were just everywhere, and standing at the most bizarre places!
… the guys above were actually standing right where sewage water is dumped into the sea!
How can they still eat the fish they get from the sewage water is beyond my understanding, unless they sell them to other people like the man below was doing.
However, I seem to have missed a cool initiative by the Lebanese army and Leo Burnett! At around 3:30PM, a military helicopter flew at low altitude over the Manara corniche, releasing thousands of red roses attached to miniature white parachutes, carrying a message “Bihimayat Al Jonoud, Tanmou Al Wouroud”, or “Roses flourish under the protection of our soldiers”. The operation was called “Roses from the Sky” (you can watch a video about it here)
@chaftari from Leo was kind enough to share these photos with me.
I personally had mixed feeling about this operation… what do you think?
I couldn’t resist taking a photo of today’s sunset when I saw how colorful it was, and wishing I was out of the office somewhere near the sea with my DSLR.
November usually carries the best times to shoot sunsets in Lebanon, but unfortunately the sun sets so early at 4:30PM nowadays, leaving too few opportunities for employees like me who like shooting photos.
