Love me Dutch

Random posts

• The gypsy emperor: Michel Elefteriades – guerilla fighter, artist, musician –doesn't even consider himself Lebanese, rather the Emperor of Nowhereistan, a state with no land and where everyone is welcome. Provided they pass the test. Where do we sign up?
• Butt feathers: Peahens – like women – are fantastically confused creatures, and as a result have driven their male counterparts to the brink of madness.
• Business beef: I generally tend to avoid potentially violent confrontations in closed environments, especially when said environments float at around 50,000 feet.
• So long, and thanks for all the Jack: I have it; the answer to our failing economy, our miserable jobs and our national gloom. It’s simple, and has been staring us in the face for a couple of generations.
• Deserts ahoy: We’re not built for sudden changes. When my ancestors travelled they spent weeks preparing ropes and mounts; I packed clean shorts into a small bag and walked through metal detector after detector.
• Angry mother: Nidal al Achkar is the lead role in the Beiruti theatrical movement. Manager and founder of the Al Madina theater, she offers a center for culture and art in Beirut, even if she herself has lost hope.
• Take me home: Just as Robinson Crusoe rediscovered religion, my mother called to chat, and suddenly I felt a little bit better.
• Hi, keefak, ça va?: Writer, publisher, lecture organizer and cultural expert Henri Zoghaib shares his incredible love for Lebanon and enthusiasm for literature.
• Take the stairs: Have you ever soaked up the bohemian vibe around Gemmayzeh Stairs? Thank Joseph Raidy, the man behind its renaissance.
• Whither thou goest: They stared at each other for a long time, him through the mask and her through a wispy cloud of existential angst. Whatever magic they shared was absolutely lost on me.
• Brush aside: Tony el Mendelek is a hairdresser, one of the best hairdressers in the country. But ask him if his work can change society and he'll laugh in your face. Which is rather refreshing.