Random posts

• In the stars: With her book breaking all local sale records, I revisit Maguy Farah to see what all this astrology business is about.
• The 5 stages of the angsty woman: What follows is an accurate transcription, with some clarifying side-notes of the notebook I lived in prior to my summer lit examinations. 'twas a stormy summer night...
• Sunny side up: Lebanese punk band Scrambled Eggs talk about music and the industry, over whiskey and local beer at the iconic Torino, on Beirut's Gemmayzeh Street.
• Garage days: One of the most active organizers in the music industry, Jyad el Murr busies himself with his Instruments Garage, two music stations, and a host of concerts and musical events.
• Love is blind: Who loves you baby? Friends? Family? Professional matchmakers? We set two guinea pigs, Karl Baz and Nayla Aramouni, on three blind dates apiece to figure it out.
• Cotton candy: Zena el Khalil doesn’t create; she reacts to Beirut. Take the mind of a war-child, mix in the memories of an immigrant, and season with pink. Lots and lots of pink.
• Armenian school of rock: Armenian rocker Eileen Khatchadourian has managed to blend traditional Armenian rhythms with rock, and more rock. Here's how she did it.
• Ziad dit ca: Creator of West Beirut and Lila Dit Ca, Ziad Doueiri is one of the founders of modern Lebanese film. Just don't use that term around him.
• Toon out: Armand Homsi has spent the better part of his life speaking out through cartoons. Known mostly for his contributions to An Nahar, he never shies away from speaking his mind.
• Little fish: Some 2 million years ago, give or take ten minutes, in a cheery cave in central Africa, an ancestor paused in an unprecedented moment of consideration and regarded his mate.
• Wall of piss: Please and kindly, do not urinate on this wall.