Beirutista

When I launched my blog Beirutista some 14 years ago, in the summer of 2012, I wasn’t exactly certain what the focal point would be. Sure, most of my articles featured candid and thorough reviews of eateries and holes-in-the-wall I’d discovered on my prowls through my new surroundings (I'd settled in Lebanon just the year before). I loved dishing out spotlights of lesser-known food spots or profiles of up-and-coming chefs. I could wax poetic about a cocktail prepared with finesse, or a pizza pie descended from the heavens. And while my taste buds were enjoying a culinary adventure of their own, I was also interested in the artist crafting his or her art. I’m a storyteller. I’ve always been a storyteller, even when I was pursuing a mechanical engineering degree in undergrad and grad school. I doubled down on honors humanities and social sciences to temper my technical studies and add a layer of communicative skills to what I do. You’re only as relatable as your words, written or ora...

I moved to Lebanon in early 2011, which means I’ve lived in the Land of the Cedars for well over a decade now. Before settling here, I’d always wondered how I’d fit in with the broader Lebanese public in day-to-day activities. Sure, I’d spent countless summers in our second home, perched in the eastern suburbs just outside of Beirut. But everyone knows that vacationing as an expat is closely akin to being a tourist in the motherland. It’s hardly a taste of “real life.” So, what are the highlights of transitioning from diaspora to local? Can locals easily weed you out, even if you’re fluent in conversational Arabic? Is there any advantage to being an expat around these parts? Let’s tackle these questions together. Beirut Waterfront I grew up in southern California speaking the Lebanese dialect at home. My mother mandated it, much to our chagrin at the time. She even taught us to read and write modern standard Arabic, so you could categorize me to some extent as a native speaker. How...

Unpopular opinion: skip summer in Lebanon. Come in the autumn, habibi, when the swell of expats has departed, when airfare is reasonable, and when the weather is mild. Nobody has vouched for the beauty and splendor of Lebanon as determinedly as I have. Let’s be honest here: how many born-and-bred-abroad Lebanese diaspora do you know who ditched their first-world livelihoods to carve out an existence in our precarious motherland? I’m guessing a very few. In fact, for those of you new here, the entire premise of my blog Beirutista, established in 2012, is to project the unique and enticing nuances of Lebanon to the world. So while I’m proud to be one of Lebanon’s most genuine and heartfelt proponents, I can’t say I’m not weary with the Ministry of Tourism’s ubiquitous campaign to lure expats back to the homeland this summer. We’ve seen it on every major Instagram page mildly affiliated with Lebanon, haven’t we? “No matter what happens, see you in Lebanon.” Or how about the sponsored caro...

If there’s anything that annoys me most, it’s the absence of stepping up and advocating for children. Ever since I became a mother, my awareness of the fragility and defenselessness of kids in general has heightened exponentially. I cannot stand by and see adults being careless or reckless around children. I will not stand by silently if I see children’s needs and rights being violated. And hence this written piece, which I hope will circulate in good faith to enlighten all those who read it.   Car Safety Children ages 12 and under belong in the backseat. This means no child seated up front in the passenger seat. And certainly no child nestled in the lap of the driver or the front passenger. I can’t believe I have to say this, but if you value your child’s life, seat him/her in the back. If your vehicle was to be involved in a collision, and your underage child was seated upfront, his/her body would not be able to withstand the impact of the deployed airbags. It could cause p...

Last week we enjoyed a mesmerizing meal at Al Beiruti in downtown Beirut. The attention to detail is enchanting, from the custom black shaffé coffee cup to the elaborate lighting fixtures juxtaposed by the vintage straw and wooden chairs evoking Lebanese heritage. Here's the interior Always make it a point to visit the restroom at a restaurant! Speaks volumes about how the kitchen might look and the restaurant's priority to hygiene. End your meal with traditional Lebanese coffee The cuisine is classically Lebanese with a few modern twists evidenced in the Al Beiruti specialties. Take for example the Aubergine, a delicately peeled roasted eggplant lying on a bed of labneh blended with tahini. Or the Shawarma which may have found inspiration in Armenian manti owing to a presence of zesty tomato sauce, cool laban yogurt, and pita squares to soak up all the goodness.  The quintessential labneh, zaatar and olives trifecta This is quite a unique take on shawarma! But don't overlo...

What an incredibly rare chance we get as parents to share with our children the same experiences that brought us so much joy as children ourselves. Last week, Toys R Us ushered in guests at its first stronghold in Lebanon inside ABC Mall of Verdun during an exclusive ribbon-cutting event complete with a visit by the mascot Geoffrey the Giraffe, a live band, hors d'oeuvres, balloons and goodie bags for the little ones.  This event was catered to the little ones! It was epic! All the name brands you'd recognize from overseas, including Mattel, Playmobil, Marvel, Play-Doh, and hundreds more, were on marvelous display, as children rushed to have a go at various demo tables and to explore the winding aisles. Demo tables are everywhere inside Toys R Us Lebanon! In truth, I was heartbroken years ago when I discovered a beloved fixture from my childhood in California -- none other than Toys R Us -- had filed for bankruptcy in North America and was shuttering its branches in my hometown...

If you’re like me and launched a blog during the heyday of the blogosphere – back in the early 2010s, when Twitter and tweet-ups reigned on high – you’re probably feeling like a fish out of water these days. I know I am. Assailed from every direction by Tiktok accounts, followers in the tens to hundreds of thousands, fancy reels, and a lexicon I can’t even decipher, I feel like a helpless fixture from the past harkening to a day when words were once swords and readers tuned in to validate our self-appointed journalistic endeavors. I started Beirutista in the summer of 2012, drawing inspiration from the prolific profiles of BlogBaladi (Najib Mitri), Gino’s Blog (Gino Raidy), Ivy Says (Dana Khairallah), and Plus.961 (Rami Fayoume). I had recently transplanted to Lebanon only a year before, and I ardently felt a need to document my adventures in the motherland as somebody who grew up abroad yet identified strongly with Lebanese-ness. My lens was unique, and I was eager to share it with ...