You know what is the thing that upset me the most about those two videos? Her singing and destroying a Melhem Barakat song! Why you ask? Because I had no expectations for this show whatsoever and I am a big Melhem fan.

I think OTV should seriously reconsider airing “Sorry Bass” if that’s the best they can pull.

A Lebanese man, who was arrested in Dubai for possession of drugs, told the authorities he was unaware of the hashish ban as it’s allowed in his country, Lebanon. “Lebanese expatriates who were told about such claims described the defendant as a liar on the grounds all types of narcotics are strictly banned in Lebanon” [Link].

Hashish is indeed banned in Lebanon but there are still many villages in the Beqaa cultivating it and selling it, despite several attempts from the local authorities to destroy the fields. In fact, the last attempt was a complete failure as local tribes fired at the police and the army and forced them to pull out.

Several investors in the southern city of Tyre have reportedly become victims of embezzlement, radio Voice of Lebanon said on Thursday. “Saleh Basma and Chawqy Arab pretended to be businessmen and cheated their victims into depositing $8,000,000,” VDL explained, adding that the depositors thought their money will be invested. [Link]

Haven’t they learned not to trust such investors with their money? Did they forget already about Salah Ezzedine, Lebanon’s Madoff, who stole more than a billion dollars from his clients’ money back in 2009?

I never liked the guy and never will, but I am sure many of you will be excited to know Ziad is having two concerts on December 20th an 21st in Beirut. Tickets will be available starting this Monday at Boueiry Press Kaslik and Maarouf Saed center in Saida. Tickets prices are respectively 40$ 50$ and 60$. You can check out more info [Here].

Via Elie

Picture taken from LBC

شاهد عدد من المواطنين الخميس تنين البحر قبالة بلدتي تحوم وكفرعبيدا وجسر المدفون على شاطىء البترون بشكل واضح فشكل وصلة طبيعية بين البحر والسماء.

LBCI reported that Kfaraabida and Madfoun residents spotted a huge water spout today in the sea. That’s pretty cool but I had no clue waterspout or tornado meant تـنـيـن الـبـحـر in Arabic. I thought تنين البحر meant Sea Dragon which is a type of fish.

Why is he using Flash in broad daylight?

I saw this poster on the side of a Sukleen truck so I went into the App store to download the app and see what it’s about. As it turns out, it’s an app where you can take pictures to report any cleanliness issue to Sukleen directly and point out its exact location on the provided map. You can also follow up on the issues you’ve raised to see if Sukleen took action or not. Added to that, there’s a sorting guide that gives you tips on how to reduce, reuse and recycle at home and in your office.

I think it’s a pretty useful app but from what I understood it’s only available on the App store which sucks. As far as the marketing campaign is concerned, I wish they had gone with something simpler and showed an example of what we should be taking pictures of.

Via Maya’s Amalgam

Photo uploaded by Aya Hamade on Cheyef7alak

I think we have enough pictures of Lebanese cops breaking the law that we can come up with a book and maybe sell it in libraries.

Chateau Ksara

Chateau KA

Chateau Musar

I think Chateau Ksara has the best ad. I wonder what will Chateau Kefraya come up with.

Whenever I am looking for an original and unusual gift for a birthday or any occasion, Galerie Vanlian is where I would go. Once you go in that gallery, you get lost in the wide selection of unique, fashionable, classic and sometimes way too eccentric accessories and home furniture. My favorite items were the Ritzenhoff beer glasses, mugs and shots and I would always tell myself that I’d buy the whole collection one day if I had the money. For some reason though, I always thought that the items displayed are all imported from abroad and never imagined they’d be created by Lebanese designers.

However, and as it turns out, a large number of Vanlian’s furniture and accessories are developed and created by in-house Lebanese designers and there’s an International Interior Design Department located in the heart of Beirut and headed by Vick Vanlian “who supervises and oversees the work of a team of professional designers catering the design of any project regardless of size and location.” [Website]

I am sure many of the blog’s readers already knew about that but I had no clue until recently and this is one of the reasons that pushed me to post about it, to let more people know about talented Lebanese such as Vick and his team. Another reason is the Vick Vanlian event that I got invited to this upcoming Friday, which I am looking forward to attending even though I am as far from being artistic as they can be.

The reason why I am attending is because I’ve always been intrigued to know how artists and interior architects come up with ideas and concepts, and also because I get to have a say “as a Geek” in developing one item design direction for 2013 (If I manage to come up with something interesting lol!).

Fore more info about Vick Vanlian or Galerie Vanlian, click [Here] and [Here].

PS: The event is by invite only but I will be tweeting updates [@LeNajib] and posting pictures on Instagram [LeNajib] the whole time.

That’s one tiny rink! I think they should have made it much bigger than that.

Speaking of ice skating, Beirut’s Ice Skating Rink will be reopening this year but in a different location, at CityMall on the Dora highway, somewhere close to CinemaCity from what I was able to find out.

The joke has become overused but at least they’re doing it right!

Via Patrickabs

Picture taken from Sietske [High-Res]

I always look forward to Sietske’s posts, not just for the awesome pictures, but also for the exciting stories and adventures that follow. This time, Sietske got lost on her way back from the Cedars only to find herself in Tripoli where clashes have been taking place for the past few days. Glady she managed to get out safe and sound with her friends and family. [Story]

Picture taken from Sietske [High-Res]

I think it’s just a matter of time before other affordable guest houses open in Beirut and its suburbs. What Lebanon lacks as well are B&Bs (Bed & Breakfast) in the mountains or seaside towns.

Budget-minded travelers who also enjoy a bit of style are usually out of luck when it comes to accommodations. Budget-friendly options generally consist of hostels, folksy guesthouses, smarmy bed & breakfasts and budget hotel chains – all honorable and fine, but only rarely stylish.

There are very few super stylish rooms in in-demand cities with rates in the $100 per night territory. Boutique and art hotels charge several times this amount in most buzzing cities. Budget hunters usually have to rely on the occasional off-season rate dip to enjoy anything approaching boutique style.

Hayete has just four rooms. Two, with shared bathrooms, run $105 per night for a double (or $75 for single occupancy.) Two en suite rooms start at $125 (or $95 for a single). The rate includes breakfast, tax, coffee and tea from a shared bar, Wi-Fi and use of a communal refrigerator. [Link]

Update: The ad is being done by a fake profile that’s impersonating Wissam and using his pictures, as reported by Elie, a relative of him.

Wissam Fares wants a girl to spit in his face and he’s very serious about it, to a point where he’s buying ads on Facebook to find that special one. I wonder if he’s truly fooling around since 2010 or there’s someone behind this campaign.

Via TheIdentityChef