Whats new?

SO Ive answered questions to THREE of my messages. I hope they've helped. I saved the hardest question for last, and mostly because there is NO WAY i could answer this question alone, through the internet, and any means in Canada. VisitingBeIrUt you presented me witht he hardest of all questions!!! The message i got was as follows:

"Hey Libnan lal Kil, ive been visiting your blog for the past 2 months now, nothing was new in it but lately you've been really blogging hardcore...thank god because i love reading your personal blogs...i burst into absolute laughter all the time, very different type of personality and sense of humor...Love it. My name is Salah my mother is Lebanese, originally from Kfarnis and my father is a Lebanese-Brazilian from Bednayel who has never visited Lebanon IN HIS LIFE. The thing is, i am in love with my culture, and my heritage, and i have visited Lebanon about 5 times but the last time being in 2007. I need your help, I want places and clubs and restaurants that are NEW...names of them, numbers, i don't care, just pleaseeee give me something new. I really appreciate it. Plus do you know any way for me to get into Skybar without the 5 months in advance waiting list?"

Salah (VisitingBeIrUt), you messaged me about 4 days ago, and i read it about 6 minutes after you sent it to me. I am obviously not living in Beirut, so i couldn't really find all these new places for you to check out on my own.... so i asked my three stooges and my personal gangster(hehe)! I sent Charbel, Adham, Fares, and Lina on a mission. The mission? FIND OUT EVERY NEW JOINT IN BEIRUT! Ive written a couple of times about my 4 friends, and who better to look and tell me about any new place but my fellow Beirutis at Heart <3>

1.) check out the festivals (from Lina)

2.) Establishment Club - Monot, Ashrafieh, Beirut

3.) Sidneys, Vendome, Mabu Restaurants - Ashrafieh, Beirut

4.) Classic Burger Joint- Sodeco, Beirut (www.cbj.me)

5.) Golden Tulip Hotel De Ville- Sodeco, Beirut (next to the French embassy)

6.) Coral Beach Hotel and Resort- Jnah, Beirut

7.) Pablos Pub and Restaurant - Gemmayze, Ashrafieh, Beirut (Charbel's home away from home)

8.) The Chocolate Lounge- Sodeco, Beirut

9.) Al Falamanki- Damascus str., Ashrafieh, Beirut (Adham tells you this place has the best Lebanese Mezze in the world)

10.) Al Balad Mezze- Nejmeh Square, Downtown, Beirut (www.albaladrestaurant.com)

11.) Molly Malone's Beirut Irish Pub and Eatery- Gourard Street, Gemmayze, Beirut

12.) Rue Bliss also has many many many new places and Monot's clubs and pubs have alllll changed since 2007 i think.

Thats all that was sent to me...Soo Salah, i will keep you posted until your trip on the 18th. By then my Beiruti friends will hook us up with some more. :)

P.s.: Skybar is a very...interesting club. It fits 2000 people, but yet you can never be seated or allowed in because guess what? ITS FULL? Nope. Its just very very exclusive! I will send you a number in a message, take it and when your in Lebanon call it, and I promiseeeee you'll get into Skybar ;) . Thats my gift to you for the nice message and your interest and love for Libnan.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Beirut

Lebanese area of the week #2

I know im one day early on this but i will be too busy to post an area in the coming days, so yup...Now I know MOST people focus on Beirut as Lebanon's main attraction, so I know i'm gonna get the crazy messages of people telling me to pick something new... but come on guys, how can i not feature the CRAZIEST area of Lebanon?? I know OK its in Beirut and you guys want something new an "undiscovered". Seriously, Lebanon is probably the size of New York and surrounding area....ITS BEEN DISCOVERED! Ummm so yes, this week i have chosen GEMMAYZE. I chose it because this is one of Beirut's oldest neighborhoods. The houses are older than the dinosaurs...but its not the "oldness", but it's DIVERSITY, that makes it touch my heart... and the smooth vodka i guess you can say. :)

Gemmayze falls in the Ashrafieh district of Lebanon's capital. Ashrafieh is a Orthodox Christian majority area, and is considered to be one of Beirut's most charming and "lively" areas :). Lets get to the point...Gemmayze. Its actually a BOHEMIAN quarter of Beirut- ahh bohemian...so nice. :) Were talking about an old district full of narrow streets and beautiful historic buildings from the French era. It is well known for its trendy bars and pubs, cafes, restaurants and lounges; a perfect chill out place to have a drink "with soul" and watch the night go by. Rue. Gouraud (oui oui en Francaise ) in Gemmayze has the highest concentration of night venues, particularly at the side closest to Downtown Beirut. Similarly to Monot street, this area is old and historic, and was designed well before the invention of cars, so going by car through its narrow streets requires a lot of patience (a lot doesn't cut it loves). It is however amazing, both in day and in night and worth a visit. Gemmayze borders Downtown Beirut's East side, and it too is a very short walk from the city center. Walking would be the best option, (being dropped off by a taxi at the entrance of the street, and walking the rest, is another option).
Be prepared for the unexpected though, you could see a VERY wide range of people in this area...from foreigners to locals...yesss that includes weirdos too PaulLingston( a fellow blogger, who likes to know about weird things- ya Allah). Ignore the fancy stuff, go straight into the old quarters, and check it out. The staired street is pretty bumping as well :)

P.S. if you come across a black and white cat, run... Ive named this cat BOEBOE THE RIPPER, as it chased me down the street with loud meows and a series of attempts to maul my feet.

So heres some Gemmayze pics, and a picture of BOEBOE. EEW