Beirut Grocery Shopping List

Hummos (tinned)
Baba Ghanouj (tinned)
Tahini
Bottle of red (Bekka Valley, Liban)
Sesame candy
Date cookies
Sumac
Honey with pistachios
Olive oil
Licorice candy

I think I might have overdone it, but it was all local!  And irresistible...(Ummm...maybe I have food issues?!?!).

I go home tomorrow, and after all these feasts (coming home from the most recent 3-hour dinner at 11:30pm),  I'm actually looking forward to a little de-tox fast from overindulgence.  It was quite a wonderful visit (and business trip).

Midday in Beirut

After a short, but deep and heavy, nap at midday, I went to do some chawarma research.  A walk up, down and around the hilly streets of my hotel neighborhood, Achrafieh, I found myself at the highly recommended (by two trusted and independent chawarma sources), Boubouffe.

The sandwich was excellent - hot and succulent.  My Pepsi hit the spot.  When traveling  - tired, hot and jet lagged - nothing beats the Pepsi/Coca-Cola combination of cold, sugar, and caffeine in the mid afternoon.  Together, with a cup of strong coffee in the morning, and a glass of wine with dinner, it's my secret jet lag remedy.

I found myself wishing again that I could flow as effortlessly between French, English, and Arabic, as so many people here seem to.  I must say, I love the way ink flows from a pen in Arabic - all right to left, curly and beautiful.  It is not as easy on the ears as it is on the eyes - it sounds a bit harsh and guttural.  That said, having witnessed a few traffic confrontations, it seems to me it would be immensely colorful and satisfying to tell someone off in Arabic.  As in, "You can take your chawarma and stick it up your butt.  And while you're at it pour some Pepsi on it so it's nice and fizzy."

Charmed, I'm sure

This evening, at the invitation of Amal, I took a short trip, 26 miles up the coast to the ancient city of Byblos.  There, we strolled in the souk - the labyrinth, lantern-lit streets, quiet and empty. Later, past the Citadel, my footsteps echoed on the cobblestones of the still and silent courtyard of the mediaeval Church of St. John.  Wandering down to the small port, blue and white fishing boats were docked for the night in the protected harbor.  Walking out and looking back from the jetty, the lights of the seaside restaurants, nestled into the hillside, glowed from the mainland.  Then, as we climbed the winding, narrow road of blind corners, my French phrases of delight, curiosity and observation were interspersed with my slight breathlessness.    A shrine was set back along a path just in sight of the road.  There, an ages-old shelter housed a statue of the Virgin Mary lit by the candles left behind by her pilgrims.  Two simple wooden benches provided a moment of meditation, mindfulness and prayer.

At several times over the hours, I had to pinch myself.  I'm in Byblos.  In Lebanon.  This is my charmed life, as if I had a genie in a bottle.

Ladies' Lunch in 3 Acts (and one seduction)

Scene: La Plage restaurant
On La Corniche, in Beirut, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea

















Characters: Seven women
5 Lebanese, 1 Eritrean, 1 American; ages 24 to 75

















Act I: Eight+ mezze 
Hommos, moutabaal, fatoush, halloumi, kibbeh, and more

Act II: A giant platter of brochettes 
Lamb, chicken, kibbeh with french fries

Act III: Two extravagant desserts
Ice cream with cotton candy, and crushed pistachios

Our protagonist with hookah pipe

La femme fatale 
Amal (purple) kept winking at me