MAGAZINE MARCH 2013
FLASHING
LIGHTS
NICOLAS SEHNAOUI
WANTS TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH
LIGHT
BRIGHT
ENLIGHTENING THE MASSES
SALVATORE FERRAGAMO BACKSTAGE PASS
SPOTLIGHT
MARILYN
MONROE BY PHOTOGRAPHER BERT STERN
JANLEONARDO WÖLLERT WANTS YOU TO SEE IT HIS WAY
THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
STARRING
ZEINA
MARCH 2013
DACCACHE www.ragmag.co | R A G M A G | 1
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THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
MAGAZINE
Contributors Lara Ariss Jonathan Cainer Amal Chaaban Rabih Feghali Maria Frangieh Alice Hlidkova Sarah Hourany J.E.N. Maria-Elena Kassab Imogen Kimber Chris Lambert Sabina Llewellyn-Davies Maha Majzoub Rani Nasr Nour Obaji Jacques Tchabarian Adam Volk
Publisher Gina Gabriel El-Fady Editor in Chief Fida Z Chaaban Creative Lead Odette Kahwagi Assistant to the Editor Youmna Chagoury Junior Graphic Designer Eliane Elias Photographers Odette Kahwagi Walid Hoyek Dave Kai-Piper
RAGMAGMagazine RAGMAGMagazine RAGMAG
Opinions expressed are based solely on personal opinion and experience, not reflective in any way of RAGMAG, a division of Raycon s.a.l.
Selected images Shutterstock
Media Representative
Stylist Jony Matta Public Relations Coordinator Lea El-Alam Marketing Advisor Daniella Tayar Administrative Coordinator Teddy Younes
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ON OUR COVER ZEINA DACCACHE PHOTOGRAPHY ODETTE KAHWAGI RING BY VERSACE COLLECTION MAKEUP BY MAKE UP FOR EVER
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THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
18 EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES 128 COPYCAT REAL LIFE RUNWAY
88 FINDING FLUORESCENTS OUR FASHION SHOOT
82 BACKSTAGE PASS
SALVATORE FERRAGAMO SS2013
102 STARLIGHT
A HISTORY OF HAUTE JOAILLERIE WITH TIFFANY & CO.
OUT + ABOUT 30 BEIRUT HAS GONE DIGITAL
LEBANON’S SOCIAL MEDIA AWARDS
CULTURE CLASH 58 SURVIVE YOUR MOTHER IN LAW THIS YEAR HAYDA LEBNEN
38 DE-LIGHT-FUL JANLEONARDO
88
SEEKING
FLUORESCENTS NEON NIGHTS+ FLASHBULB BRIGHTS STARRING
ZEINA DACCACHE 4 | R A G M A G | www.ragmag.co
BRIGHT EYED + BUSHY TAILED PHOTOGRAPHY
18 FLASHING LIGHTS: CAUTION
WE TRUST MINISTER NICOLAS SEHNAOUI
106 SPOTLIGHT: THE REAL HOLLYWOOD BY PHOTOGRAPHER BERT STERN MARILYN MONROE REVISITED
FML 50 DISCO LIGHTS
GINA GABRIEL SPINS YOU SICK BEATS
YOU + YOUR COUNTRY 64 SHEDDING LIGHT ON EATING DISORDERS MAKE YOUR CHOICE
FINAL FRONTIER 44 LASER LIGHT SHOW! TECH
46 THE DEATH STAR + THE WHITE HOUSE SCIENCE
BRAINFOOD 151 QUIZ. SUDOKU. CROSSWORDS. DINGBATS THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
MARCH 2013
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THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
38 EDITOR’S OPINION 14 UNDER THE HOT LIGHTS
NO CENSORSHIP IN LEBANON!
MON AMOUR, MON AMI 54 HELLO THERE OLDER GALS MILFS + COUGARS
70 LONG DISTANCE DATING MAKE IT WORK!
MIND, BODY + SOUL 60 HELP ME NOUR + RABIH ADVICE
66 LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL BULLYING IN LEBANON
MIRROR MIRROR 118 CATWALK COLOUR
M.A.C RUNWAY CONCEPTS SS13
80 A LIGHTER TOUCH
DIOR HOMME COLOGNE
72 DUBAI’S MOTHER’S DAY TREATMENTS SPA REVIEW
76 TECHNICOLOR BY MAKE UP FOR EVER GET RAINBOW BRIGHT
78 LIGHT UP YOUR EYES GUERLAIN MAXI LASH
SPOTLIGHT MARILYN MONROE BY BERT STERN 62 IN “THE LAST SITTING”
REINTERPRETED FOR FIRST EVER EXHIBITION IN DUBAI
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EAT, DRINK + BE MERRY 154 RESTAURANT REVIEW BLACKROCK STEAK LOUNGE
144 EATING LIGHT + RIGHT RECIPES
142 PARISIAN LIGHTS
CHEF OLIVIER GOUGEON
TAKE ME WITH YOU 136 CARNIVAL! TRAVEL SEE, SPEAK + HEAR NO EVIL 132 SOUND CHECK MUSIC 133 READ’EM + WEEP BOOKS 134 PLAY NICE GAMES 135 WATCH OUT FILM THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
すぐに来る
MARCH 2013
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THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
PUBLISHER’S LETTER
I am sure most of you have heard by now that the nominations for the Social Media Awards are going on and one of the judges is our very own @FidaChaaban. She is of course one of the very best and we wish her all the best. Please go to www.smabeirut.com and vote! This is your chance to let your voice be heard. Talent deserves to be recognized. RAGMAG is pleased to be the Strategic Partner of the first annual Social Media Awards, and as we are fond of saying: we are the only magazine that talks back- so it made perfect sense that we would team up with the Online Collaborative for this much-anticipated event. This month BlackBerry Middle East got everyone talking with the launch of the BlackBerry 10 Z10. @ME_BlackBerry had us and our readers jumping with joy for the great reader rewards of #BlackBerry10. Congratulations to our winners Roy Harb and Rashid Ayoubi. I hope you’re making the most of your new slick devices! Our shoot stars Director Zeina Daccache- an admirable woman on all fronts. From her NGO to her remarkable craft, Zeina is truly a figure that deserves recognition and applause. We are pleased to have her gracing our cover and we hope you enjoy the fashion spotlight! My personal thanks go to Le Gray Hotel for hosting our interview with Mr. Nicolas Sehnaoui and to February 30 for hosting my FML. Recently, through the mediums of Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram, RAGMAG has finally proved that we are the magazine that talks back. Thank you to all and remember that #ItsYourMagazine. A big shout out and #RAGMAGLove go to all that have helped make it happen. I want to also mention that a natural progression has occurred: we have launched @RAGMAGFashion and @RAGMAGMusic on Twitter. Join us! Please keep writing to publisher@ragmaglive.com and follow me on Twitter @GinaGabriel1.
CHECK OUT OUR PUBLISHER’S FML AT FEBRUARY 30 PAGE 50
Gina Gabriel El-Fady | Publisher
MARCH 2013
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THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
EDITOR’S LETTER
LEFT: EDITOR FIDA CHAABAN WITH MINISTER OF TELECOM NICOLAS SEHNAOUI AT LE GRAY HOTEL CIGAR LOUNGE
THE
LUMINANCE ISSUE
BECAUSE YOU’VE GOT US ALL LIT UP
S
o where should I start? Should I start by telling our readers that you showed us overwhelming support and love on Facebook and on Twitter this month? Or should I start by saying that we are always here for you and that we won’t let you down? I think, after the Affinity issue, RAGMAG’s readership has demonstrated without a shadow of a doubt that YOU are part and parcel of this magazine. Thank you, you are all my stars and I appreciate all of the pictures, the messages, and the emails! This issue we have the honour of printing Marilyn Monroe as captured by one of the world’s best known photographers: Mr. Bert Stern. A new interpretation of this historic shoot that took place just prior to Marilyn’s death in 1962, you might love the revamp of the images and you might not. Regardless, we are thrilled to have Mr. Stern’s “The Last Series” in RAGMAG. Something else worth mentioning? Mr. Nicolas Sehnaoui –the Minister of Telecommunication. He is one of the few members of the flailing and ineffectual Lebanese government that is actually doing something useful. Find out what he’s up to in our exclusive interview. Now I want to talk to you about what I think is the most important thing in the entire magazine this month: censorship. If you were called into the police station to justify something you blogged about, how would you react? Well, that is exactly what happened to Abir Ghattas. She was asked to explain her intentions and she was warned not to discuss the subject. If you are active online, please look for Abir’s blog and spread
MARCH 2013
the word about how the police were using their very limited resources to question a blogger. I’d say that’s a limitation of our right to free speech. I’d also go as far as saying that they were told to do so by someone much higher up. Look for the full story in my opinion editorial this month. Talk to me on Twitter @fidachaaban and follow @RAGMAGMagazine for updates and reader rewards that are meant to thank you for being part of RAGMAG. If you haven’t joined us on Facebook and Pinterest yet, we’re looking forward to seeing you on those mediums as well. Email me at letterstotheeditor@ragmaglive.com to send me your thoughts and opinions about this issue. Finally, I want to encourage you to subscribe to RAGMAG and make it a part of your life every month. We are the only magazine in Lebanon that talks back and you can find us on the web too at www.ragmag.co We’re here because of the support and constant encouragement of our loyal readers. It’s Your Magazine.
Fida Z Chaaban | Editor in Chief
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
FOR OUR MARCH ISSUE WE CONTINUED TO TALK TO YOU VIA OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS- PINTEREST, TWITTER + FACEBOOK. WE THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND PARTICIPATION AND HOPE YOU CONTINUE TO INTERACT WITH US ONLINE.
JOIN US ON FACEBOOK AND SCRIBBLE ON OUR WALL TO WIN, WRITE TO US AT LETTERSTOTHEEDITOR@RAGMAGLIVE.COM OR TWEET US ON TWITTER @RAGMAGMAGAZINE!
IF YOU’RE BRAVE ENOUGH TO TAKE A PIC WITH YOUR FAVORITE ISSUE, SEND IT OUR WAY VIA SOCIAL MEDIA OR EMAIL! YOU’RE ALL SO PINTERESTING, SO PIN US. RAGMAG IT’S YOUR MAGAZINE! RAGMAG reserves the right to edit for clarity and content
We’re showing off some of the best images that our readers sent in via email and Twitter. Thank you to all of the readers who sent us tweets and emails of their copies of RAGMAG.
WE LOVE HEARING FROM YOU SO KEEP IT UP!
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We are obsessed with the Instagram shots of the magazine. This is this month’s favorite: a collage of our photo shoot starring Poly as Amy Winehouse! We search Instagram for our shout outs, so keep them coming!
THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
GUESS WHO’S BACK,
BACK AGAIN? #BLACKBERRY10 IS HERE!
On February 18th, RAGMAG joined a whole slew of tech-savvy peeps at the launch of the Z10 BlackBerry 10. The device that the entire world has been talking about, blogging about, and tweeting about finally launched in Lebanon. What’s even cooler? We gave the slick BlackBerry Z10 to two lucky RAGMAG readers: Roy Harb and Rashid Ayoubi! Roy and Rashid were also invited to the exclusive launch event at the Phoenicia Hotel in Beirut. Here are some shots of the event and our Publisher Gina with Roy! The full-touch Z10 device is the first of the BlackBerry 10 range with a whole new operating system. The Q10, the QWERTY keyboard edition, is scheduled for launch shortly. Hey BlackBerry, we’re sure you know how big our staff is on your brand, but if there was any doubt, now we’ve got a personalized shout out from VP Developer Relations Alec Saunders at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona! #BBWeLoveYou ME_BlackBerry
ALEC SAUNDERS , VP OF DEVELOPER RELATIONS AT BLACKBERRY, SENT OUR EDITOR A SHOUT OUT FROM THE MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS. CHECK IT OUT ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE!
MARCH 2013
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EDITOR’S OPINION
UNDER
THE HOT LIGHTS INTERROGATION+ INTIMIDATION CENSORSHIP IN LEBANON
SOMEONE DOESN’T WANT HER TO SHARE HER THOUGHTS INTELLIGENTLY AND THEY DON’T WANT HER TO SPEAK WELL. ABIR GHATTAS WAS TOLD TO SHUT UP
W
ould you help me share something I’d written if it had gotten me into trouble? I would share what you’ve written, especially if you were forced to cooperate with censors. A friend of mine and an activist that I admire, Abir Ghattas, was recently asked to remove a certain blog post on her personal site www.abirghattas.com. I first met Abir at a tweetup. For the less cyber-savvy readers, a tweetup is basically a meet and greet for people on Twitter. I found Abir engaging and bright, intelligent and well spoken. She still is all of those things, but someone doesn’t want her to share her thoughts intelligently and they don’t want her to speak well. Abir Ghattas was told to shut up.
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A mutual friend of ours (and RAGMAG contributor), Liliane Assaf, mentioned it on Twitter. Then Rita Kamel blogged about freedom of speech and she quoted Abir’s banned post. In a show of solidarity and a demonstration of censorship rejection, Abir’s post was being shared and re-shared. Rita Kamel stated this: “As a sign of support, I am re-posting the article regardless of my own opinion about the whole Spinneys case; Abir Ghattas has the right to disagree with a person’s actions.”
ABOVE: INTERROGATION ROOM BY YIGITKOROGLU www.yigitkoroglu.com
THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
UNDER THE HOT LIGHTS | INTERROGATION + INTIMIDATION | CENSORSHIP IN LEBANON
CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: ALAKHBAR WEBSITE, ABIR GHATTAS’ TWITTER, SPINNEYS PROTEST
SOMETIMES I WONDER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I WAS CAUGHT IN A PLACE LIKE LEBANON. NOW I KNOW When Abir Ghattas was questioned at the police station as to why she was taking such an interest in the affairs of Spinneys and former CEO Michael Wright, she attempted to explain that she champions the rights of workers. This didn’t seem to jive; they weren’t altogether familiar with the blogosphere and her explanations were going nowhere. After two hours of questioning, Abir Ghattas was released and told to remove the post. She was also told not to discuss Spinneys and the now defunct Wright. Abir Ghattas was reprimanded.
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Sometimes I write things that I think might get me into trouble. Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I was caught in a place like Lebanon. Now I know. I will be reprimanded and told to remove the material. Well, I wasn’t expressly told that I couldn’t, so I will. Apparently neither were the writers at AlAkhbar English. You’ll find some screenshots of their Spinneys coverage here in the layout. I contacted AlAkhbar English and I was given rights of use from their Editor to reproduce the images of the articles in print. Why are these pieces relevant? Because this big media outlet was able to write several stories sans consequence, one of which was titled: “Bye-Bye, Mr. Wright: Spinneys Sacks its CEO”. The article was written by Mohammad Zbeeb, and I am pretty certain he wasn’t asked to come to the police station and tell the police why he felt the need to write about this. The day I learned of the incident, I was in Dubai. I called Abir in a rage. “How can they do this?”
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EDITOR’S OPINION
UNDER THE HOT LIGHTS | INTERROGATION + INTIMIDATION | CENSORSHIP IN LEBANON
LEGALLY, WAS IT A CASE OF DEFAMATION? WAS SHE COMMITTING SLANDER? OR WAS IT CRONIES CALLING CRONIES TO FORCE HER TO TAKE DOWN THE INFLAMMATORY POST They can and they did, and Abir’s post is deleted. In its place is the following statement: “Due to censorship and limitation of freedom of speech, the content of the blog post written on Jan 10, 2013 titled: ‘Michael Wright, Spinneys CEO No More’, was forcibly removed.” I am not quoting her for this piece because I don’t know what sort of legal ramifications she might face, especially since this whole situation is shady. How the Lebanese police (who aren’t familiar with blogs, and weren’t able to read enough English to understand said post) were made aware of Abir is more important. Who asked the police to question Abir? Why were the police willing to do so? CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ABIR GHATTAS BLOG, RITA KAMEL’S BLOG, ALALKHBAR WEBSITE
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Legally, was it a case of defamation? Was she committing slander? Or was it cronies calling cronies to force her to take down the inflammatory post? Was it an intimidation tactic? I don’t know Michael Wright. I don’t claim to support the allegations made against him nor do I think I am in a position to comment on what he may or may not have done. But I do know that I cannot turn a blind eye to censorship in any way, shape or form. Formulate your own opinions and let’s all hope that no one tries to shut you up on the internet or in print. I don’t have a blog, but I have an op ed. I am following Rita Kamel’s lead: “AS A SIGN OF SUPPORT, I AM RE-POSTING THE ARTICLE REGARDLESS OF MY OWN OPINION ABOUT THE WHOLE SPINNEYS CASE; ABIR GHATTAS HAS THE RIGHT TO DISAGREE WITH A PERSON’S ACTIONS.”
THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
Organised by
EU - LEBANON COOPERATION DAYS LES JOURNEES DE LA COOPERATION UE - LIBAN
18 - 19 March 2013 CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION from 14:00 to 20:00 UNESCO Palace - Beirut
PANEL DISCUSSIONS Monday 18 March 14:00 - 15:30 Responding to the Syrian Humanitarian Crisis 15:30 - 17:00 Saving Cultural Heritage 17:00 - 18:30 Tackling Environmental Challenges 18:30 - 20:00 Supporting Election Reform
Tuesday 19 March 14:00 - 15:30 Strengthening Peace and Reconciliation 15:30 - 17:00 Supporting Human Rights 17:00 - 18:30 Exploring Economic Opportunities 18:30 - 20:00 Promoting Social Development
EXHIBITION STANDS
For more information: eucooperation@ifpexpo.com
MARCH 2013
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CULTURE CLASH
PHOTOGRAPHY WALID HOYEK LOCATION LE GRAY HOTEL’S CIGAR LOUNGE
FLASHING LIGHTS LEARNING TO TRUST ALL OVER AGAIN
NICOLAS SEHNAOUI IS REACHING LEBANON’S YOUTH, ONE MEGABYTE AT A TIME BY FIDA CHAABAN
I
don’t trust the government of Lebanon. That’s the truth. I also think that the government of this challenged country is guilty of creating a communication crisis. I wrote an opinion editorial stating just that in RAGMAG’s July 2011 issue. I attacked the telecommunications sector, and I really let loose. I soundly belittled the mobile companies for charging highway robbery rates and I described the internet as “prehistoric”, likening it to the early 90s internet in developed nations. I was very clearly crying out for help in the article, asking who was responsible and wondering how the government of Lebanon could not make the clear connection between the lousy telecom and the state of constant public unrest. Less than a year ago, I noticed that the Minister of Telecom, Nicolas Sehnaoui, was on Twitter. He was tweeting about what he wanted to achieve. I dismissed him as another Lebanese politician: all talk and no action. Worse, I thought of it as some self-promotion trick. I didn’t trust the man and
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I didn’t want to see his proclamations online. I mentally lambasted him, “Stay out of here. You have better internet than the rest of the country, who cares what you have to say? Get out of our Twittersphere, go fix the #Ontornet!” Then something happened. My internet suddenly became fast. I don’t mean Sonic the Hedgehog fast or even Fast and Furious fast, but way faster than anything else I’d seen in Lebanon. Was I imagining things? No! I could now send 20MB attachments. My emails were now downloading in 10 minutes or less- and believe me when I say that prior to this improvement it would take in excess of two hours. I noticed a tremendous change so I started following Nicolas Sehnaoui on Twitter.
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THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
FLASHING LIGHTS | LEARNING TO TRUST ALL OVER AGAIN
Then I watched him talk back to the bloggers and to the tweeps. He actually responded to regular everyday people, not just members of government, celebrities, and press. He was reading their comments and writing back personally. I was shocked and somewhat intrigued: so I started interacting with Nicolas Sehnaoui on Twitter. This was a six month progression.
After watching Nicolas Sehnaoui keep his promises online to my fellow tweeps, I decided to feature him. I got mixed comments from those online and those offline when I stated my intentions. Many people admitted that he certainly keeps his promises, and they also commented positively about his attitude, and his on-the-ground tactics. The negative comments included
everything from his political affiliation to the questionable Michel Aoun, to the recent allegations of shady dealings. My response: I support Nicolas Sehnaoui as a technocrat. I support anyone who makes promises and keeps them. I support anyone who tells the truth about why we’re experiencing internet difficulties and that admits the phone rates are exorbitant. I don’t care which side he’s on since Shakespeare said it best: “Hell is empty and all the devils are here.” If you have to choose someone, choose someone you can count on. If I’m going to pick someone, it better be someone who does what he says he’s going to do. Aoun-affiliation or not, the point of this piece is what I’m about to lay out in nine clear points. And if you agree with me, great. If you don’t, talk to Nicolas Sehnaoui on Twitter – he will answer you personally and then maybe you’ll understand why I, and many other people who are part of Lebanon’s online community, believe in him.
LEFT: ONE YEAR PROGRESS REPORT MINISTER OF TELECOM. ABOVE: MINISTER OF TELECOM’S TWITTER ACCOUNT
MARCH 2013
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CULTURE CLASH
OPPOSITE PAGE: THE COMPETITION TO WIN ONE OF 200 4G PILOT TESTS AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE MINISTER FOR ONE DAY AT WWW.BETHEMINISTER.COM
9 WAYS NICOLAS SEHNAOUI HAS CHANGED THE YOUTH OF LEBANON’S OPINION OF THEIR GOVERNMENT 1. HE LISTENS When I say listens, I mean really listens. He reads all of the tweets coming his way. He asks the online community questions about how they feel, and responds thoughtfully to those that present concerns. NS “I had to try with the youth, after about eight to 12 months, I started noticing that it wouldn’t come naturally. That’s when I started my social media strategy and communication strategy. It’s only me and a young guy, a great guy named Ralph Aoun- the competition was his idea. Talal, my Press Attaché at the Ministry, [sic] we made a public media strategy. It did make a difference, a few months down the line I started noticing that people saw this Ministry had a different attitude.”
2. HE RESPONDS He talks back, and often, he asks you to provide your contact information so he can speak to you directly. He isn’t robotic, he is involved. He will tell you how he feels about anything you throw his way, be it positive or negative. He isn’t isolated from the people of Lebanon, and certainly not from the youth. I would venture to go as far as saying he is one of the only members of government that has built a personal connection to the under 30 demographic. NS “We started social media about eight months ago, my style was go directly to the contact. For example a blogger who is 100 percent negative. I would call and arrange to sit together and tell him the whole reality of what we are facing, show him everything. We found they would leave the meeting completely transformed, blogging positively or at least neutrally. This contact strategy worked, and this is where the idea of ‘Be the Minister’ came from.”
“WE CAN CREATE A LOBBY [...] THAT SAYS ‘7ILOU 3ANAH POLITICS, RELIGION, ETCETERA, THIS CABLE MUST CONNECT’. I HAVE NO CHOICE, I HAVE TO DO THAT” 22 | R A G M A G | www.ragmag.co
3. HE IS “ONE OF US” A while back I watched him tweet back and forth with a young guy. I tweeted at the guy commenting: “Loving @NicolaSehanoui’s interactive attitude on Twitter.” The guy tweeted back: “Mr. Sehnaoui is ONE OF US.” Meaning he is one of the online community of Lebanon. Meaning he is part and parcel of Lebanon’s ongoing online conversation. He is “one of us”, and whether or not you take my word for it doesn’t matter. You can see for yourself (even if you don’t use Twitter) by checking this web address www.twitter.com/NicolaSehnaoui NS “I am one of them. It’s good that they acknowledge it. They’re a very tough crowd. I remember in the first few months, I thought ‘My God’! It’s a really nice story that I won their hearts. I think we can control the world together. I think the Lebanese people are the most innovative, inventive and creative people in the world. This creativity is expressing itself outside of Lebanon. From designers to chefs, we’re present all over the world. This digital world makes it possible to conquer the world from Lebanon, not three generations later [of those] who left Lebanon. For this to happen, we need the infrastructure. This is my struggle and my battle and we need them to engaged and believe in this. We can participate in crating the future and revolutionizing any field, I really believe it.”
4. HE IS TRANSPARENT His recent initiative called “Be the Minister”, an online game at www.betheminister.com, encouraged users to log on and download a straightforward pdf file that contained accurate statistics and demonstrated successes. The pdf file also contained areas needing improvement, so it wasn’t just one big public relations campaign. During our interview he said many things which surprised me, not the least of which was that “he works for the people”. NS “If they [the youth] are disconnected and they think everything is going badly, with who will I do things? I have to do it with these people, the educated, so we can create a lobby. A lobby that can say ‘7ilou 3anah politics, religion, etcetera, this cable must connect’. I have no choice, I have to do that. It looks like it’s working and I hope it will continue.”
THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
FLASHING LIGHTS | LEARNING TO TRUST ALL OVER AGAIN
MARCH 2013
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THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
CULTURE CLASH
FLASHING LIGHTS | LEARNING TO TRUST ALL OVER AGAIN
OPPOSITE PAGE, BOTTOM LEFT TO RIGHT: EDITOR’S OPINION ON THE TELECOMMUNICATION SECTOR IN LEBANON- RAGMAG JULY 2011, EDITOR FIDA CHAABAN INTERVIEWING NICOLAS SEHNAOUI
WHEN NICOLAS SEHNAOUI SAYS HE WILL CALL YOU, HE DOES. WHEN HE SAYS YOU SHOULD MESSAGE HIM YOUR INFORMATION, SOMEONE FROM HIS STAFF WILL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU 5. HE KEEPS HIS PROMISES When Nicolas Sehnaoui says he will call you, he does. When he says you should message him your information, someone from his staff will follow up with you and sort out whatever it is you’re trying to achieve. Such is the case with one tweep who couldn’t get her DSL connection in Baabdat. She tweeted, he followed up, and a week later his office called to confirm that things had been sorted out. Now that is real commitment. NS “I have a special focus on the younger generation. First because I feel close to them by age, second because I think they are the force that changes society. It’s more true in other countries, less true in Lebanon because we have sectarian division, but still they are the driving force: new ideas, new technologies, energy to change, they still have the components that make an individual or a society able to change. I need to focus on them, because I’m working for them. I’m working with the same energy they have... The target was 18 to 28 for ‘Be the Minister’ and any announcement I have to make, I make it in a university- this is where I need to be.”
MARCH 2013
6. HE IS LIVING IN 2013 He danced “Gangnam Style” with a bunch of kids downtown. He uses social media to get his message across and to find out what the youth of Lebanon are feeling. He set up “Be the Minister” to allow one Lebanese youth between the ages of 18 and 28 to try and experience working for the government of Lebanon, and also to determine who would be given a chance to try out the much coveted 4G connection. He’s got an Obama style attitude of engagement, interaction, and humour. He is modern and he isn’t afraid to show it. He earned the “Cool Minister” label for being down to earth and willing to take the youth of Lebanon seriously. He even let me tweet from his phone, not worrying what sort of mess I would make of his account. NS “English is the most common language, and it’s the technology language. There are two universes [in Lebanon]. There is the community of the young, exposed to what’s happening in the world, and the West. There is the other community that is the rest of the country, the villages, who know poli-
ticians but they live in another world. The [online] community, all they want is to be able to go through technological advances and be in touch with the rest of the world. The other group have political interests… the social media and the communication strategy is to reach the first group. Whether or not it is important politically or it will give fruit for me politically, I don’t know. Probably [sic] this group doesn’t vote or they don’t vote in my district but nevertheless, it is very important to attach this group to what is happening in the country.”
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“I THOUGHT PEOPLE WOULD TEND TO NOTICE THAT WE WERE CHANGING THINGS” 7. HE MAKES A DIFFERENCE He changed my opinion, and the opinion of countless others. I’ve seen it personally and there is an online record of it, again by checking social media platforms. I’ve seen the most sceptical bloggers warm up to him simply because he followed through on what he promised them. This is coming to fruition again with the 4G pilot session and the method in which people are chosen to participate. NS “We are moving towards the pilot phase for 4G. Around 400 people will test it, 200 of them will be winners of the ‘Be the Minister’ competition that will be drawn publicly in the Ministry. People can register for an e-ticket to attend and there will be a lotto for the attendees who will also win something. The draw is to ‘Be the Minister’ and win the 4G dongles.”
8. HE ADMITS THAT THERE IS A LONG WAY TO GO He isn’t pretending that the battle is won. He’s not even pretending the battle is half over. But he is adamant that he will do everything he can to get us there. He backs agendas that promote the modernization of Lebanon. Whether or not you like the man, you have to admit that there are very few people in today’s government that will promote an event or a cause that doesn’t directly benefit them. NS “The problem is we’re not using the full capacity, we’re still using the basic 3G. Why? Because we have people unwilling to collaborate with us inside the Ministry- the famous problem with the GM of the Ministry. We are still functioning by microwave. They should work by air from your phone to the antenna and then from the antenna to the base system,
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then they should go by wire, by fibre optic. He’s refusing to let us pass by the old fibre optic wires. His reasons? I don’t know, he doesn’t bother to give us reasons. So we’re waiting for the new fibre optic network to function which should happen soon, but there are administrative problems.”
9. HE GETS THAT WE HAVE TRUST ISSUES He knows that the youth of Lebanon don’t trust the government, and he admits that he doesn’t have full faith in the system either. By doing what he’s doing, he has worked slowly to bridge that gap, and he’s made the government a less fearsome and alien entity. NS “Building the trust with people... actually it was a struggle. I’ve worked on it a lot. In the beginning I thought it would come naturally because of the pace and the energy we’re putting into it to make things happen. I thought people would tend to notice that we were changing things. The specifics of our politics and regional politics makes it difficult, you can be labelled as this group or that one, and this will make people hate you.”
THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
FLASHING LIGHTS | LEARNING TO TRUST ALL OVER AGAIN
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IS “HARLEM SHAKE” GOING TO OUTDO “GANGNAM STYLE”? The new viral concept is simple: a masked person starts “dancing” to Baauer’s “Harlem Shake” song while people around seem oblivious to what’s going on. Halfway through the 30 second video, the other people (sometimes with additional characters) in crazy costumes start dancing too. The moves? Shouldershaking, head-banging, butt-slapping and other crazy gyrations. Within two weeks, over 12000 videos were posted on YouTube, garnering in excess of 44 million views. Psy’s “Gangnam Style” was the first ever video to hit the 1 billion view mark, how long will it take the “Harlem Shake” and is there is one specific video that will best the existing record? BREAKING: As this issue went to print, our own Nemr Abou Nassar released his own version of the “Harlem Shake”, check out the image right here.
RAGMAG’S VOTE PROBABLE
WHY DID BEYONCÉ LIP-SYNC AT THE PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION IN FEBRUARY 2013? POPE GREGORY XII PHOTO CREDITS: MIQU77, SHUTTERSTOCK
American performing artist Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter, often referred to as the Queen of R N’ B, was recently accused of lip-syncing her version of the Star Spangled Banner to a pre-recorded track during Obama’s 2013 presidential inauguration. She later confirmed the rumours during a press conference about her Super Bowl performance, silencing critics by performing a live, a capella version of the national anthem. Beyoncé said she “did not have time to rehearse with the orchestra. Due to no proper sound check, I did not feel comfortable taking a risk. It was about the president and the inauguration, and I wanted to make him and my country proud.”
FIVE QUESTIONS
BEYONCE KNOWLES’ PHOTO CREDIT: HELGA ESTEB, SHUTTERSTOCK
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THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
FIVE QUESTIONS THE WORLD IS ASKING
WHY DID THE POPE RESIGN?
WILL THE BLACKBERRY 10 “CHANGE EVERYTHING”? For us, it’s a definite yes! A double yes, a triple yes. According to the International Data Corporation, BlackBerry (formerly Research in Motion) had only 4.6 percent of the 2012 Smartphones marketshare. Compared to other devices, BlackBerry just wasn’t keeping up. It all changes with the new Z10: a new operating system, apps, the push email and strong messaging services, not to mention security good enough for the President of the US. The RAGMAG staff members who were using 2 phones (one BlackBerry because they wouldn’t let go, and one other smartphone), are now all switching back to their first love. Because now they can have it all.
The last time there was a papal resignation was in 1415 when Pope Gregory XII resigned from his pontifical functions to end a civil war within the Church. 600 years later, Pope Benedict XVI resigns because he says he has come “to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.” Many have addressed the news by questioning the reason of his resignation. Browse the Internet and you’ll find conspiracy theories ranging from causing a decrease in Church revenue to being on the verge of facing charges for his role in sex abuse scandals. Pope Benedict XVI’s administration has been subject to controversy since the beginning.
RAGMAG’S VOTE CERTAINLY
RAGMAG’S VOTE FISHY
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER LAMA? In November 2012, Saudi cleric Fayhan Ghamdi was arrested for the abuse and the murder of his five year-old daughter Lama. Rumours spread across major media outlets that Ghamdi had paid a “blood money” fine of $50,000 and was then released in February of this year. The Saudi Ministry of Justice denied the allegations, however sources close to the ruling royal family have been cited saying they will seek
a strong punishment sentence. This might not be the first child abuse case in Saudi Arabia, but it sure is the one that attracted the most attention from the global media. Manal al-Sharif, from the Women To Drive activist group, started a Twitter campaign #AnaLama and activists have called on authorities for stronger laws against women and child abuse. We’re all waiting to see what’s going to happen next.
RAGMAG’S VOTE DEPLORABLE
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OUT+ABOUT
THE ONLINE
COLLABORATIVE TALKS BACK
BEIRUT’S FIRST ANNUAL SOCIAL MEDIA AWARDS
INTERVIEW WITH MOHAMMAD HIJAZI, CHIEF COLLABORATOR OF ONLINE COLLABORATIVE, REGARDING THE SOCIAL MEDIA AWARDS AND WHO’S BEHIND IT ALL
WHERE DID THE IDEA OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA AWARDS COME FROM? We came up with the Social Media Awards (SMA) because we found that there is a need to recognize the outstanding members from the online community in Lebanon on their great efforts of making this community so engaging and active. There is currently no objective organization that is evaluating and identifying the social media scene in Lebanon, and we hope that the SMAs will provide a platform for people to be distinguished objectively based on their social media presence. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE STAGES OF THE SMA? The SMAs are divided into four major stages. The first one is the nominations phase where people submit nominations for their favorite social media accounts across 33 categories that span from personal and business accounts to celebrities and media. Nominations will be accepted until March 7th by 11.59pm.
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The second stage is the judging phase where a panel of expert and celebrity judges will evaluate all nominations and vote to come up with seven finalists for each category. The finalists will be announced in a press conference towards the end of March. The third stage is the voting stage where the finalists are revealed to the public. This is where the public will get a chance to vote for their favorite finalists for a chance to win the award that they are nominated for. After voting is done, the fourth stage is the award ceremony that will be held towards the end of April to announce the winners and distribute the awards. We are expecting around 700 invitees to attend the event with massive traditional and digital media coverage. WHO ARE THE JUDGES? We have 12 judges. We’ve confirmed Nemr Abou Nassar, Lebanon’s foremost comedian, Editor in Chief of RAGMAG Magazine Fida Chaaban, CEO and founder of ArabNet Omar Christidis, British Ambassador
to Lebanon H.E. Tom Fletcher, myself Mohammad Hijazi, Chief Collaborator of Online Collaborative, CEO of The Alleyway Group Ziad Kamel, Marketing Instructor at American University of Beirut (AUB) Leila Khauli Hanna, Darine Sabbagh Marketing Collaborator of Online Collaborative, Lebanese Minister of Telecommunications H.E. Nicolas Sehnaoui, and Octavia Nasr, journalist and CEO of Bridges Media Consulting. The most recently announced were artist Maya Zankoul and TV personality Shada Omar. HOW DID YOU CHOOSE THE JUDGES? We chose the judges based on their activity and expertise with social media. We believe that our team of judges will choose the finalists objectively. Our aim was to choose a diversified panel that will not be biased towards accounts, especially for the business categories. It is crucial to point out that the business and personal accounts of the judges will not be considered for awards to preserve neutrality and fairness.
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“WE CAME UP WITH THE SOCIAL MEDIA AWARDS (SMA) BECAUSE WE FOUND THAT THERE IS A NEED TO RECOGNIZE THE OUTSTANDING MEMBERS FROM THE ONLINE COMMUNITY IN LEBANON ON THEIR GREAT EFFORTS OF MAKING THIS COMMUNITY SO ENGAGING AND ACTIVE. THERE IS CURRENTLY NO OBJECTIVE ORGANIZATION THAT IS EVALUATING AND IDENTIFYING THE SOCIAL MEDIA SCENE IN LEBANON” WHAT HAS THE ONLINE COMMUNITY’S RESPONSE BEEN? We are overwhelmed by the great support from the online community. It is the driving force of this event and we are glad to have received so much positive feedback and engagement. Ultimately, this event is for them and we are glad that they are pleased with where it is going.
HOW DID YOU DETERMINE WHICH CATEGORIES WERE RELEVANT FOR THE SMA? Our team brainstormed over several sessions and came up with a long list of categories. Then we worked really hard to narrow them down to the 33 existing categories. However, due to feedback from the public, we might be splitting some of the categories that are broad to ensure that more people are represented. One example is the Lifestyle Blog category.
WHO IS SUPPORTING THE SMA? The main organizer of the SMAs is the Online Collaborative. However, it is being supported by the amazing RAGMAG team, our strategic partner for the event, and a big number of sponsors, community partners and media partners that can be found on our website. WHAT KIND OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT DO YOU HOPE FOR? We hope that the community finds our event interesting and engaging and we invite them to actively nominate their favorite people and campaigns on social media as well as participate in the final voting stage to ensure that their voices are heard.
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CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE ONLINE COLLABORATIVE AND HOW IT WORKS WITH UNIVERSITIES? The Online Collaborative is an initiative that I started back when I was a student at AUB. My initial aim was to gather bloggers and users of social media under one organization in order to unify and maximize their online social effort. In 2010, our journey began with “Blogging Lebanon,” a conference that shed the light on the then upcoming blogging scene in Lebanon. Since then, we have held numerous workshops for students from schools and universities to teach them the proper usage of social media. We have also held entertaining events such as GeekFest Beirut 5.0 in 2012 and several tweetups, and informative conferences such as “Social Media Changing Lives” in 2011. In addition, we are currently instructing five technology related courses for senior citizens at AUB as part of the University for Seniors. Our main mission now is to promote the proper usage and utilization of technology and social media across Lebanon. We are currently actively seeking to expand into different universities and schools and we have started with Haigazian University and in the process of engaging students in LAU, AUST, UOB, NDU, AOU and LIU.
THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
THE ONLINE COLLABORATIVE TALKS BACK | BEIRUT’S FIRST ANNUAL SOCIAL MEDIA AWARDS
“THE ONLINE COLLABORATIVE IS AN INITIATIVE THAT I STARTED BACK WHEN I WAS A STUDENT AUB. MY INITIAL AIM WAS TO GATHER BLOGGERS AND USERS OF SOCIAL MEDIA UNDER ONE ORGANIZATION IN ORDER TO UNIFY AND MAXIMIZE THEIR ONLINE SOCIAL EFFORT” CAN YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR TRANSITION FROM SCHOOL TO THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT AND HOW THE ONLINE COLLABORATIVE HAS FACILITATED THAT? For me, the transition from school to the working environment was very smooth since I was working before I graduated from AUB, especially because of my involvement with the Online Collaborative. The Online Collaborative has facilitated my transition greatly because it got me and other members exposed to the top companies and clients in the region. The experience that I gained from managing it and its events has made my job as a digital marketing consultant proficient and stress-free
GO DIGITAL WITH THE SOCIAL MEDIA AWARDS www.smabeirut.com SocialMediaAwardsBeirut SMABeirut
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ONLINE COLLABORATIVE www.onlinecollaborative.com onlinecollaborative AUB_OC
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CULTURE CLASH
BLOCKBUSTER LEBANON’S SILVER SCREEN EXPERIENCE GETS A REVAMP
EMPIRE CINEMAS’ GINO HADDAD IS SERIOUS ABOUT MAKING YOU HIS NEXT CONQUEST BY YOUMNA CHAGOURY
T
he people [in Erbil] are hungry for entertainment, soft entertainment. There isn’t much yet over there. The market is ready and the people are looking forward to having a nice project over there. The cinema is scheduled to open in April.” Gino Haddad, Managing Partner Empire Cinemas, discusses one of their upcoming projects in Erbil, Iraq, the first ever cinema multiplex in the country and the first Empire Cinema to open outside Lebanon. This project comes a long way since 1919
when Gino’s grandfather first opened a movie-screening venue in Burj called Cosmograph. “The first cinema was not even a cinema the way we understand it nowadays. It was a small café, with an old manual projection machine, with charcoal and no sound, just black and white pictures going through and someone telling the story. Since then, technology has evolved so much and today cinema is a completely different experience than what it used to be. At that time, back in the 20s and the 30s, it was elegant, chic. Today we’ve lost that. Today it’s trendy, it’s young, it’s different.”
Over the years, the Haddads built a movie empire in Lebanon and throughout the Middle East, a business success story highlighted by exclusive distribution deals with United Artists in the late 50s and Columbia Pictures in the early 60s. This includes the opening of new theaters during the Lebanese Civil War; the first five-screen multiplex in the Middle East. “During the war, everything shifted to Jounieh. That’s where we first opened the Cineplex that was Espace [in Kaslik] and it did amazingly well because there was nothing else, that area was the safe area to be in.” In 1982, Empire Cinemas opened what later becomes the flagship of the company, a theater in the then upscale Sofil Center, in Achrafieh. Over the years, the
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THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
BLOCKBUSTER | LEBANON’S SILVER SCREEN EXPERIENCE GETS A REVAMP
THE NEWLY RENOVATED EMPIRE PREMIERE AT SODECO WILL “CATER TO REFINED PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO SEEK PREMIUM SERVICE. IT’S A WHOLE NEW CONCEPT, ONE OF ITS KIND IN LEBANON” Sofil Theatre has become the benchmark in art-house cinema, showing both independent Lebanese and international movies on a regular basis, in addition to hosting many festivals every year, including the Lebanese Film Festival, the Beirut International Film Festival, and the European Film Festival. Haddad maintains that supporting the Lebanese film scene is one of their focuses: “There is not one decent Lebanese movie that did not play in an Empire Cinema multiplex. We don’t just play them in Sofil, we usually play them in all our theaters. Because we believe in promoting local production, and pushing and sponsoring them. Whatever support we can give, we give.”
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Due to open this month is their newly renovated Empire Premiere at Sodeco, a multiplex that “caters to refined people, people who seek premium service.” Beginning at the entrance hall, Haddad explains that it “will make you feel like you’re landing in a hotel lobby. You can purchase them [tickets] online or you can get them at the kiosk in the entrance hall. The concept of this place is hasslefree. You arrive, our hostesses welcome you, you get your personalized ticket with your name on it, and you’re guided down.” Gino heads down the stairs lined with padded leather walls and LED screens that will be showing trailers and movie guides. Once in the main lobby, couches, lounges and high tables
BELOW GINO HADDAD, MANAGING PARTNER EMPIRE CIMEMAS PHOTOGRAPHY WALID HOYEK
“THERE IS NOT ONE DECENT LEBANESE MOVIE THAT DID NOT PLAY IN AN EMPIRE CINEMA MULTIPLEX. [...] WHATEVER SUPPORT WE CAN GIVE, WE GIVE” will be available for everyone to wait for the movie to start. “You have several options here: you can come long before the movie starts and have dinner and cocktails, or use the free wifi access, or read a book from the bookcases at your disposal, or you can come on time and order your food and drinks that will be delivered to you inside the theater by a butler.” For their dining option, Empire Premiere teamed up with Le Sushi Bar, currently the hallmark of fine sushi in Lebanon. “They’re the best at what they do and we cater to the same clientele. The clients will understand why it’s them and not another sushi restaurant, because it’s where they go to too. It’s a high-end upmarket restaurant and it’s the one that suits best what we’re trying to create, the new Empire Premiere at Sodeco. We created a specialty menu for this venue and the food will be prepared onsite, not delivered, to ensure its freshness. ”
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Closed in November 2012 and under renovation since last December, Empire Sodeco underwent a lot of changes in just a few months. We take a look at one of the renovated theaters and despite being unfinished, it emanates comfort and indulgence. The formerly 160 seat theater will now host just 30 viewers, for good reason: “Everyone gets their own space, it’s like a big home cinema,” explains Gino. The large armchairs come with an embedded remote control to incline the seat to your liking and “you get your own blanket and cushion, your side table for your food and drinks.” There even is a call button for the butler: if you want a refill or something to munch on, you don’t need to miss a second of the movie. What makes it genuinely different? To Gino, it’s all about being able to treat no one differently. “At 20 dollars per ticket, it’s not a cinema for rich people. It’s a cinema for people who are looking for certain things, things that other venues don’t provide them with. The good thing about this venue is that the whole theater is like that. You don’t have a mix like in other cinemas. We’re trying to replicate what it used to be, you know going out as an outing, as a whole experience, not just going to the movies to watch a movie.” You are the new Empire Premiere client, and yes, they will welcome you home
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BLOCKBUSTER | LEBANON’S SILVER SCREEN EXPERIENCE GETS A REVAMP
“FOOD AND DRINKS [...] WILL BE DELIVERED TO YOU INSIDE THE THEATER BY A BUTLER”
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CULTURE CLASH
DEJanLeonardo LIGHT- Wöllert FULL HAS QUITE A FEW BRIGHT IDEAS
BY MAHA MAJZOUB
Photos courtesy JanLeonardo Wöllert
W
hen I think of light, I visualize the flickering bulb in my bathroom or the dirty fate of my washing machine, which has repeatedly threatened - and thrice attempted - to take its own life. Both bulb and washing machine have been afflicted by years of excruciating suffering at the hands of the scheduled/random power outages. If, like me, you happen to reside in Lebanon at this particular point in time, you may associate light with an undeniably favorite pastime - and that’s cursing the life out of our state.
But when JanLeonardo Wöllert thinks of light, he conjures up images of a somewhat different nature. To him, light is the creative agent of the 21st century. It is fantasy in spatial vision. It is unending possibilities in multi-dimensional creation. And it is with light that Wöllert makes pure, unadulterated magic. A wunderkind who creates luminous sculptures that are captured in photographs, Wöllert paints with light, and the world is his canvas. A symbiosis of art and photography, his work explores all possible - and the seemingly impossible - scenarios of choreographed light and performance.
PHOTO CREDIT: SHIT WRONG PLANET, PORT OF BREMEN, GERMANY. JANLEONARDO WÖLLERT IS USING HERE THE CANON 5D MK III CAMERA WITH CARL ZEISS LENS, WHICH IS MOUNTED ON A SOLID MANFROTTO TRIPOD.
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The art form, known as Light Art Performance Photography or LAPP for short, was crafted by Wöllert himself, having discovered it coincidentally in 2007. “The work is created under time exposure at the moment of the performance,” explains the German light artist. He defines LAPP as an interface between the performance of light art and the technical execution of a photograph. While there are no computers and no post-production at play, the light performance itself is heavily choreographed and rehearsed prior to the exposure being taken, insists Wöllert, a self-taught image maker who honed his skills while rubbing elbows with celebrated German photographer Stephan Meyer-Bergfeld.
THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
DE-LIGHT-FULL | JANLEONARDO WÖLLERT HAS QUITE A FEW BRIGHT IDEAS
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Many LAPP compositions consist of some 20 to 50 single steps between opening and closure of the shutter. And this necessitates a great deal of dexterity on the part of the performer by being both quick-witted and quick on his/ her feet “to achieve the exact pace of synchronized steps with the handling and distribution of lights,” says Wöllert. The movements, planned and executed with much fastidiousness, compounded with obsessive precision in the design, result in inventive motifs and seriously striking photographs. For each picture, the camera is mounted on solid tripods with a remote control to trigger exposures that often go beyond 60 minutes. Wöllert usually uses the Canon 5D MK III camera, Carl Zeiss lenses and Manfrotto tripods. Wöllert generates the most vivid colours and light effects with a range of sources, including fireworks, light sticks, flash and LED lights, usually combining the most diverse products to create entirely new lighting tools.
A FLASHY ESSENCE LAPP images, or dances with light if you wish, entail a painstaking amount of prepping and an endless supply of creativity. Wöllert would plan an image or a sequence for several weeks ahead of the shooting date, all the while scouting for the right location and mapping out the shoot in detail so as to leave nothing for chance. “My last work contract for Japan Tobacco, who asked for a LAPP photograph for a big campaign in Japan, required one month from start to finish,” he notes. “[Although it was a single photograph], they didn’t know what they wanted exactly, and so I worked on three different designs,” continues Wöllert, whose crisp imagination has earned him the “German Prize for Science Photography 2008”. CLOCKWISE: LIGHT FIRE EYE, BEELITZ HEILSTÄTTEN, GERMANY UFO, BORREGAARD ATTISHOLZ, SWITZERLAND
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Japan Tobacco wasn’t the first conglomerate for which the artist made light twist and shout. The seasoned photographer was commissioned by Nike during the 2010 World Cup to celebrate the colors of eight Nike teams, making the team jerseys illuminate in a breathtaking setting. It was one of many interactive pieces that Wöllert realized in his hometown Bremen in northwestern Germany. Another one meriting a mention is “Shit Wrong Planet”, where the artist masterfully embodies a man in a whirlpool of confusion. (We didn’t just pick that one for the über suave title, we promise). Also at home Wöllert has staged more hypnotic performances than he can count. In Beelitz east of Germany, he has repeatedly gone inside the BeelitzHeilstätten sanatorium, the infamously deserted hospital where Hitler and Honecker were treated for injuries they sustained during World War I. Examples include “Magician Hallelujah”, Wöllert’s brilliant interpretation of prayer and submission to the divine where he portrays his subject fully ready to accept the light into his heart.
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DE-LIGHT-FULL | JANLEONARDO WÖLLERT HAS QUITE A FEW BRIGHT IDEAS
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A self-professed late-night habitué, Wöllert paints the greater majority of his pictures when the rest of the world is fast asleep. “I love the night and the darkness. Even as a child I used to go out secretly at night. At night, you don’t meet people and you can organize the long exposures, choreographies and performances. The night is my stage,” he remarks. Equally crucial to the making of that stage of his is locating a site that speaks to him. “Locations are not always easy to find and the interaction between background and moving lights with their sometimes strange appearance of hard light are essential to create the desired atmosphere and effect of the light art performance,” argues Wöllert.
OPPOSITE PAGE: SPIRAL, BEELITZ HEILSTÄTTEN, GERMANY ABOVE: CRY - ARTIST KARLHEINZ LÖRNER, JANLEONARDO STUDIO, BREMEN, GERMANY
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THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS Assignments - and Wöllert’s sheer passion - have taken him far and wide across the world, where he oftentimes had to brave the most extreme weather conditions from high humidity of a stalactite cave in China to angry winter storms on the Little Matterhorn in Switzerland. But the light artist doesn’t mind. He says he has had the good fortune of “visiting such amazing locations”, as he counts his blessings for commissions from the likes of fashion label Diesel and alternative rock band Coldplay as well as for sponsorship from Canon and Carl Zeiss, among many others. “Someday I would like to visit Iceland or Greenland,” adds Wöllert who will be touring Canada, Spain, Germany, Austria and Switzerland this year. Yet even an artist with such flair and armed with a to die for portfolio expresses qualms about his artistic future.
“If you ask me, what are the challenges of what you do? My answer would be ‘to survive as an artist’,” says Wöllert. Even as an established artist, Wöllert can’t rest on his laurels, working between 10 and 14 hours a day. “I don’t do photography every day, for as a modern-day artist you have to do a lot of online marketing and be active on your Website and social media among many other things. I have a very big community and they constantly demand information,” he adds. “Besides, I want to be the best,” he says with a boyish smile. I leave Wöllert with the hope that he will soon bring one of his bright ideas to the Middle East, before I speed off suspecting my washing machine may have talked my fridge and dishwasher into committing mass suicide www.lightart-photography.de
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THE FINAL FRONTIER
LASERS GALORE
WHY OUR STAR TREK LASER DREAMS HAVEN’T BEEN REALIZED BY J.E.N.
L
et’s face it. Any self-respecting trekkie has always dreamt of being beamed up by Scotty and zapping enemies or the retaliating against the Borg with cool laser guns, heavy duty laser cannons and mega effective tractor beams.
Trek’s Personal Access Display Device experience. This handheld computer interface is all the rage in the 24th century and is much loved by the Starfleet, Klingon Empire and Vulcan High Command alike. You also have laser guns that look just like Star Trek lasers... but sadly aren’t. It’s just a facade.
CAPTAIN’S LOG, STARDATE 9522.6
Some of the funky space age wonders found in Star Trek already exist in our present world. You can hire 24th Century Interior Design to transform your room or entire home into a “Trek-space” that looks like the inside of the Voyager. You can download a LCARS app for your Android or Apple OS smartphones and tablets which lets you replicate Star
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CAPTAIN’S LOG, STARDATE 9678.2
So why aren’t there any real Star Trek style phasers yet? While androids like Data not existing today is to be expected, but something as simple as a Star Trek phaser not existing seems rather puzzling. Especially since lasers are used in many different ways today in medicine and other fields.
Well on closer inspection, lasers used as weapons (aka Direct Energy Weapons) are quite similar to the lasers used in harmless pursuits. Just like a regular laser, a DEW generates “a single synchronized wavelength of tightly focused, intense light that can travel exceptionally long distances.” (Gizdomo). While potentially very powerful and precise, DEWs have evaded scientists for a while despite several attempts since 1935. Back then Robert Watson-Watt was delving into “Death Rays” for the British Air Ministry and instead of finding a laser death ray, he took radar technology to the next level and came up with an early warning system. Today, the US is experimenting with a wide array of las-
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LASERS GALORE | WHY OUR STAR TREK LASER DREAMS HAVEN’T BEEN REALIZED
THIS PAGE: STAR TREK RENDERING
“A LARGER LASER BEAM WILL DIVERGE LESS, BUT THEN IT DEPOSITS LESS ENERGY PER UNIT AREA, WHICH ISN’T GOOD IF YOU’RE TRYING TO DESTROY THE THING YOU ARE HITTING”
ing methods. These include gas lasers that work by tapping into the power of reactive carbon dioxide or helium-neon; ultraviolet beam excimer lasers that shoot using a mixture of inert and reactive gases; solid crystal based solid-state lasers; and florescent dye laser that can fire according to precise wavelengths. While these all sound great, their development is being blocked by certain obstacles. The first is divergence. Alan Fry (Deputy Director, LCLS Laser Science and Technology Division at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory) clarifies what divergence is: “A laser beam will diverge (get larger) at a rate that depends on the beam size and the wavelength. Long wavelengths diverge
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more rapidly than short wavelengths -if you are making a long ranger laser rifle, you will do a bit better with shorter wavelengths in terms of the beam size hitting your target (say blue light instead of red light)- but short wavelengths are more prone to scatter from particulates in the air (which the main reason that the sky is blue), so there are trade-offs. A larger laser beam will diverge less, but then it deposits less energy per unit area, which isn’t good if you’re trying to destroy the thing you are hitting.” In other words, short wavelength laser beams can damage a smaller area but need a higher level of accuracy and long wavelength beams cause less damage to a larger area but aiming is more manageable.
Another obstacle is blooming. Blooming is when the energy of the laser dissipates into plasma and hence the laser has a lot of its zap sucked out of it. Natural elements like fog and rain make the power depleting phenomena of blooming an even bigger issue. MIT and the US Army are trying to tackle this problem and electrolasers might prove to be a solution. And let’s not forget a rather obvious obstacle: power. Lasers are energy hungry things and need lots of juice to fire. So until we find ways of storing an immense amount of energy into a reasonable-sized battery and uncover a way of cooling a gun-sized rifle (that is going to be scorching hot given the intense level of energy passing through it), our Star Trek phaser dreams won’t come true. Then again, not having laser weapons is not the end of the world. In fact, maybe having laser weapons is the end of the world
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THE FINAL FRONTIER
ON A LIGHTER NOTE DEATH STAR PETITION
CAUSES A GLOBAL SENSATION BY J.E.N.
L
ately the stars haven’t been shining down on us. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Unemployment rates are soaring. The threat of terrorism and invaders is high. And on the 14th of November 2012 Star Wars fans came up with an illuminating solution. “Those who sign here petition the United States government to secure funding and resources, and begin construction on a Death Star by 2016. By focusing our defense resources into a space-superiority platform and weapon system such as a Death Star, the government can spur job creation in the fields of construction, engineering, space exploration, and more, and strengthen our national defense.”
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34,435 people signed the petition which was created by John D and presented to the US government on We the People (part of the White House’s website). But what is a Death Star and why would building one be such a great thing? Any self-respecting Star Wars fan can tell you the Death Star is a full on space battle station the size of the moon. It boasts a super laser with the power to total a planet. It was created to support the Tarkin Doctrine (aka the Doctrine of Fear) which was supposed to heighten security and promote order in the Galactic Empire by eliminating rebels and instilling fear in the populace. Ironically enough, a Death Star was destroyed by Luke
Skywalker (who only had a tiny space ship). This just goes to show that bigger isn’t always better. Under normal circumstances, one would think that such a petition would be totally ignored. But it wasn’t and the official response created a media reaction as immense as Darth Vader’s massive Death Star. Chief of the Science and Space Branch at the White House Office of Management and Budget, Paul Shawcross released a detailed response that combined seriousness with tongue-in-cheek playfulness. “The Administration shares your desire for job creation and a strong national defense, but a Death Star isn’t on the horizon. Here are a few reasons:
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ON A LIGHTER NOTE | THE DEATH STAR PETITION CAUSES A GLOBAL SENSATION
• The construction of the Death Star has been estimated to cost more than $850,000,000,000,000,000. We’re working hard to reduce the deficit, not expand it. • The Administration does not support blowing up planets. • Why would we spend countless taxpayer dollars on a Death Star with a fundamental flaw that can be exploited by a one-man starship?” He goes on to tout the current exploits and achievements of the US in space. A real life space station dedicated to research. Two robot science labs (one even boasts a laser) on Mars. NASA’s C3PO making it possible for private firms to ship goods and people into space. Two spacecrafts that will go beyond our little solar system to uncover more planets. The development of a complex prosthetic arm (dubbed “Luke’s arm” after Luke Skywalker), “floating droids” and 4 legged robots. He also mentions more amusing feats such as the president using a toy light saber and advanced marshmallow cannon. His response ends on a rather forceful note (pun intended): “We are living in
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the future! Enjoy it. Or better yet, help build it by pursuing a career in a science, technology, engineering or mathrelated field... If you do pursue a career in a science, technology, engineering or math-related field, the Force will be with us! Remember, the Death Star’s power to destroy a planet, or even a whole star system, is insignificant next to the power of the Force.” The media was shining! Headlines were glowing: “‘A Death Star Isn’t on the Horizon’: The White House’s Hilarious and Nerdy Response to the Star Wars Petition” (Gawker), “The White House strikes back: No Death Star in the works” (LA Times). The press all over
the world were reporting this news story. Beyond the silliness of the petition and the heavy Star Wars referencing in the response, there is a lot of meaning behind this all. First off it shows how the US government is living up to its promise to answer all petitions on We the People with 25,000 plus signatures regardless. The response itself highlights the importance of science, technology, engineering and math education and clarifies the American space policy in a time of severe cutbacks and cancelled funding. It also made it clear that American’s political plans don’t include destroying planets. That’s always good to know
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RAGGED LUMINANCE FACTS BLACK OR WHITE When melanocytes, the cells responsible for skin pigmentation, die or are unable to function properly, the skin whitens. Doctors haven’t determined the cause of Vitiligo, which often appears in large symmetric patches all over the patient’s body. The most famous victim of Vitiligo was performer Michael Jackson who was accused of “bleaching” his skin to appear whiter. His autopsy revealed the King of Pop did indeed suffer from the disease.
CITY OF LIGHTS Ah, Paris, the city of romance, enchantment, and street lighting. Wait, what? In 1828, Paris became the first city in Europe to use gas lamps to light its streets –specifically the Champs-Elysées – earning itself the nickname “City of Light”. The nickname could also date back to the Age of Enlightenment, when Paris was a center of culture, learning, education, and ideas. Ooh la la, let’s go visit La Ville-Lumière!
BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIGGER CITY You may know it as the Crossroads of the World or the Big White Way and you probably think of it as soon as someone mentions New York City: ladies and gentlemen, Times Square! Contributing to NYC’s reputation of the glittering city that never sleeps, Times Square is gearing up to go digital with LED lights replacing regular light bulbs. Buying luminescent ad space in Times Square can cost you anywhere between $250,000 and $10,000,000. It’s expensive to light up the center of the world!
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RAGGED LUMINANCE FACTS
600,000,000
The number of people who were left in the dark in Northern and Eastern India after a massive power outage in July 2012. Three electrical grids collapsed, hundreds of trains stopped working, and backup generators were fired up for hospitals. The Indian Minister of Power blamed the blackout on states and regions drawing more than their allotted quota from the national grid. While local power blackouts are common in India, the collapse of an entire grid is rare –and catastrophic.
4
The reactor that no one will ever forget. On the 26th of April 1986, reactor number 4 at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine (then part of the USSR) suffered a disastrous mistake, leading to a catastrophic nuclear accident, considered to be the worst nuclear power plant accident in history. It was classified as a level 7 event on the International Nuclear Event Scale (joined later by the Fukushima Daishii accident of 2011) and its effects spread over many surrounding European countries. The number of casualties is still unclear and disputed and the area surrounding the plant has been off limits since the catastrophe.
GLOW IN THE DARK In the fight against HIV/AIDS, researchers turned to kittens to develop proteins that helps resist the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Feline eggs were also laced with a jellyfish gene to trace the success of the protein, making the cats glow in the dark. Cats carrying the protein were also able to transmit the resistance gene to their kittens, which is a huge step forward in AIDS research.
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A SYMPHONY OF LIGHTS According to the Guinness World Records, “A Symphony of Lights” is the world’s largest permanent light and sound show. Including 44 buildings on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon (on both sides of the Hong Kong Victoria harbor), the show, organized by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, starts every night at 8pm and includes an elaborate mash-up of music, fireworks, laser light displays and decoration lights, lasting for about 14 minutes in five traditional themes: awakening, energy, heritage, partnership and celebration.
1967
Let’s go back to the late 60s and remember the toy released by Hasbro to the delight of kids (and adults) everywhere: Lite-Brite. This toy includes coloured pegs in eight colors (red, yellow, green, blue, purple, orange, pink, and colorless-clear) that fit into a grid of holes and allowed players to draw lit images. With kids’ versions featuring Mickey Mouse, My Little Pony, and Scooby-Doo, the game has an online version at www.litebriteonline.com where you drag and drop digital pegs, and has been recently been developed into an iPad app.
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FML [F**K MY LIFE]
PHOTOGRAPHY WALID HOYEK
STROBE LIGHTS
+SURROUND
SOUND
TAKING IT TO A WHOLE OTHER LEVEL FOR RAGMAG BY DJG6 GINA GABRIEL EL-FADY
I
have embraced all of my FMLs with a gracious heart, willingly, and with the strength of a good team player. But, I just couldn’t fathom the thought of my forthcoming FML. Sickly feelings, cold sweats, anxiety attacks, shivers are just a few of the symptoms I experienced when #EvilEditor @FidaChaaban announced on Twitter that my FML would be transforming me into a DJ for the evening at @Feb30Hamra. I found out at the same time as everyone else that I, @GinaGabriel1, would be taking over the DJ booth for a couple of hours including my training. Does that appeal to anyone out there?
AS SOON AS THE TWEET WENT LIVE, ALL OF THE STAFF BEGAN HAVING FUN AT MY EXPENSE. TWEETS WERE FLYING BACK AND FORTH TRYING TO COME UP WITH A DJ NAME THAT WAS MOST SUITED TO ME WHILST I WAS HYPERVENTILATING IN THE OFFICE 50 | R A G M A G | www.ragmag.co
EDITOR’S NOTE
Everyone at first thought this was the coolest FML ever and they all said it would be a fun assignment. What they didn’t know was that Gina is terrified of making stage appearances, and to boot how much she hates being stared at. Gina, this is called #PayBack.
As soon as the tweet went live, all of the staff began having fun at my expense. Tweets were flying back and forth trying to come up with a DJ name that was most suited to me whilst I was hyperventilating in the office. I have stage fright! That is my shortcoming (or weakness if you will)- I don’t like being the center of attention. I don’t like pictures being taken of me and Fida knows this all too well! She couldn’t have paid me back in a better way for conspiring with @YoumnaChagoury to sign her up for the BIGSHOT Rap Battles (which I might add did not happen!). My gratitude goes out to Youmna for bringing the #EvilEditor to life. Following the multitude of tweets coming up with different names for my new career, it was decided that my stage name would be #DJG6 thanks to @TalkToCeline. I couldn’t have chosen
a better name myself. It actually had people believing that I was a DJ by night. Far from it! On the contrary it was never on my “To Do Before I Die” list. I can’t really remember a time ever saying to myself, “Hmmm when I grow up I want to be a DJ”. The closest I have ever come to that is playing music in my car. Editor’s Note
We had a live brainstorming session on Twitter. Some of the suggested names were DJ MuthaFuckn’ Double G, DJ GG, DJ Gina G, and DJ RAGGAB- a mix of her surname and the magazine. None of them seemed quite right until Celine Chami went live: “Gina’s going to spin like a G6”! And it stuck- we had our stage name!
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STROBE LIGHTS + SURROUND SOUND | TAKING IT TO A WHOLE OTHER LEVEL
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FML [F**K MY LIFE]
The day came for my DJing debut; on DJing for Dummies it says that the average person can learn to spin in two days. I’m sure Fida did not Google that before she assigned me, since the allotted lesson time was one hour, to be followed by playing an hour solo. Yes, that’s the time limit I was given and the difficult task of teaching me was assigned to February 30’s resident DJ Hassan AKA DJ Tough Guy. Once I arrive to Feb 30, my Jack Daniel’s and Coke is ordered. After a second round -I’m not an alcoholic- I send my love to my little fan club that are all eagerly waiting to witness the birth of DJG6 before I’m ushered upstairs to the tiny room tucked away at the top level of the bar. Here I am introduced to the decks I will be owning for the next two hours. I had done enough research on DJing to realize that the turntables I was looking at had nothing to do with Scratch DJing so I sent a little thank you prayer to my angel and to Fida Chaaban for saving my
STROBE LIGHTS + SURROUND SOUND | TAKING IT TO A WHOLE OTHER LEVEL
ass. The tables I am going to learn on is a sort of software that lets DJs manipulate mp3 files while using turntables as a control interface. It makes mixing simpler by queuing up two songs of the DJ’s choice. A song will be playing loud to the crowd while the other is playing in my ear. DJ Tough Guy teaches me that once the song I’m preparing for is cued at the right place, I’m to hold it there waiting for the song playing aloud to fade. Those were the longest couple of minutes, fearing the horrible nightmare of confusing everything- to be honest at some points I stick my head half way down and nearly out of the booth to make sure the song playing out loud is correct. As it ends, I start releasing the prepared track on time with the other. As one fades out the other comes through, sounds simple right? It’s really not, but those are the basic rules. Sure enough, less than half an hour into the lesson I complete my first professional mix. Success!
I’M TO HOLD IT THERE WAITING FOR THE SONG PLAYING ALOUD TO FADE. THOSE WERE THE LONGEST COUPLE OF MINUTES, FEARING THE HORRIBLE NIGHTMARE OF CONFUSING EVERYTHING
Editor’s Note
Readers, you must know that after a while, DJG6 started screaming from the DJ booth. She was living it up in there, whether it’s the adrenaline or the JD and coke is anyone’s guess!
DJ Tough Guy is not allowed to leave my side. Yes, I am controlling the decks, but I have to play whatever choice of music he has on hand, Feb 30’s approved selection. No disrespect Rony but if I had a good choice of R N’ B to mess around with, I think I would have definitely rocked your venue and you would be calling DJG6 back. Who knows, you might be persuaded to give me another night at the turntables! It has to be said that “the greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do”. Thank you Fida and RAGMAG staffers for pushing me to another level, and not taking no for an answer. Editor’s Note
@RonyAbouSaab, she’s expecting you to stage an R N’ B night and you know what that means? RAGMAG in da house and DJG6 on the mix. We’ll make you a CD, anytime you like! Thank you to all of our Twitter followers who participated online and those of who dropped by to watch DJG6 with her first ever live performance!
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MON AMOUR, MON AMI
I WANNA DATE
MILFS +COUGARS
THE DUDE’S GUIDE TO BANGING BOOTS LIKE IT’S NOBODY’S BUSINESS BY RANI NASR
S
ingle moms and single older women are the heroine busy bees of the social economies. They are still a minority though, that’s why they got an offensive urban naming, just like any other minority. The vernacular might not be pretty, but don’t shoot the messenger. MILFs and Cougars have feelings as well, and we, as a responsible and loving surrounding, have to keep them happy so that they keep the wheels of karma rolling. No one wants to be around an angry cougar. As much as they are beautiful creatures, cougars are dangerous hunters. Fortunately, some of the younger gents were born equipped with an instinct for trouble. Unfortunately, that’s where the controversy starts. As a Happy Mother’s Day nod to all MILFs, here’s my take on the stereotypical barriers of lust. You’re out having a drink with your friends and you’re feeling a blurry silhouette right outside the frame of your glasses swaying in the foggy lights in a way that makes your sweat glands dance. You focus, you look, and then you see a beautiful cutie-pie-pumpkin-to-be girl dancing to the crappy pub song that you hated 2 short minutes ago. You approach. You talk. It’s a check “soul” mate situation. The alcohol buzz is playing dirty games in your head. You’re drooling over her answers to your dressed-to-impress questions. When you find someone physically and mentally compatible to your carefully designed set of perfect partner standards, you start acting pretty fucking dumb. Or at least I do. Laughing your way into awkwardness, your mouth flies open and you ask, “By the way, how old are you?” A few minutes after the guessing game, both of you are back where you started the night: nervously smoking a cigarette at the bar pretending to be waiting for someone. And here are some of the reasons why...
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WRATH OF MATH
Age is socially regarded as the key element in a successful relationship. I’m not sure if that is because of the simplicity of the math involved in age calculations, the funky physics of biology or it’s just another tabloid human interest. Our stereotyping abides by this simple equation: If M – F > 0 then G = 0 else G = (F – M) x K (M is male age, F is female age, G is Gossip, K is a constant indexing the standards of the society understudy)
If we do a little case study, I think we can all agree that an 18 year-old male can’t date a 45 female year-old for many reasons: intellectual mismatch, physical chemistry and more. However, inspecting this phenomenon through the looking glass, intellectual mismatch should not even be on that list. The average IQ these days is so low that an 18 year-old can easily compete in the higher calibre social fabric. (Source: the most popular YouTube videos, social media accounts, and music charts.) The “real” reason (in my humble opinion) for the age taboo phenomenon is that most women have no interest in being what men have labelled a Cougar. Raaawwwrr!
UPPER LEFT: SOFIA VERGARA AT THE 23RD ANNUAL PRODUCERS GUILD AWARDS, LOS ANGELES, JAN 2012 OPPOSITE PAGE: DEMI MOORE + (EX) HUSBAND ASHTON KUTCHER AT THE AFI FEST OPENING NIGHT PREMIERE OF “BOBBY”, HOLLYWOOD, NOV 2006 JANET JACKSON + QATARI BILLIONNAIRE FIANCÉ WISSAM AL MANA JENNIFER LOPEZ + CASPER SMART AT THE 55TH ANNUAL GRAMMY AWARDS, FEB 2013
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I WANNA DATE MILFS + COUGARS | THE DUDE’S GUIDE TO BANGING BOOTS LIKE IT’S NOBODY’S BUSINESS
MAY-DECEMBER RELATIONSHIPS GO BOTH WAYS CELEBS FLIP THINGS AROUND THE A-LISTERS THE NOW DEFUNCT POWER COUPLE DEMI MOORE + ASHTON KUTCHER THE REBOUND THE LAUGHABLE COMBO OF JENNIFER LOPEZ + CASPER SMART (OR FILL IN RANDOM DANCER’S NAME HERE) THE MUTLINATIONALS THE INTERESTING (ALBEIT STRANGE) MATCH OF POPSTAR JANET JACKSON + QATARI WISSAM AL MANA
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MON AMOUR, MON AMI
I WANNA DATE MILFS + COUGARS | THE DUDE’S GUIDE TO BANGING BOOTS LIKE IT’S NOBODY’S BUSINESS
LEFT: SLASH IN LEBANON, JUNE 2012 ISSUE PHOTOGRAPHY CHRISTIAN HARB
“A COUGAR, AN OLDER WILD CAT IN BED, IS EVERY BOY’S WET DREAM. IT’S LIKE HANGING OUT WITH SLASH AT A CONCERT HALL”
BELOW: KIM CATTRAL
MEOW VS. RAWR A Cougar, an older wild cat in bed, is every boy’s wet dream. It’s like hanging out with Slash at a concert hall. Sexually, it’s a jaw-dropping, cherry-popping encounter. Unfortunately, society functions under the philosophy that whatever makes you feel good is bad. Some examples here are homosexuality, premarital sex, and other stuff I can’t mention for legal purposes. So, a woman’s partner “must” be older than her, because of the kids, the family, the years to come, the nosy neighbours, and the same fucking salad that they’ll have 5,734 times more. “What would they all say if they saw me with a younger guy?” You basically need a public stamp of approval on the social correctness of your relationship. Do we really need to judge people that want to just take off their pants and jacket and have some sweaty fun? True, we’ve been programmed to function this way, but should we go around repeating tired mantras like a battery powered funny bunny, when our distinctive human trait is reasoning? Some people like the innocent meows of their own age group, but some people are bound to love the naughty rawr, because they exist and they’re sexy.
ABNORMAL NORMS Our ancestors agreed on something called common sense and it has been put into practice ever since. Common sense should evolve in tandem with the evolution of the founding individuals. Whether you are male or you are female, things like eating with your feet on the
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table, picking your nose in a meeting, and passing gas in a crowded elevator are all against social norms. However, we’re all admittedly happy about that (unless of course you’re one of them, bastards). But there are things that have no reason to be considered abnormal: homosexuality, civil marriage, premarital sex, and stinky relationship rules like archaic age-isms. All individual tastes and quirks exist, and just like the theory of evolution, you don’t affect anyone but your pitiful self if you don’t consider thinking outside of the box and adapting your common sense to the evolution of the people who fostered that common sense. “I don’t believe in these kinds of May-December relationships.” Well, I don’t believe in light bulbs.
SLICK PRICK Age, however, is an entirely different relationship issue when the man is the older figure in the partnership. Women here become trophies. A 55 year-old
man going out with a girl of 25 is a match made in a Richard Gere heaven. It helps if the guy has shiny shoes, a shiny car, a shiny grin, a shiny watch and a grumpy old lady that he conveniently forgets to mention. We all know the boring biological equations for relationships; the man should be older in order to balance out the speed of aging and the procreation process necessities. Assuming you don’t want marriage and kids, doesn’t this render the biological boundaries moot? Imagine a 25 year-old guy shows up at a dinner with his 35 year-old girlfriend. I would laugh my bum off, but truth be told, I’m an asshole and so is the society I’m a part of. If the person you’re with is making you happy, regardless of the age, that’s what matters. Picking a partner is like picking underwear: only two opinions are needed. And so, if I’m gonna date MILFs and Cougars, I don’t want to hear your thoughts on the matter. Unless you’re jealous, then and only then, tell me what you think
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CULTURE CLASH
HAYDA LEBNEN’S
MOTHER-IN-LAW DAY
SURVIVAL GUIDE BY SARAH HOURANY
W
hat would make a Lebanese woman wake up and decide that she is no longer her Mother-in-Law’s enemy but is, bil 3akes, the sweetest Kenné in the whole wide world? SCENARIO 1 She suddenly experienced the overwhelming presence of God in her life: “love thy enemy, love thy 7ama,” he said. SCENARIO 2 It is March 21st, the day all moms should be honoured and spoiled, and yes, that includes your Mother-in-Law. Ben el two scenarios, we would definitely choose the second, as any divine intervention in this particular case is highly unlikely. “7atta God gave up when it comes to fixing 7ama-Kenné relationships in Lebanon,” religious sources have shared with RAGMAG. So dear Lebanese women, now that we know the reason behind your fake smile and exaggerated acts of kindness, we advise you to take a look at RAGMAG’s 2013 edition of the Mother-in-Law’s Day Survival Guide! The sensitivity of the relationship requires you to be highly selective while choosing her present, therefore you should note the following...
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CHAPTER 1 CHOOSE THE GIFT Don’t try to buy a more expensive gift for your mom (law bi 1 dollar fare2). Iza your mom-in-law’s best friend Najwa, the fasl-as3ar specialist on her la2la2a team, 3erfit, eh Allah ma bi3oud ykhalsik men lsenon! Don’t get her gifts that send “particular” types of messages. Your motherin-law might love cosmetics but offering her face creams or cosmetic kits is way too risky. You don’t want to make her feel like the years are catching up with her!
CHAPTER 2 OFFER THE GIFT Keep in mind that everything, absolutely everything, will be always related to her son (yali Allah khala2o w kasar el 2alib). That is why you should never expect her to thank you- a “thank you” metel ma hiye would be very hard, if not impossible, for her to pronounce. Instead, twa2a3e something like: “Yo2borne shou 3erif na22a”. Pay attention, as this is a typical trap used for years by the 7amawet in Lebanon. Her sentence is vague and unclear: yemkin asda bi “shou 3erif na2a” the gift itself, although you spent the en-
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HAYDA LEBNEN’S | MOTHER-IN-LAW DAY | SURVIVAL GUIDE
SHE WILL START THE ENDLESS COMPARISON, DISCUSSING HER CAKE AND YOURS, AND NEEDLESS TO SAY, HERS IS ALWAYS AKBAR W A7LA W ATYAB. MA 3ABELIK? SHE WILL NOW HAVE THE ULTIMATE PROOF THAT YOU DON’T LOVE HER. SO EAT IT, BIL 2OUWE, W BALA KEL HAL DRAMA! tire week looking for something that matches the requirements detailed in chapter 1. W yemkin asda bi “shou 3erif na2a”, you, yes you. Either way, smile w ma t3al2e. In other words, ou3a tjarbe ta3mle the following: • Say “ahla tante” as it would be very obvious 2ennik 3am tetla2mane, w 2amtin? On Mother’s Day! This is like the easiest way to confirm 2ennik the kenné yalli bala 2aleb in front of the family, el jiran, wel 2ightirab el Lebneneh (yes she will call them all, shou 3anda). • Reply with statements like: “En halla2 ta ntabahte eno 3erif na2a? What happened to yo2borne ken byekhod a7san?” unless 7abbe twaj3e rassik. Ma testahwniya, you might argue that you are prettier and more educated than her son w eno ente yalli a7san, but she
might concretely list you why you are not. Ma tetfeja2e dear, but your motherin-law created a Kenné-competitiveness index to measure how successful you are as her son’s wife based on your performance in the five following categories: A. COOKING AND FOOD PRESENTATION B. COMMUNICATION WITH THE IN-LAWS BOTH NEAR AND FAR C. OBEDIENCE TO THE HUSBAND, HER SON D. MANAGEMENT OF HOUSEHOLD FINANCES E. PARENTING SKILLS, MEASURED AT HER STANDARDS
This index gives you a score ranging from zero (ma elik 3aze) to five (you are perfect), and you absolutely don’t want to hear 2enik jebte zero 2ad rasik! Do you?
CHAPTER 3 EAT THE CAKE Refusing to eat the cake that she has specially prepared for the occasion is a big no-no. Dieting? She will think that you are postponing pregnancy until further notice, w ya waylik. Ba3dik 2ekla? She will start the endless comparison, discussing her cake and yours, and needless to say, hers is always akbar w a7la w atyab. Ma 3abelik? She will now have the ultimate proof that you don’t love her. So eat it, bil 2ouwe, w bala kel hal drama!
CHAPTER 4 LEAVE THE SCENE We understand that it will be very hard for you to leave while she is giving her annual “how to be the perfect wife and mom” lecture that includes tips on where to place the kharze zar2a to avoid saybet el 3en. Come up with creative excuses: “Nsit el tabkha 3al nar”, but never say that your husband called. She doesn’t have to be reminded, again, 2enik sara2tila 2ebna. Why do you have to go through all this with someone you have nothing in common with except that you both love her son? Hayde el wejbet, w hayda Lebnen, ya 3ayneh!
DON’T SAY “AHLA TANTE” AS IT WOULD BE VERY OBVIOUS 2ENNIK 3AM TETLA2MANE, W 2AMTIN? ON MOTHER’S DAY! THIS IS LIKE THE EASIEST WAY TO CONFIRM 2ENNIK THE KENNÉ YALLI BALA 2ALEB IN FRONT OF THE FAMILY, EL JIRAN, WEL 2IGHTIRAB EL LEBNENEH MARCH 2013
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MIND, BODY+SOUL
TO ASK A QUESTION send your problems to helpmenour@ragmaglive.com TO JOIN THE READER RESPONSE PANEL and give feedback to women across Lebanon, send your name, age, and email address to helpmenour@ragmaglive.com subject line: Interactive Panel We will contact you if you are chosen to participate.
help me
NOUR+RABIH BY NOUR OBAJI + RABIH FEGHALI
RUN FAST AND RUN HARD. YOU ARE YOUNG AND VIBRANT AND SEEM TO HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF LOVE TO SHARE, SO WHY WASTE IT ON A DOOMED RELATIONSHIP? Any help I can get on the previous times I’ve written in would be appreciated as we are nearing a year and our differences keep ruining our relationship. Religious differences, differences in life styles, in beliefs, and many other things keep coming up and the fights about these issues increase. I know it’s normal and healthy for a couple to disagree, but I feel like eventually our differences are going to come between us. I’ve never felt this way about anyone, how can I maintain this relationship Nour and Rabih? Lara, 30
“In my opinion, it can be very simple. You can both decide to put your differences aside. To disagree with someone doesn’t mean you can’t respect one’s opinion and live with them. If you can’t accept his different opinions and beliefs, in some way you think they are inferior to yours. If he’s doing the same, you guys have a problem so break up.” Yasmeen, 27
“There are healthy differences and then there are differences that are utterly toxic. Your differences fall into the latter category. When the differences between a couple include the things you have listed, they are sometimes extremely difficult to overcome. You say that the fighting is increasing on
these issues and they keep coming up. Perhaps you need to re-examine if this relationship is for you because if you are fighting about these things, you obviously each hold positions that are dear to you. Religious differences can sometimes be overcome but it is unlikely to bode well for the future if you are arguing about them often and vehemently. Lifestyle issues can’t be. Ideally, when we are with someone, we choose the type of people who want to live the same lifestyle we do but it doesn’t always happen. I consider lifestyle a secondary problem that can be overcome with compromise. Religion, not so much. Time to cut the cord.”
Nour’s Vote Little one, why are you trying to fight a losing battle? Nour and Rabih are usually pretty consistent. We always stick to our guns and so unfortunately my advice hasn’t changed much from the last time you sent us an email. I remember very well the last time you wrote in, and I am sorry that things haven’t improved for you and your partner. I said it before and I will say it again: run fast and run hard. You are young and vibrant and seem to have a great deal of love to share, so why waste it on a doomed relationship? You seem to want to stick by this guy through thick and thin, and while that is an admirable characteristic in a friend or a lover, you cannot hope to change the simple fact that you have all sorts of external factors that are causing irreparable damage. My advice stands: cut your losses and break it off. After a break from dating so that you can collect yourself, find someone who has the basic fundamentals in common with you. You deserve it.
ABOVE: PHOTOS COURTESY OF ELENA KALIS
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HELP ME NOUR+RABIH
Rabih’s Vote One of the pillars of relationships is the ability to maintain the peace and maintain a manageable level of conflict. With time, certain things stop becoming an issue and things tend to settle. But you mention that the issues keep increasing. I hear that all issues that you have before marriage tend to multiply after marriage. So in my opinion, regardless of how you feel about this guy, cut your losses and let him go. Neither of you will be happy in the long term. For a long time now I’ve wished I could meet someone smart and mature and older than I am. I kept telling myself that this is what I want and I shouldn’t settle for less. He is extremely serious about me, and constantly tries to be accommodating and kind. The problem is that he might just be too nice for me.
WHAT DOES “TOO NICE” MEAN TO YOU? TO NOUR IT MEANS YOU WANT A BIGGER CHALLENGE. WHETHER OR NOT THAT IS A GOOD IDEA, WELL THAT’S A WHOLE OTHER STORY. DITCH HIM AND DON’T LOOK BACK Layanne, 34
“This is typical. Grow up and stop acting like a child. Do you want this guy? If yes, stop complaining, and if not, just quit wasting your time and his.” Sanaa, 22
“The thing about fantasies is that once you get there, you’re disappointed. I think you should just stop expecting an ideal person. At the risk at sounding super cheesy, some people might be perfect for you, but it doesn’t mean they’re perfect. If you’re bored and think he’s ‘too nice’, then he’s not a guy for you.”
MARCH 2013
Nour’s Vote After reading your question several times and trying (successfully) to put myself in your shoes, I have a few things to share. Nour was once a “perfect on paper” type of girl. She was, and no longer is, the type of gal who liked a certain kind of mature, clean-cut, super successful, and overachieving kind of guy. She also would make sure all of the basics matched before she would venture into a relationship. That was then, and this is now. Why? Because perfect on paper could go horribly wrong. Because perfect on paper has gone horribly wrong. And finally because being perfect on paper doesn’t guarantee that you will find that person funny, charming, sexy, and suitable. Yes, he’s got “everything” you want, except you find him “too nice”- does that mean boring?
Does that mean safe? What does “too nice” mean to you? To Nour it means you want a bigger challenge. Whether or not that is a good idea, well that’s a whole other story. Ditch him and don’t look back. And I just want to add that Rabih is a misogynist as per his answer to this question. Hey RAGMAG, can we get a new partner for me?
Rabih’s Vote It is generally in a woman’s nature to fall for the asshole type. There is something about “mischief” that does it for the female kind. Let’s not forget that the first ever (Biblical) act of mischief started with a woman and an apple. Never settle. If the guy doesn’t do it for you, let go Bonnie and wait for your Clyde to come along.
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MIND, BODY+SOUL
So my best friend is having affair after affair because she’s not getting the attention at home- before you say no, trust me I’m sure this is the reason because she always talks about her husband and her lovers and how much better they are to her. I’m scared that he’s going to find out one of these days, especially because her husband is a smart guy who knows a lot of people. She thinks she won’t get caught, but if she does, I’m going to be right in the middle of the situation and I don’t want to be especially since I know both of their families. What would you guys do? I’ll be in the position where I have to lie and cover even more! Help me out, this is serious.
Hanaa, 24
“I would put my foot down and say this isn’t right. I would tell her don’t talk to me until you sort out your shit. Not because I don’t want to be her friend but because by being part of this circle can have bad circumstances for me personally. You should tell her to get a divorce and get herself sorted out before someone gets hurt.”
Sophia, 19
“It is none of your business! You don’t do anything, you don’t wash someone else’s dirty laundry in private or in public.” Sara, 28
“Just talk to her, tell her how you feel about this whole situation, and stress on the fact that you don’t want to be involved in this when it all blows. After all, it’s not your dirty laundry!”
Nour’s Vote Seriously? You said it was so here I go: stay out of people’s lives. Stop analyzing why she is sleeping with other men. At the same time, I would explain to her that you aren’t judging her but you need to disengage yourself from the situation because once things go to hell in a handbasket, you don’t want to be guilty by association. You say you know both of the families here, but you are obviously closer to the wife since she’s the one sharing secrets. You need to remember that she is still your friend, and you should tell her that the realm of your loyalty doesn’t
HELP ME NOUR+RABIH
include a potential fallout with her inlaws. Nour is fond of honesty, but sometimes the less you know, the better. This is definitely one of those situations. I want to add that the Interactive Panel all freaked out at this question.
Rabih’s Vote You have two choices. You either stick it out with her and be what you claim to be (BEST friend), through thick and thin, scandal after scandal. Or de-best-friend her and avoid her, this will save you those issues you’re talking about. (I’d go for option one.)
NOUR IS FOND OF HONESTY, BUT SOMETIMES THE LESS YOU KNOW, THE BETTER. THIS IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS. I WANT TO ADD THAT THE INTERACTIVE PANEL ALL FREAKED OUT AT THIS QUESTION
GUY’S CORNER What is the best way for a guy to let a female colleague of equal seniority know that they can never be more than just friends? I have a colleague who I work extremely closely with on a day to day basis and she is head over heels for me. Whilst I truly value our work/friendship relationship, what is the best way to make this known to her without ruining the relationship entirely? She has made multiple advances and I have done my best to keep the peace but this issue is ongoing. Any advice for me?
Nour’s Vote I have given this some thought. What I mostly thought about was the fine line between being aggressive and being oblivious. My immediate reaction was to remind you and her of the pitfalls of workplace romances, but you seem to understand that. She does not, clearly and maybe she needs some reminding. That is not to say that Nour thinks this is how you should frame your rejection, but it is important to mention. You need to make sure you communicate this clearly in addition to the fact that you are just not into her. I’m not entirely sure your friendship will survive this conversation since it depends on her maturity level and her capacity for truth. Some people don’t have that kind of threshold and no amount of advice that I can give
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you can help you out here. I would say bite the bullet and tell her flat out: I can’t date you because I don’t feel that way about you and we also work together, which is detrimental to both of our careers. I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but this is my final stance on the matter.
Rabih’s Vote There is no silver bullet for this issue. I suggest you keep on behaving in the same manner. With time she will either get tired or bored, or she will find herself a man that will take her attention away. Non-reciprocal workplace crushes are quite common, but it’s usually women who write in about them. As long as you’re the same seniority, you’re safe
THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
MARCH 2013
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YOU+YOUR COUNTRY
SHEDDING LIGHT ON
EATING DISORDERS Dr. Jeremy Alford talks about the pitfalls + challenges facing mental health in the Middle East
BY SABINA LLEWELLYN-DAVIES
D
espite the increased awareness of eating disorders there are still strong social stigmas attached to them. Bulimia and anorexia nervosa are a serious problem for a number of women, as well as an increasing number of men. And yet, the stigma, isolation and confusion around suffering from what is often perceived as a vanity problem can make women and men reluctant to come forward to get treatment.
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Dr. Jeremy Alford, a British clinical psychologist, clinical hypnotherapist and neurofeedback therapist at CHOICES, a psychology and nutrition service, and founder and president of MEEDA, Middle East Eating Disorder Association, has been working in Lebanon for 10 years, specializing in eating disorders. He is also a consultant in collaboration with the Soor Center in Kuwait since 2003. His clients typically suffer from anorexia nervosa, characterized by the fear of food and restricting the intake of food, and bulimia nervosa, binging on large amounts of food and then purging or vomiting. According to Dr. Alford, such disorders can be triggered by a stressful event or undiagnosed psychiatric conditions, sexual
or physical abuse, trouble in school or at work. An eating disorder becomes a coping mechanism, a desperate grasp for control. In the case of anorexia and bulimia nervosa it can also be a strong cultural component as we are under constant pressure to conform to the “ideal” body type, and media images often make us feel vulnerable about our bodies. Dr. Alford’s clients are 75 percent female and the average age of his patients ranges from 20 to 50; it’s shocking to hear that his youngest client was an 8 year-old suffering from anorexia. “Usually if a child refuses food it is suffering from high levels of anxiety. An eating order is basically a costume, a disguise to cover emotions of anger or fear.”
THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
SHEDDING LIGHT ON EATING DISORDERS
LEFT + BELOW: FRENCH MODEL ISABELLE CARO. WHO BECAME A SYMBOL OF THE FIGHT AGAINST ANOREXIA WHEN SHE WAS PHOTOGRAPHED NUDE FOR A CONTROVERSIAL AD CAMPAIGN (OPPOSITE PAGE, BOTTOM). SHE DIED IN 2010 AT THE AGE OF 28.
So what exactly triggers the disorders? According to Dr. Alford a series of factors can lead to this. “It’s not like it’s a conscious decision, it happens gradually. Diets are one of the factors, which can lead to eating disorders, especially in teenagers. The media portrayal of slim people leads teenagers from an early age to diet.” On the other hand, overeating is also a rising issue. “The way people eat in the Middle East is very much a social thing, eating is at the heart of their social life and this is
“IT IS THE MOST DEADLY AS ONE IN FIVE ANOREXIA SUFFERERS DIE [...] THE PERSON CANNOT EVALUATE THEMSELVES, THEY CAN NEVER BE THIN ENOUGH AND SADLY AT SOME STAGE WE JUST CANNOT HELP THEM ANYMORE”
bound to affect a person’s weight. The mushrooming of junk food style restaurants has also affected eating habits in this region,” says Dr. Alford. There are no official statistics but obesity is definitely on the rise, according to a study done around three years ago in Kuwait, a country that actually has the highest rate of obesity in the Middle East, comparable with the US. “Unfortunately, there are no current statistics, so MEEDA has started a study to raise the level of awareness especially among young students. Around 200 participants will be involved all around the Middle East.” Despite the increased awareness of eating disorders there are still strong social stigmas attached to them. “It is a mental health illness and it is the most deadly as one in five anorexia sufferers die. There comes a point when the sufferer loses a vision of what is healthy for them and this has a profound effect on them... the person cannot evaluate themselves, they can never be thin enough and sadly at some stage we just cannot help them anymore.” Riham Al Reshaid from Kuwait suffered from acute anorexia nervosa for many
years, starting from the age of 10, until she decided to go to the United States for treatment, as there are no residential treatment facilities in the region. To help others she set up a Facebook page, Kuwait Eating Disorder Awareness and Prevention, to help sufferers go public. Social media can help as do support groups, says Dr. Alford, such as the OA (Overeaters Anonymous) where people can meet once a week to share experiences. “Unfortunately, many sufferers are reluctant to speak about this illness. Mental illnesses are not widely accepted in society and the fear of judgment usually keeps many from sharing their struggles.” Today, Al Reshaid is healthy, and has mastered a survival skill most of us tend to take for granted: the skill of eating normally. “I will, however, always have to work on my recovery in order to avoid a relapse. Fortunately, I do not deal with urges as often as I used to. This is because I have learned to love myself regardless of my body shape or size, and to also apply correct coping skills when faced with thoughts about my eating disorder.”
GET INFORMED CHOICES PSYCHOLOGY & NUTRITION
01 363 377 Choices Psychology & Nutrition www.choiceslebanon.com
MARCH 2013
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MIND, BODY+SOUL
LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL
BULLYING IT DOES
GET BETTER BY MARIA-ELENA KASSAB
“A teenage girl manages to talk through her tears, telling her teacher how five boys in her class cornered her, threw her tattered book to the floor, knocked her glasses off her face and mocked her poor Arabic skills. The same girl, now an adult, smugly calls her teacher to let her know these boys are begging her to help them with their university English papers even though they made her life a bullying hell until 11th grade.”
W
hat you just read isn’t my prediction about a couple of my students, it’s a flashback of my life growing up. Mastering French and English before Arabic, having a somewhat “exotic” name, wearing glasses, having a lisp, reading all the time, being overweight, having excellent grades… all of these things make children perfect candidates for being on the receiving end of bulling by their peers. Just like other bullied kids, I hated going to school, I hated having to
talk to people, I hated everything and everyone and couldn’t wait to kick their asses –which I eventually did as they’re still floundering around in college, trying to pass their classes or even dropping out. But I was lucky: I had supportive parents and a group of friends who made life a lot better for me and I have never considered harming myself or committing suicide. Unfortunately, not all victims of bullying are as lucky as I was, having a strong support system behind me.
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The statistics about bullying are chilling –we’ve listed a few for your consideration- and despite everyone’s efforts, bullying is still an ongoing issue in schools, colleges, and even in the workplace. When people use coercion or force to intimidate others, be it physical or verbal, no matter the basis (race, religion, gender, sexuality, abilities, and more of the like), they seek a position of power. Bullies don’t always work alone, they sometimes have “lieutenants” who will assist them in their actions. In addition to that, bullying isn’t always a person vs. person type of scenario, it can happen between social groups, social classes and sometimes even countries. Bullying is considered to be a key factor in migration, be it from country to country for large groups, or from school to school for students.
THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL | BULLYING
There are numerous kinds of bullying under the categories of physical, verbal or emotional abuse. Some forms of bullying are: name-calling, the silent treatment, exclusion from activities, physical violence, verbal threats, written abuse, rumormongering, and criticizing the victim in public. According to studies, males tend to be more physically aggressive whereas females tend to rely on mockery and exclusion. This is beginning to change- recent research indicates that physical abuse is becoming more and more frequent in female bullying cases.
Several websites and support groups have been created to help targets cope with the bullying and help them find a solution to their problems. In 2000, the first National Bullying Prevention Week was started in Canada, the “It Gets Better” project was started in 2010 to combat gay teen suicides following bullying incidents and in 2011, Lady Gaga started the “Born This Way” foundation in partnership with the Berkman Center for Internet and Society (Harvard). Despite all these efforts, bullying still prevails and even though the world is trying to solve this problem, bullying is mainly ignored in Lebanon.
Let’s face it, we don’t live in the most stable country and bullying in Lebanon happens so often that it is often thought of as normal. Think of the politician bullying the security forces into ignoring his legal infractions by threatening to take their jobs from them. Think of the religious groups bullying religious minorities into leaving certain villages by using intimidation. Think of political parties bullying media into pulling their reports about certain activities offline by threatening their families. Mostly think of your kids, siblings, cousins and friends who abandoned their hobbies or had to hide their identities because of other kids at school. So when will schools in Lebanon pay attention to the impossible amount of bullying that goes on in classrooms, in the playground and in the hallways? I’ll just cross my fingers and repeat my favorite mantra: It Gets Better.
THE “IT GETS BETTER” PROJECT WAS STARTED IN 2010 TO COMBAT GAY TEEN SUICIDES FOLLOWING BULLYING INCIDENTS BULLYING BY NUMBERS www.bullyingstatistics.org
42 The percentage of kids that have been bullied while online with one in four being verbally attacked more than once. 35 The percentage of kids that have been threatened online. 58 The percentage of kids and teens that have reported that something mean has been said about them or to them online. Other bullying statistics show that about 77 percent of students have admitted to being the victim of one type of bullying or another.
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MIND, BODY+SOUL
LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL | BULLYING
WHAT HAPPENED
AT SCHOOL TODAY? • “My mom tried to tell the school that those girls kept spreading rumors about me but the school said something along the lines of ‘girls will be girls’ and completely ignored my problem. It got so bad that I wanted to transfer schools but the girls said they’d take it to Facebook and tell the kids in other schools the same things about me.” • “Kids have always laughed at me because I’m short and my voice is different. I kept getting annoyed when I got picked last in sports and I was so angry every time I heard them laugh when I said something in class. I learned to accept that I’ll never be a great basketball player but I only wish they’d shut up when I read. I’m applying to universities abroad [that] they have no chance of ever getting into. I don’t think people will ever stop making fun of me, but at least abroad, the school and teachers might listen to me when I report things like this.”
• “Look, I’m gay, okay? I like boys and that’s the way I am. I was always bullied at school because of that but now that I’m in college, I’ve found people who accept me the way I am. The funny thing is, those people made fun of kids like me when they were in school. I don’t know what changed. Sadly, now it’s my family who’s been bullying me since I came out to them. Ah, it does get better eventually kids, you just have to remember that one day, you’re going to be free of all these negative people. You have to report physical violence because that’s what schools are afraid of; don’t think they’ll ever care about your emotional trauma or verbal abuse. You’ve got to take things into your own hands and you have two choices: either toughen up and ignore them or fight back. But watch out, you might become a bully yourself if you fight back, it’s a slippery, slippery slope.”
IN THE
NEWS
•The suicide of Jamey Rodemeyer prompted actor Zachary Quinto to come out as gay and Lady Gaga to discuss an anti-bullying law with President Obama (Jamey’s last tweet was a farewell to Mother Monster). •Following the increase in teen suicides because of bullying in the latter part of 2012, Canadian teen Brittany McMillan started Spirit Day (October 20th), urging people to wear purple to show support for LGBT victims of bullying. •Amanda Todd, who committed suicide in October 2012, posted a video on YouTube prior to her death, describing her experience of being blackmailed and bullied. The video went viral on the Internet and the Premier of British Columbia, Christy Clark, suggested a national discussion on criminalizing cyber-bullying. •International STAND UP to Bullying Day is celebrated on the third Friday of November (during Anti-Bullying Week) and then again on the third Friday of February. Participants from 25 countries wear pink “pledge shirts” to take a visible stance against bullying
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THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
MARCH 2013
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MON AMOUR, MON AMI
OPPOSITE PAGE, LEFT: BBM VOICE CHAT, RENDERED MOCKUP OF IPHONE WITH 4-INCH DISPLAY (SOURCE: CICCARESE DESIGN) LEFT: CHANNING TATUM + JENNA DEWAN, FEB 2012
ON THE
BRIGHT SIDE
MAKING YOUR LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP WORK BY NOUR OBAJI
I
’ve been in a long-distance relationship for the past 3 years, and let me tell you: it has not been a piece of cake. This relationship takes me and my partner a lot of work, and it is a real commitment of time, effort and understanding. If you’re considering dating someone that lives somewhere else, I suggest you follow these tips to keep your relationship full of vitality.
1. GROUND RULES What kind of relationship are you getting yourself into? Is being apart synonym of non-exclusive? What happens if one of the partners wants to break up? Do you wait until you see each other or do you phone-break up? These questions and a hundred more must be discussed at the very beginning, maybe sooner than in other relationships because of its nature. Discuss them while you’re together, before you or your partner travel.
YOU SEEING EACH OTHER EVERY FEW 2. DO YOU TRUST ME? MONTHS FOR A SHORT The most recurrent argument I hear people try to talk me out of stayPERIOD OF TIME ISN’T when ing in this relationship (many people do) AN EXCUSE FOR YOU is the cheating factor. Out of sight, out of mind, right? And one of the partners NOT TO DISCUSS ends up in someone else’s bed. Well, SERIOUS ISSUES IN not always. Not trusting your partner reflects the way you view the relationship YOUR RELATIONSHIP 70 | R A G M A G | www.ragmag.co
and this perception will definitely affect it negatively. Run your relationship by presumption of innocence: your partner is innocent until proven guilty and not the other way around. Note that asking him or her 1500 inquiring questions a day will elicit annoyance and discourage communication.
3. LIVE IT UP Couples who’ve been together for quite some time often end up living the same life. They have the same friends, like the same places and become symbiotic to the point where they just don’t know how to be without their partners. By force of circumstance, you can avoid that. When you’re both apart, make the most out of your own time. Don’t waste it waiting for him; see your friends, do things you like. It is important to stay true to who you really are, regardless of the person you are as a partner. THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
ON THE BRIGHT SIDE | MAKING YOUR LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP WORK
SCHEDULE SKYPE SESSIONS, USE THE NEW BBM VOICE CHAT. SEND EACH OTHER PICTURES AND VIDEOS (FUNNY OR KINKY, YOUR CALL!) 4. TIME MANAGEMENT
You’re seeing each other in a few months? Sort out what you both want to do during the time you’ll be together. Schedule activities you like doing together like going to the beach, renting a mountain chalet or paintball fighting. Don’t plan every minute of every day or you’ll leave no room for spontaneity. Keep in mind, if your partner is away and coming home, that means seeing other people as well including friends and family.
5. COMMUNICATION STATION
You can work 15 hours a day, he can be in a very different time zone… there are no excuses for a breakdown in communication. Make it a point to call each other every day or every other day. These things take effort and organization. Schedule Skype sessions, use the new BBM voice chat. Send each other pictures and videos (funny or kinky, your call!). Message her when something reminds you of the time you’ve spent together or an inside joke. If you don’t, you’ll end up talking to everyone but your partner and sooner than you know, you both won’t have anything to tell each other anymore.
6. SURPRISE!
Routine is a relationship killer, whether long-distance or in the same city. Just as you’d come up with surprises or new activities every now and then if you’re in a local relationship, try and do the same with your long-distance partner. Send her or him a package, a letter. You can even book a flight and meet up -just give a few days of notice, as opposed to the showing up on the doorstep move.
7. NORMALCY IS RELATIVE
As we just established, long-distance relationships and local ones are pretty much the same. You seeing each other every few months for a short period of time isn’t an excuse for you not to discuss serious issues in your relationship. You will want to say (and you definitely will hear) “We’re only seeing each other for 10 days, do you really want us to argue over this?” Well, if it’s important, yes. If it isn’t, then not. Just like in any other relationship. At some point, you’re going to live together and what bothered you then will still bother you, especially if you both didn’t address the issue at the time. The fear of drifting apart, the treachery and the cheating are all potential scenarios, but if you’re not willing to risk it, why bother in the first place? As long as both partners know where they’re headed, long-distance relationships can work. They just need an adult investment of time and effort; what relationship doesn’t?
MARCH 2013
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MIRROR, MIRROR
CELEBRATE MOTHER’S DAY THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES DOES IT RIGHT
THIS MONTH WE’VE DECIDED TO DEDICATE OUR SPA REVIEW COLUMN TO THE MOTHERS IN UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. THEY DESERVE SOME PAMPERING! WE’VE PICKED OUR TOP THREE CHOICES FOR MOTHER’S DAY PACKAGES IN DUBAI AND ABU DHABI’S SAADIYAT ISLAND. SPOIL YOUR MOM WITH A DECADENT SPA EXPERIENCE TO MAKE SURE SHE CELEBRATES MOTHERHOOD IN LUXURY!
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• An 80-minute facial treatment of her choice
WHERE ONE&ONLY SPA, HEALTH AND BEAUTY INSTITUTE
One&Only Royal Mirage, Dubai +971 4 399 9999 www.oneandonlyroyalmirage.com spa@oneandonlyroyalmirage.ae One&Only Royal Mirage Dubai
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CELEBRATE MOTHER’S DAY | THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES DOES IT RIGHT
ABOVE: IRIDIUM SPA, ST. REGIS SAADIYAT ISLAND RESORT
MOROCCAN SPA
SUITE PACKAGE MOMMA’S MOMENT
• Luxury Moroccan suite with a private treatment room and terrace for one night • A 2-hour treatment of your choice in your suite
WHERE ST. REGIS SPA
St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi www.stregissaadiyatisland.com +971 2 498 8888 The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi StRegisSaadiyat
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NEW + NOW
SING IT, AKON! Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., the Italian luxury super sports car manufacturer, increased worldwide deliveries to customers in 2012, from 1,602 to 2,083 units. This represents a 30 percent growth compared to the previous year and the third consecutive year of growth. “In spite of ongoing worldwide financial and economic uncertainties, Lamborghini has delivered a very satisfying performance in 2012, confirming the strength of our product and commercial strategy. We will continue to work on the development of our product range to address further growth in the future,” said Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. The growth is driven by the first full year of sales for the new Aventador LP 7004 (922 units) while the Gallardo confirms its status as the most successful Lamborghini ever with an almost stable performance compared to 2011 (1,161 units sold in 2012)
and reaching a total of more than 13,000 cars delivered since its launch. Lamborghini is a global brand and sales distribution is well balanced among the three regions: Europe 29%, America 28% (of which USA is 25%) and Asia Pacific 35% (of which China accounts for 15%). The Middle East and South Africa account for 8%. In 2013 the Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster, the most extraordinary open top super sports car, will join the successful coupé. For 2013, a focus for the ‘raging bull’ brand includes further investments into Lamborghini Motorsport. Following four seasons in Europe and the first season in Asia, the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo has made its mark as the only one-make four-wheel drive series and the fastest one-brand racing series in the world. In 2013, the series will run on three continents, entering the USA with a new series for the Americas.
at the event will help SIDC put forth new initiatives for people struggling with drug addiction and those affected with HIV, as well as rigorous awareness, prevention and follow-up programs among the most vulnerable population and more importantly, targeting today’s youth. After introductory speeches by Ms. Samar
Haidar, President of SIDC, who talked about the NGO, and by Ms. Karine Nassar, SIDC Director, who thanked sponsors and contributors, the evening continued with violinist Joelle Saade, The Queen of Violin. Succeeding a speech by Mr. Jacques Souplet, Managing Director of Total-Liban, Bailando Group surprised everyone again with an exciting flash mob. The opportunity to raise funds for SIDC would not have come about without the indispensable support of Agility Logistics, Choucair Group, Effects, El Yaman Printing, HAA Real Estate Development, Joey Hostesses, Mount Lebanon Hospital and T. Gargour & Fils, and the entire dedicated LIFE-Beirut team, in addition to Adam Levant, Beiruting.com, Facelook, Focus, RAGMAG Magazine, Special, U Magazine, and The Gate. www.sidc-lebanon.org
ALL FOR ONE The fundraising event of SIDC (Soins Infirmiers et Developpement Communautaire) was truly a night to remember. The 25th Anniversary Celebration of this pioneer NGO brought together great people at LIFE Beirut, in an atmosphere of big entertainment, all for a worthy and much needed cause. All proceeds raised
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MIRROR, MIRROR
RAINBOW
BRIGHT THIS SPRING GO TECHNICOLOR WITH MAKE UP FOR EVER
Make Up For Ever gets bright and bold for Spring 2013 with their newest range. It only makes sense that the brand known for celeb makeup would take their inspiration from the first Technicolor camera technique. Make Up For Ever’s Creator and Artistic Director, Dany Sanz, redefines beauty this season with saturated pigments and impact. The three must-have eyeshadow shades of this selection are Turquoise, Apple Green, and a limited edition of this spring’s flagship color, Yellow. For those looking for mainstay eyeshadows, we suggest the five shade core range chosen to compliment the Technicolor look: Lilac, Black, Matte White, Espresso, and Iridescent Yellow Beige.
1
2
GET THE LOOK
TECHNICOLOR STEP BY STEP METHOD CREATED BY MAKE UP FOR EVER
3
4
1. Using 10P brush, apply the yellow eyeshadow on the entire eyelid and then use the 16P brush to apply it on the lower lash line. 2. Using the 10P brush, apply eyeshadow #72 in Turquoise on the outer corner of the eye and into the crease blending it with the yellow shadow. Use eyeshadow #91 in Apple Green as the intermediate color. Using the 16P brush, apply eyeshadow #72 in Turquoise along the lower lash line and blend with eyeshadow #91 in Apple Green. INDUSTRY INSIDER TIP To give more intensity to the lash line, apply Aqua Eyes pencil 12L in Blue with Green Highlights before applying the eyeshadow.
3. Apply eyeshadow #00 in White at the center of the brow bone to highlight. 5
6
INDUSTRY INSIDER TIP To give more intensity to the eyes, apply Kohl Pencil 3K in Pearly Turquoise on the water line.
4. Apply eyeshadow #116 in Lilac on the inner corner of the eye and blend. 5. Using the 16P brush, apply eyeshadow #72 in Turquoise on the upper lash line to better define and intensify the line. 6. Finish by applying Smoky Lash Mascara.
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MAXIMUM
IMPACT PURPLE
IS THE NEW BLACK
We like 501 Attrape-Coeur, a Spring edition of the Ecrin 4 Couleurs Collector’s Palette. Featuring mauve, violet and white, these eyeshadows can be worn on their own for a bold look, or teamed up to create a purpleinfused smokey eye.
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MIRROR, MIRROR
LIGHT UP YOUR EYES MAXI LASH BY Guerlain The new Guerlain Makeup Collection for 2013 brings us our new it-product, the Maxi Lash mascara. With the new formula combining three different polymers, Maxi Lash will thicken lashes to amp them up with extra volume while softening so that you can sculpt them into just the right shape and style. We like the criss-cross pattern of the brush that carefully separates the lashes and distributes the mascara for a crump-free application. Add the Maxi Lash finishing touch on a nude everyday makeup or pair it with one of Guerlain’s Spring 2013 eyeshadow palettes for a night on the town.
SHALIMAR
L’Eau Si Sensuelle LIMITED EDITION
In 1925, an Indian love story inspired Jacques Guerlain: he created the first Shalimar fragrance. A century later, the House of Guerlain reinterprets the iconic fragrance with Shalimar L’Eau Si Sensuelle Limited Edition. To the quintessential Shalimar Eau de Parfum scents of flowers, wood, vanilla and amber and the citrus notes of the Shalimar Parfum Initial L’Eau, Guerlain adds a complex formulation of jasmine scents: green, fruity, and honeyed jasmine extracts from India, Egypt and Grasse.
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MIRROR, MIRROR
A LIGHTER TOUCH | THIS IS 2013
A LIGHTER
TOUCH THIS IS 2013 DIOR HOMME COLOGNE
FOR THE MAN OF TODAY
THE HOUSE OF DIOR REVISITS THE CLASSIC DIOR HOMME FRAGRANCE, TURNING IT INTO A SENSUAL MUSKY COLOGNE. DIOR PERFUMER-CREATOR FRANÇOIS DEMACHY CREATES A MODERN VERSION OF THE COLOGNE, GIVING IT A FRESH CITRUS BERGAMOT TOP NOTE, FOLLOWED BY AN ORIGINAL FLORAL NOTE OF ITALIAN GRAPEFRUIT FLOWER, WHILE WHITE MUSK OFFERS AN ENVELOPING BASE. THE CLEAN-CUT PALE BLUE BOTTLE RESEMBLES THE FRAGRANCE AND THE MAN IT IS CREATED FOR: THE SIMPLE, ELEGANT AND CASUAL MAN OF TODAY.
LAW
+ORDER
IT’S NO SURPRISE DIOR FEATURES ACTOR JUDE LAW FOR THE DIOR HOMME COLOGNE 2013 CAMPAIGN. JUDE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE ICONIC HOUSE SINCE 2008, INCARNATING THE DIOR MAN PAR EXCELLENCE. THE NEW CAMPAIGN SHOWS A GENUINE SLICK AND NATURAL JUDE: THE ONE MEN WANT TO BE AND WOMEN WANT TO BE WITH.
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EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES
BACKSTAGE PASS
SALVATORE FERRAGAMO
SPRING SUMMER 2013 COLLECTION ENLIGHTENS US The suave masters of design at Salvatore Ferragamo opened up the backstage doors of their spring summer 2013 Men’s Runway extravaganza and we can’t get enough of it! Pairing brightly coloured slacks and blazers with running shoes, Salvatore Ferragamo plays on layered monochromes. What we love the most backstage? Finely woven overlay men’s tops setting off crisp white shirt and tie combos.
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EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES
RAGMAG
RAGING RUNWAY TOP CATWALK CHOICES FOR WOMEN
MARC JACOBS SS 2013
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RAGMAG
RAGING RUNWAY TOP CATWALK CHOICES FOR MEN
ANN DEMEULEMEESTER FW 2013/2014
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RAGMAG
RAGING RUNWAY TOP CATWALK CHOICES FOR MEN
DIESEL BLACK GOLD SS 2013
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EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES
RAGMAG
RAGING RUNWAY TOP CATWALK CHOICES FOR WOMEN
VERSUS SS 2013
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EMPORIO ARMANI RING
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SEEKING
FLUORESCENTS NEON NIGHTS+ FLASHBULB BRIGHTS
STARRING
ZEINA DACCACHE
Photography by ODETTE KAHWAGI Styled by JONY MATTA Makeup by MAKE UP FOR EVER
DRESSED BY
GEMY MAALOUF MARCH 2013
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VERSACE COLLECTION CUFF MARCH 2013
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EMPORIO ARMANI BANGLE | VERSACE COLLECTION STILETTOS | OPPOSITE PAGE EMPORIO ARMANI BANGLE
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GIVENCHY BANGLE | VERSACE COLLECTION STILETTOS
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VERSACE COLLECTION CUFF | VERSACE COLLECTION PEEP TOE STILETTOS AVAILABLE AT RODEO DRIVE OPPOSITE PAGE EMPORIO ARMANI NECKLACE | VERSACE COLLECTION PEEP TOE STILETTOS AVAILABLE AT RODEO DRIVE
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VERSACE COLLECTION CUFF MARCH 2013
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VERSACE COLLECTION CUFF MARCH 2013
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EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES
STARLIGHT
A RETROSPECTIVE
A HISTORY OF HAUTE JOAILLERIE WITH TIFFANY & CO. Tiffany & Co. has been the foremost purveyor of fine jewelry since 1837. Here we share moments from their archives as a “then and now” foray into fashion. Their intimate relationship with global influencer Elizabeth Taylor is documented through many historic images and we’ve decided to share them with you. Our best-loved current celebrity who wears Tiffany & Co. is none other than chameleon Kate Winslet. Some of the House’s designers include: Paloma Picasso, daughter of artist Pablo Picasso, Elsa Peretti, and Jean Schlumberger- the lattermost joined Tiffany & Co. in 1956. Schlumberger’s designs were seen on luminaries such as Jacqueline Kennedy and Vogue denizen Diana Vreeland. Tiffany & Co. celebrated their 175 year anniversary in 2012- hats off to you.
TIFFANY & CO. THEN WITH
ELIZABETH TAYLOR
JEAN SCHLUMBERGER’S FLEUR DE MER CLIP PHOTO CREDIT © TIFFANY & CO. | JEAN SCHLUMBERGER’S FLEUR DE MER CLIP OF DIAMONDS, SAPPHIRES, PLATINUM AND 18 KARAT GOLD FROM THE ESTATE OF ELIZABETH TAYLOR
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ABOVE: ELIZABETH TAYLOR ACCOMPANIED BY RICHARD BURTON WEARING JEAN SCHLUMBERGER’S FLEUR DE MER CLIP OF DIAMONDS, SAPPHIRES, PLATINUM AND 18 KARAT GOLD
OPPOSITE PAGE: ELIZABETH TAYLOR ACCOMPANIED BY RICHARD BURTON WEARING JEAN SCHLUMBERGER’S FLEUR DE MER CLIP OF DIAMONDS, SAPPHIRES, PLATINUM AND 18 KARAT GOLD
PHOTO CREDIT ROLLS PRESS/POPPERFOTO
PHOTO CREDIT RON GALELLA
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A RETROSPECTIVE | A HISTORY OF HAUTE JOAILLERIE WITH TIFFANY & CO.
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EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES
TIFFANY & CO.
KATE WINSLET
LEFT: KATE WINSLET IN A TIFFANY ART DECO-INSPIRED YELLOW DIAMOND NECKLACE (ABOVE), 10-CARAT YELLOW DIAMOND EARRINGS + YELLOW DIAMOND BRACELETS, AT THE 82ND ACADEMY AWARDS® MARCH 7, 2010 IN LOS ANGELES
TIFFANY & CO. BROOCHES ARE FOREVER LEFT: BROOCH OF FRESHWATER PEARLS (C. 1904) PATTERNED AFTER A CHRYSANTHEMUM, WITH A STEM AND LEAVES OF DIAMONDS SET IN GOLD-BACKED PLATINUM.
RIGHT: PAULDING FARNHAM’S ORCHID BROOCH (1889) OF ENAMEL AND DIAMONDS PHOTO CREDIT CARLTON DAVIS
PHOTO CREDIT © TIFFANY & CO
BELOW: TIFFANY & CO. SPRAY BROOCH (C. 1894) COMPOSED OF TWELVE STYLIZED LEAVES SET WITH DIAMONDS IN PLATINUM, AND SIX ROSE-CUT AMETHYSTS SET IN GOLD PHOTO CREDIT © TIFFANY & CO
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KATE WINSLET PHOTO CREDITS LEFT TO RIGHT: ALBERTO E. RODRIGUEZ GETTY IMAGES | STEVE GRANITZ WIREIMAGE
NOW WITH
w ww.g eorg es hob eik a .c om
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CULTURE CLASH
SPOTLIGHT MARILYN MONROE IN “THE LAST SITTING”
BY BERT STERN
REINTERPRETED FOR FIRST EVER EXHIBITION IN DUBAI THIS MONTH, ART, PHOTOGRAPHY, AND FILM LOVERS ARE IN FOR A STELLAR EXHIBITION IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. RENOWNED PHOTOGRAPHER BERT STERN AND HIS COLLECTION OF INTIMATE IMAGES OF MARILYN MONROE WILL BE PRESENTED BEGINNING MONDAY, MARCH 18TH 2013 AT THE JAMM ART GALLERY LOCATED IN AL QUOZ, DUBAI.
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FMEABRRCUHA R 2Y 0 1230 1 3
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SPOTLIGHT MARILYN MONROE
IN “THE LAST SITTING” BY BERT STERN REINTERPRETED FOR FIRST EVER EXHIBITION IN DUBAI
T
he historic pictures were taken just 6 weeks before the screen siren’s overdose at her home. The shoot, fittingly titled “The Last Series”, is a selection from over 2600 images taken by Stern over three daily sessions at the BelAir Hotel in Los Angeles, California in June 1962. Meant for Vogue magazine, Stern’s relationship with Monroe allowed the pop culture icon to immerse herself fully in moment- the result was a stunning and candid collection of images of Monroe that have endeared people for over 50 years since her death at the age of 36. One of the most poignant of Stern’s shots depicts the other Monroe -born Norma Jeane Mortenson- post divorce to American baseball legend Joe DiMaggio. “Marilyn Monroe was great, sexy, beautiful and funny- the perfect all American girl. I loved her,” says Stern. Due to her comfort with Stern, in certain images she appears vulnerable and lonely, fragile and exposedin stark contrast to Monroe’s public persona.
MARCH 2013
The exhibition features 12 unique archival prints on paper and on canvas enhanced with crystals and jewels. Fans of Americana and American history buffs may not appreciate the new version of Holllywood’s most famous photo shoot but nonetheless, the reinterpretation has been done. The self-taught Stern was born in 1929 in Brooklyn, New York. Stern says he is “very excited to be having a show for the first time in the fabulous city of Dubai,” and that the exhibition will also mark the launch of the new JAMM art gallery, situated in close proximity to Al-Serkal Avenue, home to a number of Dubai’s leading contemporary art galleries
The Bert Stern exhibition will run from March 18 to April 18 2013 at JAMM Art Gallery. Saturday to Thursday , 11am to 7pm Street 8, Warehouse 11, Building 19, Al-Quoz 1, close to Al-Serkal Avenue | Dubai, UAE +971 50 2288134 | info@jamm-art.org
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Fundraising Mother's Day Lunch Abd el Wahab - Achrafieh on Saturday March 16, 2013 at 1:00 pm Kindly note this event is not exclusively for ladies Proceeds go to the underprivileged young and old we serve Ticket price: 100,000 LBP For more information please call: 01 266 611 or email paula@ayadinaassociation.com
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NEW + NOW
WINNING TEAM L’Oréal-UNESCO “For Women in Science Pan Arab” Regional Program honours 8 Female Scientists from the Arab World in its 3rd edition. This celebration of science was organized under the auspices of H.E Prof. Dr. Nadia Zakhary the Egyptian Minister of Scientific Research and was attended by Egyptian figures from the sociopolitical and science fields as well as Mr. Geoff Skingsley, Executive Vice-President of L’Oréal’s Africa-Middle East Zone and Dr. Bechir Lamine, Director of UNESCO Cairo office. The fellowship program, now in its 3rd Pan-Arab version, highlights the crucial role that women play in science, through honouring outstanding female postdoctoral researchers who presented exceptional projects in different science and technology areas. Each fellow receiving a grant of USD 20,000 is empowered through this initiative to push forward her research efforts in the field of her choice. Since the creation of the international L’Oréal-UNESCO “For Women in Science” Program in 1998, over 1300 women in over 100 countries have been recognized for their groundbreaking achievements and innovative researches. Initiating the ceremony, Dr. Bechir Lamine,
the Director of UNESCO Cairo Office, stated: “In this third version of the Pan Arab celebration of women in science, we cannot but applaud the efforts of women around the Arab World for their dedication to science and strive to advance new solutions in several domains. The UNESCO L’Oreal Fellowship program is successful because it is one of the few established platforms in the region encouraging women scientists to highlight their work and help them advance their research.” The Jury chose eight exceptional Arab women scientists respectively from Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia, Sudan, Iraq, and Bahrain: Dr. Lina Khanj of Lebanon, American University of Beirut, will further her research on traffic offloading in LTE/Wifi networks. Through the For Women in Science program, L’Oreal and UNESCO have worked together for the past 14 years to promote the cause of women in science. Each year, the program highlights scientific excellence with five International awards, one per continent, and encourages young women to pursue scientific careers with 15 International Fellowships, 180 National Fellowships and 20 Regional Fellowships.
SUMMER SPLASH Available at GS, Morgan SS2013 wardrobe is varied this summer! It’s bubbly, romantic and exotic, the colours and materials mix in a fresh and sparkly fashion range. A wave of pastels breaks on our wardrobe. The details in materials, embroidery and lace add a sophisticated touch, ideal for special occasions. The ethno-chic trend is for everyone, it takes us on a journey. Bead games and gems set as jewels adorn our jackets, tops and dresses, for an unusual and trendy touch! Raise the anchor and sail to new destinations, by revisiting the codes of yacht wear! Energetic stripes on light sailor-chic crochet-work! Go to Vegas: studding and glitter brighten up summer whites and awaken a Rock N’ Chic spirit! A foretaste of the holidays, don’t hesitate to dig out your panama hat and follow the trend, with flashy, colourful tropical prints! Available exclusively at GS.
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MIRROR, MIRROR
M.A.C
RUNWAY LOOKS
CATWALK COSMETICS FROM THE EXPERTS The SS 2013 catwalks ranged in form and colour and this season M.A.C conceptual development blew us away. Our favorite look? “NU-ANCE” developed by M.A.C’s creative team. The “NU-ANCE” schema was seen on runways of note including fashion luminaries Issey Miyake, Gianfranco Ferré, and Nicole Miller.
SCI-
CHEDELIC • GRAPHICISM IN COLOUR + SHAPE CREATION • BASE OF LUMINESCENCE • PRIMARY PIGMENTS
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: SS 2013 HAIDER ACKERMAN, MOSCHINO CHEAP N CHIC, MUGLER, TORY BURCH COSTUME-NATIONAL
SIG-NATURE
• SMOOTHED AND HYDRATED (BUT NOT WET) SKIN • MASCARA-LESS EYE • FRAMING BROWS 118 | R A G M A G | www.ragmag.co
OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: SS 2013 GIANFRANCO FERRE, ISSEY MIYAKE, ROKSANDA ILLINCIC, ALBERTA FERRETTI, PROENZA SCHOULER, HOUSE OF HOLLAND
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NU-ANCE
• GENTLE AMPED LIP • PATEL-FLUORO MIXTURE • FRESH FUTURISM
PURI-TAN
• SEPIAS TONES • SOFT SHAPES TO HIGHLIGHT • SLIGHT GESTURE OF TAN WITHOUT HEAVY PIGMENT
SPOTLIGHT
CAROLINE DONNELLY
M.A.C SENIOR MAKEUP ARTIST FOR THE UNITED KINGDOM Caroline has worked on a wide range of celeb clientele including Elizabeth and Jade Jagger, Boy George, Cyndi Lauper, Alan Rickman, and Jude Law. Her events span everything from Kanye West’s tour to the highbrow BAFTAs. RAGMAG’s top highlights from Caroline’s fashion resume: Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Erdem, Paco Rabanne, Kenzo, Dries Von Noten, and CnC Costume National. Caroline’s specialty? Body painting!
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EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES
LIGHT BREEZE
THE SHEER LUMINOSITY OF
UTERQÜE
We’ve always been fans of UTERQÜE, and this season they’ve sent our allegiance even further with their selection of scarves that wear ever so elegantly. UTERQÜE, say it with us, oo-ter-kay, is best known for clean lines and flattering shapes in a multitude of shades that suggest higher-end simplicity. One more thing that makes UTERQÜE even cooler? On their main website, you can select various Middle East locations, so if you’re in Lebanon, Jordan, UAE or KSA, they’ve got relevant information for you. Check it out for yourself www.uterque.com
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LIGHT BREEZE | THE SHEER LUMINOSITY OF UTERQÜE
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Photography by DAVE KAI PIPER Creative Direction CHLOE-JASMINE WHICHELLO Models CHLOE-JASMINE WHICHELLO (right) + LAURA EVE THYER Hair & Make up MORGAN DEFRE, VICKI WAGHORN Fashion ELIZABETH CONNER
LIMELIGHT BEYOND THE
GILDED CAGE “AND WE ARE MERELY PLAYERS, PERFORMERS AND PORTRAYERS, EACH ANOTHER’S AUDIENCE”
1981
LIMELIGHT BY RUSH
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THERE IS
A LIGHT
THAT NEVER GOES OUT THE SMITHS
1986
AND IF A DOUBLE-DECKER BUS CRASHES IN TO US TO DIE BY YOUR SIDE IS SUCH A HEAVENLY WAY TO DIE AND IF A TEN TON TRUCK KILLS THE BOTH OF US TO DIE BY YOUR SIDE WELL THE PLEASURE, THE PRIVILEGE IS MINE
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THERE WILL BE CELEBRATIONS AROUND THE NATIONS LOVE WITHOUT NO CARE THERE WILL BE SINGING, PLENTY SWINING LIVE WIThOUT THAT FEAR
ONE BRIGHT DAY ZIGGY MARLEY 1989
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HELP I’M STEPPIN’ INTO THE TWILIGHT ZONE THE PLACE IS A MADHOUSE, FEELS LIKE BEING CLONED MY BEACON’S BEEN MOVED UNDER MOON AND STAR WHERE AM I TO GO, NOW THAT I’VE GONE TOO FAR; SOON YOU WILL COME TO KNOW, WHEN THE BULLET HITS THE BONE
TWILIGHT ZONE
GOLDEN EARRING
1982
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atelier versace haute couture ss 2013
MIX N’ MATCH REAL RUNWAY RAGMAG SHOWS YOU HOW TO REPLICATE THAT RUNWAY TREND! SEE OUR TAKES ON HOW TO MAKE THE READY TO WEAR, ACTUALLY WEARABLE
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WICKED CIRCLE atelier versace cuff ss 2013
salvatore ferragamo bracelet
balmain top zuhair murad ss 2013
QUEEN OF DIAMONDS
altuzarra fw 2013
balmain dress
NOT ON MY WATCH
versace vanity st.valentine edition
versace handbag
TRINITY BLUE BLOOD
mango necklace
loree rodkin ring
alexander mcqueen jacket
VIRTUOUS VOLUBILIS versace wrapped stiletto with embellishment
michael kors metallic brocade shorts
TAKE A DEEP BREATH MARCH 2013
alexander mcqueen corset
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piaget ring
GIMME FIVE nada zeineh necklace
giambattista valli leopard print silk shantung and chiffon dress
frankie morello fw 2013
iris van herpen fw 2013
carine gilson paneled silk camisole missoni metallic crochet knit dress
alexander mcqueen clutch
BLACKOUT lacoste belt for men
atelier versace earring
MIDDLE GROUND
givenchy bag
dolce & gabbana lizard effect leather sandals
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lanvin sneakers
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giorgio armani ss 2013
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SPEAK, SEE, HEAR NO EVIL
CHECK
BY JACQUES TCHABARIAN
A$AP Rocky LONG.LIVE.A$AP Appearing in a video with Lana Del Rey and landing a spot on a FIFA Soccer 2013 commercial is not a small thing for a rapper who hadn’t even officially released his first album. RCA Records had faith enough in Harlem native Rakim Mayers A.K.A. A$AP Rocky to flaunt him as the hottest new act on their roster. After giving up his day job (drug pusher on his hometown streets), the rapper relocated to New Jersey, a move clever enough to get the attention of scouts who started a bidding war on the young prodigy with RCA emerging victorious. On “Long.Live.A$AP”, Rocky revisits
the gripping world of DJ Screw and House Mafia 6, creating songs that are as concrete and addictive as the ones released by his heroes. While Underground Rap is at the core of this album, you’ll still notice a welcoming touch of different artists: Dubstep textures by Skrillex on the upbeat “Wild for the Night” or the woozy “Suddenly” with its obsessed Hip-Hop Jazz and lyrics driven by brutish swagger. All the major labor flavors have been set in motion for this official debut (the precedent being an online release), and it seems as though A$AP Rocky is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the future.
Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite GET UP! Who is Charlie Musselwhite? I asked that very thing when I found out that Ben Harper was collaborating with him on his latest album. Turns out Mr. Musselwhite was the premier white harp blues player in 1960s Chicago, and by harp I mean the harmonica. It’s no surprise that Harper, old soul that he is (even at the beginning of his career), would want to work with such a person, being a big fan of said instrument and the Electric Chicago Blues style in general. The two of them got along famously when they first met during a John Lee Hooker session years ago. The sound
on this album is mostly pared down to Harper’s guitar and Musselwhite’s harmonica, but things are stirred up in a full blown Blues Rock tradition as on the heart thumping “I’m In, I’m Out and I’m Gone” and the hard-rocking “I Don’t Believe A Word You Say”, the Slide Guitar having it’s shining moment as well in the ghostly riffs of “I Ride at Dawn”. The pair seems to have had fun recording the album, as the songs are easy on the ears. Extended exposure to a harmonica isn’t something I usually have patience for, but surprisingly I enjoyed the whole album. Maybe I’m an old soul myself.
The Joy Formidable WOLF’S LAW It’s always a tremendous joy whenever I discover an exciting new band who just came out with their first album. It’s also joyous when their sophomore album turns out to be as exciting as the first one, which is the case with The Joy Formidable’s latest release. Their sound was described by one publication as an “enjoyable darkly soft loud racket” and got the attention of music fans all over the globe- including the avant-garde members of Muse who invited the band to join them on their 2012 tour as their supporting act. The title “Wolf’s Law” is inspired by the theory put forward by German anatomist Julius
Wolff stating that bones in humans and animals can adapt and reshape if stressed. This disc sees the band musically evolving further while retaining their Shoegaze and Noise Pop influences à la “My Bloody Valentine”. A set of brilliantly crafted songs, this album delivers occasional beautiful string sections as a natural aura that rests comfortably in the back of your mind. The height of enjoyment comes near the end of the album with “The Turnaround”, a 9 and a half minute epic cry where the vocals of Cocteau Twins’ Elizabeth Frazier would fit happily. I just died and went to heaven.
Various Artists 12-12-12: THE CONCERT FOR SANDY RELIEF Organizing a relief concert is always an honourable thing to do: artists from all over the music scene come together to raise money for relief funds, here for the victims of last October’s Hurricane Sandy which ravaged the Northeastern United States (and other areas). The biggest names in the industry had been summoned to perform on stage at Madison Square Garden. While great moments from that night can be found on this double album, many essential performances are nowhere to be found. Notably absent? The onstage collaboration between Paul McCartney and two thirds of Nirvana, Dave 132 | R A G M A G | www.ragmag.co
Grohl and Krist Novoselic, jamming on a blistering version of “Cut Me Some Slack”, and all of Kanye West’s energetic performances. This isn’t to say however that good material cannot be found here. Great pieces by British heavy weights such as Roger Waters, The Rolling Stones and The Who sound really good live; Bon Jovi, Billy Joel, Alicia Keys, and Bruce “The Boss” Springsteen bring the American side of Rock to the table, and the surprise team of Chris Martin (Coldplay) with Michael Stipe (R.E.M.) for a striking rendition of “Losing My Religion” is a very interesting moment. Pick this one up. THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
read’em + The Time Keeper Mitch Albom
weep BY AMAL CHAABAN
Why you should read this book
You shouldn’t unless you’re an Albom fan
Lovers of Mitch Albom’s work were very happy when the Time Keeper hit bookshelves earlier this year. Similar to his other work, there are the familiar markings of faith, power of sorts, and of course, questions which may not have answers. That is precisely what makes this book so unremarkable and so repetitive. Our story is about Dor (aka Father Time), a man who lives in the time of the Tower of Babel and what happens when he becomes interested in marking what we now know as time.
This is where Albom’s whole story basically falls apart. The characters (Nim, Alli, and Dor), who are supposed to be best friends and later husband and wife in the case of Alli and Dor, are cardboard; even Dor, who is the “hero”, is poorly fleshed out. The character’s relationships read as tenuous at best and that lack of character development only continues through as we read what are supposed to be particularly emotional scenes in the book. This is a book specifically for lovers of this author’s work.
Uprising Douglas L. Bland
Why you should read this book
One charismatic voice can rally even the most downtrodden The year 2012 was rightly called the year of the uprising by many: the Arab Spring continued, people around the world protested loudly at their governments, and the #IdleNoMore movement kicked off. It’s this last thing that distinguishes this book as such an important (and slightly terrifying) read. The story takes place in Canada and discusses what happens when a charismatic leader starts a First Nations uprising (for those who don’t know, the
First Nations are the indigenous people of Canada) and what the consequences of that uprising could be. Bland, a retired Canadian Army Lieutenant Colonel, sets the Idle No More stage for this novel, basically what we are seeing happen in the real world today. His characters are quintessentially Canadian, right down to their reaction to the initial protests. Well written with no weak points in the plot, this is a fast paced, tightly-written book. Great read politics aside.
Me Before You Jojo Moyes Why you should read this book
Life is what we make it, no matter how clichéd that sounds
When Louisa Clark loses her job, she is forced into a new position that takes her to places she never dreamed of. Will Traynor is a quadriplegic from a freak accident and he wants to die. Louisa is first hired to be his companion, not knowing that the family has their hopes pinned on her to make him want to live. Once Louisa discovers this, she is determined to change his mind. I won’t spoil the read by telling you what happens. I will however tell you that Jojo Moyes has written a book that cuts right to
the heart of one of the most contentious debates in our time: the right to die. She has written a book that takes all of the politics and religious rhetoric out and leaves all of the humanity behind those who make these decisions (and their families) in. It discusses the laws and the controversy without melodrama and really breaks it down to the most basic element: who has the right to decide how you live or die? This is an excellent read all the way through that will provoke all sorts of emotions.
Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness Susannah Cahalan
Why you should read this book
For all that we think we know about the brain, we really don’t Award winning journalist Susannah Cahalan had it all: a wonderful job at the Post, a great boyfriend, and a life in New York City. When she wakes one morning with what she thinks are bedbug bites, it only occurs to her to call the exterminator. In the interim, her behaviour is becoming extremely erratic, bordering on and resembling a mental illness. When she has a seizure one evening, things rapidly go downhill and she begins a journey that no one wants to take. She is hospitalized where a myriad of tests MARCH 2013
are done, only to come back negative. On the verge of being committed to a psychiatric ward for her hallucinations, violent outbursts, and paranoia, she finally has a spinal tap which shows that something is seriously wrong. After 28 days of sheer hell, at a point where almost everything is exhausted, there is a light at the end of a very long tunnel. This book demonstrates how little we know about how the brain actually works. This is the must read book for people who love science when applied to humanity. www.ragmag.co | R A G M A G | 133
playNICE
SPEAK, SEE, HEAR NO EVIL
BY ADAM VOLK
Crysis 3
Publisher Electronic Arts | Developer Crytek Platforms Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: a group of evil aliens attack New York City and it’s up to a lone soldier to save the day. Okay, so the plot behind the Crysis 3 isn’t exactly the most original. Still, the latest entry in the popular first-person shooter series earns major props for its blend of jaw dropping visuals and immersive gameplay. Players once again take on the role of Prophet, a special forces commando clad in an armored alien Nanosuit that allows him to turn invisible as well as perform acts of superhuman speed and strength. Crysis 3, however, ups the ante with
a few new moves in Prophet’s repertoire, including the ability to hack electronic devices and use a new Predator bow to take out enemies from a distance. Like previous iterations, the game’s controls are rock solid, and the level design is genuinely impressive, not to mention having some of the sharpest looking graphics to ever appear on a console. The multiplayer isn’t quite as riveting, but still offers a solid diversion once you’ve wrapped up the campaign. Crysis 3 might not have the most original story, but chances are you’ll be too busy shooting aliens in the face to care.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
Publisher Konami Developer Platinum Games Platform Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
The legendary Metal Gear series has been around for decades, renowned for its razor sharp stealthaction gameplay. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, however, takes the series in a blood-soaked new direction. While previous iterations in the series put players in the boots of the silent-but-deadly Solid Snake, this time out players take control of Raiden, a deadly ninja cyborg. And while Snake preferred to sneak through the shadows and quietly eliminate his enemies, Raiden isn’t afraid to get a little noisy,
hacking and slashing his way through a variety of gorgeously rendered environments. The game is essentially a brawler on speed, with the action frenetic, fun and almost too fast to follow at times. It’s a novel concept for the series, but one that might not engender itself to fans who crave both the series long-time protagonist and style of stealth play. Still the game offers up a near perfect dose of action-packed mayhem, finally letting players get a little loud in the Metal Gear universe.
Aliens: Colonial Marines
Publisher Sega | Developer Gearbox Software | Platforms Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 James Cameron’s 1986 action film “Aliens” set a new bar when it comes to sci-fi action films. Which is why it’s no surprise that literally dozens of games have been created over the years set in the Alien universe. The latest is Aliens: Colonial Marines, a game which has been in development for nearly a decade. A sequel to the 1986 film, players take on the role of a lowly Colonial Marine grunt sent to find out what happened to Ripley and her crew after the series of events in the film. It sounds like all the ingredients for a classic shooter, but instead,
outdated graphics, inexcusable bugs and sloppy gameplay keep Colonial Marines from ever really getting off the ground. The game does have its moments - including a few classic nods to the films - but for the most part it’s a first-person shooter that feels flat and all-too familiar. There is of course, a multiplayer mode along with a campaign that lets you play cooperatively with up to four friends, but both experiences aren’t quite up to snuff. The end result is a game that’s only slightly more appealing than getting an acid-spitting face hugger stuck to your face. Game over, man.
God of War: Ascension
Publisher Sony Computer Entertainment | Developer SCE Santa Monica Studio Platforms PlayStation 3 The ancient Greeks remain one of the world’s most accomplished civilizations, having brought us democracy, the toga party and yes, the God of War series. The seventh installment in Sony’s epic series finds players once again controlling Kratos, the ass kicking servant of Ares, God of War. The story is technically a prequel to the existing games, with Kratos once again looking for – what else? – vengeance. Gameplay follows the tried-and-true formula the series is known for, with Kratos wielding his signature chain blades to slice, dice
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and maim his enemies. The action ramps up quickly, rewarding players for pulling off combos and inflicting the maximum amount of carnage on screen. It’s a rocksolid experience with challenging levels and inspired visuals taken from Greek mythology. The game also offers up a new multiplayer mode that lets up to eight players battle it outline. The end result is another Greek legend that’s anything but tragic, and remains the next best thing to come out of the Parthenon since “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”.
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watch out BY JACQUES TCHABARIAN
Release dates based on amazon.co.uk
Stand Up Guys | 95 mins
Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, Alan Arkin
Theatre Release Date: February 1
Having Al Pacino in a movie usually means that he’ll steal the spotlight, being a Hollywood milestone and an actor that people go out of their way to see. His partners in crime in this movie have nothing to envy as they bring the same amount of passion, fun and drama as Big Al. Jailed tough guy Val (Pacino) is released from prison after serving 28 years for a failed robbery he carried out with his best friend and professional thief Doc (Christpopher Walken), and their first-rate getaway driver Hirsch (Alan Arkin). The movie begins with Doc picking up Val from jail, and
after swinging by Hirsh’s retirement home, the three go on a fun rampage, dining out, stealing a sports car and even helping out a woman get payback on an attacker. Throughout this amusing episode, there is an underlying element of drama as Doc has to kill his best friend Val on orders from a mobster who lost his son in the failed robbery. As much as you are enjoying the performances of these actors looking for old thrills, throughout the movie you feel a constant pinch in your heart and an uneasiness on how things will turn out at the end. Good watch all around.
Parker | 118 mins
Jason Statham, Jennifer Lopez
Theatre Release Date: January 25
Jason Statham has pretty big shoes to fill playing the character of Parker, as moviegoers will identify him with a character they’ve encountered before on the big screen, although under different names. The most recent personification of this villain/ hero was played by Mel Gibson in 1999’s crime thriller “Payback” while Lee Marvin showed up in his in 1967’s “Point Blank”. Director Taylor Hackford was an odd choice for this project in my opinion, his work on the Oscar-winning “Ray” or “An Officer and a Gentleman” giving him too much experience to waste his time on regular action
movies. Nevertheless, Hackord does make Statham come out as a somewhat convincing follow up to the character created by Author Donald E. Wastelake. Hackford also gets whatever is necessary out of Jennifer Lopez to give the all too familiar action movie a zest of believable depth. I won’t dwell on the plot: it’s the classic tale of a hero who seeks revenge from his former partners who left him for dead after a successful heist. The first part of the movie (the heist) is better than the second (the revenge) where the momentum of the beginning is not as solidly maintained. Explore at your own risk.
Mama | 100 mins
Jessica Chastain, Nicolaj Coster-Waldau
Theatre Release Date: January 18
Jessica Chastain had two movies on top of the Box Office at the number one and two positions simultaneously, one with the Oscar nominated “Zero Dark Thirty” and another with this supernatural horror flick. “Mama” is an extension of a short film of the same name which saw the appearance of ambitious new director Andy Muschietti. Victoria and Lily are two little girls who are taken to a cabin in the woods by their homicidal father who has gruesomely murdered their mother. Their uncle, who has been searching for them since then, finds them five years later in the
same cabin, living on their own in a pitiful state and unable to communicate with their surroundings. He takes the girls to live in his home along with girlfriend Annabel (Chastain) but things start to get freaky as eerie events unfold, leaving the couple not sure whether the kids are in aftershock or tied to an evil force beyond comprehension. The plot is original (I’m not going to reveal the twist that sets it apart from other stories) with grisly thrills, keeping you at the edge of your seat as a good horror movie should. For fans of “The Ring” and “The Grudge”.
Identity Thief | 111 mins Jason Bateman, Melissa McCarthy Theatre Release Date: February 8 Identity Thief was not expected to make more than $20 million at the box office at best, so it was kind of a surprise when the movie opened strong. One of the reasons for such a pessimistic forecast was the average reviews from critics, but audiences showed that they were ready to spend their movie money on this comedy flick. The motive could be that Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy are beloved by the public, due to hilarious performances like “Horrible Bosses” for the former and “Bridesmaids” for the latter. Sandy (Bateman) is a family man who is very MARCH 2013
responsible with his finances and is thus shocked to find out that his bank account has been plundered by a thief (McCarthy) who, on top of his money, has also stolen his identity. To make things worse, Sandy is short on time to clear his name or his job will be in jeopardy. The cops don’t seem too eager to help him, prompting Sandy to take matters into his own hands and track down the fun loving thief. Funny situations and textbook comical moments, including a pair of woozy gangsters make this movie somewhat enjoyable, but I’ll let you be the judge. www.ragmag.co | R A G M A G | 135
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THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
TAKE ME WITH YOU
OPPOSITE PAGE: SAMBA SCHOOL PARADE IN SAMBODROMO., VILA ISABEL SCHOOL.
ALLOF THE
LIGHTS RIO DE JANEIRO’S CARNIVAL BY ALICE HLIDKOVA
E
very year the Carnival of Brazil paints a colourful collage of unimaginable props and floats, enticing dancers, exotic costumes, and parties galore. Carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro become the nation’s pivotal attraction glorified by the grand Samba Parade, housed within the concrete walls of the Sambadrome stadium, consisting of an avenue with stands on either side. Twelve of the most talented samba schools prepare a year in advance, hand-stitching costumes, choosing themes and assembling 80 minute performances to compete for the championship, as over 70,000 spectators cheer them on. There are over 70 schools that traditionally formed from within different neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro. Samba form of music and dancing began gaining popularity in the 20s when dancers, choreographers and musicians gathered regularly on school grounds to practice their art. They soon evolved into formal associations or clubs, with their own trademark colours and symbols. Community leaders held competitions and schools competed for the best costumes, floats, music and dance routines. In 1932, the first official parade took place in some of the oldest streets, often shanties made of brick and concrete, called “favelas”. As com-
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petitions gained a greater audience, a formal structure was required and the city government commissioned Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer to design a permanent samba parade venue, inaugurated March 1984. Samba school participants are judged in 10 categories: Percussion Band, Samba Song, Harmony, Flow and Spirit, Floats and Props, Costumes, Vanguard Group, The Flag Bearer, Theme of the Year, and Overall Impression. Each of the categories has four appointed judges who allocate points on a scale of five to 10, with 10 being the highest. While the Vanguard Group is critiqued for choreography of its performance, The Flag Bearer and her escort are evaluated for coordination as a couple, proficiency in dancing, poise, flexibility and range. The other categories follow a similar evaluation.
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TAKE ME WITH YOU
ALL OF THE LIGHTS | RIO DE JANEIRO’S CARNIVAL
BELOW: SAMBA SCHOOL PARADE IN SAMBODROMO., VILA ISABEL SCHOOL.
Spectators have their preferred hovering areas at school rehearsals in respective neighborhoods months prior to the show. They can also observe preparations at the Sambadrome weeks leading up to the big event. During showtime, many of them dance in rhythm of the songs, snack on ice cream and dress in abadás—logo shirts which cost anywhere from 60 to 500 dollars. The abadás grant them access to box suites called “camarotes”, known to be visited by English actor Jude Law and American showgirl Pamela Anderson. The parade has a number of other crucial players. The Carnival King or “Rei Momo”, named after the Greek god of satire, inaugurates the celebrations. There was once a minimum weight -264 lbs- which was abolished in recent years. A number of beauti-
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ful and muscular women compete for the title of Carnival Queen while the equally stunning runner-ups are named Carnival Princesses. Participants are split into various groups of 20 to 100 called the Wings or “Alas”. Each wing has its president ensuring the costumes are produced on time, its flagbearer accompanied by an appointed protector and its queen leading the procession. In between wings are eight to 10 mechanical, allegorical floats that can stand as high as 50 feet, which carry a motley array of vocalists, drummers and samba dancers. Brazilian artist Joãosinho Trinta, famous for saying that “poor people like luxury; those who like poverty are intellectuals,” revolutionized the Rio Carnival, by insisting that samba dancers cavort atop the sound truck!
IT HAS EVOLVED INTO WHAT IT IS TODAY- A HYSTERICAL, MANIACAL, FOUR-DAY EVENT OF GARGANTUAN PROPORTIONS OPEN TO ALL RELIGIONS AND CULTURES. The Samba dance and music is not indigenous to Brazil. It has its roots in West African and Angolan slave trade. When Portugal colonized Brazil in the 1500s, African slaves settled in Rio and other coastal cities, bringing with them tribal practices. For example, ancient customs included parading and circling the villages to ward off evil spirits. It was also common to craft masks and costumes out of stones, bones, grasses and other natural materials. Using feathers was popular as they symbolized the rise and rebirth of spirits. All these elements became major components of today’s Brazil Carnival. The term carnival comes from carne vale, meaning “goodbye to meat”. Significantly, celebrations precede Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday, and is observed by Christians as a 40 day period of fasting and abstinence. Hundreds of years ago, pre-Lent Carnivals were first introduced in Italy, spreading to France, Spain and other European countries. The exuberance and celebration associated with the Brazil Carnival can be viewed as the last great party before six long weeks of sacrifice. It has evolved into what it is today—a hysterical, maniacal, four-day event of gargantuan proportions open to all religions and cultures. For many Brazilians, it represents the start of a new year often rewarding extended vacations.
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THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
TAKE ME WITH YOU
THE CARNIVAL SEASON IS A POTPOURRI OF MUSIC, DANCE, FESTIVITIES, HYSTERIA, CULTURE AND BEAUTY. ARGUABLY THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH, OF MARVEL, OF TALENT, OF PROPORTION, THE RIO CARNIVAL HAS BECOME A BENCHMARK AGAINST WHICH EVERY OTHER CARNIVAL IS COMPARED.
A significant component of the festivities include the balls. The first masked ball took place in 1849 and cost $1000 to enter. Soon major hotels and establishments began holding grand and ostentatious events like the Magic Ball at the Copacabana Palace Hotel. The appetite for admittance becomes palpable with guest appearance from local celebrity Gisele Bündchen and international star Brigitte Bardot. The Scala nightclub set the stage for thematic carnival balls—six throughout
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ALL OF THE LIGHTS | RIO DE JANEIRO’S CARNIVAL
ALL IMAGES: SAMBA SCHOOL PARADE IN SAMBODROMO., VILA ISABEL SCHOOL.
BELOW, LEFT: GISELE BÜNDCHEN’S APPEARANCE AT THE SAMBA SCHOOL PARADE
the festival including the grand finale Gay Costume Ball, for gays and lesbians, for crossdressers and transvestites, and for straights. A must, people say, with a glint, as the red carpet famously showcases extravagant, glitzy costumes and triumphant entrances by toned, tall, smiling drag queens. The local, “carioca” flavor takes place free of charge in the streets. Wellknown street bands frequently march throughout the city in districts such as Lapa, full of alcohol stalls lined along its infamous Roman aqueduct. In neighboring Botafogo, the Barbas block party carries a water truck to hose down partygoers. The more upmarket area of Leblon, with its rather calm, shantytown overshadowing the Sheraton hotel, offers more block parties. Others scattered on tall hills in
the outskirts of the city showcase their own marching bands that often descend from the top. The hub of activity spills into the crescent-shaped Copacabana beach, reaching a frenzied state of samba rehearsals, and into the curving Ipanema beach, retaining a junction between musicians and dancers. The Carnival season is a potpourri of music, dance, festivities, hysteria, culture and beauty. Arguably the greatest show on earth, of marvel, of talent, of proportion, the Rio Carnival has become a benchmark against which every other carnival is compared. Continuing to invigorate the mind, body and soul of Brazil and attracting close to half a million foreign visitors, Rio de Janeiro, without disappointment, wins the crown for the brightest festival on earth
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EAT, DRINK+BE MERRY
VIVE LA FRANCE CHEF OLIVIER GOUGEON RELEASES A RAFT OF
GOOD OLD-FASHIONED FRENCH CUISINE BY SABINA LLEWELLYN-DAVIES
W
hen Olivier Gougeon arrived in Lebanon in 1999 he had no inkling that he would still be here 13 years later. The 38 year-old Frenchman came to Lebanon back then to do his military service as head chef at the Résidence des Pins, Beirut home to French ambassadors. After completing his service he decided to stay on in the country and opened a restaurant for the Aziz gourmet store. Several other projects followed, in Lebanon and Kuwait, and then came Villa Clara, named after his 4 year-old daughter.
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Villa Clara is a bit special in a town jammed with restaurants offering the same offerings with rehashed names. The setting is superb, in a 1920s building on a side street off the grungy Armenia Street in Beirut’s Mar Mikael district. “The building was a garbage dump and we had to gut it completely,” said Gougeon. The project was completed in September 2012 and now houses a boutique hotel and a restaurant with an eclectic mix of French furnishings, English hand-painted silk wallpaper, and traditional Lebanese floor tiling. Even the ceramic dining plates are uniquely handcrafted.
“THE BUILDING WAS A GARBAGE DUMP AND WE HAD TO GUT IT COMPLETELY” Gougeon has always had a passion for food. He grew up in Normandy and on weekends he loved to spend time with his family cooking and feasting on the results. He studied economics at university in Paris and then went into hospitality management. “But, I really fell in love with the kitchen and so after completing my degree I went on to work as a chef in Paris and Nice, then all over France.”
THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
VIVE LA FRANCE | CHEF OLIVIER GOUGEON RELEASES A RAFT OF GOOD OLD-FASHIONED FRENCH CUISINE
He grew up in Thailand and this influenced his palate. “I do love Thai food but as a chef I strongly believe you can only really be good at cooking the food of the country where you were born… when you try to cook other food it will be fusion. French traditional cuisine is what I focus on.” This is what he serves up daily for lunch and dinner at Villa Clara, after sourcing the vegetable markets looking for fresh, seasonal and the unusual. “Try this,” he says, offering me a green sprout, which looks a lot like parsley, but the taste is so different, strong and pungent. “They told me that this is called racheed in Arabic... I have not come across this anywhere else in the world.”
“THE MENU CHANGES EVERY DAY, BUT I DO SERVE UP ONE PARTICULAR DISH EVERY EVENING, ORGANIC CHICKEN BAKED IN A COAT OF SALT”
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Gougeon has set up a garden in Qorbei in the Chouf region where he grows organic vegetables and he is always on the look out for local suppliers who offer quality products, such as veal and free-range chicken from Laqlouq and trout from Anjar. There are a few restaurants in Beirut which have been set up by French chefs but Gougeon is probably the only one to own and work in one. And, he even bakes his own artisan bread. “I think that French food has been placed for too long on a pedestal. At the end of the day it is food and it is my home food. But, the real strength of French food is that we seem to have been the first country to record recipes, back in the 16th century, to share and to transmit our culinary traditions.” He shows me a worn copy of Ma Cuisine by A. Escoffier, the idol of all French chefs. “This guy was a genius, he was the first chef to see the business potential of a restaurant. I bought this copy in a flea market and I leaf through it all the time.”
The starter and main course menu at Villa Clara changes daily depending on what’s in season. “The menu changes every day, but I do serve up one particular dish every evening, organic chicken baked in a coat of salt.” There is no dessert menu, you just have to ask the chef what’s been baking in the kitchen. “My specialty is baba au rhum.” Quite old fashioned really. But then old fashioned seems to be all the rage now. And, Beirut is really loving his food, as, according to Gougeon, the restaurant is fully booked every evening as diners flock to feast on his food. A word of caution to vegetarians though - the menu is full of meat and one item has been named with a sardonic twist: Filet de Bambi. Villa Clara is all about a Frenchman cooking traditional cuisine to his heart’s delight. “And to make up for naming the establishment after my daughter, the terrine de champagne les fermes de Patrick, is named after my one year old son.” Now, nothing wrong with that is there?
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EAT, DRINK+BE MERRY
EAT LIGHT
+RIGHT BY LARA ARISS
Each edition of RAGMAG Lara Ariss will present a meal in several courses that you can try at home. Lara trained at Le Cordon Bleu in London, England. For this issue of RAGMAG, Lara has compiled a light 3 course menu for those of you who are trying to keep the weight off. For her menu selection, check her out on the web http://www.bylara.me @laraariss
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bylara
laraariss
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BAKED
AUBERGINES
PREPARATION TIME 10 MINUTES + RESTING TIME COOKING TIME 30 MINUTES SERVES 2 - 4 LEVEL EASY
INGREDIENTS • 2 large eggplants • 1 tomato • 1 garlic clove, crushed • 4 tablespoons olive oil • 2 tablespoons lemon juice • 2 tablespoons lightly toasted pine nuts • 2 finely chopped scallions • Sea salt • Black pepper TO SERVE • Ground cumin • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
METHOD
• Preheat oven to 230°C. • Using a fork or metal skewer, pierce the eggplants all over. • Place them on a cookie sheet in preheated oven and roast for 20-25 minutes until they are very soft. Remove and set aside to cool. • Place the tomato in a heatproof bowl, pour boiling water over to cover and let stand for 30 seconds. • Drain then plunge into cold water to prevent it from cooking. Peel the tomato then cut it in half and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon. Finely dice and flesh. Reserve. • Cut the cooled eggplants in half lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon and transfer to a food processor. • Add the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and pine nuts and season with salt and pepper to taste. Process until smooth. • Scrape the mixture into a bowl and stir in the scallions and diced tomato. • Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes before serving.
GRILLED CHICKEN +PEACHES PREPARATION TIME 10 MINUTES COOKING TIME 20 MINUTES SERVES 2 - 4 LEVEL EASY
INGREDIENTS • 4 boneless chicken breasts • Olive oil • Cinnamon • Salt and black pepper to taste • 2 firm peaches or nectarines, halved and pitted • 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced • 100 grams crumbled blue cheese • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
METHOD
• Heat a grill to hot. • Brush the chicken with olive oil and season with cinnamon, salt and pepper. Grill for 10 minutes on each side. • While the chicken breasts cook, brush the peach halves with oil and add them to the grill, cut side down. Grill for 5 minutes or until soft. • Remove, slice, and toss with the pine nuts, onion, blue cheese, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. • Top each chicken piece with the peach mixture and serve.
MARCH 2013
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EAT, DRINK+BE MERRY
STRAWBERRY
SQUARES PREPARATION TIME 10 MINUTES COOKING TIME 35 MINUTES MAKES 24 LEVEL EASY
INGREDIENTS • 114 grams unsalted butter, softened • 340 grams granulated sugar • 4 large eggs at room temperature • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract • 220 grams all-purpose flour • 50 grams canned strawberry pie filling • Icing sugar for dusting
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METHOD
• Preheat oven to 180°C. • Line and grease a 33x22 inch baking pan. • Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the butter with the granulated sugar until smooth, for about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla, then the flour and mix thoroughly. • Spread the dough evenly in the prepared pan. With a small, sharp knife or a toothpick, score into twenty-four 5cm squares. • Place a teaspoon of pie filling in the center of each scored square. • Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the pan comes out clean. Cool to room temperature. • Sprinkle with icing sugar before cutting and serving.
THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
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RAGMAG ASTRO
FROM JONATHAN CAINER
March.2013
ARE YOU WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN, HOPING TO BE FREED FROM A SITUATION WHERE YOU SEEM TO BE STUCK OR SEEKING AGREEMENT WHERE NO NEGOTIATION SEEMS TO BE POSSIBLE? FEAR NOT! TOWARDS THE END OF FEBRUARY, MERCURY TURNED RETROGRADE. IT WON’T BE ‘DIRECT’ AGAIN TILL THE MIDDLE OF MARCH. THOUGH THIS IS ALL JUST AN OPTICAL ILLUSION, ASTROLOGERS HAVE LONG SINCE LEARNED THAT SUCH SPELLS OF APPARENT BACKWARD MOTION COINCIDE WITH TIMES OF FRUSTRATION, IMPEDIMENT AND DELAY. THE FURTHER INTO THE MONTH WE GET, THE MORE SUCH A MOOD WILL BE REPLACED BY A SENSE OF FRESH ENTHUSIASM.
ROBERT DOWNEY JR. MIRANDA KERR
TAURUS
April 21 - May 21 Put on stereo headphones. Find a nice loud piece of music. Crank up the volume. Then approach someone who is keen to tell you something and invite them to explain. You just wouldn’t do that, would you? So it can’t be all right for someone to effectively do that to you. Try making sure, this month, that you’re not wearing headphones of your own. If you listen carefully, you are more likely to have the compliment returned. Failing that, remember in March that actions invariably speak louder than words. FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM
ARIES
March 21 - April 20
GEMINI
Mars, later this month, returns to your sign. To most in my profession, news like this represents a reason to urge caution. Even though Mars governs Aries and to have it in your sign is to have a suggestion of increased strength, it may also indicate the imminent emergence of a reckless tendency. So, should I advise you that, in March, if you can’t be good you should at least be careful? I think not. You probably can’t be either! But then, nor do you really need to be. You just need to be brave, be fair... and be yourself!
May 22 - June 22 Life is full of questions we can never hope to answer satisfactorily and mysteries that we will probably never manage to solve. We are all aware of this but we have long since mastered the art of ignoring such perplexing paradoxes. We find that if we don’t dwell on them too much, we can kind of pretend that they are not there. Somewhere in your world this month, someone is making a great fuss about one particular uncertainty. Yet it remains an uncertainty. Don’t turn a hypothetical, theoretical problem into a real one!
FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM
FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM
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THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
CANCER
June 23 - July 23 If you are genuinely enjoying life, it hardly matters what trouble you face. If you are not enjoying your life you can be surrounded by all the trappings of wealth and success yet they will not make a shred of difference to your inner experience. Happiness is not just ‘a bit more important’ than money or power - it is infinitely more important. Furthermore, if you do have happiness, you tend, automatically, to summon whatever power or money you truly need. So now you know precisely what to prioritise this month.
July 24 - August 23 Life, in March, begins to resemble one of those logic puzzles where you have to work out who lives behind the blue door on the basis of what kind of hat they wear and what they do for a living! You’ve got to work on what you know for sure and then make a series of guesses. You must then test those guesses against your facts. If you persist you should eventually end up with clarity. Complicated? Yes. Confusing? At times. But you have every reason to expect to end up wiser and better off as a result of the incisive choices you make.
LEO
VIRGO
FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM
FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM
FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM
LIBRA
SCORPIO
SAGITTARIUS
FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM
FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM
FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM
September 24 - October 23 The more we carry, the more likely it is that, sooner or later, we will drop something. That’s why some people try to go through life empty-handed. That way, they figure, they can never be accused of letting anything slip through their fingers. Attached to every endeavour is an element of risk, yet to do nothing can, under some circumstances, be even riskier. You don’t want to do anything unnecessary now, but nor do you want to miss a big opportunity. This month, choose to do something or do nothing - but do it decisively!
October 24 - November 22 Sometimes, you criticise yourself, unjustly. You turn down opportunities; either because you suspect you do not deserve to be offered them or because you fear that, if you do accept, you will blow your chance and then feel twice as bad. You get passionate about things that can only cause trouble, and are ambivalent about possibilities that might prove advantageous. You are awkward, idiosyncratic, contrary and perverse. Yet you are also, of course, a bit of a genius. Remember that and relax this month.
August 24 - September 23 The world is full of tacit agreements and implied understandings. They are rarely written down. These are unconscious contracts that work because all the parties somehow trust that they will work. Problems only ever arise when it suddenly becomes clear that two people (or organisations) actually saw things rather differently! Then the sleeping dogs all wake up and bark so loudly that nobody can think straight any more. But you can avoid such an unwelcome development in March. Just be sensitive to unvoiced expectations.
November 23 - December 21 Jupiter remains at an angle of more or less 60 degrees to Uranus all month. You continue to wrestle with various forces and factors that represent change. In some instances you are trying to force change to occur because you believe it is what’s right and needed. In other areas, you are trying to keep it at bay because it seems, to you, as if it is deeply undesirable. The question is not ‘can you succeed?’ You can. But are you sure you’re fighting for (and against) the right things? Be willing to rethink an old point of view.
December 22 - January 20 It seems as if there are so many things you can’t do, can’t have, mustn’t hope for and shouldn’t rely on. When you read the papers and watch the news, you become even more sure that you should be narrowing your horizons, limiting your hopes and curbing your aspirations. These are trying times for all of us, aren’t they? But you are not stuck and you do have choices. Some of these, as you’ll discover in March, are surprisingly attractive. Stop seeing reasons to stay stuck in a rut. Be bold. Move on.
January 21 - February 19 Do you mind if I ask you a personal question? Why do you want what you say you want? Are you sure that you really do want it? You are not, by any chance, trying to kid yourself, are you? If your heart is taking you in one direction and your head is pulling you in another, you will just spend your whole life going round in circles. A little clarity can go a long way. In March, while Jupiter forms a stimulating alignment to your ruler, it is going to be much more important to seek wisdom than to muster determination!
AQUARIUS
PISCES
FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM
FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM
FOR YOUR DAILY FORECAST AND MORE FROM JONATHAN, VISIT WWW.CAINER.COM
CAPRICORN
MARCH 2013
February 20 - March 20 Once, you had a bright and inspiring dream. Now, it seems to be fading away. You can hardly even remember what it was all about. But all dreams lose their intensity, sooner or later. Unless, of course, they are recurring dreams. Then they come back round, time and time again, until we take heed of them. If your dream truly needs to be fulfilled, this month will present you with the perfect opportunity. And if it doesn’t? Then you will see the timely emergence of a much-needed (and much more inspiring) new vision.
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STAY MY INSPIRATION.
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THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
BRAINFOOD ROUND #1
ROUND #2
Pot Luck
ROUND #3
Films
1. What dark alcoholic spirit is made from molasses? 2. What was James Bond’s favourite gun of choice? 3. What is the cabin that is below an airship called? 4. In wine terms, what is the opposite of dry? 5. How many ghosts appeared to Scrooge? 6. What does the Oscar Statue hold in its hands? 7. You buy a TV that is 41cms. Where is the measurement taken from? 8. What is the National Airline of Greece? 9. Showtime and Orbit have now combined. What 3 letters do they now use to advertise?
ROUND #4
History + Geography
1. What was the name of the 1998 film starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks which was about internet dating?
Science + Nature
1. What gift did France give to the USA in 1884? 2. In what mountain range would you find Mount Everest?
2. In the film “Bambi”, what sort of animal was Thumper? 3. How are the employees of the Charles Townsend Agency better known? 4. In the film and TV series called MASH, what does the M stand for? 5. What was the name of the car in the film “The Love Bug”? 6. In which film did Tom Hanks star as a boy in an adult’s body? 7. Which actress played the part of FBI Agent Clarice Starling in the film “Silence of the Lambs”? 8. What is the name of the dog in Peter Pan? 9. Name the Police Commissioner of Gotham City? (Batman)
10. Who wrote the book 10. Who were the two male stars of “Mein Kampf”? “Men in Black”?
3. The Island of Malta was awarded what medal after WWII? 4. In to which sea does the River Jordan flow? 5. Nelson Mandella was the leader of the ANC. What does ANC stand for? 6. What is the capital of Zimbabwe? 7. What artist, sculptor and architect designed the dome of St. Peter’s in Rome?
1. What gas makes a drink fizzy? 2. What can be known as monopole, helical or dipole? 3. What animal lays the largest egg? 4. In the letters VHS, V and S mean Video and System. What does the H mean? 5. In physics what letter is used to represent the constant that is equal to 9.80665 metres per second squared? 6. What is the middle colour of the rainbow? 7. What is measured in Curies?
8. What is the largest man made 8. In which European country structure? (Clue: In length) would you find the Black Forest? 9. What snake grows to be 9. In which US City will you find the largest in the world? Madison Square Gardens? 10. How many letters of the 10. Who was the President of alphabet are used in the Roman system of numbering? the White Star Line when the Titanic sank?
EASY
2
3 1
8 1 3
4 7 8 1 3 6 2 5 7 3 8 6 9 1 4 6 5 2 8 5 7 9 3 2 7 9 4 7 6
6
9 4 2 5
2 9
5 2
8 9
4
8
6 8 1 1
1 6 3 9 8
4 7
7 9
9 3 7
8 6 9
8
7 8 9 3 3 4 2 5 6 2 1 4 6 7 9 5 7 2 3 7 5 3 2 9 5 7 6
ROUND#1 1. Rum 2. Walther PPK 3. Gondola 4. Sweet 5. Four 6. A sword 7. Diagonal (corner to corner) 8. Olympic 9. OSN 10. Adolf Hitler ROUND#2 1. “You’ve Got Mail” 2. Rabbit 3. Charlie’s Angels 4. Mobile (Army Surgical Hospital) 5. Herbie 6. Big 7. Jodie Foster 8. Nana 9. Commissioner Gordon 10. Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith ROUND#3 1. Statue of Liberty 2. Himalayas 3. George Cross 4. Dead Sea 5. African National Congress 6. Harare 7. Michelangelo 8. Germany 9. NewYork 10. Joseph Bruce Ismay ROUND#4 1. Carbon dioxide 2. Antennas/Aerials 3. Ostrich 4. Home 5. G (Acceleration) 6. Green 7. Radioactivity 8. Great Wall of China 9. Anaconda 10. 7 (IVLCDM)
1 5 7 3 8 9 1 6
4 2 6 8 3 4 2 7 9 5
6 9 4 7 1 2 3 4 5 2 5 1
2 5 6 8 3 4 8 9 7 7 9 3
6 9 5 4 7 3 9 1 3 8 1 6
3 6 7 9 8
2 4 5 1 1 6
2 5 8 2
MARCH 2013
7 4
3 2 5 6 5 7 5 5 8 4 2 9 5 1 5 8 7 3
1 8 8 1 2 5
7 4 2 2 5 1
4 7 1 5 9 6
8 3 3 9 6 8
6 4 5
8 1 3
7 2 6 3 4 7
4 8 9 6 3 5
2 7 1 1 7 4
2 9 1
5 7 6
5 9 9 6 3 4
8 7 1 3
6 3 5 9 8 2 7 8 3 4 2 1
9 6 4 5 5 2
8 4 7 9 3 8 2
9 6
2 9 7 4 8 3 5 1 6
1 7 4
5 3 8
9 2 6
4 8 1
7 5 9
3 6 2
3 2 5
9 6 4 7 2 1
7 1 8
6 5 9 2 3 7
8 3 2
1 4 7 9 5 8
6 8 9
3 4 5
1 6 4
4 2 9 8 1 7 6 5 3
6 7 3 5 4 2 9 1 8
8 5 1 3 6 9
3
5
9
2
6 4 9 2 1
8 7 4 3 6
1 2 7 8 5
9 5 1
4 7 2
5 8 7
2 9 1
3 6 4
8 3 6
7 4
1 9 8 6 9 3 7 2
5
7 3 6 2 5 8
1 4 9
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THE LUMINANCE ISSUE
ACROSS 1. We all have one! 4. Can be good for your health. 11. Always looked for in a crime. 12. Regions said to be below the earth’s
surface.
13. Is it lucky for the Irish? 16. An Egyptian ruler? 19. A very big dog! [Two words] See 69
down.
21. A white one is supposed to be good. 22. Spherical bodies. 23. An adventure seeking for something. 25. He wrote an Odyssey. 28. Scientific name for man. 29. Tables and chairs are part of this. [Two
words] See 47 down.
30. Put the cargo on board. 32. A diamond can have many of these. 34. Hurt someone. 36. The X-Ray department? 38. Approximately 3.1427. 39. Dangerous in the wrong hands. 40. Half a dozen. 41. See 28 across 44. The land of the rising sun. 46. Our blood does this. 48. They are not the same! 52. Not acute 53. Can this information be useful? 55. A good book or something unusual? 56. Boston had a party for this. 59. A gas that is not spelt the way it is
spoken.
60. A gas used in advertising lights? 61. Are these on chickens or women? 63. What is the price? 67. It can be used on wood or nails. 68. It may be dangerous! 69. A short father? 71. Oil or grease can be this. 73. Shove it. 76. Stir it together! 77. Can give a huge bang! 78. Superman’s home? 79. The tide does this. 80. Do bald people have this? 81. Another word for the beat of the music.
SHOP PING
KJUSTK SHEET Is this part of word processing?
MARCH 2013
JOB AN
O V E R S
31. Mr. Guevara’s first name? 33. A baby’s bed. 35. A special treat for the ladies? 36. Did you make one for the New Year? 37. It is more than just rude! 39. An engineless plane? 42. “I’m not guilty!” 43. Flowers from Hawaii! 45. Items for auction.
Did someone help you steal?
Not all the food has been eaten
LE VEL
A type of apartment?
GEGS
47. See 29 across. 49. Hot stuff from a volcano? 50. Is it a movie or a light covering? 51. Elliot Ness’ force. 54. An American cow? 57. The world turns on this. 58. Oops, it’s upside down! 62. It can reduce current and voltage. 64. Equal to?
How they are cooked
MAIL MALE Brings the letters?
issue issue issue issue issue
issue issue issue issue issue
Worn for sport?
SHOPPING CENTRE - INSIDE JOB - SCRAMBLED EGGS - JUST IN CASE (Ks) - LEFTOVERS POSTMAN - SPREADSHEET - SPLIT LEVEL - TENNIS SHOES
To be sure!
15. The Mafia are also said to be one of these. 17. Obtained from fish? 18. A Greek or Russian church? 20. Helpful if you have lost part of your body. [Two words] See 71 down 24. Employ. 26. Just one! 27. Used by the hangman?
65. Not fully burnt! 66. A blue one is very pleasant. 69. See 19 across. 70. It didn’t go off! 71. See 20 down. 72. An old drinking establishment? 74. A Scotsman’s tradional dress. 75. A vote in favour of!
ACCROSS 1. PULSE - 4. THERAPEUTIC - 11. EVIDENCE 12. NETHER - 13. SHAMROCK - 16. PHARAOH 19. GREAT - 21. WITCH - 22. ORBS - 23. QUEST 25. HOMER - 28. HOMO - 29. HOUSE 30. LOAD - 32. FACETS - 34. HARM 36. RADIOLOGY - 38. PI - 39. GUN - 40. SIX 41. SAPIENS - 44. JAPAN - 46. CIRCULATES 48. UNEQUAL - 52. OBTUSE - 53. INSIDE 55. NOVEL - 56. TEA - 59. XENON - 60. NEON 61. BREASTS - 63. COST - 67. VARNISH 68. RISKY - 69. DAD - 71. LUBRICANT - 73. PUSH 76. MIX - 77. DYNAMITE - 78. KRYPTON 79. EBB - 80. DANDRUFF - 81. TEMPO
2. Largest organ of the human body. 3. It has gone dry. 5. Not him! 6. He had a weak heel! 7. Sign this to stop the fighting? 8. Are frilly ones still worn by ladies? 9. A seat in Church! 10. Takes a few pictures. 14. Helps to locate where you are.
DOWN 2. SKIN - 3. SET - 5. HER - 6. ACHILLES 7. TREATY - 8. PETTICOATS - 9. PEW 10. SNAPS - 14. MAP - 15. CARTEL - 17. ROE 18. ORTHODOX - 20. ARTIFICIAL - 24. USE 26. ONLY - 27. ROPE - 31. CHE - 33. COT 35. MANICURE - 36. RESOLUTION 37. OBSCENE - 39. GLIDER - 42. INNOCENT 43. LEI - 45. LOTS - 47. FURNITURE - 49. LAVA 50. FILM - 51. UNTOUCHABLES - 54. STEER 57. AXIS - 58. INVERTED - 62. RESISTOR 64. PAR - 65. CHARRED - 66. SKY - 69. DANE 70. DUD - 71. LIMBS - 72. INN - 74. KILT - 75. AYE
DOWN
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EAT, DRINK+BE MERRY
HAVE IT ONTHE ROCKS BLACKROCK STEAK LOUNGE SERVES YOU RIGHT BY YOUMNA CHAGOURY
I
’ve felt over the past few months that steakhouses were the new sushi: a cuisine trend that Lebanon adopted as its own and a must in every neighborhood. It’s definitely not there yet, but I’m already looking for something out of the ordinary, a steakhouse that resembles no other. In comes Blackrock Steak Lounge: a modern looking resto with metal and glass décor, black walls and dimmed lighting, that utilizes the old technique of grilling on a flat rock! The pierrade is one of my favorite cuisine procedures and Blackrock manages to nail it. Seated on the upper level with a bay-window overlooking the Mar Mikhael neighborhood, we order starters and choose our cuts- American and Australian Black Angus tenderloins with sides and sauces. Any lunch or dinner experience at a restaurant begins with the little details, like the bread.
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We’re served good cereal and plain bread with creamy basil spread for a tasty mise en bouche, and while we’re enjoying this appetizer with our wine, we’re impatiently waiting for Rocky Balboa. Our steaks are rare, sizzling on a hot stone and that’s the whole point of it: YOU grill YOUR OWN steak to YOUR taste. Pierrade allows you to cook your meat without adding oil which means two things: you keep your meal lighter and more importantly, you aren’t modifying the taste of the meat whatsoever. If you’re a classic meat-eater, a side of French fries and pepper sauce will do the trick, but if you’re looking for something new, try the cranberry sauce- its sweetness contrasts beautifully with the hot meat. If you’re keeping it light, roasted rosemary wedges and seasoned vegetables julienne make a great side to your steak.
THE + + PAIN PERDU
One usually doesn’t go to a steak house for dessert. I will make sure I eat meat more often so I can end my meal with their creamy sweet Pain Perdu with caramel. + SERVICE
Waiters know what to recommend and why and can suggest a good wine to pair with your meal. + VARIETY
There are only six meat cut choices, but they’re good ones, and Blackrock offers chicken, duck, and seafood alternatives for those who aren’t into red meat.
THE – - SALAD
We ordered the Scallops and Mango Duo as an entrée with Bresaola rolls. The latter was excellent, but the salad was disappointing. The scallops were overcooked and the dressing lacked seasoning. Blackrock Steak Lounge Mar Mikhael, Ashrafieh Beirut 01 567 444 | 70 009 199 www.blackrock-steaklounge.com BlackRockSteakLounge THE LUMINANCE ISSUE info@blackrock-steaklounge.com
MARCH 2013
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151 Maarad, Foch Street Downtown, Beirut, Lebanon +961 1 689503 contact@gemymaalouf.com www.gemymaalouf.com