April 26, 2016 by Farrah Berrou - 0 comments

El-Tanein Diet Week #39, #40, and #41

Week #39 was spent at Biel because I was on trade show duty for Wesley’s, the family biz. Although it was a successful business experience, it was horrible for ETD. Being in a hospitality industry atmosphere surrounded by food for 4 days straight does not a fit person make. Let’s skip that week and FFWD to weeks 40 & 41 where I got back on track…in terms of exercise.

Workout Tally

– (4) NRC runs
– Iron Core, 45min elliptical, 20min bike
– BodyPump, 30min elliptical
– BodyAttack, 30min elliptical
– Iron Core, 30min elliptical
– BodyPump, 30min elliptical

Totals out at 4 runs and 5 classes for 2 weeks. I’m working on an alternating schedule of classes and NRC runs with a weekend activity in between. The only downside so far is getting my food intake down now that I’m attempting to morph into a gymrat.

Outdoor Activity

Spending Nike runs all over Downtown Beirut and Mar Mikhael hasn’t been enough on the weeks when we don’t have out-of-city excursions. Sure, they count but I need more nature every week. MUST GET TO THE HORSH.

Nike+ App

I beat my best 5K, 1 mile, and 1K time in these two weeks. All records were thanks to my NRC crew’s constant encouragement. My average running pace has also been going down (-14 seconds from last month) steadily along with my average 5K time. Although you can’t tell from looking at me, it seems my body’s endurance is improving.

Best Meal of the Week(s)

A sushi burrito at Horeca and one too many Smoking Buns, a pricey lunch at é cafe in Sursock, and a BBQ extravaganza on a sunny Sunday would be my top 3 for this category. The sushi burrito, while I always love me some spicy salmon, is like eating a giant California roll. The pricey lunch was satisfying and refreshing but I wouldn’t go back unless my parents were footing the bill. Hi dad. Call me simple but I’d choose BBQ any day.

Other Highlights

Missed out on meeting Chirine Njeim with NRC: Due to Horeca duty, I missed out on meeting our star athlete/Olympian, Chirine Njeim, the first Lebanese person to qualify for the Summer Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro.

Discovered Fayrouz is my sedative: I haven’t really listened to Fayrouz since my high school days when our driver used to play her every morning when we were still half asleep on the way up to Ain Saade. Maybe that’s why she soothes me, it reminds me of simpler times: IB stress and sweatpants.

From Smoking Buns to Protein Bars: After Horeca’s debauchery, I shifted to eating Pro Bars and obsessing about calories & carbs. I’ve become one of those people who’s scared of tortilla chip bags. They follow me home.

Workout Track(s) of the Week(s)

Multiple tracks of multiple genres have been on repeat these last few weeks. These combined with Fayrouz = my taste in music makes no sense whatsoever.

Conor Maynard’s cover isn’t as good as Drake’s original when it comes to something to get your butt moving but they’re both addictive.

Cheese of the Week(s)

Click here.

April 9, 2016 by Farrah Berrou - 0 comments

We’re Not Braindead, We’re Heartbroken

I have written countless posts about my sentiments on the topic of bashing or supporting our country and its self-destructive behavior. If you want another dose, it’s all summed up in this particular post from last June. Upon reading some other old posts of mine, I realized that I’ve also written a lot about the internal battle that the Lebanese youth face, the frustration we experience when returning from a visit to another city, and the decision to stay being about more than you alone. As I go back into the archives, I see that Bambi’s Soapbox is more of a diary than a soapbox because it’s all feels, most of which haven’t changed – heck, they haven’t shifted a millimeter.

I’m trying, once again, to formulate the argument for staying but I can’t find the cinder blocks that will support such a weight. I am here for my family and the enterprise that we are building together but I want to feel like I haven’t made this ridiculous tradeoff by choosing Beirut one more time. It’s my city but am I its child?

When the Ministry of Tourism came out with the latest video of a beautiful Lebanon, a friend of mine shared it on Facebook and appropriately added, “When will we deserve you?” This was what came to mind while spending last Sunday morning in the Bekaa. With all that natural wonder, you don’t know whether to be proud that exists or disgraced that it’s being thrown away.

Holding up a mirror to someone who’s chopped off their hair while telling them, “it’s bad but it’ll grow back” is taking a situation, admitting it’s a disaster, and presenting how it will be fixed. This is how I (and others) try to write about the status quo without defecating all over an entire population. The options are black & white: you can complain, leave, or do something about it.

Beirut Madinati is a volunteer-based campaign that is presenting technocratic candidates for the Beirut Municipality elections in May. Once elected, these people will work for the people because they are OF the people: qualified citizens who have the know-how to address the countless issues on the table.

Even if you can’t vote in Beirut, the participation in such a movement could still create a butterfly effect. It may inspire the Lebanese as a whole, not just those in Beirut, to believe that we can be active members in pulling Lebanon out of the garbage-filled gutter. I understand reluctance to take action because of so many failed attempts in the past. Plus, a Municipality’s ability to create real change may not feel like enough but it’s a first step. If we fail, then nothing changes so where’s the risk in trying?

Our problem is simple: we’re not braindead, we’re heartbroken.
But Beirut is my city, isn’t it yours too?

April 6, 2016 by Farrah Berrou - 4 Comments

El-Tanein Diet Week #38

One of the tips for having consistency in your diet & exercise plans is to “set rules and stick to them.” So, in the effort to have one main rule for each, my workout rule is “I won’t go 2 consecutive days without exercise” and my diet rule is “I will eat bread only during breakfast.” And you know, drink lots of H2O. I’ll be on duty for 4 days at the Horeca trade show for week #39 so following these rules will be difficult.

Workout Tally

– (3) NRC runs
– (2) 30 min elliptical

Outdoor Activity

Not taken by me but that’s our NRC coach, Mark Jibran!

The NRC crew hopped on the NRC bus and went for a Sunday morning run in Domaine de Taanayel, 230 hectares of agricultural terrain managed by Arc en Ciel. It’s a beautiful spot in the Bekaa Valley and it’s open to the public. If you’re ever looking to escape the city’s drudgery, this is a gorgeous getaway.

Nike+ App

I have yet to beat my new best-5K time but my overall pace has improved from when I first started running with NRC. In 4 months, I’ve shaved off 30 seconds on average and that’s without hardcore training. I imagine, if I stick to my regular gym routine and NRC runs, I can keep the momentum going – I hope.

Best Meal of the Week

Our morning breakfast at Khan el Maksoud, part of Arc en Ciel’s ecolodge, can take this title this week. Coffee, labneh, zeitoun, and eggs. A beautiful way to conclude our morning run around the lakes of Domaine de Taanayel.

Other Highlights

NRC gets you Nike Points: Recently, Nike decided to convert each NRC run you participate in into loyalty points. Each run gets you 20 points; 1000 points gets you $100 to spend at any Nike branch. In the end, it’s just another bonus to an already great initiative.

Women’s Day Present from Nike: I was out of town on March 8th but I got my Nike sports bra this week. I love getting free gear, and I have to say, Nike’s marketing methods have been really impressive. The NRC and NTC training sessions make participants feel like their campaigns aren’t just advertising, they’re living up to what they’re preaching. They’re helping us adopt a healthier lifestyle which makes you want to be loyal to the brand – that is, if you weren’t already.

Animals Lebanon: I passed by Animals Leb with a friend of mine. He was looking for a new feline friend and I was looking for feline affection. So many kitties are in need of homes but there are a lot that are content in their Hamra haven. If you’re interested in adding a member to your family though, visit the shelter and get acquainted.

Workout Track of the Week

Cheese of the Week

How’s that for running?

March 29, 2016 by Farrah Berrou - 0 comments

El-Tanein Diet Week #36 and #37

Still not in the mood to write lately but I will say that my NRC peeps give me hope for humanity. It’s inspiring to see a group of strangers get together to stay fit and eventually become buddies over a shared hobby that doesn’t involve drinking or inhaling chicken wings. And it’s even more goosebump-inducing when you see that this group wants to give back. More on that below.

Workout Tally

– 2 power walks (Beirut Waterfront + AUB campus)
– 3 NRC runs
– 1 Gym Session

Outdoor Activity

My friends and I finally managed to get a little activity in together. We’re starting at a beginner’s pace with power walks since we’re all at different fitness levels. The Waterfront and AUB were suitable spots to appreciate some fresh air outside office walls.

Nike+ App

The last run included 2 sets of 7 drills so soreness accompanied me into Easter weekend. I love strutting like a grandma. I’ve still got to get workouts up to at least 5x a week after Amreeka. Yalla almost there.

Best Meal(s) of the Week(s)

I would have to go with the truffle burger at Acoté. Mmmmtruffle.

Other Highlights

Charity Miles: I mentioned this app in the last ETD post. My Nike crew decided to start a team on the app and we’re going to dedicate our weekly runs to one randomly selected charity each month. The last week of March and the full month of April is going to go to ASPCA, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. This way, running and donating as a group will have more of an impact.

Donating our bottles & caps: Each run ends with us finishing off at least two dozen 0.5ml water bottles. We’ve decided to recycle the bottles and donate their caps to Arc en Ciel, an NGO that converts collected plastic caps into wheelchairs.

Workout Track of the Week(s)

Cheese of the Week(s)

Somebody make these and don’t invite me over.

March 16, 2016 by Farrah Berrou - 0 comments

El-Tanein Diet Week #33, #34, and #35

This post comprises weeks where I was in Beirut & LA. It includes more burgers than runs and workouts but I promised to report. It’ll be short post, despite being a 3-week compilation, because I’m jet lagged.

Workout Tally

– (3) 5 km runs

Outdoor Activity

2/3 of my runs these weeks were outdoor runs around Californian suburbia. The contrast between the greenery of the residential areas in California and the outdoor runs of Beirut’s concrete jungle. The dose of green makes the time outdoors so soothing even though you’re a sweaty mess. I should give Horsh Beirut a try on a sunny Saturday soon.

Nike+ App

Best Meal(s) of the Week(s)

I had some great meals in Las Vegas which I’ll be posting about separately in the next few days but In-n-Out wins for ETD across the board. I consider it an achievement that I only hit it twice in 19 days.

Other Highlights

CharityMiles-600x231

Charity Miles: This app allows you to run miles that correspond to donations for multiple charities. I haven’t tried using it in Lebanon yet but that’ll be a test for week #36.

The Broad Museum: Pronounced like “brode,” the Broad is a new contemporary art museum in downtown LA located between the Disney Concert Hall and the MOCA. Its entrance is free but you can pre-book tickets to skip the line. It’s currently got Yayoi’s Infinity Room as a special exhibit which I skipped. I didn’t want to wait in line for another hour to get a selfie that everyone has. Yes, I regret it.

Good Impressions of Beirut: I was networking at some work events and was pleasantly surprised to find that a lot of Americans had been to Beirut (and other parts of Lebanon). I’d been so used to meeting people who didn’t know it was a capital in the Middle East so this was refreshing to see. Even with those who had had their hearts broken by Lebanese folk, there were good memories associated with our little country. The worst part was that a follow-up question to “do you like living there?” tended to be, “so how’s the garbage thing going?” Sigh.

Workout Track of the Week(s)

Tell JK that I’m still rooooollin. That beat tho.

Cheese of the Week(s)

Brie & mushroom sourdough burger at Mimi’s Cafe was my last meal in ‘Murica. Worth it.

February 25, 2016 by Farrah Berrou - 2 Comments

The 3-Month Itch

I’m off again after 3 months of being back and I’m THRILLED to be hopping onto a plane. The appalling images of the garbage trails have been flooding my channels. I walked through RHIA’s departure floor last August thinking that it would be solved by the time I returned but here we are, 6 months later, with the same shitfest.

Before my latest flight to CDG, I had lunch with my laptop at Cafe Younes in Hamra, an old hideout of mine during my second-round-of-undergrad-days. Maybe it was a move to remind me of when I felt like there was a lot of possibility ahead. A refresher of those vibes before I bask in West Coast living and become removed from the headache that is the Levant and its neighbors’ temper tantrums.

We try to grow our businesses, we fill our calendars, we pour more hard-earned cash into something we hope will be a sustainable source of income and/or purpose. We try.

Or we leave for some fresh air so we can keep doing the above with some sanity when we come back like the labrador that returns to an abusive owner only to be kicked in the face again. I can’t help but ask: what makes us come back?

Oh Lebanon, I may love you too much for my own good but even love grows tired when one side’s fighting the battle alone. Here’s to hoping some of this garbage gets sorted out before my return. And I don’t just mean the trash.

February 23, 2016 by Farrah Berrou - 0 comments

Interning with Tarek Atrissi | The Art & Science of Arabic in Barcelona

Courtesy of Death to Stock Photo

It’s been exactly 3 months since I left Barcelona where I spent another 3 months interning for Tarek Atrissi, a Lebanese graphic designer who runs his own design studio out of the Catalonian city after relocating from the colder Hilversum, the Netherlands.

I’ve written a lot about what I did to prepare for this trip and what I learned on a personal level while there but I thought it would be helpful to see what I got out of this trip from a professional standpoint as a designer from and working in the Arab world. The environment of Barcelona seemed like an unconventional backdrop for learning about Arabic type & script but it made one thing more evident: capable designers with a background in Arabic design are needed, regardless of location.

Lesson 1: The Difference between Arabic Typography, Lettering, and Calligraphy

As an introduction, Tarek walked me through a breakdown of different uses of the Arabic language in design. Typography refers to creating typefaces or designing a print layout using Arabic text. Lettering is when Arabic letters or words are built by drawing them out piece by piece. The focus would be on one element as an artistic composition or unit instead of an entire alphabet or page of text. Calligraphy is an old artform that takes years to reach the pro level. If there’s no time to learn the trade, this is usually outsourced if you want it done right.

Lesson 2: Making Arabic Versions of Logos

A skill highly underrated and glossed over when it comes to designing Latin logos is the ability to adapt them to Arabic while retaining their aesthetic and iconic attributes. A visit to Dubai will tell you how poor adaptations of your non-Arabic logo can hurt your brand’s image. It is hard enough to do from the start of a project but even more challenging when it comes after the logo is already in use and plastered all over the world. Icons or graphic elements become gimmicks or are forced into the Arabic script. Creating an Arabic version of a non-Arabic logo takes practice and understanding of both languages; not only how they are similar but how their differences will affect the visual outcome. Arabic differs from a lot of commonly used languages in many ways; two main concerns being that 1) the letters are connected (at times) and don’t align with non-Arabic glyphs because they adhere to different guidelines and have fluctuating proportions and 2) it’s read from right to left.

Lesson 3: Looking at Arabic Glyphs like Shapes, not Letters

During my GD undergrad years, a calligrapher who was giving us a workshop had told me that people who don’t know Arabic tend to be less constricted when sketching forms because they look at the letters like shapes. They have no linguistic knowledge of what the aleph is; it’s just a long line. I was reminded of this when drawing up endless versions of Arabic glyphs. When lettering, you have to let go of what you know of the defined structure of each letter – to a certain extent – in order to let your hand freely take over.

Lesson 4: The Importance of Arabic as a Language in Design

Coming from an advertising background, I rarely had the chance to dabble in typographic design, much less anything in Arabic since I worked on international accounts. Working on fonts and logotypes in Arabic made me realize how neglected it is as a skill in our part of the world. Sure, most Arab designers can read and write in Arabic but can they design in it? Do we have the understanding of it as a language to tackle it the way an Arab national should? This should be our added bonus as designers from the region: we should know how to work with our own language with respect – in a way that does it justice as a beautiful form of communication.

Lesson 5: Give More, Keep Less

What was surprising about Tarek was that he was so willing to give and teach. It is rare to find a successful professional who is open to mentoring you as a designer, in skill but also in thought-process. Tarek was never condescending in his approach when it came to finding solutions and he gave me the confidence I lacked when it came to discovering my strengths as a designer. He was leading by example and a true team player. He taught me to be open with what I know and even with what I don’t. And by constantly sharing and exchanging, there was a flow of stories and experience that brought fresh energy to the office each day.

You can learn more, the more you give away.

_________________________________

A big thanks to Tarek and everyone at TAD.
See you guys soon!

February 22, 2016 by Farrah Berrou - 0 comments

El-Tanein Diet Week #32

Main in Laguna Beach, California (July 2014)

I’ll be heading to Los Angeles for a couple of weeks mid-week #33 so next week’s post will be all about In-n-Out and sunshine. And a weekend in Vegas. It’s so easy to give up your workouts when away from home but, as I learned in pedestrian-friendly Barcelona, you’ve got to think of exercise as part of your everyday routine. Wash face, brush teeth, move your butt. I’m going to be hiking and running around the neighborhood while there so that I can keep up with NRC while away. I don’t want all the progress I’ve made to dissipate because of some animal-style fries. If anything, I’ll run FOR them.

Workout Tally

– (1) 6.45 km run
– (2) 30 min treadmill

Outdoor Activity

I’ll admit that this was one of my poor weeks given the momentum I’ve had this last month. I’ll also admit that I hit a low point.

For the past few years, I’ve conditioned myself to equate my happiness with my professional productivity. The more I’m stimulating my brain, the happier I am. A self-aware workaholic, I have not only been trying to trim the fat at the gym but in all aspects of my life as well. Reassessing where my brain cells are being used is a tiring task in itself.

…and so I crashed this weekend. My mind and body gave up and I couldn’t work or work out. Instead of heading to a cardio class or running off the frustration, I curled up with a book and let myself decompress. Sometimes, you need to break away and hibernate. I’m going to accept this and push forward. This next week, I’ll be better for it.

Nike+ App

Best Meal of the Week

Once again, dinner at Studio Beirut.

Other Highlights

250km Green Level: I’ve reached green on the Nike+ Running app! Sure, it only took two years of intermittent running but, with NRC, I should reach the next level much quicker.

NTC every Wednesday: Nike recently launched Nike Training Club sessions at U Energy gym in Downtown Beirut. They’re every Wednesday evening at 7pm and they’re free. All you’ve gotta do is book a spot a day in advance via phone/whatsapp. I haven’t had a chance to go yet but I’ll be checking it out once I’m back in town.

Sursock Museum with Mom: I promised mom a lunch at the swanky museum after we perused the halls of the old Sursock residence. It’s beautifully renovated; the historical architecture mixes nicely with sleek, minimal accents. The cafe is a bit too posh (and overpriced) for my taste but they had burrata so I was happy.

Workout Track of the Week

The track but with Elmo’s moves. From now on, you will never be able to listen to this song and not see him shake his groove thang.

Cheese of the Week

I ran out of brie last night. What would Kanye do?

February 17, 2016 by Farrah Berrou - 1 Comment

Nike+ Run Club: Byblos was our Valentine

Taken by Ali Itani

As readers of El-Tanein Diet know, the Nike+ Run Club (NRC) runs twice a week from the Nike store in Beirut Souks every Tuesday and Thursday evening. However, what is not advertised on their flyers is the NRC-organized fun runs on weekends. I stress on the words “fun run” because the main point behind this group is to run for the sake of running, not for medals or podiums.

Leading the pack in this group of awesome folk is Mark Jibran, the NRC coach and all-around positive force of nature. Having a good coach should not be underestimated when it comes to sticking to a fitness regimen. If one’s trainer pushes too hard or doesn’t know how to motivate effectively, then they have failed as a trainer. What seems to fall through the cracks when finding a personal trainer or fitness advisor is not the reps or preferred activities used to get one in shape, but the personal approach they have while one is undergoing training.

Mark Jibran, NRC Coach – Taken by Ali Itani

And that is where Nike hit the jackpot with Mark. He knows how to deal with people and he knows how to push without making you want to throw spiky pineapples at him so he’d back off.

For each coach, there is a pacer: Mohamad Marhamo. With M&M, the NRC is guided by two smiling and seasoned runners. We are pushed to keep running at our own best pace or, at the very least, to keep running. We are told how to stretch, how to stay hydrated, and how to exercise correctly. And if that wasn’t enough to convince you that they know what they’re doing, both are members of De-Feet Runners, a group of ultra-marathoners who run marathons back-to-back for 6 consecutive days to raise funds for charity.

Mohamad Marhamo, NRC Pacer – Taken by Ali Itani

Running with these two on the Beirut corniche will show you that this group truly does run BEY. Be it at 6am or 6pm, fellow runners all over the path call out a happy hello to M&M because they are deep-rooted members of this athletic community that is alive in our city. While the rest of us sleep in, these guys are out there enjoying the sunrise and serene calm that you rarely associate with our chaotic capital. By being part of this group and going for runs at the crack of dawn, I got to witness this spirit and, dare I say, be part of it even if just for a few instances.

For Valentine’s Day, we decided to take on the cultural port city of Byblos (Jbeil) for an early morning 10km run through the old souk and asphalt road to Amchit. On the bus there, while still trying to figure out how and why I was on my way to run on the morning of my 28th birthday, I was also debating how many kilometers I would actually do. The warm-up was set at 2km so that was the minimum but where would I stop? I’d done 10km in the Beirut Marathon but that question popped up, like it does before every NRC meetup, do I feel like it today?

At every kilometer, my mind would ask, “are you ready to turn around?” But as I neared the halfway point where M&M were waiting with water, I had other NRC members making their way back and cheering me on. So I thought, “yalla, another kilometer and then you’ll stop.” And that’s how it went on until I did the entire 10. I did it thanks to their cheerleading combined with my mind not wanting my body to succumb to being closer to the age of 30. HA.

I was never a runner. Hell, I still don’t think I can call myself one. But maybe, in the future, with the help of NRC, I will be.

February 16, 2016 by Farrah Berrou - 0 comments

El-Tanein Diet Week #30 and #31

tuna baked in bell peppers

Last two weeks have been more about adjusting my diet and cooking thanks to my #TakeOutTakeout challenge attempt. Grocery shopping and home-cooked meals has me experimenting with spices and sauces. Truffle oil tastes good on anything.

white truffle oil spinach and ricotta tortellini

Besides that, getting to the gym has been a bit more challenging since work hours have been on the heavy side and I’ve been giving my feet some resting time between runs so my arches can heal – runner’s blisters are a real thing. Lots of Epsom salt baths and moisturizing to be done to keep the I-can’t-run excuses away.

I want to try a few classes at my new gym to mix things up a bit. Machines can be so dull sometimes.

Workout Tally

– (3) 6-7 km runs
– (2) 30 min elliptical
– (1) 10 km run

Outdoor Activity

The NRC organized a 10km run at 7 am in Jbeil on Valentine’s Day. I’ll be writing more about that in detail in a separate post. Being that love day is my birthday, it was my personal battle to prove I was not going to sleep in and get old. Mission accomplished!

Nike+ App

Best Meal of the Week(s)

Birthday dinner at Meat the Fish with my people. Duck tacos, lobster mac & cheese, and pomegranate prosecco. And then a homemade cake from my second mommy and Magnolia cupcakes from my first. Happy 28th indeed!

Other Highlights

Improved Breathing: A few months of running combined with a ridiculous app called Plant Nanny has got me moving with steady breathing. The app reminds you to drink water by making you water a plant at the same time. No more gasping or pangs in my side which makes a huge difference when covering long distances. Last week was the first run I completed without stopping. Okay, I walked twice for 10 seconds each but still – it was 7km! Thanks to Arielle for sharing her story and the info about the app.

Bananas are Your Friend: According to Shape Magazine, bananas are a great snack pre-workout. They’re packed with good sugars, potassium, vitamin C, and stimulate the production of dopamine. Read the article for more info.

Adidas Here to Create: The sportswear company has launched a new series that features athletes’ multifaceted life as creators. The spots feature athletes of all kinds from supermodel Karlie Kloss to DJ/model/entrepreneur Hannah Bronfman. It’s a smart way to show that fitness is a seamless part of your life rather than the reason for living. It also gives examples of how your fitness regime doesn’t have to be boring AF but it’s up to you to find what works for your lifestyle/personality.

Workout Track of the Week(s)