August 17, 2015 by Farrah Berrou - 0 comments

El-Tanein Diet Week #5

I did a lot of research this week on fitness practices and what can backfire when you’re trying to implement long-term changes in your diet and gym regimen. Focusing on the wrong successes can be demoralizing because you think your workouts aren’t producing results and your motivation fizzles.

Workout Tally

1 Boot Camp
1 5K Run
1 Taebo

The schedule is slipping again – uh oh. I’ve got to get my butt to more classes or run more often. I did realize that going to 1/day is better than pushing for 2 back-to-back because I’m pretty wiped out by the second class which makes it less effective. I’ve got to improve my stamina before I up the daily tally.

According to the Discovery Science channel, running for a half hour will buy you a half hour of life so that’s the cherry on top of a treadmill session. One thing that I read about and fully support was beating your own records as a way to gauge your progress. It’s fair since you’re not depending on arbitrary numbers that don’t take other factors into account. I was also encouraged to take note of measurements instead of bi-weekly weigh-ins because it’s not always an accurate depiction of your progress. I’ll still keep track of my weight but it won’t be a cornerstone to this process; I want to focus more on breaking my own records. Time to get a measuring tape.

Mini Victories
Planked for 1:10 (up from 0:40 sec)
Ran my 5K one minute faster than week #3

Fun Fact
The Nike+ Running app taught me that the interval training I’ve been doing during my runs is called fartleks. It’s a Swedish term that means “speed play.”

Outdoor Activity

I was supposed to be going on a walking tour this Saturday but it got canceled botching my outdoor activity plan. I should’ve gone biking instead but I fell asleep. I’m not even joking.

Fitbit Flex

Oddly enough, I got a few people asking me about my Fitbit and what kind of watch it was. After explaining the purpose of the wearable, the general reply was “so all it does is count your steps?” as if it was a useless pedometer. Besides the data that the app gives you, the wearable is also handy because it is a constant yet simple reminder of how inactive you’ve been during the day through 5 dotted lights that indicate 20% increments of your daily goal. You can also challenge fellow Fitbit users via the app so there’s the added competitive angle.

With that said, I missed the 10K mark every day this week so here’s a new goal: hit 10K steps each day or at least get 50K/week total as a minimum.

Cheat Meal

This is a category that needs to be rethought. After the last few weeks, I don’t think having a cheat meal has been wise and not because of the calories. I am eating normally throughout the week without blacklisting food groups. However, I don’t think there should be this one special meal because it creates pressure that leaves you disappointed and upset if you ingest calories that don’t make you happy. All you’re left with is guilt which gives this “reward” a negative connotation. I don’t want my diet to become something I obsess over, I just want to make the right healthy choices.

For example, when I was having spicy shrimp, the first thought I had was, “will I really enjoy this and is it worth the calories?” If the answer was no, I’d pass because if you’re ingesting calories and it’s leaving you guilty rather than satisfying an indulgence, there’s no win there. The problem was that I wasn’t enjoying food anymore. The key is to be unapologetic when you make your decisions but still be conscious of what you’re putting in your body. And if you have a cupcake, savor the moment, and don’t feel bad about it. Making yourself feel bad about having a treat also makes you feel like you need to be punished for committing food crimes and the punishment comes in the form of exercise. Working out is associated with punishment rather than feeling good.

I’m changing the name of “cheat meal” to “best meal of the week” because I’m avoiding bingeing and feeling like my workouts are a form of damage control. Instead of thinking about this meal as a “cheat,” it’s more about the epitome of flavor and satisfaction.

This week’s best meal was honey chipotle chicken crispers from Chilis. Not guilty although I admit, I can make an effort to choose best meals that have less fried items.

Other Highlights

Lift Like a Girl Podcast: Nia Shanks hosts this weekly podcast that I just discovered. It’s more of a lifestyle podcast, not just about reps and fitness. This week’s episode introduced me to Lumoid, a service that allows you to test out wearables or other gadgets, choose your favorite, and return the ones you don’t like. She also talked about our habits, how we create them, and how to reshape them. Armi Legge of Evidence Mag discussed the 3 Rs of habits: reminder, response, reward. He also said that effectively changing habits could be better than setting goals and the way to do so is to change your response to reminders/cues. Let’s say you overeat (response) when you get bored (cue). Once you recognize that that is your response and you change it, your habit can be less destructive/unhealthy. It’s all about knowing what your triggers are. The habit I’m going to work on is drinking more water when bored instead of lingering outside the pantry.

Friday at Iris Beach Club: ‘Twas a lazy day spent in the pool and that’s not an understatement. Although this beach resort is of the pricier spots in the country, I can’t say it wasn’t very enjoyable to become a fish after being in the pool for 4 hours straight without noticing. I always wanted to be Ariel.

Discovering El Hajj Ali: Another Sunday road trip had us wandering around Tripoli looking for a place to lunch. After taking a few wrong turns by the old fair grounds, we ended up at a Lebanese restaurant with generously large plates of mezza. We had a full table of food (and leftovers) for under $90 total for a party of 5 which is very fair considering the quality, quantity, service, and ambiance. Not a fan of the tabbouli though because it had red quinoa and pomegranate molasses in the dressing; I prefer the usual lemon oil.

Workout Track of the Week

I put together a soundcloud playlist for my 5K runs. Feel free to use it if in need of some tunes. The track that pushed me to 9.5 on the tread was Kanye’s Black Skinheads. Only Yeezy would make you feel like he’s breathing along with your while you run like a maniac.

Cheese of the Week

I’m a fan of cheese and, when in need of a snack, I’ve been turning to mini Babybel singles or mozzarella string cheese. They hold off the hunger monster so you don’t end up getting cosy with the bag of nacho cheese Doritos.

I was exempt from a second 5K run on Sunday because our overused generator was like “f*ck this, I’m out” leaving us to the mercy of the electricity gods of Beirut. As we were all sprawled out on the cool floor tiles, I couldn’t help but wonder…

Are there any Zahle apartments available on airbnb?

August 14, 2015 by Farrah Berrou - 2 Comments

6 Lessons Learned as a Creative in Advertising

Courtesy of Stokpic

I spent ~3 years as an art director at the Leo Burnett Beirut office. Now that I’ve left my first place of employment and I’m planning the next steps, I thought I’d share the lessons learned from being part of a global network that conducts business based on the ideology that creativity can transform human behavior.

It’s all about the packaging.
And I don’t just mean the wrapping of the product, although that plays a role as well. “Packaging” refers to the way a service or product is presented. The words used, the tone of voice, the branding – all these elements make a difference when you’re trying to sell an idea which is exactly what advertising does. It’s the profession of selling ideas. Positioning a product so that it is attractive to the right demographic isn’t just about making a mockery of hipsters because that’s what the youngins find cool these days. It’s about coming up with the formula that makes this product mirror what your consumer thinks matches their lifestyle.

Details are your thing.
“Just a little bit more” could be the most used phrase for any hovering creative. Whether it’s saturation levels, headline placement, icon alignment, or the quintessential size of the logo, the details are your forte. The tiny things that no one else notices- including your client and most non-creatives who see the finished work- are the things you will obsess over but the reason that no one notices them is because they’re done well. As Joe Sparano said, “great design is transparent.” In advertising, your work is not a painting. It is an aesthetic craft but it has a function and the minor details will affect your visual articulation of an idea. Your eye will scrutinize what is necessary and what is just clutter. Or a typo, God frobid.

You shatter illusions automatically.
It becomes a superpower that you develop. By working behind the scenes, your brain becomes hardwired at being more critical of diction used in news reports, angles journalists take, and what shots the cameras leave out. Not only do you question what other brands are trying to tell you and sell you, you also start questioning authority and information. Working in media and communication gives you an awareness of the world around you and an ingrained skepticism toward dulcet storytelling. It’s similar to when you work in theatre and know how much truthfully went into a play production, what went wrong, and what costumes were just cast members’ grandmas clothes from the 70s. Working in advertising grants you a built-in bullshit filter.

Ideas are meant to be shared, killed, and born again.
As a creative, you can be very protective over your ideas and getting recognized for them. I think it comes from university days when you needed to stand out amongst your peers. There was a fear that someone would steal the shiny nugget that was supposed to prove that you were sharp and valuable. You were even scared of uploading your portfolio online because copycats and thieves could reproduce your work as their own. When you work in an agency, you find out that the only way your ideas improve is if they are shared. You cannot be attached to your ideas as if they are your unborn children. Keeping them to yourself serves no purpose, their growth is stunted, and you may not realize that they suck. They need to be exposed to light. Your colleagues can build on what you serve up, adding flavor and spice to an undercooked dish or kicking it up a notch.

Not everyone is just like you.
Dealing with various consumer markets opens your eyes. Your way is not the only way and your comprehension of situations is not the norm. It’s magnified when dealing with international markets but it’s not restricted to cultures abroad; even within your own country, you are living in a bubble that doesn’t expose you to segments of the population that lead different lives, follow different trends, and have different priorities. Understanding their fundamental needs becomes paramount to understanding how to communicate with them. As a creative, your work has to convey a message but that message needs to be decoded by the right audience. Just because you get it doesn’t mean those you’re talking to will.

You are more than your Adobe software.
Or you need to be. If you’re a creative in advertising who happens to only know how to use the Adobe Creative Suite (or whatever softwares used in your specific domain) then you are replaceable. When your only added value is knowing how to operate a program, you are as good as the next evanescent intern. You need to be more than a machine. Everyone’s greatest fear in this industry is becoming obsolete and being a liaison between feedback and the computer is the road that will get you there. You have to give in more than amended layouts; you have to feed the spark of curiosity, to research innovations, and to acquire new skills. It’s a fast-paced industry and being a creative within it is even more demanding in the age of the knowledge economy because you have no excuse for not taking advantage of all the tools in front of you.

And the day you become complacent, stop pushing back, and just deliver what the client is asking for is the day you need to ask for a new challenge or leave. It boils down to your development as a creative in the field but also as an asset to your company. The only thing worse than a disposable creative is one who is okay with being so.

August 12, 2015 by Farrah Berrou - 0 comments

A Maktoub 3 Loubnan Update

Death_to_stock_photography_weekend_work (9 of 10)

Courtesy of Death to Stock Photo

It’s been a few months since the launch of Maktoub 3 Loubnan, my very own little side-project. So far, I’ve received a total of 3 postcards. Unfortunately, snail mail is slower than initially expected but that’s alright. As long as I know that it’s working, the patient anticipation will make every postcard arrival sweeter.

What I do think about though is how generations before us used to communicate. The postal system was only functional for a good 150 years since stamps weren’t put into circulation until the Penny Black in 1840. And I’m saying “functional” as in, the majority of the world’s population depended on it for correspondence. Now, we text, email, and whatsapp. Communication is so cheap, so accessible, so…fleeting. Gone are the days when your loved ones had to wait months on end to hear your news or get an “I love you.”

Call me sentimental but snail mail is still a beautifully personal way to talk to someone. It takes effort to find the card, to write out the thoughts with ink, to slap on a stamp and pass it on for delivery. It passes through multiple hands and shoots to make the journey. But when the recipient gets that piece of mail, there’s part of that person on paper. It’s concrete and real. Ultimately, it’s human.

Could an email ever look like these?

I do hope that this slowed pace doesn’t discourage the rest of the Lebanese diaspora from sharing their memories of Lebanon via postcards. However, as an insurance policy, take photos of the front and back of your cards before posting them. That way, if your postcard doesn’t make it home, at least the photographic evidence will make it to my inbox. Email them to info@maktoub3loubnan.com.

August 10, 2015 by Farrah Berrou - 0 comments

El-Tanein Diet Week #4

Courtesy of Gratisography

Week #4 disclaimer: I got sick toward the second half and was incapacitated for 2 days followed by a Sunday with the fam. That left me with 4 days to be active so there’s my excuse for my mediocre performance.

Bi-weekly weigh-in: -1 kg. I’m not sure if that’s because of the workouts or the fever-induced dead appetite but there you have it!

Workout Tally

1 Boot Camp
1 Body Attack
1 20min Run
1 Taebo

Not as impressive as last week‘s tally but still better than week #2. Despite the gross heatwave, I did shift up to 4kg weights. I was optimistic that I would be hitting the mark this week as well but viruses don’t care what you want to do with your life.

Outdoor Activity

Although it wasn’t major movement, exploring Sawfar in the early afternoon sun during this week’s heatwave worked up a bit of a sweat. Read more about the two afternoons spent with the Sursock family here.

Fitbit Flex

3 days out of 7 were almost flatlined thanks to viral fun but at least the Fitbit is back to recording all my lack of movement. Check out the numbers next to my strongest week yet: one spent walking all over NYC. Even on my most active days with all the gym classes, I haven’t hit those kind of numbers since. This was not the best week to compare to but you get the point.

Cheat Meal

A friend’s dinner in Broumanna would qualify as the cheat meal since it was a home-cooked buffet pre-fever when I still had a decent appetite. Check out that spread:

I’d like to mention here that having a cheat meal once doesn’t mean I’m not eating carbs or having something sweet the rest of the week. I do have a little to curb the cravings and avoid bingeing/inhaling a whole bowl of cake batter. It’s all about portion sizes and choosing the right foods. My vegan sister, who has done in-depth research in nutrition, recommended that I “follow my hunger signals” in order to control my growing appetite. She didn’t mean eat whenever you get the urge; she meant avoid too many restrictions and skipped meals because you’ll end up overdoing it when you DO eat.

Other Highlights

Watched Paper Towns: I may have said that this movie is “the Breakfast Club of our generation” to a friend. That may have been an exaggeration but I did like it as a high school story in comparison to the crap that came out when I was pseudo-studying for SATs. It’s got the right dose of corny and its soundtrack introduced me to this track:

Ordering Salmon at Couqley: Feels like a crime to do so but I did not have steak frites and opted for the no-sauce-smothered no-fries-included salmon plate. It was great and light but I don’t feel like I went to Couqley because of it. That, and they were out of creme brulée. Bittersweet blessing?

Another Anti-Corruption Protest: The crowd has grown since the first protest that is focused on the garbage crisis here in Lebanon. There’s room for more people so I hope that more will be inspired to join in each session. The more people who show up, the more we may be able to prove that we want change and the active citizens outnumber the passive followers.

Discovering the Diaspora Museum: At the Lebanese Diaspora Energy conference this May, it was announced that 7 houses bought by the government would be converted into a Lebanese Diaspora Museum in Batroun. Yeah, I didn’t know about it either; I stumbled across the site while exploring the inner streets of the seaside city. It’s got something to do with Gebran Bassil so maybe I’ll shoot him an email.

Went looking for El Cartel: No amigos found. Last month, I read about two guys from Reno who set up a taco hut by LAU Byblos. Dad and I made it our summer mission to find them and test their skills. However, when we found their “Tacolicious” place, it was closed and up for rent. Does anyone know where these guys went?

We went to El Molino instead and split a plate of subpar enchiladas. Looks like nothing beats homemade tacos for now. When is Loca coming to Beirut? Please?

Workout Track of the Week

This track isn’t for intense workouts but it’ll do the job if you just need a tune to keep you company on a power walk or warm-up. The video is also a super violent spoof on the advertising world which I can totally appreciate. Headbutt your way through life, people.

Cheese of the Week

This week’s cheese comes from Junot Diaz’s book, This is How You Lose Her. In the last few pages, he writes a very simple line: “the half-life of love is forever.”

A “half-life” is a nuclear physics term that is used to describe the life span of unstable atoms. It describes radioactive decay. So the half-life is how long it takes for something to decay to half its original amount. My nerdy self feels all warm and fuzzy.

I’ll leave you with the best of my new idol, lumpy space princess. Never underestimate Cartoon Network’s ability to make disturbingly entertaining cartoons.

August 6, 2015 by Farrah Berrou - 4 Comments

Afternoons with the Sursocks: Sawfar & Beirut

On the tree-lined road of Sawfar, known there as the corniche, there is a relic of the Lebanese past that people have forgotten. When asking my friends about the Sawfar Grand Hotel, most have never heard of it or its story but they know of “that big old abandoned structure off the main road of the town.”

Turns out, in the 60s, Sawfar was the happening place to be for all established families of Beirut as well as the travelers who passed through there thanks to the railway. The Sawfar Grand Hotel was built in the late 1880s by the Sursock family and was the first casino in Lebanon. Because it was built around the same time the train station was opened across the road, travelers taking the Beirut-Rayak line would stop there to stay at the hotel which was notorious for its casino, cinema, and nightclub, the Monkey Bar.

I had always hoped to sneak onto the property and explore solo but the problem with that plan is that you never get the backstory right. You don’t know who walked the halls before you, who danced on the broken tiles under you, or who fell in love in the courtyards around you. Without the story, these structures remain unidentified bodies in the morgue, rotting down to the bone. They’re still part of what once was but they’re less human and you don’t know who they were when they were alive.

After finding out that the property was owned by the Sursocks, I got in contact with Roderick Cochrane, the youngest son of Lady Cochrane and grandson of Alfred Sursock. He was surprised I hadn’t already been to the hotel but even more flabbergasted that I was asking for permission to access the property first. That’s just not how things are done in Lebanon when it comes to the abandonment of our historical gems. Rarely do you find people who even pay attention to their existence, let alone respect their boundaries.

The hotel itself was never managed by the Sursock family and had various families (Tueni, Najjar, Rihani) renting it over the years. Government officials, Saudi kings, and other foreigners would take up residence at the hotel because it was a place they could easily get to and comfortably speak in Arabic. No need to fly to Europe. Apparently, the restaurant was a draw as well; George Rayess, the first Lebanese chef to publish his own cookbook, was a cook there.

It closed once the civil war of ’75 broke out but Roderick says that business started to dwindle a few years before that because of the proliferation of air conditioners in Beirut. Summers were bearable and less people made the trip to mountain getaways by then. After closure, it was the headquarters for the Syrian army who also contributed to the damages of war by stripping the wooden beams from the roof and burning them for warmth as well as dragging the elevator engines down the stairs, creating deeper gashes in an open wound. It, along with the Sursock’s villa there, suffered through the war and was looted by inhabitants and militias. And so, like all hotspots of Lebanon, the hotel’s heyday was in the 1960s. The more I find out about our past, the more I find myself wanting to have a Midnight in Paris trip to the days when our country was more advanced than it is today. We all seem to be enamored with the fantasy that is now long gone.

When asked why the Sursock family seems so adamant about preserving old Beirut, he replied, “it’s a special mentality. Although the Sursock money came from being merchants of cotton and wheat and things like that – things have changed. We don’t operate in that vein anymore. We don’t have money in the banks, we have it in properties.” Both villas’ gardens are used as venues for weddings and private events now. However, Roderick’s attachment to the properties is more sentimental than economical. He lives in the Beirut villa and spent childhood summers in the villa of Sawfar, named Donna Maria after his grandmother. He says,“it’s about family. If we lose our properties little by little, what will be left of us?”

When it comes to saving what is left of our architecture and history, we have no one to blame but ourselves. Laws have not changed, corruption continues, towers rise. “The Lebanese are merchants, they think about profits. They don’t think about the future. They forget about the past and they don’t think about what’s got to be good for their descendants or what country they’re going to leave for them.” Sighs all around.

Roderick seems to have hope in the younger generation when it comes to change though. He senses their anger and understands their frustration, but commiserates with those who leave for better opportunities. “You have to survive,” he says. He notes how most who stay behind only do so to inherit family businesses since typical salaries aren’t the numbers you can build a life with.

After meeting him and talking about his family’s legacy, work toward preserving Lebanese heritage, and the summers in spent in the town above Aley, Roderick granted me my wish of visiting Sawfar and advised me to “park my car at the villa and take a stroll down through the corniche past the gendarmerie, down to the hotel across from the train station.” He also informed me that Lady Cochrane was spending her summer in the renovated servant’s quarters of their old villa and that she’d love to have a chat. A chance to talk to the woman who was there throughout the glory days of the country and started APSAD, a foundation for saving our heritage in the 1960s? Roderick was suddenly my genie and I was already somersaulting on a magic carpet.

The delicate woman spoke of the peak of Sawfar’s summers when she was young and how things have transformed since then. Less people visit villages, more people moved to the city, and the spirit of the youth has slowly evaporated. The house had an esplanade where her mother made a floor for dancing and, before she was born, her father planted all the trees along the corniche, the trademark of Sawfar’s main road. She says, “it’s one of the only villages that hasn’t been spoilt by concrete.”

Lady Cochrane’s family is a multinational smorgasbord. Born in Naples to a Lebanese father and Italian mother, married to an Irish nobleman, and relations to French, American, and Canadian in-laws, it is quite the compliment for such a worldly woman to say that “Lebanon was one of the most beautiful countries you can think of when I was young. Beirut, you would never believe it but, Beirut was simply beautiful, one of the most beautiful cities of the Mediterranean.” After all, she would know.

As she speaks, I can’t help but feel guilty for not pumping my own grandmother for stories like this. She’s 10 years younger than Lady Cochrane (who’s 93) but doesn’t reminisce; she’s more concerned with electricity cuts of the present. As if she heard my thoughts, Lady Cochrane then mentions her plans to have windmills installed in Sawfar so the village can have an alternative electricity supply. She may be aging, but she’s still leveraging her influence. On top of that, she studied town planning for 7 years but never got her degree because she couldn’t make the last term move abroad since she was married with children by that time. “We’ve ruined our mountains, our cities, everything. We should make an island and put all the skyscrapers there and rebuild Beirut the way it was before. We create Beirut as it was, with lovely buildings and green spaces.” So who’s got a spare island? Maybe Dubai can lend us one and we can supply the towers.

“Everything good in Lebanon was suppressed. But there it is, we still have a few places left in the mountains.” She feels it’s too late to save what is left of Beirut; I hope, for Lebanon’s sake, that she’s wrong.

August 3, 2015 by Farrah Berrou - 2 Comments

El-Tanein Diet Week #3

Week #3 has me feeling like less of a fitness fraud after last week’s debauchery. It’s gotten to the point where having a weekend without gym-time or activity just feels wrong. I can’t go two days without getting workout drenched, it’s an endorphin addiction.

Workout Tally

2 Boot Camp
2 Body Attack
1 5K Run
1 Taebo

5 classes and a run! Nothing like a bumpy week to make you move your bum during the one that follows. The trick is keeping the momentum going and not eating the entire ocean like week #2. The hardest side-effect that accompanies this endorphin addiction is constant hunger mode. This week, I’ve learned that with a lot of activity comes a lot of appetite so self-control becomes more important than ever and that’s something I’ve got to work on.

Outdoor Activity

I decided to go for a 5K interval run on the AUB track which would’ve been a fine idea on a regular day…in February. Of course, I went at 3:30pm when it 36ºC in July. In all fairness, it is not the 40s and 50s of the GCC but it can feel quite damp when you have to do 15 laps by the sea. Running around sunset would be a better idea but I doubt it’ll get that much cooler before November.

• New goal to add to the original list: 5K run in 35 min or less

Fitbit Flex

The Fitbit has returned! Well, almost. It recorded the entire week except for Monday. My highest count this week was on Friday thanks to 2 classes followed by Decks on the Beach. Since the parties run late and we were dancing past midnight, the dance-steps counted all the way into Saturday giving me 8K total for that day even though I spent most of it leading a sedentary life behind my computer screen. Looks like Decks is another cardio class. Win!

I hope the Fitbit will be back to 100% next week.

Cheat Meal

Thursday dinner at Acoté, Mar Mikhael
Bab el Wad Merguez Sandwich with Fries

I waited for this sandwich all week and, it seems, my expectations were set too high. It wasn’t as good as I remembered and I felt like I had been cheated out of my cheat meal. The whole point of having a cheat meal is anticipation and reward so when you miss the mark, your brain is shrieking, “WASTED CALORIES!” The aches and sore muscles of my 5K run were mad at me for ingesting calories that didn’t make me happy, just guilty. I started calculating how many classes I sacrificed for that sandwich. The fear of disappointment from a meal is actually causing anxiety – WHO AM I?

I should’ve gone with my gut and had a slice of cake instead. Week #4 will be dessert-oriented.

Other Highlights

Arrival of the First Maktoub 3 Loubnan Postcards: I returned from a few hours at the beach in Batroun to find two postcards in my mailbox. Now that’s a good Monday. Check them out up close here. If you’re Lebanese abroad and haven’t sent a postcard already, get to it!

Workout Track of the Week

I didn’t have my iPhone playlist updated for the 5K run so I used Soundcloud, where I also had not created a workout playlist. Thus, I just let it play remix upon remix of this track. It did the trick but my earphones didn’t do the bass justice. The track seemed appropriate given that he was in Beirut this week. My conscience wouldn’t let me go to his concert though.

Cheese of the Week

Literal cheese: rkakat mi’leh ma’a basterma, or fried cheese rolls with Anatolian pastrami. Delicious. Just two of these suddenly made me feel better about having a dud of a cheat meal. Considering it was the only fatty item on the table, I’m reminded that our Lebanese mezza is a colorful variety of dishes that are healthy choices full of greens, legumes, and olive oil. It’s not hard to OD on mezza though; a dozen meat pies and a full plate of spicy potatoes with cilantro will still go straight to your thighs so it’s best to stay leafy. Our cuisine is a blessing, when you eat in moderation.

Time for week #4!
Warning: video below has profanity. OH SNAP.

July 27, 2015 by Farrah Berrou - 2 Comments

El-Tanein Diet Week #2

Week #2 of El-Tanein Diet was a disaster. Fitness level was pathetic, my Fitbit was dead, and the coastal feasting was at an all-time high. For being a fitness series, this post is loaded with food. That means that Week #3 is going to have to make up for it. BRING IT.

Bi-weekly weigh-in: 0. No change. Better than gaining, I guess.
Next weigh-in will be at the end of Week #4.

Workout Tally

1 Hike
1 Taebo

That’s ONE class along with the outdoor activity. Very, very poor performance this week due to various events and commitments (wedding season, after all). However, it has shown me that I can’t rely on late afternoon classes anymore. I’m going to have to start waking up early for morning classes, doing some random 5K runs, and hoping that the electricity at home will support my treadmill days for when I don’t make it to the gym or the track.

Outdoor Activity

Unlike last week, this category is this week’s peak when it comes to getting the blood pumping. Some friends and I decided to go hiking by Nahr Ibrahim (Abraham River). We managed to GPS through a mountain and ask our way to the top until we ended up at a small church. There, you can leave the cars parked and take the “Lake Trail” of Jabal Moussa which leads to the Chouwen lake of the Yahchouch Valley.

Turns out the road up there is a lot easier than what Google Maps advised. If you’re coming from Beirut, continue on after Tabarja and take the right exit (the same one that leads to Okaibeh) under the bridge after Beit el Kataeb. Stay on the main road inward and there will be a left turn across from a gas station. It’s straight up after that till you get to the church. Worst case, stop and ask how to get to Chouwen. More info on hiking in Lebanon can be found here.

Fitbit Flex

This wearable went from being great to being an inconvenience very quickly. No further comment.

Cheat Meal

Thursday lunch at Classic Burger Joint in Hamra
A Classic Cheese with fries & coleslaw.

A Nutella chocolate chip cookie cupcake from Gustav I got as a thank-you for being an expat tour guide. What a tough job.

IMG_6944_2

Other Highlights

Having Grouper Fish (Likos) 3x this Week: Along with sushi as well, I feel I’ve become a human aquarium at this point. I’ve come a long way for someone who never liked seafood. I recommend O&C Fish Market for an affordable and fresh fish lunch. If you want some amazing octopus, make the drive out to Jammal in Batroun for a scrumptious lunch IN the water.

Finally going to a beach in Tyre: The water was the perfect temperature for a hot day and, luckily, there were no jellyfish, just some weird seaweed-like slug bugs. I still prefer Batroun’s beaches but it was a nice change from the rocky shores. There are still parts of Anfeh and Chekka that I’ve got to see before September!

Cards Against Humanity Nights: I’ve come to realize that if I keep attending this weekly gathering at my friend’s place, I will either have to count it as my cheat meal or duct tape my mouth shut. It’s quite the challenge to resist homemade rosé sangria and nachos.

Workout Track of the Week

I cannot understand why a megamix of Michael Jackson hits was the soundtrack for taebo this week but it was, at various tempos. Not that MJ isn’t perfect for basically anything, but I had to focus on the taebo moves instead of breaking out into dance. You can’t play this and expect me not to want to boogie instead of punch. Too many repressed shimmies and pelvic thrusts.

Cheese of the Week

While the country spent the last 6 days rolling in its own woebegone waste, it was a good week of seeing the beauty of our country’s beaches and natural greenery. You rarely get the chance to appreciate the outdoors and it made the environmental issue even more pressing after seeing what was at stake.

All I know is, after this marathon of seafood and celebrations, this last week of July is going to be a killer. Take it away, work it kitty.

July 26, 2015 by Farrah Berrou - 2 Comments

Saying No to Temporary Fixes

It’s ironic that in mob movies, members of the mafia use “waste management” as their cover when asked what they do for a living. Here, our mafia of politicians also has nothing to do with waste management. As has been the trend, whenever there has been an injustice in our society, a Facebook event pops up announcing a march against it. After the garbage fiasco this past week, an anti-corruption demonstration was planned for Saturday afternoon (yesterday) in front of the Grand Serail in Downtown.

I’ll admit that I haven’t gone to every protest but I felt like it was my civic duty to be present at this one in particular. If I didn’t go, I was a fraud: a hypocrite for not practicing what I preach. In essence, our presence at every march is necessary – we need to stand together when any member of our community or any issue that affects it is being defended and/or highlighted. We need to unite as a common front otherwise we are the ones to blame when our rights are violated or our politicians make poor decisions on our behalf and we quietly accept them. You have to take responsibility for your part of the equation before blaming others or authority. That also applies to the issue of garbage collection. As one citizen was saying at the protest, “this is our trash, we should sort it.” It is the country’s duty to collect and dispose of their people’s waste, but it’s the people’s duty to reduce their individual contribution to it. Once you do your part then you can be angry for them not doing theirs. It’s also about taking responsibility for putting such people in power and then suffering the consequences of our own votes. What’s done is done though so let’s deal with our present situation.

I’m glad there was a demonstration. I’m amused when, after bumping into a friend there, she told me, “it’s my first mouzahara.” It was admirable to see people bringing their children there, exposing them to the issues that should be fought for instead of surrounding them with sectarian rhetoric. It was good to see the faces I see on Facebook, the ones who write about the problems, also there in person. It was great to see Lebanese flags, no party colors. It was commendable to see a peaceful approach to getting our voices heard. Who was listening though? The crowds looked indistinguishable from the ones at our summer street festivals and that’s what seemed wrong. I wanted more anger. I wanted more people. I wanted more alternatives presented for what happens once everyone goes home. Without a long-term plan, will there be change?

I went to yesterday’s protest knowing that it would either inspire or disappoint me. Sadly, it was more of the latter. I admire the activists that organized it and took action. Enough complaining without movement. But while standing there, I was surprised that there weren’t more people, that the ones there weren’t furious, and that the general consensus of the older generation was a pessimistic “what’s the point?”

Last night, I returned to Beirut from Broumanna and, from that altitude, there was a very visible gray cloud suffocating the entire city and we prayed that it wouldn’t rain. Driving (or diving, I should say) into it, the streets were a post-apocalyptic scene of burning dumpsters and filth.

The solution that they came up with yesterday post-protest was new landfills in new locations. But the people aren’t standing for it. Jiyeh residents have closed down the highways to South Lebanon because they don’t want to be the next Naameh. They may have inconvenienced a lot of people heading to/from the South today but they have every right to say no to a decision that will inconvenience them with a nation’s trash for an undetermined amount of time. We cannot let those in charge think that these “solutions” work. After seeing how they handle such crises, I wouldn’t want the trash moved to my backyard either. We have to reject this solution before it’s too late…again.

mouzahara: demonstration

July 20, 2015 by Farrah Berrou - 1 Comment

El-Tanein Diet Week #1

Courtesy of Death to Stock Photo

Week #1 of El-Tanein Diet is up. I’ll be doing weigh-ins every two weeks so 7 days to go. It seems having to write a weekly report is keeping me in check but I’ll admit that I still have to up the ante when it comes to gymming and avoiding the sugary goodness. Historically, Eid is never gentle on the digestive system but, enough excuses, here we go:

Workout Tally

1 Core
1 Boot Camp
1 Taebo

That’s a total of 3 classes which is satisfactory but not the minimum (which I’ve decided is 5/week, not including other cardio on machines). Starting El-Tanein Diet during the week of Eid may have been a bad move on my part. I ended up in the South for 2.5 days where you move from couch to couch just to keep things exciting. It’s either that or you camp out by the argileh and petit-fours. Not advised.

Outdoor Activity

This category is this week’s weak point. It seems the only thing that could qualify as an “outdoor activity” is the walk from Mar Mikhael to the Egg in Downtown which is pathetic when you think about the daily commutes on foot that occur in other cities. Next week will be better, promise. No really, the plan is set, stay tuned!

I did get to check out the structure from the inside though – that’s got to count for something.

It was a cinema in the 1960s before being partially destroyed during the civil war. It was briefly an exhibition space as well as a party venue (of course) up until recently. Now, its fate has been a debate for the last 10 years.

Fitbit Flex

The wearable failed me the week I decided to actually pay attention to it the most. It wasn’t counting my steps and has had the same calorie count every day since last Monday. Stage fright? This is the second fitness counter wearable that has gone haywire. My Nike Fuel band fell apart in the middle of a client meeting and Nike Support couldn’t help me since the product wasn’t distributed here. Better luck next week, Fitbit.

Cheat Meal

Wednesday late lunch at Butcher’s BBQ Joint in Mar Mikhael
A brisket sandwich with fries and special dips.

Other Highlights

Going solo to the John Legend Concert in Byblos: I was considering flying to Dubai in February just to see him so I was thrilled when he was announced as the front-runner for the Byblos Festival. By the time Monday rolled around, I wasn’t going because I couldn’t find a John Legend fan in my circle and I wasn’t a fan of going alone to a sappy concert. My friend managed to convince me to just do it since you don’t need company if the performer is someone you really want to see. His live version of “The Beginning” was so much better than the recorded track. Worth it!

Finding a pair of Nike Pro shorts for 39 thou: Thank you Nike Outlet by Galaxy Mall! Instead of waiting a month for Amazon orders or going to Niketown, I found a discounted new pair of black Nike Pros to wear once I reach the goal I set last week.

Workout Track of the Week

Not because it’s my favorite tune. It’s because it’s played during the taebo class and now I can’t stop myself from throwing rhythmic 8-count punches when it comes on in the car. Pavlov strikes again.

Cheese of the Week

The fund for Georges El-Rif’s family has reached almost $20K in two days. Although this all happened because of a horrendous crime, the way that the community came together to stand by Georges’ loved ones has really restored my faith in the Lebanese people. There are those who want to stand up to the status quo and make sure that justice will prevail, even when it seems like the authorities are nowhere to be found.

Instead of saying “this is Lebanon” and cursing the existence of such a corrupt society, the people took action. Even though it revolved around sadness, I am proud that we are slowly moving away from being passive victims. Let’s keep fighting for ourselves and for each other.

I’ll leave you with this gem until next Monday…

July 20, 2015 by Farrah Berrou - 1 Comment

5 Steps to Survive Lebanese Wedding Season

Courtesy of Death to Stock Photo

1. Don’t Post Wedding Selfies

The beauty of having friends and family from different non-overlapping circles is that you can wear the same dresses to their occasions, even if they’re a few days apart. It is possible to last an entire wedding season with one dress if you do not document it heavily.

However, by posting a full-length-mirror selfie to Instagram, you’ve officially retired that OOTD to next year’s rotation because Noor won’t forgive you for wearing the same dress to her wedding next month – I mean, it’s like you don’t even CARE.

If you don’t want to recycle wedding outfits, then hashtag your heart out because you looking FINE and that hair won’t stand a chance against our humidity or surround-dancefloor-while-clapping duty.

None of this applies to men. Boys, just change your tie and you’re in an entirely new outfit. Life is unfair.

2. Power Banks

You will be there for at least 4 hours and you will be using your phone to either chat, take photos, or [insert social media addiction here]. Your phone will die. In the 21st century, that will cause people who are not in your physical presence to assume you’re also dead. That, and you could get very bored or be forced to talk to a relative who keeps asking about your age and marital status.

Make sure your lifeline is fully charged when you leave home and keep a power bank on you or stuffed in your little clutch.

3. The “3a2belik/lak” Drinking Game

3a2belik is the Arabic sentiment that means “hopefully you’re next” – at a wedding, it’s referring to going down the aisle. Besides hearing this from everyone including the valet parking guy, one of the best features of weddings is the open bar so, every time you hear a “3a2belik/nefrah minnik/nshallah mnshoofik 3arous,” take a sip from your glass of Chivas or a shot of tequila. At a large wedding party, make it 1 shot/3 3abeliks.

If you’re at a conservative wedding (i.e. no booze), replace the whisky with spoonfuls of tiramisu. The traces of rum may do the job or, at the very least, you’ll get a decent sugar high that’ll make you giggle your way through the night.

4. Take on a New Identity

When at a social function like a Lebanese Wedding, you’re bound to meet people. You may even be at a table full of new faces. Now is your chance to pull a Frank Abagnale and invent a whole different persona. Keep your name but change all the details. Don’t worry, they’ll never admit that they Facebook stalked you only to find out you are not a massage therapist with a condo in New Mexico.

Be careful though – you’re in Lebanon which means a person you don’t know could turn out to be your cousin. At that point, inform them about Step 3 and let the bonding begin.

5. Uber/Careem it Home

Unless your face is glued to your phone’s screen because you’re being an antisocial millennial and only showed up for the shrimp cocktail at the buffet (no judgment), you will not want to drive home because of three things:
a) Existing in heels
b) Not knowing the road back to civilization
c) 3a2belik Drinking Game/Open Bar

Avoid it. You could even go home in an Uber Black since you’re all fancy. Treat yo self. And wedding planners, get some promo-codes for your guests so everyone can drink and be merry…and safe.

Mabrouk to all the new couples of the season!

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Author Archives: Farrah Berrou

El-Tanein Diet Week #5

6 Lessons Learned as a Creative in Advertising

A Maktoub 3 Loubnan Update

El-Tanein Diet Week #4

Afternoons with the Sursocks: Sawfar & Beirut

El-Tanein Diet Week #3

El-Tanein Diet Week #2

Saying No to Temporary Fixes

El-Tanein Diet Week #1

5 Steps to Survive Lebanese Wedding Season