June 28, 2011

No Frills or Fuss, but a Whole Lot of Personality

By Lorena

Before I first visited Chez Maguy’s in Batroun, I’d heard plenty of rumors that it was the place to try for great seafood, and go figure – it’s literally right ON the sea! Can’t get any fresher than that, right? The rumors were true, needless to say, and I love visiting this little restaurant shack whenever I’m in Batroun.

Rather than going to a commercial seafood restaurant, as you’ll find scattered all along the coast with flaring Arabic music and impatient staff, try something different. Chez Maguy’s doesn’t promise to offer much more than what it is: A small shack built right on the sea with no frills or fuss, just a whole lot of personality and a pretty creative use of recycled furniture. Few of the chairs actually match, but that mix-and-match works for this shack that’s also built in a very mix-and-match manner on the sea coast. Engineers would have a party analyzing how it was built and is still standing in that way.

Every time I visit it with friends from abroad or just for a little city get-away with friends, I’m charmed by the little knick-knacks she’s added to her decor. It’s so personal, and go figure – it’s also her home. It’s almost as though someone’s inviting you to have a bite at their place and that kind of casual atmosphere makes Chez Maguy’s so welcoming. You’ll find local children walking in, playing in the sea underneath the shack and plenty of tourists. I can’t help but compare it to Le Chef (in Gemayze) in its popularity with the foreigners as a (not-so) secret spot to try off the beaten tourist track.

That's Maguy.

Maguy herself is quite the character – and a boisterous one at that. You’ll find her joking around with her staff, always in a swimsuit ready for a quick dive when it gets too hot and letting out a deep-hearted laugh in the background somewhere. Besides the food, the experience itself is what keeps me coming back. Having just visited it again this weekend, I’m even more tempted to pack up and move to some exotic beach and open up a restaurant shack to enjoy the simple life (Chez Loryne perhaps?). Maybe in the future, who knows?

Call Maguy on 03-439147 if you’re ever in Batroun to reserve a table (it gets pretty crowded during the peak tourist seasons). Come hungry with your bathing suits and get ready for a small escape from city life. For an inside story, ask her about the turtle.

4 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , | posted in Batroun, Lebanon

March 27, 2011

Everyone’s “Day3a”

By Lorena

Anyone who’s originally from Lebanon will have a “day3a” (or village in English) from where they are from. With many families, the biggest clue for which village they may be from is in their last names.

That’s why older Lebanese men (my dad included) can usually trace your entire family lineage and background (sometimes things you may not even know) from the moment you utter your last name.

Lebanese people also hold a very romantic, almost protective, approach when it comes to their “day3a”s. Your day3a is regarded as that place where you can reconnect with your roots and escape the hustle-and-bustle of daily life. For teenagers, going to the day3a if they’re living in Beirut can be just as painful as going to the dentist (“But there’s no WiFi mom!”), but they’ll come around as grown-ups.

For me, that attachment to a “day3a” (and the romantic notion behind it) hasn’t been as firm. My family is originally from Hadath, which if you know it, is no where near a village. A mini-city, yes. And serenity from the hustle-and-bustle? No way. You’ll be hustling-and-bustling just to get there with all the traffic.

If you’re like me, craving that place you can escape and reconnect with your Lebanese roots, then I found the spot for you – and it’s only a one-hour drive from Beirut:

Welcome to everyone’s temporary “day3a”… Welcome to Taanayel Ecolodge!

Located at the heart of the Bekaa valley, the traditional village of adobe-brick houses will take you back in time to a simpler time (although they do have a WiFi connection if needed). Just picture “The Simple Life”, but without the annoying Paris Hilton and without all the manual labor.It was our first time visiting an ecolodge – so we weren’t so sure what to expect. Would it resemble an amish-like village with no electricity? Or would it be more like a trendy hostel, made to look old and authentic (but really wasn’t)?

Well, nothing compares to when you’re actually there and when they say “authentic”, this place is as close as it gets!

Every little corner  has been meticulously planned to resemble an old Lebanese village, from the one-of-a-kind wooden key that unlocks the gate of where guests stay to the live rooster in the yard (anyone need a wake-up call?). What’s even more charming about Taanayel Ecolodge is that it’s part of a larger self-contained village where locals come to buy fresh dairy products, meat or have a bite of their deliciously hand-made food.

Run by Arc en Ciel, Tannayel Ecolodge is a great spot for anyone with the explorer-spirit and a curiosity for truly experiencing “day3a” life – and doesn’t mind leaving a few of modern life’s luxuries behind. (It’s not as hard as you think)

Plus, how often do you get to wake up to delicious, hand-made man’koushes (picture above), made right outside your room?

To reserve a room at Taanayel Ecolodge, call 08-544881, or send an email to auberges@arcenciel.org. Room prices range between $10-$20 per person per night, for a room which fits around five people.

Give it a try and tell us how you enjoyed it!

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Find other similar alternative accommodations across Lebanon via Dhiafee’s program here.

 

1 comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Lebanon, Taanayel

March 21, 2011

Souvenir from Saida

By Lorena

You don’t need to travel far to discover something new. It can be as simple as playing tourist in your own country and enjoying what that place has to offer. Even in a country as small as Lebanon, you’ll come to discover things very unique to each of its diverse cities.

While in Saida this past weekend, I found this spinning wind-blown souvenir (what’s it really called btw?) that I haven’t been able to find elsewhere:

Now, I’m sure you could probably find it in Beirut if you really looked, but it was fun finding a small souvenir to bring home from my day trip to Saida – as silly as that may sound. I ended up finding this for only 3,000 LL ($2) in an overcrowded shop in Saida.

This little toy also struck a particular chord with how I personally see my country. Stable, until a slight wind blows, causing it to spin out of control but it eventually stops back in place and you see the country for what it is: Resilient.

Anyway, that was just one way of looking at this toy. It’s fun to find these sort of pop culture souvenirs that may not be so popular anymore, but have a charm on their own.

3 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , | posted in Lebanon, Saida

March 8, 2011

Chili Sauce with a Burger on the Side

By Lorena

When someone mentions “fast food”, often the first restaurants that come to mind are the American franchises like McDonald’s, Burger King, Hardees, KFC etc. I remember when McDonald’s first opened in the late 90s here in Lebanon. People stood in lines reaching far into the parking lot just to grab a Big Mac. Looking back at it now, I realized how ridiculous that was. Why would anyone stand in long lines for fast food? Kinda defeats the purpose, but at some point, the Lebanese public was so eager for the franchise to move in it didn’t seem that crazy..

During my recent trip to Amman, my friends insisted we go to Chili Ways. The image of Chili’s itself kept coming to mind and I kept wondering why would I want to have Chili’s in Amman when I can have it in Beirut?

I soon found out that this Chili Ways has nothing to do with Chili’s. It’s apparently as much a signature of Amman as the mansaf and was the first fast food restaurant to open in Amman way back in the 80s. (It still has that 80s look to it too) It’s now a popular franchise, with several branches in Jordan.

Talk about comfort food! Burgers, hot dogs, french fries and any other fast food craving slathered in chili sauce and cheddar cheese – so much so we must’ve asked the waiter for napkins at least three times. You’ll be full until the next morning and probably won’t eat it more than once during your trip but it’s one of those things you gotta do at least once while in Amman.

And seems everyone does and leaves photos behind:

Kids seem to REALLY love it. One thing I didn’t get was the recurring horse photo on three of their walls. Same horse, same photo. Is that the owner’s horse perhaps?

(Our hands were too messy from all the chili sauce and didn’t get a chance to take photos, but go to their website for a visual reference of their food)

This place certainly has character, more so than your typical fast food chain. Leave your diet at the door and enjoy it! Come to think of how long this place has been around – I wonder if Jordanians stood in lines when the first McDonald’s opened there..

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Afterthought: When my Jordanian friend read this, turns out there were lines at McDonald’s opening too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , | posted in Amman, Jordan

March 2, 2011

Brotha’ from Anotha’ Motha’

By Lorena

Meet Sambo** – the Jordanian brother of our much-beloved “Rass el-Abed*” (translation: negro head) Lebanese chocolate.

Looks the same, tastes the same but this snack’s got an African name (lol! that sorta rhymes). Perhaps they gave more thought into the brand so it’s not as offensive as the more direct “Rass el-Abed”. Is it a Middle Eastern thing that this snack is always portrayed politically incorrectly? Or is that precisely its selling point?

*As many of you know by now, “Rass el-Abed” was renamed “Tarboush” recently in an effort to eliminate the negative racial message behind its former name. Read more about this name change on Lorena’s Epiphany: Rebranding an Icon.
**Turns out Sambo is also a racial term, thanks to a friend for pointing it out. “Sambo is a racial term for a person with mixed Indian and African heritage” – Read about the origin of the term on Wikipedia.

3 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , | posted in Amman, Jordan

March 1, 2011

A Tribe of T-Shirts

By Lorena

A great spot for trendy t-shirts in Amman? None other than Jo-Bedu. Way more interesting to take home as a souvenir and you may actually find yourself using the typically Jordanian slang printed on them. Look for the camel crossing sign and you’ll know you found the spot.

Read more about the shirts and concept on The Trendestrian.

 

 

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in Amman, Jordan

February 28, 2011

Bedouin Bookshop Kioske

By Lorena

You might have passed by this kioske with the big Coca Cola sign on it while driving down Basman Street to the old downtown area of Amman (Jordan), but did you ever stop by and take a look inside? Not your traditional bookshop, Al Jahiz bookstop is a historical landmark of the city that’s been run by three generations of the Maaitah family. (Read a great article about Al Jahiz Bookstop on The Jordan Times: Al Jahiz Bookshop: Maintaining the connection between people and books)

We stopped by it on our way to the old souk when my friend Yasmeen wanted to ask about a book. Hashem Maaitah, grandson of the founder of Al Jahiz bookstop and current owner, was more than delighted to assist and give us a brief history of his unique bookshop.

Hashem Maaitah, grandson of Khalil Maaitah who started Al Jahiz Bookstop in 1931

Inside the kioske

Surrounded by books inside the kioske

As a self-professed book addict, I was charmed by this little bookstop and the vast history behind it. The collection of both Arabic and English books serves as colorful wallpaper, surrounding the sides of the kioske and begging to be read.

People rarely read today, Hashem discussed, whether this is due to laziness or technology eliminating the need to. In an effort to encourage people to read, Hashem promises to give you back your money if you return a book you bought within a month. So say you buy a book that costs 15 JD, they’ll give you back 14 JD when you return it – a modest 1 JD rental fee. His hope is that by doing that, people will feel more inclined to finish the book they bought and return for more.

The Al Jahiz bookstop is one way book lovers are hanging on to a precious literary tradition – and in the most unlikely of places. But check it out soon as this “bedouin” library moves around Jordan (it has already moved around 15 times within Jordan) and may be somewhere else in the coming few months..

1 comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , | posted in Amman, Jordan

January 30, 2011

A Mersinian Merchant

By Johnny

It was a small store in the middle of an old souk in Mersin. We passed by, originally in search of an antique camera, when we came across this old store that appeared to be full of a wide variety of antiquities; of course we had to go inside to satisfy our curiosity. We walked in and inspected this marvelous collection and as we turned our attention to the rest of the store, we were welcomed by this merchant’s glorious collection of misbaha‘s (Arabic: مسبحة), or tespih’s, as the natives would call them.

“Marhaba!” said the merchant, welcoming us into what appeared to be his little treasure chest; we were caught by shock once we realized that he welcomed us in our native tongue rather than his own. It took him a mere glance to deduce that we were not of Turkish origin; which was not surprising, but amazingly enough, he was able to pinpoint our roots as Lebanese. It tends to come as a shock when a stranger manages to label you on the spot, before any interaction takes place.

"... us Turks, we don't ask each other 'What's your religion?'; we are all Turkish, no matter if we believe in Christianity, Islam, Hindu or any other religion..." - Photograph courtesy of Loryne Atoui (2010)

What was more intriguing at the time was the fact that he actually spoke to us in Arabic. The conversation took off and I was personally shocked at this merchant’s proficient use of the Arabic language, especially with such a strong Lebanese dialect. There had to be more to this man than meets the eye. Excited and intrigued, we began to question him on his travels and how he could speak with us so comfortably as though he was one of our own, as though in search of a treasure.

We were taken on a worldly journey; this man had seen quite a large portion of the Arab world, having traveled to countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. He also mentioned that he studied in Lebanon during the 1970’s. “That means you were there during the civil war?” I asked; first thought that came to mind. “Yes!” he replied (of course this was all spoken in Arabic) and continued with his story.

What started off as a search for antiques in an antique store, suddenly morphed into a journey through the ages of the Middle East, as well as a philosophical discussion on Turkish culture and life-outlook. If that’s not a culture enriching experience, then I don’t know what is; one of the main reasons behind why I enjoy traveling so much is to mingle with the locals, gain knowledge and insight from them, learn their ways… who knows, you might relate to them and their ways better than you do with your own, after all this world was made for us to explore it, so why not learn from each other how different cultures approach different aspects of life?

6 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Southern Coast, Turkey

January 12, 2011

The Iskender Way

By Lorena

We came across this restaurant while walking through Mersin’s commercial Istiklal street. Maybe it was the crowd outside surrounding the open dessert window or maybe it was the juicy shawarma skewer rotating at the front entrance – whatever it was, we were happy we found it.

Gundogdu Iskender has been around since 1968 with several branches around Turkey, yet it retains a certain “home-y-ness” not found in other chain restaurants.

Father and Son

Walking in, you’re greeted by the manager who works there with his family. They welcomed us warmly into the restaurant with careful attention as we ate for if we needed anything else. We were completely satisfied – especially once we tried the food and hopelessly fell in love with their home-made Ayran yoghurt drink (below):

The over-flowing, rich glass of Ayran

The fountain of flowing Ayran- freshly-made

.. And their Iskender kebap dish! If there’s anything we missed once we returned from Turkey, it was the food we had at this place. Simply delicious! I spent a week in Istanbul and nothing I ate their ever came close to the food we had at Gundogdu Iskender. (I’m getting hungry just writing about it!) Take a look at this tasty dish:

İskender kebap - a traditional recipe invented by İskender Efendi

We later found out that this recipe was originally invented by Iskender Efendi back in the 19th century. Read more about it here.

If you live in Qatar, you’re in luck! You can try it out at Iskender Kebab restaurant. If not, then you can try to make it yourself. Try out one of these two recipes and let us know if you liked it as much as we do!

* All photos on the blog are copyright of Loryne Atoui (unless otherwise stated). No illegal use without permission permitted. Kindly reference this website for any online use. *

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , | posted in Southern Coast, Turkey

January 3, 2011

A Turkish Delight

By Lorena

We came across this cafe completely on accident while walking through Antakya (Antioche) on our last night.

Notes from Customers

It’s a cozy little spot with plenty of chess tables and people sipping tea with a newspaper in hand. The cafe is conveniently located above a bookstore but you can’t really tell. A small sign in the bookstore with “Cafe” and an arrow pointing up lead us to this little spot. We spent an hour here relaxing and enjoying a bit of the Turkish intellectual life.

For more information about this little spot, here’s their card:

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | posted in Southern Coast, Turkey

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