By Jaimee Lee Haddad
It's that time of year again when the back-to-school feeling seems to loom in the air no matter how old we get! Even for those of us who should have grown out of it many years ago, there’s something about the August to September shift that always feels like a fresh start.
Though for many, this summer was anything but ordinary or relaxing, we can at least hope that this transition into September heralds some renewed optimism for the chapter ahead.
Here is some positive reading to get you in the right mood and help shake off the back-to-school blues:
1. The chords of Baalbeck
Illustrations by Jaimee Lee Haddad
Despite having been upended and altered due to the ongoing conflict in Lebanon and the region, Thursday evening’s performance at the legendary Baalbeck International Festival sounded like a night to remember! Fifi Abou Dib set the scene for us, giving us a glimpse of the magical “Chords of Baalbeck” performance, where virtuosos from Lebanon and Palestine united at the Caracalla Dance Theater in Horsh Tabet (“an eminent extension of Baalbeck in Beirut,” she writes), by the evocative strings of the oud — a symbol of the region’s identity, and one of my personal favorite sounds.
2. Meet the groundbreaking actress who stunned at Cannes
Illustrations by Jaimee Lee Haddad
Breakthrough actress Karla Sofia Gascon took the Cannes Film Festival by storm last May by becoming the first transgender woman to win an award at the iconic ceremony. Our cultural editor Karl Richa met with the trailblazing star and spoke to her about her gritty role in Emilia Perez — “a daring, feminist return to the thriller genre” in which Jacques Audiard “cast the actress in the role of a drug trafficker searching for meaning in the midst of a gender transition.”
3. Taking Gibran’s legacy to Germany
Illustrations by Jaimee Lee Haddad
Now, I don’t mean to play favorites, but this was one of my most enjoyable reads of the week. I still remember the first time I heard a Gebran Khalil Gibran poem at a funeral as a child, which sparked a lifelong admiration that I’m sure many of you share. My dedication to his work, though, pales in comparison to that of Ursula Assaf, who co-translated all of Khalil Gibran's works into German with her husband. Her story goes beyond translation though — it’s a true love affair with Lebanon’s rich culture and history.
4. Melbourne’s ‘Mankoushe’ master returns to the motherland
Illustrations by Jaimee Lee Haddad
I often wonder whether working in a restaurant puts you off the food you serve — but, somehow, I don’t think anything could deter me from a mankoushe. Clearly Jad Choucair, owner of the beloved restaurant ‘Mankoushe’ in Melbourne, feels the same way. Choucair is leaving behind his Aussie restaurant to return to the mankoushe homeland. To be fair, that’s not the only reason he’s coming back to Lebanon, read about his departure here.
5. A sweet escape in Paris
Illustrations by Jaimee Lee Haddad
Much like craving a sweet treat after a meal, sometimes you need a little something extra to finish your morning reading. And if anyone knows how to do desserts right, it’s the Lebanese. Enter L’ashta — a new spot in Paris that's turning heads and taste buds with its irresistible selection of Lebanese ice creams, pastries and the iconic kanafeh. Find out why L’ashta is quickly becoming a Parisian favorite.