Illustrations by Jaimee Lee Haddad
This week’s Breakfast in Bed picks highlight a few quirkier Lebanese success stories that unfolded on smaller stages, off the beaten path. They’re not your classic pop stars or mainstream social media darlings.
Instead, they spotlight a chef and victor of a reality-TV kitchen, a Lebanese horse-rider with his sights set on the 2028 Olympics and, in Beirut, an experimental rock band that shows an eager audience that Amman can rival the famous Beirut party spirit.
Enjoy!
Since the start of the Gaza war Lebanese artist Mazen Kerbaj has been documenting a timeline of events by drawing, posting on social media and now he’s exhibiting it at Beirut Art Center. Lola Maupus spoke to the artist about his important work and how the war has silenced his characteristic gallows humour.
This year’s Avignon Festival is off and away, with Arabic language at its heart. Muriel Maalouf gives a glimpse of performances emanating from Lebanon to Cape Verde, and tells us why Marlene Monteiro Freitas’ interpretation of One Thousand and One Nights left half the crowd cheering and the other half booing!
From suburban Paris to Macron’s dining table, Mohamed Cheikh, former Top Chef winner, has taken the long road to doing things his way. In Beirut, between burgers and backstories, he tells us why here, he feels right at home.
Over 600 party-goers rocked up to KED last week to see Jordanian indie-rock band, Autostrad, play an “electric” three-hour set. The six-man band blended funk, rock and reggae with oriental, Latin and Bedouin influences. What’s the secret behind their success?
Jad al-Dana started horse-riding at age five in Damour, using sticks to guide his horse because his legs were too short to reach the horse’s sides. Two decades later, he’s ranked 156th in the world and just won one of the most technical show jumping competitions on the international circuit. Next up – flying Lebanon’s flag at the Olympics?
Joe Issa al-Khoury says Lebanon, Iran engaged in 'implicit power struggle'