Lebanon Archives - Media Guy Struggles

Month of Travel: A Panorama From Beirut

The Media Guy — Tue, 03 Sep 2019 23:29:00 +0000

It’s been a good year for the Media Guy Struggles. As the leading lifestyle media brand for those curious about the life of a modern (M)ad Man, the website is growing faster in unexpected ways. August marked the best month of all time for readership, advertising, and elevated Q ratings. To celebrate, I took to the road looking for the best food, drink, travel, and places to stay in the world. The result is the Month of Travel where I tell tales and wax poetic about only the very best in the world. I’ll take you to Russia, Mexico, Lebanon, and Canada. At the end, I hope it inspires you to weave your own story through the fabric of travel. Today, I take you to Paris of the Middle East, Lebanon and the Four Seasons Hotel Beirut with the best rooftop surprise in the region.

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Okay, so where am I?

I’m in Beirut, a city of paradox. It has a opulent French-influenced history, a proud culture, with affable and hospitable. Yet, they city has been traumatized from extraordinary political turbulence over the preceding four or five decades and it shows. A robust military presence saturates Beirut and you cannot escape the sight of crumbled buildings when exploring the historic avenues interspersed between the beautiful mosques and churches, the myriad of outdoor cafés, and the burgeoning marina the city is known for.

But seriously, none of this should detract you from visiting Beirut and soaking in its history. With its mixture of religious culture and a rather liberal social scene, Lebanon is the distinctive country in the Middle East and remains extremely safe today. There’s no place on earth even vaguely like it. Everything that’s great is co-mingled with all the world’s troubles all in one magnificent, screwed up, enchanted, exasperating, splendid city. I love it there in spite of everything. After visiting 32 countries in my lifetime, it remains my favorite, even after a half a dozen longish visits.

Each time I have rolled into Beirut, I’ve found a fine hotel with an inspiring view of the Mediterranean. My stop this time was no different as I found myself at the lavish Four Seasons.

Up front I have to say that every five-star hotel is not the same nor do they provide the same level of service. Trust me when I say I don’t tolerate a bad room or a crummy hotel. I’ll leave just a soon as I arrive, but something about the Four Seasons Beirut that made it so I never wanted to leave, ever.

Maybe it was because all of the 230 guest rooms have balconies. Or that the beds were the perfect blend of soft and firm or that every painting (yes, real oil paintings), every chair, lamp, fixture, was so lovely and perfectly selected for each environment. Maybe it was the designer soap that looked like it would be more at home in a palace bathroom rather than one in a hotel. Everything was high quality from massive thread-count linens to the cushioned balcony chairs and plush bathrobes and slippers.

Little did I know the best was yet to come.

A special dinner was waiting for three colleagues (and me) on the 26th floor rooftop. Here is where I was caught off-guard and where the hotel immediately became my must-experience for any return trip to Beirut: the sweeping panoramic views of the city. On a bustling Tuesday afternoon, there was a total sense of peacefulness and harmony that overwhelms you and that’s before the delectable spread of food was served.

In the 1950s, Beirut was awarded the moniker the “Paris of the Middle East” for its cultural and intellectual life along with the culinary delights that took the best of Parisian dining, simplified it and dipped it in a vat of hospitality. The 26th Floor captures that nostalgic essence and takes it to dazzling new heights serving scrumptious Pan-Asian cuisine including black cod, miso chicken gyoza, and impeccably spiced bao buns.

I spent the next few hours lounging on the roof, and partaking in handcrafted spirits and Partagas cigars selected from their vast humidor inside The Bar & Lounge. Somehow everyone on duty anticipated my every need. That special evening was the anecdote for the ball of stress I had become during the week-long trip filled with intense deadlines. A traveler could be used to this kind of thing.

The hotel features an intimate spa that incorporates local-sourced organics—sea salt, olive oil, cedarwood—into their treatments and a fitness center with stylish smartphone-compatible treadmills (just plug in and control it from their main screens), and the centerpiece amenity, the top-floor pool with 360-degree views of Beirut, the Mediterranean, and the snow-capped Lebanese mountains.

Four Seasons hotels are legendary for their five-star service and style but it’s the Four Seasons Beirut that elevates the brand. This is exactly what you get when you cross Four Seasons with renowned Lebanese hospitality. They handle the little extras everything from the doormen at the front to the location, décor, and incredible staff. This luxury property is worth the trip alone.

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Four Seasons Hotel Beirut

Minet El Hosn

Beirut, Lebanon

Phone: +961 1 761 000

Website

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Photo Gallery

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Massaya: The Hidden Gem in Bekaa

The Media Guy — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 12:58:00 +0000

When touring Lebanon, it would be easy to miss some of the finest wines and arak in the world. Here’s a hidden gem the Media Guy recommends for those with a discerning palette.

Bekaa, Lebanon

Ok, I hear you…the Bekaa Valley? The Middle East’s breeding ground for terrorism training and drug running? You want us to go THERE for wine?

Let me clear up these myths right now: This ISN’T your father’s Bekaa Valley…

I’ve seen the Bekaa with my own eyes. Home to the finest Greek/Roman archeological site (Baalbeck) in my world, Bekaa has changed quite a bit in the modern Lebanon. The days where stolen cars would be dumped after being ransomed off and the massive hashish trade are long gone. When you enter the Valley, the military checkpoint is welcoming and alerts you of any pitfalls that may await your journey. I called them “the Armed Forces Lonely Planet.”

Fine wine making is a tradition that dates back over 5,000 to the original inhabitants of Lebanon: the Phoenicians. With Byblos, the world’s oldest continuously running seaport a short distance away, tending vineyards and then trading the wine with spice runners were a natural fit. And, the people in Bekaa—then and now—are among the world’s most hospitable.

Now that we’ve cleared this up, let’s get to the good stuff.

Massaya is the continuing incarnation of the pioneering Tanaïl Estate tended by the Ghosn family. Today, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call the sprawling, dramatically-located vineyard the centerpiece of the burgeoning Lebanese wine tourism industry.

On the day I arrived, Sami Ghosn was the king of hospitality treating a few colleagues / friends and me to a tour of the winery while crafting some amazing culinary selections from their Le Relais restaurant where guests normally lounge under the comfort of lush trees and pergolas.

In one of the most glorious dining experiences this side of Italy, Sami and his brother Ramzi—a trained Cordon Blue chef himself—guided their normal staff of housewives from neighboring villages in a finely executed balancing act of blended gastronomy.

Bruschetta, whole bean hummos, grilled eggplant with the signature Massaya soja sauce and pasta with dried anchovy paced a full-throttle menu that retained its equilibrium and old-world personality indigenous to the Bekaa region.

Sami Ghosn is the king of hospitality.

Inside the authentic country kitchen where the meal was being prepared in front of us, the sumptuous glasses of Massaya wines invited easy camaraderie with our new friends.

As Danny McCoy [Josh Duhamel’s character in Las Vegas] might say, “I’m more of a beer man than a wine man,” the Media Guy usually would say he’s more a vodka martini guy than a wine guy, but today swayed my bias towards to sweet tastes of Massaya.

The vineyard produces five labels every vintage: one Massaya Rosé, one Massaya blanc and three Massaya rouge (Gold Reserve, Silver Selection and Classic). Each features a fruity, rich blend with remarkably low acidity; a smooth innovative taste that is such to add to unforgettable evenings when you uncork a bottle at home with your guests.

As I sipped my way through the evening, somewhere between mountains and the Mediterranean Seas I felt something stirring. I realized it was my soul connecting to the land. I envisioned the Phoenicians entertaining much the same way. An understated feast with new friends while enjoying the wine that can only be crafted in the special place that Bekaa has become once again.

Epilogue

A quick search of the Internet found dozens of places to find Massaya wines. If you can’t find what you need, contact them directly:

Massaya & Co

+961 8 510 135 (p)

www.massaya.com

The Massaya wines spoke to my pallete…and my soul.

Friends share a toast.

The odd combination of dried anchovy and pasta was a true delight.

The grapes become wine under the watchful eye of the Ghosn family.

Loving Massaya…

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MGS Chat: Sir Tom Jones

The Media Guy — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 23:09:00 +0000

He’s not unusual. In fact, for a man who saw Elvis eating deviled eggs on an exercise bike, he’s surprisingly normal. Sir Tom Jones talks exclusively to the Media Guy.

The snake hips have gone, but the charm is all intact. Celebrated lothario, knight of the realm, Hollywood Walk of Famer… He’s clocked up more Vegas appearances than Sinatra, talked fitness tips with Elvis and been the target of untold items of flying underwear. Why, then, does it feel like I’m chatting with some jovial old timer in a pub at the back end of Cardiff?

Media Guy: A friend’s father, also from Pontypridd, remembers you as a bit of a rocker. Any truth in that?

Sir Tom Jones captivated the Beyrouth Forum crowd.

Tom Jones: Oh, yeah! We were listening to rock ’n’ roll music; Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis, Fats Domino, Little Richard. That was the kind of music I was doing in the pubs and the clubs.

MG: Did you see that the BBC published your old employment records recently? One entry reads, ‘He has been talking about “going professional” since April but he is still signing the UR [unemployment register] and not autograph books.’

TJ: Yeah! [Laughs] I didn’t know they were writing all that s**t down! They were offering me shift work and I said I’d rather not have it because I was singing in the clubs and trying to get a record contract. They were very good, though. I was signing on twice a week and doing gigs at night.

MG: Did ‘It’s Not Unusual’ suggest itself to you as an immediate hit?

TJ: My manager, Gordon Mills, was writing songs for Leeds Music, and I would record a lot of the demos to make some extra cash. One day he came to me and said, ‘I’ve got this song that I’m writing, and if we get a good demo we can present it to Sandie Shaw.’ He sang it to me in the car as we were going to the recording studio and I thought ‘Yeah, I get that’. I said, ‘Gordon, I have to have this song.’ And he said, ‘Nah, it’s a pop song.’ I said, ‘I’m telling you, this sounds like a hit song to me.’ Thank God it was Sandie they gave the song to because she said, ‘Whoever’s singing this demo – it’s his song. I wouldn’t be able to sing it like that.’ So that was it. That was the beginning of it for me.

MG: And you’ve sung it every night of your life ever since…

TJ: Exactly! That one is always in. No doubt.

MG: Don’t you get tired of it?

TJ: No. I really like the song, and it’s a test. It’s not easy to sing. You can’t just glide through it; you’ve got to sing it because of the range of the thing. Same with ‘Delilah’. I like doing them to prove that I still can.

MG: Do you remember those early Vegas days very clearly?

TJ: Well, I went to have a look at it in ’65, when I first went to America. I saw Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin… In London we had a club called ‘Talk of the Town’ and it was like there were six Talk of the Towns here in one town! They offered me a contract in ’68, and I’ve played there every year since. I don’t think Frank Sinatra even played there that long.

MG: And that’s where you met Elvis?

The Media Guy and Tom Jones at the fabulous
InterContinental Phoenicia Beirut Hotel.

TJ: No, I met him in Hollywood at Paramount Studios in 1965, and he came to see me in Vegas in ’68 to see what I was all about. He wanted to make a comeback; he wanted to play Vegas. So he came and watched me work, and he said it gave him confidence.

MG: Did you ever see Elvis turn down a cheeseburger?

TJ: Er, no. He used to like a pizza as well. He used to keep the pizza under his bed.

MG: Did he have a favorite topping?

TJ: I don’t know. But we’d be up late, singing gospel songs, and he’d say, ‘Do you like pizza?’ He had it under the bed, just in case, but he used to laugh about it. He wasn’t a secret eater. When he started getting a gut on him, I remember he had this exercise bike in the suite. This bike was an electric bike that would move by itself. He used to sit there eating deviled eggs and laughing. He was having fun with it, but it backfired on him in the end.

MG: Do you ever worry that you might be remembered as a walking knicker magnet?

TJ: I wouldn’t like that. If they want to talk about it, you can’t stop that really because it happened. I would like to think the reason that it did happen is because of my voice; because the songs I was singing were getting people excited. Over the years my shows have been reviewed not on how good I’m singing, but by how many pairs of underwear are up there. It’s immaterial, really. What I’m putting out – that’s the main question.

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World Travels: Beirut

The Media Guy — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 09:01:00 +0000

LEBANON THROUGH THE EYE OF THE LENS

The Watering Hole

When I think of a watering hole, I don’t think of a bar— but rather a secluded and quiet place, with a little brook and a convenient tree to lean against. Of course, there is a peaceful and playful breeze gently blowing. It’s a retreat and a place of reflection. The mountains of Lebanon are just that for many.

Jezzine

Home of 130 waterfalls and incredible landscapes, Jezzine is among the most renowned summer resorts. The town is surrounded by pine forests, vineyards and orchards. From the top of the towering rocky peninsula of al Shir, the visitor enjoys a breathtaking view of surrounding areas.

The homes, however, are what keep the locals tethered to the region. Many are built of granite and limestone and are unlike anything you have ever seen.

Spinning the Night

DJ Mahmoud Kaabour caught in action

The atmosphere of Beirut’s nightlife is distinctly playful, as young Beirutis converge with a singular mindset, bent on living in the moment.

Crowds gather at Torino Express, a popular spot off the beaten path in Beirut, for cozy ambiance, trendy music and its friendly staff (think Cheers in Lebanon). One big plus is that it’s apt to stay open as long as people are buying.

The View from the Balcony

Sometimes just sitting and looking at life’s ordinary events tells us a lot about ourselves and the people around us. As the late afternoon envelops Beirut’s residents, they take refuge on the balcony, sipping coffee and thinking of tomorrow. Some spot their future spouse (or so they tell themselves) or watch the crazy drivers. As the afternoon turns to night, many retire to the nightly news. It is fruitless as they have already watched the truly meaningful events of the day.

Cricket in Ain Saade

On a Sunday afternoons in the village of Ain Saade, young men take to a makeshift cricket field to resolve the week’s conflict as sportsmen.

The Coffee Peddler

He walks the streets with his silver jugs, lifting the lazy, the tired and the lonely. They come to this portable Starbucks to laugh and to taste his humble brew.

Model in training

Dreams of becoming Paris runway models are ever present—even in the back alleys of Achrafieh.

The Color Yellow

In a country of economic extremes, it is quite uncommon to see unparalleled extravagance. Here three cars, with mind-blowing value, paint a city street yellow with opulence.

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World Portrait: Rebuilding Lovers

The Media Guy — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 16:33:00 +0000

Beirut, Lebanon—The sun slowly burns upon the horizon, shaking the dew from the rock and sand. A couple stops after walking hand in hand through the night to watch the new construction in the outskirts of Beirut.

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WORLD TRAVELS: Arches of the Middle East

The Media Guy — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 03:36:00 +0000

Dubai

When medieval powers ventured across the Middle East and into India in the East and all the way to Spain and Morocco in the West, this vast empire began to assimilate architectural styles from many traditions.

The archway architecture was to become the most obvious symbol of the region, serving as a gateway to rooms, cities, souks, and restaurants. Yet the archways throughout the world do not look alike. They have used local materials and have built upon previous cultural styles, but they do have similarities.

Likewise, palaces, forts, and castles reflect the personality of the architect. They are symbols of power and the dangers their leaders faced. While the empire became a vast trading network, the buildings that housed the caravan traders reflected their importance to the empire as well. The wealth and power of the empire was often directed into archways that are recognized for their beauty and innovation.

Across the globe there is evidence of the beauty created in the Middle Ages.

Architect Inoru Yamasaki, designer of the World Trade Center towers, was deeply influenced by Middle Eastern architecture. During his many visits to Saudi Arabia,Yamasaki studied structures in and around Mecca.

His resulting work at the towers was a visible pattern at the buildings’ bases consisting of pointed arches similar to those inside buildings and on prayer rugs. Yamasaki went further, fronting the towers’ plaza in homage to Mecca, replicating the city’s courtyard.

It wasn’t until 1979—nearly 20 years after the design of the towers was put into place—that Yamasaki revealed his admiration for Middle Eastern arches and included photos of all his important projects detailing a pattern of designs inspired by the region.

He wasn’t the only fan of Middle Eastern architecture and archways. Another was Frank Lloyd Wright, America’s most notable architect. After traveling to Baghdad for a project commissioned by Iraq’s ruler, King Faisal II, he designed San Francisco’s civic center in the late 1950s. Wright had a lifelong interest in this discipline of architecture and a deep admiration for Persian visuals, and he made no secret of this, incorporating it into many designs.

Pointed arches and elaborate domes can be seen in major buildings around the world, including the Taj Mahal in India, Palazzo Ducale in Venice, Italy, and New York’s 2 Columbus Circle, which features a series of curved arches.

The popularity of worldwide arches furthers the notion of a multicultural world where thoughts, designs, and cuisines constantly mix and blend together, blurring the lines of cultural development. Our mutual influence is continuous, creating a never ceasing mixture that ebbs and flows.

Qatar

Israel

Tunisia

Iraq

Cyprus

Lebanon

Kuwait

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