Days two and three – ArabNet, Beirut and Bashar

Beirut is a cacophony of delights. And ArabNet is fantastic. Mind you, it’s nothing too exotic. Many of the faces have already said their bit in Dubai, some several times. I told Omar Christidas, the man behind ArabNet, as much when i interviewed him. But it’s not only about the stories. It’s about creating an [...]

Beirut-first impressions: a cussed, cussing sort of beauty

The plane wasn’t exactly Emirates’ newest. But I wasn’t complaining. The flight was mostly empty, and I made the most of it by stretching out over four seats to catch a solid three hour kip. It was mostly usual fare. Sartorially, a few wonderful people stood out in the plane. The pot-bellied dude in Harley [...]

The bow ties that bind

In apropos of absolutely nothing. There’s been a lot going on, both personally and professionally. Between Art Dubai, the Sikka Art Fair, the Emirates Lit Fest, the Abu Dhabi Book Fair, there’s a lot that needs to be written and spoken about. Mostly very, very good. And there’s a book to review, courtesy Jalal Abu [...]