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Book Review: Rana Hanna’s Birds in the Rain

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A while ago, I met my dear friend Joumana Rizk over coffee and a quick catch-up. Joumana, who heads Mirros Communications , handed me a manilla envelope with a gift inside. I slipped my hand in and pulled out the newly published novel Birds in the Rain by first-time author Rana Hanna. I promised Joumana I’d read it, and boy was it easy to keep my word. Birds in the Rain by Rana Hanna (published by Bold Story Press, 2025) I inhaled Rana’s book, unable to put it down late-night when I should have been ceding to slumber. Over the course of a few evenings, I followed the narratives of Layla, a young widow grieving her husband’s death as she raises her son Michael. Each chapter is titled by the point of view through which it is narrated, spanning Layla, Michael, Jeddo (Layla’s father and hence Michael’s grandfather), and Marc (a trustworthy friend of Layla who is devoted to her and Michael’s well-being). The book is written in the third-person, except for those chapters narrated by Michael...
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Here We Go Again

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Exactly one week ago, memes started circulating throughout Lebanon as Iran and Israel went to war. The two nations were exchanging missiles, sending them sailing over Lebanese airspace, but folks in Lebanon were too busy on the snowy slopes of Faraya and Kfardebian to take notice or care. Oh, the sad irony, when less than 48 hours later, Lebanon became embroiled in the war, too. Skiers gliding down the slopes at the Mzaar-Kfardebian ski resort northeast of Beirut, Lebanon. Saturday, January 3, 2026. (Photo credit: AP Photo/Hassan Ammar) There is so much insight to unpack from that meme. First and foremost, Lebanese people are a recreation-loving, joie-de-vivre-seeking, jolly sort of folk. They truly just want to live and let live. I’ve never seen a populace enjoy life so fully, despite local and regional setbacks. Defiant persistence is etched in their DNA. They are doomed to suffer, even though they are not culpable.  I mean, seriously, how much more adversity need the Lebanese pe...
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Celebrating Three Decades of Horeca

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Last week I attended a fabulous brunch at Le Gray’s Qasti restaurant to honor 30 years of Hospitality Services’ Horeca. If you’re any degree of foodie , the annual event to look forward to in Beirut is Horeca. Formed from the words Ho tels, Re staurants, and Ca fés, this exhibition is the largest in the Levant for the food service and hospitality industry, attracting hundreds of exhibitors, trade visitors, internationally renowned chefs and food experts. The sumptuous brunch at Le Gray was hosted by Joumana Dammous-Salamé, managing director of Hospitality Services , and her experienced team. A more convivial setting could not have been pinned down, and how fortuitous that winter took a one-day leave to afford us a beautiful, 25-degree day replete with sunshine. We sat outside on the terrace of Qasti, tucked away from the din of the busy street lining Martyr’s Square.  Le Gray Hotel takes its throne in the heart of the historic downtown district. After the August 4, 2020, Beirut ...
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Beirutista: Then and Now

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When I launched my blog Beirutista some 14 years ago, in the summer of 2012, I wasn’t exactly certain what the focal point would be. Sure, most of my articles featured candid and thorough reviews of eateries and holes-in-the-wall I’d discovered on my prowls through my new surroundings (I'd settled in Lebanon just the year before). I loved dishing out spotlights of lesser-known food spots or profiles of up-and-coming chefs. I could wax poetic about a cocktail prepared with finesse, or a pizza pie descended from the heavens. And while my taste buds were enjoying a culinary adventure of their own, I was also interested in the artist crafting his or her art. I’m a storyteller. I’ve always been a storyteller, even when I was pursuing a mechanical engineering degree in undergrad and grad school. I doubled down on honors humanities and social sciences to temper my technical studies and add a layer of communicative skills to what I do. You’re only as relatable as your words, written or ora...
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Thanksgiving Reflections: What It’s Like Being an American Expat in Lebanon

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I moved to Lebanon in early 2011, which means I’ve lived in the Land of the Cedars for well over a decade now. Before settling here, I’d always wondered how I’d fit in with the broader Lebanese public in day-to-day activities. Sure, I’d spent countless summers in our second home, perched in the eastern suburbs just outside of Beirut. But everyone knows that vacationing as an expat is closely akin to being a tourist in the motherland. It’s hardly a taste of “real life.” So, what are the highlights of transitioning from diaspora to local? Can locals easily weed you out, even if you’re fluent in conversational Arabic? Is there any advantage to being an expat around these parts? Let’s tackle these questions together. Beirut Waterfront I grew up in southern California speaking the Lebanese dialect at home. My mother mandated it, much to our chagrin at the time. She even taught us to read and write modern standard Arabic, so you could categorize me to some extent as a native speaker. How...
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So you didn’t make it to Lebanon this summer… It’s not the end of the world.

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Unpopular opinion: skip summer in Lebanon. Come in the autumn, habibi, when the swell of expats has departed, when airfare is reasonable, and when the weather is mild. Nobody has vouched for the beauty and splendor of Lebanon as determinedly as I have. Let’s be honest here: how many born-and-bred-abroad Lebanese diaspora do you know who ditched their first-world livelihoods to carve out an existence in our precarious motherland? I’m guessing a very few. In fact, for those of you new here, the entire premise of my blog Beirutista, established in 2012, is to project the unique and enticing nuances of Lebanon to the world. So while I’m proud to be one of Lebanon’s most genuine and heartfelt proponents, I can’t say I’m not weary with the Ministry of Tourism’s ubiquitous campaign to lure expats back to the homeland this summer. We’ve seen it on every major Instagram page mildly affiliated with Lebanon, haven’t we? “No matter what happens, see you in Lebanon.” Or how about the sponsored caro...
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Guidelines for Protecting Our Children

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If there’s anything that annoys me most, it’s the absence of stepping up and advocating for children. Ever since I became a mother, my awareness of the fragility and defenselessness of kids in general has heightened exponentially. I cannot stand by and see adults being careless or reckless around children. I will not stand by silently if I see children’s needs and rights being violated. And hence this written piece, which I hope will circulate in good faith to enlighten all those who read it.   Car Safety Children ages 12 and under belong in the backseat. This means no child seated up front in the passenger seat. And certainly no child nestled in the lap of the driver or the front passenger. I can’t believe I have to say this, but if you value your child’s life, seat him/her in the back. If your vehicle was to be involved in a collision, and your underage child was seated upfront, his/her body would not be able to withstand the impact of the deployed airbags. It could cause p...
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Al Beiruti Beckons Diners in the Heart of Downtown Beirut

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Last week we enjoyed a mesmerizing meal at Al Beiruti in downtown Beirut. The attention to detail is enchanting, from the custom black shaffé coffee cup to the elaborate lighting fixtures juxtaposed by the vintage straw and wooden chairs evoking Lebanese heritage. Here's the interior Always make it a point to visit the restroom at a restaurant! Speaks volumes about how the kitchen might look and the restaurant's priority to hygiene. End your meal with traditional Lebanese coffee The cuisine is classically Lebanese with a few modern twists evidenced in the Al Beiruti specialties. Take for example the Aubergine, a delicately peeled roasted eggplant lying on a bed of labneh blended with tahini. Or the Shawarma which may have found inspiration in Armenian manti owing to a presence of zesty tomato sauce, cool laban yogurt, and pita squares to soak up all the goodness.  The quintessential labneh, zaatar and olives trifecta This is quite a unique take on shawarma! But don't overlo...
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