Beirutista

I had the great pleasure and honor of interacting with Lebanese-British music artist Maya Marie, who recently launched her debut album Antelias in an ode to war-fraught Lebanon. Maya was born and raised in Beirut during the height of the Civil War, and she and her family straddled living between Cyprus and Lebanon before seeking asylum in the UK in 1989. However, the memories and scars of war are indelible, and she invokes them masterfully in Antelias and single “Shelter.” Read on for my exchange with the decorated musical talent, whose work via band New Pharaohs can be accessed freely on Spotify . Maya Marie of the band New Pharaohs (1) You mentioned being half-Lebanese, and that your father continues to reside in Antelias. With what other ethnic background do you identify? What year did you leave Lebanon? Where do you presently live?  My mother is Irish-British, and she came to Lebanon when she was 21 to study Arabic and nursing. She met my father on the ...

Perhaps now more than ever, the notion of a staycation has become relevant and essential. With Lebanon mired in deep economic and financial strife, exacerbated only by the real threat of the coronavirus pandemic plaguing the world, travel and tourism must be completely reimagined. Since my move to Lebanon in 2011, I spent every single summer within its borders. Sure, our perch on the Mediterranean is a stone’s throw from Cyprus and no more than four hours by plane to the European mainland. But who in their right mind would ditch the abundant sunshine, soothing blue sea, majestic mountains, and beautifully balanced cuisine that Lebanon boasts? I certainly never felt that inclination. But it’s not quite a vacation unless you leave your house to seek shelter elsewhere and transform scenery. And that’s what we would do on occasion, checking in to hotels big and small, in the capital or far from it, by the sea or tucked away in the mountains. Each lodging with its own charm, charac...