ray geoff ethan on the corniche

sunday corniche

On Saturday night, Ray and Geoff, our first guests, made it here without a hitch. I went with the taxi driver to pick them up and we were home about 40 minutes after they landed. We headed out to Gemmayze Cafe for some music and food, then on to Brooke’s where there was a cheesy 80s DJ. Otherwise it was as sedate as usual and we chatted with our bartender friend. Ray and Geoff’s jet lag tricked them into staying up until 4 AM, and we sat talking on the terrace.

Yesterday, there was some late sleeping before we went to brunch at Casablanca. For Ethan and I, this was pretty exciting. We were big lovers of brunch when we lived in NY, and this was our first omelettes and eggs benedict brunch in almost 3 months. Casablanca is in an old ottoman house near the sea and is very relaxing and pretty. Afterward, we walked downtown and talked about the controversy surrounding the reconstruction of Downtown. Critics say the restored version is too Disneyland, that pre-war owners were stripped of their property, that the stylish cafes are more than most Lebanese can afford, yet some tax money is used to support the project. On the other hand, all of the gutted and bombed buldings have been restored to their original elegance, many jobs have been provided, and the project certainly has helped bring in tourists.

We wandered among the cafes, then stopped by the grave of Rafik Hariri, then sat in Place de l’Etoile and had gelato. Carrie joined us, and we walked to Sky Bar to have a rooftop drink. Sky Bar is on the rooftop of a hotel on the sea. It is really lovely, but naturally, very pricey. At night, it is absolutely packed, which is why Ethan and I prefer to go around sunset when it is not as crowded.

On the way home, we walked the corniche, crowded with families who come to enjoy the sea air on Sundays. Children run around playing, adults sit and smoke argileh, sellers of coffee, bread, and corn push their carts around. I ran into a teenaged girl who participates in Najdeh’s vocational program.

We headed home and ended the evening with a BBQ on the terrace. It is so wonderful to have good friends here.