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Just back from Saifi Market, which is a lot like a US farmer’s market, with little stands where people sell their organic produce. We bought a rosemary bush and also some organic black beans (!) for the bargain price of $2.50 for 500 grams. Saifi Village is a strange place. Sort of a planned but very fancy “artist” community.. not sure what sort of artists could afford to live there. It kind of looks like a fancy urban development in Florida. It’s a Solidere project, which is Rafik Hariri’s company, tasked with rebuilding the downtown. The Solidere projects are very ambitious, and on the one hand it is really great to see that Beirut is rising from the ashes, but on the other hand, most Lebanese cannot afford to partake in what it has to offer-upscale dining, shops, and residences. Last night we had drinks with some new friends, one of whom just opened an art gallery in Saifi Village. She said that business was good initially (back in December), but after Hariri’s assassination and the uncertainty that followed, business has really slowed down- people are not making big purchases right now.

We have learned that we are going to have visitors in August. Ray, Geoff, Bridget, and Russell have all bought plane tickets to come from NY. I’m getting excited about showing Beirut and Lebanon to those guys. And Syria, if they want. I’m hoping to get to Damascus soon. We actually really need to go on some day trips and maybe an overnight trip. Soon.

It is dawning on me that we now sort of have to start planning the wedding. We finally know where it is going to be (the Salt Lick, in Driftwood, TX) and I am now looking to charter a school bus or similar vehicle to take people from downtown Austin to the wedding site and back again.

We are about to head to a restaurant in the neighborhood that I have been meaning to check out. I was doubly intrigued when I read an article in the Daily Star about how it is a “Leftist establishment”.