Nour takes you into her wing about the facts and fiction of the world's best notorious party animals, taking a quote from an Aussie: "Lebanese isn’t a nationality, it’s a profession."
Welcome to Beirut, a city where the people never sleep and the action never stops. Lebanon is a glamorous jet-set destination, often compared to the likes of New York City and Ibiza. Lebanon came back from a wreck to retrieve its rank as a playground for the rich and famous, with its beaches, ski slopes and decked out nightclubs where you’ll find beautifully enhanced Lebanese dancing that keeps stylish travelers up until the sun rises over the city.
As a country, we experience all four seasons: it is literally possible for you to hit the beautiful ski slopes of Faraya (3000 m high) in the morning, and then take an hour’s drive for a refreshing dip in the stunning crystal clear Mediterranean Sea on some of the hottest beaches in the world! Lebanon is the only Middle Eastern country that has no desert and is one of the rare countries in the Mediterranean to even offer some of the best and most breathtaking snow and skiing.
Historically, Beirut was destroyed and rebuilt 7 times. During the civil war, Downtown Beirut was called the Green Zone since weeds had overtaken buildings that had been abandoned. Today, walking down the streets is like walking the runway during NY Fashion Week. How else would Lebanon fill their nearly 20 magazines featuring the ‘It’ people of Lebanon? Lebanese want full coverage. They adorn magazine covers, attend events, and of course appear on TV.
Our small country, though big in heart, is the size of Connecticut with a population of 3.5 million people living within, and another 12 million Lebanese living abroad. Our lifestyle has been felt and reproduced in cities from L.A. to Tokyo. Famous entertainers of Lebanese descent include the likes of Shakira, Salma Hayek, Shannon Elizabeth, Omar Sharif, Tony Shalhoub, Frank Zappa, the Maloof Family, Mario Kassar, and Elie Samaha, just to name a few.
When it comes to luxury, technology, fashion, homes, cars (toys for big boys), and vacationing, we want the best and latest. Fashion is a top priority for each generation. Take a look at our runways. They flourish with home-born and bred designers that have found global success. Check out Hollywood’s red carpet. Halle Berry won an Oscar for Best Actress in her famous evening gown designed by Elie Saab. Whitney Houston, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Debra Messing, and Alicia Keys are dedicated fans, just to name a few.
We’ve immersed ourselves within these riches for years, spending tens of thousands dollars on designer dresses. And what do we owe this pleasure to? Weddings (our version of Hollywood’s red carpet). Lebanese weddings are known for their high price-tags and up-scale ‘Wedding of the Year’ concepts. One particular wedding I attended took 10 days to design and build to the theme of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ and was estimated at $3 million, which would have brought the likes of Donald Trump to his knees. But what we like to do is party and that’s what we take props for.
Our seasonal summer style sees us wearing the latest, doing the latest, and partying until the latest. We have exotic beaches lining up and down the coast, endless upscale restaurants and million-dollar night clubs. Say goodnight Miami and St. Tropez! Make way for Beirut.
Lebanese have an overwhelming thirst for life that is rarely witnessed elsewhere. We’re still waiting for our version of E!’s Wild On dancing on a beach bar or sitting at the Lebanese-coined VVIP table in the most happening club; the champagne bubbles surely don’t stop popping. Take Crystal, a truly decadent Lebanese ‘see and be seen’ nightclub where the stylish fashion TV socialites. On a regular night, one can witness a 9-liter Baltizar of Moet & Chandon Champagne valued at $3,000 traveling to its buyer under a spotlight surrounded by people dancing on tabletops. Acquiring one will get your name engraved on the Wall of Fame. [We’ve literally seen it all.] When winter rolls around it’s time for the "Can’t wait to wear my new winter wardrobe" bought exclusively from Paris and Milan. Hanging out at exclusive ski resorts, après ski (style), sipping on hot chocolate, observing other skiers, and conserving energy for the night. When the sun goes down, the outside temperature drops, and it’s time to head indoors for warmth. Fondue is quite famous in these snow capped mountains, but the same table they eat from is the same table that they’ll be dancing on after a couple of drinks. Throughout our seasonal agenda we still manage to hit the party scenes of the Alps in winter, Miami in the spring, Ibiza and St Tropez in the summer, and London- Paris in autumn.
Whether in rain or shine, Lebanese do have a passion for life. When it comes to our style, our food, and our desire to be everywhere, we know how to have a great time. And you’re invited to join us for the ride. Cheers!