Sawadeka!!

Remember the Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange Project I wrote about a couple of weeks ago?  Well, just to jog your memory, the nightlife project, spearheaded by Smirnoff, aims to help people discover and celebrate nightlife from around the world.. (thank youuu Smirnoff!)

14 global cities are participating in this project including Beirut, Miami, Bangkok, Sydney, Buenos Aires, Caracas, Capetown, Warsaw, Berlin, London, Toronto, Sao Paulo, Dublin, and Bangalore…Each city will be paired with another, and on November 27, a nightlife exchange will take place..when each of the participating cities will exchange (via virtual crates) the best of their local nightlife with their partner city!  Sounds like a partaaaaay, doesn’t it?

Last week, Smirnoff revealed the pairings of each city..and guess who Beirut got paired up with?!?!  (No.. not Miami like I had predicted, which is probably for the best, as believe it or not, Miami and Beirut nightlife are very similar..)

:::::::::::::Drummmmmroollllll::::::::::::::::..Beirut got paired up with BANGKOK!!  That’s righttttt!  This is going to be amazing..!

DJ MadJam at BO-18 during the exchange revealing event last week..

I went to Bangkok and Phuket in March of 2008 with 30 of my friends from University..and needless to say, we had THE TIME OF OUR LIVEEEESSSSS!  I remember coming back to Miami exhausted after 10 days of non-stop action in Thailand…My friends and I still reminisce about all of the crazy things we did that spring break..it definitely was one to remember.  Imagine arriving to a nightclub in a “tuk tuk” or auto rickshaw.  Insane!  I think I have a picture of it somewhere..yep, here we are!

Me and my friends in our PIMP tuk tuk ride in Bangkok, Thailand

..and here are some other friends on their first Tuk Tuk ride..

My friends on their Tuk Tuk ride in Bangkok, Thailand

I wonder if they will ship some TUK TUK’s over from Thailand..that would be cool..wonder how the Beirutis will respond to that one..

Thailand is a country equally as packed with opportunities for cultural/spiritual excursions as for nightlife and entertainment..  And the Thais?  Easily some of the friendliest people I have ever met..They’re famous the world over for their smile..

Anyway..back to the Nightlife Exchange Party..

From Beirut to Bangkok and back!

According to a press release about the event,

“Fans can expect to sample a taste of Thailand’s world famous “Full Moon Party” that is certain to be full of surprises that will keep the party going until the early morning. The evening will include some jaw dropping performances by fire artists, who will dazzle the crowd with their skillful fire play, to create the most extraordinary evening.

Straight from Thailand, the talented DJ “Boy Backyard” will spin progressive, break-beat, and electronic tunes, right out of headlining the Pattaya Music Festival, the biggest such festival in Thailand.

As part of the entire exchange, Kenji, the worldwide Global Smirnoff Ambassador has developed a local version of the Smirnoff Moscow Mule adapted to each country. People in Thailand will get to taste the “Ater” (sugar syrup) infused Mule, inspired by Beirut’s local flavour, while partiers in Beirut will get a taste of lemongrass in their drink.”

Lemongrass Smirnoff Cocktails, a Thai DJ, Thai performers, and  Thai food?  I’m sooo there.

Where will the party be held?  For now, that’s a secret..but as soon as I know, you will know.

So until then, I’ll leave you with a few more photos from my trip to Thailand..Enjoyyy and see you on November 27th!  (You will likely find me parked next to the Pad Thai station at the beginning of the night, a girl’s gotta eat!)  Oh, and btw, Sawadeka is Thai for Hello!

At at temple in Bangkok..I see Buddhas in our future..

Us on our cruise in Phuket, Thailand..we were heading to the islands where the movie 'The Beach" was filmed...

Statues at a temple in Bangkok, Thailand

How beautiful is this? More temples in Thailand..

a river cruise in Thailand..

That would be my friend Cori taking in the splendor of one of Thailand's many temples..

The Basement’s Last Dance.

Was flipping through Trashed Magazine when I stumbled on the following page..

Excerpt from the text:

“We have done much, and now there is much to do about nothing.  Our time has come.  It is always darkest just before the dawn. Do not ask why.  Buildings crumble to the ground, and basements become parking levels for high rise towers.  Sometimes good things just fall apart, for better things to fall together.  But we knew it all along; change is the only constant.  Our sound has evolved, fueled by our creativity.  And now our sound can only sound louder.  Fear not, and shed no tears, The Basement will rise again.  Dance the last dance until we rest in peace on the eve of January 9th of the year 2011.”

The Basement's Last Dance

Pretty powerful stuff huh?

Basement, you will be missed.  You were one of the best places in town..and your venue couldn’t be better suited to your name!

I wonder what the future has in store for you..

Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange Project – introducing Beirut nightlife to the world!

So, I went to the Smirnoff Nighlife Exchange Project Kick Off Party last night at BO-18..what a night!  The cat suits, the cocktails, the music, the masks…everything was on point!

Smirnoff Branding at BO-18..for the Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange Project

It ain't easy wearing a catsuit!

The Smirnoff ladies at BO-18

The Project, another ambitious global marketing initative by Diageo, aims to help people discover and celebrate nightlife from around the world..  14 global cities, including two of my favorites Beirut, Lebanon and Miami, United States (Miami was the lucky city chosen to represent all of  the US!  That’s riiiight!  Represent!)  will be participating in this project.  Each city will be paired up with another city (hence the “exchange”)..so there is a good chance that Beirut could be paired up with Miami..if that’s the case,,I see mojitos in your future (and maybe some Cuban pastelitos), and lots of them..oh and female cocktail waitresses and bartenders (that is a MUST in the MIA)..  we will know for sure who Beirut’s partner city is on October 22,2010, when the official list of participating cities and their partner cities will be revealed.

Smirnoff's Mixologist from the UK was in attendance..

Crowd Shot! BO-18. Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange Project

Beirut's Nightlife Curator - Dj Madjam

So, until then what we have to do is go online and fill a virtual crate with ideas of what we think makes Beirut nightlife so amazing.. (you know..magnum bottles of vodka, fireworks, beautiful women)..Beirut’s nightlife curator for the Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange Project, DJ Madjam will pick the best ideas to be sent to Beirut’s partner city..and on November 27th, the nightlife exchange will take place.  Beirut will host a party inspired by their partner city (hopefully Miami), and the partner city (hopefully Miami) will host a party inspired by BEIRUT!

So, LIKE Smirnoff MENA’s Facebook page, then click on the “Night Exchange” tab and get started submitting your ideas!

Smirnoff MENA Facebook page

You can suggest anything from Fashion (six inch heels/micro mini skirts), Drinks (vodka red bull), Music (electronic), Entertainment (fireworks/int’l DJ’s), Food (hmm Mashawi?/the occasional ginormous birthday cake lol), Themes and Decor (Outdoor, Minimalistic), Dance moves (hmm any ideas?), as well as ideas from a Local and a Wild Card..you can also enter for a chance to win a trip (with 3 of your friends) to attend the exchange party in the partner city!  yeahh boiii..

Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange Project Beirut

So now, I turn my question to you, what makes Beirut nightlife, Beirut nightlife?  And which city would you most like to see Beirut partnered with?

*To all of my social media and branding addicts..this is an excellent case study!!

This is me..drinking responsibly from my water bottle from last night..

3,2,1..FIGHT!

Miami vs Beirut

LIV vs Sky Bar

Grinding vs Posing

Light show vs Fireworks

LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE!!

What are the similarities? Differences?

Who’s your winner?

Bad boy, Tiesto.

Ok, so maybe I spoke too soon about nominating Tiesto for Prime Minister..my bad!

A sign in Arabic reading how Tiesto was the only one to not cancel his trip to Israel before coming to Beirut..gotta say though, didn't seem to effect turn out one bit! (see below post).

I think I’m growing up.

So, I came to Lebanon with no less than 15 pairs of shoes (most of which are pictured below)..

Ridiculous I know..but I suppose I was under the impression that I would be able to walk around all day in high heels ..you know, just like the Lebanese women do..

Embarrassing.

Anyway, I was looking at my closet full of shoes and laughing at how I can count, on one hand, the amount of times I’ve worn high heels..and I’ve been here for four months now!

You see, I quickly learned that it’s almost impossible to walk around in Hamra and Gemmazyeh in my two favorites below..even if only at night!

so, I traded in the high heels for more practical options..such as the ones below…

and eventually came to the conclusion that comfort trumps style, and adopted the “what the hell, no one knows me anyway” mentality..and have decided to crown a new favorite..

Yeahhh boi!

I think I’m growing up.

Eau du ASHTRAY.

Ok, so maybe I’m part of the less than 1% of the population who doesn’t smoke here in Lebanon.  But jeeeeze, I wish that just for once I could go out with out smelling like an ashtray at the end of the night – is that so much to ask?

Apparently it is.

I was reading a couple of local blogs, and there was an anti-smoking initiative organized by the Rotaract club of Beirut called “Ain’t No Smoking Tonight” on October 28th of last year.  That’s right, only for ONE night.  Out of the 35 pubs in Gemmazyeh (a very popular area for bar hopping) that agreed to partake in the initiative, only a few actually stuck to it! Many of them just used the opportunity for free publicity, and allowed people to smoke anyway..

This picture sums up what the Lebanese thought of “Ain’t No Smoking Tonight”

What a mockery!

This is what local blogger and illustrator, Maya Zankoul, had to say about the night.  She designed the poster above..the images below were taken from her blog.

taken from http://www.mayazankoul.com

taken from http://www.mayazankoul.com

My new scent – Eau du Ashtray.

How attractive.

This. Is. Lebanon.

For two months now, I have been living in a country whose name is synonymous with war, yet I myself, have never been more at peace.  A country where people speak three different languages (Arabic, French, and English) in one sentence, where family values still exist, and where eating is not something you do – it’s a way of life.  A country where there are six women for every one man, where little girls ride their bicycles past armed men without a flinch, and where making $1,200 a month is considered a decent living.  A country where you can drive from the beach to the mountains in the space of an hour, where mosques stand right next to churches, and where honking your horn is a national past time.

A country where people who come, never want to leave.

This. Is. Lebanon.

 

Roman ruins in downtown...

Typical Lebanese lunch at Bayrock Cafe Rouche

The Blue Mosque in downtown

Inside Palais nightclub Beirut

Scenes from Beirut - more Roman Ruins