YOUR WINTER HI T L I ST
If your calendar is looking cold this winter, we’ve got a whole bunch of suggestions to fill it with warmth. From tango lessons and a night at a cabaret to the best ski slopes in the countr y, LT have put together a list of the ultimate things to do and p
Time travel
This winter, Hamra theater, Metro Al Madina will transpor t you back to the golden age of Egypt – to the weddings and cabarets of the early 1900s. Their Hishik Bishik cabaret show is still going strong af ter almost three years. With 10 ar tists, musicians, singers, actors and dancers in ever y performance, Metro Al Madina has single-handedly brought back the Arab cabaret. Their cozy venue, features all of the quirks of the oldschool cabarets – from red velvet cur tains to gold padded wall furnishings. Take a cocktail in the futur istic “Metro Station” bar, straight out of a Stanley Kubrick film, and then head to the hall and settle in for the show. Reser vation is a must. Metro Al Madina, 01 753021, metromadina.com,
Metroalmadina, Hamra Main Street; tickets LL45,000, available at Metro 76 309363 and Antoine Online, antoineticketing.com
The big screen
Achrafieh’s art-house cinema, Metropolis continues to deliver an exceptional program of everything from local and international independent films, to retrospectives of master directors. In December, don’t miss their Garage Sale (19-20 Dec), when the cinema opens its doors to sell film posters, DVDS and cinema books. Held simultaneously on the first night is the launch of Arab film poster collector Abboudi Abou Jaoudeh’s book “Tonight” – a guide to films made in Lebanon from 1929-1979. January and February sees the return of the European Film Festival (26 Jan-7 Feb,) organized by the European Delegation and returning for its 22nd edition in Lebanon. The rest of the month is dedicated to screenings from the most acclaimed films of the Cannes Film Festival 2015, in the Cannes Coup de Coeur festival. Metropolis, 01 204080, metropoliscinema.net, Metropolis Cinema. Metropolis Empire Sofil, Sofil Center, Achrafieh
Musical institution
The shows of Downtown live music venue, Music Hall, have become the very definition of how to party the Lebanese way. Reflecting the character of its owner Michel Elef teriades – eccentric entrepreneur and the self-titled “His Imperial Highness of Nowheristan,” a new nation he created – Music Hall is a platform for the unconventional. Each night a cabaret of short live music sets will get your heart racing, with Lebanese and international acts playing everything from Oriental and gypsy, to reggae, fusion and jazz. Acts aren’t announced, but they are all masterfully produced by Elef teriades himself, you might catch local singing legend Tony Hanna, backed by a Balkan brass band or a flamenco act brought in from Spain. Music Hall has special events over the festive season, including their luxurious New Year’s Eve party and Minuses and Pluses – the pre and post New Year’s Party from 25 December to 3 January. Music Hall. themusichall.com, Starco Center, Downtown. Thur-sun, 10pm-4am