BEIRUT: For years the pinnacle for pastries has been set by French patisseries – a standard followed closely by Lebanon’s well-regarded pastry producers. While traditional French desserts are still widely popular, new innovators have hit Beirut’s patisserie scene, beginning to offer products inspired by countries other than France and melding them with tastes native to Lebanon.

Most of Beirut’s top patisseries are of the French persuasion – from the smaller operations of Pate a Choux in Sodeco, Cannelle in Tabaris and Hamra’s new kid on the block Gustav, to the larger-scale producers La Cigale and Aziz.

But for Khaled Kara, one of the owners of Gustav, the time has come to break with tradition.

“The market had been stagnant for a long, long time, offering the same products for god knows how long. You can go into some pastry shops and they have been presenting the same cakes for the past 30 years. It is good to hold on to certain products that are more traditional, however, the world hasn’t stopped there,” Kara says, adding that Gustav was founded as an answer, to be adventurous and experiment with new flavors.

Some of the innovations Kara and his team have come up with include new flavor combinations – like morello cherry and pistachio – or drawing on French or oriental techniques and combining them into a single pastry.

“Being a French patisserie in Lebanon, we try to bring some elements that are local into the French pastry with a twist,” says Kara. As such, a very successful item for Gustav was their pomegranate tart: “It’s made from the local fruit, particular to the region ... but we brought it into a French tart and the discovery was amazing.”

Gustav has also benefitted from young patrons who are willing to try something new, like Gustav’s cake balls, which have a very dense and moist texture and are available in fun colors and interesting flavors such as red velvet with white chocolate, raspberry, mango and passion fruit, Belgian chocolate, chocolate with peanut butter, chocolate with caramel, carrot cake and blue velvet with blueberries.

“We find the more mature clients tend to be more classical in their approach of what a cake is, what it should taste like and look like. When we come to younger generations, they’re more adventurous trying and experimenting with new flavors, new textures,” says Kara.

Gustav also offers a recent favorite among the Lebanese, red velvet cake, and now makes a line of sweets catered to those adhering to special diets such as gluten-free, sugar-free and vegan cakes, which are hard to find.

At Aziz and La Cigale, the pastry offerings are wide-ranging with traditional French cakes and newer, American style or custom order options.

“People ask from time to time for something new but they always come back for the traditional French pastries,” says Rony Abi Aad, manager of Aziz.

While at La Cigale, manager Adel Harb remarks the Lebanese “especially want French pastries for their special events or to mark a special occasion.”

Cannelle, which has been operating for over 20 years, also caters to the French pastry traditionalists, but with an eye on particular Lebanese tastes.

“The Lebanese public does not like very creamy or heavy desserts,” says Colette Haddad, owner of Cannelle. As a result, Haddad has created desserts with light textures and flavors, but in the tradition of French cakes.

“We’ve come up with our own variations of lighter desserts. We make a special, traditional cake with strawberries. Now many patisseries have similar versions. It’s made of two layers of almost meringue-like flaky pastry – not too chewy or too crunchy – filled inside with light cream with little apricots and full of strawberries. It’s almost as though you’re eating fruit more than cake and it’s not overly creamy,” Haddad continues, adding another of Cannelle’s most popular cakes is a red fruit crumble.

In addition to tarts and cakes, Cannelle’s croissants are a also favorite among their customers – including a denser but still flaky almond version – and other classics like the eclair and flaky layered mille-feuille.

While not known for deviating from French classics, Haddad enjoys experimenting with their multicolored macaroons. “We change them and try new flavors all the time,” she says, listing the varieties: strawberry, passion fruit with milk chocolate, pistachio, almond cream, caramel, coffee, dark chocolate, lemon, vanilla and rose water.

French-trained pastry maker Anne-Marie Bassoul, who does private orders, supplies local eateries and has a popular booth at Souk el-Tayeb, agrees with Haddad’s assessment that light pastries are a popular among Lebanese who favor her lemon-meringue pie.

“I make the lemon meringue pie in a way so it is not very heavy. I try to make it less buttery and less sugary. People like that,” says Bassoul.

She also notes that light pastries are suited to the summer: “We live in a hot country so as soon as spring arrives people turn to the red fruits and lighter things, like ice cream and sherbert.”

Ice cream cakes and treats become hot sellers in hot weather, Haddad and Kara have also found, as well as the seasonal fruits.

“We try to use seasonal fruit as much as possible. We’re anxiously awaiting figs for our fig and walnut tart and we’re waiting on plums,” says Kara.

Regardless of pastry genre, all producers agree the key for a tasty outcome is using quality ingredients. Many must go to great lengths to acquire vanilla from Tahiti, cream and butter from France, and Swiss chocolate. Both Cannelle and Gustav even import eggs from France.

“We import frozen egg yolks and egg white because, unfortunately, we cannot make sure there is no bacteria in the eggs produced here in Lebanon,” Haddad explains.

As trite as the saying may be, the proof is in the pudding – good ingredients and creative kitchens will turn out great pastries, Kara says.

“No matter how well you decorate it, it can look wonderful on the outside but the minute you bite into it, it immediately reveals what is inside. The Lebanese people are not easily fooled. They know their food. Their culture is based around food. Don’t mess with their palates.”

NIHA, Lebanon: From the trail of Niha there is a view of the Mediterranean Sea and clusters of cedar trees, as well as people who can explain the area’s history, sell locally made produce and host you at a guesthouse for the night.

“It’s a combination of cultural and natural heritage,” explains Nizar Hani of the Chouf’s ability to attract Lebanese and foreign visitors. Hani is former director of the Chouf Biosphere Reserve, which in 2006 launched a comprehensive ecotourism campaign involving the local community. Today, visitors to the Chouf can explore natural and historical sites and savor a slice of rural life.

Neither north nor south and nowhere near the coast, the Chouf is a landlocked treasure of imposing mountains, deep ravines, dense forests, ancient ruins and rural traditions.

Although tourism in the Chouf is largely geared toward groups, the independent traveler will find an abundance of visually arresting sights upon which to linger and reflect. Examples include: the vast cedar forest of individually unique trees; the Beiteddine Palace, with its expansive courtyards, carefully restored woodwork of Ottoman-era rooms, and museum of mosaics; and the Niha fortress of nature, towering over a lush and verdant valley.

“Every time I come here, I discover something new,” says Samer Zebian, administrative officer at Chouf Cedar Reserve and a resident of Niha, as he contemplates a waterway once used by the inhabitants of the natural fortress of steep and rocky elevations.

Zebian then shifts his focus to the rectangular doors of the caves that once served as rooms and a large bathtub, marveling at the fact that this was all made by simple hand tools during the Crusades nearly a thousand years ago.

At the southernmost point of the Chouf, Niha’s trail overlooks olive groves and the pine forest of Jezzine lying further afield. Here, the foreboding dimension of the vast natural fortress fully manifests itself, with some sections only accessible by people walking in single file with just a small rope separating the visitor from the deep valley below.

The surrounding steep mountains provide an oasis of calm, interrupted only by the twittering of birds. The curved fortress, most of which faces westward, provides an ideal place from which to watch the sun set.

Just a 15-minute drive north is the Beiteddine Palace, home to the summer festival of the same name. The building sits in a valley, which looks stunning from just above the roundabout at the Beiteddine town center.

A visitor could easily spend half a day wandering through the palace grounds. The building itself is white and nondescript, but within its walls a wealth of treasures can be found.

The rooms, with high ceilings and stone arches, have been meticulously restored to showcase the mosaic woodwork, tiles and stained glass. The second-floor terraces overlook the courtyards, with their fountains and finely manicured gardens.

And at the far end of the palace – easy to miss, although the guards will not let visitors leave without seeing it – is the mosaic museum. There, under a dim light, intricate Greek and Roman mosaics depict animals, religious figures and geometric patterns.

A 15-minute drive to the east is the Chouf Cedar Reserve, home to the largest collection of cedars in the country, as well as the world’s largest cedar tree – called Lamartine, after the French poet who was an admirer of and frequent visitor to the Chouf.

From afar, the cedars appear to be a cluster of greenery, indistinct from one another. But up close, it becomes clear that each tree is unique. One that has grown into the shape of a large chair has been dubbed “the prince’s throne” by locals. Two others, which have been felled by storms yet continue to live and grow in a horizontal position, look like four-legged animals.

At the entrance to the reserve, like other tourist sites in the area, a stand sells locally produced jams, marinades and honey – a way to give visitors a taste of local food, as well as support the local economy through ecotourism.

Shawki Zeidan is one person who has benefited from the region’s rise as a destination for ecotourism. Zeidan returned to his native Chouf a year ago, after a career working as a post office manager in Beirut. He is now a guide for visitors. “I’m happy to work in the Chouf. It’s my home,” he says.

Back in Niha, at her guesthouse, Samia Merchad warmly greets the overnight guest. She proudly points out that the heating in the house is solar-powered and that the food she serves all comes from the garden – a testament to the natural way of living for many in the Chouf.

Before going to bed, she talks about the Lebanese and foreigners she has hosted since opening in 2008. Some of the foreign guests attend weddings and sample other aspects of the local culture, while Lebanese from outside the area explore a part of their country that they might not know. All seem to be drawn to the area for its inhabitants’ unusual tenacity in preserving their environment and traditions.

“People go to the shops here, and they buy products that are homemade,” she says. “They like it here because they feel at home.”

BEIRUT: "One of our greatest assets," said Zouk Mikael International Festival president Zalfa Bouez, "is our sociocultural diversity."

Though it isn't usually included among Lebanon's unofficial "big three" of summer music festivals, Zouk Mikael's yearly event has received its share of appreciation for bringing such acclaimed acts as tenor Placido Domingo, rock vocalist Serj Tankian and blues ensemble Roomful of Blues – all of whom appeared at last year's event.

Tickets come at fair prices too, supporting the festival's mission of allowing easy access to music and culture.

Bouez headed a news conference this week to present Zouk Mikael's official program for this year's event. From July 10-18, Lebanese audiences will have the opportunity to enjoy performances by a range of local and international artists in the town's Roman amphitheater.

The evening of July 10 will be Blues Night with the seven-member California All Star Blues Revue. It promises to be a stage full of music as the CASBR will be accompanied by The Mannish Boys, a universally known ensemble featuring such Blues veterans as Kirk Fletcher, Kid Ramos and Sugarray.

Festival organizers say that this edition of the California All Star Blues Revue was "especially put together" for this summer festival.

Non-Blues lovers may be pleased to know that renowned Lebanese vocalist Carole Samaha – who has performed in venues as far afield as Las Vegas and Chicago – will take to the amphitheater stage on July 14.

Known in certain circles as "The Chameleon" the multitalented Samaha promises to perform the tunes that have won her national and international acclaim. Some might expect that she'll take the audience on a sentimental journey with her sensual and powerful voice.

Last year the Zouk Mikael International Festival thrilled audiences with a joyous duo performance featuring Italian tenor Placido Domingo and soprano Virginia Tola.

This year the festival will be brought to a climactic conclusion with another duo performance – this one featuring Barcelona-born tenor Jose Carreras and Bangladesh-Russian-American soprano Monica Yunus.

Considered among the top three of tenors of last century – along with Domingo and the late Luciano Pavarotti – Carreras promises to hypnotize the audience with his serenades. For her part, Yunis' solo performance brought the Al-Bustan Festival audience to its feet a couple of years back.

With a capacity of a mere 2500 seats, the Zouk amphitheater will for this week in July be transformed into a musical nest, for aficionados of blues, opera and Arabic pop.

Zouk Mikael International Festival runs July 10 to 18. For more information, please visit: www.zoukmikaelfestival.org.

BEIRUT: Nijmeh Square in downtown Beirut broke into dance Friday afternoon with BIG Dance 2012, sponsored by the British Council.

The downtown pedestrian plaza saw over 2,300 students from all over Lebanon perform a dance that celebrated physical fitness and the spirit of internationalism.

This year’s dance was created by Wayne McGregor of Random Dance in the U.K. and spotlighted the upcoming London 2012 Olympics by simulating the movements of Olympic sports.

In addition to Lebanon, 152 other countries participated in BIG Dance 2012.

British Ambassador to Lebanon Tom Fletcher was in attendance and described the show as, “Amazing. They blew us away with their noise and energy.”

Fletcher added that despite the “difficult situation” Lebanon currently faces in Tripoli and other areas, he was “filled with hope” by today’s performance and “optimistic for the future.”

“[The students] are first and foremost Lebanese,” Fletcher said. “Today represents coexistence and hope.”

Fletcher added that the positive atmosphere reminds him that, “Lebanon is an idea worth fighting for; not fighting over.”

BIG Dance 2012 was also attended by school principals, teachers, the President of the Center for Educational & Research Development Dr. Leila Fayad and the President of Al Makassed Institutions Amin Daouk.

BEIRUT: The Tourism Ministry has opened the summer beach season by banning resorts from discriminating on the basis of race, nationality or disability, but reports of bias in entry policies persist and some owners appear unwilling to conform to the new regulations. The issue of racism at Lebanon’s popular beach clubs is not new.

In 2010, the activist group Anti-Racism Movement caused a stir with a video that showed a black woman being denied entry to Beirut’s Sporting Club. This week, the group posted another clip about racism at beach clubs, highlighting what has become a focal point in the discrimination debate: policies that forbid migrant domestic workers from entry, or restrict their access to swimming facilities.

The Daily Star has obtained a copy of a circular issued in late April by Nada Sardouk, director-general of the Tourism Ministry, addressed to the owners of beach clubs and pools.

It urges “quality in receiving customers, with no discrimination in terms of race, nationality or ... special needs.” Among the circular’s other stipulations are lifeguards and free drinking water.

A ministry spokesperson told The Daily Star that it will conduct periodic spot checks of resorts, and those who fail to conform to the circular will be issued warnings and fines.

The spokesperson added that the ministry would move to close repeat violators. The circular “directs the attention to those concerned that the ministry will be firm in implementing them [the requirements] and will unfortunately be forced to take the appropriate legal measures against those who violate it.”

At Beirut’s Sporting Club, which has long been accused of racist policies, public relations manager Walid Abu Nasser told The Daily Star he was aware of the circular, but considered it “totally wrong. I asked them [the ministry] to please specify, in a complete list, all people I should let into private clubs. They should first of all decide what the rules are for private clubs, and what the rules are for public beaches.”

According to Abu Nasser, Sporting Club’s policy “has always been that any kind of worker, bodyguard, security, escort, maid – any help except for those medically required – are not allowed on the premises.” He added that he considered this to be “social,” rather than racial selection.

Abu Nasser said Sporting Club does screen non-members at the door.

“We screen the clients as to whether they have come introduced by someone at the club,” he said. “They also have to fit a certain profile that we require to maintain a homogeneous atmosphere regardless of whether [potential entrants] are Lebanese, workers or foreigners – it doesn’t matter.”

He continued that the club’s policy was not related to “racial issues,” and that the club reserves the right to turn away anyone at its door, including families with many children, or unaccompanied men.

“It has nothing to do with anything except for what we deem is reasonable for the club’s members to feel comfortable in the environment that they are used to. The same thing happens at any nightclub,” Abu Nasser said, adding that the club has foreign members including employees of the United Nations and embassies.

But in the opinion of Human Rights Watch’s Beirut director Nadim Houry, the nightclub comparison hits at the center of prejudice in the policies of Sporting Club and other beaches and pools.

“Nightclubs discriminate and that is intolerable,” he said. “The issue here is there needs to be no discrimination on socioeconomic status, gender, race, or nationality. That has to be fought.”

Lebanon currently has no all-encompassing anti-discrimination law.

“In addition to racism there is classism in Lebanese society, but that doesn’t make [discrimination on that basis] any more OK,” Houry added.

A public relations official at Beirut’s Les Creneaux, which does not allow domestic or other workers such as bodyguards into its pool, similarly denied that his club discriminates on the basis of race.

“As a worker, in general you can accompany [an employer] but you cannot use the facility ... you have to pay to use the facility.” He said that as the club requires membership for entry, domestic workers may use the facilities as invitees.

The policies of other clubs vary. Martisol Rizk, senior marketing executive at Beirut’s Riviera, said that domestic workers can “come in normally and swim.”

Raya Salame, co-owner of the Portemillio in Kaslik, told The Daily Star that officially domestic workers are not allowed into the pool, but unofficially they are permitted to swim “for the safety of the kids.”

She said she is aware of the circular, and added that “we don’t discriminate.” Salame said the only way to access the resorts’ facilities are with a visitor’s card, or by renting a chalet, hotel room or cabin. Anyone, including domestic workers, Salame said, can use a visitor’s card or rent a place at the resort.

Villamar in Khalde declined to comment on its policies, and Beirut’s Coral Beach Resort did not reply to a request for comment. Both places reportedly forbid domestic workers from swimming.

At Edde Sands in Jbeil, marketing manager Joanne Zarife said that domestic workers are allowed access to the pool if they come with or without their employers, as long as they are wearing proper bathing attire.

She added that occasionally, employers ask that domestic workers enter the pool in uniform and “this is discrimination” against workers, hence the bathing suit policy.

Human Rights Watch’s Houry said that while he found the circular “encouraging” in principle, the key will be whether it is enforced.

The ministry said that as it cannot monitor all clubs and resorts constantly, it encouraged anyone who has been the victim of discrimination or witnessed any other violations of the circular’s regulations to file a formal complaint with the ministry.

On balance, Houry pointed out that most of the country’s beaches, even those that allow everyone in, are practically inaccessible to most migrant domestic workers due to their high entrance fees.

“But it is the principle,” Houry added. “It is the visible tip of the iceberg of discrimination.”

BEIRUT: To say there is a lack of public spaces in Beirut is perhaps an understatement. The few truly open sites can be counted on one hand – Sanayeh, the tiny Jesuit garden in Geitawi, the Corniche ...It is this latter area which has provided the focus for the fourth year projects of architecture students at the American University of Beirut, whose original, inspirational sites are currently open to the public.

A walking tour Monday debuted the “Welcoming City” trail, starting at the Old Manara lighthouse and finishing in Ain al-Mreisseh, but people are invited to complete the tour themselves, or visit whichever sites particularly interest them. With the sites placed relatively close together, though, the trail makes for a perfect afternoon walk.

Under the Vertical Studio A_PUBLIC BEIRUT program at the Department of Architecture and Design, students were tasked with reimagining the very idea of public space, what it means to Beirut and Beirutis and how it can be developed and reinterpreted in the future.

Sandra Rishani, who co-teaches the program with Rana Haddad and Carol Levesque, and is the author of the blog Beirut the Fantastic, said the aim was also to consider “how you can allow different people to interact that wouldn’t normally.”

At the first stop, “The Lighthouse: Up to the Manara,” students have created a small exhibition space within the building itself, “The National Museum of Beirut’s Old Lighthouse.”

Having started with an analysis of the Corniche – students, in groups, spent 24 hours pitched next to Deek Duke, with a camera that took a single photo every minute, to dissect the full array of experiences – this group settled on the original black and white beacon set back a little from the coast.

Built by the Ottomans in 1835, the lighthouse was used until 2003, when its visibility from one part of the coast was blocked by a new apartment building (in exchange, the developer funded construction of the new manara).

“We chose the Old Manara as it seems symbolic of Beirut – an old site replaced by a new building, because of the wishes of a developer,” says Dina Mneimneh, one of the students involved in the project.

The Old Manara is kept in reserve, should power ever go out at the new site, and managed by Victor Chebli (who sat in his kitchen during Monday’s visit), whose family has been in the role for over 100 years. His son, Joseph, runs the new site.

At the second stop, another group of students has challenged the “openness” of the Corniche itself. “Corniche Extended” explores the idea that while the coastal path is technically publically owned, as it was funded by government money, much of it is restricted to the public.

Ducking under a barbed wire rope – “we wanted to show just how restricted this site really is, so we kept it as is” – the public is invited onto the promenade at the new fishermen’s port, just past Riviera Beach.

Informed that public access was restricted due to health and safety concerns about sea spray rendering the pathway slippery and dangerous, students bypassed this problem by constructing an elevated, mobile platform.

Using reclaimed pieces of the Corniche itself, and a draisine rail motor from the Mar Mikhail train station, the students – who went straight to Transport Minister Ghazi Aridi for permission – take it in turns to manually shift the platform along tracks they have themselves constructed, taking visitors right to the end of the harbor.

Across the road, a third group of students has erected “Air Rights,” a vertically mobile chair which ascends up a pole. Allowing an obscured view of a large piece of private land hidden behind a wall – which developers are hoping to build on once they can persuade an adjacent family to sell up part of their home – the ride deliberately frustrates the user.

Thea Hallah, one of the students involved with Air Rights explained why the empty chair can go higher than the chair complete with passenger.

“It’s to show what restricted rights we have. So we invite people to try it, but then they are disappointed, as they can see the empty chair going higher than them, and they want to be able to see more. The system works, but it is preventing their journey ...”

Walking further north along the Corniche, one arrives at the fourth site, “Out of Place: A public escape that is suspended in time.” Having noticed an elevated abandoned house, set back from the road, its entrance covered in wild plants, this student group erected a staircase from the street level, after gaining permission from the owners, who are planning to demolish the idyllic site within three years.

On a path made from water tanks, and in a bamboo garden enclave, visitors to Out of Place can sink into a sofa made from a satellite dish – found on site. Surreal and magical, this really is a secret garden in the city.

At the final site, “Nature’s Calling: A play on senses,” students have rooted a public telephone in to a huge private, but unkempt, garden, whose owners were enthusiastic about the project. Surrounded by flower pots, and with a sunken seating area, this final site is more artwork than architecture.

“We wanted to take something from the city and move it into this green space and put it somewhere you wouldn’t imagine finding it to amplify this difference,” says Mira Moussa, one of the group’s students.

Descending to the dug-out bench, one’s eye level is in line with the ground, “so you are literally sitting in the garden.”

This completely original and inspiring collection of works will fascinate anyone interested in architecture, public space, the future of Beirut, or just simply those wishing to see a hidden side to the city.

Old Manara: until May 18, 3 p.m until 4 p.m. Corniche Extended: until May 17, 1-6 p.m. Air Rights: until May 18, 5-7 p.m. Out of Place: until May 25, 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. Nature’s Calling: until May 18, 2-6 p.m.

BEIRUT: In their quest to popularize skateboarding and secure space for a permanent park, the Lebanese Skateboarding Association has opened Lebanon’s first pop-up skate park for 40 days of slides, grinds and air at the Beirut New Waterfront.

The park – which opened May 2 with around 200 people attending the event featuring skating displays and street art – is the latest step for LSA to promote their case for a permanent location to skate, says LSA director Elias Fayad.

“Our main objective is to open a permanent public skate park, if not more than one. Yet every municipality we approached has a misperception about the sport and about the skaters. Skaters are always kicked out and looked down on,” says Fayad.

“The pop-up [park] is a start to change this perception,” he explains, discussing the objectives of the 1-year-old LSA, including lobbying the municipalities, promoting the sport through public events and empowering youth.

According to Fayad, the sport is growing quickly in Lebanon, evidenced by the high turnout the park has seen so far – about 25 people on average per day.

On a weekday afternoon, the pop-up park has a steady crew of skaters, from kids as young as 8 up to 28 years old, tackling the obstacles: a mini ramp (a smaller version of a half pipe), a quarter pipe, manual pads, rails, thumbwalks, ramps and more.

Another of the pop-up park’s organizers from LSA, Ghassan al-Salman, says that Lebanon’s skaters suffer from a lack of “some place safer than the streets” to skate.

“We’re always getting chased out by police, security guards, and residents. You always get kicked out,” he says, adding that LSA’s goal is to change the unfair, renegade image that skaters have and provide safer conditions to practice the sport.

“A lot of people have negative connotations because we skate in the streets all the time. We skate between cars and all that, but we’ve got nowhere else to skate,” says Salman.

“You can’t stereotype us based on that. We’ve got nowhere else to skate, so we’re going to skate the streets. When we skate the streets, they label us as bad people or street kids. We can’t help it unless we have a park,” he points out.

“It’s a good sport. It promotes creativity and it joins all sects and backgrounds of youth,” Salman continues.

The space for the temporary park was donated by Beirut by Bike, but LSA’s mission to secure a permanent location has been met with roadblocks. Three times rejected by the Beirut municipality, their sights have now turned to Horsh Beirut as a possible location.

“There’s a piece of land inside Horsh Beirut that’s already built, it’s all concrete waves and stuff. It’s beautiful and would be perfect. It wouldn’t cost us a lot to turn it into a park, just fixing things here and there,” says Salman, adding that so far LSA has gotten positive feedback from Hazmieh and Sin al-Fil.

For now, Lebanon’s skaters will have to take full advantage of the pop-up park until it closes shop June 15. Then, it’s back to the streets.

Nasser Mukharesh, 21, who has been impressing the park’s small crowd with tricks, says having the park is “great.”

“I finish class at university and come down here. There’s always someone to skate with, you have obstacles and no one hassles you.”

For Mukharesh, getting chased out by security is simply and unfortunately “part of the routine of skating.”

“It’s nice having a place like this as a home base, for convenience and for safety’s sake.”

The pop-up skate park is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day through June 15 at the Beirut New Waterfront.

BEIRUT: Loud music, high heels and even higher entrance rates may seem to be inescapable at the beach in Lebanon, but this need not be the case. The Daily Star has sought out five unique seaside haunts for those seeking an alternative day by the coast.

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

The seafront at the Tyre Coast Nature Reserve is the antithesis to the vast majority of Lebanon’s beaches – no music, no beer, no luxury swimming pools. But this beautiful, calm, clean stretch of coast running from Tyre’s public beach to the Rashidiyeh Palestinian refugee camp is one of the sandiest in Lebanon.

Part of a protected nature reserve founded in 1998, the beach, along with being the perfect place to sunbath in tranquility, is also a great location to spot nesting turtles and migrating birds.

The conservation area, which one requires permission from the TCNR office to access, comprises a wetland of international significance, located as it is on a major migratory path for birds, and it is also an important nesting area for two endangered sea turtles species: green and loggerhead turtles. Permission can be obtained from the TCNR office Monday to Saturday between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.

TCNR does not charge an entrance fee, but it does accept discretionary contributions to its ongoing conservation projects.

Outside the conservation area, Tyre’s public beach, which is also wonderfully sandy, is a great place to enjoy lunch or refreshments right on the sea.Contact TCNR by email at tcnr98@hotmail.com or phone at 07-351-341 or 03-287-211

ISLAND IDYL

Some 11 km off the coast of Tripoli lies a cluster of flat rocky uninhabited islands, among them Rabbit Island. Reaching Rabbit Island involves a little more adventuring than accessing most of Lebanon’s beaches, but the trek’s rewards include long sandy beaches and great places to swim.

Some preparation is needed prior to departure: As there are no shops or restaurants on the island, you’ll need to pack an ample picnic to keep you going through the day.

Leave Beirut early and bus or drive north to Tripoli Port. If you’re travelling by bus, you’ll have to take a service from where it drops you in central Tripoli to the port.

Once at the port, you’ll find plenty of guys with boats eager to ferry you to your destination – be prepared to haggle for a good price. Upon arrival on the island, take a stroll around its perimeter – it will take you all of 10 minutes – then swim, sunbath and enjoy your picnic.

Be warned: While there may be some entrepreneurial young men willing to hire you a table and chairs on which to eat your lunch, no one has as yet established any bathroom facilities – be prepared for seeking out a secluded spot in order to relieve yourself.

As long as you’re not the last people on the island, it should be easy to find a boat to take you back to the mainland. Alternatively, you could try to arrange for the boat that brought you out to return and collect you at a designated time.

CHILLED OUT

The seafront itself may be nothing more than a narrow, very rocky strip of land, but Pierre and Friends beach club just outside Batroun is one of the country’s most relaxed and unpretentious – you won’t spot any high heels or maids in uniform here. However, you do need to be prepared for an aural diet comprised almost exclusively of Bob Marley and the occasional afternoon when the Mediterranean, for whatever reason, is whipped into a temper, making the rocky coastline hostile and unpredictable as you try to safely pick your way into the sea.

Entry to Pierre and Friends is free, but during peak season, you do have to pay a small fee to rent a plastic sun lounger. The bar and restaurant on site are also good and prices are reasonable. Choose a seat facing out to sea and you’ll invariably be entertained by the antics of windsurfers, spear fishermen and groups of friends mismanaging rented kayaks. When you’re ready, rent a kayak yourself and join in the fun.

If you get tired of Pierre’s chilled vibe, drift southward to Pearl Beach where the blasting techno or pop music eventually leads pockets of hip-gyrating beachgoers to indulge in a spontaneous seaside discotheque.

TAKE THE FAMILY

Slightly further north, but within walking distance of Pierre and Friends lies White Beach. Its strand, which is equally stony, is much deeper than its neighbor’s, and while the beach itself is less “hip,” it’s just as relaxed, but in a family-friendly way.

There is an entrance fee at White Beach, but it’s only LL5,000 and includes a chaise longue.

The club also offers a range of activities, from snorkeling to diving, sailing and windsurfing. Its website invites guests to bring their own fishing gear and advertises that the Lebanese restaurant on site will cook your catch for you.

For more information visit www.whitebeachlebanon.com/index.php

LAZING BUT CONNECTED

Lazy B has long since ceased to be a secret, and it has definitely become one of Lebanon’s most popular beaches, yet it remains without equal in the country.

Aiming to create a relaxing, peaceful and traditional sun, sea and sand atmosphere, the resort, unlike most others, plays no music during the day and has tried to retain as natural a coastal environment as possible.

Featuring the beach, a creek, two swimming pools, deck chairs, loungers and beds, guests may choose their preferred environment for relaxation. Food is served at the seven terraced restaurant on site, or wherever one chooses to lounge within the sprawling complex. Free Internet is also offered.

Lazy B is a private resort and does charge entrance rates on a par with the upper end of the beach club market. For the 2012 season, entrance for adults and children over 15 is LL31,818 plus VAT on weekdays and LL36,363 plus VAT on weekends and holidays. Children under 15 are charged LL18,181 plus VAT. It is also worth noting that while children are welcome at Lazy B, the pools are off limits to them. The resort is open daily from 9 a.m. until sunset, with lifeguards on duty until 6 p.m.

BEIRUT: Long before the juice craze reached the California coast, people were lining up at refreshment stands in Beirut, quaffing tasty juices for their daily intake of vitamins, fiber, carbohydrates and anti-oxidants.

Throughout Lebanon, small shops and refreshment stands where fresh juice is made on the spot have long been found in most neighborhoods. Many date back decades, but others have popped up over the past several months as part of a burgeoning phenomenon.

All juices are known to have benefits – thanks to the fruits from which they are squeezed. Oranges and grapefruits are high in vitamin C; pineapples and grapefruits burn fat thanks to their low glycemic indexes; the high potassium in bananas helps with metabolism and water balance; pomegranates are high in fiber; carrots' high vitamin A content is good for the eyes and skin; and avocadoes, often used in sweet-fruit salads in Lebanon, are rich in potassium and vitamin B, and serve to lower blood pressure.

Jallab is a regional specialty as well as a staple at juice bars across Lebanon. It is made from the syrup of grape molasses, dates, rosewater and crushed ice, and is often topped with pine nuts, almonds and raisins. The cool and refreshing drink is particularly popular in the sweltering summer and during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

"People come here from all over for our juice," claims Fawzi al-Masri, who has been making juice for the past eight years at Jabbour Cocktail on Armenia Street near the Dora roundabout.

"The avocado cocktails are the most popular, even though they're the most expensive," he reveals as he slices avocadoes, whips them up with milk and sugar, and tops the mixture with ashta cream, honey and almonds. He then garnishes the result with additional small slices of avocado, strawberry, pineapple and kiwi, completing the brightly colored assembly line leading to the popular concoction.

Jabbour and next-door Cocktail Lahoud have been around for years, as has Salem Cocktail, which lies across the street. This block, near the crowded roundabout where buses head north toward Tripoli, has become a favored destination for those seeking delicious fresh juice.

George Makhlouf, who started a small chain of juice bars in Dora in 1990 called G. Makhlouf, now has branches in Gemmayzeh, Sarba and Jounieh (but has since closed his location in Dora). He explains that he opened a number of businesses before settling on juice bars, and that he enjoys the experience of offering customers healthy products that continue to grow in popularity.

"I'm working to make this place organic," he says of his store on Gouraud Street, Gemmayzeh's main street. "Right now, it's 80 percent organic. When it's 100 percent organic, I'll put a sign in front saying 'Organic.' I'm trying to improve all the time."

Makhlouf points out a new trend in juice-making that started in the West and is now catching on in Lebanon. It consists of adding ginger to apple, carrot or other kinds of juice. He is now often asked for such drinks.

Other places have recently sprung up across the capital, including Beit Moussalem near Sassine Square in Ashrafieh, which was opened three months ago by Milad Moussalem, a lifelong grocer who hails from the Chouf and whose parents were tomato farmers.

The juice bar in this shop is but one section of a spacious establishment bursting with colorful fruits and vegetables. Moussalem boasts that he offers the most luscious fruit from all over Lebanon and the world.

"I grew up among farmers, and now I'm bringing the fresh taste to Beirut," he declares as he pours a glass of pomegranate juice pressed on the spot. Indeed, the juice does taste as though the pomegranate has just been picked from the tree.

Many newer juice bars, including Casa Oriental in Downtown Beirut and several places located in the capital's proliferating health clubs, are now offering supplements, or "boosts" as they're sometimes called, of protein and vitamins.

But even with all the new creative options, the most popular juices continue to be the classics – orange, apple and pineapple. And even with the mushrooming of fruit juice stands manned by knowledgeable employees, many people prefer to rely on aged but venerable experts for their fruit fix.

Liliane Noujeim, who hails from the Chouf, always frequents a place called Hachem in Zalka, just north of Beirut.

At Hachem, she says, "I know the people and I know where the fruit comes from. I like the way it's all lined up and they make it right in front of you."

Located about 7 kilometers from the Chouf Cedar Reserve on the grounds of the Mediterranean Forest Development and Conservation Center of Lebanon, the hostel is geared toward offering the kind of simple nature experience so often overlooked in the Lebanese hotel industry.

At an altitude of 800 meters, visitors can hike mountain trails, cross a high rope over the treetops and learn how to repel down rock faces.

The hostel also offers traditional mountain food cooked by local chefs for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

"Our youth hostel is unique because it's in nature and we have traditional food," says hostel manager Farouk Salman.

Salman says hiking and high-wire crossing are the most popular activities; mostly the hostel draws people who just want to be out in nature.

In the middle of Mount Lebanon, the simple lodgings are a far cry from the often extravagant Beirut style of living. But the views are unique: Valleys and forests fall away into the distance out the windows of the lodge.

"It's very quiet," says Salman.

The hostel gets about 2,500 to 3,000 visitors a year, mostly from group retreats of big families, companies and school educational trips.

"We are open the whole year but mostly we get more groups than individuals," says Salman.

The hostel is also on the grounds of a center for The Association for Forests, Development and Conservation that has a number of reforestation and conservation projects in the area.

The association has an information office for environmental education in addition to outdoor activities where visitors can learn about wildlife preservation efforts from experts in the field. A number of nongovernmental organizations and environment aid projects work through the center in Ramlieh.

The area is filled with a variety of flowers and such classic regional trees as pine, oak and cypress. The hostel also leads trips to the nearby village to pick fresh fruit and learn about the local food industry.

The hostel's 22 double bedrooms sleep 44 in all and they offer a range of prices depending on the length of stay and meals needed. The lodge has wireless Internet as well as conference rooms for group activities. Reservations can be booked online.

Campgrounds, a rarity in the country, are also found in the hostel area for people looking for an even more outdoorsy experience.

Salman says the best time to go is right after the winter or summer breaks when the climate is just right.

"The good time to come is the springtime," he says. "The trees and flowers are blooming, it's not hot or cold; it's mild weather."

For more information on the Ramlieh Hostel, call 05-280-430 or visit www.afdc.org.lb/mdfcl.php

BEIRUT: The Phoenicians, Crusaders, Mamluks, Ottomans, Arabs, Europeans and others have all, at one time, claimed ownership over Lebanon’s northern coast.

Over the centuries, from Batroun to Tripoli, an array of structures has been erected including castles, hammams, souks, churches, mosques, churches converted into mosques, and churches converted to mosques that were later converted back to churches. The intricate culture that has been woven along the pristine coastline has brought into being some superb sights.

The winding mountain roads of Rashana are lined with sculptures of limestone, steel, aluminum, wood, bronze, cement and stone and the gaps are filled with wild daffodils.

The creators of the artwork are the famous Basbous family: brothers Michel, Joseph, Alfred and Michel’s son Anashar (Rashana backward).

The road travels past a number of villas with creative gates and artwork displayed from their homes until it arrives at the open air museum. The garden boasts over 60 years of work from the Basbous family including a sculpture of Bacchus, the Greco-Roman god of wine, built in 1967; Michel’s limestone masterpiece of two lovers built in 1957;and Michel’s last sculpture built in 1981 before his death.

The magnum opus of the open-air museum, however, is a small one-story house built by Michel in 1974. The house is now inhabited by his widowed wife who greets visitors with a smile, chocolate and a glass of liqueur entitled “perfect love.”

Therese Basbous, an accomplished playwright, explains that the house was sculpted by her late husband and mixed traditional and oriental styles with new architecture. The entire house is curved and “without right angles.” Michel created the house so he could “live inside a sculpture.”

The Castles

Every castle tells a story. The successive invaders built on top of each other’s remnants to leave behind castles that depict the northern coast’s remarkable history.

- The Tripoli Castle: A climb to the top of a newly erected viewing platform allows a breathtaking, panoramic view of the entire city, the sea and the snow-covered mountains.

The castle, rebuilt in the 12th century by the Crusaders after numerous destructions, is adorned with the remains of Mamluk coffins and an Ottoman cannon. The castle’s architecture tells its history, including four craters displayed in the castle’s walls: scars of the Syrian occupation from not long ago.

- The Phoenician Castle, Smar Jbeil: On the edge of a cliff overrun with multihued wildflowers and over-looking vast, emerald valleys that come apart to reveal the azure sea, sits another famous castle in the small village of Smar Jbeil.

The castle was initially built by the Phoenicians, but traded hands over the ages before settling in the possession of the Maronites during the Middle Ages.

- Mussaylha Fort: Mussaylha Fort differs from those of Tripoli and Smar Jbeil in two major ways.

The first is that Mussaylha sits in the heart of a valley, surrounded by mountains that give a visitor an aura of insignificance. The second is that the fort is no more than 400 years old, according to scholars.

A stone bridge runs over an angry brown river leading to the castle, built on a long narrow limestone rock. According to historians and eyewitnesses, Mussaylha was built by Fakhreddine II in 1624.

The old city of Batroun

The old city, filled with bike-wielding youths and the scent of fresh fish, is bedecked with shaded, cobblestone roads and charming shops built of aged stones. The souk has been modernized, with computer repair technicians settling inside its tiny dakakin (shops) but the tranquility of the coastal city has proven itself immortal. The city rests between two ports, separated by the impressive Phoenician Wall. Greeting a local will be met with a smile and a possible invitation into their home for coffee.

The Hammams of Tripoli

The hammams were not just bathhouses but social clubs, where citizens would meet, gossip, bathe and smoke nargileh. The outbreak of the Lebanese Civil War changed this though, leaving the hammams barren accept for spider webs and accumulation of dirt.

- Hammam al-Nouri: On a bustling city road in the vicinity of the Grand Mosque sits an elderly lemonade vendor with a long white beard. Behind him is an old, dusty store where other old men sit chewing seeds and sipping Turkish coffee.

In the store though, is an old wooden, unassuming door. Like a fairytale, the door reveals a dark labyrinth, lit only by sparse rays of sunlight that lead to a hammam built in 1333. Hammam al-Nouri is now abandoned, collecting cobwebs in its various bathing rooms and high domed ceilings, needing an influx of around a million dollars to renovate according to one expert on the city.

- Hammam al-Jadid: Hammam al-Jadid derives its name (New Hammam) from being built around 1740. Like Hammam al-Nouri, this hammam is abandoned, however its recent purchase by Prime Minister Najib Mikati signals a future rebirth.

The highlight of this hammam is the designs in the ceiling. By placing a mirror (or sunglasses in a tourist’s case) under the ceiling, various shapes can be seen including the star of Malta and, in one room, the outline of the key needed to access the hammam.

Sharkass Tradition Handmade Olive Oil Soap Shop

Soap-maker Mahmoud Sharkass is an institution. Despite the initial appearance of his grimy, humble shop, the walls display photographs of meetings with a number of ambassadors. Sharkass’ family has been making soap from pure olive oil since 1803 and Mahmoud still uses traditional German machinery, some as old as 150 years. Sharkass claims he is the only soap maker in the world using 100 percent olive oil. Despite neighboring shops who have decided to open competing soap businesses, Sharkass’ business seems set to last.

Souk al-Attareen

“Europeans and Americans love it! I don’t usually take Lebanese here though,” tour guide Ali Khawaja says as he races through the crowded, narrow walkways of Souk al-Attareen. The antique, traffic-filled souk contains stores with screaming vendors, displaying a selection of meat, fish, bread, sweets, vegetables and more. The longest of the souks in Tripoli carries with it a strong sense of culture but as Khawaja elucidated, locals often prefer a detour.

BEIRUT: Beirut guidebooks have their uses – hotel listings, emergency numbers, helpful maps – but on the sightseeing front they often come up short. If you've duly paid a visit to the Mohammad al-Amin Mosque (often better known as the "blue mosque") and been decidedly underwhelmed by Pigeon Rocks, then perhaps some of these less frequently touted options will pique your curiosity and enthusiasm for exploring Lebanon's capital.

1. Beirut New Waterfront: You'll no sooner have disembarked from the plane than all and sundry will direct you to the Corniche. By all means go, view its famous freestanding rocks, watch the sunset from a rooftop bar and take in the multitudinous activities of what is perhaps the city's most utilized public space. But afterward its worth taking a stroll out to the Beirut New Waterfront, a man-made stretch of coast between BIEL and Zeitunay Bay, where the incessant noise of the city recedes behind you, leaving only the tranquility of the Mediterranean and spectacular views up the northern coast as you turn back toward land. On weekends and public holidays, you'll also find families here as young children learn how to ride bikes and rollerblade in this quiet spot. If you fancy a bit of pedal-pushing yourself, Beirut by Bike is nearby and offers rental bicycles.

2. Jardin des Jesuites: Leafy parks are not easy to come by in Beirut, but if you take the time to find your way through the narrow streets of Geitawi in East Beirut, you'll uncover this city's secret garden. It's a small, modest affair, but this park does have trees and benches. And just by finding your way there you'll discover a charming corner of Beirut that isn't on any regularly paced tourist trail. The park is also a pleasant alternative for those not enamored by the prospect of joining the oil-slathered bodies tanning at the St. George's beach club.

3. Saifi Village: The guidebooks direct you to Place d'Etoile, and while that's certainly worth a visit, don't miss out on Saifi Village, the colorfully painted, rebuilt area just at the top of Martyrs' Square. In this chic, très European quarter uniformed maids play with children in an open central plaza, while far more French than either Arabic or English fills the air. Visit the boutiques and galleries, and then take a break at one of the sophisticated cafes in the area.

4. The Hangar: Few tourists ever venture to the city's southern suburbs, but since The Hangar exhibition space in Haret Hreik opened several years ago, visitors keen to see another of the capital's many faces now have a great reason. With a new exhibition or installation every two to three months, the Hangar showcases work by both Lebanese and international artists. The exhibitions are certainly worth a look, but so is the adventure of getting to the space. You can easily ramble the noisy and chaotic streets of the area, but refrain from overtly taking pictures – it upsets Hezbollah's security detail – and dress modestly. One of the nicest things to do in this part of town is find a fruit juice shop with some outdoor seating and just people-watch for a while. For more information and directions visit: http://www.umam-dr.org/.

5. Sabra market: Another reason to head south of the city and off the beaten tourist trail is Sabra market. Located next to the Palestinian refugee camp at Shatila, this market is both a visual and aural feast. It is filled with vibrant vegetable displays on stands run by traders who've been selling to the same customers for years, and the surrounding stalls offer meat and an assortment of shops sell homeware, books and clothing. Quite often, locals will come up, eager to engage in conversation. Ninety-nine percent of time this will prove enjoyable and nonthreatening. During the summer months you might also witness a wedding procession noisily honking though the narrow streets, and it does well to bear in mind that any volleys of machine-gun fire heard are most probably in celebration of a recent matrimony or high-school exam results.

6. Orient Institute Beirut: If the mayhem of the suburbs has exhausted you or is simply just unappealing, a quiet afternoon at the Orient Institute Beirut in the central Beirut area of Zukak al-Blat (across the highway from the Grand Serail) may an attractive prospect. Set in a traditional villa, replete with wooden paneling and stained glass windows, the OIB boasts both a reasonably extensive library and a garden. The library, which is fully stocked with the daily papers, is open 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Friday. The institute also frequently hosts interesting evening lectures and workshops, details of which can be found on its website: http://www.orient-institut.org.