Entertainment in Middle East
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Buddha Bar
If there are celebs in town, they’ll show up at Buddha Bar, where the dramatic Asian-inspired interiors are decked out with gorgeous chandeliers, a wall of reflective sheer glass, and an enormous Buddha lording over the heathens. The bartenders put on quite a show with their impressive shakes (think Tom Cruise in Cocktail ). Arrive early or prepare to queue; otherwise book dinner for guaranteed admission.
reviewed
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Grappa
Stylish wooden benches and B&W photos on the wall give this rustic bar a hip feel but it’s the huge windows with views and the summer terrace seating that really draw the crowds. There are decent pizzas, salads and manaqeesh (Arabic bread with herbs) but the drinking takes priority.
reviewed
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Living Room
Part lounge, part sushi bar and part study (think high-backed chairs, a fireplace and the daily newspaper), the Living Room is so understated that it’s easily missed. It offers quality bar meals, from North American steaks to salmon with cream cheese, and the fine music seals it as a great place to hang out over a delicious iced tea with lemon grass and mint. Non-teetotallers can enjoy the full complement of expertly crafted cocktails on offer, which are served up strong with a healthy dose of style and refinement.
reviewed
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Shesek
Something of a black sheep on this street of progressive bars, Mish Mish is a rough-around-the-edges scenester bar and bohemian haunt well-known for pumping out a variety of music (mash-ups and punk to trance and avant-garde hip-hop) and quality beer (including Taybeh, a micro-brew manufactured in Ramallah). It's the kind of place where you can have a civilised conversation with the DJ and make a few requests.
reviewed
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Beer House
The Beer House is a little downtrodden but if you are after some very nice beer it's hard to beat. The bartender can guide you through the complexities of the 120 types of beers on offer and provides good commentary with friendly service to boot. They usually recommend a fruity Belgian beer (try the peach). They also serve food and do a nice smoked meat platter. It's below street level in Gan Ha'em Park.
reviewed
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Rovers Return
An aerial version of the Amman expat favourite (it’s located in a mock lighthouse), this pub attracts a young crowd. If you’re British and feeling homesick, stay for fish and chips or bangers and mash (JD7) and watch three-screen football. The only downside is that the compact space can get oppressively smoky.
reviewed
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Breakfast Club
Plastered with photos of the famous and infamous (Kim Il Sun, Stalin, the Ayatollah and Salvador Dali), and showing bizarre movies on its TVs (Blade Runner, The Wall), this place makes for a unique downtown dance experience. It's known as a late-night destination, so don't bother turning up until 02:00 or 03:00.
reviewed
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Rock Bottom Café
Bask in the vintage vibe of this ’70s-era American roadhouse, while a cheesy cover band blares Top-40 hits. While it’s a regular pub by day, no self-respecting woman would come here alone at night. But with a mob of friends and a bottle of tequila gone, it’s the quintessential ending to a rollickin’ night on the town.
reviewed
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Si-o-Seh Bridge Teahouse
This teahouse at the north end of Si-o-Seh Bridge is an Esfahani institution (and it’s not touristy) and the last of the bridge chaykhanehs. The teahouse is typically male dominated, but foreign women do get honorary male treatment and it is invariably a boisterous atmosphere, especially under the pylons.
reviewed
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Pearl
Hotel bars are generally only open to guests and 'members' (who pay an annual 'membership'). These rules, however, are continually relaxing and even Qataris can now be seen in some of these establishments (once strictly forbidden). One of the more popular bars is the cocktail bar, Pearl.
reviewed
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Minzar
Set back from the main street, this is a bohemian-style coffeehouse that actually specialises in beer. Happy hour extends from 17:00 to 22:00.
reviewed
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Sa’adi Teahouse
This subterranean chaykhaneh isn’t quite as atmospheric as the Hafez version, but it’s still plenty of fun.
reviewed
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Meydan Racecourse
Racing season starts in November with the 10-week Winter Racing Challenge, but doesn’t heat up until January. It culminates in late March with the elite Dubai World Cup, the world’s richest horse race, with prize money of a dizzying US$10 million. Dubai racing’s new home (from 2010) is the spectacular Meydan Racecourse, a futuristic stadium with a grandstand bigger than most airport terminals. Spanning 1.6km, it has a solar- and titanium-panelled roof, can accommodate up to 60,000 spectators and integrates a five-star hotel. A museum and IMAX theatre are in the works as well. There’s a free-admission area where dress is casual. For the grandstand you’ll need tickets…
reviewed
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Al-Lisaili Race Track
Camel racing is not only a popular spectator sport but deeply rooted in the Emirati soul and originally practised only at weddings and special events. These days it’s big business, with races held between October and early April. There’s no fixed schedule, although there usually seems to be a two- or three-hour session starting around 7am on Fridays. Check the newspapers or call ahead before you drive an hour out of town. Watching these mighty animals race at speeds of up to 60km/h is an amazing sight. If you can’t make it to a racing session, you can usually catch training sessions in the afternoon, and these are also a great experience. The sheer number of camels is…
reviewed
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International Cultural Centre for Youth
The ICCY building hosts folk dancing on Tuesdays (25NIS) from 6pm to midnight. It’s not a performance; it’s local families coming to dance, and you can join in (an instructor is available at the beginning of the session). Thursday is an all-ages dance party, where the DJ spins everything from ‘Superfly’ to the theme from Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. Participants form conga lines, as well as dancing the tango, the hora and any other possible dance formation. While it sounds a little bizarre, its actually good fun and one cultural event not to be missed. There are dances most nights of the week but you might want to call ahead to ask what’s on (Tel 052 860 8084).
reviewed
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Blaumilech
Overlooking gorgeous Rothschild Blvd and busy Allenby St, Blaumilech is perfectly placed to draw in big crowds to it cosy confines. Comfy sofas line the interior of this low-lit lounge-bar and in between them people attempt to dance to the rock, pop and hip hop dished out by the nightly DJ.
It can be a wild scene with so many people trying to dance, drink and mingle in such a tight space. The clientele is an unpretentious 20s and 30s crowd and you shouldn't expect anyone to turn up before 23:00. If the interior is overcrowded you could always hang out on the front deck, a great spot to catch a breather before diving back into the fray.
reviewed
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Bull-Butting
If possible, visit Fujairah on a Friday when the ancient sport of bull-butting takes place in a dusty dirt patch on the southern outskirts of town (before Al-Rughailat Bridge). It was introduced centuries ago by the Portuguese, and today’s contests see bulls brought here from all over the UAE to lock horns and test their strength against each other. The goal is to push the other out of a circle, which usually takes only a couple of minutes. Traditionally, the fighting took place in an open field, but since angry bulls would occasionally charge spectators, a new wire fence was recently built to protect them.
reviewed
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Centre Culturel Français de Damas
All of the foreign cultural centres host performances of classical music, opera and ballet. Most notable is the Centre Culturel Français de Damas, which offers a vibrant programme of concerts and cultural events, from piano recitals to jazz (local and foreign) and mixed-media happenings with video installations. Its summer music festivals, held in atmospheric Old City locations, feature everything from Oriental jazz to the well-regarded Women's Orchestra of Oriental Music.
Check café noticeboards and the centre's website, or phone for information.
reviewed
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B 018
This venerable club is easily the most famous in town. Known for its particular décor as much as its music, it's situated underground in a car park a couple of kilometres east of Downtown. With its mock-horror baroque interior, complete with coffins for seats, B 018 is certainly memorable. Those suffering from claustrophobia needn't worry - the roof is always opened at some stage during the night.
Its liberal reputation means that gays and lesbians will feel comfortable here. To get there, ask a taxi driver for the club or for the Forum de Beyrouth.
reviewed
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Valiasr's Karimkhan (Bozorg) Sq
About 4km east of Abaresan Crossing is the wealthy if architecturally neutral Valiasr District. While hardly SoHo, it's the nearest Tabriz comes to an entertainment district. The city's gilded youth sip espressos around Valiasr's Karimkhan (Bozorg) Sq and make a nightly passeggiata along pedestrianised Shahriyar St, misleadingly nicknamed Champs Elysées.
In just a few minutes here we met Iranian punks, tuft-bearded Metallica fans and even spotted a transvestite waggling his/her hips far more provocatively than any woman could dare to.
reviewed
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Diwan El Lajun Theatre
If you are interested in seeing co-existence in action, stop by Diwan El Lajun Theatre, a multicultural arts centre run by Gassan Abbass, a well-known actor and director. There are regular music and theatre performances as well as story telling workshops for both adults and children from mixed backgrounds. The theatre is always buzzing, thanks to a women's training program teaching puppet making and traditional Palestinian embroidery.
There's also a small café where performer Hanita-Carolin Hendelman will happily discuss upcoming events.
reviewed
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Kasbar
Kasbar can be inconsistent – one night it’s packed, the next it’s dead – but we highly recommend you check out this sexy three-storey Moroccan-themed club with glittering crystal chandeliers, a coffered ceiling and big dance floor. Call ahead to reserve a table on the mezzanine where you can take in the scene from above. Or forego the thump-thump in favour of a game of billiards on the quiet lower floor – a godsend for non-dancers whose dates want to twirl. When there’s Arabian-fusion playing on the decks, don’t miss it. Cover includes one drink.
reviewed
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Inhouse Coffee
This funky café with its lime-and-black décor is always busy with local hipsters smoking, chatting and checking their email on their PowerBooks. It serves excellent espresso and myriad variations of macchiato, latte and decaf coffees. Try the iced spiced chai latte or spicy espresso with cinnamon on top.
There are happy hours between 16:00 and 17:00 and between 21:00 and midnight, when you get 50% off coffee and food - ideal if you're on a budget and hanging out for good coffee. There's also complimentary wireless internet.
reviewed
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Gemmayzeh Café
This vast and beautiful Beirut institution, dating back to Ottoman times, is one of the best places to hear live Arabic music in Beirut. Generally consisting of an oud (lute) player and singer, you should make a booking for the live music and dinner - the café has a great mezze menu, but it's worth popping in here any time of day for a strong coffee and a quick round of backgammon.
Note that there's no name on the outside of the café but, bigger and more imposing than all the other places on Rue Gouraud, it's hard to miss.
reviewed
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Al-Nawfara
Nestled in the shadow of the Umayyad Mosque's eastern wall, 'The Fountain' is the most atmospheric of Damascus' traditional coffeehouses. This is where you can watch Abu Shady, the last of the hakawati (professional storytellers). Every evening around 19:00 (give or take an hour or two), Abu Shady takes the chair to tell his version of fables and folk tales, and while his performance is in Arabic, it's enthralling.
If you can't find a table here, head across the lane to Ash-Shams, which occupies a former hammam.
reviewed