It's All About The Originals!!

The Mikaelsons just keep delivering one good episode after another, The Originals , which I would call one of the best and most successful Spin-off's  has been Ah-Mazing so far! The plot is developing at a good pace and the characters are all brilliant!! I mean it doesn't matter how many sad emotional monologues they deliver, they always know exactly what to say to make us love them even more. Klaus has been changing (yes they're tiny tiny baby steps) but there's a change and he's trying his best to make it work out with his siblings and well everyone else around him (who doesn't want to kill him), Elijah is still the most loyal,loving, bad-ass brother ever. always looking out for his family and protecting them at all costs, even from themselves! Rebekah, whom I was not a fan of when she was first introduced on TVD (what is this show btw...sounds familiar...) has really developed and became a powerful character. really different from when we first met her and she was all childish and annoying!

They did some bold moves by getting rid of some annoying characters UGH what's her face that annoying witch...seriously can't remember her name...I think of her annoying face and I just go blank on the name!! wth was it....anyways it was probably something annoying as well. Killing her off was a Good move and I approve of it. more of that, everytime we get an sucky character please kill them off! I wanted Cami gone at first because she was all whiny and just boring, but ever since she got her shit together and fixed her brain, she's been ok, and yes I admit it her scenes with Klaus are nice, maybe its because she brings out the playful yet devilish side in him! Adorable.let's see oh yeah that's right Hayley is still there, of course she is I mean she's the one who's knocked up and is carrying the King's child and Heir so yeah I guess she's important, she's trying to save her werewolf family by hanging out with them in the woods, dancing around the fire with a bunch of naked hunks! yeah typical day for her....

Back to the main point , that is, THE ORIGINALS, is simply the best thing on tv at the moment...with probably one of the best and most talented cast. Seriously.. what TVD...what is that..who knows...something from the past I'm sure. All I know is there's a new Vampire Kingdom taking over and it's all About the Mikaelsons!! 

I mean look at this....where will you get something like this!

OR OR THIS

man this crazy bastard was one scary powerful witch, That's right another good awesome thing about the Originals, the witches actually KICK ASS and know what they're doing!! 

Papa Tunde you rocked!! 

so yeah leave the light and come to the dark side of New Orleans and start watching The ORIGINALS!!

They're actually really nice people..see...

Foreign Films- A Different Kind of Art

It's always interesting to discover something out of the ordinary. Stumbling across something we normally wouldn't think of checking out, could at times turn out to be quite amusing. That's exactly how I feel about foreign movies. We've gotten so used to watching Western movies that we never consider what others have to offer. All the time thinking , this is as good as it gets, nothing can be better than this movie, or that story was the best, these actors are superb, no one can top that. On the contrary, I have discovered that foreign movies are true contenders for western movies. There's this thing about them that I find genuinely appealing, both story-wise and acting-wise. Yes at times it's not the big mega production type with the big names, but you know what, that works! The simpler the better apparently. Because when a story is simple and normal and innocent it just has a different feel to it. I haven't seen a lot of foreign films to call myself an expert here, but I've seen my fair share and so far I like them all. Although my genre has been somewhat the same for all the movies I've seen (those sad-dramatic-romance-types- that- rip-your-heart-apart-and-make-your-eyes-leak-without-you-realizing- it!) yeah those movies are my guilty pleasure and I love it! I'm a sucker for these stories and I can't seem to get enough of them. So far it's all about the Japanese movies, man they can deliver some good heart-wrenching drama! The acting isn't bad not at ALL, as most people would assume, and just because the leads hardly ever kiss , or if they do, it's the most G-rated kiss ever, doesn't take anything away from the beauty of the story being told through the eyes of their characters. When a movie is like that you can't help but feel the authenticity and purity of the story and that just makes it 10-times better! Also a very important aspect (personally for me) when it comes to watching these movies, if they don't make me cry, whether its tears of sadness or joy, then I can't really say I liked it that much. There's always a specific moment, or scene, or word or maybe just a long stare between two lovers that will get to you and bring  on the waterworks. I LOVE THOSE MOMENTS!
Now it's not all about the romance , I've seen other genres as well, action and thrillers, from countries including, Germany, France and Sweden. I must say I liked the Swedish one the most, it was pretty intense and shit just escalated quickly in that one I remember thinking "What the hell is happening!! Everyone is getting shot at!", they were all interesting and I would definitely watch more of them.
So like that old saying goes "Don't judge a book by its cover" just because its not some hot-shot drop dead gorgeous leads on the poster , doesn't mean it'll be a bad movie or the acting would be bad or the story just wont be interesting. Give it a chance before you judge it, you might discover something quite fascinating.

Japanese Anime! A Late Discovery

I've never really been a fan of the whole anime world, it never appealed to me in any way. That world was more my little sisters cup of tea. But recently I find myself wondering more and more about them, it all started with this Fan-Art picture from an anime movie that I saw which made me curious because it looked cute and innocent (and lets face it, It was late at night and I was scrolling through Pinterest when I saw it!) sleepy and a sucker for cuteness and adorable looking love stories I decided to follow the trail and find out more about the picture!! It turned out to be from this movie called "Howl's Moving Castle" , better to not go into the details because with the way these stories go it'll take more than one blog post to explain them. Let's just say they are full of wonder and mystery, love and adventure and most importantly Magic!
I liked the movie a lot, it was nice and it's characters are all lovable in their own weird way! 

It's a really huge deal this whole Anime world and the more I looked it up the deeper I fell into the hole! Not that it's a bad thing, I mean I have watched an Anime series before, only one, and I really liked it but I never thought to look up more. But after watching two movies and a series I find myself wanting more of this weird world that is Japanese anime! So I have looked up some series and made a list of the most interesting ones and I shall begin watching them! Here goes nothing.... 

Reign Over My Heart

Great I've gone and done it again! I've fallen into the trap of yet another series, I have been sucked in and honestly I don't see an escape any time soon. And I don't want it! I don't need saving I'm glad to be trapped I'm glad that I have yet another set of characters to fantasize and rant about and fall in love with. What is this show that has gotten me so hyped up, that my friends is the weird yet oddly beautiful "Reign", a series depicting the life of "Mary Queen of Scots" from the very beginning when she was only 15 years old, and was in those good Ol' days at a suitable age to marry, Of course because she's a Queen and almost every marriage during those times was political and arranged ever since those poor little royals were 6!
Anyways, lets not get to carried away talking about political correctness and what's right and wrong here. Because although the situation was just wrong, how they're acting it out and have managed to turn the story into something more modern and appealing to most of the young people these days is definitely Right! I'am a huge fan of period dramas, of any era really. I simply love their stories, their characters, their dialogue, their freaking costumes! I love the whole thing. At first, I was reluctant to watch this show because I had read a couple of things about it that didn't make it seem so interesting to me personally. Alas! this just shows that you shouldn't judge anything based on other peoples opinions, only your own. So because of the lovely addiction that is Tumblr, I saw a Gif from one of the episodes and I became intrigued (ahh Tumblr always bringing me closer to fictional characters) So two days ago I started watching, so far there are only 7 episodes out and yes I have finished watching them ALL! And now I'm going through the waiting and anticipating symptoms that most of the fan base are going through. it's not good, it's not healthy and I Luuuuuuuve it!
You know at first I found it peculiar to be watching a period drama with modern music playing in the background. However, that doesn't mean it didn't grow on me, mainly because the music is the genre that I like, and I'm a huge fan of  weird and peculiar. The theme song is performed by "The Lumineers", most of the music featured on the show is off their album, and in an odd way it's very fitting.
The plot is quite simple, boy and girl are arranged to be married for security of countries, boy doesn't really love girl at first, girl is of course in love with boy, then slowly boy begins to realize this girl is kinda awesome and falls for her. You've also got your other elements which add to the thickness of the plot, Strong authoritative father, vicious over-protective mother, group of friends to help you make decisions (even if they're clueless, most of the time!) and the always tolerable bastard brother (I'm not cursing him he's literally the King's bastard, and he's also one of my favorite characters, with those piercing laser eyes!)
And there you have it, don't be too quick to judge this show from the outside images you see, like I did, for real, when I first saw the poster for this series I was like "Hmmm the leads don't look so appealing to me, I don't think I'd like them.' LOOL funny me thinking I could ever evade such an awesome show, even though my first opinion of it was quite pessimistic. I practically raced through the first seven episodes and now I can't wait for more! I absolutely Love all the lead characters. I guess that's what happens when the actors are brilliant, giving their all to make their character realistic and lovable in every aspect, even if they're portraying someone meant to be the source of all evil. That's just good acting for ya!
So if you're interested in modernized versions of period dramas then this is the show for you. It's too early to tell how far into Mary's story we're gonna see. so far we're getting a cute version of it, with absolutely beautiful outfits, beautiful music, beautiful people, and a mix of stolen glances and adorable moments between our two young lovers. I don't mind honestly, yes maybe most of the way things are being depicted is a little incorrect, and wouldn't have happened like this during those medieval times, but let's be honest this way is more fun, more exciting and fascinating for us delicate Hearted people who just love and crave these stories of innocence and love and hardships, and we'll take it any way you want to give it to us!

The National- "Trouble Will Find Me" - Album Review

The National is one of those rare Indie Rock bands that create music which always manages to crawl its way to your heart and wrap it up with beautiful emotional lyrics. They're music has always been a favorite of mine, ever since I heard 'Slow Show' a weirdly put song about first love, I guess that's why I fell in love with them so quickly. They were weird , but in an interesting way, and I loved it!

Their new Album 'Trouble Will Find Me' is the latest edition to their awesome list of remarkable records. It has the usual calmness and mellowness that's a main factor in all of their songs. The intro song 'I Should Live in Salt' (ouch!) is a great opening title , which really helps you get into the proper mood to truly enjoy the whole album. They've managed to give us a mix of truly depressing songs and somewhat hopeful ones. 'Demons' for instance is one of the more depressing ones on the album , a very truthful song about well literally our Demons, and how they always hold us down, and keep us from getting to a better place in our life. We all have Demons, regardless of their severity, we all have something that keeps us sheltered or introverted from the rest of the world. 

'Fireproof' is another favorite of mine, an anthem to those strong souls who don't let anything bring them down. Who aren't so hopeless and can handle the burdens of the world. 

My first choice,however, which was also the first song I heard off this album is 'I Need My Girl' just the opening riff of that guitar makes me get chills. It's a beautiful rendition of love and loss. I guess from the title its clear to say its about appreciating the things we have, and how we genuinely notice their importance only when they're gone. 

I guess what really makes these songs so beautiful is simply the way they're sung by 'Matt Berninger' in that baritone voice of his! He adds so much depth and melancholy to the songs. He helps you understand, what many have described as "difficult to interpret" lyrics. I guess you need to have a unique sense of understanding to truly appreciate what their songs are about. Everyone relates to a song differently and interprets the lyrics in their own way. Creating this unique atmosphere is what makes this band so significant. The whole album is worth a listen, and I'm just glad this band is still making records. They're one of the best Indie Rockers and they should never change their style, it's what makes them such a fan favorite amongst the lovers of the peculiar. 

Catching Fire- and the Revolution Begins

That's right people! The revolution is just around the corner, the spark has been lit, and what a flame it produced. The catching fire movie was everything I expected and more to be honest. It was so beautifully done, that it had me (someone who's read the books and knows what's gonna happen) on the edge of my seat! The acting, the effects, the dialogue, everything was done perfectly. I had tears in my eyes during simple scenes, but because I knew what they will bring, I just couldn't help it!

I have been waiting for this for almost a year and a half, and it was worth it. All the new cast members were great, including the fan favorite 'Finnick Odair' played by the charming 'Sam Claflin' who most fans had their doubts about, claiming he wasn't good enough to play the role, (and that's what they thought about Josh when he was cast as Peeta) and again they were wrong. He did the role justice and has cemented his place in our hearts forever!( Right next to Peeta!!)Yes forever. That's how incredible he was. And don't get me started on 'Johanna Mason' played by the feisty 'Jena Malone' she was absolutely brilliant!! She had the right amount of anger and awesomeness mixed with a little bit of sadness, which I believe was the right combination that made her so great. The rest of the original cast was remarkable as usual, Jennifer and Josh have such an adorable chemistry on the screen, and because of how the story develops in the second book, we got to see more of it in the movie. Their story takes some interesting turns and it was nice to see them come to life. I remember gushing like an idiot when I was reading about them in the book and thinking to myself how cute they're gonna look when they're acted out. And I was Right!! 

It was well worth the wait, and I won't be seeing it just once, there are definitely going to be marathons of the first two movies while we wait for the third installment to come out. It's gonna be a long wait, but it just gets better and better (so to speak). As a book reader and knowing what's heading my way I must say I have a lot of eagerness and anticipation for the coming movies. Even though I know what's gonna happen, that's doesn't take anything away from the story I believe it just makes me more excited, because while you're reading you get to play it out in your head, using your own imagination, and when it's adapted into a movie, and it's actually better than you expected , that just adds more to the delight of seeing one of your favorite stories come to life.  Not all book adaptations are lucky like that, but this one sure was and I'm glad of it! It's what will keep us coming back for more every time, and what will make me personally watch the movies more than once. Catching Fire is definitely worth a second, third and fourth watch... It was simply that good. And it was a great sequel (which is supposed to keep us calm and entertained till the next movie comes out) that brought us the right amount of thrill and excitement that will without a doubt spark something bigger in the coming adaptations, and boy will we be waiting with our bows and arrows for the revolution to begin!!

The Seasons are Among Us

It's that time of the year again when all our favorite shows make their much awaited return to our screens after leaving us for almost 4 months!! That might not seem like a lot of time but for some of us fanatics it sure is! Things kicked off with the 10th season of 'Grey's Anatomy' yup that's right TEN SEASONS and still going for this medical drama that appeared on our tv screens years ago and cemented its place in our hearts even after it was the reason for breaking it time and time and time and time again.... And after 3 episodes its off to a good start but knowing 'Shonda Rimes' and her evil heartbreaking tricks we know something horrible is lurking in the corner waiting to make an appearance! 

The Vampire Diaries is back for its 5th season and although it might seem to be a bit boring this season you know with klaus leaving mystic falls and all... We're stuck with two boys fighting over an annoying girl, which if I may add there are TWO of now! The only thing I'm looking forward to this season is 'Evil Stefan' to be honest! Because I think Paul Wesley plays an amazing Evil character which just makes him more interesting. 

And the cherry on Top the official premier of 'The Originals' the much awaited spinoff for the 'Mikaelson' family (well what's left of them) and what they're gonna be up to in the city of 'New Orleans' where I'm sure Klaus will be up to no good with his pursuit for power and the dashing Elijah will be right next to him to help him along the way as honorably as he could! 

The Winchesters will grace our screens in 4 days and we couldn't be more excited for this remarkable 9th season, which promises to be amazing especially after that finale last season when all the Angels started falling from the sky!! Which left us crazy fans screaming 'THE ANGELS ARE FALLING!! THE ANGELS ARE FALLING!!'

So bring it on supernatural we're ready for the crazy ride (in the Impala) you'll take us on this season like you do Every time!

So here we go another year another season and most definitely more drama, heartbreak, shock and excitement to come our way! And boy are we ready!  

Caribou- The Place to Go (when you ditch a boring class)

There's always that one (or maybe two..umm lets say three) class that you just can't bring yourself to attend let alone sit through for 2 hours!! So you ultimately try to find the perfect escape! And for us it was always at the awesome 'Caribou Coffee' café in Hamra street. The place was always there but we never really payed much attention to the rest of the yummy things they had on the menu, we just went with plain Ol' Mocha...typical stuff. BUT, whole and behold, one day we decided to try something 'daring' called a "Berry White Mocha" , now yeah you might think berries and coffee, is that a good mix, let me tell you something IT SURE IS! One of the yummiest drinks I've ever had! Berries mixed with mocha, with a coating of whipped cream and topped with your choice of chocolate chips (white chocolate was our favorite and best choice really) and you got yourself a drink to die for! Throw in a slice of their Cheescake ( from the amazing Cheesecake Factory) and you're good to go. What a delight it was to know that we had a ditchable class during the week because that always meant 'YAY CARIBOU TIME!!' 

I'd say we became somewhat regulars over there, ordering the same thing usually and permanently stamping our presence.

Interesting fact- the first time we discovered the beauty that is a 'Berry white Mocha' we always ordered it 'hot' , little did we know that there was a 'cold' version of the drink and OH MY GOD it was simply ecstatic to find that out. The hot drink is usually enjoyable on those chilly winter days when you're all wrapped up in your coat and scarf and you just want to feel warm on the inside,  whereas the cold one was the best way to quench that thirst you get on those ; hot, humid summer days in Beirut! 

Nothing can take away the awesome times we had at 'Caribou' with many more to come hopefully! 

What Maisie Knew- Heartbreaking at Times, yet Delightful in the End

What Maisie knew tells the story of a 7 year old girl stuck in the middle of a very bitter and ugly custody battle. The whole movie is mainly seen through the eyes of the little girl "Maisie" played by "Onata Aprile", who was simply amazing in this performance, she doesn't say much, but she really doesn't have to her face does all the talking! She conveys all her emotions with a simple look, her eyes are very expressive and that's really what catches your attention. The way she simply looks upon her mother (played by Julianne Moore), who was just remarkably great at being horrible, when she asks her a question that you obviously shouldn't be asking a 7 year old!! Or when her father is trying to explain why he has to leave without taking her with him, she absorbs all that information in and responds with a simple look or nod, which her parents always took as a sign that she understands and is ok with whatever horrible decision they are making. You definitely feel for the little girl , she's going through one of the most dreadful things possible, a divorce, and from the beginning we can see that her parents aren't really meant to be parents. Her mother is an aging rockstar who can't face the fact that she isn't as successful as she used to be, and her dad is an art dealer always traveling from one place to another, they are simply not responsible and are obviously the kind of people who are never gonna change they're lifestyle to accommodate the fact that they have a child now! A child who requires attention and love, not in the form of gifts, as they seem to believe. So of course there has to be some good in this poor girls life, its not all sadness, and that is when we are introduced to the delightful characters of "Margo" the nanny played by the very cute "Joanna Vanderham" and "Lincoln" the bartender/Stepdad (her mother's boy toy) played by the adorable "Alexander Skarsgard" these two at first are simply the parents way of having someone to look after their daughter when they couldn't, which was really most of the time, and along the way Maisie finds herself accepting them as her caretakers because they give her what a child at that age really needs love, caring, and most importantly selflessness. They didn't ask to become parents to a child that is not their own, but they couldn't ignore what was happening in front of them to that little girl, it just wasn't right. Maisie develops such a wonderful relationship with both these characters the one with Margo is already there from the beginning because she's been her nanny for a while and she understands her completely, but with Lincoln it took some time for her to get used to him, and I gotta say watching Alexander Sakrsgard being all cute and adorable with that child was the cutest thing ever. Their scenes together really were some of the best in the movie, he comes into this girls life unexpected and slowly becomes a permanent fixture, she finds herself depending on him to always be there for her mainly because the poor girl never experienced what a "normal" 7 year old child's relationship with their parents should be. Like I said the whole movie is seen from Maisie's perspective, and I think it was really nice and different to see how a child that is going through something as awful as a divorce, observes and understands the little things she witnesses, and how they help her act and grow along the way. It's not easy for a child no matter how old they are to go through something like that, and this story shows it, but it also shows that sometimes you find your family in the most unexpected way. You get what you can from the situation you're in and Maisie does exactly that, she is young and some may think not mature enough to understand and perceive the situation she's in, but I think she knows exactly what's going on and she finds her way through it all because of the kindness and caring she is shown by her nanny and a complete stranger.
If you're into contemporary movies then you'll like this, the acting, the setting, and even  the lack of dialogue most of the time really help make this a heartbreakingly cute story. Absolutely Loved it!!
  
And just to prove just how cute Alexander and Onata were, I present  EXHIBIT 1!! Enjoy!

"You could Live a Thousand Lifetimes and not deserve Him...."

The Hunger Games, a ruthless story about survival and humanity set up in a futuristic world where people literally fight to the death for the entertainment of others. However, in this dark sad story there is a beacon of light and this beacon is introduced to us in the form of one of the most caring, cute, sensitive, loving, brave characters ever! Peeta Mellark, a humble baker with a talent for decorating cakes never fails to leave an impact on the reader. His way of thinking (so so selfless!!!) and his efforts to protect the girl he loves are what make him so damn adorable!! From the second his name is chosen and he knows only one person can come out alive he begins to plot and plan how he's gonna ensure Katniss' safety. He knows he has no chance of winning (which is further stressed to him by his own mother!!! what an evil bitch!!) so he accepts his fate and begins to think of ways to stay alive long enough to guarantee Katniss' survival in the game. He comes up with the smart idea of playing on the emotions of the gullible audience of the capitol by publicly announcing that he loves Katniss. (ok so he says he has a crush on her, but come on that boy LOVES HER!!) We can see it in his words and in "Josh Hutcherson's" (who was just perfect as Peeta) eyes when he talks about her!! He's been in love with this girl for a long time and he's about to enter into a game to the death, so he figures what the hell I'll profess my undying love for her on tv and hope she feels the same way. I'm sure he knew Katniss didn't really feel the same way about him, she's a tough shell to crack, but he took the chance and hoped it'll be worth it. And it TOTALLY WAS!! That little confession of his and of course his awesome speech, the night before the games kicked off, about not wanting to be another "piece in their game" and wanting to die as himself and not someone different was such an emotional rush! How could someone appear to be so calm and collected in the face of ultimate death and still manage to be so selfless at the same time. Well that's Peeta for you, a character who's sole purpose was to ensure the survival of our Protagonist but because of his strong sense of emotion and deep level of feeling he managed to become as important to us as the hero of the story. It got to the point where I couldn't imagine the story going on without PEETA! He was so good with words and expressing how he feels that he eventually created a little crack in the "wall" that is Katniss's emotions. Forcing her to become attached to him on some level which ultimately created an unbreakable bond between the two. Their survival and their fates became intertwined together paving the way for what will become a heartbreakingly beautiful story about the true meaning of love and how that love can help us survive even the most dire situations in life.
Now the idea of "love" in the Hunger Games isn't necessarily the "lovey dovey" kind, on the contrary, it's the love of  freedom, family, life. The theme of love is explored by the characters in different ways and takes on a specific meaning for each one. Peeta introduces the Element of love in the story not only to create the so called  "love-triangle" effect, not at all! He uses the element of love as his version of a lifeline to survive the messed up world he lives in. Katniss's love is for her family, she loves her sister so much she volunteered in her place, Gale (the other male character in Katniss's life, he's ok, I'm not a huge fan) uses his love and passion of life in the hope of finding freedom somehow, an escape. So to say The Hunger Games is just a "love story" is  simply wrong. And if you fail to see the bigger picture behind this thought-provoking story then you really shouldn't be reading these books. Now back to why I totally book crushed on Peeta when I was reading the series, the obsession is still going on btw, it never left me I'm just better at *cough cough* controlling it! Peeta moments that had my heart doing cart wheels, where do I start there are so many to pick from, in the first book his speech obviously the night before the games started, when he allied himself with the 'Careers' a.k.a the a-Holes from the top districts to make sure they don't harm Katniss, or when he was injured and dying and he still worried about Katniss' well being. I mean come on!! who's that selfless! PEETA! That's who! and in the end (omg this moment is just soo ahhh I can't even describe it) when it's just him and Katniss left and they think they won but then the rules are changed and only one can live, he immediately drops his weapon (Katniss goes for an arrow) cuz she thinks he might kill her. Seriously Katniss!! Seriously! He asks her to kill him instead, because if she dies he'll have nothing back home, he simply won't be happy. The second book just brings us more and more beautiful Peeta moments and even though he knows on some level that they are pretending to be "in love" he didn't see the harm in taking advantage of the situation to spend as much time as possible with the girl he loves. "I wish I could freeze this moment, right here, right now and Live in it forever." Ahhhhh the Peeta feels!! The list could go on and on about the goodness that is Peeta Mellark. Even when he was "Hijacked Peeta" he was still decent enough to realize that he might cause harm to someone and actually asks them to kill him to ensure he won't hurt anyone!!  He is the purest character in the books and that pureness simply bounces off the pages when you're reading, because it's really difficult to believe that with all the hate, anger, and dreadful things surrounding the place they live in, you can find someone who is decent, hopeful,and sincere, someone who can capture the affections of the people with a few simple honest words and make them believe that there is hope in the darkness, that is the terrible world they live in, and that there is a light  which can help them escape the awful reality of their surroundings. So thank you Peeta Mellark, for being one of the most heart warming charismatic characters out there, and for making us believe in and fall in love with the beauty of a decent, truthful ,compassionate Person for a change. These traits are not easy to come by and Peeta's character (whether it was normal Peeta or Hijacked Peeta)  is definitely the best way to represent them. He's like little rays of sunshine that shine through the window and slowly pull you out of the dark.  

Is The List Working!!?

6. 6th Runner's Up:

 ONE REPUBLIC 

It's happening, they might be coming to Lebanon!! (I say might because I don't want to jinx it!!) BUT they tweeted about it, THEY WANT TO VISIT US!! And Play their awesome music, finally giving us hope that there might be a decent concert taking place in Lebanon this year!!

One Republic are an entertaining band.PERIOD!! Their music is a mixture of rhythmic melodies and catchy lyrics that create an amazing atmosphere that simply washes over you making you just Feel Good! What more could you want!!? 

Seriously they have an amazing cello player, a violinist,an actual made up organ like instrument and finally RYAN TEDDER, who's just a ball of awesome energy that likes to share his awesomeness with the rest of the world!! 

More In The List

3. 3rd Runners Up:

Train

Train at Birmingham O2

 Because their music and lyrics are fun, fresh, and summery! You can't help but sing your heart out along with  them.

 Now picture this: There's a summer breeze fondling your cheeks, cold drink in hand and drops of Jupiter in your hair. 

Yes i went there!! 

I'm being cheesy because their sound leaves you lighter; a sound that provokes you to run barefoot in the street screaming "MINT AND CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM" at the closest Falafel shop. Maybe that's just me, but that is my motto for this summer; lightheartedness.

Beautiful Words

After learning my flight was detained 4 hours,
I heard the announcement:

If anyone in the vicinity of gate 4-A understands any Arabic,
Please come to the gate immediately.

Well—one pauses these days. Gate 4-A was my own gate. I went there.

An older woman in full traditional Palestinian dress,
Just like my grandma wore, was crumpled to the floor, wailing loudly.

Help, said the flight service person. Talk to her. What is her

Problem? we told her the flight was going to be four hours late and she
Did this.

I put my arm around her and spoke to her haltingly.

Shu dow-a, shu- biduck habibti, stani stani schway, min fadlick,

Sho bit se-wee?

The minute she heard any words she knew—however poorly used—
She stopped crying.

She thought our flight had been canceled entirely.
She needed to be in El Paso for some major medical treatment the
Following day. I said no, no, we’re fine, you’ll get there, just late,

Who is picking you up? Let’s call him and tell him.
We called her son and I spoke with him in English.
I told him I would stay with his mother till we got on the plane and
Would ride next to her—Southwest.

She talked to him. Then we called her other sons just for the fun of it.

Then we called my dad and he and she spoke for a while in Arabic and
Found out of course they had ten shared friends.

Then I thought just for the heck of it why not call some Palestinian
Poets I know and let them chat with her. This all took up about 2 hours.

She was laughing a lot by then. Telling about her life. Answering
Questions.

She had pulled a sack of homemade mamool cookies—little powdered
Sugar crumbly mounds stuffed with dates and nuts—out of her bag—
And was offering them to all the women at the gate.

To my amazement, not a single woman declined one. It was like a
Sacrament. The traveler from Argentina, the traveler from California,
The lovely woman from Laredo—we were all covered with the same
Powdered sugar. And smiling. There are no better cookies.

And then the airline broke out the free beverages from huge coolers—
Non-alcoholic—and the two little girls for our flight, one African
American, one Mexican American—ran around serving us all apple juice
And lemonade and they were covered with powdered sugar too.

And I noticed my new best friend—by now we were holding hands—
Had a potted plant poking out of her bag, some medicinal thing,

With green furry leaves. Such an old country traveling tradition. Always
Carry a plant. Always stay rooted to somewhere.

And I looked around that gate of late and weary ones and thought,
This is the world I want to live in. The shared world.

Not a single person in this gate—once the crying of confusion stopped
—has seemed apprehensive about any other person.

They took the cookies. I wanted to hug all those other women too.
This can still happen anywhere.

Not everything is lost.

Naomi Shihab Nye (b. 1952), “Wandering Around an Albuquerque Airport Terminal.” I think this poem may be making the rounds, this week, but that’s as it should be.

http://awelltraveledwoman.tumblr.com/page/11