Where do you live in Beirut and why?

Saqiet el-Janzeer area of Ras Beirut, because of mixed, cosmopolitan character of area, proximity to sea and a view of the sea, accessible land routes in and out of the area to all parts of city, and lots of things to do within easy access.

What advice would you give a tourist? Any must do’s?

Avoid summer humidity if you can. Walk all over the city to enjoy it thoroughly. Sit in a Raouche (seafront) cafe and watch the planes land while enjoying a meal and an argeeleh (water pipe)

What advice would you give a visiting businessperson?

Shop around. Negotiate hard but honestly. Make sure everything is done legally through reputable lawyers. Do all your negotiations over lengthy meals and enjoy your encounters with the most able business and professional people in the entire Middle East.

What and where have been your most memorable meals?

Steak and French Fries at Relais de l’Entrecote restaurant in Beirut’s Downtown; Traditional Lebanese mezze at Munir restaurant in Broumanna (a suburb overlooking the city); any French dish at Cocteau in Ashrafiyeh; fish dinners at Bourj el-Hamam at the Movenpick hotel; the lunch salad bar at El Mondo at the Phoenicia Interncontinental; and any ‘manaqeesh’ bakery anywhere in the country making zaatar and cheese manaqeesh.

Where would you take an interviewee to wow them?

Sampling the small restaurants on Gemaizeh’s main street; cafe and restaurant hopping in the downtown area; or a meal at any of the many good restaurants overlooking the sea, especially in the Raouche area.

What do you miss about Beirut when away?

Its cosmopolitan mix of diverse people, its perpetual energy, its liveliness, the incredibly high quality of its talented people, the very lively and good quality cultural life, the incredibly entertaining media offerings, especially the often bizarre but kaleidoscopically lively local political scene.