Lebanese at the Dakar, a meghle tart and secrets about Jane B.: the Weekender

In The Weekender, The Orient-Le Jour offers you a selection of articles dealing with culture, lifestyle, fashion, societal subjects, to (re)read during the weekend. To take a break and try to disconnect (a little) from the hot news.

For nearly sixty years, she shared everything about the life of the Gainsbourg muse, until her last evening. On the occasion of the publication of “It’s Jane, Birkin Jane” (ed. Actes Sud), photographer Gabrielle Crawford tells Karl Richa about a friendship that was initially intended to be discreet, but which she now wants to share.

Fourteen days, thirteen stages and eight thousand kilometers. For this 47th edition, even more testing than the others, the Dakar welcomes for the first time two Lebanese, Ihab Hakim and Rafic Eid, out of the 148 candidates in this category. To Lisa Goursaud, the two competitors talk about their journeys, their preparation for the rally and their ambitions for the future.

They have mastered the art of spectacular performances and have demonstrated it once again. For their first concert of 2025, in Abu Dhabi, in a 43,000-seat stadium, the members of the British group Coldplay saw things big. Very big. Maya Ghandour tells you about the “intergalactic” event and what’s left of it, after the show.

An oriental spirit, flavors like meghle or halawa, and dishes like rice with dried fruits and chestnuts but reinterpreted as… tarts. This is the concept of the new restaurant in Achrafieh, simply named La Tarterie, and designed by Maroun Sfeir. Nagi Morkos tells you everything about this adventure, both personal and culinary.

Elissa, Ragheb Alama, Nancy Ajram, Carole Samaha and Majida el-Roumi…After the election of Joseph Aoun as President of the Lebanese Republic, key figures of glittering Lebanon – usually not very talkative on political subjects – have displayed their congratulations to the new head of state, even their closeness to him. Some even wrote rhymes for him. Overview of the main reactions, with Raphaël Abdelnour.

“Because no woman anymore wants to suffer to be beautiful”, the Lebanese Jennifer Chamandi wanted fashion creations that are comfortable, but which also strengthen self-esteem. Whether she incorporates a single signature detail, or a few nods to Audrey Hepburn, her stainless muse, she rises to every challenge. Fifi Abou Dib presents it to you.

Committed to the LGBT+ cause since a young age, a journalist involved in the political sphere, the Lebanese Sonia Tir brought public figures into her confessional for her book LGBT in politics, coming out of the closet (Ed. Fayard). As her research progressed, she even made some rather intriguing – and amusing – discoveries which she shared with Mélissa Chidiac.

A political refugee, he left some of his works in his studio in Damascus, others in the prison cells where he was incarcerated. But from Syria to France, via Beirut, drawing has always been a weapon of self-defense for him. At Littéraire, Najah Albukaï talks about her relationship with this means of expression and the impact of events on her brushstrokes.