Ahla friends,
Spain has won, and somehow I've become deeply invested in Lamine Yamal's family life... even though I had no idea who he was two weeks ago.
No sooner had the World Cup frenzy ended than another kind of chaos took over: Saint Levant's September NYC concert.
There were two presales, and both sold out within hours.
In the meantime, our inbox was flooded with messages, some hopeful, some desperate, and some downright unhinged. I don't think we've ever seen another artist or event spark this level of excitement/intensity in our community.
Safe to say... the Saint Levant effect is very, very real.
If you're still hoping to go, more tickets will be released this morming, again tomorrow and on Friday. If you want to attend, don't wait. And fair warning: they're not cheap. All info on our website
Let’s get to it
Samar
THE SHORTLIST
The Ones Worth Your Time
COMEDY
Malik Elassal
Thu Jul 23, 7–9pm
Union Hall, Park Slope
Lebanese comedian Malik Elassal, named a New Face at JFL Montreal and on Vulture's Comedians You Should and Will Know list. Sharp, heartfelt storytelling from someone who clearly has a lot to say. Also stars in FX/Hulu's Adults.
COMEDY
Mohamed Helmy: Crowd Gigs
Sat Jul 25, 9pm
City Tech, Brooklyn Heights
Egyptian comedian Mohamed Helmy is back in NYC with his most requested format, fully interactive, never the same show twice. Show in Arabic.
PARTY
Laylit
Sat Jul 25, 9pm–4am
Elsewhere, Bushwick
The Laylit crew bringing their acclaimed SWANA club night to Elsewhere. Shaabi, dabke, mahraganat, Arabic pop and hip-hop mixed with contemporary electronic. NYT and Pitchfork approved, community beloved
WELLNESS
Off Set
Sun Jul 26, 11am–3pm
Prospect Park
A morning walk through Prospect Park designed for film and TV professionals, co-led by a licensed therapist. Movement, grounding exercises, team-building on the trail. Partners, kids, all levels welcome. This initiative was started with Sohailla Mahjour.
PLAY
Backgammon and Coffee Reading
Sun Jul 26, 3–6pm
Boyfriend, Bushwick
Armenian-rooted afternoon. SWANA backgammon boards, Turkish coffee, and fortune tellers in the room. All is said. Free event with a minimum 1 purchase required from the venue, and guests are encouraged to tip the readers.
MUSIC
Lama El Homaïssi: Hakawatiya
Mon Jul 27, 7pm
Joe's Pub, East Village
Lebanese artist Lama El Homaïssi performing her solo cabaret Hakawatiya, a tribute to her Lebanese roots and her journey from Beirut to New York. Underground Arabic jazz cabaret meets Broadway musical comedy meets rock and roll. The hakawati tradition, fully reimagined
FOOD
Dinner at the Grocer with Silvia Barban
Tue Jul 28, 6pm or 8:30pm
Edy's Grocer, Williamsburg
Top Chef alum Silvia Barban joins Lebanese chef Edy for an Italian x Lebanese family-style feast, focaccia, pasta, grilled meats, and a labneh mousse sundae tiramisu that I need immediately. Two seatings
THE FREE ONE
Free and Delightful
ART
Ceramics Now: Lizzy Chemel, Amir Hariri, Melissa Joseph
Opening Thu Jul 23, 5–7pm | On view through Aug 28
Jane Hartsook Gallery, Greenwich Village
A group ceramics exhibition featuring Iranian-American artist Amir Hariri a New York City-based artist and engineer who deconstructs the world around him to create abstract artwork and interventions that respond to contemporary challenges such as the pandemic and climate change.
EVENT HIGHLIGHT
Sponsored Event
Ziad, Kifak Enta? A tribute Concert To Ziad Rahbani
This Friday at The People’s Forum
The Brooklyn Nomads Celebrating Ziad Rahbani
I first saw Hadi and his brother Mohamad perform last year. I wasn't expecting what I got. There was something between them on stage that you can't manufacture, a closeness that only siblings have and a real generosity toward the audience. They weren't performing to us, they were co-creating with us and It stayed with me.
Since then I've kept my eye on The Brooklyn Nomads, the ensemble they founded together. They clearly don't separate what they do from who they are. This isn't a gig for them. They live this culture, they carry this music, and it shows throughout all of their events, workshops and community work.
This Friday, they're bringing their craft and passion to The People's Forum for Ziad, Kifak Enta?, a tribute concert nearly one year after Ziad Rahbani's passing on July 26, 2025.
If you know Ziad Rahbani, you already know why this matters. If you don't, let me tell you. He was one of the most influential artists in modern Arab music and theater. Composer, pianist, playwright, lyricist, arranger, satirist. His work brought Arabic song into conversation with political satire, theater, and street-level humor in ways that were heartbreaking and funny and rebellious and deeply musical all at once. He shaped generations across Lebanon and the Arab world, and some say he remade Fairuz while he was at it.
The Brooklyn Nomads are gathering close to that anniversary to explore what his work still has to say about love, class, power, contradiction, humor, grief, and art as truth-telling.
And as a bonus: 20% of net proceeds go to a charity aligned with Ziad's values of justice and solidarity.
Let's go, my friends!
Fri Jul 24 | Doors 6:30pm, Show 7pm
The People's Forum, Midtown
$30 online, $40 at the door
PROJECT HIGHLIGHT
Interesting Initiatives
A Food Photography Contest Awaiting Your Submission, No Professional Experience Needed
I got approached by a non-profit connected to the UN and The Prince Albert Of Monaco called The Foundation for Post Conflict Development. They are looking for submissions for Stories from the Table, a global photography and storytelling initiative exploring how food preserves culture, rebuilds communities, and builds peace. The theme is Culinary Diplomacy: a moment, a family tradition, a community experience where food became a bridge.
No professional photography or writing experience required, they're seeking authentic stories and lived experience, not technical perfection. Selected submissions will be featured in a permanent digital exhibition, a digital vernissage, and potentially a physical exhibition. Winners get a private session with FPCD founder Claudia Abate, who has worked extensively with the United Nations.
Given how central food is to our communities, and how often our culinary traditions have been appropriated, I would love to see their inbox flooded with submissions from us. Let's make sure our stories, recipes, and voices are impossible to ignore.
Also, I donno if it will matter but I would be very to recommend you to the organizers, just email me.
Submission here
The deadline is on the 7th of August at 9PM EST and the winners will be announced the following week.
Boussa
Samar
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