Say Cheese

Last week, I went to the beach with Mr US and Mr NYC. It was a semi-frou frou place in Beirut, but since it was a week day, I didn't mind. When we got there, there was a woman posing for pictures at the bar, with her friend behind the camera. She kept moving around to make sure that her precious handbag was in every shot - a hot pink Chanel - because, of course, there is no other reason to post pics on Facebook if you can't show off that you bring a Chanel purse... to the beach. This is not an exaggeration, readers. This really happened. Imagine... posing for pics to highlight your designer handbag AT THE BEACH! I think I have seen the epitome of superficial materialism/ stupidity/ desperation.

Now, let me be clear. There is absolutely nothing wrong with owning a designer handbag. I love my bags. But I don't feel the need to a) take pictures of them and post them on Facebook and b) tote them to the beach (of all places). This is mainly because a) I have a life and b) I know that there are more important things going on in the world than who has the latest designer purse.

Women from a certain segment of Lebanese society need to wake up and realize that most people outside their little bubbles care about how much money they have about as much as they care about what Amanda Bynes has been arrested for since she went bat-sh*t crazy. Who is Amanda Bynes, you ask? Yeah, exactly, I rest my case.

MadGlam was over the other day and we were exchanging horror stories about these supposed 'society' women and how they abandon their kids to the care of housekeepers so they can galavant around town getting manicures and attend mindless society events to show off about their bags, jewelry and extravagant vacations. I avoid such events like the plague. I'd rather hang out with the ghosts of Saddam Hussein and Qhaddafi. But Beirut is a small town and you hear things.

When I look around and see what is happening in the world, what is happening in our backyard, and then I see how these women behave, I become totally disgusted. I want to ask these women, aren't you tired? It must be so exhausting to always be in competition with your so-called 'friends'. Why try so hard to out do everyone when there is always going to be someone who is richer than you, prettier than you, thinner than you and - not that you care - smarter than you.

It is so freeing to just be who you are and to surround yourself with people who accept the real you. Step out of your bubble for once and see. 

Designer Bags and Bombs

I think Beirut's major malls and shopping centers need to have a serious sit down with management and discuss their ridiculous secuirty policies. I'm all for checking the cars when they come into the car park, but checking our handbags at the entrance before going inside? Puhleeze. Note to head of mall security: Women are not going to bomb their designer handbags! This is Lebanon, our precious bags are more important to us than any political agenda. Trust!

My Marc is way too precious to blow up

Mind you, not every mall has some bored-out-of-his-mind geriatric secuirty guy at the entrance searching women's handbags - some management teams have been smart enough to notice that an upperclass woman with the latest Marc Jacobs draped on her arm is hardly the type to be carrying TNT. In fact, the only thing mildly explosive she'll be holding is her credit card receipts. If any mall owners are listening, please rest assured, we are there to shop, spend money and gossip over coffee with fellow designer bag toting gal pals - i.e. we are not interested in blowing anything up. Seirously, do you think we'd be dumb enough to strut into the ABC with a bomb in our bags?? Plus, all the terrible violence that has happened in this city over the past few years has been carried out by MEN and they use dingy cars and vans, not purses.

The bottom line is this: we Lebanese women (not me specifically) spend way too much money on plastic surgery, designer clothes, shoes and handbags to blow ourselves up. So, the next time you think a lady's designer handbag is a good place to hide a bomb or any other weapon, think again!