N.B This post was originally published in February 2015.

It's time to cherish the memories y'all. And if we forget the past, then we are doomed to eat escalope and salade panachée-only menus forever...

Add your own 90s memories in the comments section below!


1. McDonald’s opening in Lebanon was actually a thing.

(Image via habeeb.com)

Totally the place to hang out in 1998.


2. Checkpoints were regular business.

Post-war nation alert: keep your identification documents handy at all times.


3. You couldn’t take fancy pictures in downtown because there was no downtown.

It would’ve been pointless anyway because Instagram didn't exist.


4. Eating out was a much less confusing endeavor with the unified 90s restaurant menu.

You knew it was either going to be escalope or salade panachée. Sometimes both.


5. Your alcohol selection was also very limited.

(Image via blogbaladi.com)


6. Going to the airport was a horrific sight for the eyes.


(Image via The Guardian)

The Beirut airport emerged from the civil war in a nearly obsolete state, and reconstruction on it didn't start until 1994.


7. You had to go clothes shopping in Verdun because there were no malls around, and Jiyeh was the top beach destination.

Jonas (Jiyeh) was pretty much the Eddé Sands of the 90s. Believe.


8. As for workout spots, it was definitely Panacea, the first mega-gym in town.


9. And ZINC was quite the hipster pre-party venue.


10. Oh and let’s not forget about Dunkin’ Donuts, arguably the Starbucks of late-90s Lebanon.


(Image via blogspot)

The first Dunkin’ Donuts opened on Zalka highway in 1998.


11. Haifa’s 1996 interview with Zaven on Télé Liban made national headlines and was arguably the kickoff of her career.

She discussed rumors swirling around about her controversial affair involving Lebanese politicians.


12. Jamming to Elias Karam songs was nothing short of hip.


(Screenshot via YouTube)


13. Hani Shaker was the cure for your heartbreak.
*drops mic*


14. And you actually bought Walid Toufic cassettes.


(Image via )


15. You still own a stack of VHS tapes somewhere in your warehouse.


16. This lady set the standard in terms of fashion and beauty.


(Image via Ebay)


Blonde, wild and beautiful (someone is actually selling this issue on Ebay for a discount price of $22.75 if you’re interested).


17. Rollerblade rides were the best.

There's probably still an old pair lying around in your backyard.


18. And last but not least, you (or your mom) were totally into TV workouts because of her.



Please tell me you remember the opening song…


Bonus Pick: this hit 1990 commercial.

Articles & Media

10 photos
 

Comments

Avatar 1
Post to facebook
Add Comment
 
Avatar 2

Mono was just kicking off who remembers the hole in the wall ? and the girls dancing on the bar tops , Hazmieh for a cool jazz night out , or drinks at Howard Johnsons Hotel ?or super night life at Voodoo ? Le Mono Cafe to watch sagesse and champville ? or cross the Road to Duo, then along the street on the left to Che Kaslik was just emerging as an eatery , and still had a good selection of fashion shops. Jbeil had bamboo bay and Voile Blue they were sensational , Power cuts were really bad ( depended where you lived , downtown had none .....Broumana had Cheers and a couple of great restaurants streets were free of rubbish .... driving was insane but better than today ( less cars ) parking was easier and a hell of a lot cheaper, Hamra had a wicked range of alcohols in a variety of small backstreet bars and the Mayflower was the place to be on a friday for happy hour , Lebanese were still learning how to queue ( they still are , and insisted on getting in lifts before those inside had exited ) young Lebanese boys had just learned how to ride motor bikes at 80kph on one wheel down the highway , petrol filling stations had pump attendants that held cigarettes in their mouths as they filled your car ,Byblos was a sleepy hollow and a great escape on Sundays ( Roger Eddie only owned a couple of streets then ,and Pepe Abed,s place was still special ....hey who remembers the sports bar at Tabariss? or the lime bar downtown hey we still await the opera house ...will that ever happen ? multinational companies began to set up ME regional offices , expats were filling the streets ,,we went shopping on Saturday to Damascus ,2 hours to Broumana from Sin el Fil on a friday night, place full of tourists Janna in Beit Mery had 600 seats and you had to book 3 days in advance .... selfies weren't invented and cell phones didn't all take photos ..wow those were the days ,

Robert Dooley on Sep 4, 2016 via web
 
Avatar 2

Is that Haifa Wehbe in the last picture?

Karim El-Houssami on Apr 13, 2015 via web
 
Avatar 2

Epic. Nostalgic. Cringe-worthy Lebanon of the 90's. So glad we're past all that and have embraced our sectarian geopolitical states now:)

Ryan Hamze on Mar 28, 2015 via mobile web