LinkUp Addis April 2021

April 2021

ADDIS ABABA

21 "My art lies in testing the physical and psychological boundaries, and learning from them"

Maheder Gebremedhin An Architect, Urbanist, Radio Show Host

FollwUp

ReelUp

Creative Futures Opening up Opportunities to Ethiopia's Rising Creative Community

Kidus has finally rated an Ethiopian movie above 6 in a long while.

LinkUp Horoscope The stars may be in your favor this month.

04 Editor’s Letter

06 09

FollowUp

Shecovery

Followup+

Creative Features Innovation Month

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Linkup

Thumbsup

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Sziget festival

Asabet

Brief

Catchup

Eatup

A modern fish butchery

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Maheder Gebremedhin An Architect, Urbanist, Radio Show Host

The Club Addis

Movie Reviews

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Closeup

Linkup

Bucket List

Whatsup

Listenup

Reelup

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Linkup

Horoscope

Linkup

City Guide

Happy April. We would like to congratulate all Ethiopians on the Walias' entry to the African Cup of Nations 2022 to be held in Cameroon. There are few better ways to start a new month. As we start the new month, we would like to draw your attention to LinkUp Business, our newest platform for business and tech news in Ethiopia and beyond.

The platform which has been running for over three months now is quickly gaining momentum as a preferred, authentic source of business news for many. We are also rebuilding our online streaming infrastructure and you may expect something cool, very soon.

One more thing, it's April the Fool, and what we said about LinkUp Business may or may not be true. Why don't you go check it out?

Eyob Workineh Editor-in-Chief

Editor in chief: Eyob Workineh eyob@linkupaddis.com Marketing Director: Mathias Aklilu mathias@linkupaddis.com Partnerships Director: Eyasu Abdella eyasu@linkupaddis.com Graphic Designer: Abenezer Samuel bensamuel189@gmail.com

Photographers: Abenezer Geleta Nathan Seyoum Mehari Haile

Cover photo:

by Abenezer Geleta

LinkUp Brief March 2021

Zoya+ Hosts Its Latest Successful Episode A bigger edition of Addis's oldest party series, Zoya Electronic Music Party, took place on Saturday, 20 March 2021 to great success. The event, which started earlier than its usual starting time at 8:00 pm featured Eugene Antony Onyango (Euggy) and Suraj Mandavia (Suraj) from the Kenyan Gondwana label. With a graceful stage design and within the set up of the beautiful Greek Club gardens, the event turned out to be one of the most memorable events of the year for its great turnout, fantastic performances by both the headlining DJs as well as the local DJ line up which included Armaghedion, DJ Benaiah and Chill Akilas. Zoya, a 25+ only event hosted in partnership with Castel Beer, has been growing in popularity over the last several months for its great production, event safety, quality of talents, customer service. It is yet to be announced when the next episode of this event is happening.

Creative Futures 2021 Comes to an End The annual Creative Futures program comes to an end announcing five winners of the two-month-long innovation month. The program, which aims at empowering and capacitating creative practitioners engaged in the image sector involved several activities, including apprenticeship, workshop, and creative-art showcases. Final winners of the competition were awarded up to ETB 120,000, funds they are expected to invest to expand their creative projects.

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Thumbsup Eyasu A. Ashenafi

DJ School Name: DCT Academy DCT Entertainment is a company with global-standard recording studio, video production, International DJ and Music production in based Addis Ababa. The academy is equipped with state-of-theart equipment and international DJ instructors for aspiring artists in areas that mix contemporary DJ skills with Ethiopian cultural music like Masinko and Washint.

Instagram: @dctentertainment1 Facebook: dctentertainment1 Phone Number: +251 94 236 0503 Email: dctentertainments2000@gmail. com Restaurant Name: Asa Bet (English for Fish House) Founded by the award-winning Chef and cooking show host Chef Yohanis, Asa Bet is the newest premium addition in Addis's hospitality industry.

Conveniently located on Cameroon Street in Bole, and serving a variety of sea foods ranging from local Ethiopian fish foods to international rarities, the restaurant dubs itself as the Fish Butchery and it is proving to live up to its name.

See EatUp section for more details.

Facebook: Asa bet Location: on the 1st floor of Lucky building, Bole opposite Monarch hotel Telephone: +251 11 821 2198 On Google maps? Yes Spa Name: Byogenic Spa Byogenic Spa is an oasis of peace and relaxation in a world of chaos.

If you are thinking to take a day to

nurture your body and soul with a variety of services including skin care and other spa needs, Byogeic Spa is your go-to place. Byogenic is also the first skin care school in the country which has trained over 5000 people located around Megenagna on the 6th floor of Seleshi Sehin Building. The Byogenic Beauty Spot Training Center offers a variety of courses to create skillful beauty specialists of the future.

Location: At Laphto Mall around Old Airport and Radisson Blu Hotel Telephone: +25191 124 5446 Facebook: Byogenic Spa On Google Maps: Yes

FollowUp

SheCovery Amanu Teriessa

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n March 6, a festival called SheCovery was held at Zoma Museum. After having reached the gates at around noon, I already knew that my afternoon is going to be a blast. I had never been to Zoma Museum before, and I had wanted to use this as an excuse to finally go. Looking back on it, I can’t tell whether or not that day being my first experience of Zoma Museum had a part in it, but I know that it was a very memorable festival I am unlikely to forget anytime soon.

Photo by: Amanuel Asfaw

It was in celebration of International Women’s Day that this festival was held. Featuring a wide bazaar with a myriad of handmade artifacts, live music from talented performers, yoga and meditation programs,

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followed by a fashion show to wrap things up, the participants had a very eventful afternoon indeed. Nowhere could have been a better venue for the festival; completely in sync with the theme of the event, the museum was a significant part of the experience. The green lushness along with the culturally designed architecture made it difficult for the participants to leave even after seeing (and consuming) all the festival had to offer.

The first of the tellers at the entrance of the bazaar was probably the most eye-catching one, too. Haya Dolls is a company founded by women living with disabilities. On the two tables in front of them, a huge set of uniquely beautiful handcrafted

dolls were set. Dark skinned and curly haired, the cute little depictions of Africans were a

"Featuring a wide bazaar with a myriad of handmade artifacts, live music from talented performers, yoga and meditation programs, followed by a fashion show to wrap things up, the participants had a very eventful afternoon indeed."

Photo by: Amanuel Asfaw

" Those who had managed to not be wilted down by the sun came to the call of the performers to do entertaining dances that were suspiciously too close to aerobic exercises. The smiles on everyone’s faces were testaments enough to prove they were having fun."

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efficiency – both in terms of cost for the consumer and environmental waste – is so astounding that I was not surprised to meet numerous people around their table asking the same question as me: why has this not completely replaced pads?

marvel to look at. Sefi Sisters – which, like Haya Dolls, was also made by women living with disabilities – presented hand-sewn clothing for adults and children made from pure cotton.

Photo by: Amanuel Asfaw

On their stand, ‘Tchakka’ Origins showed their botanical products.

‘Tchakka’ Origins is an organic agroforestry enterprise crafting exceptional plant extracts and ingredients for the personal care and wellness industry. The company’s fundamental aims are to use indigenous species sustainably, preserving forest ecosystems, and improving livelihoods of the farmers. Their products include: flowers, spices, traditional medicine plants, and seed oils. With scents ranging from lemon to hibiscus, their stand was riveting not only to the eyes but also to the nose.

The Noble Cup, a product that has been apparently on the market for decades, is an ecofriendly, timesaving, cost effective tool used to manage menstruation. The 8 I Linkup Addis Ababa

Chika Enabuka, a name already familiar to many, is an art center and a natural playground. For the festival, many of the products they brought were vegan food that was so good that it might as well be classed as gourmet. Cakes and biscuits made of indigenous plants like Teff were presented for a surprisingly cheap price for anyone who wanted them. Right next to them were ‘Desta’, a company most known for their skateboards everyone loves. They showed a lot of skateboards and clothing.

While going around the bazaar, the participants were invited to come on the space in front of the stage on which the band was playing classics throughout the event.

Those who had managed to not be wilted down by the sun came to the call of the performers to do entertaining dances that were suspiciously too close to aerobic exercises. The smiles on everyone’s faces were testaments enough to prove they were having fun. As all this was happening, in the quieter sections of the museum were occupied by those who were practicing Yoga.

Once we were done with the bazaar, we sat back on the grass and simply enjoyed the live music.

In an hour or so, the fashion show began. Models wearing truly magnificent clothes went up and down the area in front of the stage, with a complete dominion over our attentions.

Over the hours, a constant number

of foreigners kept flocking into the bazaar empty handed but left with an item or two in theirs and their children’s arms.

Among the many great things we saw that day, this clear show of tourist-spending was great to witness.

FollowUp+

Creative Features Innovation Month Amanu Teriessa

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reative Furtures’ Innovation Month 2021 held its program during March of this year. In an attempt to catalyze and foster the creativity of the country’s youth by offering incentives and special trainings, the Urban Center in collaboration with the British Council arranged this event. In this event, we were able to see masterful crafts ranging from authentic Ethiopian artwork and sculptures made from litter to Ethiopian themed games and comic book stories depicting traditional Ethiopian children tales.

Photo by: Courtesy of Urban Center

The competition was a tough one to be part of, let alone to win.

Many youngsters applied for this event, and of the two hundred

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and fifty seven competitors who had submitted proposals to creative projects they had come up with, sixty five of them were selected to take part. These members were then put into thirteen teams, each with a specific project to complete. After weeks of trainings, reviews, and teamwork-building exercises, the final projects were finally put on display for the public in the halls of the Urban Center.

Mahder Gebremedhin from the Urban Center explained in his opening speech that the main purpose of this event was to promote the culture of teamwork.

He said that their main goal was to show the numerous merits of collaboration when tackling big problems. “It is only by harnessing

the variety of the knowledge and experiences of the team’s members that we can push the limits of innovation.” he explained. The representative of the British Council went on stage, following him, to explain what objectives the British Council had wanted to meet, the main one being the promotion

"Their art was a channel they used to signify the burden that comes with living in the modern world."

Photo by: Courtesy of Urban Center

" The competition was a tough one to be part of, let alone to win"

of overall communicative skills and willingness/ability to function in an environment in which collaboration was not a perk but a necessity. Once the opening speeches were done, the tour then commenced.

Photo by: Courtesy of Urban Center

The first booth was the team that had made the children’s game platform called ‘Qelem’.

The team – composed of designers, programmers, and visual artists – designed and implemented a mobile game that incorporates paper puzzles, coloring games, and augmented reality (AR). The game is quite eye catching, and anyone – not just kids – can see themselves playing and enjoying it. The next project we were shown was the decorative products made

by Sebez Designs. Adhering only to traditional methods of weaving straw to make a variety of household items, Sebez’s products featured contemporary implementations of those methods, products including small seats and tables. What made their products unique was that they are targeted at consumers of every social stratum. Because these products

can be used for multiple purposes (ensuring you get your money’s worth) not to mention that they could be folded in on themselves (so that space available in the room won’t be an issue), the team says it is guaranteed that their reach will be wide.

Another interesting team we saw was Sir’af, who presented a combination of sculptures and performance art. They used metal pieces to build a man bent under the pressure of what he is carrying on his back, and the weight he carried was made of an assortment of thrown away garbage, including used bottles, glass pieces, old telephones, etc. Their art was a channel they used to signify the burden that comes with living in the modern world. ‘Qene’ Comics was another very interesting showcase. The team had made a series of comic books with a unique artistic style telling the stories of beloved children’s tales.

The stories featured included the likes of Aleqa Gebrehana and his hilarious adventures.

Apart from these, there were many other teams who put on very creative shows. There was a team who had made a puppet show, which is, for some reason, not popular in the children entertainment industry of the country. There was a team who designed a table of Ge’ez characters and made a game with the purpose of teaching those characters to its users.

Another team had built a fully functional computer game that was set in historic sites of Ethiopia, these and more exhibits gave life to the occasion.

All in all, the event was very successful. Not only did it create a spotlight for artistic innovation for the youth, it also expanded the networks of everyone involved. By giving the participants an experience they are sure to use in their careers, Creative Futures’ Innovation has done a very appreciable thing.

CatchUp

Sziget festival Nathan Seyoum

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rom beach parties to tent spectacles, pool parties to a rolling piano “Mister” brigading the rhythm, and a giant golden gate bridge that reads “Island of Freedom”, you have come to Sziget, and you will never want to leave. An island of adventure, and sometimes misfortune where its suave and intrigue lies in its very nature and epitome. There is nothing out there like it. This is the story of Sziget.

Photo from: i.imgur.com

Shawn Mendez is gearing up to showcase his music for some 500,000 eagerly awaiting crowd.

They had been sensationalized by the performances of Kendrick Lamar, Arctic Monkeys, and the fan-favorite Lana Del Ray. However, this was the tip of the iceberg.

All half a million spectators had been treated to some dose of the festival before the main show. And the dose is strong, unadulterated,

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seven days of nonstop entertainment that will make you question, “Is there such a thing as too much entertainment?”

Sziget is Hungarian for island.

However, add “freedom” to it and you will add a whole new meaning to the word. The island has several hotspots. When you enter you are welcomed by a larger-than-life banner that welcomes you to the island. Flags of different countries are heralded from left to right as a kind of “flag” carpet to welcome people descending from different places. From then on, you are on your own. Just beyond the bunting, you come at a crossroads. Every path leads to something new – all ranging from the weird to the spectacular. There is everything for everybody.

Sziget is an annual music and cultural festival that takes place

on the island of Danube, Budapest. First organized in 1993 it has now taken over Europe as one of the best and most diverse festivals the world has to offer. Calling festivalgoers “Szitizens”, the organizers try to make a festival that is rich and accommodating to all who come.

There are about 1000

"There is nothing out there like it. This is the story of Sziget."

Photo from: media.resources.festicket.com

"Sziget is a marvel. It rivals other popular large venue festivals like Coachella, and Tomorrowland due to its innovative festival experience where anything and everything is possible."

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performances in 60 stages happening every year.

What makes Kahbang unique Before you go to the main event, the eyes gawk on the art installations placed on various spots of the island. Between ghastly bionic animals, which are mechanized, to people dressed as creatures only concocted from the human mind, and a giant floating gorilla, you are enmeshed in a kind of outdoor art gallery.

Photo from: dailynewshungary.com

The island is also an amusement park (an amusement island). The spinning death ball is a festival classic. From afar, a giant reverse bungee is ejecting people from the ground to the heavens. To your right, you will see a giant ferris wheel and a Kamikaze pendulum ride. If your heart does not explode to the

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flying scooters or the Gyro tower or the other amusement rides then you can continue to the islands’ crazy adventures.

Sziget is not only fun and games. It is also sport and games.

You can test your physicality at the polka tent where you get to dance with the Polskie Soloists with your traditional embroidered costumes. Mini basketball courts are always popular, but the beach is the bell of the ball. Besides enjoying a tan in the sun and setting up your tent to have a nice relaxing day, you can engage in volleyball, some futsal, a quick swimming competition in the lake or the pool (whichever flows best), and other games that test your physicality.

Before getting to the main spectacle, mini shows are the

crux of the festival. People enjoy the wait, and the wait is awesome. A giant cruise ship hosts an epic electronic music bonanza as it sails over the Danube River. Small parties break out at different hotspots on the island when you least expect it.

Sziget is a marvel. It rivals other popular large venue festivals like Coachella, and Tomorrowland due to its innovative festival experience where anything and everything is possible. It is an island after all.

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EatUp

Asabet

A modern fish butchery Kidus Assefa

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Photo by: Amanuel Asfaw

ne of the many disadvantages of being a landlocked nation, for Ethiopia, is missing out on what the vast waters have for each of our palates. Saltwater seafood is an exotic foreigner, if not alien material to be dreaded, around here. Shellfish, crustaceans and the likes are hard to access since they have to travel long distances to a climate so different, poor infrastructure and preservation

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technology only worsening the matter. As a result of these, as well as religious factors, local cuisine hasn't ventured much into that world and we have missed out just as much.

Well here was a new joint to end it all and start a new trend - a new food culture we have been longing for. Where local ingredients meet refined cooking techniques and trends are emerging, Asabet didn't fail to amaze. The location is prime,

the setting relaxing and minimalist which made it easy on the eye. There's a section with a fast food eatery set up then an area for tasting buffets. It seems like an accommodating concept with multiple options available, even including a fish butchery of its own.

The first starter was a soft ‘teff’ focaccia loaf served with a tomato and parsley vinaigrette dip that was just what the earthy,

Photo:by: Abenezer Geleta Photo Amanuel Asfaw

"There's a section with a fast food eatery set up then an area for tasting buffets.

It seems like an accommodating concept with multiple options available, even including a fish butchery of its own."

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Photo by: Amanuel Asfaw

grainy bread needed to soak up for a lighter bite. Then was the salad with a base of lettuce leaves, arugula, flowering fringe rue/’Tena Adam’ tip (without the yellow flowers). Everything was tied together and brightened by the citrusy vinaigrette (orange I’m guessing) ingredients well matched and complemented by each other. This light small light salad in a tasting cup was a grand stage for the interaction of various flavors and textures. The ‘Bulla’ gel molded in semi-sphere shapes provided some chew, croutons for crunch and the highlight smoked salmon all melded together.

Another tasting starter was a unique take on coleslaw that was rich but not heavy, with arugula leaves and the creamy dressing playing off each other well. There were little bits of soft potatoes, carrots, green peas, as well as the cold smoked nile perch and grilled pineapple.

Vegan burgers are from my exThe main course then arrived in grand fashion, impeccable, interactive presentation with edible adornments. Whole blanched small potatoes, cabbage

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sautéed in what must be a ‘tella’ glaze, lime wedges, kosher salt held the corners of the rectangular wood platter. The center piece lying majestically in the middle was a show-stopping whole fish with a beautiful brown crisp surface scored in a crosshatch diamond pattern. It was a thing of beauty really, seeing a once living being, done justice and building on a classic Ethiopian fish dish – deep fried whole Tilapia. Only this wasn’t Tilapia, although similar in anatomy, this fish was noticeably bigger and gamier, with pink flesh around the busiest parts such as the dorsal fin. Different meat quality as well, I later on found out that it was a Flat moon lake fish, native to the freshwaters of Lake Turkana in the Omo valley. Where does one begin when digging into this dish? There were a couple of fish kebabs (flaky Nile Perch cubes, cherry tomato & caramelized onion) skewed into the flesh. There was a small roasted garlic ball skin-on (sweet and aromatic) as well as whole sprigs of rosemary and thyme. And so the dismantling began, with caution needed for eating the fish bone-in. It was a dish enough for two or three but I was still committed to finishing this platter and all the fish’s parts even without

any help. The fish was cooked to perfection is the least I could say, as a freshwater fish it was soft and flaky to my liking. The delicate clean flavor of fish coming through in each bite took me back to times when I had very satisfying fish abroad elsewhere. This was a clear indicator of the care taken in handling, transporting, storing and cooking the fish, which retained so much of its freshness despite traveling quite a journey.

The main flesh meat was truly impressive, and as if that wasn’t a prize-winner of its own, the least appreciated parts were also marvels. The crispy fried fins of such kinds of fish are a delicacy in my eyes, and I wasn’t disappointed here. I then went on to try the other parts, the mushy minerally heart, the chewy lungs and squishy eyeballs being some of my favorites.

As much as the food pleased, the drinks didn’t let down either – alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

Refreshing and light were the key words here, the common denominator for most of the beverages. Champagne-based Mimosas with very bright orange

juice gave this cocktail a smooth finish on the throat.

The ice tea was also exceptional, minimal sugar and a concentrated brew with a heavy mint flavor was enough to blow my mind and make this ice tea stand out. Asabet has a variety of other drinks for different preferences, as a restaurant specializing in seafood it is expected that there will be white and rosé wines available.

Photo by: Amanuel

What a culinary journey. What homage to the one thing that connects us all. Asabet is worth a try for anyone curious enough to try what’s around even without a clue about seafood; it is a gastronomical adventure if you know what you are looking for. Pleasant service in abundance, well-trained informative staff had great chemistry and team approach. Chef Yohanis and his team have not outdone themselves but have rather proven themselves with great execution.

The food was exceptional from start to finish, all constituting ingredients each used deliberately in such harmony. Clean, intense flavors layered with such intricacy and complexity in each dish, all presented impeccably make the food one of a kind. I was stunned by how the chef optimized proportions in everything from salad composition to proportion of shell pastry and filling (ideal surface area taken into consideration) in the Samosa rolls. Very thoughtfully crafted dishes and thoughtful service make for an incredible dining experience at Asabet. The first among a handful of specialized restaurants in the CY restaurant group pipeline, I hope Asabet can maintain the standards it has set consistently with exciting new things on the horizon.

"Clean, intense flavors layered with such intricacy and complexity in each dish, all presented impeccably make the food one of a kind."

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CloseUp

Maheder Gebremedhin Architect, Urbanist, Radio Show Host Yegeta Tsegaye Telila

Photo by: Abenezer Geleta

T

he first thing that struck me about The Urban Center was the aesthetic. I was expecting a co-working space kind of vibe with an open floor, annoyingly bright lights (you heard me blue moon), and a corporate feel instead of an artsy one. But this place breathed art (and also architecture judging from the ordered chaos).

There were paper tubes used as partitions and furniture, low stools with recycled newspapers for “padding”, an improvised elevator, a map of the world, a repurposed old speakers as light fixtures, artwork strewn here and there is a not-so-messy yet artsy way. The structure of the first room, the main auditorium (a mini auditorium) reminded me of art workshops I had seen on college campuses. I had a similar impression of my guide, Maheder Gebremedhin, Principal Architect of Yema Architecture, founder/director of The Urban Center, and host of the famous radio show KeBet Eske Ketema. What follows is the conversation I had with him.

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Was architecture always your passion or was it something you were pushed into by government university policy?

Nope, it was not pushed. In high school, I wanted to become either an architect or a lawyer and after taking the aptitude test for architecture during freshman year and being accepted into the program at the time, it was a dream come true.

In the movie ‘Good Will Hunting” Robin Williams’ character says to a group of students that fields like medicine and law are essential for human development but that it’s fields like poetry and art that feed the human soul.

Which category do you think architecture falls under? Do you think the perception that people generally have of architecture as a rigid and somewhat dull field is valid?

No, I do not think that is true of architecture at all. I believe Architecture is one of the exciting and flexible fields. After all, it is creative work and it cannot/ should not be dull. You can see its versatile nature by taking

a look at how graduates from the school of architecture join fields like interior design, graphic design, product design, animation, and other similar professions, you can see that architecture has a lot of domains that are tied to the essence of the human spirit, especially in terms of understanding it and expressing it. And with major shifts currently happening in terms of connectivity, exposure, production mechanisms, and the opportunities that are available to architecture graduates, the field cannot be called rigid at all.

Is architecture art or a science?

Architecture is a way of life. That’s it.

What is your favorite era/type of architecture?

I think architecture is how human civilization is emancipated from the natural world, so there is

"Architecture is a way of life.

That’s it."

no specific era that I would call my favorite. They are all very informative of the processes that humanity was going through at the time and as such have a relevance in their sphere but also to the past and the future.

So, I don’t want to limit myself by having favorites like that. However, I have preferences. My biggest preference is contextualized architecture (or anything really); something that shows how global thinking and knowledge are reflected in local ideas and how those local ideas in turn are exported to international experiences. I like the negotiation of ideas and spaces. I also have a preference and respect for any work that shows the collective knowledge, culture, history, and anthropology of society and incorporates the aspirations, ambition, or technology in varied ways.

Any architects that you wish to replicate if you had the necessary resources?

Photo by: Abenezer Geleta

I would not replicate any work... why would I replicate any work when I can design it. Sure, I would study previous works and refer to them to get some inspiration and techniques. I respect and read about other

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architects from the renaissance to contemporary and refer ideals from Ancient Mesoamericans to African mater builders. I get drawn to the thinking processes and works of many to mention a few, Michelangelo, Tadao Ando from Japan, Ricardo Regolatta from Mexico, or Alebel Desta of Ethiopia, but when I study them, I try to integrate their genius into the contemporary world to create something contextualized.

Have you seen any changing trends and positive developments in Ethiopian architecture recently? How about in art?

Yeah, I do. Good architecture is being produced here and there.

The scale, type, and complexity of projects combined with the number of graduates every year add its variety and options. Add to the technological developments that we have; we are building things we weren't able to build 15-20 years ago. Though we need to improve a lot, we are seeing better workmanship and finishing.

The demands and exposures of developers are becoming better because they have more reference points since we have few good and many bad examples. Despite the lack of proper and integrated

urban design, the city is developing fast, from high rises to residential areas. However, we need to work more on excellence, because when you promote excellence in all fields it brings about the best. Moreover, we need to change archaic policies, laws, and guidelines and come up with forward-looking ways of doing things. Government can play a good role in this through policy instead of dominance and giving people options. We also need specializations.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of young Ethiopians, graduate in architecture and related fields every year. How do you rate the support and opportunities they get both at and after school? What more do you think needs to be done?

It’s in thousands. I think our curriculum needs to be revised to address the current and future needs of our cities and our country.

Apprenticeship programs, faculty, human resources, infrastructure, and tools need to improve significantly. Attempts are being made, but the biggest issue that persists is the lack of information for graduates about where to go, what to do, and whom to be inspired by.

That is one of the reasons why The Urban Center with the support of

Yema Architecture and strives to create platforms for people to meet and work together. So far we have had two job opportunity programs.

The two programs showed us the pressing needs of the graduates.

to COVID-19. Aside from that, I try to do my part by regularly visiting exhibitions and cultural centers and create opportunities for many creatives to collaborate and take opportunities.

Do you think the perception of art in Ethiopia is changing for the larger section of the populace?

Do you think your efforts have contributed to it?

There is a growing trend of pivoting from different professions to Fashion, interior, and product design, crafts, and the like. This shows the increasing interest in the sectors but there is a risk to it too. Many think having passions is enough and without the proper training and education, they want to claim the Art. Sometimes it might work but that is an exception, which cannot be the Norm. Some are not willing to do the work, and that is where I think education needs to come in. Passion is one thing being educated is another. There are also many with talent that focuses on the wrong aspects instead of the betterment of society, which is ultimately what art should be about. I believe the perception is changing to the positive.

Photo by: Abenezer Geleta

Many artists are pushing both the physical and digital boundaries through art. Many efforts are being made by institutions and individuals and I cannot claim that I played a bid role but have contributed my share. We participate a lot in anything related to Architecture and Art we can get our hands-on. I think one of our important contributions is the annual ‘Tibeb be Adebaby’, a collaboration with the Goethe institute that has been running for four years. We displayed different art forms like photography, music, visual arts, Games, Architecture, urban planning all over the city.

The reception of the city residents to these interactive forms was very encouraging. We need to innovate new ways to bring art to the people and the people to Art. Unfortunately, we had to do it online this year due

"I believe in the African concept of ‘UBUNTU’, beings self through other, “I am because of who we all are”. My WhatsApp profile says “being made by many”.

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How much of an impact do you think The

Urban Center has made?

Others should say that I do not think I should be the one to make that determination, but I can say that our main focus is giving opportunities. Through the lectures and experience-sharing sessions we organized with experts from all over the world including India, Mexico, Europe, the USA, and others, we have created local and international networks and created opportunities to collaborate.

The center was designed to be a platform to pollinate ideas and also show our young professionals that they are not that far off from the global discourse and are contributing to the global and local community. We also understand the challenges of recent graduates and that is why we hosted two job opportunity programs to facilitate employment opportunities for many recent graduates out of the 250 and 500 registrants in the first and second program respectively.

Besides, it’s also about creating a network that is human as much as it is professional. Besides events and lectures we organized, we curated the final season of Game of Thrones, where we had musicians like HaddinQo performing the intro

track with Masinko and charades games with awards. This was not something that was done not only as a professional endeavor but also as one that was meant to create a sense of unity and personal connection among the people that participated which is something that translates positively into the professional sphere.

What were the main values you refer to in founding The Urban Center has made?

I believe in the African concept of ‘UBUNTU’, beings’ self through other, “I am because of who we all are”. My WhatsApp profile says “being made by many”. That is pretty much how I operate.

The concept of the radio show was developed in line with the formation of YEMA Architecture which was founded few months before the Kebet Eske Ketema. It was its CSR program.

So, giving back to the community was one of the main pillars that were inherited from the radio show and the urban center. So, the details might evolve, but the main ideals are space, service, and community. That our tagline.

Photo by: Abenezer Geleta

The radio show has been one of the most popular shows on Sheger 102.1 FM. What was your inspiration to start the show and what do you think allows it to resonate with so many?

Close to the Ethiopian millennium, there were a lot of changes happening in the country. Following the ratification of the 9th master plan, there were a lot of changes coming to the city like the grand housing projects (condos), the arrival of the Kifle Ketema concept, and related changes that started to catalyze the fast urbanization of the city and the country at large. Following that there was the game-changing election of 2005. These and many other factors were coming together to show what the future would look like.

At the time, I sensed that things were setting up for urbanization to play a

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significant role in the coming years. Starting from graduation I was and still am an active member of the Association of Ethiopian Architects. I served as an executive and editor for few years. That opportunity helped me to document some historic milestones in our profession. I used to also organize educational tours to newly completed buildings like the Airport and Nani building. The platform we used to talk about architecture and urbanism was limited to our annual magazine and quarterly newsletters and the circulation was mainly limited to architects. I wanted to widen the reach and was waiting for a platform to grow. Many significant and pivotal planning decisions were being made by government officials that had no or very limited background in architecture or urban planning despite the efforts of few professionals. The combination of these factors motivated me to look for ways to initiate more engaged debates and dialogues on urban issues and beyond.

Even though the concept was developed, I had to wait until the proper platform was ready. Then the main media available were Public TV and radio stations. So, when Sheger, the first private radio, started its trial broadcast I submitted my proposal and was accepted. Since then, use it as one of the platforms to advocate Architrave, Engineering, construction, and urban life.

What do you think is the key behind the success of your radio show KeBet Eske Ketema?

The success is to be determined by others I would say. Our listeners like the issues we raise the alternative solutions we suggest. Many like the consistency.

Referring to the simple thing, we started by defining the difference and similarities in the construction industry starting from Architecture.

All of us are referred to as “mehandis” a generic name given to an architect and engineer. The

perception is being changed step by step. Some say the Simple language, versatile approach, and impartial tone helped us to be a credible source of urban information and platform for professionals in the sector. Aside from that we also kept it human and engaging. Some say they listen to the show because it covers their concerns and some tune in to get up-to-date information while others say the timing overlaps with their evening commute. I believe it is good to be rational and objectively critical, but one needs to come up with solutions. I think since we combine the two it attracts listeners. On the 10th anniversary of the station, one presenter referred the show to a program that refers to the past, synthesizes the presentations, and talks to the future. I am not sure if that will qualify it as a successful show, but believe it has a considerable impact.

Has the format changed through the years?

Yes, it has, and it is also evolving with time. During our 2nd year we hosted an event at Goethe, called in people, including our listeners, for feedback and documented everything, and based on their feedback, we started our city tour the next year before the Light Rail Track started. We had 18 city tours, and the documentation we prepared, by collecting information

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from our senior citizens, pioneers of architecture, and the like, is being used by many as a base for research in the history of the city and its architecture.

Similarly, during our 7th year, we awarded our guests and big listeners, showing people that our mission was theirs and vice versa. As for resonating with audiences, I think the key is that we try to tell it like it is in a manner that non-experts can understand without taking away from the substance of the issues at hand.

That and our variability especially coupled with off studio narrations like the love calls we podcast from the 35 global cities we covered are the most appealing programs to the public according to the comments we received. The analysis we give on current urban affairs, the delivery of the content, and the subjects we cover have also changed through the years.

How did you start The Urban Center and how it is adapting?

When we started the concept of the urban center, after the 10th anniversary of the radio show, we started by identifying the major tires we want to cover and pick the ones we want to focus on. The Urban Laboratory, an urban lab for research and solution; an urban forum for mentorship, debates, lectures, workshops; urban businesses for

things like tree planting, awards, etc. Urban literacy for professional travels and visual literacy; Urban Making how different things are done in a hands-on manner, an urban garage for 3d printings and for kids to experiment and play around in; an urban information center; an urban training and mentorship program; An urban exhibition platform; an urban call center for technical support for the industry, and lastly an urban media platform to change the content of the radio to TV or YouTube channel..

Which recent programs were exciting for you at The Urban Center?

At the Urban Center, we just finalized the Creative futures 2.0 “innovation Month “, an Art program designed by the British Council for the visual arts, which gave good opportunities for 54 creatives between the age of 18 and 35 by covering all production and training costs. The top 5 teams were awarded 100,000 Birrs to further develop their artworks. It was a very good program. The Urban October Dialogues, which run for a month, in collaboration with UN-Habitat was also very interesting. The role-play, in urban planning, designed by TU delft was one of the most engaging and participatory exercises did

at the center. The “Scale of Addis Abeba” experiment we did at Tibeb be Adebaby on which we measured 2500 residents of the, to know the average height of residents, from ergonomics points of view, was one of the interesting projects. By the way, that study suggested that the average height of women above 18 years of age was 1.61 cm while it was 1.73 for men.

Any upcoming projects we should be excited about?

At the Urban Center, we are launching Enhancing Youth Employability- Program (EYE Program) to provide skill training in specific fields in the construction industry, in collaboration with the BRIDGES.

Photo by: Abenezer Geleta

We are also working on a few Area level urban studies and are waiting for approval for an urban design proposal we submitted for Senga Tera’s financial district (aka Financial district of Addis Abeba).

Since our research wing focuses on urban studies, we are also working on publishing the urban insights we developed on Addis Abeba that amalgamates different spatial and

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non-spatial data.

And at YEMA Architecture?

At YEMA Architecture, we are working on different projects ranging from corporate offices to Multifamily housing, from schools to corporate interiors work, and from Factories to a data center and a multi-story parking building. We are designing and experimenting on many concepts.

You’re an architect, a radio host, an entrepreneur; do you consider yourself artistic?

Well...I don’t think I’m an entrepreneur Well ... I don’t think I’m an entrepreneur, at least in the current definition. All I do revolves around architecture and urbanity.

I engage in many activities ranging from tech to data or music to crafts or economy to history by always keeping Architecture as a central element. I use different media, and the radio is one medium I use to promote architecture and related fields. I am a full-time architect, and my art lies in testing the physical and psychological boundaries and learning from them working on different types of projects.

Documenting and researching things and triangulating the facts and ideas to finding the subset is the fun and exciting thing I do almost every day. I am a middle child.

Maybe that why, I like the middle road and the subset. So, yes, I think I am an artist in a way.

"My art lies in testing the physical and psychological boundaries, and learning from them working on different types of projects."

What'sUp

The Club Addis Surafel Solomon

T

Photo by: Abenezer Geleta

he Club Addis, our country’s first VIP Lounge and Tapas bar is one of the latest entrants to the Addis nightlife. Situated in the heart of Bole below Monarch hotel, it is the perfect location for its clientele. Walking through the big gates that obscure its compound, you are greeted with a wide courtyard, a wine shop to the right, and a grand house straight ahead. The courtyard to the left houses Mango bar, an outdoor bar overlooking a small pool that’s a great setting for anything from brunch to late afternoon drinks. It is also beautiful at night when the lights come on and the pool is illuminated, and if you fear the

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cold, every table has a heater that is sure to keep you toasty through your stay. To the right is a wine store that is an exclusive dealer of Castel’s foreign imported wines. The shop offers several types of wines and champagnes that cannot be found anywhere except at the store and The Club.

The main show starts when you walk up the stairs into the main house. It is a grand twostory house. The ground floor houses the members-only VIP lounge in the left that houses a private cigar lounge. This space is a beautifully designed lounge with authentic leather seats,

"Walking through the big gates that obscure its compound, you are greeted with a wide courtyard, a wine shop to the right, and a grand house straight ahead"

Photo by: Abenezer Geleta

"This space is a beautifully designed lounge with authentic leather seats, beautiful gigantic paintings from various countries adorning the walls, and a captivating stained-glass mosaic coloring the entire space by giving a tint to the natural light"

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beautiful gigantic paintings from various countries adorning the walls, and a captivating stained-glass mosaic coloring the entire space by giving a tint to the natural light. The first-floor houses meeting and conference rooms that are equipped with a flat-screen TV and WIFI for any connectivity needs. Also on this floor is a Private room meant for small gatherings and parties.

The top floor houses the Irish bar, a sports bar with darts, and a pool table to add a little competitive edge to your Friday nights.

Photo by: Abenezer Geleta

After touring the place, I went back to the Mango Bar and had a whiskey sour. Made with a whiskey that surprised me, this cocktail was on the sweeter side which balanced the bitters in the drink. And I had to try their

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Choco martini, which is my idea of a desert since it is like a drinkable cake plus it has alcohol, little as that may be. Having had some more drinks, I set my gaze on the food menu, then proceeded to try most of it, starting with olives. The Olives came in two options, fasting and non-fasting. While the fasting olives were served in olive oil, the non-fasting olives were served mixed with Mayo pelepele. This had a spicy kick to it and was great as an appetizer.

Then the “main course” dishes for lack of a better word, arrived.

These were Nile perch cutlets, Potato croquets, Beef fillet cutlets, and chicken drumsticks.The fish was served alongside a fresh bowl of salad, while the Potato croquets came with their special sauce and were served on a bed of salad with a mildly spicy sauce that keeps

you eating. The Beef fillet cutlets were one of my favorites. Served with caramelized onions, they were the perfect pairing for the tender cuts of beef. My absolute favorite was the Chicken drumsticks. Crispy skin on the outside with juicy meat on the inside was served with two sauces, mustard vinaigrette mayo vinaigrette, which complemented the piping hot chicken. All the food came in relatively small portions, but then again remember that it’s not meant as a meal but rather finger food. If you want larger portions, they are available too, but the smaller options are perfect for having while enjoying drinks.just really like their Tella.

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Reel Up

Kidus Tamiru

Z

ack Snyder’s Justice League is the director’s cut of the 2017 theatrical release “Justice League”.

Set in the DCEU, the film continues the story after the events of the Batman vs. Superman and follows Batman as he assembles a team of Superheroes to fight the villain of the week, Steppenwolf.

A little backstory is in order for this review. How this film came to be is something of a Hollywood miracle. If you are a fan of the DCEU you know this story, but in a nutshell: The original Justice League film was being made by director Zack Snyder (He’d also helmed the previous two movies in the series, to lukewarm reviews), but then he had a family tragedy that forced him to quit after he was done with filming. Apparently, this was a “phew” moment for studio execs because they really didn’t want to release his version of the film anyway so they brought in another director to completely reshoot the movie to a more lighthearted, Marvel style. In end, when the film came out, they ended up with what many considered to be one of the worst superhero movies ever made. Critics and audiences hated it and it lost them millions at the box office. But then after a while, dedicated fans of Zack Snyder started asking for the Snyder cut to be released, which most people believed didn’t exist at all. Years went by and Warner Bros refused to even acknowledge that

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they had a different movie at all.

But then Covid-19 happened and studios switched their focus to streaming. That’s when it occurred to them, we have this 4 hour movie sitting in our studio, and it’d be perfect for streaming. Because,in case I forgot to mention, this movie is FOUR HOURS long. Even for the theatrical cut, that was Zack Snyder’s vision, which makes the execs’ reluctance to release it totally justified. But for streaming, it’s perfect. So, they admitted that this film exists out of the blue, brought Snyder in to finish it up and viola.

So, after all this wait, is the movie any good?

It’s definitely, way, way better than the original. But that’s not really high praise. It’s also better than both the previous movies Snyder did for the DCEU. It is lighter toned, the characters are well fleshed out and the ending is pretty good (the ending, not the epilogue).

But the film still has some pretty annoying problems.

The issues are that A) it doesn’t justify the long runtime at all, it could’ve been much shorter had it not been for the second issue. B) The director is still self-indulgent as fuck. He loves trying to make shit epic, unnecessary, drawn out slow motion, slow ballad soundtracks to make scenes seem deep and even the 4:3 aspect ratio, which he said was part of his vision, is just

stupid and pretentious. But the biggest issue for me is C) it’s still fundamentally the same movie as the theatrical cut. Yeah, the story is way better told but it’s still the same story at the heart of it, which makes you feel like you’re just watching an improved but identical remake of a movie you saw just three years ago. I don’t think that would make it worth the price of a ticket if it were in the cinema.

But for a streamed movie, which in this country we get real cheap, I’d say it wouldn’t hurt checking out, if you can spare half a work day.

7.0/10 Directed By: Zack Snyder Starring: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher, Jason, Momoa Runtime: 4h03m

Selemena is about a young girl who asks her close friend/lover (it’s hard to tell) to seduce her divorced father’s new fiancé to prevent him from marrying her. As you could tell from the deceptively simple yet implausible synopsis, Selemena is one of those absurd romantic movies you get a lot of in Ethiopia. I’ve seen enough of these types of far-fetched romance films here to think that it should be an official subgenre in our country.

The first thing I thought while watching this movie was that, with the really dated looking video and sound quality, I suspect this movie was made a while back, like 6-8years back, and just shelved for some reason. Because, technical wise, it’s really confusing how a film that clearly has some budget can look and sound this bad.

Even with an amateur crew, modern DSLRs can give you a better look than this and the sound is just horrendous. The entire dialog in the movie is dubbed over in a studio so it’s just eerily silent except for the dialog. No ambiance, no foley, just badly mixed dialog. Even the dialog has some heavy echo and it sounds like dramatic narration for the whole movie.

But those major problems aside, I more or less enjoyed the movie. The simple plot that stayed on track was a good improvement over most Ethiopian movies. Even though it’s really predictable, it’s still better than confusing, soapopera style, diverging plot lines which are quite common here (I feel like that was a participation trophy, but still). Despite the hammy acting, the cast was mostly good as well; I was especially surprised

by Tewodros’s

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performance. But on a side-note, I think the film is mistitled; it’s really not about Mena. She doesn’t even have much screen time, which is technically not bad because her character is really annoying at times.

And I guess it goes without saying, the film still has the usual Ethiopian film tropes I always complain about; the unnecessary, tear-jerker montages, the trytoo-hard comic relief characters and the romance between a very rich and a dirt-poor person. But the last one is justified in this case for the story to work.

But, maybe I just enjoyed a shitty movie because the previous Ethiopian film I saw was way worse. I can’t even tell.

6.0/10 Directed by: Michael Lulseged Starring: Tewodros Teshome, Mastewal Wendwosen, Tinsae Birhanu

LinkUp Bucket List

Beautiful Morocco Alula Abadi

Africa is a land of great mass and astounding variety. Of this there is no question. So much so that it can often be overwhelming. And any seasoned traveler will tell you that the major problem with traveling to a vast nation with a lot to offer is the itinerary itself. Setting a budget and then optimizing that budget to experience the best of the best destinations is a challenge in and of itself. The best way to optimize is often to limit the actual square kilometers you are willing to visit. And the best way to do this is by selecting a specific city and exhausting all it has to offer. And so, here are the top five things you can do in Marrakech, Morocco.

The Hammam Bath House Hammam is a traditional Ottoman Turkish bath that involves being rubbed down with argon oil extracted from the Moroccan coast, being scrubbed with savon noire (black soap) and sweating it all out in the steam bath. It is an ancient form of exfoliation, and it is sure to relieve any traveler of all the jetlag. It is a stress release and an experience like no other. And it is sure to be better than the spa at your hotel.

The Atlas Mountains Located Just outside the city of Marrakech are the infamous Atlas Mountains, majestic mountain range that is considered an absolute gem among hikers, climbers and bikers alike.

On top of the physical benefits, the highest peak of this mountain range known as the “Tizi n’Tichka” high pass, provides visitors with an excellent view as it peaks at 2,260 meters. And if hiking or climbing is not your fancy, the UNESCO registered “Kasbah Ait Benhaddou” is sure to keep you in awe with its almost alien appearance.

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Berber Villages When people think of Morocco there is an image that always comes to mind, the Arabian Nights vibes with the vast and seemingly endless markets, the various movie sets in the desert, and beautiful cultural hotels. The fact of the matter is that these are just expansions of the true Morocco. The Berber are a small set of villages from which the present-day Morocco grew and they are a must visit especially for the curious and adventurous. This would also be a good trip for those with an interest in history and archeology.

The Back Alleys of Marrakech One of the best aspects of visiting an ancient city is discovering its back alleys and olden streets. These roads are a piece of history and heritage. Once in Morocco, get a local guide, dust up on your Arabic and go for a stroll in the streets that have lived for thousands of years. And have stories from every century.

The Agafay Desert Located about 30 kilometers south of the city, The Agafay Desert is one of the many deserts in Morocco but is definitely the most majestic. A day in The Afafay is marked

by Hot air balloon littered skies, the buzzing sound of crosscountry dirt bikers and the distinct smell of Moroccan herbal tea. People go there to laugh and share under a tent, and when the day comes to an end, the sunset turns the sand into a gleaming sea of gold. The Agafay is the perfect mix of beauty and danger and it is a must visit to all who go to Morocco.

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ListenUp

Top 5

Ethiopian Songs for the month of March

1. Naneye - ናንዬ Artist: Lij Micheal Release Date: Mar 4, 2021 Views Since Release: 1.8 Million

2. WOW

3.Yene Tizita

Artist: Yaf-Ruf x TGOD Release Date: Mar 4, 2021 Views Since Release: 775k

Artist: Wendimu Jira Release Date: Mar 27, 2021 Views Since Release: 116k

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4. Tew Artist: Veronica Adane Release Date: Mar 19, 2021 Views Since Release: 632k

5. Hode Artist: Elias Teshome Release Date: Mar 13, 2021 Views Since Release: 282k

Top 10

African songs for the month of March Eyob Workineh

1. Yalah Artist: Mbosso Release Date: Mar 13,2021 Hits Since Release: 3.1 Million

2. Somebody baby

3. 23 Artist: Burna Boy Release Date: Mar 23, 2021Hits Since Release: 3.3 Million

Artist: Peruzzi ft Davido Release Date: Mar 24, 2021 Hits Since Release: 709k

4. Somewhere Between Beauty & Magic Artist: Joeboy Release Date: Mar 13, 2021 Hits Since Release: 127k

8. My Everything Artist: Sauti Sol ft India.Arie Release Date: Mar 12, 2021 Hits Since Release: 585k

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5. Octopizzo

6. Fall in love

7. Lala Salama (Magufuli))

Artist: Ringa Release Date: Mar 17, 2021 Hits Since Release: 1.2 Million

Artist: Willy paul ft Miss P Release Date: Mar 9, 2021 Hits Since Release: 1.1 Million

Artist: Tanzania All Stars Release Date: Mar 23, 2021 Hits Since Release: 3.5 Million

9. Intaba Yase Dubai Artist: Sbali Release Date: Mar 12, 2021 Hits Since Release: 999k

10. Promise Artist: Niniola Release Date: Mar 4, 2021 Hits Since Release: 935k

Horoscope

LinkUp

Horoscope Tewodros Tadesse

Aires This month promises a lot of change and new beginning as on the 11th of April, it's a great time to redefine yourself in a way. Maybe a new look or personality. From the 19th until mid May , your focus will shift to your financial life. On the 26th, the full moon will shed light on your secrets, shared resources and intimacy.

Taurus The first half of the month is quiet and seclusive for you. On the 11th , the new lunar phase will activate your meditative state. Sleep well. From the 19th until 20th of May, it's your season and your on the spotlight. The full moon on the 26th will bring speculation related to relationship or legal cases.

Gemini Until the second half of the month you could be active in your community or friends. Especially on 11th of the month, new friendship, sudden gains and connections are on the table. From the 19th until mid May, you could be spiritual, and hidden. On the end of the month, the full moon will bring issues surrounding health and routines.

Cancer Expect new heights and fiery passion in your career life this month. You could take the leadership in your social standings. From the second half of the month until mid May, you may focus on your community and friends.

On the 26th, the full moon will shed light on your children, creativity and romantic sector of life.

Leo The new moon on the 11th indicates a new beginning for foreign travels, higher studies and religion. From the second half of the month expect speculation surrounding career and social standings. On the 26th, the full moon will bring issues surrounding your family, property and home.

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Virgo This month highlights your shared resources, intimacy and psychological part of your life as on 11th of the month. The rest of the month will focus on your higher studies and belief system. The full moon on the 26th, will bring speculation surrounding communication, local travels, neighbors and siblings.

Libra Partnership is the key word for you in April. On the mid of the month, new relationship and association are highly probable. From the 19th until May 20th, you could focus on the nitty-gritty side of life. Your psychological and sexual. On the 26th, your financial life will be the main theme.

Scorpio You could be focusing on your daily routines and health status this month.

Perhaps it could be that from the 11th, you could adopt a new schedule or routine related to health and work.From the 19th until mid May, expect yourself in collaborating with others. It could be legal issues, marriage or relationship. The full moon on the 26th will help you disclose issues surrounding your personality.

Sagittarius Well the first half of the month will bring your romantic and creative life force to the front. Especially on the 11th , you could initiate a new beginning surrounding children, love and creativity. From the second half of the month until mid May, your health routines and work life will come to the front. On the 26th, the full moon will shed lights on your inner self and insecurities.

Capricorn For the first two weeks of the month, your family and home life comes to the front. There could be new beginning in your family, home and property. From the second half of the month until mid May, your life will be full of romance, children and creative pursuits. On the 26th, the full moon will bring issues surrounding your friends and community.

Aquarius The Month begins with communication and speculation surrounding siblings and neighbors. Local travels are on the table too. Especially on the 11th of the month. The rest of the month will focus on your family, property and home life.

On the 26th, your career and social standings will be on the spotlight.

Pisces Your self-worth and financial world is your primary focus. Especially on the 11th of the month. The rest of the month until 20th of May will be about communication, siblings, local travels and neighbors. On the 26th of April, expect speculation surrounding your higher education, religion and foreign travels.

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City Guide

Hotels in Addis Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa Location: Meskel Square Contact No: +251 11 517 1234 Website: www.hyatt.com Star:

Sheraton Addis: Luxury Collection Location: Taytu Street Contact No: +251 11 517 1717 Website: https://www. marriott.com/hotels/travel/ addlc-sheraton-addis-aluxury-collection-hotel-addisababa/ Star:

Hilton Hotel: Addis Ababa

Best Western Hotel

Location: Minilik II Street Contact No: +251 11 517 0000 Website: addisababa.hilton.com Star:

Location: Namibia Street (Next to Edna Mall) Contact No: +251 11 667 1414 Website: www. bwplusaddisababa.com Star:

Intercontinental Hotel Location: Kazanchis Contact No: +251 11 518 0444 Website: http://intercontinentaladdis. com/

Location: Africa Street Contact No: +251 11 639 3131 Website: https://www. ramadaaddis.com/

Star:

Star:

Golden Tulip

Capital Hotel and Spa

Location: Bole Road Contact No: +251 116 18 33 33 Website: https://addisababa.goldentulip.com/ Star:

Location: Haile G/silassie Avenue Contact No: +251 116 19 2000 Website: https://capitalhotelandspa. com/ Star:

Azzeman Hotel

Sapphire Addis

Location: Namibia Street Contact No: +251 11 639 31 31 Website: https://azzemanhotel.com/ Star:

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Ramada Hotel

Location: Namibia Street Contact No: +251 639 3907 Website: https://www. sapphireaddishotel.com/ Star:

Cafe & Pastries Tomocca

Casscara Coffee & Cocktails

Location: Namibia Street (Next to Bole Medhanialem), Piassa Across Eliana Hotel

Location: Meskel Square (Inside Hyatt Regency)

Contact No: +251 93 007 8086

Contact No: +251 11 517 1234

Closes at: 8:00PM

Closes at: 12:00AM

Customer Rating: 4.8/5

Customer Rating: 5.0/5

Garden of Coffee

Bilos Cafe & Pastry

Location: Namibia Street

Location: Next to Millennium Hall

Contact No: +251 93 036 2308

Contact No: +251 93 003 3177

Closes at: 9:00PM

Closes at: 8:30PM

Customer Rating: 4.6/5

Customer Rating: 4.4/5

Chaka Coffee

Bake and Brew

Location: Africa Avenue

Location: Sarbet

Contact No: +251 91 120 2888

Contact No: +251 91 306 0147

Closes at: 9:00PM

Closes at: 8:00PM

Customer Rating: 4.4/5

Customer Rating: 4.3/5

Tryst Addis

YA Coffee Roasters

Location: Olympia (on the way from Dembel City Center to Bambis)

Location: CMC Road, Next to Gesund Cardiac Hospital

Contact No: +251 94 406 1818

Contact No: +251 92 795 7171

Closes at: 7:00PM

Closes at: -

Customer Rating: 4.4/5

Customer Rating: 4.9/5

Dumerso Coffee

Feresula Coffee

Location: South Africa Street (Bisrate Gabriel)

Location: Africa Street

Contact No: +251 320 3973

Contact No: +251 96 641 1151 Closes at: 6:00pm

Closes at: 8:30PM

Customer Rating: 5.0/5

Customer Rating: 4.8/5

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Your choices for the best Ethiopian Coffee Experience

Coworking Spaces

Affordable spaces for startups looking for spaces to work and for business people in Addis for a short or long-term stay

iceaddis

Blue Space

Location: Bole, Near Hayat Hospital, Zewdu Bldg. 5th floor

Location: Namibia Street, Grace Plaza 4th Floor, near Atlas Hotel

Contact: www.iceaddis.com contact@iceaddis.com +251 11 667 4804

Contact: www.bluespace.work info@bluspace.work

Services: High speed wifi, standing desks, been bags, printer, scanner, projector, microphone, kitchen, free parking

Services: High speed wifi, working desks, printer, scanner, projector, relax zone, kitchen Starting Rates : 350ETB/day

Starting Rates : 380ETB/day

Abro Coworking Space

Xhub Addis Location: Cameroon Street, Morning Star Mall 5th Floor Contact: http://xhubaddis.com/ working/ info@xhubaddis.com +251 91 170 1361

Location: Namibia Street

Services: Wifi, free photocopy/ print (30 pages)

Services: Wifi, photocopy/print, desk, chair

Contact: https://abro-co-workingspace.business.site/ +251 911 11 0742

Starting Rates : 250ETB/day

Restaurants

Starting Rates : 250ETB/day

If you are thinking to explore international and cultural cuisine Addis has to offer, here are a few you may consider.

Italian restaurants

Agnese Restaurant

Mama Mia Italian Restaurant

Location: Old Airport Contact: +251 98 048 3824

Castelli Italian Restaurant

Location: Piassa, Mahatama-Gandhi Street, in front of Mohamud Music Shop Contact: +251 11 557 1757

Location: Next to Mele Zenawi Foundation, DAR Sahara Street Contact: +251 92 900 2218

41 I Linkup Addis Ababa

Bella Pizza & Pasta

Location: Bole Medhanialem, Near Abyssinia Mall Contact: +251 94 141 5422

Gusto Restaurant

Location: Churchill Road, Tracon Tower 3rd Floor Contact: +251 934 49 7861

Ethiopian Cultural restaurants

Yod Abyssinia Cultural Restaurant

Desalech Kitfo

Location: Carl Square, Sar Bet Contact: +2516612985 Known for: Ethiopian food, cultural performances

Location: Africa Avenue, behind Skylight Hotel Contact: +251 91 123 1859 Known for: Ethiopian traditional kitfo (minced meat)

Dashen Traditional Restaurant

Totot

Location: DAR Sahara Street, Near Swedish Community School Contact: +251 91 120 1723 Known for: Cozy atmosphere, cultural performances

Fendika Cultural Center

Location: Kazanchis Contact: +251 91 154 7577 Known for: Exceptional jazz and Ethiopian Azmaris

Location: Africa Avenue Contact: +251 646 0718 Known for: Ring Road, on the way to Gerji, in front of Anbessa Garage

Middle Eastern & Mediterranean restaurants

Fusion Bistro

Aladdin Restaurant

Location: Cameroon Street, Across Monarch Hotel Contact: +251 91 000 5151 Known for: Arabian cuisine

Location: Off Bole Road, near Japanese Embassy Residence Contact: +251 11 6614109 Known for: Arabian Cuisine

42 I Linkup Addis Ababa

Bait Al Mandi

Istanbul Restaurant

Location: Mickey Leland/ EU Street Contact: +251 91 151 8903 Known for: Middle Eastern Mediterranean Cuisine

Location: Cameroon Street, across Ukranian Embassy Contact: +251 910 17 4728 Known for: Turkish cuisine

The Kitchen

Location: Meskel Square, Inside Hyatt Regency Contact: +251 11 517 1234 Known for: Mediterranean Cuisine

Marketing Companies in Addis Proofit Marketing Solutions Location: Cameroon Street, Gulf Aziz Building, 2nd Floor Contact No: +251 953 42 77 97 info@proofit.com

251 Communications Location: Gabon Street, Aster Plaza, 3rd Floor Contact No: +251 116 63 0182 info@251communications.com https://251communications.com

Zeleman Communications Location: Africa Avenue, Snap Plaza, Snap Plaza, 10th floor Contact No: +251 116 63 2800 info@zeleman.com htttps://zeleman.com

Berry Advertising Location: Cameroon Street, Gulf Aziz Building, 3rd Floor Contact No: +251 930 07 8086 www.berryethiopia.com

43 I Linkup Addis Ababa

Ttree Advertising Location: Cape Verde Street, KT Building, 3rd Floor Contact No: +251 118 21 2112 info@ttreeadvertising.com ttreeadvertising.com

Spotlight Ethiopia Location: Africa Avenue, DH Geda Tower, 7th Floor Contact No: +251 913 98 6445 https://spotlightplc.com

Cactus Communications Location: Africa Avenue, Bedesta Building, 4th floor Contact No: +251 115 54 4901 info@cactusethiopia.com http:// cactusethiopia.com/

Eternal Media & Communication Location: Gabon Street, Aster Plaza Contact No: +251 114 70 3039 info@eternalmedia.com https://eternal-media.com

Parks & Museums in Addis Zoma Museum Location: Mekanisa, Near Abo Church Contact No: https://www. zomamuseum.org/ Feature: Landscaping, gardens, antique shop

Addis Ababa Museum Location: Meskel Square Contact No: http://www. addisababa.gov.et/de/web/guest/ museums#3 Feature: Museum, Restaurant, Panoramic View of Meskel Square

Unity Park

African Unbound

Location: Inside Ethiopian National Palace

Location: Off Churchill Road (On the way to National Palace)

Contact No: Unitypark.et

Contact No: https:// africaunboundmuseum.com/

Feature: Historical palaces, Zoo, cultural museum, restaurants

Feature: African Arts

Entoto Park Location: Entoto Hills Contact No: Feature: Bicycle and track, reading benches, camping site, restaurants, panoramic view of Addis Ababa

Leather shops in Addis Kuncho Design Website: https://www. kunchodesign.com/ Contact: kunchodesign@gmail.com +251 96 799 5384

44 I Linkup Addis Ababa

The leather industry in Addis is thriving with countless local and international leather lines. Here are a few.

Undkǝn- Made in Ethiopia Website: http://www.undken.com/ Contact: +251 912 75 2524

Meron Addis Ababa

Zaaf Collection

Website: https://www. meronaddisababa.com/

Website: https://www. zaafcollection.com/

Contact: info@meronaddisababa.com +251 911 12 2108

Contact: +251 910 14 9965