LinkUp Addis July 2018

July 2019

16 CloseUp: An Exclusive interview with Yasser Bagersh, a passion driven entrepreneur, philanthropist and one of the leading figures in the entertainment business in Ethiopia EatUp: Umami Ibrahim Hassen managed to create a place quite unlike most in Addis Page 14 FollowUp: Ballet Stars Night The evening the national theatre shined with Ballet stars Page 09

04 05 08 09 14 12 Editor’s Letter

Headsup

Thumbsup

July Events Calendar

Followup

Ballet Stars Night

Eatup

Catchup

16 Closeup

Interview with Yasser Bagersh

Restaurant Review Umami

International Event Lake of Starts Malawi Arts Festival

20 23 What’sup

Reelup

Cinema Review

Phoenix Bar & Restaurant

This month we are celebrating our one-year anniversary. For anyone who takes a minute to reflect, it is not hard to see how far we’ve come. From a crazy idea that many were sure was doomed to fail, LinkUp Addis has grown to become one of the most loved, impactful media platforms in its industry. Our journey has not been an easy one, and we don’t expect it to get easier. However, it is with a bold determination that we face the uncertain future the lies ahead with all its exciting opportunities and the threats.

As much as we pride ourselves as having the most supportive readership and partners, we have been seriously challenged by the fault lines in the digital industry. While the digital landscape in our country is in its infancy demanding a tender but consistent support both at the technical and policy levels, what we notice is quite the contrary. Constant interruptions of internet connectivity, and few or non-existing policies administering and supporting digital platforms are the most immediate bottlenecks in this industry that has the power to transform this nation for good. As we stand at the doorstep of our second year, we would like to call all stakeholders in the digital industry to collaborate for a better, brighter future.

Finally, we would like to express our deepest condolences to the senior government officials who lost their lives in the recent unfortunate events.

Eyob Workineh Editor-in-Chief

Editor in chief: Eyob Workineh eyob@linkupaddis.com Marketing Director: Eyasu Abdella eyasu@linkupaddis.com Project and Social Media Manager: Fikreab Dagne fikrabdagne@gmail.com Creative Director: Benny Yoseph benny@linkupaddis.com Social Media Associates: Venture Addis

4 I Linkup Addis Ababa July, 2019

Cover photo: Lealem Eshetu, Cactus Communications

01-16 JULY2019 • Seafood Night Marriott Executive Apartments, 06:00pm

• AWiB Presents Her Gems: Valuable, Useful, And Beautiful AWiB Office, 05:00pm

• Seafood Night Marriott Executive Apartments, 06:00pm

• Seafood Night Marriott Executive Apartments, 06:00pm

• African Cup Nations Match Tanzania vs Algeria Ramada Hotel, 10:00pm

• African Cup Nations Match Benin vs Cameroon Ramada Hotel, 07:00pm

• Seafood Night Marriott Executive Apartments, 06:00pm

• QUIZ NIGHT Oak Bar, Ramada Hotel, 08:00pm

• Karaoke and open mic Viking Bar & Restaurant, 09:00pm

• African Cup Nations Match Mauritania vs Tunisia Ramada Hotel, 10:00pm

1 • Pitch Ethiopia - The Startup UN Economic Commission for Africa, 08:00am

2

4

3

• Seafood Night Marriott Executive Apartments, 06:00pm

• Summer Camp for kids Chewata, 09:00am

• Seafood Night Marriott Executive Apartments, 06:00pm

5 • QUIZ NIGHT Oak Bar, Ramada Hotel, 08:00pm

• Summer Salsa Dance for Kids Kaleb Hotel, 09:00am

9

7

6 • Karaoke and open mic Viking Bar & Restaurant, 09:00pm

10

8 • Launching African Youth Solidarity Initiative African union, 10:00am

11

• International Public-Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) AAU school of commerce, 08:00am

12 • QUIZ NIGHT Oak Bar, Ramada Hotel, 08:00pm

13

14

15

16 Linkup Addis Ababa July, 2019 I 5

17-31 JULY2019 • Bridging the Leadership Gaps to Tackle the Major Challenges Africa Faces Addis Ababa University, 02:00pm

• Karaoke and open mic Viking Bar & Restaurant, 09:00pm

17

18

• Fun Group Running/Hiking By Run Africa Info: +251 93 848 3495

19

20

• 127th Birthday Celebration Of H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I VillaVerde, 08:00pm • QUIZ NIGHT Oak Bar, Ramada Hotel, 08:00pm

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

30

31

• Karaoke and open mic Viking Bar & Restaurant, 09:00pm

• QUIZ NIGHT Oak Bar, Ramada Hotel, 08:00pm

29 6 I Linkup Addis Ababa July, 2019

Thumbsup Kidus Assefa

Co-working space Name: The Urban Center

Clothing &Accessories Line Fozia Endrias

Situated conveniently at the heart of Addis, The Urban Center has been known to a few as a venue with interesting &impeccably functional facilities. The Urban Center seeks to be a hub where the different components of society can come together, interact &make the best out of such shared experiences. In addition to having an excellent venue aptly designed to host interactive events, the space has recently been completing construction of areas that can be used as co-creating &co-working spaces for rent, complete with a reliable internet connection, refreshments &a small meeting area.

Fozia Endrias is a clothing and accessories brand which produces attires focusing on sustainable practices &local sourcing of raw materials, skilled labor &inspiration as well. Its products that are made by Ethiopian women using Ethiopian textiles that can compete in the global fashion arena. The brand prides itself for using simple, minimalist but bold designs along with open experimentation and working with handmade products including handmade embroidery.

The founder of the apparel company, Fozia Endrias, was named Designer of the year by the Association of Women in Business (AWiB) in 2017.

Facebook: / TheUrbanCenter Tel: + 251 (0)91 367 9201 Location: Around Meskel square, in front of Estiphanos church, next to Village cafe On Google maps? Yes Restaurant Babis Bistro Babis offers a wide selection of food and drinks all in a space with both indoor and outdoor options as well as a reliable catering service. Babi's Bistro is the ultimate place to have get togethers &small events as the calming intimate setting gives Babi's Bistro a unique feel and an experience worth repeating.

Babi's Bistro also has an interactive atmosphere and is a place where a lot of socializing and events such as acoustic nights and poetry nights take place.

Facebook &Instagram: Babis Bistro Tel: +251 (0) 94 427 3762 Location: Bisrate Gebriel, Around South African Embassy in front of Azmera Shiro #4 On Google maps? Yes

8 I Linkup Addis Ababa July, 2019

Facebook &Instagram: FoziaEndriasClothing Tel: +251 (0) 91 100 2352 Location: Morning Star Mall, 3rd floor 305 A, Bole Medhanialem On Google maps? Yes

FollowUp

Ballet Stars Night Selam Tarekegn

hen I received an invitation to attend Ballet Stars Gala hosted at the National Theatre on 18 June, I didn’t take it seriously. “C’mon,” I said, “With an art as remote to the typical Ethiopian artistic expression and the very limited to no promotion due to the mostly nonsense internet blackout (allegedly a move to prevent students from stealing test answers), this event was destined to fail.”

In fact, I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to go if it were not for an insisting colleague who was part of the organizing team.

I got to the venue, the National Theatre half an hour earlier than the scheduled start of the event. The hall looked empty except for a few members of the organizing team.

With such limited early turnout I was sure that this would be my I-told-you-so moment.

I chose a seat at the far corner of the hall so that it would be easy to sneak out, just in case.

Waiting for the evening to kick off,

I started looking around the hall and wondering how deteriorated its current state looks. The National Theatre which, once was home to some of the most influential people in Ethiopia’s art, has now turned into something of a national embarrassment. Worn out, cracking seats; small, shabby stage and old school, disturbing light and sound systems clearly narrate not the theatre’s decades-long history but also the journey we have had as a society. The once graceful national hall, with a special seat for HIM Hailesilassie, is only a shadow of its rich history.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the show starts in about ten minutes,” said a voice behind the stage, and I woke up from my inner thoughts to find a hall full of people. Well, I was wrong all along. In some way, just not through online advertising, people had heard about the event, and now they were flocking into the hall. The excited flow of people did not stop until there were no more seats. It was an excited look. Children

"“I stayed longer than I thought I would. Happily.””

Linkup Addis Ababa July, 2019 I 9

Photo: Courtesy of Heineken

W

Children running around, people exchanging smiles and greetings, journalists setting up their cameras; the hall was now full of life and ready to go.

"

Photo: www..lomography.com

Photo: Courtesy of Heineken

10 I Linkup Addis Ababa July, 2019

"

running around, people exchanging smiles and greetings, journalists setting up their cameras; the hall which had seemed empty and lifeless just a little while ago was now full of life and ready to go.

The night started with a speech

by Yasser Bagersh, founder of Cactus Communications, who thanked the partner and sponsors of the event including the US Embassy, Heineken Ethiopia and the Australian Embassy. Next came Zoe Cavedon, Australian ballet performer and leader of the ballet team. Narrating how the Ballet Stars Gala came to happen here in Addis, Zoe recalled, “I happened to visit Ethiopia a few years back, and I decided to organize a Ballet event here in Addis.”

Underlining the charitable mission of the event, she added, “It is important to me to give back to community and even more important is utilizing something like that has given me so much joy as a means to raise money for a cause that can help people who need it most.’’

Several world-class ballet dancers from countries including Australia, South Africa and USA performed at the event. And with Solo and duo performance as well as a circus show, it was a graceful evening with near-perfect, if not perfect performances, and remarks like ‘woah!’, ‘uh!’ and ‘oh!’ were all around the room. Another thing I wasn’t very right about was the stage. Whether I am a bad judge of stages, or the performers were really, really good, I am not sure, but they were doing everything they wanted on it, even attitude (it doesn’t mean what you think it means). I am not much of an expert in Ballet, but I could tell it was a great performance for everyone.

Well, I stayed longer than I thought I would. Happily. Of course, my far corner seat didn’t pass as useless as I had to visit the men’s room a couple of times (cold weather).

Well, unlike most nights when you visit the restrooms during a rest on the regular nights, when the bathrooms embrace you with the usual odor from miles away, tonight, even that wasn’t there. They were clean. It was one of those unexpectedly great nights.

The Ballet Stars Gala started in 2016 as a charitable event. Proceeds from the first event went to Our Father’s Kitchen a feeding program that feeds and supports children in need. The second event in 2017 went to an organization that supports vulnerable children in Shashemene. The event took a break in 2018 and came back this year; now aiming to support Children’s Heart Fund of Ethiopia.

CatchUp

Lake of Stars

Malawi Arts Festival Bezawit Shewarega

L

ake of Stars is an annual 3-day boosts the tourism industry as a lot of international festival held on the attendees travel from Europe and Africa to shores of Lake Malawi, the 3rd largest lake be part of this experience end up visiting in Africa. It is widely referenced as being different tourist destinations of Malawi. one of the most important Besides generating income, festivals on the African this event is special because “which makes continent. The festival, which it showcases Africa. It takes this festival has been happening since African culture out to the one of the 2004, attracts more than world. It is important for many high-income 4000 people with music and participants who attend this generators for festival to be able to see the side art focused on Africa and UK. of Africa that Western media the economy” A mixture of international rarely covers. The festival opens volunteers, many with opportunities for those people extensive experience in the live events to invest in Malawi as well as Africa. industry, supporting a team in Malawi, This is one of a kind festival gathers the organizes Lake of Stars. The festival top African musicians as well as artists receives pro-bono support from the UK from the United Kingdom, bringing fashion music industry, with the UK headliners that designers, models, and tour agencies all travel to Malawi usually agreeing to waive together in one place. their normal performance fees.

This festival is founded by a British An estimated over $1 million is tourist Will Jameson, with the small idea generated by the festival for the local of showcasing beautiful African culture economy each year which makes this through the eyes of Malawi. In 2004, he festival one of the high-income generators held the first festival which more than 700 for the economy. This festival by itself people attended.

Photo: www.independent.co.uk

Festival-goers at Lake of Stars festival in Malawi

12 I Linkup Addis Ababa July, 2019

“Lake of Stars was named one of the top seven African music festivals to attend by CNN. ”

"

In 2014, Lake of Stars was named one of the top seven African music festivals to attend by CNN. The festival has different activities throughout the three days. It usually starts with zumba exercise following by art showcases and traditional dance performances as well as fashion show showcasing the cultures of Malawi and other African countries. The night ends with music performances by amazing musicians from all over Africa and UK. The night is full of amazing performances and is considered to be the best part of the festival. The festival also includes talks similar to the TED Talk format, theater, dance and mixed martial arts.

The Lake of Stars project organizes other events in Malawi in addition to the main festival, including the Children's Future Festival and film festival Lilongwe Shorts. Outside of Malawi the project is organizing new festivals in 2018, taking place in London and Glasgow and featuring artists from Malawi, Zambia, Ghana, South Africa and the UK. Lake of Stars also organizes different volunteer opportunities for festival attendees providing service to a variety of charities sponsored by the festival including the Microloan Foundation.

Attendees also visit orphanages to spend time with children and play games and sports with them.

The festival will celebrate its 15th anniversary next year with several events taking place in Malawi, London and Glasgow.

The night is full of amazing performances and is considered to be the best part of the festival.

"

Linkup Addis Ababa July, 2019 I 13

Photo: www.independent.co.uk

Sauti Sol perform at Lake of Stars festival

EatUp

Umami

A Place Quite Unlike Most in Addis Ephratha Kibru

T

he word ‘Umami’ carries with it a heavy load. A term of Japanese origin, it is used to describe savory tastes emanating from different types of food. If you name your restaurant Umami then it should, by principle, be able to capture the complexity capsulated in the palate. In order to do this, diversity is necessary, and attention is also a must. Ibrahim Hassen understood all this and managed to create a place quite unlike most in Addis.

Photo By: Anteneh Girma , Abyissinia Photographers Hub

Despite it being tucked out of the way on the old Japan road, Umami hosts a large compound with beautiful greenery that greatly umped up the place’s visual appearance. It’s interior could be described as retro, mostly due to its diner-esque design. The comfy-looking booths were the pinnacle of this construct.

We took a seat and I scoured the menu.

Brunch was serving all day, every day- and I happily went along with it. Of the four meals I had, three of them were breakfast dishes.

I started off with the Southwestern Omelet, a fluffy omelet with fresh avocados

"I guarantee you could never go wrong with Umami’s Moussaka."

14 I Linkup Addis Ababa July, 2019

and strawberries lining the top while bright red tomatoes decorate the side. I was more than happy to find out it tasted as good as it looked. Everything was as soft and savory as I imagined it to be. The side dish that came with it, Umami’s potato croquettes, was spectacular. Made from mashed potatoes that were covered with bread crumbs, washed with eggs, and fried, it was one of my favorite aspects of the entire meal. It is a must-try.

I followed up the Omelet with the allAmerican Chicken and Waffles. It was a big meal, with fat waffles stacked beneath small, crunchy, fried chicken. The papaya, watermelon, and bananas amassed on the side gave the dish a boost in sweetness while the potato croquettes continued on as the perfect addition to each meal. As this was a different take on a similar dish I had at Delmelá, it was up to individual taste to decide which was better. The portions were bigger and the flavor was more complementary at Umami, but the chicken was definitely more delicate and the overall taste was richer (yet more polarizing) at Delmelá. It was hard to say

Location: Bole Japan area, Zimbabwe St. On Google Maps?

Yes Service /label: Restaurant Opening Hours: Tuesday- Saturday 07:30am - 09:30pm Sunday: 09:30am - 09:30pm Facebook: /umami.ethio Instagram: /umami.ethio Phone Number: +251 91 130 2078 +251 90 245 4444

“It’s always been a dream of mine and with the help of my family, it’s finally being realized. "

Linkup Addis Ababa July, 2019 I 15

Photos By: Anteneh Girma , Abyissinia Photographers Hub

who had the edge.

Next, I tried the Shakshuka, a Northern African delicacy consisting of poached eggs cooked on top of spicy tomato sauce and garlic, seasoned with parsley. It was, quite simply, amazing- I considered it the height of umami and a prime example of a savory taste.

Lastly, I tried the Moussaka. This Mediterranean dish knows different variants but at Umami, it is made and served the Greek way. Consisting of a thick cheesy top, a tenderly cooked eggplant based center, and a delicate beef base, this dish was one of my all-time favorites and Umami did it justice. It was one of the best moussakas I had ever had. Whether you are a fan of Greek cuisine or not, I guarantee you could never go wrong with Umami’s Moussaka.

Once I found myself more than satisfied, Ibrahim Hassen, the owner and manager of Umami set to familiarize me with the background of this wonderful place and its visionary owner.

“It’s always been a dream of mine and with the help of my family, it’s finally being realized. Umami is a family business and I’m the manager.” He says.

Here in Addis, there is a huge gap in the brunch sector with a lot of restaurants time-limiting their breakfast menu.

Ibrahim noticed this and set out to bridge it. Brunch is constantly on the menu- and Ibrahim set out to serve food he would love to eat. “I used to eat out from a very young age- it definitely widened my palate and cultivated my taste.” He continues, “So even though I don’t normally cook, I know what I want.”

Umami had been open for exactly two weeks when writing this review yet the feedback was overwhelmingly positive- in person and on social media. “Customer satisfaction is extremely important to me, so much so that the smallest discontent expressed affects my mood for the whole day. With that in mind, having returning customers so early on has to be the greatest complement,” says Ibrahim. “I couldn’t be more grateful.”

And I couldn’t be less surprised.

Umami’s food, albeit expensive, was a must try. Its huge portions added to the fantastic dining experience and though the fact that there is something for everyone gives comfort, it also allows adventure.

CloseUp

Yasser Bagersh Eyob Workineh

F

or any one close to the Ethiopian art and culture scene, Yasser Bagersh is not a name to miss. Since he started one of the most important entertainment magazines in Ethiopia, What’sOut Addis, around 20 years ago, Yasser has remained the leading figure in the entertainment business. His advertising firm, Cactus, is one of the leading agencies in the nation, but Yasser’s impact doesn’t end there. His other projects, including Way Marketing, Omnimedia and Lime Tree have been pioneers in the entertainment and marketing scenes.

LinkUp Addis sat down with Yasser to find out what drives his impressive journey. Enjoy.

Do you think that’s the source of your strength?

I don’t know if it is so. I admire people who are confident and strong, who know what they want in life, have deliberate plans about the future, are stable, have regularities and routine. I envy such people because there is great strength in being stable. I am not suggesting I am in turmoil or chaos, but I am in a constant state of an almost out-body-experience of seeing my life moving in a very, very fast speed in a million directions. Sometimes I let that go; sometimes I try to control it, and some other times, I just take a deep breath and watch the whole thing unfold. Maybe my strength is fear of boredom or being still.

For all who wonder, who is Yasser?

What drives you as a businessman?

Photo: Lealem Eshetu, Cactus Communications

That’s a tricky question. I do not know who I am, really. Every day, I am in search of finding myself. Every time I think I am close to finding myself and what makes me happy and peaceful, I wake up the next morning feeling that that is not really who I want to be. I will let you know when I know who I am.

16 I Linkup Addis Ababa July, 2019

I am not a businessman. I am not driven by business. Next question.

“[Zoma] is an iconic, cultural pillar within the Ethiopian cultural space.”

I am “passion” driven. I look for projects that make me happy. I see them as projects, as mini journeys. My mission is to be happy and to make those around me happy. Doing the things that I love to do and sharing them with others, and thus making this city an exciting place to live in. I create platforms for contemporary art; I create platforms for theater, music and cultural activities because I want to live in an exciting place, and in the process, Addis Ababa becomes a great city to live in.

Speaking of creating an exciting city, how do you see the changes in the city from back in the days when you started to now?

Oh, night and day! When I moved back here, home, around 20 years ago, I realized there weren’t many cultural and art events happening. When we published the first issue of What’s Out, it was a single sheet of paper, two-folded. There weren’t enough activities to fill that single sheet of paper.

We to had to come up with activities just so the publication can look fuller.

We organized concerts, neighborhood tours, theatre productions and art exhibitions to fill the publication and make Addis a great place to live. Today, every single night, there is something exciting happening in Addis Ababa, and I love it.

There are concerts, exhibitions, festivals going on every day. Actually, I have two or three events to go to every single evening.

Of course, I can’t attend all, so I must pick, which is so different from how it was when I moved here 20 years ago.

What was the role What’s Out played in this transformation?

I want to believe that it had a great contribution to make in this transformation. What’s Out has never been a money maker for us, and still is not.

If we make money, it is invested back to promoting arts and culture in Addis Ababa.

“I am in turmoil or chaos, but I am in a constant state of an almost out-bodyexperience of seeing my life moving in a very, very fast speed in a million directions.”

We use the money from the advertising to make the publication free. What’s Out has built an amazing network over the last 15 years or so and now is a major resource for people who would like to enjoy what the city has to offer.

Can one say What’s Out’s mission has not changed?

It’s the same. Our mission has always been about promoting and cultivating the cultural and art scene in Addis Ababa. It’s an important yet overlooked space in our city’s landscape.

As a person who has been to a lot of events both as a guest and organizer, what makes a good event production for you?

Well, it takes a lot to excite me. It should be an out-of-the-box experience for me to be excited about a place or an event. The year 2019, for instance, has brought Zoma. I am thrilled by Zoma. It is an iconic, cultural pillar within the Ethiopian cultural space.

The recent Sewawi concert organized

by Yisakal was an unforgettable event.

That was wonderful not only in terms of production but also its mission.

“I am also heavily involved in Our Father’s Kitchen, my feeding program supporting over 300 children.”

Linkup Addis Ababa July, 2019 I 17

Photo: Lealem Eshetu, Cactus Communications

How do you define what you do, then?

Meaningful events that have charitable mission inspire me also.

How do your different projects run?

There is Cactus. Cactus is one of the leading, if not the leading advertising agency in Ethiopia. We are a boutique mid-size agency offering our services to a few hand-picked clients, not open for new clients unless the client is offering a journey that’s compelling for my team.

Cactus is a strategy and creative agency.

We are not a 360 agency which is an old, archaic concept from the 1940’s. It is a concept where companies attempt to give all services to their clients, under one roof, without specializing in any. Most ad agencies in Ethiopia today still use the old 360 format. Hopefully over time, the industry will change where an ad agency will be good in one thing and let other agencies handle other specializations.

The other company I oversee is called Prologue, which is affiliated to BursonMarsteller, one of the top PR agencies in the world. Prologue, in addition to doing public relations, also manages events year round.

Photo: Lealem Eshetu, Cactus Communications

I am also involved in Way Marketing. It is a company invested in below-the-Line (BTL) activities. It focuses on door-to-door, research, road tours, merchandizing and samplings. We have 11 offices in the country with over 250 full-time staff.

With a permanent team placed in these 11 offices, we have the agility that no other agency has. If we want a survey filled out by 100 people in Sidama, we can send the questionnaire to our Sidama office today and receive the raw data within 48 hours.

That’s how networked and effective Way Marketing is.

The other company is Omnimedia, which is a content-creation agency. It creates radio shows and TV shows and also publishes the monthly What’s Out. Our work is broadcasted in multiple media houses.

I am also heavily involved in Our Father’s

18 I Linkup Addis Ababa July, 2019

Kitchen, my feeding program supporting over 300 children. We feed the children and take care of them. This program is celebrating its 10th year anniversary this year.

I also enjoy cooking in the two branches of the Lime Tree. I cook two to three days a week. Lime Tree was really created for me.

It is an unpretentious restaurant that serves good old home cooking using quality ingredients in the most hygienic way, no different from my own home kitchen. And it’s not just about food. It’s about celebrating life and staying healthy.

As a professional involved in several projects, what areas do you see as having the biggest potential in the coming years?

The obvious answer is manufacturing, farming and export. And that’s what our country currently needs. However, if I were to give advice to someone who wants to invest on starting a business in Ethiopia, or anywhere for that matter, I would recommend you should follow your passion and create something which is also meaningful to community.

Who are your biggest critics?

Myself.

Any big upcoming project/s?

Yes, yes, yes. I am working on a few exciting projects right now. But I am not telling….

“Our mission has always been about promoting and cultivating the cultural and art scene in Addis Ababa.”

What'sUp

Phoenix Surafel Solomon

W

aking up on Saturday morning, early afternoon, to be honest, was no easy feat. The ever recurring search in your maze of a memory for what happened last night always occupies the first few minutes of someone who indulges in a lifestyle such as mine. You try to piece bits together but it’s no use, when you meet your friends later and talk about it, you all have different patches of the night that occasionally overlap. It is a bittersweet feeling, I tell you. But these benders always have a starting point, a trigger, something that made everyone have an unspoken understanding that “we are all staying out late tonight”. And that was Phoenix.

Photo By: Anteneh Girma , Abyissinia Photographers Hub

It started as a lazy Friday, most of which was spent lounging around at home with a friend; we had plans to checkout a relatively new restaurant that opened close by. Walking there tiredly, I was having second thoughts, so we decided to have a pit stop on the way, at least until the rest of our friends had arrived. But shortly in our interim establishment, I get word that the

20 I Linkup Addis Ababa July, 2019

Bar & Restaurant

rest of the crew had indeed arrived quite a while ago. We arrive at our destination “Phoenix”, a small and cozy bar and restaurant located near Bole Medhianalem.

Our friends are having beers on the outdoor section; not wanting to be black sheep, we opt for the same.

Inspired by the small French cafes that serve, unlike in Addis Ababa, everything from breakfast crepes to Beef Filet, from Macchiato to wine and Negroni, Phoenix is true to its inspiration. Taking a glance at their menu will back up this statement with its diversity of choice. Since ordering is an arduous task which would involve thirty minutes of debating whether this dish goes with that or whether it is good, we decide to let Metti, the founder and main influencer of the food section, give us her recommendations. While she orders for us we start talking about how Phoenix came to be, and she explains it’s relation to the mythical bird that burns itself and is born again, this being her second venture into the bar/restaurant business. The food is mainly inspired by French and

Location: Around Bole Medihanalem and Bole high school On Google Maps?

Yes Service /label: Bar and Restaurant Opening Hours: 09:00 AM – 12:00 AM All week Facebook: /phoenixbarand restaurant Instagram: /phoenixbarand restaurant Phone Number: + 251 91 362 1526 + 251 91 147 2830

Mediterranean cuisine, she explains, as our starters come. The Beef Carpaccio, velvety smooth, thin slices of marinated raw beef with salad was the first thing I tried and as soon as I had a taste, I didn’t want to share any of it. The paper thin sheets of quality beef just melts in your mouth. Next we try the Exotic soup, a thick and rich soup that none of us could put a finger on the ingredients. This creamy bowl of goodness is closer to a puree than the runny and solid food filled soups I have tried elsewhere. With two starters down and two more to go, when the waiter asked if we wanted another round of drinks, we chose to go for cocktails.

Looking at the cocktail menu, it is split into two sections. The Classic cocktails section consists of cocktails which are internationally known and standard, like the aforementioned Negroni, Long island Iced Tea, and others. The other section is the House specials section featuring cocktails you can’t find anywhere else.

These cocktails were contributed by the owners and friends. Obviously we choose from the House Special section and go with Oasis, a Rum based cocktail with a date as a garnish. Neither too strong nor too sweet, this was perfect to go with the coming two starters, the Roasted Zucchini

tuna melt and the Mediterranean Salad.

The first dish, a hollow zucchini stuffed with tuna tomatoes and parmesan cheese and cooked in the oven, is a pescatarian’s dream dish. The Mediterranean Salad almost made me love salad (I’m not really into salads), with its bits of chicken breast, sundried tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and red onions tossed with a pesto vinegar dressing.

Satisfied with our starters, we start looking at the main courses. First on the list was the Beef Filet, a classic staple dish that I doubt needs any introduction or description. To go with our main course we decide to switch cocktails and ask Sami, Metti’s partner, for a recommendation, he sends us Kafa, a coffee based drink which upon deeper analysis my friend expertly described it as being close to a Black Russian. This was definitely stronger than Oasis, which was the way we wanted to go, progressively stronger drinks. Then comes our second main dish, Chicken Skewers seasoned and glazed with honey marmalade and sesame seeds. A great dish to share with friends over some of the house specialty drinks. Then we had Chicken Penne, a pasta dish with a creamy chicken sauce. Being stuffed to the brim we double down on our Kafa and every mouth

“Though I cannot say much about the rest of the night, I am really happy I didn’t forget the beginning.”

Linkup Addis Ababa July, 2019 I 21

Photo By: Anteneh Girma , Abyissinia Photographers Hub

“a Rum based cocktail with a date as a garnish. Neither too strong nor too sweet, this was perfect to go with the coming two starters,”

that was too busy to talk occupied with great food gets into roaring conversation.

After a round of drinks, we are offered desert. Crepe, a thin French pancake served with Nutella or homemade jam and an expertly made Chocolate Fondant made with imported French chocolate graced our pallets accompanied by a cocktail called Chocó Pop, a creamy whiskey based cocktail that balances sweet and strong.

Eating that much had made us underestimate what we were drinking and after desert is done we keep going with this silent agreement to continue ordering drinks. I am not an advocate of mixing drinks, none of us are, I don’t know who is, but that night we all seemed to completely disregard that creed we seemed to share and kept doing so the entire night.

Though I cannot say much about the rest of the night, I am really happy I didn’t forget the beginning. The little Parisian café/ bar/restaurant was and will be on my mind next time I am thinking about good food and great drinks with friends.

22 I Linkup Addis Ababa July, 2019

The little Parisian café/ bar/ restaurant was and will be on my mind next time I am thinking about good food and great drinks with friends.

"

ReelUp

Men In Black International Kidus Tamiru

MIB: International follows Agent M, a new recruit in the men in black and H, a reckless but effective agent in the MIB as they try to track down a potential mole in the organization. This movie is more of a spin-off of the MIB franchise than a sequel, featuring only one crossover character (two if you count the annoying pug) from the original. But don’t hold your breath anticipating a great cameo, it’s just Emma Thompson’s Agent O from MIB III. In terms of story, this film has obvious similarities with the first one. Both films feature an intelligent, cool character being recruited to the men in black, getting paired up with a partner that’s their exact polar opposite and we get to experience the wonders and craziness of the alien world through their eyes. But this time around, we’ve already been introduced to the crazy world of the MIB and the sight of all the odd-looking aliens. So, having the lead character marvel at all the craziness around her and expecting the audience to react with the same amusement made the first half of this movie quite boring.

My review in a nutshell is, every movie in this series gets progressively worse. From quirky but good in the first one, to amusing and watchable in the second to OK-there’s-nothingbetter-to-watch in the third and then, my god that was an absolute pile of shit for this one.

The story was incredibly boring; almost all of the jokes fell so flat I was literally cringing, it practically has no villain, and they even managed to muck up the action scenes. The problem with this series in the first place was that it was inevitably doomed to fail. The first film was good because of its quirky and novel appeal and because of the fantastic charisma and chemistry between Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. And both novelty and

star power tend to fade through repetition. And that’s exactly what had happened by the third part.

Directed By: F. Gary Gray Runtime: 1hrs 50m

So, I guess the filmmakers had the genius idea of just casting new, younger and more relevant leads and just keep churning out some more formulaic sequels. And they’re probably scratching their heads right now wondering what went wrong. Even though Hemsworth and Thompson’s performance is probably the only good thing about this film, they have nowhere near the presence and comic power to save a bad movie with lazy writing and incompetent directing. Speaking of, Mr. Gray seems very much out of his element with this.

He seems much more at home directing either small scale comedies like Friday or largescale full-on meathead action with no plot or wittiness like The Fate of Furious. But the nuances of directing a quirky, out-this-world comedy escape him.

Starring: Tessa Thompson, Chris Hemsworth, Liam Neeson 3/10

Overall, if you want to see a fourth sequel done properly, watch the other film in cinemas right now, Toy Story 4. No, for real, check that out. It’s great. Just avoid this crap.

Linkup Addis Ababa July, 2019 I 23

Sostegnaw Ayn Directed By: Ermias Tadesse Runtime: 1hr 40m Starring: Amanuel Habtamu, Betel Mengiste, Wintana Tadese

The plot follows Alemn, an honest lawyer hellbent on justice and fairness whose life turns upside down when he meets a beautiful but mysterious woman. What I enjoyed about this movie was that it started off as a slightly odd but potentially good romance movie but ends up a full on supernatural neo-noir film. With its silent protagonist, complex plot, mysterious damsel in distress and dark cinematography, this film was quite a surprise. At least for most of it. It gets kind of rushed and lazy in the third act, as writers are wont to do when they bite off more than they can chew. But, on the whole, this is a very good film. It is very well paced, written and directed. It has an uneasy, almost horror film-like atmosphere to it throughout. But the problem with making a good movie is that even minor mishaps that go unnoticed in mediocre films become quite obvious. In this case, I found the ADR (overdubbed dialog) quite annoying in an otherwise well executed film. It makes most of the dialog sound like narration. And what is with this obsession of having cheesy, original songs that literally describe the scene for you during sad moments? It seems to be the new fad for Ethiopian movies and it’s annoying when they overdo it with the heart string pulling. But I’m just being a nitpicker, I’d definitely recommend this film and I hope to see more Ethiopian films like it.

8/10

John Wick 3: Parabellum Directed By: Chad Stahelski Runtime:2hr 10m Starring: Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Ian McShane

John Wick 3 is an immediate continuation of the previous film as the titular character tries to fight off all the assassins sent after him by the high table. By immediate continuation, I mean this literally begins right after the last film ends. So, it wouldn’t hurt to reacquaint yourself with the series if you intend on watching this. That being said, this is definitely the most “John Wick” movie in the series. It has less talk and a lot more action than the others. And at this stage, it’s obvious the filmmakers know exactly what the fans love about these movies (which is rare among movie franchises), and they’ve amplified those elements. Right from the brief title credits all the way to the end, this is non-stop, high octane action with practically no plot. This is a movie for the people who miss the golden age of action movies, back when blockbuster films were mostly about a hero killing scores of faceless henchmen. But, as anybody who’s played Call of Duty for too long will tell you, constant sound of gun fire can get pretty monotonous. This movie is also the most violent in the series, which can be a good or a bad thing depending on how you like your movies. It is obvious The Raid 2 was a huge inspiration, with everything from the hyper-violence to the colorful villains, played by the same actors from that movie playing the same roles (If you’re a fan of action films, I highly recommend The Raid 2). So, if you’re into drama, plot, realism, the laws of physics or other superfluous things, you might not like this. But if you just want to watch Keanu Reeves kill a giant dude with a book, then you gotta check this out.

8/10

24 I Linkup Addis Ababa July, 2019