LinkUp Addis September 2019

September 2019

16 CloseUp: An incredible interview with Lemn Sissay, Ethio-British author, broadcaster and many other things!

What’sUp: Mid-Town Ultra Lounge- Go once and you’ll be finding reasons to go there again Page 20 ReelUp: Check out why Kidus thinks even wedding videos are more entertaining than this new Ethiopian movie Page 22

04 05 08 09 14 12 Editor’s Letter

Headsup

Thumbsup

September Events Calendar

Followup

Classic Fashion Night

Eatup

Catchup

16 Closeup

Interview with Lemn Sissay

International Event Chale Wote Street Arts Festival

Restaurant Review The Kitchen Restaurant & Bar Hyatt Regency Hotel

20 22 What’sup

Reelup

Cinema Review

Midtown Ultra Lounge

እንኳን ለአዲሱ ዓመት በሰላም እና በጤና አደረሳችሁ፡፡ መላው የLinkUp Addis አዘጋጆች ቡድን አዲሱ ዓመት የሰላም፣ የጤና እና የስኬት እንዲሆንላችሁ ይመኛል፡፡ Here is a New Ethiopian Year. It is 2012. As the New Year kicks off with new inspirations, plans and hopes, the entire LinkUp Addis team would like to wish you all a successful year ahead. We hope to see more creativity and adventure in the event organizing scene in Ethiopia in 2012. As grateful as we are for all the support we have been receiving from our readership and all the other stakeholders, we would like to reconfirm to support our industry in all ways we can.

Are you looking for a media partner for your planned events this new year? Are you thinking of creative ways to host your event? Are you looking for the right people and logistics for your event? LinkUp is here to help and support. You know where to find us. You know we are just a phone call away. Let’s join hands take Addis on fire in 2012.

Who knows, that 2012 the whole world was anxious about might be this one.

Eyob Workineh Editor-in-Chief

2012

Editor in chief: Eyob Workineh eyob@linkupaddis.com

Project and Social Media Manager: Fikreab Dagne fikrabdagne@gmail.com

Social Media Associates: Venture Addis

Marketing Director: Eyasu Abdella eyasu@linkupaddis.com

Creative Director: Benny Yoseph benny@linkupaddis.com

Cover photo: Courtesy of Lemn Sissay

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01-16 SEPTEMBER2019 • BookClub, Discussion, Forum, Meetup Goethe Institut, 02:00pm

• QUIZ NIGHT (every Tuesday) Ramada Hotel Oak Bar, 08:00pm

• Opening of "Nuit", a Photo Exhibition Jeff Le Cardiet Alliance Ethio-Française , 06:30pm

• One Pack Music Concert Getfam Hotel, 02:00pm

• Cine-Club Louvre hotel, 08:00pm • Chelina Live Every Wednesday night Metro Club, Hyatt regency, 09:00pm

• Monday with Dawit Tsige Mama’s Kitchen (Wolo Sefer) , 10:00pm

• REGGAE SUNDAY with Ras Jany every Sunday Metro club Hyatt regency, 09:00pm

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• Puagme Festival Gulele Botanical Garden, 10:00am

• Puagme Festival Gulele Botanical Garden, 10:00am

• One Day Annual Goal Setting Training Rened Consultancy and Trading , 09:00am

• Puagme Festival Gulele Botanical Garden, 10:00am

• Photography: A Social Transformation Tool Hilton Addis Ababa, 05:30pm

• Architecture And Art Exhibition Presented By U:TOPIA Oromia Cultural Institute, 11:00am

• Blood Donation Bole Lemi Industrial Park, 09:00am

• Architecture And Art Exhibition Presented By U:TOPIA Oromia Cultural Institute, 11:00am

• Couch Surfing Meet up (every Thursday night ) Mad vervet, 07:00pm

• Puagme Festival Gulele Botanical Garden, 10:00am

• Tsedenia live Every Thursday Metro Club, Hyatt regency, 09:00pm

• Architecture And Art Exhibition Presented By U:TOPIA Oromia Cultural Institute, 11:00am

• Karaoke and open mic (every Thursday night ) Viking Bar & Restaurant, 09:00pm

• REGGAE SUNDAY with Ras Jany every Sunday Metro club Hyatt regency, 09:00pm

• ኑ! ንባብን እንካፈል - እረፍት Goethe Institut, 03:00pm • Dibekulu live Every Saturday night Metro club Hyatt regency, 09:00pm

5 • Puagme Festival Gulele Botanical Garden, 10:00am

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6 • QUIZ NIGHT (every Tuesday) Ramada Hotel Oak Bar, 08:00pm

• Joint Presentation with Columbia, Cornell, Princeton, and Stanford Col John C. Robinson American Center (Womezekir) , 01:00pm • Monday with Dawit Tsige Mama’s Kitchen (Wolo Sefer) , 10:00pm

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• Cine-Club Louvre hotel, 08:00pm

• Couch Surfing Meet up (every Thursday night ) Mad vervet, 07:00pm

• Ethiopian New Year's Eve Concert Ghion Hotel, 06:00pm

• Tsedenia live Every Thursday Metro Club, Hyatt regency, 09:00pm

• Chewa concert Sheraton Addis Hotel, 06:00pm

• Karaoke and open mic (every Thursday night ) Viking Bar & Restaurant, 09:00pm

• New Year’s Eve VIP Grand Dinner Skylight Hotel, 07:30pm • Chelina Live Every Wednesday night Metro Club, Hyatt regency, 09:00pm

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10 • Organic Farmers’ Market Day Natani Cafe 08:30am

11 • REGGAE SUNDAY with Ras Jany every Sunday Metro club Hyatt regency, 09:00pm

12 • Monday with Dawit Tsige Mama’s Kitchen (Wolo Sefer) , 10:00pm

• Zodiac Series: VIRGO Face of Addis 02:30pm • Dibekulu live Every Saturday night Metro club Hyatt regency, 09:00pm

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17-30 SEPTEMBER2019 • QUIZ NIGHT (every Tuesday) Ramada Hotel Oak Bar, 08:00pm

• Cine-Club Louvre hotel, 08:00pm

• Couch Surfing Meet up (every Thursday night ) Mad vervet, 07:00pm

• African Inclusive Innovation Summit African Union Commission, 08:00am

• Chelina Live Every Wednesday night Metro Club, Hyatt regency, 09:00pm

• Tsedenia live Every Thursday Metro Club, Hyatt regency, 09:00pm

• Architectural Exhibition Yehas ARC Community, 09:00am

• Karaoke and open mic (every Thursday night ) Viking Bar & Restaurant, 09:00pm

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• Architectural Exhibition Yehas ARC Community, 09:00am

• Architectural Exhibition Yehas ARC Community, 09:00am

• Dibekulu live Every Saturday night Metro club Hyatt regency, 09:00pm

• እንደራሴ (A Festival for Grade 12 Graduates) Millenium Hall, 02:00pm

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19 • Monday with Dawit Tsige Mama’s Kitchen (Wolo Sefer) , 10:00pm

• QUIZ NIGHT (every Tuesday) Ramada Hotel Oak Bar, 08:00pm

• REGGAE SUNDAY with Ras Jany every Sunday Metro club Hyatt regency, 09:00pm

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• Cine-Club Louvre hotel, 08:00pm

• Couch Surfing Meet up (every Thursday night ) Mad vervet, 07:00pm

• Organic Farmers’ Market Day Natani Cafe 08:30am

• Chelina Live Every Wednesday night Metro Club, Hyatt regency, 09:00pm

• Tsedenia live Every Thursday Metro Club, Hyatt regency, 09:00pm

• Dibekulu live Every Saturday night Metro club Hyatt regency, 09:00pm

• Karaoke and open mic (every Thursday night ) Viking Bar & Restaurant, 09:00pm

25 • REGGAE SUNDAY with Ras Jany every Sunday Metro club Hyatt regency, 09:00pm

26 • Monday with Dawit Tsige Mama’s Kitchen (Wolo Sefer) , 10:00pm

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Thumbsup Kidus Assefa

Dine-in Cinema Name: Fam Affair Housing a Dine-in cinema, roller-skating rink & a food court under one roof, Fam Affair is a must visit but also an ideal place to spend relaxed quality time with the whole family. Spacious and full of activities for everyone, the place is suitable for groups that want to enjoy themselves without having to leave anyone behind. The simple and elegant interior is not only appealing with its creative use of space and color but also very child-friendly. Fam Affair certainly is a great environment to take the whole family for an enjoyable weekend.

Facebook: Not available Tel: + 251 (0)95 110 4787 Location: Around Bole Medhanealem, Gamoo Oromia Building 3rd floor On Google maps? Yes Bakery & Restaurant Name: Soqratos Greek Restaurant With its authentic Greek-styled interior and intimate setting, Soqratos gives the original Mediterranean, European standard eating experience. Currently offering a wide selection of baked goods by placed orders, the bakery side also specializes in a variety of pies (with spinach, cheese, meat & potato fillings), as well as other snacks.

The restaurant side also has impressive Greek cuisines such as Greek salad, ‘Mousaka’, ‘Halouni’ cheese, Tornado potato & ‘Souvlaki’ pita to name a few.

Soqratos also does catering for events & fairs alongside special orders.

Facebook: Not available Tel: +251 (0) 93 440 9923 Location: Dembel area on the road leading to Meskel Flower On Google maps? Yes

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Motorsport Name: Ethiopian Youth Go-cart training center The Ethiopian Motorsports Association, ever since becoming part of FiA, has embarked on a mission to make Motorsports a more accessible and integral part of people's active lifestyle..

Go-carting might be relatively new here but a surprising number of people are paying attention to it and its popularity is growing fast. With trainings that include theory classes covering safety procedures, technical knowledge and such basics that could quite frankly be considered helpful preparation for any motorsport activity or even a regular driving license. Other than that, the new Go-cart training center is a very interesting & fun experience for anyone.

Facebook: ethio.motor.sport Tel: +251 (0) 91 147 5857 Location: Ethiopian Youth Sport Academy, Ring road beside Imperial square On Google maps? Yes

FollowUp

Classic Fashion Night Anatoli Bulti t was a chilly Friday night, the lazy August sun replaced by dark clouds and heavy rain that seemed to be out for vengeance. The streets of Bole and Meskel Square were clogged with traffic, and loud honks from impatient drivers filled the air, but inside the Hyatt Regency, it was a completely different atmosphere. A live band was playing classical renditions of Ethiopian and Western music in the fountain area of the hotel where a fashionshow was about to take place.

Classic Fashion Night, organized by model Yohanees Assfaw, happened on 02 August, showcasing the works of young, up and coming Ethiopian designers. As the name implies, the theme for the event was ‘classic fashion’ evidenced by the array of suits and formal wear that walked the artificial grass runway throughout the night.

Doors opened at 6 PM, and true to the popular saying “fashionably late”, most of the invited guests didn’t start arriving until an hour past the doors opening. But this allowed the few strays that came early to sip on some wine and mingle. As we waited for the seats to fill up, Kush Acoustics Quartet played wonderful melodies that mixed with the sound of the water from the fountains, setting the tone for the night.

The fashion show started around 8 PM,

with women’s wear brand Ayni’s Designs presenting a collection of bags and dresses.

The asymmetric cuts, draping of the cloaks and hooded coats and dresses were very reminiscent of modern Japanese styles, while the leather bags added a trendy look to the styling.

The theme was more apparent with the presentation of No. 9, a clothing brand and store that specializes on formal men’s wear.

The male models were dressed in a variety of suits; from three pieces and body fitting blazers to bow ties and turtle necks.

Other brands like Zim Tibeb, Nahom Ethiopia and Sebatu also sent their designs down the wet run way, with looks ranging from colorful skirts to long "Menen" gowns to kimonos and umbrae faux fur coats. No. 9 store presented multiple times during the night, and it was when the brand broke away from their usual formal look and the mix of casual attire that it truly stood out. I personally would have loved to see some of the female models dressed in the brands men’s wear just to add a little bit of edge to the rather monotonous lineup.

One thing that stood out was the representation in the model casting, with the audience breaking into screams and applauses whenever the two dark skinned female models walked down the runway.

One of the constant criticism the fashion

“Doors opened at 6 PM, and true to the popular saying “fashionably late”, most of the invited guests didn’t start arriving until an hour past the doors opening.”

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Photo by: Photo Zola Studio

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Classic Fashion Night was a nice first stop before setting out to see what the rest of the city had to that cold Friday night.

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Photo: www..lomography.com

Photo by: Photo Zola Studio

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industry faces is the lack of representations of models with different body shapes, height and shades than what we have come accustomed to seeing over the years.

Skinny, tall and light skinned used to be the go to casting choices in the industry. But as beauty standards keep evolving and the industry becomes more inclusive, it was refreshing seeing this event also embracing the latest movement in the fashion world in their casting choices.

The show ran a little over an hour, with some of the guests leaving during the briefand rather ill-timed- intermission before the final brand showed its pieces. For a fashion event with a theme like this one, the designs were more of a blend of contemporary and traditional rather than classic with its narrowed focus on formal men’s wear.

Classic fashion encompasses looks that “never go out of style”, as the tag line for the event suggested, but audiences were left wanting more than suit and ties presented in their different stylistic variations.

All in all, despite the gloomy weather the organizers had managed to create a cozy atmosphere and a great platform to showcase the works of young designers in an industry where most young designers are constantly struggling to get a foot in.

Undoubtedly the fashion event of the season, Classic Fashion Night was a nice first stop before setting out to see what the rest of the city had to that cold Friday night.

CatchUp

Chale Wote Street Arts Festival Tsadenna G. Assefa

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Photo: travelsghana.com

hen August approaches, the streets now grown to 11 days this year. What makes of Accra prepare to welcome the Chale Wote special is its ability to bring thousands of people that will flood the art of all forms to the streets of Accra in a streets on their pilgrimage to the street Ghanaian style that cannot be reproduced art mecca: Chale Wote. anywhere else.

The name Chale Wote, not This year’s edition took place coincidentally, means friend between the 14th and the 25th “[It] attempts of August under the theme lets go in Ga, one of the major to shed light languages in Ghana and the ‘Pidgin Imaginarium’. Pidgin local language of Accra. It is a cultural phenomenon at issues of is also synonymous with and a language formed by femininity, flipflops, as they are anyone’s people of different languages friend in the tropical weather blackness, and to enable them to speak to identity.” the locals enjoy. But the name each other. It is a common form Chale Wote has, of recent, of communication of people also become synonymous in Ghana and west Africa with artistic rebellion because of the diverse nature and infinite production of a variety of the region. According to the organizers, of art forms. It is currently the largest pidgin is “… a time capsule, a time traveling alternative art festival our continent has memory repository and a metaphysical to offer. extension of many other lifeworld’s of creation and exchange”, the year’s main Chale Wote is an annual festival that aim is to celebrate diversity by encouraging takes place in the month of August. Dubbed joint projects that revolve around the “a street style paradise” by Vogue magazine, conceptual intersection of artistic thought it was first launched in 2011 by Accra dot alt and African mythology. with support from other cultural vehicles.

Chale Wote has become a platform It started as a one-day festival and it has for many emerging and well-known

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“Chale Wote has become a platform for many emerging and well-known artists from across the world to showcase their unique talents and share their stories.”

Besides the open gallery, it also features film labs screening works hailing from different parts of the African continent and attempts to shed light at issues of femininity, blackness, and identity. Other features of the festival include processions and performances that attempt to impact understanding around folklore, and human relationship with the environment.

With over forty thousand people in attendance, the colorful festivities mark the significance of Ghana in the continent as the first African country to gain independence and by coinciding with “the year of return” that celebrates 400 years of resilience throughout the 400 years of slavery and encourages African diaspora to return. Chale Wote is a testament to the power of independent cultural initiative that draws people out for entertainment, forms a common identity for the locals and gives platform for cultural exchange.

" When August approaches, the streets of Accra prepare to welcome the thousands of people that will flood the streets on their pilgrimage to the street art mecca: Chale Wote"

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Photo: travelsghana.com

artists from across the world to showcase their unique talents and share their stories. Since its launch, Chale Wote has been introducing revolutionary art that embodies many societal issues and concepts. It has become the stage where artists can share their opinions on current issues through limitless creative media.

Among the many programs that make Chale Wote a force to be reckoned with are interactive art, photography, fashion, extreme sports, art fairs and more. This year, it featured an open gallery that brought together 7 Ghanaian cultural agencies to bring forth a vibrant one of a kind experiences for the art connoisseur and the general public alike. The open gallery includes Africa by Design platform that allows 31 designers from 8 African countries (Burkina Faso, Cote D’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria and Senegal) to showcase their innovative designs of eclectic ranges.

It also includes walking tours of the historical James town, that has played a major role in the development of street arts in the capital and has significant contribution to the social and economic status of Accra dwellers. It is also scenic in that it has the popular lighthouse that is considered as one of the major landmarks of Accra.

EatUp

The Kitchen Restaurant & Bar Mistre Tekaligne

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n the ground floor of Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa, tucked away behind the lobby, is a gem waiting to be discovered. The Kitchen restaurant and bar is a fine dining establishment serving Levantine cuisine with a touch of Ethiopia in it.

Photo: Courtesy of Hyatt Regency

Walking into The Kitchen restaurant and bar, we were greeted by the hostess and shown our options for seating. The interior incorporated traditional Ethiopian motifs in creatively unconventional decorative methods. There are large handwoven baskets filled with local red peppers, raw turmeric and chili peppers casually placed in corners. Items such as the “taba” (a traditional clay pot used for serving “kitfo”) and “mitad shekla” (a clay stove used for making “injera”) with beautiful patterns carved into them, are displayed on the walls. On the right side of the restaurant is the open kitchen with inviting fresh ingredients displayed on the counter top.

On the left is the hot beverage station and the door leading to the bar. The Kitchen bar, despite being outdoors, has a warm and cozy atmosphere. The sprawling views of the nearby Meskel Square and

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soft music from the Metro Lounge located right under, make it a perfect place for a few drinks and then some. The bar serves a selection of cocktails and mocktails starting from 6:00 PM. After settling down at our table and being handed our menus, we started going over it. The first page gives an introduction to the creative process behind the ingredients used and the selection of foods available. The next page starts off with the bold headline “Chef Hani’s Delights” and goes on to list fifteen different kinds of vegetarian starters. The page also contains “Hot Mezze Bites”, “Soup” and “Sandwich” sections. Upon the recommendation of our host, we ordered three starters from the first section: chick-pea hummus, calamari with a side of mild tomato dip and fattouch salad. Before the starters were served, we were presented with complimentary teff bread with avocado and yogurt dip. The starters were then served with a beautiful presentation. The semi-creamy hummus tasted nutty, with a slightly pronounced garlic flavor, and went very well with the teff bread. The calamari was absolutely divine, tender to the bite and slightly sweet. The fattouch salad had just the right

Location: Mesqel Square, across the street from Red Terror Martyrs’ Memorial Museum On Google Maps?

Yes Service /label: Bar & Restaurant Opening Hours: 06:30am - 11:30pm Facebook: @HyattRegency AddisAbabaHotel Instagram: @HyattRegency AddisAbaba Phone Number: +251 11 517 1234

dish, we then ordered lemonade spritz as a digestif which came in two flavors: Orange and Thyme or Ginger and Spice, which were utterly refreshing and served their purpose, making room for dessert.

From a selection of seven desserts on the menu, we opted to have double chocolate tart, Beirut cheesecake and a selection of homemade ice creams. The double chocolate tart was served with a generous serving of chocolate Chantilly and crushed hazelnuts sprinkled on the tart, and was devilishly good. The Beirut cheesecake, which was served with fresh strawberries, was velvety with a creamy taste to it.

With its contemporary-cultural setting, exceptional and rare choices of food and royal treatment, The Kitchen is a flawlessly executed venture of Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa. Be it for a romantic dinner or a get together over a few cocktails watching the sun set over the city, it is a place to be.

Linkup Addis Ababa September, 2019 I 15

Photo: Courtesy of Hyatt Regency

amount zesty acidity and the crisp pita gave it a nice crunch.

The main course section had four sections: “Flat Sourdough Bread” with three options to go with the bread, a “Homemade Noodles” section, a “Stove and Grill” section and a selection of five side dishes. For the main course, we ordered the chicken shawarma, teff noodles with tomato sauce, Chef Hani’s mixed grill, za’at roasted chicken, pan-roasted fish of the day and the aubergine fettah.

Waiting for the food to arrive, we struck up a conversation with Mr. Kerem Suner, the hotel’s Food and Beverage Manager, to learn a bit more about the chef and the theme behind the restaurant itself. Chef Hani, the man behind the masterpieces, is a Syrian chef referred to as “Uncle” by the staff due to how invested and caring he is toward his customers and staff. Despite the restaurant serving Middle Eastern cuisine, they are adamant about using local ingredients, going as far as traveling from farm to farm with the chef to look for the best produce and build up lasting relationships with the farmers growing them. The insistence of using as much local produce, whether as raw material or inspiration, permeates to the design elements as well as the uniforms of the staff. Middle Eastern food is well-known for its use of olive oil; however, in keeping with the concept of using local ingredients, the restaurant has opted instead to use cold pressed organic avocado oil as an alternative to olive oil, which has received a wildly positive reception.

The main courses arrived and we were all eager to devour every one of the dishes.

The presentation of each dish matched the exceptional meals being presented.

The chicken shawarma, served with a side of cabbage salad, was toothsome with a hint of garlic sauce. The teff noodles were served with tomato and prawn sauce. The sauce was a fusion of flavors, with the teff noodles providing a stimulating canvas.

It was by far my favorite dish of the night.

Chef Hani’s mixed grill had beef medallion, chicken shish kebab, lamb kofte, and tomato and parsley salad. The meats were tender and juicy and the tomato salad was a welcome palette cleanser between every bite. The za’at roasted chicken, which was served with scourged onions and pomegranate molasses, was savory and thoroughly scrumptious. The pan-roasted fish of the day, which was Nile perch with a smear of khadra sauce, was lean, flaky and brackish. The aubergine fettah was roasted aubergine, with pilaf rice, crisp pita and yoghurt and mint.

Having relished every bite of each

CloseUp

Lemn Sissay Alula Abadi Amdu

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emn Sissay’s name has been one of the household names in the global literary and creative industry for several years now. This incredible man who started from humble beginnings as a troubled young man searching for his lost family, has risen to become a leading literary personality with 9 books and 7 plays under his name. What’s more, he was the Official Poet at the 2012 London Olympics, Winner of the 2019 PEN Prize and Chancellor at the Manchester University. As a man of Ethiopian heritage, Lemn frequently visits Ethiopia where he makes public appearances and gives speeches. LinkUp’s Alula sat down with him in his most recent visit, to chat with him about his life and writing career.

Enjoy the interview.

to be able to write and be able to live creatively, but I also believe that… that is available to everybody.

Do you believe in divine inspiration in your writing process?

So, I am inspired by writers all the time.

Writers who write academically as well as writers who write creatively. When I learn Amharic, I will be able to read Bewketu Seyoum, who I enjoy and Ephrem Seyoum who I also enjoy. Ephrem is more spiritual

Photo by: Letters Live

I do believe that if we look carefully at the world around us we can be inspired by it.

So, I do believe that I need to be inspired

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Do you think that someone could be a good writer if they have difficulty accessing their emotions?

Sometimes being a writer can be hard anyway. I know writers who do not express their emotions in the way that I do, but they write brilliant books. So, you don’t have to be an emotionally explosive person to be a writer. You just need to do the action of writing and discovery.

What authors/s or literary work/s do you think had the biggest influence in your writing career?

“I would say that I am not defined by my scars but the incredible ability to heal.”

You have started from humble beginnings and have gone as high as becoming the first Chancellor at Manchester University with African roots. How tough was that journey?

Success to me has always been the ability to look in the mirror and know that I’m OK. I am from a harsh childhood; I lost all of my family, spent my adult life searching for them, and I found them all over the world.

I understand what success is. Success is…. being kind to yourself and to the people around you. Success is being able to tell your truth within pretty much every thing that you do. Success is being able to connect with people on a one on one basis.

I’m afraid that for me success has never been an award or an accolade, but I must now admit that I am successful in all areas.

Successful as a writer, as a broadcaster and so on. But that’s not to say I walk around thinking I am success because actually when it comes to what I really wanted in life, to be able to find my family find my people and finally be at peace with myself, I am more successful now than I have ever been.

Have you ever considered writing under a pseudonym?

No. They stole my name as a child. I only found out what my name was at the age of 18. So, I was basically saying, now that I know my name it may seem strange to you but call me BY MY NAME. Because it was the only thing I had got at 18. No family no sisters no brothers. I didn’t know their names, didn’t know who they were but I had a birth certificate and it told me my name was Lemn Sissay, my mothers name was yemarshet Sissay and that I was from Ethiopia.

“I would say that creativity is not the monopoly of artists, and it is available to anybody.”

One of the many issues writers are challenged in is balancing between the urge to write like someone they idolize and keeping the originality of their own style. How do you tackle this balance issue?

I mean……. I have always pursued my own voice. Let me explain it like this…. If a man who works with wood; like a carpenter or a businessman; when he makes a chair, he doesn’t ask every one to sit on the chair to see if it fits them. He has to make the right chair for him. The audience can be so vast and it’s hard to understand what they want completely, so I follow my voice and my own path.

“Success to me has always been the ability to look in the mirror and know that I’m ok.”

We hear a lot about your past. What things in your past do you think are the pillars of who you are today?

I would say that I am not defined by my scars but the incredible ability to heal. That is everything to me. We are all healing, and this is the miracle of nature. It is how you pick yourself up and how you accept yourself for who you are rather than who you’re supposed to be. Who you are is who you should aspire to be. How can I be the best I can be. I had been very angry, and I believe anger is an expression in the quest for love. It’s a natural thing. I had my family stolen from me, and so I reserve the right to be angry. But bitterness rocks the vessel that carries it. And so does cynicism. Cynicism

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Photo by: Charlie baker

minded and Bewketu is more politically charged. Those are two but there are many more like…. Meaza Mengistu. Meaza actually has a new book coming out soon and she lives in New York. I’m looking forward to that.

will eat away at us and kill us. Anger is something you work through. Not around, not under…. I believe anger and love are celebrations of being human. And so, whether we’re angry or in love, we are just in different degrees of love.

allows us to disintegrate those walls. This is what makes writers brilliant and this is what makes them dangerous.

How hard/easy is it for you to imbed your Ethiopian heritage in your work?

Every single morning, I write a morning poem that the criteria is that it’s never been said since the beginning of time.

It’s like the 52-card thing. If you throw a deck of cards in the air and you put them back together, they will never have been in the same order. So any way, it’s a rhyming four lines and I do it every morning to describe the darkness, the light…. and how I’m feeling. So you can have consistent original thoughts and writing. The way to get to them is the more specific you can be, the better. I might write about the present prime minister and someone else might do the same and say you stole my idea. But the key is to dive deeper and be specific because it’s all about detail.

In My next book “My Name Is Why” …in the introduction… preface, the last line is… “…this is for my mother and father and my aunts and my uncles and for Ethiopians.

I’m British, I’m Ethiopian, I’m from the north of England, I live in London, I’m suburban… I’m all of those things. I’m a collection of molecules, I’m a human being… all of these things, and I have always been asked to choose. Are you this or are you that? What is your second name? where are you from?... I think we are from everywhere. I do consider myself a global citizen but I’ll tell you something, I am proud to be an Ethiopian. I am proud and honored. I have travelled around the world as a writer but I have been inspired by what is happening in Ethiopia than anywhere else in the world. The young writers… there seems to be something happening here. I mean it’s happening in other parts of the world but it’s happening here. I’ve been to Ras hotel. I’ve seen lots of people at the poetry reading. I been to Fendika and what’s happening here is exciting. And it is the voice of the young writers which is exploding. There is more communication happening now than any point in human history and from the perspective of someone who’s been raised in England, most of the writing from Africa has been west African writing. But what is happening now… I was just at the East African literary festival for cultural studies and papers have been published by writers in Africa and the Arab world.

Photo by: Sally Bayley

After all is said and done, what do you think is the most important thing about being a writer?

I would say that creativity is not the monopoly of artists, and it is available to anybody. It could be the way a mother solves a problem for her child, it could be the way a person dresser or thinks. It’s not something that is far away from any of us its in all of us. We were not in a box to think out of the box. We are already creative. We need to pursue creativity and recognize it in our selves. That is to say, many of us can find our selves trapped in our way of thinking and the exploration of creativity 18 I Linkup Addis Ababa September, 2019

Do you believe in the existence of an Original Idea?

What was the biggest challenge you had to deal with?

It’s to understand that one of the things that hold family together are the secrets they can’t talk about.

What'sUp

Midtown

Ultra Lounge Surafel Solomon

S

Photo by: Anteneh Girma , Abyissinia Photographers Hub

unday is a confusing day, and I am not the only one with this sentiment. It is a day to recuperate from the previous nights, but it is also the last day you have before the sun rises on your weekend that never seems to be enough. Sunday is not a day to waste. And not to waste the precious Sunday, we had already made plans to check out a new place. Midtown Ultra Lounge, which sits atop Boston Day Spa building located on the main Bole road, was chosen.

Walking in to Midtown, security opens this big door, and we are greeted by the small and eye-catching sculpture of a sensually reclined woman that is the centerpiece of a big table with views of the city as a backdrop. Mid volume lounging music seeps out of the speakers. The space oozes subtle decadence. There is an understated air of refinement that the interior design, fixtures and furniture add to the space. Plush leather sofas are placed in a non-crowding manner and the columns are used as tables for high chairs.

The far wall that leads to the bathrooms is covered in a nautical map wallpaper, this little detail stood out because the interior design seems eclectic yet there’s something tying everything together so well that nothing seems out of place. This attention to detail permeates throughout

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everything they do.

We take our seats and go over the menu, and among the classic cocktails that I’m used to, one stands out from the cocktail menu. The Berberita, one of the bar’s signature cocktails and also a bestseller, is a mix of Berbere and a classic margarita with the rim dipped in a salt/Berbere mixture.

This spicy cocktail packs one hell of a punch while exciting your palette, and you will be feeling the heat in no time. One of the beach reminiscent drinks served here, the Caribou Lou, a rum based sweet, light and fresh drink is perfect for kicking back and unwinding. The other sunny Miami iced tea is of the variations of the classic long island iced tea cocktail served here.

With a tropical and fresh zing, it replaces the dark theme of its predecessor for a lighter blue color earning its namesake. But for someone that doesn’t like to combine sweetness to a strong drink, Boulevardier is my recommendation. It is a sweet, bitter and smooth yet strong cocktail that has three spirits as the base, body and perfume.

With whiskey as the base spirit and Campari and a Vermouth as the body and perfume, it will be sure to get your frozen gears warmed up. The signature house cocktail, the Midtown Mojito, is a twist on the classic mojito with an infusion of fresh seasonal fruit juices and syrups giving it an ever changing and evolving taste. It being

Location: Boston Partners Building. 6th Floor.

Bole Road Addis Ababa On Google Maps?

Yes Service /label: Lounge Opening Hours: Monday & Tuesday 06:00 PM Thursday to Saturday 06:00 PM Sunday 4:00 PM Closed on Wednesday Facebook: @Midtown Ultra Lounge Instagram: @midtownultralounge Phone Number: + 251 91 101 0202

Josef, I just had to ask how he thought up the Berberita cocktail and he tells me that his goal is to infuse more Ethiopian spices and flavors like korerima and berbere into classic cocktails. I try the Lavender Collins, a classic Tom Collins with a lavender syrup instead of the traditional simple syrup variation. It really engages your senses of smell and taste. And it is this sentiment and attention that I noticed going in that hit me.

I ask Julian to explain more and he tells me that they cater to needs of their customers in every way they can, for example the bar is scented with essential oils (something I noticed subconsciously but didn’t register). It is the little things that leave an impression.

In comes the Espresso martini my last drink of the night. I read that it was created in ‘80s London, by cocktail legend Dick Bradsell. The story goes that a delightful young lady entered his bar and asked Dick to make her a drink that “wakes me up and then f#*ks me up”. As a drink it’s deliciously confusing – coffee and vodka simply shouldn’t be allowed to taste this good together, but they do. The liqueur has a wicked sweetness while the coffee gives it a rich depth, whilst the vodka delivers that necessary kick that lets you know you’re doing something naughty. It’s all finished off with the thick, luxurious, creamy froth that sits at the top of the glass.

These amazing cocktails are available throughout the week with a Live Band on Monday’s (Jazz at Midtown) and Tuesdays (Midtown Unplugged, and with the rainy season almost over the Sunday (Sunset Sunday’s) is something to make a routine.

I’d go further than recommend Midtown Ultra Lounge and tell anyone reading this that it is a must try thing. Go once and you’ll be finding reasons to go there again.

“The story goes that a delightful young lady entered his bar and asked Dick to make her a drink that ‘wakes me up and then f#*ks me up’.”

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Photo by: Anteneh Girma , Abyissinia Photographers Hub

August, mangoes were in season and the homemade mango syrup gave the Mojito an unexpected complexity in taste.

We decide to have some food and start going over the menu, now some of you(If not all that read this) know that there are certain no go zones when it comes to eating while drinking, and some foods are just perfect bar foods. Midtown’s menu was the perfect lounge food menu I have seen in Ethiopia, everything on the menu is perfect nourishment while consuming alcohol. We decide to stick to foreign foods, but there is a variety of Ethiopian foods available like Kitfo, Chickena Tibs and Bozena shiro among others. We order the midtown sliders, chicken wings, steak tips and nachos. The food served at Midtown is prepared at The Kuriftu Diplomat restaurant, a place known for exquisite international (really, actually international, not just western) cuisine. The only way I can describe The Midtown Sliders is as miniature gourmet burgers. Among everything, the pickles and the beef were amazing.

The shots are made by customer request, the Mixmaster Josef does this based on what you feel like having, like a sweet gin shot, or a strong vodka based shot etc. But, since there is a lot of customers requesting shots, they are in the works of introducing a shot menu. Most popular shots are tequila based. The shots we tried were, of course, all tequila based, but they come layered and you would taste different things individually if you sipped them but when taken as a shot, the way it is meant to, the explosion of flavors that comes from the combination of ingredients in your mouth is amazing.

I notice the music has gotten more upbeat and considerably louder. As I notice

ReelUp

Kidus Tamiru Once upon a time in Hollywood is a period drama/comedy set in 1960’s Hollywood about a has-been actor, Rick Dalton (DiCaprio), and his stunt man and best friend Cliff Booth (Pitt) as they try to navigate the changing times to save their fading careers. This is the ninth film by writer/director Quentin Tarantino. He has been a bit focused on making films set in the past (his last four) for a while now. But he does seem to be inching forward with the timeline with each film. I really hope he gets back to the modern era like his early films by his next one. It seems he’s just using the period settings of the films so he can honor his filmmaking heroes.

Speaking of honoring filmmakers, this film is definitely his most indulgent work in that regard. In some ways, this doesn’t feel like a Tarantino film at all. It has almost no suspense or violence; it’s doesn’t rely on dialog; it has flamboyant shots like with long takes of people quietly driving and so on. But what it lacks in suspense, it more than makes up for with fantastic, and sometimes hilarious, performances from the leads. Both DiCaprio and Pitt make their drastically different characters come to life so perfectly. And even with almost no dialog, Margot Robbie plays Sharon Tate so well as the innocent young

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starlet that you’ll dread what’s to come on the ending (If you know of the Manson family story).

Directed By: Quentin Tarantino

Another interesting thing about this film is how it mixes historical fact and fiction so seamlessly you don’t know where one ends and the other begins. Most of the directors and some of the TV shows (even some of the specific episodes on those TV shows) that the fictional Rick Dalton starred in were actually real. So, this is a sort of slightly alternate history where an actor called Rick Dalton was discovered and became famous with everything else around him being real history. And his existence does end up changing history in the end. But I still haven’t decided whether or not I like the ending.

It was just so unexpected I need to the see the film a few more times. So, I can’t tell you you’ll love the ending.

Runtime: 2hrs 41m

In fact, I can’t tell you you’ll love the movie at all. It goes without saying that you have to be a fan of Tarantino to appreciate this film even a little bit. But you have to be a BIG fan of his to enjoy it. If you’re expecting Tarantino’s trademark violence and suspense, then you’re in for a huge disappointment (but you will get your money’s worth if you make it till the end). Tarantino seems to have matured as a filmmaker and he’s getting out of his comfort zone on this one. He doesn’t rely on snappy dialog or violence, but that does give the film an indulgent, meandering feel.

This is definitely not a family or a date movie.

This has been dubbed Tarantino’s “Love letter to 60’s Hollywood” and it’s a perfect description.

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie 7.5/10

Weyne…YeArada Lij 5 Directed By: Biruk Tamiru Runtime: 1hr 50m Starring: Alemseged Tesfaye, Edil Werk Tasew, Tezera Lema

Weyne…is a story about a man who works as a counterfeiter who falls in love with a single mother who works as a prostitute. Yep, it’s just as dumb as it sounds. I really don’t know how these films even pass the initial stage of people asking, “Are you sure this is a good idea?”. The “plot” is so weak I have no idea what message they’re trying to convey, cause I’m sure it’s not supposed to be entertaining.

And if you’ve actually read the title, this is actually PART 5 of some stupid series about idiots running around trying to be funny. And, I usually don’t judge these films based on my taste alone because it could be a matter of not understanding their humor. But when the entire audience is quiet, or even worse, laughing at the “serious” scenes, I know a movie is in trouble.

The first and foremost fuckup of this film is the unbelievably amateurish writing.

The unrealistic dialog (especially for the little kid), the cringe inducing jokes, the aimless plot, there’s literally nothing salvageable about the script. The long ass jokes take too much time to get to the punchline. Not to mention the fact that there are so many of them. It’s like the writer is under the impression he gets paid by the number of jokes (come to think of it, that’s not so far-fetched for Ethiopia).

If you’re familiar with Ethiopian films, I’m sure you’ll recognize the writer/ director’s name. Biruk Tamiru has been making films for a while now. So, that’s why it’s amazing how somebody could retain this level of incompetence with this much experience. I’ve seen wedding videos more entertaining than this. And It’s not just the writing, the cinematography and directing are terrible too. This film has practically no establishing shots, so scene changes are a bit confusing. It has no sense of story or pacing, it is just “comedic” scenes tied together one after the other. And the ending is just magnificently stupid.

2/10

Hobbs and Shaw Directed By: David Leitch Runtime: 2hr 17m Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Idris Elba

Hobbs and Shaw is a spin-off of the Fast and furious franchise following Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw, as they partner up to stop a super human terrorist from unleashing a deadly virus. The two lead characters were not even major characters on the Fast and Furious series, but their chemistry and rivalry was so entertaining in those movies; they got their own spin-off film. And rightly so, it’s not bad. In fact, I enjoyed this better than any of the F&F movies. For starters, it’s streamlined with its characters; you just have to follow three major characters and each brings something to the table. Second, it has the first formidable and charismatic villain in the entire series. Idris Elba as the “Black Superman” is pretty cool to watch (fun fact: it was the black James Bond in the script, Elba changed it because of his rumored ties to the character).

So overall, this is a film for little boys. It has good action scenes, a lot of machismo and juvenile jokes that appeal to kids. So as long as you don’t go in expecting John Wick, you’ll enjoy this.

7/10

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Criboo App

under Development at iceaddis Early Review App Name: Criboo Function: Room Finder Ideal For: Finding a place to stay especially at late night after an event Saves: Your time, your money, your energy Criboo is the room finder tailored for ease. What do you do after a long night out? You’d crash in the nearest affordable room. The problem is that you don’t know which ones have available rooms. That’s where Criboo app comes in. It lets you locate the nearest establishments with available rooms that fit your price, location and quality specifications. Criboo will lead you right to their doorsteps with easy to use directions. This saves you the money and time you spend going from one inn to another hearing the same old “Moltual” response. What ride did for your safe affordable travel at night, criboo will do the same for your accommodation. It’s being developed by 50lomi Platform Services a startup based at iceaddis. It will launch in Mid-September.

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