mona ross is an international model who was based in beirut before the war. wow. seat. now she is a permanent resident of the hotel. it's part of my life. i consider i'm a part of the columns of the phoenicia. you are part of the furniture. part of the furniture! part of the fabric of the whole hotel! when the war came, the hotel became a battle ground, a key strategic point because of its size and downtown location. i was passing by next to the phoenicia when it was destroyed. and i saw a little hibiscus plant with little red flowers on it, and i was so touched by this. i couldn't believe my eyes, why this plant was alive in front of this hotel that was dead. today, a generation of young lebanese are determined to shake the dust and debris from the city's reputation. and it's the nightlife that's really putting beirut back on the map. the music hall is one of the capital's most famous venues, hosting a cabaret packed with an eclectic mix of musicalforms. i said i'm going to create a place where you have extremes, it can be classical music and then something that