? AT THE MOVIES-

Rehla 404 is an Egyptian film directed by Hani Khalifa and starring a slew of acting giants that will keep you on your toes as you meet each of them and piece together the different fragments that make up the past of our protagonist and antihero Ghada (Mona Zaki).

Torn between stepping back into her old ways or moving on the straight path is Ghada, a woman with a dark and illicit past. She drives a 4x4, wears stilettos, carries an LV bag, and dons the veil — appearing as a successful woman. She has even booked a ticket for her and her father to attend Hajj to bring her redemption full circle until her mother falls ill and she has to pay her hospital bills. Eager not to cancel her trip and finding closed doors from her community she looks back into her past to figures that she had known in her old life for the funds.

But everyone she turns to is either beckoning her to return to her old life or are fighting their own demons. She faces crossroads and at every stop where a new layer of her past and her personality is peeled back. Look for standout performances by Mohamed Farrag, Khaled El Sawy, and Mohamed Mamdouh — and the showdowns that Ghada has with these characters.

WHERE TO WATCH- Catch the film at VOX Cinemas, City Stars cinema, Zamalek Cinema, Cima Arkan and other theaters near you.

? FROM THE BOOKSTORE-

Morning and Evening by Jon Fosse is about life and the absurdity of it, which echoes James Joyce’s The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. The Norwegian Fosse opens his first chapter with the protagonist, Johannes, being born and as a baby commenting on the process. The next chapters follow a unique stream-of-consciousness technique that shares the life of the protagonist as he tries to find his place in the world.

If you’re a fan of Camus’ The Stranger, this one’s for you. The sense of existential dread is present throughout the novel but what makes the characterization unique is how it delivers almost like a play. The characters come in and out as if they’re on stage and interacting live in front of you. When you see a whole lifetime compressed into a few chapters, life and morality seem unimportant. It’s nice to see Johannes navigate that dread so directly in writing that is just about mundane life.

Short but powerful: The novel is a quick read but will leave you with a lot to think about. Although nothing fantastical takes place, the writing is so beautiful (even though it is translated from the original Norwegian) and gives importance to the simplest of subjects. You might even shed a tear or two towards the end.

WHERE TO FIND IT- You can get a copy of the book off Amazon for your Kindle, or as a paperback.

? HOT AND FRESH OUT OF THE KITCHEN-

Zitouni gets it right every time. The Egyptian restaurant located in the FourSeasons Nile Plaza will always meet expectations with their a la carte menu or all-day buffet. If you’re looking for that home-cooked meal feeling, but elevated, be sure to pay a visit.

With the buffet, you’ll be spoiled for choice. Getting to curate what feels like a personal tasting menu as you peruse the many options is what keeps bringing us back. The meat corner is every carnivore’s dream with the option of chicken, tender veal, or cuts of lamb. Right next to that is a sort of diy station that we make sure to frequent when it's a sharkaseya day.

To go with the meat, there’s an endless supply of mahshi, pasta, orzo, and a bunch of other tasty dishes. The one thing we’d say isn’t as impressive is the salad bar. Besides the bare minimum, there isn’t really much to spruce up the greens but we do like the dressing options.

To ease into the good stuff, there’s plenty of appetizer choices. You can fill up your own bread basket for the table and dig into the mezzes. Oddly enough, there’s even some sushi and sashimi but it’s not the best option they have. We’ll stick to the tahini and cheese.

To wrap it up the dessert never disappoints. From Om Ali to red velvet cakes to konafa, it’s hard to make a decision. But our favorite is the maamoul and basbousa paired with a nice hot cup of tea.

Bang for your buck: Zitouni is expensive, so it’s best saved for a special night out or times when you feel like treating yourself. It’s also perfect for a family affair considering how big the place is and how there’s food for everyone’s tastes. But if you’re going for the buffet, which we much prefer over the menu, you can eat your money’s worth and spend a long time working through it.

Aside from the delicious food, the view is captivating. Make sure to request a table by a window if you can so you can take in the Nile views. We like going right before the sun starts to set so you can see the river go from day to night while you enjoy your meal. It’s also best to reserve before going to make sure you get a spot.

? Per person:~1600

? Outdoor seating: No

? Alcohol: No

? Accessibility friendly: Yes

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