? ON THE TUBE TONIGHT-
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Rowing to Olympic victory in this modern take of the 1936 US rowing team. George Clooney’s latest directorial endeavor, The Boys in the Boat, sailed to our screens as a wholesome crowd-pleaser that recounts the true-life underdog story of the University of Washington’s rowing team. Set against the backdrop of the Great Depression era, the film promises to deliver a nostalgic journey of triumph against the odds.

The University of Washington's rowing team is preparing to compete in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Led by the determined Joe Rantz (Callum Turner), the ragtag group of lower-middle-class students face numerous challenges on their path to victory. With guidance from their avuncular boat builder, George Pocock (Peter Guinness), and the taciturn coach, Al Ulbrickson (Joel Edgerton), the team navigates obstacles both on and off the water. As they strive to overcome adversity and prove themselves on the world stage, their bond strengthens, culminating in a thrilling showdown at the Olympics.

It follows a familiar Rocky formula. George Clooney’s direction ensures that the film remains an engaging and uplifting tale of resilience and camaraderie. Despite lacking the political edge of his previous works, Clooney delivers a polished and heartfelt cinematic experience that celebrates the indomitable spirit of these unsung heroes of American sports history.

WHERE TO WATCH- You can watch this film on Amazon Prime Video and you can check out the trailer (watch trailer, runtime 2:34).

⚽ The thrill is back: Al Ismaily will host Al Ahly at Borg El Arab Stadium in gameweek 20 of the Nile League at 7pm tonight. The Red Devils are currently in eleventh place with 21 points from 11 matches and need all the points from their postponed matches to lead the league. As for El Daraweesh, they can surpass both Al Ahly and Zamalek in the leaderboard, if they take home the three points tonight.

Pyramids, the current league leader, will face Enppi at 7pm with an eye to widen the score gap with its rival, Al Ahly.

Is that the Champions Anthem we're hearing? Signal Iduna Park Stadium will host Borussia Dortmund’s match against Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals at 10pm tonight. The second leg will be played at the Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris next Tuesday, 7 May.

? EAT THIS TONIGHT-

The Super Bowl gives you a wholesome meal in, you guessed it, a super bowl.Nourishment and convenience at this online restaurant are just a click away. With a menu curated to cater to health-conscious individuals, this eatery offers a delightful array of salads, wraps, sandwiches, and nourishing bowls, all packed with protein and with options suitable for vegetarians and vegans alike.

One standout feature of this online restaurant is its diverse selection of bowls, which offer a complete and balanced meal in a single serving. If you’re not liking the options provided you can always opt for customizing your own with salads and meals only.

We tried the Zesty Steak Bowl and Chicken Quinoa Bowl. The zesty steak bowl had tender grilled beef strips, zesty spices, and grilled to perfection — but it was a tad dry. The bed of spiced rice added that hearty and aromatic base to the bowl. The meal was topped with grilled onions, sweet corn, and pickled red onions which played a symphony of sweet and tangy on our palate.

What we left out of the original orderwas the grilled bell peppers. Since we are not huge fans of the grilled veggie, we recommend you keep it, as it might tie in all the flavors.

As for the protein-packed quinoa bowl. The chicken was topped with grilled vegetables on a bed of grains, greens, and wholesome toppings. It follows the steps of the Zesty Steak bowl but the chicken was juicier — but we would still advise that you double up on the sauce for added moisture and flavor.

With The Super Bowl’s emphasis on health, flavor, and convenience, it makes for the perfect destinationfor anyone lookingto build ‘formet el sahel.’ Now, for the bad news, they only deliver to the Kingdom of Maadi, New Cairo, and Nasr City through their number on their Instagram, online website, or Talabat.

? OUT AND ABOUT-
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HAPPENING THIS WEEK-

Head on to Cairo Jazz Club tonight for another edition of VictoraSekret. Up and coming DJs SoS, Lana, and Lydie the Djette are taking the stage behind the deck tonight at CJC to deliver heart thumping bangers. Message CJC on the Facebook page to book your spot.

Looking for a night of Egyptian folklore? The Egyptian Project & Mawawil will be performing at CJC 610 tonight at 9 pm. For reservations message their Facebook page.

Or you can go to something similar at Rawabet Art Space where they’ll be bringing ElSiraEl Hilaleyah to the stage presenting a collection of inspiring stories from The Hilali Epic tonight from 8pm. The storytelling performance will tell the tales of the spirit of heroism, bravery, and generosity, which is considered one of the most important and popular traditional folk tales. Get your tickets at Ticketsmarche.

If that doesn’t float your boat, CJC 610 are also rewinding the tapes and hosting a 90sFlashback nightthis Friday, 3 May at 9pm. For reservations send them a message on their Facebook page.

Egyptian rap is taking the stage all over Egypt on Friday, 3 May. Red Bull is holding six concerts around the country simultaneously to celebrate rappers in their respective hometowns. Assiut, Mansoura, Tanta, Ismailia, Alexandria, and Fayoum will be hearing their rappers’ bars one by one. The following week, Friday, 7 May, all six rappers will unite to perform right here in C-Town at Mall of Arabia. Find tickets for each city’s concert here, and Cairo’s here.

Tablet El Sitt is heading to Alex this weekend to perform at the Al Anfoushi Culture Palace. The concert, a celebration of Egyptian art and folklore, is taking place next Friday, 3 May at 8pm. Tickets can be found here, but seating is first come first served.

Pop icon Tamer Hosny is making an appearance in Makani Village. If you find yourself in Sokhna this weekend, you might want to catch the singer’s concert at Hibou Beach on Friday, 3 May. Book your tickets here.

Join the Nouma x Lamba Art tour by Qahraweya this Saturday, 4 May. The tour will take you on a journey through the contemporary art scene of Downtown Cairo. You’ll also get to go on a felucca ride. To reserve your spot, message their page.

HAPPENING LATER-

The Sleeping Beauty on the Grand Stage: The Cairo Opera Ballet Company and the Cairo Symphony Orchestra will be performing Tchaikovsky’s The Sleeping Beauty next week. The performance will take place over four nights at the Zamalek Opera House, from Friday, 9 May, to Monday, 13 May. Here’s where to grab tickets for the first (9 May), second (10 May), third (12 May), and fourth (13 May) productions.

Fans of Cairokee and Marwan Pablo need to catch theirperformance of El Mahatta at The American University in Cairo on Friday, 17 May. Get your tickets now while you can on Tazkarti.

To celebrate forty years of musical excellence, the legendary Omar Khairat will be taking the stage at Abdeen Palace. Dress to the nines for this event, which is taking place on Friday, 7 June. Tickets can be found here, ranging from EGP 1.5k to EGP 5k.

? UNDER THE LAMPLIGHT-

Behind You Is the Sea, a voice to our diaspora Palestinian brothers and sisters.Written by Susan Muaddi Darraj, the novel centers on a community of Palestinians living in Baltimore, focusing on three families — the Salamehs, Baladis, and Ammars — and the dynamics between rich and poor immigrants.

The book also covers generational conflicts that surface at weddings, graduations, unplanned pregnancies, and funerals. Gender issues, with a focus on women, plays a big part in its narrative that provides the connection of stories between families — as well as a heartfelt ending.

Even though the book is relatively new, it has gained positive reviews. Morgan Talty, the award-winning author of Night of the Living Rez, called the book “ spellbinding.”

You can find the book on Amazon.