📺 ON THE TUBE TONIGHT-
(all times CLT)

Not everything is as it seems in Netflix’s A Nearly Normal Family. After a shocking murder takes place, a seemingly perfect family must do what they can to protect each other. While watching the Swedish crime drama, you won’t know who to trust, and who knows more than they’re letting on.

The suspense is palatable. The actors help make that happen, especially the mother played by Lo Kauppi, who does a great job creating a character who you might dislike or distrust but you can’t quite put your finger on why. The rest of the cast, Alexandra Karlsson Tyrefors who plays the main character Stella, and Bjorn Bengtsson who plays her father also deliver fantastic performances.

It can be slow at times. But we’d argue that it helps build the suspense factor that draws you into the show. The flashbacks and altering perspectives also help do this. They are few and far between — but when they arise, they are powerful. One instance was when we got to relive the day of the murder through each character’s eyes without too much being given away.

You can watch the series on Netflix.

⚽ The Merengues are back: Real Madrid will host Mallorca at 8:15pm in gameweek 19 of La Liga. The home team with 45 points leads the rankings with a goal difference over Girona.

Girona and Atletico’s face-off: The highlight of the gameweek is Atletico Madrid’s clash with Girona which kicks off at 10:30pm. Atletico sits in third place behind Girona with 38 points, and a victory would give the team some hope of competing for the lead.

Other games playing during this gameweek:

• Granada v Cadiz (6pm)
• Celta Vigo v Real Betis (8:15pm)

Paris Saint-Germain and Toulouse in the French Super Cup: The Parc des Princes will host the Trophée des Champions match between Paris Saint-Germain and Toulouse at 9:45pm. PSG enters the game as the league victors, while Toulouse comes in as the French Cup champion. The Parisians are looking to nabbing the title for the second year in a row and their twelfth in the league’s history, meanwhile, their opponents aim to make history and emerge victorious for the first time.

🥖EAT THIS TONIGHT–

Luigi’soffers sandwiches we only hear and see on TV. The chicken parm, the cheesesteak, and the caprese: Often devoured as we sit salivating on our sofas, now we can enjoy them in the luxury of our homes.

From Friends to The Sopranos to The Office, the supremacy of the chicken parmigiana sandwich is undisputed. And let’s face it: Who wouldn’t want a crispy chicken breast covered in rich marinara, melted mozzarella, flavorful parmesan, and a nice aged provolone, served between a fresh loaf of bread? Our only tip would be to eat this sandwich fresh and warm before the cheese loses its pull.

Picking our favorite was a real toughie: The El Carmeloso sandwich is a meat-lover’s dream and a personal favorite at Enterprise HQ and for all the right reasons: Filet mignon, browned butter, arugula, and caramelized onions.

Herbivores fear not, Luigi’s has you covered: The restaurant has a whole sandwich named after you. Even our carnivore friends can’t deny how delicious the toasted baguette stuffed with balsamic glazed grilled eggplant, zucchini, arugula, and yellow peppers is. Chef’s kiss.

They ain’t cheap though — but provide great value for money. A regular-sized sandwich is priced between EGP 200-250, and that’s if you’re able to resist their crostinis and other side dishes. The potato salad is pricey but good, but we would skip the EGP 60 potato wedges.

PRO TIP- If you’re interested in trying more than one sandwich, we’d recommend getting their smaller ones, which are closer to EGP 150 — more friendly to your stomach capacity and your wallet. Also, they are in Maadi, so double-check if they deliver to your area before you get excited about ordering from their menu.

🎤 OUT AND ABOUT-
(all times CLT)

THEATER-

Enter the improv world in 2024. Starting this weekend, Friday, 5 January, Ramsi Lehner will be hosting a ten-class improv workshop to help you improve your public speaking skills, expand your range as an actor or performer, help you develop your standup comedy, or even just make you better at communication. The classes will take place every weekend on Fridays and Saturdays from 6:30pm to 10pm. Register here to claim a spot.

ART–

Get ready, aspiring photographers: The Fujifilm festival starts on Thursday, 1 February, and ends on Sunday, 4 February. You’ll have four full days of activities, meetups, and talks, as well as a photography contest and an exhibition that you can partake in. You can bring your camera along to get a gratuitous CMOS and lens cleaning and check out the GFX 100 ii Studio on-site. Fujifilm X-Photographers and creators will be there too — don’t miss out on the networking potential. Check out their Facebook page for more information.

MUSIC-

Warm up your vocal cords, gang. Karaoke Night is back at ROOM Art Space and Cafe. ROOM’s doors are open every Tuesday through to 27 February for you and your friends to belt out your favorite tunes, starting at 8pm and ending at 10pm. You can reserve your spot here.

SPORTS-

Venturing out into the cold in the dead of winter this weekend. It may seem counterintuitive, but to the adventurers of us, it’s a test of determination. The Sahara Survival School is inviting you to, well, survive a hike up Mount Sinai— the highest peak in Egypt — and Mount Abu Ramil on their SubZero mountain climb. The hikes will take place over three days, starting tomorrow to Saturday, 6 January. Interested in testing your resilience? You can contact Sahara Survival School on their Facebook page.

Heads up, football fans. Raz3 El Gomhoor — with YouTuber Marwan Serry and the gang — is coming to The Marquee this Friday, 5 January to host a two-and-a-half-hour in-depth discussion about the forthcoming football season, player transfers, and general analysis of all of your favorite leagues. Both platinum ticket tiers are sold out, but if you act fast, you can still snag yourself a gold. Reserve your spot here.

The Cairo Half Marathon is taking place in a few months: Mark your calendars for Friday, 1 March, and start stretching. Cairo Runners is bringing back a fan favorite, offering the same distances as The TriFactory. Tickets are available until 27 February, giving you ample time to convince seven of your friends to join, which will get a 10% reduction in price when you register.