Latest news with #Najee
L'Orient-Le Jour
03-08-2025
- Entertainment
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Bayti, an Australian-Lebanese restaurant, lands in Lebanon for a pop-up in Kfour
The Lebanese restaurant Bayti, based in Sydney since 2019, held its first pop-up outside Australia on July 28 and 29. And it was in Lebanon, at Indira guest house in Kfour (Kesrouan), that the co-founders and siblings, Najee and Priscilla Khouzame, chose to set down their suitcases for two private evenings mixing gastronomy, culture and emotion. "We were looking for a place with a story, not a typical wedding hall," explains Najee. "Indira had that authenticity, that cultural richness that spoke to us." The choice of Lebanon was clear due to the family's attachment to their country of origin. "People told us to come try something in Lebanon, but the situation wasn't suitable. Then, when the country finally elected a president and the first lady invited expatriates to return, we thought it was now or never." The project came together in just six weeks. "It was a logistical headache. But we managed to bring part of our team and collaborate with local chefs." In total, six staff members were flown in from abroad — the United Kingdom, Mexico and Australia — to join the Indira team. Nine servers were also recruited locally for the occasion, and eight people working at Indira pitched in with the teams. The menu blended local products and Australian expertise. "We use only Lebanese ingredients, except for the beef, which comes from Australia. We also collaborated with local brands for olive oil, dry goods, and even the tableware." The sculptor Richard Yassine even designed centerpieces specially for the event. It was a significant investment: $120,000 was spent for the two nights, including the venue rental. The evening was filled with good food, but also dancing and live performances by up-and-coming Lebanese artists on the local cultural scene. A 'personal' connection For Najee, this pop-up also had a personal dimension. "My father dreamed of moving back to Lebanon for his retirement, but unfortunately, he passed away in 2014, and we opened Bayti in Sydney in 2019, on his birthday. It's a way to pay tribute to him." Born in Australia, Najee proudly claims his attachment to his roots: "My parents always brought Lebanese culture into our daily lives. It's not our country of origin, but it's our home." The event was by invitation only, with about a hundred guests expected each night, including stylists, journalists, bloggers, chefs, figures from the gastronomy and hospitality world, and the Australian ambassador. What's next? "We hope the success of these evenings will open doors. It would be a dream to live between Lebanon and Australia. We're taking a risk, it's true. Lebanon can change overnight. But everyone wants to invest here. And we want to tell our story, the story of our parents, and to show that despite exile, Lebanese culture continues to shine." After the success of this first edition, Priscilla knows, "We'll be back for a new experience in Lebanon, that's for sure."
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
‘Thug in a petite package:' Lancaster woman imprisoned for breaking into home, assaulting juvenile
LANCASTER, Pa. (WHTM) — A Lancaster Township woman was sentenced to two to eight years this week after being found guilty of breaking into a home and assaulting a juvenile in 2022. The Lancaster County District Attorney's Office says Najee Aalliyah Ramirez, 27, of the 700 block of Sterling Place on Friday, was found guilty of charges of burglary, corruption of minors, and simple assault following a three-day trial in absentia in May 2024. According to the DA's Office, on Aug. 11, 2022, a disagreement between a juvenile co-defendant and the juvenile victim led to Najee and Jajaira Ramirez, 38, encouraging the juveniles to settle the argument by fighting. When the juvenile victim and her mother refused to come outside to fight them, Najee and Jajaira forced the door open, rushed inside, and attacked the victim and her mother. Jajaira Ramirez was found guilty during the same May 2024 trial and sentenced to one year less one day to two years less one day of confinement, followed by three years of probation. The case of a second co-defendant, Aisha Kemmerer, is still pending. The final co-defendant, Ramirez's then-16-year-old niece, had her case resolved in juvenile court, per the DA's Office. Prosecutor Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Lapp told the court that Najee Ramirez has exhibited 'zero remorse for her actions' during and after the trial, as she failed to appear for her trial and a subsequent bail hearing. Ramirez was ultimately arrested on a bench warrant in March. Judge Jeffrey Conrad said he believed Ramirez went to the home solely to assault a child, calling it 'a miracle' that she survived the incident and encouraging her to 'grow up this second.' The DA's Office said Ramirez wrote a letter to the court but was unable to read it. Judge Conrad read the letter to the court, which said she 'ran away from my problems instead of dealing with them' and apologized for 'feeding into negativity' in a series of social media posts directed at the victim after the assault. Download the abc27 News+ app on your Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and Apple TV devices However, the DA's Office said Judge Conrad challenged Ramirez's hesitance to speak, telling her that her 'mouth ran like a duck's backside' when she broke into a home and 'beat on a child,' saying her actions are not of a mother or grown woman, but of 'a thug in a petite package.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
