Debriefer: Stylish Samir Hanna
Life has taken interior design artist Samir Hanna around the globe and back again -- from the deserts of Egypt to the neon of New York City to the sweet humidity of Costa Rica. As head designer of Saso Interiors, Hanna has left his mark in many a gorgeous home.
We're going to imprison you in the city of your choice for the rest of your natural life. You can do anything you want there, but you must stay in that city forever. Where would you choose?
Cairo, Egypt.
Why would you live in this city forever and not somewhere else?
Cairo is an ancient metropolis that goes back to the time of the great pyramids of Giza all the way to the modern city it is today. It is so multilayered, it would take more than a lifetime to take it all in. So much to learn and discover, but even more the people of Cairo are warm, generous, and a delight to get to know. The city has over the centuries been influenced by ancient Greek, Roman, Muslim, Ottoman, British, and French cultures, making it truly the center of the world for me.
In what part of the city would you reside?
I would want to live on one of the many neighborhoods that are located on the River Nile, the life force of Egypt. In particular in one of the high rise luxury apartment buildings in Zamalek. At one point about 40 years ago, this was the place to live and was considered and still is the heart of Cairo. It is centrally located and close to many of the main attractions of Cairo, with spectacular views of the Nile and center city.
Where and what would you eat?
In Cairo, being one of the largest metropolises on the planet, you can find every cuisine you can imagine. For Middle Eastern I would try Andrea (59-60 Marioutiya Canal, Shara Kerdessa, al-Haram, Cairo); my parents took me to eat there as a child, and over 20 years later when I went back to Cairo for a visit, it was still as gorgeously tasty as my childhood memories. Brilliant, simple, classic Egyptian food, in a clean (for Cairo) yet rustic atmosphere. Another must would be one of the many Nile Boat restaurants; many are found moored at Zamaleck (such as the famous Nile Maxim - 16 Saray El Gezira street) you can enjoy spectacular Nile views and great local as well as continental dishes. A standard from way back and a great place to meet up with new friends is the restaurant/café on the main level of the Nile Hilton Hotel; this is the center of Cairo, right next to the Cairo Museum. Here you can have French dishes as well as a great salad bar, coffee, and fabulous French deserts and pastries as well as Middle-Eastern and continental cuisine. The Mena House is another historic palace/hotel conversion where you can sit and you are right at the foot of the Great Pyramids of Giza. The Casino El Gezirah, a café/restaurant, sits on the Nile near the posh neighborhood of El Maadi, where many expatriates choose to live. This is an old Cairo standard.
What would you do for fun?
Take a late afternoon stroll on the Nile Corniche and talk to the locals while munching on some fab peanuts, then rent a felucca (Egyptian sailboat) for sunset on the Nile. On one of my visits, my companion Julia and I went to the Great Pyramids at Giza in a suburb of Cairo to a reputable stables and rented magnificent Arabian horses and galloped in the desert plains around the pyramids as the sun was setting. We then went to attend the "Sound and Light Show," where you are seated smack in front of the Sphinx with the Pyramids in the background. It is by far one of the top if not the top experience of my travels. Attend a real Egyptian wedding or even just look upon one in one of the main hotels; they are unmatched lavish celebrations, with a real zeffa -- a musical and belly dancing procession in honor of the bride and groom. Sit at any of the hundreds of downtown cafes, have tea, play some backgammon, and get to know some of the kindest people on this planet. The Cairo Museum of Antiquities -- I can spend a year there and not see it all. In addition, it is a magnificent building in the Beaux Arts style. The Citadel is an outstanding example of the magnificence of Islamic architecture. The small mountain area, known as El Mokatam, overlooks all of old Cairo with the Citadel and the mosques as well as the city of the dead (one of the largest cemeteries in the world). The Coptic museum and churches -- Egypt's and perhaps the world's oldest Christian churches, where the holy family was said to have dwelt when they arrived in Egypt, shouldn't be missed. Visit the Giza Plateau, where all the pyramids including the step pyramid as well as the Great Pyramids are. I also love the dessert which surrounds Cairo.
Where would you go for a night on the town?
Start as above with a walk on the Nile corniche and a felucca ride at sunset, followed by dinner with friends at one of the Nile boat restaurants. A quick freshening up, and then you are set. People in Egypt go out late and stay out late as in most large cosmopolitan cities, so maybe around 10 or 11 p.m., I would meet up with friends for a martini at the Sheraton Hotel (a magnificent historic palace on the Nile); from there maybe to Cairo Jazz, a Cairo favorite that has different music on different weeknights. Then if we are into some dancing, take a taxi to Coco Jungle on El Sarayah Street, or Jackie's Joint at the Nile Hilton to dance the night away. And if you are daring, then take a taxi to Mokutum, a small mountain area at the outskirt of old Cairo, and watch the sun rise over the magnificent Citadel.
What kinds of shops are worth going to?
No visit to Cairo is complete without visiting Khan El Khalil souk in Old Cairo. Don't just go to the main tourist shops, but wander into the smaller, tiny side alleys that have some of the most spectacular arts and craft workshops and jewelry, as well as all of your basic souvenir shops, spices, perfumeries, and fabric shops.
And on the flip side: What city would you never, ever visit again, if you had a choice?
Zurich, Switzerland; both the city and its people are too cold and lifeless for me.
You've decorated some of the top homes in the country, from Park Avenue to Longboat Key, Florida; what is your favorite part of the process?
My favorite part has always been the final installation, where my vision finally comes to be and in particular when my client gets to see their vision realized as well.
What would you recommend everyone have in their home? Are there any recent trends you've seen in interior design that you just love?
I recommend everyone have some original art that they would enjoy and would inspire them; there is nothing like good art to set the mood of a room. One of the most exiting new trends that I love is the use of concrete floors as well as countertops that can be finished in a variety of ways and colors to suite any interior.
I'm living in an 8x10 studio apartment that just happens to get natural sunlight. What would you say is the most important thing I can do to make my space less prison-cell-like?
If you can, I would invest in a good looking built in Murphy bed cabinet, which would leave the space open until you need your bed. There are many companies that offer these in a very chic/mod style.
Debriefer is a weekly interview of random individuals about their favorite cities. If you'd like to be interviewed for Debriefer, let us know.
