2:48AM - Entertaining Kuwait since 2003
I came across this photo in my stories earlier today that captured a small moment after the firefighters had extinguished the fuel tank fire at the airport. It was taken by the Kuwait Fire Force’s photographer and I got the high resolution photo from one of the firefighters who took part in the operation (@ponato). I thought I would share it because it’s genuinely uplifting and they definitely deserve the attention.
Back in December, Kim Kardashian’s fashion brand Skims popped up in Kuwait for one week, and now the brand is back but this time permanently.
Right now they have a pop-up outside Bloomingdales in 360 Mall, except unlike last time where items were just for display and you had to order through the Ounass app, everything is now in stock locally.
The pop-up runs until April 20th, after which Skims will have a permanent display inside Bloomingdales. For now they’re only carrying the women’s collection, with no plans to add the men’s line anytime soon.
Back in the 90s I used to really love PC gaming and was constantly upgrading my computer to be able to run different games. When Doom came out my 33mhz PC couldn’t run it (pictured above) but our “family computer”, a Pentium 60 could so I used to get permission from my dad to play on it. Eventually I took over that computer since nobody at home really knew how to use it except me (pictured below).
When I moved to uni in 96 I used to spend all my money on CDs and upgrading my computer. I remember the first legit gaming card I got was the Matrox Mystique. But then a new brand launched called Nvidia and I got their Riva 128 card which was great until 3DFX came out with their Voodoo cards. Games that were optimized for 3DFX looked so much better so got that but I remember I used to have a lot of compatibility issues so got the Nvidia TNT and then later got the TNT 2 Ultra. I think the last decent card I got was the original Geforce 256 before I stopped PC gaming.
Recently I’ve gotten into sim racing and was considering building a gaming PC for it. My Xbox Series X is great but some games like Assetto Corsa Evo, Assetto Corsa Rally and iRacing aren’t available on the Xbox while other games like Dirty Rally 2.0 have ultra realism graphic mods that the Xbox version doesn’t have. It was pretty hard to get a grasp on whats considered good or not good nowadays since I haven’t had a Windows PC in over 20 years, but with the help of Ai I think I kinda started understanding things and managed to build a really good gaming PC, but wtf is up with these crazy prices??
This is the build I managed to put together based on parts currently available locally, I think memory is the hardest thing to get right now:
CPU
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Gaming Processor — 179 KD
Motherboard
Asus TUF GAMING X870E-PLUS Motherboard — 129 KD
RAM
Kingston Fury Beast RGB 32GB (2x16GB) DDR5 6000MHz CL30 — 145 KD
Graphics
ASUS TUF GAMING GeForce RTX 5080 16GB GDDR7 OC — 580 KD
Storage
Samsung 2TB 9100 Pro NVMe M.2 SSD PCIe 5.0 — 117 KD
Cooling
Asus TUF Gaming LC III 360 Liquid CPU Cooler — 62 KD
PSU
Asus TUF Gaming 1000W Gold ATX 3.1 Power Supply — 58 KD
Case
Asus TUF Gaming GT502 — 54 KD
Total: 1,324 KD
That seems really insane, I thought I was going to end up paying like 500-600KD for a high end gaming PC but this is more than double that. I thought this might just be the usual Kuwait over inflated prices but seems to be pretty much the same even in the US. Crazy! How are you guys doing this?
AD Middle East recently featured République in their magazine along with some really nice photos that were taken by the photographer Ingrid Rasmussen. I posted about République when they first opened, but looking at these photos now, I don’t think mine did the space justice.
The interior was originally conceived as a pop-up by Gastronomica founder Basil Al Salem after his travels in Vietnam. The look draws from Indochine design, which flourished between the 1920s and 1945 and blended French Art Deco elegance with traditional Vietnamese details. The space was designed by the group’s in-house design team which included Abdullah Al Muzaini, Ahmad Jankieh, and Ashish Bartwal, with styling by Jade Botanics.
République at Jõn closed down for the season already so if you wanted to pass by and check it out you can’t anymore. But the restaurant has now popped up at Cocoa Room at JACC for dinner.
If you want to check out the AD Middle East article, click here.
Most people know Shaab Park from the late 90s, but back in the 80s it looked completely different. I’ve been looking for photos of what Shaab Park used to look like in the early days what seems like forever, but I’ve never been able to find any… other than my own personal family photos.
Since I used to (and still do) live in Salmiya, my mum would take me and my siblings to Shaab Park to meet up with our friends since it was close by. Back then the park wasn’t fenced up, and it was a large green field and looked pretty vast in the photos. There was a sandy area with some slides, swings and toys, and there was also an area with a small rollercoaster, bumper cars and other rides.
Some of the residential buildings in the background I think are still there today. You can also see the Al-Muzaini Mosque in one of the photos and the Abdullah Al-Salem School. The Abdullah Al-Salem School is where the Abdullah Al-Salem Cultural Center is today. When the school was demolished in 2014, it wasn’t operational but Al-Maidan Cultural Centre was located there. Al-Maidan was part of Dar al Athar al Islamiyyah and used to hold various performances and musical events.
Based on how old I look in the photos, the fact that my younger brother isn’t in any of them (he was born in 1985) and the different outfits I’m wearing, my best guess is these photos were taken between 1983 and 1985. Check out all the photos here.
Over Eid a very cool looking coffee shop opened up in Shaab called Studio Roast. It’s Kuwait’s first air roastery and blends coffee with a full sound experience powered by Bang & Olufsen. It’s a new project by BNK and led by two time barista champion Hamad AlMajed.
Unlike regular roasting, air roasting uses hot air to keep the beans moving while they roast, which helps bring out their natural flavors. They also use an AI system that spots and removes defects during the process, so every batch is consistent.
My favorite part though is the interior, for a number of reasons. The space has a warm vintage feel with lots of wood and period correct fabrics, and the hand drawn ceiling gives the place a really unique look. Some of the walls and surfaces are even crafted from coffee waste. It’s one of the best looking coffee shops in Kuwait if not the best.
But what really caught my attention was the sound experience by Bang & Olufsen. They have some of their most beautiful speakers scattered around, but my favorite piece was the BeoSound 9000 displayed in the back corner. It was my dream CD player growing up, and just a couple of months ago I was on eBay looking for one before convincing myself I didn’t really need it. After seeing it again in person, I need it.
Studio Roast is located in the brand new Eleven Residence apartment complex in Shaab Al Bahri (Google Maps). They’re open daily from 7AM to 11PM, and you can follow them on Instagram @studioroast.kw
Just watched the trailer above for Larry David’s new show and it looks hilarious. It’s coming out in June and I can’t wait. YouTube
Si is a new Mediterranean restaurant opening on the first day of Eid, and it’s one of those places where once you’re there you kind of forget where you are.
Chef Marco of Vigonovo is behind the concept, and if you’ve ever met him you’ll know how charismatic and hard working he is. I first met Marco back in 2016 when he opened Vigonovo as a small spot in Salmiya. He started off with very limited resources, to the point that if I remember correctly, he had brought his small 4 burner stove from home to use in the restaurant. Since then Marco has had a pretty long journey, and Si is the result of all that hard work.
The first thing that caught my attention was the location. Si is located at C Club in Al Bida’a, with its own private entrance from the side. The first thing you notice once you walk in is the beautiful sea and garden area, surrounded by tall palm trees. It’s such a fantastic spot.
The restaurant itself is divided into three main areas, each with its own look but all with the same goal of creating a bright and energetic space that makes you feel like you’re somewhere along the Mediterranean coast. The food matches the setting, with a menu built around Mediterranean classics using fresh ingredients and simple flavors that Marco is known for.
I might be a bit biased since Marco is a friend, but the space really is beautiful and the food is really good. Si is opening on the first day of Eid (so tomorrow), and as part of their soft launch they’ll start with breakfast and lunch. They’ll eventually open for dinner as well. Opening hours are 8AM to 4PM, with the last order at 4PM.
Here is the location on Google Maps. If you want to book a table, they have a booking link on their instagram @sikuwait
The Cobogo House is a private villa in Funaitees that was completed a few years ago, but last month it got featured on the Natuzzi website which is how I came to find out about it.
The name of the project comes from the cobogó bricks used across the villa’s façade. These are decorative perforated concrete blocks, similar in concept to Islamic mashrabiya screens, that let air and light through while still giving you shade and privacy. The bricks also cast interesting light and shadow inside the house which you will notice in some of the interior photos.
Cobogo House was designed by the local architecture firm Babnimnim, who are probably most known for the beautiful contemporary mosque in Al Massayel, the Mamluki Lancet Mosque.
To check out all the photos of the space, the photographer Mohammad Ashkanani has the photos here.
Phet Phet, my favorite Thai restaurant, are opening their new and much larger location tomorrow (Monday, March 16) in Al Andalus. I passed by a while ago to check the place out and I’m really excited about it.
The new space has A LOT more seating and a new color scheme (lots of pink!). I loved the interior and as a regular at their Salmiya location I’m really happy they’re opening this bigger space. The location is also easier to get to, and parking won’t be an issue since Al Andalus has plenty.
If you’ve never been to Phet Phet, I’d recommend their Pad Thai, Panang Curry, Spicy Potato Noodles and Mango Sticky Rice. Those are my favorites.
Phet Phet is located on the top floor of Al Andalus (Google Maps). During Ramadan they’ll be open from 5:30PM to 2AM. After Ramadan the hours will switch to 1PM to 11PM, and with the new location they’ll now be open 7 days a week. @phetphetkw
I just found out through a reader that Starlink is now officially available in Kuwait.
There are two types of devices you can purchase to get started, the Standard or the Mini. The Standard device costs KD122 and is meant to be permanently fixed. The Mini, on the other hand, is a smaller portable device that you can mount at your home but also take with you anywhere you go. The Mini device costs KD92.
Both devices offer similar download speeds between 135-305 Mbps and an upload speed between 20-40 Mbps. The monthly price is also similar at KD31 for unlimited data.
According to the website the kit ships in 1-2 weeks and you don’t have to sign up to a contract. So if you want to try it out for just one month you can. If you already have a device and an account you need to cancel your subscription and transfer the device to a new Kuwait-based account (you can’t just update the address).
From my personal experience I was able to hit 291 Mbps download speed and 57 Mbps upload speed with 19ms ping using the Starlink Mini and my device has obstructions so with the Standard device and no obstructions I can imagine it would be a bit faster and have an even lower ping rate.
Starlink isn’t faster than 5G and is more expensive, but the low ping rate is great for online gaming.
If you want to try out Starlink, head to starlink.com and put Kuwait as your location. This is a referral link that will give you and me 1 month free internet after activation.
Yesterday Shop & Ship sent out an email stating that due to the current situation in the region and the impact it has on their costs, they will be temporarily increasing their prices. A few moments ago those prices went into effect and below is a comparison between the old rates and the new rates. I’ve included both the basic price and the discounted price if you’re a Flex member.
0.5 KG
Old Price: 3.75 KWD
New Price: 4.70 KWD (+25.3% increase)
Old Flex Price: 3.65 KWD
New Flex Price: 4.60 KWD (+26% increase)
1 KG
Old Price: 6.90 KWD
New Price: 8.25 KWD (+19.65% increase)
Old Flex Price: 5.90 KWD
New Flex Price: 7.35 KWD (+24.6% increase)
5 KG
Old Price: 32.10 KWD
New Price: 36.65 KWD (+14.2% increase)
Old Flex Price: 22.30 KWD
New Flex Price: 27.75 KWD (+24.4% increase)
10 KG
Old Price: 63.60 KWD
New Price: 72.15 KWD (+13.4% increase)
Old Flex Price: 40.80 KWD
New Flex Price: 51.25 KWD (+25.6% increase)
20 KG
Old Price: 107.60 KWD
New Price: 143.15 KWD (+25.3% increase)
Old Flex Price: 77.80 KWD
New Flex Price: 98.25 KWD (+26.3% increase)
The cost increase for regular members is on average 21% while the increase for Flex members is around 25%. They probably tried to keep the prices as low as possible and so aren’t able to give Flex members the bigger discounts they used to offer.
They seemed to also have resumed shipping to Kuwait. Although I still have a package stuck in my US mailbox, a friend had his item ship on March 3 and arrive to Kuwait by March 10 (via Riyadh instead of Dubai).
I also noticed a lot of items on Amazon I had on my Wishlist that previously had free shipping no longer have it. Amazon is still offering free shipping on some items, though I’m not sure why it no longer applies to a large chunk of my wishlist. I did place an order for some items on March 8 that were eligible for free shipping but the order hasn’t processed yet and seems to be on hold.
I take my dog out for a walk on the Gulf Road daily and for the past week or so it’s been pretty empty with barely anyone around. Today for the first time though it was super busy with people again. With the sirens stopping it feels like things are starting to get back to normal which is a relief. I don’t want to jinx it so won’t say anymore!
I know a lot of people with pets have been wondering what the requirements are if they want to travel abroad with their pets. So to clarify things, I decided to head to the International Veterinary Hospital (IVH) and meet with their import/export department, who’ve also been getting tons of questions about this lately.
If you’re planning to travel with your pet by plane or drive across the border into Saudi Arabia, you’re going to need an export permit. That was a bit of a surprise to me since I assumed crossing into Saudi with my dog would be a casual thing since it’s a GCC country to GCC country trip, but it isn’t. According to IVH, before you leave Kuwait with your pet you need to apply for an export permit. The process takes around 10 days to get done and you can do it yourself or pay someone like IVH to handle it for you. I think the most important requirement you should check for right now is that your pet’s rabies shot is valid. If it’s not valid, you’ll need to wait 30 days after getting a new shot before your pet can travel. So if you’re thinking of traveling anytime soon, get this sorted beforehand.
Once the exit permit is issued for your pet, it’s valid for 2 weeks.
Another thing to consider is that you can only travel with a maximum of two pets. If you have more than two, you’ll need someone else traveling with you to register the additional pets under their name.
At the moment, direct flights out of Kuwait are not available, but you can drive to Saudi Arabia. If you’re considering driving, be aware that Saudi Arabia requires a pet import permit to enter. They have their own set of requirements, all listed on their NAAMA portal, and the good news is you can apply online.
Once the Saudi pet import permit is issued, it’s valid for 4 weeks.
Finally, when you’re ready to return to Kuwait, you’ll need to obtain an import permit. Unlike Saudi, this can’t be done online and needs to be done in person here in Kuwait.
This isn’t a complete list of everything you’ll need, but it should give you a rough idea of what to expect when traveling with your pet dog or cat.
I’m trying to ease myself back into posting, and while thinking of a subject, I remembered some photos and research I’d gathered last year on the Kuwait Fire Force. Most of it was kindly provided by Colin Tomlinson and Ali Asad, whose fathers Len Tomlinson and Husain Asad both served as Chief Fire Officers.
Before 1946, fires in Kuwait were fought by the residents themselves using water carried by donkeys and mules. Then in 1947, a Ford tanker truck equipped with a pump and hose was brought in to help extinguish fires and in 1949, a second truck was added to meet growing demand. By 1950, the fire brigade had added four new tanker trucks and personnel had grown to 30. Development continued from there, and the photos in this post are of the Ahmadi Fire Department, taken mostly in the late 50s and operated by the Kuwait Oil Company (KOC).
KOC had originally established two fire stations, one in Ahmadi and one in Mina Al Ahmadi. In the mid 60s, the government established another fire station in Ahmadi. Then in the early 70s, KOC handed over all the firefighting activities to the State fire force and one rule was established which is still active today, any fire involving KOC assets in Ahmadi is led by a KOC fire officer.
To check out all the photos, click here.