2:48AM - Entertaining Kuwait since 2003

I wasn’t expecting my last post to get such an emotional reaction. I knew it would spark a respons but I expected more debate and less outrage. About 99.9% of the comments strongly disagreed with the gym’s explanation for why women’s prices were higher than men’s. That was made very clear.

One thing that stood out to me, since it was mentioned multiple times by different people, was the claim that women pay three times more than men for the same gym. So I decided to contact 16 gyms in Kuwait, basically every gym I could find that offered facilities for both men and women, to see which one was charging three times more for women. Here’s what I found:

Men pay more at 6 gyms
Women pay more at 4 gyms
6 gyms have the same price for men and women.

When men pay more, it’s by 18.8% on average.
When women pay more, it’s by 25.6% on average.

I couldn’t find a gym where the women’s membership was three times more than the men’s. Maybe that comparison is being made between different gyms, like a one-year subscription at Oxygen in Mangaf for men (KD 200) versus a one year subscription for women at Platinum Sabah Al-Salem (KD 720). In this specific case, women would be paying three times more, but it’s not a fair comparison.

There were comments about Platinum’s Sabah Al-Salem branch specifically. The membership there is KD 390 a year for men and KD 720 a year for women. Oxygen has a men’s gym in Sabah Al-Salem that charges KD 440 a year, so Platinum is likely keeping the men’s price lower to compete is my guess.

In any case, if you don’t like that your gym charges a pink tax, leave the gym. If a gym charges a pink tax and women are still paying it, the gym has little incentive to reduce their prices.

Check out the list below of gyms in Kuwait that offer membership to both men and women. These are the yearly membership prices:

ARGAN Albida’a Club
Men KD 1,250
Women KD 825

C Club
Men KD 1,750
Women KD 1,350

Circuit+
Men KD 670
Women KD 828

Elite Fitness
Men KD 1,100
Women KD 1,100

ERA Members Club
Men KD 650
Women KD 650

Flare Fitness
Men KD 595
Women KD 720

Edge Fitness (Holiday Inn)
Men KD 479
Women KD 445

Inspire
Men KD 1150
Women KD 1150

Platinum
Men KD 750 (all branches)
Women KD 870 (all branches)

Privus Health Club
Men KD 1,400
Women KD 1,200

Rafa Nadal Academy
Men KD 800
Women KD 800

Spark
Men KD 670 (single branch)
Women KD 950 (single branch)

SVN
Men KD3,000
Women KD2,600

The Burrow
Men KD 1,100
Women KD 1,100

The Champion
Men KD 250
Women KD 250

Viking Club (Radisson Blu)
Men KD 1050
Women KD 825

Note: When checking the prices, keep in mind that some gyms have offers or include additional services with the membership. For more details, DM the gym or call them.

Wplace is a collaborative, real-time pixel canvas layered over the world map. Anyone anywhere in the world can paint and create art together. I just checked out Kuwait and the map was packed with tags.

It’s really bizarre, kinda like the graffiti you’d find on neighborhood electrical substations, but if they were done by 10 year olds. No idea why this is popular. Link

Recently there has been a lot of talk about the price difference between men’s and women’s gyms in Kuwait. Women’s memberships are often more expensive with no clear explanation to why. So, I reached out to a gym (they want to remain anonymous) that operates both men’s and women’s branches to find out why their women’s membership costs slightly more than the men’s. These are the 5 main reasons they say women’s gyms cost more:

Prime Locations
Women’s branches are in safe, central spots like malls and shopping centers. Great for comfort and accessibility, but rent in these areas is expensive.

Specialized Coaches
Finding top female coaches in Kuwait is not easy, especially those with international certifications and skills like prenatal training, yoga, and Pilates. Getting them here means covering relocation, visas, housing, and benefits, which all add to costs.

More Equipment Variety
Women’s gyms often have a wider mix of machines compared to men, from Pilates reformers to functional rigs. This means bigger investments and more frequent maintenance.

Higher Operating Costs
Women’s gyms operate in fewer peak hours while still carrying full overhead. Maintenance also has to be done after hours, often late at night, which costs more.

Maintaining Quality
Dropping prices could mean overcrowding and faster wear and tear. Keeping memberships at a certain price helps maintain a comfortable and high-quality space.

What do you think?

Photo courtesy of @trainwithg

One of the best things about having so much competition now in food delivery is that everyone is upping their game. Talabat I realized have been adding a lot of new features recently and the latest one is for their Pro customers and is called “On-Time Guarantee”. If your order is delayed more than 15 minutes beyond the estimated time, then you’ll be eligible for a compensation from Talabat:

15 Minutes Late = KD 1 voucher
30 Minutes Late = KD 1.5 voucher
45 Minutes Late = KD 2 voucher
60 Minutes Late = KD 2.5 voucher

On more than one occasion when an order of mine has been late I’ve had to completely cancel it. Not because I’m trying to be a dick or anything but sometimes I have to be somewhere and if the food is delayed I’ll have to leave the house. I’m talking like estimated delivery time of 20-30 minutes and an hour later still not getting my food. In those situations Talabat have canceled my ordered and refunded me the full amount, so I’m hoping that won’t change now that they’ve introduced this compensation fee.

Yesterday a friend sent me this post he came across online. The account had 200K followers and the post at that point around 8,000 likes (it’s over 12K now). I hadn’t come across a Rolex vending machine nor heard about it so assumed this was fake news, but I reached out to the dealer anyway just to confirm that which they did (that it was not true).

But this is pretty much what the Internet is nowadays, tons of fake news and pictures just created to generate clicks. Anything interesting or cool I come across I need to triple check just to make sure if it’s real or not. I think I prefer the web back when it was harder for people to create and share content.

Here are my favorite events taking place this weekend.

Thursday, August 7
Bloom Market
Italian Collage Night on Tote Bags
Storytime at PCC

Friday, August 8
Bloom Market
Sunrise Paddle

Saturday, August 9
Bloom Market
Women’s Circle
Second Chance Book Sale
Back to the 200s Junk Journal Club
Girls Only Board Gaming
Island Escape to Qaruh

Russell Peters is coming back to perform live in Kuwait on October 20 at The Arena as part of his Relax World Tour. Tickets go on sale tomorrow (Thursday) at 11AM through The Arena’s website.

Fame Entertainment, the same company that brought Fluffy, Craig David, and Blue to Kuwait, are the ones bringing him back.

Tickets will start from KD25. If you want the best seats, make sure to grab your tickets as soon as they go on sale. thearenakuwait.com

According to a reliable source, Spinneys, the popular supermarket chain, might be coming to Kuwait and partnering up with Alshaya.

Spinneys is considered a premium supermarket and is popular in the UAE and Lebanon, with locations also in Egypt, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. In the UAE, Spinneys also operates the Waitrose brand.

This isn’t the first time Alshaya has been in talks to partner with a supermarket chain. Back in 2011, they were reportedly in talks with Tesco before that deal fell through. At the time, I was told Alshaya was looking to replace Carrefour in The Avenues with their own supermarket concept. I have no idea if that’s still the case, but I’d imagine that would be the most likely scenario.

Back in June Amazon started offering free delivery to Kuwait which I’ve obviously been taking advantage of. One incident recently happened to me which I thought was worth sharing.

I was looking for a DAC that would take digital audio from my Mac mini and convert it to analogue to send to my KEF LSX speakers. I was using the Apple USB-C to headphone jack dongle but wanted something better. I previously ordered an optical in analogue out converter but it didn’t allow me to control the volume from my Mac mini, I had to do it from the speaker which I didn’t want to do. Anyway, after a lot of research with ChatGPT, and a limited budget of under $100, ChatGPT recommended I get the iFi UNO. According to ChatGPT I’d be able to control the volume from my Mac which was perfect.

ChatGPT was wrong. Last time I’m using it to help me buy electronics. Once plugged in I had to control the volume either from the speakers or the DAC but the volume control on my Mac wouldn’t do anything. I had bought it for around $80 plus I had ordered some high quality cables with it so I was down over $100. I was just going to dump it in my electronics box but decided to see if I could return it. I had thrown the box and manuals out already so wasn’t hopeful. I checked the return policy for Amazon and it turned out that if I returned the item even though it was without the box I might be entitled for possibly a 50% refund. Figured that was better than nothing.

So I applied to return both items. Returning the items was free of charge, I just had to print the DHL labels Amazon gave me and go to the DHL store to drop them off. Process at DHL took like 5 minutes, I didn’t even have to bring any packaging, they just dumped them into the standard DHL bags and shipped them. I mailed them back July 25, on July 31 I got a full refund back from Amazon!

That’s crazy. Forget the fact that they’re shipping the stuff for free to Kuwait, you can actually return the items for free as well, that’s really insane.

I’ve posted about Deboned before since they’re my go-to spot when I want to eat clean or healthy. I like their grilled chicken because it’s packed with flavor, and since they have branches near me, delivery is always quick. To keep things exciting, they’re constantly introducing new flavors, and yesterday they launched their latest one, Sweet & Chili.

The new Sweet & Chili flavor is available across all their chicken dishes, including Shawarma, Wings, and of course, the Half and Whole Chicken options, served with either oven-baked fries or rice.

Their Friday Meal Boxes are also available with the new Sweet & Chili flavor, and they’ve introduced a new Mango flavor for their Rice Pudding dessert.

The last time I posted about Deboned I found out they had branches in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. For now, the Sweet & Chili flavor is only available in Kuwait and for a limited time only.

If you’ve never tried Deboned before, or if you want to try their new flavor, head over to their Instagram page for more info @deboned.kw or order directly from debonedkwt.com

Last year, Kuwait competed for the first time at the Asian Surfing Championships after officially joining the International Surfing Association (ISA). They’re back again this year, continuing to build their presence in the sport.

This year’s Kuwait team consists of three surfers:
Ahmad Alrefae @a.alrefae2
Essa Alessa @eksultan
Naif Alkhatrash @kuwaitisurfer

The National Surfing Coach is:
Ibrahim Egan @egan_18

Ahmad and Essa grew up in Kuwait, spending most of their time in Bnaider engaging in various watersports. They began surfing during their teenage years but gained most of their experience after moving to California for university. Naif, on the other hand, moved to Bali, where he currently lives and has been surfing for over 10 years.

The Asian Surfing Championships are currently taking place from August 3 to 12 in Tamil Nadu, India, organized by the Asian Surf Federation. Nineteen countries are competing, and Kuwait’s first heat took place earlier today. You can check out some photos of the team from today in the carousel. This marks the second time Kuwait has been recognized as a country with surfers by both the International Surfing Association (ISA) and the Asian Surfing Federation (ASF).

If you want to stay posted on the Kuwait Surf team’s progress at the Asian Surf Championship, follow their instagram account @kuwaitsurfcommittee

This villa in Abdullah Al-Salem was recently featured in Architectural Digest and is known as the Shell House. It’s a four-bedroom home designed by AlHumaidhi Architects in collaboration with interior design firm Studio Nesef (@studionesef). What caught my attention was the courtyard in the center featuring a private garden and pool. Not a lot of homes are being built today with a courtyard, but it’s a feature I’d want to have in my home.

I think courtyards work really well for privacy. You can have spaces completely closed off from the outside world, while keeping them open to the inside. So you still get views and natural daylight without giving up your privacy.

The villa is called the Shell House because its design, inspired by the natural geometry of shells, gently rotates around the central courtyard across three levels. Each floor shifts slightly, creating shaded terraces, rooftop gardens, and covered outdoor spaces that adapt to sunlight and privacy needs throughout the day. The villa is designed with soft curves and finished in custom stucco cladding, a dust-resistant material chosen to withstand Kuwait’s climate.

The interior follows the same soft, curved style as the outside, with natural colors and different travertine stone finishes. Sliding doors, wooden slats, and metal screens inspired by traditional mashrabiya help connect the indoors with the outdoors while also keeping the home cool.

The photos here were taken by @ngphoto.com.pt. Check out admiddleeast.com for a detailed write-up and more photos.

Today marks 35 years since Iraq invaded Kuwait, starting the Gulf War. I was in Kuwait and just 11 years old when I woke up that morning to find out what had happened. We had just finished celebrating my younger brother’s birthday the night before, so it took a while for me to grasp how much life was about to change.

My family stayed in Kuwait for six weeks before fleeing by road to Lebanon, where I lived until the war ended and we moved back to Kuwait in the summer of 1991. Although I was young, I have vivid memories from that time, mostly tied to the media, from CNN’s Operation Desert Storm coverage to the “FREE KUWAIT” and later “Free Our POWs” campaigns, and even small things like anti Saddam car bumper stickers.

I remember as a kid desperately wanting a “FREE KUWAIT” badge or t-shirt. It was such a strong and meaningful visual that, 35 years later, it’s still a powerful image.

The “FREE KUWAIT” logo was designed by Michael Lorrigan with the help of the British design firm Bostock & Pollitt (now called Pollitt & Partners). Michael, who was a teacher and deputy headmaster at New English School at the time, was in England on summer break when the invasion happened. After the war broke out, he discovered the newly formed Kuwaiti media committee in London and joined them, eventually becoming one of their most dedicated members. The name “Free Kuwait Campaign” was chosen as a unifying label for various London-based groups supporting Kuwait during the invasion. When Michael shared the sample logos with the campaign group, a member called Ali Al Mulaifi suggested making the word “FREE” larger than “KUWAIT.” That became the final version. source

There is actually a great interview you can watch (it’s in Arabic) that details Michaels role in the Free Kuwait campaign which you can watch here.

The photos in this post were all taken in London by Dr. Adel Al-Yousifi. They are part of his photo-book “A Testimony from London” and are also available online at his website, free-kuwait.net. Dr. Adel also created the website evidence-kw.net, which documents the impact of the war on Kuwait and is based on another photo-book he published in 1994.

Check out my favorite things taking place this weekend below. As always, double check the event details with the organizers.

Thursday, July 31
Feels Like Summer Zine Workshop
Literally Open Mic
Pokeman Trading Event

Friday, August 1
Sunrise Paddle with Outdoorish

Saturday, August 2
Pilates on a Yacht
A Critical Reading of Kuwait’s Invasion Aftermath
Urban Sketchers at The Promenade
Girls Game Day
Paint Your Heart
Island Escape to Qaruh

I first used the MyHome app back in 2018, it was a super convenient way to get things done around the house. If I needed a plumber, a carpenter or someone to come check my AC, I’d just get on the app and order the service.

Recently I found out they have a subscription service called MyHome+ which offered a number of benefits including:

Unlimited free assessments
No more KD 5 charges just to get a quote.

5% cash back on maintenance and cleaning services
Painting, repairs, AC work, deep cleaning, all of it.

No zone fees
No extra fees even if you live in harder-to-reach areas like Khiran or Wafra.

90-day extended warranty on all jobs
This is really great, if something isn’t fixed right the first time, you’re covered for up to 90 days.

The biggest benefit for me is not having to pay just to get a quote. With the subscription, it feels like I have a team on payroll that I can bring over anytime I need something fixed, painted, built, or anything else. I love that.

The subscription to MyHome+ usually costs KD 3.750 per month, but right now they’re offering a super discounted rate of KD 2.950 per month, or just KD 14.700 for 6 months, which comes out to KD 2.450 a month. Even if all you use is the cleaning service, you’ll still save money with the 5% cash back. And if you’ve got a big job coming up, the membership basically pays for itself.

Honestly, this is one of the few services that actually makes financial sense. If you want to find out more about MyHome and the services they offer, head over to @myhome_app or download the app by clicking here.