2:48AM - Entertaining Kuwait since 2003

This is totally random but, a couple of weeks ago I read an article about an F-18 fighter jet that fell off a US Aircraft carrier, it was semi going viral because it sounded ridiculous and then this morning I saw another headline about another jet falling off the same aircraft carrier. Turns out both jets fell of the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft, the same aircraft carrier I was invited to visit back in 2016.

I was going through all the photos I took that day and realized I didn’t really share much so I decided to do a photo dump. If you want to check out all the photos I took that day they’re now in Flickr and you can check them out here.

I took a few short videos that day which I merged into one longer video and I uploaded that to YouTube which you can watch below.

Recently, I decided I needed a better way to organize my CDs. I have around 300 packed away in boxes, making it virtually impossible to listen to them. While a lot of this music is available digitally, I still have a huge collection that isn’t available online. Initially, I started looking on eBay for CD cases, but then decided to look locally first. Since, the only music shop I know of that’s still open is ROMCO, I decided to head there.

I’ve posted about ROMCO before. They used to have a shop in Hawally, but it closed years ago, with all remaining cassettes and CDs moved to a small room within their offices, located in the same building but at the back. They carry a few English tapes, but most of their collection is Arabic. The last time I posted about them they used to sell the tapes for 1.5KD but now they sell for 2KD for some reason.

Up until a few years ago there were a couple of more cassette shops open in Kuwait but they also closed suddenly and I think this is the last one left standing. And if you’re curious, yes I managed to find a CD case for my CDs. They had two SKB CD-400 ATA Carrying Cases left which I guess DJ’s used to use since each can hold up to 120 CDs. They don’t have anymore of those cases left, but they do have some CD stands and wallets still available.

The employee there told me they’re open from 9AM to 4PM, so if you want to pass by and check out their tapes, they’re located across the street from Alandalus Complex in Hawally. You can also find them on Google Maps.

If you know of any other music shop still open, let me know.

Both Kuwait Airways and Jazeera Airways just launched new summer routes, so I put together a list of all the new spots, their launch dates, and the cheapest ticket prices I could find. Check them out below:

Kuwait Airways

Alexandria
Flights from July 1 starting at KD 122

Antalya
Flights from June 2 starting at KD 135

Bodrum
Flights from June 2 starting at KD 152

Luxor
Flights from July 2 starting at KD 86

Malaga
Flights from June 5 starting at KD 197

Salalah
Flights from June 2 starting at KD 83

Sarajevo
Flights from June 5 starting at KD 130

Sharm El Sheikh
Flights from June 4 starting at KD 120

Trabzon
Flights from June 1 starting at KD 188

Vienna Flights
Flights from June 1 starting at KD 216

Jazeera Airways

Budapest
Flights from June 5 starting at KD 119

Hurghada
Flights from June 28 starting at KD 106

Krakow
Flights from June 6 starting at KD 141

Prague
Flights from June 5 starting at KD 140

Rize
Flights already started, starting at KD 000*

Sarajevo
Flights already started, starting at KD 90

Sochi
Flights from June 4 starting at KD 101

Yerevan
Flights from June 1 starting at KD 92

*Couldn’t find the destination on their website even though the press release says they’ve already started flying there.

We had two major back to back events this weekend. Fluffy performed his standup show on Thursday, followed by the Craig David concert on Friday night. Most of the feedback I’ve heard and seen has been pretty positive, with the main complaints being traffic and parking, which is pretty common for big events anywhere in the world. Although having these events in Kuwait is pretty cool, one thing I noticed when I initially posted about them is the negative comments. Yeah, it’s the internet and that’s expected, but I feel like this negativity also exists in the real world.

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When I posted about Blue and Craig David, a lot of people criticized the choice of artists. Why them and not someone more relevant? I get where that’s coming from. I’m super picky with the music I like too, and if I’m going to a concert, I want it to be a band that matters to me, like Nine Inch Nails or Foo Fighters. But realistically, neither of those bands are coming to Kuwait anytime soon and that’s ok for now (think baby steps). Some people also mentioned that being seated for the concerts didn’t make sense. The reality is, seating at concerts isn’t the end of the world. I’m seeing Nine Inch Nails this summer and I’ve got seated tickets — no big deal.

But honestly, I’ll take whatever we can get here because we don’t have many of these events.

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When Sting performed in Kuwait back in 2017, I thought that was going to be the start of more live shows. That didn’t happen, and things stayed pretty quiet until just now. It’s still only May and so far we had Blue, Fluffy and Craig David perform in Kuwait. I didn’t go to Fluffy, but I did go to Craig David. From the videos I saw of the Fluffy event and the crowd at the concert, it looked like everyone was having a blast.

This weekend proved there’s a real appetite for live shows here, and as long as this momentum keeps going I think it’s good for everyone, even though we aren’t getting Taylor Swift or Dave Chappelle.

Last week I transferred one of my cars from my friend’s name to my name using Sahel. The process was super easy, like I can’t believe it was that easy. From start to finish it took less than 5 minutes using the guide in the video below.

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But, now I need to get a physical copy of the car registration since I need to send my car abroad. Does anyone know what the process is?

A news article is making its way around the internet today about airlines like British Airways and Lufthansa no longer flying in and out of Kuwait. The article put the blame on a few things, including outdated terminals and substandard passenger services, two of the main reasons I try not to fly out of the old airport terminal.

But, what caught my attention is the article mentions that 14 airlines have now stopped flying to Kuwait without mentioning what those airlines are. What 14 airlines? The only ones I can think of are:

British Airways
Fly Arna
KLM
Lufthansa
United Airlines
Wizz Air

What are the others? Also, United for example stopped flying to Kuwait years ago, so I’m assuming they’re not even counting that.

Matcha is having a moment, and Lean is riding the wave with two new drinks that are perfect for our warm weather. The popular health-focused spot just introduced Matcha Cloud Strawberry and Matcha Cloud Coconut — two iced beverages made with premium ceremonial-grade matcha and sweetened naturally with agave.

What sets them apart is the foam: light, airy, and infused with either strawberry or coconut that add texture and flavor in every sip. They’re refreshing, layered, and designed to cool you down and unlike other places, their matcha won’t load you up on sugar or heavy ingredients.

Lean has always stood out for its clean and creative menu — from soft-serve sweetened with sugar alternatives to protein-packed snacks. With over seven branches around Kuwait, they’ve built a loyal following of people who care about what they’re putting into their bodies but still want their food (and drinks) to taste good.

Whether you’re grabbing a post-gym cool down or just want something new to try that’s guilt-free, the new Matcha Cloud drinks are definitely worth checking out. @lean.kw

This past week I binge watched MobLand. It’s such a good and engaging show directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Pierce Brosnan, Tom Hardy and the super tough grandma from 1923 who plays the same character basically.

I also started watching #1 Happy Family USA which is pretty funny and entertaining, no idea why it got a 6.5 on IMDB, should be more like a 7.5.

Then of course I’m watching The Last of Us although after episode 2, I don’t see how there is still a show. Episode 3 was slow and not that eventful but looked like they were building up to something towards the end.

Have you watched anything interesting lately? Let us know in the comments.

Movies at the Cinemas
The English movies below are now showing at the local cinemas:

New This Week:
Bad Hombres (5.8)
Popeye: The Slayer Man (3.6)
Sneaks (4.0)
The Surfer (6.5)
Thunderbolts* (7.8)

Other Movies Showing:
A Minecraft Movie (6.0)
A Working Man (6.8)
Drop (6.4)
Last Breath (6.6)
Night at The Zoo (5.8)
Sinners (8.0)
The Accountant 2 (7.2)
The Amateur (6.7)
The Social Network (classic) (7.8)
Opus (5.0)
Until Dawn (6.0)

The numbers in brackets refer to the IMDB rating at the time of publishing.

Here are my favorite events taking place this weekend.

Thursday, May 1
Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias Stand Up
Matcha Bar Pop-up

Friday, May 2
Craig David Concert
TEDxGharabally Souq St Youth
Matcha Bar Pop-up

Saturday, May 3
Back to the 90’s Party
Urban Sketchers at the Islamic Calligraphy Museum
Matcha Bar Pop-up
Bilad Al Sham Pop-up

I’ve posted about re:food before, but in case you missed it, re:food is a local humanitarian non-profit initiative. Their goal is simple, salvage excess and near-expiry food from the local food and beverage industry, then redistribute it for free to people in need around Kuwait. Usually, these food items would either be classified as waste and head straight to the garbage or sold cheaply in secondary markets.

If you’re a fan of Pret, you probably know that in the UK, any unsold food is always donated. In Kuwait, it’s the same, which is why Pret partnered with re:food when they launched. Every day, any unsold food is donated to them. According to Pret’s press release, since launching in October 2022, they’ve donated nearly 110,000 food items to re:food, who then distribute them to the families registered with them.

And that’s just Pret’s donations. If more restaurants did the same, think of how much more food could go to people who need it. It really is a win-win.

If you want to find out more about re:food, you can head to their Instagram account @refoodkw or visit their website refoodkuwait.org

A few days ago I got back from a 5-day trip to Milan. I was there for Kruder & Dorfmeister’s world tour, and Milan was one of the most convenient spots to watch them since Kuwait Airways flies direct. There was so much I wanted to do but five days just wasn’t enough. Still, here’s a list of lesser-known spots you can add to your Milan itinerary next time you’re there:

Eat
Breakfast was mostly at NOWHERE since they were a short walk from my hotel and had great coffee. For pizza head to Denis, get there early or book a table. I did seafood at Pescherie Riunite twice because it was no frills and so good. The Mogo Hi-Fi bar opened while I was there so I did their bento box lunch. The menu is by Michelin-star chef Yoji Tokuyoshi but it wasn’t expensive. Missed connection: June Collective, I ran out of time so didn’t pass by, but they’re still on my to do list.

Drink
My two favorite coffee spots were NOWHERE and Orsonero. Both served excellent coffee and delicious pastries, but Nowhere is larger, making it easier to find a table. I also made coffee stops at Il Cafetero and Cafezal, as they had convenient locations around the city.

See
Check out Time & Style for beautiful Japanese objects, and 10 Corso Como and End for fashion. If the weather’s nice, visit the Brera Botanical Garden and the Monumental Cemetery of Milan. Trust me on the cemetery, it was one of the most jaw dropping and beautiful experiences on the trip, plus Chinatown is just next door. For hand-painted ceramic plates, stop by Laboratorio Paravicini. Lastly, for art, head to Fondazione Prada, though exploring the different spaces on the property was actually more interesting than the art itself.

Sleep
I stayed at Case Brivio and loved it. Great, quiet location yet close to everything, and reasonably priced for the size of the room (Junior Suite). My plan B was Crossing Manzoni, but I chose Brivio mainly because of its location.

For my previous travel guides, click here.

A couple of weeks ago the Ministry of Interior announced that expats are now able to get a physical driving license printed for a KD 10 fee. A lot of people were asking what the process was, and thanks to the Reddit user InsecureInflux, there are now instructions. Here are the steps he took to get his physical driving license:

• Go to your respective Muroor.
• Visit the typing section and request a physical license.
• Provide your civil ID and license; they’ll type out a form for you (fee: KD 1).
• Take the form to one of the counters inside; they’ll give you a paper with your license details.
• Take both papers to the stamping officer; pay KD 10 for the stamp.
• Obtain the manager’s signature on the stamped papers.
• Submit the signed papers at one of the counters.
• Wait approximately 10–15 minutes to receive your printed license.

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Came across this bit of drama on tiktok yesterday. Seems a local influencer is being accused of copying someone else’s product. The product copied is something called Lippy Links and the inventor published a video calling out the influencer. The video has 138K views on instagram and over 3 million views on tiktok.

I thought that was pretty standard since copying is fairly common here. But then I watched another video by @rise_kw where he highlights the fact the influencer had published a video detailing her struggles trying to create the Gummy Links. Now watching the video below I would imagine the video is embarrassing but I’m assuming she doesn’t care because the video is still up.

So much drama.

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Ian Caldwell was born in Magwa Hospital in Ahmadi in 1955 and lived in Kuwait until 1975. A couple of years ago, he pulled out boxes from his father’s loft filled with about 1,500 old slides, including many from Kuwait. He started scanning the ones related to Kuwait, ending up with about 300 photos that had never been seen before.

The photos were taken by Ian, his father Arthur, and his younger brother Tom. I’ll be sharing as much as I can from their collection, and I’ve started organizing them into groups based on different topics.

The first ones I’m sharing are photos taken of Souk Mubarakiya and the Souk in Fahaheel sometime in the early 70s.

To check out the photos, click here.

Here are my favorite events happening this weekend. Always double-check the details by visiting the organizer’s account, which I’ve linked to.

Thursday 24 April
Cantina Pizza Pop-up
QUANTUM CON 2025
Kuwait Food Festival
Literary Open Mic at Bliss & Paper
GRAFIKA Market 2025

Friday 25 April
Cantina Pizza Pop-up
QUANTUM CON 2025
Kuwait Food Festival

Saturday 26 April
Cantina Pizza Pop-up
QUANTUM CON 2025
SADI 2025: Ancestral Bonds
The Big Bargain Event
Kuwait Food Festival
Earth Day Treasure Hunt
DAI StoryTime at Amricani
The Washing Machine