Author: Mark

Zuma’s celebrating their 4 years anniversary in Dubai so their PR agency sent me the following numbers which I thought would be interesting to share with Zuma fans:

Four Years – ZUMA Dubai in Numbers:
67,200 raspberry passion martinis (323 per week)
51,584 non-alcoholic cleansers (248 per week)
370,560 bottles of Voss water (1,781 per week)
240,960 bottles of Asahi Japanese beer
48,000 kilograms of charcoal burned
Over 800,000 chopsticks used
Over 800,000 napkins laundered
Over 525,000 cars parked by the valets
87,500 tracks played at our DJ counter
6,700 live DJ performances
17,472 hours of music

If you’re at the Avenues pass by the Kuwait Heart Foundation area setup since along with the Faculty of Medcine Students they’re attempting a Guinness World Record today and need your help. Invite your friends and family along as well since they’re trying to break the record for the highest number of BMI testings in 8 hours.

They’re starting from 12pm and ending at 8pm so pass by when you can.

Thanks BuYousef

Update: Just heard the record was broken.

Update2: Not only was the record broken but it was shattered with 9,023 measurements which is more than double the previous record. I’m curious to know if they’re going to end up sharing the total average BMI. My guess it’s going to be pretty high based on the fact we’re one of the fattest nations in the world.

Picture by The Avenues

A friend of mine picked up his new Subaru BRZ around a week ago and asked me if I’d be interested in taking it out for a spin. Since it’s one of the hottest cars right now along with the Toyota 86 I really wanted to try it out. The Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 were developed jointly by Toyota and Subaru. The 86 refers to the original Toyota Corolla AE86 which has a very large cult following all over the world.

There are currently two BRZ’s in Kuwait, an automatic and a manual gear version. My friend has the manual one and since I hadn’t driven stick shift since 1996 I was looking forward to it. Embarrassingly, I spent the first half hour getting the hang of the stick shift with my friend sitting next to me while we drove around his neighborhood. I was so bad that he got car sick and told me to drop him back home and bring the car back whenever I was done. Things got better after that since I had less pressure and once I hit the highways it was smooth sailing.

The car is pretty compact and cozy. The interior is simple and very plasticky which is fine except for the fact the BRZ in Kuwait comes with a really cheap looking 90s style CD player radio unit which would be the first thing I’d personally throw out of the car. Everything else I could live with but the stereo is just too retro for my taste. The AC is great and the very simple LED screen in the dash shows the outside temperature as well as what gear number you’re in. It’s all very basic but that’s really how the car should be.

The car is a rear wheel drive but the steering has a lot of feel to it. It’s very precise and probably my favorite part in the car. It’s not a powerful or really fast car by any means but if you’re a fan of the car you already know that. Handling wise the car is supposed to be great but I wasn’t really able to explore that since I didn’t speed nor did I take the car to any track. But the car did feel light and very agile.

The BRZ costs around KD8,500 but is currently very difficult to get a hold of one. The dealer is getting just one more BRZ from now till the end of the year and I think it’s already sold. It’s a pretty fun car that’s affordable and like the Toyota 86 will probably end up selling like hot cakes.

[YouTube]

Movie: Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World
Date: Monday, 1 October 2012
Time: 7:000 PM
Location: Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah’s (DAI) al-Maidan Cultural Centre

Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World, a new documentary narrated by Academy Award winning actress Susan Sarandon, will make its Middle East debut on Monday, 1 October 2012 at 7 PM at the Dar al-Athar al-Islamiyyah’s (DAI) al-Maidan Cultural Centre. This new ninety-minute film, from executive producers Michael Wolfe and Alex Kronemer, “takes audiences on an epic journey across nine countries and over 1,400 years of history. It explores themes such as the Word, Space, Ornament, Color and Water and presents the stories behind many great masterworks of Islamic art and architecture.”

For information send an email to [email protected]

Expat and the City has an interesting post on how Chinese prostitutes have taken over American housing areas in Fahaheel and Mahboula. The girls are trying to pick up guys during the day and night without even trying to stay low key. Where are the cops? Nowhere in sight. The reason I’ve chosen to highlight her post is because it’s related in a slight way to my 5àsec post from yesterday and my numerous complaints on how cops parked traffic lights on the Gulf Road watch cars run red lights and not care.

It’s easy and obvious to blame the cops for not doing their job but personally I no longer blame them. I think the cops are frustrated and have just given up caring but for good reason. Why should they waste their time handing out tickets or arresting people when everyone has wasta to get out of a ticket or a misdemeanor? I can imagine how demoralizing this must be for them.

Check out Expat and the City’s post [Here]

The above is the latest video by K’S PATH and below is the description:

This short film features the release of a Scops Owl and a Steppe Eagle. The owl was found being sold by children while the eagle was found exhausted on the beach, presumably having exhausted itself flying against the wind during the day. Our community responded wonderfully by calling K’S PATH and helping to catch and transport these majestic creatures. Both birds were promptly given a clean bill of health after being seen by K’S PATH veterinarian Dr. Madhulal Valliyatte. Thankfully, they were both released the following day.

If you find a wild bird in distress, call 6700-1622. If it’s safe for you and the bird, you can use a towel and cardboard box to catch it. Keep the bird covered in the box, in the dark if possible, and in a quiet place. Avoid heat and noise. You may give a bowl of water if necessary, but don’t attempt to feed a wild bird. The wrong food can be much worse than no food for a short time. Our phone is switched off at night but all missed calls are returned in the morning. A message will get the quickest response.

Let’s be a community that works together to take care of wildlife.

[Vimeo]

I met my friend for breakfast this morning and he told me the funniest story. Last night around 3:45AM he was having trouble sleeping when he heard glass shatter outside his apartment building in Shaab. He then heard more glass shattering so he got up and looked outside and saw some guys breaking into the 5àsec laundromat.

So he picked up the phone and called the cops who replied telling him they can’t do anything about it and that he needs to come down to the station to file a complaint. He was like f it and went back to bed.

The Ministry of Communications has set new maximum prices for various DSL speeds and as of now Qualitynet and KEMS have both updated their prices online to reflect the change. According to a person I spoke to at Fasttelco, they have yet to finalize their prices but it will most likely be very similar to Qualitynet and KEMS.

Prices above are yearly.
Sources: Qualitynet – KEMS

Alshaya announced today that they’ll be bringing the franchise Katsuya by S+ARCK to Kuwait and the region. Unlike the other brands they’ve previous acquired this is probably the first one I haven’t heard of before. This is the description of what Katsuya is on their website:

Featuring the dynamic pairing of Master Sushi Chef Katsuya Uechi and design impresario Philippe Starck, Katsuya by Starck is truly a feast for the senses. With specialty cocktails, unique rolls and spectacular sushi and sashimi platters, Chef Uechi skillfully translates Japanese flavors to the American palate. Signature dishes include Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna, Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeño and Miso-Marinated Black Cod. With superb talent and exacting precision, Katsuya by Starck is changing the face of Japanese cuisine.

For the press release click [Here]

Update: Katsuya is now open [Link]

[YouTube]

The GulfRun team are putting together their second 26 Hours Karting Endurance Race which will be held this December. Last years event was a huge hit and you could watch some of the highlights in the video above. If you’re interested to register here is some information:

Event: GulfRun Karting Endurance Race – 2012 (24 Hours)
Date: 14th December 2012
People per team: Minimum 4 / Maximum 12
Registration deadline: 31st of October.
Location: Kuwait International Fairgrounds
Package Includes: Go Kart, pit garage, mechanics and fuel

To register call Pro-vision on 65778598

Doss and I love Kuwait. So to show our appreciation for a place that has opened up so many opportunities for us we decided to make Kuwait his dance floor. We hit Mahboula, Fintas, Hawalli, Salmiya and Shaab. So enjoy and a big thanks to you all of our friends and fans! tjcfilms.com

[YouTube]

I’m usually not interested in reviewing Android phones but when I got the opportunity to try out the new TAG Heuer Racer I jumped all over it. the TAG Heuer Racer is a luxury phone and although it runs Android I was more interested in the luxury aspect of the phone. Personally I don’t think anyone who considers buying a luxury phone like the Vertu or this TAG Heuer is really looking for the most technologically advanced phone in the market. If they were they’d pick up an iPhone 5 or Galaxy S III. People looking for luxury phones look for other things like materials used, quality of finish and exclusivity. With that idea in mind I decided to treat this review as an experiment. Would anyone notice the TAG Heuer phone?

First thing you’ll notice when you get the phone is how large the box is. Like buying an expensive timepiece the phone comes in a leather box that flips open to reveal the phone sitting inside. This leather box comes inside another larger box that has a bunch of drawers which contain the charger, headphones, manuals etc. The phone design is inspired by GT and F1 racing so the form and materials used reflect that. The phone I had for review used a high-grade nano-coated rubber and anodized aluminum but there are other versions of the phone which use either titanium, carbon fiber or rose gold. The Racer clearly looks like no other phone on the market.

I had the phone with me for a full week and whenever I took out the phone it always grabbed attention. It was a conversation starter, people generally were either curious to know what it was or surprised that TAG Heuer made phones. Everyone wanted to touch it and check it out and this was just the entry level Racer which uses aluminum and isn’t really that flashy. People did notice the phone and most will never see another one like it again. They’re rare and whoever is looking to spend this much on a phone will prefer it this way.

The price is whats going to keep the Racer out of the hands of the mass since they start at KD850 and can go up all the way up to KD1,500. If you compare it to a regular Android phone I guess it would be like comparing a high end Swiss watch to a digital one. Personally I wouldn’t pay this much for a phone but then again I’m not their target. It’s a different approach to phones and my guess is more and more luxury brands will be serving up their own takes on a luxury phone. If you’re interested, the Racer is available at the TAG Heuer stores in Avenues and 360 Mall.

Go Sport are opening a new location at Tilal Complex in Shuwaikh near City Center. The new store is located where “Beam” used to be right next to the Toyota dealership. Based on the location of this store my guess is it’s not bigger than their Avenues location. If it does turn out to be bigger than that would be pretty cool.

Update: I got a bit more information from my contact at Go Sport. The location is not going to be larger than the Avenues branch but it will have a different newer look. They’re hoping to have it open and ready by mid October.

The NUQAT design conference is taking place this year from October 4th to October 9th. There will be a ton of lectures and workshops to suit everyones interest. Below are the speakers participating this year:

SULAYMAN AL BASSAM
Theatre Director

DR. NASSER ABULHASAN
Architect, founder and partner of AGI architecture – Kuwait

RANA SALAM
A world renowned branding designer, based

TAREK ATRISSI
Internationally acclaimed graphic designer and typographer based in Holland

ELIE BOU JAMRA & MIRNA HAMADY
Co-founders at Kashida, Lebanese product design studio

ALFRED TARAZI
Political mixed media artist from Lebanon

JASSIM AL SADDAH
Kuwaiti Architect, Founder of Bab Nimnim

KHALID SHAFAR
Emirati product designer

SH. ALANOUD AL SABAH
Kuwaiti jewelry designer, founder of the label, Octium

AHMAD ANGAWI
Up & coming product designer from Saudi Arabia

PLUS AZIZ
Senior Trend analyst at NYC based marketing company Fathom+Hatch

LAMYA GERGASH
Emirati Photographer and Artist

HALEH ANVARI
Iranian published Writer & Photographer

NUR KAOUKJI
Fashion Designer, owner of Noon

YOUNES DURET
Global design agency creator from Marakesh

SALEM ALQASSIMI
Graphic Designer, Artist, Instructor, and Founder of Fikra

PASCAL ZOGHBI
Acclaimed Type Designer Founder of “29 Arabic Letters”

L’ATELIER NAWBAR
Jewelry Designer

For more information or to register visit the NUQAT website [Here]

I was leaving the house this morning when I got a phone call from Xcite letting me know they received the new iPhone 5 and if I was interested in picking it up to check it out. Luckily traffic wasn’t that bad and I was over at their head office 15 minutes later picking up the phone.

The new iPhone 5 looks smaller than my iPhone 4s even though it’s taller. It looks very slick and slim while the iPhone 4s which I didn’t have a problem with an hour ago now looks pretty bulky sitting next to the iPhone 5 on my desk. I have the black iPhone 5 with me which is black all over including the side trimming which is what is also helping the iPhone 5 look smaller than it actually is.

Even though I was expecting the iPhone 5 to be light based on the reviews I read online, I wasn’t expecting it to feel this much lighter than the 4s. It’s really the first thing that grabbed my attention when I picked it up and it kinda feels like the phone is hollow on the inside. The second thing that grabbed my attention was the aluminum back of the phone. To me it doesn’t look or feel like aluminum but more like a plastic. I think it’s because I was expecting the metal to have some sort of texture which is doesn’t.

I booked my nano sim card from Viva [Here] but I still haven’t received the sim card yet nor do I know when they’ll be available. So right now if you want to use the iPhone 5 you’re going to have to cut and sand your sim card down to the size of the nano.

If you want to check out the iPhone 5 yourself you can since Xcite have it on display right now at their Avenues location. They aren’t selling them just yet nor have they priced them since they’re waiting to secure a large quantity of phones first. If you have any questions or curiosities about the phone let me know since I’m going to have it with me for a few more hours.

Update: Xcite just informed me they’re now selling the iPhone 5 starting at KD299