Category: Gossip & Rumors

A reader of the blog called Pete took this picture of what looks like a new radar camera here in Kuwait. I’ve never see one these before so not really sure what it is. Here is the original link to this shot [Link]

A friend of mine just told me that P. F. Chang’s China Bistro is opening up in Kuwait soon. P.F. Chang is a popular American Chinese restaurant chain in the US and the Kuwait branch would be the first outside the US. I don’t have an idea on the location or the opening date, I just know that the employees are currently getting training so if anyone has more details please share them.

Update: 4th Ring Road already posted about this [Here]

Yesterday the American International School of Kuwait had a bomb scare when they got a phone call from someone in Spain telling them there was a bomb in their school. After all the students were evacuated it turned out to be a hoax. Today they had another bomb scare. It isn’t confirmed yet if it was another phone call but the rumor is, and again I want to highlight the word RUMOR here, is that a school teacher found the bomb today on the way to the bathroom and that’s why they were evacuated. Hopefully that doesn’t turn out to be true and stays a rumor.

Update: Looks like they did find something at the school, a box with a clock and random wires. Turns out it was a senior prank.

Update2: Here is suposedly a leaked photo of the fake bomb taken from Al Rai newspaper. Thanks Armani Exchanger!

I received two emails regarding a fire at the Avenues mall this morning. The last email I received stated that the damage from the fire effected the area from Debenhams up to as far as Top Shop and that some stores were still closed as of this moment and the mall was full of smoke and water.

According to an employee of iCity, a restaurant next to Starbucks caught fire. I also called D*lush and they told me that a large portion of the mall was currently cordoned off by police and that they couldn’t get close enough from their side to see what had happened. An employee of the store Carbon Fiber told me he didn’t know the name of the place that caught fire but it was near Columbus Cafe.

Update (11:55AM): My original source emailed back with an update. Currently the word is the cause of the fire was electrical and thats why it spread really fast. Esprit has also been completely obliterated which means that the fire also spread to the second floor not just the first.

Update (6:32PM): The Slider Station owner sent me a picture of some of the damage from the Avenues. I posted it above.

Update (11:12PM): According to my original source, the fire started on the 2nd floor (ESPRIT) and spread quickly. The sprinkler system came on and ended up flooding the stores below (Top Shop, Foot Locker). The smoke re-circulated through all of the air conditioning ducts and has smoke damaged all of the products in the stores below.

A reader who lives in Ahmadi just emailed me telling me he heard what sounded like an explosion awhile and now the air has a weird smell and he can hear emergency sirens in the distance.

It could be nothing (doesn’t Ahmadi always have a weird smell?) but I figured I would post and check here.

Update: Something did happen, read comments (or turn on the tv) for more details.

Update2: Changed headline from “Did anything happen in Ahmadi” to “Explosion in Ahmadi”

Update3: Added a picture from the scene of the explosion. Picture taken from Zoom and there a lot more pictures on their website. [Link]

I just found out that Office Depot is going to be opening up in Kuwait at the Avenues. Alshaya will be bringing the brand over which is great but I think there are more important things to get first like Wendy’s, Cheese Cake Factory, Best Buy or even a Costco!

I just got an email from a reader called Nawaf saying that The Cheesecake Factory will be opening up at The Avenues phase III. The owners will be both a Kuwaiti and a Saudi, the Saudi being the same owner as The Cheesecake Factory in Saudi Arabia. I hope this turns out to be true although I doubt it since according to The Cheesecake Factory website:

Franchise Information
Thank you for your interest in The Cheesecake Factory. Our full-service restaurants are Company owned and operated. We currently do not offer franchises or joint venture opportunities and have no plans to do so in the future.

Also under locations on the website it doesn’t list Saudi Arabia although. I am guessing because the Saudi branch isn’t a “full-service” restaurant but just an outlet that sells only cheesecakes its not listed on their website? Here is a picture of one of the Saudi Branches. [Picture]

Update: I emailed The Cheesecake Factory asking about their Saudi and Kuwait branch and I got the following generic response:

Thank you for your interest in The Cheesecake Factory.

We are flattered that you feel that our brand would be a success in Kuwait. Our plan at this time however, is to focus on growing our brand within the continental United States and Hawaii, rather than other markets. We wish you the best of luck with your endeavors and hope that you will have an opportunity to dine with us again sometime soon!

Thank you for contacting us and have a wonderful day!

I just heard that the radio dj Latina Mina on the Super Station 99.7 was drunk on air. Supposedly there was a doctor on the program and she was hitting on him then when another radio dj told her she was embarrassing the radio station she replied by cussing on air. They then killed the broadcast. If anyone has a copy of the session we are offering money for the recording!! CASH!

Update: I just got the following in my email

You have to report about what just happened on 99.7. Mark, it was unbelievable. This latina DJ was soo drunk on air and was slurring throughout the whole show. Suddenly, a caller calls in, which is when the radio station "thinks" they were off air. The caller swears at the DJ, telling her shes making a fool of herself and that she’s a "drunk hoochie". What does this smart DJ say? Go fuck yourself, go fuck your father and your brother. This was all on air. about 15 minutes ago. the sad thing is, they thought they were off air during that since she came back on air closing the show and telling "all the haters out there" to get a life or somethin. Now, that was something you had to listen to. Wonder what will happen to her, AND 99.7!!

A user in the forum just reported that Burj Al-Hamam and Seven Seas where on fire around an hour ago with a whole bunch of emergency vehicles parked outside trying to extinguish the flames. Anyone have any pictures? [Link]

Update: Pictures are being uploaded by some forum members and you can see them [Here]

Update2: Just added a video above of the fire shot by Mr Pedro. [YouTube]

Thanks guys!

My friend just called to tell me they shut down the Avenues awhile ago for emergency reasons. A huge fight broke out which grew out of control and some stores got damaged and supposedly there is blood everywhere.

Yesterday someone emailed me and asked me if I had heard about what happened on the 5th Ring Road and today morning someone at the office also asked me the same thing. What I understood is that a guy pulled out a gun on his wife and they had to stop traffic. Anyone know what really happened? (if there was actually an incident)

Update: Its in some of the papers including Al Rai where the picture above was taken from. Here is the link to the article. [News Article]

A friend just told me that there is a KD35 burger at Burgan Bank’s Chairman Club. Can anyone confirm that?

I saw a new Dodge Charger police car today mounted onto a tow truck. I think the Ministry is still deciding which car to go with and changes are still being made on the cars. For example I noticed the front bumper on the car (pictured below) was different than the one pictured [Here]

A friend just signed up for the Alshaya secret shoppers program. I don’t know if its new or not but the work involved sounds pretty cool. Basically as a secret shopper you are required to shop at Alshaya stores every week and then write about your experience. You also get two meals at Alshaya restaurants every week worth KD14 which you also need to write about. Based on your feedback Alshaya then try and improve their service.

The pay seems pretty decent too once you get more experienced. New shoppers get paid KD75 a month while silver shoppers get paid KD150 and gold shoppers get KD300. I think more bloggers should participate in this since bloggers spend a lot of time writing about their experiences anyway.

How do you sign up for it? You can’t. Its a secret program which not many people are supposed to know about (ooops!). My friend was able to sign up because he knew someone who was already a secret shopper. So ask around I guess or give them a call and try your luck? I think its really great they have a program like this and more companies should do it if they aren’t already.

I just heard from a friend they’ve started power cuts in Kuwait. My friend didn’t have electricity for 6 hours today! I hope this isn’t going to be a habit. In Lebanon we get power cuts but come on its Lebanon, the country doesn’t have any money and worse comes to worse the weather really never gets that hot there. In Kuwait on the other hand the government DOES have money so they can build more power plants and the weather gets extremely hot in Kuwait which means a home without AC is unlivable.