Categories
Food Gossip & Rumors Information

Rumor: La Petite Maison is opening in Kuwait

I try not to post too many food posts back to back, but this one couldn’t wait. According to a source of mine, La Petite Maison (LPM), the popular high-end French Mediterranean restaurant, is planning to open in Kuwait. Supposedly, the same company that brought Beefbar, Ferdi, and Philippe by Philippe Chow to Kuwait is now bringing LPM.

Since opening in London in 2007, LPM has expanded to 10 locations worldwide, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, and Doha.

I reached out to both parties for confirmation. The Kuwait-based company told me they’d update me in a couple of weeks, while LPM said they can’t confirm anything for Kuwait just yet.

“Just yet” sounds promising, so hopefully, an official announcement is coming soon. For now, I’ve filed this under a rumor. @lpmrestaurants

Update: According to a reader who just messaged me, looks like LPM are coming to Kuwait because they were in negotiations for a seaside location.




Categories
Information Promoted Shopping

Smarter Parenting with Lil Baby App

Lil Baby App is a new approach to parenting, designed to make life easier for parents. The Kuwait-based app, created by a pediatrician, offers the ability to create regular orders for baby supplies and subscription boxes for essentials like milk, diapers, wipes, and snacks. Orders can be placed for fast delivery or scheduled in advance, with free delivery for next-day orders.
 
There are several advantages to using Lil Baby including:
 
Prices & Subscription Packages
For both regular orders as well as subscriptions, the prices on the app are often more affordable than those found in supermarkets. Additionally, the app offers further savings through subscription packages. For instance, instead of buying diapers weekly, you can set up a one-month subscription and enjoy a discounted rate when paying upfront. These subscription packages are not only cost-effective but also convenient as they eliminate the need to repeatedly order the same items.
 

Free Delivery
If you need your items urgently, they can be delivered within 45 minutes for a nominal fee. However, if you don’t mind waiting until the next day, delivery is completely free.
 
Items Availability
As a parent you’ve likely faced situations where a supermarket or delivery app didn’t have your preferred diaper size, your baby’s milk brand, or their favorite snacks in stock. Lil Baby understands these frustrations, which is why they make it a priority to keep every brand, item, and size available always, ensuring you never have to deal with that inconvenience.
 
Customer Service
The owner grew up ordering from online brands like Amazon, where he experienced top-notch customer service. Inspired by them, he made customer satisfaction one of Lil Baby’s utmost priorities.

Finally, what truly sets this app apart is the added value of having a pediatrician providing informed medical guidance. For instance, you won’t find cough syrups for sale in the app but instead a message from the American Academy of Pediatrics on why that is the case. Additionally, the app features an ‘Activity’ category where Dr. Abdallah shares insightful news and articles related to parenting and childcare.
 
For more info head to @lilbabykw




Categories
Information Promoted Shopping

The Ya Hala Shopping Festival has Started!

Ya Hala, the biggest shopping festival in Kuwait’s history, kicked off a few days ago. I was at The Avenues and noticed tons of shops offering discounts. It’s super easy to tell which ones are participating in the festival by the Ya Hala stickers stuck outside on their displays.

For the next ten weeks, every 10 dinars you spend will earn you a coupon for a draw. Each week, you could win one of 12 cars or a share of $100,000, divided among 100 winners.

Stay updated on the festival by following @yahalakuwait and @whatsonyahala




Categories
Activities Information People Things to do

Make your owns Charms with Charm Studio

According to my TikTok feed which has become pretty weird recently, making charms is a really popular new trend. This fun activity that has recently gained popularity abroad has now popped up in Kuwait.

For those unfamiliar with charm making, it’s a creative process where you design and assemble personalized jewelry pieces like bracelets, necklaces, or keychains.

Charm Studio is a local small business that started back in October by Fajer Al Owaish who wanted to re-create this existing concept here in Kuwait. Back in high school she used to make charms and jewelry using beads and other accessories, and then sell them to classmates as a side hustle. It’s something she’s always been passionate about, which is why she was able to turn it into a success so quickly.

If you’re looking for something fun to do, she has a few workshops coming up, including one this weekend at the trendy sneaker shop @solelabkw. You can check out her Instagram for more details @charmstudiokw




Categories
Information Interesting Kuwait

SOOF – First Sustainable Wool Mill in the GCC

When I first found out that AlSadu Society was partnering up with Kuwait Foundation for Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) and Al-Mawashi to open up SOOF, a wool mill, I was very intrigued. Where wool came from wasn’t something I ever thought of, and the more I learned about the project, the more fascinated I became with it.

Up until now, Kuwait imported its wool. You’d think with Kuwait’s history with wool, all the Sadu weaving, the bedouin tents, and all the sheep in the market that a wool mill was something that already existed, but it didn’t. Not only that, but from what I was told, SOOF is the first wool mill in the GCC which is crazy when you think about it.

Previously, all the wool from the locally slaughtered sheep was discarded.Although wool had value, locally the sheep’s fleece was mostly considered to be a waste product and so handing and disposing of it was seen as an inconvenience.

SOOF was created to provide a sustainable source of processed wool locally, and also to help preserve the cultural heritage. I passed by their first mill location in Kuwait yesterday, and was pretty surprised at how compact and simple the setup was. The mill was located inside Al-Mawashi slaughterhouse in Al-Rai, and the plan is to eventually have more of these wool mills in slaughterhouses around the country.

If all this wasn’t impressive enough, SOOF is also prioritizing eco-friendly practices in every step of the processing chain. The wool is sourced from local sheep and the organic dyes from natural sources such as plants. They use sustainable energy from solar panels, and the wastewater from washing and dyeing wool is treated and then reused for plant irrigation. It’s really impressive.

The wool produced will be used at AlSadu House for weaving, and will also be available for the public to purchase. It will initially be available online and then eventually in the physical store at AlSadu. The first batch already sold out yesterday, but more wool will be available again soon. If you want to find out more about this project, visit their website soof.alsadu.org.kw or follow them @soofbyalsadu




Categories
Food Information Sneak Peek

Sneak Peek: Solange by Alan Yau

Alan Yau, the restaurateur behind popular brands like Wagamama, Hakkasan, and Princi, is launching a new Asian concept in Kuwait called Solange.

Having flown in and out of Kuwait multiple of times since 2011, Alan is well-acquainted with the market. He also has a strong relationship with Nejoud, the company behind % Arabica and Mr Holmes in Kuwait, which led to this collaboration. After surveying the market, they identified a gap in premium Chinese dining and decided to launch a concept that perfectly fits with Alan’s expertise.

I got a sneak peek earlier today and was blown away by the interior. As soon as I walked into the space I took out my camera and started snapping photos. The restaurant gives off Moulin Rouge vibes, with a stage featuring a grand piano for live music and cozy booths all around.

There’s also a spacious private room in the back with it’s own private access, a chef’s table in the kitchen, and even a bar serving non-alcoholic cocktails. I didn’t get to try any food or see the menu, but I was told that there will be a wide range of items to suit different price points.

Solange is located in the new Salhiya extension, up the escalators across from Tiffany & Co. They’re expecting to open in February, with private invitations starting this weekend.

To stay posted on the opening, you can follow them on @solange.maison




Categories
Food Information

It’s Official – Wingstop is Opening in Kuwait

Wingstop, the popular American restaurant chain specializing in chicken wings, is opening in Kuwait. Apparel Group, the company that brought back Nando’s to Kuwait, is behind the launch and aims to open the first location within 2-3 months (around March or April).

Initially, they’ll be opening two locations: one in Bid’a where TGIF Nike used to be, and the second in Salmiya on Baghdad Street next to Trolley. Two additional locations are planned to open by the end of the year.

If you’re excited about their launch and want to stay posted on their opening, follow them at (tag removed, read note below)

Note: I made a mockup of how the hoarding for Wingstop might look like since it’s currently just white, just a fun preview.

Note2: I had initially tagged what I thought was their Instagram account but turns out they don’t have an account yet. Once they do I’ll update this post with one.




Categories
50s to 90s Information Photography

Kuwait in the 1960s by Ghazi Sultan

Ghazi Hamad Sultan Bin Isa (1941-2007) was a Kuwaiti architect and urban planner who is regarded as one of the key figures in the modernization of Kuwait. He is best known for the waterfront project (including Green Island) which was developed jointly with Sasaki while working for the Ministry of Public Works. Ghazi Sultan is also renowned for his significant contributions to the Arab art movement. In 1969, he founded Sultan Gallery (@sultangallery) with his sister Najat Sultan, and it remains active to this day.

Ghazi’s son, Zahed Sultan (@zahedsultan), recently launched a website and Instagram page (@ghazihamadsultan) to honor his father’s legacy. According to Zahed, both platforms will be updated regularly, as his father’s archive holds a wealth of material to share.

One section of Ghazi Sultan’s website contains photos of Kuwait taken by him in the 1960s. I’ve decided to share these for now and will hopefully post more stuff from his archive in the future, espcially the architectural projects.

If you want to find out more about Ghazi Sultan, or view the photos he took, head over to ghazisultan.com




Categories
Information Kuwait

New Year’s Fireworks Around Kuwait Tonight

A lot of people have been asking me whether there are any fireworks tonight. Here’s what I’ve been able to find.

The largest fireworks shows taking place tonight will most likely be at Al Khiran Mall, and possibly Al Mikshat on the Sheikh Jaber bridge.

According to a contact at TEC, none of their projects will have fireworks. So no fireworks at K Land, Winter Wonderland, South Subahiya Park, and Kuwait Towers.

Some hotels will have fireworks including Jumeirah Messilah Beach, but I don’t think they’ll be big shows. The advantage of Jumeirah over other hotels is that there are lots of empty lots around the hotel to park and watch the fireworks if you want to.

If you know of another place that will have fireworks tonight, let us know in the comments.




Categories
50s to 90s Information Sports

How Haydo came to be Kuwait’s mascot

I originally posted about Haydo back in 2006. But, this is the story again with some details corrected. I no longer know what the original source of my information was, but there were some timeline inaccuracies and some exaggerated details. So this is as accurate as the story can be with the information I found.

Back in October 1981, Kuwait played a World Cup qualifying match in New Zealand. Just before kickoff, some Kiwi fans displayed an offensive banner reading “Stick to ya camels” as the Kuwaiti team came onto the field. Kuwait went on to win that match, 2–1.

A couple of months later, the two teams met again, this time in Kuwait. The Kuwaiti Football Association adopted a camel named Haydo as its mascot, and just before the game started, they brought out a few camels to parade around the stadium—demonstrating Kuwait’s pride in its heritage. Kuwait drew the match and secured qualification for the 1982 World Cup in Spain.

Kuwait was the first Arab country from Asia to qualify for the tournament. A Spanish newspaper later claimed the Kuwaiti national team would be late to the World Cup because they would be “traveling on the backs of their camels!” Contrary to that prediction, Kuwait arrived early—so early that neither journalists nor locals knew they were even in Spain.

In an effort to gain attention, the head of the Kuwaiti Football Association told a French journalist (who was there to cover the arrival of the French team) that “the Kuwaiti team would withdraw from the competition unless they could bring their mascot, Haydo.” Within hours, the hotel was packed with reporters keen to find out more about the camel mascot.

Eventually, the Spanish authorities and the hotel manager agreed, allowing the Kuwaiti team to bring their camel as long as it stayed in the hotel’s backyard. The head of the Kuwaiti Football Association then called the Moroccan Minister of Sport, requesting that a camel be sent to Spain as soon as possible. He also ordered a custom T-shirt for it.

All the buzz surrounding the camel drew a lot of attention from locals and journalists, making Kuwait’s presence truly felt. From that point on, Haydo became the official mascot of the Kuwaiti national team.




Categories
Food Information Promoted

The First Real Premium Grocery Store in Kuwait

Gourmet Grocers is a new premium grocery store that recently opened a boutique at the Nasco building in Shuwaikh. They offer a curated selection of high-quality gourmet products to cater to customers with particular tastes. It’s like walking into a boutique where every shelf and corner is packed with the finest gourmet selections; a foodie’s dream come true.

Their product range spans various categories, including cereals and grains, condiments, snacks, beverages, and lifestyle items. They are resellers for notable brands like Bjorg, Lune de Miel, Nicholas Alziari, but they also carry other premium brands like Seggiano, François Doucet, Meurisse, and more. This extensive selection ensures that customers have access to exclusive and premium items not commonly found in the local market.

They also just launched their festive selection comprising of Panettone, Panforte, in addition to a Festive Gift Box and other products.

Speaking of gifts, if you’re looking for something truly unique, their custom gift boxes are a hit if you’re going to a gathering or want to gift something thoughtful to a food lover. Customers can pick from ready-made boxes or create their own by choosing from the store’s premium products to make the gift more personal and special. The packaging is also elegant which adds a touch of luxury to every gift.

In addition to their physical boutique in Shuwaikh, Gourmet Grocers provides an online shopping platform with complimentary delivery across Kuwait. Customers can place orders through their website gourmet-grocers.com, with same-day delivery available for orders placed before 2pm.

If you want to pass by their store, here is their location on Google Maps. For the latest updates, product highlights, or to start shopping, visit their Instagram @gourmetgrocers or head to their website gourmet-grocers.com




Categories
50s to 90s Information Mags & Books

Wizr – Scans from the Books

Last week I found a copy of the second Wizr book on a website in Czech Republic for like 2KD and bought it. It’s my second copy, and although I didn’t have plans for it originally, someone gave me the idea of scanning and digitizing the books so I might end up sacrificing this extra copy by taking it apart and scanning the pages.

I first posted about the Wizr 10 years ago. Wizr was a series of stories written by Keith Wells, a British journalist who was living in Kuwait back in the 70s. Keith used to work for Arab Times, and between 1979 and 1984, released three Wizr books with the help of Peter McMahon, an illustrator. To me the stories feel like funny blog posts inspired by his experiences in Kuwait, from dealing with ministry paperwork, to poking fun at the driving here. I was communicating with Keith this past week, getting some more info for this post, and he’s still a pretty funny guy. He left Kuwait in 1987 and is now retired living with his wife Suzi in Australia.

Keith originally met Peter at a party. Peter hadn’t read any of the Wizr stories so when Keith told him who Wizr was, Peter picked up a sheet of paper, scribbled away for a minute or two, then held it out and asked Keith, “Him?” It was perfect. After that, both became close friends.

Keith would write a story, take it to Peter’s flat every Friday, and he’d illustrate the cartoon. The combination became very popular and after a couple of months in the Arab Times, they were approached by Tony Jashanmal, who owned a department store on Fahed Salem St, and Bashir Khatib, who owned the ‘The Kuwait Bookshops’ to publish a book full of the stories. The first book one was launched at the British Embassy Gardens in November 1979. They sold 428 copies that night, and Keith and Peter left home with a bag full of cash.

The two carried on working together for around a year, then Peter was murdered, a long sad story (which I’m hoping to get more information on soon). The second Wizr book was published with cartoons that weren’t used for the first, and the third book used odd scraps and recycled pics. The books are pretty hard to come by so I was curious to how many copies were printed. According to Keith, in total, they printed 10,000 copies of the first two books, and around 5,000 of the third. There were only around 4,000 or so native English speakers in Kuwait back then, but according to Keith most people bought multiple copies of the books and sent them to relatives and friends abroad.

Keith still has around 50 copies of the books left, as well as Peter’s original cartoons, and several of his oil paintings. He’s digging through his stuff to see what else he might still have. We’re both trying to figure out what to do with all of it, maybe ship everything to Kuwait and hold an exhibition. I suggested maybe putting him in touch with the British Embassy and maybe have them bring him over and have some sort of event again in the British Embassy Gardens, like a 45 year anniversary thing. If you have ideas, let me know!

The books aren’t easy to come by, but they do pop up online every now and then. I scanned a few pages and illustrations from the book and uploaded them to Flickr. I’ve included the unedited scans, as well as scans I’ve edited where I’ve combined the stories and illustrations to fit on one page. You can check them out here.




Categories
Information News Travel

Kuwait Airways Brand New Interior

Last year, Kuwait Airways unveiled renderings of its revamped interior, and now, photos and videos have surfaced showcasing the final look.

Kuwait Airways took delivery of its brand-new Airbus A330-900 last week, the first of seven on order. The aircraft features new Business Class seats, and a new “Premium” Economy cabin which is a completely new addition to the Kuwait Airways product lineup. This new cabin class will be called “Comfort Plus” while the regular economy cabin will be called just “Comfort”.

Airline journalist @bo.waleed1 got a tour of the new plane once it arrived and was kind enough to let me share his images. The main image on top was also taken by Engineer @bin_ghareeb_83 who also got to see the new plane last week.

The A330-900 has 32 business class seats, 21 premium economy seats, and 225 economy seats. Business Class has a 1-2-1 cabin configuration, premium economy a 2-3-2 configuration while the regular economy a 2-4-2 cabin configuration. All the business class seats are now private cabins with sliding doors, which is pretty cool and puts Kuwait Airways on par with the top business class offerings from other airlines. The cabins also feature amenities like USB-C ports, wireless charging, plenty of storage, and of course, seats that fold flat into a bed.

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A post shared by Kuwait Airways (@kuwaitairways)

Kuwait Airways will be officially revealing the new interior soon, so follow them to stay updated @kuwaitairways. If you want to see more photos and videos of the interior, check out my post on Instagram @248am




Categories
Information Sports

The 26th Arabian Gulf Cup – Khaleeji Zain

The 26th Arabian Gulf Cup which goes by the awkward name Khaleeji Zain 26 is taking place in Kuwait in 10 days time. Tickets for the games went on sale a few days ago and start from 2KD and go up to 30KD.

If you want to buy tickets they can only be purchased through the Khaleeji Zain official website and app called Hayakom. Hayakom provides live news, real-time match updates, team details, stadium guides, touristic attractions amongst other things.

If you want to get tickets or check out the website, head over to hayakom.pas.gov.kw




Categories
Food Information

Popeyes Kuwait’s New Launch Date is January 2025

This is just a quick update to my previous post relating to the opening of Popeyes in Kuwait. According to my contact there, the opening date of their first location has now been pushed back to January 2025.

Popeyes operated in Kuwait until closing in 2014, and now the Saudi food company Tanmiah is bringing it back. They’re opening two branches in Kuwait initially, one in Divonne Complex in Abu al-Hasaniyah, and the other in Sky Mall in Dhajeej.