Category: Information

The urban analysis blog re:kuwait researched and then created a map of the Kuwait Metro project. According to the map if I wanted to get to work by subway I would need to take the line 2 train from Amman Street and head north 11 stops to the Great Mosque station. Over there I would have to change to line 1 and head west 2 stops and get off at the Muthana Complex station. Not too bad.

Check out re:kuwait for more. [Link]

According to the Slider Station facebook group Falafel & Company will be launching next Thursday on June 4th. On my to do list to try once they open is the Double Impact shawerma featuring crispy panko onion strings, jalapeno mayo and jalapeno bbq with cheddar cheese.

Google knowing their Internet supremacy isn’t going to last forever have decided to expand into retail with the launch of their first ever Google laundromat. The Google laundromat is Google’s first store worldwide and is located in Jahra. Their next endeavor? The Google Barbershop followed by their first food project, Google Shawerma.

Thanks Abdullatif

Although in most places around the world the BlackBerry is used as a business tool in Kuwait its become a social one. With all my friends practically owning one the built in BlackBerry Messenger is a perfect way to stay in contact with all of them through out the day and a much more efficient way to communicate quick messages. Google Latitude is another application that also helps in being more social by showing you where your friends are around the world at that moment. Basically how Latitude works is you need to install the application on your BlackBerry and then sign in using your gmail account and add other friends who also have Latitude installed. You will then be able to see them on the map like in the picture above.

Latitude has many useful uses, I personally use it to find friends nearby like if I am at the Avenues I check and see which one of my friends is there or like last week I was at Kinkos in Salmiya waiting for something to get printed and then I noticed on Latitude Marzouq was just down the street. Latitude also helped a friend get to a BBQ I was at. He didn’t have the address but since I was already at the BBQ he just looked for me on Latitude and then drove towards me.

But the software isn’t perfect, when you’re indoors the GPS usually doesn’t work so the software uses cell towers to estimate where you are. Sometimes for some odd reason Latitude thinks I am in London or a friend is randomly in Belgium or Pakistan. It doesn’t happen frequently but when it does it can be funny or annoying depending on the situation.

Latitude works on the following phones:
– Android-powered devices, such as the T-Mobile G1
– most color BlackBerry devices
– most Windows Mobile 5.0+ devices
– most Symbian S60 devices (Nokia smartphones)

Its free and you can get it from [Here]

I passed by Cold Stone today at the Avenues and had a scoop of chocolate ice cream mixed with kit kat and marshmallows. The staff were super friendly and were singing and throwing scoops up in the air. They’re off to a good start.

The New BMW Z4, originally uploaded by mr.alsultan.

Didn’t know the new Z4 was out in Kuwait already but turns out it is and is being displayed at the Avenues.

Update: There are only two new Z4’s in Kuwait, a 2.5 liter champaign colored one thats selling for around KD16,000 and a 3.0 liter red one pictures above selling for around KD17,000. There is also a 3.5 liter version on the way and that will be selling for around KD20,000.

I just heard that the Los Angeles based franchise for the upscale frozen dessert restaurant Pinkberry was taken by Alshaya and that they will be opening their first branch at the Avenues. It will be the first Pinkberry branch outside California and New York. According to the Pinkberry facebook group they should open up before the end of the year. [Link]

Three Kuwaitis, Muhanad Al-Sultan, Husain Ashkanani and Ali Al-Bairami are going to ride their motorcycles around the world through 17 countries in a trip that will last around 120 days. They’ve set up a blog called “Our Shared Planet Motorcycle Adventure” where they will be documenting the ride which I think takes off from today. Their trip is sponsored by the Public Authority for Youth and Sports. Here is the [Link]

Thanks Dhari!

A friend of mine at the office just bought a BlackBerry Curve 8900 from Carrefour for KD120. Comes with a QWERTY keyboard even!

Update: The actual price is KD127.750 and they were out of stock today (May 16) but they told me they would be getting some more tomorrow.

Lola et moi emailed me to tell me that Discovery Mall has now officially opened. The mall is located next to the ice skating ring rink in Kuwait City and caters to kids. One thing I don’t like about the place is the fact there are only three restaurants and they are Nathan’s, KFC and Chili’s. With obesity being such a major issue here in Kuwait you would think that the restaurants at a kids mall would be more healthy. The picture above is from the new Lola et moi store at Discovery but if you want to see pictures of the mall check out the Kuwait Black Market blog by clicking [Here]

A lot of new Lebanese restaurants have opened up in Kuwait and so far I’ve tried two and they both had good things about them.

The first one I tried which I could swear I thought I had posted about was Abdel Wahab, the Lebanese restaurant that opened up in place of Fuddruckers on the Gulf Road. The interior looks nice and their taouk is one of the best in Kuwait. Their prices aren’t bad, cheaper than Al Mayas and maybe a bit cheaper than Villa Fayrouz. The worst thing about sitting and eating at Abdel Wahab for me was the fact that the whole time I was expecting to pick up chocolate chip cookies on my way out, something I used to do when the place was Fuddruckers.

The second place I got to try today was Karam Cafe which is located at the Avenues. Although at first I was annoyed by the fact they had shisha indoors their kebab turned out to be really juicy and one that I would go back for again. Price wise their main courses were very cheap, taouk dish was like KD2.550 (but wasn’t as good as Abdel Wahab) while the Kebab dish was for KD2.500.

I still need to try Leil Nhar which is right next to Karam and Snowbar which opened up where Zorba used to be on the Gulf Road.

The Abdel Wahab picture above was taken by SOME contrast who has a ton more pictures [Here]

I don’t go to the movies here much because of the censorship but yesterday I ended up going to watch Star Trek at the Avenues cinema with Marzouq, Nibaq, k.thekuwaiti and some other friends. It was my first time trying out the VIP theater and I think I might start going to the movies more often because of it. The theater fits around 20 seats all of which can be electronically controlled to recline. The VIP section also has its own munchies bar which means you don’t have to wait in the long lines outside with everyone else. It feels like sitting and watching a movie at home on a very huge screen. All that for just KD6 which is a steal!

Star Trek was a great movie, definitely the best Star Trek yet.

I got back to Kuwait just over an hour ago and got a shock when I was told I had to fill and sign some medical forms and then be tested for signs of the H1N1 flu! As we exited the plane there was a medical staff waiting for us with infrared thermometers along with some officials and they took a reading of all our temperatures before letting us pass through. Then, before getting to immigration, we had to sign documents and get them stamped stating that within the next 72 hours I would pass by a clinic to be examined or else I could face a 1 month prison sentence or a KD50 fine!

Not everyone coming to Kuwait has to go through this, only selected countries and I am guessing its countries that have had confirmed cases of the H1N1 flu like the Netherlands.

Kuweet.com is like KuwaitBlogs.com except instead of tracking local blogs it tracks local tweeters. A lot of people in Kuwait have recently jumped onto the Twitter bandwagon including politicians so Kuweet is a nice site to be able to keep track of all their tweets without needing to have your own twitter account.

What is twitter? I think the easiest explanation is that its like blogs except every post is limited to just 140 characters.. perfect for people who don’t enjoy or have the time to read a lot of long posts. [Link]

Note: If you have a twitter account and want to be added to Kuwait just follow @Kuweet

Yesterday some magazines arrived to my Aramex Shop&Ship mailbox in the US and now the magazines are with me. Thats US to Kuwait in under 24 hours!