Category: Kuwait

Me and Nat passed by Sidekick Academy earlier tonight and signed up to their courses. Nat’s going to be taking their Be-Safe womens program which I previously posted about while I’ll be taking private lessons in mixed martial arts.

It was my first time passing by their training facility and I was really impressed. The place is huge and feels like a great place to train in. They also told me Royce Gracie will be coming back to Kuwait in around 2 months time which is great.

So now I’m pretty much set up with activities on a daily basis. I’ve got Core Fitness four times a week, mixed martial arts once a week and I’ll be building and racing radio controlled cars with Pro-Hobbies also once a week. And people say there is nothing to do in Kuwait…

Update: Here are the prices if anyone is interested

Program Pricing (6 times a week)
1 month = KD70
3 months = KD200
6 months = KD375
1 year = KD720

Be Safe Program (twice a week/women only)
1 month = KD45

Private Lessons (per hour)
KD10 = Private lesson with a red belt instructor
KD20 = Private lesson with a brown belt instructor
KD30 = Private lesson with a black belt instructor

Their phone number is 99965562 99975562

Update: Sorry I posted their wrong phone number, the correct number is 99975562

The U.S. Embassy, Kuwait has organized a photography exhibition that is hosted by Dar al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah. The photography exhibition is of famous American jazz musicians who traveled the world on U.S. Department of State-funded tours to promote cultural diplomacy.

Time
September 23rd to October 8th
Saturday to Thursday 10am to 2pm & 4pm to 8pm
Friday 4pm to 8pm

Place
Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyyah (Americani Hospital)

You can view the flyer [Here]

Van Cleef & Arpels will be launching tomorrow evening (September 28th) at Salhiya Complex.

Additionally, Bvlgari will be relaunching on October 4th in the same location as their previous store in Salhiya but this time it’s under new ownership.

Did anyone feel an earthquake around 2:25PM?

Update: Looks like an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.7 hit near a city called Kazerun in Southern Iran. More information [Here]

Thats some really old footage. Not sure if all of it was shot in Kuwait or just the airport bit since I don’t recognize any of it. [YouTube]

We take great pleasure in inviting you to celebrate the end of Teddy B’s 365 day journey. An exhibition of photographs depicting Teddy’s life will be presented at the Sultan Gallery, Sabhan. Teddy will be auctioned, and a publication of his year’s story is available for sale. We are also excited to showcase a painting donated by the profound artist Ghadah AlKandari. All proceeds will be going to children’s charities in Kuwait.

We would appreciate your support and attendance for this good cause and one of a kind exhibition!

P.S: For simplicity, please note, only cash will be accepted.

Time
Tuesday 5th October: 7pm – 10pm
Wednesday 6th October: 10am – 2pm, 7pm – 10pm
Thursday 7th October: 10am – 2pm

Place
The Sultan Gallery
Sabhan, southern entrance, Sadeer Co., block 8, street 105, building no 168
Telephone: 24714325/26 ext 110
Here is a map [Link]

Information
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Link
Website: www.yearofteddy.com

Great news which you can read over [Here]

I’m more interested in the Reuters photo used in the article which I’ve posted above. I thought Reuters was against photoshopped images yet the one above looks fake. It looks like someone took all the skyscrapers in Kuwait and then shoved them next to each other… but I could be wrong.

If you’ve missed the previous 3gal self defense videos click here and here. [YouTube]

After posting the videos of the Kuwaiti rappers earlier in the month one of my readers contacted me to tell me about his cousin. He told me his cousin was an extremely talented piano player… and was blind. I thought that would be great to share on the blog so he recorded a short video of his cousin playing the piano which you can watch above. Naser was born blind and has been playing the piano since he was 4. [YouTube]

I spotted new speed cameras on the First Ring Road. I think they measure your average speed because there are two cameras located at the start of the First Ring Road and two more located at the end. The first pair is located right after the highway 50 bridge if you’re heading from the Sheraton roundabout towards the Gulf Road. The road is only two lanes at that point and there is a camera pointing at each lane. The second pair is located right after the Istiqlal Highway bridge (road 30) when the multi-lane road becomes two lanes again.

The way these speed cameras work is they take a picture of your license plate at the first camera and then take a picture of your license plate after the second camera. It calculates the time it took from Camera A to Camera B and then calculates your average speed, if it’s higher than the maximum speed limit then you’re fined.

PechaKucha Night #6 will be held on Wednesday, September 29th.
20 images x 20 seconds to be presented by:

Rania Abulhasan
Ayesha Al Humaidhi
Aziz Al Mudhaf
Bedour Al Saleh
Dalal Al Hashash, Fatma Al Obaid & Khawla Al Hussaini
Dalal Al Sayer
Fatemah Al Mosawi
Ghalia Al Othman & Raweya Al Sedairawi
Sahar Shawa

Date: Wednesday, September 29th 2010
Time: 7:30 pm
Place: Infiniti Showroom at Al Rai
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.pecha-kucha.org/cities/kuwait-city
Facebook group: Pecha Kucha Kuwait

I know being 40 isn’t like being #1 or in the top 10 or top 20 but it’s still an accomplishment since Kuwait according to Newsweek is the best Arab country in the world. The results were based on Education, Health, Quality of Life, Economic Dynamism and Political Environment. Kuwait came in 24th place for Quality of Life while it loss mostly in the Education category coming in 76th place. That’s not good news. Lebanon on the other hand didn’t even make the list! Now that’s embarrassing. [Link]

Thanks Ahmed

Some of my long time readers might remember I had a huge issue with the BMW dealership a few years ago. Well even though I had the big fight with them I still ended up getting another Beemer after selling my old one (yup typical Lebanese). Anyway today while getting an oil change at the dealership I spotted a sign that said “Video Games”. I thought that was weird but figured they setup a kids area or something. As I got closer I spotted another sign that said “Internet” and noticed a bunch of laptops set up for people to use. I then noticed two large LCD screens connected to two PS3’s with a bunch of games laid out on the table. There was also a cozy waiting area with a huge LCD screen and a coffee machine for complimentary drinks. I should have checked if there was wifi but totally forgot to do that.

I haven’t dealt with a lot of dealerships just Jeep and Toyota but I think the BMW service area is definitely better than those two.

Qaiss from io81 has a great post on a small start up juice company here in Kuwait. The post talks about the basic structure of the company, how it works and how much it makes. He also highlights an important point at the end:

There is a market out there and huge potential for many business idea’s other than cupcakes

He is absolutely right. There are a lot of people that bake and cook food and then set up a Facebook page and start selling their goods. Other than the fact that its probably illegal to sell food from your home (since there is no way to guarantee the cleanliness) why don’t people actually setup a proper business? Why not open up a little bakery or a small delivery restaurant. What about ideas beyond food? Check out his post [Here]

A reader emailed me to tell me that Kuwait was featured in the most recent issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine (Oct 2010). A cool thing of course if it wasn’t for the fact that the article was very superficial and spoke mostly about shopping at The Avenues. I’m serious.

Outside The Avenues, the 125°(F) desert air is rising in waves from a sea of luxury cars in the mall parking lot—Land Rovers, Mercedes-Benzes, and Hummers, with a Ferrari or two thrown in. Inside, I’m swept along the marbled concourse by a tide of men in dark sunglasses and ankle-length white robes. Nearby are wives, sisters, and daughters, some in headscarves and designer jeans, others cloaked head-to-toe in flowing black garments, or abayas, and some walled behind face masks . Housemaids and nannies trail behind—domestic servants imported from the Philippines, China, and elsewhere—lugging the day’s boxes and bags.

Understanding the Kuwaiti passion for retail requires a brief civics lesson. Kuwaiti citizens—who make up only one-third of the country’s expat-heavy population of three million—benefit from a lavish package of petro benefits, including plush government jobs. “People get paid for doing relatively little, or nothing at all, and they get paid extremely well,” says Mary Ann Tetreault, a professor and specialist in Gulf affairs. “Shopping is really the only way to distinguish oneself from one’s peers.”

You can check out the full article on the readers blog located at [read-my-blog.com]