2:48AM - Entertaining Kuwait since 2003

According to the MOI, a new law will soon be implemented where expatriates in Kuwait will no longer be allowed to own more than one vehicle (source). Thats so ridiculous! I’m trying to understand what issue they’re trying to solve by doing that. It can’t be reducing traffic since even though I own 7 cars I can only drive 1 of them at a time. The only thing I can think of is solving the parking situation in densely populated areas.

I live in Salmiya and I’m lucky my building has plenty of underground parking, but most of the other tall residential towers have like 6 or 8 parking spots under the building and thats it. A lot of the buildings which have underground parking had them converted to storage which they rent out commercially. Instead of disallowing that, or requiring buildings to have enough parking for every resident, the easiest solution is just ban expats from owning more than a car. How many expats own multiple cars anyway? I’d assume most are probably just dad’s the have their wives and kids cars registered under their own name.

Thanks Del

Last week I mentioned I wanted to watch Sweetpea and I ended up watching two episodes after signing up to the streaming service STARZ. Only two episodes are out yet and third one coming out tomorrow and it’s so good. If you’re a fan of Ella Purnell (Fallout, Yellowjackets, Sweetbitter) then you’re gonna really like her in Sweetpea.

Other than that I rewatched 28 Weeks Later in preparation for the upcoming 28 Years Later. My wife hadn’t watched either 28 Days Later nor 28 Weeks Later so wanted her to watch them. 28 Days Later isn’t available to buy or stream digitally anywhere, at least I couldn’t find it but 28 Weeks Later was on Hulu. For those of you too young to know this but 28 Days Later was pretty much the first to invent zombies that run fast. A super scary idea at that time. Also, 28 Days Later was directed by Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, The Beach, Slumdog Millionaire).

Let me know in the comments what you recently watched or planning to watch.

Movies at the Cinemas
The movies below are now showing at the local cinemas:

New This Week:
Die Alone (5.7)
Latency (4.1)
The Wasp (5.9)
Venom: The Last Dance (6.3)

Other Movies Showing:
Cash Out (4.7)
Edward Scissorhands (classic) (7.9)
Hellboy: The Crooked Man (4.6)
Joker: Folie à Deux (5.7)
Little Emma (6.5)
Never Let Go (5.7)
Smile 2 (7.1)
The Wild Robot (8.2)
Transformers One (7.8)
Wrong Place (3.4)

The numbers in brackets refer to the IMDB rating at the time of publishing.

The Kuwait Int Outdoor Expo is taking place at the Mishref Fairgrounds. I passed by yesterday to check it out and didn’t really see or find anything interesting. I wanted to possibly pickup a Solo Stove but nobody had it for sale. Most of the shops were selling fishing gear which I didn’t care for.

I couldn’t take a decent photo mostly cuz it was pretty busy but also because it’s mostly just tight aisles of stores so you wouldn’t be able to see much in a single shot.

If you want to pass by and check it out yourself, it’s taking place until October 26 and it’s open from 10AM to 10PM. They’re located in hall 4A.

The expo’s instagram account is @kuwaitoutdoorexpo

The restaurant Select just opened its new location at The Avenues, designed by the Turkish-based studio Gulmen Interiors.

Gulmen wanted to evoke the charm of classic theater stages with their design. From the moment you walk in, you’re transported, forgetting the time and place. They blended Art Nouveau lines, plush velvet fabrics, distressed wood panels, and bold colors, to create a cinematic dining experience.

The style isn’t what I typically go for, but that’s what I love about it—it’s different. If you want to check it out in person, the new Select is located in the Grand Avenues, right next to the Cheesecake Factory. To check out more interior shots, click here.

Boutiqaat, the largest online fashion and cosmetics platform in the region just launched their biggest Black Friday sales. They’ve discounted over 100,000 items from over 1,000 brands with the discounts ranging from 15% all the way up to 90%.

If you’re looking for a good deal check out boutiqaat.com

Yesterday Starbucks posted its quarterly results and sales were down again. According to Starbucks, their sales in North America dropped by 6%, and sales in their second largest market which is China dropped by 14%. They don’t mention the boycott as one of the reasons, but it has to be having an effect as well.

Overall their stock is up 2.79% since the boycott started last year, but they’re currently down over 4% before the market opens today.

Years ago I found photos of Kuwait from 1980. I didn’t share all of them back then, but I just found the folder on my computer this morning and picked a bunch taken by The Architects Collaborative while they were in Kuwait back then.

When we look at old photos of Kuwait, we often see only beautiful shots which gives the inaccurate impression that everything was perfect back then. Which is why I like these unpolished photos of Kuwait which shows the beautiful old buildings starting to fall apart.

It feels like the architects captured a period when Kuwait was transitioning from old to new once again. Check them all out in hi-res here.

Farida is a new Persian restaurant that opened a few weeks ago in Salmiya. It’s a small, cozy spot with just seven tables and a homey atmosphere. The restaurant is named after its owner, Farida (@faridah88), a Kuwaiti nutritionist with Persian roots.

The interior feels like a childhood memory of an old family home to me. From the nostalgic diamond-shaped ceiling moldings and chandeliers, to the crochet tablecloths and grandma-style dinnerware, the space is charming and welcoming. It really didn’t take any effort from my end to find beautiful interior moments to capture for this post.

The menu is small and filled with dishes you wouldn’t typically find at most Persian restaurants in Kuwait. Farida wanted to share unique and interesting recipes from Iran, which I appreciate since it encourages people to step out of their comfort zone and try something new.

I went there with a friend and we ordered the classic Shirazi Salad along with the Zucchini Shallot Yogurt to start with, followed by Farida’s Ghaymen Pollow which we shared for the main course. The Ghaymen is a tomato based lamb stew mixed with orange zest and nuts served with saffron rice. Everything was delicious and very flavorful including the two desserts we ordered when done, the Persian saffron ice cream and the Rollet Khamaaei, a moist cake filled with fluffy rose water whipped cream.

The next day, I was already planning my second visit with the same friend, deciding what we’d order when we went back. The experience was that good. The only downside is that the place is small, and their opening hours are short, so you’ll likely have to wait a while to be seated. They don’t take reservations, only walk-ins. The first time I went a couple of weeks ago, I thought I was being clever by arriving just as they opened, but the place filled up before I managed to get a table. The second time, I arrived early, put my name on the list, and waited for them to open. It’s inconvenient, but at least there’s Gia and Boost cafe next door to hang out at until they call you up.

Prices of the food we ordered was as follows:
Shirazi Salad KD1.80
Zucchini Shallot Yogurt KD2.00
Farida’s Ghaymeh Polow KD7.75
Saffron Bastani KD2.75
Rollet Khamaei KD2.25

Farida is currently in their soft opening phase so they’re only open from 3PM to 7PM in the middle of the week, and 2PM to 7PM on weekends. They’re located in Al Khalid Complex in Salmiya (Google Maps) and their Instagram is @farida.kwt

Patti & More has been around long before smashed burgers became a TikTok trend, and they’ve now launched a new burger that pokes fun at the whole truffle burger craze.

The new burger is funnily enough called ‘Not Truffle’, and it’s their new limited release burger featuring their exclusive home-made sweet and tangy sauce. What else is inside? You’re going to have to discover it for yourself (although the pictures might spoil the surprise).

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A post shared by Patti (@pattiandmore)

The new ‘Not Truffle Burger’ is available via delivery, pick-up & V-thru. Check them out @pattiandmore

Activision has confirmed that Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has been banned in Kuwait and so will not be available to download here. Everyone who preordered the game will be getting the order canceled and refunded. Activision released the following statement:

At this time, the title will not be available for release in the region. As a result, all pre-orders in Kuwait will be cancelled and refunded to the original point of purchase. We remain hopeful that local authorities will reconsider, and allow players in Kuwait to enjoy this all-new experience in the Black Ops series. source

The Gulf War setting of the game is likely to be the reason for the ban. But, it’s kinda weird since the game hasn’t come out yet so doubt whoever banned it locally got an early release to evaluate the contents. When a movie gets banned it’s usually after screening, Black Ops 6 is getting banned before screening. So maybe once the game is out and the game is screened they will unban it. For now I guess you can download the game if you have a US account which is what I have, or purchase it next time you’re abroad.

I actually wasn’t interested in the game nor did I realize it was Gulf War related until the ban, but now I’m totally getting it. The game is released on October 25 worldwide.

update: Turns out I don’t even need to buy it since it will be available from day 1 as part of the Xbox Game Pass membership.

Muneera is an independent cultural researcher and documentary photographer who for the past 4 years has been going around Kuwait documenting post-oil houses. Her account is filled with beautiful but decaying homes, that even in their current state still look better than a lot of the newer generic buildings that have been popping up over the past few decades.

When Muneera first started documenting these houses she didn’t have any preconceived ideas of them. Their odd structure compared to buildings around them stood out to her, and their futuristic design contrasted with their deteriorating condition raised a lot of questions about the past and present:

• What happened back then?
• Why do we decide to build our homes the way we do?
• What contributes to shaping our homes, neighborhoods, streets, and cities?
• What impact does that have on our environment and lived experience in those spaces?

She’s documenting and researching these houses as a way to answer some of these questions, and understand the value of these buildings while considering the wider issues related to land use in Kuwait.

I’m always fascinated with Kuwait’s past and its stories, so I really appreciate Muneera’s effort in capturing these beautiful homes before they disappear forever.

Muneera was also initially documenting baqalas so she could look into their disappearance and the culture around it. She had to stop though since it was taking too much time and decided to focus on the house for now. I actually didn’t really notice baqalas disappearing until she brought it up. My two favorite baqalas in my neighborhood closed down years ago, one turned into a bubble tea shop, the other into a Filipino bakery. They really might be disappearing.

Check out Muneera’s account @th9neighborhood for more photos—she’s captured many beautiful buildings.

I started watching the series The Old Man. I had it on my to do list for sometime but didn’t start it until now. I really like it so far and disappointed that I put it off for such a long time that they are now in season 2. The series stars Jeff Bridges, John Lithgow (3rd Rock from the Sun), and Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development).

I have another new series I’m planning to start watching as well, Sweetpea which stars Ella Purnell from Fall Out and Yellowjackets. It’s also from the producers of Slow Horses so I’ve got high expectations. But I checked and it’s streaming on Starz or something, so gotta subscribe to yet another streaming platform. As of today I’m current subscribed to the following:

Amazon Prime Video
AMC+
AppleTV+
Hulu
Netlflix
MAX
Paramount+

Depending if there is a new Starwars series or not you can include Disney to the list as well.

Finally, last night I rented and watched Alien Romulus. It was surprisingly pretty good, like you keep wondering what else can they do different with the franchise after I don’t know, 6 or 7 movies already? Turns out they can still do quite a bit! There is also an Alien TV series coming out so that should be cool too.

Let me know in the comments what you recently watched or planning to watch.

Movies at the Cinemas
The movies below are now showing at the local cinemas:

New This Week:
Cash Out (4.7)
Edward Scissorhands (classic) (7.9)
Imaginary (4.7)
Little Emma (6.5)
Smile 2 (7.1)

Other Movies Showing:
Bagman (6.0)
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (7.0)
Big Trip 3: Race Around the World (N/A)
Daddy’s Head (N/A)
Hellboy: The Crooked Man (4.6)
Joker: Folie à Deux (5.7)
Never Let Go (5.7)
The Wild Robot (8.2)
Transformers One (7.8)
Weekend in Taipei (5.9)
Wrong Place (3.4)

The numbers in brackets refer to the IMDB rating at the time of publishing.

Khiran is booming, with more people living there and commuting to the city. Life has also become much more convenient with the addition of Al Khiran Mall, which has brought various brands and services to the area. Beyond shopping, they’ve introduced family entertainment with four key concepts: Fun Tiki, The Court, Jump, and Wonder Zone.

Fun Tiki is an indoor family entertainment center with a curated selection of rides, attractions, and arcade games. Exclusive to Al Khiran Mall are the Mega Mix, a high-adrenaline ride with rapid spins and twists, and Party Dance, a family-friendly, lively experience. Other standout rides include their unique bumper cars that move forward, twist, or pivot instantly for a more dynamic and thrilling ride. Lastly, the Zero Gravity ride, offering the thrill of weightlessness with 360-degree spins at super-high speeds.

The Court is a new experience in Kuwait, designed for sports lovers of all ages. This multi-activity space lets you play basketball, handball, and football simultaneously, with a bouncy twist. Featuring an innovative target system on a safe, padded court, it’s perfect for both individual and group play. The Court fosters active competition in a fun, inclusive environment for families and friends.

Jump is a cutting-edge indoor inflatable park designed to spark imagination and fuel fun for children, with towering slides, obstacle courses, and bouncing adventures.

Lastly, Wonder Zone is a whimsical soft-play area offering a safe, fun environment for little ones. With attractions like slides, trampolines, cannonball games, rainbow jumping nets, and an interactive AR experience, it provides a stimulating adventure that helps develop motor skills.

Together, these four unique concepts create an entertainment experience that makes the trip to Khiran well worth it. For more info, head over to @funtiki.kw and @wonderzone.kw

You’ve probably never heard of Dr Bloom, I hadn’t until I came across his account after he left a comment under one of my posts. He’s a florist mostly in a dark hoodie, has nearly a million followers, and his reels have over 100 million views. So, I was surprised to learn he was living in Kuwait, which is why I reached out to him for his story, and we arranged to meet.

Dr Bloom is a duo made up of Maciej and Wiktoria, both Polish, who moved to Kuwait nearly a year ago after being approached by Pino Flowers, a local flower shop, to help launch their new store in Shuwaikh Market.

Maciej’s story is actually pretty random. He started out as a firefighter before transitioning to a desk job at an IT firm, which he hated. After being laid off during job cuts, he needed a new career. His daughter loved flowers so he decided to open a flower shop. Just like that, he didn’t have any previous experience or anything.

Since I always prefer using unique content, I asked if he’d be willing to create a video specifically for me. My wife runs the ceramic design studio From Mud, and she was working on a sculptural vase design that I thought might interest him, as it didn’t look like anything he’d used before. I brought the vase over and left it with him for a couple of weeks to experiment with, and then he invited us to watch him make the video.

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A post shared by DR BLOOM (@drbloom_floraldesign)

The behind-the-scenes video-making process was fascinating to watch, as he mostly wings it. I could tell he has a basic structure in his head, but since every vase and floral arrangement is different, he has to adapt on the fly.

He’s extremely talented and tasteful, which is why I find it pretty unreal that I could just pop into his shop and have him put together a floral arrangement for me. I love that and also how his videos which capture the interested of millions of people around the world are produced right out of Shuwaikh.

You can check out some behind-the-scenes shots and the video he made above. If you ever need a flower arrangement, you can find him at @pinoflowers, and definitely check out all his videos on his account @drbloom_floraldesign

EDO, one of my favorite sushi spots in Kuwait (Kei and Tatami being the other two), just reopened after closing down for renovations. They’re still in Al Khalid Complex in Salmiya, but they took over the location next door and completely revamped the interior.

Since leaving their villa location in Shaab back in 2014, they’ve moved a few times, but I think this latest version is their best since the original. The previous space before the redesign was tiny but cozy. The new, expanded space still feels cozy, but can now fit more people and has a much more upscale vibe. They also have an upstairs area with even more seating as well as a new private room.

If you’re a previous EDO customer I’d be curious to know what you think of the new place, I personally like it. They’re open daily from 1PM to 11PM and are located in the Al Khalid Complex, the same complex that has Gia and Anaar in Salmiya. @edo_restaurant