2:48AM - Entertaining Kuwait since 2003

The Soph Spot is a local merch store with a commitment towards helping a variety of causes, from injured children in Palestine, to animal welfare and ongoing regional challenges.

The idea came to Haya (not sharing her last name since she wants anonymity) because she was always helping animals and harassing everyone around her to do the same. But, she hated the idea of begging for donations, so she thought there must be another way to get people to donate and that’s when she came up with the idea for a merch shop (named after her dog Sophie who passed away) where all proceeds from the sales would go towards helping animals.

While in the process of creating The Soph Spot, Haya realized that her idea could also help a variety of causes, and since she’s half Palestinian, she decided to create a a line of Palestinian merch where proceeds would go to @heal.palestine. Recently, she also added a collection drawn by children, with proceeds of those sales going towards the Red Crescent Society, specifically for families who can’t afford medical care.

It’s a pretty smart, feel good concept, and one that works since people tend to like buying merch that supports a cause they care about. As of this post Haya is supporting three causes, but hopes to keep adding more as she goes. Her merch is actually really cool and I love some of the designs.

You can see some of the items above, but if you want to buy something or just show your support, the instagram is @thesophspot and the website is thesophspot.com

This past week I watched the film “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” starring Nicholas Cage (as himself) and Pedro Pascal (from The Last of Us and Mandalorian). The film was really entertaining, hilarious and my favorite Nicholas Cage film since Face Off and Con Air. I had to rent it on AppleTV but was totally worth it. Nicholas Cage is such a great actor, but we tend to forget that since he’s in tooooo many b-rated films.

Other than that I started watching Presumed Innocent, I’m only one episode in (started last night) and although it started off a bit slow it picked up right at the end and I now am looking forward to watch the next episode. I also got to finally watch the last episode of Under the Bridge, a show that should have ended two episodes ago. I haven’t started on House of Dragons yet, I’m going to start this weekend along with season 4 of The Boys.

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:
Breathe (3.8)
The Bikeriders (7.3)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Classic) (9.0)

Other Movies Showing:
Bad Boys: Ride or Die (6.8)
Dragonkeeper (5.8)
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (8.1)
IF (6.8)
Inside Out 2 (8.2)
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (7.4)
Tarot (4.9)
The Garfield Movie (6.0)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Classic/2002) (8.8)
The Strangers: Chapter 1 (4.7)
The Watchers (5.7)

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

There is a rumor going around that Lana Del Rey is planning to come to Kuwait and perform as part of her Middle East tour. Turns out the rumor originated from a couple of popular instagram accounts that posted an audio file where Lana supposedly mentions she will be performing in Kuwait and Qatar. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that’s not true.

The audio file is actually from a really old Lana Del Rey interview with an Australian radio station from back in 2015. The funny thing is, Lana doesn’t even say she is coming to Kuwait. During the interview Lana mentions that if she was going to do another real tour, Australia would be one of the first places she would think of, other than the Middle East. When the host asks where she would like to tour in the Middle East, Lana then mentions she’d like to perform in Kuwait and Qatar.

You can hear the audio snippet that has been going around above. Don’t believe everything you read online, even if they have over 100,000 followers.

Last year the MOI purchased and installed new smarter cameras and looks like they’ve been having success with them since they just ordered more than 100 new ones. The smart cameras are made by Jenoptik and can detect red light, speeding and moving vehicle offenses, such as illegal turns. The cameras are expected to be delivered third quarter of this year but no word if they will be replacing old cameras, or if they’re going to be installed in new locations.

Jenoptik has been involved in a variety of traffic safety projects in Kuwait since the 1990s. source

At some point over the past few weeks, you’ve likely encountered Instagram ads about BIGGIE finally being in Kuwait. At least I did, and when I clicked on the ad to find out who BIGGIE was, there wasn’t much information, just a guy holding a banner. Well, last week the mystery was finally revealed: BIGGIE turned out to be a new burger concept and it just opened.

I know what you’re thinking: “Another burger joint?” When the owners (2 brothers) reached out to me, I asked them about this, and they had a pretty good response. Burgers are extremely popular in Kuwait, and no matter how many burger joints open up, there’s always demand for more. Plus, it’s always been their dream to open a burger joint and build a company specializing in F&B concepts, and BIGGIE is their first step. Btw, it’s BIGGIE like the rapper since they’re fans, but they also chose the name because it refers to the size of their burgers.

The menu at BIGGIE is straightforward: five kinds of burgers and five kinds of fries, and that’s pretty much it. They use the highest quality beef, bread, and cheese. Despite the higher costs, one of the brothers is a chef and so his background drives him to maintain high standards without compromising on ingredients. They wants their customers to enjoy a clean, feel-good burger that offers the best value for their money.

So if you like burgers and want to try a new spot out, BIGGIE is now available on all the major delivery platforms including Talabat, Deliveroo, Jahez and Cari. They’re open from 2PM till midnight and you can check them out on instagram @biggie.kuwait

Shandiz, one of the best (might be the best) Persian restaurant in Kuwait is opening a new location in the city. On my way home I spotted their signs up in the same building as where ALOHA is in the city (Google Maps).

The current Shandiz store next to Muthana Complex is pretty small, so I’m guessing they’re either opening a second location to cater to more customers, or the building they’re currently in is getting demolished and so they needed to find a new spot.

Although this new location is near my office, it’s actually a terrible location due to the parking situation (there isn’t any, well there is just not close to being enough). The whole block is heavily congested and at night people just double park on the main road.

Update: A reader pointed out it says seafood on the sign, so it looks like it’s going to be a different kind of Shandiz.

Marks & Spencer are opening a new location at The Avenues. They currently have a small store in Phase I (small for an M&S) but they recently took over the Baroue location and surrounding shops in Phase II, which is a pretty huge area. I think it might be bigger than their 360 Mall location.

No idea when they’re opening but hoarding is up.

This week I started watching the new Star Wars series The Acolyte. It has a 4.1 rating on IMDB and I have no idea why because it wasn’t bad at all. I also watched the movie Godzilla Minus One. I found it on Netflix and started watching it not realizing it was actually a Japanese movie dubbed in English. But something about the way it was shot caught my attention, it was a really beautiful looking film and it’s why I continued watching it. Turned out to be pretty good so glad I watched it.

This long weekend I’m going to watch Presumed Innocent which just got released on AppleTV+ and I need to start the new season of The Boys and finish up Clarkson’s Farm and Palm Royale (have like 2 episodes left I think). I might also watch Bad Boys at the theater, but need to find out first if anything is cut or not.

Oh and Netflix just announced “CHESTNUT VS. KOBAYASHI: UNFINISHED BEEF”. I’ve been following their story since before Kobayashi got banned from the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, and this past week there was a lot of drama because Chestnut was also banned this year because he signed a deal with Nathan’s rival, Impossible Food. In my head yesterday I was thinking both should team up and do their own thing and I woke up this morning to find out Netflix is doing exactly that. It’s going to be such an exciting face-off!

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:
Inside Out 2 (8.2)
The Strangers: Chapter 1 (4.7)

Other Movies Showing:
Bad Boys: Ride or Die (6.8)
Dragonkeeper (5.8)
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (8.1)
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (6.5)
IF (6.8)
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (7.4)
Kung Fu Panda 4 (6.4)
Tarot (4.9)
The Garfield Movie (6.0)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Classic/2002) (8.8)
The Watchers (5.7)

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

Santa Nata, renowned for their delicious pastries and baked goods, has just expanded its dine-in options with a brand-new breakfast menu.

Alongside their popular pastries they now have a wide selection of breakfast dishes composed of classics like Eggs Florentine, Eggs Benedict and Avocado on Toast, but also favorites like Turkish Eggs and Acai Bowls. They also have two special breakfast desserts on the menu, a Creme Brûlée French Toast, and a banana bread with mixed berries.

Santa Nata is named after the home of the original Pastéis de Nata pastry from Portugal. The founder grew up in a family of bakers and left Portugal and moved to London where he opened his first location. He quickly gained a loyal fan base and eventually grew to become an international brand famed for its Portuguese delicacies.

Other than their signature product and breakfast items, Santa Nata also have sandwiches, baked goodies, and a large selection of pastries.

If you’re bored of your usual breakfast spots and want to try something new, Santa Nata are located on the M2 floor of Al Hamra Tower (Google Maps) and are open daily from 8AM to 10PM except on weekends when they open at 9AM. @santanata.kw

Yesterday in the comments, I was having a discussion with a reader about the whole practicality of flying to UAE and back just to use the pool there and I found out from him that a return flight to Abu Dhabi is now just 6.750 KD!

Turns out Wizz Air are having a summer sale right now and if your dates are flexible, you can get tickets as cheap at 6.750 KD this summer. I tried it now and it’s real. As long as you don’t add any options like checked-in luggage and other extras, you can get your ticket for $21.98.

I’ve never flown Wizz Air but I have heard both positive and negative comments about it. As long as you manage your expectations it seems like an OK experience. wizzair.com

There are plenty of public beaches in Kuwait but not that many swimming pools you can access without being a member or staying at a hotel. But, some hotels do offer day passes to their pools so I called as many hotels as I could until I had enough to put a list together. This is the 2024 edition list so the prices are current.

All the pools on this list are singles friendly except for Seashell Julaia Resort which isn’t. None of the pools require you to be invited by a member except for SVN. SVN gets an exception for this list because it’s the nicest place with lots of very cool facilities. So for a very premium members only club, it’s actually great value compared to a lot of other places, so find a friend with a membership.

The list below is arranged from least expensive to most expensive:

Al Jahra Copthorne Hotel & Resort
Telephone: 24590000
Price: 10KD

Seashell Julaia Hotel & Resort
Telephone: 1844444
Price = 15KD

Crowne Plaza
Telephone: 1848111
Weekday/Weekend: 20KD

Symphony Style Hotel
Telephone: 25770000
Weekday: 20KD
Weekend: 25KD

Holiday Inn Salmiya
Telephone: 25760000
Weekday: 20KD
Weekend: 29KD

Hyatt Regency Al Kout Mall
Telephone: 23931234
Weekday/Weekend: 25KD
Ladies only on Monday and Wednesday

Millennium Hotel
Telephone: 22050505
Weekday/Weekend: 25KD

Mövenpick Hotel Resort AlBidaa
Telephone: 22253100
Weekday: 25KD
Weekend: 30KD

Hilton Resort
Telephone: 22256222
Weekday: 30KD
Weekend: 35KD

SVN Club (member invite required)
Telephone: 1876777
Weekday: 30KD
Weekend: 40KD

Marina Hotel
Telephone: 22230030
Weekday: 35KD
Weekend: 40KD

Four Seasons
Telephone: 22006000
Weekday/Weekend: 40KD (70KD Couple)

Waldorf Astoria
Telephone: 24774444
Price 1: 40KD (Inc. 1 Mocktail)
Price 2: 50KD (Inc. Food + Mocktail)

If I missed a place where you can access a pool with a day pass, let me know in the comments.

A few weeks ago I posted that I got a bluetooth adapter for my Bang & Olufsen A9 and that I had crazily bought the A9 for 890KD 10 years ago. Out of curiosity I was trying to find out how much a new one today costs and I cam across the Bang & Olufsen website for Kuwait.

Not sure how long its been around for but I wasn’t aware they had an online website with all the prices listed. Want a Beolab 50? That will cost you 18,975KD. Want a Beolab 90? Thats selling for 47,000KD. Add to cart!

I love that they have all the prices up. Anyway, the new A9 starts at 1,290KD which is quite a big jump from their prices 10 years ago. Here is the link to the B&O website.

A couple of weeks ago, I revisited the Tareq Rajab Museum to explore their private photography archive again. This time, I discovered several more interesting items, including the beautiful old photo above, taken sometime in the 1970s, of a mosque in Kuwait.

I didn’t recognize the mosque, so I asked my Twitter followers if they knew it, and one person did. It turns out the mosque is called Ahmad Abdullah Mosque, and not only is it still standing, but it’s also located practically across the street from my office.

The mosque is located in Kuwait City and was built in 1915. It’s situated in the area behind Dickson House, where the old city project is currently under construction.

Although the project is cordoned off with a wall, there are two mosques in the back that are still accessible through a gate. As soon as I saw the mosque, I recognized it as the same one, even though the part of the mosque that housed what looks like a baqala in the old photo seems to have been demolished at some point.

I took some photos of the mosque, but since it’s currently right next to the wall surrounding the construction site, I couldn’t capture the exact same angle as the old photo.

If you want to check out the mosque in person, here is the location on Google Maps.

One day late but because I was flying back to Kuwait yesterday so didn’t have time to put this together. While in Copenhagen I got to watch Furiosa and it was ridiculously good, and Anya Taylor-Joy is such an incredible actress. I’d highly recommend you watch the movie while it’s still in the theater, and I don’t think anything would be cut in Kuwait, maybe 1 useless scene but that’s about it. One weird thing about my movie experience, I went to watch the film in one of their most popular and largest theater, but out of the 1,000+ seats we were just 6 people in total watching the film. It was weird but since the weather was good I figured most people wanted to spend the evening outdoor even though I went to the 10PM showing. No idea.

On the plane yesterday I got to watch the first 6 episodes of The New Look and loved it. Such a great story and now that I’m back home I can’t wait to watch the rest of the episodes.

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:
Bad Boys: Ride or Die (6.8)
Dragonkeeper (5.8)
The Watchers (5.7)

Other Movies Showing:
Asphalt City (6.1)
Damaged (4.6)
Darkness of Man (4.5)
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (8.1)
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (6.5)
IF (6.8)
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (7.4)
Kung Fu Panda 4 (6.4)
Possessions (3.9)
Tarot (4.9)
The Fall Guy (7.3)
The Garfield Movie (6.0)
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Classic/2001) (8.9)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Classic/2002) (8.8)

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

Taw9eel, the biggest online retailer in Kuwait recently launched a new store called Taw9eel FAST. It’s their 30-minute delivery service accessible in over 100+ areas around Kuwait and includes various items such as groceries, home accessories, electronics, makeup, video games and more.

To kick off this new 30-minute delivery service, 30 heavily discounted items will go on sale everyday for just 500 fils. I actually ordered a bunch of things before I traveled when I wanted to try out the service including a case of ALSI Cola Zero, 2 packs of bottled water, a travel adapter, USB-C cable, and a few other items. It took them less than 30 minutes to deliver which was convenient since I was midway packing for my trip and needed to pack the travel adapter and USB-C cable to take with me. But really the highlight for me were the deals I got on some of the items like the ALSI Cola. It’s a Saudi soft drink brand I recently tried and liked, so now is my alternative to Coke Zero and Diet Pepsi.

In addition to the above, Taw9eel are also offering free delivery all summer long if you use the code “FST”. But, as a special offer to my readers, they created a second code “248” which you can use to get 15% off your cart total. You can only use one of these codes at a time so use the code FST if you want free delivery, or 248 for 15% off on your cart total.

To try it out, get the Taw9eel App or head to taw9eel.com and click on the department Taw9eel FAST.