2:48AM - Entertaining Kuwait since 2003

I could clearly make out the Durango’s license plate in the video above and it’s 8-60971. So this brought up an idea. Instead of stopping and impounding cars with lightly tinted windows, why doesn’t the Ministry of Interior assign one police officer to check YouTube for illegal and dangerous racing videos and impound those cars and arrest those reckless drivers instead? [YouTube]

Mustache – شنب from Meqdad Al Kout on Vimeo.

The locally produced short film Mustache is finally available to watch online. I haven’t watched it yet so glad they finally uploaded it.

I found out last night that Cheesecake Factory is going to be located in Avenues Phase III right across from where Gaucho Grill is currently located. From what I understood, that whole outdoor area is actually going to get covered in glass and become indoor I’m guessing similar to the picture below which Avenues released last year. I also heard Cheesecake Factory is going to be around 1,000m2 which is pretty huge but not very surprising since they own the mall anyway. No idea when it’s going to open up but my bet is next year with the rest of Phase III.

A friend of mine spotted the two pictures at the “Bisht Al Baghli” store in Mubarikiya. The line on the poster above says “The man with the longest mustache visits the ‘Bisht Al Baghli’ store”. I’m guessing the two men below are the tallest and shortest Kuwaitis?

Thanks Shaheen

Am I wrong to think the article below from Gulf News is extremely difficult to read and very confusing to understand?

Manama: Kuwaitis expressed mixed reactions to a decision by municipal authorities in the north-eastern Italian town of Citadella not to allow shops to sell kebabs and other “non-traditional” food.

The council of the medieval walled town in Veneto on Friday said that kebab was not part of their tradition and identity. Mayor Massimo Bitonci of the anti-immigration Northern League party said that the ban was made on health grounds against “dishes cooked and then left in the open for a long time”.

Food savvy Kuwaitis reacted by focussing on the quality of kebab and the possible motives behind the decision.

“They are right since kebab is not healthy food,” Bu Msaad wrote on Al Aan news portal. “It is mainly fat and skin that are well spiced in order to fool clients,” he said.

According to “Kuwaiti Citizen”, Italians are “free to decide what should be sold and what should be banned in their country”.

“An appropriate reaction by Arabs for instance is to ban the sale of pizzas,” he wrote.

However for Mohammad Bu Jassoom, the issue went beyond the quality or origin of food. “It is not about food. The problem is that there are some people in that town who want to hurt immigrants and Muslims. They are willing to use all means to achieve their goal,” he wrote.

Kebab generally refers to shish kebab served on the skewer or döner kebab served in bread with a salad and a dressing.

It consisted traditionally of grilled, roasted, and stewed small cuts of lamb meat. However, as it gained global popularity and depending on local tastes and taboos, it may now be beef, goat, chicken, pork, fish or even vegetarian foods such as falafel or tofu.

Bitonci, who also sits as a deputy for the Northern League, made headlines in 2009 when he introduced measures against beggars and street sellers as well as parking restrictions for caravans to dissuade travelling people.

He has also proposed mandatory public service for under-16s found drinking alcohol. The anti-immigration Northern League is part of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, ruling coalition. [Source]

I am curious to know how many Kuwaitis live in Citadella since their whole population is just 20,000…

First time I hear of this project and I’m curious to know if it will ever get executed. The idea behind Sport City is to create world class Olympic level sporting facilities in Kuwait:

The concept consists of a plan in the shape of infinity, around the existing Jaber Stadium and a new man-made lake on which will float three Olympic sized stadia. Contained within the main superstructure are another Olympic stadium, a five star hotel and a shopping centre. The tower, working within the long tradition of Kuwaiti tower-based architectural icons, contains a seven star hotel as well as luxury apartments, VIP suites for the stadium, and a Michelin star restaurant with extraordinary views. [Source]

Looks like Baking Tray is going to be opening up in Avenues Phase II. They’re opening up in place of where Obika used to be which I think is kind of a dead zone right now. But, with SNOG opening up next door and Phase III opening up next year, that passageway should end up getting more traffic.

The Kuwait Fund for Arab and Economic Development (KFAED) loaned Morocco 712 million dirhams ($89.2 million) as part of the first phase of its participation in funding the project of the High Speed Train (HST) linking Tangier to Casablanca.

I just read about this awhile ago and it kinda upset me. Where is our high-speed train? [Link]

Nearly everyone who grew up in Kuwait at one point in time must have had a Sakhr (MSX) or at least had a neighbor or knew someone who had one. I lost practically all my toys during the Iraqi invasion except for my Sakhr which I was able to take with me to Lebanon and then bring back to Kuwait after the liberation where it’s been with me ever since. I decided to take pictures of all my games (there are a few I couldn’t find like Rambo) in the hopes of bringing back good memories to people familiar with the games so here they are below.

Update: I found Rambo plus 3 other games and added to the gallery above.

By accident I found this website full of photos from Kuwait dating back to the 1950s all the way to current times. The photos I’ve posted here are just some of my favorites, but you can check out all of them by clicking [Here]

Notice the photos on the wall?

Love the Dodge

Hippo loose in the zoo after the Iraqi invasion

A reader sent me a link to an article in Al Qabas newspaper which you can read below:

Basically what the article says is that the His Highness the Amir found out about the old photographer and has given instructions to have him taken care of, giving him whatever he needs. Isn’t that just the coolest thing ever!

Thanks Tannous

A first person account of the 1990 Iraqi invasion. Now with English subtitles. [YouTube]

BuzFairy posted a snippet from a newspaper in which they talk about a 7-star hotel being built in place of Al-Salam Palace. I think that sucks, I was actually expecting them to renovate the palace one day… not demolish it! [Link]

Sorry I don’t have any idea how old this shot is or where in Kuwait it is exactly. I just found a link to it on Flickr and a link to the image not even the uploader of the shot. [Link]

Update: I’ve updated the link above. Photo was uploaded by Brett whom I’ve posted about before [Here]

According to Arabian Business, the British toy store Hamleys will be opening in Kuwait within 6 to 12 months. The article doesn’t say where it will open but my guess would be in the Avenues phase III. [Link]