2:48AM - Entertaining Kuwait since 2003

I use my In Focus posts to highlight some great businesses here in Kuwait and today’s post is no different. As I mentioned previously, I’m lifting my FJ Cruiser and installing large tires just like I did with my Wrangler. The previous place I had installed my Wranglers lift had shut down so I asked a friend from the FJ Club for a recommendation and he pointed me towards ORP.

ORP is short for Off Road Performance and that’s exactly what they specialize in. If you’ve got a 4×4 and want to install a heavy duty bumper, or get a suspension lift, larger tires and wheels, maybe a light bar etc.. then they’re the place to go. Personally I would love to install everything myself and if I had my own little house with an indoor garage I would attempt to do that but since I don’t, I have to get stuff installed at specialized places which I usually don’t like doing. With ORP I felt comfortable getting my lift installed there because the guys are 4×4 affectionados. I met two guys, both Kuwaitis. Yousef is the one I first spoke to over the phone while Saud I didn’t communicate much with since he was always busy working on a car. They’re both passionate about what they do and to me that’s extremely important.

First time I passed by ORP was to check out the location and see how much they would charge for my suspension lift install. Then I just set up an appointment, dropped my FJ in late at night and picked it up again the next evening. I needed to get the FJ aligned and they recommended I take it to a guy called John at Auto1 on Canada Dry street who also turned out to be really great. So overall I had a very good experience and their prices are very competitive. Now I have to go back and buy a shorter antenna since with the lift kit installed my FJ’s antenna is hitting every pipe in my underground parking. I haven’t even installed my large tires yet so I am starting to worry my FJ is going to be too big to take underground. Hopefully I should be ok.

If you need anything for your 4×4 I highly recommend them. They’re very easy to find in Shuwaikh. If you’re on Canada Dry street with McDonalds on your right keep going straight past the bridge and then do a u-turn at the round-about so you’re heading the same way you came from, then take your first right and drive maybe 100 or 200 meters and you will find them on your left. (see map above). Their website address is www.orp.com.kw and you could also call Yousef on 99422254.

Every morning I pass by McDonalds for breakfast and every morning I see some of the weirdest things. You would think most of the strange things happen late at night but with my experience there is as much of it going on very early in the morning, at least at the Gulf Road branch.

One strange character I see very often is monkey guy. He’s a guy who visits the McDonalds Gulf Road branch early mornings with his pet monkey. He just hangs out outside with his monkey dressed up I’m assuming to try and chat up the girls.

Too much makeup girl: “awww look how cute…”
Monkey Guy: Jackpot!

Now recently I’ve noticed snake guy. Yeah you guessed it, a guy who comes in every morning with a snake around his neck. With monkey guy I can understand his plan but snake guy just confuses me. Unless..

Too much muscles guy: “awww look how cute…”
Snake Guy: Jackpot!

Seriously though one of the McDonalds employees there should set up a blog of some sort posting about all these strange characters. I’d buy the book even!

The creator of the SumSushi iPhone app emailed me telling me he’s now included Kuwait, Bahrain and UAE Yo! Sushi prices in the application. So the next time you pass by Yo! Sushi it’s a lot easier to keep track of your bill. Once you download the app just go to the iPhone’s settings and then click on SumSushi and choose your country. The app is free. [Link]

I can’t believe I slept through it!

Picture taken by Lucie Debelkova this morning via Projekt Cyan.

An update for the 2:48AM iPhone App is now available in the app store. In this version I added the Bazaar Magazine category to the app so now you can read the magazine on your iPhone. Bazaar have also added a full RSS feed to their site so you can now add them to your feeds. I think I like the direction this app is going where I’m trying to get a variety of local entertainment in one app. If you have a suggestion that would fit leave a comment below. Next update will be for the Kuwait Blogs app. [Link]

I woke up this morning to a phone call from a friend in charge at 360 Mall asking me if I wanted to try out the roller coaster at Infunity. Infunity hasn’t opened yet and won’t be open for a few more months but today they were testing out the roller coaster and if I accepted the mission we would be the first passengers on it. I though it was a fun idea since I never beta tested a roller coaster before and agreed to meet him there before lunch.

Last time I passed by Infunity was in October and since then the place has changed a lot. As I mentioned back in October, Infunity will have a bunch of cool things going for it including a very large climbing wall, Go-Kart Drifting (very cool), an indoor roller coaster designed and built by the same people who create ones for Six Flags, and also a ton of other stuff I’m not sure if I am allowed to share.

When we first got there it turned out the German engineers were still working on the roller coaster so I walked around and checked out the place and took some pictures to kill a bit of time. Nat hadn’t been to the place before and I wanted her to see everything anyway. Once they were ready we went up the stairs to the boarding area. They had just finished testing the ride with sacks full of sand and now we would be the first people to ride it. We got into the seats, fastened the safety harness and took off. First of all the whole place was very dimly lit by a few portable projectors here and there. There was no one in the whole place except for three German engineers and the five of us so it was very empty. We were also the first people to try out the ride so there was that slight fear in the back of our minds that something could go wrong which added to the excitement. The ride although short turned out to be incredibly fun. The roller-coaster although on a fixed line actually rotates so one point you could be facing forward, the next backwards or sideways. The ride also takes you through one wall and then spits you out from another side and once the ride is completed the area behind the wall will actually have fake snow that comes down while you pass through. It was really a lot of fun and the whole time I felt like I was either going to get thrown from the track or hit my head on some pole, I loved it. We rode it a couple of times before we headed to lunch.

Now hopefully I am going to go back again once they start trying out the wall climb or drifting. I shot a video of the ride in the coaster which I might put up later but for now you can check out the pictures below.

Found this short film about the Kuwaiti martyrs. Not sure if I’m too hard or I’m expecting too much but I didn’t like it. Although the subject is an emotional one this movie isn’t. It tries to be but fails and I’m guessing its because of the music and weak voice over. On the bright side I always like seeing local productions and one I am looking forward to watching is Mustache. Anybody seen that yet? [YouTube]

Update: P0ach interviewed Abdulmohsin Al Hashim the director behind this movie. You can read the interview [Here]

Fereej found pictures of Kuwait taken from old issues of LIFE magazine. The pictures are of very good quality, I love them. [Link]

Update: Check out all the pictures and more [Here] There are tons!

I just realized that just over a year ago I posted about the McGangBang and how great it was but now I haven’t had a McDonalds burger (or BK, KFC, Hardees etc..) for nearly a year. I’m eating a lot healthier, having a ton of salad and not really missing any of the fast food. I went from eating at those fast food joints practically daily to never. I think it’s like quitting smoking (I don’t smoke but I’m guessing). It’s difficult at first but then once you’re off you’re off.

Anyone know where this is. I tried google but found nothing. It looks like its in one of those old Kuwaiti houses behind the Church in Kuwait City or opposite Souk Sharq on the Gulf Road. [YouTube]

Has to be the most annoying ad so far of 2010. [YouTube]

Damn, I’ve always been pronouncing chipotle wrong… [Link]

Burger picture above which has nothing to do with the link or post was taken by pouryourheartintoit. Looks delicious. [Picture]

I placed an order for two boxes of Alphonso mangos from my mango dealer last month and I just got them today. It’s his first shipment of the season and they are just amazing. I told Fahad that he HAD to include at least two mangoes a day into my nutrition plan and after a bit of hesitation he advised me to take them right after workout. Now that I had the two I am thinking I should have fought for 4 or 5 or 6 mangoes a day. Seriously this mango season I am going full force. There will be no mangoes left behind!

If you want to order a box of mangoes you can call the mango guy on 99880008. Here is his facebook group [Link]

The Cool Hunter are coming to Kuwait for an event. I just got an invite and I don’t know how much I can share since its a private event so will just share the bare minimum. The event will be held next week and it’s called A Kuwaiti World. The invite contains a username and password (which I won’t share) that allows you to log into www.akuwaitiworld.com and find out more info on the event. The Cool Hunter is the world’s most-read culture and design site. I previously mentioned them in a post when they featured the Octium Jewelry store at 360 Mall on their website. Will post pictures and details after the event.

While shopping at a local Co-op, Patrick from ProjektCyan spotted what looks like the new KDD logo. It looks better and cleaner than their previous one but not sure the leaf shape is working with the typography. [Link]