2:48AM - Entertaining Kuwait since 2003

I just found out that Office Depot is going to be opening up in Kuwait at the Avenues. Alshaya will be bringing the brand over which is great but I think there are more important things to get first like Wendy’s, Cheese Cake Factory, Best Buy or even a Costco!

I’ve had this cookie recipe ever since I was in university and when used with proper ingredients it never failed me. Problem is I can’t find good chocolate chips in Kuwait. My favorite used to be Baker’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks but all I can find in Kuwait are the Nestle and Hershey ones which suck. Anyway I baked some cookies today (used the Hershey chocolate chip) and I think they came out a 2.5 out of 5. I might be able to score a 3 if I use better brown sugar next time but it would still be a hopeless case without the proper chocolate. Maybe I should just order packs from Amazon..

My favorite cookie recipe

1 cup (2 sticks) (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup (150 grams) white sugar

1 1/4 cups (270 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 3/4 cups (525 grams) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons (10 grams) baking soda

1 1/4 teaspoons (6 grams) baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups (375 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 165 degrees celsius. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper (or use non stick cookie pans).

In a mixing bowl cream the butter. Add the sugars and beat until well combined. Beat in eggs one at a time making sure to beat well after each addition. Add vanilla and beat until incorporated.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and beat until just incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts, if using. The cookie mixture will be moist and hold together.

Using two tablespoons, drop about 2 tablespoons of dough (38 grams) on the prepared baking sheets. Do not flatten cookies. Bake on the center rack of oven for 12 minutes, or until golden brown and still soft when gently pressed.

Makes about 48 cookies.

I just found out my contact us form wasn’t working probably for a couple of months now I am guessing. If you previously emailed me using the contact us form and never got a reply back its probably because I never received your email. The form is working now. [Link]

Took the Frog out for some bashing in the sun. It was a lot of fun, check out some more pictures below.

I passed by My Toy a few hours ago and picked up a Tamiya Frog radio controlled buggy. Originally released in 1983 the Frog was re-released in 2006 and I think its one of the coolest looking buggies. Interesting fact, the largest off-road track in the world is currently being built in Kuwait. Check out this link for some pictures. [Link]

update: In case anyone is interested here is the phone number of My Toy 22256707

I posted just over a week ago about my kitchen from IKEA. Originally when I posted they were over installing my kitchen and it was a positive post but as the workers progressed with the installation things took a turn. In short they installed my kitchen bar crooked and had to fill the space on the side with a ton of silicon, also 2 panels were installed crooked and 2 major parts still weren’t in stock.

Surprisingly I got a call a few days later from a manager asking if everything was ok and if I had any feedback. He was a very nice guy and when I told him about my problems he offered to come by and check the kitchen which he did. He told us he would solve our problems and make sure the remaining items (two horizontal wall cabinets and two pull out corners) would be released from customs as soon as possible.

Today IKEA was back in my kitchen finishing up the install and fixing the problems from last time. When they were done I went to check the kitchen to make sure everything was fine. I opened the horizontal wall cabinet upward and the door came crashing down. I was like isn’t this supposed to stay open like the ones at display in IKEA? The employee was like this is the new model it doesn’t stay open. So every time I need to get something big from the cabinet I need to hold the door open with the top of my head while I use my two hands to take out an item? I didn’t get a response. I then opened the corner cabinets and to my surprise they had installed a rotating shelving system instead of the pullout I had chosen at IKEA. When I asked why they told me the pullout doesn’t fit in my cabinet, it needed a bigger cabinet. Fine but why didn’t the salesman tell me that instead of misleading me to believe I was getting the pullout? Not only that but we were really excited about the pullout shelves and we could have gone with larger corners if we had known.

A quick call to IKEA resulted in no help. There isn’t anything we can do about the corners, we were screwed by the salesman and to solve my wall cabinet problem they would replace our cabinet hinges with the older model off a display cabinet from the showroom.

The employees left and I was confused. The wall cabinet hinges are huge (pictured above) which doesn’t make sense if their only job is to open and close the doors. I also figured IKEA wasn’t stupid enough to make cabinet doors that don’t stay open so I took out the cabinet instruction manual and tried to see if I could fix it myself and guess what? I did! Turns out there was a screw they needed to rotate to the right like 30 times and that adjusted the door to stay open. The doors work perfectly now and stay open when lifted which means IKEA needs to start hiring people that read the goddamn manuals! My kitchen corners are screwed up but at least I don’t have to bang my head every time I take out a plate from the cabinet.

In conclusion, IKEA kitchens are affordable but you get what you pay for and that’s terrible finishing and sneaky salesman. If you do decide to get a kitchen from them make sure you not only go through the list of items one by one but also have the salesman show you each item one by one. A friend of mine had warned me about this based on his experience with IKEA and so I was careful but it seems not careful enough.

Yum? [Link]

A friend of mine is building the coolest thing in his basement, his own LEGO world! Its still under construction and he still has along way to go but its already looking really cool. I need to find a way to convince Nat to let me do the same thing…

***REDUCED PRICE***

I’m selling my bike if anyone is interested. It’s an excellent condition Ducati Monster 620ie with upgraded Termignoni exhausts and has around 5000KM mileage on it. If you’re interested, send me an email. [Email Me]

Update: Bike is sold

A funny Lebanese commercial. [YouTube]

Great shots of Venice’s deepest flood in 22 years. [Link]

Found this shop at Tilal Complex yesterday which I thought was pretty cool. Its basically a store that sells outdoor gear like tents, sleeping bags, bows and arrows, flasks etc. Too bad I don’t go camping here.

Last night I was checking out the Tamiya cars Frog and Hornet online and figured I would pass by the Tamiya dealer in Kuwait, My Toy to check and see if they had them. Today out of the blue my friend calls me up and asks me if I wanted to pass by the launch of the new My Toy store in Shuwaikh. Turns out they opened up a branch at the trendy Tilal Complex and the official opening was today so after work I passed by to check it out.

The new store is small but the location is really great and they had this huge indoor race track setup in the basement which I think RC fans will love. I spotted the Frog and Hornet on display but it was too packed to check out properly so I will have to go back this weekend. I used to love My Toy as a kid in the 80’s so its great to see the brand still alive.

Now someone please bring Kids “R” Us back to life!

Here is more proof that Arby’s is going to open up at The Avenues. If you check the map at The Avenues various entrances, Arby’s is listed under restaurants. Don’t know how I missed that! Its going to open in front of Starbucks at the food court.

Starting today Zain users no longer have to pay for incoming calls! Don’t know how much this will effect my phone bill but hopefully its a nice chunk.

Update: According to one reader it seems Viva found out last night of Zain’s offer so they had a press conference in which they announced they would also give free incoming calls. And according to another reader, Wataniya is now also going to offer the same thing so it looks like its a great day for everyone!