2:48AM - Entertaining Kuwait since 2003

This week I finished watching season 2 of Silo. Started off super slow but one of my readers told me things kicked off in episode 9 of the season so pushed through till the end. Not sure it’s been a good season but the last few episodes were entertaining.

I haven’t really watched anything else really. I started 1923 since season 2 is coming out, but other than that I still need to watch the new season of Tehran, The Night Agent (although not sure if I like the show since I don’t remember watching season 1 but I’m following it so maybe I did?) and Severance. I also want to start a bunch of new shows including The Agency and Lioness. Should be a busy weekend.

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:
Flight Risk (6.2)
Into the Deep (4.2)
The Damned (6.1)

Other Movies Showing:
Alarum (N/A)
Buffalo Kids (6.6)
Den of Thieves 2 (6.6)
Home Alone (classic) (7.7)
Maria (6.5)
Moana 2 (7.1)
Mufasa: The Lion King (6.7)
Nosferatu (7.8)
Paddington in Peru (6.8)
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (7.5)
Wicked (8.1)
Wolf Man (5.9)
You Shall Not Sleep Tonight (4.3)

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

Thursday, January 23
Custom Auto Show
Family Fun with IKEA at Boulevard
The Scientific Center Green Market
Salhiya Nights Market
The Social Market

Friday, January 24
Custom Auto Show
Plugged in Music Fest
Children of the Time Machine
Family Fun with IKEA at Boulevard
The Scientific Center Green Market
Salhiya Nights Market
The Ascend Rock Climbing Games

Saturday, January 25
Qout Market at The Oasis
Custom Auto Show
Children of the Time Machine
Family Fun with IKEA at Boulevard
Classical and Romantic Songs Opera
The Scientific Center Green Market
Urban Sketchers at Al Bahar Village
Squid Game at Mishref Park
The Ascend Rock Climbing Games
Salhiya Nights Market
AAW Run for a Cause!
Charm Studio at Solelab

Allbirds, the popular sustainable footwear brand, opened its second location in Kuwait today at Electra Phase 4, The Avenues.

Allbirds is known for creating some of the world’s most comfortable shoes, flats, and clothing using natural materials like merino wool and eucalyptus. The brand is dedicated to sustainability, working to reduce its carbon footprint to near zero. They replace petroleum-based synthetics with natural alternatives, such as wool, tree fiber, and sugar cane. The result? Soft, breathable products that are better for the planet.

Their shoes are lightweight, bouncy, and comfortable, with no flashy logos or unnecessary details. Made from natural materials, they’re designed for practicality.

The new Allbirds store at The Avenues Mall offers a shopping experience with a strong focus on sustainability. You can explore their famously comfortable collections like the Wool Runner, Tree Dasher, and Plant Pacer, while learning about the natural materials that make them unique. The eco-friendly store design also reflects Allbirds’ commitment to the planet.

Allbirds is also participating in the Ya Hala Shopping Festival so pass by and check them out in Electra Phase 4, or follow them on Instagram @allbirdsme

According to my TikTok feed which has become pretty weird recently, making charms is a really popular new trend. This fun activity that has recently gained popularity abroad has now popped up in Kuwait.

For those unfamiliar with charm making, it’s a creative process where you design and assemble personalized jewelry pieces like bracelets, necklaces, or keychains.

Charm Studio is a local small business that started back in October by Fajer Al Owaish who wanted to re-create this existing concept here in Kuwait. Back in high school she used to make charms and jewelry using beads and other accessories, and then sell them to classmates as a side hustle. It’s something she’s always been passionate about, which is why she was able to turn it into a success so quickly.

If you’re looking for something fun to do, she has a few workshops coming up, including one this weekend at the trendy sneaker shop @solelabkw. You can check out her Instagram for more details @charmstudiokw

The Shop & Ship app got a major update yesterday. It’s mostly a visual update since the old app looked so dated, but there are also some new features which were previously only available on the website.

I haven’t explored it yet completely but from my short experience with it I noticed a couple of things. Firstly when you launch the updated app for the first time and log in, it will ask you to update you permissions to allow the app to track you. No thanks, just click on cancel. The other thing I noticed is you can now claim packages through the app, something that wasn’t possible before. Claiming packages is for those rare occasions where the person that shipped your item didn’t put your mailbox number or maybe put the wrong mailbox number. If your shipment arrives and doesn’t show up on your mailbox for a few days, you can place your tracking number int he claim package area and it will check and see if they got a package with that tracking number.

Another thing I noticed is a new “Package Alert” option. This allows you to speed up the processing time by filling out details of a package you’re expecting (courier, tracking number, item value, invoice copy) before it arrives.

So far though I really like the app, looks better and feels a lot snappier.

When I first found out that AlSadu Society was partnering up with Kuwait Foundation for Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) and Al-Mawashi to open up SOOF, a wool mill, I was very intrigued. Where wool came from wasn’t something I ever thought of, and the more I learned about the project, the more fascinated I became with it.

Up until now, Kuwait imported its wool. You’d think with Kuwait’s history with wool, all the Sadu weaving, the bedouin tents, and all the sheep in the market that a wool mill was something that already existed, but it didn’t. Not only that, but from what I was told, SOOF is the first wool mill in the GCC which is crazy when you think about it.

Previously, all the wool from the locally slaughtered sheep was discarded.Although wool had value, locally the sheep’s fleece was mostly considered to be a waste product and so handing and disposing of it was seen as an inconvenience.

SOOF was created to provide a sustainable source of processed wool locally, and also to help preserve the cultural heritage. I passed by their first mill location in Kuwait yesterday, and was pretty surprised at how compact and simple the setup was. The mill was located inside Al-Mawashi slaughterhouse in Al-Rai, and the plan is to eventually have more of these wool mills in slaughterhouses around the country.

If all this wasn’t impressive enough, SOOF is also prioritizing eco-friendly practices in every step of the processing chain. The wool is sourced from local sheep and the organic dyes from natural sources such as plants. They use sustainable energy from solar panels, and the wastewater from washing and dyeing wool is treated and then reused for plant irrigation. It’s really impressive.

The wool produced will be used at AlSadu House for weaving, and will also be available for the public to purchase. It will initially be available online and then eventually in the physical store at AlSadu. The first batch already sold out yesterday, but more wool will be available again soon. If you want to find out more about this project, visit their website soof.alsadu.org.kw or follow them @soofbyalsadu

Alan Yau, the restaurateur behind popular brands like Wagamama, Hakkasan, and Princi, is launching a new Asian concept in Kuwait called Solange.

Having flown in and out of Kuwait multiple of times since 2011, Alan is well-acquainted with the market. He also has a strong relationship with Nejoud, the company behind % Arabica and Mr Holmes in Kuwait, which led to this collaboration. After surveying the market, they identified a gap in premium Chinese dining and decided to launch a concept that perfectly fits with Alan’s expertise.

I got a sneak peek earlier today and was blown away by the interior. As soon as I walked into the space I took out my camera and started snapping photos. The restaurant gives off Moulin Rouge vibes, with a stage featuring a grand piano for live music and cozy booths all around.

There’s also a spacious private room in the back with it’s own private access, a chef’s table in the kitchen, and even a bar serving non-alcoholic cocktails. I didn’t get to try any food or see the menu, but I was told that there will be a wide range of items to suit different price points.

Solange is located in the new Salhiya extension, up the escalators across from Tiffany & Co. They’re expecting to open in February, with private invitations starting this weekend.

To stay posted on the opening, you can follow them on @solange.maison

A few days ago KFH launched their new branding and I don’t think I like it. The icon, although derived from the old logo (pictured below), it feels generic, but mostly I’m really not a fan of the KFH English typeface which feels like a techno font from the 90s.

I do like the fact that the English name is now just KFH, while the Arabic is the full name. NBK is like that and it’s worked pretty well for them.

Wingstop, the popular American restaurant chain specializing in chicken wings, is opening in Kuwait. Apparel Group, the company that brought back Nando’s to Kuwait, is behind the launch and aims to open the first location within 2-3 months (around March or April).

Initially, they’ll be opening two locations: one in Bid’a where TGIF Nike used to be, and the second in Salmiya on Baghdad Street next to Trolley. Two additional locations are planned to open by the end of the year.

If you’re excited about their launch and want to stay posted on their opening, follow them at (tag removed, read note below)

Note: I made a mockup of how the hoarding for Wingstop might look like since it’s currently just white, just a fun preview.

Note2: I had initially tagged what I thought was their Instagram account but turns out they don’t have an account yet. Once they do I’ll update this post with one.

Ya Hala, the largest shopping festival in Kuwait’s history, is launching in just a few days, and they’ve just announced 120 cars up for grabs!

Over ten weeks, there will be weekly draws for 12 cars, which is pretty insane—and that’s not even counting the millions of dinars in additional prizes.

Stay updated on the festival by following @yahalakuwait and @whatsonyahala.

Back in the late 90s while I was in university I had a few favorite directors:

David Cronenberg who was behind weird films like Crash, The Fly, eXistenZ, The Dead Zone, and Videodrome
Stanley Kubrick who was behind classics like Lolita, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, and The Shining
Terry Gilliam who was behind the best comedy ever made, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, as well as classics like Brazil, 12 Monkeys and the last film Johnny Depp was great in, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

And finally, David Lynch who was behind some of my all time favorite movies, Lost Highway, Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart, Twin Peaks and Eraserhead. He also directed the original Dune movie although I’m not sure if I’ve watched it. I must have.

I don’t even know how many times I’ve watched Lost Highway, has to be over a dozen, I owned the original copy of the videotape and played the movie a lot to my friends. It was such a bizarre film with probably one of the top 5 best soundtracks ever released. The only movie I’ve watched more than Lost Highway is Natural Born Killers, I stopped counting the number of times I watched that movie after I passed 20.

Whats so weird is literally 2 days ago, January 15, I was randomly talking to my wife about movies and brought up the movie Lost Highway and how we should watch it. I just found out the film actually launched on January 15, 1997, and now two days later David Lynch passed away. Pretty weird, but fitting since he was so weird. Gonna go now and see if they ever released a 4K version of the Lost Highway so I can watch it again this weekend.

This week I finished the latest seasons of Landman and Dune: Prophecy. Landman last episode was epic, without revealing any spoilers they brought in Andy Garcia to the show so I’m now super excited for the next season. Dune: Prophecy was ok, if it wasn’t for the great visuals and sound I’m not sure if I would have enjoyed it as much.

Other than that I’m watching the new season of Squid Game and think it’s pretty boring. I watched the movie The Message for the first time, it’s pretty great especially since it’s in 4K so doesn’t really feel that old. Holds up pretty well, next movie to watch is Lawrence of Arabia.

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:
Alarum (N/A)
Buffalo Kids (6.6)
Maria (6.5)
Wolf Man (5.9)
You Shall Not Sleep Tonight (4.3)

Other Movies Showing:
Den of Thieves 2 (6.6)
Gladiator II (7.0)
Home Alone (classic) (7.7)
Moana 2 (7.1)
Mufasa: The Lion King (6.7)
Nosferatu (7.8)
Paddington in Peru (6.8)
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (7.5)
Wicked (8.1)

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

@dr_diecast_models is a Kuwait-based diorama artist I’ve admired for years. He specializes in driveway dioramas, with my favorites being his incredibly realistic recreations of deserted driveways with abandoned cars. Last week, I reached out to him to learn more about his story and see how he brings these dioramas to life.

Dr. Diecast (he wants to stay anonymous) has loved models and cars since he was young. One day, he built a diorama set for one of his models, and when his friend saw it he was impressed. That friend also happened to run a popular auction account and offered to help sell the dioramas if he could make two sets a week. The dioramas became popular, and his hobby quickly turned into something bigger.

The dioramas are 1:18 scale, meaning everything is 18 times smaller than its real-life counterpart. He builds all his sets in a small room tucked away in the corner of his house. I watched him work on a wall for one of his sets, and the level of detail and weathering he painstakingly applies with a paintbrush is mind-blowing. From the size of newspaper boxes to the dimensions of each brick, everything is accurately measured to stay true to scale.

His most popular sets are those depicting cars parked outside old homes, untouched for years, or cars that have been abandoned near electrical substations in neighborhoods.

The cars are a whole other story. He has his own ‘car bank’ you can choose from, but if he doesn’t have the car you want, he can help you source it. From there, it’s up to you whether the car stays as is or gets customized to look a certain way. My favorite is the red car covered in dust, with its protective cover ripped, the driver’s window smashed, and the typical white sticker with a red ‘X’ on the windshield. It’s such a mundane yet familiar real-life scene, and I love it.

Depending on the diorama, he charges around 65 KD, excluding the car. His customers are mostly in Kuwait but he also gets a lot of orders from around the GCC. If you want to check his work out more of his work head over to his account @dr_diecast_models

White Fortress is a chalet located in Al Khiran and was designed by the local architects TAEP/AAP. I previously posted about two other chalets they designed and this one caught my interest because of the lighthouse-like structure that towers over the compound.

The architects designed the White Fortress with privacy and discretion as the main priorities of the project. The space is surrounded by tall, thick walls that offer protection from the harsh climate and arid surroundings, while providing a serene and inviting interior. The enclosure contains a series of patios and gardens, each assigned a distinct role, such as greeting, resting, or celebrating, to provide a variety of experiences.

Within the center of this “oasis,” a tall lighthouse-like structure creates a place for meditation and seclusion while providing endless panoramic views of the house gardens, the dunes, and the sea. The roof is also accessible from the tower, transforming into a contemplative walking space with an endless horizon view of the sea.

At first I wasn’t too sure about having the walls so high on both sides of the compound, but with neighbors popping up next door eventually, I think I can see the appeal of a fortress like structure. To see more work photos of this project, click here.

Talk about an unexpected collab, I just found out that Yelo! Pizza is teaming up with Caesars for a limited-edition pizza that will be available only on Jahez. I wasn’t shared a launch date, but was told it would be happening soon.

My guess is it’s Caesars sized Yelo! Pizzas, or maybe Caesars pizza dough with Yelo! Pizza’s toppings, should be cool either way.