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Kuwait Space Rocket is a project established in 2018 to build and launch the Arab world’s first suborbital liquid rocket. The team is made up of highly talented individuals from different STEM fields:

Naser Ashknani – Mechanical Engineer

Sulieman Alfuhaid – Aerospace Engineer and Propulsion Engineer at SpaceX (Currently pursuing his PhD in Mechanical Engineering)

Hassan Almutawa – Mechanical Engineer

They first reached out to me back in 2019, and going through our old emails now, I realized I regretfully didn’t take them too seriously. Their mission then, and still today, is to launch the first Arabian rocket into space and capture footage of the Kuwaiti flag with planet Earth in the background.

Since I last spoke to them, they’ve had five launches. Two were ground-tested only, while the other three were full rocket launches, with the highest altitude reaching 1,366m.

The team follows a goal driven engineering process that lets them move quickly and efficiently from concept to construction. They start with the design phase, using software like SolidWorks, Matlab and ANSYS to map everything out. Once the designs are ready, they move into the build stage, relying on tools such as 3D printing, welding, drilling, milling and CNC machines to bring the parts to life. Finally, everything goes through rigorous testing, including static testing to make sure every component performs the way it should.

Tomorrow (Saturday, December 6) at 8AM, the Kuwait Space Rocket team will attempt to launch their fourth rocket, AMBITION 3, to an altitude of 15 km. It’s a world record attempt for the highest altitude reached by a single stage sugar fueled rocket.

Since the launches take place inside a Kuwait military defense base, spectators aren’t allowed, but they’ll be streaming the attempt live on their Instagram. If you want to watch the launch tomorrow at 8AM, follow them @kuwaitspacerocket

Wplace is a collaborative, real-time pixel canvas layered over the world map. Anyone anywhere in the world can paint and create art together. I just checked out Kuwait and the map was packed with tags.

It’s really bizarre, kinda like the graffiti you’d find on neighborhood electrical substations, but if they were done by 10 year olds. No idea why this is popular. Link

Pêche quietly opened in Thuraya Mall late last year, but they recently expanded and the store is now pretty massive, nearly taking up an entire side of the mall. The store is filled with carefully curated items, from books and candles to decorative pieces and home accessories.

I knew Pêche (pronounced pesh) back when it was November Blooms in Mayar Complex, Shuwaikh. Before that, it was Things by November, located in Tilal Complex before it burnt down. The concept is by Bibi Hayat, who’s also behind @novemberandco and the popular events company @bibihayat_events.

I used to pass by the Mayar store whenever I had a gift to give, since they offered a wrapping service with a great selection of premium paper, and I could also pick up a card, some flowers, or even a cake. When Bibi closed the Mayar location to move to Thuraya, she decided to rebrand November Blooms as Pêche, which has a double meaning. Pêche means peach, a color she loves, but it also means fishing, which is an ode to her late father who was passionate about it. The fishing reference ties into the concept as well, since she enjoys discovering unexpected accessories and curiosities.

Bibi has always had great taste, and the new store is full of beautiful things. With the larger space, she can now host pop-ups as well. Recently, she had an antiques pop-up, and before that, a selection of secondhand designer pieces from weddings. So there’s always something going on.

If you want to pass by and check the place out, Pêche is located in the same mall as @ode.eatery and @ohg.kw in Salmiya (Google Maps). They’re open daily (including Fridays) from 9AM to 9PM. @thepechelife

ERA is a new fitness and wellness club that opened a few months ago. I first found out about it because my wife was looking to join a gym and ended up signing up as a founding member. So when they approached me for this post, I already knew who they were.

ERA isn’t your typical large and busy gym. They describe themselves as a premium fitness and wellness hub. It’s an exclusive club designed for a limited number of members, offering personal training, a variety of classes, Pilates, private studios, consultations, workshops, retail space, and a smoothie bar.

I hadn’t seen the space until they shared photos with me, and after going through them, I decided to check it out in person. For the past couple of months, I’ve been thinking about joining a gym again since my old one shut down. I don’t like large gyms, I don’t like mixed gyms, and most importantly, I needed a place with personal training (the only way I’m going to work out is if someone forces me to). ERA ticked all the boxes, so I ended up joining too.

The team and trainers behind ERA are fairly well known, many of them having come from the now-closed Corniche Club. They’ve been working in Kuwait for years and genuinely love it here, which is reassuring because it means my PT or the quality of service isn’t suddenly going to change in a few months.

ERA is spread over three floors: a women’s floor, a men’s floor, and a floor for classes. The space has large windows that stretch from one end to the other and overlook the sea, so there’s plenty of daylight, which is something I really care about. I also liked the design, not just because it wasn’t dark and moody, but because it had a really calm and welcoming feel. That was another reason I ended up signing up.

I half-heartedly don’t want to promote the gym now that I’ve joined, since I don’t want it getting too popular. But they’ve capped the number of members, so I know it’ll never get too busy. If you’re looking for a new gym, you can check them out @eramembers.club

Design by @saccaldesignhouse, Photos by @mashkanani

The World Happiness Report 2025 is out and Kuwait has dropped out of the top 20 list. Last year, Kuwait was the 13th happiest country in the world, but this year, it has dropped to 30th. I think the lowest Kuwait ever ranked was 48, while 30-34 is where it usually ranks. Last year was the highest spot Kuwait ever hit but sadly it didn’t last long.

The results are based on surveys from people in more than 140 countries who are answering questions regarding their overall satisfaction with their lives. The study also takes into account six key variables including GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity and corruption.

The top three happiest countries in the world haven’t changed since last year. It’s still:

1- Finland
2- Denmark
3- Iceland

The happiest country in the Gulf is UAE coming in 21st place. For the full report, click here.

Thursday, March 13
Gergean at Boulevard Mall
Gergean at Alandalus
Gergean at Gate Mall
Gergean at the Scientific Center
The Gergean Walk
Gergean at Promenade
Gergean at Kland
Gergean at Kout Mall
Gergean at Al Hamra Mall
Gergean in the South
Gergean Ya Hala

Friday, March 14
Gergean at Alandalus
Gergean at 360
Gergean at the Scientific Center
Gergean at Kland
Gergean at Kout Mall
Gergean at Al Hamra Mall
Gergean in the South
Gergean Ya Hala

Saturday, March 15
Gergean at Alandalus
Gergean at 360
Gergean at Kland
Gergean at Al Hamra Mall
Gergean Ya Hala

While going through Ghazi Sultan’s photography archive, I came across a photo of the Seif Palace clock tower under construction. I don’t recall ever seeing photos of Seif Palace being built, especially the clock tower. When I previously posted about the clock’s history, I searched but couldn’t find any images of it during construction, which is why I found this simple photo so interesting.

Seif Palace was originally built in 1904, but over the years it was renovated and expanded a number of times. In the 1960s, as part of the second expansion, a new building was constructed which was characterized by a high tower that ended in a gold-plated dome with a clock. Construction of the expansion was completed in 1964.

The Seif Palace clock which was engineered by the UK based clockmakers Smith of Derby, was installed in January 1962. This means this photo was most likely taken between 1962 and 1964.

I’ve been working in the food industry for years now and I haven’t come across a concept similar to this. It literally breaks all the rules for what a restaurant should be.

The owner, Abdullah AlJarallah, comes from a financial background. By day, he manages investment deals and entrepreneurship, but his true passion is actually pizza.

Jars Pizza isn’t a traditional business; it’s a creative space where Abdullah explores the art of pizza making, experiments with techniques, and shares the journey with his small but growing community. He bakes the pizzas himself but doesn’t bake or sell every day, nor does he have a fixed menu. He isn’t even on the delivery platforms and he doesn’t have a store front. Instead, when he plans to make pizzas, he informs his followers about the type of pizza available that day and when. He involves them in the process, from making the dough to baking the pizza. Customers then pick up their orders from the commercial kitchen he operates out of. No delivery since he wants you to taste the pizza fresh.

His focus isn’t on sales, it’s on craftsmanship, fermentation, and the joy of sharing great pizza with those who appreciate it.

The concept began with his deep love for the process and the science of dough fermentation. What started as a personal pursuit evolved into something he wanted to share. His goal is to build a community that appreciates pizza—not just as food, but as an experience. Whether you want to learn, watch, or simply enjoy a well-made slice, Jars Pizza is about bringing people together over something simple yet beautiful.

I’m personally following his account so I can wait for his next drop. If you’re curious to see what it’s all about, you can follow him too at @jarspizza.

The Kuwait Motor Town racetrack is now open again to cyclists every Monday and Tuesday, and it’s free.

The track is 5.6KM long but has 3 different configurations, each a different length so you can pick and choose which part of the track you want to ride on. The track isn’t flat but has elevations which makes for a more fun ride.

There are a number of advantages to cycling at the racetrack over lets say the Gulf Road bike path. For one, you won’t have to dodge stray cats or pedestrians, it’s also a lot more chill of an experience because it’s empty and very quiet. There usually aren’t that many riders at the track and even if there are, there is plenty of room for everyone. You could have your headphones on playing music and not have to worry about another cyclist coming up behind you because the track is so wide making it very easy to overtake.

The track is beautiful at sunset, but even after the sun goes down, you can keep riding under the track lights.

If you want to try riding at the track, they open to the public from 4PM to 8PM on Mondays and Tuesdays. It’s free and doesn’t even require registration, just get to the track, park your car and then ride into the racetrack. There is a security guard there with a sign in sheet, just put your name and number and continue onto the track. The only requirement is a helmet. Also note, you can’t bring rollerblades, scooters or skateboards onto the track, but if you want to walk, jog, or run around the track you can. They also don’t rent bikes at the track, it’s BYOB.

If you don’t know where the track is, here is the location on Google Maps. To stay posted on KMT activities and events, head over to @kmtkw

Although I haven’t been to Palm Palace restaurant in Salmiya since the 90s, it is pretty sad seeing it getting demolished. They’ve been around since 1979 and they were located next to my home so I grew up right next to them. I actually wanted to go back to it for nostalgic reasons but never did and now it’s too late. Actually, I just realized the last time I was there I think was in the early 2000s? I remember a friend had just gotten the first Nokia with the camera and he was showing it to me there.

Some of you might not know this but the Bayan Palace has a botanical garden inside. It was designed by Dutch architect Peter van der Toorn Vrijthoff from the firm ALLDESIGN, and it was officially opened in 2015.

The botanical garden is composed of 3 large glasshouses containing 6 different gardens with 4 different climate zones and exhibiting tropical, dry, Mediterranean and European plants. It’s one of the main attractions for official state visitors and until a couple of years ago, was actually open to the public.

I passed by for the first time back in 2016, and looking at my notes from my visit it seems I had mixed feelings about the place. The garden was smaller than it looked but it was still pretty interesting with most of the exotic plants inside labeled with their names. One thing I didn’t like about the place was the limited accessibility; the gardens were only open to the public on Thursdays, from 9AM to 1PM. So if you had a day job you wouldn’t be able to visit the gardens unless you took time off work.

For reasons unknown to me, the botanical garden closed to the public a couple of years ago and hasn’t opened again since. I even passed by last week to double check and it was indeed still closed.

If you’ve never been to the gardens before, check out my post on Instagram where I have more photos up plus a couple while it was still under construction @248am.

You can also follow the botanical gardens instagram account to be notified once/if they reopen again @botanicalgardenkw

This year’s World Happiness Report is out and Kuwait has moved up the list and is now the 13th happiest country in the world. This is the highest spot I’ve seen Kuwait since I started following the report back in 2012, and now outs Kuwait ahead of countries like the UK, US, and Canada.

Kuwait was out of the rankings last year for lack of surveys for a three-year period, so this year’s ranking is based only on the 2023 survey.

The happiest country in the world is Finland, while the unhappiest place is Afghanistan in 143 with Lebanon right behind in 142nd. Here is how Kuwait compares with some other countries:

1 – Finland
13 – Kuwait
15 – Canada
20 – UK
22 – UAE
23 – USA
28 – Saudi Arabia
32 – Oman
62 – Bahrain
126 – India
127 – Egypt
142 – Lebanon
N/A – Qatar

The results are based on surveys from people in more than 140 countries who are answering questions regarding their overall satisfaction with their lives. The study also takes into account six key variables including GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity and corruption.

For the full list head to the website worldhappiness.report

Here’s some good news to start the day, according to TEC, the Wall of Peace sculpture by Kuwait artist Jafar Islah which is located behind Burger King on the Gulf Road will NOT be demolished as part of the refurbishment of the waterfront.

Even more good news, I managed to find out the names of the two saluki dogs owned by the Dickson’s from my post the other day. Brian Duggan, the author of Saluki: The Desert Hound and the English Travelers Who Brought It to the West managed to dig up the old letters Zahra had sent him and in the letters she mentions the names of their two dogs, Dhabaan and Khataaf.

Update: Not only will the Wall of Peace not be demolished, but according to TEC it will also be restored to it’s original marble state!

If you’ve been meaning to watch the camel races then tomorrow (Saturday) is going to be your last chance since the season is ending.

The races will start at 1:30PM and there will a total of 20 races taking place.

There is no entrance fee and there are three ways of watching the races:

• You can watch the races from the stands near the entrance to the track

• You can also drive into the track and drive up to the starting lines. From there you can watch the camels waiting for their turn and you can then watch the start of the race.

• Finally, you can watch the race by driving around the track in your car while following the race (it can get chaotic).

It’s a fun thing to do if you haven’t done it before. Here is the location to the tracks on Google Maps.

Since the Apple Authorized Resellers won’t be selling the Apple Vision Pro anytime soon, the only way to get your hands on one locally is through the grey market.

Ordering online and shipping to Kuwait isn’t an option and I’m glad I canceled my Vision Pro order before it shipped. Turns out if an item is valued at more than $2,500, then it’s considered high valued and requires a special process to ship it. Shop & Ship have a page about it where you can read more on this.

So far, I’ve found five stores in Kuwait that sell it, @alfuhod, @bestalyousifi, @emarketkw, @mobile2000 and @soooq.global. Here are their prices for the 256GB version:

Alfuhod: 1,399.9KD
Best: 1,299.9KD
eMarket: 1,399.9KD
Mobile2000: 1,279KD
Soooq: 1,279KD

In comparison, it costs around 1,155KD for the Vision Pro with tax in the US. Add around 20KD to ship to Kuwait (if it was easy to do), and that would bring the total to around 1,175KD. Paying 104KD premium and getting it from Mobile2000 for example, isn’t actually that bad.
If you’re interested, according to Best, their next shipment arrives on Tuesday. If you know of another place in Kuwait selling the Vision Pro, let me know.