Search: “ace”

You can now download all your favorite old games (from any system) from OldGames.nu. I just downloaded SimTower for the mac!! I love this game and its only 1.6MB! [Link]

Update: You have to create an account on the site to start downloading. When you start they give you 5MB worth of downloads.

Someone at the office just got me the KDD space shuttle icecream called Columbia (yeah after the space shuttle Columbia that blew up). I hadn’t had it since I was a kid and so it was nice to have it again. I was trying to figure out what it tasted like though and I couldn’t figure it out. So I checked the ingredients and there was something called Boysenberry. That sounded a bit fishy, Boysenberry, Poisonberry… notice the similarities? So I did a quick search and it turns out Boysenberry is an actual fruit, who would have thought!

A boysenberry is a cross among a blackberry, red raspberry and loganberry. It was created by Rudolph Boysen, and first commercially cultivated by Walter Knott.

So now I know what Boysenberry is, I still don’t know how KDD could call an icecream after a Space Shuttle disaster.. [Link]

Yesterday night me and nat watched Office Space which tivo had recorded earlier in the week. I already have watched the movie atleast half a dozen times but its a classic and always worth watching again. But, this was the first time I watched it censored! I can’t believe how badly one tv sucks! The words fuck and shit are censored, there is a whole “PC Load Letter” scene in the movie which was cut short, there is a completely missing scene in the movie where the Michael Bolton guy is listening to rap, there is a cancer tits ad missing scene, there is just so much cut out that the movie wasn’t worth watching anymore. They completely slaughtered what has to be one of the coolest movies of all time. In the end I just couldn’t handle it, we deleted the movie off the Tivo and watched something else. The only good thing about One TV is The Contender. I don’t know how they got the rights for Sopranos..

Although many people tend to disagree, I really love the way the BMW 7 series looks like. Its big, and its different. Maybe at first it was a bit hard to absorb it but now that its been on the streets for some time its easier to understand. Since many people though complained about the look, BMW went and gave it a minor facelift. I think it looks worst worse now, check out what they did to the cars rear, it looks terrible.. [Link]

I just finished watching the final episode of the season for The Amazing Race on One TV. It was my first time watching the show and I started watching this episode half way through but from what I saw it looked like a really cool show. Don’t know why I hadn’t heard of it before.

Found this really cool picture of Stanley Kubrick on the movie set of 2001: A Space Odyssey. This picture is really cool for many reasons.

Click here to view the picture

Last year around this time I posted about the then-newly opened Gourmet Grocers, a premium grocery boutique at the Nasco building in Shuwaikh. Since then they’ve brought in even more brands and have become a go-to spot for anyone looking for premium essentials and interesting finds you don’t usually come across elsewhere.

Gourmet Grocers recently expanded their lineup with new gourmet brands like Ortiz, Greenomic, and Bornibus, while still carrying popular favorites such as Bjorg, Lune de Miel, Nicolas Alziari, and Nina’s Marie-Antoinette. It’s a mix of everyday essentials and those rare items you end up buying the moment you see them. Ortiz, by the way, is my favorite canned tuna brand, and if you’ve never tried it, you really should.

Gourmet Grocers also puts together seasonal collections throughout the year for occasions like Ramadan, Valentine’s Day, and other key events. For the holidays they’ve brought in Panettone, Panforte, festive sweets, and a new range of Gift Hampers and Gift Boxes. They regularly share curated hamper ideas on Instagram, or you can build your own by picking items directly from the store. Everything is packaged really nicely with a lot of attention to detail, so the gifts end up feeling thoughtful and premium.

They offer online ordering as well with complimentary delivery anywhere in Kuwait, and if you place your order before 2 p.m. you get same-day delivery through gourmet-grocers.com.

If you prefer passing by in person, the boutique is located in Shuwaikh (Google Maps). For updates and product highlights, check out @gourmetgrocers on Instagram or browse their website.

There are a whole bunch of outdoor activities taking place this weekend from markets to hikes, check them all out below.

Thursday, December 4
Kuwait Burger Festival
RAPUNZEL – The Panto
TK Market
Bloom Market at The Avenues
Alghanim Used Cars Carnival

Friday, December 5
Kuwait Burger Festival
RAPUNZEL – The Panto
TK Market
Al-Farsi Giant Kites Show
Mutlaa Desert Cleanup
Short Film Screenings
Bloom Market at The Avenues
Mutlaa Group Hike Trip
Coffee Festival at Al Shaheed Park
Alghanim Used Cars Carnival
Gardenia Pop-Up

Saturday, December 6
Kuwait Burger Festival
RAPUNZEL – The Panto
TK Market
Screening & Sketching – Spirited Away
Farmers Market by Foodhall
DAI Story Time – Dinosaur Dance!
Bloom Market at The Avenues
A Christmas Carol
The Garden of Earthly Delights
KES Winter Fair
Coffee Festival at Al Shaheed Park
Alghanim Used Cars Carnival
Gardenia Pop-Up

This is going to be a long post but I wanted to document my process in detail mostly for my reference in the future. But I’ll give each section a headline in case you want to skip to a specific part.

Back in 2022 I bought a Toyota Hilux. It was my first pick up truck experience and although I was hoping to keep the car for at least 10 years, similar to how I had my previous FJ for 12, I couldn’t do it. Nothing was really wrong with the car but I guess as I’m getting older I wanted something more comfortable.

Unlike normal cars, the Hilux has a leaf spring in the rear instead of the more common coil spring suspension found in nearly every car. The leaf spring is better at dealing with heavy loads in the truck bed but it sacrifices comfort. I’d mostly feel it on speed bumps where the rear of the car kinda jolts. So I decided to change the car and started looking at options. It was getting very annoying and sometimes I just wanted to fill the bed with heavy things just to try and make the ride more comfortable.

The Lexus GX550 Overtrail

I think what got me thinking about changing the car was when I spotted the Lexus GX550 Overtrail while I was in LA in the summer. The GX is the Lexus version of the Prado but looks much nicer both on the outside and inside. They were priced around KD22,700 in the US with the specs I wanted which is pretty similar in price to the top end Prados here. The Kuwait Lexus dealer didn’t get this model but I had a relative who’s a car dealer in LA so I started the process with him of finding a car in the specs I wanted and then getting it shipped to Kuwait. Turns out it was more complicated than I had expected to get a brand new car shipped (used cars are much easier). Firstly the listed price at the dealership wasn’t the price you’d pay to get the car out of the door. After taxes, dealer markup and various other fees the car was KD27,000. Then you need to store the car for a month or two somewhere before the title comes out and that was added cost but also you risk getting car stolen or damaged or something you never know. Once the title comes out then you need to start the export process and ship the car over. So the 27,000, after shipping and local customs ends up 30,000 at the very least.

All the Cars I Checked Out

I bailed on the whole idea and started looking for something locally. I didn’t want to get a Prado or Landcruiser since they’re too common on the roads and wanted something different. I love the new LandCruiser LC76 with the automatic gearbox but I’ve driven them before and they have less creature comforts than my Hilux and aren’t as comfortable. But, I really need one in my life eventually.

Ineos Grenadier

One car I love looking at on the roads is the Grenadier. So I headed to the Ineos dealer and test drove the Grenadier. I remember liking the car when they first came out but disliked some quirks about it. But it’s been around 3 years since I last drove one and I wanted to give it another chance since I really love the way it looked. After driving the car for a day I realized I wasn’t really getting a car that was much more comfortable than the Hilux. I actually found the Hilux quieter and easier to drive and even more comfortable (as long as I avoided speed bumps). I also didn’t like the infotainment system of the Ineos which was small and sluggish. What was really cool about Ineos was the dealership. They have a small showroom and the experience of shopping for a car with them felt very personalized. They allow customers to build a car with their own specs and order it. A huge benefit which many other dealers don’t allow. The car I built was going to cost me KD26,900, so less than the GX. In the end I bailed on the Ineos since it wasn’t as comfortable as I was hoping it would be.

Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392

From Ineos I then headed to Jeep to check out the Wrangler Rubicon 392. The 392 is the souped up Wrangler with a V8 6.4l engine producing 470hp. I think they were priced at KD33,000 but they were all sold out and one car arriving the following month and also sold out. But I sat in the Wrangler and it wasn’t more comfortable than my Hilux and it was too little of a car for 33,000.

Landrover Defender

From there I went to LandRover to check out the Defender. They didn’t have many models in stock and they wouldn’t let me build a car. I would have to buy whatever they decided people in Kuwait wanted so beige or cream color interiors, one tone exteriors and the features that they felt people needed, not what I wanted. The 4 cylinder was also around 27,000 while the 6 was I think 31 or 32,000. While at Ineos I felt I was buying a proper off-roader, at Landrover it felt like I was just buying a normal boring car and I didn’t like that feeling.

Genesis, Mercedes and Denza

Since I was now looking at normal cars I decided to go test drive the Genesis GV80. I forgot what the price was, maybe around 26,000. Very comfy car with a ton of cool features but just wasn’t for me, maybe when I’m a lot older but I just felt like a dad in the car. I then decided to check out the G-Class since I figured if I’m looking at cars around the 30K mark I might as well check out the Merc. I remember years ago you could buy a G500 for around 38K. That’s long gone cuz the cheapest G500 on display was I think around 55K and the G63 was like 65K.

I also went and checked out the Denza B5 and B8 and although both were very tempting (700hp, lots of features, great sound system etc) but there weren’t any non-sponsored reviews online.

Ford Ranger Raptor

Finally, my last stop was at Ford. When the new Ranger came out I thought the Raptor version was ridiculously cool but it was priced at around 21,000 which was too expensive. But, after looking at all those much more expensive cars the Ranger Raptor seemed more affordable (19,500 after discount). The more I read about the Ranger Raptor and the more videos I watched the more it actually seemed like a steal compared to everything else I saw. Online in every review it beat out any other car they put it up with. The only real negative was fuel consumption and the small fuel tank which isn’t really an issue when you’re living in Kuwait. The Raptor had literally everything I wanted, a coil spring suspension in the rear, front and rear diff locks, huge brakes, 405hp, all the comfort features including electric seats, 360 degree cameras, adaptive cruise control, wireless charging and CarPlay, a B&O sound system and various safety features. I was convinced I wanted it so I took it for a test drive. It took one short drive around the block on a few speed bumps to convince me to get it and I did.

Now that I’ve had it for over a month and driven over 2,000KM with it I think it’s one of the best cars I’ve ever driven and I’ve driven a lot. It’s difficult to describe it but it feels like a sports car that has huge wheels. It’s so comfortable on the road over any terrain, it’s also so fast and handles really well, I’ve never driven anything like it. At first I didn’t think I needed 405hp in a pick up truck but now I realize how that can be beneficial, not necessarily for going fast, but for the acceleration aspect. If I was to sell all my other cars and be left with just the Ranger Raptor I’d still be satisfied.

The suspension is incredible, it’s stiff and doesn’t sway much when turning or stopping, but as soon as the road surface is rough or you go over a speed bump the car just floats over them so softly. It’s an incredible suspension system but the interior is so comfortable as well, and it’s such a cozy place to be in. Usually when I buy a new car I want to modify it but in this case there really isn’t anything for me to do. I ordered a cover for the truck bed and I got the windows tinted and that pretty much all I’m going to be doing. There is an official Ford Performance upgrade that adds an additional 50hp to the car which I might end up doing once the warranty runs out. Oh I did take the car to a Ford Programmer (who knew such a thing existed) to activate some cool features though.

Ford Programming

For some reason the Ranger Raptor in Kuwait comes with a few features deactivated, but with the help of a Ford programmer you can get them working. The two features I really wanted to activate were steering assist and the ability for the car to read the speed signs and display it in my dash so I always know what the speed limit is. The car comes with lane assist in Kuwait which is a feature found in most cars. When the car sees that you’re leaving the lane you’re in it nudges the car back into the lane. Steering assist on the other hand is a bit different. It’s used when you have adaptive cruise control active and the car steers itself keeping you in the middle of your lane. It feels like the car is driving by itself since it speeds up and slows down with traffic and steers for you. I guess Ford Middle East doesn’t think we’re responsible enough to use that here? Another feature I got activated which I thought was cool is internet. The car now has free internet anywhere I go in the region. It’s a cool feature that I won’t use much, but I do like that when working out of my car my laptop now just connects to the car’s hotspot.

Dealership Issues

The only negative thing about the car for me really was the buying experience. There was a lot of misinformation shared constantly during the purchase process and I think it was my least favorite car buying experience which is a shame since it involved buying my favorite car yet. A small example is with the colors, I was originally told they had the color Carbonized Gray in stock, so I started doing the research on that color and getting all hyped up about it but then the salesman they told me the grey color they actually have is Meteor Grey. I was also told they had 4 colors in stock, white, blue, black and grey, but then when I showed up to pay the reservation fee I saw a 5th color on display. When I asked why I wasn’t told about that color they told me they only had 1 in stock which didn’t make sense but whatever, I wasn’t interested in that color but I would have been very pissed if it was a color I wanted.

I was then told the car would be ready in 5 business days, that didn’t happen. I actually had to get really upset with them to get it 10 days later. If they had told me from the start it would take 2 weeks to get the car I would have waited but when they said it takes 5 days, but the 6th day I’m going to be like where is my car. They mismanaged my expectations and it only got worse since they did the same with my wife’s car.

Wife got a Bronco

Since I can’t own a pick up because I’m an expat, the Raptor has to be in my wife’s name. When she came to the dealership to sign some papers she fell in love with the Bronco and decided to buy one as well. They told us she would get the Bronco a few days after my car but that didn’t happen.

First issue is that my wife was trading in her car for the Bronco. The salesman said she could keep the car with her till she picked up the Bronco. A week later the Bronco still hadn’t popped up in her Mobile ID so I followed up with the the salesman and he was like oops, we can’t register the Bronco in her name until she hands over her car. I couldn’t believe anything he was saying anymore and that wasn’t all of it yet!

I then kept following up on the delivery date since it was getting close to our Japan trip and we wanted the car before we left. The salesman kept assuring me the car would be done by then and he kept saying they were working on her car and that he is following up with them every day by email.

Well two weeks later he calls me to tell me not only were they not working on the car, but the car wasn’t even with them, it was still at the port. Supposedly there was some mixup and the system was showing the car in their warehouse but in reality it was still at the port. So all the messages about them working on the car’s PID (which really takes a day) wasn’t true. He now didn’t know how long the car needed to leave the port and be sent for PID.

I had sold my Hilux by then as well since we were meant to pick up her car any day now, and since that didn’t happen, my wife didn’t have anything to drive anymore (she had been driving my Hilux after handing her car over for the trade in). I asked the dealer if she could have the test drive Bronco for a few days until we traveled and they agreed, they also gave her a 3 year service for free as a we’re sorry gift.

While we were in Japan we got the call saying her car was ready and we ended up picking it up the day we arrived. You’d think by now the negative experience would be over but there’s more! As part of the purchase they email you a survey form on how your experience went. I filled it up and mentioned all the issues we had. Someone from the dealership then called me and instead of being apologetic which is really all I wanted, the person on the other end was just coming up with excuses. Thankfully, I don’t have to deal with the salespeople ever again.

The Bronco is Also Great

On a side note, the Bronco is also a really great car, surprisingly good. I wasn’t expecting to like it but after spending time in it and driving it around I really like it a lot. The interior is very cool and even though she got the Big Bend which is the entry model the 2025 model comes with a huge center display, a fully digital dash and new for the Bronco sears, rear AC vents. If I didn’t get the Ranger Raptor I think I would have gotten the Bronco Badland. They’re reasonably priced as well.

So yeah, that’s about it. We’re suddenly a Ford household now and both loving it.

Active Arena is one of Shuwaikh Gate Holding’s latest projects (@shuwaikhgate) and is a new modern destination that just opened in Funaitees on the coastal strip. If you’ve driven down Road 30 toward Fahaheel recently, you’ve probably noticed it on the left side next to the National Guard Officers Club. It’s a futuristic looking building in a super convenient spot, easy to access with plenty of parking, which makes it a great stop for families or anyone looking for a quick and easy place to hang out.

Right now the project has Raising Cane’s, HID Café, and the largest PLAY Entertainment in Kuwait, with more concepts opening soon. The PLAY branch is huge and occupies most of the building. According to the manager I spoke to, it also has one of the largest soft play areas in the region.

If you’re in the area and looking for a quick bite, a cup of coffee, or a new spot to take the kids, check the place out. You’ll find the mall’s exact location linked in their bio @activearenakw

Last week I visited Failaka for the first time since a school trip back in 1989. I’ve been meaning to go back ever since, but because I get seasick, I kept putting it off. A few months ago though, my wife and I got accepted into the Failaka Institute for Knowledge and Arts Research (FIKAR) residency program, and that was the push I needed to finally go back.

FIKAR is a space dedicated to artists, writers, filmmakers, musicians, and researchers who want to explore and celebrate the history and stories of Failaka. I first found out about it when I met the founder (Sulayman Al Bassam) a few years ago and they’re now in season 3 which I’m excited to be part of.

For anyone who wants to visit Failaka but isn’t sure what to expect or even how to get there, I wanted to quickly share my experience.

Transport
I’d recommend taking your car since Failaka is big and you’re not going to be able to explore all of it on foot. You can walk around some of the abandoned buildings and visit an archaeological site, but not much else. There are two car ferry operators, Joan alKuwait and Ikarus Marine. I went with Joan since I was taking my dog and Ikarus doesn’t allow pets. The cost was KD30 for a round trip including the car and driver, and additional passengers are KD10 each.

Things to do
Once you get to the island you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a post-apocalyptic movie scene. Imagine an abandoned neighborhood with no people, cars left decaying in driveways, and empty destroyed homes slowly being taken over by nature. I loved it.

Other than exploring the abandoned buildings, there’s a museum on the island with archaeological sites you can visit. We drove out to a live archaeological site in the middle of the island, and an archaeologist there was nice enough to give us a tour. There’s also Wanasa Beach, which has a restaurant and a place to rent bicycles and kayaks. And that’s pretty much it. One night is all you need on the island.

Stay
We stayed at FIKAR, but there are small houses you can rent and hotel rooms in the Heritage Village which you can book through Ikarus.

Finally, there is 5G service on the island, two bakalas and a gas station. If you have any question or curiosities let me know in the comments.

A new building mural has popped up in the city by the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters as part of their “Al Fenn Al Thalith Murals Project” (roughly translated as “The Third Art Murals Project”). The mural was created in collaboration with the Canadian Embassy in Kuwait and is a collab between Canadian artist Bryan Beyung and Kuwaiti artist Yousef Saleh. Implemented with the assistance of artist Laila Naseeb.

According to the artists, the mural explores water as a connective force between cultures, drawing inspiration from the Kuwaiti film Bas Ya Bahar and the world of the pearl diver. Scenes like a father and daughter ice fishing, shared marine species, and symbolic elements such as stamps, seashells, and Kuwait’s Arfaj flower highlight themes of home, memory, and exchange, while flowing calligraphy ties everything together and emphasizes movement, resilience, and the way water carries stories across places and time.

This is the third mural in the Cultural Exchange Program, the first being a collaboration with the British Embassy and the second with the Australian Embassy.

If you want to check out the mural it’s located in Sharq, near the police station roundabout. When I passed by earlier they were adding some final touches before the official reveal. Here is the location on Google Maps.

Yesterday Leica officially opened its first store in Kuwait at 360 Mall. The shop is located in the original phase of the mall near the fountain outside Bloomingdales. It’s a small space that looks like a pop-up, but I think it works really well for them. The photographer Jassim Ahmed Almuhanna (@jassimpix) took some cool photos during the opening, which I’ve shared on Instagram.

Boushahri Group were the local Leica dealers previously but the brand is now with the Qatari luxury group Ali Bin Ali. The store is open daily from 10AM to 10PM and until 11PM on weekends. @leicastorekwt

Thanksgiving is coming up so I put together two lists: one for restaurants serving Thanksgiving dinner, and another for spots offering Thanksgiving meals to take home.

This year there are a bit more places offering dine in, but in case I missed a spot just let me know in the comments.

Dine In

Crowne Plaza
Rib Eye Steak House – KD 14 per person

Holiday Inn & Suites
Al Diwan Terrace – KD 13.9 per person

Park Inn By Radisson
Al Maha Restaurant – KD 10 per person

Radisson Blu Hotel
Al Bustan Restaurant – KD 19.5 per person

Symphony Style Hotel
Cucina Restaurant – KD 18 per person

Waldorf Astoria
AVA Restaurant – KD 26 per person

To Order

Baker & Spice
Four Seasons Hotel
Madison & Heig
Holiday Inn & Suites
Oak and Smoke
Paul
Radisson Blu Hotel
Santolina at SVN
Sawsan
Symphony Style Hotel
The St. Regis

Photo from Four Seasons Hotel

Over the weekend I was invited to Sahara Arena, a new upcoming area of Sahara Resort. I wasn’t there to check out the arena itself, which is still in the early stages of construction, but to get a sneak peek at a new pop-up called The Diwaniya Show.

The Diwaniya Show is being described as Kuwait’s first dining show to feature a full Broadway style production. It’s a project created through a collaboration between three local brands: the creative agency Beattie+Dane, the production company Massive Content, and Seazan, the team behind the Melenzane By the Sea experiences. With all three teams involved, you can expect the same elevated experience they’ve become known for with their previous projects.

Similar to the previous By the Sea experiences, The Diwaniya Show is a large installation that’s being built from the ground up. They took over a large section of the Sahara Golf Resort and built a large theater along with an outdoor retail and entertainment space that overlooks a beautiful artificial lake and the golf course’s green hills.

The idea behind this year’s experience is to give guests an immersive evening where the storytelling, music, and performances all take place just a few steps from their dinner table. There will be two daily shows with dinner, running five days a week. Although it might not look like it from the photos, The Diwaniya Show is expected to open at the end of this month. They just launched their Instagram account, so if you want to stay posted, head over to @aldiwaniyashow

For more photos, click here.