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I noticed today that they’ve started demolishing the original KTV buildings on the Gulf Road. I don’t know why but I always imagined refurbishing the block and turning it into something like AlSerkal Avenue in Dubai, large spaces housing art galleries, cafes, lifestyle shops.

I’ve heard they’re planning to build a large gym on that plot, not sure how accurate that info is but it would suck if thats why these buildings were demolished.

Looks like the AC issue at the Kuwait National Planetarium is fixed since they reopened to the public again yesterday. Visitors can now watch five daily shows from Monday to Thursday at 10 AM, 11 AM, 12 PM, 5:30 PM, and 6:30 PM.

Kuwait’s planetarium was one of the first in the Gulf Region and originally opened back in 1986. The technology at the planetarium has recently been fully upgraded with a new system consisting of nine 4K video projectors, new computer technology and an upgraded sound system. But, at the heart of the planetarium is the unique Zeiss STARMASTER projection system. Only 19 of these STARMASTER projection systems are installed worldwide and they’re known for providing a very realistic starry sky.

The planetarium is located on the Gulf Road, opposite Seef Palace and is part of the Kuwait National Museum.

Entrance to the planetarium is free. For the schedule and info on the shows, click here.

There is a beautiful pop-up taking place starting today until February 25th at the Kuwait National Museum. The Gardenia Pop-up is an outdoor living exhibition and this year they’re holding it inside the National Museum courtyard, a venue I’m totally in love with.

The pop-up features art, design, plants, food and music amongst other things. It’s really well put together and if there was an award for the best market venue of the year, they’d easily win.

Entry is free, there are lots of cafes spread out both inside the museum courtyard and around the museum. Definitely pass by and check it out. They’re open from 10AM to 10PM but I highly recommend visiting during the daytime because of the way the sunlight casts beautiful shadows through the museums floating shade.

For more info on the pop-up, head to @gardenia.popup

Season 2 of the Kuwait-based Netflix series The Exchange returns this Thursday, February 13.

‘The Exchange’ is based in Kuwait in the 80s and is inspired by true events. It follows two women who decide to work at the stock exchange, an industry dominated by men at that time. According to Netflix, Season 2 moves beyond the stock market as both main characters, Farida and Munira, face off in a battle to make their mark and claim their space as female bosses.

I really enjoyed the first season so I’m looking forward to binge watch the new season this weekend. A couple of years ago, I got invited by the The Exchange executive producer @Beyond305 to visit the set of the show and was really impressed, especially by the props, many of which you’d never notice on TV. You can check those photos and videos out by clicking here.

Speaking of Netflix, Mo Season 2 recently came out, and it’s really great, definitely worth watching if you haven’t already.

This past week I managed to watch two movies, Conclave and Gladiator II. Conclave, was a really great looking film, especially considering it all takes place in one building basically. Super impressive and the story was great as well.

Gladiator II on the other hand, I liked it, but it really didn’t need to be that long. I felt there were a lot of scenes that could have been cut and weren’t really necessary.

Other than these two movies I started watching the new season of Mo on Netflix which has been really funny.

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:
Infested (6.2)
Kayara (5.9)
Love Hurts (N/A)
Old Guy (6.5)
Presence (6.7)
The Bayou (N/A)

Other Movies Showing:
A Complete Unknown (7.7)
Den of Thieves 2 (6.6)
Dog Man (8.4)
Fargo (classic) (8.1)
Flight Risk (5.6)
Moana 2 (7.1)
Mufasa: The Lion King (6.7)
Paddington in Peru (6.8)
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (7.5)
The Last Ronin (6.1)
The Prosecutor (7.2)
Werewolves (4.4)
Wicked (8.1)

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

Below are my favorite events taking place this weekend.

Thursday February 6
Auto World Car Show
Astronomers Diwaniya
International Show Jumping 2025
Jazz in Arabic at Al Shaheed Park
TK Outdoor Market at Murouj

Friday February 7
The Importance of Being Earnest
Auto World Car Show
To My Valentine Pop-up
Al Farsi Kite Desert Display
International Show Jumping 2025
TK Outdoor Market at Murouj
Super Run Event

Saturday February 8
The Importance of Being Earnest
Auto World Car Show
To My Valentine Pop-up
Mirror House 11th Art Festival
International Show Jumping 2025
Letters to the Holy Land Pop-up
TK Outdoor Market at Murouj
Movie Premier: The Devil’s Driver

Paparazzi is a new Italian restaurant located near the fountain area outside Salhiya. I actually hadn’t been to that area for quite some time so I wasn’t aware that the fountain had actually been removed. I used to visit that corner of Salhiya a lot because of the Lebanese restaurant Leila and Johnny Rockets, but they’re both gone now with both locations taken over by Paparazzi.

When you first enter Paparazzi you’ll walk into their cafe area, a small cozy space with a cocktail bar, a small lounge composed of vintage furniture, around 8 tables with a long bench seating and a mirror above with framed celebrity photos. Paparazzi was designed to feel like an Italian restaurant in Europe that has been around for a long time and frequented by various celebrities over the decades. It worked because that’s exactly the vibe I got.

Walking past the cafe area and through the brown velvet curtains you enter the main restaurant floor, a surprisingly large area that still managed to feel warm and comfortable. I fell in love with it right away especially with all the brown tones. My winter wardrobe has mostly been shades of brown this year and so I blended in perfectly with the interior and furniture. I loved all the interior colors including their kitchen which has mustard yellow cabinets and dark green tiled walls, and the private room which used a shade of a light desaturated blue. It’s all very mid-century.

Paparazzi also has an outdoor terrace with built-in floor vents for AC cooling during the summer. I’m surprised more places haven’t adopted this since it makes the outdoor areas a lot more bearable in the summer months.

I didn’t get to try the food, I will in the next couple of days, but I did get a copy of the menu. Looking at it now, it has a small pizza section, both dry and fresh pastas, mains like steaks, chicken, and seafood, plus a variety of starters, four different carpaccios, salads, and sides. It’s a pretty substantial menu, so I’m looking forward to trying it.

Paparazzi opens tonight and, for now, will only be open for dinner from 7PM. To reserve, click the reserve button on their instagram account @paparazzi.kw

As part of the National Day celebrations this month, a variety of activities will take place at Al Shaheed Park tonight.

The main highlight is a drone show at 7:30 PM, but there will also be events before and after. A parade will take place at 6 PM and again at 8 PM, and a traditional band will perform from 6 PM to 8 PM.

So if you’re looking for something to do tonight this good be fun. The image I’m using for this post was from the Al Shaheed Park “Garden of Lights Festival” that took place a few years ago. To stay posted on the activities tonight, check @alshaheedpark

This past week I managed to watch two good movies, A Different Man and Juror #2. A Different Man was such a strange beautifully shot film, it was something really different to watch and like The Substance, it was a great change from the usual.

Juror #2 on the other hand was a good film as well, with an interesting story, but not the kind of film that will stick with you or you’d remember a week later.

Finally, I started watching Dexter: Original Sin. Wasn’t sure I’d like it but it stars Christian Slater, Patrick Dempsey and Sarah Michelle Gellar so hard not to like. This Dexter is the origin story and takes place in the 90s. I’m three episodes in and liking it so far. Christian Slater is so good, I really miss watching him.

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:
A Complete Unknown (7.7)
Dog Man (8.4)
Flight Risk (5.6)
The Last Ronin (6.1)
The Prosecutor (7.2)
Werewolves (4.4)

Other Movies Showing:
Alarum (N/A)
Buffalo Kids (6.6)
Den of Thieves 2 (6.6)
Home Alone (classic) (7.7)
Into the Deep (4.2)
Moana 2 (7.1)
Mufasa: The Lion King (6.7)
Nosferatu (7.8)
Paddington in Peru (6.8)
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (7.5)
The Damned (6.1)
Wicked (8.1)
Wolf Man (5.9)

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

Here are my favorite events taking place this weekend.

Thursday January 30
Winter Garden at Al Shaheed Park
Disney’s Dumbo DAI’s Family Film Night
Murouj Market
Buksha Market at Boulevard
Al-Farsi Desert Kite Display
International show jumping 2025

Friday January 31
Winter Garden at Al Shaheed Park
Murouj Market
Thrf at Solelab
Buksha Market at Boulevard
Al-Farsi Desert Kite Display
International show jumping 2025
Vision Board Workshop at Sluggish
Palama A night of Fire & Music

Saturday February 1
Winter Garden at Al Shaheed Park
Murouj Market
Thrf at Solelab
Bodega & Thrift Party
Buksha Market at Boulevard
Urban Sketchers at MOMA
International show jumping 2025

Lil Baby App is a new approach to parenting, designed to make life easier for parents. The Kuwait-based app, created by a pediatrician, offers the ability to create regular orders for baby supplies and subscription boxes for essentials like milk, diapers, wipes, and snacks. Orders can be placed for fast delivery or scheduled in advance, with free delivery for next-day orders.
 
There are several advantages to using Lil Baby including:
 
Prices & Subscription Packages
For both regular orders as well as subscriptions, the prices on the app are often more affordable than those found in supermarkets. Additionally, the app offers further savings through subscription packages. For instance, instead of buying diapers weekly, you can set up a one-month subscription and enjoy a discounted rate when paying upfront. These subscription packages are not only cost-effective but also convenient as they eliminate the need to repeatedly order the same items.
 

Free Delivery
If you need your items urgently, they can be delivered within 45 minutes for a nominal fee. However, if you don’t mind waiting until the next day, delivery is completely free.
 
Items Availability
As a parent you’ve likely faced situations where a supermarket or delivery app didn’t have your preferred diaper size, your baby’s milk brand, or their favorite snacks in stock. Lil Baby understands these frustrations, which is why they make it a priority to keep every brand, item, and size available always, ensuring you never have to deal with that inconvenience.
 
Customer Service
The owner grew up ordering from online brands like Amazon, where he experienced top-notch customer service. Inspired by them, he made customer satisfaction one of Lil Baby’s utmost priorities.

Finally, what truly sets this app apart is the added value of having a pediatrician providing informed medical guidance. For instance, you won’t find cough syrups for sale in the app but instead a message from the American Academy of Pediatrics on why that is the case. Additionally, the app features an ‘Activity’ category where Dr. Abdallah shares insightful news and articles related to parenting and childcare.
 
For more info head to @lilbabykw

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.

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