Categories
Information

When Andy Warhol Came to Kuwait – 1977

Back in 1977, Andy Warhol came to Kuwait under the invitation of the National Council of Arts, Culture, and Letters, and his work was exhibited at the Dhaiat Abdullah Al Salem Gallery. Fred Hughes, his manager, accompanied him from the States, along with James Mayor of the Mayor Gallery in London.

Andy always carried his camera everywhere he went and while he was in Kuwait he took a lot of photos. Thanks to @5892484, I was recently made aware that all the photos he took on his trip are available online at the Standford Libraries Andy Warhol Photography Archive.

While researching for this post I also found this interesting tidbit from James Mayor about their trip to Kuwait:

I had a girlfriend who was on the board of the Arts Council of Kuwait who had offered to hold an exhibition of any artist of my choice. I suggested maybe Andy Warhol and she jumped at the chance, as did Andy who gave up his invitation to President Carter’s inauguration at the White House to do it. I remember during the lay-over at Frankfurt airport on our way to Kuwait having what I thought would be my last drink for a week or so (boy, how wrong I was!); we were met off the plane by a tomato soup coloured Rolls and ushered away to non-stop parties. At the first dinner we were welcomed by the largest drinks trolley I have ever seen and after dinner the white-gloved English butler offered us all ready-rolled joints on a silver salver. At another lunch a sheik came up to me and said ‘You have brought me Andy, now bring me Salvador!’ Sadly no commissions materialised but I did manage to sell one Marilyn portfolio and a couple of sets of Soup Cans. source

Click here to see all the photos from that trip.




Categories
Events

Maz Jobrani is Coming Back to Kuwait

Standup comedian Maz Jobrani who was part of the popular “Axis of Evil” comedy group is coming back to Kuwait next month to perform at AUK. Maz last performed in Kuwait back in 2019 in front of a sold-out crowd of 1,700+ people.

There will be two shows taking place on March 7th and tickets start at KD20 for balcony seats and go all the way up to KD65 for the front rows.

Local comedian Zahra Al Mahdi will be opening up for Maz. For more information and to get tickets click here.




Categories
Things to do

Things to do in Kuwait this Long Weekend

Below are all the events I found taking place this weekend. If I missed anything, let me know in the comments:

Thursday, Feb 16
Hala Kuwait
The Urban Market
Bugsha Market
The Promenade Family Fun
Scientific Center Weekend Activities
Palestinian Heritage Exhibition
Quantum Con
Atyab Almarshoud’s Show Jumping Competition
Kuwait Riders Bike Show

Friday, Feb 17
Kites Watching in Bnaider
Community Run at Shaheed Park
Hala Kuwait
Spiritual Healing Kashta
Inspire Car Show
The Urban Market
Bugsha Market
Trashtag Beach Cleanup
Scientific Center Weekend Activities
Yard & Toyota at KMT
Quantum Con
Sanad Market
Atyab Almarshoud’s Show Jumping Competition
965 MX Junior Championship
Kuwait Riders Bike Show

Saturday, Feb 18
Hala Kuwait
Ford Desert Challenge 2023
Treasure Hunt at Shaheed Park
Inspire Car Show
The Urban Market
Bugsha Market
Celebrate Kuwait Painting Event
Painting & Coffee
Scientific Center Weekend Activities
Yard & Toyota at KMT
Quantum Con
Sanad Market
SpeakUp Kuwait
Atyab Almarshoud’s Show Jumping Competition
Art Scene V: Freedom in Freestyle
Qout Market at JACC

Sunday, Feb 19
Hala Kuwait
Kayaking for Ladies
Gardening Workshop
Mommy, Me and a Pony Day!
Scientific Center Weekend Activities

Exhibitions
Ala Taraf Lisan Al Ard
Life Forms & Indigo Expressions
Speculative Horizons

Activities
Albohayra Farm
Ascend Rock Climbing
Indoor Karting
Little Jungle
Murouj Farm
Movement Classes at Omni Studio
Roller Blade at Roller Hub
Yoga at Darātma

Museums to Visit
Abdullah Salem Cultural Center (ASCC)
Amricani Cultural Center Museum
Bait Al Othman Museum




Categories
Shopping

True Value Now Inside Sultan Center

If you’re a customer of the main Sultan Center in Salmiya you might have noticed how the upstairs area was pretty dead. Xcite and Intersport opened there a few years ago but the homeware section was pretty poor, like they stopped caring about it.

Well yesterday I found out that True Value has now taken over that department so I decided to check it out. Basically the whole top floor of Sultan Center Salmiya is divided between Xcite, Intersports, Dawa Pharmacy and True Value. True Value takes up majority of the space and covers all the homeware items with a very tiny hardware section.

It’s a pretty good idea and great for shoppers, but mostly because they’ve restocked the area and its packed with stuff now instead of it looking abandoned.




Categories
Sneak Peek

Inside the New Kuwait T2 Airport Terminal

Yesterday I was given a tour of the new Kuwait T2 airport terminal, which is a candidate to get a LEED green building certificate. LEED is a certificate that is awarded to buildings whose construction and design incorporate sustainability methods.

I was first given a tour of the outside of the terminal before making our way inside. Usually, the renderings look better than the final result but I think in this case, it’s the other way around. I don’t think the renderings do the building material and color justice, it’s much more impressive in person. Also, seeing the multiple arches from various angles and noticing how they layer in some areas creates a visually stunning experience that you need to see in person to appreciate.

The airport is huge and not just when compared to our existing airports, it’s proper international standard airport huge. From what I could tell the airport structure had been completed and the majority of the work I saw taking place was at the aircraft gates, the parking lot area, and the large bridge that will take the cars up to the arrival area. I wasn’t given a completion date but according to previous articles published, the deadline for completion is later this year.

One thing that caught my attention while walking around the construction site was how clean it was. That’s part of the requirements in the construction phase when you’re aiming for a LEED certificate, they have a dedicated crew whose job is to go around the site cleaning it up and recycling as much of the waste possible. Right now 86% of the collected waste is recycled which is extremely impressive. Obtaining a LEED certificate involves more than just recycling waste. For example, they sealed off AC ducts during construction to prevent dust from entering and compromising air quality once the airport is operational. We won’t even get a “new paint smell” when the airport opens because they’re controlling the kind of chemicals used inside the paint. It’s a legit operation.

After walking around the airport yesterday and imagining how it’s going to look once it’s completed, I can’t wait for it to open up. It’s the airport we’ve always wanted, I just hope by then we get Smart Gates for passport control.




Categories
Things to do

Things to do in Kuwait this Weekend

Below are all the events I found taking place this weekend. If I missed anything, let me know in the comments:

Thursday, Feb 9
Shrek The Musical
The Promenade Family Fun
DAI Musical Evening: Evgeny Khmara
Kuwait TECH Expo
Hangouts at LAPA
Art & Pizza Bash

Friday, Feb 10
Shrek The Musical
RED Expo
Kites Watching in Bnaider
Kuwait TECH Expo
Touch of Hope
Discover Pre-Oil Kuwait Walk
Kuwait Sieger Show
Yoga & Horses
Qesati x Art Scene
Porsche Club Festival

Saturday, Feb 11
Shrek The Musical
RED Expo
Kuwait TECH Expo
Mega Study Abroad Expo
Treasure Hunt At Alshaheed Park
Workshop: Embroidery & Sewing
Trash Tag Beach Cleanup
Kuwait Stadion
Kuwait Sieger Show
Master the Oats
Love & Art Workshop
Cinema Night at Al Andalus
Movie Night Sea Cruise
Clothing Swap & Shop

Exhibitions
Ala Taraf Lisan Al Ard
Life Forms & Indigo Expressions
Speculative Horizons

Activities
Albohayra Farm
Ascend Rock Climbing
Indoor Karting
Little Jungle
Murouj Farm
Movement Classes at Omni Studio
Roller Blade at Roller Hub
Yoga at Darātma

Museums to Visit
Abdullah Salem Cultural Center (ASCC)
Amricani Cultural Center Museum
Bait Al Othman Museum




Categories
Blog Info

My Favorite Blog Experiences

Last week I posted that it’s been 20 years since I started blogging and that got me thinking about all the great things I was able to do because of the blog. My memory isn’t great so I most likely left some out, but here are some of my favorite things I got to experience because of my blog:

Visiting the USS Truman Aircraft Carrier
I was invited to tour the aircraft carrier stationed in the Arabian Gulf. They flew me out to the carrier on a military plane and then we landed on the flight deck. I watched fighter jets take off and land while standing just a few meters away from them, I was then given a tour of the hangar deck, the bridge, the watchtower, and all the other cool areas of the aircraft carrier before finally flying back to Kuwait. As a kid that grew up wanting to be a fighter pilot, this was a dream come true.

Breitling WingWalking Experience
I got to sit on top of a biplane while it flew me around. I mean, that’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience right there.

Formula 1 – Abu Dhabi
I was invited by the Abu Dhabi tourism board to attend the F1 race and all the events attached to it. I was given a tour of the city by the city, I got front row tickets to every concert including Depeche Mode and Jay-Z, and I even got to attend a yacht party with Maradonna and David Hasselhoff. An insane experience for a huge F1 fan like myself.

Jebel al Jais in a Ferrari
Ferrari sent me to Dubai and gave me keys to one of their cars for a day. Obviously, the first thing I did was drive to Jebel al Jais. It’s a mountain road that many consider being one of the greatest driving roads in the world and so I got to tick that experience off my bucket list.

Visiting Audemars Piguet in Switzerland
Not many people might find this experience interesting, but I’m fascinated with how things are made. I got to visit one of my favorite watch manufacturers, see how the watches were made, and meet some incredibly talented craftsmen. The whole experience was very educational.

Baselworld
Trafalgar sent me to the largest watch show on earth to cover it for my blog. The show which ran from 1917, ended back in 2019 and so I feel very lucky to have experienced it during its prime (before the Apple Watch).

CES – Las Vegas
Huawei sent me to the largest consumer electronics show in the world, CES. For someone who loves tech and grew up reading about CES in magazines, this was another dream come true moment. 

I’m really thankful to all the brands (plus the US Embassy), including the ones not mentioned above, for giving me so many great and fun experiences over the years.




Categories
Blog Info

20 Years of Blogging

Twenty years ago, I, along with my oldest friend (@nibaq) and my sister (@rampurple), decided to launch a blog together called qhate.com. To give you an idea of how long ago that was, none of the social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter existed back then. Gmail wasn’t even born yet; some of you reading this weren’t born yet either.

After launching Qhate, the blog quickly turned into a war blog covering life in Kuwait during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The blog gave the world a glimpse into our lives during those uncertain and sometimes scary times. If you want to check it out, the blog is still up; it’s a time capsule.

When the war ended, we decided to stop that blog and start different solo projects; mine eventually became 248AM.

I’m incredibly thankful for all the benefits the blog has gotten me over the years, including the relationships I have formed, the memorable experiences I’ve had, and the financial benefits it has provided. (Insert all the cheesy hashtags here)

So thank you for all your support.

Note: It’s so weird that I published this post on Instagram first. When I initially started Instagram it was meant to support the blog but now the blog feels like it’s the Instagram accounts backup.




Categories
Things to do

Kuwait International Camel Racing Tourney

The annual camel racing tournament starts this Saturday, February 4th, and will last until February 9th. If you’ve been meaning to go to the races but have been putting it off, now would be the best time to go.

There will be races every morning and afternoon except for the last day when it will only be held in the afternoon. Below are the start times of the races:

Sat Feb 4 – 8AM and 3:30PM
Sun Feb 5 – 8AM and 1:30PM
Mon Feb 6 – 8AM and 1:30PM
Tue Feb 7 – 8AM and 1:30PM
Wed Feb 8 – 8AM and 1:30PM
Thu Feb 9 – 3:30PM

There is no entrance fee and you can either watch the races from the track stands or drive up to the starting lines and watch the start of the races.

Here is the location on Google Maps.




Categories
Things to do

Things to do in Kuwait this Weekend

Below are all the events I found taking place this weekend, if I missed anything let me know in the comments:

Thursday, Feb 2
The Promenade Family Fun
Meet Me At The Terrace
Arabian Products Expo
965 Outlet
Trend Exop
Feria De Kuwait
Burger Show 2023
Shrek The Musical
Gala Performance: Twelfth Night
Trivia Night at Al Andalus

Friday, Feb 3
Kites Watching in Bnaider
Meet Me At The Terrace
Arabian Products Expo
965 Outlet
Trend Exop
Feria De Kuwait
Burger Show 2023
Shrek The Musical
The Stadium – Fitness Challenge
Samra Night at Palama
Trip: Into The Stars

Saturday, Feb 4
Meet Me At The Terrace
Treasure Hunt At Alshaheed Park
Arabian Products Expo
965 Outlet
Trend Exop
Feria De Kuwait
Burger Show 2023
Kashta Show
Shrek The Musical
Rewire Your Brain & Heart
Workshop: Embroidery & Sewing
Art N Dine: Dreamy Garden
Live Drawing Session
Riso Workshop
German Classic Cars Meetup
Qout Market

Exhibitions
Ala Taraf Lisan Al Ard
Bridging East and West
Surrender

Activities
Albohayra Farm
Ascend Rock Climbing
Indoor Karting
Little Jungle
Murouj Farm
Movement Classes at Omni Studio
Roller Blade at Roller Hub
Yoga at Darātma

Museums to Visit
Abdullah Salem Cultural Center (ASCC)
Amricani Cultural Center Museum
Bait Al Othman Museum




Categories
Food & Drinks

White Robata, Kuwait’s Best Restaurant Again

The annual list of the Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants was revealed last night and for the second year running, White Robata won the award for The Best Restaurant in Kuwait for 2023. They came in 42nd place overall in the Middle East & North Africa, one spot higher than last year.

The best restaurant this year was Dubai’s Orfali Bros Bistro. For the full top 50 list, check out @theworlds50best




Categories
Sports

Sign Up to the Red Bull Half Court Tournament

The Red Bull Half Court is a 3×3 basketball tournament that takes place in 29 different countries including Kuwait. This year the tournament will be taking place in Kuwait from February 3rd to the 11th and there are still spots for teams available to sign up.

If you and your friends want to compete, it’s free to register. The tournament winners will get an all-expense paid trip to Serbia later this year to compete in the world finals.

To register your team simply go to redbullhalfcourt.com and sign up.




Categories
Things to do

Things to do in Kuwait this Weekend

Below are all the events I found taking place this weekend, if I missed anything let me know in the comments:

Thursday, Jan 26
The Promenade Family Fun
Meet Me At The Terrace
The Kuwait Motor Show
1st International Shopping Expo
Artists Hangout
Bugsha Market
FoodBuzz
Kuwait Show Jumping Festival
Men’s International 25K Tournament
The Stadium – GCC Masters
The Assima Beats
The Open Season Pop Up
The Improvengers Comedy Night

Friday, Jan 27
Kites Watching in Bnaider
Meet Me At The Terrace
The Kuwait Motor Show
1st International Shopping Expo
Murouj Market
Bugsha Market
FoodBuzz
Kuwait Show Jumping Festival
Men’s International 25K Tournament
The Stadium – GCC Masters
The Assima Beats
Kashta Expo
Trash Tag Beach Cleanup
Trip: Into the Stars
KMT Formula Series
Winter Festival

Saturday, Jan 28
Meet Me At The Terrace
Treasure Hunt At Alshaheed Park
The Kuwait Motor Show
Arabian Products Expo
Kuwait Marathon
Bugsha Market
FoodBuzz
Dubaiyah Desert Cleanup
Sunset & Coffee Cruise
Men’s International 25K Tournament
The Stadium – GCC Masters
Kashta Expo
Kuwait Show Jumping Festival
Murouj Market
KMT Formula Series
An Insight into Kuwaiti Films

Exhibitions
Bridging East and West
Surrender by Bader Qabazard

Activities
Albohayra Farm
Ascend Rock Climbing
Indoor Karting
Little Jungle
Murouj Farm
Movement Classes at Omni Studio
Roller Blade at Roller Hub
Yoga at Darātma

Museums to Visit
Abdullah Salem Cultural Center (ASCC)
Amricani Cultural Center Museum
Bait Al Othman Museum




Categories
Automotive Events

KMT Formula Series this Weekend!

Kuwait will be hosting the “Formula 4 UAE” and “Formula Regional Middle East” Championship this weekend for the first time ever. Both these events are governed by FIA, the same sporting federation that governs “Formula One”.

This is the second time that Kuwait Motor Town is hosting an international event this season and because this is a FIA event, it’s pretty big. The way the organizers are handling things behind the scenes is extremely professional and they’re being very strict. I just left the media briefing and safety is being prioritized above everything else with every decision being made, even with simple things like track access for the media which for this event is only being given to media who’ve participated in previous KMT events.

You can watch these races at the track!

These races are open to spectators to come and watch and there will be various activities happening at the track for all ages ranging from food trucks to bouncy castles. This event should be fun to watch.

The ticket price is KD2 for the day or if you want to attend all 4 days including testing and qualifying its KD5. The full detailed schedule is available on the KMT website but here are the race start times:

Friday, January 27
2:30 pm – F4 UAE (Race 1)
3:45 pm – FRME (Race 1)

Saturday, January 28
9:40 am- F4 UAE (Race 2)
10:30 am – FRMEC (Race 2)
2:25 pm – F4 UAE (Race 3)
3:20 pm – FRMEC (Race 3)

For tickets or more information, visit @kmtkw or kmt.kw/events

Tickets can also be purchased at the gate if they aren’t sold out.




Categories
Design

6 Beautifully Designed Coffee Shops in Kuwait

It wasn’t easy putting this list together with so many great-looking coffee shops in Kuwait, here click on more below to see the 6 most beautifully designed ones. If I missed a place, let me know in the comments.