With the roads in such terrible condition at the moment, its such a relief finding a long stretch of highway that isn’t falling apart. Over the weekend I was testing out a new location for my GoPro mic in preparation for an upcoming track day, and decided to take the new highway the starts in Shuwaikh.
I’ve taken the highway before but always exited towards Jahra so was pretty surprised to find out the highway actually continued a good distance past my usual exit. If you’re looking for a nice strip of road to drive on, this is probably your best bet right now.
I haven’t had much time recently to start a new TV series which is why I haven’t published a must watch tv post since the summer. But, last week I somehow managed to find time start the HBO series The Deuce and after just one episode, I made enough time to watch all two seasons of it.
The Deuce takes place in New York during the 70s and 80s, before the city was cleaned up. We get to follow the lives of prostitutes and pimps and watch the birth of the porn industry and VHS tapes, we get an insight into the gay community at that period of time and the backdoor dealings between the NYPD and the mobs. In a way, the series is a kind of documentary thats filled with sex and nudity, but one thats also informative and very fun to watch.
The Deuce was created by George Pelecanos and David Simon who are best known for their work on The Wire, a series which many consider to be the best ever made. The cast is also incredible with James Franco being the biggest name but a ton of other great actors whom you’ve seen before on other shows like The Wire, The Sopranos, The Night Of, and Entourage. Even the kid from The Karate Kid is in the show.
If you’re looking for a new show to binge watch, I can’t recommend The Deuce enough. It’s on HBO so if you don’t have an account you can always sign up for a month, binge watch the show and then cancel your membership (although I’d also recommend you binge watch Barry, Crashing and Succession as well). I highly recommend it. [HBO]
We all know Japanese food is associated with sushi and a whole lot of seafood! But have you ever tried the Japanese curry? It is one of the most popular street food dishes in Japan and is commonly served in three main forms: curry rice and curry udon!
Meme’s Curry is the first Japanese curry house in Kuwait and has over 3 branches spread across the country where we all love food! With new places popping up everyday, we generally miss out on a few gems. Meme’s Curry is the place where the recognition and identification value is based on the Japanese Street Food Concept.
We take you to the urban-cool vibes of the Japanese where modern interior meets local food. Our fusion of providing a cozy atmosphere to dine in and inviting you to blend into our space is all what makes Meme’s Curry restaurant a place to remember. And did I even mention the food? If you are a fan of flavors, you need to visit the place!
Some of our most popular dishes are the Meme Monster with an add on of Shehab’s way, the Ramen and our special dish which is called the Meme’s special. The Meme’s Fries are worth digging in and so are the waffles! Our favorite sesame sauce is drizzled on top of our Chicken Stingers and Ebi Stingers. They pair up as the perfect appetizer to your main dish.
We have recently collaborated with Sayood to come up with a very creatively visualized concept for our Meme Curry fans.
Take advantage of the great weather Kuwait has for the next couple of months and enjoy our outdoor seating at Mall 30 in our Abu Hasaniya branch. The interactive and cozy vibe of The View Mall in Salmiya is very welcoming and Al-Rehab Complex in Hawally offers a very comfortable and laid back atmosphere. We have something unique to offer you in all our 3 branches and cant wait to expand in K-town and across the GCC with more Meme Curry outlets.
At Meme’s Curry, we constantly aim to improve and make our customers’ experience better each time they visit. We celebrated and rejoiced our 5th anniversary in October 2018. We are so happy and proud of the customer fan-base we have created over the years and would like to thank each and every loyal customer who visited our store and made us what we are today. Thank You!
We have 3 stores located in The View Mall in Salmiya, Al-Rehab Complex in Hawally and Mall 30 in Abu Hasaniya opening in January 2019.
You can even order online from Talabat Go, Zitaat and Cravez.
Sony is launching the PlayStation Classic in Kuwait on December 3rd. If you haven’t heard about this, Sony is releasing a mini version of the original PlayStation with 20 built-in games that include:
Battle Arena Toshinden
Cool Boarders 2
Destruction Derby
Final Fantasy VII
Grand Theft Auto
Intelligent Qube
Jumping Flash!
Metal Gear Solid
Mr. Driller
Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee
R4: Ridge Racer Type 4
Rayman
Resident Evil: Director’s Cut
Revelations: Persona
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
Syphon Filter
Tekken 3
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six
Twisted Metal
Wild Arms
The console will plug into your TV using HDMI and will run over USB power. I’m a bit disappointed Castlevania: Symphony of the Night isn’t included in the Classic since it was my favorite game on the PlayStation, so I haven’t’ decided yet if I am going to pick one up. But, if you’re interested in a bit of nostalgia, the official price for the PlayStation Classic is going to be KD35 in Kuwait and you can secure a copy by pre-ordering one from the GamesQ8 website [Here]
Update: It’s now available on the Xcite website [Here]
Earlier this week Xcite hooked me up with the brand new iPad Pro 12.9-inch that was recently released by Apple. I hadn’t really considered getting the 12.9-inch iPad Pro until I realized it would be a great way to edit my photos using Adobe Lightroom. I’ve had the iPad now for less than a week and still need to pick up the Apple pencil and keyboard, but I wanted to post my initial impression first until I get the rest of the stuff.
My current Mac setup at home is composed of a 27-inch iMac which I use mostly for my design work, a 13-inch MacBook Pro which I use as my daily computer, and a 9.7-inch iPad Pro I use for random things like watching YouTube videos in bed or when I want to chill and browse the web at a coffee shop. Most of the reviews online have been discussing if the new iPad Pro’s can replace your computer, I wasn’t looking to do that instead, I wanted it as a supplementary device to my current setup. My first impression so far? I’m loving it.
The thing that surprised me the most is the thickness and size of the new 12.9-inch iPad Pro. It’s thinner than my iPhone XS and even though I had read that in the reviews, I didn’t believe it until I put the iPad next to my phone. I compared the size of the iPad to various mac devices and you can see some of those comparisons below with more on my instagram acccount @mark248am. It’s clearly a much more manageable size compared to the older larger 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
So far I’ve mostly been using the iPad to edit the photos I took of the Ferrari Portofino I test drove a few days ago. I’ve been using Adobe Lightroom and the process has been super smooth. Because the new iPad Pro uses USB-C, I was able to connect my Sony A7 III camera to the iPad and copy all the photos easily and I’m loving the experience so far.
Really my only gripe with the new iPad so far is that it’s a fingerprint magnet (more than usual). Both my older 9.7-inch iPad Pro and my iPhone don’t capture as many fingerprints and it really shows on the screen both when turned on and off. I guess things will improve once I get the Apple Pencil but still, this is pretty annoying.
Once I get the pencil and keyboard I’ll post a more thorough review but for now, if you’re interested in picking up a new iPad Pro I think Xcite still have a few left [Link]
Choosing a Point Of Sale (POS) system can seem like a big task and its one of the most important business decisions when starting out. With so many options and different costs for systems, it is hard to choose. Below is a list of 10 features every POS system should have.
1. Inventory Tracking: At a basic level a POS system needs to tell you how much you to have in stock so you know what you have at the store without counting every item. Alongside this feature, it should have a detailed log of what caused the inventory to change (Such as having a sale or receiving a PO).
2. Sales Tax Tracking (if it is compatible in your country): The only things that are certain in life is death and taxes. If your POS system cannot track tax; then it will be hard to pay your taxes each month. It should also be able to handle different types of taxes for items. Depending on the state certain items (such as food in different nations) are taxed differently than others.
3. Advanced Reporting: Reporting should be included to help you make good purchase decisions. The reporting needs to tell you which items are selling well and which aren’t. There should also be reports to see which categories and brands are selling well also.
4. Customer Tracking: Many businesses will find it beneficial to track the customers they get. This is very useful for email marketing, sending receipts, and just knowing who your best customers are.
5. Emailing and printing of receipts: Modern POS systems should be able to email receipts and print them on a receipt printer or even a letter sized printer. The more advanced ones should be able to print from any device such as a phone or tablet. Generating a receipt from a sale should be a fast process when you evaluate POS systems.
6. Credit card processing (including EMV/chip processing): In this day and age many customers prefer to pay by credit card or debit card. If your system cannot accept modern payment; your customers will be frustrated that they can’t pay with credit card.
7. Employee accounts and permissions: If your business takes on employees you will want to give them access to your system, but you will want to limit their ability to change pricing and view reporting. A modern system should provide the ability to set up custom permissions so the employee can only do what is allowed.
8. E-Commerce integration: Many customers love the convenience of shopping online. A good pos system will allow you to sell online. This is a great revenue stream for businesses and selling online should be included.
9. Purchase Orders: Generating purchase orders can save time when it comes to reordering product. A good POS system should make this easy based on stock level and supplier. This can save a business a lot of time to be able to generate these fast.
10. Cash Management: It is important to make sure your cash is correct in the register and the employees aren’t stealing from you. A good cash management system is important when choosing a POS system.
Picking a POS system and starting a business is hard enough. The list above should help you narrow down what you need to focus on when picking a system. Cybersys Point Of Sale has all of these features and is very affordable and easy to set up.
A friend sent me the drone footage above of the Fahaheel Expressway flooded in Mangaf. The highway is completely submerged underwater and looks like a river. It’s supposed to rain worse tonight… [YouTube]
My favorite local band Galaxy Juice released a new music video last week called Pantagonia. It’s a track from their upcoming EP and like all their previous music videos, it’s pretty weird and trippy so check it out above.
Last week I posted about how the housekeepers category on the popular 4Sale website bothered me since they were basically allowing housekeepers to be sold like slaves (check the picture above). Someone at 4Sale definitely reads my blog since that same night they started cleaning up the housekeepers category. They removed all the posts where housekeepers were being sold in and introduced a new set of rules. When you now visit the housekeepers category on their website you get the popup below:
Roughly translated, the pop up says the following:
Dear customers, in accordance with the instructions from the cybercrime unit at the Ministry of Interior, please take into consideration the following points when posting advertisements in the housekeepers category:
– avoid posting pictures of the housekeepers or copies of their official documents
– avoid using the word maid and instead describe them as domestic workers
– you’re not allowed to mention their religion, skin color or price
– you’re not allowed to use the word for sale
Actually, now that I think about it, it’s possible that someone from the cybercrime unit actually reads my blog and not 4Sale. In any case, I still think more can be done by 4Sale. While browsing through the category I found a few posts that violated the new rules, but I personally think the whole category needs to be shut down anyway.
Best Electronics have a new service which uses tech by the company Doob to 3D scan your full body and then print you out as a miniature figurine. The result looks pretty realistic and they have a lot of different examples on display for you to check out. I held one figurine and it felt light and fragile, so I wouldn’t give it to a kid to play with, they’re more for displaying not for playing with.
Although it’s pretty cool, especially if you end up getting a 3D scan of you and your friends together, there are two big negatives. The first is that they print these figurines in Germany, which means you need to wait around three weeks to see the results. The second thing is the cost. They can print different sizes figurines but the smallest one which is shorter than your iPhone costs KD40, while the largest size is KD230. If you and your friends get a group shot you have to pay per individual. So if you’re four guys and you want to print out the smallest size that’s 4 x KD40 for one copy.
If you’re interested to check this out, the “Doob” booth is located in Best Electronics at Boulevard in Salmiya. [Google Maps]
We’ve all been there. The AC starts leaking in the middle of a humid day; you need the new apartment cleaned before you move in; or you just can’t figure out why the power keeps cutting every 5 minutes.
Now what?
You can spend 20 minutes looking through promoted listings in the newspaper, and another 15 minutes trying to get a hold of someone over the phone.
Or you can use the MyHome app instead — and have your home maintenance provider assigned and on their way to you in under 5 minutes.
MyHome makes everything about finding the right maintenance solution faster, simple than anything you’ve ever tried before. Here’s how:
1. Professionals You Can Trust
MyHome only connects you with professionals that enjoy a great reputation and have several years of technical experience in their respective fields. Every service provider that’s part of the MyHome network has already been vetted for quality of service and must adhere to a strict standard of behaviour and ethics. We guarantee you’ll get the kind of help you can trust, every time.
2. Fast Response Time
Remember when you had to wait for a full day before your AC’s maintenance company could send for a technician? Well, with MyHome, you can cut that time down from one day to 30 minutes MyHome gets your problem fixed ASAP by pairing you with the right service provider in as fast as 30 seconds.
3. Clear & Simple
Long gone are the days of haggling over every little service. MyHome gives you the power to choose your exact problem, with the price clearly listed for you to pay upfront. Or, if you’d like to have a technician come over and assess, it’ll only cost you 5 KD (the 5 KD will then be credited to any additional works).
In need to book multiple services on the same day? MyHome’s got you covered there too – select all the different services you need directly on the app and leave the rest up to us.
MyHome lets you keep full control over your data throughout your use of the mobile app. You can choose to delete all of your stored data with the MyHome app or request a copy of your stored data whenever you like. As a GDPR compliant application, MyHome places the safety and privacy of each user as a top priority.
MyHome currently provides the following home maintenance services:
– Cleaning
– Air Conditioning
– Plumbing
– Electrician
– Satellite
– Painting
– Cameras
– Appliances
– Palm Tree
– Gardening
– Pest Control
Not sure how I didn’t hear about this earlier but Anas Abdin, an expat living in Kuwait is currently suing CBS and Netflix in the US for copyright infringement. Anas is an indie game developer and the new Star Trek seems to have copied a lot of ideas from his game Tardigrades.
I just watched the video on top that explains the lawsuit and I can’t believe how much Star Trek ripped off from his game so I hope he wins.
He has a bit more information about the lawsuit on his website so check it out [Link]
Because I live in an apartment building that was constructed in the 80s, the central AC is no longer strong enough to cope with the hot weather and so I installed a couple of split units in my place. A couple of evenings ago I noticed that one of the units had ran out of refrigerant gas since it was blowing out uncooled air. So I called up the Xcite support number and connected to their AC service department.
The whole experience was super smooth, I told the guy I needed someone to come over check my AC since it wasn’t working. He asked me what brand my AC was, he then confirmed my address (they have my mobile number on their system) and then told me that they would send someone over the next morning and that the cost to send someone over was KD10, but that amount would be deducted from the repair cost.
Next day I get a call from the repair guy asking if I was home, then two guys come over, check the AC and let me know there was a refrigerant leak. They fix the leak, refill my unit with refrigerant gas and charge me KD15 for the whole thing. In under an hour, they were gone.
This was the second time I had a great experience with their AC service department. I love how quick they are in sending someone over and how smooth the whole process is which is why I wanted to post about them. If you ever run into AC trouble and want to get things fixed asap, I highly recommend you give them a call. Their number is 1803535.
Since Mogahwi closed down next to my place in Salmiya, I’ve resorted to going to Jarir in Boulevard Mall since that’s currently the closest decent stationary shop to me. But, I might stop doing that after dropping by Mogahwi’s Kuwait City location yesterday.
I used to pass by the Kuwait City branch whenever I needed anything urgently for work since it’s right down the street from me. But the store was old and outdated and I generally didn’t like shopping there.
But recently they gave the Kuwait City store a much-needed facelift. Other than the fact they’ve improved the lighting and given the space a paint job, they’ve also expanded the store and brought in a lot more brands and new items. They’ve now got a much larger variety of arts and crafts supplies as well as a large variety of spray paint brands including popular brands like Montana. They even have their own resident artist.
So if you’re a fan of Mogahwi but hated the Kuwait City store like me, then you should pass by now and check it out. They’re open daily from 9AM to 9PM except for Fridays when they open from 4:30PM. Here is their location on [Google Maps]
PS: If you’re a Copic Markers fan they now carry a very large assortment of their pens. (they still cost an arm and a leg though)
