Search: “kuwait”

Over the weekend I was invited by Toyota to attend the GR Yaris Cup. I didn’t really need an invitation since I was planning to go anyway to meet up with some friends, especially since a couple of the drivers are from our circle.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the GR Yaris Cup, it’s a racing series where 12 drivers compete against each other across multiple races. What makes it different from other races is that all the cars are built exactly the same. They’re Toyota GR Yaris cars that have been modified specifically for racing. With every driver competing in the same car, it becomes a true drivers race since it’s no longer about who has the faster car.

I initially thought this was a race series introduced by Toyota Japan, but this weekend I found out it was actually created by the AlSayer Toyota dealer and later adopted by other countries. This is now the third season of the GR Yaris Cup, and after the success of the first season, other markets wanted to bring the series to their own tracks.

It’s a great event to watch because the races are short and the cars tend to stay close together due to identical performance. That makes every lap exciting, especially when they come past the grand stands as a group. The races take place at Kuwait Motor Town and are always free to attend. There are usually activations and food trucks on site as well.

This past weekend Toyota gave us an early sneak peek at the new 2026 GR Yaris, which is finally becoming available to purchase in Kuwait. The car is being officially launched tonight and will most likely sell out tonight as well since I know a lot of car enthusiasts who want one.

The next GR Yaris Cup race will take place in January and it’s going to be a big one since it will run alongside the popular Gulf Run weekend and White Expo Market. I’ll be posting more about that next month, but for now you can check out some photos and learn more about the series on their official accounts @toyotakw and @gazooracingkw or visit the website.

One thing I find lacking in Kuwait is luxury men’s spas. I get a manicure and pedicure every couple of weeks, and I used to have a favorite spot in the city, but I stopped going around eight years ago when the quality dropped. So when a new luxury spa called Rainforest Park reached out to me, I was intrigued.

Rainforest Park is located in Burj Jassem across from Al Shaheed Park. It’s a very chill tower in the afternoons with plenty of parking. The spa itself is on the mezzanine floor, tucked away in a quiet corner. Once you walk in, you’re instantly met with a calming interior.

Given the name, you’d expect a connection to the rainforest, and it’s definitely there. The space is filled with lush plants, hardwood flooring, and materials that give the place a premium feel. There’s even a huge aquarium filled with exotic fish.

After checking in, I was led into a large room where my seat was waiting for me, a comfy leather spa chair that wouldn’t look out of place in a private members’ club. I was also served tea, water, and a snack. I then put on my AirPods and caught up on some YouTube subscriptions while getting my manicure and pedicure.

It was a very chill and comfortable experience in a beautiful space. One of the reasons I enjoy getting my nails done is that it helps me relax and slow my pace down. Some people do yoga or meditate, but this is what works for me, which is why the experience matters so much.

Other than manicures and pedicures, Rainforest Park also offers a range of other services including relaxing and specialty sports massages, foot reflexology, facials, a royal Moroccan bath, and body scrubs. Although Rainforest Park itself is new, it’s part of the Kingsley Spa Group (@kingsleymenspa), which also operates @rainforestmenspa (different from Rainforest Park) and @theorganicspakuwait. So while the space is new, the team behind it has plenty of experience in men’s spas and clearly knows what they’re doing.

If you’re a guy looking for a new premium spa, give Rainforest Park a try. The first twenty people to call and book and mention 248AM will receive a special gift. Check them out at @rainforestparkspa

Hopefully it’s not gonna be raining all weekend because there are a few cool outdoor activities taking place. Check out this weekends events below:

Thursday, December 11
Sahara International Show Jumping Show
Jazz & Coffee Festival
RAPUNZEL – The Panto

Friday, December 12
Sahara International Show Jumping Show
Jazz & Coffee Festival
RAPUNZEL – The Panto
Voltaire Winter Market
GR Yaris Cup 3

Saturday, December 13
Sahara International Show Jumping Show
Al-Mubarakiya Women’s Photowalk
Mirror House 12th Art Festival
Journey to Christmas
Qout Market
Jazz & Coffee Festival
RAPUNZEL – The Panto
Qesati – Owning Your Life
Meteor Showers Stargazing Trip

Yesterday I shared a video called Kuwait Nights 1984 created by Faisal Alrajhi and instantly fell in love with it. He created the video using AI, so after sharing his post on my story I got in touch with him to see if he could share his process with my readers.

Due to the length of his project he couldn’t share the full breakdown, so instead we decided to focus on one of my favorite scenes, the Green Island sequence.

Step 1 – Creating the visuals

The first thing Faisal did was create a custom prompt on Google Gemini:

“Create an 8-bit pixel-art scene of Kuwaiti people relaxing, sitting on benches, and walking inside Green Island. Show the iconic tower in the background, kids running in the distance, and palm trees lining the walkways. Use retro warm tones and subtle pixel shading.”

For the pixel-art images, he used the Google Gemini app along with Freepik’s Nano Banana feature. Freepik gave him higher-resolution results, which made a big difference when putting everything together into a video. He also added reference photos he found on Google, like shots of Green Island, to help the AI recreate the scenes more accurately.

Once he had all the images generated, he did some light touch-ups in Photoshop to clean things up, fix small details, and remove anything the AI added that didn’t belong.

Step 2 – Converting stills to animation

Once he had a scene he liked, Faisal then animated the images using an image-to-video AI tool from Freepik.

Step 3 – Creating the soundtrack

For the music Faisal used the AI music generator Suno. He gave Suno 30 seconds of the original song he wanted to use then used the following prompt to convert it into an 8-bit video-game style soundtrack:

“A playful 8-bit track opens with bright, pulsating chiptune synths and a bouncy, syncopated square wave melody. Driving 8-bit percussion interlocks with rapid arpeggios, playful sound effects, and simple bass, keeping the energy high. Short bridge introduces quirky glitch textures.”

Step 4 – Combining the scenes

The final step was putting everything together, he used Final Cut Pro.

So in case you want to replicate this video style, just follow steps 1 and 2 over and over for the different scenes and then combine them using a video editor.

When I posted this on Instagram, someone people left comments hating on the fact AI was used to create this. I think there is a huge misconception or naivety on how difficult and even impossible it would be to create a video like this without AI. One follower left a comment saying that Faisal should have instead “learn how to do pixel art and write music” as if it’s something someone can do by watching a YouTube video and not requiring any talent. I think that comment is actually more insulting to artists than him using AI to create this video. But even if Faisal was a pixel artists, it wouldn’t necessarily also mean he would know how to animate or compose music. Even if he did, the process of creating something like this would have taken months. Hiring a team to create a video like this especially when it’s something just for fun is also not realistic or feasible. AI has its issues, but in this instance it’s allowed someone to create something that wouldn’t be possible without the use of AI.

Make sure to check out Faisal’s Instagram account, he posts a lot of cool tech videos and they’re always informative. @f_alrajhii

AlooChat.ai is a new Kuwaiti startup that’s trying to rethink how customer support works in the AI era.

Customer service has changed a lot over the years and today we’ve gotten to a point where we now start a chat with a business and expect an instant reply. That change is exactly what AlooChat noticed, and they’ve built their platform around helping businesses move into this new AI-powered support world.

Unlike old-school bots (which I really really dislike) that only followed rigid scripts, AlooChat runs on advanced language models. It can understand tone, intent, and even the emotion behind a message, and then respond in a way that feels natural instead of robotic.

It works for both large companies and small startups, allowing them to handle more queries while keeping costs under control.

AlooChat isn’t trying to replace human agents, instead, it works with them. The AI handles the repetitive questions and simple requests, freeing up the human agents to focus on problems that actually need a person. And when an issue does require a human, the platform passes it over smoothly.

AlooChat works in multiple channels including WhatsApp, Instagram, email, and even website chat widgets. This allows businesses to keep everything running from one place.

So if you start seeing improved customer support in Kuwait then it’s most likely they’ve started using AI to help communicate with customers. If you’re curious, you can try it out yourself. Click here or visit AlooChat.ai

I’m planning to go camping next week and need to pick up some new gear to add to what I already have. Even though next week’s trip is in the desert, I’m also hoping to camp in Saudi this year and maybe Failaka, where the image on top was taken by @diam89. There isn’t much time to order anything from Amazon for next week, but thankfully we do have a lot of local options.

Most of the brands sold in Kuwait lean more toward the budget end, but my favorite outdoor brand is Nemo Equipment and we luckily have a local dealer for it, although their selection is a bit limited. I bought a NEMO tent 13 years ago and still use it today so always try and buy their stuff when I can.

If you’re looking for camping or outdoor gear, I’ve listed the places I know that have a good selection along with some of the brands they carry. If I missed a place let me know in the comments.

AAW
Campingaz, Coleman, Magma, Snow Peak

Ace Hardware
Bestway, Coghlan’s, Coleman, Mr. Heater, Pavillo, Wenzel

Al Azame
Barebones, Leatherman, Nitecore, Teton, Thaw, Victorinox

All Degrees
Biotite, Black Diamond, Osprey, UCO

Alyash
Sells mostly Alyash brand

Camouflage
Sells mostly Camouflage brand

Camp N Sea
Bestway, Coleman, Dometic, KingCamp, Naturehike, Nemo, Outwell, Teton, Thaw

Decathlon
Sells only Quechua brand

DreamTeam
Gerber, Leatherman, Nebo, Nitecore, Olight, Pelican, SOL

Naturehike
Sells only Naturehike brand

ORP
ARB, Biolite, NEMO Equipment

Outdoor Kuwait
Camelbak, Campingmoon, GSI Outdoor, Jera, Solo Stove

The Ministry of Interior has warned of strict penalties for individuals found wearing, using, or displaying items that promote or encourage narcotics-related activities, including through images, symbols, writings or logos.

According to an official notice issued under the “Safeguarding Our Homeland” campaign, violators may face fines of up to KD 500. The warningapplies to goods, printed materials, clothing, accessories, and any other items bearing content that incites or glorifies drug use or narcotic crimes. source

I can’t believe this is actually real, it sounds like something they would have announced back in the 90s along with banning CDs with explicit lyrics.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Faisal Alrajhi – فيصل الراجحي (@f_alrajhii)

Made using AI but still very cool, makes me wish we had AI back when I was working in advertising. Link

When I was in Japan last month, one of the things that caught my attention were the Gashapon machines, which were basically everywhere. Gashapon machines (also called gacha) are toy vending machines that dispense cylindrical capsules with a small toy inside. Each machine usually focuses on a specific theme, and within that theme there are variations. The capsules are blind boxes, so you won’t know which variation you’re getting until you open it.

In Japan the machines were everywhere, and you’d just look for one that had something you related to or wanted. For example, I spent most of my trip looking for a machine that dispensed Land Cruiser toy cars, while my wife was after the Polly Pocket machines trying to collect the different variations.

When I got back to Kuwait, I thought it would be fun to bring gacha here, and while talking to the owner of the Korean restaurant Sinjeon Topokki, she told me about @gacha.vault, a local business that had already done exactly that.

Gacha Vault was started by Naser Aljutaili after a trip to Japan in 2023. He and his daughters went crazy for the gacha machines, and once he returned to Kuwait he decided he had to bring that experience back and he did. He’s installed the machines in various places around Kuwait and built a pretty solid fanbase. The toys in the machines get swapped out once or twice a month, or sooner if a collection sells out. They import their high-quality gachas from Japanese brands like Bandai and Takara Tomy, so their selection is similar to what you’d find in Japan right now.

Their machines are currently available at the following places:

Cozy Den – Qurain Market
Game Store – Al Kout Mall
Good Game – Sanabel Tower
Meme Curry – Mall 30
Meme Curry – Avenues Mall
Meme Curry – The View

They’re also going to be in more locations soon since they recently partnered with a big brand (he didn’t tell me which one). They also pop-up at different comic cons and events.

The machines are fun and an easy way to experience a bit of Japan in Kuwait so if you spot one, try it out.

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

Update: The record attempt failed after the rocket sadly exploded during launch

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 weekend the Grammy award winner Jon Batiste will be performing in Kuwait at JACC. The largest food festival in Kuwait is also happening, along with a bunch of other interesting events and activities.

Thursday, November 27
Kuwait International Book Fair
Murouj Market
The Avenues Shopping Marathon
Kuwait Food Festival
Literary Open Mic
Lush Fun Day
Quantum Con
Sons of Yusuf Album Drop
A Night of Short Films & Theater

Friday, November 28
Kuwait International Book Fair
Murouj Market
The Avenues Shopping Marathon
Kuwait Food Festival
Lush Fun Day
Quantum Con
Junk Journal Workshop

Saturday, November 29
Kuwait International Book Fair
Murouj Market
Finding Your Voice as a Creative
The Avenues Shopping Marathon
Kuwait Food Festival
Jon Batiste Live
Quantum Con
KTAA Winter Bazar
Kashta with Madang
Paper House Shop Launch

I just read on gulfnews.com that expats are now eligible up to 15 years. The 15 years requires expats to be investors and although they don’t mention the details I’d imagine it’s not for us normal folks. But, the article also mentions that certain expats can receive up to 10 years residency. The article doesn’t mention how just the following:

Up to 10 years for select categories
While standard residency permits may be issued for a maximum of five years, the regulations allow certain groups of expatriates to receive residency of up to 10 years, subject to meeting specific conditions set by the authorities.

Does anyone know what the conditions are to get the 10 year visa? Link

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