Search: “kuwait”

The whole block in Salmiya behind Al Salam Mall is currently in the process of being demolished. The block contains 5 really old buildings that haven’t been maintained in decades, but also contains really old Kuwaiti houses in the back. Google Maps

Back in 2012 I took photos of those Kuwaiti houses since they had put up a fence around them because I assumed they were going to demolish them back then. Then they never got demolished so I figured the white fence was there to help preserve them. Well they’ve now been demolished.

You can check out all the photos below or view them directly on Flickr. (Hover over the image below, album is embedded)

I actually posted about the 5 buildings a few years ago since I had found old photos from like the 70s that showed the buildings in them and they weren’t in that great condition back then either. You can check out that post here.

The 61st exhibition by the Palestinian Culture Center kicked off today, celebrating the heritage, resilience, and artistry of Palestinian women.

The center has been active in Kuwait since the early 1970s, and each year they host this exhibition to help keep Palestinian culture alive while supporting underprivileged women and children in refugee camps.

The exhibition features handmade embroidery, ceramics, traditional foods, and books for sale. Every item reflects the rich culture of Palestine and supports the women who continue to preserve it with care.

Date: Thursday, May 15 to Monday, May 19
Time: 10AM to 8PM
Location: Women’s Cultural and Social Society (Google Maps)

For more info, head to @palestiniancc

Starting today, it’s Puff Week! Puff Kuwait’s biggest sale of the year is here, just in time for summer. Beat the heat with ice-cold sips in colors that match your vibe.

The sale is live now on Boutiqaat, and starting tomorrow, you’ll also find it in-store at Assima Mall, Gate Mall, Marina Mall, and Kout Mall.

For more info, head to @trypuff.

One of the cool things about my partnership with Jahez is that I never know what they’re going to send me, so it’s always a surprise and a fun way to try something new. This weekend, they sent over desserts from OYO. I hadn’t tried OYO before, but they sent so many items I basically got to sample almost everything on the menu. Here’s what I got:

Crunch: Three layers of chocolate and crunch biscuits

Fluffy Box: Moist cake coated in layers of milk, white and crunch chocolate

OYO Crack: Milk chocolate with pecan salted caramel

Pist-OYO: Chocolate bites filled with crispy kunafa and pistachio spread with wafers

Very Berry: Fresh raspberry with milk chocolate and white chocolate

The brand clearly focuses on gatherings, offering lots of bite-sized options. Their bold yellow packaging also stands out, making their items pop next to other dessert brands at gatherings. I like taking bite-sized desserts to gatherings since it lets people try a bit of everything instead of committing to just one dessert.

From what they sent over, my favorite was the Crunch, even though it was the least visually exciting. My second favorite was the OYO Crack, while the best-looking item was definitely the perfectly shaped Pist-OYO (which was basically Dubai chocolate in a bite).

If you’re looking for new desserts for your next gathering, OYO is available on Jahez. If you’re a Jahez Prime member, you also get free delivery. Check them out @oyo_kw.

We had two major back to back events this weekend. Fluffy performed his standup show on Thursday, followed by the Craig David concert on Friday night. Most of the feedback I’ve heard and seen has been pretty positive, with the main complaints being traffic and parking, which is pretty common for big events anywhere in the world. Although having these events in Kuwait is pretty cool, one thing I noticed when I initially posted about them is the negative comments. Yeah, it’s the internet and that’s expected, but I feel like this negativity also exists in the real world.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mohamed Sameh | Content Creator (@mosam.ph)

When I posted about Blue and Craig David, a lot of people criticized the choice of artists. Why them and not someone more relevant? I get where that’s coming from. I’m super picky with the music I like too, and if I’m going to a concert, I want it to be a band that matters to me, like Nine Inch Nails or Foo Fighters. But realistically, neither of those bands are coming to Kuwait anytime soon and that’s ok for now (think baby steps). Some people also mentioned that being seated for the concerts didn’t make sense. The reality is, seating at concerts isn’t the end of the world. I’m seeing Nine Inch Nails this summer and I’ve got seated tickets — no big deal.

But honestly, I’ll take whatever we can get here because we don’t have many of these events.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Craig David (@craigdavid)

When Sting performed in Kuwait back in 2017, I thought that was going to be the start of more live shows. That didn’t happen, and things stayed pretty quiet until just now. It’s still only May and so far we had Blue, Fluffy and Craig David perform in Kuwait. I didn’t go to Fluffy, but I did go to Craig David. From the videos I saw of the Fluffy event and the crowd at the concert, it looked like everyone was having a blast.

This weekend proved there’s a real appetite for live shows here, and as long as this momentum keeps going I think it’s good for everyone, even though we aren’t getting Taylor Swift or Dave Chappelle.

Last week I transferred one of my cars from my friend’s name to my name using Sahel. The process was super easy, like I can’t believe it was that easy. From start to finish it took less than 5 minutes using the guide in the video below.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by كويت نيوز (@kuwaitnews)

But, now I need to get a physical copy of the car registration since I need to send my car abroad. Does anyone know what the process is?

Matcha is having a moment, and Lean is riding the wave with two new drinks that are perfect for our warm weather. The popular health-focused spot just introduced Matcha Cloud Strawberry and Matcha Cloud Coconut — two iced beverages made with premium ceremonial-grade matcha and sweetened naturally with agave.

What sets them apart is the foam: light, airy, and infused with either strawberry or coconut that add texture and flavor in every sip. They’re refreshing, layered, and designed to cool you down and unlike other places, their matcha won’t load you up on sugar or heavy ingredients.

Lean has always stood out for its clean and creative menu — from soft-serve sweetened with sugar alternatives to protein-packed snacks. With over seven branches around Kuwait, they’ve built a loyal following of people who care about what they’re putting into their bodies but still want their food (and drinks) to taste good.

Whether you’re grabbing a post-gym cool down or just want something new to try that’s guilt-free, the new Matcha Cloud drinks are definitely worth checking out. @lean.kw

I’ve posted about re:food before, but in case you missed it, re:food is a local humanitarian non-profit initiative. Their goal is simple, salvage excess and near-expiry food from the local food and beverage industry, then redistribute it for free to people in need around Kuwait. Usually, these food items would either be classified as waste and head straight to the garbage or sold cheaply in secondary markets.

If you’re a fan of Pret, you probably know that in the UK, any unsold food is always donated. In Kuwait, it’s the same, which is why Pret partnered with re:food when they launched. Every day, any unsold food is donated to them. According to Pret’s press release, since launching in October 2022, they’ve donated nearly 110,000 food items to re:food, who then distribute them to the families registered with them.

And that’s just Pret’s donations. If more restaurants did the same, think of how much more food could go to people who need it. It really is a win-win.

If you want to find out more about re:food, you can head to their Instagram account @refoodkw or visit their website refoodkuwait.org

A few days ago I got back from a 5-day trip to Milan. I was there for Kruder & Dorfmeister’s world tour, and Milan was one of the most convenient spots to watch them since Kuwait Airways flies direct. There was so much I wanted to do but five days just wasn’t enough. Still, here’s a list of lesser-known spots you can add to your Milan itinerary next time you’re there:

Eat
Breakfast was mostly at NOWHERE since they were a short walk from my hotel and had great coffee. For pizza head to Denis, get there early or book a table. I did seafood at Pescherie Riunite twice because it was no frills and so good. The Mogo Hi-Fi bar opened while I was there so I did their bento box lunch. The menu is by Michelin-star chef Yoji Tokuyoshi but it wasn’t expensive. Missed connection: June Collective, I ran out of time so didn’t pass by, but they’re still on my to do list.

Drink
My two favorite coffee spots were NOWHERE and Orsonero. Both served excellent coffee and delicious pastries, but Nowhere is larger, making it easier to find a table. I also made coffee stops at Il Cafetero and Cafezal, as they had convenient locations around the city.

See
Check out Time & Style for beautiful Japanese objects, and 10 Corso Como and End for fashion. If the weather’s nice, visit the Brera Botanical Garden and the Monumental Cemetery of Milan. Trust me on the cemetery, it was one of the most jaw dropping and beautiful experiences on the trip, plus Chinatown is just next door. For hand-painted ceramic plates, stop by Laboratorio Paravicini. Lastly, for art, head to Fondazione Prada, though exploring the different spaces on the property was actually more interesting than the art itself.

Sleep
I stayed at Case Brivio and loved it. Great, quiet location yet close to everything, and reasonably priced for the size of the room (Junior Suite). My plan B was Crossing Manzoni, but I chose Brivio mainly because of its location.

For my previous travel guides, click here.

A couple of weeks ago the Ministry of Interior announced that expats are now able to get a physical driving license printed for a KD 10 fee. A lot of people were asking what the process was, and thanks to the Reddit user InsecureInflux, there are now instructions. Here are the steps he took to get his physical driving license:

• Go to your respective Muroor.
• Visit the typing section and request a physical license.
• Provide your civil ID and license; they’ll type out a form for you (fee: KD 1).
• Take the form to one of the counters inside; they’ll give you a paper with your license details.
• Take both papers to the stamping officer; pay KD 10 for the stamp.
• Obtain the manager’s signature on the stamped papers.
• Submit the signed papers at one of the counters.
• Wait approximately 10–15 minutes to receive your printed license.

Ian Caldwell was born in Magwa Hospital in Ahmadi in 1955 and lived in Kuwait until 1975. A couple of years ago, he pulled out boxes from his father’s loft filled with about 1,500 old slides, including many from Kuwait. He started scanning the ones related to Kuwait, ending up with about 300 photos that had never been seen before.

The photos were taken by Ian, his father Arthur, and his younger brother Tom. I’ll be sharing as much as I can from their collection, and I’ve started organizing them into groups based on different topics.

The first ones I’m sharing are photos taken of Souk Mubarakiya and the Souk in Fahaheel sometime in the early 70s.

To check out the photos, click here.

Cantina, one of my favorite Italian restaurants, is launching a pizza pop-up this weekend. It’s a spin-off of their Pizza Mondays and takes place in a beautiful hidden garden in the Design District in Shuwaikh.

A couple of days ago, I was invited to try some of the new pizzas during @chefbasmah’s friends and family night. The pop-up has eleven pizzas, up from the usual four at Cantina. I tried the fungi and the salami, and while the fungi was great, the salami (which also had mustard seeds) is now my favorite pizza in Kuwait. I also ordered the Margherita, which I always get at Cantina. Basmah’s pizzas are very crispy with no flop. She describes the style as “crispy Neapolitan,” and in true Cantina fashion, she’s using only the highest quality ingredients.

My favorite part of the pop-up though is the location. It’s tucked away in a secret garden area of the Design District, the same spot in Shuwaikh that houses Ovo, Cure and the Contemporary Art Platform. The garden has its own side entrance from the main road, a narrow corridor that leads you into a semi indoor and outdoor space that feels like a greenhouse. It’s temperature controlled, so even if the weather is warm, you won’t feel it inside.

The setup is super casual. You walk in, pick the pizzas you want and grab a seat at one of the two large communal tables. The menu is up on a board and it’s strictly pizza and soft drinks, nothing else. Also, no reservations needed, just show up.

The pizzas are small in size, so I’d recommend two per person, which is great because there are a lot of interesting flavors on the menu you’ll want to try anyway.

The Pizza Pop-up is happening only on weekends starting with this upcoming one. It’s open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 6PM to 10PM, and will go on every weekend until it gets too hot. You can spot the entry corridor to the pop-up from the main road, it’s to the right of Cure, and you should see a “Pizza” neon sign hanging above. @cantina_kw.

If you’ve driven by the Kuwait Towers over the past couple of months, you might have noticed a huge funnel-like structure towering over Bay Zero. Yesterday, I got early access to check it out before the grand opening this weekend.

The large funnel is a new water slide that’s part of Bay Zero’s new Thrill Zone. The Thrill Zone features around eight different water slides, including this funnel, which the manufacturer calls “The Abyss.” It’s the largest funnel slide in the industry and looks super iconic, especially with its vibrant colors. The entire zone is very colorful, and all the slides look epic. Oh, and I have to mention, even though the slides look big from the main road, it’s only when you get up close that you realize just how gigantic they actually are. They’re seriously HUGE!

If I’m not mistaken, the new Thrill Zone was created by White Water, since the water slides at Bay Zero look very similar to their previous projects. White Water is the world’s largest designer and manufacturer of water parks, and they’re also behind Qatar’s Meryal Waterpark, which broke the record for the tallest water slide in the world.

When I visited, workers were still busy finishing up the landscaping around the new rides, but everything will be ready and open to the public from this Thursday, April 24. On April 25, there will also be a special event featuring a concert by @sonsofyusuf.

The new Thrill Zone doesn’t require a separate ticket, the standard park entry gives you access to all the new slides. If you want to stay updated on the opening, or need info like opening hours and ticket prices, just head over to their account @bayzerokw.

WK, the popular local burger spot, just opened their first dine-in location—and it’s styled like an old school diner.

The new branch is in Kaifan next to the stadium and has both indoor and outdoor seating, plus plenty of parking. As a bonus, there’s a matcha pop-up inside called @meetmatchas.

WK is available for delivery on all the popular platforms and also has multiple pickup locations across Kuwait, including Ardiya, Fahaheel, Jahra, Khiran, and Sabah Alsalem.

Here is the location on Google Maps and you can follow them on instagram @wkwk.965.

It looks like Tim Hortons has jumped headfirst into Kuwait’s ongoing Matcha craze with a new full line‑up of ICED Matcha drinks. They’re introducing 4 bold & fruity flavors:

Iced Strawberry Matcha: Sweet meets earthy. The ultimate match!
Iced Spanish Matcha: Rich, velvety, and a great twist on everyone’s favorite Iced Spanish Latte.
Iced Blueberry Matcha: Tangy, chill, and berry-licious.
Iced Mango Matcha: Tropical + refreshing = vacay in a cup!

Bonus: Add mango popping boba for extra texture and flavor—it’s a pop of summer in every sip.

The 4 Iced Matcha flavors are available now in stores or delivery.

If you want to keep an eye on whatever flavors they might drop next, follow them @timhortons.kuwait.