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Ghazi Sultan (1941–2007) was a Kuwaiti architect and urban planner. He was regarded as one of the key figures in Kuwait’s modernization and is best known for the Gulf Road waterfront project, including Green Island. The project also included a number of smaller artificial islands along the coast with my favorite being Turtle Island (Google Maps).

Turtle Island is a small artificial island located behind the Italian restaurant Johnny Carino’s. It has a children’s play area featuring a giant fish structure in the middle, while the rest of the island is filled with large turtle sculptures.

Part of the Ghazi Sultan photography archive includes photos he took when the project was completed. Although the photos aren’t dated, I’d assume they were taken in the late 80s. The island looked so different back then compared to today!

First off, what happened to all the colors? The island used to be so much more vibrant — a bright orange frame structure, colorful toys, and the giant fish even had a crawl space for kids. Even the turtles that surround the island were painted olive green with brown accents. Today, the island feels monotone. The orange frame is now white, the fish lost its crawl space and just looks like a grey blob, and the colorful toys were swapped out for dark red ones that are now in bad shape. As for the turtles, they’re now just dull grey concrete color.

To find out more about Ghazi Sultan, visit ghazisultan.com or @ghazihamadsultan

Bite Club, my favorite local cheesesteak concept, just launched three brand-new sandwiches today.

If you haven’t heard of Bite Club before, it’s a local creation started by a group of friends who are passionate about food. One of the reasons I love their cheesesteaks—besides the flavor—is the high-quality meat they use. Their commitment to quality ingredients extends across the whole menu; they even make their sauces in-house from scratch so they can control every ingredient.

Today they’re launching three new cheesesteaks:

The OG Cheesesteak – Sliced premium beef, grilled onions, cheese sauce, and mayo

The Pepper Pop Cheesesteak – Sliced premium beef, grilled onions, banana & cherry peppers, cheese sauce, and mayo

The Truffle Cheesesteak – Sliced premium beef, crispy onions, mushrooms, white cheese, and truffle mayo

I don’t like peppers so I didn’t try the Pepper Pop but I did try the OG and Truffle Cheesesteaks yesterday. The OG is one I’ll be ordering the most often since it’s similar to their classic cheesesteak except it uses grilled onions and cheese sauce instead of caramelized onions and sliced cheese. The Truffle Cheesesteak I also liked and I appreciated the fact that they hadn’t gone overboard with the truffle flavor.

They also sent over their chicken bites (Chickies) which I hadn’t tried before with their “Bite me” sauce. Those were unexpectedly good as well.

If you want to try my favorite cheesesteak in Kuwait, they’re available on Talabat, Deliveroo, Jahez and Cari. They also offer V-Thru pick up from their location in Hawally. Check them out @eatatbiteclub

One of the most frustrating things about Instagram is that once I upload an image, that’s it, you can’t swap it out with another one or edit it. Due to the pace I work with, I tend to make a lot of mistakes. I’m constantly editing my posts after publishing to fix grammatical or spelling mistakes, or even to improve readability.

On Instagram I sometimes make mistakes with the headline which I write on the main image, and once I make a mistake the only way to fix it is to remove the post and upload it again. If I catch the mistake right after publishing that’s not a big deal, but just now I caught a mistake on yesterday’s post and I can’t do anything about it.

Last night I published the Kuwait Pavilion post on Instagram and I accidentally used the promoted icon for the post, even though it wasn’t a paid post. I know how I made the mistake, I was working on a paid post in parallel and so used the same template when working on the pavilion post. I can’t edit it now and the post already has over 1,600 likes so I can’t delete it and publish it again.

What’s even more frustrating is that I had two main images I was deciding on for the post, the second one (above) which I didn’t use didn’t have the “promoted” icon. So frustrating!

Expats will now be able to get a physical copy of their driving license. Sounds weird that this is something new but until recently the Ministry of Interior had stopped printing driving licenses for expats, we only had access to a digital copy. Not a big deal if you just drive in Kuwait but the digital copy wouldn’t be accepted anywhere else in the world. This means if you traveled you wouldn’t be able to rent a car which sucks.

Thankfully the MOI has now changed their mind and allowing us to get printed driving licenses again. Mine expires next month which is perfect timing. The only caveat is that we now have to pay 10KD to get a physical copy which I don’t think is an issue. Source

Sealed is a new Kuwaiti dessert brand that specializes in molten cakes. When they sent the desserts over, the first thing that caught my attention was the ridiculously cool packaging. The desserts all arrived inside silver metallic boxes that were sealed in silver pouches that mimic air freight. The whole look fit right into my space, which has concrete floors and silver aluminum furniture. It’s a very futuristic look.

Once you open the boxes, the molten cakes are packed inside sealed containers with detailed instructions on how to heat them up. Sealed offers three main items:

Chocolate Molten
Cookie Molten
Chocolate Chip Cookies

The molten cakes come in two sizes: large and small. Instead of just writing “Chocolate” or “Cookie Molten” on the packaging, they use hand signs, which is a fun touch. The peace sign (✌🏻) is for the Original Molten, while the shaka sign (🤙🏻) is for the Cookie Molten.

I tried the desserts and they were actually really good, with the Chocolate Molten being my favorite. One of the boxes they sent over had a dozen small molten cakes in it, and I took them to family lunch yesterday—it was a hit. Heating up the cakes is super easy: you just unseal the packaging and then pop it into the microwave for 60 seconds. Really convenient.

Because of how cool the packaging looks and how good the molten cakes were, it’s going to be one of my new favorite desserts to take to gatherings. If you want to place an order, Sealed are available on delivery platforms like @jahezkuwait.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Interior deployed new mobile speed cameras across Kuwait. These battery-powered cameras will pop up in various locations and are really easy to miss!

I’ve come across similar cameras in Saudi on my road trips, and because they’re painted the same color as sand, they’re easy to miss until the very last minute. Also, depending on the road, it’s sometimes hard to tell if the camera is pointed at your lane or the opposite one.

These new cameras are being introduced ahead of the new traffic laws, which go into effect on April 22. The new laws include increased speeding fines, ranging from KD70 to KD150.

Stockroom Coffee recently opened their new location in KIPCO Tower, and I think it looks really great. Their Murouj branch is one of my favorite looking coffee spots, and this new branch was also designed by the same architects, FORM. The space has a sophisticated yet cool aesthetic. It’s minimal, but not simple since there are interesting little details everywhere you look.

It doesn’t show in these photos, but there is a seating area. And although this Stockroom is probably catering to the tower and surrounding office buildings during the day, it feels like it could be a chill place to hang out in the afternoon and evenings once the office crowd clears out. The new location is on the ground floor of KIPCO Tower and is open from 7AM to 10PM. Google Maps

If you want to check out more photos of the place, head to @formkw

Photos above taken by @mashkanani

The compound in Dasman that housed the original Kuwait Television studios, and later Villa Moda and Mais Alghanim, has been demolished. It’s located across the street from The Cheesecake Factory on the Gulf Road, near the Kuwait Towers (Google Maps).

I’m not sure how many people who drove past those old warehouse-like buildings knew how historically significant they were. The compound had been abandoned for over 20 years, but I always hoped it would be refurbished and redeveloped either into a creative hub like Qatar’s Fire Station, or a trendy retail space similar to Alserkal Avenue in Dubai.

Besides housing KTV, the first TV station in the Gulf, the buildings later became home to two other iconic Kuwaiti brands.

In 1987, “Mess Alghanim” which started off as a staff cafeteria for the employees of Yusuf Ahmed Alghanim & Sons Co, moved into one of the old Kuwait Television building and transformed into a warm family restaurant. It was also that year the name of the restaurant was changed to “Mais Alghanim”.

In 1992, Sheikh Majed al-Sabah opened the first Villa Moda there in one of the other buildings. He was the first to bring Western designers like Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren to the region. Until today when I think of that store I can’t believe how ahead of its time it was.

As a tribute to the compound’s history, I’ve put together an album on Flickr that includes:
– Black and white images shared by @badshaiji from 1975
– Photos Mais Alghanim when it was still open there
– Villa Moda store after it had shut down and been abandoned
– Photos of the compound taken in 2021 and 2024
– Photos of the compound now being demolished

Check out all the photos here.

Last week I posted about Gaza Cola on the blog and my Instagram account. It’s a new soft drink that was released in Kuwait, made by Palestinians to support Palestinians with 100% of the profits going to charity.

I posted it on my Instagram account not expecting it to do well engagement wise. I always read about how pro-Palestine posts keep getting low engagement, or are hidden from peoples feeds so I wasn’t expecting much but I was fine with that. Sometimes I like to post things because I want to, even though it might not get a lot of likes. Initially when I posted it, it got around 500 likes within the first half hour. That generally is a good sign because it means the post will most likely get 1,500 likes or more, which is usually the target I’m trying to hit.

To my surprise, the likes didn’t stop coming. 5 days later and the post now has over 67,000 likes (when I started writing this post it was 66,9766 and as I’m editing this post its now up to 67,523).

Not sure what caused it but around two days after I published the post it started going viral, first in Kuwait, then the world, and yesterday Kuwait again. It’s super cool, but it’s also been a lot of headache. I quickly started getting a lot of anti-Palestine comments, so first thing I did was delete all the negative comments and limit comments on that post. The local Gaza Cola account @gazacola_kw also started getting attacks as well, and they weren’t expecting it either.

I’m still trying to understand why this post went viral and none of the other Gaza Cola posts did. The product has been available in the UK since last year and the main @gazacolauk has photos of the can and everything so it’s really strange. Maybe my photo it just extra eye catching or maybe its my headline or maybe the Kuwait Towers in the background caught peoples attention. It could be anything really but all I know is that it’s currently the most engaged content on my account by far.

If you want to check the post on Instagram, here is the link.

By now, you’ve probably ordered every kind of cake there is for futoor, but have you tried the Pecan Cake from Overjar yet?

The Pecan Cake is one of Overjar’s signature Ramadan desserts this year, and it’s guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. It features layers of fluffy pecan cake, topped with creamy pecan custard and rich butterscotch, complemented by a smooth white chocolate center. The cake is finished with a cinnamon caramel drizzle and crunchy pecan brittle, and served with a side of white chocolate sauce.

Slicing the cake open reveals how moist it is, with white chocolate oozing from the center. The cake serves 6 to 8 people, and since it’s by Overjar, you know it’s going to be great.

If you want to order the cake, Overjar has 8 dine-in and pickup locations across Kuwait, and they’re also available on delivery platforms like Jahez.

Earlier this week I got back from an incredible 8-day trip to Morocco. I flew direct from Kuwait to Casablanca with Kuwait Airways, rented a car, and drove to Marrakech. It was my second time there, and it’s definitely a city I’d recommend visiting. There’s so much to see and do, so I wanted to share my list of lesser-known spots to add to your Marrakech itinerary:

Eat
My favorite restaurants were Plus61 and Grand Café de la Poste, both located in the trendy Gueliz area. I also had really good meals at Le Petit Cornichon and Blue Ribbon, and on my previous trip I liked the upscale traditional experience of Le Tobsil. One place I wanted to visit but didn’t because they were fully booked was Sahbi Sahbi. I also missed out on lunch at Farasha Farmhouse since it rained the day I was planning to go.

Drink
Thirty5ive and Blue Ribbon were my two favorite coffee spots. Blue Ribbon also has great banana bread, plus the added bonus of serving breakfast and lunch. While having lunch at Royal Mansour, I saw people having Afternoon Tea and it looked great. I didn’t try it, but the hotel is beautiful and worth a visit.

See
Head to LRNCE for ceramics, Magasin Général for vintage furniture, and Marrakshi Life for handwoven garments and atelier tour. MORO have an interesting concept store and Studio Sana Benzaitar have beautiful carpets. For art, visit Loft Art Gallery, MACAAL and Le Monde des Arts de la Parure. If you’re looking for a less crowded alternative to Jardin Majorelle, check out CACTUS THIEMANN.

Sleep
I stayed inside the old Medina on both trips, and both times at Riad Mena. I can’t imagine staying anywhere else. Their Grand Suite is huge, and the riad itself is beautiful and super chill. The team is also really friendly—I’d stay there again if I go back. My plan B was Maison Brummell Majorelle.

For my previous travel guides, click here.

I visited Nasco a few months ago while looking for the local USM dealer because I needed a console for my living room TV. USM is a modular furniture brand you’d probably recognize if you saw it since it’s fairly popular and has a unique look. When I visited back in October, they had unofficially opened their new location, but since then, they finally held their official inauguration.

The new Nasco showroom has a sleek, premium aesthetic with high ceilings and diverse spaces. The building interestingly was originally a glass factory before being repurposed into a multi-brand showroom, designed by Flaviano Capriotti Architetti. The Nasco building also houses Gourmet Grocers, which I previously posted about. Gourmet Grocers is a high-end boutique offering a curated selection of premium gourmet products to quality-focused customers.

My favorite part of the building though is the area they call The Pavilion. It’s a bright inner courtyard infused with greenery that creates a seamless connection between architecture and nature.

Inside, the showroom is divided into two main areas, the Poliform showroom and the Nasco Interiors showroom. The Poliform showroom features the brand’s latest collections, from sleek kitchen units to sophisticated wardrobe systems, while the Nasco Interiors showroom offers a curated selection of luxury brands, including: SieMatic, Meridiani, Bellavista Collection, USM, de Le Cuona, Oluce, along with a wide array of textiles and fabrics.

The showroom is more than just a display—it’s an inspiration hub, demonstrating how these elements come together to create stylish, cohesive interiors for a range of tastes.

For context, Nasco Group has been around for over 30 years, operating in Kuwait and the UAE. They’re well-known for exclusively distributing premium lifestyle products across home interiors, gourmet foods, and even brands like Nestlé Nespresso.

The new Nasco building is located in Shuwaikh, on the same street as Ananas and Al Tilal Complex (Google Maps). They’re open Saturday to Wednesday from 9AM to 7PM and on Thursday from 9AM to 5PM. For more information, head to @nasco.group, @nascointeriors, and @gourmetgrocers.

If you look at a KD20 note, you’ll notice a dhow on it. That’s Al-Ghazeer, and I recently found out the story behind it. The illustration on the KD20 was also based on the image used in this post.

This story starts with Mohammad Al-Maskati. Mohammad started sailing at the age of 6 as a Tabab (helper) on pearl-diving vessels, working unpaid while learning the trade. By ten, he was promoted to Rathif (diver’s assistant), earning a small share of profits. Three years later, he became a Ghais (diver) but later moved to trading vessels.

Mohammad joined a trading dhow as a seaman transporting dates and cargo from Basra to India. Within two years, he was entrusted with steering the vessel. Mohammad worked as the Assistant to the Nokhada (Captain) until 1949.

In 1953, Mohammad was appointed as the honorary Nokhada of the fleet belonging to Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the future Amir. He also began to utilize his experience and contacts in India within the shipbuilding industry. Over a period of years, Mohammad built 20 ships which he sailed back to Kuwait and the region to sell.

In the 1960s, Mohammad Al-Maskati began working with businessman Husain Marafie. Their relationship proved pivotal, as in the 70s, Marafie enlisted Al-Maskati to build a dhow that would serve as a restaurant for a 5-star hotel he and his family were developing, which later became the SAS/Radisson. The dhow was named Mohammadi II, after Hussain Marafie’s grandfather’s 1916 vessel, Mohammedi I. It was completed in 1979 and became the Al Boom Restaurant in 1982. While building Mohammadi II, there was enough spare wood to build another dhow so Al-Ghazeer was built and completed in 1983.

Husain Marafie and Al-Maskati sailed the Al-Ghazeer dhow from India to Oman, Bahrain, and finally Kuwait, where it received an enthusiastic reception in all three countries.

Al-Ghazeer was later featured on the back of the KD20 banknote as an element that alludes to Kuwait’s rich economic and commercial history that is linked to the deep blue seas.

For the source and more details on this subject, click here.

Note: The post has been updated with additional information since initially publishing.

Thursday, March 13
Gergean at Boulevard Mall
Gergean at Alandalus
Gergean at Gate Mall
Gergean at the Scientific Center
The Gergean Walk
Gergean at Promenade
Gergean at Kland
Gergean at Kout Mall
Gergean at Al Hamra Mall
Gergean in the South
Gergean Ya Hala

Friday, March 14
Gergean at Alandalus
Gergean at 360
Gergean at the Scientific Center
Gergean at Kland
Gergean at Kout Mall
Gergean at Al Hamra Mall
Gergean in the South
Gergean Ya Hala

Saturday, March 15
Gergean at Alandalus
Gergean at 360
Gergean at Kland
Gergean at Al Hamra Mall
Gergean Ya Hala

A couple of days ago the Talabat service went down and rumors started circulating that they were hacked. Now Talabat have released a statement saying that wasn’t the case:

We assure our customers and partners that all data remains fully secure despite false social media rumors. A temporary technical issue was resolved quickly, and there was no compromise of payment or personal information.

Bader Al-Ghanim, VP & Managing Director – talabat Kuwait.
@Talabat

I don’t have any of my credit cards saved in the app since I use Apple Pay to pay, so I wasn’t concerned anyway.