Search: “kuwait”

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.

I always imagined it would be crazy expensive to play golf at the Sahara Kuwait Golf Club but turns out that’s not the case. Earlier this week I got in touch with the golf coach there and after a bit of back and forth I managed to figure out the cheapest way to have fun at the golf club.

If like me you just want to go alone or with friends and hit balls at the driving range, then you can do that for just 13KD. The cost to use the driving range for a non-member is 10KD for 2 hours and that includes 150 balls. If you don’t have a golf club which I’m assuming you don’t then you can rent a 7-iron for 3KD. If you want more balls, its 3KD for an additional 150.

Another great option is booking a 30-minute lesson with a professional PGA coach. The lesson costs 35KD and once you’re done with it you then get 2 hours of practice at the driving range with 150 balls to hit. The golf club is included at this price.

I went yesterday to the driving range to try it out and it’s definitely a very fun thing to do. I went just before sunset and the place was very chill. The range can hold 11 people but there was just one person when I was there. 150 balls lasted me nearly an hour of basically non-stop swinging.

If you want to play at the driving range you can either go as a walk-in or book ahead by calling them up on 22203411 or 22203410. There is a basic dress code, for guys, it’s like no jeans or shorts, no flip flops, and wear a top with a collar. When you call them they’ll fill you in. When you get to the Sahara Club, head downstairs to the golf shop, that’s where you pay and go in from.

At 13KD, this could be one of the most affordable and fun outdoor activities in Kuwait.

Photo on top from @itsgee98

AAB World which was already considered the largest photography and videography store in Kuwait now has a new and much larger location. The new location is still in the basement of Symphony Mall but is now located across from their previous store. The new store looks like it’s 6+ times larger than their previous store which was starting to feel cramped because of the large variety of equipment and accessories they were selling.

Thinking about it now, I don’t recall ever going to a photography store larger than the new AAB World. It’s so big they have a full podcast setup, a video broadcasting setup and an area dedicated to workshops and events. The majority of the cameras and equipment are also all on display for you to fiddle with and try.

I don’t need to tell you to visit AAB World if you’re looking to get a new camera or podcasting equipment since you most likely already know about them, but if you haven’t seen their new store then you should give them a visit because it really is impressive. @aabworld

Kei, the first and oldest Japanese restaurant in Kuwait is reopening next week on January 23rd. The new Kei will be called Kei Downtown to differentiate it from the Kei Restaurant that will eventually reopen again at the JW Marriott once the hotel renovation is complete.

I just got back from a private lunch at Kei and it was great to see the old staff again, many of which I’ve known for close to two decades.

The new Kei Downtown location is at Assima Mall but located on the outside right next door to Pick. They’ll be opening from 7PM on January 23rd but will start opening for lunch the following day. To stay posted on their opening you can follow them on Instagram @kei_downtown

The Staged in Kuwait IMPROV comedy night is back again and will be taking place at the end of this month (January 26).

This is my favorite local comedy show and if you’ve never been to one of their shows you definitely should.

Tickets start at KD 7.5 and you should probably hurry and get some as well since they tend to get picked up fast. If you’re looking for something fun and different to do then check them out. Link

The MOI has started the process of replacing the old traffic cameras with the new ones all around Kuwait. Below is a list of most of the violations these new cameras will be able to capture.

The strangest violation for me is the fact they will now fine you for using your phone while stopped at a red light. EVERYONE gets on their phone at red lights, so not sure how that’s going to work.

Anyway, here is the list of violations the new cameras can capture:

• Driving above the speed limit
• Using the phone while driving
• Using the phone at traffic lights
• Driving without the seatbelt on
• Running red lights
• Changing lanes without using the indicator
• Stopping in the yellow box at intersections
• Driving on the wrong side of the road
• Taking illegal u-turns, right or left turns
• Not driving in the designated heavy vehicle lane

Teta’s is a new breakfast and brunch spot that just opened today in Kuwait City. The place is super cute with a rustic-looking interior and a menu to match.

The restaurant was full when I dropped by but they did have a lot of to-go items on display. The interior is somewhat of a bakery/coffeeshop while the main dining area is outdoors.

They currently open from 9AM to 6PM and are located across the street from Behbahani Complex, where Lunch Room used to be (Google Maps).

If you want to check out the menu, click here and here.

Finnish stand-up comedian ISMO is coming to Kuwait as part of his international comedy tour. ISMO, who is the winner of the title “The Funniest Person in the World” by the comedy club Laugh Factory, will perform at AUK on January 25th.

I hadn’t heard of ISMO until now and I watched some of his clips on YouTube and he seems like a funny guy, but I wouldn’t call him “the funniest person in the world”. If you’re looking for something to do, tickets start at KD15 and can be purchased through Eventat.com

There’s a new fish and chips spot that just opened up in the city called The Fishery. They opened next to where Lunch Room used to be in T21 Tower, right across from Behbehani Complex. Their main menu consists of three items:

Fish Fillet Burger KD3.950
Fish and Chips (dory or cod fish) KD5.950
Shrimp Roll KD4.500

I haven’t passed by yet since my cheat day is on Friday (new year new me!) but it looks promising from the photos. They’re currently in their soft-opening phase but operate a full day from 2PM to 11PM. If you’re interested, they’re on Instagram @thefisherykuwait

Ahmadi Music Group (AMG) is one of the longest-standing arts organizations in Kuwait dating back to the 1950’s. They hold a lot of different events throughout the year and are now looking to welcome new members to their group.

If you like to sing then Ahmadi Music Group can surround you with a 50-strong choir and orchestra. The first rehearsal is tomorrow, Monday 9th of January at 7 PM. If you’d like to try out, contact Jennifer on WhatsApp 66147907 for the location and details.

Yesterday the Ministry of Interior announced they would be installing new smarter speed cameras around Kuwait. The new cameras are pretty high-tech and can detect things like illegal turns, cars blocking pedestrian walkways, people using their phones while driving, and even spotting if you have a seatbelt on or not.

One of the things I hate the most is driving behind someone going super slow on the fast lane because they’re texting or taking a selfie so I hope they install a ton of these new cameras all around Kuwait.

Yesterday I passed by Youm Al-Bahhar which officially reopened on Sunday after getting refurbished.

I’ve been visiting Youm Al-Bahhar since I was a kid in the 80s so I’m very familiar with the place and tend to visit it every few years for nostalgic purposes but also because of the bookshop there which I first visited back in 2014. The bookshop called the Kuwait Heritage Library mostly sells old books many of which are rare, so I like to pass by the guy every so often to see if he got anything new.

The Youm Al-Bahhar village has changed a lot since it first opened. Initially, it resembled an old fisherman’s village built on sand next to the sea and was filled with different old-school entertainment rides for the kids (the photo above of me and my brother is the only one I could find showing it). Over the years the village kept getting more modernized and eventually the children’s games were removed.

If you visited the village over the last few years then you’re not going to see much of a difference in terms of the main structure. It’s been cleaned up, and given a fresh new paint job but the layout is still basically the same. The village has a few shops that sell different things related to Kuwait, there is now a small museum, a rooftop cafe which was closed when I passed by, and an area filled with benches and surrounded by a few shops that sell various traditional food like tea and rugag bread.

The village opens from 11AM to 10PM but the various shops open from 4PM onwards. Entry is free and the village is located across from the National Assembly building (Google Maps).

According to the Ministry of Communications, starting February 2023, regular mail that arrives to Kuwait will be delivered straight to your home for a small fee. This means you no longer have to figure out which post office your package arrived at and then go through the hassle of picking it up yourself.

The package tracking system is also being revamped and improved since the current one is fairly basic and not that informative.

This is really good news because if the post office starts delivering mail straight to me I might just start shipping more stuff to them instead of using more expensive couriers like Shop&Ship and MyUS.

Earlier this month I posted that MEI LI was opening sometime this month, there is now an official date and its December 31st.

MEI LI is a new Pan Asian fine dining concept that is located inside the Grand Hyatt. They’re launching with a six-course special dinner for New Year’s Eve but then will start regular operations and bookings from January 1st onwards.

If you’re interested in the special NYE dinner, it’s 90KD per person and you have to call the hotel to book. @mei_likw @grandhyattkuwait

beIN Sports has announced that they will be streaming the final World Cup match tonight between Argentina and France for free. The game will be available to stream on their free-to-air channels beIN SPORTS MAX as well as their beIN SPORTS’ YouTube channel.

The game is obviously going to be streaming in various cafes and restaurants around Kuwait for free, but if you prefer watching it from the comfort of your couch, you can now do that as well.