Search: “kuwait”

‘Deport Jet-Ski Show-Offs’
Personnel from the Kuwait Coast Guard, during a surprise campaign off Kubbar Island, are said to have seized a number of jet skis and speed boats for what the authorities called reckless behavior of the youths, reports Al-Rai daily. The campaign was headed by Assistant Undersecretary for Borders Security, Major- General Mohammad Al-Yusuf. Al-Yusuf has reportedly requested for the deportation of expatriates after impounding their jet skis and boats and referring the citizens to the concerned authorities for endangering the lives of others and causing disturbance to families and visitors to the island. [Source]

This is overkill. Kinda like back when they imposed a KD1,000 fine for barbecuing in public locations. I’m not saying annoying jet-skiers shouldn’t be punished, what I’m saying is that the punishment should fit the crime. Are people who are running red lights being deported?

Thanks Naveen

I haven’t posted anything all day today because I was honestly contemplating on what to do about the comments. Recently they’ve started getting really nasty and I even had to delete my post on the dog shooting videos because I got threatened by a reader in one of the comments.

Freedom of speech does not include threats or random accusations.

My commentators can basically be divided into 3 groups:
1- Normal expats and Kuwaitis
2- Expats who really hate Kuwait
3- Kuwaitis who really hate expats

The last two groups are the issue and I think I’m going to start moderating the comments even more so than I currently am unless the two groups can learn to respect each other in every discussion. It’s frustrating and upsetting how ugly things can get.

I’m not going to change anything for now, but if this continues to happen I’m going to start deleting a lot more comments which I don’t want to do.

So please, lets make this work.
Thank you.

Back in April I bought the Bang & Olufsen A9 sound system for my apartment. The A9 had looked so beautiful in the store but when it came time to take photos of it for my blog I just couldn’t make it look good which is why I ended up using stock photos from their website instead. I realized I couldn’t make it look good because my apartment looked horrible. Around the same time I was invited by the team at West Elm in Avenues to pass by and check out their store. I had only passed by the store from outside before and had gotten the impression it was an expensive brand so never really went in. But on that day I got shown around the place and I just fell in love with everything since their furniture had a very New York loft feel. Then I found out their prices were slightly more expensive than IKEA but less than THE One and it hit me, I needed a makeover. My apartment was looking outdated and I needed a fresh start anyway with my recent divorce and all so I asked them if they’d be interested in doing a makeover and they liked the idea. Last week I finally had everything done.

My apartment is a beautiful duplex located in one of my favorite places in Kuwait, the old Salmiya shopping street. The apartment has very nice space and a lot of potential but wasn’t getting any TLC. When I first moved in I was broke and couldn’t afford to furnish it properly and then later when I did have money I was spending it all on my apartment in Lebanon. Not only that but the walls had the most horrible colors that somehow seemed like a good idea years ago. The first thing I did when West Elm came over to check my place out was let them know what my issues were with the current setup and what I was expecting from the makeover. For example my living space had enough seating for around 5 people so when my friends were coming over I wouldn’t have enough space for everyone and the space I already had was very focused around the TV. I couldn’t have big lunches or dinners at my place either since my dinning room table fit only 4 people. I hated the lights in my apartment, I hated my kitchen which was an ugly purple and my living space was a bright magenta (it was a phase I went through so don’t judge me) which I honestly couldn’t stand anymore. I didn’t want a TV in my new space because I thought having a TV would be anti social plus I already had a TV room upstairs. I wanted the space to be very social and one that could hold a lot of people. Usually when people come over the groups are divided between the kitchen and the living space so I wanted people sitting in the living space to be facing the kitchen so they’re more connected. Finally I needed to have my iMac downstairs because I do most of my work on my iMac and I didn’t want to take any work with me upstairs. Based on those criteria’s we sat down and decided what we were going to do.

The first thing we decided on obviously was to change the color of the walls. They recommended I go with a dark grey which I was hesitant to at first but now I’m so glad I did. I also ended up ordering really beautiful Orla Kiely wallpaper to add a bit of color to the walls. I’ve loved Orla Kiely’s stem patterns for a very long time and figured it would give a slightly retro feel to the space which it did. I’ve also always loved baby blue walls and thought it would match perfectly with my KitchenAid Mixer so I had my kitchen painted a baby blue. I actually ended up repainting my whole apartment including my bedroom and my TV room since after I saw what a big difference it made to my space downstairs I wanted to change everything.

On my first visit to the West Elm store the first thing that caught my eye was an incredible bookcase/sculpture they had on display. I right away asked them about it and they told me it wasn’t for sale and that it was actually built by one of their talented employees out of wood recycled from their crates. It was love at first sight and I knew I had to have it. So after nagging them about it they finally told me I could take it. This was going to be the centerpiece to my living space. It was just insane looking, it wasn’t perfect, it had flaws and it was all over the place but that’s who I was and that’s why I needed this.

For the couch we decided to go with the Tillary 8-piece Sectional. It was comfortable, cozy and it would fit perfectly in my space while holding a lot of people. It came in a bunch of colors but I wanted grey which I thought was very bachelor pad’ish and worked well with the wallpaper and the black glossy floor. For the dinning room table we went with the Parker Dining Table. I liked it because it was minimal while still looking slightly retro like my wallpaper and it was also expandable so it could hold 6 people when closed and 8 when open. To give the table a funky touch we chose the John Vogel designed chairs and got matching barstool versions to use with my kitchen bar. Finally the accessories and lights, they had a ton to choose from and other than the lights I let them decide on the accessories for me and damn what a difference the accessories make. The rugs and the random accessories on my tables all around the apartment just give the place such a warm and cozy feel.

I can’t believe how my place looks so different after the makeover. I still need to buy my dinnerware and a few more accessories from them but the overall look is done. The difference is night and day and I now love spending time chilling on my couch listening to music while browsing on my iPad or hanging out with friends. Friends are also loving the fact that I don’t have a TV in the space since without it all the attention goes on socializing. To think all this started because of my Bang & Olufsen A9. I just wanted it to look good at home and I ended up getting a whole makeover done around it. Now my A9 looks like it was made for the space and the bookcase looks like it was built around it. If you’re interested in checking them out, West Elm is located in Avenues Phase III near Harvey Nichols and opposite Life with Cacao. Here is a link to their [Facebook Page]

Photos of the bookcase and accessories were taken by the super talented @tammyque

Those of you who’ve been following my blog for awhile will remember the story about the old photographer in Kuwait City. If you don’t this old post of mine has links to all the previous posts on him [Link]

On my way to the original Kuwait Bookshop last night I decided to pass by and see if the old photographer was still there. I tried passing by a few times over the years but the store was always closed when I did. Last night he was there. I walked into the store and said hello, right away he made me sit down in the one chair in the store while he stood next t ome. The store was a mess with papers, photos and boxes lying around everywhere. The store was no longer functioning, he wasn’t developing photos or doing photocopies, or selling anything for that matter. He asked me who I was, I wasn’t expecting him to remember me since he’s 92 years old and he as expected he didn’t. I asked him what had happened to his collection of old cameras and he told me they were stolen awhile back. He then proceeded to tell me about how he was robbed of KD15 as well. I was having difficulty trying to understand what he was saying since he was kind of all over the place. While sitting in the chair I noticed some old black and white photos of a fire in the city taken back in what could be the 60s. He had previously told me he had sold all his photos but I guess there must be some random ones lying around the place.

I couldn’t stay long and had to leave but I asked him if he needed anything and he told me if I knew of someone decent who could come and clean up the store for him. Someone who wouldn’t steal from him. I told him I’d get it sorted and come by next week.

I figured I could go to the store with some volunteers and just tidy the place up and throw out the garbage. I wouldn’t want someone else to do it since they might end up throwing out his old photos which I think should be preserved. Now I’m not good at organizing cleanups, I’ve never actually organized anything before (I think) but if anyone wants to come and help me clean up and tidy his store next Sunday or Tuesday evening then [Email Me]

On a side note I have no idea what else can be done to help him out. He clearly needs someone to take care of him and he has no one…

[Source]

At least the color matches with her backup dancers.

Thanks Ahmed via

A Japanese Pop Culture Festival will be held at the National Library of Kuwait on September 12 and 13 in corporation with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and the Japanese Embassy. The Festival will include various events, among them will be a Shadowloo Showdown qualifier, Anime drawing contest, figure drawing contest and a cosplay contest.

Date: Thursday September 12 and Friday September 13, 2013
Time: 6PM
Location: National Library of Kuwait

Shadowloo Showdown includes the following games: Super Street Fighter 4: Arcade Edition ver. 2012, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, King of Fighters XIII. To sign up to it or for more information on this festival visit this [Link]

via 360dewan

The Interior Ministry in cooperation with the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) is said to be looking for ‘pet’ wild animals which put at risk the lives of citizens and residents, reports Al- Anba daily. The authorities have called on residents and citizens to notify them if they are aware of any wild animals in their vicinity. The daily added, the authorities plan to confiscate wild (pet) animals and punish their keepers.

This is done in the best interests and safety of the people. The sources added the Kuwaiti Penal Code punishes those who neglect animals and the civil law punishes the owner by forcing him to compensate the victim if attacked by the wild animal.

The source pointed the concerned authorities have received several complaints accusing people of breeding wild animals such as tigers, lions and crocodiles. Meanwhile, a Kuwaiti man shot dead a crocodile with a bullet to his head after the reptile crept into his house recently in Salwa, reports Al-Rai daily.

According to reports the man was at work and his maid called him to say she could not enter the house because a big lizard was in the doorway. The man rushed home and found the ‘pet’ crocodile which had reportedly escaped from its keep from a neighboring house. [Source]

It’s about damn time.

via desertgirl

A car that was stolen four months back was found not by the police parked behind a police station. Hilarious. [Link]

Had a great salmon dish today and I think its currently my favorite salmon dish in Kuwait. Surprisingly I had it at The ONE restaurant in Marina Mall. Who would have figured.

Yesterday I passed by a small Jamaican restaurant that’s run by a Jamaican woman living in Kuwait. I only found out about the place last week from the owner of Caribbean Hut but turns out Taste of Jamaica has been around for awhile now. This is another hole in the wall place that had around four small tables inside an a few outside. The interior was decorated with Jamaican ornaments like flags and photos of Bob Marley while the radio was pumping out some Jamaican tunes. I think everyone who was working at the place was Jamaican although I should have asked just to be sure.

I never had Jamaican food before but one of my friends had before moving to Kuwait so we put him in charge of ordering and we ended up with the following dishes:

Caribbean Shrimp KD3.5
Jerk Chicken KD3.5
Braised Oxtails KD3.5
Curry Goat KD3.5
Spinach Rice KD0.800
Rice & Peas KD0.800
Baked Potato KD0.800

We had also ordered sides of Stir Fried Okras, Jamaican Patty, Corn Bread and Mac & Cheese but we were told they were out of them.

Once the food arrived my first impression was that the presentation of the dishes weren’t as good as Caribbean Hut. The dinnerware were regular looking and the food was just filled onto the plates like you would at home. The food on the other hand tasted a lot better than it looked. I’m not a fan of chicken on bone but my friend who had the Jerk Chicken thought it was pretty good. The caribbean Shrimp was good, nothing special but the Braised Oxtails and the Curry Goat were the two dishes with lots of flavor. Between the two, Curry Goat was my favorite but the oxtails was super tender as well. They both had new exciting flavors I hadn’t tasted before which is what I was hoping to experience by visiting this place.

On the negative side I thought the prices were a bit high especially when compared to Caribbean Hut which I thought was a super good deal. But other than that I found the place interesting and worth passing by just for the experience especially if you’re bored of your regular routine and are looking for something new to try out.

Taste of Jamaica is located in Mangaf, Block 4, Street 19 and Building #1. Their phone number is 67086852 and they’re open from 5AM to 11PM.

According to the FlyDubai website, starting from September 15 they will be flying into and out of Kuwait from the Sheikh Saad General Aviation Terminal at Kuwait Airport. The Sheikh Saad terminal was previously used by Wataniya Airways before they went bankrupt. [Link]

No idea what the building used to be but I found the door open and just walked in. It’s located in the parking lot behind Jashanmal in Kuwait City. Like all old Kuwaiti buildings there’s lot of nice open space inside and someone really should take the building over and renovate it.

Not sure if all the parking lots in Kuwait have increased their prices but all the ones I’ve been to this month now have a minimum charge of 200fils for the first hour instead of 100fils.

I’ve been spending a lot of time at the beach this summer and one of my most important summer accessories I’ve been using is my iPhone5 LifeProof case. It’s my need-to-have accessory since it allows me to use my iPhone on the beach or in the sea and not worry about sand or water ruining my phone. The size is perfect and so far I haven’t had a leak but the case does have its shortcomings. Firstly the case doesn’t have a wrist strap nor a place to connect one. When I went paragliding I was worried I would drop my phone so didn’t take any risky shots, if I had a wrist strap I would have taken a lot more interesting photos. A wrist strap is really a must on a take everywhere case and it sucks the LifeProof doesn’t have it. The other issue I have with the LifeProof is the fact they recommend submersing it to a maximum of 2 meters for 30 minutes. This means I can’t keep my phone in my back pocket the whole time I’m in the water since I’m usually in the water for a lot longer than 30 minutes. Finally, even though I’ve never had a leak I’m always worried I will since the case is pretty thin and the only thing that’s stopping the water from getting into the case is a flimsy o-ring which seems to always get loose when I open the case.

The Hitcase Pro wasn’t available back when I purchased the LifeProof case and I didn’t even know they released an iPhone5 version until the local dealer contacted me asking if I would be interested in reviewing it. I quickly checked the specs of the case online and emailed the dealer back with a big yes and to send me the case before the weekend so I could try it out. That was three weeks ago and since then I’ve used the case a number of times and it has now officially replaced my LifeProof. I love it.

I don’t know where to begin this review since there a bunch of cool things about the Hitcase Pro. I’ll start with the case answering the shortfalls of the LifeProof. The Hitcase Pro comes with a wrist strap, that alone would have convinced me to jump ship even if it didn’t have any other advantages but it does. The Hitcase Pro can be submersed down to 10 meters so it can basically stay in my back pocket all day under the water and I won’t be worried about it leaking. The Hitcase Pro also feels and looks heavy duty so when I put the phone inside it and close it I don’t have any of the confidence issues of the LifeProof. So already without going any further the case has already solved all of my issues with the LifeProof and there are two more additional features that were interesting to me.

The Hitcase Pro has a built in wide angle lens for the iPhone camera. This was a bonus feature I didn’t think would make a big difference to my shots but it has. Other than the fact I could fit more scenery and people into my shots, the wide angle lens has made selfies a lot easier to take and the very slight fisheye look has made the shots a lot more interesting looking. The other cool feature of the Hitcase Pro is the fact it turns your iPhone into an action camera. The case allows you to use GoPro mounts or mounts that use the tripod socket. This means all my Contour+ mounts now work with my iPhone case so I could mount the camera on a jetski, a car or my bicycle. I’ve actually decided to sell my Contour+ now since I wasn’t using it much and if I do need an action camera I can just use my iPhone 5 now.

The Hitcase Pro does have two shortfalls though when compared to my LifeProof case. The Hitcase Pro is a lot more bulkier than the LifeProof case which doesn’t make it practical to use as a day to day iPhone case. I only use my LifeProof at the beach but I know a couple of people who use it as their everyday case. The second issue is you can’t charge the phone without removing it from the case. With the LifeProof there was a little latch at the bottom which when opened allowed me to access the Thunderbolt lightning connector. I don’t usually charge my iPhone while at the beach but I do connect it to my Bang & Olufsen portable speaker. None of these issues are major though and I’m willing to sacrifice them for all the other advantages the case provides.

The Hitcase Pro costs KD39 which is the same price as Amazon and is available to purchase online from [Blink] and [uBuy]. According to the dealer it will also be available soon at GoSport, Extreme Sports and Explorer’s Base.

Every year on August 19 the world remembers all those aid workers who lost their lives while trying to help people in need. The World Humanitarian Day pays tribute to them by raising awareness of humanitarian issues and efforts to help people. This World Humanitarian Day marks 10 years since the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad was bombed and 22 UN and aid agency workers were killed.

World Humanitarian Day in Kuwait is holding an event today (19th of August 2013) at 5PM at Al-Hamra Mall.

What do you think the world needs more of? Contribute with your word and help build a local movement to support a world event.

For more information follow them on Instagram @whdkw