Search: “kuwait”

Aesop is a premium Australian skincare brand known for its clean design, plant-based formulas, and beautifully designed stores. Yesterday, they put up an ‘opening soon’ hoarding at The Avenues, and I’m really excited about it.

I’m a huge fan of the brand and currently have a stockpile of their products at home since I tend to buy bottles of their hand soap and aromatique room sprays every time I travel. To finally have a store here where I can just walk in and pick something up is going to feel so weird. I’ve actually always been confused as to why Bloomingdale’s didn’t carry Aesop in Kuwait, especially since their Dubai branch had it.

The first Aesop store in Kuwait is opening right next to Le Labo, where Tribe of 6 used to be. Aesop and Le Labo are pretty much competitors since they offer similar products at similar price points. That’s why I find it surprising that Alshaya let Aesop take that spot.

I don’t know when they’re opening or who brought them to Kuwait, so if you know, reach out to me.

If you want to check out some of my favorite Aesop interiors, I shared a bunch in my Instagram post.

Every photo of the new hall and surrounding buildings at Kuwait University’s Shadadiya campus looks like a rendering, but they’re not. They’re real.

Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), one of the most influential architecture, engineering, and urban planning firms in the world, and in collaboration with Kuwaiti artist Farah Behbehani, the new hall called The Pearl is part of the university’s administration facilities.

Farah designed the shading structures, reimagining the traditional mashrabiya in a contemporary way by using calligraphic geometry to create façades that play with light, respond to the climate, and reflect cultural memory.

The Pearl sits between the administration building and the library, and houses a 1,600-seat theater used for major events like student orientation, graduations, and performances throughout the year.

From the SOM website: The Pearl is enclosed by thousands of sun-shading panels arranged in a complex geometry. The panel design spells out the Arabic word aldanah—meaning a large and extremely precious pearl—in Sumbuli calligraphy, a late Ottoman cursive style. Mounted on a structural frame, these panels form the building’s mashrabiya, culminating in a skylight aperture that brings natural light into the building.

To check out all the photos that were taken by Dave Burk, click here.

The Geekcon pop-culture convention is happening this weekend, featuring booths, celebrity meet-and-greets, and my favorite part, the cosplay competition by @kuwaitcosplayclub.

Check out my favorite things taking place this weekend below. As always, double check the event details with the organizers.

Thursday, July 24
Around the World at The Avenues
GeekCon 2025
Mindful Vase Painting
K-POP Fans Social Night

Friday, July 25
GeekCon 2025
Early Birds Book Club Meeting

Saturday, July 26
GeekCon 2025
Custom Misbah Workshop
Girls Only Game Day
F1 Sprint Race + Quali Session
DAI StoryTime at Amricani
Safat Studios Summer Market
Island Escape to Qaruh
Flowers & Matcha Workshop
Move & Connect
Kuwait Toastmasters – Public Speaking Session

Picture Credit: @hadoolalk

It’s that time of year where I need to post about a band that’s NOT coming to Kuwait. Last year it was Lana Del Rey, this year it’s Backstreet Boys.

There’s a fake Instagram account pretending to be @thearenakuwait that, at first glance, looks legit. The account posted that the Backstreet Boys are performing in Kuwait on August 7 and they’re selling tickets for the show. When someone sent me the link, it took me a minute to realize the account name was slightly misspelled, which explains why so many people are falling for it. What’s hilarious is that it’s impersonating The Arena, but the concert venue they list is JACC 🤷🏼‍♂️

The fake account even copied the impersonation warning from the official account, and their posts are a mix of stolen content and made-up announcements.

I don’t know why The Arena hasn’t shut their account down yet, it’s not that difficult to report an account impersonating you or copying content from you.

I picked mine up from Game Store for KD25 if anyone wants to get one. I’m now trying to decide if I should play it now or wait to play it on my 16 hour flight next month. Link

I got a message from my dogs’ vet last week (IVH) saying that, for the first time ever in Kuwait, they’ve introduced pet insurance. It’s a collaboration between them and the insurance company GIG Takaful, and it covers both cats and dogs. The coverage includes:

• Consultations and examinations
• Accidents and illnesses
• Surgeries, medications, and hospital admissions
• Blood tests and CT scans
• Euthanasia and cremation (where applicable)
• Third-party liability (for dogs)

I checked the prices and there are two plans available for both cats and dogs. Cat plans start at KD79 per year, while dog plans start from KD99. If you want to find out more, click here.

Models: August and Hugo

The Kuwaiti fashion label Emanmoon just opened their first international pop-up, and they chose one of the most stylish summer destinations for it, Saint-Tropez.

Emanmoon is known for their elegant, free-size pieces made from premium fabrics which are perfect for hot summers and traveling. Their collections are designed and made in Kuwait and focus on timeless silhouettes, soft color palettes, and effortless style.

They chose Saint-Tropez for their first international pop-up because the city attracts a global, fashion-forward crowd that appreciates unique designs. It was the perfect place to introduce the brand this summer.

This opening marks a major milestone for Emanmoon, becoming the first Kuwaiti fashion brand to launch in Saint Tropez. The pop-up, located at 1 Rue Sibille, showcases two of their standout collections, Maris and Oasis.

If you’re in Saint-Tropez this summer, pass by and check them out. You can also follow them on Instagram @emanmoonkw or check out their website emanmoon.com

Here are my favorite things taking place this weekend:

Thursday, July 17
Around the World at The Avenues
Korean Traditional Games Day

Friday, July 18
Around the World
Great British Fishing Expedition
Thura Heritage & Sustainability Pop-up
Social Paddle Boarding

Saturday, July 19
Around the World at The Avenues
Charity Book Sale at Better Books
Girls Boards Game Day
Thura Heritage & Sustainability Pop-up
Morning Music Brew
Social Paddle Boarding
Lumen printing Workshop

I’m filing this under rumors since the two sources I heard this from aren’t directly involved in the project, but I feel confident it’s actually happening. Supposedly, Topgolf is opening in Kuwait and will be part of the Sahara Kuwait Golf Resort.

There’s already a Topgolf open in Dubai and three planned for Saudi Arabia, so it’s not far fetched that one would be coming to Kuwait.

Topgolf is a driving range meets arcade, where you hit microchipped balls at giant targets to score points based on accuracy and distance. It’s less about golfing skills and more about having fun and hanging out with friends. There’s usually food and lots of drinking involved.

I reached out to Topgolf Dubai to see if they knew anything and was told they haven’t made any official announcements yet, but recommended I stay tuned to their official channels. When I pestered them a bit for any kind of info, they told me they’d spill the tea the moment they can. So I’m taking that as a sign that it’s happening, but they can’t say anything until it’s officially announced.

I also reached out to Ben Sharpe, the president and managing director for Topgolf Callaway Brands EMEA, but as of right now, I haven’t heard back from him yet.

Since we’re on the subject of golf, can someone please build a huge indoor miniature golf course as well? Thanks.

First image by @es_dubai, the second from @topgolfdubai

The popular London burger spot Supernova is coming to Kuwait. Supernova is part of BVC Hospitality, the same group behind other hit brands like CRÈME, NAC and Barnaby (my favorite).

Supernova is being brought to Kuwait by Gulf Food Enterprises Co., the same company bringing NAC, which will be opening in the Hessah District. The first Supernova location is set to open at Tilal Complex around September or October.

I tried Supernova in London last March, back when it was all over TikTok. I think I waited around 45 minutes in line? Back then it felt like I had stepped into real life TikTok since I had watched so many videos of it before. It felt weird being there in person, like I was inside TikTok. The burger was a good smashed burger, but not really worth waiting in line for. It would be a good no-frills, get your burger and leave kind of spot.

Supernova Kuwait isn’t the first Supernova outside of London, they recently opened in Bahrain.

via Dahan Fitout

Earlier this morning I was ok TikTok when a video popped up by a girl named Danah who was giving a tour of the new Villa Shams Beach Club which opened last week. I quickly realized it was AI generated. The account owner wasn’t trying to hide it or anything, the video was labeled as being AI-generated and her profile description said she was virtual. So I reached out to the creator to find out more about Danah.

Danah is the creation of Abdulaziz Al-Rashed who runs @ai.lenskw, a Kuwait based studio that generates AI content. He created Danah after he saw an opportunity to blend realistic virtual characters with content that resonates with people. Danah is a new kind of influencer, one that merges advanced AI visuals with meaningful content, while still feeling like a real person people could connect with. To him Danah isn’t just a digital face, she was built to reflect real emotions, cultural identity, and beauty in a way that feels relatable yet aspirational.

I don’t think we lack influencers for us to need virtual ones, but he did mention something I found interesting. One of the goals behind creating Danah was to support business owners who can’t appear on social media, either for cultural reasons or simply because they’re shy. Danah is a showcase, an example of how he could create a custom virtual character to speak and present on behalf of owners while preserving their privacy and respecting traditions.

That actually might just work, especially at the pace AI is moving, I wouldn’t be surprised if we soon can’t tell virtual influencers apart from real ones. To be fair, some real influencers look pretty virtual anyway.

If you want check out Danah’s videos, her Instagram account is @danah.vibes and her TikTok is @danah.vibeskw

Not a lot happening this weekend, but on the bright side Superman is out in the theaters here. Haven’t read any reviews yet but it’s a movie I’m planning to watch. Also need to watch the new Jurassic Park.

Friday, July 11
Wellthy’s Summer Bodega
Experimental Film Photography
Sunrise Paddle
Summer Flea Market

Saturday, July 12
Wellthy’s Summer Bodega
Girls Only Board Gaming
Sunrise Paddle
DAI Family Day
Summer Flea Market
Korean Movie Night: Masquerade

I’ve heard from two different sources that Barry’s, the popular LA-based fitness chain, is opening in Kuwait at the end of this year.

Barry’s is a fitness studio brand that is best known for their signature “Red Room” workout, a high-energy class that alternates between High‑Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on treadmills (cardio), and strength training on the floor (weights, resistance bands, bodyweight exercises).

I’ve never taken any of their classes, but I have a friend in Dubai who’s obsessed with them. Supposedly, you can burn up to 1,000 calories in a single 50-minute session, which is insane.

They currently have over 90 studios across 17 countries, including Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE, with the Kuwait location expected to open in October.

Nonstop Dan has uploaded one last video related to his experience flying Kuwait Airways, this time the video is regarding the responses he got from Kuwait Airways (and a member of the royal family?). Video thankfully isn’t 30 minutes long but if you want to skip the intro just jump to minute 3:30.

In summary if you don’t want to watch the videos. He got three emails, 2 from Kuwait Airways, and 1 supposedly from a member of the royal family. The emails were apologetic, friendly and wanted to make it up to Dan. So the saga is over, Dan and Kuwait Airways are friends again.

OffTheCoal is a restaurant that’s been over a decade in the making. Its owner, Bader AlMutairi, has always had a passion for food and design, and OTC is a combination of all his interests and obsessions rolled into one.

Before my first visit, I had seen photos of the space, but once you’re actually there, it’s a completely different experience. The owner, a fan of the lifestyle and design of the 1920s to 1950s, as well as both Steampunk and Art Deco, worked with @manmade.studio to bring his vision to life. Every corner is filled with quirky details, from vintage gears to bold geometric patterns to a retro-style flap display that shows custom messages. There’s even a miniature train-like mechanism that transports food between the back kitchen and the front bar. The space feels more like a themed movie set than a typical restaurant, and that’s exactly how the owner wanted it.

The restaurant itself is meat-centric. They have a highly specialized smoker that runs 24 hours a day, constantly churning out pastrami and ribs for guests. The pastrami, by the way, is one of the best I’ve had and completely caught me by surprise. The menu is full of fresh, creative, and slightly upscale small dishes, most of which feature smoked or roasted elements.

Going back to the retro-style flap display I mentioned earlier, guests can even request to show their own custom messages on it. That’s just one of the ways they can interact with the space. OTC also has carnival-style coupons and golden tickets that can be used to redeem fun prizes. These touches were inspired by the owner’s love for the 1920s and the nostalgic spirit of mid-century American boardwalk carnivals. It’s a playful reference to that era and a way to make the dining experience feel more personal and engaging. As for the name OffTheCoal? It was inspired by Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall album. That’s another one of Bader’s interests.

OffTheCoal is clearly a passion project, so whether you’re into design, food, or just curious to try some of the best pastrami in town, it’s worth experiencing at least once. Here is their location on Google Maps and they’re on Instagram @offthecoal