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I know a lot of people with pets have been wondering what the requirements are if they want to travel abroad with their pets. So to clarify things, I decided to head to the International Veterinary Hospital (IVH) and meet with their import/export department, who’ve also been getting tons of questions about this lately.

If you’re planning to travel with your pet by plane or drive across the border into Saudi Arabia, you’re going to need an export permit. That was a bit of a surprise to me since I assumed crossing into Saudi with my dog would be a casual thing since it’s a GCC country to GCC country trip, but it isn’t. According to IVH, before you leave Kuwait with your pet you need to apply for an export permit. The process takes around 10 days to get done and you can do it yourself or pay someone like IVH to handle it for you. I think the most important requirement you should check for right now is that your pet’s rabies shot is valid. If it’s not valid, you’ll need to wait 30 days after getting a new shot before your pet can travel. So if you’re thinking of traveling anytime soon, get this sorted beforehand.

Once the exit permit is issued for your pet, it’s valid for 2 weeks.

Another thing to consider is that you can only travel with a maximum of two pets. If you have more than two, you’ll need someone else traveling with you to register the additional pets under their name.

At the moment, direct flights out of Kuwait are not available, but you can drive to Saudi Arabia. If you’re considering driving, be aware that Saudi Arabia requires a pet import permit to enter. They have their own set of requirements, all listed on their NAAMA portal, and the good news is you can apply online.

Once the Saudi pet import permit is issued, it’s valid for 4 weeks.

Finally, when you’re ready to return to Kuwait, you’ll need to obtain an import permit. Unlike Saudi, this can’t be done online and needs to be done in person here in Kuwait.

This isn’t a complete list of everything you’ll need, but it should give you a rough idea of what to expect when traveling with your pet dog or cat.

I’ve known Duha for a few years since we used to work together, so I know how hard she works and how much effort she’s put into this (as well as how good her food is). Faye is her new restaurant, a chef led, upscale neighborhood spot opening today in the new Hessah Mubarak District. It’s built around how Duha loves to cook, Mediterranean ingredients typically around her, elevated through European techniques.

Faye isn’t a soulless concept, it’s personal and meant to feel like a place you belong. Somewhere warm, welcoming, refined but never intimidating. I passed by yesterday to check out the space and I really do love it. There’s both indoor and outdoor seating, but the indoor space is the star for me. The surreal organic ceiling flowing down towards the kitchen’s emerald green marble pass really gives the space a very unique look.

Duha also partnered with Seazen, the group behind concepts like Trapani, Okra, Masgouf and Melanzane. They’re handling the operational side of things so she can focus on the food and the brand.

Faye is soft opening tonight with a condensed menu, with the full menu launching after Eid. If you want to check it out, it’s right next door to The Neighbourhood at the entrance of Hessah Mubarak District (Google Maps). You can also check out their Instagram @faye.restaurant

Happy Ramadan everyone. Here are the Ramadan timings you’ll probably need, if I missed any other important ones, let me know in the comments.

Banks: 10AM to 1:30PM (not including airport and malls)
Government: 8:30AM ~ 10:30AM to 1PM ~ 3PM
Car Registration Renewal: 10AM to 3PM
PACI: 10AM to 1:30PM (Kuwaitis) 2PM to 4:30PM (Expats)

360 Mall: 10AM to 4PM and 8:30PM to 1:30AM
Al Khiran Mall: 10AM to 4PM and 8:30PM to 1AM
Al Kout Mall: 10AM to 4PM and 8:30PM to 1:30AM
Assima Mall: 10AM to 4PM and 8PM to 1AM
Avenues Mall: 10AM to 4PM and 7:30PM to 1:30AM
Boulevard: 10AM to 3PM and 6PM to 1AM
Marina Mall: 10AM to 4PM and 7:30PM to 1:30AM
Salhia Complex: 10AM to 3PM and 8:30PM to 1AM
The Warehouse: 10AM to 4PM and 8:30PM to 1:30AM

Cinescape: From 8:30PM
GrandCinemas: From 8PM
Sky Cinemas: From 8PM
VOX: From 7PM

Al Shaheed Park: 5AM to 2AM
Abdullah AlSalem Cultural Centre: 8PM to 12:30AM (ex. Sundays)

Co-ops: Most open 24 hours
Lulu Hypermarket: 8AM to 3AM
Sultan Center: Standalone stores open 24 hours

Ace Hardware: 10:00AM to 11:30PM
Bin Nisf: 8:30AM to 2:30PM and 8PM to 10:30PM (ex. Friday)
IKEA: 10AM to 4PM and 8PM to 2AM
Jarir: 10AM (Friday 2PM) to 5PM and 8:30PM to 1:30AM
True Value: Open 24 hours in Salmiya, 10AM to 1AM in Al Rai
Xcite: Open 24 hours in Al Rai, Fahaheel, Hawally, Salmiya

Illustration by @windowsofuae

eL Seed, the popular French Tunisian street artist known for creating large scale murals that blend Arabic calligraphy with graffiti, is currently in Kuwait. The National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters invited him to paint a mural around the Abdulhusain Abdulridha Theater in Salmiya as part of an overall revitalization and maintenance of the building.

I always thought the building looked dull and lifeless, but the burst of color from eL Seed’s mural has completely transformed it. The mural should be finished by tomorrow from what I’ve been told. I was going to wait until it was finished to take photos, but the sky and light yesterday were perfect, so I had to take my pictures then.

If you want to pass by and see them working on it, you still can. The Abdulhusain Abdulridha Theater is located in Salmiya across the street from the Kuwait Bowling Club. Here is the location on Google Maps.

The 62nd exhibition by the Palestinian Culture Center, in collaboration with the Embassy of Palestine, kicks 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.

This year, the exhibition is taking place at a new location, the Contemporary Art Platform in the Design District, Shuwaikh (Google Maps). Conveniently located next to OVO and Cantina.

The event runs from today, Monday, February 9 to Thursday, February 12, from 10AM to 8PM daily. @palestiniancc

Photo by @prettygreenbullet

As a pet owner myself, I think this is a pretty cool idea.

Bubbles & Paws is a local pet furniture concept started by three pet lovers who ran into the same issue a lot of pet owners have faced before, they couldn’t find pet furniture that worked with their living spaces. Most of what was available was either too plain, too bulky, or looked like it belonged in a storage room. On top of that, a lot of the options they came across weren’t very comfortable or didn’t feel safe enough for their pets.

So instead of settling, they decided to create what they couldn’t find.

The goal wasn’t to make flashy designer pieces, instead, it was to design furniture pets would actually enjoy using, while still fitting naturally into a home. Furniture that felt cozy and looked good, not something you felt like hiding when people came over.

What started as a personal frustration quickly turned into a business idea. One built around the idea that pet furniture shouldn’t feel like a compromise, either for your pet or your living space. They currently have around a dozen different designs, each in its own color, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find something that fits your space. Their Minty Heaven bed for example might work for my dog, while the Frosty Ears bed could be a better fit for your cat.

They have options that work for most living spaces, so if you want to see the full collection, head over to their website bubblesandpawscompany.com

City Hypermarket, Kuwait’s fastest-growing locally owned supermarket chain, officially opened its newest location in Aswaq Al Qurain on February 4th. The new store was launched by the Founder Mr. Adel Alghanim, Deputy CEO Mr. Nasser Alghanim and Mr. Marzouq Alghanim, delivering on the brand promise of “Value, all the time” with a spacious, redesigned store and competitive Ramadan promotions for families across Kuwait. The opening was also attended by members of the press, the mall owners and landlord, amidst a festive celebration with the general public.

The new Qurain store features refreshed and redesigned layouts that deliver a more elevated and spacious shopping environment for customers. To celebrate the opening, City Hypermarket launched competitive deals across fresh produce, supermarket food items, and household essentials — all designed to make Ramadan shopping more cost-effective and convenient for families across Kuwait. The opening celebrations also featured a cultural Kuwaiti performance, family activities, and free giveaways for all to enjoy.

Deputy CEO Mr. Nasser Adel Alghanim expressed pride in the opening, stating:

“We are proud to open our first store in Mubarak Al Kabeer Governorate to serve the Al Qurain community at such an important shopping period. As a Kuwaiti company, this opening reflects our commitment to bringing our ‘Value, all the time’ promise closer to more families across Kuwait, helping them prepare for Ramadan with stronger value and greater convenience.”

In addition, City Hypermarket highlighted its specially curated household range for the season, developed with locally inspired designs that reflect Kuwaiti and Arabic culture and heritage. The range features three dedicated collections: Alanoud, Andalous, and Fajer from its exclusive Into Home Arabesque brand, as well as the beautifully designed WABA range. It also provides everything needed to prepare for the season, including kitchen essentials, serving and dining sets, glassware, cookware, and more.

Renowned for its large-format stores and one-stop-shop convenience, City Hypermarket has built its reputation as one of the best locally owned hypermarkets in Kuwait. The brand’s commitment to value-driven pricing and customer-centric service has driven consistent growth and increasing market share across the country in recent years.

The Qurain opening marked another milestone in the company’s growth trajectory, with another store planned to open in 2026 in Eqaila as the brand continues to expand its footprint across Kuwait.

The Qurain location welcomed its first customers on February 4th and is now serving the community 24 hours a day with the same commitment to value and service that has made City Hypermarket a trusted name across the country.

About City Hypermarket

Founded in 1999 by Mr. Adel Alghanim, City Hypermarket is Kuwait’s fastest-growing locally owned supermarket chain, committed to delivering exceptional value to Kuwaiti families and the wider community through competitive pricing and continuous promotions, including its signature 900 fils offers and ½-1-2-3 KD deals. Guided by its brand promise of “Value, all the time,” City Hypermarket has proudly served Kuwait for 26 years, with ambitious plans for continued expansion.

Last night, the winners of this year’s Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants were announced in Abu Dhabi, and two restaurants from Kuwait made the list.

Cantina and Matbakhi both earned spots on the 50 Best Restaurants list, with Cantina ranking 18th and Matbakhi coming in 50th. Cantina’s ranking is pretty incredible and the highest ever achieved by a Kuwait based restaurant on the 50 Best list.

Previous Kuwaiti restaurants that made the list include White Robata in 2022 and 2023, and Bonjiri in 2023.

The Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants list was launched in 2022 and is published every year. Restaurants are voted for by 250 respected food and restaurant industry experts from across the region, all chosen for their knowledge and experience of the local dining scene.

For the full list of 2026 winners, click here.

The Neighbourhood is a nostalgic space built around good coffee and food. Their first location in Kuwait opened last year in Qortuba, and a few weeks ago they opened their second location, this time in the brand new Hessah District.

The new location is bigger than the first, with plenty of outdoor seating along with some indoor seating. It’s located right at the start of Hessah District, and the outdoor area overlooks the main road. Inside, the space follows the same nostalgic look that made the original location popular, with dark brown wood, beautiful tiles, and the striped umbrellas that have become synonymous with the brand.

The fresh-baked goods section and the new protein boost menu have become the main reasons people keep coming back. The award-winning matcha is another big draw, alongside the newly introduced hojicha and specialty coffee, which pair perfectly with the menu.

If you’re looking for a new, cool outdoor spot for coffee, good bites and vibes, the weather is perfect to try out the new location (Google Maps). There’s plenty of parking, and it also gives you a reason to pass by and check out Hessah District if you haven’t already. Check them out @nbrhood.me

Studio Marmi is a newly opened natural stone gallery in Shuwaikh. It’s the largest of its kind, and I found the concept really interesting when they explained it to me. Unlike most natural stone showrooms, Studio Marmi doesn’t display small samples of each stone. Instead, they showcase full uncut slabs, meaning the stone you choose is the exact stone you get.

Most of the time when you’re shopping for natural stone for your home or a commercial space, you pick a stone based on a showroom sample, and since that sample is usually just a display piece, you often end up getting something similar instead. Because Studio Marmi displays the actual slabs, the stone you pick with all its unique characteristics is the one you actually get. Browsing the slabs is a unique experience as well, since they use a crane mechanism to move them around for viewing and selection.

This is also why their space is so large and feels more like a warehouse than a traditional showroom. As you walk around, you’ll see each stone clearly labeled with information on its strength, best uses, and pricing. They carry stones of varying strengths, from softer options like limestone and marble to harder ones like quartzite and crystal, all curated by them and imported from Brazil.

In addition to their impressive space, all their inventory is also available on their website. Once a new slab arrives, it’s photographed and added to their live online inventory along with all the relevant details. They also have a 3D visualizer that helps you see how a specific natural stone might look in a kitchen or home environment.

If you want to pass by their showroom, here is their location on Google Maps. You can also check out their website studiomarmi.com.kw or check out their instagram account @studiomarmikw

The Deliveroo annual Restaurant Awards list is finally out, with winners voted for by people across Kuwait in 16 different categories. I just went through the list and nothing felt out of place, check out all the winners below:

Best Local Concept: Pick
Best Healthy: Ananas
Best Coffee: Caribou Coffee
Best Burger: Five Guys
Best Pizza: Pizza Hut
Best Dessert: Overjar
Best Breakfast: Lazy Cat
Best Chicken: Raising Cane’s
Best Lebanese: Mais Alghanim
Best Kuwaiti: Freej Swaileh
Best Shawarma: Shawarma Factory
Best Mexican: Chipotle
Best Italian: Melenzane
Best Indian: Asha’s
Best Asian: P.F. Chang’s
Best New to Roo: Mr. Baker

One thing I find lacking in Kuwait is luxury men’s spas. I get a manicure and pedicure every couple of weeks, and I used to have a favorite spot in the city, but I stopped going around eight years ago when the quality dropped. So when a new luxury spa called Rainforest Park reached out to me, I was intrigued.

Rainforest Park is located in Burj Jassem across from Al Shaheed Park. It’s a very chill tower in the afternoons with plenty of parking. The spa itself is on the mezzanine floor, tucked away in a quiet corner. Once you walk in, you’re instantly met with a calming interior.

Given the name, you’d expect a connection to the rainforest, and it’s definitely there. The space is filled with lush plants, hardwood flooring, and materials that give the place a premium feel. There’s even a huge aquarium filled with exotic fish.

After checking in, I was led into a large room where my seat was waiting for me, a comfy leather spa chair that wouldn’t look out of place in a private members’ club. I was also served tea, water, and a snack. I then put on my AirPods and caught up on some YouTube subscriptions while getting my manicure and pedicure.

It was a very chill and comfortable experience in a beautiful space. One of the reasons I enjoy getting my nails done is that it helps me relax and slow my pace down. Some people do yoga or meditate, but this is what works for me, which is why the experience matters so much.

Other than manicures and pedicures, Rainforest Park also offers a range of other services including relaxing and specialty sports massages, foot reflexology, facials, a royal Moroccan bath, and body scrubs. Although Rainforest Park itself is new, it’s part of the Kingsley Spa Group (@kingsleymenspa), which also operates @rainforestmenspa (different from Rainforest Park) and @theorganicspakuwait. So while the space is new, the team behind it has plenty of experience in men’s spas and clearly knows what they’re doing.

If you’re a guy looking for a new premium spa, give Rainforest Park a try. The first twenty people to call and book and mention 248AM will receive a special gift. Check them out at @rainforestparkspa

Last year around this time I posted about the then-newly opened Gourmet Grocers, a premium grocery boutique at the Nasco building in Shuwaikh. Since then they’ve brought in even more brands and have become a go-to spot for anyone looking for premium essentials and interesting finds you don’t usually come across elsewhere.

Gourmet Grocers recently expanded their lineup with new gourmet brands like Ortiz, Greenomic, and Bornibus, while still carrying popular favorites such as Bjorg, Lune de Miel, Nicolas Alziari, and Nina’s Marie-Antoinette. It’s a mix of everyday essentials and those rare items you end up buying the moment you see them. Ortiz, by the way, is my favorite canned tuna brand, and if you’ve never tried it, you really should.

Gourmet Grocers also puts together seasonal collections throughout the year for occasions like Ramadan, Valentine’s Day, and other key events. For the holidays they’ve brought in Panettone, Panforte, festive sweets, and a new range of Gift Hampers and Gift Boxes. They regularly share curated hamper ideas on Instagram, or you can build your own by picking items directly from the store. Everything is packaged really nicely with a lot of attention to detail, so the gifts end up feeling thoughtful and premium.

They offer online ordering as well with complimentary delivery anywhere in Kuwait, and if you place your order before 2 p.m. you get same-day delivery through gourmet-grocers.com.

If you prefer passing by in person, the boutique is located in Shuwaikh (Google Maps). For updates and product highlights, check out @gourmetgrocers on Instagram or browse their website.

A new building mural has popped up in the city by the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters as part of their “Al Fenn Al Thalith Murals Project” (roughly translated as “The Third Art Murals Project”). The mural was created in collaboration with the Canadian Embassy in Kuwait and is a collab between Canadian artist Bryan Beyung and Kuwaiti artist Yousef Saleh. Implemented with the assistance of artist Laila Naseeb.

According to the artists, the mural explores water as a connective force between cultures, drawing inspiration from the Kuwaiti film Bas Ya Bahar and the world of the pearl diver. Scenes like a father and daughter ice fishing, shared marine species, and symbolic elements such as stamps, seashells, and Kuwait’s Arfaj flower highlight themes of home, memory, and exchange, while flowing calligraphy ties everything together and emphasizes movement, resilience, and the way water carries stories across places and time.

This is the third mural in the Cultural Exchange Program, the first being a collaboration with the British Embassy and the second with the Australian Embassy.

If you want to check out the mural it’s located in Sharq, near the police station roundabout. When I passed by earlier they were adding some final touches before the official reveal. Here is the location on Google Maps.

Yesterday I passed by the Kuwait Book Fair and it was pretty packed in the morning, filled with buses and kids from different schools around Kuwait.

The book fair is divided into three halls, 5, 6 and 7. The English book stalls are all located in a corner of hall 6. Compared to the Arabic books the English stalls make up a very small part of the fair but even if you’re there just for the English books I’d walk around the rest of the fair since there were a few Arabic book sellers that also had some English books for sale. The main English stalls though were the following:

Al Sadu House
Austin Macauley Publishers
Awtar Publishing
Brijbasi Art Press
Harvard Press
Hachette
KISR
Macmillan
National Geographic
Oxford University Press
Qatar Press
Samarkand
Scholastic
Thames & Hudson
The English Bookshop
USBORNE
US Embassy in Kuwait
WH Smith

From the list above all the stalls are in hall 6 except for three, the US Embassy, KISR and Al Sadu House, those stalls were located in hall 7. I’m not sure if I’m just imagining it or not but the English books section seemed smaller than the previous years. Still worth checking out though.

If you’re into Kuwait’s past, there is a great book called ‘Screen & Memories Since 1954’ that documents Kuwait’s movie theater history. I picked it up last year and it’s really nicely put together and bilingual. You can find it at the Maraya Publishing booth in Hall 6, Stall A26.

And if you’re planning to pass by the fair, just take into account that it’s open at different timings on Friday and Saturday compared to the rest of the week.

Mornings 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Afternoons 4:30 PM to 10:00 PM
Friday 3:30 PM to 10:00 PM
Saturday 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM