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Last week, KDD launched a new line of drinks that contain 0% sugar and zero calories. These beverages aren’t technically juices since they’re not made with real fruits. Instead, they’re more like flavored water. Currently, they come in three flavors:

Apple & Raspberry
Mango & Peach
Mojito (Lemon & Mint)

The fruits are added as natural flavors to the water, along with vitamins A, D, C, and B6. None of the three flavors contain any sugar; instead, like the ‘Good For You’ line of ice cream, they use natural sweeteners.

I only managed to get the Apple & Raspberry and Mango & Peach flavored drinks since the Mojito was out of stock. The Mojito flavor was the one I was actually interested in because I’m hoping it tastes like lemonade. I tried the other two flavors and didn’t like them, but that’s because I really dislike both raspberry and peaches. So, don’t take my word for it.

KDD sells them in a carton of 18 for 1.980 KD or a pack of 6 for 660 fils. However, I picked up 8 individual pieces from my neighborhood KDD store for 800 fils, which comes to 100 fils per pack.

If you’ve tried the Mojito flavor, let me know how it tastes.

House of the Dragon season finale was this week and it was disappointing. Felt like the whole season was a lead up to nothing really. I don’t want to say too much so not to spoil it for people who still haven’t watched the last episode, but I think this season needed at least two more episodes.

On the bright side, season 3 of Industry starts on Monday and The Lord of the Rings season 2 is coming back in 3 weeks.

Let me know in the comments what you recently watched or planning to watch.

Movies at the Cinemas
The movies below are now showing at the local cinemas:

New This Week:
Borderlands (5.3)
Cat and Dog (5.1)
Detained (4.8)
It Ends with Us (7.2)

Other Movies Showing:
A Quiet Place: Day One (7.0)
Bad Boys: Ride or Die (6.8)
Boneyard (4.1)
Chief of Station (4.7)
Deadpool & Wolverine (8.3)
Despicable Me 4 (6.4)
Harold and the Purple Crayon (N/A)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (classic) (7.6)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (classic) (7.5)
Inside Out 2 (7.9)
Kung Fu Panda 4 (6.3)
Longlegs (7.3)
Oddity (7.5)
Trap (7.2)
Twisters (7.0)

The numbers in brackets refer to the IMDB rating at the time of publishing.

A friend of mine sent me the video below on Tiktok a couple of weeks back where supposedly a guy in Kuwait (@moneir_almousawi) found a 20 calorie brioche roll at the supermarket. That video was shared with Blake from @thenutritionnarc who ended up posting the video below.

@thenutritionnarc Are these 20 cal brioche buns legit? @RIENOM | منير الموسوي #greenscreenvideo #greenscreen ♬ Paris – Else

Obviously something was up, but I figured maybe the guy had misread the label. But it turns out he hadn’t misread the label since someone else went and checked on the label and sent Blake a message with a breakdown of the ingredients who ended up posting the updated video below.

@thenutritionnarc Update on the 20 cal brioche buns, we got to the bottom of it @RIENOM | منير الموسوي #greenscreenvideo #greenscreen ♬ original sound – Blake | NARC

Makes you wonder how big of an issue this is in Kuwait with restaurants and brands not being accurate with their calorie count.

Update: According to Wooden Bakery, there was a misprint on the brioche packaging, and this batch of products has already been recalled from the market.

Last night, Pottery Barn opened their new location in Avenues Phase III, and it’s a significant improvement over the previous store. The old location felt somewhat cold, but the new store, particularly the top floor, is much cozier and more inviting.

They took over the space previously occupied by Williams Sonoma in Grand Avenue, which I think is a much more fitting location for them. It’s worth checking out if you’re in Avenues and looking for something for your home.

It’s been a slow TV and movie week for me. Other than starting season 2 of House of Cards, catching up on the latest House of the Dragons and season finale for The Kardashians, the only other thing I watched this week was the old movie Prozac Nation.

I’m traveling in a couple of weeks so need to start saving shows for the plane ride. I was also planning to watch Deadpool this week but heard there were over 10 scenes cut so decided I’m either going to watch it when I travel, or once it’s out to rent. Not gonna watch a movie cut that much no matter how minor the cuts are.

Let me know in the comments what you recently watched or planning to watch.

Movies at the Cinemas
The movies below are now showing at the local cinemas:

New This Week:
Boneyard (4.1)
Chief of Station (4.7)
Harold and the Purple Crayon (N/A)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (classic) (7.6)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (classic) (7.5)
Oddity (7.5)
Trap (7.2)

Other Movies Showing:
A Quiet Place: Day One (7.0)
Bad Boys: Ride or Die (6.8)
Deadpool & Wolverine (8.3)
Despicable Me 4 (6.4)
IF: Imaginary Friends (6.5)
Fly Me to the Moon (6.7)
Inside Out 2 (7.9)
Kung Fu Panda 4 (6.3)
Longlegs (7.3)
Twisters (7.0)

The numbers in brackets refer to the IMDB rating at the time of publishing.

I found these really old aerial photos of Kuwait City while browsing through the Tareq Rajab Museum photography archive so decided to scan them to share. There wasn’t a date on them but I’m assuming they were taken in the early 1950s. I came to that assumption since in one of the photos I could see the Thunayan Al Ghanim Building under construction, and that was completed in 1954.

Thunayan Al Ghanim Building is the old building on the corner of the Sheraton Roundabout. It was considered to be one of the most advanced buildings in Kuwait at the time, and one of the first to have an elevator. There are stories of bedouins coming in from the desert to watch “the flying horse” that could go up and down. The Thunayan Al Ghanim building housed the original KOC offices, the British Consulate, the first English bookshop in Kuwait, as well as the Sultan Gallery and the Rolls Royce dealership.

It’s kind surreal looking at these photos since it was really that long ago. In some of the photos you can make out the new buildings that were popping up beside the old houses. If you want to see how it would have looked like if you were in one of the alleyways looking towards the more “modern” buildings, click here.

All these photos were taken from a plane and I’m assuming on the same day, but don’t quote me on that.

I’ve been using my Fuji X100V camera since 2021. It’s been a great camera and one I’ve previously posted about being the best travel camera. But, I recently purchased the Ricoh GR III and I think I might have to take that comment back.

The Fuji was a pretty nice travel camera upgrade compared to the camera I was using before that, a Sony A7 III with a prime lens, and the Sony RX1 full sensor point & shoot I had before that. But, over the past couple of years I’ve been finding it more of a hassle to carry the Fuji around when traveling, especially because phone cameras have gotten so much better. Also, because of how popular the Fuji camera has become (thank you TikTok) and the prices gone up due to scarcity, I stopped slinging it across my shoulder out in the open like I used to before. That means I need to carry it in my shoulder bag making it a hassle and a slow process to use.

So I started looking at alternatives and decided on the Ricoh GR III. It was the camera I was initially deciding on when I got my Fuji. It’s got a similar sized APS-C sensor but in a body that is a lot more compact. I also went with the 28mm version (they also come in 40mm) so that it’s a wider field of view than my Fuji’s 35mm which should be better for travel photography.

Similar to the Fuji, the Ricoh has a cult following and so the cameras are also out of stock all the time. But, I got lucky and found the Diary Edition on BHPhoto. It was backordered like all the Ricohs, but the Diary Edition with my luck had an estimated in-stock date of around 2 weeks. I guess someone must have canceled and I was checking the website at the perfect time. I placed the order and once it was in stock they shipped it straight to Kuwait.

First impressions, I love it. I got the Diary Edition because it was the one that was available but the only difference over the regular version is the color. The normal GR III is black, Diary Edition is a warm grey, I have zero preference, both are nice in their own way and I wouldn’t care less which one I had.

The camera is tiny, it’ small enough to fit into my tight jeans pocket which means it can easily fit into all my other pockets as well. In winter it definitely won’t be an issue stuffing the camera in one of the may jacket pockets so it already has a big advantage over the Fuji. The other thing I really like about it is the fact I’m shooting more with the camera. This is going to sound weird but the best thing the Fuji has the Ricoh doesn’t have is the electronic view finder. It makes shooting a lot more enjoyable. But, because the Ricoh doesn’t have a viewfinder, it’s making me shoot more. Mainly because it’s quicker since I don’t need to raise the camera up to my eye. And also by not raising the camera up to my face, it makes me less noticeable that I am taking pictures, so I take more. I know I could shoot with the rear screen of the Fuji which also has the advantage of tilting, but because I like using the EVF, I’ve just gotten used to using the Fuji that way and I’ll always prefer the EVF over the rear screen.

I have a trip coming up in two weeks time and will be taking my GR III with me. Once I’m back I’ll post about the experience. For now, if you have any questions let me know.

I’m a fan of minimal design, but I also appreciate spaces rich with complexity and decoration. Title’s third location at The Warehouse Mall was crafted by local design studio Lines, the same creative team behind the restaurants OFK and Piatti.

The mix of patterns, textures, and bold colors gives the space a surreal feel. The photos make the restaurant look like a set from a stop-motion film. According to Lines, their aim was to showcase a timeless design by combining elements from various cultures around the world, creating a unique and creative style. I think it worked.

If you want to see more photos of this Title location, or more of Lines work, head over to @lineskw

Arabia is a new local brand aiming to represent culture and heritage through a product line that includes perfumes, room and linen sprays, and artworks. Having opened in March, they hope to capture people’s hearts with a collection that embodies both nostalgia and luxury.

Gifting plays a huge role in the local culture, and Arabia hopes to eventually become a premier destination for elegant gifts. They are starting off with a fragrance line and artworks but will add more items as they continue to grow.

Their fragrances come in beautiful packaging and bottles that represent heritage in a modern way, but they also pride themselves on the quality of oils and ingredients they use.

The flagship Arabia store is located in Kuwait City on Ahmad Al Jaber Street, but they also have an online shop that delivers worldwide. This is perfect for those who used to live in the region and feel nostalgic, or for those planning to gift to people living abroad. With their different themed bottles, you can gift based on either the scent or the artwork.They even offer a discovery set with all their scents, but for the summer, they recommend trying Al Hambra or the Noble perfume.

Arabia is also open to collaborations with local talents to create products and stories together that feature cultural richness.

To find out more about Arabia, head to @by.arabia or shop-arabia.com to shop.

Was passing by Arabica in the City and spotted rentable scooters and bicycles parked outside. Turns out they’re by a Saudi company called Bskl and looks like they’ll be competing directly with E-Fly.

I can’t imagine E-Fly is doing that well financially considering we don’t have sidewalks to make use of the scooters and bicycles so things are about to get tougher with Bskl entering the market.

I didn’t download the app so no idea about their prices. Oddly, Bskl don’t mention that they’re available in Kuwait no neither their website or instagram account.

Broskis Deli has been open for just over a month now, and I think I’ve been there five or six times already. It has quickly become my go-to place when I’m in the mood for comfort food, in my case, a good filling sandwich.

I’ve tried most of the sandwiches on their menu, and here is a list of my favorites, ranked from best to least favorite so far:

Meatball Hero
Chopped Cheese
Broski Burger
Chicken Parm
Club Sandwich
Pastrami Reuben

The Meatball sandwich caught me by surprise since it’s not something I had considered ordering, but I was with a friend who suggested we share it, and it’s now my favorite sandwich there. The Chopped Cheese is what you get if you merge a burger with a Philly Cheesesteak and it’s their most popular sandwich. The burger is also really good, but the main reason I go to Broskis is for the sandwiches. So, although it’s tempting, I try to avoid ordering the burger. If I’m with friends, I might order the burger to share as a side, but that’s also a difficult choice because if I want a side, I’d prefer their Truffle Mac & Cheese, which is the best in Kuwait.

Their portions are really huge, which is why I always prefer going there with a friend so we can share sandwiches and sides. For two people, the optimal amount of food is probably one sandwich to share (they come cut in half), a burger to share, one side, and a cookie each for dessert. That actually might still be too much food, but you can’t go to Broski and not overeat when there are too many good options to pick from.

Their prices are a bit on the high side, but that most likely has to do with the fact that they use a wagyu blend for their sandwiches and because the portions are large. For example, their burger is KD5.750, while their Chopped Cheese sandwich is KD5.250. Truffle Mac & Cheese is KD3.250, and the cookies are KD1.250 each.

Broskis is located in Sharq, near the British Embassy (Google Maps). It has a casual, come as you are vibe and there is plenty of seating. They’re on instagram @delibybroskis

This week has been an uneventful TV week for me. Both the last episodes of House of the Dragon and Sunny were pretty boring, but Presumed Innocent I guess made up for those two with its last episode. Other than that been binge watching House of Cards and sometimes had The Veil playing in the background (pretty bad show).

Oh, I finished watching the last episode of the season for The Boys as well. The last episode wasn’t that great, not sure what I was expecting, maybe an end to the show but obviously that can’t happen since the show is still ongoing.

On the bright side, Deadpool & Wolverine is out this weekend, can someone let me know if anything is cut in it since I might watch it at the cinema.

Let me know in the comments what you recently watched or planning to watch.

Movies at the Cinemas
The movies below are now showing at the local cinemas:

New This Week:
Deadpool & Wolverine (8.3)

Other Movies Showing:
A Quiet Place: Day One (7.0)
Bad Boys: Ride or Die (6.8)
Despicable Me 4 (6.4)
Fly Me to the Moon (6.7)
IF: Imaginary Friends (6.5)
Inside Out 2 (7.9)
Longlegs (7.3)
The Garfield Movie (5.8)
Twisters (7.0)

The numbers in brackets refer to the IMDB rating at the time of publishing.

One of my favorite indoor activities with friends is mini-golf. It’s fun, it’s chill and it’s something we can do during the hot summer months. But, for some reason, the sport never caught on in Kuwait. I used to play mini-golf at Discovery Mall, but that place shut down years ago. For the longest time, there wasn’t any mini-golf in Kuwait until Venue 56 opened up.

Venue 56 is an adult arcade with lots of different entertainment options including mini-golf which is what I usually go for. Their golf course is one of a kind since it was designed specifically for them by a specialized UK-based company.

The owners of Venue 56 decided to open the arcade after noticing the lack of entertainment options for young adults to socialize. So, they decided to fill this gap by opening an arcade filled with a variety of social and electronic games not found anywhere else in Kuwait.

Other than mini-golf they also have racing simulators, interactive bowling with 3D projection, arcade games, VR games, tabletop games, and classics like billiards and darts.

Their prices are very reasonable, and they often have weekly offers, including a happy hour currently running throughout the summer from Monday to Thursday, where games are 30% off from 1 PM to 6 PM. They also have different packages for birthdays and team building corporate events.

Venue 56 is located in Salmiya, right across the street from Johnny Rockets (Google Maps). If you’d like to check them out, you can find them on Instagram at @venue56.kw

Is it me or does the interior of the newly reopened Jimmy’s smashed burger in Kuwait City look pretty similar to the popular London burger spot Supernova?

The Paris 2024 Olympics is set to begin this coming Friday, and nine athletes from Kuwait will be competing: five men and four women. Check them all out below to discover who they are and the disciplines they will be competing in. I’ve also included their instagram accounts in case you want to follow them:

Amal Al Roumi @_amalalroumi
Date of Birth: 22 Aug 1992
Age: 31
Discipline: Athletics
Event: Women’s 800m

Ameena Shah @ameenaaa64
Date of Birth: 24 Jan 2001
Age: 23
Discipline: Sailing
Event: Women’s Dinghy

Lara Dashti @laradashtiswims
Date of Birth: 24 Jan 2004
Age: 20
Discipline: Swimming
Event: Women’s 100m Breaststroke

Soaad Alfaqaan @salfaqaan2
Date of Birth: 3 Sep 1991
Age: 32
Discipline: Rowing
Event: Women’s Single Sculls

Khaled Almudhaf
Date of Birth: 12 Jun 1978
Age: 46
Discipline: Shooting
Event: Trap Men

Mohammad AlDaihani @_mh7md
Date of Birth: 1 Aug 1983
Age: 40
Discipline: Shooting
Event: Skeet Men

Mohamad Zubaid @mohammedswims
Date of Birth: 30 Mar 2008
Age: 16
Discipline: Swimming
Event: Men’s 100m Freestyle

Yousef Alshamlan @yousefalshamlaan
Date of Birth: 30 Aug 1998
Age: 25
Discipline: Fencing
Event: Men’s Sabre Individual

Yaqoub Alyouha @yaqoubalyouha
Date of Birth: 31 Jan 1993
Age: 31
Discipline: Athletics
Event: Men’s 110m Hurdles

Photo on top taken by @photographerq8_96