"Bake Home"...New bakery@ Abu Halifa 2,Q8

A good news for those staying in Abu Halifa Block 2. A new bakery call "BAKE HOME" has come up. 
You need not cross the main road now to go to the abu halifa co-operative building(where there are 3 bakeries) or to the bakery on the main road near the Iranian shop to buy cakes or sweets.


This shop is near the Abu Halifa mazid.Just go straight from the majid, take u-turn  and go little ahead and you will see the bakery. Just little ahead of the bakery is a curtain shop.

HE Satish Mehta will inaugurate the Gulfmart 14th branch in Salwa,Q8

There seems to be no stopping Gulfmart Supermarket as it pursues an assertive new expansion policy in Kuwait. The latest branch of Gulfmart, and its 14th outlet in the country, is scheduled to open in the residential district of Salwa on Monday, 2nd July, 2012 at 10.30am.

The newest branch of Gulfmart, the fastest growing supermarket chain with the largest number of branches in Kuwait, will be inaugurated by His Excellency Satish C. Mehta, Indian Ambassador to Kuwait, in the presence of top company officials, at the Sheikh A. Al Sabah Complex, opposite to Kuwait English School, on Street 8, Block 11, in Salwa area.

Arif Sheikh, Managing Director of Gulfmart Group, speaking about the upcoming launch of Salwa branch said: “Gulfmart has enjoyed the patronage of customers in Kuwait since 1999, when we first set up shop here. The opening of a 14th branch in the country is clear evidence of the continued recognition and popularity of Gulfmart brand, and attests to the wide support we enjoy among customers in Kuwait.” We are very grateful for this trust in our brand and we will continue to work to meet and exceed the aspirations of patrons, he added.
With easy access, convenient car parking facilities and a comfortable shopping environment, the over 10,000 square feet of floor space within the supermarket, offers shoppers convenient shopping in a welcoming ambience. Gulfmart’s Operations Manager, Nikil Ajagaonkar, and top officials of the Centralized Merchandizing Department of the Group, including Jose Thomas, Raju Sawlani, Fakhruddin Kabir, Imran Sheikh, Zujer Saifee and Sameer Sheikh, confirmed that the new branch presents customers enormous value through extensive selection, competitive prices and excellent service, along with great offers and superb promotions.

The strategic business model of opening new stores in various formats, based on clearly defined customer needs, in suburbs underserved by full-service retail supermarkets is proving to be immensely successful for Gulfmart. While the new outlets carry products from around the world on their well-stocked, frequently-replenished shelves, they also offer a large selection of specific goods that cater to ethnic requirements of major customers in a locality.
“At Gulfmart, we are all about convenience and providing quality products at best prices,” said Remesh T.A., Country Head for Gulfmart in Kuwait. “By opening a new branch in Salwa, we are making it even more convenient for shoppers in the neighborhood to access Gulfmart. We are now in the unique position of being able to offer shoppers in Kuwait with an easily accessible outlet that is within commutable distance of any populated center in the country,” he added.
Clarifying that the opening of a branch in Salwa was the result of ongoing customer demand for access to quality retailing, the country manager added, “At Gulfmart, we have embarked on an assertive new expansion strategy that will see our brand grow rapidly across the country. With the launch of a branch in Fahaheel in May, now one in Salwa, and our imminent openings in Abu Halifa and other areas this year, we are well on our way to realizing our goal of having 25 quality retail stores in Kuwait by the end of 2013.” 

Expat Female had her Feet Handcuffed, Head Split Open and was Beaten in Custody of Police,Q8

From the husband..

  "I am a UK citizen and am proud to live out here in Kuwait. I have met some wonderful, warm and remarkably talented people. The issue, for me, though, is the attitude of some in positions of power and control. My wife had been to an event watching the England vs Italy Euro 2012 game. She had been drinking wine - and this is illegal in Kuwait and I do not intend to argue that she wasn't in the wrong on this. What shocked me though was that, when stopped by police on the way home, her treatment was medieval in the extreme. Handcuffed by the ankles and dragged up the police station steps by her feet (splitting her head open and later requiring stitches), beaten so much that the doctor in the hospital insisted on taking detailed photo evidence. Her passport dissappeared in the police station and, bizarrely, her release was going to be conditional on supply of her passport.......

But we need to balance this by saying that this was the action of a few individuals. The desk officer when I arrived was a decent guy and the look of shame in his eyes was evident. The investigating officer was more concerned with not having the situation escalated - and I hope his internal investigations reflect the feeling of disgust he clearly felt with the treatment she had received in his care.

Not all people are good and not all are bad and we shouldn't paint a nation by a single brush stroke. My hope is that, those so called men who took pleasure in beating a defenseless woman, will look into themselves and their belief systems and realise that they are the reason Kuwait is ranked 76 (division 4) in the human rights league table - the same league as the Congo, Uganda etc.

But it will change, as evidenced by the Kuwaiti guy who arrived at the police station to secure her release. He paid the KD50 out of his own wallet and was offended when I insisted on re-embursing him. A truly decent individual and a glimmer of light for the future."

VIA : ladieswhodolunchinkuwait

World’s biggest McDonald’s restaurant is coming to the London Olympics

(foxnews) :Forget about supersizing some fries, how about supersizing an entire McDonald’s. 

The fast-food giant has jumped on the pop-up restaurant bandwagon for the 2012 Olympics by building a flagship restaurant of world record breaking size in east London.

The two-story restaurant, which is next to the Olympic Stadium, will be its biggest and busiest in the world, seating 1,500 diners and serving up to 14,000 people a day. 

According to the Daily Mail, the 3,000 sq. ft. the building, which features recycled timber, will be dismantled after six weeks. The materials and most of the furniture and fittings will be reused in other McDonald’s restaurants after the games. The restaurant will have special waste-sorting facilities will ensure that most garbage gets recycled, executives said. 

The restaurant, and three other outlets at the Olympics venue, will be staffed by 2,000 McDonald's best employees.

The fast-food giant is a top Olympics sponsor with exclusive rights to sell branded food products inside the venue. The company says that all the beef will come from British farms, and the chocolate used in muffins will be fair-trade.

But British doctors have complained that the food choices at the Olympics restaurant are largely identical to McDonald’s fare around the world — Big Macs, milkshakes, fries and chicken nuggets.

The only addition to the menu is iced fruit smoothies, which haven’t yet been introduced in other British McDonald’s.

“The Suffering Grasses” العشب المتألم By Iara Lee: A Free Documentary Film Screening On The Syrian Revolution

“The Suffering Grasses: When Elephants Fight, It Is The Grass That Suffers” directed by Iara Lee.

Over a year later, with thousands dead and counting, the ongoing conflict in Syria has become a microcosm for the complicated politics of the region, and an unsavory reflection of the world at large. Against the backdrop of the Arab Spring, NATO’s toppling of Moammar Qaddafi in Libya, and the complicated politics of the region, this film seeks to explore the Syrian conflict through the humanity of the civilians who have been killed, abused, and displaced to the squalor of refugee camps. In all such conflicts, large and small, it is civilians—women and children, families and whole communities—who suffer at the leisure of those in power. While focusing on the plight of those caught in the crossfire of the hegemons, we seek to unravel the conflict by exploring the motivations of its actors—the Ba’athist regime of Bashar al-Assad, the Free Syrian Army and other geopolitical players like the United States, Israel, Russia, China, Iran, Lebanon, Turkey, the Gulf countries… When elephants go to war, it is the grass that suffers. This is a film about the elephants, but made for the grasses.

The documentary will be screened for FREE at select Cinescape Theaters (Fanar, Avenues, 360 Mall & Bairaq) from June 28th – July 4th.

Press on “The Suffering Grasses:”
www.bbc.co.uk/portuguese/noticias/2012/05/120516_iara_lee_refugiados.shtml
www.ahram.org.eg/900/2012/05/15/45/149501/219.aspx
www.emaratalyoum.com/life/four-sides/2012-05-24-1.486678

Iara Lee Biography:

Iara Lee, a Brazilian of Korean descent, is an activist, filmmaker, and founder of CULTURES OF RESISTANCE NETWORK, an organization that promotes global solidarity and supports peace with justice projects. Iara is currently working on a variety of initiatives that brings together artists and changemakers from around the world. At the center of these initiatives is a feature-length documentary film entitled CULTURES OF RESISTANCE, which explores how creative action contributes to conflict prevention and resolution.

As an activist, Iara has collaborated with numerous grassroots efforts, including the International Campaign to Ban Cluster Munitions, the New York Philharmonic’s groundbreaking 2008 music-for-diplomacy concert in North Korea and creative resistance projects in Iran, Lebanon, Palestine. In May 2010, Iara was a passenger on the MV Mavi Marmara, a passenger vessel in the Gaza Freedom Flotilla which was attacked in international waters by the Israeli navy, leading to the murder of nine humanitarian aid workers. Among the many people who recorded the events on that ship, her crew was the only one to successfully hide and retain most of the raid footage, which she later released to the world after a screening at the UN. Iara is very dedicated to the support of Gazan civilians who have been victims of war crimes committed by the Israeli military during “Operation Cast Lead” and who suffer from the Israeli government’s ongoing acts of collective punishment.

At the onset of the Iraq war in 2003, Iara, eager to understand the conflict better, decided to travel and live in the MENA region (Middle East & North Africa). While residing in Lebanon in 2006, Iara experienced firsthand the 34-day Israeli bombardment of that country. Since then, moved by that experience, she has dedicated herself to the pursuit of a just peace in the region, and is an enthusiastic supporter of those initiatives which strengthen adherence to international law in enforcing human rights. In 2008 Iara lived in Iran and supported a number of cultural exchange projects between that country and the West with the goal of promoting arts & culture for global solidarity.

From 1984 to 1989 Iara was the producer of the Sao Paulo International Film Festival. From 1989-2003 she was based in New York City, where she ran the mixed-media company Caipirinha Productions to explore the synergy of different art forms (such as film, music, architecture, and poetry). Under that banner, Iara has directed short and feature-length documentaries including Synthetic Pleasures, Modulations, Architettura, and Beneath the Borqa.

Iara is a member of the Council of Advisors of National Geographic Society and The International Crisis Group (ICG), long time supporter of Greenpeace International, as well as a trustee to the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST), North Korea’s first and only university whose faculty is composed of international professors.

VIA : grapevinekuwait

BBQ Trip To Garo Island,Q8

Nuzha Tours will be hosting a fun BBQ trip to Garo Island on July 20, 2012. The cost is 25 KD per person, and the price includes transportation, BBQ and DJ. Kindly contact Nuzha Tours for full details.


WHEN : July 20, 2012 (all-day)


FEES : 25 KD


NUZA TOURS CONTACT NO : 2575-5825/35, 9715-8539


VIA : grapevinekuwait

Mont Blanc Pens,Kuwait

A few days ago, a friend of mine requested me to find out where she can get Mont Blanc pens in Kuwait, as she wanted to gift to her father.

I didn't buy one at Kuwait, so I had to search the net.That's where you can get it...

You can go to its official website www.montblanc.com

Can check out....1. Hadi stores, 2. Lu-Lu, 3. Al-Kout, 4.Avenues, 5. Carrefour 
(Information from IIK....Details check HERE

She purchased from Al Jawahar

Kachori's of GOKUL,Q8

Kachori or Kachauri or Kachodi or Katchuri  is a spicy snack popular in various parts of India.Small, crisp, golden puri, stuffed with a dry, spiced filling is how I’d describe a Kachori that has its origins in Rajasthan,India.


But we are in KUWAIT, and to find authentic Indian snacks is little difficult. When we first arrived in Kuwait, we often used to go to Thakkar restaurant (Read for more details) situated at Salmiya. But after the birth of our daughter it was not possible to visit so often as Salmiya is far from where we stay.

Our problem was solved when Gokul Restaurant was opened at Abu Halifa(Read for more details). They serve authentic Indian snacks and I am their regular customer. I very often order Kachori from them and I have found no restaurants in Kuwait, who serves more tasty Kachori then Them.  

You can order Kachori(.100fils each), Dahi Kachori(.300Fils each) and Raj Kachori(.400fils each).

Saravanaa Bhavan,Kuwait

When I first heard about opening of "Saravanaa Bhavan" Restaurant in Fahaheel, I was over-joyed. I remember very well that when we took tour of South India as a kid, we visited Saravanna and enjoyed its food. Anyway, I am a lover of South Indian food and prefer going to a South Indian restaurant.  


On my birthday, I celebrated with my friends in the day time but in the evening we(family) went out. Had some nice time at Fahaheel beach  and asked my daughter what she wanted to have? She too is a lover of South Indian food like me and said would like to have dosa. So we decided to go to Saravanaa as we had been planning to visit it for some time.


We ordered Veg Spring roll, Saravanaa Special Biriyani, Onion Masala dosa, Plain dosa, Gulab jamun, Special coffee. We loved the food and also the ambience. The view of Fahaheel beach, Al Kout and the marina is just awesome from the restaurant. What more can be a better way to spend a lovely weekend then a visit to fahaheel beach, some marketing at Al Kout and a nice and delicious dinner at Saravanna.


The prices of the items at Saravanna is also reasonable, the ambience attractive and pleasing, view of Fahaheel from the restaurant too enticing, food tasty, lot of items served.......what more can one ask for? 


The restaurant opens from 6am to 11pm.


Some pic's of our visit.... 

Hotel Saravana Bhavan is a vegetarian restaurant chain based in Chennai, South India, offering south Indian cuisine. They have more than 20 outlets in Chennai and several outside India including USA, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Middle East. The brand has been synonymous with exquisite vegetarian cuisine for decades and established its presence over 30 branches across the world in 14 countries. 

View of Fahaheel from the restaurant too enticing and beautiful

Veg Spring Roll.....v.tasty (1KD/plate)

She just lovessssss them

Plain Dosa (.550fils)

Onion Rava Masala.....appetizing(.850fils)

Saravanaa Special Biriyani (1.4KD)....it was so good and tasty that I ordered another bowl

Gulab Jamun (.500 fils/bowl ie 2pc's)

The best and proper way to end our South Indian dinner was with a cup of hot coffee each.

(.700 fils /cup)

Saravanna Bhavan is an amazing gem hidden inside one of the most busy areas of Fahaheel.

If you love Indian Vegetarian food, specially authentic South India food, then this place is a MUST-VISIT.

 Situated at Fahaheel, at Humoud Towers, 4th Floor, above Centre Point on Gulf Road.

An Evening of Live Indian Music,Q8

WHERE : Museum of Modern Art Kuwait (Arabian Gulf Road, opposite Souq Sharq, near the Maritime Museum, Auditorium Area)


WHEN : June 29, 2012 @ 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm


ENTRY  FEE : Free

K’s PATH Volunteers Project,Q8

The Little Gym Summer Camp,Q8

Starts June 10 - Aug 30, morning camp 9 - 12 or afternoon 4 - 7, during Ramadan, afternoons are 2 - 5.

Activities include, gymnastics, sports, games, rides, swimming, arts & crafts, rock climbing and more, they also provide snack each day.

Each week they have a different theme and the qualified staff will run a structured program around this theme.

Swimming will be monitored by our CPR/Lifeguard certified swim instructor who will be in the pool and with lifeguards on the outside of the pool.  Must register in advance. 

Camp is for children ages 3 - 12 yrs, but they will accept less than 3 yrs old with a nanny

Prices for members and non members are as follows.

                             Members                        Non Members

Daily                         13                                    15
                                Weekly (5 days)       60                                    65
                             2 weeks (10 days)     115                                  125
                             3 weeks (15 days)     165                                  180
                             4 weeks (20 days)     210                                  230

The Little Gym, street 105, area 1A, Jabriya. Tel. 25344844

For more information, check thelittlegym.com

My Gym Summer Camp,Q8

Karate Training,Q8

Beside the adults training for both ladies, gents and kids 12 years up to 60+ age

We have a special program as well special instructors for Youth and Juniors as follow:

About Youth Training (7-12 years old)

We are the only professionals who accept Youth (boys and girls) from age 4 to 6.

Youth training is twice a week

Thursday and Friday 6 - 7 PM.

About Kids Training (4-6 years old)

Training is lead by JKA Kuwait 2008 Kumite (Sparring) Silver Medalist, KATA Gold Medalist - Senpai Manayer Salmeen.

Kids Training 3 times a week

 Training Schedule:
Thursday, Friday and Sunday from 06:00 pm to 7.30 pm

http://www.jka-kuwait.com

World Musical Day At Infunity 360 Mall,Q8

Kuwait Environmental Protection Society Offers Courses

NOTE : Click on the pic to enlarge

“Champions Pizza” Offer At The Upper Crust Pizzeria!

Scout Information Night,Q8

Family Expo At The Kuwait International Fair

WHEN : July 9, 2012 @ 9:30 am – July 19, 2012 @ 9:30 pm WHERE : Kuwait International Fair Ground,Mishref

Izakaya Kids' Sushi Classes,Q8

Arabic Roti's

Have you ever visited a co-operative in Kuwait? Do you love marketing there??
For us there is no fix shop where we do our weekly grocery marketing. We just love to drive and stop at any shop and try and buy our weekend grocery. Be it geant, luluhypermarket, bakalas, carefour, co-operatives,gulf mart ....there is no fix shop for us. We just drive to any area, explore the area , stop at the co-operative and buy our things.
We have visited almost all co-operatives  of Kuwait and we found one common feature. Just attached to a co-operative is a baker, who makes arabic rotis(you will find it with almost every co-operative). You will find lot of people waiting for their order.
We too purchased few times...while I am busy making some spicy chicken, my husband would go to the Abu Halifa co-operative area to buy those hot delicious arabic rotis.
If you have not tried then try once....

The above pic is of Fahaheel co-operative

Visit to WAFRA: A Nightmare

We have visited sooo many times and had taken sooo many pictures of Wafra farms.Infact I always carry my camera whernever I go out.


But last weekend a friend took his family(wife and mom) for a visit. On the way they took pic of a oil rig and some army tankers.They  didn't think much and reached Wafra, took more pic's, purchased some vegetables and chicken. A Kuwaiti police officer approached them, took their camera and took all of them to the police station. Even their mobile and civil id was taken.They were confused as to what was happening. The officer told them that they had taken pic of oil rig and American tankers (which is not allowed/prohibited in Kuwait).They said they were sorry and didn't know that it was prohibited. But still they were kept in the police station from 6-9.30pm, untill the American soldiers came and after taking to them they were allowed to return home with a warning.


Thank god they were allowed to return as they left their kids home.


Anyway its a lesson to be learnt....I need to be very careful while taking pictures now.  

Just found a nice video 

A Walk Down Salem Al Mubarak Street, Kuwait   

on YouTube......

ENJOY....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XjBdBHSjl0

Salem Al-Mubarak street,Salmiya,Kuwait

"Salem Al-Mubarak Street"-this is that part of Kuwait,which we very often visited when we first landed in Kuwait. No, its not near my house....infact quite far. But we just loved the ambience and aura of the place. We didn't have a car then  but we took a taxi. I must admit, having a car was not that important ....it did never stopped us from exploring Kuwait. Its easy to get a taxi from Abu Halifa to Salmiya's Salem Al-Mubarak Street but when we returned (it was usually late) it becomes difficult to get a taxi, as taxi drivers don't want to come to Abu Halifa so late as they don't get  customers and we had to pay both side fare which was expensive. But still all such petite things don't matter for us when it comes to enjoying the weekend.

But things changed after the birth of my daughter. For few years we just didn't roam about on weekends but now that she is growing and enjoys, we have started our exploration.

Last weekend we visited the Salem Al-Mubarak Street (had visited after a long time) and it brought back memories of our in-numerous visits.The Salem Al-Mubarak Street shopping districts, commonly known as Salmiya Center is one of the oldest and largest shopping districts of Kuwait. It is a remnant of Kuwait's once numerous traditional souk bazaars, similar to the ones located in Jleeb Al Shuyoukh and Kuwait City.The entire street is full with malls (which I love to visit for window shopping). For those who love to shop at MAX,CENTER POINT, H n M, Mark N Spencer,NASSER Sports Center etc etc(in numerous shops)its the best place to go as all the shops are near-by.It is one perfect area in Kuwait to hang out with families and friends.Aside from the malls, there are numerous restaurants, ice-cream parlour, hooka cafe's, art galleries,photo shops, medicine shops,banks, sports centers,money exchange,grocery shops and many other types of stores.

We first thought of going to ZAFRAN for contemporary Indian food but later changed our minds and went for Italian food.