Safat: The KuwaitBlogs’ Aggregator

I used to love these canned chips! Though i was never a fan of the Hot Sauce ‘Tabasco or Daqoos BuDeech’… the other day i was at the Ma67ana when i saw the two of them right next to each other and i snapped that shot…

I took the chips alone… they were as horrible as i remember them… something about their taste… a fierce sour aftertaste… ble5!

Where you a fan of those chips? With or Without Daqoos?

Filed under: Childhood, Cravings, Food, Life, Memories, Q8

Right on the corner of Leicester Square, London, there stands a lovely red sign with a group of people queuing to go inside and be seated… That place is one of my favorite  spots to relax in the UK… it’s Häagen-Dazs

I remember being a little child in London, and my parents allowing only me to tag along with them and the other grownups for a late night ice cream in Häagen-Dazs… i remember how special i felt to be standing in a long queue waiting to be seated… i was the only child in the family out that late back then… i always ordered a Strawberry Sunday and wondered why would they call it a Sunday, isn’t Sunday a day of the week?

Those red signs, this set of doors, always pulls me back to my childhood days, making me feel special! If i pass and there is a queue, i must go join it… the only queue in the world i would enjoy… and i immediately turn into a little child feeling special all over again <3

Over the years i have accumilaited tons of pictures of the Häagen-Dazs ice cream combo’s i like… but now i have decided that this dish -above- is my signature one… it’s one scoop praline and cream, one scoop butter pecan, Chocolate sauce, banana slices, and those crunchy thingies on top… <3

My hubby Butootee always loves their drink combos and hot chocolates.  Especially when i drag him there in the winter… yes, winter summer rain sleet fog snow frost hail… i will be standing there and eating my ice cream

The waffles are good too if you don’t feel or don’t like ice cream… if you pass by and find a queue, jump in and have fun!

Filed under: Bu Tootee, Childhood, Chocolate, Food, Life, London, Memories, Recomendations, Restaurants, Reviews, Things I like, Things I Miss, Things to Do in London, Travel Tagged: Häagen-Dazs

Villa Fayrouz ’3ani 3n il ta3reef 6b3an… i am a big fan of their food… not a fan of their Shaab location though… when i heard that their Avenues branch was open i called them up and made a reservation for lunch on Saturday!

We tried to find a way to Villa Fayrouz from the inside but we coudln’t find any… we had to get outside, pass by P.F. Changs and then make it through the main entrance! Still, it is much better than going to the Shaab location!

Their food was good as expected… the entire front wall of the restaurant is floor to ceiling glass which meant plenty of sunlight was streaming into the place, giving it a nice and cosy sun lit atmosphere…

From now on, i am only going to the Avenues branch! Well Done!

Filed under: Food, Memories, Q8, Recomendations, Restaurants, Reviews, Things I like Tagged: Villa Fairuz

I love this sound! Whenever i heard it meant we had gotten an internet connection after an hour or so of redialling! Excitement starts bubbling  inside my stomach and spreads to tips of my toes, fingers, and hair follicles! I don’t hear it anymore unfortunately, such a pity wallah!

la7agtaw 3la ayam il Dial up and this sound? Don’t you just love it?!

Filed under: Internet, Memories, Q8, Things I like, Things I Miss Tagged: Dial Up Sound

18 years ago, i was walking with my mother just down Baker Street, London, when she announced that i had a new baby girl cousin! You can imagine my surprise when i made the math and realized that my  baby cousin is all grown up… she is now an 18 Years old Adult @_@

I attended her graduation, and the very next day it was her 18th birthday! EIGHTEEN! I still can’t believe i am not 18 any more! When did this happen?! Where did all those years go? Flew by with the speed of a wink!

So for her 18th, we wanted a hoopla… it’s not every day she turns 18 no? I for one has never been into Meat & Co. before mainly because i am a vegetarian and what would i be doing there… but i have always heard their birthday drums while sitting downstairs in Lorenzo or Life with Cacao… We decided it was THE place to go for Baby Cuz’s birthday!

We had so much fun that night… the bread they brought was amazing! I gorged my self with bread so much i couldn’t even eat more than two bites of my vegetarian dish of the day…

there is this amazing Chocolate bread… with bits of something scarlet red inside that looked like blueberries… i could have taken a basket of those loaves home and lived on them for a week… the hint of chocolate with the warm dough and the smooth butter… mmm… and that trace of sour berry thing…

For appetizers there was a tame garden salad and this vicious ribs thing… i have to say i didn’t care much for it but then i don’t eat meat so it’s expected…

Variety of dishes… the salmon skewer over mashed potatoes looked fun…

Close up…

Another close up… the salmon was very photogenic…

One of the steaks that was around… i don’t know the difference between them y3ni but they are all meat fa one picture is enough…

I was told the Classic burger is excellent…

I had fun with the innocent potatoes…

My vegetarian dish of the day… vegetable lasagne… it came after every one else’s dishes and it was a bit too cold… 3eqab for vegetarians i suppose…

There were so many birthdays that night! One birthday after the other! Maybe 5 or 6! But it also meant that by the time it was our turn not all of the waiters were available and they didn’t drum as long or as intesne as they usually do…

My cousin was a bit crushed… we had called in and specifically requested this in advance… and it was her 18th! She also wanted a brownie but they were out so we had the apple tart…

By the time we finished the tart another Birthday was there with full fledged drumming!!! Then another! Then another! All of them got proper drumming

Noting the expression on our faces, our friendly waiter came back with the full squad and performed a proper drumming happy birthday dance that took every ounce of our will power to stop us from getting up and dancing to the beat…

and they left the drums by our side… my two cousins drummed ishwaya on it and i have decided to take drumming lessons b3d… It was so much FUN! Now i understand why every one was celebrating their birthdays in Meat & Co.! I cannot stop singing the drumming beat “Habbyy Berthdaaay… Ee yaba heebaa yaba heebaa…” very World Cupish!

Happy Birthday Baby Cousin :* … and if you want to take someone our for a proper birthday drumming, you know the place to go!

Filed under: Childhood, Family, Friends, Funny, Life, Memories, My Photography, Q8, Recomendations, Restaurants, Reviews, Things I like Tagged: Meat & Co.

I was rummaging through a drawer filled with junk when i found this little thing! I was confused for a moment trying to place it… then it hit me! That’s my Magic Diary!!!

If i am not mistaken it was back in 1993 when one day an ad appeared for this diary in the news papers… kids went berserk! I remember running to my parents and begging for one IMMEDIATELY! The drive to Al3ejairi Book store in Al Neqra was very exciting as i imagined my self clasping my hands around the tiny little electronic diary!

I couldn’t sleep well that night, i started entering my friends home phone number and drawing their faces with the face recognition thing… it was the one feature that made it so appealing to me! I had so much FUN with that!

I remember the very next day… me showing it off in the morning 6aboor thingy at school… I was the first one to buy it at school! I loved it sooo much i kept it for all those years…

I also remember that there was a model that could send messages to each other with infra red but u needed friends who had a magic diary as well <3

There is a little problem though, my husband claims that this is his magic diary and not mine… and i say it’s mine! I guess the dispute will be settled when we replace the batteries and check the phone book to see whose friends faces are there… it is MINE!

Do you remember this Magic Diary? did you have one too?

Filed under: Bu Tootee, Childhood, Life, Memories, Q8, Things I like, Things I Miss Tagged: Casio My magic diary

Dates back to the mid 1980′s… maybe 1987? I think it was shown in Ramadan i am not sure… what i am sure of though is that we had taped it and watched it, over and over and over, until 1990! I remember it was my & my siblings  favourite lunch time cartoon… whenever i hear the opening i immediately remember  veal escalope and fried potatoes! I also remember us crying like mad when Raneen becomes a fountain fairy at the end… every single time… and being scared of the 3aqrab el kabeer and that masked ghost like man following them to capture Raneen whome i forgot his name… also i so hated farfoor thaqeel il 6ena, a frog in love with a princess!

Do you remember Raneen? If you do, how hard did you cry at the end?

Filed under: Cartoons, Memories, Things I Miss

When you walk through Paddington Station… a flaky wholesome aroma hits your nostrils and beckons you over… you follow the smell and you find the source… they are the Pasties from West Cornwall Pasty Co.

Quite a mouthful for a restaurant name… so i will abbreviate it with the word Pasty! Pasties are basically hot dough, more puff pastry like than pizza or fatayer, and filled with bubbling hot ingredients… be it mushroom and cheese, or creamy vegetables, of any other filling you would eat if you are a meat lover… the combinations are very good… the pasties are so crunchy and flaky and warm… it’s is the perfect guilty pleasure to have in the UK…

The Pasty stands can be found in Euston Station and Paddington Station… but our favorite spot to grab a pasty would be their  little café corner in Covent Garden Market!

It is the perfect spot for people watching! You can watch all the acrobats and performers playing in front of you while you eat your bubbling hot pasty. You should try their fries while you are at it… how good? This good…

If you have no time to sit down… grab your self a take away especially if you are freezing in December… you would be hugging the pasty so hard you never want to go… Butootee insists on grabbing a couple for himself whenever we pass by… there is no compromise when it comes to pasties in his dictionary…

It is one gooooood guilty lunch… Highly Recommended! Get they while they are hot, do not wait for them to cool down… you have been warned!

Filed under: Bu Tootee, Cravings, Food, London, Memories, Recomendations, Restaurants, Reviews, Things I like, Things I Miss, Things to Do in London, Travel Tagged: Pasties, West Cornwall Pasty Co

I usually visit F&M on my 2nd day of the trip. I love this place… it is in Piccadilly just off Regent Street so it’s merely a walking distance to all the attractions…

With a history dating back to the 1700′s and several royal warrants under it’s belt… it is one place in London where you can feel you are actually in London… you walk through the gorgeous doors to a room with plush carpeting and crystal chandeliers and old wood and glass displays…

F&M always caters the newest and strangest things to be found in the UK… back when Ketchup was unknown, it was sold for the first time in F&M… you walk around in amazement… you see very few Arabs milling around which is a good thing… i don’t think many would waste their times in what they would perceive as an old grocery store… only it’s not a mere grocery store!

Several restaurants are on the premises… their English Tea is something worth trying… they sell every thing from tea, coffee, jam, honey, biscuits, and groceries to books, games, baby stuff, linen, china and many many more! You can visit their website for more information (click here)

I personally am a huge fan of their tea collection and their rose infused tea. Their selection of flavored green tea bags is amazing, the tins of cookies and biscuits are yummy. The packaging is neat and lovely and would make an amazing gift to your family and friends back home…

Stay away from the Smokey Earl Grey though… it’s like drinking a Smoke :S

I love using their stairway! I feel like i am back in time

I was searching for a selection of good quality food paints and color that are also suitable for vegetarians. I found what i wanted in F&M… which was expected given the range of goods you can find in there and no where else!

I can’t wait to bake something and use my new colors *shivers*…

If you are in London… you must must MUST take a stroll around F&M… you will not regret it for it’s a time well spent!

Filed under: Food, London, Memories, Reviews, Shopping, Things I like, Things to Do in London, Things to Get 4m London Tagged: Fortnum & Mason

You want a candy cake… but you don’t want to walk all the way to Covent Garden? Head to Kingsly Court instead…

Kingsly court is accessible via Carnaby Street… it doesn’t look very promising from the outisde… but once you step inside you will find your self in the cutest shopping area ever! It’s all steel and greens and lights and noise and movement… shoppers milling about every where … lovely garden in the middle with chairs and tables scattered around it…

You can either start exploring the shops immediately and end up in a coffee shop below or you can rest for a bit then go exploring… either way it is a very nice place to sit and people watch for a while. In the winter time it’s even more charming for every thing is dotted with lights and Christmas decorations.

It’s my Butootee’s favorite place in London. He loves sitting under that tree and having him self a nice Candy Cake while i zoomed around the unique shops. It is THE place to find quirky things to buy as gifts and souvenirs.

Of course not to forget the Candy Cakes sold on the first floor café

 

Filed under: Bu Tootee, Food, London, Memories, Recomendations, Reviews, Shopping, Things I like, Things I Miss, Things to Do in London, Travel Tagged: Candy Cakes, Carnaby Street, Kingsly Court

Tucked away in the heart of Covent Garden there is a staircase… taking the steps down to the lower level you will find your self in an open basement area dotted with coffee shops and restaurants…

Scattered every where are outdoorsy tables and in the corner there is always someone playing something… be it the guitar or a violin or maybe just someone on stilts playing… it is in this area where the lovely Candy Cakes Shop resides…

Back in January 2009 i had a small post about the Candy Cakes… i felt i hadn’t done it justice then so i am deleting the old one and posting a new one with better pictures… One of my favorite stops in the heart of London… i love every thing about this quirky tiny place…

The window display is what captures your attention first. Cupcakes have been an international craze for quite some time now… but those cupcakes demand your attention and capture it immediately for their frosting is so smooth and colorful and if you are a person who loves color like i am you will be glued to the window display…

You go inside… it is cave like but painted in bright green… every thing screams funky! I would imagine finding a shop like this in Tokyo if i ever visit! The aroma of the cakes is in the air… and you wait in line, entertained by the lovely items you see hanging all around…

When it’s finally your turn… you don’t know what to choose! You cannot eat all the flavors at once of course… so what will it be?! The double chocolate?!

Maybe? How about the banana and toffee?!

This luscious berry one?! Mmmmm

What to take what to take?!

The decision is even harder now… for other baked goods are just as scrumptious! Will stick to Candy Cakes though…

Their drinks are not bad either… this is the cappuccino i ordered in the last post…

and this is my absolute favorite… the Blueberry Candy Cake… <3

Oh the tables are funky and nice too…

We decided to take a couple of Candy Cakes for takeaway… we had some shops to tend to that lovely day…

Yet we couldn’t resist taking a big box of Candy Cakes for my family… especially given that my baby sister was BBMing me non stop about them…

The box was bought on the day before we went back home… was backed into our hand luggage… and reached q8 fresh, safe, and sound! We had fun eating them at home <3

If you pass by Covent Garden… take 5 minutes to grab your self a Candy Cake… i recommend the Blueberry one… Butootee recoomend the double chocolate one… I will write another post about another place in London that sells the same Candy Cakes insha2 Allah tomorrow :D

Filed under: Chocolate, Coffee, Cravings, Food, Memories, My Photography, Recomendations, Restaurants, Reviews, Shopping, Things I like, Things I Miss, Things to Get 4m London, Travel Tagged: Candy Cakes, Covent Garden

The year was 1986 or 1987 i am not quite sure… what i was sure of though is the fact that El Sanafer (the Smurfs) were being shown on TV… they were a BIG HIT… and every single child in Q8 was smitten with them…

Then Hardeez had the great idea of distributing these little figurines with their Kids meals. I remember nagging on my parents to take us there and buy us meals just so we could collect the little toys! So many times that we used to end up with doubles like those babies below…

Of course the cartoon we have seen had no babies! The identity of those babies baffled us! Are they baby sanafer we know? or did Sanfoora get married to some sanfoor o have those babies? If so, which sanfoor was it?! Also who was this read head sanfoora below?! When did she appear?! We never got our answers though…

I remember a toy store in old Salmiya, next to the 3alamiya and the family book shop… it was Alwaleed… it used to sell the exact same figurines and they were not cheap… i think one figurine cost one KD or something? We bought one of the nurse sanfooras below while we got the other from a Hardeez Kids meal…

Sadly the few figurines shows is all i have left of those days and memories. We loved them so much we played with them all the time! The other rivalling cartoon, Shanakel, had also started selling their figurenes in Alwaleed as well… we had so many of them! All i have got left are those 2 of my favorite shankoola (oo6a was her name?!)

Their nose/snorkel thing was pliable! It was also very chewable for young boys like my brother who left his vicious mark on the poor shankoola’s snorkel.

I am keeping those toys forever insha2 Allah… i will show them to my children and my grandchildren one day but they are for display only… not to play with!

Do you remember those toys? Or have you ever seen them or played with them before?!

Filed under: Childhood, Life, Memories, Q8, Things I like Tagged: Smurf

One of the greatest cartoons ever! I still watch it because it’s  my favourite! The way Kabamaro is always hungry and eats chow mein like mad is amazing… the lunch boxes… the karate… his relentless search for his childhood friend Hayatt – i always cry when i remember how he runs after him and Hayatt doesn’t want him maskeen :`(-

O il quraides il maqli! The quraides alone is another story! The most hilarious cartoon ever! Believe it or not it was never shown on KTV? Yes they used to censor cartoons as well… We knew about it by bying Khumasi tapes from Alwisam then watching the ads at the end of the tape… going to wesam and buying it for ourselves!

Do you remember Kabamaro? If you don’t… GO BUY THE TAPES… skip the last episode though yannaw o ig3edaw!

Filed under: Childhood, Memories, Recomendations, Things I like, TV

Etrayaqtaw?

Ma an9a7kom you continue without breakfast… unless u have something coming on the way…

Do i need to introduce the best pizza in Q8? All of us know about it.. Most of us like it… The little spicy tabasco thing with the smudge of sweet ketchup and the strings of sharp cheese over the softest dough EVER! I love it so much i think it deserves to have a post in the chapter of my childhood memories

There is something always exciting about stepping into a Qaysar branch and waiting in turn to order your pizza! The dozen used to be 1.200 KD and now it has jumped to 1.500 KD… 25% increase in price… but well… if any one deserved the price increase, it’s pizza qaysar frankly!

This plastic bag is always a source of joy for mye! When present it has the power of conjuring up the smell of pizza qaysar in my nostrils…

Ah the pizza box! Smells AMAZING! and it’s usually steaming hot! I remember when we were little kids and my mother would drive us to Qaysar… she always enforced a no food no drink in the car rule… the only exception would be when i walk with the pizza order and she would take the steaming box out of my hands… set it in her lap and open it… distributing hot hot HOT pizzas around for us to eat and actually polishing off half the box before we move again…

And when she would be driving home again… she would extend her hand to me while driving and says ‘give me one pizza’ and she would actually eat it while driving! My mother… the woman that never eats! She could resist all types of food except pizza Qaysar back then!

One memorable characteristic regarding the pizza is that they tend to stack it in the box while very hot and doughy… when you open the box you would find the pizza’s stuck together whether dough to dough or by the melting cheese… i <3 when that happens because it means i get to have a chain of pizza’s <3

Once as a teenager… i was a bit chubby and my mother tried to put me on a diet… my late aunt Allah yer7amha who loved pizza qaysar maybe more than anyone else in q8 had just gotten a promotion and she brought us dinner to our zwara to celebrate… i remember a particularly large box of qaysar pizza that had a lovely pizza chain of 5 pizza’s stuck together… i picked it up and grinned… she grinned back at me and my mom tried to stop me eating it… but my aunt stepped in and let me have my chain of pizza that night

I am sure each and every one of us has a story to share about their pizza Qaysar memories… do comment about it please :p

and here is the melted cheese i was talking about…

Jumbled up and melted… just the way i like them <3

Of course Qaysar is not only known for it’s awsome pizza… it sell the most amazing za3tar pizza EVER!

The only bad thing about their za3tar pizza is that it’s almost always not available. If you are willing to wait they will make it in 20 minutes… the za3tar is so tangy and they add one green olive in the middle… it is out of this world… if i want to make my baby sister happy i will bring her a box of those…

They also sell sandwiches…  my grandmother loves their chicken sandwich so much we have to get her some whenever we pass by to visit! I like their falafel ones but the bread of the sandwich is too thick for my taste.. .people don’t seem to mind though

Their mini croissants and their puff pastries filled with cheddar cheese are also favored guilty treats of mine… oooh and the round dough balls filled with Kiri cheese they sell by the dozen!!! another national favorite!

One more thing worth mentioning is… though Qaysar has expanded with branches every where and many other shops sell copycats of their pizza… … Qaysar pizza differs in taste from one branch to anther… the best pizza is to be found in Qurtoba Branch… Followed closely by the Qadsiya branch… but it’s always the Qurtoba branch for me unless i am near Qadsiya… the difference in taste is worth the effort of going to Qurtoba… trust me on this one!

So… when will you be having some Qaysar pizza :p

Happy Weekend Every One

Filed under: Childhood, Cravings, Food, Life, Memories, Reviews, Things I like Tagged: Pizza Qaysar

I have been looking for this song on the internet ever since Youtube was invented! I searched and searched and searched and FINALLY yesterday i found it on the website www.niceq8i.tv

At LAST! This song is so old, most of you weren’t born when it was sung! 1986 chinna? I remember me and my cousins playing with our Barbies, we would have them attend a Barbie wedding and they would dance while one barbie sang for them… and yes we would actually sing this song for the Barbies to dance on! We didn’t realize what it was about… we just knew it’s beautiful, and Nabeel’s voice was and still is AMAZING…

So glad i finally found it! I have been singing it all day yesterday o i’m still going on I feel like i am back to my childhood days… Thank you Nice Q8i so very very much!

Filed under: Childhood, Memories, Q8, Things I like, Things I Miss, Things i'm waiting for!

Late night browsing at our old Jabriya Co-Op caused me to stumble on boxes of Sunkist Juice! Shakhbaree! I was back in the 1980′s in a whim… fighting for my breakfast in the non existant line at the school canteen… getting my self an icy cold Sunkist Orange and a Triangular Cheese Fa6eera… you were either a cheese f6era child or a za3tar fa6eera!

I would then go sit somewhere in the dusty playground with my little friends, take a bought of the delicious doughy fa6era with the tangy cheese… followed by a sip of the overly sweet Sunkist… constrasting amazingly with the saltiness of the cheese!

Now this little treat is still one of my favorites… the thing is… i can never find a good 80′s school style triangular F6erat jeben with crumbled salty white cheese inside…

Do you know a place where i can buy my self one? I truly wish to relive those days!

oh and… where you ever a fan of Sunkist?

Filed under: Childhood, Food, Life, Memories, Q8, Things I Miss, Wishes Tagged: Childhood in Q8, Sunkist

Late night browsing at our old Jabriya Co-Op caused me to stumble on boxes of Sunkist Juice! Shakhbaree! I was back in the 1980′s in a whim… fighting for my breakfast in the non existant line at the school canteen… getting my self an icy cold Sunkist Orange and a Triangular Cheese Fa6eera… you were either a cheese f6era child or a za3tar fa6eera!

I would then go sit somewhere in the dusty playground with my little friends, take a bought of the delicious doughy fa6era with the tangy cheese… followed by a sip of the overly sweet Sunkist… constrasting amazingly with the saltiness of the cheese!

Now this little treat is still one of my favorites… the thing is… i can never find a good 80′s school style triangular F6erat jeben with crumbled salty white cheese inside…

Do you know a place where i can buy my self one? I truly wish to relive those days!

oh and… where you ever a fan of Sunkist?

Filed under: Childhood, Food, Life, Memories, Q8, Things I Miss, Wishes Tagged: Childhood in Q8, Sunkist

I was browsing the kids DVD section in HMV when i saw the DVD above that looked very very familiar. I picked it up and it hit me… i know this show! I didn’t know it’s name – now i do- but i remember it being shown on KTV2 back in the mid 80′s… i remember my self watching it… this little fellow made from clay was friends with the human owner and it was tiny, finger sized, and they had all sorts of fun together! I loved him so much i went to my mom one day and begged her to get one like him for my self to become my friend. I remember being disappointed for days afterwards because no one would bring him to me!

Do  you remember this show?!

Filed under: Cartoons, Childhood, Memories, Q8, Things I like, Things I Miss, TV Tagged: The Morph Files

If there is one thing from Dubai that must be brought to Kuwait, that would be mOre cafe! The place is AMAZING! Modern, quirky, wholesome good food, spacious, buzzing, generous portions, super fast and friendly staff, amazing service, foreign crowd who keep to themselves and DO NOT stare or over dress, and so reasonably priced it’s almost too cheap!

What more can you ask for?! Let me show you what i mean…

The setting is modern and spacious… i like this style a lot…

This huge heavy round table is hanging from the wall by wires… adds a nice touch to the modern atmosphere… if you shake it though it will sway right and left… keep away if you are as clumsy as me :p

I snapped this shot while we were waiting for our orders to arrive… behind the smiley face is where they sell their pastries and cakes and fresh breads to go <3

Espresso and Watermelon Juice to start…

My full English breakfast… no tomatoes for me or sausages of course… it was goooooood

Butootee had the Arabian breakfast… with chai 7leeb & OJ… it took us a loong time to polish off and it was really good <3

I once had a commentor on my Nespresso post saying that the cups i use are not coffee cups and why do i use them? The answer is, many cafes abdroad, like mOre cafe, use them for beverages and they are always so comfy and big! I liked the concept and started doing the same!

and we couldn’t resist a slice of this raspberry cheesecake <3

mOre cafe is worth getting on a plane and travelling all the way there just to have lunch and back… it is THAT good… someone SHOULD franchise them or something

I <3 you, mOre cafe!

Filed under: Breakfast, Bu Tootee, Cravings, Dubai, Food, Memories, Recomendations, Restaurants, Reviews, Things I like, Things I Miss, Travel Tagged: mOre cafe

After reading Ansam’s Lime Tree Cafe Breakfast post, i was a bit nostalgic so i decided to fetch my own lime tree breakfast pictures and share them in a post… if you have not been there already, you MUST! They have the BEST carrot cake… i mean it. We have never tasted anything like it before and it’s totally worth ruining your diet for…

So here goes… my breakfast was the carrot cake and this yummy cup of cappucino

Butootee my hubby had the English Breakfast…

Scrambled Eggs, Hash Browns, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Baked Beans, and a Big Fat Juicy Sausage here is another shot… also a very refreshing watermelon drink

Why did we take pictures that day?

It was a lovely October morning… breezy yet sunny and not at all humid. Early morning, no one was awake in Dubai yet except for some foreign early birds… every one minding their own business… we sat outside, good food, quiet surrounding, no one staring at you… every one in jeans and sweats…

Then we look up and we see this…

Etyanin mo? She was so so relaxed… and making faces… and right above our heads

If there was any indication on how relaxing the place was… it’s this cat!

In fact, the only one making noise that day was me snapping pictures and cooing over the cat

I should go back to Dubai soon!

Lime Tree Cafe Breakfast… highly recommended…

Filed under: Breakfast, Bu Tootee, Coffee, Cravings, Dubai, Food, Funny, Life, Memories, My Photography, Q8, Recomendations, Restaurants, Reviews, Things I like, Things I Miss, Travel Tagged: Lime Tree Cafe

I miss walking in the frosty dawn… then passing by pret’s door and the warm scent of croissants and coffee would hit me in the face… making me all warm and tingly…

I miss standing in line to have a cup of hot winter vegetables soup, removing my gloves and putting my icy hands around the cup… inhaling deeply then dunking in my soft white baguette until it’s all drenched…

I miss choosing a hearty cheese ploughmans, a bottle of juice, some sea salt and cracked pepper crisps, and taking them outside to a park… sitting on a bench and having my lunch in peace… just another person in this vast world, no one to stare, no one to size you up… just me and my pret

I miss waltzing by for a quick pick me up… the cappucino decorated with a chocolate pret star, and having a mouthful of yummy lemon cheesecake in it’s unique square cardboard box… and trying to resist the yummies melted mozzarella pastries every made… flaky, salty, and gone in one second…

I miss running inside before my train takes off… grabbing my self a salad and paying, then throwing my self inside the train as the doors close up… digging in while i watch the scenery pass by and the clunk of the train on the background…

I miss sneaking my yummy bagged pret popcorn into Odeon, or simply staying home for the day and flipping through the channels… watching lovely British Ads one after another…

I miss having a melted spicy falafel wrap… the first bite with stringy cheese mixed with grilled red peppers… no one makes it as good as pret… not even close :`(

I miss you pret :`( why can’t anyone bring  you over here why :`(

Filed under: Breakfast, Cravings, Food, Life, London, Memories, Q8, Things I like, Things I Miss

I miss walking in the frosty dawn… then passing by pret’s door and the warm scent of croissants and coffee would hit me in the face… making me all warm and tingly…

I miss standing in line to have a cup of hot winter vegetables soup, removing my gloves and putting my icy hands around the cup… inhaling deeply then dunking in my soft white baguette until it’s all drenched…

I miss choosing a hearty cheese ploughmans, a bottle of juice, some sea salt and cracked pepper crisps, and taking them outside to a park… sitting on a bench and having my lunch in peace… just another person in this vast world, no one to stare, no one to size you up… just me and my pret

I miss waltzing by for a quick pick me up… the cappucino decorated with a chocolate pret star, and having a mouthful of yummy lemon cheesecake in it’s unique square cardboard box… and trying to resist the yummies melted mozzarella pastries every made… flaky, salty, and gone in one second…

I miss running inside before my train takes off… grabbing my self a salad and paying, then throwing my self inside the train as the doors close up… digging in while i watch the scenery pass by and the clunk of the train on the background…

I miss sneaking my yummy bagged pret popcorn into Odeon, or simply staying home for the day and flipping through the channels… watching lovely British Ads one after another…

I miss having a melted spicy falafel wrap… the first bite with stringy cheese mixed with grilled red peppers… no one makes it as good as pret… not even close :`(

I miss you pret :`( why can’t anyone bring  you over here why :`(

Filed under: Breakfast, Cravings, Food, Life, London, Memories, Q8, Things I like, Things I Miss

I miss walking in the frosty dawn… then passing by pret’s door and the warm scent of croissants and coffee would hit me in the face… making me all warm and tingly…

I miss standing in line to have a cup of hot winter vegetables soup, removing my gloves and putting my icy hands around the cup… inhaling deeply then dunking in my soft white baguette until it’s all drenched…

I miss choosing a hearty cheese ploughmans, a bottle of juice, some sea salt and cracked pepper crisps, and taking them outside to a park… sitting on a bench and having my lunch in peace… just another person in this vast world, no one to stare, no one to size you up… just me and my pret

I miss waltzing by for a quick pick me up… the cappucino decorated with a chocolate pret star, and having a mouthful of yummy lemon cheesecake in it’s unique square cardboard box… and trying to resist the yummies melted mozzarella pastries every made… flaky, salty, and gone in one second…

I miss running inside before my train takes off… grabbing my self a salad and paying, then throwing my self inside the train as the doors close up… digging in while i watch the scenery pass by and the clunk of the train on the background…

I miss sneaking my yummy bagged pret popcorn into Odeon, or simply staying home for the day and flipping through the channels… watching lovely British Ads one after another…

I miss having a melted spicy falafel wrap… the first bite with stringy cheese mixed with grilled red peppers… no one makes it as good as pret… not even close :`(

I miss you pret :`( why can’t anyone bring  you over here why :`(

Filed under: Breakfast, Cravings, Food, Life, London, Memories, Q8, Things I like, Things I Miss

When we were kids in the 80′s and early 90′s this show was always on! I really miss watching it

Do you remember this show?

Filed under: Memories, Q8, Things I like, Things I Miss, TV

I was in the chocolate aisle, browsing with closed eyes when a strong nostalgic coconut smell hit my nostrils…

That sugary coconut smell… hmmmm… i had to open my eyes! and there i was, infront of a closed tin of the lovely Kakaw Bu Jooz El Hend as we used to call it Oh how i miss it… it IS THE BEST… so chewy, the coconut so sweet and rich, and the colors are amazing… i would happily devour one tin by my own to makeup for the past decade when i didn’t dare taste it…

But then i closed my eyes and moved on… i was closing my eyes so i wouldn’t be tempted to buy any chocolate by the way o i had to pass by the chocolate aisle…

Do you remember this *kakaw*?

Filed under: Childhood, Chocolate, Cravings, Food, Life, Memories, Q8, Things I like, Things I Miss

I was surprised, a little appalled even, to find out that someone in Q8 doesn’t know who Sabkahawa is!!!

Sabkahawaaa!!! Matatoooo! Bye Bye London! Watch the above video from minute 3 till minute 7 and you will understand who Sabkahawa is… you MUST know Sabkahwa!!! LoooL

Just for the clarification, Maryam El’3athba is the wife of 3bdil 7sain who is trying to catch him cheating in the act… fa she is in disguise

Filed under: Childhood, Funny, Memories, Q8, Things I like, TV

I was surprised, a little appalled even, to find out that someone in Q8 doesn’t know who Sabkahawa is!!!

Sabkahawaaa!!! Matatoooo! Bye Bye London! Watch the above video from minute 3 till minute 7 and you will understand who Sabkahawa is… you MUST know Sabkahwa!!! LoooL

Just for the clarification, Maryam El’3athba is the wife of 3bdil 7sain who is trying to catch him cheating in the act… fa she is in disguise

Filed under: Childhood, Funny, Memories, Q8, Things I like, TV

How i love this show? Arabic language is AMAZING and this show brings out it’s beauty! Especially with Abu El7roof <3… Chicken Nuggets of the day could use an episode or two!

They don’t make them as good any more *siiigh*

Filed under: Memories, Things I like, Things I Miss, TV

How i love this show? Arabic language is AMAZING and this show brings out it’s beauty! Especially with Abu El7roof <3… Chicken Nuggets of the day could use an episode or two!

They don’t make them as good any more *siiigh*

Filed under: Memories, Things I like, Things I Miss, TV

Bemonasabat il Jaww il badee3… eshwayat isferee ma 3leeh… i am remembering last Thursday’s breakfast in Marina Mall… Jaw Amazing… Casper & Gambini’s Morning Bundle was so so good… mini platters of everything you want and it’s enough for two to share…

Enjoy your Weekend… if the weather gets better tomorrow i highly recommend it

Filed under: Cravings, Food, Memories, Q8, Recomendations, Restaurants, Reviews, Things I like, Things I Miss, Weather

2-3 years prior to the darkest 7 months in Kuwait’s History… this song was very popular… so popular i had a cousin of mine decide that for the liberation day vacation decide we were to present our family with a dance we would perform while playing that song…

She forced me and her sister to train on the dance she choreographed… we whined while she barked orders and drilled us into perfecting the move and on liberation day her father brought the huge video camera, and we were traditional black q8y thoubs and danced to it… happy and feeling as patriotic as ever even though we were 7 & 8 years old…

and no foam was involved!

Happy Liberation Day… may Kuwait be always and forever Free… and may all it’s haters burn in the fires of their hatred hell!

Filed under: Childhood, Family, Februart in Q8, Liberation Day, Life, Memories, National Day, Q8, Society

Does any one remember this? It was very very popular in the early 90’s… the guy loses his dad and he tries to find him… every episode he gets closer to him then he misses him! I still like the episodes very much… and i wanted the little horse blink as a friend… i think i also had a crush on the Bus driver

Filed under: Cartoons, Childhood, Memories, Q8, Things I like, Things I Miss, TV

Most of the new generation have never seen this booklet before but those who went to primary school before the wretched 1990 invasion do!

Back then kids were encouraged to save money in the bank… therefore during break time after we were done fighting for our daily sunkist and triangular cheese fatayer we would go and buy a little green stamp for 50 fils… then we would lick it and place it into this tiny booklet…

When it was all filled out we would give it to the Teacher in Charge -or was it our parents? Im not sure- and they would keep it in the Bank for us… a full booklet is worth 3 KD …

I have this “full” booklet salvaged, miraculously if i might add, from those days… the date on it is December 1989… which makes it 22 years old next December!!!! I also remember having a full brown one saved bank… i wonder what happened to it?!!! and what happed to all other booklets saved by all the kids back then?

Pity kids now a days don’t have as much fun… all they care about is designer labels and style…

By the way… I want my 3 KD Back … with benefits!!!! Do you think i can get them?

Filed under: Childhood, Life, Memories, Q8, Society, Things I like, Things I Miss

Have you ever scared your parents to death by getting lost?

I did. Twice.

The First time:
1984 In Turkey.

I have no recollection of this incident coz I was only 2. They told me that they were sitting in a big garden and all of the sudden they couldn’t find me. They scanned the whole garden and went to it’s edges trying to find me, with no luck, and after some time, they found me at near the place where they were sitting originally, but behind some trees. I was sitting on the ground and throwing little pebbles at something that made a sound. They said I was totally transfixed on the sound that I did not notice I was alone.

The Second time:
1987 in Brighton, England.

I was 5 and my brother was 9. He and I were at an amusement park at the beach and we ran out of money. The apartment wasn’t very far away, so my brother came up with a brilliant idea. The idea was: I should wait at the park, alone, while he runs back to the apartment and get some money. He pointed out the white building where our apartment was located to assure me that it wasn’t that far and that I should wait, so I agreed. He asked me to stay near the giant ‘ball pit’, you know the big pit with lots of little plastic balls in it (like this one), and I did, I waited for him to go to the apartment and back.

I waited for what seems like an eternity (you know how kids are) but I was getting bored. I dug my hands in my pockets, maybe to find something interesting to play with, but I found a couple of pounds, so I thought “why not play inside the ball pit rather than wait for him outside and be bored?” So I went in, I played for a long time and I was again getting bored, and my brother wasn’t here yet.

I got out of the pit, and waited outside for a little bit, it was getting darker and I was losing hope and I remember thinking maybe he forgot about me. So I raised my head and saw the white building and decided that maybe it’s not that far for me to walk back alone. Yeah! why not. But on my way I found my dad and uncle near a food stand buying some food, and they took me home. I remember thinking “Oh my dad is there, what a coincidence, let me go to him instead of walking back to the apartment alone.”

Now, what really happened was: My brother came back and looked around for me but couldn’t find me, so he got scared and went back to the apartment and told everybody that he had lost me. My father and uncle got freaked out and went out looking for me. My mother who was in the shower got out and put something on and went looking for me with her hair still wet. A major freaking out occured while I was playing inside that ball pool. And when I saw my dad at that food stand, turns out they weren’t there buying food (Duh!) they were asking everybody in that amusement park if they came across a little 5 year old boy.

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30+ years have passed o mako fayda… ppl still throw garbage from their car windows! I am so glad they at least learned to use the deodorant! 

Check out the story the end of the video @_@

Filed under: Life, Memories, Q8, Q8y Men, Sad, Society, Thing that annoy me!, Things I hate!, Things that do not MAKE SENSE!

If i had my way, all my old consoles would still be here and i would be on Ebay right this second selling them! See here and here

But my mom has to throw every thing old away since she hates clutter and every surface has to be surgical room clean and gleaming :`(

All i have left is a bunch of  MSX Sakhar game disks and my Dream Cast with Shenmue and Crazy Taxi :`(

Keep your old stuff people… in 20’s years they might make you a fortune!

I wonder if a trip to the Friday Market will unearth me some similar treasures?

Filed under: Memories, News, Things I like, Things I Miss, Video Games Tagged: Nintendo NES

It’s the Weekend! So time for some happy nostalgia! Ever since i could remember… whenever it was time for the Food Exhibition at Mishref… it meant we had to go look at those little chicks (ketakeet in q8y) and marvel at their cuteness… then my siblings & my cousins would get a box each and i would scream bloody murder -im frightened of them until now- and they would go home to play with them and within one week they would all be dead

I remember there used to be colorful ones… pink and blue and green… but my mom and aunts would complain about the poor chicks and how they were mistreated by dousing them in color that would eventually kill them… now adays  i don’t see much colored katakeet which i guess is a good thing

The last time i was at the exhibition… i couldn’t stop my self… the memories are too strong and they are just SO CUTE… and they go wee9 wee9 wee9 if only they didn’t scare me so much and they didn’t smell so bad

See how cute?

Filed under: Childhood, Memories, My Photography, Q8, Shopping, Things I like

It’s the Weekend! So time for some happy nostalgia! Ever since i could remember… whenever it was time for the Food Exhibition at Mishref… it meant we had to go look at those little chicks (ketakeet in q8y) and marvel at their cuteness… then my siblings & my cousins would get a box each and i would scream bloody murder -im frightened of them until now- and they would go home to play with them and within one week they would all be dead

I remember there used to be colorful ones… pink and blue and green… but my mom and aunts would complain about the poor chicks and how they were mistreated by dousing them in color that would eventually kill them… now adays  i don’t see much colored katakeet which i guess is a good thing

The last time i was at the exhibition… i couldn’t stop my self… the memories are too strong and they are just SO CUTE… and they go wee9 wee9 wee9 if only they didn’t scare me so much and they didn’t smell so bad

See how cute?

Filed under: Childhood, Memories, My Photography, Q8, Shopping, Things I like

It’s the Weekend! So time for some happy nostalgia! Ever since i could remember… whenever it was time for the Food Exhibition at Mishref… it meant we had to go look at those little chicks (ketakeet in q8y) and marvel at their cuteness… then my siblings & my cousins would get a box each and i would scream bloody murder -im frightened of them until now- and they would go home to play with them and within one week they would all be dead

I remember there used to be colorful ones… pink and blue and green… but my mom and aunts would complain about the poor chicks and how they were mistreated by dousing them in color that would eventually kill them… now adays  i don’t see much colored katakeet which i guess is a good thing

The last time i was at the exhibition… i couldn’t stop my self… the memories are too strong and they are just SO CUTE… and they go wee9 wee9 wee9 if only they didn’t scare me so much and they didn’t smell so bad

See how cute?

Filed under: Childhood, Memories, My Photography, Q8, Shopping, Things I like

I remember kooki from we were children in the 80’s… When me & butootee saw the trailer for the movie Astro Boy we were ecstatic! We had to see Kooki’s movie!!!! Enroute to the movie all i could do is hum the opening song of Kooki in the video above… and it was a good movie on it’s own, good animation, good story, Astro never disappoints… Dr. Tenma being so kind in comparision to the cartoons… lovely Nostalgic movie and is highly recommended! If only they make a Thundercats movie… or Voltron, or Grandizer

Filed under: Childhood, Memories, Movies, Q8, Recomendations, Things I like, Things I Miss Tagged: Astro Boy

When our bone chilling winter settles in… there is nothing that rivals a warm cosey Dowwa with a side of Kastana, Milk, Qers 3qaili, Chai Fa7am, Darabeel… and some bukhoor!!!

While browsing around Mbarkiya this past weekend i found the cutest ever Dowwa… it was so tiny -as big as my tiny msi pc- and cost only 2.250 KD! I bought it at once and the very next afternoon we made a little q8y tea party… documented by the pictures below

Filed under: Memories, Q8, Things I like, Winter in Q8

When our bone chilling winter settles in… there is nothing that rivals a warm cosey Dowwa with a side of Kastana, Milk, Qers 3qaili, Chai Fa7am, Darabeel… and some bukhoor!!!

While browsing around Mbarkiya this past weekend i found the cutest ever Dowwa… it was so tiny -as big as my tiny msi pc- and cost only 2.250 KD! I bought it at once and the very next afternoon we made a little q8y tea party… documented by the pictures below

Filed under: Memories, Q8, Things I like, Winter in Q8

Though i hate the spraying activity that takes place on our National Day, i cannot help but beam in happiness whenever February arrives in Q8 and Decorations are put up EVERY WHERE! A stroll down Down Town Q8 will always make you feel… hmmm well… proud and content!

I also remember the 80’s, where almost every house in Q8 would decorate their premises with flags and lights and stuff. For some reason people abandoned that tradition after the 91 liberation. But this year, more and more houses are going out of their way to decorate themselves AGAIN! I am sooo happy! I went and bought a huge flag of my our own and will try and hang it out some where

Will you be decorating your house?

Scroll down for some Down Town February Pictures…

Filed under: Life, Memories, National Day, Q8, Things I like, Things I Miss

OH MY GOD! I remember it was the 80’s, every year there was an IT masra7iya by Huda 7sain o we all had to go… i remember this ad coming on TV and us jumping up and down in ecstasy until the day my mom took us to see it! And this one is my [...]

Chood sar 3ndaha a penthouse in New York :p
We used to sing it allll the time! Fee a7ad minkom yama3 lah shay 3ad min wara zeina?!!!

Chood sar 3ndaha a penthouse in New York :p We used to sing it allll the time! Fee a7ad minkom yama3 lah shay 3ad min wara zeina?!!!

Ayam gabil this song was very popular… o now whenever im depressed min halle ashofah a7e6ha o a’3aneeha… Enjoy!
P.S. Ako a7ad still yelfa7 hal ayam?! China wanasa?!

Ayam gabil this song was very popular… o now whenever im depressed min halle ashofah a7e6ha o a’3aneeha… Enjoy!
P.S. Ako a7ad still yelfa7 hal ayam?! China wanasa?!

Ayam gabil this song was very popular… o now whenever im depressed min halle ashofah a7e6ha o a’3aneeha… Enjoy!
P.S. Ako a7ad still yelfa7 hal ayam?! China wanasa?!

Ayam gabil this song was very popular… o now whenever im depressed min halle ashofah a7e6ha o a’3aneeha… Enjoy! P.S. Ako a7ad still yelfa7 hal ayam?! China wanasa?!

Tazkroon?! I can’t stop singing this song now o imagining the taste of Hungry Bunny!!! Allaah… o Hungry Bunny Keifan wya il kowar… A drive to Hungry Bunny Khafji Tommorow will be planned NOW… Tboon shay min Hungry Bunny? P.S. none of the hungry bunyat ilee bel q8 are the real thing tra… Tagged: Hungry Bunny [...]

After a long day shopping in my fav. UK department store, there is nothing better than sitting in the Yellow Cafe @ the Basement of Selfridges to have some afternoon Tea! It is a quiet haven amidst the jumble of shoppers. You get to watch passers by yet you hear the piano clicking away to soothing [...]

When we were children in the early 80’s, dad owned a beautiful Canon A-1 camera and he used to take AMAZING shots with it… he had lenses and stuff and we were always mesmerized by his equipment… It was even used by a q8y man during the 1990 invasion to shoot some of the photos [...]

Today is the 18th memory for extinguishing of the last burning oil well ..Picture sourceI wonder, how many remember the dark sky we lived with? or even the burning oils wells? I really hated those days.

Upon roaming through the shops at the Iranian souq I came across this Dikkan – one hell of a find. It’s a tiny store only about 4X4 square meters but it’s packed full of random stuff from Kuwait’s past. To tell you the truth there were many items in there that I couldn’t recognize, items that go as far back as perhaps the early fifties. I’m sure many of the older generation would find this post nostalgic and would probably find the store entirely enchanting. The rest of you children of the Nido can take a look at the 40+ pictures and maybe get your parents to read this post and see if they recognize anything.

Kuwait’s Kindergartens back in the day used to be from 8am to 4pm. They used to provide the kids with lunch and snacks, and they also used to let them nap during noon time.

I showed my mother the picture above, and she remembered the big hall where they used to sleep. She had this to say:

“I remember that big hall, and I remember that I cried for a whole week because of that hall. I hated the idea of sleeping in that hall and I didn’t like leaving home to Kindergarten in general. My father didn’t like seeing me crying like that and decided not to have me go to the kindergarten anymore, and instead remain at home till it’s time for 1st grade (ibteda2y).

I have a cousin who is my age, but was a year ahead of me in school, I didn’t realize the reason behind her being ahead of me till recently.. I was sorta punished for not attending Kindergarten.. they made me stay in 1st grade for 2 years. I don’t know how they did that, and how my family allowed that to happen. But back in the day, Kuwait wasn’t so organized when it came to matters like this (kanat 3ayma isalfa).”

I think this system of having the kids nap at noon time was stopped during the 70’s or early 80’s. I remember in our days we used to have breakfast and snacks.. no naps, and we’d leave home early, 12:30 or 1pm tops.

According to the email I received the picture was taken at Balqees Kindergarten in AlDasma.

Thanks H.A.S.

I don’t need to talk. I miss it terribly. Pictures are worth a thousand words… Tagged: Leicester Square

Whenever we are in Switzerland, Butootee insists on visiting the biggest Manora restaurant he can find to have lunch, usually on the first or 2nd day of our arrival. He would go every day if it was up to him… He simply loves carrying their wooden tray, running around the stations, thinking, peering, smacking his lips, and telling [...]

It is lovely! Plain and Simple! Scroll down and see… When we were kids dad had a similar cannon camera, but with a set of looooong lenses and the overhead flash thingy that comes off and on… he has lately given it to me o it’s quite professional and all but it is not digital lel [...]

This is something really weird that happened to me… a very strange coincidence, if I may call it.

3 years ago, and after graduating from KU I went to the Shuwaikh campus to get my certificate. A few days before that I got Paul Simon’s latest CD titled “Surprise” from Virgin Megastore. I was very excited to get the CD because I’ve been waiting for it to be released here, I didn’t think it was worth it to order it from Amazon.com. Anyway, I played the CD a few times… so I wasn’t into it much yet… But, and I remember this very clear, as I went inside to the campus and was looking for a parking spot track 10 played, and I wasn’t familiar with the song’s name yet, and here’s what I heard Paul Simon sing:

Well I’ll just skip the boring parts chapters one, two, three and get to the place where you can read my face and my biography.

Here I am, I’m eleven months old, dangling from my daddy’s knee. There I go, it’s my graduation, I’m picking up a bogus degree.

It’s my graduation! I’m picking up a bogus degree! Really?

I couldn’t believe I was hearing this. It was what exactly what I was thinking! The song title was “That’s Me.”

I was thinking what to do with this BA? Everyone was telling me to either go into teaching, or work for a bank. I was thinking what did I learn during these 5 years at KU? mind you I spent 2 of them studying computer science, then switched my major to my minor back then which was English Literature. You know I didn’t finish reading any novel at KU? the only novel I read was The Dead Zone by Stephen King, and it wasn’t for any of the classes. I did read the short stories, the plays and all the poetry… but back then reading a novel was too much for me. I depended, alongside a lot of guys, on sparknotes.com and such websites. I never had to read any novel in class… which somehow I’m regretting now… maybe not regret, for it is a strong word!

That’s why after graduation, I started reading as much as I can. Before getting a job, I spent the 3 months after graduation living in Starbucks Mishref reading. And oh boy what a pleasure it was… and still is, I always carry in my backpack at least 2 books, ranging from short fiction, to novels to non-fiction books. Reading became a part of my life… and that’s not why I’m growing my beard! ok? : - p

I was overwhelmed by reading books such as The Complete Short Stories by Franz Kafka, The Complete Prose by Woody Allen and 1984 by George Orwell which started my obsession with dystopia, which I guess began with watching one of my favorite cartoons “3adnan wa Leena”, known outside as Future Boy Conan. There were other books and short stories collections that I didn’t like, not hate, just didn’t like. Well, let’s not offend any fans of Paulo Coelho or Judi Picoult out there.

These years I spent in college were the years that shaped the way I think today. How I see things. How I talk? How I I I I I I I I? It’s very interesting what college does to you. I cannot stop talking about these years and what happened and how? Though I’m not sure how, because some things just slipped into my subconscious and stayed there…

Another chunk from that Paul Simon song that I liked went like this

Well I never cared much for the money, and money never cared for me. I was more like a land-locked sailor, searching for the emerald sea. Just searching for the emerald sea, boys, searching for the sea.
Oh my God. First love opens like a flower. A black bear running through the forest light holds me in her sight and her power. But tricky skies, your eyes are true, the future is beauty and sorrow. Still, I wish that we could run away and live the life we used to. If just for tonight and tomorrow.

I’m sure I did change a lot through these years, but hey! I know what I know, I’ll sing what I said, we come and we go. That’s a thing that I keep in the back of my head ; - )

I am truly sorry… i don’t mean to hit on the hunger nerve during fasting hours in Ramadan… it’s just i have been bit by the desserts bug lately! I am a person who truly dislikes cheescake. It is just not my cup of tea -or slice of cake for that matter- But my earliest cooking memory [...]

Ramathaaaaaan …. RAMATHAAAAAN … F’3ee F’3eeeeee Jacco The Month we LOVE RAMATHAAAAAAN broo broo beyaw beyaw kumsee kumsaa chaw chaw! Shino hatha? Wain ma a7e6 qanat, wa7ed le7yetah ish6olha o ga3ed “yanshed”?! Inzain amana be allah… it is supposedly 7lal Lakin tra i7na in Ramathaaaaaa! Y3ni nabi nesm3 hal a9wat il mobde3a tegra do3a2, tegra qur2an… Mo kil 5 seconds [...]

I tried this new place in Jabriyah called Salad Boutique a while ago, I adore their #60 on the menu "My special by Ghadeer", the salad's are a bit over priced BUT it's not a single person portion, the salad can feed up to 3-4 persons, I literally got tired eating my first! and did not finish it. Other than number 60 I tried a few stuff in their menu, pretty nice, I only wish if they would offer

Looking at them made me feel really old…

I was driving with a friend… We just left Sultan Center, the one in Fahaheel. On the way back I decided to pass by Al-Mangaf, where I used to live from 1994 till 1997. I passed by the 3amara, I don’t like saying 3emara which shows Al-Mangaf’s influence. Anyway, I was really surprised by the amount of buildings that surrounded the building I used to live in. The area really grew… I didn’t go there in a long long time… They have new schools, and some new malls on a different block… I remember when there was only el 3azeezeya mall. Now you can’t see el 3azeezeya mall… they built so many things there… gee, I feel so old… I used to live there 13 years ago… and the building I used to live in was renovated, like it got one of those really expensive makeovers… and they added 4 more floors to it… So many memories… where I turned from a kid to a man, though people still argue about that!

Then before dropping my friend to Al Qosour, I decided to drive to Al Qurain, where I used to live from summer 1997 till 2000. The house didn’t change much… it just has better cars! jk. most of my memories there were in the dewanyya, either watching KTV2 or playing super nintendo, then PlayStation.

After dropping my friend to his house I thought maybe I should pay one more visit. So I drove to Sabah Al-Salem Area where I was born… not literally! but we stayed there till my dad sold the house and bought the land that is our house now in Al-Salam Area. Memories of the street, el bara7a, el far3, the mosque and neighbours… and running away from our house to my grandparents house, which was maybe 25 mnts away, with shortcuts of course! cuz I knew them… memories of my grandma walking me back from kindergarten… the Pepsi trucks… I always thought that our neighbour’s name was Omrashid as a one name, but of course it was Om Rashid… memories…

writing this, I decided to create a new category called “memories” in which I talk about the old days… *puts on a very deep wise voice* if we talk about the present and the future, why not talk about the past… *back to regular voice and not happy with the joke and thinks it’s very lame but gonna post it anyway*

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A few days ago I stumbled upon this old Iraqi song, it reminds me of 1990. We were in Ajman in UAE. My mom and grandma used to listen to this song, remember their beloved ones here in Kuwait and sometimes cry… it is a sad song… and me being 7 years old and not  fully understanding what was going on, I started crying with them… and that was the last time I ever cried in my life… ok, it wasn’t! but nevertheless, it’s a good song… though I’m not into Arabic stuff, but this brought back memories… the kind of memories that would make you feel safe… oh how innocent childhood was…

The song is titled “Me7tajkom” (I Need You) by Ma7mood Anwar, to download click here

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Do you think anyone reads an sms msg before reading the sender’s name? just to be surprised? hmm…

29.07.2009 : ChilloutKuwait is 5 years old02.08.2009 : Q80-ChillGirl is 29 years old :DStill the memory of the Iraqi invasion on our beloved Kuwait is fresh in my mind, although it is 19 years back but I still remember the morning I woke up thinking that my birthday was the most important thing in the world, to see my mother crying to the news of Iraq invading Kuwait! Today bares a bitter sweet

Gabel chm youm sawaina nfs reunion 7ag kil rabi3 ilthanaweyya ib dewaneyyat wa7id min ilshbab.. ballashna catching up 3ala a5baar ba3a'6 w kel wa7id wain 9aar w wain eshta'3al w kelshay kaan 7elo w la6eef ;p

lamma we9alna lay the part of the yam3a which inspired this post:
SHI6ANAT ILTHANAWEYYA (6)

ya3ne kenna nsawe sha'3laat al7eeen musta7eeel afhamha, ya3ne sh7aga hal habal? shay kellesh mala da3y !!! fa i will share with u ba3'6 ilsha'3laat ilee i remember w ilee tkon appropriate ;p

1. Ti7ithif karasy and other stuff min ildireesha min ilclass bildour ilthalith lay ilsa7a ta7at JUST FOR THE HELL OF IT!!!

2. Spending ni9 sa3a ti7ithif ma7ayat 3ala ilfront of the class 3shan n7osh ilsa3a ilee foug ras ilmudarris w et6ee7 3ala rasa ;p lamma 9arat w ba66at 9al3ita maskeen ;p

3. Teacher is looking at u straight in the eye, u grab il maqlama, throw it directly at his face.
Teacher: FLAN! GO TO THE PRINCIPLES OFFICE NOW!!!
Flan: SAAAAAAAAAAAAAIR NOT MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

enzain yal baree2 tara 7athifha ibwayha ent yel3an om il estehbaal :p

4. Wa7id min ilshbab shi6aanta ma 9arat ;p fa the teacher s2alat two of the top students bilclass 3alabu theqa (6al ib3ainhom, ohom ash6an minhom mako bas min ta7at lay ta7at :p) whats wrong with flan? shegooloon il7abayib? he's just a liittle bit retarded ;p w t9addig ilmara ;p w flaan YGAZZIRHA 9A7! 3ade ibni9 ilclass ygom yougaf 3ala il6awla w y6ub 3ala ilar'6 w ysawe ro7a ga3id yesba7 ;p w ehya 7agreta 3alabu maskeen muta5allif :p w e7na nmoot min il'6i7ik ;p

5. Asking inappropriate awkward qillat adab questions ;p
Teacher: Osteoporosis often happens to women after their menopause
Flan: Miss?
Teacher: Yes flan?
Flan: Miss u r menopause? U finish period? no more blood? or u still have?
Teacher: *sighs* Flan, just get out of my class

6. ibni9 ildawam nqarrir enna ebnet'3adda barra w netkawad ib jaib wa7id w ndizza chillis ilba7ar 3ala ayyam 3izza ;p w nrid ilmadresa nelga kel ahaleena na6reenna ib ni3il ;p

7. Blackmailing ilmudarriseen il9aidat :p bas hathe under inappropriate fa mara7 agolha now ;p

Ma 3indikom entaw sowalif ba3ad? ;p etha ako goolaw 5al ne'67ak tara walla a7la ayam ayyam ilthanaweya ;p

P.S: Sawow vote etha widkom t3arfon ilsowalif ile tlawi3 ilchabd wella la2 ;p
w btw tara kenna n3arif net7acha proper english, bas it was considered cool to speak english mkassar 3ala kuwaity dont ask why ;p

w salamtkom wit3eeshoon ;p

I bought this box of chewing gum a couple of weeks ago for my friends at the chalet, and I can’t get enough of them ever since. I finished the first batch and now I’m half way through the second one

It also brings back so many memories!

According to Bu Rashed, Americana is going to reopen Wimpy fast food joints throughout Kuwait. It’s not comfirmed yet, but wouldn’t that be cool? I don’t remember wimpy in it’s prime but people say, including my father, that it was the IT place back in the day.

Thanks Fahad

According to Bu Rashed, Americana is going to reopen Wimpy fast food joints throughout Kuwait. It’s not comfirmed yet, but wouldn’t that be cool? I don’t remember wimpy in it’s prime but people say, including my father, that it was the IT place back in the day.

Thanks Fahad

According to Bu Rashed, Americana is going to reopen Wimpy fast food joints throughout Kuwait. It’s not comfirmed yet, but wouldn’t that be cool? I don’t remember wimpy in it’s prime but people say, including my father, that it was the IT place back in the day.

Thanks Fahad

عبدالله المحيلان - الصورة من موقعه الشخصيإسم مألوف لمواليد ما قبل فترة الثمانينات، إعلامي كويتي ذاع صيته في أعماله الثورية على الحركة الإعلامية الكويتية، ثورية بقيمتها و نوعيتها الفريدة، كتب عنة في في السنة السابقة المدون العزيز بو مريوم، و النقاش الدائر في تلك المقالة يشير لمدى اعجاب اللي سمعوا و شافوا أعمال المحيلان في ذاك الوقتشلون دريت عن المحيلان و انا مواليد ١٩٨٠؟ و برنامجة الإذاعي اللي