Danderma's Blog, page 131
December 1, 2011
Mad about Instagram…
Instagram is so cool! People are always there, there is always so much action, so many likes and pictures and likes and comments and its buzzing! Where have been all this time?
Its been 9 days since I've joined Instagram and I am very happy! It reminds me of the early days of Twitter before the masses who use the word Ta'3reeda had swamped the place! The beauty of it is that I can tweet and add my pictures to flickr instantly! Wanasa!
The sad thing is that no one likes me 
9 Days and 131 followers only where other bloggers have 500-1000 followers W3liya!
Anyways its so much fun! If you've never tried it before you should! What are you waiting for? and if you do, follow me eshda3wa ya 7afoth :p
Gloss Salon VIP Invitation
Two nights ago I came home, tired and very sleepy, and I was about to turn off the living room lights on my way to bed when I saw this little tiny red bag.
Ya7leelah! It was so tiny I almost missed it. Took me a minute to register what it was but then I saw the attached tag.
Wow! What a nice invitation! So what's inside the bag?
Two nail station nail polishes in two gorgeous colors: Earth Grey and Moss Blue! I don't know if its a coincidence or not but those colors are truly me. Thank you Gloss Salon!
Thank you gloss salon for your kind invitation. Sadly I cannot make it for the VIP treatment but I truly loved the very different and quite thoughtful invitation.
This is the third time I've received a quirky and different invitation and two of those three times it was by Pink Coffee Marketing -this invitation is by them as well- I'm liking what the attention they are giving to their events especially the invitation. Keep up the good work guys!
Please Welcome My New Sponsors: Philips/Xcite and Franklin Marshall
Please join me in welcoming Philips/X-Cite Al-Ghanim & Franklin Marshall as my newest blog sponsors.
Philips/X-Cite Al-Ghanim is a notable name in electronics. I don't think they need an introduction but I must say they are not only going to be my sponsors, we have something in store for my readers that is going to take place over the weekend and early next week. So keep checking the blog for the updates 
Franklin Marshall is a well known casual and vintage clothing brand for people who practically live in their jeans -like yours truly-. They've have recently opened up a new store in the Avenues Phase II. Now that the weather is freakishly cold I will be paying them a visit to stock up on winter clothing.
Welcome, Philips/X-Cite Al-Ghanim and Franklin Marshall. Wishing you both the best of luck 
Shino '3adakom Elyoom?
Thursday is here and the weekend is about to start! What are you planning for lunch? Eating in the office? Bel zwara? At home? Skipping lunch?
I am craving a big plate of noodles. I want to grab them with a pair of wooden chopsticks and bury them in a mound of slippery noodles, trying to round them into one big bite and then putting them in my mouth while slurping whatever that doesn't fit…mmmm.
What about you?
November 30, 2011
November's Top 100 Kuwaiti Blogs According to Alexa
I didn't realize it was 30 November already until it was almost too late! Maybe because it was filled with vacations? Anyways it came and went without it fully registering in my mind that its here! Temperatures have also gone beyond crazy! So freezing cold
In terms of blogs it is quite surprising actually! 23 blogs didn't make it back, 11 new blogs in the list, and 14 blogs that came back on the list after being off it! Blog ratings all over the place just like a roller coaster. I am not liking my blog rank for last month but the good thing is its because there are many other blogs getting better ranks not because my rank has gone behind :p
Disclaimers again. For the love of god read them!
Disclaimer One The blogs that made it to the list are blogs about Kuwait whether originating from Kuwait or not or whether they are by Kuwaiti nationals or expats living in Kuwait. That's why I said KUWAITI blog.
Disclaimer Two I still believe the Alexa rank is way overrated, easily manipulated, and highly volatile. It is not a real measure of how a blog is popular but it doesn't hurt to check it every once in a while as some sort of measure. Its the only semi-reliable measure I can think of. No fighting please.
Disclaimer Three DO NOT ASK ME how to calculate the Alexa rating. For the love of god go to Alexa.com and enter your blog URL. If no local rating is there then THAT's IT!
Disclaimer Four If you know of a blog I missed or a new blog that is gliding up the top in rocket speed please let me know 
Disclaimer Five I am Danderma, not Alexa! I do not have the power to rate you or give you a number. Therefore trying to be nice to me will mean nothing. Please remember that.
Now the ratings, enjoy
1
Q8ping
82
Same Rank
2
140
Same Rank
3
179
Up From 4
4
231
Up From 5
5
285
Down From 3
6
318
Same Rank
7
319
Same Rank
8
352
Up From 13
9
Fe9l
354
Down From 8
10
370
Down From 9
11
377
Up From 14
12
396
Down From 10
13
420
Down From 11
14
448
Up From 16
15
Hornett
458
Down From 12
16
502
Up From 17
17
538
Down From 15
18
546
Up From 22
19
555
Up From 21
20
701
Up From 25
21
703
Down From 19
22
768
Up From 24
23
847
Up From 28
24
872
Up From 42
25
911
Up From 30
26
948
Up From 61
27
977
UP From 31
28
988
Down From 18
29
1050
Down From 23
30
1059
New
31
1238
Down From 27
32
1241
Down From 29
33
1320
Up From 44
34
1330
Up From 76
35
1335
Down From 20
36
1440
Up From 81
37
1508
New
38
1588
Up From 47
39
1677
Same Rank
40
1782
Down From 32
41
1855
Down From 3 4
42
1930
Up From 65
43
1937
Up From 63
44
Q8 All in One
2022
Up From 48
45
2157
Down From 36
46
2221
Up From 71
47
2271
Up From 47
48
2292
Up From 50
49
2325
Down From 2 6
50
2340
Back in the List
51
2342
Down From 37
52
2344
Down From 43
53
2360
Up From 91
54
2453
Down From 51
55
2520
Down From 33
56
2544
Down From 52
57
2585
Up From 69
58
2687
Up From 68
59
2692
Up From 77
60
2719
Down From 35
61
2782
Down From 46
62
2808
New
63
2842
Down From 40
64
2919
DownFrom 59
65
Bint Al Shamiya
3085
Back in the List
66
3154
Back in the List
67
3158
New
68
3188
Down From 45
69
3198
New
70
3204
Down From
54
71
3222
Up From 74
72
3298
Up From 87
73
3323
Same Rank
74
3331
Down From 67
75
3341
Back in the List
76
3410
Up From 93
77
3421
Up From 79
78
3452
New
79
3575
Up From 88
80
3630
Back in the List
81
3660
Up From 86
82
3719
Down From 64
83
3772
D own From 5 5
84
3820
Back in the List
85
4036
New
86
4164
Down From 38
87
4214
Down From 41
88
4226
New
89
4244
New
90
4252
Back in the List
91
4288
Back in the List
92
4425
Down From 8 2
93
4431
New
94
4521
Back in the List
95
4561
Back in the List
96
4565
Back in the List
97
4587
Back in the List
98
4615
Back in the List
99
4713
Ba ck in the Lis t
100
4866
New
Treasury of the World Exhibition in the Amricani
Held in Al-Amricani Cultural Center (post) and will be open to the public in February 2012 "Treasury of the World: Jeweled Arts of India in the Age of the Mughals" is one exhibition that took my breath away.
Featuring more than 500 exquisite objects of Mughal jewellery from The Al-Sabah Collection of Kuwait spread over 13 showrooms, it is a fine way to spend an evening in Kuwait. For example, checkout this golden coin that weighs… 12 kilos! Yes 12!
A tiny oil lamp that looks exactly like me9ba7 3la2 el deen!
A jewel encrusted Quran Case. So pretty!
A beautiful bracelet. Reminds me A LOT of a KJL dragon bracelet that I have.
Those pretty priceless jewels were placed on the turbans.
Silver and gold bowls that were used as – believe it or not- sheesha bases! Yes gold sheesha base!
Beautiful jewel encrusted daggers! Imagine that those pretty blades had already drawn blood!
Ba'3ma
Heavy Jewels!
Jewel encrusted shield.
This dagger has an interesting story. It was stolen during the Iraqi invasion in 1990. Then in 1996 it appeared on the cover of Sotherby's auction catalog (story link) ! It has since then been recovered thankfully but there are still a lot of stolen similar pieces. Including the largest emerald that exists!
Speaking of emeralds there were many tiny emeralds and rubies on display with fine detailed engravings on them. This one is a closeup!
Pretty Axe!
This beautiful priceless golden baton heavily embellished with rubies was used as a… fly swatter! Imagine! Makashat thoban!!! They would attach some horse hair at the end and use it to swat the flies away!
Golden rings.
A back scratcher! I want one of these :p
More photos of the exhibition.
Kudos on a job well done by DAI! I would love to visit again in February when its finally open to the public. I do however think they need to provide portable audio guides in Arabic, English, and maybe French for visitors to listen to when they check the exhibition. Also I wish they had a gift shop in Amricani with items inspired from the collections, like knockoff Jewelry, book marks, fridge magnets, books, brochures and that sort of thing. Other than that I think the place is perfect!
Treasury of the world exhibition is held in Al-Amricani Cultural Center, Gulft Road, and will be open to the public in February 2012. For more information you can visit For more information DAI's Facebook Page (link) or follow their Twitter account @DAI_KUWAIT or follow them in Instagram @DAI_KUWAIT
Amricani Cultural Center… A Place to be Proud of in Kuwait
I was invited by the media team of Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiya (DAI) to attend a special blogger's night held in the historic Amricani Cultural Center, once known as the Amricani hospital, which has recently transformed by DAI to become a cultural and exhibition space and is two months away from opening to the public.
As we parked our car I took in a moment to soak the beauty of the old still standing building. A place where many people had healed in the past 100 years, many had died and many had been born! I'm a sucker for history and historical buildings. I once had wanted to become an archaeologist had my mother not stopped me. That's how much I love history.
So you can imagine my happiness to have attended yesterday's bloggers night. To actually have a blogger's night in the first place! Never have I felt so blessed to be a blogger to be frank
When I walked inside I thought I would see a normal building, or maybe an old style building. To my surprise the reception area was very modern. Minimalist modern. My favorite style of modern.
As we walked into the lounge, or estera7a, which was the meeting point my eyes were all over the place. Not only am I walking on the premises of the old Amricani hospital, which is exhilarating on its own by the way, I am also inside one beautiful display of modern architecture. My eyes were all over the place!
A section of restored rare books. My heart was pounding!
This is definitely not the usual old and stuffy museums. Not that I mind them being old and stuffy I think its part of their charm but this is different!
Danderma, fashionably late as usual, arrives to see them talking and a brief of the night's agenda is being dished out.
We then were taken on a guided tour on the premises, I kept marveling at the beauty of the well preserved architecture.
First we were taken to check out the current exhibition held in the Amricani Cultural Center. It was so beautiful it deserves its own individual post coming after this one.
The entrance to the exhibition.
Inside, professionally done!
Afterwards we were taken downstairs to view what the Americani has in store! First we went through a winding display of the old Amricani hospital equipment such as the old OR room! Yummah!
Surgical stuff, a3otho be Allah!
New born babies cribs! How pretty! I wonder if any of my parents were born there and put in those cribs? The hospital was open until 1967 after all. I'll ask them today.
Dental Equipment! Old ones!!! So pretty! Check the gauges, the chair, the light! Why is there a fan on top?
Check out the tiles!
Old eye checking devices. I don't like them! They look like torture devices :S
A blown up old letter from Sheikh Mousaed Al-Azmi to a friend in Bombay asking for some glass tubes to help prepare smallpox vaccination.
What do you know! A mini auditorium to show movies! There were two movies played that night, each is more mesmerizing than the other!
Healthcare in Kuwait Visual show! Very entertaining!
Teeny Kuwait Towers. They are less than a centimeter long!
After the breathtaking tour we were taken back to the lounger where we started in the first place to wrap up the evening.
As I walked inside I was hit by the most beautiful coffee aroma ever
We were asked to write down something, this is what I wrote!
Also given a goody bag chock full of DAI's publications which I happily flicked through! It looks like something I would get from museums abroad in Europe! Well done!
I didn't want to leave! I wanted to hide inside and stay inside until everyone has gone home! I want my future house to be designed by the same interior designer who had done the Amricani!
Historical Building, Culture, Exhibition, Rare old Jewels, Rare Books, Modern Design, Coffee, Young Enthusiastic Smiling Kuwaitis! What an exciting night! I left with such a proud feeling in my heart. I've always dreamed of having such exhibitions in Kuwait where actual history and culture was presented, not only cupcakes and fashion disasters! Now we have a place to be, a place to be proud of. I am so gonna get myself a membership at DAI!
Thank you DAI media team for your invitation. You truly made me proud!
For more information about DAI you can check their Facebook Page (link) or follow their Twitter account @DAI_KUWAIT or follow them in Instagram @DAI_KUWAIT
November 29, 2011
Finally Some Shows Worth Following!
After LOST had wrapped up it left a huge gap in my sitcom addictions. I love my couch and my TV and when a new episode of my favorite series is on I can't be any happier, I don't even need to get out of the house anymore!
Sadly its been a while since any good TV shows were on TV and even the old ones that are still shown (DHW, Smallville) are just so bad it turned me off the TV all together. I would watch from time to time just to catch up but then again I don't feel that pull where I am excited all morning in anticipating of the next episode with the butterfly feeling in my stomach when I am sitting on my couch wrapped up in my favorite blanket and cup of coffee watching my favorite show.
However, things seem to be looking up again! PAN AM came on the little screen and I was hooked. The clothes, the confidence, the stylish fifties, the prospect of new adventures. It is a good show! A really good show. But they say its been cancelled or going to be cancelled 7safa I wish that's just a rumor!
The second being the show "Revenge". I saw the pilot the other day by sheer coincidence and ever since I was hooked! It is a good mysterious story filled with a jumble of emotions and a vague past! My kind of show! Lets just hope it won't get cancelled as well! I'm also hoping this streak of good show luck is going to continue for a while.
What about you? If you are a show person, what shows are you watching that are actually worth your time? No vampire recommendations please!
My Plans for 2012
I know its a bit too early for new year's resolutions but somehow its all I can think of lately so I thought I would write it down on my blog and keep it as a reference.
Publish The Chronicles of Dathra Volume II.
Try the Aviation Simulator thing in 360. Might do it in December though.
Go Skying. Take Skying lessons. Either in Dubai or the UK.
Take that coffee making class I've been wanting to attend forever.
Take Piano Lessons. Something I've been wanting to do forever.
Take photography course or courses. I want to learn how to take good photos.
Go to a Zumba class. I want to try it out.
Use the Ice Cream maker I received a gift on my 30th birthday.
Tend to my teeth. My braces are supposedly coming off in January so I will have endless visits to my dentists to fix, file, clean, change fillings, whiten, and protect my pearly whites.
I need to save up for Veneers or Lumineers too. They cost something like 600 KD per tooth?
Complete the transformation from Windows and PC to Mac and Apple :p That includes a new iPhone and an iMac or a Mac Book air bdal my current junk.
Try and program a useful application for Apple. Eshwarana lets try?
Open up my own restaurant/cafe. I actually have a menu in mind but nothing else :p
Lost weight. Seriously lose weight.
Travel to a new place I've never been before. Like Japan? Dying to go in April!
Go to Hajj.
Schedule that dermatologist appointment. O find a good facial place while I'm at it.
Do something about my hair. Hate its current color and need a new haircut. I want a post braces makeover.
Learn shooting properly. I liked it the last time around and now I want to learn how to shoot.
Tidy the mess that is called my house. Need to de-clutter.
Finish blowing up my favorite pictures and hang them on my walls.
Cook at home more. I have endless new recipes I want to try but no time to make them.
I guess that's about it. What about you? Do you have any plans for 2012?
November 28, 2011
Top 10 Perfect Cups of Hot Chocolate in Kuwait
Finding a decent cup of hot chocolate in Kuwait is not an easy task especially for someone who is as crazy about hot chocolate as yours truly. However I have compiled a list of the best 10 perfect hot chocolate cups you may find in Kuwait. There is nothing better in this weather than a perfect cup of hot chocolate while sitting outdoors.
1- Milk's Hot Chocolate Dippers in Milk Chocolate flavor. The skimmed milk cup is HUGE and you can drink and drink and drink and enjoy to the max. The dippers are available for take away too!
2- Pick's Hot Chocolate. Very very VERY good! A must try. My current 2nd favorite.
3- Starbucks Hot Chocolate. If and only if ordered while sitting in, in their cup, topped with whipped cream. Stir the whipped cream until developed in the cup and drink. Otherwise don't bother!
4- Chocolate Bar's Skinny Spanish hot chocolate. The Spanish comes with orange zest which I adore but you can order the Mexican or the plain Milk.
5- Godiva's Hot Chocolate. It tastes better in the UK of course but its not bad at all in Kuwait.
6- Paul's Hot Chocolate.
8- KDD's Milk Chocolate. Heat it in the microwave for a minute, sprinkle mini marshmallows on top, and enjoy! Perfection.
8- McDonald's Hot Chocolate! Brings back some very fond memories of college of Engineering breakfast
9- Le Pan's Hot Chocolate. The flavor is not the best but the way you drink it, Heidi style, is the most fun in Kuwait especially with a scrumptious bread basket. Quite an experience.
10- Still contemplating position number 10 so I will keep it open for you guys to share and I will go try them out and see! What do you recommend?
