Danderma's Blog, page 58

Giolitti’s Gelato in Kuwait

A while ago I was dining in The Cheesecake factory when I looked up and saw a gleaming little cafe with crystal chandeliers and bright silver chairs on the first floor overlooking the entrance of the Grand Avenues. I squinted, and could make the words “Giolitti”. A gelato place! I told myself that I will be back another day to check it out and I finally had the chance to do so last weekend.

When you approach Giolitti you notice the celebratory opening baloons still strung up on its entrance and the sign above the doorway that says “Rome since 1900″! That’s one hundred and thirteen years old! That’s also the very same gelateria I went looking for on my honeymoon in Italy because I read somewhere it was one of the best gelaterias in Rome. I think I have pictures of the place but I will have to look them up.

The interior is a fusion between old 1900′s decor and modern 2000′s furnishing with grand chandeliers, gleaming silver chairs that reflect the gorgeous tile patterns, and bright acrylic biscuit cone holders. Old like the good Italian eateries, modern like the current age we live in.

There were plenty of flavors to choose from and I wasn’t very hungry so I took a small cup. I had a hard time choosing but I did taste a few flavors and they were excellent!

I ended up choosing dark chocolate and raspberry gelatos. My husband took the tiramisu and the marron glace.

I think I took about a hundred pictures of my gelato cup but I still wasn’t satisfied! It still looked better than what I captured in my shots!

We took our gelato cups outside where we sat on the terrace/walkawy overlooking the Grand Avenues. The view was very nice indeed and you could see people walking around yet it was still quite and less noisy than being downstairs.

Back to my now-melted gelato cup, the dark chocolate was so rich, so velvety, so chocolatey! I’m not crazy about chocolate in ice cream form but this dark chocolate gelato was excellent. The raspberry was light and sweet and added just the right contrast in flavor that I needed. Yum!

See what I mean? Amazing!

I am defienetly going back on a completely empty stomach to have me a big fat multi-flavor gelato cup topped with yummy things and all that razzle dazzle. I didn’t know it was the Giolitti! They are also open in Dubai by the way.

Giolitti is located in the Avenues phase II right besides Colour Me Mine and Elevation burger and right above Casper & Gambini’s. For more information you can check their website (link).

Movie Review: Apartment1303

Going to this movie was an impulse decision. It was the last chance to do something before the end of the February holidays and that movie was available. How bad can it be? A 16+ horror movie, interesting poster, popcorn, diet coke, and no kids in the theatre. A girl who has issues with her mother movies into a haunted apartment 1303 and then the horror begins.

First, the acting is bad. The actors, all of them, are having this prolonged useless conversations that seem really fake. The girl who moves into the apartment can’t convice you that she is scared, she is acting scared yes, but badly. There isn’t much of a story going on either. She lays in bed, surrounded by Ikea merchandise, and the ghost which also isn’t scary hits her and screams at her and whats not. Yada yada yada.

The bad thing about this movie is that its suppoed to be a remake of a Japanese horror movie by the same Japanese guy who made the original Japanese version of The Grudge. When I red the Japanese story it was really good and completely different with at least a story line aside! This remake? In this day and age? Why remake something and remake it badly? And market it for us in 3D format so we’d pay extra and feel absolutely zero difference except perhaps the feelings of boredom at the apartment where time stands still while the ghost almost actually begs people to leave and they just won’t go?

The movie is a flop, period. It should have been one of those tacky straight to video movies, not a 3D remake of a Japanese one shown in theatres. Unless you want to waste your money, don’t bother going to this movie. As for the DVD shelf? I think I’ll be getting the Japanese version and not the “3D remake”.

The Proud to be Kuwaiti Village Sneak Peek Tour

Proud to be Kuwait, also known as P2BK, is a yearly exhibition of Kuwaiti businesses and talents that started six years ago in 2007. Ever since its begging, it began the trend of “exhibitions” in Kuwait and redefined it. Now on its sixth year, they’ve built an entire traditional Kuwaiti village in Mishref exhibits area. We’ve been given a tour of the village today and I have to say, I’m very impressed and truly can’t wait for it to open its doors!

We arrived to the Mishref exhibits area to a freshly paved parking lot and a village that’s in its final finishing phase surrounded with what looks like an old castle wall. The village was buzzing with workers moving things, clearing things, or artists painting things.

As you enter the village, right to the left, you will see this booth shaped like one of the Kuwait tower balls! Nice job! I wonder if its a concession stand or an information booth though?

The participant’s booths all look like old Kuwaiti shops complete with a wooden roof. It feels like walking in an old souk.

The village is traditional all right but the sporadic wall art found here and there are, well, groovy! The look is old, but the spirit is youthful and young.

Some paintings were finished but blocked with furniture pieces. Others, like the Kuwaiti Superman one below, was still being painted on the wall by the time we arrived and completely done just before we left.

Eg7a6a being painted on!

Vader dancing 3artha! Tell me that’s not cool!

Another wonderful thing to check out is those humongous sand sculptures made by a group of American artists. They are said to be the largest in the Middle East and they are lovely and full of Kuwaiti spirit.

More random pictures from around the P2BK Village.

 

By the end of the tour under the sun we were very thirsty, P2BK team were ready with bowlfuls of icy water bottles. Of course, the bottles were kept inside traditional Kuwaiti bowls modernised by paint.

Thank you Proud to be Kuwaiti team for extending the invitation for the village’s tour! The village looks amazing even before finishing up and filling up with local talents. Qawakom Allah and keep up the good work!

The Proud to be Kuwaiti village will be open to the public starting 6 March 2013 and will stay open for two weeks from 10 A.M. till 10 P. M. For more information and pictures you can check P2BK’s website (link), facebook page (link), Twitter (@P2bKuwaiti) or Instagram (@P2BKuwaiti).

My “Malsoona” Column in Afaq Newspaper

Once upon a time scores of years ago, when I was in student in Kuwait University, I was reading the University’s newspaper “Afaq” when I decided to send in a response or an article. On the next issue, with utter surprise, I saw my article printed and then a request from the editor of Afaq to come to the newspaper urgently.

Surprised, I go to meet with the editor and he tells me he likes my “sarcastic” writing style. He offered me to write an anonymous column under the name “Malsoona” which translates into “The Sharped Tongued One” and write about things that happen in Kuniv in a sarcastic way. I was reluctant at first, I was an second year Engineering student and what if I didn’t have the time? What if I didn’t do a very good job? But I accepted and therefore, for two years from 1999 till 2001, I was the unknown Malsoona of Afaq’s newspaper of Kuwait University.

I was cleaning out the junk in my wardrobes last week when I found the folder with Malsoona’s articles. I haven’t seen or read those in over a decade. I don’t like to read what I write, or even proof read it as I often find it too silly for some reason but this time I read some of the articles and laughed out loud. The days of my writing Malsoona anonymously came back to me.

A handful of people only knew who I was, and when I was done writing the column I told a few more people it was me. One of my fan readers turned out to be my husband but he was a fan since before I’ve met him, that’s good I suppose. I don’t know if I had any more fans back then or even if anybody read it or remembered it, but I remember it and it means a lot to me. I think its time my crazy malsoona with the old lady sharpening her tongue picture to appear on Danderma! Also, finding those newspaper clippings of my column made me realise that I miss writing, badly

Breakfast at the Cheesecake Factory

 

I’ve been wanting to try The Cheesecake Factory’s breakfast ever since their opening in November 2012. Their breakfast is served every Saturday though so whenever Saturday came something would come up and I wouldn’t be able to go. However, last Saturday -yesterday- I finally did try their breakfast and I have to say I’ve enjoyed it the most out of all the meals I’ve had there.

We started by ordering coffee and orange juice. My brewed coffee came in a big fat glass mug, just the way I like it if I was having it at home! Lots and lots and lots of butter and strawberry jam arrived to our table as well.

While we waited for breakfast, I looked up and saw the gorgeous grand avenues lights. They reflected on everything, including my big fat mug of coffee. I love this place.

Then the giants platters of food we ordered arrived. First, a one egg breakfast sampler with brown french baguette, bacon, and hash browns.

Then my plate, scrambled eggs with hash browns and whole wheat toast. The toast was sweet and chocolatey and reminded me of the bread we once had in Tacoma island in Washington. So good and wholesome.

We dug in, enjoyed every bite of the perfect eggs, good coffee, and toasted bread.

Then we ended the meal with an order of pancakes. Ricotta and lemon pancakes topped with strawberries and maple syrup.

The pancakes were EXCELLENT! Lemony, fluffy, sweet, and very very good. Look at the lemon zest pieces peeking from the folds of doughy cake

I loved everything about our breakfast yesterday. The atmosphere, the service, the food, the location. Also, there were no queues anymore, about time! The Cheesecake factory, surprisingly, is the perfect place to have an excellent breakfast on those Saturday mornings when the weather outside doesn’t permit breakfast outdoors. Will be coming back more insah2 Allah during the summer time weekends for sure.

The Cheesecake Factory is located at the Grand Avenue section of the Avenues mall.

Movie Review: Snitch

When I saw the trailer for Snitch I thought to myself that the movie would be decent with lots of action, but not necessarily a great movie. Perhaps because I’m not much of a fan of Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock in the wrestling circles. I have a cousin whose crazy about The Rock, I still remember his excitement when we went to watch The Rock’s first acting roll as the scorpion king in the opening of The Mummy. Then the movie was out and it was right there on the top of the US Box Office movie chart and I had nothing better to do so I went.

The start of the movie is quick and right to the point. The Rock’s son gets thrown in jail and is facing from 10 to 30 years in prison because he was arrested accepting a package of narcotics sent to him by a friend. When the arrested son wouldn’t make a deal with the US attorney to reduce his sentence by setting up drug dealers since he doesn’t know any, his father steps up and offers to do it on his behalf, trying to find a way to enter that world to save his son’s life. The movie is inspired from true events by the way.

The good thing about the movie is that, even though The Rock is huge and intimidating  he is playing the role of the family man very well. You feel his pain, his anguish, his dedication to his family and most importantly, when he is hit, he goes down like a, well, rock. When he is put into an action filled situation, he is still a family man that doesn’t suddenly transfer into a skillful Rambo and start fighting like a pro. The bad thing about the movie is that it started fast but then began slowing down even though there were lots of bullets and car chase.

I kept waiting for something to happen at the ending, something different or twisted, but it ended and that’s it. A message about the drug dealing laws of America comes on screen. Frankly, I enjoyed it in the movie even though I looked at my iPhone to check the time two or three times while watching but I don’t think I will be watching it again or adding it to my DVD collection.

Byalah Cafe in The Avenues Souk

Sometimes when you are shopping and tired all you want to do is take a break and sit down. Sometimes you might even think to yourself that a cup of tea would be nice but you don’t want to go into a cafe and stand in line and order and and etc. Last week while shopping in the Avenues I was in the traditional Souk section when suddenly I had to sit down and regain my powers. I sat on the first chair/bench I found and then I realised they belonged to a traditional Kuwaiti cafe called “Byalah Cafe”.

A second after we sat down the waiter came out and took our order. Minutes later he retuned with a tray of your choice of beverage. We sat in peace and quiet, watching people shuffle by while the afternoon sun rays made soft shadow patters on the wall coming through the wooden ceiling. Very simple, very traditional, very beautiful.

We chose both tea and Arabian coffee therefore we got both trays. First out, the tea tray complete with byalat chai -byalah means cup in the Kuwaiti dialect- , sugar, fresh mint leave, and a pot of tea stewing over a small candle.

I prepared myself a byalah: a bit of sugar, a mint leaf, all waiting to be mixed with the hot tea.

The tea was very good and well done. Not too light and not too strong. Just the way I like it although if you keep it sitting on the candle for a while it will get stronger.

The Arabian coffee tray came with a Dallah -Arabian coffee flask-, coffee cups, and dates.

 

 

The coffee was good! It had ground ginger bits and was very tasty.

A picture for instagram.

And that was that. We sat, drank our tea and coffee, took a nice break drinking and people watching in peace and quiet, paid and then went back to shopping. Byalah cafe is the perfect quick stop for a shopping break while shopping in the Avenues. However, you might want to go there in the late morning or afternoon because at night it would be filled with old men.

Byalah Cafe is located in the traditional Souk section of the Avenues. For more information check their website (link) or follow them on Instagram (@ByalahCafe).

What’s Inside a Bloggerette’s Bag?

The other day I was out with my fellow bloggerette Pink Girl and while we were both paying and it was taking forever to do so, my sight fell on our two bags sitting side by side gaping open, each filled to the brim with stuff we can no longer leave the house without. I noticed a lot of similarities between our two bags so let me list them in the points below.

The bag itself. Must be big and sturdy yet stylish. Even though I prefer clutches and small nano bags to big heavy ones but a small bag isn’t enough to carry all my stuff. The bag must also come with a shoulder strap so you can hang it on your shoulder while you are busy writing things down or taking pictures. Having separate compartments for different items inside the bag is a bonus so you don’t waste time trying to look for, say, your iPhone. Time is precious for bloggers.
A camera! I personally take my Canon DSLR everywhere I go now but I’m considering getting a new more compact camera to have it always on the go while my precious DSLR stays at home.
A pen and a notepad. To jot down details or information of places you’ve been to or people you’ve met and you don’t want to forget their names.
One smart phone at least. I can’t go anywhere without my iPhone but all my attention is on my iPhone and my iPhone only. Its my portal to the social media! I use it to post things on Facebook, twitter, instagram, Keek, and the rest of the hoopla that is the social media applications. I also use it to take pictures on the go and receive my blog emails. Other bloggers I know carry up to three smart phones in their bag: iPhone, a Samsung, and a Blackberry for the BBM.
An extra battery/charger. You know the one? The thing that is like a power source on its own and you can use -or lend- to charge your smart phone especially if you are in an event and you’ve already used up your short-lived smart phone battery.
The smart phone charger. Better safe than sorry, what if your battery charger is depleted?
A stack of your blog’s business cards. I still don’t have those on me but I know a lot of bloggers, local and international, who do and carry it around to give out when meeting other people.
Car Keys and a wallet. So you can drive around and get to places/events or buy a cup of coffee while you wait for something to happen.
A tissue box, wet wipes, a compact mirror, and mints. So you are always fresh no matter what you’ve eater or what you encounter while you are busy taking pictures of something and forgetting what’s going on around you.
Plasters, some Panadol, and Gaviscon tablets. I often find that I’ve scratched my self and start bleeding when I lose myself taking pictures. Plasters are a must in my bag. The Panadol, its for those days when you have one of those bloody headaches that just won’t go away. As for the Gaviscon, well I can’t eat anything without the fear of getting stomach pains so they are always in my bag to help me bear the pain.

Do you have anything more to add my fellow bloggerettes? What about you guy bloggers, do you have to carry a bag with you and if you do, what’s inside?

Blast from the Past: WWF Wrestlers in Kuwait

In my childhood our Friday night ritual was always to have dinner, turn on KTV2 to watch the WWF wrestling, then go to bed. I’ve been a big fan of wrestling back then until the day I discovered that all these wrestling matches were arranged and the entire thing was just one big show. Before that happened, in 1996, I opened the newspaper one morning to find the ad above.

I remember blinking a few times in disbelief, then when reality sunk in I started jumping up and down in ecstasy and then stomping my feet demanding that I buy tickets to go. One the day finally came, I was over the moon with happiness! It was 9 May 1996 and I have a picture of me that day dressed up to go watch wrestling, behind the picture I’ve written “One of the happiest days of my life”.

I did go, I took a bunch of kids -siblings, cousins- with me and we all sat in the third or fourth row, stood on our chairs and cheered as our favourite wrestlers came on the ring to “fight” or mock fight. My favorites were Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, and Pret the hit man Hart. Later when we were done I got myself a Pret Hart T-Shirt, A Pret Hart key chain, and an Undertakers or Shawn Michaels T-Shirt that I gave to one of my friends  in high school whose parents wouldn’t let her go.

Looking through my old boxes, I found the newspaper Ad cut up and folded neatly with my treasured papers. I also found my Pret Hart key chain which I used to hold the key to my locker in High School.

I think the key chain is now 17 years old! Woah! I remember how surreal it was to be watching the wrestlers from WWF being interviewed on KTV1. If I am not mistaken one of the wrestlers actually attacked the morning show presenter. I will try and look up that video on youtube and see.

I wonder which of these wrestlers still wrestle 17 years later. Do you remember when the wrestlers came to Kuwait? Did you go?

Holiday Breakfast in Ayyame

On the first day of last week’s national and liberation holiday we woke up early, the weather was excellent and we knew we wanted to have breakfast outdoors, so we headed to The Village to have breakfast in Ayyame. I love Ayyame and their breakfast (post) and even though I didn’t intend to take pictures, I couldn’t resist and took out my camera to take a few shots and remember that glorious morning’s breakfast.

It was quite, serene, with birds chirping and a cool breeze blowing in. The sun was hiding behind the thick white clouds and would often peek out and send its light and warmth our way. A few patriotic songs were playing shyly in the background which added to the festive feel

It didn’t take long for our orders to arrive after we’ve placed them. First came the drinks and the bread basket.

Ayyame serve a Kuwaiti tea in a pot which is a mixture of tea and milk with cardamom. Perfect for a breakfast outdoors that reminds you of home.

Next came the breakfast dishes: Labna with some mixed red peppers and oil. Very tasty with the hot bread.

Grilled Halloumi platter with vegetables and olives.

potatoes.

Baked omelette which also came with a side of Labna.

And my breakfast dish: Turkish cheese board with juicy red grapes, some sort of salty Turkish cheese, two more different kinds of sliced cheese, mixed nuts, honey, and Turkish Labna,

Digging in…

I can’t wait for the next time I can go out for breakfast. As the end of holiday blues strongly attacks, I can find comfort by thinking of the weekend where I will be sitting outside having the yummy breakfast again. Ayyame’s prices are quite reasonable too, our bill didn’t come to 10 KD. I like the bill holder, very stylish.

Ayyame restaurant is located in The Village Abu Al-Hasaniya and in Marina Mall. For more information you can follow them on their instagram account (@Ayyame_Restaurant).