Danderma's Blog, page 76

The Re-opening of L’Occitane Avenues Branch

L’occitane’ branch in the Avenues has re-opened its doors after renovations a few weeks ago and L’Occitane threw a nice event to celebrate the re-opning. I couldn’t make it on the opening day but I did pass by the branch to check it out.

Right across from L’Occitane’s entrance I found this make shift flower decorated photography set up still there from the night before. I was told that guests of the event had their pictures taken and then the photographer would change the background accordingly before emailing them the pictures. Nice idea!

Inside L’Occitane’s new branch, which is noticeably bigger, I noticed their newest collection right away for it was displayed in the middle of the store and right in front of the entrance. 

I’m a fan of their organic and totally natural products range. The latest available one is The Rose des Champs and if you are a rose scent fan you will love it.

As I left I was presented with a cute L’occiatane wicker gift basket.

Thank you very much L’Occitane and Shayma Bakhesh for your invitation and congratulations on the re-opening of your Avenues branch.

L’Occitane has four branches in Kuwait, in The Avenues, Al-Fanar Mall, Al-Raya Mall, and Al-Salhiya Mall. For more information you can check their website (link) or follow them on Twitter (@LOccitane).

A Casual Movie Night with the Girls…

A while ago we’ve been talking about having a cosey casual movie night at home with the girls. Nothing fancy, just some popcorn, take away food, and a nice movie to watch. Preparations for this day were next to nothing: A trip to the Co-Op, a Trip to TSC for the chips, arranging stuff around and voila! We have a casual gathering.

First things first, I got all the pillows I had at home and asked the girls to bring their own as well plus blankets to snuggle in. Many people love to watch movies sprawled on the floor and my guests were no exception. Next, I got the movie munchies placed on the table nearest to the sitting area so everything would be within an arms reach during the movie.

I arranged all the movie munchies on the table: different types of chips and crisps, biscuits to dunk in chocolate, every single chocolate bar I could find in the co-op, and of course popcorn. Seven different flavors to be exact.

Oreo Popcorn, Chocolate Popcorn, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Popcorn.

Sweet & Salty popcorn, Caramel Popcorn, and Cheddar Cheese Popcorn.

Given that I couldn’t find plain salted popcorn -the only type I like by the way- that is delivered to my doorstep I got a box of microwave popcorn to pop it while the guests wait for the movie to start. Which brings the count to seven different types of popcorn.

I popped the popcorn in the microwave 2 minutes before the movie’s start. To give the popcorn a more cinematic feel, I provided a plastic popcorn container similar to the ones you’d use in an actual cinema and guests could have whatever popcorn mix they desire.

 

Of course all these chips and crisps need condiments, specifically hot sauce to go with the potato chips, a favorite Kuwaiti combination.

Chocolates, chocolates, chocolates.

Dathra doll was out of her mind with happiness! She would have polished off everything on that table if I had let her :p

Dathra was joined by some more friends when the guests had arrives. The Steve Jobs dolls and a very possessive Jacquie doll that sat between Dathra and Steve Jobs dolls all night. She was jealous :p

The movie we chose was “This Means War“. I had seen it before but not everyone did and it was a very good movie so we decided on it. We also saw the alternate ending of Titanic and cursed at old Rose still throwing the diamond to the ocean. Then the food arrived! Nothing much, just pizzas: Vegetarian, Pepperoni, and Margarita pizzas.

Of course Nachos with dips. If you are wondering from where its from Taco Bell. I took the big plastic serving place to them and they filled it gladly for me. They should consider having a similar party nachos or movie night nachos option on their menu.

A tray of Burger Hub’s mini sliders with different fillings were ordered in as well. They got delivered just in time.

We also had mini triangular sandwiches brought over by Pink Girl.

For drinks I prepared some two juice cocktails: a raspberry mojito and an aqua frisca “pinapple and vanilla”.

I also had a bucket of ice filled with soft drinks. Ice, straws, lemon slices, and plastic cups with covers were also available to give a cinema like feel to the drinks. Picture is borrowed from Pink Girl’s (post).

It was time for the movie to start, so everyone prepared their popcorn, grabbed a drink, some munches, dimmed the lights and off the movie went.

We had a blast. We laughed, we paused the movie and fast forwarded and re-winded and laughed some more. Had side conversations and had total silence moments. Watching a movie with a group of friends at home has its own taste especially if  you are sprawled on the floor stuffing your face with comfort food.

Then it was time for dessert. Dear Swera brought over mini dessert cups from Wonderful. I adore their Tiramisu cups by the way.

Also, dear Noon brought over some macarons from chocolate & macarons including a newly released salted caramel one (post).

And dear Um 3zoz brought over two boxes chock full of gelato from Gelato Italiano that I hid in the freezer. They are mine and mine alone (post).

We poured ourselves homemade tea and Arabian coffee from Dallah and prepared ourselves for post-movie conversation. However, we didn’t get to enjoy any of it. Why?

Well, its because the night ended on a bizzare albeit funny note. Just as we were about to have sip our tea and eat our dessert a loud crash and glass breaking! We turned around to this scene…

We all stood, gawking, observing the scene in front of us. The soft drinks and ice bucket had toppled off on its own, sending everything flying everywhere. Now the girls, instead of enjoying their tea, began cleaning the mess up. Ansam in particular was itching for us to stop taking pictures and start mopping as she stood in the middle of the mess, picking up the unbroken bottles, and asking for the mop with dettol! Wakhezya! How is that for a gathering entertainment? Having your guests mop the floor and brush the broken glass before sending them home?

It was a great night, despite the mess at the end which made us laugh so hard, mostly in disbelief. Thank you girls for coming to my movie night, we should have another one again very soon. Maybe we will have an Italian themed dinner and movie night

Candy Nail’s Sweet Invitation

The other day I received a beautiful invitation from a newly opened nail parlor in Kuwait, Candy Nails. The design and color theme of the branding is indeed candy like: sweet and very colorful.

Inside I found a pampering session voucher with my name on it.  

Along with a two candy like delicious ginger cookies from The November Bakery. Sweet!

Candy Nail offer nail services “manicure, pedicure, etc” plus other salon services like blow drys and waxing. They are located in Fintas and in the picture below is their complete address.

Thank you very much Candy Nails for your generous invitation. I will try to pass by soon to try your services out. For more information about Candy Nails you can give them a call at 97773630, check their facebook page (link) their Twitter account (@CandyNails) or follow them on instagram (@CandyNails).

Recipe: Vegetarian Lasagna

Last weekend I was in my kitchen thinking about lunch when my eyes fell on a box of lasagna sheets. Of course, why not? So I made my favorite vegetarian lasagna an d snapped a few shots with my iPhone that I thought I’d share on my blog. So, what went inside my lasagna? 

Lasagna sheets, plenty of fresh vegetables, a can of peeled tomatoes, a box of tomato paste, herbs (thyme, oregano, salt, pepper), 20g butter, 2 cups of low fat milk, 2 table spoons of white flour, and shredded mozarella and cheddar cheese.

As I had just been to the Co-Op I had my vegetables fresh and vibrant and fresh vegetable make all the difference in preparing food. The vegetables that went into my lasagna were: onions, mushroom, broccoli  red peppers, green peppers, yellow peppers, orange peppers, zucchini, carrots, and a little bit of celery. All the vegetables, except the mushrooms and broccoli, were diced finely into tiny cubes, why? So they’d replace the ground meat in the classic lasagna recipe.

Now to prepare my tomato and vegetables sauce its very similar to how I prepare my Spaghetti Pomodoro sauce (post) but with one extra step. First, fry the onions in a little bit of olive oil until they are a tad translucent. Then add all the diced vegetables at ones and mix thoroughly. Do not add the mushrooms and broccoli though, keep them aside for now.

Season with salt, pepper, and herbs. Stir around gently until you can see the vegetable starting to soften a bit, around five minutes or so. Then open the can of tomatoes and pour it on top of the mix plus the tomato paste. Also, add about one cup of water as well and mix everything up.

Add some more salt, pepper, and herbs. You can add a cube of vegetable stock for more flavor if you want to or any seasoning you prefer. Turn heat down and keep the sauce simmering for about thirty minutes. While waiting for the sauce flavors to come together I opened up the over to 180 C so it would be preheated, cleaned up the kitchen, and started to prepare the béchamel sauce with the milk, flour, and butter. This is how I prepare it (post).

When the tomato sauce is finally done and the béchamel is also done, its time to assemble the lasagna. In the serving dish start with a base of tomato sauce, then layer the uncooked lasagna sheets. Top with a little bit of béchamel, the mushroom slices -you can sautee them or use them as is, they’ll cook in the oven-, the broccoli, a good sprinkle of cheese, some oregano, and then add a generous amount of tomato and vegetables sauce.

Top all those goodies with more dry lasagna sheets and start the process again until you reach the top layer.

Now top the entire assembly with the remaining béchamel sauce, cheeses  and more oregano. The lasagna dish is now ready to go into the oven.

And into the oven it goes for at least 30 minutes. You can check in on it and look at how all the lasagna juices are bubbling and combining as it cooks.

30 minutes later and its done, the top all burned and crispy just the way I like it

I don’t have a picture of it being served, mainly because it was attacked viciously and mercilessly. But I can assure you it tasted amazing, beyond amazing. For a vegetarian person like myself its really hard finding a decent vegetarian pasta in Kuwait so making my own hits the spot just right. I can also control the amount of fat and extra calories that goes into it.

If you are gluten intolerant you can bake this with gluten-free lasagna sheets and use gluten free flour for the béchamel. If the portion is too big for you then you can always prepare the lasagna in smaller aluminum dishes and freeze them. They would be suitable for a day when you are too tired to prepare lunch and want something light. There is nothing better tasting than a deliciously rich freshly baked lasagna. Yum, the glory of satisfying comfort food

So, what’s for lunch today :p

Invitation to S.P.E.A.K on World’s Mental Health Day

A while ago I wrote a post about visiting a therapist in Kuwait and whether that is still considered a social No-No (post). Almost every response I got was “It was OK” and “There is nothing to it”. My question still stands though, is it? God knows many of us need therapy in different phases of our lives and not everyone is blessed with understanding or open minded and wise family members or friends that could listen and provide sound advice.

I personally think its OK, rather a must do in your life to get rid of some skeletons that you are tormenting you in your closet. Maybe if we were truly open about it, or had more trust in the level of therapy provided in Kuwait, specifically the confidentiality aspect, then it might have a great impact on the way we deal with each other. Two girls, twin sisters Alaa and Dalal Al Homaizi who currently attend Northeastern University in Boston to Study Psychology founded the “Standing for Psychological Education and Awareness in Kuwait” or “S.P.E.A.K.” campaign with the aim of reducing mental health stigma in Kuwait.

Tomorrow, 10 October, is World’s Mental Day and in accordance to this occasion S.P.E.A.K campaign is hosting an event for both professionals and public audiences to be held at Salwa Al Sabah Hall from 8:30am-1:30pm and 5-8pm, respectively.

Break the silence, gather up your courage, and join the conversation on Twitter @SPEAKuwait, Instagram @WMHD2012, and Facebook (link). For more information you can call +965–55997555.

Invitation: Meet the Minister of Commerce Today

I received an email yesterday and the sender was “Kuwaitna Government“. A tad confused, I was skeptical at first. Its not every day that you get an email from your government on your personal email. However, it was indeed an email from our government with a personal message from the Minister of Commerce!

[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNPrzf...

A personal invitation from the Minister of commerce, Mr. Anas Al-Saleh, inviting every small business entrepreneur to a meeting in the Public Authority for Industry (PAI) today Tuesday 9th of October 2012 at 6 PM.

I’ve heard horror stories about opening up small businesses, the complicated procedures, the amount of time and effort to get all the permits, etc. Its enough to make you run away from the idea of starting your own small business. Yet I think that this is a considerate step forward from the Minster of Commerce, willing to meet with young eager small business founders and listen to them with the intention of actually improving the current procedures in place.

Therefore, if you had hardships opening your own small business, or was put off by what you’ve heard, or currently battling with the governmental procedures trying to set up your business, then today at 6 pm its your chance to let your voice be heard. Your experience might just make life easier on future small business entrepreneurs in Kuwait. You’ve got a chance to make a change, so please take it.

Thank you Minister Anas Al-Saleh and Kuwaitna Government for your invitation. Your efforts to engage the citizens through social media are much appreciated.

Visiting Kuwait as a Tourist – Places of Interest

To continue my post regarding what should a tourist in Kuwait do and visit when they arrive, this post is about what I think is the most popular places of interest in Kuwait. Not shopping  -previous post- and not restaurants and where to eat -upcoming post-.

Since I’m writing this post because one of my Twitter followers is visiting and asked my advice, I’m going to start the places of interest starting from Salmiya, where she would be staying in Missoni Hotel, outwards.

Places of Interest in Kuwait:

Kuwait Scientific Center and The Aquarium: One of my favorite places in Kuwait located right across the street from Misonni Hotel. Outside KSC there is a long pleasant walkway which is perfect for a quite long walk in the evening or when the weather is good. Inside, there is the IMAX movie screen, the Aquarium where you walk around and can sit and watch the sharks, the discovery place area with scientific games and activities that are loads of fun even for grown ups (post). For more information and for online tickets you can check their website (link).
AS Marine Museum and The Hashemi II: Located in Radisson SAS Hotel, Al-Bidaa, Al-Hashemi wooden dhow is one of the biggest wooden dhows in the world and made it to the Guinesses book of records. Inside, there is a very interesting marine museum and gift shop. For more information you can check their websites (link).
Beit Luthan: One of the oldest and very distinguished art and talents center in Kuwait, Beit Luthan provides a different range of classes and lessons -photography, piano, etc- . There are also different events and exhibitions throughout the years plus a gift shop showcasing many local creations you can get as unique souvenirs. For more information you can check their website (link).
Al-Mubarkiya: A walk around the traditional Kuwaiti Souq, Al-Mubarkiya, is always a treat on its own (post). I prefer sleepy Saturday mornings where I’d stop there for breakfast then walk around on foot, buying bukhoor, perfumes, gold, spices, fresh produce, and the likes. A place worth checking out is Beit Ahmad which sells great modern pieces with a traditional touch. Sadly you will have to ask for its location but if it helps, its located near Shater Abbas restaurant.
Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah’s Kiosk: The oldest building in Kuwait is located in the heart of Mubarakiya, once the ruling quarters of Sheikh Mubarak Al-Kabeer. The kiost was recently restored and renovated and now includes a little exhibition especially of old books and a small pharmacy that used to be there. For more information you can check this website (link).
Sadu House: A renovated traditional house dedicated to preserve the art of Sadu Weaving, Sadu being the Textile of the Nomadic Bedouins. Sadu classes, workshops, afternoon tea, and of course there is always the gift shop for some Sadu products as souveniers. I’ve been there for an exhibition once and loved the place (post). For more information you can check their website (link).
Americani Cultural Center: The building that belonged to one of the oldest Hospitals in Kuwait, The Americani Hospital, is now preserved and renovated as a cultural center with many activities, display, and events usually arranged by Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiya. DAI also provide various cultural activities, shows, and exhibitions throughout the year. I’ve been to one of the DAI exhibitions before in The Americani and had the time of my life (post) (post). For more information and for a list of events taking place by DAI you can check this (link).
Dar Al-Funoon: An art gallery in Kuwait located in the small yet gorgeously preserved old Behbehani Houses area in Kuwait City. I’ve recently attended Alwan exhibition there and I liked the place very much  (post). For more information on events and shows you can check their website (link).
The Historical & Vintage Cars museum:  A small yet spectacular display of vintage cars, some of which were renovated, on display. Totally worth checking out (post). For more information and opening hours you can check their website (link).
Gallery Tilal:  A gallery for contemporary art in Tilal Malls, Shuwaikh where many exhibitions and events take place showcasing the talents of Kuwaiti artists. For more information and for the events schedule you can check their website (link).
Contemporary Art Platform: The Newest art lovers destination in Kuwait. Located in Shuwaikh and houses place in Kuwait that houses artistic displays alongside workshops and documentary film viewings. For more information and events schedule you can check their website (link).
Tareq Rajab Museum:  An interesting exhibition of various historical Islamic artifcats and Islamic Calligraphy. The museum is located in Jarbiya and is worth a visit. For more information you can check this (link).
Al-Qurain’s Martyrs House: 21 Years ago a feirce battle took place in this house in the Qurain residential area between a group of Kuwaiti resistance fighter and Iraqi troops during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990. After a long night of battle, the house was all but destroyed and is still standing, as is, as a museum and a symbol for Kuwaiti’s fight for our freedom. For more information you can check this link (post).
Sahara Golf Resort:  If the weather permits and you fancy a bit of golf, you might want to stop by Sahara for an outdoorsy fun game. For more information you can check this (link).
The Shooting Range: Want to shoot a few bullets maybe? The Shooting range is close by Sahara Golf Resort. Take some identification, choose your gun or rifle, and try to shoot a bulls eye like I did (post). For more information you can check this link (link).
The Flight Simulator: Located in 360 mall, a real life flight simulator like the one used to train pilots is available for normal people like us. You can fly a plane, land and take off in the airport of your choice, and even train to become a pilot if you want to -or so I’ve been told-. For more information you can check this (link)

 

Those places of interest are the ones I know of, visited myself, liked, and I know are still open to the public. If you know of a place worth visiting or a new place that I’ve missed please do share. Thank you

A Tour in the Newly Reopened Dean & Deluca – Part 2

In part two of the newly re-opened Dean & Deluca store in the avenues, we start off with a very important feature of the store: The Cheese Section. Many types of cheese from different regions and with different flavors and textures are available for cheese lovers alongside crackers and spreads. Ideal for making a perfect grilled cheese sandwich!

After the cheese section comes the fresh pasta section where you can buy a variety of freshly made pastas of the day, your choice of sauce, and go home to make a splendid pasta in under 5 minutes.

I’m planning to pass by after work one day or maybe have a pasta dinner night with friends using these goodies.

I’ve also noticed some healthy items, that pumpernickel bread for example or cereal bars if anyone is into that kind of thing.

Then comes the fresh produce section. One with the most vibrant looking fruits I’ve ever seen in Kuwait. I’ve always loved this section and it seemed to be a bit bigger. Pity they removed the fresh flowers section for good

 

How succulent do these Spanish peaches look

Of course the ready made meals section is back and its bigger than ever. Before D&D closed down I used to come here and pick up lunch to go for both me & my husband after work. Now I’m glad I can see more options for lunch!

I’m so going to get that lasagna for lunch one day. Or maybe for an Italian dinner party?

The area for different merchandise is so vast, I couldn’t possible take pictures of the entire thing but you can find almost every gourmet thing you need to cook and add that extra oomph to your dishes.

I noticed that there are more branded D&D items around like cups and shopping bags. By the way my coffee cup at work is from D&D before it closed down.

The bakery… oh the bakery where the best Zaatar fatayer is made in Kuwait, period (post)! The bakery is back and is bigger, selling fatayer, fresh bread, croissants, cookies, and more!

In the back of the store right beside the bakery you will find a small door with “Customer Service” written on it. I peered inside only to be greeted by a cheerful man who welcomed me and briefed me on what services do they provide to D&D customer.

Carrying your purchases to the car, Personal shopping and pretty soon home delivery! Plus, their famous hamper and gift baskets service is done by visiting this office.

I had once used their services to make a Chocolate gift basket for myself (post) and I’ve loved it. Also one of my friends sent me an Italian hamper and I loved every single item that went into that basket and I still use it to this day. The perfect gift for a foodie, a cooking enthusiast, or for a housewarming.

As we left D&D that night I went home with a nicely wrapped gift of my own too!

Perfect for chocolate lovers, thank you D&D!

Of course I’m not done yet, there is still the restaurant section to cover in part III of the D&D tour to be posted soon.

Brunch from Socrates Bakery

On Saturday I woke up pretty late and while trying to decided what to have for breakfast I remembered a conversation we had with friends over dinner on Thursday night discussing Socrates Bakery. I’ve wanted to try it for so long having heard many good things about it so I picked up the phone and placed an order for home delivery.

We were quite hungry so we thought we would order and try everything. First, the half and half zaatar & cheese mashrooha.

The labna balady on multi gran brown dough.

The kofta, mashed potato, and mohammara wrap.

The Margharita pizza.

The three cheese and spinach in whole grain brown dough.

The halloum fatayer.

The kabab eskandar mashrooha.

I made myself a perfect cup of sweet tea with mint and sat down to enjoy my Saturday brunch.

How was the food? Well, the ingredients are very fresh and the multi cereal brown dough is excellent. The one I liked the most was the Zaatar and the spinach. The labna was very bland and tasted like nothing. Not salty nor sour so I won’t be ordering it again. The halloum was good except for that tangy dressing they had on top which overpowered everything. Next time I will order halloum on brown dough without the sauce.

My husband loved the kofta with mashed potato but he especially swooned over the kabab eskandar mashrooha. It was his favorite and, surprise surprise  our stray cat’s favorites. Our plans to dine outdoors were ruined once again when we opened up the eskandar mashrooha box and suddenly we heard loud mewing, both Lolo and Nefertiti making faces and licking their mouths!

Needless to say they had to have the first bite of the kabab eskandar and they loved it while we went inside to eat. Those cats rule!

The total bill came up to almost 9 KD. The brown cereal dough costs an extra 100 fils if you order it. Its a little bit on the high side but if you don’t mind paying for quality food then it won’t be an issue.

Socrates bakery are located in Hawalli, Musa Bin Nasser street. They do home delivery but not to every location in Kuwait. To place an order you can contact them on 22629406 or for more pictures and information you can check their facebook page (link), follow them on Twitter (@SocratesBakery), or follow them on Instagram  (@SocratesBakery).

Visiting Kuwait as a Tourist … The Shopping Part

For the longest time I’ve had this thought in my head, what if I was a tourist in my own country? What would I do? What attraction and places would I want to show off to our visitors from abroad?

Then the opportunity presented itself to me by a Twitter followers, Lady Bella, who is going to visit in a few days and is going to stay in Missoni Hotel, Salmiya. Let me see. A week in Kuwait, what would you do?

This post proved to go on forever so I’m breaking it into three parts: Shopping, Restaurants & Dining, and Places of interest respectively.

Let’s see, what shops are hip and worth your time in Kuwait? Since our guest is staying in Missoni Salmiya, I will start from Salmiya outwards…

Stores to shop at:

Fortune Cookie Boutique: In Olympia mall, Salmiya, down the street from Missoni Hotel. A must visit for quirky finds and gorgeous souvenirs home. Look out for Dania’s Designs, Ibrah’s necklaces, and I Love Suzani’s tea and coffee flasks. (post) (post).
Fursa: A recently opened quirky little place located in Salmiya less than a kilometre behind Missoni Hotel. Check my post about them here (post).
Saja Perfumes:  A local perfumes maker worth checking out. Their store is located in Omniya Mall, Salmiya, down the street from Missoni Hotel. Check out my post about them (post).
Al-Funoon Center: The place to go and purchase all the old Kuwaiti and Khaleeji shows and plays on DVD plus the old cartoons from the 80′s in box sets. Located in Salmiya overlooking fifth ring road.
52 Degrees: Located in Shuwaikh, Al-Tilal mall. It houses many all Kuwaiti brands and talents from homeware to frangrances and books to clothing and dara’as. A MUST visit too. Check out my posts about them (post) (post) (post) (post) (post) (post) (post) (post) (post).
Things by November: In Tilal mall as well. You amazing quirky home-ware, vases, and  everything you will need to give the perfect gift.
Cupcake Boutique: Also located in Tilal mall. Very sweet and trendy designs you won’t find anywhere else. Muhra collection for dara’as are also spectacular and worth checking out (post).
Afaq Bookstore: Also located in Tilal, it houses a decent collection of books. I personally would recommend the “Fedha & Shaheen” Story for the plane ride home (post).
Dar Nur: Across the street from Al-Tilal mall. A concept store with the most modern selection of gifts and homeware you will find. Here is a post of my beloved acrylic tray that I just got from them (post).
f2o Designs: A local Kuwaiti designer with amazing talents. Her store in Burj Jassim is simply a treasure trove of customized shirts, hoodies, tumblers, cups, paintings, magnets, etc. The it place for the best souvenirs with a local flavor that you can take back home and cannot find anywhere else. Check out my posts about her store here (post) (post) (post).
Dar Usha: The outfists are very impressive and made to local taste. Located in Burj Jassim, Kuwait City.
Ne’emah Perfumes: They have many branches around Kuwait and I adore their Arabian perfumes and fragrances  A personal favorite home fragrance, Kadi, is very hard to find as its always out of stock. You can check my post about them (post).
Chay Shop: Located in Al-Raya Mall, Kuwait City. They have the funkiest most modern tea estekanas and sets.
Bait Al-Cedra: A little shop in an old house tucked away behind Al-Amiri hospital. It sells amazing little stuff for the home and perfect for gift giving. A must visit.
Pieces by Farah: My favorite designer of the past year, she has the most amazing home ware and tea sets. Some of her pieces are stocked in Things by November but the best way to insure you get what you want is if you visit her office. The modern Mubkhar is a must by and the perfect sovenier (post) (post).

Home Businesses worth checking out: 

Ayar Perfumes : Their gift box smells amazing and they deliver within 2-3 days of your order. Check out my post about them (post).
Qumar 14: A talented designer and I personally adore her style. I simply wear her bishts on daily basis at home especially when the AC is full on. Here are my posts about her (post) (post) (post).
Th.haba Jewelry: Local, modern, new, and the designs are very sweet. I’m not sure which store sells her stuff locally though. Check out my post about her (post) (post)
May’s Jewelry: Distinguished for her letter jewelry, they are simply gorgeous. Check out my post (post).
Circus Maximos: They have beautiful iPhone covers some with Islamic designs and they deliver on the same day or the day after (post).
Or Bakery : A local home business that simply provide the most amazing chocolates ever. Their chocolate stuffed with a brownie is simply divine (post) (post). You do have to call them in advance for they might be too busy to fulfill your order on time.
Drabeelna: A local business that sells different and unusual flavors of Darabeel. Check my post about them (post).

Those stores and home businesses I mentioned are my personal favorites off the top of my head. If any of my readers would like to recommend something please feel free to do so in the comments section. Also, do you know of a good car rental and chauffeur company in Kuwait? Thank you