Al Kout @ Night,Q8

Sharing few pic's of Al-Kout Mall, a beautiful and famous mall situated at Fahaheel waterfront,Kuwait

360 Mall,Q8

One place all three of us love is the 360 Mall which is situated in Al-Zahara Area right besides the 6th ring road towards Kuwait Airport. A hypermarket, two department stores and fabulous leisure and entertainment arenas are just some of its major attractions.360 Mall is truly an exciting and unique destination whose shopping, entertainment and leisure components are synonymous with sophistication's, elegance and unsurpassed style and luxury. The Mall showcases the best of international, regional and local retailers to create a delightful and special experience for visitors of all ages.While Jeet love to do the weekly marketing at Geant, I love to shop as there are over 137 stores and Mehr loves the ambiance.

The Gardens in the 360 Mall is the only place where you can find a vertical garden in Kuwait. The garden centre also boasts Japanese Koi, reflecting pools, cafes and seats on warm wood decks.Since introducing the new vertical garden, the 360 MALL has been attracting many visitors across the country and from around the world. The zone is surrounded by glass walls which allows the sun’s rays to penetrate the mall’s surroundings providing a naturally beautiful scenic view.The vertical garden grows plants without any soil (hydroponically), and can be implemented indoors or out. The organic architecture is created by sprinkling plant seeds on a fabric layer which allows plants to grow naturally across the available space. The process of watering and fertilization is automated on a timed irrigation system.The 620 square meter vertical garden includes 20,500 plants from over 101 different species. It’s a perfect combination between nature and art. The wall has a built-in water filtration system which helps the plants thrive without worry of a build up of excess salts. The vertical garden purifies the air by removing some VOC’s and adding oxygen to the room through photosynthesis.360 MALL’s Vertical Garden demonstrates creativity and innovation and is the perfect addition to a retail center known for its fine dining and high-end shops.
(I must thank "Living Walls and Vertical Gardens" for the information)

The following are some of the facts about this Mall:

@  82,000 m2 luxury shopping in 7 different zones
@ 137 (TBC) fashion, leisure, entertainment and dining outlets
@ Kuwait's largest collection of international designer brands
@ International Department Store, Marks & Spencer
@ 1200 seat Food Lounge that appeals to all tastes and desires
@ 36 restaurants and coffee shops
@ 15 state of the art screens at Cine scape Cinema Complex that also includes 2 VIP cinemas and an IMAX theatre
@ 5,000 sq.m Indoor Family Entertainment Centre; Infunity, featuring attractions never seen before in Kuwait
@ 1,500 sq.m Indoor Teenage Entertainment Centre; Freeze Club, featuring many attractions never before seen in Kuwait
@ A high-tech 20 lane Bowling facility, that includes separate VIP bowling lanes
@ 3 Concierge Desks that will provide a high level of customer service to customers
@ 1,800 plus multi-level and surface car parking lots

You can check their website for more details : http://www.360mall.com/

Enjyd exploring Fahaheel@ weekend

Fahaheel, is one of the main area of Kuwait.We have visited it many times and every time we enjoy it.Infact it has all, you just name it....lot of restaurants, Sea side,Centre point, Al Kout Mall, Al Manshar Mall, 5-star Rotana Hotel, Fahaheel Bazar, LuLu, Al Ghanim,Fish market, Vegetable market, many many shops selling cloths, accessories,gold shops, money exchanges etc. So all your needs are fulfilled. As we stay in Abu Halifa, this is the best place for us to shop, as it is only a 15-20 min drive from our place.But it changed after Mehr was born.The main problem here is parking your vehicle. You may have to park in a opposite direction though you have work in a different direction. To get a place to park your car is the main concern here. So to carry Mehr from one place to another is quite difficult when specially the weather is humid.
This weekend when we went to Fahaheel, Jeet told me that he will take me to a different area of Fahaheel. I was surprise as to which new area he will take me. We parked our car in the parking area of Al Manshar Mall. We walked towards the back side of Rotana Hotel and the Al Manshar mall. I was thinking where is he taking us, when I saw a security personal. Jeet talked to him and we went inside. I didn't know that it is  a residential complex. One of Jeet's friend stay here. The residential complex consist of 3 bedroom apartments, quite spacious and the view of the sea and Fahaheel from the apartment is just beyond description....all I can say is "wah". All at the price...guess......only 350KD.....we thought it would be 600-700KD. Though its in the heart of Kuwait, lot of market and hotel nearby, its far from the hue and cry. No noise, a perfect place to stay.The sea side, shopping area/markets are at stone's throw. We got tempted to shift but with a kid we don't need such a big place.The job of maintaining the big apartment will fall on me. So I at once cancelled the idea when Jeet suggested.
We just moved around Al Manshar Mall....I purchased few souvenirs.This mall has some nice souvenir shops, owners/shop-keepers are Kashmiri's( from India).It has lot of brand show-rooms, restaurants. A nice place to move around.

Background Rotana Hotel

@Al Manshar Mall

The pictures were taken earlier, 1 year back, when my dad visited us.

Oxygen Bar Q8

Oxygen Bars started in Japan in the 1990's and spread to America where their popularity attracted global curiosity about what exactly an oxygen bar is and what it does.

Today Kuwait has its first oxygen bar located in the country's high-end salon,NSTYLE.

The way it works is that useres basically sit on a padded stool  faced with a contraption that looks something like an oversized,multicoloured respirator,and they then insert into their nostrils a personal breathing hose which extends from the bar's oxygen tubes.The bar is built to hold four separate tubes comprised of concentrated oxygen which comes in various flavours. One of the flavours,Tranquility is meant to relax the user's nerves;Zen stimulate the system,Purity cleanses it and Calming, the last choice on the menu is meant to relieve emotional stress.

The use of Oxygen Bar is meant to make clients feel more energized,uplifted and relieved of headaches and other common results of stress manifestation.
My friend who visited it was totally relaxed after using it. Actually she had gone for a hair cut and while waiting for her turn she decided to give it a try. Hope to visit it myself very soon.

(Inputs from a friend n Bazaar)

Nstyle is located in Al Bustan Complex on Salim AL Mubarak Street in Salmiya. For more info can call 25719050

Eid Celebration Q8

Kuwait is a Muslim country and so Eid is celebrated with lot of pomp and activities. During Eid, we go to different areas to check out the celebrations. For the last three years we had been doing so and this time was no different. But the best part was Mehr was with us this time.

There are lot of Eid carnivals or mela’s {as we call in India} that are held. During Eid, which ever area you go it becomes very difficult to park your car. You can hardly find a place and it appears that the entire Kuwait( citizens and expatriate) is out enjoying. I wanted to buy a sunglass for Mehr from Mothercare and so went to Al Bairaq Mall. Though I couldnot get the sunglass (stock over….the saleswoman said there is lot of sale) , we ended up watching magic show. Infact when we entered there was Arabic music been played and after sometime we saw a magician performing tricks. Both Mehr and ourselves enjoyed the show. We couldn’t stay till the end as we had to go to Mastanji’s house for Eid dinner.

Magic Show

Next day while going to Anupam da’s house for dinner, we saw lot of activities, people and cars parked in Kuwait Magic mall. We couldn’t visit it that day but visited the next day. An Eid carnival was held and lot of people were enjoying it. Lot of games, food stall, toy shops were there. Just enjoyed the ambience.

We also went to 360 Mall and stumbled upon Zain‘s Eid Spectacular. The event included: Face painting, Caricature drawing, Clown Shows, Games and Prizes and Dressed-up entertainers walking around.

We planned to go to Al Kout or Al Manshar Mall but couldnot get a place to park our car. For nearly an hour we moved around and ultimately when we couldnot find a parking place we moved to Ajiwal Mall. We took Mehr to Future Kids where she played some games and enjoyed. There were lot of children along with their parents enjoying. We moved around Fahaheel , ate swarma and returned.

As we went to Lulu Hypermarket @ Qurain we met dress up entertainers( in Disney characters) and they were also distributing choclates.

We even went to Kuwait city. Though every nook and corner of the country has a celebratory mood, but the best place to experience the traditional atmosphere of Ramadan in Kuwait, is in the old souks of Mubarakiya in Kuwait city. It’s a unique experience to move in the narrow lanes of the souks and be part of hundreds of shoppers that throng the narrow lanes.

On our way, we came across Kuwait City’s Centrepoint and decided to stop and have a look. Here purchased Mehr’s sunglass (of her choice)..…now-a-days kids have their own choices even at such tender age.

Commercial Market,Q8

This Friday visited Commercial Market with my friend Surekha and her family. This was my second visit in my three and half years stay in Kuwait. First time I visited was before Mehr was born. We were wandering in Kuwait City and we came across this market. After that many visits were planned but it never materialized.

“Commercial Market” is a popular name among Indian, Kuwaiti and Pakistani ladies. This market complex is in Kuwait City near the Liberation Towers. From outside it is just an old ordinary building. But as you enter you will be surprised to see lines of shops selling cloths of various textures, curtains, carpets, churidars and saris from India, Pakistan, Singapore and Korea. You need to bargain here. There is a famous shop call Meena Bazar which is famous for saris. There a many shops where you will get things for crafts; nice, unique laces and buttons .A place surely ladies will love. You can buy cloths to gift people back at home which they will certainly love.

I purchased few churidar pieces which I found very unique and heavily embroidered ….thought it will make perfect dress for any party.

Discovery Mall,Q8

Visited “Discovery Mall” today. This mall is for the kids as the shops of this mall caters to the needs of kids. It has outlets of brands like Barqoue, Multitrend International, Baby B, On Time, Lola Et Mot, Ecco, Melan, Taf Kids, Kidz Inc Q8, Funky Fish, Debebe, Crocs, Kidz Room, Bubbles( Kids Saloon), Chiquita Photo(photo studio), RiteFit( footware for kids) and games parlour like Cozmos and Eclipse Games. Games for kids are also organized here. The Mall consists of 3 floors of which two floors has shops and games parlor. One floor has the restaurants.

Another Mall in Kuwait, catering to the needs of children is the Al Bairaq Mall in Fintas.

Discovery Mall is next to Ice Skating Ring,near Mirqab at Kuwait City.

We did hear about it a lot and so decided to explore it. Mehr enjoyed a lot.

Sharq Mall, Q8

Our next stop was Sharq Mall. It is one of the most popular malls in Kuwait. There are good reasons for this. First of all, the mall is vast and has something for everyone. It is on the Gulf Road, right on the waterfront, and is therefore quite beautiful to behold; plus you can also rent a jet ski or a little motor boat and go for a spin in the huge artificial lake, right behind the mall.

It is not nearly as large as The Avenues but has a branch of almost every known chain of stores in Kuwait and also some independent stores not to be found anywhere else. The well-known outlets at the Mall are Hugo Boss, Givenchy, Massimo Dutti, Diesel, Zara, H&M, Debenham's, Mango, Oasis, Next, River Island, Racing Green, Arbash Diamonds, El Taher, Milano, Steps, Zara, Body Shop, Boots, Hassan Optics, Charles Jourdan, Fantasy, Sony, GNC, Mothercare, Kenneth Cole, IKKS, Monsoon, Adams, International optics and much more. Any true shopper would be delighted to be stranded in Sharq forever - with a credit card, of course. Debenhams and Sultan Center are the anchor stores located at either ends of the mall.

Sharq Mall also has the largest food courts of any mall in Kuwait, great if you are visiting with friends, especially if the gang cannot decide on one particular restaurant. It is a Kuwaiti style food court, which is a large open patio (open concept, but still in the air conditioning) where you can find Paul, Le Nôtre and other faux-French cafés. Bredz and Marina Café are the two good restaurants. It also has the usual food court stuff such as the Pizza Hut, McDonalds, Marina Thai, Hardees, Baskin Robbins and TGIF.


There is also a movie theatre and amusement arcade for the little ones.

We had our dinner at Marina Thai and returned home…..Suman loved the food and MEHR was happy to have her pepsi.