Erzulie: Seeing Red

To Be Frank

2011-12-20T08:30:00.000+03:00

The captain announced a few hours ago that there’s Internet available on this flight. At first I was kind of happy but then I was like, “What am I going to do? Tweet?” I have my good trusty book and super fast typing fingers, just in case I want to get my thoughts down somewhere. But I have to type this post out pretty quick since I’ve got only one hour on this thing. By the way, it’s the first time I connect my laptop to the Internet while over the Atlantic. Kind of cool...

I know I’ve neglected this blog of mine for a while but in my defense, it has been on my mind. I always think, “Hmm, that would be something cool to blog about.” But as a professional procrastinator and expert in time mismanagement, I put my thoughts and nonexistent posts on the back burner. Until now. But it’s almost Christmas and the New Year is coming up, so I guess I have no excuse huh?

“Don’t you ever feel that you’re running out of time?” I asked my husband as he drove me to the airport. At 26 (and a half), I still feel like I want to do and more specifically, accomplish more things. “I used to feel that when I was your age, but I traveled and lived where I wanted. I’m pretty happy where I am now,” he replied, sounding content. I smiled. For me, it wasn’t about traveling around the world or going on shark feeding trips near southern Africa (who does that? I still cannot understand why anyone would do that. Not the shark feeding bit per se. But in general, to travel to a relatively dangerous region in the world and be surrounded by wild animals that have the option of gnawing your face off. Why? I will never understand that).

Yeah so anyways, I think it’s more about doing. I don’t know but I guess a part of me is so afraid of regrets. In general, I’d rather regret doing something than not. I mean, if I do something, whatever it is, it might do me good or it might hurt in the short or long run (or both). Then again, I’ll learn from that experience – as cliché as that sounds – and know exactly what it feels, tastes and sounds like. I guess I’m afraid of running out of time doing things that I might or might not regret. But what’s the use of life if you don’t experience every bit of it? And I don’t mean it in a hedonistic way. Sometimes, I feel like that my comfortable routines start to turn into annoying, boring ruts. I have this strange sense to shock myself into feeling something again, something extraordinary that’ll make me reel with joy, fear and wonder. So I might experience something I have always wanted to do but I was afraid to. Sort of like snap myself back to the grit of life by break dancing instead of doing the two-step.

Oh great I have 40 more minutes on this thing. Resolutions. Well, I think I’m sticking to mine this year. “What are your resolutions?” I asked a good friend of mine yesterday. “Same as last year’s: lose weight,” she replied glumly. I’ve borrowed some resolutions from years before while a few are brand new. Let’s see how 2012 will turn out. I don’t like being optimistic (because if I am there’s a higher probability of being let down) but for some reason, I have a good feeling about 2012. Maybe because it’s an even number. I like even numbers, in general.

As for you, I wish that this New Year will be good to you. More than good even; breathtaking and inspiring. I wish you love, peace and wonderful, magical moments. I wish you the world.

آه يا كويت

2011-11-22T08:30:00.001+03:00

ملاحظة: يمكن تلاقون أغلاط نحوية هني هناك بس مشو معاي

بعيد الأظحى رحت دبي. كنت شوية مشتطة لأن آخر مرة رحت هناك سفرة سياحة كان عمري ١٣ سنة. وصلنا وطارة عيوني عليها. كل وردة بمكانها. الناس كلهم مستانسين مع أهلهم وأصدقائهم وعلى حظنا امطرت الصبح فالجو كان روعة.

المطاعم على النافورة في دبي مول متروسة ناس من كل مكان بالعالم.

الدي إف سي فيه معارض ومحلات فيهم فن من كل ديرة. كلينا بأحلى المطاعم واستانسا وايد. وكانوا في إماراتيين يايين سياحة بعد. يا حلوهم. كلامهم حلو وبسيطين ومتواظعين ومتأدبين - مو إحنا الي حتى بالغربة الساننا يلوط أذانا ونقل أدابنا على الكل. والي عجبني فيهم إنه معضم الإماراتيين - إذا مو كلهم - لابسين لبسهم التراثي خاصة البنات وعبيهم الحلوة. قعدنا وشفنا النافورة العجيبة بدبي مول وأنا جني ياهل ما أقدر أشيل عيني من النافورة.

لكن طول الوقت - وهذا نوعاً ما ما له علاقة بالي صاير بديرتنا الحين - كان في شيء واحد إبالي: فشلة.

والله أول مرة صج أحس بفشلة. قاعدة أفكر، “الكويت أغنى من دبي مالياً وتراثياً. ليش ما عندنا جذي؟” أول مرة إبحياتي أحس إبفشلة إني كويتية. بدال نافورة حلوة عندنا نافورة - اسمحولي لكن هذا الصج - تبن.

نافورة التبن بصليبيخات

برج خليفة إلي أهو أطول برج بالعالم خذ منهم ٥ سنين على شان يبنونه. والجسر اليديد التعيس الي يشبك الدائري الأول بشارع جمال عبد الناصر - أسميه جسر السنسون - خذانا نفس المدة! ولاتشوفون الجسور الي بدبي. القاعدة حلوة وتحت كل جسر في

زخرفة!

الأصنصير في برج خليفة

الممر في برج خليفة. فيه بروجكترات يحركون الصور الي تشوفونها

برج خليفة

أول مرة أشوف بنية تحتية حلوة

بالردة قاعدة بروحي بالطيارة أفكر، “الي بالمشروعات السياحية شسوون كل يوم؟” إذا الشعب نفسه ما يروح للمشاريع - صالة التزلج العتيجة، أكوا بارك الكحيان، الجزيرة الخظرة تخرع جنها مكان جرائم وأبراج الكويت - الي موجودة قبل الغزو، شلون يبون ناس يطقون الطريج للكويت للسياحة؟ الشيء الوحيد الي سووه يديد أهو ديسكوفري مول. إنزين وين المسرح الكبير؟ ليش ما على الأقل إتجددون مسرح دسمان الي جنه مسرح مدرسة قديمة؟ أهم شيء إن لم وصلت الكويت وفجيت تلفوني، شفت إيميل عن معرض عالمي للعلم إمسوينة بأبو ظبي. الوطن مثل الطفل: تعلمه وتحبه وتدير بالك عليه يصير مثقف وحلو وضميره معاهو وإذا تخلي على الله يصير جاهل ووصخ وظايع.

الشيء الثاني الي لاحظته بدبي نظافتها. ما شفت قراطيس ولا سندويشات ولا قواطي ببسي. نظيفة وحلوة ومرتبة. ولكن هني، ما بقه شيء ما ينقط من درايش الناس وهم يسوقون بالشارع. آخرتها الكويت بيتنا. فليش ما الواحد يدير باله عليها مثل ما يسنع بيته؟ إنزين، وإذا الناس ما ينظفون بيوتهم مع إن النظافة من الإيمان، ليش ما يديرون بالهم على مظهر بلدهم مثل ما يديرون بالهم على لبسهم وشعرهم؟ هالكثر الواحد يتكل على الخدم والخمامين بالشوارع؟

على طاري الخمامين، السبوع الي طاف كنت ببيت يدتي مع الأهل. كانت قاعدة إتسولف خالتي عن نفس الموضوع، عن عدم الحس بالنظافة بالكويت. “كنت بره مستوصف مشرف وشفت زباله مكودة كل مكان.” كلمت مديرة بجمعية مشرف وبعدين ودوها الى شخص ثاني وهذا الشخص قالها تتصل على فلان وفلان قالها اتكلم علان. المهم، كالعادة، ما صار شيء. ردت خالتي المستوصف وبطلعتها شافت دكتور طالع معاها. دارت عليه وقالتله “دكتور، معقولة هالزبالة الي جدام المستوصف؟ ليش ما أحد يقول حق هالخمامين الي نايمين عند المدخل إنظفون؟ ليش مدخل المتستوصف، مكان للصحة، وصخ؟” قالت خالتي، “أنا قلت أكيد هالدكتور المتثقف راح يوافق كلامي.” ضحك الدكتور، “إنتي لو تشوفين مستوصف الدعية بس!” يا كره الي يقارن السيء بالأسوء.

إنشاء الله خير...
Whatever that entails...

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-25T08:30:00.001+03:00

People who know me know how much I love Halloween. Actually, love probably isn't the best word to use here since I'm pretty much obsessed with it. Ever since I was young, my eldest sister and I would plan months ahead for my Halloween costume. Until today, my friends still ask me, "So, what are you going to be this year?" I tell a few of my friends but I keep others guessing so as to not give it away completely. My first major costume was when I was 12. I was "The Queen of Death." I was very much into classic movies and I loved corseted dresses that had a lot of volume due to the wires supporting them (think Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind). My dress was all black with black feathers at the hemline that was about a meter away from my feet. I wore a black blouse with feathers at the cuffs. I painted my face and hair white and found a perfect black and silver mask. It was magnificent. I remember people saying that all they had to do to know where I went was follow the trail of black feathers that were still around a year later, not in hallways but nestled amongst the leaves and such at farther locations and corners in my school. Needless to say, I am going all out this year as well. Last week, my mother asked me where I was heading. "The tailor!" I replied in a very cheerful tone. As usual, she rolled her eyes and smiled knowingly, "Halloween?" In the spirit of my costume, I did a little graceful dance.

I hope you enjoy my Halloween playlist. Happy Halloween everyone!

The Eagles - Witchy Woman
Fred Schneider - Monster (in my pants)
John Zacherle - Dinner with Drac
Creedence Clearwater Revival - I Put a Spell On You
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising
Warren Zevon - Werewolves of London
Bo Diddley - Bo Meets the Monster
Bobby Pickett & the Crypt-Kick - Monster Mash
Blue Oyster Cult - Don't Fear the Reaper
Carlos Santana - Black Magic Woman
DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince - Nightmare on My Street
Ray Parker Junior - Ghostbusters
Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Child
And no Halloween is complete without this:
Michael Jackson - Thriller

The Magnificent Kuwait Maritime Museum

2011-10-09T08:30:00.002+03:00

After another lovely dinner at the wonderful 10.Oh.8, my husband and I felt that we needed a little walk. This was about two weeks ago, so the weather was not as pleasant as it is now. Plus, it was unusually muggy. Anyhow, we got in the car and drove around Sharq. We decided to see if there was a gallery in the Museum of Modern Art, but something far bigger caught our eye as we made our way down the sandy, bumpy road. There were two large dhows beside a small-ish building. It turned out to be the Maritime Museum, something I have never heard of before. We walked in and were stunned by the building’s modern interior. In general, the museum showcased every element of Kuwait’s past i.e. before the discovery of oil. The set up of the displayed pieces was very well done, with both Arabic and English explanations of each piece. Please excuse the quality of pictures; I took them using my BlackBerry that is great for typing and not much else.

This is the entrance. The large picture is of present-day Sharq

From right to left: A speedometer (used on ships), compass and lantern

A "shamshool" is a basic diving suit. It protected the diver mainly from jellyfish

The "rig'a" which is the ship/dhow's rudder

Pearls and a pearl necklace. The cluster of pearls on the right reminded me of the pearls my family and I collected while we hunted for oysters during low tide. Every pearl we collected was placed in a matchbox.

This is called a "warjiya." It is the most primitive type of boat, made of palm tree branches. The placard read that it is still used in Oman, and that people actually have motors on them, something that I found interesting

Pearl merchant's chest where he placed all the pearls he collected

The museum's interior space

A "manchab" is the vessel that the divers ate from. I realized that that's where the phrase "nchibaw elghada" (lit. they laid down the meal) came from

An hourglass, telescope and sextant

Right: "Fetam" is the nose clip that divers placed on their noses (helps in holding in their breath).
Left: "Khabt" was placed on divers' fingers to protect their fingertips from getting cut by the oysters they pick up

The only parts of the legendary Muhallab boom that survived the Iraqi invasion was its steering wheel and iron spikes. I took a picture of the placard (see below) if you want to read more about the Muhallab's history.

Click here for more information about the Kuwait Maritime Museum and how to get to it. Here's to the men and women of our past:

Bahri
Adsani
Makhmus
Hesawi

A September of Kuwaiti Entertainment

2011-09-26T08:30:00.001+03:00

Unlike some people, I like to stay put during Eid. I especially look forward to the morning of Eid. I wake up early, get dressed and feel funny (in a good way) when I drink my freshly squeezed orange juice during my drive to my grandmother’s house. Speaking of family, I got myself four tickets to Zain’s play that was held at the ice skating rink, “Zain to a Beautiful World” (here's a little clip). I went there with my sister and my three-year-old niece and five-year-old nephew. Since I did not buy the tickets in advance, we were located in the middle section. My sister had her daughter in her lap and I had my nephew in mine in order for them to see through and over people’s heads. Apart from the unnecessary sale of toys with lights that the children played with before and during the play, the set up was well organized. The play, based on Oliver Twist, was very entertaining and from an art directional point of view, very well done and thought out. The actors were great as well; I especially liked the performance of the actor who played the role of the thieves’ leader. There were only three things that I particularly did not like:

1- The lead actress was Shojoon Al Hajri a.k.a. Shooji. She played the role of the boy called Zain. Although she looked like a boy with her baggy shorts, shirt and newsboy cap, it was quite obvious she was a girl. In any case, I brushed it off until my five-year-old nephew who was sitting on my lap turned his head toward me and asked, “Why are they referring to that girl as a boy?” At that point, I really did not know what to tell him. He obviously picked up on the fact – God bless his soul – that Zain/Shooji is a girl, not a boy. I did not want to confuse him so I told him, “Yes you are right, she is a girl and they are calling her as a girl, not a boy.” I still wonder why they did not use a male for the lead role or even referred to Zain as a girl since technically, Zain is both a boy’s and girl’s name.

2- This is a quick summary of the play itself: Zain escapes from an orphanage and joins a gang of children who make their living pickpocketing. After living with them for a bit, Zain is found guilty and brought to trial for stealing a woman’s watch. Zain is acquitted and the woman whom he stole from pities him and takes him home with her. While Zain is enjoying his caring, new mother figure and big bed in the mansion, he helps the authorities to catch all the gang of thieves – including their leader – who he was once a part of. The story ends with the thieves in jail and Zain lives happily ever after with his rich pseudo-mom. Now, I understand that stealing is wrong. I also know that being a snitch is not something commendable. Why couldn’t Zain just shut up and live decently with the woman who took him in? If he recognizes that what he did was wrong i.e. steal, why does he feel compelled to blab about the group he was once a part of? The moral of the play was not as black and white as I would have hoped it would be.

3- The play is by Zain, the telecommunications company, and it is called "Zain to a Beautiful World" based on the main character who is a boy called Zain. During the play, there were images projected on the backdrop and half of them had those little, Arabesque looking flowers that you see in every other Zain advertisement whether it is in a newspaper or on your TV screen. I personally thought that that was a whole lotta Zain to swallow. For some reason, the producers thought they could highlight Zain's presence even more by squeezing in a TV commercial from last year, specifically the one that featured the giant (you can see it here). The bewildering bit is that they did not even bother to drop the Zain logo that appeared at the end of the commercial. Subliminal advertising is sly but smart; forcing in a TV commercial that does not relate to the content of the play is just plain unnecessary and tasteless.

Speaking of boys gone wild, my husband and I went to see Walid Al Awadhi’s Tora Bora. The only thing that I can say is that I loved it. Although it dragged a little bit near the end and a bit of the dialogue was out of place (I do not think any mother no matter how “Kuwaiti” she is would fret about her pills after she was forced out of a van packed with Afghans), I commend the director and writer for this magnificent and brave piece. If you have not seen it (don’t worry, I won’t ruin it for you), the story revolves around Kuwaiti parents (their older son follows them later on in the movie) who travel alone to Afghanistan to bring back their youngest son from the Taliban’s training camp in Tora Bora. I walked in there thinking it was one of those 40-minute Kuwaiti films, but the movie stretched to just over 1.5 hours. The locations where the movie was filmed were breathtaking and the truths behind life in Afghanistan were heart wrenching and humbling. When it comes to sad, romantic even joyful scenes where two people reunite, I cry. Yes, I am a crier. And boy did I cry in Tora Bora! Near the end, when Saad Al-Faraj hugged you know who (who, although we did not see a lot of him, acted really well), I was gone. My tears streamed all the way down to the sides of my neck. Thank God I just had mascara on otherwise I would have been a mess. There were two main messages in the movie: jihad does not mean that someone can violently harm another human being because he/she has the divine right to do so and two, look after your children so as to keep them away from negative, harmful and manipulative people, groups, etc.

In many previous posts, I have mentioned that I love good movies, from old classics to foreign films. Before I watch any movie, I Google it, read about it and the reviews it received before I designate 1.5 – 3 hours of my life to watch the film. I had a very hard time getting the movies that I want, especially the ones that I watched when I was younger like Glenn Ford’s Blackboard Jungle or Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. I was hesitant about ordering them from Amazon.com and right now, I am not ordering anything from them since I lost two packages and the better alternative – having my things shipped to me through my Aramex account – is not worth it since right now, Aramex’s fees cost just as much as the purchased items. In any case, I asked friends and family if they knew any legitimate DVD dealers. I think I saved nine on my phone but alas, none of them had what I wanted. None of them except one: Mushtaq. I came to know of Mushtaq about two years ago. Although our conversations never drifted away from the subject of DVDs and what to watch, I appreciated his honesty, gentle ways and promptness. I even appreciated the fact that he never sold me a movie that he knew was a bad copy. Apart from his good nature, he was the one who gave me each and every single movie that I wanted including one of my favorites, Singing in the Rain, a film that my husband knows but never saw. So it was no surprise that I was deeply saddened when I received a text message from his eldest son who stated that his father died of a heart attack. And that is why I dedicate this post of Kuwaiti entertainment to Mushtaq, since he is the reason why I spent many nights at home watching the greatest and most memorable movies that I will cherish and treasure forever.

Here are a few songs from my favorite movies:
Singin’ in the Rain: Gene Kelly – Singin’ in the Rain
Rosemary’s Baby: Mia Farrow – Lullaby
The Wiz: Mable King – Don’t Nobody Give Me No Bad News
From Diner: Elvis Presley – Don’t Be Cruel

Recipes: To Share or Not to Share?

2011-08-22T09:00:00.001+03:00

For a while, I used to scoff at people who kept their recipes to themselves. Whenever someone asks me what ingredients I used in the dishes I cook up, I promptly scribble down the recipe or simply email or text message it over. A friend of mine once asked me, “How do you make that great chicken dish you served the other night?” I smiled, happy that I can make someone else happy with my culinary concoction. My friend was happy too when I shrugged and told her that life is too short, so why not share the love? I typed up the recipe and emailed her the next morning. A while later, the same friend threw a wonderful dinner with friends. When I asked her about the ingredients of one of the dishes on the dinner table, she smiled coyly and replied, “I can’t tell you.” I frowned and smiled awkwardly, as if I exposed a dark secret. I felt used and taken advantage of. “I gave her my mother’s recipe and she wouldn’t even hint at any ingredient that was in her dish!” I told my husband when I returned home in exasperation. I was so upset that I could not sit down. I knew that it was not personal, but I was hurt! “You know what?” I huffed, standing with my hands on my hips, “I vow never to give anyone any family recipe!” The moment I said that, I felt slightly more calm and at ease. That is, until a very good friend of mine called me up a week ago. “Erzulie! I gave my in-laws what remained of that fabulous salad you brought yesterday night. Do you mind giving me the recipe to your salad dressing?” I cringed, sensing that same feeling of dread in my stomach. Since she is a close friend, I felt that I could afford to be honest to the point of being blunt. “Look honey, I would love to, but I know that recipe will soon make its way to your in-laws’ handful of restaurants. So I'm sorry, I can’t.” It was close to dusk prayer, so I was already tired and grumpy (read: I did not feel like sugarcoating my little speech). Once I said that, my friend grew quiet, “Oh, really?” I sighed, “Yes, really. I had a really bad experience with sharing a recipe and not getting anything in return. I do not want to go down that road again.” Now I am no Martha Stewart but I do have some fantastic family recipes up my sleeve. A part of me feels crappy about being greedy and not dishing them out to anyone who asks especially close friends, but another part of me feels that it is my right (dammit!) to choose what to share and what to keep to myself. I mean if anyone asks me to make my amazing apple pie, it will be my honor to bake the thing. But to share the secrets of how many pinches and sprinkles of what I add to my dishes? That just feels too close for comfort. I guess some people are the same way with where they shop for clothes or jewelry, where they dye their hair or which dermatologist in LA has the best Botox. For me, it starts and ends at the kitchen. Is that such a bad, bad thing?

MP3's...
Chris Isaak - Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing
Three Dog Night - Joy to the World
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Give it a Away

30 Days of Lazy Chaos

2011-08-07T08:30:00.001+03:00

Maybe it is the scorching weather or the lazy boredom that comes with August, but I am not feeling Ramadan this year, specifically the pre-futoor bit. I think I might have started out the month of goodness on the wrong foot, precisely being blown away by the ridiculously high prices of the not so good traditional women’s gowns (dara’a). I went to quite a few exhibitions. It is not about being put off by the millions of gaudy, glittery fabrics that went into one calf-length gown and the balloon-shaped cuts and styles that would even make Gisele look like a dumpy, frumpy clown; it is more about the prices. A note to le designers a.k.a. ambitious chicks with a team of Asian women whose sewing skills kick butt: people are not so stupid anymore! Some girls – like me – do not have to be great bargainers to know the real price of what a specific fabric costs per meter. I saw a dara’a at one exhibition and the next day, I dropped by the cloth souk in Kuwait City with my sister. There, I saw the same exact cloth for KD 1 per meter. The dara’a at the exhibition cost KD 85! I still remember that darned night. It was 50 degrees Celsius. As an avid walker, I usually park farther away from my main destination, and that is what I did when I went to the cloth souk. Unfortunately, that meant I had to walk through and in between the rows and rows of cars that jammed the cloth souk’s parking area. Anyhow, I walked by one car and I think the driver had just turned on the ignition. I was suddenly hit by the car’s hot air (I think it came from the motor or something). I am, in general, all right with dry heat. I would rather have that than humidity which makes me sweat like heck and have untamable lion hair. But this air was something else. Coupled with the oven-like weather, the blast almost knocked me over. The only way I can describe it is that it was like the devil’s fart. It was something out of this world.

Speaking of tummy-related issues, I have been trying to get back in shape. Well, I am in shape but ever since I returned home from my short summer break, I have been feeling a little lethargic and bloated, probably because I walked my rear end off every single day during my vacation and now I am back to the same short distance walk to and from my car. I enjoy going to the gym but deeply regret signing up to a women’s only one, mostly because of the cringe-worthy stares from quite a few women (think Ellen DeGeneres meets Rosie O’Donnell) at the place. So I walk around the neighborhood and the other evening after futoor, I hopped on my mother-in-law’s cook’s bicycle and rode all the way to the co-op to use the ATM machine (which was not working) and to get some pepperoni slices to make a nice, crisp pizza. “I really want to bicycle all the way to work someday,” I told my husband afterward, although it was more like me thinking out loud. “You can,” he replied. Although I know that I technically can, I know he would not like the idea of me weaving through the morning traffic. But I still want to. Maybe if I get up bright and early on a quiet Friday sometime in early December, just maybe…

MP3's...
Capricorn College Brass - Capricorn College
The Beatles - Here, There and Everywhere
Billy Joel - Scenes from an Italian Restaurant

In memory of Annette Charles a.k.a. Cha Cha DiGregorio:
Sha Na Na - Blue Moon
Sha Na Na - Born to Hand Jive

When I was young, I was obsessed with Grease. Apart from loving the dresses, I knew (and still know!) all the songs featured in it. My heart skips a beat when one of the songs of the movie's soundtrack starts to play whenever I put my iPod on shuffle. I always wish it was nighttime and that I would be driving alone on a highway so I can sing like no one's watching (which is usually the case at night with the exception of Ramadan). When I was a pre-teen, my cousins and I were so into Grease we actually videotaped ourselves singing Grease Lightening, Look at Me I'm Sandra Dee (in PJ's, wigs and pink rollers) and You're the One I Want. And the latter scene is what my peers and I performed in our talent show senior year. Actually hold on. I think I am still into it. I mean, I still love the songs and just this summer, I bought a 50's-style red dress with black polka dots (I love polka dots!) AND a black petticoat from a punk-ish store (kinda looks like this). I do not know when and where I will ever wear it but it sure feels good to twirl around in it!

Summer is Here & Gone

2011-07-24T08:30:00.001+03:00

You know that longing feeling you sense when you are flying over Kuwait’s desert and the orange, twinkly lights scattered all over it? It is a strange feeling of both heart-wrenching love and guilt mixed together, the same feeling you would experience if you realize you neglected a child, or something of that sort. Well, as I peered out of the airplane’s window, the only thought I had was, “Crap. Take me back. I want more.” I wondered to myself, “Can I bribe the pilot and make him turn back?” Of course, I could never do that (well I could but what would I bribe him with? The delicious chocolates I picked up at Duty Free?) Although not more than ten days, I am grateful that I made the best out of my short vacation. One of the best things I experienced were really simple. For instance, I forgot how rejuvenating walking is. We walked everywhere. In the villages and towns, up and down hills, through parks and cobblestoned streets, airports and train stations. It was wonderful to just walk it out. No wonder gyms are not so widespread in the places we visited as they are here in Kuwait since daily life is a workout by itself. I also realized that I am a city girl. Well, not officially a city girl, but I would opt for a weekend in Zurich rather than some deserted, countryside cabin in the middle of nowhere, surrounded my cows and Jacques the 80-year old plumber who does not speak a word of English.

I think that that is due to the fact that when I was younger, my parents whisked my siblings and I to our lovely house in France. Nestled high up in the mountains, the house was my parents refuge, the ultimate place to be, framed by greenery and thousand year old trees. For my siblings and I, however, it was less than perfect. I remember that during the beautiful, rainless nights, we popped open umbrellas just to walk down the pitch-black path to our car to head downtown for a nice, crisp pizza. If we did not use the umbrellas, the bats that would be flying all around would run into us like aimless, hairy darts. And that is just the least of my sibling and I’s summers (although a part of me now wishes that I experienced those vacations at this age so I would appreciate those days more). So when my husband was oohing and ahhing at the little cozy cabins we saw on the mountains and said that he had always wanted one of his own, I widened my eyes in horror and remembered my maid-less mother who slaved away at the kitchen while she simultaneously juggled four children during almost every summer vacation we had. Yet I am a do-it-yourself kind of gal and studying/living abroad has certainly sharpened my already solid domestic skills. Heck, I do not even leave a hotel room until it is the same way it looks when I entered it, with the bed made and everything in its place. In the end, I think I can do the work but the inconvenience of being in an isolated home surrounded by bushes, bees and trees would surely turn my June – August holiday into a summer vocation, not a vacation. And this is just one out of the infinite moments where I stop and think, “How the heck did my mom do it?” Then again, I have never heard of let alone know a human being who is like my mother. I thought about making her a cute dara’a for Ramadan, with a long, red cape and a large “S” near the chest area with a cute embroidered message underneath that reads “Super Mom,” because that is who she is.

MP3's...
Paul Simon - Hearts & Bones
Marilyn Monroe - Do It Again
Anthony Hamilton - Do You Feel Me

My Jimmy Choos Bring Summer Blues

2011-06-21T08:30:00.001+03:00

While I was at my grandmother’s house about two months ago, I noticed my ever so stylish aunt wearing a fantastic pair of flat snakeskin gladiator sandals. Knowing that we have the same shoe size, I asked her if I could try them on. I slipped my feet into them, zipped myself up and watched my feet turned into what I call “duck’s feet” to dainty, exquisite things. “Jimmy Choo,” my aunt said with a knowing smile as she answered my thoughts. And that is where I headed the next morning. “I’m sorry but I think your aunt took the only size 40 we had,” the elderly blue-eyed Lebanese salesman told me as I sulked on the couch in Jimmy Choo’s showroom at The Avenues Mall. Even though my feet are an exact size 40, I still tried on the 41s but sadly, they were too loose. “What about the tan or orange ones?” I shook my head then but now, I regret not snagging the tan pair. Since the salesman said that it was highly unlikely that they would receive another batch, I asked him if he could contact any Jimmy Choo store in the world to ask about the sandals. “I am in no position to do that,” he replied, “But you can contact them yourself and ask if they have them in stock.” He gave me the Jimmy Choo brochure and I ended up contacting every (clueless) showroom in the Middle East asking them about the Wish flat in snakeskin but to no avail. I spent quite a while on the Internet, crossing my fingers whenever I went to Net-a-Porter’s website, browsing through eBay, Googling here and there and even emailing Jimmy Choo’s headquarters, but still, I could not find them anywhere.

The thing is, I never had that shoegasmic experience many women have over a fabulous pair of heels. I think that is mostly due to growing up in a family that has been in the shoe business until the mid-90’s. The three main reasons of why I loved the Jimmy Choos sandals is that one, they were unbelievably comfortable and two, they were great for day and night and lastly, they covered the one thing I absolutely dread to expose to the world: my feet. It is not about being a size 40. Standing at 174 centimeters, I need a sturdy pair of feet to hold me up. It is more about their shape. A long time ago, I was sitting beside my father in my family’s living room. He had propped one leg over the other and was casually wriggling his toes. I started to examine them and slowly realized where the source of my fatty toes, tendency to develop a corn on my third toe that is already hunched over (I call it the hunchback of Kuwait) and most of all, how my toes sort of spread to the side when I stand up as opposed to looking the same when I hold them up in the air came from. In short, they are not the prettiest sight. And years of wearing closed shoes so as to cover them up did not help either. “They’re not that bad!” my mother would say. I would give her a knowing look before saying, “Why didn’t you give me your toe genes!” She would innocently look down at her beautiful white feet, shrug and smile before saying, “Well at least you have feet! Some people are born without them!”

About two weeks ago, my husband and I were invited to a family dinner. As we said hello to a mutual acquaintance, my husband followed my curious gaze and said, “Aren’t those the shoes you wanted?” Naturally, I had told my husband all about my Choo debacle and asked him to make some time to drop by Jimmy Choo's showroom in the UAE when he was there a month ago for business, hence his ability to recall the darned shoe. In any case, back to the girl we said hello to. I smiled, cocked my head at her and said, “You know, I would have killed to get those in snakeskin.” The girl, someone I bump into every three months or so, widened her eyes and grabbed my hand, “You’re looking for them as well!?” Turns out, she too was on the hunt for Jimmy Choo’s snakeskin Wish sandals. “I was at Harrod’s in London in the spring. For some reason, the showroom there had only one pair of the snakeskin sandals,” she told me. When the girl asked the saleswoman about the other pair’s whereabouts, the saleswoman answered her that another woman tried them on and was probably wandering around Harrod’s with the snakeskin sandal on one foot and her own shoe on the other. Eventually, the girl bought the tan sandals and called it a day. “They are the most comfortable things ever!” I smiled and nodded in agreement as I looked at them admiringly. “And they’re great for…” I started before she completed my sentence with me rather loudly, “Day and night!” As we stood there that evening, sharing our blue, Jimmy Choo stories, I wondered to myself if it really is too late or impossible for me to be united with my perfect, comfy and elegant Choo.

MP3's...

Paul Simon - Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes

KC & the Sunshine Band - Boogie Shoes

Depeche Mode - Walking in My Shoes

The Beatles - Old Brown Shoe

My Review on Elevation Burger & Solo Pizza Napulitana

2011-05-22T08:30:00.000+03:00

I love it when new restaurants open up. I go in there and put my food critic's hat on, have my meal and then start the judging process. Last week, my husband and I dined at two new restaurants: Elevation Burger and Solo Pizza Napulitana. We arrived at Elevation Burger at around 2 PM on a weekday. Surprisingly, the place was packed. We waited in line for about seven minutes before our orders were taken. My husband chose a cheeseburger and I went for the Elevation Burger (note: DO go for the Elevation Burger). In short, it's probably the best burger in Kuwait. It's small, juicy and the meat is ridiculously good. Most importantly, I walked out of there feeling light as a feather. So if you ever feel like a burger, I wouldn't go to anywhere else but Elevation Burger. Apart from the amazing taste, they're the only restaurant I know of that fries its French fries in olive oil and offers 100% organic, grass-fed, free range beef burgers. Talk about yum. Keep in mind that it isn't a place that requires you to dress to the nines; my sister popped in there with a friend of hers, dressed for, let's say Edo on Tuesday nights, and they stayed there for about five seconds before heading out, "There's just not enough ventilation!" she said. But I compared Elevation Burger to the burger joints that I went to in the US and none require you to don a $200 outfit. At the end of the day, it's a simple place that calls for comfy jeans and a neat little top.

The night before, we went to Solo Pizza Napulitana, a tiny little pizzeria in Sharq. Although the menu was minimal, it had the basics: very good pizza. I had the margherita and my husband ordered the pizza of the day which I think was a smoked cheese pizza with mushrooms (it was terrific). I hadn't eaten anything all day and I went to the gym, so I was pretty darn hungry. Everything was perfect except for one thing: there was no peperoncino or hot chili oil and God knows how I like those on my pizza. Other than that, all I can say is that my pizza was perfecto.

The cherry on top was the service. "Wait, even the waiters are Kuwaiti?" my mother asked me as if I had just told her that the people waiting on us were from Mars. It's really endearing to see those young men calling out orders, serving customers and checking if everybody was happy with the food and service. I had once worked as a salesperson and I know how difficult it is to manage the traffic of customers, see if everybody's needs are being taken care of and doings other things with a smile on your face. To the guys at Elevation Burger and SPN, I commend your humbling efforts and satisfying service.

MP3's...
John Mayer - I Don't Trust Myself in Loving You (I'm not a huge John Mayer fan but this song is just wonderful :)
Jose Gonzalez - Heartbeats
Ben Harper Ft. Vanessa Da Mata - Boa Sorte

Happy Birthday to Lil' Ol' Me!

2011-05-08T08:30:00.000+03:00

As of May 7, I am officially 26 years of age! I just did my math (using my fingers, as usual) and I just realized that I started blogging at the age of 20! I was so young and...well, young in many ways! As they say, you live and learn. And I just checked the date of my last post. It's been more than a month! I have been a super busy bee but I do apologize for being MIA.

Oh! As you can see *points at illustration* I've been dabbling a little bit with Photoshop during my downtime at work. I enrolled in a few classes in college where I worked on projects where I had to use InDesign, Photoshop and whatnot, but because my background is in studio art as opposed to the digital kind (which I do not fully acknowledge as art since I see it as the easy way out and plus, you have to get your basics down and your hands dirty - literally - to be, in my opinion, classified as an artist. Anyone can take a photograph, play around with it for a day and then call it art. I say, "Whatever. Next."), I dealt with these programs the same way I deal with a blank canvas i.e. using one layer, etc.. ANYhow, I doodled a few things and then scanned them in and learned how to use that pen-looking tracing tool which helped me give my illustration the above effect. I was craving Chipotle's chicken burrito with guacamole (without beans) for a week. So I drew myself hugging a giant burrito. I craved it so much that I sent an email to Al-Shayah asking them to bring the chain here although I quite dislike having every single chain in the world in Kuwait. Then again, I'd love to get my hands on a warm, thick chicken burrito. Yum.

I'm looking forward to the summer. Not the weather because I prefer winter over summer any day. I'm excited about my summer plans since I'll be heading to new places in Europe that I've never been to before. I cannot wait until my husband and I reach the last destination of our summer vacation. All I'm going to say is that it's somewhere beautiful that will be filled with the most beautiful live music. Oh the excitement! I can hardly wait.

Speaking of plans, I'm thinking about starting a Twitter account. Why? Simply because I always have random questions that pop up in my head and sometimes, there's no one next to me to share them with. Questions like why do some drivers drive with their foreheads pressed against the front window? And when I was in college, I always wondered why African-American men have petite Asian women by their side and the opposite was never the case.

Well, that's all for my birthday post! Take care of you :)

Songs from the year I was born (right click & save as MP3)...
Tears for Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Whitney Houston - Saving All My Love
Cameo - Word Up!
Phil Collins - Sussudio
Dire Straits - Money for Nothing
Bryan Adams - Summer of '69
Don Henley - Boys of Summer
Heart - What About Love?
Pet Shop Boys - West End Girls
Hall & Oates - Out of Touch

Question of the Day: Are guys turned on by airheads?

2011-04-05T08:30:00.001+03:00

I was talking with a good friend of mine the other day and as usual, the conversation shifted to what men want and vice versa. "I know that so and so had his 30-something year old eyes on this pretty little thing in her early twenties. When he was told that she was a bit of an airhead, he just shrugged and said, 'Why not?'" I hate to generalize here but let's just say that some men prefer their women to have an education that is the same or lower than theirs. Anything above that will possibly threaten their ego, masculinity and sense of self and also, sense of control in the relationship. Plus, being married to such a powerful woman (and by power I do not mean a b-word who does everything to get her way) seems more like a challenge than a promising opportunity. And this does not just include men who are narrow-minded, not so cultured or well-traveled. It's an ego thing, and all men have egos.

You (read: man) might say, "I don't mind if I marry someone smarter than me or has more income." Although that's a ballsy thing to say out loud, I won't believe it until it's coming from a man who is actually living it and does not mind it at all.

Another friend of mine who's been married for two years (or so) told her husband, "What would you do if one day I make more money than you?" Although it was theoretical, her husband just smirked at the thought. Keep in mind that her hubby is an Ivy League graduate in his late thirties.

Thoughts?

MP3's...
Bob Dylan - Think Twice, It's All Right
Frank & Nancy Sinatra - Somethin' Stupid
Garbage - Stupid Girl

A Cure for Cussing

2011-04-03T08:30:00.001+03:00

About two years ago, I was driving on the highway with my then twelve-year-old brother Squirt. A large van driving on the fast lane on my left decided to suddenly swerve in front of me in order to take the exit off the highway. If I hadn’t paid attention to the idiotic driver, my brother and I probably would’ve been pummeled by the van. The only thing that went wrong was this: I reacted angrily and sharply spat, “F-word!” As soon as I said it, my brother and I went silent. It was the first time I ever cussed in front of him and I didn’t know what to do. “I’m sorry Squirt, I didn’t mean to say that in front of you,” I told him calmly as I scolded myself for setting a bad example, “I was just mad about that driver’s poor driving skills.” Without looking at me, Squirt quietly replied, “It’s okay. You just said ‘duck.’”

That was the day when I vowed to avoid cussing regardless of the situation. That was also the day when I learned that Squirt really could keep a secret.

Personally, I was never a big cusser. Fine, you go through phases in life (read: college and certain friends) when you’re surrounded by people with equally unsupervised mouths. Come to think of it, I really think what comes out of your mouth reflects whom you surround yourself with. For instance, a friend of mine has grown up in a cuss-friendly household; using antiquated Kuwaiti cusswords and phrases in her home – no matter how extreme – portrays love and affection. On the other hand, one of my relatives grew up in a home where he would get slapped around if he called his sibling an “idiot” (7mar/7mara). When I sit with my mother, aunts and cousins at my grandmother’s weekly evening get-togethers, I come home to my husband only to find myself speaking in that same, breezy and slightly sarcastic tone of voice as my aunts, something that amuses me more than it does my husband.

But back to cussing and me attempting to cut it out of my life for (almost) good. I thought to myself, “What other words can I use as an alternative to cuss words?” Soon, I found myself saying the following whenever I hit my little toe on the bottom edge of the sofa or coffee table or when someone cuts me off when I’m driving down the road:

- “Potatoes!”

- “Crapper in the wrapper!”

- “Poopy in the loopy!”

I know. I don’t want to bother even thinking about an explanation but I’ll tell you this: they make me smile whenever I say them so I guess that’s one good thing to know and have.

Do you have any made up, PG-13 cuss words?

MP3's...

Cat Stevens - But I Might Die Tonight

Cat Stevens - Where Do the Children Play

Cat Stevens - If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out

Chips & Chunks

2011-03-27T08:30:00.004+03:00

It has been a while since I’ve done Chips & Chunks. Here it goes!

Habchi & Chalhoub is Racist?

A friend of mine works in a fashion magazine. Her boss invited her to Habchi & Chalhoub’s sample sale. Naturally, my friend was surprised, “I did not know that they even had a sample sale.” The boss replied coolly, “Laikehhhh, they do, but it is not made public because Kuwaitis can afford the retail price.” No comment.

Baby Fever

Well, not really. A few of my friends have had their first and even second baby. Although I am not thinking of having one of my own any time soon, I am curious to know what my baby is going to look like. So I went online and Googled “What my baby will look like” and found a few sites that take parents’ pictures and morphs them to make a baby. And here’s what I got!

The first baby is all right although a bit creepy. The second baby is downright fugly. It looks like a troll! That morphing site seriously did not do my husband or my picture any justice! At the end of the day, I just hope that I will have a healthy baby that will not be a big fan of sleepless nights.

Indian Heritage

About two weeks ago, I met up with my mother in the Cloth Souq in Kuwait City because I wanted to refurbish my living room’s sofas and like any daughter, I needed her expert opinion. Since she was running late, I wandered into the building behind the main block. One of the stores that I went into was the Indian Heritage shop. I remember buying crape fabric from them a year ago; they do have a fabulous collection of breathtaking fabrics. I took my time looking at their colorful, sequined cloths and airy, casual blouses that are great for the beach and even for the chalet since you do not have to wear an undershirt underneath.

I looked beyond the cottony shirts and robes only to discover a new section that just opened about two months ago. Located at the far right of the store, right after a few stairs, was a corner that had the most wonderful clothes made by Indian designers. After I oohed and aahed over the intricate designs and uniquely styled clothes, I looked even further to discover quite a large area that had some striking furniture shipped all the way from India. Who knew that all that was in Indian Heritage!

Jazzy MP3's...

Cannonball Adderley - One for Daddy-O

Cannonball Adderley - Dancing in the Dark

Miles Davis - Half Nelson

Help me find my Japanese grass

2011-03-23T08:30:00.001+03:00

I want to revamp a medium-sized garden that I have at home and replace the slabs of tiles and thorny plants with a stretch of green, barbecue-friendly grass. Unfortunately, most of the area is shaded, "We grew grass there once but it died due to the lack of sunlight," my husband informed me the other day. He then told me about a special type of grass, "Japanese grass," he said, that only grows in shaded regions.

Naturally, I jumped on Google and started researching this peculiar grass so I can plant it in my garden. I found that there are two types: Japanese forest grass (first picture) and Japanese stilt grass (second picture). Just by seeing the pictures, I can tell that the last thing I want hanging around my garden is a plant that looks like Cousin It i.e. forest grass. So for now, I think Japanese stilt grass is the plant I am looking for (I think. I hope).

My husband has heard of Japanese grass being sold in Kuwait. If you know where I can find some, please let me know! And if you know someone who has planted Japanese grass in their home, I would greatly appreciate it if you let me know if their grass survives in Kuwait's extreme weather.

You can go ahead and post what you know in the comments below or if it is more convenient for you, send me an email at erzulie1985@hotmail.com. Arigato!

Download MP3s
Deep Purple - My Woman from Tokyo
Alphaville - Big in Japan
Styx - Mr. Roboto
Gorillaz - Left Hand Suzuki Method

Didja go to Stevie Wonder’s concert in Abu Dhabi?

2011-03-20T08:30:00.003+03:00

If you didn’t, then you missed out on a lot (read: What the hell is wrong with you? I cannot understand how someone can know that Stevie Wonder is going to perform in Abu Dhabi and not go. It just does not make sense to me. And it’s not about whether you’re not into his music or not. IT’S STEVIE WONDER DAMMIT.) I knew that Stevie Wonder was performing in Abu Dhabi way before his ads were placed between every show on OSN. I visit timeoutdubai.com (as well as Abu Dhabi) often just to see who’s performing where and when. Ever since I knew Mr. Wonder was coming over, I was singing his songs in the car, humming them to myself at work and whispering them as I walked down the aisles of the supermarket. Everywhere.

If you ever plan to attend a concert in Abu Dhabi, I would do a one-nighter i.e. arrive, have dinner, go to the concert, go back to the hotel, sleep and wake up the next day to catch your flight back home. We stayed at the Yas Island Hotel which is the main hotel in Yas Island. I want to say that Yas Island is in Abu Dhabi but I was told that it is not associated with Abu Dhabi (one taxi driver said that Abu Dhabi is actually thirty minutes from Yas Island). The hotel itself is nice. The good part was that my husband stayed in a suite in the main tower (if you ever go to Yas Hotel, always try to get a room in the main tower otherwise you'll be going in and out of elevators and over and through floors to get to your room). The not so good part was the average quality of service and the amount of people in the hotel, but I guess they were there for the concert so that's all right. Anyway where was I? Yeah. So we had a fantastic dinner at Cipriani. The service and food was excellent. If you ever go there, you have to get the Bolognese with Pappardelle. It’s perfection.

Right after I finished my dinner, I got up from the table and rushed back to the hotel to get into my “concert attire” which was basically jeans, my comfy flats, a shirt and jacket. By the time I met up with my husband and our group of friends, I literally bounced toward them. I was on cloud nine. I was turning into the person everyone hates because of their annoying chirpiness that really makes you want to slap their excitement away. Fortunately, my chirpiness was reciprocated by another ecstatic girl in our group. While the guys were content standing on the far left side of the area (the concert was held in an open area), both of us girls made our way into the crowd until we were ten rows away from Stevie himself. We sang all the songs and cheered him on until our voices went from shrill to hoarse. It was wonderful. His timely sense of humor was relevant and added onto the fact of him being a great performer. Plus, I was secretly happy that his voice did not change. My aunt went to a Bob Dylan concert in London a few years ago. I remember her husband’s disappointment, “He does not sound the same at all!” But Stevie’s voice is still incredible.

For those who did not attend the concert, you can look at the pictures below and enjoy Mr. Wonder’s music. What’s weird is that I am still excited as I’m typing this. Yay!

This is the Yas Hotel's lobby. I like the installation art on the column.

Some of the songs that Stevie Wonder performed this weekend
Download MP3s...
Higher Ground

Sir Duke

Happy Birthday

Living for the City

I Just Called to Say I Love You

My Cherie Amour

Superstition

Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours

Don't You Worry About a Thing

The last 30 days in pictures (sorta)

2011-03-06T08:30:00.000+03:00

For starters, my blog is fine, thank God. I just accessed it the other day and all I saw was ImageShack's logo all over the page. Needless to say, I started to freak out. But all's well now and no, nothing special was missed :)

So I had quite a blast last month. I went to a lot of neat places and events including John Gray's gig that was held at Crowne Plaza in Farwaniya. As usual, I got lost on the way there (thank God for helpful taxis) and on the way back to my house (I ended up at the airport, don't ask). Anyway, the event was great. He didn't say anything new but just being there and taking a picture with the graying John Gray as well as his autograph on my worn out copy of his book was a lovely experience.

In the beginning of January, my older brother a.k.a. Big Brother told me about Hamad Khalifa's honorary ceremony that was to take place at the end of the month in the theater in Dasma. I was thrilled. I love live music especially anything that has to do with traditional Kuwaiti songs. The last time I went to something similar to this was last year's Ferqat Ma'youf at Dar Al-Athar Al-Islamiyah in Maidan Hawalli. The music and performance was so contagious that I had to restrain myself from running down the aisle and dancing with the rest of the crew. I'm exaggerating but that pretty much shows my enthusiasm. Anyhow, the big day came and unfortunately, Big Brother stood me up due to being stranded at the office. My husband was out of town so I asked my father out. Luckily, he was willing to be my date for the night.

Both my father and I understood that Hamad Khalifa's son would accept the plaque on behalf of his father. We were sitting there waiting for the show to start when the crowd started to stir. Turns out, Hamad Khalifa was alive and kicking! Along with a mob of people, he was slowly escorted to sit in the front row. He looked so small and feeble as he rose up to accept his award while being photographed by about three dozen photographers. My father was more surprised than I was about his appearance because Hamad Khalifa was well-known when my father was in high school. We did the math and turns out he's in his 80's mashallah.

The show itself was fantastic. I did not want it to end. It was endearing, organic and beautiful. I especially liked the part when Al-Ammari sang. He had such an amazing and unique voice. Hamad Khalifa's son sang as well and his style was very similar to his father's. You can read more about the performance here (sorry, couldn't find an article about it written in English).

Two weekends ago, my husband and I woke up early Friday morning and decided to go to the Friday market. I think I was twelve years old the last time I went there and it was probably with my father. It didn't change much. I was, however, surprised at how many things that were being sold there. Everything you can ever think of was there.

I fell in love with these baby bunnies as soon as I set my eyes on them. I found their little costumes cute but suffocating. "I'm going to save them!" I told my husband. And by save them I meant buy them and take them home with me. And that I did!

I named my two bunnies after one of my favorite stores, Bimba and Lola. Bimba is the gray one and Lola is the white one. I gave them lettuce and water. After a few days, Bimba started to act a little strange. It was sitting down in a normal position but it teetered from side to side a little bit. I don't want you to lose your lunch, but Bimba's poop was a little bit runny. The morning after, Lola had the same symptoms. That's when I rushed them to the vet. "They have diarrhea because you're not feeding them proper food," the vet told me. Apparently, these types of rabbits eat a special kind of leafy vegetable similar to parsley and another kind of rabbit food (I call them tiny bunny biscuits). But worst of all, Bimba and Lola needed to get a shot. "It's just an antibiotic," the vet said as I put on my husband's old goalie gloves since the vet needed someone to hold Bimba and Lola down as he gave them the shot in the nape of their neck. I remember my heart was beating fast and I yelped when both Bimba and Lola started to cry out in pain while he administered the antibiotic. Apparently, the antibiotic stung them as it entered their tiny body. Apart from the food, I also bought an antibiotic (powdery substance) that I had to mix into their water and a proper cage. A day later, Bimba passed away. I buried him in my garden. He looked so small and peaceful in the dirt. On the bright side, Lola is alive and well. I'm planning to take him to the vet again soon to get him vaccinated. The only other time I had a rabbit was when I was in my single digits. My father had bought two for my sister and I remember one of them got rabies. It would make a gr-ring sound whenever someone got close to it and it once chased one of our housekeepers and actually bit her.

This is Bimba and Lola the day I bought them. Aren't they the cutest things ever! Speaking of things that make you smile, my husband and I went to see Ahmadi since we heard that it was lit up with all sorts of wonderful lights on the occasion of Kuwait's National & Liberation Day. We went late last Thursday night. The place was pretty packed with cars but we were entertained throughout our slow ride into the area. After we parked, we took a nice long walk in the neighborhoods and saw the KOC building and the big, fenced garden in front of it. The weather was great that night.

My husband and I decided to stick around for Kuwait's National & Liberation Days. I was surprised at how organized everything was especially the roads. I think banning the usage of foam has really paid off. We went to a friend's place that's by Gulf Road to see the fireworks display. That was another great night.

The other day, my husband and I enjoyed a walk on the beach. We walked by Indian or Pakistani men playing cricket. I was surprised at how serious they looked. Every player including the umpire was in uniform. It was a pleasant sight to see.

On our way back to our car, my husband said, "Shark!" Turns out, there was a shark's corpse on the walkway! I put on my investigator's hat on and concluded that it was a large hammerhead shark. "Maybe it was curious to see what lied beyond the sea!" I said. Well, I guess now he knows. Poor shark.

That's all folks! I really hoped you enjoyed your time this February. The moral of my post is that there are a lot of things to do in Kuwait. You just have to open your eyes and get creative.

I wanted to upload Hamad Khalifa's music (a CD was distributed to some audience members) but could not successfully convert the AIFF files (!) I hope this video will suffice.

UPDATE!

Thanks to a fellow blogger, I managed to convert Hamad Khalifa's songs that are in AIFF format to MP3s! If you're interested, just download the following songs:

مني مساك الخير

أقمتم فؤادي

يا ساريا الليل قوم

Help! Something weird is happening to my blog!

2011-03-01T21:42:00.001+03:00

Can anyone help me fix this weird looking template?

A Question for 52 Degrees…

2011-02-20T08:30:00.001+03:00

I commend the young founders of 52 Degrees for establishing a legitimate, creative outlet for Kuwaiti talents. From trend savvy clothing and accessories designers to writers, artists and architects, the all-Kuwaiti company is the ultimate outlet as well as sponsor for skilled and talented individuals.

During my first visit there, I was given a brief tour of 52 Degrees’ showroom in Al-Tilal. Although it needed major de-cluttering and better lighting so one can see the products clearly, I appreciate the thought behind the showroom’s industrial layout and design. When I asked my tour guide about the reason behind the name, he said, “When temperatures in Kuwait go over 50 – 51 degrees Celsius, it’s illegal for anyone to work. This specifically pertains to construction workers, street cleaners and other laborers whose time on the job is spent outdoors.”

Now everyone is aware of the fact that this so-called law is not enforced in Kuwait. Sometimes, Kuwait’s temperature is censored so that workers would continue moiling and toiling under the hot sun. It is of no surprise that Kuwait had its share of workers who have suffered and died from heat stroke and dehydration.

My question to 52 Degrees is the following: If your company name is directly linked to the legality of working under unbearably hot temperatures, do you plan on justifying your name – literally and figuratively – by bettering the working conditions of blue collared workers through raising awareness and/or doing volunteer work?

Download MP3's...

Blackfoot - Diary of a Working Man

Bruce Springsteen - Working on the Highway

Styx - Blue Collar Man

Rush - Working Man

Sam Cooke - Chain Gang

Erzulie Goes to Zumba

2011-02-07T08:30:00.001+03:00

“You should so come! It’s so much fun!” That was the only thing my friends said about Zumba, the Latin-inspired dance fitness program that quickly gaining popularity here in Kuwait. “Trust me Erzulie, you’ll work up a sweat,” another friend said. I eventually gave in; I didn’t mind trying something new and it would be nice to know first-hand what the fuss was about.

My friend and I walked into the large workout room in a building in Salmiya two minutes before the class started. The place was packed. There were girls of all ages and sizes. Since I never worked out with a group before, I timidly scurried to the back of the room. Suddenly, the loud music started and I heard a woman yell in a high-pitched voice, “Yeahhh! Yeahhh! Come on! YeaaaAAAHHHH!” I peeked between the rows of girls and saw the leader of the pack, a toned woman with curly black hair clapping and cheering the crowd on as they mimicked her moves. “Follow me, I know what she’s doing,” a sweet girl in front of me said when she noticed me doing the two-step and waving my arms around awkwardly. I ended up watching the girl’s moves but I could not help but notice my friend who was two rows in front of me do the moves herself. That’s when I got the giggles. Call it nervous laughter, but I could not stop laughing whenever I saw my friend doing the moves! I tried to hide my tears because I was the only one laughing (hey it was my first time!) I eventually got the hang of it but couldn’t quite enjoy the whole experience, especially because I compared myself to the experienced girls and saw that I have no coordination skills whatsoever. Plus, some of the moves were a bit explicit; I don’t think I’ll ever be comfortable thrusting my hips and wiggling around in a roomful of people. The Zumba leader was like an energizer bunny who literally did not stop moving or encouraging us to push ourselves. Before the last song came on, I slipped outside and sat there waiting for my friend to finish.

“Why didn’t you enjoy it! It’s a lot of fun and I lost 5 kilos ever since I joined!” an avid-Zumba friend of mine said. While I’m glad that she’s loving her sessions there, I came to realize that I’m not one to involve anyone with my workout, “It’s just not for me,” I told my friend, “I think I like to workout alone, with my music and no one and nothing else.” I found the whole experience interesting but a bit distracting. Maybe it was because it was my first time, but I just didn’t feel it. Although my arms and legs were sore the next day, I think I preferred them to be sore from an hour-long run and 200 push-ups.

“How was Bumba Bumba?” my husband asked when I came back home. I smiled and didn’t bother to correct him because it sounded like such a cuter name. I shrugged and said, “It was all right, but I can’t wait until we renew our gym membership.”

Some Zumba songs for you...

Daddy Yankee Ft. Andy Montañez – Sabor A Melao

Don Omar Ft. Lucenzo - Danza Kuduro

Wisin & Yandel – El Telefono

Islamic fascist assaults Coptic man in Rumaithiya

2011-01-23T08:30:00.002+03:00

About three weeks ago, Sammy*, a young Egyptian Coptic, stopped at the traffic light in-between Rumaithiya and Bayan. Hamad*, a stocky, middle-aged Kuwaiti man parked behind Sammy, exited his car and quickly hurried to Sammy. Naturally, Sammy rolled down his window to ask the bearded Hamad what the matter was, thinking the issue was about a faulty taillight. Without warning, Sammy was socked in the eye by Hamad’s elbow as Hamad reached inside Sammy’s car to remove the Christian cross that was hanging on Sammy’s rear view mirror. “Damn you and your blasphemous ways! You are spreading your rotten religion in this blessed country!” raged Hamad. The two men struggled but Sammy managed to roll up his window before jumping out of his car to confront Hamad. “How dare you! This is my car and I am free to do whatever I want with it!” Hamad’s single phone call to the Kuwaiti police force brought in half a dozen police cars in seconds. A Kuwaiti man pulled over and tried to reason with Hamad. “Whose side are you on, him or me?!?” spat Hamad in defiant defense. The Kuwaiti man inquired, “Would you allow someone to force you to remove the Holy Quran that you have on your dashboard if you were in the United States or France or any Western country for that matter?” Hamad grew silent. And silence was what the police officers advised Sammy to do, “This isn’t the first offense Hamad and his associates have committed against non-Muslims. You can file a report, but adding one more court date to their long list would not make a difference.” Sammy backed down and Hamad was set free.

This was the story one of my good friends told me last week. A Coptic herself and one of the most decent people I have ever met, my friend said that the police’s efficient and effective role changed her view of Kuwait’s security, “It really is a safe place to be and Sammy’s predicament only furthered my sense of security here.” I, on the other hand, was fuming. “What has my country come to?” I said in exasperated anger.

Why are people forgetting what religion is when the heart of all religions, divine and earthly, is love and peace? Even the word “Islam” means “peace”! And how can people forget the history of Islam, when for the first time Christians, Jews and Muslims lived side by side while under Muslim rule? Idealistic as this may sound, this is a historical fact known to everyone. “That’s too bad Erzulie but you know what? I really don’t blame the crazed dude for attacking Sammy when the muezzin at the mosque that I go to on Friday mornings preaches things that include damning the people of the Jewish and Christian faith when he is able to get better results – for himself and others – if he substitutes ‘damn’ with the word ‘bless’ i.e. God bless the people of the Jewish and Christian faith," a relative of mine replied when I told him about Sammy's story.

To the misguided man or rather, pitiful monster who attempted to snatch the Christian cross off of the Coptic’s rear view mirror, I say shame on you. Shame on you and your inhuman ways that represent anything but the Muslim religion.

Download MP3’s…

George Harrison - My Sweet Lord

Norman Greenbaum - Spirit in the Sky

New Order - Touched by the Hand of God

The Beach Boys - God Only Knows

Tears for Fears - God's Mistake

XTC - Dear God

* Names have been changed for privacy reasons

I Heart Sandi & the English chick of 99.7

2011-01-17T08:30:00.003+03:00

I’ve been a fan of this girl ever since she was with the punch-worthy Rasha and Talal on Marina FM. Out of the three radio jockeys, she is the only one who had a quick wit, smart and cheese-proof comebacks and a charming voice to add. It’s no surprise that I was thrilled when I tuned into FM 99.7 one Wednesday and heard a familiar, chirpy voice introducing a golden classic hit. I think Sandi’s shows are the only things that make me pop out my iPod’s car cassette adaptor to listen to what she has in store for her listeners with the exception of BBC Radio (wherever you are, you're with the BBC). On Wednesday evenings (I think it’s from 7 – 9 PM) Sandi has two, full hours of classic hits (70’s - 90’s music although 90's isn't that classic at all actually). During other days of the week (I don’t know which days specifically) she welcomes requests that do not stop at Rihanna and Justin Beiber (no and hell no). What’s more, she has a fabutastic show that plays only rare indie songs that are so refreshing to hear.

The other girl who turns my drive back home into something that I look forward to no matter how jammed the road is is the English chick (I think her name is Maha but I'm not too sure). I mean, yesterday, I drove two meters over a span of 10 minutes due to a car accident on my way home. Was I impatient? No. Was my growling tummy making me fidget with hunger? Surprisingly, no, although I tend to get a little cranky before lunch time. I was happily enjoying the classic hits that were being played on FM 99.7, songs that included Dire Straits' "Money for Nothing" (I did a double take when I heard the song's recognizable beginning; I couldn't believe that 99.7 would play something close to that!), Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody," Foreigner's "Waiting for a Girl Like You" (this song made me wish I was on the highway so I could enjoy more privacy while I sang along to it) and other great picks. So English chick/Maha, thank you for making me look forward to my drive back home every day!

Chapeau girls! Here’s a little list for your next oldies night.

Download MP3’s…

Sister Sledge - He's the Greatest Dancer

Al Green - I Can't Get Next to You

Martha Reeves & the Vandellas - Dancing in the Street

Jr. Walker & the Allstars - Shotgun

Sister Sledge - Lost in Music

Sly & the Family Stone - Dance to the Music

Stevie Wonder - Uptight (Everything's All Right)

The Stories - Brother Louie

The Temptations - The Way You Do the Things You Do

Can NBK be more stupid?

2011-01-11T08:30:00.001+03:00

About a month ago, Gulf Bank made waves with its new, fresh and personal take on how it relates to its clients and vice versa. For the first time, Gulf Bank came out with a poignant television commercial and advertising campaign (check them out here) that revealed the genuine and attentive care it has toward its clients and that it truly is a people’s bank.

Lo and behold! NBK comes along and copies the entire concept including the name of one of the characters in Gulf Bank’s television commercial, Bo Faisal (see NBK’s stupid, copycat ad below).

Whoever worked on this campaign, from the sorry advertising agency that “thought” it up to NBK’s careless marketing team, lacks originality, brains and obviously did not do any research regarding recent campaigns.

Copying a concept that was used in an advertising campaign is something many advertising agencies do here and everywhere else in the world. But creating something ridiculously similar to a recent one (and a competitor's concept at that!) and using the same name that was mentioned in the competitor’s (i.e. Gulf Bank’s) television commercial? Shame!

MP3’s for NBK’s ears…

Frank & Nancy Sinatra – Something Stupid

Redlight (featuring Roses Gabor) – Stupid

Fossil Cities – Stupid Things

Note to NBK: Here’s something that might help you out

A New Year or...

2011-01-03T08:30:00.001+03:00

The excitement of a new year was contagious. People were making plans to travel or gather with friends and family while others were content to stay at home with loved ones. Although everyone was cheery, there was a paradoxical sad optimism; “Happy New Year!” was followed by hugs and kisses. Right then I thought, “Well, happy is a farfetched wish.” Everyone has happy days, but we also have bad and sad ones too. Then I thought, “Why not say ‘Beautiful New Year’?” since beauty comprises all the experiences life has for us. Although it’s hard to perceive it at the moment, the short and long-term hardships and challenges we face have a twisted, deep beauty. Maybe it’s all about the beauty of experience and learning although the road can be draining and heart wrenching. But I guess that’s life, and it’s beautiful just as it is.

Have a beautiful 2011 everyone...

MP3's for your ears...

James Brown - Cold Sweat Pt. 1

Fairuz - Oghniat Al Wada'a

Diana Krall - Bye Bye Blackbird

Simon & Garfunkel - Bye Bye Love

Winter Wonderland

2010-12-12T18:38:00.002+03:00

Or not. People including myself are always in remembrance of the good old days, “When I was a kid we used to always spend time outdoors and never dawdle around in malls…” Everything always seemed better “back then” regardless of when that was. But there’s one thing that transcends (most) age groups, cultures and backgrounds: people’s talk about the weather. When I was in high school which was what, seven years ago (wow that is a while back) I remember my mom and I would take out my winter clothes including my thick, wool, navy coat which was the most ideal thing to wear on a chilly morning in November. But now, November came and went and I still find myself wearing my summer clothes to work with the exception of a shawl or a light cardigan.

I think by now everyone is aware of the effects of global warming. I see it as one step toward our doom, the umbrella being desire which I believe is the demise of humankind. My mother once told me, “Never begin a sentence with ‘I want…’” And it’s true. Fine, you can work toward your goals but don’t ever be blinded by them; always take a step back and appreciate what you already have, from family and friends, your education and overall security and well-being. If you don’t have any of the above, you should still be grateful because you’re alive and kicking and you still have a chance to do something worthwhile, something that doesn’t involve cruising around aimlessly in malls or watching TV for four hours straight. To me, the worst thing anyone can do in life is regret something, anything. I’d hate to think, “I could have done X if I hadn’t wasted my time watching reruns of Seinfeld.” Like everything, TV is good in small doses, especially if you had a long day at work.

Where was I?

Well whatever, I was somewhere.

Jazzy, Christmasy MP3's...

Sonny Rollins - Winter Wonderland

Vince Guaraldi Trio - Tannenbaum

Dexter Gordon - The Christmas Song

Ahmad Jamal - Snowfall

Wynton Marsalis - Let it Snow

Question of the day: Do pretty girls get a bad rap?

2010-12-05T08:30:00.001+03:00

Before I ever met Jude*, I asked my friend about her, “How is she like?” My friend grew quiet for a minute, drew a deep breath before she replied apathetically, “She’s all right I suppose.” Naturally, I was curious about my friend’s not so reassuring response. After a few raised eyebrows and questioning looks, my friend sighed and said, “She’s just really arrogant and full of herself.” I remember thinking, “Oh well that’s too bad…” before I accepted my friend’s opinion of Jude as the truth.

Many weeks went by before I finally got the chance to meet Jude. There were two things that I noticed about her: she was one of the prettiest girls I have ever seen in Kuwait and she did not have an arrogant bone in her body. Rather, she was down-to-earth, charming and at times, wonderfully quirky.

I know of many girls that fall right into the category Jude is in. They’re drop dead gorgeous women with a good head on their shoulders and admirable humility, elements that – when combined – make some people seethe with wild envy to the extent that they feel obliged to chip away at the girls’ wholesome package whether it is a snide comment about their so-called snobbish mannerisms or mentioning false information that concerns one’s private affairs and even worse, honor.

On the other hand, I know a few beautiful girls who cannot pass through doorways because of their swollen pretty heads. I also know average looking girls who, in my point of view, see as the most stunning people I’ve ever laid eyes on because of the goodness of their heart. Alternatively, I know shamelessly conniving homely girls with the coldest heart imaginable.

When I think about it now, I think I’ve heard far more untrue comments about the so-called snootiness of pretty girls than plain-Jane ones.

* Name changed for privacy

MP3’s for your years…

Tom Waits – Crazy ‘Bout My Baby

Eddie Floyd – Knock on Wood

Marvin Gaye – I Want to Come Home for Christmas

Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell – Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing

Woulda Tell Me a Story?

2010-11-21T08:30:00.001+03:00

I’ve just finished reading Somerset Maugham’s magnificent novel The Painted Veil. It had all the elements that I love: character depth and raw emotions that literally made me want to go back home, curl up on the couch and continue devouring the story. But it’s strange that I came across this book; I curiously picked it up at a bookstore abroad after staying in a room the English author had resided in years ago. Another book that I occasionally voice my admiration for is Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts, a book that was given to me by a friend who was clearing out the clutter in her room. The 920-page book was close to impossible to finish but the intriguing story had the perfect amount of grit, humor, horror and humanity.

I’ve always found myself on some sort of quest for a “good book” I can sink my teeth into; when I told a close friend of mine about my dilemma of not having a solid guide for my reading needs, she cheerfully suggested I read Heather O’Neill’s Lullabies for Little Criminals, “It’s wonderful!” Well I read it and here’s my review: It stinks. Don’t read it. If you’ve bought it, then put on your economical hat and use it as TP. The whole sad story is about a twelve-year old Canadian girl who lives with her dad whose also a 20-something heroin addict. The girl eventually becomes a drug addict herself and a prostitute as well. I don’t mind depressing stories but this book was pure misery. So was Elizabeth Gilbert’s Committed, the highly anticipated sequel of her successful Eat. Love. Pray. I’ll just say this: Committed is the only book that I have deliberately left behind on the plane after I finished reading it during my travels this summer. It had the same pointlessness as the movie “Eat. Pray. Love” or as I called it, Eat. Pray. Barf.

I think it’s obvious that I won’t ever purchase a book from Amazon.com with a title like How to Become a Productive Person in 10 Days. I buy books that have a story I can get lost in, a good one with great characters that make me think of them as real, living people and writing that makes me wince, tear up or laugh out loud. Something heavier than a beach read a la The Kite Runner; I wouldn’t call that a good book. Maybe it’s a nice and sweet one like Radisson SAS’ chocolate mousse; however, the mousse is more memorable.

Based on the above, what books have you read (or are reading) that would you recommend?

MP3’s for your ears…

Ella Fitzgerald - Sentimental Journey

Frank Sinatra - It Never Entered My Mind

Pat Boone - All I Do is Dream of You

Elvis Presley - Love Me Tender

Question of the Day: What’s with the pseudo-workaholic syndrome?

2010-11-08T08:30:00.000+03:00

I know someone who always responds the same way to anyone who asks him/her about how they are. “Oh my God I just came back from work! I am so exhausted! I think I’m going crazy” and the person would roll their eyes and exasperatingly look at their watch that just struck 9 PM. I’ve grown accustomed to such braggarts (especially those in investment; everyone knows you don't have squat since 2007) and how to dodge or discontinue their speech by diverting their attention and saying something like, “Oh wow. So did you hear about that new movie?” But I know a lot of people who, out of courtesy, curiosity or sometimes, mockery, would fuel their fire and say, “Mashallah, you don’t say?” The so-called workaholic’s face would momentarily light up before he/she wipes the imaginary sweat off their foreheads and resume their rant about their job, long and hard hours at work, catty colleagues, hateful management that cannot do anything right and other cringe-worthy situations. And this syndrome applies to everyone in the work force. I’ve heard it from people that regularly leave their job at 1:30 PM and others who scoot their office chair under their work desk a little bit after 10 at night. In other words, the syndrome does not single out one industry or the private vs. public sector. I’ve noticed that many people, regardless of their job’s nature, constantly need a pat on the back. They need to be acknowledged for their efforts by everyone they come across, glorified for their dedication and worshipped for their righteousness in everything that they do, in and out of work. Now I know some people who do put a lot of time and effort in their jobs and they do chuckle and tell their close acquaintances that they’re dealing with a large amount of work; however, they do not complain about their job and how they lose five kilograms a day because of all the work they do every single time you see them.

But to those who sound like a broken record in their self-important tirade, if you want to be appreciated for going to work, sitting at your desk and drafting a few emails, then you should go to someone who’s willing to hear you out like your parents; spare others the speech, spill it to the folks and have them tell you what a wonderful person you are and that any company would be lucky to have you.

MP3's for your ears...

Flying Lizards - Money (That's What I Want)

Prince - Cream

Hall & Oates - You Make My Dreams Come True

The Smiths - How Soon is Now

A Flock of Seagulls - Space Age Love Song

Question of the Day: Why do people say phone numbers like actual numbers?

2010-10-26T08:30:00.001+03:00

I've noticed people saying phone numbers like real numbers. For instance, instead of saying, “Sara’s number is 65748376” the person would go, “Sara’s number is six fifty-seven, four eighty-three, seventy-six.” It’s actually ironic since it’s something that over-complicates the whole “number giving” process while the initial intention is to simplify and quicken it! I cannot forget when I called an Egyptian assistant who gave me someone’s number, “Ninety-eight thousand and seven hundred and thirty seven…” I remember cutting him off because I could not follow anything he'd said. Plus he was talking really fast and that didn’t help me either. What’s with people? Why not say the number like it is?

MP3's for your ears...

Chubby Checker - Let's Twist Again

Ella Fitzgerald - Manhattan

Juan Garcia Esquivel - Mucha Muchacha

The McGuire Sisters - Bye, Bye Blackbird

Vic Damone - On the Street Where You Live

The Tornadoes - Telstar

Do you know a good carpenter? مطلوب نجار

2010-10-17T08:30:00.000+03:00

I need a carpenter who is good at constructing small-sized, wooden objects (about the size of a shoe box or photo frame) that require more brains than brawn since it's a little bit technical. If you know of one I would really appreciate it if you let me know of him/her. Please leave his/her contact details in the comments section or better yet, send me his/her name and contact information to erzulie1985@hotmail.com.

MP3s for your ears...
Patto - The Man
Amy Winehouse - Stronger Than Me
Little River Band - Help Is On It's Way

Question of the Day: Does flattery (read: kissing your higher uppers’ rear ends) help you rise up at work?

2010-10-13T08:30:00.000+03:00

Maybe I work in an industry that is filled to the brim with excessive, stomach turning sweet-talk, but I’ve noticed that it sometimes works. Although I do not flatter anyone in both personal and professional situations since it makes me cringe just to hear someone flatter his/her boss/naïve client, I have observed that you can go from a common and replaceable employee to BFF in a matter of minutes.

I guess the thing that gets to me is the manipulative, lying bit. Why squeal and tell your lame Mr./Mrs. Boss, “Yeee! Shoo hal kalaaaym! I’d love to have coffee with you! Wait for you outside your house for an hour? Sure hayate to2mori!” when you’d be happier sharing a cup of sewer water with Satan?

Now I know that some people are more or less forced to bend over backwards since their job might be his/her family’s main source of income and if flattering someone helps secure them in their job then be it. But my curiosity is with the handful who shrug their shoulders before stomping all over their dignity and self-worth without trepidation as they slyly conform to their now-pleased high uppers’ crummy expectations that might’ve facilitated the whole self-demeaning routine to begin with.

Have you worked with or come across anyone like that?

MP3s for your ears...

Donovan - Season of the Witch

Dusty Springfield - Spooky

The Action - Brain

Elton John - Rocket Man

طوبى للأموات

2010-10-03T08:30:00.001+03:00

تجمع على وجه السرعة نفر من الرجال يتصببون عرقا، محتمين من أشعة الشمس القاسية، لا يحميهم في ذلك الصباح الحارق سوى سقف من الأواح الحديدية الصغيرة.

"مشينا نتخبط ما بين الزجاج المكسور وبواقي الأوعية البلاستيكية والأوراق وقصاصات المحارم الورقية والحفر التي احتفرتها الحيوانات ونباتات الصحراء الشوكية التي غطت الأرض. لم يكن من الممكن البقاء على ذلك الممر الترابي الضيق لكثرة الناس المعزين. وهكذا كان لزاما علي أن أسير متعرجا بين التلال المبعثرة في المكان، ولم يكن هناك بد من أن أسير فوق قبور الأجداد والآباء والأزواج والأقارب والأطفال لكي أصل لقبر أبي، يا له من مسلك خبيث!"

و صمت قريبي فيما هو يروي تفاصيل ذلك الصباح من أول أيام العيد و الذي قضاه في مقبرة الصليبيخات، تلك التجربة المريرة التي كان عليه أن يقاسيها في كل أول يوم من أيام العيد.

وبرغم مرور أسبوع كامل على موضوع مقبرة الصليبيخات، أو بحسب تعبير صديقي "مدفن الرجال" إلا أنها ما زالت تجول في رأسي، وعلى أني لم يسبق لي أن قمت بمثل تلك الزيارات، قررت أن أخوض التجربة وأزور ذلك المكان وأعرفه عن قرب.

تيقنت من مصداقية صاحبي، فبالرغم من قلة الإزدحام في ذلك اليوم، لاحظت أن الزائرين أوقفوا سياراتهم قرب قبور الموتى لا يفصلهم عنهم سوى متر واحد. بعض القبور احتوت على صخور خاصة "علامة" نقش عليها رقم المتوفي، و أكثر القبور لم تحتو سوى على رقم لا يتجاوز مساحة راحة اليد للإستدلال على المتوفي.

ليس من المستحب في الإسلام أن يزين أحدا قبرا بزهور طبيعية أو بأي زينة صناعية أخرى، ولست في ذلك نصير أو رافض لذلك الموقف. وإنما السؤال، ماذا بشأن المعزين والعائدين لأقاربهم المتوفين، والإحترام والتبجيل اللائق لشخص المتوفي؟ أوليس لهم حق في ذلك؟ أوليست النظافة وحسن الترتيب من أخلاقيات الإسلام؟ ولم تسمح بلدية الكويت بتكرار ذلك الشعور المهين كلما قمنا بزيارة ذلك المكان؟ ولم لا تكون مقبرة الصليبيخات بنفس المستوى من النظافة وحسن التنسيق الذي تبدو عليه المقبرة الجعفرية، بما تتمتع به من ترتيب لمساحات القبور و توزيع المقاعد الخاصة للمسنين في حالة اضطرارهم للجلوس ما بين القبور المزدانة باشارات أسماء المتوفين و بعض آيات الذكر الحكيم؟

“The sweaty crowd of men was momentarily herded under the rickety, 3x3 meter metal sheets, the only protection we had from the scorching sun that dry morning. We shuffled over broken glass, discarded plastic bottles and containers, paper, tissue and scraps of random garbage, animals’ ground holes and the thorny desert plants that defiantly lined the ground. Because of the growing number of mourners, it was difficult to remain on the impossibly narrow sandy path. Instead, I was forced to walk on the little mounds of earth that were scattered randomly all around us. As I made my way toward my grandfather’s grave, I found it difficult to realize that I had walked directly on the graves of other people’s grandparents, parents, partners, siblings and children.” My relative was quiet as he recounted the details of his Eid morning that was spent in Sulaibikhat’s graveyard, a dreaded experience he undergoes ever single Eid.

A week later, Sulaibikhat’s graveyard or in my relative’s words, “Sulaibikhat’s man dump,” was still on my mind. Although I’ve never been to any graveyard before, I decided it was time to observe what the place really looked like.

My relative’s observations stood to be true. Although the graveyard was not crowded that day, people still parked their car a meter away from where the graves start. Some graves had gravestones with the deceased person’s name while many had a mere, almost palm-sized rock with a number on it.

In Islam, it is considered a taboo for one to decorate a loved one’s grave with flowers or any aesthetically pleasing element. This is not something I am condoning or pushing for, but what about granting mourners and the deceased basic respect and decency? Isn’t cleanliness part of Islam? Why is Kuwait’s Municipality allowing this horrific disgrace exist in our memories? And why can’t Sulaibikhat’s Graveyard be as put-together, organized and clean as the Al-Jaafariyah Graveyard that has actual benches for the elderly who cannot stand by the evenly spaced graves and signposts with verses from the Koran?

السلام عليكم

2010-09-15T10:40:00.003+03:00

About three months ago, I dropped by my neighborhood’s dry cleaners with a bag of laundry. I popped into the tiny store with a self-assured “Hello!” only to face an old, somber looking Pakistani man staring at me curiously behind the thin, wooden counter. “Inti Muslim?”* he asked me quietly. I nodded and replied yes. He put his hands dramatically on his chest and declared wholeheartedly, “Ana ba’ad Muslim! Laish inti gooli ‘Hello!’ Goolee ‘Asalm alaikom’ ashan ana oo inti akheth ajer!”* I smiled at his genuine nature and good intentions. “Inshallah.” I nodded as he grinned and looked at me in sincere approval. And I stuck to my promise ever since.

* Are you Muslim?

** Well I’m Muslim too! Why would you say “Hello!” when you and I can both collect virtues!

MP3 Download

Alizee - Moi...Lolita

Talking Heads - Creatures of Love

Electric Light Orchestra - Evil Woman

Question of the Day: Is there any way of getting magazines safely through Kuwait’s Customs?

2010-08-04T08:30:00.000+03:00

Like many women I adore magazines. Whenever I travel I always head straight to the duty free and get my hands on my beloved Glamour and sometimes Elle, InStyle, World of Interiors and occasionally Cosmopolitan. I never buy any of these magazines in Kuwait since all of them have black markers on women wearing exposed clothing and worse, torn out pages. What’s even more irritating is that even home décor magazines have black markers crossing out nude statues and paintings.

I asked a few people about alternative ways to get my favorite magazines through Kuwait’s Customs without having them censored to nonsensical pieces. A colleague of mine who downloads soft copy versions of her favorite magazines suggested I do the same, but I prefer flipping through a magazine rather than scrolling down it. When I asked her if there’s any way of getting the real deal in Kuwait without putting my magazines through the black marker, pages ripped out episode, she replied, “My cousin used to know someone in Camp Doha. He mailed the magazines he wanted under the name of the person he knows who’s in the US military base and that person handed it over to him.”

Since I don’t know anyone in any US military base in Kuwait – and the whole process is a bit too hairy for me – or Kuwait’s Customs for that matter, I was wondering if there’s any possible way of getting my fave magazines to my door without having them go through any unnecessary inspection.

Many people told me that my request is impossible. Then again, I know that I’m not the only person who has this specific want – especially since my magazines are for my personal usage and their content isn’t tasteless or vulgar (and I don’t believe anything in this world is impossible).

Do you have a solution to my query?

Download MP3's...

Phoenix - If I Ever Feel Better

Whispers ft. Kathy Diamond - Aeroplane

Zwicker Ft. Heidi Happy - Who You Are

Marc Antoine And Patti Austen - Could You Be Loved

20 Years

2010-08-02T08:00:00.001+03:00

Source

The Red Palace in Jahra: A Deserted Wonder of Our Past

2010-07-06T08:30:00.003+03:00

The main courtyard in the middle of the Red Palace

An old, wooden doors of one of the rooms.

The sadu themed room

An old photograph of the Red Palace

A few weeks ago, my husband and I decided to make the best out of a slow Saturday afternoon by going to the Red Palace in Jahra. It was my first time to ever go into that area; I had a feeling that most of the houses we’d drive by would be on the substandard end and in general, that stood to be true. I did not, however, predict that we’d pass by rows and rows of makeshift houses made out of metal sheets and were more fit for a brood of chickens than actual people. Overall, I think I was more interested – in a concerned sort of way – about those sheds that had Kuwaiti flags fixed atop the one-layered homes than every room in the Red Palace.

My time at the Red Palace was both a wonderful and disappointing experience. We were greeted by a feeble looking Egyptian guard who silently led us through the themed rooms, different sized courtyards and two-story tall towers. The wonderful part was actually being there, trailing my fingers on the mud-brick walls as I climbed up and down the narrow staircases and in and out of the air-conditioned rooms that all had different aromas of the past. The disappointing bit was the tour itself; needless to say, my husband and I were the only ones there. Although the rooms we were escorted into were themed and had all sorts of interesting information and displays about, for instance, sadu making, nomadic life, weaponry, traditional dances and other historic and cultural details and information, each and every room had large, ant-like bugs that were either dead or slowly crawling about under our feet. One highlight was when we were standing on top of the highest tower. One would expect to take in a beautiful and endless desert scene that would provide a hint of how life was like living in a fort, but all we were faced with was the low-end neighborhood that stood just a couple of meters away from one of Kuwait’s historical landmarks.

It sure did not match my magical experience at Al Hambra Palace, but my visit to the Red Palace was worthwhile. Why? It’s simply part of my home’s history. Yet I do wish that whoever is presently in charge of preserving Kuwait’s historic sites would put in the effort to remember and honor every single moment that makes up the precious and irreplaceable past.

You can know more about the Red Palace’s history by reading this article from the Kuwait Times.

PS Speaking of the olden days, does anyone know where I could get the old Kuwaiti song “Silooga Bilooga”? I’ve been looking for it and cannot find it any anywhere.

The best hotel in Kuwait? The newly opened Regency

2010-06-23T08:30:00.000+03:00

Two days ago, I was flipping through Men’s Passion Magazine and saw an article about the newly renovated Regency Hotel that’s located in Al-Bida’a. I briefly read through the piece before showing my husband pictures of the hotel which I thought looked too Photoshopped i.e. too good to be true. My thoughts were proven wrong when I stepped into the lobby that same night. The first thing that came to mind was, “Toto, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.”

The lobby is by far the best one I’ve ever seen in Kuwait and probably one of the best I’ve seen and been in my whole life. It has a perfectly exquisite blend of classic touches with marbled floors and walls, refined arches and elegant furniture that’s reminiscent of The Four Seasons’ timeless class. After a lovely cup of Turkish coffee we took a quick tour to see two rooms, the outdoor swimming area and the large yet cozy downstairs restaurant (which smelled real good). I was pretty excited about it and couldn’t help to take pictures of the place (see above) with my handy BlackBerry. And the rates are pretty great as well and much lower than we thought they’d be which makes the place great for a quick weekend getaway. We didn’t have time to see the ballrooms but you can get a better picture by visiting www.theregencykuwait.com or the actual place.

Music to Download

Empire of the Sun - We Are The People (The Golden Filter Remix)

Phoenix - Lisztomania (Classixx Version)

Kleerup Ft. Lykke Li - Until We Bleed

Friendly Fires Ft. Au Revoir Simone - Paris (Aeroplane Remix)

Rise of the Killer Buses

2010-05-30T08:30:00.002+03:00

Is anyone noticing how fast the buses or rather, the manic bus drivers are driving nowadays? Apart from speeding down the highway and on the left lane, these gigantic buses move from lane to lane as if they were old beetles and not fatal chunks of metal that crush any and everything. I don’t blame the bus drivers as much as I blame whoever gave them an okay to drive. I sometimes wonder if I should memorize the bus’ license plate so I can report the bus driver’s poor and reckless driving skills. But if their careless ways on the road is apparent to all, will any report matter or should I continue honking my horn and wagging my finger at fast and furious bus drivers?

PS I just want to warn everyone to never watch the movie “Dear John.” I was hoping it would be a greatly written story with the perfect amount of romance (and a pinch of tasteful sap) a la “The Notebook.” Let’s just say it was so bad that it actually turned my mood from bubbly to oh-so-bad. And why oh why does any director think of hiring the talentless Channing Tatum let alone actually do it? The braindead, blank-faced actor sucked every bit of authenticity to the already blandly drafted script. It’s basically a movie with no heart or soul, just a big pile of muck. Needless to say, I popped the movie out of my DVD player and dropped it right where it belongs: the trash.

MP3's...

Dee Edwards - Why Can't There be Love You might've heard this hot tune on the Adidas ads that are on MBC

Johnny Winter - Don't Take Advantage of Me

Paul Butterfield Blues Band - Shake Your Moneymaker

Question of the Day: When searching for batteries, why do we go for the remote's?

2010-04-11T08:30:00.001+03:00

Why is it that when people need batteries, they always go straight to the remote control's although it's the most frequently used device in the house?

MP3 Covers
Bob Dylan - Blowin' in the Wind
Joan Baez - Blowin' in the Wind

Depeche Mode - Shake the Disease
Hooverphonic - Shake the Disease

Manfred Mann - Blinded by the Light
Bruce Springsteen - Blinded by the Light

Bob Dylan - All Along the Watchtower
Jimi Hendrix - All Along the Watchtower
Dave Matthews Band - All Along the Watchtower

Change - Got to Get Up
Washed Out - Get Up

Red Nichols & his Five Pennies - Ain't Misbehavin'
Dinah Washington - Ain't Misbehavin'

Be Stupid

2010-03-07T08:30:00.002+03:00

I recently saw Diesel's latest advertising campaign and fell in love with its playful simplicity and happy-go-lucky optimism.

Here's the campaign's smart and simple commercial:

MP3's..
Phoenix - If I Ever Feel Better nice beat...
Ou Est Le Swimming Pool - Dance the Way I Feel i like...
Sonic Youth - Stones
Grand Archives - Oslo Novelist
Nouvelle Vague - Guns of Brixton
Arctic Monkeys - Riot Van
Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions - Suzanne
Liechtenstein - Sophistication
Shalabi Effect - Blue Sunshine
Jens Lekman - Black Cab
Whitey - Can't Go Out Can't Stay In
Midlake - Young Bride
Fujiya & Miyagi - Collarbone
The Notwist - Consequence
Kings Of Convenience - Failure

Movie Review: An Education

2010-02-23T08:30:00.001+03:00

Okay, I lied. This is more of a soundtrack review, mostly because it is way better than the entire movie from start to finish. Here's a snippet about the actual movie from IMDB:

"A coming-of-age story about a teenage girl in 1960's suburban London, and how her life changes with the arrival of a playboy nearly twice her age."

The key element of the previous is this: 1960's. Now, the movie itself wasn't so bad, but I definitely wouldn't see it again which is a bad sign in my movie book because if I think a movie's good, I wouldn't mind reliving it again.

But the soundtrack's terrific. Below are MP3's of my favorite tracks:

Beth Rowley - You've Got Me Wrapped Around Your Little Finger
Beth Rowley - Sunday Kind of Love
Mel Torme - Comin' Home Baby love this...
Ray Charles - Tell the Truth
Juliette Greco - Sur Les Quais Du Vieux Paris
Juliette Greco - Sous le ciel de Paris
Madeleine Peyroux - J'Ai Deux Amours
Percy Faith & His Orchestra - Theme From "A Summer Place"
Vince Guaraldi Trio - Since I Fell For You (jazz instrumental)
Melody Gardot - Your Heart is as Black as Night
Brenda Lee - Sweet Nothin's

Day of Love

2010-02-14T08:30:00.002+03:00

Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead. The consciousness of loving and being loved brings a warmth and richness to life that nothing else can bring.

~ Oscar Wilde

Songs of Love (MP3 zShare downloads)
Barry White - Can't Get Enough of Your Love
BeeGees - How Deep is Your Love
Bobby Darin - Dream Lover
Bob Marley - Is This Love
Boys II Men - I'll Make Love to You
Big Mountain - Baby I Love Your Way
Dinah Washington - I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
Fleetwood Mac - Need Your Love So Bad
Sade - Hang On To Your Love
Solomon Burke - Everybody Needs Somebody To Love
Al Green - Love & Happiness
Billie Holiday - I Can't Give You Anything But Love
Madness - It Must Be Love
Dean Martin - That's Amore!
Ray Charles - Hallelujah I Love Her So
Robert Palmer - Addicted to Love
The Ronettes - Baby I Love You
The Spinners - Could It Be I'm Falling in Love
Wet Wet Wet - Love is All Around
Stevie Wonder - I Was Made to Love Her
John Paul Young - Love is in the Air

Vivi, Ridi, Ama

2010-02-01T08:30:00.003+03:00

Remember this wonderful cartoon? It's one of my favorites. For more of Chuck Jones' amazing works, check out Now Hear This! and The Bear that Wasn't, a cartoon that's known for the following line, "You're not a bear. You're just a silly man who needs a shave and wears a fur coat."

I previously wrote a post about my search for a 2010 appointment planner. I've never realized that I have a thing for beautiful and unique notebooks until very recently. The photograph below shows six of my favorite notebooks. The first one from the left is a diary that was given to me by my dear mother (the first entry was in 1994!). The second one is another diary. The third tiny book is a bedside table book that I started using a few months ago to record daily random thoughts. The fourth amazing book is an unused, lined notebook that I got in 1996 during my first visit to the US; the front and back cover are circuit boards. The fifth and sixth ornate books are gifts from my mother as well; the larger one has colorful, sparkly sequins on the front cover (the back cover is a thin, dark denim material) while the other smaller one has blue stones sown together.

Below is the 2010 appointment planner that I found in Office Depot located in The Avenues Mall. It's a practical, light Moleskin planner that is the perfect size and weight. I also got a plain, unlined pad as well.

MP3 Downloads (zSHARE)
The Beach Boys - Don't Worry Baby
The Beach Boys - All Summer Long
The Beach Boys - Aruba, Jamaica, Bermuda, Bahama
The Beach Boys - Barbara Ann
The Beach Boys - Daddy Took the T-Bird Away
The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations
The Beach Boys - I Get Around
The Beach Boys - Wouldn't It Be Nice

You know, you could be happier...

2010-01-24T08:30:00.002+03:00

MP3 Downloads (zSHARE)
Camera Obscura - James
Camera Obscura - Teenager
Camera Obscura - French Navy
Cat Power - The Greatest
Feist - Gatekeeper
Animal Collective - My Girls
Magnetic Fields - The Dreaming Moon
The Go! Team - Feelgood By Numbers
My Morning Jacket - Off the Record
Tune-Yards - Little Tiger

The Playgue - I Gotta Be Goin'
The One Way Street - Tears in My Eyes
Asobi Seksu - Thursday

Nothing but Bluebirds...

2010-01-17T08:30:00.002+03:00

"My heart, which is so full to overflowing, has often been solaced and refreshed
by music when sick and weary."
~ Martin Luther

MP3 Downloads...
Ella Fitzgerald - Blue Skies
Ella Fitzgerald - Let's Face the Music and Dance
Miles Davis - Madness
Charlie Parker - Lover Man
Quintetto X - The Jody Grind
John Lee Hooker - Burning Hell

Personal Notes & The Beatles

2010-01-04T08:30:00.005+03:00

I need a little bit of stationary advice/guidance. I've been looking for a diary-esque, preferably hardcover book (white, unlined pages would be a huge plus) as well as an agenda book. I picked up the loveliest 2009 agenda book from Mark's in Virgin Megastore. I recently stopped by there for a 2010 edition but unfortunately no agenda books were available. I visited Mogahwi Bookstore early this fall but all their diaries/personal notepads and agenda books were brown, black and too masculine and corporate looking.

So, if you know of any store in Kuwait that supplies such books that are both practical and easy on the eye, please let me know! Thank you.

The Beatles MP3's (zSHARE)
You're Going to Lose that Girl
Another Girl
I'm Just Happy to Dance With You
I Get By With a Little Help from My Friends
Norweigan Wood
Across the Universe
Oh Darling!
If I Needed Someone
Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds
She's Leaving Home
8 Days a Week
There Are Places I Remember

The End

2009-12-30T08:30:00.001+03:00

I really didn’t know how to start this post, or end it for that matter with the exception of the usual tunes. The year 2009 has come to an end, and that's about it. I'm not the most New Year-y person, if the makes sense, and I'm not the best with resolutions, mostly because I think if you're going to change, quit planning for it and just go on ahead and do it. Anyhow, I hope you had a good one and that you have an even better year ahead of you. I hope that you enjoyed your ups and learned from your downs and know that if you learn from what brought on the bad times, more good times will come your way. That's what I think anyway.

Be good and be kind. These two seem like very simple things you tell a four year old, but believe you me, doing them on a daily basis feels good – especially if it's heartfelt - and you'll be happier than you are now.

Take care of your heart and health. Do that and you'll be grateful for them later on in life when you're surrounded by your life's true loves in good health. If it's your health that's in trouble, stay clear of strong meds and rest it out with a bowl of vegetable soup and aspirin. If it's your aching heart, remember that life's too short to burden your thoughts with yesteryear's bitter clouds. The only things that'll come out of that are frown lines and a few zits, depending on your age and genes.

Whatever you say or do, always know that life's too short and at the end of the day, throwing a fit over something might seem kind of stupid one or even ten years down the line. Lighten up, take it easy and try to make the most of your day with a light heart, mind and soul. Trust me, you'll feel a lot better.

MP3's...(zSHARE)
Todd Rundgren - I Saw the Light such a beautiful song to get lost in...
Leon Russell - Stranger in a Strange Land
Lovin' Spoonful - Do You Believe in Magic
Lovin' Spoonful - What a Day for a Daydream
David Ruffin - Heaven Help Us All
Tame Impala - Remember Me
The Grass Roots - Sooner or Later
Tommy James - My Baby Does the Hanky Panky

Question of the Day: Why do babies make us do the most absurd things?

2009-12-21T08:30:00.001+03:00

After days of being surrounded by my beautiful nieces and nephews, I started to wonder at what they had put me and my family through, specifically, the sound effects that we made that more or less belonged to a zoo, the jumping, crawling, hopping, balancing and other physical acts that were performed for the sole purpose of receiving a single smile or laugh of approval.

Of course it was worth it, because their pleased response made us laugh even more, as if we accomplished the impossible, as if this baby is the best of the worst critics of comedy and comedic acts done by relatives and a few courageous family friends who don't think twice about shrieking like a tortured squirrel to see the little tot wiggle and giggle in return.

Whatever this is, this primal instinct to delight a baby by such sounds and gestures, it crosses cultures, countries and time. Whenever their with their babies, mature and sane adults exert abnormal vocal and physical energy and/or movement just to make the kid laugh. And no matter how deep a man's voice is, he always manages to take it to a higher and softer pitch.

That's another question: Why do we always have a higher pitch when we're entertaining babies? Our voice is always softer and tad bit shrill. That's the case here when we do the Kuwaiti peek-a-boo (well that's what I'll call it here), "Tiyaaaa!" or other playful sayings.

MP3's...(zSHARE) Lounge/House
Washed Out - Feel It All Around such a beautiful song...
Theo Parrish - Summertime is Here
Moodymann - Don't You Want My Love
Andres - Sing About It (Ft. Tracy Vox & KDJ)
Andras Fox - Gettin' Into You

Hello Boys & Girls

2009-12-13T08:30:00.005+03:00

Strangely enough, it feels like I stopped blogging for about six months, not one. I really did want to write something sooner. I had all these curious thoughts running in my head and I always wanted to sit down and type out a little paragraph and end the post with a few melodic clinchers. But no matter how interesting (or so I think) my random topics of discussion are, my excellence in procrastination outdoes my want to blog. But here I am, so hello again.

I'd like to give a shout out to my good friend Fee. If it weren't for you I'd probably settle for writing out a post for New Years. But why wait right?

Before I bring up any cutesy topics (they're probably going to come up in the following posts), I want to get one thing off my chest, and that is the so-called artist called Rihanna. Now, I do listen to the radio. When I do, I usually tune into:

- BBC: I love it when people say "BBC" in different dialects; I get a kick out of mimicking them for some reason. Although I like their programs and interviews (some are very interesting and can get quite heated), I'm trying to make a habit out of knowing what's going on in this world of ours instead of getting my news from relatives and friends by listening to World News.

- 99.7: I cannot get over how sadly outrageous Linda is. I have a feeling that one morning, we'll hear this melancholy nobody announce her passing away. She's been there for so long I won't be surprised if she starts to mold.

- Mix FM 98.4: Sometimes I listen to the morning show. There are three people on that thing: Talal who can get a little bit annoying because he overdoes the whole thick American accent thing (agool…latitqa9ab), the witty Egyptian chick Sandi who's the closest thing to being a legit RJ and the most annoying thing on earth, Rasha. Can anyone tell me why she's even on the show? Who the heck hired her? I mean, apart from being lame, dull and unoriginal, both her English and Arabic skills are below average. Again, why? I sometimes listen to Osama's show, "El Kha6ar Bel Letter." I confess that I sent them about a total of ten text messages but I never got on that darned show. I really do think I can win! Oh well…

If I'm not listening to the above or my iPod's precious music, I turn the dial to the stations my parents usually listen to, either old Arabic music or talk shows.

Anyhow, back to the matter at hand: my resentment toward Rihanna.

I couldn't really understand her rise to fame. For one, her voice is exactly the same in all her songs; this boring, robotic monotone sound that always made me flinch in annoyance whenever I come across it. And her style – or lack thereof – is equally as annoying. There's nothing fierce about it. It's not stylish; it's odd, outlandish and doesn't suit her figure. Case in point the photographs below. But what really aggravates me is her lyrics, especially that atrocious song of hers, "Take a Bow." I am not going to contaminate my blog by placing an MP3 of it, but you can listen to it on this YouTube link, just in case you're curious.

I remember the first time I heard it, I scowled at my radio and kept on saying, "What is that?! What is that?!" I hope you'll know what I mean if you read a major part of the song's lyrics below:

You look so dumb right now,

standing outside my house,
trying to apologize.
You’re so ugly when you cry.
Please, just cut it out…

You're so ugly when you cry? What the hell is that?

Grab your clothes and get gone.
You better hurry up before the sprinklers come on.

Sprinklers? I swear I heard that and I kept saying, "What? What?" I really do think that I can do a much better job than whoever wrote this poopy song of hers that's for sure.

Talkin’ about, girl, I love you, you’re the one.

This just looks like the re-run.

Please, what else is on (END)

No wonder she got beat up...

This is her my-scarf-matches-my-glasses look...

I know that this is supposed to be a haute couture piece but it ain't haute or hot. Since when did papery dresses make their way into the mainstream? And what happened to going for something that's actually nice on you? Here's a word of advice: If it's not "you," then it's not for you!

Anyhow, here's a good and healthy dose of real old school music. Enjoy folks.

MP3's (zSHARE)...

Tupac - In the Air Tonight (Phil Collins Remix) real nice one if you're not familiar with it...

Tupac - Hellrazor

Public Enemy - I Ain't Mad at All

Public Enemy - Rebel Without a Pause

Eric B & Rakim - Don't Sweat the Technique

Digable Planets - Dog It

Digable Planets - Blowing Down

Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight

Beats International - Dub Be Good To Me

La Cucaracha

2009-11-01T08:30:00.001+03:00

Yesterday night, I entered my bathroom only to find a very dark cockroach on the white wall opposite of me. It was just sitting there, at knee-height, waiting for God knows what. Of course, I panicked. After all, it was a cockroach, a thing that feeds on feces and other unmentionables. Although I was a bit dazed and frazzled, I did manage to pick up an appropriate weapon of choice: an old, good sturdy shoe with a very flat bottom. Cockroaches can be tricky. People assume that any old shoe or slipper will obliterate them at the first strike. But they're wrong. The shoe or slipper has to be slightly heavier than your normal flip flop, otherwise you'd have to beat at the creature twice if not thrice. Plus, the heavier the shoe, the better your aim will be.

Anyhow, back to the scene. I quickly went in there, concentrated for a second and attempted to throw my shoe with the bottom of the pair facing the wall (read: the oblivious cockroach). I failed miserably and yelped as I saw the roach dancing down the wall and scurrying to the nearest safe haven which it soon found and stayed put at.

The thing that I hate about these nasty things is that they always manage to hide in locations that make for uncompromising strikes. In this case, the roach sought refuge right behind the leg of a table and the wall. I had two choices: I either squish the roach hard with the front of my shoe (and possibly turn the shoe's tip around a few times to make sure that the bugger's dead) or again try to aim well and hope for the best of the roach's worst. I went for the latter since it involved less guts, on my and the roach's side.

I hovered above the thing for about five minutes. I concentrated so much that I started thinking of things totally irrelevant to what was about to happen. Anyhow, I breathed in and out, focused and BAM! My strike turned the roach on its slippery, crippled back and for five seconds it wiggled and waggled its feet in the air.

BAM! The strike had flipped the roach back on its feet. And that was the end of the cockroach that appeared in my bathroom on All Hallows' Eve.

Since I've been a lousy blogger this year, and since one of my personal reasons to blog is music-based, here are some neat, alternative wonky songs...a little bit of mellow, electro and tender sass... a little bit of sweet, new tunes to hear out...

MP3's..

Bat for Lashes - Daniel this song's on repeat...lovely, beautiful...

Frou Frou - Breathe In

Peter Bjorn & John - It Don't Move Me (Weird Tapes Remix)

School Of Seven Bells - Face to Face On High Places

Wolfkin - A Vacant Heart

Golden Boy and Miss Kittin - Rippin' Kittin I put my iPod on shuffle one morning before heading to work and this started to play. It's mellow, but it sure as heck woke me up

Purplespace - Kaleidoscope sounds like flying...

Purplespace - When I Signed Your Yearbook

The Postal Service - We Will Become Silhouettes (Mexcians With Guns Remix)

El Perro Del Mar - Change of Heart

Lush - Sweetness & Light

Psapp - Parker this requires a serious dance...twirl about...step about...

The Clientele - Joseph Cornell

Au Revoir Simone - Take Me As I Am

Waldeck - Get Up...Carmen one of my faves...

Restaurant Review: MUNCH Caters Away!

2009-10-25T08:30:00.004+03:00

Last week, I got a call from MUNCH, the nifty little restaurant that's located on the bottom floor of Dar Al-Awadhi Mall, Sharq, Kuwait. I was asked if I was willing to give MUNCH's catering service a try and in return, write a post about the whole experience.

I was psyched. I was going to do two things I love: write a critical post and enjoy free food. I've been to MUNCH only once; I'm not well-informed about the nature of their food and menu's content. Nevertheless, I thought it would be neat to try something new.

MUNCH's crew arrived at the door right on time. They swiftly made themselves home with their grill, cutting board and all. All we needed to have was plates and cutlery.

First up were the small margarita and pepperoni pizzas, both with the most amazing buffalo mozzarella I tasted in Kuwait. What surprised me was how light and greaseless they both were. I'm more or less a health-conscious eater; I usually avoid pizza and opt for a dish that's borderline Atkins. But the pizzas' intense freshness put my dietary thoughts to rest, which is probably the reason why I wolfed down seven slices (and amused myself with the fun stretchy nature of the fantabulous cheese).

Next was, in my opinion, the centerpiece of everything: the lamb chops. Now, the only lamb chops my mouth watered for are the ones my father grills at the chalet. But these six, zesty babies had something else that I love: they were crispy on the outside and oh-so-juicy in the inside. In other words, they were made just the way I like 'em.

After the lamb chops were wiped out, the mini-burgers came along with the right amount of onions, ketchup, mayo and of course, my favorite, melted cheddar cheese. The thing that I liked about the burgers was that the bread that was used wasn't bready. Whether it's a burger or sandwich, I always opt for a softer kind of bread that wouldn't overwhelm the burger/sandwich's contents.

The next platter was a handful of steak tacos which is basically sliced up steak meat, avocado salsa and spicy sauce all wrapped up in warm tortilla bread. I like my tacos hot; a dash of Tabasco sauce gave me the punch that I wanted.

Before we nibbled on our dessert, we were served the last meaty dish of the night: Wagyu steak. Although the lamp chops were my favorite dish of the night, I have to say that you can never go wrong with quality-packed Wagyu beef. A little bit of gravy on the side would've been a good side to have, but in general, the actual steak itself, its tenderness, taste and feel was quite exceptional.

For dessert, we had a fun and delicious mini-Nutella and strawberry pizza. I prefer to counter meat-heavy meals with something fruity, and the miniature pizza did the job.

In summary, I think that MUNCH's catering service is best for people who look for quality-oriented, customized, convenient and wholesome,multi-course gourmet food that has a flavorsome touch of home cooked meals. If I ever had a dinner gather of eight to twenty people, MUNCH would be my go-to place. Instead of having an ordinary meal, I'd get to pick and choose between what I want and how I want it from my own private chef.

You can take a look at the menu and pricelist below. Speaking of the menu, I did have my fair share of input directed to MUNCH. I suggested they have salads, different sides of gourmet chips and a larger selection of desserts to which MUNCH replied that they do have all three. Their full catering menu offers nine salads (each serve about 8 people), an assortment of crispy chips, ten mini-desserts and a variety of canapés that are all available by dozen orders.

And concerning my comment about having sauce on the side of the Wagyu, MUNCH promptly replied that they're currently working on a diverse range of sauces and dips that will complement their meat which is another factor that I liked about the restaurant; although their menu isn't aimed for those who are pinching and scraping, MUNCH's prices give you your money's worth with its strict adherence to using only high-quality, gourmet meat.

For more information, visit MUNCH's blog at http://themunchblog.blogspot.com or simply call at 22322747.

And last but never least, it's been quite a while since I had some rap and hip-hop in here. So, here you go, hop to what's forever hip.

MP3's (zSHARE)

Spoonie Gee - The Godfather

Youssou N'Dour - Wake Up & Let It Go (Toubab Krewe & DJ Equal Remix)

Daru & Rena - Lonely Night

José James - Visions of Violent

J. Dilla - Time: The Donuts of the Heart (John Roman Remix)

Bibio - Fire Ant

Remember Mr. Oizo?

2009-10-21T08:30:00.001+03:00

For three months, Flat Eric was on TV, bumping along to Quentin Dupieux aka Mr. Oizo's (pronounced Wah-zoh) famed electro house track "Flat Beat." The quirky yellow puppet was soon revealed to be part of Levi's jeans campaign. Sales shot through the roof and the super track lived on. Check out a few of the commercials below:

Download Mr. Oizo's "Flat Beat" track (zSHARE).

2009 Flies By...

2009-10-19T08:30:00.001+03:00

"Hey, remember the time we took a picture right here a few months ago?"
"Yeah I do!" I replied, "Want to take another one right now?" I asked him.
"Okay!"

MP3's - zSHARE
Booker T & The MG's - Green Onions if you don't love this...go away :P
Eric Burdon & The Animals - When I Was Young
Count Five - Psychotic Reaction
Derek & The Dominoes - Layla
Cream - Crossroads
Dick Dale & The Del-Tones - Let's Go Trippin'

Power

2009-09-08T08:30:00.001+03:00

"'You know,' she said slowly, 'I like you Lin.'

She stared that green fire into me. I felt myself reddening slightly, not from embarrassment, but from shame, that she'd said so easily the very words, I like you, that I wouldn't let myself say to her.

'You do?' I asked, trying to make the question sound more casual than it was. I watched her lips close to a thin smile.

'Yes, you're a good listener. That's dangerous, because it's so hard to resist. Being listened to - really listened to - is the second-best thing in the world.'

'What's the first best thing?'

'Everybody knows that. The best thing in the world is power.'

'Oh is it?' I asked, laughing. 'What about sex?'

'No. Apart from the biology, sex is all about power. That's why it's such a rush.'

I laughed again.

'And what about love? A lot of people say that love is the best thing in the world, not power.'

'They're wrong,' she said with terse finality. 'Love is the opposite of power. That's why we fear it so much.'"

From my current read, Shantaram, by Gregory David Roberts

MP3's...
Levitation - More than Ever People (zSHARE)
Prefuse 73 - Pagina Cinco (zSHARE)
Tom Jobim & Astrud Gilberto - Agua De Beber (zSHARE)
Nouvelle Vague - Dance with Me (zSHARE)
Burial & Four Tet - Moth (zSHARE)
The Millioners - Up to You (zSHARE)

Phat vs. Fat Cars

2009-09-06T08:30:00.001+03:00

I am not a car person. I don't know any numerical classification a la XJ15 or 6.00 XS. Recently, I struck up a conversation with a car aficionado and my argument was the following: "Why is it called horse power? Horses don't have the same running power so to speak, so why use that as a measurement? If they're going to use horse power, they should say 'It's about 6 horses.' That would make more sense because the unit i.e. the number of horses, simply cannot pertain to a specific number." The conversation wasn't long because the other party sensed that I didn't have a clue about the topic's history (although I'm sticking to my guns here; I think my point does make sense theoretically speaking!).

Anyhow, but that's not the issue I want to tackle here. I do know miscellaneous facts about cars. I know most of the brands. But the thing that I really love about them is their beauty. That's why I was offended when I saw Toyota's new Land Cruiser and Jaguar. Both have become obese, bloated and disgusting versions of their previous self. Personally, I love Land Cruisers. Whenever I'm behind the wheel of one, I feel like I'm riding a large, safe cow (don't ask why, it just feels nice and secure). And the best part is that it does not lose it's market value. Jaguars, well, that's more of a fetish than a personal admiration. And don't get me started on old muscle cars.

Why? They remind me "Fast Food Nation." Why is everything getting bigger, bulkier and no where near being refined and classy? What is this? Is this what they call innovation? They're ruining the design! I heard about car purists. Are there any car curists? I'm mad.

This is how Land Cruiser looked like.

This is what it looks like now. Can you say ick?

This is a beautiful 1996 jag.

This is what it looks like today. A piece of junk with hormone growth.

MP3's...
La Roux - Quicksand (Mad Decent Remix) (zSHARE)
Dntel - (This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chad (Lali Puna Mix) (zSHARE)
Grand Popo Football Club - Get Yourself A Loukoum (zSHARE)
Matryoshka - Ezekiel (zSHARE)
Nosaj Thing - Aquarium (zSHARE)
Cortney Tidwell - Don't Let Stars Keep Us Tangled Up-Ewan's Objects In Space Remix (zSHARE)

Liaison Amoureuse

2009-09-02T08:30:00.001+03:00

Can this be any cuter?

MP3's...
Air France - Beach Party
Toro y Moi - Blessa
Lars Bartkhun - Goodbye Dancing Hello God (Arto Mwambe Remix)
DJ Kaos - Love The Nite Away (Tiedye Mix)

Finale - Jimi Hendrix

2009-08-30T08:30:00.001+03:00

“Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places

where other people see nothing.”
Camille Pissarro

MP3's...

Jimi Hendrix - Let Me Stand Next to Your Fire Ft. The Doors (zSHARE)

Jimi Hendrix - Wait Until Tomorrow (zSHARE)

Jimi Hendrix - Crosstown Traffic (zSHARE)

Jimi Hendrix - Purple Haze (zSHARE)

Jimi Hendrix - Drifter's Escape (zSHARE)

Jimi Hendrix - South Saturn Delta (zSHARE)

Jimi Hendrix - All Along the Watchtower (zSHARE)

Jimi Hendrix - Room Full of Mirrors (zSHARE)

Jimi Hendrix - Pali Gap (zSHARE)

Jimi Hendrix - Night Bird Flying (zSHARE)

Jimi Hendrix - Wild Thing (zSHARE)

Jimi Hendrix - If 6 was 9 (zSHARE)

Jimi Hendrix - Little Miss Lover - Live at BBC Sessions (zSHARE)

A few neat links to keep you entertained...

2009-08-27T08:30:00.001+03:00

Gloria Swanson in Sunset Boulevard. Always loved that line of hers.

Anyhow, back to what I want to share with you. Below are a few cool links that I've come across. I don't know if you're familiar with them but I knew of them recently and occasionally look at 'em when I have a lot of down time on my hands. Click on the links to get to the sites.

Eternal Moonwalk - A Tribute to Michael Jackson: This website is basically a universal and ongoing moonwalk. People from all around the world record themselves doing their own version of the King of Pop's legendary moonwalk before uploading their video. What's also cool is that you can search for moonwalks based on which countries the uploader(s) is from. And yes, there are a few from Kuwait.

End of the World - A very short, quirky, random and roughly illustrated story about how the world's going to end. If you're going to watch this at work, make sure you have headphones on because the language isn't work or child-friendly for that matter. Nonetheless, it's a funny little thing to watch.

FMyLife - Get the guts to spills the beans: This funny website has short, daily entries from people worldwide about funny mishaps, horrific incidents and other happenings of things gone terribly wrong. Although they should all be true, I think a handful of them are made up because they're just too bizarre. However, it is a fun read that will always make you feel that whatever you might be going through right now isn't all that bad when you compare it to the tales you read on this website.

Texts from Last Night - The slogan says it all, "Remember that text that you shouldn't have sent last night? We do." Again, random people send their own text messages (or others'). Some are funny comments, others are plain gross while quite a few allude to or out rightly speak of certain intimate situations gone awkward.

Finally, here are six more tunes from Jimi Hendrix:

MP3's...
Jimi Hendrix - Somewhere Over the Rainbow (zSHARE)
Jimi Hendrix - Stone Free (zSHARE)
Jimi Hendrix - The Wind Cries Mary (zSHARE)
Jimi Hendrix - Third Stone from the Sun (zSHARE)
Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Child (zSHARE)
Jimi Hendrix - Wild Thing (zSHARE)

What's the weirdest thing you've seen at work?

2009-08-26T08:30:00.001+03:00

Well, I didn't see this little guy at work but he's (I don't know why I'm referring to it as a "he" but oh well) by my workplace at one of the parking lot areas. Anyhow, the first time I saw him I was both disgusted and sad. He's a rather big rat but he's squished beyond recognition poor thing. I felt sorry for him. Anyhow, he is the weirdest thing I saw at work. I've been to quite a few places around the world and I've never come across a fat rat let alone a chubby one who's been bulldozed. I took a picture of it and tried to prevent my imagination from getting the best of me; I kept thinking, "What if he self-inflates himself, comes to life and bites my foot?" Let's just say it was a speedy picture.

After my rat siting, I started to wonder, "Are there any people who have had PG-rated weird or disturbing or peculiar sitings at or near their workplace?"

And last but never least, here's more of Mr. Hendrix's magic.

MP3's...
Jimi Hendrix - Like a Rolling Stone (zSHARE)
Jimi Hendrix - Little Wing (acoustic) (zSHARE)
Jimi Hendrix - Long Hot Summer Night (zSHARE)
Jimi Hendrix - Manic Depression (zSHARE)
Jimi Hendrix - Rainy Day, Dream Away (zSHARE)
Jimi Hendrix - Red House (zSHARE) the beginning kills...