Kuwait a Minute

moving...

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 01:49:13 +0300

now that I’m back from Kuwait — I’m moving back to my original Tumblr account — you can find me by searching “slowbutspeeding”

Hope to see some of y’all over there!

My bags are packed and I’m ready to go…..

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 09:30:54 +0300

My bags are packed and I’m ready to go…..

"Last full day in Kuwait … awesome."

Sun, 08 Aug 2010 08:47:01 +0300

“Last full day in Kuwait … awesome.”

- Me. Just now.

Dinner at Al Boom

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 13:49:22 +0300

This Thursday night, we decided to treat ourselves for a fancy dinner at Al Boom. Al Boom is about as close as you can get to a high-end theme restaurant in Kuwait. It is part of the Radisson Hotel on the coast. The restaurant is located inside of a large dhow ship that was originally built in India in the late 70s. It is a very popular restaurant, apparently, for special occasions, etc — our server quickly pointed out that both Obama and Hillary have dined there….

The exterior:

Our table (yes I bought one of those awesome brass place-mats)

For food, you pick an entree for a list (lamp, steak, fish, etc) but then help yourself at the awesome appetizer buffet. This had some of the best hummos, salads, cheese, etc I’ve had out here…

After dinner (not cheap) we headed to the upper deck to the diwaniya (place for coffee, tea, etc) and explored the outer decks of the ship:

Yes, they let me drive the boat … not really ….

Sooo jealous … I should have been there … DAMN...

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 11:33:39 +0300

Sooo jealous … I should have been there … DAMN KUWAIT!! A few years ago we saw a production of Les Miserables staged at the Hollywood Bowl and it was fantastic … I can only imagine how great this one was …

tomakeamap:

I’ve been a “RENT-head” as they call us for quite some time now. From the first time I saw it on Broadway in New York I was a changed woman. I’ve spent the night camped out on the streets with friends just for the chance to purchase tickets reserved for the die-hards in the first two rows. Needless to say, I love it and tonight Dana surprised me with tickets to the show at the Hollywood Bowl for my birthday. It had been years since I had seen it AND it was Dana’s first time. We wined, dined, and had a really amazing evening. Cuddled under blankets, elbow to elbow with strangers I was reminded of just how special this show is.

PS: Funny side note… the first time I ever saw RENT in NY (ten years ago) I also saw Neil Patrick Harris. He was a fan of the show and was chatting it up with a few of the cast members outside of the theatre afterward.

Tonight and the two shows that follow are directed by NPH himself. He must be one of us :)

2010 NCAA College Football Polls and Rankings for Week 1 - ESPN

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 07:33:04 +0300

2010 NCAA College Football Polls and Rankings for Week 1 - ESPN:

FSU - Preseason #20 … I’m okay with that. Not much pressure just a nice slow climb to the top. I am, though, a bit concerned that there are 4 other ACC teams (VA Tech, Miami, GA Tech and UNC) above us … but I guess that just shows that the ACC is a legit and strong conference.

28 days to go … until FSU football begins.

Daily Mail, "Briton Held for Wearing A Bikini in Dubai Shopping Mall after Fight with Arabic Woman"

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 12:54:50 +0300

Daily Mail, "Briton Held for Wearing A Bikini in Dubai Shopping Mall after Fight with Arabic Woman" :

gubbiofarabia:

You guys, this story is amazing.

Homeslice was just shopping at the mall, mindin’ her business, wearing a marginally revealing outfit, when she got called out on it by a local woman. After engaging in a “heated row” with the local, she got pissed, stripped down to her bikini, and paraded around the mall in a show of defiance.

And then got arrested.

Who wants to help me start a campaign to raise bail for her?!

(Let me be clear, I don’t support her response, but I do understand it. This place can drive you to extremes sometimes, especially if you’ve got a temper like mine - or, apparently, this chick’s. There but for the grace of God go I…)

"When we tell the world, “Yes, we are a country that will even tolerate a mosque near the site of..."

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 11:34:33 +0300

“When we tell the world, “Yes, we are a country that will even tolerate a mosque near the site of 9/11,” we send such a powerful message of inclusion and openness. It is shocking to other nations. But you never know who out there is hearing that message and saying: “What a remarkable country! I want to live in that melting pot, even if I have to build a boat from milk cartons to get there.” As long as that happens, Silicon Valley will be Silicon Valley, Hollywood will be Hollywood, Broadway will be Broadway, and America, if we ever get our politics and schools fixed, will be O.K.”

- Op-Ed Columnist - Broadway and the Mosque - NYTimes.com

"Proposition 8 fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of..."

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 07:32:55 +0300

“Proposition 8 fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license. Indeed, the evidence shows Proposition 8 does nothing more than enshrine in the California Constitution the notion that opposite- sex couples are superior to same-sex couples. Because California has no interest in discriminating against gay men and lesbians, and because Proposition 8 prevents California from fulfilling its constitutional obligation to provide marriages on an equal basis, the court concludes that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional.”

- Proposition 8 Ruling (via dlayphoto) (via lifeaficionada)

"But Mr. Hawass added unabashedly that the most important reasons for its addition were attention,..."

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:29:33 +0300

“But Mr. Hawass added unabashedly that the most important reasons for its addition were attention, attendance and money.”

- King Tut’s Chariot Arrives in Times Square - NYTimes.com

Hey — at least they’re honest.

Very good article about the process behind getting a great artifact such as this into an exhibition. I have worked with several people mentioned in this article as well as the company that originally produced this exhibit … so it is interesting on several levels.

Immigrant Maids Flee Lives of Abuse in Kuwait - NYTimes.com

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 08:00:59 +0300

Immigrant Maids Flee Lives of Abuse in Kuwait - NYTimes.com:

Another article in-line with the one I posted yesterday about Saudi maids. This one, though, by an American newspaper (NYT) and specifically focusing on Kuwait.

Since I work in a mall, specifically in an entertainment center focused on children, I can say I’ve certainly seen maid abuse 1st hand. Some of these women are just treated like crap … there’s a whole culture here of treating people like they’re lesser humans. This is an epidemic sized problem in Kuwait that is not just limited to maids.

I feel for any expat worker in the service industry. The abuse these poor men and women get on a daily basis is enough to break any of us. While sitting at a TGI Friday, for example, you see more locals changing tables, sending food back, complaining about prices, complaining about speed, etc etc than you’ll see in a week in the States — I guarantee that.

Anyway, I could go on and on, and probably will later — but in the meantime, read this article ….

Arab News, "Maid Mafia Becomes Active with Advent of Ramadan"

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 12:39:00 +0300

Arab News, "Maid Mafia Becomes Active with Advent of Ramadan":

Amazing. That’s all I have for this one … I strongly recommend reading the whole article.

gubbiofarabia:

DAMN THOSE RUNAWAY MAIDS! The NERVE! Don’t they know that “many Saudi families find it difficult to manage without house help during the fasting month”?!

“Fawziyah G. said a possible solution was to install iron bars as well as electric curtains on windows and hide the apartment key away from the housemaids. ‘Cameras may also be planted in various areas of the house to observe the movements of the housemaid 24/7,’ she said.”

UAE: BlackBerry blocked in UAE - latimes.com

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 07:33:29 +0300

UAE: BlackBerry blocked in UAE - latimes.com:

And again, two more steps backwards …

“What security risks? Why do so many other countries, including the U.S., use BlackBerry? Aren’t they worried about their security?” he said. “This is a sign we’re heading toward a stricter and more conservative regime, whereas the rest of the world is opening up, especially in the information technology field.”

Dinner at the Old Souk

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 07:30:37 +0300

The other night, several co-workers and I took a trip downtown to the Old Souk (market). This is actually one of my favorite places in Kuwait, because there’s actually a bit of culture and life — as opposed to the sterile malls everywhere else.

I love walking around and looking at the massive piles of dates - I’m not a fan, but they fascinate me still.

Chris and I had eaten at our restaurant of choice before, so they all recognized us and treated us like royalty. The speciality of the place is their whole fish dish, which starts, of course, by you picking out which fish you want.

Dan was then invited into the kitchen to learn how to cook the amazing Arabic bread.

Finally, the mixed grill arrived — chicken, steak and lamb … amazing….

The whole meal consisted of the above mix grill, 2 fish, a ton of hummus, salad and bread …

A long shot of us having dinner …

"No, that tattoo is not real … man, I’m shocked by the number of people who actually..."

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 07:18:01 +0300

“

No, that tattoo is not real … man, I’m shocked by the number of people who actually thought I’d get a sleeve tat. Last I checked you can’t get a tattoo in most Middle Eastern countries (at least not legally) and since I haven’t left the Middle East in 5 months … well, no tattoo.

It’s a cheap $1 toy from the arcade downstairs.

”

- Me.

Dubai Mall Fountain Show (another job my company worked on) from...

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 14:22:00 +0300

Dubai Mall Fountain Show (another job my company worked on) from 140 stories up. Pretty cool way to watch a fountain show, I must say, and yes, I’ve seen a lot of fountain shows in my day … Yes, I spent almost 2 years working on this fountain show in Atlantic City, NJ…

Just another day in the site office … only 8 more of those...

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 07:27:00 +0300

Just another day in the site office … only 8 more of those left … (days in the site office / working in Kuwait that is)….

Glen Stanley heading to Florida St. after USC release - ESPN

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 11:03:31 +0300

Glen Stanley heading to Florida St. after USC release - ESPN:

One linebacker gets arrested and we grab another one from USC … needless to say, I get great satisfaction stealing players from USC….

Go Noles!

While at the top of the Burj Khalifa, people have started to...

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 07:33:55 +0300

While at the top of the Burj Khalifa, people have started to learn that laying on the ground while leaning against the window makes for a great photo… I guess. It really was a bit silly seeing all of these people laying down and having their photo taken … no I did not try it … Yes, I wish I had …

I felt sure this man was never going to be able to stand up …

While Skyping with my friend Dianna Thursday night, at 3:30am, I...

Sat, 31 Jul 2010 07:30:57 +0300

While Skyping with my friend Dianna Thursday night, at 3:30am, I decided it was a good idea to show her some of the traditional clothes I have purchased while out here ….