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Thursday, November 30, 2017

The Museum of Islamic Art

This time during my visit I got to visit the Museum of Islamic Art and what a beautiful museum it is. It's built out on the water and five levels of beautiful art exhibits.There is a huge window that overlooks the bay, a coffee shop is located in front of the window with an amazing view.












You can check out their website for more information, the museum is free of charge.

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Market Cafe in Qatar

Last week I took my daughter to Qatar for her birthday and our local friend had us try out a new cafe concept. There are three Qatari partners who invested in the idea of supporting local up and coming chefs who are selling on IG. There are several mini refrigerators that hold food items from the chefs, they pay a membership to the cafe who in turn supports them with managing and advertising their goods in the cafe.

The cafe also provides different drinks to enjoy while eating the goods from the chefs. The cafe is really cute and has a nice relaxing vibe to it.






 We enjoyed sampling a variety of foods from koshari to cheesecakes.
 This was my favorite as I love anything with saffron



It's nice to see the locals helping new businesses with this concept, Qatar is still new to the whole food business and 'fashionista' social media thing which is good in a way as they are not tainted by money, instead they are generally nice people helping out one another. You can find their location and more info on their IG @marketcafeqa I wish them all the best! We will visit you next time we are in Doha.

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Hijab Barbie!

Growing up in New Jersey, the Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad used to fashion tiny hijabs out of tissues to wrap around the heads of her Barbie dolls so they'd look more like her and her sisters.

Now, Muhammad is the face of the first hijab-wearing Barbie doll. It's a feat she described on Monday, when the doll was unveiled, as "amazing."

"When I think about my own journey, me being a Muslim girl involved in the sport of fencing, there were people who made me feel like I didn’t belong," said Muhammad, speaking at Glamour’s Women of the Year summit, where the doll was unveiled. "For all those people who didn’t believe in me, this Barbie doll is for you."

Muhammad became the first U.S. Olympian to compete while wearing the Islamic head scarf during competitions in Rio de Janeiro last year, winning a bronze medal along with her teammates in the women's team sabre event.

The daughter of a police detective and a teacher, Muhammad grew up with four siblings in Maplewood and discovered fencing when she was 13 years old, winning medals and accolades until she qualified for the Olympics in 2016. A Duke University graduate, Muhammad has become a role model and an outspoken voice for Muslim women, challenging negative stereotypes and discrimination.

Ibtihaj Muhammad was presented with the "Breaking Barriers Award" at a parade held in her honor in Maplewood last year. (Photo: Chris Pedota/northjersey.com file photo)

The Barbie, designed in her likeness, has full fencing gear, including mask and sabre, with sneakers on her feet and a hijab around her head. In her speech, Muhammad said she hoped the doll would inspire girls "to embrace what makes them unique."

"Today I’m proud to know that little girls who wear hijab and, just as powerfully, those who don’t can play with a Barbie who chooses to wear a headscarf," she said. "She’s a Barbie who is strong enough to wield a giant sabre and dedicated enough to spend years working her way to an Olympic medal."

he doll will be part of Barbie’s “Shero” line, which includes iconic women like Trisha Yearwood, Gabby Douglas and Misty Copeland and will be available for purchase in 2018.

"Barbie is celebrating Ibtihaj not only for her accolades as an Olympian, but for embracing what makes her stand out," said Sejal Shah Miller, vice president of global marketing for Barbie. "Ibtihaj is an inspiration to countless girls who never saw themselves represented, and by honoring her story, we hope this doll reminds them that they can be and do anything."


Monday, November 13, 2017

Kuwait Earthquake 2017, where were you?

This earthquake totally freaked out so many people but for my family and a few other peopl from California we are used to it but we knew our buildings were earthquake proof. I just imagine those people in those shoddy built apartment buildings were probably freaked out! Most of the buildings in Kuwait are built on what looks like stilts that hold up a massive 10 plus story building. I have a floor on a Kuwaiti house so it is a little more safer.

As for me, I was lying in my bed talking to my daughter who was standing beside me when I felt the bed moving back and forth. As it continued I asked if she felt anything, I had her touch my bed and feel the bed moving and shaking. The nanny and my younger kids came out of the room not knowing what was going on. The doors of their closet came open and was shaking.

The owner's granddaughters who are little were screaming and crying which broke my heart. My sister who is on the fifth floor of an old building called me and was like, did you feel it? My friend was driving so she felt nothing as a few other people didn't know what we were talking about either.

At first I thought it was a bomb to be honest, with all of this talk about war and fighting I honestly thought the new war had began, thankfully it was just an earthquake and my prayers go out to those who were injured and died.

a funny video of the police telling the people to go back inside, remember, most of the police don't speak English in this area.


Saturday, November 11, 2017

Cuts Steakhouse Kuwait

I've see pictures of the Brazilian meat served on a big skewer table side which looked amazing.  I got the chance to check out their location Gate Mall last week. The restaurant was a little small and the a/c wasn't working too good but we decided to stay for dinner. We ordered the 'all-you-can-eat' steak from the menu, we were served bread, butter and broiled garlic half while we waited.
 As it got closer to the time to be served we were given this wooden plate for our meat.

 The first course was chicken shawerma which I wasn't expecting. Next was the meat pictured below, I asked for it medium well but the one they brought was really well done and dry as I needed to use the barbecue sauce to be able to eat it but I did enjoy that cut. The next meat was a meat kind of shawerma which I tried but didn't really enjoy and finally doner kebab skewer. I can't eat doner kebob because it is way too salty for me.
The last course was cooked pineapple and sausages, the pineapple was good but I didn't try the sausage. Overall I wasn't impressed with the experience and wouldn't go again. As the shawerma meats were being cut the pieces were flying all over the table and the meat I did like was over cooked. Some people have told me it was the location and the other ones are better but for 15 KD a person I wasn't impressed. Everyone can make their own opinion and may have a better experience than I did.

You can follow them on IG @cuts_steakhouse