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House Maids in Kuwait

Is it just me or is this topic becoming more and more annoying? We've gone through four maids in the past 6 months or so. Each one worse than the other. It can't be our bad luck that all four were useless. Even after them taking the mandatory house keeping class before coming, they still don't know how to do the basics!! Come on! That's bullshit. Washing a spoon to make it clean is common sense.

When the agents increased the price to bring a maid.........we didn't say anything.
They increased salaries to a minimum of 90 kd (for a filipino with no experience)..........not a peep from us.
A filipino with experience can reach up to 120 kd per month.
In this case I expect top notch service, I'm talking personal assistant, house management,  appointment making, massage and nutritional advise service. I swear we had one recently who couldn't distinguish the difference between men's and women's clothes.

Despite treating them with the utmost respect, to the extent of pampering sometimes, they still don't want to work (we've been asking all the people we know how they treat their help and in comparison, the ones that work for us are like taking a holiday in Bali). And if you try to be fair and treat them like employer and employee, they cry, get upset and don't want to work. "Take me to office sir!"

I can't go on rambling about this anymore at this time. There is so much to nit pick on this subject.

So far, we're just chinning it and hoping for the best.

Folli Follies the Avenues Mall

Took my watch for a battery change to the Folli Follie shop at the Avenues Mall and expected to bid farewell to it for at least after eid. To my surprise, two minutes later, my watch was reanimated with life and cleaned......All for 2 kd.

Thanks for the quick service, which makes a world of a difference when it comes to a simple job. The majority of other watch/jewellery shops give you the usual 2-3 days, checking with the workshop crap. Not this time!

The Peacock Restaurant experience

I heard so much hype about the re-opening of the Peacock Restaurant in Radisson blu Hotel that I had to try it myself. Reservations were crazy! They're booked well over a month in advance.

In the hotel lobby were generous groups of people anxiously waiting for the restaurant to open for dinner at 1930. As I waited, I struggled with my phone, begging for a signal as I saw the data connection flicker between  H+ and E. I was in a mobil phone signal vacuum! I don't think the hotel calculated the signal availability properly. It was even worse inside the restaurant. So call your loved ones just after you park to say your short good byes. Any chance of connection is lost as you  walk inside.

The food wasn't anything special, I know the menu remained the same but so what? The dinner went pretty much hiccup free other than a waiter accidently clearing one of the dishes before we were finished,  but they quickly compensated by bringing another of the same dish....
The food portions are generous and prices are very reasonable.

A couple of things did manage to get under my skin. The waiter took ages to bring the cheque and then took even longer to acknowledge that I wanted to pay by card. It felt like a millenia by the time that whole transaction was over, all the time while I was slowly being tortured by the food I ate (the spices really did a number on me!).

The other thing that annoyed me was the waiters inability to follow through. He had asked me earlier if I wanted any dish as take away, and I happly pointed out the chicken,  then he totally blew me off, even after he had prepared it !! I could see he was tending to an englishmen who had just walked in, eager to impress the foreigner,  that bastard!! I could see three waiters swarming at his table while I was counting the seconds to leave. I was so annoyed that I myself forgot my take away request.

By the way, only half the tables were taken at any one time. Either people are reserving and not coming or the management is pretending they are very busy. They called us 10 mins before our reservation to confirm.

Value for money = good
Food = nothing special
Would I return = maybe after another renovation

P.S.  I was with a veteran Peacocker who also agreed that the food was.......ok.

Dilmah Tea Lounge Kuwait review

I wasn't impressed with the new Tea Lounge by Dilmah that has recently opened at the Avenues Mall. I ordered the early grey for two and when the waiter told me to it needed two minutes of steep time, the first thing that came to mind was "gimme a timer or something!". When a friend joined us later, another waiter brought over his team with a proper sand timer. Service was inconsistent even though they had just opened and I assume that staff had completed some sort of initial training. I also noted that if you take too long to drink your first cup your second cup will end be over steeped and harsh to drink.......actually undrinkable.

The sweets were dreadful, I only had three spoons just to give myself a convincing chance. It ended up disappointing me with each spoon. The same went for both sweets. We tried the baked croissant with chocolate and date cake.

I recommend the tea be served as bags instead of loose leaf, with a side of hot water. That way the customer has more control over tea intensity.

The sweets should be outsourced.

Best of luck Dilmah Tea Lounge Kuwait.

Instagram @dilmah_kw

What a bunch of bullshit!!!

          
        Back in April when I decided to start this blog, I had a different thing in mind. I was planning on posting often and nit-picking on those tiny details (and sometimes obvious) crap I see around Kuwait.
I have since become wiser and now find it hard to post as often as I would like. That's why I'm calling myself on the bullshit I had promised before; weekly music post, dear mr. mayor and being more honest.

I now promise to make no promise. Keep it random and as it comes. I'll still try to post a music piece every once in a while and call forth our dear Mayors but most of all, be more honest of what I think. And lets not limit things to Kuwait.

Lets try this out for a while and see how it goes.

Kuwait Chronicles.

Men Time - Grand Avenues Review

Men Time – Lucid Dreaming!

I was a fairly regular spa goer a couple of years back and went to Men Time in Al-Mohalab mall the majority of the time. It was a small and cramped place but still very relaxing. I had always wished they’d open a bigger better place. That’s when we were blessed with the Men Time – Grand Avenues branch. I had a chance recently to enjoy a few of their treatments for the first time.

Ambience

I was really impressed by the interior design, kinda reminded me of the Grosvenor House in Dubai. Soft brown shades, low lighting and the combination of stone, suede and wood on the walls was earthy. The Spa is spacious and very clean. The selection of music was very nice; the sound level and distribution was just right.

Rooms

They boast 13 rooms of different sizes, I was treated in the larger of the rooms. Most rooms have showers, some have baths – for the more advanced treatments like wraps, etc. I saw only one room that had space for a traditional Thai massage. It would’ve been nice to have seen a room with a small waterfall or like one of the infamous rooms I keep hearing about in the ladies spa THE GARDEN.

The massage beds were comfortable and had built in heating. Rooms are kept at a reasonable temperature, neither too hold or too cold.

Staff

All the staff were courteous and attentive. The receptionist called me about 20 mins before my treatment to confirm and I was given a warm welcome. I was even given an extra 30 mins of my choosing, which made my day.

The therapist did a good job with catering to my preferences.

A great experience, with many future returns I hope.

Guys…..if your body is aching and you’re looking for a place to relax, then look no further.

Ladies……..your man deserves it and a Men Time gift voucher says it all ;)

FYI, I understand a new (larger) branch will be opening in KIPCO Tower – 40^th Floor, but I didn’t ask when J

Keep in touch with Men Time Spa via:-

www.mentime-ku.com

Facebook: /mentime.ku

Twitter: @mentime_ku

Instagram: @mentime_ku