Suq al Waqif Coffee Shops closed
You gotta read the small items in the newspapers – that’s where a lot of the real news is. Today, in the Gulf Times is this tiny little article about shops being closed in the Souq al Waqif for serving shisha to underage people. Who knew? There is a legal age for smoking shisha?
Coffee shops closed
A number of coffee shops at the Souq Waqif were closed by the Doha Municipality for not complying with the health regulations, according to a report in a local Arabic newspaper.
The report said closure notices were put up by the municipality inspectors on the doors of the non-complying coffee shops.
Among the recently detected violations was the offering of Shish to teens under 18, which the report said, was in breach of the contracts signed by the Old Souq department and tenants of the coffee shops.
However, coffee shop managers at the Souq pointed out that asking customers their age could cause anger, particularly with female customers, who just opt to move to another outlet.
Jaidah Flyover roadworks finish in five days
From today’s Gulf Times comes news that one of the worst current traffic snarls in town will be history in five days.
Do you believe it?
And now – how is the work on D-ring going? Any news on how soon it will be completed?
By Sarmad Qazi
The road works under the Jaidah flyover are expected to be completed in five days, an official said yesterday.
The busy junction leading to the Corniche and the densely-populated Musheireb area in one direction and to Ramada junction and the Salwa highway on the other was dug up towards the end of September for expansion work.
Read the whole article HERE
Maid Builds Mansion with Elderly Employer’s ‘Gift’
This is a sticky situation – not a new situation, it is timeless, and not unique to Kuwait – it is everywhere. People with elderly parents need to pay attention; the elderly can be so vulnerable. He may well have given his caretaker the money. His poor 108 year old mother!
Maid coaxes elderly sponsor to sell home, buys villa with cash
KUWAIT CITY, Oct 3: Police have arrested a Sri Lankan housemaid who allegedly duped a Kuwaiti man in his 70s, and lured him into selling his home, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily.
It is reported the woman, who was working for the old man, induced him to sell his home, and then took the money from him. She is said to be worth about KD 120,000. She has also built a mansion in her home country.
A security source said the manâs mother, who is about 108 years old, and his family have lodged a complaint at the police station. However, the maid claims the man had given the money to her of his own free will.
Role Reversal?
“Oh AdventureMan, I was SO embarrased!”
I had just finished telling him how while doing a major grocery shopping, I got to the front of the check-out line and realized – I had the wrong basket! How could that be? Where had I picked up this basket?
I headed quickly back to the dairy area where I had desperately been looking for sour cream; the shelves empty and looking like Florida-when-a-hurricane-is-on-the-way. A very nice gentleman said “I think you have my basket” and I apologized profusely. He was very kind. He said “Your basket is over there,” and pointed, and he was exactly right, there it was.
AdventureMan laughed and said “You have really gone to extreme lengths to meet new men! Maybe I need to keep a better eye on you!”
I agreed.
“In fact,” I said, “We could go the whole route, and I could just stay secluded in our home, and at the end of your very long working day, after driving through the grid-locked-going-home-traffic in Doha, you could stop by the aisle-packed grocery store and do a major shopping for me!”
We both laughed. Isn’t going to happen.
Attempt to Kidnap Kuwaiti Girl: Print Their Names
From the Arab Times
Here is what scares me about this story – the language. It says “the side glass of the car broke.” That is very neutral language. I am pretty sure that the girl who was the intended victim would not break the glass; it was part of the barrier protecting her from the would-be kidnappers. It bothers me that it doesn’t state that the man broke the car glass attempting to kidnap the girl.
It also bothers me that the language says that they have been “detained for interrogation.” These men are a danger to society. They need to be locked up, for their own good and for the sake of the innocent young women who are their potential victims. There are witnesses, including the police. Enough! Try them, convict them and put them away!
It is also time to start publishing the names of the men who commit these acts. Would you want your daughter to marry such a man? Your cousin? Your sister? Doesn’t a woman have a right to know what sort of man she is marrying? Yes, it would shame the families from which the kidnappers have come. It seems that maybe shame is the only effective tool for deterring this kind of shameful behavior. If the families forbade this kind of behavior, you would see a drastic drop in the crime of kidnapping. Print their names.
Women are not the only victims. These same entitlement-loaded kidnappers seize boys and young me off the streets, sometimes lure their own friends, take them to the desert and rape them. What are they thinking? What makes them think they have that right? What makes them think there will be no consequences for bestial behavior?
Police save Kuwaiti girl from kidnappersâ clutches in Shaab Entertainment Park
KUWAIT CITY, Oct 2: The Hawalli police recently foiled at attempt by two Kuwaitis to kidnap a female compatriot from the parking lot of the Shaab Entertainment Park, reports Al-Shahid daily.
It has been reported as the victim was about to pull out of the parking lot, the youths blocked her way with their car and one of them got down from his vehicle and tried to drag the girl into his vehicle.
At this point the victim strongly resisted and in the confusion the side glass of the car broke. The victim then cried for help and a passing police patrol went to her rescue.
Seeing police the suspects grabbed the victimâs handbag containing her personal documents, cell phone and money and tried to escape but police chased and arrested them.
They have been detained at the Hawally Police Station for interrogation.
Predators prey on those they perceive to be weak and without protection. We, society, are supposed to be protecting the weak. When this man is refused sex, he and his friends try to rape the man, and trash the entire massage parlor?
Kuwaiti Man attempts to rape Jordanian massageur
KUWAIT CITY, Oct 2: An 18-year old Jordanian teenager reported at Jahra Police Station that a Kuwaiti man attempted to rape him while he was massaging the suspect inside a menâs salon â where the complainant works, in the Industrial Area on Thursday.
He narrated the man offered to pay him certain amount of money if he acceded to his demand for immoral act, which the complainant turned down and immediately asked the suspect to leave the salon.
He stressed the suspect later tried to kidnap him, which he resisted, so the suspect fled with his friends, but they destroyed some contents of the salon before fleeing the scene. However, he managed to record the number plate of the suspectâs car, which the detectives found out it belonged to a Kuwaiti man. A case has been registered against the suspect.
How Does Your ‘Garden’ Grow?
We have shown you the site of the former Garden, now a huge pile of rubble, indistinguishable from the surrounding rubble of many small businesses. We mourned the passing of The Garden, only to learn in this morning’s Peninsula that a new All-Veg Garden will open closer to our own neighborhood. đ I hope the prices are comparable to the former Garden on Karabaa (Old Electricity Street).
The Garden to open restaurant in Najma next month
Web posted at: 10/4/2009 0:56:49
Source ::: The Peninsula
Doha: The vegetarian division of âThe Gardenâ restaurants has been awarded âThe Best Vegetarian Restaurantâ Award for the year 2008-2009. This is the fourth consecutive year that the restaurant wins this award. The award is based on voting by diners.
Yoonus Salim Vappattu, Managing Director of the Garden Group, said yesterday at a press conference that the group will open a pure vegetarian restaurant in Najma next month. The outlet will be located near the American Airlines office.
âWe have also identified and fantastic location in Doha Jadeed, to open a first class family non-vegetarian restaurant, which is expected to open by early first quarter of 2010. Till then our restaurant in the Le-Mirage Executive Residence, Musherib, as our non-vegetarian restaurant will remain open. We have planned to open one bigger vegetarian and two more non-vegetarian restaurants in Qatar, said Tomson Jeffery, Senior Operations Manager, The Garden Group.
âWe have decided to expand our F&B business with diversified interest in restaurant concepts. Under the leadership our chairman, we have formed one more company called SAW, where we have already signed international brands from Spain, France and Kuwait (for Italian and French outlets, and Spanish coffee shops). As a first step our first outlet with unique concept of Biriyani & Kabab called Buriyani Hut (where Biriyani meets Kebab) will be opening by this year at Wakhra near KFC. Apart from we have identified location in Pearl Qatar, Ezdan Mall and Barwa Mall. We will be announcing shortly our plan to launch the garden outlets in other GCC countries very soon,â he added.
New Regulations Enforced for Drinking in Qatar Bars
New bar rules evoke complaints
By Peter Townson/Staff Reporter
From The Gulf Times
A number of residents in Doha have complained about recently introduced regulations requiring them to apply for membership to certain bars and clubs as well as providing ID upon entering such establishments in Qatar.
Due to new national regulations, hotels are enforcing membership rules, ensuring that all visitors have either a valid Qatari ID, their passport, or in many cases a membership card to enter the premises.
The bars now have a published set of rules outside the premises to indicate the necessary entry requirements, and although certain rules change from place to place, the general guidelines are the same throughout.
All applicants for membership must be over 21 years of age and possess a valid Qatari ID card, and the printing of membership cards usually costs a small fee, ranging from around QR30 to QR50 (and QR100 for replacements in some cases).
However, the new rules have meant that many places have substantial queues outside their establishments, and during special events guests can often have to wait for over half-an-hour to have their membership cards of ID scanned by hotel staff.
A representative of one hotel bar in Doha claimed that another major issue with the new membership rules had been the problem of informing their guests of the regulations.
âIt seems it has been the hotels who have had to tell people about these new rules, not the people who have instigated them,â he said, arguing that it would have been beneficial to have some information regarding the reasons for the new rules and their specific details.
âI think they brought in the rules to prevent people who are living here illegally from drinking in the bars, and also to stop Qatari ladies from entering any drinking establishments,â he added.
Another hotel representative explained that the introduction of the new membership system had cost the hotel a significant amount.
âIt was a big cost to the hotel to get all the necessary software and hardware to create the membership cards and register everyoneâs details,â he said, adding: âHowever, we are trying to keep the cost of membership as low as possible for our guests.â
He pointed out that the new regulations do make it somewhat easier to âcontrol the clientele,â and said that the rules have made life easier for the busier bars in Qatar.
However, a number of Western expatriates who have lived here for many years have become disgruntled at the new rules, claiming that it makes it more difficult for them to enter bars â especially if they have guests visiting from aboard.
Many have reported that visitors have travelled to hotels, only to be informed that they cannot enter without their passport â a document most travellers like to keep safe in their hotel room when abroad.
And other visitors to the bars â especially those who are quite obviously over 21 â resent the need to screen their ID before entering establishments they have been frequenting for years.
Government regulations defining what is appropriate dress and behaviour have also been highlighted by the hotels.
But these have also been bemoaned by customers who have in fact been turned away from places because of the clothes they are wearing.
Government officials were unable to comment, except to confirm that new rules had recently been introduced to all establishments serving alcohol in the country.
Karabaa in Rubble
It’s even worse. Rubble everywhere. It looks like a war zone.
Ripping out the Heart of Doha . . .
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