Following up on this week's Kuwait story - The Looking Glass - our new Kuwait-based blogger -  reviews the new resto in town that everybody's talking about...

What is it with designer hotels in Dubai. Ever since Armani said he was building a hotel there, designers have rushed on the emirate. Today, Elie Saab, Ferragamo, and Versace are all building hotels or luxury condos in Dubai. Has Dubai became an incubator for a more global trend, we might see being developed in the rest of the world? Or have we become so enamored with designer brands, that we also need our hotel room to be branded?

The girls at Jasmine Box in Jeddah have created a set of boho thobes just in time for Ramadan. Frankly, I think they would do great for a party in Tangiers or a late summer weekend in Mykonos or Ibiza....

First, it was the great filmmaker Youssef Chahine that bid adieu last month. With Chahine, it was the end of an era that passed away. Throughout his great cinematographic career, Chahine had offered us another norm for the Middle East: a place where different religions would live side by side and where injustice and small-mindedness were singled out. It was the Arab world he had known growing up in Alexandria in the 20s and 30s. Perhaps because I shared this vision for our part of the world, I wrote my MA thesis on the life and movies of Youssef Chahine.

Sometimes, I wish I was a graphic designer - especially in times like this, when I receive news about the Khatt Foundation and Mosaic's "Mulsaq" competition - a wall sticker competition aimed at promoting  graphic designers from the Arab world as well as helping to develop an original visual language specific to the region, whether it be with new Arabic typos or images.

Nadine Labaki received yesterday from the hands of the French culture minister, a medal which makes her "officier des arts et des lettres" a distinction the French give to people who have left a mark in the cultural world. Labaki was rewarded for her work as filmaker.

Mabrouk! 

I love it when Western designers create special pieces for the Arab world. Do you remember when Sheikh Majed asked Prada, Gucci and Missoni to come up with special abaya for his first Villa Moda store in Kuwait.

More recently, Princess Deena Abdulaziz comissioned Diane Von Furstenberg to design some of her iconic wrap dress, with a longer hem, for her Riyadh concept store D'NA.

Not to say we’re not big readers at Dia Diwan but we rarely talk about books – mainly to refrain ourselves from lauding Jilly Cooper novels. But if you think we should change this, please drop us an email.  

In this instance though, we’ll happily take the risk of boring you and suggest you make Rabih Alameddine’s latest novel “Hakawati” a mandatory book for the summer.

Beirut's Pecha Kucha was a momentous affair as no one knew whether it would happen until the very last minute. But the politcians seemed to be on the side of the creatives this time, and Pecha Kucha Beirut - edition 1 - was able to go ahead. Set in the beautiful space of design store Over the Counter (see our Dia Daily archives), the place was overcrowding with an enthusiastic crowd. Here are some images of the event for those who couldn't attend.

An American company has started to export Palestinian olive oil. Mountain High Imports can deliver Sumund olive oil right to your door.

Well, this might not apply to most Middle Eastern countries where getting anything from Palestine is hard, almost impossible but if you' re in the West, this is a pretty cool thing. Not only are you helping Palestinian farmers but this is a great way to start dinner conversation in London, Paris or LA. "Guess what guys, the salad dressing came all the way from Palestine..."