The largest mall in the city, The Avenues, has a wide selection of international brands, plus a 10-screen movie theater and an IKEA store. Clothing stores include The Gap, H&M, Banana Republic, Foot Locker, Forever 21, Claire’s, Nine West and Aldo. The food court has a TGI Friday’s and Krispy Kreme to please the American palate, plus Arabic, Asian, French, and Italian restaurants.

Another popular mall for shopping, dining and people-watching is Al Kout. It’s a great place to put up your heels and enjoy the cooling breeze wafting in from the water jets of an artistic fountain in the midst of a huge outdoor pool. The mall overlooks the Gulf and has a marvelous nighttime view of the coast, to be enjoyed from numerous scenic restaurants. There’s even an Italian gelateria.

Other premier malls in Kuwait are Souk Sharq, Marina Mall and Muhallab, which is shaped like a giant ship.

If you're a flea marketer, you'll love the Friday Market, a repository of junk, cast-offs, new merchandise, and the occasional treasure. You might find a string of jade prayer beads for a song, accompanied by a cup of hot, sweet tea or Arabic coffee served by the vendor with classic Arabic hospitality as the two of you bargain away.

The various local markets, known as souks, have textiles, jewelry, clothing, shoes, household goods, electronics and more. Here bargaining is common practice. In downtown Kuwait City, the fabric souk has dozens upon dozens of small shops, each offering a variety of fabrics and trims. There's also a choice of tailors throughout the city, many of them located right at the souk, who are happy to whip up that men's suit or designer gown you've been dreaming about, at a mere fraction of the cost.

Whether you have a weakness for rings, bracelets, necklaces or earrings, Kuwait is a shoppers’ paradise when it comes to gold jewelry. Many jewelers are happy to fabricate anything you would like – your imagination and your pocketbook are your only limitations.

Living in the Middle East does not mean living without the comfort foods of home. Although the grocery stores don’t have as wide a variety as back home, there are many American brands available at the Sultan Centers throughout the city. You’ll find Kellogg’s, Kraft, Amy’s Kitchen, Stouffers, Betty Crocker, Frito-Lay, Boca – the list goes on. The store also carries American-brand personal care and household products.