Think of two things that by themselves are great, but combined are even better (beyond the obvious chocolate and peanut butter). The most obvious combination, of course, would be James Bond and Aston Martin. And in a very clever move, they’ve been paired in a small show celebrating 100 years of Aston and 50 years of Bond, now on display at the 360 Mall in Kuwait City. Never one to miss an exciting opportunity like this, I packed up the baby and all her gear, and we set off on our weekly exploration adventure. Let me first say that 360 Mall is just one of many many malls here. But it’s definitely one of the fanciest (i.e., most expensive), with a mere handful of shops I’d feel comfortable walking in to, let alone dropping wads of cash in. However, I do thoroughly enjoy the ambiance of 360 Mall and have to say that it’s probably one of the most attractive malls in Kuwait.

They’ve designed it with elegant woods and marbles, lush carpeting, beautiful fountains (with daily shows for the kids), and two Chihuly glass sculptures that are breathtaking. They even have an entire area designed as a “vertical garden” with plants growing right out of the walls. This area was designed by a French scientist and encompasses 60 different species with over 21,000 individual plants. It really is impressive! I wasn’t sure where to find the Bond show, but as we were wandering the mall, I happened to see it just under the yellow and orange Chihuly. There was a tuxedo-clad gentleman seemingly guarding the door so I asked if we could enter and he gestured us in.

The “show” was one large room; the walls draped with black cloth to add an air of mystery and elegance. Large screens were set up throughout showing different Bond films. There were six life-size replicas of the different Bonds, and a photo-op for you to stick your face in a hole like at a carnival to be your own Bond. But the big draw, I’m assuming, were the four Aston Martins proudly displayed before their respective movie posters. For car aficionados who can’t afford their own Aston (which seem to average around the $200k mark), I’m sure this is a great opportunity to get up close and personal and I’d recommend you visit immediately. During our self-guided tour, we were the only two females present, and definitely the only ones with a stroller. Otherwise there were a handful of men wandering and admiring, as well as a few employees setting up and doing a quick vacuum (we’d arrived just as the mall was opening). All in all, it was an amusing fifteen minutes spent, it cost us nothing, we got to admire the Chihulys, and we made it home without any traffic incidents. Definitely a good day in Kuwait.