Shopping for singles on the weekends

For fresh produce, go to any street-side convenience store or vegetable market.  It will be cheaper than the grocery stores in malls, plus you will get to inhale the fresh clean air of Riyadh!

Fresh, clean air in Riyadh...??  hmmm, your sarcasm is too cruel

Hey, it's you!

Were you able to get the local/Arab foods I suggested?  I do see that you were trying to get vegetables!  God job

and again a sarcastic reply..

btw, thanks for hints with fava and tuna (all california garden), I wrapped them both into local bread (don't know how to call it, probably naan) and added spreadable chadder cheese with few drops of olive oil.  it was yummy, and I was happy eating "not a fried meal".

Now I wanna add something more like dill, onion, tomatoes etc.

So, you think I dont have options entering the mall today?

Any of ladies, please help me to get in with you!

When I was new to Riyadh same thing used to happen with me at most of the malls, what I used to do was try my luck at the other enterance gate and mostly it worked. From last 1 year I haven't faced any problems I believe the rules have changed now and bachelor are allowed entry on weekends.

For groceries you can visit Tamimi & Panda stores and if you won't mind a bit of adventure try Hara & Batha markets.

I wanna try my luck.. heading to Riyadh Gallery now..

Not sure where you are living, as my compound is close to Granada Mall, so I always go there to shop those food in Carrefour.

I was stopped going into Granada Mall, so I gave an "Oh shit, not this again" face and asked politely if I could go in and shop. I asked a couple of times and eventually the guard let me in. If he had given any hassle I would've left it at that but he was busy stopping lots of people and didn't have the time or motivation to refuse someone obviously polite and eager.

Full Monty wrote:

I was stopped going into Granada Mall, so I gave an "Oh shit, not this again" face and asked politely if I could go in and shop. I asked a couple of times and eventually the guard let me in. If he had given any hassle I would've left it at that but he was busy stopping lots of people and didn't have the time or motivation to refuse someone obviously polite and eager.

Usually they don't bother older, Western looking guys.

i find shopping in the week easier, and i'm a young westerner also helps to ust shop after work as the city is so packed with traffic and then when it eases a bit go home,
just my experience.

Alliecat wrote:

Usually they don't bother older, Western looking guys.

Well then I will take that as a compliment to my boyish good looks!

Hmmmm, I have never been stopped for being a guy on my own, whilst I a westerner, i frown on the "older looking" comment

Thanks a lot Ali lol

Tonybrock46 wrote:

Hmmmm, I have never been stopped for being a guy on my own, whilst I a westerner, i frown on the "older looking" comment

Thanks a lot Ali lol

 

I only meant as opposed to a TEENAGER!  I'm sure you look 29, Tony

Hahaha,

No comment!

Thanks..

I'm new in Riyadh and a security guard made me stop at entrance of Granada at weekend. Firstly i thought it was because of closing but when took a look inside it was fully crowded:) So i asked him a few times more and made it:)I had to do because my car was for rent so i had to find that damn musical store where i was told to buy string before give back the car:))

Well, at the beginning foreigners go to shopping malls for most shopping. After a while you realize you dont need those stupid malls anymore, almost everything is outside.

On the other hand, the governor of Riyadh stated long time ago that it is not allowed to stop singles from entering the malls. It is illegal to stop singles from entering the malls. I do not speak Arabic so if ever happened I had to turn, but speaking Arabic you can ask for the manager or even print the regulation that the governor issued (i dont know where it can be since will be in Arabic but I will look for it). Door keepers want to feel powerful for once in their lifetime but I believe they are breaking the law.

Although it is old decision, still some malls don't stick to it and apply it.
Many families objected on the decision till today.
Here is some links:
SG
AN

Thank you!

First of all shopping malls are not public spaces, only streets are and particular rules can apply on them. We should ban shopping malls and never step on them unless necessary and ABSOLUTELY NEVER eat in their food courts. IMO.

Second is my wonder about those families against singles entering malls. The single sons of these families are also in the package or girls-harassing-undesirable citizens? The brain inside those family members is really a secret for cience to discover.

So, let me write back that my story ended happily I could enter Riyadh Gallery on Saturday without any hassle, perhaps the reason was that the security on the door was just absent

However, now I know that even on the weekends a single can go to the mall if he is dressed neatly and going in the daytime when it's not so overcrowded as in the evenings on the weekends.