“Cosplay (コスプレ, kosupure^?), short for “costume roleplay”,^[1] is a fan labor type of performance art whose participants outfit themselves, with often-elaborate costumes and accessories, as a specific character or idea.”*

Yeah, I had no idea what it meant either, until I read the definition. I knew there was this tea place in Culver City where Japanese girls dressed up in French Maid outfits. But that’s it. I was pleasantly surprised that Royal/T is more than that. I mean, that was a cool idea–but on top of that, there is a gallery and store that sells Japanese toys, artwork, and clothing.

I attended a meeting at Royal/T cafe a few days ago, and so I snapped a few photos with my iphone. I didn’t think to bring a real camera. Below is a short tour through photos.

The outside:

I love the look of the bright neon juxtaposed against the natural, green hedge.

Royal/T’s shop features a selection of artist-made consumer goods and design objects. There’s also a lot of interesting “Pullip” dolls with over-sized heads that seemed to be inspired by Anime characters and Blythe. Other items include toys and art by  Murakami, Nagi Noda, Yoshitomo Nara,  Mitsuhiro Okamoto, Chiho Aoshima, Aya Takano, Hideaki Kawashima.

Here’s a few photos of the store, and some of the items in the store:

And here’s the cafe/restaurant: The best thing on the menu? The High Tea of course! Here’s a description of the cafe from the website:

“Royal/T Cafe is inspired by the Maid Cafes of Tokyo’s Akihabara district. Patrons can expect a menu that, like the art and design of Royal/T, is authentic to a contemporary Japanese experience. The menu presents a fusion of French and Japanese texture with local and organic California style. Alongside “comfort” food and beverage classics like Curry Rice and Matcha Milk Tea, are modern creations like Ponzu Salmon and Kyoto Sunset Tea. Royal/T also offers specialty desserts and afternoon High Tea. The menu is served all day.”

Cute ale bottle with owl

Here’s some of the art space. My favorite thing was the “Porta-Party”. It looks like this giant ipod (about the size of a porta-potty). Inside, there are disco lights and an ipod playing “All that Jazz”. It reminded me of that special make-out room on elimidate or 5th wheel. Not that I ever watched those two shows. Okay, I did. Just a few times.  The Porta-Party is much cooler—mainly because it’s located at Royal/T cafe.

Check out ROYAL/T’s official website.

8910 Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
T 310 559 6300
F 310 559 6633

*Wikipedia

OMG when I saw Chi and Keito I was like O.O I thought I was about to die. XD

I wouldn’t say I was actually looking for this. I just found it while I was looking at my 2nd dance challenge comments when I saw this as a related video. They all grew so much. 7 is either standing on boxes to be the same height or they just really grew. I love Chi’s hair in these pictures. I can’t believe these pictures are from this summer. It’s like 2 months when I saw them so small especially Chi, then they’re already growing so fast I can’t keep up with them. Singing mature songs and more. Demo ne. I’ll still support them even if their cute side goes away. GAMBATTE HEY SAY JUMP!

Now that we all know what happens when each couple goes home together, I will now rewrite about all 20 characters and what happens the next day. Here’s a little recap of what happened to each couple

Kuchiki Nakito & Yamada Ryosuke: Nakito was shocked that her co-enemy is walking her home. When Nakito asks Ryosuke to leave her alone she finds a little surprise. What she thought was a prank was real. As Nakito’s heart races to try to escape, Ryosuke comes to the rescue. -Chapter 20-

Yoshikawa Yui & Inoo Kei: Inoo and Yui go to a resturant to have dinner together. It was Inoo’s treat saying thank you. When a random guy asks him to play the piano, Yui is shocked to hear a song so passionately.

Eibihara Chii & Takaki Yuya: The two of them decide to go to a park. Chii trip and fell. That’s when Takaki started to care of Chii’s wound. When they  both looked at the stars one of them reminded Chii of a cat. When Takaki said he would like to be a cat Chii hugged him to see if he would turn into one like in Fruits Basket, but it didn’t work. Takaki gave Chii a piggyback ride on the way home

Hayashi Misaki & Yuri Chinen: The two of them started taking different pictures of each other. When Misaki heard yelling she broke out into a run which made Chinen concerned. Then Misaki told Chinen how her mom hates her, but he didn’t believe that.

Kitahoshi Ikumi & Arioka Daiki: Daiki and Ikumi started to open up. Daiki told Ikumi why he started talking to her in the first place. Then they almost kissed, but a cat ruined it.

Tsutanaga Yuki & Okamoto Keito: Keito revealed his feelings towards Yuki and the both of them started to go out. When they did a duet on the street people wanted to give them a tip, but they refused. Just as Keito was about to kiss Yuki, Yuki’s dad opens the door and  treats him like he’s part of the family already.

Yushiko Misaki & Yabu Kota: Misaki lives in a dangerous area. When they are surrounded by delinquents Yabu fights back. When Misaki is getting pulled away from him, he gets injured.

Hanazawa Ren & Nakajima Yuto: The two of them see some street performers and Yuto was asked to join in causing the performers to have more people watch it than usual.

Kimura Yuzuyu & Ryutaro Morimoto: The two of them climb a tree in a park. When they reach the top their bodies suddenly move on their own and kiss.

Sakamoto Rin & Yaotome Hikaru: Rin’s brother, Takashi, finds Rin and Hikaru together on some swings. The two of them start to argue and Rin is pulled away by her brother

This chapter is now going to be about getting ready for the soccer tournament that’s going to be in a week. It will also show the awkward moments between them after that night.

Change of Heart

it came like that

Navigation:

Tokyo made me realize how much I missed the challenge of urban orienteering. Ako is great and picturesque but there are a limited number of streets to get lost on. While  I have never been much of an avid hiker living in  London and New York exposed me to the joy of trying to get from Point A to Point B in a vast urban landscape. It’s part puzzle and part mission and doing it well is essential to fitting in and feeling the personality of the city.

Each city has it nuances. New York–with the exception of the West Village–has it’s logical grid layout which is undermined by it’s disorientingly tall high-rises. London  considered a grid layout after the fire, then decided against it leaving modern day inhabitants with a labyrinth of alleys, roundabouts, and serpentine thoroughfares.

Above ground, I found many similarities between London and Tokyo. They are two cities with the foundation in the 15th century ideal of urban planning; However, both suffered massive destruction in the middle of the century and have had opportunity to rebuild and incorporate the technology of the age. Tokyo, perhaps out of necessity or cultural habit, has done so more aggressively than London.  While I was able to memorize the key points of the Tube and Subway maps in a matter of days, in Tokyo I could get around, but at times I resorted to actually asking someone (twice for the record, how embarrassing).

London also adopted a ring of greenery to surround the city and prohibit unchecked expansion of the city– if Tokyo has also taken this approach, I didn’t notice it. Tokyo spans across 50 miles at some points, has reclaimed land from the sea, and seemingly melts into other surrounding cities.

The most unique thing I noticed about Tokyo was how it expands vertically both above and below. From the street, if you’re trying to get from one building to another, it’s often not difficult. The horizon is often visible, and the inspired architectural design of the cities buildings allows one to distinguish quick landmarks. But often you are in a spot looking for a movie theater or cafe on the 5th floor of bulding, or for a shop inside a shopping center connected to a train station. For exmaple, I knew how to enter the Shinjuku JR station from the south exit, and I knew how to leave the station from the west exit (which was a bit more conveniant from the hotel).  However, if you asked me to enter the station hrough the West exit, I’d spend hours looking for it–and finding the entrance to any of the four department stores connected to the station was almost always pure luck.

This doesn’t even begin to take into account the system of tunnels connectting buldings and train stations. I tried the tunnel system once, from the station to City Hall (really to my hotel that was sort of across the street from City Hall), and then panicked after about ten blocks of blind guessing and picking turns on a hunch. The ability to navigate these tunnels–even though they are filled with signage– clearly separates the tourist from the locals.

And that’s the thing, there is lots of helpful color-coded English sigange. Everywhere. In spite of which, you’ll still get lost at times, only to find yourself staring at another sign or another building, trying to grab your bearings. Which is why it’s always easy to spot the tourist, no matter how they dress or talk, they’re always looking up with their mouth open.

it eats toursists

S+he Clean Nioiless

จุดเด่น

S+he Clean Nioiless ถุงยางที่มีส่วนผสมของชาเขียว ซึ่งมีคาเทชิน ช่วยกำจัดกลิ่นไม่พึงประสงค์ของถุงยาง หลายครั้งที่ใช้ถุงยางทั่วไป คุณเคยประสบปัญหาไม่ชอบในกลิ่นของมันรึป่าว
ถ้าใช่…ตัวนี้ล่ะ เหมาะกับคุณเลยทีเดียว โดยเฉพาะรูปทรงที่ออกแบบมาแบบ fit shape และจุดเด่นของมันอีกอย่างคือ หลังเสร็จกิจกรรมแล้ว สามารถล้างออกได้อย่างง่ายดายอีกด้วย

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TENGA, 全ての男へ。

Yushi got this souvenir from Yu… hahhaha lemme know how it was!!!

ユウシがユウからのお土産でもらってた…ｗｗ。どうだったか教えてやッ！！！

S+he Aloe

เวลามีกิจกรรมที่ใช้ถุงยางอนามัย สิ่งหนึ่งที่คุณผู้หญิงหลายคนเจอปัญหาคือไม่มีน้ำหล่อลื่นเพียงพอที่จะสอด ใส่ ทำให้เกิดการเจ็บหรือแสบได้ ทาง Okamoto จึงได้ผลิตถุงยางที่มี Aloe Extract จากว่านหางจระเข้ จริงๆแล้วว่านหางจรเข้ไม่ได้เพียงแค่ลดการติดเชื้อ,ระคายเคือง,เท่านั้น แต่จะช่วยเพิ่มความลื่นในการประกอบกิจกรรมด้วยเพราะมีมอยเจอร์ไรซ์เซอร์สูง กว่าปกติถึง 4 เท่าเลยทีเดียว และนี่ก็เป็นถุงยางอีกชนิดที่คุณต้องลอง

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Zero Zero Three 0.03 Platinum

จุดเด่น
มาอีกแล้ว กับนวัตกรรมการผลิตถุงยางอนามัยอีกตัวที่ขึ้นชื่อว่า บางสุดๆเพียง 0.03 มม.เท่านั้น มีลักษณะโปร่งใส และมีสารหล่อลื่นในตัว ด้วยความพยายามของ Okamoto ที่จะผลิตถุงยางลาเท็กซ์ที่บางและมีความเหนียวทนทานในกิจกรรมทุกรูปแบบ ซึ่งเป็นเรื่องที่ท้าทายมาก แต่ที่สุดแล้ว Zero Zero Three 0.03 Platinum ก็ได้ผลิตออกมาสำเร็จ
คุณอยากรู้สึกว่าใส่ถุงยางแต่เหมือนไม่ได้ใส่รึเปล่าล่ะ…ถ้าใช่ ไม่ต้องคิดนาน หยิบได้เลยครับ เป็นอีกตัวที่ผมต้องแนะนำจริงๆ

รายละเอียดเพิ่มเติม ราคาสินค้า คลิ๊กไปที่ www.playcondom.com

Beyond 7 Plus
ด้วยคุณสมบัติพิเศษของ Beyond 7 Plus ทำให้ถุงยางชนิดนี้เป็นอีกตัวหนึ่งที่น่าใช้อย่างยิ่ง เพราะมี Spermicidal-nonoxynol-9 ช่วยฆ่าเชื้ออสุจิ ปลอดภัยต่อการมีกิจกรรม เท่านั้นน่ะเหรอ…ไม่พอ เพราะยังช่วยลดอัตราเสี่ยงของการติดเชื้อ HIV มีสารหล่อลื่นในตัว ผ่านมาตรฐานการผลิต ISO ด้วย และออกแบบมาเพื่อป้องกันการลื่นหลุดและอสุจิไหลออกมาจากถุงยางระหว่างมี กิจกรรม เรารู้นะว่าคุณคิดอะไร…อย่ารีรอที่จะหยิบใส่ตะกร้าเลย…

รายละเอียดเพิ่มเติม ราคาสินค้า คลิ๊กไปที่ www.playcondom.com

Okamoto No Touch
จุดเด่น
No touch เป็นถุงยางอนามัยที่ให้ทุกท่านสามารถสวมใส่โดยไม่ต้องใช้มือสัมผัสที่อวัยวะ โดยตรง เพื่อความสะอาดและปลอดภัย มีสารหล่อลื่นในตัว

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S+he Rose Aroma ถุงยางอนามัยที่ผู้หญิงหลายคนปรารถนาจะได้สัมผัสมัน มีกลิ่นหอมกุหลาบอ่อน ซึ่งจากการวิจัยพบว่ากลิ่นกุหลาบจะช่วยทำให้พวกเธอผ่อนคลาย ถุงยางชนิดนี้ถูกออกแบบอย่างมีลักษณะ fit shape และมีสารหล่อลื่นในตัว และยิ่งกว่านั้น…สามารถล้างออกได้ง่ายดายหลังเสร็จกิจกรรม

รายละเอียดเพิ่มเติม ราคาสินค้า คลิ๊กไปที่ www.playcondom.com

Benetton แบรนด์แฟชั่นชื่อดัง สีเขียวและชมพู รูปทรงของถุงยางอนามัยออกแบบมาเพื่อป้องกันถุงยางหลุดระหว่างมีกิจกรรม มีสารหล่อลื่นในตัว ผลิตโดยบริษัท Okamoto รับรองคุณภาพจากญี่ปุ่น

รายละเอียดเพิ่มเติม ราคาสินค้า คลิ๊กไปที่ www.playcondom.com

ด้วยคุณสมบัติพิเศษของ Beyond 7 Plus ทำให้ถุงยางชนิดนี้เป็นอีกตัวหนึ่งที่น่าใช้อย่างยิ่ง เพราะมี Spermicidal-nonoxynol-9 ช่วยฆ่าเชื้ออสุจิ ปลอดภัยต่อการมีกิจกรรม เท่านั้นน่ะเหรอ…ไม่พอ เพราะยังช่วยลดอัตราเสี่ยงของการติดเชื้อ HIV มีสารหล่อลื่นในตัว ผ่านมาตรฐานการผลิต ISO ด้วย และออกแบบมาเพื่อป้องกันการลื่นหลุดและอสุจิไหลออกมาจากถุงยางระหว่างมี กิจกรรม เรารู้นะว่าคุณคิดอะไร

รายละเอียดเพิ่มเติม ราคาสินค้า คลิ๊กไปที่ www.playcondom.com

Zero Zero Three 0.03 Japan Edition กับความบางพิเศษเพียง 0.03 มม. ในขณะที่ถุงยางอนามัยทั่วไปมีความหนา 0.05-0.07 มม. รุ่นนี้ไร้กลิ่น ผลิตโดยบริษัท Okamoto มีเจลหล่อลื่นในตัว ถึงแม้จะบางแต่ความยืดหยุ่นสูง พื้นผิวนุ่นนวลต่อการสัมผัส หากท่านยังไม่เคยเชื่อใจถุงยางอนามัยแบบใด นี่เป็นถุงยางชนิดแรกๆที่ท่านควรได้ลองใช้

รายละเอียดเพิ่มเติม ราคาสินค้า คลิ๊กไปที่ www.playcondom.com

Микрофибру изобрел Мийоши Окамото (Miyoshi Okamoto) в 1970.

Его путь к микроволокну, позже к знаменитому материалу Алькантара (Alcantarа) описан в книге Роберта Канигеля “Faux Real”. В следующем посте я опубликую перевод отрывка из этой книги.

Странно, что ни Торэй, ни холдинг Alcantara S.p.A толком не упоминают доктора Окамото в своей истории. Пишут только, что “…Ultrasuede изобрен Мийоши Окамото в 1970 году”.

Я полагаю, что такой выдающийся человек заслуживает признания и более подробного описания своей биографии.

Kouichi Okamoto, director of the three-year-old Japanese studio Kyouei, the designer’s portfolio of spare, clever-but-not-too-clever, Droog-meets-the-far-East housewares is expanding at lightning speed, with nearly all hits and no misses. His newest products are a Liquid Lamp (in metal) and handmade bookmark (in silicone) that appear to be melting. In red, the lamp looks like cartoon gore and the bookmark recalls FredriksonStallard’s Lovers rug, but in white, Okamoto’s signature color, both exude a more laid-back charm, one step shy of conceptualism—in a good way. www.kyouei-ltd.co.jp

♥ I was blogwalking awhile ago cause i have finished transferring THESE posts from my Friendster Blog to here. Its kinda choppy on friendster this days. Its hard to update from there so i researched a bit from blog to blog. I found a comparison chart from a site (PULSE)that compares whether if who’s more efficient to use, if its Blogger or WordPress. It kinda demonstrate a good comparison table until i settle down my new blog site. I chose WordPress cause I think it could handle my needs for a good blog site. And so it goes…

♥ I’m having a good time editing my blog site getting pictures from different sources to use on my header theme pic. I keep on searching for a good header (cause im a bit meticulous on stuffs, specially when it comes to myblog). Until I discovered this…

…well, what can you say bout this?!?

♥ I kinda felt a bit interested on this stuffs. I’ll try searching whoever sells this customize shirts. I have a source demo the shop is closed as said by the editor. I’ll keep on searching. If you have sources, please inform me. Thanks!!!

UPDATES:

♥ I know already who’s selling this stuffs. Its the same person that I mentioned above (but he/she had already closed the shop).

Começa nesta sexta-feira, dia 17 de outubro a 32ª Mostra Internacional de Cinema em São Paulo. O evento traz neste ano uma seleção de 454 filmes de 75 países, além de debates e palestras com convidados especiais. Neste ano a Mostra também terá retrospectivas de filmes de Ingmar Bergman e Kihachi Okamoto, homenagia Hugh Hudson e traz filmes inéditos no Brasil como “Duska” de Joe Stelling e “Tulpan” de Sergay Dvortsevoy.

Carta Branca a Wim Wenders

Um dos destaques da 32ª é a sessão de filmes indicados por Wim Wenders, que inclui nomes qu vão desde Ozu, Truffaut e Godard aos recentes Saeah Polley e Robinson Savary. Wim também exibirá seu último filme, “Palermo Shooting”, no dia 21 de outubro, que será seguido de debate com o próprio.

Para conferir mais detalhes e a programação do evento entre no site da mostra: http://www.mostra.org

Pois é preparem-se para a maratona! O foda é que nunca acabamos vendo tantos filmes como gostaríamos…

Condoms are back in the news again. I was writing about the Durex balloon-figure campaign in Singapore late last year, and it seems a delayed public-complaint has set the Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore off on a bit of a crackdown. At least I think it’s the Durex series. It couldn’t be the Okamoto banana could it?

The authority has come out with new guidelines which state that:

“Such ads should focus on its protective rather than the pleasure-enhancing aspect and be “in good taste”, not promoting promiscuity. Photographs of the packaging are okay provided they are not “suggestive or offensive”.

The previous out-of-bounds marker, like the revised one, was fairly vague and open to interpretation, but the over-riding principle in the Singapore Code of Advertising Practice is:

• 1.1 All advertisements should be legal, decent, honest, and truthful.
• 2. Decency
• 2.1 Advertisements should not contain anything that is offensive to the standards of decency prevailing among those who are likely to be exposed to them.”

At first, like a lot of people I spoke to, I muttered to myself about how the announcement was reflecting a screwed-down, repressed society, but I’ve let it gestate in the back of my mind for a day, and now I’m not so sure.

OK, it’s just a bit of sexy fun with balloon-sculpture, and I do like the campaign, but maybe the complaint that they’re too explicit for an MRT train does hold some water.

I’m feeling a bit conflicted about it. Based on years of experience (with advertising, with condoms, just in general) I truly believe that enjoyment-positive advertising is the most effective way to get people to use them. Today’s Straits Times noted that STDs in teens has consistently risen in the past few years and we all know that HIV is also on the rise, so rising sales of condoms is not just important to Durex. Love-Box and Okamoto, it’s important to our community too.

On the other hand, Grey’s recent Eye On Asia survey (in their news section) found once again that family values are incredibly important in Asia (somewhere around 90% answered that it was the most important thing in their lives) and 78% thought that modern living is breaking up close neighbourhood communities. A similar survey in 2006 found that condom advertising, specifically, was a major issue for many Asians.

So I thought I had a strong opinion about this, but the more I thought about it the weaker my opinion got.

I was intrigued by one sound-bite in the newspaper article though. Personal assistant Eunice Lim, 26, said:

“There are reasons condoms are used other than for protection, but I guess parents don’t want the young to start asking awkward questions”

Spicy! I’m busting to know what Eunice knows! What mysterious kama-sutric practice am I missing out on? Please… if you know leave a comment… it’s killing me!

I’m also curious. The balloon ad doesn’t offend me, but does it offend you? Would you be worried about letting your 5 year old son/daughter/nephew/niece see it?