Category Archive for Fashion
Oakland Cat Town Cafe, first to open in USA! ABC Nightline TV interview, Shinjuku Tokyo Robot restaurant.
So many maooos! Last December, I was honored to be interviewed on ABC Nightline, the long-running news program that is broadcast worldwide. The network flew me to San Francisco to be interviewed in a segment about cat cafes and the spread of J-pop culture to America.
If you missed this ABC Nightline episode, don’t fret — you can watch it below and on my YouTube channel. It includes footage of the psychedelic Robot Restaurant in Shinjuku, bikini-clad fembots and kawaii maid cafes!
The TV crew and I filmed at the first cat cafe to open in the USA: Cat Town Oakland (near San Francisco). Unlike Japanese kitty cafes, this one has a meaningful mission: to save at-risk abandoned felines.
Want to peek inside Cat Town and a J-pop mall in San Francisco? Then read on.
First, details of what I wore on my TV appearance. There’s a mao-mao peeking out from my striped top! It’s actually a dress by Mandycat in Hong Kong. (Here’s a similar striped top with a bat on it.)
Click the items below, to build an outfit like mine!
My long, leather skirt is by the young Hong Kong-based designer, Erbert Chong. Everyone is raving about his leather, edgy yet wearable designs for women. I can’t get over the materials and finish of his pieces — they’re some of my favorite items in my wardrobe right now.
My white creeper shoes, with a pirate bear, are Peace Now. This Japanese brand has unfortunately shut down…
My coiled, silver 3D bracelet is from Angelica Brigade.
Everyone should have a cat ring, in my opinion! Here’s where you can get a cat-faced ring like mine.
Trevor joined me for the ABC Nightline TV news shoot at Cat Town (address: 2869 Broadway in downtown Oakland, California). Not a bad job, playing on-camera with a dozen kitties. (Watch the video here).
Like the Shinjuku cat cafe, the space is creatively decorated with all sorts of climbing platforms and toys.
Japanese cat cafes — cute as the concept is — tend to operate a bit like petting zoos. These cafes bring in rare purebred species, like exotic shorthairs, for the customers to enjoy.
In contrast, Cat Town is a partnership with Oakland Animal Services. The cafe provides a stimulating environment for shelter cats, especially the ones who are the least likely to be adopted. Volunteers help to run the space, and the goal is to let these abandoned cats blossom and find permanent adoptive homes.
As soon as you step into Cat Town, you feel that the operation is full of heart. The humans who work here puts the needs of the cats first (and the decor reinforces their prime position!)
The coffee shop is separate from the cat-petting area, but you can bring your latte inside and sip it while playing with cats. The cafe focuses on supporting local businesses, and sells small-batch pastries from a local baker, like cookies laced with “Cattitude.”
Like in the Tokyo cat cafes I visited, there are rules to follow, which keep the cats safe. However, unlike in Asia, guests don’t take off their shoes before entering, nor are they required to sanitize their hands.
(Do you see the Scottish Fold drawing in the top corner? It’s the only fold at the cafe, since this round-faced breed rarely ends up in animal rescues.)
I’ve been chatting with ABC Nightline’s team for some time now, and gave them travel tips when they went to Tokyo. As a follow-up for their Tokyo pop culture stories, I appeared on the show to give background and context on maid, cat and robot cafes in Japan.
Here I am with ABC News presenter Cecilia Vega, and producer / director Nick Capote. They’re so sweet, and we had a fun day together!
Cecilia and I wandered around Cat Town, and played with the cats. It’s great to see the strays thriving in this cat-tastic environment.
You can grab a cat toy, and they’ll pounce all over it. The walls are covered with colorful murals, including artwork of Grumpy Cat, Totoro, Nyan Cat and more pop culture icons.
The custom-built playgrounds are a tip of the hat to San Francisco’s landmarks, like the Tribune building.
Cecilia Vega and I chatted about the appeal of cat cafes, the spread of Japanese concept cafes to North America, and more. Watch our conversation on the ABC Nightline segment.
Peekaboo, I see you! The cats have a private room in the back where they can escape the crowds and sleep.
A few of the kitties couldn’t take their paws off our film equipment. Several took a nap in a camera bag.
Rescuing and re-homing cats continue to be a challenge in cities worldwide. Animal shelters do great work, but are over-crowded and stressful.
So far, Cat Town is succeeding at giving them space to thrive.
Already, adoption rates are up: customers will play with the cats and fall in love with one. All the adoptions go through a screening process, to make sure the pets go to secure homes.
The volunteers genuinely care about the cats, and do the best for them. As an example, I noticed that they feed the kitties Wellness — a byproduct-free, grain-free brand that I feed my own Scottish Fold baby, Basil Farrow. The staff told me that they turned down sponsorship offers from big-name cat food companies, since this mass-produced food doesn’t contain the best ingredients for their health. Go Cat Town!
Another instance of dedication: co-founder Adam has a tattoo of their coffee partner’s logo (Bicycle Coffee), with cat-ears and whiskers. On the left, Trevor strokes a black cat, which matches his look.
For these reasons, I’ve been recommending Cat Town to everyone who visits San Francisco. It’s the first cat cafe to open up in America, and hopefully sets the standard for a meaningful, adoption-oriented approach.
Entry is by donation; you can reserve a guaranteed visitation time with a minimum $10 donation. Every hour, about 20 people are allowed into the space, and you can play with about 10-15 felines.
Trevor, the ABC team and I took a quick lunch break in SF’s Japan Town. I’m still thinking about the ramen at Waraku, it was that good!
We continued filming for the episode at New People World, the Japanese fashion mall. (The address and a tour of the boutiques are in my San Francisco shopping guide.)
MaruQ, located on the first floor, remains my favorite store in the Jpop mall. So much cuteness in one room, including brands like Ayammy, Omocat and Liz Lisa.
Raise your paw if you love Rilakkuma the bear! (Sadly, this segment was cut from the ABC Nightline feature, but I still wanted to share these images with you.)
Cecilia and I walked around the store, and chatted about the growing popularity of Japanese street fashion in America. Can you spot Trevor in the background?
Gothic tattoos and a rainbow cat dress: spooky meets sweet, that’s how we roll.
The shop girls are adorable as ever. They’re modeling a variety of looks from Japanese style tribes.
Trevor couldn’t resist getting these sunglasses. “And I won’t break your heart shaped glasses.”
For more info on where to get Goth, vintage, alternative and kawaii clothing, check out my San Fran shopping guide.
A million “arigatos” for the ABC Nightline team, for having me on the program!
Please take a moment to watch my interview on ABC Nightline! The segment includes crazy footage from the Robot Restaurant in Japan (with robot-women performers), maid cafes, and cat cafes in Tokyo and California.
Have you ever been to a cat cafe? Would you want one to open in your hometown?
Shop my ABC TV outfit below…
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Alternative Art in New Orleans: Goth cute fantasy paintings! Royal Street galleries, French Quarter.
New Orleans, you’re my kind of place! The photo above says it all — NOLA is full of eccentric characters, flamboyant costumes, and live jazz in the streets.
I dove into the “American Horror Story” side of the city, and felt the magic from the very first day. Together, let’s explore the alternative art scene, including the galleries on Royal Street and a “kawaii” portrait painting.
What I wore in New Orleans…
– Deconstructed top/jacket from my friend Ako, creator of Japanese punk label Blablahospital.
– Black crop top like this one, a versatile garment that can be worn under layers.
– Checkered skirt from Alice’s Pig. Winter is the perfect time to rock a long plaid blue skirt.
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New Orleans has been on my “Goth bucket list” ever since I was a teenager. Thanks to the CVB, I got to visit the American South for the first time.
Louisiana was colonized by both the Spanish and French, which gives the architecture a feeling found nowhere else. I couldn’t resist taking photos of the curving iron railings, balconies and doors.
As long as you avoid Bourbon Street, there’s a ton to love about the French Quarter. I recommending strolling along and near Royal Street. This part of the Quarter feels far more authentic — you’ll come across gems like antique shops, art galleries, street performers, and these horse head posts.
Can you tell the difference between the street artists, locals, and tourists? Molly, my travel companion and photographer, remarked: “I loved that you could see a performance artist for a dollar on the street, in front of housed galleries where pieces sold for thousands.”
– My dark purple purse is this one by Paule Ka (click to buy)
– Tip: wear good shoes, since NOLA has cobbled streets and is a walking city. My studded ankle boots are by Japanese brand Yosuke; Jeffrey Campbell’s boots look just like mine.
That morning, Molly and I had an appointment at Lisa Victoria Gallery (616 Royal Street). The masked figures on the door were a sign we were at the right place.
We stepped into the most charming little courtyard. The focal point is a lion fountain, strung with Mardi Gras beads.
Not a bad workspace, don’t you agree? Here, I met local artist Kevin Thayer. We first connected through Instagram!
K Thayer’s paintings resonated with me because they’re haunting, ethereal, and have a touch of Japanese “kawaii.” He says his art is influenced by everything from Mardi Gras, to the films of David Lynch and Art Deco.
One of Kevin’s signatures: big-eyed, long-lashed, doll-like portraits.
Kevin invited me to sit down for a live painting. We chatted while he worked, and the whole process felt easy. In only 30 minutes, the image came together.
What do you think? So cool how Kevin Thayer captured my new blue-purple-red hair color and vampire bangs (my stylist is Stephanie Hoy at Vancouver’s Stratosphere Hair).
Kevin started with a colorful background wash, and painted the layers on top, letting them flow together. He adds the final touches, and “more purple!”
What a cool experience, and I got to take home personalized canvas from a New Orleans artist.
With Kevin, sitting for a portrait is fun, quick and natural. You can keep track of his current exhibits and art on his site and Instagram.
After, Kevin took us to some of his favorite galleries in the French Quarter. Oh, these genteel iron balconies! I imagined Madame Lalaurie and the Coven witches peering over me.
AFA Gallery is dedicated to dark, fantastical art. (809 Royal Street New Orleans, LA).
I talked to the gallery owners, and was glad to learn that New Orleans has a dedicated community of artists. The local art market is not just about selling wares to tourists.
AFA represents artists with dark inclinations, like these cute-melancholy paintings by Kathie Olivas…
… and a giant metal octopus sculpture.
We continued our walk. What a treat, to feel sunshine in December! New Orleans is a fantastic place to escape during the winter, and it’s a quick and inexpensive flight within the USA.
The French Quarter has a “frat party” reputation, but as you can see from our journey, you can avoid this touristy scene altogether.
Such charming architecture. We stopped to take photos at the distinctive front gate of the Corn Stalk Hotel.
This elegant, Victorian-style house is supposedly haunted, as many places in the Quarter seem to be. (My wood sunglasses are from Moat House. Other outfit details above.)
Can’t get over the Southern elegance of the gardens and fountains.
Onward to La Madama Bazarre gallery (910 Royal Street, NOLA). American Horror Story fans, you might recognize the above work from AHS Freak Show.
Molly and I wanted to take home everything in the gallery. La Madama Bazarre often has special exhibits, with themes like “The Opulence of Darkness,” where “beauty and strangeness abound in equal doses.”
Owner Jennifer poses with “SideShow Sirens of the Swamp,” a series of music boxes featuring voodoo queen Marie Laveau, a two-headed person and other oddities. (And yes, that’s a coffin case on the right.)
Kevin Thayer’s art is a natural fit for this gallery, and several of his pieces hang on the walls. What a wonderful space they have created, to showcase morbid, lowbrow and outsider art.
We continued down the road to the fabulous Fifi Mahony’s (934 Royal Street). Masks, wigs and glitter aren’t reserved only for Mardi Gras.
The shop supports local alternative events, like Goth Con, a Hedwig and the Angry Inch performance, and its own Wig Show. Kevin’s lightning-girl sits above the counter.
In the back room, the salon offers makeovers. You can be as flamboyant as you want to be, in New Orleans. Nobody will bat an eye if you walk down the street looking like Cher.
Now, let’s visit two outdoor art markets. Every day, locals with permits display their works at Jackson Square. Molly reflects, “One of my favorite aspects about Jackson Square was the mix of artists working from their own experiences and those selling more traditional images of Mardi Gras. I got a sense of a strong artist community that respects and supports its members.”
We had a chat with Eden Gass (left), whose illustrations took on a different focus after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Molly says, “I was struck by the authenticity and personal nature of her paintings. I loved her raw, honest approach to her canvas and her warm demeanor.”
Just a typical day in NOLA here — artists stopping to greet each other, decked in bows and feathers.
We also loved the Frenchman Art Market, which opens up in the evenings. Here, local and regional artisans sell handmade jewelry and crafts.
I’ll leave you with some more night-time scenes. Antieau Gallery had a tribute to James Brown in the back.
Quite a few galleries have a spooky aesthetic, like this “Phantom Limb” installation.
At night, Fifi Mahony’s wigs have a ghostly feeling, peering out the window.
I walked by impressive displays of antique furniture.
The Corn Stalk hotel has an upside down keyhole to confuse vampires and ghosts, and hopefully prevent them from entering.
I think it’s obvious why New Orleans is one of the spookiest cities in the world! Did you know that the city had such an edgy art scene?
Thanks to Molly for the photography. Next, we’ll show you how we kissed a Sphinx, and ate alligator wings…
Shop my outfit of the day below:
LA CARMINA
