Category Archive for People + Pets
VERSAILLES CUBAN RESTAURANT, WEARING SUGARPILL MAKEUP BY SHRINKLE. TOKYO GOTH CYBER CLUB VIDEOS.
As we were driving to the Yoshitaka Amano art gallery opening, Yukiro glanced out the window and saw a sign: Versailles Cuban Restaurant. “We have to go,” he said. I said the food didn’t look very appetizing. “But it’s called VERSAILLES! We must!”
Yes, we’re ridiculous. And we did end up eating there, simply because of the name. The Cuban dishes weren’t impressive, but our makeup certainly was. (Learn how to achieve the Evil Queen look in this video.)
Inadvertently, we frequently end up wearing something head-turning to restaurants (because we’re heading to a club straight after). Have you ever had Ethiopian food? There’s a Little Ethiopia neighborhood in LA. All the little dishes at Meals by Genet are made from scratch, and you eat by scooping it up with spongy bread. Pricey, but the food and honey wine are exceptional.
Actually, scratch that. Even if all we’re doing is going out for a casual dinner… we still look kind of scary! (See more photos of the Kyoto-themed restaurant in Shibuya, Tokyo.)
Thankfully, in certain eat/drink situations — say, a Japanese absinthe bar — the crazier the outfit, the more you fit in. You can look forward to upcoming photos of certain infamous Visual Kei bars…
… and videos of Tokyo nightcrawling (such as my DJ SiSEN, Chihiro and friends video above). Please take a look at the many videos on my YouTube channel if you have a few minutes — quite a few of them feature Japanese theme restaurants and Goth clubs. And there are many more to come…
Same goes for Horror High School (new trailer above). Hope you’ve done your homework, because more ghastly episodes – starring Professor Fearstone / Candyman and featuring cute Japanese Goths and Lolitas – are on the way! Keep watching the Facebook page and www.horrorhighschool.com for updates…
Do people ever give you a hard time for the way you dress? How do you deal?
Japanese Word of the Day: Handshake = Akushu
Song of the Day: B’z – Super Love Song
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TOKYO REBEL: GOTHIC LOLITA SHOP IN NEW YORK CITY. NYC LOLITAS SHOPPING, GOTH PUNK STORES, BUYING HARAJUKU CLOTHES IN AMERICA.
Yell it to the rafters: there’s a Gothic Lolita store in New York City — Tokyo Rebel! The lovely husband and wife team behind the new boutique invited my all-girl Visual Kei group to visit. (I believe This Maddening Shroud is our favorite of all the killer band names you suggested for us.)
Jeff (a web designer) and Masayo (a nurse) opened Tokyo Rebel “because we love Japanese street fashion and we wanted to bring it to America.” Tucked away in the Lower East Side, they’re the only retailer in NYC to stock Japanese brand-name Goth Lolita Punk clothing and accessories.
Kanae headed straight to the vintage rack in the back (the store will accept and sell your secondhand Lolita clothing.) I couldn’t resist putting on an old-school Algonquins dress (left). Atelier Pierrot (right) is one of the bestselling brands because it appeals to a broad range of shoppers; a girl looking for an alt prom dress fell in love with the one I’m holding.
The Sweet Lolita dresses from Angelic Pretty (left) are the same ones on the racks at Marui One Shinjuku. Masayo and Jeff source the clothes and accessories directly from the Japanese designers, which include Victorian Maiden, Innocent World, Putumayo and Maxicimam.
All new Lolita clothing is expensive ($150-300 range). But at Tokyo Rebel, the price tags aren’t — or are barely — marked up. Amazing, and well worth saving up for.
I tried on an Evil Tail Frill One-piece by SEX POT ReVeNGe. Regi couldn’t resist buying a two-piece jumper set by Algonquins. We were also tempted by the crucifix/cute accessories under the glass counter, and the display of Kera Magazine. (Need we say the selection is excellent, and ranges from casual rock/punk to lace and bows elegance?)
I ended up with a warm and fuzzy Sex Pot Revenge skull scarf. And if I may reach for a metaphor… that’s the feeling we got from visiting Tokyo Rebel! Masayo tells me she first fell in love with Gothic and Lolita fashion over a decade ago, in Tokyo. She wanted to create a haven where she could be around the elegant clothing and meet others who appreciate the fashion — and the boutique was born.
Jeff says the store aims to stock more items from the current brands, including shoes, and expand to include more lines. If you’re in NYC, even for an afternoon, you’ve got to stop by to say hi and try on a couple of coordinates. Happy face for those who live elsewhere: you can order from Tokyo Rebel’s website as well. (All photos by Shichi.)
Have any of you been to Tokyo Rebel? What are your thoughts on the atmosphere and selection?
Song of the Day #301: The Creatures – Right Now
LA CARMINA
