Colorful skull murals & street art in Phoenix, Arizona. Windsor, Lux coffee, Barrio Cafe.
Ghostly kisses from Arizona! I enjoy “coolhunting” for alt culture in unexpected places, and AZ didn’t disappoint. There’s streetwise art here, and a hip cafe scene. Enjoy this photo diary from my Southwestern adventures.
The day began with lunch at Windsor, a bright and airy restaurant/bar in North Central Phoenix.
Still smiling over the No 99 cocktail (rum, aperol, fresh grapefruit, rhubarb bitters), and mixed grain salad (with black quinoa, house-smoked salmon).
Bunny top and scarf: Miffy fashion line from Hong Kong
Scalloped shorts: Hello Kitty KiLaRa collaboration, from Hong Kong
Shoes: Yosuke, from Marui One Shinjuku
Eyeballs purse: Izzue, Hong Kong
Sunglasses: gifted by Lumete
After, I went for coffee at the nearby Lux. The espresso’s strong, and the lattes are art.
Anime-pop paintings on the wall, mish-mash vintage furniture, and electro music make Lux a fun place to hang out.
Next, I drove to 16th Street (I recommend renting a car, as Phoenix is wide-spread). The front looks like a regular strip of road. But in the rear, there’s an explosion of colorful walls, like this skull-face by Lalo Cota and Breeze.
The murals envelop Barrio, the much-loved Mexican cafe of Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza. I didn’t have time for a meal, but it’s on my list for next time.
Ghosts of the Southwest.
The Day of the Dead motifs reminded me of my trip to Mazatlan, Mexico.
Arizona’s wonderful at supporting community arts. The nearby Latino Arts & Cultural Center has free admission.
I leave you with “Bienvenidos a Arizona” by Gennaro Garcia and DOSE, part of the Calle 16 project on 16th Street.
Do you like my Miffy outfit? Did you expect Phoenix to have magnificent murals like these?
Let me know what you think of my Arizona travel coverage. Coming up: print-making, monster theme restaurants, and Sedona aliens!
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Hong Kong Avenue of Comic Stars: Kowloon Park. Chinese comics characters & cartoon statues. Off to Tokyo for TV!
A quickie announcement… La Carmina & The Pirates are in Tokyo, from mid-February to mid-March! We’re working on a show, and can’t tell you much about it yet… but suffice it to say, you’ll be seeing more of my Goth beehive on your TV screen soon.
On that note: I’m currently in the Oddities TV show trailer, airing on Science & Discovery Channel. (That’s me, pushing the cart at 0:13.) The new Oddities season begins February 9th; I’ll let you know when my episode airs, so please check back.
Since we’re on the topic of Asia, let me share my photos of Hong Kong Avenue of Comic Stars. Last September, this exhibit of statues opened in Kowloon Park, Tsim Sha Tsui.
Rememeber the Doraemon 100th birthday exhibition? Seems like cute statues are big in HK.
The HK Avenue of Comic Stars celebrates Chinese characters from the 1960s to today.
Here, you’ll see citizens posing with sad pandas…
… and McMug the pig (麥嘜).
Do you recognize these comic book and cartoon characters? Likely not.
Unlike Japan’s manga and anime heroes (Pikachu, Sailor Moon), Hong Kong’s comic and cartoon figures are largely unknown outside of China.
These characters are, however, as cute and beloved…
… and fun to pose with!
The exhibit aims to “recognize the achievements of Hong Kong comic artists and promote the local comic industry.” It complements the traditional “Avenue of Stars,” dominated by the Bruce Lee statue (as featured in my Hong Kong food video).
When I was young(er), I read Old Master Q (老夫子) comics. He’s the funny old man on the left.
The exhibit also showcases the comic book production process, such as the tools and in-progress sketches.
Have you heard of any of these characters? What do you think of the designs? If you visit Hong Kong, which I highly encourage, don’t miss the Avenue of Comic Book Stars.
There’s more pop culture coverage in my China travel category. Also add Discover Hong Kong on Facebook; the page’s full of travel tips and inspiration from the tourism board.
LA CARMINA
