This is a cute and happy post. First, I’m thrilled to announce I’ll be in Miami Florida… for Art Deco Weekend (Jan 18-20)!

As you can tell from this site’s design, I’m obsessed with Art Nouveau and Deco design. The Miami Tourism Board is generously flying me in and hosting my trip, so that I can report on the annual celebration of all things Deco.

Get ready for flapper dresses, Bettie Page fashion show, 1920s VIP gala, and South Beach architecture. Videos and photos to come, on La Carmina blog and Huffington Post. (Above photos by Shannon Cottrell, from my LA batcave shoot with Seby.)

Since we’re talking art, let me share some of the kawaii designs I spotted in Hong Kong.

Adorably-decorated food is still big in Asia (remember my book, Cute Yummy Time?). This bakery was selling a $20 US cake in the shape of Kuromi, the rival of My Melody.

On “Women’s Street,” you can buy cute accessories for ridiculously low prices. However, you can tell these are knock-offs… Doraemon and Hello Kitty are a tad deformed.

My beloved New Town Mall in Mongkok has entire stores dedicated to Rilakkuma bear and friends.

Sogo, the Japanese department store that carries the Hello Kitty fashion collection, also has a brand for dog-lovers.

Cute-faces are as popular here as in Japan. A giant smiley is not an uncommon sight.

Panda bears are a Chinese national treasure.

You can purchase the very same Japanese brands in Hong Kong for lower prices. That’s my justification for going shopping-crazy here…

Hong Kong’s a great place to pick up gifts for friends. The quality and design are outstanding for the price (these items are probably $10-20 US each).

Don’t forget home decor. In K-11 art mall (Tsim Tsa Tsui), you can get an elephant stool…

Or a wah-faced cat lantern.

Bookstores carry adorable DIY craft guides. Since there are step-by-step photo instructions, it’s ok if you can’t read Chinese.

Um. Sad robot pandas. Cutest recycling bin ever?

If the makeup packaging isn’t cute enough, the store added happy Post-It notes. (My favorite cosmetics chain is SaSa; their pink signs are everywhere.)

I bought Basil Farrow a rubber ducky from this Causeway Bay shop.

Basically, if you’re into kawaii characters, you’ll go bankrupt in Hong Kong… they’re everywhere you go.

I leave you with a peek inside the Bros Products boutique.

For more cuteness, check out my Hong Kong, China and Macau posts.

Are you a fan of kawaii character design? Who’s your favorite cute character? I’d love to hear your Florida tips in the comments and on my Facebook — it’ll be my first time in Miami!