FOOD NETWORK TV CLIPS! SHIBUYA BUTLER CAFE, BUTLERS TEACH JAPANESE GIRLS ENGLISH. KAGAYA: CRAZIEST TOKYO BAR.
Last fall, La Carmina & The Pirates filmed with Food Networks’s “World’s Weirdest Restaurants” for almost a month straight. Oh, the fun we had!
Did you miss out on the TV show? Don’t worry: I’ve uploaded video clips above and on YouTube.
Watch La Carmina and friends explore Tokyo’s wackiest theme restaurants, including Alice in Wonderland, maid cafe, Christon Cafe, monkey waiter tavern, and Zauo fishing boat.
Shibuya Butlers Cafe. All the servers are foreigners, who speak English to help the customers practice.
ince many Japanese men lack romantic spirit, females come here to feel like Disney heroines. The butlers get down on one knee, and present them with a tiara!
I’m wearing an h.NAOTO dress from Closet Child, and doll-like eyelashes. First Mate Naomi made the drawing of me in the first photo.
More madness from the Food Network TV shoot: giving Bob Blumer a Goth makeover, and visiting the surreal frog-pond experience that is Kagaya.
We adore the owner’s spastic performances. Here’s a previous post about Kagaya Tokyo.
Someone’s about to jump out of the closet, wearing a bizarre costume.
The whiskey squirts out of the statue’s… yeah.
When you order a drink, you can choose a country and Mark will do a bizarre interactive performance. This one is “France.”
Kagaya is possibly my favorite restaurant in the world. The food is delicious: I love the kabocha (pumpkin).
On the other end of the scale… Mayonnaise Kitchen is the most disgusting theme cafe I’ve encountered.
Skull headband: gifted by Soho Hearts (check out the panda necklace I designed with them)
Blue and black dress: gifted by Iron Fist (I love their zombie shoes)
Black frilled Lolita jacket: Angelic Pretty, from Closet Child
I explain the Japanese love of mayonnaise, especially the Kewpie brand, and how the ingredients and texture are a bit different from the Western version.
Personally, I don’t get it. Every dish in this restaurant is doused in mayo — blehh.
Hardcore customers even have their own personalized bottle.
I also visited Sumire no Tenmado: a doll-like Gothic Lolita café, run by Kokusyoku Sumire (two classical musicians). Tim Burton drew Jack Skellington and left his signature on the wall.
Hungry for more? Want addresses, photos and stories? Check out my book, Crazy Wacky Theme Restaurants: Tokyo.
Did you enjoy watching us on this Food Network TV show? Which cafes did you like best? Please take a minute to see our video clips on YouTube!
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FOOD TRUCKS & JAPANESE IZAKAYA: COLUMBUS, OHIO! PRSA TRAVEL & TOURISM CONFERENCE, SOCIAL MEDIA VIDEO SPEECH.
I fly around so much that it’s hard to predict where I end up. Last month, I was in… Columbus, Ohio.
PRSA Travel and Tourism Conference invited me to give a speech and participate in a discussion about travel video and social media. It was an honor to be recognized by industry professionals, and to take part in a major convention. Plus, I tasted some of the best ice cream in my life!
I wore a blue “sinking ships” dress gifted by Sourpuss (get this exact same style here).
I spoke about “Lights, Camera, Video: Travel News Online and Mobile — the Latest Ideas.” It’s great to see how travel and PR professionals are now interested in (and supporting!) new media.
In addition to panels and speeches (the keynote was animal expert Jack Hanna), there was an Elvis impersonator and live Memphis ducks.
My name card is pretty epic.
Also on my panel: Josey Miller (travel writer and “Good Day New York” contributor), Scott Fais (special projects reporter, Bay News 9 & Central Florida News 13) and Susan Farewell, (editor-in-chief of FarewellTravels.com).
My Scottish Fold cat on the big screen. My closing message to the audience was: “Always remember, cats rule the internet!”
After, Columbus Tourism treated us to a mixer at Franklin Park Conservatory. There’s an energetic foodie scene here, especially from the local food trucks and carts.
Jeni’s Ice Cream is legendary for a reason. The wildberry lavender was heaven.
My Luxy Loli blinged-out iPhone case got tons of attention here.
After, I joined Columbus Food Adventures for yakitori at FreshStreet.
V-fingers for the insanely tasty grill. Thanks to all the sweet people who came out to meet me, and to PRSA and Columbus for the warm hospitality. I’d love to come back!
PS: PR Newswire interviewed me about “content marketing” and new media. Hopefully, it sounds like I know what I’m talking about…
Watch my interview above and on YouTube (I invite you to subscribe, so you won’t miss out on the Berlin and Hawaii travel videos).
Are you a fan of food trucks? Yakitori? What’s hot in your local food scene?
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LA CARMINA
