Charmmy Kitty, Not To Be Confused with Hello Kitty

Ok, so it really peeves me when people confuse Hello Kitty with Charmmy Kitty.  Charmmy is a white persian cat that Hello Kitty's papa gave to her as a gift.  

Charmmy is a really obedient pet and always listens to what Hello Kitty has to say.  Charmmy is most often seen wearing a lace ribbon and a necklace that holds the key to Hello Kitty's jewelry box.

C.K. loves anything that's bright and sparkly (just like me).  She's just precious!

Tate's Comics, Toys and More?! Neva Hear of 'em

Way back in the day, when i started to get into all of these Japanese nick-nacks I learned early on that it was EXXTREEEMEEELLYYY difficult to find the things i wanted.  I could never find Gloomy Bear, and forget about Tokidoki figurines.

Fast-forward to the present.  I currently live in the oh-so-lovely city of Boca Raton and I have found the answers to all of my problems (insert cheering and applause).  Yes, I said it, and there is no need to thank me.  No more going online to order things and paying a gazillion dollars in shipping.  Tate's has come to the rescue!

Tate's has everything from Pocky to FriendsWithYou figurines.  Located in Lauderhill, it's about 30 minutes from the Boca Raton FAU campus.  NOT TOO SHABBY!!!

  

Inked Up

I have 11 tattoos and have quite a few friends that stick needles in people for a living. According to them, one of the most popular trends in tattoos right now is the use of Japanese symbols and pictures.

The thing about the Japanese inspired tattoos is that each symbol has a meaning and each pictures stands for something.  This makes it super easy for people to personalize the art.

Some of the most popular Japanese tattoos usually involve the use of a dragon, a coy fish or the Kanji symbols.

I'm a big fan of tattoos and any type of self expression.  I was actually thinking of getting a Japanese tattoo soon.  SHHHH, don't tell my mother!!!

Check out this clip from Miami Ink.

         

Best Candy Ever!!!!

One of my favorite things in the world is candy.  There's just something so nostalgic about sucking on a lollipop or taking that first bite into a Wonka Bar.

The last time my dad visited Japan, he brought back a bunch of Japanese candies.  

I love the candy from overseas because they always come in exotic flavors like pineapple and banana.  B-A-N-A-N-A-S (sorry for that random Gwen Stefani outburst).

The best part about the Japanese candy though, is that FYE recently started carrying these candy products along with Pocky.  Who knew?! My personal favorite brands are Kasugai and Meiji.  

  

SO YUMMY!

              

Goin' Green while Stayin Trendy

One of the biggest trends to sweep the world has been that whole Go Green campaign. Basically, the campaign is aimed at environmental awareness in hopes to clean up, or at least maintain, an eco-friendly world.

At the forefront of all this environmental hoopla is, of course, the Japanese.  Honda was the first car company to release the Hybrid.

The Hybrid is an environmentally responsible car that offers an alternative to fuel.

Not only are these cars super good for the environment and totally affordable, but they are super sleek looking.

Honda offers the Hybrid in three different styles:

• Civic
• Civic GX
• FCX Clarity  
  

                 

Jewelry Galore

Tarina Tarantino is not only known for her bright pink hair, but also for her amazing jewelry designs.  Worn by celebrities like songstress Katy Perry and alternative model Audrey Kitching, Tarantino's jewelry is known for her brightness, shimmer and originality.

Recently, Tarantino has teamed up with both Sanrio and Kid Robot to create some totally rad pieces.

The Hello Kitty collection is called The Pink Head Collection which features Ms. Kitty with Tarantino's signature fushia hair.  So super cute.

The Kid Robot pieces feature the use of the Dunny and Munny Japanese toys.  I have three words honey, FAB U and LOUS.

Adorned with Swarovski crystals, you can get bracelets, necklaces, earrings and even tiaras. You can't go wrong.

   

               

It's-a Me-a...Mario!

Making his video game debut in Donkey Kong in 1981, Mario is one of the most recognizable video game characters of all time.  Mario games have sold more than 200 million copies worldwide. DAAYYYUUMMMM that's a lot of copies!

Mario himself is a short, stout Italian man usually seen wearing a red hat, shirt and blue overalls.

As Nintendo's mascot, Mario is said to be the most famous video game character in history.  He was even recognized by Guiness World Records who awarded him "Most Prolific Video Game Character."

Maybe even slightly more popular than the Mario character is his theme music, created by Koji Kondo, a Japanese composer.  The beats and beeps go unrecognized by gamers and non-gamers alike.  

I must say, that as a non-gamer i L-O-V-E this theme song.  It's even set as my text message ringtone!