Monday, October 30, 2006

Cool Engrish (Pt. 4)

Cool Engrish of the Day today comes from yet another brand of Japanese cosmetics: Fasio by Kosé. This time, it's a blush:

"Pure & smooth blush!
Come with brush too!"

(Yes, yes, I will also come with my brush, not to worry!...)

Saturday, October 28, 2006

My Kitties

Last week, Mark and I were involved with my Hello Kitty mascots and netsuke organisation. I came up with different categories depending on their theme, and Mark helped me to count them.

It took some time, since I have a lot. Accounted for so far: 691, spread on 46 categories, such as:

- Kabuki;
- Food and Desserts;
- Pretty Ladies in Kimono;
- Fuji Sama;
- Tokyo Tower;
- Okinawa;
- Nagoya;
- Matsuri (Festivals);
- Summer;
- Autumn;
- Mammals;
- Flowers;
- Seafood & Fish;
- Charmmy Kitty;
- Gothic Lolita;
- Kapa, Tanuki & Kitsune etc etc...

Of course, I made a spreadsheet so I can keep control of how many I have in each category.

I also found out that, if I like a Kitty very much, I tend to buy more than one, eg, the Dumpling Kitty (dressed up as a gyoza), the Moé Kitty (carrying a bunny on her back) and so on... I already gave away lots of duplicates. My Mother loves them too, and we use it on our purses and mobile phones, of course. Even Mark once used a Samurai Kitty on the zipper of his coat! Now, I could sell them maybe on EBay? I think my friends and Mom are already tired of getting Kitties as little presents!

It may look childish, but their design is very good, they are very creative, and are fun to "play" with. I read that in Japan, women of my age tend to be the biggest collectors of Kitty memorabilia, since they are already stable and can afford this kind of stuff. I believe that.

On the left, you can see another favorite of mine, the Hydrangea Kitty...

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Cute kittens!

I found this very cute video on Youtube yesterday and just needed to share. It is unbearably lovely. And the voices are also very good. And more, it makes me want to have a cat myself... Aaaahhhhhh...

The kitties are newborn and exploring their environment for the 1st time:

Saturday, October 21, 2006

Cool Engrish (Pt. 3)

Now, our Cool Engrish of the Day. This time it is a much coveted makeup item, from wonderful Shiseido Maquillage. And by that I simply mean the name of the product, which sounds absurdly kinky.

It is a foundation and, as far as I know, the 1st gel foundation formula ever. An innovation as Shiseido always do. The name? ... Ehrm... The name is... Climax Moisture Gel Foundation. But there is also a Climax Moisture Powdery. I don't know, I don't know... It sounds like any thing, except like something you put on your face, no? As I said, kinky stuff. Or maybe it's just me with a slightly twisted mind!

I don't know how do they come up with the ideas for some names, really. It's a multinational, althoug this product is specifically marketed for Asia (not Europe or US)... If I bought it already? No, I did not. And not because of the name though, but because I think I have enough foundation at the moment, that's it. I would buy it hough, if it wasn't for that, since I love their products - especially the Asia exclusives.

The packing, as you can see in the pic, is gorgeous - as one can only expect from Shiseido.

Monday, October 16, 2006

Cool Engrish (Pt. 2)

Ta-daaaaaa!!!! Cool Engrish of the Day today was taken from a mini Hello Kitty puzzle from Sanrio. Again, super-kawaii, and it says:

"My Bear's
so smile-ish
when he
dresses
up
stylish"

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Test Blog...

This is Mark, Andrea's husband (she calls me everything except "Mark" and "husband" though). Anyway, ignore this post! This is merely a technical test. I'm setting up w.Blogger to try and get around Blogger image problems. And now for a test image:

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Cool Engrish (Pt.1)

I love Engrish! I think the way it's written is super-cool and kawaii. May not be "correct", but who cares? The important thing is to be understood, right? And Engrish is a pretty flexible way of communicating!

The Engrish of the Day comes from my Cosme Decorte Pure Grace eyeshadow set. Follows the scan of the box, and the text underneath - since it's quite impossible to read from the scanned picture, metallic purple over silver and beige!

"The only alternative
that ensures splendidness
to your impression"

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Gaultier 2

We've been shopping today. I was looking for the new Jean-Paul Gaultier scent, Gaultier 2, since Mark brought me a sample this week from Newcastle's duty free. He used it some days ago, and it was perfect on him, however he claims it's much too sweet for his tastes. I used the other half and simply loved it. Reminds me a lot of Joop women, lauched years and years ago (something around 1987, maybe?).

I must say Gaultier 2 is a toned-down version of Joop though. While this one may be classified as an oriental, woody scent, and quite characteristic of the "strength" and power of the 80's perfumery, G2 is what we call nowadays a "skin scent": something warmer, subtler, much less blatant, but still making use of the same distinctive notes - amber, musk and vanilla - kind of a "sacred triad" for the genre.

Let's say that where Joop proclaims and asserts, G2 whispers and gently seduces. A calm, relaxing, self-reassuring fragrance.

I loved it and thought it would be perfect for Autumn: warmly comfortable, a real feel-good scent. I bought a 40ml bottle, since I still have too much perfume to go through these days.

When Gaultier created it, he had it in mind a couple, the encounter of two people, to be used by both - male/female, male/male, female/female (any kind of couple). An androgynous composition, really, and one can in fact perceive that: impossible to categorise it as a "man's" or "woman's". Just the way it should be, and has been intended. Genderless.

Sometimes a lipstick is just a lipstick...

In November's Voce, I got a Shu Uemura booklet with their new lipstick: Rouge Unlimited. As usual, the super-cool minimalist packaging so characteristic of the Shu Uemura line. I love the simple shapes and astonishing colors - and the quality of course. Their eyeshadows and lippies are the best!

Here it is, for your sheer delight...

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Pure Beauty: Shiina Ringo



From Tokyo Jihen's DVD "Just Can't Help It". Wonderful song, beautiful mise-em-scène. Shiina Ringo is a gem of a singer. This DVD is worth getting. I got mine from CDJapan - as usual!

Yukiguni

Nure yuki ya Odawara de waraeba yokarou
Minami wa mou kobore ume

"Kitai nado shite imasen."
Ima mo hodoita te no naka nani mo nai mama

Onna ga nakeba otoko wa nigeru
torikaesu you na busui wa shinai koto sa

"Oboete wa inai deshou." Ano hi tsunaida te no naka saita yakusoku

Onna ga mateba otoko wa damaru
Tokedashita nara isoide hora
Wasurete shimae
Otoko wa korosu no sa
Hayaku tate
Kogoete shimawanai you ni

Monday, October 02, 2006

More Keroro Gunso

I tried to order the ending song for Keroro's episodes 52-78 on Yes Asia, but unfortunately, the CD is out of stock. I could not find it in CDJapan either.
That would be "Katte ni Shinryakusha" by Naoya Ogawa and Mayuko Iwasa. Here is the cover of the CD, which is actually a single:
No problem, it's in my wish list nonetheless. And here it the clip for the ending theme, taken from the anime series. It's very catchy!

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Another Clip: Weapon of Choice

This weekend, I am kind of obsessed with cool musical clips. Fat Boy Slim's "Weapon of Choice" with gawjus Christopher Walken ( to think that he is 62 now, huh?) is just amazing, a classic. That man is a great dancer - although mostly renowned by being a great actor. Irresistible...

Ok go



This is an amazing clip. Mark showed it to me on MTV this morning and I just love it. These guys are really skillfull, and look like really cute geeks, he he! I am glad I found it on Youtube!