Avast, me hearties! A million apologies for yesterday’s technical difficulties. (My server ran aground… but we’re back to smooth sailing now.)

Are you ready to watch the first of several Dutch Pepsi TV episodes? Keep scrolling down — the video is in this post!

As you know, I wrote a book about Tokyo’s Crazy, Wacky Theme Restaurants. So I took the Netherlands TV crew to the Alice in Wonderland cafe, where we were served by cute Alice waitresses. The cute food included tuna/avocado caterpillar sushi, eggplant/salmon Cheshire Cat pizza, and a cereal/fruit sundae.

In Wonderland, the menus take the form of pop-up books. Ilya turned the puff pastry cat into a Scottish Fold, in Basil Farrow’s honor.

After, we met up with the rest of the Addams Family at Pasela Karaoke (the parlor famous for the big toast dessert — remember this blog post?) When singing is involved, things turn scary. As you’ll see in the video, Mistress Maya freaked even US out!

We celebrated my birthday with wine and one of Pasela’s bizarre concoctions. Yes, it’s a loaf of white bread with cream, fruit, flowers, and zig-zag Pikachu tails sticking out of it. The Dutch TV crew kindly brought me gifts from Amsterdam (including a Miffy t-shirt!) and we all had a goofy time singing together.

The TV crew went back to their hotel, but the nightcrawling never ends for us creatures of the night. Absinthe was calling our name, so we went to Bar PSY in Kabuki-cho for a fix. (What am I wearing? My outfit details can be found in this post.)

Ready to see a moving picture of the first Pepsi adventure? Come watch the video above or here on YouTube. (Please subscribe so you won’t miss out on the next episodes.)

What do you think — did Pepsi do a good job of capturing our flamboyant, Gothic scene? Wouldn’t you like to join in on the fun?

Japanese Word of the Day: Otona = Adult
Song of the Day: Alanis Morissette – You Oughta Know. Why? If you check out the video, you’ll know — and LOL.

Remember when Kenzo-A and I were spotlighted in a CNN International / CNNGo TV show? The camera crew also filmed his Rituals fashion show, a Gothic affair that involved DJ SiSEN and fetish pole dancers. Want to see? Keep scrolling…

The Rituals fashion show was part of a Tokyo Gothic all-night party at Warehouse 702 in Roppongi. Although Kenzo-A was busy with runway preparations, he found time to goof off with his friends in attendance. Hiderock designer Yokota Hideki (right) examines his friend’s latest designs.

Japanese spooks come out at night. I wonder, why are so many scary people Leos with birthdays in August? La Carmina, Kenzo-A, Yukiro Dravarious, Count de Sang, Lady Raisu…

My incompetent minion, Kanae, was among Kenzo-A’s models. The show also featured PureOne Corset Works (I’ll be interviewing the designer in an upcoming post).

Hello, cute Japanese Goth girls.

V-fingers and all-black contact lenses.

When the clock struck midnight, Kenzo-A’s fashion show began… with two sexy Goth/fetish pole dancers! Miyu (from Royal Cabaret) and ALK (from Tokyo Dolores) mesmerized us with their spins and acrobatics. I want the leather boots.

A model marched on the runway with the Rituals by KENZO-A flag spread between his arms. Followed by a procession of familiar faces from the Japanese underground — including DJ SiSen.

Undead Lolita, tattered skirts, deconstructed jackets, military fetish. How would you describe Kenzo-A’s latest collection?

The fashion show was great fun — a real family affair! CNN axed the footage due to space constraints, but…

… you can watch the entire experience above, in the video by Telemak Films.

Which Rituals ensemble would you most like to wear? Find Kenzo-A’s Gothic designs in various Tokyo locations (including Kera Shop Arena) or buy from his web store.

PS – Stranded overnight? No problem. In my new CNNGo article, I outline 13 ways to have fun when you missed the last train. Read and share!

Japanese Word of the Day: Mahou no chikara = Magic powers
Song of the Day: Numbed Again / KENZO-A (from Gabriel’s Stiletto) – the song featured in the above video.

We can all use some more cuteness in our lives… so here’s a new Scottish Fold cat video, starring Basil Farrow!

The footage includes my kitten sprawling out on his catio, his private enclosed outdoor balcony. See the biscuit-headed cat pounce on the carpet, sit on a laptop, and wag his tail as he’s being squished. His feet are too short and sideways for him to fold them under his body, so this is the best he can do (above)…

There’s more on the way, so we invite you to subscribe to my YouTube channel. Yukiro and I have evil plans for shooting a video in Tokyo next week… you don’t want to miss it!

Yes, I’m obsessed with my Scottish Fold, but you would be too if you had this teddy bear baby in your house… Come awww at more photos on Basil Farrow’s blog and Facebook.

Does your cat chase after moths or sit on your computer? Don’t forget to enter to win a t-shirt with Basil’s round face on it!

Japanese Word of the Day: Nioi = Smell
Song of the Day: Savage – Goodbye (I knew something was missing from my life in the past month or so… I haven’t been Italo Disco-ing!)

Time to spill the beans on my latest TV gig. (So excited, just can’t hide it!) Dutch Pepsi contacted me to be part of their “pick a new address” campaign. The host, Bo Jeuken, is travelling to Tokyo and I’ll be whisking her away on a Jpop adventure with my spooky friends. The cameras will follow us around as we try on Goth/Lolita/Punk clothes, belt out karaoke songs, dine at eccentric theme restaurants and nightcrawl til dawn… (Just a day in the life!) Pepsi Netherlands will make the episodes available online, so don’t worry — you won’t miss any of the fun.

You may see us soon on Jingu Bridge, the famous Harajuku hangout for cosplayers…

Dress: Carina e Arlequin, from Closet Child
Leather jacket: Bensoni
Purse: an old Hugo Boss, spiffed up with a Club Marz sticker and Takoyaki-chan
Lolita knee highs: Spider
Shoes: Leche by Yosuke, from Marui One Shinjuku

Professor Fearstone (head of Horror High School) took time off from terrifying youngsters to spend an afternoon with me in Harajuku.

Every Harajuku trip must include a stop at Kiddyland, the gimongous toy store. You’ll find plush toys and merchandise for every cute character in existence, including Miffy, Totoro, Snoopy and Moomin. A whole floor is devoted to Hello Kitty and her Sanrio posse. I got my cat, Basil Farrow, a “magical octopus” that’s supposed to twirl and swim in a water bottle. Instead, it sank and did nothing…

We stopped for red wine at Cafe de Pou. Not a toilet-themed restaurant, but a quaint European-style eatery. Professor Fearstone did a glorious sketch of yours truly with Sailor Moon hair. You can see more of his drawings here.

We kissed the stuffed pig mascot goodbye, and mingled with the Harajuku Goth teens…

Then we filmed scenes in Ebisu for the next edition of Horror High School, the comedy-meets-horror series set in a Japanese classroom. It’ll be released soon… meaning you’ll have a lot of spooky Japan videos to watch in the next month!

Are you excited for the Dutch Pepsi episodes? What type of wild Tokyo activities would you like to see us do?

Japanese Word of the Day: Seikatsu = Life, existence
Song of the Day: Cat Stevens – If You Want To Sing Out (I LOVE the film Harold and Maude. “What gives you a sense of satisfaction?” “Attending funerals.”)

A new day, a new video for you! As you may know, I wrote a book about Crazy, Wacky Theme Restaurants in Tokyo — meaning I’ve been to many strange theme cafes in Japan. In my latest video, I take you inside a Japanese cat cafe and Kagaya, the weirdest and wildest pub in the world.

Why do Cotton Bale and I look so odd? (You may remember my frien-emy from the Cupcake Duel.) We shot a video where we gave each other makeovers, but it didn’t really turn out… so all you get are these funny images and footage of us in the cat cafe!

Kagaya in Shimbashi is impossible to describe… the owner, Mark, turns the basic tasks of running a pub into a scandalous performance piece. He dresses up like a frog, serves shaky “joke” drinks and makes you sing for your supper. Is it genius? Is it madness? Watch and decide!

Then, Southern Belle La Carmina and Goth Cotton Bale visit Shinjuku’s Calico Cat Cafe. Many Japanese cannot keep pets, so they visit these theme cafes, where you can pet dozens of cute kitties and drink a paw-print latte.

Please check out the video above, and subscribe to my channel for more theme restaurant videos to come… including the Gundam (robot) cafe in Akihabara and a cross-dressing “dansou” cafe!

For address, full-color photos and hilarious stories about Tokyo’s craziest theme restaurants, I invite you to learn more about my book, Crazy, Wacky Theme Restaurants: Tokyo. Thank you so much for your support — I can’t keep doing what I do without you!

Have you been to a Japanese cat cafe before? If you need a Scottish Fold kawaii fix, head over to Basil Farrow’s blog…

Japanese Word of the Day: Batsu = Attack, punishment, incorrect
Song of the Day: Kagrra – Omou

Everyone who reads this blog knows I’m a huge Travel Channel fan. I consider it the privilege of a lifetime to have been on Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre Foods TV show in Tokyo. Last April, I nearly fainted when Samantha Brown’s producers contacted me about being her guide for the Japan episode. It would have been another dream come true; unfortunately, the timing didn’t work out…

But what really started my Travel Channel love affair was Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations. My “spooky crew” and I are such fans of his show that we re-created his Tokyo episode… Goth style. (If you missed this funny post, you can see it here.)

This August, Bourdain celebrates 100 episodes of his food and travel show, No Reservations. To celebrate, Travel Channel asked viewers to send video messages for Tony (some will be shown on TV!). You can see mine above and on YouTube. If I say please, will you take a minute to watch and comment? Pretty please?

Allo, allo, Tokyo Telephone is calling! The wonderfully designed blog about chic Japanese fashion interviewed me about my style inspirations, subcultures and plans for the future. You can also read the entire text by clicking the title of this post.

“I’m all for inclusiveness. The Japan Goth/alternative underground remains a tiny family; the designers and artists can always use more support. I hope the increased awareness will help Japanese subcultures stay strong and keep breaking new ground.”

Now, for something to put a smile on your face… my Scottish Fold cat, Basil Farrow, in the washing machine. We know he loves to be clean, but this is getting ridiculous.

My kitty found the metal interior cozy enough for napping. Better not turn on the machine — or we’d have a soaked teddy bear.

I hope you enjoy my video for Anthony Bourdain’s hundredth TV episode. Do you think Tony’s next stop should be Hokkaido, to eat scrumptious Japanese food with La Carmina? Please comment on the video if your answer is YES!

Sad news, my friends… the iconic Takuya Angel shop in Harajuku will be closing soon.

Wait, don’t start bawling! Takuya Angel will no longer have a boutique by Takeshita Doori, but you can still buy his cute cyber designs via his online shop.

Takuya Angel can now concentrate on designing and selling internationally. My friends Kynt and Vyxsin modeled in his US fashion show, so they asked us to deliver a gift: a decorated a Lip Service calendar.

It’s sad, however, that we can no longer stop by the Takuya Angel shop to say hi. I’ll miss seeing the latest designs up close, such as this gorgeous silk crane jacket, made from vintage kimono fabric.

The neon decor and friendly staff always put a smile on my face. And the eyelashes are out of this world.

Yukiro modeled in Takuya’s fashion shows alongside DJ Chihiro, SiSEN and others. He says, “It’s been an honor to work with him, and I’m very sad that the store is closing down.”

If you’re in Tokyo, stop by the iconic Takuya Angel Harajuku store before it’s gone forever.

Smile, my little panda bears… you can continue to buy Takuya Angel’s designs online, so please support him!

I leave you with a video of Takuya Angel Fashion Show #18 at Tokyo Dark Castle here. Can you spot Yukiro among the models?

Have you ever visited Takuya Angel’s store? Got any fond memories of the boutique?

Japanese Word of the Day: Tsume yasuri = Nail file
Song of the Day: Françoise Hardy – Comment Te Dire Adieu (the song in the video of the last Takuya Angel fashion show)

My dark ones, I’m very excited to announce my latest travel hosting job! Andrew Zimmern (Bizarre Foods host) introduced me to Project Explorer, an educational nonprofit travel series for young people. The mission: to provide students with access to multimedia resources that foster cross-cultural understanding. Project Explorer has put the spotlight on four countries to date — and I’ll be hosting the next travel series in Asia.

(The fanart above is by the ultra-talented Erika Relyea, age 13 — my cat’s happy smile is spot on! If you’d like to showcase your Carmina / Basil art here, send me an email.)

I’m so excited to be part of a project that fosters causes dear to me. On Project Explorer’s Good Global Citizen website, anyone can upload videos to share ideas on global citizenship. Anthony Bourdain, Andrew Zimmern and I participated; you can see my video above and here.

How travel has changed your global perspective? What does it mean to YOU to be a Good Global Citizen? Submit your own video response at http://www.goodglobalcitizen.ning.com

No need for circle contact lenses or eyelid surgery to achieve the big-eyed effect — dramatic fake eyelashes will do the trick. As for your lips: say no to collagen, and yes to sparkly pink lip gloss. My shirt with the cute ghost print is by Peace Now, from Closet Child Ikebukuro.

Now, I’m wondering if you can help us out with something… Might you have any contacts with the tourism boards of Japan, Korea or Taiwan? Project Explorer would like to speak to a representative to collaborate on the travel series. Please let me know if you have any tourism board contacts or can help out in any way.

Do you remember when CSN Stores sent my Scottish Fold a fancy cat lounger? Wahh, another package has arrived for the little prince!

My round-head kitty sniffed the big box. What could be inside? CSN has online stores for lights, health and fitness, office supplies… Or could it be another pampered pet product? (And how cute are Basil’s sideways-feet?)

Basil Farrow is giving me an angry face; I guess I’d better open up the box. Keep checking this blog to see what he received!

What’s your favorite travel TV show? I’m a fan of Andrew Zimmern and Anthony Bourdain, but I’ll watch any program that involves travel. Please let me know if you have contacts with Asian tourism organizations; thank you in advance!

Japanese Word of the Day: Chikyu zentai no = Global
Song of the Day: ohGr – cracker

Japanese teenagers wearing “I ♥ Satan” t-shirts? V-fingers for the Devil? This ain’t no gathering for devil-worshippers, but at a Darkest Labyrinth Visual Kei concert headlined by SaTaN. (Or as they pronounce it, Sah-tah-nu.) GPKISM, Calmando Qual, LIX and Omega Dripp also performed, and I documented everything on video — so scroll on down for the story.

SaTaN has devoted following that showed up in band t-shirts and head-whirled like windmills. Ironically, instead of blood-dripping black roses, a fan left the band pretty pastel flowers and balloons.

Meguro Rockmaykan in Tokyo is a tiny venue; we could hardly squeeze past the merchandise tables. Wish you could get your hands on these CDs? HearJapan now stocks MP3s and releases from Darkest Labyrinth and Starwave Records! Come get your J-Goth-Rock fix from their online store.

Visual Kei is a small scene in Japan, as you can tell from the size and dumpiness of this venue. 90% of the concert-goers were — as usual — teenage girls. Not many were dressed up; the cosplayers and Lolitas really only come out for Gackt, Moi dix Mois and Versailles…

However, there were some cute Gothic Lolitas and a glorious Versailles poster. To see photos of our outfits that evening, click here.

Ok, shall we watch ze video? La Carmina and Yukiro wear scandalous clothing and run into walls as they report on the Darkest Labyrinth concert. (What drugs were we on that night?) The live concert footage includes GPKISM (Gothic Prince Ken and Kiwamu), Calmando Qual, LIX and the bloody SaTaN dressed as Alice in Wonderland. Hooray for horror J-rock!

We missed Omega Dripp but arrived in time for LIX. The band was pure raw energy, smashing into equipment and flailing their guitars around like a Japanese Nirvana. Calmando Qual (above) wore spooky carnival clothes and performed adequate Visual Kei songs. Nothing spectacular, unlike…

GPKISM, who swept us away to a haunted, romantic world. Gothic Prince Ken wore a princess Lolita dress and crown, and his voice resonated over Kiwamu’s electronic programming and guitars. What an experience: the concert footage speaks for itself. We went backstage to say hello afterwards, but GPK was a sleeping beauty… so we let him stay in dreamland!

We watched about 40 minutes of the animated Alice in Wonderland movie, which was broadcast over the curtains. Then SaTaN laughing spread his wings… and what an art performance! The spooky rock band dressed as an undead Alice, Black Rabbit and Mad Hatter. They waltzed. Spat blood. Tortured a baby doll. Put us through aerobic para-para moves. At the end, everyone was exhausted but dying for more.

Words can’t describe the experience, so please come view live footage from the spooky show! If you liked it, I invite you to subscribe to my channel.

Which was your favorite band in the video? Did you laugh at our silly antics? Yukiro’s short dress was red-hot…

Japanese Word of the Day: Mikan = Tangerine
Song of the Day: Marvel at GPK’s performance in the concert video.

I often receive the question: where does the name La Carmina come from? Voila the tale of my name’s blood and glitter-splattered origins. (Photo by Kousuke at Midnight Mess. My biceps are straining under the elephantine weight of my incompetent minion, Kanae.)

The name “La Carmina” was bestowed upon me in 2007 by Basil Farrow’s father. It’s a spin on La Camilla, the lead singer of Italo Disco Swedish glam camp band, Army of Lovers. When you watch the disco-Rococo Crucified music video, you’ll see why the name fits.

But there are other “La Ca___” in history, and they tend to be decadent diva types. You probably know of La Carlotta, the prima donna in Phantom of the Opera. She storms around the opera house in tiered dresses and too-tight corsets, shattering eardrums and slapping her minions with a giant feathered fan.

And then there’s La Casati (Marchesa Casati Stampa di Soncino), whose morbid eccentricity and spend-thrift ways scandalized Europe in the late 19th and early 20th century.

The Italian heiress lived in a Gothic Art Deco manor where peacocks and monkeys roamed freely. She threw opulent soirees that would put Queen’s Freddy Mercury to shame. Once, La Casati wore a dress of white feathers, streaked with fresh blood – yes! Another time, she draped live snakes around her neck and led two cheetahs on a leash, while being waited upon by male slaves wearing nothing but gold leaf – double yes!

Erte, Jean Cocteau, Picasso and Man Ray called the dark lady their muse. But she frittered away her inheritance and ended up living as a crazy bag lady in London. Rumor has it that La Casati would rummage through garbage bins to find feathers for her hair, and scraps of fabric for her moth-eaten coats.

I leave you with two quotes from Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary (HIGHLY recommended): “Lives full of drama, masked balls, orgiastic revels…” / “In the city, with the noises of the streets, the hum of the theaters, and the bright lights of the balls, they were leading lives where the heart had space to expand, the senses to blossom.“

Huge hug for 13-year-old Caitlyn Banfield, who sent me these adorable drawings. My Scottish Fold cat is dressed as a ghost and says “Wahh, mama is so kawaii!” I’m happy to feature your artwork / fanart on my site; just send me an email. I try to reply to as many comments as I can, so don’t be scared to leave one.

Finally, I compiled a reel of my travel TV hosting work, which you can see above and on YouTube. It includes CNN, Travel Channel Bizarre Foods, NHK, Today Show. I have more TV / hosting gigs in the works — very excited! If you’d like me to work with me in any capacity, shoot me an email.

Do you have a nickname? If so, how did the name affix itself to you?

Japanese Word of the Day: Ryoko = Travel
Song of the Day: I can’t stop listening to this New Beat / Industrial / EBM music stream. SO good, especially halfway through when the song goes “Lix! Erandeauch! Lungband!” You can hear more at Endurance club night, every second Saturday at London’s Club Alibi (more info here.)