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.

The best place in the world to take outfit photos is in Harajuku, Tokyo, Japan. Here’s what I wore on the Dutch Pepsi TV shoot (I’ll post the video of the first episode in the next post!)

Hair accessories: I’m wearing my new (secondhand) Alice and the Pirates hat, from Closet Child Shinjuku. I added a gold chain to the side, a clip-on off-white flower from a fabric store sale, and a gifted Cutie Dynamite gold hair clip.
Makeup: Nothing too extreme. Black eyeliner, false eyelashes and gem stickers from Daiso, and a light pink Japanese lipstick with gloss.
Oversized pink heart ring: Studio Alta, Ikebukuro.

Lolita dress with cherry print and sailor collar: Baby, the Stars Shine Bright. From Closet Child.
Hole-y white tights: gifted from We Love Colors.
Goth coffin-shaped crucifix backpack: h.NAOTO, from Closet Child Ikebukuro
Crucifix Mary Jane platform shoes: h.NAOTO, from Closet Child Shinjuku. My latest purchase. Only 3000 yen ($30!)

I met the Netherlands TV host, Bo Jeuken, in front of Harajuku Station. We walked down Takeshita Doori; she interviewed me about my work and the various Japanese street style tribes. In front of Laforet department store, we stopped to take a photo with these kodomotachi.

It was the TV crew’s very first time in Japan. My friends and I were their guides to the spooky and electrifying underground culture here. Nightcrawling, Goth/fetish parties, weird theme restaurants… let’s go!

Cameraman Nick is stunned at the eclectic selection of goods at Don Quixote Shinjuku. Bo is a great sport, and dove into every activity we put in front of her. (And you’ll soon see how we brought out the torture equipment…)

In addition to on-camera TV hosting, I also do “fixing” (local production coordinating in Japan) with my team of pirates. We schedule appointments, translate and use our connections to bring television crews into our world. For example, you can’t just waltz into a Tokyo game center with a video camera; we need to fill out forms and navigate the company’s bureaucracy to get filming permissions.

Many restaurants and shops are leery of having cameras come in (since that might disturb customers). And they often demand hefty shooting fees. But the Sega gaming center folk are fantastic. They not only let us shoot the Shibuya branch, but also play video games and take purikura (sticker booth photos) for free!

We did a variety of activities for the cameras, including a drumming game battle. Are you excited to see our series of web episodes for Pepsi? I’ll embed the first one in the next blog post, so check back! (Also coming up… photos from the Australian TV shoot, including the h.NAOTO Goth fashion show.)

What do y’arr think of my pirate gear? Tighter than a knot in Blackbeard’s facial hair, or t’Davy Jones with it?

Japanese Word of the Day: Tsukarete imasu = Tired… cause I am, after 3 days straight of TV shoots…
Song of the Day: Velvet Underground – Venus in Furs (I am tired, I am weary. I could sleep for a thousand years).

Exciting news — I’ll be hosting and fixing (scheduling) another TV show in Tokyo! This time, I’m working with two ebullient young Australians, both named Tim. They’re the creators of a new travel show with Sony Australia and Elsewhere Productions. I can’t wait to take them to my favorite Gothic / bizarre places in Japan — and I’ll be sure to put up clips for you to see. The other TV shoot, with Dutch Pepsi, is going insanely well… I’ll have photos and videos on this blog in a week or so!

There are a few new stores in the basement of Laforet Harajuku. Monomania has a light, upscale-casual collection. The cute animal prints and pastels are a bit reminiscent of Fairy Kei. (Search for “fairy kei” in the box on the sidebar, to see photos.)

Monomania isn’t really my style — not sufficiently alternative-flamboyant — but I think the concept is well-conceived.

However, I am very fond of the new accessories and jewelry shop at the foot of the staircase. (I can’t recall the name…) You’ll find handmade, indie accessories here, including Kyoya Teddy Monster. Eyeballs and bloody teddy bears have never looked so enticing!

Everywhere you turn, there’s J-rock and Visual Kei inspiration… heaven in a department store. Coming up: Sweet Lolita brand boutiques in Laforet. For a full Gothic Lolita Punk shopping guide to Tokyo, please visit my shopping guide.

Bonus photo: Yukiro and I are obsessed with eating kabocha (Japanese pumpkin) pizza. Asia is known for strange pizza toppings, and pumpkin slices are no exception. But trust us — it’s scrumptious. Best of all, each wedge is only 200 yen ($2). It WAS being sold in the Sunpierrot bakery, located to the right when you enter Shinjuku Station east exit… but the pizza has now been discontinued. Sad face. (Is life worth living any more?)

Reader Angela and her friends created a school publication, A|WARE Magazine, and featured me in their article about blogging. (Thank you for the mention!) Their insight about blogging as self-reflection is well put: “Blogging forces an individual to face his or her feelings and sort them out. Being able to look back at previous posts is also very valuable — to reflect upon what has changed, what has stayed the same; to feel regret, happiness, nostalgia; and to put things into perspective.” (You can see the entire magazine here.)

Thank you also to Black-Mana (left) and RunawayCosplay (right) for the pretty drawings! I love seeing your La Carmina / Basil artwork; send me an email and I’m happy to feature your work on my blog.

PS: Drool or vomit over my new CNNGo article: Asia’s 10 most dangerously decadent desserts.

PPS: Don’t forget to enter my Dir en Grey contest: you can win one of FIVE PAIRS of tickets to the Club Nokia Los Angeles show, on Sept 8. Contest ends TOMORROW so hurry here (and tell all your LA friends!).

Japanese Word of the Day: Dousa = Action, movement
Song of the Day: Suzy Q – Computer Music (Oh 1985…)

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.”)

While in town for the D’espairsRay concert (report coming up!), Rose and I decided to check out Seattle’s Goth club scene. Oh boy. Club Mercury ended up being the single worst Gothic party we’d ever encountered… Read on to find out what happened.

Hair: Rose put her hair in Sailor Moon buns, wrapped in fishnets and topped with bows — adorable!
Makeup: She picked up some of the feathers that fell from my black boa and turned them into eyelashes.
Jacket: Sex Pot Revenge.
Fox purse: She made it herself, like the mouse headband. If you’re interested in commissioning taxidermy accessories from Rose, check out her website.

Black bonnet: Innocent World, from Osaka (see store photos)
White jacket: h.NAOTO, from Closet Child
Dress: Metamorphose temps de Fille, from Closet Child
Tights: Vivienne Westwood, from Marui Shinjuku
Rocking horse shoes: from Refuse to be Usual, an eBay store
Bead and lace wrist cuffs: a DIY project

I heard Club Noc Noc, located near Pike Place Market, plays excellent Goth / darkwave music. The interior was sufficiently devilish, with leather seats and a red glow. But the music… 1980s Madonna? And the crowd… zebra jumpsuits and prom dresses? Apparently, we’d mixed up the date and stumbled into 80s night. On Wednesdays (Requiem) and Sundays (Resurrection), the Gothic and industrial DJs take over. Next time, we’ll show up on the right day of the week.

We cabbed to Club Mercury at Machinewerks, a “private club” with Gothic/Industrial and electronic music DJs. (To enter, an existing member can sign you in, or you can contact them to request entry.) Since we didn’t know we were coming until the last minute, we figured we could speak to the promoter when we arrived. Ha. The door people were unbelievably condescending; they cut us off as we explained, and wouldn’t even look us in the eye. Forget it: we were out of there. No big loss; we didn’t even hear good music playing, and the clubgoers outside were dismally dressed. Four thumbs down and two gruesome faces for Seattle’s Club Mercury. Don’t go here. It was more hellish than Club Hell!

PS: We didn’t expect to get into a “private club” — we expected to be treated like human beings. It would have been fine if they heard our case and nicely told us no. That wasn’t what happened.

A quick press round-up… Fan To Pro, a blog about turning your J-pop/otaku interests into a career, asked me six questions about my work. Exclusively Gothic Lifestyle (EGL) magazine also interviewed me; you can read the article here and after the jump.

PS: got some INCREDIBLE news today, involving TV and travel and Tokyo… and it’s for a major company. I’ll tell you ASAP, as well as show you photos of my new haircut and dye!

What’s the worst clubbing experience you’ve ever had?

Japanese Word of the Day: Ganko na = Stubborn
Song of the Day: Due le Quartz – Replica

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!

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.)

I’ve been a busy bee! “The wheels are in motion,” as Seinfeld would say. Why don’t we catch up on press and talk about the controversy over novelty “circle contact lenses”? Let’s do it!

I can’t say enough nice words about Andrew Zimmern, host of the Bizarre Foods TV show on Travel Channel / Discovery. You may recall that I was his guide to weird theme restaurants in the Tokyo episode. I was amazed to see that in his Chow and Again blog for Mpls St. Paul Magazine, Andrew Zimmern gives me a shout-out: “My friend Carmina (her friends get to drop the La when addressing her royal hipsterness) pimps us out on her blog and if you don’t subscribe to this woman’s Facebook, blog, and Twitter feeds you are really missing out, kids.”

And then he takes the niceness even further in his Travel Channel blog! Andrew discusses the Tokyo episode and says it’s too bad the show changed its focus from strange subcultures — “exotic alternative lifestyles like La Carmina and her posse” — back to bizarre foods. As a result, the episode had to be re-tooled a lot of our footage was cut.

Andrew Zimmern laments: “I wish you could have seen the original program in all its glory. For example, the theme restaurant act was not originally about the restaurants, it was about the people that I dined with. Cross dressing, fetish party going, club crazy, hipster chic and phenomenally great company, La Carmina and her friends adore Tokyo because it’s the world’s trend setting capital, a city where you can be whatever you want.”

Speaking of eccentric fashion and theme restaurants… I did an interview with Hong Kong food website Asian Palate. I talk about how I became a foodie, and the oddest Tokyo theme restaurants such as “bonsai-shaped cake delivered by ninjas.” You can read the full interview here and after the jump. (And there’s more about my Theme Restaurants book on this page.)

I uploaded a recent TV segment on YouTube: “La Carmina interviews Rituals Gothic designer Kenzo-A about the evolution of Harajuku fashion for CNN. They shop along Takeshita Doori and visit Takuya Angel’s store to try on clothes. This segment appeared on the Tokyo episode of CNNGo TV and aired on CNN International.”

If you like the episode and want to see more, please subscribe to my YouTube channel – many more on the way. You can see photos and the entire CNN TV show in this post.

Now for some controversy… or not. Are novelty “circle” contact lenses from Japan — which give the appearance of big cute eyes — dangerous to consumers? The FDA has not approved them because of concerns that the lenses could harm the eyes.

Some of you on Twitter said it’s nothing but media hype. Others shared stories of eye damage from colored lenses. And the rest of you suggest common caution: as with normal contacts, don’t wear them for long and care for them properly.

What’s your opinion on “circle” wide eyed contact lenses like Geo? Have you tried them? I personally have never worn novelty lenses because my eyesight is horrid and I must be very careful with my eyes…

Japanese Word of the Day: Kanzen = Perfection
Song of the Day: GO!GO!7188 – Kinkyori Renai (The band that performs the song in our CNN segment.)

Kaya-sama… as a man? You better believe it! A new Tokyo Visual Kei concert video, for your consideration…

La Carmina and Yukiro report on Kaya’s live performance with his band Kaleidoscope at Ikebukuro Black Hole (with LIX, Keith and Thomas). See the Jrock performer’s Elegant Gothic Aristocrat “manly look” and hear new songs including “Night Circus.” Although there were only five songs, Kaya impressed us with his strong voice and jazz-influenced direction. No wonder he likens his songwriting to a many-colored rainbow.

We hope you enjoy the concert footage and review. You can see more photos of our makeup and outfits here. Please subscribe to my YouTube channel so you won’t miss the GPKISM and SaTaN videos coming up!

I’m devilishly delighted to be writing a monthly column called Global Gothic for Lip Service Webzine! My aim is to shine the spotlight on dark, alternative fashion in various parts of the world — starting with Osaka. You can read the first installment here. Let me know what you think.

Do you like Kaya’s “manly look” and new songs?

Japanese Word of the Day: Pari pari shita = Crunchy
Song of the Day: Kaya singing and charming us at his Ikebukuro concert.

I have a question for you… how do you build your outfits? I don’t usually plan everything out in advance; inspiration often hits at the last moment, such as my KISS makeup for the Osaka Black Veil ball. In Fruits magazine, the Japanese are asked what is their outfit’s “point of fashion” (meaning the overall theme or main focal point of the ensemble). I suppose I’d describe this ensemble as Gothic Aristocrat meets Japanese Schoolgirl.

Victorian girl top: gifted from Akina by Lang Leav. Check out her adorable new hand-bound book, Charlie’s Widow.
Skirt: Algonquins, from the store across from Marui One Shinjuku.
Knee high stockings: gifted from We Love Colors. These sheer knee socks come in 51 colors! I chose pale green and pale blue, for a subtle mis-match.
Silver Mary Janes: Yosuke, from EST in Osaka.

Long, sheer black coat with corset lacing: Ozz Croce, from Closet Child Shinjuku. Love the scoop back with the ruffled bottom.
Hair accessory: gifted from Cutie Dynamite (check out her gorgeous handmade hair decorations).
Eye makeup: Purples and browns from the new Aromaleigh collection, “Victoria’s Revenge.” I put false eyelashes in the outer corners of my eyes.
Lips: Lined with a purple eye pencil and filled with Aromaleigh lip creme “Sweet Tart.”

Funny story… when I met my friend for dinner, she looked at me oddly. “Did you do something new to your look?” I reflected. “No, my hair is the same from when I last saw you.” As we ate, my friend kept stealing glances at me. Finally, she stammered: “Did you… draw a MOLE on your face?” I ROTFMAO-ed so hard!

I’m preferring gold over silver these days — it matches my hair better. I like how my hair dye has stayed orange, but faded from the original brightness. Which version of my hair color do you like better?

I painted half of my nails orange, then carefully painted the other half dark purple. Finally, I added a white swoosh across, using a fine-tipped “nail art” polish from Daiso.

A happy announcement! Starting June 30th, I’ll be writing a monthly “La Carmina: Global Gothic” column for Lip Service’s webzine! It’ll be about Goth fashion and culture in every part of the world.

I’m honored and excited to be working with Lip Service, one of my favorite American Goth/alternative clothing brands. (Remember my beloved spiky faux fur jacket?) Lip Service’s latest Lolita and Steampunk-inspired clothes and accessories are wonderful; I can’t wait to coordinate them in upcoming outfit posts. For updates, you can check out my Twitter and Facebook group.

Are you a Lip Service fan? Which dark parts of the world should I cover for my column?

Japanese Word of the Day: Kuchi beni = Lipstick
Song of the Day: Sex Gang Children – Sebastiane (yay 1983)