Clint Catalyst invited Yukiro and me to be in a Hollywood movie — how could we say no? Our roles: slightly demented party guests in a trippy dream sequence. So I wore…

Hair: Draped with blue, purple and grey scarves. I added a silver flower clip.
Makeup: I painted my eyebrows blue (try bright colors on your brows to light up your face!). I kept my eye makeup light, with black eyeliner over the top and light blue on the bottom. My dark purple lipstick is lightened in the center with lavender. Finally, I affixed two temporary spider tattoos.
Velvet evening gown with slit along thigh: An amazing find: $12 from Out of the Closet, “the most fabulous thrift store.”
Black and white pumps: my old John Fluevogs

Yukiro’s gown is from a vintage store in Fairfax Village, one of our favorite spots for thrift shopping. Purple hair, purple lace armbands, purple knee-high boots = triple yes.

The movie we participated in is Noirland, a film noir written and directed by Ramzi Abed, and starring James Duval. “A catatonic serial killer [...] an amnesiac detective [...] criminal psychiatrists and psychologists listen to the mysteries unfold.”

We arrived at the call time of 1pm, but it was pushed back an hour… then two… By the time we left the set, it was 10pm. That’s showbiz for you — a tiny bit of glam and a lot of waiting around!

Gemini Manor was possibly the most topsy-turvy house I’ve stepped foot in. Every inch was covered in random bric-a-brac: antique puppets, toys, church relics, birdcages, doll heads… There was a mermaid in the jacuzzi and my greatest fear — a giant stuffed CLOWN — resting in one of the bathtubs.

Each room had a theme, such as this Jungle Room on the roof, attainable only by inching up a precarious ladder/staircase. The owner told us that he built the place in the 1970s, and that it was the site of many a fetish party. (Ah, now it all makes sense.)

Also in the movie: model/actor Aldo Vento (left), and artist/Coilhouse Magazine founder Zoetica Ebb (the lady in blue). Clint Catalyst and Lenora Claire are perfectly cast as the Baron and Baroness.

There was plenty of time to hang out and practice our lines with one of Gemini Manor’s seven cats. (This kitty is skin and bones compared to my Basil Farrow!)

Fun times all around — thank you to everyone for having us! Wait until you hear us laugh maliciously and recite our single line: “Why hello… how are you…”

Have you ever been in a movie? How about silly YouTube masterpieces, like ours?

Cute photo of the day: Mia Farrow wearing a t-shirt from my Akumu Ink fashion collaboration! The activist and actress recently came back from Haiti — and received this tee from her daughter-in-law as a Valentine’s Day gift. My cat Basil Farrow grew up with Mia and Ronan, so it was a thrill for her to see our Scottish Fold kitty on a t-shirt!

(You can pick up a La Carmina x Akumu Ink shirt or hoodie online for about $20; just click on the links under the photos on this page to purchase.)

Thanks to Audrey Magazine featuring me in an article. The Asian-American lifestyle publication calls Basil “possibly one of the cutest kitties ever.”

Life with the Adventure Team is a continuous photoshoot. Between our various missions, we made a pit stop in the Laurel Canyon Trader Joes.

Is anyone else a raging fan of Trader Joes? The staff is kooky, the products are organic and delicious — and affordable! When I’m in LA, I don’t need to shop anywhere else.

Things got a little fruity… (Yup, Lemon is posing with a lemon.)

What are your favorite Trader Joe’s products? I love the cheap Napa wines, jalapeno yogurt cheese, lemon echinacea juice…

The boys are quite fond of the watermelon juice. Lemon also likes the pink lemonade. How about you? Which products should we pose with next?

Come back tomorrow for more photos and a blog giveaway! My NYC roving reporters also have photos and a report of the Tokyo Fashion Festa (Gothic Lolita Punk runway show) for you…

Song of the Day #309: Heisei Ishin – Ruru

Last Saturday’s Lunar New Year party was one of the most successful Tune in Tokyo events to date! Harajuku fashion, Jpop and rock, Goth/Visual Kei giveaways and cuteness overload — ah, don’t you wish you were there with us?

Chiaki (top middle) was so kind to let us host the party at Kira Kira, her purikura shop just outside LA. Thank you to all my dear friends who came out to support. I wore red in honor of both Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year…

Carmina and Basil tshirt: from my fashion line with Akumu Ink (on sale here)
Flower clip in hair: from a fabric store discount bin
Red scarf: from the wonderful 99 cent store
Skull scarves: I found one hanging from a bus bench. The other is an old thing, worn as a skirt.
Tights with holes: an old thing I cut up
Spiky ankle boots: Tripp NYC, from Trash and Vaudeville

Gavin Hignight took the photo on the bottom left; HiHiCaro shot the Polaroid on the bottom right. How does Yukiro describe his outfit? “It’s a very classical Dravarious type of fashion. It’s something I’m never ashamed to wear. Muahahah!”

We had a stellar turnout! Yukiro and I called out Jpop trivia questions (such as name all the Sailor Scouts), and handed out prizes to the winners. Thank you to Gloomth (tailored Goth/Victorian/Lolita clothing), Lime Crime (bright, colorful lipsticks) and HearJapan (Visual Kei and Japanese digital music label) for the generous sponsorship — we gave out hundreds of dollars of goodies!

From Sweet Lolita to Atelier Pierrot to a traditional Vietnamese dress to cosplay…

… to Goth, gyaru and kawaii — the fashion was incredible! Yoshiki’s J-Rock Revolution team shot a video of the party, coming soon.

Dressing up, drama and dancing: that’s what we’re about.

If you’re sick and tired of the same old dance clubs, you’ve got to check out a Tune in Tokyo party in LA. The DJs spin Japanese and Korean dance, rock, pop… everything we go nuts over.

Huge hugs for everyone who came, and to the Tune in Tokyo crew for inviting me to host the party. Let’s do it again soon!

The NHK documentary about cute bentos has aired! Come watch my segments on my YouTube channel (please subscribe) or embedded below. Japanese TV is absolutely bananas, isn’t it?

In Part 1, I show the reporter how to draw and create cute character bentos. How many times can you spot my Scottish Fold cat, Basil Farrow?

Part 2 documents my visit to the Harlem elementary school to teach children (and their parents) how to make cute and healthy sandwiches. Don’t you love their enthusiasm?

Some parts didn’t make the final cut: the reporter and I had a five minute race to make cute food faces, and there was a segment where I modeled my fashion line. But I’ll post behind-the-scenes videos from the shoot later on (shot by Shichi, as were the photos above). You can see more from the NHK Japanese TV show in the last few pages of this blog — and to learn cute bento-making, do consider my book Cute Yummy Time!

Yesterday was an interesting press day. The Guardian (UK newspaper) reported that Cute Yummy Time was named one of the oddest book titles of the year — along with “Bondage for Beginners” and other head-scratchers. I hope my book makes the shortlist…

Moreover, a giant image of Ronan Farrow (Basil Farrow’s dad) is currently gracing the front page of Rosie O’Donnell’s website. The photo was taken by me! Next time, Rosie should post a photo of our fat, furry, earless son, don’t you think?

What do you think of NHK documentary? Are you eager to make kawaii character bentos now?

Save the date: I’m hosting a J-pop party on February 13, 2010 in Los Angeles! The infamous Yukiro and other familiar faces from this blog will be there… we hope to see you!

Celebrate the Lunar New Year on Saturday, February 13th at Kira Kira, a sparkling photo-sticker shop with all of the newest Purikura machines from Japan! Our special event will be hosted by Harajuku fashion and Cute Food blogger La Carmina. The DJs from Tune in Tokyo will also be there, spinning the best in J-Pop, J-Rock, and Global Dance Pop all night long.

There will also be prizes and giveaways sponsored by Hear Japan, Lime Crime, and Gloomth! (Photo of Carmina by Shichi; flyer by Greg.)

WHEN: Saturday, Feb 13th, 8PM – 12 AM. Free and all ages.
WHERE: Kira Kira is located at the Seasons Place shopping center in City of Industry (2nd floor, above Red Mango). There’s plenty of free parking.
RSVP on Facebook here.

Look forward to seeing you there!

The cauldron is bubbling, my friends… we have multiple magical adventures in the works for our time in LA and Vegas. Too bad we just missed GPKISM, Seileen and SiSeN’s stop in LA. Liz from LA Weekly wrote an awesome report on the concert (and kindly let me post a few photos, taken by Shannon Cottrell). “We’ve noticed that J-goth has developed its own devoted following in the U.S., one that’s separate from the domestic goth scene, but isn’t necessarily that different [...] It’s this strange amalgamation of now-vintage musical elements with a contemporary flair that makes J-goth so appealing to a younger generation of fans.” Check out the rest of her review here. Were you at the event, or the recent X-Japan music video shoot? What did you think?

Young author/illustrator Realm Lovejoy interviewed me for her blog and drew a charming image of me in maid cafe cosplay! I love the little bento nibbles in the background, and my ever-present earless teddy bear cat. You can read the interview on her site and pasted below.

1) Thank you for joining us, La Carmina! What is CUTE YUMMY TIME about? And what are bentos?
Imagine opening up your lunch to find Hello Kitty or Pikachu made out of rice, eggs and ham! Cute Yummy Time is inspired by Japanese “charaben” bentos, or box lunches that are arranged to look like cute faces. I created my own characters — including one based on my Scottish Fold cat Basil Farrow — and made recipes that focus on healthy, Western ingredients. You can find out more and order Cute Yummy Time here.

2) I enjoy making bentos! I’ll have to try some of your recipes out. What are some examples of how you adjusted bento-making to suit the western palate?
My cookbook builds on the Japanese trend by “thinking outside the bento box.” There are 72 recipes for all occasions: breakfast, meals, desserts, holidays. You don’t need any special bento equipment to make the cute faces (almost everything can be decorated in under 10 minutes). And I focus on healthy ingredients that are easily found in all Western grocery stores; recipes include a baby chick egg salad wrap, cow-faced cheeseburgers and hobgoblin dark chocolate cupcakes. Cute Yummy Time is a whimsical new approach to cooking that all ages can enjoy.

3) You also have a book called CRAZY, WACKY THEME RESTAURANTS: TOKYO. It sounds like something I want to bring next time I visit Japan! Can you tell us about the book and some of your favorite wacky restaurants?
In Tokyo, a theme dining experience isn’t complete unless you’re molested by monsters, attacked by ninjas, or charmed by cross-dressing maids! I endured and photographed over 30 such cafes — and wrote about my ridiculous adventures in Crazy, Wacky Theme Restaurants: Tokyo. My favorites
are Christon Café (which features church relics and a “disco Jesus”) and Alice in Wonderland (you’ll see how my friends cosplayed as the characters). I also visited the haunted jail restaurant, Alcatraz ER, with Andrew Zimmern for an episode of Bizarre World (airing this May on Travel Channel!).

4) What aspects of the Harajuku culture inspired you and drew you in? And what exactly is the Harajuku scene like?
As a teen, I remember walking through Harajuku and feeling like I was on Mars. I love the neo-Rococo fashions, cute-meets-Gothic aesthetics, towering Visual Kei hair and theatrical makeup… there’s an exhilarating, experimental pulse heard all through this district. I post street snaps and store photos from Harajuku in this section of my blog.

5) You’ve got a popular blog and you have been on TV such as The Today Show and NHK, as well as writing articles for CNN. What’s your advice to other writers on building an effective platform to promote themselves?
My blog and YouTube channel are ongoing portfolios for my creative work. I often land writing and TV gigs when people find my site and dig the spooky-cute adventure palace I’ve built. Social networks and blogging are great ways to be in touch with readers and make connections. Be personal, reach out, write diligently about what excites you — and opportunities will naturally unfold.

CUTE YUMMY TIME can be ordered here. CRAZY, WACKY THEME RESTAURANTS can be ordered here.

We hope to see you at our Chinese New Year & Purikura party on Feb 13! Please mark your calendars, RSVP and tell your LA friends!

Anddddd here’s the other scary-sweet print from my clothing collaboration with Akumu Ink! It comes in various sizes and ships internationally.

† CARMINA IN WONDERLAND HOODIE
Features Scotitsh Fold Basil Farrow as the Cheshire Cat, grinning and pouring La Carmina tea. In tribute to Alice and Gothloli fashion, she wears a lace headdress and lace-up rocking horse shoes. Each is hand-screened in gold ink on a black background. Silver razorblade Akumu Ink logo on the chest.
BUY MENS (S-XXL), $48.50
BUY WOMENS (XS-XXL), $48.50

† CARMINA IN WONDERLAND T-SHIRT
As designer Joey comments, “Take a look at how stylish you can be all the while retaining maximum comfort!” Each tee is hand-screened in gold ink on a black background. Optional La Carmina x Akumu Ink print on the back.
BUY MENS (S-XXXL), $21.99
BUY WOMENS (S-XXL), $21.99

As always, Basil Farrow willingly participated a photoshoot. This cat is too cute to be real. As soon as I put him on the table, he went up to his image on the t-shirt… and head-bonked himself!

Basil Farrow adores my new Juicy Couture owl ring, a gift from my mother. Whenever I show it to him, he sniffs it… and taps the face with his big, furry paw! (Perhaps Basil likes it because he looks like an owl?)

For more flop-eared cat photos from this shoot, you can view my Facebook Group and Fan Page. All of the items from my clothing line can be viewed and ordered here. Hugs , everyone, for making 2010 a killer year so far!

I asked three Asian designers about 2010 style predictions for CNNGo — including Fumiko of Classical Lolita brand Chantilly! Read the article here and find out what Fumiko predicts for the future of Lolita style in Japan. Thanks to Valerie Fujita-Conchartre for the photographs; check out the Visual Kei and Gothloli photos on her blog, Alice and Peter Punk. Sachi from Kokusyoku Sumire is the cutest model – and her band is one of my favorites.

Dreaming up a creative project and making it come to life… is there anything more fulfilling? The cherry on top: working with a tireless and ultra-talented collaborator, Akumu Ink. Here are the fruits of our labor (and play!). Introducing my new La Carmina x Akumu Ink fashion website, coded by yours truly. All of the t-shirts and hoodies are available now for you to order!

† BLACK LA CARMINA + BASIL PORTRAIT T-SHIRT †
Featuring your Harajuku-Goth fashion blogger/author and her Scottish Fold cat, Basil Farrow. His worried expression, heart-shaped nose and jutting fang are too cute for words! Gothic details include a skull/cake hat, eye stickers and a key necklace. Each is hand-screened in white ink on a black background. Optional La Carmina x Akumu Ink print on the back.

BUY MENS (S-XXXL), $21.99
BUY WOMENS (S-XXL), $21.99

For the girls, we have a lovely cranberry red. Each is hand-screened in white ink on a red background. Optional La Carmina x Akumu Ink print on the back.
BUY WOMENS (S-XXL), $21.99

My personal favorite: a purple V-neck that goes great with a black feathered boa. Each is hand-screened in white ink on a purple background. Optional La Carmina x Akumu Ink print on the back.

BUY MENS UNISEX (XXS-XL), $23.99
BUY WOMENS UNISEX (XXS-XL), $23.99

This one’s for the boys. It’s too big for me, but I’ll rope some cuties into modelling the shirts for me soon! Each is hand-screened in white ink on a grey background. Optional La Carmina x Akumu Ink print on the back.
BUY MENS (S-XXXL), $21.99

I can’t take off this hoodie — it’s so unbelievably comfortable and warm. Even Basil Farrow loves to sit on it! Each is hand-screened in white ink on a black background. Silver razorblade Akumu Ink logo on the chest.
BUY MENS (S-XXL), $48.50
BUY WOMENS (XS-XXL), $48.50
SEE MORE HERE

I’m so happy with the prints; they’re of the topmost quality — you won’t be disappointed! We’ve got a range of sizes and colors, and kept prices low. Please do support indie clothing company Akumu Ink — their range of J-horror/Goth/Steampunk shirts is outstanding, and we hope to keep putting out new designs for you.

So please take a moment to check out the new La Carmina x Akumu Ink clothing line website. If you have any questions or want to carry the clothes in your store, send me a line. (Tomorrow, I’ll spotlight our Alice in Wonderland print.)

PS: Thanks for the band name suggestions! Keep them coming, you’re a devilishly creative bunch!

I began my speech by telling the Harlem schoolchildren that I brought a cute friend with me. I pulled her out of a large bag… and they awwed in recognition: “It’s Hello Kitty!”

I talked about kawaii in Japanese culture and character bentos, and gave pointers on healthy eating. The nine-year-olds were very high-energy and asked me rambling questions. Then it was time for the students to try making their own cute-faced sandwiches. They chose ingredients from the spread I had prepped the previous day. By the end of the shoot, almost everything was gone!

The children intuitively understood how to use cookie cutters, straws and other basic tools to make kawaii characters out of food. I went around the tables to help and encourage them.

Amazingly, the children ate vegetables that they’d never seen before — sprouts, green snap peas, red peppers — and said they tasted great. Their parents took away a fun, new approach to making healthy food accessible for kids. I was pleased.

Hana cheered, “Let’s make kawaii character bentos together!” — and we all raised our fists and yelled “Yayyyyy!” Ah, the wonders of Japanese TV.

You will love the episode of New York Wave, which will air next month on NHK (I’ll upload clips). Much thanks to Thomas, a teacher at the school, for his invaluable help in making the lesson possible. Arigato also to Shichi for the photos and help in dishing out the food.

For more images from the Harlem TV segment, you can watch this video slideshow. If you’re interested in cute healthy cooking for picky eaters, I have a new book out, Cute Yummy Time.

I Tweeted a link that got a lot of responses: Condom Fashion Show in China. A very creative use of the material (and my mom sent me the link!). Birth control couture: kawaii or ai-yah?

Received my Akumu Ink x La Carmina t-shirts today and AHH the prints are so eye-catching! Each tee and hoodie is hand-screened; you won’t be disappointed by the quality. (They’re available for order at www.akumuink.com — I’ll post photos of me in them soon.)

What’s next? My visit to NYC Lolita store Tokyo Rebel, my spooky Goth girl band, Bowie’s birthday party, and more undead adventures in LA!

Day 3 of the NHK Japan TV shoot. Regi came to NYC to witness the cute cookery. We both happened to be wearing black and our favorite shade of blue. She refers to it as hyper-active or BAM turquoise; I call it 0099CC (since that’s its hex color for CSS and Photoshop).

My long-sleeve top with a face on it: Etnies, an action apparel brand. Random, eh? This TV segment called for “casual clothes” so I had to do my best!
Skull scarf worn as a skirt: A mall vending cart. Casual, cheap and random: check.
Black leggings: Mall vending cart again.
Blue fishnets worn on forearms: Socks from Barcelona that I wear on my arms.
Cute penguin bands worn below knees: These are actually bento box straps from Daiso, the Japanese dollar store. I’d say the overarching theme of this outfit is… random?

Just like in Food Network competitions, I had to prep a large amount of food for the next day. Believe it or not, I was going to Harlem to teach nine-year-olds how to make cute bentos! Wait til you see the photos…

Since we’re in random mode today, I thought I’d go off on some thought tangents. Digital cameras versus film: this and the previous photo are from a vintage camera Shichi bought, and the difference is perceptible. I’m determined to tinker further with toy cameras — I think the results are worth the price of processing.

And I like Regi’s armbands. Practical and stylish. They add a Goth element and work with a variety of short-sleeved tops.

Top-hatted Shichi took all the photos in this post (except the one he’s in, of course). People often ask if my hair is the result of extensions. Nope, it’s all me. For this style, I tied small bundles with black elastics to fluff up the natural volume.

There was a major kitchen clean-up after the cameras left. On a scale of 1 to 10, how much of a clean freak are you? I’m probably around a 9…

Two random recommendations. Patti Smith’s new book, Just Kids, is impossible to put to down. It’s a memoir of her adventures with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe; 1960s NYC bohemia is a time that has always fascinated me. Pick up a copy and share it with your partners in crime.

Second, if you’re in New York City, go to Kenka. The Japanese word means fighting…

… and it’s the name of a much-loved Japanese izakaya (bar-style restaurant) on St Mark’s Place. There’s always a lineup outside, so try to come at 6pm when the doors open. If you put down your name, don’t go away — the man in the turban skips over absentees!

Don’t order the soggy gyoza, but do get a bottle of sake and yuzu shochu. Gather a group of friends and sample the takoyaki, unagi (eel), grilled mackerel, cod roe onigiri (rice balls), miso tofu, egg and mushroom rice, okonomiyaki, yakitori… so so yummy. At the end, you get a little cup of magic to pour into the cotton candy machine outside. Then you grab a stick and swirl it around and… FAIL. (A Kanae manga for your amusement!)

My new CNNGo articles that I think you’ll like (do take a moment to peruse):
† Asia’s BEST fabric markets unraveled. Crafters, sewers, DIY cosplayers – here’s where to shop.
† 5 unusual world records set in Asia. Why do you think we chose that photo for the world’s biggest orgy? Give me your best guess in the comments, and I’ll reveal the answer tomorrow.

Ah, the scratch-your-head experience of being on Japanese TV! Here’s day two of behind-the-scenes photos from my NHK Japan filming (courtesy of Shichi). I call this my “genki outfit”; think energetic, fun, bright:

Cobweb sweater top: Black Peace Now, from Closet Child. (It comes with trailing sleeves, not worn.)
Ganesh elephant god top: Vivienne Tam. Bought it almost 10 years ago in Hong Kong.
Punk plaid skirt with furry dangles and detachable leg covers: Peace Now, from Closet Child. (Such a unique piece.)
Hair: tied up in two loose, messy bundles. The TV director marveled: “How very spiky!”

The cameras filmed me doing what I do: chilling with Hello Kitty, reading Japanese bento books, blogging and writing all day. Let’s play Where’s Waldo! Can you spot…

† The blue feather I wore at the Halloween Vampire Masquerade ball?
† The gift that came with Blablahospital’s Xmas card?
† The dead kitty scarf I wore to Christon Cafe Shibuya?
† Part of my Phoenix Wright bento lady cosplay outfit?

The director interviewed me about my work. I don’t mind cameras in my face; I’ve had a lot of practice on my YouTube.

After, I Gothed up my lips for a fashion segment. Black lipstick from Lime Crime and a dab of dark blue from Make Up For Ever.

Fuzzy black beret with sparkles: Nile Perch, from Laforet Harajuku.
Silver and black crucifix ring: What’s your guess? Guess again? (Oh that never gets old!)
Crystal and black leather cuff: Yohji Yamamoto (one of my favorite pieces ever, from a Shibuya vintage store)
Spiky ankle boots: Tripp NYC, from Trash and Vaudeville in NYC

Here’s a closeup of one of my favorite eye makeup techniques. First, put on loads of black eyeliner (I use Urban Decay). I swept Aromaleigh Sonic Rocks in a teal shade over the edges, added blue glitter from Too Faced to the inside of my eyelids, and finished with Japanese dollar store stickers.

In one of those classic “montage” segments, I modeled the coats from my previous collection. Can’t wait for the first printing of the Akumu Ink collaboration t-shirts, now available for order here (and more info here – thanks for your enthusiasm!).

You’ll see how the TV shoot turned out in early February when it airs on NHK (and I’ll put up video clips on my YouTube.) Please keep in touch: I added Google Friend Connect and Facebook Fan boxes to the right sidebar. You can also receive special announcements via my Twitter and mailing list; please subscribe by entering your email in the top right box on the sidebar. And here’s a brilliant song for you…