Showing posts with label kix. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kix. Show all posts
Saturday, November 15
Make it your own
I took this picture in the neighborhood of Roppongi in Tokyo. [It is kind of the nightlife center of Tokyo...and the mecca for foreigners looking to have fun (with a bunch of other ex-pats). I have a bad attitude about the area, but its not really worth going into.] My girl recently started going to a new salon there, and I discovered this little playground festooned with robots nearby. It was dope and I hope to tag alone again next month and snap some more pics.
As anyone who has read this blog for a minute will know, I have a little thing for track bikes. I continue to see them in the streets and outside shops more and more often. The fad/movement shows no signs of flagging with the release of a new toy. (JB...that is the bike I was trying to explain the other day.)
That's right, now you can buy your own 1/9 scale track bike from PedalMafia for a measly $30. Not only that, but they sell optional parts you can get to customize your mini-ride.
[via: PedalMafia blog]
If and when I see this in the shops, I might have a hard time not throwing away some hard-earned cash on it. I have resisted buying toys for a while, and there is only one good way to reward myself for such good behavior – buy some toys! Until then, I have will to settle for PedalMafia's online application.
Yup, you can build your own virtual track bike. So far I have thrown together four, but I will show some restraint and only show you my two favorites. And it is very possible that, since I have no practical knowledge of these bikes, that I have embarrassingly misplaced some part. That would be really sad, but if that is the case...please do tell. (I'm looking at you JB) I would hate to remain ignorant.
You can try it out yourself HERE. All the items are way on the left, so make sure to scroll on over. If anyone wastes as much time as I did, feel free to send the pics my way.
So customization seem to be the name of the game, from bikes, mobile phones, and all the way to cars – see Ferrari's Carrozzeria Scaglietti program for evidence.) And let's not forget sneakers! Nike introduced their NikeiD program years ago, and now Puma has its Mongolian shoe BBQ, and Reebok and Adidas have both had different schemes running in the last year or so. Well...not to ruin the suspense, but I finally did it after debating about it for a long time.
I have to explain, there are two different types of NikeiD's you can do: (1) you can use their Web site and select from the options available or (2) you can go to a NikeiD Studio and have a "Design Consultant" help you and there are "special" options that are not available online. Wanting only the best, I always hesitated going the online route but there was a problem – there was not iD Studio in Tokyo. (Well, after I had mine made...one just opened last month in the new Nike Sportswear store in Harajuku, but that's a story for another time.)
Until very recently the only iD Studio has been in Osaka. And wouldn't you know it, I had an opportunity to go there this past September for the first time since 2002. I knew I would only have one afternoon there...after spending time with my girl's family and before heading back to Tokyo. My only goal was to go to the NikeStore...never imagining that I would have a chance to make a shoe.
But...since we didn't really have much to do, my girl and her brother encouraged me to go bananas. But I knew they would be patient only for so long...I figured an hour max before there would be trouble. (Not really enough time...but since I didn't even make a reservation and it was such a spur of the moment thing, I was game!)
So, with no real time to prepare I sat down at the terminal and started working. It was a given I would make an Air Max 90 (if there had been the Air Max 87 I would have had to make a tough decision) the only real question was whether or not they had mesh available: and boy did they ever!
They had white and black mesh available so those were easy bases to work from. But I quickly ended up wasting quite a bit of time trying out some wacky lime-centered colorways. After regaining my senses, I decided to take a more conservative path. The Design Consultant was not all that helpful and I have no idea if I used any of the "studio only" options. But at that point I was getting signals to wrap things up, so I said I was done.
All of the colors came out a little darker than what I had expected, but I can't really complain. I am pretty happy with the results. They provide two lace options and I was sure I would like the blue better than the red...but I like the red a lot. And of course any sneakerhead worth his sole can see the influence the original Infrared 90 colorway had on my shoe. What can I say...I like the classics.
In addition to the two laces that came with it, I can easily see some crisp white or black laces spending some quality time in there. But for now, I am really enjoying the red.
I am not sure if I will ever do another pair of iD's again...but I am happy I did at least one. I to think that at some point, you will be able to customize shoes even more – either online or in a studio and more options and colors would be a nice start.
Music
Here is a great video for my favorite track of DJ /Rupture's new mix album Uproot. I might do a more complete review of the album in the near future. For now...enjoy.
That's it and I'm out.
Monday, October 6
Traveling man
Yes, I was in Honolulu – and no, I wasn't happy about it. My direct flight to Minneapolis quickly spiraled into a 36-hour marathon trip that had me fly from Tokyo to Hawaii, wait for 8 hours than fly to Minneapolis. Not fun at all. But, it was worth it to see my people, even if for only 27 hours.
Luckily, I had some new shoes to wear on the trip that just wouldn't end. These Nike Rejuven8 fit the bill perfectly. Besides the obvious breathability, they are extremely comfortable and light.
This version was released to celebrate the Olympics in Beijing. The regular version doesn't have the speckled mid-sole, but this tier zero version does. And I like it. It also came with an Olympic inspired interchangeable liner. But, I kept things simple with the black liner - which made for the perfect in-flight slipper.
As you can see, the other liner really represents the Olympic flavor. Shocking, but I have yet to wear the multicolored version. Maybe someday. If anyone does a lot of flying, I highly recommend these kicks. From now on, these are my travel shoes. (Which will same me a lot time debating and deciding which shoes to wear each time I fly anywhere.)
I don't get to ride in cars all the much here in Tokyo, and certainly don't get to see many corn fields. But that is really neither here nor there. It was good to see my whole extended family all in one place, even if the occasion was not happiest. One happier occasion is coming up soon...my b-day. And I got an early gift.
While shopping my girl's Goyard wallet I spotted this orange masterpiece. I have been pining for this wallet ever since, and thanks to a very generous soul, it is now mine.
This will be my first bi-fold wallet in many years. I might have to get a card case to hold all the various store point cards, business cards, etc that didn't fit in this fella. We are still just getting to know each other, but I have high hopes for the relationship - considering how much it was, it better work out really well.
I will leave you with a taste of this hilarious meme that I stumbled upon last week. It is the perfect mix - combining footage of revival churches and the audio from drum & bass parties. It matches up way better than it should. I had thought I had found the best one ever, (the "raise it up" at 1:45 is amazing!) but i was proved wrong when I hit this one.
Monday, July 14
Pay attention people
Some street art I ran across in Harajuku a while ago. Always nice to see a little creativity popping up in unexpected places. Always puts a smile on my face. In certain areas in Tokyo, graffiti everywhere. But one thing you very rarely see is graffiti on trains. One reason is that they if there ever is any...they hold the train in the station. See HERE for an example.
But the other day I found some etching on the windows of the Yamanote Line. It was the first I had ever seen.
Not sure why "VEGAN" chose such a lame name...but I thank him for reminding me, if only for a moment, of all the time I spent on the trains of NYC. Those windows were often so scratched up you couldn't see the grime walls! For shame!
I will use the pic above, possibly THE most boring picture ever posted online, serve as the intro for my latest pair of shoes. Those of you who have been paying attention will remember that I teased you with a receipt a short time ago. Well, here is what I bought.
They are a pair of Visvim F.I.L. Jokhang's. Most of you are scratching your heads right about now. That's all right. It's not the most famous brand in the world. They have been on my radar for awhile, as a step away from sneakers, but staying within the streetwear spectrum. The company doesn't have a full on website. The designer, Hiroki Nakamura, is part of the Honeye collective and the site carrys news and some products.
As you can see, the F.I.L. of Visism F.I.L. stands for Free International Laboratory. And if you think that sounds all fancy, wait till you here the name of the name of the Spring/Summer '08 catalog. "Dissertaion on the Future Relationship Between Materials and Technologies in Product Fundamentalism"
So yeah, with a catalog title like that, you know them shits is gonna be pricey. And boy were they. But, I justified it as a grown-up shoe, not just another sneaker. And again, for those of you who are paying attention, just might be sensing a hint of a moccasin in the design. For the catalog: "The fusion of the 1/2 California construction used for running shoes and the self-customizing foot-wrap of the Native American moccasin crafting featureing our original engineering updates with custom outsole and midsole components." And that people is just the first paragraph describing the shoe.
So basically these are handmade with the best materials by people who spend way to much time thinking about what makes the best shoe. Japan being Japan, of course the company has a cult following, and there stuff is hard to get. Visvim makes clothes and bags, like $200 button-down shirts and $700 backpacks. And me being me, I love it.
So, I like them. They are amazingly comfortable and breathable in a way I didn't expect for a suede shoe. Of course all the people that see them don't like them much at all. So it goes. Feel free to tell me just how you feel about them, cause you know I wouldn't hold back.
MUSIC
.
This is L-VIS 1990's album preview. It's exactly how my girl reacts when she hers some of the dubstep I have been listening to lately, except for the dying part at the end of course. But maybe it would happen if I made her listen long enough.
This is N.E.R.D.'s track Spaz. It's the best song I have heard from them in a long time. "Everybody Nose" is alright, just gets annoying really quick. Maybe that's the point...who knows. (achoo, achoo)
Amazing stuff from Africa again with DJ Mujava Kwaitodance's number “Township Funk." Not new apparently, but still a banger, even if it does go on a little long.
Later
Monday, March 31
New Kicks
I really like the signage of the Tokyo Metro. It is there for viewing everyday, and I can't say I notice it all the time. But, when I do, I am always impressed with it. It is always the simple things that get messed up. But, luckily not in this case.
I finally got some new shoes. It seems like forever, but really only about 2 months. Still a long time considering how much I look at, think about, and shop for sneakers. I had been seeing these online and heard that they would be at less spots than the usually Tier 0 releases. Which means its like, Tier -1???
They are called the, get ready for this...its a long one; Supreme Spider Tech Pack II Air Max One. Say that ten times fast. If you remember I bought an Air Max 90 from the original Tech Pack. They treated me alright, so when I saw these in a nice mix of materials and colors, I set my sites on them.
I had been on the hunt for them for about 3 weeks. These and the "Zhu" Nike Air Max 1. But since I couldn't find them, and I am unsure I want to be supporting China at the moment with all the monk bashing, I decided to get the Tech Pack ones instead.
I love the gum soles. A nice nod to the classic Air Maxes combined with all the newer materials. The subtle safari print on the mud guard is also quite nice. And to top it all off I have loads of t-shirts I can wear with it! I love a happy ending.
Saturday, March 1
Hello again, remember me?
Rather than waste time apologizing and explaining why I have been away for so long, I will simply say this: I traveled some and I have been working on a project that is taking all my free time. And no, the project is not finished yet, but I couldn't let 6 months go by without some blog love. So, let's just move into the goodness that I may or may not be able to still bring into your lives. I will start with an event round up.
My arty picture to start us off was taken in the air over Alaska. I took it coming back from America after a great stay with my family over Thanksgiving. In my many trips back and forth from Japan to the US, I had never seen it so clear, sunny, and beautiful. I took a bunch of pics, enjoy them HERE. Moving on the next event in my event re-cap.
While I was away, I went to the Tokyo Motor Show. It was a blast. Oh and by the way...I like wheel porn. The wheel above is from the newest RS6 from Audi. My dream car, no two ways about it. The wheel below is from one of the many striking Mazada concepts that were shown. Innovative touch to add the color drops onto the rims. It must look interesting when on the move. Although...only from the one angle.
Oh...I got full pictures to. I won't go through them all, but some are too good to not share. To start us off, we have the future of dump trucks according to Mitsubishi. I like how the future looks!
Next we have the half flowing lines and half sharp lines of the Toyota coupe FT-HS. And if you ask me, you can't call a car this interesting looking FT-HS. No matter if it's hybrid or not.
Not every car was looking so far into the future. This car is in the here and now and I love it. The color is an interesting choice. On a scale of 1 to 10; 10 being the best color/car match ever, I think this color is only so-so. I think there is a law somewhere that all Ferrari have to be red. I think its ok to break that law sometimes, but not with this specific pearly blue option.
And lastly we have the Suzuki X-Head concept. I am not the biggest truck fan ever, but I like this one. Clever side panels and well proportioned overall. Oh, and if you wait for the turntable to spin a bit...you get...wait for it...
...the Booth Model! They were everywhere. And this one was dressed modestly compared with most. I was expecting this part of the show, but I was still surprised. Even more surprising was the number of guys at the show for only the girls, not the cars. Don't get me wrong, I like girls better than cars, but have these guys never heard of the internet??? It was strange and a little disconcerting. I empathize too easily...so I was feeling the uncomfortableness of the women and the shame the guys SHOULD have been feeling for such obvious ogling and fantasizing. On that note! Click HERE to see the whole gallery of my pics for the motor show. And next on our event round-up is a family affair.
That there is my brother singing his heart out with his band Silent Drive. They came to Japan on a very short tour (2 shows!) and I was lucky enough to be able to go to one of them. Again, I took way too many pics and I will share only some of them.
I am not sure if this was my brother wiping the sweat of his brow or getting into the "heys" and "hos" of the crowd. I guess it's up the the individual reader to decide. The crowd was interesting. They were totally into every song. If they knew the words...they were singing along. But, during any break in the music they went as quiet as an nerd in a library. But...they did get there crazy on too.
This was the band FC Five. They were super. They might have been the crowd favorites even though they played early during the days line up. Oh...did I forget to tell you that it was an all day event? It was the "Pump Up the Volume Fest 2008" and it was in Kawasaki, Japan. It was good fun and the headline band was Bane.
It was the first time I had heard them play and they were pretty good. I prefer the more melodic stylings of Silent Drive, but the pure crunchiness and hardness is impressive. The crowd was certainly into them with nothing held back. And now...for my favorite pic of the night.
That there is my brother getting his grin on while avoiding the pig pile on the singer. It got straight up chaotic at the end. Good fun and a great day. For all 100 of my pics, click HERE. I think that is all for the events that have happened. Now let' get to the shoes. I have three to cover.
NO!!! I don't have any big news to announce. It is only that I loved these runners from New Balance JAPAN so much that I had to buy them, even if it is years to early. They were from a pack that was celebrating flags. This is the Japanese flag version just in case you missed it. And yes, the "N" is 3M reflective goodness. All this cuteness for the basement bargain price of ¥3000 ($27). It was too much to pass up. My kid will wear these someday, no matter if its a boy or a girl.
Here is a pair I picked up the day after I arrived back in the US. I found these Nike+ Digital Camo Moire's at the Nike Outlet near my house. I paid $40 (¥4400) which I think is a steal. I had been trying to pick up a pair of Moire's since they came out. I heard they were comfortable and, oh mama, are they ever! I wore them for the 2 weeks I was staying in the US and I was happy to do so. (Even though I had to break my self-imposed rule of never wearing the same pair 2 days in a row. Sacrifices have to be made while traveling...no??)
I was all ready to drop some serious coin on some shoes while staying in the Boston area. My sister and I even scheduled a whole day around hitting all the spots in Boston area. But on that day, the sneaker-god was not with me, and I could not find anything I liked. But that is the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. On the day before I left, I was finally able to find something I liked at Foot Locker.
It's a pair of Nike Air Max Light's. I have seen other colorways I like better, but I like this darker mix with hits of red. And the price was low enough to make it possible. A low low price of $60 (¥6500). They are not special releases, but that doesn't make me like them any less.
And there you have it. The Air Max Light is non-existent in Japan. Since they started re-releasing them I have been wanting to get a pair...and now I have one. If you want to know more about the shoes, Sneaker Freaker has a great little article about them.
Music
#1. First off we have the video for the infections track "Beeber" by The Count & Sinden featuring Kid Sister. It is not new by any means...but it is fun and catchy, just like a dance track should be.
[Via Catchdubs]
#2. This is another track that has been making the rounds in various mixes. It is T2's track "Heartbroken" featuring Jodie. This bassline sh*t is going to be the end of me. It is so good. This song gets stuck in my head at least once a week, so fair warning.
#3. And lastly, let's move into the mainstream a bit with a new track from Missy. It is her here is a remix of her newest track "Ching-a-ling" featuring Ciara and Jay Z. The video is nothing but the track is exceptional.
And that folks is all I have for you this post. It is my hope to do this more regularly again. But it may not happen that way. Let's hope it does!
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