And The Eyes Have It

Take a look at this.



I see these menacing looking eyes all the time. They were always floating on the periphery. I assumed they were a community watch sort of thing. I was right. The sticker says, "Crime: We won't let it happen." Once I started to look for them, I really started to see them everywhere.

On doors.



On vans.

On bikes.

On buses.

It truly is part of the iconic landscape of Japan. I love it. It seems to have a bit more punch that the "Crime Watch" signs in the US. Another thing that is quickly becoming part of the city landscape...

...fixed bikes. If you thought the fixed bike phenomenon was just a passing phase, I got evidence to prove you wrong. This pic was taken outside the Stussy shop in Shinjuku. They were proudly displaying their membership to the fixed club. I also found more scattered through the city.

I like the solid back wheel. It looks very serious. It is also a great place to put all your cool stickers. On the other hand...I like the BMX style a lot. I feel like it would be a bit easier to control. But, what do I know. Would you like some more pics?

I like the pairs locked together. It means that they have fixed friends. I wonder if they would be friends with regular bike riders. From time to time I see a group of them sliding through the city. They look pretty damn cool. But they don't seem to co-mingle. I wonder. One side effect of the growing popularity of fixed bikes: when I see a messenger without a fixed bike, I think, "What a pussy." This happens even though I have never even come close to riding one, let alone buying one.

One other bike issue I would like to address is this.

Why is Hummer making a bike? And why is it being sold in Japan? Yes, it is a bit more environmental sound than the regular SUV. But I still ask why. I started seeing them a year or 2 ago. But they are not the only bike oddity out there.

The Chevy seems to be very popular. I see it all over. Is this the new recovery plan for the US car makers? This is the best idea they can come up with? Scary. But American car companies are not the only people trying to make a quick buck through licensing.

Even the defunct and now resurrected Rover is getting in the game. They make their bikes available in 2 sizes: compact and regular. Look, look, their seats have a stripe! Their bikes, like there cars look low on imagination and high on boring.

Even the French can't turn down a chance at some easy money. Actually the Peugeot bikes are everywhere. All differnt sizes and colors. Speaking of different sizes, I hear some people calling for more picks of the compact bikes. Well, you can't say I don't try to satisfy my readers.

Mini bikes that will fit in the trunks of the cars they are named after. A perfect circle. No?

Moving on.

As I teased last week, I bought some new shoes. First thing to notice is the box sizes. On the left is the modern larger size and on the right is the vintage smaller box. I wonder why they had to increase the box size? Wanted to kill more trees? Wanted to take up more room in my closet?

So as I said, I was looking at the re-sellers in Ueno last week. Usually I see my shoe purchases coming a mile away. I find the pictures online months before the release date, lust after it for some time, plan for the purchase with my banker, and then go to the store and pick it up on the day it comes out. It gives me time to think and I don't make many mistakes.

At the same time, I usually check at the re-sellers to see if there is anything I missed in the past, or any cheap deals. But it is hard: I need to decide on the spot, they need to have my size, they need to be unworn, and the price has to be right. All four came together and I got these.

As far as I know, these were not in any pack or named anything special. What I do know is that they were released in 2005 and are pretty damn nice. I picked them up for ¥8000. ($70) After I got home, I saw them on Flight Club for $200, but they have since been sold. Apparently I did some thrifty shopping. My Dad would be proud.

You know I am all about the pink highlights. The brown and green give me lots of options to match with. And for some reason, I love that the soles are navy blue. It seems like they went the extra mile, rather than the standard white or black. As for laces, again, I have lots of options. First up...pink. Developing. I wore them for the first time the other day.

It is not very often you can find a floor that matches you kicks. Had to snag a pic. One other shoe related news I bring you yet another lace color for the Hold Tights.

And since it has been a hot minute since I have shown a whole outfit, I will throw one at you.

I found this shirt in some random catalogue my girl had. I am usually not a big catalogue shopper, but I couldn't pass this "AIR" t-shirt up. There is a little paragraph about Air Max on the bottom of the shirt and a nice big logo on the back. I likey.

Music

#1. The first mix I have for you this week is from Catchdubs and DJ Ayres. Read all about it HERE. I like it because it is a bit off the beaten path. Not my usual stuff, but very good. It is a nice dancy rock mix. Never gets too far in any direction. Listenable from beginning to end. Some standout tracks include Depeche Mode goodness, the sick Cardigans remix, and the overly fun reworking of Foxy Lady. Click HERE for the mix. Track list below. [via Catchdubs, obviously]

Tracklist - Superfriends:

Gary Numan - M.E.
Depeche Mode - Policy of Truth
Squeeze - Take Me I'm Yours
Partial Arts - Trauermusic (Alter Ego Mix)
Kaos - My Reputation
The Cardigans - Love Fool (Catchdubs Bongo Edit)
The Gossip - Standing in the Way of Control (Soulwax Remix)
Speaker Junk - Foxy Lady
Adam Kesher - Modern Times (908 Remix)
Wolf & Cub - Thousand Cuts (Phones Remix)
Metric - Handshakes
Tones On Tail - Go
The Kills - Love Is a Deserter (Cavemen Mix)
Pixies - Alec Eiffel
Devo - Mongoloid
The Clash - Jail Guitar Doors
The Presets - Are You The One (Van She Tech NYC Rush Mix)
!!! - All My Heroes Are Weirdos
Snowden - Kill The Power
Maximum Joy - Stretch (99 Records Version)
Pyschonauts - Hot Blood
Harry Knuckles - Blisster<br>Intriga - Nostalgia Dance Orchestra
INXS - Original Sin
Psychedelic Furs - Love My Way
Hot Chip - Colours (Fred Falke Remix)
Robert Lippok & Barbara Morgenstern - Please Wake Me For Meals

#2. This is a mix that Diplo did for Pitchfork. It is a really good mix. I will explain it like this. This mix is like your crazy aunt. Whenever she comes back from whatever loony place she was last time...you never know what bizarre stories she has in her head or what crazy souvenirs she has in her bag for you. It's always unpredictable but always good...sometimes its exactly what you never knew you wanted. Click HERE for the music and lot's more info about the mix.

Tracklist - Diplo 4 Pitchfork:

01. I Like Turtles
02. Mr. Vegas: "Lean Wit It"
03. M.I.A. [ft. Bun B and Rich Boy]: "Paper Planes"
04. Schooly D: "Gucci Time"
05. Yeah Yeah Yeahs: "Rockers to Swallow"
06. Jellybean: "Sidewalk Talk"
07. Belle Stars: "Iko Iko"
08. Scala & Kolacny Brothers: "Heartbeats"
09. Diplo & Switch [ft. Elephant Man]: "East, West (Remix)"
10. Nirvana: Drain You / Huey: "Pop, Lock & Drop It"
11. Marc Houle: "Bay of Figs (Ward 21 Mix)"
12. DJ Tamiel: "Bump Like This"
13. Queen [ft. David Bowie]: "Under Pressure"
14. Eddie Money: "Take Me Home Tonight"
15. Soulja Boy: "Crank Dat Superman"
16. Bat for Lashes: "What's a Girl to Do (Break)"
17. DJ Shadow: "Organ Donor (Sandrinho Remix)"
18. Diplo & Switch [ft. Beenie Man]: "Solta Frango"
19. Mr. Vegas: "Hot Fuk (Diplo Mix)"
20. Enur [ft. Natasja]: "Calabria (2007 mix)"
21. Spoon: "Paper Tiger"
22. Circle Children: "Zulu"
23. M.I.A. [ft Akon]: "Boyz Remix (Hi Powered Boyz Get Down)"
24. Boy 8 Bit: "Suspense Is Killing Me"
25. KW Griff: "Tony's Back"
26. Diplo: "Work Is Never Over"
27. M.I.A: "Bamboo Banger"
28. Sizzla: "Bamboo Banger (Dubplate)"
29. Blaqstarr: "Supastarr"
30. Shai: "If I Ever Fall in Love Again (Dub)"
31. Orbital: "Halcyon"
32. LA Priest: "Engine (Erol Alkan Remix)"
33. Petter: "Some Polyphony"
34. Rihanna: "Umbrella (Vandalism Mix)"
35. Justice: "Phantom Pt. II (Soulwax Mix)"
36. The White Stripes: "Little Cream Soda"
37. ZZT: "Lower State of Consciousness"
38. Kia Shine: "Crispy"
39. Bart Simpson: "Bartman (So Kripsy Mix)"

#3. This is, as it says above, is the Electric Zoo Mixtape 2. It is also good, but in a different way than the Diplo mix. I will explain: This one is like your rich uncle. You could set your watch to his visits. Once every 6 months he arrives to take your whole family to the only nice restuarnt in your town. He always orders the steak, rare with whiskey on the side. (That whiskey becomes important later.) Like clockwork, after the appetizer he gives you whatever is the hottest item at the moment. Of course you are happy...but it seems just a little souless. He then talks about the same topics as always over his steak. It is only when he gets to the 3rd whiskey that he starts to get a little crazy and a bit funny and risqué. Click HERE for the music. [via Electric Zoo]

Tracklist - Electric Zoo Mixtape 2:

Justin Martin - 'Ghetto Train'
Radioclit - 'Divine Gosa (Brodinski Remix)'
The Bulgarian Ft. Spoek Bukky - 'The Zombie Door'
Jaimie Fanatic - 'Don't Act Like You Don't Know'
Crookers - 'Chippin It Up 4 A Killa (Trevor Loveys Rework)'
Uffie - 'Hot Chick (Bonus Beats)'
Eve - 'Tambourine (Edit)'
The Fratellis - 'Creeping Up The Backstairs (Remix)'
To My Boy - 'Model (Sinden Remix)'
The Ghost Frequency - 'Nightmare (Speaker Junk's Unleash The Beast Remix)'
Adam Sky VS Mark Stewart - 'We Are All Prostitutes (Crookers Remix)'
Aquasky Ft. Acafool - 'Have A Good Time (Count Of Monte Cristal & Sinden Remix)'
Jaimie Fanatic VS Missy Elliot - 'We Run This'
Jokers Of The Scene - 'Y'all Know The Name'
Bart B More - 'Killing It'
Hostage - 'Schweet Dreams'
Roisin Murphy - 'Overpowered (Herve & Roisin In The Secret Garden Remix)'

#4. Another mix from the Diplo crew, Mad Decent. Although this time it is from Paul Devro. It is a serious 30 min set full of goodness. It includes everyone from the Mad Decent family. Listen to this and enjoy. I am not sure which family member this mix represents. Plus, I think I took that analogy as far as it would go. Maybe too far. I will say that the mix out of Prince into Bode do Role is fantastic. The 303 of the RadioClit track is screaming right into the pleasure part of my brain. This is the stuff you love, but can never sing along with. That is one thing I envy about pop/rock lovers. The Mark Stewart track moving into the Charlene Dance track is also bananas. Click HERE for the music. (iTunes required?) [via Mad Decent]

Tracklist - XLR8R Podcast DJ Mix by Paul D:

1. Capricorn "20 Hz" (Global Cuts)
2. Garth Brooks & Baawawawa (ABC Primetime Special)
3. Mark Stewart "We are Prostitutes (Crookers Remix)" (Soul Jazz Records)
4. Prince "I Would Die For You (Zomby Remix)" (No Label)
5. Bonde Do Role "Cagado" (Mad Decent/Domino)
6. Expendable Youth "Just" Like (No Label)
7. RadioClit "Divine Gosa (Switch Remix)" (RadioClit)
8. Bonde Do Role "Gasolina (Fake Blood Remix)" (Mad Decent/Domino)
9. Mark Stewart "We're All Prostitutes (Crookers Remix) (Soul Jazz Records)
10. Charlene Dance "Mr. DJ (Speaker Junk Tarantula Remix)" (Dirtypop Records)
11. DJ Hype "Pussy Trak" (Bingo Beats)
12. Blaqstarr "Shake it To The Ground (Switch Remix) Feat. Santogold" (Mad Decent)
13. Santogold "Unstoppable (produced by Diplo)" (Lizard King)
14. Shorter Boyz "Bama Gettin' Money" (Shorter Boy Records)

Bonus Music

I have 2 videos to share this week. If you didn't notice, I am trying to make up for the lack of music last week. The first one is "Drivin' Me Wild" by Common featuring Lily Allen. Love the song. It is beautiful. Although, I am not sure about the combat boots with the dress at the beginning. I like the astronaut suit and the white dress with the Nike Air Max so much more. But, if you sing like that, how can I hate on you.



The second video should be watched for 2 reasons: 1st. Becuase it is a great song. 2nd. Because you can see a lot of Tokyo in the video. Lot's of stuff looks familiar. It is a slice of life. Not the exagerated images you often see. Enjoy the video MUSCLES - Sweaty.



That is all.

Later.

Off to the Mall + Outfit 06.11.27.

Another weekend has passed and another week begins. A bummer, there's no two ways about it. Well, I will fill you in on the weekend that was. First on Sunday I went to a new shopping mall near Tokyo Bay: Lalaport Toyosu.


It was big and new, and crowded as hell. They had some nice shops, mostly cheaper stuff. I was on a search for a new winter hat, and of course the only hat I liked came from Swiss Army: not cheap. Overall, the place has a similar feel to an American shopping mall, but better in many ways. For example, it was organized by shop type: a kid's area, a men's area, ect. It also had interesting architecture and design, but that also made finding your way around more complicated. See for yourself...


Three floors, weirdly shaped buildings, and lots of different connecting passageways made for some back-tracking and looking at the map a lot. When we got there, I was starving. They had a lot of interesting options: a gyoza place, yakiniku, Chinese, curry, and on and on. But, as my girls says, you can’t go to the mall without going to the food court. So, we by passed all those delicious options to make our way over to the food court. At the time I was pissed, because food courts irritate me to no end, but damnit, my girl made the right choice again.


It was called Food Circus, and it has to be the most advanced Food Court ever. Before you can enter, you are given instructions by a friendly chap, a card with a barcode, and a reservation sign.



You are then led to your table by a host....a first for me to be sure. This reservation holder is the key. It allows you to walk around to look at the various options TOGETHER, without losing your table, a significant problem in most food courts. Another interesting feature how you pay. When you order, you only have to have your barcode read, you don’t need to pay at that time. When you leave, they read your card and give you the total. There were about 8 options to decide from, plus a drink and dessert bar. I was pleased with my choice of a steak sandwich and my girl was happy with her Pad Thai.

There has been a great leap forward in the food court. People of the world celebrate!

Today was also a shopping day for me. But before I get to another shopping story, it is outfit time again. It was a decent outfit, but not the best ever. I’m still trying to figure out how to work my new kicks. Let's start at the top and work our way down.


The weather called for layers today...and I heeded the call. This jacket is old. (8 years?) But it is the perfect lightweight zip up. It is not the most exciting piece of this outfit, so let's keep moving. My second layer is a gray thermal shirt. It has a military feeling with the shoulder and elbow patches. I love it. My girl and I found it at BEAMS while we were shopping for my birthday present. It is so comfortable. My bottom layer is one of my all time favorite t-shirts. I’ll give you 3 guess who made it and some time to think. Why don't you look at some pics while you think.


Nice thermal shirt....right? Now let’s get to the t-shirt. If you were one of those people out there who guessed it is a purple LEGO t-shirt. Great job! Some pics to make it all clear.


Love the stripes with the purple base. Never seen this t-shirt on anyone else, ever. I bought it in Tokyo a couple years ago. If you ask me, we need a close-up of those LEGO people doing their thing.


And last, but far from least we come to my newest shoes. With my shoe purchases lately I felt like I was neglecting my long time love New Balance. So, when I found a pair that I had almost bought a year ago...on sale, I just had to pull the trigger. I'll hit you with a close-up first.


And before we go any further, let’s see how they look with this outfit.


They are New Balance 586s. I have been into them for a while. The soles are really thick and strong. The mix of different materials is impressive: suede, leather, and mesh all present. And I’m loving the teal and purple highlights. The cherry on top though is clearly the hits of 3M reflective material. Observe...


As you can see, the top row is normal, while the bottom row has an extra punch. The difference is the 3M on the "N", the heel, and a tiny strip on the toe. I am happy about these.

So back to my shopping trip today, I rocked these over to my girl’s work for lunch. After some tempura I was off to Shibuya and Ebisu. In Shibuya I checked the Click Brick store to see if they had any LEGO stuff I needed. Then over to a cheap shoe store where I was extremely tempted by a pair of Adidas that have gone on sale. Stay tuned....I might get them later this week. Then to some book stores and Tower Records before jumping on the train to Ebisu. I wanted to check the real world location of a site I check all the time: PASSOVER. Their site always has kicks that blow me away. Their store however was T-I-N-Y!! Like a closet. They had about 12 pairs on display and maybe 15 t-shirts. They had one pair that I drooled over, but I couldn't justify the price. Check their site, skip their shop.

Colors, colors everywhere...

Today was all about bright colors. I ran into this yellow hatted monster on my way to work. Apparently, it's that time of year again...school trips! I love to see the large groups of innocent, well organized, and joyous kids. But...I hate, hate, hate to be stuck in the same train carriage as them. Luck was with me today. There must have been some stragglers in the group, because they chose to wait for the next train.


What do you think this billboard is advertising? Any guesses? How about a close up?



Getting clearer? A new dessert shop? A new candy? Last chance...



For all of those people out there that guessed a job placement agency ...well done! I've been seeing these everywhere for the last couple months. I was surprised to find out what they were advertising. Interesting concept...if a little on the immature side. According to the ad, each person has there own color. And this agency will find the right job for you. So...why not represent this with various colored pudding desserts? None to surprising for Japan I guess. But for me, using cartoon characters in serious adverts is still a bit bizarre.

On to the next one. Or as my man MC Guru says, “...now your my ex girl, cause I’m onto the next girl.” Next we move onto some hot shoes I found. As you may have noticed I usually focus on Air Maxs and other fashion oriented shoes. But these technie running kicks caught my eye.


[source]

The same shoes come in these hot colorways as well. Although I like the still like the first ones better. The soles on these are real nice.


[source]

How about a little love for the ladies?


[source]

These are the Nike Zoom Moire+. The yellow, green, and pink colorways are from the Lance Armstrong 10//2 NYC Marathon pack. The little “+” sign means they can communicate with your ipod when you go running....if you choose to roll like that. Me...I would just rock them cause they look nice. I am pretty sure I will be picking up these at some point in the future. It is a touch too early though...it seems like they are still finding their footing color-wise.

Last we come to my outfit. As I got dressed today I went with bright colors. It just felt like that kinda day....and boy was I right. Anyways, as I left my apt, I was wondering, is there a chance I'm matching TOO much? See for yourself.




Laces and t-shirt are the same color. The jacket and the shoes also share a color. I think it is ok....but just on the edge. Some people may think I crossed over....but...to each his own. The t-shirt is from The Quiet Life again. Love the colors and the font. The jacket is from LL Bean...representing New England style! The more I look at the pics...the more I think I went too far. Oh well...what's done, is done.

Stay tuned for a message from kurl...

I'm not a huge fan of Halloween. When I lived in the US I barely celebrated it after the age of 13. (Billy Idol...if you must know. With some killer eyeliner from my sisters.) Here in Japan, Halloween is slowly becoming a major holiday. I saw a lot of pumpkins spread through out the city. Not the same as the fever pitch that America can achieve. But, give it time...it will be the same as the US before you can say “costume party” 10 times fast. I for one will not be wearing any costumes. Besides the pumpkin kurl...my only concession to the holiday is this orange monster.


[source]

It would be a challenge for me to explain the current 911 line up offered by Porsche. According to their website, they now offer no less than 10 different versions....not including all the used cars floating around. It's a wonder anyone could leave the showroom with exactly what they wanted. (I kid, I kid...I'm sure there are many people who know exactly what they want. But even they must admit it is all getting very complicated.) Irregardless, I believe this is the top of the line, performance wise. And boy...does it look the business. How about some action shots?


[source]

Outifit time:

I think I threw together a nice little ensemble today. I purposely avoided orange. I went with purple. Add to that my Mr. Rogers inspired cardigan ...and I am off.


I like this t-shirt quite a bit. It’s by Unis. It was one of those small stores in NYC where all the t-shirts are like $75. But if you just wait till the end of the season, you can pick them up for half price. That’s exactly what I did with these one. I like the colors and the font. I paired it with my Air Stabs. (The colors got a bit washed out in this last pic...it matches, trust me.)



I was pretty happy with my non-Halloween outfit. I hope you enjoy the holiday as much or as little as you want!!