The building in this picture houses UNIQLO on Broadway Avenue (in SOHO, which is in downtown Manhattan). But this is not a New York label. In fact, little is known about this Japanese retailer in Manila, but I think it’s about time that I educate you about this brand

UNIQLO was established in Hiroshima, Japan in 1984 (Japanese too like Sanrio!!!). Today, it has grown into over 760 stores worldwide. Sort of like a Japanese retail invasion.

They are known for quality basics (jeans, tees, sweaters, corporate wear, etc) and they don’t ascribe to one style. Instead, UNIQLO “provides people everywhere with the piece they need to create their own style”. So everyone - from the preppy guy to the rock chick will find something they like in the store!

I especially love their affordable cashmere sweaters, trendy girls might like their super wide leg jeans, and the corporate slaves (hehehe) might fall for their well-cut beige trench coats.

If you feel like stocking up on basics without breaking the bank, then UNIQLO is the place to go to! While there are no branches in the Philippines, you can always look out for one should you be in the US, United Kingdom, China, Hong Kong, Korea, and of course Japan!

Reminiscent of the early Coke bottles, this quaint looking cola bottle is again available for our present enjoyment!

While I still remember drinking from a glass bottle in the early 90s, this is not so common these days, with sodas now being packaged in aluminum cans!

So imagine our surprise (pleasant of course!) when we got served with soda in a glass bottle here in NYC! Apparently, Coke in “vintage” bottles may be picked up by the pack in supermarket aisles these days!

Cute huh!

Look at what I found looking back at me from the sale rack! It was the last piece and was being sold for less than $7, or roughly less than Php300 at the current Philippine Peso:US Dollar exchange rate!

This shirt was actually in the kids’ section of Target, but I think being the petite girl that I am, it still would have fit me to a T!

Question is, would I look silly wearing it?

Are you familiar with the  card game UNO? My family enjoyed playing this game and I’m sure it will be more fun now that Hello Kitty has joined in on the fun!

So cute right? I saw this at Bed, Bath & Beyond where it retails for $12.99!

Apparently, this is not the first Special Edition UNO game pack. There’s the Barbie, High School Musical, Sponge Bob, and even a Star Trek UNO! What sets these special cards apart aside from the design (much fun than a regular deck of UNO cards) is that there are special cards which allows for special privileges not allowed in the regular game.

For this Hello Kitty Special Edition set, the UNO cards come in a collectible card case “featuring Hello Kitty in her most stylish poses. Her best friend Kathy makes a special appearance in the exclusive FRIENDSHIP Card & Rule.”

Sounds like a lot of fun huh!

I’m sure you must own something made of leather, be it shoes, bags or a jacket maybe? If so, I’m sure it didn’t come cheap, after all, genuine leather, especially the buttery soft ones come at a price! That’s why I highly recommend that you use a leather care product to prolong its useful life.

According to Apple Polishes Inc., the maker of the Apple Brand of leather care products (nothing to do with the makers of your iEverything!)…

“To retain its beauty and other desirable qualities, leather requires frequent conditioning to replace the natural lubricants lost during normal use. With the proper care, leather can be protected from excessive dryness that can cause it to crack, and from moisture that may cause it to swell or mildew.

Because unprotected leather is susceptible to spotting from water and other liquids, a newly purchased leather item should be treated immediately to help prevent permanent stains from occurring.

The use of too much oil and wax, however, can clog pores, causing leather to lose its ability to allow air in and moisture out.”

Which makes Apple Leather Care products the logical choice of course! Because their products are “free of waxes, oils, or additives, which interfere with the cleaning process.”

Hmmm, I think it’s time for me to get a cleaning kit ASAP!

Photo credit: applepolishes.com

If you look closely, this dress is made out of stuffed Hello Kitties! Really!

If you’re wondering where you can buy this dress, well sorry! It’s just a shop window display! From this fabulous “boutique” of course…

The Sanrio store in Times Square is the retail mecca for Sanrio devotees! While the shop display and store signage has Hello Kitty splashed all over, they carry everything that has Hello Kitty and friends on it! From toys, bags and trinkets, you’ll surely get a high just marveling at the stuff they have in store.

The Sanrio store is located at 233 West 42nd Street, New York City.

If you’re having a hard time getting your little one (be it daughter, niece or sister) to sleep before or right during bedtime, maybe this would get her excited to get ready for bed!

I for one enjoy wearing pretty sleep wear. I have a collection of printed pajamas that I get a kick out of looking at stacked one on top of each other. I also spend quite some time just deciding which one to put on. Weird but true! Hehehe! So I just know surprising a little girl with a cute cute pajama set will get her ready for sleepy time in no time!!! Guaranteed!!!

If you believe in the “legend” then you know who I am talking about here. And yes, this is where it all allegedly happened…

Should you happen to be in New York and find yourself in the vicinity of Times Square, on West 42nd Street exactly, walk farther down towards Bryant Park (where the F/W 2008 collections will be shown 2 weeks from now!) and check out the Conde Nast Building…

You might just happen to run into some “clackers” and hey, you might even see the Devil who wears Prada herself!

Peek closely inside! Heehee!

If you’re wondering why this building is so special that I had to blog about it, let’s put it this way. If you enjoy reading magazines, be it about fashion, health, lifestyle, travel, architecture and all that, then you have to thank the folks who work in this building! Let these roster of magazines and websites refresh your memory:

• Vogue
• W
• style.com
• Glamour
• Allure
• Self
• Teen Vogue
• Flip.com
• GQ
• Details
• Men’s Vogue
• men.style.com
• Architectural Digest
• House & Garden
• Brides
• Modern Bride
• Elegant Bride
• Brides.com
• Lucky
• Domino
• Cookie
• Golf Digest
• Golf World
• Golf for Women
• Vanity Fair
• Gourmet
• Bon Appétit
• epicurious.com
• Condé Nast Traveler
• concierge.com
• Wired
• Wired.com
• Condé Nast Portfolio
• Portfolio.com
• The New Yorker

Sounds familiar now?

It was about -10°C in New York today!I’m not sure if that’s how it is in the Arctic, but it sure felt like that! I had to cover half of my face with my scarf and felt my eyes tearing up because of the cold wind as we pounded the sidewalks today.

I felt sorry for the little kids who had to be out today. But maybe it would be helpful if they kept their hands warm by wearing these Hello Kitty gloves (on sale at Target for less than $2 by the way!)

And then wearing these mittens over their gloves!

Now isn’t that as fun as eating chocolate smores by the campfire on a cold night?

I went to meet with a retail executive who works for a contemporary fashion label based in New York City. While seated at the reception area, I couldn’t resist to sneak out my camera and take a few photos of their showroom…

All I can say is I was awestruck! Their employees are so fashionable (well, it’s not surprising, they are after all working for a fashion label!) and the clothes in the showroom are simple, well-constructed and oh so chic! I wouldn’t mind buying all my clothes here!!! Now if only they weren’t so pricey!

Their office/showroom is just so pared down, but I would say streamlined to perfection! No distractions, it’s just all about the clothes! It must be fun to work here and be surrounded by dresses, tops, pants, skirts and accessories all day! Heehee!