Apart from UNIQLO, there’s another Japanese retail chain that I like - MUJI! And they’re opening a flagship store near Times Square this Spring 2008, right in the same building where the New York Times holds office!

To give you an idea of what MUJI is like, think of “Anonymous”, a retail chain in the Philippines that sold unbranded, no label stuff in the late 90s. But I think they’re the trying hard, copycat version of MUJI. (Ooh, how catty!) Because the similarity ends there. The stuff at MUJI is of a far superior quality. Because of course, you know how stringent the Japanese are about quality!

Let me share with you the philosophy of MUJI. And let this be the catalyst for you to discover and see for yourself what I am talking about!

What is MUJI?

MUJI is not a brand whose value rests in the frills and “extras” it adds to its products.

MUJI is simplicity - but a simplicity achieved through a complexity of thought and design.

MUJI’s streamlining is the result of the careful elmination and subtraction of gratuitous features and design unrelated to function.

MUJI, the brand, is rational, and free of agenda, doctrine, and “isms.” The MUJI concept derives from us continuously asking, “What is best from an individual’s point of view?”

MUJI aspires to modesty and plainness, the better to adapt and shape itself to the styles, preferences, and practices of as wide a group of people as possible. This is the single most important reason people embrace MUJI.

MUJI - in its deliberate pursuit of the pure and the ordinary - achieves the extraordinary.

I was going through my album and saw this photo that I took last week. I thought it would be nice to show you how cold it has been lately…

Heeheehee! Yes, it’s been super dooper chilly the past couple of days! Oh please let spring arrive soon!!!

Yes, Hello Kitty candies come in all shapes and sizes. And they are all pretty darn too cute to eat! Sometimes I just want to buy it and keep it as a collectible! Heehee!

Sometimes I wish I was 7 years old so I can just buy Hello Kitty stickers and be happy for a whole week! Ahhh, the simple pleasures of childhood!

One of my favorite shops to visit is Anthropologie. I can spend hours and hours just looking at their merchandise. I mean, if their shop window can be as alluring as this one at the Anthropologie Flagship at Rockefeller Center…

You would want to just go in and check it out right? Good thing you can judge the store by its window display. Because you wouldn’t be disappointed when you step into this store!

Now if only their prices are like that of Target’s, heehee!

If you like multi-purpose objects, then this might tickle your fancy…

Not only is it a cute accessory, it’s edible too!!! Imagine, you wear something pastel and you decide it needs a little something something to make your outfit interesting. So you stack on all three bracelets right? As you make your way to your destination, you realize you forgot to eat breakfast/lunch/dinner! So you nibble on a few to tame those hunger pangs…until you realize you only have one bracelet left! Heehee!

Stylish and yummy! What a great combination!

Because I grew up in a tropical country, I don’t realize the importance of humidity until I find myself transplanted to the cooler climes.

Of course, when you have to live through a harsh winter, humidifiers are an absolute must in the home. This is because the air inside the house tends to be dry when the heater is switched on. If you don’t have one, then you run the risk of waking up with a sore throat.

It is charming how humidifiers not only serve a purpose, but can even be a decorative piece in a room. Check this out…

Cute huh? Maybe if I have one, I’ll keep it out the whole year round!

When Dear Hubby and I are craving for siopao in the Big Apple, the only place we head out to is Mei Lai Wah.

For 75 cents, we get a baked pork bun that is just so heavenly! I can eat three buns in one sitting! That’s how good it is! For $7, we also get to enjoy a bowl of noodles, coffee and a soda. Not bad at all for a satisfying meal that hits the spot!

We also like the fact the the servers here are old grandpa types, so cute! And so funny because sometimes they sit beside the regular customers to chat, or stand by your table to watch you eat and then ask you how you like your meal! It’s not as intrusive as it sounds, I actually find it charming!

Mei Lai Wah is located at 64 Bayard St (between Elizabeth St & Mott St), New York, NY 10013

(Photo from Obuchoska for nydailynews.com)

I missed the bus stop the other day and had to walk to our house after alighting from the next bus stop. I was kind of irritated that I had to walk far, but I soon felt glad that I did. Because I happened to pass by a mistletoe tree!

Here’s a mistletoe up close!

For some reason, even if Christmas has gone by, and won’t be around for another ten months, the sight of mistletoes gave me a warm fuzzy feeling! Funny how symbols and traditions instantly create the mood and setting of Christmas on a dark and dreary February day!

Some kids find brushing their teeth to be such a chore. But I doubt if they’ll find it the same way if they have a toothbrush like this…

Sure, for $2.99 for a toothbrush, it is quite pricey. But if it will remove the stress of having them brush their teeth at the appointed times, hey, it’s a small price to pay don’t you think?

(Photo from Walgreens.com)