bearbrick love

series 23: the price of love

2012-01-10T23:43:00.002+08:00

Q: What happens when you fall head over heels in love with a Bearbrick collector?

A: You develop an undying devotion to Bearbricks, too!

That's what happened to my friend O. And every time he would visit his new found love in Hong Kong, he would also make a side trip to Mongkok, scouring toy shops for the cutest, latest, or rarest bears. In less than a year, he amassed quite an impressive collection! However, he had to $$$pend a fortune in blind boxes to complete his Series 22, and ended up with a lot of unwanted duplicates. He shrugged it off and said, "That's part of the fun, isn't it?"

But when he learned how much I was paying my fave eBay seller for a complete Series 23 (total of twenty-eight pieces, with all the secrets bears), his eyes suddenly widened, his jaw dropped, and he blurted, "That's half the cost of what I had to spend for Series 22!?! Forget blind boxes – get me an entire set, too!"

A real good deal. Now that's real fun! :-)

Upper row, left to right:

Basic (@ Metallic Coupe Blue)
JellyBean (Green Cream Soda)
Pattern (Andy Warhol)
Flag (Thailand)
SciFi (Fringe)

Bottom row, left to right:

SciFi (Real Steel Atom)
Secret SciFi (Real Steel Zeus)
Animal (Rune Panda)
Secret Animal (Rune Cat)
Hero (Sonic the Hedgehog 20th Anni)

Upper row, left to right:

Cute (Rilakkuma)
Secret Cute (Rilakkuma)
Artist (Muveil)
Secret Artist (Muveil)
Artist (Mishka)

Bottom row, left to right:

Secret (TMT)
Secret (Mawaru Penguin Drum)
Secret (Cha-Ken)
Secret (Oakley Frogskins)
Secret (Heather Grey Wall/CashCA)

Not the same banana: the fruit on the Warhol Bearbrick is uniquely transparent – you can peep inside!

Pics by Yours Truly / Copyright Bearbrick Love January 2012

series 23 coming up!

2012-01-09T10:26:00.002+08:00

ode to 22!

2011-07-05T00:12:00.004+08:00

nothing's more addicting
than bearbrick collecting
hundreds, thousands, or more?
it's so hard to keep score!

there's no end to the obsession
till the last one's in my possession
i can't explain the lust
it's bearbricks or bust!

fast forward to july
a new series to buy
can't find them at the mall?
i say eBay them all!

guys, here's series 22!

Upper row, left to right;

Basic (@ Gold)
Pattern (Let's Play Uno)
Secret Pattern (Let's Play Uno)
JellyBean (Pastels)
Flag (Jamaica)

Bottom row, left to right:

Hero (Green Lantern)
Cute (Cars 2)
Horror (Pirates of the Carribean/On Stranger Tides)
SciFi (Black Rock Shooter)

Upper row, left to right;

Animal (Pirameki)
Secret (Medicom 15 Years)
Secret (Bape)
Secret (Long X Boy London)

Bottom row, left to right:

Secret (Hanakuma Factory)
Secret (Happy Socks)
Artist (House of Pain)
Rare Artist (Sasquatch)

it's quite hard to decide
which bear i'll set aside
as my favorite of the lot
it's the gaudy gold one – not!

the colored camo's striking
and black stripes are to my liking
need a bit of time to think...
hmmm...
the happy socks in pink!

Pics by Yours Truly / Copyright Bearbrick Love July 2011

21 in 2011

2011-01-02T11:36:00.021+08:00

Somebody wrote to me last December 5, 2010:

Hello Mr. Comia. I am writing to wish you well and was wondering if everything is all right, as I haven't seen you posting on your Bearbrick blog for quite some time. I enjoy reading and looking at all of your beautiful pictures and frankly am quite jealous of your extensive collection. I send you positive energy and well wishes for a happy holiday and a blessed New Year.

Sincerely, A

I wrote her back, telling her how touched and thankful I was for her inspiring email, and that I would be blogging about my new Series 21 very soon. Well, A, as promised, here they are!

Upper row, left to right:

Basic (@/Metallic Red)
JellyBean (Pale Lime)
Flag (Mexico)
Animal (Karel Capek/Buzzy the Bee)
Secret Animal (Karel Capek/Cotty the Ladybird)

Bottom row, left to right:

Pattern (The Prodigy/Invaders Must Die)
SciFi (Tron/Daft Punk: Guy Manuel de Homem Christo)
SciFi (Tron/Daft Punk: Thomas Bangalter)
Cute (Barbie/Original Swimsuit)
Secret Cute (Barbie/Pink)

Upper row, left to right:

Horror (Twin Peaks/Laura Palmer)
Secret Horror (Twin Peaks/Dale Cooper)
Hero (DC Comics/Batman)
Secret Hero (DC Comics/Superman)

Bottom row, left to right:

Artist (Eric Haze)
Artist (Holiday Japan)
Secret Artist (Mark Ward)
Secret (Black Rain Music/Kaiki Gesshoku)
Secret (Rubber)

There you are, 19 Bearbricks from Series 21.

Did you notice that aside from Basic, Jellybean, Flag, Animal, Pattern, SciFi (SF), Cute, Horror, and Artist, there is a new category called Hero, as represented by the Batman and the (rarer/secret) Superman bearbricks?

While those two choices seem predictable (they are not the first issues of those characters), I won't complain; it is a brand new year, a time to inspire hope and encourage change. Certainly, the addition of heroes of any kind is most welcome!

Let's make it a happy and heroic 2011, Bearbrick lovers!

Pics by Yours Truly / Copyright Bearbrick Love January 2011
Thanks, Rareak, for helping me complete this collection.

happy new... be@rbricks!

2010-12-31T21:59:00.000+08:00

Wanna see my new Series 21? :-)

first steps

2010-07-30T21:00:00.007+08:00

Yes, it finally walks!

No batteries needed, just wind it up.

What big feet! I guess this is evolution.

Wanna see it in motion?

Or slooooow motion? LOL

I wonder what's next. Tumbling bearbricks? Talking bearbricks? Like those freaky dolls on Youtube, will they start peeing, too?! Oh well... as long as you don't forget about design, Medicom! Hint: industrial designer Philippe Starck, fashion designers Dolce & Gabbana, shoe designer Manolo Blahnik, illustrator Takashi Murakami, graffiti artist Banksy... my wish list goes on and on... and on....

Series 20 Basic @ Bearbrick pics by Yours Truly / Copyright Bearbrick Love, July 2010

take 20

2010-07-24T23:37:00.011+08:00

Series 20, everybody! Finally got all (!) of them – thanks to Rareak of eBay!

Upper row, left to right:

Basic (@ Sign)
Flag (South Africa)
Pattern (SSUR )
Cute (Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear)
Horror (Captain Action)

Bottom row, left to right:
Jellybean (1st Multi-colored)
Sci-Fi (Ironman 2)
Animal (Gremlins - Gizmo)
Artist (Fragment Design by Hiroshi Fujiwara)
Artist (Krooked)

It may be the biggest series so far; I had to divide them into two pics! The first (above) features the regular bears while the second (below) is made up of "secret" – meaning "rarer" – bears.

Upper row, left to right:

Secret Sci-Fi (Ironman 2 / War Machine)
Secret (20th Release)
Secret Animal (Gremlins - Stripe)
Secret (Fragment Design by Hiroshi Fujiwara)
Secret (Phenomenon Japan)

Bottom row, left to right:
Secret Sci-Fi (Momotaros Imagin - White Version)
Secret (Momo)
Secret Horror (Captain Action - Dr. Eville)
Secret (Hysteric Glamor)

My favorites? The red Ironman Bearbrick – it's got a unique and expensive-looking finish, just like automotive paint. The first of its kind, I think! A multi-colored Jellybean Bearbrick is also a first, so I like that one, too. And of course, Gizmo the Gremlin, because he reminds me of my cute dog Hogan.

There's also another "first" in this series, but I gonna write about that in my next post. Watch out for it, bearbrick lovers!

Pics by Yours Truly / Copyright Bearbrick Love July 2010

pretty pleasing in pink

2010-06-26T23:30:00.009+08:00

Someone I know who recently attended a business seminar said that their speaker gave them a very important success tip: "There is a particular shade of pink which, if worn to a business proposal presentation, would ensure the wearer of an approval."

Since I make a lot of sales/advertising/creative pitches myself, I scoured the Internet for pics of men in pink, so I could get an idea of what shade that might be. Check them out:

Players in Pink: The Catani Football Team (above) and the Middlesex Country Cricket Club (below) dress up in support of breast cancer awareness.

Posing in Pink: Men on the street, from Asia to the U.K.

Pop Group in Pink: Japanese boy band Arashi during their Around Asia Tour 2008.

Prickly in Pink: Sprockettes (All-Ladies Mini Bike Dance Troup) tees look cool on angry-looking guys.

Pumped-up in Pink: Wrestler Dave Batista at WWE's Diva of the Year 2009 (where he did a "Kenya West").

Prisoners in Pink: Maricopa County Sheriff Joseph Arpaio introduced pink fashion to disgruntled inmates.

Baby pink, medium pink or hot pink? Which shade made you like (or trust) the wearer more?

The way I see it, any pink shirt can make a tough guy look tame, and a hardened criminal appear harmless.

But beware, it can make guys look downright silly, too!

(Top Pic) The pink Fujio Akatsuka Bearbrick was created by the Beams retail chain in Japan to promote Mangart Beams T, the new line of Manga-inspired Tees at their concept shop in Daikanyama, Tokyo.

The bear is based on the Iyami character created by Fujio Akatsuka (1935-2008), a famous Japanese manga artist. You can check out his official website here.

Bearbrick pic by Yours Truly / Other pics from weeklytimesnow.com, dailymail.co.uk, bamboolounge.friedeye.com, a-man-fashion.blogspot.com, ynaoblivious.livejournal.com, sprockettes.org, wrestlegasm.com, themormonworker.wordpress.com

3 X a lemon

2010-06-20T22:30:00.012+08:00

Lemon 1:

About four years ago, I had to drive myself to a meeting because my driver, Guido, was on sick leave. After I parked on the street, I rolled down my car window to pay the attendant (who walked over to collect the parking fee). As I got my receipt and pressed the switch to close the window, I suddenly heard the sound of shattering glass! It was loud; I quickly turned around to see if any other car had hit mine. Nada. So I continued to close the power window. But the glass wouldn't roll up. Wouldn't roll up!?!! I had never heard of a car window crashing like that before. And it was a BMW, for heaven's sake – a German-engineered car!

Since I couldn't leave my car – open window and all – on a busy city street, I never made it to my meeting. :-/

Lemon 2:

Just recently, two friends and I decided to meet up for cocktails. One of them, C, was unusually late. The excuse? Her sports car's window slid down and wouldn't roll back up – just like mine. She had to go home and switch rides! Yes, it was a BMW, too.

Lemon 3:

Then C told me a about her lady friend who drove across Quebec in a BMW. Same thing – the window crashed. But since it was a long journey, the window had to be patched with plastic and packing tape for the rest of the trip. A BMW with plastic-covered windows!?!!

Well. That's why today, I drive a different car. :-P

(Top Pic) The BMW Bearbrick. The blue sky and white clouds imagery stands for its claim of "less emissions".

the best seats in barcelona

2010-05-30T15:00:00.011+08:00

For most sports fans in Barcelona, seats to "El Clásico", a football match between their home team (FC Barcelona) and its fiercest rival (Real Madrid), are probably the most-prized.

But for an ordinary tourist like me, there is no seat in the city as incomparable as the long, serpent-like bench at Parc Guëll, a garden complex built in the early 1900s (below).

Its winding lines form small enclaves that are quite cozy.

But apart from its very unusual shape, what makes the bench outstanding is its mosaic surface, created from hand-painted tiles of various shapes, colors and textures.

Notice how the tiles are not as randomly arranged as they initially appear to be; there is order in chaos! I want to recreate this look for my bathroom. :-)

The genius behind this strangely beautiful and original park is Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, the same creative mind behind Barcelona's most famous tourist spots: Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló, and Casa Mila.

Below is the view of the park's main entrance as seen from the bench.

Unlike the seats to the much-awaited football game, sitting on the Gaudi-designed bench of Park Guëll (which is now considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site), will not cost you a cent! Another proof that life's best doesn't always come with a price tag. :-)

(Top Pic) The FCBarcelona Bearbrick was created to promote the Futbol Club Barcelona or Barça, which is considered the second richest football club in the world (€365 million in revenue)! If you bought this bearbrick, you now know where your money went. :-)

Pics by yours truly, Copyright 2010 / Info from Wikipedia

dazed and confused in seville

2010-05-08T22:16:00.005+08:00

Last month, on our way to Barcelona from Madrid, Jun and I decided to make a little side trip to Seville, the fourth largest city in Spain. When we arrived at our hotel, we asked the receptionist which tourist spot we should visit first, and her ready answer was "Plaza de España".

The plaza, a 15-minute walk from our hotel, was as beautiful as we expected it to be. For me, it is one of the best examples of Moorish Revival architecture in Andalusia, one of Spain's autonomous communities.

Built in 1928 for the Spanish-American World Fair, it was designed by Sevillan architect Aníbal González. Today, it houses mostly government offices and the Seville town hall.

Because it was a Sunday, all the offices were closed and the plaza was populated only by tourists like us. And the only thing we could hear was the powerful duet of the couple below.

Along with four other tourists, we stood watching for about 15 minutes before dropping some euros into their guitar case.

After that, I decided to set up my tripod to take some pics while Jun began texting on his mobile phone. So I put down my bag on the floor and placed my jacket on top of it.

While I was focusing my camera, I suddenly heard a rustling sound. I turned around and saw my jacket sliding across the floor, lifted by the wind. So I picked it up and quickly tried to dust off the dirt from it.

I didn't realize until five minutes later, after I've taken some pics, that my bag was missing!

Imagine my panic – my passport, mobile phone, money and credit cards were in there! Fortunately, a security guard arrived, and I tried as hard as I could to tell him what happened. It wasn't easy – I was flustered, hysterical, and desperate, and I had to translate everything to Spanish!!!

But Mr. Security wasn't much help – he only advised me to call a number and make a perfunctory police report. #%*?!

Then suddenly, from nowhere, I heard a loud male voice: "Hola....... un bolso con un PASAPORTE FILIPINO...." (Hello....a bag with a Filipino passport....)

I turned around and shouted. "That's mine! That's mine!"

The tall Spanish gentleman who found my bag turned from the guard to me and suddenly spoke in English, "We found it at the other end of the building. It was left on the stairs... open... probably by the gypsies who we saw leaving the area..." His companions, a bunch of young Germans, nodded to affirm his story, and asked me to check the contents of my bag.

Everything was intact – passport, credit cards, etc. – except for the cash (200 euro) and my Nokia mobile phone. (It was a good thing I left most of my cash at the hotel!)

I told my heroes, "You guys are from heaven! May I treat you to dinner? I still have my credit card."

The tall Spaniard replied, "Thanks, but you already lost money. Besides, we are on our way back to Madrid straight from here."

So I thanked them profusely, and we all parted ways.

I felt terrible about losing my phone – who wouldn't? Nonetheless, I got my passport and my credit cards back, and that made me happy enough to smile again. Whew!

Before we left the plaza, Jun and I passed by this area (above), so I brought out my camera and took a shot. It was a beautiful scene, but when I look at it now, all I can think is – I want to put that #%?^!? bastard who stole my bag behind bars!!!

(Top pic) The Mañana Banana Bearbrick (white version) by Pamtoy, released in July 2005. This also came in brown and GID (Glow In the Dark).

the kissing spot

2010-04-28T23:00:00.004+08:00

The most romantic spot in Madrid must be the Plaza de Oriente (below) in front of the Palacio Real, judging from the number of kissing couples I saw as I crossed over from the palace to the opera house one late afternoon.

I couldn't help but take pics – after all, I didn't think these lip-locked lovers minded at all.

Except for a pair who hid behind one of the tall topiaries (below) when they saw me holding up my Lumix camera. Ooops!

The shy pair looked like they were in their 60s, but they were certainly kissing like it was their very first time – with equal parts of passion and clumsiness.

An important tip: Keep your eyes closed while kissing. You'll look much better that way – to your partner, or to paparazzi like me. :-)

(Top pic) The Series 4 Cute Bearbrick, launched in August 2002, was inspired by young love.

All pics by yours truly, Copyright April 2010.

tapas town

2010-04-08T11:49:00.016+08:00

There are 3 reasons why I gained weight after my first 3 days in Madrid, Spain.

1. The food is "muy delicioso".
2. There is a place to eat at every turn.
3. Shops are closed between 2 to 5pm (siesta time), so there is nothing for tourists like me to do but EAT, EAT, EAT!

Reason #3 led me to a place called Mercado de San Miguel (below), a 1900s public market that reopened in May 2009, after it started restoration in 2008 in the hands of private businessmen. Encased in glass and wrought iron, the place now houses delicatessens, tapas bars and stalls that offer meat, seafood, fruits, cheese, wine, beer, dessert, coffee – even books.

This is how it looks just before it gets full at lunch time.(Which is around 1:30 to 3pm!)

Above is the meat stall where everybody buys Jamon Iberico, a type of cured ham that is only available in Spain. You have to take a number when there's a crowd.

Customers normally order "cien gramos" or 100 grams. (Yes, that is an Iberian pig's hoof that you see. LOL)

My other favorite stall is the one with "aceitunas" or olives. (That's Jun, waving.)

I couldn't help but order 2 of each of these "tapas de olivas". Para mi, they're the best! The olives provide a refreshing aftertaste.

Anchovies with poached "huevos" (eggs) on toast, a must-try.

"Croquetas" (potato croquettes) of different flavors are sold here. The one with calamares negros (black squid ink) is my favorite.

This is the cheese stall where you can buy Manchego, the most popular cheese in all of Spain.

The best desserts in the entire market – Pastel de Nata (left) and Pastel de Queso (right). Both are eggs tarts but with different flavors; one has coconut while the other has cheese.

Because of the number of choices, you'll probably have dessert more than once. :-)

To drink, I always had the Spanish "sangria", a mixture of red wine, brandy, triple sec, fruit juice and sugar. It's so light and easy to drink; you'll get drunk before you know it!

Madrid isn't like New York, Hong Kong or Paris when it comes to shopping. If it's any indication, you won't find a Balenciaga boutique here (even though its original designer and founder, Cristobal Balenciaga, was born in Spain)!

In Madrid, what you save in shopping money, you gain in calories! :-P

(Top pic) The Spain "We Love Football" Bearbrick is one of a series of bears representing some of the countries who participated in the 2006 World Cup. Produced in cooperation with Kentucky Fried Chicken Hong Kong.

Photos by yours truly. Copyright bearbricklove.com 2010.

red hot passion

2010-03-30T23:11:00.023+08:00

Last March 24, I was at the London Heathrow Airport waiting for my connecting flight to Madrid, Spain. Instead of sitting in the lounge for coffee, pastry and Facebook, I decided to kill time by window shopping.

Okay, I admit that with me, window shopping can turn into panic buying at the sight of a sale sign or a hot new item.

So, yes, I ended up getting the bright red loafers on the left.

Frankly, I had to think hard of where I would wear them before I gave the cashier my Visa card. Probably not to church, like what the vain little girl did in Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale entitled "The Red Shoes" – the priest might deny me Holy Communion! I doubt if I would wear them to a bullfight in Madrid, either, unless I wanted the bull to run after me. And I don't think I have a chance of ever wearing it to the beach, but that's not because of its color, right?

Nevertheless, red is awfully attractive. And like red roses, red lips, red hearts, red sportscars, red apples, strawberries and cherries, those shiny red Bally shoes are simply irresistible to me.

(Top pic) The red Jellybean Bearbrick from Series 18. Pic by yours truly / Copyright March 2010.

the figures behind the fight

2010-03-15T23:30:00.006+08:00

Did you watch the Pacquiao-Clottey match last Saturday night? According to CompuBox, a computer program that counts and categorizes punches thrown and connected in boxing matches, Manny Pacquiao's red gloves landed 246 of 1,231 punches; Joshua Clottey connected only on 108 of 399.

The numbers indicate that Clottey practically didn't put up a fight! According to many viewers, he was trying to cover his face the whole time. After 12 rounds, Pacquiao was declared winner.

At a press con, Clottey explained, “He’s very, very fast. I tried to catch him, but he always manages to move out. He’s the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.”

Clottey earned $1.25 million, excluding pay-per-view revenue, a figure which could run up to more than $3 million, according to some speculators.

Seems like Clottey wasn't a loser after all. :-)

(Top) The Tokidoki Fighter Bearbrick, the fifth (5th) 100% bear designed by famous Italian illustrator Simone Legno.

Bearbrick pic by Yours Truly, Copyright March 2010 / Fight pic/info from LA Times Online, paquiaovsclottey .boxingnewsupdates.com

the best of 19

2010-02-14T00:00:00.012+08:00

Here it is, finally – my Series 19. I am going to admit outright that I didn't get the complete set because I felt that the others weren't special enough. I mean, some people got a once-in-a-lifetime chance to create a bearbrick and they blew it... :-/

Thank God for the talented bunch who designed the wonderful bearbricks above!

First row, left to right:

Jellybean (Carolina Blue)
Pattern (Leopard)
Flag (Spain)
Horror (Uglydoll / Wage by David Horvath)
SciFi (Star Trek – Spock)
Cute (Shoko Nakagawa / Watanabe Entertainment )

Second row, left to right:

Animal (Paradise Lost, Donkey Sister by Jimmy Liao /Jimmy S.P.A.)
Artist (Kazuki Kuraishi / KZK)
Artist (Bad Robot)
Secret SciFi (Momotaros Imagine / Masked Rider Den O)
Secret (Stussy / XXXth Anniversary)
Secret Artist (My Dirty Diamonds / Matt Black)
Secret (Revolver Japan /Kiri)

(If you want to see which ones I didn't want/get, look for them here.)

I really like the Leopard Pattern and the flocked Kazuki Kuraishi bears. But the Uglydoll bearbrick is my favorite because it has a very interesting love story behind it.

Back in 2001, toy designers/lovers David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim had to part ways as she had to go back to her native Korea. He regularly sent her "I miss you" letters with his little "Wage" character drawn at the bottom of the page. Once, Sun-Min surprised David by sending him a plush doll version of Wage which she sewed herself. It was so cute that they both decided to sell copies of it at the Giant Robot Store in LA. Its overnight success gave birth to more Uglydoll characters that also became bestsellers in designer toy stores. David and Sun-Min are now married and have little cuties, not uglies, of their own. :-)

Happy Valentine's Day, bearbrick lovers!

Pic by Yours Truly / Copyright February 2010 /Uglydoll plush pic from www.iksentrik.co.uk / Drawing from www.uglydolls.com

i heart eavesdropping

2010-02-07T22:30:00.006+08:00

Last weekend, I paid a visit to my chiropractor, Dr. P. I wasn't in any kind of extreme pain, really; my back just felt a bit stiff and I thought the doctor could simply snap my misaligned bones right into place.

While I was waiting in my cubicle in a pale blue examination gown with packs of hot compresses on my back, I suddenly heard voices. They were coming from the next cube – that of a father (who I imagined was in his thirties and an American, judging from his accent) and of his son (who sounded like a lovable 3-year-old).

The dad spoke first. "Now, you just keep still there while Daddy gets a massage, okay? Can you do that? Then after we're finished here, I'm going with you to wherever you want to go."

The boy replied, "Okay, I'm going to sit here and... and wait for you. Then... then I want to go where you want to go, too, 'cause I love you... I love you all the way to Pluto!"

"Really? Well, I love you all the way to Pluto and back."

Not to be outdone, the little one quickly said, "I love you to all the way to Pluto and... and... to all the planets in the world! All the planets!!"

At that point, I was smiling and waiting for his dad's answer. There was a bit of a pause, then dad let out a very slow and breathy "Wow!" I could almost see him smiling, too.

After an hour, I walked out of the clinic feeling better, thanks to Dr. P's healing hands, and the infectious love between an anonymous father and son. Some say laughter is the best medicine; I say it is love, too.

Next Sunday is Valentine's Day. Share the love, people! :-)

(Top pic) The Bearbrick with the heart icon was designed by New York grafitti/graphic artist and illustrator Todd James a.k.a. REAS. It was one of ten (10) Bearbricks from the Bearbrick World Wide Tour (BWWT Set B).

Pic by Yours Truly. Copyright 2010. Background painting detail by Filipino contemporary painter Popo San Pascual.

the baseball hero

2010-01-12T23:00:00.020+08:00

My visit to Taipei would not have been complete without a trip to Hot Dog Toyz, probably the best bearbrick source in the whole of Taiwan. I dropped by on January 1 – what a exciting way to start the year! As I leaned close to the display shelf, I immediately spotted this bearbrick in baseball uniform (see above).

The saleslady (who remembered me from last year's visit) told me excitedly, "That's supposed to be Chien-Ming Wang. He's a Taiwanese who pitched for the New York Yankees. It comes with a nicely-bound book that contains all his baseball records."

She rummaged through piles of unopened boxes and lifted two boxed sets. "There's two versions – two bearbricks, two different uniforms, see? But both record books are the same."

"So he's a baseball star, huh?" I smiled.

She frowned a bit. "Yes, but since 2008, he's had a series of injuries – now, he's out of the team."

I reached out for the boxes and examined them.

"Those have been marked down," she continued, "Less NT$400!" (That's US$12.50)

Half of me was happy about the discount, although the other half felt sorry for Chien-Ming Wang. Imagine, mementos and memories of his glory days as ace pitcher for the Yankees had just depreciated! :-/

While trying to shrug off my mixed feelings, I placed my Visa card on the counter and said, "I'll take them."

Wang currently lives in Fort Lee, New Jersey with his wife, Chia-Ling Wu, and their 7-month old son named Justin Jesse.

Pics by yours truly. Copyright January 2010. Info from wikipedia / www.nj.com

2009 be@rbrick of the year

2010-01-01T23:30:00.008+08:00

I've never hit the 'buy-it-now' button on eBay faster than when I first saw the Jimmy Liao bearbrick (above). Released during last year's Taipei Toy Festival, I consider it my favorite bearbrick of 2009 for two reasons.

1. It's simply beautiful. From composition to color. From idea to illustration style.

2. It promotes art, not a brand of jeans nor a department store.

Jimmy Liao is Taiwan's best-known illustrator. A design graduate from the fine arts department of the Chinese Culture University, Liao worked in an ad agency for twelve years. After a bout with leukemia, he quit his advertising job and started to write and draw books for children.

The bearbrick's design is based on an illustration which first appeared in Liao's book, "How To Own A Corner" (below).

According to someone I asked, the Chinese caption at the lower right of the page says, "I wish that in every corner of the world, everyone will find his own happiness." A beautiful wish for the new year, isn't it?

By coincidence, I am now in Taipei, Taiwan, for a short holiday. Instead of a trip to a museum or park, I first opted to visit the Nangang Subway Station because I read somewhere that Jimmy Liao's work decorate the station's walls.

See? I took pictures!

Below is a humongous hare, a recurring figure in Jimmy's work.

The little cat-boy carrying the moon is a character from his book, "The Moon Forgets".

I love this chair collection! Do you see the sitting girl?

The giant drummer boy below is sitting along the main corridor that connects all exits.

Below are the three most arresting images that I found alongside the train tracks.

Taipei's subway stations are generally not remarkable. In fact, I find them rather antiseptic. But at the Nangang Station, Liao's whimsical imagination has delighted many local commuters and tourists like me.

Whenever I chance upon art on the street, whether it's painted graffiti on the side of an old building or a commissioned mural on subway walls, I find instant joy. There's really nothing like beauty to brighten up any corner of the world.

Happy new year, bearbrick lovers! :-)

All pics by yours truly. Copyright January 2010. Info from culture.tw, taipeitimes.com

what's in a name?

2009-12-12T23:30:00.002+08:00

All my brothers' names, including mine, start with the letter "A". Antonio, Ariel (me), Armond, and Achilles. I don't know if the letter had any significance to my parents – it never occurred to me to ask them.

What I was told, however, was that my grandmother (who was into names and numerology) made sure we had lucky names. According to her, the letters in people's names corresponded to numbers. And these numbers all fell under four different fates: Buenas (lucky), Penosa (painful), Peligrosa (dangerous), and Muerte (death). Now, don't ask me if this is a fair segregation – apart from one, all the others seem to suck.

Do I believe in this kind of thing? I don't know. But I sure got fascinated by what people said about the name of Manny Pacquiao, the Filipino boxer who is currently the world's best. They say his name is very lucky indeed: "Manny" sounds like "money", while "Pacquiao" sounds like "pakyaw" (which means "to get everything" in the Filipino language).

Interesting analysis, for Pacquiao now ranks 6th in Forbes.com's list of the world richest athletes for 2009. :-)

So parents, how about naming your baby "Euro", "Dollar", or "Gazillionaire"? LOL

(Top) The Fujio Akatsuka Bearbrick with the letter "A" on its chest was created by the Beams retail chain in Japan to promote Mangart Beams T, the new line of Manga-inspired Tees at their concept shop in Daikanyama, Tokyo.

The bear is a representation of Fujio Akatsuka (1935-2008), a famous Japanese manga artist who created many famous cartoon characters such as Daddy Bakabon (see t-shirt below). You can check out his official website here.

beauty & the be@rbrick!

2009-11-08T18:00:00.017+08:00

Where can a Be@rbrick lover get a haircut?

At the Be@utybrick Hair Art Studio, of course! :-D

(Left) Owned by a young Korean stylist named Shin (who speaks fluent Japanese), it's a place where one can get a haircut like a Korean pop star's. For only P600 / US$12.

Too bad I shave my head! LOL

Location: Unit 103 Doña Consolacion Building, 122 Jupiter Street, Bel-Air Village, Makati City, Philippines.

Thank you, Sunny, for this very amusing discovery! ;-)

(Top pic) The white bearbrick with the "scissor" eye was designed for CUBE Art Bookzine by Sartoria Communicazione, a design firm based in Modeno, Italy. Released in December of 2004, it's one of ten Worldwide Tour Bearbricks (Set C).

Info/salon pics from The Jonas Chronicles, spot.ph / Hair pic from apnimarzi.com / scissors pic from ironscissors.com / Bearbrick pic and digital imaging by yours truly

anybody out there?

2009-10-30T22:50:00.009+08:00

I was checking my email last week when I heard my business partner S (who was reading the newpaper) say, "A new planet's been discovered – doesn't that make you think we may not be alone in the universe?"

Could she have been referring to the planet named WASP-17 which was discovered by the UK's Wide Area Search for Planets project in collaboration with the Observatory of Geneva last August 2009?

The planet, which is approximately 1000 light years away in the constellation Scorpius, is said to be twice the size of Jupiter.

Planets (like Earth) are thought to form when dust particles and gases around a newly-formed star gather to form rocks.

"The dust bunnies under your bed grow in a similar way." said Scott Kenyon, a planet-formation theorist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. "And after a million years, a dust bunny can get pretty big."

So that explains the planets. But not the human race.

Well, lemme put it this way: if we came from interstellar dust bunnies, then I don't wanna know! LOL

(Top pic) The Interstellar Bearbrick, a rare secret bear from Series 17, was designed by Gustavo Alberto Garcia Vaca of Chamanvision Visual and Literary Art Studio. It was inspired by "Interstellar Transmissions", Vaca's art book of digital images inspired by Jazz, Detroit Techno, Hip Hop, Electro and Funk – music by various artist that were built on themes of time and space.

According to his website, "Vaca is a visual artist/writer working in various mediums including digital, writing, drawing and photography. His artwork is exhibited in art galleries around the world, including Parco Museum in Tokyo, Japan and the Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Tokyo, Japan. His writing is published in literary journals, magazines, books and anthologies including Dance the Guns to Silence. His photography is published in various art books including Graffiti World: Street Art from Five Continents."

WASP planet background image from NASA / Bearbrick pics and digital imaging by Bearbrick Lover / Info from chamanvision.com, space.com, spacedaily.com

score a tetris be@rbrick!

2009-10-18T22:00:00.017+08:00

Wanna join?

All you need to do to win a Tetris Bearbrick (and more) is to play Tetris, the popular video game invented by 53-year old Russian computer engineer Alexey Pajitnov in 1985.

1. Where to play:
freetetris.org

2. How to join:
Take a screenshot of your highest score and email it to acomia@pldtdsl.net

3. What's the prize:
one (1) Tetris Bearbrick, one (1) Red Jelly Bean Bearbrick, one (1) Ren Bearbrick, all from Series 18 (left).

4. Deadline for submission: Nov. 18, 2009. Announcement of winner: Nov. 20, 2009. If you win, I will send you the prize via registered airmail – it's that simple!

So, why buy these bearbricks on eBay when you can get them here for free? :-)

(Pics by Bearbrick Lover / Copyright, October 2009.)

graffiti's glamour boy

2009-10-10T12:30:00.011+08:00

It's not unusual for graffiti artists to achieve a certain level of fame and fortune later in their careers. Consider Kaws, Shepard Fairey (of Obama hope poster fame), Futura, and Slick, for example. Their art moved from streets and subways to hip galleries, fashion labels, designer vinyl toys and graphic design.

But among all of them, none lived a life more glamorously than the Parisian graffiti artist named André. After all, he's French. And handsome (see below, left).

This year, he became the star of the Belvedere IX Vodka campaign, along with Monsieur André (above, right), the character he made famous on the walls of Paris in the early 90s.

André's other early claim to fame was the "love graffiti" (above). He would paint the name of a lover over a random spot in Paris, on commission.

Because of his cool image, the Palais du Tokyo commissioned André to open a store (called Black Block) within the modern art museum. It sold everything hip, including toys based on his Monsieur André character (above) as well as global street fashion (below).

Later, André's partnership with high-profile friends resulted in a chain of successful clubs – Le Baron, Paris Paris, Le Regine (with Lionel Bensemoun) and La Montana (with Olivier Zahm). That's how he became the "it boy" of the Parisian club scene (below).

But the André style did not end there. Soon, he went into the hotel business with Hotel Amour (below, left) near Montmartre, probably the best "chic & cheap" hotel in Paris. I'd love to stay in one of its Bearbrick-decorated rooms! (below, right)

"Graffiti is not vandalism but a beautiful crime." – André

From artistic outlaw to lifestyle prince. I guess that's what happens when creativity combines with business savvy. Who says street artists have to starve? :-)

(Top) The Monsieur André Bearbrick designed by André is part of the Bearbrick Worldwide Tour Set A, released in 2004.

Info/other pics from cyanatrendland.com, theselby.com, labelnetworks.com, guillotine.com, blackblock.org, hypebeast.com, myspace.com, chicinparis.com, style.com, anthemmagazine.com, bkrw.com, www.lebaron.jp, lacoquette.blogs.com, belvedereix.com, blackblock.com

an early wake-up call

2009-09-24T21:30:00.009+08:00

Last Saturday, I woke up at around 9:30 a.m. If it was any ordinary Saturday, I'd be getting up much later, except on that particular morning, the fire alarm was ringing like mad!

I hurriedly put on my shorts, ran to the living room and opened the door of our condo unit. Outside, along the corridor, two of my neighbors' maids were screaming at each other in panic.

"Where's the fire?" I asked one of the maids. She pointed to the fire indicator (see right), shouted, "Sa 10th floor!" and disappeared into the fire exit. We were on the 17th.

I dashed back inside my unit, stood in the middle of the living room and thought hard. "Okay, okay, calm down, you can't bring everything with you!" I told myself.

So I just grabbed the bag nearest me – my leather Nike carryall designed by Carol Davidson (creator of the Nike "Swoosh" logo) and stuffed it with the basics: my wallet, checkbooks, car keys, house keys, mobiles phones, iPod, camera and chargers.

Next was my laptop which I always toted inside a lightweight nylon bag.

Then I went into the bedroom and got my valuables: watches, jewelry, passport.

After that, I grabbed the dog carrier and shoved my pet chihuahuas Kenzo and Hogan inside.

Finally, I was ready to go. But first, I went to the main electrical switch and turned it off. Before locking the main door, I stared at my condo for a brief moment, trying to make sure I didn't leave anything...

Oh. My. God. The Bearbricks! F___ing s__t! (Freeze frame.)

But I decided – there was no time left to pack them. So I took a deep breath, stepped outside and locked the door.

:-(

As I made my way to the fire exit, the elevator doors opened and my neighbor from Unit 17-C walked out, wearing only house robes and clutching her Louis Vuitton Speedy bag to her chest. "False alarm!" she blurted out.

:-O

:-D

For me, that morning's alarm was an important wake-up call – I should keep my bears in friggin' rolling luggage!

(Top pic) If I were to save just one of my Bearbricks from a fire, it would be my BWWT Bearbrick designed by Nike CEO, Mark Parker. For me, it's the most inspired Bearbrick creation ever. It's interesting how the bear's body is engulfed in flames, isn't it?

a gem of a be@rbrick

2009-09-18T12:00:00.018+08:00

Do you know that in the the "Pink Panther" film series, the panther isn't really an animal but a large and valuable diamond?

In the original 1963 version directed by award-winning American director Blake Edwards (Breakfast at Tiffany's, Days of Wine and Roses), a jewel thief known as "the Phantom", played by David Niven, plotted to steal the Pink Panther from its owner, Princess Dala (Claudia Cardinale). A French detective named Inspector Clouseau (Peter Sellers) played his klutzy adversary.

According to the story, the pink panther diamond had a flaw that formed the shape of a leaping panther, and this image could only be seen if the stone was held up to the light in a certain way.

It's interesting to note how an imperfection can make one all the more extraordinary. Remember supermodel Cindy Crawford's signature mole? Before her arrival in the modeling world in the 80s, such beauty marks were often airbrushed out of fashion magazine covers. But it became Cindy's million dollar trademark.

Speaking of gems, the Floyd Ring Cup (below) is as irresistible as a real diamond ring. It's so clever!

I bought several cups at the Franc Franc store in Hong Kong and gave some to couple of friends who just celebrated their anniversary.

The gem in the Floyd cup ring isn't a real diamond, but it's a genuine Swarovski crystal. I guess that's bling enough to impress, don't you?

This gem-of-a-cup is still sold at mollaspace.com, at a price that's a steal.

(Top, left) The Pink Panther Bearbrick is a collaboration between Medicom Toys and Universal Studios Japan.

Info from Wikipedia / Bearbrick pic by yours truly / Floyd cup pic from thisnext.com

let us count the ways

2009-08-31T22:00:00.016+08:00

We always count the days to a long vacation or the minutes before an exciting show. We also count the things we want to buy with our Christmas bonus, and the gifts we receive on our birthday. And every time we join raffles, we tend to "count our chickens before they're hatched".

However, there are a few things that we sometimes lose track of. Here are some useful tips on what to count in life:

1. Count your money before you leave the cashier. It sucks to be shortchanged.

2. Count your calories. It's costs more to lose weight than to gain it.

3. Count your luggage when you travel. Remember, once you leave a city, there's no turning back.

4. Count to ten when you are upset at someone. It will stop you from saying things you don't mean.

5. Count your time online. Don't forget to spend quality time with the people you actually live with.

6. Last but not least, count your blessings – your family, your friends, your job. There is always someone else who has so much less. :-)

(Top pic) The 'tally marks' logo on the Bearbrick's chest belongs to the Japanese streetwear brand Undefeated. This bear is a collaboration with two other fashion brands, Stussy and Real Mad Hectic, to promote the the New Balance MT 580 Running Shoes (below).

Bearbrick pic by yours truly / Shoe pic & info from highsnobiety.com

the soft side of be@rbricks

2009-08-24T23:30:00.008+08:00

This Bearbrick created by Japanese dj-turned-designer Hiroshi Fujiwara for the "4th Bearbrick World Wide Tour" is what you call a "flocked" toy.

FYI, flocked toys are those that have undergone the "the application of monofilament fibers, usually nylon, rayon or polyester onto a surface that has been previously coated with an adhesive." The resulting texture is very soft, similar to velvet or velour.

Back in the 70s, flocking was the rage. Almost all types of Christmas decor – trees, snowflakes, stars, lettering, candy canes, and holly – were flocked to death. Printers flocked everything from greeting cards to invitations to colored paper.

Very quickly, flocking became mass produced, and soon spread extensively to cheap and whimsical objects defined as kitsch. Even the once-luxurious jewelry box became tacky with all the flocked red lining. By the end of the 80s, flocking had lost its appeal.

Today, toy designers like Gary Baseman, James Jarvis, Touma, etc. have been reviving interest in flocking by creating flocked versions of their famous toy designs.

Hiroshi Fujiwara's Bearbrick is one example of how flocking is appropriately/tastefully used. It turned a hard-edged Bearbrick into a soft and furry teddy bear.

My dog Hogan, who loves all things soft, was instantly attracted to my flocked bear.

But I quickly grabbed the thing away from him.

That left Hogan with nothing but a soft and silky comforter to snuggle in.

Well, at the end of the day, softness is happiness. :-)

Info from craftflocking.com, swicofil.com, wikipedia / All pics by yours truly

yesterday... today... futura

2009-08-10T17:00:00.007+08:00

Finally, it arrived – my Series 18 Secret Artist Bearbrick designed by Futura 2000.

It is a 'must-collect' for me, because Futura 2000 was one of the pioneers of the 80s graffiti art scene. Back in the 70s, when there was practically no 'scene' yet, Futura (born Leonard Hilton McGurr) was already writing (also called 'bombing' or 'tagging') in the subways of New York.

While graffiti artists moved from the streets to the galleries during the 80's (like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, and Kenny Scharf), Futura's career took a different turn. An unfavorable review by a prominent art magazine drove him away from New York galleries and into illustration and graphic design. In the 90s, he worked on record labels, created collectible vinyl toys, and collaborated with famous street fashion brands such as Recon, Nike, North Face, Undercover, Supreme, Levi's, and A Bathing Ape. Today, he designs for his own clothing line, Futura Laboratories which has a store in Fukuoka, Japan.

The Series 18 Bearbrick's 'paint splatter' design (above) was first seen on the "Clarks X Futura collaboration" Wallabee boots (below), a colorful classic that was launched late last year at Stless).

After that, the design reappeared on Futura Laboratories' Selvedge denim jeans, sold last March 2009 for $350 a pair.

If you're wondering what made Futura famous in the vinyl toy scene, look below. That's his 'Nosferatu', a 16-inch futuristic figure rendered in various colors and patterns. It looks more like a piece of modern sculpture than a toy, if you ask me.

And if you're curious about how he looks, then check out the pics below: Futura then (left, with Madonna)... and now (right).

While today's Futura 2000 seems to have embraced all of pop culture and the new media (his website has become his new subway walls), he still paints for art's sake. Last February, he exhibited 150+ postcard size paintings – not at a big New York City gallery – but at a local bar! Each artwork was raffled off for free (!) as his way of saying 'thank you' to his loyal followers and friends.

While Futura is not finished with fine art, he's done with art galleries. Who says art has to be hung on a white wall, anyway?

Futura Laboratories Bearbrick pic by yours truly / Info & other pics from coagula.com, Highsnobiety, flshop.exblog.jp, Wikipedia, streetlevel.com, Flyglobalmusic, dapperkid.blogspot.com, bkrw.com

a yellow tribute

2009-08-02T20:00:00.029+08:00

For the people of the Philippines, the song "Tie A Yellow Ribbon 'Round The Old Oak Tree" (composed by Irwin Levine and L. Russell Brown) is a meaningful one.

"Tie a yellow ribbon 'round the old oak tree,
It's been three long years, do you still want me?"

It was the theme song that marked the return of Filipino national hero Ninoy Aquino (Ferdinand Marcos's political opponent) to the Philippines in 1983, after three years of exile in the US. As a welcome sign, yellow ribbons were scattered along the streets of Manila by his supporters. But upon his arrival – just as he was stepping off the plane – he was brutally murdered. For a long time, we Filipinos endured the shocking image of Ninoy, our hero, slumped and bloodied on the airport tarmac, in our minds. (While the soldiers who assassinated him were sentenced to jail in 1990 after the ouster of Marcos, the mastermind remains unnamed and unpunished to this day.)

His wife, Cory (below), empowered by the Filipinos who were clamoring for change, continued her husband's fight against the tyranny of the Marcos dictatorship. The yellow ribbon, as well as the yellow color, became the symbols of her campaign. After leading the first non-violent revolution in 1986 (called the People Power Revolution), she became the first female president of the Philippines and served the country up to 1992.

Yesterday, August 1, 2009, our beloved Cory Aquino succumbed to colon cancer. Like millions of Filipinos, I am deeply saddened. Under her leadership, we Filipinos learned the real meaning of democracy, and how it felt to be free from military rule, free from fear. We will forever be grateful for this most priceless legacy.

Maraming Salamat, Cory!

(Top) The yellow-colored Bearbrick with a medal was created by Medicom Toys to commemorate the 100th year of the Teddy Bear (1902-2002). Did you know that this stuffed toy was named after former American president Theodore Roosevelt? Read about it here.

Bearbrick pic by yours truly. Cory pic from the blog, Stray Cat in the City

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the debut of 18

2009-07-19T13:30:00.015+08:00

Tadah!!! Presenting my Series 18 collection, so far (it's still missing two: Secret Futura 2000 & Secret Gallery 1950). My favorites are the 3 Ts: Tetris, Terminator, and Tokidoki bears.

Top row, left to right:

Basic (@/Lilac)
Flag (India)
Pattern (Tetris)
SciFi (Terminator Salvation)
Jellybean (Red)
Artist (Tokidoki)
Cute (SpongeBob by Hillenburg)
Secret Cute (Superhero SpongeBob)

Bottom row, left to right:

Horror (Stimpy)
Secret Horror (Ren)
Animal (Hello Kitty 35th Anniversary)
Secret Animal (Hello Kitty 35th Anniversary)
Artist (Kuwahara Shigekasu)
Secret (Club King)
Secret Artist (Feminyan)
Secret Artist (Sato)

The last bear designed by an artist called "Sato" is still a mystery to me. Is he the Uniqlo creative director Kashiwa Sato, industrial designer Oki Sato, fashion designer Maasaki Sato, professor/designer Koichi Sato, or the actor Koichi Sato? (LOL) The only clue I have is the stamp on its back (below), which I, of course, can't decipher. Can you? :-)

Pics by yours truly.

the 'mj' be@rbrick

2009-07-11T20:50:00.008+08:00

There is an 'MJ' Bearbrick (above, left), but it does not stand for Michael Jackson. It's the one designed by 'Miura Jun' (or Jun Miura), a famous Japanese illustrator, for Bearbrick Series 16. One of his artworks exhibited at the Tokyo Laforet Museum in 2002 (above, right) must have been the inspiration for it.

Judging from the pics below, it is easy to see that Miura (right) has something in common with the King of Pop.

Check out a video of him here.

However, the similarity doesn't end there. Like Michael, Jun has spent a lifetime of trailblazing artistry. He is also a cartoonist, painter, essayist, novelist, musician, record producer and a very good friend of music legend Bob Dylan. How akin to creativity can one be? :-)

Info from we-make-money-not-art.com, cduniverse.com, assemblylanguage, 1101.com /MJ pic from o.aolcdn.com / Jun Miura artwork from assemblylanguage.com / Pic of Series 16 Animal (Miura Jun) by yours truly

seoul searching

2009-07-06T18:15:00.004+08:00

To tell you the truth, I didn't know what to expect of my first South Korean trip. My friend J and I only decided to fly there because Cebu Pacific Airlines had a big sale and it was the only Asian country that we hadn't been to. If you ask me, I knew nothing of the place, except that Seoul, the capital where we were headed, was the site of the 1988 Summer Olympics.

It was a trip in search of an itinerary. Fine by me. The prospect of deciding where to go and what to do 'on the spot' was truly liberating. And I loved it!

After days of wandering leisurely around the busy Myeongdong shopping area, taking a guided tour of the Gyeongbok Palace (with my Korean Flag bear, top pic), and strolling down the touristy Insadong-gil, I finally decided to try my luck with Bearbricks.

That search took me across the Han River to the Gangnam-gu area where the huge COEX Mall was. There, I found one (1) of the four (4) Kinki Robot stores in Seoul (see below).

The toy store chain's managing director happened to be there. We got to chat a bit (nice guy) and he even helped me get a cab to the other Kinki Robot store in Sinsa-dong Kangnam-gu.

That other shop is this one below. The guy with glasses is Jerry, the store manager.

On the wall beside the cash register is a poster by the famous Seoul-based figure maker, Coolrain. He's a Michael Lau copycat, but a very good one (the miniaturized Nike shoes are wonderful!) But you have to order online, where each of these handmade 12" figures will cost you US$770 – whoa!

Just when I thought my search was over (I was ready to head back to my hotel with several new bears), I stumbled upon this cafe/toy store called Le Caviar (below), just about 50 meters from Kinki Robot Sinsa-dong.

Outside, the place looked loaded!

Inside, stuff was spilling over to the cafe's dining couch! LOL

100%s.

400%s.

That night, I went back to the hotel happy – with 8 new Bearbricks (including the first die-cut metal one from Bandai) from three different stores.

Bearbrick-hunting may be tiring for the body, but as far as I'm concerned, it's damned good for the soul, too!

All pics by yours truly.

coffee, tea & serendipity

2009-07-02T21:36:00.025+08:00

Three weeks ago, my friend J and I spent four days in Seoul, Korea. We arrived at our hotel in the trendy Myeongdong district late in the evening (11pm), so we had to walk quite far to find a restaurant that was still open.

On our way back to our hotel after dinner, the rain suddenly poured! Naturally, we took shelter inside the only place that was still open at that time – a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf cafe. As we approached the counter to order anything that could legitimize our stay, J exclaimed, "Look, a Bearbrick!"

Below was what he saw.

It was the 2nd Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Be@rbrick, a Korean exclusive – you wouldn't find it anywhere else in the world. I was really planning to get one – what a coincidence, eh? :-)

This (below) was the box that it came in.

Those angular brown patterns are the same ones on the bearbrick's torso. They are supposed to be the Korean letters for b-e-a-r-b-r-i-c-k. On the actual bear, the consonants are in front while the vowels are at the back. (Or is it vise-versa?)

And you probably thought they were just pretty patterns, huh? :-)

All pics by yours truly.

the day the robbers came

2009-06-17T08:00:00.004+08:00

I won't forget the date – June 9, 2009.

10 a.m.

I received a notice from the post office that my L.A. Robber Bearbrick (above, designed by Simone Legno of Tokidoki) had arrived via registered airmail. I asked my driver to pick it up.

Who would have known that this bearbrick with darkly whimsical markings was an omen of the bizarre coincidences that followed?

10:30 a.m.

I got a message from a client. He informed me that our 2 pm meeting at their office might be cancelled. He said, "Some robbers broke into our 3rd floor offices last night and all the tenants have been forbidden to enter the building since this morning.... for security reasons."

11:30 a.m.

My client called back to say that they've already been allowed to go up to their offices. "Let's proceed with our meeting at 2pm," he advised.

1:50 p.m.

I arrived (with my colleague) at the back entrance of my client's building where a crowd of people were gathered by the sidewalk. As we moved towards the door, a security guard stepped in front of us and said, "Sorry, sir, ma'm... we are securing the building. Nobody's allowed to go inside."

Before I could open my mouth to speak, he had already turned his back.

My colleague whipped out her cellphone and dialed our client's number. "We thought you said that we'd be permitted to enter the building already... How come we're being asked to leave?" she asked him.

He apologized, "Sorry, there's been another robbery, just 20 minutes ago. Happened so fast, I wasn't able to warn you... A group of armed men held up the bank on the ground floor!"

Our jaws dropped. Had we arrived earlier, we would have witnessed the whole thing! Because to get to our client's 3rd floor office, we needed to take the elevators which were right in front of the bank's glass doors.

My client continued, "Meeting's canceled, of course, I'll call you people next week. Bye!"

By that time, we've been ushered to the sidewalk where the rest of the crowd was milling about. I couldn't help but overhear someone say, "I heard that the two adjacent buildings were also robbed last night – can you believe it? Must have been the same thieves!"

Another voice quipped, "It's election time, that's why...."

The first voice replied, "Yeah... election time."

When I got into the car to go back to our office, I told my driver about what happened. He quickly commented, "That's because it's election time..."

Now, what in the world do you think they all meant by that?!

I shudder at the thought.

(Pic by yours truly. Copyright Bearbrick Lover June 2009.)

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wanted: gardener be@rbrick

2009-06-12T23:55:00.013+08:00

An Open Letter To The Famous Toy Designer, Michael Lau

Dear Michael,

I am an obsessed fan, a crazy toy collector who used to check eBay diligently for your 12-inch Gardener figures, hoping there would be a seller who was insane enough to part with his.

But after years of waiting in vain, I've learned to accept defeat (and the fact that those footlong toy figures with poseable extremities could cost me much more than an arm and a leg).

So I've switched to running after your 6-inch vinyl Gardeners instead. As the pictures below will show, I've been quite successful in acquiring a decent collection of your shorter Gardeners. You can't imagine how proud I am of these 'guys'. :-)

(Left to right) Maxx, Square, Tatto

Fatwest, Prodig, Brian

Young BB, BW, Mono...

Box B, Box C...

Future, Womax...

... and the catatonic-looking DJ Tommy.

But here's my case: much as I am devoted to your Gardeners, I am, above all, a Bearbrick lover. As such, I can't help but wish that one day, you'll find in your heart to create a 'Gardener' Bearbrick, complete with the hip streetwear and edgy attitude. Not just generic bearbricks (like the ones on top which you created for the 2001 Hong Kong Toy Con) stamped with the name of your toy company, Crazysmiles.

Please? :-)

Yours truly,
Bearbrick Lover

(Inset: top, right) 12-inch Prodig Gardener pic from crazytoyz0709.blogspot.com

collector's profile: the boy behind bare

2009-05-31T19:42:00.004+08:00

This letter B stands for...

... the handsome Bill Psonis (below), the brains behind Bare (barenomore.com ), an online toy shop based in Greece. He's the one who took the pic of the Series 16 'B' Bearbrick (above) against the famous White Tower of Thessaloniki.

Bill told me that his love for Bearbricks inspired him to start his own web-based shop in 2006. Today, he sells a good variety of toy brands such as Medicom, Toy2r, Kidrobot, Amos Toys, Strangeco, Crazylabel and creations from known designers like Kaws, Michael Lau, Patrick Chow, Kennyswork, Devilrobots and upcoming ones like Michael Kwong and T9G.

His blog (which you can access from barenomore.com) highlights new toy releases, as well as news about designers that he personally likes.

That's a 1000% Mastermind Bearbrick he is holding in the pic above. (I love his dotted Nike Dunk shoes designed by Japanese musician/trendsetter Hiroshi Fujiwara.)

(Above) His shop's official business card. You can tell he's a very creative guy.

(Below) Bill with his 1000% (0r 28-inch) Bearbricks and other toys from his collection.

(Left to right) Sex Pistols "Never mind the Bollocks", Sex Pistols "God Save the Queen", Rolling Stone, and Mastermind. FYI, the 16-inch bear on the extreme right is not a Bearbrick – it's a Qee Toyer Bear.

As you can see, Bill (in black Converse x Fujiwara sneakers) has a simple but sharp sense of style. He wears Sophnet, Visvim, Originalfake & Head Porter Plus, all trendy street fashion brands from Japan.

He has around one hundred eighty 100% Bearbricks...

...and twenty-five 400%s (or 10-inch) bears.

Aside from Bearbricks, Bill also collects Kubricks and Hasbro Star Wars 4-inch figures. His favorite Asian toy designer is Michael Lau. He told me that he even managed to get Lau's latest CSBOOTH16 figures in his shop – at very reasonable prices!

Part of his vision was to provide toy collectors an alternative to today's outrageous eBay prices. Boy, do we need more guys like Bill! :-)

Bare Shopping Tip: Enjoy FREE shipping via registered airmail for all purchases above 70euro. Happy shopping!

All pics by Bill Psonis / Nike X Fujiwara pic from www.tierze.ro

pencilworks

2009-05-21T22:30:00.010+08:00

Back in kindergarten, I learned the basic things that I could do with a pencil:

1. Write.
2. Draw.
3. Stab an annoying classmate.

But through the years I discovered that pencils could also be used as backscratchers, earpicks, darts, bookmarkers, chopsticks, corkboard pins, etc. I especially like filling a coffee mug with newly-sharpened colored pencils and using it as decor, in lieu of flower arrangements.

My artist-friend Christina Quisumbing-Ramilo has been more inventive with pencils. Her latest artworks make use of hundreds of them glued together to create bas relief-type sculptures of various kinds.

From paisley-shaped eraserheads to pencil tips that form a large teardrop.

Don't these remind you of art deco architecture? Like the top of the Chrysler Building?

Honeycombs?

Deep sea flora?

I like the one on the right. The arrow-tips inside the black crater look like volcanic spew.

From pencil scraps to pencil art. From a simple tool to a slew of possibilities. Congratulations, Christina – once again, you've turned the mundane into magical. :-)

These sculptures were part of a group show entitled "PARAMETERS + PLAY + REPETITION = PATTERNS" at the Manila Contemporary Art Gallery along Pasong Tamo Extension in Makati City, Philippines. Conceptual artist Judy Freya Sibayan curated the exhibition.

(Top) The bearbrick with childlike pencil scrawls is the Series 8 Secret Bearbrick. Named 'Stash & Ariel', it was created by Brooklyn-based graffiti artist Stash (a.k.a. Josh Franklin). From spray painting 60 X 20 feet subway trains in the eighties, 37-year old Stash has moved on to selling his brand of pop art in galleries, collaborating with fashion labels such as Nike and his own Recon streetwear, and designing toys. See more pics here.

Info from livingproofmag.com and guardian.co.uk. All pics by Bearbrick Lover, Copyright 2009.

a visual haiku

2009-05-07T09:00:00.011+08:00

fleeting images
framed by the earth and the sky
frozen with a click

Poetic pictures of Japan, Spring 2009. As captured by my Canon IXUS 970 IS camera.

(Above) The BWWT 6 Bearbrick designed by Japanese contemporary poet Sandaimeuotakehamadashigeo. You can get CDs/DVDs of his poetry readings from his website.

1. Looking out into the garden of Nijo Castle, Kyoto.

2. Ducks at Ueno Park, Tokyo.

3. Short pine trees at the edge of the Castle Park, Osaka.

4. Wooden prayer boards called 'ema' are hung outside the Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa, Tokyo.

5. Trendy Japanese teenagers at a Tokyo JR Station.

6. Nothing compares to dining under cherry trees in bloom, behind the Yasaka-jinja Shrine in the old Gion district of Kyoto.

7. Red Japanese parasol at the Nijo Castle Garden, Kyoto.

8. The majestic Osaka Castle before dusk.

9. An arch of paper lanterns outside the Senso-ji Temple, Tokyo.

10. The sand garden at the Ginkakuji Temple (or Silver Pavilion) in Kyoto.

11. Wooden Japanese architecture at Ueno Park, Tokyo.

12. The bridge across the moat at the Osaka Castle.

13. If you lie down on a picnic blanket at Ueno Park, Tokyo, this is what you will see.

14. Huge lanterns outside the Senso-ji Temple at Asakusa, Tokyo.

15. The landmark Prada Building, designed by Herzog and De Meuron, at the chic Aoyama shopping district in Tokyo.

16. The most beautiful restroom sign I've seen. Lumine, Shinjuku Station, Tokyo.

All pics by by yours truly. Copyright: Bearbrick Lover 2009 :-)

cutting-edge coifs

2009-04-29T22:30:00.007+08:00

In the United States and Europe, it would be quite ordinary to see Vin Diesel-type 'skinheads' walking down the street.

In Japan, however, it would be very rare – a lot of the guys there have long, anime-style hair!

Check out the young Japanese guy with blue hair (above right) who we saw just outside of Osaka Castle Park. He actually reminded me of my Series 13 Evangelion 'SF' Bearbrick (above left), which was based on the character of Rei Ayanami, the first pilot in the anime and manga series.

My companion J, fascinated with the hip Japanese hairstyles, paid a huge sum for a cut at a Harajuku salon. While waiting for him, I leafed through a male hair catalogue and took some pics (below). Which do you like best?

In downtown Kyoto, I took a pic of this guy (right) who has perfected the look from head to toe. When I told him I would post his pic on my blog, he immediately struck a pose!

I love the hair – I just wonder how long it takes him every morning to get that 'coiffed'. :-D

the secret of the tangerine tunnel

2009-04-23T12:00:00.003+08:00

Months before I traveled to Japan, I spoke with a TV commercial director who told me many interesting stories about his vacation there with his family.

"When we were in Kyoto," he said, "we took the train to the Fushimi Inari Shrine. Man, do you remember the scene in 'Memoirs of a Geisha' where the young Sayuri was running inside a tunnel of orange posts? That was the place. It was awesome!"

Then his eyes widened. "But you must hear the rest of my story. You remember my daughter? Remember I told you she has a third eye? While we were walking through the endless row of toriis, she suddenly freaked out! She couldn't breath... was crying like anything! We had to rush her out of there and give her lots of water to drink.'

'When she was well enough to talk, she revealed to us that she saw countless spirits of dead people roaming the place, and that a lot of them scrambled to get to her, pleading for help like lost souls. They must have sensed that my daughter could see them... it freaked me out, too!"

Last April 9, when I finally visited the Fushimi Inari Shrine with J, it was late afternoon and only as handful of tourists were present. The minute we were inside the torii tunnel, I stood very, very still. No, I didn't sense any spirit breathing in my ear. Even my companion J, who claims to be 'sensitive', didn't get any ghostly vibe. Whew!

But it was an eerie, beautiful place alright.

The place is open 24 hours but you won't see me around after sunset. I'll run out of that tunnel faster than the young Zhang Ziyi did in the movie. :-0

(Top pic) The Bearbrick in the pink Japanese kimono with crests is the 'secret' bearbrick of the 'Toys R Us' - Set A Series, released in 2001!

All pics by yours truly, taken at the Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto

Translation: Torii = Gate

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lost (and found) in translation

2009-04-19T21:00:00.017+08:00

The minute I stepped inside the Tokyo subway, I knew I needed help. There was no way I could navigate the city just by studying the maps and charts plastered on the walls. Hardly anything was in English!

Luckily, the Japanese are the most helpful people in the world.

On our way to Project 1/6 (see pic below), Medicom Toys' flagship store in the crowded Shibuya district, my friend J and I got lost. (Our map was in English, the road signs were in Japanese!)

So we showed the map to a nice Japanese couple on the street. After an exchange of hand signals and one-word sentences, the guy quickly consulted the navigator on his mobile phone. Then he and his girlfriend eagerly walked us to the toy shop (which turned out to be more than a hundred meters away, in the opposite direction of where they were initially headed.)

On our way to our Kyoto hotel for the first time, a young graduate student got off his bike and decided to walk with us when he realized that he couldn't give us clear directions. It was a loooong walk but the guy didn't seem to mind at all!

And what are the chances of finding a lost jacket on a metro train in Osaka?

100%! In our case, it was through the kind assistance of a very distinguished-looking Station Captain (I'm not sure if that is what he is called) who went out of his way to figure out which train we left the jacket on, orchestrate its recovery, and even walk us to a distant office to claim it. That's him in the pic above.

It's easy to get lost in Japan, but it's not hard to find a Japanese who is willing to help. I am reminded of the classic quote from the movie 'A Streetcar Named Desire' – the line that lead star Vivien Leigh spoke to an unknown man who helped her get up from a fall:

"I've always depended on the kindness of strangers."

To all of them: Arigato gozaimashita! :-)

(Top) The Bearbrick+Kubrick set based on the TV series 'LOST' was among four boxed sets that I found at Medicom's Project 1/6 Store. The Kubrick with the gun is supposed to be lead star Matthew Fox (pic below), who plays one of the plane crash survivors who were stranded on a mysterious island.

Matthew Fox pic from handson.provocateuse.com /

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dissecting kaws

2009-04-15T17:30:00.012+08:00

Who is Kaws?

Kaws is Brian Donnelly, a New York-based graffiti artist and toy designer.

What is his claim to fame?

In the late 90s, Kaws started to alter bus stop and phone booth posters. Armed with a 'master key', he would open the glass casings, steal the posters, paint on them, and put them back. Watch a video docu here.

Soon, New York commuters became familar with his work. Posters for fashion brands such as Guess, Bebe, YSL, Calvin Klein, etc. suddenly had images of skulls with 'x'-ed out eyes painted over the models' faces. Sometimes, this skull head was part of a sperm-like figure that wrapped itself around the models. Click here to see one. (Note: this is the reason why the bus stop is a recurring theme in his toy designs.)

How did he get into toy designing and street fashion?

After winning an artist grant from Pernod Liquor, he quit his Disney job and traveled to Tokyo where he collaborated with street fashion brands such as Undercover, Hectic and A Bathing Ape, as well as toy brands such as Medicom. Soon after, he opened his own clothing store called Original Fake at the fashionable Aoyama district in Tokyo. His retailer neighbors include Prada, Comme De Garcons, D&G, Hysteric Glamour, Issey Miyake, BAPE, etc.

How successful is he as an artist?

Kaws's fame as an artist is not credited to a string of art galleries exhibitions. It is a product of his various collaborations with cult fashion brands and the designer toy world – with the help of the Internet. Recently though, his exposure via art galleries has started to progress, with shows at the Gering & Lopez Gallery in New York, Gallerie Emmnuel Perrotin in Miami, and Honore Fraser Gallery in L.A. (According to the LA Times, Kaw's Honore Fraser show last February 2009 was mobbed!)

Who collects his art?

Rapper/Producer/Songwriter Pharell Williams, BAPE owner Nigo, and Japanese artist Takashi Murakami, among others.

Where can one find his work on the Internet?

Originalfake.com, Kawsone.com, and Gering & Lopez Gallery. But you'll find the most number of pics at this Kibrobot Discussion link.

What are his latest collaborations?

He just designed a pair of shoes for Marc Jacobs's new line. And the artworks for Kanye West's new album.

How important is this Kaws 'Dissected' Bearbrick to collectors?

Well, important enough for people to line up overnight for (below) – some Hong Kong collectors even flew to Taipei! Crazy isn't it? Read about the launch day here. :-)

In my collection, there are three different Kaws Bearbricks – two of which are based on Kaws's 'Original Companion' toy figure.

But this one (top, right) based on the 'Dissected Companion' is my favorite. For the first time, I actually enjoyed looking at entrails – lung, liver, intestine, pancreas, heart, aorta and all. :-D

Info from i-D (The stepping Stone Issue), The New York Times Magazine, Los Angeles Times / Kaws pic from www.spreadartculture.com / Launch day pic from freshnessmag.com

journey to japan

2009-03-22T22:42:00.003+08:00

Woooooooooooooo
hooooooooooooooo!

Just got a Japanese visa.
I leave with J on April 3.
Harajuku in Tokyo.
Hanami in Kyoto.
Can't wait –

Bearbrick country,
here I come!

(Left) Japan 'We Love Football' Bearbrick. Kentucky Fried Chicken in Hong Kong celebrated the 2006 World Cup with a series of 12 Be@rbricks, which include Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Mexico, USA, Korea, France, Argentina, Brazil, England, and Japan.

the season for headbands

2009-03-06T21:00:00.006+08:00

A headband is a very practical accessory. It is used by women to keep hair away from the face. Lewis Caroll's 'Alice in Wonderland' wore one, remember? Back in the 80s, Australian singer Olivia Newton-John popularized a variation called the sweatband in her 'Let's Get Physical' video. Today, headbands have become even more fashionable, thanks to trendy girls like Blair Waldorf of Gossip Girl, and guys (!) like athlete David Beckham and pop idol Joe of the Jonas Brothers.

The Series 14 'Cute' Bearbrick (above, right) also wears a headband. It is a representation of 'Oden-Kun', a character from a 'picture-book-turned-anime-series' created by Lily Franky (a.k.a. Masaya Nakagawa, a Japanese illustrator, writer, actor, musician, and photographer).

Take note, however, that Oden-Kun's headband isn't really a fashion statement. It's supposed to be a strip of edible gourd, because Oden Kun is actually a 'Mochi-Iri-Kinchaku' (fried tofu skin stuffed with rice paste). In the anime series, Oden-Kun and his friends are different types of 'oden' (hotpot ingredients, above left) living in a village at the bottom of a bowl. They spend their days waiting for people to eat them. Sometimes life gets more exciting as they fight cancer cells inside human bellies. :-)

Meanwhile, in the world of fashion, Miuccia Prada created modern day warriors wearing studded leather headbands for Fall 2009 (left and below).

The theme? "Survival," she said. "And to survive, you have to be strong."

Because of the global economic crisis, life will be one tough fight for survival. Especially for luxury brands like Prada.

So everybody should gear up. I, myself, am already liking this fabulous warrior headband – oops! – how much do you think it will cost? LOL

'Oden' pic from myspace.com / Miuccia Prada quote and runway pics from menstyle.com

two cute!

2009-02-16T12:04:00.003+08:00

Let me introduce you to a couple of cute creatures.

One of them is the 'Chief Chirpa' Bearbrick (above), which is based on an Ewok character from Star Wars. It's part of a set of 5 which includes Teebo, Paploo, Lumat and Romba.

The first time I saw Ewoks in the movie 'Episode VI: Return of the Jedi', I thought they were cute and mischievous – an irresistible combination.

The other is my new dog, Hogan (above), a two-month old teacup chihuahua that weighs less than half a pound.

I have always wanted a teacup chi-pup for as long as I can remember. I wanted a dog that I could sneak inside malls in a messenger bag, one that ate only a spoonful each meal and used very little of those expensive dog shampoos. In my mind, I had a clear picture of what that dog would look like.

Then I finally found him at Ichibon Kennel. So you could say that I loved him even before I saw him. :-)

series 17 minus 1

2009-02-03T12:05:00.012+08:00

Is my Series 17 complete? Well, almost. The only thing I don't have from this series is the glow-in-the-dark Bearbrick called Secret Matzu MTP. I didn't get it for two reasons:

1. It is too expensive.
2. It's flocked and white; therefore, hard to keep clean.

These days, toy collectors have to be practical. And sellers have to be more considerate. I sometimes get shocked at how much some Bearbricks cost on eBay!

(Above) Good thing, Series 17 is quite a handsome haul.

Top row, left to right:

Basic ('B'/Yellow)
Jelly Bean (Jelly Belly)
Pattern (Patapon by Rolito)
Flag (Russia)
Horror (K-20)
Cute (Crayon)
SciFi (Gurren Lagann)
Animal (Mickey)

Bottom row, left to right:

Artist (Alexander Girard)
Artist (The World of Golden Eggs)
Secret Kubrick Bearbrick (Black Version)
Secret SciFi
Secret (Celebrity)
Secret Artist (Alexander Girard)
Secret Artist (Gustavo Alberto Garcia Vaca/Chamanvision)
Secret Animal (White-Faced Mickey)

My favorites? The Crayon and the two Alexander Girard Bearbricks. But I love Mickey the most. That killer smile is certainly a big plus! :-)

goodbye, rat.

2009-01-25T23:00:00.010+08:00

There is a belief that it's difficult to get rid of rats because they're smart. Some say that if you try to hit a rat and it manages to escape, rest assured that it will seek revenge – the offended rat will chew on your favorite shirt!

And some of them know how to sniff a set-up. I tell you, I've come across one which actually refused to enter a cage trap, even when we tried to lure him in with an aromatic piece of meat.

Based on the Chinese calendar, the Year of the Rat officially ends today. That means saying goodbye to a year of grave financial instability. But just like rats, our economic problems won't go away easily. That's why we all need to work together to change the course of 2009.

“When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened.”
– John M. Richardson, Jr.

Goodbye, Rat. Hello, Ox.

Happy Chinese New Year to all! :-)

(Top) The limited edition Mouse Bearbrick, a Hong Kong exclusive. Produced by Mani Limited HK in cooperation with Medicom Toys.

the color purple

2009-01-20T23:50:00.017+08:00

Hard as I may try, I can't recall owning anything purple. I don't remember the color coming into fashion at any point in my life. My strong Catholic upbringing taught me that purple is the official hue of Lent, a somber reminder of the death and suffering of Jesus Christ.

In my experience, no guy wore purple to parties. No one drove a purple car. Or lived in a purple house.

At work, clients of mine are not likely to approve advertising layouts with the color purple. For them, it's a sad color and will not sell.

But it's payback time for purple. Today, fashion's most influential designers have labeled it the 'color of the year'.

Check out their Spring 2009 collections:

(Left to right) Emporio Armani, Badgley Mischka, Elie Saab

Balenciaga, Emilio Pucci, Gucci

Louis Vuitton, Anna Sui, Emanuel Ungaro

John Galliano, Versace, Etro

Okay, okay. The women's dresses look terrific. However, the men's outfits look a bit... too much?

But I must say: it's great that people have become more open to unpopular color choices. From something as mundane as pushing purple on the runways to something as historic as putting a black president in the White House. Change is good! :-)

(Top) The purple 'West One' Bearbrick is part of 2004 Bearbrick World Wide Tour (Set B) released in Osaka, Japan.

Fashion pics from style.com

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pigging out in bali

2009-01-07T22:00:00.002+08:00

On the plane ride to Bali, Indonesia, my companion J told me, "We must go to the place where Bourdain ate roast pork."

He was referring to Anthony Bourdain, celebrated chef and author of the bestseller, Kitchen Confidential. Bourdain once featured the tropical island of Bali in his Travel Channel show 'No Reservations' and one of the segments was on the local eatery called Ibu Oka (below).

The place specialized in 'babi guling' (below): tender, succulent slices of roast pork and crunchy pork skin served over rice with a savory sauce made with shallots, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, and chili. Tucked underneath these was a slice of freshly-cooked blood sausage and deep fried pork cracklings. Yum.

There was nothing else for us to order but second and third helpings – and we did!

So just how good was it?

Let me quote Bourdain: "OK. No question about it. This is the best pig I've ever had. Absolutely, the best. I mean is there anything more beautiful? Do you think that even the finest French chef could ever come up with anything as delicious or as beautiful as this? I think not. It's the mountain-top of pork. And I am there."

J and I had to rent a car and travel 50 kilometers to Ubud, Bali just to try Ibu Oka's famous pig. But it was definitely worth the trip... and the calories! :-D

(Top) The Year of The Pig Bearbrick, produced for the Hong Kong Bearbrick Fan Club, was released at the 9th Hong Kong Comics Festival in 2007.

Info from: elmomonster.blogspot.com / www.travelchannel.com / Pics by Yours Truly

the unkissable frog

2009-01-01T09:00:00.006+08:00

Will you dare kiss a frog?

Probably not.

But let's say, you are a contestant in Fear Factor and 10 million dollars are at stake. Will that change your mind? :-)

Indeed, money is a very good motivator – it's right up there with fame, love, sex, and power.

To be successful, it's important that we keep ourselves motivated. But to be truly happy – here's a wonderful tip (a forwarded text message from a friend):

"What really matters is
Not what we bought but what we built;
Not what we got but what we shared;
Not our competence but our character;
And not our success but our significance."

Happy New Year to all! :-)

(Top) This Bearbrick (inspired by the fairy tale "The Frog Prince") was created by Isetan Japan to promote the edgy fashion brand, Libertine. Beautifully illustrated and unblemished by logos, it's one 'frog' that's easy to love.

Water lily background pic by Ian Britton from www.freefoto.com / Bearbrick pic and digital imaging by yours truly :-)

the be@rbrick is a kubrick

2008-12-29T23:30:00.007+08:00

There's something fascinating about alter egos.

Most superheroes have them: Superman hides behind the unassuming Clark Kent. Underneath the Iron Man suit is millionaire Tony Stark. On an ordinary day, Spiderman is the dorky Peter Parker. The real Batman is the angst-ridden Bruce Wayne.

Same case with bad guys: In Batman, the evil Two-Face was the former law-enforcing Harvey Dent. The deceitful Catwoman was the mousy underdog, Selina Kyle. Spiderman's vengeful Green Goblin is Harry Osborn, Peter Parker's best friend.

In real life, there are movie stars who portray different lives on and off-screen... women who play the role of doting mother and corporate bitch at the same time... and married men who pretend they're single – haha!

Hero or not, it can be fun to lead a double life. Think: why have one life when you can have two? :-)

Check out Series 8's rare Secret Bearbrick cum Kubrick (above), released in 2004, the first ever 2-in-1 Bearbrick. (TIP: Just this month, Medicom released a black version of this as part of the new Series 17. Go grab one... or should I say two?)

the best stocking stuffer

2008-12-24T08:00:00.018+08:00

Last December 19, I attended a Christmas party at my brother's place along Roxas Boulevard, Manila.

All the guests were asked to bring a 'white elephant' – an ugly, unwanted gift that they had received in the past (which simply took precious space inside their closets) or something that hadn't been useful around the house for some reason.

After dinner, it was time for the gift exchange! Everybody was excited – not because of the gifts (haha) – but with the challenge of trying to land the least ugly gift of all.

Guess what I ended up with? A plus-size t-shirt with a very girly design (?!!?) – something that I should simply give away or keep for next year's funny gift exchange!

Nobody wants a white elephant for Christmas. That's why when my business partner S and I decided what to give our friends for the holidays, we made sure it was the best gift – the most memorable 'stocking stuffer' – that they would ever receive from our company, PC&V Communications.

Want to see what we gave them? Click here.

Merry Christmas, Bearbrick Lovers! :-)

(Top, left) The 2008 Christmas Bearbrick created by FrancFranc (the Japanese home furnishing store chain) comes with the cute, red stocking which can be hung on a tree. It's a Christmas stocking stuffer that any Bearbrick collector will love.

toy hunting in taipei

2008-12-08T07:00:00.011+08:00

I just found out last weekend that Taipei is a good hunting ground for... designer toys!

How to find them: First, take the subway to the Zhongxiao Dunhua Station and get out at Exit 11. There, you'll find the Dinghao Shopping Center (above).

On the third level of Dinghao is Monster Taipei (above), a store which sells all kinds of toys, including Bearbricks. Jen Huang, the owner of this store is the driving force behind the Taipei Toy Festival, an annual event that has put Taipei on the map when it comes to designer toys.

Here, the staff will gladly give you directions to the next store (below).

Monster Gear, the sleek, upscale version of Monster Taipei, is only three blocks away. At this store, you do not have to sift through boxes – all the toys are properly displayed behind clear glass, like easy targets. If you're also scouting around for fashionable street gear, just go down the basement.

A rainbow of Bearbricks adorn the door of Monster Gear.

(Above) The next stop is Hot Dog Toyz, a two-minute walk from Monster Gear.

The store (which is on the 2nd floor) is neatly organized – it's the sheer number of choices that will confuse you!

It's the best place to find Bearbricks in Taipei (or in the world, even) – look at this display! Thanks to the wonderful salesperson (I forgot her name); she gave me two (2) free 'secret' bears because I spent so much – haha!

Finally, there's Paradise Toys, only a minute away from Hot Dog Toyz. Not quite 'paradise' in terms of size but definitely worth a visit.

In my experience, the hunt for designer vinyl toys is not easy. They are only available in a few specialty stores that are often hard to find. Even in big cities where such toys have a large cult following – New York City, San Francisco, Paris, London, Singapore, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Taipei – you'd better come armed with Internet research if you don't want to go home empty-handed.

Happy hunting! :-)

(Top photo) The 'She' Bearbrick (wearing a cheongsam) was created by Jen Huang of Monster Taipei for the 2005 Taipei Toy Festival in Taiwan. It belongs to a set of six – the others were designed by Pal Wong, Mark Chang, Nathan Jurevicius, Brothersfree and Push Comics.

Info from www.taipeitimes .com / Pics by yours truly

an unsolved mystery

2008-11-30T23:30:00.007+08:00

Two weeks ago, I received an unexpected call from S, my business partner.

"My driver is missing!" she blurted out. "Around 5pm, I asked him to drop me off at Santi's Deli in Rockwell. He was supposed to park the car at the nearby mall and buy me meds for my headache. But when I called and texted him – countless times – to ask him to pick me up, he never answered. To think that I told him I wouldn't take long! After waiting for two hours, I decided to take a cab home. Should I call the police?"

My mind raced. Was her driver's phone on silent mode? Why didn't he check it for messages? Did he fall asleep in the drivers' lounge? Did he meet an accident? Or was the car hijacked in the basement parking area of the mall? (The car was a high-end SUV, a vehicle on the police's list of cars-most-likely-to-be-carnapped. )

"We must be very sure before we report the matter to the police," I replied, "I think they issue shoot-to-kill orders on drivers of stolen vehicles."

"Then I should go back to the mall and find out if the car is still parked there," she said, sounding worried.

"That may be dangerous. You want my driver to come with you? He can be your bodyguard."

"I'll go alone."

At 7:30pm, I called her on her mobile phone.

After three rings, the call pushed through but no one said 'Hello'. There was a sound of rustling like someone was fumbling for the phone. Then I heard a very loud and shrill scream! What the hell was going on?!

She finally spoke, "Hi, I'm on my way to the mall."

"Are you okay? I heard a scream–" I asked.

"Those were my brakes screeching." Then she put the phone down.

At 8:30pm, she called and said, "The security guards found my car in Basement Parking Level One but my driver's nowhere to be found. They've paged him already."

"Ask the guards to check inside the car – maybe kidnappers tied him up in there, and are waiting for you," I spoke slowly, horrified at the thought.

At 9:30pm, my phone rang. "Found him. Said his phone got busted. He didn't hear any ring or any text message beep."

"But he got the messages?" I was so perplexed.

"Yup, they were in his phone inbox," was her exasperated reply.

"What an excuse!" I exclaimed to S. Then I thought to myself, "What a lie!"

Consider the facts: (1.) He knew that S would only take a short while at Santis Deli. (2.) Four and a half hours had passed since he dropped her off. (3.) All the text messages telling him to fetch her were in his phone.

Was he lying or not? What do you think really happened?

For me, the mystery was far from over.

(Top) This rare 'secret' bear with a big '?' on its forehead is the Series 3 Artist Be@rbrick by famous Japanese DJ-turned-streetwear designer Hiroshi Fujiwara. The "HTM" logo on its chest is from his spring 2002 streetwear line for Nike.

Click here to check out his blog / artworks.

taking toys out of the box

2008-11-26T23:30:00.009+08:00

Whenever I talk about the urban vinyl/designer toy/art toy culture to non-collectors, I always drop the name of Michael Lau, the Hong Kong toy designer who pioneered it.

In the late 90s, when toy figures consisted mainly of superheroes, robots, anime/movie characters, and Barbie/Ken-types, Lau created figures that were a reflection of the thriving youth culture. Instead of metallic armors and space suits, his toy figures wore hoodies, hip-hop jeans, chains, earrings, tattoos and cool rubber shoes. They were known as the 12-inch Gardeners, a collection of 100+ 'cool dudes' that were rare as they were unique.

Today, you won't be able to get hold of one – they are completely sold out, and no collector will ever want to part with his. You have better chances of scoring a 6-inch vinyl version. Below are two of them – Box B (with the recycling symbol) and Box C (with his pants down).

(Below) Snapshots of Michael Lau's Gardener book: The original 12-inch versions of the box head dudes.

Of course, Lau has also designed Bearbricks, two of which are shown on top. These two 'packing tape' Bearbricks were produced by his own company called Crazysmiles for the August 2002 Toycon in Hong Kong. You can see they were inspired by the Box Gardeners.

A Michael Lau Bearbrick that I'm really dying to have (in case they decide to mass produce it in a smaller size) is the one below – a 24-inch one-of-a-kind bear that was part of the Bearbrick Worldwide Tour exhibition.

A Bearbrick packed with Lau's originality, no less.

Info from The Art Of Michael Lau / Toys: New Designs From The Art Toy Revolution by Strangeco & MTV / batgwa.com

be@rbrick vs. breast cancer

2008-11-08T23:07:00.011+08:00

It all began with a red ribbon. First seen on actor Jeremy Irons at the 1991 Tony Awards, this ribbon quickly became the universal icon of AIDS awareness.

Soon after, the pink ribbon emerged. Evelyn Lauder, founder of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) made it the symbol of the battle against breast cancer.

And now, a diamond-studded ribbon.

The Hard Rock Cafe guitar pin with the ribbon made of pink diamonds (below) was auctioned off at hardrock.com to help raise funds for Lauder's BCRF. This piece of jewelry (with an estimated value of $20,000) was designed by jeweler-to-the-stars Michael Greene.

(Top, right) The Pink Ribbon Bearbrick with the BCRF logo was created by Medicom in partnership with Breast Cancer Network Japan. It's an elegant bearbrick in varying textures and rose hues. And while I normally shun bears with logos on their chests, I did not hesitate to buy this one. Once in a while, it's nice to know that Bearbricks help promote not just the sale of worldly goods, but also the fight to save human lives.

Info from thebody.com / Pic of Hard Rock pin from www.hardrock.com

shop till you drop dead

2008-10-27T18:30:00.009+08:00

Every year, the living dead meet up in the streets of New York City for ZombieCon. Their battle cry? "Bloody Marys, brains and brands!"

In the pics below, photographer Ted Seelie captured the creepy congregation invading department stores and designer boutiques around Manhattan.

Wreaking havoc inside...

...and outside Bloomingdales.

Mad dash to Gucci.

Dying for Harry Winston jewelry.

Decomposing guys, girls and guts spill out of Tiffany's.

Shopping for body parts in Times Square.

Moral of the story: Like a miracle, retail therapy can bring anyone back from the dead. Happy Halloween! :-)

(Top, left) The bandaged zombie bear is the Secret Horror Bearbrick of Series 6. Released in 2003.

Info from zombiecon.com / 2007 Zombiecon pics by Ted Seelie / Bearbrick pic by Yours Truly

designing for the boardroom broad

2008-10-18T00:13:00.011+08:00

There are two Kenny Wongs and they're both very talented designers.

Kenny Wong 'The Toy Designer' is the founder of Kennyswork and is one of the creators of Brothersfree. (I have two of his 12-inch Brothersworker figures which I really love.)

Kenny Wong 'The Industrial Designer', on the other hand, is an award-winning creative who just graduated from the Konstfack University College of Art, Crafts and Design in Stockholm, Sweden. His past works include designs for Bosch Surveillance Cams, Trefot Ceramics, Infrared Cams for the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjarvi. But for me, his most memorable designs are the shoes you see below which he created for the 2008 Shoe Design Competition in Hong Kong. As you can see, his inspiration is the classic business suit. Very clever!

Impeccable business style – from the necktie (above) down to the cuff link (below).

I'd say that to be well-heeled is to be well-suited for success. With heels like these, any corporate bitch can simply step on and kill whoever stands in her way. :-D

(Top) This Secret Horror Bearbrick from Series 11 is based on the 2005 film 'Executive Koala', Minoru Kawasaki's psychological tale of horror/murder that involves a Koala in a suit – an honest-to-goodness corporate animal! :-)

Meryl Streep pic from 'The Devil Wears Prada.' Digital imaging by yours truly. / Kenny Wong shoe pics from www.kennywong.se

battle of the blonds

2008-10-07T19:32:00.017+08:00

Six weeks before she died of a drug overdose, Marilyn Monroe posed nude for photographer Bert Stern. That collaboration is now known as 'the last sitting' which produced some of the screen goddess's most provocative and memorable portraits.

Early this year, Stern recreated those classic images for New York Magazine. And he chose notorious pop star Lindsay Lohan to pose as Marilyn.

So which bare blond looks better?

(Above) Lindsay Lohan.
(Below) Marilyn Monroe.

(Above) Lindsay.
(Below) Marilyn.

My verdict?

No contest. A 'naked blond' may be a cliche, but there's only one Marilyn. :-)

(Left) Japanese rap artist DJ Ozma created the 'Naked' Bearbrick (top pic) based on the nude-looking costume of his back-up dancers during New Year TV show.

The costume's shocking effect forced the host, Tamio Miyake, to apologize later in the show. Watch the video clip here.

Info from nymag.com / Lohan pics from thehotjoints.com, kittyradio.com, dgawker.com/ Monroe pics from glamournet.com, visitsp.com /DJ Ozma info and pic from japansugoi.co

judging a book by its cover

2008-10-01T22:00:00.018+08:00

When I want to be surrounded by creativity, I go to a bookstore.

Not just to be inspired by stack upon stacks of brilliant writing, but also to ogle at the ever-increasing array of artful book covers. With more distinguished artists like Frank Miller, Tomer Hanuka, Roz Chast and Art Spiegelman joining the ranks of book designers, the modern day bookshop has become a veritable art gallery.

Recently, Penguin Books (in partnership with Creativity Magazine) launched a Cover Design Competition for Sam Taylor's upcoming novel, The Island At The End Of The World.

Here's the synopsis:

"It is a chilling novel about the near future, when most of the world has been destroyed by catastrophic floods. As a father and his three children begin to rebuild their lives on an island, the youngest son Finn begins to question how they arrived there and why their family alone has been spared.'

'Things take an unexpected turn when a strange man named Will swims ashore, and he appears to know quite a bit about the family and the circumstances that surrounded the floods. But Finn's father is determined to keep him silent and is willing to do anything to prevent Will from disturbing his family's idyllic life on the island.'

'Sam Taylor's The Island at the End of the World is a riveting post-apocalyptic tale that explores the darkness that lies within the hearts of men."

Penguin editor Alexis Washam, creative director Paul Buckley, and the editors of Creativity Magazine selected the 25 finalists and the overall winner of this book cover design competition.

Below are my 8 favorite designs (which include the winning entry). Congratulations to the artists!

Left: Winner Matthew Taylor (no relation to the book's author).
Right: John Rice

Left: Philip Witak
Right: Mai La Thai

Left: Pillow Fort a.k.a. Seth Jablon and Mehmet Irdel
Right: Alan Vladusic

Left: Ryan Doggendorf
Right: Justin Walsh

One literary idea spreads to eight imaginative book covers! Let me put it this way: creativity is contagious.

That's why I visit bookstores as often as I can. :-)

Top photo: The Bearbrick-reading-a-mock-up-of-the-Sam-Taylor-novel is one of the eight bears that belong to the Comic Cue Series. It's called the Manga-San Bearbrick, designed by Japanese manga artist Hishashi Eguchi. I chose it for this post because of its eyeglasses, obviously – haha! :-)

Info and Book Cover Images from Creativity-Online / Bearbrick info from www.fourxthree.com / Bearbrick pic by Yours Truly.

5 best blog posts

2008-09-20T11:10:00.039+08:00

Before I became a finalist for the 2nd Philippine Blog Awards, I was asked to submit what I thought were my five (5) best blog entries from April 2007 to April 2008.

Hmmmmm.

If you check out my sidebar on the right, you'll see that I have a list of favorite posts which I have entitled "The Best of Bearbrick Love" – and it has thirty-two entries! And I was to choose only five!?

So I asked help from my friend, Jun, and after an hour of analysis, debate, and clicking through a year's worth of work, this was the list that we finally submitted to the committee. (Just click on a title below to read the entire post.)

1. Dreadful Dogs

2. Monkey Business

3. Electric Shock!

4. Li'l Known Stories 'Bout Li'l Red Riding Hood

5. VIP for Vuitton

'8' is my lucky number but I hope '5' will suffice. Wish me luck! :-)