Hattifnatt Cafe

Hattifnatt - the cutest little cafe that we went to in Koenji, Tokyo! We spent a whole afternoon out in Koenji with Rei Shito and a couple of other Japanese friends as James and I were being photographed along with Rei for an upcoming project of hers (which I can't say too much about right now). We started out at this cafe where we had tea, coffee, too many sweet cakes (banana and caramel pudding, cheesecake and a custard and cream tart) and then lunch which was a cheesy white sauce concoction on rice (can't remember exactly what it was called but it was delicious!) and some sausages and salad. After lunch we went to check out some of Rei's favorite vintage stores around Koenji. More photos of the fun times we had coming soon!

Take Me Back

Some shots taken by iPhone from our week in Tokyo! I'd say we were pretty lucky to have clear blue skies and no rain the whole time. And I was loving it, the air was so cold and fresh that it was actually quite pleasant to walk around feeling like you're wrapped up in a big cozy blanket and having to keep warming the hands up with hot bottles of Japanese tea from the convenience store. My fourth visit to Tokyo and again so many memories. Caught up with our Japanese friends, spent a day out in Koenji with Rei Shito from StylefromTokyo (which I'll do a post on soon!), ate lots of great Japanese food, and just enjoyed meeting people and shooting streetstyle on the streets of Harajuku. Can't wait till next time!

Oh and as a side note, outfit posts and other style inspirations will now be going up on StyleSophomore :)

Time For Tokyo!

Off to Tokyo for my 4th visit and I'm just as excited as the first time! Waiting at the airport to board our overnight flight and tomorrow can't come soon enough. It's gonna be quite an experience, first winter for me in 2 years and my first winter in Tokyo. I'm expecting to instantly freeze. I guess I can't complain though cos right now I'll do anything to escape from this desert weather.

Really looking forward to meeting up with our Japanese friends, meeting up with the lovely street fashion photographer Rei Shito, and I'll also be taking part in an exciting project where I've been asked to be photographed as a special guest for a style-related guide book in Tokyo! Me?! And I also can't wait to shoot street style for the first time in Tokyo and meet lots of cool and stylish people. Will be posting up photos on StyleSophomore while I'm there. See you soon Tokyo!

Freja x Style.com

A short video that I came across on Style.com where danish model Freja Beha Erichsen speaks of her 16 tattoos, modelling, her first show and her style. I'm always so inspired by Freja's tattoos and her simple, laid back, sometimes boyish and rock 'n roll-ish chic style. Been thinking so long about another small and quite discreet tattoo and when I found out that she has 16 of them, I can't wait to get another!

On The Street... Colourful Sweaters In Taipei

Source: StyleSophomore (1&3), La Mode Outré (2)

I actually feel like I have missed out on so many things over the last two years and wearing sweaters is one of them. In fact I completely forgot that they even existed until we experienced Autumn for a short while in Taipei. Lots of colourful sweaters and just lots of knitwear in general worn on the streets, it was really quite refreshing.

Coffee Geek & Burger

Love this burger cafe in ShiDa that we discovered the first time we were in Taipei. Went back there for lunch while we were there last month and it was exactly the same, nothing had changed, burgers were just as delicious, service just as quick, just how we like it. I like consistency when it comes to eating out, whether it's a cafe, a restaurant, a hawker centre or whatever and I don't buy into the whole "we like to change our menu to give customers that element of surprise". I like to be able to remember a cafe and then go back there a few months later and the menu and place is just what I expect from it. Just like I know I'll be going back for their BBQ Beef Cheeseburger again! Four and a half weeks till we are back in Taipei!

Destroy Everything You Touch

I watched the The September Issue several times while in Taipei, it kept me entertained as I took a one hour ride into town on the train everyday. I really enjoy watching fashion films and documentaries like this (I'm not a movie person at all but I do manage to sit through documentaries - that makes me sound extremely boring!), I highly recommend if you haven't seen it yet. Anyways, I love this song by Ladytron that's played in bits throughout the film, I don't really understand the meaning of the song but it's catchy all the same!

Inspiration | B&W

Leather, denim, silk, wool, all my favourites combined in one look. I would be quite happy having a wardrobe full of basic black and white pieces like this. 6 more days till Tokyo!

Chanel Pre-Fall 2012 : Paris-Bombay

Source: Style.com

Rei Shito, Tokyo

Met up with the lovely and effervescent Rei Shito, street fashion photographer of Style from Tokyo, when I was in Tokyo back in May last year and I took these quick shots of her as we wandered around the streets of Harajuku. Browsing through folders of photos from previous trips to Tokyo makes me wanna go back there right now! Good thing is that I don't have to wait much longer cos this time next week we'll be on our way! Looking forward to meeting up with Rei again, and also shooting street style for the first time in Tokyo (I'm practicing my "Shashin o totemo ii desu ka?"). Stay tuned cos no doubt I'll have loads to share!

Rainbow Cafe

Even though we were spoilt for choice when it came to cafes in Taipei, there were always the ones we found ourselves going back to time and time again. Rainbow Cafe was one of them and we went back a few times. We love the type of chill out lounge cafes or coffee shops where you could just spend all day and all night there, drinking coffee and iced teas, feasting on light snacks and free wi-fi is always a bonus! Love the rustic and homely feel of this cafe, it's a bit like a large living room and the coffee is always good! A few shots from around the interior this time...