°˖✧✝ My Hopes for "BABY Classical Series" ✝✧˖°

So, you really thought I wasn't going to write about the new BABY series, huh? What kind of an Old School Lolita fashion blogger would I be if I didn't? 

Since the series' initial update on BABY's website, I've been receiving messages like "You were right, Old School is coming back" or "I bet you're so happy!" And while some jokingly complimented me on my premonition by calling me some sort of mystic, the latter were right, I was extremely happy. Though, I had my doubts about the series. Upon learning the name, I thought it was just another Classic series for Classic Lolitas. But after actually visiting the update page, I soon realized that "Classical" meant old or vintage, with alludes to the older styles of Lolita. Even without reading the post's text, the picture of a drawn Old School Lolita, who was once used for BABY's advertisements, rendered me with such high spirits.

LEFT: Older BABY advertisement from FRUiTS Magazine (I believe from 2002) RIGHT (Source: BABY's website): Current website picture used to promote new "BABY Classical Series"  

There weren't any pictures of the series on the page, so all of  us Old School enthusiast and BABY lovers rushed to see the preview pictures on BABY's and Midori's Tiwtter. There were only two pictures up and both definitely utilized Old School dresses and style. I automatically recognized the black JSK as BABY's Flower Cart JSK (2006). And from there, I assumed that the pink JSK had to be a re-release as well, even though I couldn't make out its design. Later I found out it was BABY's Ribbon Princess Drop (2008).

Days after the initial update, we now know that this "Classical" series is just a way for BABY to re-release their old designs. Though, I don't know why they're labeling this as a "new" series since there's nothing new about it; they're just repackaging old dresses. And while I'm thankful for their initiative to pay homage to their past works, this reproduction seems like a mere nod of recognition than a celebratory tribute like the the written prologue for this series would suggest.

I translated the text with Google Translate because I'm too lazy to try translating it on my own. The translation is a bit wonky, but with lines like "I want to reaffirm the the charm of [the] clothes itself," "In a little nostalgic, [we] still love those clothes..." or "Surely, [they] should revive the pure feelings when I started Lolita," I envisioned these words describing more vintage designs than those in the preview.

     

More drawn BABY advertisements from FRUiTS Magazine (I believe from 2000)

Maybe it was the old BABY advertisement they used that made me think in such a way, but I thought that this new "Classical" series was going to be an actual new line of clothes designed with and Old School aesthetic. And by Old School, I thought they meant starting with designs 10+ years back, not 5+. I would think that reviving "the pure feelings" BABY had when they started Lolita would be more around 2000 and not 2006. (And yes, I know BABY was founded in the late '80s, but before the 90's most of their products weren't Lolita, but Otome. As you can see from the above advertisements, the late '90s into the early '00s is where their complete vision of Lolita began to form.)  

So, my spirits weren't floating as high when I found out that this series was only going to be a bunch of select re-releases (MID POST RANT: How is this series any different from when they always re-release their Elizabeth OP or Babydoll JSK? Like, really, can someone explain this to me? Would any of those re-releases be considered "new"?). But after speaking with a friend about it, all I can see are positives. And I look forward to how this series will effect Lolita fashion.    

◊ My Hopes for "BABY Classical Series":

• "BABY Classical Series" to be a Recurring Series

I really hope that this series won't be a one time thing. Along with the confirmed dresses in the series, there are so many other designs that deserve re-releasing as well. If we've learn anything from Lolita fashion, we know that a series will come and go. When it's gone, it's gone. But I will remain optimistic about this series' motive. It does seem to have a different intent to trigger emotions. So I hope that there will be another series like this to to cater to those overwhelming feelings that the prologue has described. And more "Classical" series would mean more designs being re-released.    
  

• Different Styles Represented (if the series is recurring)

While most of the styles from is series is Sweet, I'm glad to see BABY's Hem Scalloped Tartan Check JSK (2002) apart of the series. The JSK can still be considered Sweet, but it's more of an unconventional pattern design in regards to the current Sweet sub-style. If there were another "Classical" series, I would imagine more of BABY's beloved unconventional pieces showcased, which would mean even more variety from the brand. And lets not forget that while BABY focuses on the Sweet sub-style, they still made clothes that could be worked into Gothic and Classic wardrobes as well. So I would also love to see those representations in another BABY Old School series.           

• Further and Better Old School Representation 

As an Old School enthusiast, I find a lot is riding on this series. How well it does could make or break the progression of Old School's current resurgence. Hopefully, this urge to channel more nostalgic designs and dresses from the designers will lead them to incorporate these elements into new designs. Just like how brands are pushing this idea of "Grown Up Lolita (Otona Lolita)," I believe that they can do the same re-imaging for Old School. I really think that Old School Lolita can to styled to fit today's aging, fashion forward Lolita, just like how BABY does with this "Classical Series."

More pictures are now up for the "BABY Classical Series" in their gallery. Please take a look and tell me what you think!

°˖✧ 'Till next time

°˖✧✝ Gotta Get my Bat On: New B.P.N. Blouse ✝✧˖°

My blouse isn't from Putumayo. I couldn't
find an official stock photo of the blouse,
so I used a picture that looked like it.
(And I just love Riku.)

Thanks to a friend I now possess a bat wing collar blouse! And what's more, I get to say that I now own an item from Black Peace Now (B.P.N.).

Ani't it cute?
I have an urge to do a crappy black x white Ouji outfit with it.
Cue the black x white stripped knee socks!

I've been trying to find a blouse with a collar like this for the longest, but could never find one. And even though I could find many blouses with pointed collars, the bat wing one would never show up. I needed one to fuel my desires, and a pointed one would not suffice! I know I may sound finicky, but the two, pointed and bat wing, are just not the same.  

LEFT: Bat Wing Collar ≠ RIGHT: Pointed Collar
And there's Riku again!
I promise, I don't have a weird obsession with him (I do).

So I nearly jumped out of my seat when I scrolled past one of my Lolita friend's online sales album with the blouse up for sale. And the price was just as unbelievable too. She was selling it for only $25! She said she got it from a buyer off of Yahoo!Japan, and that it was sold to her at a cheap price also. The funny thing is that while she just started buying secondhand clothes from Yahoo!Japan, and I've been for a while, she's the one who finds such great pieces! I now see that she brings good luck, so I have to have her next to me the next time I'm on an auction site, hehehe~   

As many of you know, I've just recently claimed to be an Old School Lolita, even though I've admired the style for many years. So even before I committed myself to Lolita fashion, I already had a soft spot for its older style, particularly because of my love of Gothic Visual Kei. Before I get a ton of hate mail criticizing my interests that contain lines like "Get your Visual Kei out of my Lolita," I would like to go on record saying that I know that Visual Kei doesn't epitomizes Lolita fashion. However, I would be lying if I were to say that there wasn't a time when both styles influenced and helped propel the other in the light of pop culture. 

Therefore, many of the Old School Lolita styles that I love stems from the visual styling of Goth Japanese band members during the '90's, one of them being bat wing collars (or bat wing anything, to be honest). So when I see bat wing collars, all I see is Shina, the ex vocalist of NOi'X.

He wasn't the only one to wear this type of blouse, but he certainly seemed to be the poster child for it, at least to me anyway. You could count on Shina to wear a bat wing collar blouse. He even wore one to NOi'X's last live. But, I can't give all of my praise to Visual Kei. Even though Shina has never said that he was a Lolita or dressed in the style, it's quite obvious that most of his "feminine" costumes were influenced by Lolita fashion.    

Blogger wouldn't let me load the NOi'X Flowers PV where Shina wears 

his signature blouse, so here is a different video, just because. 

  

So who should I thank for instilling my love for bat motifs, Visual Kei or Lolita? *shrugs shoulders* Eh, I guess I can thank both. I have enough gratitude to go around. 

°˖✧ 'Till next time

  

°˖✧✝ Dollite Wigs: How to Recognize Discrimination When You See It ✝✧˖°

Source: Cropped from Dollite Wigs' website

I've never really been a fan of Behind the Bows. I understand its premise and value its position on giving a mutual platform to differing opinions, but I find many of its participants to be shallow, misinformed and, at times, extremely hateful. And because of that, I don't visit the page as frequently like other Lolitas. I haven't been to the page in awhile, but the urge to do so took the best of me this past weekend, and a kinda wish it hadn't. 

In this bunch of weekly secrets, there was a post about the concerning business practices regarding the company Gothic Lolita Wigs, along with their affiliates like Rock Star Wigs and Dollite Wigs, and its representation of minority customers. There have been many problems with Gothic Lolita Wigs that have been surfacing as of late, all of which includes stereotyping, whitewashing and discriminating among genders and race. For a master post of their offences, please read fukami-in-a-pastel-sweater's post on the subject at her Tumblr. But the current offence that the poster on Behind the Bows was referencing to was the specialized website Gothic Lolita Wigs has created for their African American models and costumers, Dollite. At the bottom if the Dollite Wig page, you can see them tag the website as "African American Wigs" and "Black Women Wigs."

Source: Behind the Bows' secert post #160

As you can see, this Behind the Bows post calls the Dollite Wigs website a "ghetto." Which is exactly what it is, a sectioned off area for the purpose of detaining a certain ethnic or minority group of people from another. In a way to respond to this post, an anonymous commentator left an absurd comment underneath stating, "Honestly, it's cool that they make wigs for African American woman at all. None of the other wig companies make any. It's especially nice for people who don't use their wigs for fashion that have hair loss or going through chemo, they can have a wig that looks natural."

Source: Behind the Bows' secret post #160 comments

And this is were my issue begins. How can someone not recognize such blatant discriminatory actions of another person? This comment is beyond ignorant, and, what's worse, defends prejudices against other people.This person on anonymous is completely oblivious to the problem Dollite Wigs creates, and that's because of the lack of knowledge they have about other groups of people and, obviously, their unfamiliarity with discrimination.  

◊ Why this Comment is Utterly Foolish (and, quite honestly, hurtful)    

"Honestly, it's cool that they make wigs for African American woman at all."

This comment suggest that wigs are not universal, and that for some reason, as an African American/Black person, I would have to have an entirely different wig from people of other races. What does my Blackness have to do with the type of wig I wear? Why does my Blackness stand out as reason to police the type of wig I wear? What's even more tragic about this comment is how insensible it is. With this logic, that means that every race of people would have to have specialized wigs. But lets be honest, that's not going to happen. There isn't going to be a separate Latino website or an Asian one, because this is an issue about the color of a person's skin. The darker your skin is, the more policies and requirements other people want to place on you. Point blank, Gothic Lolita Wigs created a segregated website based on the darkness of their costumers' skin. And the problem with segregation is that it's fundamentally discriminatory. 

"None of the other wig companies make any." 

For those who need any edification on African Americans and wigs- we can wear whatever wig we like! Yes, that includes pastels and mixes of different colors! That means that any wig supplier that sells wigs has wigs for us, just like how they have wigs for all of you. We don't need a specialized tag created by someone, especially someone who isn't even African American, to tell us what we should be wearing. Dollite Wigs is a website that dictates what I'm allowed to wear as an African American/ Black person. And it's absolutely terrifying that they're people who can't understand how demeaning it is. Also, as it has been pointed out, the Dollite wigs are the SAME wigs that are sold on the main Gothic Lolita Wigs website. Why would they create a completely different website to sell wigs that they're already selling on the main website? Why do I have to shop at a different website from others because I am African American? 

"It's especially nice for people who don't use their wigs for fashion that have hair loss or going through chemo, they can have a wig that looks natural."  

The fact that this person feels like a website targeted at African Americans would be great for chemo patients, because they're "natural," is very telling about how Gothic Lolita Wigs, and those how agree with their website, view African Americans. They're inadvertently telling us that, as African Americans, we ought to wear wigs that are deemed "natural," because that's what looks best on us. On the website, there are only shades of black and brown wigs, with a deaden blonde sprinkled here and there. Most of the wigs are short to medium length, stopping around the neck area. That's all. Meanwhile, on Gothic Lolita Wigs, they have models of different races, albeit, with a naturally or edited light skin tone, wearing a myriad amount of wigs with different lengths, colors and cuts. This reeks of the "bright colors don't look good on Black skin" ideology.    

Source: Dollite's "Medium Wigs"
Welcome to the brown rainbow.

African Americans shouldn't have to be pigeonholed to fit the ideals of others. African Americans deserve the right of versatility, and no company should be relinquishing that right for us.    

◊ How is Dollite Wigs Discriminating 

Let's look at what discrimination is. According to the Providence of Manitoba: 

"Discrimination refers to differential treatment of individuals or groups on the basis of prohibited grounds such as race, colour, sex, religion, and other factors. It is the action resulting from stereotypes and prejudice and is usually considered unfair and humiliating. Discrimination may be direct, as in being shunned by schoolmates because of colour; indirect, such as an employment application not being considered because of a personal trait that is not acceptable to a company; or systemic, which is the general result of policies and practices of employers and organizations leading to disproportionate employee representation in relation to the makeup of society as a whole."**

**I do not live in the Providence of Manitoba or in Canada. However, I agree with their definition, and believe it to be comprehensible with concrete examples.    

Is Dollite Wigs treating a group of people differently based on their race?
YES
They have created a separate website for African Americans based entirely around the color of our skin. None of the designs specifically caters to African Americans in any way. Besides from a few added shades, there is nothing different about the wigs they are selling from the ones on their main website, which is directed to all other races.

Is this treatment prohibiting in any way?
YES
This website they have designed for African Americans is disproportionate to their main website in regards to its lack of variety. They have limited the amount of styles, cuts and color combinations we can choose from, which limits our options. Dictating which styles works best for a race of people creates a rigged system where manipulation becomes its framework. Dollite Wigs, don't manipulate me into buying a brown wig instead of a pink one. It's my choice to make, not yours.  

Is this treatment resulting from stereotypes and prejudices that are unfair?
YES

Before I continue, I would like to explain that a person can stereotype a race even if that person had not intended on perpetuating racial stereotypes. Therefore, even if stereotyping was not intended with the creation of Dollite Wigs, their ignorance doesn't negate their prejudice actions.

There is a stereotype about how African Americans ought to look like and what their interests should be, all of which don't include their participation in alternative styles. So you'll hear people say that African Americans can't be Goths, can't wear bright colors and can't be "kawaii," all because of our natural features. In regards to Lolita fashion, you'll hear people say that our features are too harsh, that our skin is too dark and that we can never look like dolls. This is because they claim that our natural appearance go against their ideal of pretty, which is whiteness. This hatred is something that Africans Americans go through a daily bases. So, this "natural" appearance for African Americans that this website dictates is a slap to our faces.

So, let's have a recap. Gothic Lolita Wigs has created a separate website for their African American customers away from their main website, which has a variety of colors of styles. At this new website, there are fewer styles to choose from and a set amount of color choices. Also the wigs aren't different or exclusively designed to heighten particular African American features. They are the same wigs just being sold on a different platform for African Americans to purchase from.

And how is this not an example of discrimination?

°˖✧ 'Till next time

°˖✧✝ Lolita Blog Carnival: Who Inspires you in Lolita ✝✧˖°

This is my first Lolita Blog Carnival post, and I'm pleased to celebrate this experience with a special topic - my inspirations. 

When I first started in this fashion, I approached it from an experiential aspect, playing with a lot of my interests at the same time. I liked all of the sub-styles, and created outfits to fit many of them. This was very fun, for awhile, but I noticed that, while I was entertaining many of my interests, I never had a direction as to what I was aiming for. And, in hindsight, I now see that I was all over the place with my sense of style. Now, I find it more comforting to be able to look at the big picture and examine my intent and overall objective when wearing Lolita clothing. Before, I treated each outfit as it's own entity, and it was very telling. However, I now try to string all of my clothing together to convey a certain design or story. And my inspirations has helped me craft this image.      

I have many inspirations, but, for the sake of this post, I've narrowed them down to three people who represent the main three components that make up the image I project. I call these components the 3 'A's - Appearance, Aesthetic and Atmosphere.  

◊ Appearance

If someone would've asked me what "look" I was trying to achieve a year ago, I would've simply responded, "Cute." But really, that's too broad of an answer that I couldn't even then explain. It wasn't until I saw a post about Old School Volks dolls in honeyed's archive on Tumblr that I realized what I wanted to look like, or, better yet, what I wanted my makeup to look like.

These are just three that I like the most, but there are many more to swoon over.
Please, take time to admire the others here.

I know what you might be thinking. You're saying, "So you want to be a doll?" Simply, no, I don't. I'm not attracted to them merely because they're dolls, but because their appearance gives off a certain mood and character. It's a type of beauty that's hauntingly unsettling. It's a different kind of beauty that's alluring and off putting at the same time. I can only hope to reach this level someday. I want my appearance to speak volumes without me saying anything at all. 

◊ Aesthetic 

There are many interpretations as to what the word "aesthetic" means, but, for this, I'm labeling it as my philosophy. And, in my opinion, no one has a stronger philosophy about Lolita than Mana. And, instantly, I can feel the eye rolls all the way through the screen, and hear the sarcasm - "Oh, really? An Old School Gothic Lolita citing Mana as one of their inspirations. How shocking! Wake me when this section is over." While other Lolitas would consider the cliche embarrassing, I find it to be quit quelling. Because of Mana, I'm not ashamed to foster a deeper connection with the aesthetic of Gothic Lolita. In a message to Gothic Lolitas, Mana told us that he hoped Lolita would be " your style, your way of life, no matter what anyone tells you" and how he wanted "you to love this world for all of your life." I've never felt anything more assuring then these words, and I live to embody them for a very long time.  

   

Source: Monologue Sanctuary 

In the 50th edition of the Gothic Lolita Bible, Mihara Mitsukazu wrote a kind memento that said "Whenever I reread [ the GLB] all over again from the issue 1, I notice that Mana-sama's look and spirituality has never changed, and that's cool" (taken from Monologue Sanctuary's translation). I want to be able to develop a strong look and spirit that's also as unwavering as Mana's.   

◊ Atmosphere

As for atmosphere, I would say that Yoh's illustrations serves as a great inspiration for me to follow. All of his works stems from one place that he calls his "Monochrome World." And that's exactly what his works create - a world. They're much more than random characters placed on top of vague backgrounds. Everything is purposeful and precise. Every detail is carefully crafted to support the mood of his world. And he does this in a way that doesn't overshadows his characters.   

Source: Yoh's website

It's my intention to create a similar world that Yoh has made, but for myself in Lolita fashion. I want my clothes to determine my own unique climate and tone outside of the one created by society. Yoh's illustrations teaches me to reflct on the little details that I corporate into my world. Do they help define or cloud my objective? Thanks to Yoh, I can always be motivated to refine my image.      

With the help of these three inspirations, I choose; I create; I become my own design.       

Make sure to check out Lolita Blog Carnival!

Lolita Blog Carnival is an online Loita community of Lolita bloggers who come together to blog about certain topics each week to stimulate further ideas for great blog posts!

Here are other Lolitas with inspiring role models:

A Heart's Sound

Snow Rose

Sweet Indeed

Poppy Noir 

°˖✧ 'Till next time

°˖✧✝ Novala Takemoto Signing ✝✧˖°

Just a week after my last meetup in New York City at the BABY/Tokyo Rebel store, I hopped back on the train to visit again. This time, to meet one of the most influential people in Lolita fashion, Novala Takemoto. 

His appearance at the store was completely sprung on the community, which was only announced about a week in advance. Picture it, there I was planning my outfit for a meetup for some friendly shopping at the BABY store on Saturday, and within the same week, Tokyo Rebel's blog advertises a special signing with Novala the following Saturday. I really didn't want to have to travel into the city back to back, but how could I miss such a thing? This was a once in a lifetime opportunity for me, and I wasn't going to squander the chance because the commute seemed monotonous. 

I can go on and on about my gratitude for Novala, but that's an appreciation post just waiting to happen. So I'll spare you for now.        

I knew I was without a doubt going to the event; that was the easy part. The main thing I had to worry about was my outfit. What was I going to wear?! The week before, I already wore a pretty Old School coordination, and didn't really feel like wearing another black and white JSK two weeks in a row. I felt like I either had to wear something Old School or Punk for the sake of Novala. But none of those outfits I planed sparked my interest. At the time, I was eyeing my new Metamorphose JSK and felt more drawn to it than anything else. I claim to be an Old School Lolita, but I wouldn't say that this outfit was Old School. I called it Gothic Lolita, but I don't think that fits too well either. But either way, I think my outfit came out looking nice. I call it "Throw Everything You Own On Your Blouse." 

      

Blouse and shoes: Bodyline
JSK and socks: Metamorphose temps de fille
Purse: Offbrand
Accessories: Handmade of thrifted

Not wanting to be greeted by a line from hell like the one for the store's opening, I made sure to get there at least thirty minutes before the start of the event. Though, there turned out not to be a lot of people who came. In its own regard, I would say that the event was a success. There were a large amount of people who came for the signing and a good few who actually bought pieces from his new clothing line. But in comparison to the size of the opening, this was extremely modest. There were definitely more people who came during the event's two hour time frame, but it started with about only eight of us standing outside waiting for it to begin. And in a way, this makes me sad. I remember a time when Novala was revered as high as any Lolita designer. It's hard to see someone who housed so much significance in our fashion lose much of their importance. I guess his influence only holds any weight now if you still have a soft spot for Old School Lolita.         

Because let's be real, Novala is an Old School god.
Source: Parfait Doll
If you don't know how renown Novala was, or need reminding,
please take a moment and read Parfait Doll's post on Novala and his teachings. 

In my effort of getting there early, I arrived almost a hour before! It was a good thing that I meet one of my friends on the train, because I would have been waiting outside in the cold by myself. The store was closed before the event for preparations, so my friend and I went to Vivi Bubble Tea as an excuse for some tasty drinks! It was my first time going to Vivi, but we've since promised to make it an occurring stop whenever we go to the BABY store. The staff is so cute and nice there! 

I also like the packing and skull mascot at Vivi. While I was there,
 I got a macron too (because why not?). I picked it because of its name,
but now I can't remember it! I know it was something whimsical
and cute with the word wedding or marriage in it.

We went back to the store, with about ten minutes left, and saw more Lolitas waiting on line. Our trip to Vivi relinquished our spots in the front of the line, but, jokingly, we let it be know we were first to arrive, even though we were going to the back. Another one of our friends was in line and we nudged her to come to the back with us so we wouldn't be lonely. "Cool people in the back!" But it was only about eight of us then, so it was like everyone was in the front!

Some Lolitas from my community who came.  

The reason for the signing was a promotion for Novala's new collection clothing line, NOVALAR'S, a sporty yanki style with a mix of Lolita's flair. As many Lolitas will say, "It's like if Momoko and Ichigo had a baby!" While there is certainly a buzz coming from the Lolita community about his collection, it's mostly meet with disdain and ridicule.   

Source: Tokyo Rebel's blog

Even I was on the fence. I saw the pictures of the collection and said, "Yeah, I don't think I'm going to be buying anything when I get there." A lot of people would say because his designs are ugly, but, for me, I honestly couldn't see when or how I would wear his pieces. However, after seeing them in person, I can say that I just don't have the right amount of imagination or guts to pull them off. Novala's new line is absolutely something that needs to be seen in person to appreciate it. When standing next to his clothing rack, I could hear many Lolitas saying hushed things like, "Honestly, it's not that bad" or "I kinda really want this now." It has the right amount of zaniness and kookiness that's purely infectious in a good way. I'm bummed that I didn't get anything. 

Source: Tokyo Rebel's blog
A swanky Lolita sporting her new Novala track pants.
She was such a delight and very funny to talk to.  

After the autograph session and photo opportunity, my friends and I idled around the store a bit more to soak up some more of the atmosphere. Everyone seemed to be in such a good mood. I even bumped into some people that I follow on Tumblr! Luckily, I was able to take a picture with manda-the-stars-shine-bright. She has an amazing blog that showcases many Lolitas of different styles. Every Lolita follows her! And she reblogs a lot of my pictures as well.                  

manda-the-stars-shine-bright and me.

My friend, Sabrina, and me.

It was fun, but we didn't stay for the entire two hours. To make room for the others who were coming, my friends and I moved the party outside, but the cold we proving too much for us. After, a hour and a half, we decided to get something to eat. I had no objection, but I wanted just one last picture with Novala on my phone. I saw someone ask for the same thing inside and was shocked that it was allowed. I was surprised that we were allowed to take pictures with him in the first place. I thought the pictures were only for the people who bought something from his clothing line. I was very happy that I turned out to be wrong. I felt very embarrassed coming back in wanting another picture (how greedy), but he was kind enough to comply.   

Look how big I am compared to him!
Novala looks like my middle-aged, Japanese son!

Having a chance to meet everyone was fun, but, after my second picture, we really needed to get somewhere warm to get some proper nourishment. After almost stumbling into a bar (we really need to be more careful!), we stopped at a noddle restaurant called Cho-Ko. Of course we never heard of it, so, naturally, we wanted to check it out. Though, any place would've good so as long we were out of the cold!

Christmas lights and grapes?  
I guess you can say this restaurant has character?    

But above all, the place was empty, which was good because we could have as much space as we needed with the least amount of confused stares as possible. The restaurant was dark just like the other Japanese restaurant we went to last time. This has to be some type of Japanese trend. I'm glad we decided to eat here because the decor was really peculiar and gave us a good laugh.     

Gomoku Ramen and Gyoza
Soy sauce based soup topped with vegetable, bamboo shoots, pork,
chicken, squid, shrimp, and a boiled egg. 

The gyoza was a bit burnt, but turned out to be tasty, nonetheless. I already started eating the ramen before I took the picture, so I apologize that it looks disheveled. It looked so good that I had to dig right into it when the waitress placed it in front of me! There was so much in it. I couldn't even eat it all. Thankfully, we all were able to take our leftover home with us. 

Metting Novala was like something out of a dream. There's no way that I would've thought I'd ever get a chance to meet him. I wish the event was more intimate, where we could have a discussion with him, but him calling me chan and having him hug me was good enough! I need to start a Lolita bucket list, because the most glamorous occurrences are starting to happen to happen to me. Who'll be next? (I predict Mana, hahaha~)   

°˖✧ 'Till next time