I would rather eat a salad with chopsticks than a fork. I think it is really odd to wear shoes indoors. I enjoy boba tea (hot and cold) and can even order it in Taiwanese. I’m what you would call an ‘egg’ – you know, white on the outside, yellow on the inside. And yes, a lot of my friends happen to be deliciously wonderful twinkies and bananas.

When I first moved to New York from Hawaii I found it extremely odd (and really exotic) to hear a slew of European languages being spoken in the subways, on the streets, in stores, in bathrooms. Needless-to-say, Chinatown was sort of a comfort. Korea-town, with Morning Glory, was better. And even though Manhattan is definitely my home now, I really felt like I was back in Honolulu last weekend when I walked into the insanely fabulous Japanese bookstore, Kinokuniya.

If you’ve ever wanted to find a hundreds of books on Japanese street style, both English and Japanese-language manga (as well as other anime-related paraphernalia), Japanese magazines galore, adorable children’s book and insane kumon workbooks (which will make you realize why Japanese kids are so much further ahead than our own), crazy toys, thousands of videos (including some of my personal favorites from Hayao Miyazaki including Howl’s Moving Castle, Castle in the Sky, and Spirited Away), fashion pattern books, and so much more, then you really should make your way over to Kinokuniya, but give yourself some time…

But there is more. Much more. In fact, there are three floors just full of ‘more’. A million cute pens and notebooks (which I’m such a sucker for), packets of origami paper, glittery stickers, even crystals to bling up your phone right next to a book featuring zillions of ways to do it. “Kawaii” to say the least.

And then I spotted the I Am Plastic book by Kidrobot and had to resist a sudden (and quite strong) urge to buy the fabulous visual history of the psycho designer toys that I’m so taken with. Anyway, my little trip into Kinokuniya was such a great break from my typical Manhattan and I’m sure will become a new hang out (especially as there is a cafe upstairs).

Want to go to? Of course you do! Kinokuniya is located right at Bryant Park (making it the perfect escape during fashion week) at 1073 6th Avenue, between 41st and 40th Streets. Mon-Sat 10am-8pm & Sun 11am-730pm. See below for a bunch of pictures inside the store (which I wasn’t supposed to take – oops!)…