Latest news with #HelloKitty-themed
Los Angeles Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Hold onto your red Solo cups. This funhouse-style bar is recharging downtown nightlife
Uncle Ollie's Penthouse, the new maximalist downtown L.A. bar that opened in April between Little Tokyo and Skid Row (a region some have dubbed 'Skid Rokyo'), captures the visceral, dopamine-driven alchemy of the best kind of house party every Wednesday to Sunday night. It has wild, color-saturated decor, potent cocktails served in red Solo cups and a killer soundtrack that inspires stomping the floor with pals or singing along with strangers. But can this multisensory home away from home help revive L.A.'s fading nightlife landscape? Beckoning from the second floor of owner Brian Traynam's downstairs restaurant and club, the Escondite — known for its crispy wings, punk-rock bands and DJs — the immersive 'penthouse' was a decade in the making. 'I have an uncle named Ollie and this is his penthouse,' says Traynam of the narrative he conceived for his eye-popping space. 'He had to leave town so he gave me the keys and said three things: I know you're going to have a party here so if anything gets stolen or broken, I break you; if you tell your mother about any of this, we're both finished. Have a good time, kid!' Traynam, whose first dive, Bar 107, closed in 2015, says he always wanted to open what he calls 'Bar 107 2.0' in the vacant space above the Escondite. But nightlife has changed a lot since then and people don't hang out in one downtown bar all night the way they used to. The concept of a neighborhood dive, where the same people come in nightly, build a tab and stay for hours, is practically a pre-pandemic thing of the past. But Traynam hopes to change that and entice a new generation by filling a void with more experiential elements than any other bar in L.A. 'Customer acquisition is more challenging now because we used to get a lot of people walking to the Arts District from the Old Bank District or Little Tokyo,' notes the bar owner. 'No one walks anymore. So we are now a destination.' Walk up an austere flight of white stairs and a hostess greets you at the (keyhole-shaped) entry with party cups, nametag stickers and Sharpie pens to label them with, encouraging intros and interaction with others even before you enter. Once inside, there's a dizzying array of amusements to absorb. 'It's the best of both worlds,' says local musician Taleen Kali, who just celebrated her birthday at Uncle Ollie's, as she had done at Bar 107 a decade earlier. 'You can grab a bite and catch a DIY show at the Escondite downstairs and now, come up to the afterparty…. I've seen so many familiar faces and met cool new people here.' At the crimson-hued, '70s-living-room-style main bar surrounded by kitschy collectibles, vintage nude paintings and neon, Kali snaps photos with a giant lion sculpture before she and her friends take over the retro arcade full of rare '70s and '80s consoles, pinball machines and clown art. Later, she'll dance in another room to DJs under a shimmering disco ball and freshen up in the cartoony Hello Kitty-themed bathroom. 'I can't remember the last time I felt so connected to my hometown as an L.A. native,' Kali says. 'I also love that you get to keep your own party cup all night — it's a total vibe, plus it's less wasteful and more sustainable.' Traynam says that 'every time I've had fun, I've had a red cup in my hand.' Here they're filled with cheap and cheeky drinks like the Shaft (Gordon's vodka, Bailey's Irish Cream and cold brew, served on the rocks with a straw), Grandpa's Ol' Cough Medicine (Woodinville bourbon and root beer) and You're My Boy Blue (Ketel One vodka, Sprite, blueberry syrup), all running $9 to $13. An interactive shot called the Influencer offers a swig of Herradura tequila 'and a selfie with the bartender,' but this funhouse full of knickknacks and playground-like structures begs for photos and videos, regardless. It'll also feel familiar to Angelenos who frequented 107 in its heyday. Known for its chaotic interior and wild energy, Bar 107 closed when Traynam and his former partner, Vee Delgadillo, failed to reach a lease agreement with the building's landlord. Traynam and Delgadillo made local news when they decided not to leave without a fight, promoting the hashtag #Occupy107 on social media and announcing plans to defy eviction. They protested against what they saw as a soulless 'swankification' of the area at the time. Fancy hotspots also brought higher rents and bars like 107 couldn't keep up, nor did they want to. 'I knew what downtown was going to become — super-expensive and not inclusive, just like Baltimore, New York and Chicago, where the rich displace the artists and the students,' Traynam says. Though the 'occupation' didn't last long, it solidified the bar owner's vision for unpretentious and budget-friendly hospitality. Before he was a businessman he was a hard-partying comedian who threw legendary DIY shindigs at his Hollywood apartment and, later, a house in Echo Park. The full circle house-party vibes live on at Uncle Ollie's via the oddball entertainment that became legendary at 107, including its popular 'Gong Show Karaoke' on Wednesdays, which attracts a wacky group of singers and 'D-list celebrities' to judge them. Other nights offer retro dancing and live bands. Irreverent new burlesque nights feature renowned dancers from venues like Jumbo's Clown Room and El Cid. Performer and promoter Vanessa Burgundy has been tasked with putting a new spin on the art of striptease here, and so far her monthly residency, called That Time of the Month, has more than delivered. 'Brian's original idea for my night was kind of like a Beacher's Madhouse style setup, you know, just kind of mayhem,' Burgundy recalls. 'But ultimately his only guidance for me has been, 'make it weird.'' Burgundy's unstructured gatherings, featuring original Bar 107 DJ Morgan Higby Knight, have boasted plenty of rock 'n' roll-fueled debauchery — from an eclectic Easter show featuring male and female dancers disrobing bunny suits and nun garb, respectively, to a spectacle dedicated to the music and mayhem of recently departed icon Ozzy Osbourne and his band Black Sabbath (the venue was dubbed 'Uncle Ozzy's Penthouse' for the night). There's no shortage of promoters who want the figurative 'keys' to the penthouse, but getting patrons in has had some hurdles Traynam didn't expect. The bar was open for just two months when Mayor Karen Bass implemented curfews downtown because of ICE raids and protests, which he says hurt its momentum. He also notes that businesses are still navigating nightlife shifts post-pandemic as well. 'Everyone has curtailed their spending habits after COVID,' he says. 'Also FOMO [fear of missing out] no longer exists. Now people are used to being at home, watching Netflix, ordering GrubHub and just chilling out. They don't care as much about going out. 'L.A. really needs to have fun again,' Traynam said. 'So we're banking on a reset. We're banking that in these times, people need to get out of their own heads and get out of their apartments. That's why we're offering cheap drinks, a photo booth, dance floor and no cover most nights…. Uncle Ollie's is a blast from the past, but it's also about the future, where the party is about you and your friends, not the people behind the bar.' Lina Lecaro is the author of 'Los Angeles' Best Dive Bars- Drinking & Diving in the City Of Angels.'
Korea Herald
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Hello Kitty says ‘hi' to Beijing museum
BEIJING (China Daily/ANN) — A 10-meter-tall apple, a cotton-candy world draped in pink plush and dreamy, bow-shaped lights under a mirrored dome — this summer, Hello Kitty is inviting fans of all ages on a fantastical journey at the Times Art Museum in Beijing. The Hello Kitty Cosmos Light and Shadow Exhibition officially opened on May 30, marking one of the largest immersive Hello Kitty-themed light exhibitions ever held. Spanning more than 2,000 square meters, the show features 10 themed zones, and over 70 percent of the artworks are custom-created for this event. The exhibition pushes the boundaries of interactivity and immersion, integrating advanced technologies, such as holographic projection, motion-capture systems and light-art installations. Visitors are encouraged to explore a playful, dreamlike world where the lines between reality and fantasy blur. A highlight of the opening ceremony was a surprise appearance by Hello Kitty herself, joined by beloved characters My Melody and Kuromi. The trio delighted fans with performances and audience interactions. Adding to the excitement, Hello Kitty's longtime designer, Yuko Yamaguchi, traveled from Japan to attend the event. She participated in live signings and met fans face-to-face. The Times Art Museum is also showcasing a cross-disciplinary section for the exhibition, themed Hello Kitty Art, featuring 38 original works by 21 contemporary artists. These reinterpretations of the iconic character span painting, sculpture and mixed media, offering a fresh perspective on this cultural icon. Among the exhibition's most talked-about spaces is the Magical Imagination of Pixels zone, a vibrant digital playground inspired by 8-bit aesthetics. Here, colorful pixel blocks and new media installations invite visitors to explore the imaginative intersections of the digital and physical worlds. With its expansive scale, creative design and cutting-edge interactivity, Hello Kitty Cosmos offers a multisensory experience that blends nostalgia, artistry and innovation — making it a must-see destination for fans, families and art lovers this summer.
Tokyo Reported
15-06-2025
- Tokyo Reported
Yuko Kitayama: Search continues nearly three decades after disappearance
Yuko Kitayama: Search continues nearly three decades after disappearance MIE (TR) – On the evening of June 13, 1997, Yuko Kitayama, then 17, finished her part-time job and headed to a friend's house to study. She was never heard from again. The case remains unsolved, with police continuing to seek the help of the public. On the morning of June 13 this year — the 28th anniversary of Kitayama's disappearance — police officers handed out leaflets in front of Matsusaka Station and once again called for information in the case. 'We are continuing our investigation with the firm belief that she will be returned to his parents,' said Kazuto Saijo, the chief of the Matsusaka Police Station. 'Please contact Matsusaka Police Station with any information you may have.' But there was a time when they did have such information. What happened next was a chronicle of missed opportunities that no mainstream news outlets mentioned this past week. Hello Kitty pager Yuko, a third-year student at Matsusaka Technical High School, worked at a local juku cram school in Meiwacho. On the day of her disappearance, she was planning to study with the aforementioned friend after finishing work. Her younger brother, three years younger than her, attended the same cram school, located near Saiku Station. Her mother would usually take her brother to the cram school in a light truck. She would then take Yuko's bicycle back to the house. Later, she would pick up both of them in a passenger car at around 8 p.m., and the three of them would return home together. However, on the day of her disappearance, there was not enough gas in the light truck. As a result, Yuko was to return home alone by bicycle that day. As well, her family was aware of her plans to study for a test with the friend rather than returning home immediately. After finishing her part-time job, she called the friend from a public phone near the town hall, about 200 meters from the cram school. She told her she would be there in about 10 minutes. However, when Yuko had not shown up by 11:00 p.m., her friend called her home. Her family was surprised, as they had assumed she would be at the friend's house. A search commenced. After they could not find her, they reported her missing with the Mie Prefectural Police at around 2:00 a.m. on June 14. Yuko usually kept a Hello Kitty-themed pager in the inside pocket of her vest. Her family and friends, who had been informed of her disappearance, sent a message to her pager and waited for a response, but there was no reply. Clothes, bicycle and bag never found At the time of her disappearance, Yuko had short hair, a medium build and stood about 150 centimeters tall. She was wearing a white short-sleeved blouse, a black uniform vest, a black pleated skirt, loose white socks and black cloth shoes, size 23.5. The navy blue bicycle she was riding had a Bridgestone T-shaped handlebar and was registered for theft prevention. Her contact information and name were written under the saddle. Her black shoulder bag for commuting to school contained a light blue wallet, a commuter pass case, a yellow lunch box, a comb, scissors and a mirror. The search for the surrounding area continued, but her clothes, bicycle and bag were never found. 'Why do you have Yuko's pager?' On the night of June 14, the day after her disappearance, Yuko's home received two suspicious phone calls at around 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. In both cases, the caller hung up as soon as the calls were answered. Her family later consulted with police. Shortly after Yuko's disappearance, her friends sent messages to her pager with their home phone numbers so that she could contact them. However, there were no signs of an accident in the area. Therefore, it was decided not to give out contact information as there was a possibility that Yuko had been involved in an incident. Sometime after June 16, a friend's house also received a series of mysterious silent calls. The friend thought that the caller had seen the messages addressed to Yuko and was making silent calls. She tried to talk to him, but at first there was no response. But one day, she asked, 'Where is Yuko?' A man's voice replied, 'I don't know her.' She then asked, 'Why do you have Yuko's pager?' He said, 'I picked it up.' 'Why do you have Yuko's pager?' However, in subsequent phone calls, the man's attitude changed, and he began to make different claims. 'I took her to the station,' he said. He added, 'She said she didn't have any money, so I lent her 50,000 yen. I took her pager as collateral.' The man then called her to Matsusaka Shopping Center MARM in Matsuzaka City. The friend accepted the invitation and told the police the situation. On June 20, while police were secretly deployed, the friend and Yuko's mother headed to the designated location. However, the man did not show up. Five days later, he called the house of her friend again. He said, 'I'll give you Yuko's pager back so come and get it.' She immediately rushed to the bus station to meet him, but only Yuko's grey pager was there. Notably, the gold bell and Hello Kitty keychain were not attached. Former offender On June 27, the man called the friend's house again. 'Did you receive the pager?' he asked. He then hung up quickly. Police traced the call to a public telephone in Ureshinocho, Mie Prefecture. They then took a man, age 46 at the time, in for voluntary questioning. He worked as a street vendor and lived nearby in Chayocho, Matsusaka City. An analysis of the man's voice and the calls made over the phone proved to be a match. As well, a white handkerchief with a blue pattern found in the man's pocket was confirmed by Yuko's family to be similar to one belonging to her. He was arrested the next day. During the course of the investigation, it became clear that the man did not have a clear alibi for the time when the incident took place. As well, he also a former offender, who served 12 years in prison for sexual assault and robbery. His modus operandi was to hit women on bicycles with his car, committing indecent acts and stealing their belongings. When the man's station wagon was examined, part of the left turn signal was broken. Further, there was a dent in the bumper that appeared to have been caused by a collision. A Japanese-Chinese dictionary believed to be Yuko's was found in the car. The dictionary had her friend's pager number written inside. Police increasingly suspected his vehicle used in a crime. They found more than 100 hairs and pieces of fiber inside. Police also found receipts for using the Ise Futami Toba Line toll road in the car, which raised suspicions that he had been traveling long distances to destroy evidence. The man regularly used a gas station in Matsusaka City once a week. Around the time of Yuko's disappearance, he filled up there on June 12, 15 and 17. Insufficient evidence Yuko had previously told a friend that she was scared because a suspicious man was following her. There was also a report of a white station wagon parked next to the public phone that she had used before her disappearance, which led police to increasingly believe likely that the man was involved. However, the man said during questioning that the pager was lost property. He also said that he had called the pager several times after learning that the owner was a high school girl. He continued to deny and remained silent about the charges regarding Yuko, including kidnapping. The man's detention expired on July 18. He was released due to insufficient evidence.
SoraNews24
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
Is this Hello Kitty hotel room in Tokyo good enough to impress an 8-year-old girl?
Find out what happens when a father books a night here to impress his daughter. Our reporter P.K. Sanjun loves his daughter Rei, encouraging all her interests which, over her eight years, have ranged from Anpanman to Precure, Pokémon, Conan, Doraemon, and Crayon Shin-chan. In between, Rei has had a soft spot for Sanrio characters like Hello Kitty, so P.K. has travelled to Sanrio Puroland with her, and even bought up stacks of Happy Meals when they came with little Hello Kitty plushies, all to put a smile on her face. So when he heard about a new Hello Kitty-themed room at Asakusa's Tobu Hotel in Tokyo, his daughter immediately sprang to mind. However, he hadn't heard her mention Hello Kitty in a while so he wasn't sure if that was a phase that had passed, but when he asked her if she wanted to stay there, her eyes widened as she told him, 'I want to go! I definitely want to go! I absolutely want to stay there!!' ▼ So off they went. Though there are a few hotels around Japan with Hello Kitty-themed hotel rooms, this is the only one in Tokyo's 23 wards, and there are actually two rooms to choose from: the 'Sakura Celestial Maiden Room' and the 'Wa-Modern Room'. ▼ At his daughter's request, they stayed in the Sakura Celestial Maiden Room. Just as the name suggests, Hello Kitty, or 'Kitty-chan' as she's known in Japanese, was dressed as a celestial maiden, welcoming P.K. and Rei to their night's stay with an array of traditional motifs, and swirls of cherry blossoms in full bloom. There were two large murals of Kitty-chan on the walls, and although the sweet cat was in costume for this event, Kitty-chan's signature bow was still evident, appearing on the beds, in the form of pillows… ▼…and as handles on the bedside drawers. With four beds inside, there wasn't a lot of room to move around, but there was a beautiful Japanese-style space in the corner, with a low table and chairs, pink tatami mats with Hello Kitty bows on the edges, and a large plushie of Kitty-chan, as celestial maiden, sitting on the floor like a hostess at a traditional Japanese inn. Rei-chan squealed in delight upon seeing Kitty-chan, giving her a huge hug that showed P.K. just how strong the Sanrio bonds still were in his daughter. Hello Kitty was like a magnet for Rei, giving her a burst of excited energy that saw her jumping around the room. P.K. was so delighted to see her so hyped that he let her run wild for a little while, figuring she would eventually wear herself out from all the excitement. However, P.K. didn't quite realise the extent of his daughter's love for the cat, and the themed room, because at 10 p.m., after they'd had dinner and their nightly baths, Rei, who would normally be dozing off at this time, was as excited as ever. ▼ In fact, her voltage just kept rising. With her eyes wide open, Rei didn't look sleepy at all, and although P.K. couldn't match her excitement at being inside a pink Hello Kitty-themed room, he was happy to indulge her, allowing her to leap and squeal until she eventually wore herself out, by which time it was past 11:30 p.m. ▼ Rei fell fast asleep as if her battery had run out, hugging Kitty-chan instead of her dad. They both slept like logs in Hello Kitty's celestial paradise, and the next day, before checking out, Rei gave Kitty-chan one last hug while whispering, 'I'll definitely come and stay again.' Although P.K. couldn't see Kitty-chan respond to Rei's whispers, he had a feeling his daughter and Hello Kitty were on a different wavelength to him, communicating in secret ways he wasn't able to understand. After their night in the themed room, P.K. learned that a girl's love for Hello Kitty has the power to outlast all other character obsessions, and he also learned that if you stay in this room with a Kitty-obsessed child you may not get a lot of sleep, but you will get a ton of brownie points as a parent. Hotel information Asakusa Tobu Hotel /浅草東武ホテル Address: Tokyo-to, Taito-ku, Asakusa 1-1-15 東京都台東区浅草1-1-15 Website Photos©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! [ Read in Japanese ]
Hype Malaysia
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
Japan Rebrands An Entire Airport To Be Hello Kitty Themed
Japan, the land of the rising sun and the birthplace of the beloved Sanrio Character, Hello Kitty. Known for her cuteness and iconic red bow, the Hello Kitty craze has gone above and beyond, marking years of popularity that never seem to die down. In an adorable blend of travel and fandom, Oita Airport has rebranded itself to be a 'Hello Kitty Airport', packed with Hello Kitty-themed signage, a souvenir shop with exclusive merchandise and a photo zone with giant bath buckets (a tribute to Oita's famous hot springs). A newly added bus service that connects the airport to Sanrio's Harmonyland theme park is also available! The Oita Airport will hold its Hello Kitty theme for six months, running from 13th April to 13th October. The airport sits strategically near the Sanrio-themed Harmonyland theme park, just an hour away in the town of Hiji. The rebranding is an initiative to support a broader strategy aimed at attracting more visitors for the currently active World Expo 2025 held in Osaka. Japan invites visitors of the World Expo 2025, who are eager to explore more of what smaller prefectures have to offer, to visit Oita Airport. The rebranding is also part of Japan's larger initiative to leverage its entertainment franchise as the export of popular manga and anime makes it big on the international stage. For now, Oita is mainly attracting domestic travellers as bigger main destinations such as Tokyo and Osaka remain the main destinations for many international travellers. However, as more and more seasoned travellers search for less busy locations in the country, Oita prefecture could well be on its way to becoming the ideal destination! Would you travel to Oita to visit the Hello Kitty Airport? Source: Instagram Alyssa Gabrielle contributed to this article
