Left: Selecting products for the Christmas fairs; Right: New postcards with info of the Christmas fairs
 
Since our e-shop first started 5 years ago (I can't believe it has been 5 years already!), we have participated in different pop-up Christmas fairs around London. They serve as our opportunity to meet customers/ potential [...]

MoMa PS1, Queens
 
As a newbie to art book fairs, I had no idea what to expect at the New York art book fair hosted by Printed Matter at MoMA PS1 in Queens. I have visited the London Art Book Fair at the Whitechapel Gallery in 2015 (there wasn't one this year), but [...]

The Grade II listed Round Chapel, Hackney
 
Organised by London-based Nobrow Press, the fifth annual East London Comics Art Festival (ELCAF) took place over three days at the Round Chapel and MKII gallery in Hackney.
The festival is designed to showcase some of the most exciting works in comics and illustrations, and it features [...]

 
Three weekends of Christmas market at the Barbican Centre
 
I admit that I am not a natural salesperson. I have always worked behind the scenes, and selling face to face is a 'skill' that I had to learn when I started this business.
I know that popping up once a year is not [...]

 
Top left: The disused ticket office-turned pottery studio; Top right: Lisa Hammond's beautiful Soda & Shino glaze pottery
 
London is full of hidden gems, not only they are off tourists' radar, but many are also unknown to Londoners. Since I live north of the river, I am quite oblivious to events that [...]

Our advent calendar-inspired pop-up promotional card
 
This December, we will pop up for three weekends in London! We are very happy to be selected as one of the vendors to be selling at the Barbican this year. I have often visited the Barbican for events and exhibitions, so I am thrilled to [...]

 
d47 design travel store and Tomio Koyama Gallery at Hikarie
 
Shibuya
d47 design travel store (Hikarie 8F 2-21-1 Shibuya) - Muji is now an international brand that many non-Japanese are familiar with, but in Japan, d & department Project is the fastest-growing household and lifestyle brand in recent years. Established in 2000 by the [...]

My final two Tokyo entries are on shopping, so I hope this will delight a few readers. I have written another entry under the same title 2 years ago, so this is an update/addition to the previous blog entry (click here to read). This entry will focus on Eastern and Central Tokyo:
 
Kuramae
On [...]

PMQ's Staunton Street entrance
 
Back in 2010, I visited the disused Grade 3 listed former Hollywood Road Police Married Quarters, which was temporarily transformed into an arts and design hub by deTour (part of The Business of design week). Built in 1951 as housing or dormitory for Chinese rank and file police officers [...]

Foo Tak building in Wan Chai
 
Sometimes I am surprised by readers' responses to my blog entries. My previous entry on Hong Kong's secondhand bookstores have generated more responses than I expected, so I gathered that people are still interested in independent/secondhand booksellers.
What astonishes me about Hong Kong is that it has [...]