Em to the Oh Oh Cow

Would you eat in vitro meat? This cute little animation makes a case for what seems to be an inevitable future.

Pac-Man Dim Sum!

Holy ghost! Check out the truly awesome Pac-Man dim sum from the newly opened Red Farm in New York's West Village. The Pac is made of sweet potato... and looks delicious!

Kickstarter! Help me make the next book (and become a part of it!)

Did you know I have a Kickstarter up, to help in making the new book? That's right – you can help me make it happen!

I'm heading back to Japan in September, but I need help with the travel expenses and everything else involved in book-making. For every level of backing I've created awesome incentives that include (but are not limited to):

$25 – A Kickstarter exclusive e-book + physical copy of Face Food Recipes

$100 – Original bento items bought in Japan + signed copies of the first two books

$250 – Framed travel photo prints

$850 – A limited-edition, hand-bound copy of the new book

$1000 – Your very own face, made as a bento, to be included in the new book

Please head here for the complete details (including photos and a video).

Mouse Radish Simplicity

Readers Daniel Greenwald and Veronica Liu sent me this cute little radish mouse - a perfect blend of simplicity and imagination. Thanks, guys!

Dragonfish Centerpiece

Even in Greenland: presentation is key.

From the flickr of ranx72.

A little late for Easter, but...

The folks over at Serious Eats have a wonderful set of step-by-step instructions for making your very own ... Peepshi! Think junk food sushi made from the following:

You can see more cuteness here.

Skull Cakes

Damien Hirst has nothing on these skulls!

Apple iPad Steve Jobs Cheese Head

With the release of the iPad imminent (i.e. Pre-Order Now!!!), it's safe to say that the world is officially, um ... constipated with all the tech-anxiety attributed to this over-hyped wonder product.

Blogger Ken over at Cook's Den found creative ways to show his Mac Luv: the Steve Jobs Cheese Head. Click here for the recipes (my personal fav: the iPad Thai).

hipsterpets.com

Have you seen hipsterpets.com? It's adorable!

Candy Stop Motion

More video fun with food:

High Blood Pressure?

Rakka, an artist livin in Bremerton, WA, spent a year on what she calls her Suspect and Fugitive project, where she made an item a day out of unconventional materials. Her most interesting ideas use actual products to recreate the logos designed to represent them. Do check her out.

More Japanese Product Genius?

Tired of that greasy, not-409'd-often-enough keyboard and mouse? (I know I am) Well, the Japanese have once again solved the problem!

A single button on a plastic clamp that is soft enough to keep one's chips intact. As Seen on TV genius.

Azuki Bean Beard!

Azuki beans are widely used in Japan and most of East Asia. Whether cooked with rice or turned into amanattō (甘納豆) ice cream, the little red bean paste is generally better when sweetened with sugar. That said, I present to you the photography/art project of Takao Sakai: Portraits of Azuki Beans Beard.

Gross? I wouldn't go that far - but I wouldn't eat these beans, either! Check the site and you'll see that he's thumbnailed nearly 600 images, and they keep coming. Next time I'm in Tokyo I'm going to have to ring him up!

Interested in azuki beans? Try this recipe for oshiruko!

iBBQ

With everything from charaben guides to virtual pets to the usual exercises in mayhem, the iPhone app gaming world has really found its niche as a tool for the overly bored. Usher in my new #1 favorite app, the iBBQ!

If you've ever wanted to experience the sights and sounds of yakiniku (traditional Japanese BBQ grilling) while, say, sitting on the subway, toilet or even on an airplane some 10,000 feet in the air, well - this quirky game has got you covered in virtual soy. Most unique game feature: You actually blow into the phone's mic to heat up the fire! Weird. The only thing missing (duh) is the ability to smell and taste the meats. Who wants some of the real thing? Corn for me, please!

Check it out, in action:

Happy 30th, Pac!

2010 marks the 30th anniversary of Pac-Man's debut. In honor of the anniversary, Circle K stores in Japan are selling a limited-edition Pac-Man bun, filled with a (very delicious sounding, I must say) crushed almond cookie and cream custard! Get them now, while you can (and mail some to NYC while you're at it). Available for ¥120 (around $1.31).

New York Wave

Those of you in Japan: do check out NHK TV's program NEW YORK WAVE for a special mini-documentary on yours truly...airing in early February. They filmed my book release party at Giant Robot, and last week they were here in mi casa for a special bento "party" with friends (whose charaben skills were in full effect - no joke, it was really amazing stuff). NHK also documented the creation of a bento of mine from scratch. Pics to come (once the show airs), but here is a preview sketch of my Desnos as Maneki Neko, um... Bento!

Weirdest item of the day...

A charaben...ring?

Available for purchase at SouZou Creation's Etsy Shop.

How To Make Your Own Charabento - Video - Wired

How To Make Your Own Charabento - Video - Wired

The video I filmed for WIRED Magazine is now officially LIVE on their website. I can't embed it here, so click the above link to view at your own discretion! ;-)

GIANT ROBOT, GIANT PARTY

Would anyone care for a signed book?

Saturday night was a bit of a surreal experience for me, as you might be able to tell from my pathetic struggle to put it all into words. Miho from NHKTV was on hand (with video camera in hand), filming my every move for the upcoming "New York Wave" documentary. Amazing how a wireless mic (or "wire" as they say on Law & Order) makes your friends uncomfortable (or too comfortable?) in casual conversation. Lots of "check out k-r-t-s music dot com" from Mr. Kurtis. Love it.

I want to thank everyone for coming, friends and strangers alike - especially the strangers with the mad bento skillz. You humble me, truly.

Here are just a few bento highlights:

The Giant Robot logo I made. The cheese/nori combo curls fast under lights.

Mark Batty holding the Mark Batty bento I made.

3D Jar Seascape! Truly original.

Madeline.

Homer Simpson.

Gloomy Bear.