70 Years Later: Couples "Pucker Up for Peace" In Times Square

Yesterday marked the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII, and to commemorate the long awaited declaration of peace, the Times Square Alliance held a "Kiss-In". Inspired by the iconic kiss shared between a sailor and a nurse, the event called for couples to gather in Times Square to share their own stories and reenact the famous smooch. The message: love prevails over all!

Thanks to all of the brave veterans who made this possible!

"Sake to Sakana": Five Japanese Foods to Beat the August Heat!

Seasonal ingredients? In Japan, that's old news, a way of life rather than a fad. In addition to including foods based on their abundance during certain months, traditional Japanese cuisine also takes into account what vitamins and minerals they have that will help the body adjust to the sweltering heat. Considering that humidity is even higher in most parts of Japan than in New York City, such attention to diet is important in maintaining stamina. For those of you who engage in summer sports such as surfing and/or who work in the fashion industry and need to keep your strength for the upcoming trade shows in Vegas, this is what you should be eating.
Yakisoba (especially on the beach!)

YAKISOBA!! :-D #homemade #lunchtime #japanesesoulfood

A photo posted by Kristen (@kriskawasaki) on May 30, 2015 at 12:40pm PDT

Yakisoba is Japan's answer to a boardwalk hot dog and fries. The noodles are way lighter than starchy potatoes, yet they are lightly pan fried to satisfy your oil craving. Plus the soba noodles themselves are low in calories and packed with vitamins. The nori (seaweed) flakes complement the aroma of sea salt wafting in from the ocean. Throw a sunnyside up egg (medamiyaki)on top for some protein!

Hiyashi Chuka

#hiyashichuka with #ebi (shrimp) #lunchtime #japanesefood #oishi

A photo posted by @seam_ny on Aug 5, 2015 at 11:22am PDT

More noodles, you ask? Don't get it twisted, these are totally different from the afore mentioned buckwheat (soba) noodles. The noodles used for Hiyashi Chuka are a type of ramen noodle, but it this case they are served cold on top of salad rather than in hot soup. The cucumbers that garnish this dish have a hydrating, cooling effect. Shrimp is optional but not typical!
Unagi (Eel)

My final meal in Tokyo :*( until next time!! #Unagi #Unagidon #Eel

A photo posted by Kristen (@kriskawasaki) on Jul 17, 2014 at 9:51pm PDT  

The key players here are vitamins B1 & B2, which fight fatigue and can keep you from fainting. Other vitamins include Vitamin E, which enhances sexual performance and fights aging, as well as A, D, B6, & B12 .

Hiyayakko
You may have gathered by now that "hiya"= cold. This tofu appetizer is enjoyed for its ease of preparation as well as its light taste. Just cut a piece of prepackaged tofu, sprinkle on some soy sauce and bonito flakes, and add a dab of wasabi. Pair with a glass of cold shochu or a nice frosty beer.

お疲れさまです💎 #夏はやっぱり #ひややっこ #ビールまいうー #ごんにも #今から

A photo posted by Takeshi Sakuma (@sakutake2011) on Jul 12, 2015 at 4:50am PDT

Kakigori

#Kakigori aka #shavedice :-) #NYC really does have everything!

A photo posted by @seam_ny on Jul 19, 2015 at 1:33pm PDT

Yes, it's a desert. But before you shun this frozen treat as detrimental to your beach body diet, keep in mind that it's 99% ice. And the red beans on top are far more natural and less fattening than the artificially syruped red cherries that top the American ice cream sundae.  The rest of the calories come from just a dash of condensed milk and- hello- MATCHA!

A Rare Summer Weekend in the City

Although the mass exodus from Manhattan by way of Broome street might suggest otherwise, there is a case to be made for staying in the city from summer Friday through Monday morning. Just ask our textile team members who were in town this past weekend!
Our weekend opener was MOMA's free Friday, which we were amused to discover was sponsored by Japan's own Uniqlo.

Natural + Synthetic

Kinetic one piece

Saturday's first stop was Grand Central, where we caught the 6 up to The Mansion.



Inside Ralph Lauren's Mansion on 72nd Street

 

We continued our shopping tour downtown, with stops at Supreme, BLK DNM, and our favorite made-in-NYC designer's shop, By Robert James.

We kept the party going in the LES at Arlene's, where we caught Battery Electric and kick-ass rockabilly band the Bothers!

 



The Battery Electic's new fan



 The Bothers tearin it up!

 



Caveman at Riis Park

 



The beach @ Jacob Riis Park

There's nothing quite like summer in New York City: outdoor concerts, festivals, and surprisingly decent beaches. Yesterday, Brooklyn based Caveman band was awesome enough to do a free show at Jacob Riis Park -and we were lucky enough to catch it! For those of you not familiar with Riis Park, it's located in the southern part of the Rockaways. A bit of a troop from Manhattan, but totally worth it!

          

Be on the lookout for their new album dropping in August! Happy Summer :-)