Category: 80s-90s Nostalgia
Taiwan’s Character-Themed 7-Eleven Stores
Not all 7-Eleven experiences are created equal. When it comes to the kawaii culture and culinary 7-Eleven experience, no country can beat Japan, followed by Korea’s aegyo pop culture. But vying for a close third spot for me is Taiwan. The themed 7-Elevens in this de facto independent country stand out as tourist stops, where […]
Snoopy 7-Eleven in Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Out of the 7,000+ 7-Elevens around Taiwan, over 100 of them are specially themed, featuring characters or brands such as Hello Kitty and her Sanrio friends, Snoopy and the Peanuts gang, Lay’s, Tomica, Pokemon, Mickey Mouse, and so much more! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kate Alvarez (Kate Was […]
Sanrio 7-Eleven in Taipei
As an ’80s Hello Kitty kid, I jotted this down as my top itinerary during my recent Taiwan trip. When I finally laid my eyes on the Sanrio 7-Eleven in Taipei, I felt like a kid again—all warm and fuzzy inside. (Scroll down to the end to see the reel!) Window-dressed with Hello Kitty as […]
Remember When 7-Eleven Stores Became Kwik-E-Marts?
I remember a trip to Los Angeles back in July 2007. The world was eagerly awaiting the premiere of The Simpsons Movie when they pulled the ultimate marketing stunt: 11 7-Eleven locations in the US and Canada were temporarily transformed into Springfield’s fictional Kwik-E-Mart. My friends and I found one of the 11 locations and […]
Pressed Pennies From My Travels
If you’ve been to Disneyland or Universal Studios, you’ve probably seen a penny smasher, a machine that presses your penny into an elongated coin embossed with a design. The machine is called by many other names—penny presser, coin smasher, penny squisher, coin press, and penny pincher—but the resulting coins are just as sweet. I find […]
Unearthing My Hello Kitty Collection From The 80s, 90s, and Beyond
Another result of my quarantine cleaning: I realized I have a lot of Hello Kitty items. From the ’80s-90s Sanrio stationery I unearthed during closet cleanup to the Hello Kitty souvenirs and toys I purchased through the years, this Hello Kitty collection is bigger than I thought. Or maybe not! Unlike other extreme collectors, my […]
Unearthing My ’80s-’90s Toys
While stuck in enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the Philippines, I finally did the major thing I said I’d do when I have the time—declutter my stuff. My board games, electronics, and toys from the ’80s and ’90s have been gathering dust on the second level of my closet and my mother’s bodega. Most are […]
Taiwan It That Way: Chasing The Backstreet Boys
I’ve been in Taiwan for several days now, and a common question I get from fellow travelers is, “What brings you here?” My honest-to-goodness answer: Backstreet Boys and Dulan. But let’s focus on BSB for now. I rarely enlist the help of travel agencies because my pride tells me I can DIY everything. But Jeron […]
Sticker Con MNL Is Really For Nostalgic Adults
If you’re wondering what the fuss was all about, let me try to explain why there were more grownups than children who flocked to Sticker Con MNL’s second run. In the ’80s and ’90s, I had an analog childhood. Think of Netflix’s Stranger Things, Everything Sucks!, and Bandersnatch. The digital world? Practically unheard of! Our […]