HANNE'S ART AND CULTURE BLOG

Are you on your way to Japan? Make sure to stop by Calico, the cafe where you can hang out with cats. According to CNN (who's news coverage has a constant increase in seriousness): "Cat Cafe Calico, despite breathless reports by foreign media as yet another example of just how kooky Japan is, actually works. It's all part of the recent "cat cafe" trend, and it isn't anywhere nearly as weird as it might first sound.

Cat Cafe Calico is a combo of pet store and coffee shop where visitors pay an entry fee to hang out on low sofas in a room filled with a pack (19, to be exact) of super-people-friendly cats. In a city where space is at an absolute premium, cafes like this are among the only places where many of the chronically cat-less can scratch their itch for feline companionship. And the lattes aren't half bad, either.

The Cat Cafe Calico in Kichijoji is one of two in the chain (the other being located in Shinjuku.) ¥900 gets you an hour with the kitties; every fifteen minutes thereafter run you ¥200 a pop. Those with a need for more quality time can spring for 90, 120, and 180 minute packages".

Some of the working cats above. For more, including videos of the cats, visit Cafe Calico's website.

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Happy birthday, J! Luckily, Youtube user GOLDRAINFEATHERS made this video so I didn't have to:

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Makka Pakka is the (my) star on In the Night Garden. And of course this had to happen:

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Pre-Youtube, cats, dogs and kids, i.e. cuteness, was already the thing to put on tape.

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For 500 images and live updates, go to Engadget.

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Now this is something that everyone should watch every night before going to bed. My brother's ten months old baby told me about it. He's hooked. Youtube users share similar thoughts that I have had after watching: "the makers are on crack" and "How stoned were the makers of this program when they thought of this?" and "my son loves this, god help me". In the Night Garden, produced by BBC, is aimed at babies and toddlers (and me). The creators say "We wanted to explore the difference between being asleep and being awake from a child's point of view: the difference between closing your eyes and pretending to be asleep and closing your eyes and sleeping". Although Youtube user dharvell has a piece of advice: "Never heard of this, until today. Thought I would check it out. Bad mistake. You should NEVER watch this show, after taking a Morphine pill (legally, mind you... it's for chronic pain). Just take my advice... don't do it..."

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Is it just me getting older, or has Saturday Night Live become better lately?

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Players of the two Russian youth ice hockey teams, Penguins and the Northern Star, are trying to keep pace with professionals in all aspects. 9-year-old stars have proved that ice hockey is one of the toughest games to play no matter what age you are. A regular game between Russia's young Penguins and Stars turned into a massive fight on ice. The result: 707 minutes of penalty!

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