Hey everybody, it’s the Frozen Bake truck! I can’t wait to get my hands on some delicious baguettes and croissants that bake in the freezer. How do they do it? Who cares! As long as I can enjoy a frosty yet steaming baked treat I’m happy...

Tags: super english force, oddity, snide, humor

A bit of a throwaway post, but thought I’d include it for the hell of it. This the packaging for a suction cup hook. Because the vast majority of walls in HK are concrete (often reinforced), one can’t just nail into the wall as needed; in fact to mount anything remotely heavy you have to hire some guy with an industrial hammer drill to make properly deep holes. So people end up peppering their homes with ugly little concrete picture mounts, adhesive hooks, and suction holders like this. Anyway what struck me about this particular item isn’t the product itself but rather the bizarre ‘mascot’ on the left: note the hugely muscular arm where his nose should be - or is it shoved through a hole in his nose? He doesn’t seem bothered by it though, judging by his hearty smile and wink. Then again I’m sure they haven’t lost any sales over it: I need to get some extra-strong suction hooks for my bathroom, but look at the anatomically freakish mascot! I can’t possibly justify purchasing that. Perhaps this brand over here with a proper hook nose on their mascot; yes, this will do nicely...

Tags: oddity, bizarre, snide

It seems rushed epicureans now have the option to stop by Auntie Anne’s pretzel shack and grab a disconcertingly ramrod straight hotdog encased in pretzel dough. Welcome news to the harried gastronomical set. This may look like the logical extreme of ‘pigs in a blanket’ but it’s not. This is high class fare. It’s for epicureans - says so right there! Just look at those fancy frame corners, and that elegant flourish of calligraphy (which I assume is supposed to be steam coming of the end of the hot dog?) Mmm...

Tags: super english force, oddity, bizarre, snide

A men’s slimming/skincare boutique here in HK. Apparently they started in Japan, which explains the name to a degree. Dandy doesn’t carry the same gay connotation there as it does in the US and ‘commonwealth’ countries I suppose. In fact, judging from the number of ‘dandies’ that festoon their anime cartoons and comics, having delicate elven features, bone white skin, foppish hair and an all-velvet wardrobe is all the rage. And the name is truly priceless - can’t imagine a more un-ironic moniker, considering their services; a nice vintage turn on ‘metrosexual’. Ah yes, let us return to the gilded age of dandified men, with lace handkerchieves and acerbic courtesan wit. Or perhaps a new crop of Oscar Wilde proteges, flinging brilliantly anachronistic turns of phrase into the flustered faces of pedestrian boors everywhere. Apparently you can now opt for the ‘premium whitening’ too - not sure if that just refers to just skin treatment, or if it includes ‘epicanthic fold’ surgery and faux-blue contacts as well. Or maybe a whole program to inject premium white dandy culture, so one can take of partake of ’CSI-Miami’ DVD sets, Hugo Boss body scrub, and suitably distressed Diesel jeans. Hell maybe they throw in some mayonnaise, the seminal ‘Hootie and the Blowfish’ album, a pack of Kraft American cheese (individually wrapped slices of course), a few seasons of ‘Friends’ and ‘Seinfeld’, and some J Crew mock-turtlenecks to establish a firm ‘white’ cultural base. And 50% off to boot!

A zany calendar at a bookstore here in HK. Tricky trunks indeed. Good to see that even rollerskating elephants take safety seriously - note the ‘elbow’ pads and helmet - both in adorable pink! Somehow I don’t see this working out so peachy in real life. Though I could see Tricky here turning on her tormentors and planting a well aimed 300 pound roller skate onto their chests as she tramples them on her way to that distant treeline...

Tags: disturbing mascots, oddity, snide

From a recent Hello Kitty promotion at CitySuper in Causeway Bay. Just when you think the folks at Sanrio (owners/perpetrators of the Hello Kitty phenomenon) have run out of products to slap the their ubiquitous icon onto, one runs into something like this. ‘Mi (heart) Food’ isn’t even close to actual Italian or English - but who cares? It has Hello Kitty on it! Honestly why anyone would be swayed to buy extra virgin olive oil and/or Italian fusilli or penne pasta because that disturbing blank eyed face is on the label is utterly beyond me. Then again the thought of buying anything with Hello Kitty slapped on it is beyond me, at least for anyone over the age of 9...

Tags: humor, oddity, snide, dark side of HK

A screenshot from a sports website(?). Seems the infamous McRib sandwich is making a comeback, and false tales of it’s lightning inducing (as opposed to its actual vomit-inducing) prowess are hittin’ the airwaves. I have to admit to trying one of these years (decades?) ago when it first came out, and it was one of the most disgusting, disquieting things i’ve ever eaten - which is saying something. It was a vaguely meatish lump stamped into a vaguely rib-rack shape - sans bones of course, slathered with ‘bbq’ sauce and onion bits. If ever there was a soylent green product on the market, this is it. For those of you who don’t know what soylent green is... its’ people! soylent green is people!

Tags: disturbing mascots, oddity, sad, snide, food

Another photo I managed to take during Halloween costume shopping. Seems the world famous ‘Unarmed Task Force’ has put out a set of kiddies anti crime handcuffs. I guess when you’re unarmed you use what you can. No word on how the task force manages to catch criminals before slapping these babies on though. Sarcasm? Stern language? Of course this being HK, they could use super power movies kung fu, like leaping up and running along the walls, igniting thieves hair with qi, etc. I just noticed the tiny crossed out handgun on the far left (under the H)...

Tags: super english force, oddity, snide, humor

A magazine cover for Asian fashionistas. Apologies for the subtle starbucks sticker - can’t blame them for labeling their mags so people don’t walk off with them, although I don’t think they had to worry about this one being stolen. One would expect with a tagline of ‘Doctor Bag’ that they would display an actual, well, doctor’s bag, or at least a purse styled on the classic country doctor case, big and chunky with clasps and a handle etc. But apparently Doctor Bag has moved on to corsets made from aluminum gutter sections - or is that stove piping? Either way this has to be the most uncomfortable looking accessory I’ve ever seen; well top three at least. I assume Doctor Bag is male, as no woman would ever put a serrated border under the breast line. Or would they? After all, ‘beauty knows no pain’...

Tags: fashion, oddity, snide, humor

A quick post from our Halloween shopping excursion. I couldn’t get many pictures - the staff get very upset if you take photos, what with all the illegal knockoff toys etc, so apologies for the blur. Seems you can get your daughter that ‘elf ear’ she desperately needs to complete her freakish nun/maid/ninja/fox/elf combo anime’ costume. Silver just-so japanime’ wig not included, nor is the badass coquette anime’ attitude, or the age inappropriate latex jacket (unfortunately cut off here). Thankfully they do throw in two ears despite the tag. I have to say the expression on the model’s face is a bit much, especially considering she’s all or 4-5 years old. Hope she doesn’t get too attached to this look, and opt for surgery later...

Tags: disturbing mascots, oddity

A funky/faux ironic t-shirt outfitter here in HK. I have to admit I was taken in by the sign and nonsensical tagline. Whose life are they referencing? Well, the Frozen Plasma set (obviously). The merchandise was a bit disappointing, though could’ve been worse. A lot of ‘50s Gulf product shots from the glory days of motoring, as well as Bruce Lee/Godzilla stuff that might’ve been edgy a decade ago. Of course none of really appealed to me (or came close to fitting - damn you, ‘asian XL’), but then again its not part of my life. Perhaps I don’t have an icy/fiery enough lifestyle to qualify...

Tags: super english force, oddity, humor, snide

Yet another mutant Pizza Hut creation. I assume they have these in the US, though the ‘Thousand Island Dressing’ option isn’t available. Yes, there is a Japanese pizza variant that substitutes thousand island for tomato sauce. Tastes worse than it sounds, if that’s possible. Anyway this it the latest in the amoebic budding crust motif, where you get a wheel of extra nuggets to pull from the mothership. And if having cheddar cheese (or pig in a blanket/mini dog) stuffing isn’t enough, there’s a handy cheddar dipping sauce to drive the point home. Apparently you can never have too much cheese, or too many calories...

Tags: disturbing mascots, oddity, food