Last night I attended a media preview for this weekend’s first ever Hello Kitty Convention. The Geffen MOCA in Little Tokyo Downtown Los Angeles served as the perfect setting for this event, with plenty of indoor/outdoor areas and exhibit space. Hello Kitty Con 2014 runs through this weekend but it is SOLD OUT! So if you do not already have tickets, you will have to experience Hello Kitty Con through the magic of Instagram hashtags.
If you ARE lucky enough to be headed to the Geffen MOCA this weekend, here are my top 10 things to look out for at Hello Kitty Con.
1. Hello Kitty Cafe Truck – Right when you walk in you’ll see the large pink Mercedes bus-turned-pop-up-shop where you can purchased Hello Kitty themed treats. The debut of the Hello Kitty Cafe truck is a preview of what’s to come at the very first Hello Kitty Cafe coming to Southern California next year. Mama like. I picked up a box of deliciously themed donuts, macarons, and a bow water bottle, because I’m a total sucker for anything Hello Kitty. *Throws money at Mercedes bus.*
2. Lovely Kitty Wonder – Hello Kitty Inspired Couture and Wedding Dresses – Holy hotness. Some really amazing looks curated by JapanLA clothing AND pay attention … some of those mannequins are ALIVE! 😉 The models were awesome and really friendly and animated when posing for pictures. Work it, ladies.
3. Custom Art from Yuko Yamaguchi – Yuko is head designer of Hello Kitty and will be on hand at various times to draw custom art for you! Naturally the line was very long so I decided not to wait – and kicking myself now. LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES!!
4. Free Tattoos – OH YES. You can get yourself a free REAL tattoo at Hello Kitty Con. There are around 100 images to choose from and obviously it’s a first-come-first-serve thing, so if you want one, get there early and get your name on the list. If you’re not up for ink of the permanent kind, the staffers were handing out temp tattoos at the pop-up parlor’s entrance.
5. Target Presents: The Adventures of Hello Kitty and Bullseye – I spent A LOT of time at the Target section! What a fun collaboration. There are three animated GIF photo booth set-ups and also fun games you can play for prizes! I won a nail art kit, a multi-color pen, stickers, and temp tattoos from about 10 minutes of play. Don’t forget to stop and get your fortune told while you’re there!
6. Unique Art Installations – In a tiny corner of the Art Corner area there is some really cool Hello Kitty modern pop art. Worth a quick look.
7. Vintage Village – A behind-the-glass collection of old school Hello Kitty merch from the last 40 years. Very cool to browse through and notice that the basics of Sanrio and Hello Kitty have not changed too much!
8. Character Interactions – Who can pass up a selfie with Badtz Maru? NOBODY.
9. Super Supermarket – From Sephora, to Party City, Mighty Fine, to TOPPS, to Dylan’s Candy Bar, to Ju Ju Be, there are more unique Hello Kitty goodies here than you could possibly dream up. Highlights for me were the Japan LA x Hello Kitty Collection, especially The Simpsons pieces – lots of really cute clothes here for those of you with a little extra money to spend, MakerBot – see 3D printing in action, and custom drawings from Hello Kitty animators at the Sanrio Signing Booth.
10. Friendship Station Pop-Up Shop – If you have any money left, head up the ramp to the Hello Kitty pop-up shop for Con exclusive items and fun rarities, like this Hello Kitty taco plushie that I’m kind of obsessed with.
Do you have tickets to Hello Kitty Con this weekend? You’re going to have an amazing time!
