Hong Kong Toy shopathon next January, anyone inter

[VF-1S Alpha]

Whe are going there to buy toys and have some fun...

... and the only thing you guys can think about is about food.

Not toys, not girls... but food.

Are you people ok?

Yes, yes, yes....Toys!

Just to make sure, only 1 day? Or 2?

As for food, I will settle with Pizza, TGIF, Steaks, Hard Rock or Planet Hollywood!

For drinking, pubs are fine at night.

For company, cute HK girls are fine too....

But main thing are MACROSS toys!!!

Paulo

[Eternal_D]

well, I wasn't gonna chime in on all your guys' planned fun but i'm gonna do it anyway!

you lucky bastards! maybe i should make an excuse to go to HK and have my dad pay for it all? guess would be kinda bad tho since he just paid for my trip to Asia a month ago. but who knows...I should play it out anyway and see how it goes. I'd love to check out HK with my MW brothers.

I would love to check out the "KTV" places in HK. hehe...see how it differs from other places in asia....not to mention the clubs...but man, if half of you are already married...guess no action for you....well, unless it's with your wife.

[Graham]

IHOP, Graham

is International House Of Pancakes

and Red Robins is the place which serves great burgers,

been to one in Irvine, CA

Ah right, I remember passing one when I was in Orlando last February, but didn't have time to go in. Hmm....maybe next year when I'm in Vegas......I love pancakes.

Graham

[niomosy]

I am bringing this back from the old forums.

We still are preparing everything about this trip to HK.

I know maybe this is a bit OT but It is a Macross Toys shopathon, not a MW Con. Anyways if the mods thinks It should be moved to the conventions and local gatherings thread, please do.

Till now there only a few people confirmed. Graham, Guppy and me (of course) will be there along with of wifes .

Could be great if we can start getting serious so we can prepare everything.

We are thinking about the second week, maybe 8 to10. But nothing is set on stone.

January is a GREAT date to visit HK. And we will get a very good oprtunity to meet each other.

Please post your thoughts.

We meet, we buy toys and we get drunk!

Old Post:

Hello fellow paycheck wasters!

Sebastian and I are gonna try to hook up with Graham, the master of toy shopping in Hong Kong in early January!

If any MW'ers will be in HK at that time, would you be interested in joining our ranks for a guided tour of all the choiciest toy shops for an 8 hour spending marathon?

Of course, to undertake this massive quest alcohol is needed so we'll have to stop in to every bar (we aussies call them 'pubs' ) along the way!

And.. if we get enough people maybe we can convince Graham to convince Yamato that a group of their loyal toy buyers would LOVE a tour of their offices and see some prototypes!

Anyone interested?

Ya know. The wife and I were tossing the idea around of Japan in January since it's my birthday. I had to remind her that the weather wouldn't be ideal, though. Shopping in H.K. for Macross stuff? I could be up for that as a birthday present

How about a little more info on why January's a good month to hit Hong Kong? I might have to give this some serious though.

[Graham]

Guess, I'm gonna have to start planning where to take you guys.

The good news is that most shops are open until 9pm or 10pm at night, 7 days a week. The bad thing is that most of the hobby/toy shops don't open until at least 1pm. Some of the smaller shops only open in the evenings from 6pm onwards. This means that for those of you suffering from jetlag, we won't have to start too early in the morning!

We will not be able to visit every major toy and hobby shop in one day. It will take at least two days. Here's what I'm thinking.

Day # 1 Kowloon Side

1) Allied Plaza in Prince Edward. Several shops selling Japanese Hobby & game magazines.

2) Animate on Nelson Road in Mong Kok for toys and magazines.

3) Sino Center on Nathan Road in Mong Kok for toys (Animate & Kanto Hobby). Also, many shops selling bootleg anime DVDs. Several shops selling original Jpop CDs.

4) CTMA Center on Sai Yeung Choi St South in Mong Kok for Toys (Superman toys & Ant Shop + several other toy shops).

5) Several misc smaller toy shops scattered around Mong Kok.

6) If any of you are airsoft fans, there is a whole street full of airsoft shops in Mongkok.

7) 111 Richmond Center in Argyle Street Mong Kok. Several toy shops and one hentai manga shop!

Perhaps the Ladies Street Market and Temple Street market for bootleg gashapons if anybody is interested and clothes shopping for the wives.

Day # 2 HK Island Side

1) Causeway Bay Center on Sugar Strret. One large branch of Animate, plus several other toy and model shops.

2) Japanese Dept. stores Sogo and Mitsokushi. Big manga and magazine section, but the toy and model sections are overpriced. Still, worth a visit.

3) 108 Center in Wanchai, several toy and hobby shops.

4) Other misc toy and model shops in wanchai.

Of course, we also have to fit lunch and dinners and pubs in as well.

And do you guys want to do any regular tourist type stuff?

Lastly, I'll ask, but Yamato's office will probably be off-limits. The general manager would probably never speak to me again if I came a knockin' with a bunch of rabid Macross fans in tow. Anyway, there's not much to see there unless they happen to have some prototypes or tests shots in the office on that day.

Graham

[niomosy]

Guess, I'm gonna have to start planning where to take you guys.

The good news is that most shops are open until 9pm or 10pm at night, 7 days a week. The bad thing is that most of the hobby/toy shops don't open until at least 1pm. Some of the smaller shops only open in the evenings from 6pm onwards. This means that for those of you suffering from jetlag, we won't have to start too early in the morning!

We will not be able to visit every major toy and hobby shop in one day. It will take at least two days. Here's what I'm thinking.

Day # 1 Kowloon Side

1) Allied Plaza in Prince Edward. Several shops selling Japanese Hobby & game magazines.

2) Animate on Nelson Road in Mong Kok for toys and magazines.

3) Sino Center on Nathan Road in Mong Kok for toys (Animate & Kanto Hobby). Also, many shops selling bootleg anime DVDs. Several shops selling original Jpop CDs.

4) CTMA Center on Sai Yeung Choi St South in Mong Kok for Toys (Superman toys & Ant Shop + several other toy shops).

5) Several misc smaller toy shops scattered around Mong Kok.

6) If any of you are airsoft fans, there is a whole street full of airsoft shops in Mongkok.

7) 111 Richmond Center in Argyle Street Mong Kok. Several toy shops and one hentai manga shop!

Perhaps the Ladies Street Market and Temple Street market for bootleg gashapons if anybody is interested and clothes shopping for the wives.

Day # 2 HK Island Side

1) Causeway Bay Center on Sugar Strret. One large branch of Animate, plus several other toy and model shops.

2) Japanese Dept. stores Sogo and Mitsokushi. Big manga and magazine section, but the toy and model sections are overpriced. Still, worth a visit.

3) 108 Center in Wanchai, several toy and hobby shops.

4) Other misc toy and model shops in wanchai.

Of course, we also have to fit lunch and dinners and pubs in as well.

And do you guys want to do any regular tourist type stuff?

Lastly, I'll ask, but Yamato's office will probably be off-limits. The general manager would probably never speak to me again if I came a knockin' with a bunch of rabid Macross fans in tow. Anyway, there's not much to see there unless they happen to have some prototypes or tests shots in the office on that day.

Graham

Uhhhh, Graham, you're forgetting one very important positive about the shops not opening until 1pm; hangover recovery time. If there's to be lots of drinking going on there needs to be appropriate time to recover from said drinking

All in all I'd say the shops run some pretty idea hours for the group

[Graham]

Uhhhh, Graham, you're forgetting one very important positive about the shops not opening until 1pm;  hangover recovery time.  If there's to be lots of drinking going on there needs to be appropriate time to recover from said drinking

All in all I'd say the shops run some pretty idea hours for the group

actually 1pm is underestimating

it should be 3pm onwards Graham,

Nah, 3pm is too late. A lot of the shops like Animate, Kanto, Toymania, Superman are open at 1pm.

Graham

[wingcommander]

And do you guys want to do any regular tourist type stuff?

well I plan to once all the toy shopping is done. It looks like I will be going by myself. since the wife thinks i'll be able to buy more stuff if I don't spend money on her end of thr trip. Still remains to be seen.

Also ,I am a fan of space battleship yamato(satrblazers) so I'll be looking for that stuff as well. So if any needs to plan hotel stuff lets get a list of people willing to share so we can arrange it. thanks

ALEX

[peter]

Hey guys, first post here since the old forums...still trying to figure some stuff out.

Anyway, I'm still in for HK next year. Actually, I was going next weekend but the flights look kind of full coming back so I decided against it.

Anyone here going to Japan in October for the motorshow in Tokyo?

[The6ftTallAZN]

I'd love to go... but I work in a movie theatre in jersey and I gotta pay for college so I wouldn't be able to have that kinda money till like january 2020.

[Eternal_D]

haha BlackAces! Nice boy indeed...you know everybody has a darker side to them...well, I've got about 5 darker sides but who's countin??

looks like the G man has all the spots planned out. damn, us not fortunate enough are really gonna miss out.

[VF-1S Alpha]

Guess, I'm gonna have to start planning where to take you guys.

The good news is that most shops are open until 9pm or 10pm at night, 7 days a week. The bad thing is that most of the hobby/toy shops don't open until at least 1pm. Some of the smaller shops only open in the evenings from 6pm onwards. This means that for those of you suffering from jetlag, we won't have to start too early in the morning!

We will not be able to visit every major toy and hobby shop in one day. It will take at least two days. Here's what I'm thinking.

Day # 1 Kowloon Side

1) Allied Plaza in Prince Edward. Several shops selling Japanese Hobby & game magazines.

2)  Animate on Nelson Road in Mong Kok for toys and magazines.

3) Sino Center on Nathan Road in Mong Kok for toys (Animate & Kanto Hobby). Also, many shops selling bootleg anime DVDs. Several shops selling original Jpop CDs.

4) CTMA Center on Sai Yeung Choi St South in Mong Kok for Toys (Superman toys & Ant Shop + several other toy shops).

5) Several misc smaller toy shops scattered around Mong Kok.

6) If any of you are airsoft fans, there is a whole street full of airsoft shops in Mongkok.

7) 111 Richmond Center in Argyle Street Mong Kok. Several toy shops and one hentai manga shop!

Perhaps the Ladies Street  Market and Temple Street market for bootleg gashapons if anybody is interested and clothes shopping for the wives.

Day # 2 HK Island Side

1) Causeway Bay Center on Sugar Strret. One large branch of Animate, plus several other toy and model shops.

2) Japanese Dept. stores Sogo and Mitsokushi. Big manga and magazine section, but the toy and model sections are overpriced. Still, worth a visit.

3) 108 Center in Wanchai, several toy and hobby shops.

4) Other misc toy and model shops in wanchai.

Of course, we also have to fit lunch and dinners and pubs in as well.

And do you guys want to do any regular tourist type stuff?

Lastly, I'll ask, but Yamato's office will probably be off-limits. The general manager would probably never speak to me again if I came a knockin' with a bunch of rabid Macross fans in tow. Anyway, there's not much to see there unless they happen to have some prototypes or tests shots in the office on that day.

Graham

Uhhhh, Graham, you're forgetting one very important positive about the shops not opening until 1pm; hangover recovery time. If there's to be lots of drinking going on there needs to be appropriate time to recover from said drinking

All in all I'd say the shops run some pretty idea hours for the group

Great schedule there Graham!!!

Almost like a pro tour guide!!!!

I will stick with your schedule....I guess I need two days for Macross shopping and one extra day or 2 for other shopping things!

If Yamato office is off limits, it's alright....I would really want to go if they have some prototypes for us to drool over....after all we are "rabid" fans, right? But I think I would behave very well if we given the chance to visit!

Shops opening so late is fine with me....need to adjust the hangover from pubs, beers, and girls....

Thanks again Graham...let us know if we need to tip the tour guide!!!

Paulo

[J A Dare]

Whe are going there to buy toys and have some fun...

... and the only thing you guys can think about is about food. 

Not toys, not girls... but food. 

Are you people ok?

Have you watched the movie Yin shi nan nu (aka "Eat Drink Man Woman")?

BTW, I'm surprised you didn't comment on my and conquer the girls! photo.

Sebastian, are you ok?

[niomosy]

Anyone going to try priceline'ing airfare? If I can go, I'm thinking of trying this route to see what I can get. Best I can find from LAX to HKG is $687 with EVA Airways (never heard of them). China Airlines was $689 and JAL was $783. I must say that JAL was great when we went to Japan last year so it's tempting to just go with them for the excellent service.

[Guppy]

How about a little more info on why January's a good month to hit Hong Kong? I might have to give this some serious though.

I hate to say it but this crazy idea started from me saying to sebastian "wanna go shopping in HK in January as that's when I get my work holidays!"

And it's mutuated into this!

Hmm, we may have to split into 2 groups: the 'singles' group and the 'married' group... we can keep shopping while the rest of you go off to a girlie bar!

[Guppy]

Guess, I'm gonna have to start planning where to take you guys.

The good news is that most shops are open until 9pm or 10pm at night, 7 days a week. The bad thing is that most of the hobby/toy shops don't open until at least 1pm. Some of the smaller shops only open in the evenings from 6pm onwards. This means that for those of you suffering from jetlag, we won't have to start too early in the morning!

We will not be able to visit every major toy and hobby shop in one day. It will take at least two days. Here's what I'm thinking.

Thanks for the great itinerary! What a shopathon! I see you included a few bootleg shops - I'd love to take home a bootleg jumbo grade 'GUNDAN' toy - not worth the postage but if I could bring it back with me that would be excellent.

And do you guys want to do any regular tourist type stuff?

We could do tourist stuff before 1pm while we wait for the toy shops to open. B)

Yamato's office will probably be off-limits. The general manager would probably never speak to me again if I came a knockin' with a bunch of rabid Macross fans in tow.

not just that: we'd be a bunch of rabid DRUNK macross fans high on a berzerk toy shopping frenzy!

[Graham]

Guys, I was thinking, if one of the many talented artists here wants to come up with some suitable artwork, I could arrange to get some 'Macrossworld HK Shopathon 2004' T-shirts printed up. What do you think?

Maybe we could call it 'Superdimensional Shopathon"!

Thoughts?

Graham

[Lightning]

i'd like to see if i can come for the '04 one...

[Sebastian]

Guys, I was thinking, if one of the many talented artists here wants to come up with some suitable artwork, I could arrange to get some 'Macrossworld HK Shopathon 2004' T-shirts printed up. What do you think?

Maybe we could call it 'Superdimensional Shopathon"!

Thoughts?

Graham

Superdimensional Shopathon

Kinda like the idea... hehehe Later I will frame the T-Shirt along with some pictures of us drunk carring toys in a Bar with some girls, and will put it on my living room for my viewing pleasure and my wife torture. Yes! Yes! YES!!!

Who is gonna supply the artwork?? I could ask my wife... HAHAHa YES! That could be PERFECT, but I think maybe she will murder me later. Anyways I will ask her. She is a designer and a very talented one. Anyways we should use her as our last resort, since she is NOT a macross Fan and NOT a MW member.

Graham. THANKS for that nice schedule!

[VF-1S Alpha]

Guys, I was thinking, if one of the many talented artists here wants to come up with some suitable artwork, I could arrange to get some 'Macrossworld HK Shopathon 2004' T-shirts printed up. What do you think?

Maybe we could call it 'Superdimensional Shopathon"!

Thoughts?

Graham

Great Idea Graham!

But it's going to be cold in January...how about a embroidered jacket with Macross logo on the front, and "our" own logo on back?! (are custom embroidery in HK cheap?)

But if we really do wear T-shirts, are we going for Iron transfer or silk screen?

Hummm, I am not big artist...but I hoping someone from the Macross community could give us a hand?

Paulo

[VF-1S Alpha]

How about a little more info on why January's a good month to hit Hong Kong?  I might have to give this some serious though.

I hate to say it but this crazy idea started from me saying to sebastian "wanna go shopping in HK in January as that's when I get my work holidays!"

And it's mutuated into this!

Hmm, we may have to split into 2 groups: the 'singles' group and the 'married' group... we can keep shopping while the rest of you go off to a girlie bar!

Hey! no splitting into 2 groups!

But if there are 2 groups, I will stick to the MBA group. (MBA = Married But Available)

January is fine in HK, just don't go there in the Chinese New Year...most shops are closed!

Paulo

[VF-1S Alpha]

Anyone going to try priceline'ing airfare? If I can go, I'm thinking of trying this route to see what I can get. Best I can find from LAX to HKG is $687 with EVA Airways (never heard of them). China Airlines was $689 and JAL was $783. I must say that JAL was great when we went to Japan last year so it's tempting to just go with them for the excellent service.

Hey.

EVA air is from Taiwan, new airline (about 10 years), quite nice IMHO. Make sure you get their Economy Deluxe class (which is a business class seat with economy class food/service)

CHINA Airlines is also from Taiwan...oldest airline of Taiwan, and with the most accidents records...I usually don't fly them...

Also JAL is fine...u should try Malaysia Airlines, or Thai Airways, or even UNITED...they have some good pricing with restrictions.

We hope to see you in HK in 04!

Paulo

[Graham]

Guys, I was thinking, if one of the many talented artists here wants to come up with some suitable artwork, I could arrange to get some 'Macrossworld HK Shopathon 2004' T-shirts printed up. What do you think?

Maybe we could call it 'Superdimensional Shopathon"!

Thoughts?

Graham

Great Idea Graham!

But it's going to be cold in January...how about a embroidered jacket with Macross logo on the front, and "our" own logo on back?! (are custom embroidery in HK cheap?)

But if we really do wear T-shirts, are we going for Iron transfer or silk screen?

Hummm, I am not big artist...but I hoping someone from the Macross community could give us a hand?

Paulo

I have a friend with his own garment factory, so getting either t-shirts or jackets made up should be possible. Although, I'll have to check the price for such a small production run.

I was thinking silk screen and/or maybe even a small embroidered logo. iron-on is just so tacky and wears/fades/cracks too easily.

Graham

[Sebastian]

I hate to say it but this crazy idea started from me saying to sebastian "wanna go shopping in HK in January as that's when I get my work holidays!"

And it's mutuated into this!   

Yes. This is all your Fault.

BTW, I'm surprised you didn't comment on my and conquer the girls! photo.

Sebastian, are you ok? 

No, I am not Ok... I am Married... and I have a baby... and you are putting dirty toughts in my mind... you BAD BAD person.

Hmm, we may have to split into 2 groups: the 'singles' group and the 'married' group... we can keep shopping while the rest of you go off to a girlie bar!

Hummmmm talk for yourself Gup... Im going with the guys to the gilie bar!

I am having dirty ideas... all because of J A Dare.

[Guppy]

lol, that's so cool - our own commemorative fashion wear!

MW Superdimensional Shopathon: our motto should be,

"STICK IT ON MY CREDIT CARD"

[Graham]

If somebody could make the words "Macrossworld Superdimensional Shopathon" in the style of the original Macross logo, that would be cool!

Graham

[IIymij]

just wodnering if any girls are goign with you on this shopathon since im kinda new tot he forums i odnt no everybody that well

im nto going just wanna c if i can chew up some nice desgins for your ts for male abd females or make it a unisex kidna t shirt

[wingcommander]

Hey I would be glad to pay for the shopathon shirts. It will be a fraction of what I may spend. I'll tag along with the married group. It will keep me out of trouble.

[Guppy]

just wodnering if any girls are goign with you on this shopathon since im kinda new tot he forums i odnt no everybody that well

im nto going just wanna c if i can chew up some nice desgins for your ts for male abd females or make it a unisex kidna t shirt

Well, it's all males so far. Sebastian said he'd bring his backpack (wife) and my wife is going too, so they will probably look at us 20/30-something guys and go "LOSERS!" and go and do tourist things together..

Or, if the more salacious members of our shopathon group visit a girly bar, we may end up with a few hangers-on!

Hummmmm talk for yourself Gup... Im going with the guys to the gilie bar!

I am having dirty ideas... all because of J A Dare.

Sebastian: you'd better hope your wife doesn't come along, unless she likes girlie bars too!

[niomosy]

Anyone going to try priceline'ing airfare?  If I can go, I'm thinking of trying this route to see what I can get.  Best I can find from LAX to HKG is $687 with EVA Airways (never heard of them).  China Airlines was $689 and JAL was $783.  I must say that JAL was great when we went to Japan last year so it's tempting to just go with them for the excellent service.

Hey.

EVA air is from Taiwan, new airline (about 10 years), quite nice IMHO. Make sure you get their Economy Deluxe class (which is a business class seat with economy class food/service)

CHINA Airlines is also from Taiwan...oldest airline of Taiwan, and with the most accidents records...I usually don't fly them...

Also JAL is fine...u should try Malaysia Airlines, or Thai Airways, or even UNITED...they have some good pricing with restrictions.

We hope to see you in HK in 04!

Paulo

Hmmm. Priceline might be the way to go, then. Of course the bummer is that I don't know what airline I'd end up with JAL is tempting, though. Their food service was wonderful and they were coming around pretty often with green tea. Plus each seat had its' own t.v. screen with the little remote thing to play video games and such.

Of course, the whole idea of going has to pass the House Finance Committee (aka, the wife).

[Sebastian]

Updated List!!

Graham.

Shawn.

Blackaces.

VF-1S Alpha.

The Beast.

Recon.

Wingcommander.

niomosy.

peter.

Guppy.

Sebastian.

And it keeps growing!

[VF-1S Alpha]

Just thought of something!

I will bring my digital SONY camcorder...I will record most of our tour/trip around day and night!

I will make it into a VCD thing....A guide to Macross/Anime shopping in HK! Starring...(you guys would know who?!)

WE WILL BE FAMOUS! (Yeah, right!)

Comments?

Paulo

[Sebastian]

Yes we will be famous...

That VCD will look more like a comedy than a guide to MAcross/Anime in HK!

You can take you camcorder as long as you PROMESS you wont go public with it !

[EXO]

Man I want to go sooo bad... but January is the only month I actually do some work...

Can we call the VCD the Superdimensional Magical Mystery Shopathon?

[VF-1S Alpha]

Yes we will be famous...

That VCD will look more like a comedy than a guide to MAcross/Anime in HK!

You can take you camcorder as long as you PROMESS you wont go public with it !

America's funniest home video? (option 1)

Ripley's Believe it or not (option 2)

Adult web sites (option 3) when we are the pubs drinking, and er ...

Macrossworld forum (free to anyone who requests a copy) option 4

Japan's NHK TV network on an special issue of Macross Fans! (option 5)

Perhaps we should rent a small shuttle bus for us?!!!

Paulo