November 18, 2004
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Retail Therapy in K.L. - Lili
While Eddie was enjoying PWG in Los Feliz (see previous post), I spent a couple of days in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) en route from Sydney to L.A. visiting my family. KL, like most fast-developing cosmopolitan Asian cities, is a place where people spend a lot of time shopping, eating, and shopping. If you want to sample the best food in the world, enjoy a permanently warm and tropical climate and geek-out on cheap shopping, this is the place to be.
It’s Hari Raya (public holiday) so Bukit Bintang Rd
seems unusually serene on a Monday morning
The night I arrived, we had ‘Bak Kut Teh’ for supper on Alor Road.
BTW, Fried Chilli Frog is NOT your standard M’sian fare.
I took this pic because I was wondering myself: “Do people really eat this?!”The part of K.L. I love wandering through is “The Golden Triangle” – a bustling touristy area with zillions of tall hotels, street stores, Starbucks/Coffee Bean outlets and giant shopping malls (to rival Hong Kong) selling anything and everything: Designer and quirky clothes, bags, shoes, housewares, digital gadgets, eats, bootleg software and … TOYS!!!
On Monday, my brother and I visited about TEN toy stores, all within walking distance of each other, scattered amongst the mega malls on Bukit Bintang Road.
Cool Toys is a fave with lots of vinyls
(top floor – Hobby Center, Sungei Wang Plaza)
Fantasy Toys (Low Yat Plaza)
- tons of Star Wars, Spawn, LOTR, Anime figures
Graffiti Toys (Times Square – a new megamall on Imbi Road)
… I couldn’t believe how much Incredibles stuff there was. Even bootlegs.
Still have yet to see this movie!And what’s so good about toy shopping in K.L.?
- Abundance of toy stores!!!
- Toys are CHEAP here! (Ok, some bootlegs, but they look good to me!)
- You can buy blind box figures in complete SETS!!!
- Interestingly, most figures are sold only as a SERIES. The hardcore collectors who run the toy stores will not part with the pieces individually as much as you plead. Which is awesome if you are a collector looking for a bargain. And a pain in the ass if you have limited space in your suitcase! (For example, I was very tempted by this Yamato StoryImage Samurai series)
- Seeing cool stuff that I have never seen anywhere online, didn’t know existed and still have no idea who designed them.
- The stores are open till 10pm. Some even midnight!
OK, I have to gloat. Some of the swag (which btw are not all for me) -
Dude with cleaver (Jason Choy design) $10
Alphabet SHE figures.
I bought a ’mini figure’ set for approx $5
From Crayon Shin Chan Gashapon series.
approx. $7 for set of 4!- Astro Boy Gashopon
- Crayon Shin Chan Gashapon
- Super Mario Gashapon
- Steamboy Gashapon
- Michael Lau Gardenergala poster ($7!)
- Kigurumix ‘Green Frog’ figure
- Beckham Vinyl figures (David and Brooklyn!)
- and others…
Next time, I promise I will stay longer, bring a bigger suitcase and take advance orders.
Upcoming local toy events:
- MunkyKing - Nanakari & Chinatown nights event – this Saturday
- Friends With You have a show at the Merry Karnowski Gallery this Saturday.
- Kid Robot Store Opening! at 1407 3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica *I need to doublecheck the date… could be this weekend (?)
- Curious Creatures Art Toy show – Dec 2nd. San Francisco
Comments (10)
KL sounds really interesting. I loved Singapore when I was there a couple of years ago, and was hoping to get a chance to visit Malaysia this March, but then my class venue was changed to Sydney.I dunno about Chilli Frogs either, but Chilli crabs, now them’s good eatin’!
Eeeeee! Look at the Totoro next to the alphabet she figures! Next time you’re over there, I want one of them!!! Eeeeee!
Tree
Matt – KL is very similar to Singapore, but messier. Not as pristine and organized! Chilli crabs are yummm… In fact, we had some on Tuesday night!
Tree – There was SO MUCH Tortoro stuff!!! Yes, next time…
Wow!
Sounds like you have a very nice trip.
Have you ever seen any Mucha Lucha stuff in Malaysia?
pcdoctor01 – No Mucha Lucha stuff, unfortunately. ML merch is only available in the USA.
Oooo! Thanks for the info Lili! I had no idea Kidrobot was opening a store. I’m gonna go first thing tomorrow!-Annette (H)
Annette – I’m not 100% sure it’s tomorrow… but it’s going to be SOON anyway…
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hey, i’m a vinyl addict much like you and i’m visiting kuala lumpur in a few days’ time. besides those shops you mentioned through photos on this entry, where else did you go, or can i go to for my vinyl fix? you can mail me for a response too. cheers!