Hello Sandwich HQ!!!
Sandwiches!!!
I can not tell you just exactly how long I've wanted (and needed) a Tokyo studio space! And now I finally have one! It's my dream come true! It's soooooooo inspiring working in this amazingly bright studio just 10 minutes from my Shimokita apartment.
I am still setting up the space with the help of my assistants. But each day it's becoming closer and closer to my dream studio.
On the way to the real estate to sign the contract and pick up the key...
Essentials included:
Moet from カクヤス
Tiffany & co. key ring from Mama Sando.
So much ¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥ in my comme des garcons wallet from my best friend Olivia.
Packing box in the shape of a truck by ヤマト
(And signature hanko was also in tow)
I can't tell you how nervous / excited I was. I found the studio online though SUUMO and stumbled through the negotiations and viewings in Japanese so it was all quite surreal that it all actually happened. It's not super easy to get an apartment here as a foreigner. Luckily my amazing ex helped with the paperwork and made this dream a reality.
The old 'just-moved-in-with-boxes-and-two-champagne-glasses' pic. Had to do it.
My favourite Danish homewares brand 'rice' sent me this amazing cocktail cart as a housewarming present! Do you die? I absolutely die! To drink rose from 'rice' champagne glasses, from this super adorable 'rice' cocktail cart was the best housewarming treat ever!!!
You have to check out their catalogue over here! Sooooo much cute stuff!
We headed over to the local home center and then Ikea Japan for some studio essentials. The Ikea trip was kind of a spur of the moment thing, which resulted in something that resembled a scene out of 'The Amazing Race' as we raced against the clock to pick up 'xxx in colourway xxx from isle xxx'. When we looked at our clocks after we signed the final paperwork for delivery it was 8:59. Well done, bitches! ギリギリ！I have a weird thing where I sometimes go into a laughing fit in extremely stressful moments so the whole thing was quite amusing.
If you follow my snapchat you might know that I love myself a good prison show and I quite fancied the way that this Hello Sandwich team staff lunch looked a bit like a Hello Sandwich prison lunch set up.
Oh, and this was the first dinner I had in my little studio. This was pre-fridge but I had bought a saucepan from the local store and felt like I was camping. I've slept here twice now. Because this studio is an actual apartment and is in a residential area, it's nice to be able to sleep here when I have an early meeting or have to work late. I have a bath in my fancy new ofuro that plays a melody when the bath has reached my selected temperature (I die!!!) and then set up my little futon. It's camping-meets-ryokan-meets-bubblegum-land.
Another essential moment in time. First 'knock offs' at my desk next to my two assistants. With my sexy lady cocktail stirrer and a glass of rose.
After long days of working on a big project with Kate Spade (which I'll show you in my next post!) we set up the astro turf and had indoor picnic dinners. Most of the homewares shown in this shot are from rice.
Washing up is soooooo cute when rice is involved! (OMG I am starting to sound like this post is sponsored by rice, but it's totally not! I just love them so much!) But seriously though, those colours!
One of the first things I brought over to the studio (before I had internet here, Ohhhhh and my internet name is HSHQ. I totally die!) was my Pizzicato Five portable record player. Such happy vibes. This lovely lemon one is Verde by Tei Shi.
Last weekend I had these two awesome people over for a indoor studio brunch. We sipped on mimosas, played records, painted our nails (well, Matt didn't), read magazines and books, talked about what it's like going back to our hometowns for holidays, ate so much cheese and treats from America that Matt brought back in his suitcase and had such a nice chill Sunday.
One lovely instagram follower said that she is looking forward to seeing the newness that comes from having this new space. And I'm so excited for that too.
Stay tuned lovely Sandwiches!
Love Love
Hello Sandwich
xoxo