:: I was recently in Chengdu and picked up some “worshiping incense” outside a local temple. When I got back home and took a better look at the packaging, I was impressed with the all-in-one design. The box that holds the dhoop sticks has a metal ringlet that acts as a burner / holder. A simple detail, but significantly differentiating and very functional. Bravo, well done. // AjS
:: I recently bought a Lomo action sampler camera (4 exposures over about 1 second) at this shop as a present for someone. Here is our first go at it what is apparently called Lomography. Decent results and a lot of fun. There is something to be said for the anticipation and suspense created by a camera that: 1) doesn’t have a proper view finder, 2) no immediate photo review screen, 3) and a couple days wait for the film to develop. The mood and character captured by Lomo snaps is unique – almost like a mini movie; a sliver of time and reality. I like it. // AjS
:: wenyi qingnian (文艺青年) kids in Chengdu hanging out and hawking their wares. // AjS
:: taken recently at Chengdu’s People’s Park (人民公园). Children’s books for sale. Colorful. // AjS
:: this kinda baffles me. Double Star (双星), a well-known, longstanding, and hitherto legit Chinese sneaker brand, appears to be shanzhai’ing its competition. I took this picture at an official Double Star store in Chengdu over the weekend. Also worth noting, while walking by a local soccer pitch, I saw kids in Chengdu wearing many (MANY) different kinds of shanzhai’ed Feiyue – at least a dozen unique varieties. What is going on? This is great! // AjS
Interestingly, when I tried to go to Double Star’s official Web site (www.doublestar.com.cn), Firefox and Google presented me with the below friendly messages. Honestly, can a brand get any dodgier?
:: taken recently in Chengdu. The infamous “Caonima” (草泥马), one of Baidu’s ten mythical creatures from Chinese Internet lore, running free on the streets of Chengdu. Lock up your daughters…uh, and your mothers. // AjS
