Hey! After all the worldwide flurry and -- for some -- fury over the announcement that Hello Kitty is not really a cat but actually a girl, here comes the eventual bigger announcement: Hello Kitty is turning 40 this year and she is celebrating with a grand party...soon!
Good news: The celebration is nearby...at the Sanrio Hello Kitty Town in Nusajaya, Johor, Malaysia. It is the first of its kind outside Japan. It will host the first and largest gathering in Southeast Asia of Hello Kitty fans. Exclusive opportunities for Hello Kitty fans, as well as limited edition items will be on sale during the 40th Anniversary celebration entitled Hello Kitty Friends Forever, from October 31 until November 02, 2014, 10am up to 10pm.
Highlights include: Friends Gathering, Hello Kitty Friends Fiesta, Hello Kitty Friends Catwalk and a Hello Kitty Friends Rock Music Festival.
Inside Hello Kitty Town are several attractions: Friendship Land with tea cup rides, photo ops with HK characters and friends, and birthday parties can be held at the Apple and Strawberry themed party rooms. Black Wonder, meanwhile, offers an interactive world for both kids and adults alike. Techno gadgets like sensors and computers enhance visitors' state-of-the-art experience and interaction. Wishful Studio, on the other hand, enables those creative fans to make bespoke Hello Kitty souvenirs, get some chic manicure service or dress up as one's favorite Hello Kitty character. All the while, there is an array of Hello Kitty themed drinks and pastries available during the activities, from Red Bow Cafe and Cinnamaroll Cafe.
For Kitty's House, everything is highly themed and there is a facilitator to help visitors on the activities and tasks to be completed. There are six sections of the house with different tasks to be completed: living room, kitchen, bathroom, Kitty's room, secret closet, and Mimmi's room (Kitty White's twin sister).
"Hello Kitty has brought so much happiness," points out Philip Whittaker - Chief Marketing Officer of Themed Attractions & Resorts Sdn. Berhad, "and her motto 'you can never have too many friends' has taught us that friendship endures and transcends, irrespective of who we are and where we come from. It is our hope that as we celebrate her 40th anniversary at Sanrio Hello Kitty Town in Nusajaya, we are able to spread her infectious happiness and to give her fans the ultimate Hello Kitty experience."
I got this invitation from Singapore Business Review which may be of interest to local entrepreneurs and some politicians. "The World in 2015 Gala Dinner at the chi-chi Four Seasons Hotel in Singapore, scheduled on November 18, 2014, is now open for ticket sales c/o The Economist. I understand tickets are sold out in no time and buyers are treated on a first come- first served basis. Featured speakers are led by Benigno Aquino III - President of the Philippines.
PNoy is being lauded as a reform-focused Asian leader: " Since 2010, Pres. Aquino has spearheaded an ambitious reform agenda -- transforming his country from economic laggard into one of Asia's rising stars. Hear Pres. Aquino reflect on his successes and challenges so far, what he hopes to achieve in his final two years in office, and his vision for the Philippines in 2015 and beyond."
Other speakers are: Jim Richardson, a National Geographic photographer, who is considered as "perhaps the most prolific photographers for one of the world's most prestigious magazines." ; Vijay Vaitheeswaran who is the author of "Need, Speed and Greed." Financial Times describes him as " a writer to whom it is worth paying attention." He is likewise a senior correspondent of the Economist.
Facilitator is the editor of The Economist -- Daniel Franklin, who will do a fearless forecast on 2015, "with the usual wit and clarity you would find in the newspaper."
For inquiries: www.economistgroup.com/privacy
Enjoy what you prefer...wherever it may be! Happy journey!