It’s a stunningly beautiful afternoon in Hong Kong today. Warm and sunny but not too humid and the air quality seems better than usual (maybe?). I have the day off and decided to run around and try to pick up a few things for the apartment that we still haven't been able to pick up (a bed pad of some sort to mask the irritable springs that inevitably find their way into our backs at the most unappreciated times, some plates, an extra set of bath towels, you know the deal.) After a quick stop at G.O.D. (Goods of Desire, they carry a deliciously soft mink blanket for $12,000 HK but they don’t have a bed pad) and a breeze through Muji and Japan Home Center, I was still out of luck for most of my errands. So, before a trek to IKEA I decided to get lunch at Pakora, a fast-food Indian food joint around the corner from our place, and mysteriously and magically, through a never-before-seen doorway in an inconspicuous part of the building wall a Jusco appeared! Jusco is a sort of Japanese convenience store in that you can get anything you could possibly think of needing there. Some are more like department stores, when there’s more space and include a full, ridiculously large grocery store as well. I was first introduced to Jusco a few weeks ago when I began teaching nine hour shifts on Saturdays. Jusco was the closest, cheapest, and most convenient spot to go grab some quick lunch on my break. So, needless to say, I was pretty excited to find that I live around the corner from another such shopping Mecca. I walked up the flight of stairs to the second floor to begin my exploration. This Jusco has no real grocery section, but if you need spice packets for Indian, Thai or Chinese cuisine, this Jusco’s got it. There was a rather large selection of school supplies offering pens and pencils in every imaginable color with every imaginable cartoon figure and every sort of binder, folder and pencil holder. Jusco is also my one stop shop for household gardening supplies; I can get the dirt, the pot, the fertilizer and even a package of “Mystery Gel That Grows Plants!” a bag of brightly colored goop that I assume is added to said dirt in said pot and then allowed to grow… I can’t wait to try it out. There’s also a large selection of household items such as cleaning supplies, random plastic storage containers, bath towels, plate ware, and so many other things. I was particularly attracted to the large supply of artificial bamboo and flowers and supply of random children’s toys. Some of the cute little Japanese knick-knacks were almost too hard to pass up. I can tell you I’ll definitely be back to pick up some cutsie stuff to prepare a Love Package for my nieces back in the States. Hello Kitty chopsticks anyone? You would also find yourself in luck at Jusco if you needed a new collared shirt, collection of novelty socks, kitchen tools, or hammers and nails. Jusco just plain rocks.
