WARDROBE: Yet another reason why we need to go to Japan

We just got back from a very short trip to London and stopped by Dover Street Market, the retail project/wonderland of all things cool, obscure and edgy owned by Rei Kawakubo. While browsing through the bottom floor we happened upon several racks filled with these amazingly constructed skirts, dresses, jackets and coats, some embellished with embroidered and brass spiders. Others had rows of matte paillettes. We wanted it all and made a mental note to find the brand, Undercover Co., Ltd. when we returned to New York. Sadly, the line, designed by Jun Takahashi, who has a huge cult following and store in Japan and earned impressive reviews when he showed his spring collection in Paris, is not sold anywhere in the U.S., which sucks for us. Surely, some of the city's cool emporiums like Opening Ceremony or Kirna Zabete could hook a girl up by buying Takahashi's goods? Here's a pic of the coat that set our mouths salivating and a few other looks we like. The photos really don't do the clothes justice though.

SOUNDS: On today's playlist

"Everyone Nose," by N.E.R.D. (click song title to listen)

"Gangsta Girl," by Rye Rye

P.S. "Gangsta Girl" is our personal theme song for the week. We love how she represents a seemingly microscopic pool of girl MC's in such a large way.

FOOD: When the sugar cravings strike

As long as we can remember, we've had a soft spot for cupcakes. We can break down the city by its cupcake offerings. For example: West Village (Magnolia Bakery), SoHo (Dean & Deluca), Hell's Kitchen (Cupcake Cafe) and the list goes on and on. Well we're psyched to have a new spot to add to our mental inventory, the Lower East Side pastry shop, How Sweet It Is, which was started by friends Beth Pilar and Ellen Sternau. We're planning to indulge in their red devil cupcakes this weekend.

WARDROBE: H&M's best. collaboration. ever.

H&M just announced that Rei Kawakubo, the woman behind Commes des Garçons, will design a capsule collection for the brand that will hit stores this fall. "I have always been interested in the balance between creation and business. It is a dilemma, although for me creation has always been the first priority. It is a fascinating challenge to work with H&M since it is a chance to take the dilemma to its extreme, and try to solve it", she says in a statement.

Rei is the designer whose work influences nearly all of your favorites. Remember that controversial Marc Jacobs show that started two hours late last September? The clothes? Influenced by Rei. And that's just one example of many.

FICTION: Loving Jhumpa Lahiri

Had an "I love New York" moment today when we went to Jhumpa Lahiri's reading at Barnes and Noble at Union Square. She was there to read excerpts from her collection of short stories, "Unaccustomed Earth." The third floor of the place was entirely full--like, can hardly breathe and it's hard to see past the heads in front of you kind of full. But despite the cramped conditions, people looked genuinely psyched to be there, listening to her read. Some had looks of squinty-eyed concentration. Others, literally had smiles on their faces. But overall, the crowd was mostly young, spanning college age to late 30s, the same age group accused of contributing to the demise of newspapers and magazines and other forms of words on paper. The crowd was also incredibly diverse. It was the polar opposite of the mostly older, white group we're accustomed to seeing at readings from authors at Lahiri's level (that is, the Pulitzer Prize winning level). We walked out of there feeling happy to see so many different kinds of people excited about a book.