Lately, I've been indulging in a few new and different things. For the past year or so, I've been on the hunt for cool JDM/hard-to-find sneakers and clothing; nothing too rare, but gear that looks nice and isn't too pricey. Let me tell you, it's a very expensive thing to keep up with. Nike's the main brand I collect, and so far the top two pairs I've found are the re-release of the Jordan III (my dream shoes since I was a kid) and a St. Alfred collaboration with Converse where the the Chuck Taylor's material is like a LV wallet with ridged leather. Pretty flippin' sweet, if you ask me. But now that I have the Jordan IIIs, I can die a happy man.
I've also grown increasingly infatuated with a new form of Internet crack. Yelp.com (which I'm sure is old news, anyway, because I see members who've been blogging on there for two years) lets you post reviews on any established business; the majority of them being restaurants (not sure if McDonalds is right for you? Ask your fellow Yelpers.)and many familiar chain retailers. The best part is that you can relate to everyone reviewing because what they're saying is real, not some blatantly fake story about how tasty the food is. Seriously, it's a great resource and place to find friends who are eager to get out and try new things. (This does not include a little game we like to play called, "Just the Tip.")
And what's up with my two cars-my original obsessions? Well, the 240 recently got some nookie when I took it to Performance Nissan (tech update coming soon), who installed rear camber arms from Battle Version (thanks Alex!), along with a Nismo Power Brace (thanks Andy!). I also found time to swap out the stock cat for a larger high-flow cat from Metal Cat; it's 3-inch in diameter matched to my entire exhaust system from the downpipe out, so the car already feels like it's got some better power (but I won't know how much until I go for another dyno session). The IS is finally getting new brakes (see this month's Our Garage), which it desperately needs, along with an oil change (yes, I'm lazy).
JDM Wong jdmwong@superstreetonline.com