the best part about having a proxy shopping service is going shopping for gear i'd be too cheap (or broke) to actually buy for myself. i still cry a little when it comes time to ship, though; i kind of understand how surrogate mothers feel when it comes time to hand over the baby... kind of... OK yeah, i know it's nothing like that.

every so often i get a request that impresses me above & beyond the usual. here are a couple of things i've bought lately that made me feel special when i forked out the cash:



a "Bison" leather holster bag from Boat Rap. Boat Rap is a small custom shop for large bikes but one of their specialties is original leather goods. these bags are about the nicest, well designed and solidly constructed accessories out there. with a price to match. believe me, they're worth every penny... or would be, if i had that many pennies. btw, the guys at Boat Rap were surprised to hear people in the US are checking out their site. they gave me a leather keyring flashlight as a thankyou gift. it's the most stylish keychain flashlight in Tokyo.



the almighty Daytona 12" rear wheel and hub set from Tokyo Parts. yep, someone will actually own this thing of beauty soon. no-one can get a Daytona rear wheel hub these days; negotiations between the manufacturer and distributor broke down and now new ones are for the elite only. i can't stop looking at it.