MUJI report: Good, but could have been better

So who else was with me on line to get into the MUJI store today? Funny, but as I was walking down Broadway, I could totally spot the people who were on their way to the opening, and once I saw a line of people snaking its way around the block before even seeing the store, I just jumped on, not even 100% sure that it was the line to get in. Let me tell you, I have never waited on line to get into a store before, not Trader Joes or the Apple store, so why was I waiting to get into this store? Did I really need cute, minimally designed, non branded stationery products that badly? It was kind of fun, I suppose, to be part of the spectacle: groups of Asian press guys roamed the corner taking photos and footage, groups of Asian women took turns posing in front of the store for the camera, and those in line tried to answer to curious passerbys what we were all waiting for. "MUJI is like a Japanese Ikea! But with better style! And clothes!"

Once inside, among the sea of white, gray and other familiar MUJI neutrals, I noticed another long line to pay. Argh...you could have just jumped on this line from the get go and shopped along the aisles as you waited since it literally snaked around the whole store. So maybe it's because I waited so many years for a MUJI store to open in NY (and it's possible to build something up so much that it could never meet your expectations), but the store could have been bigger. By a lot more square feet. I just wanted more more more. For example, they had a fair selection of adult clothes and kitchen ware, but nothing for kids: no clothes, no toys. wtf MUJI?? Damn you! I was really hoping to see some products that we haven't been able to get here before, like this awesome jacket with removeable panels that accommodates babies in carriers.

Still, I managed to spend way more than I wanted (I picked up some bins for toys and scored a great little memory foam-like chair pad that fits perfectly in Baby C's old fashioned wood highchair - something that I've been searching for). But my favorite purchase by far is a 2008 calendar planner. From it's clean, powdery white vinyl cover and simple, elegant 2008 lettering in matte silver, to the graph paper that lines every page opposite a calendar week, it's perfect and oh so beautiful. I buy a paper planner ever year - I never did switch over to digital - but I have never found the perfect planner till now. Ok MUJI, I love you all over again.