Just before Christmas (2010), panda(ology) opened at 823-1/2 Westfield Boulevard. Gina Lee, daughter of Maggie and David Lee of Naked Tchopstix, opened the "apparel, food, home, accessories, lifestyle" store in the French Pharmacie building next to Petit Chou.

"We've always talked about [this kind of store]," said Gina. "In the fundamentals, the thinking, it's not that different than what my parents do at Naked Tchopstix. This idea of re-interpreting and re-introducing the traditional Asian element in a non-traditional, more contemporary way. So even though the store has retail items like clothes and accessories and home decor and things like that, at the core it's not that fundamentally different from what they do with food and wine and sake."

Gina explained how at a recent Naked Tchopstix tasting event European wines were paired with the Asian entrees. "People always think of Asian food with sake or beer, you don't think of wine. I want to incorporate that same idea here. You have the traditional Asian element, with the chopsticks and the traditional Chinese tea cups, mixed with very non-Asian items. But it still makes sense, it still goes together."

"There's a lot of things in here where I am embracing the kitsch and the tongue-in-cheek. I'm not taking any of it too seriously," as Gina points to a set of Kung Fu figures. "But at the same time it's moving away from the kitsch and showing that these types of elements can be incorporated in your everyday life."

panda(ology) has something for everyone. From lush Asian jackets, to t-shirts, slippers and purses. From glassware to dessert-shaped gift towels, windup toys, Asian candy and packaged foods, like Pocky and sushi supplies.

The store tags are from China. They say "panda" in Chinese. "In a lot of Asian cultures, still to this day, on all the official documents like bank statements and things like that, you sign them with the red stamp-that's your signature. In Korea the stamp is called dojang."

"I've always had an affinity for pandas. I always liked what they represent. They're easy and laid back. They eat a lot and sleep a lot - sort of slow moving creatures that immediately bring out a sense of warmth and cuddliness. panda(ology)literally means the study of pandas, but what I had in mind is the panda life. The easy life, the happy life."

The Gazette welcomes panda(ology) to the Village.