Hello Kitty cafe, shop opens at Universal CityWalk

A host of Hello Kitty enthusiasts were in cat heaven Friday as doors opened at the Hello Kitty and Friends Cafe at Universal CityWalk, along with the adjoining Sanrio Smile Shop offering a wide array of merchandise from the animated character's world.

The cafe -- the first in Los Angeles -- welcomes guests with a large pink Hello Kitty bow, and offers a host of Hello Kitty-themed snacks and beverages.

Among the offerings are a Hello Kitty Mousse Dome, which is a dome- shaped cake baked with cinnamon mousse, apple pie filling and cinnamon streusel. There's also a Hello Kitty-shaped sugar cookie, along with macarons, berry-stuffed churros and strawberry cake.

Beverage selections include a Hello Kitty strawberry green iced tea, Kuromi berry iced tea and Chococat frozen mocha.

But true fans will likely be more drawn to the Sanrio Smile Shop, offering themed merchandise ranging from backpacks to shirts, hats to T-shirts, mugs to keychains. There are also lanyards, phone cases, stuffed toys, pins and jewelry.

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The merchandise focuses on Hello Kitty, but also includes companions Keroppi, Kuromi, Cinnamoroll, Chococat and My Melody.

The Hello Kitty character herself, who is marking her 50th anniversary, and her friends will also make appearances in the store for photo opps, as well as greeting visitors at the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park.

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