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If this isn’t a good enough reason for you to make your way over to the Golden State, nothing will ever be!

Let me be honest with you, there are many things that have made me bemoan the fact that my feet are firmly planted in the soil of the Midwest at the moment, but this one has to take the cake. The Hello Kitty Cake, that is.

The Hello Kitty Café made its debut in Irvine this past weekend at the Irvine Spectrum, an outdoor shopping center, where it will remain for one year. It isn’t in a traditional brick-and-mortar storefront, though; instead, this “pop-up café” is in a metal shipping container!

We first shared the news about the planned opening of a Hello Kitty Café in the US nearly 2 years ago. Based on all of the buzz and all of the photos, it seems that the excitement and anticipation didn’t lessen at all, as there were reports by some of 5-hour wait times for an admittedly adorable cake and lemonades.

Thankfully, those of us not in Southern California can live vicariously through others via Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc.

Maybe all these people are here because there’s catnip in the cookies.

If these pics weren’t enough to inspire you to hop on a plane this instant, here are a few more photos to whet your appetite:

If you can’t make it to Irvine to get your fill of feline food and fun, do not despair. All hope is not lost. The Hello Kitty Café Truck might be making a stop in your area soon! Although it is currently in San Diego through July 24th for Comic Con, the Café’s Facebook page has announced upcoming appearances in Rancho Cucamonga, CA on July 30th, Chicago, IL on August 13th, and Boston, MA on August 20.

Don’t miss these purr-fect opportunities to eat some sweet Sanrio treats and experience some kawaii overload!

Café Information
Hello Kitty Café
Address: 670 Spectrum Center Drive, Irvine, CA 92618
Hours: Monday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Website

Sources: Elite Daily, The Orange Country Register, Hello Kitty Cafe
Featured image: Instagram/@hellokittycafe