Happy Hour International

‘My children are my everything — the reason I’m alive’
On Bruce Gherbetti’s right forearm, the names of his three lost children are permanently inscribed in a swirling script of dark blue tattoo ink.
“They go with me everywhere I go,” he says, smiling. “It is a physical representation of the fact that my children and I will never be separated. They are my everything — the reason I am alive.”

Birthdays, debuts and memorials, all in the name of fashion
When it comes to animal prints, skins and other wild bona-fide “Italian” fashion, Roberto Cavalli is the master. On Nov. 1, Cavalli made his first visit to Japan to celebrate the opening of his new flagship boutique in Tokyo’s Aoyama district. The shop, within a stone’s throw of other luxury boutiques- such as Prada, Miu Miu and Dries Van Noten — is two stories high and covers 300 sq. meters of retail space.
This is the first-ever Cavalli shop in Asia, and it actually opened quietly in September, but the designer’s presence this month brought out the major fashion players, big clients and celebrities. Supermodel Ai Tominaga, actresses Mika Fujiwara and Yu Yamada, and TV personalities Mika Kanno and Anna Umemiya were just some of the beautiful people out partying.

‘Peace’
Most serious documentaries made in Japan, especially for television, follow a basic just-the-facts format. A presenter or narrator and various talking heads explain and interpret what we are seeing, from beauty shots of tourist spots to footage grabbed on the run in a war zone. Meanwhile, in the background, the director or other staff members have been diligently gathering and sifting through information.
In his three feature documentaries to date — 2007′s “Senkyo (Campaign),” 2008′s “Seishin (Mental)” and his new “Peace Pisu (Peace)” — Kazuhiro Soda has taken a different path, filming as an open-minded observer, with no agenda beyond capturing the truth of the moment. Rather than grill his subjects, investigative-journalist style, he asks conversational questions that gently probe rather than challenge, while he sits discreetly off-camera.

Two Rooms
Based on the 5th floor of the dramatic glass edifice that is Omotesando’s AO building, the sleek Two Rooms restaurant and bar has the wow factor – and then some. The main dining room is an impressive space, with an open kitchen, floor-to-ceiling windows to make the most of the views and striking modernist decor. The bar room is smaller but equally dramatic. The atmosphere is seductive and the drin…

Three films make Japanese premiere at Sokurov festival
Acclaimed Siberian director Alexander Sokurov, will be the subject of a two-week film festival between July 23 -Aug. 5. The Cannes Film Festival regular is one of Russia’s greatest directorial exports, responsible for such celebrated films as “Mother and Son” (1997) and “Moloch” (1999). However, it was the historical drama “Russian Ark” (2002) that brought him his current international prominence.
Sokurov was born in 1951 to a World War II veteran in the coldest depths of Russia. As his family moved around a lot during his childhood, Sokurov would not discover his interest in film until he reached university, when he became an assistant television director at just 19 years old in Gorki, Russia’s third largest city. In his 20s he moved to Moscow and became acquainted with filmmaking and garnered respect in the local industry fairly early on.

‘Pig Meat’ journeys from cute to cutlets
A series of food-safety scandals in the early and mid 2000s — involving, among other scares, bacteria-infected milk and poisonous Chinese dumplings — have made many more people in Japan aware of the need to know — and the danger of not knowing — the origins of their daily fare.
The scandals also forced the government to be more proactive, leading to the 2005 implementation of the Basic Act on Food Education, which has given the public the right to learn more about the importance of food’s effect on our physical and mental well-being, as well as encouraging citizens to improve their eating habits.

Halley’s Comet, first international radio broadcast, tsunamis lash coastline, Japan tops creditor list
100 YEARS AGO
Telegraphic reports about Halley’s Comet from several districts say:

Nara still boasts its ancient lure
In a geographical battle for the hearts and minds of Japanese people, Kyoto would win hands down as the wellspring of so much of their culture for which they feel such reverence.
But while Kyoto certainly has its magnificent fistfuls of historical treasures, it also happens to be Japan’s seventh-biggest city, and a journey from one of its celebrated sites to another often involves a long bus ride through cityscapes of spectacular drabness.

‘Reefer madness’ hits Japan’s shores
To the Japanese government and law enforcement authorities, There has been a lot of discussion about marijuana in Japan recently. Some people have gone as far as to call it the start of a panic.

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Brews News #93
Reviews of Brusca (Kagurazaka), and IPAs at Popeye in the June/July issue of our Japan beer newsletter.

‘Sexlessness’ wrecks marriages, threatens nation’s future
In its cover story last month, The Economist newsmagazine looked at the issue of “Asia’s lonely hearts: Why Asian women are rejecting marriage and what that means.” It offered many reasons — including economics, education level, changes in family structures and gender roles, divorce difficulties, and demographics — for why many Asian women (and of course, by extension, Asian men) are marrying later or not at all.
I commend The Economist’s well-intentioned attempt at dealing with an important social issue. But its discussion left one major stone unturned: sex.

09/08-09/11 Belgian Beer Weekend in Tokyo
Launched just last year, this popular Belgian beer extravaganza will be held in the Roppongi Hills Arena again this year, and expanded to four days.

09/01-09/11 Toyosu Oktoberfest 2011
It’s yet another Bavarian-style Oktoberfest party, this time held next to Lalaport shopping mall in Toyosu on the Yurakucho line. As with last weeks’ Oktoberfest in Shiba Park, over a dozen German beers will be served, with brews from Erdinger, Hofbrauhaus Munchen, and local microbrewery Fujizakura Kogen.

‘Silent Auction’ lends ear to plea of needy
There are many ways to enjoy art: Visit an art museum, join a pottery club or simply walk around a town and take a look at the different architecture. Robert Tobin and Hitoshi Ohashi, owners of the gallery Asian Collection, believe it is essential to have their gallery be approachable and comfortable for visitors in order that they enjoy art. It’s the reason Tobin and Ohashi held their “Silent Auction.”

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Brews News #92
Reviews of Berg (Shinjuku), Grande Biere report in the April/May issue of our Japan beer newsletter.

01/14-01/18. Al Sorriso chef at the New Otani.
The highly talented chef Luisa Valazza from the Michelin 3-star restaurant Al Sorriso, overlooking Lake d’Orta in the northern Piedmont region, will be bringing some of her favorite recipes to Tokyo for…

Article – Cat cafes in Tokyo
It all began in 2004, when the first cat cafe opened its doors in Osaka. Since then, the petting zoo/coffee house hybrids have invaded Tokyo, and business is booming. Last year alone saw a dozen new shops, each with its own unique atmosphere. After removing your shoes and washing your hands, you can relax or play with the cats and kittens while you have your drink. Prices are reasonable, and the rules are simple: no flash photos, no grabbing tails or waking sleeping kitties. 2008 may have been the year of the rat, but 2009 is poised to be the year of the cat.

Review – Aotea Rangi: Ebisu
Tucked into a quiet Ebisu back street, Aotea Rangi is one of the few places in town where you can experience the charms of genuine New Zealand cuisine. At first glance the small restaurant looks like an Italian trattoria with terrace seating, but once you’re inside the atmosphere seem more like a casual cafe-bar. The lighting is soft and the mood is relaxed. Service is attentive, and the friendly staff are more than ready to help you negotiate the extensive New Zealand wine list….

01/25-02/14. Guest chef Renato Morisco at the Westin.
Chef Renato Morisco from the highly regarded Villa Morisco restaurant in Puglia, will be bringing some of his regional Italian dishes to the Terrace Restaurant at the Westin….

Brews News #98
Reviews of Minoh Double IPA, and Beer Rock bar in Shimo-Kitazawa in the January/February issue of our Japan beer newsletter.

01/25-02/14. Guest chef Renato Morisco at the Westin.
Chef Renato Morisco from the highly regarded Villa Morisco restaurant in Puglia, will be bringing some of his regional Italian dishes to the Terrace Restaurant at the Westin….

Review – L’Osier: Ginza
L’osier’s chef Bruno Menard moves through the restaurant with the self-assured ease of a man who has been cooking since the age of fifteen. Known for his creativity and attention to detail, the Michelin-starred French chef produces dishes that are complex, vivid and gorgeously presented….

01/25-02/14. Guest chef Renato Morisco at the Westin.
Chef Renato Morisco from the highly regarded Villa Morisco restaurant in Puglia, will be bringing some of his regional Italian dishes to the Terrace Restaurant at the Westin….

Watson to whalers: We will never surrender
Despite speaking on a bad line from somewhere off Antarctica, the message from Paul Watson was loud and clear:
“We will never retreat or surrender the southern oceans till we drive the Japanese whaling fleet out of here. We are not going to back down on this, and we are getting stronger every year. Every year we come down with more support.”

02/08, 6-8pm. California Wine Party at Mandarin Oriental
International wine importers iwine….