Dear Fellow Members,

  The pool opening party is behind us and I trust you are enjoying the summer days. Some of you will be taking their well-earned holidays, going home or visiting exciting places. But some of us will stay behind, and for you our events conveners have racked their brains to come up with interesting summer events that will help ease the sweltering heat of midsummer.
  The pool will become a gathering place for young and old. A dip into the pool will certainly let you forget the heat, while the Pool Bar is ready to serve cool drinks, our traditional snacks and ice creams to make you feel as if you were on holiday and staying in a first class hotel. A phone call to the Bar will also get for you a fancy tropical drink, such as a Mojito, with fresh garden-grown mint leaves, crushed ice, rum, sugar and lime juice, etc. For sure, it is a refreshing drink for the summer months. Why not try something more exciting than having a beer – not bad either, though?

 


Friday, June 11th

   The Beer Tasting on June 11th offered a great occasion to get-together with friends and colleagues while enjoying a wide variety of imported and local beers. The Bar staff presented various labels from different countries to entertain beer lovers: König Ludwig Dunkel (German), Kapuziner (German), Satan (Belgian), Mickey’s (American), Whistler (Canadian), Cruzcampo (Spanish), 1664 Blanc (French), Pilsner Urquell (Czech), Edelweiss (Austrian), Bintang (Indonesian) and Efes (Turkish) in addition to Japanese beers.
   Chef Kamiki and his culinary team served variety of finger food, both cold and hot. The menu included filleted Pork Spareribs Confit that was pleasantly served in bite size proportions. Vegetable Satay amused us with an excellent healthy taste in combination with herbal sauce. The menu was creative and innovative to satisfy our palates.
   Special thanks go to the Bar and culinary staff who organized an enjoyable evening for many of us before we start summer travelling to different parts of the world.

- Editing Sub-Committee

Saturday, May 22nd

     With the backdrop of all the many colors and hundreds of blooming roses from the garden in sight, the joint effort put together between Estate Wines and the Kobe Club’s Kitano Terrace can only be deemed as a wonderful success.  The meal was a full six courses with eight delightful wines for sampling and pleasure.
     The evening started with a “get acquainted” drink in the Bar as everyone arrived and mingled, while socializing with friends.  The Bar as always was cozy, inviting and nicely relaxing.  The catching up among friends and long not seen members was a great way to start the event.
Next we all proceeded into the Dining Room where there were both several large tables for the bigger groups and smaller ones for more intimate settings of guests.  Once seated, Wolfgang Spanring-Forster of Estate Wines introduced himself and his choice of wines for the evening.  He provided a very colorful and informative video of the regions of Austria from which the wines came, detailing the climate, soil and other factors that go into making the wine taste just a certain way.  There are many regulations that influence the making of Austria’s wines to be sure that integrity remains intact and only the best is presented to the world.  A very proud accomplishment as their wines were each distinctly different, crisp, and a delight to pair with food or enjoyed by itself.

Sunday, May 9th

    Six weeks ago as the ANA 767-300 turned from the taxi way onto Runway 17 at Shanghai Pudong International airport, we felt butterflies in our stomachs. This is it, the end of one adventure and the beginning of another. Engines spool up and were moving, nose wheel lifts, main wheels lift and then goodbye to China after 10 years. Although we had visited Japan before on business, this time it was going to be our home for at least the next five years. What was in stall for us?
   Nothing prepares you for Japan after China. If we had to sum it up in a few words we would say, civilised, clean, safe, and then of course the food!! What glorious food!
    We moved into Sannomiya Museum Tower at the end of March and through my company we were aware of the Kobe Club. What’s it like? Is it snobbish? Is it cliquey?
    Well another shock was in store. We joined the Rose Garden Brunch on May 9th and as newcomers to an established club with long term members, we can only say how welcome we were both made to feel.
     It was a lovely warm May day and the setting was perfect for what turned out be a most enjoyable afternoon. The selection of food was very impressive with a wide range of dishes to suit everyone’s palette and accompanied by the excellent Shiraz, we were set up in style. Everyone welcomed us and we really felt as if we had been members for years. It was a real pleasure to meet so many nice people, some of whom we hope to go on to be long term friends with.
     The Kobe Club seems like an oasis in the desert, somewhere to escape reality and disappear back into an indescribable comfort zone.
    After the brunch, feeling very contented, we headed off for home and to my utter amazement I said to my wife “Shall we walk back?” That’s how good I felt that afternoon.   We are certainly looking forward to next year although will someone please inform the roses to bloom at the same time!!!
    Thank you Rainer, thank you Okabe-san and special thanks to chef Kamiki for organising such a great event. We have already signed up for more events and hope to become very active members of this wonderful club.
 -Paul &Marlene Gardner

 

Friday, April 23rd

   “Ole! Ole!” was what I wanted to utter after enjoying an amazing Spanish Tapas night! On Friday, April 23, the Kobe Club once again held the most awaited Tapas Night! It was truly a night of indulgence. Chef Kamiki and the kitchen staff prepared an excellent buffet with very authentic and great tasting Tapas, including Avocado and Raw Tuna Tartar, Escalivada, Pinchos, and more. The Jamon Serrano, a dry-cured ham from Spain, was the highlight of the buffet and added a flavor of Spain to the Kobe Club.
   It was an enjoyable evening; the lively atmosphere, food and wine were remarkable! We will definitely not miss the next Tapas Night at the Kobe Club.

-Beena Gulrajani