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

Sunday, March 14th

  The Annual General Meeting hosted productive discussions on different issues. It was an important opportunity for the Club’s voting members to directly communicate with the General Committee that pursues the best benefit for the Club and its members.
   After the discussions were over, most of the attending members moved to the Bar to enjoy drinks. An Italian Buffet followed to satisfy everyone’s palette. The chef and his crew prepared excellent Italian dishes: chicken liver paste, assorted cold cuts, fresh white asparagus &Wakasagi fritter, stewed beef in tomato &red wine sauce, braised blue mussel with white wine, spinach-tomato-eggplant lasagna, pizza Capricious to name a few. The assorted cold cuts included tomato &mozzarella cheese, sliced raw ham, etc. Each dish was so nicely prepared that many of us might have eaten too much. Thanks to our chef &his crew for another superb buffet. We all enjoyed it!

- Editing Sub-Committee

 

 

Saturday, February 27th

 

This was a memorable Japanese evening with traditional Japanese music, food and the best of Sake. The beautifully decorated tables, with bamboo vases with plum flower branches, reminded us of spring that will soon be coming. Nonaka-san welcomed us with sounds from her Noh-flute, and Kawamura-san with the Biwa (Japanese string instrument).

The Noh-flute, sometimes called “Kami-oroshi no fue” (meaning a flute which calls gods down to the visible human world), reached out to the audience. Kawamura-san, as a Biwa story-teller recited traditional pieces and historical tales accompanied with her Biwa music. At the end of their performance, they invited Jonas Isaksson, to play with them a Swedish traditional song. Jonas is a young Swedish musician visiting Japan with the purpose of exploring the possibility for young Japanese and Swedish folk musicians coming together to explore different musical backgrounds. This was a very interesting cross-over, showing what young very skilled musicians can improvise and create, using music as a way of communicating across cultures.

   Sake is made from rice, rice koji and water using fermentation and filtration processes. So how can Sake taste so different when only five elements, water, rice, technical skill, yeast, and land/weather, are involved? Director Fumio Morimoto from Sakura Masamune, the Sake Brewery founded in 1625 in Kobe, introduced the five Sakes for the evening. The Sakes had been carefully selected to accompany the delicious and beautiful Japanese dishes prepared by Kamiki-san and the staff.

 　Together with friends from different parts of the world, we all had a very enjoyable evening. Thanks, Kobe Club for once again arranging a Sake Tasting Dinner. I think that also this year, the Sake Tasting Dinner will be among the most-talked-about events. The Sake Tasting Dinner is probably making its way to become a traditional annual event at the Club.

-Christina Ström Moller

 

Sunday, January 31st

   The first Sunday Brunch of the New Year was held on the last Sunday in January. Those who attended were treated to a delicious buffet that included Smoked Salmon and Avocado Bruschetta, Beef Pie, Oyster Gratin on the shell, Italian style sautéed Prawns, and assorted breads just to name a few. Made-to-order Omelets were also offered to complete the brunch buffet.
 　Following the great brunch buffet, the games began (BINGO was the game of the day). The BINGO games were entertaining with people of all ages playing and sometimes getting caught up in the excitement of winning (or getting close to a win). There were fabulous prizes which included cookies, gift certificates for Kidzania and an overnight trip for two at Wakayama Marina City Royal Pines Hotel.

   The day offered a relaxing atmosphere after the hectic holidays and was thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended. 



- Jeff and Kelly Smith