Volume 04, Number 10
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There are a few times I just couldn't get to some very interesting and important events this month, and really wish I had a clone. One of these was an evening at Minato City Hall Friendship Lounge with the theme being drugs. The flyer read: "What Are Drugs? Why are they so dangerous?" The copy read that recent reports indicate that "the use of drugs is spreading and has even reached our youth." I, for one, really hope this means people here are waking up to the fact that drug dealers from all over the world are well aware of what a lucrative market Japan is, and are more and more taking advantage of this. I did everything I possibly could to keep the Lexington Queen Club drug-free for the 27 years it was open! It wasn't easy, and looking back, I sometimes wonder how much good I really did. It seems everyone you meet in Roppongi who really wants drugs, knows how and where they can get them. If they know, I'm sure people in law enforcement know as well. Hopefully they'll move more on this before it gets out of control.
Do yourself a favor when you're in Roppongi or other entertainment areas where they are selling noncontrolled drugs, and just walk on by. The dealers are not doctors and I'm sure don't know, and probably don't care, what they are selling as long as they get the money. Believe me, it's better to be safe than sorry.
Now that I've got some of the heavy stuff off my mind, lets move onto our city's busy social scene. There were dozens of sayonaras for a wonderful and super-popular lady—Turkish Ambassador Solmaz Unaydin. One of the most fun and laid back was hosted by Qatar Ambassador Reyad Ali Ahmed Al-Ansari, Jordan Ambassador Samir Naouri, Palestine Ambassador Waleed Siam, Moroccan Ambassador Abdel Kader Lecheheb, and Lebanese Chargé d'Affaires Dr. Toufic Jaber. For the event the hosts chose the really beautiful Sofra Turkish Restaurant in Kagurazaka, Shinjuku. It was, as you can see, an interesting group of guests—friends of Solmaz from all walks of life. They included popular and powerful politician Yuriko Koike. Her current title is advisor to the Prime Minister on National Security and she's known for working hard and doing a good job. At Solmaz's party she really, as they say in the US, let her hair down and, like everyone else there, had a good time.
Samir Naouri, the very capable and very distinguished Ambassador of Jordan also has a great sense of humor and really knows how to get the other guests to enjoy themselves. There was some good Arabic and Turkish music and as the song goes "a whole lot of shakin' was going on." Other entertainment included several performances by a beautiful Hungarian belly dancer who dances nightly at Sofra. Believe me, the young lady is really good.
The dance floor was pretty much full, but people took turns taking a break, relaxing and enjoying the excellent Turkish food. There was singing as well and everyone pretty much agreed that a song Mary Katayama sang and dedicated to Solmaz came out the winner. It was a fun, friendly, lively evening—a perfect way (if there is one) to say sayonara to Solmaz—a great lady none of us wanted to see go.
Kuwaiti Ambassador and Mrs. Ghassan Al-Zawani held a glittering reception in the Fuji Room of the Imperial Hotel on the occasion of the National Day of the State of Kuwait. Unfortunately, the Ambassador had to go back to Kuwait for family reasons. He was, of course, very much missed, but I'm sure he knew his wife, children, and embassy staff would go all out to make it the special event that it was.
At the entrance there was a very long line of tall floral congratulations bouquets. Once guests congratulated their Kuwaiti friends they moved into the main reception room to chat with friends and enjoy the superb buffet. For added treats there were over a dozen kinds of fresh fruit-juice drinks and a variety of delicious sweets that had been flown in from Kuwait for the special occasion. As at most Arab functions, there were a lot of beautiful children adding color and energy to the celebration.
Our Irish friends had a full calendar in March. The St. Patricks Day Parade was bigger, more lively, and greener than ever this year. It's always great the way the Japanese, as well as the foreign community, really get into the mood of the festive event. It was really dog's day as well with so many beautiful and friendly St. Bernards, Irish Setters, and miscellaneous mutts.
Congratulations to the many people—Irish and otherwise— who put so much time and effort in making the St Patricks Day Parade on Omotesando the huge success that it was.
Our Thai friends have certainly been keeping busy. First there was a huge reception at the Imperial Hotel to celebrate Thailand's 120th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Japan. A few days later there was a marvelous Thai cultural show at the Ikebana International Annual Fair. Boontipa Simaskul, wife of the Thai Ambassador, was chairperson of this year's event. On April 13th over 1,000 people filled the garden at the Simaskul's residence for the big Songkran (traditional Thai New Years) celebration. I'll have a rundown with photos on these Thai happenings later. I am sorry I couldn't make it to the Contemporary Art Exhibition "Show Me Thai" at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo. This was the most comprehensive and largest art exhibition by Thai and Japanese ever held, and included paintings, sculpture, video art, film, cartoon animation, and music. Also had to miss a Sunday concert by The Bangkok Symphony Orchestra. Friends, who know good music, said it was excellent.
Over at the Danish Embassy, Ambassador Freddy Svane and his wife Lise, along with Videoarts Music held a musical evening titled Special Showcase Live by noted Danish jazz pianist Niels Lan Doky. The university of Maryland University College continues with many special events to celebrate 50 years of the Maryland program in Asia. On April 20th, they hosted an evening of music, poetry, and contemporary politics at the New Sanno Hotel. The next day, UM/UC held their Tokyo Commencement Ceremony to honor the class of 2007. The graduates for the most part are members of the military or their dependants. Kudos to them all, who in addition to their regular duties, make time to study and get their degrees. It can't be easy, but they all feel it's really worthwhile—which of course, it is. We'd also like to congratulate US Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer who received an honorary doctorate at the UM/UC commencement April 21.
To do:
Be sure to drop by the Hilton Tokyo during the big Indian food and cultural promotion May 24th to 30th. Chef Rajiv Chopra, executive chef at Frontier Restaurant from The Ashoka will prepare some 40 kinds of Indian cuisine for lunch and brunch buffets in the Hotel's Marble Lounge—he will also hold an Indian food cooking class on Saturday May 26th from 10:30am. Other highlights of the promotion include rare Indian wines ("Twenty One" restaurant) a typical Indian tea demonstration and classical Indian Dance. The Embassy of India, the India Tourism Development Corporation, Air India and Taj enterprise, and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations are jointly working with Hilton Tokyo on this special promotion. For info call 03-3344-5111 # 219.
Also, ask about the Wings of Love gala dinner on May 25th. It's a charity event with 40 percent of proceeds going to the Asia Bird Fund. HIH Princess Takamado, Honorary President of Birdlife International will be there and there'll be live folklore shows, music and fashion.