Volume 39, Number 09
Partyline
I want to start out this column by sincerely thanking the General Managers and staff of most of the major hotels here for their friendship, consideration and the VIP treatment they so kindly extend to me. We all like to feel important once in awhile, and I have to admit this is one of the many things that make living here in Japan so great for me. There really are lots of nice people out there.
It’s no secret that there’s always a lot of personnel movement and job changes whenever a new hotel opens. I realize this can be difficult for hotels and I’m sorry about that. It does however mean that whenever a new hotel opens I have good friends working there so always feel sort of at home, wherever I go. While I’m talking about hotels, I would like to go over a few of the major happenings at a few I’ve visited recently.
Over in Shinjuku, the Hilton has completely redone their marble lounge in the lobby. After the lunch buffet they set up an awesome dessert buffet. It’s always busy and the afternoon crowd of mostly ladies really love the Hilton sweets. To give their customers even more satisfaction, the hotel just opened their very upscale “Chocolat Boutique Tokyo” in their new lobby. The Hilton Tokyo’s General Manager, Christian Baudat, explains “the Chocolat Boutique has brought together the finest artisans in the field to create what is truly Japanese and totally unique. It really is very special.” Christian also told me they will be holding art exhibitions in the lobby area soon.
I’ve been using the Hilton gym, swimming pool, sauna and jacuzzi for years. They’ve just completed the renovation by Precor and it’s so much easier and pleasant to work out there.
Over at the Grand Hyatt in Roppongi Hills, they’re holding The Celebration of Five Seasons as a part of their fifth anniversary. Throughout Jun. each of their restaurants, Chinaroom, Oak Door, Fiorentina, Roku Sushi, Keyakizaka Teppanyaki, the French Kitchen, and Maduro, all have special menus. My favorites are the cream soups and crab cakes in The Oak Door, and the tortillas in Maduro.
Hopefully the weather is better by now, and I can relax at one of the tables at our city’s best delicatessen at the Park Hyatt Hotel. The variety of international foods there is endless.
I had an hour to kill before the Cloverfield press conference at the Peninsula so had a cappuccino in their beautiful lobby. The live music was really relaxing and I was amazed at the number of business VIPs I ran into there.
One of Tokyo’s all-time best-liked couples Ron and Maria Anderson, who live in New York City, were back and made the Ritz-Carlton their home in Tokyo for the almost two weeks they were here. I visited them a few times and was surprised to see how busy the huge lobby coffee shop (great views of Tokyo) was. More, lots more, on Ron and Maria later.
I dropped by another beautiful hotel, The Westin Tokyo, by Yebisu Gardens, to see one of their special guests, celebrity psychic Ron Bard. We had the buffet, which featured a variety of excellent Austrian dishes. The General Manager Andreas Trauttmansdorff is Austrian, and the hotel’s German pastry chef brought us some great hot bread, fresh from the oven. Check out the Westin superfoods menu for some of the healthiest foods in town.
There are, of course, so many excellent hotels in our growing city. Sorry I can’t mention them all here, but I do hope you can get out and discover them for yourself. Time to move from the hotel scene to Tokyo’s social scene—much of which takes place in the many hotels...
On Saturday, Feb. 23, the Ambassador of Brunei and Madame Pg. Datin Yura Alaiti hosted a well-attended reception at the Hotel New Otani. The occasion was the 24th National Day of Brunei Darussalam. Guests were an interesting mix of Japanese government officials, diplomats, business leaders, and many other friends of the popular and very active couple. As well as a nice selection of both Western and Japanese food, there was one table of Brunei favorites. They were excellent.
In addition to the usual party-crashers, a woman I haven’t seen for a long time, one who claims she’s the granddaughter of a concubine of the Meiji Emperor showed up. I got to know her many years ago but heard she’s been in the U.S. “where she insists on being called a Princess.” I’ve been on the social scene here for a long time and have met a long of phonies. If they don’t hurt others I don’t much care what they do, but frankly I really have a bad feeling about this woman after I read what she told the author, Ben Hills, of the book Princess Masako Prisoner of the Chrysanthemum Throne when he interviewed her. Check it out and you’ll understand what I’m saying.
Aside from all that, the Brunei Bash was laid back and really enjoyable. Our congratulations.
A few nights later, Croatian Ambassador Drago Stambuk hosted a wonderful welcome party for his visiting President Stjephan Mesic at the Imperial Hotel. The President’s five-day first time visit was the highlight of celebrations marking the 15th anniversary of the establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Croatia and Japan. His busy schedule included meeting HIM the Emperor, and Prime Minister Fukuda. Mesic, the last head of state for the former Yugoslavia, told the media “we need an independent Kosovo to achieve stability in the Balkan Region.” He also said Croatia would seek membership in Nato this spring and seeks to join the European Union in 2010. He has an ambitious and busy schedule.
President Mesic obviously likes people and after opening speeches by Ambassador Stambuk, a Japanese dignitary and himself, he mingled with the crowd, met most of the many there, and posed for photos with everyone who asked. That was really thoughtful.
The number of tourists including the Japanese visiting Croatia has shown tremendous growth in the past year. It’s a beautiful country with friendly hospitable people. Put Croatia at the top of your must see list.
As always, I had tons of fun and met lots of nice people from all over the world at the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Omotesando. Irish Ambassador Brendan Scannell and his wife Margaret were there of course, and took part in the “the biggest and best St. Patrick’s Day parade in Japan so far.” The Japanese really love Ireland—me too. A big congratulations to all our Irish friends on this super special event.
Just going through the Refugees International Japan Art of Dining 2007 directory and see the cover photo was of Daniele Yoshikoshi’s table setting Dejeuner Plein Soleil Sur La Cote d Azur at the 2007 exhibition. That cool French lady is a real artist.
Congratulations to Mitsuru Sakuraba who heads Segafredo Zanetti Expresso operations in this part of the world. Mitsuru travels a lot checking out the established, or opening new Segafredos all over Asia. He’s been busy here in Tokyo as well and has just opened a beautiful new shop on the 6th floor of Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills. In addition to all the usual Segafredo favorites, the shop has a special selection of Italian Gelatos. They’ve also started a “Club Mio Bar—a community of all Segafredo lovers”. Get your Mio Bar Card the next time you visit a Segafredo, to take advantage of, and to enjoy the many member privileges that the card entitles you to.
If you’re in the Hiroo area be sure to visit the redecorated second floor of the National Azabu Supermarket. They have a marvelous selection of kitchenware, toiletries, party decorations, home accessories, stationary, English books, international magazines, etc, etc. The first floor supermarket also makes for great shopping. I like all the different ethnic foods they carry and am currently hooked on the Brazilian national food; feijoado. It’s a black bean, sausage and bacon stew that’s not expensive, easy to prepare, delicious and healthy.
In addition to parking problems, it seems like venues are getting further away. I’m really sorry as this, plus conflicting schedules, travel, and sometimes work keep me from really worthwhile events I hate to miss. Recently these included the opening of new Tokyo Baycourt Club Hotel and Spa Resort Odaiba. My thanks to Philippe Sauzede for arranging my invitation.
Back to the hotels again. Over at the Hilton I met the members of Korea’s Big Band. The pop idols have a big following here and their Udo sponsored concerts were sold out.
I ran into some longtime showbiz friends in the Grand Hyatt and we had some laughs talking about good times at the Lexington Queen. These included members of the super successful groups Foo Fighters and Duran Duran. When he was once asked during a TV interview what he’d like to do in Tokyo, Foo Fighter Dave Grohl answered, “I’d like to buy the Lexington Queen.” That of course was great publicity for the club. Duran Durans Simon Le Bon told me he doesn’t dance as much as he used to, but “when the feeling hits him, he still gets out there and does his thing.” Time passes, but both of these bands still have a lot of groupies hanging around with high hopes of meeting the rock stars or at least seeing them.
Lots of other longtime friends and music favorites coming in soon as well. These include Night Ronger, Huey Lewis, Firehouse, Cheap Trick, and a more recent singer James Blunt.
In closing, I’d like to congratulate, another kind of celebrity I ran into at the Grand Hyatt, building tycoon Minoru Mori, the “Asia Businessman of the Year.” His biggest project, the 1,614 foot 101 story Shanghai World Financial Center opens soon.