After the champagne party...

Now midnight.. After the party, Some people and I moved to another place to drink more. We were in the mood for a red wine. First restaurant, bar?, was named "Tar Tar".
We've opened a Marsannay 2002, Domaine Philippe Naddef. I think it's the first time to drink it, and I enjoyed it. the other enjoyed it too. We had some meal too, marinated some mushrooms, chicken liver mousse, carbonara(this was divine!), canard confit and olives.

We've drained the bottle. What will we open next in these Gigondas wine. Where was Gigondas?





We've choosed this one.







We moved one more bar and restaurant, Le Marie Jeanne. We've opened a Alsace pino noir. It was Domaine Gerard Schueller. I like his pino noir very much. it smells like Ume(Japanese plum) and Katsuobushi(it's a Japanese traditional ingredient, boiled and dried bonito flesh). It's really my description though. and Last one was Bourgueil 2002, Yannick & Nicole Amiraut. It's cabernet franc. This one is very silky and smoothly. I like this too.

De Sousa

The family of my favorite champagne came to Japan, De Sousa!! We've tatsted his champagne.
First of all, We've taste Cuvee brut tradition with this aperitif.




Next, We've tasted Cuvee Reserve Blanc de Blanc, which means only Chardonnay.




We've tasted Cuvee Des Caudalies! and afeter that We've tasted Cuvee brut tradition demi sec with a desert.



Eric de Sousa and his wife Michelle. Acutually, Thier three children came to Japan too, but The eldest sister got a 39 degree fever,maybe she got tired too, so that the children took a rest in the hotel tonight. I'm sorry to see them again, but that can't help. I hope she will get rid of it soon, and have a nice trip.

Cafe de L'ambre

Cafe de L'ambre, It's old coffee shop since 1948. It's located in Shinbashi, near to Ginza. The coffee shop told me a nice little acid coffee. Usually I prefer a bitter coffee, but That coffee was different. It had an acid taste. it's like a berry. I also like the other coffee in this shop. I go there when I go to Ginza.

MA-BO-DOUFU

We had dinner in China town in Yokohama tonight to eat a Toufu dish named "MA-BO-DOUFU". it's a Szechuan food. It's spicy and hot. One of my workmates had been saying that he was dying to eat the MA-BO-DOUFU since 2 weeks ago, so that we've decided to go there tonight. I like it while it's hot. It's tasty and smell Chinese pepper nicely. but after get cold, It's a bit solty for me. Eat up before it gets cold!!

Nina Nastasia

Tonight, my ears have caught this song, A dog's life. I most like this song in her album, "Dog". You can listen some session in here.

Hananomai

One of my workmates gave me a sake as a souvenir. Hananomai, that's the name. I've enjoyed it with Akegarashi. This sake is called "Shinshu" which means a nouveau of Sake. It's dry taste. nice taste.

Musashiya

It's a kinda bar, but it's a bit different from the other. Two over 80 years old women(I can't believe this!!) and a few youngers serve us. Everybody are supposed to have only three drinks, anybody can't order more drink, This rule was made by the father of these two daughter. He made this rule for everybody's enjoy. and no menu. There are food served with each drink, which means that you take one drink and one meal to go with it each times. the foods are Japanese traditional meal. this place is open 5pm, and closed 9pm. The women always say this, "Go straight home, not go for more drink". I like the atmosphere. I only took a photo on the front of this place. I will take more photo next time. It's located in Noge, Sakuraghi-cho.

Ann Burton

Is there anyone know Ann Burton? She was a Jazz singer in Holland. She came to Japan in 70's. I've happened to find a live album in a record shop. It held in 1977, Japan. I've got it at second hand, but the condition wasn't not bad at all, no scratch mark. I like her voice, and the way she sings.

Yvon Métras

Yestarday, I've opened a wine from someone. Yvon Métras, Beaujolais Fleurie 2003, That's the wine. It is the first time drink it. and I liked it. I could be wrong, but it's similar to Marc Pesnot's wine,Abouriou, Marcel Lapierre's Gamay. The Abouriou was that I'd tasted and reported before.

Yo La Tengo and Archer Prewitt

Recently, I've been moving my CD's to iTune and play randomly. Tonight, My ears have cought a song of Yo La Tengo. I like thier latest album, summer sun. By the way, Did you know that a Solo Album of Jhames's, he is a member of Yo La Tengo, the CD jacket was designed by Archer Prewitt? I didn't know that. Archer is also an musician. He was a member of The Cocktails. I haven't listen any of The Cocktails's yet, but I like his song as well. Oh, now next music is running...

Abouriou

I've heard of that Abouriou is a grape that it's difficult to be grown up because of the thin skin and another reason. At least Loire. I don't know it's indigenous grape in Loire though, This wine was nice. It smells like red currant,Raspberry,Strawberry, and something like that. Natural. The wine go through into your body. I'm verry light drinker, so that I like the wine like this. I also like his other's. Marc Penot, a Vignerons(wine maker?) in Loire. The photo of right edge is a Airy cake with an orangefilling and covered with a crunchy layer of chocolate. It's simillar to Pim's.

Bottega Lira

This is my favorite Italian bar in Yokohama. The bar was used to be a restaurant, and it was run by a chef and a service man. Sadly, The area around the restaurant is gonna be redeveloped, and it's closing out in the end of this year, So that it'd changed to a bar and the chef'd moved to another Italian restaurant. The service man has been being serving and cook all meals and desserts for us. He can cook because he used to work as a cook. You can drink a nice cup of espresso too! At Friday night, a nice lady helps him sometimes. she used to work there as a waitress and a nice barista. I will go by there after work sometimes.
This is marinated grilled vegetable. it's one of the routine meals. It's a nice dish to start with.





I don't know this wine detail. but I liked it. I've googled about it. but all article was in Italian. I can't read it at all.. The winary's name was castelmagno, and the wine was sommarrello 2002. I've got a feeling that I'd tasted a french wine as same taste as this before.

This is a lamb stew. I've burned the tip of my tongue, but it's delicious!

マユハケオモト(Mayuhake omoto)

It's unique flower. Mayuhake-Omoto is white blood lily in English. Somehow, My mother grows this flower.

Aux Amis des Vins

I've taken to a restaurant after a long while. it's located in Ginza. Aux Amis des Vins.
We ate this with Champagne and white Bordeaux wine. They went together. The Champagne was De Sausa, "Blanc de Blanc" and Chateau Vignol, "Entre deux Mers". De Sausa is made by Erick de Sousa. I adore his all Champagne. The entree is sliced salmon and onion inside it.

This soup was made with sweet potato. It's the first time to eat it, and I liked it. It tasted like corn soup, but smell sweet potato. I forgot taking a photo before eat. :p




I choosed venison(鹿です) as main dish. We've had two red wine then. Hebert de Lignier, Chambolle Musigny 1999? and Domaine Richeaume.






This is galeeny(ホロホロ鳥です) with mushroom sause. Another people choosed it.

Akegarashi

I happened to find this while I visited my friend in Kobe. the name is Akegarashi. Akegarashi is only made in Yamaichi soy sauce factory. It's a grainy paste made with Kouji and there are Japanese mustard, hempseed, Shouyu(soy sauce), and soft brown sugar in it. Taste is complicated. It sait that this paste go with rice, pork, chicken. It can be a fermented seasoning as well. You can just take a lick and sip Sake. They really go together!

Kobe!

I've visited my friend who live in Higashi-Nada ward, Koube. There are many Japanese Sake breweries in this ward. They've taken me to a couple of breweries at this time, Hamafukutsuru and Kobe Shushinkan. It would be nicer, if we had time though, I've enjoyed it. I appreciate my friend's kindness.

Osaka!

I went to Tsutenkaku. and buy Takoyaki then. I've got a feeling it's comeletely different from Tokyo's. I prefer Takoyaki made in Osaka!

Yamazaki whisky brewery.

Yamazaki brewery. It's located at the foot of Mt. Tenno-zan. This is a famous battle field of Akechi Mitsuhide VS Toyotomi Hideyoshi. It only took 30min get to Yamazaki st from Kyoto by train.

<--This is mint flavored. unique.

Kyoto!

Finally, I've arrived at Kyoto. It's my first time to get to Kyoto. Unfortunately, It's raining all day, and I was busy. So that, I only could take a few photo next morning before leaving for Osaka to meet my friend. I will promise myself to stay a couple of days at Kyoto next year.
<--This is Kamogawa.







<--The Gojo guest house I've stayed. It costed only 2500yen, cheap!

Ludens

Ludens is the name of our society. it came from Homo Ludens written by Johan Huizinga. it's a Latin phrase for "man the player," as opposed to just "Homo sapiens". It's started last month. The member is 11, no more, no less. We will make a plan once a month to enjoy together. The aim is just playing. This time, we've gone to a Izakaya with fishing at a place in Yokohama.

There is a big fish boat in the building and surrounded by the pool that the fishs was swimming in. There are 8 table on the ship, and some more table around the pool, and a few Ozashiki room which is a Japanese style room, Tatami floor. We've had an Ozashiki room. and we've eaten the fishs we've caught, It's interesting Izakawa, but It's enough to go that Izakaya one time. very funny, but we couldn't enough time to eat the food. The time limit was only 2h. I think it's for a family. the kids would be enjoying that kind of restaurant. Anyway, We've enjoyed it.
The below photo was chocolate(coffee bean in it or limoncello) as a souvenir. A couple in our society had been to Italy recently. I wanna go there one day.

Noord's Genever

This was my first time to sip Holland gin, Noord's Zeer Oude Genever 20 years. I think it's completely different from the gin I've ever tasted.