Digest

WINE

Starred Selection

BENJAMIN PARKS

The Club’s wine collection received stellar marks at the annual World of Fine Wine awards for 2020.

CHOP Steakhouse’s selection was named the best medium-sized wine list in Asia and was awarded three stars for a sixth consecutive year. Three stars reflects a “great wine list” that comprises a “very good mix” of producers, vintages, styles and formats, among other criteria.

In addition, American Bar & Grill earned one star for its wine list for a fourth straight year.

The London-based World of Fine Wine magazine launched its awards in 2014, and its panel of judges is made up of eminent wine critics and writers. NJ

EVENTS

Rising to the Occasion

TARO IREI

Organizing a celebration as significant as a bat mitzvah can be stressful at any time. Doing it in a pandemic year throws up an additional raft of considerations.

But when Member Jonathan Tischler met with the Club’s event organizers, he found an “incredibly responsive and accommodating” team determined to help him make the party for his 13-year-old daughter, Emi, a memorable occasion.

The April event in the Manhattan rooms was just that. It was also, Tischler says, a chance “to gather with friends and family for the first time in a long while in a safe and comfortable environment.”

For seamless and safe celebrations, contact 03-4588-0308 or banquet@ tac-club.org. NJ

EDITOR

People Power

The words “greenhouse gas emissions” typically evoke images of car-clogged highways or coal-fired power stations belching clouds of noxious pollutants. We don’t tend to think of glass-sided skyscrapers or pristine city business districts.

But as innocuous as they appear, buildings are a major source of global carbon dioxide emissions. According to the UN’s Environment Program, emissions from the construction and operation of buildings account for 38 percent of all energy-related CO2 emissions.

For a period in 2011, the relationship between buildings and power consumption became starkly evident across Tokyo and other Japanese cities. Following the shutdown of the country’s nuclear power plants in the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster, the government asked its people to drastically reduce their electricity use to prevent blackouts.

The summer of power-saving setsuden saw office buildings, department stores, stations and households turn lights off and thermostats up. The collective effort was remarkably effective. That July, the amount of electricity supplied by the 10 major utilities dropped by nearly 9 percent, with outages averted.

Over the last decade, the need to reduce emissions and avoid irreversible damage to the climate has grown ever more urgent. In this month’s cover story, “Building Green,” we look at the challenges—and opportunities—facing the Club on its road to greater energy efficiency and sustainability.

With the climate change clock loudly ticking, we could do worse than to look to 2011 for lessons in determination and resolve.

LIBRARY

From the Shelves

Image: KAYO YAMAWAKI

Over the last 18 months, campus life has been reduced to online lectures for Member and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology junior Max Printz. But he hasn’t missed the opportunity to indulge his passion for books.

What was your favorite childhood book?

In elementary school, I loved Calvin and Hobbes. I remember reading them so often that our copies started falling apart, and we even had to tape up the cover of one. I’ve recently started rereading Calvin and Hobbes and now realize the deeper meaning behind some of the comic strips. It will always be one of my favorite series.

What inspired your love of books?

When I was younger, I read many fantasy and adventure books, which made me feel like I was exploring a new, exotic world. I still feel this excitement when reading, as every book offers me a new perspective that helps to shape who I am today.

What genre do you most enjoy?

Other than fiction, I have been reading more nonfiction and self-help books, including books that can guide me in transitioning into an independent adult. Considering that I have been living with my parents for the past year and a half, however, I am not sure how much these books have been helping me.

What are you reading now?

I am finishing up Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford. We read this book for our last meeting of the Club’s Book Lovers’ Group.

When were you last unable to put down a book?

Last summer, I read The Alchemist by

Paulo Coelho. The story follows Santiago, a young shepherd who travels from Spain to Egypt in search of buried treasure. This book emphasizes the importance of following your dreams. My favorite part of the book is the prologue and the “lovely story” of Narcissus. In this version, the lake where Narcissus drowns mourns the loss of its own reflection in Narcissus’ eyes. I believe that Coelho is saying that self-involvement can also help you to pursue your life goals and have healthy relationships.

SPA

No-Mess Rest

Looking for all the benefits of a soothing Spa session but without the time commitment? The Spa’s dry treatment is perfect for those who struggle to find enough time in the day to indulge in some well-earned R&R. The oil-free approach is designed to stimulate deep-muscle tissue and boost circulation to joints and more through rhythmic compression and therapeutic stretching of muscles and limbs. Through June 30, receive 20 percent off when you book your one-hour (¥9,240) or 90-minute (¥13,200) session with one of The Spa therapists. OZ

KAYO YAMAWAKI

NIHONBASHI

Downtown Delights

KAYO YAMAWAKI American Room’s Prime strip loin medallion

Business districts like Nihonbashi are naturally chockful of dining options for the throngs of hungry professionals. But one Member has been captivated by a new face on the block since it opened in March.

“Given all the choices I have around Nihonbashi,” says Nihonbashi Club Member Arthur Mitchell, “the American Room has become my menu of choice right now.”

Mitchell particularly praises the Club restaurant’s Prime burger with caramelized onions, tomato and lettuce on a brioche bun as well as its classic BLT with maple-smoked bacon.

But half the epicurean pleasure comes from discovering what the chefs cook up next.

“They change the menu once a week,” Mitchell says. “Every time, I try something new.” OZ

SAFETY

Keeping It Clean

KAYO YAMAWAKI

Members have another reason to breathe easy when they’re unwinding at the Club. As part of ongoing efforts to create a safe Club environment, air purifiers have been installed in a number of venues.

Visitors to such spaces as The Spa’s treatment rooms, the second-floor Meeting Rooms (pictured) and the Music Rooms will notice the compact devices on the wall.

The Airgle air purifiers feature several filters, including a medical-grade HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter to remove dust, pollen, smoke and airborne pollutants, and technology to kill up to 99.95 percent of bacteria and viruses.

Working in combination with the Club’s highly efficient air-filtration system, the new purifiers help to improve indoor air quality. NJ

WINE

Tinseltown Tipples

WORDS DEMIR SADIKOGLU IMAGE KAYO YAMAWAKI

While the Academy Awards might not feature a “best libation” category, I thought I would highlight three Cellar offerings that have all “performed” on the silver screen.

To celebrate its appearance several times as James Bond’s favorite champagne, starting with 1973’s Live and Let Die, Bollinger released its Special Cuvée 007 Limited Edition (¥6,050). With refined complexity and hints of vanilla and hazelnut, this is a wine as lively as the world’s most famous secret agent.

Achieving instant fame after their Hitching Post II restaurant starred in 2004’s Sideways, Gray Hartley and Frank Ostini continue to make outstanding Pinot Noir at HP winery. In the movie, Miles describes the Pinot grape as “thin-skinned,” “temperamental” and in need of “constant care and attention.” Hitching Post’s 2017 Cork Dancer Pinot Noir (¥5,390) boasts a rich, dark fruit profile and balanced structure. Miles would undoubtedly approve.

“Hey, friend, you want a Woodford?” Who could forget Curtis’ famous offer to Gerry in the 2015 indie drama Mississippi Grind? The Woodford Reserve Double Oaked bourbon (¥6,270) tastes even better after further maturation in charred barrels, which give it a sweet oak character with fruit, vanilla and caramel notes.

Demir Sadikoglu is a member of the Club’s Wine & Beverage Committee.

For the month of June, receive a 10 percent discount on purchases of at least three bottles of any of these recommended Cellar libations.