Happy Friday!
I hope you had a good week and that you’re enjoying the fall.
I have some exciting things to share for your weekend.
Please read on.
First -
Weekend Cooking with Japanese Wine
We just published a new article on pairing Japanese wine with Japanese food.
I got hungry just writing it, so it might do the same to you!
For each of our four wines, I picked one dish and wrote up the full recipe.
Snow Crab Ohitashi with Grace Koshu
Yellowtail Sashimi with Kazumi Koshu
You can download all four as printable recipe cards on the blog.
Maybe one of them for your weekend cooking?
Also, have you ever had red wine with sushi and noticed a strange, fishy taste afterward?
There’s actually research on that from a Japanese winery, and I wrote about it in the article too.
Second -
Holiday Order-By Dates for Wine
Wow, we’re already talking about the holidays.
Talking about the holidays, we now have a holiday shipping schedule for wine.
Tea and coffee are a lot easier to ship, so we usually don’t mention it much.
But wine shipping is difficult, so here it is!
- Thanksgiving: 2-Day by Nov 16, Overnight by Nov 20
- Hanukkah: Ground by Nov 30
- Christmas: Ground by Dec 11, 2-Day by Dec 14, Overnight by Dec 15
- New Year’s: Ground by Dec 18, 2-Day by Dec 28, Overnight by Dec 29
Please order by 10 AM Pacific time on those days.
Our wine warehouse is closed on Nov 26 and 27, Dec 24 and 25, and Jan 1.
Third -
New Teaware: Tokoname Teapots and a Matcha Bowl Set
We have new teapots, handmade in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture.
Both have a fine ceramic mesh strainer built right into the clay, so there’s no metal taste.
The gray one is just right for one or two people.
The black one is the pot for sharing at the table.
We also have a new Matcha Bowl and Whisk Set.
Everything comes in one gift box: a ceramic matcha bowl (chawan, 茶碗), a bamboo whisk (chasen, 茶筅), a whisk holder and a bamboo scoop.
You can pick black, white or blue.
I think it makes a lovely holiday gift for anyone who’s been wanting to try matcha at home.
Fourth -
Where to Find Us This Holiday Season
We are so excited (and also a bit worried and nervous) that we have our holiday all booked with a wonderful event starting tomorrow!
The LA Kings Holiday Ice Festival (see below) is a big one.
We will be at this historic Los Angeles holiday tradition with the city’s largest outdoor ice-skating rink and a spectacular 62-foot Christmas tree.
Yes, every night, and that includes Christmas Eve and Christmas! (Please come say hi to us!)
We have no idea how that will go, but let’s see!
All work and no play makes... well, you know the rest. (^^;
Ready? Here is the list:
Takumi Alley
Tomorrow, Saturday, November 14, 11 AM to 7 PM
Center Street Promenade, Downtown Anaheim
(Right in front of our beloved Okayama Kobo, Anaheim)
So excited to be officially part of this event which is hosted by lovely Kenzo-san, Audrey-san, Willa-san and Rocky-san.
This one is themed “Neko Shopping Center,” a whole street of shopping for cats. (^^)
Tokyo Takes Over LA, EN (縁) Vol.2
Sunday, November 22, 6 PM to 10 PM
CinePacks Studios, 6855 Vineland Ave, North Hollywood
It’s a Japanese culture night on a Tokyo movie set, with a neon street, a ramen shop and even a konbini.
There will be a DJ and dance and fashion performances too, and you can RSVP here.
LA Kings Holiday Ice Festival at L.A. LIVE
Every night, November 27 to December 30
Maum Market at ROW DTLA
Saturday, December 19, 11 AM to 4 PM
Dock Street, ROW DTLA, 777 S Alameda St, Los Angeles
Entry is free (please RSVP here), and it’s pet friendly and family friendly, with 2 hours of free parking in the garage on site.
This one is double-booked with L.A. LIVE, and we haven’t figured out how we’re going to do it yet. :0
Fifth -
Thank You for Inviting Us
Now you can see why I am nervous…
We had to say “no” to a few events during this holiday season due to the fact that we are attending LA Live every night. (I’m sorry again.)
I cannot thank enough the people who invited us to events this year. Most of the events we attended this year were invited by someone.
Before this year, we used to list up, apply and pray for the fact that we get approved.
We feel so blessed, and we’re very thankful to everyone supporting us here.
Sixth -
We’re Looking for a New Office in LA
We are now looking for a new office space in LA!
If you know anyone, or if you have an empty spot, please reply to this email and let me know.
Referrals and word of mouth are how we have been growing, so I’m hoping for a good referral for this big move too.
It’s an opportunity we have thanks to you.
Seventh -
Gifts for Your Team and Clients
One more time before the holidays get busy.
If you have a list of people to thank this year, we can put together Japanese gifts for every one of them.
One order can mix green tea and matcha, Sumiyaki coffee, Japanese wine and handmade knives, with one quote and one invoice.
Gwen, our Concierge, takes care of everything, from the first idea to the day each gift arrives.
Thank you very much again for trusting and following us.
Have a wonderful weekend, and if you’re in OC, come say hi to us at Takumi Alley tomorrow!
With love and gratitude,
Kei Nishida
& the team from Dream of Japan
