Merry Refreshmas

Winter Solstice.

Yule. 

The shortest day - now the days get longer once more. 

Festivus (Happy Festivus!)

Anything else? 

Oh, yes, on the 25th, how could I forget the most important event: Refreshmas!

Enjoy responsibly.

refection

refection

PRONUNCIATION:

(ri-FEK-shuhn) 

MEANING:

noun:
1. Refreshment with food or drink.
2. A light meal.

ETYMOLOGY:

Via French from Latin reficere (to renew or restore), from re- (back) + facere (to make). Earliest documented use: 1398.

Thank you: AWAD - A Word A Day
http://wordsmith.org/awad/index.html

Ta-da.

Ta-Da!

Why do people say "ta-da"! They do. English speakers say it. It must sound quite strange in Japan: Ta Da. Does that mean something? Is that a word?
While you are pondering the question, why not have a Japanese beer?

Here's one: Ta-Da!

Congratulations.

Very, very...

September 25th, 2014

Refreshmas for Autumn 2014

Back in the land of the rising sun.

Happy to be back.

Ok, so the beer is Belgian, and I had it in southern France, but the spirit is there.

Calling all beverage companies: License "Refreshmas" today!

Ask me how.

July Refreshmas goes out like a Dragon

Is it summer? it was summer: hot, still air, windows and sliding doors open all night. Something happened. The cool came back. Was that it? Hoping the warmth returns for a little while longer.

Spent a wonderful time in England, south and north, back in June. Yorkshire (in June) truly is a beautiful, lush green place. So green. I don't know how to describe it better. How about: Green!

Before flying off to sunnier climes, had one last pint. And, here it is.

May - inter-freshmas

The Taproom - Numazu, Shizuoka

What?!
It couldn't be!? No, it isn't, not yet.

No, it's not. Don't worry.

I was checking my stats on all my blogs this afternoon and thought: "Why not?"
So, here, out of sync, off schedule is a surprise, inter-freshmas.

Just to make sure you are celebrating the beautiful springtime weather.

Get out and enjoy it.

Spring forward

It was one long Tuesday for me the other week, crossing the dateline and all.

Three months in Tokyo. now I am home for a rest in sleepy, wet, uneventful Vancouver ("the best place on earth"). Taking a break from all the fun. Had enough "Refreshmases" - more in a couple of weeks in Tokyo than I have in a year out this way.

Do it, but don't over do it. Well... try not to.

This month's photo? This is a very progressive vending machine in Hiroshima. In Japan you are likely to find vending machines outside of liquor stores - for after hour sales, of course. 99% of the time, they sell beer. I was delight to see this, for the first time, a vending machine selling shochu ("Japanese vodka"). It's about 25% alcohol. The bottle's about the size of a wine bottle. The price? Y970 or about $10. In Canada, if you can find it, it's likely close to $30.

Here's to Senior Doichan's in Aoyama! Great food and a wicked happy hour. I miss it already. Cheers!

Spring, baby.

Yep, we've toughed it out. I left a cold country to avoid winter but got a double dose of it: two 30cm dumpings. But, that's all behind us now. we're into 20C days and the sakura are on the way.

Happy Refreshmas!

Cheers.

Happy New Year Refreshmas 2014

Happy to celebrate the first of the year back in Tokyo.