Pigging Out On Pie Face And ‘Ello Elton

It was a bit of a landmark month as Aussie meet pies went on sale in central Tokyo as Pie Face opened a store in Shibuya, while down the road in Yokohama I got an unexpected chance to see Elton John live.

The pies were tasty, but a bit pricey, yet my workmates humored me with a visit there to dine together as the restaurant is within short walking distance of our office.

Elton, meanwhile, wasn’t someone I was overly keen on seeing, but I was pleased to get the chance. He was basically going through the motions, though, and didn’t really put on a dazzling display. Having received a free ticket, though, it’s fair to say I got my money’s worth, and was a little saddened to see he leaves the high notes for his young backing singers.

Autumn is also starting to hit.

Cop A Gander At These Rippers Too...

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    How Did A 19th Century Kangaroo Spark Japan-Australia Ties That Now Seem A Perfect Match?

    カンガルーが火をつけた日豪交流 ― まさに“マッチ”した関係の始まり？ Long before Australia became one of Japan’s closest partners, Japanese manufacturers had been using kangaroos to promote their products. The earliest documented reference to the commercial use of a kangaroo in Japan came from 1884, when a misemono traveling curiosity show advertised that it would feature a fukuro nezumi, literally a pouch mouse, at the Tenmangu Shrine grounds in Osaka. オーストラリアが日本の最も親しいパートナーの一つとなるはるか以前、日本のメーカーはすでにカンガルーを商品の宣伝に活用していました。 現在確認されている日本におけるカンガルーの最初期の商業利用は、1884年に大阪・天満宮境内で開かれた見世物興行の広告です。そこには、カンガルーが「袋鼠（ふくろねずみ）」として紹介されていました。 A Kangaroo on a Matchbox マッチラベルに描かれたカンガルー Japan first enacted a trademark registration system in June 1885, and Kobe-based match manufacturer Seisuisha registered its first trademark on Oct. 11 of that year. It was a matchbox featuring a lion. The lion was part of a series…

  • Bonzer Bonsai!

    Given that this site started with the intent of spreading information about Japan and Australia and matters related to these countries, including languages, and then how much focus I have placed on gardening over the past couple of years, it’s surprising that I haven’t had much to say about bonsai. Or bonzer, for that matter. Bonsai is, of course, the Japanese art of miniature tree growing in trays: the literal meaning of the word bon (tray) sai (gro/cultivate). And, despite having written a Strine Dictionary, or list of Australian English terms, one of its notable absentees is the word bonzer, which was perhaps an iconic term Down Under in the…

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    レストランの「BYO」とは？

    What Is A Restaurant BYO? Imagine walking into a restaurant carrying a bottle of wine. In many countries, you’d be stopped at the door. In Australia? You might be thanked. A restaurant marked BYO means Bring Your Own alcohol. Many smaller restaurants don’t have a liquor licence. Instead of losing customers, they invite diners to bring their own beer or wine. The restaurant usually charges a small corkage fee to provide glasses and open the bottle. It’s a particularly popular tradition at family-run Asian restaurants, where bringing your favourite bottle has become part of the dining experience. Vocabulary ExpressionBYO Pronunciation/biː waɪ əʊ/ MeaningBring Your Own (usually alcohol). Example “Don’t forget—it’s…

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    Prompted by a Scottish mate’s post on Twitter about a tune that reminds him of his homeland, I got to thinking about the same kinds of songs that have an effect on me regarding Australia, my native country. While doing so, I realized there are probably a few shared by just about every Aussie on the planet. For Australians in their mid-60s and under, there is only one answer to the question posed by Doc Neeson and the Angels in their 1976 song, Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again? Ironically, the song was only a minor hit when first released, but has since became an iconic tune Down…

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