Nothing says, “Thanks, Dad,” like a perfectly chilled beer!
With Mother’s Day having come and gone, it’s time to start thinking about the dads and father figures of the world. Some of them might be hard to buy for and there are so many gifts to choose from, but we’ve got a new special gift that you can add to the list: cans of Yebisu beer that change color!
As a special treat for Father’s Day, Yebisu, a division of Sapporo, is producing a limited-time can that features a necktie and a rose on it. When the beer is room temperature (the wrong temperature), they remain white, but cool the can to below 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit), and the tie and rose turn a manly shade of pink!
▼ This Yebisu beer contains 5 percent alcohol.
If you are a father, you know your heart melts a little bit when your loved one brings you a nice cold brew. Now you can know for certain that it’s just the right temperature! But be sure to specify that you want the beer with the pink tie and rose, or else you might end up with an actual pink tie and flowers — and those contain exactly zero percent alcohol.
Source: Entabe Images: PR Times (top image edited by RocketNews24)
When I lost my virginity, I was on cloud nine. The sex was fantastic. He was a brown-haired, green-eyed hunk of a man I’d met at a dingy bar in Manhattan — I’d snuck in with a fake ID. I prided myself on hitting the sexual jackpot.
At 17, I remember wishing hard that he was “the one.” He was perfect. Even at that young age, I’d often heard great sex and a great relationship are hard to have at once; many times, one of those two things is brilliant at the expense of the other. But I had both, and I was going to do my best to hold onto it. I’d convinced myself he was the best sex I was ever going to have.
I’m sure you’ve figured out by now that it didn’t work out between us. Years passed, and I grew up a lot. To my surprise, I learned you can indeed have great sex even with someone who’s not your soulmate.
Even still, there’s a distinct difference between great sex with someone who’s good for you and great sex with someone who’s horrible for you. Sex with someone who’s wrong for you feels anything but wrong because deep down, you know it can’t last, so you savor every little moment you have with him. It feels precariously sexy.
I found myself almost becoming addicted to the thrill of this dangerous, short-lived tryst. My so-called addiction began with a guy named Colin.*
Colin and I started as a fun little thing. He was from a small town in Ireland, where his mom taught him how to raise chickens and cows and do manly things with his hands. I was a somewhat spoiled girl from the upper middle class of Long Island who didn’t know how to make a bed (don’t judge me). Despite having nothing in common besides each other, he and I had pinch-me-I’m-dreaming kind of sex.
Until I met him, I didn’t know sex could feel so good. It was so fantastic I’m still unsure whether I actually fell for him or merely landed myself in a pesky sex haze. Ugh, the sex haze. It’s so bittersweet. The man rendered me absolutely ravenous.
Of course, there was a loophole. As much as Colin loved to have sex, he loved to drink even more. There was nothing more important to him than turning up and running away: from the world, from his problems, from me. Drinking turned him into a distant, disconnected man who refused to acknowledge he had any feelings worth talking about. He was just another 20-something guy who drowned his emotions in the bottle (only he had an actual addiction).
Which is why it came to my surprise that in the bedroom, everything was different. He was different. We were connected by mind, body and soul. Our sex was slow and tender, honest and beautiful. He’d make my toes curl and my fists clench. I don’t know if he just needed a warm-up, but sex really helped him open up.
“I suppose I just hang out in the wrong company,” he said to me once after a three-hour-long bang session.
Ah, yes. These were the moments I’d been waiting for. This was the good stuff.
I turned to him and touched his face. “Tell me more.”
It’d have been a miracle to get a confession like that out of him anywhere else but my bedroom. For that reason, I grew to love our time between the sheets. The heart-to-hearts, though far-and-few-in-between, made the sex that much more special. It all felt so easy. So right. Too good to be true.
And, in fact, it was.
One day, he stopped calling me or returning my texts and calls, and I didn’t know how to handle it. At that point, my body was so comfortable with his body that I needed it back. I’d never felt such a visceral longing for anything before.
And what was I going to do with all the deep, dark things he’d confided in me? I was lost.
It took me a long time to accept his absence, but I think everything happens for a reason. I think the universe got rid of him for me because I didn’t have enough willpower or respect for myself to get rid of him on my own. The man could made me orgasm three times in a row, but he was the worst possible person for me. He was an illusion.
I’d describe my relationship with Colin the same way I’d describe my insatiable craving for coffee-flavored Haagen-Dazs ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I couldn’t have him all the time, so I wanted him all the time. And when I did have him, he tasted like sweet sin, because I knew each time there’d be consequences. I’d always come down fast and be left wanting even more.
Sometimes, I still think about him when I go on a date with someone else. I even fantasize about him when I’m exploring my body alone in my bed after a long day. He was the forbidden fruit. The guy I wanted to change, the guy I wanted to need me, the guy whose shortcomings made me feel important. I kind of wish I’d never met him so I didn’t have him as a standard to compare, uh, everyone else I meet to.
But what he had to offer me wasn’t real. None of it was.
With no sign yet of the seven-year-old, new details have emerged about the chain of events that led to the ongoing crisis.
As of the morning of June 1, search and rescue teams have been unable to locate Yamato Tanooka, a second-year elementary school students who on Saturday, May 28 was left by the side of the road in a wooded, mountainous section of Hokkaido, the northernmost and least-densely populated of Japan’s four main islands. As the search continues, the boy’s parents have revealed more information as to why they ordered their child out of their car, and how different the result of their actions is from what they’d intended.
Earlier in the day on May 28, the family of four, consisting of Yamato, his parents, and his younger sister, had gone on an outing to a riverside park in the town of Shikabecho. While there, Yamato had amused himself by throwing rocks at other visitors and their cars. Most would judge that as beyond the acceptable range of childhood mischievousness, and thus calling for some form of punishment, which Yamato’s parents decided to administer on the drive home.
“In order to discipline him,” relays Yamato’s father, Takayuki, “we wanted to scare him a little, so we stopped the car and told him to get out.”
The parents claim they returned to the scene five minutes later, intending to pick Yamato up after hopefully teaching him a lesson that would leave a lasting impression on him. However, by that time the child had wandered off, and has not been seen since. Searches by members of the police and fire department have proved unsuccessful, so on the morning of June 1 they were joined by 70 members of Japan’s Self-Defense Forces, bringing the total size of the search party to 200 people.
In speaking with the media, Takayuki has expressed deep remorse for what he has done. “[Yamato] is an active, healthy boy, but I’m worried about his safety,” the 44-year-old Takayuki said, and considering how long his son has been missing, he has good reason to be.
When it comes to friendships, I do my best to channel my inner Carrie Bradshaw. Men might disappoint you, cheat on you or abandon you, but you will always have girlfriends in your corner. They’re your real soulmates. If I’ve learned one thing from my ex-boyfriends, it’s how important your friendships are. It doesn’t matter if you travel an hour away or across the world, the most important thing is making time for a getaway with your clique.
Summer is the perfect time to book your girls trip. If you’re looking to up your Instagram game, I humbly suggest a trip out to sunny Santa Barbara. Not sold? Take this quiz to find your perfect vacation spot. Regardless of where you jet off to, read on to see three reasons you need to book a trip ASAP.
1. When The Cat’s Away, The Mice Will Play
You can learn a lot about your partner with some time and space. How does your man act when you’re gone? Does he text you nonstop demanding your attention? It’s a huge red flag when you get a “?” text after you leave a message unanswered for a short time. Unless he’s on his deathbed or you hid his work laptop, it can wait.
On the other end of the spectrum, it doesn’t feel great when he’s totally unresponsive either. Every trip I’ve taken, the girls carve out a little time to head outside and call their partners. Can’t get a hold of your boo for even a few minutes? That lack of effort might be something that requires some attention and reflection.
2. Your Girls Will Tell It Like It Is
It’s hard to take the advice you’d give to someone else, especially when you’re “kind of seeing someone.” You might be prone to make excuses for your potential partner-to-be. You might rationalize he never calls you before 10:00 pm because he works nonstop, but your girlfriends will tell you he’s not serious.
Long-term relationships can make your judgment just as cloudy. Does your boyfriend make you feel crazy for getting upset when his mom puts you down? Your gal pals will reassure you that this is so not OK. No relationship is perfect, but your girlfriends love you. They’re protective of how you should be treated and will both point out and stand up for you when something is awry.
3. Everyone Eventually Needs A Shoulder To Cry On
We all have the friend who ghosts as soon as she gets in a relationship. The club scene understandably loses its appeal when you’re coupled up, but missing every brunch and canceling coffee dates comes at a cost. Even if your new significant other ends up being your dream man, a life centered around your husband will be a lonely one. Even the happiest couples need to vent after the honeymoon period.
Worse comes to worst, having a circle of friends to support you can make all the difference if things crash and burn. Invest in your friends and they’ll invest in you. When you’re ready to go dancing or want a martini downtown, you’ll hop on a group text that hasn’t lay idle for months and have solid plans to in minutes.
If you’re lucky, you’ll return home from your trips with a new appreciation for your man. If you’re not, you might have to make some tough calls and have some serious talks. Boys aside, travel provides a serious brain break. Exciting distractions with the people you love lets you breathe. The girls and I still talk about that cruise we took in the Bahamas right after we turned 21. I look at pictures from our Vegas and Palm Springs trips often. Whenever Denver comes up in conversation, I have a story to tell.
Girls’ trips revive and rejuvenate. Memories are made and bonds go deeper. If you’re unlucky and experience some drama in your clique, you’ll at least know it’s time to let go of a toxic friend. You probably saw it coming anyway. So get to work. Book a flight, create a group Pinterest board, start that email chain and plan your summer getaway.
The hit manga-turned-anime is about to receive its first live-action adaptation for television.
Sometimes it’s fun to think about how Japan seems to have at least one hit manga series for every sport imaginable–including cycling. This particular niche is filled by none other than Wataru Watanabe’s breakaway hit Yowamushi Pedal, which followsthe adventures of the fictional Sohoku High School’s cycling club members.The ongoing serieshas been serialized in Akita Shoten’s Weekly Shonen Champion magazine since 2008, subsequently spawned numerous stage plays, two hit anime seasons (with a third set to premiere in January 2017), and this summer will become a live-action Japanese television drama.
The new series will air on BS SKY PerfecTV! starting in August, with a special broadcast including on-location cast member interviews rumored to air in July. Not much is known about the production yet except for two details: first, that the drama will be directed by Takayoshi Tanazawa, who is known for co-directing 2015’s hit drama Shitamachi Rocket and 2013’s Hanzawa Game, and second, that the screenplay will be by Kota Fukihara, who most recently wrote the script for the Tensai Bakabon~Kazoku no Kizuna TV special, another live-action adaptation of a manga series, in March of this year.
No word on the casting yet, but if they’re ever in a pinch, we suppose they could always call this guy on a mamachari to stand in for series’ protagonist Sakamichi Onoda.
An aversion to gluten doesn’t have to interfere with your gluttony for ramen at the collection of prestigious restaurants specializing in the delicious noodles.
Out of Japan’s three favorite types of noodles, soba, udon, and ramen, it’s the third that’s really taken off internationally. That’s fitting, seeing as how ramen was originally a culinary import from China, and having the shortest history in Japan makes it the least bound by traditions and the most adaptable to foreign palates.
Of course, there’s also the simple fact that ramen just tastes really, really good.
But while people across the globe have been joining in on the ramen love fest over the past few years, there’s one group that’s been left out: diners sticking to a no-gluten diet, whether for health or personal reasons. After all, ramen noodles are ordinarily made from wheat, which is the most common source of dietary gluten in most cuisines.
Starting today, though, two ramen restaurants in Yokohama will be adding gluten-free ramen to their menus, allowing lovers and haters of the divisive protein alike to slurp side by side in culinary harmony.
Both restaurants are located within the Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum, a collection of satellite branches of prestigious and noteworthy ramen restaurants located near Yokohama’s Shinkansen station. The first gluten-free option comes from Muku Zweite, which replaces the regular wheat noodles with ones made from rice flour and uses a no-flour miso broth. Along with chashu pork, you’ll also find carrots, bean sprouts, onions, and cabbage in the bowl.
▼ Muku Zweite’s gluten-free ramen, priced at 950 yen (US$8.60)
If you’re craving seafood instead of veggies, Komurasaki’s gluten-free ramen is filled with the blessings of the sea. The harusame (bean starch) vermicelli noodles are served in a salty pork broth and topped with shrimp, squid, clams, kikurage (cloud ear mushrooms), cabbage, bean sprouts, and half a hard-boiled egg.
▼ Komurasaki’s gluten-free ramen (700 yen)
The addition of gluten-free ramen lineup follows two other culinary globalization milestones at the museum the introduction of vegetarian ramen in 2004 and “Muslim-friendly” ramen in 2013.
Museum information
Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum / 新横浜ラーメン博物館
Address: Kanagawa-ken, Yokohama-shi, Kohoku-ku, Shin Yokohama 2-14-21
神奈川県横浜市港北区新横浜2−１４−２１
Open 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Admission 310 yen Website
You know what else is gluten-free? Following Casey on Twitter!
The stunning new plate series brings iconic imagery from the modern-day world of manga and anime to a revered traditional art.
Tono, in Gifu Prefecture, is well-known for its acclaimed ceramics culture, with the area’s locally made Mino ware pottery highly regarded as some of the best in the country. With manufacturing origins that can be traced back to the 7th century, the area has long produced tableware for kaiseki traditional meals and bowls for formal tea ceremonies. Now, for the 21st century, Mino ware producers are creating plates for legions of anime fans.
The “Mino Mame Sara Set” comes in two varieties, each featuring four “mame sara” (“legume plates”) measuring 7 centimetres (2.8 inches) in diameter.
▼ The Gintama set brings you a plate for every season, perfect for serving up snacks or creating conversations as display pieces.
▼ Tatsuma Sakamoto, or Katsura no Tatsu (The Dragon of Katsurahama), portrays an image of winter with the season’s iconic pine tree in the background.
▼ Shinsuke Takasugi, or Kiheitai Soutoku, the Leader of the Kiheitai, is pictured with the Higanbana (“red spider lily”) autumn flower.
▼ Katsura Kotarou, or Kyouran no Kikoushi (The Nobleman of Fury), appears alongside a summer iris.
▼ Sakata Gintoki, or Shiroyasha (White Demon), is joined by one of the nation’s most iconic symbols of spring: the sakura cherry blossom.
▼ The Naruto plate set focuses in on some famous Mangekyo Sharingan (Copy Wheel Eyes) as a tribute to Uchiha clan members from the much-loved series.
▼ The Six-Sided Star Shape belongs to Sasuke Uchiha.
▼ Itachi Uchiha wields the Three-Sided Cyclone.
▼ This distinctive shuriken throwing-star shape is for Obito Uchiha.
▼ While the circular design is used by Madara Uchiha.
Each set comes in a beautifully designed box made from Paulownia wood and is available for purchase from the Premium Bandai officialsite for 4,320 yen (US$39), with August delivery. Unfortunately, it looks like Premium Bandai does not offer international shipping, so if you want some of these plates, you’ll need to use a reshipping service.
And if you need a fancy drink to go with your fancy plates, we’d recommend checking out this rare 30th-anniversary Dragon Quest sake! Just be careful not to drink too much and then drop all your plates…
Animators with ties to Studio Ghibli and Walt Disney Japan team up for mouth-watering anime ad.
With Hayao Miyazaki claiming he’s retired for good from making feature films, it’s looking increasingly unlikely that we’ll ever see another theatrical anime from Studio Ghibli, the production company he helped establish. But while Miyazaki is famous for his boundless work ethic and hands-on approach to directing, it’s not like he personally drew each and every frame in the movies he directed. Many of the other artists who had a hand in Studio Ghibli’s success are still working today, such as Koji Aritomi.
Aritomi’s biggest Ghibli credit is as assistant director for Princess Mononoke, which was originally intended to be Miyazaki’s final film (his first try at retirement didn’t stick), but Aritomi was also involved in the production of Ghibli projects Whisper of the Heart, Pom Poko, Porco Rosso, On Your Mark, and Ocean Waves (also known as I Can Hear the Sea). Outside of Ghibli, he’s also been an episode director for Space Brothers and Kill la Kill, but now Aritomi is carrying on Studio Ghibli’s tradition of rendering delicious-looking food in anime form by serving as the animation director on this promotional video for Japan Agriculture’s Kumamoto division.
The short is titled Nikoyaka Restaurant, with “Nikoyaka” being a mix of the first syllables in the Japanese words niku (meat), kome (rice), yasai (vegetables), and kajitsu (fruits). During its roughly 90-second runtime, we see the two cooks of the Nikoyaka Restaurant whip up dishes for hungry customers, using locally-sourced ingredients, of course, while a young girl (presumably the cooks’ daughter) lends a hand.
But Ghibli isn’t the only famous animation studio in the short’s pedigree. Project supervisor Takahiro Ikezo is currently attached to Walt Disney Animation Japan, and has also been an animator on anime including Den-noh Coil, Fuse, and Polar Bear Cafe.
▼ As delicious as everything looks, don’t forget to save room for anime dessert!
If watching the video gives you the sudden urge to get up and grab a snack, that’s totally understandable. Don’t forget to come back and watch the rest of it, though. You won’t want to miss the surreal part where not only Kumamoto’s farmers and ranchers come streaming into the restaurant, but also their apparently thrilled-to-be-soon-eaten livestock.
Oh, and if you’re in the mood to sing along, here are the lyrics to the Nikoyaka Restaurant song.
Nikoyaka no ni ha oniku no ni Nikoyaka no ko ha okome no ko Nikoyaka no ya ha yasai no ya Nikoyaka no ka ha kajitsu no ka
Translation:
The ni in Nikoyaka is the ni in niku.
The ko in Nikoyaka is the ko in kome.
The ya in Nikoyaka is the ya in yasai.
The ka in Nikoyaka is the ni in kajitsu.
Now if you’ll excuse us, we really can’t ignore the rumbling in our stomachs any longer, so it’s off to the kitchen to get dinner ready.
Casey wishes some delicious cows would wander into his kitchen, but he’d also be happy with some nice readers following him on Twitter.
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