FEW Kansai: A Networking Group for Foreign Women

Monthly Meeting - 28/05/09

FEW Members’ Powwow

When: Thursday, May 28, 2009 
Time:    6:00 pm Drinks, 7 pm Dinner, 8pm Powwow
Where: 10th Floor Hilton Osaka
Cost: 4000 yen – Members & Guests (Women Only)
RSVP: few_adm@hotmail.com by May 25 

***A great opportunity for guests to see what FEW is about!***

May’s monthly meeting will focus on FEW’s greatest resource – our members! FEW members and guests will have opportunities to mingle with everyone present and to share their stories. 

Why are we in Japan? What brings us joy and frustration while here? What are we still looking for? What can we offer to others? What’s our vision for FEW’s future? 

It will be an open forum for networking and sharing with a few fun surprises sprinkled throughout the evening.

March Monthly Meeting - 3/26/09

What Is Brand? How Do You Create One For Yourself?

Date:        Thursday, March 26, 2009
Time:        6:00 pm Drinks, 7 pm Dinner, 8pm Presentation
Where:     10th Floor Hilton Osaka
Speaker:   Barry Vucsko, Creative Director, Dentsu Inc.
Cost:        4000 ¥ - Members
               6000 ¥ - Non-Members (Women Only)
RSVP:       few_adm@hotmail.com by March 23

Brand and branding are words that are thrown around with reckless abandoned these days. And, it seems they mean different things to everyone. But what is the real meaning of brand? And what can it mean for you?

Barry Vucsko will discuss simple ways to understand the concept of brand as it relates to a company’s products and services and as it relates to the individual. He will elucidate the basics of how brands are built on a national and multinational scale as well as how you can build your own brand around you. This discussion is important for anyone running or marketing a company or marketing herself.

Currently a Creative Director at Dentsu Inc in Osaka, Barry Vucsko is an accomplished international marketing professional with 20 years of experience in brand strategy, advertising, sales promotion and interactive design and development. He has worked with over 80 corporate clients on five continents and in multiple countries, garnering a wide array of advertising and marketing awards in all mediums. Mr. Vucsko holds an MBA from Indiana University's Kelley School of Business and a BA from Columbia College Chicago. While working in Chicago, Mr. Vucsko was also an Adjunct Professor of Marketing Communications at Columbia College Chicago for more than 13 years.

Food Menu:

 

** All menus come with a dessert of Mint flavoured Strawberry fruits soup with Mascarpone ice cream and coffee or tea **

 

 

                                        > Regular <

 

Marinated grilled sea bream, new onion and mustard soy vinaigrette

***

Roasted cumin-yogurt marinated Spanish mackerel

Sautéed sprout and honey pepper sauce

 

 

<Meat>

Salad of beef Tataki with mountain vegetables frit, Yuzu pepper vinaigrette

***

Braised pork belly and prune with balsamic vinegar

 

 

 

<Vegetarian >

Salad of green asparagus with tomato salsa

***

Vegetables pilaf with mountain vegetables frit

Monthly Meeting - 2/26/09

Date:        Thursday, February 26, 2009
Time:        6:00 pm Drinks, 7 pm Dinner, 8pm Presentation
Where:     10th Floor Hilton Osaka
Speaker:   Vanessa Asell, ASICS Corporation
               Global Sportstyle Team – Product Marketing Department
Cost:        4000 yen - Members
               6000 yen - Non-Members (Women Only)
RSVP:       few_adm@hotmail.com by February 23

Being the odd one out can be a great advantage with employment opportunities. When Vanessa Asell joined ASICS in 2006 there were no other Westerners at the well-known Japanese athletic footwear, sports apparel and accessories maker. In February Vanessa will share her experiences in Japan as a journalist in Tokyo, a participant in the European Union-sponsored and Japanese-themed Executive Training Program, and as the Women’s Sportstyle Footwear Coordinator at ASICS Corporation’s head office in Kobe.

Originally from Sweden, Vanessa spent her teen years in Barcelona and college years studying journalism in London. She came to Japan in 2001 to work as a journalist in Tokyo. Frustrated by her lack of Japanese, Vanessa joined the EU’s Executive Training Program. This opportunity led her to an unexpected career path with ASICS. Since joining ASICS Vanessa has run four marathons.





Food Menu:

*** Menu ***

 

 (All menus come with a dessert of  Apple Clafouti with Coconut Ice Cream and Hazelnut Tuile, Honey mixed nut sauce and coffee or tea).

 

 

<Fish>

 

Carpaccio of tuna on rice salad with ruccola

Basil paste, chili oil

***

Fillet of salmon “Caprese” on tomato coulis

Steamed potato, basil pesto

 

 

 

 

<Meat>

 

Smoked duck breast with Misticanza salad

Blueberry vinaigrette

***

Veal saltimbocca with sage jus

Soft polenta, seasonal vegetables

***

 

 

 

 

 

<Vegetarian & Vegan Meal >

 

Grilled vegetables salad with herb vinaigrette

***

Gratinated eggplant with tomato sauce and bread crumb

***

 

 
 <Special Dessert for Vegan>

Assorted fruits

***

Monthly Meeting - 1/29/09

Can You Afford Your Future Happiness?

Date:        Thursday, January 29, 2009
Time:        6:00 pm Drinks, 7 pm Dinner, 8pm Presentation
Where:     10th Floor Hilton Osaka
Speaker:   Michael Feldman, International Independent Financial Advisor
Cost:        ¥ 4000 - Members
               ¥ 6000 - Non-Members (Women Only)
RSVP:       few_adm@hotmail.com by January 26

 
The present financial situation is worrying and confusing. How can we save for the future and know whom to trust? Where should we invest our hard-earned income? In January personal financial planner specialist Michael Feldman will discuss timely and important financial issues in hopes of helping you to avoid being a victim of the next economic crisis.

Originally from London, Michael Feldman now splits his time between Kobe and Tokyo. After stints as a Finance Director and Chief Accountant at UK companies, he entered the financial service industry in 1989. An active member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, the Kobe Chamber of Commerce and the International Business Networking Program, Michael’s personal mission is to help people enjoy future happiness by advising and assisting them to achieve financial security.


Food Menu:
 

<Fish>

 

Dill marinated salmon on grains crepe, salmon roe and cucumber sour cream sauce

 

Gratinated layers of sea bass, eggplant and zucchini, tomato sauce

 

 

 

    <Meat>

 

Terrine of white liver with mandarin jelly, fennel salad and Pernod vinaigrette

 

Roasted duck breast, potato paillasson and berry sauce

 

 

 

<Vegetarian>

 

 Root vegetable minestrone

 

Penne arrabbiata

 

 

** All MENUS come with a Dessert of Milk chocolate and Yuzu parfait, kumquat compote and Japanese tea crisp and coffee or tea **

Monthly Meeting - 11/20/08

Working for Yourself in Japan: A “FEW” Good Women Share Their Stories

Date:                    Thursday, November 20th, 2008
Time:                   6:00pm Drinks, 7pm Dinner, 8pm Presentation
Where:                 10th Floor Hilton Osaka
Guest Speaker:      FEW Member:
                           Lorraine Mills of Abundance Photography                      
Cost:                    4000 ¥ Members / 6000 ¥ Non-Members (Women Only)
RSVP:                   Evelyn Lopez by November 17

Launching your own projects and starting businesses in Japan can be easy as well as nerve wracking!  In November, FEW member Lorraine Mills will share some of her highlights and challenges of being self-employed in Japan.

Lorraine came to Japan in December 2002 with a dream of being an author.  Leaving behind a holistic therapy business in England, she turned down an English teaching job to keep her days free to write. Struggling to get to grips with Japanese life in general, she started taking photographs in an effort to help create her own e-book covers. With no previous training in photography she ended up registering herself as a photography business in May of 2007.  As 2009 approaches she is having her work translated in Japanese and hopes to continue with her writing.  You can view her photography at www.abundancephotography.com

Food Menu:

 

** All menus come with a dessert of "Chestnut Tiramisu with lemon gelato, strawberry balsamic sauce," coffee or tea. **

 

 

<Fish>

Terrine of conger eel and organic brown rice risotto with apple and celery salad

***

Pan roasted spiced Itoyori filled with Chinese cabbage and beurre blanc

***

 

 

<Meat>

Salad of sliced chicken breast, basil tomato vinaigrette

***

Beef stroganoff with buttered rice and provencal tomato

***

 

 

<Vegetarian>

Terrine of Mozzarella and organic brown rice risotto with apple and celery salad

***

Baked tofu and seasonal vegetables scented with tapenade in filo pastry

Fresh tomato coulis

***

 

Monthly Meeting - 10/30/08

The Magic of Living Deliberately

Date:                    Thursday, October 30, 2008
Time:                    6:00pm Drinks, 7pm Dinner, 8pm Presentation
Where:                 10th Floor Hilton Osaka
Guest Speaker:       Chris Sharp
Cost:                     4000 yen - Members
                            6000 yen - Non-Members (Women Only)
RSVP:                    Evelyn Lopez by October 26

In 1987, an educator named Harry Palmer outlined an intriguing series of mental procedures. When correctly applied, these procedures unravel many of the more profound mysteries of human consciousness. For the first time, a clear interrelation between the operation of human awareness and the technologies of man could be demonstrated. Subjects as dissimilar as religion and physics suddenly found themselves sharing common ground. Concepts such as universal mind, mass consciousness, and extrasensory awareness moved from being dim and speculative to being tangibly experiential.

On October 30, Chris Sharp will provide insights into 'Living deliberately,' how to operate as a creative source- there are many domains of reality, and each contains many levels of creative source. What you can create, control, or change through your own efforts and willpower determines the size of the reality
domain in which you can operate as a creative source.
 
Extraordinary moments! Awe-full moments! Experiences that cast even life and death in minor perspective! They leave unexplained magic moments and hint of a thread which, were we able to pull it, might utterly unravel and redefine what we are and what we are becoming. 
 

Menu selections

 

** All menus come with a dessert of Spiced Pumpkin Cream Brulee with Red Wine Pear Compote, and coffee or tea. **

 

 

<Fish>

Tartar of smoked salmon and persimmon, horseradish cream and mache salad

***

Roasted sea bream with steamed potato and mushroom essence

***

 

 

 

<Meat>

Terrine of chicken liver with nuts and raisin

 White wine jelly and mango mousseline

***

Roast beef fillet with sweet potato duchesse, tarragon madeira sauce

***

 

 

<Vegetarian>

Timbale of marinated grilled eggplant and vegetable tartar

Roast beetroot, Muscat and musclun salad, walnut oil- yogurt dressing

***

Chestnut croquette with wild mushroom

Mustard flavored celeriac mouseline and balsamic reduction

***

 

Monthly Meeting - 9/25/08

Seeking “Fairness” Instead of “Equality”: How P&G Japan Became The Best Company for Women to Work

Date:                    Thursday, September 25, 2008
Time:                    6:00pm Drinks, 7pm Dinner, 8pm Presentation
Where:                 10th Floor Hilton Osaka
Guest Speaker:       Maria Macuare, Business Analysis, P&G Japan
Cost:                     4000 yen - Members
                            6000 yen - Non-Members (Women Only)
RSVP:                    Evelyn Lopez  by September 22

Upon the 20th anniversary of Nikkei Woman in 2008, they conducted an extensive survey evaluating over 400 companies on their women-friendly work environments and systems. Companies were rated in four areas: (1) Number of Women in Management Positions, (2) Leveraging Female Employees, (3) Work and Life Balance, and (4) Gender Equality. Nikkei Woman conducted the same survey in 2006. P&G Japan was recognized as the No.1 company in both surveys, thereby receiving the recognition of “being the best” two times in a row. P&G earned special mention for the high number of women in senior management positions. Nikkei concluded that these results are the outcome of P&G efforts for leveraging diversity to best serve its consumers. Maria Macuare will explain how P&G Japan achieved these impressive results in September’s monthly meeting.
 
Maria Macuare was born in Maturin, Venezuela, and she graduated from the Universidad Catolica Andres Bello in Caracas as a Civil Engineer. She joined P&G in Caracas in 1999 and transferred to Japan in 2003. Maria leads the Business Analysis department for P&G Japan and profoundly believes in the power of diversity. She has facilitated workshops, gender differences awareness trainings and has spoken in external forums championing P&G diversity efforts. She’s married to another “P&Ger” and is currently expecting her first child.

"Living in Japan being a “latina” has exposed me to two opposite extremes of personal beliefs and behaviors, I have learnt that all personalities and backgrounds have their rightful place in the workplace, which ultimately enhances business results."

Menu Selections:

<Fish>

Marinated sea scallop and shrimp on sweet potato mousseline, crustacean jelly

Pan roasted John Dory on bayeldi, olive and anchovy butter sauce

 

<Meat>

Salad of beef Tataki and water cress, black vinegar and sesame oil vinaigrette

Pan roasted spiced pork fillet, beef jus and caramelized fig

 

<Vegetarian>

Chilled Fedelini with fresh peach, basil and mint pesto

Eggplant Parmigiana

 

** All menus come with a dessert of Pineapple & Caramel Nuts Tart with Lemon Gelato and coffee or tea.

June Monthly Meeting - 6/26/08

From Novice to Novelist: Building a Literary Career in Rural Japan

Date:                    Thursday, June  26, 2008
Time:                   6:30pm Drinks, 7pm Dinner,
                            8-9pm Presentation
Where:                 10th Floor Hilton Osaka
Guest Speaker:     Suzanne Kamata, Author
Cost:                    ¥4,000 Members, ¥6,000 Non-members

May Monthly Meeting - 5/29/08 - Extended Mingling Time!

A Foreign Potter’s Tale: Differences in Training, Working and Showing in Japan and the West

Date:                    Thursday, May 29, 2008
Time:                   6:00pm Drinks/Mingling, 7pm Dinner,
                            8-9pm Presentation,
                            9-10pm Drinks/Mingling
Where:                 10th Floor Hilton Osaka
Guest Speaker:     John Dix, Potter
Cost:                     ¥4,000 Members, ¥6,000 Non-members

March Monthly Meeting - 3/27/08

Planning for Success: Using the Virtual Bench for your
Personal and Professional Development

When:                     Thursday, March 27, 2008
Time:                       6:30pm Drinks, 7pm Dinner,
                               8-9pm Presentation
Where:                    10th Floor Hilton Osaka
Guest Speaker:        Paul Dupuis, Director of West Japan
                                Wall Street Associates
Cost:                     　¥4,000 Members, ¥6,000 Non-members