Raising Money for Japan at EN Japanese Brasserie
One week ago, I attended a sold-out gathering at EN Japanese Brasserie, a fabulous restaurant located at 435 Hudson Street in Manhattan. Dubbed Love For Japan, it was a fundraiser for the Japan Society’s Japan Earthquake Relief Fund, put together by the restaurant’s owner, Reika Yo Alexander. There were several speakers, including myself. I spoke about how I feel so compelled to do my part because of how the Japanese people have treated me during my many visits to that country – with such hospitality and with such good will and good nature. Wonderful sake, beer, and hors d’oeuvres inspired by the most affected prefectures; Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima, were served. And the legendary jazzman, Wynton Marsalis and his band performed for the crowd. I’m told that more than $100,000 was raised that evening with 100% of the proceeds donated to Japan Society’s Japan Earthquake Relief Fund and the Japanese Red Cross.
1 Here I am with Jesse Alexander - Partner of En Japanese Brasserie.
2 Donated auction item - A gown by award-winning costume designer - Patricia Field
3 Auction item - A hand bay by Threeasfour
4 Auction item - Childrens' clothing by Makié
5 Auction item - Sake donations from various vendors
6 Auction items - Donations by various artists
7 More donations by various artists
8 There was delicious food - Snow crab tempura rolls and fried shrimp tartar rolls
9 Onigiri (rice balls and the best miso soup
10 Ika (squid) tosa age and soba from Tohoku
11 Buri (yellow tail) carpaccio
12 Kakuni (pork belly) and fried chicken
13 Raw oysters on the half-shell
14 These are En's plates.
15 Napkins with En's Japanese Brasserie's logo
16 Wasabi (Japanese horseradish)
17 Gari (pickled ginger)
18 En's freshly made tofu - so very delicious!
19 The kitchen put together an really great vegetable arrangement.
20 Wynton Marsalis's band setting up
21 This is Hiroki Abe, the executive chef.
22 En's kitchen preparing for the event
23 The audience patiently waiting
24 This is the band, including Wynton (wearing blue) having dinner before the performance.
25 The chef serving rice pot
26 We were seated in a private dining area.
27 This was a salmon rice pot.
28 Posing with Motoatsu Sakurai - president of Japan Society
29 And posing with Chef Abe
30 Adorable little girls
31 Here I am with Reika Yo Alexander
32 Bobby Friedman
33 Wynton's daughter, Oni and her mother, Bernice Tsai
34 Love those red shoes!
35 Reika Yo Alexander gave a very touching speech before introducing me.
36 I spoke about how much Japan means to me on a personal and professional level.
37 Wynton Marsalis spoke passionately about Japan.
38 Michelle Harper wearing a Pierce Atkinson headdress.
39 A better look at the headdress
40 Terence Koh - artist - donated a black-ink drawing to a silent auction.
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Hi Martha,
One of the things I remember from your Martha Stewart Living show was your great love of Japan. I watched you live on a video stream from the fish market before webcasts became popular or maybe I should say easier to telecast. I remember it being scratchy. Anyway you always seemed so happy to be visiting there and then you’d come back and have guests like Nobu on your show and the mutual admiration would continue. I am happy to learn that this worthy fund raiser was successful and that you were a participant. They need so much help over there and if the tables were turned, they’d be coming to our aid as well. Trish
Posted by: Trish | March 30th, 2011 at 2:40 pm
I'm glad you all were able to raise so much money to help the people of Japan. I'm glad 100% of it is going to help. So many times, the people the help is for never see any of it.
Gloria G!!
Posted by: Gloria | March 30th, 2011 at 4:59 pm
Hi Martha, That sure was a terrific event to help out the people in Japan after the earthquake and tsunamis. Your photos are once again fantastic and the food and auction items are superb! I can tell you had a great time during that event and I thank you again for posting this great blog! Your previous blog post about the turkeys was very fascinating and reminded me of an aunt and uncle who raised turkeys and chickens in Sherwood, Oregon back in the late 40s or early 50s. I remember them getting a chicken ready for dinner and when it's head was removed, it ran all over the farm for a long time. The turkeys had to be covered when it rained or they would sit with their beaks open and drown. Very unusual. How fun to see you on Piers Morgan's show last night-loved you tweets then, also. Another great TV Show again today and how cute to see F&S out helping Guyrme fill the bird containers. Those girls are having so much fun together, again! Have a great day my dear generous person! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | March 30th, 2011 at 5:04 pm
Your humanitarianism is commendable Martha! The people of Japan are such a huge influence on the world, the least we can do is give back in times of need.
Posted by: Cara | March 30th, 2011 at 5:26 pm
Best wishes to the people of Japan. Thank you for including us in this wonderful fund raiser and also thank you for supporting Red Cross and relief funds helping earth quake victims.
Posted by: ann | March 30th, 2011 at 7:19 pm
Thank you Martha! The Japanese people are very special and a huge influence to the rest of the world. A wonderful event for a wonderful country and its people.
Posted by: Jamie | March 30th, 2011 at 7:35 pm
God has truly blessed you with your amazing and infinite talents and
gifts. You are special in his eyes by giving back. God bless you. AnnP.
Posted by: annpauley | March 30th, 2011 at 10:00 pm
A BIG THANK YOU to you Martha! Your head and your heart always seem to be in the right place! Just Love Ya!
Posted by: Carol Cook | March 30th, 2011 at 10:01 pm
"A Very Good Thing"!!!!
Posted by: Edith | March 30th, 2011 at 10:12 pm
As I am from Japan...
I would like to say "Thank you so much" for your BIG HART!!!
Posted by: Minako | March 30th, 2011 at 10:51 pm
Martha,
I am truly happy that you are goving to this worthy cause. I too have been mesmerized by Japan in my two visits to Japan. First in 1001 through Tokyo all the wau down to Jyushu and ten in 2009 when I made a pilgrmrimage to 33 Buddhist temples dedicated to the Buddhist boddhisatva, Kannon. It was life changing.
I like the clture, the food and the gepgraphy.
I have donated (for me) a lot of money to various Japan disaster relief organizations.
There is one that I hope that you and your fans will take a look at. My friend Cate, who is a Buddhist priest in Australia, led my pilgrimage in 2009 to the 33 temples dedicated to the Buddhist goddess of compassion, Kannon. After this disaster, she set up places to collect money at Curtin Universityy in Perth, Australia. They are also making paper cranes to send to a village in Japan.
I hope that folks will look at her web site and consider giving a donation, The website is http://www.wishesonwings.com
Thank you Martha for helping this country in a particularly hard time.
Posted by: Becky Jackson | March 30th, 2011 at 11:33 pm
Wonderful event for a special cause bless u Martha. The food looks delicious
Posted by: Rowaida Flayhan | March 31st, 2011 at 1:14 am
So happy to hear about your help to the Japanese.I was stunned to hear of their terrible tragedy and wish I knew how to find out about 2 pen-pals that I wrote to in Sendai 50 years ago, as a teenager.
I love your pictures of your homes!
You're amazing!
Posted by: Linda Duncan | March 31st, 2011 at 2:57 am
Martha,
Do you have any plans to include your PC user fans/Verizon customers with the ability to have access to your beautiful apps.
Also, watched you all night on HSN and can't wait to receive your four season collection of punches. Scared me this morning with your April Fools joke because I knew you have been suffering from a bad cold or alergy. Take care.
Linda
Posted by: Linda Lodge | April 2nd, 2011 at 12:17 am
This is a nice blog. I have an unrelated question, though. You might have answered it before and I've missed it. You seem to go without wearing mascara, eye shadow and lipstick these days. Why is that? I thought maybe you have a new philosophy of a more natural look?
Posted by: Chuck | April 4th, 2011 at 3:17 pm
What must have been a wonderful evening for a most wonderful cause...thank you for sharing this event which you attended and graciously spoke of Japan...I am certain it was greatly appreciated by the event holders and most certainly for all those affected by the horror of the quake and the devestating results.
My contribution to the relief effort has been on a much smaller scale of course, but every donation is so badly needed, large or small...it all adds up to helping our world neighbors as they struggle through a horrific event. Thank you Martha for your wonderful contributions and reminding us all to share our bounties, large or small. You are indeed an inspiration in so many ways.
Posted by: Becky Kuchefski | April 5th, 2011 at 2:19 pm