Nisei Ski Club

by Jeanne Katsuro, Vice President

Congratulations to our Newly Elected Board Members for 2023-2024

President – Armand Guitierrez

Vice President – Jeanne Katsuro

Trip Director – Karen Soo

Treasurer – Frank Chang

Newsletter Editor – Karen Soo

Membership Chairperson – Tina Woo

Board Members:

          Curtis Otaguro

          Joel Hayashida

          Roland Lee

          Jeff Honda

We want to thank our Past Board Members who have served on the Nisei Ski Club as Officers and Board Members for many years. We appreciate all your hard work and devotion to Nisei Ski Club.

Hoyt Nelson – at least 30 years joined in the mid 1970’s

Rick Dumlao – 5 years joined 2012

          David Schultz – 4 years joined in 2018

We also welcome new board members.

          Joel Hayashida, Past Nisei Ski Club President for coming back as a Board member

          Roland Lee, a Nisei Ski Club Member accepting the role of New Board member

          Jeff Honda, a brand-New Nisei Ski Club Member accepting the role of a New Board member

We are excited about having new energy on our Board to help us grow our club with new and exciting ideas for Ski and Social Events.

Congratulations again!

by Karen Soo, Newsletter Editor

Come on out and volunteer your time to help the local community.

Mountain View Buddhist Temple is having their annual Obon Festival.

Dates – Saturday, July 15^th and Sunday, July 16^th.

Save those dates. We would like our members to participate and lend a hand with the bazaar.

In the past years, Nisei Ski Club members had volunteered at the Obon Festival beer booth. You know how that goes. A little pour, a little sip on the side. BURP..

This year, the Mountain View Buddhist Temple (MVBT) Obon Festival bazaar committee members are developing an online volunteer sign-up page for the various activities and booths leading up to the bazaar and during the two-day bazaar on Saturday, July 15^th and Sunday, July 16^th. 

At this time, the sign-up site is still in “the work in progress” stage and will not be ready for the June newsletter.

We will keep you up to date as we get more information.

Thank you for stepping up to the plate to VOLUNTEER!

by Hoyt Nelson, Board Member

JOIN US FOR A BOCCEBALL PARTY @ SAN JOSE’s LAKE ALMADEN PARK SAT, JUNE 24 2023

The place has bathrooms, water fountains, picnic tables and 4 very nice courts.  Also there is an enjoyable half mile path around the lake.  Haven’t played before?  Basically, you roll your bocce ball as close as possible to a small target ball (called a pallino) for points.  Teams can be 1, 2 or 4 per end. 

DIRECTIONS: From hwy 85 going SE, take Almaden Expwy.  S (Left) for about a mile. Turn L onto Coleman Rd. and turn R onto Winfield Blvd. (1^st stop light) toward the Lake.  Parking is free on both sides of the road.  Park near the entrance shack near the end of the road near a Stop sign or pay $5 at the shack to park inside if necessary.  The courts are toward the lake about 100 ft. from the road near the entrance shack.  There is a sign nearby with basic rules. 

 We will meet at the courts at 10AM.  The courts are free (first come, first served).   I and several other members have bocce ball sets.  You can bring lunch or meet others for lunch locally after the games. 

To sign up, contact Hoyt Nelson at bocce@niseiskiclub.org Hope to see you there.

by Judy Hom, Janet Gee, NSC Members

Do you want to learn how to play MahJong but don’t know anyone who can teach you? Then, sign up for the NSC Mah Jong class and potluck! Judy Hom and Janet Gee will teach you the basics so you won’t be intimidated to play with others. We will focus on the Cantonese style where we play with 13 tiles and flowers. If Mah Jong is on your bucket list, then sign-up! When you sign up, you will receive a cheat sheet and a list of MahJong resources. We know that all NSC members like to eat so this is also a potluck event. 

Date:            Saturday, June 10th

Time:           11am – 3:pm

Where:         Judy and Winston’s backyard, 18995 Carlton Avenue, Castro Valley

Cost: $5 for members and $10 for non-members. Bring a potluck dish to feed 4 or more.

Please bring your own water bottle, beverages will be provided. 

Space is limited to 16 sign-ups. Pls RSVP by June 5th.

Please fill out a form for each person that is attending. For more information, please email Judy at mahjong@niseiskiclub.org.

SIGN UP HERE: MahJong

by Karen Soo, Trip Director

Please join us on Saturday, July 22 at Las Palmas Park in Sunnyvale for our annual Nisei Ski Club Luau Picnic.

Time – 12:00pm – 5:00pm

You will receive your Evite invitation in June.

How is Karen going to coordinate the picnic from New York?

Just watch and see.

Please RSVP no later than July 19th, so we can order the right amount of food for the picnic.

NISEI SKI CLUB LUAU PICNIC INFO

Join us and meet your fellow members.

by Karen Soo, Newsletter Editor

Hey Fellow Chefs,

When I’m eating at a Shanghainese restaurant, I like to order the scallion pancakes from the menu. Who can resist? Its fried, its crispy and delicious.

My instincts tell me I can make this at home. After checking out some scallion pancake recipes, it requires a longer process.

You start the dough with flour, water, salt and oil.  Mix well and let it sit for 2 hours. Who has time for that?  

I found this shortcut scallion pancake recipe from the Woks of Life website.

These shortcut scallion pancakes involve just layering 4 ingredients:

• Dumpling wrappers
• Oil
• Salt
• Scallions

The whole process from start to finish takes about 20 minutes. And the result? Crispy, layered scallion pancakes that you won’t be able to stop eating.

Try it out and let me know what you think?

Bon Appetite – Julia Child and Karen Soo share the same birthday.

Ingredients

• 6-8 scallions/ chopped
• salt (to taste)
• vegetable, canola, or light olive oil (for brushing and cooking your scallion pancakes)
• 1 pack store-bought round, white dumpling wrappers (14 oz. or 400g)

Instructions

1. Take the dumpling wrappers out of the refrigerator and let them warm up a bit (they don’t necessarily have to be at room temperature, but they shouldn’t be cold). Wash the scallions and pat them thoroughly dry with a clean kitchen towel. Slice the scallions in half lengthwise and finely chop them.
2. Prepare a small dish of salt and a dish of oil, along with a pastry brush.
3. On a clean work surface, take a dumpling wrapper, brush it with a thin layer of oil, and lightly sprinkle with salt. Then cover with a layer of scallions. Top it with another dumpling wrapper, and lightly press it down. Repeat the process until you have 4-7 layers of dumpling wrappers.

4. Use a rolling pin to roll the layered dumpling skins into a pancake––however thick or thin you like. Rotate the scallion pancake as you roll to get a perfect round shape.

5. Heat a flat-bottomed non-stick or cast iron pan over medium heat. Spread 1 tablespoon oil around in the pan, and add the scallion pancake. Cook each side until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. (Avoid using high heat, as it will burn the pancake without cooking it through).

6. If the pan looks dry after flipping the pancake, you can add another tablespoon of oil.

7. Enjoy these plain or with a dipping sauce!

Notes

To pre-make and freeze any uncooked scallion pancakes:

1. After rolling out each pancake, place on a sheet of parchment or wax paper, and place another sheet of paper on top.
2. Layer the scallion pancakes between the wax paper or parchment paper.
3. Transfer to a large freezer bag, and place on a flat shelf in the freezer so they freeze flat.
4. To cook, add them directly to a pan with hot oil––no need to thaw beforehand.

Check out this quick video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkZhYDAlrqs

by David Schultz, Board Member

Five people enjoyed a day of golf practice at the driving range plus a round of 9-holes at the Pruneridge Golf Course.  The day started off cool and cloudy, but that didn’t deter us from driving about three buckets of balls.  And by the time everyone got to the Pruneridge Golf Course, the sun came out and it was a beautiful afternoon.

The morning was advertised by Nisei Ski Club as instruction plus ball driving at the San Jose Municipal driving range.  However, the members who showed up were all experienced, and the instructors (Dave, Rick, and Alex) wound up learning some tricks from the trainees (Carolyn and Sandra).   We forgot that Sandra is playing at least a couple of times per week along with taking golf lessons near her home, and her experience shows.  What was also nice during the morning was that we all tried out each other’s drivers.  I found that I liked a few of them better than my own.  Time for a new club…!

Along with a driving range, San Jose Municipal has an area for practicing pitching and putting.  The five of us used these to warm up before heading over to Pruneridge.  The first order of business at Pruneridge was to have some lunch.  The food was great, but getting it took a while since the “kitchen” (a food truck) at the course is only staffed by one person.  By the time lunch was finished, it was tee time, so off we went.  At that point, however, Alex left to watch the Warriors game (where Steph Curry made his amazing 50 points).  This was fine, since that left Dave, Rick, Carolyn, and Sandra to be the foursome.  

The holes at Pruneridge are generally short, and we moved along pretty quickly.  It was nice that everyone else on the course was moving along just as quickly.  We rarely had waiting issues at the tees or on the course.  As mentioned, Sandra showed off her great strokes, with Carolyn a close second.  The ladies were very solid on the fairways, while the guys tended to criss-cross them like we were at a zip line course.  But it still was fun.  What’s crazy about the Pruneridge course is that the 9^th hole is right behind the driving range.  As such, there are tons of white practice balls all over the place, obscuring any regular white balls.   And of course, we forgot about this and several of us did a lot of searching to identify our balls.

The group had a fine time together. We finished the day promising to play again sometime at a different course, perhaps playing 18-holes the next time.  This could easily become a regular Nisei Ski Club event!

by Angie Fong, Former NSC President

Alameda, CA May 2, 2023

Here’s something fun to consider when you’re not on the slopes! I recently discovered the Pacific Pinball Museum in Alameda! With the price of admission, you get unlimited pinball play with “in and out” privileges for the day!

As a kid, I grew up playing Pac-Man, Space Invaders, Galaga, Turbo, Frogger, Centipede, etc. In addition to video games, I LOVED playing pinball and spent many hours playing in our San Francisco arcades and corner grocery stores, as well as South Lake Tahoe where my family spent a lot of “time” in casinos.

Prior to my Alameda visit, I read the reviews for the Pacific Pinball Museum on Yelp, as well as directly on their website. I discovered that the best time to visit was on a Tuesday since the museum is closed on Monday for pinball machine repairs and even better, Tuesdays are ½ off admission prices! Additionally, if you park 1 block away in the residential areas, you won’t have to worry about parking meters interfering with your play time! YAY!  =0)

There are several rooms of pinball machines from different decades and eras. If you plan to visit and are short on time, please do some advanced research so that you know which rooms and which machines to target first. Apparently, they have quite a few machines in storage and they rotate them now and again, current pinball list here. Even playing there for almost 8hrs, I didn’t have a chance to play all of the machines, there are so many options to choose from and that’s AWESOME! (Note: Yes! Both of my forearms were very sore for 2 – 3+ days after playing that day!)

My favorite machine that I read about and played there is called “Safe Cracker”. I highly recommend that you play this machine at least 4 – 8+ times, tons of FUN! It is located in the same room as many other “unique” machines. (Highly recommend that you also play “Spooksville” and “Orbitor 1” which will surprise you!). The unique attribute of “Safe Cracker” is that it will dispense a special “token” that rolls directly from the lower Backglass onto the pinball glass if you are able to break into the safe! It rolls pretty fast, so be prepared to catch it as it rolls off the center glass toward you! With this token, after you finish your game, you use it to play a special multi-ball game called “Assault on the Vault”. Unfortunately, I only discovered this after leaving the museum and researching on Wikipedia! I can’t wait to return to win tokens and invoke the special game! If I ever hit the lottery, I will buy this pinball machine! I think I played it for a couple hours (in between letting others play it too!). I also often played it in 2 or 4 player mode since you have unlimited play, why not?  =0) I was able to win 6 tokens that day, but returned them to the cashier upon exiting for the night not knowing about the special game mode!

I had a blast playing any machine I wanted without having to wait in line for any machine. I only saw 5 – 10 people max at any given time that Tuesday. (Side Note: You might want to visit soon because once the High Schools and Universities let out for the school year, you might have more people playing on the machines that you want to play!) Bonus: There are 3 awesome jukeboxes to choose different eras of music tracks for unlimited, free play. Choose the music tracks that you want to hear, then choose the machines that you want to play! You can’t beat that! Lastly, there are many restaurants in walking distance, but I chose to eat next door to try Cambodian food for the 1^st time at Phnom Penh House. The food was tasty and I was able to have an early dinner, then return to play for another hour or so before returning home!  =0)

I am already looking forward to another Tuesday visit! I hope that you will enjoy your visit as much as I did! Have Fun!  =0)

by Armand Gutierrez, President

May is here and that means it’s time to bring an end to the NSC 2022-2023 season. This was an exciting year with record snowfall in Tahoe, numerous non-ski events planned for the coming season, and a few accomplishments for last year:

• Bocce Ball at Lake Almaden Courts
• Bike ride at Shoreline
• Our first-ever Pickleball event at Saratoga Country Club
• Hiroshima Concert & Dinner at Thaibodia
• Breckenridge Ski Week

But now it’s June, which marks the start of the NSC 2023-2024 season, and it’s time to restart the upcoming season with a return of our standby events and a few new ones. Beginning this month you can take advantage of the $5 membership discount if you sign up and submit your membership form by May 31^st.  Please submit your application to Tina Woo (Membership Chairman).

The board has been meeting frequently because life with NSC does go on.  Plans are in the making for our annual Luau and Membership Picnic in July, our ski week trip to Jackson Hole (2024), and a few other events that are scheduled for the remaining of the year.

Board Nominations & Elections

The nominations process has been completed and the next step is elections. The elections personnel (that would be Karen Soo and Jeanne Katsuro) tell me there were no nominations; therefore, the slate will consist of the incumbents that decided to return to the board (there were two non-returning board members). It’s important that you do vote because your vote tells the board that you do appreciate the volunteer work performed by members of the board, so please take the very short time needed to cast your vote. The election ballot will be distributed in the coming weeks.

2024 NSC Jackson Hole

The 2024 NSC Ski Week will be at Jackson Hole with a tentative date from 27 January – 3 February. So mark your calendar and start planning on a ski week to what is known as “a skier’s mountain”. Yes, plenty of challenging runs for you ski warriors, and a few milder runs for the ski bunnies (do we have any ski bunnies?).

QotM:  Your greatness is not what you have, but what you give.

by Tina Woo, Membership

June marks the start of the 2023-2024 Nisei Ski Club season.  Beginning May, you can take advantage of the $5 discount if you sign up before May 31. Download and complete the membershio for here.

membership form

2022-2023 ski season has been phenomenal with incredible snowfall history. With record storms   many of the California resorts have extended their seasons.  Rumor has it that some may stay open until August? NorthStar, Kirkwood and Heavenly have already extended their respective seasons.

The board of Nisei Ski Club is continuing to meet monthly and discuss plans for this upcoming year.  We strive to provide community and camaraderie for our members. 

The Nisei Ski Club board is excited to announce several events scheduled for the balance of the year.  We have an event almost every month; from golf in April, Mah Jong in June, the annual luau picnic in July, to our 65^th anniversary dinner in the Fall, car rally and sponsorship of the Silicon Valley Asian Film Festival in October.  And, don’t forget Jackson Hole in January/February 2024!! Come and join us!

We look forward to seeing you at one of our events!

by Judy Hom, Janet Gee, Board Members

Do you want to learn how to play MahJong but don’t know anyone who can teach you? Then, sign up for the NSC Mah Jong class and potluck! Judy Hom and Janet Gee will teach you the basics so you won’t be intimidated to play with others. We will focus on the Cantonese style where we play with 13 tiles and flowers. If Mah Jong is on your bucket list, then sign-up! When you sign up, you will receive a cheat sheet and a list of MahJong resources. We know that all NSC members like to eat so this is also a potluck event. 

Date:            Saturday, June 10th

Time:           11am – 3:pm

Where:         Judy and Winston’s backyard, 18995 Carlton Avenue, Castro Valley

Cost: $5 for members and $10 for non-members. Bring a potluck dish to feed 4 or more.

Please bring your own water bottle, beverages will be provided. 

Space is limited to 16 sign-ups. Pls RSVP by June 5th.

Please fill out a form for each person that is attending. For more information, please email Judy at mahjong@niseiskiclub.org.

SIGN UP HERE: MahJong

by Karen Soo, Trip Director

Please join us on Saturday, July 22 at Las Palmas Park in Sunnyvale for our annual Nisei Ski Club Luau Picnic.

Time – 12:00pm – 5:00pm

You will receive your Evite invitation in June.

How is Karen going to coordinate the picnic from New York?

Just watch and see.

Please RSVP no later than July 19th, so we can order the right amount of food for the picnic.

NISEI SKI CLUB LUAU PICNIC INFO

Join us and meet your fellow members.

by Karen Soo, Newsletter Editor

Hey Fellow Bakers,

Most of us work 5 days a week and we look forward to the weekend. A time to catch up on sleep, relax and make brunch.

You have the cream cheese. You have the lox. All you need is some fresh bagels.

Wait …No Bagels?

Too lazy to get the bagels from your local Safeway?

Try this recipe out.

This easy homemade bagel recipe is made from scratch with just five (5) ingredients – flour, Greek yogurt, egg white, baking powder and salt!

No yeast, no boiling, no fancy mixer. Bake them in the oven or in the air fryer!

It only makes 4 bagels and calorie count is much lower than a regular New York Bagel.

Give it a try.

Bon Appetite – Julia Child and Karen Soo shares the same birthday.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, whole wheat or gluten-free mix*, (5 oz in weight)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder, make sure it’s not expired or it won’t rise
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, use less if using table salt
• 1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt, not regular yogurt, it will be too sticky (Stonyfield)
• 1 egg white or whole egg, beaten
• optional toppings: everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic flakes, dried onion flakes**

Oven Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Place parchment paper or a silpat on a baking sheet. If using parchment paper, spray with oil to avoid sticking.

• In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk well. Add the yogurt and mix with a fork or spatula until well combined, it will look like small crumbles.

• Lightly dust flour on a work surface and remove dough from the bowl, knead the dough a few times until dough is tacky, but not sticky, about 15 turns (it should not leave dough on your hand when you pull away).

• Divide into 4 equal balls. Roll each ball into 3/4-inch thick ropes and join the ends to form bagels. (or you can make a ball and poke a hole in the center then stretch it slightly)

• Top with egg wash and sprinkle both sides with seasoning of your choice. Bake on the top rack of the oven for 25 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting.

Air Fryer Method:

1. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk well. Add the yogurt and mix with a fork or spatula until well combined, it will look like small crumbles.

• Lightly dust flour on a work surface and remove dough from the bowl, knead the dough a few times until dough is tacky, but not sticky, about 20 turns (it should not leave dough on your hand when you pull away).
• Divide into 4 equal balls. Roll each ball into 3/4-inch thick ropes and join the ends to form bagels.

• Top with egg wash and sprinkle both sides with seasoning of your choice.

• Preheat the air fryer 280F degrees. Transfer in batches without overcrowding and bake 15 to 16 minutes, or until golden. No need to turn. Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting.

https://www.skinnytaste.com/easy-bagel-recipe/

BEFORE AND AFTER

by Karen Soo, Trip Director

Last month I was able to fool 4 NCS members with my 2001 Jackson Hole Flyer. Please note, NSC Ex-Officio Armand will continue to plan the 2024 NSC Jackson Hole weeklong trip. Trip information is not available right now.

I hope you took advantage of purchasing the Epic and Ikon season passes (if you wish) that was offered by Sports America. If you didn’t, no worries. Group rates will be available for the  Jackson Hole trip.

The ski resorts in Lake Tahoe had an epic season with record breaking snow levels for all the resorts.

Heavenly Ski Resort will be open until May 7^th and Palisades Tahoe will extend their operations until the 4^th of July.

If you have a season pass and want to try out some spring skiing in your tanks and shorts. 

This is the time to do it.

I came across this NSC weekend flyer I was preparing my move to New York.

Look at the prices and see what a bargain it was to go on the weekend Nisei Ski Club trip.

In 2023, the daily weekend lift ticket prices at Heavenly was $149.00.

The window price at Jackson Hole is $201.00. YIKES, should we switch to a new sport??
Check this out.

We skied at Sugar Bowl on Saturday.  There’s a ridiculous amount of snow there as you can see from the snow pile next to the Sugar Bowl parking lot.

Way back in 2007, after Nelson helped us paint the interior of the house we had just bought, I said payment could be a lesson on how to ski moguls.  Well, Saturday I finally manage to pay it off – plus I gave Derek a lesson on mogul skiing as well.

Nelson and Derek did very well skiing the bumps especially considering Derek was skiing for the fourth time and had never done moguls before.  They both had the usual beginner issues – letting the steepness of the slope intimidate them, leading to them both leaning back too much instead of weight forward and facing down the slope.

In any case, afterwards, I got to thinking about why many people have difficulty skiing on moguls while others make it look effortless.  I think it was Ed who said moguls were no fun because “you get to the bottom of the hill exhausted and drenched in sweat.  Well, I realized that now I can ski an entire mogul run without even breaking a sweat.  Why might that be?

Almost 30 years ago, I got a mogul lesson from fellow Nisei Ski Club member Ron Kaida.  Those who know Ron know that he was one of NSC’s best mogul skiers – he looked like he could balance a jar on his shoulder while skiing a double black diamond run.  Ron looked at how I skied and said “You’re trying to outmuscle the mountain.  Let the skis do the work.”  He said that if you put the skis on their edges, the skis will turn.  So when you hit the top of the mogul, tilt the skis on their edges and carve a turn around the backside of the mogul.

If you watch an expert mogul skier, you’ll see that they keep their knees and feet close together.  Why?

It all starts with the shape of the ski.  The ski tip is obviously curved.  So when you tilt the ski on its edge, the ski will turn.  It turns left on the left edge and right on the right edge.  The more you tilt the ski, the sharper the turn it makes.  When the edge carves a turn, it creates friction that slows the ski.  The sharper the turn, the greater the friction and the more it slows the ski.

On the other hand, if the ski is flat on the snow, it doesn’t turn at all.  Additionally, if the ski is flat on the snow, there’s no friction so the ski will pick up speed.  If you lean back, the tails will be flat on the ground, the tip won’t turn the ski, and the ski will go straight while picking up speed – and you can’t control the ski.

If you keep the skis close together, both skis will tilt almost equally and therefore both skis carve the turns and scrub the speed in the process.  Since both skis are doing the work of turning and scrubbing speed, it means you use less energy.

Beginners let the slope intimidate them.  They think they’re going too fast when they’re really not moving that fast – the steepness causes that perception.  They also don’t keep their head and shoulders facing down the hill which would help keep them from leaning back.  They also have a tendency to let their arms fall behind them instead of keeping both arms in front of them.

You can practice good form on a groomed blue run before trying it on a mogul run.  

• Keep your knees together.
• Bend your knees at the start of the turn and straighten up during the turn.
• Reach downhill to plant the pole.
• Tilt the skis on their edges and carve the turn.
• Once the turn is complete, pivot to the other edges and carve a turn the other direction.

• Here are some pics from Sugar Bowl

by Armand Gutierrez, President

April is here and that means two things: taxes and potential resort closings. With the biggest dump of snow that Tahoe has seen in decades, I doubt if any resorts will close in April. Typically Northstar closes in mid-April but due to all the snow they’ve extended to April 30^th, , and Heavenly is going to May 7^th.  How much snow is up there? Well, look at the walkway to the Ritz-Carlton at Northstar and the entry to the Summit Smokehouse at the top of Comstock lift. Thanks to Greg Wong for providing the pictures.

Board Nominations & Elections

Well, it’s that time again for holding our board nominations and elections for the 2023-2024 season, and an email for making your nominations for the board will soon find its way to your inbox. As you know,volunteers run this club, and without them this club would cease to exist, and it’s been in existence for over 60 years! You are encouraged to take this opportunity to nominate an individual for one, or more, of the board positions. All individuals that accept the nomination(s) will go through an election process in May, and final results will be announced in the June Newsletter. Normally the results would be announced at the annual June picnic, but this year the picnic will be held in July. Many of you have served on the board in the past, and your efforts were greatly appreciated and perhaps you would like to join the board again. For those that have never served then perhaps now is the time to consider a board position and provide new ideas and useful experience.

2023 FWSA Zermatt Ski Week

Karen asked me to provide a write-up on my recent trip to Zermatt, Switzerland for the 2023 FWS Zermatt Ski Week, so look for the write-up.

2024 NSC Jackson Hole – NewsFlash

I’ve been doing the ski week trips for quite a number of years now and it’s time to hang up the helmet and pass on the ex-officio duties to our venerable trip director Karen Soo. Look for her latest flyer on Jackson Hole.

QotM:  Nothing spoils a good story like the arrival of an eyewitness – Mark Twain

by Karen Soo, Trip Director

Ex Officio / President Armand is hanging up his goggles next year. He had asked me to plan the next Nisei Ski Club weeklong trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

The dates has been change to February 24^th to March 3^rd.  

We will be staying at the Wind River Teton Village Condominiums.  A super deluxe Ski In- Ski out condo accommodations at the base of the ski resort in Teton Village.

These deluxe condos are 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms.  Units are fully equipped with gourmet kitchens, stone fireplaces and a private jacuzzi spa, sundeck, free WIFI and daily maid service.

Each condo will sleep 8 people.

I am also planning a snowmobile ride to Yellowstone National Park on our day Wednesday off.
and our farewell dinner will take place on Thursday.

We are expecting 75 people to sign up for this trip. Send in your deposit to hold your spot.

See flyer JACKSONHOLE 2024 FLYER

by David Schultz, Board Member

Have you ever been itching to learn to play golf, but don’t know how to get started?  Want to get together with friends while practicing your strokes?  Break out your golf clubs and get ready to sharpen your skills with the Nisei Ski Club.  We’ve planned a fun morning on the driving range at the San Jose Muni Golf Course on Sunday, April 30th.  Event time is 9-11 AM.

Our NSC golf “instructors” will get to the driving range ahead of time and secure four bays.  We’ll use those bays to coach you and let you practice your strokes over two hours.  (Of course, experienced golfers can grab their own bays and practice all they want.)   We’ll help you with strokes, picking the correct clubs, and playing the game safely.  This will be a great way to get started in a relaxed and supportive environment. 

There’s no fee for the coaching.  Your only cost is pay for the shared practice balls, which cost about $4.00. We’ll estimate you will hit about 30 to 40 balls.

Meet us at the front of the driving range at 9:00AM

San Jose Muni

1560 Old Oakland Road

San Jose, CA 95131.  

Experience golfers are welcome to join us.

After using the driving range, join us for brunch at the Muni Bar & Grill Muni Bar and Grill. They offer lots of great food, from hearty breakfasts to steak fajitas, Tri Tip sandwiches, salads, beer, wine, and a fully stocked bar.

Please RSVP by April 25 / David Schultz at golf@niseiskiclub.org

Indicate if you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced golfer, and are interested in the instruction.  Golf clubs will be available if you do not have any equipment, so please indicate if you are a righty or lefty.

Nisei Ski Club is looking forward to seeing you on Sunday, April 30^th.

SEE GOLF FLYER HERE FORE!!!
SIDE NOTE – Anyone interested in playing 18 holes 2:00 Tee time after lunch?

by Tina Woo, Membership and Sandy Kiyomura, NSC Member

Bring your dancing shoes and friends to Cupertino on May 6. You will learn two or three dances Swing, cha cha and any special request. We’ll have plenty of time to practice. You won’t need to bring a partner. At my class at Mastick Senior center, I taught 15 seniors East Coast Swing in less than an hour. One lady was in her 90’s and a few were in their 80’s. So even YOU can learn!  Dancing is not only physical, but requires mental concentration.  You are learning steps with a partner and dancing to music that will enhance your endorphins. Not only that, dancing makes you smarter by opening up new neurons/pathways in your brain.

1st hour will be for socializing and meeting Nisei Ski Club board members, and learning about Nisei’s upcoming summer and fall activities. 

2nd hour will be for instruction.

3^rd hour will be for social dancing or practicing.

$10.00 is a great price for Social Dance Lessons. 

Saturday, May 6, 2023 from 2:00 to 5:00 pm
Cupertino Senior Center (free parking) 21251 Stevens Creek Blvd

21251 Stevens Creek Blvd (at Mary) Cupertino, CA

For more information, please email Tina Woo at dance@niseiskiclub.org
For special dance requests, please email Sandy Kiyomura at dance2@niseiskiclub.org

SIGN UP FORM HERE

by Judy Hom, Janet Gee, Board Members

Do you want to learn how to play MahJong but don’t know anyone who can teach you? Then, sign up for the NSC Mah Jong class and potluck! Judy Hom and Janet Gee will teach you the basics so you won’t be intimidated to play with others. We will focus on the Cantonese style where we play with 13 tiles and flowers. If Mah Jong is on your bucket list, then sign-up! When you sign up, you will receive a cheat sheet and a list of MahJong resources. We know that all NSC members like to eat so this is also a potluck event. 

Date:            Saturday, June 10th

Time:           11am – 3:pm

Where:         Judy and Winston’s backyard, 18995 Carlton Avenue, Castro Valley

Cost: $5 for members and $10 for non-members. Bring a potluck dish to feed 4 or more.

Please bring your own water bottle, beverages will be provided. 

Space is limited to 16 sign-ups. Pls RSVP by June 5th.

Please fill out a form for each person that is attending. For more information, please email Judy at mahjong@niseiskiclub.org.

SIGN UP HERE: MahJong

by Jeanne Katsuro, Vice President

Hi Nisei Ski Club Members!

The Nisei Ski Club Board is looking forward to presenting you with many new activities for this year.This is the basic activity schedule (subject to change as we confirm the dates).

April 30, sunday, 9-11am

Driving Range Instructions at San Jose Muni – Lead by David Schultz (Board Member)

June 10, Saturday, 11:00am to 3:00pm

Mah Jong Classes – Learn the rules and play Mah Jong Plus Potluck at Judy Hom’s backyard

Lead by Judy Hom and Janet Gee (Former Board Members and Current Nisei Members)

June 25, Sunday Time TBA

2nd Bocce Ball Activity & Meal Lead by Hoyt Nelson (Board Member)

July 22, Saturday / Nisei Ski Club Picnic 12:00 -5:00pm – Las Palmas Park, Sunnyvale 

Lead by Karen Soo (Newsletter Editor) and Curtis Otaguro (Board Member)

August 20th, Sunday

Bowling at 4th Street Bowl & Meal Lead by Frank Chang ( Treasurer)

September  / Car Rally & Meal

Lead by Carolyn Wong (Current Nisei Member) (Porsche Club Member)

October / 65th Anniversary Dinner Lead by Jeanne Katsuro (Vice President)

                       TBA Golden Palace Restaurant

                       1148 S De Anza Blvd`

                       San Jose, CA  (Borders Cupertino)

Each of  these events have limited capacity so if there is a favorite activity you like

SIGN UP EARLY!

      Example: We had people on the waiting list for Pickleball this past October!

For members, who are only interested in eating and socializing, we are providing potlucks or meals with each event so you can still join us!

Let’s Get Going!

Ask your Friends to Join Nisei Ski Club and Join in all our Fun and Activities

There will be Member Prices which will always be lower than Non Member Prices at each activity.

Nisei Skl Club Membership is still only $25 before May 31 and $30 after June 1st.

Nisei Ski Club Fiscal Year is June 1 to May 31.

Our Membership Fees are still super low.  These fees are the same as when I was President in 1986-1987!

This is the New Rule!

    First Come, First Serve!

    When Sign up forms and Checks are received on the same day and we hit capacity for the event.

    Registration Forms that are received on the same day.  A Nisei Member will take precedence over a Non Member to fulfill the sign ups for the event.

Please send the following Nisei Ski Club Registration Form to your Friends!

Let’s Build Our Nisei Ski Club Membership!

Nisei Ski Club Membership Form – CLICK HERE

Thank you so much!

Jeanne Katsuro

Vice President

by Armand Gutierrez, President

Our journey to Zermatt began with a late Friday night flight from SFO and arriving Saturday afternoon in Zürich. After a little confusion with our charter bus arriving at Terminal 1 and our group at Terminal 2 we finally boarded and made our way to Täsch and then transferred to a train for a short 12-minute ride to Zermatt. Why take a train for a 12-minute ride? Well, Zermatt does not allow cars in the city (except for local buses and taxis) and the train is the only way to get to Zermatt.

As an assistant to our tour leader somehow I became the de facto ski tour guide for those people that have never skied Zermatt or those that wanted to ski with somebody that knew the mountain. Granted, this is my third time to Zermatt and despite the new lifts and ski runs it all became familiar to me once I was on the mountain.

Our first day of skiing on Sunday was not so good; in fact it was what I call survival skiing. Although it was snowing moderately and slightly windy we decided to take the Gronergrat funicular to the top and begin our first day of skiing. Although it was a pleasant 20-minute ride we soon discovered that the weather was not so pleasant. It was windy, snowing, and visibility was like a thick fog. But determined as we were we forged on to ski several runs on Gronergrat. Visibility was poor and it was necessary to use the force to guide us down the runs. Somebody in our group said that visibility would be better over at the Glacier Paradise so we made connections to various lifts and a cable car to get to Kleine Matterhorn and the Glacier Paradise ski area. Well, that was a mistake. Not only did we encounter more wind but also visibility was about three feet. We carefully made our way down the run and ensuring that we didn’t take a wrong turn that would have put us in Cervinia (Italy). Slowly continuing down the run we found solace at the Trockener Steg gondola/cable car station and had lunch. Afterwards we made our way down to the Glacier Express chair that returned us to the local bus stop and then back to our hotel. Yes, it was quite a day.

The next day, and the rest of the week, was a complete 180° turnaround from Sunday: beautiful blue skies, some high cirrus clouds, and best of all clear visibility. Now this is what I call a good skiing day. Once again we made our way up to Gronergrat and skied just about all the runs and lifts. The group skiing with me was mostly intermediate skiers and they thoroughly enjoyed the runs on Gronergrat. On occasion I would jump off-piste and most followed me while others stayed on the groomed runs.  After dining al fresco at lunch we made our way back to the Glacier Paradise and explored that area for the rest of the afternoon. Yes, it was a good day of skiing.

Tuesday was designated Ski Cervinia day, and that’s what we did. Our trek to Cervinia did not start out by taking the funicular to Gronergrat and then heading towards the Glacier Paradise. Instead, we took a bus to the base of the Glacier Express gondola that took us to Trockener Steg where we transferred to a cable car to the top of the Glacier Express ski area. From there we skied down the backside and towards Cervinia. Lunch was at a small, rustic cabin that served perhaps at most 40 people. Afterwards we made our way to the town of Cervinia and rode several lifts to get to Plateau Rosa and back to the Glacier Paradise ski area.

On Wednesday we decided to venture over to Sunnegga and Rothorn Mountain and see what the skiing was like over there. My first impression was met with skepticism because as we rode up the Blauherd lift the mountainside was devoid of snow and just rocks and scrub brush showing, but once we got to the top of Sunnegga there were snow-covered runs and people were skiing downhill towards Zermatt. I was a little uncomfortable with the snow conditions and decided that perhaps it would be better to return to Gronergrat where the snow conditions were much better. Normally you could ski down from Sunnegga to Zermatt but I was told that the run was not fully covered, so we passed on that. After taking several lifts to the top of Rothorn we took a long cat track back to Gronergrat and ended the day skiing there.

Since the weather was blessing us with clear skies and a few wispy clouds we decided to make a return trip to Cervinia on Thursday and cruise on the various runs, have lunch al fresco, and just enjoy the day. This day was much better than our first trip on Tuesday and we could actually see the runs and a great view of the Matterhorn from the backside.

After five days of skiing I decided to take a day off and take care of a few chores. I joined a few other folks that were also taking the day off and we cruised around Zermatt looking for places to help the local economy and have a casual lunch. Later I did some work for our trip leader and then started packing for our return trip to Zürich the next day. Our flight home was an exceptionally smooth flight for the most part, with the exception of a little turbulence that last about 60 seconds, definitely not long enough to cause for concern. After passing through passport control at SFO and retrieving our luggage it was time to say good-bye to my fellow travelers and hoping to see them again on next year’s trip to Madonna di Campiglio in Italy.

by Judy Bracken, NSC Board Member

It started with a drive through narrow winding roads with hairpin turns and steep drop offs, after which the five of us were dropped off at a station in Zermatt.  No cars are allowed in the town, so taxis and electric buses are the only transportation within town.  We found the station bustling with rectangular electric vehicles, drivers scurrying to load luggage in and on top of the vehicles, and blurry eyed passengers hoping they would be picked up soon.  It was a sunny warm afternoon, with the striking Alps rising on all sides of Zermatt’s tiny valley. We knew that Europe was suffering a drought, and it was apparent looking at the light snow cover.

We arrived at the Hotel Alex, ahead of the larger group, as we had taken our own “pre-trip” to Chamonix the week before.   We were greeted by beautifully carved wooden animals and wooden ceilings, a cozy bar with fireplaces, and smiling Swiss hotel workers. 

Once checked in, we found our way through the stairways and lifts to a lovely room with a balcony and a view of the mighty Matterhorn.  Later that night, our hotel concierge directed us to Whymper Stube Restaurant (Edward Whymper was the first guy to summit the Matterhorn), where we were treated to delicious cheese fondue and other Swiss food specialties.    We were so excited to ski the next day!

And now the Disneyland rides begin!  After securing our ski passes, we embarked on the Matterhorn Express cog railway, then a gondola and a tram to reach the top of the resort.  [photo 3] This day the views were nonexistent, because it was windy and stormy, completely opposite from the day before, but we were happy to have some fresh snow.   Most of us did not enjoy the whiteout conditions as we made our way down the glacier.  It was difficult to tell whether you were going up or down!

That evening, we mingled at the FWSA welcome party, with fellow Nisei members Armand G. Sandy K., Carol H., Kathy F., Roland L., my roommate Elaine G., as well as others from all over the Western States.  Afterward, we separated to our two hotels and then enjoyed one of five included multi-course dinners in the hotel restaurant.  The Hotel Alex food was fresh, beautifully presented and delicious every night.  Service was excellent; it was quite a feat to serve that many people in such a personal way.  Breakfast was also included, and every day there were coffee drinks made to order, omelets, pastries, cheeses, fruit, yogurt and more.  They kept us very well fed.

We enjoyed bluebird weather on nearly all the following days.  Kathy had booked a full mountain guided tour for six of us on Monday, which was a perfect way to get acquainted with the three main areas, Schwarzsee, Gornergrat, Sunnegga, all with a different flavor and altitude

We found that the Matterhorn, at 4478 meters, was actually not the highest peak in the ski area; it was Monte Rosa at 4634 meters.  For better snow quality and coverage, it was best to ski up as high as possible, and even with the drought, Zermatt had been staying cold so they were able to make snow and keep the resort going.  Down lower it often was icy and/or slushy.   It was so much fun to ski the different runs with groups of like-minded friends, with roads leading to one resort or the other, and lifts, gondolas and trams waiting to take us back up the mountain.

One day, many of us went over to the Italian side, Cervinia.  We started with a group of 12, and to keep track of everyone, we formed four, 3-person “pods.”  At each stop, we’d check to make sure our “pod” was there.  Even so, we lost track of two skiers that day (but found them later)!  It was a different view of the Matterhorn, and we found also presented a much more active weather pattern.  We ran into a blustery, short-lived storm, which brought fresh snow but difficult-to-see conditions.  

At the end of the day, you might find yourself at the bottom of the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise gondola, which required a short bus ride to get back into town.  If you wanted to avoid the line to wait for the bus, you could jump on a taxi, and for 18 Swiss Francs take “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride” back to your hotel.  Apres ski might find us at the hotel pool or hot tub enjoying a soak.

The mountain was dotted with restaurants and huts, which usually required reservations to have sit down restaurant food served.  Or you could sit outside and enjoy a draft beer when the weather was nice.  The European skiers really enjoy their lengthy lunches when skiing.  Another fun place to visit was the Iglu Dorf, a small hotel made of ice and snow blocks right on the mountain.  There were several cozy rooms, a small restaurant and bar, nice outdoor tables and lounge chairs, all with a fantastic view of the Matterhorn. 

After the week was over, many folks went on to Spain and Mallorca for the post-trip.  Those of us flying back to snowy California dreamed of their exciting adventures and good times skiing in the Alps with friends.  Next year, FWSA is going to Madonna di Campiglio, Italy, and in 2025 the international trip will be to Val d’Isere, France.  Although we love our US skiing, there is nothing like skiing in the Alps of Europe!

by Karen Soo, Newsletter Editor

Hey Fellow Bakers,

It’s been 6 months since I moved back to New York and I don’t bake like I use to because I don’t have my Kitchen Aid mixer and food processor. (All in storage in CA). Plus, I don’t have Curtis as my professional taste tester.

I admit cooking and baking is a therapeutic escape for me. The challenge for me is to find recipes that I can use my mom’s 30-year-old, 3 speed Toastmaster hand mixer. I kept thinking the mixer is going to explode when its crank on high.

I found this recipe called the Invisible Apple Cake. You use thinly sliced apples combined with a custard base for an apple filled cake. The recipe is called invisible because the thinly sliced apples seem to melt into the cake. It was delicious.

NOTES – I didn’t have a 8″ spring foam pan or parchment paper. I used a round pan and oiled up the bottom and sides. I didn’t have a mandolin either, so I used my sharp knife skills to slice the apples thinly. Everything worked out fine.

Thumbs Up from Taste Tester Mom.

Bon Appetite – Julia Child and Karen Soo shares the same birthday.

Ingredients

• 6 large Golden Delicious apples, peeled *see Note 1
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, or can substitute white granulated sugar if brown sugar is unavailable
• 1 tsp vanilla, or vanilla bean paste
• 1 1/2 Tbsp butter, salted or unsalted
• 6 1/2 Tbsp milk, whole (3%) or 2% recommended
• 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400 F. (regular bake/not fan assisted) **If your springform pan is prone to leaking (they often warp and don’t form a tight seal) or if you just want to make sure there is no leaking of the thin batter, wrap the outside, bottom of the pan tightly with aluminum foil.

2. Before you start the batter, melt the butter in saucepan or microwaveable bowl just until melted and set aside to cool while you start the batter.

3. In a large bowl with an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs with the sugar and vanilla until very light and fluffy ,about 3 minutes. (**Make sure the melted butter is not hot when added to the batter or it will cook the eggs and make a lumpy batter! If you feel the butter is still too warm, mix it with the cold milk to cool it further, then add to the batter.) Add the cooled, melted butter and the milk to the egg mixture and mix well to combine.

4. Sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl, then sprinkle the flour mixture over the egg mixture. Mix just until combined.

5. Quarter the peeled apples and remove the core. Use a mandolin to slice each apple quarter into thin slices. Add the apple slices to the batter as you go regularly (don’t wait until you’ve done them all or they will start to brown. Push the apples into the batter so they are covered). Reserve the last handful of apple slices to scatter on top of the batter.

6. Gently stir the apples in the batter to ensure all apples are well coated. Pour the apple mixture into the prepared springform pan and then scatter the reserved apple slices randomly over-top. *Adjust any apples that may be sticking up into a someone flat surface, as apples sticking up higher have a tendency to over-brown.

7. Place the springform pan on a baking sheet (in case of leaks) and bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until set. If desired, you can turn on the broiler for a minute to brown up the top of the cake.

8. Remove cake from oven and leave in the pan to cool. Run knife around edges and remove outer springform pan ring. Enjoy right away, or cover and refrigerate to enjoy later. You can serve cold from the fridge or let it come to room temperature before serving. You can also re-warm slightly in the microwave, if you like.

9. Enjoy slightly warm, at room temperature or cold from the fridge dusted with icing sugar, if you like, or add a dollop of creme fraiche, whipped cream or ice cream on top.

https://www.seasonsandsuppers.ca/invisible-apple-cake/