Nisei Ski Club

by Tina Woo

Once again, the Nisei Ski Club is proud to support the Silicon Valley Asian Pacific FilmFest 2020 taking place from October 2-10. You may recall, last year the club sponsored Alternative Facts: The Lies of Executive Order 9066. Due to Covid-19, this year’s event is an all-digital event which offers flexibility for the film viewer. Over 70 films will be offered in 20+ categories, including documentaries, drama, culinary food and lifestyle, animation, immigration and social justice, and Asian American shorts. These films will inspire, offer hope, make you laugh, think, cry and generate memories.

A festival pass can be purchased for $50, which allows viewing all film packages at one low price. Alternatively, individual films can be purchased for $5 each and some films are “free” with a nominal donation. To view trailers, read a short film description and purchase tickets, log onto https://svapfilmfest.org

Please consider supporting this event which brings films about history, culture, heritage and community awareness.

Our sympathy goes out to the family of Ken Oda, a former NSC member. View his obituary here.

You’ll find the newsletter for September below. Enjoy!

by Armand Gutierrez, NSC President

September is upon us, and I’ve been receiving the usual advertisements from various ski resorts as a reminder for purchasing their season pass and the new safety protocols for a pandemic ski season. Yes, it will be a different experience on and off the slopes for this season, and I’m looking forward to testing the waters. I’ve been skiing since ’75 and have encountered a variety of situations and conditions, but this year will definitely be a new one. 

Proposed Safety Protocols on the Slopes

While the majority of the resorts in the US are examining their safety protocols for this season, resorts in New Zealand and Australia are already open for business. What can you expect for this year? Here is a list of possible scenarios that are already in place in the land down under:

• Reservations for those popular days (most likely on weekends and holidays)
• Limited number of ticket sales
• Reduced seating for indoor dining
• No outdoor seating for picnic lunches
• Contact tracing
• Wearing a mask when needed
• Social distance in the lift line
• Reduced lift seating (e.g. 2 people on a 4-seater).

Perhaps there is a silver lining to the safety protocols. For example, limited ticket sales would translate to uncrowded conditions. And wearing a mask is a no-brainer when it’s snowing.

2021 NSC Ski Week to Breckenridge, CO – CANCELLED

 The Breckenridge trip has been officially cancelled due to lack of sign-ups. Yes, hard to put together a trip when there are only four people signed-up. The last time an NSC trip was cancelled was right after 9/11 and the 2002 Chamonix trip was cancelled. 

If anyone is still interested in going to Breckenridge then please contact me before the end of the month (president@niseiskiclub.org). Air and lodging reservations have been partially released and a few air seats and condo units are being retained in case a small group is still interested in skiing Breckenridge. I can still coordinate with Sports America on air/lodging/ground arrangements/lift tickets, but payment will be direct to Sports America and your trip will not be an NSC-sponsored trip. Cost will be slightly higher since there will be no group rates on ground transportation or lift tickets, and group air rates only apply if there are 10+ sign-ups. You will also have to find your own condo mates.

2021 FWSA Ski Week Trips

Although the Breckenridge trip has been cancelled, there are other ski-week trips available through FWSA. There are two trips scheduled:

• Sun Valley, 30 Jan-6 Feb. Presently there are 64 signups.
• Zermatt, Utah, a mini ski-week, 21-26 March, and signups are being accepted. Ikon pass accepted.

All NSC members are eligible to participate in FWSA events. Details for the trips can be found here: 

https://fwsa.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=623165&module_id=334799

If you have any questions contact me at president@niseiskiclub.org.

by Tina Woo, Membership Chair

2020 is proving to be a challenging year, amidst the COVID-19 virus and California wildfires.  Despite these uncertainties, the board of Nisei Ski Club is continuing to meet and discuss plans for this year.  We strive to provide community and camaraderie for our members.  

For fall, we are planning for several events, including a bike ride, a Thai Cooking Demo by Karen Soo via Zoom, as well as attending and sponsoring the Silicon Valley Asian Pacific Film Festival.  The annual picnic and tea dance events are currently on hold.  Feel free to submit any ideas and suggestions for future events. 

San Jose Taiko is offering senior taiko lessons for the month of September via zoom. Check out www.taiko.org.  Classes are less than $10 each.  See the article below about the free taiko bucket-making class on September 2. 

We continue to have one of the lowest membership fees of any ski club in the area. Please consider joining or renewing your membership this year in support of Nisei Ski Club!

contributed by Tina Woo

San Jose Taiko will be having a free “How-to-make-a-bucket-taiko” class at 1-2pm on Wednesday, Sept 2. You can access the class by using the Zoom link below. No need to register for this class; just click on the Zoom link next Wednesday at 1pm. You will need a 5-gallon bucket or similarly sized plastic trash can OR a sturdy cardboard box (and 2 pairs flat disposable chopsticks if you’re using a box) OR an old tire; a roll of packing or strapping tape, and scissors. 

Click to join the Zoom class:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81238891955

Passcode: 417649Meeting ID: 812 3889 1955

Simply clicking on the above link should get you into the class. If it doesn’t, and it asks for more info, I have listed all of the class info at the bottom of the email.

In lieu of a taiko, you can use buckets, tires, or trash cans that have been covered with tape to mimic a drum head. Examples are here, and instructions are here.  Other things that work:

• Exercise ball
• Zabuton attached to a table or stool
• Drum pad

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81238891955
Meeting ID: 812 3889 1955 Passcode: 417649

Dial by your location       

+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)       

+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)       

+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)       

+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)       

+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)       

+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)       

+1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)

Meeting ID: 812 3889 1955 Passcode: 417649

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kfBvA3dfN

by Armand Gutierrez

As we enter another month of trials and tribulations with the pandemic mandates of wearing masks and limiting our social activities, life does go on with video chats, perhaps visiting family, and no longer hoarding toilet paper. Hopefully, whatever you’re doing to keep your sanity is working for you. Our club activities so far have been either deferred or cancelled, but the Board continues to meet, via video chats, to discuss the issues presented and any future events that may be of interest to the membership.

It’s been a year since NSC was designated as an FWSA Historic Ski Club. This year FWSA is celebrating their 90^th Anniversary of their founding on October 7, 1930, and for this celebration a 90^thAnniversary Commemoration Booklet is being produced. The booklet will feature a list of all the FWSA Historic Ski Clubs and Councils in this collectible edition plus advertising space for clubs to congratulate FWSA on this milestone. The NSC board approved a small advertisement space so our club can be recognized as a Historic Ski Club and to congratulate FWSA.

Now, picture yourself in the 1930s with the latest ski gear and apparel. Does it look like this?

Sign-ups for the Breckenridge trip (23-30 January 2021) are well below what is normally expected for June and July. This most likely can be attributed to a deep concern in going on a ski trip during the pandemic situation. However, I’m hopeful that there will be an improvement in the pandemic situation and there will be sufficient signups to still conduct the trip, albeit with a smaller-than-usual group. If you have any questions regarding the trip please drop me a line at president@niseiskiclub.org.

Recap on Epic Passes

Breckenridge is part of Vail Resorts so you can pick up an Epic Pass for the next season. Once again, Sports America is offering the Epic Pass promotion-trip rebate of $30 for an Epic Local Pass and $50 for a Full Epic Pass. 

Breckenridge is on the Epic Pass, which is also good for Northstar, Heavenly Valley, and Kirkwood. Here is what you need to know about the Ikon and Epic Passes for the Breckenridge trip:

Purchase the Ikon Base Pass (Squaw/Alpine) from Sports America and receive a $30 discount, or purchase the Full Ikon Pass and receive a $50 discount on the Breckenridge trip. However, the Ikon Pass cannot be used at Breckenridge. Go to this link to purchase: https://www.sportsamerica.com/ikon-nisei

• Purchase the Epic Local Pass (Northstar, Heavenly, Kirkwood) and receive a $30 discount, or purchase the Full Epic Pass and receive a $50 discount on the Breckenridge trip. The Epic Pass can be used at Breckenridge for unlimited access. Go to this link to purchase: https://www.sportsamerica.com/epic-nisei

• Purchase both the Ikon/Epic passes and you will receive a combination discount based on the type of passes you purchase.

• If you have any questions about either of the passes then drop me a line at president@niseiskiclub.org.

Breckenridge Trip Cancellation Policy

In the event that it is deemed necessary to cancel the Breckenridge Trip due to insufficient sign-ups or resort closure full refunds will be made to all participants. Trip cancellation will have to be made no later than October 1^st.

Epic Pass Credit for Shortened Season

By now Epic Pass holders should have received a letter or email indicating the credit for the shortened season. When purchasing the Epic Pass through Sports America the only option is to select the type of pass you want for the indicated price. However, you can submit a copy of your letter/email to Brandon Ruggles (brandon@sportsamerica.com) and you will receive the credit applied to the total price of the pass before it is charged to your credit card. Note this date: September 7^th is the last day for the lowestEpic Pass prices plus ten buddy passes. 

Epic Pass Refund Policy

New for 2020-2021 is the Epic Coverage. This is free for all pass holders and provides refunds associated with certain personal events (i.e. illness, job loss, and injury).  It also expands coverage to protect your from resort closures, such as any due to COVID-19. For additional information you can visit this website:  https://www.epicpass.com/info/epic-coverage.aspx

Here we are already in the thick of summer. This month, you will find Armand’s message full of important information about the next ski season, including our planned NSC trip to Breckenridge. Don’t miss it!

President’s Message, by Armand Gutierrez

CATS Event July 1

Resources for Caring People

by Armand Gutierrez

Summer is officially here, bringing with it several weeks of warm-to-hot weather which is conducive to outdoor activities. The easing of the shelter-in-place mandate is a welcome relief for those of you making those excursions to the golf links, hiking and biking trails, and other outdoor activities. Unfortunately, some of our annual events are still deferred until safety protocols have been lifted, and this would include our annual picnic, Mt. View Obon Festival, and a day at the bocce ball courts. I’m getting the feeling that our Annual Membership and Luau Picnic might become a Pre-Ski Season event.

2021 NSC Ski Week to Breckenridge, CO

Next year’s ski week will be at Breckenridge, CO from 23-30 January, 2021. Breckenridge is part of Vail Resorts so you can pick up an Epic Pass for the next season. Once again, Sports America is offering the Epic Pass promotion-trip rebate of $30 for an Epic Local Pass and $50 for a Full Epic Pass.

Breckenridge is on the Epic Pass, which is also good for Northstar, Heavenly
Valley, and Kirkwood. Here is what you need to know about the Ikon and Epic Passes for the Breckenridge trip:

• Purchase the Ikon Base Pass (Squaw/Alpine) from Sports America and receive a $30 discount, or purchase the Full Ikon Pass and receive a $50 discount on the Breckenridge trip. However, the Ikon Pass cannot be used at Breckenridge. Go to this link to purchase: https://www.sportsamerica.com/ikon-nisei
• Purchase the Epic Local Pass (Northstar, Heavenly, Kirkwood) from Sports America and receive a $30 discount, or purchase the Full Epic Pass and receive a $50 discount on the Breckenridge trip. The Epic Pass can be used at Breckenridge for unlimited access. Go to this link to purchase: https://www.sportsamerica.com/epic-nisei
• Purchase both the Ikon/Epic passes from Sports America and you will receive a combination discount based on the type of passes you purchase.

If you have any questions about either of the passes then drop me a line at president@niseiskiclub.org .

Breckenridge Trip Cancellation Policy

In the event that it is deemed necessary to cancel the Breckenridge Trip due to insufficient sign-ups or resort closure, full refunds will be made to all participants. Please don’t delay in signing up for the trip if you are interested. The flyer can be accessed through the above links or you can click here. It’s also available on both the “Events” tab and the “Ski Trips” tabs above. Trip cancellation will have to be made no later than October 1st.

Epic Pass Credit for Shortened Season

By now Epic Pass holders should have received a letter or email indicating the credit for the shortened season. When purchasing the Epic Pass through Sports America the only option is to select the type of pass you want for the indicated price. However, you can submit a copy of your letter/email to Brandon Ruggles (brandon@sportsamerica.com ) and you will receive the credit applied to the total price of the pass before it is charged to your credit card. Note this date: September 7th is the last day for the lowest Epic Pass prices plus ten buddy passes.

Epic Pass Refund Policy

New for 2020-2021 is the Epic Coverage. This is free for all pass holders and
provides refunds associated with certain personal events (i.e. illness, job loss, and injury). It also expands coverage to protect your from resort closures, such as any due to COVID-19. For additional information you can visit this website: https://www.epicpass.com/info/epic-coverage.aspx

contributed by Jackie Maruhashi

This event is tomorrow, July 1 at 8 PM. Sign up ahead on the website. https://www.catsasiantheaterscene.org Don’t miss it!

Rising star, ukulele maestro Kris Fuchigami, will perform and talk about his love for the ukulele and Hawaiian music and how it has changed his life. Accompanied by Keiko Fuchigami on keyboards, Kris has won the most prestigious awards including the Na Hoku Hanohano Award for Ukulele Album of the Year, and the Instrumental Composition of the Year.

You don’t want to miss this event, live on ZOOM and Facebook.

Japanese American Citizen’s League: The Japanese American Citizens League is a national organization whose mission is to secure and safeguard the civil and human rights of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans and all communities who are affected by injustice and bigotry. The leaders and members of the JACL also work to promote and preserve the heritage and legacy of the Japanese American Community. https://jacl.org

Bystander Intervention Training to Stop Anti-Asian/American and Xenophobic Harassment provided by AAJC and Hollaback:
https://www.ihollaback.org/bystanderintervention/

Responding to Xenophobia workshops provided by Center for Anti-Violence Education:
https://www.caeny.org/upcomingprograms?view=calendar&month=04-2020

Restaurants you might want to try:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mercurynews.com/2020/06/03/black-owned-restaurants-open-in-bay-

Hoyt’s Recipes: https://drive.google.com/open?id=122YDkHJTNB31sAMZB0utsqFVLM55qJj-

Happy summer! This month, make sure to read Armand’s message about the ski passes and NSC trip to the Colorado Rockies in 2021. Don’t miss an interesting article by Carol Henri about her Nisei parents experience in the 1940s, and Hoyt’s recap of the elections for our 2020-21 NSC Board of Directors.

by Armand Gutierrez, President

It’s June and the start of the 2020-2021 NSC season. Our recent election resulted in no changes to the board. Thanks to all of you that took the time to vote, and you can read the full election results in Hoyt’s article.

2021 NSC Ski Week to Breckenridge, CO

Next year’s ski week will be at Breckenridge, CO from 23-30 January, 2021. Breckenridge is part of Vail Resorts so you can pick up an Epic Pass for the next season. Once again, Sports America will be offering the Epic Pass promotion-trip rebate of $30 for an Epic Local Pass and $50 for a Full Epic Pass.

For 2020-21 Breckenridge is on the Epic Pass, which is also good for Northstar, Heavenly Valley, and Kirkwood. Here is what you need to know about the Ikon and Epic Passes for the Breckenridge trip:

• Purchase the Ikon Base Pass (Squaw/Alpine) from Sports America and receive a $30 discount, or purchase the Full Ikon Pass and receive a $50 discount on the Breckenridge trip. However, the Ikon Pass cannot be used at Breckenridge. Go to this link to purchase: www.sportsamerica.com/ikon-nisei
• Purchase the Epic Local Pass (Northstar, Heavenly, Kirkwood) and receive a $30 discount, or purchase the Full Epic Pass and receive a $50 discount on the Breckenridge trip. The Epic Pass can be used at Breckenridge for unlimited access. Go to this link to purchase: www.sportsamerica.com/epic-nisei . Sports America will also honor the refund that Epic Pass is providing due to the early ski resort closures.
• Purchase both the Ikon/Epic passes and you will receive a combination discount based on the type of passes you purchase.

If you have any questions about either of the passes then drop me a line at president@niseiskiclub.org.

Epic Pass Refund Policy
Breckenridge is part of Vail Resorts so you can pick up an Epic Pass for the next season. New for 2020-2021 is the Epic Coverage. This is free for all pass holders and provides refunds associated with certain personal events (i.e. illness, job loss, and injury). It also expands coverage to protect your from resort closures, such as any due to COVID-19. For additional information you can visit this website: https://www.epicpass.com/info/epic-coverage.aspx

by Hoyt Nelson, Elections Chairperson

Elections are now over. Thanks to those who cast the 49 ballots (a respectable 70% for our club). The results are:
President: Armand Gutierrez
Vice President: The board determined that this position is not needed for our smaller size
Treasurer: Frank Chang
Trip Director: Karen Soo
Newsletter Editor: Judy Bracken
Membership Chair: Tina Woo
Directors at Large: Gregory Wong, Rick Dumlao, Sandy Kiyomura, Curtis Otaguro, Hoyt Nelson

There were a few write-ins, but no more than two for any one person, so they did not affect the results.

Congratulations to all and good luck to the Nisei Ski Club during the coming year. We will plan what social events that are possible under the circumstances and try to improve your skiing experience. We will also promote our club and our Asian heritage, as was the original intent of the club by its founders. We encourage everyone in the club to add their efforts in these attempts.

Special thanks to my wife, Nancy, who did most of the interface with Survey Monkey since she had the most experience with that program.

by Carol Henri

Have you ever wondered about the term “Nisei” in our Club’s name? The word for ‘two’ in Japanese is ‘Ni’ (pronounced ‘knee’) and Nisei means 2nd generation Japanese-American, a person who was born in the United States to parents who emigrated from Japan. The Club was originally founded by and for Nisei skiers more than 60 years ago.

My parents were both Nisei, children of Issei (‘first generation’) farmers who came to the United States in the early 1900’s. My mother was born in Beverly Hills, when it was still undeveloped land covered with orange groves. My father was born in Watsonville on a strawberry farm.

When Pearl Harbor was bombed on December 7, 1941, my father was an enlisted private soldier in the U.S. Army, on leave from his military base, visiting his romantic interest, my mother. When they heard about the bombing, my father knew he had to get back to his base. They did not know this would be the last time they would see each other until 11 months later, when they wed in a concentration camp for Japanese-Americans in desolate Gila River, Arizona.

You are probably aware of that sordid chapter in American history more than 75 years ago, when all people of Japanese ancestry residing in the Western United States, mostly U.S. citizens like my mother and her siblings and my father’s siblings, were mandated by FDR’s Executive Order 9066 to leave their homes with only what they could carry. They were then detained for up to three years in hastily erected remote prison camps bound by barbed wire and watchtowers manned by soldiers with guns. It is important to note that none of the Issei were American citizens because they were not allowed citizenship due to the Asian Exclusion Act.

When my father returned to his base, they were in blackout and there was confusion and pandemonium. His commanding officer confiscated the firearms of the three Nisei privates and locked them in a room together. My father remembers cowering in the dark, fearing they were going to be lynched in the panic of the moment.

My mother, then age 21, experienced the multiple indignities of the discriminatory Order, including being herded like cattle to buses and trains wearing a tag with a number; living in dirty horse stables at the race track, which was used as a temporary holding area while the camps were being constructed; and living with her father and a sister in a small, bleak barrack room with no privacy, where desert dust was unrelenting and the temperature was either too hot or too cold.

Before they parted, my parents agreed to write to each other every day except Sunday. They did so for nearly a year, until they married on November 19, 1942 in the Gila River camp. They spent their wedding night in a camp barrack room that had been decorated by family and friends. My mother had purchased a simple beige (non-wedding) dress from a catalog and my father wore his army uniform for the ceremony.

I believe as a result of her unjustified incarceration as a young adult, my mother retreated from her Japanese heritage. She eventually embraced it 20 years later, when she learned Japanese brush painting (‘sumie’), Japanese flower arrangement (‘ikebana’), and Japanese cooking. She never learned the Japanese language, because her parents firmly believed that as an American citizen she should speak English.

My parents went to Japan for the first time in 1968. Both my grandfathers became proud United States citizens in the 1950’s, when the Asian Exclusion Act was finally repealed.

by Judy Bracken, Newsletter Editor

Here we are well into springtime and sheltering in place. Hope you are all enjoying your extra time at home, and please enjoy this bit of NSC news!

President’s Message, by Armand Gutierrez

Membership Drive, by Tina Woo

Takeout Food in the Virus Era, by Hoyt Nelson

Virtual Events Corner, contributed by Tina Woo

Recipe Corner: Beer Bread, contributed by Sandy Kiyomura

Restaurant Ramblings: A Little Bit o’dis an Somo Dat, by Hoyt Nelson

by Armand Gutierrez, President

May is here and that means it’s time to bring an end to the NSC 2019-2020 season. Like last year, NSC had a pretty good season highlighted by a variety of accomplishments and events:

• Annual Luau and Membership Picnic
• Volunteer participation at the annual Obon Festival in Mountain View
• NSC sponsorship of the Silicon Valley Asian Pacific Film Festival
• Snow Fest (formerly SnowBomb) at Santa Clara County Fairgrounds
• Warren Miller Film @ Heritage Theater, Campbell
• A most fantastic ski week at Whistler
• Various members went on the FWSA Davos/Portugal Ski Trip

June marks the start of the NSC 2020-2021 season, and beginning this month you can take advantage of the $5 membership discount if you sign up and submit your membership form before May 31st . Please submit your application to Tina Woo (Membership Chairman).

Normally the end of the ski season has the board working on upcoming events for the summer and fall. However, this is not a normal year with the current group event restrictions in place. But, that does not mean our normal events are cancelled, the board prefers to use the term postponed. Yes, we are still considering the annual Luau and Membership Picnic, hosting another Tea Dance, and possibly a Thai Cooking demonstration. We’ll keep you posted on when these events are scheduled.

Board Nominations & Elections

The nominations process has been completed and the next step is elections. The elections chairman tells me there were several nominations but they were gracefully declined. Therefore the slate consists of the incumbents, and we’re fortunate that everyone on the board has agreed to serve again. However, voting is important and although there were no accepted nominations you can still vote for a write-in candidate. Whether you’re voting for the incumbents or a write-in candidate, it’s important that you do vote. 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 using SurveyMonkey was recently distributed by Hoyt Nelson.

2021 NSC Ski Week to Breckenridge, CO

Next year’s ski week will be at Breckenridge, CO from 23-30 January, Breckenridge is part of Vail Resorts so you can pick up an Epic Pass for the next season. Once again, Sports America will be offering the Epic Pass promotion-lodging rebate of $30 for an Epic Local Pass and $50 for a Full Epic Pass. For 2020-21 Breckenridge will be on the Epic Pass, and is also good for Northstar, Heavenly Valley, and Kirkwood. Here is what you need to know about the Ikon and Epic Passes for the Breckenridge trip:

• Purchase the Ikon Base Pass (Squaw/Alpine) from Sports America and receive a $30 discount, or purchase the Full Ikon Pass and receive a $50 discount on the Breckenridgetrip. However, the Ikon Pass cannot be used at Breckenridge. Go to this link to purchase: www.sportsamerica.com/ikon-nisei .
• Purchase the Epic Local Pass (Northstar, Heavenly, Kirkwood) and receive a $30 discount, or purchase the Full Epic Pass and receive a $50 discount on the Breckenridge trip. The Epic Pass can be used at Breckenridge for unlimited access. Go to this link to purchase: www.sportsamerica.com/epic-nisei .
• Purchase both the Ikon/Epic passes and you will receive a combination discount based on the type of passes you purchase.

If you have any questions about either of the passes then drop me a line at president@niseiskiclub.org

by Tina Woo, Membership Chair

We’re ending our 2019-2020 season with a total of 70 members. Please welcome new members: Susan Fung, Carol Fujimura, Lennie Kwock, Greg Mandrussow, Ellen Szeto, Carolyn T. Wong, and Glen Yamane. Also, welcome back long-time members: Janet Gee & Rod Ngai, Morgan Hua, Jennifer Kaneda, Gilbert & Debra Lee, Jackie Maruhashi, Amy and David Tsuhako and Gary Yee. Many of these members participated in the week-long trip to Whistler, BC in February.

June marks the start of the 2020-2021 Nisei Ski Club season. Beginning this month you can take advantage of the $5 discount if you sign up before May 31. Download and complete the membership form, then mail to Tina Woo (address at bottom of form) to be eligible. We still may have post-season events including the annual picnic, Thai Cooking Demo, Tea Dance, Silicon Valley Asian Pacific Film Festival planned, in addition to the week-long trip in January 2021 to Breckenridge, Colorado. And, we’re certainly open to suggestions for club activities. I’m hoping you will join us!

by Hoyt Nelson

Dining after the virus makes restaurant dining different and takeout is the order of the day (if you don’t want to cook). I can report several good experiences we’ve had over the last few weeks. Both give quantities greater than what you’d get in the restaurant at the same, or better quality as for sit down. I know these only apply to the San Jose area, but I suspect you can find equally good places where you live.

• Thaibodia on S Bascom near Campbell Ave. in Campbell. When they opened several years ago, many dishes were quite spicy, but now, they are under-spiced for my taste. Fortunately, I always have a small bottle of sanbal in my frig, which closely matches the hot sauce available at the restaurant. You can select 3 dishes from a list for $25, which is cheaper than menu price. Highly recommended!
• Sorelle’s (Italian) on San Tomas Aquino in Campbell, we ordered a Lasagna and a short rib Bolognese to go. Both were again quite large and very tasty, and you don’t need to include a tip as large as if in the restaurant since there is no table service. Of course, you must pay for delivery (with places like Door Dash for ex.) if you’re too far away, but some places give your first delivery for free.
• Costco has large pizzas (with everything on it) for only $10. We’ve had Costco’s pizzas before and they are very good. We’ve also had their hot dogs (for only $1.50). They are large, and every bit as good as Nathan’s or Hebrew National’s. Reports tell of many other excellent take out selections at Costco. (You could also eat on site at their picnic tables – until the virus came along.) Most Costco and Walmart Grocery Stores also have really good roasted chickens at a loss-leader price of $5.

While I’m at it, here is a link to my restaurant list for some of my favorites (not all places do takeout): https://drive.google.com/open?id=122YDkHJTNB31sAMZB0utsqFVLM55qJj-

For those who want to cook at home, see some of my favorite recipes: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1QHKrCBvjzMxdo7DcAoEPAr_lo1bXw1gD

contributed by Tina Woo

With this shelter-in-place reality we have been living since mid-March, many groups have created online ways to exercise, go to the park or museum, listen to music performances, or watch interesting films. Tina has compiled this list for us, and we welcome additional contributions at any time.

GoldenGate150.com: Happy 150th Birthday to Golden Gate Park! Millions of people visit the park each year and now this can be done virtually. Watch exclusive concert performances from previous years, take virtual tours of some of the parks most popular destinations (Stowe Lake, Japanese Tea Garden, Sunday concerts of the Golden Gate Park Band) and view special live webcams.  Did you know that Golden Gate Park has fly casting at Angler’s Lodge, is home to a popular disc golf course, or 6 American bison?  Visit the penguin feeding area, live coral or butterfly exhibit within the Academy of Science or view historical photo albums.  Discover and explore Golden Gate Park in celebration of this special birthday!

Asian Art Museum: Here’s a link to the Asian Art Museum from home:  https://asianart.org/museumfromhome/.

La Blast Fitness Classes: Dance/fitness exercise regime daily at 9:30 am.  We know that there is a lot of uncertainty during these crazy times, but there is nothing uncertain about having a great time doing LaBlast!

Daily Class Schedule for April 27 – May 1 10:30am – 11:30am MDT (9:30am PDT, 11:30am CDT, 12:30pm EDT).Register for them here: https://lablastfitness.com/free-lablast-live-classes/

The Green Music Center at Sonoma State University continues to offer you best wishes and good health as we navigate the challenges of COVID-19. We miss being together at performances and look forward to the day when we can once again experience the power and joy of live performance.

Our Engaging from a Distance program continues with new special internet events, as well as a wealth of possibilities that are curated and cataloged on our website. We’re excited to announce these events with artists who were scheduled to perform at the Green in April:

• Maria Schneider Thursday, May 7 at 4 P.M.Named an NEA Jazz Master in 2019, Maria Schneider and her orchestra are hailed as “evocative, majestic, magical, heart-stoppingly gorgeous, and beyond categorization.” Maria Schneider joins Jacob Yarrow to talk about her music, her band, and to listen to some recordings together. Register here.

The Wild & Scenic Film Festival: All across the globe humans are feeling the impacts of COVID-19 and the social distancing and time at home that come with it.  With this in mind, we couldn’t think of a better time to share some past Wild & Scenic Official Selections with you. We plan to put a new film up every few days so be sure to check back in here. We hope you all enjoy these momentary respites from the news of the day and wish you the very best as you navigate these challenging times. Click here for more information.

Save the Date: “Asian Americans,” A Film Series: We are thrilled to announce that our partners PBS and the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) will soon debut “Asian Americans,” the most ambitious television chronicle of the Asian American story in the United States. It premieres on PBS during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month on May 11 and 12, 2020. “Asian Americans” is a production of WETA Washington, D.C. and CAAM for PBS, in association with the Independent Television Service (ITVS), Flash Cuts, and Tajima-Peña Productions. It is a five-part history series that explores the evolving identity, contributions, and challenges experienced by Asian Americans. Watch a Preview Learn more about the series here. We hope you will save the date for May 11 and 12!

contributed by Sandy Kiyomura

I used this Beer Bread recipe from an article in the NY Times listing 10 things that have changed in these days of sheltering-in-place. It surprised me to read that so many more people are making their own bread. I have a group of friends I’ve been keeping in touch with, and three of us have been baking bread much more than we ever did before. Since I did not have yeast (and I heard it was hard to find), I used beer. Thus, this recipe came into play. The first time, all I had was non-alcoholic beer, which did not work well. Subsequently, I’ve made three more loaves with real beer and that was great.   

The basic recipe calls for 3 cups of flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 2 tbsp sugar and 1 12 oz can of beer (blander the better). Optional 2 tbsp melted butter drizzled on top after bread is baked. 375 degrees for 35 minutes.  I have a bread maker so I don’t have to mix. 

by Hoyt Nelson

A Few Updates: Stone Stew (Iranian) has now moved from Saratoga Ave. to 205 N 4 th St. San Jose 408-622-1067. As I mentioned before, Harry’s Hofbrau is closed. We now go to Esther’s Bakery and Catering in Los Altos – it’s even better for good German food.

Here are some of my tips and picks for food from many nations. Until the shelter in place has lifted, we can only dream about going out!

American: Nick’s Next Door 11 College Ave. Los Gatos new American $$$ 408-402-5053: We splurged a bit for a friend’s birthday party in late 2019 and the food was very good, except for everything being very salty and over sauced for my taste. My rib eye was cooked perfectly rare, but had more gristle than I expected for $35 and the French fries were soaked with its gravy. One of the reasons I ordered it was because it came with a fairly large piece of bone marrow which I had not eaten before. Unfortunately, the sauce overpowered its delicate flavor, so I still don’t know what bone marrow tastes like. We were served in a large tent outside and heaters were provided on request when it got colder later that night. Although not the fault of the restaurant, there was another very loud party in the same tent which took away from the charm of the place. Service was nice and parking was fairly easy. Would I go back? Only if I knew they reduced the salt served on most dishes.

Indian: We love Indian food and we like variety, but there are very few Indian restaurants that serve buffets in the evening. We tend to need a nap after a large meal, so eating at a buffet for lunch tends to ruin any plans for the rest of the day. The solution for many years was Sneha, just off Lawrence in Sunnyvale, close to Central Expwy. but in 2017
and 2018 it lost its touch and we stopped going. In 2017-2020, it changed hands several times. On 8-18-2019 we checked Yelp and read some encouraging reviews for its new incarnation and so we tried it again. Happily, was back to its former good self, but it changed hands again so we don’t know what it’s like now. I don’t know of any evening buffets now in operation except for special variants of this genre.

African: There are many forms of African food: Ethiopian, Moroccan, Egyptian, Somalian, etc. but most commonly found restaurants in the US have similarities such as the liberal use of the flat bread called injera (or similar sounding name). It is a thin, flat bread, up to about 14 inches in diameter which can resemble thin foam rubber. (Don’t wory, it
tastes way better than that.) It is used as a base on which stews, salads, etc. are placed in various piles that sometimes sits on a large basket affair with a conical upside down basket on top to cover everything from flies, dust, etc. Injera is also used as an eating implement. You tear off a small piece of another injera disk and use this to grasp a bite off the piles on the base. Some of the stews (with or without meat) can be hot (spicy). The meat is goat, fish or chicken, but usually not pork (as many countries are predominantly Muslim. My wife was uncertain about the goat, but quickly
learned to like it. The beer is good and the national mead (with honey) drink called Tej is interesting. They make a show of pouring tea from a great height above a tiny glass. It is very sweet and is frequently flavored with mint.

Ethiopian: Pretty much as described above. We have quite a few of these, but our hands down favorite is Walia on Stevens Creek at Bascom. Many years ago, we liked Gojo on Stevens Creek, San Jose, but haven’t sampled it lately.

Moroccan: In addition to the stuff mentioned above, an interesting dish is a chicken pie flavored with cinnamon and sugar. Many places hang a cloth or parachute over the eating area to resemble a tent and you sometimes have to sit on a cushion on the floor. Belly dancing frequently accompanies the dinner and the whole experience frequently lasts for several hours.

Egyptian: There don’t seem to be any Egyptian places in the Bay Area, but the stuff we had in Egypt was more traditional stewed meats and veggies with some Egyptian spices. (If you ask Yelp for Egyptian, they are really list just the standard middle eastern stuff.)

Somalian: There’s only one, and it’s hard to find. Jubba is across the street from the light rail station

With our ski season cut short, we all have plenty of time to read this month’s news. Please make sure to take note of Armand’s message, as he has news of upcoming events that are postponed or cancelled. Everyone please try to stay healthy and enjoy the slow pace of life as it is right now, in this unusual world situation.

President’s Message, by Armand Gutierrez

2020 FWSA International Ski Trip to Davos, by Judy Bracken

by Armand Gutierrez

The month of March will be remembered for a variety of events that have affected people on a grand scale. Primarily, the spread of the corona virus that is now keeping us in our homes in order to halt the spread of the disease and curtailing our daily activities. Then, much to our dismay, all of the ski resorts were closed and thus shortening our ski season. All of the FWSA participants, including four from NSC that went on the Davos/Portugal trip, were delayed by one day on returning home. We were fortunate for had it been delayed one day longer then it would have been much more difficult for us to return to US soil.

During the year we have regular Board Meetings in order to run the club for the season.  Normally the meetings are held on a monthly basis, but sometimes a month, or two, will be skipped if there are no pressing issues. Our March board meeting was held as a videoconference, a first for NSC. I’ve always been a proponent for face-to-face board meetings and a videoconference was the next best thing. The one thing we did miss was going out to lunch after the meeting.

 April is here and that generally means the end of another great ski season. However, our ski season actually ended mid-March. At our March board meeting the decision was made, based on the shelter-in-place mandate, to postpone upcoming events that includes our Annual June Picnic, another Tea Dance (last year’s was popular), and a Thai Cooking Demonstration. As we progress through the remainder of the year we will try and hold these postponed events.

2020 FWSA Ski Week to Davos, Switzerland

Judy Bracken, Elaine Graves, Roland Lee, and I had a great skiing experience in Davos: plenty of fresh powder, hardly any lift lines, and tasty Swiss cuisine on the slopes. The funicular (pictured left) was adjacent to our hotel, along with the Parsenn Sports shop where we rented skis. The return trip from Portugal was a bit of a nightmare for Judy and I, and others on the trip. Our Portugal flight to Zurich was cancelled and that caused us to miss our Zurich-to-SFO flight. Kudos to Debbie Stewart, our FWSA trip director, for spending hours on the phone with the US Embassy, Swiss Air, and the travel agency for procuring flights for our return home, albeit a day late. To complicate matters due to the impending corona virus travel restrictions, Swiss Air was the only airline with flights from Zurich to the US: Boston and Newark (NJ). We were fortunate to return to the US prior to travel restrictions and corona virus screening were implemented. See Judy’s article for her perspective on her first FWSA international trip.

Board Nominations & Elections

Well, it’s that time again for holding our board nominations and elections for the 2020-2021 season, and an email for making your nominations for the board has already been posted.As you know,volunteers run this club, and without them this club would cease to exist, and it’s been in existence for 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 due to current shelter-in-place requirements the June picnic is postponed. 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 experiences.

2021 NSC Ski Week to Breckenridge, CO

Next year’s ski week will be at Breckenridge, CO from 23-30 January, 2021. Breckenridge is part of Vail Resorts so you can pick up an Epic Pass for the next season. Once again, Sports America will be offering the Epic Pass promotion-lodging rebate of $30 for an Epic Local Pass and $50 for a Full Epic Pass.

For 2020-21 Breckenridgewill be on the Epic Pass, and is also good for Northstar, Heavenly Valley, and Kirkwood. Here is what you need to know about the Ikon and Epic Passes for the Breckenridge trip:

• Purchase the Ikon Base Pass(Squaw/Alpine) from Sports America and receive a $30 discount, or purchase the Full Ikon Pass and receive a $50 discount on the Breckenridge trip. However, the Ikon Pass cannot be used at Breckenridge. Go to this link to purchase: www.sportsamerica.com/ikon-nisei.
• Purchase the Epic Local Pass(Northstar, Heavenly, Kirkwood) and receive a $30 discount, or purchase the Full Epic Passand receive a $50 discount on the Breckenridge trip. The Epic Pass can be used at Breckenridge for unlimited access. Go to this link to purchase: www.sportsamerica.com/epic-nisei.
• Purchase both the Ikon/Epic passes and you will receive a combination discount based on the type of passes you purchase.

If you have any questions about either of the passes then drop me a line at president@niseiskiclub.org.

by Judy Bracken

We were so excited to start out on our first European ski trip! Elaine, Armand and I had no trouble on our smooth overnight flight from SFO to Zürich. Roland had arrived earlier to visit his cousin. There was a jolly meeting with the other 80 skiers arriving from all sorts of places. Somehow our FWSA trip director, Debbie Stewart, managed to coordinate these large groups. We filled up our two buses and continued our journey for about three hours, arriving in Davos in time for dinner and long awaited sleep!

The five-star Hotel Seehof had spacious rooms and was close to the resorts. Included was a scrumptious breakfast and dinner almost every day, with a welcoming and friendly staff.  Dinner dishes each night were creatively cooked and served, including famous Swiss made cheeses and sauces, served with fish or meat. After skiing we had time to put on our bathrobes and visit the downstairs spa, complete with a whirlpool, sauna and steam rooms. We learned quickly that the European way is to wear nothing while in the saunas!

Skiing at Davos was spectacular, especially the views. From our hotel, it was just a few steps away to get on the steep funicular to the midway point of Parsenn, the largest and most popular of the six ski resorts surrounding the town of Davos. Skiing here was much different than our home resorts. We took very steep trams or funiculars to get up to the big bowls and most ski runs. Then multiple forms of transport take you further up the mountain, including t-bars, chairlifts, gondolas, trains, and more trams. Descending to the bottom was often a long, winding road with small cabins dotted about. Nothing was crowded, and free buses take you from one resort to another. 

If there was fresh snow, skiing off piste was really good, but otherwise the groomed runs were not very interesting. There are few trees up at the high slopes, and it’s white everywhere with breathtaking views of Matterhorn type peaks as far as the eye could see (on the two sunny days of the week). Other days were blustery with some white out conditions.  Ski runs are numbered, not named, and the lollipop markers help you find your way down. Everyone takes long lunches in private huts placed all about the mountains. You are waited upon, and can order anything from goulash to apple strudel. The lift passes were half as much as US, although food and everything else was quite pricey.  We were told that there had been no snow for some time, and we were lucky to get some fresh powder! 

Our NSC group did not go on the optional day trip to Lucerne, but we enjoyed the evening sleigh ride and fondue dinner. We boarded six to each horse drawn sleigh, snuggled under blankets, then over the river and through the woods we went. The snow was falling gently in the dark night, and listening to the sleigh bells ringing as we meandered up a canyon, passing chalets and weathered barns seemed like a fairytale. We arrived at a cozy house where we enjoyed a meal of salad, traditional Swiss fondues and wine. 

This was my first European ski trip, and it was fun to be with a group of likeminded, fun loving folks from all over the western US. It seemed we had a party every other night, and despite the jet lag all week, most of us managed to eat, drink, ski and be merry most of the time! We had no idea this would be our last ski of the season…

For the second week, 48 of us continued on to Portugal, where the weather was gorgeous every single day. We started hearing more about the coronavirus spread heating up. Even so, we enjoyed Lisbon and our humorous tour guide Valter, learning so much about Portuguese history and culture. One of our best meals of the trip was a six-course lunch at Museu da Cerveja (museum of beer). Then there were delicious pastries, and shopping galore. On the drive to Porto we stopped at Obidos, a tiny village surrounded by castle walls, then to Nazare, home of beaches with the biggest surf in the world. We were treated to an amazing seafood lunch, after which we soon arrived in Porto.  

We again had a wonderful day tour of Porto, complete with a substantial Portuguese lunch and a port wine tasting. On our free day some people walked or biked along the River Douro or saw more city sights. It seemed the Portuguese people bent over backwards to please their visitors. 

At the same time, news of the coronavirus was getting serious. Flights were being cancelled and European travelers were banned from coming to the US. Most of us had to alter our flight plans to get home. It was the end of our eventful trip, and we were grateful once we boarded our planes and landed on our home turf at last.