Nisei Ski Club

2019 Lange RS 120 Ski Boots

Size: 25.5 (men’s 8-8.5 shoe size) Advanced to Expert, high performance/race Used approximately 10 days, excellent condition

Retail: $700  Asking $250

Sold by Randy Hirai. If interested contact Karen at tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org

It’s no April Fool’s joke–your monthly newsletter is ready for your reading enjoyment. Here are your selections:

President’s Message by Armand Gutierrez

Hakuba Ski Trip by Kathy Fang

Ready, Get Set, DANCE! by Sandy Kiyomura

Mark Your Calendars contributed by Tina Woo

Unique Ski Lodging contributed by Dan Lew

by Armand Gutierrez

April is here and that means the end of another great ski season. Due to all the snowfall, several resorts have extended their season, but most will be closing by the end of April. Mammoth and Squaw Valley will stay open a little longer; with Squaw once again offer skiing on the 4^thof July. 

2019 FWSA Ski Week to Hakuba Valley, Japan My first trip to Japan for skiing and touring was an opportunity that will forever be in my memory banks. Of the ten ski resorts available, I had selected four to ski based on their conditions (number of lifts/runs, snow depth, and weather). Happo-One and Goryu/47 were the two largest and Tsugeike came in third. Although Tsugeike wasn’t the largest, it offered the best powder skiing while we, “we” meaning other NSCrs, were there. Goryu/47 is actually two resorts: Goryu and 47, and you can ski either resort with the interconnected lifts.  See Kathy Fang’s article below for more about the trip.

Toward the end of the ski week there was a farewell dinner and entertainment provided by the local Taiko drummers. For those that have never seen Taiko drummers this was probably the highlight of the week. 

April NSC Weekend Ski Trip Karen Soo, our trip director, has organized a carpool effort for a weekend of skiing at Tahoe on April 13-14. If you’re interested in going then contact Karen at tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org

Board Nominations & Elections  Well, it’s that time again for holding our board nominations and elections for the 2019-2020 season, and an email for making your nominations for the board has already been sent out. 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 at the annual June picnic. Ask any of the current board members and I’m sure they will tell you that by volunteering they get back more than they ever gave. By volunteering you will experience social benefits as well as provide a greater sense of self-worth, trust, and lots of fun. 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.

Whistler/Blackcomb Ski Week 2020 Next year’s ski week NSC will be going to Whistler/Blackcomb, Canada. Our last visit to Whistler/Blackcomb was in 2010, so it’s time for a return trip. Last year Sports America offered the Ikon and Epic Passes at a discount for any member that signed up for Big Sky, and the Ikon Pass was good for five days of skiing at Big Sky.

For 2019-20 Whistler/Blackcomb 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 Whistler/Blackcomb trip: 

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

*Purchase the Epic Local Pass (Northstar, Heavenly, Kirkwood) and receive a $30 discount on the Whistler/Blackcomb trip. The Epic Pass can be used at Whistler/Blackcomb for up to ten days. Go to this link to purchase: www.sportsamerica.com/epic-nisei

*Purchase the Epic Local Pass before April 14^thand get ten buddy passes and the lowest rate for the pass.

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

by Kathy Fang

I don’t regret being tempted by Sandy Kiyomura last June to go on a ski trip to Japan organized by the Far West Ski Association (FWSA) in March 2019.    Recently I vowed to explore the slopes beyond the Tahoe resorts I have enjoyed for my 17 years of skiing.  With Sandy’s urging, I decided to get started by going to Japan!

Sandy and I opted to go for two of the three weeks being offered on this trip, spending our first week at the Niseko resorts in Hokkaido with about 40 other skiers, and the second at the Hakuba Valley resort in Nagano with 70 travelers. With such large groups, there was a bit of waiting around, but  thanks to the careful planning by Debbie Stewart and Wanda Ross of FWSA, the travel arrangements went quite smoothly.

Niseko is a town on Japan’s northern Hokkaido Island, near the dormant volcano of Mt. Yotei. Niseko Ski Resort is comprised of four interlinked ski resorts—Grand Hirafu, Hanazono, Niseko Village and An’nupri.  They were part of the Winter Olympics in 1972. We found people from Australia and Europe flocking there. The views from each of the four peaks were amazing! 

Hakuba Valley Ski Resort, the host of 1998 Winter Olympics, is the largest ski resort in Japan.  It consists of ten resorts in Nagono Prefecture.  For this second week, we stayed in the classic Hotel Tokyu, with large rooms, beautiful mountain views, a convenient location, and delicious French inspired cuisine.

Near Hakuba Valley, we went to visit a Snow Monkey (Japanese macaque) Preserve in Nagano.  Snow monkeys are the most northern living nonhuman primates. Legend says that many years ago, snow monkeys discovered that soaking in the hot springs was quite enjoyable, especially in winter.  To prevent them from coming to the human hot springs, the locals built special hot spring spas for snow monkeys and then lured them there with food. Thus, these monkeys would happily stay in the reservation areas and enjoy their own spas.  The snow monkeys, minding their own spa experiences, paid little attention to us.

It is said that Japan has the best powder in the world.  When we arrived in Niseko and Hakuba in early March of this year, the weather and snow conditions were very much like those in Squaw this year—a lot of snow but warm, moist, and icy sometimes—“spring ski” conditions.  Sandy and I met and skied with people from Nisei and other clubs from many spots all over California and other western states. The sportsmanship and camaraderie on the slopes with other members in the group made this ski trip fun and memorable.

Like many of you, learning the history, meeting the locals, experiencing their day-to-day life and culture are important parts of our travels.  Since the economic downturn in the 1990’s, Japan has had a hard time recovering. Due to the national low birth rate, we observed many men and women well beyond middle age working in the service industries.  As a recovery method, Japan has focused on increasing tourism, which has doubled in the last five years.

Travel in Japan nowadays is relatively easy and comfortable.  Everywhere we went, things were neat, clean, nice and orderly. Trains and buses are always on time. Food is healthy and delicious. Plates are presented like flower arrangements.   Japanese people are courteous and helpful.   Surprisingly, travel in Japan is so much less costly than my first visit there fifteen years ago!

Overall, I had a wonderful time during my first ski trip to Japan with FWSA.  Next year, FWSA goes to Davos, Switzerland and Portugal! Maybe you’ll be there?

by Sandy Kiyomura

Would you like to learn something new? Dancing has been shown to improve one’s physical, mental and social well-being. This is something you can do for the rest of your life (even if you can’t ski anymore).  If you already know how to dance, please come and share your skills.

On Sunday, May 19, Nisei ski club will be hosting it’s first Tea Dance and Social at the Cupertino Senior Center from 2-5 PM. We call it a Tea Dance because it’s in the afternoon. “But what if I can’t dance? I have two left feet.” Not to worry, there is someone with two right feet. I will teach you in three easy lessons. Want to learn the swing, cha cha, Rumba, night club two step? Put in your requests.  

No Nisei event would be complete without food. Come and share your culinary talents. Feel free to bring “finger food” to share. The club will provide serving plates and utensils. If you can’t cook, non-alcoholic drinks are welcome. 

You and your guests can make requests to me at skiyomura@gmail.com

See you on the dance floor!

The first Japantown Immersive, held last May, supported businesses, artists, and residents of our iconic neighborhood and provided a rollicking good time for the 1000+ people who attended.

You won’t want to miss the return of this interactive street event. Japantown Immersive 2019 will take place from 4:30-8:30 PM on April 6. Just like last year, it will be FREE. For more about this event, visit the website at Japantown Immersive 2019.

Another event of note is the Cupertino Cherry Blossom Festival, held April 27-28, 2019. This wonderful community event, featuring artists, food vendors and performances honors one of Cupertino’s oldest sister city relationships with Toyokawa, Japan. It is held from 10 am-5 pm and admission is free.

contributed by Dan Lew

Looking for a very unique ski lodging experience? Dan Lew found this interesting, albeit expensive (330 €uros / night), ski lodging at La Plagne, France. La Plagne is a huge ski resort  that is part of the Paradiski area that includes La Plagne, Les Arcs and Peissy Vallandry. La Plagne alone has 95 lifts! Talk about an interesting time!

Inside the snow cat:

Here is the monthly news for March. You will find the articles below by scrolling down or by clicking on the links:

President’s Message, by Armand Gutierrez

End of Season Social, by Tina Woo

Best Skiing Experience Ever!, by Margaret Wong

Year of the Boar

Skiing at 70

by Armand Gutierrez

Mother Nature sure has been busy this winter with record rainfall north of the Bay Area and snowfall in the Tahoe region. Is there such a thing as too much snow? Well, yes. Too much snow can affect lift operations and I-80, the main artery to Tahoe, has suffered numerous closures for days at a time and thus curtailing any ski trips to the Tahoe area. During the ski season, and when I’m not up at Tahoe, I view the webcams on I-80 (http://dot.ca.gov/d3/cameras.html) to see the current road conditions. Sometimes the roads are clear and traffic is moving smoothly, sometimes the roads are open with chain control and long lines of slow-moving vehicles, and other times the roads are full of snow and void of any traffic. Given all the snowfall you can bet that Squaw Valley will offer skiing on the 4^thof July (usually a traditional event). 

2019 FWSA Ski Week to Hakuba Valley, Japan

There are a number of ski places that are on my “bucket list”, and skiing Japan is one of them. This year FWSA is going to Hakuba Valley, Japan, the site of the 1998 Winter Olympics. Hakuba Valley consists of 10 resorts at the base of Japan’s Northern Alps. The Northern Alps reach an elevation of 3000 meters and the resorts consistently receive a heavy snowfall with deep powder. The photo shows the Hakuba Cortina ski resort. I’ll be joining several fellow NSCers, including Sandy Kiyomura, on the FWSA Hakuba Valley ski week from 8-16 March and a second week in Kanazawa, Kyoto, and Tokyo from 16-23 March. As members of NSC you are eligible to take any BAC and FWSA ski trips that are offered during the ski season. And here’s something to think about – FWSA will be going to Davos, Switzerland in 2020. Details haven’t been released yet so stay tuned, and if you have an interest in going then drop me a line at president@niseiskiclub.org.

March NSC Weekend Ski Trip

Karen Soo, our trip director, has organized a car-pool effort for a weekend of skiing at Tahoe on 9-10 March. If you’re interested in going then contact Karen at tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org. 

Board Nominations

Now that it’s March it’s time to think about Board Nominations for the 2019-20 season. If anyone has an interest in joining the board for the next season and has questions about what it entails then just drop a note to any of the current board members, or perhaps you have someone in mind to nominate for the board. Please keep in mind that the Nisei Ski Club relies on volunteers to be on the board and undertake the running of the club. It’s not all work and no play. Board meetings are fairly informal and afterwards we usually go out for lunch and talk about skiing or upcoming club events. 

by Margaret Wong

Lucky me that I went to both the 2002 and the 2019 NSC Big Sky Ski Trips. I will say this year was my best skiing experience and surpassed my expectations. It was even better than the 2002 trip, when our 14 NSC attendees enjoyed accommodations at the Moonlight Cabins. This time, we had 41 members attending and huge amounts of fresh snow.

Big Sky is advertised as the “biggest skiing in America, a winter wonderland with 5800 acres of skiable downhill terrain!” This year at the Bozeman Airport, there were comments that our club must have brought the snow because the area was pretty brown the weeks before. Yes, it snowed everyday except for Tuesday when the sun came out. That meant lots and lots of new fresh, silky powder.

Being a California girl, I really “suck” at skiing powder, so I had to learn quickly so that I would not be left behind by my fellow skiers. Because the snow is so light, skis just slice right through the snow even if there are already tracks. It felt so wonderful and I love flying over those silky hills and bumps. On top of that, I had a wonderful time with all the many Nisei people I skied with. There were large groups nearly every day, and we managed to stay together most of the time. Besides the great skiing, there was lots of great food and socializing to be had almost every day. I thank all the people who skied with me…and all those who skied by and waved to me.

contributed by Sandy Kiyomura

The Chinese New Year in 2019 was February fifth: this corresponds with the beginning of both the sexegenary year of jǐ hài and also the zodiac year of the Earth Pig. The Pig is the twelfth of all the Zodiac animals. According to one myth, the Jade Emperor said the order would be decided in the order in which they arrived to his party. Pig was late because he overslept. Another story says he had to rebuild his house after the wolf destroyed it (sounds like the story of the Three Little Pigs!). When he arrived, he was late and could only take twelfth place.

The pig is also associated with the Earthly Branch and the hours 9 to 11 in the night. In terms of yin and yang, the Pig is yin. In Chinese culture, pigs are the symbol of wealth. Their chubby faces and big ears are sign of fortune as well.

Pigs have a beautiful personality and are blessed with good fortune in life.

contributed by Dan Lew

Below is a link to an interesting article about skiing when you are in your 70s. There is an interesting discussion on lift pricing, mostly due to the changes in lift equipment over the decades. For example, it used to cost $16 to ski at Aspen in 1979, which equates to only $56 in today’s money with inflation figured in, while the actual cost today is almost $200 at Aspen.

I particularly like this statement about “senior” discounts. Sugarbush in Vermont uses 90 years as its free skiing starting age. We do not know if we should consider this as “humorous or optimistic!“

by Judy Bracken

Hello skiers and other fans! Fresh off the high from a great Big Sky ski week, the newsletter is here for your pleasure. You can read all about it and more as follows:

President’s Message, by Armand Gutierrez https://www.niseiskiclub.org/posts/presidents-message-february-2019/

Big Sky in Limericks, by Judy Bracken https://www.niseiskiclub.org/posts/big-sky-in-limericks/

Where Were You in 1974? by Sandy Kiyomura https://www.niseiskiclub.org/posts/where-were-you-in-1974/

Preseason Potluck Dinner, by Wendy and Sheldon Sam https://www.niseiskiclub.org/posts/nisei-ski-club-preseason-pot-luck-dinner/

Restaurant Ramblings, by Hoyt Nelson https://www.niseiskiclub.org/posts/restaurant-ramblings-another-institution-gone/

Soy and Tofu Festival, by Angela Fong https://www.niseiskiclub.org/posts/sf-9th-annual-soy-and-tofu-festival-volunteers-needed

by Armand Gutierrez, President

Happy Chinese New Year! Welcome to the Chinese New Year of the Earth Pig! Yes, the Chinese New Year starts on Tuesday, February 5^th. The pig is the twelfth of all zodiac animals, which means the yearly cycle is complete. Most people think of pigs as sloppy and dirty animals as they cavort in the mud-laden sty. But pigs do have a beautiful personality, are blessed with good fortune, and let themselves enjoy life. If you were born under the sign of the Earth Pig then you carry the attributes of an energetic and enthusiastic worker, and strive to find happiness in life. Do you know anyone in the club that fits the characteristics of the Earth Pig?

Best Resorts for Snow Making?There weren’t any winners in the “Name the Best Resorts for Snow Making” quiz. Of course, it’s hard to have any winners when there weren’t any responses. For the curious, here are the top ten resorts that offer the most snow making acreage:

1. Heavenly – 3379
2. Northstar – 1500
3. Panorama – 1140
4. Squaw/Alpine – 1000
5. Nakiska – 960 (west of Calgary)
6. Deer Valley – 700
7. Mammoth – 680
8. Lake Louise – 662
9. Keystone – 660
10. Aspen – 658

Big Sky Ski Week 2019

It would be hard to find the words that best describe our recent ski week trip to Big Sky, but let me submit to you the following: “lots of powder every day”, “great skiing, great powder”, “wish we had this powder in Tahoe”, and the best accolade would be “best ski trip ever!” Mother Nature gave us an amazing trip with fresh powder almost everyday and low temps to keep it light and dry. It would be safe to say that everyone on this trip became powder skiers.

Editor’s Note: see photos by Bill Lee in articles below or at this link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/CmfLqcsFYikAHtNT8

by Judy Bracken

41 folks embarked on their flights

For a week of Montana skiing and sights.

We arrived at our places,

Settled down in our spaces,

Then cheese and wine at Huntley’s that night.

Sunday started out cloudy and cold,

To high country geared up feeling bold.

Mountain tours helped us see

All Big Sky territory.

On this resort we were already sold!

More delicious powder was in store.

We formed several groups to explore

Lifts named Ramcharger, Six Shooter,

Swift Current and Challenger,

Thunder Wolf, Southern Comfort and more.

Tuesday morning was sunny and bright.

It had snowed several inches that night.

We had views of Lone Peak,

The tram some did seek,

Everything that day just seemed so right.

Next day some set out on a tour

To Yellowstone Park to see more.

We saw geysers and mud holes,

Bison, coyotes, and a lone wolf.

Resting helped us to not feel so sore!

Fluffy, light snow everywhere,

Folks to meet and find runs for to dare,

We shared good food and smiles.

After skiing many miles,

We knew this week was a treat quite rare.

And now we had come to day seven,

Silky powder felt like floating in heaven.

Though windy and chilly

We skied ourselves silly

For the best of Big Sky we’d been given.

Friday night we gathered to eat

Bowls of salad, good veggies and meats,

Plates filled to the brim,

Hungry skiers, big grins,

Then our good byes till next years’ ski week.

Thanks to Bill Lee for most of these photos. More can be found at this website: https://photos.app.goo.gl/CmfLqcsFYikAHtNT8

by Sandy Kiyomura, aka Sandy Chinn

There are days when I can’t remember what I did the day before. But thanks to Ed Levin, he showed me where I was in 1974. I was with Nisei ski club! Ed sent me a copy of the 1974 roster. I see over 200 names on it. And not surprising, most of the names were Japanese. JimTanaka, Jim and April Shiro, as well as Haruko Nagaishi were also members. They probably wouldn’t remember me from then because I only joined for one year…to ski at Aspen.There are days when I get tired from skiing and now I know why…I’m getting old!

Editor’s Note: I beg to differ with Sandy about her being old…in spirit she is still 26, like she was in 1974!

by Hoyt Nelson

Tuesday, January 8 was the last day for Harry’s Hofbrau on Saratoga Ave, San Jose after 42 years at that location.  There had been rumors last year, but nothing more till a sign announcing the closure was posted at the beginning of the line with only a few days to spare. The news spread fast.  We learned of this Monday afternoon and decided to go about 7 PM that night.  However the line was about 230 ft.  long with people who had the same idea, so we decided to wait and go REALLY early at 4 PM the last day.  Before going on Tuesday, however, we checked on Facebook and discovered the line at that time was more than 120 additional feet out the door and had been long since opening at 10 AM.  On to plan B, Sic transit gloria.  There was a long segment about it on the TV news that night and a big article with pictures in the SJ Mercury the next day.  Who Knew?  Other locations in Mtn. View and Foster City have been closed for a few years.   If you must, there are still 2 remaining Harry’s location: one in Redwood City and another in San Leandro, but who knows for how long?

This type of cafeteria-style restaurant (as we know it) was popular in Germany for many, many years and was even common in ancient Roman towns where only the very wealthy had their own personal kitchens, water sources, baths and even toilets.  The California lumber towns in the 19^thand 20^thcentury were frequently serviced by places like the Samoa Cook House in Euireka (still in business) and 4 large places in the tiny town of Occidental, CA like The Union HotelOccidental(est. 1879) and Negri’s(both still in business).  1000s of us came here after wine tasting in Sonoma, just to eat their massive, cheap and mostly healthy meals.  The Union Hotel seated several hundred people at a time.

 In the 1050s, similar places like the King’s Table chain became popular for their All-You-Can-Eat restaurants.  Many Asian and other places followed suit, but many are now gone.  Five of us who decided not to wait in the cold at Harry’s in January went to Gunther’sat Hamilton and Meridian in San Jose instead and had a delightful meal. It’s a style similar to Harry’s but a bit more expensive and there are (very friendly) waitresses , so tips are involved. The food is good and the menu somewhat longer than Harry’s.  If you are returning from skiing at S Shore, try the similar Sam’s Hofbrauat 2500 Wait Ave. just E of Sacramento.  Another similar place on J St. downtown Sacramento seems to be gone now.  There’s also the popular Poor Red’s BBQin El Dorado, just S of Placerville on Hwy 49/Hwy 50.

Another early “fast food” place that is all but gone is the “Automat”.  As far as I can tell, the automat style of fast food dining in the USA started in Philadelphia by Horn & Hardart.  They started a luncheonette in Philadelphia in 1888, and in 1902, they copied a German “automat” concept where many dishes of healthy, cheap food were displayed behind little glass doors that would open after depositing a nickel in a slot.  About 10 years later, Horn and Hardart opened an automat outlet (by far its most famous) in Times Square in New York City, where it (and eventually about 80 other locations nearby) lasted till 1991.  By that time, modern fast food places like Burger King and McDonalds had replaced the automat (except for a few at train and bus stations, etc.)   One notable exception is Eatsa, two automats with a modern twist at 1 California St. and 121 Spear St. in San Francisco.  After your digital order, they provide one dish meals like Chili con Quinoa, BBQ Chop Salad, Burrito Bowl, Citrus Port Cubano Bowl and Wonton Tofu Salad.  There is no interaction with people.  Check out reviews from past “Check Please” on PBS Ch. 9 or on YELP.

by Wendy and Sheldon Sam

Sheldon and I would to thank the Nisei Ski Club for a wonderful time.   Big thanks to Patt & Rick for graciously opening their home in Union City for this occasion. The house was decorated for the holidays (bathroom too). Pictures from past NSC trips were taped to the wall.

We flew in from Los Angeles for the weekend because we wanted to meet the people on the Big Sky trip. What else is there to say about a NSC Potluck Party? YUMMY! 

NSC has many good cooks and the food was served on time. We brought dessert from Peters’ Bakery from San Jose thanks to Patt, Jeannie & Nancy. Thank you, Karen Soo, for organizing the potluck and the fun games.  We played the Left, Right Center game and I won $60.00. Our trip was practically free!  

We also played a game that you have to draw a couple of things on a paper plate while it is held over your head. I can tell you most of us are not the Michelangelo’s in the group. Again we got the most points and won a Lakers hot mug , our favorite team.

Big Sky tour leader Armand, put together very informative Big Sky booklet.  It answered many questions that we needed to plan our trip.

What a fun way to kick off the season!  We look forward to meeting more members on the trip to Big Sky!

by Angela Fong

Konnichiwa NSC’ers! If you’re not already familiar with “The Joy of Soy”, San Francisco Nichi Bei is hosting their 9^th annual San Francisco Soy and Tofu Festival on June 29, 2019 at The Event Center at St. Mary’s Cathedral from 11am – 5pm. I’m this year’s Volunteer Coordinator and we need volunteers to help set up booths, assist with food prep, info sharing, clean-up, etc. I’m looking for volunteers for 2 different shifts: 8am – 1pm (includes setup/prep) OR 12:30pm – 5:30pm (includes cleanup). In addition to volunteering your time for a worthy fundraising event for the Nichi Bei Foundation, you get free attendance to check out this fun event AND you get a free VERY cute T-Shirt similar to the design on our website below!

I’ve volunteered at the festival for the past 2 years and it’s always a TON of fun!  There is LIVE music and entertainment, tofu competitions, cooking demos, children’s activities, raffle prizes and many Asian Vendors selling everything from cute Asian inspired t-shirts to art and jewelry and more. We also need more Vendors, so if you have Asian inspired Crafts, please check out our Vendor information in the URL below.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact me at: volunteer@soyandtofufest.org

Hope you can volunteer to help at a booth or just drop in and attend the event! I’ll be working at the event all day and hope to see you there!

Hello, happy skiers! You can start your new year by reading the articles below:

President’s Message, by Armand Gutierrez

Tina and Sandy Go to Thailand, by Sandy Kiyomura

Whistler Trip Tips, by Karen Soo

Recipe Corner

Statistical Swimming, by Judy Bracken

by Armand Gutierrez

Welcome to the Chinese Year of the White Rat! Yes, the Chinese New Year starts January 25^th and Rat Years are believed to be the unluckiest for people born in previous Rat years (1924, 1936, 1948…). Are you one of them?

A Bear Encounter

Just before Christmas I was skiing up in Tahoe with my friends Teresa and Warren Miller (no, not the famous Warren Miller). After dinner, Warren and I took his spirited dog, Lucy, for her usual walk around the neighborhood.  As we went around the block and up the next street, Lucy started barking and became very excited. As we proceeded up the block Lucy continued barking and we soon saw why. There in front of us, about 20 yards, was a black bear roaming the neighborhood in search of food. This was not a cub, nor was it full grown, but nevertheless we decided to turn around and walk back to the house, leaving the bear to do what he does best. A bear in the woods? Not exactly, we were only a few blocks from Spindelshanks in the heart of Kings Beach. Bear sightings in this area are not uncommon; several cars have been broken into in search of food.

Whistler Ski Week 2020

The Whistler trip is almost here and hopefully you’ve been able to get some ski days in before the trip. If not, there are still a few more weeks available. The Whistler Orientation meeting will be held on Saturday, January 18^th (a change from the 11^th, see Karen’s article below.). This will be an opportunity to meet other members on the trip, socialize a bit, and pick-up the souvenir gift. The Whistler pamphlet will be distributed by email since the Orientation meeting and our trip departure are very close. An Evite has been sent out that provides all the details. If you didn’t receive an Evite then let me know at president@niseiskiclub.org. Also, Karen Soo is coordinating the potluck dinner and has sent out an email listing your condo mates so you can get a head start on putting together your potluck menu.

by Sandy Kiyomura

In December, Tina Woo and I spent two and a half weeks touring Thailand. Sandy’s cousin, Randy Chinn, met us in Bangkok and provided a “local” tour of shopping centers, Chinatown  and introduction to Thai massage parlors. The Terminal 21 shopping center had a “San Francisco” themed floor which included a cable car and Golden Gate bridge. We toured Chinatown and had Dim Sum “Thai style.”  We then spent the next 16 days touring Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Sukothai and Ayuttaya and Phuket. Here are some of the photo highlights:

At the Elephant Sanctuary, we fed and bathed the elephants. As big as they were, they were loving and affectionate.  We found the Thai people to be friendly and humble, perhaps due to their Buddhist beliefs. One morning we rose early and accompanied our tour guide to present some food to the monks.  When you donate food they chant and pray for you. 

Although it was a long trip, it provided a wonderful introduction to the country and history of Thailand, its people, culture, and delicious cuisine. It was great to spend time with a local, Sandy’s cousin Randy, who has lived in Phuket for the past 20 years. 

Note: This was a GATE 1 tour. If anyone would like to travel by GATE 1, please say that Tina or Sandy referred you and you will get $50 credit towards travel. 

by Karen Soo

We have another month before we leave for our trip to Whistler and I am helping out Armand with coordinating our potluck dinner that will take place on Tuesday, February 4th, 2020. Delta Whistler Marriott does not have a big room for our pot luck party so we will having a potluck crawl. Four to five condos on the same floor will be hosting this event. I will assign rooms after we know where the rooms are located.

The theme of this year’s potluck is International Cuisine. This is an opportunity for you to show off your culinary skills with American, Mexican, Persian, Hawaiian, Chinese, or Alien. It’s all up to you.   (Main Entree, Veggies or Appetizer and/or Dessert for 6 to 8 people). We have 48 people on this trip. Each condo leader should let me know what’s on the menu so we do not end up with five different fried rice dishes. Do plan ahead and bring spices with you for your recipes.

There are 2 markets  5 – 10 minute walking distance from our condos. 
The northern Marketplace + Liquor store is larger with more grocery choices and variety. The southern Marketplace + Liquor store is smaller with limited items. Bring your shopping sacks for easy carrying.
If you are driving to the north market, parking is free for the 1st hour. 
There is a great bakery on your walk to the North Market place called Purebread; make sure to check it out.

February 2, the first day of skiing, is Superbowl Sunday. Kick off is 3:30 pm. We will have our Welcome Party and Superbowl Party in two NSC condos TBA. NSC will provide wine, beer and snacks. We will also have a superbowl pool. Please stop by to say hello to your fellow members.

One more tip: bring hand warmers and toe warmers. It will be cold in February at Whistler. Stay tune for more information.