by Armand Gutierrez, President

This has been an unusual year for NSC given the pandemic situation. Two of our major events were cancelled: the Annual Membership/Luau Picnic, and the Breckenridge ski week trip. However, there was one well-attended Bike Excursion last month and there are two events scheduled for the remaining of the year.

As we come to the closing chapter for 2020 it definitely can be agreed upon that this year will be remembered for a long, long time. I’m not sure if it ranks up there to past, life-changing events such as WWI, WWII, and the Great Depression, but it has been a doozy of a year. The social distancing mandates, closures of businesses, and an acute awareness of personal safety (i.e. masks, hand washing, etc.) have affected us all in one way or the other and brings to light the small conveniences that we take for granted.

Upcoming Events

• Thai Cooking Demonstration: Karen Soo, our resident chef, will be hosting a Thai Cooking demonstration via Zoom on Saturday, 5 December, at 1 pm. Now, this is a first for NSC. I don’t recall any cooking demonstrations in the past, but then again maybe there were some before my time with NSC. Karen has already sent out details for the demonstration, including an ingredient list and recipes. Be sure to check out Karen’s article.
• NSC Happy Hour via Zoom: I’ve been attending the monthly BAC meetings (via Zoom), and while many of the clubs are hosting their board and/or monthly meetings via Zoom, several have also hosted Happy Hours via Zoom. With that in mind, the board decided we should join in on that experience so a Happy Hour is scheduled for Saturday, 19 December, at 5pm. Curtis Otaguro will be sending out the meeting link several days prior to the Happy Hour.

Christmas Greetings

On behalf of the NSC board I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year.

by Karen Soo, Trip Director

Most of you should have received a recent email about the upcoming Nisei Ski Club Thai Cooking Experience, broadcast via Zoom. Here is the information just in case you didn’t receive it.

You will learn how to cook our delicious Thai Green Curry, Shrimp Pad Thai and Sticky Rice. You will also learn helpful tips of the trade and techniques that you can then incorporate into your own cooking style. Click on the item names above to see the three recipes and the ingredients needed. (Substitution is welcome). You can follow along or just listen and watch the demonstration. And guess what! Pad Thai and Green Curry are on the list of the World’s 50 Best Foods! (Poll of 35,000 people worldwide by CNN Travel).

You can get most of the ingredients from Ranch 99 or any Thai Supermarkets.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me.  

Zoom link will be sent separately.

ABOUT ZOOM To optimize your class experience, we encourage you to download and became familiar with Zoom ahead of time. Test your video, audio, chat and view on the gallery option. For full performance, we suggest you login from your Zoom account. You can review the system requirements [here] and test your connection at (https://zoom.us/test). 

by Frank Chang, Treasurer

I guess I am stating the obvious when I say that this year has been far from normal in so many ways. I received a report from our FWSA group policy insurance broker that the ski clubs in the
group have reported an average 60% drop in membership this year. The NSC membership is down about 42% from last year…better than average, so a heartfelt thanks to all of you loyal members! We recognize that you are not receiving the benefits that you would get in a normal year of activities, so your loyalty is truly appreciated.

With the reduction in membership, the club will have an operating loss this year due to fixed costs such as insurance, website hosting, state license fees, etc. As you may know, during a normal year the all-volunteer board members are rewarded with free memberships. However, for this unique year the ten board members will each pay the normal $30 dues, which will help reduce the deficit by $300!
Happy Holidays to everyone!

Editor’s note: This article was published earlier this year and reprinted in anticipation of Karen’s upcoming cooking demo. Get in the mood for Thai food!

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.