by Karen Soo, Newsletter Editor

Get Inspired. Take Action. Be part of the green revolution.

Earth Day is April 22, 2023

What can we do to preserve the planet?

CLIMATE LITERACY – Every learner in every school in the world should receive fully integrated, assessed climate and environmental education.

END PLASTICS – Plastic pollution is one of the most important environmental problems facing us. Break free from single-use plastics.

PLANT TREES – As little as 1-dollar plants a tree. Donate to the Canopy Project today.

VOTE EARTH – Use your voting power to protect our environment.

GLOBAL CLEANUP – The great Global Clean Up is a worldwide campaign to clean up our communities, beaches, rivers, lakes, trails and parks.

SUSTAINABLE FASHION – Behind every piece of clothing in the store, there is a destructive industry stripping the Earth of its resources, Fight fast fashion.

Do your part and let preserve Planet Earth. Home to all of us. https://www.earthday.org/

by Karen Soo, Trip Director

Stoko is a Black Diamond Sponsor of the Federation.

They are offering a 25% discount to all members

Stoko’s products integrate medical-grade support into athletic clothing. Each product provides uncompromised support, comfort, and movement so you can overcome injury, eliminate pain, and have confidence to get back to the activities you love

As a member of the NSCF you receive an exclusive industry professional discount on all Stoko products. Use the code NSCF at checkout for 25% off. Click here to shop.

by Armand Gutierrez, President

This has been a most unusual ski season. Tahoe has been slammed with record-breaking snowfall and great skiing conditions. Of course, sometimes the problem is getting up to the Tahoe area. Along with major snow dumps there are also dicey road conditions on I-80 getting to the north Tahoe area (think Palisades Tahoe, Alpine Meadows, and Northstar), and US 50 getting to the south Tahoe area (Heavenly, Sierra-at-Tahoe). But, timing is everything. If you plan carefully to avoid adverse road conditions and get up to Tahoe on favorable road conditions then you will be rewarded with great ski conditions. Don’t wait; the ski season is half-over so get up there now!

NSC Website Updated

There has been an update to the Events & Ski Trips page that now shows the upcoming ski trips sponsored by BAC and upcoming ski and adventure (non-ski) trips sponsored by FWSA. As an FWSA travel assistant for the FWSA International Ski trips let me know if you have any questions (president@niseiskiclub.org).

2024 NSC Ski Week

The 2024 NSC Ski Week will be at Jackson Hole with a tentative date from January 27^th to February 3^rd. 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?).

Board Nominations

Now that it’s March it’s time to think about Board Nominations for the 2023-24 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 this year have been online using Zoom. It is a convenience to attend a Zoom board meeting from the comfort of home, but I do miss the face-to-face interaction and the lunches afterward.

QotM:  Trust is like the soul, once it leaves it never returns.

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 

Golf Outing – 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)

July 22, Saturday / Nisei Ski Club Picnic – 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)

Month to be Announced

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

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 Tina Woo, Membership

Save the Date! Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 6 from 2pm – 5pm for our end of the season dance social and potluck.

We have reserved the Cupertino Senior Center Arts & Crafts room for the event.

As part of the social and a special treat, Sandy Kiyomura will offer, free of charge, three 15-minute ballroom dancing lessons. Sandy has been an instructor at the Mastick Senior Center in Alameda for several years. Come practice, get tips and refresh your dancing skills.

You’ll have the opportunity to learn about Nisei Ski Club, meet club members, find out about future events this summer as well as next year’s planned week-long ski trip!

We encourage you to bring a friend and/or prospective members and some potluck refreshments to share. The Club will provide drinks and paper products/ utensils.

An evite will be sent out as we get closer to the date.

The Cupertino Senior Center is located at 21251 Stevens Creek Blvd. in Cupertino.

More information will follow.

Cost is $10 for Nisei Ski Club members and non-members.

We hope to see you there!

by Sandy Kiyomura, Board Member

What a week, 10 skiers and 1 boarder (Rick Dumlao) ventured out to Breckenridge! Although this was the smallest ski trip I’ve attended, the size of the group made it even more fun. There were 3 condos and everyone got to ski with everyone sometime during the week.  Breckenridge has lots of blue runs for cruising and some challenging Single Black and Double Black runs. Jason Ku, his daughter Carolyn and Dan Lew were our “Double Black” diamond skiers. Armand (the skier) and Rick (the boarder) also ventured onto various black diamond runs (including “the Burn”, a steep run in the trees). Carolyn is our newest and youngest member. She is also probably the smartest…getting her PhD in Bioinformatics at UCSF.

Breckenridge has the highest ski lift in North America, the Imperial Express Super Chair lift at 12,840 feet above sea level. Before the week ended, all 11 of us had skied it! Since we were all Epic Pass holders, some of us were able to see where others were skiing by using the Epic app on our phone “Follow my friends”. This is a “Ski Technology” for you.

After seeing the Black diamond runs, I decided to take a lesson. It was well worth it. My teacher was a Korean fellow. Excellent skier and great teacher. We worked on moguls and turning on them one at a time. (Rolling the knees and ankles). Because of his instruction, I was able to ski some of the black diamond runs without getting hurt! I encourage you to take a lesson sometime (this is a former ski instructor speaking).  I believe proper form makes for more enjoyable and safe skiing. At my age, I can’t afford to get hurt!

After 5 days of skiing, Jason decided to get a massage. I followed his advice and felt so much better afterwards. We both had a massage intern who knew exactly which muscles to work on. It was the perfect ending to 5 days of skiing.

We happened to visit during the annual Breckenridge Ice Sculpting Contest. There were some fantastic entries. Some of us saw it during the day, some at night when the lights made the sculptures more dramatic. Jim Tanaka and Gary Kitagawa were there when the bulldozers took them down…the finale for the week.

What would an NSC trip be without mentioning the food. For our potluck, I made “peanut butter jelly” salmon, David Tom made a yummy chicken stew and Armand’s condo had his wife’s famous spaghetti with meat sauce. In my condo, Dan Lew made homemade scones. They were perfect: crusty on the outside, soft on the inside. Check out the recipe posted this month. And don’t forget the Girl Scout cookies from Amelia (my granddaughter).

There was the daily Hot Tub Group: Armand, Rick and David Uyeda, Jason and Dan, Gary and Jim and Greg.  

Matt of Summit Express did an excellent job picking us up from the Denver airport and stopping at City Market before delivering us to Beaver Run Resort. On the return trip, he was kind enough to drop us off at two different airlines. He said their company stresses customer service.

Thanks Armand for another great week. Looking forward to Jackson Hole in 2024.

Sandy off the Falcon chair. The part of Falcon chair under the chair is used for World Cup Downhill race.

Carolyn and Jason on top of Imperial lift, tallest lift in North America

David Tom, Jim Tanaka, Greg Wong, Gary Kitagawa

The Gang:

Greg, Gary, Jim, Armand, David Tom, David Uyeda

Photo Credits from Sandy Kiyomura and David Uyeda

by Karen Soo, Trip Director

While 11 NSC members jetted out to Breckenridge for a week of skiing, another 10 NSC members planned a week trip to Park City, Utah. February 4^th to 11^th.

The last time I skied Park City, Canyons was called Park West. Geez, what year was that? The XIX (19^th) Winter Olympics was held in 2002.  Park City and Canyons merged in 2015, making its mark as the largest ski area in the United States.

One nice thing about Park City is that you really don’t need a car for the week unless you’re skiing Alta, Snowbird and Solitude. You probably need another week for those resorts.  Amy arranged the pickup shuttle from Salt Lake International and took us to our respective condos.

During the week, we used the Park City Transit as our means of transportation. Assigned numbers and color shuttle buses are free and they came often during peak times. I don’t where my head is at, but I always end up on the wrong bus going the wrong direction. Almost all the shuttles go to Main Street and Deer Valley. My 5-minute ride turned into a 45-minute ride. By the time Friday arrived, I finally understood the bus system. OYE.

Janice and Jim Sanchez, Curtis and I stayed together at the Silvertown condo which was a 5-minute bus ride to the Park City Village. Amy, David, David Tom and sister Carolyn stayed at the Marriot Mountainside, a Ski in, Ski out accommodation. David Tom flew in from Denver and joined us for a 2^nd week of skiing. What a stud, back-to-back ski trips. His skiing legs were still going strong.

We skied the first 2 days at Park City. We met at the Payday lift chair in the morning between the 9:00-9:00am

Carol and Lennie Kwok drove from Folsom with their pup Dewey and stayed at a doggy friendly Airbnb in Salt Lake City. They joined us during the week. We explored the mountains, taking the blue runs and took pictures and videos along the way. David, Curtis, Jim and Lennie tried the Black Diamond mogul runs and met us at the bottom of lift chair. This was pretty much the way we skied together as a group.

If anyone got separated, there was always a lunch plan in place to meet. First one there grabs the largest table for 10. Being Epic pass members, we were able to get 20% off of lodging, rentals and food at the resort.

On Tuesday, blues skies came out and we decided to try out the runs at the Canyons Resorts.

We all met in the morning at Park City and took the connecting Quicksilver Gondola. The ride was scenic and relaxing. After a hour and 10 minutes ride, we finally took our first run of the day.

After trying this once, our condo mates decided to take the 5-minute shuttle ride to the Crayons base. We met up with Amy’s crew at the bottom lift chairs Tombstone or Saddle back Express.

There was more skiing terrain at the Canyons. The Canyons is about 2/3 in size and Park City was 1/3 of the entire resort. We skied 3 days there. We didn’t get the 2 feet powder but we did have the blue skies and great weather.

No ski trip is complete without planning the meals. Instead of the traditional pot luck and shlepping the food from condo to condo, Amy and I decided to do a host dinner. Amy hosted dinner one night and my condo hosted the next night.

You know what that means. One less meal planned for the week. Hooray.

On Sunday night, we went over to Amy’s condo at the Marriot. The theme of her dinner was Greek OMPA. As always, there was so much food. Greek Pastitsios and mezzes ranging from Greek kamata olives, Greek eggplant dip, dolmas. tzatziki, hummus and walnuts. David Tom made the flan with caramel sauce. I was impressed. He said he made this at Breckenridge. The secret recipe came in a box from Royal. Ha ha. I’m going to bring this on my next ski trip.

The next night Amy and her crew came over to our place for dinner.

Thanks to Jim for his special dried rubbed, St Louis ribs. It was so good that you didn’t need any BBQ Sauce. Don’t tell Jim, but a few of us did dip the ribs into the BBQ sauce. To accompany the ribs, we made Supreme nachos, Chinese chicken salad, rice and garlic bread. Janet made a Cherry pie from home and we served it warm with vanilla ice cream.

It was nice to sit together for dinner and chatted about our ski day, with the fire place warming up the room.

On our day off on Wednesday, we walked around the Canyons Village and Park City Main Street. We stopped off at Tina’s Bakery for their Argentinean Empanadas. I think we all agreed we like the Empanadas from Spain.

We did our restaurant research and came across Sammy’s Bistro which was featured on
Diner, Drive-in and Dives. Amy and her crew went there at 6:00 pm and the wait was 2 hours. Sammy’s does not take reservations.

Bummers, they left the restaurant and ended up at The Boneyard Saloon. The chicken wings appetizer got great reviews from Jim and Janice who went there for lunch.

We went to Sammy’s after our hot tub dip. We hopped on the wrong bus (again) and got to Sammy’s Bistro at 8:00pm. By that time, there was no wait and we were seated and they took our order.

We had the Cioppino and the Mahi Mahi Tacos that was feature on an episode on Diner, Drive in and Dives. We were not disappointed.

For the remaining rest of the week, we had enough leftover ribs and salad to keep us satisfied.

We had an early departure on Saturday morning (6:00am), so staying in on a Friday night to pack was nice.

Overall, we had a fun time skiing and eating with good company. No accident reports.

See you all next year at Jackson Hole with NSC in 2024!

Photo Credits from Karen Soo, Curtis Otaguro, David Tsuhako

Videos

https://youtu.be/p6q7ZfHZEGQ

https://youtu.be/E4QfRuPSR_g

https://youtu.be/1Z2vBUPQro8

by Karen Soo, Newsletter Editor

Hey Fellow Bakers,

This month’s recipe came just in time to honor Saint Patrick’s Day on March 17, 2023

During the Nisei Ski Club weeklong trip to Breckenridge, everyone raved about Dan Lew’s scones that he made for the pot luck party. Check out the pictures below.

At Breckenridge, he did NOT grade the butter but just cut it up with a big knife. He froze the butter for just and hour or so. There’s definitely less clean up if you cut it versus grading the frozen butter.

He also used at least a ½ cup of dried cranberries and added a lot frozen blueberry too.  See the gooiness?

The best part of this recipe is that you don’t need a mixer, just a large bowl and some muscle power to mix the flour mixture.

Sounds like an easy recipe to follow.

Enjoy!!

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

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 22 mins

Total: 42 mins

Servings: 12 Scones

Ingredients

• 4 2/3 cups (1lb 8oz/680g) self-rising flour (plus extra for dusting)
• 3/4 cup(6oz/170g) butter (frozen)
• 3 level teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup (4oz/113g) sugar
• 1/2 cup (4oz/113g) Raisins or dried cranberries or blueberries
• 1 1/4 cup (10floz/300ml) milk
• 2 eggs (beaten)

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, add your self-rising flour.

• Using a cheese grater, grate the butter in until it is all gone. (Alternatively using a pastry cutter, cut/rub the butter into the flour until fully crumbed and resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

• Stir in Raisins or dried cranberries or blueberries, baking powder, and sugar.

• In a small mixing bowl, whisk eggs and milk and until thoroughly combined. Pour the mixture into your flour mix and stir until a soft dough is formed. Transfer dough to a floured surface and press to 1 1/2 inch thick. (If your scones are not forming a dough add a little more liquid.)

• Cut scones out with a round 3-inch cookie cutter.

• Place cut scones onto a baking tray lined with parchment.

• Gather remaining dough in a ball, re-flatten then cut scones from dough. Repeat until the entire batch of dough is cut into scones. If you have a little excess dough left, just pat it onto the top of the scones.

• Bake at 425°F (210°C) for roughly 22-26 minutes. In the video, I said 12 minutes but to get them really golden brown you will want to bake for longer. Cool on a wire rack.

Serve warm or fully cooled with butter, jam, or fresh cream

BAKE TIME: In the video, 12 minutes was mentioned, but to get them really golden brown you will want to bake for longer. I ended up baking for over 20 minutes — but due to differences in ovens and elevations, your timing may vary! Just keep an eye for the perfect color.

https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/best-ever-irish-scones/

by David Uyeda, Board Member

I volunteered to gather information on ski find-your-friends (FYF) apps so NSC could:

     1) Educate club members on how to use ski FYF apps.

     2) Facilitate the formation of FYF groups on NSC ski trips.

Making use of phone GPS information, FYF apps display the real-time location of designated friends as dots on a ski resort map.  FYF apps are part of larger ski applications that also track individual skier statistics (e.g., vertical, lifts, miles, max speed, etc.)

In January 2022, I observed NSCers use the Steamboat FYF app but wasn’t able to do so myself because I was on a 3G Android phone.  That killer app motivated me to upgrade to a 5G iPhone 13 mini.  Later in March 2022, I used the Palisades FYF app with some club members.  For the January 2023 Breckenridge trip, I didn’t discover the EpicMix app until day 4, and did not use EpicMix FYF until day 5 (after stumbling through the set up).  My experience led me to believe that NSC could enhance its ski trips by facilitating the use of FYF apps.  For example, NSC could:

     – announce the best FYF app to use for a destination resort.

     – provide tips on how to use the app.

     – and broadcast (by email) the names of people trying to form or expand a FYF group.

It’s hard to find information on FYF apps.  One has to rely on trial-and-error personal experience and word of mouth information.  So please email me if you have any information on the FYF subjects below.

1. What is the best FYF app for the Vail resorts?  EpicMix or some other app?

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/epicmix/id395375487

2. What is the best FYF app for Jackson Hole?  The Jackson Hole app, or Slopes, or some other app?

https://www.jacksonhole.com/jh-insider-app

https://getslopes.com/

3. I couldn’t find any tutorials or videos on how to use the ski FYF apps.  Have you run across anything worthwhile?

4. I noticed that FYF apps drain the phone battery.  Any advice on how to avoid battery drain?

Thank you for your help.

David Uyeda

• Please send info and ideas to Armand at (president@niseiskiclub.org).

by Armand Gutierrez, President

The ski season is well under way with copious amount of snow up in Tahoe. Have you been up yet? If not, why not? Whether you have an Ikon Pass or an Epic Pass, this is the month to take advantage of the great snow conditions. This month is also that time of year to express your amorous intentions for Valentine’s Day with the traditional roses and chocolate.

Five Resorts with the Worst Parking

It would be easy to list the five resorts with the best parking but that would be too wearisome and boring. Instead, lets fill your mind with the five resorts with the worst parking:

1. Alta and Snowbird, UT – both traffic and parking are the biggest issues at these famous resorts. And, before heading out the door you better have a parking reservation, aka pre-paid parking.
2. Vail Mountain, CO – Vail is the Mecca for great skiing, but paid parking is expensive and free parking is very limited and also a long walk to the slopes.
3. Palisades Tahoe, CA – Yes, a Cal resort made the list! Beware that traffic and parking can be problematic on powder and weekend days (so what else is new?). Palisades has 4,200 parking spots and another 1,825 at Alpine Meadows.
4. Stowe Mountain, VT – Let’s see, parking is free on non-holiday weekdays (Mon-Thu), and 30 clams a day on weekends (Fri-Sun) and holidays. Or, you can opt for a $450 parking pass, but that doesn’t guarantee a parking spot.
5. Park City, UT – Parking here can resemble a tailgate party at a football game, that is, arrive extra early, snag a parking spot, and have breakfast.
6. Northstar, CA – This wasn’t on the original list provided by the Resort Guide 2023 produced by Ski magazine, but I added it because this past weekend the powder hounds and racers came out of the woodworks and the main lots filled quickly, and additional parking was at the Truckee Airport and Golf Course.

2023 NSC Ski Week in Breckenridge

The Breckenridge Warriors are in Breckenridge enjoying fresh powder and great ski conditions. Yes, it’s on the cold side, mid-teens and low twenties, but that is what is keeping the snow in great condition. Look for eyewitness reports in the March Newsletter.

QotM:  Doing the right thing starts at the beginning of the day, not after you’ve been caught.

by Jeanne Katsuro, Vice President

Hi Nisei Ski Club Members!

Happy 2023!

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 

Golfing Activity – Lead by David Schultz (Board Member)

June 10, Saturday 

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)

July, Saturday / Nisei Ski Club Picnic – Las Palmas Park, Sunnyvale 

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

August 26 or 27 Saturday or 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)

Month to be Announced

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

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 Karen Soo, Newsletter Editor

During the Christmas holiday, I went over to my sister’s house. Trying to be the cool aunt, spending quality time with my niece and nephews. I did a lot of baking to pass the time there. I made my usual Italian rainbow cookies, my chocolate, pistachios biscotti’s, Dutch apple pie and a peach cobbler. The professional 6 cup Kitchen Aid was getting a good work out. I was baking to give away as gifts. One of my nephew’s girl friend is VEGAN. Vegan; a person who does not eat any food derived from animals and who typically does not use other animal products. That means no eggs, no dairy, no meat. OMG my sister and I spent 2 hours googling and finding the right recipe that uses the ingredients that we already had on hand.  I hate to spend all that money for a ¼ cup of coconut flour or and paying $6.00 for a bag of vegan chocolate chips that does not contain milk. What a challenge… all this one person.

Halleluiah, we came across the prefect recipe that used ingredients that we have around the house.

These Vegan Thumbprint Cookies are insanely addictive and perfect for the holiday season. With a buttery shortbread cookie base, a sweet raspberry filling and a drizzle of almond flavored glaze, just try to stop at one!

If you’re ever in a bind and need a vegan dessert recipe This is it.

If you’re are going to make them, send me a picture and let me know how they taste to you?
Back to my regular recipes next month.

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

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 15 mins

Chilling time: 10 mins

Total: 40 mins

Servings: 26 cookies

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/4 cups vegan butter, softened, you can use margarine
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• If Butter is unsalted, add a tiny pinch of salt
• 1/2 Cup Seedless raspberry jam or any jam of your choice
• Simple Almond Glaze
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2-3 teaspoon water, as needed

INGREDIENTS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, stir the flour and powdered sugar together. Now add the softened butter and almond extract and mix with a hand mixer on low-medium speed until combined. The dough will look crumbly and soft but should smush together when squeezed in your hands. If it looks really crumbly, that means your butter was too cold. Use your hands to mush the dough together, the warmth from your hands will help it come together.

3. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls, about a tablespoon each, and place on baking sheets. 

4. Make a small indentation with your thumb or finger in the center of each cookie, then fill with about a teaspoon of jam. For flatter cookies, flatten the balls a bit first, then make the indentation.

5. Place the baking sheet with the cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking, then place in the preheated oven and bake for 15-16 minutes. This helps the cookies bake perfectly and not spread or flatten. The cookies will still be light in color and appear a bit underdone when you take them out of the oven, but they firm up as they cool.

6. Let cool for a few minutes on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the glaze: 

Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl until smooth, adding water as needed to thin the icing. You want it to be pretty thick and not too thin. Add the glaze to a small bag, cut a small tip from a corner and drizzle over the cooled cookies. Let them set, then store cookies in an airtight container.

https://www.noracooks.com/vegan-thumbprint-cookies/

by Karen Soo, Newsletter Editor

Happy Valentines Day!!

Just a friendly reminder Valentine’s Day is February 14th, don’t forget to get your sweetheart flowers, chocolates and a Valentine’s card.

Here are some of my favorite “Love” tunes to get you into that romantic mood.

by Karen Soo, Trip Director

From Pickler – Can this be the next NSC event??

Nude pickleball is … er, um … busting out all over.

Naturist resorts from coast to coast are finding out that nudists want more pickleball – just like the majority of people who don’t do their dinking in the raw.

Nude pickleball is beating the pants off its competition.

Clothing-optional resorts are advertising their pickleball facilities, holding tournaments, and putting in more courts to meet the demand.

Mike Sullivan is a USA Pickleball ambassador and a resident of Cypress Cove Nudist Resort in Kissimmee, Florida.

“Pickleball is the biggest sport here by five times,” Sullivan said.

Pickleball at Cypress Cove began modestly 14 years ago when a couple visiting from England drew chalk lines on the two tennis courts there.

Five years later, the resort had its first two pickleball-dedicated courts. Five years ago, those two courts multiplied into six, and today pickleball is the most popular recreational pursuit at Cypress Cove, with 172 dues-paying nudists playing there seven days a week.

Nothing else comes close,” Sullivan said. “Tennis is dying. Most of them have died off or hurt their knees. I think they have eight people left.”

The only recreational pursuit other than pickleball that is holding its own at Cypress Cove is cornhole, a bean-bag tossing game that is similar to horseshoes.

“That’s just a drinking game,” Sullivan said. “They play four hours a week, and it’s scheduled around happy hour. We play pickleball all the time.”

Sullivan is arranging home-and-away pickleball matches with other Florida nudist resorts and getting ready for his community’s July 4th pickleball tournament, which is called the “Clothing Independence Day Tournament.”

The nudist resort keeps cultivating new players with ball machines to practice drills, lessons and encouragement.

“We tell people, just bring your tennis shoes. We provide the paddles and the balls,” Sullivan said

People who play pickleball in the nude say that it’s much more comfortable than playing while clothed. There’s no sweaty, clinging clothing to deal with, and it’s easier to cool down after playing a few games.

“As with anything nude vs. clothed, it’s the feeling of the sun and the wind on your body and the freedom of it,” said Larry Ford, who owns the Clothing Optional Home Network, and operates from the Alpenglow Ranch, a nudist bed-and-breakfast resort in Bend, Oregon.

Alpenglow Ranch put a pickleball court in the middle of its 50 secluded acres about five years ago. The resort has a gated entrance and a quarter-mile driveway to afford nude pickleballers an extra measure of privacy.

“It’s very recreational play here,” Ford said. “The host couple plays 4.0 pickleball, but it’s not competitive play. And our guests love to be able to play nude.

“A lot of people book here just to play nude pickleball.”

Back in Florida at the Eden RV Resort, a nudist camping spot in the Pasco County community of Hudson, about 30 people play clothing-optional pickleball every day, said general manager Tracy Pangburn.

The resort’s one pickleball court isn’t enough, Pangburn said.

“We’re putting in a second court,” she said. “I had to get rid of the shuffleboard to make room for pickleball.”

Original Post – Thepickler.com

by Armand Gutierrez, President

Another year, another NSC birthday. This year NSC will be celebrating its 65^th anniversary and the board is working on some possible events to celebrate this milestone. As we go into the New Year the board is also working on having more non-ski events, possible changes for the 2023-24 ski season, and efforts to boost our membership. Meanwhile, Mother Nature is replaying last year’s tune and blessing the Tahoe region with plenty of snow (and at times, unfortunately, rain).

Welcome to the Chinese Year of the Rabbit! Yes, the Chinese New Year starts January 22^nd and celebrations culminate with the Lantern Festival on February 5th. In Chinese culture, rabbits represent the moon. Some say it is because the shadows of the moon resemble a rabbit. Others say it is because of the rabbit’s pure characteristics. People born in the year of the Rabbit (1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, etc.) are often considered to be kind, but also showing confidence and strength.

2023 NSC Ski Week in Breckenridge

At the end of the month the Magnificent 11 Breckenridge Bravados will depart the California landscape and be transported to one of the best places (and highest) for skiing in Colorado. The last time NSC members schussed on the Breckenridge slopes was back in 1987. A lot has changed in all those years: more lifts, more terrain, and definitely higher lift prices.

QotM:  Friends are the most important ingredients in the recipe of life.

by Karen Soo, Trip Director

Toko waxes and tools is a Black Diamond sponsor of the National Ski Council Federation.  They would like to provide a monthly blast for share with our members. 

Toko is a Swiss brand and are known for their quality. They would like to extend a 30% discount to all National Ski Council Federation members. To access this discount, one needs to go to https://tokous.com, put desired items in the shopping cart, and then enter and apply the discount code NSCFTOKO on checkout (it’s on the right under promotional codes). The discount is on all products except for clearance items which are already very marked down.

Here are some useful videos.

How to use the Edge Tuner Pro for sharpening side edges

Side edge beveling

Shaping sidewalls using the Sidewall Planer Pro

by Karen Soo, Newsletter Editor

Happy New Year!!

According to the Chinese calendar, 2023 is the year of the Water Rabbit and it is expected to be a lucky and prosperous year.

The focus will be on work and career opportunities, but it is important to act quickly as those working independently may have an advantage. The Chinese New Year will begin on January 22, 2023, marking the beginning of a new cycle of happiness and good fortune.

After the eventful year of the Tiger, the year of the Rabbit brings the promise of a tremendous and ambitious new beginning.  This is an excellent time to prepare for significant projects and take on challenges with joy and determination. The Rabbit is also associated with travel, childbirth and starting a new business. It is believed to bring good fortune and happiness.

In Chinese astrology, the Rabbit symbolizes longevity and represents grace, good manners, sound advice, kindness and sensitivity. Embrace the positive energy of the Year of the Water Rabbit and let it guide you towards a happy and prosperous New Year.

People born under the sign of the Rabbit are generally known for their peaceful and harmonious nature. They appreciated comfort and may be seen as passive of shy at times. Despite this, the Rabbit is known for its artistic temperament and attention to detail.

However, they can be also be prone to being introspective and quiet and may sometimes appear distant or indifferent to their surroundings and peers. Despite if these traits, the Rabbit is a thoughtful and sensitive individual who values peace and harmony in their life,
The year 2023 is expected to be balanced and peaceful, but it is still essential to be prepared for any eventualities. This year is likely to see an emergence of exceptional creativity, craftsmanship and prosperity of those involved in luxurious ventures. Ballrooms, music studios, art centers, exhibitions and theaters are expected to be particularly popular is 2023.

It is advisable to be cautious and not to miss out opportunities as the Rabbit may be hesitant and quick to flee from perceived dangers. However, with careful planning and a focus on creativity and craftsmanship, 2023 can be a prosperous year.

Check out your horoscope in the Year of the Rabbit 2023.
https://horoscopeview.com/2023-chinese-horoscope.html

http://raymond-lo.com/p/14533/nr/100055/2023-the-year-of-the-rabbit-forecast

by Karen Soo, Newsletter Editor

Who doesn’t love chocolates?

With their rich chocolate flavor and chewy center, chocolate crinkles are a cross between a brownie and a cookie. The secret to their crinkled appearance? A simple trick: rolling the dough balls in confectioners’ sugar before baking. As the cookies puff up in the oven, the sugar cracks and reveals the dark chocolate center. For best results, be sure to make the dough a few hours ahead of time and chill it in the refrigerator before baking. This will allow the dough to firm up, making it easier to roll and ensuring that the cookies have a perfect crinkled texture when they come out of the oven.

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

Servings: 48 cookies

Prep Time: 45 Minutes

Cook Time: 12 Minutes

Total Time: 60 Minutes, plus at least 2 hours to chill the dough

INGREDIENTS

•  2 1/2 all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off with knife
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
•  5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (best quality, such as Ghirardelli)
•  8 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso powder (optional)
• 4 large eggs
•  1 cup granulated sugar
•  1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup Confectioners’ sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

2. Combine the chocolate and butter in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between each bout of heat, until almost melted. The chocolate will continue to melt as it sits. (This technique ensures the chocolate mixture will not get too hot and scorch.) Add the espresso powder and stir until completely melted and smooth.

3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Use a whisk to smash any lumps of brown sugar. Whisk in chocolate mixture.

4. Add the flour mixture and whisk until evenly combined. (Note that the mixture will be very wet, more like cake batter than cookie dough.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill until firm enough to roll — at least 2 hours or longer if necessary.

5. Position two racks in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and place the Confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl. Roll the chilled dough into 1½-inch balls, then roll each ball in confectioners sugar. (If the dough gets sticky, wash your hands and then dust them with confectioners sugar before proceeding.) Arrange 12 balls evenly on each baking sheet, then place remaining dough back in the refrigerator. Bake the cookies for 9 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back midway through, or until puffy and almost dry between the cracks. Cool the cookies on the pans for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

6. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Scoop the dough into balls, roll in confectioners’ sugar, let set on a baking sheet in the freezer, then place in a sealable bag and press out as much air as possible. Bake as needed directly from the freezer. (Allow 1 to 2 minutes longer in the oven.) To freeze after baking, let the cookies cool completely and then store in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove the cookies from the container and let them come to room temperature.

https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/chocolate-fudge-crinkles.html#tabrecipe

by Karen Soo, Trip Director

Remember those crazy weekend trips that Amy T and I use to tour lead?

The real challenge as tour leaders is figuring out what to serve on the bus for 35 plus people.

Here’s a great idea that I should try at our next potluck party on a weeklong trip. Dare me?

https://fb.watch/hjg_aA2wvD/

by Tina Woo, Membership

We won the lottery!  No, not that one.  During the Thanksgiving break, our family was very fortunate to visit and hike “The Wave.”  It’s been on my son-in-law’s bucket list for several years. The Wave is a premier photographic destination in the US Southwest and is located in the Coyote Buttes North area at the Utah Arizona border. It contains many spectacular rock formations including: The Second Wave, The Alcove, Top Rock Arch, Melody Arch, Sand Cove, Fatali’s Boneyard and the Grotto.

A 6–7-mile (with an elevation change of 1,000+ feet) round trip hike is required to get to The Wave. Since there is no trail to The Wave, you should be able to use a map and compass or GPS to help with navigation. The BLM (Bureau of Land Management) provides a map with your permit and instructions on getting to The Wave, and there are a small number of cairns along the way.

Only 64 people per day (48 permits granted three months in advance and 16 permits granted one day in advance) are allowed in the area. Applying six months in advance is recommended.  A permit is issued by the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) three months in advance. 

Advanced permits for Coyote Buttes North are very difficult to obtain. All Advanced Coyote Buttes North permits are awarded by lottery held at recreation.gov. The lottery opens up four months in advance and popular times to visit are Spring and Autumn.

Here are some of our photos!  A most enjoyable trip.  While near Flagstaff, we also visited the Sunset Crater Volcano and Wupatki (a 900-year-old ancestral Puebloan site with over 100 rooms).

For More Information https://www.thewave.info/index.html

by Sandy Kiyomura, Board Member

Some of us skied Palisades, Alpine and Northstar before Christmas.  Roland Lee invited us over for dinner on Tuesday night for “tacos Tuesday “.  Pictured (left to right) Sandy Kiyomura, Elaine Graves, Roland Lee, Judy Bracken and Carole Henri. The “junior” skier in front is Amelia Maupin, Sandy’s granddaughter. Her mother, Misha took the picture. 

by Armand Gutierrez, President

Ski resorts are open and it’s time to dust off your gear, get the boards in for a tune-up, and join the skiing Santas. Tahoe resorts opened early this year (before Thanksgiving) and the low temps are keeping the snow in decent condition. Of course, more snow is needed so let’s hope and pray for some good weather systems to bestow upon us a winter wonderland.

SkiFest (formerly known as Skibomb)

The annual SkiFest shows for this year, and in the future, will be taking a different track now that SkiPro (https://skipro.com/) is taking over the helm. SkiPro is a major online ski/snowboard/apparel retailer and the SkiFests this season will primarily be a sales event with few resort/club booths, and BAC will not be hosting a booth. Event dates are:

• Sacramento – Cal Expo Center – Nov 18-20, 2022 (over with)
• Marin – Marin Civic Center – Dec 2-4, 2022

Palisades Tahoe Cup

Palisades Tahoe will be hosting the Audi FIS Ski World Tour (men’s slalom and giant slalom) on February 24-25, 2023. This is a call for volunteers starting February 13-27. If you want to be near the action while volunteering then click on the Volunteer Application Form at https://www.volgistics.com/appform/2049884748. For additional event details go here: https://worldcup.palisadestahoe.com. If you decide to volunteer then please let me know so I can report our participation to BAC.

Name This Resort

Well, there were only two responses for naming this resort: Jim Sanchez and Jason Ku. They correctly guessed that it is the KT22 lift at Palisades Tahoe. So, those ski warriors get bragging rights.

2023 NSC Ski Week in Breckenridge

All systems are GO for the Breckenridge trip in January. In a departure from previous trips, there will be no Orientation Meeting and the Breckenridge Pamphlet will be sent out shortly via email. We will have a Potluck Dinner on Tuesday and a Farewell Dinner on Friday. Hopefully you will get a chance to get a few days of skiing in before the trip. You know, just to limber up those legs and find out what hurts and what doesn’t hurt.

Christmas Greetings

This has been a good year for NSC with the popular Steamboat Trip, the annual Luau/Membership Meeting picnic, and the Pickle ball and Hiroshima Concert events. On behalf of the NSC board I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year.

QotM:  Any fool can know. The point is to understand – Albert Einstein

By Virginia Soo (Karen’s Cousin)

The Nisei Ski Club Pickle Ball Event took place on Saturday, Oct. 29th at the Saratoga Country Club. It proved to be very popular as all court slots were full. The Country Club provided water and towels and hostess Jeanne Katsuro brought paddles for those who needed them. The weather was very pleasant, not too hot nor windy. We were told Pickle Ball is the fastest growing sport in the US for the past two years.

We were organized into beginner and intermediate/advanced playing abilities.

Qyunh Nguyen, the advanced coach for the afternoon is a past winner of National Pickle ball Tournaments. Other accolades include her being a National Vietnamese Ping Pong champion. Pretty cool!  Qyunh certified Yvonne Lacinco who coached the beginners.

I can only speak for the beginners as I was part of that group. Yvonne started our lesson by instructing us on how to throw the ball to a partner without using a paddle. She showed us how to bend our knees, distribute our weight properly and follow through with our arm strokes. The key is to stay low. We moved on to aiming for a virtual target on our body (heart center). The hour-long lesson continued with a description of the court areas, placement of the players, how to release the ball when serving, where to move after play starts and how the score is kept. Yvonne told us the majority of the game is played in the kitchen. I found myself being in the kitchen at inopportune times and losing points for my team. Yvonne reminded us a few times to forget what we knew from playing tennis as strategy is not the same in pickle ball.

For the remainder of the afternoon, we played with each other while the coaches gave pointers and encouraged us from the sidelines. During games, more experienced players directed us on whose turn it was to serve after scoring a point and how to move into the kitchen once the ball bounced the appropriate number of times. I can say from personal experience that I had a really good time and learned a lot. Based on the turnout from the event, I saw folks had fun and would be interested in doing it again.

Jeanne did a great job of organizing the event. This included instructions on where to send our checks, directions to the club, court attire and etiquette. The Saratoga Country Club is a wonderful venue.

I did not attend the dinner afterwards at Golden Palace as I had a previous commitment.

– Virginia Soo