We are getting a head start on March with an earlier than usual newsletter publication, since I will be traveling soon. Here’s what you can read:
President’s Message, by Armand Gutierrez
Into the Great White Open, by Judy Bracken
First Impressions of an NSC Ski Trip, by Ellen Szeto
Thai Cooking with Soo and Woo, by Tina Woo
by Armand Gutierrez
Last year at this time Mother Nature was quite busy with record rainfall north of the Bay Area and snowfall in the Tahoe region. So, what happened? February is going down in the record books as the driest February with no rain, and definitely no snow. Temperatures have been in the 50s in Tahoe and I’ve heard reports that some runs are showing brown patches of dirt. Not good. Historically, March is usually a wet month with plenty of rain and snow in Tahoe. And last year at this time Squaw Valley was advertising skiing on the 4thof July. Let’s hope March comes through with rain and snow so we can all enjoy pursuing our favorite winter endeavors.
Whistler Ski Week
We’re back from the Whistler trip and I’m pleased to report that everyone had a great time experiencing a variety of weather and snow conditions. There was one clear day where everyone enjoyed the fresh powder from a good overnight snowfall. The other days were met with cloud and low visibility conditions at the top, but still great powder skiing thanks to new snow almost every day. One of my favorite experiences was watching the Whiskey Jacks (local term for the Canada Jay) as they use people as their landing targets. Yes, that’s one of them on my head. My arm is extended because they also were feeding on a crumbled granola bar. The Whiskey Jacks were found at the base of the 7thHeaven lift on Blackcomb and the Symphony lift on Whistler.
2020 FWSA Ski Week to Davos, Switzerland
Judy Bracken, Elaine Graves, Roland Lee, and I are off to Davos, Switzerland for a week of skiing with FWSA. There are six resorts to choose from in the Davos Klosters area, and I’m hoping to ski the more popular resorts (Parsenn Davos, Parsenn Klosters, Jakobshorn, and Rhinerhorn). Davos Klosters offers 300km of snow pistes, 110 slopes, and 57 transport facilities (cable cars, gondolas, lifts, and T-bars). Like Whistler, there’s enough skiing to keep us busy for the week.
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.
Board Nominations
Now that it’s March it’s time to think about Board Nominations for the 2020-21 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.
Whistler 2020 Recap
by Judy Bracken
After a delayed departure but on time arrival flight, we entered Canada via Vancouver, B.C., and boarded our comfy bus for the two hour ride to our final destination at Whistler. The dramatic, snowy peaks made a spectacular backdrop, as we grabbed our parkas and entered the icy cold mountain air at Whistler village. People settled into their condos, met with roommates that took other flights or drove cars, and got ready for a week of fun, fun, fun!
Impressions of the first ski day ranged from “It was okay” to “I haven’t waited in lines this long for ages!” On the positive side, encounters with the whiskey jacks, friendly birds that hang around the ski lifts, landing on outstretched hands to get bits of free food from skiers, entertained us while waiting in line. Also some lucky folks found swatches of new powder snow, and Rick, a long-standing NSC member, unexpectedly got into Andrea’s pants! (He forgot his ski pants and borrowed Andrea’s extra pair!).
At the end of the day we gathered to watch the Super Bowl, in which our home team the San Francisco 49ers played against the Kansas City Chiefs. Karen organized a random football pool with 100 squares at $5 apiece. Elaine was the first quarter winner, Roland won second and third quarters, and Sheldon got the big jackpot at game end. Many of us were saddened to see the 49ers lose to the Chiefs, 20-31. Even so, the party atmosphere in the two host condos was in full swing.
Blue, sunny skies and cold, fresh snow greeted us Monday morning. The crowds remained, but the mountain views and soft snow got us smiling from ear to ear. Some of us ventured over the ridge to ski atop the Blackcomb glacier, while others spent the day on the Whistler side skiing together in several groups.
We arose on Tuesday to blustery weather and all over whiteout at higher elevations. What a change from Monday! The snow was really good, but in some places it was like skiing with eyes shut. Vertigo was the theme of the day. The Peak-to-Peak gondola reopened, which made traveling from Whistler to Blackcomb sides much easier. The gondola was an amazing piece of engineering that spanned the valley between the two connected resorts. On one of those rides, Elaine made friends with two Canadian snowboarders who invited all 9 of us in our group on a guided tour to the ice caves on the Blackcomb glacier. How could we resist? We all survived the T-bar ride and rigorous climb to the ridge, but it was hard to see at the top. We carefully made our way down the glacial valley and followed our guides to an icy opening at the bottom. We shed our skis and slid into the cavernous hole, marveling at the boulders encased in the ice ceiling and walls. It was a novel experience and one of the trip highlights. In days to follow, a few other NSC skiers also went to the cave. It may not be there for long, since the glacier is constantly moving and melting.
At the Tuesday night potluck, we roamed the third floor host condos, with dishes ranging from baked salmon to chow mein, curry, and beef stroganoff, along with scrumptious salads and desserts. One of the highlights was the Russian-themed condo with folk music, candlelight and vodka shots to the toast of “na zdarovje!”
As the week and stormy whiteout days continued, we heard glimpses of news from home…Trump’s acquittal, the Iowa caucus, the corona virus, killer avalanches in Turkey. Some folks took days off to rest and enjoy other activities, while others continued to explore the slopes despite the uneven light and snow conditions. Our motto became “follow the lollipop trail” when whiteouts prevented us from seeing where we were going (blue and orange posts marking the paths). We ventured onto lifts named 7th Heaven, Symphony and Jersey Cream, with runs named Panorama, Ode to Joy, and Wishbone. One of my favorites was the Dave Murray downhill, which drops more than 3300 vertical feet in 1.5 miles. This was where the downhill and Super G Olympic events were held in 2010, and named after a man who had been a famous alpine racer and later ran the Whistler ski school. It was said that the average downhill racer made just 30 turns on this run; on my count I did at least 130 turns!
Many of us soaked our weary muscles in the hot tubs after skiing, and on the last day we tubbed under a canopy of large, wet, gently falling snow clumps, catching them in our hands and mouths. It was magical!
We finished off the week with a lively cocktail hour and tasty meal in the conference room of our Delta Suites hotel. Armand recapped the week’s activities and announced next year’s trip to Breckinridge, Colorado. Kudos and thanks to Armand and Karen for organizing such a great trip.
Traveling back to San Fran on a bright, clear day, we thought about the powdery runs, the long and winding ski roads, and the joy of schussing down the slopes of that beautiful Whistler Blackcomb mountain.
Photos from Bill Lee can be viewed here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/hH9BFobCTcVCC1sM8
by Ellen Szeto
“Hope 2020 is off to a great start for you.” This was my typical sentiment to friends and colleagues in the beginning of the year. Then, that sentiment became true for me with an unexpected ski trip to Whistler! What started as a casual email inquiry to Nisei Ski Club became an awesome trip, not only because I got to check off an item on my LIFE list*, but also because I got to know a great group of fellow skiers who are fun loving, friendly, considerate, intelligent, and inspirational (to keep skiing even into my 70’s and 80’s). Contrary to David T’s allegation that the people in the club’s website photos were hired models, my week-long interactions with the club members confirmed that they were actually friendly, real people!
Even though the snow conditions were not ideal, it was a fantastic trip filled with lots of good times. Here are just a few highlights for me:
I am looking forward to next year’s trip to Colorado which is also on my LIFE List!
*Since I dislike the connotation of a “bucket list” so I call it my LIFE list (Life Is For Enjoyment).
by Tina Woo
Sandy and I had a great time traveling in Thailand. Sampling many types of Thai cuisine was one of the highlights.
“Iron Chef” Karen Soo has offered to lead a Thai Cooking Demo on Sunday, May 17. A sample menu might include a Thai soup, appetizer, curry and or noodle dish, veggie dish and of course, mango sticky rice!
A nominal fee of $12 will be charged for groceries and spices. Is this of interest to you? You will learn to cook the foods, then you get to eat the dishes afterwards!
Patt and Rick Dumlao have graciously offered to host this event at their home in Union City from 1-5 pm on May 17.
Please RSVP to membership@niseiskiclub.org or tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org if you will be attending. Class is limited to 12 -15 people.
More details to follow. We look forward to seeing you at this event!
PS What is your spice level from 1 (mild) to 5 (super hot)?
Bring your appetite!
Did you know that your membership in NSC also makes you an automatic member of two other larger ski groups? Besides our wonderful Nisei Ski Club trips, we have many other opportunities to travel with both the Bay Area Ski Club Council (https://www.skibac.org) or the Far West Ski Association (https://fwsa.org). Here is a listing of upcoming trips. Check the websites for more info.
Here is your newsletter for the new year, and links to articles below.
President’s Message, by Armand Gutierrez
Avalanche Safety, by Dan Lew
Recipe Corner, contributed by Judy Hom
by Armand Gutierrez
The Whistler trip is here! We’ve got 51 happy skiers that will be tackling the slopes on Whistler and Blackcomb mountains for the first week of this month. On Sunday (2 Feb) most people will be leaving the slopes early to watch the Niners and Chiefs tackle each other on the football field at Super Bowl LIV (that’s 54 for you non-Roman numeral fanatics).
More details and photos of the trip will be in the March newsletter, so stay tuned to see what you missed if you weren’t part of the Whistler Yahoos. I’ve already been approached about the ski week trip in 2021, and all I can say is that you will need an Epic Pass.
Feb 1
by Dan Lew
Sadly, on Friday, January 17, 2020, a skier was killed in an avalanche and his friend seriously injured, while skiing off trail but inbounds at Alpine Meadows. While ski resort avalanche deaths are rare, they do occur. Indeed, on January 7, 2020, two people died in an avalanche and five others were trapped at the Silver Mountain ski area in Kellogg, Idaho. These deadly accidents remind us that even inbound resort skiing and snowboarding can be fraught with danger and there are ALWAYS inherent risks in the sport.
Personally, I was skiing with a group at a French Alps ski area when the last member of our group set off a small avalanche. I was already at the bottom of the run so I was able to ski out of the avalanche’s path. Fortunately, no one was injured but all six skiers were buried, albeit not deeply, and everyone was able to easily dig themselves out.
This article is to remind you of some commonsense practices to exercise while pursuing snow sports and other outdoors activities in the mountains or other remote areas…this is NOT an exhaustive list!!
One more word of caution: always let someone know where you are going. In March of 1982, an avalanche at Alpine Meadows killed seven people. This avalanche was strong and large enough that it destroyed part of the main lodge and buried parts of the parking lot. I was skiing in the Tahoe area the same day as that fateful avalanche; my colleagues at work who knew I had gone skiing that same weekend were concerned that I may have been in the avalanche. Fortunately, I was at a different resort but no one knew to which ski resort I had gone!!!
Many of you know of the story of Aron Ralston whe had to cut off his own arm to save himself when a boulder fell and trapped his arm against a canyon wall. No one knew where he had gone that day either. No one knew he was missing. No one knew to look for him!
Again, these are not substitutes for common sense and smart, safe practices. Of course, better to avoid being a victim by exercising good judgment in the first place.
RESOURCE GUIDE
RECCO enabled clothing: RECCO is a passive reflective device embedded in some ski jackets and pants to facilitate location of a buried victim. This is not a substitute for a transceiver/avalanche beacon. A RECCO device works by reflecting a signal back to a RECCO detector. The embedded reflector is completely passive and does not require batteries or any action by the wearer. In the Silver Mountain avalanche of January 7, a RECCO equipped helicopter was able to locate one of the victims. However, not many North American ski resorts utilize RECCO detectors.
AVALANCHE AIR BAG PACKS: packs that have airbags that are inflated by an air canister or by small high speed electric fans ($500 without the canister – $1500 with canister). The inflated bag hopefully will keep you from being buried. It cannot however from preventing you from being pummelled into a rock or tree. Manufacturers: Arcteryx, Back Country Access, Black Daimond, Deuter, Mammut, Scott, etc.
NOTE – the compressed air canisters are generally not allowed on airplanes.
PACKS WITH BREATHING DEVICES: Black Diamond makes the “Avalung” pack with a breathing element that allows you to breathe up to an hour while buried. Reviewers question whether one would be able to get the mouthpiece into one’s mouth while buried or the viability of descending with the mouthpiece already in one’s mouth just in case.
AVALANCHE COURSES:
Again, use common sense and let people know that you’re out there!
Be safe everyone!
Feb 1
contributed by Judy Hom
Instant Beef Tenderloin Stew
From Fast Food My Way by Jacques Pepin
I tried this recipe out during the Christmas holiday and was impressed with how easy it is to cook and how delicious it tastes. I have made this recipe twice. I daresay that this is the quickest stew that I have ever made! It takes about 30 minutes instead of hours. The recipe is for 4 servings.
Ingredients
Instructions: Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms. Cook until the vegetables until tender and browned – about 8 minutes. Be sure to try out the potatoes and carrots to make sure they are soft enough. Add garlic, peas, and ¼ teaspoon of salt and cook for 1 minute. Set aside, covered, while you cook the steak.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in another skillet over medium-high heat until it is very hot but not smoking. Add meat to the skillet in one layer – don’t crowd the meat. Saute, turning, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the meat is browned on all sides. Do not overcook the steak. Transfer to a platter. Add the red wine or stock to deglaze the skillet. Boil for 10 seconds. Arrange the meat, vegetables, and juices on serving plate or 4 dinner plates. Serve immediately.
Extending the leftovers: If I had too much meat leftover, I cooked up a fresh batch of vegetables and added it to the meat. if I had too many veggies leftover, I cooked up a new batch of meat and added it to the veggies. I had delicious stew for over a week.
I hope that you will try this out. You can find more information about this recipe by googling “Jacques Pepin Beef Tenderloin Stew”.
by Armand Gutierrez
Recognize this ski area? Only one person identified it as the top of the Teton Lift at Jackson Hole. With the Thanksgiving storm that came in, it’s a sure bet that all the Tahoe resorts will be open in December for your skiing pleasures.
Last month I mentioned that Northstar will have paid parking at the Village lot (Yellow lots) and free at the Castle Peak lot. Major bummer for Northstar fans. For you Squaw aficionados, there’s a rumor going around that they will also start paid parking. No surprise there.
Whistler Ski Week 2020
The Whistler trip is just around the corner (1-8 February) and now is the time to get your ski gear ready. Ski tune-ups are always useful to get sharp edges for carving and any base work performed for smooth gliding down the slopes. Tahoe resorts will be open in December and, hopefully, you can get a few days of skiing before the Whistler trip. The Whistler Orientation meeting will be held on Saturday, January 11th, so mark your calendars. 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 will be sent out in December that provides all the details. If you don’t receive an Evite, then let me know at president@niseiskiclub.org. Also, Karen Soo is coordinating the potluck dinner and will be sending out an email listing your condo mates so you can get a head start on putting together your potluck menu.
Christmas Greetings
This has been a good year for NSC with the popular Big Sky Trip, the annual picnic Membership Meeting, and the FWSA Historic Ski Club designation bestowed on NSC. On behalf of the NSC board I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year!
Dec 1
by Jackie Maruhashi
Thank you to the Nisei Ski Club (NSC) Board and members for your wholehearted support of the Silicon Valley Asian Pacific FilmFest. The FilmFest took place on November 1-3, 2019, at the CineArts Theater in Santana Row. Nine out of the ten of our featured films screened to sold out crowds, making this one of the most successful film festivals ever, thanks to groups like the Nisei Ski Club.
The NSC sponsored “Alternative Facts: The Lies of Executive Order 9066,” and did its utmost to inform members by emailing, Facebook postings, and ticket raffling. The massive outreach resulted in 30+ NSC members attending Alternative Facts, and other films such as “Chinatown Rising” and “Mayor Ed Lee,” while some members purchased the “all access” weekend pass.
“Alternative Facts” depicts a true World War II government plot to force the removal and incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans from the West Coast, 2/3 of whom were U.S citizens. Executive Order 9066, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in February 1942, authorized the War Department to establish military areas in which “any and all persons may be excluded…” Although the U.S. was at war with Germany, Italy and Japan, only people of Japanese ancestry on the West Coast were designated for wholesale exclusion and removal. Even orphans with as little as one-sixteenth Japanese blood were removed. With only a few weeks notice, families could take only what they could carry. It is estimated that the evacuation cost the Japanese American community $6.2 billion in today’s dollars.
Decades later, two researchers studying the Japanese American evacuation found the “smoking gun,” evidence that government attorneys lied to the U.S. Supreme Court. The attorneys removed a footnote in the brief to the Court that indicated that the U.S. Navy found no acts of sabotage by the Japanese American community. The forced removal and incarceration of Japanese Americans should have never happened…
Happy Halloween everyone. Now it’s time to start a new month and hopefully the ski season as well. Armand has lots of information about upcoming events in his message so make sure to read it all. Here are all of the November articles:
President’s Message, by Armand Gutierrez
Invitation to Special BAC Meeting
by Armand Gutierrez
November is here and the Tahoe ski resorts are getting ready for opening later in the month. Before you get too excited about skiing in November I submit the following:
This is the top of Pluto lift at Northstar. Hmmm, doesn’t look too promising.
Well, what about Squaw? Yes, that’s the view from Siberia lift.
OK, one more that has more promise, can you guess this resort (hint: it’s not in CA).
Here’s the latest scoop on the following tentative opening dates:
And for you Northstar fans, get ready for paid parking at the Village lot (sections A-L of the Yellow lot) and free parking at the Castle Peak lot at the entrance to Northstar. It isn’t definite whether this new plan will start this year or next year (a lot of Northstar season pass holders are quite upset about this).
Other than skiing, November is the time we get together and celebrate a family Thanksgiving Dinner. If you’re going out of town (locally) for Thanksgiving then it’s best you leave early and expect the usual congestion on the freeways. According to AAA the Thanksgiving weekend is the most traveled weekend of the year. And why is that? Simple. Thanksgiving is the time of the year when family members travel far and wide to be with family and be grateful for who we are and what we have in our life. On behalf of the Board I would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy your time with family and friends.
Silicon Valley Asian Pacific FilmFest – Ticket Winners
Curtis Otaguro and Peggy Hori were the two winners for free tickets for the showing of Alternative Facts: the Lies of Executive Order 9066 at the Silicon Valley Asian Pacific FilmFest 2019. Thanks to all that entered for a chance to win tickets.
Snow Fest Shows
This annual Snow Fest show is back again on 1-3 November at Pier 35 in San Francisco and 8-10 Novemberat the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds. These shows are free and you can get your tickets at www.sfskifest.com.
Warren Miller Film
For you movie buffs there will be a Warren Miller movie, the Timeless tour, at the Heritage Theater in Campbell on 16 November.
Whistler/Blackcomb Ski Week 2020
The Whistler/Blackcomb trip is full. Well, not exactly. There are condos available; however, I’m going to hold off on accepting additional people unless a condo unit can be filled with four people. You will also have to secure your own air reservations. So, if you haven’t signed up for this trip then now is the time to fill out the application and get your checkbook out as well.
Davos/Portugal Ski Week 2020
There are about 10 spots available for the FWSA Davos/Portugal trip (Feb 28 – Mar 7), and a few spots available for the extension week to Portugal (Mar 7-13). Davos offers 186 miles of guaranteed ski pistes, 57 cable cars/lifts, 110 slopes, and a vertical drop of 5,656 feet. If you’re interested on going on this trip then contact me (president@niseiskiclub.org) for details and the application forms.
Invitation to Special BAC Meeting – Monday, November 4th at 7:30PM at the Englander on 101 Parrott St. in San Leandro. This year, BAC has decided to replace our annual Winterfest with a special meeting open to all club members. There will be two speakers and exciting auction items available at the meeting.
Feel free to come early at 6:30 for socializing. There is no charge to attend, and food and beverages are available for purchase from the Englander.
Here’s a sneak peek at the auction item from Sun Peaks!
Three (3) Night Stay in a Deluxe Room at the Ski In – Ski Out 4 Star Sun Peaks Grand Hotel Plus Two (2) Day Lift Passes for Two (2) People at Sun Peaks Resort.This is subject to availability of room and certain blackout dates. Transportation to the resort is not provided.
The Value Of This Donation is $1,000.00!
On October 11, this information came to our club from Cathy Wilson, trip leader of this mini-ski week to Salt Lake City:
A double queen room has opened up on our trip to Utah, February 19-23, 2020. I will need to sell the whole room, so it is available to a couple, anyone wanting a Single Supplement or two people who are willing to share the room. If you are a solo traveler, don’t have a roommate and want to share a room, I will hold your paperwork and check until I can find a roommate for you or the room is sold to a couple or single supplement.
If you want to sign up, please see the flyer for more information, including where to send your payment. At this point, full payment will be required as well as completed forms. The forms can be found in the Travel Section of www.skibac.org.
Nov 1
Remember to check the links on the right bottom of this page for current information about ski and road conditions, the Bay Area Ski Council, Far West Ski Association and more.
There is also a link to Amazon that you can use when you are shopping on that site. It will give the NSC a small percentage of your purchase when you click on it to get to the site.
There are three great articles with plenty of information in this newsletter. Plan to set aside some time to read them!
President’s Message, by Armand Gutierrez
Silicon Valley Asian Pacific Film Fest, by Sandy Kiyomura
More Restaurant (and other) Information You May Find Interesting, by Hoyt Nelson
by Armand Gutierrez
Fall is officially here and that means winter is just around the corner. But first, we have to get past Halloween and Thanksgiving. Remember the SnowBomb shows in Sacramento, San Francisco, and San Jose? These were shows, typically in November that had ski resort representatives, a huge ski and clothing sale, and a variety of entertainment. Apparently the “Bomb” in SnowBomb is too much of a negative connotation and now the event is called Snow Fest shows. Sometimes political correctness goes a little too far. After all, does that mean we can’t photo bomb a picture? And I’ve also heard the phrase “that’s the bomb”, meaning something really great and outstanding. Guess I won’t be “bombin’ down a ski run” anymore. Are these phrases headed to extinction?
Aki Matsuri – 5 October
This Fall Festival is being held at the Wesley United Methodist Church on Fifth St. in San Jose. Although not as big as the Nikkei Matsuri, there will be Japanese cuisine, marketplace, entertainment, kids zone, and a silent auction. If you can attend please do so to show our support for this great cultural event.
Silicon Valley Asian Pacific FilmFest – 1-3 November
Jackie Maruhashi, NSC member and volunteer with SVAPFF, contacted me about NSC sponsoring a film at the Silicon Valley Asian Pacific FilmFest 2019. There are nine feature films and several short films being presented. Additional details can be found in Sandy Kiyomura’s article on the Silicon Valley Asian Pacific FilmFest 2019.
Snow Fest Shows
This annual Snow Fest show is back again on 1-3 Novemberat Pier 35 in San Franciscoand 8-10 Novemberat the Santa Clara Fairgrounds. These shows are free and you can get your tickets at www.sfskifest.com.
Warren Miller Film
For you movie buffs there will be a Warren Millermovie at the Heritage Theater in Campbell on 16 November. If anyone is interested in attending and possibly having dinner afterwards then contact Karen Soo (tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org).
Details will be in next month’s newsletter.
Whistler/Blackcomb Ski Week 2020
The Whistler/Blackcomb trip is full. Well, not exactly. There are airline seats and condos available; however, I’m going to hold off on accepting additional people unless a condo unit can be filled with four people. So, if you haven’t signed up for this trip then now is the time to fill out the application and get your checkbook out as well. Also, the final payment is due 10 October.
by Sandy Kiyomura
Do you remember seeing “The Joy Luck Club”? This movie, based on Amy Tan’s book, was a record-breaking Hollywood movie 25 years ago. Then last year “Crazy Rich Asians” with an all-Asian cast came out and grossed $238.5 million. But why did it take 25 years for another all Asian film to come out? This question came up at a recent showing of “The Joy Luck Club” with some of the original actors and actresses speaking. I recall they said that the political atmosphere in Hollywood was not conducive to Asians in movies (except in martial arts movies). They stressed the importance of supporting films with Asian actors, producers and directors. By doing this, we can see more films like “The Joy Luck Club” and “Crazy Rich Asians”.
Nisei Ski Club is proud to support the Silicon Valley Asian Pacific FilmFest 2019. There are nine feature films and several short films being presented. They will be shown November 1-3, at the CineArts Theater in Santana Row, San Jose.NSC has chosen to sponsor “Alternative Facts: the Lies of Executive Order 9066” at the Bronze level. This movie sheds light on the people and politics that influenced the signing of the infamous Executive Order 9066, which authorized the mass incarceration of nearly 120,000 Japanese Americans, and will be shown on Saturday, November 2 from 1:30-3:30.
As a Bronze-level sponsor NSC members are eligible for a 20% discount for film tickets. Tickets may be secured at https://www.svapfilmfest.com/tickets, and use the discount code nsc2019. Jackie Maruhashi, an NSC member, is interested in joining fellow NSC members attending any of the films. Please contact her at jmaruhashi@yahoo.comif interested in joining her. If you do attend any of the feature films, be sure to wear an NSC jacket/shirt so attendees will recognize that you are a sponsor. Additional information can be found at https://www.svapfilmfest.com/.
by Hoyt Nelson
Here are links to a wide range of my notes about many interesting things on Google Drive. There are links to a list of my favorite restaurants, logs and pictures on some of my recent world travel trips, directions for local hikes, a few of my favorite puzzles and some recipes I have found and reworked over the years. Whenever I change or add information, my Google Drive is updated, so you can keep on reusing the same links (I update my restaurant list almost every month so be sure to check it just before you use it). You don’t need Google Drive on your machine to use it. You will not be able to edit it, but you can download it and email me comments and any information that you would like to share with me. I won’t put it on my Google Drive unless you want me to.
I limited my travel notes to the more recent trips that are better documented. If you want info on the rest of the 50+ countries we have visited a while back, I will be happy to send you notes on them. For the most part, I concentrate info to outside the USA. If you are interested in the USA, I can provide you with more information on most states.
Keep these links for future use. You don’t have to have Google Drive on your machine (although you do need to have a Google account to create a free Google Drive account for yourself).
Link for my puzzles: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1jVQbVCFyZqw2-YL9r7R74CErwuiYQJK1
Link for my restaurant list: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1QHKrCBvjzMxdo7DcAoEPAr_lo1bXw1gD
Link for my travel: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1JapkS4zzfzr7qAfeHSU1ryQhgNSrJGju
Link for my hikes: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ShYZRGXm24zcfFBFNFxyzKgu-88V2wcK
Link for my favorite recipes: https://drive.google.com/open?id=122YDkHJTNB31sAMZB0utsqFVLM55qJj-
Link to amazing stairs around the world: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1hsGIkHGRLz_z4SZ4kZOFPuE9TolwIK3T
When you get there, you can see my doc about the three tiled stairs in San Francisco, but when you click the big blue W for other doc about stairs around the world. Google will “gag”. When Google stops complaining, just click the blue “Download” when and then click “Open” at the bottom of the screen to read the doc.
NOTE: Google Drive can’t deal with Microsoft Hyperlinks so I had to just give you the long versions
We have a short bit of news for you this month. Hope you are having a good summer.
President’s Message, by Armand Gutierrez
Restaurant Ramblings, by Hoyt Nelson
by Armand Gutierrez
Is it ski season yet? Considering the number of emails I’ve received from numerous ski resorts reminding me that their resort is the best to visit this season makes it sound like ski season is upon us. But wait! It’s only September and there is plenty of time to enjoy our non-winter activities. The time to think about skiing is not for a couple of months; sometime in November would be just about the right time. Of course, skiing is always on my mind. Yes, it’s a passion of my mine. Like I always say:skiing is not a sport, it’s a lifestyle.
Whistler/Blackcomb Ski Week 2020
The Whistler/Blackcomb trip is nearly full. Currently there is room for a couple and one female. Although there are airline seats and rooms available, I’m going to hold off on accepting additional people unless a condo unit can be filled with four people. So, if you haven’t signed up for this trip then now is the time to fill out the application and get your checkbook out as well. Also, the second payment deadline was 10 August and a few people missed the boat. Please send in your second payment, and the final payment is due 10 October.
For 2019-20 Whistler/Blackcombwill 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:
If you have any questions about either of the passes then drop me a line at president@niseiskiclub.org.
Sep 3
by Hoyt Nelson
INDO CAFE SARATOGA (INDONESIAN) 14443 Big Basin Way, Saratoga 408-741-1514 4.5 *, $$
In February of 1972 I took a leave of absence for a six months tour of Europe (my first big trip). I picked up a car in Germany and headed south, stopping to ski four areas in the Italian Dolomites on the way down. A few months later, I made a lucky guess in Amsterdam and ordered a rijsttafel. It means rice tablein Dutch and it’s a combination of 5 to 10 small different Indonesian plates – much like the Korean ban chan which automatically comes with most Korean entrees. Most of the flavors where unknown to me at that time, but I loved them all. When I returned, there was only one restaurant, “A Bit of Indonesia” in San Francisco, that served this type of food, but it took me a few years to find it. It’s long gone now, as well as another place in San Rafael named “The Rice Table” (too far to visit unless already in the area). There was still a smaller Ori Deli near Blossom Hill and Snell in San Jose but recently, it no longer serves meals. However, I was trolling on the net for new restaurants a week ago and tried again to find a place for rijsttafel in the area. The menu for Indo Café Saratoga came up.
I had gone to Indo Café Saratoga a few years ago, but the menu was very small at the time and didn’t seem worth the trouble. Its menu has now been greatly enlarged and so we decided to try it again. What a surprise. It just became one of our favorite places – even before we were served. It was one of the best Indonesian meals ever. Unfortunately, Rijsttafel is only served on special occasions but you can order several small plates to get the same effect – all excellent. We had a Nasi Campur (combination of chicken satay, chili egg, tempeh (soy beans fermented in sweetened soy sauce), corn fritter, cucumber, seasoned peanuts and kale with spicy beef. We also had a small plate of Otak-Otak (a popular SE Asian snack of ground fish cake with spicy peanut sauce and tapioca), and our choice of white, yellow, swirl or coconut rice (always get the coconut rice – I could eat a whole meat of this – even with no sauce at all). Other interesting items are: jackfruit curry, beef rending, Mie Tek-Tek (Indonesian street food noodles, scrambled egg, fried shallots, shredded chicken and shrimp crackers) plus many others rarely seen in these parts. Maria, the Indonesian chef, even makes her own sanbal (my favorite hot sauce that I keep in my frig. at all times). Just ask Google for a menu for the place (it’s not on YELP’s website).
Downtown Saratoga is just one short street, but this place is 150 feet down a small alley with no sign on Big Basin Way. The alley is the closest one on the right (as you enter town) to 14443 Big Basin Way. (The city gave the owner, Rick, such a hard time about putting a sign on the main street that he finally gave up.) Judging by the crowd when we came, he’s doing OK in spite of this. Prices of the food are reasonable –especially in upscale down town Saratoga. If you are looking for something different, try this.
Ein Bisschen Duetsches Essen
We just came back from our second visit to Esther’s German Bakery(987 N San Antonio Rd, Los Altos tel.650-941-4463). We were even more impressed with it than the first time. It’s primarily a small deli with seating on the sidewalk, inside and a small attempt at a beer garden in the back. (There’s easier parking back there too.) The cooking is sophisticated, and fairly extensive (for a small deli) with about a dozen beers and a few delicious house-made baked goods for dessert. Prices are reasonable. There’s a Friday night special with sausage, sauerkraut and a beer for $10. On our last trip, we had a chicken schnitzel and a beef rouladen that came with some of the best spatzle we’ve ever had. We think they probably get their meats at Ditmer’s, just across San Antonio Rd. which has the largest selection of German meats and other deli items you will ever see in this country. We’d put Esther’s near the top of other places we’ve visited, such as Teske’s, Hardy’s, Ludwig’s, Harry’s (now gone), and Gunther’s. If we widen our range a bit, we’d include Tyrolean Inn (in Ben Lomond), Spiesekammer in Alameda and a few old chestnuts in San Francisco. These places all have their good points but many would add/subtract places for this list.
by Armand Gutierrez
June was a heat record holder. July was a heat record holder. Any guesses on what August might be like? Temps have certainly gone up lately, but that’s expected during the summer. Fortunately, our hot days are minimal and milder days will be upon us. Now that skiing is over I hope you’re enjoying whatever your passion is, be it hiking, biking, golfing, or your favorite outdoor endeavor.
NSC Webpage Updates
Have you noticed anything new on the NSC web pages? On the home page in the upper right hand side you will see the FWSA Historic Ski Club logo. This logo is presented to ski clubs that have 50+ years as an incorporated club. The other update is on the About/Board Members page. I reviewed a variety of corporate websites that feature their board members and thought this would be beneficial for our website. The board member photos and short bios are designed for members to become familiar with the board members.
FWSA Historic Ski Club Honors
The FWSA Historic Ski Club honors is presented to ski clubs that have 50+ years as an incorporated club. NSC was founded in 1958 and last year we celebrated our 60thanniversary. However, the club was not officially incorporated as a non-profit club until 1968, and thus NSC qualified with 50+ years. NSC also received an official FWSA Historic Ski Club certificate. Sandy Kiyomura initially worked with FWSA in securing this honor, and then Frank Chang continued to work on this while Sandy was enjoying herself on the FWSA Japan trip. Thanks to their dedicated efforts NSC was awarded the FWSA Historic Ski Club honor.
Whistler/Blackcomb Ski Week 2020
If you haven’t signed up for this trip then now is the time to fill out the application and get your checkbook out as well. The trip is over half full (limited to 60 applicants) so now is the time to signup, especially if you already have an Epic Pass that is good for Whistler/Blackcomb. The second payment is due on August 10th, so be sure to include that with your deposit. This trip is a little more expensive than our usual trips, but the cost can be greatly reduced if you have the Epic/Epic Local pass for lift tickets.
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:
If you have any questions about either of the passes then drop me a line at president@niseiskiclub.org
Davos/Portugal Ski Week 2020
NSC is collaborating with FWSA on their 2020 ski trip to Davos, Switzerland (Feb 28 – Mar 7), with an extension week to Portugal (Mar 7-13). Davos offers 186mi of guaranteed ski pistes, 57 cable cars/lifts, 110 slopes, and a vertical drop of 5,656 feet. In other words, this place is huge, and the Klosters ski resort sits next door for additional skiing adventures. If you are planning on making this trip then now is the time to sign up as rooms are filling up fast. For Davos there are a couple of Comfort rooms, several Executive rooms, and four Jr. Suites available. For Portugal there are only three spots left, with all the suites sold out. Please submit all forms and the first payment directly to me at:
FWSA Davos Ski Trip
c/o Armand Gutierrez
1843 Cabana Drive
San Jose, CA 95125
Subsequent payments will be sent directly to Debbie Stewart, VP of International Travel (address is on the applications). The Davos/Portugal flyer and application forms have been posted.
If you have any questions about this trip then drop me a line at president@niseiskiclub.org
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