by Hoyt Nelson, Board Member-at-Large

Indoor dining is picking up around here.  Some places have reduced hours or have gone out of business, but I recommend the experience in general.  They are frequently almost empty and haven’t lost quality. Many offer outdoor seating.  Call to see when they are open, however.  

Our experience with some South Bay Japanese restaurants is that they change or go out of business.  There are some, like Gombei in SJ Japan Town and Yuki Sushi (at Pruneridge and Winchester in Santa Clara) that are consistently good, but even some of the reliable old places like Azuma on Stevens Creek seem (to us) have lost some of their luster.  Over the last several months however, we have eaten several great meals at Suro Sushi Grill about .3 mi. south of 280 on Saratoga Ave in San Jose.  They specialize in fancy rolls (which are good) but we prefer the standards like tempura, nigiri, donburi, etc.  Where Suro shines for us is the bento.  The tempura is not at all greasy and the sashimi is excellent and very generous.  My only complaint is that on two consecutive trips, the tea was good, but not hot.  Prices are fairly reasonable and the atmosphere is nice. 

We recently found Joy Dumpling on S. Blaney at Bollinger in San Jose.  In spite of their name, they have relatively few actual dumplings on the menu, but they are good and we were impressed with their quality.  We will return.  Still on our list to try are two places with the same name in SJ: Scott’s Seafood Chowder at 111 W. St. John and at 200 S 1^st in San Jose.  They are associated with the old Scott’s, but are supposed to be more casual and a little less expensive.  NOLO in Palo Alto was our favorite New Orleans eatery, but in the last couple of years, have dropped some of our favorite menu items.  We tried Bywater in Los Gatos (another New Orleans place) about 2 yrs ago on Santa Cruz Ave..  They only have a few of the old standards, but they aren’t as expensive as many Los Gatos places and are pretty good.  While in that area, don’t forget the Indo Café in Saratoga.  It’s amazing that it’s doing so well in such a hard-to-find location but I think it’s the best Indonesian restaurant in S Bay area.  

Check out my Google Drive section on restaurants for more info and contact me by email (hoiytnelson6@gmail.com) if you have specific questions. I will also send you my links to restaurant segment and other sections (so you won’t want to copy a random 24 letter address into your browser address bar).

As always, please send me info on your favorite places.  I always have my antenna up for interesting places..

There is still space available – Solden, Austria will be the setting for the 2022 International Ski Week.  Dates are February 26 – March 5^th and will include 7 nights lodging at the 4-Star Tyrolerhof Hotel, including daily breakfast & dinner at the hotel.  We’ll be offering an optional day tour during the week if one chooses to explore the local culture. There will be an extension to the Black Forest, Germany, March 5-11, 2022.  If one chooses to not go to Solden, but wants to do the Black Forest extension, we will fly you from the US to join us for the extension trip – we call this the “Stand Alone” trip.  For more information, contact Debbie Stewart, VP of International Travel:  fwsaintltravel@prodigy.net.

contributed by Roland Lee

Continuing the Japanese tradition of care and support for Seniors, the Kimochi Center has provided culturally sensitive, Japanese language-based programs and services to 3,000 Bay Area seniors and their families each year. 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of this valuable center! Services include transportation; referral and outreach services; health and consumer education seminars; healthy aging and senior center activities; social services; congregate and home delivered meals; in-home support services; adult social day care; 24-hour residential and respite care. Operating since 1971, there are Kimochi Center facilities in San Mateo and San Francisco.

On FRIDAY OCTOBER 29, 2021, a raffle drawing will be held to raise funds for the Kimochi Centers. The raffle tickets, at $10 apiece or 6 for $50.00 will give you a chance to win TWO roundtrip tickets to Japan, Korea, Hawaii, Spain, or New York City! Tickets are good for two years.

Please e-mail me if you are interested: Rolandlee3@gmail.com, and I will give you information about how to get your tickets. Click on this link for the flyer. Please call Diane Noguchi, Assistant to Executive Director at Kimochi if you have other questions or would like to schedule a visit. (1715 Buchanan Street, SF 94115)

by Armand Gutierrez, President

Hot August days and nights are here and that great high pressure dome over the Bay Area is bringing the heat, much to the dismay of our heroic fire fighters that are trying to keep northern California from looking like the Venusian plains. 

NSC Annual Membership Meeting and Luau Picnic

The NSC Annual Membership Meeting and Luau Picnic is scheduled for Sunday, 29 August so look for those long-lost recipes and bring a dish that will satisfy the most discriminating palates in the neighborhood. An Evite was sent out earlier this month so you can designate if you’re attending and what scrumptious dish you’ll be bringing to share. If you didn’t receive an Evite, or know somebody that wants to join in on the festivities, then let me know at president@niseiskiclub.org.

2022 NSC Ski Week to Steamboat, CO

Signups have been trickling in for the Steamboat trip and so far there are 21 powder-hounds praying for a winter wonderland. It is said that whomever controls the weather can control the planet. Believe me, if I could arrange for Steamboat’s elusive champagne powder to fall upon us while we’re there, then that would truly be a miracle. If you haven’t signed up yet then what are you waiting for? Remember, there are only 36 slots available and 21 have all ready been taken. To make it more enticing, if you sign up late then you just might not get your requested condo mate.

Steamboat is on the Ikon Pass, and is also good for Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows. Here is what you need to know about the Ikon and Epic Passes for the Steamboat trip:

• Purchase an Ikon Pass (Squaw/Alpine) from Sports America and receive a:
  • $30 trip discount for an Ikon Base Pass, or 
  • $50 trip discount for an Ikon Pass.
  • Go to this link to purchase: : www.sportsamerica.com/ikon-nisei.
  • The Ikon Base Pass is good for five days skiing at Steamboat.

• Purchase an Epic Pass (Northstar, Heavenly, Kirkwood) from Sports America and receive a:
  • 20% discount offered by Epic Pass
  • $30 trip discount for an Epic Local Pass, or 
  • $50 trip discount for an Epic Pass
  • Go to this link to purchase: www.sportsamerica.com/epic-nisei.
  • Epic passes cannot be used at Steamboat.

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

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

QotM: Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.

by Tina Woo, Membership Chair

Check out this great list of happenings for August!

The Palo Alto Buddhist Temple Obon Festival – August 7

Recorded Sessions, Videos & Photos – www.PABT.org  for more information

The event is not fully back this year, BUT they will be holding a Bento Dinner and T-shirt Fundraiser. In lieu of the annual Obon festival, you can order takeout bentos and pick-up on Saturday, August 7. Any questions and ordering, please email 21OBON.Bento@gmail.com

Yu Ai Kai Veggielution’s First Saturday Event on Saturday, August 7 (and September 4 & October 2)

There will be free brunch from YAK’s Food Truck; visit the Farm Stand and pick up some farm fresh veggies, fruits and herbs for your kitchen;  learn all aspects of farming and join YAK’s chefs in a community cooking class. Events from 10 am to 12:30 pm.  More information available at www. veggielution.org or Yu Ai Kai, 588 N. 4^th St, San Jose, 408-294-2505

Asian Art Museum of San Francisco

Opening July 23 – teamLab: Continuity

Tokyo-based international collective teamLab is renowned for its interactive, interconnected digital artwork between artwork and viewer, inside and outside, and art and technology. Step into an experience like no other. You become part of an interactive landscape of blooming flowers, fluttering butterflies and darting fish and Sketch Ocean.  Senior tickets are $20, children under 12 free.

Fine Art in the Park, Lincoln Park,Los Altos, August 14-15, 10-5:30

Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Los Altos, the 46th year of this real walk in the park for 2021 allows you to enjoy the summertime joy of the annual Fine Art in the Park. One of our members’ partner, Mark Stephenson, is a participating artist.

100% of Rotary Fine Art profits will go toward projects such as providing emergency help for victims of COVID-19, providing local scholarships and supporting sustainable projects both locally and internationally.

​Rotary is dedicated to improving lives, creating a better world and ending polio forever. With fighting disease as one of our causes and the current state of COVID-19 in our communities, we encourage you to participate in our 2021 Fine Art Show to support Rotary while also supporting our amazing featured artists. 

Live music festivals coming to the Bay Area in the next few months

• Stern Grove Festival (sterngrove.org)
• Yerba Buena Garden Festival  (ybgfestival.org) 12:30)
• 14^th Annual Petaluma Music Festival – petalumamusic festival.org
• San Jose Jazz Summer Fest – sanjosejazz.org
• Golden Gate Jazz Festival – goldengatejazzfestival.com
• 64^th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival – montereyjazzfestival.org

The power of Korean television dramas.  If you’re searching for some dramas, aim your streaming device at South Korea, some are funny and some are horrifying. 

• The Kingdom (Netflix 2019)
• Mystic Pop-up Bar (Netflix 2020)
• Stranger from Hell (Netflix 2019)
• Black (Netflix 2017)
• Strong Woman: Do Bong Soon (Viki 2017)

8 New Peninsula Restaurants to check out

The Bay Area is open again and there is a ton of varied new food to try on the Peninsula!

1. The Mandarin, Menlo Park 1029 El Camino Real, Menlo Park
2. Refuge, San Mateo – pastrami favorite located at the Hillsdale Shopping Center, refugesc.com
3. Left Wing, Mountain View – Korean fried chicken has touched down in Mountain View, leftwingbar.com
4. Pizzone, Palo Alto – Milan-style pizza, 700 Welch Road #110, pizzone.com
5. Tasty Mob, Sunnyvale, permanent food truck, 1255 El Camino Real, Sunnyvale, tastymobmarket.com
6. Asian Farm, Redwood City, fast-casual Asian fusion, 3176 Middlefield Road, Instagram.com/Asian_farm/
7. Vivi + Livy, Sunnyvale, food bakery mahjong tile candies and Kona coffee shortbread cookies, pickup and delivery, viviandlivy.com
8. Wild Onion Bistro & Bar, Palo Alto, hotel dining option in Hotel Citrine 750 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto, hotelcitrine.com/dining

by Armand Gutierrez, President

July is coming in hot and sultry and, as expected, our annual drought season has returned. Last year’s celebration of our country’s founding was somewhat subdued, but this year’s celebration will most likely be as strong as ever. So do your part over the 4^th of July weekend by raising Old Glory high above and into the field of blue. 

Mt. View Obon Festival

 The Mt. View Obon Festival is on 17-18 July at the Mt. View Buddhist Temple. In the past NSC members volunteered to work various booths, with the Beer Booth the most coveted prize. This year we won’t be volunteering (not needed), but you should attend and participate in the various events. Rest assured that there will be a variety of delicious cuisine, carnival-style games, cultural events, lots of people, the famous Beer Booth, and try not to bring home any goldfish in a plastic bag. For more information visit their website at https://obon.mvbuddhisttemple.org

NSC Annual Membership Meeting and Luau Picnic

The NSC Annual Membership Meeting and Luau Picnic is scheduled for Sunday, 29 August so mark your calendars. An Evite will be sent out later this month so you can designate if you’re attending and what scrumptious dish you’ll be bringing to share. Tevye would be proud of us as we maintain tradition and return to Las Palmas Park in Sunnyvale for the picnic. Look for the flyer and Evite.

2022 NSC Ski Week to Steamboat, CO

Steamboat is on the Ikon Pass, and is also good for Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows. Here is what you need to know about the Ikon and Epic Passes for the Steamboat trip:

• Purchase an Ikon Pass (Squaw/Alpine) from Sports America and receive a:
  • $30 trip discount for an Ikon Base Pass, or 
  • $50 trip discount for an Ikon Pass.
  • Go to this link to purchase: : www.sportsamerica.com/ikon-nisei.
  • The Ikon Base Pass is good for five days skiing at Steamboat.

• Purchase an Epic Pass (Northstar, Heavenly, Kirkwood) from Sports America and receive a:
  • 20% discount offered by Epic Pass
  • $30 trip discount for an Epic Local Pass, or 
  • $50 trip discount for an Epic Pass
  • Go to this link to purchase: www.sportsamerica.com/epic-nisei.
  • Epic passes cannot be used at Steamboat.

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

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

QotM: The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits – Albert Einstein

by Tina Woo, Membership Chair

We’ve had a very successful membership drive to-date.  Please  welcome new member, Tim Hadlock and returning members:  Carolyn Booker, Emiko Cheek,  Sheri  Glazebrook, Joel  Hayashida, Lennie Kwock and Carol Fujimura and Anastasia Mandrussow.

Some upcoming  summer activities:

Celebrate July 4 with fireworks, parades and music

–    San Francisco Pier 39, The Embarcadero fireworks begin around 9:30 pm
–    The Warriors will host Thrive City Block Party at Thrive City, the Plaza surrounding Chase Center, 11 am – 4 pm

–    Relax on the Fourth of July on the USS Hornet, 10 am to 6 pm, Alameda
–    Parades in Half Moon Bay, Orinda, Pleasant Hill

–    Parkoncert at Civic Park, Walnut Creek, 3 pm
–    San Francisco Symphony Concert, Davies Symphony Hall, Friday, July 2 & Stern Grove on July 4

• July 11: Virtual San Jose Obon Festival  

Watch live cooking demonstrations, children’s crafts, SJ Taiko performances, Chidori Band & Odori Dancing 

• August 7 & 8: Virtual Palo Alto Obon Festival 

More information available soon

• The 84^th San Francisco Stern Grove Festival with free concerts is happening once again. 10 Free Concerts at 2 pm from June 20 – August  29.  Advance reservations required. 

7/4 SF Symphony

7/11 Thievery Corp and Dessa

7/18 St. Paul & Broken Bones

7/25 X, The Avengers

8/1 Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

8/8 Thundercat

8/15 Fitz and The Tantrums

8/29 Tower of Power

• The Bay Area museums have re-opened just in time for  summer

Asian  Art Museum:  https://asianart.org/

Oakland Museum: https://museumca.org/exhibitions

• August 29 Annual Nisei Ski Club Annual Picnic – Save the Date!

by Tina Woo, Membership Chair

In May, we had a very successful membership drive.  If you have not yet renewed, now is the time! Please welcome two new members: Gary Chaw and Jim Stewart.  And, welcome back returning members:  Carol Ellis, Debra Fong, Allen Hu, Aaron Levin, Janice Melena, Sheldon and Wendy Sam, Amy and David Tsuhako and Carolyn Wong. 

As mentioned previously, the Nisei Ski Club board is excited to announce several events scheduled for the balance of this year.  In late August we are planning for our members’ annual picnic and are busy researching local parks in Sunnyvale.  Piggybacking on Karen Soo’s well-attended Thai Cooking demo, she has agreed to conduct another zoom cooking lesson in late September.  Our bike gurus, Curtis Otaguro and Rick Dumlao are planning another ride in the Fall. 

Nisei Ski Club is a proud supporter of the Mt. View Obon Festival tentatively scheduled for July.  And, in   October, we will once again sponsor  the Silicon Valley Asian Film Festival (virtually) and Achieve Tahoe in Winter.

June marks the start of the 2021-2022 Nisei Ski Club season. Download and complete the membership form to be eligible. We have several events coming up, in addition to the week-long trip in January 2022 to Steamboat, Colorado.  And, we’re certainly open to suggestions for club activities. I’m hoping you will join us!

by Sandy Kiyomura, Board Member

We are living in unprecedented times. It is not only because of COVID-19, but our nation has been experiencing heightened racial hate and violence. However, this is not new. For many centuries, US history is filled with racial inequality. In the 17^th century, Africans were enslaved as cheap labor. The Native Americans have had their land, culture and race almost extinguished. As for the Chinese, there was the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 prohibiting immigration of Chinese laborers. This is the only law which targeted a specific ethnic group from immigrating to the US. For the Japanese, 120,000 Japanese were interned unnecessarily behind barbed wire fences with armed guards for 4 years during World War 2. Today there is a surge of Anti-Asian harassment, crime and violence. In the past year and a half, there were over 6,600 reports of Anti-Asian hate incidents.  On May 20, 2021, President Biden signed a bill to combat hate crimes against Asians and Pacific Islanders. 

We all watch the news and shake our heads. But what can you do? Asians are often known as the “model minority”, the “silent minority”. They don’t want to “rock the boat”. This needs to change. When you see something, do something.  When you hear something, say something.  Anti-Asian racism is subtle, cumulative, unintentional, casual and widespread. We need to speak up whenever we witness anti-Asian bias. More specifically:

Be an ally. Here are the 5 D’s of bystander intervention:

1. Distract   Start a conversion with the person being harassed, ask for directions, drop something
2. Delegate    Ask someone nearby to find someone in a position of authority
3. Document  Try filming (pretending you are checking your email). Give it to the person being harassed.
4. Delay  Check in with the person being harassed. Even a “knowing glance” can reduce trauma
5. Direct  Speak up about the disrespectful behavior when it’s happening. “That’s racist”. “What do you mean when you say ‘Chinese virus’?” 

Whenever intervening, consider your own safety and the situation first.  I hope this was helpful. I have interviews and information for anyone interested.  You can email me at:  skiyomura@gmail.com

Stay safe! 

from FWSA Newsflash, May 2021

The Alterra Mountain Company plans to invest $207 million in capital improvements, including $111 million in resort projects at Steamboat, Deer Valley, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, and Mammoth Mountain; $31 million in enterprise technology systems; and $65 million in resort maintenance and planning.  Pending local government review and approval, Deer Valley plans include: Snow Park Lodge and base area to undergo a complete revision, providing additional accommodations and skier services, new contemporary food and beverage and après options, and an additional ski beach. Squaw Valley Alpine: The highly anticipated Base-to-Base Gondola (B2B) will begin construction this summer. It will provide a connection between the Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows bases—currently a seven-mile drive. Mammoth Mountain: The multi-year Main Lodge redevelopment will create the “Base Camp to the Eastern Sierra,” with a new ski beach, state-of-the-art services, Adventure Concierge Center, an array of boutique dining and retail experiences, luxury lodging and a variety of residential ownership options, complete with club amenities and programming.  This plan is in the permitting phase and scheduled to begin construction in spring 2023.  Steamboat will begin a three-year, $135 million base area redevelopment and on-mountain terrain expansion. Steamboat’s Gondola Square will be transformed into a multi-use plaza with additional dining and après, retail, entertainment, and year-round gathering places. A reimagined guest arrival experience will eliminate cumbersome stairs and provide easy access to the mountain. On-mountain improvements slated for the 2021-22 season—pending additional approvals—include an additional 650 acres of advanced/expert skiable terrain in Pioneer Ridge.  Guest enhancement amenities are expected to be completed by the start of the 2022-23 winter season.