by Hoyt Nelson, Board Member

On Fathers’ Day this year, my son took me to a unique place in the hills off Hwy 17 past Los Gatos.  It’s called Nonno’s (that’s Italian for Grandfather’s) at 21433 Broadway Rd. in Los Gatos (but actually in Redwood Estates), tel. 408-353-5633.  See YELP for more details. You start by taking a R off Hwy. 17 going S from Los Gatos and take a R toward Redwood Estates/Holy City (6 or 7 mi. S of Los Gatos).  Then turn R onto Madrone Dr and take a L to stay on Madrone and another L to stay on Madrone.  Turn L toward Broadway Rd. and then take a slight R onto Broadway.  Hopefully you have GPS for more clarification since it can be a bit tricky to find.  The small cluster of rustic buildings has no large signs, but you may notice a tiny (12 ft. X 12 ft.) post office on the L just across the street from the restaurant.   Head to the back yard on the far R side of the main building where you will see 2 bocce ball lanes and lots of picnic tables in the woods.   The side of the building is where food and drink are dispensed.  

Nothing but lots of very friendly locals here (and a couple of visiting Norwegians here on holiday). It’s easy to get into a fun conversation with anybody there. Great salad and pizza bars and pizza (made in a wood-fired oven shaped like a 5ft. high garlic bulb).  Even the kinds of pizza that I never order tasted great and the salad bar had fresh ingredients with most of the stuff you see in fancier places.  Some reviewers say it’s the best pizza in California.  Desserts and sandwiches are also available, but don’t miss the pizza. I think it was $22 for all-you-can-eat salad bar and pizza but that might be just for Fathers’ Day.  The cook just keeps pumping out different types of pizza in response to requests or his whims.   Beer, wine, etc are extra.  I believe the back yard pizza thing is just weekends, but check.  There’s a restaurant along side, but there’s no menu.  The guy says Yelp doesn’t keep it up to date so he doesn’t list it anymore.  Just call.  The 2 bocce courts and balls are free.  The lanes are just pounded dirt with rough wood sides and a few markers, and are a little squirrelly, but you may figure out some of the major lumps after a while.  As we left, the woman who runs the small store next to the Post Office waved at us and smiled as drove off.  It’s just that kind of a place.  My son and I had a great time and you will too.

contributed by Judy Bracken, Newsletter Editor

I had a lot of plums from my tree this year, and this was a good way to use them. I think you could probably substitute peaches, cherries or other stone fruit for the plums, depending on what you have. It’s easy to prepare; make a double recipe and freeze one for later!

Ingredients

• ¾ to 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter or butter flavor coconut oil, softened
• 1 cup unbleached flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
•  Pinch of salt (optional)
• 2 eggs
• 24 halves pitted purple plums
•  Sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon, for topping

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream the sugar and butter in a bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and eggs and beat well.
3. Spoon the batter into a springform pan of 8, 9 or 10 inches. A quiche dish works well too, but make sure to butter it first. Place the plum halves skin side up on top of the batter. Sprinkle lightly with sugar and lemon juice, depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, depending on how much you like cinnamon.
4. Bake 1 hour, approximately. Remove and cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired. Or cool to lukewarm and serve plain or with whipped or ice cream. (To serve a torte that was frozen, defrost and reheat it briefly at 300 degrees.)

by Armand Gutierrez, President

Summer is here with a mix of warm and hot weather. Thoughts of skiing have been displaced by golf, biking, hiking, BBQs, and other outdoor activities. However, several NSC members are planning on one last ski adventure at Squaw Valley for their 4^thof July skiing. If interested contact Karen Soo (tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org).

NSC Annual Membership Meeting and Luau Picnic, June 9^th

Once again we had a great turnout (over 40 people) for our annual membership meeting and Luau picnic, and the weather was warm-to-hot with a slight refreshing breeze. Normally we have a membership meeting, Karen’s Left-Center-Right game of chance, and a group picture. However, everyone was having such a great time talking with other members, relaxing, and enjoy the day that we completely forgot the usual events. Thanks to everyone that showed up and had a great time.

Upcoming Events

Mt. View Obon Festival is on July 20^thand 21^st. This is an annual event in which NSC usually participates and is always a fun event. After all, there’s a variety of food, carnival-style games, cultural events, lots of people, and the famous Beer Booth. If you are interested in volunteering for jobs ranging from set up, to Manju making and Yakisoba prep, there are signup sheets at this link: https://signup.com/go/GYUcmKs

Whistler/Blackcomb Ski Week 2020

Plans are moving forward for the Whistler Blackcomb ski week trip for 2020, and the date is 1-8 February. The Whistler flyer has been posted and you can now send in your applications. This trip will be limited to 60 applicants so be sure to send yours in early. This trip is a little more expensive that 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:

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

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

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. It is recommended that couples or two single skiers signup for the Executive Double Occupancy rooms, and couples can also signup for the Jr. Suites. 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.

Thank you and the Nisei Ski Club for continuing to volunteer and help the Mountain View Buddhist Temple at their annual obon and bazaar, which will be held from July 16-21. Take down will continue until the 23rd.
This link, https://signup.com/go/GYUcmKs, goes to a group page with sign-up sheets for: 

1.  Manju making  2.  Chicken cleaning (for teriyaki chicken)  3.  Pre-bazaar setup and post-bazaar takedown  4.  Yakisoba preparation  5.  Yakisoba booth  6,  Raffle booth  7.  Putting away signs and banners (after Sunday night closing)

The following link goes to the sign-up sheet for helping in the dining hall:https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/2856553/false#/invitation
Thank you and your organiztion for your continuing help! 

There is another Obon Festival in San Jose July 13-14. Check this link for more information.

by Judy Bracken, Newsletter Editor

As a delegate of Nisei Ski Club, I was able to attend this annual convention as I happened to be in the area. Far West Ski Association consists of nine councils with more than 150 clubs in California and other western states. The convention spanned four days from June 13 to 16, although I only went to the Friday night auction and Saturday meetings. I was curious to see what goes on at a ski club convention, besides lots of fun and merriment, as is usually the case with ski club members!

On Thursday and Friday, which I did not attend, there were opportunities to experience several spa, golf and adventure activities in the area. Friday night started with a silent auction, which had representatives from just about every ski area in the West. Walking through the booths, I found ski area maps and swag, as well as encouragement to visit their resort and reasons why it was the best place to go. There were ski trip and lodging auction items, and a few other things to bid upon.

Saturday was a little more business-like, with meetings on topics such as insurance coverage, trip planning tips, and membership recruiting. I learned a few things and briefed our board members upon my return. The meetings were broken up by a lunch gathering, in which we sat at tables with others in our own councils. Awards were given for Man of the Year, Woman of the Year, and a few other things. The luncheon had a great speaker, Dr. Jon Kedrowski, who told us in detail about his climbing and skiing experiences in the Rocky Mountains as well as Mt. Everest. He had climbed every “Fourteener” in Colorado (50 peaks surpassing 14,000 feet in elevation) and skied down many of them in the winter. He talked about his four trips up Mt. Everest, and how difficult it is every step of the way. He has four published books and is a sought-after lecturer. Only 40 years old and he has accomplished all of that!

There was also a big dance and dinner on Saturday night, and special elections on Sunday, which I did not attend. Next year, the convention will be held in Portland, Oregon at the end of May. Think about going!

San Francisco Opera and San Francisco Giants invite you to join us for Opera at the Ballpark this September! Our FREE simulcast of Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet will be transmitted in high definition live from the stage of the War Memorial Opera House to the new 71-foot high x 153-feet wide (2,160 pixel high x 4,672 pixel wide) Mitsubishi Electronic Diamond Vision Board in Oracle Park. The newly installed model is twice the resolution and 50 feet wider and 20 feet higher than the former video-board. It is the third largest video-board in Major League Baseball and the largest movie screen in San Francisco. Performance-quality audio combined with Oracle Park’s upgraded screen creates an enhanced open-air operatic experience for Bay Area audiences. 

Bring your friends and family for a front-row seat and enjoy garlic fries and show-stopping arias under the stars.

Hello everyone,

The year is halfway over, believe it or not. This month there is important information about next season’s ski trips so make sure to read it all. Here is this month’s content:

President’s Message, by Armand Gutierrez

FWSA Convention, by Judy Bracken

Volunteers for Obon Festival

Opera at the Ballpark

Remember to attend our summer picnic on June 9 (click on link for complete information). Here is a preview of articles in this month’s newsletter:

President’s Message, by Armand Gutierrez

Election Results, by Hoyt Nelson

Tea Dance Wrap-Up, by Tina Woo

Summer Events, contributed by Tina Woo

Park City Memorabilia, by Judy Bracken

Skiing is Not Over Yet!

Recipe Corner (NEW!)

I would love to see members contribute articles or photos. Send to jwaldobracken@gmail.com by June 27.

by Armand Gutierrez

It’s June and the start of the 2019-2020 NSC season. Our recent election resulted in changes to the board; primarily we now have five at-large board members instead of eight. Thanks to all of you that took the time to vote, and you can read the full election results in Hoyt’s article.

Upcoming Events

NSC Annual Membership Meeting and Luau Picnic, June 9^th

The NSC Annual Picnic on June 9^that Las Palmas Park in Sunnyvale (same place as last year) is coming up soon. See complete information in flyer and check your email for your Evite invitation.  If you didn’t get an Evite then please notify Karen Soo (tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org).

Mt. View Obon Festival is on July 20^thand 21^st. This is an annual event in which NSC used to participate and it is always a fun event. After all, there’s a variety of food, carnival-style games, cultural events, lots of people, and the famous Beer Booth. Although NSC is not providing volunteer workers this year, you can still attend and support the Festival.

Whistler/Blackcomb Ski Week 2020

Plans are moving smoothly for the Whistler Blackcomb ski week trip for 2020, and the date is 1-8 February. There will be more details in the July newsletter. A number of members have all ready secured their Epic Passes for the Whistler trip, but it’s not too late to get yours if you haven’t done so yet. Final total price for the trip has yet to be determined but look for details in the July newsletter.

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:

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

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

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

by Hoyt Nelson

The polls are now closed and the winners are:
President: Armand Gutierrez 
Vice President: Vacant 
Treasurer: Frank Chang 
Trip Director: Karen Soo 
Newsletter Editor: Judy Bracken
Membership Director: Tina Woo

Board Members at Large: Curtis Otaguro, Rick Dumlao, Greg Wong, Sandy Kiyomura and Hoyt Nelson

The new board will take office on June 1st.

Congratulations to all the new directors and thank you all for voting.  We look forward to another successful year for the Nisei Ski Club and all of its members.