Hawaii Ski Club – October, 2008
 

EXECUTIVE ORGANIZATION

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    President – Geof Chu – 330-7432
    Vice President – James Purvis
    Secretary - Anita Hodges, 486-8667
    Treasurer - Wanda Sowell – 487-7485
    Ross Kuraya
    Aaron Setogawa
    Toby Kravet – 224-1065
    Wanda "Wandi" Sagum
    Linda Giers
    Sylvia “Sam” Wright
  -----------------------------------------  
    Club Historian 
   
Jo Yee
    Newsletter Editor
   
Toby Kravet

(Click on Contacts for e mail addresses)

CALENDAR OF EVENTS:

Every Monday evening (except on holidays): 4:30 P.M. A group of ski club members and their friends play tennis at Keehi Lagoon courts, off Lagoon Drive.  Stay in shape,  and share refreshments afterwards!

October 2, (Thursday): 5:30 P.M. Annual  General Membership "Kick-Off-Meeting" at Sam Snead's Tavern.   Food, for this grand occasion,  is "on the Club."  Please R.S.V.P.  to Anita,  Contacts, no later than September 29th so that we can get a headcount for the food order.  Also, if convenient, save a stamp and bring your membership dues for the upcoming season (See form below).

October 3 -12:  Grand Canyon trip.

October 16, (Thursday) :   5:30 P.M.  Board Meeting (Note that this is the third rather than the second Thursday) at Henry Loui's.

October 18 (Saturday):  8:30 AM. Hike on upper Tantalus trails.   Meet at the "top parking lot," the confluence of Tantalus and Round Top Drives.   Details below.

October 26, (Sunday): 2 P.M.  Miss Saigon.   See below.

October 31, (Friday--Halloween): 7:00 P.M.  Costume party, pot luck,  and wine bottling at Wine, The Experience, 1016 Kapahulu Avenue.  Details below.

November 6, (Thursday): General Meeting at Sam Snead's Tavern.   We have arranged for a photographer to show some good quality photos of Tokyo. You will not want to miss this.

November 8, (Saturday): 9:45 A.M. Guided Tour of Lyon Arboretum and possible hike to Manoa Falls.

November 15, (Saturday):  The Ski Club's traditional, pot luck Pre-Thanksgiving dinner at Bill Rothe's house in Kahaluu.

November 27, (Thursday):   The Ski Club's traditional volunteer activity, serving Thanksgiving meals to the needy at Blaisdell Center.

December 20th, (Saturday): Annual Christmas Party and viewing of the Hawaii Kai Boat Parade at Darrell Large's house.

February, 2009:  Hawaii Ski Week in Japan.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:

As I sit on my flight to Atlanta while some “Chick Flick” plays overhead, what better time to think about the summer that just went by with smaller than average surf, the trip ahead,  and the "camping" trip last weekend on Maui with fellow members going places I never knew existed on an island I travel to every week on business.  I’m on my yearly golf trip, this year to the Traverse City area in Michigan and will miss our yearly Kick-off meeting.  The Board has planned a buffet dinner for all, so please RSVP and bring your appetites.

 In the months ahead we have our first time ever Halloween Party/Wine Bottling, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Parties and it’s SKI SEASON.  We now have more members than I can remember and with the Holiday Season approaching, I hope you all renew and perhaps I will see you at our planned Events.  I know Toby has planned a few hikes to help us burn off or prepare for that holiday cheer.

I have had a few inquiries regarding an alternate trip for those not intending to go to Japan.  There is a handful of us going to Salt Lake City the last week in January.  The trip will be low budget, and we plan to stay in a centrally located hotel and drive to as many ski resorts that will allow us on their slopes.  For more info,  contact Toby Kravet or myself.

Aloha,

GEOF 

 

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES:

ANNUAL HAWAII SKI CLUB KICK-OFF MEETING
October 2, (Thursday, 5:30 PM)


The annual kick-off to the 2009 ski season begins with the October general meeting at Sam Sneads Tavern (Navy-Marine Golf Course Clubhouse, 943 Valkenburgh Street).  Happy hour with drink discounts ends promptly at 6PM, and the dinner buffet will be served from 6-7:30 PM.  Since the club is paying for this dinner buffet, it is IMPERATIVE that you RSVP if you will be attending the meeting.  Call Anita (486-8667) or email her () by September 29th.

October is the time to renew your ski club membership.  Our club dues have been the same for over 10 years ($35 for family; $25 for singles) which is a bargain compared to other ski clubs (for example, the Orlando Ski Club dues are $55 family and $40 single).  You can mail your membership form and  check to the HSC address, or you can renew membership at the October meeting.  If you are going on any club-sponsored trips, you MUST be a current club member.

THEME  for the 2008 Kick-Off meeting: The club's 71st anniversary!!! Highlights include a PowerPoint presentation created by James Purvis, a photo gallery created by our club historian, Jo Yee,  amusing articles and photos about skiing Mauna Kea in the early days from old club newsletters, and historical facts about skiing in Hawaii.  If you have OLD club newsletters or photos, please bring them to share with the club.

CONTEST: Wear your OLDEST Hawaii Ski Club (or Ski Association of Hawaii) tee shirt.  The oldest (or the oldest-looking) club tee shirt will receive a prize!!!!

These people have signed up for the Kick-off meeting on October 2.  Due to the cost per person, if you decide NOT to attend the meeting, please inform Anita by Sept 29th.

Kathy and Peggy Mulledy, Myra Yamane, Jo Yee, Wandi Sagum, James and Marybeth Purvis, Sam Wright, Craig Shafer, Gail Yuen,
Elaine Lee, Irene Acadia, Gordon Ng, Renee and Paul Ferguson, Norman Chun, Carl Nakamura, Gary Sanada, Louis Paresa, Wayne Fujihara, Stanley Arakaki, Jim and Vel Kelly, Anita and Bill Hodges, Sonny Crawford, Naomi Hill, Steve Spielman, Jackie Loui, Wanda Sowell, Tom Finch, Kathleen Ung, Lori Auhll, Michael Cloe, Peggy Duvall, Jon and Momi Kleinschmidt, Earl Schuette and fiancee, Svea Breckberg,  Jonathan and Millie Carr,  Ellen & Charlie Kishimoto, Toby Kravet.
 

ANITA

 

THE GRAND CANYON TRIP
October 3-12

 
For the October 2008 Membership Renewal Event 13 Hawaii Ski Club members are going on the Grand Canyon trip that includes a mule ride to the bottom of the canyon with an overnight stay at Phantom Ranch on the canyon floor. They will also explore the Petrified Forest and the Painted Desert, Monument Valley, Sedona, and the incredibly beautiful Antelope Slot Canyon near Page. 

In past Membership Renewal Events, our members flew in hot-air balloons at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico (2007), and went tubing in the ditches of Lihue's Old Sugar Cane Plantation on Kauai before joining our Kauai club members for a memorable barbecue on the beach! (2006)  Where will we be next October?

WANDI

 

UPPER TANTALUS HIKE

October 18 (Saturday, 8:30 A.M.)

 

Work off your Friday night sins and start your blood flowing for the rest of the weekend with a little Saturday morning tune-up on the upper Tantalus trails.   We will leave from the small parking lot where Tantalus Drive meets (or becomes) Round Top Drive at 8:30 A.M., hike up the Puu Ohia Trail to the top, go down the back side to the Manoa Cliffs Trail,  hike out to Round Top Drive, approximately a mile down from where we started, and walk the road back to our cars.  There will be some ocean views near the top and views of Manoa Valley from the Manoa Cliffs Trail.   To get to the start, go one block mountain direction on Makiki St. from Nehoa St. where you will find a triangle shaped park with a Board of Water Supply pumping station.  Go up the right side of the park to the intersection with Round Top Drive on the left, and take Round Top Drive 5.2 miles to the top.  You can also go up the left side of the park on Makiki Heights Drive, past the Contemporary Museum to the intersection with Tantalus Drive, and turn right on Tantalus Drive to the top.   This way, the distance is 4.9 miles from the park at the bottom.  The top parking lot is small so I would suggest car pooling.   Also there are two or three turnoffs with room for cars on Tantalus Drive just below (Ewa side of) the parking lot.  The hike is 2.5 miles in length, of moderate difficulty, and should take us about 1.25 to 1.5 hours.   We might hit some muddy spots so don't wear your new, white sneakers.   I can't see anyone getting lost on their way to the start but, just in case, I'll have my cell phone with me: 224-1065.

 

TOBY

 
MISS SAIGON
October 26, (Sunday, 2 P.M)

 
We are looking forward to attending the Tony Award-winning production of Miss Saigon on October 26 (Sunday) at 2 PM.  It will play at the Paliku Theatre on the Windward Community College campus. Three Hawaii actors who performed in Miss Saigon on Broadway and on national tours will reprise their roles here in Hawaii!  Please join us for an afternoon of outstanding music and sensational staging! Miss Saigon is an unforgettable musical extravaganza to experience!
 
You may purchase your tickets by clicking on the web site below or by phoning in your order. Also, please let us know if you decide to join us. We're planning on meeting for lunch before the performance as well as for dinner afterwards.  It's a terrific way to enjoy a Sunday afternoon!
 

"A classic love story is brought up-to-date in one of the most stunning theatrical spectacles of all time.  In “Miss Saigon,” Alain Boublil and Claude-Michael Schönberg (the creators of “Les Misérables”), along with Richard Maltby, Jr., bring Puccini's “Madame Butterfly” to the modern world in a moving testament to the human spirit and a scathing indictment of the tragedies of war. 

In the turmoil of the Vietnam War, an American soldier and a Vietnamese girl fall in love, only to be separated during the fall of Saigon.  An international sensation, “Miss Saigon” is an epic, daring pop opera that is universal in its emotional power even as it deals with controversial, contemporary issues.  Its sung-through pop-inflected score gives a multi-ethnic cast of strong pop singers an opportunity to shine, in showstopping numbers like “I Still Believe,” “Why God Why?” and “The American Dream.”  Raw and uncompromising, “Miss Saigon” is an intensely personal story of the losses we suffer and the sacrifices we make in a world gone mad."

Price Categories: In addition to the full price Adult tickets, Discount tickets are available for Seniors over 62 and Active Military (Proof of eligibility will be required at Will Call). Reduced price tickets are also available for College Students with ID's as well as children under 18. Attendance by children under 3 is not encouraged.
 
Tickets can be purchased at:  http://www.etickethawaii.com/perform.html
Phone orders: (808) 235-7310

Paliku Theatre at Windward Community College 
45-720 Kea'ahala Rd., Kaneohe, HI 96744

 
Driving Directions: Paliku Theatre is on the campus of Windward Community College, located in Kaneohe, at the end of Kea'ahala Road, mauka turn from Kahekili Highway.  From Honolulu: take Likelike Hwy and stay in right lane, first exit is Kahekili, left at third stoplight (Kea'ahala).From Central/Leeward: Take H3 Fwy. to Likelike Hwy, then Kahekili exit to third stoplight, left at Kea'ahala.From Kailua/Waimanalo: Take Kalanianaole Hwy to Kamehameha Hwy, into Kaneohe. Turn mauka on Likelike Hwy, then right on Kahekili. 2nd stoplight, left on Kea'ahala Rd.For printable map and info, visit website at www.Paliku.com

 

 

WINE BOTTLING HALLOWEEN PARTY

October 31 (Friday, 7 - 9 P.M.)


Last year was so much fun we are doing it again!  We will have a combination wine bottling (one white, one red), costume party, and potluck/pupu party at “Wine, The Experience: 1016 Kapahulu Avenue Suite 1, Honolulu, HI 96816 - (808) 738-0738 - http://www.winetheexperience.com .   For the paltry fee of $10. 00,  everyone will receive a gourmet bottle of wine and compete for best costume prizes.  Afterwards, the adventurous will head to Waikiki for continued Halloween craziness that only happens once-a-year!

JAMES

GUIDED TOUR OF LYON ABORETUM
November 8, (Saturday, 9:45 A.M.)

The recently reopened Lyon Arboretum is offering the ski club a special guided tour on Saturday, Nov. 8.  A hike to Manoa Falls will follow the hour and a half tour, if the trail is not too wet.  Cost is $5 per person.  Lyon Arboretum is located at the top of Manoa Road.  Bring along mosquito repellent and sunscreen.  Meet at the site at 9:45.

We will have lunch after the tour and hike at Sweet Basil in Manoa Marketplace, and there's the latest dessert craze, Yogurtland on University Ave. and Metcalf. 

 Please email Wanda Contacts  if you plan to go.

 WANDI

TRADITIONAL PRE-THANKSGIVING POTLUCK
November 15 (Saturday. 4:30 P.M)

Believe it or not, Bill Rothe and Rebecca Horne have consented to letting the club back into their home for this annual event.  We are having the dinner a little early this year to avoid UH football conflicts.  Besides the best of everyone's favorite foods, we get to enjoy Rebecca's notable art throughout the house.

Potluck signup and directions will be forthcoming.  This event is always a big favorite, especially if we can talk Bill into smoking a turkey!

 WANDI

 

SERVING DINNER TO THE NEEDY ON THANKSGIVING DAY
November 27 (Thursday, 9:30 A.M.)


V
olunteering at Salvation Army's dinner at the Blaisdell makes everyone appreciate the spirit of giving thanks. Those wishing to volunteer to serve food at this annual event should let Wanda Sowell know at the Kick-off meeting or email wanda10s@aol.com . Our club always fills up our allotted slots, and we have a waiting list.


Assuming it is conducted as in previous years, our pre-tailgate potluck breakfast by the parking garage will start at 9:30 a.m., with volunteer duties beginning at approximately 11:30.
 

WANDI

 

ANNUAL SKI CLUB CHRISTMAS PARTY, DECEMBER 20TH:



Tis the season to be Jolly one and all. Darrell & Rheta Large have once again graciously offered to host our ski club’s annual Christmas Party at their home on Saturday, December 20, 2008 which is also the date of the annual Boat Parade:  Elaborately "costumed" boats will sail up and down the inlet,  right by the house.    Holiday attire is encouraged and there could be a prize/present for your enthusiasm.  As per our custom, please bring a dish to share and your favorite beverage. Don’t forget to mark down this date on your calendar! More details will be available in the November and December newsletters.

Should you have any questions, call Darrell or Rheta at 395-6825 or e-mail them at darrellnrheta@aol.com.

 

ROSS

 

HAWAII SKI WEEK, 2009

(JAPAN TRIP INFORMATION)


 
These trip committee members will be in charge of the following aspects of our trip to Japan:

 
TRIP INSURANCE PLANS:  Susan Murata

 
CELL PHONE RENTALS:  Myra Yamane

 
LUGGAGE COURIER SERVICE:  Aaron Setogawa

 
In due time they will be presenting information about these matters and will handle all queries.

WANDI

(JAPANESE CUISINE)
 

Hokkaido is known for seafood, potatoes, and beer.  The art of brewing was imported to Japan from Germany during the Meiji Period as a development project for Hokkaido.  Sapporo, in the same latitude as Munich and Milwaukee, is home to Japanese beer-makers Sapporo, Asahi, Kirin, and a host of local microbreweries.

Other types of Japanese alcoholic drinks include:

Sake - rice wine with an alcohol content of 10-20%.  There is filtered and unfiltered sake, and it can be drunk hot or cold.  Like grape wine, sake ranges from sweet to dry, and flavor varies depending on the producer.

Shochu/awamori – a distilled spirit with an alcohol content of 20-40%.  Shochu or awamori, the Okinawan version, is commonly made from rice, sweet potatoes, wheat, and/or sugar cane.  It is served mixed with water and ice, fruit juice and sparkling water, or oolong tea.

Types of Japanese dishes include:

Sashimi – thinly sliced, raw seafood often served on a bed of shredded daikon (radish) and shiso leaves.  Many different kinds of fresh fish and seafood are served raw in Japanese cuisine.  You can dip your sashimi in plain soy sauce before eating or add wasabi (Japanese horseradish).  Popular sashimi are maguro (tuna), toro (fatty tuna), ebi (prawn), saba (mackerel), ika (squid), and tako (octopus).

Donburi – a bowl of cooked rice with some other food served on top of it.  Popular donburi dishes are oyako donburi (oyakodon), chicken and egg topping; tonkatsu donburi (katsudon), deep fried breaded pork cutlet, egg and onion topping; tempura donburi
(tendon), deep fried pieces of battered seafood and vegetables; and unagi donburi (unadon) grilled eel in a thick soy based sauce.

Sushi – a dish containing rice prepared with sushi vinegar.  There are different types of sushi:  nigiri , a small patty of rice with e.g., raw fish on top;  gunkan , small cups made of sushi rice and dried seaweed filled with seafood, e.g. uni (sea urchin roe), ikura (salmon roe), tobiko (flying fish roe); norimaki , sushi rice and seafood, etc., rolled in dried seaweed sheets; temaki, hand rolled cones made of nori seaweed and filled with sushi rice, seafood, and vegetables; inari, sushi rice filled into aburaage (deep fired tofu bags); and chirashi, a dish in which seafood, mushroom and vegetables are spread over sushi rice.

Ramen – a noodle soup originally imported to Japan from China.  The noodles are thin as spaghetti and served in a soup that varies based on region, city and even specific vendor.  The most popular ones are:  shoyu (soy sauce based soup), miso (miso based), shio (salt based), and tonkotsu (pork based).  Ramen Yokocho is a famous alleyway in Susukino centre in Sapporo with 16 ramen noodle shops.  here is also a Shin (New) Ramen Yokocho in the same general vicinity.

Soba – native Japanese noodles made of buckwheat and wheat flour.  Roughly as thick as spaghetti, this noodle dish is prepared hot or cold.  A basic soba dish is zaru soba, boiled cold soba eaten with a soy based dipping sauce.

Udon – a thick Japanese noodle served in a soup with a choice of various toppings.

Tempura – this dish, brought to Japan by the Portuguese, consists of seafood and vegetables deep fried in a tempura batter and dipped in a dipping sauce.

Yakitori – skewered grilled chicken.

Tonkatsu – deep fried battered pork cutlet, served with a thick soy based dipping sauce.

Kare raisu – Japanese curry dish with choice of various curry toppings over cooked rice.  Japanese curry is sweeter and thicker than Indian curry.

Types of restaurants in Japan include:

Izakaya – a drinking place offering a variety of small dishes such as robata (grilled food), salads, and finger food.  This is the most popular type among the Japanese; the ambience is informal, and people at one table share dishes.

Teishoku-ya – sell teishoku (set menus) consisting of a main dish, bowl of cooked rice , and small side dishes.  These are numerous in business areas and popular during lunch.

Specialized Japanese restaurants serving just one type of food such as sushi-ya, soba-ya (soba and udon), ramen-ya, kare-ya (curry rice), tonkatsu-ya  ( breaded deep fried pork cutlet with dipping sauce, korokke, Japanese potato croquettes, and other deep fried dishes), and unagi-ya fresh water eel dishes).

Kissaten and coffee shops - coffee shops that offer Western-style sweets (cakes, ice cream).  Although tea is the national drink, coffee in Japan is generally good; however, decaffeinated coffee is uncommon.

Kaiseki ryori/ryotei – Japanese haute cuisine, a refined cooking style, expensive and exclusive.

Yatai and rotensho – yatai are movable food stalls found along busy streets, commonly serving oden (vegetable stew) and ramen; rotensho are food stands temporarily built for festivals or events.  Rotensho typically serve okonomiyaki, a mixture between a pancake and pizza with a variety of fillers, grilled octopus, or yakisoba (fried noodles).

Department stores and rail or subway stations are also places to find an inexpensive meal.  There is usually one kare-ya and one ramen-ya inside or around any major railway station.  Major department stores have places where one can dine-in and whole areas where one can find a variety of take-out dishes.

AARON

PAST EVENTS:

END OF SUMMER SPLASH 2008!


As always,  the end-of-summer pool party provided lots of fun, food and frivolity, especially with wine tasting AND a chocolate fountain (chocolate and red wine complement each other).

Congratulations to James and Marybeth Purvis whose wines won BOTH the red and wine categories.  And even better news for all you ski club members who plan to attend the Halloween wine bottling event at "Wine– The Experience:" these are the same two wines that James and Marybeth selected for our group to bottle!!!!!  So if you missed tasting the two most popular wines at the pool party, you have another chance on Halloween.

Possibly the happiest people at the pool party (other than James and John who kept re-tasting the wines!!) were three little ladies who would only leave the pool in order to enjoy the chocolate fountain. Natalie (Kathlyn’s daughter), Chile (the Ferguson’s granddaughter) and guest Candice enjoyed the swimming pool and hot tub until the very end!

There was so much chocolate that after all the dippers (strawberries, cake, fruit) were consumed, people found unique dippers: pretzels, Zippy’s cake and we were down to the veggies and lumpia!!  Thanks Wanda for providing a great source of entertainment!!!

ANITA

 

HAWAII SKI CLUB SUPERFERRY INVASION OF MAUI, October 19-21
RESULTS:  A DRAW

 

On the Weekend of October 19th, an expeditionary force of twelve members and their guests invaded the Valley Isle via

the Superferry.   Actually, since Anita flew over,  it was one by land, eleven by sea.   A Scout Team consisting of the Shaffer family and Toby sailed over Friday afternoon to check into the barracks (literally, "barracks") and reconnoiter the situation with the Shaffer women performing an exhaustive inventory of Kihei bars later that evening while Craig and Toby caught their Zs.   Late Saturday morning, the remainder of the expeditionary force arrived and developed combat plans over lunch.  Unfortunately, following lunch, the clouds had so enveloped Haleakala that the plan to storm the mountain was scrapped.   We did visit a very mellow lavender farm (had other kine flowers too)  in Kula after which the First Battalion descended upon Makawao and then Hookipa Beach Park.  The Second Battalion went to The Tedeschi Winery and then Haile Maile where Geof conducted an exhaustive inventory of magaritas.   In the early evening, we again combined  forces to meet for dinner at Casanova's in Makawao where the Italian themed cuisine and service were excellent.  As most of us boarded the Superferry for home on Sunday morning,  Geof and Jim (Kelly) were off to play golf.   At this writing (Monday morning), we don't know if they ever got back or are MIA.   The seas were relatively calm for both voyages,  the boat was spacious and comfortable with plenty of amenities (food, drink, T.V., etc.), and the loading and unloading process for the vehicles operated with clockwork precision.   As for the accommodations in Maui,  we all wondered how Geof's company qualified for Section 8 housing.   All kidding aside,  Thank you Geof and Aaron for making this happen.   It was an all-too-short but fun time.

 

TOBY


ANNOUNCEMENTS:

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL

It's that time of year again:  Time to renew your Membership in the Hawaii Ski Club.   Please complete the form and bring with you to the October Kick Off Meeting or mail to Treasurer, Hawaii Ski Club, P.O. Box 3004, Aiea, Hawaii  96701.

 

SNOWBOARD FOR SALE

Craig Shaffer has an unused size 141 snowboard for sale.  $250.00.   Craig may be contacted at 261-5989.

-----------------------------

 Contributions from the membership to future newsletters are encouraged and will be greatly appreciated:  Please e mail them to Toby (see Contacts) no later than 7 calendar days from the end of the month. Thanx much.

Updated club info available at http://www.hawaiisnowskiclub.com

September, 2008 Newsletter