My 2011 Holiday Note

December 2011

5 Alban Mews
New Albany, Ohio 43054
Email, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Plaxo: rgwc@insight.rr.com

A holiday note to my family, friends, and colleagues —

I’m thankful to have had the ability this year to help my mother Frances with her medical needs and also continue to assist the College Board, Cornell University, Peace Lutheran Church, State Farm Bank, and other groups in their important work. Mom’s new heart valves, put in late last year, have been serving her very well, and while medical exams earlier this year gave us some concern, they’ve turned out reasonably well, confirming that her lymphoma has not returned, though she has an asymptomatic infection that her doctors are still tracking down. Quite an advance from last year, she continues to grow stronger and more active, leaving me optimistic that I can resume my normal activities in 2012.

Through my frequent travels, Facebook has kept me in touch with family and many friends around the world. I’ve shared photos there of 80 of my events this year! I anticipate sharing more of my professional thoughts through my blog and articles. It’s clear to me that the key to America’s future rests with education, innovation, and character development. I look forward to returning to more directly helping our public and private sectors realize the sustainable growth opportunities that are our best hope for long-term success. I’ll also be practicing Positive Psychology: lessons from a terrific Harvard course I’ve been watching online - an interesting approach to pursuing happiness.

Thank you, my thoughtful, considerate, and generous family, friends, and colleagues, for continuing to fill my life with wonderful experiences! My family joins me in wishing you and yours a happy holiday season and a new year of good health and well-being!

Sincerely,

This holiday letter: http://roderickchu.blogspot.com
My photo website: http://rgwc.smugmug.com
My blog: http://rodchu.blogspot.com

Here's a look at some of my many activities this past year ...

Another year of eating very well (explaining my inability to lose weight, despite daily workouts). Some highlights:

FEB: Pleased to have foie gras again in Chicago with Michael Richardson & Alton Alexander. After the Lyric Opera’s Girl of the Golden West, we were greeted warmly as regulars by Quartino’s manager and introduced to and congratulated Italian baritone Marco Vratogna on his debut at the Lyric.














MAY: Tom & Pat Shiah invited Mom and me for dinner at NYC’s hot new Al Fiori in honor of Harriet Tung, visiting from Hong Kong. Karen Hsu joined in sampling yummy food.












MAY: With Linda Woo at NYC’s James Beard House for the Taste of New Zealand dinner. Swooned over N.Z. Chef Matt Lambert’s cooking (who later won Food Channel’s Chopped). He arranged special courtesies for my brunch at his NoLIta PUBLIC for Adrian & Dominie Tanovic, in from England.








JUL: Chinese banquets in Columbus? Sure! I hosted a few, including one for my Int’l Wine & Food Society group at Ming Flower. Angry Birds appetizer and walleye were hits!







NOV: Pumpkin Swordfish with Celery Root Agnolotti and Pig’s Head Cigar: some Columbus locavore treats at Latitude 41’s Great Lakes Beer Dinner by Chef Dave MacLennan.

Fun in Columbus

JUL: Jaded with NYC’s massive fireworks displays, it was a special treat to see New Albany’s show on July 4th – up close & personal, across from the high school fireworks site. My little Sony camera captured beautiful flower-like images.








AUG: Lance White hosted a UBS table at the Taste of New Albany, with many treats from local clubs and restaurants.










SEP: Helped bottle Middle West Spirits’ award-winning OYO Vodka & learned how they make their artisanal liquors. One of USA Network’s Character Approved Top 10 in Food for their positive influence on our cultural landscape.


















NOV: Alumnus bandsman Drew Thompson invited me to join his family as guests of the Ohio State Marching Band for the Penn State game. Tailgated with his fellow TBDBITL members, saw their rehearsal room at Ohio Stadium, and had field access passes. With Archie Griffin, got an up-close view of the half-time show and field-level view of the game.

SEP: One of our regular Alban Mews get-togethers in our little park where we catch up with neighbors over wine & food noshes. Many homes for sale this year, we’re sadly saying goodbye to old friends, but welcoming new ones.

The Metropolitan Opera and Opera Club

FEB-APR;SEP-NOV: Attended only 12 performances this year (my fewest in 19 years at the Opera Club). Happily hosted China’s U.N. Ambassador & Mme. Li Baodong & Shirley Young to see Shenyang’s Colline in La Bohème. Ran into Cornell classmate Bill McHugh, in from SFO for Lucia di Lammermoor, which I saw with fellow College Board trustee Luis Martínez-Fernández. Other performances with CB colleagues: Mildred Johnson (Il Barbiere Di Siviglia); Lester Monts (Satyagraha). Love the new fountain: Bellagio!














MAY: On my way to see Die Walküre, I played paparazzi of celebrity chefs entering Avery Fisher Hall for the James Beard Awards: Jacques Pepin & Ming Tsai, Andrew Zimmern, Emeril Lagasse, Bobby Flay, and Ohio’s Farmer Bob Jones.

Vacation Trips

MAR: My first visit to Palm Springs – guest of Vivian & Jack Davis at La Quinta Resort. Watched tennis stars practicing and walked the magnificent Mountain Course after getting a photo in a member’s custom Chevy golf cart. At Joshua Tree Nat’l Park, saw the San Andreas Fault, Joshua trees, but mainly big rocks, avid climbers, and postcard scenery.













JUN: The family vacationed at the lovely Cape Cod house Karen & Gian again rented. We were visited twice daily by a swan family. I quickly had George and Martha eating out of my hand. After I capsized my kayak, I earned a new title: “Sunkle.” And we dug into our traditional lobstah dinner.













SEP: Drove to South Carolina with Jon & Sandy Tafel to visit former Ohio Board of Regents colleagues. With SC Chancellor Garry Walters in Charleston, enjoyed Low Country Cuisine. Husk’s smoky burger earned its rating as Best New Restaurant in U.S. On to Kris & Greg Frost’s Debordieu vacation home for home cooked grouper (and a little wine) & a tour of the enclave’s beach and golf course.

Benefit Events

JAN: The Cornell Asian Alumni Association honored me at their annual Lunar New Year’s Dinner in NYC. Pres. Emeritus Frank Rhodes and Trustee Martin Tang gave wonderful introductions. Joined by: Johnson Dean Joe Thomas, classmates Tom Senker, Jack MacPhail, & Randy Hatch; family; Michael & Adassa Richardson, Nancy Zimpher; Zang Toi, Kaity Tong, Angela Chen, and many, many other friends for a really enjoyable entertainment- & fun-filled evening.













JAN: Hamburg & Miranda Tang invited Mom and me to their table at Chinatown Health Clinic’s huge dinner at Jin Fong, where we saw many old friends and enjoyed healthy food.








SEP: Columbus Food Tours friend Bethia Woolf sponsored a series of dinners to aid Somali famine victims. Joined by IWFS and Slow Food foodie friends, we savored the cuisine of the 2nd largest Somali population in the U.S.








DEC: Oscar Tang honored for his Lifetime Achievements by the Museum of Chinese in America. Patty & Henry Tang invited me to one of their tables at Cipriani Wall St. honoring this good friend and great Chinese-American.

Special Celebrations

MAY: Patty & Henry Tang invited a big group to celebrate her mother Aileen Pei’s 99th birthday at a tea dance in NYC’s exclusive Colony Club. Auntie Aileen’s godchildren Pat Shiah and me, Juliana Koo, Mom, and all the Pei clan were there, including her granddaughter Penelope and Ben, I.M. Pei & his sons Sandy & Didi, and Denise Sze.

MAY: At Crabtree’s Kittle House in Chappaqua, NY (the Clintons’ favorite local haunt) for Tony & Sharon Lee’s lovely garden wedding, with sons Teddy & Tommy. Delicious dinner and dancing went well into the night.

JUN: My 40th Johnson Cornell reunion! My stalwart MBA’71 classmates Jim Sigsbee, Leo Konomis, Tom Senker, Maggie Willers, Randy Hatch, & Phil Ratner made the trek to Ithaca where we boogied in the beer tents and enjoyed parties above Cayuga’s waters at the scenic homes of Dean Joe & Marney Thomas and Trustee Emeritus Bob & Vanne Cowie.

JUL: Lina Mei threw a lavish wedding reception for her brother Tony & Hui in Flushing’s Chinatown. Karaoke, dancing, and extravagant banquet dishes included abalone.

OCT: Auntie Juliana Koo’s 106th birthday dinner dance at NYC’s Pierre Hotel brought out hundreds of family and friends including I.M. Pei, Laurette Feng, & Joan Fu.

OCT: Vicki Shiah was a beautiful bride for her marriage to John Treanor at the St. Malachy’s - the Actors’ Chapel and reception at the Lotos Club in NYC. Mom was resplendent in her couture Zang Toi cheong sam & wrap, with Bill Ling.

Actual Letter

I fit all the above into one double-sided legal sheet to include with my Christmas cards. I used Adobe InDesign to lay it out. If you'd like a hard copy, I'd be happy to mail you one - just send an email with your mailing address to me at rgwc@insight.rr.com.