My 2013 Holiday Note

December 2013

5 Alban Mews
New Albany, Ohio 43054 

Please note my new email address: roderickchu@att.net
Friend me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/rodchu 

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

In this Holiday Letter, I’m sharing a sampling of the fun things that I’ve done in the past year. I continue to be amazed by how little time I have to do all the things I’d like. Looking back, I get an inkling as to why. If you’re one of my Facebook friends, some of these should look familiar, since most are among the 140+ events I posted there in photos this year. (If you were left out of this letter, let’s get a photo together in 2014 to increase the odds for next year!) I again bounced between New Albany and New York to see my mother Frances and friends – and, of course, ate very well in both! Sharing dining experiences (unlike political or religious opinion) has proved to be fairly safe (except for things like shark fins), so I continue to post them – at the risk of appearing to eat far too much! I did a bit of travel elsewhere as well and have delighted in celebrating major events with family and friends. I managed to get back to NYC for more opera this year than last and delighted in sharing the rich experiences of the Metropolitan Opera and the Opera Club with friends.

Transforming educational results continues to be one of my professional passions, so I still consult a bit and develop my ideas on how to bring about this crucial objective. It is dismaying that there is so little real commitment to this objective around the U.S., but it’s gratifying to see it being achieved in select communities. I hope improvement will continue, if only one community at a time.


A closing thought: According to research, expressing gratitude is a key route to personal happiness. Indeed, I am blessed with a loving family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues to whom I am deeply grateful for filling my life with priceless experiences and joy. My thanks and best wishes are with you and yours for a happy holiday season and a 2014 filled with love, gratitude, and satisfaction.

Sincerely,
Rod

P.S.: Congratulations to those few of you who last year figured out that you had to put the multicolored note behind the red film in the card to read it! 

Events & Eating Around Columbus

MAY-JUN: Mom felt well enough to come to New Albany - her first visit in several years. Enjoyed country club living, dinners with friends at NACC, homes of S.L. & Theresa Lee, Sam & Lucy Chu, and Ping & Virginia Chen, and Hollywood Casino.

JUL 4th: Jack & Vivian Davis’ picnic to which I contributed cold sesame noodles (sampled here by Bob & Linda Gorman), and canapés of sous vide cuttlefish on Belgian endive. Back to New Albany in time to catch the fireworks that inspired the dish.

JUL: I joined noted Columbus foodies Bear Braumoeller, Kristen Schmidt, and Bethia Woolf for this year’s Fête en Blanc pop-up white picnic at the scenic Simon Yao Studio.

JUN-AUG: The Alban Mews neighbors gathered each month on our lovely green, enjoying each other’s company, the delightful summer weather, & many tasty shared delicacies.

AUG: Fellow Int’l Wine & Food Society-Columbus members Roger Blair and Lisal & Don Gorman joined me for the Shake the Hand that Feeds You dinner on farmer Dick Johnson’s Flying J Farm. Skillet chef/owner Kevin Caskey, Slow Food Columbus founder Bear Braumoeller, Snowville Creamery’s Warren Taylor, and other Slow Food friends provided delicious food & drink. 

Events & Eating Around NYC

JAN-FEB: Dined with Alice McIntosh, Claudia Robinson, Adassa & Michael Richardson on fresh eel at Yeoh Shanghai Deluxe. Martin Tang & Henry Shum at the Cornell Asian Alumni Association’s Annual Banquet at Golden Unicorn.

APR-JUN: Drew Thompson at Eataly Birreria. Tom & Pat Shiah and Mom for Crêpes Suzette at Le Cirque. Auntie Nancy Soong & Mom for lunch at Atrio. Michael Richardson for Duck Gorgitas & Rotisserie Duck at Momofuku Ssam Bar. Elaine Lai & Mom for Iron Chef tastings at Morimoto.

NOV: The Museum of Chinese in America’s Gala at Cipriani 42nd St., with Board Chair Patty Tang, honored NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg (introduced by Vera Wang), and Chef Ming Tsai. Mom & I were seated at one of Patty’s tables with C.C. & Harriet Tung, dear friends in from Hong Kong.

DEC: Mom supported the Friends of the Rockefeller State Park Preserve’s Gala, here greeted by their president Clare Pierson, with a table of good friends for the select party at the Playhouse at the Rockefeller Estate. Lisa Lu came from L.A. for it, with Lucia Hwong-Gordon and Pat & Tom Shiah.

Board & Mini-Vacation Trips

JAN: Went to San Diego before a conference in Los Angeles to visit my Cornell roommate Bob Crane and his granddaughter. Dinner with Ohio State emigrés Jessie Au & Guill Wientjes. Caught up with my fellow former state tax commissioner Ernie Dronenburg, now San Diego Assessor.

MAY: Took a day in New Orleans before a meeting. Visited the new WWII Museum and ate up a storm. Cochon for lunch: pork cheek terrine, roast oysters, and more. Tasting menu with wine pairings at John Besh’s August. Also ate at The Ruby Slipper, Sylvain, Sazerac, and Palace Café. Yum!

JUL: In Washington, DC to wish Paul Lingenfelter well on his retirement as President of the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO), here with Peg Miller. Toured the Chinese collection at the Sackler Gallery. Visited my
U. N. Int’l School classmate, empath, and author Rose Rosetree (née Laura Rosenbaum) - we hadn’t met since 1975!

OCT: Phoenix for the State Farm Bank CRA Advisory Council Meeting. Drove to see Superstition Mountain and Tortilla Flats. Ate at famed Pizzeria Blanco. Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell greeted our group, here with fellow Advisory Council member Tommy Espinoza and SFB’s Ed Woods. Tommy hosted dinner at his lovely home with talented student dancers to entertain us and delicious Mexican food. 

The Metropolitan Opera & the Opera Club

DEC ’12-MAR: Flew in for 17 performances at the Met this year, getting back up towards my normal attendance. Tony Logan, Mary Duffey, & daughter Caroline joined me from Columbus for Aïda. Ray Chen, Elaine Lai, & Mom for Les Troyens with Deborah Voight. Randy Hatch, Margy MacPhail, Marby & Tom Senker for perhaps one of the last performances of Franco Zeffirelli’s lavish production of Turandot. Michael Richardson (in from Chicago) & Patty Tang for Joyce DiDonato’s stunning performance as Maria Stuarda. Zang Toi & I congratulated the diva in person at the Opera Club’s dinner in her honor 2 days later, then saw Le Compte Ory with Juan Diego Flórez. Minson Chen for the new Rigoletto set in garish 1960 Las Vegas.

APR-MAY, SEP-OCT: Tony & Sharon Lee for Carmen. Michael Richardson, back in NYC for a medical conference, joined me for Siegfried and the new production of Giulio Cesare with David Daniels and Natalie Dessay, which he returned to see again with Barbara Chin. A different perspective for Götterdämmerung from Ray Chen’s Family Circle seats. Pat Shiah for Anna Netrebko’s reprise of her Opening Night performance in Eugene Onegin. Ray came as my guest for the premiere of the minimalist production of Norma. Auntie Lisa Lu flew in from Hollywood to join Mom and me for Tosca (with its dreadful sets).

Peace Lutheran Church Group Activities

APR, SEP; Monthly: Two of my Peace Lutheran groups made and served over 2,000 meals to homeless adults at our annual Chili Lunch and H.O.P.E. Picnic (with haircutting, medical, & other services), and dinner at the YWCA Family Center for over 200 homeless families once each month.

Family Vacation (alas, without nephew Steven)

NOV: Hyatt Regency Aruba for a 4-generation Thanksgiving with Mom, Laura & David, Karen & Gian, A.J. & Alexandra. A beautiful & relaxing vacation, where Gian proposed to Karen!

Special Events & Celebrations

MAY: Mom & I celebrated my godmother Aileen Pei’s 101st birthday with her granddaughter Penelope, daughter Patty, and many other Peis over lunch at NYC’s Sistena restaurant.

SEP: Again had the pleasure of joining hundreds of family & friends for Auntie Juliana Koo’s birthday - this time, celebrating her 108th at NYC’s Pierre Hotel as guests of her son-in-law Oscar Tang &; daughters Gene & Shirley Young. Oscar’s bride Agnes & Metropolitan Opera stars Shenyang and Hao Jiang Tian provided beautiful vocal tributes.

JUN & OCT: Mom & I savored the beauties of America’s #1 college town at the Cornell Asian Alumni Assn’s Reunion. Took an afternoon to watch Cornell’s fledgling Red Tail Hawks. We were house guests of my professor/friend Joe & Marney Thomas and enjoyed neighbors Bob & Vanne Cowie’s donut & coffee brunch. We visited again in Oct. for Cornell’s Trustee/Council Ann’l Meeting with Gian (newly elected to Council) & Karen, who ziplined over Beebe Lake gorge. 

MAR: Randy Hatch & Margy MacPhail’s wedding in New Canaan, CT, with their daughters. Cocktail reception at a friend’s home, and dinner at Woodway Country Club with fellow old roommate Tom & Marby Senker, Margy’s brother, Randy’s sisters and mother, and others. So happy for them!

MAY: Hard to believe that it was Jon Tafel & Sandy Miller’s 10th Anniversary! Ken Howey & Nancy Zimpher came in from NY and Garry & Sylvia Walters from SC to join many other Ohio Board of Regents colleagues and other friends from the education world to celebrate upstairs at T. Murray’s.

FEB & SEP: Zang Toi impressed with both his Fall ‘13 & Spring ‘14 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week shows at Lincoln Center, inspired by St. Petersburg and ballet. Mom & I visited backstage then joined friends & fans in giving Zang well-earned standing ovations for his stunning creations.

Printed 2013 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 roderick.chu@att.net.