My 2016 Holiday Letter

December 2016

5 Alban Mews
New Albany, Ohio 43054
Email me at: roderickchu@att.net

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

I’m delighted that I persuaded my Mom to spend most of her year with me in my home in New Albany. Enjoying the relaxation and delights of living in “America’s Best Suburb” (rated by Business Insider) with beautiful surroundings, good friends, terrific food, world class medical care at the Ohio State University Medical Center, and two Columbus casinos in which she could exercise walking amongst her favorite penny slot machines, her health issues have subsided and we’ve both been blessed with enjoying life.

Even with Mom mainly in Ohio, we traveled back to NY and Massachusetts to be with family and friends for notable events and several operas at the Met; I also squeezed in a conference in California. But the most special event of my year was being awarded Cornell University’s Frank H. T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Award: a singular & overwhelming honor.

Thanks to my wonderful family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues for another full and happy year. 

My family joins me in offering our very best wishes to you and yours for a joyous holiday season with hopes that 2017 will bring responsible governance by our elected and appointed officials. 

Sincerely,
Rod

Friend me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/rodchu 

My blogs:
http://rchu.wordpress.com 
http://www.choosygourmand.com 

Enjoying New Albany Country Club Living

FEB-NOV: One of Mom’s great pleasures living in New Albany has been seeing the swan who has lived on the ponds behind my house whom she has named Billy. Although we’ve regularly tempted him with fresh corn, Billy has continued to wander further afield to the neighboring golf holes, so Mom has had to walk farther to visit him. Almost every week, we’ve indulged ourselves with having delicious farm-to-table meals at the Club by our Exec. Chef Kent Rigsby, entertaining guests - including Herb Wolman, Edwaard Liang, Ping & Virginia Chen, Warren & Stella Woo, Ambrose & Irene Ng, S.L. & Theresa Lee, Celine & David Chan, and Lucy Chu - or just by ourselves. 

FEB-NOV: I insisted Mom come out to live with me in Ohio so she could get some exercise, which she’s found walking among her favorite slot machines in Columbus’ two casinos. Their restaurants often run specials that I enjoy and Mom pays for with her Player’s Club points. Mom loves relaxing at her penny slots, playing for exciting bonuses and sometimes she wins over $200; my best are more modest. 

Family Gatherings

DEC’15: We were delighted to have our family together for Christmas at Laura & David’s home in Bolton, MA, having missed 2014 family Xmas due to Mom’s flu. Happy to have Steven in from San Francisco and Ruthie from her senior center for a family photo. NOV: Back to Massachusetts for a morning visiting Alexandra’s school on their Grandfriends Day and Thanksgiving with a spatchcocked turkey, with Gian, Alex, A.J., and Karen. Looking forward to getting back to Bolton for our 2016 family Christmas celebration. 

Special Celebrations

OCT: Always the party of the year, Mom and I celebrated Auntie Juliana Koo’s 111th birthday at NYC’s Hotel Pierre with hundreds of her family and friends. Her daughters Shirley and Gene Young had renowned pianist Lang Lang there, who played one of her favorite Chopin pieces, and helped by son-in-law Oscar Tang and some great-grandchildren, she blew out her birthday candles. Inspiring to see her on the dance floor along with many other guests. Another delightful birthday to share with many friends, including Laurette and Winnie Feng.

APR: Spent a day in Federal court - fortunately, for the portrait unveiling and retirement roast of U.S. District Court Judge Greg Frost, with Kris, their family, and other invited friends and colleagues. Greg got his rebuttals in from his bench before we adjourned to the Federal Court House lobby - here with Sandy Drabik, who came down from Toledo, and others - to congratulate Greg. 

SEP: Friends brought food - my cold sesame noodles with shredded chicken and julienned cucumbers - and lots of wine to celebrate Peace Lutheran Church’s Music Director Michael Lester’s 50th birthday at the Harrison Park Recreation Center. A joyful afternoon with Pat Rocca, Chad Greenwold, Terry & Chris Broas, Pastor Kai & Patty Nilsen, and many other friends from my church and elsewhere.

The Metropolitan Opera & the Opera Club

Caught six performances at the Met to close out the 2015-16 season. DEC ’15: The festive production of Strauss’ Der Fledermaus on New Years Eve Eve. JAN: The Met’s first production of Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers in 100 years, with Tom & Pat Shiah. I finally got Susan Murphy down from Cornell to join me for a Met performance: the duo of Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. Michael Richardson, Karen, Mom, Laura & David joined me for what might be the last of the Met’s spectacular Zefirelli production of Puccini’s Turandot. MAR: Sondra Radvanovski in the last of her 3 Donizetti Tudor Trilogy operas as Queen Elizabeth in the Met’s premiere season of Roberto Devereaux, with Michael. APR: Placido Domingo in Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra, thanking Maestro James Levine for his leadership. Before that performance, the Opera Club’s dinner honoring Soprano Sondra Radvanovski, where she autographed the Devereaux program for her fellow Chicagoan Michael Richardson who had flown in to see her in each of those operas. I discontinued my Opera Club membership for the 2016-17 season, since I wouldn’t be getting to NY as much this year, so, sadly, no Met visits in this fall.

A Big Cornell Year

JAN: Kicked off the Chinese New Year season hosting a table of family and friends for the Cornell Asian Alumni Assn’s banquet at NYC’s Golden Unicorn Restaurant, honoring Cornell’s Student Affairs V.P. Susan Murphy on her retirement. Laura, David, & Karen came down from Mass., Michael Richardson from Chicago, and Joe & Marney Thomas from Ithaca to join us. Also there: Jeff Eng and Henry Shum. 

 
APR, MAY: Cornell’s events at NYC’s 583 Park Avenue thanked its Tower Club donors (here with Kent Sheng and Harriet & Jay Waks), and honored Johnson School Alumni Award recipients, including Distinguished Service Alumni Awardee Nels Schaenen with wife Nancy. Souvenir digital photo with Cornell’s mascot and my professor, mentor, and friend of 45+ years, Dean Emeritus Joe & Marney Thomas. 

 
JUN: Mom joined me in Ithaca for Cornell’s Reunion Weekend. Leo Konomis and I held up our ends for our 45th Reunion; we’re expecting many more of our classmates to join us for our 50th. Karen & Gian were also there celebrating their 20th Reunion. Bob Metcalf and I among the Johnson alumni honoring Joe Thomas on his retirement as Dean. Mom & I were houseguests of Joe & Marney at their lovely home on Cayuga Lake, enjoying wines from Joe’s magnificent cellar with Gian & Karen and beautiful sunsets. Enjoyed farewell coffee and donuts at their neighbors Vanne & Bob Cowie’s home with many other long-time Cornell friends. 

 
SEP: Mom came with me to Cornell for my being honored with the Frank H. T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Award - the university’s highest alumni honor - during Homecoming Weekend. Enjoyed the awards dinner with our beloved Pres. Emeritus Frank & Rosa Rhodes and the engraved crystal and sterling silver Tiffany award. Tailgating with Johnson’s Dean Emeritus Joe Thomas and new Dean Mark Nelson. Mom hiked up the Schoellkopf Field Crescent to enjoy the game from President Hunter & Elizabeth Rawlings’ box. Another delicious dinner at Joe & Marney’s with sumptuous wines: ‘08 Drouhin Chablis Premier Cru & ‘02 Remoissenet Grands-Echezeaux. 

OCT: Back to Ithaca for Cornell’s Trustee-Council Annual Meeting, again as Joe & Marney Thomas’ houseguest. Arrival dinner with vertical tasting of ‘00 & ‘02 Ch. Lascombes. Next night, back after the TCAM reception for a tasting of my jamón serrano-wrapped asparagus and ‘98 & ‘99 Beaulieu Georges de Latour, with Ken Gurola. Attended third-time-around Pres Hunter Rawlings’ stirring State-of-the-University address and several classes, then the TCAM dinner with Gligor Tashkovich and Dean Mark & Cathy Nelson. Closed the weekend with a symposium honoring President Emeritus Frank Rhodes’ scholarly work and a reception celebrating his 90th birthday.

Reuning with my United Nations International Schoolmates

 

MAY: The UNIS Class of 1966 gathered many of their 27 alumni from around the world for its 50th Reunion. A few of the 15 my Class of 1965 joined in. Pleased to see many high schoolmates for the first time in 50 years and pick up as if it were yesterday. Among those caught in my photos: Cathy Dorman Bermingham, David Fishman, Felice Kane Morel, Margaret Lerner, Bill Ling, Bjorn Skern, Shikha Dalal, Michael Richardson, John Ives, Satch Brzak, Philip Davies, and Leni Fuhrman. Looking forward to getting together more often! 

 

MAR: With Michael Richardson in NYC for the opera, we gathered with his daughter Adassa and our UNIS classmate Cathy Dorman at the Cornell Club for lunch and caught up on old times. NOV: Felice Kane Morel stopped by Columbus to visit on her way to a conference in Sandusky. We packed a lot into her 24 hours here: Toured Easton and had a French lunch at Bon Vie; visited OSU and its stadium; Polaris; dinner with Mom at NACC for Kent Rigsby’s fabulous cooking; next day, Kevin Caskey’s farm-to-table brunch at Skillet; the Topiary Garden‘s 150 living tree figures depicting Seurat’s pointillist painting, La Grande Jatte; a stop at Thurber House; CCAD’s Art sculpture.

Several Little Trips

JAN: In NYC, Rockefeller Center’s Xmas tree. In San Diego for a USC conference, saw the film site of Gilligan’s Island. Back in Ohio, went with Tally Krumm to visit Tom Noe in Hocking. MAY: Near Mom’s NY home, we caught the Rockefeller State Park Preserve’s 500 tree peonies in full bloom. SEP: Visited Aunties Florence Lin, Fung-Chen Chin, & Florence Liang in their Nottingham senior center in Syracuse.

Dining with Friends - Highlights

AROUND COLUMBUS. FEB: Mom and I celebrated Chinese New Year with Columbus Chinese friends at Ming Flower. Enjoyed a Chinese Hot Pot meal at Bethia & Andy Dehus’ home with young foodie friends. APR: Delightful dinner at Midge & Tally Krumm’s Rocky Fork Hunt and Country Club. APR and AUG: Chinese potluck dinners at Ambrose & Irene Ng’s home with friends bringing our best creations to share. SEP: Mary Duffey & Tony Logan’s Willamette Valley, Oregon wine dinner with old International Wine & Food Society friends.

AROUND NYC. DEC’15: Lina Mei’s videoed restaurant review dinner of Rong Restaurant in Flushing. APR: Mom’s dinner for the Loh/Lee family at Buon Amici in White Plains. Fabulous Shanghai food at David Chen’s Szechuan Garden with Auntie Mei & Audrey Wu and Chester Mah. MAY: Hamburg & Miranda Tang’s guests at the Chinatown Health Clinic Benefit Gala at Jin Fong. Tom & Pat Shiah’s farewell dinner to the Four Seasons. SEP: Ray Chen’s dinner with NYC wine and foodies at Yi Li celebrating Richard Hsia’s engagement.

Printed 2016 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.