My 2017 Holiday Letter

December 2017

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

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

With my Mom Frances continuing to enjoy living with me in Ohio, life has been fairly simple, with occasional drives back to her house in New York and to Massachusetts to be with family and friends for special events. But somehow, I kept very busy with too many happy and notable events to include in this letter (special apologies to my Ohio Board of Regents colleagues, and pastors and members of Peace Lutheran Church for leaving your photos on the cutting room floor). Alas, we had to say our final farewells to David’s mother Ruth (at age 94), Auntie Juliana Koo (111), Auntie Denise Sze (95), and David Rockefeller (101), but fondly remembered their long and rich lives.

To you, my wonderful family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues, my thanks for helping make this year such a full and joyous one. My Mom joins me in offering our very best wishes to you and yours for a joyous holiday season. May 2018 bring a return to sane, caring, and responsible leadership in our nation and world.

Sincerely,
Rod

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Appreciated Joys of New Albany Country Club Living

With top Columbus restaurateur Kent Rigsby as Exec. Chef, New Albany Country Club has been Mom’s and my most frequented eatery this year. Fresh farm-to-table produce from Whitebarn Organics on the Wexner estate prepared and served exquisitely by the NACC staff, and daily and weekly specials (like $1 oysters on Wednesdays) along with the lavish monthly buffet brunches that I’ve shared with several friends–here with Adam Einhorn & Katie Chio and their baby daughter–the changing menu kept us going back for more every week.

Billy the swan spent some time in the pond behind my house, but moved back to his new favorite spot on stream at #9 North, a 10-minute walk away. Mom & I regularly gave him treats of hand shucked corn kernels which got him to come to my call. Billy had visitors, but none of them stayed with him long, so no cygnets this year. Mom’s Night Blooming Cereus is happy here, blooming 4 times with 9 blossoms. Thanks to my neighbor David Glisson for watering it while we were away. Even several of my orchid plants re-bloomed for us!

Learned New Skills

Almost every month, I took advantage of the facilities and instruction at the Columbus Idea Foundry–America’s largest makerspace–by taking courses to learn how to use their myriad machines and then be allowed to use them on my own for projects. Basic woodworking equipment, vacuum forming, laser cutting and engraving, 3D printing, Shopbot CNC Router, wood lathes, blade sharpening, and basic wood box making. As a member, I have 24x7 access to the facility & machines and don’t need a basement full of stuff to be productive.

Took a Few Trips

AUG: Mom made her first airplane flight in 4 years for Patricia & Tom Shiah’s son Thomas’ marriage to Becky Malinsky in Minneapolis. Fun events for 3 days, including a visit to the Minnesota State Fair before the wedding festivities at the hip new Hewing Hotel, with Jim Chang & Patty Tang from NYC.

SEP: Mom & I visited Sherran Blair in her magnificent new home in St. Petersburg. Fishing success meant fresh fish for dinner, and a tour of the local Asian market produced ingredients for a second home-cooked Chinese dinner with a luscious roasted bone marrow appetizer. On to Orlando, for a surprise 80th birthday dinner for Mom’s good friend Lily Liu by her daughter Helen. Their actress friend Lisa Lu, who flew in from Hollywood, joined in the celebration with others of Auntie Lily’s friends and family at Hong Kong Alley Kitchen.

OCT: As a life member of the Cornell University Council, I get to attend the Trustee-Council Annual Meeting every year and catch up on what’s happening at this great university. It’s especially nice to get back to Ithaca where Joe & Marney Thomas continue to have Mom & me enjoy their magnificent hospitality in their lovely home on Cayuga Lake. It was wonderful to see so many old Cornell friends at the meeting and Homecoming events (with the spectacular Fireworks & Laser Light Show from atop the Crescent at Schoellkopf Field) including Pres. Emeritus Frank Rhodes, Joe’s successor as Johnson School Dean Mark & Cathy Nelson, Trustee Emeritus Bob & Vanne Cowie, and Ezra Cornell at this year’s Frank H. T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Awards dinner.

Enjoyed Artistic Performances

JUN: Shirley Young, on the Board of the NY Philharmonic, invited me to attend a special Concert for Unity featuring Yo-Yo Ma and departing Music Director Alan Gilbert, from the Directors’ box, with her fellow Director Alec Baldwin. It was so special to finally meet YoYo Ma in person and to attend the private reception with Shirley and her brother-in-law and fellow Board member Oscar & Agnes Tang.

FEB, MAR, APR, NOV: Despite my travels which kept me from attending some performances, I was able to catch four wonderful offerings by Columbus’ BalletMet and their Artistic Director Choreographer Edwaard Liang. I love Edwaard’s works which seamlessly combine elements of classical ballet and modern dance and the company’s ability to so effortlessly carry out the demanding dance movements with world-class artistry. It’s been especially thrilling to get to meet BalletMet’s dancers and visiting choreographers–here with Ma Cong.

Celebrated Holidays, Birthdays, Weddings, and Family Visits

DEC ‘16: Gathered for our family Christmas in Bolton, MA at Laura & David’s. Steven in from San Francisco; Mom and me from Ohio; Karen & Gian, A.J. & Alexandra, goldendoodles Gus & Sadie from Beacon Hill; and David’s Mom Ruth from her nearby assisted living center celebrated together with too many gifts, as usual. Alas, we missed Steven’s wife Shari, who spent Xmas with her folks in Brooklyn.

JAN: Celebrated Gov. Bob Taft’s 70th birthday with fellow former Taft Cabinet members at Charity Newsies. It was good to see the Gov. and Hope Taft looking so well and to see so many of my colleagues from over a decade ago, including Shaun Yoder and Bruce Johnson, Ann Womer & David Benjamin, Tom Johnson and Hope Taft, Reggie Wilkinson and Jo Ann Davidson, Bill Wilkins and David & Ann Bodary.

AUG: Lisal threw a Yankees-themed party at the Franklin Park Conservatory for Don Gorman’s 70th birthday amid the Chilhuly glass and plants. Honored to be there with Don’s family members and long-time friends–here with Linda & Bob Gorman–to share happy memories.

SEP: Don & Anita Dougherty’s reception at Via Vecchia Winery celebrating their wedding. Mom & I joined my Alban Mews neighbors Tony & Kate Thomas, Jim & Cherie Nelson, Tim & Lisa Stallings, Kathleen & Buzz Trafford, family and other friends to offer our best wishes.

APR & OCT: Laura & David came to Columbus for their first visits in 12 years! We had really nice times seeing local sights, with Mom & Laura enjoying slots & food at Hollywood Casino. David & I took a fun Columbus Brew Adventures tour. Rode my bikes on NACC’s leisure paths. Saw the Chilhulys at Franklin Park Conservatory. Had dim sum at Sunflower with my neighbors David Glisson, Jim Miller, & their exchange student Martin. On their Oct. trip, back to Sunflower and enjoyed their wonderful fresh frog rice casserole. Visited David at his trade show at the Columbus Convention Center. We were treated royally by Hot Chicken Takeover’s manager at the North Market. Found Hayden Falls and took some fun pix. Tasted many at NACC’s Fall Wine Expo, where Bob Gorman let Laura try on his Yankees World Series ring. My first round of golf in 4 years at my club, where I parred the hole behind my house and Laura came that close to a hole-in-one.

Savored Memorable Dinners

DEC ‘16: Laura, David, & I enjoyed dinner at #11 of the Top 50 Restaurants in the World: Stone Barns at Blue Hill, just 10 minutes from Mom’s house. It was a spectacular 26 course farm-to-table dinner that followed Chef Dan Barber’s philosophy described in his book The Third Plate. To caption my Facebook photos, I audio recorded our servers’ descriptions of each course along with our comments; on tasting every almost every course, we simply gushed “So Delicious!” What a treat!



DEC ‘16: Celebrated 20 years of support of the Friends of the Rockefeller State Park Preserve for this magnificent nature preserve next to Blue Hill at Stone Barns. So happy that Laura & David came down from Massachusetts to join Mom’s other guests: Miranda & Hamburg Tang, (with portrait of her father’s friend Laurance Rockefeller), Tom & Pat Shiah, and Julia Chu & Michael Tong for a spectacular evening at the Rockefeller Playhouse on the family estate, where we were greeted by Friends President Clare Pierson (Nelson’s granddaughter) and comedian Robert Klein (local resident). Glad to see David Rockefeller there too, aged 101.



JUN: Mom & I invited Michael & Winnie Feng and Chester Mah to join us at the annual Gordon Parks Foundation dinner at Cipriani 42nd St. where we were seated with Gene Young (Gordon’s former wife and Foundation Board member) and her sister Shirley. One of the best organized benefit dinners I’ve ever attended, the lavish evening, packed with glitterati (including Stephen Colbert and civil rights pioneer Congressman John Lewis), fine food and drink, meaningful awards, and inspiring stories of artists aided by the Foundation’s grants.



SEP: The 10th Annual Slow Foods Columbus Shake the Hand that Feeds You dinner, on the Produce Terminal loading dock. Fellow foodies feasted on fabulous farm-to-table food prepared by some of the area’s most talented chefs. Bethia Woolf with Matt Heaggans. TJ Gibbs’ pizzas. Darista Hummusiya’s braised brisket. Thanking Tony Layne for his Tur’Ketta. Dinner was capped by Jeni’s Sundae Board for dessert.



Throughout the year, Mom & I kept going back to two simple family-owned Chinese restaurants for delicious and healthy food. Chinese Beef Noodle Soup on the Ohio State campus for the best handmade Shandong noodles and dumplings. Asian Taste in New Albany for Cantonese & Shanghai comfort food, especially perfectly cooked vegetables, traditional tofu dishes, and sesame balls for dessert!

Printed 2017 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.