Free Hugs for a Dollar

I love New York. But, it's the kind of love that feels like it could suffocate me, even though it's so full of energy and fantasy and romance... *sigh*

Stacy (a new friend I met last year in Paris with my good friend Mel) invited me to her very special birthday party in New York City, so I booked an Airbnb in New Jersey and I went.

Staying in New Jersey was a bit of a trek to everything in the city, but it was easier on my budget, beautiful, stylish, spacious, comfortable, and it was in New Jersey and I loved it! When I was a kid, I was fascinated by New Jersey because a friend of mine had taught me how to "speak with a New Jersey accent" and, as a result, I became obsessed with the idea of this magical place where everyone talked so cool. :)

Here are the things:

Breakfast at Bluestone Lane
Walking the waterfront of New Jersey
Zen Ramen and Sushi
Moulin Rouge
Enna Bakery
Timothy "Speed" Levitch sighting
Jack’s Wife Freda West Village w/ Mel, David, Jeffrey (MDJ)
Museum of Arts and Design w/ MDJ
Anna Sui exhibit w/ MDJ
New York City Library for a minute
Bryant Park
Mexicue
Hadestown w/ Mel, David, Jeffrey, Stacy (MDJS)
Momofuku Ssam w/ MDJ - I think this was the most incredible meal I've ever had.
Katz Deli w/ MDJS
Walking the Highline w/ MDJS
The Vessel w/ MDJ
Hudson Yards w/ MDJS
Mercado Little Spain and the foosball table table w/ MDJS - kicked David's butt in foosball. ;)
UCB with Allison
Buvette w/ Mel and Tony
The Whitney w/ Mel
Pangea - Stacy's birthday party!

Before I met up with Mel, David, and Jeffrey at Jack's Wife Freda, they had hugged a guy with a sign that said "free hugs". The guy then requested a donation of a dollar for charity, making it not really seem like a free hug. From that moment to the end of the trip, David and I were "workshopping" a new show we wanted to produce called Free Hugs for a Dollar, that was mostly improv and explanation, and that would be narrated by David on stage when it was ready to be performed for reals. ;) Haha

I had so much fun hanging out with Mel/David/Jeffrey/and sometimes Stacy, I got to see Allison, I got to see Tony, and Stacy birthday party was absolutely magical. 💖

I'm am so very fortunate.

Till next time New York... 

Grandma's 92nd birthday!

My brother had a conference in Chicago, so my sister-in-law, the kiddos, me, and my mom decided to meet in Illinois for the weekend after the conference to spend some time with my brother and our extended family in Joliet; and, it happened to be on the weekend of my beautiful Grandma's 92nd birthday! :)

Gualalalala

For Labor Day weekend we decided to escape to this little town up the coast called Gualala. We got a cabin, brought a bunch of food, hiked, hung out on the beach, had some epic meals, relaxed, and went up to Point Arena to meet this gorgeous giraffe.

#baybrosandsistas

Powell (take 2)

My second trip to Lake Powell started out in Napa with Kendall and Patrici at the Rodrigo y Gabriela concert. I had been wanting to see Rodrigo y Gabriela live for so long -- and, they were perfection!! They played on a charming little outdoor stage at the Mondavi winery.

Such a beautiful start to the vacation!

Then we spent a day in Calistoga checking out Kendall's new hotel, riding bikes through the vineyards, and listening to flamenco guitar music on the patio. Sigh... :)

We left for Powell a bit later than expected, getting us to Vegas for a few hours of sleep before we hauled ass to Antelope Canyon to barely make a 4:30pm tour. TOTALLY WORTH IT! Antelope Canyon was gorgeous!! And, close to our launching site at Powell. :) Afterwards, we finally had Navajo tacos (something Patrici had been wanting to try since the last trip!)!

A loaded and wonderful few days before we even got on the houseboat!

When we finally got to the marina at Lake Powell, it was me, Kendall, Patrici, and Kaleigh. The rest of the crew was scheduled to arrive the next day, which meant I was the best candidate to help launch the speedboat. Basically, that meant I would drive the truck with the trailer back to the parking lot once the boat was in the water. Piece of cake, right? Until I got slightly lost and then hit a jeep with the trailer (well, I really just hit wheels, so no biggie, right?) and yeah. All real harm was averted. 😬

But THEN, I fell off of the houseboat.

It was nighttime, and I was on the back of the boat and wanted to get to the front of the boat. I went to step on the dock and missed, falling with one leg into the water and the other leg sprawled across the grated concrete leaving me with a pretty scraped up foot. UGH! Kendall patched me up with iodine and bandages and, thank goodness, it turned out to be very manageable. !

The rest of the trip was full of all the things. :) We had 17 people on the houseboat this year, including 2 kiddos and 1 baby.

Here are the moments:

Meeting all of the lovely Iskanders
Brennen and Layla's adorable "New York accents" ;)
Brainstorming ideas for Annette's book
Rain, lightning, waterfalls
Discovering that Dan and I DO like some of the same songs :)
The Moki Steps hike
Stephen going home early :P
Dan's wine
Kaleigh, Patrici, and I's stage combat performance
Wakeboard surfing progress
Getting to know Arlene
Face mask night!
Swimming the narrows with Kaleigh, Dan, and Danny
The beautiful rainbow bridge canyon jet ski ride
The "I don't wanna go flat!" song evolved from Crossy Roads saying "going flat" vs "dying" :)
The ever eventful hotdog/jumbo dog ride(s)

On the road

I've been trying to explore new things this year. New conversations with interesting people, new challenges at work, new creative projects with friends, new relationships, new boundaries...  It's been busy, scary, invigorating, and slightly overwhelming at times. :)

Here are a few highlights:

L.A.
I've found opportunities to head to L.A. with work in the last few months and it's felt like I've been working in the Spider-Verse. I've been working in new spaces and with new teams, but it all feels very familiar. :) It's been great for connection, inspiration, and growth, and continues to remind me of how fortunate I am to work for such an amazing company.

Maria
My friend Maria is an incredible singer/songwriter and I've fallen into managing her because I believe in her so much, and because she does (most of) what I say. ;) It's turning into a great partnership, with her talent and my ability to move things into action, and we're just getting started!

Leaders
I've made it a point to talk to leaders who are accessible to me, and to do my best to build a relationship of some kind with them. I'm hoping to find new pathways, and I'm getting to know some exceptional people in the meantime.

Relationships (friendships)
There are so many people in my life right now that it's a bit hard to manage, but it's rich and diverse, and I'm finding boundaries where necessary, and I'm so very grateful.

I guess sometimes you have to just get on the road, even if you're not sure where it's going.

The shows

May 24, 2018 - May 19, 2019

Modest Mouse - not great sound... which was a bummer.
The Humans - lots of talking for a subtle message at the end.
A Walk on the Moon - a sweet, late, coming of age story.
Flying Lotus/Little Dragon - an unexpected adventure.  How did we ever get home... :)
Soft Power - creative, impactful, thought provoking, magical.
The Miracle Worker - wonderfully performed.  A timeless and inspiring story.
Gomez - Mel's favorite band, and for a reason.
School of Rock - energizing!  Very entertaining.
Jake Shimabukuro - always an impressive performance.  Music that hits your soul.
Boys II Men - Google concert.  Nostalgic.
Smashing Pumpkins - super nostalgic and kind of dreamy.
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - fun, energetic.
Sara Bareilles - an inspirational talk and a heartfelt short performance.
Jason Mraz - fun.
Lauryn Hill - a concert I've been waiting for for YEARS, and it was SO WORTH IT!!
Oh Sees - so much energy and so much fun!
Sweat - I can't remember how I felt about this one... but, the fights were pretty cool.
On Your Feet - delightful in a way I didn't expect.
Ani DiFranco at Hardly Strictly - Ani DiFranco for free in the park was lovely.
You Mean To Do Me Harm - thought provoking, well performed.
Sofar Sounds concert - intimate concert, local artist, great experience.
Seen/By Everyone - had some interesting things to say about social media.
Men on Boats - well performed, interesting take on early pioneers from a female perspective.
Christine + The Queens - so much charisma!  Theatrical, fun.
Soiled Dove - great performances, fun circus!
Waitress - I liked it, but it didn't blow me away like I thought it would.
Kjartansson "Romantic Songs of the Patriarchy" - interesting.
Volta - had an act that COMPLETELY BLEW MY MIND.  I also got to work with the "skippers" at Google which was a blast, and we had a lovely moment after one of their shows as a result.
SFIHHDF - still one of the best shows in town. :)
Cardboard Piano - beautifully performed, and the fights worked!
A Bronx Tale - I wanted to like this, but the story fell a bit short.
Dear Evan Hansen - wonderful, heartfelt, delightful and then so honest with so much growth.
Ice on Ice - um... what was this about... ??  But, super fun night with Fan and Joan.
Come From Away - incredible look at a community that came to the rescue of stranded passengers from flights that were re-routed on 9/11.  Lovely.  Delightful.  Inspiring.
Seascape - an interesting look at humanity and evolution from the perspective of lizards.
Words that Move - spoken word story performances.
Paradise Square - I wanted more from this, though it was wonderfully performed.
Late Company - great performances, impactful story.
Metamorphoses - beautiful, fun, touching, creative, heartfelt...
Gryphon Trio - complex
TILT - fun
La Ronde - enjoyable in a way I didn't expect.  An interesting exploration of intimacy.
Jose Gonzalez + The String Theory - the conductor was amazing, the music complex and wonderful.
Yoga Play - the acting wasn't strong, but it had some nice messages and good humor in the second half.
Home - magical, interesting exploration of life in a home and whatever that means.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - great performances, and they pulled kids apart on stage. !!
Oakhella - a community coming together around music and art.
Airbnb Design-Talks: Julia Bullock - an interesting talk and art installation and an incredible display of humanity and process.
Mutek - visual, interesting, an inspiring night out with Rika and friends.
Latino Comedy showcase - not all Latino... and, only partly funny. :)
Weightless - exquisite, touching, elating.
The Jungle - didn't love it... felt rushed and hard to process.
Importance of Being Earnest - delightful performances, really sweet and funny.
The Dandy Warhols - bad sound, groovy

Soft Power

Last year, I saw a musical called Soft Power.  Twice.  

Soft Power - noun

1. a persuasive approach to international relations, typically involving the use of economic or cultural influence.

Soft Power, the musical, was about the 2016 election... but, what it was really about was the power of art and culture, and how easily we're influenced into belief systems without thinking twice about them.  And, how much power that holds.  And, how maybe it could change everything if done right.  

And, then, all of these amazing movies hit the screen. 

Design

Design done well is delightful.

It's: sweet moments, a feeling, an ease, a surprise, a perfect view. It's the process of making magic for others to discover.  

The dishwasher

Once upon at time I met a dishwasher.

I was in a bar in Old Colorado City one night, and a friend of a friend's new husband asked me what I did.  I said I was an Account Executive for VoiceSteam Wireless, which I thought sounded really important because it had the word "executive" in the title.  He asked me if I liked it.  The question surprised me, so I said something quick like, I guess it's okay -- why, what do you do?  I'm a dishwasher, he replied.  I asked if he liked it.  He said that he loved it.

He used to work 70 hours a week in tech with more money than he knew what to do with.  One day, his boss called him into his office and offered him more money for more of his time.  He was valued by the company, stressed out, and never saw the people that he loved so, instead of taking the offer, he quit his job and took a job as a dishwasher.  As a dishwasher he would go to work, get paid enough to survive (granted this was in Colorado Springs a million years ago), and then go home and spend time with the people that he loved.  And, he was so happy. :)

Not long after I met the dishwasher, I quit my job, packed up my bags and my inspiration, and moved to the Bay Area.

My parents' 50th wedding anniversary

They didn't want a party, so we booked a vacation rental in the mountains for a few days and then a special dinner back in the Springs on the night of their actual anniversary.  Then, we secretly invited friends and family to be a part of the celebration by asking them to send along their wishes....  💖

Run the world

These two...

I got to head to LA to see the fashionistas, Pam and Kim, again!

Here's the list:

Davenport’s
Spruce Goose - YouTube office
Fabulous homemade dinner and CAKE(s)
Shopping on Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Gjelina
A walk on Venice beach
Whiskey and cigars at Bar Jackalope with our adorable bar host and the lovely Gillian

Have you ever had an experience where you find yourself in the presence of people you admire and who inspire you so much, and then they give you the most amazing compliment?  These two said that they just feel better after spending time with me.  !! 💗

...I mean, I did get them to watch Spider-man: Homecoming... ;)

Galentine's day

Galentine's Day was the best Valentine's Day I've ever had.  5 girls, 5 cards exchanged, 6 tiny bouquets (we were ready for 6, just in case), simple decorations, finger food, a bit of alcohol, and a loooot of laughter.  💛💛💛💛💛

Just Korean

In 2015, I did a DNA test with 23andMe (that's the photo on the left).  And then, last week, I saw there was an update to my data (that's the photo on the right).

This is what I wrote in 2015.

"As you probably know, I was adopted from Korea and have always claimed to be Korean but, throughout my life, lots of Eastern Asians have claimed me as their own, stating that I definitely look like whatever they are...until recently when everyone seems to think I'm Japanese. Aatman got me a DNA test for my birthday this year and it turns out that I'm Korean, Japanese, and a little Chinese!"

😐😑😐
And, now I'm just Korean again.  

Tahoe

I went on a last minute trip to Tahoe with some friends over the MLK holiday weekend which happened to fall right before my birthday this year.  As a result, my friends decided to plan a surprise celebration for me while we were there!  It was so sweet!!  ...and, a little shocking how completely oblivious I was to the cake they made right in front of me. :) Needless to say, I was very surprised!

The weekend started out a little rough, though.  We were all coming off of busy work days and had so much to do.  When we finally made it to Bao and Fiona's place it was already pretty late.  We quickly packed up the cars and went to grab dinner before we hit the road.  While at dinner, the car we had rented was broken into and all of Alex's stuff was stolen.  Jason lost a bag as well.

The rental car was insured and the cabin already paid for, so we exchanged the car, worked through some of the new logistics, and decided to still head to the mountain after a good night's sleep.  Alex stayed behind to start working through his losses.  :(

The rest of the weekend was full of friends and games and mountain air and gorgeous snowfall and yummy food and the most delicious birthday cake ever.  We also worked in some snowy walks, a bit of yoga, Lola time (Kelly's dog), and an Alex tribute snowman.  :)

2019

2019 started off with happy wanderings around the city with Alex and Jason and some others we collected along the way.  :)

Then on New Year's Day, Anna finally took me on the 10 hills trail she's been telling me about for years.  :)  We brought Kelly and Lola with us.

A sweet and simple start to the year.