February 2025 Highlights
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MOI!
Ahhh, this is the time of the year when I start questioning my move to the East Coast. I grew up in Los Angeles, California, the Sunshine State, and every winter when the excitement for the first snowfall, a cozy cup of cocoa, and a snuggly sweater dies down (right after the New Year), I wonder whether the warm beach life should be in my life plan. Then I reflect on how much fun I have in NYC every day, every month, every season, and there’s no question I am a four-seasons enthusiast, and you won’t find me moving back any time soon. This month was no exception, especially because February is my birthday month! It’s good that February is only 28 days long because other months pale in comparison. Is it highlights when every moment was worth reliving? Regardless, let me share a few memorable photos with you.
Health first. All else comes later.
Birthday month is the best reminder to get all your health ducks in order. For me, this means making appointments for annual exams and bi-annual dentist appointments. There are a couple of additions: I am volunteering for a clinical study that aims to find out why Asian women non-smokers are at higher risk of lung cancer and decided to get better baseline numbers for cardiovascular function, metabolism, and body composition. Please read all about how I am taking an active role in my health as I continue to thrive into my 40s in the latest FBF article.
Best NYC event of the month
I was so excited to go to the Hans Zimmer concert! The grainy video and the picture are the only remnants of this spectacular concert to share with you (sorry!). Hans Zimmer’s work makes me wonder about his creative process: does movie films come first, or does musical inspiration? He mentioned on stage that he always strives to create that one life-changing piece, and the closest he has gotten is the Interstellar theme song. I hope he knows he’s made many, including myself, introspect deeply. My favorite piece from him is the Pirates of the Caribbean theme song (“He’s a Pirate”)—the timpani, excitement, and strings supporting brass, for once, make me want to jaunt a bit faster.
Is there a month without a fantastic wine event (or two)?
First 2: Piedmont wine tasting at the Harvard Club, Others Niagara-On-Lake Chocolate and Wine festival with rare snow! This month, there were two standouts: 1. Piedmont wine tasting at the Harvard Club, and 2. Chocolate and Wine festival at Niagara-on-Lake with my dear friends Laurel and Daniel. I was in Piedmont 2023 for the annual truffle festival, and this was my chance to relive the memory and try out new wines from the region. During my trip, I focused on the Alba region, while the tasting event had select wines from the Asti region.
At the festival in Canada, I stopped by Big Heads winery and was lucky to have the tasting curated by the master winemaker Andrjez Lipinski. I never had viognier or chenin blanc taste the way they did, and fueled by our enthusiasm, he poured us 24 (!) tastings, some from his private family collection.
Birthday celebrations
"find dining," cake and champagne, and mini golf to welcome my 41st year! In addition to the private box at the Hans Zimmer concert to celebrate, I played a long round of mini golf and had my favorite food combo—sweet cream strawberry cake and champagne. I also checked out a restaurant called Venhue, an irreverent take on fine dining, including a grotesquely miniature wine sampler. Sometimes, making fun of how seriously we take ourselves is a reminder that life should be fun and funny.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
I hope yours was filled with love and joy that will carry you through the rest of the year. Whew! I am glad birthdays are only once a year because it can get quite packed (for all the good reasons). Good bye, Aquarius season, and see all of you next month!