Hiroko dances at the Sakura Matsuri

May 3 - May 4, 2008

Sakura Matsuri, New York City's "Rite of Spring," marks its 27th year with over 60 events and performances celebrating Japanese culture and the blossoming of BBG's 220 cherry trees. Visitors to the weekend-long Cherry Blossom Festival can enjoy J-pop concerts, traditional Japanese music and dance, taiko drumming, martial arts, bonsai pruning workshops, Japanese Manga art, tea ceremonies, and workshops for all ages. New this year is the Sakura J-Lounge, featuring some of the country's hippest DJ's spinning Japanese pop sounds. Free with Garden admission.

Marissa went along to help, and ended up conscripted to lead the parade!

Here are few pictures of our time together to cheer Hiroko on:

The beautiful gate

On the weekend of April 18 - 20, I traveled to San Francisco to attend the 5th National Witnessing Summit.

I had the good fortune to spend the day prior with the Hagen family.

By God's grace the day was glorious, and the meteorology blessed my efforts to take in the beauty of this eternal gateway.

Here are a few pictures of those couple of hours before the weekend's work.

Double Feature: A ballet in two acts

On Thursday, January 31 my sister Lois generously offered me the wonderful opportunity to attend Susan Stroman's silent movie-inspired Double Feature.

Though somewhat of a lout when it comes to haute couture, I had the time of my life.








The performance consisted of two separate acts. The first act, titled The Blue Necklace, is a about a distressed mother who gives up her baby but always longs for her. In the end they are reunited in a Cinderella like scene in the midst of grand choreography in a society ball.

The second part, Makin' Whoopee, is a comedy (a David Belasco play and then a Buster Keaton film) Seven Chances about a man who needs to marry to collect his inheritance. By the end of the show the stage is riddled with ballerinas in bridal gowns (including a couple of male dancers stomping around, equally after the star's 7 million inheritance) great dancing, yet genuinely funny.




























In all it was tremendous fun. And my sister survived dragging a lout to Lincoln Center.

Concert for One Korea

On Saturday evening February 2, I had the great joy of hearing probably my favorite classical performer, Ms. Elizabeth Woo.

The occasion was a symphony performance to benefit Korean Unification at Merkin Hall of the Kaufman theatre.

Elizabeth played two masterful pieces supported by the Ureuk Symphony under the leadership of conductor Christopher Lee, Tchaikovsky's Pezzo Capriccioso, and Rimsky-Korsakov's Fantasy on Russian Theme for Violin and Orchestra.

Other soloists for the evening included Soprano Kyong-Jin Lim, and cellist Jacques Lee Wood.

Special gratitude to Elizabeth and all the Happy Tao family together with Sabonim, Khan Bada.

Hiroko's recent birthday

Hiroko and the family enjoyed some time together on her birthday, first out at a local restaurant, and then home.

Frone's birthday, January 1, 2008

Frone was born on Januray 1

Today Frone turns 16

We had our prayers and cakes as always

Here are a couple of pictures:

Christmas Eve with Happy Tao

Padma and Matthew Strater welcomed the Happy Tao family to their home on Christmas Eve, and with the help of Philip and Hyo Jong, Ray/Jin Kwon, Hye Jong, and many others, created a warm, spiritually uplifting night of fellowship, learning, and celebration.

In one or two shots, Padma and I receive birthday greetings for her birthday on December 22, and mine on December 23.

Here are a few pictures. And don't forget, it is easy to download and keep pictures from any of the slide shows on this site. Click on the slide show to go automatically to the picture page where you can download pictures you'd like to keep).

God bless you all, Happy holidays