The crowd and panel were made up of mostly working professionals who were NYU or Dartmouth alumni and although everyone was in work attire, the setting was quite casual. While the audience enjoyed wine, beer and hors d’oeuvres, the wide range of speakers gave advice on how to position yourself for changing employer needs. I didn’t find the advice particularly new as I’ve been pounded with talks from Creative Week, Internet Week not to mention Graduation all within the past month, but one speaker did stand out.

Benny Young CEO of Purpella struck me as the most open and personal speaker. He drew clear connections of how experiences in his life translated into business. Not only has he worked for major corporations such as IBM and Motorola but he also has experience with startups having started a business of his own. During his talk, he shared 3 fable like stories which described common frustrations and solutions we come across.

So here they are: Corporate Fables

Warning: some profanity ahead.

Lesson 1:

A crow was sitting on a tree, doing nothing all day. A rabbit asked him,”Can I also sit like you and do nothing all day long?” The crow answered: “Sure, why not.” So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the crow, and rested.

…A fox jumped on the rabbit and ate it.

Moral of the story: To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very high up.

Lesson 2: Power of Charisma
A turkey was chatting with a bull “I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree,” sighed the turkey, but I haven’t got the energy.” “Well, why don’t you nibble on my droppings?” replied the bull. “They’re packed with nutrients.” The turkey pecked at a lump of dung and found that it gave him enough strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree. The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch. Finally after a fourth night, there he was proudly perched at the top of the tree. Soon he was spotted by a farmer, who shot the turkey out of the tree.

Moral of the story: Bullshit might get you to the top, but it wont keep you there.

Lesson 3:
A little bird was flying south for the winter. It was so cold the bird froze and fell to the ground into a large field. While he was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on him. As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, he began to realize how warm he was. The dung was actually thawing him out! He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy. A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him.

Moral of the story:
1. Not everyone who shits on you is your enemy
2. Not everyone who gets you out of shit is your friend
3. And when you’re in deep shit, it’s best to keep your mouth shut !

After Mr. Young told us these fables, the audience laughed and nodded in agreement, commenting on how true these stories were. Interestingly enough, I was scrolling through Quora today and came across three others worthy of sharing:

Lesson 4: Naked Wife
A man is getting into the shower just as his wife is finishing up her shower when the doorbell rings. The wife quickly wraps herself in a towel and runs downstairs. When she opens the door, there stands Bob, the next door neighbor. Before she says a word, Bob says, “I’ll give you $800 to drop that towel.” After thinking for a moment, the woman drops her towel and stands naked in front of Bob.

After a few seconds, Bob hands her $800 dollars and leaves. The woman wraps back up in the towel and goes back upstairs. When she gets to the bathroom, her husband asks,…

“Who was that?” “It was Bob the next door neighbor,” she replies. “Great!” the husband says, “Did he say anything about the $800 he owes me?”

Moral of the story:
If you share critical information pertaining to credit and risk with your shareholders in time, you may be in a position to prevent avoidable exposure.

Lesson 5:
A sales rep, an administration clerk, and the manager are walking to lunch when they find an antique oil lamp. They rub it and a Genie comes out. The Genie says, “I’ll give each of you just one wish” “Me first! Me first!” says the administration clerk. “I want to be in the Bahamas, driving a speedboat, without a care in the world.” Poof! She’s gone. “Me next! Me next!” says the sales rep. “I want to be in Hawaii,relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of Pina Coladas and the love of my life.” Poof! He’s gone. “OK, you’re up,” the Genie says to the manager. The manager says, “I want those two back in the office after lunch.”

Moral of the story: Always let your boss have the first say.

Lesson 6:
A priest offered a lift to a Nun. She got in and crossed her legs, forcing her gown to reveal a leg. The priest nearly had an accident. After controlling the car, he stealthily slid his hand up her leg. The nun said,”Father, remember Psalm 129?” The priest removed his hand. But,changing gears, he let his hand slide up her leg again. The nun once again said, “Father, remember Psalm 129?” The priest apologized “Sorry sister but the flesh is weak.” Arriving at the convent, the nun went on her way. On his arrival at the church, the priest rushed to look up Psalm 129. It said, “Go forth and seek, further up, you will find glory.”

Moral of the story: If you are not well informed in your job, you might miss a great opportunity.

Now, there might not be bosses, shareholders, or even a work environment for you to apply this to but change some of the wording and these lessons can be easily applied to life.

If there’s anything I learned from attending this event and from hearing this advice, it’s that it is important to step back from a situation, analyze and think about what should work differently, then to think about how you can be a part of the solution. How can you position yourself to be the one reaping the reward? You don’t want to be the naked wife, priest of the bird.

Hope you had a nice chuckle reading these!

The best advice of the night though, was what I came across on my way out of the event. How fitting, huh!

—-

Thank you to Isaac for being so understanding and accommodating me! Can you believe only a sophomore in college organized this event bringing two institutions together? Talk about impressive.

It’s one thing to read lessons and to hear about the consequences, it’s another to go out and to make mistakes and learn from them. So go forth! Myself included.

Here’s to life.

-AndreaM

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Tagged: advice, business, career, corporate, Dartmouth, event, fable, lessons, NYU, story ]]> http://inbusinessandlife.com/2013/06/14/corporate-fables/feed/ 0 inbusinessandlife IMG_4219 IMG_4215 IMG_4218 IMG_4220 http://inbusinessandlife.com/2013/06/13/streetart-in-williamsburg-photos/ http://inbusinessandlife.com/2013/06/13/streetart-in-williamsburg-photos/#comments Fri, 14 Jun 2013 03:15:32 +0000 inbusinessandlife http://inbusinessandlife.com/?p=3672 ]]> I was in Brooklyn today- for the first time in a long time- to attend the Northside Festival. You may have noticed I have a slight obsession with street art so in between sessions I found myself walking around the area snapping a few photos. I liked what I saw! Take a peek:

I might have to visit Brooklyn more often.

It’s interesting to see how different the street art in Brooklyn is from that of Manhattan right? One thing is for sure though; I do like that cunning linguist.

Which is your favorite?

-AndreaM

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It’s a book of logical answers to everyday questions through the lens of a creative advertising genius. Recommended for anyone who aspires to succeed (which I know you do because otherwise I don’t think you’d be reading this), it’s short and easy to read for days when you feel like you don’t want to start.

Here’s a little taste of it: 

“Your vision of where or who you want to be is the greatest asset you have”- (third page of the book) and

“There are no short cuts to any place worth going”- Beverly Sills (last page of book)

As for the good stuff in between, you’ll have to find out for yourself.

-AndreaM

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It’s a message I think we often forget and often need to be reminded of.

The bulletin boards put it quite nicely: (Try to take a closer look at what it says if you can!)

A reminder to myself, and to anyone who is reading this, to be honest with yourself when it comes to mistakes and short comings but also to give credit where/when it’s due.

Usually the biggest barrier is yourself. After that, everything else comes naturally.

Here’s to getting rid of the bad/junk and to attracting great things.

-AndreaM

“Self confidence is the most attractive quality a person can have. how can anyone see how awesome you are if you can’t see it yourself?” – Unknown

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Not too long ago, I blogged about how Urban Girl Squad announced a Sage Pesto cooking contest where we were given a Sage Pesto recipe to serve with a dish of our choice. Well, I won that contest (read/see my winning dish here) and my prize was a luxurious cooking lesson and dinner at the state of the art kitchen at the GE Monogram Design Center in midtown New York.

Needless to say, I was so excited!! I couldn’t wait to learn how to cook something new and of course, eat. Last night, I was able to invite four friends to share the experience with me.

We all walked in to see this lovely table set up for our dinner but beyond that, we were greeted by some of the most beautiful kitchen areas I had ever seen!

My favorite refrigerator from the showroom. Loved how you found details of New York around the showroom

Talk about dream kitchen… (My photos don’t do it justice. see more here)

from the monogram website

After taking a look around, we sat down for a cooking demonstration with Chef Tageré.

I was so excited to see that she had chosen salmon (one of my favorites!) for our meal. We were so hungry when we saw this.

Over a great conversation about food, life and friends Chef Tageré prepared a meal that not only smelled but also looked great. With the help of an induction cooktop and speedcooking oven, both our dinner and dessert was finished in just an hour! The biscuits cooked in just 11 minutes and the salmon in less than that! We asked her so many questions about cooking from “how do you clean a frying pan?” (you put in some coarse kosher salt to dry up and peel off all the junk) to “what spices are your must-haves in the kitchen?” (Smeet smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, curry powder). It was also wonderful to hear that she personally picked me as the winner of the Sage pesto contest

It was amazing to see all the ingredients to come together into this:

can you believe those are biscuits?!

I cannot even describe to you how delicious it was. I’m going to try making it on my own but it definitely won’t be the same.
This was one of the best, if not the best, dinner dates I’ve had in the city during my four years here so far.

I don’t know what can beat learning and eating with friends you care about in a city you love. I felt like I was taking them out on a date and it almost felt like I wasn’t in New York!

We liked it so much- including the guys- that we asked how we could come back to have a dinner like this again (date idea anyone?). Turns out that this was a very special occasion since I won the contest and they usually don’t do what we experienced!

THANK YOU GE Monogram for a very special night and for Urban Girl Squad for making it all possible. So encouraged to keep cooking!  I can’t wait for the day I can have a kitchen like what I saw in the GE monogram showroom, having dinner parties of my own.

Check out more Urban Girl Squad events on their site here. (I’m volunteering with them tomorrow!) and

Check out the GE Monogram Design center (the destination for the kitchen of your dreams). They offer live cooking demonstrations

In the meantime, I hope you’ll try/cook something new.

-AndreaM

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 Venture for America is exactly that. At least it is for me.

I don’t remember exactly how or when I first found out about VFA but I know that once I did, I kept my eye on it. This is how I knew about the most recent Venture for America summer celebration. I scored early bird tickets and told my parents to consider it as a graduation present and an investment in the future.

The opportunity to be in the same room as some amazing people- Arianna Huffington, Jeff Weiner and Andrew Yang (just to name a few) and great people my age- all while supporting a great mission and vision was an incredible experience. The entrepreneurial spirit and enthusiasm was not only inspiring but contagious.

Even though I was headed over to the party alone, I was quite excited for a celebration of entrepreneurship to kick off what is sure to be a great summer.

Behold: the Venture For America logo in Baked by Melissa cupcakes!

Just when you thought that was impressive, VFA founder Andrew Yang took the stage to say a few words.

Venture for America, for those not familar with the organization, is a program that “recruits the best and brightest recent college graduates, provides them with training and mentorship, and places them at partner startups to help build those organizations.” Basically, VFA connects young people (like me) to emerging companies where they will not only be able to learn tremendously, but also create (long-term) value, build lasting relationships and grow as a person. During this two year program, the Fellows are given a crash course in startups then placed in a job at a startup in lower-cost cities, like Detroit, Providence, or New Orleans, where they’ll be paid between $32-38k per year (paid by the host company rather than the program).

I know I’ve personally met many people in New York who go into the predictable, safe trajectory of consulting and banking instead of working in places that matter more than investment banks. I always wondered: in banking, it’s all about high risk, high reward, why can’t they apply that in something like entrepreneurship? In short, the world has a lot of brilliant people doing “nonsense” contributing to a cycle that doesn’t create value. Talent needs to be distributed in all the right places for the both the person and business to reach maximum potential, don’t you think?

Especially in the age of entrepreneurs where millennials strive to look for a job that will not only push them professionally but also personally, Venture For America is an incredible opportunity. I would have applied for it myself had the timing been right. Sure, the salary is much higher in consulting/banking, but I think the personal fulfillment and endless opportunity in the VFA program is worth it. There is no better time than now to learn and explore every dimension of our work and life.

Best part is VFA believes:

• I see my professional pursuits and my career as a moral choice that indicates my values.
• I appreciate those who assume personal risks in order to build a company or pursue a common good.
• I believe that actions are the proper measure of one’s accomplishments.
• I believe that creating opportunities for myself and others is an important aspect of professional success.
• I believe that one’s professional conduct is a reflection of personal character, and will always strive to act accordingly.

You can bet I agree with 110% of that. I mean I do have a blog called in business and life…

 One day, Yang hopes, the economy will be fueled by a new success path (see image below). He hopes to be able to reach the ambitious goal of creating 100,000 jobs by 2025.

image from fast company

That same night, Arianna Huffington (from Huffington Post, obviously) spoke passionately about this mission, highlighting the importance of not only doing things well but doing good. 

Jeff Weiner also took the stage to point out that VFA is sustainable on all ends. The fellows get fulfillment and a learning opportunity of a lifetime (while getting paid for it), the companies get the fresh talent they otherwise would not have access to, businesses grow, etc: it’s all a win-win situation.Not convinced? Just check out the website to see the impressive list of people supporting their mission, or read blog posts from the team on huffington post. You can tell a lot about a team based on what they write about. You can also read from the perspective of Fellows here

Also check out what you missed by looking at the beautiful photos from the party, here

Interested in applying? Who wouldn’t be.

Applications for the Class of 2014 open August 1, 2013.

In the meantime, if you are thinking about applying read a message from Andrew Yang, Founder of Venture for America, here.

http://ventureforamerica.org/

Even though the ticket price was enough to make me feel guilty, I don’t regret going. I admire and support the entrepreneurs who see the world for more than it actually is. The ones who take risk for the greater good. The people who not only want to change and build things, but actually do. I had the opportunity to meet a few of the Fellows and some members of the team and needless to say, I’m excited to see how Venture for America will continue to grow.

photo from the VFA facebook

-AndreaM

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
― Margaret Mead

Oh and if you were wondering what the views from the IAC building (where the party was held) looks like in the daytime, here are a few photos from when I visited the vimeo offices.

“The best investment you can make is an investment in yourself. The more you learn, the more you’ll earn.” – Warren Buffett

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Honestly, I wasn’t able to write down too many notes about the internet and media but I did write down sage advice that she had to offer, all of which resonated in me and happens to work for both business and life. Thank you Joan Rivers! (see after the image):

This is what she had to say (and I quote):

1) ”And when it all goes to shit, which it will, for all of you at one point, don’t worry. It comes back.”

Joan Rivers was referring to the inevitable speedbumps and pitfalls we encounter in business and life. She described a few of her personal difficulties- difficulties she went through and came out of successfully and guaranteed that bad times will be balanced by good times. Just be sure to enjoy the good times when they’re here and stay humble when you can.

2) “There are a lot of terrific people out there with talent. If you’ve got talent and a little luck, appreciate it”

She mentioned a certain teenage superstar and how she was unimpressed by his cough, lack of gratefulness. “Self entitlement really bores me.” There are so many talented people out there, what will set you apart and make a lasting impression is authenticity and genuine thanks.

3) “You just don’t know when the magic will happen. You might get something wonderful from someone you don’t expect.”

She was referring to interviews and how you don’t know when the other person will say something that will just turn the conversation around. Unless you persist in the conversation and ask good questions the conversation and possibility will just fizzle. This also involves giving experiences and people a chance in general, cause, you just never know.

4) “Nothing comes naturally to anybody.”

Work hard and prepare. Whether its interviewing or preparing for an interview, come with questions to ask and your thoughts organized. Make commitment to excellence a priority and be ready to deliver, every single time. Hard work and consistency stands out in a world where things are fast and short.

5) “Look at the morons doing other things.  You can do it too. We’re all smart…..most of us.”

“Never say I can’t,” she said. You don’t have to be smart in the most traditional sense, to succeed. You just have to be smart about what you’re doing and how you’re doing it. This means a lot of hard work and determination and being able to keep going when the going gets tough.

6) “The lightning will strike if you stay in the rain long enough”

Even though she was referring to comedians who are trying to “make it,” this easily applies to anyone who is pursuing a dream. Just “do it and people will find you. Try everything. It’s much better for people starting out now. I don’t know anyone who was truly funny and didn’t get through.” If you’re good, people will notice just as long as you’re willing to put yourself out there. With all the technology, social media platforms and resources out there, there is no better time than now to connect and put your work and self out there. “You just have to love what you do and then it just happens. Nothing should be about the money.”

7) “Put your blinders on and run your own race”

She said that a friend in the Mafia once gave her this advice. To this day, this is how she stays focused: “I was just too busy pushing myself through.” Sometimes (actually most of the time), it’s necessary to shut off all the noise- doubts, distraction- and do what’s best for you and your goals. This isn’t to say that you should isolate yourself or decline collaboration but instead shows that everyone has their own path and instincts to follow.

8) ”There are no rules to fashion anymore. If you look good, wear it” 

Need I say more?

9)”And that’s why he was so good- he was happy! He was so excited. It was infectious.”

There’s a big difference when someone is really is excited and passionate about what they’re doing and when someone is doing something as if it were a chore. Attitude and energy changes everything, so be sure to do things passionately but more importantly find something you are passionate about.

10)  ”Deal with it. What’s the choice? What are you going to do. I give myself a weekend wallow sometimes and write everything bad down and then Monday morning you say, gone! Just start again.”

As you can imagine, Joan Rivers has had to deal with negativity, haters, down days just like the rest of us. She advised that we let ourselves feel it and deal with it- whether it is eating bad food or writing it down. It’s going to happen, just know how you deal with stress and what makes you feel better and then be on with it. The worst case is, you’ll have to start over but that’s better than trying to make force something that obviously doesn’t work.

-

After all the people she has met and all the things she’s done, it was refreshing to hear that she fully embraces the present.

When asked, “What’s the best time of your life?” She said, “Right now and I mean it. Look at what’s going on around you. If you’re not in the moment, you’re missing a good time”

In fact, she doesn’t know what she would do differently if she could.

“I do the best I can. That’s all you can do. I believe in Karma. If you are nice over here, it’ll come back over there”

So note to self: embrace the madness. Work and learn with people you like and when it’s funny, remember no matter how mean it may be, it might be the truth.

I’ll be keeping this advice in mind while I push through my own way.

-AndreaM

If you want to hear the whole conversation in video form, click here to watch! (via Internet Week)

Check out her twitter feed here to see what she’s up to!

“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours.-Henry David Thoreau”

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Words from Fern Mallis, to the class of 2013

Things I’m learning while I’m 20 something

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sorry for the dirty computer screen!

Here was the main message.

I think graduation speeches are great to read and listen to regardless if you’re graduating. I know they give me a nice pat on the back or kick in the butt when I need it.

Will keep you updated if they post the video later!

Don’t forget to follow me on instagram or find me on facebook for realtime updates!

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Tagged: advice, alumni, class of 2013, commencement, graduation, harvard, oprah, quote, speech, wisdom ]]> http://inbusinessandlife.com/2013/05/30/feel-alive/feed/ 0 inbusinessandlife IMG_3983 Screen shot 2013-06-03 at 11.28.34 PM http://inbusinessandlife.com/2013/05/28/do-epic-sht/ http://inbusinessandlife.com/2013/05/28/do-epic-sht/#comments Tue, 28 May 2013 13:07:57 +0000 inbusinessandlife http://inbusinessandlife.com/?p=3388 ]]> I had the opportunity to tag along with one of my editors for Creative Week. Creative Week prides itself for being ”where advertising, design and digital media collide with the arts.” This includes a lot of my interests so it was a great first time experience. Since I was one of the few students in attendance I feel almost obligated to share some of the things that I learned (and boy, did I learn a lot).

One of the (many) sessions I attended was “Inside the Creative Lab” hosted by Google. Robert Wong, Chief Creative Officer of the Google Creative Lab gave an inspiring presentation that brought some of the people in the audience to tears. Here are some takeaways that apply in both business and life:

1) Don’t be evil. You may recognize this as Google’s informal corporate motto. The company founders wanted this to be a central pillar of their identity and a part of their core values. They wrote: “Don’t be evil. We believe strongly that in the long term, we will be better served — as shareholders and in all other ways — by a company that does good things for the world even if we forgo some short term gains.” This goes along the lines of what Bill George  talks about in his book Authentic Leadership. 

2) Obsess the why. If you can, take it apart and understand it so you can make it better. Simon Sinek (one of my favorite Ted talks) also encourages this idea to create sustainable businesses. It plays a role in what motivates us and pushes us to reach our potential, don’t you think? If you know the why, even if you don’t know the how, it will be great, whatever it is.

 3) Moonshot thinking. Think exponentially. ”Why do you want to climb Mt Everest?… Because it’s there.” When you follow passion, you can do the impossible. Solving requires wonder, imagination and a vision to build seemingly impossible solutions to the worlds biggest problems. Think big and think audaciously. Be propelled by excitement and a hunger for a solution.

4)  Users should be placed above all. Add beauty, Add Joy. Add meaning. At the end of the day it is about bringing value to people. Other people not just yourself. Exceed insanely great expectations with empathy of the user. The simpler, the better, too.

5) Get out the way of the product. If it’s good, let it do its thing. Especially in Google’s case, they aim to make demos and documentaries, not ads. If the product is good it’ll sell itself. Kind of how if someone is good at something they’ll show, not tell.
The best example of this is Dear Sophia Lee. Let’s just say, after Dear Sophia Lee, people were sniffling in the audience.

6) Don’t take yourself so freaking seriously. Pretty self explanatory and something I’m personally working on.

7) Give others super powers. Google tries to do it via technology, example: google glass. This can be done through kindness and words everyday (cause we can’t all do it through new innovations).

8) Do good things that matter.

9) Do one thing that scares you everyday. Anything good is hard. Pursuing purpose and meaning is hard but don’t let that scare you.

10) Values and ethos don’t change no matter how much technology changes. The world is becoming increasingly inundated with information but that shouldn’t change what you stand for and who you are.

and a bonus:

11) Storytellers can invent the future.

Robert told a short story: “There’s a 3rd grader drawing a picture. The teacher asks, “What is it?” The kid says, “God.” The teacher says “But no one knows what God looks like.” The student says: “They will when I’m done!”

Interpret that however you’d like but I take it to mean that those brave and imaginative enough to do- whether it be individuals or brands- can and will write/create stories and a future of their own despite doubt and adversity.

One of my favorite quotes- by Maya Angelou

Now this all sounds quite idealistic, which I no doubt am, but Google is a data driven tech company with a culture that breeds success. Combine these takeaways and values with some amazing people and you get Google, a company that has changed millions of people’s lives through their products.

I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t want to work there or at least see what it’s like.

More about the google hiring process here and inside Google’s culture of success here. All very interesting stuff.

By the way, I had the pleasure of attending an early screening of The Internship and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. I highly recommend it! Watch the trailer here and watch the movie when it comes out in theaters June 7.

Be Googley

-AndreaM

“Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.”- Minor Myers

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Tagged: advice, business, creative, creative week, epic, event, google, lessons, life, new york, tips ]]> http://inbusinessandlife.com/2013/05/28/do-epic-sht/feed/ 1 inbusinessandlife IMG_3487 IMG_3528 IMG_3529 IMG_3532 http://inbusinessandlife.com/2013/05/27/asia-represent-at-asia-society/ http://inbusinessandlife.com/2013/05/27/asia-represent-at-asia-society/#comments Tue, 28 May 2013 02:53:28 +0000 inbusinessandlife http://inbusinessandlife.com/?p=3371 ]]> I’m not in the Upper East side too often but it seems that whenever I make the trip, it is always a good time. The last time I visited The Asia Society was to see Maureen Chiquet the CEO of Chanel speak and before that, I learned more about the design scene in Hong Kong and even at my first visit to the Asia Society, I discovered the Shanghai Restoration Project (my favorite song of theirs, here). I learn something new or meet someone great every single time I visit and I’m happy to report my most recent trip to the Asia Society was no different, maybe even the best visit yet!

What do you think of the collage I made!?

After a long day at the Ideas City festival I was looking forward to trying the signature Leotini (learn how they make it here) at the Open House at Asia Society in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. I invited a few of my friends to come meet me after work because I hadn’t seen them in awhile and surprisingly they had never heard/been to the Asia Society! While I was waiting for them, I enjoyed the free museum tours and live jazz. I had heard great things about one of their exhibitions The artful recluse so I was excited to see that, for free! The whole Artful Recluse exhibit brought me a sense of peace and calm but one particular piece had some text that struck me: “Mr Pan is fond of hidden solitude. Never seeking wealth he is always content. His heart is like water. His form like arid wood.”

Visiting that exhibit helped me to escape the chaos of life, which also happened to be the theme of the works. I also loved reading the captions and stumbling across bits of chinese words to add to my vocabulary.

Photo from New York TImes. Read more  here

Once my friends came, we grabbed some food from the Korean food truck Korilla BBQ. In line, we made a new friend who happened to be visiting from Hawaii just for the weekend. The crowd- and it was quite a large crowd/turnout- was diverse, which was great. From what I saw, the open house was a success. People were enjoying the generous discount at the Asia Store,  great conversation and good company over Leotinis and other cocktails, not to mention the 25% off membership.

And to top it off, they had an area where you could write your connection to Asia and take a photo.  

I love how everyone has their different stories and reasons but we all have interest in Asia. That’s how and what Asia Society should be, don’t you think? Take a look at the photos that were taken throughout the night to read what people wrote!

Here’s mine. What’s your connection to Asia?

Couldn’t have had a better time at this event to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Thank you Asia Society for a thoughtfully planned event and an incredibly fun night!

If you’ve never been, they have a wide range of events planned ahead from film screenings (there’s one with Jackie Chan!), to leadership forums, to panel discussions. See what piques your interest here

Plus there’s always the museum you can visit. See what they have planned next, here: Upcoming exhibitions 

Asia Society and Museum- 725 Park Ave (at 70th st)- AsiaSociety.org/NYC

“When we enlarge our view of the world, we deepen our understanding of our own lives.”
- Yo-Yo Ma, Cellist

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