After an e-introduction by Mark Pruzanski and weeks of getting to know each other (the old-fashioned way through phone calls and long letters), Mi Ryung and John decided to meet for the first time in New York City for a fun-filled weekend of great conversations, music, and magic. Despite having violent stomach flu, Mi Ryung dared to sit through Bach's St. Matthew Passion to share a piece of her musical life with John. Neither knew at the time that the reflecting pool at Lincoln Center Plaza would become memorialized as the spot where John would later ask, "Can you imagine spending the rest of our lives together?"
As a master of surprise, John organized a very special getaway to Turks and Caicos prepared with matching t-shirts representing our favorite couple. They sailed, paddle boarded, and spent time in sunshine and John's natural habitat: the water.
One of many highlights of the Turks trip was a private chef's dinner at sunset overlooking the beautiful Caribbean waters. Mi Ryung's finger unknowingly points to the words, "What if.....?" on John's shirt to portend the many possibilities to come.
Geeks at heart who love history, travel, learning, and mixing work with play, John's industry conference in Crete served as a perfect springboard for a trip to Athens and an unexpectedly splendid detour to Santorini.
Mi Ryung's birthday was smack in the middle of another hectic summer season in Aspen where John traveled to spend precious weekends (with Shona in tow) while they both worked nonstop. Her birthday dinner was a brief respite from work events and a chance to spend time with old friends, family, and new faces. Photo credit: Min Ho Song.