Chinese New Year Celebration 2023

We are so excited when we can learn about the cultural traditions of our Lawline team members and even more so when we can participate in some of their family traditions.  Recently, our Lead Engineer, Oi Wo Mark, taught us about the significance of the Chinese New Year (also known as the Lunar New Year) at a team virtual event where he shared some of his favorite ways to celebrate. Oi explained that his family traditions included cleaning their homes and decorating with red lanterns as well as enjoying a special dinner filled with symbolic foods like dumplings and fish. He also highlighted the favorite parts for his kids such as getting dressed in traditional outfits, the lion dance with a costumed Lion and the red envelopes filled with money to bring good luck and fortune in the new year.

To further celebrate the occasion, 10 of our New York/New Jersey based team members joined Oi at one of his favorite restaurants in Chinatown, Noodle Village. There we enjoyed delicious foods like soup dumplings, clay pot meals, and scallion pancakes but just as equally exciting was the rare opportunity to be together in person as we are now a fully remote company.  The following feedback was shared from some of those who attended:

• Mike Sullivan, Web Developer “The lunch at Noodle Village was excellent. We have a vibrant remote work culture but nothing beats sitting around a table with your colleagues and sharing a great meal.”   

• Alberto Mayanga, Web Developer “My favorite thing was just the excitement everyone had in seeing each other. Also, I had soup dumplings for the first time, and it was delicious!” 

• Gabby DiSilvio, Lead Program Attorney “It was refreshing and exciting to find a new place with excellent food that I might not have visited otherwise. Oi's recommendations were great. Such a fantastic experience all around!”

• Kathleen Boyle, Email Marketing Manager “I’ve been going to the restaurant right next door, Wo Hop, for 30 years and I never thought to try Noodle Village, so Oi introduced me to a great second go-to spot with authentic and delicious food, and I’m eternally grateful!” 

• Rich Hernandez, COO "Nothing beats sharing a meal together. So nice to see the team in person and just laugh together.” - Rich Hernandez, COO

• Jocelyn Strauber, Director of Marketing “What an in-person lunch does for me is get me out of my neighborhood to explore and celebrate a different culture through one of my coworkers.  But most of all, that laughter, in the year of the Rabbit, is still one of the best things you can do for yourself or anyone else." 

We can’t wait for our next opportunity to learn more about each other’s cultures and traditions and spend some time laughing and eating virtually and in person.