After graduating National Chiao-Tung University, Christina turned down a scholarship to The Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Business, because she did not want to marry a farmer or a country music superstar (for the record, she did not know Blake Shelton back then). Instead, she got an MBA at Rutgers Business School. After graduating Rutgers, Christina moved to the City to continue pursuing the American dream in her favorite city. Christina is known to be a hardworking over-achiever - her motto is "no one came to New York to fail"; she is also a dynamic full of life woman who plans for the future but lives in the present.
Christina met Steve at a charity event, she was charmed.
After graduating with an MBA from Duke, Steve started working in Tampa, Florida. In 2006, Steve began spending some time in New York in addition to Florida. Fortunately, he met Christina - and everything is awesome post the encounter.
Christina and Steve met at a charity event for opera at the Lincoln Center. Christina was there with Alice Hsieh. Steven and Peter O’Hara were also in attendance. Steve wasn’t necessarily aware that the charity event was for Opera. He is not a big fan, but the Lincoln Center is a spectacular venue, and they did have an open bar. Steve saw Christina across the room and thought she was beautiful, so he caught up with her and offered to buy her a drink. Christina was impressed by the generous offer, and a scintillating conversation ensued. At one point, she did note that offering to buy a drink from an open bar was a little cheeky.
Steve followed up with Christina a couple of days later, and was pleased that they were able to arrange for a first date, which took place at the lovely restaurant Roc, in Manhattan.
Subsequent attempts at meeting up with Christina were difficult as she informed him that she was busy for the next six weekends. At first Steve assumed this was the equivalent of not being able to go out because she was “washing her hair”. However, Steve did not quite know Christina well enough at that point. In any event, not willing to accept defeat, Steve followed up again. Christina did find some time on a Sunday for lunch at a dim sum restaurant. Finally, it started to come out that Christina was not washing her hair for six week straight; she is just extraordinarily focused on planning.
Christina's first Half Marathon in Central Park on Sunday, April 15, 2012 - this has started my love and long-term relationship with running. Special thanks to Anna Marie & Mike Gewirtz for coming from Jersey to cheer for her victory on a Sunday in the Park!
The first Christmas was also when Christina met Steve's parents - Katherine and Jim for the very first time! Like every person is nervous about meeting their partner's parents the first time, Christina had butterfly in her stomach. However, for someone who's so brave and adventurous, someone who had traveled 7797 miles/12,549 km from Taiwan to New York to chase for the American dream, Christina told herself "there’s no need To freak over meeting his parents". Not only did Christina have a fabulous time "cooking" with Katherine - there were indeed pictures to prove when Christina chopping things and warming up the turkey by hugging the bird - but she enjoy getting to know Katherine and Jim in every possible aspect. So much so that she asked Steve: "how come your parents are so much cooler than you?" after their 6-day Christmas in Sunshine State, Tampa.
One of the many great things about the Smigie family is how much they value and enjoy spending quality time with the family. One place the Smigie's like to have Thanksgiving at is Fieldstone Golf Club in Greenville, Delaware. Jim has been a long-time member and its dedicated photographer.
Surely it is no coincidence how Steve gets his "Captain Smigie" title. Rumor has it Steve actually bought the house along Bayshore Boulevard just to secure his spot at the biggest pirate event, GASPARILLA. As a good sport and the perfect partner in crime, Christina has happily joined and has been flying to Tampa for the Gasparilla Pirate Festival every January.
John Deeks banned Christina from future Buccaneers games, after the Bucs scored 0-56 leading to the fourth quarter, and lost 14-56 to Atlanta Falcons the first time Christina attended (September 18, 2014)
Christina started at her new job on August 10th. That was key to what was to follow. Steve wanted to find a way to surprise Christina with his proposal. Since Christina is extraordinarily focused on planning, that can be difficult. Christina’s birthday is on August 18th. So, Steve asked Christina to take a tour of the observation deck, and have dinner at ONE Dine, at the top of the Freedom Tower, in Manhattan, to celebrate her birthday. ONE Dine is an elegant restaurant. Given Christina’s attention to detail, Steve was immediately worried that Christina knew right away what was up. But she gave no sign that that was the case.
Originally, Steve wanted to have the engagement on Saturday the 15th of August, to give Christina some time to get some sleep, since he knew she was tired. Unfortunately, it was supposed to rain on the 15th and Steve wanted Christina to be able to enjoy the views, and it was supposed to be quite clear on Friday August 14th. Both Steve and Christina were tied up with a lot of travel and events in the weeks after that, so August 14th had to be the day. Steve is convinced that if Christina has not been occupied with starting her new job, she would have planned her own birthday, as is typical, and she would not have been so tired that she could be tricked into thinking the dinner really was for her birthday. Christina agreed to dinner for the 14th, so Steve rented out the top floor (102nd) of the Freedom Tower, in addition to setting up dinner at One Dine (floor 101-- Floor 100 is the public observation deck). Subsequently, Christina was feeling tired from the new job and asked if they could cancel dinner on the 14th. After some time of great stress, Steve was able to convince Christina to continue on with the dinner plans.
Steve planned for Christina and Steve to arrive for a 7:30 elevator to the top of the Freedom Tower, because the sun was to set at 7:55 pm. Christina’s favorite colors and favorite times of day are at sunset. What better place to watch it, than from the top of the newly opened Freedom Tower. An expert on not being late, based on years of travel, Steve planned to get down to the Freedom Tower by 7:10. The risk of arriving later is that FDR drive can get jammed, and if that happened Steve and Christina would miss the sunset. Steve executed the plan, and Christina and Steve arrived at the Freedom Tower at 7:10 pm. Steve was quite happy they arrived without incident. Christina, however, was not happy, as she does not like to wait. Christina began to ask Steve why they had arrived so early. She did not feel like standing around for twenty minutes. Her heels were hurting her. Given how hard she worked she was tired, and was not sure why Steve had insisted that they had to dress up. (Steve was worried when he insisted that she has figured out what was going on, but she got dressed and did not indicate that she had figured it out).
Then Christina heard that in order to get on the 7:30 pm elevator you had to get in line at 7:15 pm. As hordes of people began lining up at 7:15, Christina began to ask Steve why they were not getting in line. Steve explained that he had acquired a VIP tour. Christina assumed that Steve had made a mistake and insisted on seeing the tickets. Steve indicated that they should not worry, that there would be somebody coming down to get them. Christina crossed her arms and began to tap her foot in increasing frustration. After the people began moving toward the elevator, Christina escalated and asked Steve for the confirmation number, so she could double check that he was right. Steve held fast that all was well. At 7:28 no one has appeared, and Christina began asking the guards about how the process worked and should people on a 7:30 elevator already be in line. They said “yes.” Fortunately, as planned, the VIP tour guide arrived at 7:29. As promised, Steven and Christina were taken around the line, and were first to get on the elevator up to the 100th floor. There was one risk hitch on the way: clearing the metal detector. Steve, pre-warned, was able to slip the ring into his jacket, which was scanned separately, so that it did not set off the alarm, as it has for other would-be “surprise” proposers. (Steve worried, “did she see him swapping the ring into the jacket?” The ring would have stood out in the jacket, if he had just put it in there on the way, so he had been covering it with his hand, in his pants pocket, the whole time.)
After taking the elevator, Christina, Steve and the VIP guide stayed with the tour group for a quick film on the building of the Freedom Tower. Then, Christina and Steve were taken down a different hallway to an elevator up to the 102nd floor. Exiting the elevator bank, Christina and Steve were whisked out onto the 102nd floor. They walked out on the floor which was entirely open with 360 degree grand views from the tallest building in the Western World, and with the sun only a few minutes away from setting.
Christina was impressed on walking in and said she should suggest it to her new boss as a place to have a future corporate event - she was so happy with the new Company that she still thought about work even on a date. The VIP guide went to an alcove allowing Christina and Steve an hour to walk around as they pleased. Christina noticed a table with two chairs and a bottle of champagne. Christina is tidy and efficient, and pointed out that they really should have had someone clean that up before we arrived. Steve suggested they walk over and investigate.
Upon arriving at the table, with the sun setting in the background, Steve went down on one knee, pulled out the ring and proposed. It took Christina a few seconds to realize what was going on, then, with her face all alight, she said “YES!” Oh now she realized the Champagne was for them! And yes she was surprised!!!
Now, Steve anticipated drinking the champagne, and enjoying the amazing vista with the sun setting. While the Champagne was consumed, Christina was very happy and jumped on the phone to her family, and Steve is not sure to this day, if she ever actually saw the amazing views.
We've had such a wonderful four years of knowing each other and now we're beyond excited to embark on the next chapter in our lives - tying the knot! We couldn't be any happier to share this part of our journey with all of our wonderful family and friends.
..New York, Tampa and somewhere in between.