Top 10 Highlights from 2016

Alright guys, it's time for my annual highlights post.  I can't believe 2016 has officially come to an end.  Man, time really does fly!  I'm so beyond grateful for all the amazing memories I've had this year, and I'm excited to see what 2017 has in store for me.

1.  Traveling to Frisco for the Stitchfix Tastemaker Event.  This was an amazing experience for more reasons than one.  I'd been a fan of their clothing already for quite some time so I was thrilled when I received their invitation.   They flew me out to California for an all-expenses-paid trip to learn about the ins and outs of their company which was totally awesomesauce. I got to stay in a luxe hotel, eat ridiculously delish food, and spend quality time with the most incredible group of women. Anddd on top of it all, I met my bf here so that pretty much makes this the best trip ever.

2.  My first solo news gig on Fox.  Getting invited to host Good Day DC's Valentine's Day segment was oodles of fun.  I had three gorgeous ladies modeling outfits that I curated from Adam Levine and Nicki Minaj's clothing lines in honor of the holiday, and I chose to go with three different vibes for the occasion.  See the full clip here!

3.  Collaborating with some truly kickass photographers!  I feel beyond blessed to have worked with so many incredible creatives this year.  From California to New York, I got to tackle all kinds of awesome projects with these amazing artists.  Here are some of my favorite shoots - I picked one from each and every one of 'em to pay tribute!

 Sung Shin || Andrew Bogard Photography || Jared Wolfe

 Dennis Christians Photography || Daniel Fabio || Armato Photography

Jiyang Chen Photography || Melanie Yu Photography || Rey Marques Photography

4.  Shenanigans in South Korea!  I spent the first week hanging out in Seoul and then hit up a bunch of cities down south for the duration of the trip.  I was there for a solid month playing recitals, working with brands, and exploring the country.  I seriously can't wait to go back!  I hope to visit China and Japan as well while I'm there next time.  To see more from my trip, click HERE and HERE.

5.  Breaking 75k+ on instagram!  You guys are the BEST for real.  I'd be nothing without your love and support.  I'm super pumped to announce that I broke a ton of records this year! My unique collective reach is now 500k+ (!!!) I'm so looking forward to the new year.  I'm going to REALLY push myself to think outside of the box and go out of my comfort zone to produce the best content possible.  

6.  Performing at the Kennedy Center + Strathmore Mansion with my awesome duo partner.  Alicia and I (aka the Ward-Kong duo) had a blast performing concerts all around the DMV this year.  As a Strathmore AIR (artist-in-residence), I had quite a few performances, but the aforementioned opportunities were by far the coolest.  

Now, on a totally unrelated note, I want to take a second to shoutout my girl, Natalie Draper.  I commissioned her to write me a work for one of my gigs, and she did a truly phenomenal job.  I'll be recording it later this year so y'all can hear it for yourselves, but she knocked it out of the park.  She's definitely one of the most talented composers I know, and that's saying a lot.  Keep an ear out for her name - she's going straight to the top!

7.  Vacationing in Naples, FL with my family.  There's nothing more important than spending quality time with your loved ones.  My parents mean everything to me.  They may drive me insane at times, but I adore them unconditionally.  This trip was a blast on so many different levels!  I mean, beach time is always a good time in my book, but Naples is especially awesome for foodies.  The restaurants here are stupid good.  Click here to see more from my trip and keep an eye out for part 2.

8.  Becoming a brand ambassador for Trollbeads.  I've worked with 300+ companies since I first started blogging, but I was EXTRA excited for this opportunity - I've been obsessed with their jewelry for years now so I wanted to list it as one of my highlights!  I have a ton of new exciting collabs coming up so stay tuned - lots of BAMF things to come this year!

Summer Florals ||  Pearl Accents || The [Not So] Secret Garden 

9.  Hosting the Uniqlo x Tastemade event in DC.  Delicious food from Daikaya, free clothing, and good company...I mean, what's NOT to like?  In all seriousness though, I had a blast helping Uniqlo celebrate their Tysons store opening.  Food trucks + me = dream come true as you can see from the photo of me chowing down on ramen.  To see more from the event, click here.

10.  Sharing my first professional fashion video on youtube.  One of the AMAZING photographers that I told you about earlier, Dennis Christians, took this awesome video of me in Bryant Park!  I've been wanting to get into YT, but I just haven't had the time, and you guys know me, I'd never half ass anything.  It's all about quality, and I gotta make sure I can give it 200%. Hopefully, I'll do more with it this year.  Music by the handsome and very talented bf, Flow Zen.

Anywho, that's 2016 for you guys!  Thanks for following and just being all around awesome.  I can't wait to take on 2017 with y'all.  Let's make it count and live every day like it's our last.  I know that was super corny, but I don't care.  Life's unpredictable so we gotta remember to take advantage of every damn second.  Cheers!