( image above) at Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporáneo (Mexico City), 24 January 2025
2025 Year End Blog (1st draft)
A Year of Travel, Stewardship, and Connection
Dear Friends, Family, and Fellow Travelers,
As we look back on 2025, we’re filled with gratitude for the many moments of beauty, discovery, and community this year brought—both far from home and close to it. The year unfolded through richly textured travel, a renewed sense of caretaking at The Plant at Kyle, and meaningful time with loved ones. We also pause to honor the deep personal losses we experienced, remembering two people who profoundly touched our lives.
IN MEMORIAM
In Memory of Larry Faragalli (1978–2025)
Our dear friend Larry became part of our chosen family after we first met at a 2013 MUX conference cocktail party in Grand Rapids. Over the years, he and Susan became cherished travel companions, joining us on Tiny World Tours adventures from California to Bhutan. Larry brought insight, warmth, and generosity to every conversation and every trail. His quiet gestures—like saving our holiday postcards in his home’s “Murphy’s Bar”—spoke volumes.
In April 2026, during our next Bhutan tour, we’ll hold a memorial for Larry in the Himalayas with Dorji and, we hope, Eames. We’ll light butter lamps in his memory, and carry him with us as we walk familiar paths once more.
Nancy Friis-Hansen (1922–2025)
Dana’s stepmother Nancy passed away peacefully at the age of 102 on February 2. Her life—spanning nursing, military service, corporate leadership, and deep civic engagement—was defined by strength, integrity, and love. She embraced Dana and his family with warmth after marrying Poul Friis-Hansen in 1977, and lived a remarkable life of purpose and grace.
Her funeral service was held on February 24 in Scarborough, Maine, and her memorial service took place on June 17 at the Central Maine Veterans’ Cemetery.
Leonard A. Lauder (1933–2025)
On June 14, 2025, our friend, philanthropist, and visionary art collector Leonard Lauder passed away. His generosity, curiosity, and devotion to the arts enriched countless lives and institutions. We remember him with deep gratitude and admiration.
URBAN ENERGY & CULTURAL IMMERSION
Mexico – January 22 to February 8
Most of our time in Mexico—was devoted to leading our Tiny World Tour: Walking Mexico City experience, a co-creation between Tiny World Tours and our amazing friend and guide Joel Pelaez Cruz. Although Joel is based in Querétaro, he can take you all around Mexico—and if you’d like an introduction, let us know!
This year’s journey immersed our group in the city’s vibrant villages, bustling markets, historic neighborhoods, and tranquil gardens, giving everyone a sense of Mexico City as a living tapestry rather than a set of monuments. We also ventured north into the lush Huasteca region to explore Las Pozas, the surrealist garden in Xilitla created by Edward James. Its sculptural stairways, tropical waterfalls, and dreamlike concrete structures offered a magical counterpoint to the urban energy of the capital.
Cincinnati & Cleveland – February 12–14
In Ohio, we visited both the Cleveland Museum of Art and Cincinnati Art Museum for our friend Shahzia Sikander’s opening—an inspiring dive into her global visual language. Mark reconnected with childhood friend (and now excellent home chef!) Eli Becker.
OKINAWA EXPLORATIONS – March 9–12
Before the start of our spring tour, we visited Okinawa—a region rich in cultural and ecological diversity. Mark traveled to Iriomote Island, where he paddled through mangrove swamps, snorkeled coral reefs, walked through the island’s subtropical jungle, and explored the deep cultural history of the Yaeyama Islands.
Meanwhile, Dana remained in Naha, Okinawa’s vibrant capital, meeting with contemporary artists and gallerists and continuing his ongoing engagement with art ecosystems across Japan.
While on the main island, we reconnected with our dear friend from our MIT Media Lab days, Kenji Taima. Kenji welcomed us into his world on the islands and showed us the innovative aquaculture project he’s working on at the University of the Ryukyus, where new research is shaping the future of sustainable marine environments.
Together, we visited the profoundly moving Peace Memorial Park, honoring the lives lost during the Battle of Okinawa. We also spent time at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, home to one of the world’s great displays of ocean life, where the rhythms of whale sharks, manta rays, and coral ecosystems reminded us of the deep connections between nature and culture across the islands.
ART ENCOUNTERS: JAPAN IN SPRING
Our Tiny World Tour: Through Artists’ Eyes — Japanese Nature & Culture was completely sold out this year, and it proved to be one of our most rewarding journeys yet. Together with an extraordinary group of travelers, we explored Japan through the lens of artists—past and present—visiting museums, studios, historic sites, sacred landscapes, and places where art and daily life intersect. From contemporary galleries to ancient temples, from coastal light to mountain forests, the tour offered a richly textured encounter with the forms, philosophies, and environments that continue to shape Japanese creativity.
A special highlight from our time in Tokyo was meeting Richard Tuttle, the renowned post-minimalist American artist, during the opening of his April exhibition at Tomio Koyama Gallery. His work—celebrated for its subtlety, material sensitivity, and poetic engagement—remains a steady source of inspiration for us both.
We also celebrated the appointment of our long-time friend Yukie Kamiya as Chief Curator at the National Art Center, Tokyo—a major milestone for a visionary curator and cultural bridge-builder whose leadership promises to shape the future of contemporary art in Japan.
We’re deeply grateful for the enthusiasm and trust of our travelers: both our 2026 Mexico tour and our 2026 Spring Japan tour are already sold out as well. It’s a joy and privilege to continue crafting these immersive, art-centered journeys with such engaged and curious companions.
EXPO 2025 – OPENING DAY IN OSAKA
Together with our friend Michael Cohen, we attended the opening day of Expo 2025 in Osaka, a global gathering of ideas, architecture, and innovation. We reunited with old MIT Media Lab friends Keishi and Tomoko Kandori, their son Hiroshi and his wife Mina, over dinner at the vibrant Grand Green Osaka—a new urban district that blends nature, sustainability, and design.
Thanks to Seiji Kunishige, a research affiliate at the Media Lab, we were given a behind-the-scenes look at the Iida Group Holdings / Osaka Metropolitan University Pavilion. We even briefly met Mr. Iida himself.
Expo highlights:
- Osaka Healthcare Pavilion – playful, glitchy, and health-focused, including a digital twin experience.
- KANSAI Pavilion – nine prefectures with local flavor and travel inspiration.
- USA Pavilion – immersive simulation and nostalgic moon rock experience.
- Drone Show – 2,500 drones lit the night sky in Guinness World Record fashion.
We also recommend the Expo ’70 Commemorative Park and Tower of the Sun by Taro Okamoto—a quieter but deeply moving site to explore.
On our way home to Tokyo we spent the night at our dear friends’ home Robert and Yukiko Lunday.
ART, THEATER & FAMILY – NEW YORK CITY, MAY 10–12
Together with Dana’s sister Ellen and Mark’s dad’s partner Mary (93 years old), we packed in a dream NYC trip: an AIA-led boat architecture tour around Manhattan, plays, concerts, museums, and a joyful gospel brunch at Red Rooster in Harlem. BOOP! The Musical was a delightful, surprisingly political standout. We also had great times with Mark’s nephew Alex and his girlfriend Elena, who now live in the city.
A MAINE SUMMER: FAMILY, CARETAKING, AND CHEESE
Portland & Little Diamond Island – June 15 to July 17
Summer brought us to Dana’s family’s cottage on Little Diamond Island—a more-than-century-old gem that’s held generations of memories. We repainted the porch and had the vintage metal furniture professionally restored just in time for a July 4th visit from Ellen, Jim, Alex, Andrew, and their partners.
Other friends came and went throughout the stay, and we hosted a lively, well-attended “History of Cheese” talk by Eric Rector at the Island Casino. The island community’s warmth and openness is always a highlight.
Honoring Nancy – A Family Memorial in Maine
On June 17, we held another memorial ceremony for Dana’s stepmother Nancy at the Central Maine Veterans’ Cemetery, where she was interred next to Dana’s father Poul, who was buried there in 2016. It was an emotional sendoff with a group of Maine veterans arriving in a motorcycle entourage, then holding large flags near Nancy’s grave, while a soldier played taps on a bugle. The ceremony felt intimate and moving.
Nancy served with distinction in the Army Nurse Corps during World War II, and Poul served in Denmark’s military in the 1940s—both veterans in their own right.
NORTHERN JAPAN IN AUTUMN – CULTURE, NATURE & LIVING HISTORY
Our Fall 2025 Tiny World Tour brought us deep into Northern Japan, where we explored landscapes shaped by millennia and met people continuing age-old traditions. A highlight was engaging with members of the Ainu, Japan’s Indigenous people, whose artistry, language, and cultural resilience made a profound impression.
We also spent time learning about the Jomon culture, Japan’s prehistoric civilization known for its elaborate pottery and deep spiritual connection to the natural world.
Interested in joining us next fall?
There are still spots available on our Fall 2026 Northern Japan Tour—we’d love to share this powerful experience with a small group of curious, open-minded travelers.
ANNIVERSARIES, ECOLOGY & HOLOGRAPHY: BOSTON & VERMONT
October marked the 40th Anniversary of the MIT Media Lab, where we first met in the 1980s. From October 21–23, we reconnected with dear friends and colleagues—an energizing reunion across generations of Media Lab creativity.
Mark helped organize a special side visit to the Living Observatory at Tidmarsh Farms, founded by our friend and MIT professor Glorianna Davenport. This long-term ecological restoration initiative has been a deep inspiration for the evolving mission of The Plant at Kyle.
After the anniversary, Mark spent the weekend with his SPI Holography Research Group in Waitsfield, Vermont. He also made visits to Middlebury, where he reconnected with his high school classmate Professor Emeritus Tim Spears and his wife Nancy, and to Plainfield, visiting longtime friend Norman Kennedy, a 92-year-old Scottish weaver and folksinger.
TRANSITIONS, PROJECTS & QUIET JOYS
Tokyo in Autumn – Aug 29 to Oct 17 (Mark), Sept 10 to Oct 16 (Dana)
Our fall return to Japan brought extended time in Tokyo. We set up daily rhythm: early morning swims at a local municipal pool (often with our friend Michael Cohen), followed by work sessions at CIC Tokyo, the co-working space founded by our friend Tim Rowe.
Mark focused on language studies (Italian and Japanese), Tiny World Tours operations, and continued work on The Plant at Kyle. Dana contributed to museum leadership search projects through Museum Search & Reference, while also organizing and planning for our art collection and future gift-giving. (“Swedish Death Cleaning,” anyone?)
COMING HOME: STEWARDSHIP AT THE PLANT
In 2025, we made a significant shift in how we manage The Plant at Kyle—limiting guest events to no more than 15 people, and working with Hill Country Premier Lodging for bookings and care. It’s a relief to have reliable support while we travel, and we’re thinking ahead about how best to preserve this special place.
Our mission: “To steward The Plant at Kyle and serve as a cultural and educational amenity that expands awareness and appreciation of architecture and nature through content, conversations, celebrations, and retreats.”
If you have ideas—or want to be part of a longer conversation about its future—we’d love to hear from you.
CLOSING THE YEAR: EAST COAST HOLIDAYS
Philadelphia, New York & Portland – December 16 to 30
We’ll wrap up 2025 on the East Coast: starting in Philadelphia and New York visiting friends and art institutions, and ending in Portland, Maine, for Christmas with Dana’s sister Sandy and husband Ted. We’re looking forward to time with Ted’s two sons, their families, and grandsons Theo and Hugh—a joyful, kid-filled holiday to end a rich and memorable year.
LOOKING AHEAD
2026 already has some exciting journeys on the horizon. Spring will bring us back to Bhutan—this time to walk and remember—and our Fall Northern Japan tour is already shaping up beautifully. If either of these speaks to you, or you’d like to explore with us in the future, we’d love to connect.
We’re deeply thankful for our community—friends, family, collaborators, and fellow travelers—who make all of this meaningful. Wishing you a healthy, connected, and peaceful year ahead.
Let’s Stay in Touch!
In case you don’t have it handy, here’s our contact info:
Mark Holzbach & Dana Friis-Hansen
NEW Mailing address (a mail forwarding service): 2028 E Ben White Blvd #240-8188, Austin, Texas 78741-6931, USA
Mark’s personal email: mholzbach@alum.mit.edu
Dana’s personal email: danafh@gmail.com
Mark’s personal cell for voice & text: 512-689-6777
Dana’s personal cell for voice & text: 512-653-8188
PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS BELOW AND/OR COMMUNICATE WITH US PRIVATELY VIA MAIL / EMAIL, OR SCHEDULE A PHONE / LIVE VIDEO CATCH-UP CALL WITH US!
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If you are interested to see what we published on our recent past year end blogs, please check the links below:
Mark & Dana’s 2023 Year End Blog (December 2023)
Mark & Dana’s 2022 Year End Blog (December 2022)
Mark & Dana’s 2021 Year End Blog (December 2021)
Mark & Dana’s 2020 Year End Blog (December 2020)
Mark and Dana’s COVID Pandemic Reach-Out Blog (April 2020)
