Event in Bethesda going on right now. Video and a report later on.
Political Events
Party! Tomorrow! Food! Beer! Candidates!
And now, an added bonus - authentic Ethiopian coffee! Tebabu Assefa and his wife, Sara Mussie (owners of Addis Ababa restaurant in Silver Spring as well as Blessed Coffee, the second benefit corporation under Maryland’s new B-Corp law to encourage socially responsible businesses), will be serving their wonderful Ethiopian coffee to early bird arrivals at the party.
Check out Blessed Coffee’s website. It’s a great venture.
By working with Ethiopian coffee cooperatives and directly with 180,000 small farmers that have a stake in BC’s success, BC brings light to the rich Ethiopian coffee tradition and introduces premium grade, shade grown, organic Ethiopian coffees. Getting the coffee directly from the farmers and bypassing several middle agents provides a bigger profit margin (US$2.50 per pound to US$13.00) for coffee growers.
High value profit sharing arrangements and BC’s long standing association with the small coffee growers secures its access to the highest grade of beans in regions renowned for producing the world’s finest coffees. The same arrangements guarantee that quality is maintained in each step of the logistics chain – including 18 quality control checks during the crucial sorting and washing processes. The result is a branded product with a discernable difference in both taste and consistency.
So now you have even more reason to get here early.
A Party At My House
I wrote about this back in June, but this being the modern ADD generation that it is, I suspect most of you don’t even remember. So here’s a reminder, and just to keep you from forgetting, I’m going to leave it pinned to the top of the blog from now until the end of the week.
The party’s next Saturday from 1-5. We’re feeding you and hydrating you (wink wink) so bring a couple of bucks. The suggested contribution is $20 ($10 for seniors and Young Dems), but no reasonable offer will be refused. This is the one big fundraiser for the GSSDC all year, and the money goes to pay for events throughout the year, including some planned debates and discussions about important issues. So don’t be that guy who decides it’s OK not to pay anything. Come by, eat some burgers and hot dogs, drink some beer, and hang out. But drop a few bucks on us too.
Plus, we’ll have cool candidates there. You want Van Hollen and Edwards? We got ’em. You want Raskin, Matthews, Barve, Gutierrez and other CD8 candidates? They’ll be here. Plus lots of other local and state and federal elected officials. One stop shopping for candidates.
Where else you gonna be able to meet all those VIPs in one place? With beer? Nowhere, that’s where. So come to the party.
Party Pictures
There’ll be more later but here’s one for now. On my back porch no less.
“So two candidates and a blogger walk into a bar . . . .”
Come To A Party!
Yes, it’s last minute - on my part, not theirs - but I’m hosting a house party for Progressive Maryland this afternoon at 1. The details can be found here. Come join us - it’s August, and making plans more than an hour ahead is Just Not Done done in the last of the dog days of summer.
Plus, you get to meet me - you don’t want to pass up that kind of opportunity. I’m so shy and retiring, who knows when you might get another chance?
Takoma Park Parade
A couple of pictures from a very wet and very humid parade this morning. Wasn’t the best day for pictures - but kudos to everyone that came out in the rain, you’re all hard core paraders.
Chris Van Hollen and some of the Tom Hucker crew just before the parade started. 
Chris Van Hollen, always in motion. Always.
Party Invitation
From 2005 - the first year of the event - to 2010, my wife Rebecca Lord and I hosted the Greater Silver Spring Democratic Club summer picnic at our house in Silver Spring. We’ve had a wide variety of leading politicos at the event, including Chris Van Hollen, Donna Edwards, Ben Cardin, Martin O’Malley, Heather MIzeur, Jamie Raskin, Peter Franchot, and a bunch of other state and local officials. The party was always a huge success and a great time.
After 2010, we were unable to keep hosting because of Rebecca’s health issues. This year, I’m pleased to announce that I’ve been asked by the club to bring the party back home where it started a decade ago. The date is Saturday, September 19 from 1-5 and if you are reading this, you’re invited.
I’m already working hard to arrange as many candidates and elected officials as we can. I’ll be making periodic announcements about those who have committed to attend, starting next week. Plus you get to meet me! Who can resist that?
For now, put it on your calendar and plan to be there. Based on the history, it will be a party you won’t want to miss.
