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I took a walk on the wild side and accepted an invitation to attend a press event for the new restaurants in town, Cured and 18th & 21st. Every once in a while I’m invited to press events, but they're often during the day when I’m working. So, when I received an invitation to sample the food and drink at this hot new establishment, I couldn’t resist.

 This post is not a review. I’ll be getting that together over the weekend. There’s a lot to process and I want to do it justice. There’s another element of the evening worth considering. I accepted an invitation to an event where I wasn’t sure I would know anyone at all. And then I actually went.

 I am, at my core, an intensely shy person. Some people don't believe that, but it's true. My early attempts at going to blog parties were just that. I'd get ready, drive to the event, drive around the location, and drive home. (From “25”, July 18, 2014)

I was pleasantly surprised to bump into blogger Frank Hecker (Civility and Truth) as soon as I arrived. A little while later Candace Dodson Reed of Elevate Maryland showed up with daughter Milan, and rounded out the table. Later on former blogger and BOE member Kirsten Coombs stopped by to chat. She and her husband Luke are investors in Cured/18th & 21st.

Along with some outstanding food and drink, there was some amazing conversation going on at our table. It was exhilarating, and I couldn’t have felt more “in my element”. I’m lucky to know such thoughtful and fascinating people. I’m glad I was brave enough to go.

A few things:


  • Frank Hecker and I miss the HoCo blogs parties. We’re considering getting one off the ground after the November election.
  • This new place is close enough to Merriweather that you can run your kid over to a concert and make it back to your table without missing a beat.
  • I miss regular blog posts from AnnieRie. I hope she’s okay.
  • Frank and I were relying on our early training from Jessie Newburn on using one’s social capital. Frank was wondering whether there was a hashtag for the event and I was pondering whether Jessie would think the new place had “a sweet vibe” So, cheers to Jessie.


I look forward to sharing a more comprehensive write-up of the event this weekend. For now, I’m just so grateful for the invitation and so proud of myself that I actually went.




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