Greater Greater Washington Happy Hour at Lost and Found On 9th Street

I had a wonderful time at the GGW happy hour at a bar called Lost and Found, which is on 9th Street NW, in Washington, DC. It is just up the road from the Convention Center. I have been a big fan of GGW, since I discovered the organisation a few years back, when I was doing some research on public transportation. The articles are well-thought out, and they all address various urban issues, ranging from public transportation to affordable housing. I am a huge advocate for both. It was nice to have some "refreshments" with like-minded individuals. I'm sure that 99.9% of them are Liberals with a capital L, but putting politics aside, we all share a vision of a better Washington, DC metropolitan area.

As I discussed with quite a few individuals tonight, I am hoping that as the demographics of Prince George's County change, there will be more professionals moving into the county, and demanding better public transportation services. Maybe we will even be able to have later night bus service running from Montgomery County to Prince George's County, especially the College Park area, and have later night bus service from College Park to Beltsville and beyond. It's going to take a lot of activism and lobbying the right people, in order to make that happen. Let's hope that it does. The county needs better transit.

After attending the Coalition For Smarter Growth social at Eastern Market in Washington, DC

It was a nice event. I know a couple of the directors of the organization, and they are good people.  However, it was difficult to engage in conversations with some people, because the entire urban planning and smart growth "industry," is pretty much of a clique. Need I say more...

Looking Forward To The Coalition For Smarter Growth Social

Tomorrow, October 17, 2017, is the 5th annual Coalition For Smarter Growth Social at Eastern Market in Washington, DC. This will be the first one of these events that I will have been able to attend. I am looking forward to it. This is a fee paying event, and according to their website, tickets will be available at the door. The event runs from 6:30 PM until 8:30 PM.

While I'm sure that my politics are at polar opposite to most of the attendees, I am looking forward to sharing ideas with people that do share common themes with me...urban issues. I am a rare breed in the fact that I am a conservative urbanist. I don't consider urban issues to be "smart growth Communism." I love the idea of living in row houses with tiny yards, riding public transportation, and using car sharing for the times when you really do need a vehicle. I'm ambivalent to the use of riding a bicycle because I am disabled, but I do ride one on occasion. I currently subscribe to two bike share programs, and am looking into the dockless bike sharing programs too. I believe that these issues help foster a sense of community, and if you go back throughout history, a sense of community is what bound us together as a nation. I will let you know how the event went over the next day or so.