First practical application of StepTwo idea
WOW. That was fast. John Platt, owner and executive chef of St. Clouds Restaurant in the Madrona neighborhood of Seattle, and participant in last night's ideation lab about Step Two, has just created the first event enacting the Step Two theme of finding common ground for all citizens to communicate with each other. Here's the details from his email:
Greetings Friends,
A very exciting Inauguration coming up on Tuesday - a cause for celebration and cause for a genuine national conversation about our country's direction and future. We'd like to host both at St. Clouds on Tuesday night, January 20, 2009. We'd like to help build community through shared celebration and through shared dialogue. We have found ourselves in troubling times, but as Barack Obama has said time and again, in order to find our way out of these tough times, "We have to do this together - we are one nation."
We'll have tables pushed together to encourage conversation.
We'll have a big screen tv in the bar showing both clips of the speech and live coverage of the evening's celebration.
We'll have cocktails, beer, and wine to lubricate the celebrating and the dialogue.
We'll have dinner and snacks available and encourage gathering together around food.
And, seriously, if you come with a member of the opposite political party from yours, we'll buy you both a drink for coming together and believeing, "Yes, we can!" Alternatively, if you find yourself in discussion during the evening with someone who leans in a different political direction than you, and you two find a way to talk about the issues not as competing parties but as fellow Americans trying to solve a problem, we'll buy you one tasty drink to share together. Really.
It's time for us all to find some common ground and enjoy sharing that sacred ground together. Reservations welcome, and bear in mind we'll be seating everyone at group tables. Should be quite a night, following quite a day, the start of our shared future. Maybe we'll do this once a month... Yours in hope, John and Pablo
John Platt and Paul Butler, Owners
St. Clouds Restaurant and Catering
www.stclouds.com
Comments
I noticed a little "get involved" flyer on the counter at Starbucks this morning. They are inviting everyone to volunteer 5 hours of community service - whatever form you choose, on your own terms - and offering a free coffee in return. My drink had a similar message on the insulating sleeve. The campaign is heavy on stars, red, white and blue - and uses a lot of familiar phrases "We can do it" sounds so much like "Yes we can." There are others celebrating "hope" and "change" and even a quote from Honest Abe. It's clear they are rolling with the same momentum that we are, even though they don't say so explicitly (Didn't see the name Obama anywhere). Starbucks, it seems, is on board. Taking their own next step. This could express itself a thousand different ways. I'm excited to see what's next.
Post new comment