The other night, when I was driving home from work, I drove past Sunnylands, like I always do. Usually, it's pretty dark and discreet, as befitting this formidable estate and playground to presidents. But that evening, I noticed blazing, garish floodlights and spotlights sending up the most intrusive light pollution I've seen since moving out here.
Guess there's a big event tonight, I mused. And then it occurred to me--um, no, no big event, at least not that night. It was, no doubt, the advanced security measures that they take when preparing for visits from heads of state.
Yeah. What? You mean I didn't mention that? So the President of the United States is visiting my city this weekend, having some private, informal talks with the King of Jordan.
It's the second time that President Obama has visited Sunnylands in the past 12 months, and I gotta say, I'm pretty damned proud. So much money and planning and attention has gone into turning Sunnylands into the "Camp David of the West", that it would be such a shame if world leaders and diplomats didn't take it seriously. I mean, anyone can tout a space as being anything, but unless you get the buy-in from the target audience, your space ain't nothing.
Fortunately, Sunnylands is definitely Something. Let's have three cheers for the Annenberg Family!
Whatever your political leanings or affiliations are, whatever you feel about the person who fills the office, you gotta admit--it's pretty damned awesome when the POTUS comes to your city to make world-changing decisions.
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