Inside Bytes & Bylines, a WHCD Kick-Off
On Thursday night, bold-faced names from the tech, political, business, media and entertainment worlds gathered at the private residence of His Excellency Ramón Gil-Casares, The Ambassador of Spain to the U.S., for the 2016 Bytes & Bylines party to kick off White House Correspondents’ Dinner Weekend.
His Excellency opened his Georgetown home along with co-hosts Susanna Quinn, Veluxe CEO and founder; Allen Gannett, TrackMaven CEO; Eric Kuhn, Layer3 TV CMO, and political strategist John McCarthy for the event, which was sponsored by D.C. real estate development firm Saul Urban.
The eclectic mix of tech, political and media powerhouses included notable attendees such as Congresswoman and DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Irish Ambassador Anne Anderson,Afghan Ambassador Hamdullah Mohib, South African Ambassador Mninwa Mahlangu, actor Spencer Garrett, Fox News Channel’s Shannon Bream, and lawyer Justin Mikita, among others.
Guests sipped authentic Spanish cocktails crafted by renowned global chef, José Andrés, who even stopped by the party to mix a few drinks himself. Sangria and flavored gin & tonic concoctions made using local favorite Ivy City Gin were served in addition to hand-carved Iberico ham from Ferin Ham, while guests savored even more bites grilled on a special barbecue stationed on the ambassador’s patio.
In keeping with the annual fete’s theme of gathering the nation’s leading innovators in the tech, media and political spheres, partygoers were whisked off to Spain from the comfort of the ambassador’s home via virtual reality goggles supplied by Navteca.
*Photos credit Joy Asico