Events: Notes From The GothamSchools Fundraiser

There was alas no surprise appearance from Cathie Black -- or Eli Manning -- but Randi Weingarten showed up and said nice things about GothamSchools (and vice versa -- it was a two-way love-fest) and it sounds like GothamSchools is in good shape -- a sold-out fundraiser, mentions in mainstream publications including most recently the WSJ, 3.5M pageviews in the last two years, and -- I didn't know this -- the best education site in the nation according to the Education Writers Association (CK).  There was a tall skinny guy who looked like John Oliver from The Daily Show. Doug Lemov had the gall to do a PowerPoint presentation at a fundraiser (duly noted by Weingarten), but in truth I'd never seen the famous paper-passing video (more on that later).  Citizen Schools' Nitzan Pelman was there sporting a lovely blunt-cut 'do, as was a guy named Seth wearing a Democracy Prep baseball cap along with his suit (lost bet, I'm guessing).  There weren't that many (any?) Klein / Bloomberg folks in attendance, compared to last year (Bloggers & Bloggees Gather In Chinatown) when John White et al were in attendance - nor was co-founder Philissa Cramer (still in Israel, someone said).  Great to see some fellow bloggers, though, past and present, including Robert Pondiscio, Aaron Pallas, Susan Sawyers, and others.   A couple of folks including former Eduwonkette Jennifer Jennings and GOOD education guru Amanda Millner-Fairbanks chided me for being mean I am when I'm behind the keyboard.  I chided myself for wearing a black shirt to a catered event, almost guaranteeing I'll be confused with staff.) Good thing I couldn't find a can of Four Loko at the bodega on the way over.  Things woulda gotten crazy.   What'd I miss at the after-party?