(ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF CARRIE DOREAN)

As a Traveling Dad, I’m used to hitting the road to report on the latest hotspots for you to visit, and cool events for you to attend.

 

Living in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area, oftentimes great, free events are literally right in my backyard. Such was the case recently when the British Embassy contacted me for an event they surely knew I would be pleased to attend.

 

“Hello Brian,” the note from Kate Greer, chief communications officer for the British Embassy began. “British Ambassador Kim Darroch will be hosting Jaguar Land Rover and the Royal College of Music at his residence next Tuesday.

 

Joe Eberhardt, President and CEO of JLR North America, and Professor Colin Lawson CBE, Director of the Royal College of Music will be attendance. We’ll have JLR vehicles on display like the Jaguar I-PACE, Jaguar’s first all-electric performance SUV, and six of the Royal School of Music’s brightest talent will perform a unique composed piece. Would you like to attend?”

 

Now Ms. Greer was being kind, as she and her talented communications team at the British Embassy know that whenever cars and/or music are involved, I’m the right person to call.

 

To set the tone for a wonderful evening, British Ambassador Kim Darroch said, “Tonight is a celebration of the United Kingdom’s tradition of innovative vehicles and outstanding education. Jaguar Land Rover is the largest vehicle manufacturer in the U.K., exporting 80% of their cars to major markets, including the U.S., and supporting 8,000 American jobs. Meanwhile, the Royal College of Music is an international hub of music excellence, ranked second in the world by 2018 QS World University Rankings. It, too, has a strong relationship with the U.S., through partnerships with Boston and Princeton Universities.”

 

 

The Jaguar I-Pace really stole the show of all the impressive cars and Land Rover SUVs on display.

 

The all-electric vehicle is not only the ultimate luxury commuter, with an impressive 240-mile range, the All-Wheel Drive version has true off-road capability as well. Nice to be a Corporate Cousin of Land Rover!

 

 

The evening was festive, and the music was great. Though foreign embassies are mostly clustered in big political cities like Washington, Los Angeles and New York, many are spread throughout the U.S., with Denver (Canada), and Houston (China) being good examples.

 

 

If you have a foreign embassy in your backyard, check their Web site for any community and cultural events they may sponsor, as embassies are usually very active in the communities where they’re based.

 

You can also follow embassies on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.