“I'm glad we were here together in our nation's capital."― Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump was released 28 years ago today! In the movie he visited Washington DC several times. The first time as an all American Football Player where he told John F. Kennedy "I Gotta Pee!" after drinking 15 Dr.Pepper's. The second time he was there to recievee the Congressional Metal of Honor, and he ends up showing Lyndon B. Johnson his "shot in the buttocks" wound. Afterwards he got swept up in an anti War ralley where he gave a speach were all we heard was "That's all I gotta' say about the War in Veitnam". The third and final time was when he met Richard Nixon as a Ping Pong Player. Nixon set him up with a room at the watergat, and it was that night when Forrest called to complain about the flashlights keeping him awake, and unknowingly set off the Watergate Scandal.
So join us today at potbelly Sandwich Works where there is plenty of food and beverage options available (but NO PURCHASE IS REQUIRED!)
PARKING: Just a block north of the event you will have great odds to find street parking around GSA's Central Heating Plant (12th and D Streets SW and 13th & C Streets SW). Meters cost about 6 quarters an hour around there, but there is some complicated pay app thing you can do. Feds like me are getting off work around this time and spots start opening up pretty quickly on the streets here. Just watch those street signs because around 4:30 pm certain sides of some road are forbidden to be parked on (That will get you a pretty pink $100 ticket too courtesy of District Parking Enforcement!). Also don't park at those red meters either because they are for people with handicap placards (unless you have one than go ahead).
There are a few garages too, but they could get expensive. Portals III on D Street is $20 for 3 hours, Portals 1 is next door to the event but I didn't see prices listed.
Smithsonian and L'Enfant Metro stations are both a few blocks away. There's a Bikeshare station next to the USDA south building. If you're feeling really chipper, you can rent one of the many scooters that are on the sidewalks all over the city.
So, as you can see, there are lots of options when it comes to making it to this monthly event. I hope to see you there.
Special thanks to Potbelly District Manager Ebou Jagne who has given me written approval to make this a monthly thing.
