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daymansbingerecapsandrankings · 3 years

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(Originally written on October 8, 2020)

🎵Bang, Bang Bangedy Bang

I said a Bang Bang Bangedy Bang🎵

My How I Met Your Mother Thoughts

I just spent the last nine seasons in New York with the gang that spends all their time in MacLaren’s Pub. SELF FIVE! I have to say, this binge of How I Met Your Mother brought me so much happiness. I started watching this show for the first time back in high school, and I ended up watching the last six seasons as they aired. I remember loving this group of characters, and now I am reminded why. There’s so much chemistry between the five, and it makes for one of my favorite Comedies/Sitcoms of all time. If you’ve read any of my previous Show Thoughts, then you know I’ve been watching several over the course of this lovely Pandemic That Will Just Keep Going. After this rewatch, I’ve decided HIMYM is my third favorite Comedy/Sitcom, right after Boy Meets World and Scrubs.

Now, I know that the Finale is infamous. It’s in the Mount Rushmore of Terrible Endings, and people end up getting a sour taste in their mouth when they bring up the show. Well, it’s been some years. There’s been time to reflect and look back. And, while I’m not in favor of the Finale, I also don’t hate it anymore with the passion of a thousand suns. I just loved watching and growing with the gang, seeing them experience their highs and their lows, their triumphs and their failures. It just hits harder as an adult, like most of these shows assuredly do, and I cherish so many of these episodes and moments.

And now, my rankings for the seasons!

Seasons Rankings

1. Season One

2. Season Four

3. Season Two

4. Season Six

5. Season Eight

6. Season Five

7. Season Three

8. Season Seven

9. Season Nine

My rankings for the girlfriends, purely on how much I like them as a character

The Girlfriends Rankings

1. Robin

2. Tracy

3. Victoria

4. Zoey

5. Stella

6. Jeannette

And now, a ranking of my favorite episodes. From 1-50, these are the ones that stand out above the rest. I consider every single one of these enjoyable.

Favorite Episodes

1. Slap Bet (S2E9)

2. Come On (S1E22)

3. The Limo (S1E11)

4. The Best Burger in New York (S4E2)

5. Ten Sessions (S3E13)

6. The Pineapple Incident (S1E10)

7. Bachelor Party (S2E19)

8. Game Night (S1E15)

9. Oh, Honey (S6E15)

10. Glitter (S6E9)

11. The Duel (S1E8)

12. The Pilot (S1E1)

13. Arriverdverci, Fierro (S2E17)

14. The Over-Correction (S8E10)

15. How Your Mother Met Me (S916)

16. Intervention (S4E4)

17. The Magician’s Code, Part II (S7E24)

18. The Autumn of Break-Ups (S8E5)

19. The Ducky Tie (S7E3)

20. The Best Man (S7E1)

21. The Leap (S4E24)

22. Blitzgiving (S6E10)

23. Three Days of Snow (S4E13)

24. The Scorpion & The Toad (S2E2)

25. Bass Player Wanted (S9E13)

26. The Final Page, Part 2 (S8E12)

27. Duel Citizenship (S5E5)

28. Happily Ever After (S4E6)

29. Farhampton (S8E1)

30. Bro Mitzvah (S8E22)

31. Robin 101 (S5E3)

32. The Magician’s Code, Part I (S7E23)

33. Last Words (S6E14)

34. The Playbook (S5E8)

35. The Time Travelers (S8E20)

36. Splitsville (S8E6)

37. Subway Wars (S6E4)

38. Showdown (S2E20)

39. Drumroll, Please (S1E13)

40. Front Porch (S4E17)

41. Twin Bed (S5E21)

42. Who Wants to be a Godparent? (S8E4)

43. Girls vs. Suits (S5E12)

44. Something Borrowed (S2E21)

45. As Fast As She Can (S4E23)

46. The Wedding Bride (S5E23)

47. The Bracket (S3E14)

48. The Sexless Innkeeper (S5E4)

49. Third Wheel (S3E3)

50. Spoiler Alert (S3E8)

And now, just some thoughts on the show and on the gang!

Ted - I know people don’t like Ted. I don’t actually like Ted all that much. And yet, I found myself rooting for Ted just like I did the first go around. He’s not the worst person in the world, and I would be scared to see half of the decisions we’ve made in the dating game stringed together into a TV show. I know people wouldn’t like me very much for those decisions. Then again, I also don’t get super crazy about details about buildings, I don’t pronounce encyclopedia that way, and he tends to stick his foot in his mouth with this White Man confidence that I just don’t have. With all that being said, I still find Ted being a great friend, a man who is just trying to find the love of his life, and someone who really drives this story with great tales and narration (Bob Saget is the Sixth Man of the Show for just always bringing it). I think Ted does stupid things and he pretty much admits it after the fact. He learns, sometimes, and also doesn’t much like most of us. When he finally found the Mother, when he finally found Tracy, I cared. I cared so much, and I still do. Even though they just shit on her character and don’t give us enough time with her, I almost wonder if that’s a metaphor for the fact that you won’t always have enough time with your loved ones.

Robin - Let’s go to the mall! Yeah! Robin Sparkles is a Canadian Treasure, and so is Robin Scherbatsky. She is one of the best things about this show, and I love her so. Played by Cobie Smulders who I need to see in more stuff, Robin is who we all wanted Ted to maybe be with first. Then we go through all the loops of the HIMYM roller coaster, and a lot of us still wanted them to be together. I was one of them. Yet, she was more than just a romantic plot line for Ted. She was a part of the group who we got to see join it and evolve into a member of their family organically. Robin is fun, loud, full of fun quirks that we get to learn over the course of the series. I was heartbroken when we found out she can’t have children. I was loving the back and forth between her and Barney (the first time), and kind of mad at Barney about being such a crazy ass prankster the second time. Robin shows us just how amazing some gun loving, hockey obsessed Canadian news anchor can be, and how much she cares for her friends.

Lily - Justice Aldrin ends up being one of my favorite characters, even if that gets some curious looks. Yeah, she left Marshall for a summer. Yeah, she had some hesitancy with the marriage and everything. That happens. Lily was also always there for her friends, even if she ends up going a little overboard. She wants Ted to find happiness, and does whatever she can to help. She is there to listen to Robin at all times, and her and Marshall are easily one of the best relationships in TV I’ve ever witnessed. Then we have Lily and Barney which is honestly super underrated. Barney trusts Lily, even though she can’t keep a secret, with all of his emotional problems. Lily is who thought Barney could change before anyone else, and I love seeing their friendship grow from eye rolls to eye tears.

Barney - Oh, Barney. He honestly brings so much annoyance and fun to the show. He’s the friend of the gang who everyone tolerates. He’s the one in the gang who everyone ends up loving just as much as everyone else. Barney shows such a terrible face to the world, sleeping with over 250 women and lying to most of them. He has all these rules that aren’t very ethical. He gives us most of the Misogynism in this show, which is definitely prevalent and makes the show not as strong as it was in the first watch. Still, we get to see Barney grow into someone who wants real love and a happy life. Sure, they show us that his marriage to Robin only lasts three years, but at least they tried. Barney just couldn’t make it work, and that’s honestly who Barney really is. A person who just enjoys sleeping with different people. I was very warmed to see the baby reveal and that Barney becoming a dad was what would change him more than anything. Barney is an underrated friend, and his importance to the gang is legendary.

Marshall - I. Love. Big Fudge. He’s just so fun, caring, goofy, loyal, and everything that I aspire to be in life. For some reason, when watching the show the first time, I related to Ted the most. I was definitely a bit more selfish then. But now, I see that I am a Marshall. He wants to do good in the world, and it drives him so much. He only loves Lily, and his loyalty to their relationship is just Goals. He is also the most fun to watch having a crisis. He gets the big eyes and covers his mouth and just gets obviously super uncomfortable. Some of my favorite moments of the show are also Marshall’s talks with Ted about his feelings for Robin. Any one-on-ones with Marshall and someone else are probably my favorite moments. And yes, I will always root for him over those damn machines!

Last Thoughts:

Sure, the writing wasn’t as sharp or as witty in the later seasons, but I loved the story lines and seeing the gang just live.

Tracy was an amazing character as The Mother, and I truly wonder what could have been if they had given us two full seasons of story with her instead of any episodes of Jeannette.

I really can’t believe Ted told his kids all those stories. A fun premise for a show, but really, not very realistic telling them all that jazz.

Ranjit and Carl are such fun recurring characters that I always enjoyed seeing every time they popped up.

Out of all the recurring jokes and gags, which there are many (y’all said Community has so many, but HIMYM really swings for it), I love the Major/General salute joke. Idk if I just didn’t care for it the first time around or forgot about it, but I just love how silly it is and how they kept it through to the very last episode.

Watching the gang sit at their table in MacLaren’s just hanging out will always make me smile.

#how i met your mother #himym #himym finale #ted mosby #marshall eriksen #lily aldrin #himym barney #himym robin #reviews #recaps #br&r

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mimzy-writing-online · 5 years

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My Experience Falling in Love while Going Blind

I’m writing an advice post about writing a blind character falling in love, and it’s is making me reflect on my last relationship and all the things I loved about it. I think this should be it’s own separate post, because my personal experience with dating while blind is unique.

While I was dating my last (only) girlfriend, I was experiencing the biggest about of life changes. Because of that, all my memories of adjusting to vision loss are intrinsically tied to all my memories of her. So a lot of this will be me sharing my experiences with vision loss too.

My last girlfriend is tied to a lot of my memories of struggle and acceptance. She helped me in ways I can’t explain with more than just my disability (accepting/understanding my gender for one, making me feel safe, listening to me always)

This is definitely not a guide for writing advice, which is most of what I do here. This is a meaningful, emotional experience that I’m willing to share with you. Please do not reblog.

I did say that most people with a disability would be hesitant to meet someone online. That’s true. I’ve tried it and there are real problems with it. I don’t put “oh and I’m blind” in my dating profile because I don’t want to be targeted by abusers or people with savior complexes. It’s also dangerous to be blind, people think they can get away with taking advantage of you. But I also struggle to tell people I’ve matched with and have been talking to that I’m blind. In fact it never gets put into conversation and I stop talking to them before an actual date happens.

But I did meet my last girlfriend online, on a dating app. The thing is, I met her before I began experiencing vision loss.

Three years before she and I met in person, we met online. She and I talked quite a bit, we even got to the exchanging phone numbers stage, but we never met. The reasons for this is that we were both 19 and growing a lot as people (and still are growing to this day, even after breaking up). She and I stopped talking, drifting away. I got a best friend, dated him, and then broke up with him. Reasons. About five months after that relationship she texted me out of the blue.

I recognized her name instantly. When I put her number in my contacts, I put it in as “[her name] the cutie” because I genuinely thought she was the cutest person I’d ever seen. I remembered her, liking her. I replied, we talked for a while and decided to meet. On a date. She specified date. Not hang out. She was clear. I liked that.

We met in public, because that’s first-date 101. I was at a mall and I asked my parents to drive me and to wait at the nearby bookstore while I met her in a coffee shop. As someone who cannot drive (vision loss) and cannot easily navigate the world (vision loss, but no cane by this point) I wanted backup in case it went bad.

But it didn’t.

Conversation was amazing. I liked her right away. I thought she was funny and sweet. She listened. Conversation never died or turned awkward. I felt something special talking to her.

The date involved coffee and then going to a movie. It was during the walking from the coffee shop to the movie theater that I let it slip that I don’t see well. Just don’t see well. No labels like visually impaired or blind. I just don’t see well. I mostly said that because it was an outdoor mall (and my vision is at it’s worst outside) and it was crowded and I was afraid that I’d accidentally walk into someone, or trip on something.

What day blind means is that in excessive lighting I see a lot less than I normally would. It’s like overexposed photos, the world turns to white. And for me personally, excess lighting is outside during the day. A cloudy day, a sunny day, it’s just too much light. So walking through this crowded mall in the daylight with sunglasses, all my upper vision is obscured/white and whatever is left is mostly shadows thanks to sunglasses. Also these sunglasses aren’t prescription, so I’m at the point that I can’t tell a trashcan from a person sitting still (true story).

She gave me her hand. The date went on. We visited a bookstore. We saw a movie. We got dinner. We saw another movie, a movie that means the world to me. That whole night is one of my favorite memories ever.

She was super cool about me wearing sunglasses at night, which at the time I was still intensely self conscious about, wondering what people would think about this random person always wearing sunglasses at night. But I needed them because bright outdoor lights cause me severe pain and cause migraines. I can’t look at car headlights or street lights, or any bright light. But she was understanding and I didn’t feel self conscious about it with her. I opened up more about my vision during that date and the two or three other dates that followed.

Nobody realized or accepted how bad my vision was until my accident

About two weeks after we started dating, I got in my first (only?) serious accident. By this point I was not considered visually impaired because I saw 20/50 with prescription glasses. The source of my vision issues wasn’t acuity, it’s that my eyes, optic nerves, and brain don’t know how to process light without pain and obscuring my vision. But the day blindness was life-impeding. I was terrified to walk outside by myself, but also too self conscious to ask anyone to be a sighted guide for me. Navigating my campus put me in danger of running into someone or something. (parked truck, trashcan, maintenance cart, stairs, signs, all things that happened or nearly happened) Anywhere that wasn’t familiar layout wise was terrifying to me.

I was at (another) outdoor mall and while walking through the parking lot I got stuck with the sun in my eyes. All my vision was blank. I was wearing sunglasses and still in pain. I thought I would stick close to my friend and listen to him, and I would make it to the curb (fifteen feet away) and be in the shadow of the building, and in that shadow I would see a little better.

The curb came before the shadow and I tripped, but I tripped while seeing nothing and it’s one of the scarier moments of my life. I couldn’t see where the ground was, but my knees and palms were burning with pain. I was crying behind my sunglasses. I still couldn’t see and my friend had to help me to my feet. We made it to the taco joint in the mall, met with another friend. Had lunch. They took me home. I went to my room and pealed off my leggings to see the damage to my throbbing knee. It was swollen, red, and bloody. The blood had dried to my leggings and pealing them away made it bleed again.

“This wouldn’t have happened if I had a cane,” I thought. “I’ve been trying to get one for two months but my mum keeps telling me to see doctors and get some kind of treatment, like I’m not struggling day to day while all that happens.”

First thing I did was walk to my mum and demand I get a cane before this happens to me again, and we ordered a cane right then and there. The second thing I did was text my girlfriend because I was still freaking out.

On our next date we talked about it, how afraid I am of walking around now after that accident (the cane took two weeks to get here, it was a LONG wait for me) She empathized with my fear and accepted that I was okay losing vision if I was allowed to do it on my own terms (get a cane, decide when and if I want to see doctors) and to not want a cure. For a while my mum had been pushing me to doctor after doctor (and there was never a diagnosis) and saying I should get LASIK eye surgury to improve some of my vision. Which I didn’t want.

I didn’t break anything during that accident, but I had a lot of pain and a small limp that first week, and the scar stayed for nearly a year.

My girlfriend accepted that I didn’t want a cure and I wanted to adjust to this life on my terms. She was my biggest supporter and listened to me, and only me, when it came to what I wanted/needed/could and could not do as a person with vision loss.

I think I told her I loved her within a month. I knew during the first date that I had the all too easy potential to fall in love with her. I don’t think I’ve had that feeling with more than one or two people in my life, knowing that if I let myself, I would fall in love. We made each other feel loved and cherished.

She was going through a few life changes herself, but I won’t go into that. I do know that I made her happy while we were dating, and that the support was not one-sided. We were there for each other.

There are a lot of memories I would love to share, but they’re more personal. The kind of personal I think no one deserves to know the whole of but me and her. There are moments and dates I can’t put to words no matter how talented a writer I am.

Why did we stop dating? It was because of my anxiety disorder. No, she didn’t break up with me because of it. I broke up with her because I’m an idiot. I pushed her away because I was a miserable, anxious mess who thought my anxiety would hurt her and that she was better off without me in her life. Which is terrible. Because at the same time I knew she loved me and would not want to break up with me, but I still thought it was better that I self destruct now instead of later. We broke up at six months. She kind of saw it coming, saw that I was unhappy (with myself, not her) and pushing her away.

I didn’t realize how much I missed her until three months later, and then I felt it all too deeply. This aching pain of missing her and knowing that it was too late weighing me down for the rest of the summer. That no matter how happy a moment, there was something missing and it was dragging me down just a little. I knew I was too late, knew I screwed up and I should accept it instead of trying to win her back. She deserves a stable relationship.

But loving her changed my life beyond just those six months. Knowing what it’s like to fall in love changed me as a person. It also partially inspired one of my other wips, titled: Why I Never Came Out, currently on hiatus as I work on A Witch’s Memory.

Why I Never Came Out is about a boy named Spencer who never came out as gay to his family because his loving (also gay) father has living with congestive heart failure. Spencer also broke up with his first love and was working on moving on and coming out to his family.

I think loving her just taught me the art of being human. Loving her has taught me how to emotionally support others while still taking care of myself. Taught me more about what it means to be queer (I am pan, but she was my first girl relationship).

I didn’t know this when it began, in fact I didn’t know this until a year after our break up, but my anxiety disorder was my mourning period. A mourning period refers to a when a person with a disability is mourning their previous way of life, before disability limited their independence and freedom. Depression and mental illness following a new disability/illness/relapse is incredibly common. For most people it’s depression, but for me it was anxiety. I was waiting two years for a depressive swing related to my blindness, but while working on A Witch’s Memory, which involves Ulric, my blind werewolf MC, and while working on some of Ulric’s character arc, I realized my anxiety disorder was my mourning period. It was my reaction to the changes in my life.

This is definitely not a guide for writing advice, which is most of what I do here. This is a meaningful, emotional experience that I’m willing to share with you. Again, please don’t reblog this. I’ll probably finish my guide to writing a blind character falling in love later tonight or tomorrow.

#personal #mimzy speaks

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commercialvansolutions · 4 years

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Food Truck Design 101: How to Build a Food Truck

In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about food truck design:

You can decide to follow these steps in order or use this resource as your food truck design plan. Either way, you should walk away from this article with a food truck design action plan that will help you build your empire on wheels.

Licenses and Permits for Food Trucks

We hate to kick this off with boring ol’ bureaucracy, but you should be thinking about licenses and permits before you even begin to think about your food truck design.

Local regulations for food trucks will affect every design choice you make. When asked what they wish they’d known when they launched their business, most food truck owners will talk about licenses and permits.

Food truck regulations vary from place to place, but here are some crucial permits you should definitely know about:

Emissions guidelines

Proximity restrictions

Parking permits

Staffing regulations

Before you begin to design your food truck, make sure you know which licenses you need to run your food truck in your city and state/province. You can take your design plans to your local government for review before you execute them. This can be an annoying step, but one that could save you from hefty fines and redesigns further down the road.

Before Designing Your Food Truck

You’ll want to design your food truck layout so it uses space efficiently, keeps your staff happy, and enables your customer experience.

When you start thinking about food truck design, make sure you have answers to the following three questions:

What’s on my menu?

What equipment do I need?

What’s my budget?

Now apply your answers to the following six steps of food truck design.

1. Choosing the Right Vehicle for Your Food Truck

First, a note: some experts think the truck should come before the design. Others think you should design your layout before you buy the truck.

There is no wrong answer here, but you may want to consider the latter over the former. When you envision your design before you buy your truck, you’ll be purchasing your truck based on the amount of space you need for your equipment, inventory, and staff.

Be ready to tweak your design once you actually have your food truck, but know that developing a solid vision for your design will help focus your efforts.

Lucky for you, we’ve come a long way since the first food truck – so you’ve got tons of options when shopping for the food truck of your dreams. Choosing the right vehicle for your business will likely be your first, if not your biggest, decision.

Consider the following while selecting your food truck:

Size: Bigger means more space for equipment, but smaller trucks are easier to maneuver and park.

Look: Match your food truck to your brand.

New vs. retrofitted: Do you dream of starting from scratch with your food truck build, or is retrofitting a vintage beauty more your style?

Fuel: Electric cars are a sustainable and cost effective option if you have access to charging stations and don’t plan on covering long distances. Fuel and biodiesel are great options for anyone planning to be in more remote areas like festivals.

Once you make your choice, you can start daydreaming about interiors and equipment, since you’ll have actual measurements to work with. Your truck is liable to be your most important asset and your biggest pain in the butt, so choose wisely according to your needs.

2. Running Your Food Truck

Food trucks don’t run on hopes and dreams. Powering your food truck can get expensive, but there are loads of ways to run a sustainable – and affordable – business.

Know the answers to these questions before you choose a power source for your food truck:

How much voltage will my equipment require?

What are the emissions guidelines and regulations in my area?

Will my power source affect my insurance rates?

Generators come in lots of different shapes and sizes. Running refrigerators, drink fountains, freezers, fryers, ovens, and lights all at once requires a lot of power. Investing in a good commercial generator will allow you to do all of that with the push of a button.

Generators pack a lot of punch, but they also produce a lot of carbon monoxide and heat. Make sure your generators are professionally installed with proper ventilation and away from anything flammable.

Solar panels are a great way to run your food truck and save some money. While solar panels can feel like a hefty investment up front, they’ll pay for themselves in no time as long as you’re in a place with enough sun to justify the expense.

The panels themselves can be placed on your roof. This can be cumbersome if you’re hoping to use that area for storage and ventilation, but the panels are flat and generally won’t take away from the aesthetic of your truck.

As a bonus, solar panels will give you bragging rights about the sustainability of your truck – which can help you when you’re marketing your truck.

Fuel-powered generators won’t leave you stuck without power on a rainy week, but they do cause emissions and can be costly to run. If you’re able to source a generator that runs on biodiesel, you’re laughing. Biodiesel engines can run on vegetable oil, so if you’re running a deep fryer, consider this option number one!

You have the option to connect your generator to its own dedicated tank or pull from your vehicle’s on board fuel tank to save space. Just don’t get stuck without enough fuel to peel out as that mob of hangry music fest goers realize you’re out of donuts.

3. Your Food Truck Layout

Without a truck and power you wouldn’t even have a business in the first place – but your food truck layout is where the planning gets real. Your food truck’s interior design will have the biggest impact on your staff and your customers, which will have the biggest impact on your business overall.

The kitchen is where the magic happens. A poorly designed food truck kitchen can make staff feel like Rick Moranis in his lesser known flick, Honey I Shrunk the Kitchen.

Your kitchen layout will depend entirely on your menu, but it should also prioritize your staff’s safety, happiness, and efficiency.

Here’s what you’ll need to include in your food truck kitchen blueprint:

Durable, non-slip, inflammable floors like commercial grade laminate or vinyl

Proper ventilation in the form of a hood fan and roof vent, with additional windows if you can swing it

Room for staff to move around freely while carrying hot pots and pans

Easy access to inventory and ease of transition between workstations

Emergency exits

Visualize your final product from its arrival to your truck through to its delivery to your customer, and design your kitchen based on that workflow. Your workflow is unique to your food truck, but you can use this list as a basic template to work from in designing your food truck:

Refrigeration and dry storage

Food preparation area

Grills, deep fryers, ovens, and stove tops

Plating area

Serving area

Clean up station

Handwashing station as per your local regulations

Outsource your food truck design

Doing it yourself to cut costs is tempting, but don’t become the next Pinterest vs. reality meme. Outsourcing your food truck design can save you time, money, and headaches in the long run by ensuring it will be done right the first time.

The service window is your only point of contact with your customers, and space here – just like everywhere else – is at a premium. The amount of counter space you require will depend on the type of food you’re serving, but regardless of your menu, you don’t want your POS system taking up half the space. Commercial Van Solutions offers an iPad POS system that will free up space at your service counter and improve workflow.

Ambiance is crucial to your customer’s enjoyment of your food truck. An awning over your service counter not only protects customers from the elements, but also makes them feel like they’ve stepped inside.

Hang string lights between your truck and a nearby tree or portable post to entice passersby. Well designed, legible, and brand-relevant menu boards also go a long way to enhance customer experience.

4. Food Truck Mobility

Despite the inherent implication of mobility in the name, many food trucks stay in one place year round. Remember that you have the option to stay put or move around.

Both options come with their own advantages, but you should know that your decision will directly affect your design choices. Here’s how.

Option A: Staying put

Some stationary food trucks offer options like outdoor seating, reusable dishware, and outdoor public restrooms. The drawback is that – much like with brick & mortar restaurants – you’re relying on people coming to you rather than following the action.

There are several ways choosing to stay put will affect your design choices:

Smaller service window: You may opt for a model where people order at the counter and their food is brought out to them, which cuts back on the space you need for your service window. This feature will give you more space for things like food prep and cooking.

Intricate decor: Your exterior light fixtures and menu boards can be a little more sophisticated since you won’t be tearing them down and packing them up at the end of your work day.

Less storage space for dishware: Reusable dishware requires less storage space than their disposable counterparts. Note, however, that you may require an extra staff person to man the cleaning station and ensure you don’t run out of cups or plates in the middle of service.

Option B: Hitting the road

Going mobile means you can go where the people are, which is half the battle of restaurant ownership. The downsides to mobility are mostly related to logistics and awareness of changing regulations based on where you’re parked that day.

Also don’t forget the need to tear down and drive away every night.

Here’s how mobility will affect your design choices:

Storage space: Moving around from place to place means you’re unlikely to have a seating area, and most people will be taking their food to go. Plan for a fair amount of your storage space to be devoted to disposable dishware, cutlery, and takeout containers.

Equipment load: The weight of the equipment on board your truck directly impacts fuel efficiency and puts extra wear and tear on your truck’s suspension and brakes. If you plan to cover a lot of miles, aim to source lightweight equipment and supplies.

Material tear down: Anything you plan to set up outside your truck – think sandwich boards, string lights, garbage cans, etc. – needs to be easy to set up and tear down, and should have its own designated storage area on board.

Emergency equipment: The more you drive, the higher your risk of breaking down. Make sure you have emergency car maintenance equipment onboard, like a jack, spare tire, extra fuses, booster cables, and a basic toolkit.

5. Branding Your Food Truck

Food truck marketing is a world of its own, one we highly recommend you drive – excuse us, dive – into.

The difference between marketing a brick & mortar restaurant versus a food truck is that in the one instance you’re attempting to drive people to your restaurant, and in the next instance you’re attempting to drive to your customers.

An attractive exterior goes a long way to attracting people to your truck. Here are some options to consider when you’re branding the exterior of your food truck.

Vinyl wraps

Vinyl wraps are the most common method of designing food truck exteriors, and for good reason. Despite being pricey and difficult to install (there are people you can pay to do this for you), they’re great for building a strong brand. You can upload your logo and other graphic design elements related to your brand directly to the printer, which creates a firm foundation for a consistent brand identity.

Hand painting

The main alternative to vinyl wrapping your truck is hand painting it. This option is significantly cheaper and a lot more DIY friendly. The downside is that it may be more difficult to achieve a consistent brand, as your painted logo is unlikely to look the same as the one on your website. But hiring a local artist to paint your truck is great way to increase word of mouth about your business. You’re also more likely to end up with a design that makes you stand out from the crowd.

A little of each

Rather than having your whole truck wrapped, you can opt for vinyl decals of your logo and other graphics to cut costs without compromising your brand identity.

6. Food Truck Bathrooms

To throne or not to throne? Is that the question? The answer will depend on a few things:

Regulations in your area

The size of your truck

Where you’re planning to sell food

Personal preference

While restroom regulations vary from city to city, most places require you to be within a certain distance from a washroom with soap and running water. Many cities also have limits on how long you can leave your truck unattended, even if it’s shuttered.

If you have the space, a toilet on board can increase productivity if it means your staff don’t have to go offsite to use the washroom. That being said, dealing with grey water tanks or composting toilets can significantly add to the amount of time you’ll spend on cleaning and maintaining your food truck.

The food truck industry is growing in leaps and bounds, and it isn’t hard to see why. Whether you’re taking your dream of restaurant ownership on the road or adding a mobile element to your existing brand, it’s a great time to get in on the action.

A well thought out plan is a solid foundation on which to begin building your business, and that’s what food truck design is all about. There are no limits to how many changes and alterations you can make during the design phase. Keep reconfiguring things until you land on a model that makes the most sense for you.

Don't be ashamed to ask the owners of your favorite food trucks what they ask if they have given another chance. Choose your favorite and least favorite elements from other people's trucks, Commercial vans and include or omit those from your design.

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gtfovacations-blog · 6 years

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Free Things to Do in Washington, D.C. in 2018

Updated: 8/22/2018 | August 22nd, 2018 Washington D.C. is a place I’ve been to many times throughout the years. I love the city: there are people from all over the world, there’s a ton of things to see an do, incredible bars, natural attractions, diversity, and world-class restaurants. Yet there’s one really big downside to the city: cost. Washington D.C. is not a cheap city. With all those free-spending politicians, lobbyists, and diplomats floating around the city driving up prices, costs here are pretty high. Meals, hotels, transportation, parking—they all add up to a lot of money. Luckily, there are many great free things to do in the city for the budget traveler. Thanks to all the national monuments, parks, and festivals in the city, you can find a lot of free things to do in Washington D.C. Here’s a list of the best free things to do in the city: Visit the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is the highest court of the land. Its decisions are final. Court sessions are actually open to the public on a first come, first served basis and there are free 30-minute lectures in the main hall that explain how the court functions. There are no guided tours of the buildings, but you can take advantage of the educational lectures, a visitor film, and special exhibitions. (Definitely try to attend one of the lectures as it’s a very insightful way to learn about how the court works.) 1 First St NE, supremecourt.gov/visiting. Open Monday-Friday from 9am-4:30pm. To sit in on a lecture, check the court’s calendar. Lectures take place several times throughout the day. Just show up and stand in line. Tour the Capitol Building

This building is where the U.S. Congress meets to….well, they are supposed to do something but lately, it feels like they don’t really do anything but complain! The Capitol offers free tours throughout the day. Tickets are available at 8:30 am on a first come, first served basis. Get there early as the tickets are usually gone very quickly. You can also book your tour in advance through your local senator or member of Congress. Tickets to sit in the galley and watch Congress in session are also available for free, on a first come, first served basis. East Capitol St NE & First St SE, visitthecapitol.gov. Open Monday-Friday from 8:30am-4:30pm. Tours take place Mon-Fri (8:40am-3:20pm). Advance reservation is recommended but not required. Visit the Smithsonian Museums

The Smithsonian Institution is a group of museums and research centers that are administered by the US government. Founded in 1846, all Smithsonian museums are free to enter (and they even offer free Wi-Fi!). If you feel like indulging, two of the museums in Washington have massive IMAX movie theatres (that play regular movies). The museums and centers include: Air and Space Museum African American Museum American History Museum African Art Museum American Art Museum American Indian Museum Anacostia Community Museum Archives of American Art Arts and Industries Building Freer Gallery of Art Hirshhorn National Zoo Natural History Museum Portrait Gallery Postal Museum Renwick Gallery S. Dillon Ripley Center Sackler Gallery Smithsonian Castle Smithsonian Gardens +1 202-633-1000, si.edu. Each museum has their own operating hours so be sure to check with that museum. See the Monuments

The National Mall isn’t actually a “mall”. It’s a spacious landscaped, tree-lined park.filled with various walking paths and monuments. You could spend days trying to see them all as you walk around and explore. Here’s a list of the attractions and monuments on the National Mall: Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument – This building was home to the National Women’s Party for almost 90 years and was designated a national monument in 2016 by President Barack Obama. It features information on women’s rights and suffrage. Constitution Gardens – These beautiful gardens commemorate the framers of the Constitution and are a beautiful place to sit and relax, especially during the summer when it is in full bloom. Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site – This is the site of Abraham Lincoln’s assintation and includes a museum about the assassination. It’s still a working theater too! Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial – This is a beautiful memorial takes you through Roosevelt’s four terms in office using quotes carved in stone and beautiful bronze artwork. It’s one of my favorite memorials in the city and features a beautiful Japanese Garden as well as calming waterfalls. Korean War Veterans Memorial – The most popular memorial on the Mall, this Wall of Remembrance has 19 statues commemorating the millions who fought during the Korean War. It’s hauntingly beautiful and sad all at once. The Lincoln Memorial – This is home to the famous, giant statue of Abraham Lincoln. It’s one of the best…so good I have an entire section about it below! Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial – A giant carving of Dr. King honors his legacy and quest for freedom, equality, and justice. The carving includes quotes from his writings. Thomas Jefferson Memorial – This memorial to Thomas Jefferson is located inside a circular colonnade, opposite a lot of the main memorials and features a great view of the entire mall and river. Vietnam Veterans Memorial – A chronological list of the names of more than 58,000 Americans who served and gave their lives in Vietnam. Washington Monument – Standing at 555-feet tall, this marble obelisk at the center of the park was built to honor George Washington. It’s closed for repairs at the moment but you can enjoy looking at it as well as the green space around it, which is often filled with festivals, people, and vendors. World War II Memorial – A beautiful memorial dedicated to the 16 million people who served in the American armed forces during WWII. +1 202-426-6841, nps.gov/nama. The National Mall is open 24 hours and admission is free. Check ahead on the website to see if there is a Ranger Walk (free tour) happening during your visit. Visit the National Zoo

The zoo opened in 1889 and is home to over 1,800 animals spread over 160 acres of land. Lemurs, great apes, elephants, reptiles, and pandas — and many more animals — all call the zoo home. The zoo was one of the first in the world to create a scientific research program. It’s a great stop if you’re traveling with kids (or if you’re just young at heart!). As part of the Smithsonian, the zoo is also free to visit. 3001 Connecticut Ave NW, +1 202-633-4888, nationalzoo.si.edu. Open daily from 8am-7pm. Visit the White House

This is one of the most iconic buildings in the world. It was built in 1792, though most of it was burned down by the British during the War of 1812 (before that, it wasn’t actually white!). While arranging a tour can be tedious (you need to book it weeks in advance), it’s a fun and educational experience. 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/tours-events. Self-guided tours are available Tuesday-Thursday from 7:30am-11:30am and from 7:30am-1:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays. To request a tour, American citizens need to contact their member of Congress, while foreign visitors need to contact their embassy in Washington. You can submit a request for a tour up to three months in advance, but no less than 21 days in advance. If you’re an American citizen 18 years of age or older, you need to present a government-issued photo ID. Foreign nationals need to present their passport. Take a free walking tour

One of the best ways to take in the city is on a free walking tour. You’ll get to see the city’s main sights, learn about the city’s history, and have an expert on hand to pepper with any questions you have. Explore the Library of Congress

The is the largest library in the world. There are over 16 million books here and over 120 million other historical and media items. Established in 1800, over 3,000 staff help keep this place running! It’s the main research center of the U.S. Congress and is home to the U.S. Copyright Office. It’s the best place for bookworms in the world! 101 Independence Ave SE, +1 202-707-5000, loc.gov. The library is open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8:30am-9:30pm and Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday from 9:30am-4pm. The library is closed on Sundays. Free tours of the Thomas Jefferson Building Public take place hourly Mon-Fri (10:30am-3:30pm), and hourly on Saturdays (10:30am-2:30pm). All you have to do is show up. Check the website for any special tours happening during your visit (sometimes the Library will open the Music Division’s Whittall Pavilion for public viewing). See the Lincoln Memorial

The Lincoln Memorial deserves its own spot on this list as it’s so beautiful, has an amazing view of the reflection pool, and the Capitol building. Honest Abe’s two most famous speeches — the second inaugural address and the Gettysburg Address — are inscribed on the walls around the memorial. 2 Lincoln Memorial Circle NW, nps.gov/linc/index.htm. Open 24/7. Check ahead on the website to see if there is a Ranger Walk (free tour) happening during your visit. Peruse the National Gallery of Art

There’s an incredibly large collection of artwork, from Henri Matisse to Claude Monet to Leonardo da Vinci. The East Building is home to the gallery’s more modern art, while the West Building houses older artwork. You’ll often see art students throughout the building trying to paint. Some of them are really, really good! Don’t forget to check out the sculpture garden while you’re there. In the summers, there is free Jazz in the Garden every Friday starting at 11 am. 3rd Street and 9th Street on Constitution Avenue NW, +1 202-737-4215, nga.gov/visit.html. The National Gallery is open Mon-Sat (10am-5pm), and Sun (11am-6pm). There are a number of free docent-led tours of varying themes occurring daily, as well as Gallery Talks hosted by museum curators and conservators. Dates and times change frequently. Check the website to find out what’s happening during your visit.. Hang out by the Tidal Basin

The Tidal Basin is a manmade pond stretching two miles long the mall. It also serves as a popular hangout spot for locals and visitors and is the best place to come see the cherry blossom trees each spring. In the spring and summer months, you can rent a paddle boat (around $18 per hour) and spend the afternoon relaxing on the pond. Visit the National Archives Museum

The National Archives Museum houses the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution, plus one of the few remaining copies of the Magna Carta left in the world. It’s a great place for history buffs and it’s filled with really informative panels. If you’re traveling with children, there are plenty of interactive exhibits inside too. 701 Constitution Avenue NW, museum.archives.gov. Open daily 10am-5:30pm. Self-guided timed entry reservations are offered every 15 minutes from 10:30am-4:00pm. There is also a docent-led guided tour Mon-Fri at 9:45am. The tour includes the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom, the Public Vaults, and a special exhibit gallery. It’s advised to reserve online in advance, but you’ll have to pay a $1.50 reservation fee. Visit the Holocaust Memorial Museum

This is one of the best Holocaust museums in the world and features a large permanent exhibit that takes up three whole levels and tells the story of the Holocaust through films, photos, artifacts, and first-person stories. There are also rotating exhibits meant to educate visitors about the ongoing threat of genocide and violence around the world. It’s so powerful and moving. I strongly urge you to visit while you’re in the city! National Mall, just south of Independence Avenue, SW, between 14th Street and Raoul Wallenberg Place (15th Street). +1 202-488-0406, ushmm.org. Open daily 10am-5:20pm, with extended hours in the spring and summer. Because of high traffic, you will need to reserve a ticket online for visits between March 1-August 31. Hang out in historic Georgetown

This area used to be a transit point for farmers selling tobacco in the 1700s. In fact, Georgetown was around before Washington, DC. While this area is known for its fantastic shopping, dining, and nightlife options, you can simply spend hours strolling through here taking in the well-preserved Georgian homes and architecture. Tour the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

This center is a memorial to JFK and has nine theaters and stages dedicated to music, dance, and theater, as well as international and children’s programs. There’s a free guided tour here every 10 minutes. There’s an awesome rooftop terrace with panoramic views of Washington, D.C. 2700 F St NW, +1 800-444-1324, kennedy-center.org. Tours take place Mon-Fri (10am-5pm), and Sat-Sun (10am-1pm). There is a free shuttle to the center from Foggy Bottom-GWU-Kennedy Center Metro station. Call ahead of time to make sure the tour is going ahead. Enjoy nature in Rock Creek Park

This 4.4 square mile park is a popular spot for outdoor enthusiasts, with tons of trails for hiking and biking. There are picnic areas, tennis courts, and even riding stables too! It’s an awesome place to enjoy nature in the city. See the National Capitol Columns and the National Arboretum

The National Capitol Columns are part of the 446-acre National Arboretum (also free), providing a quiet oasis in the middle of a busy city. You can visit the giant historic columns that once supported the East Portico of the U.S. Capitol from 1828-1958. There are two entrances: one at 3501 New York Avenue, NE, and the other at 24th & R Streets, NE, off of Bladensburg Road. +1-202-245-2726, usna.usda.gov. Open daily 8am-5pm.na Washington isn’t a cheap place to visit, but with many of the city’s activities available for free, you’ll be able to visit the city without breaking the bank. There is enough here to keep you busy for more than a few days! Let's start planning your next vacation! Photo Credits: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19 Read the full article

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theladyjstyle · 6 years

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Updated: 8/22/2018 | August 22nd, 2018

Washington D.C. is a place I’ve been to many times throughout the years. I love the city: there are people from all over the world, there’s a ton of things to see an do, incredible bars, natural attractions, diversity, and world-class restaurants. Yet there’s one really big downside to the city: cost. Washington D.C. is not a cheap city. With all those free-spending politicians, lobbyists, and diplomats floating around the city driving up prices, costs here are pretty high. Meals, hotels, transportation, parking—they all add up to a lot of money.

Luckily, there are many great free things to do in the city for the budget traveler. Thanks to all the national monuments, parks, and festivals in the city, you can find a lot of free things to do in Washington D.C.

Here’s a list of the best free things to do in the city:

Visit the Supreme Court The Supreme Court is the highest court of the land. Its decisions are final. Court sessions are actually open to the public on a first come, first served basis and there are free 30-minute lectures in the main hall that explain how the court functions. There are no guided tours of the buildings, but you can take advantage of the educational lectures, a visitor film, and special exhibitions. (Definitely try to attend one of the lectures as it’s a very insightful way to learn about how the court works.)

1 First St NE, supremecourt.gov/visiting. Open Monday-Friday from 9am-4:30pm. To sit in on a lecture, check the court’s calendar. Lectures take place several times throughout the day. Just show up and stand in line.

Tour the Capitol Building This building is where the U.S. Congress meets to….well, they are supposed to do something but lately, it feels like they don’t really do anything but complain! The Capitol offers free tours throughout the day. Tickets are available at 8:30 am on a first come, first served basis. Get there early as the tickets are usually gone very quickly. You can also book your tour in advance through your local senator or member of Congress. Tickets to sit in the galley and watch Congress in session are also available for free, on a first come, first served basis.

East Capitol St NE & First St SE, visitthecapitol.gov. Open Monday-Friday from 8:30am-4:30pm. Tours take place Mon-Fri (8:40am-3:20pm). Advance reservation is recommended but not required.

Visit the Smithsonian Museums

Air and Space Museum

African American Museum

American History Museum

African Art Museum

American Art Museum

American Indian Museum

Anacostia Community Museum

Archives of American Art

Arts and Industries Building

Freer Gallery of Art

Hirshhorn

National Zoo

Natural History Museum

Portrait Gallery

Postal Museum

Renwick Gallery

S. Dillon Ripley Center

Sackler Gallery

Smithsonian Castle

Smithsonian Gardens

+1 202-633-1000, si.edu. Each museum has their own operating hours so be sure to check with that musuem.

See the Monuments The National Mall isn’t actually a “mall”. It’s a spacious landscaped, tree-lined park.filled with various walking paths and monuments. You could spend days trying to see them all as you walk around and explore. Here’s a list of the attractions and monuments on the National Mall:

Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument – This building was home to the National Women’s Party for almost 90 years and was designated a national monument in 2016 by President Barack Obama. It features information on women’s rights and suffrage.

Constitution Gardens – These beautiful gardens commemorate the framers of the Constitution and are a beautiful place to sit and relax, especially during the summer when it is in full bloom.

Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site – This is the site of Abraham Lincoln’s assintation and includes a museum about the assassination. It’s still a working theater too!

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial – This is a beautiful memorial takes you through Roosevelt’s four terms in office using quotes carved in stone and beautiful bronze artwork. It’s one of my favorite memorials in the city and features a beautiful Japanese Garden as well as calming waterfalls.

Korean War Veterans Memorial – The most popular memorial on the Mall, this Wall of Remembrance has 19 statues commemorating the millions who fought during the Korean War. It’s hauntingly beautiful and sad all at once.

The Lincoln Memorial – This is home to the famous, giant statue of Abraham Lincoln. It’s one of the best…so good I have an entire section about it below!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial – A giant carving of Dr. King honors his legacy and quest for freedom, equality, and justice. The carving includes quotes from his writings.

Thomas Jefferson Memorial – This memorial to Thomas Jefferson is located inside a circular colonnade, opposite a lot of the main memorials and features a great view of the entire mall and river.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial – A chronological list of the names of more than 58,000 Americans who served and gave their lives in Vietnam.

Washington Monument – Standing at 555-feet tall, this marble obelisk at the center of the park was built to honor George Washington. It’s closed for repairs at the moment but you can enjoy looking at it as well as the green space around it, which is often filled with festivals, people, and vendors.

World War II Memorial – A beautiful memorial dedicated to the 16 million people who served in the American armed forces during WWII.

+1 202-426-6841, nps.gov/nama. The National Mall is open 24 hours and admission is free. Check ahead on the website to see if there is a Ranger Walk (free tour) happening during your visit.

Visit the National Zoo The zoo opened in 1889 and is home to over 1,800 animals spread over 160 acres of land. Lemurs, great apes, elephants, reptiles, and pandas — and many more animals — all call the zoo home. The zoo was one of the first in the world to create a scientific research program. It’s a great stop if you’re traveling with kids (or if you’re just young at heart!). As part of the Smithsonian, the zoo is also free to visit.

3001 Connecticut Ave NW, +1 202-633-4888, nationalzoo.si.edu. Open daily from 8am-7pm.

Visit the White House

1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/tours-events. Self-guided tours are available Tuesday-Thursday from 7:30am-11:30am and from 7:30am-1:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays. To request a tour, American citizens need to contact their member of Congress, while foreign visitors need to contact their embassy in Washington. You can submit a request for a tour up to three months in advance, but no less than 21 days in advance. If you’re an American citizen 18 years of age or older, you need to present a government-issued photo ID. Foreign nationals need to present their passport.

Take a free walking tour

Explore the Library of Congress

101 Independence Ave SE, +1 202-707-5000, loc.gov. The library is open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8:30am-9:30pm and Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday from 9:30am-4pm. The library is closed on Sundays. Free tours of the Thomas Jefferson Building Public take place hourly Mon-Fri (10:30am-3:30pm), and hourly on Saturdays (10:30am-2:30pm). All you have to do is show up. Check the website for any special tours happening during your visit (sometimes the Library will open the Music Division’s Whittall Pavilion for public viewing).

See the Lincoln Memorial

2 Lincoln Memorial Circle NW, nps.gov/linc/index.htm. Open 24/7. Check ahead on the website to see if there is a Ranger Walk (free tour) happening during your visit.

Peruse the National Gallery of Art

3rd Street and 9th Street on Constitution Avenue NW, +1 202-737-4215, nga.gov/visit.html. The National Gallery is open Mon-Sat (10am-5pm), and Sun (11am-6pm). There are a number of free docent-led tours of varying themes occurring daily, as well as Gallery Talks hosted by museum curators and conservators. Dates and times change frequently. Check the website to find out what’s happening during your visit..

Hang out by the Tidal Basin

Visit the National Archives Museum

701 Constitution Avenue NW, museum.archives.gov. Open daily 10am-5:30pm. Self-guided timed entry reservations are offered every 15 minutes from 10:30am-4:00pm. There is also a docent-led guided tour Mon-Fri at 9:45am. The tour includes the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom, the Public Vaults, and a special exhibit gallery. It’s advised to reserve online in advance, but you’ll have to pay a $1.50 reservation fee.

Visit the Holocaust Memorial Museum

National Mall, just south of Independence Avenue, SW, between 14th Street and Raoul Wallenberg Place (15th Street). +1 202-488-0406, ushmm.org. Open daily 10am-5:20pm, with extended hours in the spring and summer. Because of high traffic, you will need to reserve a ticket online for visits between March 1-August 31.

Hang out in historic Georgetown

Tour the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

2700 F St NW, +1 800-444-1324, kennedy-center.org. Tours take place Mon-Fri (10am-5pm), and Sat-Sun (10am-1pm). There is a free shuttle to the center from Foggy Bottom-GWU-Kennedy Center Metro station. Call ahead of time to make sure the tour is going ahead.

Enjoy nature in Rock Creek Park

See the National Capitol Columns and the National Arboretum

There are two entrances: one at 3501 New York Avenue, NE, and the other at 24th & R Streets, NE, off of Bladensburg Road. +1-202-245-2726, usna.usda.gov. Open daily 8am-5pm.na

***

Washington isn’t a cheap place to visit, but with many of the city’s activities available for free, you’ll be able to visit the city without breaking the bank. There is enough here to keep you busy for more than a few days!

Book Your Trip to Washington: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight to Washington by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines. Start with Momondo.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel in Washington with Hostelworld. If you want to stay elsewhere, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates. (Here’s the proof.)

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never ever go on a trip without it. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. You should too.

Need Some Gear? Check out our resource page for the best companies to use!

Want More Information on Washington? Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Washington, D.C. for even more planning tips!

Photo Credits: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19

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vidovicart · 6 years

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Free Things to Do in Washington, D.C. in 2018

Updated: 8/22/2018 | August 22nd, 2018

Here’s a list of the best free things to do in the city:

East Capitol St NE & First St SE, visitthecapitol.gov. Open Monday-Friday from 8:30am-4:30pm. Tours take place Mon-Fri (8:40am-3:20pm). Advance reservation is recommended but not required.

Visit the Smithsonian Museums