1100 New York Avenue

Several months ago I attended an event in honor of public service. It corresponded specifically with public service week and was one of the first truly local things I did. Only in DC can you walk into a random conference room in the middle of a weekday and find thirty TV and print reporters all jostling to get a rare quote from one of the four (count ’em four) leaders of U.S. Cabinet Agencies in attendance. I know, pretty cool!

1100 New York Ave NW

I took my seat about four rows back off to a slight angle and waited for our all-star emcee to kick off things. In the meantime I struck up a conversation with my seat mate, Jim. He worked for PwC, one of the sponsors and a large private employer in the area. Read: living large off federal government contracts. Nice guy, he was their official representative to several events during the week. He was big on promoting the Sammies — said I should make a point to attend any event surrounding their nominations or presentations. Told him thanks, never hear of them but my wife is fairly aware of such things and I’d run it by her. Good conversation, he also doled out several other ideas for kicking around town, he’d been around awhile but looking to an exit in the near future after the final kid finishes her over-priced fancy college time. 

Interior Atrium
After a few minutes Cokie took the microphone and gave a summary of the event along with bios of each of the Cabinet heads. Again, fourth row, small room. Cokie Roberts. Pretty cool! 
Each guest had a three part layout: their personal bio, reasons they entered public service then open for audience questions. A more interesting couple of hours that’s been difficult to match. 

With no agenda after I took to wandering around the building. I was late in arriving, barely noticing the unique facade, only that it didn’t fit the block. Wandering around the floor I saw typical city office motif. Conference rooms, waiting rooms, suits. Bleh. I headed back down to the lobby when I hit the jewel–a big old (albeit fake) bus inside the lobby! Wait, two of them! This was the DC Greyhound Super Terminal of the 1940’s! Then the building front hit me–it must be the restored front. Looking like a cross between a ’50s diner and much of South Beach it just didn’t register when I walked in. 

Sure enough I wandered around the lobby and it was randomly littered with Greyhound memorabilia. Photos, clippings, artifacts. All manner of historical finds. My afternoon was now complete. Unfortunately I didn’t know I’d be in this building so only had a pocket-cam. It’s unlikely to rate another trip but I was happy for the time spent. One of my first big adventures in the city a resounding success.