i directed a couple of friends, new to dc, who were staying nearby to pack some water and a bedsheet from their hotel in a backpack, walk down to the mall, and spread out between the wash monument and the WW2 memorial. they said it was the best fireworks show they had ever seen.

meanwhile, i was at another friend's house for barbeque, where we watched the fireworks on tv via the "capitol fourth," featuring an animatronic barry manilow.