Scrambled eggs

Yesterday was the day of two concerts, two trips to Perch Pub, conversations with four strangers, and staying up past midnight (which is unusual for me).

First concert - Rain, the Beatles tribute band, at the Academy of Music.

I knew the answer to this bit of trivia:

The show was very, very good -- not least because I found myself watching through tears at a few points, just being reminded of that time so long ago.

After the show (a 2:00 pm matinee), we walked down Broad Street.

Then we checked in to the hotel. (This overnight stay in the city is a Christmas gift from my son - very thoughtful!)

The hotel is Club Quarters, a very nice downtown location aimed mainly at business travelers. It's the only time I've stayed at a hotel with a little (very little) library of reference works in the room.

I'm sure the books are just for show. I don't think there is a businessperson in the country who is not already familiar with the Stephen Covey books, and who needs the reference works when you have a laptop or iPad or smartphone?

Before the next concert, we went to the Perch Pub for a drink. This is the restaurant I have mentioned before, because they served the best martini in the world.

We met a very nice couple and talked to them for about an hour. Chris (actually, his name is Krishna, but he has Americanized it) was born in Malaysia, she in the US. He has a really fascinating point of view - he is a Hindu, believes in reincarnation (and that this world may be hell), is a conservative Republican who is angry with George Bush about the war in Iraq, and both he and she are great people to talk to in a bar!

Oh - and they were on their way to see Rain, the concert we had just seen. But this will be their third time seeing it - they have also seen it twice in New York City. Seems the Beatles were just as popular in Malaysia as everywhere else, and Chris grew up with the Beatles just like we did.

We headed back down Broad Street for the Kimmel Center. Broad Street south of City Hall is lined with theaters and other venues, which is why it is called the Avenue of the Arts.

And so on to the second concert of the day. To be continued.