The Philadelphia Story

After I finished that post from three days ago in the Cleveland Airport, I walked to my gate to discover that my flight had been delayed two hours.  My layover had already been three hours long, so what was two more?

I bought a magazine and made myself comfortable.

As the departure time approached, I looked up to notice a whole bunch of people in my seating area leaving.  I figured I had just missed some announcement over the PA about a gate change, but knew they would post an update on the board in a minute.

A minute later, I looked up to see that ill-fated word in red letters, all caps: CANCELED.

While the flight was canceled as a result of mechanical delays, I had actually anticipated a cancellation due to weather.  With this in mind, I planned the flight through Cleveland so a cancellation would mean an opportunity to hang out with my roommate of three years at ASU, Ryan.  A fortuitous decision, indeed!

[Strangely enough, Ryan was on spring break when I went home from tour two weeks ago, and picked me up from the airport then, too!]

A night of Thai food, Béla Fleck's documentary Throw Down Your Heart (2008), and great conversation then commenced.

Ice on Ryan's car window at 5:50 a.m., the next morning.

I finally arrived in Philadelphia two days ago, excited to see Joanna, one of my best friends from high school, and eager to cram as much into my 24-ish hours in town as possible.

Ready, set, go! 

Lunch at the Reading Terminal Market.

National Constitution Center

George Washington

With James Madison, author of the Bill of Rights, and--most importantly--my favorite Framer of the Constitution.  Just take a moment to think about how the First Amendment affects your life every day...it's monumentally influential and unbelievably cool.  Thanks, Madison!  You're awesome.

Signers' Hall

Liberty Bell

The Kimmel Center, home of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

With Joanna after the incredible concert.

Post-concert desserts.

City Hall

Logan Square

Philadelphia Museum of Art

The view from the top of the Museum of Art's steps...

...right where Rocky stood!

A reproduction of Rodin's The Thinker.

A giant moth in The Academy of Natural Science's butterfly exhibit.

I'm glad to see the Academy keeps its snake well-informed of pop culture and Grammy upsets (notice the photo of Esperanza Spalding in the corner).

The Curtis Institute of Music, considered by many to be the most elite of the music conservatories.

A deconstructed cello in the window of a store near Curtis.

When I finally caught up with the band at the airport in Philly yesterday afternoon, I felt exhausted from all the walking I did in the previous 24 hours, but was thrilled to have successfully squeezed in a visit to see both Ryan and Joanna before tour.

[A special thank you to Ryan and Joanna for letting me visit and crash on their futons!]

Last night, Charlie surprised me with an unexpected gift:

Pear is the band formed by Denis & Lynae Dufresne, two original members of Barrage, two of my idols, and two of the coolest people around.  When I first saw Barrage back in 7th grade, they both made a distinct impression on me.  All I wanted in life was to be as cool as Denis was, and I may still be guilty of occasionally belting out "Until We Meet Again" with Lynae while I'm driving in my car...

[Coincidentally, Denis' Barrage part, Violin C, is the part I play now!]

I met and played with them in 2006 when I did a gig for an ad-hoc Barrage performance up in Calgary (after my audition, but before I joined).  Afterward, they regaled me and the other two violinists, Lydia and Arlyn, with stories of the early days in Barrage at a local pub...a Barrage super-fan's dream come true.

L to R: Lydia, Arlyn, me, Lynae, and Denis.  September 2006.

I was thrilled to finally get my hands on a copy of their CD, which I listened to while I wrote this entry.  You should check out Pear.  They're really, really great.

Thank you, Denis & Lynae!  (And thank you Charlie, for picking up the CD!)

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And just when you thought I'd gone to Philadelphia and not dorkily reenacted Rocky...