If you are a Starbucks aficionado, you are in for some rude shocks on the Ohio and Pennsylvania turnpikes. For a start, in Ohio, half the Starbucks have morphed into Gloria Jeans. Quite how this has been allowed to occur is a rather rude mystery. Starbucks people know that coffee is not just coffee and Gloria Jeans simply doesn't cut it. SO not the same. In Pennsylvania though, you get Starbucks on the turnpike with Attitude. They ain't making it your way and you can whistle dixie if you think otherwise. Oh, and you will be charged extra for the privilege of having your drink screwed up by a pseudo Starbucks barista. I also learned that a Starbucks gold card means zip since there are apparently, 'no benefits on the turnpike'. So there.
At the end of the turnpike in Pittsburgh though, there are benefits aplenty. For instance, you could be pursued down the street by a very famous rock star who wants to enfold you in a big old bear hug, give you a kiss and ask you what you thought about the show last night and whether you had fun. Of course that would be CRAZY and the chances of it actually happening are zero and none, unless you happen to be US and then all bets are off and anything - even that - is possible.
Yes, Bruce Springsteen, fresh from an amazing show the night before, emerges from the back entrance of the Omni Hotel, and, ignoring a waiting throng of fans who are barricaded by security across the street, waves and motions us (US!) to come to him. (We four are much too cool to be a part of that waiting throng it should be noted. We are on the same street, at the same time purely by coincidence...)
Apart from raising our hands to wave back, we do not move since we are also mute and have sadly lost the use of our legs. He holds out both arms as if to say 'yeah, you four!' Still we don't move. He takes pity on us, shrugs and walks down to us instead saying 'c'm here! My girls!' I do believe at that point I dropped my gingerbread latte, phone and purse on the sidewalk and gave in to his embrace. Did I actually apologise for having coffee breath? Lord help me.
That was how we capped our trip to Pittsburgh this year. Two awesome shows, some photo time with Bruce on the Friday afternoon, and then Saturday morning's little encounter. Great time with great friends. Oh, in a spectacular right time right place moment, we scored VIP wristbands to Thursday night's after party thanks to Joe Grushecky's son Johnny. Oh,
that's right, Joe Grushecky was there too! The Altar Bar. I won't soon forget that place. But let's just say it will be a long time before I hit it or any place like it, again. (I'm so freaking old).
One whine: Our seats were so crap Friday night. I mean, awful. The venue is small but the people seem to be absolutely enormous. And at a show, enormous people seek me out and sit or stand right in front of me. I thought Judi was going to have a conniption. The (not very nice word) sitting right in front of her was not only enormous but had a unique dancing style which involved swaying, arms aloft for the whole show whilst simultaneously videoing the entire show with his cellphone effectively blocking her view all night. Make sure you don't bring an actual camera into the show though because that could get you evicted. It was a bad scene.
Redemption came toward the end when Judi and I made our way right down the front where Bruce, not happy with his three hour performance (oh
that's right, Joe Grushecky was there too, keep forgetting), came back out and did a solo acoustic set that was beyond awesome. Whatever happens on the next tour, just announced, we'll always have Pittsburgh.
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| Me and Bruce outside The Omni William Penn Hotel, Pittsburgh, November 4th, 2011 |
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Me, Lori, Judi and Christy. Well known regular patrons at the The Omni William Penn. Yes, there is a Starbucks in the lobby. Yes, there are benefits there.
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| Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall, Pittsburgh, PA. |
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| Judi and me (sans makeup) at one of our turnpike stops en route to Pittsburgh. |
