Weekend Review, NeedToBreathe
This was one of the best weekends I've had in a really long time. Well, mostly just Friday night, but the good time feeling lasted all weekend. It began when friends, Lisé, Lisa, John and hubby Chris, gathered to drive to Philly for dinner and a show. It's been so long since we've done this type of thing with friends and I was really excited to go. It turns out I was more excited than anyone else in the group, but knowing that did not damper the evening. I've been following the band, NeedToBreathe, for quite a while now, and got some great prices on tickets for their show at the Electric Factory in Philly. There are four people in the group, but the below sample is just the two brothers, Bear and Bo Rinehart. Their songs move me in a way that I cannot explain. I have an example I'll share later and you'll see how special they are to me. Check them out - you will not be disappointed.
The first treat of the evening was when John volunteered to drive. We all agreed pretty quickly and piled into their minivan. We headed into the city and had a chatty conversation, but I could tell I was the only one on the edge of my seat. It made me talk fast - and often. I think I got on everyone's nerves. But I really didn't care. When we got to the venue, people were directing traffic and begging us to go to various parking lots that were in their care. "Go there, go there, we got good prices." "Follow me, I got the best prices." It was a parking lot war and quite entertaining. When we finally settled on one, we asked one of the guys if there was a restaurant where we could grab a bite to eat before the show. He gave us directions to a local restaurant a few blocks away and shouted, "God Bless You" as we walked away. How could we not trust him?
We arrived at the restaurant, Silk City Diner, and from the curb, people seemed to really be enjoying their food. So in we went. Immediately, I was struck by the ambiance (see photo, you'll know what I mean). But not only did the red and black remind me of something I could not quite put my finger on, but the artwork, oh the artwork! Surrounded by paintings of nude women and I'm not sure what else (handcuffs in one image), it felt like maybe a go-go bar? I'm not sure, because I don't frequent these places, but by this time of the day, I was starving and so was everyone else. Probably me more than anyone since I also had not eaten a substantial lunch. But we did not order food right away, we started with drinks. I ordered a Purple Rain (Pomegranate Margarita: tequila, triple sec, pomegranate puree, served on the rocks), while the rest of the group went with beers and a fuzzy naval. Purple Rain was fantastic, but on an empty stomach, it went right to my head. Suddenly, this restaurant was hilarious - the setting, the people, the bathrooms, everything. I had a SECOND Purple Rain while I waited for my gluten-free steak and potatoes to arrive, and by the time dinner arrived, I was so happy. Lisa made her way to the bathroom first and was instructed to "choose any door except the ones with padlocks on them". They were unisex and interesting, to say the least. A must-see if you travel to Philly. I'm assuming the food was good, but I was feeling quite buzzed so I cannot say for sure. Everyone else seemed happy, I could tell by all the laughing (even though most of it was at me).
We walked back to the Electric Factory and encountered the typical homeless people that you see in the city - and every one of them made me laugh. I'm not sure why, but I found them hilarious. Once we entered the concert, we went to the bar area and settled in towards the back, near the bathrooms. More drinks were ordered and pretty soon I was dancing and singing. I made friends with people around me (who want to come to Cochranville this summer for a party!) and made believers out of my companions. They now love this band, probably not as much as I do, but they love them. It was probably the best live show I've ever been to. Not one bad song was performed and everyone had a great time.
Another one of their fantastic songs, "Something Beautiful", is very special to me. On my way to the bus stop one morning with Ben, we were listening to that song and I said to him, "Ben, I'd really like to see something beautiful today." He replied sincerely with, "Just look in the mirror, Mom." I did and what I saw was a 40-something woman with extremely messy hair and bags under her eyes, but with very wet eyes that were ready to spill over. What 13 year old boy says that kind of thing to his mama? My son Ben, that's who. He's filled with so much love and delivers the most heart-felt messages of love at the most wonderful times. I feel so blessed to have him in my life. As he got on the bus that morning, I thought about what he really sees when he looks at me every day. He sees a mama who loves him immensely and given the struggles he has dealt with in his young life, the love is probably all that matters to him. He's an angel walking on this earth and he humbles me. More on Ben later this week, but enjoy this song and think of him every time you hear it. I sure do!
The first treat of the evening was when John volunteered to drive. We all agreed pretty quickly and piled into their minivan. We headed into the city and had a chatty conversation, but I could tell I was the only one on the edge of my seat. It made me talk fast - and often. I think I got on everyone's nerves. But I really didn't care. When we got to the venue, people were directing traffic and begging us to go to various parking lots that were in their care. "Go there, go there, we got good prices." "Follow me, I got the best prices." It was a parking lot war and quite entertaining. When we finally settled on one, we asked one of the guys if there was a restaurant where we could grab a bite to eat before the show. He gave us directions to a local restaurant a few blocks away and shouted, "God Bless You" as we walked away. How could we not trust him?
We arrived at the restaurant, Silk City Diner, and from the curb, people seemed to really be enjoying their food. So in we went. Immediately, I was struck by the ambiance (see photo, you'll know what I mean). But not only did the red and black remind me of something I could not quite put my finger on, but the artwork, oh the artwork! Surrounded by paintings of nude women and I'm not sure what else (handcuffs in one image), it felt like maybe a go-go bar? I'm not sure, because I don't frequent these places, but by this time of the day, I was starving and so was everyone else. Probably me more than anyone since I also had not eaten a substantial lunch. But we did not order food right away, we started with drinks. I ordered a Purple Rain (Pomegranate Margarita: tequila, triple sec, pomegranate puree, served on the rocks), while the rest of the group went with beers and a fuzzy naval. Purple Rain was fantastic, but on an empty stomach, it went right to my head. Suddenly, this restaurant was hilarious - the setting, the people, the bathrooms, everything. I had a SECOND Purple Rain while I waited for my gluten-free steak and potatoes to arrive, and by the time dinner arrived, I was so happy. Lisa made her way to the bathroom first and was instructed to "choose any door except the ones with padlocks on them". They were unisex and interesting, to say the least. A must-see if you travel to Philly. I'm assuming the food was good, but I was feeling quite buzzed so I cannot say for sure. Everyone else seemed happy, I could tell by all the laughing (even though most of it was at me).
We walked back to the Electric Factory and encountered the typical homeless people that you see in the city - and every one of them made me laugh. I'm not sure why, but I found them hilarious. Once we entered the concert, we went to the bar area and settled in towards the back, near the bathrooms. More drinks were ordered and pretty soon I was dancing and singing. I made friends with people around me (who want to come to Cochranville this summer for a party!) and made believers out of my companions. They now love this band, probably not as much as I do, but they love them. It was probably the best live show I've ever been to. Not one bad song was performed and everyone had a great time.
Another one of their fantastic songs, "Something Beautiful", is very special to me. On my way to the bus stop one morning with Ben, we were listening to that song and I said to him, "Ben, I'd really like to see something beautiful today." He replied sincerely with, "Just look in the mirror, Mom." I did and what I saw was a 40-something woman with extremely messy hair and bags under her eyes, but with very wet eyes that were ready to spill over. What 13 year old boy says that kind of thing to his mama? My son Ben, that's who. He's filled with so much love and delivers the most heart-felt messages of love at the most wonderful times. I feel so blessed to have him in my life. As he got on the bus that morning, I thought about what he really sees when he looks at me every day. He sees a mama who loves him immensely and given the struggles he has dealt with in his young life, the love is probably all that matters to him. He's an angel walking on this earth and he humbles me. More on Ben later this week, but enjoy this song and think of him every time you hear it. I sure do!
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