breakfast with Mike

Let me ease into the Philadelphia blogging by starting at the end of my time there.  Breakfast last Tuesday before heading to the train station and on to New York.  Breakfast with Mike.

I met Mike several years ago on a previous trip to Philadelphia.  I was there to attend a conference on my own dime, and I was looking at saving a little money, so I looked up AirBnB options and landed on his.  Outside of the city center but on a subway line.  A room in his home, but the reviews were good.  It was a terrible time to travel there - early March, and winter was still making itself known.  My flight was delayed, and it was later than hoped when I managed to get to his place.  But I had been texting him, updating him, and he was cool with it all.  I got in the door and settled in the room, and he had homemade soup and some bread and a glass of wine for me and an invitation to watch some Netflix comedies.  I got to know him that evening and a little more the next couple of days, including learning about his art.  Ah, yes, you see, Mike is an artist.  A painter.  A cheese painter.

We laughed about that at breakfast - it's not ALL that he paints, but it is what he is known for most of all.  The man knows and enjoys food, though - how could we not get along?

We have stayed in touch since, following each other on social media, messaging from time to time, exchanging Christmas cards.  We last saw each other for dinner in January 2020 when I was in town for a different conference (but not staying with him).  Far too long since then.  I had had plans to have dinner with him on the Thursday before this most recent conference started, but then I had to change plans and fly in later.  So, breakfast it was.

Honestly?  Breakfast was just food.  A diner near the hotel.  I didn't expect miracles, and there were no miracles.  But there was scrapple,

and of course I had to order that.  Mike was great company, and he and I ended up browsing Reading Terminal Market

before coming back to the hotel so that he could meet Conrad and Van.

One day I'll make it back to Philadelphia again, we shall see.  I do hope I get more chances to grab a bite with Mike.  And some day, I'll treat myself to a painting to go with the one that Conrad and I already have.