Saturday in April in DC

I went down to see a cello friend, Wendy Warner, who was going to introduce me to one of the great artists of classical music, Mstislav Rostropovich. Wendy won the Rostropovich Competition in 1990 and studied with him, so she said it would be better to catch him in person than over the phone, et al. I really would like to speak with him about all of the amazing works he was premiered and the composers he had worked with for Composing Thoughts. So a chance to hear him conduct the National Symphony Orchestra, and catch up with Wendy all came together this last weekend in April.
The drive down to Washington, DC was easy, and I checked into a B&B I had stayed at 10 years ago during the Clinton 2nd Inauguration. The place is still cool, but didn't have the luster I seem to remember, maybe it's missing the young lady I had been with then. In fact the Sunday Brunch I had was good also, but again, maybe it was just missing someone.
Anyway, I had plenty of time to park, unpack (it was a day trip after all!) and walked over to the Kennedy Center. Arriving early I sat down and had a double espresso, then a vanilla latte at Cupa' Cupa' in the Watergate across the way - while finishing a maduro Nicaraguan cigar. Wendy called and I went over to Kennedy Center.