Pantages Hotel and Spa day:

Tony approaches the front desk and begins his story

Tony: Joe Kennedy duped my uncle and now I have no trust fund please help me

Attendant: (please go away) that is very interesting sir what can I help you
with

Tony hands the attendant his driver’s license

Attendant: your last name is Pantages!!!

Tony: yup

Attendant: you should get a free room

Since a free room is not what we were after we were directed to the Spa on
the fifth floor of the Pantages building.

I must note that Tony Pantages is a bit reluctant to enter the hotel and spa
that have stolen his name. Tony’s wife Erica seems as intrigued as I am.
This newly created hotel has taken the name of Tony’s uncle who created the
Pantages theatre chain so many years ago. We enter the Spa and all
contribute to telling the story of Klondike Kate and Tony’s uncle’s rise to
fortune and fall to the seduction of a young girl.

Erica and I insist on buying a robe with the Pantages logo on it as evidence
in the fictitious lawsuit against the various owners of the hotel and spa.

Spadina mid afternoon sun shines but air is cold:

Jeff meets Mikhel for afternoon dim sum

Toronto has such a splendid selection of restaurants and neighborhoods that
it is impossible not to be happy here. After much discussion Mihkel and I
head to some old spot he knows on Spading. After easily finding parking we
settle into a wonderful meal full of ShuMai, Har Gow and more. Talk ensues
as to the state of the film business. We solve nothing but satisfy our
hunger and move on.

Monte Clark Gallery interior early evening:

Jeff walks into gallery sees George Whiteside but no one else looks
familiar. The walls are adorned with the paintings of Graham Gilmore.
Walls that describe the state of mind of one Mr. Gilmore with both candor
and irony.

Interior car later evening Meghan and Jeff race toward Roy Thompson Hall

Meghan: I have to pee

Jeff: that is just normal for a pregnant person to have to pee; I think I
see a toilet outside Metro Hall.

Meghan: no women’s as far as I can see

Meghan and Jeff race through cold to the front doors of the Dulce Pontes
show. Using the washroom quickly they have only moments to spare. As they
sit down Dulce takes the stage. She is mind blowing but it is very hard to
pin her down. Is she the Celine Dion of Portugal or is she just a modern
girl. Dulce’ voice is second to none. Although I do not understand any
Portuguese I find the music to transport me to another place and time. This
is a good thing. Dulce is able to balance folkloric and modern to create
something very special.

Interior Drake Hotel Underground 10pm: Pete Best takes the stage

I am really left speechless at this moment. I am watching a Beatle go on to
the stage at The Drake and they start to play Love Me Do. Pete would have
played this song with the Beatles in Hamburg, Germany over 40 years ago and
somehow it makes my hair stand on end just thinking about it. Pete has a
band of delightful musicians and the gig is truly great. He plays only
songs that he and the Beatles played together back in those days. Those
were actually the days. Days before a bunch of guys would jump on stage
with electric guitars and rock. This is one of the guys who started that.
The reason we are even able to go down to the Underground to rock regularly.
That thought makes me start to cry a little.
Pete talks a bit rocks with the band some more and then suddenly an old
friend is introduced: Roy Young. Apparently Roy lives in Toronto or nearby
and hasn’t seen Pete in years. The crowd did not expect this treat and they
are going nuts. It is actually Beatle mania and history is being made once
again in a tiny Underground room but this time the magic is happening in
Toronto.