Though I’m a homebody and try to stay within approx 65 miles of the Jersey Shore (which will take me to Brooklyn and also Philly, generally satisfying my urban desires), my recent trip to LA to spend time with Kenny Chesney was just delightful. Kenny was in great voice when he made a rare acoustic appearance at the Clinton Foundation Concert at the Hollywood Bowl, where Bill Clinton thanked him onstage for his performance and for “being the only other person on the stage who doesn’t have an accent.” The weather was perfect in LA, and the open air concert on Saturday featuring Kenny, Usher, and Gaga was historic.

I got to hang out a bit with Kathy Kane, a brilliant woman who’s known in the music field for her work with Bonnie Raitt but whose interests and talents are very broad as befits the holder of a degree in International Economic Relations: The Developing Countries – from U of Michigan. With those credentials, no wonder Kathy fit in so well with the many other eggheads at the concert (see photo, Kathy’s the pretty lady with glasses right next to Bonnie Raitt.) I waved at the President when he arrived and though the secret service folks were asking everyone to move back, President Clinton walked right over to me and shook my hand, then proceeded to greet at least 25 stagehands who were working outside the VIP tent — what an impressive gentleman the former President is! Speaking of impressive gentlemen, it was an unexpected bonus to find myself in LA at the same time that the elegant and accomplished film producer Graham Leader was also visiting from the east coast. After rehearsals at the Hollywood Bowl, I met up with Graham at the Hotel Café to see singer Tom McBride, then joined Graham and a group of his filmmaker friends at the ultimate hipster hamburger joint Umami. Gee, if traveling were always this fun and interesting, I might be tempted….

Marilyn Laverty got a great seat for the show from Kenny’s management but you can’t see her here, this is a shot of Bono singing to Kathy Kane (and also Bonnie Raitt, Jane Fonda and of course the Clintons). Photo courtesy: Clinton Foundation