You’ve got a 7 a.m. flight, off for a week on business to Random Big City. You’re planning on getting up at 2:30, being at airport long-term parking by 4:30 (at an average of eight bucks a day), taking the bus to get to the terminal by 5 a.m. How about this instead?

Check in to the Hotel Preston the evening before, making sure to be here for cocktail hour in the Pink Slip Lounge. Maybe a dry martini, just a little dirty. Your car is parked, safe and sound, free (yes, free) for up to seven days. Sit down to a fabulous plate of Chicken Parmigiana at Preston’s Café Isabella. Up to your room, maybe dessert from our 24-hour room service. Our wake-up service rouses you at 4:15, you’re on the complimentary airport shuttle at 4:45, easily making the three-mile trip to the terminal by 5. How much is your time worth?

Later,

Dane

Nashville Event: Adam Lambert

Believe me or don’t: I was persuaded/coerced, by my friend Lisa, into writing about the upcoming Adam Lambert show at the Ryman Auditorium. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not much of an American Idol fan, didn’t even know he didn’t win (seems like he’s gotten as much or more attention than any of the AI winners), but anyone with ears can tell that this guy’s got chops. I wanted to check out some of Lambert’s earlier work (so I’d know what I was talking about, at least a little), bee-lined it to ever-reliable youtube.com. For a young guy, he’s got himself quite a resume.

Seems he’s been singing and dancing since he was a wee lad (sans guyliner and lacquered nails), belting it everywhere from amateur theater productions and his high school graduation ceremony to nightclubs and a touring production of Wicked. Hey, Lisa—still got that extra ticket?

Later,

Dane