Last weekend we celebrated 34. The actual anniversary fell one week ago today; I noted it in last week’s blog (‘Cause it matters). We chose to officially celebrate on the eve before. Interestingly, we chose the “events” based on an unplanned interruption several weeks earlier.

I scored “twofer” tickets for Jersey Boys on February 16 at the New World Stages but a manhole fire in the street outside the entrance canceled that eve’s show. We were walking down the south side of West 50^thStreet after an excellent dinner at Gossip Irish Bar & Restaurant when we heard a loud boom. Thinking it was just a car backfiring, we continued; all of a sudden people came scurrying in our direction. Turns out there was a fire and another explosion occurred. Police moved us to West 49^thStreet. Eventually we got word of the cancellation (or suspension) of the shows at New World Stages. We headed home.

Telecharge refunded the tickets on the first business day following the missed performance.

We decided to try again for our anniversary. No fireworks outside. Could say many inside as a cute story line and even better music energetically and faithfully performed. I had already watched the movie last year so I knew the “book” but I liked the staging and characterizations. Interestingly, I found bad boy Tommy DeVito more sympathetic on stage as opposed to the film. I also liked how Frankie Valli and Bob Gaudio partnered all these years on a handshake.

We had enjoyed dinner at Gossip last time so much that we returned there for our pre-show dining. No doubt we’ll return there again.

On our actual anniversary, I took her to MOMA.

On the rides in and back I played my Apple Music playlist, Songs of Love (traffic must have been decent); the last four songs (58 on the list at that time; I since added another) never got played by the second return drive. It did bring to my attention that the playlist included live versions of two Beatles songs which I decided required replacement with the studio versions (and most know I really like live music). In the case of All My Loving and Eight Day A Week, the studio cuts ruled over the cuts from the Ed Sullivan show. Made those edits during the drafting of this blog.

Last year we celebrated at a Rod Stewart concert. A song by his former bandmate, Ronnie Wood says it well.

I Can Say She’s Alright!

(Find it on the list.)