There was a lively, pre-show meet n' greet for those willing to dish out the extra fee. A live flamenco player played throughout. It was the 50th Anniversary of the local Public TV station. I'd come 'this close' to contacting Rick's office a month ahead to see whether he might sit for a brief pre-show interview with me there at the Arlington. The plan had been to post the resultant interview on travel forums such as Fodors and also Lonely Planet's resurrected Thorn Tree. I eventually passed.