A1 Minute! February 5, 2025; Shockoe Bottom's 'Portals', Train bridge maintenance, 40th Anniversary All-Diamond team [A1]

I have a fondness for hotel bars. In Philadelphia, hotel bars were a popular spot on Valentine’s Day.

There’s something different about drinking at a hotel bar. It’s a mood or a vibe for me that makes for an extra special — kind of magical — night (or morning) out.

You know what this means — this is the particular mood you’re bringing with you into any situation on any given day that you’d like to have a drink at a hotel. Some days, things just seem a little different — like the way sunlight changes in the transition from winter to spring. You’re having a pleasant day as a result, and everything in life seems just right — or, at the very least, you don’t have any concrete complaints about this type of day.

For me, when I’m bringing my rarely-seen magic to a situation, I go to Gather and Hem Lounge and Eatery (501 E. Broad St.). Being a part of a corporately-owned and -operated property, a stellar job was done in disguising the fact that this little lounge exists in the lobby of a Hilton hotel. In fact, I think the signage for the Hilton is only visible from the entry to the hotel — it should be said that I prefer a historic hotel or something boutique-y.