It was all hugs and kisses at this afternoon's annual hospitality luncheon - starting with who hosted the event.
Long coordinated by the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority for the first time joined in as a co-sponsor, which seemed a visible message that the sometimes-feuding organizations will try harder to play nice together.
That message was also underlined when Nick DeBenedictis, the chairman of the PCVB, and Buck Riley, chairman of the Convention Center, took the stage together for a dual presentation that was preceded by The O'Jays song, "Love Train."
Mayor-Elect Michael Nutter took to the stage as a different song played: "A Beautiful Day" by U2, presumably complimenting his new slogan (It's a New Day. It's a New Way).
While Nutter sounded all the right chords about "regionalism" and "working together," he also took time to praise Mayor Street, who was seated at the table with him and had talked a few moments before. With Nutter's prompting, about half the ballroom audience stood to honor the outgoing mayor. (And in case you're wondering, the song Street took the stage to: "Oh Happy Day.")
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