We have been eating out a lot since we moved into the new house, mainly because we don’t have a kitchen. We usually don’t get out much, and when we do, it’s almost always just a quick meal and a visit to Wal-Mart. But last week we decided to try a few places on Broad Street in downtown Rome that have live bands.

Most of the stores Leah and I grew up with on Broad Street have gone out of business or moved away. Over the last few years, downtown has found a new identity, which consists largely of trendy restaurants. Broad Street looks as busy as it ever did, at least on Friday and Saturday nights. Of course almost everyone there is a lot younger than us, which, I suppose, is a good thing for Rome.

Friday night we went to a grill run by one of Leah’s old high school classmates for a late beer and some local music.

The band members are a little blurred; it was darker than it looks here. It was a benefit for the Animal Rescue Foundation. The beer was OK, and so was the band. I don’t expect to see them on TV, but they were good for a local group.

Sunday night is blues night at another grill.

We ate here. This building was a Five & Dime many years ago (so long ago that the restaurant only nostalgically mentions the drugstore that replaced it.) We were both disappointed with the food, but we probably should have ordered bar food instead of an actual restaurant meal. This band sounded good, but they could have done without the amps and speakers. It would have been a good venue for acoustic instruments. We requested Soul Man, but they didn’t know that one.

Our kitchen cabinets won’t be installed until Thursday, so we may try another restaurant in downtown. They have a regular jazz performance on Tuesdays, and Leah likes jazz. We’ll probably have bar food there.