Well, it was a whirlwind trip, but it was worth it! Last weekend, I packed my bags and headed down to Fort Lauderdale for the 50th anniversary celebration of "Where The Boys Are." I arrived Friday evening, and after a brief stop at my hotel, I headed down to the beach...and more specifically, to the corner of A1A and Las Olas Boulevard! Why, you may ask? Because that's where a good portion of "Where The Boys Are" was filmed, and I wanted to be sure I got to pay a personal tribute! I enjoyed the ocean for a bit and then braved the Elbo Room, the loveable dive bar where a lot of the action in the film took place. Although the scheduled festivities weren't taking place until the next day, I did have my own personal celebration by standing on the balcony of the Elbo Room and raising a glass (ok, it was a plastic cup!) in honor of
Connie Francis and all others who contributed to the success of the movie and the song!
I was out and about fairly early on Saturday, as there were terrific activities going on all day! A good portion of A1A was closed to traffic and turned into a pedestrian plaza. In addition to the live music, which began at noon, there was a classic car show, a hula hoop contest, a sand castle contest, and more. The beach and the street were overflowing with Fort Lauderdale natives and folks like me who'd traveled down to be part of the celebration. It was a good, old-fashioned, family friendly beach party, and I had an absolute blast!
Connie Francis was on hand throughout the day, making an unscheduled appearance early in the afternoon to greet the crowd and rev up the excitement level! Shortly before 8 p.m., Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler unveiled the first stone slab in the newly created "Fort Lauderdale Walk of Fame," which honors
Connie Francis and the 50th Anniversary of "Where The Boys Are." After that, Ms. Francis took the stage and treated the enthusiastic crowd to the song everybody was waiting for - of course, it was "Where The Boys Are!" It was an extremely special and emotional experience - to be standing on the same beach where the movie was filmed 50 years earlier, listening to one of the movie's stars, the legendary
Connie Francis, sing the title song! There were thousands of people in attendance, some lined up on the beach, some crammed in the Elbo Room and looking out at the stage, and for those few minutes, all eyes and all hearts were focused on
Connie Francis, singing the song that is credited with putting Fort Lauderdale on the map! Next, Mayor Seiler asked Connie if she would do one more song, and in honor of Memorial Day, she treated the crowd to her beautiful, heartfelt rendition of "God Bless America." Four Vietnam veterans presented the color before the song, and Connie shared with the audience the story of a very emotional experience she had while singing that song for the troops in Vietnam. She (and the crowd!) got quite choked up, but nonetheless, she went on to deliver a strong, passionate rendition of the
Irving Berlin classic, much to the delight of the thousands of fans in attendance. Following her performance, the crowd hit the beach for a screening of "Where The Boys Are" on an enormous screen right next to the ocean. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day, and I am thrilled that I was there to be a part of it!
The next day, it was back to NYC and reality, but my magical Fort Lauderdale weekend will be remembered for a long time to come!
That's the report for now, but check back next week for a new article!
Where I'm going this week...
Sunday, June 6th: Tony DeSare at Bemelmans Bar. One of my favorite performers in the city, Tony is back at Bemelmans Bar at the Carlyle Hotel every Sunday in June from 8:30 - 11:30 p.m. His smooth vocals, amazing piano playing, and charming, easygoing personality (not to mention the great musicians with whom he works!) make for an excellent way to spend a Sunday evening. This week, Tony will be joined by legendary guitarist
Bucky Pizzarelli - make sure to get there early to nab a good seat!
Monday, June 7th: Jim Caruso's Cast Party at Birdland. This weekly open mic is THE place to be on a Monday night. Hosted by the always-entertaining
Jim Caruso, Cast Party attracts all kinds of fabulous singers and musicians from Broadway stars to jazz legends to amazing singer/songwriters. It runs from 10 p.m. - 1 p.m. but make sure to get there early to sign in if you would like to perform!
