The Spectrum R.I.P.

Section Y
Row 17
Seats 5 & 6

by Lauren Hart



From the day I was born, this was the place where so many of the Hart family memories were created. A young mom took her three babies, one by one, to see their first hockey game. We saw the first Stanley Cup come to Philadelphia. There were victories, defeats, and a real loss. The Russian Army team took on the Flyers while the Cold War was actually happening. Brother and sister bonded. Mother and daughter went through the dreaded teens. A son saw his dad hold the coolest job on earth, and friendships were made. Mischievous kids ran through the concourse, hid under the bleachers, and worked on sneaking past the security guards. We watched in awe as our heroes walked like giants through the hallways underneath the building. Nervous boyfriends tried to impress, and a young aspiring singer longed to get a chance to sing on that ice. Proud kids watched from afar as their father grew into a legend and Dad reigned as a king from the press box. Fifty nights a year we cheered our team on as they took the ice, and more importantly, our family grew, connected and learned to dream.

How many times did we cross that bridge from our home in South Jersey and headed to “THE” building? I walked proudly through the parking lot next to my father. I took my seat and watched him make the climb to the press box all the way at the top of the Spectrum. On his way up, the regulars stopped him to talk, or they just cheered him as he made his way. Somewhere in that building, he was always busy holding court.

In between games I saw my first concert (Billy Joel). I thought about running away with the circus and becoming a trapeze artist. I put on my blue costume at the annual Flyers Christmas Skate party with visions of Dorothy Hamill in my head. I hung out with Cindy Lauper and Captain Lou Albana (OK, now who remembers that!) and I got to sing before a Tori Amos concert.

And…..one day I got the chance to sing the Anthem with knees knocking and breathless in the zamboni tunnel while Wayne Gretsky walked by. I certainly never would have guessed what this song and the relationship with this team would eventually become, and I would never have imagined what a building could become to mean to a human being.

I’m sure many other fans have shared these exact same memories. For our family, they were life changing. Time has a way of turning regular moments into legend. Somehow they became larger than life itself. Over the years, my Spectrum memories have been folded and tucked away safely into my world.

On October 1st, the Flyers played their last official game in the building. I was preparing for my final God Bless America alongside the memory of Kate Smith. I heard my father’s voice ringing out: “Good Night, Good Hockey”. All at once I felt the emotion of a lifetime. I wasn’t ready to feel breathless that way again, but I did. The reality of the moment suddenly occurred to me. I was letting go of something very special, and I wasn’t sure the words and the song would find their way. Fortunately it worked, and I felt extremely proud. I felt so thankful that I was able to be the one standing there after all this time.

Tony at the Academy of Music

Tony Bennett is coming to the Academy of Music in November, and we had the opportunity to go back a few years and speak with Sid Bernstein (the legendary promoter who brought the Beatles to America in the 1960's). He became instrumental in the career of several classic performers, and Tony was and is certainly one of them.



Sid: I feel so good about Tony because he is such a great guy. I was in a position to help re-launch his career and in so doing, he helped launch my career. Tony was singing at the Copa - two shows each night, seven days a week. He hadn’t had a hit record in years and couldn’t get himself back on the Ed Sullivan Show. Worst of all, he wasn’t making the money.

He asked me for my help and I immediately suggested a concert at Carnegie Hall, but they were afraid his best days were behind him and a Tony Bennett concert would be too much of a risk. I wasn’t about to tell Tony that he might be finished, so I took a gigantic gamble and Tony took a major risk. We found a way to rent the Hall ourselves and we had to sell tickets or Tony would lose some $10,000.

I ran some ads on my credit but our real campaign consisted of hanging posters with a caricature of Tony that simply said … "Tony Bennett at Carnegie Hall". My wife drove the car night after night in every Italian neighborhood in Brooklyn and I jumped out and hung poster after poster. It was illegal, but we did what we had to do.

With only some two weeks to go, we had sold the grand total of 200 tickets in a hall with 2380 seats. It was very tense, but our only choice was to keep hanging posters and keep sweating it out. On the evening of the concert, the good folks from those Italian neighborhoods came in droves, and it became a complete sell-out. Hundreds were turned away and one can only imagine how excited we were as Henny Youngman warmed up the crowd with joke after joke and a gracious and excited Tony Bennett followed with the concert of his life.

The press loved it and Ed Sullivan called to invite Tony back on his show. It was an event that turned his career completely around and to this day; he is still as great as ever. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.


Academy of Music - Friday, November 4th - 8 PM

Mayor Nutter Speaks Out...

Philadelphia Restaurants - The Good; The Bad; and the Ugly.

The GOOD:

In terms of quality, Philadelphia Restaurants are better than ever. This City has positioned itself in the upper tier of the National restaurant scene, and the list of young and talented chefs continues to grow. If anything, one could argue that there are too many outstanding restaurants to choose from (if such a thing is possible).

The BAD: (not necessarily in this order)

The Philadelphia Parking Authority - These folks do absolute wonders when it comes to killing the concept of hospitality in our City. They even earned the right to have their own TV Show which makes things even more embarrassing. Just ask the majority of folks in our own suburbs who simply avoid the aggravation of dining in our great Center City restaurants. I believe the following message should be on every Parking Authority vehicle - "Welcome to Philadelphia - We are here to make your visit as painful as humanly possible".

The 10% Drink Tax that was formulated to help our school system (and basically to hurt our restaurants).

The PLCB is high on my list because it's not a level playing field when the cost of alcoholic beverages are inflated to accommodate the depressing State Store system (and we are still paying for the 1889 Johnstown flood). There is a hidden 18% tax on all wine and liquor sales in the State of Pennsylvania which inevitably impacts negatively on our local restaurant community. And what a truly wonderful idea to sell wine in vending machines.

Do I dare mention the unions that dominate this City and make opening a restaurant infinitely more difficult, and infinitely more expensive. The Convention Center is one of our most important assets, and we continue to hold our breath that the various unions involved will actually behave themselves.

McDonald's on Walnut Street in Rittenhouse Square - Possibly the worst decision in Philadelphia restaurant history.

AND THE UGLY:

In the wake of yet another mob attack in Center City (lovingly known as "flash-mobs") - it certainly doesn't help when we get continued national exposure featuring a group of kids attacking innocent people on our streets in Downtown Philadelphia. I give credit to the Mayor for leading the charge against this insanity, and it absolutely must stop. If the flash-mobs continue, our restaurants (and everything else for that matter) will eventually make Philadelphia a very different destination - one to avoid! This is one problem that simply has to go away.

www.primephiladelphia.com

TRAVEL - The Brazilian Court

One does not have to be rich or famous to enjoy the splendor of Palm Beach in Florida (although rich is highly recommended). I'm really talking about the luxurious and trendy Worth Avenue, which is always worth a visit just to see how the other half lives (actually, how the other one-percent lives). One can stroll for free and visit one of the world's most interesting shopping destinations while enjoying the art galleries and the overall beautiful architectural presentation of the area. And only steps away from the Avenue, one can walk the beach and take in the incredible views of the Atlantic Ocean. And only a few steps from the Avenue was our destination for forty-eight very memorable hours... the charming boutique hotel known as The Brazilian Court. Make no mistake, I am not a member of the "rich and famous", but once in a while one can splurge and at least pretend to be, and even enjoy one of the best experiences of a life-time.

The hotel is tucked away on a beautiful tree-lined street (Australian Avenue) and consists of Spanish-style buildings with lush tropical gardens and a look of the 1920's. The hotel was actually built in 1926, and was designed by the Sicilian architect Rosario Candella, known for building some of the finest pre-war residences along Manhattan’s famed Park Avenue. The hotel has recently undergone a major renovation that succeeded in maintaining the original charm while creating a more modern version that is unique and comfortable. In 2010, Travel & Leisure Magazine rated The Brazilian Court the number-one hotel in South Florida, and we certainly had no argument in regard to their lofty rating. The overall hospitality of this property had much to do with a number one rating and the friendly and professional service was delivered on a 24/7 basis. I believe that so much of the popularity of The Brazilian Court lies in it's privacy factor and certainly in the actual size of the property. There is an audience for the smaller hotel and certainly for the privacy factor, and when you think about other hotels such as the Breaker's, which is located more on the beach, it is actually more than seven times the size of the Brazilian Court.

The Brazilian Court offers 80 beautifully renovated studios, and one, two and three bedroom suites. Each of the 80 rooms is spacious and airy. Square footage ranges from 400 to 1600. All Studios, One and Two Bedroom suites are equipped with an honor bar, wet bar, refrigerator, hairdryer, robes, DVD/CD player, 2-line phones, complimentary high speed and wireless internet connection and individual climate control. Each suite offers its own unique and irresistible charm, designed with luxurious fabrics, provincial colors, and mahogany millwork. Every guest is introduced to modern Palm Beach amenities and accommodations designed with luxurious style and a wealth of comfort including jet baths and the latest technology to create an ambiance of relaxation and sophisticated style.

I must mention the fact that a world-class restaurant in Café Boulud is located in The Brazilian Court Hotel. The chef/owner is in the same world-class. Chef Daniel Boulud is possibly the best chef in America with his highly rated Daniel in New York as well as his Café Boulud in Manhattan and Palm Beach. I would not characterize Café Boulud as inexpensive by any means, but it is a typical Daniel Boulud concept, and by definition, the value will speak for itself.

The restaurant is open for breakfast lunch and dinner under the direction of Chef de Cuisine Zach Bell, who is an alumnus of Café Boulud in New York and has twice been nominated “Best Chef in the South” by the James Beard Foundation. I's all about traditional French-American cuisine, seasonal favorites, the freshest and locally grown vegetables, and of course, the chef's own rendition of world cuisines. The bar and lounge are always a popular local destination and the relaxing outdoor dining terrace is always a favorite spot for guests from all over the world. One doesn't have to be a guest of the hotel to dine at Café Boulud, and one need not be a member of the rich and famous to experience this classic restaurant. Having said that, if you spend even one night at The Brazalian Court, and you experience just one session at the famed Frédéric Fekkai Salon and Spa, and have at least one meal at Café Boulud, somehow, someway, your life is going to be noticeably better.

Some interesting dinner entrees include the likes of Tuna Tartare Japonais - shiitake mushroom, shiso leaf ponzu gel, sesame, & fresh wasabi; Mushroom Bolognese -strozzapretti pasta, fresh ricotta, & pea shoots; Moroccan Spiced Black Grouper - duo of cauliflower: roasted and purée crunchy okra, curry leaf, & watercress salad; and Natural Chicken a lItalienne with roasted tomato, artichokes, rapini creamy polenta, & charred lemon.

In terms of the salon, from world-renowned celebrity hairstylist Frédéric Fekkai, the theme is pampered luxury and unprecedented personalized service. Enjoy spa services from soothing massages to European facials delivered by highly trained aestheticians. A guest may choose from massage, facials and select spa treatments.

The new Brazilian Court Beach Club guests will enjoy complimentary access to the hotel's private Beach Club located less than five minutes from the main hotel. Discover the fun of a day at the Brazilian Court Beach Club as you stroll the beautiful gold-sand beach, enjoy a refreshing swim in the Atlantic Ocean, or simply relax and indulge in an oceanfront setting as the Spa staff pampers you with a massage, facial or the treatment of your choice. Chauffeured car service is available to and from the private beach where beach-side dining and cocktail services are available. There is also access to the Fitness Center with treadmills, bikes, saunas and free weights will make you feel even better.

The pool is beautiful, and everything is first class, and if you live in the Atlantic City area, Palm Beach is an easy place to get to thanks to our most convenient airport. The hotel is only fifteen-minutes from the West Palm Beach International Airport. The area (Palm Beach) has some 47 miles of beaches, and over 100 miles of freshwater canals, rivers, and lakes. There is a plethora of golf courses and restaurants, and you have to love the weather.

And yes, there is Worth Avenue and better yet, there is a beautiful boutique spot called The Brazilian Court Hotel and of course, the wonderful Café Boulud.


The Brazilian Court
301 Australian Avenue
Palm Beach, Florida
phone: 561-655-7740 (toll-free - 800-552-0335)

www.thebraziliancourt.com
www.cafeboulud.com