The Rockettes on Las Olas

The Rockettes are a well-known precision dance company, stationed out of the Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan, New York City. The Rockettes women have performed 4 shows a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year for more than 50 years.

The Radio City Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall and numerous other American and Canadian cities is the most-watched live show in the USA, with more than 2.1 million spectators annually, when they are performing.

The Rockettes have performed annually at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (since 1957), The Columbus Day Parade, and America's Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit. The NBC Rockefeller Center Tree-Lighting Ceremony also traditionally includes a performance by the dance troupe.

Their famous kick line started with 16 women and now has 36.

History

The group was started by Russell Markert in 1925 in St. Louis, Missouri as the Missouri Rockets. In 1927, Samuel Roxy Rothafel discovered them and brought them to New York City. They in many ways took over what the Ziegfeld Follies had been before Flo Ziegfeld's death. Their NYC debut was in Rothafel's own Roxy Theater on 50th and 7th, and under the name Roxyettes. Rothafel moved them to their current stead, opening at the Radio City Music Hall on December 27, 1932. In 1936, the troupe won the grand prize at the "Paris Exposition de Dance." During World War II, the troupe was a mainstay of the USO Tours.

During the halftime show of Super Bowl XXII in 1988, the Rockettes were seen by a television audience of 150 million viewers. President Bush's 2001 Presidential Inauguration Ceremony featured the leggy performers prancing down the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

In November 2005, the Christmas Spectacular's musicians went on strike, although the show decided to go on, with the Rockettes dancing to recorded music. The strike was eventually settled, and everybody went back to work.

The oldest living Rockette is Jeanette Heller, 95, living in Toronto, Ontario.

Quotes about the Rockettes
"The Rockettes are as precise and talented as ever, and their bright smiles and unison dancing evoke cheers and applause in old favorites like the "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers". The overwhelming appeal of the Rockettes is undeniable."
— The New York Times

“ I had seen the John Tiller girls in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1922. If I ever got a chance to get a group of American girls who would be taller and have longer legs and could do really complicated tap routines and eye-high kicks ... they'd knock your socks off! ”
— Russell Markert

Authentic Venetian Gondolas Tours, now at Stork's Las Olas!

After the extraordinary success of the Las Olas Gondola Tours in 2006, Stork's Cafe is bringing them back to Fort Lauderdale's New River for 2007.

The gondola, Il Serniore Contento, is the oldest active gondola in the U.S. and was built in Venice over 100 years ago. The beautiful 32-foot elegant gondola Il Serniore Contento spent many years navigating the spectacular waterways of Venice, Italy, and will now provide the same service to Fort Lauderdale visitors.

ABOUT THE TOUR
Departing from the dock between Stork's Cafe and Rino's Tuscan Grill, your own personal gondolier will guide you through a beautiful romantic excursion of the historic Himmarshee Canal to the New River with a musical and memorable taste of Venice. Tours last 30 minutes with special longer excursions made in advance. The hand carved wooden boats were constructed in Venice, Italy and are manned by authentic Italian Gondoliers. Stop by Stork's Cafe for more information. Stork's is open 8am-11pm Friday & Saturday 'til midnight.

MORE INFORMATION
Often called “The Venice of America”, this location is perfect for our gondola tours. You will glide along the watery streets of vibrant Las Olas Boulevard and enjoy the views of Venetian style architecture and bridges. There are plenty of unique shops and restaurants at this popular destination for your pleasure. As partners with Stork’s Bakery and Rino’s Tuscan Grill, we are able to provide gourmet food and wine packages for you to enjoy during the gondola experience.

Our tours are always private. We operate on a reservation and walk up basis. While most people come as couple, you can reserve a gondola tour for a party. Please choose the package that best serves your needs. For more information about the gondolas on Las Olas call Gondolier Mike on 954-561-7650 -- Stork's cafe phone number is 954-522-4670

Keeping Up with The Joneses

It’s a great day to be on Las Olas!

Las Olas Boulevard truly is one of the most exciting and charming streets in South Florida. It’s one of the few places where the diverse aromas of world-class cuisine are only out matched by the diverse languages that are heard amongst the residents and tourists strolling along the storefronts.

Beautification of Las Olas Boulevard is important to a guests experience and an ongoing priority of the Las Olas Association and its members. We are working on revitalizing/upgrading the lanterns in the medians and are working with the City of Fort Lauderdale to enhance the plantings in the medians and various other beautification initiatives that include lighting and median enhancements.

Recently, signage along Las Olas was consolidated, as allowed by law, and sign posts upgraded to compliment the charm of the Boulevard. Multi-space meters were upgraded along Las Olas to further the ease of on street parking. These are just a few of the recent initiatives that add to the overall Las Olas experience.

Las Olas Boulevard truly is one of the “founding fathers”, so to speak, of the “shop, dine, stroll” experience. As other streets locally and around the country evolve in their aspirations to be a “Las Olas”, it’s important that we succeed in being a leader in the “shop, dine, stroll” market. We need to make sure that we don’t have to worry about keeping up with The Joneses.

One thing that keeps Las Olas fresh and unique is the eclectic mix of shops and retailers. These entrepreneurial spirits provide guests and residents a unique array of items that cannot be found in more generic shopping venues. Lamps to Lingerie, Dinner to Dessert, Beauty to Baguettes!

There’s also an undeniable culinary excitement on Las Olas in the well known and historic eateries. Creative menu changes and new establishments keep Las Olas a dining gem.

Beauty comes at a cost, so the Las Olas Association will be proudly launching a series of exciting fundraising events to support our ongoing beautification initiatives. You can look forward to releases about or line up of Fall/Winter fundraisers on www.lasolasboulevard.com.

When is the last time you experienced the charm and excitement of Las Olas Boulevard?

For more information about what’s happening on Las Olas Boulevard, go to www.lasolasboulevard.com, www.citycenterlasolas.com or contact Tony at TonyBeall@lasolasassociation.com.


“The purposes of the Las Olas Association are to promote and publicize East Las Olas Boulevard as a shopping area and establish its place and status in the community of Fort Lauderdale, Florida: to promote and encourage such civic functions and social and cultural events as will benefit the Members of the Association and the neighboring community; to encourage the maintenance of high business standards and a spirit of cooperation among its members; and to compile and distribute business information to its members for their benefit.”

Loving Las Olas.....Loving Fort Lauderdale.....Loving Life!

Today I had the privilege of attending the "Downtowner of the Year" luncheon honoring Patsy Mennuti, Executive Director of Riverwalk Trust. I have known Patsy for a short period of time compared to most, but I know what a dynamo she is and was thrilled that she received this well deserved recognition. Any person working for a non-profit organization knows the challenges and rewards of doing such. Patsy is the epitome of grace.

Today's luncheon reminded me of why I love living in Fort Lauderdale. It's only been nine years since I moved here and it totally felt like "home" within the first two years. We are blessed to have members of our community who are so passionate about our increasingly popular city and its increasing urban energy.

I enjoy going to events like the "Downtowner of the Year" and seeing the faces and smiles of people that I met very early after the move to Fort Lauderdale.

These "staples" in our community are like a good book or a favorite recipe. They are the people that you look to for a sense of comfort, a sense of home.

These things are important to me since I have no immediate family in the area. There are many however who I have come to know and love much like a family.

Over the past year Las Olas Boulevard has become my home away from home, and the Las Olas Boulevard Board of Directors and Las Olas Association members have become my extended family.

And so today, like yesterday and the day before that, I could not imagine loving my life anywhere else.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Hopefully you were able to join us this past weekend for the Las Olas Art Festival.

The weather was stunning, as was the art on display along our beautiful Boulevard. I am still internally debating what was more interesting...The artwork or the people. Just like the art that was on display, the guests that venture to Las Olas are of varied shapes, sizes, colors and composition.

It's fun to watch someone point to a piece of art and say, "Who would buy that crap!" and then two minutes later someone points at the same piece and says, "Isn't that incredible, I'd love to have that in my home". It's because of the fact that beauty is in the eye of the beholder that I struggle with feedback that the Art Festivals need to be improved. But like always, I listen and welcome input. The reality is that I value other peoples opinions (almost too much) and am always wanting to improve/enhance someone's experience on Las Olas.

The Las Olas Art Festivals add value to our Fort Lauderdale community and enhance the cultural experience of our guests and residents. In fact, Las Olas Boulevard as a whole enhances our community and is more and more recognized as a leading South Florida destination. I was speaking to a Las Olas Association member who has two stores; one store in Philadelphia and the other in Fort Lauderdale on Las Olas. She was commenting to me how the level of awareness has increased regarding Las Olas. When she mentions that her Fort Lauderdale store is on Las Olas, she no longer gets asked where is Las Olas, but rather, where on Las Olas is her store located. I love that!

Mark your calendar for the next Las Olas Art Festival occurring Labor Day Weekend.

Whether you come and point with hate or point with love, the important thing is that you come and enjoy our pedestrian friendly Boulevard. You just might leave with a broader personal definition of "Beauty".

See you on Las Olas!

It's so good to be back in South Florida!

My quick trip to Maryland was wonderful, despite the 19 degree weather. My Mom had 130 people at her retirement party. It was a great honor for her, and one that she really deserves after working in the same place for 28 years. Glad I was only gone for two working days because I came back to 29 e-mails and 14 voicemail messages. I can't imagine what its going to be like if I ever try to take a "real" vacation.

The Las Olas Art Fair is coming up the first weekend in March. Looking forward to seeing lots of familiar faces along Las Olas, and of course hoping to see some not so familiar ones as well.

I just hope that the folks that come to the Art Fair respect our neighborhoods and park their cars in public parking facilities, or at least don't block anyone's driveway/garage. We want Las Olas events to benefit our entire community.

Parking is one of the most contentious issues surrounding our area. Who can park where and who has the right to dictate where the public parks?

Residents don't want their neighborhoods bombarded with cars during our events. I totally respect that. Merchants don't want heavier restrictions on parking, because then consumers will go somewhere where businesses are more accessible. I totally respect that too! What's the sense in investing in a business/area that consumers cannot get to? What happens to property values if neighborhoods put so many restrictions on businesses that a thriving retail area in their neighborhood becomes a ghost town? Wouldn't you think that the resurgence of Las Olas in the 1980's had something to do with the rising value of property in the surrounding neighborhoods? Do you know which came first, the chicken or the egg? Parking is truly a tough issue and one that city officials and city planners need to be working on, for everyone's benefit.

Well, on to a more serious issue!

American Idol. Who's going to win? The big voiced, big boned gal from Tennessee? The shy country towhead gal from North Carolina? The tiny Minnie mouse voiced (only when she talks, cause when she sings...watch out!) from Georgia? Or maybe the pretty boy from Colorado or the not so pretty, but very soulful guy from North Carolina? That's the thing abut Idol, you never know what's going to happen. It's like Desperate Housewives for singers. Many different personalities and you never know which way the drama is going to go.

Thanks for checking in.

Come see me on Las Olas..............ya here!

What a week!! My days resembled a Teeter Totter (I don't know that I have ever used that word in a sentence before) with multiple ups and downs. I'm just grateful that my days contained more ups than downs.

Did you see the Grammys? Great fashions, great performances and one of the best shows in years!

I got a phone call this week from a guy who was visiting Fort Lauderdale with his family and he wanted to buy Las Olas Gift Certificates. He wanted to have some time for just he and his wife to be together, so he bought Las Olas Boulevard Gift Certificates to give to his teenage children so they could spend time shopping on Las Olas. While the kids shopped he and his wife dined at Cafe Europa. Giving the Gift Certificates to his kids in order to have some time with his wife was a very creative way of using the Las Olas Boulevard Gift Certificate product. What a Dad!

The Winter Olympics start tonight. Wishing all of the athletes a safe and rewarding experience in Torino. Since its the Winter Olympics I can't really tie any Las Olas fashions into the message. You know, they don't skate or bobsled in beach wear!

Don't forget Valentines Day on Tuesday, February 14th.

If you have elections in your area on the 14th........Go out and vote!!!

Thanks for reading my Blog. It's the weekend and I've gotta go! I hear my friend Jose calling....Jose Cuervo that is!

Wow! Where does the time go!

We are well into 2006. As one of my Board Members just recently said, when I sent out the calendar of meetings for 2006, " I feel like the year is already gone!".

Before I say any more, I should congratulate all of the Steelers Fans for their Super Bowl XL win last night! I saw some of the game, but not all of it. Of course, this morning I am hearing more response from the advertisements that aired than about the game itself. No surprise I guess. Advertisements are becoming more entertaining than the shows they interrupt. (Generally speaking of course!)

The "Big Event" in my book is this weeks Grammy Awards, airing Wednesday night, February 8th. So please, no phone calls or e-mails between 6pm (Red carpet arrivals) and 11pm (end of show). Now that I work on Las Olas I am more interested than ever to see what folks are wearing. Of course, I have yet to see anything on the Red Carpet that surpasses the fashions that you can find on Las Olas. Men and Women alike can find THE hottest garments on Las Olas and the pricing of fashion on Las Olas is as varied as the products themselves.

When I want to feel like a Rock Star, I go to Shop 603 located at 603 E. Las Olas. A hot T-shirt and an air guitar and I'm good to go!

Speaking of fashions, I better start thinking about what I am going to wear to my Mother's retirement party on February 17th. The party is in Maryland, so I guess a new suit is in order, because a jacket is going to be a must!

Check in later this week, when I give my thoughts about Valentine's Day! But don't wait until then to get your loved one something special. Doubting your choice? Then buy a Las Olas Boulevard Gift Certificate!

Have a great day!