The Valley Forge Casino
December, 2013
We sincerely hope that you had (are having) a wonderful 2013. It has been an interesting year to say the very least. Here’s the REALLY GOOD NEWS…2014 is going to be one of the best years ever, and we intend to kick things off with an amazing New Year’s Eve Celebration. On the evening of Tuesday, December 31st, the only place to be is the Valley Forge Casino! The following pages tell the magnificent story.
The Really Good News‌ Our great Chef is planning a sensational 2014 with a significantly improved lifestyle. With a rather tumultuous 2013 almost behind him, Chef Tony Clark is more than ready to rock (while staying healthy).
"A vegetarian is a person who won't eat anything that can have children." ‌David Brenner
David Brenner is a Philadelphia guy who graduated with honors from Temple University. This popular comedian appeared on the Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson with a record 150 guest-spots over 15 years. He also served as a guest-host for Johnny Carson 75 times. The man is a classic, and he will be here at the end of December. David Brenner is a great entertainer, and just think about the following from his days in South Philly…
“South Philadelphia was a tough neighborhood. The gang from Third Street would always fight the gang from Fifth Street. They’d throw things at them. And what they used to throw at them were the kids from Fourth Street.”
The “Geator with the Heater” has become a cultural icon in the City of Brotherly Love. Don’t miss this one!
Tickets include Live Music by Vibe Tribe… Premium Dinner & Dessert Stations… Deluxe Bar Package by Absolut… Champagne Toast at mid-night… Party Favors & Masks… Casino Access for one… Tickets - $139.00 (includes tax & gratuity)… and overnight packages are available.
Every drop of ABSOLUT VODKA comes from one source – the little-known village of Åhus in southern Sweden. With its 10,000 inhabitants it may not be big enough to show up on a world atlas, but the vodka distilled there is well known around the globe. In fact, every drop of ABSOLUT VODKA consumed in the world comes from this one source.
It’s Taffer Time! The “BAR RESCUE” Man Speaks…
BB: Why do people frequent bars in the first place? Jon: Believe it or not, they don’t necessarily go to bars to drink. It’s a social thing. It’s getting out of the house and meeting and talking to people. It’s a “Cheer’s” thing… “Where everybody knows your name”. It’s about not being alone. Bars are part of the fabric of America. The first building on American soil was a church. The second one was a bar. The men that drafted the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution met in a bar. Big business is conducted in bars. People get engaged in bars. And yes, people watch sports events, and people do drink in bars. You don’t hang-out in restaurants; you hangout in bars. It’s a beautiful thing.
BB: Of course what is really beautiful is Jon Taffer doing what he does extremely well… Rescuing bars that desperately need to be rescued. Jon: There are owners who should not be owners. If you got into this business because you love to drink, you have to get out before it’s too late. On many occasions I meet an owner of a bar that we are going to feature, and I tell them that my immediate advice is to sell the bar while you’re getting the publicity. It might be your only chance. There are many times that I don’t even have to enter the bar to know we have problems. I can see it in the parking lot. I look at the cars, and I look at the signage, and I look at the windows and the front door. It tells you more than you have to know.
BB: Talk to me about the subject of wine in America. I just read a glowing review by Craig LaBan of the Philadelphia Inquirer. He awarded the restaurant a hearty Three Bells, but he did include a wine experience where the cost by the glass was $15.00. The cost of the whole bottle in a State store is $15.95. Jon: Our treatment of wine in America is ridiculous. 95% of our people have little or no knowledge regarding the subject of wine, which means only 5% actually, understand and appreciate it. 95% are intimidated by wine lists and the way wine is presented. The wine pricing is all over the place, and if we ever decided to remove the intimidation, wine sales would improve in a dramatic fashion.
BB: I am curious to ask you about a significant trend in Philadelphia which would be the growth of BYOB restaurants. The wine intimidation is absent, and what we have are talented chefs producing amazing food. People love the concept. Jon: I represent bars and restaurants, so my answer is not because I’m known for my support of the bars. I understand why people like it, but I personally find the BYOB thing to be unfair and possibly dangerous. Because they don’t sell the alcohol, they have no liability issues. Alcohol is present in their establishment and people are capable of having too much to drink, and therefore capable of having accidents. Bars have to pay significant dollars to protect themselves from
the possible liability issues. A BYOB is not prepared to address the problems inherent in an environment where alcohol is involved. Their people are not trained in this regard because there is no need to be. It’s an accident waiting to happen, and if it were up to me, I would prohibit BYOB establishments. BB: Your BYOB opinion is not going to get a standing ovation in Philadelphia, but allow me to ask you about the real bar problem and that would be theft. Jon: Theft is everywhere, but you don’t have to live with it. There are now systems available that make theft extremely difficult. One of my favorites is AccuBar. It’s a system that uses state-of-the-art technology to measure and track your entire beverage inventory. It’s getting easier and easier to
eliminate theft, and that is critically important to the survival of your business. BB: It’s a great show made for TV, and it looks as though you are having fun. Jon: I love what I do, and I am having fun. I am also helping a lot people, and hopefully improving their lives and their business.
A Conversation with Sid Bernstein…
The Man who brought the Beatles to America... By Bob Bickell
I had an opportunity to interview one of the great promoters of all-time. He had an ear for music and a love for promoting musical talents that included some of the greatest names in musical history… The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Herman’s Hermits, the Moody Blues, the Kinks, James Brown, Ray Charles, John Denver, Joan Baez, Miles Davis, the
Rascals, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Elvis Presley, Barbara Streisand, ABBA, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendricks, Eric Burton and the Animals, Gerry and the Pacemakers, the Dave Clark Five, Laura Branigan and more….. BB: You have enjoyed an amazing career and after all is said and done; the big moment had to be on Sunday, August 15th at 8PM in Shea Stadium when Ed Sullivan introduced the Beatles. Sid: Let’s not forget it was I who introduced Ed Sullivan and it was Murray the K who introduced me. Back in the day (the early 1960’s) I happened to be involved in what was to become the British Invasion, and out of the thirteen British Rock acts, I brought eleven of them to America. I will admit that the moment the fifth Beatle, Brian Epstein, agreed to allow me to introduce the Beatles at the famous Carnegie Hall in New York City, my career changed forever.
BB: That concert was held on August 15, 1964 only a few days after the Beatles made their second appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. Sid: The timing was perfect because I knew it would result in an automatic sell-out. During those days, Ed Sullivan was the king of the world in terms of the entertainment business. If you wanted to be successful, you had to be on the Ed Sullivan Show. At that time the Beatles were gigantic in England, but somewhat unknown in the United States. BB: But the big one was to be one year later in Shea Stadium with some 55,000 screaming fans. Sid: I met with Brian Epstein and suggested a concert idea that had never been done. I wanted to place the Beatles in Shea Stadium and Brian actually agreed to it. The problem was that he wanted a deposit of $50,000 up front and without knowing where I could get such a sum, I agreed to it. I was so excited I would have agreed to anything. It was then that an amazing thing
happened during a walk in Washington Square Park. Some kids approached me and asked me what I had planned for some future events. I immediately replied “the Beatles in Shea Stadium in August”. They wanted to give me money on the spot to guarantee their seats so I rushed over to the Post Office and secured a Post Office Box (#21). I then told the kids that all they had to do was send a check or money order to my box, made out to Sid Bernstein. The ticket prices were $4.50, $5.00, and $5.65. In a matter of a few weeks, we raised $304,000. There was no advertising - no posters - no nothing. It was just the simplicity of the grapevine doing its thing. It truly was an incredible experience and needless to say, it became a sell-out. BB: Sid, did it ever get any better in your entire career that that night at Shea Stadium? Sid: Let me answer it this way… The year was 1971 when I received a phone call from John Lennon asking me for tickets to the sold-out concert featuring the reggae music of Jimmy Clift.
My children gave up their tickets and I ended up sitting next to John and his guests. During the intermission John elected to stay in his seat so we had an opportunity to talk. He looked at me and said the following…“Sid, that concert at Shea Stadium in 1965… I saw the top of the mountain on that unforgettable night.” I looked at him and replied … “I saw the top of that same mountain John” and it never got better than that. BB: It was December 8, 1980 and the death of John Lennon had to be devastating to you. Sid: I was only one block away from the Dakota where John and Yoko lived when it happened. I was at a restaurant called Fine & Shapiro’s for dinner and I stopped into SPQR on Mulberry Street to see my friends and their new upstairs club. My friend’s wife burst in with the horrible news. I actually agreed to appear on Good Morning America the following day and I have no recollection of what David Hartman and I talked
about for some ten minutes on the air. I was still too numb to think about anything. BB: And the death of George Harrison‌ Sid: He was much too young, and it’s so sad. George was the quiet one. He was very reserved, very reclusive and very spiritual. He was a gentle man and a gentleman. Obviously, I miss them both.
Sid Bernstein recently passed away at age 95.
Prime Arts… The BARNES FOUNDATION
The Barnes holds one of the finest collections of Post-Impressionist and early Modern paintings, with extensive works by PierreAuguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse,
Pablo Picasso, Henri Rousseau, Amedio Modigliani, Chaim Soutine and Giorgio de Chirico, as well as American masters Charles Demuth, William Glackens, Horace Pippin and Maurice Prendergast. There is so much more, and every visit is a new and inspiring experience.
2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway barnesfoundation.org
Prime Travel Westin Key West Resort and Marina
Another picture that is worth a thousand words. This is Ernest Hemingway country, and simply one of the great spots in America. It’s adjacent to Mallory Square and Duval Street.
There is a full-service marina and on-site shopping, and best of all, the excitement of the fabled Duval Street in Old Town Key West.
178 luxurious guestrooms and suites appointed with all the modern conveniences.
And the views are a vital part of this picture.
The best benefit of all - it’s close to Key West’s nightly Sunset celebration.
My restaurant recommendation … Nine One Five (915 Duval Street). Great food and very happening. 245 Front Street Key West, Florida www.westinkeywestresort.com 866-837-4250
A picture is worth a a thousand words.
Happy Holidays!
www.PrimePhiladelphia.com