It is hard to believe that we are celebrating the 250 birthday of America. Officially, it is called the Semiquincentennial.
It was only 50 years ago that we celebrated the Bicentennial (the above image was the official logo). I was at the "ripe old age" of 26 at the time.
My parents and I spent the 1976 July 4th weekend (July 4 fell on a Sunday) in Las Vegas, Nevada with my aunt, uncle and two cousins. On July 3, we went to the Stardust Hotel to see Lido de Paris.
According to Google's A.I. overview:
The Lido de Paris was a legendary French topless revue that ran for 32 years at the Stardust Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, debuting on the resort's opening day in 1958 and running until 1991. Produced by Donn Arden, it was a massive, high-tech production that helped cement the "showgirl" as an enduring icon of Las Vegas culture.
It seemed a little odd (to me) at the time that I should be attending a topless show with my parents and relatives. But it was a good and entertaining show.
On Sunday, July 4, we drove home from during the evening hours and we took in the fireworks displays of the desert towns and the suburbs of Los Angeles along the way during the drive.
 |
| Above, Nancy and Ronald Reagan arrive at the Hilton Plaza Hotel. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
The following month, I was in Kansas City, Missouri for the 1976 Republican National Convention. I was a Ronald Reagan delegate for California. The convention was held at the Kemper Arena. This was the convention in which President Gerald Ford won the GOP nomination over Reagan.
 |
| Above, Kemper Arena, the venue of the 1976 GOP National Convention in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
The California Delegation were housed at the Hilton Plaza Hotel. One day during convention week, I managed to take a snapshot of the Reagans arriving at the hotel for a meeting (above photo).
It is amazing that I still vividly remember things from 50 years ago.
No comments:
Post a Comment