I
consider myself very lucky in the fact that I am a Leap Year Baby,
having a birthday only once every 4 years, and I have always taken
advantage of that fact. I don't celebrate the 'in-between' years but I
have a blast, and memorable times, when Feb 29 falls in a year--by the
way it is any year divisible by 4 and comes out in  presidential
election and winter Olympic years.

In
1940 when I celebrated my first Leap Year birthday I had my picture on
the front page of the newspaper--I am in the center of the picture
surrounded by 4 friends with our mothers in the background and a
chocolate cake with candles in front of me. Above was the invitation to
my 14th Leap Year birthday party.

Some other highlights:
Feb.
29, 1964 My 7th birthday--Barbra Streisand, (Hey, it's my birthday and I
can name drop if I want!) who I 'met' in the 1960s at the Bon Soir nightclub on 8th street in Greenwich Village and, if I remember right,
at the  Blue Angel on 52nd street, is going to make her debut in "Funny
Girl" at the Winter Garden Theatre--Pepe buys opening night tickets for
original announced opening date at end of February--doesn't happen--show
postponed a half a dozen times--we finally celebrate my birthday, her
opening, a month later!

Feb. 29, 1976 My 10th (40th) birthday--I
rented the Memphis Hilton Hotel Ballroom and 2 banquet rooms--invited
350 of my closest friends--had a jazz cocktail party to start then a sit
down prime ribs and Caesar salad dinner with a band followed by a
dessert, liqueur and dancing ending. Made the front page society section
of the Memphis Commercial Appeal paper It cost me $11,000--remember
these are 1976 dollars!--and I had money back then. :o)

Feb. 29,
1980--hired out The Sandpiper (a gay supper club in Fort Lauderdale) and a blast was had for all for 7 hours--dinner, drinks and other 'things'

Feb.
29, 1984--12th (48th) birthday--my friend Michael threw a surprise
party for me--I gave him the list of people to invite (Tacky? Who
cared!?)--on his pool barbecue patio

Feb. 29, 1988--an evening at
the Golden Spike Restaurant on Federal opposite Kennedy's church--an
upscale buffet eatery--many friends came from out of town.

Feb. 29, 1992--I had open house at my place from noon to midnight--a surprise guest.

Feb.
29, 1996--15th (60th) birthday--A "Death By Dessert" party at the
ZanZbar Restaurant on Los Olas--desserts of animals from around the
world made out of chocolate.

Feb. 29th, 2000--In the
afternoon--The Cheesecake Factory, at the Sawgrass mall,  where we were
served all 48 varieties of cheesecake they offered--in the evening--The
Ark, in Hollywood, where we partaked of the Captain's Table (which
included lobster, stone crabs, prime ribs plus 15 other main courses and innumerable appetizers, side dishes and desserts--all you could eat of
all the items)--very mixed crowd including 6 people who flew in from
around the States.

Feb. 29, 2004--17th (68th) birthday--it was held
at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Hotel and Marina--I had 25
guests--started at 11:30 AM--featured an elegant, elaborate brunch
buffet--that evening, with my  friends Gino and Chuck, the latter who
came in from Memphis, we went to the Bette Midler "Kiss My Brass" show
(I had invited her to the brunch but she didn't come :o(

Feb. 29,
2008--18th (72nd) birthday--held at Sweet Tomatoes--Chuck and Terry
came in from Memphis--a week of eating out, going to the movies,
sightseeing, theatre

Feb. 29, 2012--Just a few weeks
away until my 19th (76) birthday--some plans have been set and a few
more will be coming into play--and, oh yes, I will be doing that tacky
birthday gift list I have done for the past 12 birthdays!
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