MIDTOWN VILLAGE MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION “KICK OFF” PARTY FALL 2008 re: Updated Info

I originally posted this a few weeks back but had to take it off as the photo’s were being published in the Metro and I didn’t want the photos to be scooped by my blog. It’s fun to have so many publications available to publish my work, but then it does affect my first love Philly Chit Chat; on the otherhand it does fulfil what I set out to do which is to promote the Who, What, Where and When of Philadelphia. Which Which reminds me, the Midtown Village Fall Festival is coming up on 10/4/08 and I hope you will attend. Lot’s of fun things happening that day. Here’s the coverage from the kickoff party.



So exciting, once a week I will have the photo column in The Metro. So now if I photograph you at an event you could show up in Philly Style Magazine, the Metro and Philly Chit Chat. If you’re a bold name it could be the Philadelphia Inquirer or a glossy.

Must be more clear in my emails to The Metro. I am not the Mayor of Midtown. The Mayor would not give me his name, somehow I was ID as him. These are the nice girls from Lucky Strikes though.

The Midtown Village Merchants Association is hosting a complimentary “kick-off” party for our third annual Fall Festival in October. Greeting us at the host venue Holiday Inn Midtown was the “Mayor of Midtown Village” SAVE THE DAY 10/4/08 RAIN/SHINE 3rd Annual Midtown Village Fall Festival Another friendly face greeted me as I entered the room, Cathy from McGillins Olde Ale House. She’s worked with three generations of the same family that have run McGillin’s and says this is the best generation of all. She knows where her bread is buttered. And talk about bread and butter, OMG Cathy was serving up some chilli that you just have to try. Really it was my hands down favorite meal, sorry fellas, of the night. And I know food. So stop on by on 10/4/08 for some Chilli and sing your heart out at McGillins Olde Ale House, Philadelphias oldest tavern, as they host karaoke outside, on Drury Street under a tent. Say hello to Cathy, who really told me that every generation was the best to work with, I was just pulling your leg.

RAW. I never had a chance to check it out yet, but I was happy to have a sampling taste Wednesday night. On 10/4/08 Stop by RAW Sushi & Sake Lounge for sushi rolls, BBQ skewers, and sake bombs. Then test your strength and prowess in our Sumo Wrestling Ring. If I keep going to these food events, I could enter a Sumo Wrestling contest.

There was an amazing array of donated items on our silent auction. I tried and loss a month membership to Fusion Cross Training I so think I could be their biggest loser poster boy, imagine the business they could attract if they whipped me into shape and I chronicle it here on Philly Chit Chat?

Some people recognize a good thing when they see it and maybe open a restaurant in an up and coming, but now arrived section of the city like Midtown Village. Jason and Delphine had saw the vision and created Vintage and Time. Pictured here with a little time on her hands is Nina Schrader of the American Family Theater here in Philadelphia.

Bindi’s Marcie Turney serving up a pan seared shrimp cooked in coconut and safron. Hello delicious!!

But nobody has done it up like Valerie Safran and Marcie Turney have built their own empire along 13th street, including: Open House, a home accessories shop; Lolita, a contemporary Mexican restaurant across the street; Grocery, a café and market; and, Bindi, an Indian byob.

Check out this video from my one of my favorite sites uwishunu about the partners in love and business. More auction items, one person I know

one of my nearest, dearest and oldest friends in Philly, City Hall Tour Director Greta Greenberger and her daughter Julia, bid and bought 4 auction items. I know I helped her bring them to her car. (I’m going to totally drop names here, Greta’s husband, Alan, right he is the new Philadelphia City Planning Director, and I know his positions on Penn’s Landing, the Casino, the Plan for the Parkway and his vision of Philadelphia, but I can’t say what they are. What I can say is he is the most honest, truthful, tactful guy I know. And thorough, did I mention thorough?

If I ever get sick I want to go where nurse Mary Kate Duffy works so we can gossip about celebrities all day long, with her is Lisa Willis of the PA Horticultural Society. I’m dreaming of the flower show right now. One because it’s beautiful, and two because it takes me to spring.

The gay mafia, Bruce Yelk, Matthew Izzo and Happy Birthday Brian who’s surprise party I missed last week because I was at Fashion Week. Heard it was a blast. Aaaah to be 30 again.

David “Scoops” Dyer who is with http://www.streettalkin.com/, the TMZ of Philadelphia. Get in on the action as they are looking for sponsers, I am so jealous with their 100, 000 impressions a month. I need to do some PR, Lauren Jacobsen, the blazing Matthew Vlahos, Jimmy Contreras who is all over the place lately; this month is featured in Philadelphia Style Magazine. You can find Jimmy and Lauren at Kimberly’s Boutique on 16th Street. They carry my favorite line Tibi

Apothecary Lounge. Love the name, the decor, the specialty drinks

Deanna Scott and Kristyn Aldrich of Lucky Strike. I’ve been there a dozen times, but mostly to enjoy their burger fries. It’s also the place where I met two of my favorite DJ’s The Beat 100.3 Laiya St. Clair and Janita Applebaum Styles, who I will be writing about on Monday as we got together last night for a mini concert/Q&A with Solange Knowles, who’s new CD is kicking it: Sol-Angel & The Hadley St. Dreams If I were to pick the Philebrities of the night it would be this crew: Veterinayr Radiologist Dr. Lisa Ziemer, Tricia Dressel –Mazzoni Center, Judy Applebaum – President Wash Sq West Assoc. (Oh if I had a second I would have asked her “What is happening with Evolve, will it ever see the light of day?) and Gloria Casarez “I am delighted that Gloria [Casarez] has agreed to join my administration as the Mayor’s LGBT Liaison,” Mayor Nutter said,

Everyone’s favorite Capogiro being scooped by Christian

Angela McCord and Susan Ellman of Fruit Flowers with two locations in Midtown Village. What a clever idea, a real pick me up basket of flowers that you can eat. I would love to see how they cut their fruit into such tasty delights.

A few weeks back I wrote about the new boutique hotel, The Independent. Here are the folks that make it run so smooth for the visitors which keeps them coming back to the Village. Sandi Janiri, ? (Hmm can’t read that name) and front end manager Jimmy

Darren Fava (who I have known for eons, but never get to see much of. We both collect vintage Philadelphia Postcards), Jeff Guaracino is vice president of communications for the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC), and one of my favorites Where Magazine Publisher Laura Burkhardt. Check yesterday’s entry to see the photo I took of Laura and Philadelphia Eagle Stewart Bradley that appeared in Sunday’s Inquirer.

Michael O’Brien, the Mayor of Midtown and Gavin McCay from FusionCrossTraining .

A few weeks back they had a celebrity visitor Lee Ann Rimes and her husband.

These boys are ready for the fall weather, not a short in sight, well except for the working stiff Gavin McCay, but who wouldn’t want to see him in shorts year round. L-R Ryan Mattis, Matthew Ray,Tom, Chip & Bill

L-R Amnda, Miker www.TheMHstudio.com , Philip Fedubu and Natala Goodwin

Michael, Ryan and Nick

. Alicia Raffensberger, Sales Manager of the Holiday Inn, Denis Cronin, Director of Sales Holiday Inn Express, Eileen Masciarelli, Nora Systems Inc. Acct Exec. And Jonathan Latko, Temple Univ. Sustainability.

The real mayor and champion of Midtown Village, co-owner of Absolute Abstract James McManaman. He and David White can be found 7 days a week at their 13th Street (between Walnut and Sansom streets) store, or reached at (215) 733-0190; They are two of the nicest folks you could ever meet, and their art is very affordable. Someday, someday when I return to doing my Fine Art again, I hope to get a few pieces there.



SAVE THE DAY 10/4/08 RAIN/SHINE 3rd Annual Midtown Village Fall Festival