PHILADELPHIA HOSPITALITY AT ITS BEST AT THE GPHA LUNCHEON

The publisher of Where Magazine, Laura Burkhardt invited me to attend The Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association (GPHA) 17th Annual Scholarship and Hospitality Awards Luncheon on Tuesday. The GPHA serves the interests of 87 hotels, including all Center City properties, and over 140 allied members throughout the Delaware Valley. I choose to leave big Bertha home electing instead to taking my baby Nikon 7900, which I used to shoot almost all the photos on Confessions of a Paparazzi from 2006 – 2007 so it may be small but it’s decent, except for this picture of the ballroom at the Bellevue.
Greeting us at the door was the Phillies Phanatic himself, my palms began to sweat, oh I should have brought Bertha, should I run back to my office and get her, will little Nelly be able to capture the big green creature, bird?OMG hyperventilating now, it’s the Trophy, thank god I brought a camera, it crossed my mind not to bring one at all, thank god I didn’t listen to that evil voice. James was kind enough to take a photo of me with the trophy. My only regret is I honored it and didn’t touch it, I wish I had, I would have like to know if the flag poles were solid or easily bent?
After (exhausting myself by handing out all my biz cards to the concierge so they could tip me off to celebrity sightings) we retired to the ballroom for lunch. – ONLY KIDDING, really please call me. WON’T you? Actually I’ve met all these folks before, no one ever calls me for tips. Darn, how does MK or Dan Gross get them, they don’t even have camera’s!After scholarships were given to students in the hospitality field of study, and the Nice Awards were given to a couple of outstanding tourism groups, the Phanatic ran in to collect the “Heart of Philadelphia Award” which was given to the Philles team . “The Phillies thrilling brand of baseball brought excitement and national attention to Philadelphia, not only as the home of the World Series Champs, but by enticing tourism and travel destination.”
Sorta like the Mummers, by the way donate money to Save the Mummers here !
Joining Laura at her table were: Mariska Bogle from the Philadelphia Tribune, Sophia Agorastos and Anastasia S. Karloutsos, the Waterworks restaurant, Me (OMG another pix of the elusive HughE, no stalking please),Bruce Yelk GPMTC, Table 31’s Lauren O’Dorisio, Punch Media’s James Zeleniak, seated Laura Burkhardt, Lago’s Kristina Garcia and Laura Vernola, Garces Restaurant Group Starting in January, Morris Visitor Publications Joins forces with Center City District to publish The Center City Guide The digest-sized magazine focuses on Center City attractions, events, dining, shopping, museums, galleries, and nightlife, and was previously published by Philly Style Magazine. Now Morris/CCD will be distributing them throughout the City in apartment buildings, condo’s, and high traffic areas. I’ve reviewed an early copy, and this will be the premiere “Go to Magazine” to find out the who’s, where and what is going on in the City Guide. look for it in a few weeks.