PGN Founder MARK SEGAL’S 25TH ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARTY w/Special Guest PA Gov & Judge Rendell

Let me first start off by saying, Please Save the Mummers, whether you love them, hate them or have never seen them, it’s our Philly tradition for over 100 years, let’s not let that disappear too. So please donate a little money and let’s Save the Mummers. Thanks HughE

Saturday night I attended a handful of holiday parties including Mark Segal’s 25th annual one. Although it’s a well attended party, it’s a closed list and hard to get on. One group that doesn’t have a problem getting on the list are Philadelphia politics’s especially the one’s that may be throwing their hat in an upcoming race. Although no official announcement I don’t think it’s a secret that two of these folks are planning a splash in the political field next year, look for announcements in January. Dawn Tancredi, Judge Seamus McCafferty and Dan McCafferty I accompanied the lovely Phyllis Halpern and Donna Cisowski again this year. I am lucky enough to be great friends with Phyllis and see her often, but it would be nice if I saw Donna a little more. These two are so much fun and know the who’s who and what’s of the political scene. Now that Mary Patel has retired her column at the City Paper, Brian Howard should give a call to these two know it alls.Dwayne Wimmer, Vertex Fitness founder and trainer does a body proud. I hadn’t seen him in a few months, and the boy has packed on muscle. He is what he does, check him out at his place Vertex Fitness if you are looking for that new body in 2009. And our friend Tigre Hill. Best known for the 2006 movie “Shame of the City” about the mayoral race between evil John Street and Republican Sam Katz, he’s now completed his next movie “The Barrel of a Gun”, another controversial subject regarding the Mumia shooting of Officer Daniel Faulkner. Look for a spring release.The following two photos courtesy of Tigre Hill who has them on his facebook with the caption:
If you saw my movie “Shame of the City”, you know how awkward these two photos were to take.
With Jonathan Saidel and his friend. Anybody who Saw my film “The Shame Of A City” knows how awkward this pic is! LOL
My other escort tonight, my partner Mike Toub, still recovering from his trip to Paris where all he brought back was a broken arm and shattered wrist (you can fall off a Segway if you go over cobblestones); with him is man about town Matthew Vlahos who just last year blew into town, in that short time has a thriving PR business, a man on his arm and a new cat Oliver, and Jimmy Contreras, the man on his arm. Things are going swimmingly for Jimmy and will have some good news to share in the coming months. If these two aren’t on the “People to Watch” list in the coming months, then someone isn’t doing their homework.
One of the best things about a Mark Segal party is running into old friends. On the right is Jim Madden who I met when I moved to Philly when it was just a suburb of Cherry Hill. We played softball together and spent times chatting over the years. He’s one of the most pleasant, easy going guys you’re ever going to meet. He’s also the owner of the Bike Stop in the gayborhood. He’s just celebrated 10 years with his partner Ritchie Madden, who spent hours talking tech stuff with Mike.
Then there’s my new friends, GPFO director Sharon Pinkenson and Joe Weiss. You know I am her biggest fan, and what a thrill for me when she came right over, gave me a hug and wished me a big Merry Christmas. If you have been following my blog for the past 18 months, you know I have had a mini crush on her for the past 6 years; I didn’t even talk to her for the first year I photographed her, now she knows my name and gives me hello hugs, aah amazing for a fanboy.I didn’t take a lot of photos at the party, and in fact left big Bertha at home again. I have to say I think the photos with my Nikon 7900 came out pretty good, and it’s tempting not to carry her around as much, but you never know when you might come across the photo that will be published in a magazine or newspaper so that’s really why it’s necessary to shoot with the big guns. Here comes the Judge and her husband, Gov. Ed RendellEvery year Mark has his political and “Bold Named” guest sing a few Christmas Carols. Last year it was the swan song for Street, plus Michael Nutter was on the bill. It was a sight to see, but last year there was a no camera rule and I abided by it. This year I saw lot’s of people with camera’s and even video, and since I didn’t get the “No Camera” notice, like last year, I just brought it but just took photos on a as needed basis. This next event I know you needed to see it.

The singing for this special 25th anniversary was reserved for Gov Rendell and Judge Marjorie Rendell to sing with the Philadelphia Singers.

As Mark directed the whole she bang and enjoyed himself

Songs sung were “Silent Night, “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”, and “The 12 Days of Christmas”, surprisingly no “Dreidal, Dreidal, Dreidal” especially since the host and Gov are all Jewish, which while singing “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” didn’t go unnoticed by the Gov who said, this just feels so weird being a Jew and singing this. But it was all in good fun as the room roared in laughter. For “The 12 Days of Christmas”, the Honorable Midge Rendell has the special solo part of singing, Guess who’s birthday it is on 12/21/08
Judge Rendell’s, and Mark Segal marked the occasion with song and a beautiful cake that was inscribed with “Five Golden Rings” “Happy Birthday to our favorite First Lady and Judge”I was in the right spot at the right time with the wrong camera. Still if Michael Klein wasn’t on vacation for the next two weeks, this would have his Inqling’s column written all over it.
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