Philadelphia

HAPPY NEW YEAR MY FAVORITE 2012 PHOTOS & YADA YADA YADA

December 31, 2012 by HughE Dillon

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! What an amazing year I’ve had. My business and brand just exploded and I was swamped. A wonderful thing especially in this economy. It’s so sad that our country is taking so long to recover, and it’s so sad what’s going on in society. Sometimes it’s hard for me to write about people, and glamorous events with so much strife in the world, but my friend Phyllis tells me people want an escape, they want happy, they love the local angle on life that I write about. So I will keep on keeping on. Thank you for all your support over these past five years and giving PCC it’s best year ever with nearly 1.5 million views in 2012.

 

What a great year of celebrations for this milestone. Thank you to Cashman & Associates for throwing the 5th Anniversary PhillyChitChat party and for the nearly 250 that came out to support it. Thank You Reserve Steakhouse for committing to my party, I was sad they closed a few days later. I had so many people contact me to throw parties there as they loved the space. I couldn’t understand why they were contacting me (I was away at the time) and then I read they went out of business.  There’s one final event coming up 1/16/13 at Replica Creative. It’s a retrospect of photos I’ve taken over the past 5 years of YOU. So I hope you’ll come by. 33 s 18th Street 6PM – 8PM Wed 1/16/12.

Here are a few of the photos and events I attended this year. The Barnes Opening. I love the building, I love the event space, I love the grounds, I’ve never toured the art exhibit except in it’s old home in Merion. This year I’ll make sure I check it out.

 
Black Thought and Bobbie Booker at the Mayoral Nutter Inauguration Party
I just love her and her full of life attitude. That goes for Robert Mendelson too. So generous in their efforts for me to get the right shots when we’re at the same events.  
On my way to the Great Chefs event in June, I caught President Obama arriving in Philly for a fundraiser. It was amazed at how the officials were able to close down 95 N&S below 676 to allow his motorcade to pass. i loved how people gathered on the overpass to watch his motorcade too. I just happened to be in the right spot at the right time. I took this with my cell phone.

Padraic Jacob Maroney had a fun 30th birthday party at the Vesper Boat House, and invited his family and friends. He’s been a long time movie critic for Edge Philadelphia, and the evening had a movie theme to it. He created this poster of himself for his friends to sign. I just love it.

 Hopeless romantic Erin Elmore finds met the love of her life, Craig Spitzer, through friends.

Dan Reinherz and Hadas Kuznits expecting a baby 2/15/12. Met on Match.com
So many ladies ask me how they can meet a guy. Through friends and online are great sources, but I also advise them to go out and socialized somewhere different, I love how my friend GN met her fiance at Alfa, she had never really gone there and was meeting an old friend and well now they’re gonna get married (yeah), take a college class, go to Friday night at the Art Museum after 5…

 Congratulations to Jill Rizen and Andy Hennig on their marriage over the weekend in Miami, here with Elaine Graber.

 take an exercise class. If you haven’t met the guy or
gal of your dreams yet, you need to add some new friends to your life.
There’s a whole new pool of possibilities. Go out with that new friend
who says lets get a drink together, or have coffee. That’s how I did it.
You meet, they meet your friends you meet their friends and who knows
what could come of it.

 Nearly every morning I capture the sunrise from my living room window. i post the shots on Twitter & Facebook, and my newly discovered Instagram. Follow me on Instagram at PhillyChitChat

 Jason Cichonski (Ela) getting a smooch from his biggest
fan Nicole with Ilana Waber and Sam “is that an IPhone in your Pocket”
Shoap. Check out my full column in Philly Mag coverage of the event HERE

 Thanks to the producer & director – Tommy Oliver (l) of 1982  (with Hill Harper (C) and Wayne Brady (r) for allowing me to photograph the film set in West Mt Airy, this past summer (it was one of those 100F days too.) When they broke for lunch I got a tip about Miley & Liam eating at Capital Grill and I hurried to Center City to capture them leaving on their 2nd day in the City. That was a great day for me.

 What an awesome year of film making and paparazzi shots for me. So much fun, and just a little stress.

Spontaneous get togethers are sometimes the only time I have with friends

I loved that this happened in Philadelphia. It was really cool just to hang out with people at the Eakins Oval sitting on couches and watching how the lights would interact to people’s voices.

 
This is one of my favorite photos for 2012. Taken at the Franklin Square Annual Gala.

So nice to get to know Alicia Vitarelli this year, with husband Matthew Pantaleno, Kristen Insalaco, Weber Shandwick/Revel Resorts, 6 ABC anchor Brian Taff, and producer Mara Webb Taff.  Highlight of my year was being one of three photographers (no other photogs shot the event) hired to shoot the opening weekend at Revel Resorts with Beyonce in concert. Beyonce & Jay Z like to review the photos before they got sent out to the press. Photographer Kevin Mazur (WireImage) told me he took 3000 pixs of Beyonce the first night of her opening concert at Revel, and after the review he was only allowed to release 6 to his agency, but they were spectacular. (I submit my celeb pixs to WENN. The photo above did not go there. I actually took it on my pocket camera just for my own memory. Beyonce is an amazing performer.) (unpublished til now)

 King of Prussia Octoberfest. Now this is great street style.
Thanks to everyone who came to NJ for the 3rd Annual Gilda’s Club event in honor of my sister Judy Wilkins. Thanks to Gloss Pr, Corie Moskow & Ilana Waber, Flemings Steakhouse in Marlton NJ and all the folks who donated items for the silent auction. I still need to write the event up, as well as a few more events. I really got behind this fall social season. Anyway, thanks we raised $4,000 and I’m more than halfway there to name the crochet/craft room after my sister. if you’d like to donate, especially on this last day of 2012 fill out the form here and remember to note Judy Wilkins in the  “In Tribute” section. Thanks

Chris Gabello never takes himself seriously, but he does take his work very seriously.  We’re going to miss him here in Philly, as many high profile clients in NYC saw his photography talent and has whisked him away. He’ll still have a studio here in Center City, staffed with lots of talented photographers, but he’ll be doing most of his work up in the Big Apple where he and his wife Krista now live.(We started in the biz at the same time, and I will always treasure those first growing years.) (unpublished)

 
I have some pretty special friends. Christie Honigman, Vasiliki Tsiouris, Katie English, Maria Papadakis, Marisa Magnatta, Laura Burkhardt, Teresa Nino and Kristyn Aldrich who took me out for my most memorable birthday. 2013 is going to be the Friend Connection year for me, and I’m going to work on remembering peoples names.

 Thanks to all my clients whether you hired me or advertised with PCC. January 2 will be my 2 year anniversary of monetizing the blog with advertisements and by being hired to shoot events (When you hire me, you get to keep the photos and I’ll also write your event up here on PCC). Before that my blog was a hobby as I had a job as a paralegal. When I was laid off I pursued my hobby as a job. I was unsure if someone could money that way as there weren’t very many people who did. For me it was like the book said. Do something you love, and the money will follow. It’s great to do something you love, and make money while doing it. I wish everyone could do it. It makes life so much more enjoyable. I would at least recommend you find a hobby you love.(unpublished)

 This is my absolute favorite photo in 2013 of PhillyChitChat. Butch Cordova was doing a promo for Boconcept furniture on Chestnut Street by living in their store window. Each day someone from a different decade would visit him. I stopped by for the ’80s with Jade Starling. I pinch myself that I know Jade Starling, I was clubbing in the ’80s and I danced night after night to some of Jade Starling & Pretty Poison’s songs. So many great memories there. In 2013 she has a new dance CD coming out called “Dance Revolution” Also Jade Starling performed at one of the many parties people threw PhillyChitChat this year. Thanks to Noel Zayas and Garden Wellington for putting that shindig on for me.
(BTW Gabello shot Butch’s 2008 Straight & Gay Calendar)

 It’s been fun watching Sara K over the years as she grows into her life. She’s one to watch. (Unpublished – )

Joseph Neubauer, former chief executive of food services giant Aramark, and Aileen Roberts, who is actively involved in the community and Philadelphia philanthropy, received the Philadelphia Award for their work on the new Barnes on the Parkway.- The Philly Post – HughE Dillon Joseph Neubauer checking out his award as Aileen Roberts gives her acceptance speech. (shot with natural light. This is definitely one of my favorite shots – unpublished)

 Made in America’s Anheuser Busch Clydesdale come to Fairmount. This is the owner of Bishop’s Colalr. (unpublished)

I was honored to be in Maria Papadakis’ wedding, but I struggled with the decision as I wanted to capture every joyous moment of the day, like when she exited the limo at the church. I was able to sneak out the door of the church and capture this on my pocket camera before the wedding planner yelled at me. It’s one of my favorites of the day.

Happy New Year, and thanks for all your support not only here at PhillyChitChat, but my other media outlets:  Follow me on Twitter for the latest celebrity sightings, events to attend, and interesting tidbits. Then look for the photos & story on PhillyChitChat.com, in my columns on PhillyMag.com (The Scene), Liberty City Press & Philly.com (Out & About) or check out my Society/Celeb segments on Fox 29’s Good Day Philly. Check out the sidebar for things to do today and tonight. Also check out my other entry today for Mummers info, including the live stream for those who want to watch from home.