Philadelphia

HughE’s 80s Prom/Rock & Roll Themed Birthday at the Top of the Tower July 23

July 24, 2013 by HughE Dillon 4 Comments

First I want to thank everyone for understanding I needed to keep the number down for my bday party. I’ve had many parties in the past 5 years, many of them open to unlimited number of folks, but for my birthday I wanted it to be comfortable and minglely for everyone so I had to keep it below 150 people, and I did forget to invite some people, so if you think you should have been there you may be right and now that I am AARP age we can write it off because of my failing memory.

That being said, this was the best party I’ve ever gone to. Thanks to event coordinator, brand ambassador, public relations guru Christie Honigman (r), The Honigman Group for organizing the event, working with all the vendors, decorating the room, doing the layout of the room, and all those details I had no idea that went into creating such an amazing event. Thanks to Katie English, for all her help, and assisting Christie. A guy couldn’t ask for two better friends, who are talented to boot. (It’s their year anniversary of friendship as they met last year at my birthday party executed by Maria Papadakis.)

Holy Cupcake so gorgeous, delicious, it could only be Ms Goody Cupcake

Thank YOU Ms Good Cupcake for your generous gift

 Isn’t this a fabulous cake from Potito’s Bakery.  They created it from a description that Christie and I gave them.  Thank you for the delicious fro’nuts too. So delicious. They were a huge hit!!

 Mr Philadelphia, Al Lee. On the left is my friend Sue Fee, who I went to college with. So fun to see so many old, new and great friends.
 Gervase Peterson, Burnz Cigar Lounge in Lawnside, Madison Alpern, Chef Consultant, Jackie Baik,
Ben Haney, Mac’s Tavern and Marisa Magnatta, WMMR’s Preston & Steve

 Thank You DJ EDDIE TULLY for spinning the heck out of the ’80s. You made the party!! I can’t recommend him highly enough.

THANK YOU TO MY SPONSORS: Replica Creative who created my invitation, and the signage, heck they do my business cards and the placard I wear around my neck. Top of the Tower – What a great space. People were really impressed with it, which I knew they would be as it’s amazing. DJ Eddie Tully, Jade Starling, I wanted to surprise my friends with a song from one of my fav performers, love her (Check out her kickstarter and see what she’s planning for the future.) The Honigman Group – wow, sure she’s my friend, but I had attended several events over the years and when it came to my 50th Birthday Party there was no one else who I wanted to work with. Focused Studios – Thank you Kristyn and Kyree for filming the bday party, and for being such great friends. Korbel – cheers!! (& Carol Drumstas, Brown Forman heart you), Yards Brewery – Tom Kehoe  Stark Raving and BV Century Cellars & Christal Watkins – Multicultural Sales and Marketing Manager at North American Spirits and Wine – PA) HUGE THANKS COOL PIXS with PHIL ANDREWS,  DENISE FIKE illustrations AND Professional Tarot Card Reader
MARILYN SUKONICK-ZEFF who entertained my guests.

 

 Thanks to my friends who really embraced the theme that night, and to the ones who came and anyway knowing it wasn’t a big deal. Stacey Kracher, Justin Wineburg and Aida Strata
 Dr Erin Punz and Carmen Tomassetti
 Teresa Nino and her brother, and best dancer of the night Matt Nino
 Although these two were pretty damn close – Wake me up before you go go’s 
Marcus Matos and Noel Zayas

 Peter Caperonis and
 Wendy Wilhelm
Tempa Berish, Sabrina Tamburino and Lauren Colabeli
 Dash Sears and Kory Aversa

 Nigel Richards and  Eddie Tulley – serious Christie thought of this, and to put DJ in the center of the room and not off to the side.
 Mike Chobart and Barbara Katz-Chobart

 Gary DeVito, Dan Cronin and Carmen Tomassetti
 Chip Ellis and H Lee Paterson

 So fun to see two of my friends from Paul VI High School, Jacquie Fanelle Winner and Angel Mancine/ I’m not going to let 30 years go by before I see these two again. Great dancers too!!

 The room holds 200 people sit down, and it’s great for all kinds of events, parties etc. Christie and Katie decorated the room, Christie laid out the room in a way that it was easy to navigate. The whole place was set up spectacularly, staging Denise Fike, Cool Pixs and Marilyn in the hall, and moving the bars into the room.
Desiree Peterkin Bell,  Mayor’s Dir. Of Communications and City Representative and Brian Bell. It was at Top of the Tower that The City, and Desiree held the press conference about the July 4th Jam on the Parkway events, because it has an unobstructed view of the parkway, plus both rivers.

 MARILYN SUKONICK-ZEFF kicking it with a table full of peeps who wanted to know their future
 Jacky Wright and Reggie Berry
 Me, Rakia, Skai Blue Media, Courtney and Mike Jerrick
 Ian Butler and Gn Kang
Stephanie Rybczyk and Tommy Chiacchio
   Bill Reichert, Lauren Colabeli, Tempa Berrish, Craig Robinson and Craig Spitzer
Jade Starling belts out her top hits, and a new one

Jodi Shaw-Clarke (my childhood friend from Audubon NJ, who still cuts what little hair I have left, & Mike Jerrick)

Katie English, my brother Ray LaGreca, Laura Burkhardt, Senator Larry Farnese, Dafni, Annie Heckenberger, Vasiliki Tsiouris and Christie Honigman

Phil Andrews, Cool Pixs, Barry Eichner and Sara Kelly

Greta Greenberger (and I have been friends for 15 years), Mickey Rowley, Top of the Tower – (Thanks to you, and Lou Kochman co-owner, your staff, especially Vanessa and Charmaine.) Phyllis Halpern, my good friend and #1 supporter.

The next generation of tastemakers – Randyl Case and Ian M Crumm.

My sisters Margaret Goleash, Crista Bateman, and Tracy Bonaventure, with bud Matt Ray

Diane Johnson and Christian DiCicco

It’s Like the Sonny & Cher Reunion: Susan Barnett and Chris May

Roberta and RiCk Pipito
Renee and Don Freeman
High School Friends:  Gerri Matveenko DeMarshall (although Gerri & I worked as paralegals together for 10 years too), Sandee Bengel and Tom Bengel
Cass Hallacker and Tina Elmer
Elaine Graber and Jin Hee Park
Tania and Marc Schade

 Lynsie Solomon and Heathyr McNiece

Ms Goody Cupcakes

Michelle Conron and Matt Ray
Lu Ann Cahn and Justin Pizzi
Did you hear about Lu Ann’s daughter’s T-Shirt causing a stir with the Taylor Swift fans:

http://www.badkidsclothing.com/products/the-doherty-womens

Robert Mendelson, Bobbi Booker and the one and only, Patty Jackson
Mike Jerrick, Jenine and David Neff
WOGL Valerie Knight and Jamyra Perry

Pedro Ramos and Amber G Ramos – Congrats on their nuptials. I was sad I couldn’t make it as I had my moms bday, which was spectacular too.
Elaine Graber, Krista Guidi, Katie Griffin, Erin Elmore, Craig Spitzer, Carol Tamburino Thorne, Tempa Berish, Carol Tamburino and Patty Jackson (Photo: Robert Mendelson)

Fantastic Dynasty inspired outfit – Rachel Moore and John Paz
Michelle Cassidy and Arthur Etchells
Michelle and Bruce Shannon, Michelle and Shawn Waters

 A.J. Marisco, Annie McCormick Marisco, Allison Young and Dave Maser,
 Mike and I right after I proposed to him (kinda), after thanking my guests for coming.
 Tony Luke, Jr, and girlfriend, Jennifer Schloder
Mike Toub, Me, my sister Crista Bateman and husband Michael Bateman

Cindy Wanerman, Board Chair of ESP, and Larry Wanerman (and my new neighbors soon. Cindy has an amazing life/diet story, you will hear about soon on my blog. She’s going to save my life. I really have to take care of a few things. Speaking of)
OMG that cake was so beautiful!! Coming up next week, photos from the photo booth and the Focused Studios video. good stuff. Sorry to the 50 or so folks who’s photos didn’t make it. But thanks so much for coming. I’m going to eventually put all the pixs in an album for you all to take. Probably in a week when I collect them from my buddy, 2nd photographer Mike Hirata.) Now what to do with the naked doll, a gift from Lee of Hopsing Laundry Mat, probably to thank me for sending me the 6 very drunk Mainline trust fund babies to his establishment a few months back. They thought it would be fun to “Vogue” in his bar.