Month: December 2018

Weekend Getaway: Doylestown A Quaint Getaway Close to Philly

Earlier this month I escaped the hustle and bustle of Philly and headed to Doylestown, Pa. Sure I’ve been there for day trips, in my other life I used to photograph the town for my greeting card business which I did before I was Philly Chit Chat, but I really never explored the town, or the history. I hadn’t even been to the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works, which is a place i had been talking about to tourist for years when I used to give tours of Phila City Hall; all the decorative floors in City Hall were created there. You can see some of them as you walk through the portals towards the courtyard.

Mike and I stayed at the Doylestown Inn, which is located right downtown. It’s adorable and reasonable. They’re a restaurant right on site, the rooms are great and ours had a fireplace which was really special and reminded me of my childhood home.

It’s really misleading from the outside, if you see the first photo it really is a historic inn from olden days, but at some point they
renovated keeping the historic charm, but modernizing the inside. These skylights were great bringing in lots of light to the Inn. I be it looks neat when it
snows.

The rooms are adorable. Besides the sleigh bed, there are two chairs and a table near the fireplace and TV. Plus a desk to sit at if you
want to work or write postcards home.

That evening Santa arrived and he lit the Christmas Tree. It was a fun ceremony as there was a small parade with a band,
then he arrived on a firetruck, went up to the top of the tree in a cherry picker and lit it with a crinkle of his nose.

I spent the rest of the night roaming around town

Shopping.

There are quite a few shops within walking distance of the center of town and our hotel.

They have a great bookstore as well – The Doylestown Bookshop, which was right next to this eyeglass store.

The Doylestown Inn has a continental breakfast for those on the go, it’s in the lobby.

Mike and I had brunch dinner and brunch at The Hattery, which is located inside the Doylestown Hotel.
We actually ran into old friends of mine from college. Seriously from 28 years ago. I know you’re doing the math in your head as we speak – LOL
I always knew they lived in Doylestown, but when you run into locals at The Hattery, you know you’re at one of the best restaurants in town.

Another place we ate was the Water Wheel Tavern | Restaurant | Bar – Doylestown, PA. It’s a little outside of town
but a short drive. Mike raved over the ribs, he said he’d make a special trip just to have them again. You know that’s a big deal cause
he loves his ribs. I had a burger. It was delicious. i love my burgers.

On Saturday we went to a few museums. i had been to Michener Art Museum, but we stopped in to see a few exhibits. For a small town
Doylestown has a lot of museums, in it’s historic mile.

We then crossed the street and headed to a museum I didn’t know existed The Mercer Museum. I had heard of it, but I had no idea what it was about – a collection of items that Henry Mercer, an eccentric, lovable, Doylestown born society, creative man stored his everything. Like a big closet of interesting items from tools, to pots, to art. MIKE LOVED IT.

I have a little dreidel. I made it out of clay. And when it’s dry and ready. Oh dreidel, I shall play. Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel. I made you out of clay.

The next museum we checked out was Mercer’s house called Fonthill Castle

Simply fascinating, strangely decorated, poured concrete with lots of hidden nooks and crannies. Worth several visits. We’ll be going back in the spring. The grounds are beautiful.
Doylestown and Bucks County has lot of holiday happenings
Check out info HERE

AND HERE. Santa is right down town in Doylestown waiting for you to visit.

Thanks to Visit Bucks County for hosting us for the weekend.
We’ll be back, it was just what I needed.
Plus There’s still so much to do and see.

Science Center and Cambridge Innovation Center Opening

Tim Rowe, founder and CEO, CIC, Sen. Vincent Hughes, Mayor Jim Kenney, Tracy S. Brala, Science Center, Steve Zarrilli, CEO and President Science Center, Joe Reagan, Vice President, Development at Wexford Science + Technology, a BioMed Realty Company, Craig R. Carnaroli, Board Chairman of Science Center and Saul Behar, Vice President and General Counsel of Science Center were on hand for the official kick off at 5PM

This launch marks the entrance of CIC—the company that helped transform Cambridge’s Kendall Square into the country’s leading cluster of tech and life sciences startups—to Philadelphia. CIC will occupy 138,000 sq. ft. of shared work and social space on six floors, for scientists and other innovators.

Abu Kamara, Grovara, Meri Wanjek and Colin Strapp

Ernest Owens, CEO Ernest Media Empire, Senator Vincent Hughes, Tiffanie Stanard, CEO of Stimulus and Osagie Imasogie, PIPV Capital

Kara laFleur, Jeff Friedman, Katie Dickerson and Megan Tumolo

Joyce Chen, Venture Cafe and Jane Shab,

Matt Sharayxo and Vivek Biloliko TJH Team Soriya with one of their inventions which applies medicine to a patients head.

Tim Gillespie, Dean Solis, EisnerAmper, Jimmy Mo, Lori Reiner, chief people officer at EisnerAmper, Lorraine Lopresti, University City Science Center and Rob Stiles

Rosa and Ricardo Torres with their Varieti Concept

Guests dance to the West Philadelphia Orchestra

Baby it’s cold outside, but it was a hot night in Old City as The Bridge Throws A WOW Holiday Birthday Party Friday night December 7, 2018 at the LEED certified, modern luxury apartment building.

From 8 to midnight, the holiday party took place in a future retail space.  There was plenty of food, libations, and live music entertainment by Rhythm Nation in the space, which the Bridge team turned into a winter wonderland.

The dress was holiday chic, and the guests did not disappoint especially Moxie stylists – Mackenzie Mclean and Stephanie Algayor

Lenrik Toval and Arturo Varela
Gabi Townsend, Alyse Scaffidi, and Lexi Scaffida
Jeffrey Brown, The developer behind The Bridge and Councilman Mark Squilla
David Zuzgao

Rising above the adjacent Ben Franklin Bridge, Bridge On Race is located at 205 Race Street, in Old City Philadelphia. Debuting in 2017, Bridge On Race has been awarded the ULI Award for Excellence by Urban Land Institute, Best New Building by Curbed Philadelphia. Bridge is surrounded by history, but it’s built to meet the innovative standards of today. The building is seeking LEED Gold certification, designed to be efficient for the environment and reduce energy costs for tenants, including smart phone control of heating and cooling. More information is available atBridgeOnRace.com.
Chelsey Scalese , Natalie Egenolf , Mike Jerrick, Kristen Rodgers and Amanda WhiteMina “SayWhat” Llona, DJ SirusFM and Boom FM, guest and Kate Marlys, Philly Pr Girl

Party Scenesters You Want To Know: Jordan Parenti and Thanuja Hamilton Moxie Blue Salon Crew

Antoinette Lee, Kali Hackett and Kamille Watson
Guests were encouraged to bring an unwrap gift to be given to a needy family through the Malcolm Jenkins Foundation
Gabe Canuso and Melinda Canuso
Model Christina Rabbitz and Chris Murphy, formerly of Fox 29, now with Fox in San Diego, who was in town to visit friends and have a good time.I ran into Dr. Dan as I waited for my Uber. He and his wife Alyssa and friends were enjoying a night out at Tuna Bar. Did you know Tuna Bar was one of Michael B Jordan’s favorite eatery while he lived at The Bridge. He often sat in the corner and just drank water as he was on a strict diet. He always left a $50 tip even though he only drank water.

HughE Around Town: M Night Shyamalan Wraps his Untitled Project, Holiday Highlights and A Sad Goodbye

Only 16 days til Christmas. I hope you’re taking time to enjoy the holiday spirit and making memories with family and friends. That’s what’s most important during these days.

I wrote last week about M Night Shyamalan filming his yet to be titled TV series for Apple. It’s a wrap for the first 30 minute episode. Most of the episode was filmed in a studio in Garnet Valley, but as one insider told me it takes place in Philadelphia and you have to go out on the street to capture Philly as well. You’ll probably recall the horrific crash scene which took place in Rittenhouse Square, but they also filmed on the 2100 block of Spruce Street. Since this episode is set in the Fall, they added more leaves to the trees and asked residents to take down their Christmas decorations for a few days. This was a shot I took on Thursday as I was stopped at a red light at 22nd Street. It’s still the social season so I’m shot on paparazzo time. The production is on hiatus until January 2, so perhaps then I will capture another Lauren Ambrose or Rupert Grint.

Speaking about Christmas, this has got to be one of the best selfie spots in the City, inside and out. No filter was used in this shot, the place is all aglow like Rudolph’s nose so bright.
Tinsel, the seasonal pop up bar is located at 116 S 12th St; Here’s a few photos from the VIP
Party I shot earlier this week. Phila Biz Journal

Another great selfie spot, and memory maker has to be City Hall and it’s surroundings.

Congrats to Sylva Senat on his new gig at the Pyramid Club

I hadn’t been to Maggiano‘s in at least a decade. After shooting the 60th Anniversary of PIDC on Thursday night I stopped by. WOW as delicious as ever. Sometimes I forget the Italian chain restaurant, which opened a decade ago, is over at 12th and Filbert. Go try it out, you’ll love it.

A fond farewell to our friend Katie Loeb a legendary mixologist, sommelier and author, who has spent her career specializing in fresh, out-of-the-box cocktails.  Katie Loeb has died after a brave two year battle against cancer, with barely a peep about what was going on. When I started out in this business covering food and drink, Katie was very instrumental in helping me understand the business, explaining who the players were and introducing me to some fine people. The lights are a little dimmer in the Philly food scene now, we’ll miss her straight shooting, tell it like it is notions, peppered with a great sense of humor. God Speed my friend.

Kendall and Ben Celebrate ie Bendall, Car Accident in Rittenhouse Square, The Met

Kendall Jenner and Ben Simmons put up their Christmas Tree Monday night. They both posted to their Instagrams to share the
joyous occasion. Friends tell me they were spotted at the Home Depot earlier in the day tree shopping, but that store sent them to the Cherry Hill store to pick up the tree they wanted.
So they jetted over there before heading to the Rothman rink later in the day to cap off the holiday cheer with a skate.

M. Night Shyamalan‘s thriller series at Apple began filming yesterday in Philadelphia.

M. Night Shyamalan’s Apple Series spent the majority of the day filming at 21st and Spruce Streets.

Last week on WOGL I chatted about the filming of “M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN” in the Rittenhouse Square area.  Shortly after Thanksgiving film set crews were adding fake leaves to the trees to make fall seem more peakish and less December. Thanks to my reader at Twitter @daveparke for sending me this photo on 11/30. Earlier in the week I had run into someone who lived nearby who told me they’d be filming in her neighborhood, so when Misteriso sent me this photo I knew exactly what it was for….

This rainy scene on Spruce Street between 21st and 22nd, as my other reader told me the scene would be about. Unfortunately I didn’t have anytime to make it to that shoot, but thankfully Camille Mola did. Thanks, how beautiful to see this.

In the evening they headed to 18th and Walnut Streets where they filmed the aftermath of a car crash. The scene has gawkers looking on as fire and rescue attend to the car and prepare it to be towed away.  M Night is the executive producer on this series, but is only directing the first episode I hear. Starring in the series is Lauren Ambrose, and Rupert Grint from Harry Potter.

The Apple series will stream free on Apple products, including Iphones.

According to Variety: The plot of the series has not been revealed, but we hear it follows parents Dorothy (Lauren Ambrose) and Sean Turner ( Toby Kebbell), who have hired young nanny Leanne to help care for their newborn child. Rupert Grint(Ronald Weasley from Harry Potter) will play Julian Pearce, Dorothy’s (Ambrose) younger brother. (Grint was spotted at Joe’s Coffee shop yesterday between takes.)

Lauren Ambrose

I went for the aerial view from B&N, not so hot

The scene they were shooting. Many people in the Rittenhouse area thought it was a real crash, so movie magic was on point.
Ladder 20 from Chinatown was used in the scene, but extras played the firemen

Thanks M. Night Shyamalan for filming in the Philly area, Center City and for this shot. Most of the TV series is being filmed in the burbs, as they have replicated the entire Spruce Street location in the studio in Garnett Valley, at a new studio for our area.
Stay tune for more on PhillyWood in the future.

Congrats to The Met for it’s grand opening. We are so lucky this magnificent jewel on Broad Street was saved.
Cutting the ribbon on The Met Philadelphia are (from left) Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney; City Council President Darrell L. Clarke; Emcee Miss Patty Jackson, WDAS-FM; Developer Eric Blumenfeld; Pastor Mark Hatcher, Holy Ghost Church; Billy Procida, Procida Financing and Advisors; Charlie Mack; Live Nation Philadelphia Regional President Geoff Gordon; and Oscar IV and Will Hammerstein. The newly restored Metropolitan Opera House originally designed and created by Oscar Hammerstein in 1908, is now a new 3,400-seat live music venue on the North Broad Street-section of Philadelphia, PA. The venue opened with Bob Dylan on Monday, December 3 and John Legend December 4.
Thanks to Ike Richman for sending this shot, I was bummed I couldn’t make it, but Social Season continues….

Rodney McLeod and partners presented his brand ‘Back Of House’ in a Pop-up Party at Dalian on the Parkway on November 26, 2018.

Rodney McLeod and fiance Erika Lee

Friends and teammates came out to see the holiday line and winter fashions from Back of House (BOHUSA). Lite bites from Abe Fisher were served, as guests tried on the latest fashions and learned about the charity “Focused Athletes” which provides Philly high school athletes access to athletic, academic, and professional resources that will foster growth as an athlete and as a person in order to be a leader for tomorrow’s Philadelphia.”.

Dana Myers and Molly Weinberg
Men’s Fashion Expert Sabir Peele (Men’s Style Pro) tries on a Back of House jacket
Rodney McLeod and Jonathan Mason, BOHUSA

Mina Say What and Quincy Harris

Head on over to Xfinity Live tonight and join Rodney McLeod, Quincy Harris, K Foxx and Christian Crosby for
the CF Charity Champions of Kids TOYS DRIVE. It’s free but bring a new unwrapped toy.

Monday Morning Gossip, looks like Kendall Jenner and Ben Simmons are going strong. They were spotted all over Philly this weekend.  After I first reported on WOGL Friday morning for you to be on the look out for Kendall, she arrived at the airport Friday afternoon.

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

‪Kendal Jenner @KendallJenner brought a lot of luggage. I think she’s here for awhile. If you listen to @wogl or read my blog you know I told you she’d be here today. Pretty in blue. #kendalljenner It’s not on and off with @BenSimmons25 It’s Way On!! Tomorrow night she’ll be catching @travisscott #travisscott @wellsfargocenter ‬#phillygossip thanks for sending 📸 #teamderek

A post shared by Philly ChitChat (@phillychitchat) on Nov 30, 2018 at 12:54pm PST

Wearing the cutest blue track suit. She went to the Sixers game Friday night to cheer on beau Ben Simmons, and they won. The curse is over. Kendall you’re welcomed in Philly anytime, especially since your immersing yourself into Philly culture.

 

 

 

 

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‪Hey @KendallJenner @BenSimmons25 @DrexelUniv b-ball game today. Thanks to my reader for sending me this . #phillygossip I bet you’re going to @travisscott @wellsfargocenter tonight ‬ 📸anonymous

A post shared by Philly ChitChat (@phillychitchat) on Dec 1, 2018 at 1:54pm PST

By attending a Drexel BBall game with Ben Simmons on Saturday.

 

 

 

 

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@KendallJenner and @bensimmons leaving Drexel’s BBall game Saturday. What’s crazy is that fan that goes right up to Kendall and grabs a selfie and hugs her #phillygossip After seeing Travis Scott , Kendall and Ben went to @harpcrown ’s Elbow Lane to hang out Saturday night. #Repost @bens.hq ・・・ ben + kendall leaving Drexel University – – – – – #ben #bensimmons #simmons25 #simmons #bensimmons25 #25 #philadelphia76ers #philadelphia #76ers #sixersfans #76ersfan #sixersnation #sixersbasketball #nba #basketball #trusttheprocess #freshprince #sixers #joelembiid #theprocess #jimmybutler #kendalljenner #kendall #bendall #kardashian

A post shared by Philly ChitChat (@phillychitchat) on Dec 1, 2018 at 11:33pm PST

Check out that fan who does what fans and their object of desire do these days. He calls out Kendall can I get a selfie, then he goes right in
for it. She obliges, barely missing a step, while Ben goes ahead. And that’s how it’s done, get your selfie, say I love you and let her go. She expects this reaction as she’s grown up on TV and has known this way of life for nearly all of hers.

Then you stopped by the Waterfront Cafe for another bite before heading to see Travis Scott at the Wells Fargo Center, with Ben. After the concert you headed to Elbow Lane, below Harp & Crown, the sight of your first Philly date with Ben a few weeks ago, reported first by me on my social media.

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Thanks @Jezebel for sharing my pain with the world. I don’t have time to actually photograph @KendallJenner cause as the lone paparazzo, I’m also the lone Society Photographer too; As @brianghoward states in this months @phillymag I wear lots of hats here in Philly
Here’s the Jezebel Article on Jenner, Simmons and Moi https://jezebel.com/if-kendall-jenner-is-going-to-drexel-basketball-games-w-1830825741

Yesterday you cheered on Ben at another Sixers game they won, wearing the same track suit you arrived in. Hope that doesn’t mean you’re ready to roll out of town already as you’ve gone through all your packed clothes? We shall see….

Sunday, despite the dismal day, SHAZAM filmed it’s last scene here in Philly. As I wrote in PhillyChitChat on Friday, Shazam is set in Philly, but filmed in Toronto. Billy Batson, a troubled 14-year-old orphan living in Philadelphia, is set up to move into a new foster home – his seventh in a row – with the Vazquez family and their other five foster kids. One day, Billy gets on a subway car and finds himself transported to a different realm, where an ancient wizard gives him the power to transform into a godlike adult superhero by uttering the word “Shazam!” Billy and his new foster brother Freddy Freeman must learn what Billy’s new powers are and how to use them in order to stop the villain Dr. Thaddeus Sivana from wielding powers of his own.^[6][7]

The final scene of the movie was filmed in Philly yesterday all day from 8am til nearly midnight, with more than 200 extras, most from our
area. That is what filming in Philadelphia means, employing our people. Thanks to the Film Tax Credits.

Just before wrapping, the fog finally lifted enough to get the shot of the skyline.

Both of the main actors were on set Zachary Levi  and Jack Dylan Grazer .