Old City Gets Two New Biz: Ping Pong and Produce, Pretty Woman & Dish of the Week

Hello readers. I’m sorry I ghosted you again. Last week I wrote about having writers block, and being stuck. Going into our 3rd year of the pandemic and my business has come to a halt, again and it’s thrown me for a loop. Events which were schedule for January and even February have been postponed, and left me unmotivated. I’ve been sleeping a lot. Mike will tell you there’s a lot to do, and I do have a lot to do. I just have to have hope, as you do, that this will end soon, or we will just live with it. Prayers to about a dozen of my friends who must have gotten the Delta version over the holidays, as they are still very sick. Entire families are getting sick, so mask up, especially in crowds. OK I did cover a few things this week, as well as found fun tidbits on the internet you might find interesting too.

So many pretty women came out to see Pretty Woman: The Musical last week at the Kimmel Cultural Campus, including WOGL’s legendary personality Marilyn Russell, who attended the show with contest winners. Each of the winners received a rose from Marilyn, provided by Acme supermarkets.

A standout in the production has to be scene stealer Kyle Taylor Parker in “Pretty Woman: The Musical.”, who plays 2 main characters. I wish I had two pairs of hands to clap my appreciate of his performance. The show was just as charming, and plays through January 16th. It’s what we all need right now..

Congratulations to the Sugar Factory Philadelphia which officially opened on Saturday night hosted by celebrity DJ, Jersey Shore star DJ Pauly D. Thanks to my wire service Photo Image Press for placing one of my shots in People Magazine. it’s always fun to get national exposure.

Locally the photos ran in my Around Town With HughE Dillon column at Metro Philly and CBSPhilly. If you want me to cover your party, event, ribbon cutting or press conference click HERE for the details.

Sixers Tobias Harris celebrated the opening of his friend’s new store – Crumbl Cookies, in Wynnewood on January 6, 2022! Owner and operator Charles Terry III said he’s been friends with Harris for 11 years, and when the New York native decided to open up a Crumbl in Philadelphia, he knew exactly who to call to help with the launch as well as serve as a brand ambassador. Sixers Tobias Harris and Crumbl Brand ambassador and Charles Terry III of Wynnewood See more photos at CBSPHILLY and Phila Tribune as well as the April issue of Main Line Today.

Tobias Harris and his family: Dad Torrel Harris, sister Tesia Harris, fiance Jasmine Winton, and mom Lisa Harris. Tobias and Tesia were engaged in 2020, with Tobias popping the question at their future retirement home in LaJolla.

Dish of the Week. After photographing Crumbl I realized I was near DePaul‘s in Ardmore. I heard their octopus dish was delicious, so I headed over there for dinner. It’s always easy to find parking in Ardmore. Usually I get a spot on the street nearby, or when nothing’s available I park at Suburban Square a few blocks away. The dish was better than good, with a little kick to boot. I really enjoyed it, as well as the steak and Brussels Sprouts.

Things are happening in Old City: Last week I wrote about the new Cosi at 10th and Chestnut, well the old Cosi at 4th and Chestnut is about to become PINGPOD: Ping Pong on Demand – the Future of Table Tennis. Unlike the uptown SPIN , Ping Pod is not a nightclub atmosphere but similar to going to the gym and reserving the paddle board court to play. Plus they give lessons if you want to perfect your game. It stresses Covid safety, so look for it to open in a few weeks to entice us to get out of the house.

This is exciting news, especially since Mike and I have started eating whole food plant based dished, he’s now a full time whole food guy, I’ll be eating it at home, but when I am out I will be conscious of eating healthy, we’ve agreed. Anywho: Riverwardsproduce is opening in the heart of Old City on Bread Street, bread is actually allowed on my whole food plan, but not butter. Anyway They Are Hiring and at a decent wage.

riverwardsproduce

It’s more than just construction and a beautiful space. In order to grow and open new locations we need the right people. Riverwards is hiring all positions right now and we offer a $16 starting wage, wellness and mental health support via Healthy Pour and Fishtown Wellness Center, 20% employee discount, Paid Time Off that includes vacation, sick time, bereavement time and family leave time and that’s not all. With the additional revenue from RWP2 we can now offer a HEALTH CARE package to our employees! This has been a dream of mine since the beginning. Follow the link in bio to learn more and apply. Let’s do this ✌🏻🌱 📸: @roccoavallone Riverwards Produce 2 opening spring 2022

OK this wasn’t so bad. Back to business. Maybe I’ll do these informative columns for a bit, as well as celebrate past columns as PhillyChitChat turns 15 this year. Tomorrow night I am banging the drum at the Flyers game, which is their equivelent to ringing the bell at the Sixers. So honored. Excited. And nervous. Also I read your emails about the print being small when you read it on your phones. I realize when I do two photos side by side, the photos don’t publish correctly and the print gets smaller. For the time being I will do one photo per paragraph, and see what can be done as I do love those side by side photos, and slideshows. On desktops and laptops it comes out fine, just not on phones.
Thanks, and have a great day….