Category: Philadelphia

1317 Walnut (Juniper & Walnut Sts) has housed some tasty treats for over a decade. First there was Naked Chocolate, rumored they had  closed because of rising rents. Then the Philly Cupcake people opened the cute Philly Chocolate, but for some reason located it to 19th and South Street late last year.

But don’t fret your sweet tooth though last month Mike Klein over at the Philly Insider reported that South Philly’s Potito’s Bakery would take over the space.

 

According to Molly Eichel over at Philly Daily News Aditi Roy is leaving NBC 10,

 

As I reported back in October, Aditi Roy returned from a vacation to the west coast as a newly engaged gal, she had been discreetly dating a man, she met through friends “The Golden State. Discreetly might be a the wrong word as Aidti has always been a very private person, she didn’t even share the news of her engagement with her co-workers.

She’s moving west to become a Mrs in May 2013. Congratulations Adit!! (PS I always cringed a little when Philly.com runs this photo. It was taken at Boyds back in 2008, and Aditi always hated it because her mouth was open. It was after this photo that I began letting my subjects check their shots to make sure they were a-ok with them before they went to print. PS Thanks to PhillyMag for naming me as one of the 15 most influential peeps on Twitter: Follow me on Twitter: @iphillychitchat Plus CBS3 did a piece on me that will air after the Grammy’s on Sunday Night. Check out today’s other entry here, my Philly.com Joe Flacco Party and my PhillyMag columns here. Oh And have a great weekend.)

The Hamels Foundation is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization
founded by ’08 World Series MVP Pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies,
Cole Hamels and wife, Heidi. The Hamels Foundation supports inner city
schools in the U.S. and has given away some of the largest public school
grants in Philadelphia. It is also dedicated to helping Malawi’s one
million orphans and victims of the AIDS/HIV virus. A primary school is
currently underway in Malawi’s most impoverished area. For more
information on The Hamels Foundation visit www.thehamelsfoundation.org. 

 Jim Sheehan, Hamels Foundation Board Member, Teresa Nino, Merril Lynch and Attorney Justin Wineburgh, Cozen O’Connor

 The Cole Hamels autographed baseballs are all
$300, except for just a regular major league baseball which is $150. The
$300 ones consist of 2008 World Series baseball, 2012 All Star game
baseball, 2007 All Star game baseball, 2011 All Star game baseball and
2009 World Series baseball. To the right I found a Kyle Kendrick ball, signed for only $60.

 I don’t know why I didn’t buy this for my friends son Cole. He would love this. I wonder if I could get it signed?

 There was a Cole Hamels Bobble Head for only $65, I should have bought that, not for the signature, but for the fact that it was a bobble head of Cole Hamels. What’s that like to have a bobble head of your self?

 This shirt was from The Hamels Foundation annual Diamonds and Denim event held every summer. The retail store and offices are also a mini museum

 Oh I even spotted my Philly Mag Society Page where I covered a Jen Carroll/Hamels Foundation charity dinner, which was filmed for the Bravo TV show “Life After Top Chef.”

 

 The food was delicious, but I didn’t partake in the cake as I gave up sugar, cookies, and cake for New Year’s. Now I haven’t been perfect, but I have lost 10lbs. Although just looking at the cake is making my mouth water so I must go to the next picture now… (BTW Sandy Stauffer of The Bakery House provided the cake which had a baseball globe on it.)

 Tamar and Steve Olitsky, sponsors, board members and huge supporters hanging in the retail store. Stop by and pick up a piece of history for someone in your life.

Theater Confetti produces new plays in unusual spaces like underground warehouses. In
our spare time, we produce bizarre parties with an underlying theatrical
component. And if we have an extra moment, we produce small theatrical
events, like an unplugged evening with a well-known drag queen in a
swanky lounge. And we always make sure to capture the audience
experience with our signature video-blog booth.

 

*must be 21+ to attend
*tickets include wine, beer, and a small sensory tasting by Chef Shola Olunloyo

https://www.tix.com/Event.asp?Event=532680
 Enjoy cocktails at the open beer and wine bar, during the theatrical
performance,  with delicious food created by Shola Olunloyo’s, and experience design
from Creme Design who do all of the Jose Garces restaurants all for
$35!!!

(sponsored)

A few of these shots went out over my Instagram so if you follow me at PhillyChitChat you’ve seen them but I’ve added more info

Kiehl’s pushed out by the a.kitchen expansion has found a temporary home at The Shops of Liberty Place, but I’d say it looks like a great spot to permanently stay. It’s located at 16th and Chestnut Streets, and the entrance is right inside the upscale mall with the plethora of stores. (Thanks to Racked Philly for featuring my photo.)

Walgreen’s is finally moving forward with their threat to build a super, fancy upscale Walgreen’s in the old Border’s space at Broad and Chestnut Streets. I wrote about it here with the plans which include a sushi bar, grocery take out as well as the usual stuff shampoo and scripts.

Why is Liberty Two purple?  Maybe they were trying for red for women’s heart month and it didn’t work out. I wish someone would run a schedule of the colors that run on the buildings. They do it for the Empire State Building, so whenever anyone had a question they would know.

Replica Creative is running my photo exhibit until the end of the month. The photos are for sale too.

I stopped by Joan Shepp’s the other day. Next week they hold their

Scott and Donald hanging in the newly expanded men’s department at Joan Shepp’s. Coming to the store soon is the Dries Van Noten Menswear Collection.

I love the signs that Smith’s restaurant has in their window. Every Tuesday the restaurant hosts

Mike Missanelli from 97.5 The Fanatic hosts his radio show whenever the Flyers play home from 2 – 6PM. In the evening Sean Brace will DJ during the game, bringing down the play-by-play sound on breaks and in between periods and playing great music.

Congrats to my girls Christie Honigman, The Honigman Group, and Katie English, Kathleen English Communitcations for their appearance in Big Rube’s column in the Daily News on Monday. This was the party I wrote about last week that was sponsored by Philly Style Mag and sponsor partner Russian Standard® Vodka and was held at Zee Bar.

Nova Ice at 1508 Chestnut Street is going out of business; everything is 75% off.

The Sports Authority is selling a Raven’s Joe Flacco shirt.

Who knew LeSean McCoy reps a superior nutrition drink and they sell it as the grocery store at 21st and Chestnut

The window for the Gourmet Doggie store at 20th and Chestnut is adorable.

There’s a complimentary drink and hors d’oeuvres at the event –
RSVP Here: SHGOESHOLLYWOOD@Gmail.com

(sponsored)

 

  

 

Mecca Nuri (Styled Out Loud Blog) chats about the importance of feeling comfortable in clothes, picking out what’s right for you and not what others think you should wear. Jessica Holeva (Trend Hungry Blog), who always has great tips on accessories, which you can find on her blog. 

OMG I have to tell you, and some of youse knows this happens to me sometimes. Where the heck did my pad go on Saturday. After this event I ran over to the Will Smith/Sister SoulJah event and while Will’s assistant was writing down her name the red carpet got hot and I forgot to get my pad back. So all I can say was these cute chica’s were there and they got some great bargains. Thrift store shopping is fun for any budget, but if your a student or on a tight budget it’s that much more fun.

Definitely a joy to chat with Georgette Niles (Grown & Curvy Woman) Her blog is about fashion at any age, any size and any style. She had a great tip that I’ve never considered which was find a good tailor and customize your clothing to fit. The only time I use my tailor at the dry cleaners is to sew on a button, yes it’s true I don’t know how to do that, or hem my pants. I never would have thought to have shirts pants taken in.  Plus her site covers the curvy women. Finally a fun place for women of all sizes to get some style advice. Did you know that the Career Wardrobe offers free tailoring to anything you buy at their store. Now that’s a bargain.

Syreeta Martin gets her fashion on. Check out her blog at Sincerely Syreeta Seems she has a fun event coming up: www.SincerelyLove.Eventbrite.com.
Show-up & have a damn good time enjoying drinks, food, music,
expert relationship advice and if you’re up to it…one hell of a speed
dating experience. – SS

 So sorry to the ladies I didn’t include in this entry, I looked all over my office for the notebook and couldn’t locate it. Anyway the above shot is of Little Kim going into the Marc Jacobs AP during fashion week Fall 2011. You can’t tell from this photo I took but it was about 20F out. As for Kim she knows a thing about suffering for fashion, don’t wear a coat in the winter if you think there’s gonna be paparazzi at the event. This is one of my favorite fashion shots of a celebrity I’ve taken. She’s got it, all the way down to her silk covered wrist cast.

Philadelphia,
PA – February 5, 2013 – Nine Philadelphia notables are lacing up their
dance shoes and throwing on their best top hat (or glittery dress!) for
the fifth year of Dancing with the Philadelphia Stars,
taking place on Sunday, April 21, 2013, 5:00pm-10:00pm at the Crystal
Tea Room, 100 E.Penn Square, Philadelphia, PA 19103. The event benefits
the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Philadelphia/Delaware
Valley Chapter.

Hosted by NBC10’s Lori Wilson, the 5th Annual Dancing with the Philadelphia Stars
boasts a lineup of fancy-footed media folks, tourism and hospitality
leaders, and leading medical professionals who will compete not only for
bragging rights, but for the opportunity to raise Sickle Cell awareness
throughout the region.

Burning up the floor with everything from the Argentine Tango to the Cha Cha are FOX29 Traffic Reporter Kacie McDonnell; Chris ‘Maxwell’ Jones, host of Q102’s ‘Maxwell House’; Carrie Denny, Editor of Philadelphia Magazine’s Philadelphia Wedding; Yael Lehman, Executive Director of The Food Trust; Alison Young, Vice President of External Affairs at the National Constitution Center; Dr. Vera Tolbert, president of AFRICOM and Senior Project Leader at Independence Blue Cross; Dr. Marjoie Dejoie, noted trainer and fitness instructor; Albert Lee, Community and Content Manager at the Independence Visitors Center; and Danielle Cohn, Vice President of Marketing & Communications at the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Each
participant is partnered with an instructor from Take the Lead Dance
Studio to perform a two-minute dance routine before a panel judges. This
year’s panel includes LaDeva Davis, Director of Dance at the
Philadelphia High School for Creative & Performing Arts; and Shawn
Lamere Williams, Artistic Director at Eleone Dance Theatre. The panel
features two ‘celebrity’ judges, who will be announced as the event
draws closer.

The purpose behind Dancing with the Philadelphia Stars
is to assist in raising money to fund Sickle Cell education and
programs, and shine the spotlight on a genetic disease that exists in
staggeringly high numbers in the African American and Hispanic
communities. “Often called the “forgotten disease”, Sickle Cell disease
affects 1 out of every 500 African Americans, and approximately 80,000
individuals.

The 4th Annual Dancing with the Philadelphia Stars
successfully raised a little over $75,000. Last year’s lineup featured
Councilwoman Marian Tasco (first place winner); Julie Dorenbos, co-owner
of Skin Palette and wife of Philadelphia Eagle Jon Dorenbos; Marisa
Magnatta, associate producer of WMMR’s Preston & Steve Morning Show;
Anastasia Karloutsos, co-owner of Water Works Restaurant; Nina Tinari,
partner at T2 Consultants LLC and former special assistant to Governor
Rendell; Kharisma McIlwaine, CW Philly/CBS3 reporter; Michael Days,
managing editor of The Philadelphia Inquirer; Eric Cortes, marketing and
promotions coordinator/producer for Telemundo Philadelphia; and Kevin
Gatto, owner of Verde Salon and lifestyle correspondent for CBS3’s Talk
Philly.

For up to the minute details, follow us on Twitter @DancePhillyStar.

Dancing with the Philadelphia Stars is a black-tie affair with tickets at $125 – to be purchased in advance either online at www.dancingwiththephiladelphiastars.com or by calling 215.471.8686.

Dancing with the Philadelphia Stars is not possible without the generous support of sponsors.  Presenting Sponsor: Brownstone PR; Official Sponsor: Thomas Jefferson University Hospital; Partner Sponsors: Take the Lead Dance Studio.

To learn more about Sickle Cell Disease, visit www.sicklecelldisorder.com.

Will Smith attended an event where author Sister Souljah paraded her latest work in Philadelphia on Saturday.

 The
jolly Men in Black star looked thrilled to be attending the event at
the Temple Performing Arts Centre as they  posed together on the red
carpet before the discussion event. 

Sister, 48, is an American author, activist, musician artist, and film producer.
She
was discussing her latest book A Deeper Love Inside: The Porsche
Santiaga Story, a coming of age tale about a girl who is a ‘natural-born
hustler’ which is said to be marching off the shelves.
She shot to fame after Bill Clinton
criticised her remarks about race in the United States during the 1992
presidential campaign.

Will Smith greets Photographer Whitney Thomas before hitting the red carpet. After posing on the red carpet Sister SoulJah and Will Smith conducting a community meeting to discuss community and how to strengthening is.  Check out my Philly.com column today plus my PhillyMag column and see which celeb came to town on Saturday night.