Category: Philadelphia

A few Shots that didn’t make it in any of my media outlets, but are interesting



Thanks to Erin Elmore, Jimmy Contreras, Matt Vlahos and Phyllis Halpern
for renting cars to attend my sister’s charity event on Monday night. Now that’s a mitvah. Here’s Erin at the Cole and Heidi Hamels event last week.

GN Kang films her TV show at Chifa with Chef Jose Garces, Stewart Bradley and Todd Herremans.
Just a shot I like that I took

Fashion, fashion, fashion. Caught these cute shoes last week at the kick off party at 10 Rittenhouse

Fun night out at Sampan’s Graffiti bar with Chef/Owner Michael Schulson and Rob Wasserman (Rouge)

The warm days are not numbered here as there’s a partial roof and ample heating to keep your party warm all the way thru November. (Who’d think this kid from NJ would be hanging out with the likes of these peeps: Jennie Hatton, Laura Burkhardt, John Westrum, Chris and Patrice DiGeorge, Stephen and Tamar Olitsky and Realtor to the stars, Steve Gartner

Last night the Holiday Inn Midtown hosted the Third Annual Sponsor party for the Midtown Village Festival, which is this Saturday 10/2/10 on 13th Street between Walnut and Market, and several side streets.
On hand for the festivities were Kelly Magnoss, Aubrey Allen and Leslie Girove
Fusion Cross Training Fitness’ Jesse Frank,& Meredith Magoon , with Bill Gehrman and Tutti Frutti’s Kevin.
Michael and Ellen Feist were on hand. And even though Ellen was telling me about how scary the Eastern State Penitentiary’s Halloween Tours are, not once did she shout Boo and scare me. (Thanks to Ellen & ESP for the charity donation for Gilda’s Club)
Fruit Flowers, Susan Ellman and Ellen Davis. Love this place.
Silent Auctions are always a huge hit
Tony and his crew from Raw. Tony tells me that the Sumo Wrestling boxing ring was damage by the last renters, and if they aren’t able to get it fix in time, peeps might be jousting instead. That sounds like fun too.
Rick Naughton and Jason Lewis
Starr Restaurants (Cashman & Associates) Thanks for getting me the dinner for two at any Starr Restaurant for the Gilda’s Club event I had.
Noel Zayas, Vasili and George Tsiouris and Annette Cintron are gearing up to open their new restaurant on Sansom called Opa Modern Greek in the fall.
Joanne Sprung, Holiday Inn Midtown with Karen Lewis, Ave of the Arts director. Karen has a big trip to Egypt in the coming weeks. WaHOOO
The White Brothers, David and Gary flank Midtown Village President James McManaman. James and David also own Absolute Abstract and were kind to donate a beautiful print to the Gilda’s Club charity event I did on Monday night.
The Beer Garden by the pool was a popular spot to hang
Ray Cromer and Mike Fanalle(www.Bozeken.com)were on hand. The Gold Mardi Gras necklaces were your ticket to drinks and food. I made the mistake of wearing it on my wrist. Major fail for several reasons. Scary looking and got in the way of shooting cause neither of us are wrapped too tight.
Paul Stango and another of his great creations. (Katie Ryan was the PR of this event and did a great job. As well as Chris Mullins, from McGillin’s, Mark Beyerle, Joan Rivera of SpecialtyUSA)

Thank you Valanni’s & Mercato for your generous donation to Gilda’s Club

The 2010 Mid-Atlantic Emmy® Awards were held at the Loews Hotel Saturday night, and unfortunately after the show I was on won an Emmy, it was hard for me to concentrate on much else.


Jackie Pitts and Brad Berner, NBC photographer
Brad Berner, NBC photographer, Aditi Roy, Justin Pizzi, Reporter NBC10 and Me. NBC10 reporter Justin Pizzi and Brad Berner, who filmed the Be A 10 in 10 Weeks program. Our participants includede Joseph Matthews (Matthews Interiors), Q102’s Nicole Michalik, Megan Smith (Brownstone PR), me, and Gavin McKay (Fusion Fitness). Won and Emmy … in the category of Human Interest Program/Special.
Brad wanted to take a picture of me with the Emmy’s jumping up and clicking my heels. I guess he only shoots in a horizontal fashion
Aditi and Justin.

Matt Maiorano, NBC10 photographer. He edited one of the 10 in 10 shows, plus was the cameraman on the G-N Kang show I covered at Chiefa last Thursday. With girlfriend Mee Mee Nguyen
Erin Como, Danny Schuyler, Lauren Richmond and Joe Benner
Norman and Helen Felsenghal. He’s on the Emmy Board, and was a Professor at Temple for 32 years.
Lauren, Brynne Aston, and Erin. That Emmy got passed around like a cheap cigar

Someone was doing a Justin Timberlake
So sweet they let me pose with it, and each of the ten in ten participants get to keep it for a week. I will be clipping it to my belt like a key chain.

One of my new favorite restaurants is Tweed at 114 South 12th Street. I’ve eaten here 3 times since I was first invited to a tasting about a month ago. Philly born Restaurateur and Hotelier Edward “Eddie” Bianchini (former owner of Hotel Les Muscadins in Mougins [1 Michelin Star], France, and the Lenox Room in New York.) has teamed up with Executive Chef at Bookbinder’s Restaurant who also worked at the Lenox Room, then later at Old City’s Bookbinder’s restaurant.
Chef David Cunningham is all over the local farm fresh food for your table, and visits the farms of his choice once a week to pick up his meat choices as well as to get to know the farmer.
“I believe in smaller farms, Chef David says, and I believe America produces some of the finest produce in the world and we need to take advantage of what we have in our backyard”. Born and raised in Pennsylvania he knows the region well and he has taken advantage of the seasonal and regional produce the farms in the area offers. He told restaurant news.
He doesn’t get to know your dinner, he told me, but he does inspect the farm to make sure it’s clean and the animals are being cared for.
The menu is a mix of modern American bistro fare. Favorites of mine include Lollipop Chicken Wings blue cheese dipping sauce, Roasted Beet Salad goat cheese, orange mint and frisee, Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs dill, green apple and roe, Magret Duck Breast cornmeal ramp pancake and cider espresso glaze and above Lobster Cobb Salad (that is the half serving I split with a friend. It was more than enough and delicious.)
New on the Menu: Can you guess what this is, an ice cream sandwich. The “bread” is pound cake, the potato chips are dipped in chocolate, and it’s delicious.

http://www.rittenhouserow.org/index2.html
Event DetailsWHEN
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Recurring: ONCE TIME & PRICE
7-9pm $20
Join in on the 6th Annual Rittenhouse Row Fall Gathering! Enjoy a fall fashion show by rittenhouse row boutiques and spa salons, along with the trendiest cocktails prepared by bars and restaurants from rittenhouse. Rittenhouse Row is well-known for their premier entertainment business, beginning at Broad Street, The Avenue of the Arts, to 22nd Street, and on to Market and Pine Streets.
Comcast Center, 18th and JFK Boulevard
Wednesday, September 29th 7-9pm Tickets:$20 in advance$25 at the door

Here are the Photos & Chatter from the 2011 event.

Diamonds and Denim, an inaugural event benefiting The Hamels Foundation, took place last night Thursday, September 23rd at the Union Trust Steak House in Center City. Attendees enjoyed an exceptional evening while raising money for the foundation founded by Phillies’s star Cole Hamels and his wife Heidi. Diamonds and Denim encourages guests to sport their best denim and high fashion, enjoy cocktails and appetizers, laugh with comedian Joe Conklin and bid on live auction items. “I am from Southern Missouri so I wanted to bring a bit of a fun, Southern feel to this event and get everyone excited about the concept. And Union Trust is such a fantastic location for a party,” explained Heidi Hamels. (Philly Mag link below)

HEIDI AND COLE HAMELS

The first lady of baseball, or at least the Phillies: Jen Utley with hubby Chase.

running late today will fill in later.

The Ritz-Carlton Gang (my guess would be the talent was staying there then, just saying.)

Big Tom and Jerri Mathers in the green room.

Marnie Hall, love her.



Jamie MoyerTony Orlando

Diamond Raffle: Donated by Bernie Robbins Jewelers



Cole is flying high now – Here is my PhillyMag Column Today