Category: Philadelphia

Hall and Oates makes a triumphant return to Philadelphia to christen The Fillmore Philadelphia

Last night Fillmore Philadelphia opened in Fishtown, adding another music venue to the list of others that have popped up over the past few years. The Fillmore Philadelphia is located at 1000 Frankford Avenue at the site of a defunct, 100-year-old World War II munitions. Live Nation’s House of Blues Entertainment (HoBE) division will run the new venue which can hold 2500 in the main concert room with a 450 seat venue called the Foundry on a 2nd floor, where smaller acts will perform. Remember that time when House of Blues was eyeing the building where Del Frisco’s is now located?

The Fillmore Philadelphia was quite the place to be last night. Lots of Philly’s tastemakers and shakers were there like Kim Garzone and Puri Garzone, Public House Holdings. Nearby I saw Steve and Tamar Olitksy, Drew Milstein, Brent Celek, Aly Bly, Kristin Detterline, Marisa Magnatta, Nicole Michalik, Matt Cord and these folks

Mandy Blumenthal   – Happy Happy Birthday month

Daylesford Crossing Senior Living
opened this past summer on the site of the popular Jim Duffy’s restaurant in
Paoli. The restaurant was a popular hot spot for the well to do on the
Mainline, as well as the celebrated in Philadelphia and the world. Shuttered in
2006, the property remained unchanged until 2012 when Sage Senior Living acquired
the property.

The grand opening party was held on Tuesday September 29, 2015 to
great fanfare. Residents, their families, elected officials, with Paoli and
Malvern Business associates

attended the party which was catered by their in
house chef Frank De Benedetto, who uses the Sous-vide method of cooking meals
for the residents (Sous vide means “under vacuum” and involves
preparing food under tightly controlled temperature, vacuum sealing it, and
then cooking it very slowly. The result is intense flavors and amazing texture.).
 

Daylesford Crossing offers 78 rentals
with 64 personal care apartments and 14 specialized memory care apartments;
they have studios, one and two bedroom apartments and a milkshake machine.  Daylesford has named their café after Duffy’s,
and holds a happy hour there every afternoon.

Last week I was invited to check out Sculpt Fitness Studio with a few of my friends. I decided to watch and shoot them as they did their 50-minute Megaformer workout involving.

The workout uses constant tension and full-body controlled movements all done on the Megaformer machine.

Clients work each muscle group slowly to fatigue with almost no impact on the joints or spine, strictly focusing on the muscles themselves

Sculpt Fitness Studio offers clients something this city has been waiting for, personalized interaction and attention in a beautiful studio setting. “Instead of being one of 50 you are one of 10.”

“People in Philadelphia who are looking for something different to take their workout up a notch, Sculpt Fitness Studio is it.”

Sculpt Fitness Studio in Northern Liberties is the only place in center city that you  can get the Megaformer workout and Tolar has plans for expansion in the future. Sculpt’s Northern Liberties location is inside The Piazza with free parking behind   the studio.

Old City District presents Old City Fest on Sunday, October 11, 2015,
from 12:00pm to 6:00pm, along N. 3rd Street (from Market to Race) and
Arch Street (from 2nd to 4th). Activities will include a festival stage
with live music, runway fashion show, design showcase installation,
family fun zone, pop-up street performances and a wide array of food,
beverages, art, craft and retail shopping, with 100+ Old City vendors
participating. Admission is free, with food and drink pay-as-you-go.

 “Old City Fest highlights our region’s premier arts and design district,
showcasing local designers, creative firms, restaurants, retailers,
galleries, theater, culture, history and architecture,”

said Old City
District’s Executive Director, Job Itzkowitz. “Old City Fest was
designed to be different. The city has tons of amazing
neighborhood-based festivals with food, drink and music. We wanted to
take that one step farther and celebrate all that makes America’s most
historic square mile unique. We curated the event to give Old City’s
merchants, artists, makers and creative community a platform to shine
for the region.”

 The lineup of Old City restaurants showcases the wide variety of styles
and flavors while highlighting some of the best food and drinks. With
over 20 food vendors setting up shop for the festival there is something
for everyone. (* New to Old City Fest for 2015.)

2nd Story Brewing Co *
Big A– Slices *
Buddakan *
Capofitto
Continental
Cuba Libre
Festival Food *
Franklin Fountain
High Street on Market
ICI Macarons & Café *
Khyber Pass Pub *
Lucha Cartel
Mama’s Meatballs LLC
National Mechanics
Old City Coffee
Panorama
Positano Coast
Rocket Fizz *
Roe *
Sassafras *
Tartes *
United By Blue
Wedge + Fig

 The Design Showcase, as part of DesignPhiladelphia, opens during Old
City Fest and runs through October 16, 2015 at The Center for Art in
Wood (141 N. 3rd). Marguerite Rodgers Interior Design will create actual
room settings using an eclectic array of furnishings, objects and art
exclusively from Old City shops and galleries. Visit designphiladelphia.org

 INDEPENDENTS ROW

Philadelphia Independents is sponsoring
Independents Row, a special designated area featuring Old City artists
and makers. Meet the makers and peruse their handmade goods along 3rd
Street in front of 35 N. 3rd Street. Independents Row will include:

As the Crow Flies
Exit 343 Design
The Golden Hen
Olliver Lifestyle
Philadelphia Independents
Saffron Creations
Stanley, Chester & Albert
Stitch Prism
Threet Ceramics
Urban Works Textiles
Zoet Bathlatier

FASHION SHOW

Old City Fest hosts two fashion shows this year at
2:30pm and 3:30pm at Third/Cherry streets, featuring the works of
students from MADE Studios, styles from Smak Parlour’s new fall
collection and looks by US*U.S.! Sound artist Rucyl will DJ the runway.
Makeup and hair styled by Lakshmi Hair Studio and featuring models from
Wilhelmina Philadelphia. Meet with the students and learn more about the
studio after the show. 

 FAMILY FUN ZONE

The family fun zone will feature performances
from the Arden Theater, Music Monkey Jungle and many more. American
Heritage Chocolate, a division of Mars Chocolate, will present the
history and preparation of colonial chocolate at the Betsy Ross House.
Stop by to experience chocolate the same way that Betsy Ross and their
ancestors did! Check in as special guests will visiting throughout the
day. You might recognize some of America’s most famous neighbors!

1:00pm – Performances by students from the Arden Drama School
2:00pm – Performances by students from the Philadelphia Dance Academy
3:00pm – Storytime and crafts with local children’s author, Monica Carnesi
4:00pm – Dance party with Music Monkey Jungle
5:00pm – The Give and Take Jugglers

Historic Philadelphia, Inc. will also provide colonial games and a Once
Upon A Nation storytelling bench in the Family Fun Zone. Visitors will
learn about our nation’s history through the award winning, energetic,
and interactive Once Upon A Nation storytelling program. They’ll hear
fascinating tales of our nation’s history that did not make it into the
history books.

 MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE

Old City Fest will feature live
performances from the West Philadelphia Orchestra, Polkadelphia and more
on the main stage throughout the day. Plus, street performances from
Opera on Tap, the largest network of operatic performing artists in the
country. They take a local, grassroots and fun approach to community
outreach in the name of the art form. Opera on Tap Philly is the newest
chapter of the national organization that brings opera to
non-traditional spaces and places – anywhere but concert halls and opera
houses. (See additional street performances under Family Fun Zone.)

Red Hot Ramblers – 1:00pm to 2:00pm (stage)
Opera on Tap – 2:00pm to 5:00pm (street)
Polkadelphia – 2:45pm to 3:45pm (stage)
West Philadelphia Orchestra – 4:30pm to 6:00pm (stage)

 

 For
more info, visit oldcitydistrict.org, tweet @oldcitydistrict or call (215) 592-7929.
Old City Fest is produced by Old City District with support from major
sponsors Xfinity, Mighty Engine, Kaiserman Company, Colonial Penn Life
Insurance, More FM and Where Magazine, plus other sponsors and
contributors.

I’ll be photographing this event and I hope to see you there.

Kory Aversa
Aversa PR & Events
215-840-9216
kory@aversapr.com

Brett Mapp
Old City District
(215) 592-7929
brett.mapp@oldcitydistrict.org

Spring Garden

Pilgrims invited to the Top of the Tower to enjoy the view of the mass, a bite to eat and a place to sit.

Metro Philly Monday September27, 2015. A few people took this photo to task saying it shows that 800ks didn’t attend.

What they didn’t understand was no one was allowed to stand in the street below 20th Street.

Where were the people, sadly thousands of people were standing in line to get onto the Parkway,

as well as watching Jumbotrons all over the City.

I headed to Whole Foods for dinner with my friend Kristen Johanson, KYW106 to recap the weekend and saw these pilgrims.

Sisters City Park Monday afternoon. The Melendez family from Mexico take one last photo before heading home.

The End
Check out more of my photos at Phila Business Journal
and
Philadelphia Magazine

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Thanks to Marilyn Russell and Live Nation for the invite to see my 4th Madonna concert. It’s always an experience. I remember going to my first Madonna concert in 1986, The Virgin Tour. Always controversial that Madonna.

 She had just come off of the MTV Music Awards and at that time the most controversial thing ever done, rolling around on the stage in a virginal white wedding dress. That act made headlines around the world. Of course she would go on to out do, and out rage people for the rest of her career. But more on that later…

I think it started with Madonna that fans dressed as their favorite artist while attending their concert. It wasn’t as Halloweeny as last night seemed to be, maybe because the garb worn isn’t something someone would wear everyday. Back in 1985 Madonna influenced a lot of kids to wear ripped shirts, large crucifixes and an armful of black rubber bracelets. I remember getting a warning at my job as a busboy at Winston’s for wearing them. They made me take on 20 but allowed me to wear a conservative 5.  Above is Marilyn Russell with a few fans. i saw several Pope’s in the crowd so maybe we have that to look forward to this weekend.

I ran into my bud Jenny DeHuff, Philly Daily News Gossip Girl. I also saw Victor Firillo from PhillyMag and

Marisa Magnatta, and her dad. It was Marisa and Marilyn’s first time seeing Madonna. I don’t think it was her Uncle George’s first time. He knew all the Madonna songs, and was dancing along with the rest of us.

Madonna sucks. If she mentioned one more time how the Philly fans were unenthusiastic, then she doesn’t understand her fan base and our week. Most of us could have gone on a 4 day vacation and eaten the cost of her ticket, as some people obviously did. All of us have Pope fatigue. 

Vintage Madonna. She sang one of two of my favorite songs:
Love Don’t Live Here Anymore and Deeper and Deeper. My party songs of the 80s. The first was for my pity party, the 2nd for my getting turnt up party. She also did amazing reworks of True Blue, Lucky Star, Like A Virgin, Vogue and Material Girl. Better than on any other tour. Now for the not so hot.

Madonna surprisingly sings La Vie en Rose at her concert. Kinda redundant since that’s the song Lady Gaga has been singing on her last tour this past summer, where she dedicates it to her parents and sister.

I found a video on Youtube comparing the two. Why Madonna would sing this song is baffling. She is obviously obsessed with Lady Gaga. It doesn’t make me love her less, it just is disappointing. I know a million other singers have sung this tune, Grace Jones being the best besides Edith Piaf, it’s just right after Lady Gaga popularized it. That’s a shot across the bow.

The seats were fabulous. The problem with the Rebel Heart concert was she used too many elements and themes from the Like A Prayer tour. It’s been done Madonna, the beds, the masturbation, the sex with religious objects, you are better than this. Love your biggest fan, no really I am but we’re all flawed. And that Jesus comment, I feel she used that because all the rappers have the market on offensive words. Madonna needed to one up them. She’s an Icon, this just soils her.

As for the Pope, he followed her to NYC and now he’ll be in Philly this weekend. He’s obsessed with her. She did say he’s the nicest Pope yet.

On a lighter note, sorry my pixs aren’t pristine.  I must read my new phone’s instructions for better photos. Mike has and his photos are amazing. Happy Pope Weekend.