Philly Chit Chat

Sunday Philly Chit Chat: Milk House Closes; Chris Long Says Goodbye and Dad Says Hello from the Grave

Good usurious Sunday, today is going to be a bit warmer and very sunny, but don’t get to used to it event though Tuesday is the first day of Spring, it’s going to be winter weather through Thursday. Let’s get to chit chat

Milk House on 19th Street closed yesterday.  You’re going to have to head over to the Milk House locations at Suburban Station and 30th Street Stations to get your Milk House grilled cheese and delicious tomato soup fix. Friends tell me that Milk House on 19th will become a Korean take out restaurant, opening before the summer heat hits 90F.

Seems like Eagles player Chris Long is saying good bye too – to twitter. He left this message on Friday. Whether he met just for the weekend or forever I guess we’ll have to wait and see, but

don’t fret we always have his fans keeping us informed on what he’s up to. Thanks John Cooke @CookeCapeMay of Cape May for sending me this tip. I did a little research

and saw that Chris Long has not given up on his instagram account. Seems he attended a wedding at Congress Hall in Cape May yesterday with his dad Howie Long, and other family members.  Although the wedding reception took place inside, the photos took place outside with the scenic hotel in the background. The wedding party nearly frozen in time. After the reception that night, guests headed to The Boiler Room at the hotel, and enjoyed Irish tunes by John Byrne who played Tir na Nog Irish Bar & Grill, Philadelphia earlier in the week

 
where he posed with Rocky as well. You know who was with Rocky this week, right?

Look who had a going away lunch at Penrose Diner last week. Jason Kelce and Connor Barwin feted Beau Allen who was just picked up by Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Pix by SouthPhillyReview)
Now could someone go in the parking lot and find my wedding ring. I had a snowball fight with Kory Aversa last year there and it flew off. Yes my wedding ring the one blessed by the Pope, yikes right.

I took this last week as I had never seen the Studebaker sign before. In today’s inky Inga Saffon has a nifty article about it.

Every St. Patricks Day I publish the article about how my dad, who died in 2004, spoke to our family from the grave, in 2005.

Have a great day, see you here tomorrow!!

CREED II News – Dolph Lundgren & Michael B Jordan; Jon Dorenbos & Doug Pederson

Happy St. Patrick’s Day. If you didn’t catch my celebrity segment on WOGL this morning, here’s what I chatted about at 8AM. Yesterday I photographed the 17th Annual Zarwin Baum March Madness party. On my way to the event I noticed

there was snow near the Rocky statue. Now I pass the Rocky statue everyday since I live across the street, and I know all that snow melted from last week so it was perplexing, I took this shot but didn’t post it cause the next minute I knew I was in the midst of the NCAA party time at the Crystal Tea Room.

Then last night someone sent me a tip that Dolph Lundgren was spotted by the Rocky statue. I heard he flew in on Tuesday night, even though principle filming wasn’t to start until April, I guess they wanted to film this “winter scene” in the winter before the buds started sprouting on the trees. Dolph Lundgren and Florian Munteanu (who plays his son, who is poised to fight Michael B Jordan’s character Adonis Creed)  filmed scenes at Rocky Statue and on the ‘Rocky Steps’ at The Philadelphia Museum of Art around 3PM yesterday
It was a thrill for one tourist Mrs. Fiorini from Houston, Tx who spent the day visiting Independence Hall then catching Creed II filming
Michael B Jordan, who arrived in Philly a few weeks back in preparation of filming Creed II, is currently starring in Black Panther which just past the billion gross reciepts, was spotted again at the Sixers Training facility. In Creed II he plays Adonis Creed, Apollo Creed’s son, who was killed by Dolph Lundgren character Ivan Drago . Jordan wasn’t on the set yesterday, but was seen in Center City Wednesday at Butcher & Singer. Last night he was spotted at Vetri Pizzeria.
Wednesday Jon Dorenbos performed at the Paradigm Awards honoring Wendy Hamilton https://www.instagram.com/p/BgUES-shqAd/?taken-by=phillychitchatLast night he performed his first of two shows at Sugarhouse Casino. The crowd welcomed him with a standing ovation. Later in the set coach Doug Petersen joined him on stage for a magic trick.

Congrats Gabbi Townsend on your new job with Soul Football

Check out TMZ for a video of Creed II filming at the top of the Art Museum Steps

The finalists in the 2018 James Beard Awards sometimes called the Oscars of the food world were announced Wednesday morning at Stephen Starr’s Parc restaurant on Rittenhouse Square.

Stephen Starr was named the James Beard Foundation’s best restaurateur in America last year.

Meryl Levitz, president and CEO of Visit Philadelphia greets guests at the early morning event.  Philadelphia is on fire, we’re Super Bowl Champions, and a delicious food scene. “We’re a City of neighborhoods, immigrants and traditions, with affordable rents, a rich 100 mile food shed for ingredients and a remarkable spirit of brotherhood, and sisterhood within out kitchens. Everyone in this room has a story about any one of those things.”

Clare Reichenbach, chief executive officer of the James Beard Foundation, who recently stepped into this dream job position. “It’s a profoundly exciting time for the Foundation,” Reichenbach tells Eater. “The very powerful marriage of purpose and pleasure, which is unique to the Foundation, is something I’m going to be focusing on and working with the team on how we can deepen and amplify the impact across both those areas.”

Local chefs received 14 nominations across seven categories as semifinalist in February, and the event held yesterday was held to narrow down the field, not only here in Philly but for others culinary professional around the country.

David Whitaker, President & CEO Choose Chicago

Let’s see who will be heading to Chicago for the May 7 James Beard Award Ceremony.

Richard Landau, of Vedge nominated for best chef, mid-Atlantic region. This is the moment right after his nomination was announced.

Congrats to everyone. Here are additional photos from the day.

Nicole Cashman, Cashman & Assocs, welcomes Chef Michael Solomonov, Zahav “Solo 2” followed by his dad “Solo 1”
Chef Eli Kulp, a.kitchen and Mitchell Davis, James Beard Foundation

The moment Chef Michael Solomonov finds out his restaurant Zahav was nominated for Outstanding Service. He’s hugging Zahav’s GM Okan Yazici,

Solo congratulating Rich Landau of Vedge for best chef: mid-Atlantic as “Rising Star Chef of the Year Camille Cogswell, Zahav” looks on

Stephen Starr congratulation Ellen Yin on her nomination