Philly Chit Chat

City Fitness issued a challenge to all Philadelphians with their new #MyCityMoves competition. MyCityMoves is a fitness competition designed to build fitter, healthier cities.  Last year – in the first challenge of it’s kind, anywhere – we they over 300 Philadelphians burning over 3.25 million calories and awarded Gary Lamsback, Jen Zoga, and Ray Davis – normal Philadelphia citizens – $10,000 for their effort. Let’s see who won this year. (CityFitness)

Closing Ceremony for City Fitness’ #MyCityMoves campaign took place at One Liberty Observation Deck. Perched 57 floors above the buzzing streets, One Liberty Observation Deck is the highest publicly-accessible vantage point of the always sunny city. Interactive touchscreen technology bring the city’s neighborhoods and historical attractions to your fingertips while audio and video media envelope you in the best of Philadelphia music, sports, and culture. The deck, which comfortably accommodates 275 people at any given time, is available for private events too. To schedule your tour of the space, email events@phillyfromthetop.com and learn more about the event options.

Food was provided by Snap Kitchen and Core Water as people mingle around the Observation Deck space.

Natalie 💋 Egenolf, Afternoons with Mike Missanelli Sports Update Anchor on 97.5, guest and Anita Oh, fashion blogger.

Rich Levering , Core Hydration and Sara Schvenemann

Ken Davis and Isaac Hebron, ‎Assistant Principal at Mastery Charter Schools

Ali Gorman, 6ABC and Tom Wingert, Marketing Director – ‎City Fitness

Food was provided by Snap Kitchen

Anne Meredith and Joseph Wingert

Vince Vioozi and Katheine Bonnin

DJ Hollywood and friends

Winner Lauren Rossi with the most MEPS Earned – 13314
She was awarded The Answer Award and $1,000
Oh and a stealth body

Anya Curtis – 13095 MEPS

Ibraheim Campbell – The Real Philly Award

Ursula Styles was honored with most creative and use of Social Media during the campaign.

She definitely wins best Style of the night as well.

Then there was a raffle drawing for a grand prize of $5,000

All participants who reached a certain number of MEPS were eligible.
For complete rules and additional info check out
https://cityfitnessphilly.com/mycitymoves-terms-conditions/

$2,000 was also donated to the charity Urban Roots

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I just received this press release. Looks like Vea Fitness is have a month long workout challenge as well.

Vea Fitness Teams Up with Snap Kitchen and CORE Hydration for Month-Long Workout Challenge

PHILADELPHIA, PA (April 10, 2017)  — Vea Fitness, the Philadelphia-based fitness-tracking app that rewards users for working out with monetary incentives, announces its month-long workout challenge in partnership with Snap Kitchen, CORE Hydration, and certified personal trainer Joe Pepe, beginning on April 13 and ending on May 13. Vea Fitness app users can complete the “Eat Clean, Train Mean” challenge by using the app to track a workout for at least 30 minutes, twice per week. The challenge can be completed as many times as the user pleases – the more completions, the more entries the user gets into the prize lottery. Prizes include $100 gift cards to Snap Kitchen, a CORE Hydration yoga kit and backpack by Prana, valued at $299, several workout gear packages and free healthy organic drinks from CORE.

Those interested in the challenge can download the workout-tracking app in the App Store or Google Play, open the “Eat Clean, Train Mean” Workout Challenge,” and use either Vea Fitness’ GPS tracking (run, walk, bike or hike) or Gym Check-In feature to work out for at least 30 minutes. Each time the challenge is completed, the user’s name is entered into a lottery, where Vea Fitness will randomly select 3 grand prize winners, and several other small prize winners.

“We’re taking the ‘summer bodies are built in the winter’ adage to a whole new level with the ‘Eat Clean, Train Mean’ challenge,” said Jonathan Maxim, Founder and CEO of Vea Fitness. “Studies show that the best way to motivate someone to workout is through proper incentives – rewards and social accountability. With this gym-focused challenge, we’re motivating users to push themselves a step further and truly adopt a lasting healthy lifestyle.”

While those participating in the challenge simply have to workout for 30 minutes and track their time using the app, optional 30-minute fitness plans with quick and simple gym workouts, recommended by Philadelphia-based personal trainer Joe Pepe, are available in the app as a guide throughout the challenge.

It’s A Wrap as the Untouchables Shut Down the Untouchable Wrap Party Last Night

And I have some tidbits I couldn’t tell you before:

The movie is based on a hugely popular French movie – Intouchables, now known as The Intouchables, Interesting title, but here in the states we
already had a huge hit called The Untouchables. I’m sure this was a dilemana, but not at first as the movie was first titled

Untoucables, but somewhere along the line they removed the “s” and now it’s called Untouchable.
The story line is true to the original sources tell me

After he becomes a quadriplegic from a paragliding accident, an aristocrat hires a young man from the projects to be his caregiver.

Production began in Philadelphia on February 1 for the 2018 American remake of the 2011 French film The Intouchables starring François Cluzet and Omar Sy, which amassed $426.6M at the global box office. Tuesday April 4th was the 43th day of 43 days filming the Bryan Cranston/Kevin Hart/Nicole Kidman movie Untouchable in the Philadelphia area.  I was there the first day of filming, as well as the first week (Philly.com), and it was a good time. What a great cast and crew, everyone was so wonderful on the set and I had no problems getting the shots I needed.

Last night I was at the Untouchable wrap party, which was held at the Stotsberry Mansion, near Rittenhouse Square at 19th and Walnut. Guests included cast and crew, and by cast everyone who had a speaking part I was told. Sorry extras. I got to chat with a lot of the behind the scenes folks who told me the great camaraderie on the set, as well as the ease of set up in the various locations which included filming scenes on Broad Street that first week, with little to no traffic interruption. For me it was definitely one of the best shoots, seeing the souped up Ferrari driving down the majestic blvd, it was a tight shot so nearly any spot I stood on on Broad Street kept me out of the directors line of sight, which certainly makes both our jobs easier.

Then we all headed over to “The Center For Architecture” on Arch Street. I had no idea they were filming the movie there, but it was perfect as one of my clients, Food Shelter, is the PR for the business. The photo was published everywhere, and nationally. It’s a great place to visit as well, they have a fun gift/book store, which long ago was at the corner of 17th and Sansom, now the Palomar Hotel, which by the way many crew members stayed as well as the Sofitel.

Oh and since we’re on that subject and they’re all checked out, Director Neil Berger stayed at Roost Rittenhouse. Kevin Hart  stayed at the AKA University City. I believe Bryan Cranston and Nicole Kidman stayed at The Rittenhouse Hotel. Her assistants ate at Barclay Prime one night and everyone expected her to show but she didn’t, and same goes for Scarpetta in the Rittenhouse Hotel; Nicole cancelled at the last minute.

If you thought you saw Malia Obama in Philly last month, you did. She is interning for The Weinstein Company which is producing the Untouchable movie. She spent most of her time at the Sun Center Studios in Aston, PA.
Guests told me they had a great time at the party, which served Philly Fare – soft pretzels, Rita’s Water Ice, Cheese Steaks and Federal Donuts.

Jason Loftus and Diane Heery of Loftus-Heery Casting. They cast Untouchable, as well as most movies that shoot in Philly.
They are not my “source”, as I always tell them I won’t ask them or Sharon Pinkenson, Executive Director of the Greater Philadelphia Film Office,  about movies or rumors as I know they sign non-disclosures, as
well as if they told me not to write about something and hold it I might lose it to another media outlet; I just can’t take that chance, because if I’m hearing about it on the street, then others are probably hearing it as well. BTW Sharon Pinkenson was spotted at the party as well.
I rely on the readers of PhillyChitChat who are always very generous on tip giving, and I go out and get the stories and photos for
them.
Thanks to the dozen or so who helped me with Untouchable. I think we did a great job bringing the stories to our friends.
And hopefully showcasing what a great place Philly is to film.

Jeffrey Rotwitt, president and CEO of Sun Center Studios and wife Dianne Rotwitt;
Rotwitt looks forward to more films coming to Philly, but in the meantime I hear he’s going forward with plans to
build a hotel, and a theme part on the vast acreage he has in Aston, Pa where Sun Center Studios is located.

I’ve been photographing celebrities for over a decade now, and I really check my celebrity fan guy status; BUT every time I photographed Bryan Cranston my heart skipped a beat. I loved Breaking Bad and can’t believe I got to meet, chat with and photograph Walter White.

Celebrities really don’t like it when photographers do #selfies with them, or get autographs. They don’t like paparazzi jumping
out of bushes either, but well I gotta do my job and if I have to jump out of a bush, or hide in a tree I’d do it. BTW cast members told me that over the
weekend Kevin Hart and Bryan Cranston filmed a paragliding scene near Blue Mountain, PA. A photographer got a set of photos, and the cast told me
the guy was hiding in trees nearby. After I heard about the story, I search for the photos and found them Here are a few of his shots and the story on Daily Mail.

Director Neil Burger (who also shot Limitless with another Philadelphia son – Bradley Cooper here) he said Philly is the best City to film in, the people are great, the neighborhoods are lively but respectful, and the locations are diverse and we have a great movie studio Sun Center Studios
He can’t wait to come back again to film.

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When I arrived last night at 10PM, as I was having dinner with friends, unfortunately Kevin Hart had left. He was in and out in ten minutes my friends told me, dressed in his tradmark Nike sandals, with black socks and a sweatsuit; he told them he couldn’t wait to get back to his family, dogs as well as get a haircut and shave as his character has a beard in the movie.
He said he’ll be back soon to sign copies of his new book, he’s also being honored by the Philadelphia Arts & Biz Council May 23, 2017 and JUly 6th is Kevin Hart Day in Philly, it’s his birthday

As I was leaving the police pulled up and told security that the party was too loud, and to shut it down as they were nearing the midnight curfew.
It really was wrap day as the Untouchables Shut Down the Untouchable cast party last night!!

Saturday night The Red Ball 2017 took place once again at Philadelphia’s own Lincoln Financial Field. Dancing, live entertainment and a silent auction entertained the guests who gathered at the annual event to raise much needed funds to support the Red Cross House – Center for Disaster Recovery and local disaster relief.

guests also enjoyed tastings from over two dozen restaurants

Ken Topping, Director and Regional Planning Coordinator for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Regional Task Force (SEPA RTF) and Judge Renee Cardwell Hughes (ret.), chief executive officer of the  American Red Cross of Eastern PA

Steve Barsony , Cristina Barsony , Corey Waldenberg and Captain Will Woldenberg

Gus Calabrese, Ashley Smith Baptiste, Nicole Stultz-Miller and Dwayne Wimmer

The Meaning of Life Cake – by Hugo’s Frog Bar & Chop House

Mr and Mrs Gibson

What an honor to meet my #biggestfan Bianca Mandel, here with her hubby Dr Dale Mandel. Bianca told me that she follows me on Facebook and Twitter, she reads Philly chitchat every day (HI!!) and she’s on Instagram. Bianca is in the know. So sweet, made my weekend!!

The newly married Todd and Jillian Borow. They told me I photographed them last year and they hadn’t been married yet.
They must always be fashionable as I’ve chosen them in columns before.

Devin Scimeca and Keith Jones, NBC 10

Honarary Co-Chair for the evening was Vince Papale. I didn’t see him but I did run into his lovely wife Janet and children Gabriella and Vinny.

The Bock’s

Kevin Ellison and Angela Davis

Tito’s Tailgate Games, where guests donated $20 to play ring on the bottle or skee ball for a chance to win a Tito’s package, while also
donating funds for the Red Cross Playground at the Red Cross Home
Ashlee Rossi was on hand to help out

Bethany Piccone and Maryellen from Cakes & Candies by Maryellen with their Tailgate cake of steaks,
hotdogs, and chicken

Best Friends at the Red Ball 2017
Mary Ann Milner, (c) Director, Special Events for American Red Cross Eastern Pennsylvania.

The best dish at The Red Ball 2017 – Brisket with Mac & Cheese
Mission BBQ in the Northeast, so good.

Gina Gannon, On-air QVC host for WEN by Chaz Dean, Fill in Traffic Reporter for 6ABC’s Action News, Fill-in Weather Anchor on PHl 17, Roberta Pipito Chef, TV lifestyle expert & contributor @droz & @fox29philly, food/travel blogger.  Rick Pipito, Top 25 Author of the award winning PANDORA’S CHAOS and EDEN’S ORDER Trilogies, Gervase Peterson, Burnz Cigar Vault & Lounge and Geno Vento, famed cheese steak connoisseur and chef