The Flower Show has come and gone. It was amazing how much it offered for $30 plus a ticket. I went three times this year, still didn’t make it to the retail section to buy anything. This year again, the PHS asked me to be a judge of the Flower Show Blooming Windows. That’s where area retailers decorate their windows inspired by the theme of the flower show. This year’s theme was National Parks. I love participating in this. I love to see everyone’s creativity. Not all photos of the windows were posted online, but I uploaded all of the ones that were.

I also wanted to include a few photos from my tried with Alex Holley and Mina Say What to the show last week. So I just combined them.

Alex Holley, Fox29, Mina Say What, Power 99 and I headed to the Flower Show last Wednesday. It was the first time the gals had visited, and they were shocked at how PACKED the place was in the middle of the day. We needed help navigating the show, and as luck would have it Alex found a National Park Ranger nearby.

 

 

Runner Up: Adolf Biecker – Did you know the Edgar Allen Poe house is party of the National Park system. I really wanted this to win, but I think it scared the other two judges.

Good Tuesday morning. Hope you’re week is going well even with this horrible weather.

Kathryn Ott Lovell, PPR Commissioner , Eagles Connor Barwin,  Mayor Jim Kenney and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PPR) announced open registration for the Spring 2016 TreePhilly Yard Tree Giveaways. The giveaways, hosted in partnership with the Fairmount Park Conservancy and TD Bank, are open to property owners to obtain and plant up to two free trees in a yard or lawn on private property.  Registration is open through April 10, and a variety of species are available, including large shade trees, small flowering trees, and fruit trees.  New this year, TreePhilly is announcing a Philly “Tree Trek,” a social
media contest in which one lucky winner will be chosen to have
Philadelphia Eagle Connor Barwin
help plant their tree. Participants can follow Philly’s Celebri-Tree,
“Bud”, on social media as he explores Philadelphia landmarks before he
finds his forever home.  Residents can enter the #PhillyTreeTrek social
media contest on Twitter, Instagram and Vine (@TreePhilly).
Residents can register to pick up their
free yard tree at one of four (4) special giveaway events across the
City in April (sites and dates below). Detailed information on all
available species can be found at www.treephilly.org,
and participants can choose their species when they register online or
over the phone. Registration is strongly encouraged, but walk-ins will
be welcomed at the end of each event while supplies last. Participants
will also receive a planting and care demonstration provided by tree
experts, free mulch, and educational materials.

The citywide yard tree giveaway events and locations are as follows:

•  South Broad TD Bank store (2201 S Broad St., 19148), Sat. April 9th, 10am-12pm
• Aramingo TD Bank store (2267 E Butler St., 19137), Sun. April 10th, 12pm-2pm
• Frankford Avenue TD Bank store (6635 Frankford Ave., 19135), Sat. April 16th, 10am-12pm
• Woodhaven TD Bank store (3930 Woodhaven Rd., 19154), Sun. April 17th, 12pm-2pm

  “Thanks to TreePhilly, residents have become passionate about planting
  and caring for trees. We look forward to working over the next three
  years with TD Bank as a corporate partner,” said PPR Commissioner
  Kathryn Ott Lovell.

Earlier this month the HRC (Human Rights Campaign) hosted their annual dinner at the Marriott Hotel with nearly 500 supporters. This year HRC moved to a bigger venue, as the demand to attend continues to grow. Snap!’s Thea Austin with 90s hits “Rhythm is the Dancer” “The Power”, Jim Obergefell – the plaintiff at the heart of a Supreme Court case , Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, and the L Word’s Katherine Moennig were guests of honor.

Did I mention lots of fashionable, attractive gay men, friends and the ladies. Liz Bakom, Chris Labonte, Greg Drey ( When he’s not at Fishtown Social, you can find him at Starbucks. Last week the barista at his fav coffee spot gave him what I would call a most unique pick up line: “This morning my barista told me I have gorgeous lashes. I guess drinking all that Latisse paid off!” ) and Marvin Rocha

OUT at Borgata: Gay Atlantic City,

Welcome to another edition of PhillyGossip, your weekly catch up on what’s happening with people in our area. Nicki Minaj has been found.

 

You’ll recall I wrote that they did have a beef, something about Nicki
giving up everything and playing house with Meek as he does his 90 day
stint as ordered by the court.  I wrote that she wasn’t playing hard to
get, she was just rehearsing her tour in LA. She’s going to Africa in a
few weeks to do some shows. She even tweeted to her followers, don’t
believe what you read or hear.

Don’t fret they’re together again. She flew into Philly on Wednesday, and did put on a little show for her snap chat followers. No word on where Meek is calling home, but rumor has it it’s on the waterfront in one of my favorite condos.

 Sad to hear my friends Mary Carey and Mario Monge are getting a divorce
after 6 years. This shot was taken in 2011, shortly after they got
married. He’s an electrician and worked on her house. They fell in love
and the rest is history. I had gotten together with them 2 additional
times when her show came through town. One time we went to Sampan and she
treated me to dinner. She pulled out a wad of dollar bills and paid the
$150 check with them. SO funny.

Burger King: Bobby Flay had dinner at Vetri’s Pizza with Marc Vetri on Wednesday night.

And then they posed with admirers, grandpop even cracked a little smile

Last week Robert Deniro was in town to cut the ribbon on the new Glen Mills Fine Wine & Good Spirits Collection Store. My question is does that whole title fit on one sign?

 The fans turned out

(Thanks to the LCB for sending me this shot)

 Speaking of wine, everyone is still talking about Craig Laban‘s review of Tredici Enoteca, but he liked the wine. I’ve been there twice, I like the food. I don’t drink. Looks like Chef Perrier enjoyed everything in front of him, and probably had a good cigar afterwards.

I bet I know who has a good cigar – Congrats Christopher Wolfington for being the 20th Anniversary winner of the Holt’s Cigar  humidor.. We shot him last weekend at the Dancing With Our Future Stars event. 

Where I also saw AJ Feeley, perform here with wife Heather Mitts, who is 9 months pregnant with their 2nd child. She looks fantastic. They’re with Kellie Gaglioti co owner of Joseph Anthony

Hey anyone missing a hot tub?

TONIGHT: Fido Friday at the PHS Flower Show Date: March 11, 2016 at 6:00pm – 9:00pm Location: Pennsylvania Convention Center 12th & Arch Streets Philadelphia, PA 19107 In partnership with PAWS, the Flower Show’s Fido Friday invites four-legged and two-legged friends to experience the Show together. The National Park Service’s K-9 ranger, “Ken” Franklin will stop by for a visit in the afternoon, before the doors open to other four-legged friends. A “Yappy Hour” from 6 to 8 p.m. will take place at the Pop Up Beer Garden in Base Camp. Canines must enter through the Market Street entrance, with proof of current rabies vaccine, and are not allowed on escalators for safety. Please view our Safety Guidelines prior to arriving at the Show. Admission: Dogs are free, but humans must be ticketed. Purchase tickets in advance here.

Come on you and the pooch deserve a night out.

Designer Nicole Miller brought her spring collection fashion show to Philadelphia to show to customers, tastemakers and the fashionable on Tuesday night at the Bellevue. She and Mary Dougherty also debut the 2016 Nicole Miller tie and scarf, featuring local Philly partners like DiBruno Brothers, Comcast, Jefferson Hospital, High Street, GPFO, Visit Philly and others on it. Here Mary Dougherty and Nicole Miller chat with Meryl Levitz, CEO Visit Philly.

PS I’d really appreciate if you wouldn’t remove the videos, but just link to the site for the first day. It’s how I make a living, clicks etc, you know. Otherwise I’d have to go back to being a paralegal to pay the bills. If you’re a news organization, you can take the video but just link back to my site. Thanks

The other night I attended the Independence Mission Schools 2nd Annual Dancing for our Future Stars celebrity competition. This event is similar to the TV show, except contestants compete in raising as much money for the IMS as possible to ensure a well balanced, solid education for kids as well as programs that will help them become all they dream to be.

This year’s dancing stars were:  Peter Panageas & K.O. Delmarcelle. Carol Tamburio and Peter Liciaga. IHM “Sister Act.”  Marcus Allen and Amber Rawls. Kristen Johanson and Tony Azzaro. AJ Feeley and Nikki Thomas. Renee Chambers-Licaga and Quincy Harris, Greg Santiaggo and Ginny Carey (this video was flagged by youtube cause it was using Adele’s Hello and she wont have none of that). Ilia Garcia and Curt Foy (sorry didn’t get this on film, was shooting Brent Celek & his wife). Tommy Geramichalos and Narissa Fell (I didn’t get this one either, sorry) and Bill Green and Katie Miccarelli.

On Feb. 13, Susan G. Komen Philadelphia and The Philly POPS proudly
hosted a free, first-ever, breast health education event and musical
celebration of the power of women.

Last Fall, Elaine Groban brought together notable, doctors in the field of oncology

to discuss her dream, her vision to bring together top doctors and their patients and share the news on the latest innovative treatments and discoveries in breast cancer treatment, and do it in a way that was a celebration. After the tour of the Kimmel Center to see where the lecture and concert would take place, the guests enjoyed dinner at Volver, which is the restaurant inside the Kimmel Center.

Then on the day before Valentine Day, Strength & Survival with the Philly POPS event began with a
breakfast served in the Hamilton Garden for the doctors and their patients that would participate in the presentation.

 

Elaine Grobman, CEO Susan G. Komen Philadelphia and Judith A. Salerno, M.D., M.S., is the President and Chief Executive Officer of
Susan G. Komen greet the guests and update them on the organization’s
work.

Richard J. Bleicher, MD, FACS, Fox Chase Cancer with his patient, survivor Dona Vimall, and husband Scott Vimall,

Onstage, the presenting doctors
and survivors reviewed the day’s program while they noshed. Following
breakfast, the pre-concert program began. Doctors highlighted
groundbreaking treatments in oncology, and their patients spoke about
their history, treatments and progress.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) celebrated their Student of the Year fundraising competition at the Grand Finale Celebration on Saturday, February 27, 2016  at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel. The night was a celebration of all the candidates’ collective fundraising efforts.

The event marked the end of a seven-week fundraising competition by local high school students.

 An amazing crowd of supporters came out to support the students and the organization

Tonight was the ending of the much beloved, long running series Downton Abbey. Not since the Beatles invasion in 1964, has America fallen in love with a group of Brits as they have with Crawley’s.

 Earlier today I attended a party at WHYY’s “Going Out of Style – Downton Abbey” party,

where members of WHYY and guests enjoyed an afternoon of scone sampling, tea tasting with Molly’s Irish Cream. While parading about in their best Downton Abbey’s inspired garb.

Dakota Bryson, Tori Dallas and Victoria Jenkins

 The guests then adjourned to the auditorim to listen to th sounds of The Blackbird Society Orchestra and listen to a lecture on fashion from the period from Jennifer Nesbitt, before we all settled in to watch the series finale.

 

Friday night I had a chance to check out the Philadelphia Flower Show and picked out a few highlights here. On Monday I will have photos from the gala on Friday night, and tomorrow and Tuesday I will post more photos of what’s happening there. Make sure to follow me on Twitter, Instagram or FB at @Iphillychitchat – Twitter and Philly Chit Chat for the others.

The theme this year is “National Parks,” and it was full of many different and beautifully executed  displays! There were beautiful forests, landscapes, artistically created animals, and lots of education on the National Parks that dot our land. And there were some flowers, especially wildflowers which bloom in the national parks, in the fields, and near the entrance of our favorite places to visit.

There are free demonstrations to attend: http://theflowershow.com/experiences/presentations

There’s a lot to do at the flower show too : Details on special family attractions, including the new Railway Garden, powered by Amtrak with Bachmann Trains There’s also a Make and take room, where kids can create wearable art, DIY Terrarium for an additional price.