Annually, the Marian Anderson Award honors critically
acclaimed artists who have impacted society in a positive way. Created
in 1998, the first recipient of the Marian Anderson Award in 1998 was
Harry Belafonte, followed by Gregory Peck, Dame Elizabeth Taylor, Oprah
Winfrey, Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis, Sidney Poitier, Richard Gere, Maya
Angelou and Norman Lear, Bill Cosby, and many others.
This year’s honoree is acclaimed stage and screen actor, James Earl Jones!
Taking
place on Monday, November 19th at the Kimmel Center, the Annual Award
and Gala event features a formal dinner followed by a star-studded
performance celebrating the award honoree. The award gala, one the most
eagerly anticipated social events of the year, is listed by Philadelphia Magazine among the top ten annual social events.
New
this year, the Marian Anderson Award Committee has introduced the ‘New
Friends of the Marian Anderson Awards Gala’ component to the event.
Chaired by Megan R. Smith of Brownstone PR, ‘New Friends’ attendees will
gather in the Kimmel Center’s Hamilton Garden from 6:30pm to 8:00pm for
cocktails and tasty hors d’oeuvres, then join James Earl Jones, actor
Terrence Howard and 300+ others in the concert hall at 8:30pm for the
star-studded Awards Reception and Concert!
Parkway Cultural Institutions Open
For Business During Philadelphia Marathon Race Weekend
PHILADELPHIA –(November
9, 2012) – Merchants and cultural institutions along the Benjamin
Franklin Parkway will be open for business, as part of a fun cultural and
sports experience during Philadelphia Marathon Race Weekend on November
16-18, said City officials.
“On Marathon Race Weekend, the Benjamin
Franklin Parkway will offer the public all of the wonderful attractions
and exhibitions displayed at our treasured cultural institutions, as well
as the races taking place on Saturday and Sunday,” said Melanie Johnson,
Philadelphia Marathon Executive Director. “The marathon has emerged as
more than an athletic competition. It is an anticipated event for everyone.
As the city’s commitment to making the race and weekend a memorable one,
Philadelphia has become marathoning’s best host city.”
The weekend will shine a spotlight
on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway (the opening stretch for the weekend’s
races), which is home to world-renown cultural institutions including the
Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural
Sciences of Drexel University and the Parkway’s newest addition, the Barnes
Foundation. Each institution’s hours are listed below. For additional
information regarding current special exhibitions and links to Parkway
area attractions, visit www.parkwaymuseumsdistrict.org.
The City of Philadelphia is working
collaboratively to accommodate museum business schedules and reduce the
impact of mass transit and vehicular traffic in the Parkway area. However,
city officials are urging museum-goers and others visiting the area to
proceed with caution and to plan accordingly during the Marathon and Half
Marathon, especially in the Parkway cultural corridor. (Check out www.philadelphiamarathon.com
for information on street closures and parking options during Marathon
Weekend.)
“We are excited to welcome the tens
of thousands of runners and their families to Philadelphia during Marathon
Weekend.” said Judi Rogers, Executive Director of the Parkway Council
Foundation. “We invite them to explore the Parkway Museum District
and enjoy all that it has to offer,”
Parkway cultural institution patrons
and others with business or recreational plans are encouraged to use public
transportation to get in and out of Center City during the Marathon weekend.
For updates and information about public transit to museums along the Parkway,
including various public transit options, please visit their websites at http://www.septa.org/welcome/cultural.html
and www.njtransit.org
The Parkway Museums District’s
institutions will be open the following hours during Marathon activities
on Saturday, November 17 and Sunday, November 18:
Academy of Natural Sciences
Sat.& Sun.: 10 am – 5 pm
Barnes Foundation
Sat.& Sun.: 9:30 am – 6 pm
Cathedral Basilica SS Peter &
Paul
Sat., 9 am mass, followed by meeting
of the Catholic Life Congress
Sun., 8, 9:30, 11 and 12:30 masses
Eastern State Penitentiary
Sat.& Sun.: 10 am – 5 pm
Fairmount Water Works Interpretive
Center
Sat.: 10 am – 5 pm
Sun.: 1 pm – 5 pm
Franklin Institute
Sat.& Sun.: 9:30 am – 5 pm
The Franklin Institute has a permanent
exhibit called “Sports Challenge.”
Free Library of Philadelphia
Sat.: 9 am – 5 pm
Sun.: 1 pm – 5 pm
The Free Library’s Children’s
Story Time on Nov. 17 at 2 pm will have a running theme
Galleries at Moore College of Art
and Design
Sat.: 11 am – 5 pm (closed Sun.)
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine
Arts
Sat.: 10 am – 5 pm
Sun., 11 am – 5 pm
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Sat.& Sun.: 10 am – 5 pm
Rodin Museum
Sat.& Sun., 10 am – 5 pm
Philadelphia Marathon Weekend,
held annually the weekend before Thanksgiving, attracts more than 30,000
runners and 60,000 spectators to Philadelphia to experience “The Best
Time of Your Life.” This year, Race Weekend features The Philadelphia
Marathon and Half Marathon on Sunday, November 18; the Rothman Institute
8K and Kids Fun Run on Saturday, November 17; and a free two-day Health&
Fitness Expo Friday, November 16 and Saturday, November 17. Race participants
pass many of Philadelphia’s famous attractions on the swift and scenic
USATF-certified course, which is a Boston qualifier. Take the first step
to experiencing 26.2 miles of fun, beauty, history and excitement by visiting www.philadelphiamarathon.com.
in town for radio announcer for the Philadelphia Phillies Larry Andersen’s wedding. Last night he stopped at McGillin’s Olde Ale House, hopefully to have some of those delicious wings I love. Here he is with Gaby Gock, McGillin’s manager. Now about that wedding, I wonder where it is? No doubt a few Phillies will be on the loose tomorrow night.
Also in town, Joe Montana for a meet and greet signing of Aviation Gin bottles at the PLCB store
at 12th & Chestnut. The 4 times winning Super Bowl quarterback, and the only player to have two touchdown passes of 95+ yards was
greeted by nearly 100 or so fans who waited in line up to an 90 minutes for their hero to arrive on his promotional tour of his Aviation Gin.
Kudo’s to my bud cameraman Brad Berner and this reporter from NBC Philadelphia. Montana’s peeps said he wasn’t going to do any interviews, and the reporter was insistent and said he would just stand on the sidelines. Well it paid off and he got a 5 minute interview.
I also ran into mixologist extraordinaire Katie Loeb who was created cocktails with
Aviation Gin and giving free samples to the fans who were 21 and over
Michael Harris, Executive Director at South Street Headhouse District and developer Howard Lander. Lander tells me that next week enlarge and upgrade the State Liquor Store on South Street between 7th
and 8th Streets will be opening with better hours, a wider selection,
all new decor and trained staff making it a premium wine store. Ironically his office contacted me earlier in the day to be a judge for the holiday window displays on South Street. So dress them up I’ll be judging the last week in November. (Thanks to my bud Robert Drake for recomending me.)
Joe Montana poses with the poster. Did I mention before he arrived at the signing he had dinner at Opa restaurant around the corner at 1311 Sansom St
but like Amber Rose before him pimping out her vanilla vodka drink, he refused to hold the bottle up. So odd since he’s promoting the liquor. Hey could someone at least turn the label my way?
Matthew Schultz told me he was thrilled to meet Montana, the greatest quarterback ever.
His sister Carrie Casullo didn’t really know too much about Montana. She was here getting a Christmas gift for her boyfriend. A signed Joe “Cool” Montana Aviation bottle. Hope he’s not reading… Yes we have to think about Christmas now. It seems like just yesterday it was 100F!! Hey follow me on @iphillychitchat tomorrow as I cover and participate in the wedding of the decade the Papadakis/Kent wedding. The adventure begins at 2PM, so excited. Check out my Philly Mag Column today.
Revel Resorts was nice enough to invite me down to be a judge at their Halloween Nights Angels and Demons Costume Contest.
SoJO Midday Host Heather DeLuca (2nd from right) for the ‘Creepy Cocktail Crawl’, and the SoJO Morning Show’s Tom Morgan (r) for the ‘Angels and Demons Costume Contest’!
Sabel Scities
(Timothy Byars) of Sunnyside, N.Y., as Miss’d America 2012 was another judge.
Avatar told me he created his costume over a few weeks as his wife watched the season premieres of several of her favorite new shows.
The Social is an entertainment venue at the center of Revelry.
Pull up to the bar, choose an intimate table, or opt for one that fits
all your friends. With two levels and three bars, The Social has room
for everyone.
Even with the looming hurricane, there was an impressive turn out
Many folks came down from NYC, Brooklyn and the Bronx.
Although I did talk to people who were more local, who love going to Revel for their entertainment
The cocktail waitress’ are adorable.
Care Bears
The Social went all out in their decoration
And the winner is
The Mad Hatter
The judges felt that and by a slim margin, since he created his entire costume himself, he should win.
After the contest I headed over to Amada to partake in my friend Maria Papadakis’ bacherlorette dinner and then we were all going to head out. Kristyn Aldrich, Maria, Marisa Magnatta, Vasiliki Tsiouris, Susie Celek and Mike Toub
Then we went back to our rooms and prepared for our Halloween night in Revel Resorts
As part of the bacherlorette night there was a list of things the gals had to do like pose with a bouncer
autograph someone’s abs
Then we headed over to Halloween at HQ Nightclub
It was the 2nd time I had been there in weeks, and the place was packed again. It’s a huge success.
There was another Halloween contest there.
there’s the Mad Hatter
This lovely lady came in 2nd
Oh there’s our friends Avatar who won the grand prize at HQ that night – YEAH!!
Ivan Kane’s Royal Jelly Burlesque Nightclub will be
featuring Thriller Burlesque on Friday, October 26 – Saturday, October 27 at the Club and on the Catwalk at the club’s
Go Go Bar and Gaming Party Pit.
We headed over to Ivan Kane’s Royal Jelly Burlesque Nightclub
(thanks to Alp for making our night so special)
and look who we ran into Ivan Kane himself.
Where’s Maria?
Later we hit the casino floor and I won $160 on a poker machine. Yeah, now I’m up $30
www.revelresorts.com. To receive the latest
updates on Revel, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/revel and follow
@revelresorts on Twitter. Revel is located on the Boardwalk at Revel Blvd in
Atlantic City, New Jersey.
In the wake of Hurricane Sandy and the millions its displaced, HQ Nightclub along with Angel Management Group (AMG) and EMM Group have established Revel Nightlife Relief to raise funds for affected victims in the local community. Revel Nightlife Relief will donate all ticket and door sales for HQ Nightclub’s upcoming weekend’s lineup towards the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund to support Atlantic City locals in need. With $35,000 raised thus far, Revel Nightlife Relief hopes to achieve its goal of raising a total of $100,000 and upwards for the cause.
Many of you may know my sister Judy Wilkins passed away from Ovarian Cancer 12/3/09. What you might not know, one of the last selfless acts my sister did, was to encourage Walt to find love again. She suggested maybe he ask out their friend Margie, who had been divorced for many years.
Margie’s son Steven, and my niece Lauren were in band together. My sister and Steven’s mom were very active band parents, going to all the football games and band competitions. So as parents they got to know each other at these events. That’s Colleen Wilkins on the left.
In the years since Judy died, Walt and Margie became good friends, began dating and now are husband and wife. Judy was right, they were a perfect pair.
My cousin Debbie and I
Mom and Walt dance
Yum cake baked by the Carriage House in Galloway NJ where the wedding was held. Looks good, I didn’t have any. I don’t think the cavemen ate it. Anyone on the Paleo Diet?
Niece Kelsey, her dad Frank (married to Margaret), sister Tracy (married to Joe), niece Ella, (how many people remember the story of Ella and how at age 10 days had a tumor & kidney removed at CHOP. She’s great now.) brother Ray and my mom. (missing Janine, Margaret, Crista)
Judy came to me in a dream a few days before the wedding. She was wearing teal, she was happy and was baking a cake in the kitchen, telling me everything was great. She looked fabulous too. (In my dream I didn’t realize she had died.) She and Walt had a storybook marriage full of love and laughter. Although their story was interrupted , his story of love and happiness can go on. Margie didn’t have that happily ever after in her first marriage, and now she does. Congratulations!! PS which reminds me if you are going to the 3rd Annual Gilda’s Club Benefit in honor of Judy Wilkins on 11/20. Could you RSVP “corie moskow” corie@glosspr.com so she can get an accurate count.
Last weekend I attended the First-Annual eXtreme Masquerade sponsored by Ballet X. Set at Top of the Tower’s 51st floor terrace. I think when Halloween falls on a Wednesday it just means 7 nights of Halloween Parties, I have a few more to get out this week so stay tuned.
Christine Cox, Dan Coopermar, Teena Ferroni, Johnny van Heest, Public Relations Manager at The Wilma Theater and Krista Becwar
I love a party full of creativity people with sexy, crazy, cool costumes,
but I was distracted by the view. 51 Floors above the City Streets, The Top of the Tower. I always loved parties that were held here where we could look out over the City, but now that the place has opened the
the balconies up for cocktail parties, it’s just that much better.
BalletX, Philadelphia’s premier contemporary ballet company, unites
world-class choreographers with an outstanding company of professional
dancers to forge new works of athleticism, emotion, and grace. The
daring vision of its award-winning founders and artistic directors,
Christine Cox and Matthew Neenan, BalletX challenges the boundaries of
classical ballet by encouraging formal experimentation while preserving
rigorous technique. The Company is committed to producing new works of
the highest quality and integrity that bring the combined visions of
choreographers and dancers to life and cultivate in audiences a
collective appetite for bold new dance.
I never tire of looking at the City. I wonder what it’s like to see the fireworks from up here?
BalletX opens its new season with distinct collaborations, uniting
modern European and American choreography in a unique program featuring
two World Premieres by award-winning Philadelphia-based performance
artist Kate Watson-Wallace as well as internationally-celebrated
choreographer Mauro Astolfi, who makes his Philadelphia debut. The
program also includes the Philadelphia premiere of Switch Phase, a new
work created by Matthew Neenan, BalletX Co-Artistic Director and
Co-Founder, November 7-11 in residence at the Wilma Theater, 265 S.
Broad Street, Philadelphia.
Timothy B Cahill and Ming Shen looking adorable. This happy couple is getting married in the spring at the Top of the Tower they tell me.
I love that thousands of Harry Potter fans gathered for another awesome weekend of celebrating the famed story book hero, right here in Philadelphia in the Chestnut Hill
Dumbledore,
Harry and other costumed characters from the novels
Restaurants
and retailers transformed into Hogsmeade
Fun
activities for Harry Potter fans of all ages along the Avenue
Roy Miyahara showing off his Gagnam style, and EJ both of Diamond
Spa
Harpist – Candace Lark of Lark Music Studios provided music for the crowds that walked along Germantown Ave
There were lots of things for kids and families to do.
Tony and Erin Talbert and family are big Harry Potter fans, and now share that interest with their kids
Nicole
Schaffer participated in some of the events that occurred during the weekend including a “Defense Against the Dark
Arts” class, “The Hunt for the Horcrux” scavenger hunt, a make-your-own
Muggle-wand station, and a “sorting hat” ceremony.
Chestnut Hill College’s Mask and Foil Troupe: Hermione Granger,
Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Rita Skeeter, Luna Lovegood, and Severus
Snape helped carry the theme of the weekend by appearing at many of the events.
Third Annual Brotherly Love Quiddich Tournament: took place on the majestic ground of Chestnut Hill College and featured a 16 collegiate and community Quiddich
teams from across the nation.
Severus Snape and Neville Longbottom
Lynn Middleton of Whispering Woods animal rescue
Peggy Schmidt and Andrea Berger of The Bone Appetite
Lisa Sammons and Cristina Wuenschel
Professor Dumbledore and Hermione Granger
Harry Potter Weekend was sponsored by the Chestnut Hill Business Association. The next theme weekend in Chestnut Hill will be Dickens
Weekend on Dec. 8 and 9.
I’ve been reading for years about the famed political luncheons at the Famous Fourth Street Deli in South Philly on on Primary and Election Day. I couldn’t wait to go this year, and wow did it deliver. The political power in the room was palpable.
Owner Russ Cowan and daughter Emily Cowan.
When I arrived many politicians in office and out of office took part in the traditional lunch.
Hungry to talk shop about the turn out so far, and for the gigantic sandwiches that the Fourth Street Deli offers.
In the front row tables, these were the seats most visible as people came through the doors, were former DA Lynn Abraham and Fox 29’s Good Day Philadelphia political commentator Eleanor Dezzi
Councilwomen Jannie Blackwell came in with her posse and her trademark sunglasses on
Larry Platt and Stephanie Singer, Chair of Philadelphia City Commissioners
David L Auspitz – The Famous 4th Street Cookie Company and State Rep Michael H. O’Brien.
David L Auspitz owned the Fourth Street Deli when the tradition of the political lunch started
Philadelphia Gay Newspaper publisher/owner Mark Segal greets State Rep Michael H. O’Brien (shaking Mark’s hand) across from City Commissioner Stephanie Singer. The buzz was that Congressman Bob Brady would be coming in with a camera crew, either to do a documentary one person told me, or a reality show as a sitting politician told me. Look for Register of Wills Ron Donatucci to come in as they were driving together.
Electricians union business manager John Dougherty proudly wearing his Eagles jacket.
Register of Wills Ron Donatucci and his son Ron Jr arrived no sign of oh wait
Former Daily News editor Larry Platt (l) Rep. Bob Brady and film crew. At the table is political operative Micah Mahjoubian, the new PGN Editor Jenn Catelli and Mark Segal in the hat.
Former City Controller Jonathan Saidel greets Councilman James Kenney
Rep. Bob Brady greets lawyer Dawn Tancredi sitting at the Donatucci table
I was wondering why Jonathan Saidel was in such a jovial mood today, as he can be a bit somber and private, he was mike’d for the reality/documentary for Bob Brady.
Greg Ross and Buzz Bissinger
State Sen. Larry Farneseand crew. At one point Jonathan Saidel came over and said to Farnese “You got my vote Larry!!”
Al Spivey Jr, Chief of Staff at City Council-Philadelphia, Councilmans Jim Kenney and Councilman Curtis Jones Jr.
Councilman Bill Green, Mark Segal and Micah Mahjoubian
The Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show is presented annually by the Women’s
Committee and Craft Show Committee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art for the benefit of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Funds raised are used to purchase works of art and craft for the permanent collections of
the Philadelphia Museum of Art, to fund conservation and publication projects, and to
support exhibitions and education programs.
