HAPPY 5TH ANNIVERSARY PHILLY CHIT CHAT on Saturday July 7, 2007. In the past I’ve celebrated my anniversary in a big way, this year I really didn’t want a big celebration. Odd for a Leo like myself, but my buds Teresa Nino, Sader, Nino & Associates – Merrill Lynch Financial Advisor and Christie Honigman, of the Honigman Group  wanted to get together and toast to 5 years. I invited a handful of close friends and we headed to R2L.

I love R2L, it’s one of the most romantic restaurants in the City, not only because of the chill atmosphere, but the unbelievable view of the City and delicious food. Where else can you see the sunset while eating dinner with your boo, 37 floors about the City streets. It was a great night, good friends, laughter and I even caught this lightning bolt.

We had a few light bites in the lounge, and then Chef Dan Stern sent out this nice cake. Thanks to Patrick, Bar Manager and Thomas Finnegan, R2L asst manager

Kristyn Aldrich, Evan and Cori Moskow, Gloss PR, Mike Toub, Mel, Teresa Nino and Christie Honigman

Adrienne Diaz and Kristyn Aldrich

Bada bing Jen (2nd from right), Jason Matthew Salon (1735 Chestnut), joined us at Cavanaugh’s Restaurant & Sports Bar near 19th & Sansom. Later Kristyn and I closed the night out at Del Frisco’s where we saw Jameer Nelson who’s with the Orlando Magic. In the weeks to come I’ll be doing a few blog entries highlighting events I covered over the past 5 years (I mentioned this at the begining of the year and never had a chance.)  Most importantly I just want to thank all of you for reading PCC, following me on Twitter and all your support these past 5 years. (Oh and please support my advertisers who support me. Thanks) Mention PhillyChitChat.com next time you need a Cool Pix Photo Booth for your party, and get 10% Off.

On Tuesday, July 3, Chef Michael Solomonov hosted the Down the Shore 3: Zombie Luau at Zahav (237 St. James Place, 215-625-8800). 
This fun annual tradition featured dishes from Solomonov and eight
other top Philly chefs.

The party served all you-can-eat-and-drink, plus entertainment including live music (The Bath Salts I think they said,) a photo booth, zombie face painting and of course, over-the-top costumes. Greeters Amy Henderson and Lindsie set the tone as they greeted guests at the door.

Matt Bean, Jackie Seigle – JackiBakesCake.com (Philadelphia girl. Phillies fan. Marathon runner. Lover of food and beer. Maker/decorator of cupcakes and cakes. Entrepreneur. Day job in B2B media) and Brian Lim. They waited 3hrs in line to get their Zombie Make up on, but it was worth it.

Terence Feury of Fork

Jennie Hatton, Profile PR, Michael Solomonov, Marie DiFeliciantonio, Profile PR

Hey Vinny aka @zennpotatoes on Twitter.

Pastry Princess Monica Glass, Michelle Cassidy, goddess of Yelp, Arthur Etchells, Foobooz founder, Gil Min, Jeff Sorge Kristen Burke

Kaitlin Bitting (Huge fan of maps [I love maps too] Recently drank the Lithe Method Kool Aid.) , Jen Serico (Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student at Drexel University – I’d be paranoid to be her friend, she’d probably have me committed), Vanessa Gercke, Courtney Flanagan and Dustin Coolidge

The Bath Salts

Zombies? Feh! There’s a vampire loose in Texas  Vampires not real? Try telling that to one Texas teen who got bitten on the neck by a stranger on the street.

who am I?, Chef Jen Carroll, Chef Michael Solomonov, Dave Katz of Mémé, who am I?, Sous chef Yehuda Sichel

Bath-salt-smoking Pa. mom goes wild in maternity ward, charged with assault, drug possession, and was unable to make the party.

Rob and Laura

Fun to chat restaurant talk with Wendy Williams and Kurt Traub

Peter Woolsey of Bistrot La Minette and Drew Lazor, food writer.

Bah humbug there Chef John Taus of The Corner, who’s not even getting lei-d

Marija and Scott Turner. Years ago before I was PhillyChitChat.com, I created photo note cards and Marija worked in the store in the Bourse building that sold them. It was so nice to see her again, married and happy. Tomorrow is PhillyChitChat’s 5 year anniversary. WOW, fun, emotional for me. I think I did a good job promoting charities which was the bottom line of why I started doing the site, as well as satisfying my curiosity of people, places and things.  Thanks for your support, readership, links & guidance.- HughE

JULY IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE MONTHS. It starts with my mom’s bday on July 1st, then it’s Philly’s July 4th, which means 10 days of fun, then it’s PCC 5th Anniversary on 7/7/12, Our anniversary, Mike’s Bday, My Bday, the anniv of when we bought our condo and  well it’s summer.  Here are a few shots I took that are centered around the July4th holiday starting with last weeks Penns Landing fireworks. I took these from my friends penthouse in my building. We both usually have parties, but this year Mike was at a wedding, and I had the Parx Casino gigs, so I was free to go to theirs. Thanks KC & Arthur.

I’m sad that the Inquirer is no longer housed in this building. It is such an iconic building in Philadelphia history and skyline.

I didn’t do as much this year as I have in the past. I’ll be honest with you I was a little burnt out after the busy social season. Then with the heat I just wanted to chill. But if you were following me on twitter you’d see I promoted a lot of the fun events. You can follow people, read the news etc on Twitter and not have to say anything. I have a lot of followers that do that. (Twitter @iphillychitchat )

This year though, marks the first time in a decade I made it to the morning ceremony. I usually head to Jersey to a few little town parades, I love them, but then I heard CSI’s Hill Harper and

and Ellen Burstyn were going to be participating and that changed all my plans. I should get a bumper sticker that says “I Brake for Celebrities.”

It was on my bucket list to attend a naturalization ceremony one day, and yesterday I was able to cross that off my list.

There was a decent crowd despite the unbearable heat.

Gov Tom Corbett was there.

I have been to the parade many times, especially when they had it in the evening on the Parkway. I have to say it was a genius idea to switch it to the daytime. Although I completely forgot about the tapping of the bell, something that is also on my Bucket List. It happens every year at 2PM. The descendants of the founders of the USA tap the liberty bell, not with a hammer like that nutcase a few years back, but with their gloved fingers.

I have a thing for flags. I think this is going to be turned into a greeting card for my collection.

I love love love when the rest of the world comes to spend time in our City. I love chatting with them too. I spoke to people from nearly 25 states, and 4 countries yesterday.

First Lady Lisa Nutter, and Mayor Michael Nutter

Abe Lincoln

Kathy Sledge – “We Are Family!!” (It’s Philly’s Theme Song like “New York, New York” by Liza)

Remembering 9/11

Soldiers and fire trucks for the first hour of the parade. I would suggest a few bands be placed in between them. I realize they are heroes and I salute them, but little kids don’t realize their importance and the ones around me complained of boredom & were winy.

Then came the bands, Ferko Sting Band, high school bands and Miss Philadelphia

OMG WHAT A HUGE HONOR FOR PEARL. I ran into her the other day after the Mayor told her they were going to honor her as Volunteer of the Year, but she didn’t know how. It made my heart proud.

Throughout July I will be posting photo essays, and anniversary posts. Then get back to the grind in August with lots of events. It seems the social season starts gearing up in Mid August this year. I’ll also go back to posting by 7am. I don’t know how people can tell, but they don’t come in as much until after my post goes lives.

It’s so hard to get candid’s these days. No doubt these two wanted to kill me, but I liked his outfit.

She has a flag in one hand, and a stuffed animal under her arm.

Then Mike and I headed to the Bourse for lunch. It was packed and they had a guy playing a saxophone. It was a nice touch. The Bourse, on 5th Street between Market and Chestnut, is a nice little food court, plus has several  visitor souvenir stores.

Party on the Parkway

Ran into a few peeps I know around town, but didn’t have my pad with me.

Fashion winner of the day. He was only missing my flag hat.

Hello gorgeous at the cooling station

GOOGLE + is going to show me how it’s done. What are your thoughts about Google Plus? Cheldin Barlatt (2nd from right)

In the evening Mike and I held our 10th Annual Fireworks Party. Our building is right on the parkway. We usually only have a handful of people over cause it’s a late night, and it can be insane getting to our place and especially leaving. Happy Anniversary to Hadas Kuznits and Dan Reinherz. Check out this video that Hadas created on their wedding last year.

Christie Honigman and Teresa Nino

Mike Sheridan and Jim Werner just launched Fagabond

Mike Toub and Marty D

Check out

Thank you Wawa, The City of Philly, and all the VOLUNTEERS that made yesterday so successful.

Whenever I’m in Stone Harbor, NJ and a lightning storm is around, I head to the either point on 7 Mile Island to capture the storm. Last night the storm hit Ocean City all the way north to Long Beach Island.

 Dang why can’t my family own one of these houses and I’d always have a front row seat?

Unlike Friday night there was no sense in taking video, in between the lightning bolts it was pitch black

I headed over the bridge into Sea Isle to get a few beach shots. The storm was fairly far away by this time so the bolts were few and far between. So I called it a night.

This was a large Southern storm where the main body was hitting Delaware down to Washington DC, plus over South Jersey. So I ran over to my mother-in-laws condo as it faces South.

The cars jockey for position at the top of the Art Museum Steps to watch the “show.”

The bright lights near the grass is the stage being built for the Fourth of July concert.

This is the view from my balcony

The little dot nearly in the center is a plane approaching the airport. Can you imagine being on that plane?

This video captures a couple lightning strikes. It really shows how difficult is is to photograph them as they are unpredictable when they strike. This was a nice long storm so i was able to get a few great shots, and a few ok shots.  Just watching the lightning gets my weather geek going.

I popped into Opa restaurant (1311 Sansom St., 215-545-0170) to steal co-owner Vasiliki Tsiouris away to the Washington Street Night Market (Snapshots from last nights #NightMkt here). I didn’t see her but I saw the back door open to the restaurant…   

I had heard inglings that a beer garden was going to pop up behind Opa restaurant on Samson St. but I had no idea it was so far along.

I found a party going on, well the end of a party with a few of the City Council member staff. Nancy, Linda Norma, Irma, Cobra and Shunperb were just winding their night down. From what I can see the place has a gorgeous floor, a ping pong table, old skool boom box (holla) and is very spacious.

I don’t want to spoil the surprise as you need to check out the soft opening this weekend; the place kicks off officially on Monday and will no doubt be a huge hit throughout the summer. Watch out SIPS people, this is going to be the hot hangout. And yes food will be served. It’s going to be a little different than the delicious Greek food at Opa. Co-owner George Tsiouris tells me it’s going to be world, street inspired. FUN CHILL FOOD (he’s so fun chill, I can’t wait to see what he means.) PS maybe a gyro or other special Greek food once in a while. Please, please include the hummus and pita bread.

Random people sighting at Drury Beer Garden, photog Al B For and his gal friend Elise Kirsch. I love love love love love this place for the 5 minutes I saw of it. Great concept!! Much bigger and spacious than I every envisioned when he mentioned it in passing a year ago, and then started to plan it recently.