Philly Chit Chat

Between December 12th and the 16th participating Midtown Village businesses are offering holiday deals, extended hours, and special in-shop holiday events.
With over 80 independent merchants, you are bound to find something special for the holidays.

Have you been east of Broad Street lately? Exciting changes have been happening in Midtown Village and the area has quickly become one of Philadelphias premier locales for daytime and nighttime activity.
Midtown Village Offers Coupon Shopping too, you don’t need to buy the paper or scissors to get these coupons – http://community.midtownvillage.org/mtvcoupon_phag.html
You know those great fruit bouqets pick them up here: http://community.midtownvillage.org/mtvcoupon_fruitflowers.html

Visit my favorite store: David White and James McManaman’s Absolute Abstract http://absoluteabstractart.com/ Stop by Spruce Street Video and say hi to Franni (we used to play softball together in ugh – 1992 for Spruce Street Video): http://community.midtownvillage.org/mtvcoupon_sprucevid.htmlI’ll be shopping all day Saturday picking, see you then…
http://midtownvillage.org/events.php?id=22

There’s a good chance Rittenhouse Square is going to look like this again today… Every Monday I go to Borders to see if any of the celebrity photos I took the week before, or even months before, placed in any of the glossies. This week I decided to go to FYE for a change, bad move, they still have magazines from the last week in November on their racks. What’s up with that?

Even though it was cloudy today, we had a decent sunset

I had never heard of the Running of the Santa’s before, but recently someone told me about this charity event that is held every year. Although I can’t make (Flyers Game) this year, Saturday 12/15, I don’t want you to miss this event so here is some information for you to use. Here’s some history from Wikipedia:

The 2007 Running of the Santas will be held on December 15th.
As of 2007 Philadelphia was joined by these other cities in sponsoring official Running of the Santas events: Boston MA, Chicago, IL, Denver, CO, Indianapolis, IN, Key West, FL, Louisville, KY, Minneapolis, MN, Nashville, TN, Pittsburgh, PA, San Diego, CA, Washington DC, & Ashburton, New Zealand.[2]http://www.runningofthesantas.com/It wasn’t enough that Philly founded the Running of the Santa’s, but I found something interesting while researching the running Santa’s, they are Santa’s from Philly who have a new twist on the event, the Running with the Speedo Santa’s. http://gophillyboys.com/ssr/about.htmNot only do I find it intriguing, but disturbing that they do their run in BOSTON!! This video really gets to the meat of the Speedo Running Santa’s from Philly

http://gophillyboys.com/ssr/ssr07.html

These shots, and the story fell through the cracks as it was the weekend before I went to NYC to cover Fashion Week (see http://www.confessionsofapaparazzi.com/ September).

This past summer Philadelphia raised Mark Webber shot a movie he directed, here in PhillyWood. It’s called “Explicit Ills” and is based loosely on kids he knew growing up and well you are just going to have to see it as it should be great. It stars mostly unknown Philly actors and a few heavy hitters that I was explicitly told by the producers not to use their names to promote the film as it is in their contract. On this particular day, the shoot was being done in a community center in Kensington, near A, B, C Streets. The nieghoborhood was a buzz with excitement, and the film crew was very respectable to the neighbors. For me I was so excited as it was my first “invited” on location movie shoot. (Usually I just crash the filming, or shoot from a distance)

In April, I met Mark Webber while I was covering the Phila Film Festival and Mark received the Rising Star Award. At a party Mary Patel and the Phila Film Festical threw in his honor I made his acquaintance (I am a big fan of his mother’s, Cheri Honkala , a social activist with the Kensington Welfare Rights group http://hughe2030.blogspot.com/2007/04/your-on-scene-paparazzi-mingling-at.html.) Here Mark directs Noah Simmons All I can tell you is he is in a karate outfit and the temperatures in this room are above 120F and he and all the castmates were real troopers.
To the left is one of the stars I am not allowed to mention his name, as he is doing the movie as a favor for Mark. A movie he stars in opens on Friday, and premiered tonight in NYC and this past weekend won the top prize in the LA Film Awards. He also shined in Little Miss Sunshine
Lots of little kids, and one of them may be the next Dakota Fanning or Jerry O’Connell; they were all very well behaved, even having waited for several hours for an earlier scene to be shot. They waited patiently upstairs with their parents, and were fed and played games. I spoke with the parents and they all said it was worth it as the kids really wanted to be in a movie. The actors are on the left, Mark is on the far right with the green hat, it’s pitch dark behind us
but during the take, I shoot this. The assistants at the table are playing chess, in the pitch black, but the flash lit up the scene. I guess they were used to working in the dark.
Mark gives Nicholas Simmens directions. He is to play his own tune, as this is a low budget, meaning good quality film, but not lots of cash to fund, movie. If he picked out a commercial tune there would need to be money paid to the writer of the tune, residuals. But everything worked out well as it was an awesome set, Nicholas was told to do a three minute song, but he played about 5 minutes of the most awesome tune with a spectacular guitar solo that would make Jimmy Hendrick’s proud. Finally it was a wrap, I thanked Mark, and although he invited me to shoot the finale in two weeks, where the girl from “Rent” would march along Market Street, I knew I wouldn’t go since I wasn’t allowed to photograph and market the shots of some of the stars (because it was in their contracts says the producer [not Mark, who was terrific to me and I appreciate it, and he had no idea the producers had told me this new info. Congratulations I hear you got “Explicit Ills” in Sundance – YIPPEE!! ], Instead that weekend I went to NYC and shot the NY Film Festival, and its a good thing as I got Halle Barry in People Magazine from a shot I took that weekend)I did read later in Dan Gross’ column: Rosario Dawson was among the cast of Mark Webber’s “Explicit Ills” celebrating at Rae inside the Cira Centre Sunday night at the wrap party for Webber’s directorial debut. * (But I already knew that)A friend of mine just got a photo with her last Thursday in NYC, I’ve shot her before, she is a SWEETHEART!! see the guy to the right, that’s the famed Radioman (again see the other blog and do a search on his name) but a Christmas tibit is he is the bum on the bench in the movie ELF, when Santa flies out of Central Park. He is crazy like a fox in person, but knows all the stars, and is invited to the Oscars every year, oh and has an XM radio show about celebrities.

B101 wants you and your family to have the Best Christmas Ever!We have partnered with our friends at Lincoln Mercury, Acme, Bernie Robbins Fine Jewelers and Beneficial Bank to make your Christmas extra special this year.From December 3rd – December 21st, B101 will be giving away multiple prizes each day to listeners like you, right here in the Delaware Valley! In total, we have a minimum of 136 great prizes that would make perfect gifts for you… or that special person you decide to give them to!B101 has carefully assembled the greatest list of gifts and goodies, in hopes they can find their way into your home this holiday!
She won a $500 Gas Card and I was there to capture the shot of her winning.

Philly really is the Sixth Boro and with the opening of G Lounge, clubbing has entered a new and exciting era.

Philly boy Mark Marek’s ( The club is owned and designed by Mark, and Dino Minelli, former partner and GM of Luke & Leroy in New York), single-letter lounge, which shares a street address with Italian steakhouse Davio’s. At roughly 10,000 square feet, the 400-head-capacity space will feature two full-service bars and an ever-evolving atmosphere, thanks to innovations like movable wall panels and “electronic wallpaper,” projection technology that can change the mood of the lounge in a few clicks. An array of small plates sourced from Davio’s will include cold seafood (oysters on the half shell, tequila lime gravlax) and a selection of sliders (pulled chicken, braised beef short ribs, jumbo lump crab). Marek, who comes from a background in luxury jewelry, wants G to fill what he characterizes as a void in the city’s high-end nightlife destinations. (City Paper)
ekk I forget his name, but my girl Laura Burkhardt will tell me, here she is with PR Guru Nicole Cashman of Cashman & Associates who were in charge of throwing down one heck of a good party last night at the G Lounge – Below Davios in the Provident Bank Building, 111 S. 17th St. The official description: “With a backdrop of wood, porcelain, glass and stone, G features over 10,000 square feet of pristine space. Two full-service bars offer artistic signature cocktails designed exclusively for G by renowned “Modern Mixologist” Tony Abou-Ganim, who has also designed menus for all 22 bars at the Bellagio, Las Vegas Resort. Abou-Ganim incorporated the sensual vibe of G with his knowledge of spirits, inventing drinks such as the Pineapple-Ginger Mojito, containing homemade ginger syrup, the Very Sexy, an ode to the feel of the lounge, with Belvedere Citrus Vodka, berries and champagne, and the Cable Car, with cinnamon and sugar flavors. (Inky)I ran into a lot of friends, starting with Mara Toukatly, Fairmount’s Republican City Committeewoman (but she is much more than that, I really enjoy her company, call me let’s do lunch Mara!) and Adam Taxin, Esq and radio talk show host (I wonder if he’s related to my neighbor Phyllis Taxin?)
The lounge’s space is so versatile it transforms to create multiple rooms for entertaining several events at once. Two private lounges sit inside G to cater to those looking for a more intimate setting. The Mogul Room, accessible through a G membership, allows for business savvy persons to unwind and relax in luxurious comfort and style.

You know who this guy is on the right, I write about him all the time, lately, another maven of PR Bruce Yelk. Check out his blog at http://nightlifegay.blogspot.com/ and don’t forget to stop by Taylors for the Gatsby reunion this Sunday night. You’ll see Bruce will be there. The VIP Vault, I can’t tell you much about it as I wasn’t VIP enough to be allowed in. See the guard.
A few Philly “Celebrities” Can you name them all? The G Lounge boasts two bars, and plenty of waitstaff
Yet another PR maestro, Noel Zayas of N Squared and friends. Just a few weeks back we enjoyed his Goregeous Fashion Show (white shirt)
FOR V.I.P BOTTLE SERVICE there’s no better place. It’s a real nice set up too.Kimberly Anderson and Jimmy Contreras are the heart of Kimberly Boutique ( http://kimberlyboutique.com/index.html) with friends enjoying the festivities

Brad and a bevy of beautiful girlsThe VIP Lounge occupies 1,100 square feet, with room for 50 guests to recline across plush seating, sip premium cocktails and taste G’s mouth-watering cuisine. With views of the 110 foot runway that extends through G, the VIP lounge is a room desired by all.

Friendly girls I had the honor of chatting with last night I like to call this the wall the 100 foot mood ring, remember those, OY I am dating myself!
The G lounge puts everyone at ease – you know he’s just screaming “You’re the man!!, I can read sign language Still not sure if there was a dance floor, there was a DJ and people seemed to just dance where ever they darn well pleased, especially after 2 hours of the open bar. (I decided not to share with the viewing audience the next series of photos, let’s just say if these two end up stealing peoples identities and making a fortune, I will make a fortune when they are caught)JD Coleates, Triumph Brewery and Carrie Nork of Cashman & AssociatesThese photos only represent 1/4 of the excitement you are going to have at the G Lounge. Finally Philadelphia has a fun spot that reminds me of the kinda nightclub that I experienced when I lived in NYC. Philly really is the Sixth Boro. The G Lounge is opened tonight, go enjoy.

If I took a photo of you, I will be uploading them to my photo site and link it here sometime over the weekend. The G lounge website http://thebestlounge.com/ 215.564.1515 *****************And if you want me to cover your event and appear on Philly Chit Chat drop me an email and tell me the who what when and where? OK here are the photos I took at the G Lounge. Feel free to take your shots by right clicking on the photo and saving to your computer http://hughephotos.smugmug.com/gallery/3974288#231000172

Mid-Town Village. Catch their holiday day shopping days 12/13 – 12/16; Here’s http://www.absoluteabstractart.com/ Someday I am going to get my art work in here. Robin’s Books. Pauls on the 2nd Floor stop by and say hi Hmm Sansom Cinema cleans up nice. I did catch a guy by accident coming out, I don’t think he’d appreciate it if I featured his mug here The Rodin Museum on my way home from work last night

Dante’s Gates and garden

OK I really need to get out more, how many posts can I have about City Hall, it’s a worse obsession than when SJP asked me if I really needed to take that many photos of her. Well last night the grand ole’ dame was the center of attention again, no not the mayor, City Hall. Pictured below is another of my hero’s Rebecca W. Rimel; who has single handidly with the Pew Foundation supported the Arts and Culture, health, and the public in Philadelphia and literally around these United States. (Ok got it now, Rebecca Rimel, Sharon Pinkenson, Greta Greenberger and hmm I can’t remember the other person that I named recently as one of my Philadelphian “made a difference” hero) Rebecca even called the snow gods up to paint a pretty picture…You may not know this women, but its Marciarose Shestack. She is responsible for leading the campaign to free William Penn from his imprisonment of scaffolding back in the nineties. She helped create the “Free William Penn” buttons that became so famous. She sold over 100,000 at a dollar a piece to raise the funds to release dismantle the scaffolding. The people that helped with the lighting of the newly cleaned William Penn, Swedes, Indians and Eagles statue. hmm, Marsha Rose, hmm, Rebecca Rimmel, and hmm
One, two, three
It’s beautiful!!

Basically this sign states that they are filming, if you end up in their shot you’re not being compensated.
When I checked out the filming on the North side of City Hall, it seemed more like the filming of Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” as the swallows were circling the towerand then flew right above the set as the filming commenced. No Robin Given’s sightings, but I did hear she was at Macy’s picking up some Bobbie Brown make-up. My friend said she’s really nice. She bought a make-up organizer too, to keep everything in its place.