Hope everyone had a safe and relaxing Fourth of July weekend. I escaped to Cape May, which I will write more about later this week. It was the first time in decades when I left town. Even before I was PhillyChitChat I stayed in town to enjoy our activities. Let’s chit chat about this and that.
Last week I shot the announcement and a key exchange celebrating Independence (photo provided)
From left to right: Gregory E. Deavens, CFO Independence Health Group; Mayor Jim Kenney; Dan Hilferty, CEO, Independence Health Group and Sharmain Matlock-Turner, CEO, Urban Affairs Coalition, at an event Tuesday at 1901 Market St
Independence Health Group (“Independence”) announced that it has completed the purchase of its corporate headquarters located at 1901 Market Street in Center City Philadelphia. The purchase builds upon Independence’s ongoing commitment to the Greater Philadelphia region and continued investment in the West Market Street neighborhood. In addition to 1901 Market Street, Independence’s Center City campus includes a leased state-of-the-art customer service call center at 1900 Market Street and Independence LIVE, an award-winning customer experience center at 1919 Market Street, which connects to the company’s headquarters via a courtyard that is open to the community.
Mayor Jim Kenney greets Dan Hilferty, CEO, Independence Health Group with what will now be the norm handshake going forward.
Menu Planning for the weekend with Feast–Well Foods. no minimum for curbside pick-up delivery minimum: $65 + delivery. Philly center delivery: +$12. Delivery Friday, July 10th 3pm – 5pm or Curbside pick-up Thursday, July 9th 4:00 – 5:00pm Friday, July 10th 1pm – 5:30pm
Congrats to Fabiana Ferrarini Creator of “QueenWarrior” Workout who went sky diving for her birthday this weekend. She’s super inspirational and g good follow.
Design by Sara Brown, Misha Kachman, Matt Saunders
In this age of comminicable diseases so many business are hurting, as well as arts & culture. Last week the Wilma is thinking outside of the box you could say. The Wilma, seeking to reopen in Philadelphia, says it will erect a new seating structure in which every party is in its own separate box, creating the Wilma Globe. You can read more about it on their site, as well as help them achieve their goals.
15 years ago, on 2 July 2005, a Live 8 concert was held in Phila in front of Phila Museum of Art, with a densely packed audience of nearly a million people stretched out along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The event was organized by the ONE Campaign. #JayZ performed at the concert and no doubt envisioned a future concert here ~ #MadeInAmerica, which was cancelled this year because of COVID19. But you knew it’d be cancelled as I wrote about it on This and That a few weeks ago when I noted they weren’t selling tickets anymore on their website. See you on Social Media, although I am going to do less of it in the coming days as I have to finish a few projects before I pivot with a new business venture in the coming weeks.
There’s finally good news about our favorite restaurants, they’re opening for pick up for with convenient hours in Ardmore, Center City, Old City and East Passyunk.
Ardmore
The Bercy 7 E. Lancaster Avenue Ardmore, PA 19003 The Bercy in Ardmore is officially back open in the heart of Downtown Ardmore. Owners Justin Weathers and Joseph Monnich are teaming with Executive Chef David Jansen of Jansen in Mt. Airy to offer a Jansen Beach Boil and Take-over for this coming weekend. The Jansen Beach Boil presents by The Bercy is available for order with pick-up Friday-Sunday between 4pm-7pm . The package includes bread services with corn bread muffins and whipped honey butter, first course with Bread Service: corn bread muffins with whipped honey butter; first course with panzanella salad with heirloom tomato, fresh mozzarella, basil pesto; main course with lobster tail, shrimp, mussels, andouille sausage, mini crab cakes, corn on the cob, marble potatoes; and dessert with a Key Lime Pie for $150 which feeds four people. Call to order 610-589-0500. ** The Bercy will be open for take-out and delivery Wednesday through Saturday with call ahead orders starting at 2pm and take-out hours 4-7pm those days – with menus, specials and pop-up collaborations posted on social media and their website.
Hunan – Opening May 14 for curbside takeout 47 E. Lancaster Avenue Ardmore, PA 19003 610-642-3050 Hunan will open on Thursday May 14th for takeout and pick up only. They’ll be open Thursdays through Saturdays with designated order times (advance orders only before 3pm) and a pick up window (between 4:30pm and 6:30pm).
Marokko – Open Tuesday-Sunday 4pm-8pm each week starting May 12. Orders placed by 1pm. 54 E. Lancaster Avenue Ardmore, PA 19003 610-658-6246 Menu: http://www.tastemarokko.com
Center City
Tradesman’s1322 Chestnut St Philadelphia, PA 19107 (267) 457-3994
Craft Concepts Group and Teddy Sourias will re-open his popular Center City barbecue restaurant Tradesman’s at Chestnut and Juniper this weekend for take-out and delivery for food and beer. Delivery will be through GrubHub. Look for hours this Friday to Sunday and expanded hours and days moving forward. Find menus later today on social media and website. Hours and days will be seven days a week 3-8pm starting Thursday of this week. Look for BRU, Blume, Finn McCool’s and Uptown Beer Garden to also be back online and offering food and drink starting next week and following weeks with details to come.
Old City
Nick’s Bar and Grille 16 South Second Street Philadelphia, PA, 19106 215.928.9411 Nick’s Bar and Grille in Old City is now back open with your classic Philly, barbecue and comfort food favorites like the award-winning ground bacon burger, roast beef, roast pork, smoked chicken wings, mac n cheese bites and much more, plus cold beer for pick-up. The menu is now updated online for take-out and delivery Thursday to Sunday, 2pm to 9pm. This coming weekend look for smoked ribs for two with a full rack of ribs, mac n cheese, jalapeno cole slaw and cornbread for only $30 for Friday to Sunday.
Tuna Bar 205 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106 215-238-8862 Tuna Bar is offering take out on Fridays & Saturdays for dinner All orders can be picked up between 5:30PM-6:00PM
Menu (note: new menu items will be added weekly):
Assorted Appetizers & Rolls
Edamame ($6), Tuna Tataki ($15), Dynamite Roll ($10), Wentz Roll ($15), Spicy Tuna Roll Crunch ($9), Tuna Roll ($7), Spicy Salmon ($7), Salmon Roll ($7), Eel Avocado Roll ($8)
Open for pickup and delivery starting Friday, May 8th (Preorder starts Tuesday, May 5th)
Temporary hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 9am – 6pm
Preorder: online or by phone
Delivery: Caviar and Ubereats
South Philly
Hawthornes 738 S. 11th Street 215-627-3012 Wednesday to Sunday 10am to 8pm Everyone’s favorite brunch and cafe hot spot is back on 11th Street – with brunch, lunch, dinner and a growing marketplace – plus the largest selection of take-out and delivery beer and wine in the city through Quick Sip, and make-it-yourself cocktail kits. They are also organizing a take-out and delivery market that debuts this week with take-out and delivery of Franklin Fountain ice cream – in partnership with Franklin Fountain.
Le Virtu Open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Here’s how it works… • Email us your order (levirtuphila@gmail.com). All dishes are available individually or as a composed meal (see menu for details and pricing). Kindly make the subject line of your email “Quarantine Pick-Up” so that we see it right away, and include which day you prefer to pick up (Fri, Sat, or Sun), as well as your full name and telephone number. • We will call you to confirm and take credit card payment over the phone on the day before your order (so Thu for Fri, Fri for Sat, and Sat for Sun). • We will assign you a pick-up time between 4PM and 7PM. If you have a preference, let us know in your email or over the phone, and we will strive to accommodate it. Pick-ups will be spread out to prevent a queue from forming. That’s it! TL; DR: send us an email, then feast on delicious Abruzzese cuisine. We can’t wait to serve you, Philly.
Arctic Scoop 1812 E Passyunk Ave Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19148 Monday – Sunday 12pm – 9pm Pick-up orders only!! Call ahead (917) 607-0616 to place an order.
Big Catch Poke 1830 East Passyunk267-622-1888 New Poke Bowls Combo Menu from 11am to 8pm for take out only. Please order online for pick up at our website www.bigcatchonline.com if you need delivery please use Doordash,UberEat or Grubhub. For more efficiency and accuracy we prefer our customers use online order services.
Noir 1900 East Passyunk12-3 lunch ; 3-8 dinner Takeout and delivery. Please call 267.319.1678 for CurbSide pick up or Free Delivery! Full lunch and dinner menus
Sounds delicious. Thank you for supporting your local restaurant. We’re in this together, and some of us are better cooks!!
Last month Independence Blue Cross (Independence) and GlobalFit teamed up to offer GlobalFit Anywhere. GlobalFit Anywhere connects Independence members to fitness studios, gyms, and trainers in the Greater Philadelphia region at the best possible prices.
As of January 1, 2020, Independence individual and small group members can access this affordable and flexible option. Independence employees with the company’s health insurance also have access to GlobalFit Anywhere
“Independence is proud to be the first insurance carrier to offer GlobalFit Anywhere to its members,” said Jonathan Stump,
Independence vice president of Product Services. “We are committed to
helping our members use their benefits in the way that works best for
them. With GlobalFit Anywhere, our members are just one click away from
exploring a new activity or getting back into their fitness routine.”
GlobalFit Anywhere lets consumers browse, book, and pay for fitness classes, gym workouts, and training sessions across multiple fitness providers. GlobalFit Anywhere negotiates discounted fitness class rates and passes the savings to the member. Instead of paying full price, Independence members can find exclusive discounts on classes and times that fit their schedule.
Benefits of the GlobalFit Anywhere app:
Flexibility to book a workout based on individual preferences
Considers location, activity preference, and budget
Pay-as-you-go
No cancellation fees
No monthly membership required
About GlobalFit GlobalFit’s health and wellness technology solutions accelerate wellness program engagement, leading to improved population health. With over 25 years in the corporate wellness space, GlobalFit connects wellness with rewards through its fitness, mindfulness and nutrition applications that include GlobalFit Anywhere, Gym Network 360, GlobalFit Rewards, WalkMyMind and Charge. Over 70 million people have access to GlobalFit solutions as part of their worksite wellness program or health plan. For more information, please visit, www.globalfit.com. Check out additional photos on CBSPhilly.
Today: Dim Sum House‘s Grand Opening in Rittenhouse With Free Food. Jane Guo (above) and Jackson Fu announce the grand opening of Dim Sum House by Jane G’s TODAY February 20, 2020, at 1930 Chestnut Street, at 11:30am. The mother-son duo will bring all-day, every-day dim sum in two styles to Rittenhouse Square. On top of Shanghai and Cantonese dim sum, Dim Sum House in Rittenhouse will also feature dishes from the Jiang Nan region of China including noodles, entrees, fried rice and soups.
For its grand opening, from 12:00pm to 2:00pm, dine-in guests will celebrate with a complimentary order of Scallion Pancakes per table. From 5:00pm to 7:00pm, dine-in guests will enjoy a complimentary order of Dan Dan Noodles per table.
Dim Sum House will test a brand-new ordering system at the dining room tables. With each seating, guests will be able to place their orders for dim sum favorites on a checklist they can hand off and update with their server as their experience progresses. This is especially useful for large groups. Look for this system to debut in University City later this winter.
Dim Sum House in Rittenhouse will launch seven day a week happy hour later this winter. For lunch specials, guests can enjoy a $13 lunch featuring a choice of soup (Hot & Sour or Wonton) with a choice of one of 20 entrees, and a side of rice (White, Brown, and Fried).
Opening services for Dim Sum House in Rittenhouse include lunch, dinner, and bar service. Opening hours are Mondays through Thursdays from 11:30am to 10:00pm, Fridays from 11:30am to 11:00pm, Saturdays from 11:00am to 11:00pm, and Sundays from 11:00am to 10:00pm. Lunch hours run 11:30am to 3:00pm weekdays, and 11:00am to 3:00pm on weekends. The kitchen closes at 9:45pm on weekdays and 10:45pm on weekends. Delivery service and catering currently exist in University City. They will launch in the new Rittenhouse location in March, 2020. Dim Sum House in Rittenhouse is fully handicap accessible.
Bravo and Philly-based Spectra, the food services and hospitality company, are joining together to open an eatery called Top Chef Quickfire in the Comcast Center.
The market space includes an open kitchen, a grab-and-go case and some seating.
Kiosks will offer customers fast, cashless checkouts, but there will be a register, too.
Edmund “Eddie” Konrad, Season 16, Susannah Mauro, S. Pellegrino Ellen Babb, S. Pellegrino and Nicholas Elmi, Season 11
Congratulations to Maria Quattrone for her endorsement by Real Estate expert Barbara Corcoran .
PHILADELPHIA, PA – January 20 th , 2020 – Maria Quattrone and Associates announced that Barbara Corcoran, who is exclusively endorsing a select few, has chosen Maria Quattrone as one of the best real estate minds in the country. To solidify the endorsement, Maria and Barbara will be appearing in a TV commercial where Corcoran will officially be endorsing Quattrone. “As a real estate investor, I look for sharp agents who really know their market. Agents who do so much business that they can find me the right investment property and sell it for the most money without drama. When I need real estate advice in Philadelphia and the surrounding area, I’d call Maria Quattrone and Associates!” says Corcoran. Maria’s company, Maria Quattrone and Associates headquartered in Philadelphia, PA has grown into one of the most successful real estate companies in the tri state area and has become a dominant industry leader. The company, founded in 2005 and lead by Maria Quattrone is made up of a hand-picked team of industry professionals, real estate branding and marketing experts who provide quality customer service throughout the Philadelphia area. “I want to make sure my clients are well informed about the market. Providing up to date market statistics and clear open communication is the key to our success.” “Being endorsed by Barbara Corcoran, a real estate powerhouse, is an incredible honor. Such an exclusive, public endorsement reaffirms our vision, business philosophy and work ethic.” Quattrone says. In 2019, Real Trends and The Wall Street Journal, awarded Maria #76 of the Top 100 agents in the country. Maria is ranked #1 among all RE/MAX agents in PA and is currently #12 among all RE/MAX agents globally! To work with Maria Quattrone and Associates, inquire about career opportunities, learn about her Guaranteed sale program for home sellers, visit http://www.CallMQ.com or contact 215-607-3525
The NAWBO Philadelphia Center for Advancing Entrepreneurs (the Center) hosted its 2019 Innovation Gala, honoring Joan Waters of COFCO on Tuesday, November 12, 2019 at Rivers Casino event center.Joan received the annual Innovators Award in recognition of her commitment to effect difference-making change in Philadelphia and surrounding communities and to advance entrepreneurship and innovation in our region.
Parker and Susi Bruhns, John Freiberg and Joan Waters
Ana Fernandez-Parmet, Jay Doran, and Shandi Hogg
Michelle Segal, Alexa McCaffery and Joan Waters
The NAWBO Philadelphia Center for Advancing Entrepreneurs is the charitable arm of the NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners) Greater Philadelphia Chapter. Founded in 2009 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization, the Center provides emerging and established entrepreneurs with opportunities to develop and grow their businesses through its ATHENAPowerLink® NAWBO® Delaware Valley program and the Young Entrepreneurs Academy® (YEA!) Philadelphia.
Michele Schina, Bethanne Muth, Dawson Muth, Christopher Muth, and Tom Bove
More than 200 Philadelphia-area asset management industry professionals gathered on Nov. 7 at The Logan Philadelphia to raise money for Achieve Now, a nonprofit dedicated to transforming the educational system in Philadelphia to one that produces students who can read.
Keynote Speaker Professor Myron Scholes, Mark Sheehan (Stradley Ronon) and Thomas Huber (Wick Capital Partners).
The Philadelphia Fund Alliance is a group of Philadelphia-based asset management industry professionals formed to hold an annual fundraiser to benefit one or more charities in the greater Philadelphia area. The annual fundraiser not only supports a great cause, but it also highlights Philadelphia’s deep roots and influence in national financial markets and services, including traditional mutual funds and alternative asset vehicles.
Athen Anthopoulos (Weiswood Strategies) and John Grady (Practus, LLP).
Kristin Vrabel and Amber Wilczynski from PwC.
John Braun (BBD) and Terry Reilly (Pepper Hamilton).
Ira Schnell (Apex Group), Bob Dunne, Michael Cairns and Alena Bolba from Grant Thornton.
Michael Collins (Broadridge Financial Solutions), Mary Ellen Mahoney, James Mahoney (Tait Weller) and Marie Lostocco (Blackrock).
Brian Sullivan, Kelly Fisherkeller and Brian Cassidy from Deloitte & Touche LLP.
Philadelphia Fund Alliance Gala Attendees.
Jerry Maginnis (Cohen & Steers) and Reese Blair (Deloitte & Touche LLP).
Nicole Snyder, Maria Palmer, Nancy Cloran and Lori White (SEI Investments Company).
Bruce Leto (Stradley Ronon) , Shawn Kairschner (Achieve Now), Sean Graber (Morgan Lewis) and John Alshefski (SEI Investments Company) present Achieve Now with a $100,000 donation.
Nobel Laureate financial economist and keynote speaker Professor Myron Scholes.
Claire Olivar, Lauren Zychowicz and Becca Rodrigues from Stradley Ronon.
Nicole Snyder, Kyle Cummings and Lori Wayne from SEI Investments Company.
Thanks Mike Hirata for shooting this for PhillyChitChat.com
NRG’s crowdsourced charitable donations support special needs kids, cancer research, and youth career opportunities
Three deserving nonprofits making a difference in the lives of children
and families in New Jersey learned the results of the latest NRG Gives
crowdsourced charitable campaign on October 29, 2019. The organizations
enlisted the support of the public to decide how the funds would be
shared.
The three charities gathered at Lincoln Financial Field’s presidents club on Tuesday for the NRG Gives ceremony, with friends, supporters and the NRG employee who nominated the charity.
An employee nominates a charity for consideration. The three top winning charities compete in a public crowd souring vote.
For the first time since NRG Gives launched in November 2016, the
donation each charity gets was determined by the percentage of total
votes it received. In another first, this campaign featured exclusively
New Jersey-based charities serving primarily New Jersey residents. In
total, NRG Gives has now awarded more than $635,000 to support 23
regional nonprofits.
“NRG is so grateful for the tremendous work these nonprofits do to make lives better for so many people in New Jersey,” said Mike Starck, Vice President and General Manager, NRG Retail East division. “We hope, in addition to the financial support provided, being a part of NRG Gives will raise awareness so others will learn about and support them.”
Camp Fatima of New Jersey, which gives dozens of children with special needs a unique week-long camp experience
“100% of this donation will go directly to funding groundbreaking research for melanoma,” said Lauren Miller (pictured above), Executive Director, Tara Miller Melanoma Foundation. “Tara started this foundation to change the odds for melanoma patients that would come after her and with every dollar raised we are one step closer to that goal. We would like to thank NRG for the opportunity to participate in the NRG Gives program and for the generosity in supporting organizations throughout the community.”
Hopeworks Camden, which provides real-world career opportunities for youth.
NRG, a leading energy provider, is headquartered in Princeton, NJ, with its consumer energy business based in Philadelphia. NRG is committed to supporting the communities where its customers and employees live and work and the NRG Gives program is one of the ways it does that. Thanks NRG!!
HughE Dillon, Hired Publicity Photographer for media placements – During Covid19 Pause I am showcasing Charities on blog Pro Bono
Pennsylvania SPCA
Animal protection organization in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Kelly’s Kidz
Our Mission Statement: Kelly’s Kidz, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering the community to fund the resources needed to provide children in pediatric hospital settings items for play.
Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation
The Sandy Sprint is hosted by the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation in an effort to spread the word about our mission and raise funds to advance research. All funds raised will support Ovarian Cancer Research.
Build Jake’s Place – Creating Inclusive Play Experiences
Jake’s Place is a nationally ranked, award-winning, all-inclusive playground located in Cherry Hill & Delran, NJ. Join our Miracle League @ccnjml Build Jakes Place
Variety Club
Variety-the Children’s Charity of the Delaware Valley would love to be considered for one the 20 spaces that you are donating. Variety works to enrich the lives of children and young adults with disabilities through social, educational, and vocational programs that nurture independence and self-confidence, and prepare them for life.
The National Disease Research Interchange (NDRI)
The National Disease Research Interchange (NDRI) is a Philadelphia based nonprofit organization with a 40-year mission to procure and distribute human biospecimens to support biomedical research worldwide.
Steppingstone Scholars Philadelphia
Steppingstone Scholars, working with families and school partners, provides rigorous educational programming and support for talented underserved students in the Philadelphia Region to achieve academic success, opportunity, and a college degree.
Career Wardrobe – Donate & shop
Using clothing to inspire change - donate & shop in Philly, DelCo & Bucks. Open to all
Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show – Nov 2020
The 44th annual Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show is organized and coordinated by Show Chair Robin Blumenfeld Switzenbaum and Show Manager Nancy O’Meara.
