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Philadelphia

AND YOU WONDER WHY THE PHILADELPHIA PARKING AUTHORITY OFFICERS GET SO MUCH GRIEF

As I left work yesterday, I notice many of the people passing me had big smiles on their faces as they sucked on various colored round ice cream pops. I then came to the culprit, who I later found out was James Hampton who’s job it was to give out FREE M&M’s Ice Cream Treats, and it wasn’t even the first day of summer? Remember when Good Humor or Rita’s used to give out ice cream on the first day of summer. The new treats came in the same 5 colors that M&M’s came in, which looked familiar, but weren’t chocolate inside at all, just vanilla.
This guy actually stopped traffic, got out of his $25,000 gas guzzling SUV and snagged two of the free treats, one for mom he said. Note the traffic light is red for the opposing traffic and cars have to go around his truck, maybe he heard about the delicious sweet tasting bar that made him do it. Ought oh, here comes trouble
The PPA officer told James that he might want to go back to his truck.
And we all did the perp walk ’cause I wanted to know what was going on (It was all for you guys, not my own curiosity, I swear)


Turns out that the M&M giveaway truck was in a NO Parking Lane, and it didn’t matter that they were spreading joy & happiness, they had to move it. I asked James where would they go, he didn’t know, but they had 6 cases of bars to give out and they were going tonight. I asked the PPA officer if he realized how many folks were going to miss out on this freebie, and did he have one. He mumbled something like he doesn’t eat that stuff, and they could park where ever they wanted, but it had to be a legal spot if it was going to be on his watch. So once again the PPA ruins the day, by taking candy out of the mouths of babes. With that the M&M Ice Cream truck was off to it’s next destination, and as it passed by these two kids and their mom they just stood there cried as it went by. (OK they didn’t cry, but they did look at it drive by and seemed sad, I know I was sad.) Officer John Doe went to the next offending vehicle, who was moving boxes into the US Post Office. I overheard PPA asking them to move their truck and they refuses, as they sucked on their M&M ice cream. He wrote them a ticket. So that’s it from the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly affection, for this week. Thanks for my booming numbers, I will try and continue to post interesting stuff, celebrities sightings, Philly’s Social Diary, tidbits, friendly gossip and whatever else seems pertinent at the moment. PS: If I didn’t post your event this week, I will be getting them all out next week so that I can get up to date. Don’t forget to check out the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival over in Northern Liberties this weekend.
Categories
Philadelphia

TRANSFORMERS 2 FILMING AT CITY HALL Thursday, could it be true?

I got a call from a friend who told me that filming for Transformers 2 would be at City Hall on Thursday; which would make sense because when I saw this listed for the filming locations on a website that I monitor it stated:

June 14 The Free Library on Ben Franklin Parkway,

PA Richmond Power Plant, PA

June 18 “Saturn on Hook”, no idea exactly what that means, maybe local Philly residents will

Thursday unknown location but involved a French theme (HughE’s note to self – hmm I wonder where that could be)

June 22 Brooklyn Bridge, NY

June ? Princeton University

So I thought I would go over and visit my friend in City Hall Tour Director Greta Greenberger for confirmation, but I didn’t need to as it had all come to me (Here she is with Dorothy a volunteer guide who’s been with the program for about 12 years.) When I rounded the bend from South Broad I saw lots of cables running along the ground
a couple guards posted in the courtyard, note the one in the center leaning against a trash can that I know isn’t usually located on the Center Squareand lo and behold equipmentis that you bumblebee? so on Thursday, don’t even think about using these tunnels for a short cut as they will be closed for the filming of Transformers 2

but come Friday, or Monday through Friday be sure to stop by Rm 121 for a trip to the observation tower, or maybe even a tour of City Hall by Greta or one of the volunteer tour guides. There is a small fee charged and all tours end at the observation tower. The tour of the building is given once a day at 12:30PM and leaves from Rm 121. Tower tours are given every 15 minutes, but you need to go to Rm 121 to make your reservation. Go early, the 1901 elevator only holds 5 people and it fills up daily. Contact phone 215-686-2840 You will learn that City Hall is one of the most magnificent examples of French 2nd Empire design around.
Enjoy yourself if you go, as I will be in NYC Thursday til Sunday shooting Julia Roberts, Jill Scott, Rhianna, Kelly Ripa, Abigail Breslin, Lorretta Lynn, John Legend and maybe a few more peeps that are on my wish list. But don’t fret Philly Chit Chat will be published Thursday & Friday as I have a long list of things to report on; god knows I am behind.

Categories
Philadelphia

A SHOWCASE OF GORGEOUS PHILADELPHIA

Beating back the title of least attractive people in the US that readers of a Travel & Leisure magazine bestowed on our City, NSquared Productions and the Park Hyatt rolled out the red carpet for Gorgeous, a spectacular showcase of art and fashion paired with a high-energy dance party. There were beautiful people on the runway, in the audience and working the crowd Friday night in the beautiful city of Philly.
Acting as host for the evening’s festivities was the fabulous Jay McCarroll, winner of Project Runway’s first season and Bump’s Fabulous Cyoni
The Gorgeous runway show will featured fresh fashion, hair and makeup from the hottest local boutiques, designers, salons and makeup artists, including Eleganza presenting Versace and Roberto Cavalli, Dennis Basso, Nicole Miller, Joan Shepp, Matthew Izzo, Ettore, Pierre & Carlo, and many others. One of my favorite places to hang out was the hallway leading to the runway, it was here the models would wait for their cue to sashy down the runway

sometimes there were obstacles on the way to the runway as waiters used this hallway tooThe runway, Jay Carrolls back, the man in the red would time the girls and then send them down the runway

eye candy


another favorite spot was the dressing room; I was very careful not to shoot the boobs and bods of unsuspecting models

sometimes I screwed up
There was entertainment, like this Latino dance troupe
Noel Zayas of NSquared Productionsthe male lineup
struts their stuffI guess the underwear showing is still inFierce soft and sensual
matching

classy
meat on display and The Philadelphia Film Society’s Tim Ferretti
OK it’s my favorite model and I can’t recall her name. She looks fabulous here,
and here http://hughe2030.blogspot.com/2007/06/gorgeous-elegant-showcase-of-fashion.html