The Social Diary of Philadelphia. Gossip, Tidbits, Celebrity & Philly Famous Sightings. Follow me on Twitter @iphillychitchat EMAIL ME Buzz@ phillychitchat .com
A few years back this was supposed to be Philly's version of the NYC "Green House", a vip eco friendly, celebrity sighting hot spot in the Big Apple. Those plans fell through. So it lingered for a while.
Last week I went to the John Wind Art Exhibit Opening at the James Oliver Gallery, which was two doors down. That was a good outing as I discovered and tweeted the story about Anne Klein closing, anyway I saw work is being done in the old Philadelphia Blue Print building at
725 Chestnut St
They even have a floor plans of what the restaurant says, but no more info and no one has gotten back to me this eve of Memorial Day Weekend. Any clues on what is going to house this space with it's 10 tables and impressive bar?
It's definitely not the Good Stuff Eatery by Spike Mendelsohn. That floor plan looks like the former Ted Montana's Grill. There's even an entrance into the office building's lobby. Odd though that it doesn't have a street entrance. I did have dinner at Stephen Starr Jone's restaurant last Friday night, it's always consistently good, with great service.
Art Sanctuary brings 29th Celebration of Black Writing to a close
with student matinees, lunchtime chat with Ntozake Shange and
Annette John Hall, and Lifetime Achievement tribute to Valerie Simpson of ‘Ashford & Simpson’
-Friday, May 31, 2013, 10am-8pm-
WHAT:
Art Sanctuary’s closes out the 29th Celebration of Black Writing with
student matinees, a Lunchtime Chat with playwright Ntozake Shange and
acclaimed journalist Annette John Hall, and the Lifetime Achievement
Awards honoring noted songwriter Valerie Simpson of the hit duo ‘Ashford
& Simpson’!
10-11am: Celebration of Black Writing Student Matinees at Temple University’s Ritter Hall, 1301 Cecil B. Moore Avenue
“The Skin I'm In: Girl Talk”: Young
Adult authors Sharon Flake and Deborah Gregory join Dr. Yaba A. Blay,
Assistant Teaching Professor of Africana Studies at Drexel University
and Artistic Director of the multi-platform project (1)ne Drop: Shifting the Lens on Race
for a conversation with a group of female students about what it means
to be a young woman in today's society. Moderated by spoken word artist
and youth advocate Nina "Lyrispect" Ball.
“Power, Manhood & Respect: Brothers Talk About Masculinity in Hip Hop”
What
does it mean to be a young man in hip hop culture? We will tackle this
issue in a conversation between a group of male students, Philadelphia
Youth Poetry Movement Founder/Executive Director and youth advocate Greg
Corbin and youth entrepreneur Rashaun Williams, moderated by youth
advocate Gabriel Bryant.
11:30am-1:30pm: A Conversation with Ntozake Shange & Annette John Hall at the African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch Street
50
women business leaders from across the region will gather for an
intimate conversation with playwright Ntozake Shange and journalist
Annette John Hall.
6-8pm: 29th
Annual Celebration of Black Writing Festival: Lifetime Achievement
Awards Ceremony at Temple University’s Performing Arts Center, 1837 N.
Broad Street.
This year’s Lifetime Achievement Awards, Beautiful Without Permission,
is the culmination of Art Sanctuary’s yearlong celebration of the
literary achievements of Black women. Join us as Art Sanctuary pays
tribute to songwriter Valerie Simpson of ‘Ashford & Simpson’,
Ntozake Shange and Annette John-Hall. This event will be capped off by a special musical tribute to often-unsung Black women songwriters and a performance from legendary jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelon backed by Philly’s own Urban Guerilla Orchestra.
WHEN: Friday, May 31, 2013, 10am-8pm
Backgrounder:The
Celebration of Black Writing is one of the oldest African-American
literary events in the nation with this year marking its 29th
anniversary. Originally founded by Larry Robins of the iconic Robins
Bookstore, Art Sanctuary began producing the festival in 2004. It has
since grown from a one-day gathering of authors and literary
intellectuals to a weeklong event reaching more than 5,000 participants
over the course of one week. This year, Art Sanctuary puts the
‘celebration’ back in Celebration of Black Writing by making it a
month-long event, filled with citywide programming, from Germantown to
South Philadelphia. To learn more, visit www.artsanctuary.org. (Sponsored)
As one of the first steeplechases in the country, the annual Radnor Hunt Races
have attracted thousands of guests to the picturesque, 77-acre race
venue in Malvern every year, making it a long-standing tradition for
both locals and visitors.
Benefiting the Brandywine Conservancy, the event features six exciting races in which horses gallop over hurdles and timber fences, for purses totaling $180,000.
Families will enjoy tailgating picnics with friends, strolling
through the grounds, and viewing antique carriages and foxhound parades.
Once again, The Philadelphia Style Magazine hosted the best party, with the most stylish of the socialites of Philly. Joanne Fitzgerald, Lauren Colabelli,
Michael Fitzgerald, Avra Gross, Sabrina Tamburino Thorne, John Colabelli
and Steven Thorne at the Philadelphia Style Magazine Party Tent
John DeBella, WMGK, Doug Kammerer, NBC Washington's Chief Meteorologist, and Holly Kammermer
Maria Quattrone, Andy Henning and Jill Rizen Henning,
Dana Farrell and Celeste Madden
Michael Toub, Frank Mancuso, Kristen Foote and Pete Lance
Revel HQ in the Field: Manny Romano and Amanda Liptock with Sarah HQ and Adrian Hardy
Wendy and Paul Rosen, and Howard Eskin, Fox29 Sports Anchor and John Colabelli, Publisher of Philadelphia Style Magazine.
Kristin Detterline, Vasiliki Tsiouris
Jenn Frederick, Good Day Philly's Jenn, puts Katie Couric to shame with perkiness, and Steve Frederick
This place is so fancy the dog gets to go in the porta pottie
Always great to see Tom Ashley's smiling face (FlixFling and Invincible Pictures). Here he is with Parker Ashley, who's growing up so fast.
race goers on the hill. it was a rainy day but my spirits weren't dampened. I really enjoy the Radnor Hunt and would attend in the snow.
Plus Mike likes to go with me too, so you know it's something special. We're hanging out at the Pirate's Picnic, you can read more about it in my Philly Mag column.
Model Josie Maran was hanging in the Philly Style Mag tent.
Rosemary Connors, NBC10, Alissa Ingram, Fox 29 Camille Cwienkala, NBC Universal Inc and Dawn Timmeney, Fox 29
Sabrina Strickland and Mike D - Check out Mike's new place - 30 Main, in Berwyn, you might find Sabrina behind the bar.
Check out my Philly Mag column for comprehensive coverage of the Radnor Hunt, and thanks to Philly Style Magazine for having me as a guest. I always have a great time there.
Last night I attended the VIP Celebration for the long anticipated Paine's Park one of the most expensive and expansive skate parks ever built and is located along the banks of the Schuylkill River.
The site is beautiful, above is one of the earlier designs, and does not take into consideration they were able to save two beautiful trees from the field where they built the multi-use skateboard park.
Update: The fence will be taken down today and you can enter from the South side of Eakin's Oval, or the Schuylkill River Park or from the top of MLK Drive.
By multi- use I mean pedestrian's can walk through it, people can sit and enjoy the day, and there's a large pavilion which over looks both Fairmount Park and Paine's Park, which you can rent for parties, or picnic, or just hang out.
Mitch Bormack, Board President FPSF and Christopher Plant, FPSF Board Member and two of the hard working peeps, who were able to execute the project. Franklin’s Paine Skatepark Fund works to strengthen communities and
empower youth by advocating for skaters and skateboarding culture,
educating youth and adults about the art of skateboarding and its
benefits to neighborhoods and people, and building free, public
skateparks that demonstrate innovative design, community engagement and
multi-faceted
Steve Olitsky, (The Olitsky Foundation). Avi Golen (Co-Founder of Revolution Recovery LLC) two champions of Paine's Park, and one of the sponsors. You can thank them. Sharon Pinkenson, Hope Cohen, and Frank Bardonaro
Kevin Taylor and Serggi Trudrowski tell me the new skate park has a great flow and elements that he looks for in a great run.
Jesse and Dean Rendell. No doubt next year Dean will be on his own board taking a spin.
He had a dream.
Lorenzo Errico designed the graphic on this skateboard for Mural Arts. The proceeds go to support the landscaping of the grounds around Paine's Park
Anny Deirmenjian Deese, publicist for Davio's , Beth Blakely and Dorothy Rapeepun
Todd Marrone, Heather Hall, Sara Hagan and Yis Goodwin
Jane Golden, Mural Arts Executive Director and Nicole Cashman, Cashman & Assoc. There are still tickets left for the 2013 WALL BALL with Julius “Dr. J” Erving Thursday, May 23 6:30p to 9:30p
Thanks to so many people including State Representative Babette Josephs (1985 -2012) who introduced a one line item that made it possible to create the park.
skater Chris Cole and his daughter. Now that's confidence.
Skater Dan
Mitch Bormack, Board President FPSF
Mitchell Bormack has been a Board Member of Franklin’s Paine Skatepark
Fund since 2007 and became Board President in early 2012. Mitchell was
initially attracted to the FPSF organization through his involvement as a
Board Member of the Fund For The Water Works and observing the early
efforts of FPSF as the group was planning its flagship project, Paine’s
Park
Claire Laver, Executive Director, Franklin’s Paine Skatepark Fund and former Gov Ed Rendell Jesse Rendell had a dream, as he and his friends were serious skate boarders. With the help of his dad, and countless others, especially Mayor Nutter, Gov Rendell noted, Paine's Park has become a reality.
Steve Rockman and Maya Victoria
Great cake by "Save Your Fork"
Josh Nims, Operations Manager at Schuylkill River Development Corporation
The Crew From ESM Productions: Nikkita Thompson, Scott Mirkin, Valerie Smith and Chrstine Rudloff (PS This is the production company behind MIA and the July 4th Concert. HUGE TALENT)
Natalie Scarantino, Executive Assistant and Cosmo DeNicola, Philadelphia Soul co-owner
Mitch Bormack, Board President FPSF and Allyson Katzman, Paralegal - Fine Kaplan Black. (It's a small world, Allyson and I used to work on many projects during my 20 years as a paralegal, in that last life I lead.)
Christopher Plant, FPSF Board in 2006 and Jessica Meeker. Congrats to them both for their recent wedding.
Shana and Avi Golen, Avi tells me that since Jesse and him were kids they dreamed of a skateboard park like this. Jesse never gave up on his dream, and today, now the dream has come true.
Big Rube and One punch
Paine's Park is gorgeous. It's my hope that everyone will respect and no one will graffiti it, and even if camera's are in place, I would hope if you see something you will stop it. Please use the trashcans too. I already saw people last night drop butts, and trash on the ground. OK now go have some fun.
And if you were wondering how well lit the Paine's Park is at night, it's like daytime. Say goodbye to Love Park, except as the most iconic skate board park in the world.
Book Signings & Celebrity Appearances: Teresa Giudice, Bravo reality star, signing copies of Fabulicious! On the Grill 5/23/13 6:00 PM at The Penn Bookstore - Walnut Street. Philadelphia, PA