PHILADELPHIA GAY LESBIAN FILM FESTIVAL KICK-OFF COCKTAIL PARTY re: Hyatt Penns landing pool party, no speedos & Philly Style Mag "Hot List" Party prev

After work I stopped by to see how the preparations were going for tonight's big Opening Party for the Philadelphia Gay & Lesbian Film Festival Party and the opening Cocktail Party. The room was a clean slate and I was wondering how they were going to transform it (Check out Saturday's post for the results) If you had your photo taken by either the sophisticated red head, gail or the cutie young black haired boy, Dave, you can find it here. http://www.phillyfests.com/piglff/2008/home.cfm My photo album will be up by Sunday. here the staff and volunteers work out the details Matthew Fleishman with Catherine Morris on the right
Catherine Morris sets up the room. Directs the guys with the placement of the tables and where the sponsors set up should be

It's off to the cocktail party for me. The sponsors contribute a lot of dough to execute all the parties and events that go into putting on an event, and we appreciate them
Miguelina Polanco, the spinster Matthew Vlahos, Thom Cardwell and Debbie from Citibank
some of the food that I should eat more of
Smart Water owns Vitamin Water. I only drank the Vitamin Water, I am still hating Jennifer Aniston and her body guards, but you don't have to hold it against SW, I appreciate their sponsorship even though that vile women is their spokeswoman

How much can I get for this picture, sexy big brother alumni Will Wikle holding the sponsor Vitamin Water, can I retire? One of my favorite boy next door who never ages, Dick Clarke er I mean Steve McCann, Mike LaMonaca who is skipping Rehobeth this week to spend it with us here in Philly( http://mikelamonaca.com/ ) and Wagman, owner of Capriccio Cret Cafe which will be located on the Parkway come fall. BTW that is a scoop that it's gonna be named after Paul Cret, architect of the Ben Franklin Bridge, Rittenhouse Square and the Parkway. The actors from "Another Gay Movie: The Sequel" ; If you're an A, B, C, or Z celebrity whore like I am you will want to check out http://www.phillyfests.com/piglff/2008/downloads/piglff-2008-guest-list.htm for a list of all the talent that will be showing up at the festival to support their movies. Don't forget to come out tonight to catch Porn with a big P, stars Blake Riley, Chi Chi LaRue and Johnny Hay, check out the party at PURE after the movie, oh and Charlie David will be in town too. It's gonna be a crazy week, but don't go yet, there's more to go on Philly Chit Chat today... Is it me or did vests come back in style? I like a good vest, as a husky guy it goes a long way for me.
Mary Patel, who has a lot to smile about these days, a new guy, a new movie, a new home and she just got back from vacation. Here she is with Daniel Tremblay Consulate of CanadaTodd Stephens - a great director of Edge of Seventeen, Gypsy 83 and his latest hit Another Gay (This will probably be one of the last times you see this hairstyle in your lifetime, it's gasping to a halt I hope, is that mean? I don't want to be mean, it's just I am bald and am just jealous) and should everyone just be getting a crew cut, it's summer.Actor Jonah Blechman and Tla's Kelly Burkhardt, a few killer smiles from each. Vest aficionado's Michael Sanyour and Laurda Byers enjoy themselves on the veranda with the great views of the waterfront from the Hyatt Regency.
Will Wikle best known for his appearance on Big Brother fifth season. Thursday was definitely reality TV personality day, because later in the night I went to the Philadelphia Style Magazine "Hot List Party" and you couldn't swing a cat without hitting one. As the opening night movie rolled at the Prince Theater, I ran myself over to the Crystal Tea Room at the Wanamaker Building to check out this gig

Jennifer Karwoski made an appearance at both the Philly Style Magazine Party with Events Upcoming, or as I heard someone call him last night, Philadelphia's Entrepreneur Entertainment Genius, Brett Silvers. Later I ran into her at the After Party for Another Gay Movie. On Tuesday Jennifer is hosting "KINKY QUIZZO" with a gay bent at Vlanni's 11PM
Ought oh time for me to go to bed as I am a working guy and must get up in about 3 hours to do my day job with supplements my night's passion. I will be expounding more on both the Philly Style Magazine Party and the Opening Night Party for the Philadelphia Film Festival, over the weekend, so read it here live on Monday morning when you return to work. I love how our City has come alive.

The Daily Candy Lexicon Book Launch Photos re: hopefully no one will feel PTPD after my post (Post Traumatic Press Disorder see pg 70)

While the crazy diners at El Vez sat outside eating in the middle of the rainstorm, and pedestrians huddled under umbrellas near the door overhang, a group of hipster chicks, gay guys and a few husbands gathered at Robins Bookstore to celebrate the launch of The Daily Candy Lexicon http://www.dailycandy.com/philadelphia/

No one suffered any Bratkins as there were plenty of Carb Bombs served Singer Karen Gross and Director of Public Relations for the Bellevue, Anna Iredale check out the goods L-R Hardly a Sheer Sucker (pg 72), the spinster Matthew Vlahos, Miguelina Polanco, James Zeleniak and Miss Philadelphia Daily Candy herself and not in a Dressausage (pg 55), Meredith Lindemon
Meredith Lindemon is introduced by Mr Larry Robins, who was kind enough to donate the use of his store Robins Books for the book launch. http://www.robinsbookstore.com/

Not a z-lister in sight as Meredith begins to read the book to the Daily Candy fans
Zoe and Brennen (UWISHUNU) Lukas join Alexis Siemons in perusing the book for new verbiage to confuse the general public
Linda Huss, Morgan Obidowski, Ashlie Sembrat and Caroline Bean could've very well PUI during their friendship
My friend Chris Gabello at work for the Metro newspaper. We started out shooting together about 18 months ago, and although we travel a similar path at the same time we have gone in different directions, he at the light of speed as he is a consummate professional photographer wearing many different hats. Me I am your Philly Chit Chat Social Photographer and story teller.
In fact one of these peps said to their friend "What happened did you hug someone with a wad of foundation on, as it's transferred itself to you?"

This women has a tatoo with a heart, wings and the word Frank. I asked her about it and she told me it was dedicated to her husband Frank who died of Lung Cancer. She wants to warn the world that cigarettes kill.
Kelly Johnson and Laura Price (PR Director www.gyroworldwide.com ) were over skimplified, but very stylish.
I am sorry you missed it, and I think you really will be sorry you missed the gift bag that was given with each book sold as it was chock full of freebee's, gift cards, socks, shampoos, VIP cards and a nifty sack to carry it in. (Just a quick thank you to some of the donations folks, Matthew Izzo, The Four Seasons Spa (25% off) 10% off Grasshopper, $25 off BC3000 Spa, 3 Pilates clases in Old City - Corps Pilates, FREE 1/2 hr massage at Judith Moon (I had to wrestle that one from my Boyfriend), 2 - $15 Gift Card 3rd Street Habit, FREE HAIRCUT from Laurentius Salon, and Grace Shampoo, smells good, I want to give it away to you my reader, as I don't have my subscriber box up yet, if you send me an email to buzz @PhillyChitChat.com I will do a drawing Sunday for the bag. (I will then put your email in the subscriber thingy and you will get the blog in your email in the future and you can just click on the link to get to my site) Rules for the contest: put re: WIN BAG You must live in Philly, cause I don't want to mail the thing, and you could not have been at the event last night. (Oh see that coloring book, not included. I love it and want it) Socks included, not personally signed book though...

OK get ready for a crazy all access pass to the Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, plus Philly Style Magazine "Best of Party" happens tonight. Philly Chit Chat will bring it to you and I will be exhausted, but you know what I love doing it. Thanks for stopping by.

Canadian Women visit Philadelphia in an exploratory trade mission

Late last month, women entrepreneurs involved in Atlantic Canada's food and beverage industry participated in a trade mission that will build their export readiness skills and broaden their market horizons. Led by the Honourable Helena Guergis, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the delegation participated in an exploratory trade mission to Philadelphia, PA and New York, NY from June 25 returning home to celebrate Canada Day on July 1.

(L - R) Susan, Mildred Raymond of Mil-Ray Foods http://www.milrayfood.com/ and Honourable Helena Guergis

The mission is part of the 2008 Women Exporters Initiative, a five-month export readiness program. It was organized by the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) – Nova Scotia Division and funded by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) with an investment of more than $263,000.

One of the speakers that I heard during one particular delicious meal at Fago de Chao was given by Mildred Ray, owner of Mil-Ray Food Company which is a Broad line Food Distributor, providing products to commercial establishments. Mildred outlined what it was like to get into a male dominated business and how she achieved success. Her Seven Rules to work by: 1) Know your product; 2) Pay Your Bills; 3) Rely on your credibility; 4) Be Friendly to your customers, never judge a person, many times she would go into a large restaurant and find the owner mopping the floor; 5) Make no enemies; 6) Serve your customers with all your ability 7) Never for the sake of a sale make a promise you cannot keep

Mr. Daniel Tremblay Consulate of Canada, located in Philadelphia greets guests

Women entrepreneurs from Atlantic Canada’s food and beverage industry learned first-hand how to expand their market horizons and build on their export readiness skills during this mission. National Defence and ACOA Minister Peter MacKay said that as a direct result of this mission, the participating women entrepreneurs now have the skills, knowledge and expertise to grow their business through exporting. For more information:

http://www.canadabusiness.ca/servlet/ContentServer?cid=1182396853439&pagename=CBSC_NS/display&lang=en&c=GuideInfoGuide

HAPPY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY PHILLY CHIT CHAT re: changes are coming

One year ago I set out to do something different for the Philadelphia blog scene. I had recently returned from NYC (Manhattan) where I had lived for 18 months on a business trip, and fell into a side career as a celebrity photographer/paparazzi/blogger (see www.ConfessionsofaPaparazzi.com ) I would shoot events and report about the on goings of the people I observed, including the other photographers. I was inspired by several social sites I had read even before I moved to NYC including the Philadelphia Inquirer's Social Scene, Phila Magazines Party Pictures, Gawker, Patrick McMullen, Hamptons Magazine, NY Magazine, the NYT Society Pages, and a few other sites. When I returned to Philly I wanted to create something similar for our town, not particularly celebrity based, but something that would cover all the basis. A site that not only covered events, news and social happenings that weren't getting the coverage they deserved by the dailies, or other blogs/sites, and certainly not on a daily basis by the monthly magazines; I thought what about A Social Journal or Diary with no regard to class, age, race or standing, with comprehensive coverage of the event including photos of the people who attended, the venue, the event planners, the PR Companies, what goes into creating an event, promoting the event, and anything else that was interesting to write about in the Philly area.For the most part over this past year I have done a lot of what I set out to do, and the results were amazing, a potpourri of coverage. First I want to thank Thom Cardwell who took me under his wing last April 2007 and allowed me to cover the Philadelphia International Film Festival from soup to nuts. That was an amazing experience, and really solidified my vision. Now I cover those Film Events as a press person as my blog has become a news source, in addition some of the photos I have taken in Philadelphia have appeared in the Inquirer, and in magazines including People, Us Magazine, Elle, InStyle and in the overseas market. Now many of Philly's PR Firms call on me to cover their events as my site gets results. GOOGLE has taken notice and as soon as I post an entry they rank it, and in Philadelphia/Philly it ranks high when you do a word searches, most of the time when newly ranked as the first item. After a few weeks it will still be on the same page or the second page. So if someone wanted to know how to dress for the Children's Crisis Treatment Center's Round Up, held annually, and they did a search say on "children's crisis treatment center round up", my site comes up first and they can see how people dressed for that event.Which brings me to my second big thank you, to the Nicole Cashman & Associates. Cashman & Assoc. was the first PR Firm that realized the innovation of my blog as a news source and allowed me to come and shoot the opening of G Lounge, something that I wasn't even sure someone would think was a legitimate news venue (I hadn't heard about SocialPhilly.com yet) and it didn't hurt that sometimes my photos would appear in INQlings as a photo from this event that I took did. From that one event, and the popularity of the G Lounge, Google took notice and drove traffic to my site as well as the G Lounge. My dream of creating a Philly Social Diary took off. Over the past six months I have gone to a lot of events and really gotten myself out there. Now when I shoot an event someone always tells me, your Philly Chit Chat, I read you every day. Which always embarrasses me a little. So as I pass my one year anniversary I want to say that I am kicking it up a notch and have started to make a few changes to make Philly Chit Chat the kind of site where people want to read, want me to cover their events, whether it's a celebrity red carpet event (I won't be giving that up), charity event, fox hunt, the grand opening parties held at stores, the Zoobilee, visiting dignitary, press junkets (hello Allied & Jesse Cute, of Terry Hines & Associates CALL ME I WANT TO COVER YOUR EVENTS), & promote as many charity events as possible while continuing to write about interesting things that occur in our City, and breaking news when it happens and photographing you and the people you want to know. I also want to thank YOU YOU YOU YOU YOU, MY READERS, and Michael Klein, Mary Patel, Holly Dean, Dana Lombardo, Carrie Nork, Nicole Bilcher, Ashley Schaffer and all the girls from Cashman, Steve McCann, Brett Silvers, James Duggan, Gus Calabrese, man about town Matthew Vlahos, Nathan Learner, Phyllis Halpern, and Sarah Doheny for their guidance & wisdom in the society world. (Mitch Williams at the Big Brother/Big Sister charity bowling party in March)And thanks to David Iams, Brian Rochford and Carol Springer for passing the baton to the next generation of folks covering the Social Scene. (which by the way I was going to change my name to, I even bought Philly Social Scene, but I did a survey and folks said I already branded myself Philly Chit Chat; so even if the Hilton's and the Forbes roll their eyes when I say I am shooting for my site Philly Chit Chat, it's a Social Diary! I have to grin and bear it - LOL; BUT by this time next year they are going to want to be on the site!! How about you, email me at Buzz @phillyChitChat.com won't you?)

MIKE & HUGHE'S 7TH ANNUAL JULY 5TH PARTY

OK to cap off the whirlwind 48hrs that began at the crack of dawn on July 4th (Please go back in time and read all the entries when you have say about 3hrs time free), Mike and I hold our 7th Annual July Fourth Gala not on July 4th, but whenever the Penns Landing fireworks are held. You got that? I have to admit I was photo fatigued by the time I got to Saturday night, so I barely have all 28 of my guests photographed, and I didn't take a darn picture of my spread. I will say one of the most popular dishes was a banana bread cream loaf by John Soden, his girlfriend, PR Style Maven Sarah Doheny http://www.yubpr.com/ ; also in the picture is Andrew and Scott trying to figure out the light sabers I distributed to my guests.


On the balcony I found my friend Bob chatting up my friend Phyllis. I used to play softball with Ball when I first arrived in Philadelphia a few years back. Bob just competed in the Philadelphia Schuylkill Ironman Competition, have you ever heard of anything more vile than swimming in the Schuylkill River (I asked him if he kicked any dead bodies or cars, he didn't). He's a brave man. Chip is enjoying the festivities, but I really just wanted to show off my garden.
Everyone always congregates in the kitchen. At one point more than half the guys could be found here. I guess they want to be close to the booze and the ice cream sandwiches that I had in the freezer. L-R Jeremy, Mike, George and Henry. He and Chip just celebrated their 17th anniversary.
The Jeffs make another appearance, thanks for the wine, chips and oh boy cookies that I found Sunday morning as I prepared to fold the bag. I bet you were wondering why I didn't put them out last night. What the Heck is bob looking at, is it fireworks time?

OK Mike breaks out his PS3 and everyone takes a turn on the track. Next to George is my fabulous friend and man about town Matthew Vlahos
Jeff makes a point, Bob and kiss killer smileTLA's Rich Wolf with Susan Helfrich, PIGLFF's Developmental Director Thom Cardwell with journalist Mary Patel stops by for a few. Mary is heading to Miami and is going to miss opening night of the film festival on Thursday.The two Tim's make an appearance. We never see enough of them. They are always busy at home playing their WII
The 12th Street Gym Posse - Henry, David, Gary & Mark (These guys don't play games)
My two M's

Norbert and Deming. Deming and I have known each other since the beginning of time, growing up a few towns away from each other in N.J. and then moving to Philly within months of each other. Deming is 6'1 and Norbert is much taller much to Deming's delight.
Earlier in the evening we gathered on the terrace to watch the fireworks. They
were a bit of a disappointment this year as the barge must have been moved a tad to the left. Usually the fireworks display is right between the two crosses, oh well. The party roared on until passed midnight, and no one seemed to mind, except me.
I did notice my tomato plant has ripened. That was exciting. Were there bees on my balcony?

The next day there was a double rainbowThis week begins the Philadelphia Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. It is going to be a blast and I will be covering every nook and cranny for you to see, but right now the best way to see all that is going to be shown and the parties that you can attend can be found on Philly Gay Calendar as Steve McCann one of the best sites with the 411: http://phillygaycalendar.com/filmfest/index.php