Mural Arts Program Scavenger Hunt

On Saturday, April 11 the 2015 Mural Arts Program season kicks off with an exciting FREE public event, a scavenger hunt! This fun, interactive event, perfect for all ages, will be held at Mural Arts’ new tours office, located at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts’ (PAFA) Hamilton Building (128 N. Broad Street), from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and will feature the launch of the first-ever Mural Arts Scavenger Hunt. The festivities and scavenger hunt will begin at 11 a.m., with the scavenger hunt running about 90 minutes. A festive party will follow, with food provided by Tableau, the new Stephen Starr café located at PAFA. The April 11 event is free of charge, though registration is required. To register visit: Tours@muralarts.org with your name and the number of people on your team. Each team is required to have at least one mobile device or tablet to use during the event. For questions or further information, call 215-925-3633.

Brunch at Rosa Blanca

Rosa Blanca, 707 Chestnut Street, will now serve brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The menu will feature fresh fruit mimosas and coladas, American breakfast classics, and Cuban-inspired brunch dishes and coffee including: Vaca Frita, crispy braised skirt steak, two eggs any style, arroz Moro, maduros, and Cuban Style French Toast, with guava. (mmmm…); For more information visit: www.philadelphia.rosablancadiner.com. On Wednesday, April 8, Rosa Blanca will also be celebrating National Empanada Day with a special Oxtail Empanada, as well as the Empanada de Espinaca (Smoked Corn, Spinach, and Cheese Empanada) for $3.00.  Visit Rosa Blanca on National Empanada Day and use the hashtag #rosablancaempanada on Twitter and/or Instagram and your name will be entered into a drawing for dinner and dance lessons for two, hosted by acclaimed dance instructor Maestro Flaco.

Buena Onda Joins Caviar 

On Monday, April 6, Buena Onda, the hottest addition to the Garces Group, will be joining Caviar, the delivery service that provides customers top notch service at their fingertips. With the use of the web or instantly from Caviar’s free app for iOS and Android customers can enjoy quick, reliable delivery service no matter where they are. The first 100 orders will receive free chips and guacamole and the choice of one free shrimp or carnitas taco. (Limit of one per order.) For more information, please visit www.trycaviar.com.

Rittenhouse Row Spring Festival Preview Party 

On Thursday, April 16, join Rittenhouse Row at the Rittenhouse Hotel from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m. for the 2015 Spring Festival Preview Party, featuring cuisine from Rittenhouse Row’s best restaurants, cocktails from their best bartenders and a silent auction with Rittenhouse Row experiences and merchandise. Participating bars and restaurants include: 1925 Cocktail Lounge, a. Bar, a. Kitchen, Ben & Jerry’s, Butcher and Singer, The Continental Mid-town, The Dandelion, D’Angelo’s Ristorante Italiano and Lounge, Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse, Devon Seafood Grill, The Foodery at Rittenhouse, Lacroix, Ladder 15, Library Bar, Marathon Grill, Melograno, Parc, Qdoba, Ranstead Room, Rouge, Sbraga, Termini Bros. Bakery, Volver, Zama and more. Tickets are $75 per person for general admission, $125 for Patron tickets. Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.rittenhouserow.org. Proceeds from the event will benefit Rittenhouse Row, a non-profit organization devoted to promoting the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood.

This year’s Cheers for CHOP 2015 at the Valley Forge Casino was probably one of the most fun events of the year. Benefitting the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Child Life activities, one of the first programs in the country to recognize the therapeutic value of play for hospitalized children; Friends of CHOP brought the “fun” in fundraiser. With over 700 guests in attendance the philanthropic young influencers raised nearly $675,000 benefitting the amazing cause.

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The dazzling excitement of a Hollywood movie premiere –scented with roses and popcorn — will make every guest feel like a star at the 2015 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show, “Celebrate the Movies,” running until March 8 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. A red carpet will lead visitors through an Art Deco theater facade with a 29-foothighmarquee of flowers and more than 200 lights in blazing neon colors. The Entrance Garden will recall the fantastic interiors of 1920s movie palaces, with towering juniper and palm trees and grand chandeliers dripping with blossoms, moss, jewels and fabrics. Sweeps of 800 blue-green and variegated hostas will surround the planters of the star-studded rose garden, with blooms named in honor of silver-screen legends, including Judy Garland (orange-yellow), Marilyn Monroe (peach), Elizabeth Taylor (pink), Henry Fonda (yellow), and Barbra Streisand (pink lavender). An 8-foot centerpiece of cut roses and other blossoms will be the largest arrangement ever created for a Flower Show entrance.

The garden will also feature 1,500 calla lilies in yellow, lavender, peach-orange and plum; 1,400 ferns; New Guinea patiens, pentas, digiplexis, geraniums, anemones, pineapple lilies, and rieger begonias. In keeping with the movie theme, a moving sculpture of a deconstructed film projector by Chris Kanienberg, of Wish Painting and Sculpture, will flicker and whirl in the garden.

Guests will also view the winning entries in the Flower Show short-film competition entitled “What Is Beauty?” on the 36-foot-wide, high-definition screen in the garden. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, which builds beauty every day through its gardening, greening and learning programs, is working with the Greater Philadelphia Film Office to engage professional and student filmmakers in the competition. Guests will be able to purchase popcorn and other movie theater treats in the garden concession stand while watching the winning films. The Entrance Garden will be the opening act in an astounding presentation that turns the silver screen into living color on the Flower Show floor. Internationallyrenowned floral and garden designers will use Disney and Disney•Pixar films as inspiration for exhibits that highlight everyone’s favorite movies, from “Cars” to “Frozen” and “Maleficent” to the new live action film “Cinderella.”

Tickets for the 2015 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show are now available online at theflowershow.com.

On Saturday, February 28 from 7:00 p.m. to midnight, join The Friends of CHOP for the 2015 Cheers for CHOP at the Valley Forge Casino! This year’s event will benefit CHOP’s Child Life, Education and Creative Arts Therapy program—one of the first programs in the country to recognize the therapeutic value of play for hospitalized children. Guests will be treated to a special live performance by the chart topping hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa as well as a live auction benefiting CHOP. To purchase tickets or for more information visit: www.cheersforchop.org.

dineKOP Restaurant Week

King of Prussia District (KOP-BID) is excited to announce dineKOP; KOP-BID’s unique interpretation of a restaurant week launching March 2-8. KOP offers diners the opportunity to experience the best culinary offerings in the area, with the participation of nearly every major steakhouse, lively sports bars, and locally owned establishments alike. A portion of the proceeds from participating dineKOP restaurants will be donated to The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s (CHOP) new Specialty Care Center, slated to open in King of Prussia in summer 2015. In addition, participating dineKOP restaurants will be welcoming CHOP families to dine with them and enjoy a special restaurant experience during dineKOP. During dineKOP, participating KOP restaurants will create special prix-fixe lunch and/or dinner menus for guests to enjoy at affordable prices*: $10, $15, or $20 for lunch and $20, $30, or $40 for dinner; For a list of restaurants and more information visit: visitKOP.com/dineKOP. *Price does not include tax, gratuity or alcohol.

 Mural Arts Love Letter Love Train

Mural Arts celebrates the five-year anniversary of its landmark Love Letter project and marriage equality in Pennsylvania with the final iteration of Love Train on Sunday, February 8, 2015 from noon to 3 p.m. Jump on for a privately chartered, slow-speed, guided tour of the 50 rooftop murals along the Market-Frankford SEPTA line in West Philadelphia, painted by artist Stephen Powers and ICY Signs. The Honorable Daniel J. Anders, Philadelphia’s first openly gay male judge, will wed one same-sex couple aboard the train during the Love Letter tour. A sparkling catered dessert reception will follow at Loews Philadelphia Hotel. Love Train 2015 is a one-of-a-kind, can’t-miss ride. Book your tickets now to witness a landmark moment in Philadelphia’s LGBTQ history! Visit: muralarts.org or call 215.925.3633, ext. 16. Tickets: $35 per person, $60 per couple Space is limited and tickets are nontransferable.  Check in at 11:30 a.m. Tour leaves promptly at noon.

Simon’s Soiree – An Event for the Heart

On Saturday, February 7, Simon’s Fund will host over 450 attendees for the sixth annual Simon’s Soiree. The premiere sold out event will raise over $200,000 to bring awareness about the warning signs and conditions that can lead to sudden cardiac arrest and death in children. Guests will be treated to cocktails, dinner and auction items benefiting Simon’s Fund. Award winning sportscaster Michael Barkann will serve as Master of Ceremonies. The Protect This Heart Award will be presented to Dr. Frank Marchlinski and to NCAA basketball star Allan Chaney; for more information or to donate visit: www.simonsfund.org.

Shop for CHOP

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia announces Shop for CHOP, a regional program to benefit the Friends of CHOP. Shop for CHOP will occur on February 5 through 7 at 19 independent retailers throughout the greater Philadelphia region who will donate up to 20 percent of proceeds to the Friends of CHOP. Shop for CHOP is a preview for Cheers for CHOP, the 1,000-person fundraiser for the Friends of CHOP that will be held on February 28 at The Valley Forge Casino Resort with a special performance by Salt-N-Pepa. Shop for CHOP is intended to raise funds for the hospital while directing Cheers attendees and the public, towards an edited collection of the region’s best independent retailers for cocktail attire and accessories.

Participating retailers include:

Atelier, 1921 Walnut Street, Philadelphia

Barbara Ellick, 705 Montgomery Avenue, Narberth

Bedazzled, 218 South Newtown Street Road, Newtown Square

Ella’s Grove, 876 West Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr

First Impressions, 470 Germantown Pike, Lafayette Hill

Gabrielle, 200 Monument Road, Bala Cynwyd

Henry A. Davidsen, 1701 Spruce Street, Second floor, Philadelphia

Hope Chest, 1937 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia

Joan Shepp, 1811 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia

Julie’s Bottega, 156 Montgomery Avenue, Bala Cynwyd

Knit Wit, 905 West Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr

Knit Wit, 1729 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia

Puttin’ On The Ritz, 470 Germantown Pike, Lafayette Hill

Rowen, 105 North Narberth Avenue, Narberth

Sheridan Square, 360 Montgomery Avenue, Merion Station

Skirt, 931 West Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr

Sophy Curson, 122 South 19th Street, Philadelphia

Third Street Habit, 153 North Third Street, Philadelphia

Wayne Edwards Workshop, 1710 Sansom Street, Second floor, Philadelphia (Feb 10-17)

Annual Nest Tweetheart Social

On Friday, February 13, join the annual Nest Tweetheart Social benefiting PAWS, a pre-Valentine’s party for families from 4:00 to 6:30p.m. The guests will be treated to hors d’oeuvres from Private Chef Chris Gouty, a candy bar and photo booth. Children will make “love potion” jars to take home, snack on heart shaped Rice Krispy treats, dance in the upstairs party room and meet loveable animals available for adoption through PAWS (who will be held in a private room). A silent auction will benefit PAWS.  Wine and beer will be served for adults. Guests are requested to bring any of the following items to donate to PAWS: bleach, laundry detergent, paper towels, heavy duty trash bags, clay cat litter, Kong brand dog toys, canned dog, cat and kitten food (no dry food please), cat and kitten toys, fleece blankets, new or used dog crates and carriers of all sizes. TICKETS: $35 per family; $30 for basic and green Nest members. Nest purple members can attend at no charge, but a donation for PAWS is requested. Tickets are available at www.nestphilly.com. Discounted parking is available at the EZ Park lots at 1309 Locust Street and 1213-1219 Walnut Street.

John Colabelli, Jeff Benjamin, Garrett Snider, Marc Vetri

On Wednesday, January 21, the Garrett Getlin Snider Foundation, the Vetri Foundation for Children and Philadelphia’s top VIPs, philanthropists and chefs gathered at the Rittenhouse Hotel for a very special evening hosted by Garrett Snider, to benefit Vetri Foundation for Children. Guests enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, while learning about the Vetri Foundation’s “Eatiquette” program. “Eatiquette” helps schools provide healthy, scratch made meals while working within the federal guidelines for the National School Lunch Program. Students eat family style, allowing them to practice life skills such as teamwork, communication, manners and portion control while receiving fresh, nutritious lunches; For more information, visit www.vetrifoundation.org. Read the rest of this entry »