Get a Taste of Philly in the Crystal Tea Room at Wanamaker Building

This way please … to an out-of-this-world beverage and food stuffs happening.

“Eating is not merely a material pleasure. Eating well gives a spectacular joy to life and contributes immensely to goodwill and happy companionship. It is of great importance to the morale.” – Elsa Schiaparelli

Story, photos by Sharon Kozden

The elegant Crystal Tea Room was the perfect venue for Taste of Philly’s 12th Annual culinary tasting and tippling event, which showcases the finest in food and spirits that Philadelphia area restaurants, wineries and breweries can lay claim to. Notable this year was an expansion of space, allowing for the sold out event to feature more of everything, including some 70 merchants all genially eager to share their exceptional talents stationed in the main room. With each passing year, the crowd size increases as participating vendors work frantically to replenish contents of trays and chafing dishes. As newly filled platters arrive, the items vanish in a hot minute. A movable feast is certainly an apt description for this yearly event.

On a crisp November evening, the architectural gem of a venue that is the Crystal Tea Room packed ’em in like sardines and to its opulent rafters with offerings of gorgeous grub and beverages such as craft beer, cocktails, fine wine and choice hard liquor. This la dolce vita smorgasbord wasn’t restricted to food and drink; entertainment was just as plentiful. From a DJ spinning his mix to the saxophone player tearing up the dance floor to the more intimate duo in the private VIP room and the presence of SPIN Philadelphia just across the hall with yet another music master on the scene, the three-hour long extravaganza more than lived up to its previous years’ not-to-be-missed reputation.

Tickets prices for this charitable shindig were very affordable and ranged from general admission to VIP to Ultra VIP. My VIP entry got me 5 p.m. hour-early access and entrance to the exclusive and well-appointed VIP bar area rife with old-school men’s clubs’ hardwood, where full-sized drinks were served in a somewhat less crowded atmosphere. Keystone Farms Cheese presented the VIP room, and other vendors included Ampel Wine, McCormick Distilling Company and Morning Recovery. Another amazing VIP coup was the ticket voucher good for two tickets to a Philadelphia Phillies game during the month of April.

In an effort to beat the hordes, who quickly fill the ballroom with snaking lines, I was keen to make the scene early. I tried, really tried to both photograph and scarf the edibles; however and despite my early-bird arrival, I stood in place and in wait for long periods of time, cursing the heels I decided to wear as I alternately moved from foot to foot to lessen the pain. Learning the hard way comes easy to me at times. Maybe next year, I’ll opt for comfort over fashion.

Since it hurt only when standing still but not when moving, I hightailed it out of the main room and sought refuge in the VIP lounge before heading across the hall to the atrium area, where SPiN Philadelphia’s ping-pong action was drawing a lot of attention. Ready to suspend disbelief? I played several games of table tennis in … you guessed it … my high heels. After heretofore pissing and moaning about aching feet, I managed to get both my pong and ping on without falling. My match-mate may have even broken a sweat. Provided I was moving, all was well; this movable beast was having a grand time. “This is FUN; I’m having FUN!” I blurted to anyone in earshot who could hear me over the pulsing beats.

SPiN Philadelphia is not your 70’s-basement version of the sport. Not by a long shot. The standard green tables, once a stodgy and seldom used albeit de rigueur item in every finished basement, have experienced a revitalization. SPiN’s own popular rise can be traced back to 2009 in New York City by a quartet of founders, one an instantly recognizable household name, none other than Susan Sarandon. The actor became involved after having witnessed a table tennis party. Someone recognized the possibility inherent in relocating upstairs and into the mainstream this erstwhile basement dweller activity. Add some bangin’ chunes, trendy lighting, hip decor, and ping-pong via SPiN was showing up everywhere.

Soon enough I was back inside food central, snapping more photos and doing my best to keep calm and sample on. By then, I was actually hungry, which was incentive enough to gobble a few more goodies in the form of some sweet dessert treats. All in all, it was a good night to be out and about, grazing, guzzling, gabbing and gaming. Come April, there’s more gaming to be had when the Phillies are in town. Gotta love those VIP perks!

The line was forever and a day, yet it moved rather quickly. In the meantime, I enjoyed clocking Macy’s decorations.

This guy means business. The bar and lounge within the Crystal Tea Room made all the right moves to attract a VIP crowd.

Cursive script etched in exquisite elegance.

Musical duo entertains VIP guests.

Slow & Low knows how to rock (& Rye) a display.

Somrus wants us all to “taste more out of life.”

The splendor of the Crystal Tea Room proves the perfect venue in which to showcase all the best from A Taste of Philly.

With so many tasty options filling the room, who has time to actually focus on a camera’s lens?

These foodstuffs are lit. Some get the urge to burn a candle, while others are keen to torch light bites. Flame on!

Modern Indian bistro Veda creates simple, yet effective display. I was drawn to it from a distance.

Veda’s Lassoni Gobi was a must-taste appetizer. Tangy cauliflower, garlic, cilantro, ginger and tomato sauce. It’s both vegetarian and gluten-free.

It became clear to me early on that a Taste of Philly would be like becoming a world traveler without ever having to leave the room. The Spicy Belly!

Even when a single sauce is exceptional, nothing beats options … lots of ’em.

Clearly and without a shadow of a doubt, what we have here is one debonair VIP mascot.

Soul-satisfying comfort food.

Serving with a smile.

Point / counterpoint.

Those calories weren’t going to work themselves off without a little help. Enter SPIN!

SPIN Philadelphia set up shop and worked the crowd into a ping-pong frenzy.

From Left, Sharon Kozden meets This is it TV Network’s Cheldin Barlatt Rumer just before the two face-off for a friendly ping-pong competition.

No need to grow some … there was a never-ending stream of balls for the table tennis playing.

Paddles pack a punch as professional deejay spins high-energy, muscular beats.

A smiling guest poses for a photo soak in SPIN’s funky ball-filled bathtub.

SPIN’s entertainment area faces the tasting event’s main entrance; guests could easily move between adding or subtracting calories.

Sharon Kozden teeters on the brink.