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Philadelphia’s Nightmare Before Tinsel Halloween Pop-up Complements Day of the Dead
Nightmare Before Tinsel follows strict adherence to face-mask protocol. Meet the new abnormal normal. “Terror is a passion which always produces delight when it does not press too close.” —Edmund Burke Story, photos by Sharon Kozden “How you pull up, Baby? How you pull up?” I pull up like I am all about the total experience. No summertime shore trip happens unless I watch Jaws first. The night before touring a nuclear facility, I popped The China Syndrome into my DVD player. A medical operation on my schedule guarantees a viewing of the suspenseful Coma the evening before I’m anesthetized. I intentionally scare myself. Apparently, I’m in good company, particularly…
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Masked Ball to Benefit UNCF Unveiled at Philadelphia’s Marriott Downtown
Tanya Amir displays poise and grace befitting her crown and title. “Though it be a thrilling and marvelous thing to be merely young and gifted in such times, it is doubly so, doubly dynamic, to be young, gifted and Black.” – Lorraine Hansberry Story, photos by Sharon Kozden March 7th was an extraordinary evening in Philadelphia … as fabulous as the many previous nights’ events I had covered in the city during my several years as a photojournalist. The eighth annual UNCF Mayor’s Masked Ball held at Center City’s Philadelphia Marriott Downtown was in full swing and shaping up to be far and away a memorable grand time in one…
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Bourbon Master Lifts Spirits at Loews Philadelphia’s Bank & Bourbon Restaurant
From left, Daniel Kulisek makes his point as Bank & Bourbon restaurant’s recently appointed Bourbon master. “If I cannot drink Bourbon and smoke cigars in Heaven than I shall not go.” – Mark Twain Story, photos by Sharon Kozden I’ll be straight up and honest. I’m not a hard liquor fan. My most daring drinky-drink is a margarita and without that sweet and salty cocktail, I prefer white wine. So before Covid19 chaos, and while on assignment to cover Loews Philadelphia Hotel’s Bank & Bourbon Restaurant’s media preview party of the appointment of their very own in-house Bourbon master, I knew I’d be in for an all-inclusive education. One doesn’t…
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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…
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Oscar Nominee Rian Johnson Cuts a Sharp Figure at Philadelphia Film Festival’s Knives Out Screening
Lights, Camera, Action … with a heavy on the lights! Story, photos by Sharon Kozden “We must look a little closer. And when we do, we see that the doughnut hole has a hole in its center. It is not a doughnut hole, but a smaller doughnut with its own hole, and our doughnut is not holed at all!” – Benoit Blanc (Knives Out) The 2019 Philadelphia Film Festival (PFF) wrapped with yet another successful year (its 28th!) in the can. Running 11-days through October, the festival showcased 110 films at the Philadelphia Film Center. I had the distinct honor of attending the red-carpet premiere of the critically acclaimed Knives Out…
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DesignPhiladelphia Festival Celebrates 15 Years, Hosts Kickoff Party at Cherry Street Pier
The Ben Franklin Bridge’s steel-suspension design is a perfect backdrop for DesignPhilaldephia’s Kickoff Party. “Good design is actually a lot harder to notice than poor design, in part because good designs fits our needs so well that the design is invisible.”- Don Norman Story, photos by Sharon Kozden My introduction to Philadelphia’s design scene occurred in fall at Cherry St. Pier, where DesignPhiladelphia kick-started its 15th annual 10-day long festival with a launch party that had the stunning Benjamin Franklin Bridge as backdrop. It was a fitting and iconic location choice. What, after all, screams both stellar design and Philadelphia more than the Ben bridge? What wasn’t fitting on that…
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Cider Sparkles at Fairmount Park’s 3rd Annual CiderFest in Philadelphia, PA
Event signage hangs from fence posts at Cedar Grove. Photos, story by Sharon Kozden “It was a beautiful bright autumn day, with air like cider and a sky so blue you could drown in it.” – Diana Gabaldon It really was a day such as described in the above quote … uncannily so if you happened to be attending the third annual CiderFest at the Historic Houses of Fairmount Park. Having written about and photographed the inaugural event in 2017, I had missed 2018’s iteration but was glad to be back spending my Saturday afternoon between the hours of noon and 5 p.m. surrounded by folks ranging in interest level…
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Making Weekend Waves at Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Heads up for one imposing casino resort. You’ll find an entire playground in that “Ocean.” “Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the ‘Titanic’ who waved off the dessert cart.” – Erma Bombeck Story, photos by Sharon Kozden Happy first anniversary to Atlantic City’s Ocean Casino Resort! You’ve done good. Matter of fact, better than good. You are, in this writer’s opinion (and as reviewed by many others), a smashing success. I know my casinos, empirically speaking, that is. Back in the day and thanks to an accumulated bounty of comps from her favorite Atlantic City casino, my mom and me would hop a Bieber bus from Coopersburg to…
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Opera Philadelphia Paints La Bohème Love Story at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia
Words on the street, blowin’ in the wind. Story, photos by Sharon Kozden (performance photos courtesy of Steven Pisano for Opera Philadelphia) “I have so many things that I want to say to you Or just one, but it’s as big as the sea As deep and infinite as the sea … You are my love and my whole life!” – La bohème, Act IV finale I can’t be the only one who has noticed that Opera Philadelphia‘s presence has been pervading the Philly scene. Locations, locations, locations … all teeming with operatic events and productions. There they were at the Academy of Music during late April and early May,…
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2019 James Beard Media Awards Bites the Big Apple at NYC’s Chelsea Piers
Visit Philly’s presence as presenter tops the list! “Through food we express love. We bring comfort and hope. We forge new relationships and strengthen old bonds. Food reaffirms not only our humanity but the joy of being alive.” – Marcus Samuelsson Story, photos by Sharon Kozden I can’t cook for beans. Let me amend that: I choose not to cook because I haven’t yet arrived at a stage in my life where cooking takes precedence over other activities. However and albeit slowly, my evolving self is beginning to understand the bigger picture, to conceptualize the larger significance of the roles that food and cooking play in one’s lifetime. It’s as…
