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Philadelphia Flower Show Blooms Outdoors for 2021 Season
The Pennsylvania Convention Center has been home base for PHS Philadelphia Flower Show exhibits since 1996. “Who can say that a buttercup shining in the sun like yellow enamel is not as enchanting as a white butterfly tumbling out of a tree trunk in a Brazilian jungle? That the delicate beauty of a white wild anemone excels the orderly perfection of the petals in a white camellia? “When I took time to look into the heart of a flower, it opened up a whole new world; a world where every walk would be an adventure, where every garden would become an enchanted garden.” – Princess Grace of Monaco Story, photos…
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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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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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Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival Represents Fragility, Beauty of Life at Shofuso Japanese House and Garden in Philadelphia
Feast your eyes on this explosion of cherry blossoms and breathe in gratitude for nature’s spectacular gifts. “The significance of the cherry blossom tree in Japanese culture goes back hundreds of years. In their country, the cherry blossom represents the fragility and the beauty of life. It’s a reminder that life is almost overwhelmingly beautiful but that it is also tragically short.” – Homaro Cantu Story, photos by Sharon Kozden I remember the moment in high-definition clarity. My face (as I type this) is cherry-blossom pink because a faux pas I made over a year ago was recalled for the purpose of this article’s opening (what I won’t do for…
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It’s a Wrap: Philly Fireworks Ends Wawa Welcome America 2018
Story, photos by Sharon Kozden There are many definitions for “lit” … as in “getting lit.” Not all have to do with a booze buzz. One alcohol-unrelated definition is “something that’s amazing in any sense.” Certainly, the spectacular July 4th fireworks’ display on the Ben Franklin Parkway, which concluded the weeklong celebration of the 4th annual Wawa Welcome America Festival, definitely was lit-worthy. Alcoholic beverages were discouraged; participants were asked to remain compliant in this regard. In Phoenixville, the borough in which I reside, I could almost hear the Philly crowds’ collective oohs and aahs as the sky was lighted up. The appreciative fawning seemed to travel down river…
