Toast of Philadelphia at Cherry Street Pier Benefits Caring People Alliance

Proposing a toast …

“… I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house. So I have spent almost all the daylight hours in the open air.” ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

Story, photos by Sharon Kozden

Talk about finding an inspiring quote with which to set an opening mood for an article. Mr. Hawthorne, I could not agree more with your eloquent depiction of an autumnal day.

I felt said quote’s powerful message on November 2nd while meandering the length of Cherry St. Pier for several hours on a fall apple-crisp sunny day during Toast of Philadelphia, an event—as states the banner in the above photo—celebrating Philadelphia’s vibrant food and beverage culture as well as supporting Caring People Alliance in their fight to reduce poverty and injustice.

Truth be told, I’d been somewhat house-bound prior to hanging out beneath the Ben Franklin Bridge that day. I work full time and am taking an asynchronous online college-level chemistry course to further a second-act career in healthcare. I aim to switch roles from surgical scheduler to surgical technician. Lab reports and reading chapters in a science-dense textbook are what I’ve been doing for “fun” of late.

For some 25+ years now, I’ve wanted to wear scrubs to work on the daily. With a B.A. in English from back in the day to this current pursuit an A.A.S. degree in Surgical Technology, my said second act has been challenging, thrilling … and sacrificial. CHEM 121 is a tough course-nut to crack. As my advisor told me, there’s easily a 30% drop rate, but I’m at an 86% GPA as of this writing and class will end come mid-December. Still, a serious lack of seasonal sweater weather and pumpkin-spice latte outings and gatherings was becoming too much the norm; I desperately needed a work-study-life balance tweak—and stat.

To the rescue came my host Meredith Megan Rebar of Home Brewed Events with a VIP comped ticket and an enthusiastic agreement to have me cover the event on assignment. Mother Nature cooperated with full-on sunshine and plaid-shirt weather temps. I was on task to pack a season’s worth of enjoyment into a single afternoon. Which I did do! Food. Fine wines and spirits. Folks. Fantastic vendors. Festivity. Friends. Fabulous tunes. And best of all, Fidos everywhere. All of the best F-bombs in a single smash-up of an afternoon.

Tell All Your Friends, Philadelphia’s premier “Emo/Alt Party Band” was the featured musical entertainment, their high energy delivery and passionate vocals as backdrop for the strolling crowds, who enjoyed sampling beverages adult and non, munching savory, tasty treats and delectable sweets from local vendors and Philly culinary experts, exploring a variety of vended wares from talented local artisans and creatives, engaging in educational tastings, workshops and seminars, and some of the best people- and dog-watching and petting (the dogs, that is!) one could expect to find in our City of Brotherly Love beneath the Ben. Later in the afternoon, a brass marching band, dressed to the rainbow-colored nines and flashy as all get out, paraded the length of the peer as the crowd cheered them on.

VIP ticket holders were treated to “culinary excellence from Cantina La Martina” on the pier’s upper level. Lunch, by James Beard-Nominated Chef Dionicio Jimenez, was served and thoroughly enjoyed. The churros were dessert perfection.

Fortified by the kind of exquisite foodstuffs that make Philadelphia a true foodie destination, I forged on post-luncheon for several more hours, shooting photographs of anything and anyone eye-catching, meeting and chatting up new folks, reconnecting with friends Meredith and event photog Steven Lyford of Steven Lyford Photography and just generally basking in the sensory beauty that was my comprehensive cornucopia of fall-harvest activity.

To truly capture the essence of my adventure, I shot and captioned a ton of snaps, so check them out just below this article and vicariously join me for a visual exploration.

By the way, when you support the amazing Toast of Philadelphia at its 65,000 square-foot venue know as Cherry Street Pier, know that you’re helping to fulfill the needs of many economically struggling Philadelphians. The curating and promoting team of dedicated “volunteers, local business owners and fundraisers” are wholly invested in the success of Caring People Alliance, a non-profit 90+ year old organization which works to “break cycles of poverty and build intergenerational wealth in our impoverished communities.”

Now that my autumn-in-a-bottle day has come and gone and left me with some lovely memories and hugs of reconnection, I can get back to balancing double-displacement reaction equations, memorizing placement of elements on the periodic table and maintaining a GPA solid enough to reap tuition-paid benefits from my employer.

Oh, and massive shout out to all of the adorable dogs that really made my time spent at Cherry St. Pier extra special and did a good “sit” for their close-ups (see below).

For more information about this fun fall event, visit Toast of Philadelphia.

Don’t mind if I do “tell all my friends” and readers to boot. Y’all, this is one vibrant and support-worthy event.

The Benjamin Franklin bridge “bridges” Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey.

The Delaware River Waterfront’s Cherry Street Pier is an “arts, events and programming haven.”

From Left, Home Brewed Event’s Meredith Megan Rebar and writer Sharon Kozden reconnect.

Raise your glasses and toast Philly!

My VIP ticket scored me this event souvenir.

Attendees enjoy eats on the Waterfront.

Steel roof structure at Cherry Street Pier permits a flood of sunshine.

Cherry Street Pier food trolleys feed hungry tourists and visitors.

This gang was happy to pause for a snap mid-chow down.

I snapped this cheerful quartet on exit and discovered my very first pretzel necklace. It’s a beer fest thing, I suspect.

Hiya from Brewscuits a.k.a. one-of-a-kind dog treats!

Let’s toast to some serious sense of personal style, ladies.

Hola, Espanola!

Philadelphia-based Espanola Spirits Limited, LLC hosted tastings.

I fancied the Chardonnay Rose, which was light and smooth with notes of peach and rose petals.

I scoped the scene from on high as the crowd amassed.

From Left, photographer Stephen Lyford poses with friend Meredith Megan Rebar of Home Brewed Events.

Two Brothers Richard and Mengistu of Two Locals Brewing Company bring to Philly its first black-owned brewery.

Kinsey Whiskey from Kinsey Distilling Company does Philly proud.

This mom-kid combo was just too cute to not shoot with my camera.

Stick(er) ’em up!

Man’s bestest [sic] amigo!

Toast Philly with this colorful, antioxidant-packed fruit bowl.

Charcuterie treats from home and abroad tantalize.

I was here for the dog, but the dad and kiddo are cute to boot.

Sunshine on my paw-paw makes me happy.

I checked out Cynful Bliss and was smitten with their alcohol-infused gourmet desserts.

Trust me: the name Lust is spot-on times a hunnert.

“Greed” is better than good.

“Greed” is all good, and “Naughty” is definitely nice.

The event’s band’s banner sends a message loud and clear.

“Tell All Your Friends” frontwoman belts out a tune.

Guitarist strikes a face.

Writer Sharon Kozden stands out like a proverbial sore thumb, posing with the band in decidedly non-rocker garb.

Juana Tamale Mexican Restaurant served up some delectable offerings.

Juana Tamale had me at first bite with this tasty treat. I near-to licked clean the plate for that sauce!

These ladies nibbled light bites while sitting for a spell.

A couple enjoys a lunch timeout on the pier beneath the Ben Franklin Bridge.

Mom attends to child.

When a brass band makes the scene, all attention gravitates toward the spectacle of color, music, pomp and pageantry.

This dazzling ensemble of sound and sight appeared seemingly suddenly, then strutted from entrance to pier’s end and back, delighting one and all.

A young boy bedazzles the crowd.

Dad and son (isn’t it obvious?!) check out the band with hella “extra.”

Tres elegant couple goes glam for the event.

From left, writer and photographer Sharon Kozden meets up with Stephen Lyford as they both work the event.

The upper level is where I headed after someone noticed my VIP wrist band and alerted me that lunch was being served. Hella lotta studios up there!

Ascending to the upper level at Cherry Street Pier’s public space, I discovered this de-light-ful cube installation.

Lunch, by James Beard-Nominated Chef Dionicio Jimenez, was served. VIP ticket holders experienced culinary excellence from Cantina La Martina.

I scooped plenty of this tasty grilled chicken into my soft taco shell, the better to work on assignment fueled by protein.

My lunch was this satisfying blend of taco shell carb (I didn’t eat the rice), mushrooms aplenty because j’adore them, chicken and some delish vegetable medley along with savory saucing in tiny dollops. For quenching, I chose Gritty City’s Sparkly Chard because, well, Dexter. Hint: Woof!

Uber-sauteed mushrooms charred to perfection could be an entree for me, for I enjoy them that much.

So very many veggies or, as my dad used to say, ve-ge-tables heaped into in this aluminum serving pan were abundant and flavorful.

With age, I noticed my sweets meter diminished, so a single sweet Mexican fritter a.k.a. churro was the perfect treat-topper to a glorious lunch.

Poppa’s Custard vendor connects with attendee over yummy wares.

Attendees tote their souvenir tasting sampler glasses. Fill ’em up!

Fun pair strolls the length of vendor markets in style.

I was partial to Gritty City Winery for my lone sampling and lunchtime accompanying adult beverage, and the reason–in addition to Chardonnay being my white wine of choice–should be perfectly obvious in this photo. Handsome though the vendor blokes be, it’s Dexter made me ‘art beat faster. Good boy, Dexter! And yes, his dad told me he was, in fact, named after the show. Love that show.

Dexter’s dad handily displays my drink of choice, the Sparkly Chard.

Pleasantly Perturbed artist asserts that “it’s just pretty much Sharpie and paint,” while encouraging one and all to “stay weird.” Doing my very best to comply, Man!