Philly Spotlight - Event Coverage, Recaps, Round Ups & Highlights
Ice Cream Rolls & Bubble Tea Teassert Bar
Diner en Blanc 2016
Old City Eats All Summer Thursday Happy Hours
HIGHLIGHTING PHILLY ARTIST DIANE ROKA
Regular Readers know Diane's Artwork from her many contributions to Tinsel & Tine - Here's just a few: The End of the Tour | Peanuts Celebrate Franklin's Bday | Tulip Clothing Line Diner En Blanc | Ditch Witch Montauk Food Truck Stay tuned for her review of the movie Gleason
Equity (Film) Red Carpet Premiere in Philly
Star Trek Beyond w/ The Black Tribbles
Founding Footsteps Philly Tourism
Woodford Reserve Manhattan Experience 2016
Food Trust's NIGHT MARKET 12th & Callowhill
Uptown Beer Garden
WOK STREET Southeast Asian Fast Food
Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence Region Lip Sync Battle
The Philadelphia Independent Film Awards
The Hyatt at the Bellevue Renovation Unveiling
Guided Tour of Old City's Art Inside Out Exhibition
The PHL BLOGGERS Go to the Opera &
Host a Blog Conference
Click HERE to Check Out T&T's Film Industry Interviews
Philadelphia Independent Film Festival Shorts &
South Street Spring Festival
GIRLS ROCK PHILLY
performing - "The Howling Vamps!
This annual event was formerly called Ladies Rock Camp, now Girls Rock Philly a weekend day camp for women, transgender, non-binary/genderqueer adults, 19+ in Philadelphia. Campers are split into groups to learn and/or practice instruments, form bands and work together to write an original song. They also receive empowerment workshops all weekend.
I was so impressed with all the bands. The ladies were able to create catchy tunes in this very limited amount of time. The event was held at PhilaMOCA (12th & Spring Garden) it was a great Sunday night party!
#newmusuc #learnsomwthingneweveryday ##allgirlbands #PhillyCalendar #PhillyEvents
Benjamin Foods Trade Show & The Blogger's Cafe
Nick's Roast Beef in Old City is Now Nick's Bar & Grille!
T&T Invited to try Grand Lux Cafe's Weekend Brunch
Click HERE to Check Out
T&T's Film Festival Coverage
Bloggers Dinner to Taste New Menu at Imli Indian Kitchen
Opening Night at Revolution Taco in Rittenhouse Square
Little Lion Restaurant Opening
The Little Lion Restaurant Owners Chris Younge, a former manager of Devil's Alley, and entrepreneur Jason Dills are old friends who decided to start a venture together - The Little Lion (241 Chestnut Street Phila., PA 19106) sits right on the corner of 3rd & Chestnut and boasts killer Southern Comfort Cuisine by Executive Chef Sean Ciccarone (formerly of Pennsylvania 6).
We got to sample: BBQ Chicken Thigh Sliders Sour Slaw, Bread & Butter Pickles, Potato Rolls, Macaroni & Cheese Stewed Tomatoes w/ Buttered Bread Crumbs, Farmer's Cheese w/Peach Preserves, Honey, Olive Oil on Grilled Bread, Country Fried Chicken with Clover Honey Batter, Charred Brussel Sprouts Bacon Lardon, Sherry Vinegar, Shallots... READ POST
Yakitori Boy Japanese Restaurant & Karioke
T&T's (Non-Event) Restaurant Reviews
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1st ANNUAL PHILLY CHEESESTEAK FESTIVAL
Obviously a lot of work was put into the 1st Annual Philadelphia Cheesesteak Festival held Saturday, October 24, 2015 at Lincoln Financial Field, much was packed into the day and over 50 Cheesesteak Vendors participated. I'm sure you've heard by now, yes the lines were SUPER LONG, yet somehow most attendees seemed to remain in good spirits, and most were adhering to finding the very back of the line and not trying to just insert themselves in the middle of a line out of "confusion".
That being said, I'm sure this gentleman was not alone in being irate over the time it took to get even one quarter piece of cheesesteak. When George Spilich saw my press badge, he asked to make a statement. See the below video for his assessment of the Philly Cheesesteak Festival... READ MORE
Non-Restaurant / Non-Food Related RECAP. I attended a Women's Brunch at a Church in West Philly, which featured several female speakers. I was taken with Stacy's speech on handling the angst of Christmas, as I've come to hate the season. Her words helped somewhat put Christmas into perspective for me.
Hopes for a "Perfect" ChristmasBy Stacy Bartholomew
Christmas with all its celebrations, observances, traditions, gifts, cooking, decorating, etc, remains primarily under the purview of women. Men's magazines and blogs are not full of how to ensure the perfect holiday. There are no tips on how to stay organized and plan for every eventuality, or traditions to begin that breathe life into your family and ensure your kids grow up with the warmest of memories.... No...
Men's magazines have articles on the latest gadgets you can get someone to buy for YOU, end of the year sports team reviews, life hacks to shorten your work day, or the transcript of an imaginary dinner featuring 11 of the most compelling people of 2015. We've come a long way women, but there are miles to go before we sleep in this area.
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New upscale Mexican restaurant BESITO, which opened at the end of October and is located in the Suburban Square Shopping Center in Ardmore PA (105 Coulter Ave, Ardmore, PA 19003). Translated as “little kiss,” Besito was conceived by restaurateur John Tunney III who founded the brand in 2006 after traveling extensively throughout Mexico to establish a connection with its people, cuisine and culture. Believing that each restaurant location is a unique extension of the original vision, Besito Mexican strives to delight its guests with the warmth of a private hacienda offering thoughtful details and authentic dishes. I invited friend and T&T contributor Diane Roka for our visit to Besito Mexican, where we were greeted by Besito Mexican Group Partners - Marvin Alvarez and Jimmy O'Leary. It seems Tunney began the restaurants, but these guys that make up Besito Mexican Group are taking the idea to more locations, although, nothing about our experience felt like a chain.
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lebua Hotels and Resorts Café Breeze Coming to Philadelphia Mayor Nutter met Ohri by chance while visiting Frankfurt to establish the sister-city relationship and took the opportunity to introduce Ohri to Philadelphia and the unique opportunities presented by the city. A series of following conversations led to Ohri choosing to launch Café Breeze, in Philly rather than New York! Café Breeze is lebua’s first venture in the United States. This will be Breeze’s third location around the world – following the opening of Breeze Frankfurt earlier this year, and the original location in Bangkok. At its home in Thailand, Breeze Bangkok was named one of the world’s “top 10 most cutting-edge restaurants” by USA Today and one of the global “Hot Tables” by Condé Nast Traveler.
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Forbes 30 Under 30 Summit The food festival, held at The Kimmel Center, featured several young chefs from the esteemed Forbes 30 Under 30 list, who competed for the title of America's best young chef. Judged by Randall Lane (Forbes Magazine Editor) Issac Hanson and Taylor Hanson (of the band Hanson) and Under 30 Summit attendees, the following were selected as winners: Judge's Choice: Joseph "JJ" Johnson, The Cecil Winning Dish: Goat Dumpling Peanut Piri Piri, Mirco Cilantro "He took a pedestrian dish — like a dumpling — and blew our minds!" READ POST
About Studio Movie Grill: SMG Upper Darby’s state-of-the-art theatre complex will be Studio Movie Grill’s twenty-first location to date and the first in the Northeast. Additional sites are planned. Established in 2000, by CEO and Founder Brian Schultz, SMG has swiftly grown to 21 locations in ten states. These new locations will add over 50 screens, and expand operations ranking Studio Movie Grill the 20th largest exhibitor in the U.S. SMG modernized the traditional movie-going experience by combining first-run movies with in-theater dining and is characterized in the market today by its continued ability to innovate and maximize movie and menu offerings.
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Sip, Savor, Stroll 2015 - I was once again invited by Aversa PR to the press preview party to highlight the event. This year we started at Earth Bread + Brewery (7136 Germantown Ave) where we sampled some craft beer selections. fav: The Ego-Centric Giraffe which was more complex than I expected from a pale ale.Caterer Desmond Mullen's of StreetSide BBQ was also at this location with his savory pulled pork, wings and sweet cornbread.
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DuBu Restaurant Opening - I can't believe more than a month has gone by since attending this bountiful restaurant opening and I'm just now having a chance to share about it. DuBu (1331 W Cheltenham Ave -located in the More Shopping Center in Elkins Park, PA 19027) officially opened April 29th. This is an upscale, yet casual Korean Restaurant, which along with Korean BBQ, also specializes in Vegetarian & Vegan dishes. The decor is minimalist, yet welcoming, and the lighting is low, but not too dim. The dining room seats 78, with private dining space to accommodate 44 seated guests.
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Let's Pig Out at Cuba Libre - Chef-Partner Guillermo Pernot of Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar is roasting a pig for 8 hours using a “Caja China,” or Chinese roasting box every Monday night, right out on 2nd street in Old City Philly. I got a chance to "Pig Out" at Cuba Libre (10 S 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19106) as an introduction to their MONDAY NIGHT -All-You-Can-Eat PIG ROAST,Which starts with grilled artisan wheat bread brushed with pork jus, served with lemon butter - hmmm.... bread!!! READ POST
Grand Opening East Coast Wings - Got invited to another fun, blogger eating fest last week, this time at EAST COAST WINGS & GRILL which recently opened in the North East - 2539 Castor Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19134. As the name suggests, East Coast Wings caters to chicken wing lovers offering 75 WING FLAVORS - everything from traditional wings to Bacon Ranch, Kick'n Thai, Grand Caymen, Harvest Apple and soooo many more! You can do a ECW Wing Flight (Choose from 30 boneless or traditional with a maximum of 5 flavors) for $27.99. READ POST
NAACP Convention 2015 - This year the NAACP Convention (106th Annual) lead by NAACP President/CEO Cornell William Brooks and NAACP Chairman Rosalyn M. Brock was held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center (1101 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA) July 11-15, 2015, with a theme of “Pursuing Liberty In the Face of Injustice.” In the wake of the social and economic unrest across the country, the NAACP set an agenda to focus on voting rights, criminal justice reform, health equity, economic opportunity and education equality ahead of the 2016 presidential election. READ POST
The Marvel Experience - We met two @MarvelExperience executives in the parking lot as we were leaving, who let us take pictures with Thor's real hammer and Captain America's real shield from the movie Avengers Age of Ultron - They're heavy! READ POST
Valley Forge Casino Resort: Valley Beach - Philadelphia Art Alliance was also a perfect venue for D'Artaganan, gourmet food purveyor of organic, antibiotic-free meat, poultry, game and truffles, to hold a 5-course dinner featuring an assortment of decadent dishes highlighting D’Artagnan duck, lamb, foie gras, Mangalica ham, caviar, cuck bacon, chorizo, quail eggs, truffles and squab; all in celebration of the company's 30th Anniversary! READ POST
Vendy Awards 2015 - This was my 2nd year attending the Philadelphia Vendy Awards (click for T&T 2014). And although I knew I had a big wedding to go to that evening, I still made a pig of myself and tried something from almost every booth. But how else are you going to vote honestly otherwise? READ POST
D'Artagnan Event Recap with Chef Ariane Daguin - Philadelphia Art Alliance was also a perfect venue for D'Artaganan, gourmet food purveyor of organic, antibiotic-free meat, poultry, game and truffles, to hold a 5-course dinner featuring an assortment of decadent dishes highlighting D’Artagnan duck, lamb, foie gras, Mangalica ham, caviar, cuck bacon, chorizo, quail eggs, truffles and squab; all in celebration of the company's 30th Anniversary! READ POST
Tinsel & Tine in the spotlight ON MOOREBETTERFOOD site - Shortly after the networking event, Le Anne contacted me about highlighting MooreBetterFood in a more in-depth interview. Now, what you should know is Le Anne is not your average writer/blogger. She’s creative in her approach to entertainment and food, so she brought some women with her to record the interview for a more well rounded perspective. She brought drawtographer, Diane Roka, who’s gifted at drawing images that capture a person’s essence and passion -T&T Post Featuring MOOREBETTERFOOD
Interview with "Dinner" short director Aleksandra Svetlichnaya :Ukraine born, Philly bred, Aleksandra is a multi-talented young woman, who not only has written and directed her own film, but she's a black belt in karate, a fashion designer, actress and natural producer... READ MORE
You know I can't help but highlight CAKE relevant things, especially
when they are in my neighborhood. Breanna & Destiny are the baking
team behind Savoureux's, a new company specializing in delectable
sweets. When I heard about these women getting both a business and a
charitable organization off the ground, I knew they'd make for a great
profile piece on Tinsel & Tine.... READ MORE
I was invited to attend a Women's Day event at the Cynwyd Station Cafe and Tea Room, an idyllic coffee house located on the platform of the Septa Cynwyd Train Station. The theme for this International Women's Day gathering was Micro-Entrepreneurship, so every woman in the room got a chance to talk about their business or their dreams for their business/passionate pursuit. I can't feature everyone who attended in one post, but here's a sampling of the attendees... READ MORE
Me 'N' Mo located on 2nd & South is new to The South Street Headhouse District. This Italian restaurant specializes in six to eight varieties of hand-rolled meatballs every single day, made from beef, pork, lamb, chicken, veggie, with a rotating special. I got to try, well, try implies I took a bite - I ate 6 or more meatballs, each with its own sauce, along with a generous portion of perfectly weighted Gnocci, all enjoyed with fresh baked focaccia bread READ MORE
The party and magazine features actress/hostess Ornella Fado of "Brindiamo". The TV Series Brindiamo is celebrating its 10th season showcasing the finest authentic Italian restaurants around the world, as well as Italy's regional cuisine, travel destinations and celebrities. The event took place at Palladino's on Passyunk, Chef Luke Paladino's newest venture, coming over the bridge from Jersey to establish himself in South Philly. READ MORE
The fundraising event being promoted at this pre-event is called Show Off Your Purse- N- ality to be held February 7, 2015 (3-6pm) at the Marriott Philadelphia. The event is a designer purse auction (live and silent) with cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, live entertainment, door prizes and fun! Sounds like an event for the ladies, but fellas... a) hot women love designer bags. b) the event takes place a week before Valentine's Day, so if you're not single, you can shop for your lady! All proceeds benefit OIC of America. READ MORE
My favorite food stand is the WANDERING WAFFLE this is the second year at the Christmas Village for Clementine (the owner) and her scrumptious waffle bites.The batter before it goes on the waffle iron looks like cookie dough and is actually imported from Belgium. The secret ingredient being the bead like little sugar granules called sugar pearls. I'm very impressed with The Wandering Waffle's packaging - it's not only attractive but... READ MORE
But what would the medium of film be without technology? Well, it simply wouldn't exist.
Which is why the 8th Annual Philadelphia Independent Film Festival joining Philly Tech Week 2015 makes perfect sense!
I got a chance to talk to PIFF founder, Benjamin Barnett now that the festival has officially been moved from June to April 17-25, 2015. There was much excitement in Ben's voice as we discussed this highly anticipated blending of art and technology.
READ MORE
Couch Fest is a cozy shorts film fest that brings world-class short movies out of the cinema and into non-traditional venues like living rooms, boats, offices, and more--all over the world, all on the same day.
Upon learning about it, I contacted the host for Philadelphia, Nicole Ayers of Madlab Entertainment for an interview...
T&T: How did you hear about Couch Fest? READ MORE
The 3rd Annual Founders' Reception was held at the Philadelphia Business & Technology Center Penthouse; Catered by Mia and Me and hosted by NBC 10's Brittney Shipp. The evening is both a fundraiser and a celebration of the West Philadelphia Financial Services Institution's WesGold Fellows Internship (WGF), an 8 week program which brings Philadelphia inner city high school students into the world of business, finance, real estate development, networking and effective communication. READ MORE
Tinsel & Tine was invited to sample more great food in Philly at the Ya Gotta Try This Tasting Party to benefit Second Chance Foundation.
The event took place at the Independence Visitor Center, (One North Independence Mall) and was chaired by Second Chance Foundation Board of Director Mike Jerrick host of Fox 29′s Good Day Philadelphia. Local readers may be familiar with Mike's weekly "Ya Gotta Try This" segments on Good Day Philadelphia, where he visits local restaurants and eating establishments to try their signature, and sometimes, unusual, dishes... READ MORE
Tinsel & Tine was invited as a VIP Guest to attend this open-air runway show to celebrate the best of the best of the South Street Headhouse District's (Philadelphia) boutiques, with clothes and accessories that went from day to night for both men and women. READ MORE
Diner En Blanc featuring Tulip Clothing Line (Pop Up Gala / New Fashion Brand)
So happy we didn't get rained out of Diner en Blanc last night! The
evening was perfection. A visual feast for the eyes and our real feast Garces picnic dinner was delightful. But most importantly, my dress by Tulip Clothing Line was a hit! READ MORE
Debbie Allen graciously gave a free "Inside the Actors Studio" type visit to Philly at International House on July 2, 2014. Full of saucy humor and passion, Ms. Allen lectured on creativity, her life's journey, what it means to be an artist, her relationship with her sister Phylicia Rashād, the 18 years it took to get AMISTAD made and so much more...READ MORE
Goose Island Beer Tasting & Philly Migration (Chicago Based Craft Beers)
Started by John Hall, 25 years ago, upon his return from traveling throughout Europe. Goose Island Beer is currently on a Migration tour to visit beer loving
cities in the US and one of the first stops of course, was Philly! READ MORE
Dog Days of Summer Hot Dog Cook-Off (South Street Headhouse District)
I was invited to the 3rd Annual Dog Days of Summer Cook-Off presented by South Street Headhouse District
in conjunction with Hot Diggity held on July 19, 2014, 1-4pm, under the
Headhouse Square Shambles (2nd/Pine). Twenty of the region’s top
restaurants and chefs went grill-to-grill in the ultimate hot dog
competition. There were 20 different hot dogs with tasty inventive
toppings. READ MORE
Vendy Awards 2014 (Food Truck Awards)
The Vendys (currently celebrating 10 years) are like the Golden Globes for Street Vendors - fun, informal, plenty of alcohol, good eats, and at the same time, a very coveted honor! The competition takes places in New York and Los Angeles with Philadelphia having joined in 4 years ago. This was my first year covering the event... READ MORE
Brazilian Barbecue (International House Philadelphia)
This past Saturday I was invited to partake of a Brazilian BBQ at International House Philadelphia @ihousephilly - what I love even more than smoked and seasoned meats, is the fact that now that I live in West Philly, IHouse (37th & Chestnut Streets) is part of my neighborhood! READ MORE
I like dining at Bahama Breeze even without a food blogger invitation, as the food is prepared like a small family owned restaurant, rather than a huge chain. I've always encountered friendly and knowledgeable servers. And the location in King of Prussia is a stone's throw away from the United Artist Stadium 16 IMAX & RPX movie theater - Film & Food! READ MORE
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World Cup Launch Party (Philly Phaithful & Live, Breath Futbol)
I'm moving into West Philly next week from Mt. Airy in an effort to be closer to happenings in Center City and the outlying areas. I'm hoping a shorter commute will allow me to cover more events, events like this one that kicked off my Memorial Weekend. The Philly Phaithful Launch Party for the World Cup Collection by Live, Breathe, Futbol. READ MORE
(City of Hope)
If you read this blog frequently, you know I mention cake quite a lot. I'm a self-confessed cake-aholic, but I'm also a cake snob. I don't want just anything with icing on it, and in fact, it is crucial that the icing not be too sweet, too thick and preferably only on top. It's difficult to put into words what constitutes good cake, it's like describing a sunset or an orgasm, you just know it when you're in the moment of it. READ MORE
(Philly Magazine|FooBooz Restaurant Expo)
So if you follow me on social media at all, you will have noticed I created a mini campaign leading up to Foobooz | Philadelphia Magazine's Philly Cooks event, which sold out! The event was held Wed 2/19 at The Marriott Hotel at 12th & Market Sts. I'm glad I got the opportunity to market this event as there are so many restaurants in Philly I know nothing about, many of which participated in Philly Cooks; this way, I got a chance to at least get a glimpse into their specialties and restaurant backgrounds. READ MORE
Cheese Ball II (Madame Fromage, Cheese Courtesan)
Last Saturday I went to cover a Cheese Ball! Which makes you think of those nutty balls of cheddar cheese from Hickory Farms we eat at Christmastime. This however, was a party where everyone brings cheese to sample or a spread for cheese or something to spread the cheese upon. It was held in the Northern Liberties area at the Ruba Club (416 Green St., Phila, PA 19123). The brainchild of Cheese Coutesan and expert Tenaya Darlington, better known as Madame Fromage! READ MORE
Street Fare: Sip, Savor, Stroll (Mt. Airy, Philadelphia Restaurant Tour)
"Street Fare: Sip, Savor, Stroll" (Formerly Mt. Airy Night Market) will dish up tasty bites and unique beverages from 45 food trucks, carts and local restaurants on Thursday, September 19, 2013, from 6:00pm -10:30pm. The evening will also feature festivities like crafts, jewelry, kids yoga, temporary Kadillac Tattoos, large screen simulcast of the Eagles vs. Kansas City Chiefs game and live entertainment, all stationed along Germantown Ave., between Sedgwick and W. Mt. Airy Avenues. READ MORE
3rd Annual Epicurean Extravaganza - Tinsel & Tine was invited to a City Tavern catered fundraiser to benefit the historic home Harriton House (500 Harriton Rd Bryn Mawr, PA). This was the 3rd Annual Epicurean Extravaganza held at City Tavern Restaurant to benefit this agriculture and education center. I asked Chef Walter Staib how the event came about, was it just the symbiosis of two Philadelphia Historic establishments? READ POST
GPFO Set in Philadelphia Screenplay Contest Food in Film - This year, I was compelled to write and promote the contest because it has a Food and Film component! Nicole Giles, GPFO Marketing Director was the brainchild behind giving a theme to this year's PhilyPitch. All screenplays were supposed to have a food element to the script - It could be set in a restaurant, feature chefs, have a good food in film scene, perhaps a character gets food poisoning, anything really, as long as food is featured prominently in the film. Well, I can't say all the pitchers followed these guidelines, but I will say they all came up with some original ideas.. READ POST
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| Take a moment to check out this month's banner partner - great constructive project for your teens! |
PNAA Presents: Josh Piven's No Reservations (Pre-show reception)
AGNO Grill UNI Fundraiser Recap (Fundraiser)
Thali Too, Oaxaca Kitchen & Thali (Connecticut Tasting Tour)
Greater Philadelphia Film Office (GPFO) 25th Annivsry & Sun Center Studios Opening
LunaFest Shorts Film Festival (Charitable Event)
Ambler Theater's Babette's Feast (Member Event)
City Tavern- Epicurean Event (Charitable Event)
Food Truck Profiles
4th Annual Philly Vendy Awards (Food Trust & The Street Vendor Project) Philly Food Truck: Prime Stache (Events Coordinator Michael Funkhauser)
Philly Food Truck: Dia Doce Cupcakes (Chef/Owner Thais da Silva)
Philly Food Truck: Surf and Turf (Chef/Owner Adam Browne)
Philly Food Truck: Samosa Deb (Chef/Owner Debbie Dasani)
Montauk Food Truck: The Ditch Witch (Surfer/Owner Grant Monahan)
Philly Food Truck: Farm Truck (Chefs/Owners Eliot & Kris)
Philly Food Truck: Grubahoics (Chefs/Owners Thomas & Elliott)
Restaurant Owners
Tom Brandt (Restaurant and Theater Owner)
City Tavern's Epicurean Feast (Charitable Event)
Flying Saucer Cafe (Madeline Deheza Hoefer Owner)
MISC
Collingswood Food Swap (Homemade Wine & Spirits)
Sparkle Plenty Design Inc (Decorative Apparel)
Style Maniac (Lifestyle Blog)
Homebrewing with Melissa (Hobbyist)
Andi Oakes (Dipping The Vine) (Proprietor)
The Bicycle Chef (Diner en Blanc)(Stylish Event)
Eric Bresler (Cinedelphia)(Editor)
Janine Kalesis (Food Stylists)
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