The Delaware Riverkeeper Network's first Annual Dinner was held at the Warwick Hotel on February 21st. The small but select crowd was peppered with local and semi-local politicos, like Ed Rendell, former Congressman and area director for the Environmental Protection Agency, Pete Kostmeyer, and current New Jersey Congressman Rob Andrews. The Delaware Riverkeeper Network works closely with the American Littoral Society, a coastal conservation organization, to empower people to take active roles in protecting our waterways.

The Young Friends of the Philadelphia Museum of Art held their Annual Black-tie Gala on Saturday, February 2nd, in the grand hall at the Museum – always one of the most beautiful venues in the city. One of our favorites, The Elastic Wasteband, rocked the twenty and thirty-something crowd from start to finish. Mother Grey Goose provided miniature martinis and itsy-bitsy, pink, Cosmopolitans - both a big hit with the throngs. Museum officials swooped down on the party around eleven o'clock, cutting off the liquid supply (them's the rules) so those in the know and all who weren't quite done that early headed for the Rotunda at The Ritz on Broad Street. Cigar smoke swirled blue above our heads and champagne and cognac were passed around as the night aged gracefully.

We caught the grand opening of Trust, a 6,000 square foot, retro-hip restaurant in the seemingly unlikely neighborhood of 13th and Sansom. If you're into the restaurant scene then you've heard of Goldman Properties, the company that injected Miami with a pure shot of adrenaline and cool. Guillermo Pernot, Esquire Magazine's "1999 Chef of the Year," is at the helm as Executive Chef. Principal designer and General Manager is Gary Farmer, creator and owner of Miami's famed restaurant institution, The Strand. Watch this area in Philadelphia – it's going to explode in a similar fashion.

The eight annual Hair of the Dog Gala rocked Philadelphia Saturday, January 5th down by the airport at the Philadelphia Naval Yard's Cruise Terminal. Over 2,000 people partied all night in the huge building to10 bands, their thirst sated at the 22 open bars that were, indeed, open all night. Chorus Communications organized and threw the bash to help raise money for the homeless through the Bethesda Project, and also to benefit the World Trade Center fund. The last song of the night was The Star Spangled Banner, and despite the wild goings on, everyone sang along, many with their hands on their hearts.

To kick off Black History Month The African American Museum in Philadelphia held a gala reception in artistic style, Thursday, January 31. The event, hosted by the Multicultural Affairs Congress, begins a two-day celebration of Black fine arts, featuring the Hennessey commissioned works of renowned artist, Leroy Campbell. Leroy Campbell is recognized for his depiction of early 1900's rural southern life and smoky ‘40s and ‘50s jazz club performances with his Neck Bones and Jazz Classics series.