HughE Dillon: Governor Rendell Plays Golf

Plus: Fresh produce in Brewerytown, Union Trust celebrates an anniversary, and Arthur Kade's award nomination (really)

The second annual An Evening in Franklin Square, held last Thursday night, was much grander than last year’s event. This year was black tie, and saw many more notables, and the inauguration of the Governor’s Cup Miniature Gold Tournament. For $150 you could play a round of golf with a chance at one of three gigantic trophies, but everyone won at least a picture of themselves with the Gov. At the 18th hole, Governor Rendell and Max Sablosky look on as Samantha Rubin takes a shot.



The winners: First Place: Mike Gerardi (below); Second Place: Jesse Amoroso; Third Place: Ed Grose, executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association.

Then it was on to the cocktail party and silent auction. Cari Feiler Bender tells me, “I loved that the Governor has such confidence in the Phillies this year, that he auctioned off not one, but TWO sets of tickets to the World Series 2010 that he would buy for the winners and then go with them.” Historic Philadelphia, Inc.’s Board Chairman Wayne Spilove bought the gorgeous painting of Franklin Square that was done by Garth Herrick, who did the portrait of the Governor that hangs in the Mayor’s Reception Room at City Hall.

ABOVE: Jason Gaspari, Gudrun Gaynor and Jeff Gaynor. Jeff tells me that he’s developed a new city tour that will launch in June: The Junk Food Tour. It will stop at all the delicious, tasty forbidden treat places along a five-hour bus ride.

ABOVE: Herman Rollins (Farm Fresh Produce & Poultry), Eileen R. Della Volle (VP of business development at KSE Engineers), and Judith Rollins (Farm Fresh Produce & Poultry). This trio is working on the long-desired supermarket at 31st & Girard, which will be called Farm Fresh Produce & Poultry and located at the edge of the Westrum development that was built there a few years back in Brewerytown. The neighborhood, sandwiched between Fairmount and North Philadelphia, hasn’t seen a supermarket in years, and the Ikea-inspired, 35,000-square-foot food market will certainly be welcome. Look for the groundbreaking of the LEED green building in the next 30-60 days, as the ink is drying on the loans and contracts now.

Bachelorette‘s Tina Tellado and Tiffani McDonough were there too.

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Last night I helped Union Trust celebrate their first anniversary. Unlike the grand opening, which was on a very LARGE scale, this was a more subdued invite-only crowd that mingled well into the late hours. Spotted:

Philly Power Couple Sharon Pinkenson (executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Film Office) and Joe Weiss (chairman of Electronic Ink). Others: Philadelphia Fashion founder Kristie Bergey, Rosalina Iannucci, Jamie Lugo, Peter Breslow, Michelle Smiley, Michael Narciso, Janice Lin, Hacina Saadi, Robert Mendelson, Brian Lipstein, Dana Spain, Lathie Lawless, Andi Pesacov, Garrett Miller, and Union Trust’s PR rep Michelle Miller (The Nouveau Image).

ABOVE: Union Trust chef Logan Quincy and co-owner Ed Doherty. Quincy just finished filming Food Network’s City vs. Chef show, which should air in June. In the show, Food Network chefs Aarón Sánchez and Chris Cosentino challenge two local foodies in an action-packed food adventure to locate a city’s biggest, boldest, most unexpected food places.

Marcello and business partner Caesar Carter are owners of Luminaire Elite, an upscale concierge service inside the Wachovia Center. They also have plans to open a luxury cigar bar and lounge at 18th and Sansom streets in the near future.

New Couples Alert! Stacey Kracher and Steve Schaeffer.

Internet “reality star” Arthur Kade and Julia Bart, who is taking a cue from AK and shortening her name. Kade tells me that he’s up for “Douche of the Decade” at the the 2010 Webutante Ball held in NYC on June 8th. (He seems proud of it too.) Still waiting for reality TV show stardom, Kade’s extra work can be seen in SALT, out July 23rd, with Angelina Jolie (or, as he likes to refer to her, “Mother Hot” and 8.5 on his “Kade Scale.”)

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Have a wonderful and safe Memorial Day Weekend. I will be back with HughE about town on Wednesday, June 2nd. Check out my personal blog PhillyChitChat.com for daily posts about where I’ve been and who I saw. Today I will have a few more pictures from the Union Trust Party last night.