HughE Dillon: A Date With a Plate

The third “A Date With a Plate” took place last week at Pêche Sherman Mills in East Falls. The two-day event, which consists of a patron party and a “second helpings day,” embraces the art of the tablescape. More than two dozen table displays created by professional decorators and interior designers, florists and retailers, as well as those set by private collectors and table décor enthusiasts, were featured. Co-chairs Judi Goodman and Sharyn Berman toasted the successful completion of the event on the last day.

Below: At the patron party, Dan and Sarah Keating, Chi Van Dang, director of Abramson Cancer Center, and Mary Dang. Monies raised from the event will be devoted to the design and construction of a Serenity Garden at Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center, to be located at the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine.

Below: Michele Jameson, Lynn Schuchter and Larry Jameson, executive vice president of the University of Pennsylvania Health System and dean of the School of Medicine. On the second day of the event, Schuchter spoke about the newest treatments and discoveries in the battle against cancer.

Below: Event committee member Barbara Azarik and son Phillip Azarik. Other committee members included Bonnie Benson, Bryna Berman, Debbie Dickson Biamon, Linnie Cook, Robin Lassin, Terry Levy, Sue McGinnis, and Debbie Bedrosian Vozzo.

Below: Janine Jordan and Leah Hartlander thought all the displays were magnificent, but were really impressed with Valley Forge Flowers’ “Jackson Hole Wedding,” which even had a horse’s head with daisies as eyes.

Below: Lily Feldman and Jenna Berman sell raffle tickets. There were also silent and live auctions.

Below: Joseph A. Berkowitz, of Joseph A. Berkowitz Interiors. His table was inspired by a bar he saw at the Breakers Hotel in Miami, which has a “sit-down” custom aquarium bar. If you look closely on the left you can see a few koi swimming.

Below: Joan Maack, Ashley Blaire Cook, and Rich Maack check out Irene Beer’s “Blue Plate Special” table settings.

Below: Jamie Gershkow, Jeffrey Goodman, Patricia Duckworth and Adam Goodman.

Below: Suzy Schurr is a health coach and blogger whose mantra is “Eat More Greens,” so when asked to design a table for A Date With a Plate, she created a VegTable with lots of smiling vegetables as a centerpiece. Behind her, Michele Seidman checks out the “Lovely Linen” table created by Sharon Taffet.

A special lounge, provided by Chickie’s & Pete’s, was created for the men and included the famous Crab Fries and TVs so fans could watch the Flyers game. Below: Tony Bruno, from 97.5 the Fanatic, Robin Austin, from the “Ask Miss Robin” radio show, and Pete Ciarrocchi, owner of Chickie’s & Pete’s. Finally, I get to ask Pete the question I’ve been floating out there on twitter for a few months: We need a Chickie’s & Pete’s downtown—could he open one? He said if I can find a 7,000+-square-foot building that is adjacent to a parking garage, then he’d be right on it. OK, real estate pros, get on that. I think a Center City Chickie’s & Pete’s would be great.

Below: Sharon Moore, of Moore Events, created this themed table “Save the Date— May 2014,” which is the date of the next “A Date With a Plate.” Coming up next for Moore and Pêche Sherman Mills, is the 13th Annual Children’s Crisis Treatment Center Roundup on June 1st. To see more of the table settings displayed at this event, check out PhillyChitChat.com today.