Paris Hilton Disses Guy In Groundhog Suit

A good use of $55, as far as I know, is not spending it on perfume so you can get Paris Hilton’s autograph. But I am not an economist, so maybe I’m wrong. What I do know is a great idea is spending the $55 so the state tourism office can get a photo of a groundhog with Paris Hilton.

Hugh E. got a tip the groundhog would be there yesterday, and, wouldn’t you know it, he was! No special favors, though, he had to stand in line and pay the money to buy Paris’ perfume.

After a three hour wait in a groundhog suit, he was suddenly yelled at by someone and forced to take off his groundhog head. Paris Hilton’s security team (or whoever) just ruined the dreams of little children.

Oh, and Paris wouldn’t pose for a photo with the guy in the groundhog suit.

There’s a ton more great photos over at Hugh’s site.

Paris Hilton is such a marmot tease [Philly Chit Chat]

This Might Even Be More Depressing Than The Phillies

First we get this Macy’s ad plastered all over Philly.com, then we lose our blind seal to California? I can’t go on.

Philly.com
Saved! Jersey’s blind seal is L.A.-bound [Inquirer]

In The Spirit Of The Holiday Season…

Okay, people. It’s time for a good deed. Here’s part of a post on Philly Future I spotted earlier in the week:

Anyway, I thought love at first sight was hocus- pocus. That is, until today Saturday November 25, 2005 at 2:45 PM. It goes like this, my son my daughter and I were at Macy’s department store in center city. We were standing in a very long but worthwhile line (for their sake) to see the Dickens Village.

While in line, the most beautiful women I have ever seen began to talk to me. When I turned to look at her and into her beautiful eyes my mind immediately went blank. I thought I was frozen in time and I suppose I was. I couldn’t think of anything to say, not even anything stupid or meaningless. I just stood there, smiled and stared at her. I’m in my mid forty’s now and I felt like a teenager again. For the first time in quite a while I smiled at someone from the bottom of my broken heart. The same heart I thought I had lost. Today, I knew it was still there because it was beating fast, really fast.

“The most beautiful woman in the world” was also there with her son and daughter. As the line grew shorter and we began to approach our destination I began to panic. I thought I would never see her again so I mustard up enough courage to talk to her. We began to talk about Sushi restaurants in Philadelphia. She apparently knows them all and it seems she knows Philly quite well too. Unfortunately, I do not. She told me of a sushi place in the Reading Terminal Market and another in University City called “POD.” As we walked through Dickens Village I felt a connection to her and I know she felt it too. We even liked the same movie as a favorite (George C. Scott in a Christmas Carol).

Unfortunately, with both of us watching both sets of our kids we lost each other in the extreme crowd and we didn’t see each other again. I walked through the store back and forth up and down so many times I thought my son and daughter were going to abandon me. They kept asking me what I was looking for and I said, “hope.” I never did get her name or saw her again and I finally gave up searching.

If on the slightest chance (about 300 million to one) you (the one I met today (November 25) in line at Macy’s Dickens Village) read this, I’ll be at the same place with my daughter in two weeks from now (Saturday) because she really wants to go again. My son said he would sit this one out (he’s 16). Now here comes the pessimist in me. I will probably never see you again. But maybe you read these BLOGS and I guess it’s worth a chance of hope.

Okay. I’m not even going to make fun of the random capitalization of BLOGS. (I’ll just point it out.) As such, now that the Christmas tree is lit and it’s a day ’til December, I wanted to pass this along.

Here’s to finding love at first sight, Dickens Village and, hell, even Macy’s for figuring out if they didn’t keep that old setup people would be pissed. Now, if you’re reading this, oh mysterious “most beautiful woman in the world,” the ball’s in your court.

Love & Hope, found then lost. At Macy’s Dickens Village. Love at first sight. [Philly Future]

Macy’s: It’s A Mirage, People

Despite all the media reports of its crowded opening, it appears the new Center City Macy’s is not all its cracked up to be. Blogger 14th Windiest State learned the hard way while calling the corporate helpline for the store’s hours. He learned that no, Virginia, there is no Center City Macy’s:

Me: I’d like the number for the Center City Macy’s please.

Macy’s Operator: The Lord and Taylor?
Me: No, the Macy’s- they just opened yesterday.
Macy’s Operator: The Old Strawbridge’s or the Lord and Taylor?
Me: No- Macy’s.
Macy’s Operator: It’s closed. Not open yet. I can give you the executive office, if you’re an employee.
Me: No, it’s open- I saw the grand opening yesterday and people shopping there last night.
Macy’s Operator: No, it isn’t open yet. Our database shows that it’s still closed. The one at 1300 Market Street?
Me: Yes.
Macy’s Operator: That’s the closed Lord and Taylor. I can give you the executive office, if you’re an employee.
Me: No, but I could be a potential customer. The grand opening was yesterday, it was on the news.
Macy’s Operator: No, it isn’t open yet.

Turns out this new Macy’s is just like Brigadoon. Give it 100 years or so and call again.

goods suitable for the millionaire, at prices in reach of the millions. [14th Windiest State]
Wednesday: Promise Of $10 Sends Shoppers Into Oppressive Heat

Promise Of $10 Sends Shoppers Into Oppressive Heat

This morning, the new Macy’s in the Wanamaker Building opened, and people flocked there.

The main reason people stood in lines that were “two blocks long, wrapping around two sides of the building” was the $10 gift cards Macy’s was handing out to the first 1,000 customers. And 10 “lucky shoppers” won a cool thousand bucks to buy, buy, buy to their heart’s content.

Of course, it was in the high 80s this morning when everyone lined up for the store’s opening. Here’s how the Inquirer describes it:

Joseph Burnside of Philadelphia said he arrived at 7:30 but wished he’d gotten there by 5. “I thought I would beat the crowd but the crowd beat me. I should have bugalooed down here.” Occasionally, he’d shout out a suggestion for another giveaway: “Maybe you could pass out some water!” ¶ Other people were trying to handle the heat by fanning themselves with newspapers, and blotting their brows with tissues.

I can see the headlines tomorrow: 25 die of heatstroke at Macy’s opening.

Still, it’s not all possible bodily harm due to dehydration. Some people have shopping down to a science:

Lorraine Jamison and Leticia Robinson, both in town for a sorority convention, came straight from the gym. “We have a strategy,” said Robinson. “If we see anything, we kindly ask them to put it on hold, we go back and shower, and get our credit cards.”

And they say shopping’s not an art form.

Crowd forms early for Macy’s opening this morning [Inquirer]

Leftovers: Lucky Numbers

• Not content to wait for casinos, Pennsylvanians threw more money away in the lottery this year than any other year. And, hey, tomorrow’s Powerball is $187 million, so let’s do it some more! [KYW 1060]

• Tomorrow is the grand opening of Macy’s in the former Wanamaker’s/Lord & Taylor building, and the grand opening celebration includes three concerts. The finale? “The grand finale, themed ‘Americana’ and starting at 7:30 p.m., will include a 40-member choir, a six-piece brass ensemble, and indoor fireworks.” Gee, guys, could you do it up a little? [Inquirer]

• A few women in Pittsburgh went up and ordained themselves Roman Catholic priests — or, rather, were ordained by women saying they were Roman Catholic bishops. They probably freaked out your grandmother, too. [Inquirer]

• The York Daily Record byline strike — what, you haven’t been gripped by it? — is over, but management is still holding reporters’ bylines off stories as punishment. Gasp! This is almost as confusing as when the two papers in York swapped owners a few years back. [Editor & Publisher]