#phillycupidsbow

[maggiealbright]

@sebcox the franklin institute, midtown village

Putting on a show of formality came easily to Maggie, so attending the Franklin Institute's Gala was something akin to second nature; she'd spent so much time at events for her family's foundation growing up that she'd learned quickly how to schmooze, how to smile, how to sustain a night dancing in heels. The pediatric unit had asked her to show face, and so she had — with Danny in tow — content to spend the evening drinking overpriced cocktails and making idle chit chat. And that's exactly what she'd been relegated to, Danny off doing God knows what, when she spotted a familiar face. She couldn't help the grin that overtook her features, and she rushed to suppress it as she excused herself quickly from the group she stood chatting with to stalk across the room to the man standing alone, nursing his cocktail, clearly out of his element.

"We've got to stop running into each other like this," she teased as she approached Sebastian, thoroughly bemused.

[philadelphia-hq]

Hello Philly!

Just a reminder that the event is officially open and date baskets have been posted to bid upon. For further information on how the basket bids work, please follow the link in the source. Winners of each basket will be posted on Tuesday, February 14th! Good luck, lovebirds!

— Admin Darby

[philly-media]

looking for love in all the wrong places? maybe it’s time to leave it up to chance.

Every year, the City of Philadelphia sponsors a date basket auction, where you can buy raffle tickets and enter for a chance to win a date with a random resident! Participants are tasked with designing a basket and accompanied anonymous description of what they have planned.

The proceeds benefit a particular charity every year, and this year the City has chosen the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia as their recipient!

Baskets can be as literal or figurative as you’d like them to appear. They can either provide an aesthetic overview for the evening or quite literally show items that would be contained in the basket, the artistic flair is yours to take and run with!

The fun in this event is truly allowing it to be anonymous, so only the Admin will know who created what basket, and the winner will win from a random number picked based upon those who bid.

All winners and their dates will be announced on February 14th!

For questions about designs or other aspects of this event off-shoot, please do not hesitate to message the main.

***Depending on numbers, all bidders may not receive a date.

please submit all baskets by february 10th.

[maggiealbright]

"Oh, trust me—I do," she insisted, and found that a significant portion of her actually meant it; Sebastian's company was a treat, especially right now, when she'd spent most of the night schmoozing strangers. Danny, as always, was a loyal companion, but she didn't expect him to actually enjoy himself, and she was happy when he found interest in a beautiful young woman and headed off to "chat." She was only so glad she had found Sebastian, then. "Oh! Well, excuse me!" She countered, smile wide as he made a show of turning away from her and then back to face her. "Don't worry, if we're not, we'll find out soon enough," she reassured him, half-jokingly. They were certainly compatible in the departments that counted to Maggie, which was all that mattered. She smiled as he spoke of his mother, then, bemused and slightly touched that he was letting her in on that aspect of his life. "Oh, no, you're totally right to be afraid of teenagers. They're the scariest people on the planet. They're so mean," she stressed, dismayed. The amount of fifteen-year-olds she'd seen bully their moms in her line of work was truly astounding. "But you can't blame your mom for being proud. It's no small feat, being an actually successful musician. I'm not going to lie — when you told me that, I didn't belive you."

"You don't? Alright then in that case it means I'm a catch. Total package. You should consider yourself lucky," Sebastian joked with just enough confidence to be endearing as he laughed it off. Truth be told, he didn't actually believe in astrology despite some of its accuracy, but California had certainly lead him to individuals who thought that mattered when meeting new people and perhaps it rubbed off on him a little. "You're a gemini..." He repeated, eyes squinting for a moment before he shook his head, "Yeah, that's not gonna work for me," He added and pretended to turn around and leave but circled right back to her. "I'm just gonna go out on a limb and say we're pretty compatible," He didn't need the stars to tell him that known truth. Thankfully Sebastian had been lucky enough to skip a lot of galas and parties like this one but it seemed Maggie hadn't been as fortunate on that front. Tonight, however, it didn't seem all that bad to him, thought that was entirely due to her company. "Alright so this is the fun crew right here. Guess we gotta band together and get up to some trouble," To Sebastian, fun and trouble had always been synonymous and tonight was no different. "You know, it's kind of embarrassing how proud she is. She plays my music for her students, and I'm not the kinda guy who gets nervous about people listening to my music, but those teenagers really do scare me sometimes," Sebastian said with a chuckle as he gave a bashful shake of his head. After all, it was silly, but he did appreciate how supportive his mother always was despite anyone else's opinions on his career.

[philadelphia-hq]

EVENT ONE: CUPID’S BOW

“I LIKE LARGE PARTIES. THEY’RE SO INTIMATE. AT SMALL PARTIES THERE ISN’T ANY PRIVACY”

The City of Philadelphia is proud to announce the annual Lover’s Ball, this year hosted in connection with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Jefferson Institute. For one night, and one night only, the Institute will be opening its doors and taking a step back in time! Yes, to the glitz and glamor, where the drinks were plentiful and the dances were riotous. It can only be the Roaring ‘20s! So, grab a gown (1920′s flapper dresses are highly encouraged), grab a partner — and don’t forget the secret password! The Jefferson Institute will be transformed into a Gatsby wonderland, fit for any Jay or Daisy. And, whilst you’re sipping on mint juleps, don’t forget to bid on one of our baskets, you never know what you might win... And remember, all proceeds go to benefit the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia!

LOCATION: The Franklin Institute

DATE: Saturday, February 11th, 2023

TIME: 7pm-12am

DRESS CODE: Black Tie Formal

“YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE”

But, perhaps the 1920’s aren’t quite your thing though, and you much prefer a more modern era. Fear not, for Puente have got you covered with their annual ‘Anti-Valentines’ party, this year with an 90s twist ( of lime ) taking inspiration from the iconic movie Romeo+Juliet. Choose your house — Capulet or Montague, and dress in your houses colors ( Red for you Capulets, Blue for the Montagues ). Your favorite spot for sinning will be open from 10pm till 3am, and with a whole raft of brand new, one off drinks on the menu, there’s plenty of time to track down a fish tank and find a partner on the other side. Just remember the rule, what happens at Puente, stays at Puente. Oh - and stay away from balconies.

LOCATION: Puente

DATE: Saturday, February 11th, 2023

TIME: 10pm-3am

DRESS CODE: 90′s Cool

* Puente is not associated with the City of Philadelphia. The City of Philadelphia is not responsible for any of the events that take place on Puente’s premises.

As you can see from the description above, there will be two parties on the same night — the ‘official’ city run event, which will be a 1920s themed ball, complete with charity basket bids and giving everyone the chance to schmooze and dance ( the City of Philadelphia has of course, invited a top DJ for the evening. None of that megamix nonsense for this event no siree ), and the unofficial - Anti-Valentines party at Puente. The Jefferson Institute event will be hosted in one main room, but you can feel free to explore the many exhibits, which will be open to party-goers!

For further details about basket bids please click HERE. Basket bids must be in the inbox by the 11th February in order to be included. Submitted basket bids will then be posted HERE.

The Puente event will be taking place simultaneously across town, and will function as a standard nightclub, albeit a nightclub that’s taken a trip back to the 1990s.

Your muses can attend both events - The Lover’s Ball will end at midnight, and Puente will remain open for another three hours, but please feel free to be creative with this. If your character isn’t the sort of person that would go to a city ball at all, then they can spend the whole night at Puente. Or perhaps there may be a party crasher or two? Either way we want you to have fun with this event. Philadelphia’s Cupid’s Bow event will be running from Friday 10th-Sunday 21st February.

Please tag anything to do with the event with #phillycupidsbow - this can be anything from threads, self paras, outfits ( between the 1920s aesthetic and the Baz Luhrmann vibe I’m sure you can come up with something ). If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the main and I’ll attempt to answer anything I can!

Otherwise - look out for Cupid’s bow!

~ Admin Darby

[philly-media]

BASKET #6

Animal lover?  Come get a behind the scenes view at America's first zoo! The winner will receive a VIP tour, including experiences with animals and staff not open to the public!  And once we're done waddling with the penguins, roaring with the lions and hanging with the monkeys, we'll finish the day off with a picnic in the warmth of the avian house! Free feel to bring along a loved little one in your life!

[philly-media]

BASKET #5

A date filled with culture, champagne and creativity! We'll start the day at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, I'll bring the coffee and pastries to get us going. After taking in the artwork and hopefully finding some inspiration, we'll enjoy a leisurely lunch at Parc with champagne for two. Once we've eaten we'll go on to Flowers and Co. where we can put our inspiration to good use and create something of our own.

[philly-media]

BASKET #4

The perfect evening - a few rounds of bowling followed by a visit to Loco Pez. If you're lucky I'll share some of my favorites with you. To finish we'll grab a beer at Fishtown Tavern, loser buys the first round.

[philly-media]

BASKET #3

Enjoy an evening of axe throwing, where you can picture your ex as the target, since you were single enough to bid on a basket...

And if you’re bitter over an ex, enjoy a few drinks and eat your feelings with someone who is certain to be better company.

[philly-media]

BASKET #2

Overwhelmed by the more…intense aspects of Valentine’s day? Looking for something more casual? Join me for a lighthearted and fun-filled boozy flower arranging class! Come with me to a local florist for a special flower arranging session, where we’ll craft the perfect bouquet to bring home with us…or maybe give to someone extra special. I’ll bring the fixings for some specialty cocktails and some light snacks – the only thing you need to bring is yourself!

[philly-media]

BASKET #1

Spend a day with Philadelphia’s bravest...

Start your day with a hot coffee brought to your home, where your local Philadelphia firefighter will check your smoke alarms and make sure your home is protected.

Receive a complimentary Philadelphia Fire Department T-Shirt so you can show your support wherever you go.

Tour your local station, slide on the fire pole, try on a set of bunker gear and ride along on a call! 

At the end of your day, you’ll receive a calendar of Philadelphia’s finest... Showing off their very best assets.

[maggiealbright]

Maggie lifted her brows teasingly, as if inviting Sebastian to argue her point. When he confirmed her suspicion—and invited more by way of his dropping his astrological sign—Maggie couldn't help but chortle goodnaturedly. "I have no idea what that means," she admitted, slightly sheepish. "But I'm a Gemini, for whatever that's worth," she offered. Each new interaction with Sebastian revealed something interesting about him, and Maggie found she was eager to uncover more information, and unlock more history. She rolled her eyes at his remark about her attractiveness, though she'd be lying if she said it wasn't somewhat effective; a small blush tinged the apples of her cheeks. She was eager to change the subject. "I definitely...knew how to have fun," she teased, eyes narrowing slightly. "It gets boring when you're one of, like, five kids at one of these things. You've gotta band together. Like us, right now," she offered, taking a sip of her champagne. She swallowed, listening to Sebastian eagerly, and smiled. "That's really nice, actually. I'm sure your mom appreciates having you on her arm." She didn't feel the need to dig into details about why it was Sebastian on his mothers' arm and not, say, his dad—she was deft enough to assume there was certainly a reason, and if he hadn't told her yet, it wasn't her business to be concerned with. "She must be so proud of you—a handsome rock star son," Maggie teased, smirking.

"Me, a softy?" Sebastian repeated with an amused scoff before he gave way to a sincere smile. Being back home seemed to bring out that side of him, that much he had been sure of. After all, Sebastian had learned to compartmentalize when he was on the road. Doing shows and becoming a rockstar for his fans had been a persona, one that was just an extension of himself but not as genuine or authentic. Coming back to Philadelphia and being around his mother had truly humbled him, but it also brought him back to his roots. "Yeah you might be on to something there, I'm also more of a lover than a fighter, and a scorpio sun, if you're interested," He grinned and shrugged his shoulders. Truth be told, these events were something he definitely didn't miss but it was nice to know his mother was having fun with her friends and colleagues. She still hadn't quite recovered from his father's passing but after tonight, Sebastian liked to think she was beginning to accept the loss and was beginning to slowly move on. "I'd also argue you're way too good looking to be here too," He added, glancing around the room as his view consisted of much older people talking and drinking. At this point it was just a fact. "Wow I bet you were a real troublemaker back in the day, huh," Sebastian couldn't help himself. While he didn't know Maggie that well, he was always elated at the new information she chose to share with him. "My mother. She's on the school board and didn't wanna come alone. She loves bragging about me to all her friends so it seemed like the least I could do, you know?"

[maggiealbright]

Maggie smirked, dutifully charmed. "You know, the more time we spend together, the more I realize what a softy you are, Sebastian," she cooed teasingly. He was interesting, certainly, but never intentionally vague or hard to read—the intentions, or lack thereof, were immediately clear with him, which Maggie had found refreshing and obviously attractive. She felt a sort of relief in the fact that she'd run into him tonight; she wasn't ever really inherently aware of how much she enjoyed his company until she was in it, and then she was glad to have fallen into his orbit once again. She glanced around the room as he spoke of the nature of the event, evaluating their surrounding. "Well, I mean—they are painfully boring, so that's not helping their case," she agreed. "I also don't feel like I'm wealthy or annoying enough to be here, although I guess there's always room for growth on the second thing," she joked dryly. "Ironically enough, I grew up coming to these...ragers. But I'm only here because my boss asked me to come. I work in pediatrics, so it looks good for us to support the Children's Hospital." She shrugged, then, as if to convey that the decision was truly out of her hands. "What about you? Who roped you into it?"

Sebastian's mother had been a teacher for nearly thirty years before recently joining the school board, which meant she liked mingling with everyone in town, which also meant that she was most certainly going to be at the Franklin Institute and dragging her successful and interesting son along with her. His mother liked to brag about his achievements even though she didn't always understand them. Thankfully, Sebastian had found some peace and quiet after some time talking to his mother's book club friends, and it was safe to say he was nursing his beer pretty hard at that point when none other than Maggie seemed to steal his attention. Instantly his features lit up with a smile at the sight of her and he suddenly didn't feel so miserable, "Yeah, we really do. Otherwise you might get me believing in a little something called fate," Sebastian added with a faint chuckle. He wasn't naive enough to believe in something so silly, however, he did believe in good timing and Maggie certainly had it. "You know I've done big parties and events before, but there's just somethin' about these kind of things that bum me out, you know?" Maybe it was the fact that he was surrounded by people from his hometown consisting of his mother and her colleagues, or maybe it was because he was entirely too sober, either way, Sebastian needed a boost. "So what are you doing here anyway? This doesn't seem like your vibe."