Dan Cirucci: Fishy Fun

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Fishy Fun

McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant opposite City Hall in Philadelphia has long been one of our favorites. Their fresh-daily fish is simply prepared and served in an inviting atmosphere that encourages conviviality. And the bar features a great daily happy hours with $1.95 entrees.

Today McCormick's crosses the Delaware and opens at Garden State Park in Cherry Hill. But last night invited guests were treated to a red-carpet preview of this spacious new eatery complete with Hollywood skylights, valet parking and live music. The crowd was large, loud and Very Happy and the tastings included crab cakes, calamari, broiled chicken, oysters on the shell, shrimp, ahi tuna and mini burgers.

More than 40 McCormick staffers worked the event and all were friendly, courteous and helpful. We spotted many familiar faces in the crowd and chatted with Cherry Hill Mayor Bernie Platt, former Pennsylvania State Senator Bob Rovner, Philadelphia Tribune correspondent Bobbi Booker and our old friend Mary Fallon of Haddonfield.

Mayor Platt told us that this McCormick's is the first in the nation to open along with its sister restaurant, William Douglas Steakhouse -- named for founders Bill McCormick and Doug Schmick. The Steakhouse will open in a few weeks. While McCormicks & Schmick's will serve lunch and dinner, William Douglas will be a dinner-only destination, offering prime cuts of beef and such features as a live pianist. We got a sneak peak at the steakhouse and I can report that it is upscale - very clubby with dark woods, velvet drapes, comfortable chairs, soft lighting and intimate cushy booths.

BTW: This new McCormick's will feature the same low-priced happy hour as the Philadelphia eatery.

Mayor Platt is justifiably thrilled about the opening of McCormick's, William Douglas and all of the other developments along Cherry Hill's Haddonfield Road power corridor stretching from Route 70 to the Cherry Hill Mall where Crate and Barrel and The Container Store have already arrived and Nordstrom, Maggiano's and others will soon follow. Any town would give its all to have any one of these names while Cherry Hill has attracted all of these as well as Wegman's. And the list just seems to keep growing.

While we were at the party Bob Rovner reminded us of his radio programs: Senator Bob Rovner Talks To The Stars every Friday at 1 PM on WNWR, 1540 AM and his Saturday gig at 2 PM with Councilman Frank Rizzo on WWDB, 860 AM.

After we departed McCormick's we headed down the road a bit to Cold Stone Cremery and treated ourselves to White Chocolate and Sweet Cream.

Photo: Courier Post

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About Dan Cirucci

He's been cited by the late Rush Limbaugh, quoted in the New York Times, featured at Real Clear Politics and Lucianne.com and interviewed across all media.

He's Dan Cirucci, the founder and editor-in chief of the Dan Cirucci Blog, a Save Jersey blog columnist, frequent guest on the Matt Rooney radio show and one of the most widely honored public relations professionals in his field. He's also been a public relations consultant to numerous organizations and individuals and hosted The Advocates on RVN-TV.

Inducted into the Philadelphia Public Relations Hall of Fame, for many years he served as a Lecturer in Corporate Communication at Penn State University. A former President of the Philadelphia Public Relations Association (PPRA) he has lectured at Rowan University, Temple University, The College of New Jersey and Arcadia University. He has conducted workshops on public relations for thousands of participants throughout the nation and has taught countless others the art of public speaking. He has also advised numerous lawyers, judges, public officials and political candidates.

Cirucci is a prolific writer and his op-ed pieces have appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Courier-Post, Broad and Liberty and other print and online platforms.

A native of Camden NJ, Cirucci is a former President of the Philadelphia chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. Cirucci served as Associate Executive Director of the Philadelphia Bar Association for nearly 30 years. He served as Chair of Penn State University's Professional Advisory Board for the Corporate Communication major at Penn State Abington and on the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Judicial Selection Commission.

He received his MA degree from Rowan University and his BA from Villanova University. He has been named a Distinguished Alumnus of Rowan's public relations program and received the E. A. "Wally" Richter Leadership Award, the highest honor from the National Association of Bar Executives' Communications Section. He has also been honored by numerous other local, state and national groups.

In his hometown of Camden, Cirucci taught fifth grade at the Ulysses Wiggins Elementary School named for the founder of the Camden NAACP. There he was one of the first teachers in the country to teach African-American history to inner city students. He later served as editor of a local weekly newspaper, as Assistant to the Township Manager of Cherry Hill Township and as Associate Director of Communications at the New Jersey State Bar Association.

Cirucci's passions include all things Italian, politics, the popular culture, books and authors, art, communication, music, theatre, movies, dining and travel.

He and his wife Carole have two grown children and seven grandchildren.

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