Philadelphia, PA (April 7, 2009)- Philadelphia Phillies star pitcher Cole Hamels, joined by wife Heidi Hamels, Publisher John Colabelli and Editor in Chief Sarah Schaffer, celebrated Cole’s feature cover story in Niche Media’s March/April issue of Philadelphia Style magazine in Philadelphia on Monday, April 6, 2009.

The official issue party welcomed home the newest World Series MVP from spring training at The Residences at Two Liberty Place. In addition to celebrating his Philadelphia Style cover story by Pete Proko, Philly favorite Hamels toasted the new 2009 baseball season with family, friends and team mates. The event also raised awareness and donations for The Hamels Foundation, founded by Cole and Heidi Hamels, dedicated to enriching the lives and education of children giving them tools of empowerment to reach their goals.

Among the guests who attended the fete, included ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio, Sharon Pinkenson of the Greater Philadelphia Film Office, FOX Philadelphia’s John Bolaris, WIP Sports Radio host Howard Eskin, and Former 76ers president Billy King among others. Guests enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres provided by famed Chef Daniel Stern, Moet & Chandon, Stella Artois, Bud Light, and Coca-Cola.

Please view photos from this event on Wire Image.

About Niche Media Holdings: Niche Media, a subsidiary of Greenspun Media Group, was founded in 1992 and is the country’s preeminent regional magazine company with the largest network of city-specific luxury publications in the United States. Niche Media consistently delivers the finest editorial content and advertising to a controlled group of influencers with the highest disposable incomes in each city. Niche Media reaches readers who maintain annual household incomes of at least $200,000 and have liquid assets in excess of $1 million, making the pages of these glossies some of the most valuable real estate in publishing.

Cole Hamels rehashes to Niche Media's Philadelphia Style magazine about a recent media storm that he created when he was bated by a New York sports-talk show radio host into calling the New York Mets 'choke artists'.

Hamels insists that "I didn't even realize what I did until I was getting calls from people telling me that it was on [ESPN's] SportsCenter.

"I'm not the guy who wants to be in the papers because of what he says" Hamels tells Philadelphia Style for his March cover story. From now on, he adds, he'll let his play on the field do the talking.

That’s good news.

Spotted: JON BON JOVI at the launch party for the new Philadelphia Style magazine!

The rocker — who appears on the cover — joined guests at Philadelphia’s City Hall Atrium to usher in the new mag, which features the best in shopping, dining and local happenings.

Terrance Howard celebrated his appearance on the cover of Philadelphia Style magazine with Diageo at 10 Arts restaurant in Philadelphia on July 22.

PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM: Terrence Howard hosting an impromptu listening party for his upcoming album at 10 Arts restaurant in Philadelphia during a soiree for his Philadelphia Style magazine cover.

BROTHERLY LOVE: Jon Bon Jovi, hosting the launch party for Philadelphia Style magazine at Philly’s City Hall Atrium.

"THE chicken lady says hi," said "Jersey Boys" star Jared Spector to Jon Bon Jovi at the launch party for Philadelphia Style magazine. When Philly Mayor Michael Nutter and publisher Jason Binn scratched their heads, Bon Jovi smiled and Spector explained that the chicken lady is their mutual voice coach, Katie Agresta, who has also helped Lenny Kravitz, Cyndi Lauper and Steven Tyler, and who has become known for her "Voodoo Voice" techniques. "It's been said that all she has to do is rip a chicken's head off and you'll be cured of everything," said Spector.

JON Bon Jovi loves when "Living on a Prayer" and "Wanted: Dead or Alive" blast on the radio - but doesn't feel the same about the tracks on his 1985 album, "7800 Degrees Fahrenheit," like "Tokyo Road" or "Secret Dreams." Bon Jovi told Philadelphia Style magazine that if one album makes him wince, it's "Fahrenheit," adding, "My whole second album I try to avoid. The one I recorded in Philly, as a matter of fact."

Niche Media (Gotham, Hamptons, et al) has acquired Philadelphia Style, Keith Kelly reported today in The New York Post.

The magazine will relaunch in May with signature Niche stylings: Oversize trim, super glossy paper, lotsa party pictures. Frequency and distribution will remain the same. Get ready to party, Philly.

Niche Media has agreed to take over Philadelphia Style, according to well-placed industry sources, signaling an intensifying battle in the luxury market between Niche and rival Modern Luxury, even as the economy softens.

The bi-monthly magazine with a circulation of 70,000 is the first aquisition since November, when Jason Binn, founder of 15-year-old Niche, sold his company to Las Vegas-based Greenspun Media and merged it with Jerry Powers at Ocean Drive Media in Miami and became CEO of the combined entity. Niche publishes Gotham and LA Confidential.

The deal was designed to combine regional luxury-oriented magazines into a national network that could compete with Modern Luxury, which has embarked on an ambitious expansion drive to launch upscale city magazines ever since Clarity Partners bought out Roy Disney's Shamrock Holdings for $250 million last year.

Modern Luxury publishes Angeleo, The Atlantan and CS (formerly Chicago Social). It recently began publishing in New York, home base to Binn's glossy Gotham.

Dana Spain-Smith, the scion of the Dollar Express founder Bernie Spain, currently runs Philadelphia Style. The elder Spain sold the Dollar Express chain in 2000. That was right around the time that Spain-Smith bought Philadelphia Style from founder John Colabelli. Spain-Smith could not be reached for comment at presstime.