Crowded House
Live Arts Festival + Philly Fringe
by Carolyn Huckabay
Usually we sit around the art meeting talking about upcoming issues and trying to come up with a couple of striking images that might work on our cover. This time we had a million of 'em. That's Fringe for you. »»

All The World's a Stage
These artists put their shows in weird places. Weirdness ensues.
by Deni Kasrel
"The audience is sitting on the same earth where people and their stories lie buried beneath. Obviously, we don't need props — we have everything there for us already. ... It adds a reality to the stories that you couldn't find elsewhere." »»

Obama and Original Sin
by Brian Howard
And, as it turns out, Philadelphia, we hosted Little Georgie's coming-out party. No, Philly didn't vote Bush. But it stings to be, essentially, ground zero for two terms of civil-rights butchering, foreign good will squandering, nation-unbuilding abominations. »»

Xu Sixpack?
Even though China is run by an autocratic society, the current and future economic prosperity that the leadership is bringing to its citizens is likely to have a dampening effect on any grassroots effort to change the government drastically. »»

Megawords Made Flesh
How — and why — a free arts magazine will become a storefront in Chinatown.
by A.D. Amorosi
For 30 days, Megawords' frequent contributors and like-minded friends will take over a burnt-orange storefront in Chinatown to allow the mag's playful personality to "come to life," according to co-founder Smyrski. »»

Icepack
Amorosi on the news, nightlife, gossip and bitchiness beats.
by A.D. Amorosi
Or did summer only truly get grisly when Bob & Barbara's and Tritone were nailed with L&I violations? And having all of New Jersey stay home due to high gas prices has hurt. Wait. That was the best part of summer. No matter. »»

Khat in the Act
Officials seized 63 pounds of an exotic substance. Do officials care?
by Isaiah Thompson
Sure, they know about it, they say. Plenty of people in Philadelphia chew it. Both men say they no longer do — but with as little vehemence as if saying they no longer do Jägerbombs. »»

The Bell Curve
City Paper's Quality-o-Life-o-Meter
When news breaks in Philadelphia, we make jokes. »»

Arts this Week is Fringe Coverage
Check it out!
»»

Last Chance
Catch it or Regret It
by Tami Fertig
Wildeornes | The Heart Is a Dagger Above All Else | Background Information »»

Just Do It
State Fair
by Mark Cofta
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II wrote only one movie musical — but after the phenomenal success of Oklahoma!, South Pacific and The King and I, staging the beloved State Fair was inevitable. »»

Disc-y Business
Missing work on Labor Day? Make it your job to snag these DVDs.
by Sam Adams
Some of Chow's funniest touches, like casting a hulking man with a dubbed-in voice as an awkwardly large little girl, might cause parents more confusion than children, but they'll both end up charmed in the end. »»

Spreading Germs
by Shaun Brady
While Crash's life follows the standard biopic arc, Grossman plays down Behind the Music dramatics in favor of an adoring portrait of an artist masterminding his own demise. »»

Is All that Jazz?
Bassist Todd Sickafoose walks the line between Pitchfork and Down Beat.
by Shaun Brady
"Of course it's a jazz band," he says. "I'm trying to write music that has a lot of improvisation that we play in clubs for people listening and drinking. I guess that's jazz music." »»

The Singer Comes First
Picking bluegrass legend Larry Sparks' brain before this weekend's big festival.
by Mary Armstrong
Labor Day weekend is this country's time for honoring working people. It's also the traditional time for the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival, celebrating its 37th birthday this year. »»

Marble Giant
The décor at Eric Ripert's long-awaited 10 Arts is awe-inspiring. The food is getting there.
by David Snyder
The most significant element 10 Arts borrowed from Philadelphia is the restaurant's philosophy of making seasonal, locally sourced ingredients a priority. But in the context of Philadelphia's highly evolved fresh and local dining scene, 10 Arts offerings are too safe and do not stand out in the crowd. »»

Feeding Frenzy
Restaurants opening, closing and pending
by Drew Lazor
Privé | Betty's Speakeasy | 1225 RAW Sushi & Sake Lounge »»

Kinky Text
Forget that other guy — WWKD?
by Molly Eichel
"But I've gotten criticism from Willie [Nelson] about not using e-mail. He thinks that keeps you out of the loop of the world. Of course, when he told me that, he was smoking a joint the size of a large kosher salami." »»

What We Heart
Labor Day Weekend Edition
by Rebecca Grites
In the spirit of Labor Day, you will inevitably be crashing your sort-of friend's cousin's neighbor's beach house at a most untimely hour. These kind of things deserve more than a scented candle of appreciation. »»

weird, confusing, older rounds
by James Beale
28 minutes ago
As I comb through my updates from vacation occasionally I've gotten some links that just make no sense. Instead of trying to sneakily include them »»

Liz Phair, TLA, 8/27
by lori hill
40 minutes ago
You said things I wouldn't say.It was truth in advertising. Liz Phair and three anonymous bandmates (she even forgot one of their last names — ouch) »»

Ciao, Cereality
by Drew Lazor
47 minutes ago
"The latest fast-food concept is so absurdly simple, self-indulgent and reflective of one's inner child that, well, how can it fail?" That quote, from »»

Sir Governor Barkley?
by molly.eichel
3 hours ago
Like our buddies Atrios and Mary Patel, Charles Barkley is also at the DNC this week. He revealed to the New York Daily News some of his higher political »»

Harry And Fletch
by atrios
3 hours ago
Just came from a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and a small group of bloggers where we learned that he's a big fan of Chevy Chase who »»

Cougars at the Philly Zoo > "cougars"
by Drew Lazor
4 hours ago
When's the last time you saw one of those horny old bags who skulk around Rittenhouse doing something cute like this? »»

25-1
by James Beale
5 hours ago
That is, as of today, the current odds that Vegas is giving the Philadelphia Eagles of winning the Super Bowl. They're 10-1 to win the NFC and 7-2 to »»

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These restaurants are recently added or updated

Du Jour Symphony House | 440 S. Broad St.

Restaurateur Marty Grims (The Moshulu) has unveiled the second location of his Du Jour Gourmet Market (the original’s in Haverford) on the