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Yesterday, in a speech to the AFL-CIO, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton endeared herself to the citizens of Philadelphia by comparing herself to Philly’s Phavorite Phictional Phrized Phighter, Rocky Balboa: "Sen. Obama says he's getting tired of the campaign. His supporters say they want it to end," she said. "Could you imagine if Rocky Balboa had gotten halfway up those art museum stairs and said, 'Well, I guess that's about far enough?' That's not the way......

Oprah’s said it. The helpful Victoria Secret clerks say it. Our great-aunt Holly used to say it all the time: a well-fitting bra makes the woman. Today you can acquire said well-fitting brassiere and help raise money for breast cancer research at the same time at Fit for the Cure. Wacoal certified fitters will be on hand in the lingerie department at Macy’s Center City today from 11AM-5PM; for every woman who participates in a......

Sorry we left you craving more juicy commentary on yesterday's evening preview. We've added more juice to today's listings and we hope the added flavor is subtle but effective, leaving a lingering but not unpleasant aftertaste. PHILADELPHIA FUTURE SALON Most of us can agree that we want to be around for as much of the future as we can, but not everyone agrees on what it should like when we get there. Luckily, someone......

Some of you have off today. Others, not so much. In fairness, we will restrict today's list of things you should do to convince yourself that you are engaged and in tune with your city, if not the rest of your life, to things that fall into the "after work" category. LOST BOYS OF SUDAN STORYTELLING AT THE WHITE DOG CAFE Sudan's "Lost Boys" - children forced to become soldiers in the humanitarian nightmare......

Philly's 7th and 8th tallest buildings from below on Market Street. Photo by author, SkyscraperSunset.com, October 1, 2007.......

Holy crap, people! It's 2008! Take a moment. Process. Okay? Good. According to the Gregorian Calendar, the new year begins on the first day of January. According to several arts purveyors in Philadelphia, First Friday happens on, well, the first Friday of every month. Which happens to be today. So, if you're planning on partaking of the first First Friday activities of 2008, here are a few stops we'd suggest. The old Real World Philadelphia......

You know how we love the Reading Terminal Holiday Railroad. It's the holiday model train display that's set up annually just up the escalator from the Gallery, and when we see it going up, we know Christmas and the holidays are really on their way. You can see photos from the last two years' displays, and read us gushing about them, here and here. This year they've brought back more of the interactive elements......

If you're wondering what all those cops are doing hanging around near the Gallery this morning, it's not because somebody stole a rhinestone "You look better on MySpace" T-shirt; it's because W is coming to town! Yes, the President himself is coming to Philadelphia to speak at the American Legislative Exchange Council's Thomas Jefferson Freedom Breakfast at ALEC's 34th Annual Meeting at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown at 1201 Market Street. Plenty of other big-name political......

SEPTA's asking city zoning officials if they can wrap two stories of their office building at 1234 Market Street with a gigantic advertisement. Neighborhood leaders are pissed, but SEPTA says they need the money. Last night the second annual Greater Philadelphia Cappie Awards were held at Upper Darby High School Performing Arts Center. "The Critics and Awards Program or 'Cappies' [was] founded eight years ago in Washington, D.C., to recognize high school theater and journalism......

No this isn't an ode to the Rolling Stones (though we do hear the bass line from that song in our head when we're walking down Market Street in the summertime). This is an ode to our love, Philadelphia. We are counting the hours until we get back to your edgy goodness. Unlike our other trips to Vegas, this one sucks. Perhaps it is because we are travelling alone and aren't in the mood to......

This Phillyist's favorite Old City boutique is turning two this week. And the Smak girls are doin' it up proper with an in-store First Friday party that's spilling over to Saturday. Get yourself over to Smak Parlour by 5 tomorrow, where you'll sip on Smaktinis, ooh and ahh over the hottest new spring and summer designs, and enter to win prizes, such as a Smak jacket or a pink glitter Ibanez acoustic guitar. As if......

Wow! First Friday again? Guess that's what happens when you've got a month that's only twenty-eight days long. Unfortunately, Phillyist is going to have to miss this month (our duties in the world of theatre criticism call), but here are a couple of First Friday events we'd be hitting up if we weren't going to be in a darkened room twenty blocks away. The Peek-a-Boo Revue Burlesque: When The Five Spot burned down early last......

Westward view from the 14th floor of 2000 Market Street on a sticky Friday last summer. Photo by author via SkyscraperSunset.com, June 2, 2006.......

Well, not so much. But they are working to support a good cause, while celebrating Mardi Gras, and tomorrow night, you can join them. The Pennsylvania East Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers is hosting a Casino Night tomorrow at the Market Place Design Center. The event includes Creole-inspired cuisine, gaming tables, a silent auction, and raffle prizes. There will also be a DJ and a cash bar. And, of course, no Fat......

Oh look! Despite all evidence to the contrary, winter actually came to Philadelphia. Those of you with cars might not have noticed. Sure, it's cold when you first get in, but then your heater and/or heated seats kick in, and you're good to go. What you don't realize is that a lot of people don't have cars. Especially in a town that's ordinarily so great for pedestrians, like Philadelphia is. Those people do not have......

The Blue Cross RiverRink is hosting Skate With Sinatra this Sunday from 12:30-2:30 pm. Skaters on the ice will be treated to Ol' Blue Eyes' oevure pumped through the loudspeakers; for those, like Phillyist, who aren't crazy about being cold for long periods of time, the (heated) pavillion will offer some Frankie on the big screen, plus Sinatra Karaoke. Put on a suit and hat, drop by, and do your version of "My Way."......

At about 9:30 AM Saturday, a fire erupted in The Five Spot, an Old City restaurant and dance club located just off Market Street between 2nd and 3rd. By the time the Philadelphia Fire Department had the blaze under control about two hours later, the fire had caused enough damage to collapse floors, walls, and the roof. Much of the building will have to be demolished. Luckily, no injuries have been reported, although eight......

Is it First Friday again already? We had so much fun at the last one that we're not sure what time we finally got home. We do remember drinking plenty of wine and eating plenty of cheese. We even remember making some impulse purchases. Oh, and fawning over an artist that we've always admired, thereby probably frightening her a good deal. This month, we're going to try schmoozing first, drinking later, and see how that......

Phillyist likes to hibernate in the winter. There's something about the blustery freezing air rushing down Market Street in the morning that makes us disinclined to spend too much time out of doors or, indeed, out of bed. This Saturday, though, we might make an exception, if only because it will keep us out of the city wind tunnels: Tyler Arboretum, located in Media, will be giving a tour and demonstration of the "maple......

2000 Market Street reflects a cloudy but vibrant sky. Photo by author via SkyscraperSunset.com.......

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It doesn't feel like the holiday season to us, what with the temperature being more like fall than winter these past few weeks. A friend of ours captured our holiday mood best in his Christmas card. He crossed out the "Wishing you a special Christmas" message and wrote in "Up Yours." Don't be like us. Don't give in to the holiday humbugs. You have a few days left to get all kinds of original on......

Dear Philadelphia: I wouldn't say I had a particularly great weekend last weekend. I ended up doing something I really didn't want to do, because I am a woman of my word. But I managed to get a few hours to escape on Saturday afternoon, and because I was around the corner, I headed to the Old City Fall Festival in the part of the city most folks know best for First Friday. It......

Please welcome new Phillyist author Joe Ross who, in his following inaugural post, is giving our manners maven a run for her money. Joe likes pirate mini golf and The Princess Bride, and has plans to ultimately rid the planet of zombies once and for all. The old-fashioned, slow-moving zombies, that is. This morning I walked to work in the rain, sans umbrella (it was broken). I pressed the "10" and watched the door close,......

To the taxi driver who took me from my office in Center City to a meeting across the Schuylkill last Friday: I know what you were doing. At first I thought that you were just mindlessly agreeing with whoever you listened to. "Yes... Yes... Yes... Yes..." But no matter how boring the person on the other end of the line is, there's no way that that should continue from 16th and JFK to 30th......

A bus rockets down Market Street just after sunset. Photo by author, October 3, 2006.......

Performances: By Grimm (part of Vagabond Acting Troupe’s Journeys to the Edge) (Future performances); Austentatious (11th Hour Theatre Company) (Future performances); The Guided Tour (Kaibutsu) (Future performances); Granuaile and a Place at Howth (SAOIRSE Celtic Performance Troupe) (No future performances); Cell (Headlong Dance Theater) (All future performances sold out); Cell: Movement in Restricted Spaces (Group Motion Dance Company) (Future performances); Every Day Above Ground (SaBooge) (No future performances); Flip the Script (The Brick Playhouse) (Future......

Elvis Tribute Artist Sammy J....