Inqlings | A new book and CD set the city can crow about
Illustrator Sandra Boynton, who grew up in Mount Airy and hit it big with animal-theme greeting cards and books, is doing eggstraordinarily well.
( By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist, 10/22/2002 10:30 AM EDT)

Inqlings | Peter Gabriel sets forth his relationship with Ira Einhorn
Rocker Peter Gabriel wants to be clear: He met Ira Einhorn a quarter-century ago but never planned to stand up for Holly Maddux's accused killer. (Early in Einhorn's current trial, attorney William Cannon said he might call Gabriel as a character witness.)
( By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist, 10/17/2002 09:28 AM EDT)

Table Talk
Jivan Kumar, one of the partners at Marlton's Tandoor Palace, has left to open his own place. It's Gagan Palace, at 211 S. Gibbsboro Rd. in Lindenwold (856-627-6200). Moderate prices. It's open Tuesdays through Sundays for lunch, nightly for dinner.
( By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist, 10/16/2002 12:10 PM EDT)

Inqlings | Counting Crows have suite time for student
When Moorestown's Kelly Pensiero, 17, arrived at the Liacouras Center at Temple University with her parents and two friends for Saturday's Counting Crows show, she expected to sit in the first level.
( By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist, 10/15/2002 10:49 AM EDT)

Inqlings | Justin's on a whirl with own record deal
It's all good for Doylestown's Justin Guarini, who finished second last month in Fox's American Idol talent search. He has an RCA record deal with producer Simon Fuller's 19 Recordings Limited label, just as winner Kelly Clarkson does. No indication when his first song will be out.
( By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist, 10/10/2002 10:12 AM EDT)

Table Talk | The Monte Carlo watch
Monte Carlo Living Room (150 South St.) reopens today with a new look and a new executive chef - Robert Capella, who held key roles at the Four Seasons, Le Bec-Fin, Tony Clark's, the Park Hyatt, and Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Most recently, Capella took time off to travel throughout Italy, France, Spain and Northern California; his food reflects those regions.
( By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist, 10/09/2002 10:34 AM EDT)

Inqlings | A starring role for Jersey Devil
New Jersey, the state that produced such notables as Bruce Springsteen, Frank Sinatra and Kevin Smith, also begat the Jersey Devil. According to legend, the 13th child of a 13th child turned into a hideous monster that stalks the Pine Barrens.
( By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist, 10/08/2002 08:21 AM EDT)

Inqlings | While he practices, she has tough job
While Todd MacCulloch works out with his 76ers teammates at training camp, wife Jana will be doing the real work. The moving van is to arrive this weekend at their new Main Line home.
( By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist, 10/06/2002 03:32 PM EDT)

Inqlings | What word won't some KYW anchors say?
You don't say. As a matter of course, news anchors at KYW-AM (1060) announce the sponsors of the station's traffic and transit reports.
( By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist, 10/03/2002 10:24 AM EDT)

Michael Klein | Table Talk with Michael Klein
Avenue B is out a chef, which means one of the town's top Italian chefs is out of a job. Francesco Martorella said last week that he was let go from the Neil Stein and Gabe Marabella restaurant after 14 months. (Creative differences, he said. No comment from the restaurateurs.) Martorella, who says he wants to open his own restaurant ("something small"), previously headed the kitchens of Blue Angel, Brasserie Perrier and the old Ritz-Carlton. Stein and Marabella are interviewing local and out-of-town...
( By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist, 10/02/2002 12:47 PM EDT)

Inqlings | The scarf that hoped to be a concert hall
Architects Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown, who do world-acclaimed work from Manayunk, worked for 10 years on a design for a Center City orchestra hall before they were taken off the project.
( By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist, 09/26/2002 01:42 PM EDT)

Table Talk | What's New
Bella, An American Bistro just opened at 20th and Lombard Streets (215-985-3222), formerly Waldorf Cafe. Owner Ali Waks, a transplanted New Yorker, gets her organizational background from her past as director of events at the Toy Building in Manhattan. Chef is Striped Bass alumna Debra Deaner, backed by Lorrie Thiel, also previously at Striped Bass. The concept is Slow Food, a movement that savors the old-fashioned, whole-food experience; it's dinner only ($10 to $18 for entrees). New Yorker Kate...
( By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist, 09/25/2002 04:19 PM EDT)

Inqlings | Spruce St.'s Italian flavor to get bolder
The stretch of Spruce Street near the Kimmel Center - already home to the luxe Vetri, Avenue B, Ernesto's, and the new Prima Donna - has turned into Philadelphia's upscale-Italian restaurant row.
( By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist, 09/24/2002 08:05 AM EDT)

Inqlings | A feast for Anglophiles: First, Sir Mick in town; next, authentic royalty
The royal watch is on, as red carpets come out of storage for Prince Andrew. More about him and what he won't eat in just a moment.
( By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist, 09/19/2002 11:03 AM EDT)

Table Talk
When the Rittenhouse Hotel lured Four Seasons retiree Jean-Marie Lacroix out of retirement, it promised him a beautifully outfitted restaurant overlooking Rittenhouse Square. After months of work, the $2.5 million Lacroix at the Rittenhouse (215-790-2533) opens Monday. Designer Marguerite Rodgers has transformed the former TreeTops into a gardenlike, second-floor setting that seems to bring the park indoors, complete with pebble entryway, statuary, and wood carvings reminiscent of the square's gazebo...
( By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist, 09/18/2002 11:33 AM EDT)

Inqlings | Monkees fan to wed a daydream
Huntingdon Valley's Donna Quinter this week will do what she's wanted to do since she was a little girl: Marry one of the Monkees.
( By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist, 09/17/2002 11:36 AM EDT)

Inqlings | Affleck has a way with the babies
Someone had better make Ben Affleck a father soon. During the local shooting of Jersey Girl, he's been spotted kissing and cuddling more babies than a political candidate with a lifetime supply of Chapstick.
( By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist, 09/16/2002 02:03 PM EDT)

Inqlings | Iverson gets into the act, too
Little Paulsboro has been working overtime in the spotlight department. Not only have Ben Affleck, George Carlin and Jennifer Lopez been spotted lately in the Gloucester County burg doing film work, so was Allen Iverson.
( By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist, 09/12/2002 01:51 PM EDT)

Table Talk with Michael Klein
Chef Peter Chen has opened where Angkor used to be, at 121 N. 11th St. (215-923-2438), in Chinatown. (If the Chen name is familiar, that's because for years it was attached to Family Chen, the now-closed Manayunk restaurant.) Chen, whose previous stop was in Washington, does an interesting though smaller-than-the-Chinatown-norm menu fusing Chinese, Korean, Thai and Italian; specialties include seafood fettuccine and kalbi, the Korean-style ribs. (Chen's wife, Mi-Kyung Hong, is Korean American.) It's...
( By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist, 09/11/2002 10:01 AM EDT)