Daily Scoop DAILY SCOOP

STADIUM VENDORS CITED FOR HEALTH VIOLATIONS

You might want to eat before you head to an Eagles game. Plus: The Phils are closing in, what happens when a pension fund gets DROPped, and more of what Philly's talking about this morning

Posted on 7/30/2010 at 8:38AM | No Comments

Early Version of DROP Report Shows “Substantial” Cost Increase. We still won’t have hard numbers on DROP’s effect on the city’s pension fund until the official release next week, but one of the authors spilled the beans at an academic conference six months ago. [Inquirer]

Stadium Concessions Cited. A third of the food vendors at Lincoln Financial Field have been cited for critical health violations by the state Department of Agriculture; CBP and the former Wachovia Center aren’t exactly spotless either. [Metro]

The Braves Are Getting Nervous. At least, they’d better be — the Phils are just two and a half games back after an 11-inning, 3-2 win over the Diamondbacks. [Daily News]

Sestak Donates “Dirty Money” to Alex’s Lemonade Stand. After days of criticism from opponent Pat Toomey, the Sestak campaign decided that regifting $12,000 in contributions from U.S. Rep. Charlie Rangel — currently under fire for ethics violations — was “the right thing to do.” [Philly Clout]

There’s Nothing Like a 10-Year Lawsuit to Bring People Together. After a federal judge ruled last month that the city can’t evict the Boy Scouts of America from city-owned land for its anti-gay stance, both sides are finally sitting down to talk settlement. [Inquirer]

Now It’s Much Easier to Tweet How Late Your Plane Is. The airport is finally offering free wifi service every day of the week. [Winging It]

HughE Dillon HUGHE DILLON

HUGHE DILLON: THE BEST OF PHILLY PARTY

Winners! Glamour! Philly Celebs! All at the Constitution Center

Posted on 7/30/2010 at 10:46AM | 5 Comments

Growing up in the Delaware Valley you couldn’t help but notice the hoopla surrounding this magazine’s August Best of Philly issue. On Wednesday night, Philly Mag celebrated the 2010 Best of Philly winners at the Constitution Center. The turnout was big and included many of the city’s movers and shakers as well as the folks from the venues of distinction.


ABOVE: Elaine Grabar and Julianne Glantz were among some of the glamorous girls there. Julianne moved to Chicago with her husband last year, but flew in for the month of July to attend a few of the city’s big soirees and the Philly Mag shindig was high on her list. READ MORE

Preston & Steve PRESTON & STEVE

60 SECONDS WITH PRESTON & STEVE

Today's clip: Snooki's sexy swimsuit

Posted on 7/30/2010 at 9:28AM | No Comments

Click here to listen.

Hear PRESTON & STEVE weekday mornings on 93.3 WMMR.

Best of Philly BEST OF PHILLY

BEST OF PHILLY 2010 WINNER OF THE DAY

Today's winner: Best coach

Posted on 7/30/2010 at 9:22AM | 1 Comment

"Best of Philly 2010"  is on newsstands now.

Flyers coach Peter Laviolette took home the prize for best coach this year. Click here to see why.

“Best of Philly 2010″ is on newsstands now. Pick up your copy to see a complete list of this year’s winners.

Big Daddy Graham BIG DADDY GRAHAM

STUFF I DON’T UNDERSTAND

From Inception to street signs to Milton Street

Posted on 7/30/2010 at 9:21AM | 2 Comments

Geez, what a scam this Inception flick is pulling off. If you love the film, great. If you don’t, it’s BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T GET IT and you better go see it again. Now, I fell somewhere in the middle. There were certainly moments where I was confused, but it wasn’t because I thought I was too stupid to understand it. I just thought it was sloppy, convoluted writing and I simply stopped caring about everything that was going on up on the screen.

It was enjoyable enough, had good performances and excellent effects, but the movie never ultimately tugged at my heart like all great movies should do. READ MORE

Aaron Mettey AARON METTEY

DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS: SHOULD WE BE LAUGHING?

Steve Carell and Paul Rudd ought to be a dynamic duo

Posted on 7/30/2010 at 7:00AM | 1 Comment

During the screening of Dinner for Schmucks (PG-13), I was surrounded by uncontrollable laughter. Spasmodic laughter so great that it doubled over the flip-flop-wearing guys in front of me and brought them slamming back into their seats. Laughter that, I swear, actually elicited a high-five or two. Yet, there I sat — an occasional smile, an occasional laugh (more the equivalent of a golf clap) — without any guffaw in me. Seriously, was I missing something?

Dinner for Schmucks (based on the French film Les Diner de Cons) stars Paul Rudd as Tim, a corporate man looking to move up in his company. To snag a promotion he must find a complete loser to bring along to a company dinner. If he chooses well and his guest is selected as the loserest loser of them all, the job is his. So when he meets the hapless simpleton Barry, played by Steve Carell, he is sure he’ll win. What could beat a taxidermist who creates “mouse-terpieces” from stuffed mice? But, of course, the meanness of this dinner begins to weigh on Tim’s mind and the relationship with his girlfriend. And despite the fact that Barry brings nothing but pain, humiliation, and IRS audits, Tim can’t help from starting to like him. READ MORE

Ask Monica ASK MONICA

DATING DILEMMA: “HE WON’T INTRODUCE ME TO HIS FAMILY”

Plus: What to do when a divorcing friend puts her kids in the middle of the marital mess

Posted on 7/30/2010 at 7:00AM | 5 Comments

Monica,
I have been dating a guy for six months. We are both divorced with young kids. I have introduced him to my parents, my children and my friends. He has introduced me to no one on his side. He says he loves me and to be patient. What do you think? —K.J., Philadelphia

Many times a new girlfriend does not get to meet the kids unless the man believes that there is a future with the woman he is seeing. Clearly, you have deep feelings for your boyfriend and have shown him this by bringing him into your world.  He should know how you feel based on your actions. Sadly, it seems he is making a statement through his aloofness.

READ MORE

Beth Capriotti BETH CAPRIOTTI

A MOM’S LAST CHANCES

With my daughter heading off to college, I'm making a checklist ... and it's not about packing

Posted on 7/30/2010 at 7:00AM | No Comments

My daughter and I were visiting my mom on Long Beach Island last week and, due to Bedroom Shuffle, we ended up sleeping together. I’m an early riser so I woke before my daughter did. Well, truth be known, you could pretty much sleep until noon and still get up before a teenager but there I was at 6:30 in the morning. I looked over at my on-the-cusp-of-adulthood child and stared at her sweet face. Now, don’t get worried that I’m going to get all mushy and sentimental because, lately, about the only time I like her is when she’s asleep. But, while staring at her, I realized that this was probably the last time we’ll sleep together. She’s off to college in a few short weeks and it got me to thinking about The Last Time. You know, the last time you climbed a tree or swung on the monkey bars. I’m not talking about things you haven’t done in a while, I mean things that you have most certainly done for the last time. READ MORE

Best of Philly BEST OF PHILLY

BEST OF PHILLY 2010 WINNER OF THE DAY

Today's winner: Best workout

Posted on 7/29/2010 at 11:43AM | No Comments

MasterJay’s Roller-Skating Dance Class takes the award for best workout this year. Click here to see why.

Larry Mendte LARRY MENDTE

LINDSAY, LEBRON AND SNOOKI DON’T REPRESENT

While the media obsesses over bad twenty-somethings, there are young U.S. men and women fighting — and dying — overseas

Posted on 7/29/2010 at 9:52AM | 7 Comments

Twenty-somethings have been getting a bad rap the past month.

For years the media has been stalking the bad behavior of 24-year-old Lindsay Lohan, until she finally free-fell into jail. Her tearful plea to the judge was carried live on cable; even her tweets on twitter passed for news.

And then there was 25-year-old LeBron James, who went from being one of the most loved players in all of sports to one of the most reviled. LeBron broke the heart of Cleveland and manipulated us all to record ratings.

And finally there is the cast of Jersey Shore. Their new season is being covered as if they get Super Bowl ratings. They don’t. The show gets ratings more in line with a New Jersey Nets game. And yet the media is fascinated with this over-sexed, over-tanned, over-gelled, vacuous group of kids who trigger a gag reflex in most of us.

You might think from watching TV news that America’s future is in trouble; that our youth is out of control, selfish and self-obsessed.

That couldn’t be further than the truth. READ MORE