Capital Grille

President Bill Clinton picked up a few books from the bargain and new fiction departments at the Barnes & Noble (102 Park) in Willow Grove Thursday evening before attending a rally for Democratic state Attorney Genereal candidate Kathleen Kane. The visit was a surprise to the store and its customers who certainly took notice of Clinton and his Secret Service detail. Clinton stopped to take a few photos with customers and chat a little bit before heading to Upper Moreland High School for the Kane rally.

About 250 art students were evacuated from a 17-story Center City building and two restaurants on the ground floor were temporarily closed after dangerous levels of carbon monoxide set off alarms before dawn yesterday. Investigators had not determined the source of the odorless but deadly gas in the historic building on the southeast corner of Broad and Chestnut Streets by late yesterday afternoon, said Capt. Richard Davison, a Fire Department spokesman. Jared Rosado and his roommate, Nick Ryan, had slept through the alarm when they were awakened by firefighters who had entered their 17th-floor unit.

POSITION: Center HEIGHT, WEIGHT: 6-4, 330 Age: 28. BIRTHDATE: May 8, 1980. HOMETOWN: Miami COLLEGE: Delaware State YEARS PRO: 6 HOW ACQUIRED: Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2003. CAREER: Has made 50 consecutive regular-season starts, fifth-most among NFL centers. MEMORABLE JOB: Worked at the Carmike movie theater in Dover, Del., while in college. "I was a doorman and also scraped my share of gum. " PLAYER HE WISHES HE COULD HAVE SEEN IN PERSON: "I don't know, I was kind of a dork when I was small and wasn't into sports.

IT WAS A summery afternoon and the Chain Gang was craving crab cakes so we decided to try the new Phillips' seafood restaurant at the Sheraton Hotel at 16th and Vine. "Seems kind of fancy," one Gangster said as we entered. "Seems kind of empty," said another. A few seconds later we learned Phillips was closed for lunch and although we were offered the option of dining buffet-style in the Sheraton lobby, the Chain Gang has standards - the hotel may be a chain, but the lobby wasn't.

Neil Stein's troubled Avenue B restaurant, which he opened 30 months ago hoping to lure theater crowds from the nearby Kimmel Center, will close permanently after dinner is served Sunday night. The glittering Italian restaurant becomes the third high-profile failure in a half-dozen years - after Joseph's on the Avenue and Bonaparte - at the prime corner of Broad and Spruce Streets. Stein said yesterday that two days of talks to save the restaurant by recasting it as a less expensive bistro failed because the building owners would not renegotiate the rent.

_ Say it fast three times: Center City Sips. Center City Sips. Center City Sips. Did you get it right? Reward yourself with a $4 cocktail, $2 beer or $3 glass of wine every Wednesday through Aug. 31 at participating bars and restaurants. Half-price appetizers, too, and some places offer a 15 percent dinner discount after 7 p.m. Find out more at www.centercityphila.org/life/Sips.phpa . Twitter follow @CCDSips. _ Speaking of drinks, how about the Raise a Drink for Tomorrow fundraiser from 5:30-8 p.m. Saturday at the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center (640 Water Works Drive)

The vice chairwoman of the city's Zoning Code Commission resigned from that post and her seat on the Planning Commission last week after Mayor Nutter's chief integrity officer said she had violated a ban on political activity. Natalia Olson Urtecho was listed as one of three hosts for a fundraiser in Center City last month for U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak's campaign for the U.S. Senate. Joan Markman, Nutter's chief integrity officer, said Urtecho was advised when she accepted both posts in January 2008 that she could not engage in political activity like the fundraiser.

Fast food is often fat food, and eating it - even once a week - will probably not bring about weight loss, lower your bad cholesterol, or have a positive effect on your blood pressure. But should the city step in? Should Philadelphia require every high- and lowbrow chain restaurant to post nutrition content right on the menu or a wall? Absolutely, says Blondell Reynolds Brown, an at-large member of Philadelphia City Council whose bill would force even franchised chain restaurants to post what most see as the bad news about their food.

Man Lam, a veteran of Chinatown's Ting Wong , and wife Shu Jie Lin are first-time owners with M Kee (1002 Race St., 215-238-8883), in a former produce store. They specialize in noodle dishes, pork, and duck - they hang in the window here - in a utilitarian atmosphere that's reminiscent of the original Sang Kee around the corner. Most dishes are under $7 and it's open from morning into the late evening. What's new The brick-oven-pizza and craft-beer spot Birra is open at 1700 E. Passyunk Ave. (267-324-3127)

President Bill Clinton picked up a few books from the bargain and new fiction departments at the Barnes & Noble (102 Park) in Willow Grove Thursday evening before attending a rally for Democratic state Attorney Genereal candidate Kathleen Kane. The visit was a surprise to the store and its customers who certainly took notice of Clinton and his Secret Service detail. Clinton stopped to take a few photos with customers and chat a little bit before heading to Upper Moreland High School for the Kane rally.

Man Lam, a veteran of Chinatown's Ting Wong , and wife Shu Jie Lin are first-time owners with M Kee (1002 Race St., 215-238-8883), in a former produce store. They specialize in noodle dishes, pork, and duck - they hang in the window here - in a utilitarian atmosphere that's reminiscent of the original Sang Kee around the corner. Most dishes are under $7 and it's open from morning into the late evening. What's new The brick-oven-pizza and craft-beer spot Birra is open at 1700 E. Passyunk Ave. (267-324-3127)

3-month and 6-month bills , Oct. 17; 1-year bills , Oct. 18; 2-year notes , Oct. 25; 3-year notes , Nov. 8; 5-year notes , Oct. 26; 7-year notes, Oct. 27; 5-year TIPS , Dec. 22; 10-year TIPS , Nov. 17; 30-year TIPS , Oct. 20. Business Referral Luncheon presented by BNI, King of Prussia chapter. Peppers restaurant, 236 Town Center Rd., King of Prussia; 610-792-2105. Reservations required. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Networking Meeting presented by BNI, Fort Washington chapter.

_ Say it fast three times: Center City Sips. Center City Sips. Center City Sips. Did you get it right? Reward yourself with a $4 cocktail, $2 beer or $3 glass of wine every Wednesday through Aug. 31 at participating bars and restaurants. Half-price appetizers, too, and some places offer a 15 percent dinner discount after 7 p.m. Find out more at www.centercityphila.org/life/Sips.phpa . Twitter follow @CCDSips. _ Speaking of drinks, how about the Raise a Drink for Tomorrow fundraiser from 5:30-8 p.m. Saturday at the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center (640 Water Works Drive)

Nearly six years ago, the Italian bar-restaurant Pepperoncini joined the restaurant boom in Conshohocken. This week, its second location is opening in another bustling burg: Phoenixville. Pepperoncini Sotto (184 Bridge St., Phoenixville, 484-924-8249) assumes the subterranean space at Bridge and Main Streets, beneath the Mainstay Inn, that previously accommodated Dan's Sports Pub and Spectators. In this larger location - with an exposed-stone foundation and enlivened by bright colors - partners Tom DeFruscio, Dan Duffy, and Paul DiBona had chef Francesco Buto set up a larger menu, including entree sandwiches.

The asking price for Donovan McNabb's old 10-acre spread in Moorestown, which went on the market in May for $2.5 million, has dropped to $2 million. The Eagles alum, now with the Redskins, bought a house in the D.C. area in the spring. If you're wondering about former Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens' place in Moorestown, which he listed at $4.4 million nearly five years ago - it's still up for sale, at $2,675,000. Also on the former-Philly-athlete real estate front: 76ers guard Eric Snow and his wife, DeShawn , are selling their suburban Atlanta mansion amid their divorce.

The vice chairwoman of the city's Zoning Code Commission resigned from that post and her seat on the Planning Commission last week after Mayor Nutter's chief integrity officer said she had violated a ban on political activity. Natalia Olson Urtecho was listed as one of three hosts for a fundraiser in Center City last month for U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak's campaign for the U.S. Senate. Joan Markman, Nutter's chief integrity officer, said Urtecho was advised when she accepted both posts in January 2008 that she could not engage in political activity like the fundraiser.

If you find yourself this holiday weekend with a houseful of energetic young tots and hungry parents, a trip to The Little Treehouse, in Chestnut Hill, will fill some hours with play and feed the crew with organic healthy options for a reasonable bill. Think a Chuck E. Cheese's, slow food, Please Touch Museum mash-up. This concept was the brainchild of owner Rachel Williams. As a mom of three little ones, she wanted a place with the community of a Starbucks but an environment that was tolerant of the behavior of the 5-and-under set, as well as clean and safe.

About 250 art students were evacuated from a 17-story Center City building and two restaurants on the ground floor were temporarily closed after dangerous levels of carbon monoxide set off alarms before dawn yesterday. Investigators had not determined the source of the odorless but deadly gas in the historic building on the southeast corner of Broad and Chestnut Streets by late yesterday afternoon, said Capt. Richard Davison, a Fire Department spokesman. Jared Rosado and his roommate, Nick Ryan, had slept through the alarm when they were awakened by firefighters who had entered their 17th-floor unit.