Perrier

The "Perrier Cafes" were the places to belly up to yesterday as free samples of the mineral water were being given out to pedestrians at several Center City locations. At Broad and Chestnut streets, Ellen Shulman dispenses bottles of Perrier's "Nouvelle (New) Production" as Tom Turner provides live entertainment. Both are employees of the Burson-Marsteller ad agency. Perrier is using samples to promote the resumption of sales after a worldwide recall in February, when benzene was found in some of the firm's bottled water.

Chillin' Wit' is a regular feature of the Daily News spotlighting a name in the news away from the job. CITY Councilman Curtis Jones Jr. invites Chillin' Wit' for an exclusive visit to his Wynnefield basement Man Cave on one condition: No politics. Just Eagles. "He's not a councilman here," Jones says, nodding at Bill Green. "And I'm not a councilman, just a person. We can scratch and burp down here. I can be a caveman. " Fellow cavemen also include son Curtis Jones III, brother Keith Jones, chief of staff Al Spivey, Democratic ward leader Lou Agre, and friends Brahin Behlin and Scott Bass.

Going to the spring for clear, cool water may conjure images of families filling jugs at a bubbling stream. But in this Chester County township, local government officials fear that a "giant straw" run 190 feet deep into a spring in Pigeon Creek may put their water supply in jeopardy. Controversy began flooding South Coventry after officials learned that Perrier was sucking up spring water at the company's facility near the northern border of the township and trucking it to New Jersey for testing.

The Georges Perrier era at Le Bec-Fin will end Saturday night. Amid the hushed white-tablecloth grandeur of the dining room of the Walnut Street institution, beneath enormous crystal chandeliers, Perrier addressed several dozen staff members before dinner service Wednesday to introduce Le Bec-Fin's new owner, Nicolas Fanucci. "I never thought this day would happen," Perrier said, his voice breaking, his eyes welling with tears. "I'm 70 years old [actually, 68]. I just can't do this anymore.

Last year was a very wet year. And all that rain, state officials say, could have affected the results of tests conducted by bottled-water giant Perrier to support its controversial application to withdraw more water from a spring site in the township. On Tuesday, the state Department of Environmental Protection issued a three-page letter requesting a new round of tests and an intensive site investigation to support the company's conclusions about the project's environmental impact.

Chester County taxpayers are helping underwrite the legal costs that South Coventry Township faces in its battle with Perrier over the withdrawal of groundwater from a site that the bottled-water giant owns in the township. Last week, the Chester County commissioners learned that taxpayers have also been subsidizing some of the research that Perrier is using to try to prove it won't diminish the groundwater supply. "We may be funding both sides of the issue," said Commissioners Chairwoman Karen Martynick.

S'mores redux It's hard to improve upon this summer classic, but pastry chef Jessica Mogardo has pulled it off with this gussied-up version she's offering at Garces Trading Company. With a center of crushed graham crackers, a swirl of house-made fluff, a layer of blackout chocolate cake, and a finishing coat of ganache, this indulgent dessert brings back memories of that old lunchbox treat, the Ho Ho, only oh-so-much better. S'mores, $7, at Garces Trading Company, 1111 Locust Street Philadelphia, 215-574-1099.

A NON-WHITE CHRISTMAS It's the day after Labor Day, so it's time to begin thinking about Christmas, right? Well, some of you might have heard distressing rumors that the U.S. Postal Service wants to ban colored Christmas-card envelopes. It is true that white envelopes are easier for new automatic letter-sorting equipment to handle. But postal officials promise that if you buy cards that come with envelopes that are red or green or some other color, they will happily deliver them.

You can order a Perrier just about any place these days, but (H2O), the Water Bar, in Beverly Hills is probably the only place in the U.S. where you can choose a mineral-laden Borjomi from Russia, or a Rokko from Japan in its surprisingly pretty cardboard carton, or a Bourassa, from British Columbia, "naturally pure glacial water" in a distinctive "cut-plastic" bottle that resembles a hunk of ice, sort of. These waters and more than 50 others imported...

L ILI TAYLOR says she went after "Future Weather" rather than the indie film going after her. Taylor, whose many credits include "Six Feet Under" and "Say Anything," was a juror on a Nantucket Film Festival screenplay contest and chose writer/director Jenny Deller 's script. "I met her at the festival and said I'd love to grab a coffee with you and talk to you, and it just worked out naturally," Taylor told us Friday. In the film, she plays a science teacher who develops a special relationship with a girl obsessed with global warming.

"YOU CAN TELL everybody I'm not a bum, yet. I'm fine. Don't worry," assured chef Georges Perrier when we asked about his estate sale, held over the weekend at his Chestnut Hill mansion. The famed Frenchman said he unloaded lots of huge copper pots and other cookware from Le Bec-Fin (1523 Walnut), which he sold to Nicolas Fanucci in March. Two of Perrier's longtime assistants ran the sale. Perrier was there, too, with a small poodle named Isabel. Philly.Curbed.com has reported that his house was for sale but taken off the market in October.

Chillin' Wit' is a regular feature of the Daily News spotlighting a name in the news away from the job. CITY Councilman Curtis Jones Jr. invites Chillin' Wit' for an exclusive visit to his Wynnefield basement Man Cave on one condition: No politics. Just Eagles. "He's not a councilman here," Jones says, nodding at Bill Green. "And I'm not a councilman, just a person. We can scratch and burp down here. I can be a caveman. " Fellow cavemen also include son Curtis Jones III, brother Keith Jones, chief of staff Al Spivey, Democratic ward leader Lou Agre, and friends Brahin Behlin and Scott Bass.

S'mores redux It's hard to improve upon this summer classic, but pastry chef Jessica Mogardo has pulled it off with this gussied-up version she's offering at Garces Trading Company. With a center of crushed graham crackers, a swirl of house-made fluff, a layer of blackout chocolate cake, and a finishing coat of ganache, this indulgent dessert brings back memories of that old lunchbox treat, the Ho Ho, only oh-so-much better. S'mores, $7, at Garces Trading Company, 1111 Locust Street Philadelphia, 215-574-1099.

THE GEORGES PERRIER era at Le Bec-Fin will end Saturday night. Amid the hushed white-tablecloth grandeur of the dining room of the Walnut Street institution, beneath enormous crystal chandeliers, Perrier addressed several dozen staff members before dinner service yesterday to introduce Le Bec-Fin's new owner, Nicolas Fanucci. "I never thought this day would happen," Perrier said, his voice breaking, his eyes welling with tears. "I'm 70 years old [actually, 68]. I just can't do this anymore.

The Georges Perrier era at Le Bec-Fin will end Saturday night. Amid the hushed white-tablecloth grandeur of the dining room of the Walnut Street institution, beneath enormous crystal chandeliers, Perrier addressed several dozen staff members before dinner service Wednesday to introduce Le Bec-Fin's new owner, Nicolas Fanucci. "I never thought this day would happen," Perrier said, his voice breaking, his eyes welling with tears. "I'm 70 years old [actually, 68]. I just can't do this anymore.

AN ATTORNEY for chef Georges Perrier has initiated legal action against the blog StaphMeal.com by filing a writ of summons in Common Pleas Court. Attorney Jonathan Cohen 's filing indicates that a complaint outlining allegations of libel and defamation could be forthcoming. The writ of summons lists John Doe as a defendant because Cohen does not know the identity of the blogger (or bloggers) behind the site. The legal action is intended in part to unmask the writers.

Having one wonderful French bakery in a small town is enviable enough. But since June, when Georges Perrier opened Art of Bread, Narberth, a borough of about 4,200 residents, has been able to claim four. Pre-Perrier, the three bakeries seemed to blissfully coexist. Longtime Inquirer food columnist Rick Nichols once even referred to Narberth as "The Land of 10,000 Croissants. " There is Le Petit Mitron, which sells its pastries and coffee to the public; there is mostly wholesale Buy the Dozen; and there is Au Fournil, a wholesale-only operation helmed by Stephane Wojtowicz.

It's hard to keep Georges Perrier out of the kitchen. He sauntered into the third-floor cooking facility at West Catholic High School like he owned it. In some ways, he did. On Wednesday morning, Perrier, owner of Le Bec-Fin, was at the West Philly high school to hand over an oversize check. It was made out for $75,000, the French chef's contribution to the school's existing Culinary Arts program. "I'm sorry I'm late! I couldn't find the door!" Perrier blared in his thick French accent, rushing in. Everyone laughed and clapped, and after a few words of gratitude, Perrier headed straight to the stove.

Georges Perrier has given his executive pastry chef, Cedric Barberet, a bright new playground on the Main Line. They've fired up the ovens at Art of Bread at 920 Montgomery Ave., across from the Staples store in Narberth (610-660-8222). Besides putting out breads and pastries for Perrier's restaurants and other commercial clients, it sells at retail from a counter. Panini, quiche, and other light cafe fare, plus illy coffee, is served from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays.

WHEN GEORGES Perrier takes the stage at the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts gala tonight at the Kimmel Center, the chef's 40 years of culinary achievements will command the spotlight. Before a crowd of 850 arts patrons, French chefs and Francophiles, Perrier will accept the Culinary Visionary Award for his contribution to the culture of Philadelphia and his accomplishments as a member of the esteemed Maîtres Cusiniers de France (Master Chefs of France). Accolades are nothing new for the Lyon, France-born chef.