Philadelphia

I hope everyone has taken a few moments to collect themselves after that spectacular finale. Midway through, I was a bit worried as the episode was beginning to seem more like a series finale than a season finale. However, the last 15 minutes provided everything a good finale should: suspense, murder, a love triangle (quadrangle!), a drug overdose, break-ups (bonus points for calling off an engagement), a conniving friend, heart break, a parent finding their child unconscious, unplanned pregnancy, a declaration of “never speak to me again” followed by a quick hang up, an engagement, a serious accident (plane instead of car, way to go big!

Toward the end of their concert in Philadelphia this month, First Aid Kit addressed the crowd: "We want to try an experiment. " For the past hour, Klara and Johanna Soderberg, the two Swedish sisters who make up the band, had been performing the kind of music that can be best summed up with the word "lovely. " It is Americana by way of Stockholm, pretty ballads and melancholy anecdotes sung in two frail, harmonious voices over quivering basslines. The duo was playing Union Transfer, a cavernous former rail baggage depot and my second stop on a visit to Philly's abundantly rich music scene.

PHILADELPHIA - Here's what most people see when they visit Market Square Memorial Park in Marcus Hook, a tiny patch of green squeezed between two huge refineries: Jumbo tankers and cargo vessels plying the Delaware River. Washed-up plastic bottles. And lots and lots of marine debris - thick mooring rope, rusted cable, driftwood. But when John McNally, an unemployed electrician and amateur marine archaeologist from nearby Wallingford, looks out at the river, he sees something altogether different: Marauding pirates.

After jumping out to a 10-5 advantage in the third quarter, No. 1 Calvert Hall went silent for nearly 22 minutes while Philadelphia public school power Conestoga scored the game's final six goals to stun the Cardinals, 11-10, Friday night at Russo Stadium in Towson. Calvert Hall, ranked No. 1 nationally by several lacrosse publications, looked out of sync down the stretch against the Pioneers' aggressive defense and its superb senior attackman, University of Maryland-bound Bradlee Lord, who scored a game-high five goals including the game-winner with 2:21 remaining.

PHILADELPHIA -- You can tell by the high-tops that this crowd is serious. As they stride onto the smooth, swept pavement, the trademarks flash like dog tags: Nike, Reebok, Adidas, Converse, Fila. As more and more players arrive, rap spills from a living-room speaker set next to an '80 Riviera parked courtside, announcing that the evening's action is about to commence. Sides are chosen, and soon the basketball is in play.The Moylan Recreation Center at 25th and Diamond is a proving ground, one of several playgrounds where Philadelphia's best players have always come to learn the game, to test themselves, to put their skills on display.

PHILADELPHIA -- Chicago 1968 equals Philadelphia 2000? Probably not. But while Philadelphia most likely will not erupt in chaos and anarchy in the streets during the Republican Convention beginning July 31, the city will be awash in protesters. Organizations promoting a melting pot of social causes ranging from pro-choice, gun control, labor, environmental issues, gay rights, women's groups, supporters of convicted cop-killer Mumia Abu-Jamal, and advocates for the homeless and the poor are likely to descend upon the city.

Philadelphia has just joined an exclusive club in having its municipal bonds downgraded to junk-bond status. The city suffers from many problems, some of which plague all big cities: Hemorrhage of jobs and citizens to the suburbs, increasing numbers of people below the poverty line and cuts in federal aid. Add huge new expenditures for public-health problems such as drugs and AIDS.Spokesmen at investment rating services say Philadelphia's economy is generally strong. And they say good things about the city's overall management.

For years, David W. Hornbeck has been angling for the toughest job in American education -- the superintendency of a large urban school system. Now he'll get his chance. If all goes well, the former Maryland state schools superintendent will be hired June 27 as head of Philadelphia's public schools.It's a job Mr. Hornbeck almost had in Baltimore three years ago, when Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke asked him to become a candidate, then abandoned him at the altar in favor of a nonsensical troika arrangement that has since fallen apart.

Following up a campaign pledge, Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell has launched plans for a Spoleto-like international festival of the arts to be held annually in Philadelphia, but the details -- such as when, how long, how big, exactly what -- are still to be worked out."We're still in the planning stages -- intensive planning, but planning," Mr. Rendell says.Current planning aims at September-October 1995 as the date for the first festival, but Mr. Rendell cautions that the festival might have to be delayed until the following year, depending mostly on how much money is available.

Philadelphia's Benjamin Franklin Bridge has become the "world's only musical bridge." A computerized lighting system,keyed to live choral music, will be inaugurated on New Year's Eve in a free 45-minute celebration on the Great Plaza at Penn's Landing.The program,beginning at 11:30 p.m., will launches "Neighbors in the New Year," the city's yearlong program to commemoration of the Columbus Quincentenary. Seasonal music will be performed by a formed of community choirs, and at there will be a fireworks display over Delaware River and a pyrotechnic "waterfall" from jets along the bottom of the bridge.

After years of gaining fans the old fashioned way - self-produced albums, incessant touring - the time came in the summer of 2009 for Dr. Dog to graduate from low-fi psychedelic folk group to a fully formed band, with the confidence to rise above knock-off Beatles comparisons. Around then, the Philadelphia sextet left tiny Park the Van Records for the much larger ANTI- label, and producer-extraordinaire Rob Schnapf (Elliott Smith, Beck) signed on for the group's next record.

Local college basketball fans have long fantasized about an arrangement in which area schools would regularly play each other in a format akin to the city series of Philadelphia's Big 5 - Villanova, Temple, La Salle, Penn and St. Joseph's. But it looks like that's all it is - a fantasy. For one thing, Maryland and Georgetown have no plans to play, and the Washington Post reported that Maryland isn't scheduling games with the Hoyas in other sports until a men's basketball agreement is reached.

Judy Berman was named senior vice president of sales and marketing for the Baltimore Sun Media Group on Monday, a position that will give her oversight of all advertising sales for the company's print and digital products. "Given the importance of growing revenue, Judy's marketing and business acumen, knowledge of direct marketing and expertise in leveraging data to increase revenue are among the many reasons she is perfect for the job," CEO and Publisher Timothy E. Ryan said in announcing Berman's expanded role.

Upon their arrival on Thursday the Washington Wizards held a team dinner at a Japanese steakhouse. The team-building exercise was intended to break up the monotony and division that naturally comes with being on a losing team. "When you do things like that, go out to eat, do different things together, it builds a bond, and a relationship to make you want to play with each other on the court, and play hard for each other," Rashard Lewis said a day later. Whatever happened over the course of eating prime cuts of beef was lost the moment the Wizards set foot on the floor Friday night against the Philadelphia 76ers, as they suffered perhaps their most embarrassing defeat of the season, 120-89, at Wells Fargo Center.

As of 9 a.m. Thursday, icy conditions have been reported around Philadelphia Road and Golden Ring Road in Rosedale, where a broken water main is being repaired. There were no major delays reported on Baltimore area transit systems.

No Longer on the Mountain Top - Dennis comes to a hard realization - he's not a cool kid anymore. In fact, he's been ditched by all of the cool kids and left alone, at his high school reunion, with his sister. Dennis decides revenge is in order and sets sail to bang Tim Murphy's wife - and avenge his prom date. Freight Train - At the reunion, Charlie regains consciousness after passing out from self-inflicted inhalants. He finds himself hanging by the waistband of his briefs, along with Frank and Mac - fellow wedgy victims.

There will be jazz around the clock in Philadelphia next weekend during the fourth annual Spectacor Presidential Jazz Weekend Friday through Sunday.Regional and international artists will perform in a variety of rhythms and styles, from the sophisticated sounds of Mercer Ellington and the Duke Ellington Band to the Afro-Latin beat of Papo Vazquez Bomba Jazz.As a tribute to jazz musicians Miles Davis and Lee Morgan, 14 regional jazz ensembles will take part in "Jazz 'til Sunrise," an all-night review beginning at 10 p.m. Friday and continuing until 6:30 a.m. Saturday at the Afro-American Historical and Cultural Museum.

PHILADELPHIA -- Giant Food boss Israel Cohen didn't say "read my lips," but his message two years ago was clear: The company wasn't going to open any supermarkets in the Philadelphia area.He was wrong.A few weeks ago Giant agreed to buy a 10-acre plot in the Philadelphia suburb of Cherry Hill, N.J. A spacious, shiny "Super G" grocery store will open there next year.And Giant officials are intently scouring the Main Line, Chester and Bucks counties and other Philadelphia suburbs for more sites.