December 9-16, 2004	[2004 issue index]
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Holiday Dining & Entertaining Guide CityPaper proudly presents 12 of the most eclectic, nondenominational, festive, frightening and just plain wrong-headed party ideas for all of your holiday needs.* by Brian Howard

news

Outside Story: A lack of media interest has fueled Election Day conspiracy theories.—David S. Barry

Ship Happens: Single-hulled oil vessels like the Athos I are a shipping-industry scourge.—Dan Keashen

Talent Grab: Cities are desperate to attract young people. Wait—it's not what you think.—Brian Howard

Gone Missing: Friends seek info about a 73-year-old veteran who disappeared.—Brian Hickey

The Bell Curve: City Paper's weekly gauge of Philly's Quality of Life

columns:

Political Notebook:Pack the Halls—Mary F. Patel

Cityspace:6300 Frankford Ave.: Can the old "Dirty Devon" bring new life to Mayfair?—Mike Newall

Cityspace:Lofty Goals: A young couple is hoping that artists' lofts will save their neighborhood.—Bruce Schimmel

opinion

Loose Canon by Bruce Schimmel
Can You Hear Him Now?

Slant by Nancy French
Straight Shooting

Slant by Duane Swierczynski
A Four-Alarm Holiday Emergency

Slant by Charles A. Evers
The Daily Grind

Letters to the Editor: by the readers

special section

arts

Color Schemes: Arcadia hosts an exhibit that experiments with hues—as well as with gallery visitors.—Robin Rice

Books:Seth Mnookin—Mike Newall

Book Quicks:Book Quicks—Andrew Milner

Theater:Puppet Love—Toby Zinman

Theater:Beauty Pageant—Toby Zinman

artspicks

Postcards from the Edge—John Vettese

Taylor Made—Deni Kasrel

SugaPlums Dancing—Deni Kasrel

Pal Joey—A.D. Amorosi

movies

Over the Edge: Norman Mailer's doomed Maidstone is the ultimate '60s hangover.—Sam Adams

Invitation to the Blues: Lightning in a Bottle's musical history.—Cindy Fuchs

Six of One: Ocean's Twelve kids its own fluff, but who laughs last?—Sam Adams

Screen Picks—Sam Adams

music

It Takes a Village: The seven women in this Swarthmore choir unite for a common, but unique, purpose.—Mary Armstrong

soundadvice

The Early Messiah: Conductor Nicholas McGegan brings ebullient style to Handel's (mistimed) holiday favorite.—David Shengold

In the Right Hands—Peter Burwasser

HearHere—Patrick Rapa

DJ Nights—Sean O'Neal

musicpicks

The Young Philadelphians—Shaun Brady

Townhall—John Vettese

Peter Cincotti—Nicole Pensiero

Les Georges Leningrad—Andrew Parks

Bach Festival—Peter Burwasser

Citizen Cope—John Vettese

naked city

Favela Chic: How long before F-A-V-E-L-A becomes the new H-O-V-A?—Joey Sweeney

fine print

how they'll lose: Week 13 vs.Washington—Brian Hickey

promo item of the week

Icepack—A.D. Amorosi

mixpicks

Good, Giving and Game—A.D. Amorosi

Best of the Fests—Tami Fertig

Moving Sale—Juliet Fletcher

food

Spice Invaders: Visions of sugary drinks that messed with our heads.—Juliet Fletcher

Going Live—Elisa Ludwig