"All weekend, without even knowing it had to, Philadelphia seemed to put on its game face. We looked good. We look good, Philadelphia."

An Obama victory would be the perfect time to crush contemporary conservatism and to enact the kind of progressive agenda that only sweeping power will allow.

At their best, independent weeklies foster, well, independence. If I had told someone to write something "breezy," I would have been told to go fuck myself, and probably in those words.

"Feel free not to learn English or pay any taxes after entering."

"His catfish likes to hide in cavernous rocks or submerged hollow logs, whereas Frank now likes to hide in his garden or the jazz aisles of used record stores."

"The DNC belongs to Obama now." — Gov. Ed Rendell.

"It's like when you meet a person — you don't necessarily know why you like them, but you just do. Somehow you get engaged. ... I have that kind of rapport with things in the world."

Coheed and Cambria | H.P. Lovecraft | Martial arts in Philly | Soy Café smoothies

Conceptual oversimplification hovers over the show. Some pieces are informational and others more gimmicky than deeply felt.

There's one problem with the utterly enchanting Carnival of the Animals: that it's not longer.

Taylor's excellent dancers literally exploded onstage, leaping, sliding, rolling and hurling themselves into each others' arms.

The production looks under-rehearsed, but there's still fun to be had.

Arden Professional Apprentices wrap up one tough year with one hilarious send-off performance.

"When you buy, you're not only supporting the Philadelphia art community — you're creating your own collection."

To bolster its already-enthusiastic following in the city's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community, Philadelphia Gay & Lesbian Theatre Festival wants its sixth season's half-dozen productions to reach a wider audience.

Wikipedia takes a harsh stance on Florence Foster Jenkins, describing her as "famous for her complete lack of rhythm, pitch, tone and overall singing ability." That's not quite a fair picture — she was also funny-looking.

Sun., June 15, 7-9 p.m., free, Fergie's Pub, 1214 Sansom St.; Bloomsday, Mon., June 16, noon-7 p.m., free, Rosenbach Museum & Library, 2008-2010

Runs through June 15, $25-$30, Playground at the Adrienne, 2030 Sansom St., 215-922-4462, theatreexile.org

Maybe it's been a while since you heard "Cannonball," but you can summon its fat, sticky bassline without trying too hard. Listen again, and you see that it's even better than you remember.

In "Your New Twin-Size Bed," Ben Gibbard's character lies in the titular bed, having just ditched the queen because it was "more space than you would need."

For a year and a half, indie pop romantics Scary Monster played bars and basements all over town, made old men dance on the boardwalk, shrugged off the twee, had fun and won hearts. Now that their debut full-length is ready to go, they're breaking up.

Thalia Zedek has spent most of her solo career raging against her demons, but her new solo album, Liars and Prayers, turns that anger back on the outside world.

Flintstone Dinner at Zot | Father's Day Brunch at Devil's Alley | Zoobilee at the Philadelphia Zoo | Father's Day Specials at Mexican Post | City Food Artisanal Beer and Food Tour

1 Bartram's Garden | 2 Gazebo at FDR Park | 3 Azalea Garden | 4 Franklin Square | 5 Valley Forge National Historic Park

Vaynerchuk is the director of operations for Springfield, N.J.'s Wine Library, but he's best-known for his high-energy video podcast on tv.winelibrary.com, where he moves away from stuffy wine practices by using terms like "sniffy sniff" and asking whether a bottle "brings the thunder" when he reviews them.

With her smoke-curling voice and elegant, soulful songs, Chrisette Michele might seem part of another time. She nearly says as much on her debut CD, I Am (Def Jam).

RockLove takes the monkey off of your back, and puts it on a string.

Wedged in alongside Honey's and just down the block from the Random Tea Room, City Planter fits right in on NoLibs' rustic-chic Fourth Street. Boasting a polished selection of planters, greenery and garden ornaments, the store caters to those with a tasteful-but-quirky take on domesticity.