I had to persuade some of the city's best cooks, gardeners, artists and business owners to hand over step-by-step instructions to their life's work — for free. I expected, at best, a few dropped calls. Instead, the average response went something like this: "YES YES YES YES YES!"

Victor Allen Crawford III, perhaps better known as the erudite Lord Breaulove Swells Whimsy, lives his life in miniature.

"When they fit together, it seems so random that a bunch of shapes would interlock perfectly. For a second, there's some hidden order to the universe."

The naturalist describes her bath bombs as "little snowballs on a bed of lavender."

Arrive to the party with a bevy of Miller's sweet and savory tiny tartlets that mingle the flavors of our local harvest.

Jeremy Lauder's now the owner of screen-printing company Derisory Designs, and has cherished Stephen Starr as a rosy client for five years now.

The Fishtown artist/owner of The Black Spot Books makes pretty, old-fashioned leather-bound books and miniature book necklaces, usually constructed with one or two brand-new materials.

Character Bank Tee By Chris Kline | Haymaker Tee by Sharp Shirter | Polka-Dot Ruffle Tee by Reese Juel | Long Sleeve Flower Tee by forEvaMore | Orange Line Tee by Birdland

Woolly Pocket by City Planter | Garden Anywhere by Alys Fowler | A Peaceful Bomb Vase By Love & Peace | Elephant Watering Can by Toysmith | Grow-A-Note Card by Hana & Posy

Bruce Springsteen Tee by Born Yesterday | Wooden Sushi Slicing Playset by Melissa & Doug | Bird Mobile by Hoosier Magnolia | KISS Mr. Potato Head Collector Set by Playskool | Snowman-Making Kit By Creative Co-Op | Baby Onesie by Rebel Ink Baby

Phluff by Betty's Speakeasy | Old City Blend by Old City Coffee | Cleaving: A Story of Marriage, Meat and Obsession by Julie Powell | Phillies Fruited Rum Cake by Imagicakes | Variety Pack By Lancaster Brewing Co.

Breakfast at Tiffany's Eye Mask by Mary Green | Sandalwood Scrub by Duross & Langel | Drying Lotion by Mario Badescu | Sexy Mama Anti-Shine Translucent Powder by The Balm | Tahitian Lime Balancing Shampoo And Conditioner by Uspa Supernatural

What can Idaho teach us about bike/car relations?

by Brian Howard

"I thank God America is a safe place."

by Bruce Schimmel

What You Say

The city was awarded about $21 million in stimulus money over three years — a little less than $7 million a year. That's hardly chump change. It was with some surprise, then, that most homeless shelter operators learned they wouldn't be getting much of that assistance.

Bicyclists aren't ideologues; they're commuters.

by Isaiah Thompson

When news breaks in Philadelphia, we make jokes.

Is AI's return to the Sixers a good thing? Yes! No! Maybe!

by E. James Beale

Marianne Bernstein snaps South Street's most permanent art.

by Julia West

Dec. 10-Jan. 10, 2010, $22-$25, New City Stage Co. at the Adrienne, 2030 Sansom St., 215-563-7500, newcitystage.org.

by Mark Cofta

Dec. 5-May 31, 2010, $10, Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, 3260 South St., 215-898-4000, penn.museum.

by A.D. Amorosi

The Best American Comics | The San Francisco Panorama | Lit | Scroogenomics: Why You Shouldn't Buy Presents for the Holidays

Schuylkill Center | Vox Populi | Extra Extra

Blu-rays of The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind are faultless, and the latter in particular is a welcome corrective to decades of souped-up "restorations." But to procure the discs, which list for $85 each, you need to purchase an "ultimate collector's edition," which in Wizard's case includes a matching wristwatch.

Up in the Air hits the predictable beats of a belated coming-of-age story, but it's exceedingly well accomplished, with a confident visual style light-years beyond Juno's functional setups.

Rihanna's Rated R

by J. Edward Keyes

Sun., Dec. 6, 9 p.m., $10, with Crystal Antlers and Pink Skull, Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 215-739-9684, johnnybrendas.com.

by K. Ross Hoffman

Mon., Dec. 7, 8 p.m., $10, International House, 3701 Chestnut St., 215-387-5125, arsnovaworkshop.org.

by Shaun Brady

Tue., Dec. 8, 7 p.m., $5, with New Philadelphia Poets and Josh Carrigan, Highwire Gallery, 2040 Frankford Ave., 215-426-2685, cuddle-magic.com.

by A.D. Amorosi

Sat., Dec. 5, 8 p.m., $20, International House, 3701 Chestnut St., 215-387-5125, arsnovaworkshop.com.

by Shaun Brady

Sat., Dec. 5, 7:30 p.m., $22-$35, with Erin McKeown, World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St., 215-222-1400, worldcafelive.com.

by K. Ross Hoffman

Fri., Dec. 4, 8 p.m., $29-$37, with Hot Tuna, Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave, Glenside, 215-572-7650, keswicktheatre.com.

by Mary Armstrong

Wed., Dec. 9, 9 p.m., $27-$28, with Leslie Alexander, World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St., 215-222-1400, worldcafelive.com.

by K. Ross Hoffman

"Obscene Queen Bee #2"

by John Vettese

Fri., Dec. 4, 10 p.m., $10, with DJ Ultraviolet and Afrodjiak, Marbar, 200 S. 40th St., 215-222-0100, twitter.com/ethelcee.

by Patrick Rapa

What sets this chef apart is his ability to stack seams of flavor and texture without burying the elemental simplicity of a dish.

Philadelphians can add the Wall Street meltdown, Manhattan’s food-truck scene and the Big Apple’s daunting food-service bureaucracy to their list of thank-yous for the best joe to hit our streets in ages.

Latkepalooza | Bourbon Dinner at terra | P.O.P.E. Chili Cookoff | The Dutch Umbrella Table | Holiday Baking for Special Diets

Drinker's West | Sang Kee Noodle House | Brew | Fresh Grocer

Don't dare call Dave Terruso's show "Philly Improvfest."

by Lauren F. Friedman

Everyone needs a laugh. Not mean ones like the chuckles you got when Tiger Woods got his golf club beat down or the no-shit-Sherlock sort that followed news of Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal's breakup (that's what leaving your gal in Philly with Paul Rudd'll do).

Jonathan Coulton | Super Heroes Who Are Super!

Sat., Dec. 5, noon-7 p.m., $2, 2424 Studios, 2424 E. York St., 215-423-1800, 2424studios.com.

by Josh Middleton

Sat., Dec. 5, 8 p.m.-1 a.m., $60, The African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch St., 215-528-5220, bliss.caribbeanbeatz.com.

by Lauren Seibert

Fri.-Sat., Dec. 4-5, 8 p.m., $25, Painted Bride Art Center, 230 Vine St., 215-925-9914, paintedbride.org.

by Josh Middleton

Thu., Dec. 3, 8 p.m., $39.50-$45, Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside, 215-572-7650, keswicktheatre.com.