Pickets are gone from Del Frisco's steak house in Center City as a nearly yearlong feud with subcontractors has all but come to an end.

About 17 companies that helped build the restaurant last year had said they were owed $6.1 million from the general contractor, Lorient L.L.C., of Illinois.

When Lorient owners apparently vanished shortly after the restaurant's Nov. 28 opening, the contractors dunned Del Frisco's, which argued that it should not have to pay twice for the work. Amid a blizzard of lawsuits, contractors leafleted passersby almost daily at 15th and Chestnut Streets.

Del's general manager Shang Skipper says the restaurant has paid about $3.6 million to settle most claims. He said he was still talking to a few smaller firms.

"We have bills to pay, but we had to make a business decision to move on," said Casey Duffy of Delaware Valley Remediation of Bala Cynwyd, one of the larger contractors, who had been owed about $884,000.

Part of the settlements was paid in gift cards. "We demanded that they donate cards to charities in our names, and we gave some to our employees and suppliers," Duffy said. "We're proud of our work and want them to go in and enjoy it."

Wedding bells

Though held on Halloween, the wedding of Rittenhouse Square socialites Steve Thorne and Sabrina Tamburino was more treat than trick. The nups were celebrated by 300 guests at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul. The bridal party included Tamburino's godmother Connie Stevens and Stevens' daughters Tricia Leigh Fisher and Joely Fisher. On the guest list were Gov. Rendell; actors Renee Taylor and Joseph Bologna; Rep. Bob Brady and wife Debbie; and Councilman Jim Kenney. (Bob Brady was dressed as a priest - he said he had the couple's permission.) The decorations for the reception at the Bellevue's ballroom, by Ann Catania of Ten Pennies, included fancy masks for each guest. Catania thought to position two seven-foot mirrors so guests could get them on straight. A real treat: Halfway through dinner, Michael Longoria showed up. The original Frankie Valli character from Broadway's Jersey Boys, Longoria was flown in from Chicago to sing as a surprise from the bride's mother, Carol Tamburino. Photos are up at the blog PhillyChitChat.com.

The circuit

During each of the Yankees' three mornings in Philadelphia for the World Series, third baseman Alex Rodriguez worked out at the Sporting Club at the Bellevue. His hotel had its own gym, but A-Rod needed more. Tiffany Bucciarelli, the general manager, says he shot hoops, did cardio on a recumbent bike, and swung on the club's cable "cross-overs." Hanging outside the club this week are oldtime Phillies and A's photos from the collection of news photog Bruce Murray.

Darryl Harmon, chef of the Water Works restaurant, played sous chef for Martha Stewart yesterday, cooking items from her new cookbook during her signing at the King of Prussia Williams-Sonoma store.

A "Parade of 1,000 Rockys" - keyed to this week's video release of Rocky: The Undisputed Collection - will step off at 10 a.m. Sunday from LOVE Park and follow the Parkway to the Art Museum, where a celebration of Rocky will include a Rocky and Adrian look-alike contest and a cheesesteak-eating contest. All participants will receive boxing robes; check-in at LOVE Park is from 8 to 9:30 a.m.

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Contact columnist Michael Klein at 215-854-5514 or mklein@phillynews.com. Read his blog at http://go.philly.com/insider. He's also on Twitter: @phillyinsider.