Reese Witherspoon
Inqlings: For their 4th spot, barbecue
Restaurateurs Steven Cook and Michael Solomonov, whose Zahav in Society Hill has racked up more than its share of plaudits in its first year, signed a lease yesterday for a fourth restaurant for the fall.
Contact columnist Michael Klein at 215-854-5514 or mklein@phillynews.com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/phillyinsider.
They're planning a Texas-style barbecue spot - still unnamed - at 900 South St., next to a Starbucks and across from Whole Foods. The space formerly was Crescent City.
The partners have quite a quiver of concepts: Israeli (Zahav), Mexican (Xochitl in Society Hill), and Southern (Marigold Kitchen in West Philly).
BBQ seems to be the flavor of the moment, as Old City's Philadelphia Fish & Company recently reflagged itself Q BBQ & Tequila Bar, and small spots such as Bebe Barbecue in the Italian Market and Holy Smoke in Roxborough are getting traction.
Wedding bells
Radio talker Michael Smerconish of WPHT (1210) is threatening to get a mail-order credential so he can officiate at the nuptials of Greg Stocker, his tech producer and on-air foil, and Stephanie Paey, market manager for Orbit/FR, a Horsham tech company. The couple - he's 29 and she's 24 - got engaged over the weekend. On Tuesday's morning show, Smerconish talked up the idea of doing the wedding on the air at the Irish Pub.
Sightings
Warren Sapp, in town doing work for NFL Films, blitzed into Union Trust Steakhouse near Washington Square Tuesday night. He fielded compliments on his footwork on Dancing With the Stars.Laurence Fishburne took in the atmosphere at Continental Mid-town near Rittenhouse Square late both Monday and Tuesday nights. Earlier Tuesday evening, he communed with sushi at Morimoto.
Be a movie extra
Open call for extras is Saturday for the film How Do You Know?, from director James L. Brooks (whose list of credits includes The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Simpsons) and starring Reese Witherspoon as a woman being wooed by a white-collar guy (Paul Rudd) and a baseball player (Owen Wilson). Philly's Heery Casting will run the casting call at Bullies restaurant in the Wachovia Spectrum. Union actors will be seen from 10 to 11 a.m., and all others will be seen from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Heery is looking for "attractive model-type" men and women, ages 19 to 28, who come out "dressed to impress." Shooting starts July 8.
City scenes
Wonder why the facade of the old 92d Police District on Lincoln Drive - which was shut down over the winter because of budget cuts - is sheathed in tarps? A City Hall spokeswoman says the roof is being repaired in anticipation of the building's next use, which has not been determined.Center City is in line to get two 200-ish-room luxury hotels this year. Hotel Palomar at 17th and Sansom Streets and Le Méridien at 1421 Arch St. - whose long construction has eaten up lanes of traffic - are penciled in for September/October.
Radio activity
You can watch race cars go round and round on TV, and now you can hear 'em go round and round on the radio, since 950ESPN has obtained the rights to NASCAR's 2009 Sprint Cup Series, starting with the Autism Speaks 400 at 2 p.m. Sunday from Dover International Speedway. For you visual types, Fox is carrying the race on TV.The economy continues to hammer the media business. WBEN (95.7) has shed Jason Lee, its midday DJ. Lee got the midday job in December when Ben divided its morning show three ways - keeping Marilyn Russell on mornings and assigning Dave Cruise to afternoon drive. Lee doesn't sound bitter, though it's the first time he's been fired.
Contact columnist Michael Klein at 215-854-5514 or mklein@phillynews.com. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/phillyinsider.
