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Let's recap the Shank's & Evelyn's story.

The colorful luncheonette, on 10th Street near Montrose since 1962, closed April 30. (See Rick Nichols' take on the situation.)

Under new ownership -- but still with Shank and Evelyn Perri's daughter Pamela Poppa out front -- Shank's reopened in late July as Shank's Original, on 15th Street near Sansom.

Today, Shank's PR arm announced the mid-December opening of an outpost at Pier 40 on Delaware Avenue. (See menu here.)

Now for the status of Shank's original location, 932 S. 10th St.

»  More The rest of the Shank's story

Chef Jose Garces got 42 people to put down $200 a head for a progressive dinner tomorrow (11/11) that will include Distrito, followed by Tinto (with a cocktail served from the adjacent Village Whiskey), then to Chifa and ending at Amada.

It sold out in no time flat, and there are 50 people on the waiting list.

Not to make you feel bad if you're not going, but here's the menu.

On the plus side, Garces plans to reprise this in March. Details to come.

Fountain Restaurant executive chef Rafael Gonzalez. (Michael Bryant / Staff Photographer)

Philadelphia has a five-star restaurant again.

The Fountain at the Four Seasons last night was elevated on Forbes Travel Guide's 2010 list. (That's formerly the Mobil Guide.)

The Fountain, where chef Rafael Gonzalez took over earlier this year, is one of only 22 such-honored restaurants in the United States and Canada. It had four stars last year, as did Lacroix at the Rittenhouse, which repeats in 2010 with four stars. The only other five-star restaurant in Pennsylvania is Lautrec at the Nemacolin Woodlands resort in Farmington, Pa.

Philly's last five-star joint was Le Bec-Fin, but chef-owner Georges Perrier relinquished the award last year when the restaurant changed concept and bagged the prix-fixe menus that were its hallmark.

You may remember when Mobil downgraded Le Bec-Fin to four stars in June 2000. Perrier slipped into a deep funk that did not lift until November 2002, when -- after numerous staff changes and a $500,000 freshening of the decor -- Le Bec regained the fifth star.

Under Gonzalez, only the third executive chef in Four Seasons Philly's history, the Fountain has achieved some impressive word-of-mouth, including a four-bell review from The Inquirer's Craig LaBan.

Variety weighs in with the news that It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia -- now in its fifth season on Fx -- has signed a syndication deal -- thereby greatly enriching Rob McElhenney and the crew.

And getting the show on broadcast TV here.

Starting in fall 2011, the sitcom will air on CW57 in its late-night lineup, says a CBS spokeswoman.
 

Just announced:

The U2 360° Tour ended two weeks ago after having skipped Philly.

It will play here after all, on Monday, July 12, 2010, at Lincoln Financial Field.

Promoters get to use your money for a full eight months, as the show goes on sale Friday (11/13) at 10 a.m.

Tickets will be available at LiveNation.com and Ticketmaster charge-by-phone at 800-736-1420.

Tickets are $33.50, $58.50, $98.50 and $253.50, plus fees.

TV and radio stations are cutting back everywhere, shedding and trimming salaries wherever they can.

And no one is immune.

News anchors are picking up additional work, which is why you see them at odd hours, filling in for vacationing colleagues -- often for no additional pay. TV news producers have added web responsibilities  -- with no additional pay.

Angelo Cataldi, arguably WIP's franchise player, is now about seven weeks from the expiration of his contract, and around the station there's nervous buzz because a new deal is not at hand. He's been there nearly 20 years.

»  More WIP without Angelo Cataldi?

Here are updates on a few University City projects:

Tom Drinker's West: That's the name of the pizzeria-pub by Avram Hornik and Mark Fichera (Drinker's Tavern, Drinker's Pub, Lucy's Hat Shop) in the former O'Hara's Fish House at 3900 Chestnut St. Hornik promises "two-fisted sandwiches," pizza, and appetizers in a stunning renovation of the onetime hotel ballroom. It'll be a 250-seater, plus 80 outside. Opening is targeted for just before Thanksgiving.

Sang Kee: The Sheraton University City branch of the Chinatown/Wynnewood duck house is in the final two weeks of construction, and owner Michael Chow said he hopes to open by Thanksgiving. 

City Tap House: The beer-centric operation from Brian Harrington and his partners (Public House, Mission Grill, Field House) is aiming for Christmas-New Year's in the Radian at 39th and Walnut Streets; note minor name change.

Mary Oaks: The long-delayed gastropub adjacent to Blockley Pourhouse at 38th and Ludlow, which was supposed to open last summer, is now targeting January.

Landmark Americana: The college sports bar is supposed to begin slaying Drexel Dragons in the new Rec Center at 3333 Market St. in February.

And speaking of University City: Daniel Stern's MidAtlantic, which opened last month in the Science Center at 3711 Market St., has started weekday lunch. And speaking of Daniel Stern, construction delays have pushed the opening of his next restaurant, R2L in Two Liberty Place, to December or January. He'll do private events there before the public opening.

What do WOGL's Ross Brittain, WYSP's Danny Bonaduce, and WMMR's Jaxon have in common? (Besides the ability to earn a paycheck in radio these days.)

They're winners of 2009 Achievement in Radio (AIR) Awards.

The local radio community gathered Thursday (11/5) at the Hilton on City Avenue for its version of the Emmys. The banquet is a benefit for the March of Dimes.

»  See the list of winners

Friday Saturday Sunday, one of Center City's longest-running restaurants (at 21st and Rittenhouse for 36 years), has just started allowing patrons to bring their own wine without corkage. Not beer or spirits.

A few years ago, owner Weaver Lilley struck a blow for sanity by pricing all bottles at $10 over his cost.

"I wasn't making a fortune off wine anyway, so why not?" Lilley told me.