Chef Marc Vetri gets the "With Love Letters" Q&A treatment from Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corp.'s site Uwishunu.

Among his likes: Butterscotch Krimpets, Geno's cheesesteaks (Whiz wit), and drives to Chester County.

He also talks about his next restaurant project.

Steve Poses, co-author of the "Frog Commissary Cookbook," a local favorite from 1985, has self-published a new guide to entertaining at home.

Pioneer Philly caterer Steve Poses tells Huffington Post about the nine ways to soothe holiday panic.

His rules include a warning to procrastinators everywhere:

"Map out a full weekend (preferably the 21st and 22nd) to organize your kitchen, shop and start cooking."

And a solid bit of wisdom:

"Despite what some glossy magazine covers will tell you, you're not here to make a five-star meal."

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Dave Roberts, the town's dean of TV personalities at age 73, will wrap his 56-year broadcast career Dec. 11.

He announced it Wednesday night on the 11 o'clock news. (No one may even think that the station used its 11 o'clock news for this because it's November sweeps.)

Roberts, born David Boreanaz (the name his actor son uses), was a popular personality in Buffalo when he relocated to WPVI in May 1978 as a host of AM/Philadelphia and noon weatherman.

Shortly after the death of Jim O'Brien in a 1983 skydiving accident, Roberts got the main job. In 2002, when he handed the main weather duties to Cecily Tynan, Roberts started cutting back. He's been working a few days a week on the 5 and 6 p.m. shows.

The station has not announced long-term plans to replace him, so it's believed that other mets, including Adam Joseph, will handle his work.

Here's a clip from AM/Philadelphia of an interview with Sammy Davis Jr.

The World Society for the Protection of Animals launched a database (EatHumane.org) that features more than 150 restaurants in 15 U.S. cities that serve humanely raised meat and dairy products that have not been factory-farmed.

Nine in the Philadelphia area made the cut as a WSPA Humane Restaurant:

Bar Ferdinand, Bistro 7, Fork, James, Monk's Café, Restaurant Alba in Malvern, Southwark, Tinto, and White Dog Café.

WSPA says its experts checked menus to identify meat, dairy, and egg products branded as “Pasture Raised,” “USDA Organic,” “American Humane Certified,” “Animal Welfare Approved” or “Certified Humane."

Han Dynasty, the suburban Szechuan duopoly that got two bells from Craig LaBan in the spring, is opening at 108 Chestnut St. in Old City, where Joe Poon recently was. Owner Han Chiang (at right), who will keep his spots in Exton and Royersford, is targeting mid-December. He hopes to get a liquor license next year.

Tuesday (11/17) saw the opening of Percy Street Barbecue at 900 South St., in the wide storefront that was Crescent City. Concept from Michael Solomonov and Steve Cook (Zahav and Xochitl) and chef Erin O'Shea features meats sold by the pound, and beers sold by the pint, half-gallon, and gallon in a Texas roadhouse design by Elisabeth Knapp (Zahav). Menu and particulars here.

Moments ago (11/18), Hawthornes began rolling out the barrel at 11th and Fitzwater in South Philly. See details here.

Hunan in Ardmore, struck by a fire Oct. 27, will be closed longer than previously believed. It's now only in the insurance-adjuster phase. Besides the kitchen repairs, it will need a new sewer line and fire sprinkler system.

Today's word is truffles. You've seen my post from Monday about Barclay Prime's purchase of a $4,100 white truffle. While chef Jim LoCascio figures out what to do with it, chew on this:

• Alison two in Fort Washington is offering a four-course truffle tasting dinner for $35 through Saturday (11/21).
• And in West Chester, John Brandt-Lee at Avalon Restaurant will serve a six-course truffle menu ($50, weeknights) in December: grilled bread with truffled ricotta cheese, shaved prosciutto and crab-apple mostarda; mushroom and goat-cheese tortelloni with truffled porcini cream sauce; poached sea scallops with shaved truffles, black squid-ink fettuccini, and white truffle cream sauce; a veal duet of braised veal cheeks, truffle risotto and veal demi; a mixed salad; and truffled cheese and fruit plate.

Stephen Wagner with Meg in July. (Photo: Ed Hille)

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When she was helping to set up Sycamore, a fine, new BYOB in her hometown of Lansdowne, chef Meg Votta told owner Stephen Wagner that she had been living with ovarian cancer that had been discovered late.

As such, her prognosis was poor. But her spirit was stronger.

"She didn't dwell on it," Wagner said. "She did 12-hour days."

Six weeks ago, she became unable to work, and on Nov. 10, she passed away at 51.

Meg was featured in a story in the Philadelphia Daily News about successful female chefs that was published two days after her death -- the timing no doubt dictated by print deadlines.

She was quoted: "[As chefs, women] have more patience than men, especially in the teaching end of things. And we're good at multitasking and juggling. "

Meg's mastery of multitasking and juggling ensures that Sycamore is carrying on just fine.

Wagner says she saw to it that Sam Jacobson, who had worked at Meg's side for years, was prepared to take over her kitchen.

"She preplanned for all of this," Wagner said.

Her services will be Saturday, Dec. 5 at 11 a.m. at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 36 Ardmore Ave., Ardmore.

Suspect in the bank robbery.

The FBI has released photos of a guy who tried to hold up a Bank of America branch near K&A at 11:35 this morning, and ...

Well...

Look closely...

Could that be ...?

"I could have done it. I have no alibi," WYSP morning man Danny Bonaduce told me. "I left the station at 11:10 and it's a four-block walk to my house."

Michael "Metro" Cerio, Bonaduce's producer, said: I can't vouch for his whereabouts at 11:35."

The FBI says the subject gave a note to a teller, fled the bank before obtaining any cash, and was last seen heading eastbound on foot on Allegheny Avenue. The subject was described as a white male in his mid 30s, thin or skinny build, with a closely cropped thin beard and mustache, wearing a black knit wool cap, dark sunglasses, a plaid flannel jacket or heavy lined shirt, and blue jeans.

Bonaduce, who said he was talking to his financial adviser on the other line, suggested that a police fingerprint expert and sketch artist come by the station tomorrow.

Chris Fetfatzes and Heather Annechiarico behind the counter that hides their secret growler-filler.

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At 11 a.m. Wednesday (11/18), Chris Fetfatzes and Heather Annechiarico expect to unlock the doors of Hawthornes, their cafe/bottle shop/prepared-foods-to-go store at 11th and Fitzwater Streets in South Philly (215-627-3012).

The corner was his family's Bella Vista Beer Distributor until it moved a block away. Before the Fetfatzeses were in the beer biz, they operated hot dog carts, and this is where they stored their carts. (Chris Fetfatzes explained that in a bit of symbolism, a hot dog was the first food prepped in their new kitchen.)

Lots going on here: hardwood floors, retro lighting, white subway tiles, a genuine wood fireplace with "living room" seating area, fling-out windows, a takeout counter, a prepared-food case, and comfy tables seating nearly 40.

Beer cases will hold a staggering 1,000 varieties, and they're offering 16 varieties of 64-ounce counter-pressured growlers to go. Fetfatzes has a proprietary growler-filling system tucked into one of the counters. They'll offer brewers' limited-edition and one-off varieties; Russian River Blind Pig and Damnation were on an early list.

Chef Mike Teevan, who's been around the block a few times (front and back of the house at Water's Edge in Cape May, The Garden in Center City, Rembrandt's in Fairmount, the original Ritz-Carlton), is doing a menu of soups, sandwiches, and salads, with locally sourced ingredients, in-house-roasted meats, on-premises-baked bread and pastries, plus an assortment of to-go dishes.

You order at the counter and pick up your food, except during brunch (8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays). Kitchen will be open till 8 p.m., and sandwiches will be available later.

Cafe menu here.
Brunch menu here.

Penn guard Malcolm Washington watches from the bench during the first half. (Elizabeth Robertson/Staff Photographer)

Congrats are in order to Penn freshman Malcolm Washington, who got two steals and sank a layup Monday night in his first college game. The Quakers nonetheless fell hard to Villanova, 103-65.

Washington, a 5-foot-9 backup guard, was a high school standout at Los Angeles Windward.