Something is going on at the Cira Centre across from 30th Street Station.

But there's nothing going on now at Rae, the upscale eatery owned by Daniel Stern and Sue Mahoney. It's dark, but Mahoney told me today that it is just closed for this holiday weekend.

Two weeks ago, I reported that Rae would be relocating to the 37th floor of Two Liberty Place next fall and that Stern would reconfigure the Cira Centre space into something more casual. Since then, Stern has provided no info about when Rae would close officially. Stern also owns Gayle in Queen Village.

Todd Carmichael, the globetrotting co-owner of La Colombe coffee and husband of singer Lauren Hart, is on a quest to be the first America to walk across Antarctica to the South Pole, solo. Check out my story about him just before he left Gladwyne.

Thanksgiving's blog entry reads:

"Thanksgiving day started out very promisingly and Todd had visions of an absolutely huge day. But complete whiteout and fields of sastrugi made forward progress akin to 'fighting your way through a junkyard that is 20 miles long…blindfolded.'

"Todd was still able to scratch and claw his way forward for another remarkable total of 17.5 nautical miles. In the last two days he has narrowed the gap between his position and the record pace by six miles. But 17+ mile days will have to be the norm from here on out if he is to seriously approach the record."

Stuck for Thanksgiving? I can't help you with a nagging mother or dullard uncle, but I'll try to hook you up with dining ideas.

Look to the right side of the blog page (http://go.philly.com/insider), head down a bit, and try my Thanksgiving Dinner Finder.

Enter a zip code, or name of city, town or county and see what'll be open today. You can also pull a full list; use the advanced-search button and filter by restaurants that are open on Thanksgiving. Always call first, as some restaurants may be fully committed.

By no means is this list all-inclusive. I've omitted Chinatown, which will be lit up as usual, as well as the fast-food places, which .. well... a Whopper just doesn't say "Thanksgiving." And speaking of depressing, some cash-strapped restaurateurs will decide at the last minute to open and see who comes in.

After 35 years, The Eagles are smart about playing to a Philly crowd.

During Tuesday's concert at the Wachovia Center, Joe Walsh popped on a Phillies cap for "In the City," which included video scenes of the city of Philadelphia and Brad Lidge throwing the final out in the World Series, the on-field celebration shots and the parade. And the crowd went wild.

The band also announced midway through the opening set that a portion of the proceeds from the night would be going to the FOP Memorial Scholarship Fund to benefit the families of our fallen police officer, and in a show of emotion before dedicating a song to the Philadellphia Police Department, they read the names of the five officers who died this year.

About 150 workers from Jose Garces' empire gathered Wednesday for staff lunch at Distrito in West Philly.

Every year, the day before Thanksgiving, Garces closes for lunch. Garces made deep-fried turkeys.
Distrito provided pumpkin bread pudding, while Tinto and Amada staff brought the side dishes, including collard greens, mac and cheese, Brussells sprouts, polenta and sausage, Irish soda bread and tamales.

No booze. They had to go back to work afterwards.

Would you believe four stations are Christmas-sing this holiday season.

Now 97.5 went to all-yule first, followed by B101. Then WHAT (1340), the standards station, pulled the switch.

At 6 a.m. Wednesday, WOGL (98.1) will go all-Christmas, calling itself "Philadelphia's Christmas Classic Station" (for which CBS bought a service mark). Program director Anne Gress explains: "We'll play the songs you remember hearing as a kid growing up in Philly. So, sorry, no En Vogue covers of 'Silent Night.' Instead, it's Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole. Only the best of the best stuff."

WOGL also will add excerpts between songs from classic Christmas TV shows and movies, such as Linus telling the true meaning of Christmas and when Santa asks Rudolph to guide his sleigh.

Silent Night, hah.

Philly Mag has shaken up the masthead for its new food editor, giving the job to managing/lifestyle editor Ashley Primis, whose title will become food editor/lifestyle editor. Primis, a graduate of the California Culinary Institute, is a former cook at the Four Seasons. Janine White will become managing editor and will retain duties as executive editor of Philadelphia Home, which announce the layoffs of six people this week.

Editor Larry Platt refers to the svelte Primis as an "uncanny eater with an unmatched passion for food."

Primis' only reservation about taking the job was that she would gain weight, so Platt will allow her new schedule to start at 10 a.m. so she can get in a good workout. (If she wants to suck up to the boss, she can join him at Zarett Rehab & Fitness, the gym to the stars near Rittenhouse Square.)

These are the federal court documents related to yesterday's sentencing of ex-CBS3 news anchor Larry Mendte, including more than 70 letters of support from friends, former co-workers and others.

Jim McGuinn, as photographed by Mark Stehle for Penn Current.

Jim McGuinn, who programmed alt rock in Philly since 1995, is moving to Minneapolis to program The Current, a public station.

McGuinn called the shots on the old WDRE and Y100. When the programming geniuses at Radio One silenced Y100, he helped start Y100Rocks.com, an online successor. The station (and McGuinn) joined WXPN (88.5) in 2004, and last year he became into XPN's afternoon-drive host in addition to programming what is now known as XPN's Y-Rock On XPN service.

XPN music director Dan Reed will take over afternoons, starting in mid-January. Bruce Warren, XPN's assistant general mnager for pogramming, will take over McGuinn’s programming responsibilities for Y-Rock On XPN service, and assistant music director Mike Vasilikos will take on a portion of Reed’s off-air responsibilities, according to a press release, issued Monday, that quotes general manager Roger LaMay.

Here's a Q&A he did last year.