LAURA MANDEL
Recent articles
E. coli scare leaves taco lovers hungry
No quiero Taco Bell - not with E. coli, at least. All 15 city Taco Bells voluntarily closed Wednesday after an E. coli breakout near Philadelphia. It is unknown when the local eateries will resume business. The closings included the Taco Bell located in Penn's Food Court at 34th and Walnut streets.
'Fat studies' gaining weight in academia
Perceptions about body weight don't stop at the scales anymore. "Fat studies" is a growing interdisciplinary area of study at universities across the country, devoted to examining discrimination and stereotypes against the fat body and studying the collective experience of fat people in society.
Profs to sit on child-abuse panel
A string of child-abuse cases have come to light in Philadelphia over the past few weeks, and Carol Spigner has a chance do something about the problem. Spigner, a professor at Penn's School of Social Policy and Practice, was appointed co-chair of Mayor John Street's recently announced Child Welfare Advisory Panel for Philadelphia.
Pregaming turkey with a night on the town
Sure, you might down shots on New Year's Eve - but Thanksgiving? Strange, but true: For bars and clubs across Philadelphia, Thanksgiving Eve is one of the most hopping partying opportunities of the year, with people reuniting with old friends and family in their hometowns.
Packing your bags? Think again ...
Forget the Big Apple - Penn students might want to give the City of Brotherly Love a chance after graduation, especially if they are seeking a job.
Extreme makeover, restroom edition
Philadelphia officials must think the city is too classy for the average Porta-Potty.
Empty your piggybank - it's time for dinner
Meals in Philadelphia are getting pricey - and not just at Le Bec-Fin or Deux Cheminees. Experts say that, even at the city's modestly priced establishments, the cost of a meal is going up. Some restaurant owners say they're paying higher costs for the basics of running a business, costs that get passed on to the consumer.
No need to bring cash to ride these cabs
Lack of cash will no longer be a problem for students looking to hail a cab.
Calorie counting, with no choice
Next time you are in a New York City restaurant, you might find calories listed alongside menu items, displayed just as prominently as the item price. New York City's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has issued a proposal calling for calorie disclosure in certain city dining establishments.
Cover up those skimpy outfits - here come kids
The streets of University City have already seen parades of sexy witches and scantily clad police officers, but tonight the youngest crowd of Halloweeners will get their turn. But will Penn students hear knocks on their doors tonight from area kids seeking candy? College junior Brooke Prashker, who lives off campus, will be prepared no matter what.
Penn Design team hired to revamp riverfront
Parts of the Delaware riverfront are "the densest, most historic, least planned" areas in Philadelphia, Harris Steinberg says. Now, his group at Penn has a shot at making them better. Steinberg is director of Penn Praxis, an arm of the School of Design, which is set to play a big role in developing the riverfront.
Walking or running, it's fundraiser season
After walking 24 miles in the cold rain, Stouffer College House Dean Michele Grab rested for the night on the floor of a local high school, only to wake up and walk 19.5 more miles the next day. But she did it for a cause - as part of the Breast Cancer 3-Day walk, sponsored by the Susan G.
Let your iPod be a guide as you tour the city
A new way to tour Philadelphia involves more than just stops at Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. SoundAboutPhilly.com, a site launched last month, allows users to listen to short segments that discuss the lesser-known and more unusual aspects of the city.
Compulsive buying likely to strike in college years
If studying for midterms makes you want to go out and splurge on expensive clothing or gadgets, you may be more than simply a procrastinator. A recent study suggests that 5 percent of Americans are compulsive buyers, meaning they frequently purchase items they do not need or want.
Get your art fresh off the easel
Philadelphia's artists, including Penn's vice provost for University life, will open their doors to the public this weekend. Philadelphia Open Studio Tours is an annual event that allows over 200 of the city's visual artists to open their studios or homes for the display and sale of their artwork.
Maybe you can't drink, but you now can rent a car
Cruising around Philadelphia in a BMW will no longer be an activity limited to those students who have made it to 21. PhillyCarShare, a car-sharing service, allows anyone over the age of 18 that chance. The service, which calls itself the only in the country catering to customers between 18 and 20, allows members to hold keys to a car that they can reserve at any time, or to rent vehicles on a one-time basis.
News brief: Officials say city wireless will be set by next fall
By next fall, residents of Philadelphia will be able to surf the Web by the banks of the Schuylkill River, says the company that is installing the city's wireless system.
The ultimate ranking system
Here's a new spin on university rankings: Apparently, the best schools are the ones with champion ultimate-frisbee teams.
Others in Pa. take new fuel, SEPTA won't
Tired of plain-old gas-fueled buses, some are advocating that SEPTA consider a new source of fuel - farm waste.
A dash of color, a spark of inspiration
When Engineering junior Jeff Weinstein and his roommates host parties, they invite their guests to hang out on their rooftop deck, entirely lined with rope lights and overlooking Center City. The vision for the deck, and for the rest of their apartment, is what Weinstein calls "the lazy man's creativity.
