As I sat in a comfortable booth at LaScala's waiting for my order of lasagna to arrive, I felt like Garfield the cat. Alternating layers of cheese, pasta and sauce - it's a simple concept but one that tends to elude me on Penn's campus. So when I finally had a chance to eat at a downtown Italian restaurant, there was no question that I would order anything but the preferred dish of everyone's favorite feline from the funny pages.

Cuba is a country of color, Castro and cigars. The better two of these three are represented at Cuba Libre restaurant. Enter Cuba Libre on any weekend night and you will find a bustling crowd clamoring to get a table. I would recommend reservations, unless you desire to wait for a few hours before eating.

Long, dark and highlighted on each side by thin rows of orange-lit rocks, the entranceway is, without a doubt, distinctive, if not a little intimidating at first. Even more so the dining rooms, of which there are three quite large ones. From the short, brown-leather chairs and the red-and-gold tapestries to the peach lighting that glows from the base of benches and the tiny candles hid in alcove after alcove along a long blue wall, the decor is striking, to say the least.

Former Wharton professor Scott Ward pled guilty today in federal court to producing child pornography for importation into the United States. Ward, who has been held in custody since August, is scheduled for sentencing May 11. His charge carries a sentence of 15 to 30 years in prison, according to a press release issued by the U.

They call Philadelphia the Paris of the Western Hemisphere. Oh, wait. No, they don't. The truth is, Philadelphia is not quite the haven for Francophiles - outside of the three Center City mainstays, Le Bec Fin, Lecroix at the Rittenhouse and Brasserie Perrier, the City of Brotherly Love offers little in terms of fine French cuisine.

Two male students were assaulted in separate incidents near campus this weekend. Division of Public Safety officials said a male student was robbed near the intersection of 40th and Locust streets at about 4:15 a.m. yesterday. About four or five men exited a dark sport-utility vehicle on Locust Street and attacked the student, inflicting a wound to the back of his head, DPS officials said.

The artistic morsels at Gayle fuse exotic tastes with a playful sense of humor. Throughout the experience, chef Daniel Stern takes great pains to make the meal memorable. Tucked away just off of South Street, Gayle offers quality homemade cuisine that will stir the Oliver Twist question within: "Please miss, may I have some more?" After arriving at the restaurant my guest and I were shown to one of the two window tables.

Everything your mom ever told you about breakfast being the most important meal of the day is confirmed at Morning Glory Diner. This South Philadelphia corner eatery delightfully combines the atmosphere of a bustling neighborhood diner and a snug country-inn kitchen to create a homey and relaxed environment that is well worth the train or taxi ride from Penn's campus.

While Italian restaurants are seemingly a dime a dozen, Il Portico quietly makes a statement with its classic dishes. The restaurant has a perfect balance of Italian staples - olive oil, cheese, bread, herbs, dim lighting and love songs - that blend together to create an excellent dining experience.

How many different ways can you serve chocolate? Well, stopping by the Naked Chocolate Cafe is a good place to find out. Tucked in at 1317 Walnut Street, the Naked Chocolate Cafe opened in August of 2006 and since then has become a favorite meeting place and coffee stop of many.

What college students need to learn is constantly changing, and universities are working to keep up with the times. Yale University instated changes to its distribution requirements for the class of 2009 and now requires students to venture abroad. Harvard University, for its part, recently released a proposal to revamp its own curriculum.

Before connecting students to the Internet, Penn computing officials may need to connect with students first. Communication problems between students and technology administrators are preventing Penn computing from ironing out all the connectivity problems in Penn's residential wireless network, AirPennNet, officials say.

For the first time in over 30 years, Harvard University has proposed major changes to its Core Curriculum. Eight new subject areas would replace the curriculum's current 11, for which new classes will be created. In addition, a program of "activity-based learning" would try and tie together academic and extracurricular activities.

Tired of ordering a single entree when you go out to eat? Wish you could sample three - or four - gourmet delicacies? Then try Bar Ferdinand, a recently opened tapas bar in Northern Liberties. Joining Philadelphia's prestigious food scene six months ago, Bar Ferdinand serves a wide variety of tapas and boasts an extensive bar menu, all of which is very affordable.

More so than the average Chinese noodle eatery, Nan Zhou, an almost hole-in-the-wall getaway, wants to give the impresion of both simplicity and fun. Squished next to a garage and a slew of other establishments, the place is hardly homey. It doesn't seat more than two dozen people, and if you don't know how to use chopsticks you're fresh out of luck.

He graced the pages of National Geographic. He rock climbed two vertical miles in a day, solo. He wore a Wonderwoman costume as he traversed a 600-foot mountain. He brings granny panties, which he refers to as "prayer flags," on almost every climb. Michael Reardon, a free solo rock climber, may have done everything there is to do when it comes to solo climbing.

Tucked around the obscure corner of 43rd and Chestnut lays a beacon of warmth and comfort for the weary and over worked. Owned and operated by Pakistani emigres, Kabobeesh provides traditional Pakistani delights from various curries to kabobs cooked on medieval looking steel rods.