On Saturday, April 28th the Philadelphia Big Brothers/Big Sisters threw its 7th Big City Ball at the spacious and swank-ified 30th Street Station. Oz and the Emerald City was the theme and several technicolor costumes were spotted throughout the evening. Over 1,200 people came to support Big Brothers/Big Sisters by bidding on auction items and buying raffle tickets. Bistro St. Tropez provided a sumptuous buffet, followed by desserts from Denise's Delicacies. To find out more about Big Brothers/Big Sisters, call 215-557-8600.

The Book and The Cook, an annual event in its seventeenth year, overtook Philadelphia for 10 days in late March. We attended a smattering of events, the best ones highlighted here for you on The Scene.

Sometimes, we can't make up our minds. We're in a wandering mood, so The Scene goes on a barhop; a mini-tour of the town. On March 24th, we hit Old City at Lucy's, Continental and Marmont. As the evening wore on, Rouge on Rittenhouse Square beckoned. For some late night fun and dancing we headed to Bar Noir right up the street from Rouge. Always a fun, mixed crowd. Try not to storm the door at 1 am – as with any late nite hotspot you'll have more success the earlier you go.

The 2001 Flower Show was open for a black-tie preview reception held on Saturday March 3rd. The display, whose exhibitors plan for many months, was set up in a mere week at the Philadelphia convention center. Donations from the attendees of this reception provide financial support for Philadelphia Green, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society''s outreach and public landscapes program. A dinner catered by Aramark was the final touch to a beautifully landscaped evening.

Chances are, you've been to The Black Sheep by now. What better day to check out an Irish bar and restaurant than Saint Patrick's Day? Our Saint Patty's Day Hotspot Check showed us why people flock to The Black Sheep for happy hour and dinner too.