Meeting the Phelpses

People

Meeting the Phelpses

Michael Phelps has taken another lap with his girlfriend — a big one. She reportedly spent Thanksgiving in Baltimore with him and his family, according to People magazine. The Olympic champ has been dating Las Vegas cocktail waitress Caroline "Caz" Pal, 26, for about two months. Along with dating Pal, Phelps is spending time in Vegas working on his poker game. He recently made it to the final table of the Caesars Palace Poker Classic, according to People.

Box Office

In "Christmases" spirit

Thanksgiving weekend movie crowds gobbled up the Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn holiday comedy "Four Christmases," which debuted at No. 1 with $31.7 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. In terms of revenue, it was Hollywood's second-biggest Thanksgiving period ever, after 2000. Vampire romance "Twilight," which had a huge No. 1 opening the previous weekend, was neck and neck for second place with Disney's animated family flick "Bolt." Based on estimates, "Bolt" had a slight lead with $26.6 million for the weekend, compared with $26.4 million for "Twilight."

In memorial

Icon's designer mourned

Flags on Sydney's Harbor Bridge flew at half staff today as Australia mourned the death of Joern Utzon, the Danish architect who designed the iconic Sydney Opera House. Floodlights illuminating the building's distinctive white "sail" walls dimmed for one hour Sunday night as a mark of respect for Utzon, who died Saturday in Copenhagen at age 90. Utzon spent more than 10 years designing the World Heritage-listed building, only to leave the project amid wrangling with the New South Wales state government. He never returned to Australia to see his project completed.

Today in History

1824: The presidential election was turned over to the U.S. House of Representatives when a deadlock developed among John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, William Crawford and Henry Clay. (Adams ended up the winner.)

1913: The first drive-in automobile service station, built by Gulf Refining Co., opened in Pittsburgh.

1955: Black seamstress Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery, Ala., city bus. Mrs. Parks was arrested, sparking a yearlong boycott of the buses by blacks.

1969: The U.S. government held its first draft lottery since World War II.

Today's Birthdays

Actor-director Woody Allen, 73. Golfer Lee Trevino, 69. Singer Dianne Lennon (The Lennon Sisters), 69. Rock musician John Densmore (The Doors), 64. Actress-singer Bette Midler, 63. Actor Treat Williams, 57. Actress-comedian Sarah Silverman, 38. Rock musician Brad Delson (Linkin Park), 31.

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