Black Friday always breaks my brain a little, pitting the part of me that dislikes crowds against the part of me that likes saving money. I usually go with the part that dislikes crowds and spend Black Friday inside my house, eating sandwiches made from the leftovers of Thanksgiving dinner and looking for deals online. Mmm. Sandwiches.

I'm still debating about whether or not I'll venture out this year, but I am starting to think about where in the Philadelphia area I would visit on Black Friday. There is, of course, the gigantic King of Prussia Mall, whose doors will open at 5 a.m. even though the stores won't open until an hour later. Over at the Cherry Hill Mall, the JC Penney's will open even earlier at 4 a.m. And in Coshohocken and Philadelphia, Ikea is offering free coffee and breakfast until 10:30 a.m. in addition to its sales.

Is there anywhere you're visiting for Black Friday in Philadelphia? A store or sale you go to every year, or an especially good deal you've heard about this year? Leave your suggestions in the comments.

The Philadelphia Marathon

Friday: Learn to Felt
If you wish you could make woolly goods for holiday gifts but don't have knitting or crocheting skills, check out Felting: From Fuzz to Form at the Fairmount Art Center. During this evening workshop you'll learn how to turn old wool sweaters into new, totally giftable goods.

Saturday: A Hard Act to Follow - Circus Cabaret & Dessert Bar
Watch performers from the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts leap, bound and swing through the air, then give yourself a sugar high at the dessert bar.

Sunday: The Philadelphia Marathon
Not running? Watch the race from one of the marathon's cheer zones, many of which also feature food, drink and entertainment.

Sunday Bonus: Morimoto's Happy Hour
While I was drooling over Philadelphia Magazine's list of the Best Happy Hours, and I noticed one particularly awesome thing: Morimoto starts the week off early by offering its happy hour specials on Sunday nights. Come on, it's been a long weekend: go eat some sushi.

Photo by G. Widman for GPTMC

Wait, this can make a pie?

I'm a master of the side dish, but a dunce when it comes to cooking turkey. (I'm also very lucky - I've hosted Thanksgiving twice over the past few years, and both times I avoided cooking the bird.) If you also feel like your chef skills could use a little buff-and-shine before Thanksgiving Day, it's not too late. Here's a little run-down of upcoming Thanksgiving cooking classes in the area:

• Cranberry Chutney Canning
  Have your chutney and can it too. In this November 21 class, students will learn how to make and preserve cranberry chutney, which makes both a great Thanksgiving condiment and a nice holiday gift.
• A Down Home Thanksgiving
  On November 19 and 20, Reading Terminal Market is offering a dinner session that centers around that famous multi-bird, the Turducken. Learn how to cook the meal -- complete with sides like broccoli rabe with pork belly and baked sweet corn casserole -- and get to eat it too.
• Thanksgiving Side Dishes
  This November 19 class at Cherry Hill's La Campagne won't help turkey woes, but it should help you make some sides that could potentially outshine the bird.
• Thanksgiving Wrap-Up for Kids
  Yes, it's after Thanksgiving, but Kitchen Kapers' post-turkey-day class teaches kids how to cook with Thanksgiving leftovers and could buy you some child-free holiday-shopping time.
• Finally, if you want to eschew cooking all together this year, check out my list of the Best Philadelphia Thanksgiving Restaurants.

Image: © Meg Favreau

Visit Reading Terminal Market this weekend for forgotten foods.

According to CBS3's Doug Kammerer, we're in the middle of a good ol' nor'easter right now, which means we'll be seeing this rain and dreary whether for most of the weekend. Here are some weekend picks that'll keep you inside:

Friday: Body Worlds 2
The original exhibition of stripped-down and preserved human bodies is back at the Franklin Institute, this time with brains. Tickets for the 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. slot are only $18 as opposed to the regular $27, so go spend your happy hour learning about human anatomy.

Saturday: Festival of Forgotten Foods
From 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Saturday, head to Reading Terminal Market to taste forgotten Philadelphia foods like teaberry ice cream and snapper soup.

Sunday: Train Festival
The skies are supposed to finally clear up on Sunday and forecasts are calling for temperatures in the mid-60s - get outside! If you have a rail-loving wee one, spend that outside time at the Train Festival in the Camden Children's Garden.

Not enough fun for you? Find more things to do on the November Events Calendar.

Photo by J. Smith for GPTMC