SCALLOP CRUDO AT COAST & MAIN

I read somewhere (probably online, so the validity is questionable) that there are so many restaurants in New York City, a person could dine out every night for 54 years and never hit the same place twice.

Although the size of Pittsburgh’s food scene doesn’t compare to The Big Apple’s, it would take a long time to visit every local eatery.

I haven’t managed to hit every one yet, but I’m trying!

Every year, I search for spots that bring something extra to the table. There are a lot of great places to chow down in this town. Here are 25 of them that left a lasting impression and made me want to come back for more.

The List

• Alta Via Ristorante & Alta Via Pizzeria
• Apteka
• Cioppino
• Coast & Main
• Comfort & Spice
• Curbside
• Dish Osteria and Bar
• Eleven
• Fig & Ash
• Fish Nor Fowl
• Hemlock House
• LeMont
• Long Story Short
• Moonlit Burgers
• Nanban
• North Country Brew Pub
• Oak Hill Post
• Pizza Lupo
• Pusadee’s Garden
• Scratch & Co.
• Soju
• Spork
• The Vandal
• Wise County Biscuits & Cafe
• The Wood’s House Historic Pub

Best Brand Expansion

Alta Via Ristorante & Alta Via Pizzeria

Burrito Restaurant Group opened the original Alta Via Ristorante in O’Hara on April Fool’s Day 2019. Alta Via Pizzeria debuted in Larimer’s Bakery Square a few years later on April 12 — the date Pittsburghers celebrate living in the 412 area code.

Alta Via’s Market Square location opened on Oct. 26, 2023. Although no holidays fell on that Thursday, the Christmas tree at PPG Place was already up, so I indulged in bucatini and premature holiday cheer.

The approachable, modern menu is inspired by life in both the Italian Alps and California wine country. It features fresh seafood, vegetable-forward dishes, homemade pasta and gut-busting entrees, including Long Island Duck with gnocchi, Lacinato kale, fig and thyme.

The restaurant also offers weekend brunch, lunchtime sandwiches and gelato made in-house. For a more casual dining experience that’s just as filling, visit AVP. I carbo-loaded by ordering pull-apart bread made with garlic mascarpone, Pecorino Romano and red sauce followed by a rustic, hearth-baked pie topped with pepperoni, fresh mozzarella, red onion, more of that delicious Pecorino Romano, taleggio cream, chives and chili flakes. Any day that you eat at an Alta Via restaurant is a special occasion.

O’Hara Township: 46 Fox Chapel Road
412-408-3816, altaviapgh.com

Downtown: 2 PPG Place
412-408-3816

Larimer: 169 Bakery Square Blvd.
412-755-3387, altaviapizzeria.com

Best Vegan Food

Apteka

Apteka owners Kate Lasky and Tomasz Skowronski are probably the only James Beard Award-nominated chefs to feature a special menu called Crapteka. That’s what I love about them: They serve seriously good food with a sense of humor.

For several weeks every January, the pair puts their typical Central and Eastern European fare (which is anything but ordinary) on hold and dish out vegan-friendly “junk” food. It’s all made from scratch, from the buckwheat burger patties and buns to the sunflower seed ice cream.

If you’re new to vegan cuisine, it’s a nice introduction to plant-based grub. Chances are you’ll recognize a few things on the regular menu, too, including Pittsburgh’s unofficial official dish: pierogi. I urge you to visit Apteka throughout the year to break out of your comfort food comfort zone.

Try something like the Kluski Śląskie z Kopą Warzyw and see why the James Beard Foundation thinks Lasky and Skowronski are no joke.

Bloomfield: 4606 Penn Ave.
412-251-0189, aptekapgh.com

Best Meat-and-Potatoes Restaurant

Cioppino

I’ve always been a meat-and-potatoes kind of girl, but, lately, my spud intake has skyrocketed. Cioppino’s executive chef Robert “RC” Carter also has a deep-rooted love for tubers.

“We are a seafood and steak house with a potato problem,” says Carter, who grew up in his mother’s Detroit soul food restaurant. He’s helmed the kitchen at Cioppino since 2017.

Humble taters pop up all over the all-star menu; they’re in the creamy roasted chicken soup and accompany both the halibut and the rack of lamb. If they don’t come with your entree, by all means, order them as a side, which Cioppino refers to as an “enhancement.” For brunch — served every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. — I recommend springing for the lox board, which includes a housemade potato waffle and crispy layered potatoes.

On a chilly night last October, when I was craving a hearty meal, I ordered the ultimate stick-to-your-ribs dish — beef short rib with demi-glace, Brussels sprouts and whipped potatoes that were so rich, flavorful and creamy, I wanted to immerse myself in them.

Are potato spas a thing? They should be. Cioppino’s lounge menu includes 1000 Layer Tots, thin slices of potato stacked and deep fried into bricks of crispy perfection.

I want to build a house out of them using the horseradish aioli dipping sauce as mortar and eat my way out.

Strip District: 2350 Railroad St.
412-281-6593, cioppinoofpittsburgh.com

Best Restaurant in a Mall

Coast & Main

As ’90s teens, my friends and I spent a lot of time in Monroeville Mall’s food court. We lurched around like zombies (after all, “Dawn of the Dead” was filmed there) while eating Manchu Wok samples and as many slices of Sbarro pizza as our paltry allowances could afford.

My, how times have changed.

In 2018, the shopping center welcomed Coast & Main, a gourmet seafood and chophouse where even the kid’s menu features a 4-ounce filet mignon. Now I can visit my adolescent stomping grounds, once a culinary wasteland, and order a bone-in ribeye, Chilean sea bass, lobster tail and — since I’m well over 21 — a drink at the bar!

Chef Ricky Kirsop grew up in Portland, Oregon, exploring the state’s forests and shoreline. He attended culinary school there and worked for hometown powerhouse McCormick & Schmick’s. He helped open the company’s Pittsburgh location in 2005.

Although he’s been a longtime landlubber, his love for the ocean is evident in the dishes he makes with seafood flown in daily. Catch a Pacific cod crusted in potato and parm with roasted garlic cream. At the bar, you can order crab cake sliders, salmon cakes and Tuna Tataki along with a Northwest Berry Julep.

Coast & Main is a fusion of land and sea, East and West, heart and soul. I know 16-year-old Kristy would want me to zombie-walk to the Gap for a new flannel shirt and then spring for the surf and turf.

Monroeville: 705 Mall Circle Drive
412-380-6022, coastandmain.com

Best Pop-Up Kitchen

Comfort & Spice

Comfort & Spice, a collapsible kitchen that pops up at area breweries to dish out gourmet soups and stews, might make you adopt a liquid lifestyle.

From borscht and matzah ball to Czech beef goulash and Spanish bean, Toby Vann serves comfort food from a self-designed, pallet-sized kiosk — the first of its kind in Allegheny County; it includes two professional-grade induction hotplates, a panini press, rice cooker, silicone countertops, shelving and a handwashing sink.

The structure can fit in a truck bed and be reassembled in about 30 minutes. The soup is available in to-go containers, but folks who slurp on-site can get free second helpings. I recommend staying put and diving into a bowl of tomato paprika soup served with cheesy croutons, Parmesan and herbed sour cream.

When accompanied by one of Vann’s signature grilled cheese sandwiches, it’s the kind of meal that warms the body and soul. Which is why he takes the summer off. Vann just completed a residency at Fermata Brewing Co. in Ambridge and is spending the next month in Norway studying Scandinavian food. He has big plans for Pittsburgh this fall. Take comfort in the fact that the little red soup shack will be back soon to spice things up.

Multiple Locations
instagram.com/comfortandspice_pgh

Best To-Go Grub

Curbside

Curbside is a welcome sight to motorists stuck in traffic on Route 28. You can see the rainbow-bedecked building from the highway — a beacon on a road that seems like it’s always under construction.

Take the nearest exit and head to the eatery for some exquisite to-go grub. After spending 15 years in Blawnox, Curbside moved to the bigger space last fall to offer a bigger menu. You’ll find more scratch-made baked goods, organic fruit, smoothies, yogurt parfaits and some of the nicest folks in town.

I recommend the colossal bacon, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich on toasted wheat bread. I’d endure gridlock every day for one.

O’Hara Township: 1101 Powers Run Road
412-828-9810, curbsideontherun.com

Best Romantic Restaurant

Dish Osteria and Bar

My romantic rendezvous at Dish included some fava beans and a nice Chianti. As a film geek, that thrilled me. Luckily, my girlfriend, Dre, is also a fan of “The Silence of the Lambs” and understood the reference. She basked in the cinematic glory of it all right along with me.

That’s true love, folks. The only thing that came between us that evening was a plate of Crostini di Ricotta e Fave, grilled ciabatta bread with homemade ricotta, chives and those famous little legumes.

For my main course, I ordered the housemade potato gnocchi that included Elysian Fields Pure Bred lamb shoulder, another nod to the 1991 Jonathan Demme movie, parts of which were shot in and around Pittsburgh. Dre had the cavatelli tossed in extra virgin olive oil, garlic, shallots, crushed red pepper, house made sausage, rapini, oven roasted campari tomatoes, pecorino and basil.

In a Hollywood ending, we topped off the meal with Tiramisú and Limoncello cheesecake. Even if carbo-loading by candlelight and imitating Oscar-winner Anthony Hopkins isn’t your idea of a hot date, please know that Dish owners Michele and Cindy Savoia roll out the red carpet for each one of their guests.

The place is small, so make a reservation, or try to get a sneak preview at the bar. Dish is a culinary blockbuster.

South Side: 128 S. 17th St.
412-390-2012, dishosteria.com

Best Uniquely Pittsburgh Dining Experience

Eleven

If you want to have a uniquely Pittsburgh dining experience, don some black-and-gold attire and go to Eleven.

Located in a renovated Strip District warehouse near some old railroad tracks, the restaurant’s window-filled tavern is in the shadow of a 35-foot, 4-ton Heinz ketchup bottle that stands on a pedestal outside of the neighboring Heinz History Center.

For 20 years, the towering condiment container and its twin adorned the scoreboard at Heinz Field (now Acrisure Stadium) and would tilt each time the Steelers or Panthers entered the opposing team’s red zone, an area of the gridiron between the 20-yard line and the goal line. It’s a cool view in an industrial space that, for the past two decades, has served some of the ’Burgh’s best food.

My most recent meal there was a tender pork chop accompanied by crispy grits, carrot puree, braised collard greens and rhubarb BBQ. It was a touchdown for the taste buds. I ate it so fast I was ready for dessert in a matter of minutes.

I continued with the rhubarb theme and went with strawberry rhubarb cheesecake, a perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty and creamy. Eleven’s prix-fixe brunch menu is a great way to start your day. You get an entree, app and a juice or a cocktail for $39. Order a Bloody Mary and the Eleven burger, a braised veal patty topped with black pepper bacon, crispy onions and your choice of cheese.

As you gaze out at the corner of 12th and Smallman streets, dip some fries in ketchup and raise them in a salute to good ol’ Heinz 57!

Strip District: 1150 Smallman St.
412-201-5656, elevenck.com

Best Recommendation Restaurant

Fig & Ash

When someone asks me for a restaurant recommendation, I usually say Fig & Ash. Not only have I had many wonderful meals at the Deutschtown establishment, but it’s also the first restaurant that I, as a food writer, covered from the groundbreaking to the grand opening.

Interviewing chef Cory Hughes and his team over the years has taught me a lot about the restaurant industry and the passion that’s required to make a culinary dream a reality. If it’s your first visit, someone in your party must order the short-rib-and-pork-belly meatloaf.

I’ve written entire articles about this entree and it never disappoints. It’s a Fig & Ash fixture, but other items on the seasonal menu are just as delightful and filling. On a recent date night, my girlfriend and I split the family-style plate of spaghetti with San Marzano tomato, Italian sausage, crab, bay scallops and Calabrian chili.

We also shared an order of Brussels sprouts. These green buds are often viewed as villains in the vegetable kingdom, but when prepared with black pepper honey, goat cheese and cherry, they will rule your world.

The place, including the four-season courtyard, is usually packed. If you don’t have a reservation, take a chance on the bar, where the entire “farm-to-flame” menu is available fresh out of the wood-fired oven.

We snagged two seats and had a wonderful conversation with the bartender about astrology. A return trip to Fig & Ash is written in the stars.

North Side: 514 East Ohio St.
412-321-2222, figandashpgh.com

Best Comeback

Fish Nor Fowl

I’ve been in love with this Richard DeShantz Restaurant Group eatery since it opened in 2018. When the pandemic started, it closed its doors and — aside from hosting a few holiday pop-ups — remained shuttered until Valentine’s Day 2023.

I’m still head-over-heels for Fish Nor Fowl. The name, taken from an old Norwegian saying, means, “hard to classify.” I guess you could call the place a rustically modern, Italian-inspired open kitchen with a floor-to-ceiling plant wall that’ll make you think spring, a second floor with a wintry hunting lodge aesthetic and a patio with distinctly summer vibes.

Last fall, like a bear preparing to hibernate, I ate a loaf of buckwheat focaccia and an autumnal manicotti highlighted by butternut squash, ricotta, brown butter and sage. In the springtime, you’ll find a nice assortment of small plates such as shrimp mixed with garlic, white wine, lemon, cherry tomatoes and pickled celery and bigger helpings of seafood linguine and chicken parm.

Just go there and — I promise — it’ll all make sense.

Garfield: 5523 Penn Ave.
412-460-4644, fishnorfowlpgh.com

Best Menu for the Adventurous Eater

Hemlock House

At Hemlock House, owner Josh Sickels and chef Mike Allison have created a quirky spot that shrieks “Twin Peaks” and has a no-holds-barred menu. Like the cult television series from the ’90s, it takes a lot of unexpected turns.

Uni bucatini, an Italian-sushi mashup, is a mouthwatering mix of uni (the edible part of a sea urchin) and sake cream sauce, stracciatella, black masago, bucatini and American Grana cheese. You’ll find snacks, handhelds, small and large plates and desserts, and adventurous early birds can enjoy a weekend brunch that includes pork belly hash and andouille benedict.

There aren’t too many Pittsburgh eateries offering duck burgers. The patty, a mix of duck breast and beef fat, is topped with micro greens, Luxardo cherries, caramelized onions and Boursin cheese on a challah bun. Save room for corn-battered hushpuppies, consisting of lump crab and diced slab bacon topped with scallions, fish sauce and bonito flakes.

Pair those pups with a glass of Sloop John B., a mix of Beefeater Gin, lime, raspberry preserves and Dogfish Head SeaQuench Ale. Hemlock House is a bastion for irreverent eats and cocktails and boasts one of the best bar playlists around. (In addition to running Rockaway Pizza in White Oak, Sickels is in the local band Animal Scream.)

I’m a firm believer that nursing a strong cocktail in a dark, atmospheric bar with a killer soundtrack and off-kilter food is good for the soul.

Swissvale: 1126 S. Braddock Ave.
412-660-2742, hemlockhousepgh.com

Best Place to Take an Out-of-Town Guest

LeMont

LeMont used to intimidate me with its marble floors, chandeliers, maître d’ and rack of lamb. It seemed a little too fancy pants for this threadbare food writer. When I learned that LeMont’s new executive chef was a guy from my homebase in Plum, I took it as a sign and made a reservation.

You can find Michael Campbell’s seasonal offerings — including Lobster Boursin Flatbread and Firecracker Shrimp — mixed in with signature dishes such as Steak Diane and Chateaubriand for Two (both prepared tableside), roasted raspberry duck and lemon herb airline chicken.

Related: Have a Monstrously Good Meal at LeMont

Longtime employee Tom Zastawny whipped up a Caesar salad right next to me, gleefully tossing hearts of Romaine with anchovies, mustard, pasteurized egg yolks, lemon, garlic, imported Parmesan cheese and seasoned croutons. It’s the first time this carnivore has been wowed by a salad.

Since 1983, Zastawny’s tableside showmanship has dazzled patrons, including celebrity guests Johnny Carson, Wayne Gretzky, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Douglas, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson and Robert Downey Jr. (on his birthday). My job allows me to eat at a lot of different places, from fast-casual concepts and pop-up kitchens to trendy hot spots and food trucks.

At 64 years old, LeMont is a throwback that adapts to the ever-changing dining scene without losing its identity. And that view of the city skyline made me fall in love with Pittsburgh all over again.

Mount Washington: 1114 Grandview Ave.
412-431-3100, lemontpittsburgh.com

Best Brewery Food

Long Story Short

Once upon a time, Cinderlands Beer Co. opened a taproom in Lawrenceville that served Belgian pub cuisine. Last summer, in a huge plot twist, the brewery owners decided to revamp the Butler Street spot into Long Story Short.

The laidback sandwich joint has a retro rumpus room in the back and an arcade on the mezzanine level that’s plastered with posters of movies I love. The place is one big honkin’ slice of nostalgia and, like a lot of Gen Xers, that’s what I’m craving these days.

You might think the menu is a work of fiction with items such as the Meatball Mac Melt, two pieces of Texas Toast piled with smashed meatballs in a cheesy marinara sauce and yellow mustard, macaroni noodles and Doritos. But it’s real and it’s rad!

There are also classic burgers, tuna melts and Italian subs on Mancini’s bread. The spot is great for tots, and by that I mean the deep-fried potato variety. Pair your extremely happy meal with a Cinderlands brew (Lil’ Cinder Light Beer cans are $3 all day, everyday) or a cocktail and then go shoot some pool and play tabletop Ms. Pac-Man.

Long story short, go to Long Story Short.

Lawrenceville: 3705 Butler St.
412-251-0656, cinderlands.com/locations/long-story-short

Best Restaurant for Kids

Moonlit Burgers

If you’ve got young kids, college kids or you’re just a big kid at heart, Moonlit Burgers is the space for you. The company — known for its famous smash burgers — has colorful eateries in Dormont and on Duquesne University’s Uptown campus, plus a food truck cheekily named the Patty Wagon.

Who doesn’t love a rolling dad joke? I guess you could say owners Mike McCoy and Derek Stevens have the gourmet fast-food model down pat(ty).

The culinary playground also has a fried chicken sandwich so stacked it seems to defy gravity, as well as pickle-brined poultry strips, chili, shoestring fries, chocolate chip cookies, Millie’s soft serve ice cream and salads that you can nutritionally destroy with a smash patty. (That’s the kind of power move I dreamed of making when my parents told me to eat my veggies in the ’80s.)

Both stationary locations have full bars slinging beer, wine, cocktails, shots and boozy shakes. You have to be at least 21 to enjoy those, of course. Please, drink like a responsible adult even if you’re eating like a kid.

Dormont: 1426 Potomac Ave.
Uptown: 1023 Forbes Ave.
moonlitburgers.com

Best Place to Spice Up Your Life

Nanban

Nanban is a BYOB restaurant that specializes in five-alarm Asian soul food. I suggest you bring a few gallons of milk or just pull up out front in a fire truck.

Several years ago owner Roger Li combined two of his popular eateries — Ki Ramen and Ki Pollo — into one counter-service establishment that loves to bring the heat. Set your mouth ablaze with fried chicken, bao and Inferno Ramen that will boil your brain cells in the best possible way.

My fav, the Hot Chicken Sando, is an absolute scorcher with thighs dipped in chili oil, Bibb lettuce, rayu pickles, kewpie mayo and lazi seasoning. My lips are still burning from when I ate one on my 45th birthday in December.

I did not need to wear a coat or mittens that day. There was more fire in one bite than on the top of my cake.

Lawrenceville: 4407 Butler St.
412-224-2518, nanbanpgh.com

Best Road Trip Restaurant

North Country Brew Pub

PHOTO BY HUCK BEARD

In 2005, North Country Brew Pub opened in Slippery Rock, a convenient spot for when I need to rest my weary bones after hiking a small section of the 4,800-mile North Country Scenic Trail, which runs through nearby McConnells Mill State Park.

The Main Street building, erected in 1805, was formerly Uber and Sons Undertakers and Furniture Dealers. My beer-lovin’ skeleton feels at home there. Bob and Jodi McCafferty bought the place in 1998 and lived in the historical, reportedly haunted, structure while bringing it back to life.

They filled the space and rustic outdoor areas with a whimsical assortment of odds and ends. My daughter and I discover something new each time we visit, which is often. Bob’s an archeologist by trade and a hippie at heart. That playfulness is infused in the food, drink and decor. There’s an assortment of sandwiches for herbivores, including the mushroom-laden Fungus Amongus.

Carnivores can feast on the Porky sandwich, lightly smoked pork roast, slow-roasted in the company’s Paleo IPA and slathered in Paleo IPA BBQ sauce. Wash it down with a Paleo IPA draft, one of North Country’s other tasty brews or a house-made root beer, cream soda or ginger ale.

All of the pasta dishes can be made with gluten-free “impasta” noodles and most menu items can be prepared with plant-based protein options. It’s nice to lose yourself in nature, especially when it’s on your plate.

Slippery Rock: 141 S. Main St.
724-794-BEER (2337), northcountrybrewing.com

Best Breakfast

Oak Hill Post

Oak Hill Post is like a foodie version of the bar in “Cheers” — everybody knows your name. Even a house plant on the counter has been dubbed “Keanu Leaves.” And while they don’t serve alcohol, my girlfriend and I feel like the Norm and Cliff of this Brookline establishment when we show up to chow down.

Dre likes to switch things up on the food front — sometimes she opts for the breakfast burrito filled with eggs, cheese, sausage gravy, biscuit bites and harissa. On the next visit (which is often the following day), she might go with fried chicken on a biscuit or bacon, eggs and latkes.

For me it’s always the same: Creme Brulee Griddled French Toast, scrambled eggs, roasted beets topped with goat cheese and dill, a biscuit with lemon curd and a few bites of whatever Dre’s eating. That’s my favorite meal in Pittsburgh.

Brookline: 600 Brookline Blvd.
412-254-2970, oakhillpost.com

Best To-Go Pizza

Pizza Lupo

As professional firefighters for the City of Pittsburgh, brothers Travis and Brad Wolff put out infernos for a living — but they’re heating up Lawrenceville with their pizza.

Pizza Lupo (that’s Italian for “wolf”) grew out of Travis’ dedication to dough. Fascinated by ancient bread-making techniques, he began experimenting at home with sourdough starters way before it became the go-to pandemic hobby. Bread became his passion.

The dough is consistently hydrated, giving the crust a nice crunchy outside with a bite that you can really sink your canines into. The ingredients are always fresh and flavorful. Travis is on dough detail, of course, and Brad is the guy in charge of the sauces, sandwiches and pastas.

I once went outside my comfort zone and ordered the Tropic Thunder, one of Lupo’s specialty pizzas, most of which are available in sizes small, large and grandma-style. My selection featured crushed tomato sauce, smoked mozzarella, Broadbent’s bacon, jalapeño, shaved red onion, chili oil and … pineapple. I’ve always scoffed at this topping for reasons unknown, but, on a spicy pie that’s a five-alarm fire, the sweetness helped soothe this savage beast.

With help from family members, the Wolff pack is cranking out pies and placing them in inside-out pizza boxes Tuesday through Saturday. Aside from a few stools near the front window, this pizza den is a to-go establishment.

I got a vodka pie to go and turned the front seat of my car into a Best Restaurant.

Lawrenceville: 5123 Butler St.
412-782-9922, pizza-lupo.com

Best Outdoor Dining

Pusadee’s Garden

Last summer, I went on a camping trip with my girlfriend. We spent two days in the Ohio wilderness eating Doritos, s’mores and hot dogs cooked over an open flame. It was like the foodie version of “Survivor.” We were craving a gourmet meal upon our return to civilization but didn’t want to completely ditch The Great Outdoors vibe. Pusadee’s Garden was a vacation from our vacation.

The Thai restaurant is located in Upper Lawrenceville, but you’ll forget you’re on Butler Street as soon as you step inside. The dishes, like the building, are beautiful and lush. The menu could’ve been written by Henry David Thoreau, including such items as locally foraged ramps, stir-fried morning glory and bok choy with bear’s tooth, lion’s mane and oyster mushrooms.

I’m a spice girl, so I always have the server lead me to the heat. Beef tenderloin with holy basil, garlic, chilis and sweet and spicy bell peppers is a heavenly choice for hot heads, and the jungle curry full of chicken, kabocha squash, banana peppers and basil is a flavorful burn. Cool down with a cocktail or non-alcoholic alternative such as Give it a Chai, a simple concoction of chai, ginger and lemon.

If you can’t get a seat in the courtyard oasis (make those special occasion reservations early!), you can still bask in its beauty while dining indoors, including at the bar, which is encased in a big, glass box. Consider it a culinary trophy case.

Chef Busaba Tongdee was nominated for a James Beard Award this year. Book a stay at Pusadee’s this summer and you’ll know why.

Lawrenceville: 5319 Butler St.
412-252-2683, pusadeesgarden.com

Best Neighborhood Joint

Scratch & Co.

The good people at Scratch & Co. have gone out of their way to create a meatball sandwich that is structurally sound and won’t leave you wearing and seeing red.

Topped with mozzarella cheese and nestled between two airy slabs of house-made focaccia, the Meatballloaf comes with a sidecar of sauce for dipping. This is just one of Scratch’s great contributions to society. The Troy Hill cafe and pub, a favorite among epicureans since its 2015 debut, not only serves amazing meals, it also serves the community as a whole.

During the pandemic, owner Don Mahaney switched to a pay-what-you-can business model that included a small market. Now the restaurant is gearing up for a summer of fun, approachable food and fundraisers to support the Allegheny YMCA. The century-old North Side building, which includes 88 single rooms for low-income men, is getting a multimillion-dollar upgrade.

Meanwhile, Scratch’s brunch, dinner and bar menus have all gotten a boost. They’re a team effort between multiple chefs who put an emphasis on high-quality, locally sourced ingredients and let the food do the talking. A sign in the collaborative kitchen reads, “It’s about the food, stupid.” Dining at Scratch is always a smart decision.

Look for Mystic Mondays that feature tarot card readers, psychics, guest bartenders and a build-your-own Millie’s ice cream sundae bar with a portion of the proceeds going to the Y. Why? Because it’s the neighborly thing to do.

Troy Hill: 1720 Lowrie St.
412-251-0822, scratchandcopgh.com

Best Place to Make New Friends

Soju

Soju is a small Korean-American restaurant and bar in Garfield. For six years, chef Simon Chough has run the intimate space where local artwork adorns the walls, pop-up chefs can showcase their menus and it’s easy to strike up a conversation with your fellow diners.

When a massive cocktail arrived at my table, the people next to me oohed and aahed and inquired about it. The Soju Punch, I explained, was a mix of soju — a Korean rice liquor similar to vodka — Maggie’s Farm White Rum, pineapple, mango, pomegranate, ginger, Yakuroto yogurt and soda.

It’s served in a glass that looks more like a punch bowl, so it’s definitely an attention-grabber. Their dinner piqued my interest: A spicy chicken sandwich, fries seasoned with nori (dried seaweed) and BiBimBap, a mixed rice bowl with spinach, bean sprouts, mushrooms, spicy cucumber and egg.

In between sipping and chewing, we had a nice conversation. The couple had just moved to Pittsburgh from Atlanta and were thrilled that a family-owned restaurant was just a few blocks away from their new home in Friendship. If they hadn’t already been full by the time my entree arrived, I would’ve gladly shared.

I was already up to my eyeballs in Tteokbokki, a popular Korean street food made up of chewy, stir-fried rice cakes. My Korean BBQ combo gave me three, thinly sliced, marinated meat options: Kalbi (beef short rib), Bulgogi (beef tenderloin) and Dwaejibulgogi (pork tenderloin) served with rice and banchan.

The dish is a balancing act of sweet, salty, savory and spicy. There’s something in it for everyone. I can say the same about Soju.

Garfield: 4923 Penn Ave.
412-450-8968, simonchough.wixsite.com/sojupgh

Best Mood-Boosting Restaurant

Spork

I went to Spork in the dead of winter, when everything, including my mood, was dark and gloomy. I left feeling lighter — even if I gained a few pounds during the visit.

Eating at the Bloomfield restaurant snaps me out of whatever seasonal funk I’m in. It starts with the amuse-bouche, teeny-tiny, on-the-house hors d’oeuvres. The French term translates to “mouth amusement”; in Pittsburghese it means “Kennywood fer yer taste buds.”

James Beard Award-nominated chef Christian Frangiadis’ menu evolves daily because fresh ingredients are key (and also pricey, so expect to open your wallet a little wider), but there are staple dishes that never disappoint, from the seared scallops with truffle sauce to the bolognese.

Spork has a garden in the lot next door, so chances are the fresh dill in your dinner and nasturtiums decorating the plate were picked the same day. You can check the space out this fall during the annual Pittsburgh Urban Farm Tour.

The restaurant pays just as much attention to its beverages, including the ones without booze. Summon the Cocktail Cart and watch an expert hand-craft a classic cocktail tableside. I had the Old Fashioned, but it was fun to watch my date sip a boozy house specialty from a parrot-shaped mug.

At the time, The Phoenix, a fruity rum concoction, was Spork’s rotating charity cocktail. Five bucks from each bird went to service industry workers affected by the wildfires in Hawaii. Like the utensil it’s named after, Spork comes in handy in pretty much any situation.

Bloomfield: 5430 Penn Ave.
412-441-1700, sporkpittsburgh.com

Best Place to Become a Foodie

The Vandal

If you want to introduce someone to Pittsburgh’s upscale dining scene or you’d like to expand your own palate, The Vandal is a good place to start.

It’s small, with a minimalist decor, but the flavors, made with simple ingredients by chef Joey Hilty, are big and bold. Before a visit in February, my 18-year-old dinner guest was worried she wouldn’t be able to find anything at the “fancy” restaurant that could satisfy her hunger better than McDonald’s. She was happy to see chips and French onion dip on the menu.

Baked ricotta was also a safe bet, along with fresh bread, of course. That’s where we started. We ended with a bourbon-soaked toffee cake and vanilla panna cotta. All the plates were licked clean. In between the apps and dessert, we shared lobster bucatini, a pork chop with pumpkin mostarda and a hanger steak accompanied by twice-fried frites and garlic aioli dip.

It was all recognizable and approachable, even if the wording on the menu did strike fear in the heart of the novice fine diner. “What is mostarda anyway?” she asked. (Turns out it’s an Italian condiment made with fruit and mustard.)

Weekly specials include upscale takes on familiar favorites such the Thursday night cheeseburger dripping with gruyere, caramelized onions, aioli, pickles and peppery au poivre sauce. If you want a crash course on oysters, well, shucks, The Vandal serves ‘em up chilled on Wednesdays.

Intimidated by trendy booze? The restaurant’s bar seats only five, but it has a robust vino program specializing in natural and biodynamic wines, a rotating menu of signature cocktails and a proper Martini Service featuring Hendricks Gin, Noilly Prat French Vermouth, Castelvetrano olives, lemon and caviar.

Fledgling foodies might be shaken at first, but eventually they will be stirred.

Lawrenceville: 4306 Butler St.
412-251-0465, thevandalpgh.com

Best Pop-Up Turned Brick-and-Mortar

Wise County Biscuits & Cafe

For James Wolfe, buttermilk biscuits taste like home. His grandma, who hailed from Wise County, Virginia, taught him the basics of country cookin’.

Made with King Arthur Flour and local buttermilk and butter (grandma used lard), Wise County biscuits are a big, flaky homage to those Appalachian roots. And so is the new cafe. Late last year, after doing pop-ups around town since 2017, Wolfe and his wife, Lena Laskaris, settled their business into a counter-service eatery on the North Side.

The space is bright and cheerful with country-chic decor. I think the down-home atmosphere makes folks here more neighborly.

The menu features an array of breakfast plates, lunch options and sides (their home fries get my professional stamp of approval). The stars of the show are the biscuits, which, while flaky, don’t become a cascade of crumbs when you pick them up. You can get ‘em topped with either seasonal jam, pimento cheese, honey and butter or Tennessee sorghum.

They’ve got heft, so they can serve as sandwich buns, too. The best-selling Your Way gives patrons a fried egg and their choice of two toppings, from breakfast meat to braised greens. I’m a fan of Sallie’s Snack, a sammie with pimento cheese, a fried egg and Chow Chow, a condiment made from pickled veggies that I would happily eat by the truckload.

The cafe opens at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday through Monday. Wake up, y’all! It’s time yinz got wise to this restaurant.

North Side: 911 Galveston Ave.
412-330-1389, wisecountybiscuits.com

Best Historical Restaurant

The Wood’s House Historic Pub

As a food writer and a history buff, I love everything about The Woods House Historic Pub, a Scottish-style tavern that’ll take you back in time. It’s located in a residential section of Hazelwood because it was a residence, built in 1792 by Col. George Woods, the surveyor who laid out Pittsburgh’s Golden Triangle.

The stone structure — one of the oldest still standing in the area — was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. It’s a unique experience to dine in a relic that has weathered the rise and fall of the steel industry and now overlooks Hazelwood Green, a 178-acre brownfield along the Monongahela River that’s being redeveloped into a technological, environmental and cultural hub.

Once you’ve digested all the fun facts about the building’s past, get ready to dig into some hearty dishes, starting with a batch of classic Scotch Eggs, hard-boiled eggs wrapped in pork sausage, flash fried and served with brown mustard aioli. The historical proof is also in the black pudding, blood sausage, mashed potatoes, roasted peas and parsnips dripping with savory onion gravy.

Other classics include Guinness pot roast mac-and-cheese, fish and chips and steamed mussels in a creamy shallot broth served with crostini bread. And, of course, there’s a nice selection of Scotch to wet your whistle.

There are two floors and both are worth exploring. I dined on the bottom level, where a large fireplace gives the room a medieval vibe that’ll make you want to eat your leftovers while watching “Braveheart.”

Hazelwood: 4604 Monongahela St.
412-251-0894, woodshousepgh.com

PITTSBURG BULLETIN, JUNE 17, 1899

It’s a tale older than the Hallmark Movie Channel — a dashing prince, exasperated with a train of doe-eyed romantic hopefuls from connected families, falls for an American woman and makes her the princess of a fictitious mountainous principality with a name like Eastern Vasaria. So numerous are these formulaic tales that, by now, surely an AI application exists, capable of writing the script for the next one faster than you can say, “You have absconded with my heart” without gagging just a little.

But what if there was a twist?

What if the American became engaged to the royal, but, just as the wedding planning was ramping up, she secretly married her childhood sweetheart, rejecting the title and everything that came with it?

Who needs the saccharine Hallmark Movie Channel when you have real Pittsburgh history?

Curl up with a warm beverage as I tell you the tale of Elizabeth Howe and her jilted Italian count.

To a royal family ensconced in Rome, she would have been considered a commoner, but Charlotte Elizabeth Howe was far from common. Known as “Bessie,” she was a Civil War baby boomer, born in Pittsburgh in 1866 to Alice Kennedy and William R. Howe, a decorated Union captain. Bessie’s childhood years saw her father move on from the military toward business interests, which for a few years took the family to Corry, Pennsylvania. When Bessie was 11, the family welcomed her sister Florence, and a return to Pittsburgh was made. What awaited them wasn’t just the promise of a growing city but a double tragedy that would shape any teenager’s life.

At just 15, Bessie lost her mother Alice, aged 36, and four years later, 7-year-old Florence died of diphtheria, leaving Bessie and her father alone to navigate the growing social scene in a city where wealth was being earned in historical amounts.

Under headlines like “Gossip of Society” or “Movements and Whereabouts,” local columnists reported on events Bessie attended, where she summered, to which charities she gave time and money, and even when she took ill. But Bessie was far more than parties and patronage; from her early 20s, she was known for being smart, well-read, and an accomplished outdoor athlete.

She was at ease with a cricket bat in her hand or astride a sprinting horse, tearing breakneck through the Pittsburgh countryside on an organized hunt. Most notably, she was a scratch golfer, regularly winning tournaments — in a frilly blouse and a skirt to her ankles, mind you. Perhaps she eschewed having her photo in the society pages, for there is but one published photo to be found of Bessie, posing in golf attire for The Pittsburgh Bulletin. She sports a high-collared shirt and tie, a buttoned vest and a fitted jacket with puffed sleeves over a pleated skirt. A feathered wide-brim hat sits atop her dark hair, her eyes piercing and her jaw strong. With a Mona Lisa smile, she speaks wordlessly of strength and pride. One leather-gloved hand casually rests in her pocket, the other loosely holds the shaft of her upturned wooden driver.

This photo of Bessie ran in June of 1899, the same month she lost her “big-hearted” father to diabetes complications, leaving her the sole heiress to the family fortune. At 30, she left behind “Bessie” and became Elizabeth.

As Pittsburgh’s richest eligible woman, Elizabeth seemed in no hurry to settle down, instead remaining devoted to the cause of increasing the popularity of outdoor recreation in the city. Thus in September 1904, when her engagement to Count Carlo de Cini of Rome — a grandnephew of Pope Leo XIII — was announced, a “thrill of excitement” rippled through Pittsburgh.

One particular headline might actually be a Hallmark movie title: “To Wed a Count.”

Papers across the country reported the surprise engagement, often referencing Elizabeth’s age. She was 38, certainly an “old maid” by societal rules, and the count was younger.

It is from here that gossip fully takes over, the truth nearly impossible to pinpoint. Upon the count’s return to Italy, the rumor mill claimed by November that the engagement was off, forcing Elizabeth to push back against the false reports. Columnists wrote confidently of the count’s monetary demands, hinting that he was essentially selling a title. From there, the society pages claimed a falling out had occurred and the wedding was surely off, while others insisted it remained on.

Whatever the truth, in late February 1905, in high spirits, Count Cini sailed for America with the intention of wedding his fiancée. He arrived in New York City’s harbor on March 1 and was immediately informed of the news: his fiancée, less than 24 hours earlier, had married her childhood friend Frank P. Sproul, a Pittsburgh lawyer of “modest means,” in a small private ceremony in a Pittsburgh church. Not only that, the newlyweds were sailing out on a ship from the same port, just as the count’s ship arrived.

Shocked and highly embarrassed, the count slipped away to avoid reporters seeking comment. “Italian Count Loses Fiancé,” “Count Cini Too Late” and “Jilted an Italian Count” were just some of the national headlines that surely won’t become Hallmark movie titles. The stories were rife with lies and speculation about money squabbles, lawsuit threats, and the count’s rumored insistence to his future bride that he would only remain faithful to her for two years.

The anti-Cini gossip reached a fever pitch as the new Mr. and Mrs. Sproul reached Europe, forcing the normally private Elizabeth to issue a statement via her lawyer, putting the rumors to rest. There had been no demands for money, she said. The count, by her telling, was an “honorable gentleman,” and she had sent written word to him that she wished to break the engagement, but the ship with her letter passed the count’s as he made his way toward America. The truth, she revealed, was that with the count away in Rome, she reconnected and fell in love with Frank.

Elizabeth and Frank did not get their happily ever after. They had two sons and relocated to Boston for their schooling, while maintaining homes and offices in Pittsburgh. Quite soon after their move in 1917, Frank fell down an open elevator shaft at the hotel where they were living. Their youngest son, Christopher, only 8, found him and sought help, but Frank died not long after, at age 53. At just 16 years old, Christopher drowned when his canoe overturned near his school in Windsor, Connecticut. His mother arrived to bring his body back to Pittsburgh for burial, but it would not be found for 26 days.

Tragedy struck again in 1932 when her eldest son, a recreational pilot, died in a single-engine plane crash near Boston. He was only 26, and his death once again left Elizabeth as the last remaining member of her immediate family.

Certainly, she was privileged, but money did not buy Elizabeth Howe lifelong happiness. The years on the gravestones of her family at Allegheny Cemetery speak to the losses she suffered until her death at age 68, just two years after her oldest son perished. She rose above the expectations of Pittsburgh’s society pages, choosing the life of an unconventional sportswoman who remained single until nearly 40. Perhaps the pain of her lifetime of losses kept her grounded as she navigated her seemingly charmed life, but her true story is one of grief, loss, and strength.

Bessie’s story isn’t a Hallmark story; it’s a Pittsburgh story of the daughter of a Civil War hero who grew up to soldier through everything life threw at her, grabbing on to love and happiness where she could find it amid shattering pain — and tossing away a tiara she knew she’d never wear.

In her column, Virginia Montanez digs deep into local history to find the forgotten secrets of Pittsburgh. Sign up for her email newsletter at breathingspace.substack.com

The pandemic brought the dining scene to a standstill (unless you count all of those to-go orders), but it’s moving forward again. Or perhaps backward, thanks to a bunch of spots that use nostalgia to attract customers — particularly Gen-Xers. In addition to grand openings, the past year saw re-openings and expansions bringing everything from breakfast to late-night bites to veggie-forward food with cocktails in between. The industry is getting back on track. Enjoy the ride.

Mullett’s

Neither Marissa nor Colin Mullett, a brother-and-sister team from Peters, have ever rocked a Camaro Cut, but they think their surname suits their Pittsburgh bar to a T. Chef Gabe Bevilacqua can make everything on the menu gluten-free. Guests can share small plates of elevated bar favorites such as poutine, crispy pork belly, a fried provolone wheel or pub wings rubbed with Cajun seasonings or slathered in housemade hot honey or sweet barbecue sauce. The full bar is bourbon-focused and there are 20 cocktails on the menu, so go and let your hair down.

Mt. Lebanon
297 Beverly Road
mulletsmtlebo.com

EYV Restaurant

PHOTO COURTESY EYV RESTAURANT

Make your mother proud and go to EYV Restaurant. The name means Eat Your Veggies, but mama’s never seen produce done up like this. Chef Mike Godlewski’s plant-based menu changes with the seasons, and while meat, fish and poultry make appearances (protein is more like a garnish here), vegetables are the true stars of the show. Godlewski’s creativity in the kitchen results in beautifully plated apps, entrees and desserts that are also playful. The apple toffee cake, with its celery root ice cream, golden raisins, peanut butter mousse and candied peanuts tasted like gourmet Ants on a Log, my daughter’s favorite preschool snack. You can watch the kitchen staff in action by snagging a seat at the chef’s counter. Maybe, with a little culinary razzle dazzle, Godlewski can convince my picky eater to order a salad.

North Side
424 E. Ohio St.
EYVRestaurant.com

Balvanera

One bite of Empanadas de Carne at Balvanera made me do a happy dance in my seat — which is fitting since the Argentine restaurant space used to house the nightclub Metropol. The iconic venue closed in 2002, and the space at 1600 Smallman St. has been renovated to house Balvanera across from The Terminal in the Strip. Argentina-born Fernando Navas and Pittsburgh native Meredith Boyle, partners in business and in life, opened the 4,400-square-foot brasserie in November to serve Porteña fare, craft cocktails and South American wines. Nearly a decade ago, the couple debuted the concept in New York City, where Navas was named Official Culinary Ambassador of Argentina by the Argentine government. That’s quite the resumé piece. In addition to the empanada that set my toes to tappin’, I wolfed down Spanish-style snacks such as Gildas — skewered guindilla peppers, anchovies, onions and Manzanilla olives — and Setas Salteadas, assorted mushrooms and a poached egg in a truffle sherry vinaigrette that I soaked up with crusty Five Points bread. I had never tried sweetbreads before but threw my organ-meat inhibitions to the wind and enjoyed Mollejas served with celery root, green apple, almonds and lime. I thought I had reached my food-intake limit after a pan-seared skirt steak accompanied by fresh chimichurri, salsa criolla, roasted pepper and mashed potatoes, but pastry chef Ginger Fisher Baldwin reeled me back in. I’m a fan of the flan. Get a taste of Buenos Aires aperitivo culture with creative drink offerings developed by GM William Kohl, bar lead Kimberly Holder and New York sommelier Nicolás Andrés Martianhes. My Negroni was composed of five vermouths and local gin by Lucky Sign Spirits. With my belly full and my heart happy, I pretty much pirouetted out the door. Just call me a Balvanera ballerina.

Strip District
1660 Smallman St.
balvanerarestaurants.com

Hemlock House

Josh Sickels is the David Lynch of the local dining scene. The owner of Rockaway Pizzeria, a White Oak joint serving New York-style pies in an atmosphere that’s straight out of “Twin Peaks,” now has a full-service restaurant that’s also extremely Lynchian in its aesthetics and eats. I celebrated Halloween there and it was a real treat. Together with chef Mike Allison, Sickels is serving culinary plot twists that make dining out an adventure. Carnivalesque kielbasa corn dogs? You bet. Hush puppies stuffed with lump crab meat and bacon? Bring it. She-Crab Soup? Yes, sir! These dishes are delicious in a way that is, like a “Twin Peaks” episode, hard for me to describe. As Special Agent Dale Cooper would say, they’re “damn fine.”

Regent Square
1126 S. Braddock Ave.
hemlockhousepgh.com

Ritual House

Edwin and Amanda Smith are the masters of ceremonies at Ritual House. The husband-and-wife team run the back and front of the house, as executive chef and general manager, respectively. “I have a philosophy of five great ingredients,” Ed says. “Focus on the food and don’t cover things up with sauces or over-manipulate them.” In addition to Pittsburgh staples such as chipped ham sandwiches, pecan balls and strawberry pretzel salad, guests can indulge in bruléed navel oranges finished with local micro greens and crumbled goat cheese and a flatbread with whipped brie cheese, thinly sliced granny smith apples and housemade onion jam on a ciabatta crostini. Pastry chef Zoe Peckich, winner of the Food Network’s latest “Summer Baking Championship,” outshined nine other contestants from across the country with a dessert called Not Your Gram’s Strawberry Pretzel Salad. Before joining Ritual House, the Washington, Pa., native spent time in Italy; as a chocolatier in Charlotte, North Carolina; and at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. Ordering any one of her desserts is like hitting the jackpot. Hanging above the central bar are 18 hand-assembled chandeliers, custom-designed furniture from Turkey, accents from stores such as hot haute hot in the Strip District, a hall of mirrors and an installation by local artist Mia Tarducci that includes a wisteria garden and swings. Lisa Pollock, who co-owns the restaurant with her real estate broker/developer husband, Herky,  calls it a “sophisticated funhouse.” The couple spent 18 months fine-tuning the aesthetics of the place to meet customer demand for a unique night out. From the food and drinks to the decor, Herky believes Ritual House offers a high-end experience minus the stuffiness you’d expect from an upscale establishment. If you look closely at the wallpaper, you’ll see monkeys knocking back cocktails and having a good time. The Pollocks encourage you to do the same, but please don’t swing from the chandeliers.

Downtown
524 William Penn Place
ritualhousepgh.com

Brown Bear Bread Cafe

These will change your life,” Kate Clemons says as she hands me a bag of sourdough English muffins. As co-owner of Brown Bear Bread Cafe, she knows a thing or two about baked goods. After one bite, all I can say is Thomas is dead to me. The business is open daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with brunch served 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Clemons’ boyfriend, Dan Galusha, bakes brioche buns, focaccia, ciabatta, multigrain and specialty loaves in the third-floor kitchen that’s anchored by an 80-year-old rotating baker’s oven named Big Rhonda. Can’t make it to Mount Oliver? The bread is available at Shenot Farms in Wexford and the East End Food Co-op in North Point Breeze. The brunch menu features classics such as biscuits and gravy, a cheese omelet and a breakfast platter with toast, two dippy eggs, a sausage patty, two strips of bacon and home fries. Chef Kaylie Carini’s taters are my favorite in the city. Are they as life-changing as the English muffins? Ask my waistline.

Mount Oliver
225 Brownsville Road
instagram.com/brown.bear.bread.cafe

Duo’s Taqueria

In any language, tacos are pretty darn good. Duolingo, the East Liberty-based language learning platform, is expanding people’s vocabularies and palates with a Mexican restaurant. Located next to the company’s headquarters at 5906 Penn Ave., Duo’s Taqueria started as a take-out window and is now a full-service eatery and bar stocked with more than 75 rare tequilas and mezcals. Chef Marcella Ogrodnik’s menu, which I first tried in 2022, now has even more Mexico City-inspired eats. In January, I took Sarah, my 14-year-old picky eater, to Duo’s. The kitchen staff (most employees are bilingual) kindly made her a simple cheese quesadilla. I ordered the barbacoa de borrego with lamb sourced from Elysian Fields Farm and served with guacachile, escabeche and fresh, housemade nixtamal tortillas. Sarah devoured her meal and half of mine — and, in process, learned a new Spanish phrase: Quiero más por favor (I want more, please).

East Liberty
5906 Penn Ave.
duostaqueria.com

Lilith

I got my first taste of Lilith, the new Shadyside concept from lauded chefs Jamilka Borges and Dianne DeStefano, at The Vandal last April. The Lawrenceville eatery hosted a wine dinner so the dynamic duo could showcase their coastal-inspired cuisine that pays homage to Borges’ Puerto Rican heritage and DeStefano’s Sicilian roots. The menu featured Japanese sweet potatoes with bearnaise sauce and smoked trout roe, oysters topped with cucumber, apple and horseradish, Snapper wrapped in ramps and banana leaves and tamarind-braised lamb shoulder. I left wanting more, but had to wait six months. I was the first patron to arrive for Lilith’s inaugural brunch in October at its permanent home on Spahr Street. For 26 years, the space housed pioneering chef Toni Pais’ Cafe Zinho, before he retired last year. Borges and DeStefano want to live up to his legacy but with a feminine touch. They’re off to a good start with beautifully plated, yet playful, dishes and cocktails that complement the decor that’s fun, funky and floral. It’s a Garden of Eatin’, if you will. To start, my girlfriend and I shared ooey-gooey, pull-apart Monkey Bread, rhythmically dipping each piece in creme anglaise while the overhead speakers played Taylor Swift songs. She had the breakfast sandwich — an egg souffle topped with bacon, pepper jelly and American cheese on a brioche bun — while I destroyed homemade biscuits with honey butter and a side of bearnaise-slathered breakfast potatoes. (After this dish, I never want to douse my spuds in ketchup again. Sorry, Heinz.)

Shadyside
239 Spahr St.
instagram.com/lilithpgh

Christian James

Kimberley Ashlee spent years as a journalist before opening a catering company and the fast-casual concept Terrene at Station Square. Now the veteran chef tells stories through food at Christian James, a restaurant inside the Joinery Hotel, Downtown. The seasonally evolving menu tells the tale of Christian James, a fictional foodie who travels the world trying different cuisines like a hungry Indiana Jones. Each dish is a chapter in his journey. For my entree, I took a cue from the globetrotting adventurer and tried something new to me: goat vindaloo, marinated and braised in a curry sauce with mild spices on a bed of jasmine rice. It’s a dish I’d revisit. Because the restaurant’s home is a hotel, it has to appeal to all sorts of road-weary travelers. Breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner and cocktails are served. From steak and fish to a cheeseburger and fries, there’s something for everyone, including children. Ashlee and her husband, Josh Haugh, a sommelier, have a young daughter, so creating a kids’ menu was a big priority. The offerings include wood-fired pizza, chicken fried rice, white cheddar mac and cheese and other upscaled favorites. Tykes 10 and under eat for free and receive a warm cookie that they can decorate at the table. The sweet distraction gives parents a little more time to relax with a dessert — try the house-made donuts — or a boozy beverage. Bottomline: Christian James is worth writing home about.

Downtown
Joinery Hotel
453 boulevard of the allies
thechristianjames.com

Extra Helpings

If you want to eat in the ’70s and ’80s, Fat Cat on the North Side and Long Story Short in Lawrenceville serve fun, casual fare surrounded by nostalgic decor. You can even go on a retro junk food binge thanks to Hills Snack Bar, a mobile unit that stops at former Hills Department Store locations throughout the region.

A bunch of established restaurants have opened second locations or moved into larger spaces to keep up with demand. O’Hara-based Alta Via Ristorante now has a spot in Downtown’s Market Square. The Speckled Egg, a Downtown brunch destination, last summer made its debut in the SouthSide Works. Cilantro & Ajo, a South Side spot serving Venezuelan street food for the past five years, will soon have an eatery in Lawrenceville.

Like things spicy? You can dine at Tepache Mexican Kitchen & Bar in Cranberry and O’Hara. Stemming from the success of its original Shadyside location, Tocayo Taqueria & Tequila opened a second one in Bethel Park.

If “ribliciousness” is what you crave, Wilson’s Bar-B-Q, a North Side institution, is back after a 2019 fire shuttered the business.

Before he became the returning hero of the Pittsburgh Pirates, before he was named the National League MVP and even before the baseball world dubbed him “Cutch,” Andrew McCutchen was simply a 15-year-old Florida kid playing far from home.

And he was homesick. Horribly so.

His parents, who were 17 when he was born in tiny Fort Meade, Florida, had to work multiple jobs. They couldn’t afford to pay for travel ball — let alone for an elite league that sent him across the state to live and play for the whole summer. But they knew their son had a special gift — and he had a coach who was so impressed by that talent that he covered the teenager’s expenses for the elite league.

After two months of living in Panama City, more than 6 hours away from home, in Florida’s panhandle, McCutchen called his father, Lorenzo, and begged. “I don’t want to be here. I want to come home.”

Lorenzo replied gently, “Just stick with it. You’ll be all right.”

Fast forward 17 years to 2018. Andrew McCutchen is homesick again, but the man and the circumstances are very different.

He is standing in the batter’s box at PNC Park in his Giants uniform as a 90-second standing ovation washes over him. He had circled May 11 on the calendar, dreading his first appearance in Pittsburgh since being traded to San Francisco. He’s still stinging from the trade. He had wanted to be a permanent fixture for the Pirates, the way Derek Jeter was for the Yankees. But the gods of baseball had other plans.

Fast forward to the present: McCutchen is no longer homesick.

The all-star center fielder who led the Pirates to playoff runs in 2013, 2014 and 2015 is home again. After bouncing to San Francisco, New York, Philadelphia and Milwaukee across five seasons, he boomeranged back to Pittsburgh for the 2023 season. Now 37 and in the second year of his return, he has just inked a $5 million, one-year contract for 2024 as a designated hitter/outfielder.

McCutchen is happy to be back in Pittsburgh, a city he fell in love with when he was in his 20s. It’s why he kept his house in the North Hills even after he was traded. To him, Pittsburgh is like a perfectly fitted outfielder’s glove.

“Pittsburgh has been my second home. It’s where my heart is.”

For his devotion to the city, for his athletic feats on the field, for his philanthropic deeds and for reigniting excitement for the Pirates among fans and players upon his return, Andrew McCutchen has been named Pittsburgher of the Year for 2023.

2023 SEASON PHOTOS BY HARRISON BARDEN AND ALYSA RUBIN | PITTSBURGH PIRATES

Play Ball!

The rookie outfielder who would soon propel the Pirates to their first winning season in 21 years arrived in Pittsburgh with dreadlocks, a dazzling smile, a soft-spoken coolness, a hot bat and the lightning speed of a sprinter.

At an early age, McCutchen showed he was blessed with many athletic talents. As a ninth-grader, he won a state title as part of a 4×100 relay team; he was also a top football recruiting prospect. In high school, he was the baseball team’s star, hitting .709 his senior year.

In 2005, the Pirates made him their first draft pick. When the teenager walked into the press conference after the announcement, he had a rare confidence and presence, recalls veteran Pirates play-by-play man Greg Brown. “He just had this aura.”

McCutchen quickly lived up to his billing as a future star and became an instant fan favorite. He finished his rookie season with a .286 batting average, 12 home runs, 54 RBIs and 22 stolen bases.

He hit for power and average. He protected PNC Park’s center field like he owned it. He stole bases. He went on to make five All-Star teams — and, in 2013, win the National League’s MVP award behind a .317 batting average, 21 home runs and 84 RBIs.

But McCutchen’s value to the Pirates organization was far greater than his impressive stats.

To the city’s long-suffering baseball fans, the 22-year-old was a jolt of energy and hope. “After 20 losing seasons, Pirates fans hid their faces,” says Brown. “Andrew made it cool to be a Pirates fan again.”

Sacrifice Play

McCutchen could never have made the journey from his economically depressed town in Central Florida into Major League Baseball and the hearts of Pittsburghers without a pair of strong parents.

Petrina and Lorenzo grew up in the rural citrus town of Fort Meade, population about 5,200. After Andrew was born, they went off to separate colleges — her to community college, him to play football at Carson-Newman University in Tennessee.

McCutchen says his mother gave his father a choice: “Keep doing what you are doing or come home and help raise your son.” So they both put off their college dreams and got married, vowing to do it right with help from extended family.

To save money, the young couple lived in a two-bedroom trailer in the nearby town of Bartow for eight years so they could save up for a house in Fort Meade. Getting Andrew to school in Fort Meade involved handoffs worthy of an Olympic relay team. Petrina would drive him to the nearby hospital, where he would wait in an office for her cousin to finish an overnight nursing shift and drive him to school. Then, after school, Andrew would walk to his grandmother’s house until his mother would pick him up. “It took a village,” he says.

Petrina often worked double shifts at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, where she was an office worker, crime prevention specialist and HR person. Lorenzo juggled being a youth pastor with gigs in landscaping and the local anthracite mines.

Early on, Andrew saw the sacrifices his mother and father were making. When he was about 8, he asked for a PlayStation for Christmas. His parents scrimped to buy him one, but on Christmas morning he insisted they take it back because he knew they couldn’t afford it.

“I was just shocked,” his mother says. “We thought we were doing a really good job of keeping certain things away from him.”

McCutchen remains close to his parents and shares their deep faith. Three years ago, Petrina and Lorenzo opened their own church in Fort Meade, a town where a welcome banner proudly proclaims, “Home of Andrew McCutchen — Pittsburgh Pirate All-Star,” leaving no doubt that Cutch is the local hero. And the baseball field at Fort Meade High School, where he caught the eyes of scouts, has been dedicated to him.

Petrina always wanted to set up a local Boys & Girls Club. To make that happen, Andrew enlisted his major-league friends to donate signed jerseys and hats; an auction raised $50,000. In Pittsburgh, he has done charity work with UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Light of Life Mission, Habitat for Humanity and other nonprofits.

Today, he’s still in awe of the sacrifices his parents made for him at an age when they were trying to figure out their own lives. He’s grateful that they always saw a vision for him beyond their small town. “I always tell them, ‘I don’t know how you guys did it.’”

Related:
Celebrating our Previous Pittsburghers of the Year

Love and Baseball

McCutchen not only fell in love with PNC Park, he fell in love there. Maria Hanslovan, of DuBois, was a member of the Bucco Brigade, the exuberant squad that launches T-shirts and hotdogs into the stands with air guns. One fateful summer day in 2009, she was assigned to assist at a baseball camp held at the ball field. A kid overthrew a ball behind McCutchen, and Hanslovan was there to retrieve it. Wow, he thought when she threw it back. Nice throw. He was smitten.

McCutchen would see her outside the stadium, and he eventually got the guts to ask her out. She said no. “I was persistent,” he says with a laugh. Now they’re married with three kids — and a fourth on the way. The oldest boy is named Steel.

McCutchen is a soft-spoken, thoughtful small-town guy, but he’s not afraid to go a little Hollywood once in a while — like the time he proposed to Maria on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” on NBC. For a recent interview, he was comfortable wearing ripped flared gray denim pants with the Louis Vuitton pattern running down the legs. Most of us couldn’t pull it off, but on him, with a faded denim jacket and a bejeweled cross, it just works.

No matter how he’s dressed, though, the Major League Baseball star is just as comfortable hanging with his friends from Fort Meade who call him Drew or taking his kids to the Ross Park Mall play area, where he spent an hour the other day. “It was packed. No one even came up to me.”

He likes how Pittsburgh embraces him without ever smothering him. “It’s a hard-working, blue-collar city and people are very respectful of your time,” he says.

Michael McKenry, the former Pirates catcher and current broadcaster, says when he would go out to dinner with McCutchen in other cities like Cincinnati and Denver fans tended to mob his friend, especially in his dread-headed days. “People just bombard him at times. It didn’t matter if he was mid-bite. There was really no line they wouldn’t cross. He would handle it well. But that never happened in Pittsburgh.”

The Ultimate Home Run

When McCutchen returned to PNC Park in a Pirates uniform again in 2023, his mother came with him — not just as a spectator. A talented singer, Petrina had performed at various Pirate games, including the 2013 Wild Card playoff game against Cincinnati.

On April 7, 2023, before the home opener against the Chicago White Sox, she belted out the National Anthem. In her son’s first at-bat, after the umpire had to suspend the new speed-up-the-game rules for the long ovation, McCutchen fought back tears — but still managed a single to right field.

That emotional moment might have never happened for McCutchen if Maria had not nudged him to take a meeting with the Pirates’ front office after his 2022 season in Milwaukee.

He was a free agent and was in talks with a playoff contender. He was ready to sign a contract, but he had previously set up a coffee date with Pirates GM Ben Cherington to talk about possibly playing for the Pirates again.

Though McCutchen’s feelings had been deeply hurt when he was traded to the Giants, he never expressed anger or burned any bridges with Pirates management. He knew it was business.

He told Maria things were moving fast with the other team and it was too late to meet with the Pirates. “Just have a cup of coffee first,” Maria told him. The phrase has become a running joke in their marriage: “Just have a cup of coffee.”

For McCutchen fans like Logan Skarupa, an 18-year-old baseball player from Canonsburg, the return of his hero has been thrilling. Milling around PiratesFest at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in January, Skarupa was double-Cutched up, wearing a black McCutchen jersey under a yellow McCutchen jacket. When he heard McCutchen was coming back to town, “I screamed. I cried.”

In the clubhouse, McCutchen is known for being chill and his sense of humor. “Everybody was pretty much jealous of Andrew on a daily basis, but his humility was through the roof and he made everyone laugh,” says Neil Walker, former teammate and current Pirates broadcaster.

He’s known for dead-on imitations of other players, movie stars, even Mickey Mouse. “Welcome to Disney World,” he says in a perfect cartoon-rodent impression.

He also stands out for asking to come back to the Pirates. “In this day and age of sports, loyalty is dead,” says play-by-play man Brown. “And yet here you find it.”

McCutchen, who notched his 2,000th career hit before a home crowd in June and almost reached the 300 home run milestone before an Achilles tear cut his last season short, has more to prove.

Of course, people ask him how much longer he will play. He refuses to put an expiration date on his career, saying he will play as long as he is healthy or as long as he plays well — or as long the Pirates still want him.

He has no interest in joining the Pirates coaching staff — “too stressful” — or putting on a tie and becoming an announcer. He wants to be present for his kids and be around for their T-ball games and other activities he always missed on the road. Who knows? Maybe he will become their youth coach.

Of one thing, he’s sure.

“When I’m done, I’m not going anywhere else. This is it.”

Andrew McCutchen
Designated Hitter/Outfielder
5′ 10″      190 pounds
Right-handed

Career baseball stats

7,425
At Bats

1,173
Runs

2,048
Hits

299
Home Runs

1,045
Runs Batted In

216
Stolen Bases

.276
Batting Average

.369
On Base Percentage

Source: MLB.com

Every Christmas, Kaufmann’s Department store in Century III Mall tasked Paula Biggs with leading the store’s decorating. She particularly enjoyed creating little villages, which required using risers to display layers of the town. Cotton served as snow, wires lit the houses and miniature people and cars populated the display.

“The whole shop looked like a fantasy land when it was done,” she says.

Biggs recalls bringing in her own Christmas CDs and playing Christmas music from September until January.

“It was just happy. People would come in, they’d be grumpy, they’d come into that department, and … it would make them happy, you know? They’d leave happy.”

Even off the clock, Biggs, who worked in several Kaufmann’s departments while living in West Mifflin, loved spending time at the mall, shopping for “everything” — clothes, toys, shoes, houseware items, holiday cards and more. “The mall itself was just such a nice mall,” she says. “There was so much there to do, so many restaurants and things to do, with all the mall walkers. You could spend a day there and do everything you needed to do.”

She stopped working at the mall in 2006 and has since moved to Duquesne, but she’s followed the mall’s steady and steep decline as it has become a site of disrepair, vandalism and devastating injuries. Much of the trouble has been tracked through news reports and a popular, community-run Facebook page dedicated to the mall.

“It’s sad that they let it get to that point,” she says. “I know malls are kinda going out in places, but there’s still some that are thriving.”

Residents and West Mifflin borough officials now generally view the long-closed mall as a public nuisance that should be demolished. But there’s a longing and a nostalgic fondness for what the three-story behemoth once provided to the Pittsburgh area.

WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION PHOTOGRAPHS, MSP #424, DETRE LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES, SENATOR JOHN HEINZ HISTORY CENTER

Center of Everything

The first enclosed shopping malls emerged in the U.S. in the mid-1950s. When Century III Mall opened in 1979, it was the third-largest mall in America, spanning 63 acres; its name comes from being created near the start of the country’s third century. Built on a portion of an unsightly slag heap used by U.S. Steel Corp., the new mall was an attempt to repurpose local land for a postindustrial future.

At its height, Century III had more than 200 stores, anchored by Kaufmann’s, Montgomery Ward, Gimbels, Sears and JCPenney. Sears, once the world’s largest retailer, has just a few locations left; JCPenney is trying for a revival. The other department store chains are long gone.

Century III’s decline follows national trends for malls, spurred by the rise of online shopping. Terms such as “dead malls” and “zombie malls” have become commonplace as many malls have become abandoned. In Frazer Township, a scheduled sheriff’s sale of the Galleria of Pittsburgh Mills was halted at the 11th hour in late September when its owner, Namdar Realty Group, paid all of the delinquent taxes on the 1.1 million-square-foot shopping center. Many of the mall’s storefronts remain empty, although it has become the seasonal home of ScareHouse.

In other parts of the region, South Hills Village, Monroeville Mall and Ross Park Mall are still doing well, despite having less prominence than in years past, when malls had a commanding grip on American commerce and pop culture. They were popular settings for such films as 1995’s “Mallrats” and 2009’s “Paul Blart: Mall Cop.”

Today, television series and movies such as Netflix’s “Stranger Things” sometimes use scenes shot in reproduced, bustling malls to tug at viewers’ heartstrings. HBO’s 2023 series “The Last of Us” shot scenes in 2022 in the closed Northland Village Mall in Calgary, Alberta, which is being turned into an open-air shopping area.

Hope For Revitalization

Moonbeam Capital Investments, a management and leasing company based in Las Vegas, bought Century III in 2013, pledging to revitalize the site. But it’s been heavily criticized by the borough and local residents for what has happened to the shopping center.

In 2018, images of a person dressed-up as the Easter Bunny sitting on a throne, waiting for children amid closed stores at Century III Mall, went viral under the title: “Lonely Easter Bunny in a Dead Mall.”

The mall closed for good in 2019.

Negative news about the mall hit a climax this past spring and summer. In April, a fire raged through the former food court. In June, a teenager sustained critical injuries after falling through the mall’s roof. That same month, West Mifflin Council hosted a condemnation hearing for the mall that drew a standing-room crowd of 100 people.

The borough presented evidence of the mall’s sad state: water damage, graffiti, mold, vandalism and more. During its slideshow, some attendees gasped at the mall images. Police and fire department officials detailed frequent 911 calls about people breaking into the mall and expressed concern about sending officers inside the mall with potentially hazardous air.

Then a Moonbeam representative defended the mall at the meeting, the audience loudly groaned and heckled. A month later, council voted unanimously to condemn the mall, but at press time an appeal by Moonbeam and its failure to pay code enforcement fines had set up what could be a long court battle on the path to demolition.

At the condemnation hearing, Moonbeam President and Chief Operating Officer Shawl Pryor said that Moonbeam still believes the mall can be salvaged and the company intended to sell.

“Currently, we are working with a potential buyer for the property, and they have to make a determination if they are going to utilize that existing structure for their facility in use, or if they are going to look at some type of partial demolition of the property, so that will determine whether or not we go in and do the cosmetic damage and address the cosmetic issues,” Pryor said.

The Nostalgia Factor

For thousands of Pittsburghers, the mall still evokes warm memories. About a decade ago, a man now living in North Huntingdon began co-running the “Century III Mall Memories” Facebook page. There, he frequently posts old photographs, news stories and other information about the mall for its 24,000 followers. A regular administrator of the page, which often publishes negative documentation and opinions about Moonbeam, he asked not to be identified for fear of retribution.

The individual, who worked in sales and marketing for the mall about 10 years ago, says the popularity of the page doesn’t surprise him. He looks back on the mall’s heydays as positively as many others.

“Nostalgia is a weird thing,” he says. “Everyone has their own recollections of things they remember, things they experienced. It’s not just malls. For me, that’s what I remember from growing up. Other people might remember the old Civic Arena or Three Rivers Stadium. I think everyone connects to places in their own way. To me, it’s human nature.”

He recalls getting his childhood dog at a pet store in the mall and a time he lost his keys and never found them. Maybe they’re still there.

Walter Samosky, 52, who lives in Beaver County, uses the Facebook page to follow the mall from afar. He says he started going to the mall soon after it opened, before he moved out of the area. His parents took him to nearby Sears and JCPenney stores for clothes shopping, but when the family noticed the mall being constructed, his mother explained that they wouldn’t need to go to those stores anymore, as there would be something called a “mall” that had everything.

When he was little, Samosky loved the toy stores. As a teenager, he got into playing arcade games and would go out with a girlfriend who liked shopping at jewelry stores and Victoria’s Secret.

“I cannot remember a week, once I was driving myself, that I wasn’t at the mall at least once a week, just either to kill some time in the arcade or to actually go and get something, buy something,” Samosky says. “Most of my Christmas shopping over the years, once I had money, would be done at the mall.”

Another of the page’s most active members, Sue La Barbera, 79, of South Park, spent a lot of time shopping at the mall with friends and family. She and other parents would drop off their teenage children to hang out at the mall, frequenting shops such as the mainstay novelty store Spencer Gifts. For her own part, she spent a lot of time at Kaufmann’s, Sears and JCPenney. Once, when picking up her daughter and a friend, she learned that they had purposely turned back the time on their watches to spend more time at the mall and insisted her watch must have the wrong time.

In the mall’s latter years, she and her husband would walk it for fun.

“We just really, really liked it. I was just so sad when it started to deteriorate,” she says. “And when [my husband] and I were walking, we could see, in some of the stores that were empty, the ceilings had fallen down from water damage. And at that point, you could even smell the mustiness.”

Even when talking to people who passionately love the mall for what it used to be, it’s difficult to find anyone saying it shouldn’t be demolished. The Facebook page administrator says he believes the mall needs to be demolished, despite all of his own nostalgia and that of the page’s followers.

Demolition of the mall wouldn’t make him or anyone else lose their precious memories of the mall, even though demolition might mean those old keys of his would be lost for good.

Matt Petras is a freelance reporter and professor based in the Pittsburgh area.

ILLUSTRATION BY HUCK BEARD

Pittsburgh has been called the Steel City, the Smoky City and the Most Livable City. It’s been called Iron City, Sixburgh and the Paris of Appalachia.

Throughout its history, Pittsburgh has inspired a number of nicknames — and even more opinions. They range from the vulgar (we’re looking at you, Sienna Miller) to the poetic (Willie Stargell said coming through the Fort Pitt Tunnels was the “most grandest exhibition of how a city can open its arms to any one individual”) to the famous (“hell with the lid taken off”).

Many of these words that have been said about Pittsburgh inspire a sense of pride, some are just amusing and some expose the hard truth. But all have been used at one time in our history, whether in truth or in fiction, to describe the place we call home.

Here are 25 of the most notable quotes about Pittsburgh.

PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK

“Pittsburgh entered the core of my heart when I was a boy and cannot be torn out.” – Industrialist Andrew Carnegie

“The town lies low, as at the bottom of an excavation, just visible through the mingled smoke and mist, and every object in it is black. Smoke, smoke, smoke — everywhere smoke.” … It was like “looking over into hell with the lid taken off.” – James Parton, writing for The Atlantic Monthly in 1868

“Pittsburgh was even more vital, more creative, more hungry for culture than New York. Pittsburgh was the birthplace of my writing.” – Author Willa Cather

“It would be cheaper to abandon [the city of Pittsburgh] and build a real one. This is a disappearing city: nothing comes out of it. The ancients would have swooned at the mere mention of the money it cost to build this jumble of buildings.” – Architect Frank Lloyd Wright, 1935

“Pittsburgh is the cockeyedest city in the United States. Physically it is absolutely irrational. It must have been laid out by a mountain goat.” – Journalist Ernie Pyle, 1937

In the 1958 film “Auntie Mame,” nephew Patrick asks his society-dame aunt about her English lady friend, to which Mame replies, “She’s not English, darling; she’s from Pittsburgh”

“She sounded English,” Patrick says.

“Well, when you’re from Pittsburgh,” Mame replies, “you have to do something.”

“All I do is cough and choke From the iron filings and the sulphur smoke In Pittsburgh, Lord God, Pittsburgh” – “Pittsburgh Town” written by Woody Guthrie in 1941, sung by Pete Seeger

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CLEMENTE MUSEUM

“In a way, I was born twice. I was born in 1934 and again in 1955 when I came to Pittsburgh. I am thankful to say that I lived two lives.” – Baseball great Roberto Clemente

Calvin: “I wonder where we go when we die.”

Hobbes: “Pittsburgh?”

Calvin: “You mean if we’re good or if we’re bad?”

– Calvin and Hobbes comic by Bill Watterson, 1985

“For all the insularity of the old guard, Pittsburgh was always an open and democratic town.” – Author Annie Dillard in her 1987 book “An American Childhood”

“My greatest honor was the moment that I arrived in Pittsburgh and put in what I thought was the most grandest exhibition of how a city can open its arms to any one individual. I came in through the Fort Pitt Tunnels, and it was the most beautiful thing that I’d ever observed … [Pittsburgh] wasn’t a fancy place because the people are real.” – Willie Stargell when inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988

“Like most people, I have this sort of love-hate relationship with Pittsburgh. This is my home and at times I miss it and find it tremendously exciting, and other times I want to catch the first thing out that has wheels.” – Playwright August Wilson in a 1994 interview

“I thought I smelled an early hint of the mysterious bittersweet gas that fills Pittsburgh in the summertime, a smell at once industrial and aboriginal, river water and sulfur dioxide, burning tires and the coat of a fox.” – Author Michael Chabon in his 1995 book “Wonder Boys”

“All the networks dumped us. One of them said we made going to the moon about as exciting as taking a trip to Pittsburgh.” – Henry Hurt (Xander Berkeley) in the 1995 film “Apollo 13”

“Sh*tsburgh.” – Actress Sienna Miller, while filming “The Mysteries of Pittsburgh” in 2006

“I docked at Ellis Island in the city of light and spires / I wandered to the valley of red-hot steel and fire / We made the steel that built the cities with the sweat of our two hands / And we made our home in the American Land.” – Bruce Springsteen,
“American Land” (2006)

“I just feel like when I’m in Pittsburgh, every little square inch of it and every person that I meet just matters to me.” – Actor David Conrad in the 2008 documentary: “My Tale of Two Cities”

“I would like to just take a moment to say how much I absolutely love that town, not just because you don’t hear that very often. I truly love it, and I think our movie is many things and I think one of the things it is is kind of a love letter to Pittsburgh, because it looks beautiful in our movie, because it is an actual beautiful city.” – Actor Jay Baruchel during an interview about the Pittsburgh-set and filmed 2010 movie, “She’s Out of My League”

“Pittsburgh, let me show the world just where my city at / On the map, illest city out, I guess that’s just a fact.” – Mac Miller, “Smile Back” (2011)

“I always try to incorporate Pittsburgh and where I’m from and know what I’ve learned just about the grind and hustle from being there. I incorporate that in my music and really put it out there … I never get tired of my hometown vibe. I love my city.” – Wiz Khalifa in a 2012 interview

“In Pittsburgh, you are tough or you are not. You write or you don’t write. You start hearts or allow hearts to wind down like old clocks. I almost never think about what Pittsburgh means because I know it.” – Author Dave Newman in his 2012 book, “Raymond Carver Will Not Raise Our Children”

“I think it’s probably one of the friendliest cities I have ever spent time in in America. I really enjoy being here. Maybe it’s just because I’m an outsider, and I see things a little clearer, but nobody ever talks about the beauty of the architecture in Pittsburgh … It’s just gorgeous.” — Actor Russell Crowe speaking to Sally Wiggin while in town to film the 2015 movie “Fathers and Daughters”

“… Pittsburgh, for my money, is one of the best-looking cities in the country and we love to just walk around. We love rivers and bridges, so Pittsburgh is like our Disneyland. … And the charming location of Pittsburgh on the three rivers just seems like something out of a superhero story to me. I’m crazy about it.” – Actor Nick Offerman in a 2017 interview

“A visitor will know that Pittsburgh is a great city because Pittsburgh has been greatly tested, and in those trials in your days of struggle, Pittsburgh has set an example of what can come next and what can come next is good.”– Actor Tom Hanks, days after the synagogue massacre in 2018

“[Pittsburgh] has risen from the ashes like a phoenix. Other countries want to learn: What was it that Pittsburgh did that made it successful?” – U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, on a visit here in 2022

PHOTO BY HUCK BEARD

When the editors of Pittsburgh Magazine launched the 40 Under 40 recognition program in 1999, some on staff doubted they would find enough worthy young leaders here to qualify. How wrong they were.

The list from the inaugural year includes several names still familiar in Pittsburgh. Some folks are doing what they were doing 25 years ago — but of course with greater authority and success.

Some have advanced to higher positions — such as David Wecht, who went from Allegheny County Register of Wills at age 36 to a seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Others have moved out of the area altogether. Kevin McClatchy was on the list at age 36 as the youngest owner in Major League Baseball when he led a team of investors to purchase the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1996. He sold his last shares of the team in 2009, and is now co-chairman of amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Dawn Keezer was just 34 when she was tapped for the honor in her fourth year as director of the Pittsburgh Film Office. She still leads that agency, which has helped bring in more than 200 feature films and TV productions to southwestern Pennsylvania, generating nearly $2 billion in economic impact; 5,000 people in the region are employed in the film industry. She will celebrate her 30th year at the film office in September.

Bill Fuller, then 31, was corporate chef of the big Burrito Restaurant Group, where he was responsible for overseeing menu and kitchen development at the six trendy restaurants in the region under the group’s umbrella. Now he’s president of big Burrito, which operates 17 restaurants and a catering service and is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

By the time Melissa Hart was selected for the first class of 40 Under 40 at age 37, she had already made history. She was the first Republican woman to be elected to a full term in the Pennsylvania Senate, at age 28. From 2001-2007, she was the first Republican woman to represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. House of Representatives — making history again. After her time in Congress, she resumed her law practice and later threw her hat in the ring for the Pennsylvania gubernatorial race in 2022 but pulled out days before the state Republican primary.

Dan Onorato, then 38, went from Pittsburgh City Councilman to eight years as the Allegheny County Executive. During that time, he launched an unsuccessful bid for governor, losing to Tom Corbett. Since 2012, he’s been executive vice president, chief corporate affairs officer for Highmark Health.

One of the most influential honorees on the list was Linda Dickerson, who at age 38 had been a magazine publisher, business consultant and prominent advocate of people with disabilities. She spent most of her life in a wheelchair after being diagnosed with Werdnig-Hoffmann, a rare genetic neuromuscular disease. The condition did not stop her from lobbying for the Americans With Disabilities Act to become federal law in 1990 and to serve on multiple boards in the region, including as a trustee for Carnegie Mellon University. She died at age 59 in September 2020.

Mark Madden was a sports talk show host in 1999 at age 38, and he is still a sports talk show host at 62. He was on Sportsradio 1250 at that time and wrote a weekly sports column for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He now hosts an afternoon talk show on 105.9 The X and writes a part-time column for the Tribune-Review.

Founder and former producing director of Quantum Theatre, Karla Boos recently drew accolades for her production of “Hamlet,” which was staged in August at the Carrie Blast Furnaces in Swissvale. Quantum, which she describes as a laboratory or “incubator of the amazing,” is in its 33rd year. Her title is now artistic director.

Two other creatives who are still doing what they were honored for in 1999 are Peter Kope and Michele de la Reza, founders and artistic directors of Attack Theatre. Their company, founded in 1994, is known for its innovative dance performances. They are in their 29th season.

Burton Morris, who was honored at age 35 with his now ex-wife and fellow artist, Julie Morris, already had gained an international reputation with his bright “New Pop” designs. NBC’s sitcom “Friends” showcased his paintings on the set of the Central Perk coffee shop for more than 10 seasons, and he was the official artist of the World Cup ’98 and 2002 Winter Olympics. Collectors of his work include Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama and Ralph Lauren.

On the medical side, Dr. Patrick J. DeMeo was director of the Division of Sports Medicine at Allegheny General Hospital at age 39 in 1999. The health system has grown substantially since then and his current title is chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Allegheny Health Network. He has been medical director of the Pittsburgh Pirates since 2000.

Steve D. Irwin was a lawyer and chairman of the board of the Pennsylvania Jewish Coalition when he was tapped for this honor at age 39. He ran unsuccessfully in the Democratic primary in the 12th Congressional District in 2022, losing to Summer Lee. Earlier this year he was elected to a three-year term as the chair of the Anti-Defamation League of the Cleveland region, which serves Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania.

Minette Seate, former producer, writer and researcher who worked on “Black Horizons” on WQED, is now supervising producer at the public TV station, where she has hosted and produced the weekly film series “Filmmakers Corner.” She produced the 2020 documentary, “Childhood Lost: The Adultification of African American Girls,” which shed light on the practice and perception that Black girls are less innocent than their white counterparts.

Esquire Magazine in 1997 named The Steelhead Grill — helmed by executive chef Greg Alauzen — the best new restaurant in Pittsburgh and it quickly shot to the “A” list of best dining rooms in the ‘Burgh. The Bridgeville native in 2003 moved on to open Eleven Contemporary Kitchen in the Strip District and later ran Cioppino, also in the Strip. In 2019, he opened his own Italian restaurant, LeoGreta, in Carnegie — named after his parents, Leon and Greta.

Rob Rogers was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in the editorial cartoon category in 1999, the year he was a 40 Under 40 honoree at age 39. Nineteen years later, editors at his paper, the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, fired him after they rejected a number of cartoons deemed anti-Trump. The firing made national news. Now a syndicated freelance editorial cartoonist, Rogers in 2019 — the year after his firing — once again was a Pulitzer Prize finalist.

1999 Class of Honorees

Greg Alauzen

Jim Antaki

Karla Boos

Charles R. Burke Jr.

David Celento

Rosemary Crawford

Patrick J. DeMeo

Linda Dickerson

Ezra C. Escudero

Carolyn Falk

Bill Fuller

Brian Garman

David Geller

Robert H. Getzenberg

Melissa Hart

Ted Hoover

Steven D. Irwin

Marie Milie Jones

Dawn Keezer

Peter Kope & Michele de la Reza

Brian Lang

Sean Logan

Mark Madden

Kevin McClatchy

Sean McDonald

Leslie Ann McIlroy

Mickey McManus

Glen Meakem

Burton & Julie Morris

Andy Newman

Dan Onorato

Rob Rogers

Rhonda Schuldt

Mike Seate

Minette Seate

Donald F. Smith

John Stephen

Michael & Candace Uricchio

Witold “Vic” Walczak

David Wecht

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

To publish insults directed at the City of Pittsburgh is to unleash a flood of yinzer anger unseen since Sid Bream slid “safely” into home plate.

When Pittsburgh appears on a “Worst City for …” list, swaths of residents turn into statisticians arguing confidently about base-rate fallacies as if they didn’t just learn the phrase in a 30-second Google. We can criticize everything about ourselves, from our air quality to our persisting racial inequalities — and we often do — but if you badmouth us? You, from Boston or Philadelphia or Baltimore?

Heap praise upon us or git aht.

Reading in an out-of-town newspaper that Pittsburgh contains “nothing but dullness, stupidity and wickedness,” or that visitors found it “fearfully smutty” and “the ugliest city in the country,” is sure to rile the proverbial yinzer mob into grabbing their front-porch snow shovels, hellbent on exacting justice.

There’s just one problem; the insults in the preceding paragraph were published in 1843, 1872, and 1905, respectively. Put down the snow shovel and fire up the time machine, because history is full of insults that spared no corner of our city or its residents.

Pittsburgh was still a wild child when one of the earliest insults was printed. The year was 1792 and a military officer who arrived at the forks with a company of recruits dispatched a letter to his friend that included the oxymoronic statement, “I am agreeably disappointed in this place.”

After describing the beauty of the confluence (yes, he used that word), the officer trained a critical eye on those inhabiting the 200 homes therein. “Ostentation,” he wrote, “seems to be the prevailing passion of the Pittsburghers; billiards lead many … astray, and cards are too often introduced.” This merely sounds like Pittsburghers already knew how to make their own fun in 1792.

From then on, the people of Pittsburgh remained a common target of nitpicking outsiders. The first industrial revolution came to a close with our city full of factories, mines, and mills — and the sky dark with legendary smoke. It was in this Pittsburgh, in 1843, that a correspondent from the New York Daily Herald described his visit to the theater house, where he found the crowd of locals to be “the most rabbish [unruly] looking and acting herd of rowdies … ever congregated.”

Theatergoers “decked out in ragged coats” with “very sooty faces” were accused of calling out to the performers by name, hollering and stomping along to the music so vigorously they “made the house reel in beating time to the music with their feet.” Excuse us for our enthusiasm for culture and our lack of enthusiasm for fashion; both continue to serve us well.

If it wasn’t Pittsburghers’ behavior or clothing, it was their faces: “cadaverous” (Minneapolis Star Tribune, 1875); their speech: “buzz-saw Pittsburgh accent” (Louisville Courier-Journal, 1898); or their spending habits: “They spend their money like drunken sailors and don’t care a hang who objects to their amusements” (Baltimore Sun, 1906).

If you’re keeping score, this adds up to Baltimore being jealous of us for more than 115 years now.

No manner of insult, no cast aspersion, no pithy barb did a whit to whip up the winds of reform in the city. When the temperance movement gained momentum, Pittsburghers’ penchant for unapologetically enjoying life and libations only brought further disgust from the Bible-thumping morals sector. A correspondent to a New York paper wrote, “The King of Terrors has a pretty fair prospect of getting a goodly number of sinners here” (1843), while a visiting Canadian politician found himself in a “city of sin, immorality and debauchery” (1879). Things were no better in 1894 when a Salvation Army nurse declared, “This is one of the worst places I know for drunkenness and debauchery.” It’s honestly remarkable that Pittsburgh didn’t just put “debauchery” in the city slogan to spite the morally outraged.

As the new century found its footing, scandal frequently rocked our bustling city at the same time industrialists, entrepreneurs and bankers were amassing historic wealth. Socially conscious progressives and religious leaders deemed Pittsburgh a den of sin, for surely where there is money, there is vice thriving beneath the approving eye of Satan. A newspaper in Pittsburg, Kansas boldly declared our Pittsburg(h), “Utterly shameless in [its] reeking rottenness” (1903).

It only got worse from there.

By 1906, the city’s sinful reputation was a regular topic of aghast editorials and self-righteous dispatches, many comparing the city of steel to a famous pair of biblical sin cities. Under headlines like “Pittsburg is Wicked…,” it was labeled “the Sodom of America and the moral plague spot of the world” (The Weekly Herald, Amarillo, Texas). A correspondent to the Fargo, North Dakota Daily Republican also compared it to Sodom and Gomorrah because he saw it as a scandal-ridden “murky mass of filthy and heathenish nastiness,” while the Portsmouth Star in Virginia declared our forebears “rude, offensive, and salacious” and full of “shameless vulgarity.” The city’s wickedness became so legendary that year that a preacher stood on a street corner in downtown Milwaukee and shouted of Pittsburgh, “Thou wicked city of smoke! Thou sinner among the cities of the earth! Naught has ever come out of thee but society women and filthy-minded men.”

For many an outsider, the largest criticism was that Pittsburgh, a city of a staggering 250 millionaires, was unapologetic about its wealth. Insults were tossed at our “made-while-you-wait millionaires” (Topeka Daily Capital), while a Baltimore correspondent, Eugene B. Heath, bloviated on Pittsburgh’s sins in a thousand-word screed, concluding, “Pittsburgh is full of disgracefully wealthy men.”

That wealth came from progress, labor and industry, and where there is industry, there is smoke. Lots of it. Whether Pittsburgh was more notorious for her sinfulness or her smoke, remains debatable, for her sinners were “legion” and her smoke “foully abominable.” Correspondents declared they “couldn’t see a square down a street” (Portland Daily Press, 1866) and that “the possession of a nose is almost a misfortune, for the city stinks” (1867). Jokes about the smoke became commonplace; one published groaner went, “Before the doctors can vaccinate anybody there, they have to cut their way through half an inch of solidified coal-smoke” (1872).

As for our roads — rising and winding within restraining landforms and waterways — the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported them to be “very narrow and rather crooked and [they] generally run uphill” (1875). A Kansas rag printed, “The principal direction of the streets is up and down. They ought to discard the street cars and install elevators” (1909). We did. They’re called inclines — funiculars if you’re fancy.

Surely, after a century of insults and judgment, Pittsburghers reformed their ways, right? Recognized their immoral selfishness? Their unholy vulgarity? Their wicked wealth? We might ask the evangelist Billy Sunday about that. He descended on Pittsburgh in 1914, determined to save the hellbound city. Despite preaching to a reported 300,000 Pittsburghers during his stay, Sunday was only able to convert a measly 1,492. The sinful masses refusing to repent and change had Sunday “near the verge of a breakdown, cling[ing] to the pulpit to keep from falling as he prayed for strength.” Alas, as the Scranton Tribune-Republican reported, “Sin-ridden Pittsburg is the hardest evangelistic nut to crack.”

Put that on a shirt.

In hindsight, perhaps the critics needed a new paradigm rather than an old scripture. Perhaps they needed to look away from the 1878 published claim from an ex-pat that “the place has seen its best days.” Perhaps the rowdy good times were earned as respite from long hours of honest labor. Perhaps the city’s wealth came not from sin but from the ingenuity to turn her raw materials into useful products that improved the world. Perhaps the unapologetic pride was earned.

Perhaps instead of looking at the soot-covered, life-living, foot-stomping, profane people who walked and worked among the low smoke, those critics should have set their eyes on the gleaming skyscrapers in their own cities — built with Pittsburgh metals — that allowed them to walk among the clouds.

In her quarterly column, Virginia Montanez digs deep into local history to find the forgotten secrets of Pittsburgh. Sign up for her email newsletter at: breathingspace.substack.com

PHOTOS BY CODY AMBROSE PHOTOGRAPHY

Castle Blood doesn’t have to work hard for atmosphere. A stately old building — one of the longest-standing in the city of Monessen — that served for decades as a funeral parlor makes for a natural Halloween attraction.

The mostly volunteer staff that works at Castle Blood isn’t content to rest on atmosphere, however. Instead of merely a maze full of screaming zombies, this attraction offers interactive challenges; on my last visit, one of the spooks at the entrance described it as “playing a game of Clue with the Addams Family.”

Some of the objectives are earthbound (such as logic puzzles that wouldn’t be out of place in an escape room), while others will be more ghoulish (though nothing is too gruesome for older children, Castle Blood does offer fright-free matinees one weekend per year). Whatever the challenge in a given room, it will be enhanced by the attraction’s richly detailed sets, coated from floor to ceiling in creepy artifacts.

“They felt they had to do a little bit more, a little bit different — living in George Romero and Tom Savini country,” says Chris Handa, the operations manager and “Magic Director” at Castle Blood. “They weren’t going to be the bloodiest, goriest, scariest; the game was a good way to use the talents of the people who were there at the time.”

The attraction is now in its 31st season, having started as a humble Halloween party in 1993. After long stints in nearby Bentleyville and Beallsville, the haunt moved into the former Yoney Funeral Home in Monessen in 2014.

It’s a marriage of attraction and location that has gained a reputation. “We’ve had people come from Florida, Chicago, Maine,” Handa say. “We’ve had people come from all over.”

As if the chill-giving artfulness of Castle Blood and the morbid history of the building weren’t enough, the building is also a frequent site for paranormal investigations; ghost hunters regularly inspect the premises (when it’s not being used as a haunted attraction, of course).

In other words: If the costumed ghosts don’t get you, the real ones might.

While You’re Here:
Does someone in your party prefer a certain other holiday to Halloween? Keep them happy with a stop in nearby Monongahela at Sweets by Mrs. C, a Christmas-themed candy shop.

Insider’s Tip
Buy early and online. Castle Blood doesn’t open quite as many nights as some haunts — Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Oct. 6-29, plus Halloween night — so sellouts are common.

ILLUSTRATION BY HUCK BEARD

VisitPittsburgh currently lists 55 famous Pittsburghers on its website. Most of these have passed on — Fred Rogers, Johnny Unitas, Henry Mancini, Billy Eckstine, Jimmy Stewart, David McCullough and August Wilson, to name a few. Some are no longer very active in the fields that made them famous in the first place — Shirley Jones, Joe Montana, Sharon Stone, Christina Aguilera and Rusted Root. Only a few listed are still making their mark — Rob Marshall, Jeff Goldblum, and Michael Keaton. Surprisingly, there’s no Billy Porter, Joe Manganiello, Mac Miller, Wiz Khalifa, Mark Cuban, Billy Gardell, four-time Oscar winner Frances McDormand or five-time Oscar winner Joe Letteri — on that list and we felt some serious updating was in order.

Also, we want to know who you would put on this list. Share your suggestions here.

Heather Abraham

PHOTO BY HUCK BEARD

Upbeat and relatable are just two of the words frequently used to describe KDKA-TV host Heather Abraham. She shows up in our living rooms twice a day as co-host of “Pittsburgh Today Live” and her new talk show, “Talk Pittsburgh.” As you may have guessed, conversation drives Abraham — and that’s what she aims to bring to the latter show, which debuted in March.

Abraham often takes to Instagram, asking her more than 28,000 followers to weigh in on hot topics and conversation pieces. She also uses her social media to give folks a peek behind the curtain of her life, sharing family adventures and backstage shenanigans.

After making the morning announcements while attending Shaler Area High School, Abraham was convinced that journalism was the path for her. The Shaler native joined KDKA in 2010 when she returned to Pittsburgh from a stint as a news reporter in New York City.

It’s always been important for Abraham to be involved in her community, joining causes such as Special Olympics of Pennsylvania, Hair Peace Charities, Animal Friends and the KDKA Turkey Fund. The very active mom of three also keeps an eye out for her neighbors. In 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic, Abraham helped organize a neighborhood-safe Light Up Night.

And speaking of her children, they helped her structure “Talk Pittsburgh.” The recurring segment “KD Kid’s Club” was inspired by her daughters, who like to be like mommy and play “the news.” The segment is devoted to spotlighting kids who are doing amazing things.

Sidney Crosby

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Since becoming a Pittsburgh Penguin in 2005, Sidney Crosby has been making history left and right. At 19, he became the youngest team captain in NHL history. “Sid the Kid” made history again in 2009, at age 21, as the youngest NHL captain to take home the Stanley Cup.

When he moved to Pittsburgh from Canada, Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux invited Crosby to live with him for his first five seasons on the team. Since Lemieux retired during Crosby’s rookie year, the pair shared an address longer than they shared time on the ice.

Crosby began playing hockey at age 2, shooting pucks in his family’s basement and then learning to skate the following year. Perhaps as a way to honor his very young start, Crosby started the “Little Penguins Learn to Play Hockey” program in 2008, providing free equipment and lessons to children ages 5 to 9 in the Pittsburgh area. His commitment to children doesn’t stop there, as the Sidney Crosby Foundation was started in 2009 to help charities that improve the lives of disadvantaged children.

With all of his achievements, Crosby does have a couple of peculiarities. He is a somewhat superstitious guy known to have several specific routines that he must follow. For example, his hockey sticks must be cut to a specific length and taped in a specific way, and no one is allowed to touch them after they have been taped.

Sid the Kid makes sure to keep things interesting.

Gisele Barreto Fetterman

PHOTO BY BECKY THURNER BRADDOCK

Gisele Barreto Fetterman is all about making a change. Born in Brazil, she came to the U.S. at age 7. After moving to Pittsburgh and becoming an American citizen in 2009, she devoted her life to revitalizing her Pittsburgh community.

Fetterman is very vocal about her advocacy for marginalized groups, especially the immigrant community. Focusing on nutrition, basic needs and food equity, Fetterman opened The Free Store in Braddock, which distributes household goods, baby items and other necessities to those in need, in 2012. She also co-founded 412 Food Rescue, which collects surplus food from retailers and food events and gets it into the hands of those in need.

It hasn’t been without its challenges. Campaigning with her husband, John Fetterman, who won a U.S. Senate seat for Pennsylvania, kept the family busy enough, but while on the road, her husband suffered a stroke. Shortly after starting his term in January, he checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to receive treatment for clinical depression.

During this time, Gisele Fetterman received hateful comments blaming her for John’s health concerns. She speaks candidly about the cruelty she endured in an op-ed for Elle magazine —  and about how she feels when people tell her to toughen up.

“I like my big feelings; the ability to feel so deeply is beautiful,” she wrote in Elle. “My empathy drives my career and provides me with purpose and hope.”

Jeff Goldblum

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

His glance is intoxicating. He oohs and aahs his way through dialogue giving the impression that everything he’s experiencing is wonderous. Jeff Goldblum has been many things on screen — a 6-foot-4-inch fly, a specialist in chaos theory and an ageless elder of the universe, just to name a few.

Most recently, he’s taken to being himself.

The “Independence Day” star, born in West Homestead, calls himself a lifelong jazz aficionado and calls Pittsburgh jazz legend Erroll Garner his first musical idol. After years of playing jazz piano for lucky patrons at random bars, he released his debut album, “Capitol Studio Sessions,” in 2018. Recorded with his longtime band, the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, the album went to No. 1 on the Billboard charts. He now tours with his band and has released another album, as well as a new single, “Plays Well With Others,” featuring Kelly Clarkson.

July 13 is a day of celebration here in Pittsburgh — officially “Jeff Goldblum Day.” During the 2019 celebration, the man (the myth, the legend) made a surprise appearance. Fans were overjoyed as he took selfies and assisted in giving tattoos. The hoopla was captured for an episode of his Disney+ show, “The World According to Jeff Goldblum.” On the show, he investigates (with wonder) the history and appeal of everything from sneakers to ice cream to dogs.

The man is a Pittsburgh treasure.

Michael Keaton

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Michael Keaton is definitely a Pittsburgh favorite, whether he’s Beetlejuice, Mr. Mom or your preferred Batman. Born Michael John Douglas in the Robinson area, the actor reminisced fondly about growing up in Western Pennsylvania when he accepted his Emmy for the Hulu series “Dopesick.” When he was a child, his father won a small black-and-white TV set in a raffle, and that was all Keaton needed to get bitten by the acting bug.

When he moved to Los Angeles, he had to come up with a stage name to avoid being confused with the already established Michael Douglas. So, Michael opened a phone book randomly to the Ks, and Michael Keaton was born.

Never far from his roots, he returned to Pittsburgh shortly after the synagogue shooting in Squirrel Hill in 2018 and joined the stage with Tom Hanks, Joanne Rogers, Franco Harris and others at a peace rally in Point State Park. “If you want to see a city that’s tolerant, accepting, inclusive and compassionate, you should go to Pittsburgh,” he told the crowd.

The talented actor still has Hollywood calling him up for roles, but he is expanding his repertoire. In 2021, Keaton invested in transforming a former Pittsburgh steel mill into a sustainability based manufacturing plant, partnering with Nexii Building Solutions Inc., a Canada-based green construction technology company; the plant is projected to create about 300 green jobs in the area. During a “60 Minutes” interview, Keaton stated, “You can’t just have an opinion about climate change anymore.” He wants to do something about it.

Michael Keaton will always be Pittsburgh’s Batman.

Wiz Khalifa

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

In 2010, rapper Wiz Khalifa released the song “Black and Yellow,” which was mostly about his yellow Dodge Challenger — but it turned into an unofficial Pittsburgh anthem. With all three of our major league sports teams donning black and yellow, how could it not? None of the song lyrics actually mention sports or even Pittsburgh, but the black and yellow city is very much the star of the music video — the yellow bridges, U.S. Steel Tower and the 12 smokestacks at the Waterfront in Homestead are all very recognizable.

The Pittsburgh Allderdice High School alum was born in North Dakota. His military parents moved the family around a lot, eventually settling in Steeler Nation in the 1990s. That’s when Wiz, born Cameron Jibril Thomaz, began writing and performing his own lyrics. Because he was so good at everything, friends and family would call him “young Wiz.” Khalifa, Arabic for “successor or leader,” was suggested by his Muslim grandfather.

His 2006 debut studio album “Show and Prove” was followed by six more. With his unique style and lyricism, it’s evident that he loves the art of making music. Recently featured on the cover of Men’s Health magazine celebrating 50 years of hip-hop, Wiz said during the interview, “I love to create, so just the act of doing something new inspires me.”

Music isn’t his only passion. An entrepreneur, he introduced Khalifa Kush, his premium marijuana products, in the U.S. in 2015. The 6-foot-4 rapper is also dedicated to his health and fitness, which have helped him to be more focused and patient; Wiz is an 8th-degree red and black belt in the martial art Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Maybe we can look forward to a “Black and Red” track?

Summer Lee

PHOTO BY BECKY THURNER BRADDOCK

When reports of violence from local police and school administrators against students began taking up the news cycle, Summer Lee led a fight to transform her local school board. As a proud alum of the Woodland Hills School District, Lee felt it was her duty to advocate for improvement. Since then, the attorney and passionate activist has been working continually to make change happen in our community.

Running for public office wasn’t in her original life plan. She studied journalism at Penn State with dreams of becoming the next Oprah Winfrey. After earning her law degree from Howard University, she worked as an organizer for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. That job gave her the ambition to organize her own community, which turned around and helped get her organized.

It was Lee’s North Braddock community that urged her to run for State House in 2018. Thanks to grassroots campaigning, she was able to defeat the 20-year incumbent, Paul Costa — becoming the first Black woman from Western Pennsylvania to take a seat in the state Legislature.

As the voice for working families, it’s refreshing to find a politician so relatable and down to earth. The activist focuses on immediate needs such as worker’s rights, police accountability, reproductive rights and gender and racial equity.

In 2022, the Democrat made history again by getting elected as the first Black woman to represent Pennsylvania in Congress, for the 12th District. Not one to back down from a fight, Lee is the homegrown hero that many of us want fighting for our human rights.

Kenny Pickett

PHOTO: KARL ROSER | PITTSBURGH STEELERS

New Jersey-born Kenny Pickett initially had his college sights set on Temple University. But when it came down to it, he decided to take his talents to the University of Pittsburgh. While he was playing for the Panthers, the Steelers were able to keep a close eye on his progress. A college player rarely chooses to stay in the same city, but Pickett chose Pittsburgh, and Pittsburgh chose him back. In 2022, the Steelers used their first-round draft pick on the quarterback, hoping he could one day lead them to the Super Bowl.

In his still-new NFL career, Pickett is already making heads turn. Recently, ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky praised the Heisman trophy finalist for being an intelligent player who knows what he’s doing. In every game, Pickett shows improvement and growth, giving fans hope for a tremendous season. And he started the latest season with a little spring in his step, having just gotten married to Amy Paternoster in June.

There is one question that fans have for Pickett. Why two gloves? Apparently, this football player has smaller than average hands for an NFL quarterback, at 8½ inches, and chooses to glove them both. It’s not unusual for a quarterback to put a glove on his throwing hand, but most signal callers leave it at that. In an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” he explained, “I tried it once in my sophomore year, but I really stuck with it after the game versus North Carolina. I’ve been wearing them ever since. I just feel more at ease with it.”

Hey, do what you have to do to get the Steelers back to the Super Bowl.

Billy Porter

PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

Barrier-breaking Billy Porter has taken on stage and screens both big and small. He is an award-winning actor, singer, director, composer and playwright. Who has the time? While growing up in Homewood, he graduated from Allderdice and Pittsburgh CAPA high schools and Carnegie Mellon University. If you visited Kennywood during the summers of 1985 to 1987, you might have been treated to the “Kinky Boots” star performing with entertainment groups “Spirit” and “Flash.”

The massive talent took home an Emmy for his role as Pray Tell, grandfather to the ballroom children, in the FX hit series “Pose.” The critically acclaimed show, centered around ballroom culture and the gay and trans community during the ’80s and ’90s, ran for three seasons. “Pose” wasn’t just about voguing, it also tackled heavy topics such as the AIDS crisis. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in 2017, Billy opened up about living with HIV since 2007. His role as Pray Tell helped him “walk through the shame.”

As a way of giving back to Pittsburgh, Porter recently partnered with local real estate developers and celebrity chef Rachael Ray to explore purchasing the Greater Pittsburgh Coliseum in Homewood, currently owned by the city’s Urban Redevelopment Authority. The goal is to create a community space that would include arts education, a roller rink and a culinary arts and jobs program.

Porter’s iconic gender-fluid fashion sense has made him the highlight of red carpets and magazine covers, such as Essence and Allure. His commitment to being fierce made him the obvious choice to play the Fabulous Godmother in Amazon Prime’s “Cinderella” remake.

Keep an eye out for more to come — he is only an Oscar win away from being an EGOT.

Sally Wiggin

PHOTO COURTESY WTAE

Sally Wiggin came to Pittsburgh in 1980 from Birmingham, Alabama, where she worked in television and radio. During her time at WTAE, she was a news anchor on weekends and later, weeknights; from 1993 until 2017 she also was host of the Pittsburgh Steelers pre-game shows. Perfect placement for the avid sports fan.

After nearly four decades dedicated to covering stories in and around the Pittsburgh area, Wiggin earned a well-deserved retirement from WTAE in 2018. She still lends her distinctive and recognizable voice to moderating and emceeing local events, but she does not miss reporting the news. (Although she could probably be persuaded to return for some of those Kennywood corn dogs, her favorite Pittsburgh treats.)

She helped elevate awareness of women and heart health after she shared her personal journey with coronary heart disease in the early 2000s. Both of her parents died at relatively young ages of heart attacks, and she got the diagnosis before age 50. She served as spokesperson for the Jewish Healthcare Foundation’s Working Hearts initiative.

Since retiring, she’s had more time to dedicate to advocacy for wildlife and community needs. The award-winning journalist has been on the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium board since 1995 and enjoys helping to feed the penguins. She remembers having a special place in her heart for animals since she was 3, and that simple love for furry creatures turned into advocacy after a visit to Africa in 1989. She also serves on the board of directors for the Urban League of Pittsburgh, southwestern Pennsylvania’s largest social service/civil rights organization.

She no longer really watches the news, but she keeps up with her beloved sports teams by having ESPN on the TV from morning to night.

Kahmeela Adams-Friedson is a photographer, producer, podcaster, writer and overall cinephile who enjoys sharing her opinions. Kahmeela has designed a career that allows her to create in multiple areas of media and still keep up with her shows.

PHOTO BY TAMMY WARAKS

Chris Waraks is an urban warrior of a different kind, using hammer and nails to transform neighborhoods. Now, the North Side resident is using those same tools to change lives.

Nearly two decades ago, Waraks was living in Greensburg and working as a contractor in new home construction, specializing in high-end upgrades, with his business, Mr. Renovation. Then the recession hit.

“We were taking out builder-grade kitchens and installing higher-grade kitchens,” Waraks recalls. “When 2009 hit, everything dried up for us.”

As it turned out, a home purchase Waraks and his wife, Tammy, had made on Spring Hill a few years prior would end up steering their lives in a completely different direction.

“We moved into a house that we owned free and clear; we bought my grandparents’ house from my family — honestly, because I didn’t want to see it go to a flipper,” Waraks says. “We decided to just move down here.”

Like many Pittsburgh neighborhoods, Spring Hill is a small community that sits atop a hill. The under-the-radar neighborhood is just three miles from Downtown. Despite great views of the city, many locals don’t even know it exists.

In the valley below it is Spring Garden — a community dating back to the early 1800s. Settled by German and Austrian immigrants, its residents often worked in the neighborhood’s rendering factories, slaughterhouses and tanneries. The neighborhood architecture was mainly simple — frame row houses dotted with classic Victorian beauties built by some of the more successful businessmen who settled in the area.

In the 1960s, Spring Garden’s population began a steady decline with the city’s suburban exodus. From the 1980s to 2010, the neighborhood saw double-digit declines top more than 30% in some decades until 2010, when there were just 884 residents left in what had become a den of drug activity, abandoned houses and squatters.

“Spring Hill, it’s like being in the suburbs,” Waraks says. “But Spring Garden had been left for so long. There was so much drug activity and crime down there. When people started visiting me, they said, ‘It’s too bad you have to go through that to get here.’”

The neighborhood’s reputation made Waraks and his wife wonder what they could do to improve the community in a mindful way.

That’s when Waraks met Kim Basick. She had fallen in love with the neighborhood and purchased an early 1800s-era row house on Peralta Street. She went on to buy several more properties on the street that she turned into rental properties.

Basick says she ran into Waraks in March 2014, when she went to the Pittsburgh Home & Garden Show in search of a company to help her upgrade her rental properties. Waraks stood out from the other contractors she met that day.

“He had a small, 8-by-10 booth that had all these antique tools,” Basick says. “I told him about my project and he said, ‘I would be very interested. I live in Spring Hill.’”

Of the three contractors who showed up at her properties to give bids on the work, Waraks was the only one who brought paper, pencil and a tape measure.

“It was a no-brainer,” Basick says. “As we sat down to sign the contract, he said, ‘Maybe we could go into business together. You own all of the properties down here, maybe we could change the community.’”

A partnership was formed and their first renovation project, at 915 Peralta St., won a design contest with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in May 2016.

“That was our initial project in the Spring Garden area. We really started trying to set the bar for what was going on in the city but wasn’t happening there,” Waraks says, referring to the frenzied building activity of Lawrenceville and the East End happening just across the Allegheny River.

“From that point on, it was us and history,” Basick adds.

Waraks’ construction team included his son, Kyle, an architect who once spent summers on sites with him, and long-time crew leader Bob Sobocinski. Together, they went on to renovate eight houses on Peralta Street, two on nearby Concord Street and one on Spring Garden Avenue. Then, Waraks tackled a condemned, historic house in Fineview that was featured in “This Old House” magazine. That renovation garnered national attention.

As each of Waraks’ renovations sold and urban homesteaders started moving in, the trajectory of the neighborhood began to change. Waraks renovated a corner building for a coffee shop that his wife, Tammy, ran for several years; the shop is still in operation today under new owners. He also mobilized a team to clean up a local park that was central to drug activity.

“No one was taking responsibility for the park down there,” Waraks says. “I worked out a deal with The Home Depot; they gave me the materials at cost. I worked with the Steel City Boxing crew to remove and rebuild the fence, and Junk King owner Ed Stripay hauled it all away for free to promo a ‘Clean Up America’ campaign.”

Lisa McAnany, president of the board of directors for the Community Alliance of Spring Garden & East Deutschtown organization, says combating blight is one of the community’s biggest issues. She is grateful to Waraks and his crew for their vested interest in truly reviving the neighborhood while preserving its original details.

“As a community group, we have seen a lot of bad flippers come in; you know, putting new siding on old, rotted siding,” McAnany says. “Chris just raises the bar and does everything right.”

Waraks’ renovation at 926 Peralta was the last “big money project house” as he turns to training others to continue the neighborhood transformation. He is currently working with Reimagine Reentry on an incubator program that works with people being released from prison.  Reimagine Reentry will take the workers through a six-week program learning OSHA 10 and basic construction skills, including construction math and first aid, Waraks says.

Trainees will have the option to apply to Waraks’ team renovating blighted, abandoned house while working alongside skilled tradespeople. Waraks says he is seeking grants and donations as the renovation costs will be higher than the resale value of the homes. Some properties also will be used as transitional housing for the trainees, who will receive services and support during the program.

“We talked to Chris about the Workforce Development Program he wants to get up and running,” McAnany adds. “We think it is important because it will respect the history of the community.”

As for the future, Waraks’ vision is for Spring Garden to operate as it did when it was a thriving neighborhood.

“Eight years ago, our focus was to rebuild the community,” he says. “We took a big chunk out of that.  “Our goal was to always not just to have these higher-priced houses. We want the lawyer to live next to the garbage man. That is the community that we want to see — the average working-class Joe out on his stoop having a beer with his doctor.”

To read more about the dramatic restoration of 926 Peralta Street in Spring Garden, visit here. 

ILLUSTRATIONS: SHUTTERSTOCK

If you had asked Pittsburgh professors a year ago to picture a robot that can answer any question and complete any written task, most would have envisioned a scene from a science fiction blockbuster, gears whirring and steam blowing from an android’s seams.

When asked the same question today, professors picture ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence tools — all easily accessible by cell phone and computer — that now have the potential of upending the pillars of academia.

Since ChatGPT’s release in November, professors have questioned whether the new technologies should be feared or embraced.

Aside from Carnegie Mellon University, which has no plans to change its academic integrity policy because the unauthorized use of AI falls into its category of “unauthorized assistance,” other local schools at the time of this reporting are scrambling to incorporate rules for the new tech into existing academic frameworks.

The University of Pittsburgh recognizes that AI is a “powerful tool and can be used for good or evil” and has been providing resources for professors since November, according to a statement, but is taking a “deep dive” look at the new tech in a provost-commissioned committee before any official policy is established.

At Chatham University, officials say they are trying to address AI in current academic policies instead of creating new policies that may quickly become outdated for the rapidly advancing technology. Duquesne University is similarly considering a policy that is “flexible enough to grow with the technology,” according to a statement, and is “encouraging thoughtful experimentation” with the new tools.

Point Park University is organizing a committee of students and faculty members to make recommendations on how to best approach policy changes, and the Community College of Allegheny County is hosting common hours for faculty to discuss the new technology and its impacts on their programs.

Despite these varying approaches, Pittsburgh schools agree on two points: AI is here to stay, and students, professors and administrators must adapt now. Aarti Singh, a professor in the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon, says the window to reform higher education will not stay open forever.

“The technology is out there, and people will use it regardless,” Singh said in an interview. “So if we don’t account for it, then it will be used to spread misinformation. It will be used in ways that we may not be prepared for.”

Understanding the New Technology

AI tools such as ChatGPT are called large language models, or LLMs, which are artificial neural networks that learn skills by analyzing data in the form of digital text. By pinpointing patterns in that text, LLMs learn to generate their own text, which can range from blog posts to poems to real-time conversations.

ChatGPT exploded in popularity at the end of 2022 and had 100 million monthly users within two months of its debut — for comparison, it took TikTok nine months to reach that many users, and Instagram took two-and-a-half years.

Concern grew among tech experts as ChatGPT entered the mainstream, and many warned that if AI continued to advance without strict regulation, it could eventually replace human thought and jobs. Fears quickly spread into higher education as well; by December, articles with headlines such as “The College Essay Is Dead” questioned how writing samples could be used to grade undergraduate students, and even grant Ph.D.s to graduate students, when writing processes could now be significantly automated.

Now, as institutions are still grappling with how to address the technology in official university policies, professors are left to make their own rules — ones that they deem best for the given topics, levels and requirements of their courses — and adopt new strategies to
incorporate, or deliberately avoid, AI use in their classrooms.

Mark DiMauro, assistant professor of English literature and multimedia and digital culture at the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown, says there is no need to start this school year with the anxieties that initially surrounded AI technologies.

“When we invented the calculator, people didn’t stop doing math. When we invented color photography, people didn’t stop creating art,” he said in an interview. “AI is just another tool, and as long as we demystify it and contextualize it, there should be zero problem with applying it effectively and ethically.”

ILLUSTRATION: SHUTTERSTOCK

Responding to the Challenges

Professors now face new challenges in creating their syllabi and conducting their courses; the first of which is deciding how much, if any, AI use is allowed.

Singh says that because current AI tools can only complete “mundane, regular, low-complexity tasks,” they can help students in higher-level classes be more efficient and aid, not harm, their learning of difficult topics. However, in introductory classes that focus on simpler thought processes and don’t involve much critical thinking, Singh says AI tools are dangerous to student learning because they could replace nearly all student work.

DiMauro says that he prohibits AI use in his lower-level classes for that very reason — he doesn’t want students to become dependent on AI for foundational skills such as researching and writing. To ensure students are doing their own work, he gives assignments that AI cannot complete. His go-to strategies are including current events in his assignments and asking students about their personal experiences with class material, as AI tools are not trained with data that can answer either type of question.

Related: Real or Robot? Can You Tell Which Passage Was Written by ChatGPT?

Grading assignments also proves to be a challenge, as students now have a tool that can gather information, condense that information into concise summaries, find alternative phrasings to improve clarity and more. So when professors grade papers, DiMauro says, they may not be able to tell what was written by students and what was written by AI.

DiMauro says tools such as ZeroGPT that claim to detect AI-generated text within students’ writing are unreliable, and he recommends instead that professors shift to grading students’ thinking process in addition to their final written product. Professors can designate grading checkpoints throughout an assignment and ask students how they organized their research, made improvements to their rough drafts, came to their final conclusions and other questions to ensure that no unauthorized shortcuts were taken with AI.

John Slattery, director of the Carl G. Grefenstette Center for Ethics in Science, Technology and Law at Duquesne University, says when he is suspicious of a student using AI on assignments without his permission, he asks that student to explain class concepts to him in an oral exam to assess their true understanding.

But Slattery says that professors’ focus shouldn’t be on catching students who misuse AI but rather on teaching students how to ethically engage with the technology in any situation. He teaches a class devoted to the ethics of technology and says he plans to start his fall class by introducing students to ChatGPT, asking it questions and dissecting the answers to those questions to look for elements of bias, accuracy and other ethical concerns.

Embracing New Opportunities

Despite the looming challenges, Pittsburgh professors are finding ways to not only address the changes that AI has brought to higher education but also use AI to improve the learning experience.

“AI is going to enhance student creativity, student efficiency and student effectiveness,” says DiMauro, “and ultimately, in the long run, that’s what we as educators are here to do.”

The technology can act as an assistant to students in higher-level classes — a brainstorming assistant for generating prompts, a research assistant for gathering facts, or even a marketing assistant for creating taglines and logos, he says. Using AI as a helper doesn’t destroy human creativity but rather makes students more efficient and gives them more time to discover connections between ideas and critically analyze their work.

For example, DiMauro says it could take a student three weeks to brainstorm and develop a concept for a fictional short story on their own. Another student could develop a story idea in a few hours with the help of AI by asking ChatGPT to generate prompts, find patterns in previously written stories or simply respond to ideas. The student that uses AI then has more time to write the story and refine and improve their ideas — all of which are higher-level thinking skills that the student will benefit from practicing.

Inara Scott, an associate dean at Oregon State University’s College of Business and a leading voice for adapting higher education to AI, says the technology encourages creativity by forcing students to be unique and original if they want to stand out.

“You have to ask yourself, ‘What am I bringing to the world? Can a computer do this just as well as me?’ And if the answer is ‘yes,’ we’ve got a problem,” she says.

Stepping Into the Future of Higher Education

Some Pittsburgh professors are already looking ahead to how AI will continue to shape higher education and society beyond this academic year.

CMU is home to one of seven new National Artificial Intelligence Research Institutes and received $20 million from the U.S. National Science Foundation to begin work on June 1. The institute, directed by Singh, will first analyze how emergency responders, health officials and others who operate in time-sensitive environments make decisions. Researchers will then decide where AI can be incorporated in the processes and create AI tools that will ethically aid the officials’ needs.

Singh says members of the institute are also creating a curriculum about AI’s place in society that will be shared with 40 public schools and 30 community colleges nationwide. She has been working closely with teachers from the Winchester Thurston School in Shadyside to design the curriculum and contemplate how AI can be taught to future elementary, middle and high school students.

CMU has also received one of 14 “Future of Work” grants from the National Science Foundation. The university is teaming up with CCAC to investigate how components of that school’s information technology courses can be aligned with AI tools to enhance and accelerate learning.

Michael Rinsem and Justin Starr, endowed professors of technical curriculum at CCAC, say the grant has already allowed for impressive developments, such as the creation of AI tutors that can help students identify their mistakes in real time. Starr says CCAC is committed to incorporating AI in all of its offerings, as made evident by the new $40 million, three-story Center for Education, Innovation and Technology on its North Side campus.

“A broad philosophy we’ve been talking about at CCAC is that AI is one of the new skilled trades and one of the new things that we need to integrate into our [general education] programs. If we want to prepare students for careers with AI, we need to not just integrate it into the computer science classes,” he says.

Some job descriptions are already listing ChatGPT experience as a preferred job skill, DiMauro says. Slattery says that for this reason, universities would be doing students a disservice by not including AI in future courses.

“How can we serve these students to make sure that they’re not blindsighted when coming out of college and that they actually have the skills to go into the workforce and say they know how to ethically work with AI?” Slattery says.

Oregon State Leads the Way in AI Use Standards

Inara Scott, an associate dean at Oregon State University, in April issued a clarion call to academics across the nation.

“I thought we could create personalized discussion questions, meaningful and engaged essay assignments and quizzes that were sufficiently individualized to course materials that they would be AI-proof.

“Turns out, I was incorrect.”

ChatGPT is creating a “crisis” in the classroom, and university officials and professors need to take action, she says, saying that efforts to create course materials that can “outwit” AI have already proven unsuccessful. She and her colleagues at Oregon State are among those taking the lead in developing policies and guidelines that send a clear message to students about what is acceptable and not acceptable with AI use.

Oregon State in February established a university-wide policy, which trickles down into different rules and guidelines for each school and individual course.

“The policy was intended to encourage faculty not to just reflexively block AI but to think about how it could be used and how to structure assignments in light of it,” says Scott.

An example is Oregon State’s School of Business AI policy, stating that a student’s use of AI without proper citation will be penalized the same as any other case of plagiarism. A citation format is included for students to cite AI as a source, allowing students the freedom to reference AI in projects.

Scott and OSU are working behind the scenes to ensure that specific, detailed guidance is available to every student. The university’s top priority is to prevent blurred lines and academic integrity issues and to advance with the technology.

“The worst possible situation would be for students to not have any guidance at all,” says Scott. “The way that I would approach it in a law class versus the way somebody approaches it in a data analytics class is going to be different. We just need students to understand what the expectations are for the class they’re in.”

As part of the new policies, Scott is working to develop a list of icons that faculty can include in their syllabi that represent a multitude of AI tasks such as generating ideas, rephrasing text, adjusting grammar and spelling, generating outlines or first drafts, analyzing data and more.

The icons provide each professor freedom to choose which tasks they are comfortable with their students using AI for, and will
be a universal way to set
expectations without confusion or unexpected loopholes.

“Someone will realize that higher education is focused on the wrong things — the wrong outcomes, the wrong content —
and make something better, a higher education for critical thinking, ethics, empathy, human dynamics and problem-solving, perhaps, skills students really need.”

— Abby Yoder

Emma Malinak is a rising junior at Washington and Lee University, where she is majoring in journalism and English and seeking a minor in Africana Studies. Abby Yoder is a rising senior at Point Park University, where she is studying multimedia.

(This article was originally published in December of 2018)

When innocent people are murdered because of their beliefs, it’s hard not to lose our faith — in mankind, our community and maybe even our religion.

In the wake of the anti-Semitic attack on Oct. 27 on worshippers at Tree of Life synagogue in Squirrel Hill that left 11 people dead and six injured, Pittsburghers were shaken. The most profound impact was on the targeted Jewish community. But people of all faiths and even those who don’t follow a particular religion were stricken by what happened.

While this was an attack on people practicing their religious faith, it went further and assaulted the foundation of our community.

In response, we asked a diverse group of people from different religious practices to address this crisis of faith with the hope that their words will help heal and restore not only communities of believers but everyone. Because what keeps Pittsburgh surviving and thriving is our faith in each other.
Embed from Getty Images

Hillel Academy Pittsburgh
Rabbi Sam Weinberg, Principal and Education Director

I don’t think I’ve properly contextualized it for myself yet. I have not been able to really grieve, to think about and to put into context since we heard the news. It’s been, essentially, non-stop work. My number one priority is to make sure the students at Hillel Academy have the support that they need.

A lot of that is, probably, pretending like I’m handling this better than I am. I personally talked to all the students in the school the first day and I’m going to do that again tomorrow (five days after the massacre). Kids need routine. Kids need structure. And it depends on their age. The goal of crisis intervention is to get people to rely on their natural supports, and, thank G-d, we have those supports here.

What moving on means is difficult. It’s a process, and it comes in waves. With younger kids, well, they’re kids. You sit down and talk to a second grader about it and they’re sad and they’re distraught, and three minutes later they’re playing dodgeball. That’s normal.

As for faith, it’s meeting everyone on their level. This is hard for the kids. My 5-year-old son asked me on Sunday night, “Why did G-d put the bad man into the shul?” That’s a hard one. So how does faith help? The way I was raised and the way I’m raising my children is that faith guides everything that we do. There’s a sense of Jewish pride that we’re trying to instill. It’s hard for kids to understand why people would hate us just because we are Jewish. All the support we’ve gotten from the community, not just Jews, is that people love us because we’re Jewish, too.

I teach a Jewish history class. It’s very easy — you look at a lot of standard Jewish history and you read about 3,000 years of persecution of the Jews. I like to reframe it as 3,000 years of perseverance. 3,000 years of moving forward. 3,000 years of overcoming challenges and obstacles. That’s something that we’ve been discussing with our students. Thank G-d this is, for most of us, the first anti-Semitic experience we’ve had. Definitely the most horrific.

In terms of faith, every kid is going to connect to this differently. The classic Jewish response is prayer for the deceased, for the family of the deceased and for us. It gives us comfort and it gives us hope. We took the kids over to Tree of Life for a service, and we prayed outside. That was the first time it really hit me. It felt, standing there praying and singing, it was helpful for me and for a lot of the students. We’re a small school, and we’re close with all the kids. I was talking with some [mental health] professionals right after the attack, and they said, ‘The first thing you do on Monday is you gauge the climate with the students.’ I knew we didn’t need to wait until Monday because by Sunday everyone was texting.

Song and prayer. In the Torah, people sing in moments of pure emotion. And that raw emotion is what prayer is modeled after. It’s cathartic. It’s healing. It gives you a chance to think and reflect.
Embed from Getty Images

The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh
The Very Rev. Father Philip N. Farrell

For me, it’s about hope. We can’t get stuck. We have to keep moving forward. We have to recognize the sadness that happens, we have to recognize the evil that happens. But we can’t allow the sadness, and especially the evil, to stop us from having hope. That’s exactly what evil, in particular, is: It’s out to destroy hope.

I think if we recognize the fact that God has given us something to look forward to, God has given us a reason to live, God has given us the reality of His presence in our lives, that we’ve got that to look forward to, and nothing, nothing, not the worst evil, can take that away from us.

But what that means also is we have to be there to help each other, to be there for each other to see that hope, because sometimes it’s hard to see.

We’re there to support each other, to help each other, even when we don’t have words. The reality is that we are in solidarity with other folks just to see above and beyond, to keep moving forward. To recognize the struggles, the evil that has occurred, but also to say: we will not be stuck because of that. We will work to overcome things but also look to something that is far, far better. Otherwise, we’re lost.

From a Christian perspective, obviously, you look at Jesus. On the night before he died, he says, “Father, would that this cup might pass away, but not my will but yours be done. I know there’s something bigger than the evil I’m about to face. I know you’re with us.” When he’s dying on the cross, what does he say? “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” We have hope, and that’s what gets us through this thing.

For people who struggle with faith or lost it somewhere, this seems to be the most ludicrous thing in the world: How can you deal with something like this? But you look at all the folks who came to the vigils in Pittsburgh or anywhere else, who basically said, ‘We’re here,’ as a sign of strength, a sign of support, because there’s something more. And that something more is not just strength in numbers, there’s something deeper in our hearts. And however you wish to express that, ultimately it’s God. When you have that relationship with the Lord as the foundation of your life, you can give folks a reason to keep moving forward and not allow ourselves to be stuck in the tragedies of the past.

In a time like this, you don’t have words, you have faith. You want to do everything, but there’s not a lot you can do except support. You can’t go in with blind ambition or expect you’re going to save the world single-handedly, but you do something by supporting, by participating, by saying, ‘We’re in this together.’ Regardless of what differences you might have, we’re all in this together. And when you recognize the fact we’re in this together you realize — I keep going back to this — that there’s hope. That we can overcome.

Embed from Getty Images

Islamic Center of Pittsburgh
Wasi Mohamed, Executive Director

I think one of the most beautiful things about the response to all this has been unity and solidarity. And I think that people can’t understand how important that is. And that’s what can’t be wasted — the sacrifice of these individuals.

It doesn’t mean we’re unified as a city, but it means we can take some steps toward it. Unfortunately it took a tragedy for us to be given the opportunity, but we can really take advantage of it and build more bridges and stronger bridges and move toward a more equitable Pittsburgh. If we don’t do that, we’ve really failed the people, their memory. Keep in mind we can mourn, but before the last tear drops, we have to have a plan of building that solidarity.

A lot of people have tragedies occur in the world or their own lives, and they question the existence of God, or they think if God exists He’s a cruel one. I always really remember that these horrible things happen no matter what. They just exist, and they’re horrible and terrible, and to take away all meaning from it and drag that from a person is really cruel in and of itself. If you do not look for the meaning or why something happened, that’s just senseless tragedy. Nothing comes from it. It’s just random. I cannot understand how people handle that. The reality is tragedies happen all the time, whether or not God exists, and I believe God exists out of necessity — that the loss of human life and tragedy have some meaning to it as opposed to no meaning.

There are lots of reasons that disaster and tragedy happen, from teaching lessons to helping communities. For example, what if the sacrifice these individuals made was God’s way of bringing us all together and making the city more unified in solidarity and a model for the rest of the country and the world? I think a lot of people didn’t think the headlines would be about that moving forward. Nothing makes me happier than seeing the darkness in this tragedy being completely blotted out by the beacons of light of people bonding, and the stories of the victims are beautiful, and that’s what I want to hear. It’s not filling the world with more negative and hateful news; it’s bringing hope to the people of the world.

The concept of hope in a dark time is what we keep coming back to. You could take this and take it into a dark place: “Hey, none of us are safe anywhere. We’re not safe in our sanctuary, where can we be safe? The minorities are not welcome, the marginalized communities will stay that way, and we are as divided as ever.” But that is not the common reaction.

We’re going to make it through this together; we’re stronger together — that’s a much more powerful narrative. That’s a much more godly narrative, in my opinion. And it’s really heartening to see Pittsburgh come together in a very authentic way and a very natural way. It’s not just platitudes from politicians — this is the way people on the ground are actually reacting.

It’s a moment, and in order to keep this momentum going in loving memory of all these people who passed, it’s going to take a lot of work and we have meetings planned. We have political leaders and lay leaders and educators just continue to react to this. Everybody needs to be in a room to see how to maintain and build upon this work. It’s needed in order for us to actually honor the memory of all of these victims.
Embed from Getty Images

Temple Sinai
Rabbi Keren Gorban

The synagogue has been a safe space and now it has been violated. In particular, it’s a safe space where we Jews can go in a society that doesn’t always have a lot of room for Judaism to flourish. It’s not to say that Jews are “just tolerated,” but Judaism doesn’t permeate American culture except as part of TV shows, bagels and stuff like that.

Jews, for the most part, pass as white, but there are ways in which we’re outside of mainstream American culture. And the synagogue is the place where we’re not outsiders. And that’s a hard thing to wrap our heads around, that in a society where we get integrated, to some extent there’s this barrier.

This act of violence against Jews in Jewish space requires Jews, regardless of how they engage with Judaism, to think about what it means to identify as Jewish and whether they want Judaism to fade into their identity or come out more strongly. There were people who showed up to services on the following Friday night who hadn’t been to services in decades. But an attack on Jews — and not just on Jews but Jews in a synagogue as they were preparing to pray or praying — made them want to identify more strongly.

It’s a question that we’ve all been asking, how to make the synagogue feel safe. I don’t have specific answers. In Europe, it’s standard practice to have armed guards outside a Jewish institution. And people are just used to that. I don’t know what the internal reaction is among European Jews, but at this point, it’s just the way it is. Kids are growing up with an expectation that a guard will be outside. And it’s mostly preventative, but you want to make sure it’s safe. For better or worse, things are different in the United States; anti-Semitism has not been as big a deal. Yet, at most major [Jewish] institutions, you can’t just walk into a building without being buzzed in or showing identification. But there’s been the thought that on Shabbat, you don’t need that. I think that’s where there might be a significant change.

Part of moving forward is making reasonable changes. A more significant part of it is not living life in fear. Terrorism, hate crimes, they’re all meant to disrupt life and create anxiety and fear where they haven’t existed before. It’s an act of defiance to say, “Actually, you don’t get to change my life so drastically. You don’t get to change my community so drastically. We’re going to keep living.”

Jewish ritual is helpful in this regard. This Shabbat (the Friday following the massacre) was a big deal because it was about coming together and saying that our sanctuaries will continue to be sanctuaries, safe havens. And look at all these people who came out to affirm that the sanctuary of a synagogue should be a safe place. Now, that our dead have been buried, we’re entering shiva, the first week of actual mourning — not just trying to put one foot in front of the other, but reflecting on the significant trauma of what just happened. Next Shabbat will be a conclusion to that intense grief. Thirty days from now, we’ll have to have something to mark the fact that it’s been a month. That period of shloshim (30 days of mourning) will start us moving from the intense grief of shiva to less intense grief of the rest of life. In a year, there will be something to mark the yahrzeit, which will bring up the grief and trauma again, but also give us perspective about how we as a community and we as individuals have grown from the trauma. And we’ll do something annually for many years because we can’t forget this.

Music also helps because it hits a different part of us. You can’t intellectualize it as much as you can with words, especially songs that are connected to memory. There’s this idea that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and there’s some sort of spirit that infuses a group of people doing something together. Music, especially singing together, pulls out the spirit within us and connects our spirits with those around us.

There’s one more piece that is really important. The attack was not just anti-Semitic but also anti-immigrant. This person — and I refuse to use his name because I do not want him to gain fame from his horrific actions — had a well-documented social media history of spewing hatred against immigrants and refugees in general and against HIAS in particular. As a community, we will have to find ways to heal from the reality that this person attacked a synagogue on Shabbat, but as a nation, we will have to reckon with our closed-mindedness and fear regarding people who look different, speak different languages and come from different places.

Embed from Getty Images

Pittsburgh Buddhist Center
Bhante Pemaratana, Chief Abbot

What happened in Squirrel Hill is only the result of a long process. What we would like to pay attention to is not the result but rather the process that brings a person to such a state. What are the causes and conditions that make somebody’s mind so violent and aggressive? What ideas feed a person’s fear and, consequently, anger?

We consider anger and violent behavior a kind of cover-up for our own internal struggle; when we have fear or any other kind of disappointment, if you do not know the tools to handle it, you will use your anger as a cover-up. Anger is an expression of weakness; aggressive people may feel powerful on the outside, but the inside is very weak.

We have a responsibility as religious teachers, and anyone who has some mastery of human emotions, to teach these tools. Ultimately, it’s an individual task; societally, however, organizations — particularly religious organizations — have a responsibility to teach people tools and techniques to deal with their emotions and deal with the views that we construct. We should offer help to people who are misguided, people who have a confused mind. People who are suffering from their own fear. All of us are misguided on some scale; it is easily possible for our mind to go to extremes if we don’t take care of it. We have a great responsibility to take care of ourselves and help our neighbors.

There’s beauty in Pittsburgh; I came to Pittsburgh from Sri Lanka 10 years ago, and what kept me here was this openness. This interconnectedness among different communities; that is the beauty of Pittsburgh. We have such a strong sense of welcoming and openness and embracing. I have no problem going anywhere in my robes; I have never experienced (or encountered) any negativity in my 10 years here. That’s what kept me here.

Incidents like these can bring negative feelings. At the same time, we should also pay attention to how much support and coming together of communities has happened afterward. There was an outpouring of help; everyone is coming together. What we have in Pittsburgh is solidarity, openness, this amazing attitude; we should not lose our sight of that. This horrible incident happened. But we also have seen so many good things. We should not lose our hope.

One way that we can help someone to mourn and go through the pain is to be for that person; let that person know that we are behind you, we are ready to share your burden. When people who have suffered know that other people understand what they are going through and are ready to give a shoulder, give an ear, it’s much easier to go through the mourning process. I think, as a community — as a very friendly, connected community in Pittsburgh — we should keep our arms open and eyes open. If you can, physically be there; at synagogue meetings, if they allow, go and sit with them, show them. The best way to help them to mourn and go through the grieving process — because it takes time — is to be available to them. Listen to them. Be with them.
Embed from Getty Images

First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh
Rev. David Herndon

Here at the First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh, we send our deepest sympathy to our neighbors at the Tree of Life synagogue and the entire Jewish community of Pittsburgh. We mourn with the families of those who died in this horrific and hateful incident, and we hope for a speedy recovery for all who have sustained injuries, including the officers serving in the Pittsburgh police force.

Two starkly contrasting visions struggle against one another nowadays in the United States. In one of these visions, straight, white male supremacy dominates the center, while other people — women, people of color, the LGBT community, immigrants, Jews, Muslims, and other non-Christian religious groups, people with disabilities, and so on — are regarded as less important and even as threats to the entrenched tradition of straight, white male power. This is the vision that insisted on putting yet another straight, white man on the Supreme Court, despite serious questions about his fitness for the position. This is the vision that created the disturbances in Charlottesville in August 2017. And in a more extreme form, this is the vision that led to the deaths of 11 members of the Tree of Life synagogue here in Pittsburgh.

The other vision promotes a more inclusive society, with many different kinds of people in positions of influence and authority, with many different kinds of people enjoying respect and admiration and opportunity, and with many different kinds of people contributing their narratives and their cultural truths to the fabric of our society. This is an inclusive vision, where differences in personal characteristics such as race, religion, gender, sexual orientation and family background do not lead to open hostility, or attempts by one group to dominate other groups, or judgments about who is acceptable and who is not. Instead, in response to personal differences, this inclusive vision invites mutual appreciation and a willingness to listen and learn.

Which of these two visions will our country choose — the vision that perpetuates straight, white male supremacy, or the vision that points toward a more egalitarian and inclusive society? The Unitarian Universalist faith tradition that I serve envisions a world that truly recognizes all humanity as one united community where all are accepted and loved for who they are, and none are subject to hate, bigotry, oppression, injustice or exclusion.

Embed from Getty Images

East Liberty Presbyterian Church
The Rev. Patrice L. Fowler-Searcy

In some ways, this started as a typical Saturday for me, and in some ways not. Believe it or not, throughout the year, we’ve had a number of programs at our church on facing systematic racism. We were scheduled to have our fifth anti-racism session, on white privilege, that evening. I was at church to prepare for that as well as to write a sermon I was going to deliver, not at my church, but at Judah Fellowship Christian Church.

The Judah Fellowship congregation is made up of LGBTQ individuals who typically have been ostracized by organized religion. Saturday’s events changed the sermon I had been preparing. Instead, I preached from the Fourth Chapter of Genesis about Cain killing Abel.

The very first murder was a brother who killed a brother. As human beings (I won’t even say as people of God, but as human beings), crimes are often committed against those who are closest to us. Crime is very often one of proximity and familiarity. But any time we take the life of an individual, we have taken the life of a brother, or a sister or a sibling — because we are all a part of the human race.

The person who went into the synagogue killed people he saw as “The Other.” In actuality, he was killing his siblings in the sight of God.

The Other is typically anyone who is denigrated or looked upon as lesser, or someone who we are unfamiliar with. I don’t like to use that terminology. I believe we’re all a part of the human race, and so we’re all in this together. I prefer to say “Another.”

I ended the sermon talking about how we are a people who will never allow darkness to put out the light or have fear overcome our hope.

We are also required, not only to pray for the people whose lives were taken and for their family and friends and our city, but also to faithfully pray for the person who perpetuated this crime upon all of us. Because God tells us to pray even for our enemies. Even though that’s difficult, that’s what is required of us as people of God.

My hope for the future is that somehow, in God’s time, we will realize that we are all in this together. There are no “Others” in this country or, really, in the world. We’re all created in the image of God.

I have hope that we will have leadership in the presidency and across the country that will espouse that love for your brother, your sister, your sibling, no matter who they might be, their country of origin, their ethnicity, their gender or their sexual orientation.

As are the majority of our city residents, I am heartbroken and angry. Heartbroken that our Abrahamic brothers and sisters were violated and gunned down in their place of worship, a sacred place and sanctuary, and angry about the current state of our country and the total disregard, devaluation and disposability of people considered by some as “The Other.”

I am still processing and praying about where we go from here. However, as a person of faith, I realize that the only place we can go is to God in prayer. I am praying God will heal the hurt and devastation suffered by the Tree of Life families and community. I am praying that God will heal the residents of the City of Pittsburgh, the nation, Israel and the world. I am praying for God to heal the souls of those who have reduced the lives of those they consider “The Other” as being valueless, disposable and to be feared.

And I have faith that darkness will never overcome light, that hate will never overcome love, and that divisive and hateful rhetoric will never overcome the truth that we are all created in the image of and loved by God.
Embed from Getty Images

Sri Venkateswara Temple
Vijay Shekher Reddy, Secretary of the Board of Directors

Hate crimes are common phenomena, with the frequency of such crimes increasing significantly in the past few years. One should not be complacent about this matter; one must take needed precautions to avoid exposure to such acts.

After Saturday’s incident, we have all faced the reality that hate crimes can impact us. We are determined to show support to our fellow citizens and community — to create a cooperative spirit without worrying about the differences we may have, but instead focus on the similarities we all have as human beings.

First, one has to realize that we are living in a society where values have changed and differences among us are magnified. With this in mind, one has to curtail the freedom we used to enjoy in the past, without any second thought. A human-made disaster could strike at any place without any [clear] cause. [We must] not take anything for granted and prepare to face this new reality while taking all the precautionary measures that we can control.

These types of incidents also unite those of different backgrounds and religious faiths to work together for the greater good of society. During these times, one has to be empathetic to others and extend our arms to bridge any gaps in society and the community. Take part in activities organized by other communities and show solidarity to each other, irrespective of religion, race and sexual orientation. Open, heart-to-heart discussions will help heal the wounds caused in communities by the cruel acts of a few individuals.

Embed from Getty Images

SRI VENKATESWARA TEMPLE
Krishna K. Kasi, Chairman of the Board of Directors

This has been a great country because it is a country of immigrants, with people coming from different cultures. People have to be open minded and be respectful of each other — not focusing on cultural differences.

We need to focus on our common goal in our cultures: to benefit our society and our country.

Unfortunately, the current political climate is causing division in people. The media, especially, is fueling the division, leading to the radicalization of people with deranged and weak minds. The media can tone down the criticism and focus on good news, showing good deeds by people for people.

The perpetrator of the recent incident was mentally unstable; it would have been a different outcome if he had received professional help. He is still alive; he may face the death penalty. Instead, if we spare him from that punishment, get him medical and mental help, [we can have] him communicate to the people — admit his evil actions and show his remorse. If, over a period of time, the media can show he can be transformed, there is a chance to prevent others from being radicalized. People have to see positive thoughts and actions in the news.

Mutual respect and appreciation will go a long way.
Embed from Getty Images

Dor Hadash​
Donna Coufal is president-elect. Dor Hadash was one of the three congregations worshiping in Tree of Life synagogue at the time of the massacre.

Dor Hadash is over 50 years old. We’re a lay-led, do-it-yourself congregation, and we’re a strong congregation. It’s been a horrible process, and all three congregations suffered together through the tragedy of the shooting. We do think it’s important to make it clear that while we respect Rabbi Myers (Rabbi Hazzan of Tree of Life congregation), he didn’t speak for the whole community when he was speaking to the national media.

Dor Hadash has a strong social action component at its core. We are a member of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS); as a congregation, we are very concerned with the refugee situation and helping refugees as much as we can. HIAS was established in 1881. This is not a radical organization. This is an organization that has helped settle Jewish refugees, Vietnamese refugees and others for well over 100 years now. So it feels horrific, it feels scary, to be a target for something that you believe in.

I don’t want to make generalizations about Jews, but it seems when the morality of a culture is in question, Jews are often part of the target. I can’t say I know exactly how this works, but when there has been unrest in countries, Jews are often targeted. I think we’ve underestimated that [in the United States] because we couldn’t believe it would happen here.

It’s not just us. On the same weekend as the shooting in Pittsburgh, there were two black people, Maurice Stallard and Vickie Lee Jones, killed in Kentucky. That shooter was trying to get into a church but couldn’t. The following week, two people were killed in a yoga studio. The problems of guns, and the accessibility of hate through the internet, is enormous. Clearly, the leadership of the country has been promoting hateful language, and that’s a problem. Anti-Semitism has been on the rise, and there have been shootings at other organizations, as well as desecration of cemeteries. This shooter believed Jews were responsible for bringing in refugees. In this context, refugees are not seen as people who are suffering but as carrying diseases or as dangerous criminals.

The response to this has been unbelievable. So many communities have stepped up to help us. The money raised by the Muslim community, the food cooked, the letters sent to us is overwhelming. There are so many good people in the world. [In the wake of the massacre,] people are talking to each other and finding out how connected they are. It’s been so interesting how people we never thought knew each other are connected. It heightens the sense that we’re not so isolated as we think. The mayor really stepped up. Pittsburgh is culturally rich, but it’s a small city of neighborhoods.

The founder of the Reconstructionist movement, Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, talked about Judaism as a civilization, not a religion. Not identifying with religion is important for some people — there are members at Dor Hadash who are agnostic and there are some who are very observant — and I can understand that. Reconstructionist Judaism is steeped in history; it’s not watered down. We are egalitarian Jews. We had the first Bat Mitzvahs as far back as the 1920s. We do not consider ourselves the “chosen people.” So we take a lot of the historical material and think about it in the context of the ethics of the world today.

And so in terms of how we go forward, we’re more committed than ever as an organization to what we stand for. I think you have to keep going. Language creates reality. It’s important for people in power to understand that the language they use is extremely potent. So vote for people who speak about the positive aspects of human beings rather than those who are separating groups and creating fear and hate.

I think that people who have suffered in any way grow themselves to recognize the suffering of others. What happened to us is so horrible, but if we didn’t name other people killed that weekend or if we didn’t talk about wars around the world where people are traumatized every day, if we only have self-involvement, then you don’t feel. You can’t just care about yourself. These issues are central to Dor Hadash, and that was why I joined this congregation. We are all responsible.

Sampsonia Way is a one-way alley on the North Side, barely wide enough for a car to drive down. But on one short block, exiled writers from around the world have found space to exhale.

After being silenced or tortured for speaking their minds, their creativity bubbles up in exuberant ways — Chinese calligraphy painted on a rowhouse, jazz and poetry ringing through the street, an anonymous Sudanese writer putting her name on a book.

This is City of Asylum, the sanctuary for exiled writers. Over the past two decades, Diane Samuels, an artist, and her husband Henry Reese, a former telemarketing entrepreneur, have given refuge to 18 voices from around the world as well as short-term writers and artists. They have also created a community of people in Pittsburgh who have stepped up to give the writers back their voices.

Dr. David Solosko learned about the plight of persecuted writers in 2005 when he moved around the block from Sampsonia Way. Neighbors packed into the alley each year for an open-air jazz and poetry celebration. “We were amazed how it brought a huge number of diverse people together,” says Sokosko, a big supporter of the nonprofit. “It was a festival.”

Solosko also witnessed the power of communal support when City of Asylum survived one of its darkest days.

On Aug. 12, 2022, Reese was sitting on the Chautauqua Institution stage in western New York next to Salman Rushdie, one of the most famous exiled writers in the world. The promised intellectual talk about City of Asylum devolved into a chaotic crime scene when a young man jumped the stage, stabbing Rushdie repeatedly and wounding Reese above his right eye.

“The amazing thing is that the instant the attack occurred, there were literally dozens of people from the audience who rushed the stage to help subdue this guy,” says Solosko, a retired anesthesiologist who was sitting in the front row. “I still think about that.”

Solosko was one of those who ran to the stage, where he tended to Reese’s wounds as others helped Rushdie. He was in awe of Reese, who reacted to the assailant by putting himself in harm’s way to protect the famous author.

“Henry was magnificent. Henry leapt up and ran over and started to pull the attacker off of Rushdie and probably saved his life.”

Solosko’s wife, Sandy Kniess, a retired nurse and former City of Asylum board member, still marvels at Reese’s reaction. “Here is this man in his 70s, and he jumped, without hesitation, into a knife fight” — against a 24-year-old accused attacker, no less.

Reese, 74, doesn’t want to talk about his heroics that day. Instead he stresses the audience reaction and their fierce protectiveness of writers who live under the weight of persecution.

“You would expect people to run away, but they ran forward,” Reese says. “It’s a metaphor, the physical embodiment” of what the City of Asylum community stands for.

Rather than spooking them, the attack has given Reese and Samuels a renewed sense of urgency to protect writers and free speech.

“We were driven before but are even more driven now,” says Samuels, also 74. “It gave us more of a sense of what writers go through, seeing the horrendous proof of what happened to Salman Rushdie. Thank God he survived.”

Roots of Inspiration

In some ways, the attack was a full-circle moment, the second time that an intersection with Rushdie had a profound effect on the couple’s lives.

Back in 1997, Samuels and Reese went to see Rushdie, one of their favorite authors, at a lecture in Oakland. Living with a death threat on his back, the author of “The Satanic Verses” told the audience he was lucky to have found protection and support in London. Too many other persecuted writers from around the world still needed safe houses.

Samuels walked out thinking about the rental property she owned. “I was the worst landlord in the world,” she says, at least when it came to making money. A soft touch, she would let it slide if a tenant couldn’t pay their rent. After hearing Rushdie’s story, she thought a better use for the house would be as a residence for a writer in peril.

Samuels and Reese, who were in their late 40s at the time, say they were in the position to help. “We didn’t have children — we didn’t have to pay for college,” Samuels says.

Instead of setting up an independent organization, the couple sought the guidance of the International Parliament of Writers, which started a worldwide network of Cities of Asylum in Europe in 1995. Reese spent six years emailing the organization and hearing only crickets. Nothing if not tenacious, he kept at it until he finally got an answer in 2003 that the organization was in the process of setting up a U.S. chapter. City of Asylum Pittsburgh opened the next year.

The first exiled writer to arrive in Pittsburgh was Huang Xiang, a revolutionary poet from China who was tortured and imprisoned seven times after speaking out against China’s communist regime. Upon arrival, he told Samuels he wanted to carve his poetry on Mount Washington to express his gratitude to Pittsburgh.

Samuels didn’t quite have the clout to pull off that grand gesture, but she offered him the next best thing — the front of the house where he was staying on Sampsonia Way. He painted white calligraphy on the brown exterior, and then the man who didn’t speak any English attracted a crowd with his street performances, his arms gesturing, throwing himself down, his hair sweeping the ground. “I am a wild beast hunted down,” he called out in Chinese, the first line of his poem “Wild Beast,” which was on the house.

Aleksei Kaminski grew up on the same block of Sampsonia. When he was in elementary school he remembers walking out of house many mornings on this way to school and seeing Xiang up on scaffolding, painting Chinese letters on the house. He often heard Xiang giving his performative readings on the street. Over time, Xiang would kick off the start of the City of Asylum’s now-annual jazz poetry festivals with his readings.

Despite the language barrier, the poet with a warm manner “brought the whole neighborhood together,” says Kaminski, 25, who now lives in Chicago and does marketing and community engagement work at the Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship, a nonprofit public interest law firm.

As he grew up, Kaminski met other writers. “It gave me access to the world in 828 feet,” he says, referring to the block of alleyway — the distance between Monterey Street and Sherman in the Mexican War Streets neighborhood

Xiang’s exuberant street performances also drew people from across town. Dentist Owen Cantor had no idea what he was watching when he arrived to see Xiang. “It was almost like a folk dance,” he says. “He was painting the floor with his hair. It was amazing.”

But when Reese explained about City of Asylum and how the writers needed doctors, Cantor volunteered his dental services to Xiang, whose teeth had been knocked out during his imprisonment. The injuries stifled his ability to shout out his poems on the street. Cantor spent about two years reconstructing his mouth, and when he finished, Xiang was so ecstatic he hopped around the office in joy. Cantor also has given dental care to other writers.

Other people have donated medical care and legal services related to immigration. The program also provides a living stipend and health insurance.

The program grew as the couple kept buying houses on the same little block, seven in all, and renovating them on their own dime. Now seven writers at a time can stay there rent-free for as long as needed. Some have stayed for as long as seven years. The nonprofit City of Asylum operates on a $1.5 million annual budget.

For the first 13 years, Samuels and Reese would often host the readings and events in their home — a big change for the couple who had little entertaining experience. The soft-spoken Samuels was a little wary at first. What about her privacy?

“At one point, I asked myself, ‘What am I so worried about — that someone is going to open my underwear drawer?’ The people have been great. Our world has gotten so much larger.”

A Mark on Pittsburgh

The writers have left their mark on Sampsonia Way, a tourist attraction and polyglot explosion of technicolor resistance poetry and murals. Down from the Chinese poetry house is the Pittsburgh-Burma House, where text by Khet Mar accompanies her husband Than Htay Maung’s vibrant mural of the Pittsburgh skyline as she imagined it while still surrounded by suffering back in Burma. Then there is the Comma House, with a comma-shaped poem by Bangladeshi writer Tuhin Das, set against an orange and green exterior — the colors of the Bangladeshi flag.

Chris Gribble, former chair of the International Cities of Refuge Network, praises what Samuels and Reese have accomplished as unique among about 80-member organizations of the network. “There is no other set-up like it in the world, I believe, in that it owns properties, public spaces and drives a community program based on a fundamental commitment to freedom of expression and to protecting the writers and artists who are the ‘canaries in the coal mine’ of the threats to that freedom,” he wrote by email.

Dr. Francis Solano, who has given exiled writers at City of Asylum free medical care, praises Samuels and Reese for devoting themselves to free expression. “They have put their hearts, their souls and their money into helping these writers and guaranteeing the First Amendment. They made a safe place for these writers — and then let them express themselves on the houses. It’s unbelievable.”

DIANE SAMUELS AND HENRY REESE

Different Approaches 

In some ways, Reese and Samuels are opposites.

Reese is the big-picture businessman who speaks in complete paragraphs in an analytical voice. He is the one who solicited grants from foundations in Pittsburgh and elsewhere and handled the real estate deal, along with others, for Alphabet City, the building on North Avenue that opened in 2017 and houses free lectures, concerts, a bookstore and an upscale restaurant, 40 North. (As part of the succession plan, Reese is serving as interim executive director until they hire a successor to Andrés Franco, who resigned after two years.)

Samuels is an acclaimed artist who supervises rehab and maintenance of the writers’ houses and with architect Karen Loysen designed the homey look of Alphabet City.

“Diane has a way of making something quite artistic,” says Kniess, the former board member. “It’s never predictable but always something quite charming and understated — like Diane herself.”

Samuels speaks in empathetic and poetic bursts about the exiled writers and their plight. “Can you imagine being left in a new country with children — one with a different language, different culture, different government structure?”

That’s what happened to Rania Mamoun, who escaped Sudan with her two young daughters after years in the resistance movement against longtime Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who was ousted in a coup. A journalist and fiction writer, she was censured, beaten and arrested.

When she applied to the City of Asylum program, she was thrilled to arrive in Pittsburgh in 2019. Then seven months later, the pandemic hit. During quarantine in a strange country, she fell into a depression so deep she couldn’t write.

Samuels suggested a daily video chat. Mamoun would write a poem in Arabic and roughly translate it into English. Then Samuels would make a small collage in response to it.

It was only supposed to last a few days. But they kept up their project for 100 days, and at the end, Mamoun had a poetry book she called “Something Everything Called Life.”

On March 23, 2020, as the world shut down, she wrote this poem:

sometimes hiding’s where

you are safe

hiding from every

one from everything thing every where

hiding from you in you.

Samuels also used the project to create a sculptural artwork, where she writes fiction texts such as the entirety of “Moby-Dick,” in tiny script on paper she hand crafts meticulously.

For Mamoun’s book, she copied all of the writer’s poems in Arabic and English on blue strips that radiate from the center like a sun. The striking piece covers an entire wall in Samuels’ home art studio.

Mamoun says the experience got her through a dark time. After writing under the pen name RaMa initially in Pittsburgh, her book launch here was the first time her name was associated with her new home.

“Diane and Henry are life changers,” Mamoun says.

Rushdie goes one step further, calling the couple and their community life savers. Despite fears that he wouldn’t survive the brutal attack, he did, although he lost sight in one eye and the use of one hand. Hadi Martar, of New Jersey, is awaiting trial on second-degree attempted murder and assault charges in the attack.

Rushdie’s first public appearance since the attack was at the 2023 PEN America Literary Gala, where he received the PEN Centenary Courage Award.

“I’ve been awarded a Courage Award,” he said at the ceremony, “but the true courage was shown after I was attacked. The first person who ran to defend me was Henry Reese … After that, a substantial number of people in the front of the audience ran up to help him and jumped on top of my assailant and held him down. If it had not been for these people, I most certainly would not be standing here today.”

Cristina Rouvalis is a frequent contributor to Pittsburgh Magazine. Her articles have appeared in publications such as Hemispheres, Esquire.com, PARADE, Smithsonian.com, Parents and AARP the Magazine. When she is not typing with one of her two cats on her lap, she can be found biking on the Great Allegheny Passage.

PHOTO BY DAVE DICELLO

When explaining Pittsburgh to a visitor, there is a lot of ground to cover. The city offers many things to many people. What do you prioritize in your plans? Where do you begin? Our advice: Start with the city’s wonders — long-standing, striking landmarks — that will engage you into a better understanding of our past and present.

Here is our lineup of the 7 Wonders of Pittsburgh. Each location is within 15 miles of the city center, has a wide appeal and has been around for decades. Many are cultural attractions that have, by this point, become community pillars. And each can be enjoyed at multiple times of year (all but one are year-round operations, in fact), so you can enjoy them whenever you visit the
Steel City — or simply decide it’s time to get out of the house.

1. Monongahela & Duquesne Inclines

Slow and steady wins the race. Our inclines are not fast-moving, operating at an average rate of 6 mph, but they’re consistent. And one holds the title of the nation’s oldest operating funicular railway (a bragging right to break out at your next get-together).

Debuting in 1870, the Monongahela is the longest-running incline in the United States; it was renovated in 2022 to modernize controls and electrical components. The Duquesne joined it seven years later and has run alongside it consistently (minus a brief period in the 1960s, when it was being repaired). The inclines effectively book-end Grandview Avenue and operate often (Monongahela runs approximately every 15 minutes, whereas Duquesne is based on demand); with low fares, they’re inexpensive and safe transportation options for a night out or a daytime jaunt.

“On foggy mornings, you can also witness an interesting sight as the buildings emerge from the cloud cover,” says a spokesperson with Pittsburgh Regional Transit, which owns both (although the Society for the Preservation of the Duquesne Heights Incline operates the Duquesne).

Whether you ride the Mon or the Duquesne, the view from the car is unbeatable; it’s surely why the inclines are buzzed-about attractions among locals and out-of-towners alike. And the sights from the summit of Mount Washington are unmatched. There are multiple overlooks to check out the city, take photos and maybe even catch a life event in action: Given the breathtaking setting, wedding parties, soon-to-be-engaged couples and other celebratory groups make their way to the overlooks for photo ops.

Sweetening the deal is Emerald View Park, which runs through Mount Washington — but more importantly, its paved walkway lines Grandview’s outer edge, so you can get in your steps and sights at the same time. Follow the trail to either incline station and the neighboring business districts; the bustling Shiloh Street is near the Mon’s upper station, while Grandview eateries, such as the upscale Altius, surround the Duquesne’s upper stop.

South Shore: East Carson Street
rideprt.org; duquesneincline.org

{BY THE NUMBERS}

MON INCLINE
635
track length (feet)

367.39
elevation gain (feet)

35
grade (degrees)

DUQUESNE INCLINE
794
track length (feet)

400
elevation gain (feet)

30.5
grade (degrees)

Know Before You Go:
To pay, you’ll need exact cash (you can withdraw some at the onsite ATM) or a Pittsburgh Regional Transit fare card.

2. Kennywood

PHOTO COURTESY KENNYWOOD PARK

Anticipation builds as you’re sitting next to your friend with the lap bar closed. The bell sounds, and your car begins rolling down the flat track and then whips around the corner as you travel in line with 15 other cars. You can’t help but smile, and your pal’s face lights up too each time you quickly zip around the bend. After experiencing a little more than 2 minutes of unabashed joy, your car stops. Time to get off The Whip.

Kennywood’s oldest flat ride was restored for the 2023 season, just in time for the park to celebrate its 125th year in business. The amusement park’s story remains one of “blending classic and innovation,” says Tasha Pokrzywa, communications manager. Within the park, there are wooden coasters, such as the fan-favorite Jack Rabbit, alongside the thrill-seeker’s coasters such as the Steel Curtain and Phantom’s Revenge.

“In the most general sense, our goal is to create a fun but quirky atmosphere,” says Pokrzywa.

About the quirk: The alien-themed Spinvasion ride was added for the 2023 season (a year that also began with heightened security, such as physical upgrades and more lighting). Another masterpiece returned for its 50th season: the Potato Patch and their delectable fries.

Patron feedback is seriously considered as the park is updated, as evidenced by the return of the Kangaroo ride a few years ago. Pokrzywa says the team was met with a wave of dissenting feedback regarding the ride’s retirement, ultimately resulting in a full restoration of the classic attraction.

For decades, locals have turned to the park for entertainment — from school and work picnic days to food festivals and special events added in more recent years. Kennywood’s season extends well into the fall and winter annually, with Phantom Fall Fest and Holiday Lights themed festivities taking place in cooler months (and granting access to select attractions, too).

Kennywood’s Old Mill — its longest-running ride — has, over the decades, gone through multiple theme and structural revisions and embodies what Pokrzywa called one of Kennywood’s strengths: “[It’s] a park that can provide fun experiences with things that have been around for a long time.”

West Mifflin: 4800 Kennywood Blvd.
kennywood.com

{BY THE NUMBERS}

8
number of roller coasters

125
years of operation

197
tallest inversion (feet) on the Steel Curtain coaster (a World Record)

Know Before You Go:
The Racer, Jack Rabbit and Thunderbolt are American Coaster Enthusiasts Roller Coaster Landmark rides. (The group reserves this recognition for “rides of historic significance.”)

3. Cathedral of Learning

Inspirational” is an apt word to describe the world’s second-tallest educational building, better known as the Cathedral of Learning. The 42-story structure — whose construction in Oakland was completed in 1936 — may be on the University of Pittsburgh campus, but it’s a treasure for all to enjoy. Lovingly nicknamed “Cathy” by Pitt students, the cathedral is open to the public for lunch breaks, study periods or enlightening excursions; certain floors and aspects, like the gift shop, are fair game, whereas others, like the Nationality Rooms, require advance planning.

“Its presence is a testament to the university’s longstanding history in the region and is one of our earliest examples of how Pitt welcomes community collaboration,” says university spokesperson Nick France.

The Nationality Rooms pay respect to the ethnic groups of Pittsburgh and were built in stages: On the first floor, you’ll find the first 19, crafted by 1957; of the remaining 12, created since 1987, some are on the third floor. Each year, the Nationality Rooms and Intercultural Exchange Programs welcomes 10,000 visitors; paid guided tours are available in person and online.

“The 31 Nationality Rooms themselves are never altered from their original designs,” says France. “Each room was designed and constructed based on a respective ethnic group before 1787 — the year of the University of Pittsburgh’s founding, excluding the French room, which was styled after post-18th-century Empire style.”

Over time, the 535-foot, gothic-style structure naturally has required maintenance, such as foundation waterproofing, but stands strong as a “tower of learning,” in line with the vision of former Pitt chancellor John Bowman, who led the university during the cathedral’s construction. Its routine use by the community also was part of his wish, for it to be accessible to all.

“The cathedral is a symbol, literally and figuratively, of Pitt’s progress and success,” says France, “but also the progress and success of our neighbors.”

Oakland: 4200 Fifth Ave.
pitt.edu, nationalityrooms.pitt.edu

{POINTS OF INTEREST}

36
For a high-end aerial view of the city, take the elevator to the Honors College on the 36th floor, and head to a window to check out the sights.

22,000
Square feet — a half acre — of space in the four-story, Gothic Commons Room.

Souvenir tip:
If you visit the Nationality Rooms and are inspired by the cultures, pick up a copy of the recipe book in the cathedral’s gift shop. For a little more than $10, you’ll boost your ideas for the next time you need to whip up dinner, an appetizer or fudge.

4. Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens

For the past 130 years, Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens has delivered on its aim to provide a connection to nature — and has educated locals while doing so. But equally impressive is that the conservatory has continually presented seasonal flower shows; it’s actually one of few conservatories in the nation to do so, says senior director of communications Joe Reed.

Its origin story involves philanthropist Henry W. Phipps, who bestowed the conservatory to Pittsburgh. The attraction, stretching across 15 acres, now encompasses 14 glasshouse rooms, some of which house permanent collections — such as Palm Court, part of its original nine-room offering — plus a total of 23 gardens.

To draw its annual visitor count of 500,000, Phipps likes to keep it fresh. For the Spring Flower Show alone, the team uses thousands of plants, and it’s important that they promote responsible plants that are not high-maintenance, says Reed.

The conservatory plays a pivotal role in the community, as it partners with area schools and businesses. A newer offering is the professional landscaping training for locals (learners receive a certificate showing they’ve mastered the essentials of sustainable landscaping, upping their odds of becoming neighborhood lawn heroes). There’s even a complimentary “Ask Dr. Phipps” service, allowing novice growers to seek advice from the conservatory’s Master Gardeners.

Phipps also maintains a commitment to sustainability and has been “going green” for years. Three decades ago, it transferred ownership from the city to nonprofit management and doubled down on sustainability, as “human and environmental health go hand in hand,” says Reed.

Over time, its campus has grown to include production greenhouses and the Center for Sustainable Landscapes. A few of its buildings, such as the center, generate their own energy and have garnered attention for their excellence by earning recognition such as LEED Platinum status.

Phipps may be a gorgeous cultural institution and (let’s be honest) an Instagram-worthy photo backdrop on any given outing; however, it has stuck around and remained relevant because of the effort made to honor its roots while embracing the future.

Oakland: One Schenley Park
phipps.conservatory.org

{PRO TIP}
As Phipps closes at 10 on Friday nights, it’s an ideal date-night spot. Head there in time to watch the sun set — perhaps on the Tropical Forest Patio — and complete your tour through the rest of the campus.

Know Before You Go:
There are many ways to enjoy this spot, from private events to brunches and checking out the latest exhibits. But don’t forget about the top-tier gift shop and cafe.

5. Frick Park

Imagine having a place within city limits where you could take your pup to a massive off-leash area — then play tennis, go birding in dense woods and have a picnic. Perhaps coolest of all, you could walk into a living green building, at no cost, any day of the week to learn about the environment.

Good news: This place exists. It’s Frick Park. The original 151-acre plot was granted to the city by Henry Clay Frick in 1919 and opened in 1927; the park has grown to 644 acres and touches Point Breeze, Squirrel Hill, Swisshelm Park and Regent Square.

That green building is the LEED Platinum-certified environmental center, a joint project between the city and Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy; even on a casual pass through, you’ll learn new things (like how to create a worm bin) but definitely consider attending a class or two.

After visiting the center, you’ve got choices for where to turn next. If you’re up for birding, head toward Clayton Hill, recommended by Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy’s team because it provides optimal views of avian wildlife migrating in the spring and fall.

Alana Wenk, the conservancy’s director of advancement, says the bottom segment of Clayton is prime for exploratory outdoor activities, such as mountain-biking.

Where Clayton shows the wild side, Blue Slide Park is whimsical.

“It’s always fun — I love seeing tagged photos on social media,” of Blue Slide Park, says Wenk. That’s one Frick element that’s widely known, due at least in part to pop culture; “Blue Slide Park” also is the title of the debut album from late rapper and area native Mac Miller.

As the city’s largest historical park, Frick draws quite a crowd, especially in warmer months. In 2022, it was the site of 4,000 get-togethers, from after-school programs to Earth Month happenings. The conservancy team often works with the community; construction will begin in late 2023 on an outdoor sensory classroom near the environmental center that’ll be created in partnership with local groups to validate its features.

Speaking of features: We tend to be boastful about our scenic views. If you’re looking for a spot to catch the sunrise or sunset, check out Riverview Trail; you won’t be disappointed.

Squirrel Hill: Frick Environmental Center,
2005 Beechwood Blvd.
pittsburghparks.org

{FINDING YOUR WAY}

You don’t have to wing it on your visit; there’s a detailed map on the website and at select trail entrances (pittsburghparks.org).

{POINTS OF INTEREST}

40°25’35.3” N,
79°54’19.5” W

Search the lower part of the park to find a tranquil boardwalk along Nine Mile Run. Prefer technology to going wandering? Point your GPS to these coordinates.

6. The Andy Warhol Museum

It’s fitting that the museum dedicated to the late Andy Warhol, an influential Pop-Art king, is ever-changing.

For starters, The Andy Warhol Museum (one of four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh) is home to more than 10,000 works of art by the native son. What’s more, although he’s well known for his Pop-Art creations of muses such as Marilyn Monroe, he worked in various artforms throughout his multi-decade career — film, TV, painting and drawing are but a few examples.

Born and raised locally, Andrew Warhola was drawn to art at an early age; he graduated with a pictorial design degree from what’s now Carnegie Mellon University before he zipped off to New York City. The museum’s material naturally covers his claims to fame but also his background — the tale of his parents immigrating to the States, his Catholic faith and so on.

“We really try to tell the full Warhol story in a deeper way,” says Patrick Moore, director of The Warhol.

The seven-floor art gallery, which welcomes 150,000 visitors annually, provides exclusive experiences. For example, at press time, there’s an acoustically treated space set up to listen to recently digitized Velvet Underground master tapes while admiring cover album art by Warhol. Families with kids in tow can have fun, too, by making artworks in The Factory, whose name pays tribute to Warhol’s NYC studio.

The single-artist museum, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2024, largely pays homage to the namesake artist’s works, but it also features special exhibitions a few times per year.

In 2022, The Warhol team established The Pop District, a multifaceted initiative involving multiple blocks of public art, workforce development offerings and various events and performances. Final Fridays, for example, are held from May through September in the nearby Silver Street event space and are effectively outdoor parties set to the beats of guest DJs.

“We want to attract, invite, [inspire people to] take selfies,” says Moore, “and make it an experience, hang around.”

North Shore: 117 Sandusky St.
warhol.org

Know Before You Go:
Block off at least 2-3 hours for the full museum experience, and more if you like to read every plaque.

{PHOTO OP}

Snag a selfie on the signature red couch located in the entrance space. (Like Andy, whose portrait is displayed above the couch, you, too, may want to throw on a pair of shades while striking a pose.)

{SOUVENIR TIP}

The gift shop stocks enviable knickknacks and prints of Warhol’s works.

7. Point State Park

It’s difficult to envision a city-skyline postcard or sporting-event live shot that doesn’t include the Point State Park Fountain. Heck, even a decade ago, when a giant rubber duck dropped anchor nearby, the roughly 150-foot fountain was not upstaged by the likes of the sizable, temporary art installation.

The fountain sits at, you guessed it, the point of our three rivers, where the Monongahela and Allegheny meet to form the Ohio. It debuted in 1974 and largely has remained a constant ever since; it required a full renovation in 2009 and shuttered before returning in 2013, when the park also received a facelift.

The 36-acre park space has quite the history, dating to its involvement in the French and Indian War. The Fort Pitt Museum has a wealth of info on that occurrence but also others, including the city’s founding; the Fort Pitt Block House, originally created in 1764 as a military redoubt, serves as a living relic. Point State Park’s green space was formalized due to the Pittsburgh Renaissance; after a 1950s urban renewal project wrapped, it was dedicated in 1974.

The park celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2024, and has been a gathering spot for everyday life and special occasions. Its green lawn is just the place to sit after the Pittsburgh Marathon or when celebrating July Fourth with tunes, food and pyrotechnics. On an average day, you’ll see families walking along the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, colleagues enjoying lunch and couples admiring the reflecting pool. Bikes are omnipresent here, as this is an access point for the Great Allegheny Passage, a 150-mile trail connecting Cumberland, Maryland, to the Steel City.

Back to the fountain: We’ll boldly say that catching a sunset there is a must. Everything surrounding the experience is slow-paced — people are conversing, picnicking, hanging out, relishing moments — and simple. On your first fountain experience at nightfall, you may feel as if you’ve been trusted with a sweet secret; you begin to understand some of the pride Pittsburghers have for the city and why our scenery gets such high praise.

Downtown: 601 Commonwealth Place
dcnr.pa.gov/stateparks

Know Before You Go:
The park is open year-round. The fountain is open May through October, weather permitting.

{POINT OF INTEREST}
You can spot the Duquesne Incline from the park, too!

Burgh’ers Brewing
This brewery-restaurant got its start in Butler County, but it’s a ‘Burgh thing. While the owners work on putting the final touches on a new site at The Highline development on the South Side, yinz guys can visit their Zelienople and Lawrenceville locations for a menu made entirely of locally and sustainably sourced ingredients. There are smash-style burgers with Steel City-centric names; the Fox Chapel, which won a James Beard competition, is topped with goat cheese, mixed greens, pickled onion and balsamic reduction. But it’s not just a burger thing; there are small plates (pierogies!), sandwiches and salads, too.

Lawrenceville: 3601 Butler St.
Zelienople: 215 W. New Castle St.
burgherspgh.com

PHOTO BY LAURA PETRILLA

Cinderlands Beer Co.
Cinderlands’ first incarnation — the Foederhouse in Lawrenceville — is a cozy spot for naturally fermented foederbier and classic Belgian pub cuisine. Its larger location in the Strip is a two-story, 300-seat facility featuring a first-floor bar and dining room with views of the open, scratch kitchen. Upstairs, you’ll find another bar — as well as a lounge and patio. The brewery’s suburban taproom is a stripped-down version of their city sites with a menu to match. Get snacky items such as soft pretzels, pepperoni rolls, quesadillas, cheese dip and sliders — plus, food trucks roll up every Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m.

Lawrenceville: Cinderlands Foederhouse, 3705 Butler St.
Strip District: Cinderlands Warehouse, 2601 Smallman St.
Pine: Cinderlands Taproom, 171 Wexford Bayne Road
cinderlands.com

PHOTO BY KRISTY LOCKLIN

Spoonwood Brewing Company
When you’re driving up Baptist Road in Bethel Park, Spoonwood’s enormous, 15-barrel facility appears from behind the trees like a beacon of good beer. But their wood-fired oven looms just as large to the taste buds. Order a Working Class Hero Cream Ale while you peruse the weekly specials and a rotating menu filled with no-spoon-required appetizers, salads, burgers and pizza. A spacious, outdoor seating area and a steady line-up of live music makes Spoonwood a suburban vacation destination.

Bethel Park: 5981 Baptist Road
spoonwoodbrewing.com

PHOTO BY KRISTY LOCKLIN

Yellow Bridge Brewing
At this family-run business with locations in Delmont and Greensburg, pizza (and a smattering of salads and snacks) bridges the gap between an empty and full stomach. Using house-made dough and sauce, the little brewery is cranking out a variety of 12- and 16-inch pies. Styles range from The Plain Jane to The Pepperoni Moderno with red sauce, mozzarella, a generous layer of pepperoni, arugula, balsamic glaze and hot honey. If, during your stay in the City of Bridges, you get a hankering for Detroit-style, rectangular pizza, the Greensburg site also serves one of those, too.

Delmont: 2266 Route 66
Greensburg: 33 East Pittsburgh St.
yellowbridgebrewing.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF EAST END BREWING CO.

East End Brewing Company
One of Pittsburgh’s pioneering breweries — it’s been around since 2004 — East End is now making a name for itself with its creative pizzas. At its original Larimer site and its new sister location in the South Hills, East End Chewing is the culinary counterpart to beer production. (It also gets our Food Editor’s vote for Best Pizzeria Name.) The rustic, thick-crust pies — including an off-the-wall Pizza of the Week — are accompanied by a rotating list of soups, sides and bar snacks, including vegan and vegetarian options. And if you want to bone up on your Pittsburgh knowledge, East End is releasing a series of You Are Here beers representing each of the city’s 90 neighborhoods. Even Mister Rogers would’ve said cheers to that!

Larimer: 147 Julius St.
Mt. Lebanon: 651 Washington Road
eastendbrewing.com

PHOTO COURTESY HOP FARM BREWING

Hop Farm Brewing Company
Named Best Place For A Sunday Solo Beer in our 2023 Best of the ’Burgh issue, the Lawrenceville mainstay is also ideal for a dinner party of one or 100 (in addition to the taproom there is sidewalk seating and warehouse space). The BBQ Bacon Burger (two smashed beef patties, Swiss cheese, smoked bacon and housemade barbecue sauce) might not be good for the body, but it satisfies the soul. If you’re the indecisive type, order a flight of beers and a trio of sliders: Hop Farm Burger, Taco Burger and Pulled Pork. Hop to it.

Lawrenceville: 5601 Butler St.
hopfarmbrewingco.com

PHOTO BY KRISTY LOCKLIN

Mastic Trail Brewing
There’s a tropical oasis in … Shaler. Two summers ago, the former Moose Lodge was transformed into a 7,000-square-foot Caribbean-themed brewery named after a 10-mile scenic pathway on Grand Cayman Island. From the rattan furniture and cabana bar vibe to the floor that’s painted to look like sand and sea, it’s a respite from the industrial chic of typical taprooms. Order a beachy beer such as the Surfin’ Moose Blonde Ale. The food menu is similarly island-inspired, with Bacalao Fritters, a Cubano sandwich that’s roughly the size of Cuba and a Coconut Shrimp Po’boy.

Shaler: 1044 Saxonburg Blvd.
mastictrail.com

PHOTO: INSURRECTION ALEWORKS’ FACEBOOK PAGE

Insurrection AleWorks
If you want to rebel against typical pub grub, Insurrection AleWorks is your HQ. From a gourmet meatloaf sandwich to a vegan club, this microbrewery in tiny Heidelberg is an off-the-beaten path escape for good food for every diet. Feeling adventurous? California Roll Deviled Eggs! Canadian, eh? Poutine Loaded Fries! Saving your empty calories for beer? AleWorks Salad! Have offspring? Kids Grilled Cheese with fries! Everyone leaves happy.

Heidelberg: 1635 E. Railroad St.
insurrectionaleworks.com

PHOTO BY KRISTY LOCKLIN

The Smiling Moose
Turn your frown upside down and the volume to 11 at The Smiling Moose. Mike “Scarfo” Scarlatelli, who’s been a touring musician most of his life, opened the South Side location 20 years ago, offering upscale pub grub along with punk, rock and metal shows. A family-friendly, yet still rockin’, version debuted in the ’burbs in 2021. The menus at both Mooses are peppered with pop culture references (Pizza the Hutt’s Pizza Bread, anyone?), mouthwatering burgers, soups, salads, sandwiches (say hello to the Tony Montana Cuban) and really good pasta salad. Need another reason to grin? The Smiling Moose is also a nano-brewery churning out small-batch beers for its restaurants.

South Side: 1306 E. Carson St.
Cranberry: 8032 Rowan Road
smiling-moose.com

PHOTO BY HUCK BEARD

Five years after trading in their Lawrenceville rowhouse for a condo in the Carlyle, a former bank skyscraper at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Wood Street, Ashley and Adam Brandolph have no regrets.

They love being close to Downtown restaurants and amenities. Going car-free — Adam walks to his job in public relations and Ashley takes a 15-minute bus ride to Oakland for work — has saved money they use for travel.

There is considerably more space for them and their two dogs now in the two-bedroom unit, eight stories above the thoroughfare once known as the “Wall Street of Pittsburgh.” And that history has its own appeal.

“Sometimes I’ll see groups of visitors and tourists walking down our street, looking up at the tops of the buildings and marveling at the architecture,” says Ashley, who manages volunteer and internship programs for the Carnegie Museums. “It’s so cool to hear them say ‘Wow!’ I’m like, ‘yeah, I live here.’”

VINTAGE PHOTOS COURTESY THE DETROIT PUBLISHING COMPANY; SOURCE: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

When their building, with its distinctive rounded granite front, opened in 1907 as the Union National Bank, it was one of two dozen financial institutions on a two-block stretch of Fourth Avenue. That small section also included the Pittsburgh Stock Exchange, then one of the nation’s busiest regional securities markets.

Now the former banking and stock trading nexus is a popular place to live — so much so that noise from major construction projects nearby is becoming something of a drawback. Since the Brandolphs moved in, they have witnessed the conversion of the Commonwealth Building next door into 150 apartments, the Bank Tower across Fourth Avenue into renovated office space, and the Arrott Building (cater-cornered to them) into a boutique Marriott hotel called the Industrialist.

For now, the couple is enjoying a brief respite from the dust and clangor. That will last until construction starts on City Club Apartments, a 24-story skyscraper with 300 residential units at the former YWCA across Wood Street. The project, approved last year by city planners, is nearing completion of its design phase, though a construction start date has not been announced.

JEREMY WALDRUP, PITTSBURGH DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP | PHOTO BY HUCK BEARD

“I think that residential density is more important now than it ever has been as we think about the continued evolution and revitalization of Downtown,” says Jeremy Waldrup, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership.

The organization took new offices in 2021 in the Bank Tower, the former Peoples Savings Bank of 1902, at the same busy intersection of Fourth and Wood.

“It’s changing the street life in this neighborhood by bringing new users on nights and weekends, supporting new restaurants, and really breathing new life into these historic buildings,” Waldrup says.

His favorite feature of the second-floor space is an enormous arched window that admits streams of sunlight into the organization’s 5,800 square feet of mostly open floor, which boasts original interior columns and handsome wood paneling. The building also has a dizzying 16-story marble staircase, wrapped in an elaborate exterior of carved stonework and richly textured red brick and terracotta.

Across Wood Street, the Arrott, also from 1902, is even more over the top, with striped walls, false balconies and a cornice 18 stories up with howling faces seemingly overwhelmed by vertigo. The building, which also retains its extravagant marble and bronze lobby, once housed a bank, an insurance company and the corporate headquarters of bathtub manufacturing mogul James Arrott.

Both are among the very first skyscrapers erected in Pittsburgh. Between 1900 and 1910, when skyscrapers radically transformed the city’s skyline, Fourth Avenue boasted more of the new steel-framed structures than any other section of the city.

Not coincidentally, the bank-crammed thoroughfare also was the site of the city stock market. In 1900, when regional exchanges handled trades for stocks and bonds of local companies, Pittsburgh’s annual volume of 3 million shares trailed only New York, Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia.

The Pittsburgh Stock Exchange evolved from an older exchange for petroleum, formed after the world’s first successful oil well was drilled in 1859 in northwestern Pennsylvania. At first pumped straight into open barges, then somewhat more carefully into barrels, the oil was shipped down the Allegheny River to Pittsburgh, where seven refineries sprang up within the first year to turn the crude into lubricants or kerosene for lamp fuel. Traders organized a market to set spot prices, options and futures contracts on the hot commodity.

John D. Rockefeller and his Standard Oil usurped Pittsburgh’s early refinery edge. But the city remained a busy trading hub for petroleum, and its market grew to encompass other commodities, plus stocks and bonds for the area’s numerous industrial concerns, investment banks and trust companies.

The exchange’s longtime home was demolished in 1963, and a reduced operation closed the following decade as regional markets were shuttered and trading centralized in Manhattan.

Like many Pittsburghers, Bill Benter was unaware of the former stock market. That was until the philanthropist and entrepreneur, who made his fortune designing software algorithms to handicap horse races, became an owner in the condominium next door.

“I had no idea, and in fact no real appreciation, that this had been the Wall Street of Pittsburgh,” says Benter, who owns six floors of the Benedum-Trees Building, including the top three for his Benter Foundation and other businesses. “There’s so much rich history here that we don’t know about … When I learned what was next door, it really helped me to understand this building.”

Besides extensively remodeling his floors, Benter has spent more than $800,000 on restoration of the Benedum-Trees Building’s original lobby of marble, brass and gold leaf. Last year he also funded a public art project to highlight the Fourth Avenue story. Artists Karen Krieger and David Montgomery created a mural-sized banner showing the old stock exchange; it now hangs above the spot where that building once stood.

The Benedum-Trees was originally built and named for Caroline Jones Machesney, the first woman in Pittsburgh to commission a skyscraper. It started out as private offices for stockbrokers and financial firms, until local oil tycoons Mike Benedum and Joe Trees bought it from her and turned it into their company headquarters.

Benter first learned about the stock exchange from Rob Pfaffmann, who has his architectural practice in the Benedum-Trees. So he asked the architect to direct the public art project, which they would like to see extend farther up Fourth Avenue with more art, history and creative street lighting.

“I think it’s the most underappreciated street in the city,” Pfaffmann says. “It’s still mostly intact, obviously with a few missing teeth.”

Pfaffmann has worked on Fourth Avenue since he came to the city 40 years ago, when the narrow urban canyon still had a functioning trolley line. Back then, concerned that the Fourth Avenue corridor might be torn down for an urban shopping mall, Pfaffmann and other preservationists gave walking tours to raise awareness of the street’s special history. The area is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, though Pfaffmann is quick to point out that the designation does not ban owners from demolishing a building.

The oldest bank still standing on Fourth Avenue, Dollar Bank, dates from 1870. A venerable brownstone guarded by two carved lions, it has been in operation ever since, with tellers and customers transacting over the same polished marble countertop for more than 150 years. Photography is not permitted, but any visitor can step in and appreciate the soaring interior, which somehow seems twice as big as the sidewalk view suggests is possible.

Besides being a functioning financial institution, the bank is an excellent small history museum. One display includes pictures and biographies of early working-class depositors, including many Black people, immigrants and women.

Nearby, two tall offices feature rugged stone facades inspired by the then-new Allegheny County Courthouse and Jail. One of them, the 1889 Fidelity Trust Building, is where board members convening to plan Andrew Carnegie’s great library in Oakland received a $1 million check from the tycoon to fund its construction.

An imitation Greek temple next door, despite its deceptively small stature, once housed one of the biggest financial institutions in the country. The Union Trust Company, founded by Andrew Mellon, had $16 million in surplus funds according to a 1903 survey of local banks, equal to the combined total of all 38 national banks in Philadelphia.

The building opened in 1898 and was designed by Daniel Burnham, the celebrated Chicago architect and chief planner of the world’s fair there in 1893. While the Flatiron Building in Manhattan is Burnham’s most famous skyscraper, he designed more in Pittsburgh than New York, or indeed any other city outside Chicago. His local works include the Frick and Oliver buildings and the railroad terminal on Grant Street known as the Pennsylvanian.

The Engineers’ Society of Western Pennsylvania purchased the former Union Trust in 1987 and uses it for meetings and other functions. The interior still makes quite an impression on members, says Tammi Halapin, president of the society.

“The very first time I stepped in the building was probably 20 years ago, when one of my former coworkers took us to lunch there,” she recalls. “I was like, ‘wow, what is this place?’”

The gigantic, armor-plated safe is used as a private dining room for member luncheons. That’s one challenge with old bank buildings: Their safes are far too massive to remove.

So creativity is called for. At the Bank Tower, the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership hit upon an inspired reuse strategy: the large safe there is now a locker room for its cleanup and outreach volunteers to stash their valuables before heading out into the neighborhood.

More Resources
Explore the history and important people of Pittsburgh’s Wall Street, including images of the stock exchange trading floor, through Go Fourth Pittsburgh. The website was created by Mark Houser and Philadelphia artist Chris Hytha with support from the Benter Foundation. Find it at: GoFourthPittsburgh.org

Mark Houser is a writer, professional speaker and skyscraper tour guide focusing on landmark buildings in Pittsburgh and across the country. He is the author of “MultiStories: 55 Antique Skyscrapers & the Business Tycoons Who Built Them,” available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and select bookstores. Houser’s current project with Philadelphia artist Chris Hytha, showcasing great Art Deco skyscrapers across America through stories and unique drone photo compositions, can be seen now at HighrisesCollection.com and will be released this fall as a coffee table book. His website is: HouserTalks.com

American Sirens: The Incredible Story of the Black Men Who Became America’s First Paramedics
Kevin Hazzard
HACHETTE BOOKS, $30

“Beyond their duties, paramedics represent an ideal. An assurance from society, backed by money, that human lives are sacred and will be saved anywhere and everywhere they’re in danger,” writes journalist and former paramedic Kevin Hazzard in his second and latest book, “American Sirens: The Incredible Story of the Black Men Who Became America’s First Paramedics.” He continues, “Society has often shrugged its burden and reneged on the deal. America pretended the burden didn’t exist until 1965. But it’s always been there.”

It’s funny the things we take for granted. I had always assumed that paramedics were as ubiquitous as police officers and firefighters in American cities. Hazzard’s book quickly disabuses the reader of that notion. “Regardless of who was providing it, emergency medical services suffered from an unwillingness to invest either the time or the money required to keep technicians sufficiently trained and equipped. And in the absence of state- or federally mandated standards, sufficient became a term loosely interpreted at the local level to mean the absolute bare minimum.” Typically these services were provided, if they were at all, by police departments and, in many cases, funeral homes.

Perhaps most eye-opening, though, is that modern paramedic practices as we know them started right here in the Hill District and operated out of Freedom House ambulance service. Hazzard, who has also written for television, tells a propulsive and exciting story that explores not only medical history but also politics, class, economics and race.

For all the larger historical and social issues at play in “American Sirens,” Hazzard never loses sight of the people at the heart of his story. In particular, the author offers a deep character study of John Moon, one of the very first paramedics, and Dr. Peter Safar, inventor of CPR and distinguished University of Pittsburgh professor. He spearheaded this first-of-its-kind paramedic program and personally trained the men.

“American Sirens” is a fantastic read and succeeds greatly in illuminating an important chapter in history.

# 1 Best Annual Event to Run Into Someone You Know

Art All Night

The odds of saying hello to an acquaintance at this jam-packed overnight festival each spring are higher the longer you are there and the closer you live to Lawrenceville. But, y’know, there’s a lot of art to see and it’s kind of loud in this warehouse … let’s hang out sometime soon, OK? Good running into you here! —SF

artallnight.org

# 2 Best Accompaniment for Your Cup of Joe

PHOTO BY VIRGINIA LINN

Almond Mele

If you’re looking for that perfect pastry to pair with your morning coffee, look no further than the almond meles made from scratch at Colangelo’s Bakery & Cafe. These puff pastry turnovers (pronounced maylay) can be filled with apricot, raspberry, cherry, apple, blueberry and nutella, but it’s the almond pastry that makes the superb combo (especially with La Prima Espresso coffee from next door). The tiny cafe was opened as Il Piccolo Forno by Antonio Branduzzi, who made the Italian pastries and pastas of his native Lucca, Italy. After he died in 2007, the Colangelo family continued this tradition. —VL

Strip District: 207 21st St. • colangelopgh.com

# 3 Best Yinzer Picnic Fare

Battleship to Go

Grab a Battleship hoagie from Triangle Bar in Swissvale with your sweetie (and maybe even some adult slushies), then head to one of the region’s many parks and pick a bench or table to enjoy a summer afternoon or evening of people- and deer-watching. —SF

Swissvale: 2122 Monongahela Ave. • trianglebarswissvale.com

# 4 Best Cowboy

PHOTO COURTESY COWPOKE PAUL

Cowpoke Paul

In urban storefronts and makeshift arenas, pro-wrestling fans go crazy for a 22-year-old cowboy. Cowpoke Paul, an up-and-coming grappler, enters the ring to John Denver’s “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” wearing a 10-gallon hat and twirling a lasso (which, at one point or another, will probably be used to ensnare his opponent). The native of Cumberland, Maryland, has become a fan favorite at promotions including Uniontown-based Ryse Wrestling and New Kensington’s 880 Wrestling; he says that the Cowpoke character is “just an extension of myself — being goofy and having a little fun.” —SC

Instagram: @cowpokepaul

# 5 Best Secret Library

PHOTO BY VIRGINIA LINN

Little Free Adventure Library

A book cabinet recently appeared in the woods off the Braddock Trail in Frick Park near the Parkway East. The cobalt-blue cabinet, bolted to a remnant of a concrete wall, offers a collection of travel and outdoor-themed books and magazines, such as “Walking in Switzerland,” “The Worst Journey in the World” and “Desert Solitaire.” Take a few, leave a few. You get extra points if you can find it. —VL

Regent Square, in Frick Park

#6 Best Overlooked View of Downtown

PHOTO BY VIRGINIA LINN

Fineview Overlook

It was atop Catoma Street in Fineview that Jennifer Beals’ character began her descent into Downtown in the opening credits of “Flashdance” in 1983. About 20 years later, the city renovated the Fineview Overlook on the other end of the block, creating a spectacular spot to view the city’s skyline. It doesn’t get the attention of Mount Washington’s observation decks, but it should. Even more fun: The rectangular park is designed in the shape of a giant exclamation point, with the “period” a round, paved area to take in the view. —VL

Fineview: 308 Catoma St.

# 7 Best Place to Get DIY Advice for Car Repairs

PHOTO BY RICHARD COOK

McCandless Auto Parts

I’m not an auto mechanic and don’t pretend to be. But the staff at McCandless Auto Parts has over the years taught me, and eventually my sons, how to save substantial sums by performing routine maintenance ourselves. We’ve tackled brakes, coolant flushes, oil changes and more thanks to the staff’s patient advice. They even lend us hard-to-find tools at no charge. They are old school in the best possible way, offering a level of customer service that is increasingly hard to find. —RC

McCandless: 9120 Perry Highway • mccandlessautoparts.com

Best Exotic Furniture for Non-Exotic Prices

PHOTO BY HUCK BEARD

Nadeau

With gorgeous pieces fashioned in India, Indonesia and Thailand, the folks at Nadeau are on a mission to inspire you to look past the traditional. Featuring imported woods such as chamcha, mango, batu and teak, you’ll find one-of-a-kind tables, dressers and cabinets here, all at direct-to-consumer prices. Every square inch of the store deserves a look, as you’ll also find statuary, religious ceremonial objects, rugs, pillows, wall hangings, antiques and more tucked into shelves and corners. This isn’t your grandmother’s furniture. —HB

Ross: 7203 McKnight Road • furniturewithasoul.com/pittsburgh

#9 Best Place For a Solo Sunday Beer

PHOTO BY KRISTY LOCKLIN

Hop Farm

There’s something about a lazy Sunday afternoon that makes good beer taste even better. Hop Farm Brewing Company has next-level pub fare and a balanced tap list with high-ABV dessert stouts and hazy IPAs to crushable lagers and Belgian wits. Depending on my mood and the weather, I can either lone-wolf it in the warehouse, sit at a sidewalk picnic table or belly up to the bar. I usually opt for the bar, where I’ve met some of the most interesting people in Pittsburgh, Hop Farm employees included. —KL

Lawrenceville: 5601 Butler St. • hopfarmbrewingco.com

# 10 Best Place to Visit Sea Creatures on Dry Land

PHOTO BY VIRGINIA LINN

Octopus Garden

The first hint that you’re coming upon something curious is the road sign reading “CAUTION: Tomatoes.” Around the corner you’ll find colorful sculptures of Octavia the octopus and Doris the sea monster nestled in the whimsical Octopus Garden that delights kids and adults alike. Octavia, part of a temporary art installation donated after the Three Rivers Arts Festival in 2009, got some necessary TLC in 2016 after an Indiegogo campaign raised more than $12,000 to rebuild and weatherproof her. Now she’s here to enchant the community for years to come. —VL

Friendship: 133 S. Aiken Ave. • facebook.com/octopusgardenpittsburgh

# 11 Best Custom Engagement Ring For Less

PHOTO COURTESY SKELTON JEWELRY

Skelton Jewelry

“It’s not about the stone, it’s about the feeling,” says Samantha Skelton, whose Lawrenceville shop has been creating unique, often-custom designs since 2016. Up to 80% of her customers are seeking bridal-related pieces, and while she does work with higher-end stones and metals, Skelton often sits down with a couple to create rings in the $4,000-$6,000 range. “I think part of the value of what I do is being able to listen … people are coming to me for the experience of creating something one-of-a-kind, something unique and special.” —MS

Lawrenceville: 4049 Penn Ave. • skeltonjewelry.com

# 12 Best Way to Spend a Summer Thursday Night

PHOTO BY JESSICA SINICHAK

Zelienople Open Air Market

Fridays are fun and all, but it’s hard to beat a Thursday in Zelienople during the warmer weather. Since it debuted in 2020 as a way to support local businesses while still keeping things socially distant, the Zelienople Open Air Market continues to entertain locals and visitors alike. From May through October, you’ll find crowds of people, handcrafted cocktails or beers in hand, exploring the businesses and outdoor artisan vendors that line Main Street. Oh, and there’s also food, live music and a kids activity area. See you there? —JS

facebook.com/zelienoplebusiness

# 13 Best Place to See Bald Eagles While Dining

PHOTO BY HOWARD KEPPLE

North Park

For several years, various bald eagles have made Marshall Lake in North Park their home, and you’ll get occasional sightings of them from the deck of the popular OTB Bicycle Cafe at the North Park Boathouse. Lady Liberty and Freedom (named by the amateur photographers who follow them) are the current lake residents; they recently claimed a heron’s nest, possibly to raise a family. —VL

Allison Park: 10301 Pearce Mill Road

# 14 Best Way to Get Your Dog Dog-Tired

PHOTO COURTESY ALLEGHENY COUNTY PARKS

Labor Day Swims

It’s Fido’s favorite day of the year. Each Labor Day, some communities open up their public pools for a doggie swim before they’re drained for the season. Pooches in the Pool is offered at Allegheny County pools in Boyce, North, South and Settlers Cabin parks. The Dormont Pool along Banksville Road offers Doggie Dip. Both operations charge fees for the plunge. Make sure Fido’s vaccinations are up to date. —VL

alleghenycounty.us • boro.dormont.pa.us

# 15 Best Free Behind-The-Scenes Experience

PHOTO COURTESY CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Powdermill Avian Research Center

Did you know that Powdermill Avian Research Center in Westmoreland County runs the longest-running bird-banding program in the U.S. and has banded more than 800,000 birds since 1961? You can get an up-close look at this process during migration seasons at free open houses and learn what data they gather on the birds. You can also visit the flight tunnel and learn about the research underway on how to reduce bird-window collisions. Powdermill is part of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. —VL

Rector: 1795 Route 381 • carnegiemnh.org

#16 Best Local Weirdo

Weird Paul

California has Weird Al. Pittsburgh has Weird Paul. Musician Paul Petrosky was making ridiculous videos before there was an internet — we’re talking VHS era — and he’s still going strong on modern-day social media. The song “I Got Drunk At Chuck E. Cheese” is a personal favorite. The guy’s a renegade in a bowl cut. A yinzer Emo Philips. A force of nature doing unnatural things. His brand of weirdness is just what this weary world needs. —KL

Instagram: @weirdpaulp

# 17 “Breast” Way to Talk About Cancer

Cara Sapida’s “Not the Breast Year of My Life”

In the last three years, 41-year-old WPXI-TV reporter Cara Sapida has navigated a global pandemic, a divorce and a double mastectomy for an aggressive form of breast cancer — all while caring for her two young children. Her memoir, “Not the Breast Year of My Life: Finding Hope and Resilience After a Breast Cancer Diagnosis,” goes beyond the pink ribbon to take an unfiltered look at the challenges and triumphs of a cancer diagnosis. When it debuted in April, the book became an overnight Amazon bestseller in the breast-cancer category. “By sharing my story, I hope I can offer something I’d been desperately searching for after my breast cancer diagnosis: hope,” Sapida wrote. —JS

Instagram: @carasapida

# 18 Best Gluten-Free Bakery

Baked True North

This 100% gluten-friendly bakery delivers the goods. Whether you’re looking for English muffins for breakfast or a treat (or five) to satisfy that sweet tooth, they will not disappoint. We highly recommend the lemon bars; the zesty lemon filling is a refreshing treat any time of the day. Their scones are also a must try. Baked True North even has gluten-free options that can be modified for vegans. —DB

McCandless: 1137 Perry Highway • Bakedtruenorth.square.site

# 19 Best Place for Puppies to Paw-ty

PHOTO COURTESY HOUNDS TOWN PITTSBURGH

Hounds Town

From St. Patrick’s Day to Prom Day to Valentine’s Day, there’s always four-legged, holiday fun to be had at Hounds Town in the Strip District. Past activities have included photo shoots, paw-rades, costumes and arts-and-crafts sessions. At the last Harry Pawter Party, each dog was sorted into its Hogwarts house by the magical Sorting Hat. The facility is designed as a miniature town for dogs, featuring a barber shop, a cinema, a firehouse and more. The photo shoots on the Hounds Town Instagram page are not to be missed. —HB

Strip District: 3228 Penn Ave. •houndstownusa.com/locations/pittsburgh

#20 Best Movie Theater For Catching a Summer Blockbuster

Chartiers Valley Luxury 14

Whether it’s the highly polished seventh installment of “Mission: Impossible” or the debut of “Blue Beetle,” there’s something about sitting back in a reclining movie theater seat and letting the mayhem wash over you. If you want your hair blown back by the action on screen, the Phoenix Theatres Chartiers Valley Luxury 14 in Bridgeville delivers. In addition to its seriously comfortable seats and beer and wine at the bar, the theater offers a Sunday-night series of classic hits for film lovers. —MS

Bridgeville: 1025 Washington Pike • phoenixtheatres.com

#21 Best Chance to Test Your Obscure Knowledge

PHOTO BY MARIA SCIULLO

Buzz Worthy Pub Trivia

Pop quiz, hotshot! Glenshaw-based Buzz Worthy Pub Trivia holds free, spirited contests every night of the week at 65 locations throughout the Pittsburgh area and as far north as Erie. Cassie Roach and Rebecka O’Brien met at Pitt in 2010 and by 2013 were hosting events for smartypants at Hough’s Taproom in Greenfield. “Some people get pretty cut-throat,” says Roach. Trivia hosts — apply online, they’re always looking — have the final word. No matter where you go, “you get the same Buzzworthy experience, but it’s fun to see the different hosts’ personalities come through,” says O’Brien. —MS

buzzworthypubtrivia.com

#22 Best Place to Find Unexpectedly Good Food

Marshall’s Cigar

The Shell station/cigar shop/convenience store/take-out joint on Spring Garden Avenue has the best Reuben in Pittsburgh — and I’m not just blowing smoke! Marshall’s Cigar is a tiny, family-run empire that’s been doling out deliciousness since 1975 (let’s hope their BBQ business makes a comeback). Breakfast is served all day. Reubens are my favorite sandwich and the house speciality. You get half-a-cow’s-worth of lean corned beef, swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing on Mancini’s seeded rye. Although one half (hell, one bite!) is enough to fill your tank, spring for the whole thing. Eating ridiculous sandwiches is the only way gridlocked Pittsburghers can live life in the fast lane. —KL

Spring Garden: 1520 Spring Garden Ave.

# 23 Best Bar You Can’t (Usually) Visit

PHOTO BY HUCK BEARD

Storyville Lounge

There are plenty of wonders to be found at Dr. Tumblety’s Time-Inspired Specialty Shop, a unique Allentown storefront offering spooky and strange apparel and more. The biggest surprise, however, is hiding beyond a bookshelf; push on the right volume and you’ll find yourself in the Storyville Lounge, a speakeasy-style bar and event space. The space is the future tasting room for the forthcoming Inspired by Spirits Distillery, so for now, you’ll have to wait for a special event to visit the New Orleans-style haunt. Follow Dr. Tumblety’s on Facebook to find out when the bookshelf will swing open next. —SC

Allentown: 753 E. Warrington Ave. • inspiredbyspirits.com

#24 Best Indulgent Yet Inexpensive Lunch

Flavor of Puerto Rico

Every now and then, it hits: It’s the middle of the day, you’ve already had enough of the grind and all you want is a big meal and maybe a nap. Head to Flavor of Puerto Rico on Brownsville Road in Mt. Oliver to fill up without emptying your wallet. Our preference is the steak with onions and rice, a perfectly seasoned and filling dish that’ll become a staple if you live in the vicinity. The dish is only $7; pair it with an empanada for $3 or a side of sweet plantains for $4 and you’ll have a lunchtime feast. You might just skip dinner — or come back for more, like the slow-roasted pork shoulder. —SC

Mt. Oliver: 160 Brownsville Road • flavorofpuertorico.com

# 25 Best Way to Have a Slumber Party

PHOTO BY JESSICA SINICHAK

Fairtyale Forts

Forget sleeping on the floor of your friend’s bedroom. These days, slumber parties are all about creating an “experience” with custom tents (themes range from Harry Potter to Boho Glam to Spider-Man), such as the ones provided by Hampton-based Fairytale Forts. Owner Shanna Struble arrives at the sleepover location several hours before the event to set up the tents, which include an air mattress, tray, pillow and lantern. She returns the following day to deconstruct them. Easy peasy! Adults can also have their sleepover dreams realized: The company offers an oversized glamping tent — with all the same accouterments — where you and your friends can have some big-kid fun. —JS

fairytaleforts.com

# 26 Best Place to Get Fido Into Vinyl

The Government Center

There are a number of great record stores in the city, but only one (that we know of) has a bowl of dog treats waiting at the register. The Government Center is both a massive repository of new and used vinyl and a dog-friendly hangout. An espresso bar is open daily, and live shows from local favorites and under-the-radar touring acts fill the schedule at night (although the concerts might be a bit loud for your canine companions). We can’t guarantee that your pooch will become an audiophile, but we bet he’ll enjoy sniffing the other customers — and accepting that Milk-Bone at the counter. —SC

North Side: 715 East St. • thegovernmentcenter.com

#27 Best Way to Feel Like You’re in Washington D.C. (Without Having to Endure the Beltway)

PHOTO BY AURELIA SINICHAK

Pittsburgh Sakura Project

If you’re hankering to see the Capital City’s famous cherry blossoms but hate the thought of driving in D.C. traffic, there’s an alternate, no-less-stunning way to take in the flora. More than a decade ago, the nonprofit Pittsburgh Sakura Project began planting a variety of cherry blossoms around Marshall Lake at North Park. Every spring, the trees, more than 200 of them, bloom — turning the grounds into an ethereal pink dream. If you’re planning a trip: The trees usually bloom around the end of April, and blossoms can sometimes last for up to a month. —JS

pghsakuraproject.org

# 28 Best Local Business Mascot That Looks Like Spongebob Squarepants

Colker Janitorial Supplies

Everytime I go to the Strip, I think about Bikini Bottom, where the cartoon character “SpongeBob SquarePants” lives in a pineapple under the sea. Colker Janitorial Supplies, a family-owned business on Penn Avenue that’s been around since 1974, has the original absorbent, yellow and porous mascot gracing the front of their building (a work of art by Dave Klug). C.C. the Sea Sponge is adorable in his Chuck Taylors and jaunty hat. The best part? He’s mercifully silent! As the mother of a messy, 13-year-old SpongeBob superfan, this tide-y dude is my hero. —KL

Strip District: 2618 Penn Ave.

PHOTO BY KAELA SPEICHER

Any property that you purchase this year is definitely a Hot Property. As we enter summer, housing inventory around the region continues to be scarce — and that’s a trend that won’t be changing anytime soon.

The National Association of Realtors Housing Report in March showed just 2.8 months of inventory on hand. Listings are down 19.8% from the same period last year; homes for sale for $500,000 or less are down more than 5% from last year.

New home construction also is lagging as years of under-building continue to dog the industry; only 10% of new homes built nationally were listed at less than $300,000. All in all, if you are willing to get creative and think outside the box, now is the time to tweak that list of amenities for your dream home — it may be the only way to get your foot in the door.

Here’s a look at how some of our featured Hot Properties from over the last few months fared.

PHOTOS BY EXPOSURE IT REAL ESTATE MEDIA

2124 Westcott Lane, South Fayette
Maintenance-Free Living for All 

The owners of this customized, two-year-old townhouse thought they were ready to enjoy a carefree lifestyle but soon discovered their gardening days weren’t over yet. After deciding to find a fixer-upper to keep them busy, they listed the three-bedroom townhouse in the Charter Homes’ Hastings community for $389,000 near the end of March. Featuring more than 1,700 square feet of living space, the three-story home’s open floor plan includes a custom coffee bar. It’s also within walking distance to the neighborhood’s business district, which includes Recon Brewing, a yoga studio and a veterinarian. The home’s listing was removed near the end of May.

PHOTO BY KAELA SPEICHER

897 Field Club Road, O’Hara
A Living Art Installation

One of Pittsburgh’s most unusual properties, “The Mirror House” earned its nickname when artist and educator Martin Prekop clad each and every exterior brick with hand-cut mirrors. Over the years, Prekop also installed 22 skylights and several additions, as well as rooms focused on music, art and entertaining, to the three-bedroom home. He even added a gallery that could host private exhibitions of other artists’ work besides his own. Listed in April for $899,000, the house is still on the market.

PHOTOS BY STEEL CITY VISUALS

128 Bertha St., Mount Washington
A Pittsburgh Colonial Full of History

Situated on a triple lot just steps from Grandview Avenue, this 4,600-square-foot center-hall Colonial, built 150 years ago, has been meticulously restored. Custom floors, restored trim and touches of modern design come together in the four-bedroom, four-bathroom house, which includes a home office on the lower level that’s hidden behind a secret door. Built by one of the founders of the law firm Reed Smith, it was later owned by a local librarian who left more than 5,000 books around the home. Listed in January for $1.275 million, the price was lowered to $1.26 million in June.

Hot Property offers an inside look into unique and historic homes on the market. As part of the Nest newsletter, Hot Property also goes behind the For Sale sign each week to share the story of a special Pittsburgh area home. Four times a year, Hot Property gives an in-depth look at the region’s real estate market in Pittsburgh Magazine HOME, tracks housing prices and sales and details where hot properties can be found. Rosa can be reached at: onecordovaroad@gmail.com

PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK

If you had never heard of pickleball before 2019, you’re not alone.

Although the sport was invented in 1965, pickleball only gained popularity in dribs and drabs over the years, remaining a relatively niche sport for decades.

But now, according to the latest data released by USA Pickleball, pickleball’s national governing body, it’s the nation’s fastest-growing sport. More than 14% of Americans (a whopping 36.5 million people) played pickleball from August 2021 to August 2022, with more than 8.5 million people playing pickleball eight times or more over that period.

That’s a lot of people playing a sport that was relatively unknown a decade ago.

Pickleball, as the story goes, was invented when three friends were looking for an activity to keep their kids entertained and created the game using the only equipment they had at their disposal: ping-pong paddles, a wiffle ball and a badminton court. It borrows elements from badminton, ping pong and tennis, and is now a common part of physical education for elementary school students. Dedicated pickleball courts regularly have long lines of waiting players, there are wait lists to join local pickleball clubs and an entire pickleball coaching industry is popping up — not to mention pickleball gyms, camps, activity centers, a chain of restaurants and other side businesses. That includes the Canonsburg-based Pickleball Magazine, which launched with 15,000 subscribers in 2015 and now reaches more than 2 million readers for every bi-monthly issue, according to publisher and founder Wayne Dollard.

“We’ve featured celebrities and sports legends, including country pop’s Maren Morris, NFL’s Larry Fitzgerald and Drew Brees, NHL’s Kris Draper, and tennis icons John McEnroe, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and Michael Chang,” as well as features on pickleball instructions, rules and the latest gear, says Pickleball Magazine’s editorial director Julie Talerico (a former Pittsburgh Magazine editor).

And the amount of pickleball players in Pittsburgh is growing, too.

Larry Gioia owns Side ’Aht Pickleball (which takes its name from the pickleball term ‘side out’), an organization that sells Pittsburgh-based pickleball merchandise to fund community pickleball projects — including programs that promote inclusivity in pickleball and pickleball events in Pittsburgh. He says he was hooked the first time he played.

“I did not know what the hell Pickleball was until about six years ago,” Gioia says. “My father invited me to play this silly game or what I thought was a silly game. He got me into this, and at first, I was apprehensive. You walk on the court, and you’re like, ‘This is definitely for people who are aged up and not for me.’ Like, I don’t want to come out here and cream old people, you know? Then you’re in there, and you’re like, ‘Oh, this is not what I expected at all.’”

The beauty of pickleball, says Gioia, is that age, and other athletic abilities, aren’t the barriers to entry they can be for other sports.

Pickleball player and instructor Laurel Heilman agrees. She started playing pickleball a few years ago, after her father, who was 88 years old at the time, began playing with his friends three times a week.

“Every time I called home, my mom would say, ‘Your dad is out again playing pickleball,’” Heilman says. “And I was like, ‘He’s 88 years old! How is an 88-year-old going three times a week?’ So I checked it out for myself.”

After a decades-long career spent coaching college basketball, she translated those skills into a pickleball coaching business in and around Pittsburgh. “It made sense to me to start writing up drill sessions and workouts and create introductory classes, beginner classes,” Heilman says. “Visually, I’m able to correct things and help people on their specific pickleball journey.”

The sport has found an audience, she says, because it’s not difficult to improve your performance once you understand the basics.

“Tennis takes you years to be confident,” she says. “The court is huge. It takes a long time just to be

able to keep a ball going back and forth. But pickleball doesn’t take as long, so you can pick it up easily.”

Heilman, who mostly works in the South Hills, says the increase in new clients has exploded in recent years.

“The problem for me and other instructors is finding courts because the game is so popular,” she says. “If I had my own place, I literally could probably teach morning through night.”

As demand from players reaches a fever pitch, the City of Pittsburgh, other municipalities, parks and recreation directors, and community leaders are trying to find new places to add courts.

Right now, there are 14 outdoor pickleball courts run by the City of Pittsburgh, including at Allegheny Commons East Park, Schenley Park, Frick Park and Bud Hammer Park in Hazelwood. In welcome news to the pickleball community, the city announced late last year that it would add 10 new pickleball courts on Washington’s Landing; they’re under construction now.

Those are just the outdoor courts run by the city. There are dozens of other places to play, if you know where to look.

Gioia created a mostly crowd-sourced map on his website (sideaht.com) that informally lists available courts (both indoor and outdoor) in Western Pennsylvania and as far east as State College in Centre County, from converted tennis courts to pickleball spaces at youth recreation centers.

It’s not a perfect list, Gioia says, but it’s a good place for players to start when they’re looking for a court.

“Demand is just incredibly high, and there’s just a very limited supply,” he says. “Now there are churches saying, ‘Wait a minute, we have this empty gym, we can use it for pickleball.’ There’s a lot of unused spaces turning into pickleball courts because the demand is so high, and people will not bat an eye at paying five bucks to go play for a couple of hours.”

The boom is not without controversy. Across the country, the sport has spawned noise complaints and even lawsuits about the continuous loud tapping of plastic ball against paddle (it can be 25 decibels louder than a felt-covered tennis ball hitting a racquet), forcing some municipalities to close courts or limit hours.

Locally, Franklin Park Borough Council in March voted to require players to use only Gamma Foam Quiet pickleballs on courts in Old Orchard Park after nearby residents complained about the noise. The borough hired Thornton Acoustics & Vibrations to install a noise monitoring system, which found the noise emitted from pickleball exceeded the borough’s noise ordinance.

There’s also been a divide between pickleball enthusiasts and tennis players, most notably because of tennis-court conversions. Because of the smaller playing surface, four pickleball courts can fit on one tennis court. Clubs and rec centers, taking note of the sport’s rising popularity, are making the change.

Despite these concerns, communities across southwestern Pennsylvania are investing in pickleball and building courts in response to requests from community members.

Cranberry, which has one of the strongest pickleball contingencies in the state, invested early. The Cranberry Township Pickleball Association was founded in 2017 and now boasts more than 1,200 members. They recently opened 500 more membership slots ($125 per year for Cranberry residents and $138 per year for non-residents) to better meet community demand.

“I’m a member in Cranberry, even though it takes me an hour to get there,” says Heilman. “It’s just beautiful. Fences around each court, they’re just extremely organized. It’s everything.”

There are 13 dedicated outdoor courts at Graham Park in Cranberry — and six more were set to open in June — which can be covered with an inflatable dome for indoor play during the winter. The township’s Park & Recreation website even has a live ‘Court View’ feed, with a new photo taken of their courts every minute. On a recent sunny Wednesday at 11 a.m., every court was filled with doubles players.

Then there are pickleball events, most notably the GAMMA Pickleball Classic, one of the largest pickleball tournaments in the country.

The three-day event, hosted by Pittsburgh-based GAMMA Sports, will be held this year from Aug. 18-20 at Downtown’s David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Hundreds of players from around the country will participate in the all-level tournament.

Josh Taylor-Martin, vice president of marketing and supply chain at GAMMA Sports, says GAMMA started creating pickleball products a few years ago after the company noticed that other brands were re-purposing their tennis racquet grips to use on pickleball paddles.

“We decided to launch some of our own paddles and see what we could do with it,” he says. “And it’s been bananas ever since.”

The GAMMA Classic is open to anybody, with any skill level. “Even if you’ve only picked up a paddle a couple of times,” Taylor-Martin says, “it’s a great way to test your tournament chops.”

Across the region, other organizations are embracing pickleball and hosting organized tournaments regularly, including at the Robinson Township Recreation Center and weekly matches run by the Pittsburgh Sports League.

Taylor-Martin says that once a player picks up a pickleball paddle, they become evangelical about the sport.

“I was at, and this is terrible, but I was at a funeral for my uncle in February, and my cousins, aunts, uncles, everybody, the only thing they wanted to talk to me about was pickleball,” Taylor-Martin says. “Not, ‘Hey, it’s been years since we’ve seen you.’ It was, ‘Hey, can we talk about pickleball a little bit? Can you get me a paddle?’ Like, I should have brought some paddles to the funeral! Once people get bit by the pickleball bug, there’s very little that can claw them back from it.”

Emily Catalano is a writer and founder of Highly Social Media, a social media and influencer marketing agency. She also runs the website Good Food Pittsburgh.

How to Play

The easiest way to learn is by picking up a paddle and learning the rules hands-on. But these are the general steps to play:

1. The game starts with one team serving the ball diagonally to their opponent.
2. Once the ball is in play, both teams must let it bounce once on their side before they can hit it.
3. After the ball has bounced once on each side, players can either volley it back and forth or let it bounce before hitting it.
4. The ball remains in play until one team fails to return it properly (also known as a fault).
5. Points are scored by the serving team when the receiving team either commits a fault or fails to return the ball.
6. The first team to reach 11 points (with a two-point advantage) wins.

Equipment

You don’t need much equipment to play pickleball, but each match does require:

1. A pickleball paddle (you can find sets of four online for as little as $30 or spend up to $250 on a professional-grade paddle).
2. A perforated pickleball ball, similar to a wiffle ball but slightly smaller in diameter (note that there are slight differences in balls for indoor and outdoor play).
3. A rectangular court, similar in size to a badminton court, with a net that is 36 inches tall.

Terms to Know:

• Non-Volley Zone
  A section of the court next to the net where players are prohibited from stepping inside, unless the ball has bounced. (It’s also known as “the kitchen.”)
• Banger
  Whacking the ball from a short distance, which can result in rapid-fire exchanges.
• Dink
  A soft shot that arcs over the net and lands in a non-volley zone.
• Dead Ball
  The pickleball ball after a fault is called.
• Fault
  An action that is a violation of the rules of pickleball, causing play to stop.
• Side Out
  A side out is called when one side loses its service, and the other side is awarded the serve.
• Rally
  The continuous play that happens after a serve and before one side faults.

Where to Play

The City of Pittsburgh currently has 14 outdoor pickleball courts:

• Allegheny Commons East (2)
• Bud Hammer Park (2)
• Fineview Park (1)
• Frick Park (3)
• Moore Park (2)
• Schenley Park (4)

Indoor pickleball courts are available at CitiParks Recreation Centers in Arlington, Brookline, Phillips and West Penn. Riverbank Park in Verona has four outdoor pickleball courts available daily from 9 a.m. until dark, with two courts always available for drop-in play. Graham Park in Cranberry has 13 dedicated outdoor courts, available to members of the Cranberry Township Pickleball Association. Lauri Ann West Community Center in O’Hara offers indoor pickleball sessions throughout the week.

The website sideaht.com has an interactive map with dozens of available courts.

Pickleball Tips

New to pickleball? Players and coaches share their tips:

1. Don’t assume anything. “You might see someone who doesn’t look athletic, or they appear to be older, and you think you can take them,” says Larry Gioia. “I’ve thought, ‘I’m younger, I’m more athletic, I’m faster.’ And then I would just get smoked.”
2. Introduce yourself to your opponents. “If you’re playing with strangers, at the very least, share your name. It happens all the time, because you’re mixing with everybody, but introduce yourself before the game,” says Laurel Heilman.
3. Play within your skill level. “Find a beginner group, an open play group,” says Heilman. “As you get better, you can move up, but it definitely helps to play with those on your level.”
4. If you want to start playing more frequently, speak up. “It’s very casual here in Pittsburgh, but there are a lot of cliques. People who like to play together form their own text threads. They’ve got their own WhatsApp groups where they’re organizing play. You’ve got to be proactive and let people know you want to be included,” Gioia says.
5. Invite others to play. “The very ethos of pickleball is that it’s so approachable,” says Gioia. “If I see someone sitting on the side with their paddles, I invite them to play, just to play.”
6. Remember, the receiving team always gets the benefit of the doubt. “You call your own lines, and it’s literally your call to make if the ball is in or out,” Gioia says. “So, you just have to trust your opponent, and let the call stand, unless it’s an officiated game.”
7. Wait your turn. “If someone is playing a game and you’re trying to get to the court next to them, don’t walk behind the court during a rally,” says Heilman. “Respect the rally that’s going on, wait until there’s a miss, then walk behind the court.”
8. Watch your balls. “If your ball rolls over to another court, don’t run in the middle of the court to get it back, but do yell, ‘Ball, Ball, Ball,’ if there’s a safety issue,” Heilman says. “And, when you give someone’s ball back, don’t trade it with your ball. Everybody wants their own ball back.”

About Time
This tick-tock rocks! Known for its geode planters, Tal & Bert has released a clock version of its signature piece that features a crushed quartz geode outlined in 22-karat gold leaf. It also comes with your choice of gold or black hardware.
Price: $66
Tal & Bert, locations at 2892 W. Liberty Ave., Dormont and 1003 Main St., Sharpsburg, talandbert.com 

Soap Story
Can you dig it? After you’re done playing in the dirt, Lovett Sundries’ Gardener’s Soap is perfect for powering off grime. The gentle cleanser uses olive and coconut oils to leave hands feeling petal soft.
Price: $10
Lovett Sundries, 761 Penn Ave., Wilkinsburg; 412-204-6866, lovettsundries.com

Bug Off
While you’re out enjoying nature, Lovett Sundries offers an essential-oil-based insect repellent. The pleasant-smelling concoction also is available in a refill bottle with no plastic pump.
Price: $15
Lovett Sundries, 761 Penn Ave, Wilkinsburg; 412-204-6866, lovettsundries.com

What a Cad
Set this one on your outdoor tablescape. FDP Studio’s hand-thrown Self Draining Cutlery Caddy has a perforated base that allows your silverware to easily air dry. Finished in an oatmeal glaze, the dishwasher-safe caddy is created from chocolate stoneware clay with an extra heavy base to prevent tipping.
Price: $38
FDP Studio Shop, 2082 Route 130, Pleasant Unity; 724-423-2900, fdpstudioshop.com

PHOTO BY HUCK BEARD

As the days grow warmer and longer, it’s time to drag Heywood out of the closet and get him ready for picnic season.

Heywood is a large plaid blanket named after Heywood Hale Broun, the flamboyant sportscaster of the 1960s and ’70s. Woodie, as he was called, favored outrageous plaid sports jackets; he would have looked perfectly at home wearing our picnic blanket.

Whether it was a formal outing to a nearby park or setting up a folding table in the driveway of our house in Brooklyn, eating outdoors has always been a favorite of mine. Dining “al fresco” was probably the only part of being a Boy Scout that I really enjoyed (although the knot-tying skills have come in handy).

“Picnic” itself is a rather strange word. It comes from the French “pique-nique” and means a “social gathering where each attendee brings a share of the food” or “a light informal meal where one would leisurely pick and nibble at food.”

I like aspects of both definitions. A picnic is all about sharing, both food and time; there is no rushing through a picnic. I also really like the idea of spending the time outdoors nibbling on a little bit of this and that, with plenty of time for a Frisbee toss or cornhole game.

During the ’50s and ’60s, the standard picnic fare often included things such as potato salad and deviled eggs. However, salmonella got the better of those ideas; now we tend to shy away from dishes that rely heavily on mayonnaise — unless, of course, you have some form of portable refrigeration that will keep things cool and safe.

So what do we bring to picnics these days? Salads. All three of these recipes are weatherproof and perfect for nibbling; they also go great with anything else people might bring to the gathering.

A lifelong home cook with a big Italian-American family, Chris Fennimore was the longtime program director, as well as the popular “cooking guy,” at WQED. In 1993, he began producing and hosting the series “QED Cooks,” which won a James Beard Award and an Emmy. He has produced, contributed to and edited more than 100 community cookbooks in WQED’s “America’s Homecooking Series.”

Recipes

Celery and Green Olive Salad
(Oliva Schiacciate)

1 pound Sicilian cracked green olives
1 head celery
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup white or red wine vinegar
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Smash the olives on a cutting board using the flat side of a large knife or the bottom of a coffee mug. Remove the pits and coarsely chop the olives. Wash and dry the celery stalks. Use a vegetable peeler on the outside of each stalk to remove the strings. Cut each stalk crosswise into ¼-inch pieces. Mix all the ingredients together and let them marinate overnight. Serve as a side salad or part of an antipasto.

Carrot Salad

2 pounds of carrots, grated
1 cup golden raisins
4 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 8-ounce cans crushed pineapple (drained)
½ cup shredded coconut
½ cup roasted sunflower seeds

Use the coarse side of the grater for the carrots then toss all the ingredients and let them marinate for a little while to mix the flavors. Sprinkle the sunflower seeds on at the last minute so they retain their crunchiness.

Caprese Skewers

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
4 ounces olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar glaze
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper (or ¼ teaspoon hot pepper flakes)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 pound small mozzarella balls
Basil leaves

Mix the tomato halves with the olive oil, vinegar and spices and marinate overnight. Cut the basil leaves into small pieces. Assemble the skewers, alternating tomato halves, mozzarella balls and basil leaves. Place the skewers side by side in a 9×12 pan (it’s OK to stack). Pour the remaining marinade over the skewers and cover.

PHOTOS BY DAVE BRYCE PHOTOGRAPHY

Late last summer, Meghan McDermott stepped onto her covered patio and peered at the backyard with a feeling that landed somewhere between dread and excitement. The renovation of her family’s six-bedroom, red-brick Colonial in Upper St. Clair was stretching into its 15th month — with all the noise, dust and disruption that entails — and they hadn’t even considered the outdoor space yet.

In order to complete the three-story addition on the back of the home, construction workers had to dig out a new foundation and then fill and grade the property. That process left a backyard that was wider, flatter and brimming with possibilities. McDermott didn’t want to see that potential squandered in the face of renovation fatigue.

“We need to pay just as much attention to the outside as we did to the inside,” McDermott warned her family. “The outside should be just as designed.”

Of course, that would be a tall order given the scope of the indoor renovation overseen by McDermott, the owner of Blue and Blanc Design. The expanded square footage allowed for an entertainment room in the basement; a dining area, sitting room and laundry room on the first floor; and an expanded master bedroom and office on the second level.

True to McDermott’s tailored, transitional aesthetic, the new space is packed with clever, customized details: rich navy cabinetry in the butler’s pantry, a water-bottle filling station in the hallway, a barrel ceiling in the sitting room and — wait for it — floral wallpaper in the elevator. (Yes, they added an elevator to save square footage in the basement and make laundry days easier.)

McDermott was set on having that same attention to detail in the backyard while creating a space that served the entire family’s needs.

Her four children, who range in age from 8 to 14, immediately proposed one very specific idea — a pool. Fulfilling that request took some thought and compromise.

While the yard was now wide, it was still fairly shallow and hemmed in by a brick wall and a stand of evergreens. McDermott suggested an in-ground hot tub the family could use year-round, but the kids balked at that. Instead, they ended up somewhere in the middle, with a 4½-foot-deep plunge pool that can be heated to 105 degrees on chilly nights or provide a refreshing dip on summer days.

To maximize space, the pool is situated in the corner of the yard and curves with the arc of the brick wall. The placement is visually pleasing, plus it preserves a wide swath of uninterrupted green where the kids can toss a football or run with the family dog, Fletcher.

While McDermott was willing to concede on the pool, she was prepared to fight for her ideal dining area. She had long envisioned a long white table set on a diamond pattern and a blue stone-and-grass patio.

“I wanted it to look like something out of a magazine,” she says.

It was doable, her landscaper agreed, but to ensure its longevity, he advised using turf between the stones instead of grass. The suggestion raised the price tag, but McDermott took the leap. In fact, she decided to turf the entire backyard, providing 365 days of green (and no yellow spots left behind by Fletcher).

“I figured, we need to do it once, do it right and not cut any corners,” McDermott says.

Just beyond the dining area are the covered patio, stone fireplace and a 60-inch television, which pre-date the renovation, and a new, state-of-the-art Twin Eagles grill framed in navy fireproof board.

Because the addition is wrapped in bright white molding, it’s all set on a clean backdrop and accentuated with pops of blue (including throw pillows in a leafy motif from Schumacher’s outdoor line).

McDermott considered adding unexpected colors but kept returning to her signature palette of blue and “blanc.”

“It just keeps everything so crisp and clean,” she says.

In all, the renovation took 18 months and, because it finished last fall, this will be the family’s first full summer in the upgraded outdoor space. They’re already taking advantage of all it has to offer. On an unseasonably warm day in April, a forgotten game of cornhole lay on the turf while McDermott readied the plunge pool for visitors.

“I’m my own worst client,” McDermott jokes. “I see a new thing and I want it.”

But, in this backyard, it seems she got everything she desired.