The Blast Furnace's One Year Anniversary

Pittsburgh it's time to celebrate.  The Blast Furnace turned 1 on March 25.  We started slow and ended slow, but had a lot of fun in between.  We had over 20,000 page views over this time period from countries all over the world.  Over the year, we have seen some of our favorite restaurants and bars close, sports teams win and lose, profiled some of our favorite 'celebrities,' reviewed our hot spots, and reported on strange Pittsburghers acting well, like.....Pittsburghers.  Surprisingly our article Furries Invade Pittsburgh was our most viewed.  So to recap, here are some of this contributors favorite and most popular stories.

1.  Famous Pittsburgh Mustaches:  This one drew national attention when it was referenced by the Huffington Post's article on America's Most Mustache-Friendly Cities.  This article was very enjoyable to research and write about, seeing all these glorious mustaches on a daily basis and having celebrities showcase their upper lip hair to a national audience.

2.  Lenten Fish Fry Reviews - It is that time of year again for a true Pittsburgh tradition....fish sandwiches.  Former Pittsburghers just can't seem to find a great giant fish sandwich in their new town, well Pittsburgh has plenty of them.  We have our favorites and many are reviewed here.

3.  Where have you gone Matrix? - One of the Blast Furnace's favorite meeting places in our 20's, sadly it is no more.  Dancing, 50 cent drink night, and all around good times. 

4.  The Best Bar in the Burgh......Kopy's - Another classic hangout.  Cheap drinks, darts, jukebox, and friendly service make this South Side bar our favorite.

5.  Gene's Place, an Instant Hit - Wondering around Oakland in our early 20's and discovering Gibbons Beer.

6.  Pittsburgh RibFest Underwhelms and Infuriates - We've all seen and experienced the annual RibFest, this article describes the event perfectly.

This Blast Furnace blogger hopes year 2 will be just as exciting as year 1.  Pittsburgh is a special place with unique people so there will never be a shortage of stories and experiences which we all can relate.   I challenge all contributors to keep on researching, writing, and commenting to make this a regular stop for curious Pittsburghers.

Battle for Shell won by the 'burgh

Shell Oil

In another round of economic victory in Pittsburgh, Shell Oil announced its intentions to build its petrochemical "cracker" facility in Beaver County.  Western PA beat out the likes of West Virginia and Ohio in securing the contracts from Shell.

This ends a long courtship by the three states that saw each respective governor travel to Houston to pitch their bid for the new plant. 

Although this will bring the prospect of new jobs and economic prosperity, the realistic threat of environmental consequences looms largely in the background of the announcement.  Despite repeated assurances by large shale corporations that fracking poses no environmental threat, public opinion varies on the topic.

The most notable of these is the threat toward groundwater contamination, brought largely to light in the documenatry Gasland.  The director argues that fracking leaches carcinogenic and hazardous compounds into the groundwater, which could forever contaminate life-supporting watersheds.

With this announcement comes the realization that the company that was created by oil profits will now have five cracker plants domestically.  Shell continues to become a larger player in the Marcellus Shale development.

It is expected that the construction of the plant will require 10,000 new employees, and will require several hundred full-time exmployees once fully operational.  There has been no news regarding the potential of an office location at the industrial site.

Carnegie's Teenie Harris Exhibit

I recently visited the Carnegie Museum of Art to view the popular exhibit, "Teenie Harris, Photographer: An American Story" and was very enlightened.  Charles "Teenie" Harris (1908-1998) was a highly acclaimed African American photographer for the black newspaper the Pittsburgh Courier from the mid-1930s through the mid-1970s.  Mr. Harris captured images of politicians, celebrities, and daily life in Pittsburgh's Hill District neighborhood.  Nearly 1,000 of his estimated collection of 80,000 photographs are on display in the museum and are projected on the walls and organized into seven different categories (each 24 minutes in length):  "Crossroads," "Gatherings," "Urban Landscapes," "Style," "At Home," "The Rise and Fall of the Crawford Grill" and "Words and Signs."  In the adjoining gallery, all 987 black and white photographs are displayed on the walls organized by year with the option of a headset to hear descriptions of selected photos.  Computers are also set up to click through all the images with small narratives.  The final gallery of the exhibition is dedicated to an in-depth evaluation of Harris as an artist. 

Since I had the time I sat through the projection display of Mr. Harris' work.  I found "Crossroads," "Urban Landscapes," and "The Rise and Fall of the Crawford Grill" most interesting.  Crossroads featured some of America's most influential figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., Muhammad Ali, Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy, MLB and Negro League stars, and famous jazz musicians that visited the city.  Tennie's photographs were mostly taken in the Hill District, but sections of Oakland, the East End, and Homestead are some of the towns also on display.  This exhibit is not only a history of African American life, but also a history of Pittsburgh and the transformation from thriving neighborhoods to eventual urban blight.  It was fascinating to see a bustling Hill District with businesses like the historic jazz club, the Crawford Grill, in its heyday.  The controversial construction of the Civic Arena also played a role in the changing landscape of the Lower Hill.

I highly recommend "Teenie Harris, Photographer: An American Story," but act fast as the exhibit ends on April 7, 2012.   Anyone interested in history like me will not be disappointed.

25 Greatest Simpsons Episodes

To Commemorate the 500th episode of The Simpsons, The Blast Furnace gives you the Top 25 Greatest Simpsons Episodes of All Time:

1. Last Exit to Springfield (4.17):  Mr. Burns revokes the dental plan from the power plant's union contract, and when Homer realizes that he'll now have to pay for Lisa's new braces, he leads the power plant employees on a strike, while Mr. Burns struggles to put an end to the rioting.

2. Homer vs the Eighteenth Amendment (8.18):  Bart gets drunk during a St. Patrick's Day Parade, provoking the city government to enforce a two-hundred year old prohibition law. Rex Banner, an Elliot Ness-type character, takes over the police force to help enforce the law, since Wiggum failed to do do. Meanwhile, Homer decides to make money for himself as a bootlegger, calling himself "The Beer Baron."

3. Homer the Great (6.12):  Homer becomes a member of a mysterious organization called the Stonecutters and is heralded as "the chosen one."

4. Marge vs. the Monorail (4.12):  After receiving a considerable donation of money, the people of Springfield decide what to spend it on. Enter Lyle Langley, a jocular salesman who gets Springfield hooked on a monorail system. After the monorail is up and running, and with Homer as the conductor, it's time for the maiden voyage. Little do the people know they have just boarded a one-way train to Hell. 

5. Homer at the Bat (3.17): Homer and his co-workers qualify the plant's softball team for the league final, but Mr. Burns hires 9 professional MLB players to win a $1 million bet.

6. Duffless (4.16): After Homer is arrested for DUI, and loses his driver's license, he is put to the ultimate test when Marge pressures him to give up beer for a month.

7. Two Dozen and One Greyhounds (6.20):  Santa's Little Helper has puppies, and Mr. Burns schemes to steal them and make them into a coat.

8. Team Homer (7.12):  Homer starts a bowling team with Moe, Apu and Otto, but when Mr. Burns discovers the team was funded with his money, he insists on joining. Meanwhile, Springfield Elementary introduces uniforms.

9. Mr. Plow (4.9):  Homer buys a truck with an attached snow plow after he destroys his car, and to pay for it, he starts a snow shoveling business, calling himself Mr. Plow. It all goes off without a hitch, until he finds himself in competition with The Plow King, a.k.a. Barney Gumbel. Now begins the winter of discontent.

10. Homer's Barbershop Quartet (5.1):  After the kids find a record with Homer's picture on it, he recalls the story of how he achieved fame in the 1980s with his barbershop quartet The Be Sharps.

11.  Flaming Moe's (3.10):  Moe claims that a drink that Homer invented is his own. After the drink makes the bar a local hot spot, Moe gains a number of fair-weather friends but loses Homer's friendship.

12. I Love Lisa (4.15):  Feeling sorry for Ralph, Lisa sends him a Valentine card. Having developed a crush on her, Ralph invites Lisa to go see the Krusty the Clown show. She accepts but after Krusty asks them if they are boyfriend and girlfriend, Lisa lets Ralph know that she just wants them to be friends.

13. Rosebud (5.4): Mr. Burns goes on a desperate quest to recover his cherished childhood toy Bobo, a bear which is now in Maggie's possession.

14. Who Shot Mr. Burns?: Part 1 and Part II (6.25/7.1):  Mr. Burns steals oil from Springfield Elementary, and one day, he is shot, with no indication on who did it.

15. Trash of the Titans (9.22):  After a feud with the Springfield refuse collectors, Homer decides to run for Sanitation Commisioner.

16. A Fish Called Selma (7.19): Washed-up movie star Troy McClure is pulled over for driving without corrective lenses, and forced to go to the DMV to get his eyes checked. While there, he meets Selma, who he asks out for dinner. Spotted by a reporter, he quickly realizes that being seen in public with a woman will grab enough headlines to revitalize his career, leading to a whirlwind romance between him and Selma.

17. Much Apu About Nothing (7.23):  Anti-Immigration fever sweeps Springfield, which threatens to lead to the deportation of of Apu, until Homer decides to reject the mob mentality, and help him become a legal citizen.

18. And Maggie Makes Three (6.13): Homer recounts the story of Maggie's birth when the kids ask why there are no photos of her in the family album.  Homer must give up his dream job working at the bowling alley to support the new addition to the family.

19. A Streetcar Named Marge (4.2): Marge wins the lead in a musical production of "A Streetcar Named Desire,"in which Ned Flanders plays Stanley Kowalski. Marge is infuriated by Homer's brutishness and insensitivity during preproduction, until he sees the play and reveals to Marge that he has grasped its meaning. While rehearsing, Marge sticks Maggie in the Ayn Rand Day Care Center, where her pacifier is immediately taken from her, and a la "The Great Escape", she must struggle to win it back.

20. Cape Feare (5.2): An anonymous letter writer makes ominous threats to Bart. The Simpsons discover they were sent by Sideshow Bob who, when released from prison, harasses the Simpsons and then attempts to kill Bart with a machete. But Bob's vanity foils him yet again.

21. A Star is Burns (6.18):  Mr. Burns hosts a film festival in Springfield to improve his image. Film critic Jay Sherman, of "The Critic" is invited, and stays with the Simpsons.

22.  Bart After Dark (8.5):  Marge leads a crusade against a local burlesque house after she discovers Bart working there.

23. Brother from the Same Planet (4.14): After Homer forgets to pick up Bart from soccer practice, Bart joins a mentor program called Big Brothers presenting himself as an orphan, and is assigned a big brother called Tom. When Homer finds out, he joins the program too as a big brother.

24. The City of New York vs Homer Simpson (9.1): Homer must travel to New York to get his car back, which is illegally parked at World Trade Center Plaza.

25. El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Jomer (8.9): Marge's fears that Homer will embarrass her at the annual Springfield Chili Cook-Off again, are reaffirmed when after tasting various bland samples of chili, he comes across a specialty made by Chief Wiggum laced with hallucinogenic Guatemalan peppers. The chili sends him on a psychedelic journey where he meets an imaginary Coyote spirit guide(voiced by country music legend Johnny Cash), who urges him to find his soul mate, causing him to doubt that he should've ever married Marge in the first place.

Honorable Mention:  Homer and Apu (5.13), Deep Space Homer (5.15), Hello Gutter, Hello Fadder (11.6), Whacking Day (4.20), Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire (1.1), Dancin' Homer (2.5), Lisa the Iconoclast (7.16), Homer the Heretic (4.3), The Last Temptation of Homer (5.9), Brush with Greatness (2.18), The Homer They Fall (8.3), and Radio Bart (3.13)

This was a very difficult list to compile as one could probably make a Top 100 list and still not be satisfied.  There are so many classic episodes that I wanted to include (i.e. Colonel Homer, King Size Homer, Weekend at Burnsie's, Two Bad Neighbors, and You Only Move Twice), but I had to stop somewhere.  The Simpsons really hit their peak in Seasons 4-8 and you can see from my list Season 4 might be the best.  Most of my favorites revolve around Homer and Mr. Burns.  Songs, guest stars and town hall gatherings stood out most to me over the years.   While the Simpsons doesn't produce the same quality of episodes as above it is still very watchable and I'm hoping they stay on for many years to come.

South Side Soup Contest 2012: A Spoon Full of Flavor and Fun

On Saturday, February 18 a few other members of The Blast Furnace and I were able to partake in the 2012 South Side Soup Contest which ran from 12:00 PM until 3:00 PM. I have never been to the event before and I was eager to try a soup contest, especially because one of my favorite episodes of The Simpsons is the Chili Cook-Off episode. Imagine roughly 1200 yinzers armed with plastic spoons, a lanyard with a punch card, and a map of the South Side detailing 21 locations serving various soups on a beautiful sunny day in mid-February. The Soup Contest is a partnership between the South Side Local Development Company, the Brashear Association, local businesses, and restaurants. Yinzers and businesses were basking in the glory of a walk through the South Side in mid-day.

The cost of a ticket via Showclix was $14.99 in addition to a required food donation to the food pantry. Participants checked in at the Southside Works Cinema or the WYEP Radio Station. We checked in at the Southside Works and were able to move at a comfortable pace all the way down to 10th Street and try each soup along the way. The lines were never too long and we were able to enjoy the inside of shops that are usually closed during night time drinking hours. Everyone was friendly and only a few places were missed because they had ran out of soup before the 3:00 PM finish. I was expecting to get a miniature bowl of soup at each location, but we were only given about half of a Dixie cup at all of the locations. Although the soups lacked size they made up for it in taste. Each powerfully flavored soup was unique and enjoyable.

The winners were announced today and luckily we were able to try all of the soups that won. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed the winning soup, Pineapple Tomatillo Habanero, my favorite did not make the list, the Stuffed Pepper Soup. I am not surprised that the Lin's Asian Fruit Soup won for most unique, but this was less than enjoyable because it tasted too much like a simple pre-packaged fruit cup from Giant Eagle. I thought the Pizza Soup was a new, unique idea that tasted very good. Honorable mention goes to The Brew Bunny, which was a mix of East End Brewery's Big Hop and rabbit meat, and finally I enjoyed the soup prepared by Local Bar + Kitchen which was served with a piece of grilled cheese.

All in all it was a great day to experience both for the soup and atmosphere. No Yinzer is truly certified without making it to this event at least once in their lives.

"Sullivan and Son," new Pittsburgh based TV show

Watch out Yinzers a new TV show set in a working class Pittsburgh bar has been picked up by TBS and will air ten episodes starting this summer.  "Sullivan and Son" is a sitcom that stars Pittsburgh native comedian Steve Byrne as a man who leaves his job as a New York lawyer to come back to Pittsburgh to run a family-owned bar.  The bar is owned by his parents, Jack Sullivan (played by Dan Lauria made famous by "The Wonder Years," and mother played by Jodi Long ("Eli Stone"), who are preparing to sell the bar and retire until Steve returns home to take over.  The popular bar that Byrne's character, Steve Sullivan,runs is the unofficial town hall of the neighborhood filled with locals and regulars.   

The show is executive-produced by familiar Hollywood names Vince Vaughn, Peter Billingsley (A Christmas Story and Iron Man) and Rob Long (Cheers).

ACC Announces New Division and Scheduling Format

The Atlantic Coast Conference released the schedule and division format for when Pitt and Syracuse join the conference. The expanded 14 team conference will continue with the Atlantic and Coastal divisions that were previously in place for football and add Syracuse to the Atlantic division and Pitt to the Coastal division. The league will play a nine game conference schedule with each team playing its divisional foe once and having one primary crossover partner each year; Pitt and Syracuse will play each other every year. The remaining two slots will be filled with rotating opponents from the opposite division.  Here is the new breakdown:

Atlantic:
Boston College
Clemson
Florida State
Maryland
NC State
Syracuse
Wake Forest

Coastal:
Duke
Georgia Tech
Miami
North Carolina
Pitt
Virginia
Virginia Tech

Basketball will consist of an 18 game schedule; each team will play one primary partner twice a year and every other league team four times over a three-year cycle. Pitt was named Maryland’s primary partner. The other pairings are Virginia - Virginia Tech, Syracuse - Boston College, Duke - North Carolina, North Carolina State - Wake Forest, Florida State - Miami, and Clemson - Georgia Tech.

My thoughts:
As a Pitt fan I am happy to see them placed in the Coastal division with some of their more traditional opponents, Virginia Tech and Miami and like how the cross-over rival will be Syracuse. A nine game league schedule will make it difficult to play strong out of conference opponents each year.  I am hoping that this will not disrupt the annual game between Pitt and Notre Dame.  Leaving the Big East for basketball will be a little sad due to intense rivalries that were developed with UConn, Georgetown, and Villanova, but it will be nice to watch Pitt play Duke and UNC every year. Having to play Maryland twice every year is a little disappointing. I would much rather see Syracuse twice instead, but I suppose the ACC needed to give Boston College some sort of rival being that they are so isolated. I am looking forward to the move and hoping it happens sooner than later.

Bar Reviews: Mario's East Side Saloon

Every Pittsburgher is well aware of the classic South Side bar Mario's.  Mario's South Side Saloon is one of the first bars that you go to when you turn 21 and where you take out-of-towners to capture the Pittsburgh bar scene.  Yes, it is overcrowded and loud, but it is a Pittsburgh staple that one must visit.  To capitalize on the popularity and success, Mario's ownership opened a second location in the Shadyside area in August of 2011.  Mario's East Side Saloon moved into the old building that housed Doc's Place for many years on Walnut St., a prime location for bar goers. 

I finally got around to visiting the bar and was shocked at the transformation from Doc's to Mario's.  Mario's tried replicating the South Side bar with the sports themed stained glass windows, brown paneled walls, and stained wooden booths.  It is even a bit dark and dingy inside like the Carson St. bar.  TVs adorn the bar area which made for an almost perfect viewing of the Penguin game that was on the night of my visit.  A shuffle board table and team trivia are also new features of the bar along with updated menus and daily drink specials.  One complaint I had of Doc's was the bar being placed in the center of the main floor which caused much congestion during peak hours when trying to navigate to another area of the establishment.  Mario's resolved this problem by moving the bar against the side wall allowing for a wider passage without constantly excusing yourself and bumping into people.  The outdoor deck has been remodeled making for a nice night outdoors in the summer months.  Doc's place always had very high drink prices (think $13 pitchers of Yuengling), I found Mario's to be about average for Shadyside.  I unfortunately did not sample the food, for reviews click here.   

I always enjoyed going to Doc's for the outdoor deck and atmosphere and I was shocked to see Doc's boarded up when I passed by last summer so I was pleased to see a new bar take its place.  I recommend making a trip to Mario's East Side Saloon.  It is a good option for watching a sporting event which Shadyside desperately needed.

Top Complaints by Pittsburghers

Pittsburgers, as we know, love to complain whether it be calling into local talk shows, talking with your buddies at the local watering hole about some jag you encountered, or chit-chatting with strangers.  Here is a list of some of the topics we love to complain about:

Traffic:  Between sitting on the Parkway East waiting to get into the Squirrel Hill Tunnel, gridlock at the intersection of 51 and 88, constant construction on Rt. 28, coming to a grinding halt on the Parkway West atop Green Tree Hill, or navigating the confusing and congested Downtown streets, Pittsburghers get perturbed the most over traffic.  We all have secret short cuts to try to avoid these nightmares, but a lot of the time you just can't avoid it.  Why entering tunnels suddenly makes drivers hit the brakes, nobody quite knows.  Pittsburgh traffic has even caused one frustrated driver to spoof Maroon 5's "Moves Like Jagger" with his song and video "Move Ya Jagoff." 

The dreaded Squirrel Hill Tunnels

Weather:  Pittsburgh has weather for everyone:  rain, snow, sleet, hail, and sometimes even sunshine.  Residents complain in July and August when it is hot and humid and detest the snow and below freezing temperatures in the winter months.  Pittsburgh also has very few sunny days, so planning that picnic orthe trip to the Arts Festival is always tricky due to the abundant rainfall that the region receives.  The same neighborhoods et al continue to get flooded each year, ahem Millvale and Mon Wharf, which causes much heartache for residents and commuters. We have even seen some small tornadoes recently.  The weather also contributes to the always present potholes on Western PA roadways that drives commuters bonkers.   

Just a typical day in Pittsburgh

Politics/Politicians:  Former County Executive Dan Onorato was chief villain for a while when he instituted the drink tax. This tax was supposed to kill the bar business and popular binge drinking as we know it.  7% of a few bucks?  Seems like bars are busier than ever.  Mayor Luke Ravenstahl for his adolescent and moronic behavior.  Former Gov. Ed Rendell for "favoring" Philadelphia.  The Pittsburgh Post Gazette (PPG) endorsed Tom Corbett for Governor due mainly to his support of privatizing liquor stores.  Now everyone, including the PPG, strongly opposes his policies on gutting education, not regulating the natural gas industry, voter ID laws etc.  And of course, we have the Marcellus Shale.  The pro-business population wanted fracking bad, but now that it is here these people don't want drilling anywhere near their community.  We want to have our cake and eat it too.  Property assessments.....enough said.

Mayor Ravenstahl Tebowing

Parking:  Finding a parking spot for an automobile stresses many out.  Going to a sporting event?  Where in the world is one to park?  PNC/Heinz Field spaces are shrinking by the year.  Uptown..... fogetaboutit!  This problem causes many people to leave whatever game they are attending early, no matter the score, importance of the game, or time or day...."gotta to beat the traffic." Oakland, South Side, Downtown...you better get your folding chair ready to save your spot while you're out.

Don't you dare even think about moving that chair courtesy of boringpittsburgh.com

Sports:
Steelers - Offensive Coordinator Bruce Arians is the one to blame if, 1) the defense lets up a 98 yd game winning drive in the 4th quarter 2) the offensive line is constantly injured and lacks talent 3) Not playing smash mouth "Steeler football" when you have unreliable running backs and offensive lineman.  (Note: Arians was finally let go after the 2011 season)
Upset with national NFL "experts" not ranking Roethlisberger as the top QB in the league. 
Roger Goodell for conspiring against the Steelers with fines and suspensions. 
Phil Simms and his biased color commentary during a Steeler game.

Penguins -  Sidney, Sidney, Sidney....his concussions, toughness, and future are popular fodder for fans as he continues to miss games due to the violent blows he has taken over the last two seasons.
Fans taking it personally if Mario Lemieux isn't regarded by "experts" as the greatest hockey player to ever grace the ice; being ranking # 2 or # 3 is just too ridiculous to comprehend.
Jaromr Jagr......boooooooooo!

Pirates - There is legitimate reason to be upset here, 19 losing seasons, cheap owners, and poor management.

Ugggghhh!

Pitt Football -   Getting to the elusive "next level," attendance, building an on-campus stadium, and bringing back the classic script uniforms

Classic Pitt Stadium and one of the best college uniforms of all time: the blue and mustard gold "Pitt Script"

Pitt Basketball - Final Four anyone?

So.....let us conclude that there are a lot of things to complain about.  But, talk to someone who left Pittsburgh and moved to another city.  Ask them about St. Patrick's Day celebrations, parades to celebrate sports' championships (if the city has a major sports team), fireworks, amusement parks, ethnic foods, fish sandwiches.....They miss their city.  Yes we love to hate our city.

Riverhounds Climb on Sinking Barge

Pittsburgh has seen its fair share of redevelopment in recent years and it looks as if at least one more construction project will hope to give Pittsburgh a new image. The Post Gazette reports that plans for a new soccer stadium have been revealed at Station Square for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds soccer team which is a member of the United Soccer League.

The idea to build a roughly 7,000 seat soccer only stadium in Pittsburgh is not just surprising, but more importantly ridiculous. As you know Blast Furnace members keep a keen eye on local sports and I had no idea that this team even existed anymore. I have quite the history with this team as well and can explain why this stadium makes no sense. The year was 1999 and the Riverhounds were looking for a place to play their games and they settled upon my Alma Mater, Bethel Park High School. I had the distinct pleasure of working for the "Hounds" as an usher and set-up/tear down employee. The Hounds were lucky to get 300 fans in their inaugural season here in Pittsburgh. The pay was great as an employee, but the quality of soccer was below poor and the owners seemed as if they were running a YMCA team rather than a professional team. To add to that point, at one game we had Brandi Chastain attend a game and sign autographs...who was her personal bodyguard and security...that's right, yours truly. At that game, they were lucky if they hit 500 fans.

Pittsburgh can barely get full attendance at Pitt basketball games consistently and could never support an NBA team, yet low level minor league soccer feels that it can do well? I feel that after this move Pittsburgh will "unleash the hounds" to a more soccer friendly city.

Pittsburgh is "In"

Lawrenceville, one of the trendy neighborhoods in Pittsburgh

Move over Portland, Pittsburgh is now the trendiest city to live according to the Washington Post Lifestyle section.  The article cites Pittsburgh's bike routes, microbreweries, organic food markets, art, lush scenery and reasonable rents as reasons for being cool.   Revitalized city neighborhoods like Lawrenceville, Bloomfield, and East Liberty can be credited for this distinction. 

This is just another accolade for the Steel City as Pittsburgh was recently named one of the world’s 20 must-see destinations by National Geographic Traveler, one of the most Mustache Friendly Cities, and home to the Manliest Restaurant in America.  Pittsburgh also boasts one of the best skylines in America.

Pittsburgh, a Hipster haven long before the public was conscious of the movement.

Yinzers New Years Resolutions



Eat more Pierogies!



When I first started writing this post, I was coming up with resolutions to many a Yinzer’s faux pas.  However, I quickly realized that a true yinzer would never abandon his / her true love for the city by discarding these locally accepted transgressions.  Therefore, this list is aimed at fully embracing the yinzer culture, and consequently, becoming a ‘true’ Pittsburgher.

1.   In Pittsburgh, it is absolutely socially acceptable to wear your 1996 XXL Bettis Jersey to a fancy dinner down the shore.  This is especially true if it is mid-May, and it is only halfway through the football offseason.  However, a true Yinzer needs to not only wear his / her Earl “the Hitman” Holmes to more social outings, it must also start to be considered as a part of formal wear.  Proudly wear that Woodson jersey to church, and keep it on for that Sunday dinner at some fancy restaurant.   That James Harrison jersey needs to be worn 7 days a week, social norms need not apply.

2.  Become more familiar with the local dialect.  Any time you ask a question, always cut off the first word.  Remember this simple rule by a familiar example:  ‘Are you going to eat all of that?’ becomes ‘You gonna eat all that?’  It’s really that easy!

3.  Sweatpants, sweatpants, sweatpants. Sweatpants are easily the pant of choice among the yinzers.  This is not only because they are extremely fashionable, but also because of the elastic waist line that comes in handy for Stiller tailgates.  Spill some Iron on them or need to use them to wipe ham-barbeque sauce off of your fingers so you can crack open another ice-cold Iron?  Not a problem as sweatpants can be thrown in the laundry with the rest of your Steelers jerseys, and most of the stains will come out. 

Similar adaptation of the sweatpant must be followed in accordance to the Stiller jersey.  Formal wear is sweatpants time, and remember they always look great with year-old reebok hi-tops.  (The one with the Velcro band up top, of course).

4.  Drink more local beer.  It may be impossible for a yinzer to consume more beer by volume, as any hour of the day is appropriate beer time.  This is especially true Monday morning when you’re all hung-over from the Steelers game; an ice-cold Iron kicks those blues right outta there.

However, with the advent of popularity of craft beer, a resurgence in local brewing has begun.  Of course Irons are always the staple, as they are the cheapest and most readily available.  Try some East End brews or some Duquesne pilsner.  And to the yinzer delight, they will get you drunk quicker as they have more Alcohol per volume.

5.  Continue to complain loudly and at inappropriate times about anything in general.  This includes local politicians: ‘You know that Ravenstahl is a jag,’ to traffic: “You jag you just cut me off!’ to work: ‘My jag of a boss won’t let me take Mondays off no more.” 

It is extremely important for every yinzer to voice his / her displeasure with something during any social situation, even if it has nothing to do with the topic at hand.  Just because some jagoff is talking about his recent divorce and their 5 kids doesn’t mean that it’s not the right time to question aloud ‘Why on Earth is that idiot Tomlin not runnin’ the ball more?’ 

6.  Eat more, more often.  Make sure to include plenty of Primanti’s and pierogies, as they are the foundation of a proper Yinzer diet.  Don’t worry about diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, as ‘some doctor will probably come up with some new medicine soon that will take care of that, anyways.’

7.  Grow a mustache.  If you don’t already have one, what are you waiting for?  Even Bylsma had one earlier this year, for chrissakes!  Mustaches don’t only help out in picking up hot babes, they also make a person look more distinguished and presentable.  Whether you are a janitor, high school football coach or local entrepreneur, a mustache makes anybody look more educated and handsome.  People will respect you more, and you will have more confidence.

8.  Disobey simple traffic laws.  Making the Pittsburgh left is a part of our local culture, and besides you don’t want to sit there like a jag waiting for all the cars to pass through the intersection; you’ll spend your whole life in traffic!  Remember, you are more important than the other person facing you in the intersection and you are definitely busier, so you deserve to make that left before he goes straight.  You gotta pick up your kids from grammas and stop by the distributor all before the game starts, so there is no time to lose. 

9.  Slow down before entering the Squirrel Hill tunnels.  Why wouldn’t you?  You don’t wanna run into the tunnel walls, that’ll start a pile-up!  Once you are safely inside the tunnels, then it is time to police both lanes and make sure no one crosses the center line.  If that occurs, make sure to honk and turn on your brights, then give him the finger.  This will discourage them from doing this again in the future.

10.  Go to Pirates games when they have Zambelli fireworks.  Just because the team sucks doesn’t mean you gotta miss out on the best firework show on Earth!  Like insects towards light, a Yinzer is always attracted to fireworks.  No other city in the world is as lucky as Pittsburgh to have Zambelli firework shows, so make sure to embrace it. 

This is just a short list of resolutions yinzers must make in order to have continued success.  Don’t forget to bring your family to ride the incline, as that is also a Pittsburgh highlight.  But if those kids get too loud on the car ride over, make sure to threaten them by telling them you are going to turn the car right around and go home. 

Anyways, enjoy the New Year, and go Stillers!  They better win the Super Bowl, or that Roethlisberger is really a bum. 

Black Widow to Attack Yinzers

Just when you thought Kennywood had enough swirly, jerky rides that induce vomiting another has been added, The Black Widow. It has been known for some time that the Pitfall was leaving and a new ride was going to replace it and I have to say that I am very disappointed in the ride choice. I was never a fan of the Pitfall to begin with simply because the actual ride time was less than 10 seconds, but the ominous black and gold tower did grow on me as a symbol in Lost Kennywood. With that being said, I was hoping that a replacement would be something of a throwback style ride such as my favorite the Rotor or something of that ilk. It seems as if for the last 10 years Kennywood has only been attempting to out do the previous spinning ride with changing how it spins and/or rotates. I really have no desire to try this new ride as it resembles many others. Hopefully this will be a short lived ride and Kennywood can go back to its roots and bring back a classic next time.

Move Ya Jagoff!

The new craze in da Burgh, "Move Ya Jagoff!"  This brilliant version of Maroon 5's "Moves Like Jagger" created by Pat Conway stars some jag named Nick Armstrong on his daily commute from Troy Hill to Dahntahn Picksburgh.  Enjoy!

Restaurant Reviews: The Porch

Eat'n Park Hospitality opened a new restaurant in Oakland located in Schenley Plaza named "The Porch" on November 14.  The Porch features a seasonal menu of sandwiches, salads, and a variety of brick-oven pizzas for lunch and an expanded dinner menu that includes rotisserie items such as prime rib, porchetta, roast chicken, duck legs and sauteed salmon.  The restaurant  also has a liquor license for your alcohol needs.   The restaurant has capacity for 140 people inside and outdoor seating for 40 people. 

During the first week of business, I headed over to Schenley Plaza to try it out for lunch.  Upon entrance a hostess gave me a menu and I was told to go to the register and order my food.  I ordered a House Smoked Turkey 9 sandwich that came with a salad, paid and found a table.  While waiting for my meal to arrive I had a chance to take in the surroundings.  The restaurant has a very modern look, with plenty of windows and unique light fixtures. The Porch has a green roof, with space for an urban garden where vegetables for the restaurant will be grown during the warmer months.  My food was delivered by the waitress and I ate my first meal at the new spot.  The sandwich was good; it had cranberry sauce on it which was a different taste.  I observed many customers ordering pizza and a member of my party ordered The Roasted Pig 10 sandwich.  Looking back I wish I would have tried that, it looked delicious.....maybe next time.  The only negatives were the limited menu and prices which were a bit high for a lunch.  

Overall, I was pleased with my experience at The Porch, the service was excellent and the food was served quickly after ordering.   The Porch is a nice addition to the beautiful Schenley Plaza and is a fine addition to Oakland's eateries.