Archives

Category: Western Pennsylvania

All the fun that's fit to print (Sunday, 02 December 2007 10:33 PM ): To help you plan your week, here are the key events on my schedule. Please join me when you can: Wednesday, December 5: The 74th anniversary of the Repeal of Prohibition. I'll post recommended beverages on Wednesday. For now, if...

BlogFest 12 Wrapup: You say it's our birthday.... (Friday, 09 November 2007 03:47 PM ): Such a fine time we had at last night's Pittsburgh BlogFest. Click the image to see the sign-in sheet and find links to those who signed it -- that's a pretty good representation of the crowd that was present. A...

BlogFest 12: We're only three years old (Wednesday, 07 November 2007 12:35 AM ): In November of 2004, several local bloggers -- who read each others' sites but didn't know each other in real life -- decided to get together in person. It was the first Pittsburgh BlogFest, and it was a very, very...

Every song's a comeback (Monday, 22 October 2007 04:41 PM ): Laura and Jude Originally uploaded by cynthiacloskey Last Friday, my sister Laura flew into town for the weekend. My brother Jude had bought three tickets to see Wilco in Pittsburgh, and he'd asked Laura to come. I got the...

Fantasy football 2007: Week 2 wrap (Sunday, 23 September 2007 12:25 AM ): Football and fantasy football are back in session, much to my glee. In past years as a fantasy football manager, I spent many, many hours pouring over player and NFL team stats, adding and dropping players, changing my lineup several...

To do: Open House at City Theatre (Tuesday, 28 August 2007 06:00 PM ): Next Friday will be a busy one in Pittsburgh. In addition to the Gist Street Readings and the Pirates playing Chicago Cubs at home (Vintage Cap Night!), there's this very fun event at City Theatre on the South Side: Fun-Festive-FREE-Fifth...

PodCamp Pittsburgh 2! (Friday, 17 August 2007 04:41 PM ): I want to tell you (or remind you yet again) of a noteworthy event, one that I'm proud to be involved with and that I hope you'll enjoy. A blockbuster summer sequel: PodCamp Pittsburgh 2 It was a hit...

"I've never thought twice about the safety" (Tuesday, 06 February 2007 02:14 PM ): I've been on a video shoot this morning, so I haven't read much of anything about the convention center collapse in Pittsburgh. But from what I've read so far here here and here, the David L. Lawrence Convention Center seems...

BlogFest 9 (Sunday, 04 February 2007 03:54 PM ): It's time for the first BlogFest of 2007! WHAT: Pittsburgh Blogfest 9 WHEN: Thursday, February 22, 2007, 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM and beyond! WHERE: Finnegan's Wake (near PNC Park, 20 General Robinson St., North Shore, 412-325-2601), in the Pub...

Event: Artists with a Cause (Wednesday, 13 December 2006 04:09 PM ): Artists with a Cause - Benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Photographer George Mendel is working with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation on his next gallery show. This coming Thursday December 14, 2006, George will be featured with two other artists at...

Something To Be Desired (Monday, 27 November 2006 12:19 PM ): Some nice press in today's Post-Gazette about Pittsburgh's own web-based soap comedy, Something To Be Desired: "Something To Be Desired," or "STBD" for short, is a hybrid of sitcom and soap opera. Its characters live in Pittsburgh and mostly work...

Creative Cafe of Elisco Advertising (Wednesday, 22 November 2006 02:13 PM ): New creative/social venue opening in Lawrenceville: Elisco Advertising will open up its Creative Cafe located in Lawrenceville to bring together artists, musicians, poets and chefs for regular happenings, just to get the creative juices flowing. And the public will be...

City Theatre special event: "Stage Directions" (Monday, 13 November 2006 09:13 AM ): Unique discussion TONIGHT (Monday 11/13) at City Theatre: "Stage Directions," a discussion by the Artistic Director Tracy Brigden and Artistic Associate Kellee Van Aken. From the e-newsletter: [They] will lead a talk about casting and directing plays that have never...

BlogFest 8: The Ocho Wrapup (Friday, 10 November 2006 09:31 AM ): BlogFest 8 was a small and very fun gathering. We must remember to take pictures at these things -- but even that wouldn't quite capture the sense of the evening. More representative would be a short video of someone looking...

BlogFest 8 tonight! (Thursday, 09 November 2006 08:50 AM ): Tonight tonight tonight! Will we see you there? Please say yes! Details here....

BlogFest 7 & BlogDay 2006 (Wednesday, 16 August 2006 12:46 PM ): Ending the summer with a bloggy bang, it's ... Pittsburgh BlogFest 7! Wednesday, August 30th, 2006.

Blogariffic (Sunday, 02 July 2006 11:37 PM ): Notes from the first Pittsburgh BlogIN. UPDATED with additional links to other sites and comments.

When's the next BlogFest? (Wednesday, 12 April 2006 03:45 PM ): Dear Pittsburgh-area bloggers: We're trying to schedule the next BlogFest. We thought we'd have everything in place by now, but it has been devilishly difficult to plan things right now at our normal location, Finnegan's Wake. I'm told this is...

A bitch of an unsatisfactory situation (Sunday, 12 February 2006 06:39 PM ): Last night I went to see Brokeback Mountain. I went with my handsome friend John. His wife Michele set it up.

Drink of the Super Bowl: No. 43 Trophy Cup (aka The Polamalu) (Friday, 03 February 2006 07:02 PM ): My official drink of Super Bowl XL.

Happy Birthday to We (Friday, 04 November 2005 08:21 PM ): You say it's your birthday! It's my birthday too, yeah!

He was indeed the glass / Wherein the noble youth did dress themselves (Monday, 10 October 2005 04:27 PM ): Did you miss the Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre's production of Henry IV last fall? If so, you missed a damn fine version of a classic play. But you can get an infintesimal taste of the acting from it by...

Everybody knows about those cheese balls (Wednesday, 02 March 2005 10:35 PM ): I'm going to be in a play, and you should come see it. The Butler Little Theatre's next production is "The Book of Liz," written by Amy Sedaris and David Sedaris. The story centers on Sister Elizabeth Donderstock, a member...

Time for a House Party (Monday, 24 January 2005 12:36 PM ): Melanie Miller, founder and choreographer of Pittsburgh's Junction Dance Theatre, is looking for stories set in rooms of houses, to use a raw material for a upcoming work. Here's her call for ideas: I would like to invite you to...

"It means 'respond so very promptly'" (Sunday, 16 January 2005 04:59 PM ): Three days until the second Pittsburgh BlogFest. Will it be fun? Yes, certainly. Will you be glad you attended? You betcha. WHAT: Pittsburgh Blogfest 2 WHEN: Wednesday, January 19, 5:30 - 9:30 pm and later WHERE: Finnegan's Wake (near PNC...

"We tried everything to give that game away, but they darn well wouldn't take it" (Sunday, 16 January 2005 12:34 PM ): Things I lost at the Steelers game against the Jets last night: 1. My Terrible Towel 2. My voice 3. My sense of the inevitability of Steeler wins The towel was no big loss. I bought it at the Pittsburgh...

So hard to overrate (Sunday, 02 January 2005 11:00 PM ): "With nothing to play for, Steelers show they have everything" "This game says a lot about our team," said Ward. "We really didn't have that much to play for, and they had everything to play for. We started with...

Think globally, rock locally (Tuesday, 14 December 2004 09:15 PM ): As mentioned previously in these pages, local rockers The Faders ("original, intelligent alternative-pop in the vein of Elvis Costello, Crowded House, and Wilco") had their first brush with international stardom recently when they were chosen to be filmed by the...

There are only small actors (Monday, 22 November 2004 09:44 PM ): A public service message for people who audition for community theater productions: If you should receive a call from the producer of a production, offering you a role different from that for which you had wished, please remember these points:...

Life gets in the way (Tuesday, 16 November 2004 10:59 PM ): I have so many things to tell you about, but I've been too busy doing and then recovering that I haven't had time to write. In brief: 1. The 412 Creative Nonfiction Festival was great fun. (Here's a little press...

A bowl of barnuts, a pint of ale, and thou (Wednesday, 10 November 2004 05:49 PM ): I will start Sunday sitting on a panel, speaking as knowledgeably and entertainingly as possible. By the afternoon, however, I hope to be sitting in a bar somewhere in Pittsburgh, watching TV and cheering loudly. The question is, which bar...

Winning's a habit, not only a dream (Tuesday, 09 November 2004 12:26 AM ): Recently, Dan Marino interviewed Ben Roethlisberger and gave the rookie a hard time for not knowing the "Steelers Fight Song," from back in the 70s. Which I thought was funny -- until I realized I didn't remember it myself. Oh,...

Hold the mayo (Thursday, 04 November 2004 03:22 PM ): If the searches in our referrers log are any indication, people have taken a sudden interest in sandwiches named in honor of Pittsburgh's rookie quarterback phenomenon. We suggest these hungry folk check out today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which offers recipes for...

And yet I can't remember how "schadenfreude" came into the conversation (Friday, 29 October 2004 11:00 PM ): Did we have a swell time at yesterday's Pittsburgh BlogFest? Indeed we did!...

Gripping stories that happen to be true (Sunday, 24 October 2004 04:55 PM ): An event you won't want to miss: 412: The Pittsburgh Creative Nonfiction Literary Festival. I'll be part of a panel discussion Sunday morning, talking about online publications. Both Inkburns and Fat Plum will have items available in the Media Fair...

Wheels within wheels (Sunday, 24 October 2004 04:25 PM ): If for some reason you choose not to attend the Pittsburgh BlogFest, you can instead see Jonathan Lethem read American Shorts Reading Series. According to the website, "Although Lethem’s latest foray into the literary world, a short story collection entitled...

Big Ben's blog (Monday, 18 October 2004 01:02 PM ): Ooh! ooh! More Steelers goodness! Ben Roethlisberger has a blog: I never wanted to play at the expense of someone getting hurt, especially when he is as great of a guy as Tommy is. But I knew I had to...

Football's version of the Zapruder film (Monday, 18 October 2004 11:19 AM ): After yesterday's exciting win over Dallas, with rookie quarterback Ben Roethlisberger becoming the first Steelers QB to win in Dallas since 1982, it would seem Steelers fans couldn't be happier. But the good news keeps coming. Physics shows that...

Pittsburgh bloggers, unite! In person! (Wednesday, 13 October 2004 10:17 PM ): If you are within 60 or so miles of the junction of the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers to form the Ohio, and you have a blog or read blogs (you know who you are: you're reading this), please take note:...

Wrap it up, I'll take it (Wednesday, 29 September 2004 08:46 PM ): Today's lesson, regarding The History of Paper and Papermaking: Corrugated Paper Products In 1856, Englishmen, Healey and Allen, received a patent for the first corrugated or pleated paper. The paper was used to line tall men's hats. However, this was...

Gist Street Reading, October 1 (Monday, 27 September 2004 10:08 PM ): The skinny on this month's reading, from Gist Street's Sherrie: Toi "Guggenheim" Derricotte and Cathy "Coming in from New York City" McKinley. Poetry and Non-fiction. A power-duo of literary accomplishment. 305 Gist Street. James Simon's Sculpture Studio. Readings begin at...

And the horse you rode in on (Thursday, 23 September 2004 03:14 PM ): More legal fun, thanks to on-the-ball defense attorneys: Pa. drunk driving law doesn't apply to horsemen: Keith Travis, 41, of Grove City, and Richard Noel, 49, of Sandy Lake, were charged with drunken driving, along with a man driving a...

How dry I am (Monday, 20 September 2004 12:36 PM ): As you might have heard, it rained in these parts on Friday. My little ranch house sits on a hill in town, partway down the hill so all the water went rushing by, high above the areas that flooded. My...

Ready for my closeup, part 2 (Monday, 13 September 2004 10:42 AM ): Tomorrow, at the bright and chipper hour of 9am, I'm going to be in a TV studio smiling nervously, sweating, and shaking ever so slightly. This will be because I'll be backstage at KDKA's Pittsburgh TODAY Live with Jennifer Antkowiak,...

Girly bloggers (Sunday, 12 September 2004 12:21 PM ): Friday I had the distinct pleasure of meeting and lunching with a few of my fellow Pittsburgh-area bloggers, the techno-superwomen of Inner Bitch and the knitting goddess of Creating Text(iles)....

We ain't learned our lesson yet (Friday, 20 August 2004 09:50 AM ): It's Donnie Iris Day in Pittsburgh, celebrating the local rock hero whose hits include "Ah Leah!" and "The Rapper." Incidentally, the correct Pittsburghese pronunciation is "dahw-nee ahrs." Make sure to drag out the first syllable of the first name and...

A gleaming little gem of a museum (Wednesday, 23 June 2004 10:11 AM ): The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette today offers a nice overview of the new museum in town, Butler's Maridon Museum, founded by Mary Hulton Phillips. The institution she willed into being is a gleaming little gem of a museum, a gift to its...

We're number one! (Wednesday, 09 June 2004 03:10 PM ): A new study says Pennsylvania is first in deaths from air pollution, and Pittsburgh is third among major metropolitan centers. C'mon Pittsburgh power plants: It's air conditioning and refrigeration season ... you can make us number one!...

...and his heart was going like mad and yes I said yes I will Yes. (Tuesday, 08 June 2004 10:39 AM ): How to celebrate Bloomsday (June 16) in Pittsburgh: The James Joyce Society of Pittsburgh is presenting a reading (in three concurrent sessions) of Ulysses: Join us for a reading of James Joyce's Ulysses the most famous novel of the 20th...

Who's hungry? (Friday, 04 June 2004 01:23 PM ): Last year I created and managed the props for the Butler Little Theatre's production of Over the River and Through the Woods, a play primarily about family and love but also about food. During the play, the characters eat and...

Things to do in Pittsburgh when you're dead (Tuesday, 01 June 2004 10:59 PM ): I'm not actually dead, nor even resting, unfortunately. But I may be dead by the this time next week, given the full slate of activities I have lined up. Local folks might want to join in (for the activities, not...

This Saturday: The Songwriters Project (Wednesday, 05 May 2004 10:59 PM ): The Songwriters Project will perform from on Saturday, May 8, 7 to 9 PM at The Mattress Factory 500 Sampsonia Way, Pittsburgh, PA 15212 (T: 412-231-3169, F:412-322-2231, E: info@mattress.org) Songwriters: Kevin Finn, Atumn Ayers, Karl Mullen, Emily Rodgers, and Audra...

This Friday: Black Fish (Wednesday, 05 May 2004 10:34 PM ): Also from the mailbag, for those about to rock: This FRI 07 MAY - Black Fish - rocks the house @ Thirsty's, 9:30P. Thirsty's 301 N Craig @ Centre 412.687.0114...

This Friday: Gist Street Reading Series (Wednesday, 05 May 2004 10:25 PM ): From the mailbag: announcing this month's Gist Street Reading Series Hello Gist Street! Spring is here even though the furnace just kicked on. Things are blooming, and it's time to get out of the house. So come on over to...

Special delivery (Thursday, 22 April 2004 05:43 PM ): This afternoon, UPS delivered a package to me. (Two posters from the Bonny Doon Vineyard, of wine labels designed by Ralph Steadman. Quite cool. The company also offers fun t-shirts and other goodies, and lots of wine that cannot be...

Old Vic follows the lead of Butler Little Theatre (Thursday, 22 April 2004 11:45 AM ): Kevin Spacey, new Artistic Director of the Old Vic Theater Company in London, announced that the theater will present The Philadelphia Story: Dual Oscar-winner Spacey said he also intended to stage "The Philadelphia Story" next year and had been talking...

Art All Night (Tuesday, 20 April 2004 11:20 AM ): Insomniac artists and art aficionados in Pittsburgh: this weekend is for you. Art All Night, in Lawrenceville, runs from 8pm Saturday through to 2pm Sunday, and features "professional and amateur artists of all ages and abilities." This includes you. Bring...

Your fiction and poetry dose for April (Friday, 02 April 2004 05:52 PM ): I almost forgot to mention: It's the first Friday of the month, which means tonight at 7:30 the Gist Street Reading Series (it's not about suffering) will feature fine words and more, at the James Simon Sculpture Studio in Pittsburgh....

The soothing chirp of a room full of pagers (Wednesday, 31 March 2004 09:15 PM ): Tomorrow night will not be a good night to have a computer or network problem in the Pittsburgh area, as it's the first Thursday of an even-numbered month, which means it's Geek Night. The Church Brew Works will be overrun...

Everyone's a wallflower sometime (Tuesday, 23 March 2004 09:27 PM ): Pittsburgh has a bustling literary scene. This is unexpected, I realize, but true. Even the Post-Gazette says so. I haven't made it to any of the events Bob Hoover mentions in the article -- been trying to get to the...

Butler, Pennsylvania: Cultural mecca (Thursday, 18 March 2004 07:46 PM ): A couple of weekend events for those in western PA: The Butler Little Theatre opens its production of Proof, the Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning drama, tomorrow (March 19). The show will run through next Saturday (March 27), except Monday....

Zeliepalooza (Thursday, 18 March 2004 07:29 PM ): As part of the "Save the Strand" project -- an effort to renovate the old Strand Theatre in Zelienpole, PA -- there will be a band fest next Thursday, 3/25, at Sanctuary in the Strip. Details available here. I'm not...

Pittsburgh-area bloggers, unite! (Sunday, 14 March 2004 09:53 AM ): The Post-Gazette has a nice feature today on blogging in Pittsburgh. They explain blogging pretty well. They also mention several interesting local sites, although they fail to provide links to any of them. Fortunately, the article mentions Tube City Online...

Love is like a rock (Sunday, 14 March 2004 09:14 AM ): Esquire magazine will publish a list of "cities that rock," and they've ranked Pittsburgh number 1. The Tribune Review talked with people in the local music scene. Naturally, everyone's pleased and hoping that this will lure young people to the...

Lush life (Wednesday, 11 February 2004 10:56 AM ): The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board announced yesterday that sales of wine and spirits at state stores in 2003 increased 7.7 percent over 2002. The increase is assumed to be caused in large part by changes in how Pennsylvania sells alcohol...

Upcoming Event: Gist Street Reading Series, Feb 14 (Friday, 06 February 2004 02:27 PM ): From the mailing list announcement from Sherrie Flick: "The February Gist Street is on SATURDAY, February 14th. That's right--a Valentine's Gist. Come with your honey, come stag--but please do come to hear Anthony McCann and Matt Rohrer read their poetry....

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