BOLD Pittsburgh Issue 7
From the Editor: Someone said to me that Christmas is in 7 weeks. Holy CRAP! So we decided to help a bit in the holiday time. Our recipe this month is apple pie, we replaced the brewery selection with a great article on how to prepare for the holidays with some extra “jolly” - aka cocktails, and we featured fun indoor activities for the upcoming winter months. We didn’t put together a holiday gift guide, but we did go shopping in a locally in Sewickley and highly recommend the neighborhood for holiday shopping. This time of the year, we celebrate our birthday. This coincides with Podcamp Pittsburgh, which is where BOLD Pittsburgh was born in October 2012. It took us two years to get where we are today and although sometimes it seems its an uphill battle, every milestone is one step closer to where we want to be and it feels great! This year we are excited to talk about how we got started and teach others how to create at Podcamp 9. We hope that by sharing our stories more people will be inspired to follow their dreams. We also hope you like this issue, we feel that it is our best yet!
BOLD Pittsburgh Interested in advertising in BOLD Pittsburgh? We have Media Kits available. We would love to review your restaurant or plug your event! Contact us at BOLDPittsburgh.com We are always looking for contributors and artists to help out.
Contact Us BOLDPittsburgh@gmail.com BOLD Pittsburgh @BoldPgh
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boldpittsburgh.com
BOLD Pittsburgh Contributors
Amanda Narcisi Chief Editor Layout Designer @alnarcisi
Renee Fisher Writer
Amanda Cooney Co-Editor Writer @spots87
Tim LaVoie Writer @LaVoiePGH
Jen Pizzuto Co-Editor Writer @snark_princess
Annie Fowler Co-Editor Writer
Steven Fernald Editor Support Food Master @stevenfernald
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Issue 7 Contents
5-Brews & Hues 7-That’s So Pittsburgh 8-Code Orange 11-Albums of the Month 12-Neighborhood of the Month 14-Hollywood Lanes
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16-Let’s Drink to Thanksgiving 19-Apple Pie 20-On Deck 22-Yinzer Fashion 23-And Fitness
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24-Ask Snarky
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Brews & Hues
By: Amanda Cooney
Painting Parties seem to have reached the Steel City and it seems to be quite a hit. Facebook feeds have revealed that this trend has hit my friend circle and I am rather conflicted by the idea. In my mind, I imagine these parties to consist of a bunch of winos trying their hand at a skill on which I have worked so hard and continue to develop since I can remember; one I have also spent way too much cash to think about without having a mental breakdown. My bachelor’s degree and its accompanying debt have led me to turn up my nose and smirk “oh, that’s cute” when a friend or acquaintance reveals what they’re calling a “masterpiece” via
social media. Normally, I am not this kind of person; I am usually very accepting, enthusiastic even, when someone wants to try something new because I have experienced the satisfaction one gets when going out of their comfort zone. The person I am and the voice inside my head teamed up to overcome my cynicism and said “Shut up you uppity bitch and put your paint brushes where your mouth is!” So, I did. I asked my fellow BOLD Pittsburgh writer/Thiel College Fine Arts program alum/professional drinker, Miss Anne Fowler, to help me overcome this new-found animosity. I combed through the deals Groupon for a session BOLD Pittsburgh
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and found a class offered at a pottery studio in Lower Lawrenceville called Kiln N Time. We arrived at the studio to easels, paint, paintbrushes, wine glasses, and a great playlist in the background. We met with our instructor, who is also one of the owners, Sandy, and she gave us the run down on how the night would go. We familiarized ourselves with the studio, cracked open some mini champagne bottles, and began to start our own “masterpieces.” The subject of our paintings was a whimsical tree at night with two birds sitting on one of the branches. We first painted the moon and the night sky, which would be the focal point for the birds. White paint was applied to the canvas, then blue, then black around the edges. A soft bristled brush was used to blend the colors together to give the sky a chilly glow. After our background dried, we began to get into the details. After painting my tree and its accompanying branches, I started to paint two owls sitting on the branch that extends from the left side of the painting to the center. When taking a second glance of my owls, I noticed they could also be cats. So I used my artistic license to transform these fowls into felines and painting their tails so they crossed making a heart shape while mimicking the whimsy of the tree. Annie also used her artistic license as well as her storytelling skills by painting a bat and a bird in the tree. She said “they are in love but their families just don’t get it. Kind of like Ro6
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meo and Juliet.” She also painted the silhouette of her adorable-as-hell dog, Boomer, looking up at the two lovers and added funky blobs of white and various shades of blue extending from the tree. Within an hour of painting, I was cool, calm, and collected; this was the best thing I had done in a while and all the stress of the day had washed right off me. I was so in the zone, I barely touched my drink! To be able to sit and paint in a studio setting again was so relaxing; it might have even been more relaxing than a spa (mainly because you’re not nude in front of strangers). Either way, I had a wonderful time and I cannot stop looking at my “masterpiece” (although, it will soon go to my mother as a birthday present). It was after I took this class that I realized the hype of this new craze was legit. To be able to sit with your friends, have a few drinks, while creating something is extremely fulfilling. My skepticism had been silenced as soon as the paint had hit the canvas and I am really happy that I decided to go on this particular adventure. As a bonus, we got to meet Sandy’s cat, Sundae, who was a friendly and beautifully colored long-haired tortoiseshell tabby. I would like to go back to Kiln N Time for another canvas painting session, and maybe even a pottery class. The location of the studio is very convenient and in one of my favorite neighborhoods. My recommendation on this, and anything you might not be sure about, is to try it. Like your parents (and Dr. Seuss) said when you were growing up “you never know, if you try it, you might like it.”
s ’ t a h T SO
h g r u b s t t i P Pittsburgh is becoming more and more bicycle-friendly each day. Scott Mayhew snapped this photo of the new bike racks in Squirrel Hill - they’re shaped like squirrels!
Have you ever seen something and thought to yourself “that is SO Pittsburgh!” If so, share your story with us – parking chairs, knitted pierogies, that guy dahn the street who is a real jagoff – you name it! Send your photos and stories to BOLDPittsburgh@gmail.com. You could be featured in the next issue of BOLD Pittsburgh! BOLD Pittsburgh
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“I’d never say we represent Pittsburgh, but Pittsburgh definitely represents us.” Pittsburgh bred and based experimental hardcore band Code Orange - formally Code Orange Kids - released its newest, and best, LP late this summer via Deathwish Inc. I Am King, solidifies Code Orange as a legitimate, national force to be ignored at non-listeners own peril. Having spent years on the road supporting the likes of Gaza, Terror, Bane, Touche Amore, and Everytime I Die; Code Orange now forge the best of those sounds with certain oddities that make I Am King distinctly theirs. Distinctly Pittsburgh’s. Drummer and vocalist Jami Morgan described their tour in support of I Am King so far as, “Straight up amazing.” Compared to pre-I Am King shows, “It’s pretty much night and day in a way. Every city we’ve played so far has been absolutely insane. It’s unbelievable because we’ve grinded these places so many times opening for bands, playing by ourselves. The record’s done something already, because it’s so much more people - a lot more people just for us. It’s been amazing.” I Am King thunders with cannonball-fire blasts of metalcore breakdowns interspersed between classic hardcore, 90s-goth, post-rock ambient pieces, and industrial precision. Asked if the pummeling development of their sound was a natural progression of creative instincts, or if the band always wanted to go to this dark place, Morgan split the difference. “It’s a little bit of both. We absorbed a lot of things over time, and we really realized what we could do with a truly heavy record. In my mind when we were coming up with this record [we had] four or five different things we wanted to put in this pot, wanted to mix it up, and make it ‘our’ thing.” 8
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By: Tim LaVoie Morgan continued, “The playing is very natural, but the overall sound is deliberate - everything we play there is a reason for it. That’s why there’s breakdowns in certain places.” Morgan staunchly defended the band’s liberal use of chugging breakdowns. “There’s a lot of bands that don’t necessarily look down on those parts, but they look at those parts as nonartistic. To me, the most artistic thing we could do in 2014 is something that is traditionally artistic - the ambience, the industrial sounds - and then face it, and come around and do the most ignorant thing we could do as opposed to just spinning the wheels. We’re not making music just for other musicians. Give kids that moment, you know? To me it’s about fun, and on the other end, removing breakdowns has been done before. So lets put them back in.” In addition to the lawless violence unleashed on each track, I Am King, and the two music videos released so far supporting it, continues Code Orange’s consistent gore-filled, grizzled visual aesthetics. Everything Code Orange-related evokes camp, but not schtick; a B-horror movie set, but not irony; nihilistic abandon, but not reckless disorder. This undeviating visual package is something the band is “very, very concerned with.” Morgan proudly hold’s “My friend Kimmy and I have done every shirt that this band has ever had in its history. I’m ultra-controlling about it. To me the vibe and aesthetic of the band makes the band. It turns a band from some dudes playing music into something more. All the bands that we truly love have some kind of ‘vibe’ whatever it is, so we wanted to come strong with our vibe from day one. This is us at all levels, at all time. This is who we are, it doesn’t break. You can watch an old Alice In Chains video and see the stuff that we’re doing.
Videos from that era pushed it, and that’s why they stick. That’s what we want to do.” Pittsburgh left its mark on the band from its inception. “The city, the scene, everything has 100% influenced us. Different people in Pittsburgh see the Pittsburgh scene in different ways. But the thing about it is that it does not follow the trends in other cities. You won’t hear bands following the blueprint of a national trend. Pittsburgh has always made unrelentingly weird heavy music.” Immediately apparent from Morgan’s comments and attitude, is that the band’s unique sound would be entirely different if Pittsburgh was not unique itself. Morgan explained, “It’s an unreal city. There’s a million bands doing weird cool stuff, and there’s always been that here. Pittsburgh showed us that we could do weird stuff and still be really heavy. This city has always been weird, and it’s always been heavy and cool. It’s influenced us more than anything in the world.”
Talking about Pittsburgh raised Morgan’s contagious excitement to an even higher level than he naturally exudes. “I’m using all my resources to do what I can for my city, because people associate us with Pittsburgh on the road. We are Pittsburgh. We love Pittsburgh, and that’s clear anywhere we go. The only thing I say on stage is, ‘We’re Code Orange from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.’ Because we’re proud of it. It’s an amazing city that isn’t like anywhere else. If you think the Pittsburgh scene sucks, then that’s your fault. Because it doesn’t.” Asked what he wanted people just introduced to Code Orange through this piece to know about the band, Morgan wasted no time reaffirming what bleeds from their music and energy. “I want people to know that our band represents doing what you want to do no matter what. Whether its people, people’s perceptions of you, your perception of yourself, something bad that might be going on in your life - just stand
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your ground and do your thing. That’s what our band’s about. We’ve been given absolutely nothing. We didn’t start out with cool friends or any connections. I think Pittsburgh’s always represented that too. I’d never say we represent Pittsburgh, but Pittsburgh definitely represents us.” Ambition is a strange, shifting concept within the construction of today’s music industry. Though never mentioning commercial success - or even interest in it for that matter - it went without saying that Morgan acutely wants Code Orange to be great. Conversation never strayed more than a minute or two away from talk of the classics - specifically 90s-era Alice In Chains. “It’s timeless. There was a greater artistic vision. Alice In Chains were melodic, but so heavy - aesthetically as well. The riffs were just so much more intricate than their peers’ were. They existed and excelled on all levels. Sometimes I’ll just search for pictures of their old tour shirts. There’s still nothing that looks that cool. Unreal. No other bands made it that big and really artistically represented something so sick.” Too jarring and abrasive for a true crossover, Code Orange’s goals are modified by the scene the band inhibits. Yet, scene boundaries have not prevented an artistic growth within the band rarely displayed in hardcore. Without hesitation, Morgan proclaimed, “My ultimate dream is to represent what Alice In Chains did from a hardcore perspective. That’s not anywhere near where we are now, but it pushes us. It’s never going to be for everyone, but we want to do something different that stands the test of time.” With hordes of year-end lists on the horizon, I Am King is a must-hear album right now. But for Pittsburghers, Code Orange will be a must-hear band long into the future.
Are you in a band or have an album for us to review? Contact us at BoldPittsburgh@gmail. com. 10 BOLD Pittsburgh
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Albums of the Month
By: Tim LaVoie Justin Townes Earle - Single Mothers; Vagrant stand-out, Doris. Though he might not be able Records to shake the Odd Future association and comparisons for a while, all seven cuts on Hell Can Wait exude a maturity and clear artistic vision unheard from any other Odd Future off-shoot. Potent, and acutely relevant post-Ferguson, Staples’ crisp, detailed verses offer an abrasive look into West Coast gang life over danceable, oldschool production. A must own for 2014. Stand out tracks: “Blue Suede”, “Screen Door”. Grade: A A modest, 29 minute set of intimate tracks form the Americana/country singer-songwriter’s fifth, and most consistently enjoyable full length LP. Aching pedal steel cries throughout slow and mid-tempo cuts, as Earle abandons most of the Memphis R&B influences which at times felt forced in his previous work. Somber, but never bleak, Single Mothers leans heavily on Earle’s never-ending Daddy issues, and all the women that left him over the years. Like most artists whose work is inherently sad, Earle again soars highest on his slower material. Stand out tracks: “White Gardenias”, “Today and a Lonely Night”. Grade: B+ Vince Staples - Hell Can Wait: Def Jam Records
At all of 21 years old, Long Beach rapper Vince Staples delivers possibly the best hip-hop release of the year with his debut EP. Staples cut his teeth on the mixtape scene, and shone on his three guest spots on Earl Sweatshirt’s 2013
Panopticon - Roads to the North: Nordvis
The unrepenting ambition of Kentucky’s Austin Ludd’s one-man project commands admiration. Lind’s Panopticon bridges atmospheric black metal with Appalachian bluegrass and roots music. And it works. As odd as the marriage of the two may be in theory, it’s equally moving in practice. The metal sections evoke the speed, heaviness, and intensity of anything from the darkest corner of Norway. Minutes-long instrumental stretches of banjo, mandolin, and fiddle, frolick between the blast beats and Ludd’s pagan growl. European black metal bands have incorporated their cultures’ folk music into their records for decades. Panopticon’s recent release shows the possibilities can be endless - and oftentime gorgeous - when their American counterparts are brave enough to do the same. Stand out tracks: “One Last Fire (The Long Road Pt I)”, “Capricious Miles (The Long Road Pt II)”. Grade: B BOLD Pittsburgh 11
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Is this place real? Because it doesn’t feel like it. Actually, the town of Sewickley feels more like a movie set than it does a real municipality. The buildings are picturesque and colorful; they capture a classic Americana feeling, an elusive, simple innocence that harkens back to the 1950’s. Sewickley feels safely isolated in a bubble that encloses this illustrious Ohio River town that time has seemed to have forgotten. The notoriety of its most prominent residents is also unmistakable-Mario and Sid reside there and former Steeler Lynn Swan is rumored to be a regular at the Sewickley Starbucks. It’s Shadyside without the raw urban edge. The distinctive layout of the town itself is perhaps the most intriguing feature, with its labyrinthine streets and hidden restaurants. It’s easy to get lost there for an afternoon while exploring the unique shops and cafes. There are book stores, toy stores, vintage shops and, most uniquely, a yarn store that encourages the crafty side of life via knitting classes. Sewickley is entirely self-contained and sufficient-there isn’t a need for the residents to leave the town. A plethora of activities during the day keep residents of all ages entertained, while a healthy night life keeps adult beverage fans happy. Enjoy spa treatment and an amazing brunch a during the day and a sampling of delicious Belgian beers at the Sharp Edge later--all within walking distance. Its the perfect vacation day...an escape from the city and a refreshing change of scenery, without leaving Allegheny County. Parking is free on weekends. What else is there in life? By: Jen Pizzuto BOLD Pittsburgh 13
Hollywood Lanes
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By: Amanda Narcisi
“Strike!?!” Another Strike!?! One of these days I will beat you in a sport.” This scene of flirtation is playing out at 1:00 am in Dormont’s newest fun spot: Hollywood Lanes. The basement bowling alley has been around since 1947; but a recent change in ownership turned the bowling lane into a nightclub like feel complete with theme nights. Hollywood Lanes has kicked their reopening off right by offering theme nights. Their leagues meet on Monday, Tuesdays are Open Mic, Wednesdays are Ladies Nights, Thursday through Saturday is late night bowling until 4:00 am, and Sundays feature is Chicken and Waffles where they serve chicken and waffles while you bowl and drink. There are also various events posted through their Facebook page like a Ratification Party on December 5th where they will celebrate the ratification of the 21st amendment. On this night, Hollywood Lanes was hosting their first band night; this night featured Chrome Moses and Crooked Cobras. A cover charge of $20 gets you bowling, bands, and an open bar. The lanes were packed and there was a wait list for bowling and if you do go on any given night you should call ahead for lanes. The lanes were recently redone when the new owners took over. There are black lights lining the lanes from above and televisions for the scoreboards. There are big leather couches that are next to the ball return for lounging between frames and a few classic video games are throughout the place. Games like quarter drop and a boxing machine. There is also a small area just past the bar for the performances and other theme nights include karaoke and an open mic night that started in October. Around the bend from the stage is the bar stretching the one wall. They have the usual mixed drinks and a few taps of beer including Yuengling and Pabst Blue Ribbon. There are the usual liquors: bourbon, scotch and vodka and they make mixed drinks on request. It was a fun evening, from the band to the drinks to the company I was with. It was late night fun.
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Let’s Drink to Thanksgiving By: Annie Fowler It’s almost Thanksgiving, kids. While you are looking on Pinterest for cute ideas for your Thanksgiving table made for you by people with too much time and money on their hands, consider the fact that no one gives a shit about glitter enhanced plastic silverware or chevron print anything. They don’t. It just is what it is. People do, however, care about getting a drink in their festive little hands immediately. A few tips on festive drinking: 1.) If you are going to have booze at your holiday party, always have food available. Let me explain science to you: If people are drinking on an empty stomach (which people come to Thanksgiving dinner with) it won’t take them long to go from sober to sloppy or from sober to hogging the only toilet in your house with a case of the holiday pukes. Put food out, it slows people down and fills them with more than good cheer and alcohol. 2.) Have some options. Let me help you: a.) Beer: shoot for three kinds, one of which can be light b.) Wine: white and red and enough of each, chill the white c.) Hard liquor: vodka, whiskey (for God sake don’t get the cheap stuff), gin. Anything extra is icing on the cake d.) Make one big cocktail, punch, or spiked something. Serve out of a punch bowl or your Crock Pot if it needs to be warm (see recipes be low for suggestions) e.) Mixers: tonic water, soda water, Coke/ Pepsi, orange juice, simple 16 BOLD Pittsburgh
syrup (if you’re feeling fancy) f.) Garnish: cut limes, lemons, and cucumbers. Basil, mint, olives, and cherries are also good ideas g.) Non-alcoholic: bottled water and some kind of soft drink. Extra points for iced tea. Also, consider offering coffee and/ or tea at the end of the night after or during dessert. h.) Ice, lots of ice.
3.) Do yourself a favor and just buy some plasticware. If you are having a more formal affair (mothers, fathers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, in-laws, etc.) please don’t get the red solo cups. I mean it. Get plastic-ware to suit the booze: rocks glasses, tall glasses, wine glasses.
4.) There’s a difference between festive and FESTIVE. Let’s keep it classy. Know when you have had enough (are you eating cold appetizers out of the fridge with wild abandon? Have you got more than three stains on your shirt?, Are you still able to name all of the guests at your party? Is leaning against something solid the only standing option now available to you?). Switch to water or coffee if you need to. If you notice a guest getting a case of the gobble-wobbles, first speak to their significant other, if applicable, and they can take care of it without the embarrassment of the host cutting them off. Depending upon your relationship with that couple say anything within the span of, ‘I am worried that (name here) may have had too much to drink, can I brew some coffee/ tea, grab them a class of water?’ and ‘Your girlfriend is f*cked up. Please wrastle the
wine cooler from her lady-hands.’ If the now chemically enhanced guest came alone, no worries, it is still fine to tell them yourself. You’re the host, it’s ok to step in. 5.) If they drink too much, they stay with you. Period. End of story. Make it happen. Not convinced? More DUIs happen near and on holidays than any other time of the year. There are more enjoyable ways to earn some jail time than getting cued up at a party and trying to drive. Oh, and that DUI isn’t the worst that could happen. Help your friends not obtain a criminal record and to live to drink with you again. Now that you are an expert on festive drinking, let’s explore some cocktail options.
Crock-Pot cinnamon- pumpkin hot toddy, serves 10 You need: 5 cups water ½ cup pure maple syrup 1/3 cup canned pumpkin (I like Libby’s canned pumpkin) 1 generous cup of rye whiskey or bourbon ½ cup cinnamon schnapps Whipped cream (optional) In your slow-cooker, combine water, syrup, and pumpkin Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours Stir in bourbon or rye whiskey Ladle into mugs and serve with whipped cream or plain. (Keep mixture on ‘warm’ setting and covered)
‘I’m thankful for wine’ sangria, serves 8 You need: A vessel large enough to hold 2 bottles of wine (a big punch bowl should do) About 3 cups of frozen white grapes 2 chilled bottles Pinot Grigio or other sweet white or sparkling wine (not Chardonnay, I don’t know why, but it never tastes right in this) 2 apples, diced (try for apples of two different colors) 2 generous cups of cranberries 2 sprigs of rosemary 2 cans of club soda 1 cup chilled white grape juice ½ cup of sugar (or less, to taste) Combine all into punch bowl (except frozen grapes) Stir until fruit is mixed in and the sugar has dissolved Chill entire mixture in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (don’t exceed an hour or so) Immediately before serving, throw the frozen grapes in the bowl to ensure the mixture is chilled as people serve themselves the sangria. *Wanna get a little decorative? Put out the glasses to be used with the sangria (wine glasses work best) next to the bowl and put a sprig of rosemary in some and a toothpick with skewered cranberries and apple pieces dipped in granulated sugar in others. BOLD Pittsburgh 17
John’s ‘drink like a man’ gin and tonic, serves 1, has enough booze for 3 *John Binz is a long-time lover of the gin and tonic, native of Pittsburgh, and drinks like he means it. You need: Basil Cut cucumber Cut lime Good gin (Junipero and Hendrick’s are always good choices) Tonic A steady hand More than one liver
Put a few pieces of fresh basil and a slice of lime in the bottom of a rocks glass, muddle Fill glass with ice Fill the glass half full of gin, a little more. More gin please. Fill the glass the rest of the way with tonic Throw a few cucumbers slices on top, overhand, for effect Stir Drink 4 *Want a good gin and tonic but don’t want to make it? Try Industry Public House. Get a gin and tonic made with their cucumber infused Hendrick’s gin.
Have a Brewery or bar you Would like to be featured in BOLD Pittsburgh? Drop us an email @ BoldPittsburgh@gmail.com 18 BOLD Pittsburgh
Craig’s back to basics old fashioned, serves 1 worthy recipient
*Craig Emmert is a cocktail enthusiast, fisherman, and native of Pittsburgh. He also drinks like he means it. You need: Simple syrup Bitters Whiskey Orange peel Maraschino cherry A place to sit
Splash the bottom of a rocks glass with a little simple syrup. Just enough to coat the bottom of the glass. Add three strong dashes of bitters, swirl it around. Add 5 ice cubes and a couple ounces of whiskey. Stir. Cut a coin of orange peel from a fresh orange. Squeeze it in half with the outside skin facing the cocktail and the coin inside the glass. Rim the glass with the other side of the coin and toss it in. Add maraschino cherry if desired. *Want to get a good old fashioned during a night out? Get the maple old fashioned at Proper Brick oven and Tap Room Downtown.
Orchard Fresh Apple Pie
By Amanda Cooney
Holiday dinners are not complete without desserts – and what is better than good, old apple pie? Yes, pumpkin pie is a Thanksgiving staple, but if you’re like me, you’re one more pumpkin product away from turning orange. Enjoy this fun, easy, and – most importantly – delicious apple pie recipe!
Crust (double for lattice top): ½ c. vegetable shortening 1 ½ c. flour ½ tsp. salt ½ c. cold water
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease 9” pie plate 2. Mix together shortening, flour, and salt using a pastry blender or fork. 3. Once crumbly, slowly add in cold water until mixture is dough 4. Roll out dough on floured pastry mat or wax paper 5. Lift into pie pan leaving about a ½ inch of dough beyond rim 6. Using your index fingers and thumb, pinch edges into waves around the edge of the crust 7. Place in oven for 5 minutes while preparing the filling Filling: ½ c. unsalted butter 3 Tbsp. flour ½ c. white sugar ½ c. brown sugar ¼ c. water 2 lbs apples – peeled, cored, and chunked
1. Melt butter in saucepan on stove top 2. Once completely melted add flour, white and brown sugars, and water 3. Let simmer for 5 minutes 4. Place apples in pie crust and pour mixture over apples (if baking with lattice top apply that now) 5. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes 6. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for 35 minutes or until crust is golden brown 7. Remove pie from oven and let cool 8. Enjoy with toppings such as cinnamon, caramel, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream
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By: Amanda Narcisi Every once in a while we get out of the city when it comes time for dinner. There are lots of great places to eat in Cranberry and Robinson, but we found On Deck in Peters Township to be a great place to stop on the way back from Tanger Outlets. A little bit off of RT 19 sitting right on a lake is On Deck, a bar and grill that used to be a fine dining restaurant. The 20 taps they have carry various brands like Magic Hat, Dogfish, Stella, and Guinness. These are standard with a menu of rotating beers on their website. In addition to beer, they have a cocktail menu for martinis and wine. They also have two infusion drinks: Strawberry Banana and Jameson Banana. The only description they have is one is for the bold and one for the beautiful and the martini list includes one I would love to try: The Pinkerbell: Pinnacle Vodka, Cranberry Juice, Pineapple Juice, OJ, Sprite. 20 BOLD Pittsburgh
There is plenty of seating so there wasn’t a problem getting a table, especially on a nonSteeler Sunday. We chose a high top and there was about six TVs to choose from for the game. There are normal tables, a bar that seats about fifteen and booths. If the weather suits there is a full size deck overlooking the lake. The food menu has some amazing pieces and we started with an appetizer: The Pepperoni Roll. It was delicious; nice bread folded with lots of cheese and pepperoni and the perfect amount of garlic butter on top. Also highly recommended the Pulled Pork Nachos with smoked pulled pork, BBQ sauce and fried peppers and onions. There are also wings, Bevarian Pretzels, and spinach artichoke dip along with some others are also on the menu. We ventured to the burger menu with the Wake-Up Burger and The Wolfley. The Wake-up Burger is a cheeseburger with apple-
wood smoked bacon, a fried egg and American cheese served on your choice of bun, brioche, or a pretzel bun; I thought the pretzel would bring out the taste the best. The Wolfley is not for the weak and my poor date thought this was best for him: two 8 oz. burgers, two-anda-half grilled cheese sandwiches, eight slices of cheese, four strips of bacon, lettuce, tomato and red onion make this monstrosity impossible to fit in our mouth. This entrĂŠe, however, is meant to be pulled apart and eaten in layers. Each burger comes with your choice of a side; we opted for the fries. There are other full sized Entrees with Smoked Salmon and a Fried Chicken. Something awesome about their menu was a section dedicated just to grilled cheese. I noticed the Yinzer Grilled Cheese with chopped rib eye, creamy coleslaw, French fries and Muenster cheese. If you are a lover of grilled cheese this menu is so worth a look. There is also a sandwich and taco menu. The sandwich menu has the pulled pork sandwich, a shrimp po boy, and a chicken sandwich. The taco menu has a shrimp taco and regular tacos that I want to try next. Deserts are on rotation as weekly specials so you need to stop in to try.
In the end On Deck is a real chill place to eat and was reasonably priced. We enjoyed our visit and highly recommend. Check their website for special events and stop in during your favorite sports game to watch and have a bite.
Have an eatery you would like to be featured in BOLD Pittsburgh? Drop us an email @ BoldPittsburgh@gmail.com
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Yinzer Fashion
By: Renee Fisher
Pittsburghers have a lot of things to brag about, like our world-class universities, health care, sports teams, and the Hollywood movies that are filmed on our streets. One thing about us that just doesn’t stand out from the rest, however, is our fashion sense. With unpredictable and always changing weather, sometimes it’s hard to know what to wear when you get up in the morning. Some mistakes are worse than others, though. We took inventory of Pittsburghers’ most common fashion faux pas and narrowed it down to this list of cringe-worthy offenses:
sporting shirts, sandals, and socks. This is never a good look, and it’s probably too cold to actually be worth it anyway.
Hoodies as Coats With winter in Pittsburgh lasting months and months, everyone should invest in a warm and fashionable coat. Wool pea coats are a classic choice, but leather jackets and trench style coats look good on men and women, too. Whatever you do, don’t wear a hoodie in place of a jacket. It won’t keep you warm and it looks sloppy taboot.
Sports Jerseys Steelers and Penguin Jerseys are great to wear Avoid these faux pas and stay stylish, Pittsburgh! on game day, but other than that, keep them in your closet. If you wear the same jersey every day, there’s going to be an issue with not only your fashion choices but also your hygiene. These things need washed, too. Construction Boots Wearing a sturdy pair of Timberlands might be practical during the middle of winter in Pittsburgh, but it’s not the most stylish choice. Invest in boots that are both fashionable and waterproof, or pack other shoes to change into once you get inside.
Camo Just because we’re an hour away from West Virginia doesn’t mean it’s okay to wear camo pants, shirts, or anything else. Unless you’re in the military or on a hunting trip, stick to solids, or, for goodness sake, any other pattern. Shorts, Socks, and Sandals During days in winter when the high promises to go up to 55, young men appear in flocks 22 BOLD Pittsburgh
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and Fitness
Summer is very much gone, and although we might have a few nice days left here and there, Pittsburgh is going to be pretty much frozen for the next five months. Working out in the cold poses safety issues like frost bite, respiratory irritation, and, of course, slipping on ice. Combined with a general aversion to the cold and snow, it’s easy to avoid working out in the winter. Bringing hot summertime workouts into the middle of winter isn’t an impossible dream. If by the time November rolls around, you begin to daydream of relaxing in a summertime oasis, hot yoga is the perfect solution. I tried out hot yoga for the first time at Yoga Flow, which has several studios around the Pittsburgh area. After shivering all day long, when I first arrived in the Murrysville studio I could feel the my goosebumps and muscle tension melting away. Hot yoga studios are heated to 105 degrees and saturated with 40 percent humidity to raise your heart rate and work your muscles even more so than a room-temperature studio. With green walls, eucalyptus incense, flicker-
By: Renee Fisher
ing candles, and a tropical climate, I was ready to move not only my workout, but also possibly my whole living room, into Yoga Flow. Of course, the 75-minute beginner level class would have to do. I took a yoga class for physical education credits in college, so I was familiar with basic poses, but I certainly wouldn’t consider myself a full-fledged yogi. Yoga Flow does Vinyasa style yoga, which simply means each pose flows into the next. The sequences were pretty simple with classic positions like downward facing dog and cobra, but the heat in the room really intensified the exertion, and I was sweating within minutes. We were encouraged to rest in child’s pose or take a drink of water if we were feeling fatigued, which I definitely took advantage of several times throughout the session. As well as the sequences, the instructor walked around the room and gave us individualized tips and modifications for our favorite poses. For the last few minutes of class, we had a much-needed Shavasana (where you lay on your back and concentrate on deep breathing). My whole hot yoga experience at Yoga Flow was remarkably both energizing and relaxing, and was exactly what I needed to take a break from a cold, drizzly day. If this warm sanctuary is something you’re interested in, Yoga Flow has studios in Murrysville, Aspinwall, Shadyside, South Hills, and Irwin. Each location offers passes that last for anywhere from five visits to three months, or if you just want to try it out, go for the $14 drop-in option or select $5 community classes. Make sure to dress in light clothing, have a hand towel to wipe sweat, and bring at least one water bottle. You can also bring your own yoga mat or rent one from the studio. Yoga Flow is the place to go to luxuriate yourself in warmth and energy in the depth of Pittsburgh’s winter. Namaste!. BOLD Pittsburgh 23
Dear Snarky, How to Avoid Being a Jagoff at the Strip Club “The champagne room is up there, sweetheart,” the bouncer said. He pointed a burly arm toward a glowing window that loomed high above the bar. It looked inviting, almost cozy. “No sex in the champagne room. Everything else, though...” And the “everything else” set my mind on fire. My feminist tendencies screamed objectification and exploitation of female sexuality. Superseding all of my long-ingrained vernacular, however, was my ferocious curiosity about the world of stripping and, of course, the lives and rituals of its denizens. How could I justify these assumptions without ever having experienced a gentleman’s club? So I did...Renee and I went to Cheerleaders in the Strip District and absorbed the environment and the culture. As with any microcosm, there are rules and etiquette by which patrons and performers alike are expected to abide. What exactly was included in the “everything else,” and could any of those things happen outside of the champagne room? The bouncer at Cheerleaders, Rob, is a soft spoken--and very large--man. He’s the kind of guy who could crush a skull with one punch, yet cradle a baby bird with sweet gentility in the same hand. Rob explained the Rules of the strip club:
dances can happen there. Lots of stripping can happen there. But no sex...ever.
3. It’s as awkward as you make it. I arrived early and went into the club alone, but only after about ten minutes of coaxing from Rob. I have never felt more removed from my element. Is it ok for me to watch the pole dancing? Would that be pervy? I wanted to be respectful and not gawk, but I didn’t want to ignore the performers, either. After sitting through several performances, it stopped feeling awkward. I started to really appreciate the performers and admire their skills. I could never do a pole dance routine. (And no one would want me to. You can never unsee that.)
4. Touching is a touchy issue. And probably not a good idea. It’s not wise to touch anyone without the proper consent, so don’t be grabby. There are circumstances during which touching is acceptable. Some dancers allow it during lap dances but ask always first if there is ever any uncertainty. Broken noses are never attractive.
5. Do NOT bring a significant other who doesn’t want to be there. It won’t end well for anyone involved. Just don’t. 6. Make it rain. A girl’s gotta make a living. Dancers need their tips and they work hard for them. Crumpling dollar bills and throwing them at the stage is a way for patrons to appreciate the performers. Make it rain for them, kids! And bring cash; the dancers are too busy to run your credit card. 7. No pictures. Obviously, it’s not cool to take photos of anyone who doesn’t consent. If you feel the urge to take pictures, get a job at the Target portrait studio.
1. Don’t drink too much. Because, no matter how hilarious you think you are when you’re crunked within the walls of a strip club, hilarity usually leads to being an asshole. Think about it: there are so many opportunities for speaking too loudly and interrupting performances or 8. Respect, respect, respect. Let me just reiterate--respect the dancers. They’re making a livgawking. Keep alcohol consumption in check. ing the best way they can, just like everyone 2. No sex in the champagne room. Chris Rock else. They are human beings and deserve to be captured this timeless wisdom years ago. Lap treated as such. 24 BOLD Pittsburgh