Issue 8 by BOLD Pittsburgh

BOLD Pittsburgh Issue 8

From the Editor: Oh, how this year has just seemed to fly by. Where did the time go?! It has been an amazing year for us here at BOLD Pittsburgh; we launched our first issue in January and here we are almost 12 months later releasing our eighth installment of a project that started out with three women sitting in at a table wanting to explore our city and write about it. From there we grew to a team of seven people and combined our own individualities to form what you see today. That leads us into the countdown; any decent end of the year reflection has to have one. Here is a list of our top 10 favorite articles brought to you in 2014; feel free to go back and check them out! 10. Fashion: Nail Art – Issue 6 9. Restaurants: Shiloh Grill – Issue 1 8. Ask Snarky: Strip Club Etiquette – Issue 7 7. Fitness: Hot Yoga – Issue 7 6. Adventure: Roller Derby – Issue 4 5. Bars and Night Life: Diesel/Sky Bar – Issue 3 4. Breweries: Draai Laag Brewing Co. – Issue 6 3. Music: Top 20 Albums of 2014 – Issue 8 2. Guest Submissions: Cover Art – Issues 4 and 5 1. Neighborhood Series: Lawrenceville – Issue 2

While we are happy to reminisce, we are even more excited to begin our second year of bringing you quality, Pittsburgh-related content. Great, new things are on the way and in new media formats; expect video and audio content as well more interactive promotions such as contests and social events. As always, we will still be dedicated to releasing EZines and blog posts regularly throughout the 2015. We are so thankful to have so much support, not only from friends and family, but from the people we have met and connected with on the way. We couldn’t do any of this without you, our readers; you are like family to us and we appreciate all the support you have provided over the last year. We raise our glasses to you and toast to a happy and prosperous new year. See you in 2015!

BOLD Pittsburgh

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.

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

BOLD Pittsburgh

Issue 8 Contents

5-Winter Blues 7-Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s So Pittsburgh 8-Best Albums of 2014 15-Squirrel Hill 19-A Grand on a Grand Evening 20-Holiday Cocktail Guide 23-Grist House 26-Grit & Grace 28-Yinzer Fashion 29-And Fitness 30-Ask Snarky

BOLD Pittsburgh

Winter Blues

By: Amanda Cooney

I haven’t done anything really exciting ing medicine, I would have panic attacks before golately; I just haven’t felt like doing anything, actu- ing to school each Sunday night/Monday morning;

ally. I haven’t been lazy or bored; I have just been in this funk. This feeling is not new to me because it happens every year around this time and lasts until about March. I, like millions of Americans suffer from depression and am a part of a smaller group that lives with Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD (nice name, huh?). As the days shorten and the temperatures drop, I find myself more tired and listless day after day. While others are celebrating the holidays with cheer, I am more likely to be walking around with a blank stare wishing I was in my bed. These symptoms, I have come to find, are completely normal and there are many like me that are walking around, tired, listless, and baring a blank face wishing to be in their bed. However, I don’t want to be like that; I want to join in on the holiday cheer with my friends and family. So I have been trying to be more social and active during these late fall/ early winter months before it becomes more difficult to shake the funk after the New Year. I began displaying symptoms of anxiety and depression around the years of puberty and ended up being prescribed an anti-depressant. Prior to tak-

I would end up having to call my mother to come get me from sleep overs because I just couldn’t stay away from home; I would stay in my room hours on end only coming out to eat and go to the bathroom. These symptoms sound a lot like what people would call “teenage angst”, but they continued into my twenties. The anti-depressants help, but like everyone, I have bad days and no amount of pills would help. Winter, as I said before, is especially difficult for me because of the fact that I wake up when it is dark and come home when it is dark. I have a list of things to do, and when I finally get to my house, all I want to do is put on my pajamas and watch TV. And, you know what, that is totally normal! Your list of chores can wait for another day. If, and when, you feel like you have more energy, do something that counts! I try to exercise as much as I can during the winter. Exercise naturally gives your body endorphins and it also combats weight gain that can be a side effect of SAD. One of the many conveniences of the internet is you don’t have to go out and join a gym to exercise. There are thousands of websites, apps, and BOLD Pittsburgh

even Pins on Pinterest that you can use to get your blood pumping in your own home. Also, you can always go the low-tech route and take a walk around your neighborhood. You don’t have to do a 5K or even a mile, just enough to get some fresh air in your lungs and some light in your eyes; fresh air and light are powerful, natural forces against the blues. If exercising isn’t your thing, you can always try to pick up a new hobby or get back into one that you may have set aside. There are a ton of resources within Pittsburgh that you can utilize to learn new things. Each local library holds free classes from crafting to gardening and group sessions on storytelling and various book clubs. You can visit CarnegieLibrary.org for a listing of classes and narrow the choices down to what you are interested in learning and class location. If you don’t feel like getting social, you can always check out books and instructional DVDs for free with your library card. Set a goal for yourself: maybe you want to learn a new language by this time next year or you want to travel more. Go for it! The Carnegie Libraries also offer classes and reference materials to learn new languages, as well as house an amazing geography section ranging from local to destinations across the country and even the world. Talk to your friends and family about it; they can be your support team. But make sure your goal is attainable and give yourself some leeway in your deadline. If for some reason you don’t achieve your goal, brush yourself off and try again. I find that painting, printmaking, drawing, or any kind of creative release is therapeutic and helps take your mind off of something you may be worrying about or even give you the satisfaction that you have accomplished something. I highly recommend paint parties that are offered at local galleries throughout Pittsburgh. I attended one a few months back when I was really stressed out and I left feeling great. There are also monthly craft classes held by Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse that can be really fun and helpful to get those creative juices flowing. Journaling and writing are also great tools to help sort out what you are feeling. By writing things down, you can take a step back and analyze what is really going on; your mind can play tricks on you and make you blow situations out of proportion. Buy a fun notebook from your local book store to designate for your thoughts. 6

BOLD Pittsburgh

Getting out of your house and trying a new restaurant can help break up your routine. Start by selecting a Pittsburgh neighborhood and then Google search local restaurants in the area. This allows you to try something that you may not otherwise have tried. Feel free to recommend the restaurant to other friends and see if they would like to get together soon. You could even go out and meet new people if you feel up to it. Meet Ups happen all over Pittsburgh every day and it’s a good way to get to know people with similar interests. Check out MeetUp. com and search for groups that might interest you. There isn’t any pressure to attend all of the events and if you find it might not be for you, you can always leave the group. Last I had checked there were over 500 Meet Up groups within the Greater Pittsburgh Area, offering a diverse selection of choices to almost everyone interested in meeting new people. One thing that can definitely set you back, and I have experienced this many times, is putting too much on your plate when you may not be ready for it. You could be chugging through a list of things you wanted to accomplish and something, whether its lack of energy or something throws a wrench in your plans, can completely cause you to crash. And that is okay too; it is completely normal and you can always get back on the right track when you start to feel better. Take it one step at a time, you can do it. I want to disclaim that I have no medical or psychology training that deem me qualified to give advice, I took one psychology class in undergrad, but I honestly that was some time ago. I can, however, tell you my story and let you know what helps me get through each day and hope it will help someone else too. I also acknowledge that everyone is different and my story may pale in comparison to what you may be going through. Either way, if you feel like you can’t take life anymore, you NEED to tell someone. Whether it’s friends, families, or a counselor there is always someone that will listen. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to people you know or if they aren’t supportive, there are always hotlines that you can call. You are stronger than you realize and things will get better Crisis hotline: Call - 800-273-8255 Log on - http://www.crisiscallcenter.org/crisisservices.html Text - ANSWER to 839863

s ’ t a h T SO

h g r u b s t t i P We love the Pittsburgh Parking Chair, but we love when a chair gets a parking ticket. Submitted by: Natalie April via Facebook

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

Author’s note From the shrouded depths of extreme metal to the intimacy of one depressed guy finger-picking an acoustic guitar, music in 2014 - like every year - offered tunes of the highest quality fit to please any palate. As tastes evolve and favorites change with new experiences and discoveries that come each day, the tenuous value of any “best of” list remains obvious. But that doesn’t mean that it’s not fun to look back at the year that was in search of those new discoveries, or just for a reminder that Run the Jewels really are that good. Of the more than 200 albums from 2014 I heard, here are the 20 that made me the happiest to be alive and interested in 2014. And now that the list is finished, I can finally get back to listening to the Clash all day. Let me know what you think, @LaVoiePGH. Happy listening. TL

Best Albums of 2014 BOLD Pittsburgh

By: Tim LaVoie

20. Jessie Ware - Tough Love; On her sopho-

more full-length, Jessie Ware - the not-Adele, English R&B singer - unveils a set of concise, pensive, electro and gospel inspired tracks. Rather than bowling listeners over with stadium filling volume, Ware uses her Sade-esque coo to solidify a more sophisticated presence. Essential tracks: “Sweetest Song”, “Champagne Kisses”

19.

Tigers Jaw - Charmer; The Scranton, PA band’s fourth album displays a skillful balance between the mature indie rock of their future and the punk of their roots. Reeling from the end of their romantic partnership, the band’s permanent members, Ben Walsh and Brianna Collins, trade barbs and blame. On “Hum,” Collins concedes “Well maybe I am the liar/ and there is nothing that is left for us/you are a permanent scar.” Walsh responds, “I kept myself away/but I’m starting to like the pain.” Hearing this emotional transition unfurl over the course of a pop album unmasks the potential of a band that teetered on brink of collapse, and instead rose to the occasion with a breakthrough recording. Essential tracks: “Slow Come On”, “Distress Signal”

stomping beats. Clark confirms the notion that a lyricless, electronic recording can convey the entire range of human sensation. Clark counters bursts of glitch and blip-filled energy with anodyne stretches of synth and smog. When the two forces braid on tracks like “Winter Linn” and “Snowbird,” Clark summits cathartic heights. Essential tracks: “Unfurla”, “Snowbird”

17. Shabazz Palaces - Lese

Majesty; Three years after their thrilling debut LP, Black Up, the Seattle hiphop visionaries return to again reconfigure the sonic boundaries of rap. Shunning the stereotypical trapping of thumping bass, Shabazz Palaces surround Ishmael Butler’s almost computerized, modulated vocals with futuristic techno scrape and digital sun showers. Unrepentantly academic, the Cylon-rap of Lese Majesty is a gift to listeners looking forward to when the machines take over. Essential tracks: “They Come in Gold”, “. . .down 155th in the MCM Snorkel”

Kozelek’s transparent, journal-entry lyrics can be off-putting. 16.

Grouper - Ruins; Ambient musician Liz Harris’ Ruins stands as her most affective and moving recording. As Grouper, Harris lays claim to other gorgeous, evocative albums - A I A and 18. Clark - Clark; Veteran electronic produc- Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill. Yet, the repeater Chris Clark’s self-titled record crackles and ing patterns of saturnine, plunking piano and sways with introspective ambient swirls and hushed vocals on Ruins open a portal to a new BOLD Pittsburgh

cosmos of percussion-less bliss. Her sound remains terrestrial with crickets chirping and frogs croaking between the meandering piano. Yet the drone pieces unfurl among the clouds; one soothing orbital rotation after the next. Essential tracks: “Holding”, “Clearing”

Guyville-era Liz Phair with the jangle of classic Built to Spill. But the intimate, sparse tracks form the backbone of the record - particularly the closer, “Windows.” Honest, self-effacing lyrics - “Am I the ugly one?/It’s easy to see past all of the kindness that you’ve offered me/It doesn’t last” - and no frills arrangements begin to justify 15. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Piñata; Rapper the Bill Callahan comparisons. Essential tracks: Freddie Gibbs and hip-hop producer Madlib un- “Windows”, “Lights Out” leash their most entertaining and technically proficient points of their careers on their debut 12. Vince Staples - Hell Can Wait; This blisfull-length collaboration. The production heav- tering 7-song EP from the 21-year old, L.A.-arily relies on the funk and soul of 70’s Blaxploi- ea rapper hemorrhages gripping snapshots of tation - bringing to mind the laid back, but still California street life. Over early-90s style beats, danceable sounds of the best Wu-Tang releases. Staples unleashes line after line of abrasive Using a grizzled, speedy flow, Gibbs’ honest re- lyrics. Prophetic and potent, Hell Can Wait deflections of growing up broke and surviving on mands attention for rap-heads and haters alike. the streets of Gary, Indiana, pop with tenable “Deangelo Lopez and Tyler Woods/Just a couple grace off of Madlib’s restrained beats. The best they gunned down around the hood/I guess the gangsta rap LP of 2014. Essential tracks: “Deep- pigs split wigs for the greater good/Cause I ain’t er”, “Thuggin’” seen them lock a swine up yet/At the most they reassign ‘em to prevent protest/Just your color 14. Spoon - They Want My Soul; Another year, is enough to get you under arrest.” Staples has another tremendous record from Britt Daniel the rare ability to place the listener right into his and company. This taught, punchy set of brainy world in less than 25 minutes. Essential tracks: pop tracks bear the classic Spoon sound. The “Blue Suede”, “Screen Door” addition of a new full-time band member - keyboardist Alex Fischel - affixes new warmth and 11. Cloud Nothings - Here and Nowhere Else; textures to their established brand of jittery gui- This crunchy, 31-minute set of uppercuts puts tar rock. Essential tracks: “Knock Knock Knock”, Cloud Nothings into the field of “great” rock “Let Me Be Mine” bands. Written in only a week, bandleader Dylan Baldi seems to perspire hook-filled, fist-pump13. Angel Olsen - Burn Your Fire for No Wit- ing anthems. Cloud Nothings siphoned out most ness; On Burn Your Fire, Olsen shifts between of the dark, chugging moments highlighted on throwback garage rock and haunting solo piec- the band’s 2012 breakthrough, Attack on Memes. Her full band songs sound like B-sides from ory. But the frantic Here and Nowhere Else is

10 BOLD Pittsburgh

so relentless and fun there’s no time to snivel. It culminates in the band’s best song to date, the triumphant “I’m Not Part of Me.” Essential tracks: “Psychic Trauma”, “I’m Not Part of Me”

10.

Sharon Van Etten - Are We There; Her fourth record continues singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten’s career-long upward trajectory with another set of vivid tracks. Displaying a full command of her deep, powerful voice, Are We There should elevate Van Etten as close to stardom as she’s comfortable going. The piano ballads, “I Love You But I’m Lost” and “I Know”, haunt with the weight of anything from her impressive catalog. Balanced by distilling mid-tempo burners, every note of Are We There works. Plus, her frankness just makes her so damn likeable. Essential tracks: “I Know”, “Your Love is Killing Me”

9. Aphex Twin - Syro; Coming from the warped

mind of one of the few truly peerless artists, most would fawn over Richard D. James’ first Aphex Twin record in 13 years just for not disappointing. Far from just meeting absurd expectations, Syro zips past them with hyperactive fits of tangled electronic-jazz and mind-altering acid funk. It may take years to unpackage and devour each scratch and blip on Syro, but it already plays as fully engrossing headphone music of the first order. Essential tracks: “4 bit 9d api+e+6 [126.26]”, “PAPAT4 [155][pineal mix]”

and best record. As to-the-point as the title suggests, The Satanist surges from the onset. Frontman Nergel’s recent bout with leukemia brought him face-to-face with death. When you’re the leader of a band like Behemoth, that can only mean essential music to follow. Surgical guitar work and the barbaric slow-march of pounding drums bring the fires of Gehenna above ground. The Satanist is a spine-tingling affirmation of the value of free-thought; a malefic, goulish reminder that the cursed have more fun. All hail. Essential tracks: “O Father O Satan O Sun!”, “Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel”, “Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer”

7. FKA twigs - LP1; Following last year’s addic-

tive EP2 - check out the video for “Water Me” - LP1 became one of 2014’s most anticipated debut full-lengths. A success on every level, the mesmeric Brit’s sultry electro/R&B sounds like Aaliyah meeting Bjork in outer space. Equally influenced by Tricky and Massive Attack as Janet Jackson, twigs packages her electronic experimentation within recognizable R&B constructs. The two sides balance so well that LP1 corrupts and honors both genres with equal fervor. The unrivaled highlight is “Two Weeks” the best single of 2014. An erotic, tension-filled, ode to everything twigs does well; “Two Weeks” alone merits hours of repeated listens. Essential tracks: “Two Weeks”, “Video Girl”, “Closer”

6. Swans - To Be Kind; On their third record

post-2010 reunion, Michael Gira’s Swans con8. Behemoth - The Satanist; The Polish titans tinue their streak of patience-challenging, avant of European death metal return with their 10th, garde post-rock. The 60 year-old Gira didn’t

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need to bring back Swans to cement his status in musical lure. But since he did, Swans have pummeled audiences and critics alike as both the loudest live band in the United States, and the most artistically nuanced. With an over twohour runtime, the sprawling To Be Kind devours those who come within its penumbra. To Be Kind will only be loved by a select few looking for total immersion by offering themselves up to the Altar of Gira. But that’s the point. How much can you take? Essential tracks: “Bring the Sun/ Toussaint L’Ouverture”, “Oxygen”

gruff gracing each road trip-ready track. Dreamy synths, oozing saxaphone, dancing bursts of piano, and wheezy harmonica elevate Lost in the Dream towards the sonic Mecca of Born in the U.S.A. Lyrically, Granduciel doesn’t venture far from port; leaning on the tried-and-true themes of hometowns, geographical metaphors, and loves lost. Between the warm coils of pedal steel and swelling sax of “Eyes to the Wind”, he sings “There’s a cold wind blowing down my old road/ Down the backstreets where the pines grow/ Where the river splits the undertows.” Granduciel’s brand of re-imagined classic rock never 5. Perfume Genius - Too Bright; Mike Hadreas’ sounded so comforting or satisfying. Essential third album as Perfume Genius is complex, con- tracks: “Red Eyes”, “Eyes to the Wind”, “Burning” fusing, and oddly beautiful. Known for devastating lyrics, and a fragile, warbling voice placed 3. Pallbearer - Foundations of Burden; With over simple piano arrangements, Hadreas takes this punishing, colossal album, the Arkansas risks here on songs with self-assured industrial doom-metal outfit conquer all Black Sabbathnoise and twinkling synth. Always comfortable inspired acts that have been or ever will be. with his sexuality, with success Hadreas now as- Pallbearer enhance their already skillful take on sumes a position of commanding authority on Sabbath’s slow, brooding riffage by unleashing issues of gay-lib and gender conventions. He hi- soaring harmonies of lead guitar and 70’s-Ozzy lariously mocks the puritanical in the chorus of style vocals. Foundations never speed ups from lead single “Queen”, declaring, “No family is safe the plodding, funeral march-tempo that makes when I sashay!” In between the experiments every crush of guitar feel like an atlas stone belay plenty of his calling-card confessional piano ing dropped on your shoulders. Bands have pieces, showing that he hasn’t spread his wings come close to creating the mystical, gloomy autoo far too fast. Essential tracks: “Queen”, “All ras heard on Foundations, but none reached the dolent peaks Pallbearer climb with each crushAlong”, “No Good”, “Grid” ing sway. The lyrics don’t do much to brighten 4. The War on Drugs - Lost in the Dream; the mood. Brett Campbell mourns “My time has Springsteen remains the never-fading beacon of come/Accepting fate/Light disappears again.” influence on Lost in the Dream - the unimpeach- But his clear, sung not screamed, vocals are a able best rock album of 2014. War on Drugs mas- refreshing change of pace from the genre’s typitermind Adam Granduciel brandishes more of a cal growls. Foundations of Burden is a burgeonwistful Tom Petty-styled vocal approach, but it’s ing feat of sorrowful grandeur. Essential tracks: impossible not to imagine the Boss’ every-man “The Ghost I Used to Be”, “Foundations”

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2. Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 2; The so-

El isn’t afraid to get political either, “We’re out of order?/Your honor, you’re out of order!/This whole court is unimportant/You [s]uckers are walking corpses.” Not just a great record, RTJ2 is a statement. This is absolutely vital listening. Essential tracks: “Oh My Darling Don’t Cry”, “Close Your Eyes”, “Early”, “All Due Respect”

cial role of hip-hop has never been as relevant as right now. And the pairing of Killer Mike and El-P may be the best thing to happen to hip-hop since the turntable. On RTJ2, each half of the buddy act reach their creative peaks. The stronger MC of the two, Killer Mike’s rhymes form the emotional core of the record, while El-P’s eccentric, funky production brings a pulled-fire-alarm 1. Sun Kil Moon - Benji: Mark Kozelek has been sense of urgency to every song. More political making introspective, moving music since the than RTJ1, Killer Mike possess an eerie ability to early nineties. First as the leader of Red House predict current events - spinning verses like: Painters, and for the last eleven years with his solo project, Sun Kil Moon. Benji stands as the “Please don’t lock me up in front of my kids masterpiece of a lifetime for Kozelek. The last And in front of my wife, man, I ain’t got a gun or 20-plus years of writing and recording sound a knife like a mere warm-up for this singular work. You do this and you ruin my life In about an hour, Kozelek’s trademark, calmAnd I apologize if it seems like I got out of line, ing tenor sings an epic 5,000 words worth of sir sad-bastard life stories over finger-picked PorCause I respect the badge and the gun tuguese guitar. In 2010, he admitted, “I’ve run And I pray today ain’t the day that you drag me out of metaphors.” Since then, Kozelek’s been away writing himself into every song. He gives listenRight in front of my beautiful son” ers not just a peek into his personal life, but un Killer Mike does the heavy lifting lyri- bridled full-access into his family, romantic, and cally. But El-P holds serve when it’s his turn to emotional history. Bereft of even a hint of symrhyme, flaunting his technical dexterity with bolism, Benji is a first-person meditation on the tongue-tying word play and speed - “I’ve been lives, and mostly deaths, that shape Kozelek’s a better bad guy than I’ve been better than bad.” lugubrious outlook. Continued BOLD Pittsburgh 13

Kozelek’s transparent, journal-entry lyrics can be off-putting. But by the end of the album-opener, “Carissa”, about his second cousin who died in a “freak accident fire,” any listener with a pulse makes an honest connection to Mark and the people in his life. The second track, “I Can’t Live Without My Mother’s Love”, documents his fears as his parents age: “When she’s gone I’ll miss our slow easy walks/Playing Scrabble, the chimes of the grandfather clock/I’ll even miss the times that we fought/But mostly I’ll miss being able to call her and talk.” Benji plucks forward, only getting darker with the school shooting balad “Pray for Newtown”, and the rhodes piano-based song about visiting his father’s buddy, and convicted mercy killer, “Jim Wise”. All the drama of Benji’s first half sets the stage for the stunning ten minute album centerpiece, “I Watched the Film The Song Remains the Same.” Over the prettiest guitar work on the album, Kozelek spins a life-spanning narrative fleshing out the history of his obsession with death and sadness. “I don’t know what happened or what anyone did/From my earliest memories I was a very melancholic kid/When anything close to me at all in the world died/ To my heart forever it would be tied.” Many of Benji’s most memorable tales live within “I Watched the Film . . .”, including the schoolyard anecdote: “Though I kept to myself and for the most part was pretty coy, I once got baited into clocking some undeserving boy Out on the elementary school playground, I threw a punch that caught him off-guard and knocked him down. 14 BOLD Pittsburgh

And when I walked away the kids were cheering, And though I grinned, deep inside I was hurting. But not as much as I hurt him, He stood up, his glasses broken and his face was red. And I was never a schoolyard bully, It was only one incident and it has always eaten at me. I was never the young schoolyard bully, And wherever you are, that poor kid, I’m so sorry.” The heartbreaking “Micheline” highlights Benji’s back-end, as Kozelek tells three separate stories. The first about his mentally disabled childhood friend, Micheline, who is taken advantage of - “When she got older a neighborhood thug moved in with her and started taking her welfare payments.” The second describes a friend who suffered a fatal aneurysm - “My friend Brett/He had a wife and a son/My friend Brett/He just liked to play guitar and he never hurt anyone.” In the closing verse Mark tells of his first trip to Los Angeles to visit his sick grandmother - “My grandma, my grandma/She was diagnosed at 62/Her kids stepped up to the plate for her and were there the whole way through.” It isn’t easy listening, but Kozelek’s command of the brutally sad causes us to reflect on the moments and people that would make up our own Benji. Vulnerability and pain never sounded this beautiful. Essential tracks: “I Watched the Film The Song Remains the Same”, “Micheline”, “Carissa” Have a Band or Album you would like to see in our music section? Email us @ boldpittsburgh@gmail.com

Squirrel Hill BOLD Pittsburgh 15

Located approximately five miles east of the Point lies a small community with a lot to offer. Squirrel Hill begins on Forbes Ave at Carnegie Mellon University and continues until you reach Wilkinsburg. This community is home to a wide variety of small businesses ranging from book stores to bakeries, restaurants of all kinds to record stores; Squirrel Hill is a must visit whether you are from out of town or a Pittsburgh native. The business district begins at the intersection of Forbes and Murray Avenues. Some landmarks include Littleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Shoes, Jerryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Records, Forward Lanes, Gaby et Jules Patisseries et Macarons, and The Squirrel Hill Cafe. 16 BOLD Pittsburgh

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A Grand Evening for a Grand Pittsburgh is nothing like New York City; a night in the big apple can run a lot of greenbacks, but what about Pittsburgh? Can you actually spend $1000 in a night?

The be safe date The one and only time I ever spent $1000 in one night I was originally just trying to play it safe. I got tickets for a concert at Stage AE and didn’t want to drive home afterwards so, I started out the night by renting a hotel room at the Hyatt on the North Shore. The next item I got for the evening was a new outfit. It was a skirt with tights, a nice shirt with sweater. I knew there was a nice dinner and the band we were seeing is more funk and jazz then something crazy. Next, to kick off the evening, I bought a bottle of wine to the hotel. The dinner after the bottle of wine was at the most expensive restaurant in the North Shore: Hyde Park. If you have all the courses including dessert and with the right bottle of wine, the dinner can top prices in the couple hundreds. The concert tickets are included in the total of the night. We did purchase a few drinks at the club, a t-shirt, and a CD. The show was fun and everyone should experience a show at Stage AE. On this night we saw G Love and Special Sauce. It was an indoor show and the best part was that we were able to get right up front. After the show we had another drink at Rivertowne, however, our first drink was free with our ticket stub. I am not sure this is a regular promotion. Being a brewery, Rivertowne beer isn’t one of your typical old in the wall bars and their beer prices resemble that. After those last drinks we retired to the hotel for the night. So to break it down: CONCERT TICKETS: $80.00 HOTEL: $250.00 DINNER: $400.00

By: Amanda Narcisi

(This was with all courses and a top line bottle of wine.) CONCERT FUN: $100.00 WINE BEFORE: $30.00 RIVERTOWNE: $40.00 CLOTHES: $100.00 (It was a special occasion and I opted for a new outfit.)

This was one specific night, however, there are a few more nights if you can or want to live life like the rich and fabulous. Here are some tips: 1) Pick a REALLY expensive restaurant. If you love wine get the most expensive on the list. Meat and Potatoes, Eddie Merlots, and Ruth Chris Steakhouse just are a few of my favorite. 2) Pick a show; and I don’t mean a movie. Concerts, stage shows, and the symphony are great; this may take some advanced planning because shows sell out. 3) Go for after show drinks. With craft beer and craft cocktails running rampant in the Burgh, pick a cozy bar to have a nightcap. The fancier the better. I love Butcher and the Rye and Acacia for there craft whiskey drinks. 4) Stay out or call Lyft. I like staying in a hotel even though I live close to the city. But, if that is a bit out of your budget then use Lyft. 5) Buy a new outfit. Your date will love it and it gives a boost to the self-esteem.

If you decide to bend the idea and head to the Rivers Casino or even the Meadows, keep your money in mind and don’t get carried away. I like to leave my bank card in the car and only take in $100. It can be great fun and make you feel like a wealthy person; just be careful.

The main thing is to have fun and relax. Money is meant to be enjoyed. BOLD Pittsburgh 19

Cheers A Guide to Holiday Cocktails

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By: Amanda Narcisi & Steven Fernald

Salted Caramel Apple Pie

Captain Morgan Cider

1 oz. Baileys® Salted Caramel Irish Cream Liqueur 0.5 oz. Smirnoff® Green Apple 0.25 oz. cinnamon & sugar mix to rim shot glass 1 red apple slice

1.25 oz. Captain Morgan® Original Spiced Rum 6 oz. apple cider 1 piece(s) cinnamon stick(s)

1) Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. 2) Strain into a chilled shot glass rimmed with cinnamon sugar mix. 3) Garnish with red apple slice.

1) Shake all ingredients, except hot water & pour into a coffee mug. 2)Garnish with a half pat of butter.

Chocolate Martini 0.75 oz. Smirnoff® Vanilla 0.75 oz. Godiva® Original Liqueur 0.25 oz. shaving(s) of chocolate

1)In a shaker with ice, add Smirnoff Vanilla Vodka and Godiva Chocolate Liqueur. 2) Shake and strain into a martini glass. 3) Garnish with chocolate shavings (optional).

Egg Nog

1 oz. Baileys® Original Irish Cream Liqueur 0.25 oz. Bushmills® Original Irish Whiskey 1 egg(s) 2 cup(s) milk 1 pinch(es) nutmeg

1) Blend all ingredients (except milk) until smooth and pour into a heat-proof mug. 2) Add boiling milk, sprinkle with nutmeg and serve. BOLD Pittsburgh 21

Wassail 1/2 cup brandy 2 bottles dry sherry 1 cup water 1 cup sugar 3 egg yolks 6 egg whites 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1/4 tsp ginger 1/4 tsp cardamom Cloves Cinnamon sticks Apple slices 1) Place the water and spices into a saucepan. 2) Simmer for 10 minutes, without allowing it to reach a boil and stirring occasionally. 3) Add the sherry and sugar and continue to heat and stir for a few minutes. 4) Remove from heat. 5) Beat the egg white and yolks separately. 6) Stir the sherry mix and egg yolks together in a heat resistant punch bowl or wassail bowl. 7) Add the brandy. 8) Whisk in the egg whites until foamy. 9) Garnish the punch bowl with apple or other fruit slices.

22 BOLD Pittsburgh

Ten Holiday Beers

10-Silent Night Brewed-Mother Earth Brewing 9-Great Lakes Christmas Ale

8- Sierra Nevada Celebration 7- Sweetwater Festive Ale

6- Alpha Klaus-Three Floyds Brewing

5-6th Day Brown Ale-Goose Island Beer Company 4-Troegs Mad Elf

3- Santaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Private Reserve

2- Fireside Chat Winter Spiced Ale-21st Amendment 1- Anderson Valley Winter Solstice

By: Annie Fowler BOLD Pittsburgh 23

I’m a dog person. By ‘dog person’ I mean that I like dogs more than people. People like to talk about money, politics, the Kardashians, and Facebook. Dogs don’t do that shit. When I was met by a lovely black lab at the door of Grist House, all felt right with the world. This place smells like beer, there is a dog sniffing my feet, and there are two empty bar stools left. Perfect. Grist House Brewing has a welcoming atmosphere and is the perfect spot to drink beer on a cold night surrounded by people who have cheeks warmed and blushed by alcohol and conversation. Grist House is located in Millvale, a neighborhood that is quickly becoming my favorite location for beer. Millvale is a part of this city where progress sprang up like an industry. You can almost hear the town slowly molt its past off of its new, tattooed, beer-covered body. Millvale is definitely a place to watch over the next few years, or to go grab some brews. “Millvale picked us”, says Kyle Mientkiewicz (co-founder and brew master), “…it felt perfect”. The founders of Grist House (Kyle Mientkiewicz and Brian Eaton) looked around for a while to find a venue for their idea and settled on Millvale. The price was right, they loved the 24 BOLD Pittsburgh

town, and they made a lot of friends and connections quickly. The brewery has been open since Memorial Day, but Grist House has owned the building for two years. Good Things When you visit Grist House, and you should, you will notice a lot of good things happening around you. As mentioned, there are dogs. The brewery is ‘dog friendly for friendly dogs’, so feel free to bring your buddy over to hang with their beer hounds. Also, quite frequently there is a food truck outside or some kind of event happening (check their event schedule on their website for more information. http:// gristhousebrewing.com/taproom/ ). Apart from the food truck, dogs, beer menus, and the alike, I was drawn to the artwork. Yes, artwork. Colleen Vecellio (significant other of Kyle) designed everything. She drew up the menu (beer names were playfully written on a bag carried by Santa), designed the tee shirts, and painted a beautiful mural on the entrance wall. Look for Colleen’s work on one of our upcoming covers and all over Grist House. Beer I started with Master of the Galaxy. This double IPA is extremely hoppy with a uniquely

ABV, it’ll warm you either way. Black in the U.S.S.R. is one that you need to try while you are there. This black, Russian Imperial Stout has more hops than their double IPA. You will definitely taste hops and malt but also notice the beautiful semi-sweet chocolate flavor. This beer is full-bodied and complex and has an ABV of 9.3%. Camp Slap Red is a hoppy red ale with a rich, grapefruit aroma. This is the type of beer that you could drink all day and never get bored of drinking. It is smooth and a definite crowd pleaser. I suggest trying this one first when you go to Grist House. Gristful Thinking is a beer that I will have every single time I go to Grist House. It is light, well-balanced, and has this delicious hint of hops. The alcohol content is relatively low as well (4.8%), so it is something that would be great to fill a growler with and park your ass in front of the TV to enjoy with a friend. It is incredrefreshing citrus aroibly mild while still holding on to all the things ma. This is truly an allthat make a beer a beer. seasons beer with a great comforting, roasted malt quality paired with uplifting tones of citrus hops. If Location and other information: you like a hoppy beer, you will love this one. 10 Sherman Street My date, John, chose Lil Bit O’ Nature. This Pittsburgh, PA beer was incredibly fresh and fruity while still 15209 managing to stay perfectly balanced and have that distinctive and pleasing hops taste to fin- Visit their website: gristhousebrewing.com ish. John is typically better at most things than Normal hours of operation: me, choosing beer is one of them. I have to say, Thursdays: 5:00pm-10:00pm I liked my IPA better, just slightly. These are two Fridays: 5:00pm-10:00pm very different IPAs. If you are into hops, go with Saturdays: 2:00pm-10:00pm Master of the Galaxy. If earthy and even slightly Sundays: 2:00pm-6:00pm tropical is your thing, get the Lil Bit O’ Nature. If you are a REAL man or woman, get both. Thursdays and Fridays, from 5:00pm-7:00pm, is The Gristly Bear Brown was my favorite beer of ‘Hoppy Hour’. Get $1.50 off of your pint! the visit. This is an English style brown ale that is the absolute perfect winter beer. This beer is Have a Brewery or bar you Would like to be full-bodied and has a comforting and warming featured in BOLD Pittsburgh? Drop us an flavor combination. Nut, chocolate, and even email @ BoldPittsburgh@gmail.com caramel demand the beer be sipped. At 8.8% BOLD Pittsburgh 25

Grit

& True

Grace

By: Amanda Narcisi

There is something special about a restaurant when you ask for seconds on an appetizer before you even see your main course: Pork Belly Dim Sum to be precise. We had stopped into Grit and Grace before a hockey game without a reservation and hope that we could get a table. The interior is sleek and modern with lots of wood and metal. The entrance has two long tables for large parties then as you continue down the restaurant you pass the bar, long enough to seat about ten, and then it opens to booths on one side and a bench with tables on the other. In the back of the restaurant there are two round booths to the left and bench tables to the right. We were settled into one of the bench tables; which was cozy for a date. Before our server came over to take our orders, a gentleman came over with a tray of food. He politely went over each dish, but never explained that it was dim sum; we thought it was mooch borsch. In our ignorance we asked if we could have one, however I wanted one of each. The Pork Belly and Steak Tartar was how we started. As we took our first bite the server came over with water and marked our dim sum and introduced himself. I ordered a Hongcouver: a mixture of scotch, ginger, lemon and honey. My company enjoyed a G & G Club Cocktail: bourbon, amaro, crĂ¨me de cassis, and orange bitters. I had to pass mine off to my company; too much ginger for my taste, so I enjoyed the 26 BOLD Pittsburgh

G & G Club Cocktail. We had finished our dim sum and ordered our main dishes. The dinner menu is split between two choices: a large plate and small plate. There is also a section for salads, sandwiches and noodles. From these options I was tempted toward the smoked brisket, kohlrabi kraut, thousand island sabayon, pickled red onions, horseradish cream, baguette. The shaved flank steak, flat rice noodles, bean sprouts, broccolini, mushrooms, onion, and garlic also sounded amazing. This was the unique thing about the menu: each dish listed the ingredients. You could prepare your taste buds for each item in a dish. T h e small plates offered up three dishes from short ribs with cream cheese, biscuits, aged white cheddar cheese and bĂŠarnaise to a steam bun,

housemaid mortadella coriander mustard, break and butter pickles. But for me, it was the large plates; I had to fuel up before the game. I went with the seared hanger steak, roasted root vegetables; buttermilk fried onion rings, jardinière, swiss and caramelized onion puree. Delicious is an understatement; marvelous doesn’t even do it justice. It was one of those meals where you chew each bite really slow and you sigh after every bite. This was food done right. I took my time eating it; enjoying every bite. It was worth every moment. My company enjoyed the crispy skin arctic char, chickpea fritters, yogurt braised kale, grape mostardo, pisachio. He also enjoyed his meal slowly and often made that “mmhmm” noise after a bite. I tried a bite of the char and it was wonderful. What would be a meal without dessert? Grit N Grace was not short on the spectacular dessert. I

had the flourless chocolate cake, which was drizzled in more chocolate and real whipped cream. Overall my dinner at Grit and Grace is the best I have reviewed yet. The ambience, food and the price are all perfect for the Pittsburgh market. It has been raved by everyone I have asked about their food. I have already returned and had a cocktail only and cannot wait for my next trip for more food. Magnificent! Grit and Grace 535 Liberty Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412-281-GRIT www.gritandgrace.com

Mon-Thur: 11:30pm-12am Fri-11:30pm-1am Sat-4:00pm-1:00am Sun-4:00pm-10:00pm

Have an eatery you would like to be featured in BOLD Pittsburgh? Drop us an email @ BoldPittsburgh@gmail.com BOLD Pittsburgh 27

Yinzer Fashion

By: Renee Fisher

With so many seasonal events to go to, it’s hard to know the appropriate attire for each one. Luckily, Bold Pittsburgh with has your back with when to wear dress slacks, jeans, or that sparkly mini skirt in the back of your closet. Follow this guide and you’ll look like a class act at your next get-together. Holiday Office Party The holiday office party is one of the few times you can let down your hair around your coworkers; however, that doesn’t mean you can dress like you’re going to the club. As a general rule of thumb, follow your office dress code, but bump up the festivity. Not allowed to wear skirts above the knee at work? Are sleeveless tops a no-go at the office? Don’t stray from your day-to-day guidelines, but make your outfit a little more merry with bright pops of colors or sparkles. Try something like skinny dress slacks, red pumps, and a silky blouse with a statement necklace and red lipstick. Christmas Eve Mass We don’t have to tell you that it’s not appropriate to show a lot of skin when you go to church with your family. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with your Christmas mass outfit. The key to your clothes here is layering. Churches have lofty ceilings and drafty stained glass windows that can make them chilly in the winter, but at the same time, during a packed service it could get awfully warm, too. Wear something like black pumps and thick tights under a short sleeved holiday dress. Wear a warm cardigan that can come off and on depending on the temperature. Christmas Day with the Family If your Christmas day is anything like mine, it will include crawling under the Christmas tree to hand out gifts, helping with dinner, and (weather depending) shoveling the walk in addition to to enjoying time with your family. 28 BOLD Pittsburgh

Skip the dress or skirt and opt for nice jeans and a sweater with ballet flats and sparkly jewelry. Your style will be in the holiday spirit, but you won’t be the scrooge who can’t help clear the table because your high heels are killing you. New Years Eve December 31 is the night to throw dress codes to the wind and wear whatever the heck you want. Mini skirts, tank tops, and sequined dresses are all on the table for an evening of bar hopping with your friends. Our only advice is not to forgo a coat (and a beer jacket doesn’t count) and to throw some flats in your purse just in case your six inch platforms don’t make it into the new year. (photo of white shoes via unsplash.com)

and Fitness

This time of year is when we reunite with friends and family to celebrate the holidays together, often over dinner, a plate of Christmas cookies, or a bottle of wine. While we are all about great food and drink, our excess consumption in December often continues to make itself known into the new year... specifically around our waistlines. Instead of feeling sluggish after a holiday rendezvous, try treating your out-of-town guests to one of these more active pastimes that will pull you off of the couch and onto your feet. The Pittsburgh Zoo

Winter is a great time to walk around our 77 acre zoo, because many of its residents thrive in the cooler weather! The Amur leopards and tigers, for example, are both from mountainous regions in the far East, so they feel most at home when the temperatures drop. The same goes for our Alaskan sea otters, snow leopards, polar bears, and, most notably, the penguins. The zoo hosts a “penguin walk” every weekend in the winter where the penguins march down the middle of the sidewalk close enough for visitors to touch. Then, when you get cold, head inside the PPG aquarium to see fish, sharks, rays and more. Ice Skating Ice skating is a low impact exercise that raises your heart rate, tones muscles, and improves

By: Renee Fisher

balance. But it’s also a great activity to do with your family around Christmas. Head to the famous rink downtown at PPG Place for an authentic Pittsburgh skating experience, or try out Schenley Park’s skating rink for a little less pizzazz but half the ticket price. Museums

Strolling through a museum isn’t about to become an Olympic sport, but it certainly gets your blood pumping more than watching A Christmas Story for the hundredth time while swigging on nog. Pittsburgh is home to some pretty awesome museums, but our most unique ones would have to be the Carnegie Science Center, The Mattress Factory, and The Andy Warhol Museum. They’re great for kids and adults, plus you can’t find anything like them in any other city. Skiing, Boarding, and Snow Tubing

Like ice skating, these downhill winter sports have excellent health benefits and are exhilarating too! Try our local slopes at Boyce Park for a short snow session. Or, if you really want to make a day of it, Seven Springs, which is an hour southeast of the ‘Burgh, is worth the drive. Both places offer rentals and lessons for the beginners in your group, too! Book your tickets for an on-your-feet holiday season, and you won’t feel so guilty when your welldeserved Christmas day feast comes around!

BOLD Pittsburgh 29

Dear Snarky,

and obvious mistakes (e.g., premature usage of the r-word, contact saturation via text, etc.). I’ll personally offer to tutor her later. The more pertinent By: Jen Pizzuto issue here is that of her sanity--of all women’s sanity, or lack thereof, during the twitterpation stage of One of my guy pals recently sent me a dating. The “twitterpation” stage is the feel-good, crisis text. It was odd behavior for this particular head in the clouds, love spell stag, also known as friend, who is usually reliably placid and rational. infatuation. All of those annoying, lusty feelings He’d met a new girl and had been having a great are finally realized. It’s like that moment when time hanging out with her for a few days. His inten- the door to Willy Wonka’s chocolate room opens tion was, in corporate-speak, “exploratory, with the and even my heroine, Veruca Salt, is entranced by potential for growth” (translation: casual hanging Wonka’s siren song. “Come with me and you’ll be out, drinks and the occasional make out session). It in a world of pure infatuation.” And it made me was, he asserted, the typical (and very early) stages wonder--what is it exactly about infatuation that of dating...then she shook him and terrified him to drives women absolutely crazy? Even women who his core. She began to use the r-word (“relationare strong, happily independent and are not desship”), after only two days. perate become inexplicably unglued when they’re twitter-pated. My friend was absolutely panicked and began to seize every opportunity to avoid her. He It pains me to admit it, but I lost my mind started to ignore her copious, and increasingly during a bout of particularly nasty infatuation. frantic, text messages and dreaded venturing into When my crush, after whom I’d lusted for months, public places because of the crippling fear that and I actually started to “date,” every fiber of my she would find him. The r-word itself is generally being was thrown into absolute chaos. I’m not usuenough to unhinge even the most rock-steady guy; ally one to put up with men’s shenanigans; indeed, after such a short time, it was enough to earn this every guy that I date is expected to strictly walk girl the “crazy” label. the line, or they’re dumped faster than a mug of cold coffee. If I get even an inkling that I’m get It’s true that she made some painfully basic ting anything less than the princess treatment, it’s

HAPPY HOLID FROM US TO Y BOLD Pittsburgh 30

over. My crush, however, walked over every inch of me, every way from Sunday. He never took me out on a proper date. He let weeks elapse without contacting me, and then would expect me to drop all of my plans on a few hours’ notice and drive 40 minutes to his home to “cuddle”...and I actually did. I never would have tolerated that behavior from anyone else, so why was I allowing this egregious, nonprincess-like mistreatment to happen? Answer: because my friend’s “crazy” girl and I are exactly the same as EVERY OTHER WOMAN who has ever been infected with infatuation. Women are seeking soulmates and men are seeking sex. (In my own defense, I was fed up after a few weeks of this disrespectful lunacy and finally cleaned house). In the words of my bestie, “women want the fairy tale--men just want some tail.” Infatuation is a delirious high, but like other hallucinogens, there’s an element of paranoia that is inherently present. Even the most secure, eventempered woman has lost her mind at least once while in the midst of infatuation intoxication. She desperately tries to change herself to become the most desirable human being that she can be to her “soulmate,” forgetting that it was she, herself (her style, her grace, her essence) that attracted him in the first place. But the infatuation feels good and it’s dangerous high. Women want to see their guys

DAYS! YOU!

more, to “secure him,” and can start to obsess over him--and this drives men away. Sadly, this is exactly what happened with my friend’s girl. Or, in my case, cause women to accept behaviors that they would otherwise completely disavow because of starry-eyed twitterpation.

To be fair, men can’t be entirely blamed for pulling away when a woman starts becoming obsessive or changes. The only feasible way to fight infatuation intoxication is for a woman to retain confidence in her own essence. Recognize that infatuation is an emotion, and like any other emotion (or drug), it can distort judgment. Always maintain an objective view of the situation. Would you allow a friend to be treated the way that your guy is treating you? Ask a trusted friend for guidance. Willy Wonka’s chocolate room was a wonder to behold, but was absolutely fake. Living in a world of pure infatuation is the same--it feels good, but it’s not real. Love only happens when both partners understand each other on a profound level. Until that happens, you’re only twitter-pated. Now go sober up with some coffee and a cold shower, you crazy kids. And don’t forget the chocolate.

BOLD Pittsburgh