Best Of Pittsburgh 2017

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER

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EVENTS 10.21 – 2pm CROSSING THE RED LINE: EXHIBITING IRANIAN ART IN THE US City of Asylum @ Alphabet City Co-presented with City of Asylum, Pittsburgh An afternoon with Dr. Shiva Balaghi, an independent scholar and curator based in Los Angeles. Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Farhad Moshiri: Go West.

FREE; Registration suggested

10.26 – 4:30pm 2017 TEACHER OPEN HOUSE Our annual open house event just for teachers.

Free parking available in The Warhol lot.

Tickets: $10

SQĂœRL featuring Jim Jarmusch &

Carter Logan: Four Films by Man Ray 11.4 – 8pm

10.28 – 2pm MEMBER TOUR: FARHAD MOSHIRI: GO WEST Free for members; Registration suggested.

Carnegie Lecture Hall (Oakland), Co-presented with Carnegie Museum of Art. Tickets $20/$15 members & students

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10.28 – 3pm DANDY ANDY: WARHOL’S QUEER HISTORY Free with museum admission

Luna with special guest

11.3 – 7pm COWBOY CINEMA The Warhol theater Join ďŹ lm scholar Dr. Mark Best and Chief Curator Jose Diaz as they discuss campy western ďŹ lm clips. This event is presented in connection with the Farhad Moshiri: Go West exhibition and is co-presented and sponsored by the Film Studies Program, University of Pittsburgh.

Free; Registration suggested

Eleanor Friedberger 11.15 – 8pm

Carnegie Lecture Hall, Co-presented with WYEP. Tickets $25/$20 members & students; visit warhol.org or call 412.237.8300

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The Andy Warhol Museum receives state arts funding support through a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency and The Heinz Endowments. Further support is provided by the Allegheny Regional Asset District.

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One card. More benefits.

Here’s one more benefit to having a Port Authority ConnectCard– now you can save money each time you ride a Healthy Ride bike.

Thanks to a special promotion with Healthy Ride, operators of Pittsburgh’s Bike Share program, your Port Authority ConnectCard enables you to receive FREE and unlimited 15-minute bike rides now through March 1, 2018.

Since many Healthy Ride stations are conveniently located near Port Authority transit stops, this is a great way to make short trips from your transit stop to your final destination.

How it works: 1. Go to any Healthy Ride station. For a complete list of locations, go to the Healthy Ride website.

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4. Tap your ConnectCard on the keypad of any Healthy Ride bike to receive your free 15-minute ride. ***Start here the next time you ride.*** 5. Return your bike to any Healthy Ride station. *No debit card or credit card is required to access the free rides. You will not need to link a method of payment to your account unless you exceed your 15-minute ride time.

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10.18/10.25.2017 VOLUME 27 + ISSUE 42

[EDITORIAL] Editor CHARLIE DEITCH News Editor REBECCA ADDISON Arts & Entertainment Editor BILL O’DRISCOLL Associate Editor AL HOFF Digital Editor ALEX GORDON Staff Writers RYAN DETO, CELINE ROBERTS Music Writer MEG FAIR Interns HALEY FREDERICK, HANNAH LYNN, JAKE MYSLIWCZYK, AMANDA REED

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“There have been numerous cases where ‘stand your ground’ law has applied and cases have proceeded.”

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Friday, October 27, 2017

GENERAL POLICIES: Contents copyrighted 2017 by Eagle Media Corp. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.

The opinions expressed in Pittsburgh City Paper are those of the author and not necessarily of Eagle Media Corp. LETTER POLICY: Letters, faxes or e-mails must be signed and include town and daytime phone number for confirmation.

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THIS WEEK

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ONLINE

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It’s a bird; it’s a plane. No, it’s a drone. Check out our Instagram account for #AbovePittsburgh, intern Jake Mysliwczyk’s weekly drone photography feature.

CP recently reported on racist graffiti in Pittsburgh as part of ProPublica’s Documenting Hate project aimed at collecting reports of hate crimes and bias incidents. If you’ve been a victim or a witness, tell us your story at www.pghcitypaper.com.

{CP PHOTO BY JAKE MYSLIWCZYK}

Graffiti tribute to Donald Ketter

The Lynn Cullen Show is back in full swing at www.pghcitypaper.com. She’s got a permanent location, phones that work, and she’s ready to talk to you live at 10 a.m. Mon.-Fri. at 412-200-5686.

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HIS PAST February, 28-year-old Donald Ketter was shot and killed outside of a bar in Carrick. The shooter, Derek Vasos, had called for a ride through the ride-hailing service Uber and was sitting in the passenger seat when Ketter allegedly approached the vehicle.

According to court documents, Ketter approached Vasos with a belt in his hand, and Vasos shot Ketter before telling the Uber driver to drive away.

Vasos has since been charged with criminal homicide, and in the trial set to begin next week, his defense attorney Phil Dilucente tells City Paper, he will argue that Vasos acted in self defense as permitted under Pennsylvania’s Castle Doctrine law. Updated in 2011, the law extends the right to self-defense, including the use of deadly force, in a victim’s home, vehicle,

or any other house or vehicle that the victim legally occupies.

“Under the Pennsylvania law, a person in any lawful place has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand their ground if they feel it is necessary to defend themselves against bodily harm or death,” Dilucente says.

The state’s ‘stand your ground’ law has failed to make waves, but activists and experts say Pennsylvanians shouldn’t forget about it {BY REBECCA ADDISON} So-called “stand your ground” laws were thrust into the national spotlight

after the 2012 death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. During the trial against Martin’s killer, George Zimmerman, the jury who acquitted Zimmerman was instructed that under Florida law, he “had no duty to retreat and had the right to stand his ground and meet force with force.”

Pennsylvania’s “stand your ground” differs from Florida’s. Experts say it is more restrictive. And perhaps as a result, the state hasn’t seen as many high-profile incidents as Florida, and scrutiny of our law has diminished.

But experts and activists say these laws shouldn’t be forgotten. Data suggests a correlation between states with stand-your-ground laws and an increase in homicides. And the Pennsylvania House is considering legislation that would expand the state’s stand-yourCONTINUES ON PG. 08

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OPENS SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21 The Frick Pittsburgh TheFrickUndressed.org

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ground law even further.

“These laws are important to keep your eye on because they often have effects that are counterintuitive to people,” says David Harris, a law professor at the University of Pittsburgh. “In Pennsylvania, in the current climate, it’s likely that you will have organizations try to expand this set of legal protections.”

PENNSYLVANIA’S Castle

Doctrine was signed into law in 2011. The legislation was originally vetoed by Gov. Ed Rendell and underwent several changes before it was approved by the state legislature.

“At the time we thought it was a solution in search of a problem,” says Richard Long, executive director of the Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Association, which worked with the legislature to revise the law. “We weren’t seeing people who were legitimately exercising self-defense being prosecuted in the first place.

“We did work to get it as palatable as possible, make some improvements to it that were included in the final legislation.”

Since then, Long says, he hasn’t seen many issues arising from the state law.

And he says that’s because of restrictions that were added to the law. In Pennsylvania, the law mandates that those using

the defense cannot be engaged in criminal activity and must believe their opponent has a deadly weapon.

“Since it was enacted, we haven’t had a lot of reports that there have been problems with it or that it’s impaired justice in anyway,” Long says. “There have been numerous cases where stand-yourground law has applied and cases have proceeded. What we have in Pennsylvania has additional protections in it than [does] the law in Florida and many of the other jurisdictions.

We feel that as far as these laws go, Pennsylvania’s is kind of the gold standard out there.”

Among the parts of Pennsylvania’s legislation that were removed during negotiations in 2011 was a provision for disparity in size or number of the involved parties. In the state House, Rep. Rick Saccone (R-Allegheny) has proposed legislation that would change that.

“In cases where an individual or group of assailants place another individual in a life-threatening situation without being in possession of lethal weapons, we must enable these people to take the

proper actions in order to prevent themselves from becoming victims,” Saccone said in a statement. “This legislation will provide Castle Doctrine protections to allow the use of lethal force in cases where an individual possesses the physical power, stature, or ability to inflict serious harm or death upon another person or in a case where the individuals using the force outnumber the victim such as he or she may fear serious bodily harm of death.

“It is easy to recognize that the size and number of attackers are critical variables in inflicting serious bodily injury. The disparity of force from group and gang attacks on citizens using only kicking and punching can be just as lethal as attacks with weapons especially to the elderly.”

Saccone’s legislation, HB167, provides a defense for shooters who feel that there is a “disparity in size” between them and their opponent, or those who are outnumbered, even if their opponent or opponents don’t have a weapon. So far 30 co-sponsors have signed onto the bill.

“Although this doesn’t have much

“AT THE TIME WE THOUGHT IT WAS A SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM.”

traction at the moment, this is something citizens in Pennsylvania should be aware of,” says Rob Conroy, organizing director of CeaseFirePa, a group focused on reducing gun violence. “Obviously this is one of the scariest things you can imagine as a citizen of Pennsylvania, is for this to pass.”

Kim Stolfer, president of Firearm Owners Against Crime, who wrote Pennsylvania’s stand-your-ground legislation, says many states already have “disparity of size” built into their stand-yourground laws.

“Say you have a 120-pound young man or woman and you have a 300-pound Pittsburgh Steeler coming after him. Obviously that lethal size is a threat in and of itself,” Stolfer says. “You have gang members who attack people. Should you have to wait until you’re on the ground and dying before you can respond? In Pennsylvania you do, and I don’t feel a soccer mom or a person of smaller stature should be inhibited from using lethal force if they feel they’re in danger of bodily harm or death.

“In the past 20 years, there has been a drop of nearly 50 percent in violent crime, part of that is the expansion of the right of citizens to protect them-

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selves, using concealed-carry firearms and Castle Doctrine laws, despite the rhetoric we hear from some parts of our nation and protesting organizations, the facts are clear from academics that this does work.”

While it’s true that violent crime fell by half nationally between 1991 and 2013, according to federal statistics, other researchers have detected a negative correlation between stand-your-ground laws and crime. In 2015, the National Taskforce on Stand Your Ground Laws, convened by the American Bar Association, released a report that noted an increase in homicides in stand-yourground states.

“What we found from the research of others, is that states that passed these laws with the promise that this was going to hold down crime, especially violent crime, and particularly homicide, was that homicide actually went up,” says Pitt professor Harris, who served on the task force. “So it does not stem the flow of homicides.”

In an interview with CP, Harris expressed wariness about disparity-ofsize legislation being considered in the

House. He said a person’s size shouldn’t determine how dangerous they are, and said the amendment could lead to racial disparities.

“Another reaction I have to it is, we know that when we look at perceptions of African Americans by others, AfricanAmerican males are often perceived as larger and more threatening than they actually are, given the same physical parameters as a white person,” Harris says.

“This would appear to feed in to those very misperceptions, in moments of low information. This is going to cause real problems.”

Harris says the public should regard the available research when considering the passage of the proposed legislation and others like it.

“We should be very careful about accepting arguments that sound attractive without looking at the empirical evidence,” Harris says. “People who say this will control crime, law-abiding people can use this, we have to be aware about what the evidence actually is. You can’t let people get away with statements like that. You have to check the research and it’s out there.”

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CLEARING THE AIR New ad campaign seeks to highlight potential air-quality concerns in Allegheny County {BY RYAN DETO} OVER THE YEARS, the Pittsburgh region has made significant strides in improving its air. In 2000, the region’s annual particle pollution was measured at about 21 micrograms per cubic meter. By 2015, that number had decreased to about 12 micrograms per cubic meter, just barely above the threshold set by the American Lung Association, though still a failing grade.

But environmental advocates worry that Allegheny County’s air-quality progress could be stymied by a long-time polluter in Clairton and a new cracker plant, which processes natural gas, coming soon to neighboring Beaver County. The environmental organization PennFuture recently launched an ad campaign targeting Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and the Shell cracker plant, set to open in 2020, hoping to pressure them to ensure the region’s air quality keeps improving.

Allegheny County officials say they’re already taking the necessary precautions to ensure air quality will continue to improve, and Shell says it’s taken proactive steps as well. And with state and regional officials praising the economic benefits of facilities like Shell’s cracker plant, a longterm battle between politicians and environmentally minded residents could be on the horizon.

Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of PennFuture, is concerned that Allegheny County is losing its momentum on air quality. PennFuture claims U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works, a facility that produces fuel for steelmaking, committed

{IMAGE COURTESY OF PENNFUTURE}

PennFuture billboard displayed in Pittsburgh’s North Hills

more than 6,700 air-pollution violations over a recent three-and-a-half-year period.

Schweiger says the coke works and Shell’s cracker plant, which refines natural gas into plastic, aren’t industries the region should be supporting. He says the Shell plant could produce up to 522 tons of volatile organic compounds per year.

“It’s not consistent about where Pittsburgh wants to go, in terms of the future,” says Schweiger. “It is important to have a broader conversation about where the greater Pittsburgh region is headed.”

Schweiger hopes that PennFuture’s “Toxic Neighbor” ad campaign will facilitate a robust discussion about the future of air quality. The materials include bustransit advertisements in the East End and billboards in the North Hills, and feature images of children wearing gas masks.

Schweiger wants the ads to encourage county residents to contact elected officials like Fitzgerald, and demand they take additional action to address current and future air-quality issues.

But county officials feel they’re already fighting for cleaner air. Ryan Scarpino, of the Allegheny County Health Department, says the county needs to improve its air quality, but says the ACHD is taking all the steps it can currently take. “Here at ACHD, we are committed to improving

the air quality using all the tools available to us,” wrote Scarpino in an email to Pittsburgh City Paper. He says that the county’s air-quality rules are strong.

Pittsburgh still has the eighth worst year-round particle pollution among U.S. metro areas. And ACHD air-quality reports from 2016 show an increase in the amount of days on which ozone concentrations exceeded standards compared to the previous two years. In 2016, there were eight days where ozone concentrations exceeded .775 parts per million, compared to two days in 2014 and two days in 2015.

Scarpino notes the especially hot summer of 2016 likely created conditions more favorable to ozone formation, and that some pollutants related to ozone creation were down in 2016 compared to 2014 and 2015.

While Scarpino added that ACHD “must aim to do more than simply meet” U.S. Environmental Protections Agency standards, wrote that he isn’t aware of any air-quality legislation that has been proposed by Fitzgerald or Allegheny County Council.

Shell also defends its cracker plant.

Spokesperson Ray Fisher wrote an email to CP detailing Shell’s efforts to address air-quality concerns, which include “stringent leak detection and repair programs” and fence-line monitoring so the public

can be made aware almost instantly of air-quality problems. (The fence-line monitoring was made public only as part of a legal settlement between Shell and environmental groups Clean Air Council and Environmental Integrity Project.)

The Shell plant will provide 600 permanent jobs, and has received support and praise from Gov. Tom Wolf, area state legislators and Fitzgerald. Fisher wrote that Shell believes the plant will be a benefit for the region.

“Technological advances have made it possible to create a facility that is enhancing the quality of life in the communities where we live and operate,” wrote Fisher. “Our Shell employees are proud of what we bring to Beaver County and how our products improve many aspects of our lives, including our health, safety, and convenience.”

But since the plant will need an abundant supply of natural gas to operate, Schweiger says that embracing facilities like the cracker plant is sending the wrong message to those wanting to make Southwestern Pennsylvania a green-energy hub.

“We are attracting new clean industries to the region,” says Schweiger. “I am concerned that if we continue on this path, we might lose the attraction to those businesses.”

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{BY BILL O’DRISCOLL} IN A LOT at the corner of Centre and

Herron avenues, in the Hill District, a few feet below the surface sits one fix for the bad stuff that happens to Pittsburgh’s rivers when it rains.

Buried here is an array of R-Tanks, black-plastic boxes resembling oversized milk crates. Once in place, they hold the earth apart to create storage space for rainwater until it is either taken up by the plants above or seeps into the water table. The tanks are part of a “cascading bioswale” that runs up Centre’s steep hill.

The bioswale will re-direct and sequester rainwater that formerly poured into storm sewers — flushing garbage, motor oil, even untreated sewage a mile south, into the Monongahela River near the Birmingham Bridge.

Most of that water and debris will soon stay put thanks to this project, one of three pilot Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) efforts in an ambitious “Green First” program to reduce both local flooding and wet-weather sewer overflows. A federal consent decree requires the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority to protect the rivers from billions of gallons of untreated sewer water, and Pittsburgh is one of 83 municipalities ALCOSAN serves.

Discussion of green infrastructure blossomed a few years back. ALCOSAN had proposed dealing with combined-sewer overflows (CSOs) overwhelmingly with “gray infrastructure”: bigger sewer pipes and larger processing facilities. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rejected that plan, and recent local efforts have concentrated on “green” projects that would keep rainwater where it falls, and out of the sewers. Many cities face similar problems, and green-infrastructure advocates say such solutions are ultimately cheaper and more effective, as well as more environmentally friendly. Green infrastructure mimics nature, engineering ways to manage rainwater that hark to when the land was forest and field. Techniques include green roofs, permeable paving and rain gardens. Green stormwater control is gaining popularity with private developers, too. “You see everyone doing it,” says Vivien Li, president and CEO of Pittsburgh-based nonprofit advocacy group Riverlife.

The city-owned Centre/Herron lots sit just downhill from some University of Pittsburgh athletic fields. “I’ve been out

uare, Market Sq tsburgh Pit Downtown

Artist’s rendering of the completed greeninfrastructure project at Centre and Herron avenues, in the Hill District (detail)

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here in storms,” says PWSA assistant project manager Megan Zeigler. “It’s a lot of water rushing to this site.” Starting in August, contractors dug out a couple of Western Pennsylvania Conservancy gardens and a curbside strip running a few hundred yards uphill along Centre (1.27 acres, in all).

Old catchbasins will be disconnected from the sewer system; rainwater that once fed them will now run onto stone pavers, laid unevenly to slow its flow. Some rainwater will run into the adjacent bioswale, planted with vegetation that can withstand both drought and soggy conditions. Whatever escapes the bioswale heads for those R-Tanks, buried under soil and pea gravel, and swathed in a filtering layer of geotextile.

For unusually heavy storms, there’s also an overflow pipe that does connect to the sewer. Still, says spokesperson Rebecca Zito, PWSA expects that once it’s online, in December, this single project will reduce CSO by 750,000 gallons a year. A similar but more extensive “stormwater park” under construction on two vacant lots high on Garfield’s Hillcrest Street will cut CSO by 800,000 gallons, and reduce flooding in nearby communities. “This will help Shadyside flooding, this will help Polish Hill,” says Zeigler. “This is at the top of the watershed.” A stormwater-sensitive street renovation and raingarden on Melwood Avenue, in Polish Hill, will divert 800,000 gallons. In total, the three projects will cost an estimated $3.3 million, partially offset by funding from ALCOSAN’s Green Revitalization of our Waterways program.

Given that Pittsburgh now produces 3.07 billion gallons of CSO a year, the 2.47 million gallons these three projects will handle is just a start. But PWSA has earmarked $147.8 million of its 2018-22 capital budget for future green-infrastructure projects citywide. The authority anticipates that green solutions will ultimately handle 32 percent of Pittsburgh’s total CSO problem, says Zito, minimizing the expansion of gray infrastructure. As Zeigler puts it, “These projects aren’t going away.”

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Bryant Johnson of Casper, Wyo., was on a mission on Oct. 2 when police responded to a call about a man warning citizens of an alien invasion coming next year.

KTWO Radio in Casper reported that Johnson told police he had traveled back in time from 2048, explaining that the aliens filled his body with alcohol and had him stand on a giant pad that transported him back to 2017 — although he was supposed to arrive in 2018.

He also asked to speak with the “president of the town.” Instead, Bryant was arrested for public intoxication.

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The owners of a mischievous ass in Vogelsberg, Hesse, Germany, have been ordered to pay for damages after Vitus the donkey apparently mistook an orange McLaren Spider sports car for a carrot. When Markus Zahn left his $411,000 car parked next to a paddock on Sept. 16, 2016, he returned to find that Vitus had nibbled on its paint to the tune of almost $7,000 in damage. “The donkey had insurance, but the insurance didn’t want to pay,” Zahn told the BBC. Vitus’ rap sheet also includes biting a Mercedes.

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In Romania, it takes more than foul weather or a damaged field to stop football. On Sept. 24, a match between Bistrita Brosteni and Vanatorul Dorna Candrenilor was abandoned just 58 minutes in after all the teams’ balls ended up in the nearby Bistrita River, according to the Hindustan Times. Bistrita was winning 2-0 when the team ran out of balls. Fans suggested they might find the balls at the Bicaz dam nearby.

PYRAMIDTATTOO.COM Bridgeville, Pa

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Doctors thought a 47-year-old postman in Preston, Lancashire, England, who complained of a persistent cough might have cancer, as he was a long-term smoker whose X-rays showed a spot on his lung. But when they removed the mass, the BBC reported, they found the “long-lost Playmobil traffic cone” the patient had received as a gift on his seventh birthday. He told doctors he had regularly swallowed the small pieces as a child and believed he had inhaled the tiny cone.

Happy ending: After the toy was removed, the man’s cough almost disappeared, and his other symptoms improved.

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The Russian division of Burger King has asked the country’s Federal AntiMonopoly Service to ban Stephen King’s horror movie It from showing in Russian theaters because the clown character, Pennywise, looks too much like Ronald McDonald, and therefore the movie is advertising for McDonald’s.

However, the Hollywood Reporter noted, the movie opened in Russia on Sept. 7 and had already grossed millions of dollars by late September. A spokeswoman for the FAS, confirming that the complaint had been received, said, “We can’t be concerned with the content of the film,” but the agency would determine whether it contained advertising or product placement.

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If you’re already shopping for your 2018 calendar, Metro News recommends you don’t overlook the Carponizer Carp Calendar, which features “12 beautiful carps with attractive women. On high-quality paper.” Oh, and the women are naked. Hendrik Pohler, 28, the calendar’s creator, was struck with the idea when he was fishing with a friend “and at the spot next to us were two hot girls fishing,” he told Maxim, which described the models as having “stiff, pained expressions.”

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Patrick Joseph Adams Jr., 36, of Great Falls, Mont., pulled the ultimate heist in July when he convinced two male friends and his girlfriend to help him “move out” of a house that wasn’t his. One of the friends was suspicious when he saw a wall in the home dedicated to military service, but didn’t remember that Adams had been in the service, the Great Falls Tribune reported. That friend left before the move was complete, but the rest of the group loaded about $40,000 worth of belongings into a U-Haul, requiring

two trips. Later that evening, the true homeowner of the burglarized house called police and reported the theft, and through U-Haul records police were able to track Adams down.

He was charged on Sept. 28 with burglary and criminal mischief.

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Juana Escudero, 53, of Alcala de Guadaira, Spain, has been dead since May 13, 2010.

Except she’s still very much alive. FOX News reports that a Malaga, Spain, woman died on that date who shared Escudero’s full name and birthdate. As a result, Escudero was pronounced dead by the government, which has given her headaches ever since. For instance, she can’t renew her driver’s license or go to the doctor. Finally, in April 2016, she tracked down the actual dead woman in Malaga, and in September of this year, she petitioned the courts to open the grave to prove that she is not the dead woman. She even offered to do a DNA test. “On the government’s computers I am dead,” Escudero said, “but for the banks I am alive and kicking.”

WAYNOVISION

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Gemini Theater Guests will enjoy a fun, interactive, musical performance of “Ghouldilocks and the Three Scares” followed with games, crafts, character meet and greet, food, refreshments and ending with a Halloween Dance Party. Saturday October 28th. 4pm to 6 pm.

Fright Farm/Rich Farms This year Rich Farms presents “CREATURES”. Entering its 28th season, Fright Farm is Pennsylvania’s premier professional haunt with four distinct attractions; Haunted Hayride, Frightmare Man-

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multiple stage event featuring some of the spookiest and best Dj’s from across the region. Live graffiti, stacks of bass, plus unforgettable graphics and decor throughout the night to ensure a twist on reality! $100 costume contest prize!

1600 Smallman Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Haunted Hillside Haunted Hillside is back for 2017. Entirely outdoors and over a mile long.

Come visit our killbillies along with the rest of the enchanted creatures that roam our hills. Ranked 4th best haunted attraction in Pennsylvania and among the top 20 in the country for the past 2 years. www.hauntedhillside.com

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER

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Haunted Hills Hayride Haunted Hills Hayride and the Valley of Darkness Haunted Walking Trail (17th Annual); N. Versailes, PA. Journey through the woods at our two haunted attractions by wagon or foot for a factor of fright and fear. Karaoke/ DJ, live bands; Benefits the Autism Soc iety of Pittsburgh. For more info visit: hauntedhillshayride.com/ 724-3828296; Facebook: Haunted Hills Hayride.

Hundred Acres Manor Hundred Acres Manor has been named “Pittsburgh’s Best Haunted House” by HauntWorld Magazine and features SIX mind-bending attractions, spanning almost 1 mile long. Hundred Acres Manor is your go to Halloween destination this

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Kennywood Phantom Fright Night Discover a new level of terror at Kennywood’s Phantom Fright Nights. Fridays and Saturdays Sept. 29 – Oct.. 28, plus Sundays Oct. 8 & 29. Take your chances on the Black Widow and fierce Phantom’s Revenge, or venture through haunted graveyards, vampire crypts, and houses of the dead. Don’t come alone!

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Over Halloween weekend, Pittsburgh

Ballet Theatre performs Dracula, a ballet based on Bram Stoker’s 1897 gothic novel. A haunting score by Franz Liszt builds suspense while levitation, flying and pyrotechnics make the choreography even more climactic. The New York Times described it as a “spectacle of an order ballet audiences seldom see today.”

Terror Trolley Come aboard the Terror Trolley and hear haunted tales of Pittsburgh’s darkest secrets. We will reveal the legends of those that still haunt the streets today, including the story of what was once “the most haunted house in America.” Tours run Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays in October. Book online. www.MollysTrolleysPittsburghTours.com

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420 Chartiers Avenue | McKees Rocks PA 15136 | (412) 243-6464 GEMINITHEATER.ORG NEWS

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Food, Drinks & Music OCTOBER 21 ST Shadyside 7 - 11pm The Brighton Boys + BASTARD BEARDED IRISHMEN

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LISTEN AS YOU READ: SCAN THE CODE FOR OUR NEW SPOTIFY PLAYLIST, A SOUNDTRACK TO THE STORIES IN THIS SECTION, OR VISIT WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM/BLOGS/FFW/

NEW LOCAL RELEASES The Gotobeds FUCKING IN THE FUTURE +5 COMEDY MINUS ONE

There’s something rough-hewn, authentic and wonderfully immediate about Fucking in the Future +5, a collection of odds and sods from Pittsburgh’s The Gotobeds out Oct. 13 on Comedy Minus One records. Why? Well, some bands, minus all of the bells and whistles and studio sheen, sound half-hearted or, worse yet, like impersonators of themselves on these between-LP affairs. The Gotobeds benefit greatly, however, from the stripped-down presentation, blasting material that wouldn’t be out of place on Poor People Are Revolting or Blood Sugar Secs Traffic, the group’s Sub Pop debut.

Kicking off with its circa-2012 five-song demo, The Gotobeds quickly assert Future’s modus operandi: jagged, raw and often high-octane trash-rock delivered with a dash of levity.

The fun continues with offerings from The Gotobeds’ long-out-of-print Mind Cure 7-inch EP; a shot of pure joy to the heart is “Television Addict,” complete with its Big Boys guitar shrapnel and Devo-esque chorus. Also, for the completists out there, the band throws in a rough “New York’s Alright,” which, despite its fidelity or lack thereof, exhibits all of the warmth and vibrancy of the final version of the track on Poor People. A beautiful and engaging take on the late Pittsburgher Karl Hendricks’ “Flowers Avenue” rounds out the LP. Future does more than enough to tide over fans until The Gotobeds come out with its next sliver of fulllength vinyl on Sub Pop, but it also completes a task many between-LP outings don’t: It offers a set of really good songs that would be as worthy an introduction to the band.

BY JUSTIN VELLUCCI

Have an album or EP you’d like to see reviewed in our pages?

We review releases from Pittsburgh bands and artists living within an hour’s radius of the city, and all genres are welcome.

Send a digital file of the album or EP to megfair@pghcitypaper.com, or a physical copy to Pittsburgh City Paper, 650 Smithfield St., Suite 2200, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.

{CP PHOTO BY JAKE MYSLIWCZYK}

BACK ON THE BRIGHTSIDE

Brightside

{BY ELI ENIS}

B

EFORE THIS interview, Brightside

alt-rock never fully clicked with the following of now-defunct DIY label Broken World Media either, despite

guitarist Matt Williams had never drank tea. Not “never,” as in never in a long time, but NEVER. However, by the end of our recent chat in Squirrel Hill, he and his charmingly uncharming bandmates made it obvious that being outliers has always kind of been their thing.

Since its 2010 inception, the Pittsburgh quartet has never felt like it truly meshed well with the city’s DIY scene — comprised mostly of punk and traditional college indie bands. Its opaque conglomerate of emo, indie-pop and

BRIGHTSIDE

7 p.m. Wed., Oct. 25. Mr. Roboto Project, 5106 Penn Ave., Bloomfield. $8.

All ages. www.tinyurl.com/cpbrightside

theoretically fitting nicely alongside acts like Sorority Noise, Deer Leap and The World is a Beautiful Place & I am

No Longer Afraid to Die. However, despite numerous pseudobreakups that the band now calls “silly,” Brightside still dropped two fulllengths, an EP and a B-sides comp within its first five years. It was playing nearweekly shows at Mr. Roboto in Bloomfield, and in 2015 it toured the country with TWIABP and Foxing. On paper, it looked like the band was poised to continue climbing the ladder to success; in reality, that wasn’t the case. In August 2016, just more than two years after its promising sophomore record, Now and CONTINUES ON PG. 18

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BACK ON THE BRIGHTSIDE, CONTINUED FROM PG. 17

Loud, dropped, the band broke up, this time indefinitely.

“I think a lot of things didn’t happen with Now and Loud that we expected to happen,” Williams says. “We couldn’t get tours.”

“The bigger issue was that nobody listened to it,” adds drummer, Dylan Essig.

“We were really stoked on it musically and it didn’t come across that way to the masses,” bassist Steve Luteran says.

Williams attributes a lot of the band’s difficulties to the sound that was popular at the time (2013-2015) — a sound that Brightside simply didn’t match.

“When we started writing stuff, everyone was still really into Title Fight, and everyone wanted to sound like Title Fight,” he says, referring to the emo/indie scene that Brightside was lumped into due to its location and attachment to Broken World, the label that put out all of its releases. “We make pop music.”

“WE’RE TAKING THIS REUNION VERY SLOW, WHICH IS FINE.” To an extent, he’s right. Vocalist Matt Vituccio’s nasally, lackadaisical falsetto is acutely reminiscent of Built to Spill’s Doug Martsch — an influential vocalist for many of Brightside’s contemporaries — but Brightside was playing with jangly, new-wave passages that swelled more like post-rockers Prawn and bopped like the lightly sweetened A Great Big Pile of Leaves; they didn’t explode or wind aimlessly like the gigantic riffs of Built to Spill. In fact, Essig says that the band was aiming for Vampire Weekend and Fleetwood Mac territory with Now and Loud, which are bands that are completely outside the frame of reference for most emo kids.

“We were always complimented,” Williams says. “It wasn’t like we were not allowed to be in the scene. . . We could book house shows and smaller venues but we wanted tours with bigger bands.”

However, after taking a year off to reassess their individual lives, Brightside’s members are making their modest return.

“We’re taking this reunion very slow, which is fine,” says Vituccio. “We don’t wanna overwhelm ourselves like we have in the past.”

For now, the reunion consists of a return gig at Mr. Roboto on Oct. 25. However, the band hopes to finish its longawaited third LP within the year, and hopefully take it on the road from there.

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LISTEN UP {BY MIKE SHANLEY} The Bridge Music Hall wants to bring a listening room back to Pittsburgh. Such a space would seat about 150 audience members who come to listen intently to music. Rich Dieter, a Pittsburgh resident since 1991, worked with this venue model when he lived in Chicago. He also managed a number of national acts who played longgone local venues like Rosebud and Graffiti.

“A listening room is cabaret-style, with tables and chairs,” he explains. “You don’t talk during the performance. You show respect to the musicians by paying attention while they’re performing.”

IT’S IMPOSSIBLE to exist in this news environment and social-media landscape without seeing hundreds, probably thousands, of posts with the hashtag #MeToo. #MeToo is a social-media campaign arising from the new reports and subsequent revelations about Harvey Weinstein. The longtime Hollywood producer has been accused by dozens of women of harassment, repeated predatory behaviors and sexual assault. Many report that such violations occurred when they were young actresses at the start of their careers.

But this isn’t just a Hollywood problem.

You’ll find it in all workplaces and settings, and the music industry is no exception. From major labels to shows in basements, people abuse their power. It is a symptom of the patriarchy at play. Unwanted compliments, physical touching and repeated verbal harassment is something that is commonplace in the music industry.

This is especially true for women in the industry; you’d be hard-pressed to find a single individual who doesn’t have at least one story about being made to feel uncomfortable because of unwanted advances in the music workforce.

As someone who experienced sexual violence and countless encounters of sexual harassment, from age 15 on, in a little suburban DIY scene, I’m all too familiar with the pattern. Someone in the scene, be they older or more experienced or both, approaches a younger individual or someone new to the scene and industry. They groom you with compliments and a false sense of friendship, and then they take advantage. It is likely that you are not their first victim, and you likely won’t be their last, either.

After the traumatizing encounter(s) with the perpetrator, it is hard to feel like

you have any power to right the wrong you’ve experienced. Power dynamics, be they real or perceived, can be absolutely silencing, especially if the person who abused you has social capital.

And if you do come forward to warn others, or approach justice from a community angle, it is certain that you will be met with skepticism and doubt from some of the people in your scene. It’s especially tricky when the harassment is dealt by a male and received by a woman or nonbinary individual, as the age-old write-off of “he’s always been cool to me” is still used as a valid excuse to excuse behavior that is repeated, intentional and predatory.

Music, much like theater, film and other art forms, should be a place to escape from the harsh reality of the world we live in. Until power dynamics are acknowledged and dismantled, however, it will remain a place where harassment is expected by those who experience it and ignored by those who wish not to acknowledge the evil in their own realm.

If you see something, say something. Do something. Take a bystander-intervention course, or start an anonymous Google doc where people can tip others off about serial abusers in the community. Confront people in your life who you see exemplifying those kinds of predatory behaviors and guide them to the resources they need to change their ways.

If you’ve been the victim of assault or harassment, there are so many resources in Pittsburgh for survivors. Two of the most prominent are Pittsburgh Action Against Rape (www.paar.net) and the Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh (412-687-8005 or www.wcspittsburgh.org).

Change can’t start until we start talking candidly about it. #MeToo

Dieter, the founder and president of the Bridge Music Hall, estimates he’s spoken with nearly 400 people about the idea, including musicians, community developers, business people and promoters.

Over 20 of them serve on the Bridge’s board of directors, a diverse group of men and woman, artists and professionals, who also represent a range of musical interests, from folk to opera to jazz.

He cites Ann Arbor, Mich.’s 45-yearold listening room the Ark as inspiration for what can happen here. “Last year they grossed 2.8 million dollars,” he says, “mainly off earned income: ticket sales, memberships, sponsorships, beverages and rental. That’s pretty much going to be our business model. We’re convinced that in two years, we could be sustainable.”

In short, the board has laid some solid groundwork. All that’s needed is the space in which to do it, which presents a catch-22, according to Dieter. “In order to have the space, we need money. In order to raise money, we need a space,” he says.

With a GoFundMe campaign set up, the board is also hoping to find a developer to partner with it on a location.

In the meantime, the Bridge is hosting music on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Wallace’s Whiskey Room, at East Liberty’s Hotel Indigo, with occasional bookings on other weeknights. Programs like “Gospel at the Bar” and “Opera at the Bar” have already drawn good responses. Saxophonist Tony Campbell performs on Thu., Oct. 19, and songwriter Heather Kropf appears Tue., Oct. 24. More information about the Bridge Music Hall can be found at www.thebridgemusichallpgh.org.

MEGFAIR @PGH C IT YPAPE R . C O M

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FROM MAJOR LABELS TO SHOWS IN BASEMENTS, PEOPLE ABUSE THEIR POWER.

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER

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CRITICS’ PICKS {PHOTO COURTESY OF AMBER PATRICK}

Low Cut Connie [POP] + SUN., OCT. 22

South Carolina indie-rock band SUSTO dips its toes into a couple of genres, managing to linger in both Americana and psychedelic jam rock, somewhere between Lee Hazelwood and Dr. Dog. The lyrics touch on the complications of Southern living, as in “Cosmic Cowboy” and “Gay in the South,” from the 2017 album & I’m Fine Today. The band shares the bill at Cattivo with Colorado folk singer Esme Patterson. Her airy and melancholic voice contrasts nicely with her music’s sharper elements. Hannah Lynn 7 p.m. 146 44th St., Lawrenceville. $12-15. All ages.

412-687-2157 or www.cattivopgh.com

Ben Folds is one of those ubiquitous artists; it feels like he’s always been around and always will be. Since the mid-’90s, he’s been making piano-driven pop songs fit for a romantic-dramedy soundtrack — playing in the montage where the characters fall in love, or the one where they’re walking alone in the rain. His current venture, “Paper Airplane Request Tour,” encourages fans to send song requests on stage via paper airplane, which is an interesting experiment in Strawberry trusting your fans.

Runners He’ll play Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall with electro-folk duo Tall Heights, whose music would make the perfect soundtrack for the adventures of a woodland creature.

HL 8 p.m. 510 East 10th Ave., Munhall. $49-269. All ages.

877-987-6487 or www.library musichall.com

{PHOTO COURTESY OF SCOTT MCCORMICK}

[FOLK-ISH] + THU., OCT. 19

[ROCK ’N’ ROLL] + THU., OCT. 19 Some bands have a lead singer who simply stands at the front of the stage. Others, like Philadelphia’s Low Cut Connie, have a lead singer like Adam Weiner. Lively and charismatic, he leads the band from a piano, dancing on his piano bench and working the crowd like a birthday-party magician. The band’s sound is the fun kind of raucous rock that makes you wanna bring a six-pack to a house party and get into some shenanigans on a roof. Catch the Connies at Club Café along with the enjoyably messy blues-rock of Colorado’s The Yawpers. HL 8 p.m. 58 S. 12th St., South Side. $12. 21 and older. 412-431-4950 or www.clubcafelive.com

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[INDIE ROCK/POP] + WED., OCT. 25 If tender pop rock is your jam, then, boy, is it a good night to head down to Mr. Roboto Project.

Brooklyn’s Strawberry Runners play sweet and airy tunes that pack a secret punch, like “Garden Hose,” off the debut EP In the Garden.

The mostly upbeat, but sometimes emo, tunes of local indie rockers Brightside serve as a fine complement. Rounding out the night is the eerie electronic sound of Swampwalk and the angsty energetic Short Fictions. HL 7 p.m. 5106 Penn Ave., Bloomfield. $8. All ages. www.therobotoproject.com

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NATURAL, FRESH, FREE RANGE & LOCAL m r a F s e n o J d Davi 240 JONES RD., CABOT, PA 16023

(724) 352-0063

jonesturkeyfarm.com 22

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER

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TO SUBMIT A LISTING: HTTP://PGHCITYPAPER.COM/HAPPENINGS {ALL LISTINGS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY 9 A.M. FRIDAY PRIOR TO PUBLICATION}

SAT 21

ROCK/POP THU 19 CATTIVO. True Moon, Allvaret, Empty Beings & Painted Eyes. 8 p.m. Lawrenceville.

412-719-2679.

CLUB CAFE. Low Cut Connie w/ Yawpers. 7 p.m. South Side.

412-431-4950.

FRI 20 CLUB CAFE. Bill Toms & Hard Rain, The Soulville Horns w/ Marc Reisman & the Strong Way Band. 8 p.m. South Side.

412-431-4950.

GOOSKI’S. Dana, Garbage Greek, Derider, Death Instinct.

9 p.m. Polish Hill. 412-681-1658.

PARK HOUSE. Nightly Standard. 9 p.m. North Side.

412-224-2273.

SPEAL’S TAVERN. Lenny Smith & The Instant Gators.

9:15 p.m. New Alexandria.

724-433-1322.

SUN 22

BAJA BAR AND GRILL. THE R BAR. Billy the Kid’s Nightlife. 9 p.m. Fox Chapel.

Steel Town All-Stars. 7 p.m.

412-963-0640.

Dormont. 412-942-0882.

CLUB CAFE. Bill Toms & Hard Rain, The Soulville Horns w/ Marc Reisman & the Strong REX THEATER. Gryffin Way Band. 8 p.m. South Side. w/ Autograf & ayokay. 8 p.m.

412-431-4950.

South Side. 412-381-6811.

DIESEL. Struggle Jennings.

7 p.m. South Side.

412-431-8800.

DOWNEY’S HOUSE. Waiting For Ray. MR. SMALLS 9:30 p.m. Robinson. www. per THEATER. a p 412-489-5631. pghcitym Centrifuge .co HOWLERS. Modern Thursdays. At the Lady Fitness, Pop Funhouse. 9 p.m.

Thief & J Marinelli.

Millvale. 412-821-4447.

9 p.m. Bloomfield.

PERLE CHAMPAGNE BAR. 412-682-0320.

Bobby D Bachata. 10 p.m.

KENDREW’S. Gone South.

Downtown. 412-471-2058.

9 p.m. Moon. 724-375-5959.

MOONDOG’S. The Shiners.

9 p.m. Blawnox. 412-828-2040.

ANDYS WINE BAR. DJ Malls PEPPERS N’AT. Jason Craig Spins Vinyl. 5 p.m. Downtown.

Band. 8:30 p.m. Braddock.

412-773-8884.

412-660-0600.

DEE’S CAFE. Soul &

TUE 24

FULL LIST E N O LIN

DJS

THU 19

FRI 20

Rock-n-Roll w/ DJ Ian. 10 p.m.

South Side. 412-431-1314.

THE FLATS ON CARSON. Pete Butta. 10 p.m.

South Side. 412-586-7644.

ONE 10 LOUNGE. DJ Goodnight, DJ Rojo.

9 p.m. Downtown.

412-874-4582.

RUGGER’S PUB. 80s Night w/ DJ Connor. 9 p.m.

South Side. 412-381-1330.

HEAVY ROTATION Here’s what CP music writer Meg Fair can’t stop listening to: St. Vincent

SAT 21

“Happy Birthday, Johnny”

BELVEDERE’S. Sean MC & Thermos. 90s night. 10 p.m.

Lawrenceville. 412-687-2555.

BRILLOBOX. Pandemic: Global Dancehall, Cumbia, Bhangra, Balkan Bass. 9:30 p.m.

Bloomfield. 412-621-4900.

DIESEL. DJ CK. 10 p.m.

South Side. 412-431-8800.

PERLE CHAMPAGNE BAR. DJ Tenova. ladies night. 9 p.m.

Downtown. 412-471-2058.

REMEDY. Push It! DJ Huck Finn, DJ Kelly Fasterchild.

10 p.m. Lawrenceville.

412-781-6771.

TWIN OAKS. The Platinum Band w/ Darryl & Kim & Southside Jerry. 9 p.m.

White Oak. 412-678-3321.

Princess Nokia

“Tomboy”

Bully

“Running”

TUE 24

Title Fight

THE GOLDMARK. Pete Butta. Reggae & dancehall.

10 p.m. Lawrenceville.

412-688-8820.

SEVICHE. Hot Salsa & Bachata Nights. 10 p.m. Downtown.

843-670-8465.

“Murder Your Memory”

CONTINUES ON PG. 24

NEWS

+

MUSIC

+

ARTS

+

EVENTS

+

TASTE

+

SCREEN

+

SPORTS

+

CLASSIFIEDS

23

CONCERTS, CONTINUED FROM PG. 23

WED 25 THE GOLDMARK. Pete Butta & Preslav. Top Dollar Dancehall.

10 p.m. Lawrenceville.

412-688-8820.

SMILING MOOSE. Rock Star Karaoke w/ T-MONEY. 9:30 p.m.

South Side. 412-431-4668.

JAZZ THU 19

MR. SMALLS THEATER. Andy Mineo w/ Social Club Misfits.

6 p.m. Millvale. 412-821-4447.

JAMES STREET GASTROPUB & SPEAKEASY. Roger Humphries Jam Session. Ballroom. 8 p.m.

North Side. 412-904-3335.

RILEY’S POUR HOUSE. Jazz Happy Hour w/ Martin Rosenberg. 5:30 p.m.

Carnegie. 412-279-0770.

VALLOZZI’S PITTSBURGH. Eric Johnson. 5:30 p.m.

Downtown. 412-394-3400.

SAT 21

FRI 20

HIP HOP/R&B FRI 20

THE MONROEVILLE RACQUET CLUB. Jazz Bean Live. 7 p.m.

Monroeville. 412-728-4155.

ACOUSTIC

SUN 22

HOP FARM BREWING. The Shameless Hex. 8 p.m.

Lawrenceville. 412-726-7912.

CITY OF ASYLUM @ ALPHABET CITY. Afro Yaqui Music Collective. 6 p.m.

North Side. 412-435-1110.

ROCKS LANDING BAR & GRILLE. Tony Campbell, John Hall, Howie Alexander & Dennis Garner. 7 p.m. McKees Rocks.

412-875-5809.

MON 23

MIKE’S NEW MOON SALOON. Jack of Diamonds. 9 p.m. Gibsonia.

724-265-8188.

HAMBONE’S. Ian Kane, ANDORA RESTAURANT Ronnie Weiss & Tom FOX CHAPEL. Boyce. Jazz Standards, Pianist Harry Cardillo showtunes & blues. & vocalist Charlie 6:30 p.m. Lawrenceville.

Sanders. 6:30 p.m.

412-681-4318.

Fox Chapel. www. per pa 412-967-1900. pghcitym .co EDDIE V’S. Roger CITY OF ASYLUM Barbour Band w/ Mary @ ALPHABET CITY. Ann Mangini. 6:30 p.m.

Cowboys and Frenchmen. 8 p.m.

Downtown. 412-391-1714.

North Side. 412-435-1110.

JAMES STREET GASTROPUB RILEY’S POUR HOUSE. Jazz & SPEAKEASY. RML Jazz.

Happy Hour w/ Martin Rosenberg.

Speakeasy. 6:30 p.m. Benny 5:30 p.m. Carnegie. 412-279-0770.

Benack Senior. Ballroom. 8 p.m.

North Side. 412-904-3335.

SAT 21

SAT 21

JAMES STREET GASTROPUB & SPEAKEASY. Metacara w/ Tribe Eternal Music Group, Sierra Sellers & NVSV. 9 p.m.

North Side. 412-904-3335.

BLUES

FULL LIST ONLINE

TUE 24

THU 19 O’DONNA’S. The Bo’Hog Brothers.

8 p.m. Beaver. 878-313-3418.

FRI 20

THE R BAR. The Johnny Holiday Bad w/ David Granitti. 9:30 p.m.

Dormont. 412-942-0882.

VINOSKI WINERY. Jane West & Katie Simone. 1 p.m. Greensburg.

724-872-3333.

WED 25

JAMES STREET GASTROPUB & SPEAKEASY. The Tony Campbell Jam Session. Speakeasy. 5 p.m.

DK Anderson. Speakeasy. 9 p.m.

Quantum Truth. 9 p.m. Ballroom.

North Side. 412-904-3335.

RIVERS CLUB. Jessica Lee & Friends. 5:30 p.m. Downtown.

412-391-5227.

WPCA ACADEMY. WPCA Academy Jazz Night presented by WPCA Academy & Reggie Watkins.

7 p.m. Verona. 724-816-8662.

HAS YOUR CAREER STALLED? INTERESTED IN THE MEDICAL FIELD? Self-Paced Online Training Course Receive your Certifi Cer cate of Training in as little as 60 days!

www.healthcarescribes.com Advance your Career Today, train to become a Medical Scribe!

THU 19

SAT 21 SUN 22 VINOSKI WINERY. Mike Medved.

1 p.m. Greensburg. 724-872-3333.

CLUB CAFE. Slaid Cleaves.

7 p.m. South Side. 412-431-4950.

The Front Bottoms House of Blues

ALLEGHENY ELKS LODGE #339.

Pittsburgh Banjo Club. 8 p.m.

North Side. 412-321-1834.

J. GOUGH’S TAVERN. Academy Pickers. 8 p.m. Greenfield.

412-315-7029.

PARK HOUSE. Shelf Life String Band. 9 p.m. North Side.

412-224-2273.

WHEELFISH. Jason Born. 7 p.m.

Ross. 412-487-8909.

PHILADELPHIA {WED., OCT 25}

Yowler Boot & Saddle

REGGAE

COLUMBUS, OHIO

THU 19

{WED., OCT 25}

DIESEL. Taj Weekes & Adowa.

8 p.m. South Side. 412-431-8800.

PIRATA. The Flow Band. 9 p.m.

Downtown. 412-323-3000.

COUNTRY THU 19 HOWLERS. Nick Dittmeier & the Sawdusters w/ Bryan McQuaid.

8 p.m. Bloomfield. 412-682-0320.

SAT 21 NIED’S HOTEL. Slim Forsythe & The Parklane Drifters. 7 p.m.

Lawrenceville. 412-770-8150.

CLASSICAL THU 19

INTO THE FIRE/A POET’S LOVE. Two epic song cycles by romantic & modern masters that explore the heart of an artist. Robert Schumann’s Dichterliebe (A poet’s love), is a pinnacle of the art song repertoire, will be presented in a new arrangement for piano quintet alongside Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer’s Camille Claudel: Into the fire. 8 p.m. PYCO School of Music, Wexford. 412-501-3330.

ORGANIST MATTHEW DIRST. Works by Diego da Conceição (f. 1670–1700), Eustache du Caurroy (1549–1609), Louis Couperin (c. 1626–1661), Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750), Anton Heiller

10.18/10.25.2017

{WED., OCT. 25}

WED 25

FRI 20

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER

CLEVELAND, OHIO

TUE 24

CARNEGIE MELLON PHILHARMONIC. Adams The Chairman Dances: Foxtrot for Orchestra, Stravinsky Violin Concerto in D major & Brahms Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73. 8 p.m. Carnegie Music Hall, Oakland. 412-268-4921.

24

These tours aren’t slated to come to Pittsburgh, but maybe they’re worth a road trip!

RIVERS CASINO. Right TurnClyde.

9 p.m. North Side. 412-231-7777.

Torres The Basement

(1923–1979), Christian Friedrich Rüppe (1753–1826), and Olivier Messiaen (1908–1992). 7:30 p.m.

St. Paul Cathedral, Oakland.

412.242.2787.

SERENITY NOW! The Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh and Music Director Matthew Mehaffey open the 2017-2018 performance season with an evening of music that reminds us that no matter how crazy the world gets, music possesses the power to move us to a place of calm and repose. Music by classical masters and contemporary favorites highlight this concert.

7:30 p.m. Church of the Assumption, Bellevue. 866-811-4111.

SAT 21 INTO THE FIRE/A POET’S LOVE. Two epic song cycles by romantic & modern masters that explore the heart of an artist. Robert Schumann’s Dichterliebe (A poet’s love), is a pinnacle of the art song repertoire, will be presented in a new arrangement for piano quintet alongside Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer’s Camille Claudel: Into the fire.

8 p.m. Rodef Shalom Congregation, Oakland. 412-501-3330.

SERENITY NOW! The Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh and Music Director Matthew Mehaffey open the 2017-2018 performance season with an evening of music that reminds us that no matter how crazy the world gets, music possesses the power to move us to a place of calm and repose. Music by classical masters and contemporary

favorites highlight this concert.

7:30 p.m. Christ United Methodist Church, Bethel Park. 866-811-4111.

SUN 22 ANTONIO PAMPA BALDI. 3 p.m.

Kresge Theater, CMU, Oakland.

412-421-6067.

WED 25 CARNEGIE MELLON OPERA. Voice students from the School of Music bring Mozart’s masterful comedy, Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), about love, truth, and the pursuit of enlightenment to life in this fully staged production.

8 p.m. Chosky Theatre, CMU, Oakland. 412-268-4921.

OTHER MUSIC THU 19 LINDEN GROVE. Karaoke. 8 p.m.

Castle Shannon. 412-882-8687.

RIVERS CASINO. Nina Sainato Duo. Levels. 7 p.m. North Side.

412-231-7777.

FRI 20 LINDEN GROVE. Dancing Queen. 9 p.m. Castle Shannon.

412-882-8687.

RIVERS CASINO. Hewlett Anderson Duo. Levels. 9 p.m.

The Lava Game. Drum Bar. 9 p.m.

North Side. 412-231-7777.

SAT 21 RIVERS CASINO. Artistree.

Drum Bar. 9 p.m. North Side.

412-231-7777.

SEE OUR AD INSIDE FOR MORE INFO

NOVEMBER 5

•

7:30PM

•

BENEDUM CENTER

BEST OF PGH 2017

PRESENTING THE WINNERS OF OUR ANNUAL READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS We invited three of this year’s winning artists to contribute artwork for this year’s issue.

Best Local Visual Artist Matt Spahr designed this year’s cover artwork.

Catch his graffiti-inspired art on both the outside and pullout covers.

Best Local Photographer Xavier Thomas (Art Like Us) photographed all four of our full-page photographs that start each section of this pullout.

Best Local Cartoonist Marcel Walker designed the black-and-gold icons scattered throughout this issue, including the crown at the top of this page and this self-portrait.

CULTURE+NIGHTLIFE P5 GOODS+SERVICES P17 FOOD+DRINK P27 PEOPLE+PLACES P41 DOGGY DAY CARE • BOARDING • GROOMING • TRAINING

FIRST DAY

FREE 5 pittsburgh locations campbowwowpgh.com 2

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29 NOON – 5PM Relax and enjoy an afternoon of the finest locally sourced food, prepared right on site in the freshest farm-to-table fashion.

LIVE MUSIC BY HOUSE OF SOUL

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

BEST LOCAL HIP-HOP PERFORMER

{CP PHOTO BY XAVIER THOMAS}

JACKIE BAD

BEST OF CULTURE + NIGHTLIFE

BEST OF CULTURE + NIGHTLIFE

{CP PHOTO BY JOHN COLOMBO}

Belvedere’s Ultra-Dive, winner of Best Place to Dance and Best Club

★ BEST LOCAL ★ THEATRE COMPANY

CITY THEATRE

1300 Bingham St., South Side 412-431-2489 or www.citytheatrecompany.org

★ BEST GALLERY ★ FOR LOCAL ARTISTS

MATTRESS FACTORY 500 Sampsonia Way, North Side 412-231-3169 or www.mattress.org

• • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • •

Though it has produced adventurous and thought-provoking work since 1975, this year was a banner one for City Theatre. Its brand of intimate staging and evocative performances was on display in programming including its hit production of Colman Domingo’s Wild With Happy. _________ 2nd: Little Lake Theatre Company, Canonsburg 3rd: Pittsburgh CLO,

A bastion of the local arts scene since 1977, this museum is dedicated to providing spaces for home-grown artists, as well as international talent. Housed in a literal former mattress factory in the architecturally charming Mexican War Streets, the provocative work will leave you thoughtful for hours. _________ 2nd: BOOM Concepts, Garfield 3rd: Most Wanted Fine Art

Downtown

6

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

(now closed)

★ BEST LOCAL ★ STAGE PRODUCTION

PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER, PRIME STAGE www.primestage.com • • • • • • • •

Even without a Fort Pitt tunnel to emerge from victoriously, Prime Stage’s production of the locally set comingof-age story connected big with Pittsburgh audiences this year, proving the humor and bittersweet truths about adolescence in Stephen Chbosky’s novel work in any medium.

2nd: Violet, Front Porch Theatricals 3rd: Dreamgirls, Pittsburgh Musical Theater

★ BEST

LITERARY EVENT ★

PITTSBURGH DRINKS BOOK LAUNCH PARTY AT SPIRIT • • • • • • • •

There’s no denying that Pittsburghers love drinking. And so when they’re not imbibing alcohol, they want to be reading about it. This event marking a new book about Pittsburgh’s drinking history had live readings, music and, of course, cocktail demonstrations and drinking. _________ 2nd: The Literary Brothel 3rd: Free Monster Poems About Monsters

★ BEST

DANCE COMPANY ★

TAMBURITZANS www.thetamburitzans.org

★ BEST

LOCAL CARTOONIST ★

MARCEL WALKER www.marcelwalker.com

• • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • •

This colorfully costumed student troupe, which performs traditional folk music and dances from a variety of countries and cultures, has been based in Pittsburgh since 1937 — except when this popular group is touring the country.

The lively “Tammie” shows are a delight. _________ 2nd: Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre 3rd: Attack Theatre

Walker told City Paper last year: “I’ve got as much Richie Rich in me as I do Superman.” And whether you’re talking about his comic-book series Hero Corp., International, or his contributions to the Chutz-Pow!: Superheroes of the Holocaust series, that range helps connect to all kinds of audiences. _________ 2nd: Rob Rogers 3rd: Wayno

LOCAL ★ VISUAL ARTIST

Pittsburgh’s Source for Event Rentals

★ BEST

MATT SPAHR www.instagram.com/sp7hr • • • • • • • •

Graffiti art, Dada, Basquiat/Warhol, even Pennsylvania Dutch and Russian folk art — they’re all influences olific and acknowledged by this prolific versatile artist, adept with both brush robably and aerosol can. Spahr is probably als, best known for his murals, and he did this issue’s cover art. _________ 2nd: Zach Sierocki 3rd: Vanessa German

★ BEST

LOCAL COMEDIAN ★

GAB BONESSO

★ BEST LOCAL ★ PHOTOGRAPHER

XAVIER A. THOMAS (ART LIKE US) www.artlike.us • • • • • • • •

Xav A. Thomas, of Art Like Us, Xavier iis able to capture the intimate moments on and off stage of performers such as Mac Miller, Wiz Khalifa, Snoop Dogg and many more. He also carefully crafts images of streetwear and cu culture-makers in our town. _________ 2nd: David DiCello 3rd: Frank Vilsack

www.gabbonesso.com • • • • • • • •

Bonesso has often said the difference between performing for kids and adults is that adults can’t experience pure enjoyment “because you’re worried about blood work!” She makes both groups laugh, with her adult-oriented material and through The Josh and Gab Show, which combines an anti-bulling message with musical comedy. _________ 2nd: Tony “T-Robe” Roberson 3rd: Shannon Norman

★ BEST LOCAL ★ COMEDY TROUPE

KNIGHTS OF THE ARCADE 811 Liberty Ave., Downtown www.arcadecomedytheater.com

★ BEST

LOCAL POET ★

JASON KIRIN www.about.me/jasonkirin • • • • • • • •

Kirin studied literature at the University of Pittsburgh and learned the craft of poetry from David Brinks at his New Orleans School for the Imagination. A freelance American Sign Language interpreter, he is fascinated by the intricacies of communication. _________ 2nd: Brittney Chantele 3rd: The Mad Muse — Lori Howsare

★ BEST

NEW Design Center Opening in Pittsburgh in January 2018! eventsource.com • 412.809.8100

SHOP OR DONATE TO HELP

LOCAL WRITER ★

BRIAN BUTKO brianbutko.wordpress.com

• • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • •

Last year’s runner-up has moved into the top spot. This live comedic performance takes on all things geek culture, including having improv actors play Dungeons and Dragons with suggestions from the audience.

It’s an absolute hoot. _________ 2nd: Harvey Wallbangers 3rd: babyGRAND and Well Known Strangers (tie)

Historian and author Brian Butko weaves tales of roadside America, telling the stories of the things we see every day without grasping their historical value. For instance, he wrote an entire book about diners in Pennsylvania. And he’s currently chronicling Pittsburgh’s beloved Kennywood. _________ 2nd: Damon Young 3rd: Tony Norman

NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS 7 GREAT LOCATIONS 15+ FOOD PANTRIES SHARPSBURG • CASTLE SHANNON SWISSVALE • PENN HILLS • BUTLER CORAOPOLIS • MONROEVILLE

412-321-1071 • SVDPPITT.ORG

CONTINUES ON PG. 08

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

7

BEST OF CULTURE + NIGHTLIFE CONTINUED FROM PG. 07

★ BEST LOCAL ★ ANNUAL CONVENTION

BEAUTY SLAP

www.anthrocon.org

www.thebeautyslap.com

• • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • •

Nothing says summer in Downtown Pittsburgh like those folks in fursuits, with their perky ears, big eyes and swinging tails. This annual furry expo, held in Pittsburgh since 2006, grows every year, as does the love between its attendees and hosts. _________ 2nd: ReplayFX, www.replayfx.org 3rd: Steel City Con,

This Pittsburgh quintet’s tagline goes “FUTURE-BRASS-THUNDER-FUNK,” which sounds abstract, but pretty much nails its vibe. Mixing traditional brass instrumentation, Parliamentstyle flamboyance and jazzy electronic keys and synth, this crew puts on one of the best live shows in town. _________ 2nd: Neon Swing X-perience 3rd: Phat Man Dee

★ BEST

POP/ROCK BAND ★

KAHONE CONCEPT www.kahoneconcept.bandcamp.com • • • • • • • •

Kahone Concept creates catchy melodies in its mellow pop music, fusing emotive pop sensibilities with indie-rock tinges, and vulnerable alsetto pop with catchy synth and falsetto hat vocals. It’s the kind of music that e would fit on a bill alongside st.

The Cab or Jukebox the Ghost. _________ 2nd: Two Birds 3rd: Punchline

Greer Lankton

★ BEST

METAL BAND D★

greywalker.bandcamp.com • • • • • • • •

Greywalker makes metal that fuses thrash with melodic hardcore, appealing to many pockets of the heavy-music community. The band is known for its unrelenting live shows, cool videos and beer collaborations, and its tunes were 16-bit-ified for Black Forge’s Coffee Crisis video-game soundtrack. _________ 2nd: Fist Fight in the Parking Lot 3rd: Lady Beast

JORDAN MCLAUGHLIN

500 SAMPSONIA WAY PITTSBURGH, PA 15212

www.facebook.com/JordanMcLaughlin-873155419380459/

8

• • • • • • • •

412.231.3169 mattress.org

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

★ BEST LOCAL ★ HIP-HOP PERFORMER

JACKIE BAD www.facebook.com/ JackieBadxo/ • • • • • • • •

Jackie Bad’s flow is smooth and decisiv decisive, and her catchy hooks h and honest lyrics make her stand fr out from the pack as a noteworthy rapp rapper in the 412. Her tracks are inf infectious but contemplative, carefully produced and easy to get lost in. _________ 2nd: Moemaw Naedon 3rd: SIKES

GREYWALKER ER

★ BEST ALT-FOLK/ ★ ALT-COUNTRY BAND

40 YEARS. 800 ARTISTS.

JAZZ/BLUES BAND ★ OR PERFORMER

ANTHROCON

www.steelcitycon.com

art you can get into

★ BEST

A voice with a smidge of grit marks the sound of Jordan McLaughlin. His country tunes fuse with an alternative sound onto full-band songs, while the solo music he performs maintains an intimate folk feel. _________ 2nd: Bindley Hardware Co. 3rd: The Hills and the Rivers

★ BEST

MUSIC FESTIVAL ★

DEUTSCHTOWN MUSIC FESTIVAL www.deutschtownmusicfestival.org • • • • • • • •

The lineup for this annual indoor/ outdoor summer music festival, held throughout the North Side, always has such a wide range of styles and performers that every single person in attendance is bound to find their new favorite local band. _________ 2nd: Three Rivers Arts Festival 3rd: Brewtal Beer Fest

★ BEST

LOCAL MUSIC VENUE ★

MR. SMALLS THEATRE 400 Lincoln Drive, Millvale 412-821-4447 or www.mrsmalls.com • • • • • • • •

There are few institutions of Pittsburgh music like Mr. Smalls.

Its event calendar is diverse and adventurous, with a strong commitment to promoting local talent without skimping on the

BROADW WAY’SS Hilarity On Wheeels NOW - Dec 17

CLOCabaret.com

Sponsored by THE CABARET AT THEATER SQUARE IS A PROJECT OF THE PITTSBURGH CULTURAL TRUST

412-456-6666

Groups 10+ 412-325-1582

Olivia Vadnais | Photo: Archie Carpenter

MASSAGE REIKI

YOGA REFLEXOLOGY

(412) 260-0533 NEW LOCATION! 393 Vanadium Road, Suite 201, Pittsburgh, PA 15243 TONS OF FREE PARKING!

w w w. s t e r l i n g y o g a . c o m

Bring in this ad & join us for 2 yoga classes for $20 1 per person, Offer expires 12/31/17

{CP PHOTO BY JOHN COLOMBO}

Hidden Harbor, winner of multiple categories, including Best New Bar

best nationally touring acts. Recent additions include The War Room, an underground draft-beer bunker. _________ 2nd: Stage AE, North Side 3rd: James Street Gastropub & Speakeasy, North Side

a great place to see a local band.

Here, great music is a near-constant: Check the website for a schedule jam-packed with the great jazz, blues and rock musicians. _________ 2nd: Club Café, South Side 3rd: Black Forge Coffee House, Allentown

★ BEST

PLACE TO SEE ★ A LOCAL BAND

JAMES STREET GASTROPUB AND SPEAKEASY 422 Foreland St., North Side www.jamesstreetgastropub.com • • • • • • • •

It’s not just that with its 19th-century ambiance James Street is physically

★ BEST

NEW BAR

murray avenue

APOTHECARY

Compounding Pharmacy Boutique

Murray Avenue Apothecary will Donate 10% of Proceeds from CBD Sales in October to the

Breast Cancer Research Foundation

TRY LEGAL THC-FREE Pharmaceutical Grade

★

HIDDEN HARBOR 1708 Shady Ave., Squirrel Hill 412-422-5040 or www.hiddenharborpgh.com • • • • • • • •

When something is new, you’re inclined to get to know it. Why not join this tiki bar’s Dead Parrots Society? You’ll get a “passport” to navigate through

CBD!

NEW LOWER PRICES! A Patient-Centered Pharmacy Practice www.MAApgh.com Ask a Pharmacist! Call 412.421.4996•4227 Murray Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15217 *Statements about this product have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult your physician when changing any recommended treatments or medication dosages.

CONTINUES ON PG. 10

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

9

BEST OF CULTURE + NIGHTLIFE CONTINUED FROM PG. 09

more than 250 rums. “Visit” 20, and you’re both in the club and a more knowledgeable drinker. _________ 2nd: The Abbey on Butler Street, Lawrenceville

3rd: Southern Tier Brewing Co., North Side

★ BEST

BAR ★

(DOWNTOWN)

BUTCHER AND THE RYE 212 Sixth Ave., Downtown www.butcherandtherye.com

★ BEST

THE GOLDMARK 4517 Butler St., Lawrenceville 412-688-8820 • • • • • • • •

Don’t let the outside fool you.

This establishment, founded by a team of Pittsburgh DJs, is more than just your neighborhood bar.

On weekends, the dance area gets as packed as some area clubs, and with Kanye-themed shotand-beer pairings, you’re sure to bust a move. _________ 2nd: Hidden Harbor, Squirrel Hill

• • • • • • • •

This is the go-to location in Pittsburgh for a good pour of key and whiskey. The wall of whiskey abbed excellent cocktail menu has nabbed rd recognition as a James Beard g Semifinalist for Outstanding Bar Program two years in a row. Sip and rub elbows with the Downtown crowd. _________ 2nd: The Commoner, Downtown 3rd: täko, Downtown

★ BEST

BAR (NORTH) ★

JAMES STREET GASTROPUB AND SPEAKEASY ppresents ese s thee Award-Winning ad g aandd O Off-Broadway Production

The Girls of Summer

422 Foreland St., North Side www.jamesstreetgastropub.com • • • • • • • •

This well-loved, historic spot offers a menu that’s a cut above your average bar food and well-crafted cocktails. CP readers also crowned James Street the best place to see live music, so swing by for a jazz band and a nightcap. _________ 2nd: Park House, North Side 3rd: Tequila Cowboy Bar and Grill, North Side

Written and Directed by Layon Gray

Friday, November 17 • 7:30PM Saturday, November 18 • 3PM & 7:30PM Sunday, y November 19 • 3PM

Kelly-Strayhorn Theater

5941 Penn Avenue • Pittsburgh, PA 15206 ALL SEATS $30 $30. Senior (65 and above) andd SStudent tudent rate $20 For tickets send check or money order to: New Horizon Theater, Inc P.O. Box 40102 • Pittsburgh, PA 15201 Call 412.431.0773, email newhorizontheater@yahoo.com, Visit Dorsey’s Digital Imaging on Frankstown Ave. or online at brownpapertickets.com

For more info visit newhorizontheater.org 10

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

★ BEST

BAR (SOUTH) ★

OTB BICYCLE CAFÉ 2518 E. Carson St., South Side 412-381-3698 or www.otbbicyclecafe.com

BAR (EAST) ★

3rd: Take a Break Bar, Lawrenceville

★ BEST

BAR (WEST) ★

MAD MEX 2101 Green Tree Road, Scott Township 412-279-0200 or www.madmex.com • • • • • • • •

Mad Mex made its name with its Cal-Mex menu, but its range of boozy offerings has never hurt. The Scott Township location has a craft-heavy draft roster 25 names strong and an even wider variety of bottled beer, plus a bourbon list and those signature margaritas. _________ 2nd: Alexions Bar & Grill, Carnegie 3rd: Rumfish Grille, Bridgeville

★ BEST

SPORTS BAR ★

PIPER’S PUB 1828 E. Carson St., South Side 412-381-3977 • • • • • • • •

There’s no better pub in Pittsburgh to watch international football matches — that’s soccer for all you Americans.

It’s a regular weekend spot for fans of clubs in countries around the world, so come early if you want to have a seat for the match. _________ 2nd: Bigham Tavern, Mount Washington

3rd: Hough’s, Greenfield

• • • • • • • •

The funky, bike-themed décor and the big burgers are memorable. But pedal in any time to sample the well-chosen draft list and specialty cocktails — like the Old Fashioned-like Penny-Farthing — that make this both a destination bar and a neighborhood hang. _________ 2nd: Dee’s Café, South Side 3rd: Acacia, South Side

★ BEST

LGBT BAR ★

BLUE MOON 5115 Butler St., Lawrenceville 412-781-1119 • • • • • • • •

Blue Moon is a very fun bar for everyone, but it’s an especially sacred place for queer folk. Between the wild karaoke, tasty drinks and stellar drag CONTINUES ON PG. 12

NOVEMBER 5 • BENEDUM CENTER TRUSTARTS.ORG • BOX OFFICE AT THEATER SQUARE • 412-456-6666

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

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BEST OF CULTURE + NIGHTLIFE CONTINUED FROM PG. 10

{CP PHOTO BY JAKE MYSLIWCZYK}

Gab Bonesso, winner of Best Local Comedian

shows (including an open stage every Wednesday), there’s no reason not to frequent this colorful spot. _________ 2nd: 5801 Video Lounge & Cafe,

hipper (Andy Warhol). Or just smooch in the silver balloon room at The Warhol. _________ 2nd: Row House Cinema, Lawrenceville 3rd: Arsenal Bowling Lanes, Lawrenceville

Shadyside

3rd: Cruze Bar, Strip District

★ BEST

PLACE TO ★ TAKE A FIRST DATE

CARNEGIE MUSEUMS OF PITTSBURGH Multiple locations www.carnegiemuseums.org

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★ BEST

PLACE TO ★ TAKE A TINDER DATE

ACE HOTEL PITTSBURGH

120 S. Whitfield St., East Liberty ty 412-361-3300 or www.acehotel.com/pittsburgh

• • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • •

All these museums give you the opportunity to pretend you are better, thus impressing your date. Pick from: smarter (science center), more cultured (art), more traveled (natural history), or

Ace Hotel’s Pittsburgh location, in East Liberty, has been a cultural hotspot since opening in 2015, hosting a bevy of fun date activities from dodgeball to DJ nights to

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

TED-type talks. Plus, if the date goes well, you can always head upstairs and get a room. _________ 2nd: Cavo Nightclub, Strip District 3rd: Black Forge Coffee House, Allentown

★ BEST

PLACE ★ TO DANCE

BELVEDERE’S ULTRA-DIVE

4016 Butler St., Lawrenceville 40 412-687-2555 or www.belvederesultradive.com • • • • • • • •

There’s something for everybody at this iconic Lawrenceville dive’s dance parties, with a calendar stacked with sets dedicated to the ’80s, ’90s, and

artists like Prince, Drake and Kanye.

The monthly Down & Derby roller-skating parties are not to be missed. Break it down! _________ 2nd: Cavo Nightclub, Strip District 3rd: The Goldmark, Lawrenceville

★ BEST

BARTENDER ★

KIMMIE DURIK, GENOA’S PIZZA AND BAR 111 Market St., Downtown 412-281-6100 or www.genoapizza.com • • • • • • • •

After bartending for 10 years, Durik landed here in 2015. She says her co-workers and regulars

have “become like family,” and that “every night is a new adventure.”

Whether she’s celebrating sports teams or hanging out listening to music, Durik is part of Genoa’s welcoming culture. _________ 2nd: Jill DaVern, The Goldmark 3rd: Tim Quinlan, Gooski’s

★ BEST PLACE TO ★ TAKE OUT-OF-TOWNERS

MOUNT WASHINGTON • • • • • • • •

It’s a striking view of our beautiful town and its three rivers from the overlooks on Mount Washington.

The view leaves visitors, especially those from the less-hilly environs, agape. Locals love it too,, especially at night, with the lights all a-twinkle. _________ 2nd: Strip District 3rd: Duquesne Incline, South Side/ Mount Washington

★ BEST

CLUB ★

BELVEDERE’S ULTRA-DIVE

4016 Butler St., Lawrenceville 412-687-2555 or www.belvederesultradive.com • • • • • • • •

“Ultra dive” really says it all. A holdover from “old Lawrenceville,” Belvedere’s is an iconic Pittsburgh watering hole, known for its dance parties, punk shows and imaginative special events.

Come for the roller derbies, stay for the $2 PBRs. _________ 2nd: Cavo Nightclub, Strip District

3rd: Cruze Bar, Strip District

★ BEST

BAR TO PREGAME ★

JACK’S BAR

1117 E. Carson St., South Side 412-431-3644 or www.jacksbarpittsburgh.com • • • • • • • •

Proof that a good time doesn’t have to cost a fortune, Jack’s offers the classic bar experience.

The mixed drinks are served only as doubles, the beer is always ice-cold, and the decor is as colorful as the patrons. _________ 2nd: Bierport, Lawrenceville 3rd: Birmingham Bridge Tavern, South Side

★ BEST

BAR TO DAY-DRINK ★

DOUBLE WIDE GRILL

2339 E. Carson St., South Side www.doublewidegrill.com • • • • • • • •

With 36 beers on tap and a full bar, there is no shortage of choice at this quirky South Side establishment. A large patio right on Carson Street makes for perfect people-watching, and there’s a section for dogs, too. Vegans, vegetarians and meat-eaters can all find satisfying snacks. _________ 2nd: The Harris Grill, Shadyside 3rd: Jack’s Bar, South Side

★ BEST

STRIP

WE BUY BELVEDERES RECORDS & CDS

TOP PRICES PAID FOR QUALITY COLLECTIONS

ULTRA-DIVE THURSDAY 80’S NIGHTS $1 PBR and $3 Fireball til 12

CLUB ★

CHEERLEADERS GENTLEMEN’S CLUB

3100 Liberty Ave., Strip District 412-281-3110 or www.cheerleaderspittsburgh.com w • • • • • • • •

Cheerleaders claims to have the most beautiful women and hottest music in the ’Burgh. Take a seat by the bar or the main stage, or reserve a private booth or party package for a special occasion.

Either way, you’re sure to have a memorable night out. _________ 2nd: Blush Gentlemen’s Club, Downtown

3rd: Cricket Lounge, Oakland

★ BEST

DIVE BAR ★

TAKE A BREAK BAR

3825 Penn Ave., Lawrenceville 412-389-1077 • • • • • • • •

The kind of bar that doesn’t give a shit if Pittsburgh is the best city for millennials or foodies. Walk in, sit down, order a whiskey, and talk to the chain-smoker at the bar about how dumb those lists are.

Then play some pool. _________ 2nd: Blue Moon, Lawrenceville 3rd: Jack’s Bar, South Side

★ BEST

TRIVIA NIGHT ★

VOODOO BREWERY HOMESTEAD 205 E. Ninth Ave., Homestead 412-368-8973 or www.voodoobrewery.com • • • • • • • •

At Voodoo Brewery in Homestead, Thursday night is trivia night.

Teams of four can compete in Buzz Worthy Pub Trivia for free CONTINUES ON PG. 14

MONDAY-FRIDAY 9AM-6PM SATURDAY 10AM-5PM 513 GRANT AVENUE • MILLVALE Questions? Call Us 412-821-8484

ATTICRECORDS@VERIZON.NET

THURSDAY OCT 19 NEW WAVE w/ EZ LOU

FRIDAY OCT 20 FREE CUSTOMER APPRECIATION

PIZZA PARTY FROM PBR

PIZZA CONTEST AT 7PM (WIN A TRIP TO LA)

DANCE PARTY

w/ DJ ADMC and KILLJOY following Pizza Party

SATURDAY OCT 21 90S NIGHT DANCE PARTY

SEAN MC and DJ THERMOS

MONDAY OCT 23 SILENT DISCO YOGA EVERY MONDAY 8PM

TUESDAY OCT 24 BIG STAGE KARAOKE EVERY TUESDAY

4016 BUTLER STREET PITTSBURGH, PA 15201 412-687-2555 WWW.BELVEDERESULTRADIVE.COM PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

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BEST OF CULTURE + NIGHTLIFE CONTINUED FROM PG. 13

{CP PHOTO BY AARON WARNICK}

B*tches Ball, winner of Best Fundraising Gala

starting at 7:30 p.m.. While you’re there, you can try a few of the delicious beers this craft brewery has to offer. _________ 2nd: Radical Trivia 3rd: Franktuary, Lawrenceville

★ BEST

KARAOKE NIGHT ★

THE EMO BAND’S LIVE BAND EMO & PUNK KARAOKE www.theemoband.com • • • • • • • •

This traveling show stops by often at Mr. Smalls in Millvale and features — you guessed it — emo music. Belt out songs from Fall Out Boy, Brand New and Saves The Day. If no one sings Hawthorne Heights’ “Ohio Is

14

for Lovers,” then something has gone terribly wrong. _________ 2nd: Nico’s Recovery Room, Bloomfield 3rd: Jekyl & Hyde, South Side

★ BEST

DJ ★

DJ GET NASTY Y

www.soundcloud.com/i-getnasty sty • • • • • • • •

A great DJ is able to gauge the crowd’s interest each night. Get Nasty has been DJing since 1999, so his skill set is vast and well-honed. If you want scratches, mixes, original music or just a sick multi-genre set, Get Nasty’s got you. _________ 2nd: DJ Selecta 3rd: DJ ADMC

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

★ BEST

PLACE FOR ★ A GIRLS NIGHT OUT

HIDDEN HARBOR 1708 Shady Ave., Squirrel Hill 412-422-5040 or www.hiddenharborpgh.com • • • • • • • •

Need a hip spot that has cozy booths, fun drinks and is easy for all your ladies to get to? The not-so-hidden Hidden Harbor, conveniently located in the heart of Squirrel Hill. Oh, and big plus: No the kind of place where lightNot beer-toting bros try to horn in. _________ 2nd: Allegheny Wine Mixer, Lawrenceville 3rd (tie): Painting With a Twist, Multiple locations

3rd (tie): La Carsa Narcisi Winery, Gibsonia

★ BEST

PLACE FOR ★ A GUY’S NIGHT OUT

INDEPENDENT BREWING COMPANY 1704 Shady Ave., Squirrel Hill 412-422-5040 or www.independentpgh.com • • • • • • • •

Featuring a rotating line-up of beers brewed in the Pittsburgh area, Independent Brewing Company is the perfect spot to meet up with the guys. You’ll also find an extensive list of spirits and cocktails, as well as a menu of tavern classics with a modern twist. _________ 2nd: Rivers Casino, North Shore 3rd: Victory Pointe Arcade and Gaming Cafe, South Side

★ BEST

INDEPENDENT ★ MOVIE THEATER

ROW HOUSE CINEMA

4115 Butler St., Lawrenceville www.rowhousecinema.com

the best Halloween attraction in America. With three differently themed haunts and a basement not for the faint of heart, the ScareHouse creators work year-round to ensure an unforgettable experience. _________ 2nd: Hundred Acre Manor, Bethel Park

• • • • • • • •

A welcome alternative to your local megaplex, this charming one-screen theater offers well-curated — and usually themed — programming, of new, classic, cult and indie films.

The venue also has a built-in bottle shop, so you can pair a craft beer with your screening. _________ 2nd: Hollywood Theater, Dormont

3rd: The Manor, Squirrel Hill

★ BEST

STREET FESTIVAL ★

DEUTSCHTOWN MUSIC FESTIVAL

www.deutschtownmusicfestival.org • • • • • • • •

The North Side’s Deutschtown n Music Festival offers an incredibly large lineup of local music and food vendors, as well as all sorts of cool free activities for the whole family. It’s impossible to be bored, and quite possible to have a great time! _________ 2nd: OpenStreets Pittsburgh burgh 3rd: Pittsburgh Pride d

★ BEST

DISTANCE RACE ★

PITTSBURGH MARATHON

www.pittsburghmarathon.com • • • • • • • •

You’ve got just over six months to train for the 2018 Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon (and accompanying half-marathon, 5K, etc). Try for a personal best — or simply enjoy the carnival atmosphere that surrounds the venerable footrace’s 26.2-mile loop through the city. _________ 2nd: The Great Race 3rd: Run Around the Square, Regent Square

★ BEST

HAUNTED ★ ATTRACTION

SCAREHOUSE 118 Locust St., Etna 412-781-5885 • • • • • • • •

Not just the best in Pittsburgh, this scream fest has also been named

Beautiful blossoms for Pittsburgh brides.

3rd: Kennywood Fright Nights, West Mifflin

★ BEST PLACE TO ★ CELEBRATE YOUR BIRTHDAY

HIDDEN HARBOR 1708 Shady Ave., Squirrel Hill 412-422-5040 or www.hiddenharborpgh.com • • • • • • • •

Ideally, your birthday falls on a Thursday, so you can get down with the groovy party tunes from that night’s regular spinner, DJ MB. And tuck into a Krakatoa, a cocktail named for the 1883 volcanic explosion thought to be the loudest sound ever heard in modern history. Boom! _________ 2nd: Games N’ At, South Side 3rd: Kennywood, West Mifflin

★ BEST

412.916.1969 • www.budgetblossomsbyjilliann.com

CASINO ★

RIVERS CASINO R 777 Casino Drive, North Side 7 www.riverscasino.com • • • • • • • •

W Within walking distance of He Field, PNC Park and Stage Heinz AE, Rivers is a fun stop for anyone looking to extend the evening.

With a full entertainment schedule, several dining options, and a dizzying array of table games and slots, Rivers is its own destination. _________ 2nd: Meadows Racetrack and Casino, Washington 3rd: Presque Isle Downs, Erie

★ BEST

FUNDRAISING GALA ★

B*TCHES BALL, HUMANE ANIMAL RESCUE

MAKE YOUR

NEXT ADVENTURE A

MOUNTAINRAIL ADVENTURE!

412-345-7300 or www.humaneanimalrescue.org • • • • • • • •

The idea is fairly simple — a drag-queen competition raising funds for pups — but after six years, this annual benefit has emerged as one of the city’s favorite nights out for a good cause.

Lady Diamond dethroned Confetti Gunn this year; who knows what’s in store for 2018? _________ 2nd: Can’t Stop the Serenity, Equality Now

3rd: Lovers Not Fighters, Hello Bully

Six trains, three depots. Trains depart from Elkins, Cass and Durbin.

866.882.6507 • MTN-RAIL.COM PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

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CONGRATS TO THE 2017 BEST OF WINNERS 2518 EaSt CaRsOn St. PiTtSbUrGh, pA • 412-381-3698 oTbBiCyClEcAfE.cOm fOlLoW uS oNlInE:

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

BEST LOCAL BOOKSTORE

NINE STORIES

CO-OWNERS JOHN SHORTINO AND ALLISON MOSHER

{CP PHOTO BY XAVIER THOMAS}

BEST OF GOODS + SERVICES

BEST OF GOODS + SERVICES {CP PHOTO BY JAKE MYSLIWCZYK}

Camp Bow Wow Pittsburgh Southwest, winner of Best Doggie Day Care

★ BEST

LOCAL BOOKSTORE ★

NINE STORIES 5400 Butler St., Lawrenceville www.ninestoriespgh.com • • • • • • • •

Nine Stories is the type of bookstore that reminds you why you should never buy a book online. It’s cozy, the staff is friendly and the collection of new and used books is diverse, with an emphasis on fiction. They also hold occasional literary events and share an open floor plan with the coffee shop next door. _________ 2nd: Kards Unlimited, Shadyside 3rd: Caliban Book Shop, Oakland

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★ BEST

RECORD STORE ★

JERRY’S RECORDS 2136 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill 412-421-4533 • • • • • • • •

Record-collecting enthusiasts ts come from far and wide to browse Jerry’s massive collection. With a full warehouse on top of the inventory in the store, it would take years to go through it all.

Rolling Stone once named it one of the best record stores in the U.S. _________ 2nd: Attic Record Store Inc., Millvale 3rd: Dave’s Music Mine, South Side

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

★ BEST

LOCAL STORE ★ TO BUY MUSIC

JERRY’S RECORDS 2136 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill 412-421-4533 • • • • • • • •

As of this summer, the Jerry part of Jerry’s Records — founder Jerry Weber — no longer helms the f front desk at the famous record shop, but his legacy lives on.

Bins laden with records of every genre, from reggae to doo wop, make this a record en enthusiast’s version of heaven. _________ 2nd: Dave’s Music Mine, South Side 3rd: The Exchange, Multiple locations

★ BEST

PLACE TO BUY ★ MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

N STUFF

468 Freeport Road, Blawnox www.nstuffmusic.com • • • • • • • •

Formerly Pianos N Stuff, this familyowned establishment has long been a go-to for professional and budding musicians alike. You can still buy a piano, but it’s the other “stuff” — tons of new and used gear, great customer service, music lessons, etc. — that makes this place rock. _________ 2nd: Pittsburgh Guitars, South Side

3rd: Volkwein’s Music, Robinson

★ BEST

LOCAL STORE ★ TO BUY FURNITURE

SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL THRIFT STORES Multiple locations www.svdppitt.org • • • • • • • •

A Stickley-style pine rocker? $14.99.

Foldable, but still sturdy, wooden church chairs? $3.99 each. An antique wooden school desk, complete with ink-pot hole? $39.99.

Take a look around — maybe, like at the Sharpsburg location — and assorted end tables and chairs will even be free. _________ 2nd: Construction Junction, North Point Breeze

3rd: Mahla Office Furniture, Strip District

★ BEST

BANK ★

PNC BANK Multiple locations www.pnc.com • • • • • • • •

These days, doing your banking doesn’t require seeing a teller.

But it can’t hurt that the company that started before the Civil War as Pittsburgh Trust and Saving Company is now regionally ubiquitous, with 2,600 branches and 9,000 ATMs in a 19-state area. _________ 2nd: Dollar Bank, Multiple locations 3rd: Citizens Bank, Multiple locations

★ BEST

CAR DEALER ★

RON LEWIS AUTOMOTIVE Multiple locations 724-846-1440 or www.ronlewisautomotive.com w • • • • • • • •

★ BEST LOCAL PLACE ★ TO BUY VINTAGE CLOTHING

SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL THRIFT STORES Multiple locations www.svdppitt.org • • • • • • • •

Upside: The cheapest place to buy vintage togs is at a thrift store.

Downside: You might have to look longer. Upside: A lot of folks love the treasure-hunt aspect, and nothing is sweeter than scoring a kicky retro two-piece suit for less than $10. _________ 2nd: Three Rivers Vintage, South Side

3rd: Eons Fashion Antique, Shadyside

New or used, from Alfa Romeo to Chevrolet, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for at one of Ron Lewis Automotive Group’s seven locations in Western Pennsylvania. Can’t make it in?

Search the entire inventory on its comprehensive website. Plus, delivery within 100 miles. _________ 2nd: Jim Shorkey Auto Group, Multiple locations

3rd: Bobby Rahal Automotive Group, Multiple locations

★ BEST

PLACE TO BUY ★ YOURSELF HAPPINESS

THE COLLECTOR’S CAVE AT BELLEVUE BEER 4489 Ohio River Blvd., Bellevue 412-415-3997 or www.bellevuebeer.com • • • • • • • •

★ BEST

ANTIQUE SHOP ★

KENSINGTON COURT ANTIQUES 3464 Babcock Blvd., North Hills 412-367-1404 • • • • • • • •

This two-story shop, stocked by multiple dealers, offers room after room of everything old you could possibly want: quilts, old advertising gee-gaws, furniture, housewares, jewelry, toys, clothing, books and more. It’s packed, but not cluttered, and there are plenty of under-$20 bargains. _________ 2nd: Who New Retro Mod Décor, Lawrenceville

3rd: Antique Mall at Ohio River, Bellevue

Though beer brings many people happiness, Bellevue Beer’s Collector’s Cave is about making toy geeks happy.

Mini action figures abound, so it’s easy to get overwhelmed with happiness.

Pick up your favorite comic book, Star Wars character or sports hero. They even have Evgeni Malkin! _________ 2nd: Wildcard, Lawrenceville 3rd: Kards Unlimited, Shadyside

★ BEST

CARD STORE ★

WILDCARD 4209 Butler St., Lawrenceville 412-224-2651 • • • • • • • •

When you need a very special card — perhaps one with two raccoons that says, “Let’s Be Outlaws Together,” or a CONTINUES ON PG. 20

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

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BELFAST GIRLS

BEST OF GOODS + SERVICES CONTINUED FROM PG. 19

by Jaki McCarrick

OCTOBER 25TH-29TH Tickets : $28.00 in advance • $30 at door Student/Artist rates available Box Office : 724.896.0055 Tickets Online at : ghostlighttheatretroupe.com/tickets-location/

Carnegie Stage

25. W. Main Street • Carnegie, PA

Pittsburgh’s Premier Silent Disco Provider Have a dance party virtually anywhere for all ages with zero noise complaints.

We also offer tactile audio options to actually feel the music!

f r e q u e n c y- 5 2 8 . c o m

{CP PHOTO BY JAKE MYSLIWCZYK}

Club Cycle Bethel Park, winner of Best Fitness Center

birthday card that doesn’t look cheap — this charming store has what you need. Browse a wide selection of indie cards, including those that are hand-crafted or letter-pressed. _________ 2nd: Kards Unlimited, Shadyside 3rd: Nota Bene, Aspinwall

★ BEST

BRIDAL SHOP ★

GLITTER & GRIT 5300 Butler St., Lawrenceville ville 412-781-2375 or www.glitterandgritpgh.com m • • • • • • • •

If you’d rather not look like a fluffy princess bride, let this local shop, which specializes in independent and American designers, set you up with less traditional bridal dresses. Make an appointment for a consultation, and come down the aisle in your own style. _________ 2nd: One Enchanted Evening, 1100 Muldowney Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15207 412-721-0166

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

Zelienople

3rd: Bridal Beginning, Mount Lebanon

★ BEST

FLORIST ★

K.S. KENNEDY DISTINCTIVE FLORAL

848 Western Ave., North Side 412-322-7673 • • • • • • • •

Sitting in the block of Western Avenue, just feet from the park, this delightful storefront offers some of the nicest arrangements in the g region.

It’s also one of the go-to florists for weddings, with a five-star rating from website, The Knot. _________ 2nd: Blossoms by Jilliann, Mount Lebanon

3rd: Farmer’s Daughter Flowers, North Side

★ BEST LOCAL JEWELRY STORE ★

HENNE JEWELERS 5501 Walnut St., Shadyside 412-682-0226 • • • • • • • •

Need a new piece of bling? Henne specializes in high-end watches and

jewelry. Check out its pre-owned offerings for fine jewelry on a budget, or take a look at the Rolex collection.

And if you need something repaired, the staff can help with that, too. _________ 2nd: Goldstock Jewelers, Downtown 3rd: Orr’s Jewelers, Squirrel Hill

★ BEST

OUTDOOR ★ WEDDING VENUE

PHIPPS CONSERVATORY AND BOTANICAL GARDENS 1 Schenley Drive, Oakland 412-622-6914 • • • • • • • •

There are a lot of expenses to consider when planning a wedding. You want a beautiful backdrop for your big day, but it’s hard to put up the dough for flowers that will be wilted the next day. But if a floral theme is what you seek, look no further than Phipps. _________ 2nd: The National Aviary, North Side 3rd: Morning Glory Inn, South Side

★ BEST

INDOOR ★ WEDDING VENUE

PHIPPS CONSERVATORY AND BOTANICAL GARDENS 1 Schenley Drive, Oakland 412-622-6914

trimmed. Prices are reasonable for a high-quality barber shop, and walk-ins are encouraged. Maestro’s also offers discounts for vets, police, firefighters, EMS workers and seniors. _________ 2nd: Mister Grooming & Goods, Lawrenceville

3rd: Graham’s Barber Shop, Lawrenceville

THE ONLY INDOOR RIFLE RANGE OPEN EVERY DAY! (RESTRICTIONS APPLY)

SHOOTING RANGE OPEN 7 DAYS Hom me Prottectiion Never Lo ooke ed So o Go ood d

• • • • • • • •

Known mostly for its outdoor spaces, Phipps also has a number of spots inside which are perfect for a wedding with a floral theme. And even if flowers aren’t your thing, its events hall, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, makes for a perfect atmosphere. _________ 2nd: The Priory Hotel, North Side 3rd: Sen. John Heinz History Center, Strip District

★ BEST

HAIR SALON ★

MARK & ANTHONY HAIR SALON 209 S. Craig St., Oakland 412-682-3670 or om www.markanthonyhair.com

★ BEST

DAY SPA ★

THE SEWICKLEY SPA 337 Beaver St., Sewickley 412-741-4240 or www.sewickleyspa.com

★ BEST

NAIL SALON ★

BE. SALON

633 Washington Road, Mount Lebanon www.besalon.be • • • • • • • •

Reasonably priced with a friendly, much Yelped-about staff, be. salon offers everything from a regular spa pedicure to paraffin treatments and gel nails. The “European style” salon is run by three owners, who boast 50 years of experience between them. _________ 2nd: Dallas Beauty Lounge, Bridgeville 3rd: Fancy Spa & Nails, Ross Township

★ BEST

BARBER SHOP ★

MAESTRO’S BARBER SHOP

609 Washington Ave., Bridgeville 412-652-7642 or www.maestrosbarbershop.com • • • • • • • •

It’s a hipster man-cave meets a barber shop. Patrons can play pool while waiting to get their jet-black beards

& S SHOOTING CENTER

• • • • • • • •

Take care of yourself at The Sewickley Spa, whether it’s a hot-stone massage, a facial with soothing herbal components, a foot paraffin drip, or even a full-body seaweed wrap.

Or take a buddy: Relaxing and rejuvenating in such a pleasant environment can definitely be shared. _________ 2nd: LanaVita Massage and Skincare, Castle Shannon 3rd: Evolve Wellness Spa, Shadyside

• • • • • • • •

Mark & Anthony Hair Salon is a full-service stop for all of your beauty needs, offering everything from g hair-cutting, coloring, relaxing nd and braiding to nails, lashes and sts waxing. Its team of specialists and consultants will have you looking and feeling your best. _________ 2nd: be. Salon, Mount Lebanon 3rd: Salon Atmosphere, South Hills

Private R ange available for parties!

★ BEST

FITNESS ★ CENTER

CLUB CYCLE B BETHEL PARK

TIME TO BUY! Prices are at their lowest!

B U Y- S E L L - T R A D E FIREARMS

FREE RANGE PASS

Free range time or gun rental your choice expires 12/31/2017

CLASSES SAVE $20 (MONDAY-THURSDAY)

LEARN TO SHOOT

ONE ON ONE CLASSES AVAILABLE 7 DAYS A WEEK

AS LITTLE AS 1 DAY NOTICE

2980 LEBANON CHURCH RD. • WEST MIFFLIN, PA 15122 • 412-469-9992 W W W . A N T H O N YA R M S . C O M

4994 Library Road, Bethel Park www.clubcycleonline.com • • • • • • • •

This indoor spin studio cranks up the volume with classes that combine calorie-burning and body-toning with uptempo tunes. Offerings include musicvideo classes, featuring hits from Michael Jackson and other music from the ’80s, along with classes with a live DJ. _________ 2nd: California Cycle Path, North Side

3rd: Cycletique, Bethel Park

★ BEST

BICYCLE SHOP ★

THICK BIKES

62 S. 15th St., South Side 412-350-3590 or www.thickbikes.com

Whether you’re in the market for a new bike or you need repairs on an old one, Thick Bikes has got you covered. This full-service bike shop has all of the accessories, apparel and gear that anyone — from a novice to pro cyclist — could need. _________ 2nd: West Liberty Cycles, Brookline 3rd: Iron City Bikes Lawrenceville, Lawrenceville CONTINUES ON PG. 22

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

21

BEST OF GOODS + SERVICES

COME DISCOVER WHAT’S BEYOND THE

CONTINUED FROM PG. 21

WOODEN BOXES

★ BEST

YOGA STUDIO ★

393 Vanadium Road, South Hills www.sterlingyoga.com

can deliver clean, careful work and all the after-care advice you need.

The jewelry selection is a bonus. _________ 2nd: Hot Rod Piercing, South Side 3rd: Sinners and Saints Tattoo,

• • • • • • • •

Shadyside

STERLING YOGA AND WELLNESS

412-408-2228 | 5122 BUTLER ST, 15201

VINTAGE HOME DÉCOR ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES GARDENING FURNISHINGS & ART KITSCHY GIFTS

Sterling offers something for everyone, from reiki healing to reflexology and yoga classes.

Students can even get psychic readings.

A full class schedule offers yoga for every energy and ability level. Karma classes are donation-based for those who are on a tight budget. _________ 2nd: Local Motion, Homestead 3rd: I Am Yoga, Squirrel Hill

★ BEST

ADULT STORE ★

SASSY SENSATIONS Multiple locations sassysensations.com • • • • • • • •

This isn’t one of those seedy dy adult stores, like you see in old movies. Instead, it caters to a more sophisticated and decidedly feminine clientele, with a variety of toys to please users, whether with a partner or alone. _________ 2nd: AdultMart, Multiple locations ations 3rd: The ER Room – Harris Sales and Service, Lawrenceville

★ BEST C E L E B R AT I N G

2 0

Y E A R S !

• Sexy Lingerie & Costumes Sm-4x • Flirty Footwear • Sizzling Adult Enhancers

SASSYSENSATIONS.COM South Hills 4136 Library Rd. Robinson 6080 Steubenville Pike Austintown 97 S. Meridian Rd.

15% Off * Total Order

NEVERENDING INK 1100 Muldowney Ave., Lincoln Place 412-721-0166 • • • • • • • •

Neverending Ink is a clean and accommodating shop that offers a wide range of tattooing styles, from detailed line work and traditional flash to softer floral work. Whether it’s color or black work, this shop can make your tattoo vision a reality. _________ 2nd: Inka Dinka Doo, Lawrenceville 3rd: The Pittsburgh Tattoo Studio, Dormont

NEVERENDING INK

Offer Good at All 3 Sassy Boutiques or Online Coupon Code: PLEASURE Offer Expires November 19, 2017

For some piercing therapy, explore your options at Neverending Ink. Be it a simple nose gem, a bold industrial piercing or dainty microdermals, Neverending Ink

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

PLACE TO GET ★ A TATTOO REMOVED

DISAPPEARING INK 106 Nelbon Ave., Penn Hills, and 3603 Butler St., Lawrenceville 724-972-7734 or www.disappearinginkltr.com • • • • • • • •

Whether a “Pirates World Series Champs ’13” banner across your back or a “Matt & Lucy 4EVA” across the chest, Disappearing Ink can help rectify your questionable life choices (at least when it comes to tattoos). The prices are low, equipment is sophisticated, and consultations are free. _________ 2nd: Body Beautiful 2 Laser Las Medi-Spa, Downtown 3rd: True Image Tattoo, New Kensington

★ BEST

VAPE SHOP ★

STEEL CITY VAPORS Multiple locations www.steelcityvapors.com w • • • • • • • •

You can stock up on vape juice and get puffing at any number of places, but why not go with the local established fave? Locations in Monroeville, Castle Shannon and Squirrel Hill offer e-liquids, mods and batteries — plus there’s a phone app that lets you rack up rewards. _________ 2nd: Vape Crusades Vape Shop, South Side and Bridgeville 3rd: Diversity, Dormont

★ BEST

CIGAR SHOP ★

LEAF & BEAN 2200 Penn Ave., Strip District (412-434-1480), and 3525 Washington Road, Peters Township (724-942-6670). www.leafandbean.com • • • • • • • •

★ BEST BODY PIERCING SHOP ★ 1100 Muldowney Ave., Lincoln Place 412-721-0166

*One coupon, per visit per person Offer does not include any other offers, discounts or to purchase gift certificates.

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TATTOO SHOP ★

★ BEST

• • • • • • • •

The finer things in life: well-roasted coffee and fancy cigars. At this local institution, you have access to both Central American specialties at the same time. The Strip District location even has a fully stocked walk-in humidor for easy perusal of the cigars. _________ 2nd: Dirty Dog Cigar Shoppe, Versailles 3rd: Smoke Cigar Shop & Lounge, Collier

City Theatre: Pittsburgh’s home for Bold New Plays

VOTED BEST LOCAL THEATER COMPANY FOR OVER A DECADE UP NEXT:

A New Musical Folktale

{CP PHOTO BY JOHN COLOMBO}

Pittsburgh Party Pedaler, winner of Best Beer-Related Tour

★ BEST

BEER DISTRIBUTOR ★

BELLEVUE BEER

4489 Ohio River Blvd., Bellevue 412-415-3997 or www.bellevuebeer.com • • • • • • • •

Large neon signs beckon beer lovers to this roadside distributor with an abundance of craft beer. Two walls are dedicated to cold beer, and there’s a great section for Pennsylvania beers, including the cheaper brews, like Yuengling and Straub. Prices are good, and service is friendly. _________ 2nd: Save Mor Beer & Pop Warehouse, Squirrel Hill 3rd: Bierport, Lawrenceville

★ BEST

GARDEN SHOP ★ OR NURSERY

CITY GROWS

5208 Butler St., Lawrenceville 412-781-2082 or www.citygrowspgh.com

PIGPEN THEATRE CO.

BY DIRECTED BY STUART CARDEN & PIGPEN THEATRE CO.

• • • • • • • •

If you’re into organic gardening but lack a whole yard to work with, City Grows is for you. The Lawrenceville boutique specializes in container and vertical gardens, so you can raise flowers and even veggies on your patio, stoop or windowsill. _________ 2nd: Brenckle’s Farms and Greenhouses, Evans City 3rd: Shadyside Nursery, Shadyside

Use code CITYCITY to save $5 on single tickets

NOV. 11 – DEC. 3, 2017 TICKETS ON SALE NOW BOX OFFICE

412.431.CITY (2489)

WEB

CITYTHEATRECOMPANY.ORG

1300 BINGHAM STREET / SOUTH SIDE

CONTINUES ON PG. 24

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

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BEST OF GOODS + SERVICES CONTINUED FROM PG. 23

{CP PHOTO BY JORDAN MILLER}

Market Square Farmers Market, winner of Best Farmers Market

★ BEST

NEIGHBORHOOD ★ MARKET

★ BEST

FARMERS MARKET ★

★ BEST

THRIFT SHOP ★

MARKET SQUARE FARMERS MARKET

SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL THRIFT STORES

• • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • •

Whether you’re on the hunt for vintage treasures, handmade goods, original art, local foods or libations — or if you don’t exactly know what you’re looking for — this well-curated monthly market is worth your time. Workshops are also offered; past projects included garden-gnome terrariums and kokedama-making. _________ 2nd: 52nd Street Market, Lawrenceville 3rd: I Made It! Market,

Fresh pears or hot pierogies, locally baked bread, heirloom tomatoes, smoked meats or artisan yarn — whatever you’re after, this bustling Thursday fixture in the heart of Downtown does the trick. And did we mention apples, moussaka, olive oil and vegetarian dog treats? _________ 2nd: Bloomfield Saturday Market, Bloomfield 3rd: Mount Lebanon Farmers Market,

Various locations

Mount Lebanon

All in one store: A vintage Coach handbag, a new pair of Haggar dress slacks, the complete Flight of the Conchords on DVD, a buttery-soft black leather jacket, 15-cent spoons, unopened Batman Forever commerorative Kellogg’s Corn Pops, a figurine of a clown riding a unicorn. Get it. _________ 2nd: Red, White and Blue Thrift Store, Bon Air and Bellevue 3rd: Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse, North Point Breeze

THE NEIGHBORHOOD FLEA 2300 Penn Ave., Strip District www.neighborhoodflea.com • • • • • • • •

24

Market Square, Downtown www.downtownpittsburgh.com

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

Multiple locations www.svdppitt.org

★ BEST

SECONDHAND ★ CLOTHING STORE

SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL THRIFT STORES Multiple locations www.svdppitt.org • • • • • • • •

Honestly, for jeans, khakis, polo shirts, skirts and other basic wardrobe staples, why pay full price at a retail store? It’s a good thing to extend the life of still-good clothing, plus shopping here directs money to a charitable organization helping out the local community. _________ 2nd: Avalon Exchange, Squirrel Hill

3rd: Red, White and Blue Thrift Store, Bon Air and Bellevue

★ BEST

LOCAL PET STORE ★

PETAGOGY 5880 Ellsworth Ave., Shadyside 412-362-7387 or www.petagogy.com • • • • • • • •

Pets are family, and deserve the same level of care. At this locally owned shop, choose from an array of healthy and natural food and treats for cats and dogs. Then indulge your companion animal with toys, accessories (like a colorful collar), specialized bedding and so much more. _________ 2nd: Animal Friends, North Hills

3rd: Lawrenceville Pet Supply, Lawrenceville

★ BEST PLACE TO TAKE ★ THE KIDS FOR AN AFTERNOON

PITTSBURGH ZOO & PPG AQUARIUM 7340 Butler St., Highland Park 412-365-2536 or www.pittsburghzoo.org • • • • • • • •

They’ve got fur, scales and feathers, flippers, paws and wings.

They can run, swim, dig, fly and brachiate. And if the hundreds of mammals, reptiles, birds, fish and amphibians who live here can’t amuse the kids for an afternoon … well, you must know different kids than we do. _________ 2nd: Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, North Side

★ BEST

DOGGIE ★ DAY CARE

CAMP BOW WOW PITTSBURGH SOUTHWEST 710 Trumbull Drive, East Carnegie www.campbowwow.com • • • • • • • •

Send your pooch away, to day care or an overnight stay, with peace of mind.

Live cameras allow nervous dog-parents to check in on their pups.

Bathing services and training sessions can keep g the doggie looking and acting me great upon returning home. _________ 2nd: Big Easy Dog Daze & Cafe, Lawrenceville

3rd: Pittsburgh Paws Pet Resort, Sewickley

★ BEST

PLACE TO ★ ADOPT A PET

HUMANE ANIMAL RESCUE

6926 Hamilton Ave., Homewood (412-345-7300) and 1101 Western Ave., North Side (412-321-4625). www.humaneanimalrescue.org

3rd: National Aviary, North Side

★ BEST

CITY TOUR ★

JUST DUCKY TOURS

125 W. Station Square Drive, South Side 412-408-3825 or www.justduckytours.com • • • • • • • •

Quacking is semimandatory when you take one of Just Ducky’s unique, one-hour land-and-water tours of historic Downtown and the rivers in a converted amphibious World War II military vehicle. Your guide will indeed encourage quacking — and passersby (not all of them ducks) just might quack back. _________ 2nd: Passport to Pittsburgh 3rd: Gateway Clipper Fleet, South Side

★ BEST

BEER-RELATED TOUR ★

PITTSBURGH PARTY PEDALER 2524 Penn Ave., Strip District 412-228-7476

• • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • •

Merged from the Animal Rescue League Shelter & Wildlife Center and Western Pa. Humane Society earlier this year, Humane Animal Rescue is now one of the largest animal-welfare organizations in the state. From cats to pigs to crabs to ferrets, it has your adoption needs covered. _________ 2nd: Animal Friends, Ohio Township 3rd: Biggies Bullies,

Whether you’re a tourist or a born-and-bred Pittsburgher, there’s no better way to see the city than on one of these party-bike tours.

Depending on your choice, you’ll travel through the Strip District or North Side, and burn some calories while you’re at it. _________ 2nd: City Brews Tour, Multiple locations 3rd: Porter Craft Beer Tours,

www.biggiesbullies.com

Highland Park

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

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26

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

{CP PHOTO BY XAVIER THOMAS}

BEST OF FOOD + DRINK

BEST T CHEF

DIANA “DINGO“ NGO FROM ONION MAIDEN

BEST OF FOOD + DRINK

{CP PHOTO BY JOHN COLOMBO}

Ritter’s Diner, winner of Best Late-Night Menu

★ BEST

NEW RESTAURANT ★

HONEST JOHN’S BAR & RESTAURANT 216 E. Eighth Ave., Homestead 412-205-3448 or www.honestjohnspgh.com • • • • • • • •

Being an awesome place, while also helping to revitalize an historically downtrodden business district, will garner you a lot of fans. Honest John’s does both, all while offering innovative comfort fare such as candied-bacon BLTs and blackened-tilapia fish tacos. _________ 2nd: Onion Maiden, Allentown 3rd: DiAnoia’s Eatery, Strip District

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★ BEST

RESTAURANT ★

(DOWNTOWN/ STRIP DISTRICT)

GAUCHO PARRILLA ARGENTINA 1601 Penn Ave., Strip District 412-709-6622 • • • • • • • •

Any restaurant where the line stretches around the block on the daily is worth a try. Gaucho’s unique counter-style service and casual dining atmosphere make it a perfect place to bring a bottle of wine and chow down on perfectly grilled meats and veggies. _________ 2nd: Proper Brick Oven & Tap Room, Downtown 3rd: Nicky’s Thai Kitchen,

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

Downtown

★ BEST

RESTAURANT ★

(NORTH)

OTB BICYCLE CAFÉ AT THE NORTH PARK BOATHOUSE

10301 Pearce Mill Road, Allison Park 724-940-5000 or www.otbbicyclecafe.com • • • • • • • •

Pedal or paddle (or jog or drive) to this rustic-looking spot, with its lakeside patio, tasty drafts, and outdoors-themed offerings, including the Trail Builder burger, with bacon and onion straws, and the Pig Hill Press, a Cuban-style sandwich named after an infamous local incline. _________ 2nd: Scratch Food & Beverage, Troy Hill 3rd: Pear and the Pickle, Troy Hill

★ BEST

RESTAURANT ★

(SOUTH)

ONION MAIDEN

639 E. Warrington Ave., Allentown 412-586-7347 • • • • • • • •

This restaurant has come a long way since its early days as a pop-up, but that doesn’t mean it’s forgotten its roots. Come for the music-themed menu items with names like Burning Witch soup and Smashing Pumpkins cheesecake. Stay for the locally sourced grub. _________ 2nd: Streets on Carson, South Side

3rd: Amel’s Restaurant, South Hills

★ BEST

RESTAURANT ★ (EAST)

NOODLEHEAD

242 S. Highland, Ave., Shadyside www.noodleheadpgh.com

which encompasses items served at street-food stands. _________ 2nd: Nakama, South Side and North Hills 3rd: Umi Restaurant, Shadyside

• • • • • • • •

Noodlehead’s menu is small — just one page, and nothing costs over $9 — but the quality of each Thai dish it offers makes this a worthwhile stop. Expect to wait, but the pork-belly steamed buns and street noodles are worth it. _________ 2nd: Eighty Acres Bar & Kitchen, Monroeville 2nd: D’s Six Pax & Dogz, Swissvale

★ BEST

RESTAURANT ★ (WEST)

BURGATORY 300 McHolme Drive, Robinson Township www.burgatorybar.com • • • • • • • •

Don’t let the name fool you.

This local chain is you-know-where d to for burger-lovers. It’s hard y— decide what’s most heavenly the natural, hormonefree Angus beef? The almost limitless customization options? The vegan and gluten-free selections?

The boozy milkshakes? _________ 2nd: Bakn, Carnegie 3rd: Pierogies Plus, McKees Rocks

★ BEST

CHEF ★

DIANA “DINGO” NGO (ONION MAIDEN) 639 E. Warrington Ave., Allentown 412-586-7347 • • • • • • • •

It’s hard to say what influences Ngo’s cooking more — her Southeast Asian and Chinese roots, or her love for punk/ metal music — but both come through in the menu at Onion Maiden.

For example, her “Straight to Hell” salad was named for The Clash song about the Vietnam war. _________ 2nd: Dave Anoia — DiAnoia’s Eatery, Strip District 3rd: Ben Sloan — Kaya, Strip District

★ BEST

INDIAN RESTAURANT ★

TAJ MAHAL

7795 McKnight Road, Ross Township 412-364-1760 or www.tajmahalinc.com • • • • • • • •

While this McKnight Road landmark’s lengthy menu traverses India north to south, devotees swear by the generous buffet (all day Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays) that should certainly satiate your craving for chicken tikka, malai kofta, goat curry and much, much more. _________ 2nd: People’s Indian Restaurant, Garfield 3rd: Udipi Café, Monroeville

JAPANESE ★ RESTAURANT

UMAMI

202 38th St., Lawrenceville www.umamipgh.com • • • • • • • •

Umami offers contemporary Japanese fare that is as pleasing to the eye as it is to the tastebuds. Menu categories include robatayaki — skewered foods grilled over charcoal — and yatai,

1910 New Texas Road 724.519.7304 eightyacreskitchen.com

★ BEST

ITALIAN ★ RESTAURANT

PICCOLO FORNO PICC

3801 Butler St., Lawrenceville 412-622-0111 or www.piccolo-forno.com • • • • • • • •

By serving up homemade T Tuscan pastas and wood-fired pizzas, Piccolo Forno has remained a favorite spot fo for those looking to get their Ita Italian-food fix. Be sure to save som some room to finish off your meal with its creamy gelato, panna cotta or tiramisu. _________ 2nd: DiAnoia’s Eatery, Strip District 3rd: Alla Famiglia, Allentown

★ BEST

FRENCH ★ RESTAURANT

PARIS 66 BISTRO

6018 Centre Ave., East Liberty 412-404-8166 or www.paris66bistro.com • • • • • • • •

In lieu of jetting off to France, indulge here in sweet and savory crepes, croque monsieurs, quiche, gallettes and other “everyday” classics of French cuisine.

An excellent stop for lunch or brunch, or try one of the special-event dinners. _________ 2nd: The Twisted Frenchman, East Liberty

★ BEST

Fresh, Seasonal, Local

3rd: Crepes Parisiennes, Oakland

★ BEST

THAI RESTAURANT ★

NICKY’S THAI KITCHEN

Multiple locations www.nickysthaikitchen.com • • • • • • • •

Nicky’s Thai Kitchen cooks up delicious Thai cuisine at three different locations.

BULK SALE! 25% off* bulk food & herbs Sunday, October 22nd

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7516 Meade Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15208 www.eastendfood.coop . 412-242-3598

CONTINUES ON PG. 30

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

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BEST OF FOOD + DRINK CONTINUED FROM PG. 29

Nicky’s has all of the curries, rice and noodle dishes that you love, plus a list of unique chef specials, like salmon mango curry and tofu tamarind. BYOB, or check out the downtown locations’s happy hour. _________ 2nd: Pusadee’s Garden Thai, Lawrenceville

3rd: Noodlehead, Shadyside

★ BEST

CHINESE ★ RESTAURANT

SESAME INN Multiple locations www.sesameinn.com • • • • • • • •

Sesame Inn’s menu offers a wide selection of traditional Chinese and Chinese-American cuisine, and other noodle dishes from Thailand and Japanese sushi. This longtime local favorite also has a Sunday brunch and, for fancier times, a fine lounge. _________ 2nd: Everyday Noodles, Squirrel Hill 3rd: Chengdu Gourmet, Squirrel Hill

★ BEST

MIDDLE-EASTERN ★ RESTAURANT

B52 CAFE

5202 Butler St., Lawrenceville 412-781-5204 or www.b52pgh.com

HOME OF THE ORIGINAL

KITCHEN SINK WING SAUCE!

$1 75¢

WINGS

BONELESS WINGS

ALL DAY EVERYDAY!

• • • • • • • •

Sleek and modern, with Middle Eastern accents, this 25-seat restaurant in Upper Lawrenceville is a favorite in the vegan and Mediterranean food scenes.

Enjoy plates of fried cauliflower with tahini, baba s. ghanouj and falafel sandwiches.

It also has a killer brunch. _________ 2nd: Istanbul Sofra, Regent Square 3rd: Amel’s Restaurant, Baldwin Township

★ BEST

MEXICAN/LATIN ★ AMERICAN RESTAURANT

GAUCHO PARRILLA ARGENTINA 1601 Penn Ave., Strip District 412-709-6622 • • • • • • • •

PLAIN, MEDIUM & HOT BUFFALO BBQ HONEY BBQ DRY JERK GENERAL RATT’S HONEY MUSTARD KITCHEN SINK

GARLIC BUTTER DRY CAJUN HONEY CAJUN VOODOO HONEY BUFFALO THAI CHILI SAUCE *5 PIECE MINIMUM PER SAUCE

739 BELLEFONTE STREET

PITTSBURGH, PA 15232

W W W.WM P E N NTAVE R N.C O M

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

(412) 621-1000

Chef Anthony Falcon comes from a lineage of gauchos — skilled horsemen of Argentina. Everything at Gaucho is cooked on the parrilla, a wood-fired grill like the gauchos would have done. With a focus on simple but expertly executed meat, fish and vegetables, the line for Gaucho often extends down the block. _________ 2nd: Las Palmas Pittsburgh #1, Brookline 3rd: Mad Mex, Multiple locations

★ BEST

CONTEMPORARY ★ AMERICAN RESTAURANT

HONEST JOHN’S BAR & RESTAURANT 216 E. Eighth Ave., Homestead 412-205-3448 or www.honestjohnspgh.com • • • • • • • •

Infusing some unique ingredients into Southern cuisine is a sure-fire way to satisfy hungry restaurant-goers, and Honest John’s delivers spectacularly. For example, mac-and-cheese is great, but here it’s transformed into “pimento mac with ancho chilies and roasted garlic.” _________ 2nd: Meat & Potatoes, Downtown 3rd: Dive Bar & Grille, Lawrenceville

★ BEST

VEGAN/VEGETARIAN ★ RESTAURANT

ONION MAIDEN

639 E. Warrington Ave., Allentown 412-586-7347 • • • • • • • •

Who said vegan food has to be bland and boring? This restaurant offers unique takes on favorites like poutine, hot dogs and tacos, but with vegan ingredients like cashew-cheese curds, veggie wieners and jackfruit, an increasingly popular substitute that closely mimics meat. _________ 2nd: Apteka, Bloomfield 3rd: Double Wide Grill, South Side

★ BEST

STEAKHOUSE ★

GAUCHO PARRILLA ARGENTINA

1601 Penn Ave., Strip District 412-709-6622 • • • • • • • •

This corner spot is all about grilled meat, and it specializes in steak. Order the asado platter to get 25 ounces of filet, sirloin, New York strip, flank and ribeye all on one platter. Or if you’re not as hungry, try the steak burger served with chimichurri. _________ 2nd: Meat & Potatoes, Downtown 3rd: The Capital Grille, Downtown

★ BEST

KID-FRIENDLY ★ RESTAURANT

EAT’N PARK Multiple locations www.eatnpark.com • • • • • • • •

While grownups enjoy the relaxed diner atmosphere and expansive selection of meal options, the kids’

BUY, SELL & TRADE NEW AND USED! GUITARS - BASSES - UKES AMPS - LESSONS - REPAIRS

1305 E. CARSON ST.

SOUTH SIDE HOURS: MON-THU 11AM-8PM • FRI-SAT 11AM-5PM

412.431.0700 • PITTSBURGHGUITARS.COM

Your favorite spot for comedy is bigger, better, and open for business.

{CP PHOTO BY JOHN COLOMBO}

Honest John’s Bar & Restaurant, winner of Best New Restaurant and Best Contemporary American Restaurant

menu offers plenty for young ones with discriminating tastes (read: will eat only chicken fingers or cheeseburgers). Smiley Cookies are great bribes for youngsters who don’t want to finish their vegetables. _________ 2nd: Mad Mex, Multiple locations 3nd: Double Wide Grill, South Side and Cranberry

★ BEST

DOG-FRIENDLY ★ RESTAURANT

GRIST HOUSE CRAFT BREWERY 10 Sherman St., Millvale www.gristhouse.com

★ BEST

SEAFOOD ★

PENN AVE. FISH CO. 2208 Penn Ave., Strip District www.pennavefishcompany.com • • • • • • • •

No need to fly to the coast to enjoy fresh seafood: Pop in here for some fish tacos or a blackened-tilapia sandwich.

Or treat yourself to something from the popular sushi menu. The atmosphere is casual-chic, and prices are affordable. _________ 2nd: Monterey Bay Fish Grotto, Mount Washington

3rd (tie): Luke Wholey’s Wild Alaskan Grille, Strip District 3rd (tie): Muddy Waters Oyster Bar, East Liberty

• • • • • • • •

Is anything in this world as delightful as enjoying a pint of craft brew with a pup by your side? Grist House is dog-friendly, which means even if you don’t have your own canine, you’ll probably get to meet a few great woofers while you’re there. _________ 2nd: Double Wide Grill, South Side

3rd: Square Cafe, Edgewood

★ BEST

SUSHI ★

SATURDAY

From WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY!

OCT 28 8PM

Stars of stage and screen bring their music improv mastery to Pittsburgh

LAURA HALL & RICK HALL

HAVE LAURA HALL ACCOMPANY YOU! SIGN UP FOR OUR BEGINNER IMPROV WORKSHOP. FRIDAY & SATURDAY

NOV 3–4 8•9•10PM

943 LIBERTY GRAND OPENING WEEKEND

NAKAMA

Celebrate the Cultural District’s newest theater venue with six shows packed with comedy. Featuring stand-up, improv, and sketch with plenty of special guests.

• • • • • • • •

Tickets on sale now!

1611 E. Carson St., South Side, and 10636 Perry Highway, North Hills www.eatatnakama.com

Take a seat at the sushi bar for your choice of 70 varieties of sushi, made to order with the freshest fish and an artistic flare that you’ll only find CONTINUES ON PG. 32

ARCADECOMEDYTHEATER.COM PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

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BEST OF FOOD + DRINK

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{CP PHOTO BY JAKE MYSLIWCZYK}

The Milk Shake Factory, winner of Best Milkshake

at Nakama. You can also get sushi rolls on-the-go by stopping by Nakama’s food truck. _________ 2nd: Little Tokyo, Mount Lebanon 3rd: The Slippery Mermaid Sushi and Modern Tiki, Sewickley

★ BEST

BBQ ★

GAUCHO PARRILLA ARGENTINA 1601 Penn Ave., Strip District 412-709-6622 • • • • • • • •

Think of meats prepared asado as a Southern relative to those prepared on traditional American barbecue.

Both are cooked low and slow. While barbecue uses pits, Gaucho uses a parrilla, a wood-fired grill. The “South” in this context refers to Argentina, but it’s just as delicious. _________ 2nd: Smoke Barbeque Taqueria, Lawrenceville

★ BEST

BURGER ★

BURGATORY Multiple locations www.burgatorybar.com • • • • • • • •

Burgatory’s build-your-own burger means unlimited combo e options. But what good are the fixings without a quality foundation? Burgers here are made from hormone-free beef, natural bison and grass-fed elk, plus there is a veggie burger that is more than just a menu afterthought. _________ 2nd: Tessaro’s, Bloomfield 3rd: OTB Bicycle Café, South Side

★ BEST

PIZZA ★

FIORI’S PIZZARIA

103 Capital Ave., Brookline, and 3801 Washington Road., McMurray www.fiorispizzaria.com

3rd: Rowdy BBQ, Brentwood

• • • • • • • •

Even if you don’t live in the

neighborhood, Fiori’s is worth crossing a river. Hoagies, calzones and pasta all have their place here, but it’s the hand-tossed pies that have kept this traditional pizzeria bustling for more than 30 years. _________ 2nd: Mineo’s Pizza House,

and “signature” flavors (strawberries and waffles) to gourmet varieties like Bananas Foster. They’ve even got dairy-free options. _________ 2nd: Burgatory, Multiple locations

3rd: Page Dairy Mart, South Side

Squirrel Hill

3rd: Spak Brothers, Garfield

★ BEST

MILKSHAKE ★

THE MILK SHAKE FACTORY

1705 E. Carson St., South Side (412-488-1808), and 314 Fifth Ave., Downtown (412-315-7115), or www.themilkshakefactory.com • • • • • • • •

With more than a century in the soda-fountain business, these guys know what they’re doing: spoon-it-thick shakes in flavors ranging from your classic vanilla

★ BEST

SANDWICH ★

PRIMANTI BROS. Multiple locations www.primantibros.com • • • • • • • •

Nothing says Pittsburgh like a Primanti’s sandwich complete with the customary coleslaw and French fries built in. The love for it runs through our veins.

And with locations in several neighborhoods around the city, you’re never far from getting a fix. _________ 2nd: Carson Street Deli & Craft Beer Bar, South Side 3rd: Gaucho Parrilla Argentina, Strip District CONTINUES ON PG. 34

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

VOTED BEST THAI RESTAURANT FOR THE PAST 7 YEARS! Downtown

Northside

North Hills

903 Penn Ave Pgh, PA 15222 412.471.8424

856 Western Ave Pgh, PA 15233 412.321.8424

1026 Mt. Nebo Rd Pgh, PA 15237 412.438.8424

Open for Lunch and Dinner at all locations see website for hours

www.nickysthaikitchen.com PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

33

BEST OF FOOD + DRINK

CONTINUED FROM PG. 32

{CP PHOTO BY JAKE MYSLIWCZYK}

Black Forge Coffee House, winner of Best Coffeehouse

★ BEST

TACO ★

LAS PALMAS PITTSBURGH #1

700 Brookline Blvd., Brookline 412-344-1131 or www.laspalmaspittsburgh.com

vegan and turkey; fixings styles range from the familiar (corn dog, the Chicago Imposter) to the unusual (Koreatown, Reykjavik). _________ 2nd: D’s Six Pax and Dogs, Regent Square

3rd: The Shady Dog Hot Dog Stand, pop-up

• • • • • • • •

With four locations, Las Palmas is a local mini-empire. Fans of this familyrun venture’s fare flock to Brookline, where the bargain-priced soft tacos — from barbacoa to chorizo — draw raves for the toppings bar, fresh salsa and more. _________ 2nd: Baby Love Tacos, pop-up 3rd: täko, Downtown

★ BEST

HOT

DOG ★

FRANKTUARY

3810 Butler St., Lawrenceville 412-586-7224 or www.franktuary.com • • • • • • • •

Franktuary approaches its dogs with the appropriate amount of reverence. Offerings include standard, locavore (grass-fed Pennsylvania beef),

34

★ BEST

WINGS ★

WILLIAM PENN TAVERN

739 Bellefonte St., Shadyside 412-621-1000 • • • • • • • •

This little bar offers wings for every day of the week and then some.

Get your wings seasoned one of 17 different ways, whether you prefer spicy ranch, buffalo or honey mustard.

One dollar for wings, and 75 cents for boneless wings. _________ 2nd: Big Shot Bob’s House of Wings, Multiple locations 3rd: Birmingham Bridge Tavern, South Side

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

★ BEST

BUFFET ★

GRAND CONCOURSE 100 W. Station Square Drive, Station Square 412-261-1717 • • • • • • • •

The selection here offers something for the whole family. Take your pick from a variety of smoked fish, salads and breakfast breads. Or opt for something heavier, like roasted pork with apple chutney. Then finish with key lime pie for dessert or a dirt sundae for the kids’ table. _________ 2nd: Taj Mahal, North Hills 3rd: Grand View Buffet, Rivers Casino, North Side

around. Owners Nick and Ashley have also created a welcoming community spot. Plus, you can play their very own Black Forge Sega Genesis game, Coffee Crisis, while you hang out. _________ 2nd: Curly Tail Coffee, Multiple locations

3rd: Espresso A Mano, Lawrenceville

★ BEST

TEA SHOP ★

BEEHIVE COFFEEHOUSE

1327 E. Carson St., South Side www.beehivebuzz.com • • • • • • • •

★ BEST

COFFEEHOUSE ★

BLACK FORGE COFFEE HOUSE

1206 Arlington Ave., Allentown www.blackforgecoffee.com • • • • • • • •

Black Forge Coffee House has mastered the art of brewing the best dark coffee

This colorful, eclectic South Side fixture serves an assortment of coffee and teas. Grab a hot cuppa joe and a snack, and settle into one of the chairs for a leisurely few hours with a book, or simply watch the world go by. _________ 2nd: Dobra Tea Pittsburgh, Squirrel Hill 3rd: Arnold’s Tea, North Side

★ BEST

DESSERTS ★

OAKMONT BAKERY 531 Allegheny Ave., Oakmont 412-826-1606 or www.oakmontbakery.com • • • • • • • •

You deserve it: a cupcake filled with jam, a mini banana-cream pie, a saltedcaramel macaron, a frosted Steelers cookie, a chocolate-covered gob, a pecan roll. Whatever sweet treat you desire is likely here. And oh, the anticipation, because at this popular bakery, you will wait in line. _________ 2nd: La Gourmandine, Multiple locations

3rd: Prantl’s Bakery, Shadyside and Downtown

★ BEST

BAKERY ★

OAKMONT BAKERY 531 Allegheny Ave., Oakmont 412-826-1606 or www.oakmontbakery.com

favorite makes some of the best chocolate bars in the region, as well as offering a plethora of sweets, a full ice-cream bar with massive sundaes, and a giant display chocolate castle. Plus, pickle-shaped white chocolates. _________ 2nd: Betsy Ann Chocolates, West View 3rd: Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop, Strip District

★ BEST

GRAND CONCOURSE

100 W. Station Square Drive, Station Square 412-261-1717 • • • • • • • •

Treat yourself. That pretty much sums up the brunch experience at this swanky restaurant converted from an old train station. Fill your plate with any of the dozens of buffet options, then hit up the omelet bar and create your own masterpiece. _________ 2nd: Pamela’s P&G Diner, Multiple locations

3rd: Zenith, South Side

• • • • • • • •

This longtime local favorite aking has perfected the art of taking akery the cozy neighborhood bakery zed. and making it near super-sized.

It’s fair to say that Oakmontt has it all, from bread to bagels, cupcakes to cookies, pies to pastries, donuts to danishes. _________ 2nd: La Gourmandine, Multiple locations

3rd: Prantl’s Bakery, Shadyside and Downtown

★ BEST

ICE CREAM ★

MILLIE’S HOMEMADE ICE CREAM

246 Forbes Ave., Downtown (412-709-6579) and 232 S. Highland Ave., Shadyside (412-404-8853). www.millieshomemade.com

★ BEST

DOWNTOWN ★ LUNCH SPOT

NICKY’S THAI KITCHEN

903 Penn Ave., Downtown www.nickysthaikitchen.com • • • • • • • •

Stop by to grab a quick take-out lunch on a busy day, or sit down and enjoy the traditional Thai fare that’s made this eatery a consistent local favorite.

Popular dishes include red curry, basil stir-fry, and the crab Rangoon. _________ 2nd: Gaucho Parrilla Argentina, Strip District

★ BEST

CANDY STORE ★

SARRIS CANDIES

511 Adams Ave., Canonsburg 724-745-4042 or www.sarriscandies.com

Making the ‘Burgh

sweet

for over 50 years

3rd: Bluebird Kitchen, Downtown

★ BEST

HAPPY HOUR ★

MAD MEX

Multiple locations www.madmex.com

• • • • • • • •

The carefully curated flavors, from the aptly named The Best Chocolate to cantaloupe tarragon, signals Millie’s gourmet aspirations at its two scoop shops and numerous area retailers and eateries. The milk, eggs and seasonal flavorings are locally sourced; heck, this ice cream is even pasteurized in-house. _________ 2nd: Page Dairy Mart, South Side 3rd: Sarris Candies, Canonsburg

SUNDAY BRUNCH ★

• • • • • • • •

OK, it’s called “Happy Hora” here.

But with half off on the generous, craft-centric list of draft beers, and house specials on all house margaritas (including $7 for the 22-ounce Big Azz size), who’s quibbling? _________ 2nd: Smallman Galley, Strip District 3rd: Hidden Harbor, Squirrel Hill

★ BEST

SERVICE/WAIT STAFF ★

SarrisCandies.com 1-800-255-7771 Join the Conversation!

HIDDEN HARBOR 1708 Shady Ave., Squirrel Hill 412-422-5040 or www.hiddenharborpgh.com

• • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • •

This long-time Washington County

It can get busy in here, so it’s good that CONTINUES ON PG. 36

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

35

BEST OF FOOD + DRINK

CONTINUED FROM PG. 35

{CP PHOTO BY JAKE MYSLIWCZYK}

Behind the scenes at Sarris Candies, winner of Best Candy Store

the server stops by at regular intervals to keep the cocktails refreshed and the finger food a-coming. And to dispense detailed knowledge for the tiki newbies who may wrongly see the menu as simply “rum drinks.” _________ 2nd: Mad Mex, Multiple locations 3rd: Carson Street Deli & Craft Beer Bar, South Side

★ BEST

OUTDOOR DINING ★

PUSADEE’S GARDEN THAI

5321 Butler St., Lawrenceville 412-781-8724 or www.pusadeesgarden.com

★ BEST

SIENNA MERCATO — IL TETTO 942 Penn Ave., Downtown 412-281-2810 or www.siennamercato.com • • • • • • • •

Choose from an extensive list of cocktails, like a French 75, Paloma or a Mint Julep, and sip under incandescent bulbs that light up this charming rooftop bar. In addition to cocktails and a nice beer list, Il Tetto offers bar snacks in a casual setting. _________ 2nd: Six Penn Kitchen, Downtown

3rd: Biergarten — Hotel Monaco, Downtown

• • • • • • • •

Justly known for traditional dishes like kao soi and pumpkin curry, Pusadee’s is also beloved for its leafy, arbor-like back deck and umbrella-adorned front deck.

While its roots predate Lawrenceville’s revival, Pusadee’s remains a quiet sanctuary right on Butler Street. _________ 2nd: OTB at the North Park Boathouse, North Park 3rd: Round Corner Cantina, Lawrenceville

36

ROOFTOP BAR ★

★ BEST

HOTEL BAR ★

WHITFIELD, ACE HOTEL PITTSBURGH

120 S. Whitfield St., East Liberty 412-626-3090 or www.whitfieldpgh.com • • • • • • • •

A far cry from the Cobb salads and

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

$8 Miller Lites of your average chain-hotel bar, Whitfield is a classy but welcoming joint at the Ace Hotel.

The menu — for both food and drink — is inventive and locally sourced, plus there’s a killer wine selection. _________ 2nd: The Commoner, Hotel Monaco, Downtown

3rd: Speakeasy Social Lounge, Omni William Penn Hotel, Downtown

★ BEST

LATE-NIGHT MENU ★

RITTER’S DINER 5221 Baum Blvd., Bloomfield 412-682-4852 • • • • • • • •

Ritter’s has been serving Pittsburghers, around the clock, since 1951. If you’ve had a late night, plopping into a booth at Ritter’s can feel like a homecoming.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are available all the time so there’s no need to check your whims. _________ 2nd: Primanti Bros., Multiple locations

3rd: APTEKA, Bloomfield

★ BEST

PUB GRUB ★

PIPER’S PUB

1828 E. Carson St., South Side 412-381-3977 • • • • • • • •

This place puts a British spin on your typical pub fare, with a menu that includes curry and chips, and Scotch eggs. Stop in on weekends for a typical “full” breakfast, and on Sundays, enjoy a proper roast dinner, complete with Yorkshire pudding. _________ 2nd: Dad’s Pub & Grub, Monroeville 3rd: Industry Public House, Lawrenceville, North Fayette

★ BEST

GLUTEN-FREE MENU ★

ONION MAIDEN

639 E. Warrington Ave., Allentown 412-586-7347 • • • • • • • •

The menu here is ever-changing thanks to the restaurant’s use of locally sourced, seasonal ingredients.

But no matter the time of year, there are always gluten-free options

on the list. Try the Fist Full of Curry, a soup with rice noodles and coconut milk. _________ 2nd: Gluten Free Goat Bakery, Garfield

3rd: Square Cafe, Regent Square

★ BEST

FOOD-DELIVERY ★ SERVICE

GRUBHUB

www.grubhub.com • • • • • • • •

Hungry, but too tired or busy to go out for food? Let Grubhub bring you a meal! Log on to find dozens of options from restaurants ranging from gourmet burger to Thai to tacos, and even that delivery staple, pizza. _________ 2nd: Uber Eats 3rd: Wheel Deliver

★ BEST

MARGARITA A★

MAD MEX

Multiple locations www.madmex.com • • • • • • • •

What’s this “margarita” stuff? Max Mex offers not en just one, but nearly a dozen hree varieties, from house (in three eapple sizes) and seasonal (pineapple o the habañero, anyone?) to top-shelf Magnificos. Try the Don Julio V.I.P., which includes Grand Marnier, fresh citrus and anejo. _________ 2nd: Round Corner Cantina, Lawrenceville 3rd: täko, Downtown

★ BEST

MARTINI ★

OLIVE OR TWIST 140 Sixth St., Downtown 412-255-0525 • • • • • • • •

Given that the name of the bar refers to serving options for martinis, it makes sense that it would make a killer one. The menu offers classic preparations like the Vesper, but also veers toward more whimsical flavors, as with cake batter and pineapple. _________ 2nd: The Commoner, Downtown

3rd: Butterjoint, Oakland

the booze gets wild, too. For $7, choose from liquors ranging from Smoked Tea Hooch to Sesame Soy Vodka, and get skewerin’. _________ 2nd: Birmingham Bridge Tavern, South Side

3rd: Blue Dust, Homestead

★ BEST

LOCAL BEER ★

GRIST HOUSE CRAFT BREWERY • • • • • • • •

Want a full-bodied IPA? Refreshing gose or ale? Belly-warming porter?

Great news, you can find all of the above at Grist House! Its wide range of hand-crafted beers on tap have something for every type of beer drinker, and without all the pretension. _________ 2nd: Voodoo Brewery, 2

BLOODY MARY ★

MEAT & POTATOES 649 Penn Ave., Downtown 412-325-7007 or www.meatandpotatoespgh.com • • • • • • • •

Adventurous garnish is nothing new for this cocktail — if it fits on a skewer, it’s fair game — but at Meat & Potatoes,

Serving North Indian, South Indian and other authentic regional Indian Cuisine

Homestead

3rd: East End Brewing Company, Larimer and Strip District

★ BEST

RESTAURANT ★ BEER LIST

INDEPENDENT BREWING COMPANY

1704 Shady Ave., Squirrel Hill 412-422-5040 or www.independentpgh.com • • • • • • • •

Inspired by the mission of its pre-Prohibition namesake, Independent Brewing Company is dedicated to serving fresh, locally crafted brews, from summery wheats to hearty winter ales. Pair a good beer with some good food, including vegan and vegetarian dishes. _________ 2nd: The Urban Tap, Shadyside and South Side

3rd: Hough’s, Greenfield

★ BEST

WINE LIST ★

ALLEGHENY WINE MIXER

5326 Butler St., Lawrenceville www.alleghenywinemixer.com • • • • • • • •

★ BEST

24 hours a day facebook.com/ RittersDiner1951 5221 Baum Blvd, 15224

10 Sherman St., Millvale www.gristhouse.com

Cozy and unpretentious, AWM offers up a diverse wine list with none of the fuss. The menu changes with the seasons, focusing on a different region each time. Drink your way through different parts of the world, or get the $4 half-pours during happy hour. _________ 2nd: La Carsa Narcisi Winery, Gibsonia 3rd: Bar Marco, Strip District CONTINUES ON PG. 38

INDIAN RESTAURANT

VOTED

BEST EST INDIA NDIAN RE REST STAU AURAN RANT FOR OVER FIVE YEARS!

7795 McKnight Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15237 412-364-1760 tajmahalinc.com

Cavacini Garden Center

Open 7 Days 11am-10pm

Vast selection of gardening supplies, decorations, and plants, ensure that you’ll find the perfect plant or accent for your yard or garden.

End of Season Sale Now on Shrubs and Trees!

Great prices on

PUMPKINS & MUMS Check out our HUGE variety of colors and sizes!

Great FALL items in stock! Corn stalks, straw and much more!

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK • DELIVERY SERVICE AVAILABLE

100 51 51st st STREET • LAWRENCEVILLE • 412-687-2010 Off Butler Street. Across from Goodwill.

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

37

BEST OF FOOD + DRINK

Get PrEP today!

A once-a-day pill to protect you against HIV To learn more about PrEP and if it’s right for you, call us or visit our website to make an appointment. $IIRUGDEOH &RQğGHQWLDO &RQYHQLHQW

933 Liberty Avenue 1.800.230.PLAN www.ppwp.org @PPWPA

CONTINUED FROM PG. 37

★ BEST LOCALLY MADE SPIRIT ★

WIGLE WHISKEY 2401 Smallman St., Strip District 412-224-2827 or www.wiglewhiskey.com • • • • • • • •

It began a few years ago with the region’s signature spirit, rye whiskey, but now Wigle produces bourbon, absinthe and ginever, among many other specialty pours. Stop by the Strip District distillery for a sample. In the warm months, visit the Barrelhouse and Whiskey Garden on the North Side. _________ 2nd: Maggie’s Farm Rum, Strip District

3rd: Liberty Pole Spirits Peated Bourbon, Washington, Pa.

★ BEST

FOOD TRUCK ★

PGH TACO TRUCK

$88

www.pghtacotruck.com • • • • • • • •

+tax

er us tom c w e -n al* -

i - spec

Call today to set up your appointment Residential & Commercial Gift Cards Available phone. 412-542-8843 www.littlegreenmaidservices.com

We’re more than just cleaning. * $88 new customer special includes two professional maids, cleaning for a two hour maximum with our environmentally friendly cleaning products.

* Homes that have 3 or more bedrooms or require a more involved cleaning will fall under the $88 new customer special, or $20 an hour after the first two hours.

Whether you catch it at a festival orhood, or parked in your neighborhood, ing the PGH Taco Truck is cooking up delicious takes on classicc Mexican street food.

Flavors from all over the world make an appearance in these tacos, like spicy jerk chicken and Thai peanut chicken. _________ 2nd: Mac and Gold 3rd: Driftwood Oven

★ BEST

NEW FOOD TRUCK ★

CURLY TAIL COFFEE curlytailcoffee.com • • • • • • • •

Keep your car.

Trade in your loan.

Refinancing with us could save you hundreds*.

Brandon Greene, Agent 146 Forest Hills Plaza Pittsburgh Pa 15221 Phone: 412-824-4800

Before high car payments get you down, give us an opportunity to help bring them down – with great rates and no closing costs or hidden fees.

GET TO A BETTER STATE®.

CALL ME TODAY FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Email: Brandon.Greene.WGI6@statefarm.com

*Hypothetical savings example over life of loan based on reduced interest rate. Actual savings amount will vary depending on your individual circumstances. 1303063 10/13 State Farm Bank, F.S.B., Bloomington IL

38

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

Known not just for its quality coffee, this now-mobile purveyor started out roasting beans with an old-fashioned popcorn machine on a stovetop. Today, inspired by the founder’s passion for animal rescue, Curly Tail donates a portion of its profits to the cause. _________ 2nd: Driftwood Oven 3rd: Asado by Gaucho

colorful, as well as blended drinks and healthy snacks. At PJC, it’s all about eating well and feeling good. _________ 2nd: Reed + Co, Lawrenceville 3rd: Salúd Juicery, Shadyside and Sewickley

★ BEST

FOOD-RELATED ★ EVENT OR FESTIVAL

PITTSBURGH VEGFEST www.pittsburghvegfest.org • • • • • • • •

This year, the third annual Vegfest hosted more than 80 vendors and almost 10,000 hungry attendees.

They came together on the North Side in the name of delicious vegetarian and vegan cuisine. In addition to the food, festival-goers also enjoyed live entertainment and perusing local vendors. _________ 2nd: St. Nicholas Greek Food Festival 3rd: Picklesburgh

★ BEST

COCKTAIL LIST ★

HIDDEN HARBOR 1708 Shady Ave., Squirrel Hill 412-422-5040 or www.hiddenharborpgh.com w • • • • • • • •

As expected, there are a lot of rum-based drinks here, but other spirits are welcome, such as the vodka-based Blue Steel or the Puerto Escondido, made with tequila.

The adventurous should stop by on Weird Science Wednesdays when the bartenders showcase their molecular mixology skills. _________ 2nd: Acacia, South Side 3rd: Butcher and the Rye, Downtown

★ BEST

CRAFT COCKTAIL ★

HIDDEN HARBOR 1708 Shady Ave., Squirrel Hill 412-422-5040 or www.hiddenharborpgh.com • • • • • • • •

★ BEST JUICE/SMOOTHIE BAR ★

THE PITTSBURGH JUICE COMPANY 3418 Penn Ave., Lawrenceville www.pittsburghjuicecompany.com • • • • • • • •

Everything at The Pittsburgh Juice Company is raw, vegan and gluten-free.

It offers a variety of cold-pressed juices that are as tasty as they are

At this tiki bar, one is tempted to cite The Atlantis, “a cocktail within a cocktail,” with two dozen “exotic” ingredients, but the menu suggests a minimum of four imbibers.

For simplicity, nothing beats the half-priced classic Trader Vic’s Mai Tai served during happy hour. _________ 2nd: Mixtape, Garfield 3rd: Apteka, Bloomfield

CHEF’S TABLE

LOCAL + SEASONALLY INSPIRED

COD + CLAMS

ROASTED SALMON

ORDER A FULL TURKEY DINNER THAT INCLUDES:

20 LB. ROASTED TURKEY CORNBREAD STUFFING HOUSE MADE TURKEY GRAVY FRESH CRANBERRY SAUCE WHIPPED POTATOES CANDIED SWEET POTATOES MARINATED VEGETABLE SALAD ACORN SQUASH HOUSE MADE BREAD TWO PUMPKIN PIES ONE NEW YORK STYLE CHEESECAKE

Thanksgiving Feast To-Go

$275 (including tax & serves 10 –12)

Order by November 1st and Receive a $25 Reward Card.

CALL US TO PLACE YOUR ORDER!

100 WEST STATION SQUARE DR. • 412.261.1717 • GR ANDCONCOURSERESTAUR ANT.COM PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

39

HERE''S TO ALL OF OUR PATRONS!!

LOVE,

THE THE FF''NN ALLEGHENY ALLEGHENY WINE WINE MIXER MIXER STAFF STAFF

412-252-2337

5326 Butler St. Upper Lawrenceville

www.alleghenywinemixer.com

blogh.pghcitypaper.com

Clicking “reload” makes the workday go faster 40

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

BEST LOCAL ACTOR

PATRICK JORDAN

{CP PHOTO BY XAVIER THOMAS}

BEST OF PEOPLE + PLACES

BEST OF PEOPLE + PLACES

{CP PHOTO BY JOHN COLOMBO}

412 Food Rescue, winner of Best Nonprofit

★ BEST

LOCAL PODCAST ★

★ BEST

NONPROFIT ★

THE DOUBLE D SHOW

412 FOOD RESCUE

• • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • •

www.idiotradio.net

Todd “Double D” DeFazio is at the helm of this no-holds-barred, uncensored internet radio show featuring a rotating cast of comedians and commentators breaking down the biggest, raunchiest and funniest stories of the week. It debuted in 2016, but has already gained a passionate horde of listeners. _________ 2nd: Marta on the Move, www.martaonthemove.com/wp/ 3rd: Drinking Partners, www.epicastnetwork.com/partnerspod

42

www.412foodrescue.org

We waste a lot of food in the e U.S. — 62.5 million tons a year, in fact. 412 Food Rescue exists to battle the effects of that waste on the environment and on hungry humans, with a focus on rescuing good but unsellable food and distributing it to those in need.. _________ 2nd: Humane Animal Rescue, Homewood and North Side 3rd: Foster Love Project, Dormont

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

★ BEST

LOCAL TWITTER ★ ACCOUNT

@BILLPEDUTO • • • • • • • •

Whether he’s vowing support W for the Paris climate accord, welcoming immigrants to the city, touting new stuff in town, or even debating critics, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto tends to charm the twitterverse (he’s got 80,000 followers) with his upbeat feed. _________ 2nd: @Benstonium 3rd: @DaveDiCello

★ BEST

LOCAL INSTAGRAM ★ ACCOUNT

@DAVEDICELLO • • • • • • • •

Dave DiCello’s Instagram is a trove of vibrant images, landscapes and cityscapes that show off the sublime beauty of Western Pennsylvania.

Long-exposure shots of rivers, creeks and mills, and nighttime images of buildings Downtown, will light up your feed every few days. _________ 2nd: @LawrencevilleAirBnB 3rd: @keeppittsburghdope

★ BEST

LOCAL SNAPCHAT ★ ACCOUNT

PITTSBURGH ZOO & PPG AQUARIUM (PGHZOO) 7340 Butler St., Highland Park www.pittsburghzoo.org • • • • • • • •

It’s no secret that images of cute animals are all the rage on the internet, so what’s better than a Snapchat account full of them? Tune in for the aww-inducing snaps, and you might just learn a thing or two about our friends in the animal kingdom. _________ 2nd: Pittsburgh Pirates (pirates) 3rd: Kennywood (kennywoodpark)

★ BEST

LOCAL BLOGGER ★

PUNKSBURGH www.punksburgh.com • • • • • • • •

Started by local writer and punk Lauren Stein, Punksburgh showcases the energy of the city’s music scene and highlights the tours that come through it. From the Mr. Roboto Project to the Warped Tour, Punksburgh is your guide to local and national tuneage. _________ 2nd: Damon Young (Very Smart Brothas)

3rd: Ya Jagoff

★ BEST

ACTIVIST ★

GISELE FETTERMAN • • • • • • • •

The Brazilian-born wife of Braddock mayor John Fetterman has earned her own national press for initiatives like Braddock’s Free Store (just what it sounds like) and the still-expanding 412 Food Rescue, which she co-founded to get food destined for landfills onto the tables of the hungry. _________ 2nd: Jessica Semler 3rd: Celeste Smith

LOCAL RADIO ★ PERSONALITY

★ BEST MALE ★ PITTSBURGH ATHLETE

SIDNEY CROSBY Pittsburgh Penguins • • • • • • • •

The past two seasons, Crosby has led the Penguins to Stanley Cup finals wins, and the star center was named playoff MVP both times. He’s quickly becoming one of the most decorated Pittsburgh athletes ever, and that’s a club chock full of Hall of Famers. _________ 2nd: Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates

3rd: Phil Kessel, Pittsburgh Penguins

★ BEST

BIKE PATH ★

THREE RIVERS HERITAGE TRAIL www.friendsoftheriverfront.org • • • • • • • •

Even with 24 miles of path along both sides of all three rivers, this trail network isn’t the area’s longest or most scenic. But if you’re commuting, working out, or just trying to reach PNC Park, South Side or Homestead without braving traffic, it’s a godsend. _________ 2nd: Montour Trail, www.montourtrail.org

3rd: Great Allegheny Passage, www.gaptrail.org

★ BEST

FEMALE ★ PITTSBURGH ATHLETE ETE

BONECRUSHER ER Steel City Roller Derby • • • • • • • •

Bonecrusher, of the Steel Hurtin’ roller-derby team, is an absolute monster on the track. Her prowess as a blocker, and her penchant for bringing the hurt, while wearing sparkly face paint, has netted her the adoration of derby fans. She’ll realign your back, free of charge! _________ 2nd: Meghan Klingenberg

★ BEST

SPORTS TEAM ★ (PROFESSIONAL & AMATEUR)

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS www.nhl.com/penguins • • • • • • • •

Being the best team in your sport for two straight years will make you a shoe-in for CP’s Best Of list.

The Penguins are on top of the hockey world with stars like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and

LOCAL ACTOR ★

PATRICK JORDAN www.barebonesproductions.com

★ BEST PLACE TO EAT ★ YOUR BROWN-BAG LUNCH

POINT STATE PARK Downtown • • • • • • • •

Face the confluence of Pittsburgh’s three rivers and contemplate the region’s history and why the city was founded. Turn around and see the skyscrapers and where Pittsburgh is headed. Either way, the park’s enjoyable as hell and has a giant fountain. _________ 2nd: Schenley Plaza, Oakland 3rd: Frick Park, Squirrel Hill/Regent Square

★ BEST

DARLENE HARRIS ★ CAMPAIGN FAUX PAS

LITERALLY HER ENTIRE CAMPAIGN • • • • • • • •

Whether it was the photos of Harris, who purports to be an animal lover, riding a circus elephant, or the video CONTINUES ON PG. 44

(Olympic and pro soccer) 3rd: Leah Smith (Olympic swimming)

★ BEST

Phil Kessel, and shows little chance of slowing down. _________ 2nd: Pittsburgh Steelers 3rd: Steel City Roller Derby

2 BARS. 4 RESTAURANT CONCEPTS. 200 SEATS.

A Unique Dining Experience.

• • • • • • • •

The local native and Pitt grad has film credits including The Dark Knight Rises. But he’s best known for his smart stage work, especially turns in edgy shows by his own long-running barebones productions, including The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity and The Motherfucker With the Hat. _________ 2nd: Jonathan Visser 3rd: Monteze Freeland

★ BEST

MIKEY AND BIG BOB (KISS FM)

★ BEST

LOCAL ACTRESS ★

BECKI TOTH www.beckitoth.com

96.1 FM

• • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • •

A fixture in the local theater scene, Toth’s talent has been showcased both on stage and from the director’s chair.

Her past roles include Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd and Margaret Johnson in The Light in the Piazza. As a voice instructor, she passes on her wisdom to rising talents. _________ 2nd: Hope Anthony 3rd: Caroline Nicolian

These two goofs are the hosts of The Morning Freak Show, which is where you should tune in if you need your traffic, weather and hot tunes, mixed with riffs about what the Steelers did right/wrong and weird poop stories from around the globe. _________ 2nd: Rosemary Welsch, WYEP 3rd: Portia Foxx, WAMO

54 21ST ST, PITTSBURGH, PA 15222

SMALLMANGALLEY.ORG

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of her yelling at a cyclist, there was more that went wrong than right for the veteran city councilor during this year’s campaign. _________ 2nd: Abusing a bicyclist 3rd: Riding the elephant

BEST OF PEOPLE + PLACES

essence and quirk of our beloved Steel City with his unique scrapbook style. Also find him out on the town, indefatigably keeping up with the Burgh’s food scene. _________ 2nd: Mike Lange,

CONTINUED FROM PG. 43

Pittsburgh Penguins Radio Network 3rd: Damon Young, Very Smart Brothas

★ BEST

NEIGHBORHOOD ★ TO RAISE A FAMILY

MOUNT LEBANON

★ BEST

PLACE TO HOLE UP ★ IN THE EVENT OF A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE

• • • • • • • •

Mount Lebanon offers a nice compromise for those looking to settle down suburban-style, without giving up the amenities and conveniences of city living. You’ll fine lovely homes, quaint shops, quiet streets and nationally recognized school system just a quick trolley-ride away from Downtown. _________ 2nd: Dormont 3rd (tie): Sewickley 3rd (tie) Squirrel Hill

★ BEST

PUBLIC ART ★

RANDYLAND

1501 Arch St., North Side 412-342-8152 • • • • • • • •

It’s impossible not to smile when surrounded by the vibrant colors, fun bric-a-brac and carefully placed

YOUR OWN HOUSE, YOU’LL BE FINE • • • • • • • •

{CP PHOTO BY STEPHEN CARUSO}

Bonecrusher, winner of Best Female Pittsburgh Athlete

mirrors that fill Randyland. This donation-funded yard of art is maintained with love, and perhaps you’ll meet the artist and founder, Randy Gilson, while you explore. _________ 2nd: Various murals by Jeremy Raymer 3rd: Various murals by Baron Batch

OCTOBER IS FAIR TRADE MONTH

AN ANCIENT PRACTICE Artisans in Burkina Faso use the centuries-old art of lost wax casting to sculpt grace into the solid strength of bronze. Their practice captures the meaning and beauty of yours.

★ BEST

PUBLIC SERVANT ★

BILL PEDUTO • • • • • • • •

Mayor Peduto has helped usher in progress for the Steel City, from his push for bike lanes to his commitment to keep Pittsburgh a welcoming place for refugees.

And you can find him greeting wn, constituents all around town, at festivals, bars, ball gamess and other assorted events. _________ 2nd: John Fetterman 3rd: Theresa Kail-Smith

★ BEST TELEVISION N★ WEATHER PERSONALITY ALITY

ASHLEY DOUGHERTY HERTY (WTAE) • • • • • • • •

Lost Wax Yoga Statue HANDMADE IN BURKINA FASO

Even when delivering a bummer forecast, meteorologist Ashley Dougherty keeps Pittsburghers’ spirits high with her upbeat, informative and thorough updates. With the station since 2012, she’s also known for her special-interest reporting and her advocacy on behalf of animal welfare. _________ 2nd: Jon Burnett, KDKA

★ BEST

MEDIA ★ PERSONALITY (PRINT, TV, RADIO) 5820 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh Mon, Wed, Fri–Sat 10–6; Tue, Thu 10–8 412-421-2160 tenthousandvillages.com/pittsburgh 1002902

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Offer valid at participating stores until 11/15/2017 with this coupon. Not valid with other offers or discounts, purchase of gift cards, Oriental rugs, Traveler’s Finds or consumables. One coupon per store per customer.

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

There’s no place like home, or so the saying goes. But seriously, who wouldn’t want the comforts of home when facing a zombie apocalypse? Just board up your windows and curl up with a good book, because once the electricity is out, you won’t be able to scroll through Facebook. _________ 2nd: Monroeville Mall 3rd: Costco

RICK SEBAK (WQED) • • • • • • • •

This beloved documentarian, with the recognizable voice, is known for his films, which seek to capture the

★ BEST PLACE TO PET ★ CUTE DOGS IF YOU DON’T HAVE YOUR OWN

HUMANE ANI ANIMAL RESCUE

6926 Hamilton Ave., Homewood (412-345-7300) and 1101 110 Western Ave., North Side (412-321-4625). www.humaneanimalrescue.org ww • • • • • • • •

Some folks can’t have dog whether due to landlords, dogs, a allergies or work schedules, b everybody needs to pet but a dog once in awhile. Luckily, you can get your scratches and cuddles in at Humane Animal Rescue. You might even make a connection with a certain doggie, and bring home a new friend. _________ 2nd: Animal Friends, Ohio Township 3rd: Pup Night at PNC Park, North Side

★ BEST

PUBLIC SCULPTURE ★

MR. ROGERS STATUE North Side • • • • • • • •

Fred Rogers himself was never as controversial as Robert Berks’ monumental 2009 bronze of the man.

But the figure’s gentle smile, welcoming attitude and propitious position facing the Point make it beloved by many. _________ 2nd: Dippy the Dinosaur, Oakland 3rd: Roberto Clemente, North Side

{CP PHOTO BY JAKE MYSLIWCZYK}

Weird Paul, winner of Best Hair

★ BEST PUBLIC PLACE TO ★ GET FREE A/C ON A HOT DAY

CARNEGIE LIBRARY Multiple locations www.carnegielibrary.org

Good for team-building events and wine night with friends. _________ 2nd: Flexable Childcare, www.flexablecare.com

• • • • • • • •

Live in an attic bedroom or an old house with no A/C and bad air flow? Head for one of many Carnegie libraries conveniently located throughout the city. In addition to the cool air, there are also free books, CDs, DVDs, puzzles, comfy chairs and internet access. _________ 2nd: Ross Park Mall, Ross Township 3rd: SouthSide Works Cinema, South Side

★ BEST

HAIR ★

WEIRD PAUL • • • • • • • •

Google “Weird Paul” and you’ll find a trove of videos made by a slim white guy with a fabulous bowl cut that hasn’t changed since the ’80s, when he started making videos as a kid. He’s local color, and that haircut is part of the reason. _________ 2nd: the moon baby 3rd: Dan Garrighan

★ BEST

NEW STARTUP ★

HOBBY PRODIGY

100 Robinson Center Drive, Robinson 412-787-3500 or www.hobbyprodigy.com • • • • • • • •

Do-it-yourself crafting is the name of the game here, though the “yourself” part is only partly true. It provides the materials and instructions for builds of varying difficulties, ranging from vinyl coasters to wooden six-pack caddies.

★ BEST USE OF ★ PITTSBURGH WATER IF YOU’RE TOO SCARED TO DRINK IT

GIVE IT TO DONALD TRUMP AND PAT TOOMEY • • • • • • • •

Here’s a way to make use of our troubled PWSA water supply. Bottle it under a fancy name like Eau de Merde (French-ish for “shit water”), and send a few cases to Trump and Toomey with the hope they’ll spend too much time in the bathroom to make bad decisions. _________ 2nd: The Fountain at the Point 3rd: Wash your parking chair

★ BEST NEIGHBORHOOD ★ TO BECOME HEADQUARTERS FOR OUR SANCTUARY CITY

BLOOMFIELD

Dog Friendly

Cuban Cafe

COMING SOON!

• • • • • • • •

With a history of well-established immigrant populations, a handful of community-minded organizations and a leftist bookstore, Bloomfield would serve as a fitting home base for Pittsburgh’s sanctuary status. Plus, it’s centrally located, with quick and easy access to many of the city’s neighborhoods. _________ 2nd: Mexican War Streets 3rd: East Liberty

Located in Lawrenceville

12 McCandless Ave. Pittsburgh, Pa. 15201 www.tbeah.com • 412-908- 9301

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{CP PHOTO BY KATEY LADIKA}

Bill Peduto, winner of Best Public Servant and Best Local Twitter Account, speaking at the Women’s March on Pittsburgh, winner of Best Protest Action

★ BEST PLACE TO ★ TAKE A BATH IN PUBLIC

WATER STEPS Three Rivers Heritage Trail, North Side • • • • • • • •

Pittsburgh is the city of rivers and staircases — among other things — so combining the two is just common sense. The water steps next to PNC Park provide both a sweet view and a chance to cool off on a hot, sunny day. _________ 2nd: The Point, Downtown 3rd: PPG Place, Downtown

PITTSBURGHESE ★ TERM THAT’S NOT YINZ

that make it delightful to spit out, without actually swearing at someone. Hopefully, someday its charm will be appreciated beyond the three rivers. _________ 2nd: Nebby 3rd: Slippy

★ BEST

LOCAL SPOT ★ FOR STARGAZING

ALLEGHENY OBSERVATORY 159 Riverview Ave., Perry North www.pitt.edu/~aobsvtry/

★ BEST

JAGOFF • • • • • • • •

There is nothing more satisfying than calling someone a jagoff. It’s got all of those necessary hard sounds

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• • • • • • • •

Situated in beautiful Riverview Park, the Allegheny Observatory is one of the world’s major astronomical research institutions.

Tours are offered April through October, where visitors are shown

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER BEST OF PITTSBURGH 2017

whatever celestial objects are within range of the Fitz-Clark refractor telescope that night. _________ 2nd: Mount Washington, Mount Washington

3rd: Observatory Hill, Perry North

★ BEST

LOCAL FOOD TREND ★

FOOD TRUCKS • • • • • • • •

While food trucks aren’t exactly a new phenomenon, the scene here is as robust as it’s ever been.

From gyros to mac-and-cheese to tacos, there’s no shortage of diverse, quick and delicious food to grab on the go in Pittsburgh. _________ 2nd: Downtown Restaurants 3rd: Naming Restaurants After Two Main Ingredients

★ BEST LOCAL ★ CELEBRITY YOU’D LIKE TO TAKE TO DINNER

RICK SEBAK • • • • • • • •

Who wouldn’t want to dine with this Pittsburgh legend? Surely, you could trust the food-enthusiastic Sebak to pick a great restaurant where you could discuss all things Pittsburgh, and maybe even score a one of those coveted Sebak selfies. _________ 2nd: Phil Kessel 3rd: Kris Letang

★ BEST

PITTSBURGH ★ HASHTAG

#CITYOF CHAMPIONS • • • • • • • •

This popular hashtag, and Pittsburgh

★ BEST

nickname, proliferates during Pittsburghers’ favorite activity: watching sporting events. It’s been helped by the recent success of the Pens, but the hashtag represents all the city’s teams that have won titles in just about every sport. _________ 2nd: #keeppittsburghshitty 3rd: #pittsburghproud

★ BEST

FRICK PARK 2005 Beechwood Blvd., Squirrel Hill • • • • • • • •

A nice escape from the city for doggos and humans alike, highlights here include the Hot Dog Dam, a shallow creek where pups can cool off on a hot day. Keep ’em on leash en route, but they can run wild once inside the fenced area. _________ 2nd: Highland Park 3rd: Riverview Park

PUBLIC GOLF COURSE ★

BOB O’CONNOR GOLF COURSE AT SCHENLEY PARK

★ BEST

PITTSBURGHER TO ★ REPLACE DONALD TRUMP

5370 Schenley Park Drive, Oakland www.thebobgc.com

FRED ROGERS

• • • • • • • •

This 18-hole, walkers-only course was built in 1902. It’s player-friendly, with long, straight fairways that will tempt you to muscle up to try and eagle a short par-4. The best part? A round will cost you only $15 during peak season. _________ 2nd: Moon Golf Club, Moon 3rd: Cranberry Highlands Golf Course, Cranberry

★ BEST

MINIATURE ★ GOLF COURSE

COOL SPRINGS GS SPORTS COMPLEX 1530 Hamilton Road, Bethel Park 412-881-8500 or www.playcoolsprings.com • • • • • • • •

The longest mini-golf course east of the Mississippi (not longer than the Mississippii River, but still pretty long).

Enjoy the half-mile jaunt in a pleasant garden-like atmosphere devoid of the usually kitschy mini-golf staples of clowns, dinosaurs and castles. _________ 2nd: Forsythe Miniature Golf, Carnegie

3rd: Kniess’ Miniature Golf, Ross

DOG PARK ★

(DEAD OR ALIVE) • • • • • • • • {CP PHOTO BY KRISTA JOHNSON}

Frick Park, winner of Best Walking Trail and Best Dog Park

★ BEST

PROTEST ACTION ★

WOMEN’S MARCH ON PITTSBURGH Downtown • • • • • • • •

If ever democracy, feminism, social an just plain decency needed justice and i was the day after this year’s a rally, it pres presidential inauguration. As part of Jan. 21’s nationwide outpouring of defiance and resolve, some 5,000 marched D Downtown in bright sunshine, pink pussy hats and all. _________ 2nd: Tuesdays with Toomey, 2n South Side/Downtown

hikers down into valleys, alongside creeks and into meadows. Fall walks provide a great view of the changing foliage, and if you have a pooch, there is plenty of room to stretch their legs. _________ 2nd: Three Rivers Heritage Trail 3rd: Montour Trail

It’s no surprise that City Paper readers would vote for Pittsburgh’s most kind-hearted neighbor to replace the nation’s biggest bully.

It’s pretty grim to imagine a re-animated Rogers running the country; presumably our readers would prefer a non-existent president to the one we currently have. _________ 2nd: John Fetterman 3rd: Pittsburgh Dad

The 5th Judicial District of

3rd: People’s Pride March, 3rd Hill District/Downtown

★ BEST

Pennsylvania and Allegheny County

WALKING TRAIL ★

FRICK PARK • • • • • • • •

At 644 acres, Frick is the largest municipal park in Pittsburgh. Trails take

Pretrial Services urges you to enjoy your weekend out in Pittsburgh but

make the right choice,

don’t drink and drive.

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What to do

IN PITTSBURGH

October 18-24 WEDNESDAY 18

Oakland. For tickets and more info visit cmoa.org. 8p.m.

MR. SMALLS THEATRE Millvale. 412-421-4447.

With special guests Half Waif & Petal. All ages event.

Tickets: ticketweb.com/opusone. 8p.m.

Best Of Pittsburgh Party

Sound Series: Arto Lindsay & Beauty Pill

FRIDAY 20 205

Julien Baker

ANDY WARHOL MUSEUM North Side. For tickets and more info visit warhol.org.

8p.m.

Third Eye Blind STAGE AE North Side.

With special guest The Delaneys.

Tickets: ticketmaster.com or 1-800-745-3000.

Doors open at 7p.m.

THURSDAY 19 Third Thursday: UV You UV Me

CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF ART

NATURAL HISTORY Oakland.

Over 21 event. For tickets and more info visit afterdark. carnegiemnh.org. 6p.m.

HalloweenTown

ACE HOTEL East Liberty.

Over 21 event.

For tickets and more info visit cpbestofparty.com. 7p.m.

CRUZE BAR Downtown.

412-471-1400.

For tickets and more info visit tinyurl.com/y7jodvkt. 8p.m.

Big Mean Sound Machine

Patti Austin: Beyond the American Songbook HEINZ HALL Downtown.

412-392-4900.

Tickets: pittsburghsymphony. org. Through Oct. 22.

Harry Belafonte CARNEGIE MUSIC HALL Oakland. 412-622-3131.

For tickets and more info visit cmoa.org. 8p.m.

REX THEATER South Side.

412-381-1681. With special guest West End Blend.

Over 18 event. Tickets: greyareaprod.com. 9p.m.

BEN FOLDS CARNEGIE OF HOMESTEAD MUSIC HALL OCTOBER 22

Yemanjá: Wisdom from the African Heart of Brazil PHIPPS CONSERVATORY Oakland. Free event.

SATURDAY 21 VaVaVa Vegas

Haunted Museum: Year of the Museum

CABARET AT THEATER SQUARE Downtown.

CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF

Gurf Morlix CLUB CAFE South Side.

412-431-4950.

With special guest Vireo.

Over 21 event. Tickets: ticketweb.com/opusone.

8p.m.

Anton DeFade

SUNDAY 22

412-456-6666.

Over 21 event.

Tickets: trustarts.org.

10:30p.m.

MR. SMALLS THEATRE Millvale. 412-421-4447.

With special guests Ghoul, Doyle & U.S. Bastards.

All ages event. Tickets: ticketweb.com/opusone.

7:30p.m.

TUESDAY 24

Ben Folds For more info visit phipps. conservatory.org. 7p.m.

GWAR

CARNEGIE OF HOMESTEAD MUSIC HALL Munhall.

412-462-3444. With special guest Tall Heights. All ages event. Tickets: ticketfly.com or 1-877-4-FLY-TIX. 8p.m.

MONDAY 23

BACKSTAGE BAR AT THEATER SQUARE Downtown.

412-456-6666.

Free event. 5p.m.

Gryffin REX THEATER South Side.

412-381-1681. With special guest Autograf & Ayokay.

Over 18 event. Tickets: greyareaprod.com. 8p.m.

O

O

O

DATA DAY

O

Saturday, October 21 11 am – 2 pm Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Main 4400 Forbes Avenue (Oakland)

Curious about data? Drop in and explore the data in your life at this family-friendly community fair.

Presented in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh Center for Social and Urban Research, home of the Western Pennsylvania Regional Data Center, Southwestern Pennsylvania Community Profiles and Pittsburgh Today.

carnegielibrary.org

Data is people. You create data every day. Data can change YOUR life and your neighborhood.

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[BOOKS]

THE PRACTICALITY OF IT IS STUNNING

ANGLING {BY FRED SHAW} Geographically, Pawley’s Island is located just off South Carolina’s coast. In John Stupp’s new collection Pawley’s Island (Finishing Line Press), this location looms as both place and state of mind, where paradisiacal settings abound. One example comes in “Nobody Expects,” where readers will find “a poem like this / in the mud / first thing / in the morning / covered with crabs / and croakers.” It’s a book that brims with playfulness while reveling in fishing’s man-versus-nature conflicts.

Stupp lives in Sewickley and works as a paralegal Downtown. His observations about commuting on the 16A get the poetic treatment in work like “Inbound,” “Angels” and “How They Brought the Good News from Ambridge to Pittsburgh.” In the latter, a drunk couple nips wine, with one saying to the other, “put your tongue in me / and we will sing / together.” Here, the tone feels like intimate, studied glances into humanity.

In his author bio, Stupp offers that when he’s not writing, he “can be found fishing.”

It’s these angling poems that comprise most of the collection’s second half, crowding out more diverse topics. A favorite that meditates on nature’s meteorological power is the unfortunately timely yet imagistic “After a Hurricane.”

Stupp writes, “A black / cloud of wind / sucked waves out / like a leach / it was low tide / all the way / to the horizon /… you couldn’t find water / yet the ocean / was there / sleeping it off / dreaming / beneath the surface.” With moments of personification and an eye toward naturalism, it’s a standout.

While fishing verse might not be everyone’s style, Stupp also writes humorously about his dog, Buster, and, more importantly, his time as a musician. An accomplished jazz guitarist and aficionado, he writes reverently of the genre in “New Rhumba,” “Listening to Earl Hines” and “Relaxing at Camarillo.” He even manages to combine fishing and jazz in “No Luck,” with elusive “bluefish / darting / in the waves / like Dizzy / and Bird / on Salt Peanuts.” It’s a slick juxtaposition.

Addiction’s place in jazz gets tragic portrayal in “Bill Evans at the Smiling Dog Saloon,” where Stupp writes, “between sets / he worked a pay phone / at the bar / fingers nonstop / like a safe cracker / dialing for junk before dawn / wings sweaty / like a sparrow at an empty feeder.” The short lines, used here and throughout the delightful Pawley’s Island, lets readers nibble on Stupp’s stanzas before getting hooked by the book’s plainspokenness and figurative moments.

{PHOTO COURTESY OF BILL APTON}

Consuelo Jimenez Underwood’s “One Nation Underground”

[ART REVIEW]

HOME AT LAST {BY LISSA BRENNAN}

“S

HELTER,” like “home,” “neighbor-

hood” and “community,” is a term that most commonly refers to a place physical or geographic — something that’s been built, a tangible construction of bricks and mortar, or a designated area of longitude and latitude. It’s specific and structured and easily definable.

But there’s a lot more to this word than crossbeams and coordinates. It’s conceptual as well, and incorporates not just facts, but feelings, those of safety and comfort, the ability to sleep with both eyes closed, the knowledge of belonging that can’t be snatched from your psyche like a pillow ripped from under your head.

It’s this understanding, mostly, that occupies Contemporary Craft for its group show SHELTER: Crafting a Safe Home.

About a dozen artists, most represented

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10.18/10.25.2017

by multiple pieces, explore what this term — articulating a concept that’s been around since even before we as a species have been articulating concepts — means here and now. Curated by gallery staff with deft inclusivity and admirable bal-

SHELTER: CRAFTING A SAFE HOME continues through Feb. 17.

2100 Smallman St., Strip District.

412-2612-7003 or www.contemporarycraft.org

ance, it demonstrates our drive to find a space in which we know we are protected, and the obstacles that can transform this basic human need into, for many, a dream.

Consuelo Jimenez Underwood uses the symbol of nations, the flag, to explore

the man-made boundaries that separate people, often with clear intent to embrace or include, and how the drawn lines can be erased and reset. Images ingrained because they are unavoidable are united with others vaguely familiar but not quite known, assembled on leather, wire, linen, thread and fiber. The meaning behind these and the struggles for which they hold place do not distract from their aesthetic loveliness.

Holly Grace’s “Four Mile Hut,” like a table-top gingerbread house blown from glass, speaks of a bond with place that is personal and individual. It expresses a yearning for solace, the distinction between loneliness and solitude, peaceful and centered through introspection, and the detachment it can sometimes demand.

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[ART REVIEW]

Amy Schissel’s “Empire: Beyond State” {PHOTO COURTESY OF PITTSBURGH CENTER FOR THE ARTS}

Local artist Chris Ivey is a strong presence with a continuous video playback of East of Liberty, the lauded documentary series exposing the sacrifice of a neighborhood a few miles away on the altar of gentrification. The film runs against a background of protest signs held aloft by those who would rather their community be filled with affordable houses than high-end retail chains selling unaffordable home furnishings.

Soonran Youn’s figural stainless-steel wire busts are pleasing, but determining their relevance to the theme of the exhibition is difficult. Motoko Furuhashi’s small jewelry-like sculptures incorporate the materials of streets and signs; connecting them is a bit easier but still a stretch.

Gregory Kloehn’s “Multi-Species Triplex” takes shelter in a literal sense by creating a small, movable, shed-like building constructed of doors, pallets, wood scraps, crutches, a refrigerator door and other abandoned materials, that manages to be cozy and inviting, a place of rest and calm meant to house the homeless offering comfort and autonomy. The practicality of it is stunning, with its simplicity of roof, bed, windows. What’s touching and thought-provoking are the details of things ornamental and unnecessary, like carved arches and birdhouses, providing something beyond the basic and utilitarian, giving its occupant the right to not just survival, but beauty and happiness.

Seth Clark also examines structures themselves, but how they fail and thwart in our quest to make them serve us, using building materials like joint compound and wood that deteriorate and lose their ability to support.

In the “It’s Not Just About the Rain” works, Tali Weinberg utilizes cotton thread to weave breathtaking grids. It’s not immediately apparent how these patterns relate to the issues she states her work confronts, like climate change and the housing crisis. But the works themselves are masterpieces of trompe l’oeil, dizzying squares we see filled with depth and dimension even though none are there. They’re exhilarating to look at even if we have to reach to discern the meaning they promise.

Over the years, Contemporary Craft has steadily produced group shows tackling major issues plaguing present-day American life with honesty, empathy and passion. SHELTER is no exception, hitting all the marks with unflinching grace. Its strength and commitment to addressing, through visual expression, what we should all be addressing ourselves, motivates us to do so by approaching that which is negative from a position of positivity.

Our ability to journey as humans is not only physical, but intellectual. In Amy Schissel’s New World Order: OS, at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, the artist explores the relationship between the crossings we take with our bodies and those we take with our minds, and the network of trajectories, routes, connections and intersections between the two.

Over the past century, the way we move through space as tangible beings was drastically and permanently changed by the invention of new and novel methods of transportation, permitting entrance to regions previously inaccessible to most. What had been an impossible fantasy before planes, trains and automobiles has been downgraded to mundane reality.

This century, the same is happening with our intellectual selves through the availability of the sights and sounds of almost anything and everything at our fingertips, from virtually anywhere we may be.

What this translates to artistically for the locally based Schissel is a captivating web of scratchily spidery lines and rigidly symmetrical circles, inked with commitment onto vast swathes of material; round sections cut of spheres that mimic the moon in shape and landscape, larger than we see it in the sky; pitch-black skies through which lasers of white streak, taking over entire walls. Sometimes these sprawl off the walls to curl and fluctuate from floor to ceiling to dominate its chamber, leaving only a narrow pathway to navigate past, from which to imagine our navigation within. There is not a lot of room remaining within these calculations for us.

Which may in fact be the entire point.

We have mapped and diagrammed, fixed and linked, transversed and transected over and over and over again to the extent that there is little space remaining not accounted for, designated and occupied.

We have left nothing uncharted. We’ve hit every mark. There’s nowhere for another trail to be blazed … … possibly. One potential future leads to Schissel’s atlas jam-packed with circuits, courses, one-ways, round-trips.

These treks into space seem to leave no space remaining. However, if one looks, there are pockets of quiet — one small oasis of stillness here, another tiny refuge of calm there. And in observing the chaos of intended motion, these are what we find, where our eyes are drawn, without our even trying. One possible future is not the only possibility.

GANDINI JUGGLING

“ MESMERIZING.

THE INTERWEAVING OF BALLET AND JUGGLING

CREATES SOMETHING ASTONISHING.”

—Broadway Baby

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2017 8PM • AUGUST WILSON CENTER

BOX OFFICE AT THEATER SQUARE • 412-456-6666 • GROUPS 10+ 412-471-6930

INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

NEW WORLD ORDER: OS continues through Oct. 29. Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, 6300 Fifth Ave., Shadyside.

412-363-0873 or www.pfpca.org +

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[EXHIBIT]

UNMENTIONABLES {BY BILL O’DRISCOLL}

DRISCOLL@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

UNDRESSED: A HISTORY OF FASHION IN UNDERWEAR Sat., Oct. 21-Jan. 7.

The Frick Pittsburgh, 7227 Reynold St., Point Breeze. 412-371-0600 or www.thefrickpittsburgh.org

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{PHOTO COURTESY OF HANDERSON GOMES}

Performer Tal Kroser and participant Karen Hannon in Bricolage’s DODO

[PLAY REVIEWS] A circa-1871 cage crinoline {PHOTO COURTESY OF © VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM, LONDON}

Underwear isn’t something many people overthink. You might feel differently, though, after seeing Undressed: A History of Fashion in Underwear. The exhibit, which originated at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum and makes its only North American stop at The Frick Pittsburgh, explores some three centuries of undergarment hows, whys and why nots.

The exhibit, which opens Sat., Oct. 21, includes nearly 250 separate objects, from historical stays and corsets to early bras and contemporary lingerie. Underwear’s uses are considered in the contexts of health and hygiene, fashion and more. Subcategories explore hosiery, luxury lingerie, loungewear and present-day designers’ penchant for using underwear as outerwear.

Today, anything goes beneath, but it wasn’t always so. Stays — fullyboned, lace-up bodices — were once de rigueur for respectable women in public. One of the oldest pieces in Undressed, says Frick chief curator Sarah J. Hall, is a hand-made stay found in the cottage of an 18th-century working woman. Stays were precursors to corsets, of which Undressed has many; these infamous and often ornate garments are remembered partly for their harmful health effects (which the exhibit notes), but at the time were considered more comfortable than stays.

While people today have more, and more practical underwear options, echoes of the past remain in garments like “waist-trainers,” employed by the likes of Kim Kardashian to achieve extreme hourglass shapes.

While most of Undressed focuses on women’s unmentionables, men’s garments are represented too, says Hall. Examples range from a circa-1840 male corset to modern “body-enhancing” underwear, and the style of leaving visible the designer-namebearing waistband of one’s tighty-whities.

Undressed also examines the cultural context surrounding things like bust bodices and girdles, from changing standards of physical beauty and the rise of a middle class to the growth of consumer culture and the technology behind new materials.

Even if you know underwear cold, you’re likely to find a surprise or two. Hall’s favorite pieces, for example, include an early example of “performance underwear”: a down-filled, paisley-patterned petticoat from 1860 Ireland that handily combines fashion and function.

At the time, of course, no one would have seen the petticoat but its wearer. “It’s really kind of fun to get to look at the things we don’t look at that often,” says Hall.

WALKING TOUR {BY MICHELLE PILECKI}

BRICOLAGE Production Co. outdoes itself yet again with ambitious immersive theater: Dodo with and at the Carnegie Museums of Art and of Natural History (and cameo appearances by the Carnegie Music Hall). Part of the Carnegie Nexus initiative, Dodo tackles issues of extinction and survival through intimate connections with art and science.

DODO

continues through Nov. 19. Bricolage Production Co. in collaboration with Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland. $60. www.bricolagepgh.org

Like Bricolage’s STRATA before (but dwarfing it), Dodo takes small groups (no more than six at a time) on a varying journey that breaks down into a unique experience for each visitor. One cannot speak of an “audience,” since theater-goers themselves participate in shaping the event.

Indeed, it’s the “audience” that actively moves through the space, with actors (and the occasional museum scientist) moored to single locations within it.

Prepare for a lot of walking: through darkened public galleries and exhibits, into behind-the-scenes working labs and study areas, indeed right into the bowels of the buildings’ infrastructure. No matter how many times you’ve been to the muse-

ums, you will see a lot of stuff you didn’t even know existed. There’s also more than a little bit of sensory overload, but there’s always support available for the dazed.

The same team behind STRATA produced Dodo: co-creators Jeffrey Carpenter, Sam Turich, Tami Dixon (also listed as directors) and Gab Cody, also lead writer.

Bricolage artistic director Carpenter and producing artistic director Dixon may show up in small acting roles behind a cast of 14, not all of whom you are likely to encounter in a single visit.

Augmenting the museums’ palette are lighting designers Clear Story, led

by Rob Long, with design and technology specialists Chris Michaels, Pete Milo, CJ McDermott and Chris Craychee; and sound designers District 5 Sound, a collective comprising Sarah Pickett, Christopher Evans and David Gotwald. Let’s also give a hand to project coordinator Cory F. Goddard and scene designer/technical director Hank Bullington. There is no other curtain call for this massive undertaking.

In a journey encompassing prehistory and organisms large and small, light and art, sound and fury, Dodo asks existentialist questions and leaves playgoers to seek answers. And it’s fun, on the good side of weird.

INF O @PGH C IT YPAPE R . C O M

GHOSTS OF WAR {BY MICHELLE PILECKI}

THE TITLE Last of the Boys could be taken as jaunty or scary. Steven Dietz’s 2004

comedy-drama is also haunting, and sometimes genuinely funny on stage at Theatre Factory.

Dietz takes a magical-realism approach to remembering the Vietnam War by way of the brief reunion of a couple of “grunts.”

When first introduced, Ben (Dennis Kerr) and Jeeter (William Milas) seem indistinguishable: two geezers with long white hair and beards, still stuck in the ’60s. But the latter exploits the era, as he embraces modernity. The former stays mired in his memories, divorcing himself from the world and its realities.

Upsetting the old boys’ bonds, enter young Salyer (breezily portrayed by Kaylyn Farneth) and her mother (Pamela Farneth, working valiantly with the little Dietz has provided). They have their own conflicts and demons to pursue.

Completing the ensemble, Domenic Jungling fleshes out various ghostsoldiers with military crispness.

It helps to remember that the year before Boys was first produced, The Fog of War, a documentary “starring” Robert McNamara, was a surprise hit. The former U.S. Secretary of Defense, and “father” of the Vietnam strategy, features prominently in the play, both as chief of the various ghosts and as a dominant theme.

Set in the late 1990s, Boys frequently refers to “McNamara’s book,” presumably In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam (1995), his sorta-apology for that war’s “quagmire.”

LAST OF THE BOYS

continues through Oct. 22.

The Theatre Factory, 235 Cavitt Ave., Trafford. $15-18. 412-374-9200 or www.thetheatrefactory.org

Kerr readily morphs from the embittered Ben to an embodiment of McNamara, mentor to Ben’s long-estranged father as well as architect of the war that captured both their souls. There’s quite a tangle of emotions for all the characters, still enmeshed in a war that’s now a remote page of history to many generations of Americans.

Director Sue Kurey keeps the production well-grounded even as it spins into spiritualism. The richly detailed set (designed by William Mitas) adds another character to the action and its toxic background.

The ghosts of Vietnam still haunt America today. Last of the Boys is certainly not the last of the discussions and dissections of that age, but it’s among the most intelligent and fulfilling.

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FOR THE WEEK OF

10.19-10.26.17 Full events listed online at www.pghcitypaper.com Thanks to Sondheim’s Assassins, we’ve seen packs of murderers singing on stage. But Angelmakers: Songs for Female Serial Killers might be the first theatrical work to focus on women who took life after life. The show, staged Oct. 25-Nov. 11 by Real/Time Interventions, stars American-born, Lebanon-based singer and actress Milia Ayache, channeling each sociopath at Lawrenceville’s intimate new Aftershock Theater. “It’s really like a concert, and each song represents a different killer,” says songwriter Molly Rice. (Tagline: “Everyone deserves one song.”) Ayache is backed live by drummer Michele Dunlap, of local punk outfit Murder for Girls, and guitarist and bassist Zorahna (The Fuckies).

Angelmakers is RTI’s first solo production, after efforts including Saints Tour — Braddock, its big 2015 immersive collabo with Bricolage Productions. Rice and director Rusty Ring Thelin — spouses — were inspired by Peter Vronsky’s 2007 book Female Serial Killers: How and Why Women Become Monsters. “Everybody’s interested in true crime, but we don’t always focus on women,” says Rice.

Thelin notes that women serial killers are often first driven to kill in self-defense; their ranks have often included caretakers, like nurses. But ultimate motives remain mysterious: “There’s a hunger that grows in some people that doesn’t grow in others,” says Rice.

Angelmakers’ nine real-life characters include Aileen Wuornos (subject of the 2003 film Monster); Velma Barfield, a North Carolina wife and mother; notorious Renaissance-era Hungarian countess Elizabeth Bathory; and Susanna Fazekas, the World War I-era Hungarian midwife who inspired the storied Angel Makers of Nagyrév to poison abusive spouses.

The 80-minute show’s musical styles range from folk to hard rock and ’80s techno-pop. But don’t expect gore.

“These songs aren’t sensationalistic,” says Rice: Rather than depicting the act of killing, they probe states of mind. (Ages 12 and up are welcome.) The goal, says Rice, is testing the bounds of empathy.

“This is really about the audience: How far can you go to extend the definition of humanity to anyone?”

{PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN ALTDORFER}

^ Thu., Oct. 19: Kiss Me, Kate

thursday 10.19 TALK

The ’80s were a time of legwarmers, Pac-Man and new-wave music. But who could forget Xanadu, the cult-classic film starring Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly on roller skates?

Pittsburgh CLO has brought the fluorescent 2007 musical

Wed., Oct. 25-Nov. 11. 115 57th St., Lawrenceville. $20. www.facebook.com (“angelmakers songs”) +

STAGE

STAGE

BY BILL O’DRISCOLL

NEWS

adaptation to the stage. Xanadu tells the tale of Sonny (Reed Allen Worth), a boy from Venice Beach who falls in love with Kira (recent Carnegie Mellon grad Olivia Vadnais), a Greek goddess disguised as a regular California girl. Amanda Reed 7:30 p.m. Continues through Dec. 17.

Cabaret at Theater Square, 655 Penn Ave., Downtown. $15-54.75. 412-456-6666 or www.clocabaret.com

People discuss jobs, and work, as though they are ends in themselves and completely unavoidable. But in her book The Problem With Work, Duke University professor Kathi Weeks envisions a postwork society in which productivity and creativity are valued over mere employment. As part of Carnegie Mellon University’s Marx@200 series, Weeks (pictured) gives an evening talk titled “Love Your Work.” Earlier today, explore a different angle with “Robotics, Pittsburgh and the Future of Work,” a panel discussion with robotics and policy experts including Suzy Teele, of Pittsburgh’s Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute.

Bill O’Driscoll “Robotics”: 4:30 p.m.

(100 Porter Hall). Weeks: 7 p.m.

(A51 Baker Hall). CMU campus, Oakland.

Free. www.cmu.edu

Point Park Conservatory Theatre Company opens its season with Kiss Me, Kate, the 1949 Cole Porter classic where Shakespeare meets musical comedy. The show, which won the first-ever Tony for best musical, is a musical-within-a-musical: Tensions mount between the producer/director/ star and his leading lady, who’s also his ex-wife. The production, directed

by Zeva Barzell, gets it first performance at the Pittsburgh Playhouse tonight.

AR 8 p.m. Continues through Oct. 29.

Rockwell Theatre, 222 Craft Ave., Oakland. $10-20.

412-392-8000 or www.pittsburghplayhouse.com ^ Thu., Oct. 19: Marx@200 CONTINUES ON PG. 78

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EVERYONE IS A CRITIC

^ Tue., Oct. 24: Touch Update

friday 10.20 STAGE EVENT: Fineview Step Challenge, Fineview CRITIC: Dan Doyle, 42, a

firefighter from Fineview WHEN: Sat.,

Oct. 14

The event could be a really cool race, or it could be a really nice morning walk. It all depends on how you want to take it. No one considers it a competition, since many of us in Fineview walk our dogs every day on the course.

It’s a ton of steps and hills, and you’re kind of all throughout the neighborhood. You get some really cool views of the city depending on where you’re at.

My favorite view on the course is coming down Meadville Street, the city kind of opens up as you come towards the overlook.

It’s kind of like coming down 279 on a car where the skyline kind of hits you. It’s the same way coming around the bend on Meadville. I live here, and I volunteer. I help clear the trails for everyone. I like the views the most, and the steps and hills are really cool, rather than just a run around the North Shore or something. It’s all different.

BY AMANDA REED

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Resonance Works opens its fifth season tonight at the Pittsburgh Youth Concert Orchestra School of Music, with Into the Fire/Poet’s Love. The program, presented in collaboration with TEXTURE Contemporary Ballet, begins with Camille Claudel: Into the Fire, a song cycle about French sculptor Camille Claudel’s fears, memories and longings, sung by mezzo-soprano Kara Cornell. Then, baritone Daniel Teadt sings Robert Schumann’s Dichterliebe (A Poet’s Love) in a new arrangement for piano quintet by Robert Frankenberry, featuring pianist Mark Trawka.

AR 8 p.m. (150 Lake Drive, Wexford).

Also 8 p.m. Sat., Oct. 21 (Rodef Shalom, 4905 Fifth Ave., Shadyside). $35. 412-501-3330 or www.resonanceworks.org

TALK Harry Belafonte rose to fame in the 1950s as a singer (“Day-O”) and film actor, but eventually became at least as well known for his civil-rights work; he was both the first black Emmywinner and a long-time friend of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Belafonte remains active with ventures like the Sankofa Justice & Equity Fund, a nonprofit he founded to leverage culture and celebrity for social justice.

Tonight, in a rare Pittsburgh visit, Belafonte speaks at the Carnegie Music Hall courtesy of the Carnegie Museum of Art. Harry Belafonte on Civil Rights and Black Leadership includes an audience Q&A. BO 8 p.m. 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland. $25-50 (VIP dinner package: $175).

412-622-3131 or www.cmoa.org

saturday 10.21 ART Timothy Kelley is a painter, sculptor and ceramicist who combines media in works that often resemble wall plaques or free-standing sculptures. The works frequently frame mysterious imagery that suggests the products of a lost earlier civilization, cryptic symbols and haunted faces. Kelley runs the North Side gallery called artdfact; Silent Beings, his new exhibit at Panza Gallery, opens tonight with a reception. BO Reception: 6-9 p.m. (free). Exhibit continues through Nov. 25. 115 Sedgwick St., Millvale.

412-821-0959 or www.panzagallery.com

WORDS Shannon Reed, author of blog posts like “How to Talk to Your Children About PostApocalyptic Cannibalism,” and a frequent humor contributor to The New Yorker, is one of four Pittsburgh-based writers, all with national credits, contributing to Funny Ladies: A Much-Needed Night of Laughter. Tonight’s program at City Books also includes Rachel Mabe, Rachel Brickner and Jennifer Bannan. Admission is free. BO 7 p.m. 908 Galveston St., North Side. Free. 412-3211-72323 or www.citybookspgh.com {PHOTO COURTESY OF ARCHIE CARPENTER}

^ Thu., Oct. 19: Xanadu

MUSIC One of Pittsburgh’s keystone bands of the 1990s was Ploughman’s Lunch, the Karl Mullen-fronted Celtic-rock group that grew out of seminal post-punk outfit Carsickness. And Ploughman’s Lunch’s home base was the Bloomfield Bridge Tavern. Well, this weekend, the BBT closes for good, but not without two big reunion shows by Mullen, Steve Sciulli, Dennis Childers and friends. The group, known for songs like

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“Whiskey From the Field,” plays tonight with the Emily Rogers Band, and Saturday with Maura Moonshine and Jennifer Goree. BO 9 p.m. Also 9 p.m. Sat., Oct. 21. 4412 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield. $5. www.facebook.com (“ploughman’s lunch”)

TOUR

Rising rents notwithstanding, few Pittsburgh neighborhoods have as high a concentration of artists as does Lawrenceville. At the 13th Annual Lawrenceville Artists Studio Tour, visit the working spaces of more than 50 artists in disciplines from painting, drawing and photography to printmaking, sculpture and wearable items. Today’s free self-guided tour along the Butler Street corridor between 34th and 57th streets includes free performances by Chatham Baroque at 2:30 and 3:30 p.m.,

PROUDLY TATTOOING PITTSBURGH SINCE 1994!

The Tubes Oct 27 8-11pm Nirvanish Oct 28 8-11pm

tattoo & piercing studio

^ Fri., Oct. 20: Ploughman’s Lunch

HOLLYWOOD NIGHTS Nov 3 8-11 pm

Open Daily, 1pm-8pm walk-ins welcome, appointments recommended!

at Ice House Studios, which also hosts an outdoor Artist Market. See the website for a map. BO 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. www.lawrencevilleart.com

STAGE

(412) 683-4320

PICT Classic Theatre opens its season with Romeo and Juliet at its new venue, WQED’s Fred Rogers Studio. PICT artistic and executive director Alan Stanford, who directs, transplants Shakespeare’s classic tragedy from the streets of Renaissance Verona to New York City’s Little Italy in the 1930s. Pittsburgh-based PICT veteran Adrianne Knapp stars as Juliet, Pitt alum Dylan Meyers plays Romeo, and local favorite James FitzGerald is Friar Laurence. AR 7:30 p.m.

Continues through Nov. 4.

4802 Fifth Ave.,Oakland. $13-39. 412-561-6000 or www.picttheatre.org

5240 Butler St.

LIVE WIRE AC/DC TRIBUTE

Nov 10 9-10 pm

Pgh, PA • 15201 inkadinkadoo.net

tuesday 10.24 DANCE The masks of our online identities, and the fate of physical contact in the digital era, are the subjects of Touch Update, a forthcoming multidisciplinary work by {PHOTO COURTESY OF PICT CLASSIC THEATRE} internationally known, ^ Sat., Oct. 21: Romeo and Juliet Pittsburgh-based Bill Shannon.

The in-process work, which gets a showing tonight as part of the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater’s Penn Avenue Creative Artist in Residence, combines movement, wearable projection technology, and video installation. Shannon, sometimes known as “Crutchmaster” for his dancing on crutches, works here with collaborators including Ron Chunn, Teena Custer, Cornelius Henke, Anna Thompson and Taylor Knight. BO 7 p.m. 5941 Penn Ave., East Liberty. Pay what makes you happy. 412-363-3000 or www.kelly-strayhorn.org

thursday 10.26 WORDS Four University of Pittsburgh’s more distinguished master’s-of-fine-arts alumni poets return to for a reading tonight. The Pittsburgh Contemporary Writers Series program, in the William Pitt Union’s Kurtzman Room, features CM Burroughs (a fellow of Yaddo, The MacDowell Colony, and Cave Canem Foundation who now teaches at Columbia College Chicago); Cindy Arrieu-King (author of People Are Tiny in Paintings of China and Manifest), Brandon Som (The Tribute Horse; winner of the Snowbound Prize) and Stacey White (Choke; winner of the Frank O’Hara Prize). AR 7 p.m. 3959 Fifth Ave., Oakland. Free.

412-624-6508 or www.pghwriterseries.wordpress.com

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LIGHT, BRIGHT VEGGIES IN THEIR DIAPHANOUSLY SWEET DRESSING MADE THIS SANDWICH SUPERB

FILLED UP {BY REBECCA ADDISON} It’s no secret that Pittsburghers love pierogies. So it was only a matter of time before a pierogi-themed establishment was added to Downtown’s burgeoning food scene.

Last month saw the opening of Stuff’d Pierogi Bar, a restaurant specializing in a variety of takes on Pittsburgh’s favorite comfort food. The pierogies here are made from local ingredients, and prepared traditionally (boiled and sautéed) or deep-fried.

While Stuff’d does offer tried-andtrue fillings such as potato and cheddar cheese, and potato and sauerkraut, more adventurous diners should investigate the eatery’s more inventive preparations.

There are buffalo-chicken pierogies, filled with buffalo-chicken dip and topped with a hearty serving of chicken and hot sauce.

Or how about breakfast pierogies, filled with egg and cheese, and served with a sunny-side-up egg, a side of bacon and topped with maple Sriracha syrup. At Stuff’d, it’s not just what’s in the pierogies, but also what’s served on top of them.

There’s a selection of salads too, which, of course, come topped with pierogies. And if somehow you weren’t already full from everything else, Stuff’d offers dessert pierogies with flavors like jalapeño caramel apple.

Stuff’d makes for a great lunch spot for workers, or a place to grab dinner before a show in the Cultural District. But it also has the feel of a neighborhood bar, perfect for grabbing a drink before a game at the nearby stadiums. And if you’re in the mood for a Bloody Mary, that too comes with a pierogi on the side. 130 Seventh St., Downtown. 412-586-5077 RADDISON@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

the

FEED

A Halloween Story From the 1970s.

Every year, we trick-or-treated at the blue-and-white house on 23rd Street, where a giant portrait of the Virgin Mary hung on the front door. Every year, the woman gave out only holy cards, and still we hoped for candy.

Reminder: Stock up now for next week.

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{CP PHOTO BY VANESSA SONG}

Selections from the four new dining concepts (from top left): banh mi sandwich (Banhmilicious), s’mores (Brunoise), spicy pizza (Iron Born) and pupusa (Colonial)

MIX AND MATCH {BY ANGELIQUE BAMBERG + JASON ROTH}

R

EJOICE! Smallman Galley, the gourmet food-court-cum-restaurantincubator, is on its second round of restaurant concepts, with another location soon to open in the improbably revived Allegheny Center Mall, henceforward to be known as Nova Place. While the future of its first class of aspiring restaurateurs is still uncharted, it’s clear that Smallman Galley, itself, is a success.

The current group of concepts consists of: Iron Born (Detroit-style pizza), Colonia (Latin American), Banhmilicious (Vietnamese) and Brunoise (contemporary American). Other than rotating the kitchen roster, owners Tyler Benson and Ben Mantica have largely left well enough alone. Repeat customers will notice only small tweaks since the Galley first opened, such as the addition of a small satellite bar in the main dining

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room and the tenting of the tiny courtyard in deference to Pittsburgh’s fickle weather.

But the social and spatial routines are the same: Browse the chalkboard menus at the four mini-kitchen counters, order at one or more, find a table, and your food will arrive soon.

SMALLMAN GALLEY

54 21st St., Strip District. 412-281-0949 HOURS: Tue.-Thu. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri. 11 a.m.10 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

PRICES: $4-17 LIQUOR: Full bar

CP APPROVED Of Detroit-style pizza, we had to ask ourselves: Is this a new trend? Up until this year, we’d never heard of it, but suddenly, here are articles, recipes and Iron Born, in

which chef Pete Tolman introduces the concept to Pittsburgh. Detroit-style is a deep-dish pie, cooked in rectangular pans (originally a type used as a parts bin in the Motor City’s auto factories) at high heat such that the edges get very crisp, enhanced by crackling cheese. This contrasts to the chewy main body of the pie with tomato sauce striped across the top, rather than layered underneath, the toppings.

Iron Born offers eight regular pizzas, plus a few other Italian-American items, such as a pressed hot Italian hoagie. We tried the meat pie with sausage, pepperoni, bacon and rosemary ham. The chunky sauce had a hearty but bright character that was a good match for the meats, which were oven-crisped and plentiful. Our only quibble was that the bottom crust wasn’t as crisp as we’d hoped.

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TAGLIATELLE PASTA

On Ca WING

{BY DAVE ANOIA, CHEF AND CO-OWNER OF DIANOIA’S EATERY}

INFO@ PGHC ITY PAP ER.CO M

NEWS

NFL Sunday Ticket!

WE Show all Games!

[PERSONAL CHEF]

Dave Anoia making pasta in Italy {PHOTO COURTESY OF AIMEE DIANDREA}

We had no quibbles with the eponymous sandwich at Banhmilicious, run by Vietnam native Hoa Le. Served on baguette with just the right balance of crust and air, the dressed veggies that define this sandwich — shredded carrot and daikon, cucumber planks and fiery jalapeño — can be combined with one of five different proteins. Tender, flavorful lemongrass chicken was delicious, but it was those light, bright veggies in their diaphanously sweet dressing that made this sandwich superb.

We also tried the noodle salad, a kissing cousin to ban thjt nuong, a dish of noodles, greens and protein often available at pho restaurants. The version at Banhmilicious was excellent, with the same veggies found on the banh mi, plus wilted herbs and lettuces, lightly united by the dressing and topped with sliced strips of flawlessly roasted pork.

Chef Jesse Barlass, of Colonia, delves deeply into Latin America’s diverse cuisines and their rich melding of native and colonial influences. Molletes, like the banh mi, adapts the European baguette to a flavor profile defined by the fresh ingredients available in the land of its invention, this time, Mexico. Sliced, toasted and served open-face, the bread was smothered with black beans, broiled under a creamy film of Oaxacan cheese, and finished with avocado puree, pickled onions, and sliced radish for a satisfying mélange of creamy, earthy, peppery and piquant flavors.

From El Salvador comes casamiento: hearty, nutrition-dense rice-and-bean bowls with plantains and optional pork. A sort of jalapeño chimichurri, also optional, brought a clean, green spiciness to the dish.

Well-traveled local Ryan Peters trained under Kevin Sousa and Thomas Keller, among others. At Brunoise, he offers refined preparations of familiar foods — a burger, risotto, pasta, even bread and butter — and while the ingredients and techniques rarely stray from standard, the results do.

The bread in the bread and butter was a sublime, chewy yet airy, naan-like flatbread; the butter, compounded with just enough salt and studded with radish slices.

Pappardelle Bolognese featured perfectly tender yet al dente homemade noodles, well married to minced beef and veal in a sauce that existed only to coat the meat and noodles, not to leave a puddle in the bowl.

Lemon was a surprising addition, mellow and fruity rather than bright and tart.

Smallman Galley’s new class seems perhaps less adventurous than the inaugural one, but also more refined. The level of execution is so high across the board that incumbent restaurants might need to look over their shoulders, because exciting things are developing at this incubator.

MUSIC

We make our own fresh pasta at DiAnoia’s Eatery because it gives us complete control over the taste and texture. Making fresh pasta also allows us to shape each dish the way we intend on serving it, so we can be more creative and precise with our end presentation. Currently, we make 16 fresh cuts of pasta daily! Why? Different sauces go better with different shapes. Take orecchiette — this cut pairs best with liquid-based sauces because its shape can hold up better than something thin like a tagliatelle.

During our honeymoon in Italy, we got to visit a small town outside of Assisi, in Umbria, to go truffle hunting. We ended up spending the whole day with the family of the truffle-hunter and actually had the opportunity to cook with them. While they were cooking, the grandmother recognized my interest in what she was doing and invited me to help her make and roll out the pasta. This recipe was inspired by what I learned that day with her.

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INGREDIENTS • 480 grams of Caputo 00 flour (00 refers to the texture on a scale of the fine [00] to rough [1]) • 4 large eggs • 2 ounces water (add as needed for desired consistency) INSTRUCTIONS Make a volcano with the flour, and crack the eggs in center. With a fork, beat the eggs until they are scrambled.

Mix together with the flour until the dough is formed. Add water as needed if the dough is too dry. Once the dough comes together, knead for 10 minutes.

Cover and refrigerate for two hours. Pull out and roll out dough with a rolling pin, until it’s 1/8-inch thick. Fold over three times, dusting with flour in between, then cut into ¼-inch-thick ribbons. In a large pot of salted boiling water, add the pasta, stir and let cook for three minutes, or until al dente. This tagliatelle is best served with a meat sauce, like a Bolognese.

Serves four.

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Formerly the

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MEXICAN RESTAURANT & BAR OAXACAN CUISINE

s COMING OCT 26 TEQUILA TASTING EVENT!

Dining with a

5 courses pared with tequila. Complementary glass of margarita.

Lecture on how tequila is processed. Reservations only. For tickets go to casareynapgh.com. {PHOTO BY BEN PRATT, COURTESY OF HOP CULTURE MAGAZINE}

Juicy Brews Beer Festival in Sharpsburg

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ON A CLEAR, crisp Sunday in early autumn, hundreds of beer-lovers descended on Sharpsburg’s Dancing Gnome brewery for the first (hopefully first annual) Juicy Brews Beer Festival. Like many beer festivals, the event generated much buzz and sold out in minutes. However, this was not your average festival.

Organized by Dancing Gnome and online beer magazine Hop Culture, the Juicy Brews fest was dedicated to “New England” IPAs: hazy, juicy IPAs that dial back the bitterness and emphasize the fruity, floral qualities of hops. Aside from a few sours and fruit beers, hops made up the lion’s share of the lineup, which came from both local breweries and buzzy out-of-state spots like Virginia’s Aslin Beer Company and SingleCut Beersmiths, in Queens, N.Y. My immediate reaction to the festival was one of pure sensory pleasure. Between the big, bold beers and the perfect fall afternoon, it’s hard to imagine a lovelier day of drinking. Now, with some time to reflect, I’ve been thinking about what the Juicy Brews festival reveals about the state of American beer.

For one, it signals just how complex beer has become. Beer was once the unfussy option, the tonic of the masses. On Cheers, Norm simply orders beer — no need for a name, because beer was just beer. In contrast to the perceived snobbery of wine, beer was meant for drinking, not thinking.

Today that divide is not so sharp. I listened to festival-goers discussing the mer-

its of individual hops the same way sommeliers might extol grape varietals. The language of wine is now very much the language of beer, and it would not be surprising to hear “fruit-forward” and “notes of jasmine” mentioned in a review of an IPA. This is not an inherently bad thing. We think critically about the food we eat and the books we read, so why not about the beers we guzzle? American beer is more interesting and nuanced than ever before, and it continues to evolve and grow.

Though America certainly did not invent beer, this hop-forward approach is unique and deserves to be celebrated.

Even so, I hope that beer remains an approachable, democratic drink. Whiffs of snootiness hang in the air at any beer event, and social media confirms that lots of dudes (and it’s almost always dudes) love nothing more than decrying massproduced, pumpkin-spiced or otherwise “inferior” beer. Though the “it’s just beer” maxim seems too dismissive, a bit of perspective goes a long way.

The festival’s best lesson, perhaps, was that Pittsburgh beer-drinkers have it awfully good. The locals — Dancing Gnome, Grist House and Voodoo — more than held their own against the guest breweries and, in fact, produced some of the day’s most impressive tastes. Add in the recent results of the Great American Beer Festival, where four Pittsburgh breweries took home medals, and it’s clear that it’s a great time to be drinking beer in the ’Burgh.

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BOOZE BATTLES {BY CELINE ROBERTS}

Each week, we order the same cocktail at two different bars for a friendly head-to-head battle.

Go to the bars, taste both drinks and tell us what you like about each by tagging @pghcitypaper on Twitter or Instagram and use #CPBoozeBattles. If you want to be a part of Booze Battles, send an email to food-and-beverage writer Celine Roberts, at celine@pghcitypaper.com.

THE DRINK: MIMOSAS

VS.

Coca Café

Piper’s Pub

3811 Butler St., Lawrenceville

1828 E. Carson St., South Side

DRINK: Mimosa INGREDIENTS: St. Germaine, grapefruit juice, pink champagne OUR TAKE: This spin on a classic mimosa is sweetly floral, with a nice punch of sourness from the grapefruit. The rosemary garnish added some depth to the nose, while emphasizing floral notes of the St. Germaine.

DRINK: Mimosa INGREDIENTS: Orange juice, sparkling wine OUR TAKE: Straightforward and simple, it’s easy to understand why this cocktail became a staple of brunch drinking. Adding a little zip to your orange juice helps ease one into the day.

This week on Five Minutes in Food History: Pour yourself a glass of wine, and sit in on one of Casellula’s cheese classes. www.pghcitypaper.com

O Bordeaux, One One Scotch, One Beer O Jefferson’s Ocean, Aged at Sea, Cask Strength Bourbon $18/1 oz. “ “This bourbon is the result of an experiment that sent bourbon across the ocean on board ships to see how it might affect the a fflavor. The result is a brisk, slightly salty bourbon that has the bracing qualities of scotch and the sweetness to balance it out.” b RECOMMENDED BY CELINE ROBERTS

Jefferson’s Ocean is available at Bakersfield, Downtown.

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SEARCH PARTY {BY AL HOFF}

THE COMMERCIAL STRIP IS A FREAKY SUN-DRENCHED PLAYGROUND

Today, the Federal Bureau of Investigation is well known for its psychological approach to some crimes — everybody knows what an FBI profiler is. But that wasn’t always the case, and Netflix’s new 10-part narrative series Mindhunter fills us on how the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit came to be.

It’s 1977, and the country is grappling with headline-grabbing multiple murders that don’t make sense, like the Manson killings and Son of Sam. But law enforcement still plods through basic techniques — “motive, means and opportunity” — for solving homicides.

“Where do we go when motive becomes elusive?” asks one criminologist. Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Holt McCallany), a team of FBI agents who provide instruction to police stations across the country, start pursuing a psychological approach: “what + why = who.”

Summertime: Christopher Rivera, Brooklynn Prince and Valeria Cotto

SUN AND SHADOW

Mindhunters: Holt McCallany and Jonathan Groff

But Mindhunter’s overarching plot isn’t about solving one big crime, but about the FBI discovering the need to expand its knowledge vis-à-vis certain sorts of murders.

Ford and Tench are building the skill set as they go, using cases they come across in their travels to develop methodology and tactics. They also interview killers in prison, probing to find commonalities in their backgrounds and behaviors. So Mindhunter is a police procedural, but one of procedure, not of a crime.

Pittsburghers may recall that the show was shot in and around town last year; its very first image is a blaring title card that reads “BRADDOCK PENNSYLVANIA.” Despite that tease, the first episode is not that compelling, with a lot of inelegant place-setting and clunky dialogue. The meet-cute at the bar that pairs Ford with his soon-to-be-girlfriend is a cringe-fest of retorts about Emile Durkheim. (I’m five episodes in, and losing hope that this role is anything more than a way to establish Ford’s bona fides: not afraid to date a smart woman, considerate lover).

But stick around: The series, which was executive-produced by mind-of-a-killer auteur David Fincher (Seven, Zodiac), gets better once the actual mind-hunting begins. We’re so true-crime savvy now that viewers get an advantage over this vintage FBI, which hasn’t even coined the term “serial killer” yet. On the other hand, as recent events in Las Vegas have proved, the “why” of some horrific crimes remains as elusive as ever.

{BY AL HOFF}

W

Baker’s The Florida Project in a hilarious scene: Six-year-old Moonie, along with her pal Scooty, welcomes a new neighbor by gleefully spitting all over her car. Kids, lest we forget, make their own fun, and even when busted, they find as much anarchic joy in the clean-up as they did in making the mess.

Moonie (a fantastic Brooklynn Prince) lives with her struggling-to-get-by mom, Haley (Bria Vinaite), in an Orlando motel.

Moonie is bossy and bratty, full of brio and enviable self-possession; her grubby T-shirt reads “I decided to be awesome today.” It’s summer, and to the other motel kids, life is a largely unsupervised delight of running half-wild through the facility. (Moonie tells a new kid: “These are the rooms we’re not supposed to go in … but let’s go anyway.”)

The adjacent commercial strip is a freaky sun-drenched playground. Everything is garishly painted; buildings are shaped like oranges or ice-cream cones. Generic signs scream about “Disney,” while none of the Mouse-opoly’s brand images are in view.

But the presence of the nearby theme parks

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hangs over everything — it’s the life force for these vampire-like discount businesses.

And way down the food chain from Disney World are folks like Moonie and her mom, hustling week to week in out-of-date motels with mocking names like Magic Castle and Futureland. Life at the motel is a challenge — one step above homelessness — but it’s also the proverbial village.

THE FLORIDA PROJECT DIRECTED BY: Sean Baker STARRING: Brooklynn Prince, Bria Vinaite, Willem Dafoe Starts Fri., Oct. 20. Manor

CP APPROVED There’s some neighborly looking out, and the kids fall under the collective care of assorted adults. Serving as everybody’s de facto parent is motel manager Bobby (Willem Dafoe), who carps and blusters, but can’t help caring.

Baker’s previous film, Tangerine (2015), depicted the friendship among transgender prostitutes working Los Angeles

streets, and he brings a similar sensitive naturalism to Florida — using nonprofessional actors, and delivering a clear-eyed and nonjudgmental portrait of overlooked communities. (Florida reminded me of last year’s similarly loosely plotted life-onthe-fringe piece American Honey; these are complementary portraits of America’s rarely depicted underclass.) Baker also has a keen eye for the candy-colored visual contradictions of central Florida: a man-made ugliness that is forever at odds with natural beauty, where a gorgeous blue sky decorated with puffy white clouds hangs above ticky-tacky strip malls.

There’s not a lot of plot, but I hardly noticed, I was so entranced with young Moonie. Florida mostly unfolds from her perspective, where a big day might be hitting the dollar store or scamming tourists for change. But all that unsupervised fun the kids enjoy has its roots in the severely stressed circumstances of the adults; inevitably, Moonie is due a hard landing. This certainty gives the film its riveting mix of exhilaration and dread, right up to its pitchperfect conclusion.

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vampires — it’s as if an ’80s hair-metal band turned to blood-sucking and remade Rebel Without a Cause — holds up as a decent goof and even has a few creepy moments. Directed by Joel Schumacher, it all ends in a bloodbath of unholy proportions — as it should. The film screens as part of the Hollywood’s annual Halloween party. Costumes, especially vampire ones, are encouraged and there will be prizes; also, a raffle, vendors, snacks and more. 8 p.m. Sat., Oct. 21. Hollywood. $15 in advance/$20 at door

= CITY PAPER APPROVED

NEW

BOO2! A MADEA HALLOWEEN . Madea and her crew spend the night in a haunted campground. Tyler Perry writes, directs and stars.

Starts Fri., Oct. 20

RINGU. The original Japanese version of The Ring, in which a cursed videotape causes viewers to die. Hideo Nakata directs this 1998 horror film. In Japanese, with subtitles. Midnight Sat., Oct. 21. Row House Cinema

CHAVELA. Perhaps lesser-known to American audiences is the hard-drinking, pants-wearing Mexican ranchera singer Chavela Vargas, the fascinating subject of Catherine Gund and Daresha Kyi’s new bio-doc. The film tracks the singer’s life, from her mid-century success through her decline and comeback, as well as her difficulties being a lesbian in a deeply traditional culture.

Chavela offers lots of fantastic performances (pack a hanky for these heartbreaking songs), plus admiration for a life lived on one’s own terms, however hard-fought. In Spanish, with subtitles. 4 and 6 p.m. Sun., Oct. 22; and 6 and 8 p.m. nightly Oct. 24-26. Harris

A SILENT VOICE. Naoko Yamada’s 2016 anime tells the story of a school bullying — a boy who harasses a girl who is deaf – and the friendship that later develops between the two. 2 p.m. Sun., Oct. 22. Hollywood

Chavela

GEOSTORM. In the future, a network of satellites controls Earth’s busted climate (well, something is going to have to). Then, the system goes haywire, causing kee-razy weather. Gerard Butler stars in this eco-disaster actioner from Dean Devlin. Starts Fri., Oct. 20 (weather permitting)

NOW RETURN US TO NORMAL. Leslie Koran’s recent film is the focus of this month’s Documentary Salon. In the film, Koran revisits a behavior-modification school in Utah that she once attended, hoping to sort out troubling memories. 7 p.m. Mon., Oct. 23. Melwood

ONLY THE BRAVE. Joseph Kosinski’s docudrama depicts the harrowing events of June 2013, when a dozen firefighters of the Granite Mountain Hotshots lost their lives fighting to save an Arizona town from a wildfire. Starts Fri., Oct. 20 PITTSBURGH SHORTS. Yes, the films are short, but there are nearly a hundred of them! This new festival, presented by Film Pittsburgh, offers 90 films — narrative, animated and documentary — from 20 countries. The films screen in 14 programs over five days, and include an all-ages selection (11 a.m. Sat., Oct. 28) as well as a Halloween one, Thrills and Chills (9:30 p.m.

Sat., Oct. 28). The Best of the Fest (7 p.m. Sun., Oct. 29) program wraps it up. Oct. 25-29. August Wilson Center, 980 Liberty Ave., Downtown. $8-12. www.filmpittsburgh.org.

REEL Q. The gay and lesbian film festival continues through Sat., Oct. 21, with a selection of recent documentaries and features from around the world reflecting the gay experience. The closing-night film is Cherry Pop (7:30 p.m. Sat., Oct. 21), a comedy set in a small-town drag club and featuring former cast members from RuPaul’s Drag Race. See www.reelq.org for complete schedule. Harris THE SN OWMAN . Tis the season for snowcovered N ordic crime thrillers. Michael Fassbender and Rebecca Ferguson star in this adaptation of the Joe Nesbo detective novel. Tomas Alfredson (Let the Right One In) directs. Starts Fri., Oct. 20

REPERTORY

SOUTHWEST OF SALEM. Deborah Esquenazi’s recent documentary recounts how four Latina lesbians in Texas were convicted of a sexual assault on two young children, whom they were baby-sitting. Much of the 1994 case turned on the women’s “deviant” sexuality, as well as the still-smoldering “satanic panic” of the late 1980s. First-person interviews with the women, their families and their legal advocates make this an intimate and compelling account of a miscarriage of justice. To be followed by a panel discussion. 6:30 p.m. Wed., Oct. 18.

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THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE. Running through the woods. Branches snapping. Screaming in terror. The unmistakable sound of a chainsaw revving. Once you’ve seen this 1974 cult classic, shot on a shoestring budget by Tobe Hooper, you’ll never forget these very effective horror scenes. Nor will you ever think about leather furniture the same way again.

Some teens, some trees, a twisted family of laid-off slaughterhouse workers — the title says it all. To be screened in a new 4K digital restoration. 7 p.m. Sun., Oct. 22; 7:30 p.m. Mon., Oct. 23; and Tue., Oct. 24.

Hollywood

Geostorm

Eddy Theater, Chatham University campus, Shadyside.

Free. www.justfilmspgh.org

over-the-top gore and Three Stooges-inspired yuks.

Oct. 20-21 and Oct. 23-31. Row House Cinema

PITTSBURGH’S AVAN T-GARDE. Part 1 of this twopart program is Seeing With Experimental Eyes: Stan Brakhage’s Pittsburgh Trilogy. It commemorates significant avant-garde films made locally, with the support of Pittsburgh Filmmakers in the 1970s. This program features silent works, composed of observational footage made by renowned experimental filmmaker Brakhage during a visit to Pittsburgh in 1970. The rarely screened films, including “eyes” (about police), “Deus Ex” (West Penn Hospital) and “The Act of Seeing With One’s Own Eyes” (the county morgue) and two earlier works, will be shown in original 16 mm prints. To be followed by a roundtable discussion. 6:30 p.m. Wed., Oct. 18. Melwood. Free

HOCUS POCUS. Three resurrected witches create trouble in modern-day Salem, Mass., in Kenny Ortega’s 1993 comedy. Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy star. Oct. 20-21, Oct. 23-25 and Oct. 27-31. Row House Cinema

MARTIN. George Romero’s 1977 horror flick is set in Braddock, where a teen-ager named Martin may or may not be a vampire. 9:45 p.m. Thu., Oct. 19, and 5 p.m. Fri., Oct. 20. Row House Cinema POLTERGEIST. In Tobe Hooper’s 1982 thriller, a suburban family is initially amused by the presence of ghosts in the home … until somebody disappears. Oct. 20-21 and Oct. 23-31. Row House Cinema EVIL DEAD 2: DEAD BY DAWN. Director/writer Sam Raimi’s 1987 follow-up to his 1983 instant cult classic Evil Dead is already anticipating the horror-parody series of the 1990s — the scares are down, but the gags are up. There’s half-a-minute’s set-up — people trapped in a cabin under attack from various demonic forces — to provide a frame for Raimi’s manic camera,

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SUSPIRIA. For positively grotesque ballet, Dario Argento’s 1977 shock-horror classic is the ticket. An American student at a German dance academy finds mysterious and bloody goings-on. Colored lights, bizarre theatrical sets, one of the creepiest movie scores ever and a pervasive sense of the hallucinatory keep Suspiria compelling even as some of its fabled gore scenes have paled with time — though the fallinginto-a-pit-of-concertina-wire scene has few equals. In various languages, with subtitles. Oct. 20-21 and Oct. 23-31. Row House Cinema KOSCIUSZKO: A MAN AHEAD OF HIS TIME. This new documentary from Alex Storozynski looks at the life of Thaddeus Kosciuszko, a Polish military engineer who shared the ideals of his friend Thomas Jefferson.

His will left his American estate to be liquidated toward the freedom of slaves, though it was never properly executed. The screening will be followed by a discussion led by Colgate University’s Graham Hodges, a specialist in colonial and American Revolutionary history. 5 p.m. Sat., Oct. 21. Room 332 Cathedral of Leanring, Pitt campus, Oakland. www.polish culturalcouncil.org. Free THE LOST BOYS. This MTV-style 1987 twist on

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SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. Jonathan Demme’s 1991 thriller has become one of cinema’s indelible portraits of a serial killer, and of his cat-and-mouse game with the authorities. Anthony Hopkins stars as Hannibal Lecter, killer and gourmand, while Jodie Foster portrays the FBI agent whom he mentors in tracking down yet another serial killer. 7:30 p.m. Mon., Oct. 23.

Tull Family Theater, Sewickley THE VACATION and LEGUME. Two new films about food, from local filmmaker David Bernabo, screen.

In the 47-minute “The Vacation,” Bernabo and his Canon 5D set out on a 10-day tour of Italy, led by Tom and Brad, owners of the Pittsburgh bakery Food Glorious Food, who make an annual visit bringing along interested parties. The film captures the thoughts of the travelers, as they discover Italy, through walking, cooking and eating. As always, Bernabo’s focus on process in the making of food is meditative, lulling you into the scene. The music is eclectic and adds a lot to the feeling, as does the rich voice of the Italian narrator. “15 Short Films About Legume” (36 minutes) was commissioned by chef Trevett Hooper to celebrate the eponymous restaurant’s 10th anniversary. Bernabo delivers 15 vignettes with names like “Butterjoint” and “A Difficult Industry,” capturing the venue’s life and legend. Legume has long been a labor of love, with Hooper striving to follow his values in the kitchen, and being supported by staff and diners alike. Short interviews with staff, food writers, farmers and diners document the restaurant’s origins in Regent Square and note the impending addition Pie for Breakfast. Of the journey, Hooper says, “I think the benefit of me never having managed anything before is that I didn’t know what was crazy and what wasn’t. It turned out well most of the time.” 6:30 p.m. Tue., Oct. 24, and 6:30 p.m. Wed., Oct. 25. Melwood (Celine Roberts) AUTUMNAL ODDITIES 2. Get in the seasonal mood with this compilation of Halloween-themed filmed material, presented by Flea Market Films. Expect selections from Halloween safety films, horror movies, weird home movies, creepy medical films, nostalgic educational films, bizarre commercials and more — all screened in 16 mm. 8 p.m. Thu., Oct. 26. Melwood

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HE DOESN’T CARE HOW COMPLETELY STUPID IT MAKES HIM LOOK

HISTORY LESSONS This week in Pittsburgh Sports History {BY CHARLIE DEITCH} OCT. 19, 1964 Former National League batting champ, and star of the 1946 World Series, Harry “The Hat” Walker is hired to replace Pirates skipper Danny Murtaugh.

Murtaugh, who had already won the World Series helming the Pirates, would return on three more occasions and win another world title in 1971.

OCT. 19, 1997 The Pittsburgh Penguins’ Tom Barrasso becomes the first American-born goalie to win 300 games.

The Pitt Panthers play in their firstever Oyster Bowl, defeating Duke 27-14. The Oyster Bowl was an annual invitational game held in Norfolk, Va., as a fundraiser for Shriners Hospitals.

The game was played continuously from 1948 to 1995, and again between 1999 and 2016.

OCT. 20, 1983 Pittsburgh Steelers rookie nose tackle Gabe Rivera is badly injured in a two-vehicle crash in Ross Township. The other driver is unharmed, but Rivera is paralyzed from the chest down, ending his short, but promising, NFL career. Rivera was charged with DUI and other offenses, but Common Pleas Court Judge Robert Colville dismissed the charges, saying, “There is no punishment that the law can give that would be comparable to the loss he has had.”

OCT. 22, 1992 Penguins star Mario Lemieux notches his 30th career hat trick.

OCT. 23, 1976 Pitt’s Tony Dorsett breaks the NCAA’s all-time rushing record, previously held

by Ohio State’s Archie Griffin. Dorsett ended the season with the record, the Heisman Trophy and a national title.

OCT. 23, 2000 The Pirates hire Lloyd McClendon as their manager, making him the first African American to head-coach any of Pittsburgh’s three major professional sports teams.

OCT. 24, 1972 Pirates second baseman Bill Mazeroski retires after 17 seasons with the team.

Mario Lemieux in the 2017 Stanley Cup victory parade {CP PHOTO BY JORDAN MILLER}

OCT. 20, 1956

Mike Ditka didn’t think Barack Obama was disgusting when he joined him at the White House.

DUMB DITKA {BY CHARLIE DEITCH}

M

IKE DITKA IS an old-school type of guy. He’s big and bold and not afraid to say what’s on his mind. He doesn’t like political correctness or any of the civility and respect for others that it brings. When old Iron Mike’s got something to say, he says it and he doesn’t care who it offends.

Or, apparently, how completely stupid it makes him look.

Ditka, a native of Aliquippa and arguably one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history, shoved his foot in his big mustachioed mouth recently when NFL radio host Jim Gray asked him about the anthem protests by NFL players. Starting last season with quarterback Colin Kaepernick, players began kneeling to

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protest racial injustice.

Ditka disagrees with the protest and, in fact, questioned what all of the hullabaloo was about. All is well in the good ol’ U.S.A. “All of a sudden it’s become a big deal now, about oppression,” Ditka said on Westwood One radio. “There has been no oppression in the last 100 years that I know of. Now maybe I’m not watching as carefully as other people.”

He then followed that up with the old cranky-white-bastard retort: “If you don’t respect our country, then you shouldn’t be in this country playing football. Go to another country and play football. If you had to go somewhere else and try to play the sport, you wouldn’t have

a job. ... If you don’t respect this flag and this country, then you don’t know what this is all about. I would say, adios.”

None of us should be surprised, really. Ditka is an old white fart from Southwestern Pennsylvania, and I’m sure his opinion received a lot of atta-boys from other old white farts in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Also, Ditka, a huge fan of presidents Reagan and Trump both, is the guy who once said that President Obama’s leadership skills were “disgusting.” It’s also not the first time that Ditka sounded off about anthem protesters. In September, he called protesting players “malcontents,” and last year, he tore into Kaepernick, saying he had no respect for the quarterback.

After Ditka’s most recent comments blew up in his face, he kind of apologized saying, “I have absolutely seen oppression in society in the last 100 years. The interview was about the NFL and related issues. That’s where my head was at.”

I think anyone, even a close-minded blockhead like Ditka, knew how the statement would be taken. Plus, it’s not the first time he’s said something like that. In fact, in the same 2016 interview about Kaepernick, for Dallas’ 105.3 The Fan, Ditka said, “I don’t see all the atrocities going on in this country that people say are going on. I see opportunities if people want to look for opportunities. If they don’t want to look for ’em, then you can find problems with anything.”

So a year before he made and apologized for the “no oppression” statement, he basically said the same thing. Other Ditka greatest hits, according to a great column from Tim Baffoe at CBSChicago.com, included saying that former Baltimore Raven and

domestic abuser Ray Rice was “not a bad guy, but he made a bad mistake. Hey, two lives are ruined. These two lives are ruined.

His earning power is destroyed. That’s an important thing.”

Western Pa. already has a reputation for being a fairly racist place to put down roots. Having a nincompoop like Ditka sounding off on race relations makes us look even worse.

That someone pays this man to spew his moronic opinions is a pretty sickening realization. We’ve always been a region to stand by our local celebrities warts and all, but guys like Ditka just need to shut up. The last voice this country needs to hear is another old white guy who doesn’t believe in oppression and discrimination because he’s never personally experienced it.

We hear that opinion from folks enough around here — in line at the grocery store, at the bar, and at Thanksgiving dinner. Let’s spare the rest of America the same annoyance.

THIS COUNTRY HAS ENOUGH CLUELESS WHITE GUYS SOUNDING OFF ON RACIAL INJUSTICE WITHOUT MIKE DITKA GETTING INVOLVED.

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CHEERLEADERS PITTSBURGH 3100 LIBERTY AVENUE | PITTSBURGH, PA 15201 412-281-3110

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[THE CHEAP SEATS]

BIG-TIME FOOTBALL {BY MIKE WYSOCKI} IN THE WORLD of high school-football

fandom, Texas fans are often credited as the most rabid. But without question, we here in Western Pennsylvania are a very close second. When it comes to high school football, maybe only Texans love it the way we do here.

When you get down to it, the game is simply children, most of whom can’t even vote, throwing wobbly passes to other kids. But the bleachers are packed every Friday, and we even put games on television. Outside of Texas and Western Pa., that kind of devotion to youth sports sounds crazy.

Like any sport, some teams are better than others, mostly because larger schools have a bigger pool of talent to choose from. To keep things fair, the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League, more commonly known as the WPIAL, reconfigured its divisions so schools of roughly the same size would be in the same division. At the top of the heap is class 6A, reserved for the big-bully powerhouse schools that rou-

{PHOTO COURTESY OF TRENT SCHELLER}

Phil Jurkovec (15) looks to pass during a recent Pine-Richland football game.

tinely churn out Division 1 and 2 college players. This grouping was meant to create a division of peers and foster competition among the big schools. This year, however, one school has shown that it’s in a class by itself.

The Pine-Richland Rams are having one of those seasons that fans will be

Pittsburgh University Center

Our NEW YINZ EVE Celebration is on Sunday, December 31.

You can check into your room at 11am and watch the FOOTBALL GAME in our lounge. Park your car and get ready to Bring in the New Year PITTSBURGH STYLE! Celebrate the way that makes you happy. Wear your Dress up Clothes or Pittsburgh Football Gear.

Join us and JONNY HARTWELL, DJ from WWSW. Our NEW YINZ EVE Dance Party starts when the doors open at 8 p.m. Grab your friends and get a table together. Don’t stay home on New Year’s Eve when you can celebrate with us!

Appetizers, Pizza and Pierogies available for purchase. Cash Bar all night long.

Package Includes: Deluxe Accommodations for Two • Champagne Toast at Midnight Admission for Two to our Ballroom Celebration • Hats and Noisemakers $219 per couple. Must be 21 to attend and Photo ID is required.

RESERVATIONS call 412-682-6251

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talking about in 30 years. In 2048, someone in Gibsonia will be telling tales of the magical 2017 campaign. A lot of that has been because of quarterback Phil Jurkovec. He’s so good that he’s been the target of sleazy college recruiters since he got out of middle school.

Jurkovec’s snail-mail box has been stuffed with offers from every college in the country with a football team.

He is the most sought-after WPIAL recruit probably since Jeannette’s Terrelle Pryor. Earlier in the year, Jurkovec announced that he will c ont inu e h is foot b al l career at Notre Dame next season. I’m sure Touchdown Jesus raised his hands in approval.

But before he could get to South Bend, Jurkovec first had to play through a brutal WPIAL Division 6A schedule against some monster teams.

By all accounts, Peters Township is a really good football team, but its record sits at 5-1 after running into Pine-Richland.

And it’s not like it was a close game: The Rams gave Peters a 56-7 beatdown. Maybe Peters Township just had an off night, but everyone who tangles with the Rams has one of those days. Penn Hills, a perennial powerhouse, is also 5-1 after they suffered a 43-6 loss to Pine-Richland.

In two games, Pine-Richland outscored two good teams 99-13. The games are

so lopsided that they actually mute Jurkovec’s stats because the coach winds up sitting him once the score gets ridiculous.

Pine-Richland has become this season’s monster-slayer, disposing of average teams without breaking a sweat and great teams with aplomb. Bethel Park, also 5-1, lost to the Rams 54-20.

And the list goes on. Central Catholic High School, where the great Dan Marino played, went down 47-17 to PineRichland. Mount Lebanon, a school with a lot of championships in its trophy case, managed to score 29 against Jurkovec’s Rams. Unfortunately for Mount Lebo, Pine-Richland put up 53.

This team is facing the best competition it can find and still dominates in a league full of legendary football programs. Peters Township, Central Catholic, Bethel Park, Penn Hills and Mount Lebanon are a combined 25-4 against any team that doesn’t have a Jurkovec on it. Against Pine-Richland, those five teams are 0-5 and have been ruthlessly outscored, 243-79. Butler and Shaler are upcoming opponents, and they have roughly a 0 percent chance of derailing this train. The only team with a slight shot is North Allegheny, but if past games are any indication, NA will lose 49-16.

Jurkovec’s stats are lit, but the most impressive number is his completion percentage. So far this year, he has completed 77 percent of his passes. The only quarterback in WPIAL history (with at least 2,000 yards passing in a season) to complete even 70 percent of his passes is now quarterbacking at Pitt — Ben DiNucci, and he went to Pine-Richland too. The offense around Jukovec has been outstanding all season. You need a good offensive line and some pretty sure-handed receivers to have a QB who completes almost 80 percent of his attempts. Jurkovec is a special player, and there’s still time to see him before he goes off to become Notre Dame’s newest golden boy. He’ll likely be playing in next month’s WPIAL finals at Heinz Field.

After that, it’s probably off to Hershey to play for a state title before heading to Indiana. The great quarterback tradition of Western Pennsylvania continues.

Maybe Texas isn’t so special after all.

HE’S BEEN THE TARGET OF SLEAZY COLLEGE RECRUITERS SINCE HE GOT OUT OF MIDDLE SCHOOL.

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SMOKE ‘EM IF YOU GOT ‘EM {BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY / WWW.BRENDANEMMETTQUIGLEY.COM}

ACROSS 1. Dignified women 8. Musician who blows 15. Big name in juices 16. Attacked vociferously 17. Where a cowboy might shop for footwear 18. He rubbed one out in fairy tales 19. Hypothesis asking the question “does one get higher with larger equipment?”

21. Muesli tidbit 22. Prefix with Hegelianism or Confucian 23. “An Enemy of the People” playwright 25. Botanical bristles 27. E-6 in the U.S. Army: Abbr.

31. Called back in the day 32. Belonging to us 34. With elegance 36. Two places where you might find bags of weed in a smuggler’s den?

39. Relocater, in a way 40. Old brewery fixture 41. Seafood delicacy 42. Certain policemen: Abbr.

43. Proof that I saw The Breeders

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open up for Nirvana in ‘93, e.g.

45. “___ too good to be true” 47. “Pick one” 48. Houston Dynamo org.

49. Actress Cybill’s smoking apparatus?

57. Stepped on the gas 58. Land measure 61. Food additive that causes bloating, gas, and diarrhea 62. Like a bogey 63. Place for a pilot 64. Menu section

DOWN 1. Unruly crowd 2. Manic activity 3. Double 4. Emu, e.g.

5. Russian oligarch Deripaska who has questionable ties to Paul Manafort 6. Govt. labor board 7. “See ya” 8. Beer holder 9. Pleasant rhythm 10. One of three states that uses only longitudinal and latitudinal lines for its borders 11. Beach washer 12. Weed 13. Mix 14. Spurs point guard Parker

20. Hot shot reporter 21. “I set the rules around here!”

23. Still sleeping, say 24. Koh-i ___ diamond 26. 1974 Donald Sutherland spoof with a dubious spelling 27. Armenia, once: Abbr.

28. Stay on dry land?

29. Deep depressions 30. Preschoolers 33. Four-string instruments 35. World Series mos.

37. Bad dudes in late ‘80s rap 38. Keepsake from the newborn years 44. Highland pattern

46. Caveat ___ 49. Los Angeles overhead, maybe 50. “Sup, hombre” 51. Typical party times during the holidays 52. Coin with the Ring of Splendor of the Sun Stone 53. It can help you see games clearly 54. Cork’s land 55. Colonist William 56. Rapper whose Twitter handle is @FINALLEVEL 59. “The Pioneer Woman Cooks” author Drummond 60. Defib venues {LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS}

FOR THE WEEK OF

Free Will Astrology

10.18-10.25

{BY ROB BREZSNY}

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): A woman I know, Caeli La, was thinking about relocating from Denver to Brooklyn. She journeyed across country and visited a prime neighborhood in her potential new headquarters. Here’s what she reported on her Facebook page: “In the last three days, I’ve seen three different men on separate occasions wearing sundresses. So this is definitely the right place for me.” What sort of signs and omens would tell you what you need to do to be in the right place at the right time, Libra? I urge you to be on the lookout for them in the coming weeks. Life will be conspiring to provide you with clues about where you can feel at peace, at home, and in the groove.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):

Simon & Garfunkel released their first album in October 1964. It received only a modest amount of airplay. The two musicians were so discouraged that they stopped working together.

Then Bob Dylan’s producer Tom Wilson got permission to remix “The Sounds of Silence,” a song on the album. He added rock instruments and heavy echo to Simon and Garfunkel’s folk arrangement. When the tune was re-released in September 1965, it became a huge hit. I bring this to your attention, Scorpio, because I suspect you’re now at a point comparable to the time just before Tom Wilson discovered the potential of “The Sounds of Silence.”

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

“Consider how hard it is to change yourself,” wrote author Jacob M. Braude, “and you’ll understand what little chance you have in trying to change others.” Ninety-nine percent of the time, I’d advise you and everybody else to surrender to that counsel as if it were an absolute truth. But I think you Sagittarians will be the exception to the rule in the coming weeks. More than usual, you’ll have the power to change yourself. And if you succeed, your self-transformations will be likely to trigger interesting changes in people around you. Here’s another useful tip, also courtesy of Jacob M. Braude: “Behave like a duck. Keep calm and unruffled on the surface, but paddle like the devil underneath.”

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):

In 1969, two earthlings walked on the moon for the first time. To ensure that astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed there and returned safely, about 400,000 people labored and cooperated for many years. I suspect that in the coming months, you may be drawn to a collaborative project that’s not as ambitious as NASA’s, but nevertheless is fueled by a grand plan and a big scope. And according to my astrological calculations, you will have even more ability than usual to be a driving force in such a project. Your power to inspire and organize group efforts will be at a peak.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):

I predict your ambitions will burn more steadily in the coming months, and will produce more heat and light than ever before. You’ll have a clearer conception of exactly what it is you want to accomplish, as well as a growing certainty of the resources and help you’ll need to accomplish it. Hooray and hallelujah! But keep this in mind, Aquarius: As you acquire greater access to meaningful success — not just the kind of success that merely impresses other people — you’ll be required to take on more responsibility. Can you handle that? I think you can.

What’s your top conspiracy theory? Does it revolve around the Illuminati, the occult group that is supposedly plotting to abolish all nations and create a world government? Or does it involve the stealthy invasion by extraterrestrials who are allegedly seizing mental control over human political leaders and influencing them to wage endless war and wreck the environment? Or is your pet conspiracy theory more personal?

Maybe you secretly believe, for instance, that the difficult events you experienced in the past were so painful and debilitating that they will forever prevent you from fulfilling your fondest dream.

Well, Pisces. I’m here to tell you that whatever conspiracy theory you most tightly embrace is ready to be disproven once and for all. Are you willing to be relieved of your delusions?

ARIES (March 21-April 19):

“I am my own muse,” wrote painter Frida Kahlo.

“I am the subject I know best. The subject I want to know better.” Would you consider trying out this perspective for a while, Aries? If so, you might generate a few ticklish surprises. You may be led into mysterious areas of your psyche that had previously been off-limits. You could discover secrets you’ve been hiding from yourself. So what would it mean to be your own muse? What exactly would you do? Here are some examples.

Flirt with yourself in the mirror. Ask yourself impertinent, insouciant questions. Have imaginary conversations with the person you were three years ago and the person you’ll be in three years.

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In the next 12 months, I hope to help you track down new pleasures and amusements that teach you more about what you want out of life. I will also be subtly reminding you that all the world’s a stage, and will advise you on how to raise your self-expression to Oscar-worthy levels. As for romance, here’s my prescription between now and October 2018: The more compassion you cultivate, the more personal love you will enjoy. If you lift your generosity to a higher octave, there’ll be another perk, too: You will be host to an enhanced flow of creative ideas.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):

Are you interested in diving down to explore the mysterious and evocative depths? Would you be open to spending more time than usual cultivating peace and stillness in a sanctuary? Can you sense the rewards that will become available if you pay reverence to influences that nurture your wild soul? I hope you’ll be working on projects like these in the coming weeks, Leo. You’ll be

in a phase when the single most important gift you can give yourself is to remember what you’re made of and how you got made.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):

Louisa May Alcott wrote a novel entitled A Long Fatal Love Chase, which was regarded as too racy to be published until a century after her death.

“In the books I read, the sinners are more interesting than the saints,” says Alcott’s heroine, Rosamund, “and in real life people are dismally dull.” I boldly predict that in the coming months, Virgo, you won’t provide evidence to support Rosamund’s views. You’ll be even more interesting than you usually are, and will also gather more than your usual quota of joy and self-worth — but without having to wake up even once with your clothes torn and your head lying in a gutter after a night of forlorn debauchery.

If one of your heroes said to you, “Tell me the most important things you know,” what would you say? FreeWillAstrology.com.

get your yoga on!

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):

“Happiness comes from getting what you want,” said poet Stephen Levine, whereas joy comes “from being who you really are.” According to my analysis, the coming weeks will bear a higher potential for joy than for happiness. I’m not saying you won’t get anything you want. But I do suspect that focusing on getting what you want might sap energy from the venture that’s more likely to thrive: an unprecedented awakening to the truth of who you really are.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):

Sigmund Freud was a medical doctor who laid the groundwork for psychoanalysis. Throughout the 20th century, his radical, often outrageous ideas were a major influence on Western culture.

When Freud was 50, he discovered a brilliant psychiatrist who would become his prize pupil: Carl Jung. When the two men first met in Vienna in 1907, they conversed without a break for 13 consecutive hours. According to my reading of the astrological omens, you could experience a comparable immersion sometime soon: a captivating involvement with a new influence, a provocative exchange that enchants you, or a fascinating encounter that shifts your course.

GO TO REALASTROLOGY.COM TO CHECK OUT ROB BREZSNY’S EXPANDED WEEKLY AUDIO HOROSCOPES AND DAILY TEXT-MESSAGE HOROSCOPES. THE AUDIO HOROSCOPES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE BY PHONE AT 1-877-873-4888 OR 1-900-950-7700

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91

Savage Love {BY DAN SAVAGE}

My only child is 16 years old. He was curious about sex from a very young age and very open with me, so his interest in sexual matters gave me ample opportunity to talk with him about safety and consent. He went through a cross-dressing phase when he was small — mostly wanting to wear nail polish and try on mascara — and I felt like I navigated those waters pretty well, but his father made attempts to squelch those impulses.

That’s the background. I’ve always accepted that he is who he is and done my best to help guide and educate him. Then last year, I caught him trying to shoplift a pair of panties.

I’m not the sort of mom who freaks out, but I made him put them back and talked to him about his actions. When I asked him why he stole them, he refused to tell me. I asked: “Did you want them to masturbate with? Did you want to wear them?” He said he wanted to try them on. I told him that if he wanted to explore, he needed to do that with a legal purchase and in the privacy of his own room. Today, I found a girl’s bra in the laundry. He says he doesn’t know whose it is or how it got there, but this isn’t my first rodeo. What on earth do I do? If I send him to a therapist and this is about being trans or cross-dressing tendencies, I’m afraid that will shame him. However, this is now something of a criminal/ethical concern, and I want to nip that in the bud. He is in every way a wonderful human: kind, smart, funny, athletic, no drugs. Is this just the same kid who has always been curious about sex?

Or are these warning signs of some sort of sexual deviance? Please help.

lifting panties from stores or stealing bras from classmates and the possible consequences should he get caught — theft charges, suspension/ expulsion, losing friends, coming into the sights of a sex-negative prosecutor. But otherwise, MISSCLEO, I’m going to advise you to back the fuck off. Your son knows you love him, he knows he can talk to you about anything, and he’ll confide in you if and when he’s ready — if, again, this is something he needs to discuss with you at all.

MOM IN SLEEPY SOUTH CAROLINA LOVINGLY EDUCATES OFFSPRING

PARENT’S AROUSAL REALLY ENDED NICE THOUGHTS

My father passed away suddenly. I had a very idyllic childhood and was close to my father and my mother (who is also deceased). Upon sorting through my father’s stuff after his death, I stumbled upon his erotica collection. If it were just a stack of Playboys, I would have thought nothing of it — that’s just men being men. However, his collection contained material that was quite disturbing to me, including photos depicting violent sexual acts and fictional erotica books and magazines with themes of incest. Additionally, there were letters from people with whom he was obviously having extramarital affairs, including during the time that I was a child and believed that we were a “normal” family. Since discovering this, it has been hard for me to come to terms with it and think of my father in the way that I used to. I can barely stand to look at a photograph of him. I consider myself to be a sex-positive person, and I realize that even parents are entitled to be kinky, but I simply can’t get over this. Any suggestions for how to deal with what I’m feeling and how to try to get past it?

KINKS ARE FOR SHARING WITH LOVERS, NOT MOTHERS.

Take a deep breath, MISSCLEO, or take two.

Your son may be a cross-dresser or he may be trans or he may find bras and panties titillating because women wear them and he wants to sleep with women. We can’t know whether your son is a cross-dresser, trans or merely titillated, MISSCLEO, but he’s clearly exploring and wants to do so privately. So while he could go to his mom and ask for a pair of panties and let her know exactly how he intends to use them, he doesn’t want to ask his mom for a pair of panties or share his uses for them with his mom. He knows you’ve always accepted him for who he is, so if this is about his gender identity, well, you’ll have to trust that he’ll share that with you when he’s ready. But if this is about a kink, he may never share that info with you, because why on earth would he? Kinks are for sharing with lovers, not mothers.

Give your son some space, including the space to make his own mistakes. As teenage misbehavior goes, swiping a single pair of panties isn’t exactly a crime spree. If you suspect he snuck into the girls’ locker room and made off with a bra, you’ll want to address that with him — not the “Why do you want a bra?” part, but the risk of getting caught, suspended, expelled or worse. There are too many prosecutors out there looking for excuses to slap the “sex offender” label on teenagers — especially in the Bible Belt.

My hunch is you don’t have a sex offender on your hands or a kid drifting into organized crime.

You should emphasize the Not OK–ness of shop-

Sex-positive, huh? Could’ve fooled me.

Your dad was a kinky motherfucker — you know that now — and if you’ve been reading Savage Love for a while, you’ll know that lots of people are kinky and, distressingly, lots of people out there “enjoy” incest porn. “Of the top hundred searches by men on Pornhub,” Seth Stephens-Davidowitz writes in his book Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are, “sixteen are looking for incest-themed videos.” And it’s not just men: “Nine of the top hundred searches on Pornhub by women are for incest-themed videos.” That’s cold comfort, I realize, and it doesn’t make it any less squicky, but your dad’s tastes weren’t as freakish as you thought and/or hoped.

As for his affairs, your happy childhood, and your suddenly conflicted feelings …

Your mother isn’t with us, PARENT, so you can’t ask her what her arrangement was with your father. But it’s unlikely you would have had such an idyllic childhood if your parents’ marriage was contentious and your mom was miserable about your dad’s cheating and his kinks. It seems likely that your mom didn’t have a problem with your dad’s sexual interests, or she tolerated them or — and I hope you’re sitting down — she was an active and happy participant. If your mom didn’t have a problem with your dad’s kinks or his affairs, I don’t see why they should be a problem for you.

On the Lovecast, Dan chats with the creator of a naughty, naughty game: savagelovecast.com.

SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO MAIL@SAVAGELOVE.NET AND FIND THE SAVAGE LOVECAST (DAN’S WEEKLY PODCAST) AT SAVAGELOVECAST.COM

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THE BEST OF TIMES {BY CHARLIE DEITCH}

I HOPE YOU HAD a good time traversing this year’s Best of Pittsburgh Readers’ Poll. The winners represent a good crosssection of all that Pittsburgh has to offer.

But celebrating Pittsburgh’s present isn’t the only benefit of this issue. One day it will serve as a time capsule for what our city was like in the past. Are the same businesses still around? Are the same politicians still in power? Are the same City Paper staffers still writing for the publication?

I had that experience when I pulled out a Best of Pittsburgh issue from 1998. As I flipped through it, I saw things I recognized and things I didn’t. Places that are still in business and places that sailed down the river (literally in one case) long ago. It was fun to take a walk down memory lane and I left the Best of Pittsburgh 1998 issue with a few impressions.

Pittsburgh’s club scene was really happening.

There were several categories related to the city’s club scene. And it made sense back then because the Strip District was filled with places like Metropol, Rosebud, Donzi’s, Bar Pittsburgh, 31st St. Pub and Have a Nice Day Café to name a few. These places are now nothing more than memories. But in their day, they brought hundreds of people to the Strip District on Thursday-Sunday nights.

Metropol and Rosebud were sold and closed in 2002. Bar Pittsburgh closed after the district attorney investigated complaints

traced back to green onions at the restaurant’s Beaver County location in Monaca. Today if you want to try the best margarita of 1998, you’ll have to travel to Europe or the Middle East, Chi-Chi’s is now located. No word on how many “Best of Belgium” awards they received last year.

Today’s readers are either a little more picky or a lot less lazy.

One of the biggest differences between this year’s ballot and those of the past is how much readers of 1998 loved chain restaurants. Like Pittsburgh’s food scene, our poll has evolved. Some categories were chain-specific, but others were completely open.

And because of that, a place like Mike and Tony’s Gyros loses the Best Pita award to Wendy’s! Really? Wendy’s had a big year, also winning best burger. And don’t even get me started on Olive Garden’s 1998 victory.

A lot of great places aren’t around anymore.

As you scan through old winners’ lists you’ll see a lot of people and businesses that are no longer physically part of this city. Take, for example, the category of Best Department Store; none of these businesses still exist. The winner, of course, was Kaufmann’s, featuring its big beautiful flagship store in Downtown. It spanned more than a dozen floors and the network

DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON OLIVE GARDEN’S 1998 VICTORY. of bouncers enjoying their jobs too much when ejecting patrons.

And Donzi’s? Well, Donzi’s was part of the floating Boardwalk entertainment complex along with bars like Tequila Willies and Club Champagne. It was a happening spot until its owner declared bankruptcy in 2007 and shuttered it in January 2008. By that August, the complex was sawed in half, put on two barges and sailed away to parts unknown.

Being everybody’s favorite can’t save you from an outbreak of hepatitis.

Chi-Chi’s Mexican restaurants were strewn all across the Pittsburgh region. In 1998, the chain won Best Margarita, Best Mexican Restaurant (chain) and second place for best taco (behind Taco Bell).

But by 2004, the once-successful restaurant chain no longer existed in the U.S. In 2003, 660 people contracted hepatitis A, which was

of stairs, elevators and escalators made it an adventure to get through. I remember getting lost in there during one Christmas season. No matter which escalator I took, it seemed like I kept ending up in women’s lingerie. Even when it was sold to Macy’s, it wasn’t the same, even though it did stay open a few more years. The building is now being turned into high-end housing. In second place was Lazarus, which opened earlier in 1998. The city pumped millions of dollars into renovating a downtown building for the retailer. However, by 2004, it also had closed. And, finally, comes my favorite, Hills Department Store. I still stand by my claim that it is the greatest store of all time. The toy department was second to none and it’s the place I learned the magic of slushies and soft pretzels. I literally cried the day this store closed. But I guess that’s OK. If it’s something worth crying over, it must really be the best.

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