November 21, 2018 - Pittsburgh City Paper

PITTSBURGH’S ALTERNATIVE FOR ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT SINCE 1991

NOV. 21-28, 2018

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NOW TAKING NEW PATIENTS: Discounts to disabled patients, veterans & the elderly.

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EVENTS 11.24 – 3pm DANDY ANDY: WARHOL’S QUEER HISTORY Join artist educators for Dandy Andy, a monthly tour that focuses on Warhol’s queer history.

Free with museum admission

11.30 – 7pm ART IN CONTEXT: VISIBILITY AND ERASURE The Warhol theater Pittsburgh premiere of Happy Birthday, Marsha! followed by a discussion with filmmakers Tourmaline and Sasha Wortzel, moderated by Ciora Thomas.

Free; Registration is required

12.1 – 9am SENSORY-FRIENDLY EVENT FOR TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS: PORTRAITURE This inclusive 90-minute workshop for teens and young adults (ages 13–21).

Free; Registration is required

12.7 – 4:30-7:30pm TEACHER WORKSHOP: SILVER AND GOLD Explore Andy Warhol’s use of silver and gold.

Tickets: $30 (includes museum admission, workshop materials, and one drink ticket)

12.8 – 8pm A JOHN WATERS’ CHRISTMAS: HOLIER & DIRTIER Carnegie Lecture Hall (Oakland) Co-presented with Carnegie Museum of Art Tickets $30/$25 members and students; $125 VIP

On view through March 17, 2019 Generous support of Devan Shimoyama: Cry, Baby is provided by the Quentin and Evelyn T. Cunningham Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Fine Foundation.

Devan Shimoyama, He Lies, He Cries (detail), 2016, Courtesy of Joyce Varvatos and the artist

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.

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 21-28, 2018

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NOV. 21-28, 2018 VOLUME 28 + ISSUE 47 Editor-In-Chief LISA CUNNINGHAM Associate Publisher JUSTIN MATASE Director of Operations KEVIN SHEPHERD Managing Editor ALEX GORDON Senior Writers RYAN DETO, AMANDA WALTZ Staff Writers HANNAH LYNN, JORDAN SNOWDEN Photographer/Videographer JARED WICKERHAM Digital Media Manager JOSH OSWALD Marketing and Promotions Coordinator CONNOR MARSHMAN Graphic Designers MAYA PUSKARIC, JEFF SCHRECKENGOST Senior Sales Representative BLAKE LEWIS Sales Representatives KAITLIN OLIVER, NICK PAGANO Digital Development Manager RYAN CROYLE Office Coordinator MAGGIE WEAVER Advertising Sales Assistant TAYLOR PASQUARELLI Circulation Manager JEFF ENGBARTH Featured Contributors REGE BEHE, GAB BONESSO, LYNN CULLEN, TERENEH IDIA, CRAIG MRUSEK, JESSIE SAGE, STEVE SUCATO Intern ALEX POPICHAK Office Administrator RODNEY REGAN National Advertising Representative VMG ADVERTISING 1.888.278.9866 OR 1.212.475.2529 Publisher EAGLE MEDIA CORP.

FIRSTSHOT

BY JARED WICKERHAM

Allison Glancey, co-owner of strawberryluna, inside her Market Square Holiday Market booth that she shares with Kim Fox, owner of Worker Bird

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GENERAL POLICIES: Contents copyrighted 2018 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. We may edit for length and clarity. DISTRIBUTION: Pittsburgh City Paper is published weekly by Eagle Media Corp. and is available free of charge at select distribution locations. One copy per reader; copies of past issues may be purchased for $3.00 each, payable in advance to Pittsburgh City Paper.

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% off

NOVEMBER

25th

C A R NEGI E

On November 25th get 25% off regularly priced items at all four Carnegie Museums stores. Plus, each store is offering a free gift with purchase.* No museum admission needed.

*See individual stores for details.

carnegiemuseums.org

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 21-28, 2018

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THE BIG STORY

SHOP SMALL

BY RYAN DETO // RYANDETO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

Kelly Sanders and Monica Yope at love, Pittsburgh’s new Downtown location CP PHOTO: RENEE ROSENSTEEL

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Pittsburgh small retailers feed the local economy above all else, and they offer intangibles the likes of Amazon can’t give.

A

MAZON DOESN’T care about you.

Despite its convenience and ubiquity, the behemoth online retailer isn’t necessarily good for its customers, employees, or the cities in which it does business. One example: as Pittsburgh City Paper reported in June, Amazon isn’t collecting the Allegheny County’s sales tax, meaning that we miss out on millions of dollars that could go to public libraries, parks, and distressed municipalities. Amazon also recently passed over Pittsburgh for its second headquarters after the city, Allegheny County, and commonwealth offered $6.7 billion in incentives.

The company didn’t even contact local leaders until a day after announcing Pittsburgh lost the bidding war.

So when it comes to spending on the biggest shopping weekend of the year, consider supporting local businesses first and foremost.

Local small businesses like Pittsburgh Guitars in South Side, Ujamaa Collective in the Hill District, and love, Pittsburgh in Mount Washington and Downtown are all deeply invested in their communities. Storefronts like theirs not only contribute positively to neighborhood vibrancy, but their shelves support local artisans and musicians.

Any profits these stores earn will likely contribute back to other local businesses: A perpetualmotion machine boosting Pittsburgh’s local economy. On Small Business Saturday, you can support them and keep that engine humming.

CP PHOTO: RENEE ROSENSTEEL

Pittsburgh pouches for sale at love, pittsburgh

PHOTO: BETSY GERSON

love, Pittsburgh A few years ago, leaders in Mount Washington realized the neighborhood needed a gift shop.

So, Kelly Sanders and Monica Yope stepped up and with some help opened the Pittsburghthemed store in the heart of Mount Washington on Shiloh Street.

Love, Pittsburgh sells apparel, jewelry, home decor, cards, and food that promote the Steel City. They also sell pieces from local artists and makers. Every product has some level of connection to the Pittsburgh area.

“It makes sense for Pittsburgh, all we are doing is promoting Pittsburgh,” says Sanders. “That is great if you want a Terrible Towel, but it’s probably

Merchandise for sale inside Pittsburgh Guitars in South Side

LOVE, PITTSBURGH

301 Shiloh St., Mt. Washington 805 Liberty Ave., Downtown lovepittsburghshop.com

made in China. Everything at love, Pittsburgh has its final touch here in Pittsburgh.”

In addition to promoting goods made by Pittsburghers, Sanders says the store has become like “an old trading post,” where makers can meet and mingle with shoppers. She says this interpersonal connection gives love, Pittsburgh a leg up over

online and big-box retailers.

“The things that you can do in person, that is something you can’t get online,” says Sanders.

“That has resonated with a lot with the artists and with the customers.”

The hyperlocal strategy has been so effective, that Sanders and Yope have since expanded with a store front Downtown on Liberty Avenue and an annex in the Oliver Building.

Love, Pittsburgh is offering an array of deals following Thanksgiving. On Black Friday, shoppers will receive a love, Pittsburgh mug if they spend $50 or more. On Small Business Saturday, everything CONTINUES ON PG. 8

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 21-28, 2018

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SHOP SMALL, CONTINUED FROM PG. 7

...GET SOME ...GIVE SOME

THE PERFECT GIFT TAKE A POUND WHEREVER YOU GO

SPREAD THE LOVE!

C OFFEE & T EA ————

PHOTO: LAKEISHA WOLF

— — — — — — — — SPECIALISTS

Merchandise for sale inside Ujamaa Collective in the Hill District

The best gifts are edible.

1719 Penn Ave.

Strip District I 412.471.0133

prestogeorge.com Coffee roasted every 1/2 hour.

Importers of Loose Leaf Teas.

1910 New Texas Rd. Pittsburgh, PA 15239 7124.519.7308 EightyAcresKitchen.com

is 20 percent off. And on Cyber Monday, online shoppers enjoy free shipping and a mystery gift.

Pittsburgh Guitars The South Side music store has been a stalwart in Pittsburgh’s small business community. Owner John Bechtold believes the region is the perfect place to support small businesses because so many business districts are dominated by local shops.

PITTSBURGH GUITARS

1305 E. Carston St., South Side pittsburghguitars.com

The

Mister Bunch

Mister Grooming & Goods 4504 Butler Street 412.326.5964

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“I really do my best to practice what I preach,” says Bechtold. “When I need to go the hardware store, I am gonna shop at my local place.”

Bechtold says Pittsburgh Guitars often offers better prices than some online retailers. Customers have many opportunities to interact with local musicians, who spend time in the shop, just sharing stories. Most importantly though, Bechtold says shopping at small businesses like his has a positive multiplier effect for the local economy.

“You are keeping the dollars local,” says Bechtold. “And money is being reinvested in your community. It is all part of a cycle.”

Starting on Black Friday and continuing through the weekend, Pittsburgh Guitars will offer special prices for various items throughout the store, including stocking stuffers like guitar tuners and strings, as well as sales on guitars and

ukuleles. Shoppers can also enjoy complimentary coffee and cookies.

Ujamaa Collective Nonprofit Ujamaa has run a storefront in the Hill District for the past eight years. It specializes in supporting local artists and crafters, especially those practicing Africana art. Ujamaa sells clothing, jewelry, decor, bags and more.

Executive Director LaKeisha Wolf says it’s important to support local Africana artists since they “don’t have access to the global marketplace.”

Wolf says that Ujamaa has helped amplify local and international artists and makers. Combined with the collective’s mission to provide a community space to residents, Wolf says Ujamaa is attempting to revitalize the Hill District, which is still recovering from development decisions that isolated the neighborhood from the rest of the city.

UJAMAA COLLECTIVE 1901 Centre Ave., Hill District ujamaacollective.org

“We have helped to bring back the old nickname of the Hill District, the crossroads of the world,” says Wolf. “Helping to heal and restore communities like the Hill District is really important.”

On Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, Ujamaa will be hosting workshops in its community room, where participants can design their own t-shirts.

The store is open on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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Follow senior writer Ryan Deto on Twitter @RyanDeto

COMING

SOON! 2 019 201

Penguins Penguins & & Paws Paws Calendars Calendars Calendar will feature members of the Pittsburgh Penguins with their pets and adoptable animals from Humane Animal Rescue!

Available November 23, 2018

Proceeds For pre-order, visit www.humaneanimalrescue.org/penscalendar benefit the animals at HAR!

Humane Animal Rescue Visit our website at www.humaneanimalrescue.org for more details!

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 21-28, 2018

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PHOTO: MEGAN LET

Real Friends

.THANKSGIVING EVE.

BLACKOUT WEDNESDAY

BY JORDAN SNOWDEN // JSNOWDEN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

M

OVE OVER New Year’s Eve:

Thanksgiving Eve, or Blackout Wednesday, has established itself as the biggest bar night of the year.

While NYE is the biggest party night — concerts, at-home shindigs, etc. — Thanksgiving Eve brings people out to bars in droves. That’s due to a couple of factors: no huge cover fees, a definite mid-week day off, the desire to not have people at your house (Thanksgiving is the next day after all), and too much family time. Plus, the big meal on Thursday is a surefire hangover cure.

But, while it’s fun to catch up with hometown friends, going to the bar down the street from your house most likely means running into old high school classmates. So, instead of hitting up the same old bar, here’s a list of cool events

going down on Thanksgiving Eve. Hopefully, there will be no awkward run-ins.

Get Basted

9 p.m. – 2 a.m. Belvederes.

4016 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $5. belvederesultradive.com Let DJ ADMC fill your night with hip hop, R&B, house, and trap. A genre-specific DJ extraordinaire, some may recognize the resident Belvederes DJ as the man spinning the tracks during theme events like Drake Night or Sadderday Emo Dance Night.

Salsa Giving 9 p.m. – 1 a.m. Penn Society. 960 Penn Ave., Downtown. $10. pennsociety.com Salsa412 wants to celebrate its sixyear anniversary with you. In the upstairs VIP section of Ten Penny, settle

in for an evening of food, drinks, and free salsa lessons. Actually, don’t settle in, because after everyone’s tummies are filled and bodies are warmed up, the real party begins. With a 1920s speakeasy vibe and old-school salsa music, you’ll feel transported back to another time.

Joe Kay

9 p.m. – 2 a.m. Spirit. 242 51st St., Lawrenceville. $15-20. spiritpgh.com Feed your soul before you feed your body with Soulection Radio’s Joe Kay. Make Sure You Have Fun is bringing the Beats 1 DJ to Pittsburgh for the first time, along with local musicians Sierra Sellers, Arie Cole, Benji., and DJ Bamboo. All of this will take place beneath Ian Brill’s Vault Installation, making way for a totally groovy Blackout Wednesday.

Thanksgiving Eve with Totally ‘80s 9 p.m. – 12:30 a.m. Crafthouse Stage & Grill. 5024 Curry Road, Whitehall. crafthousepgh.com

Break out the leg warmers and fingerless gloves. It’s Blackout Wednesday, ’80s style. Shake those tailfeathers at Crafthouse before cutting into the turkey on Thursday. Bonus: Free valet parking for the designated driver.

Well, all drivers, but please don’t drink and drive.

Saved By The ‘90s

8 – 11 p.m. Jergels. 103 Slade Lane, Warrendale. $16. jergels.com If you’re not an ’80s fan, then party like it’s 1999 at Jergels. The traveling ’90s party hits Warrendale on Thanksgiving CONTINUES ON PG. 12

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Port Authority’s Job Perks program now offers

Stored Cash Value.

In addition to monthly passes, stored cash value may be added incrementally up to $200. It’s a great option if your schedule is flexible or unpredictable and it could save you hundreds of dollars on your taxes.

Talk to your employer about signing up today by calling 412.566.5283

Port Authority.org PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 21-28, 2018

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BLACKOUT WEDNESDAY, CONTINUED FROM PG. 10

Eve and promises to bring plenty of nostalgia for frosted tips and boy bands.

Thanksgiving Eve Party 11 – 2 a.m. Double L. 307 Grant Ave., Millvale. facebook.com/DoubleLBar Channel your inner wild turkey at Double L. Along with music from DJ Joe, the local family owned bar will have free food, Wild Turkey specials (shots and cocktails), cheesecake, pudding shots, and tons of crazy fun.

Real Friends with Boston Manor

7 p.m. The Rex Theater. 1602 E. Carson St., South Side. $22-25. rextheater.net Not feeling the bar life? Pop-punk band Real Friends plays at The Rex Theater following the July release of the band’s third full-length album, Composure.

Real Friends is an all-ages show, so no need to get a sitter.

Snails

7 p.m. – 12 a.m. Stage AE. 400 North Shore Drive, North Side. $30. promowestlive.com

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Let your dirty rave side out before seeing the fam on Thanksgiving. Joined by EDM artists Cookie Monsta, Svdden Death, and Hekler, get ready for a night of bassbumping and head-banging with The Shell 2.0, Snails’ new holographic bass music experience.

Snails Trail Afterparty 10 p.m. – 2 a.m. Cruze Bar. 1600 Smallman St., Strip District. $10. cruzebar.com The party doesn’t stop when Snails does.

Bass Technology brings Mashup DJ duo, FOMOBoiz, high energy DJ trio, Donut Squad, and heavy-dubstep-loving DJ, Haymes Tarmino to the Strip District to keep the electronic beats going late into the night.

Twas The Night Before Turkey 9 p.m. – 2 a.m. The Stage at Karma.

1713 E. Carson St., South Side. facebook.com/DJAfterthought

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Are you an EDM fan but don’t like the mosh pit-forming, rager stylings of Snails? DJ Afterthought, who specializes in Top 40/popish EDM, plays The Stage at Karma so you can get your electronic fix without the worry of getting headbutted in the face.

PHOTO: ADRIAN VILLAGOMEZ

Snails

Punk & Ska Night Pre-Thanksgiving Rager 10 p.m. – 2 a.m. The Smiling Moose.

1306 E. Carson St., South Side. Free. smiling-moose.com If club music isn’t your scene, head over to The Smiling Moose for a night of the finest punk and ska. DJ Adam will spin tracks from Rancid, The Misfits, Operation Ivy, Bouncing Souls, The Menzingers, The Gaslight Anthem, and Sex Pistols, just to name a few.

Thanksgiving Eve with THW

8 p.m. – 2 a.m. Tequila Cowboy.

380 North Shore Drive, North Side. tequilacowboy.com Country fans, this one is for you. Get a mix of live music and the bar scene with local band THW. If you’re feeling adventurous (or tipsy), you can try out the mechanical bull.

Pierce Dipner & Shades of Blue

8 – 11 p.m. Howlers. 4506 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield. $5. howlerspittsburgh.com Blues lovers, you have not been forgotten!

With blues/rock guitarist and singer Pierce Dipner, along with his Shades of Blue band and acoustic rock and blues artist Gary Prisby, be prepared for a night of rockin’ blues, drink specials, and a few surprises.

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Follow staff writer Jordan Snowden on Twitter @snowden_jordan

.GABBY NORMAL.

THANKFUL FOR PARADES

BY GAB BONESSO CPCONTRIBUTORS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

I

LOVE a parade. Like, seriously, I looooooove a parade.

My earliest Thanksgiving memories always included my mother, sister, and I sitting around our television watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

It was the only part of the day that my mom would actually sit down and enjoy herself. She’d even let us sneak early bites of the pies and have some for breakfast.

The three of us would sing along to the Broadway showtunes and Mom would comment on the beautiful flower arrangements surrounding the Today Show hosts. My sister and I were always confused by the “dance troupes,” which led to giggles. Our favorite part? Santa and Mrs. Claus bringing in the Christmas season on the final float of the parade. My mother would lose her mind screaming,

“Santa! Santa!” and all three of us would wave to the television.

My sister and I have continued this tradition in the absence of our mother and yes, that includes waving to Santa.

But it’s the Saturday after Thanksgiving that brings my favorite parade: The WPXI Holiday Parade. I’ve watched it

every year of my life and was even blessed enough to march in it once as a member of the Montour High School Marching band.

For the longest time, when adults would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I’d answer, “A parade coordinator like Maureen O’Hara’s character in the

Follow featured contributor Gab Bonesso on Twitter @gabbonesso

original Miracle on 34th Street.”

I really did think that would be the perfect job for me. I just had no clue how to achieve such a career.

I mean, I was Marching Band President in 1997 so that seemed like a good resume item, but beyond that, my skill set was limited.

I found my passion for acting and performing at Duquesne University.

Suddenly my dreams of becoming a Parade Coordinator vanished and being a featured performer on a float developed.

Look, I’m not delusional. I know that my career has not taken me to Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade float-status, but Pittsburgh: What’s a girl got to do to get on a WPXI Holiday Parade Float?

I mean, I really think my anti-bully band The Josh and Gab Show would ROCK on a float. Our rendition of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is gut-wrenching, so that won’t work, but we do a mean version of the Kinks’ “Father Christmas.”

Look, if millennials could successfully petition for Betty White to host Saturday Night Live, we can certainly get me on the WPXI Holiday Parade in 2019.

It’s all I want for Christmas (besides peace).

Happy Thanksgiving!

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 21-28, 2018

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HOLD THE TURKEY Ditch the turkey and try our list of vegetarianfriendly restaurants open this Thursday

.THANKSGIVING.

BY AMANDA WALTZ AWALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

VEGGIE DELIGHT

People’s Indian Restaurant 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 5-9 p.m.

5147 Penn Ave., Garfield. peoplesindian.com

BY AMANDA WALTZ AWALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

Try the aloo saag, an herby spinach-potato dish, or the tofu vindaloo, a spicy curry.

Sakura Teppanyaki and Sushi 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.

5882 Forbes Ave., Squirrel Hill. sakurateppanyakinsushi.com

Warm your belly with a Sichuanstyle Tofu Spicy Hot Pot or go for some fresh veggie sushi, along with other vegetarian Chinese and Japanese classics.

Sichuan Gourmet 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

1900 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill and 328 Atwood St., Oakland. sichuan-gourmet.com

Choose from a variety of dry-sauteed vegetable entrees and favorites like General Tso’s with fried tofu.

Hard Rock Cafe Pittsburgh 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

230 W. Station Square Drive, Station Square. hardrock.com/cafes/pittsburgh

In addition to a special Thanksgiving Day offering, Hard Rock is serving its usual cafe menu, which includes vegetarian fare like cauliflower “wings” and a black bean and quinoa burger. •

I

T ALL STARTED with tacos. About four years ago, just days before Christmas, my husband and I enjoyed a casual dinner at the Lawrenceville Mexican restaurant Round Corner Cantina. Though we ate meat, we both ordered tofu to help offset the gastrointestinal misery accumulated from numerous holiday parties replete with rich foods and boozy beverages. As I took the first bite of my soybased dish, I suddenly felt something that I hadn’t felt in weeks: not disgusting.

I turned to my husband and said, “I think I’m going to become a vegetarian.”

My husband looked up from his taco.

“I was just about to say the same thing to you!”

He went on to explain how making our two-person Thanksgiving dinner a month before led him to consider the change. As he prepared our modest turkey, he was suddenly overcome with repulsion, saying that the raw, dead bird before him, with its pathetic wings and legs all splayed out, reminded him of a tiny, naked, headless human being.

So began a journey studded with compromises (“I take fish oil— maybe I should be a pescatarian”), cheats, and lazy dinners of cheese pizza or bean burritos. Eventually, we got the hang of it, mostly thanks to my husband’s past as a vegetarian high school punk.

At first, I did it more for health reasons,

as the carnivore life often left me feeling bloated, crampy, and enduring the dreaded meat sweats. Truth be told, growing up on a working dairy farm meant that dead animals never really bothered me. My family butchered more than their fair share of cows, filling up our basement freezer with a seemingly endless supply of hamburger patties, steaks, and roasts. My childhood resembled something out of Napoleon Dynamite, where my after-school snack consisted of a T-bone steak or cheeseburger.

As a result, meat doesn’t impress me. I see nothing novel or indulgent about eating a rare T-bone or juicy filet. I am blasé about bacon, indifferent to duck, lukewarm about lamb, bored with beef.

But over time, I began to appreciate the economic, environmental, and moral reasons for going vegetarian. Tofu, beans, and other non-meat proteins are positively cheap compared with the alternative. Over the years, various studies have shown how much our lust for cooked animal flesh contributes to climate change.

One study released by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization found that, in 2016, three meat companies, including the poultry titan, Tyson, emitted more greenhouse gases than all of France and nearly as much as oil companies like Exxon, BP, and Shell.

Then, of course, there’s the cruelty and

mass slaughter associated with meat – as a farm kid, I’ve seen firsthand how pigs and chickens are kept in cramped, dirty pens in sunless, poorly ventilated buildings. Around this time of year, the turkey population takes an especially big hit.

Last year, the National Turkey Federation estimated that around 45 million turkeys would be killed that holiday season. And anyone who saw the infamous video of Sarah Palin at the turkey farm knows the grisly fate that awaits these birds.

But holidays always present the biggest frustration, as my husband and I struggle to come up with ways to make holiday meals both festive and meatless.

We tried only eating sides, but that got old real quick. We tried incorporating Tofurky, which is fine if you enjoy the taste of a microwaved bike tire. Then there’s the guilt of not eating the thing that your relative spent hours cleaning, cooking, and basting.

So we came up with the most obvious solution – we stopped celebrating Thanksgiving. Just like that. Last year, my husband and I skipped the long commute back to our childhood homes for a relaxing, veggie-based dinner at an Indian restaurant and a night out dancing. No meat, no pressure, no being forced to interact with racist relatives. Just a pleasant night out with the one I love. And for that, I give thanks.

Follow senior writer Amanda Waltz on Twitter @AwaltzCP

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 21-28, 2018

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.FOOD.

MORCILLA

BY MAGGIE WEAVER MWEAVER@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

I

N 2015, Morcilla opened its doors in Lawrenceville and captured the city’s attention with a family-style menu of traditional pintxos (small plates) and Spanish-inspired charcuterie.

But just under two years in, Morcilla was forced to close after an overhead pipe burst and damaged much of the interior. Head chef and co-owner Justin Severino (Cure) took this renovation opportunity to smooth out Morcilla’s kinks. The restaurant re-opened in late March.

I visited Morcilla on a picture-perfect evening during the city’s first snow, a blissful time when Pittsburghers still relish flurries. I cozied up in a corner booth and watched the snow fall from a safe, warm distance.

The inside is gorgeous. Muted oranges and browns mix with exposed brick, naked light bulb chandeliers adding a contemporary twist. Small details acknowledge the restaurant’s Spanish inspiration: drying meat hung from the ceiling, a tribute to jamón shops; the wine list overflowed with Spanish grapes like garnacha and tempranillo.

Morcilla’s menu is divided into five sections: snacks, charcuterie, crudo (raw bar), small plates, and large plates. My server knew details about every dish and talked me through the menu with ease. With her help, I chose four dishes to share between two people: queso en aceite (manchego cheese, meyer lemon, padron peppers, and roasted garlic), lomo (14-month aged pork), fried sunchokes, and the oxtail montadito (braised oxtail).

The first two plates, lomo and queso, arrived quickly from a small prep area

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

Sous chef Jeff Green prepares Bistec A La Plancha

MORCILLA

3519 Butler St., Lawrenceville.

412-652-9924 or morcillapittsburgh.com

at the bar. The queso en aceite, small cubes of manchego covered in olive oil and meyer lemon, lost the cheese’s classic nutty flavor to pungent citrus. It balanced when the cheese, peppers, and garlic were placed on a crostini, with the crisp

Follow staff writer Maggie Weaver on Twitter @magweav

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bread masking the strong lemon.

My charcuterie choice, lomo, was paired with an apricot mostarda. The cut was impeccable, each slice thin enough to see through. Lomo was the perfect match for an apricot mostarda, whose sharp, syrupy character rounded out the mellow meat.

Soon after the first plates were clean, the second course arrived. I started with the sunchoke, a root vegetable similar to a potato. It was heavenly. The pieces

were lightly charred and placed over a butternut squash romesco. The nuttiness of the sunchoke echoed through the dish.

Za’atar, a woody spice, and chopped nuts kept the romesco earthy, nutty, and added a nice crunch.

Braised oxtail was my final dish. A crostini was stacked with oxtail and caramelized onion and finished with melted mahon cheese. I took a knife and fork to the assemblage, but it the oxtail was so tender that it immediately collapsed. The dish blew me away, with the sweet, caramelized onion leveling out the rich oxtail for a spectacular combination of taste and texture.

By the end, I was stuffed and prepared to dreamily re-live the fantastic meal. But a server walked past with fresh churros and the smell seduced me. The churros arrived freshly fried, drowned in sugar, and sitting in a searing hotbed of dark chocolate. Morcilla’s churros confirmed what I had been feeling all night: The restaurant is marvelous.

Morcilla checks all the boxes: professional, knowledgeable service, an intimate, upscale but approachable atmosphere, and superb, mouthwatering plates. At my next visit, I plan to order one of everything.

•

Special: 1/2 Off Italian Bread Pizza Make Friday & Saturday Night Pizza Night 9-11PM

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Whiskey in a Teacup

.ON THE ROCKS.

THANKFUL FOR WHISKEY

4729 Liberty Ave.

BY MAGGIE WEAVER // MWEAVER@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

412.682.9603

T

HIS THANKSGIVING, give thanks

for whiskey. It’s the perfect seasonal spirit: spicy and warm, but versatile enough to please the pickiest drinker. These local bars offer a glass of Thanksgiving, three magnificent cocktails that usher in holiday cheer.

filled with spice and each sip delivering a true “holy shit” moment. The flavor combination is ridiculously tasty.

Pittsburgh, PA 15224

Whiskey in a Teacup at The Warren 245 SEVENTH ST., DOWNTOWN THEWARRENPGH.COM Whiskey in a Teacup is part of Women and Whiskey, a campaign across city bars to raise money for the Allegheny Center for Digestive Health and the Allegheny Cancer Institute. This cocktail is the handiwork of RaeLynn, one of The Warren’s female bartenders.

The cocktail is light, fresh, and filled with fall flavors. Sips are smooth, just clinging to the familiar whiskey burn on the finish. The decoration is simple; a dried lemon slice and bitters top the frothy, spice speckled surface. And, true to the name, it’s served in a teacup, a dainty detail for a not-so-dainty drink.

Fallen Angel at Grapperia 3801 BUTLER ST., LAWRENCEVILLE GRAPPERIAPGH.COM Nothing tastes more like fall than the Fallen Angel at Grapperia. But the cocktail isn’t for the faint of heart; it’s served neat, with Bulleit Bourbon as the star.

Bartenders at Grapperia head straight for flavor, mixing the bourbon with orange liqueur, spices, and garnishing with a burnt orange peel. The drink is

Turducken at The Commoner 458 STRAWBERRY WAY, DOWNTOWN THECOMMONERPGH.COM Feeling post-Thanksgiving turkey withdrawal? Stop by The Commoner for a Turducken. The bar staff washes Wild Turkey 101 Rye with duck fat, a technique that leaves the rye whiskey clear and strips the rye’s harsh burn. The wash turns it into a pleasant, gentle spirit with a savory touch.

The washed rye is mixed with apple brandy, apple cider, maple syrup, and lemon. Every sip of the Turducken is bright, warm, and refreshing. It’s a fall cocktail that won’t add to holiday weight gain. The drink is finished with a playful touch: a rubber chicken is clothespinned to the glass.

•

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 21-28, 2018

17

DINING OUT

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

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THIS WEEK’S FEATURED RESTAURANT

LEON’S CARIBBEAN 823 E WARRINGTON AVE., ALLENTOWN 412-431-5366 / LEONSCARIBBEAN.COM Family owned and operated since December 2014.

Here at Leon’s, we take pride in our recipes and quality of dishes. Simple menu with all the traditional dishes! Leon Sr. has been a chef for 30+ years, mastering the taste everyone has grown to love and can only get at Leon’s.

THE ALLEGHENY WINE MIXER

5326 BUTLER ST., LAWRENCEVILLE 412-252-2337 / ALLEGHENYWINEMIXER.COM Wine bar and tap room in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood. Offering an eclectic list of wine by the glass or bottle, local beer, craft cocktails, cheese and cured meats, good times and bad art.

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BROAD STREET BISTRO

1025 BROAD ST., NORTH VERSAILLES 412-829-2911 / BROADSTBISTRO.COM Broad Street Bistro is a neighborhood restaurant offering daily specials. ALL food is prepared fresh and made to order. It is family friendly with a special kids’ menu.

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COLONY CAFE

1125 PENN AVE., STRIP DISTRICT 412-586-4850 / COLONYCAFEPGH.COM Whether stopping in for a weekday lunch, an afternoon latte or after-work drinks with friends, Colony Cafe offers delicious housemade bistro fare in a stylish Downtown space.

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FULL PINT WILD SIDE TAP ROOM

5310 BUTLER ST., LAWRENCEVILLE 412-408-3083 / FULLPINTBREWING.COM Full Pint Wild Side Taproom is Full Pint Brewing company’s Lawrenceville location and features a full service bar, huge sandwiches and half-priced happy hour.

Open 4 p.m.-midnight, Mon.-Fri., and noon– midnight on Saturday. Check us out on Facebook for upcoming shows and events.

HARTWOOD RESTAURANT AND WHISPER’S PUB

3400 HARTS RUN ROAD, GLENSHAW 412-767-3500 / HARTWOODRESTAURANT.COM A hidden treasure in the Pittsburgh suburbs. Outdoor dining, full bar, eclectic atmosphere. Casual elegance at its finest. Daily specials. Open Tuesday through Saturday. Hope to see you soon!

LIDIA’S PITTSBURGH

1400 SMALLMAN ST., STRIP DISTRICT 412-552-0150 / LIDIAS-PITTSBURGH.COM Lidia’s Pittsburgh is a warm Italian restaurant offering signature classics from Lidia Bastianich. Featuring brunch, lunch and dinner menus as well as private dining.

MERCURIO’S ARTISAN GELATO AND NEAPOLITAN PIZZA 5523 WALNUT ST., SHADYSIDE 412-621-6220 / MERCURIOSGELATOPIZZA.COM Authentic Neapolitan pizza, artisan gelato, and an inviting atmosphere are just a small part of what helps create your experience at Mercurio’s Gelato and Pizza in Pittsburgh. It’s not your standard pizza shop; in fact, this isn’t a “pizza shop” at all.

PAD THAI NOODLE

4770 LIBERTY AVE, BLOOMFIELD 412-904-1640 / PADTHAINOODLEPITTSBURGH.COM This new café in Bloomfield features Thai and Burmese specialties. Standards

like Pad Thai and Coconut Curry Noodle are sure to please. But don’t miss out on the Ono Kyowsway featuring egg noodle sautéed with coconut chicken, cilantro and curry sauce.

SAGA HIBACHI

201 SOUTH HILLS VILLAGE MALL, BETHEL PARK 412-835-8888 / SAGAHIBACHI.COM Saga in the South Hills is now under new management. Stop in for exciting table-side preparations and the famous shrimp sauce. Or sit in the sushi-bar area for the freshest sushi experience, with both traditional preparations and contemporary variations.

SPIRIT

242 51ST ST., LAWRENCEVILLE 412-586-4441 / SPIRITPGH.COM/SLICEISLAND Every day we bake fresh focaccia from unbleached flour, pull our own mozzarella, and curdle our own ricotta to put on your pizza with fresh toppings from the best local farms, butchers, and purveyors.

SUPERIOR MOTORS

1211 BRADDOCK AVE., BRADDOCK 412-271-1022 / SUPERIORMOTORS15104.COM Thoughtfully prepared food, drawing inspiration from Braddock, its people, its history and its perseverance.

The cuisine best represents the eclectic style which has become a trademark of Chef Kevin Sousa. Fine dining in an old Chevy dealership with an eclectic, farm-to-table menu and a community focus.

TOTOPO MEXICAN KITCHEN AND BAR

660 WASHINGTON ROAD, MT. LEBANON 412-668-0773 / TOTOPOMEX.COM Totopo is a vibrant celebration of the culture and cuisine of Mexico, with a focus on the diverse foods served in the country. From Oaxacan tamales enveloped in banana leaves to the savory fish tacos of Baja California, you will experience the authentic flavor and freshness in every bite. We also feature a cocktail menu of tequila-based drinks to pair the perfect margarita with your meal.

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.FOR THE WEEK OF NOV. 22.

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “You have two ways to live your life,” writes spiritual teacher Joseph Vitale, “from memory or inspiration.” In other words, you can take your cues about how to live your life from what happened in the past or else you can make your decisions based on what you’re excited to do and become in the future. According to my analysis, the next ten months will be an excellent time for you to fully embrace the latter approach. And it all starts now.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): SCORPIO In March 2005, far more people than usual won big money in a regional Powerball lottery in the U.S. The average for each draw is four winners, but on this special occasion, 110 players were awarded at least $100,000 and as much as $500,000. The reason for the anomaly seemed to have been an oracle that appeared in a number of widely distributed fortune cookies. It provided five of the six winning numbers. Inspired by this crazy stroke of good fortune, and in accordance with the favorable financial omens now coming to bear on you, I hereby offer you six numbers to use as your lucky charms. Will they help you win a game of chance? I can’t be sure. At the very least, they will titillate and massage the part of your psyche that is magnetic to wealth. Here they are: 37. 16. 58. 62. 82. 91.

You’ve always got more help available than you imagine, and that’s especially true these days.

Both people you know and people you don’t know may come to your assistance and offer extra support — especially if you meet two conditions: 1. you sincerely believe you deserve their assistance and support; 2. you clearly ask for their assistance and support. Now here’s more good news about the help that’s available.

Whether or not you believe in spiritual beings, they, too, are primed to offer blessings and resources. If you don’t believe in their existence, I invite you to pretend you do and see what happens. If you do believe in them, formulate clear requests for what you’d like them to offer you.

swoop in and swiftly remove a portion of the wildebeest, then coolly walk away, leaving plenty for the lions when they return to their meal. I bring this scene to your attention, Pisces, because I suspect that in the coming weeks you will have similar levels of courage and poise as you go after what you want.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):

ARIES (March 21-April 19):

In one of his poems, Arthur Rimbaud extolled the exquisite evenings when the mist soaked his face as he strolled, and he sipped that heavenly dew till he was drunk. Was he speaking literally or metaphorically? Probably both, if I know Rimbaud. Anyway, Aquarius, I’d love for you to engage in similar exploits. What are some natural adventures that might intoxicate you? What simple pleasures may alter your consciousness, nudging you free of its habits? Meditate with sweet abandon on how to free yourself through the power of play and the imagination.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): It’s illegal to hunt animals in Kenya. But members of the Dorobo tribe circumvent the law to provide food for their families. As three or more Dorobo men wander out on the savanna, they wait for hungry lions to kill a wildebeest or other creature. Then they stride toward the feasting beasts in a calm show of force until the predators run away in confusion. The brave scavengers

In his autobiography On the Move, neurologist Oliver Sacks praised his friend Jerry’s curiosity and knowledge. “Jerry has one of the most spacious, thoughtful minds I have ever encountered, with a vast base of knowledge of every sort,” wrote Sacks, “but it is a base under continual questioning and scrutiny.” So willing was Jerry to question and re-evaluate his own assumptions that Sacks said he had “seen his friend suddenly stop in mid-sentence and say, ‘I no longer believe what I was about to say.’” That’s the gold standard to which I hope you will aspire in the coming weeks, Aries. As bright and articulate as you’ll be, you will have an even higher calling to expand your mind through continual questioning.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In recent years, a few pioneers have gotten microchips implanted under their skin. These technological marvels enable them to open doors and turn on lights with merely a wave of their hands, or receive up-to-the-minute readings on

what’s transpiring inside their bodies. Now an additional frontier has arisen: people using doit-yourself kits to experiment on their own DNA. For example, some have tweaked their genes so their bodies create more muscle than is natural.

I would love for you to change yourself around in the coming weeks, Taurus, but not in these particular ways. I’d rather see you do subtle psychological and spiritual work. The astrological omens suggest it’s a favorable time for focused self-transformation.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Are you smart enough to take advantage of the fact that your best relationships would benefit from bursts of innovative energy in the coming weeks? Are you brave enough to banish the ghost that still haunts your romantic life? Do you have the moxie to explore frontiers with collaborators who play fair and know how to have fun?

Will you summon the curiosity and initiative to learn new strategies about how to enhance your approach to intimacy? I’ll answer those questions in your behalf: yes, yes, yes, and yes.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Would you agree with me that there are both boring, tiresome problems and fun, interesting problems? If so, read on. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you’re at a fork in your path where you could either get

further involved with a boring, tiresome problem or else a fun, interesting one. (I think you’ll have to engage with one or the other.) Of course, I’m rooting for you to proactively wrangle with the fun, interesting one. Here’s timely inspiration from Cancerian author John W. Gardner: “We are continually faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems.”

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The Jharia coalfield in eastern India is a 110-square-mile reserve of underground coal. In some places, it’s on fire, and has been burning for over a hundred years. This isn’t a good thing.

It’s wasteful and causes pollution. But now I’ll ask you to put aside that scenario and imagine a more benevolent kind of steadily burning fire: a splendor in your soul that never stops radiating warmth and light; that draws from an inexhaustible source of fuel; that is a constant source of strength and courage and power. I’m happy to tell you that the coming months will be a favorable time to establish and nurture this eternal flame.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Marilyn Monroe, Georgia O’Keeffe, and President Franklin Roosevelt were direct descendants of the pilgrims who sailed from England to the New World on the famous Mayflower ship in 1620. I, on the other hand, am a direct descendant of a nineteenth-century Slovakian coal miner who toiled in the underground darkness. What about you, Virgo? Now would be a rich and provocative time to reconnect with your roots; to remember where your people originated; to explore the heritage that served as the matrix from which you sprouted.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): According to researchers who study animal behavior at two Italian universities, chickens can do arithmetic. The birds don’t even need to be trained; the skill seems to be innate. (Read details here: tinyurl.com/ChickensDoMath.) I’m wondering whether chickens born under the sign of Libra might even be able to do algebra in the coming weeks. According to my assessment of the astrological omens, the mental acuity of many Libran creatures will be at a peak. How will you use your enhanced intelligence?

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

1130 S. Braddock Ave. • 3riversoutdoor.com PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 21-28, 2018

19

Eli Alfieri CP PHOTO: JOHN COLOMBO

20

PGHCITYPAPER.COM

starring the original

DJs from WXXP www.wxxp.com

.MUSIC.

MUSIC THERAPY

BY JORDAN SNOWDEN // JSNOWDEN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

W

OODLAND HILLS high school senior Eli Alfieri credits the school’s music program for aiding his musical explorations. But an even bigger influence on Alfieri’s music are the violent incidents that have riddled the school and the surrounding community over the past two years, including the June 19 shooting of Woodland Hills student Antwon Rose by an East Pittsburgh Police officer.

The 18-year-old artist is using music as a means of coping and connecting. Lyrically, he believes that the Top 40 hits played on the radio lack meaning, something Alfieri focused on when writing and recording his first album The Heart of the Sun, which was released in September.

“The message behind the songs on the radio are about materials things – cars, money, girls or boys,” Alfieri says.

To promote The Heart of the Sun, Alfieri is having an album release show Nov. 24 at The Mr. Roboto Project with three other local young bands: rock and roll group Daisy Chain, psychedelic indie band Pachyderm, and feel-good indie pop group The Petals. All of the 20-something bands have a Woodland Hills connection.

Alfieri recorded The Heart of the Sun alone in his attic, where he felt the acoustics are best. The goal was to make the songs sound as raw and pure as possible, resulting in a simple guitar-soaked eight-track album that sounds easily duplicated – which was the point.

“I really wanted the album to sound almost homegrown,” Alfieri says, “and sound like anyone could do it, and not in a bad way. To show that it doesn’t take thousands of dollars or a big-time producer to make music. On the radio, there are a lot of technicians and technology behind [the songs], and it doesn’t sound like something where you could be like ‘Oh, I can do that.’”

Using a Fender acoustic and John-

son dreadnought guitar – the electric sounds played from a Fender Telecaster – Alfieri recorded the tracks over a four-month period during his summer break. He started the project in June after the Rose shooting, taking about three months to write. The only part of the album not completed by Alfieri was the mixing. Once he finished the album, Alfieri was unhappy with the way it sounded, so he sent the music to Audio Science Mastering, a studio in L.A. “They touched it up so it was borderline radio quality,” Alfieri says.

However, Alfieri prides his music on packing more substance than the songs that typically do well on the radio. He feels that too many popular songs just sound like bragging.

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ELI ALFIERI

“I’m trying to do the opposite of that. With the spread of technology and social media, it seems like everyone is constantly comparing themselves to one another,” says Alfieri. “It’s easier than it ever was before to see if someone is better than you. So I think that trying to spread a message about things that really aren’t comparable – like happiness, love – it sounds cheesy, but it’s important, at least to me.”

Unfortunately, it’s not easy for a new and budding artist to get their music heard. Alfieri described the music industry as a “big castle with a moat and all these things guarding it.” Just finding a venue that would allow him to perform proved extremely difficult.

Luckily, Pittsburgh has places like DIY show space The Mr. Roboto Project, which, intentional or not, adds to Alfieri’s message that creating and performing live music is not an exclusive endeavor.

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 21-28, 2018

21

.PGH PAGES.

GINA FROM SIBERIA

BY REGE BEHE CPCONTRIBUTORS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

W

HILE CARNEGIE Mellon University English professor Jane Bernstein lived in New York in 1978, she met a family who had just emigrated to the U.S. from the Soviet Union.

The Backers, who settled in the Washington Heights neighborhood, were unusual in that they came to this country with their dog Gina, a mini wire-haired terrier. When Bernstein visited the family, she noticed the dog would stand outside, “rattling her teeth and looking disoriented,” she says. “I started imagining this interior voice.”

That voice, and that dog, stayed with Bernstein for almost four decades before she decided to collaborate with her daughter, the filmmaker Charlotte Glynn, on a children’s book.

Gina From Siberia, published by the Animal Media Group (a subsidiary of the Pittsburgh-based production company Animal) is both entertaining and timely as it explores the immigrant experience through the eyes of a dog.

“We both began thinking of this immigration story from the very beginning when we were hashing things out,” says Bernstein, whose books include the critically acclaimed memoirs Loving Rachel and Bereft – A Sister’s Story. “We always were aware of [Gina’s] differ-

Jane Bernstein and Charlotte Glynn

ence as coming from someplace else, looking different from the dogs in Washington Heights.”

“It’s interesting that we started working on it a long time ago,” says the Brooklyn-based Glynn, noting they began the book in 2009. “We’re both drawn to stories about people having to make that harrowing journey, even if you’re taken on a plane and don’t have to go by foot. The journey of anybody who has to leave everything they’ve known and go somewhere new has always struck both of us.”

Glynn and Bernstein borrowed details from the Backers’ real-life journey.

One incredible episode features the family dressing the dog as a baby to avoid eviction on a train from Austria to Rome.

In order to flesh out the story, the authors needed an illustrator who could replicate life in the USSR forty years ago.

Bernstein googled “Soviet apartment interiors 1977” and found Anna Desnitskaya, a noted Russian illustrator and artist who lives in Moscow.

While Bernstein and Glynn thought Desnitskaya was perfect for the book, there was one significant drawback. “She had no experience with dogs,” Bernstein says. “So there was a lot of exchanging of images because she did not know what a dog looks like when it’s afraid or anxious or exuberant. And then she’s never been to the U.S., so she didn’t know what New

York looks like.”

Glynn, whose films include the short The Immaculate Reception, was able to provide images from sources including the Subway Museum in Brooklyn so Desnitskaya could replicate fonts and the globeshaped lights outside subway entrances.

At the very end of the project, Bernstein and Glynn thanked Desnitskaya for her work and patience. She wrote back, “`After having done this project, I realize there’s two things I want. I want a dog, and I want to come to New York,’” Bernstein says. “Two months later she sent us a picture of her Jack Russell terrier. Now we have to get her to New York.”

•

BETWEEN THE LINES Brielle Brilliant’s first book, The Spud, has been described as flash fiction for fans of Natural Born Killers and Badlands. Her bio on the website of her publisher, Featherproof Books, describes her as a “self-authorized investigator who writes, films, and prank calls. She likes to box and moves around a lot.” If any or all of the above piques your interest, Brilliant will be reading from The Spud at The Big Idea Bookstore in Bloomfield. 7 p.m. Nov. 21, 4812 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield.

Follow featured contributor Rege Behe on Twitter @RegeBehe_exPTR

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PHOTO: NETFLIX

Shirkers directed by Sandi Tan

.FILM REVIEW.

FINDING SHIRKERS

BY HANNAH LYNN // HLYNN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

F

ILM HISTORY is full of women who never got to tell their stories, either because the door was never opened for them or because it was opened then shut in their face. The new documentary Shirkers, now on Netflix, is the origin story of director Sandi Tan’s teenage film-making scheme and what happened when a deceptive man disappeared with the project for 20 years.

As a teenager in Singapore, Tan and her friends were enviously rebellious.

They chewed gum even though it had recently been made illegal. They wrote for punk magazines and started their own. But what Tan and her friends Jasmine Ng and Sophia Siddique Harvey wanted most was to make a movie. They found an opportunity in a mysterious but alluring older American man named Georges, who claimed to have substantial connections in the film world.

Despite their lack of experience — and the general lack of filmmaking in Singapore — the teenagers wrote, produced, and starred in a road movie called Shirkers about a teen killer. With Georges directing, Harvey producing, Ng editing, and Tan starring as the killer, they somehow turned a very unlikely dream into a reality.

But behind the whole project was the slick manipulation of Georges, with his cold eyes, soft voice, and unplaceable accent. He was the exact type of snake oil salesman parents warn their girls about, full of charm and intoxicating lies. When the project was done, he promised to get it edited, but the women never heard from him. He held onto the footage reels

until his death. They’d made a movie but were left only with the foggy memories of its creation.

The film reels emerge after Georges’ death and are returned to Tan. They don’t have sound, but the footage is real, not the vivid hallucination of the past 20 years.

Weaving together clips from the movie, backed by an eerie score, and interviews with Ng and Harvey, as well as crew from the original Shirkers, Tan tries to answer tough questions about the movie and about Georges. It’s a collage of their past and present selves, held together by a secret they never wanted to keep.

Questions? Call Us 412-821-8484 • ATTICRECORDS@VERIZON.NET

SHIRKERS

DIRECTED BY: Sandi Tan Now streaming on Netflix

While watching this movie, you’ll wonder if the original Shirkers would’ve actually been a good movie or if it’s just excellent myth-making. Plenty of teenagers make their own movies, and they’re expectedly shitty. But the more Tan describes the story and shows the colorful, eccentric, inventive visuals, it becomes clear that the original Shirkers would’ve been in some sort of film cannon had it been released.

In talking about the loss, Harvey, who is now head of the film department at Vassar College, calls their project “the ghost in between the lines of books written on Singapore film history.”

Because of a man’s deranged ego, the world never got to see the original Shirkers as it was intended, but we get this version — a bittersweet gift.

Follow staff writer Hannah Lynn on Twitter @hanfranny

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 21-28, 2018

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UHIN DAS WAS put on a hit list in 2015. He became the target of a militant fundamentalist group that murders writers, activists, bloggers, and publishers. Fearing for his life, Das escaped his home country of Bangladesh.

A blogger and poet, Das found sanctuary at Pittsburgh’s City of Asylum, an organization on the North Side that provides residence to exiled and endangered writers.

“The mission is to bring people together under the umbrella of promoting and supporting freedom of speech and freedom of expression,” says Karla Lamb, Senior Project Manager at City of Asylum.

The organization Reporters Without Borders reports that approximately 1,035 professional journalists and writers were killed globally between 2003 and 2017, and more than 60 have been killed since January 2018. The recent death of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi highlights the risks writers face when they criticize authoritarian governments.

City of Asylum recognizes this risk and in turn has dedicated its entire organization to promoting inclusivity, freedom of speech, and a safe space where writers can express themselves creatively without fear of persecution.

Das was forced to go into hiding

after learning that his name was put on a hit list in 2015 for content that he published in his home country of Bangladesh. He went to the police for help, but instead of protecting him, they collected and examined his writings for anti-Islamist statements. He left his country in April 2016.

“It was not my choice to leave, I was forced. They’ve killed more than 50 people who have different views. Like LGBTQ activists, like publishers, secular writers, and artists. I don’t think I can ever go back home,” Das said.

“I DON’T THINK I CAN EVER GO BACK HOME.” Das found out about residency opportunities from one of his writer friends who was able to find residency in Sweden but was unexpectedly gunned down in the middle of the street before he was able to leave the country. After his friend’s tragic death, Das connected with the International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN), an independent international organization of cities and regions that offer safe havens for writers and artists at risk. Das applied for a residency through ICORN and his

This is the first of an ongoing series of stories produced for Pittsburgh City Paper by Point Park University students, under the direction of Andrew Conte, director of the Center for Media Innovation.

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PGHCITYPAPER.COM

application was then forwarded to City of Asylum.

“I am now part of an art community with writers like me. I like that City of Asylum is a space that is working for human rights and who are sending a message to the world. It is very important to me to be a part of that,” Das said.

Like Das, Osama Alomar was forced to flee his home country. He left Damascus, Syria and immigrated to America after his short-story, The Boot, led Syrian intelligence officials to contact Alomar’s publisher, asking of his whereabouts.

“I was so scared. I did my best to avoid all public places. I used to go to the café almost every day so, I stayed home,” says Alomar. “Luckily at the time I had my American Visa because people in Syria can disappear with the snap of a finger.”

Alomar found sanctuary with City of Asylum in February 2017 when he became its newest writer-in-residence.

Alomar met co-founder and president of City of Asylum Ralph Henry Reese at PEN American Center, a nonprofit organization located in New York City that works to defend and celebrate free expression in the United States and

Osama Alomar

describing everything in my novel worldwide through the advancement about Syria without any censorof literature and human rights. Aloship,” Alomar said. mar accepted an invitation by Alomar and Das currently Reese to do a reading of his live in the City of Asylum’s work at City of Asylum. AloVIDEO residences on Sampsonia mar then applied for resiONLINE Way in the North Side. Acdency with City of Asylum at pghcity cording to Lamb, City of and was accepted for a twopaper.com Asylum offers all of their year residency. He is currentwriters up to two years of ly working on a new novel that free residency as well as the takes place during Syria’s ongoing opportunity for short-term resicivil war. dency that could last a few days or a “Now I feel much more secure. I’m

few weeks. City of Asylum’s past and current writers are able to design the outside of their houses—another way they display their newfound freedom to speak and create without fear.

“Each house has its own story, its own legacy, its own mural. If you’re walking down Sampsonia Way, you can read the houses. It’s like a walking library,” Lamb says. “You see Chinese, you see Burmese, you see [musical] notes. You walk down this alley way, which is sort of arbitrary, and feel like you’re taken somewhere else or that you’re a part of something bigger than yourself.”

Another goal of City of Asylum is to help the writer’s gain independence so that when their residency expires, they are ready to live on their own.

“I take them to the doctor, I take them to the dentist, and I take them to the different events that they do. It’s great to see Tuhin in the office because he does accounting work for us too,” Lamb stated.

City of Asylum is currently looking to provide residency for an exiled, female writer in hopes of giving them safety and a place where their voice is no longer silenced.

•

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25

.DANCE.

IN DEFENSE OF GRAVITY

BY STEVE SUCATO CPCONTRIBUTORS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

W

HILE IT IS common for a

dance company to bring back a work they have previously performed, it’s a bit out of the ordinary to do it the very next season.

That is the case however for Attack Theatre and of In Defense of Gravity, an evening-length work the company premiered in 2017 and is remounting, Nov. 29 - Dec. 2 for ďŹ ve performances at Pittsburgh Opera’s George R. White Studio in the Strip District. “It’s a topic we felt we wanted to explore more deeply and take some different approaches to some of the ideas we initially explored,â€? says Peter Kope, co-artistic director/founder of Attack Theatre.

The choreographically reworked, 70minute, no-intermission dance-theater piece is inspired by the everyday life portrayed in the poetry of former Allegheny County police detective and boxing coach Jimmy Cvetic. “This work starts from a place of loss, sadness, and gravity,� says Michele de la Reza, Attack’s other co-artistic director/ founder. “Where the poetry takes us, and our perspective takes us in the work is not how we can push past loss, but how we can own it and defend the gravity of those situations.�

Set to a jazz-infused original score

PHOTO: MARK SIMPSON PHOTOGRAPHY

Attack Theatre dancers in 2017’s In Defense of Gravity

IN DEFENSE OF GRAVITY

8 p.m., Thu., Nov. 29 and Fri., Nov. 30.

2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Sat., Dec. 1. 6 p.m., Sun., Dec. 2. Pittsburgh Opera’s George R. White Studio, 2425 Liberty Ave., Strip District. $15-45 ($5 additional at the door). attacktheatre.com/gravity

based on Cvetic’s poems, along with reimagined jazz classics performed live by vocalist Anqwenique WingďŹ eld, clarinetist Ben Opie, pianist Ben Brosche, and percussionist Jeff Berman, In Defense

of Gravity follows a central ďŹ gure portrayed by Kope that serves as a universal witness to tragedy. “He has many pathways for empathy,â€? says Kope.

Kope is joined onstage by six more dancers including de la Reza, who for the ďŹ rst part of the piece set the scene for Kope’s character to revisit the darkness of tragedy. The work’s second part portrays surreal physical representations of ideas contained within a collection of Cvetic’s aphorisms that are delivered by him and actor Patrick Jordan in recorded voiceovers that aid Kope’s character in

his healing process. “As storytellers, we are at our best when that storytelling is both abstract, to give people room to interpret the story, but also very clear and direct,� says Kope.

For those who missed In Defense of Gravity the ďŹ rst time around or just want to see it again, this reworked version promises to deliver more on what Cvetic saw as the energy of the dance and the energy of his poems working together to send a message of hope out into the world.

•

Follow featured contributor Steve Sucato on Twitter @ssucato

The eight-member international sensation uses everything but conventional percussion instruments – matchboxes, wooden poles, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo OLJKWHUV KXEFDSV ² WR ÀOO WKH VWDJH ZLWK PDJQLÀFHQW rhythms. STOMP. See what all the noise is about!

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WED., DECEMBER 5 SABRINA BENAIM 8 P.M. REX THEATER SOUTH SIDE. ALL-AGES EVENT. $15. 412-381-1681 or greyareaprod.com. With special guest Clementine Von Radics.

*Does not include equipment rentals. Extra members may be added to family pass for additional fee. Additional costs for non-Allegheny County residents.

WED., DECEMBER 5 STRAIGHT NO CHASER 8 P.M. BENEDUM CENTER DOWNTOWN. $49.25-99.25.

412-456-6666 or trustarts.org.

THU., DECEMBER 6 RANDY RAINBOW 7:30 P.M. CARNEGIE OF HOMESTEAD MUSIC HALL MUNHALL. All-ages event. $45. 412-462-3444 or ticketfly.com.

THU., DECEMBER 6 JON LANGSTON 8 P.M. JERGEL’S RHYTHM GRILLE WARRENDALE. $16-25. 724-799-8333 or ticketfly.com.

THU., DECEMBER 6 ALTERAS 8 P.M. HARD ROCK CAFE STATION SQUARE. $10-12. 412-481-ROCK or ticketfly.com. With special guests Titans in Time, Wanderer & FlipSwitch.

FRI., DECEMBER 7 ESPERANZA SPALDING 8 P.M. CARNEGIE OF HOMESTEAD MUSIC HALL MUNHALL. All-ages event. $34.50-60. 412-462-3444 or ticketfly.com.

SAT., DECEMBER 8 COOKIES WITH SANTA 10 A.M. ROUND HILL PARK VISITORS CENTER ROUND HILL PARK. Free event. 412-350-4636.

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CARNEGIE OF HOMESTEAD MUSIC HALL MUNHALL 7 P.M. JERGEL’S RHYTHM GRILLE WARRENDALE. $27-39. 724-799-8333 or ticketfly.com. With special guests Alter The Design & Paul Benson.

SAT., DECEMBER 8 ADAM CONOVER 8 P.M. CARNEGIE OF HOMESTEAD MUSIC HALL MUNHALL. All-ages event. $37.50-75. 412-462-3444 or ticketfly.com.

SUN., DECEMBER 9 AN AFTERNOON WITH SANTA CLAUS 2 P.M. HARTWOOD ACRES MANSION HARTWOOD ACRES. $12-15. 412-767-9200 or alleghenycounty.us/parkprograms.

SUN., DECEMBER 9 JASON KENDALL 7 P.M. GREER CABARET THEATER DOWNTOWN. Over-21 event. $51.25.

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MON., DECEMBER 10 ALEXANDER PECK TRIO 5 P.M. BACKSTAGE BAR AT THEATER SQUARE DOWNTOWN. Free event.

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MON., DECEMBER 10 TRUTHSAYERS: ANGELA RYE 7 P.M. AUGUST WILSON CENTER DOWNTOWN. $38.75. 412-456-6666 or trustarts.org.

MON., DECEMBER 10 LINDSEY STIRLING 8 P.M. BENEDUM CENTER DOWNTOWN. $52.75-349. 412-456-6666 or trustarts.org.

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TUE., DECEMBER 11 EVE 6 8 P.M. JERGEL’S RHYTHM GRILLE WARRENDALE. $22.50-99. 724-799-8333 or ticketfly.com.

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TUE., DECEMBER 11 INGRID MICHAELSON 8 P.M. CARNEGIE OF HOMESTEAD MUSIC HALL MUNHALL. All-ages event. $39.50-234.50.

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Purchase tickets online at alleghenycounty.us/parkprograms PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 21-28, 2018

27

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.VOICES.

WHOSE COMFORT FOOD?

BY TERENEH IDIA // CPCONTRIBUTORS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

T

HE HARDEST part was always waiting for the samosas to cool.

Sitting in my friend Maitreyi’s kitchen, I’d watch her mother, Dr. Sita Mazumdar, place the bubbling samosas on a plate of paper towels. I can’t imagine how much time I spent in the Mazumdars’ Point Breeze kitchen, waiting for those fiery hot mini comets to cool off enough to eat.

The inside would still be hot, but not too hot to eat; the potatoes, peas, garlic, and spices sat inside the perfect dough, soft right against the filling, flaky in the middle, with the perfectly crisp golden brown crust on the outside.

As we’d wait for them to cool, Dr. Mazumdar would speak to me in Bengali.

I don’t speak Bengali, something Maitreyi (who is now also Dr. Mazumdar in her own right) would remind her mother.

“What, Tereneh? By now you should know some Bengali,” Dr. (Mom) Mazumdar would say. She was right.

Maitreyi was my best friend, from Falk to Allderdice, and after so many dinners, sleepovers, and events, I really should have picked up some Bengali.

What I did pick up was a love of samosas and other Indian foods, which make them my comfort food, my Pittsburgh comfort food.

The beauty of samosas is you can get them just about anywhere in the world.

London, yep. Nairobi, Kenya, yes. Malaysia, Singapore — check and check. India —of course! So I could always find that familiarity and warmth, thousands of miles from Pittsburgh.

It is one reason why I get surprised when I hear Pittsburgh described the way it is, the celebrated icons and images we use when we talk about Pittsburgh.

So often you get pierogis, pickles, and French fries on salad.

Now I love, love pierogis, I do. I don’t like pickles. But I am not sure, given the rich multi-cultural heritage of Pittsburgh, why we limit ourselves to only some, usually European icons to describe who we are. We’re more than pierogis, pickles, and fries on salad.

Recently I talked about my experience growing up in Pittsburgh. Ballet classes at both Bidwell in Manchester and Pittsburgh Ballet Theater School; my family’s African-American female dentist and white female pediatrician; my first high school boyfriend who was Jewish; two weeks a summer in the Appalachian Mountains as my dad taught art classes; my atheist experience with religion and spirituality; going to Hindu temples, Pentecostal services, Buddhist meditation sessions, and synagogues.

I described the many bridges crossed and buses transferred. But then I was told that this is not a “typical or average” Pittsburgh we-don’t-cross-rivers experience. I wondered why anyone would want to be typical or average?

Why should my experience be erased or dismissed? Because it does not fit into a razor-thin narrative of what we talk about when we talk about Pittsburgh?

I take pride and comfort in my very real, valid and authentic Pittsburgh experience.

•

Follow featured contributor Tereneh Idia on Twitter @Tereneh152xxx

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PGHCITYPAPER.COM

In-Home Senior Care

H No iri w ng !

• Personal Care • Homemaking • Meal preparation • Errands & Shopping PHOTO: MICHAEL HENNINGER

Patrick Cannon (Jason) and Ananias J. Dixon (Chris) in Sweat

.PLAY REVIEW.

412-363-5500 5165 Penn Avenue

SWEAT

BY ALEX GORDON // ALEXGORDON@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

I

S IT AGAINST the law to burn down

your own house?

That’s a topic of discussion early on in Lynn Nottage’s Sweat, the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama staged by Pittsburgh Public Theater now through Dec. 9.

A union worker, deep in debt and losing shifts, burned down his home in an act of drunken desperation and may now face charges for the fire.

A group of fellow factory workers drinking at their local haunt philosophize on the injustice and irony of charging an unemployed homeless man with the destruction of his only property. Later in the scene, they laugh about another worker who tried to commit suicide but was too drunk to shoot himself in the head and ended up taking off his ear. That may not sound particularly funny, but Nottage’s script and a group of impressive actors have a way of wriggling a weird, sardonic charm out of the bleak setting.

These heavy drinking Reading, Pa. union workers are the focus of Sweat, which tells their stories in two intervals, 2000 and 2008. In the former, signs of their doomed industry abound but the crew is still relatively upbeat, spending most of their time outside of work at the aforementioned bar. The ribbing and shit-talking are incessant, but there’s serious love between the folks in this ensemble. There’s Cynthia, Tracey, and Jessie, three middle-aged friends, each with decades at the factory, mulling a potential promotion to management; Cynthia’s son Chris and Tracey’s son Jason, best friends just starting what they think

will be lifelong careers; Tracey’s struggling ex Brucie; and the bartender Stan, a former factory worker who retired early thanks to a work injury.

By 2008, the feisty, affectionate energy between these characters is long gone.

The alcoholism, drug abuse, resentment, and racism that bubbled under the surface when things were good have boiled over now that the work has dried up. It’s a dreary, all too believable evolution.

SWEAT

Continues through Dec. 9. O’Reilly Theater, 621 Penn Ave., Downtown. $30-70. ppt.org

Beyond that, it’s best to go into Sweat without knowing too much. The production, directed by Justin Emeka, is packed with unexpected delights and unpleasant surprises, delivered expertly by this ensemble. There are too many noteworthy dynamics in this network of characters to list here. But among the most memorable are the complex friendships between the three women (Tracey Conyer Lee, Amy Landis, and Michelle Duffy) and the two young men (Patrick Cannon and Ananias J. Dixon). Unsentimental and unsanitized, these relationships play out with a mesmerizing realism that helps anchor the more distant storylines about labor disputes and presidential elections. Those real-life plot points loom over the world these people inhabit, but the real magic of Sweat comes from a place much deeper and more intimate than that. It’s a powerful show that’ll stick to you long after you’ve left the theater.

•

Follow managing editor Alex Gordon on Twitter @shmalexgordon PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 21-28, 2018

29

LAWRENCEVILLE

NOV. 30 - DEC. 2 This is a free and family-friendly event!

SAMPLE SHOPKEEPERS’ FAVORITE COOKIES AT 40 STOPS

2018 Celebrate the season with cookies and pick up unique holiday gifts along the way. Hours for Cookie Stops vary by location.

Get all the info about this year’s tour including the map at www.lvpgh.com/cookietour or call 412.621.1616, ext.102.

LAWRENCEVILLE

CORPORATION

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PGHCITYPAPER.COM

CP’s managing editor Alex Gordon and digital media manager Josh Oswald

PITTSBURGH CITY PODCAST Pittsburgh City Paper has teamed up with Point Park University’s Center for Media Innovation for the Pittsburgh City Podcast, hosted by Paul Guggenheimer.

Listen to managing editor Alex Gordon and digital media manager Josh Oswald discuss the changing face of media and answer questions by students from Montour High School.

JENSORENSEN

CALENDAR NOVEMBER 22-28

^ Fri., Nov. 23: Black Friday at the Mattress Factory

THURSDAY NOV. 22

the type of person who throws turkeys with regularity and need to work on your form. 9 a.m. 5879 Steubenville Pike, McKees Rocks. Tfwpittsburgh.com

EXERCISE

TRIVIA

It rhymes, so you know it’s good: Huffin’ for the Stuffin’ at TFW Pittsburgh helps you burn off calories before that big Thanksgiving meal. There are a handful of workout options available, including cardio strength exercises and weight lifting, but the only one that really matters is the Turkey Toss, which is what it sounds like. The program even offers a walkthrough on “the best way to toss a turkey,” if for some reason you’re not

Put aside the pen and paper and get ready for some 21st century trivia at Rum Runners Saloon. The weekly event features Trivia Jockeys, a quiz-show game experience played through an app that teams and players can download for free on their mobile devices. Users connect to the host’s computer and engage in rounds of interactive, fast-paced gameplay where only the most knowledgeable prevail.

The evening includes prizes and drink specials. 8:30 p.m. 3385 Babcock Blvd., Wexford. Free. rumrunnerssaloon.com

FRIDAY NOV. 23 STAGE

Ralphie Parker is on a quest for his dream Christmas gift: the official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot Range Model air rifle. Sound familiar?

The classic Christmas film, A Christmas Story, takes new form at the Little Lake Theatre in Canonsburg. Little Lake

Theatre Company opens a three-week run of A Christmas Story: The Musical, directed by Jeff Johnston with music direction by Holly Jones. The charming performance includes iconic scenes such as Flick’s tongue sticking to the flagpole, the leg lamp award, and the snowsuit. Continues through Dec. 16. Times vary. Little Lake Theatre, 500 Lakeside Drive, Canonsburg. $12-20.50. littlelake.org

FAMILY

Ditch the mall and spend Black Friday at the Mattress Factory. Not for special deals on mattresses, but for a day of some quality family time. The museum is CONTINUES ON PG. 32

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 21-28, 2018

31

CALENDAR, CONTINUED FROM PG. 31

7 DAYS

OF CONCERTS

BY JORDAN SNOWDEN JSNOWDEN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

PHOTO: LINDSEY BYRNES

Big Bliss

THURSDAY Happy Thanksgiving!

Listen to CP’s Thanksgiving Day Playlist on Spotify by searching “Pittsburgh City Paper”

FRIDAY Radio Tokyo 9 p.m. Crafthouse Stage & Grill, Whitehall. crafthousepgh.com

CP FILE PHOTO: HEATHER MULL

^ Sat., Nov. 24: Dirty Dozen bike ride

SATURDAY Jason Mraz 8 p.m. Heinz Hall, Downtown. heinzhall.org

SUNDAY Travis Scott 7:30 p.m. PPG Paints Arena, Downtown. livenation.com

MONDAY Jonny Goood 6 p.m. Stage AE, North Side. promowestlive.com

TUESDAY Big Bliss 8 p.m. Rock Room, Polish Hill.

WEDNESDAY The Garden 6:30 p.m. The Funhouse at Mr. Smalls, Millvale. mrsmalls.com

MORE LISTINGS ONLINE

AT PGHCITYPAPER.COM 32

PGHCITYPAPER.COM

offering hands-on activities for all ages, free with admission. Turn your kids into butterflies or cats with face painting by Rikki, make a zine, or participate in a scavenger hunt. Wash it all down with a warm hot chocolate and dance to tracks by DJ Dave Zak. 11 a.m.- 4 p.m.

500 Sampsonia Way, North Side. $10-20, free for 6 and under. Mattress.org

COMEDY

The day after Thanksgiving is hit-or-miss.

There’s the option of going Black Friday shopping, which risks chaos, exhaustion, loss of self-respect, and trampling. If family is still in town, you can hang out

COMEDY

Despite poking fun at her ultra-conservative parents and her restrictive, religious upbringing, comedian Taylor Tomlinson admits that she still has a little bit of faith.

“If there’s no God, then I told the wind a lot of secrets,” she joked in a performance on Conan. Since Tomlinson started her career at the tender age of 16, she’s made numerous TV appearances, released a 15-minute comedy special on Netflix, and launched The Self-Helpless Podcast, a hit show she co-hosts with two other female comedians. See her this weekend at the Pittsburgh Improv.

7:30 p.m. Shows continue through Sun., Nov. 25. 166 E. Bridge St., Homestead. $20. improv.com/pittsburgh

with them and play Boggle for three hours. The movies are always fun, but it’s their busiest day of the year, too. Luckily, live comedy rests for no turkey, even the leftover ones. To work off some pie calories with laughter, catch comedian Ron Placone, known for his politically charged YouTube show, Get Your News on with Ron, and appearances on the Jimmy Dore Show, at Hambone’s, along with local comedian Krish Mohan.

8 p.m. 4207 Butler St., Lawrenceville.

Hambonespgh.com

STORYTELLING

^ Sat., Nov. 24: Holiday Wreath Party

Remember how great it was to be told stories as a kid?

Well, Real Pittsburgh Stories is bringing a grown-up version of story time — minus the childhood bedroom — to the Arcade Comedy Theater. The fourth edition of Real Pittsburgh Stories is entitled “Yinz Drinkin’ N’at?” and will feature tales of, you guessed it, drinking in the city of steel. So leave the kids at home.

Hosted by DJ and comedian Dave Stewart, settle in for true, hilariously cringe-worthy Pittsburgh drinking stories from local comedians Rob Johnston, Marcus Cox, Amanda Aravell,

and Chris Scriva. 8 p.m. Arcade Comedy Theater, Downtown. $12. arcadecomedytheater.com

SATURDAY NOV. 24 BIKING

Pittsburgh has some gnarly hills, including some of the steepest roads in the world. Why not tackle them head on with a bike? Pittsburgh’s annual Dirty Dozen Bicycle Ride gives you the opportunity to do just that. Started by legendary Pittsburgh cyclist Danny Chew, the ride takes cyclists on a tour of Pittsburgh and 13 of its steepest hills.

Some doozies include Rialto Street in Troy Hill and Canton Avenue in Beechview, arguably the steepest paved road in the world. The ride starts and finishes at the Rhododendron Shelter, near the Bud Harris Cycling Track in Highland Park. There are several rides to compete in, including hyper-competitive races to leisurely rides with friends. Riders must register beforehand to participate.

8 a.m. Rhododendron Shelter off Lake Drive, Highland Park. $50-60. dannychew.com/ddinfo

DIY

‘Tis the season for hanging holidaythemed flora in and around your home.

There are many places to buy them, from that aggressively festive aisle at Target to the subdued festive aisles of Crate and Barrel. But why not step up and take responsibility for your own hanging plant circle? The Holiday Wreath Party at the Ace Hotel, hosted by Workshop PGH and Shadyside Nursery, will provide materials and instruction to make your own festive décor out of locally sourced plants. And of course, it wouldn’t be the holidays without libations, so the event also teaches you how to make two seasonal cocktails.

2 p.m. 120 S. Whitfield St., East Liberty. $60. acehotel.com/Pittsburgh

COMEDY

Thanksgiving can be tense, dealing with that uncle who swears by conspiracy theories or pretending that you like cranberry sauce. Blow off some of that post-Thanksgiving steam with some honest-to-goodness comedy at Club Cafe. Tenacity and Friends present a ThanksGiggles Affair. The lineup includes Aliquippa-native Marcus Cox, Samantha B. Cakes, and Chris the Crowd Pleaser.

Cox takes inspiration from pop culture and current events. Samantha B. Cakes also goes by “Crazy Cakes” and promises a set “giving it to her audience raw and real as ever.” Chris the Crowd Pleaser describes his stand-up as “bringing healing to your soul through laughter.”

7 p.m. 56 S. 12th St. South Side. $15. clubcafelive.com

PHOTO: SIMON FOWLER

^ Sun., Nov. 25: George Li

MUSIC

Pull out your planner and pencil in a standing appointment with HonkyTonk Jukebox. Starting Nov. 24, the new monthly music event will take place at Allegheny Elks Lodge #339 with a rotating cast of local country and roots bands/artists covering classic country hits (and a few originals). Jon Bindley of Bindley Hardware Co. hosts the inaugural show with performances by Molly Alphabet, Chet Vincent, Slim Forsythe, Angela Autumn, Shane McLaughlin, and Lucy Clabby of Buffalo Rose to name a few. Grab your cowboy boots and get ready to dance the night away to your favorite country tunes.

8 – 11 p.m. Allegheny Elks Lodge #339, North Side. $10 suggested donation.

Free for Elks members. facebook.com/ alleghenyelks

CELEBRATION

Pittsburgh jazz legacy Billy Strayhorn would have turned 103 on Nov. 29.

To celebrate the composer’s important strides in the jazz world — Strayhorn is known for his work with Duke Ellington — Kelly Strayhorn Theater brings local jazz icons to perform in honor of the venue’s namesake.

This year, percussionist extraordinaire Roger Humphries and The RH Factor plan to take audiences on a musical exploration that explores Pittsburgh’s rich contributions to jazz. Before the show is a VIP reception in Hotel Indigo that will benefit the Strayhorn Legacy Fund, which supports youth and family programming at Kelly Strayhorn Theater. 8 p.m. 5941 Penn Ave., East Liberty. Pay What Makes You Happy. kelly-strayhorn.org

SUNDAY NOV. 25 SHOPPING

Shops inside museums are often the best places to find quirky, one-of-a-kind gifts you can’t find anywhere else. After you’ve shopped small on Saturday (see page 6), get cultured with Museum Store Sunday.

Fourteen local museums are participating and many offer discounts and free gifts with purchase. At North Side’s Andy Warhol Museum, visitors get 25 percent off all regularly-priced items, plus a free Andy Warhol figurine with a purchase of $25 or more. (No one has to know if you decide to keep that for yourself.) Check website for participating museums’ specials and hours. museumstoresunday.org CONTINUES ON PG. 34

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 21-28, 2018

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CALENDAR, CONTINUED FROM PG. 33

PHOTO: DAVID COOPER

^ Tue., Nov. 27: Holiday mART

MUSIC

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is starting a cycle of the works of Russian musician Sergei Rachmaninoff by showcasing two masterful soloists. The Thanksgiving weekend’s headlining piece is the Russian romantic’s most famous work, “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.” The rhapsody builds itself through different themes, including variations on violin melodies and portions of a requiem mass. Pianist George Li will perform with the symphony for the first time as a soloist during Rachmaninoff’s rhapsody. The symphony’s principal oboe Cynthia Koledo DeAlmeida will take center stage as a soloist when the symphony debuts Mozart’s “Oboe Concerto.” In addition to the two pieces debuting this weekend, the symphony will continue its tradition started by PSO conductor Manfred Honeck and perform Viennese waltzes and polkas to round out the show. 2:30 p.m.

Heinz Hall. 600 Penn Ave., Downtown. $20-98. pittsburghsymphony.org

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TUESDAY NOV. 27 SHOPPING

Searching for the perfect present? Look no further. Shop the Holiday mART, a unique artisan market at Sweetwater Center for the Arts. Browse the impressive display of jewelry, ceramics, glass, fiber arts, and much more, all crafted by local and national artists. The mart is a holiday savior: shop to support a community center for the arts and regional artists, while finding a one-of-a-kind gift for the person who has everything. Continues through Dec. 9.

Mon.-Fri. 12-8 p.m., Sat.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Sweetwater Center for the Arts, 200 Broad St., Sewickley. sweetwaterartcenter.org

MUSIC

Yeah, you didn’t get Hamilton tickets, but who cares about seeing the musical when one can be in the musical? Well, sort of. Non-Stop Broadway brings Satisfied — A Hamilton Sing-Along to

the Hard Rock Cafe on Tuesday and for a lot less than you would have spent on Hamilton tickets. There are two types of tickets: singing and general. Those who purchase a singing ticket will perform a minimum of three songs from the show.

Even if the singing ticket isn’t for you, the audience members sing backup. So, make sure to warm up those vocal cords and bring the kids, parents, partner, etc., because this is an all-ages event. 7 p.m. Station Square. $5-10. hardrock.com/cafes/pittsburgh

WEDNESDAY NOV. 28 ART

The Carnegie Museum of Art adds a twist to a local holiday tradition with the latest Carnegie Trees Opening Celebration. This year marks the first collaboration with 57th Carnegie International artist Karen Kilimnik, who shows off her artistic vision — which has been described as “joyful fantasy and a quest for the romantic

sublime” — on the boughs of five evergreens. The annual display also features an array of decorated Colorado spruce trees, all flanking the museum’s Neapolitan presepio. Admire some magnificent trees in the Hall of Architecture during a preview event that includes a festive cocktail reception.

5:30-9 p.m. 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland. $125–325. cmoa.org

MUSIC

One of the most anticipated shows of the season brings Wume, Majeure, Mrs. Paintbrush and Formosa to Brillobox.

Wume sounds a little like Tortoise with more vocals and synths or a more subdued Dan Deacon (a fellow Baltimorean with whom they’ve shared the stage a few times). The phenomenal new album they’re touring behind is called Towards The Shadow; start with the lively, propulsive “Ravel” or the jittery jazz piano-driven “Pool of Light.” Don’t miss Wume. They might be your next favorite band. 8 p.m. 4104 Penn Ave., Bloomfield. $10. 21 and over. Brilloboxpgh.com •

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER

CLASSIFIEDS FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIEDS ADVERTISEMENT, CALL 412-316-3342 HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

Phipps Conservatory will be holding OPEN INTERVIEWS for GUEST SERVICE ASSOCIATES (PT) on Mondays 9:30 am – 4pm, Thursdays 9:30 – 11:30 am, 2 – 4 pm, Fridays 2 – 4 pm, Saturdays 9:30 am – noon through November 19.

WANTED! 36 PEOPLE

Permanent positions, as well as seasonal opportunities for the upcoming holiday season, are available.

Interested candidates should come to the Welcome Center located at One Schenley Park, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, with a cover letter and resume. For more information, visit www.phippsjobs.org.

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Submit resume to: jlamp@matthewsintl.com

OFFICIAL ADVERTISEMENT

THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Room 251, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15213, on December 4, 2018, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for:

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IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-18-103926, In re petition of Leela Dahal for change of name to James Dahal. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 13th day of December, 2018, at 9:45 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-18-12745, In re petition of Youhana Martin Benansio for change of name to Youhana Martin-Benansio.

To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 28th day of November, 2018, at 9:45 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for

HM Health Solutions Inc. seeks Business Systems Analyst to work in Pittsburgh, PA, & to understand bus. req’ts & translate them into new apps or changes to existing apps. Will analyze data to determine problems, trends, or opportunities for process improvements. Will test, provide root cause analysis, & corrective action plans. Apply at https:// careers.highmarkhealth. org, using search term J134810

HELP WANTED TEAM MANAGER, IT HM Health Solutions Inc. seeks Team Manager, IT to work in Pittsburgh, PA & to manage activities of various IT personnel. Responsible for providing subject-matter direction; overseeing teams/ staff; overseeing budget & fiscal matters; managing projects thru full product life cycle; & promoting continuous improvement of processes & delivery of results. Apply at https:// careers.highmarkhealth.org, using search term J135496

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City of Pittsburgh - Public Meeting Rehabilitation of the South Negley Avenue Bridge Project

THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH

Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the

LET ’S GET

blogh.pghcitypaper.com

Clicking “reload” makes the workday go faster

The City of Pittsburgh, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), invites you to attend a public meeting being held for the Rehabilitation of the South Negley Avenue Bridge Project. This project will rehabilitate the existing structure and provide minor reconstruction of the approach roadway including impacts to adjacent driveways along South Negley Avenue. This meeting offers an opportunity to view the existing and proposed conditions, proposed rehabilitation work, the Section 106 process, detour routes during construction, and the schedule. The project team will also be available to answer questions.

MEETING DETAILS Tuesday, December 11, 2018 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM East Liberty Presbyterian Church 116 South Highland Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15206 For more information, please contact: Jeff Skalican, Deputy Director City of Pittsburgh Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (412) 255-2373 or Jeff.Skalican@pittsburghpa.gov The meeting facility is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In addition, if you or an individual with whom you are familiar does not speak English as their primary language and who has a limited ability to read, write, speak, or understand English desires to participate in this meeting or if you require special assistance to attend and/or participate in this meeting or need additional information please contact Richard Meritzer, the ADA Coordinator at the City of Pittsburgh, via email at richard.meritzer@pittsburghpa.gov or by phone at 412-255-2102.

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 21-28, 2018

35

FRIENDSGIVING

BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY // WWW.BRENDANEMMETTQUIGLEY.COM

ACROSS

1. Attorney’s proposal to a judge 7. “The Great British Baking Show” network 10. Wine container 13. Macabre 14. Caboose spot 16. Hell travel day, maybe 17. Actor Mineo and feminist poet Rich are bringing the appetizer 19. Latin king 20. Comic Goldberg and “Rap God” rapper are bringing the desert 22. Santa ___, California 25. Digital ID?: Abbr.

26. By yourself 27. Dark times?

29. Gold base 30. First sub-topic 31. Like Shakespearean feet 35. Pianist Rubinstein and wide receiver Johnson are bringing the entree 40. Styrofoam thingy 41. Hippie gathering 43. Features 47. Identikit creation 49. Couturier Bendel 50. Acela stop: Abbr.

53. Vehicular flop 54. “Orinoco Flow” singer and a video game maze runner

36

PGHCITYPAPER.COM

are bringing a side dish 57. Shrugged off comment 58. And finally, guitarist Clapton and saxophonist Coleman are bringing another side 62. I formation?

63. Normandy’s capital 64. Super Bowl LII winners 65. Early morning bath?

66. Radicava and Rilutek treat it, briefly 67. Chocolate sometimes eaten with popcorn

DOWN

1. Booker T’s backup band 2. Singer Rita 3. Sooner than 4. “Busted!”

5. Behind the times 6. Singer Laura 7. Gets ready for 8. Porto-Novo’s nation 9. With it 10. Washington’s mount?

11. Noxzema rival 12. Like some spicy food 15. Chance to even things 18. Face Time platform

21. Like 22. Year of Spanish 101 23. New World shipping option?

24. Disney head Bob 28. Fathers on the farm 29. Dukes 32. Name clarifying letters 33. Bros 34. Provo sch.

36. Servers’ working hours 37. Biblical character thrown in a fiery furnace 38. Soaks 39. “Sweet” 42. Golden Knight’s league

43. Like most crosswords 44. Take back 45. “Moving to the next topic” 46. Part of many a portfolio 48. “My Two Dads” actress Staci 50. Environmental disaster 51. 12-Down snacks 52. Mil. rank 55. Muchacha’s title: Abbr.

56. GI chow 59. RN’s skill 60. Drink from a bag 61. “Do you know what I’m thinking” skill LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS

PEEPSHOW A sex and social justice column

PUBIC QUESTIONING

BY JESSIE SAGE // PEEPSHOWCAST@GMAIL.COM

I

N THE EARLY 2000s, at nine months

pregnant, I went to have my eyebrows threaded. I told the esthetician that my baby was due in a week, and she asked me if I wanted to add a Brazilian wax. Tired, uncomfortable, and not in the mood, I shrugged it off, saying I would come back after the baby was born. She raised an eyebrow, expressing her disapproval.

While I wasn’t particularly interested in her unsolicited opinions, her reaction caused me to wonder about the norms and expectations around pubic hair.

Did doctors and nurses in the maternity ward expect that sort of grooming? Did everyone else?

While salons offering Brazilian waxes started popping up in the 1990s, they became mainstream in the early 2000s, popularized in part by Sex and the City.

A decade later, I remember listening to Dan Savage’s podcast Savage Lovecast while getting ready for work. A caller commented on the pressure that women feel to maintain an entirely shaven aesthetic, and Savage said Brazilians would eventually fall out of fashion and that “bush” would come back. I thought to myself, “Man, I can’t wait for that day!”

I longed for bush to come back not

because I have a strong opinion about what women should or should not do with their bodies — quite the opposite: The Brazilian went from being a trend— one option among many—to an expectation. I wanted women (myself included) to feel free to make choices about their bodies without fear of negative consequences. I was frustrated hearing so many stories of women, particularly young ones, whose partners refused to perform oral sex, or shamed them in other ways, unless they were bare.

I WANTED WOMEN TO FEEL FREE TO MAKE CHOICES ABOUT THEIR BODIES WITHOUT FEAR OF NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES. Today, bush is springing back on to the scene. It’s a vibrant, growing niche in independent porn. Many of my friends and colleagues, recognizing the demand, market their work with tags like “hairy” and “bush.” Similarly, while managers of strip clubs have

historically had rules about shaving, this has loosened over the past few years. A dancer friend of mine commented, “I have big gorgeous hair that goes with my big gorgeous bush, so the work is a complete look for me.” And in popular culture, it is worth noting that full bush is both seen and discussed on HBO’s The Deuce, whereas it was conspicuously absent in Game of Thrones.

Still, a decision that should be a matter of personal preference feels fraught to many women. Indeed, just this week a college student told me, “Every time I am in the shower and think about shaving or not, I feel like I am making a political choice.”

Choosing not to shave means fighting against cultural norms that tell women we are unclean or less desirable. However, it can also signal a queer aesthetic, a refusal to participate in oppressive standards of beauty. Choosing to shave garners praise, but it also means being accused by other women of infantilizing ourselves for the pleasure of men.

It’s a no-win situation. In both cases women’s bodies are over-policed. Personally, I am happy to see bush coming back, but I hope it remains one option among many.

•

Jessie Sage is co-host of the Peepshow Podcast, which addresses issues related to sex and social justice.

Her column Peepshow is exclusive to City Paper. Follow her on Twitter @peep_cast.

Peepshow Podcast, Ep. 32 This week on the Peepshow Podcast, we had the pleasure of speaking with Danielle Blunt, an NYC-based Dominatrix, full-spectrum doula, sex worker rights activist, and former care coordinator with the Persist Health Project in New York.

Persist is a peer-led communitybased health organization that works to link people in the sex trades with affirming and affordable health care.

As a care coordinator, Blunt’s job was to work one-on-one with sex workers: advocating for them, making appointments, and helping them to negotiate the complex medical system.

A doula is someone trained to assist women through the process of labor and childbirth. While not medical professionals, they provide informational, physical, and emotional support, interfacing between the patient and the medical staff. Full spectrum doulas, such as Blunt, also provide service for women experiencing miscarriage, termination, and abortion.

Blunt talks about how being a doula, as an orientation of care, informs every aspect of her work, including her past work at Persist. Indeed, for sex workers and other marginalized folks who feel powerless in the face of massive medical institutions, having someone hold their hand through the process of accessing care, in the way a doula would hold a patient’s hand through birth or procedures, can make all of the difference.

For more on Blunt’s work, and why it is necessary, listen to our interview at peepshowpodcast.com/ peepshow-podcast-episode-32

Pittsburgh’s lone liberal talkshow host for 30+ years Listen live every weekday at 10 a.m. at lynncullen.pghcitypaper.com PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 21-28, 2018

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