November 28, 2018 - Pittsburgh City Paper

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NOV. 28-DEC. 5, 2018 VOLUME 28 + ISSUE 48 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, 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

A family walks in East Liberty on Mon., Nov. 26.

This issue is dedicated to Pittsburgh artist John Riegert.

Rest in peace.

2016 cover featuring John Riegert, photographed by John Colombo

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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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THE HEALTH ISSUE

BREAKING SAD

BY LISA CUNNINGHAM // LCUNNING@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

M

AYBE SEASONAL affective disorder

in Pittsburgh feels so widespread because our gloomy gray season just seems to last longer. One second, it’s arts fest; the next, everyone’s crowded around the Horne’s Christmas tree.

While the holiday season brings a lot of folks joy, there are some of us still having a hard time coping with the decreased daylight hours. Low energy, problems sleeping, moodiness. Add that to an especially grueling year with nonstop negativity coming from the president’s Twitter account, horrible natural disasters, and one mass tragedy after another. These days, just turning on the news or your social media feed can lead one into a state of depression.

The new year is typically the time for resolutions and life changes, but can we really wait that long? The struggle is real. We need help now.

For this year’s Health Issue, we’re looking into how folks can deal with the effects of seasonal affective disorder and the overwhelming stress and anxiety that has plagued so many of us this year.

So, what help is out there?

We got advice from a local psychiatrist on how to combat the symptoms. Worried you can’t afford treatment? We’ve compiled a list of budgetfriendly options.

We also tried a bunch of alternative self-care

treatments offered by local wellness centers to see if they really worked. A yoga session brought us to tears. We sat in a 190-degree mobile sauna in a Strip District parking lot. We tried cupping (and have the large, purple marks on our back to prove it).

THE NEW YEAR IS TYPICALLY THE TIME FOR RESOLUTIONS AND LIFE CHANGES, BUT CAN WE REALLY WAIT THAT LONG? THE STRUGGLE IS REAL. WE NEED HELP NOW. We hope you find something in this issue that you can use. Have a tip we didn’t share? Please let us know what has helped you.

If you’re seriously depressed and worried about your mental health, as always, please reach out to your doctor. We’ve included local numbers to call if you’re facing an emergency and don’t have anywhere else to turn. Remember: asking for help is not a sign of weakness, and you are not alone.

Stay warm, everyone.

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 28-DEC. 5, 2018

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CP PHOTOS: JARED WICKERHAM

Bracing for the winter blues

.THE HEALTH ISSUE.

COMBATTING SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER

BY RYAN DETO // RYANDETO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

S

EASONAL AFFECTIVE disorder, also

known as SAD, is a type of depression that relates to the changing seasons. SAD can occur in any season, but it’s most common in the winter months.

Dr. Alicia Kaplan, a psychiatrist with Allegheny Health Network, says symptoms of SAD are similar to depression and that they typically start in fall and can remit by the spring.

“People get a mood disorder,” says Kaplan. “They tend to have typical signs of depression, they eat more, and they sleep too much. Generally, they have less energy. And interestingly, people also crave carbohydrates.”

Kaplan says about 0.5 to 3 percent of Pittsburghers suffer from SAD. She notes that women have higher rates of depression than men, and that young people CONTINUES ON PG. 10

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are at higher risks for SAD than older residents. Rates tend to increase with higher latitudes, where in the winter the length of the day is shorter and average temperatures are colder.

Kaplan offers some suggestions on how to combat the symptoms of SAD, but she recommends patients meet with a doctor to determine what works best for them on a personal level.

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COMBATTING SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER, CONTINUED FROM PG. 8

Light Therapy When daylight starts disappearing, create some of your own. Kaplan says therapy lights can be effective in combating some symptoms of SAD. These lights are incredible bright and simulate bright sunshine indoors.

The 10,000 lux units are spread across a broad screen, enveloping the room with soft, but powerful rays of light. Kaplan says it’s best to turn on therapy lights within 30 minutes of waking up and to stay active while the light is on. (Don’t go back to sleep.)

“The patient should check with their doctor first, but it is generally meant to be used as early as possible,” says Kaplan.

“They should make sure they are exposed to as much light as possible.”

Kaplan adds that SAD patients should also make sure they don’t have a conflicting condition where light therapy might hurt them. For example, people suffering from hypomania could be negatively affected by bright lights.

Exercise and/or Be Social Kaplan says exercise can be a powerful force in combating the symptoms of SAD.

after an activity,” says Kaplan. “We can’t count on motivation to push us through; you have to do the action first.”

Medication and Counseling

She says it’s even better when patients exercise with friends.

In fact, being actively social when depression-like symptoms creep in is recommended. And it doesn’t have to be a physical activity.

“That social connection is important,” says Kaplan. “You can have friends over for tea, or some patients

do Bible study. The human connection is important. Even something small but therapeutic can be a nice thing and rewarding.”

Kaplan says patients should be proactive in being social, and just waiting around for invitations from friends is ill advised.

“Motivation often comes after we do

Follow senior writer Ryan Deto on Twitter @RyanDeto

SAD is a real form of depression and it goes beyond “just feeling moody and lethargic,” says Kaplan. She recommends patients seek counseling and professional opinions to determine if they are suffering from SAD. “It comes down to how much stress it is causing and how much it is interfering with your everyday functions,” says Kaplan. “Sometimes people are just dealing with winter blues and seasonal affective disorder can have varying degrees. With respect to depression, you should get assessed and treated.”

And sometimes light therapy and social activity are not sufficient for treating SAD. Kaplan says that doctors can prescribe antidepressants for certain patients, which is why she feels it is important that patients seek counseling to determine the severity of their SAD. Kaplan says counseling can help with anxiety as well, which can go hand in hand with SAD.

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.THE HEALTH ISSUE.

THRIFTY THERAPY

BY AMANDA WALTZ AWALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

T

O SOME DEGREE, the culture has

become much more open about mental health. Celebrities like Kristen Bell and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson have promoted the conversation by detailing their own struggles with depression, anxiety, and other issues. The nationwide Healthy Minds Study, a recently released, 10-year-long survey of more than 150,000 college students from 196 campuses, found that while incidents of mental health diagnoses, treatment, and suicidal thoughts had increased among young people, rates of mental health stigma had decreased.

But even as evidence suggests that people have become more comfortable with talking about mental health, there are few treatment options for those with limited means or who lack insurance. Not everyone can afford to take a “mental health” day off from work or pay for weekly therapy appointments.

With that in mind, Pittsburgh City Paper compiled low-cost ways to help get you through your darkest days.

Yes, There’s An App For That Wellness apps have grown in popularity among users with too little time or money for a couch session. Talkspace matches users with over 2,000 licensed, experienced, heavily vetted therapists who are accessible via unlimited text, audio, or video messages, or in person. Plans cost

Wellness apps can be a low-cost way to seek stress management tips.

$45-79, making it far cheaper than the average therapist visit.

If Talkspace seems too expensive or intense, apps like Calm, Headspace, Moodpath, Optimism, and others offer helpful stress management tips and mood trackers and are all free to download. There’s even PTSD Coach, a free app developed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for service members and anyone else dealing with the effects of trauma.

However, Dr. John Torous, chair of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Smartphone App Evaluation Work Group, cautions against depending on apps for treatment.

“As we demand higher quality evidence that these apps actually work, we are finding that the early exciting results are not holding and a more complex picture is emerging,” says Torous. “There is perhaps a hope that apps will be a quick fix for mental health, but it is increasingly clear that they can be useful tools to augment or extend care, but likely not panaceas as often marketed.”

As a result, Torous helped create the APA App Evaluation Model, a way for medical providers and users to make informed decisions about therapy apps.

“Just like there is no one medication or therapy I would recommend to every patient, there is no one app,” says Torous.

Sleep Aids Mental health can both contribute to and be exacerbated by lack of sleep, which is why it’s helpful to find ways to better drift into dreamland. While they may seem strange, one method that has grown in popularity is weighted blankets, which are filled with pellets, balls, or chains to add heft. One 2015 study in the Journal of Sleep Medicine and Disorders found that four out of five participants, all of whom had insomnia, preferred weighted blankets and slept better with them compared to traditional bedding. Other studies have shown that children and adults CONTINUES ON PG. 14

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THRIFTY THERAPY, CONTINUED FROM PG. 12

Multiple places in Pittsburgh offer pay-what-you-can yoga classes.

with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder benefit from weighted blankets, as the item provides a comforting, cocoon-like feeling.

In terms of cost, one online search found blankets ranging from $40 to upwards of $400. Experts recommend buying a blanket that weighs between 7 and 12 percent of your body weight.

While weighted blankets cover the tactile element of sleep, there are visual, olfactory, and auditory resources to self-soothe. Sprays, lotions, and essential oil diffusers, as well as unorthodox methods like microwaveable neck pillows, relieve stress with a shot of aromatherapy. White noise machines provide ambient sound to calm anxious thoughts. You can also outfit your bedside lamps with blue-light-free bulbs. Researchers at Harvard Medical School theorize that blue light, a type of light emitted by certain lighting and electronics, represses the secretion of melatonin, a hormone essential for healthy sleep.

Find Your Zen Yoga stands out for its triple threat of fitness, breathing, and meditation techniques, which have become a popular way to relieve stress and anxiety. While yoga studios can charge a bundle, there are plenty of Pittsburgh

venues, community centers, and other spaces that charge nominal fees. Totally Yoga in the North Hills and Salt Power Yoga in Sewickley offer classes for as low as $5; Bloomfield Yoga on Liberty Avenue has weekly pay-what-youcan classes; and Belvederes Ultra-Dive in Lawrenceville hosts weekly sessions of Silent Sukhasana, a silent disco-style yoga for pay-what-you-can or a $10 suggested donation.

If yoga has little appeal, or if you have limited mobility, the Union Project in East Liberty has a regular schedule of classes for one-on-one fitness and Taoist tai chi (as well as yoga) for little to no cost.

When It All Becomes Too Much Sometimes all the wellness apps, weighted blankets, and yoga classes in the world aren’t enough. In that case, resources like the UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital Crisis Services number 1-888-7-YOU-CAN (1-888796-8226) will put you in touch with trained mental health crisis counselors. There’s also the free, confidential, 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255), a national network of over 150 local crisis centers that combines custom local care and resources with national standards and best practices.

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Follow senior writer Amanda Waltz on Twitter @AWaltzCP

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The purple marks caused by cupping therapy

.THE HEALTH ISSUE.

CUPPING UP

BY MAGGIE WEAVER // MWEAVER@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

A

LTERNATIVE medicine splits

people into two groups: the nonstop babblers and the skeptics.

Believers swear by acupuncture, gem therapy, and meditation. Opposers deem it a well-orchestrated placebo.

When it comes to cupping therapy, I am now firmly in the non-stop babbler corner.

Cupping therapy is an ancient Chinese treatment. Bizarre suction cups that leave huge, purple marks on the skin are the therapy’s trademark. Cupping fanatics claim it treats pain, stiff muscles, anxiety, migraines, and more. Others may be skeptical because scientific research has yet to back these claims up. For them, it might seem like a gimmick.

I started my love affair with cupping with the help of Amy Green, co-owner of Pittsburgh Acupuncture and Massageworks. I got cupped.

As we sat down in Green’s massage room, she instantly addressed a common myth. Cupping does not leave bruises.

The marks are cellular debris, dead blood cells that collect at the point of tension.

She claimed it detoxifies muscles, in-

creasing blood flow and stimulating the healing process. Marks from treatment are not painful but remain for two to seven days post-treatment.

Cupping is used to treat a many illnesses, but primarily to ease chronic and acute pain. It pairs well with other treatments, such as massage or acupuncture. Pittsburgh Acupuncture and Massageworks offers a variety of therapies, including cupping with a topical treatment of cannabidiol, a naturally occurring cannabinoid also called CBD. Each session combines static and slide cupping. Instead of applying pressure down, the cups, when stuck to a body, create a decompressing vacuum by pumping are out of the cup or trapping heat inside the cup, usually using a small flame. Cupping therapy is the opposite of a massage. The cups pull tension up, an ideal treatment for patients with hinged or pinched nerves.

Because of the vacuum, results are visible immediately after treatment. The darker the mark, the more debris cleared away, signifying a deeper wound. Cupping therapists can see which areas of

a patient are in the most pain based on the color of their skin. An entire back, fully cupped, will be left with a rainbow of marks.

Although cupping can be done at any spot (a cupping facial leaves a youthful glow), Green targeted my back. I’m fairly active but I have a weak back.

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To help with muscle tightness and fatigue, Green lined a variety of static cups down my back. She started with the glass cups, used for fire cupping.

Green took a cotton ball, lit it on fire, and quickly extinguished the flame within the cup before twisting it onto my back.

After lining glass cups on my middle back, she placed small, plastic cups on my shoulders. These cups had a pump at

Follow staff writer Maggie Weaver on Twitter @magweav

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the top to remove air for an externallycontrolled vacuum. On my lower back, Green performed slide cupping, a method of moving the vacuum to new parts of the body.

The sensation was incredible. My body sank into the massage bed but the cups pulled up, the dual tension was hypnotically calming. It was a comfortable tension, like holding a yoga pose for two-breaths too long.

Slide cupping was an entirely different feeling. The cup was holding my skin taut, but constantly moving, pulling tension with it. The combination of static and slide cupping was so soothing I caught myself falling asleep.

Green let me sink into a relaxed daze for about 10 minutes (a cup usually stays on the body for 10-15 minutes), before pulling the cups off. My left shoulder held the most fatigue, indicated by a dark red circle.

Post-treatment, I immediately felt looser, as if the cups had lifted all of my muscle tension away, like my body was detoxed.

Placebo or not, I’m a cupping believer.

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BY JORDAN SNOWDEN JSNOWDEN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

I

LEFT MY yoga nidra session at Healing Roots smelling of lavender, tear stains on my face. I was alert and more aware of myself and my place in the world than I was when I entered.

Nidra means sleep in Sanskrit, and yoga nidra is a deep meditative form of yoga. The word yoga is often associated with a full-body exercise, but with yoga nidra, there is little to no movement. Age, gender, or fitness level is not a restriction. All you need to do is follow guided instructions and lie on the floor; the practice can also be completed sitting down.

I went to Healing Roots Massage and Wellness Center in Shadyside to try yoga nidra, which is meant to awaken the connection between body, mind, and soul – like what happens during deep sleep – while you are still awake.

One perk of yoga nidra is that there is no wrong way to practice it. It all depends on your mood and what’s going on in your life at the moment.

Owner Sarah Sadaka offers a variety of services, including massages, private yoga sessions, and reiki. While I could have chosen something else to try, I was drawn to yoga nidra as the practice is recommended for those experiencing emotional discomfort, difficulty sleeping, anxiety, or depression.

Earlier this year, I lost my only sister in a car accident. I carry with me every day a sadness that is deeply instilled in my soul. Yoga nidra offers an opportunity to work on releasing such longheld emotions.

Sadaka led me into a cozy, dark room where blankets were folded on top of a yoga mat. I laid down and she asked if I wanted a blanket on top of me, which I accepted. Music played softly in the background as she put lavender essential oil on her palms and began to lightly massage my head and temples. I had come from work and was acutely aware that I could not relax my eyes – my lids were fluttering like crazy, making me self-conscious.

The fact that it was just her and me in a room, with my eyes closed, knowing

CP PHOTO: JORDAN SNOWDEN

The yoga nidra room at Healing Roots

HEALING ROOTS MASSAGE AND WELLNESS CENTER 5829 Ellsworth Ave., Shadyside. healingroots.center

she was watching me try to relax was a weird feeling to get over. But, as Sadaka’s smooth and steady voice guided me through levels of consciousness, I felt myself falling deeper and deeper into relaxation, and my hour-long session flew by. I was aware and present, yet in a completely different state of mind.

Towards the end, I was hit with a wave of happiness, then sadness.

Hot tears fell from my eyes. Then the

feelings released. In her intoxicatingly sweet voice, Sadaka cooed for me to be aware of the emotions, but not ashamed about feeling either, which is something I have been struggling with – feeling sad because I’m happy, or feeling embarrassed for being sad.

She eased me back into consciousness and took time to talk with me about how I felt. It was the most spiritually healing holistic session I have experienced. My mind tends to wander too much, and with her voice guiding me, I was able to focus.

On my way home, I could feel myself alternating between happiness and silent sadness. Realizing, as Sadaka said during the session, that both emotions could exist, side by side.

Follow staff writer Jordan Snowden on Twitter @snowden_jordan

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.THE HEALTH ISSUE.

REDUCING USE

BY HANNAH LYNN // HLYNN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

S

OCIAL MEDIA can be bad for mental health. This is obvious to anyone who has ever looked at their phone immediately after waking and gone on to have a bad day or felt emotionally drained from looking at news and reactions on Twitter or felt like a gargoyle after looking at pictures of pretty people on Instagram.

Social media has positive outcomes, like friendship, education, and activism, but it’s also a chaotic, omnipresent, and largely unregulated toxic waste dump, and there’s science to prove it. A June study by the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Research on Media, Technology, and Health surveyed a sample of college students and found that negative social media interactions create stronger depressive symptoms. A recently published study from the University of Pennsylvania found that people who significantly reduced their social media usage for three weeks felt reduced depression and loneliness.

The bad news is we’re in too deep to let go of social media, even if there are proven unhealthy effects. The good news is, even tech companies are making tools to help.

Set Limits Apple recently released an update that includes Screen Time, a section in settings that lets users set limits on certain apps and track which apps take up most of your time. There are also several apps that can limit phone usage with varying degrees of intensity.

Browser extensions like StayFocusd allow users to limit time on certain websites, and when the clock runs out there’s no way back in. There’s even something called a “nuclear” option that, under no circumstances, allows

users onto their specific website. We live in a healthy society!

Make it Gray Turning a phone into grayscale is a weird, but helpful way to reduce screen time. All the bright, enticing colors are suddenly drab. Why would I look at Instagram in this mode? Why would I do anything? Red notifications now blend in with everything else. For iPhones, go to setting, then general, then accessibility, then display accommodations, then color filters (on), and finally grayscale. You’ve made it. The world is colorless and easier.

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Turn Off Notifications It’s easy to forget that you don’t actually have to get constant, distracting notifications. Turn off notifications on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and others, so you don’t feel the need to respond immediately anytime a friend shares a meme. If, God forbid, you have Slack on your phone, then most definitely turn off notifications.

Delete the Apps Deleting a social media app, even for just a few days, can be cleansing. Suddenly, there’s no need to mindlessly scroll through Twitter every time you have a five-minute break. Sure, you could always access it through the internet browser, but dude, have some restraint.

Throw Phone in the Ocean Carrie Bradshaw did it. You can too.

• PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 28-DEC. 5, 2018

19

.THE HEALTH ISSUE.

FLOAT ON

BY JORDAN SNOWDEN JSNOWDEN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

S

OME SAY float tanks can bring about psychedelic experiences.

An hour-long session can feel like a couple of minutes. You can lose yourself and cleanse your soul.

Those are just a few of the rave reviews I heard about using an isolation tank – a form of floatation therapy that has grown in popularity over the years. I wanted this natural high. I wanted to enter the tank, explore the inner depths of my mind, and emerge as a new human. So I booked an appointment at Levity, a float studio in Squirrel Hill, and prepared for a lifechanging evening.

Levity offers two private rooms where you can float and bliss out. Inside the black-lit rooms is a rainfall shower — to rinse before and after the float — and a small, claustrophobic-looking white tank. An isolation, or float, tank is exactly what it sounds like. Inside, without light or sound, customers lay in 10 inches of skin-temperature water with around 2,500 pounds of Epsom salts dissolved in it, letting the body to float effortlessly.

Walking into Levity, I was greeted with cozy wood décor and walls covered in fake grass. Soon, a tall bearded man walked into the lobby, presumably from the tank, with a faraway look in his eyes. A woman offered him a bottle of Fiji water, and he sat down in

CP PHOTO: JORDAN SNOWDEN

The float tank at Levity

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a chair and put his head in his hands, elbows on his lap. Following behind him was another woman with sopping wet hair.

“I think I fell asleep in there,” she exclaimed. “I had no idea where I was

when the music came on.”

The staff member explained that the float starts and ends with music playing to ease you in and out of the experience.

Once the two had left, the rooms were cleaned, and I was given a tour — showed the filters and my room, and given all the first-timer information.

Left alone, I peeked into the pitchblack contraption. Now I was nervous.

One hour seemed like a very long time to be underwater with nothing but my thoughts.

Wearing my bathing suit (I felt weird about going in naked), I submerged my body into the tank and closed the door behind me. The music started, and the motion of the water moving around my body in the dark made me feel as though I was floating through space.

After about 15 minutes, I was bored.

And maybe because I was not completely still, my body kept hitting the sides of the tank, causing me to jerk with alarm every time the smooth plastic interior skimmed my skin. I came out of the tank feeling underwhelmed.

While it was a unique experience, I didn’t feel all that changed, perhaps because I was holding the session on a pedestal. But even though I wasn’t blown out of the water (pun intended), at the very least the tank forced some “me time” and got me away from screens and the distraction of the outside world, something that everyone could use from time to time.

And I had one of the best nights of sleep I’ve had in a very long time.

•

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.THE HEALTH ISSUE.

DOES CBD OIL WORK?

BY HANNAH LYNN // HLYNN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

O

NE OF THE biggest health mys-

teries of 2018 is the sudden ubiquity of CBD. CBD, or cannabidiol, is derived from marijuana but contains none of the psychoactive effects of THC, yet the marketing of CBD products makes it seem otherwise. Products infused with CBD—including face creams, chocolate, ice cream, juice, tea, bath bombs, gummy bears, and seltzer—are often marketed with pictures of a marijuana leaf, which, while factually correct, is a little misleading. The substance won’t get you high, yet it’s not available to minors. Its popularity seems mostly derived from the fact that it’s loosely related to weed.

To get a better sense of what the substance does, I tried it myself every day for a week.

In June, the FDA approved the first drug containing “a purified drug substance derived from marijuana” to treat severe forms of epilepsy. There has been other research on the therapeutic and medicinal uses of CBD, but it hasn’t

advanced enough to be confirmed. The FDA has also released warnings against products either making unfounded medical claims or misidentifying the concentration of CBD. This is all to say that, aside from treating rare and intense seizure disorders, the effectiveness of CBD is doubtful at best, snake oil at worst. Some claim the product is life-changing for managing anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and other ailments, but without definitive research, it’s all hearsay.

I chose to try CBD oil, presumably the most direct way of consumption. When I walked into the vape store, an angry couple was complaining to the store clerk that it was unfair they couldn’t return their Juul. I spotted the oil behind the counter and said, “Can I have the $30 one, unflavored?” Because they went up to $100 and came in a variety of fruity nonsense.

I asked the man working at the vape store if he’d ever tried the oil and he said, “No, I don’t smoke or anything.”

The first time I tried CBD, I put a few drops under my tongue and swallowed.

It had a taste I couldn’t place, but it definitely wasn’t flavorless. I didn’t feel much.

The bottle has literally no instructions, saying only “keep away from children and pets” and “contains PG and or VG,” whatever those are. Since CBD products are not FDA-approved, there is no dosage recommendation, but the internet recommended putting drops under the tongue and letting them sit for 30-60 seconds before swallowing. Just squeeze drops until you feel something, or feel nothing. Both are the goal, I guess.

The next night I was anxious before bed, so I put some under my tongue and let it sit. I felt my heart rate go down, but it could’ve been a coincidence, or a placebo, or the ASMR I was watching.

The next day I took some at work and let it sit under my tongue for even longer, waiting for the minute on the clock to change before swallowing. I felt vaguely calmer, but the feeling was too subtle to quantify. I was finally able

to place the taste as a rancid version of my grandma’s perfume, which I haven’t smelled in eight years.

I put more drops under my tongue when a friend said something that made me suddenly anxious.

I took some more when I was frustrated by the process of covering my windows with plastic because my apartment doesn’t have heat (don’t worry about it).

I wrote in my notes “I think it works if you really want it to.” CP editor Lisa ordered CBD gummies online for $40 and desperately wanted them to work, but they didn’t. I tried one gummy and briefly felt semi-relaxed.

It would be so easy if this product would just cure everyday pain, if everyone could just walk into a store and buy a cream or candy or oil that would make life easier. But it feels futile, spending money on such a potential scam-y substance in hopes of maybe possibly feeling slight relief. It doesn’t work, but it doesn’t not work. Maybe for some, that’s enough.

•

Follow staff writer Hannah Lynn on Twitter @hanfranny PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 28-DEC. 5, 2018

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^ The exterior and interior of Warm Timber mobile sauna

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PGHCITYPAPER.COM

^

The

Mister Bunch

CP PHOTOS: JARED WICKERHAM

Half-naked at 3 p.m. in a Strip District parking lot

Mister Grooming & Goods 4504 Butler Street 412.326.5964

.THE HEALTH ISSUE.

WHO GIVES A SHVITZ

BY JOSH OSWALD // JOSWALD@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

S

UMMER ENDS. Leaves change

color. Next thing you know, your workday is bookended by darkness. Now you’re depressed. Maybe you were depressed before fall. I’m not sure, I barely know you.

As a Pittsburgh City Paper employee who dabbles in depression and anxiety in my spare time, I volunteered to examine the purported positive effects of saunas for our Health Issue.

I started this experiment by researching the way any professional journalist would: WebMD. “Short periods of elevated body temperature (hyperthermia) can be an antidepressant,” it says on the website — good start. So, I called up John Barbour who owns and operates Warm Timber Saunas in Fox Chapel. Barbour, who builds custom saunas and wine cellars for his clients, also runs a mobile sauna available for backyard parties, corporate events, or even an amateur medical study haphazardly performed in a Strip District parking lot.

Barbour was more than happy to tow his authentic Finnish sauna down Smallman Street so that my colleagues and I could see each other topless, and I could determine the effects that extreme heat therapy could have on the anxiety caused by this exercise.

It’s a unique experience to be halfnaked at 3 p.m. in front of a florists’ loading dock. But there are no surprises once you step into the sauna. You’re greeted by the attractive wood seating,

a welcoming wood-burning furnace, and a bowl of heated rocks with a wooden ladle and water for heittää löylyä — a Finnish phrase meaning “throw steam.” And it’s hotter than a Flag Day sectional sale at Levin’s! Sweating begins almost immediately.

As the three CP employees sat in the sauna for a little over an hour, Barbour regaled us with sauna history and explained how he got into the business. The temperature gauge hovered around 190 degrees Fahrenheit for the bulk of our shvitz. But I would have believed it was 300 degrees when we cut loose the löylyä. After the water hit the hot rocks, an alarming yet relaxing wave of heat plowed its way through the sauna, hitting each participant in sequential order.

WARM TIMBER warmtimber.com

Some of us took breaks to enjoy the contrast between the cold Strip District air and the sweltering sauna. After about four trips in and out of the sauna, we decided to return to the 72-degree office to which we’re accustomed.

I had taken an online stress test prior to the sauna to see if there would be any differences if I took the same test afterward. But after the sauna I didn’t give a crap about anything, so I didn’t take it again. WebMD was right. It always is.

•

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The exterior of Orangetheory in East Liberty

.THE HEALTH ISSUE.

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T’S SO... orange.”

My sister and I stood outside of Orangetheory Fitness in East Liberty and exchanged uneasy looks.

In full view, the gym was quite eerie.

Everything, and I mean everything, was blanketed with a deep orange.

Silhouettes moved in sync like cogs in a machine from exercise to exercise.

The scene was a mix of mesmerizing and creepy.

Orangetheory Fitness has a devoted following of gym junkies. The workout is a combination of endurance, strength, and power. Each class is an hour long, incorporating short spurts of cardio with strength training and are led by a timer-toting instructor, who signals when to increase intervals or change to a new movement.

I’ve heard rave reviews of Orangetheory but wasn’t convinced. Perfectly synchronized movement combined with the orange hue freaked me out.

But in the spirit of fitness, I decided to give it a chance. Thankfully, I wasn’t alone. My sister agreed to accompany me into the orange.

At 6:30 a.m., we dragged our bodies to the gym. An orange-clad, peppy receptionist greeted us with paperwork.

We affixed our heart rate monitors and

were talked through the visual aids and workout cues. Then, we headed to the treadmills.

For our class, the workout was structured into blocks; the first a mix of endurance and power on treadmills and rowers. The second, pure strength.

Screens hung around the room, demonstrating weightlifting movements and color-coded heart rate tracking.

ORANGETHEORY FITNESS 5841 Penn Ave., East Liberty. orangetheoryfitness.com

But I wondered – why all the orange? Online research gave few satisfactory answers. One explanation is that workouts are designed, so you spend at least 12 minutes in the “Orange Zone,” when you hit between 84 to 91 percent of your heart rate maximum (this is the fourth in Orangetheory’s five-step, color-coded heart rate system). I have my own theories, including that orange blocks out harmful blue light. Maybe making everything orange ensures that nothing distracts you? We may never know.

The class was fine. It didn’t blow either of us away. But I saw why it drew a crowd of followers. It was a community-

based individual workout, similar to CrossFit. Someone else told us where to go and what to do. We didn’t have time to think. There was an instructor in the room but little one-on-one attention, ideal for self-motivated athletes.

I have one big issue with Orangetheory. Despite the hard work and obvious success of all class members, our trainer justifies holiday calories with “one, big push.” Often, in fitness classes driven to attract the masses, much like crash diets, motivation sticks to a common mantra. “One more rep and you can eat that doughnut!” It’s a toxic, harmful sentiment that turns me off from popular fitness routines.

After the class, Orangetheory emailed me a workout summary. It featured my calorie burn, heart rate breakdown, and fat cell destruction. I was not convinced. It seemed doubtful that I could burn 620 calories in a one-hour session, but nonetheless, the report card was a nice touch.

A membership, in my opinion, is overpriced for the value. If I thrived on heart-rate calculation or actually cared about my calorie burn, maybe I would have fallen in love. It was a good workout, but I’d rather stick to a gym that’s not coated in orange.

•

.THE HEALTH ISSUE.

SPIN CITY

BY ALEX GORDON ALEXGORDON@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

C

ONSIDERING HOW many folks get anxious in social situations and also don’t like to exercise, it seems counter-intuitive that exercising in social situations is so insanely popular. But here we are: group exercise programs like yoga and spin classes have ballooned to billion-dollar industries in the past decade or so, and the trend doesn’t appear to be slowing down.

As a person who prefers to work out infrequently and in solitude, I’ve always been bewildered by the popularity of these activities. So I asked Lex Gonzalez, a spin instructor/friend/altogether lovely dude who recently relocated from New York to Pittsburgh, what it’s like to be a professional exerciser and how one gets into the business.

The answers have been lightly edited for clarity and length.

HOW DID YOU FIRST GET INTO WORKING IN THIS FIELD? HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING IT? One day about three and half years back, I had a friend take me to my first spin class during my lunch break. I fell in love with the flow, the music, and the workout. It soon became my exit plan out of the 9-to-5. On March 4, 2015, I quit my job at City College in New York City to pursue my entertainment and fitness career as a personal and group fitness instructor and haven’t looked back since.

PHOTO: LEX GONZALEZ

From left: CycleBar Robinson instructors Emily Dahlke, Lex Gonzalez, Jennifer Haffner

Learn more about Lex’s classes at robinson.cyclebar.com WHAT’S SOMETHING ABOUT SPIN THAT MIGHT SURPRISE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER DONE IT? An individual can travel 12-plus miles and burn over 600 calories during a 45-minute ride, all while achieving an amazing cardio workout that is intense, yet light on the knees. Try doing that on a treadmill.

YOU TOLD ME LAST WEEK THAT YOU HAD TO START FOLLOWING BPM (BEATS PER MINUTE) FOR THE PLAYLISTS. HOW DOES THAT WORK? At Cycle Bar [in Robinson Town Centre] we ride to the rhythm, its ebb and flow

helps us script out our ride and the intensity levels we’ll hit throughout class.

Cycling “watts” or “power” tend to be determined by the speed of the peddles versus the gear or resistance. That RPM (Revolutions per minute) is directly [correlated] to the BPMs we use in class.

WHAT ARE A FEW OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS TO EXERCISE TO [PROFESSIONALLY OR ON YOUR OWN]?

“Revolution” by Diplo, “No Church in the Wild” by Jay-Z and Kanye.

WHAT DIFFERENCES HAVE YOU NOTICED BETWEEN YOUR PITTSBURGH STUDENTS AND NEW YORK STUDENTS IN YOUR TIME SO FAR? I don’t think there’s a difference in the

Follow managing editor Alex Gordon on Twitter @shmalexgordon

student, it’s more a difference in the studio and the culture. The people here are hardworking, appreciative, and expressive and I love that. It’s smaller, more about “Familia” and growth. Who doesn’t want to be a part of that?

FOR SOMEONE RETICENT TO START EXERCISING IN GROUP CLASSES, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO CONVINCE THEM? I’d tell them what I tell everyone in my classes: “I am nothing other than a member of a gym, the only difference is I’m in the front leading the class. I sweat, I work, I hurt, and sometimes I want to just give up. We all do at one point or another, but that’s when I look around the room and get inspired by everyone working just as hard as I am, all to achieve the same goal — a better, healthier version of themselves.”

•

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 28-DEC. 5, 2018

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The Himalayan salt cave at Peace, Love & Zen

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.THE HEALTH ISSUE.

CAVING IN

BY LISA CUNNINGHAM // LCUNNING@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

H

IMALAYAN SALT lamps have be-

come so trendy, they’re now sold at Walmart. Yes, Walmart. Add them to the list beside essential oils and gluten-free diets as health fads even your conservative aunt has heard about.

But do they work? When a friend recommended a Himalayan salt cave visit after finding out I was seeking stress relief, I scheduled an appointment at Peace, Love & Zen in East Liberty. Who needs to buy a salt lamp when you can sit inside one?

Himalayan salt therapy has no scientifically proven benefits and even Peace, Love & Zen notes on its website that they make no medical claims for medical benefits. But many swear by the calming effects of the cave.

The pink salt is said to release negative ions, which some believe can help strengthen immune systems, relieve allergies, and reduce stress and fatigue.

I have suffered from depression and anxiety since childhood. Earlier this year, I started taking anti-anxiety medicine, which has helped greatly, but it isn’t al-

ways enough. I also have seasonal allergies, and my doctor suspects I have an unknown autoimmune disease, after first being diagnosed with chronic hives six years ago.

I am a glass-half-empty optimist — largely a skeptic when it comes to alternative health therapies, but willing to give anything a shot.

When I head to the salt cave, it’s 4:45 p.m. on a Tuesday, and I’m standing on a crowded P1 bus from Downtown, desperately trying not to fall on top of someone. A man sitting nearby keeps yelling out, “This is nuts! Is it always like this?” Everyone keeps ignoring him, until finally a woman grunts out, “Yes.” As soon as I get off the bus, it starts snowing. My anxiety is through the roof.

When I open the door at Peace, Love & Zen, the smell of a woodsy lavender incense is so strong it almost knocks me over. Normally, I’m extra-sensitive to scents and perfumes, but there’s something about lavender that makes me feel calm. I sit down in a chair in the waiting room, inhaling.

Follow editor Lisa Cunningham on Twitter @trashyleesuh

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“You’re lucky, you have the room to yourself today,” the woman at the front desk says as she takes me back to the cave.

I’m told to remove my shoes and coat and to turn off my cell phone. Wait, what? My appointment is 45 minutes. I assumed I’d spend the time checking Twitter.

I do as she says, though, and leave my belongings outside.

The room is pink. Really pink. The walls are covered in bricks of pink salt, and the floor is covered in loose salt. I count 12 lights spread around the room, twinkly blue star lights on the ceiling, and ten zero-gravity chairs. I choose one and sit down.

PEACE, LOVE & ZEN

6023 Broad St., East Liberty. peaceloveandzen.com

There’s a blanket on each chair, and the woman tells me my body temperature might drop during the session. “There’s no way,” I think. I have on normal clothes: jeans, a hoodie. I’m comfortable.

Soon after she leaves and closes the door, a recording of a man’s voice lets me know the session has begun. He gives a little background on salt therapy, and then his voice is replaced by a soundtrack of instrumental music mixed with beach waves and birds chirping.

Without my phone, I’m not sure what to do. I admit it, I’m addicted to my phone. I typically don’t go 10 minutes without looking at it, let alone 45. I stare at the twinkly lights on the ceiling for a while. Count the lights. Lean over and dig my fingers into the sand on the floor — three inches.

I pick up a handful of the salt and smell it. Odorless. I’m tempted to put a

piece in my mouth and taste it, but I’m worried there’s a hidden camera. I let it fall through my fingers onto the floor. I close my eyes.

My nose starts to drip a bit, then stops.

I realize I’m breathing better than normal. Is it my imagination, or is the salt cave working?

The soundtrack reminds me of the end credits in an independent film when the main characters discover they’ve been in love this whole time and walk on the beach together as the credits roll.

How long have I been in here? I realize it’s hard to keep time when you can’t look at your phone. I close my eyes again and try not to think about work and all that needs done. Try not to think about how I haven’t had time to clean my house in months. Wait, am I cold? I put on the blanket.

With my eyes closed, I listen to the soundtrack. I listen to the birds chirping.

I think, this actually might be the absolute perfect respite for someone suffering from seasonal affective disorder — a 45-minute escape for only $30 where you’re forced to disconnect from the outside world.

The man’s voice returns and tells me my session is over. I’m bummed. So soon? I exit the room, put on my coat and shoes and walk to the storefront, where the smell of lavender once again surrounds me.

I don’t remember if it was snowing when I left. I do remember taking a deep breath and walking to the bus stop feeling more relaxed than I’ve felt in a really long time.

When I was leaving, I saw a heartshaped salt nightlight for sale on a shelf in the waiting room and almost bought it.

Then thought, “Next time.”

•

CHECK OUT PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER ON SPOTIFY FOR THIS WEEK’S PLAYLISTS BY WRITER JORDAN SNOWDEN

Workout Playlist featuring “O.G.”

by Troyboi

t Happy PlayliSsquash” by Jaymison w featuring “Yello

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 28-DEC. 5, 2018

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A meditative drawing by Art Therapist Ann Hines from Heal With Creativity

.THE HEALTH ISSUE.

THE ART OF WELLNESS

BY AMANDA WALTZ // AWALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

T

REATING MENTAL health takes many forms, from conventional t a l k t h e ra p y a n d p hy s i c a l activity to homeopathic remedies. But for many, art may hold the answer to feeling better.

The official therapeutic use of art dates back to the 1940s when artist Edward Adamson began working with author Adrian Hill to develop the approach for British patients in mental hospitals. Thanks to pioneering figures like Margaret Naumburg and Edith Kramer, art-making became a legitimate form of therapy for treating children and adults.

For the layman, the term “art therapy” may conjure images of New Age eccentrics draped in big necklaces and

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caftans, but it actually requires years of study and certification. The nonprofit American Art Therapy Association defines the practice as a “regulated, integrative mental health and human services profession.”

“The American Art Therapy Association takes pride in educating the public, as well as other mental health professions about art therapy, the benefits, and the very specialized training and education required to be a board certified and licensed art therapist,” says Pittsburgh-based licensed art therapist Ann Hines.

Hines has spent over 10 years working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, developmental and learning disabilities, and behavioral issues, as

well as in various mental health settings, before founding her practice, Heal With Creativity. In her intimate North Hills space, she offers art therapy and counseling services to individuals, families, and couples suffering from depression, anxiety, and other issues.

The AATA website states that patients do not need to be artistically inclined to benefit from art therapy, but should be open to using it to address challenges related to traumatic life events or various disorders, including neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s or cerebral palsy and neurocognitive disorders, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Studies are currently looking at how art therapy could aid in pain management – especially as an alternative to potentially addictive opioid medications – and improve motor functions.

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Many people have already participated in a basic form of art therapy through the popularity of adult coloring books. The trend, which has exploded over the past few years, offers a grown-up version of the kiddie favorite, replacing cartoon characters and cute animals with intricate images or mature subject matter. One Google search brings up everything from books with swirling, complex patterns to a more humorous series of swear word coloring books with titles like Go F*ck Yourself, I’m Coloring.

While adult coloring books may not offer the in-depth services of professional art therapy, they do provide a cheap, accessible way to manage stress and anxiety. In 2015, the AATA weighed in on the topic with a statement saying it supported the use of coloring books for pleasure and selfcare, even suggesting that art therapists “might offer coloring books to clients outside of treatment to support focusing and stress reduction.”

But, as the AATA stipulates, crayons and paper are not an alternative to supervised care.

“The coloring book phenomenon is helping to reintroduce art as an important component of health and wellness,” the statement concluded.

“However, those seeking professional art therapy services are encouraged to consult a credentialed art therapist.”

•

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 28-DEC. 5, 2018

29

.FOR THE WEEK OF NOV. 29.

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): What has become of the metaphorical seeds you planted during the weeks after your last birthday? Have your intentions flourished? Have your dreams blossomed? Have your talents matured?

Have your naive questions evolved into more penetrating questions? Be honest and kind as you answer these inquiries. Be thoughtful and big-hearted as you take inventory of your ability to follow through on your promises to yourself. If people are quizzical about how much attention you’re giving yourself as you take stock, inform them that your astrologer has told you that December is Love Yourself Better Month.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): If you want to play the drinking game called Possum, you and your friends climb up into a tree with a case of beer and start drinking. As time goes by, people get so hammered they fall out of the tree. The winner is the last one left in the tree. I hope you won’t engage in this form of recreation anytime soon—nor in any other activity that even vaguely resembles it. The coming weeks should be a time of calling on favors, claiming your rewards, collecting your blessings, and graduating to the next level. I trust your policy will be: no trivial pursuits, no wasted efforts, no silly stunts.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In his song “Happy Talk,” Academy Award-winning lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II offered this advice: “You gotta have a dream. If you don’t have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true?” Where do you stand in this regard, Pisces?

Do you in fact have a vivid, clearly defined dream?

And have you developed a strategy for making that dream come true? The coming weeks will be an excellent time to home in on what you really want and hone your scheme for manifesting it.

(P.S. Keep in mind Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s idea: “A goal without a plan is just a wish.”)

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Every year the bird known as the Arctic tern experiences two summers and enjoys more daylight than any other animal. That’s because it regularly makes a long-distance journey from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back again. Let’s designate this hardy traveler as your inspirational creature for the next eleven months. May it help

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

Blackjack is a card game popular in gambling casinos. In the eternal struggle to improve the odds of winning big money, some blackjack players work in teams. One teammate secretly counts the cards as they’re dealt and assesses what cards are likely to come up next. Another teammate gets subtle signals from his card-counting buddy and makes the bets. A casino in Windsor, Ontario pressed charges against one blackjack team, complaining that this tactic was deceptive and dishonest. But the court decided in the team’s favor, ruling that the players weren’t cheating but simply using smart strategy. In the spirit of these blackjack teams, Sagittarius, and in accordance with astrological omens, I urge you to better your odds in a “game” of your choice by using strategy that is almost as good as cheating but isn’t actually cheating.

animate you to experiment with brave jaunts that broaden and deepen your views of the world. I don’t necessarily mean you should literally do the equivalent of circumnavigating the planet. Your expansive adventures might take place mostly in inner realms or closer to home.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): When the American Civil War began in 1861, the United States fractured. Four years later, the union was technically restored when the northern states defeated the southern states. At that time, African American slavery became illegal everywhere for the first time since the country’s birth decades earlier. But there was a catch. The southern states soon enacted laws that mandated racial segregation and ensured that African Americans continued to suffer systematic disadvantages. Is there a comparable issue in your personal life? Did you at sometime in the past try to fix an untenable situation only to have it sneak back in a less severe but still debilitating form? The coming weeks will be an excellent time to finish the reforms; to enforce a thorough and permanent correction.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Does an elusive giant creature with a long neck inhabit the waters of Loch Ness in northern Scotland? Alleged sightings have been reported since 1933. Most scientists dismiss the possibility that

“Nessie” actually exists, but there are photos, films, and videos that provide tantalizing evidence. A government-funded Scottish organization has prepared contingency plans just in case the beast does make an unambiguous appearance. In that spirit, and in accordance with astrological omens, I recommend that you prepare yourself for the arrival in your life of intriguing anomalies and fun mysteries. Like Nessie, they’re nothing to worry about, but you’ll be better able to deal gracefully with them if you’re not totally taken by surprise.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Does moss really “eat” rocks, as Cancerian author Elizabeth Gilbert attests in her novel The Signature of All Things? Marine chemist Martin Johnson says yes. Moss really does break down and release elements in solid stone. Gilbert adds, “Given enough time, a colony of moss can turn a cliff into gravel, and turn that gravel into topsoil.”

Furthermore, this hardy plant can grow virtually everywhere: in the tropics and frozen wastes, on tree bark and roofing slate, on sloth fur and snail shells. I propose that we make moss your personal symbol of power for now, Cancerian. Be as indomitable, resourceful, and resilient as moss.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Let’s shout out a big “THANKS!” and “HALLELUJAH!”

to the enzymes in our bodies. These catalytic proteins do an amazing job of converting the food we eat into available energy. Without them, our cells would take forever to turn any particular meal into the power we need to walk, talk, and think. I bring this marvel to your attention, Leo, because now is a favorable time to look for and locate metaphorical equivalents of enzymes: influences and resources that will aid and expedite your ability to live the life you want to live.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “Every dreamer knows that it is entirely possible to be homesick for a place you’ve never been to, perhaps more homesick than for familiar ground,” writes author Judith Thurman. I’m guessing you will experience this feeling in the coming weeks.

What does it mean if you do? It may be your deep psyche’s way of nudging you to find an energizing new sanctuary. Or perhaps it means you should search for fresh ways to feel peaceful and wellgrounded. Maybe it’s a prod to push you outside your existing comfort zone so you can expand your comfort zone.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Venice, Italy consists of 118 small islands that rise from a shallow lagoon. A network of 443 bridges keeps them all connected. But Venice isn’t the world champion of bridges. The American city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania holds that title, with 446. I nominate these two places to be your inspirational symbols in the coming weeks. It’s time for you build new metaphorical bridges and take good care of your existing metaphorical bridges.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): To aid and support your navigation through this pragmatic phase of your astrological cycle, I have gathered counsel from three productive pragmatists. First is author Helen Keller. She said she wanted to accomplish great and noble things, but her “chief duty” was “to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble.” Second, author George Orwell believed that “to see what is in front of one’s nose” requires never-ending diligence. Finally, author Pearl S. Buck testified that she didn’t wait around until she was in the right mood before beginning her work. Instead, she invoked her willpower to summon the necessary motivation.

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 28-DEC. 5, 2018

31

.FOOD REVIEW.

CHOOLAAH

BY MAGGIE WEAVER MWEAVER@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

W

HEN CHOOLAAH Indian BBQ

opened a location in East Liberty, diners fell head over heels for the fast-casual, traditional Indian food with a healthy twist.

Choolaah puts a modern spin on tried and true Indian traditions, creating an approachable, casual dining experience. It’s a brilliant way to attract both health-obsessed and apprehensive eaters. But I’m hesitant to fall completely for the Choolaah charm – not because of bad service or underwhelming food, but because Choolaah tries a little too hard to be hip.

The eatery boasts of being “exotically familiar,” “audaciously American,” “authentically unconventional,” and “comfortably non-conformist.”

A sign reads, “I’m a knitting-fanatic, Steeler-loving, Choolaah-head,” with a bearded millennial in the background.

Even the menu is riddled with flowery language, the “perfect balance bowl” a fan favorite. Choolaah targets its demographics so forcefully it made me squirm.

Choolaah references sanjha chulha, a Northern Indian ritual of gathering around a community oven to share stories and food. The restaurant transforms this tradition into huge tandoor ovens that cook meat and bread at a high temperature, its trademark barbeque. Next to the stark white registers is a glass-enclosed kitchen, with giant orange tandoors named after Pittsburgh Steelers.

My visit to Choolaah was quick and convenient. The menu catered well to dietary restrictions with build-yourown options. I ordered at the counter

CP PHOTO: MAGGIE WEAVER

The perfect balance bowl

with the help of a very patient cashier, and my food was presented hot and ready in seconds. My meal, a perfect balance bowl with paneer, samosas, naan, and cardamom ice cream, was served on an artfully decorated, reusable tray.

The perfect balance bowl, one of Choolaah’s signature bowls, was half paneer and half roasted veggies over brown rice, smothered in tikka masala

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curry sauce. Staying true to its brand as a “healthy alternative,” the portion sizes weren’t absurd. Compared to any

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other Indian restaurant, Choolaah was a little skimpy with the rice. But I had a perfect, doughy piece of naan to tide me over.

I was surprised by the size of the paneer. Each cube was giant, too big for one bite. My ideal paneer is smooth and slightly spongy. Choolaah goes in a different direction. The paneer was like a cheese curd, sticking to my teeth.

I attributed this to the cheese’s journey

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from Ohio Amish cheesemakers to the kitchen hands at Choolaah.

The samosas, three small pouches of vegetables and potatoes, were absolutely delicious. The dough was just thick enough to flake, and the buttery, crispy pastry added a satisfying crunch to each bite.

The Indian ice cream was icier than

most Pittsburghers are used to, its texture thickened with rice milk. It was subtly sweet, the cardamom adding an aromatic, pleasant flavor.

I left Choolaah comfortably full, not disappointed but not raving. It was an enjoyable experience, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I could be eating better Indian food somewhere else.

•

FAVORITE FEATURES: Sauce Station Choolaah features a sauce station complete with the classics: tamarind and apple, spicy mango, and mint yogurt. Each sauce brought a new flavor to the palate, a fun way to experiment with strangely delicious taste combinations.

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LET ’S GET

The best gifts are edible.

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

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.ON THE ROCKS.

TOOL TIME

The second round of recommendations for your personal bar cart

BY CRAIG MRUSEK // CPCONTRIBUTORS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM )ROORZ XV WR ƓQG RXW ZKDWōV KDSSHQLQJ @PGHCITYPAPER Ř FACEBOOK.COM/PITTSBURGHCITYPAPER

A

S A BARTENDER, I frequently get

asked about the tools I use. Most often, people want to know what specific items they need at home in order to make decent drinks for themselves and friends. In an earlier column, I discussed three essential bar tools, but there’s a few more we can add to the list.

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WHAT IS IT? Basically, a little metal measuring cup for your drink ingredients.

They come in various shapes and sizes, and some have markings for different amounts (which is a really nice feature!)

DO I NEED IT? If you’re making drinks where proportions actually matter, yes.

BASIC OR FANCY? Basic. If you want to drop a bunch of cash on something that looks like a baby Holy Grail, go for it. But all you really need is something you can easily pour booze in and out of.

Bar Spoon WHAT IS IT? Pretty much the same thing as a regular spoon, just longer and skinnier. Used for stirring drinks, they can be anywhere from just under a foot long to something big enough for fencing practice.

DO I NEED IT? Yes. You could get away with using that orphaned chopstick in the back of your silverware drawer, but level up and get a real bar spoon.

BASIC OR FANCY? It’s a personal choice.

Check out places that sell kitchen and restaurant supplies to see which ones are a comfortable length/weight/shape. Some people like simple designs and others love the artsy-fartsy ones.

Peeler WHAT IS IT? If you’ve ever peeled a potato, you’ve used one. It’s basically a little gadget designed to shave a shallow strip of skin from fruits and veggies.

DO I NEED IT? Probably. A lot of classic cocktails are garnished with citrus twists, and a peeler is the best tool for quickly, easily, and consistently removing nice bits of rind from your fresh fruit.

BASIC OR FANCY? Depends. Some people treat them as disposable, buying cheap ones and throwing them out when they get dull or break. Some invest in better-quality models that will last longer and take more of a beating.

It’s really just a matter of how often you’ll use it and how much you want to spend.

•

Follow featured contributing writer Craig Mrusek on Twitter @DoctorBamboo

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PGHCITYPAPER.COM

DINING OUT

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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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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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35

PHOTO: TERESA MARTUCCIO

.STAGE.

The amazing creatures of La Strega

WITCH HISTORY

BY AMANDA WALTZ // AWALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

R

UNNING THE Glitter Box

Theater has its perks. If not for the Oakland venue, co-owner and playwright Teresa Martuccio might not have a regular place to stage her incredible, DIY musical productions. Where else could she put on her latest original creation, the dark, magical, feminist romp La Strega?

Set in the Dolomites mountain range of northern Italy, La Strega– which opens Nov. 30 — follows a witch who lives in the woods with a variety

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PGHCITYPAPER.COM

of strange creatures. “A lot of the characters are not human,” says Martuccio, adding that she based them on figures from the region’s folklore. When the Catholic Church declares war on women and magic, the witch and her forest friends come together to fight for their home.

“Because we don’t have a budget, I would always [rehearse] in my house or in a park, then we would get into rental space the day before the show,” says Martuccio, who runs Glitter Box with Matt Eaker, Nick Stocks, and her

boyfriend, Chris St. Pierre. “Now that we have the Glitter Box, it’s really nice.

We have a whole month to be in there.”

La Strega adds to the many imaginative productions from Martuccio, whose previous works include Amelia: The Musical, a revisionist take about how Amelia Earhart faked her death to live as an openly gay woman, and The Soiled Dove, a work based on the true story of Jennie Rogers, a Pittsburgh woman who became a legendary Wild West brothel owner in the late 1800s.

She also wrote Meow!, a musical inspired by the extended disappearance of her own cat (don’t worry – the cat returned after 17 days).

“It was about the stages of grieving,” says Martuccio, describing how the main character in the story built a rocket and blasted into another dimension, where her cat lives as a dog.

Though the subject matter varies wildly, Martuccio’s shows share a few commonalities: They satisfy her obsession with history and her desire to write for women and queer people, and

feature fantastical elements like time travel. They’re also done on a shoestring budget, with the cast, crew, and musicians all chipping in to make a show happen.

“People who see [my shows] will reach out and say, ‘hey if you do a play again I want to be in it,’” says Martuccio.

For La Strega, Martuccio wanted to write about the European witch trials and pay tribute to Italy’s Dolomites region, where her mother’s family originates. In keeping with the setting, the music, written in collaboration with Jeremy Mikush, takes from the style of Baroque and Italian folk.

Martuccio also drew inspiration from The Night Battles: Witchcraft and Agrarian Cults in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries, a nonfiction book about the benandanti (“good walkers”). Active in northeastern Italy during the 16th and 17th centuries, the benandanti were powerful men and women believed to have protected the community from malevolent witches.

Martuccio even based some parts of the musical on actual church archives in the book.

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She also cites the election of Donald Trump as motivation for writing the musical, as his misogynistic behavior and promise to install conservative judges had women throughout the country concerned for their civil and reproductive rights. As a result, the show delves into some heavy subject matter, including abortion and the mass executions of women that happened throughout Europe after Pope Innocent VIII decried witchcraft in 1484.

Even so, Martuccio wanted the show to transcend its bleak origins.

“I realized that it didn’t have the most hopeful ending, because I wasn’t feeling that hopeful,” says Martuccio.

“And then I was like, ‘we need hope,’” Though the musical was inspired by events that happened centuries ago, she hopes highlighting that era of women’s history will help people make a connection to the horrors still inflicted by the patriarchy. She also wants it to inspire people to produce their own work.

“The fact that we do it without money, maybe someone will see it and think, ‘Oh my gosh, I have this story that I want to write,’” she says.

•

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 28-DEC. 5, 2018

37

Sad Girls Aquatics Club: Chelsea Rumbaugh and Marie Mashyna

.MUSIC.

BREAKUP POP

BY JORDAN SNOWDEN // JSNOWDEN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

I

S VODKAWINE a mix of vodka and

wine? Yes, yes, it is. Did Sad Girls Aquatics Club write and record their first EP, fittingly titled, Vodkawine under the influence of that mixture?

They didn’t not do it.

What “seemed like a good idea at the time,” turned into a winter-long escapade of fortifying their wine with vodka.

“It certainly saves time,” says Marie Mashyna, one half of Sad Girls Aquatic Club.

Fueled by their concoction, late night Taco Bell runs (not at the same time, of course), and heartache, Mashyna and Chelsea Rumbaugh spent the snowy season recording the seven-track EP, which dropped on all major streaming platforms Nov. 16.

The title track, a bass-heavy song laden

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PGHCITYPAPER.COM

with light, haunting lyrics, sounds like it was somehow steeped in vodkawine.

It sets the tone for the moody haze of electronics and dream-pop that makes up the EP. “Our intention was to create an inclusive environment where people can connect to our music and hopefully not feel so alone in their vulnerability,” says Mashyna.

“We lovingly refer to our music as breakup pop.”

Collectively, the tracks on Vodkawine touch on relatable subjects.

Although “Oh Billy” is about Mashyna’s French bulldog, the song

> Fun fact: Vodkawine was illustrated by this week’s CP cover artist Xiola Jensen

talks about attempting to win the affection of someone who treats you like you’re invisible. “How Do I Get What I Want” captures the overwhelming

feeling of losing yourself in possibility, and the magic that happens when the right situations combine. “Hearts Disagree” fills the ‘love song’ category and is a soaring breakup anthem. A standout is “Stay Zen My Hoes,” a 55-second bridge between “Hearts Disagree” and “Goth Annihilation” that features deep breathing and the sounds of walking through nature at night, a relatable quest to find a small moment of peace in a world with constant stimulation.

Sad Girls Aquatics Club manages to pack millennial melancholy, social commentary, and raw emotion into a muted, pastel package.

And to think, it was all made on a steady diet of vodkawine.

•

CP PHOTOS: TERENEH IDIA

The stylish Sonia McKoy

.FASHION.

CLOTHES MAKE ...

BY TERENEH IDIA // CPCONTRIBUTORS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

Name: Sonia McKoy Image Consultant, Vice President of Style Management Experience, Pittsburgh WHAT ARE YOU WEARING TODAY? I am wearing a cashmere top, green jacket, fabulous jeans that I totally love, and my favorite item, my Wellingtons [boots].

They are my favorite because green is one of my colors to wear. I like the Wellington look when it is raining, it brings me joy.

ARE YOU WEARING ANYTHING THAT IS A GIFT FROM SOMEONE? The scarf is a gift from my stepdaughter.

It is very versatile. I wear it on my head sometimes, my neck, and it is one of my favorite pieces.

ARE YOU WEARING ANYTHING THAT IS A GIFT TO YOURSELF? No, not really. When I shop, it is for a purpose. I need something and I get it, but I don’t shop a lot in Pittsburgh. I do for clients, but for myself, I shop online or vintage. Back in London, there is a store, Selfridges, it is my favorite. A good friend and I would meet up and go through the whole store: perfume, makeup, clothes, have dinner, and then go to choir practice after. I spent a lot of years doing that, it was fun. So I am kind of window shopped out. [Laughs]

WHEN YOU DO SHOP IN PITTSBURGH, WHERE DO YOU GO? I go to Dress for Success, that’s my spot.

YOU MENTIONED GREEN AS A FAVORITE COLOR. WHY? It makes me feels good. It is one of the colors that I put on, and I just go “Yeeessss!”

present your best self — through your work or your personal life, I want you to bring out the best for you. It is not me telling people what is best for them.

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF COLORS IN CLOTHING? My clients can see the way their skin, personality, mood, and perception all work with different colors.

•

YOUR EARRINGS ARE MATCHING THE SCARF, BUT NOT MATCHING EACH OTHER. TELL ME ABOUT THAT. It’s a thing, I always lose my earrings because they are clip-on, so I invariably take one off, or both, then lose one or both. So I just wear what I have left. But I love the amber color, I think it is gorgeous.

YOUR NAIL POLISH IS REALLY COOL. CAN I TAKE SOME PHOTOS? I wanted something festive that would last through the holidays but not be too bright. So just the ring finger diamond glitter really stands out.

HOW DO YOU TRANSLATE YOUR CLIENTS’ PERSONALITIES AND DESIRES INTO OUTFITS, CLOTHING? I do an assessment, I talk about goals, what they already own, their budget.

I never go, “Let’s go shopping!” It is all really planned out. We talk about behavior, communication. I think it starts how we think and how we feel.

I want you to express that, so you can

Follow contributing writer Tereneh Idia on Twitter @Tereneh152xx PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 28-DEC. 5, 2018

39

.DANCE.

THE NUTCRACKER RETURNS

BY STEVE SUCATO CPCONTRIBUTORS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

T

HE NUTCRACKER is a holiday tra-

dition all over the United States, but in some countries, it’s just another ballet. That was the case for fourth year Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre company member Emily Simpson, who was born in England and grew up in China and Thailand.

“I didn’t grow up with The Nutcracker at all,” says Simpson. “In China and Thailand, they don’t celebrate Christmas so my family celebrated on our own.”

She says The Nutcracker didn’t become part of their celebrations until they moved to Canada and she began performing at the Goh Ballet Academy. It has been a part of every Christmas holiday season in their family since.

Simpson joins a cast of over 250 performers from PBT and its school for this year’s 26-performance run at the Benedum Center.

Conceived and choreographed by PBT Artistic Director Terrence S. Orr in 2002, with costume and scenic designs by Emmy-winning designer Zack Brown, the two-act ballet follows E.T.A. Hoffmann’s 1816 classic tale The Nutcracker and the Mouse King, translated into an early 20th-century Pittsburgh setting.

The family-friendly ballet follows young Shadyside resident Marie Stahlbaum’s fantastical Christmas adventure, taking her through scenes inspired by local landmarks including a Mount

PHOTO: RICH SOFRANKO

Amanda Cochrane and Yoshiaki Nakano in 2017’s The Nutcracker

THE NUTCRACKER

Fri., Nov. 30 – Thu., Dec. 27; Benedum Center, 237 Seventh St., Downtown. $28-112. pbt.org

Washington view during the ballet’s “Snow Scene” and “Land of Enchantment,” inspired by Pittsburgh’s historic amusement parks. The ballet is danced to perhaps the best known of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s scores.

Simpson is one of ten dancers who will perform the lead role of Marie (7 p.m., Dec. 7 and 12 p.m., Dec. 23) over the ballet’s

run and feels the role comes naturally.

“The character is young and innocent and discovers love for the first time, [albeit] in a different way,” says Simpson. “It is really fun for me to bring that out onstage.”

In an effort to bring extra clarity to the ballet’s storytelling, Orr says he has tweaked the production this year.

A bit more comedy has been added to the opening scenes and he’s modified a few others, including the “Snow Scene” and the “Chinese” dance, giving audiences a slightly different perspective on the production.

When she is not dancing as Marie,

Follow featured contributing writer Steve Sucato on Twitter @ssucato

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Simpson will take on ten other roles in the production including the majestic Snow Queen (7 p.m., Dec. 20 & 2 p.m., Dec. 27) partnered with her husband, fellow ballet dancer, Jake Unger. She will also dance the coveted and physically demanding role of the Sugar Plum Fairy (12 p.m., Dec. 16).

PBT is one of the few productions to give dancers the opportunity to play different roles, from supporting to lead, regardless of rank. Orr says the production “is not an easy sleigh ride. We have an extremely talented company right now and the dancers are all very capable of doing more.”

•

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 28-DEC. 5, 2018

41

THE PRINCESS SWITCH

BY HANNAH LYNN HLYNN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

PHOTO: NETFLIX

Vanessa Hudgens, twice

It was inevitable that Netflix would start producing corny holiday movies in the vein of the Hallmark channel. This year’s addition, The Princess Switch, stars Vanessa Hudgens as two different people, a baker and a princess, who switch places.

Stacy (Hudgens) runs a bakery in Chicago with her best friend Kevin (Nick Sagar). She gets invited to a baking competition in Belgravia (a fake, rich, snowy country). She’s skeptical because it’s Christmastime and the bakery is busy, but goes anyway, bringing Kevin and his daughter with her. Doesn’t she have customers who ordered cakes for the holidays? That, along with thousands of other questions, THE PRINCESS is irrelevant in SWITCH IS NOW this universe.

STREAMING Before the competition, Stacy ON NETFLIX. — who wears a baseball hat that says “Chicago” — accidentally runs into the soon-to-be princess of Belgravia, Margaret, who is about to marry Prince Edward (Sam Palladio). And by gosh, the two of them look damn near identical! The women immediately accept this fact and ask no further questions. Wanting to get a taste of a peasant life before marriage, Margaret suggests they switch places for a few days, and Stacy agrees because Midwesterners are nice.

Predictably, fancy Margaret falls for hot peasant Kevin, who is comically ripped, and Stacy falls for Prince Edward, who rides horses. After the baking competition, everyone starts their new happy lives.

In both realities, Hudgens has a terrible British accent, the wardrobe looks like it came from Forever 21, and there’s an inexplicable magic old man. It also cannot be stressed enough that these two identical women are not twins. They conclude that they must be distant cousins.

Again, not twins.

The Princess Switch is a fun piece of nonsense to watch during the holidays when the classics feel tired, or when you don’t get the Hallmark Channel. •

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PHOTO: IFC FILMS

Carey Mulligan and Jake Gyllenhaal in Wildlife

.SCREEN.

SLOW BURN

BY HANNAH LYNN // HLYNN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

M

ARRIAGE IS HARD, and so is taming wildfires. Sometimes they bear a striking resemblance, as in Wildlife, an intimate drama directed by Paul Dano, who wrote it with real-life partner Zoe Kazan. It’s based on a novel of the same name by Richard Ford.

Set against the backdrop of a sprawling Montana town in the 1960s fending off encroaching fires, the movie is an empathetic look at a collapsing family.

A wildfire rages nearby the home of Jerry (Jake Gyllenhaal), Jeanette (Carey Mulligan), and their 14-year-old son Joe (Ed Oxenbould). They seem to be a happy family until Jerry gets fired, which damages his precarious pride. He thinks the only way to heal his wound is by volunteering to fight the wildfires instead of looking for a more stable and less dangerous job. The change is hard on the whole family, especially Jeanette, who begins to have a nervous breakdown that intensifies over the week Jerry is gone. With absent parents, literal and figurative, Joe has to learn to raise himself and catches sordid glimpses into adulthood.

Wildlife closely explores the intersection of pride, class, and marriage. Jeanette is a typical housewife of the era, who set aside her career and aspirations to be the homemaker of her husband’s dreams. But when he leaves, risking his life despite other options, Jeanette suddenly sees all the possibilities she’s been

missing out on. She’s only 34, but feels freedom has passed her by. She finds joy in bright colors, slinky dresses, brown liquor, chain-smoking, and a repulsive affair. But her passion veers into hysteria as she forgoes her responsibilities as a wife and mother in favor of self-destruction.

While she’s drunk, trying on her favorite flirty outfits, Joe bikes to the store to buy himself canned soup for dinner.

When Jerry returns, his pride is damaged again, but this time the consequences are more straightforward.

WILDLIFE

DIRECTED BY: Paul Dano STARRING: Carey Mulligan, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ed Oxenbould Opens Nov. 30 at Harris Theater

Mulligan, by her own admission, is trapped acting almost exclusively in period pieces. But she has a precise knack for capturing women on the verge of either personal discovery or emotional destruction. Jeanette is both, but her unraveling isn’t tidy. The week in which the story unfolds (“wait, that was only a week?” you’ll ask at the end) begins with an earnest job search and ends with her wishing herself dead.

Jeanette isn’t an admirable character, but Mulligan plays her with empathy, recognizing the slow-simmering pain of

women who give up their own lives to make men feel better. She has an expert deadpan too, delivering lines sharpened like arrowheads. While fiddling with the dial on the drive home from a stressful night, the radio picks up a nearby Canadian signal.

“I can’t stand Canada tonight,” she says.

Gyllenhaal is also well-suited, his puppy-dog face effectively disguising Jerry’s anger, which is always threatening to boil over. When the movie reaches its bittersweet conclusion, Gyllenhaal plays Jerry’s reluctant maturation with a melancholic self-control. But he’s absent for much of the movie, replaced by Joe, the new head of the house.

Oxenbould plays Joe with general optimism, fit for the slowly crumbling naiveté of a kid who thinks his parents will be happy together forever. But for as much screen time as he has, they might’ve done better in casting someone more expressive. As is, Oxenbould shares the same dead-eyed blankness as Dano.

Both of the parents in Wildlife are deeply flawed, too enamored with the broad possibilities of life to have control over their own reality. But it’s also a statement on the relationship between gender and labor at the time.

Losing a job could destroy a man, while so often women didn’t even have the option to have one.

•

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43

.MUSIC.

ROCK ON

BY JORDAN SNOWDEN JSNOWDEN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

I

T’S BEEN A big year for Pittsburgh alt-rock/indie band Chase and the Barons since winning Battle of the Bands in 2017. The group performed at local music festivals, was featured on 105.9 The X, opened for Russian/Californian rock band Red Elvises, released an EP, and recorded a WQED Session.

And now it’s time for another Pittsburgh band to prevail in the 2018 edition of Battle of the Bands.

Budding musicians face a multitude of challenges when trying to break into the music industry. Recording music, finding venues, and getting publicity are all difficult feats, and costly ones at that. So to help relieve some of that load, the winner of Battle of the Bands will receive a $2,000 prize, a Pittsburgh City Paper cover story, an opening set for a Drusky Entertainment show, and 24 hours of recording time – more than enough to make a splash in the music scene. >>

Last year’s winners Chase and the Barons perform at Face the Music.

FACE THE MUSIC: BATTLE OF THE BANDS Sat., Dec. 1. 8 p.m. – 12 a.m. Hard Rock Cafe. 230 W. Station Square Drive, Station Square. $10. ticketfly.com

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MEET THIS YEAR’S FACE THE MUSIC FINALISTS: Nick Barilla nickbarillalive. bandcamp.com

Closure facebook.com/ ClosurePGH

Haven State

310346_4.75_x_4.75.indd 1

11/21/18 8:46

PHOTO: REINA PELI

havenstate. bandcamp.com

Safety Last safetylastband.com

Snowdonia snowdoniaband.com

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 28-DEC. 5, 2018

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JENSORENSEN

CALENDAR NOV. 29-DEC. 5

PHOTO: ZOSXAVIUS PHOTOGRAPHY

^ Sat., Dec. 1: 2468 Kids at I Made It! Market

THURSDAY NOV. 29 TALK

Pittsburgh’s local TED Talks chapter brings together some of the region’s most inspirational and influential women for TEDxPittsburgh Women: Showing Up. Held at Ace Hotel, featured speakers include newly elected state House reps Summer Lee and Sara Innamorato, Amy Camp (Cycle Forward), chef Jamilka Borges, M. Bernardine Dias (founder of Diyunu), Priya Amin (co-founder of Flexable), Nicole Heller (fellow at Carnegie Museum of Natural History), and Joanne Rogers

(advocate, chair of the Fred Rogers Company). The event is sold out, but good news: There’s a free live-streaming party at Left Field Meeting Space. 6 p.m. 116 Federal St., North Side. tedxpittsburgh.org

FRIDAY

NOV. 30 EVENT

Prime Stage Theater and the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh use the arts to examine hate with Teaching the Holocaust through Theatrical Arts. The four-part training series applies the principles of theater to interpret and understand the

Holocaust. The event includes theater exercises and activities based on Flares of Memory, a collection of vignettes written by local survivors. The series concludes with a student matinee of The Soap Myth starring Ed Asner, taking place in May 2019. The first training session takes place at Whitehall Public Library.

Continues through Feb. 22, 2019. 9 a.m.- 2:30 p.m. 100 Borough Park Drive, Whitehall. $25-40. jfedpgh.org

FOOD

Start December off right by eating your way through Lawrenceville at The Joy of Cookies’ Cookie Tour 2018. For three days, local shops and restaurants open their doors (and ovens) for tour-goers. This

year, the self-guided tour includes more than 45 participating businesses, each featuring a unique cookie accompanied by its recipe for folks to take home. Shop small with a cookie in hand and don’t forget to cast your vote for the best cookie. The winning treat is awarded the people’s choice Joy of Cookies Cookie Cup. Explore Lawrenceville, all while stuffing your face with cookies. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Also Sat., Dec. 1 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sun., Dec. 2., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. lawrenceville.lvpgh.com

ART

Abstract art is ubiquitous now, but there was a time when the genre was a niche interest. In 1944, Group A was formed as a collective for local abstract artists to CONTINUES ON PG. 48

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 28-DEC. 5, 2018

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CALENDAR, CONTINUED FROM PG. 47

7 DAYS

OF CONCERTS

BY JORDAN SNOWDEN JSNOWDEN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

PHOTO: CHRIS ALMEIDA

Helena Deland

THURSDAY The Midnight Hour featuring Ali Shaheed Muhammed & Adrian Younge 7 p.m. Club Café, South Side. clubcafelive.com

FRIDAY Palisades

^ Fri., Nov. 30: Happy Birthday, Marsha!

6 p.m. The Smiling Moose, South Side. smiling-moose.com

SATURDAY Pack / Dinosoul / Bikini Islands 7 p.m. Black Forge Coffee House, McKees Rocks (New location). blackforgecoffee.com

SUNDAY CAVE 8:00 p.m. Cattivo, Lawrenceville. cattivopgh.com

MONDAY With Confidence / Broadside 6 p.m. The Rex Theater, South Side. rextheater.net

TUESDAY Helena Deland 8 p.m. Club Café, South Side. clubcafelive.com

WEDNESDAY Straight No Chaser 7:30 p.m. Benedum Center, Downtown. trustarts.org

MORE LISTINGS ONLINE

AT PGHCITYPAPER.COM 48

PGHCITYPAPER.COM

explore and present their work despite unpopularity with the public. The group continues today, and to commemorate its longevity, Group A: Celebrating 75 Years at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts will feature painting, sculpture, photography, and other media from the collective’s long history. The opening reception for the exhibit features a screening of Group A 75th Anniversary 1944 - 2019, a documentary about the group. Runs through Jan. 20, 2019.

5:30-9 p.m. 6300 Fifth Ave., Shadyside. pfpca.org

TALK

Sports nostalgia is the best kind of nostalgia. Enjoy this “Blass from the Past” in an Evening with Steve Blass.

The legendary Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher joins host John McIntire of KDKA at the Oaks Theater for an intimate discussion about the glory days of baseball. Blass, famous for pitching two complete game victories in the 1971 World Series, will reminisce about the times when a pitcher going the distance was normal.

Blass will even delve into the “Steve Blass disease,” when he inexplicably lost control of his pitches after the 1972 season. His downward slide was so prominent that players and sportswriters began using the term anytime players’ talent fell from grace so quickly. Autographs and a meet-and-greet follow the show.

6:30 p.m. 310 Allegheny River Blvd., Oakmont. $20-25. theoakstheater.com

TALK

Celebrate the life and career of legendary jazz vocalist Joe Williams at Manchester Craftmen’s Guild Jazz. Williams is probably best known for his vocals with Count Basie Orchestra and Lionel Hampton Orchestra, or later work like his Grammyaward winning 1984 album Nothin’ But The Blues. Iconic actor/singer/comedian Keith David (his filmography is too long to narrow down, but you definitely know him) portrays Williams along with a backing big band, telling stories and singing songs from the singer’s days with the Basie band. Celebrating Joe Williams Centennial plays at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. 1815 Metropolitan St., North Side. $51. mcgjazz.org

ART

The subjects of Andy Warhol’s lucrative Ladies and Gentlemen commission — a series featuring portraits of trans women and African-American and Latina drag queens — were never named when the collection premiered in Italy in 1975.

Instead, the participants who sat for Polaroids received a modest stipend of $50.

After much research, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts successfully identified each subject, one of which is iconic transgender performer and activist Marsha “Pay it No Mind” Johnson. To discuss the endemic erasure of trans women of color, Andy Warhol Museum brings Happy Birthday, Marsha!, a historical fiction

documentary starring Independent Spirit Award Winner Mya Taylor, to The Warhol theater. Following the film is a discussion about visibility, representation, and authorship with filmmakers Tourmaline and Sasha Wortzel. 7-9 p.m. 117 Sandusky St., North Side. Free. warhol.org

EVENT

Find retro duds and cool art when the Three Pigs Vintage collective storefront officially opens for business. The vintage clothing and art collective offers one-ofa-kind fashion collections. The website describes each piece as “carefully curated, perfected, and styled within the playful world of [Three Pigs Vintage’s] surreal, industrial-glam fantasies.” The space kicks off with a party full of fun activities, including a painted backdrop photo booth, tunes from DJ Stephanie Tsong, live performances, and more. Be one of the first 50 guests and receive a mystery goodie bag. 8 p.m. 5218 Butler St., Lawrenceville. Free. threepigsvintage.com

SATURDAY DEC. 1 ART

Looking for the perfect holiday gift for the person who has everything or has a taste for the offbeat? Shop all the unique goods at the Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show, a traveling showcase for local makers. The

^ Wed., Dec. 5: Cloud Nothings

large, family-friendly event comes to the Teamsters Local Union 249 Banquet Hall to feature vendors working in creative home decor, festive finds, handmade jewelry, and more. A portion of the proceeds goes to Girls on the Run, a nonprofit that empowers girls and young women through running. 10 a.m.

4701 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $3, free for kids under 12. avantgardeshows.com

SHOPPING

Having a hard time picking out gifts this year? How about a monster-shaped growler from PickledAliens Pottery for your beerguzzling boyfriend? Gender-neutral truck and dinosaur shirts from 2468 Kids for that badass little one in your life? A “P is for Pierogi” tea towel by garbella for, well, pretty much anyone in Pittsburgh? I Made It! for the Holidays brings over 100 local artisans to the former Macy’s Department Store at The Waterfront for two days of one-of-a-kind holiday shopping. Admission is free, and Workshop PGH, East Liberty’s popular DIY school, will also be providing hands-on activities. Check the website before you leave home for a map of the vendors. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Continues

through Sun., Dec. 2. 162 East Bridge St., Homestead. Imadeitmarket.com

MUSIC

Missed Friendsgiving this year? Fill the void with music and other people’s friends.

Hip-hop artist Benji., funk/rock group Back Alley Sound, and jazz/R&B singer Chloe Wiecz Collective are coming together at Cattivo for Benji. & Friends! — an end-ofyear party stacked with local talent. Benji. tweeted, “There will be so many beautiful people in the room and the music will … undoubtedly transform the vibes into something amazing.” Who needs their own set of friends when live music is available?

7 p.m. 146 44th St., Lawrenceville. $12, $14 day of. cattivopgh.com

FOOD

When the folks at Cinderlands Beer Company were deciding how to celebrate its first year in operation, they chose to liken being open for one year to waking up on the weekend. The idea is if the life of a business is plotted across a Saturday, the first year would be waking up to a great breakfast and coffee before planning out

and conquering the day. Extending that comparison further, Cinderlands is flipping its format completely for one night into a cozy breakfast space. This event promises all-you-can-eat breakfast for dinner, anniversary glasses and drafts included with the price of admission.

Organizers invite attendees to show up in pajamas and join in the merriment.

Regular admission includes four tickets for full pours of drafts, while the VIP ticket includes unlimited pours of beer and two four-packs of unreleased beer.

7 p.m. Cinderlands Beer Co. 3705 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $50-96. cinderlands.com

MUSIC

Pittsburgh-based stoner/doom metal band Horehound celebrates the release of its sophomore album with a special show at Brillobox. Two years after their self-titled debut, Horehound return with Holocene, a six-track album with lyrics by vocalist Shy Kennedy. The band describes it as maintaining “the original Horehoundheavy” while being “driven into deeper depths of dark, hardened post-doom metal.” The release show includes

performances by fellow metalheads Lady Beast and the experimental sludge sounds of Pyrithe. 9 p.m. 4104 Penn Ave., Bloomfield. $10. brilloboxpgh.com

SUNDAY DEC. 2 READING

Local author Sharon G. Flake appears at the Carnegie Library Lecture Hall to celebrate the 20th anniversary of her award-winning young adult novel The Skin I’m In, which follows a young black girl struggling with self-acceptance after being bullied for the darkness of her skin. The event also includes a book signing in the Children’s Department of Carnegie Library’s main branch in Oakland. Flake’s more recent books include Unstoppable Octobia May, a mystery novel about a young girl confronting racism and vampires, and You Don’t Even Know Me, a collection of poems and stories about young black men struggling with growing up. 2:30 p.m. 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland. carnegiemuseums.org CONTINUES ON PG. 50

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 28-DEC. 5, 2018

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^ Tue., Dec. 4: Chanukah Festival

EXERCISE

Ready, set, trot! The annual Trot for Tots in Oakdale steps off Sunday morning at the Oakdale Community Center. Runners and walkers have the option of taking part in the 5K, 10K, or both races back-toback. The course is fast and flat, tracing the Panhandle Trail in Oakdale, opening up the event to participants of all ages.

The race benefits the Amachi program of Pittsburgh, which provides mentors to children impacted by incarceration. Event organizers ask participants bring at least one unwrapped gift to donate to the Amachi program. Toys can be dropped off prior to the race, during packet pickup, or the day of the race. Participants can expect hot soup, hot chocolate and other goodies. 5-10 p.m. 104 Seminary Ave., Oakdale. Free. beaconpgh.com

MUSIC

What better way to get in the holidaymusic mood than with classic seasonal covers and fresh holiday tracks from Pittsburgh artists and bands? Enter HughShows Holiday, a screening of performances from 17 local musicians

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including Clara Kent, Mark Dignam, Sierra Sellers, Gene Stovall, Just Fern, Molly Alphabet, Wreck Loose, and more. With admission price, attendees receive the companion CD from Misra Records at the event’s completion. If you’re feeling lucky and musically inclined, there are also raffles with the chance to win a spot in the 2019 edition of HughShows TV, a Misra Records merchandise prize package, four hours of recording time at Just-Records in Dormont, or a main stage slot at the 7th Annual Deutschtown Music Festival in July. 6 p.m.

Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall, 300 Beechwood Ave., Carnegie. $10. hughshowsholiday.brownpapertickets.com

MONDAY DEC. 3 COMEDY

Do you love Trailer Park Boys as much as Bubbles loves his trailer park cats? Well, you are in [expletive] luck. The boys (Ricky, Julian, Randy, and Bubbles) are returning to Pittsburgh for another holiday

hootenanny. The gang from Sunnyvale Trailer Park in Nova Scotia, Canada performs a comedy/music show at the Benedum Center. They’re celebrating Xmas, and there is sure to be cheery songs and booze-filled rambles. Also expect Ricky and Randy to try to fleece you while you are trying soak in the holiday spirit.

Sort of obvious at this point, but this is an adult-themed show. 8-11 p.m.

Benedum Center, 237 Seventh St., Downtown. $32-68. trustarts.org

TUESDAY DEC. 4

HANUKKAH

This has been of the darkest years in recent memory for the Jewish community, so there’s no better time to celebrate Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. The Chanukah Festival at the Waterfront begins as it does every year with the Menorah Parade in the parking lot of Rodef Shalom. And what’s a holiday celebration without carnivalesque activities

like face painting and axe throwing?

To top it all off, there’s a performance from Orthodox Jewish rapper Nissim Black. 4:30-8:30 p.m. 149 West Bridge St., Homestead. chabadpgh.com

WEDNESDAY DEC. 5 MUSIC

After about a decade churning out high-energy, charismatic, guitar-driven punk to flattering reviews, Cloud Nothings put out its best record to date with 2018’s Last Building Burning. The fuzz, raucous fun, and lo-fi charm remains from the early days, but the songs (“On The Edge” and “Dissolution” in particular) feel smarter, more fleshed out, and more memorable than anything that came before it. If you’re unfamiliar, but know/ like folks like No Age, Japandroids, and Titus Andronicus, expand your palate a bit with Cloud Nothings and The Courtneys at Stage AE. 7 p.m. 400 N. Shore Drive., North Side. $15. promowestlive.com •

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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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Pittsburgh City Paper advertising department is seeking a Senior Account Executive. In this role, you will identify and develop new business opportunities; keep and grow existing client relationships; offers solution that help clients achieve their business goals, closes business and meet set sales target.

for purchase on November 12, 2018 at Modern Reproductions (412-488-7700), 127 McKean Street, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15219 between 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. The cost of the Project Manual Documents is non-refundable.

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We are an equal rights and opportunity school district

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Pittsburgh City Paperis an EOE.

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 28-DEC. 5, 2018

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GOING PLACES

BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY // WWW.BRENDANEMMETTQUIGLEY.COM

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1. Jazz singer Marlena 5. Serious contender 11. “The Neighborhood” channel 14. One saving the day 15. Tribe in the First Nations 16. Back-rub response 17. Spirit 18. “I’m outta here” 20. Gently tease 21. Reindeer’s coat?

22. Fancy boats 23. Reduces to mush 25. Thriller author Dekker 28. CitiField pro 29. Musical based on Green Day songs 32. Price fig.?

33. Stampede 34. War god 35. Historian Preston 37. Wounded in the bullring 39. Capt.’s deck aide 40. Fall in with 44. Unicorn’s debut, briefly 45. Erythrocytes, more commonly 49. Actor/ director Vincent 51. Musician’s skill

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52. R-rated 53. Galaxy missives 55. Palindromic relative 57. Award for Emma Thompson 58. Robin Hood’s buddy, and a hint to this puzzle’s theme 61. German automaker 62. Small bill 63. Spotted wildcat 64. Apothecary item 65. Married 66. “I haven’t heard anything” 67. “Mindhunter” actress Torv

DOWN 1. Mountain guide 2. It can raise your voice 3. Suitable for farming 4. Came out on top 5. Quantum physics pioneer Niels 6. Worked up 7. Some appliances 8. Code sound 9. Singer/reality TV star Aubrey 10. Dan Fogelman’s musical comedy fairy tale series 11. Sweater material 12. Like fish sticks

and chicken-fried steak 13. Some ginger ales 19. Unfriendly 21. Like kimchi 24. Image handler 26. School address part 27. Insult 30. Fox News personality Owens 31. “Puh-lease!”

34. Packing a piece 35. “Feel-good” neurotransmitter 36. Cut off 38. Seal eaters 39. “The Hurt Locker” director 41. Poem said with

a lyre, perhaps 42. Thunder grp.

43. Nightclub entertainment 45. Antiperspirant type 46. Group together 47. Flannel catalog company 48. Belgian beer, for short 50. ___ AF (extremely awesome) 54. Like Rioja wine 56. Chief takeaways: Abbr.

59. Comedian Kirkman 60. FC Barcelona cheer 61. Oologists’ studies LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS

PEEPSHOW A sex and social justice column

SUBMISSIVE SELF-CARE

BY JESSIE SAGE // PEEPSHOWCAST@GMAIL.COM

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ELF-CARE suggestions often include

activities like jogging, journaling, yoga, or therapy. But, Mr. X, an NYC-based writer, has discovered that for him, self-care means being beaten into submission by a professional dominatrix. We talked about his experiences over morning coffee.

Mr. X: I first got into BDSM in college after reading The Story of O, I was transfixed.

There were certainly foreshadowings, like my fascination with The Stations of the Cross: The combination of suffering and grandiosity appealed to me, though I couldn’t really understand or articulate why. But reading O made me understand it as a sexual fetish. [The first time with a dominatrix] was divine. She really worked me over with three whips.

Sage: Was your wife interested in BDSM when you met her?

Mr. X: From early on I told her all about my dark desires. She was intrigued though not yet an enthusiast. I seduced her into the life. While she’s dominant, she’s still not physically rough, which I crave, so a little professional intervention fills that gap.

Sage: What impact has this had on your marriage?

Mr. X: Part of the reason this all works is that I have a deep trust in our bond and we can do all kinds of risky things, and it will survive, deepen even.

Sage: Do you have a sense of where your desires come from?

Mr. X: I think a lot of my interest in masochism comes from eroticizing sexual guilt. My mother always told me women don’t enjoy sex, and that men, with all their bad desires, impose it on them. Turning that into an erotic thrill is revenge on my mother.

Sage: Would you describe these practices as healing or therapeutic to you?

Mr. X: All of it, the dominatrix, the BDSM in daily life, is a way to have a very sexual life despite my mother’s toxic traces.

I suppose an orthodox shrink would say I’m perpetuating them through my kinks, but I say F that.

Sage: What is the most positive impact of your time with dominatrices?

Mr. X: I’ve seen maybe ten or so over the years, but Mistress Blunt is really in a class by herself. She’s very skilled technically, but she’s also very psychological. At our first session, she asked me all kinds of questions about my psychosexual history. Of course, I was naked, caged, kneeling before her, so it was not a standard analyst-analysand relationship. But we’ve continued that sort of discourse since.

Sage: Are there any particular sessions that stand out?

Mr. X: A few sessions ago she was asking me if I was being a good slave to my wife. I’d been acting up, being depressed and cranky, so I had to admit I wasn’t. After some conversation, Blunt whipped me, punctuating the strokes with admonitions to give up the ego. I came home, nicely marked (inside and out!) and recounted to my wife what we’d talked about, my need to surrender, the crankiness as a defense against that surrender.

She says that I usually return from Blunt’s with a submissive glow that lingers, but this one had more explicit psychological content.

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. 33 In Episode 33, we had the opportunity to speak with the hosts of the popular podcast, Sluts and Scholars, where friends and co-hosts Nicoletta Heidegger and Simone come together weekly to “talk smart and f*** smarter.”

We reflected on the career risks of having a public show that dives into issues of sex. While Simone and Nicoletta are not sex workers, being porn- and sex work-adjacent means that they have found themselves subject to the same sorts of censorship often experienced by sex workers.

As a therapist, Nicoletta sometimes worries that the sex podcast may interfere with therapy if, for instance, clients were to listen to the podcast and want to process what they have heard in session. Yet, she says, “Therapy in and of itself is becoming less Freudian. We are real, individual people bearing witness to other real, individual people.”

As a full spectrum doula, abortion rights activists, and law student, Simone has made different choices. Given that anti-abortion protestors often search for ways to discredit abortion advocates, she has chosen to use a pseudonym for the podcast. She comments, “It would be really sad if something I was so proud of [the podcast], jeopardized my ability to do the legal advocacy that is so important to me.” peepshowpodcast.com/ peepshow-podcast-episode-33

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 28-DEC. 5, 2018

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