July 14, 2021 - Pittsburgh City Paper/City Guide

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CITYGUIDE

g n i r u o t burgh s t t i p 2021-2022

HOW MANY TIMES have you been watching a movie and either recognized a building in a scene or spotted someone you’ve known as an extra because it was filmed in Pittsburgh? The Hollywood of the East is becoming a hot spot for films, from 2012’s Dark Knight Rises to 2016’s Fences, with more and more large movie companies coming to town in recent years. We’ve highlighted a few of our favorite filming locations from years past in one of our Tours of Pittsburgh for this year’s City Guide, full of different themed voyages around the city, for Pittsburghers of all ages.

At Pittsburgh City Paper, we still discover new things about the amazing people and places in this city every single week, and we’re so fortunate to be able to share them with our readers.

How many times have you walked past a ghost sign, for instance, and wondered about its historic past? We do that too, and found information about five of our favorites for you in this guide.

Looking for some family-friendly spots to take your kids? We’ve got 냖㵸蔻 you covered. Want some new records for your music collection? Pittsburgh is a hot spot for vinyl lovers, and we’ve got some great local musicians who should be on your radar too. And our food? Let’s just say there’s a reason Pittsburgh is becoming a foodie destination.

So come on, take our hand, and let us take you on a tour of some of the city’s best.

COVER PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM COVER MODEL: KIMBERLY ROONEY

- Lisa Cunningham, editor in chief

4 PGHCITYPAPER.COM

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d o o w y l l t s o h ea A film lovers’ tour of Pittsburgh

BY BRIAN CONWAY // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM 6 PGHCITYPAPER.COM

O

n the big screen, Pittsburgh has played host to superheroes and river cops, face-stealing psychopaths, aspiring dancers, struggling professional basketball teams and minor-league hockey teams, and more than a few flesh-eating zombies. Here are a few of our favorite local landmarks where famous Pittsburgh movie moments went down. >>

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER CITY GUIDE 2021 7

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fun fact That’s fake snow on the ground!

Dark Knight Rises was filmed in Pittsburgh in July, which meant all of the filming locations, including Downtown Pittsburgh, were frequently covered in fake snow while the film crews were in town.

Christian Bale, playing Batman, stands around in between scenes at the Mellon Institute building in Oakland (left) while hundreds of extras (above) act out a scene when the Batmobile drove up the steps of the Institute with shrapnel flying in the air from an explosion during the filming of Dark Knight Rises on July 31, 2011.

Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Mellon Institute 4400 Fifth Avenue, Oakland. cmu.edu ..............................................

One of the biggest blockbusters ever filmed in the city, the third Batman film of the Dark Knight trilogy features a number of climactic scenes that are recognizably Pittsburgh, from the Downtown chase scene to the football game at Heinz Field in which a yawning chasm opens up to swallow a football team and a kicker who, for some reason, was played by then-Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. We recommend CMU’s Mellon Institute, whose austere Ionic columns serve as Gotham City Hall and the backdrop for when Bane (played by Tom Hardy) calls for Blackgate Penitentiary to be stormed.

Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum 4141 Fifth Ave., Oakland. soldiersandsailorshall.org ..............................................

Maybe the most terrifying psychological horror film ever made, Silence of the Lambs was filmed in and around the Steel City, most famously the University of Pittsburgh’s enormous Beaux-Arts Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall, which played host to the iconic scene CONTINUES ON PG. 10 8 PGHCITYPAPER.COM

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER CITY GUIDE 2021 9

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CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

Kennywood, the filming location of coming-of-age movie Adventureland

in which Hannibal Lector, played by the inimitable Anthony Hopkins, escapes his holding cell. Other spots include the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, as well as the old Moxley’s Drug Store on the corner of Eighth and Amity in Homestead.

Dogma (1999) St. Peter and Paul Church (closed) 130 Larimer Ave., East Liberty ..............................................

Snoochie boochies, dude. The Catholic League (and some 30 other groups) called for a boycott of this flick, which the Los Angeles Times called “a raucous, profane but surprisingly endearing piece of work.” Why? The Kevin Smith comedy features Ben Affleck and Matt Damon as fallen angels looking to re-enter heaven through a loophole in doctrine, courtesy of

a new Catholic movement fronted by a thumbs-up, winking version of Jesus, pushed by a Cardinal played by George Carlin. The climactic final scene happens on the steps outside the long-vacant St. Peter and Paul Church in East Liberty. It’s the last thing you see before the credits.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) West End Overlook

Marlow Street, West End ..........................

You already know the iconic scene from Stephen Chbosky’s angsty coming-of-age film based upon his novel of the same name.

Actor Emma Watson’s character stands in the back of a pick-up truck barreling toward the Fort Pitt Bridge, Bowie’s “Heroes” blaring, arms outstretched, yearning for freedom and release more than any movie character coming through a tunnel since Tim Robbins’ character at the end of Shawshank Redemption. We recommend the view, but not the act itself; instead, head to the West End Overlook.

Often, uh, overlooked for the more popular views along Grandview Avenue in Mount Washington, it’s sometimes where the characters would hang out after school.

Adventureland (2009) Kennywood

4800 Kennywood Boulevard, West Mifflin. kennywood.com ....................................................

Some places, you don’t want to see change. West Mifflin’s Kennywood, the 122-year-old, self-proclaimed “Finest Traditional Amusement Park in America,” possesses a timeless charm that made it the perfect stand-in for a well-worn theme park in this 2009 teenage coming-of-age film. Kristen Stewart’s character worked the milk bottle game by the wooden 101-year-old Jack Rabbit roller coaster, which, to us, is the beating heart of Kennywood.

After a century, purists still debate whether or not the front or back seat provides the most memorable experience. We say: try both, and then decide ¯\_(: )_/¯.

’

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CAVACINIGARDEN PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER CITY GUIDE 2021 11

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Horror movie fan Jeff Crehan poses as a zombie outside Monroeville Mall’s The Living Dead Museum, full of memorabilia and relics from Dawn of the Dead, which was filmed inside the mall.

Fences (2016) Industry mural, Allegheny County Courthouse 436 Grant St., Downtown. alleghenycounty.us ..............................................

The works of August Wilson, Pittsburgh’s playwright laureate and chronicler of everyday Black life in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, are enjoying a resurgence in popular culture. This film, based on the sixth in Wilson’s “Pittsburgh Cycle” of ten plays, was directed by and stars Denzel Washington. (Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, which featured both Chaswick Boseman and Viola Davis, was shot in Pittsburgh in 2019, though mostly on a soundstage, and as a stand-in for 1920s Chicago.)

It’s important to remember that 100 acres of the Lower Hill were torn down in the 1950s to make 12 PGHCITYPAPER.COM

way for the Civic Arena, displacing and diminishing some of the neighborhood that once rivaled Harlem and Bronzeville as a cultural hub. All that is to say, only a few places in the Hill were actually included in the movie (shoutout to Shirl the Pearl’s), with many of the local scenes being shot in Pittsburgh’s West End instead.

We recommend heading to the County Courthouse for an up-close look at “Industry,” one of five Vincent Nesbert murals, painted during the Works Progress Administration and whose steelworkers are the subject of a long-panning shot that establishes a scene inside the courthouse itself.

Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Monroeville Mall 200 Mall Circle Drive, Monroeville. monroevillemall.com ..............................................

The ambling undead of George Romero’s zombie franchise are the benchmark upon which all other zombie films are measured. And while 1968’s black and white Night of the Living Dead is where it all began, 1978’s Dawn of the Dead is the high water mark, a terrifying film in which the dead return to feast upon the living, and a critique of mindless consumerism. It was filmed almost entirely inside the

Monroeville Mall, and a new, paid-entry Living Dead museum just opened inside the shopping center in June, filled with movie memorabilia and relics of this cult classic and others.

(Easter Egg: the Pittsburgh-filmed Zack and Miri Make a Porno includes a nod to this flick in the form of Seth Rogan’s hockey team, the Monroeville Zombies.)

Pittsburgh (2006) Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ..............................................

Jeff Goldblum travels back to Pittsburgh, his hometown. (Calm down, West Homestead, we know he’s really yours.) It is Pittsburgh, and yet it isn’t. It’s a mockumentary where actors play themselves and reality isn’t what it seems. This is Jeff Goldblum’s world. We are all just living in it. •

around the world, at home

A global food tour of Pittsburgh

BY CELINE ROBERTS // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

F

or the last year, international travel has been mostly grounded, but it’s still possible to experience a taste of the wider world.

Pittsburgh’s different neighborhood nooks and crannies are full of global flavors. Our city is particularly rich in the many cuisines of Asia and, of course, we’re often considered to have a synonymous identity with the Polish pierogi. We still love our Steeltown mainstays (red sauce Italian and the aforementioned Polish foods) brought to us by previous immigration waves, but now we can also enjoy the cuisines of more recent newcomers and immigrants. Explore the city’s global cuisine with a few places we think are worth a visit. >>

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CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

Chengdu Gourmet owner Wei Zhu prepares a dish in his Squirrel Hill restaurant.

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER CITY GUIDE 2021 15

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CP PHOTO: KAYCEE ORWIG

Before you head to a restaurant, make sure to check their website or call ahead.

Many restaurants may still be operating at reduced hours or serving take-out only due to the pandemic.

Pro tip: Ordering take-out directly from a restaurant, instead of using a national food delivery app, is the best way to show your support.

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Paris 66 Bistro in East Liberty

Caribbean

Central America

................................................

................................................

Jamaica

Mexico

2 Sisters 2 Sons

La Palapa

1882 Main St., Sharpsburg.

2sisters2sons.com After running a restaurant in Wilkinsburg, these sisters teamed up with their sons for a new space, which opened in 2020. Traditional dishes like oxtail join a few vegan and vegetarian options.

2224 E. Carson St., South Side. lapalapapgh.com The menu mostly hones in on traditional dishes like sopa de tortilla, carne asada, and tamales (don’t worry, there’s still queso dip). Vegetarian options are excellent and offer modern flair with the option of soyrizo (vegan chorizo).

Leon’s Carribean 23 E. Warrington Ave., Allentown. leonscaribbeanrestaurant.com Leon Rose left Jamaica in 1979 and worked around the country before landing in Pittsburgh and starting Leon’s. Check out the curry goat, jerk chicken, and red snapper escovitch.

El Salvador/ Honduras/Guatemala El Comedor de la Tia 1605 Broadway Ave., Beechview.

412-815-8801 El Comedor de la Tia is one of the growing number of Latin

American options in Beechview.

It’s the only local place where we’ve seen shucos, a type of loaded hotdog on a toasted bun that’s a popular Guatemalan street food.

South America ................................................

Argentina Gaucho Parrilla Argentina 146 Sixth St., Downtown. eatgaucho.com Before its 2020 move to a larger Downtown location, the line for Gaucho’s small storefront always wrapped around the block. Come for the asada platter, but stay for the sandwiches. Their wine list offers exclusively Argentine wines.

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CP PHOTO: KAYCEE ORWIG

Customers enjoy a meal at The Colombian Spot in the South Side.

Brazil

Venezuela

France

Hungary

Casa Brasil

Cilantro y Ajo

Paris 66 Bistro

Huszar

5904 Bryant St., Highland Park. casa-brasil.com This small Brazilian restaurant delves into the country’s cuisine beyond steakhouses. Moqueca, frango con quiabo (chicken and okra), and vaca atolada offer traditional flavors, but the menu offers vegan and vegetarian options as well.

901 E. Carson St., South Side. cilantroajo.com Street foods like chacapas (a sweet corn pancake stuffed with cheese) and empanadas are the stars at this family-owned spot.

6018 Centre Ave., East Liberty. paris66bistro.com A transportative space where the staff all speak French. Grab moule-frites or go for the fine dining experience with filet mignon d or cherry-glazed roasted duck. o

627 E. North Ave., North Side. huszarpittsburgh.com Hungarian favorites like chicken paprikás, goulash, and red cabbage slaw make up the heavy homemade fare of this second generation Hungarian bar turned restaurant.

Colombia The Colombian Spot 2019 E. Carson St., South Side. thecolombianspot-pgh.com The arepas here are made entirely in-house, from the washing and grinding of the corn, to the fillings.

A large section of native dishes helps guide diners toward traditional flavors like ropa vieja.

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Europe ..........................................

Britain The Pub Chip Shop 1830 E. Carson St., South Side. thepubchipshop.com Fish and chips, savory pies, and baps — simple sandwiches on buttery rolls — make for the perfect brown bag foods.

Pair with a beer or a scotch egg for the full experience.

Italy It Bar Marco Ba 2 Penn Ave., Strip District.

2216 barmarcopgh.com Regional Italian cuisine with a focus on Piemontese dishes. Pork tonnato and housemade pastas are homey and satisfying.

The restaurant is also known for its cocktail and wine programs.

Jozsa Corner 4800 Second Ave., Hazelwood. jozsacorner.com This tiny, reservation-only restaurant is the life’s work of Alexander Bodnar, who has been making homemade Hungarian food in the space since 1988. Dumplings, gulyas, cucumber salad, and more. BYOB.

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CP PHOTO: MEGAN GLOECKLER

Africa

Kavsar

................................................

16 Southern Ave., Mount Washington. kavsar.company.site All halal foods from a talented homecook-turned-chef and her husband, who runs the front of the house. The manti is a must.

Ethiopia

Middle East ................................................

Lebanon Mediterranean Grill 5835 Forbes Ave., Squirrel Hill. medgrillpgh.com Lebanese fare in a small bright space. Skewers, pita, and a host of lamb and beef entrees make up the menu. Moussaka is a must try.

Levantine B52 Café 5202 Butler St., Lawrenceville. b52pgh.com An airy cafe that specializes in vegan dishes from Israel, Palestine, Syria, Jordan. and Lebanon. Baba ganoush, falafel, and hummus are great for a light lunch.

Libya/Lebanon/ Yemen Salem’s Market and Grill 2923 Penn Ave., Strip District. salemsmarketgrill.com A halal restaurant and butcher shop that serves hot and cold dishes for take-out and dine in. Grilled kebabs and curries are staples.

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Russia/Uzbekistan

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Kiin Lao and Thai’s Pun Mieng Entree

c h t i e n K s To Y r i e h T o

Tana Ethopian Cuisine 5929 Baum Blvd., East Liberty. tanaethiopiancuisine.com Approaching institution-status, this intimate Ethopian restaurant offers family-style dishes and samplers. Diverse options for vegetarians.

Nigeria African Eats Cuisine 2032 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill. africaneatscuisine.com A recent addition to Squirrel Hill specializing in West African dishes like jollof rice, suya, and egusi stew and efo riro.

Asia ................................................

Burma Royal Myanmar 644 Center Ave., West View. pittsburghroyalmyanmar.com Burmese cuisine combines flavors from southeast Asia for bright and flavorful foods.

Pickled tea leaf salad, brothy fish dishes, and milder curries are all on the menu here.

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AROUND THE WORLD, CONTINUED FROM PG. 19

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Owner Seifu Haileyesus prepares a sampler of various meats and vegetables at Tana Ethiopian Cuisine in 2018.

China (Sichuan)

Japan

Chengdu Gourmet

Mola

5840 Forward Ave., Squirrel Hill. chengdugourmetpittsburgh.com Herbaceous, mouthwatering and fiery, Chengdu brings the nuance of the Sichuan region to its food. Try a classic like mapo tofu or cumin lamb, or bring a large group and order as many dishes as you think you can eat! American-style Chinese and traditional Chinese menus offered.

6018 Penn Ave., East Liberty. themolafish.com Mola is the inspiration of a husbandwife team of owners. Sushi, handrolls, and bao are all made with very fresh ingredients. Spring for the Mola rice.

India (Southern) Udipi Cafe 4141 Old William Penn Hwy., Monroeville. 412-373-5581 Nice for a solo lunch or a large group dinner, the dishes here center around dosas, a fermented rice and lentil crepe stuffed with chutneys, potatoes, and onions, which can be used to eat with curries or bitten into on its own.

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Korea Nak Won Garden

flavors typify Lao cuisine.

This restaurant offers both Lao and Thai dishes. Try the orm, an herbal stew with lemongrass, dill, eggplant, wood ear mushrooms, and green beans served with sticky rice.

Nepal/Bhutan Namaste Momo Corner

5504 Centre Ave., Shadyside. nakwongarden.com Family-sized plates, Korean barbeque, and traditional selections like hot pot and mool nengmyun, a dish with cold buckwheat noodles in a tart beef broth.

4114 Sawmill Run Blvd., Brentwood. 412-819-4913 Nepalese dumplings (called momo) are a rare treat that Pittsburgh now gets to experience. Fillings run the range of mutton, chicken, vegetables, and green chilis.

Laos/Thailand

Taiwan

Kiin Lao & Thai Eatery

Taiwainese Bistro Cafe 33

5846 Forbes Ave., Squirrel Hill. kiinpgh.com Herbal, pungent, and bitter

1711 Shady Ave., Squirrel Hill. twcafe33.com Cafe 33 feels like a warm hug.

Excellent service pairs with traditional foods you can’t get elsewhere, like fried stinky tofu.

Thailand Pusadee’s Garden 5319 Butler St., Lawrenceville. pusadeesgarden.com A recent renovation has brought the beauty of Pusadee’s dishes into its surroundings.

Curry, street noodles, and excellent appetizers.

Vietnam Pho Minh 4917 Penn Ave., Garfield. 412-661-7443 Excellent pho, a complex and slow-cooked Vietnamese beef stew, in a small-hole-inthe-wall space. •

Locations LAWRENCEVILLE

3601 Butler St. Pittsburgh, PA 15201 412.904.2622

ZELIENOPLE

215 W New Castle St. Zelienople, PA 16063 724.473.0710

get smashed, eat responsibly

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SQUIRREL HILL

OAKLAND

1900 Murray Ave.

328 Atwood St.

Tel 412-521-1313 Fax 412-521-1223

Tel 412-621-6889 Fax 412-621-6890

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Restaurant in Pittsburgh for three year

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www.sichuangourmet.us PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER CITY GUIDE 2021 21

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A customer browses through the selection at Attic Record Store in Millvale.

22 PGHCITYPAPER.COM

spinnin’

records A music lovers’ tour of Pittsburgh

BY DANI JANAE // DANIJANAE@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER CITY GUIDE 2021 23

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CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

Marcus Dorsey, co-owner of Dorsey’s Records, poses for a portrait in Homewood.

P

ittsburgh is a city full of musical talent and music lovers. Whether you’re looking to watch a local favorite or trying to see a global superstar, it’s easy for music fans to find something to love in the Steel City.

Pittsburgh is also a place that loves to support local businesses, and what better way to do that than to visit one of the many record stores in the area. Luckily for music lovers, Pittsburgh artists can also be found among the vinyl collections in many local shops. We put together a guide of some of our favorite music shops in the region, with a few recommendations of local artists to pick up at several locations, to help take you on a tour of the city while adding to your personal collection.

the ’30s all the way to the 2000s, including hip hop, pop, soul, doo-wop, blues, psychedelia, jazz, indie, and metal. Currently, the best-selling local records at Attic are rapper Moemaw Naedon’s newest album Cult Theatre and punk band Fuck Yeah, Dinosaurs!’

65 Billion Beers Ago.

Dorsey’s Record Shop Amazing Books & Records 929 Liberty Ave., Downtown. amazingbooksandrecords.com ..................................................

The name of this shop gives you a pretty good idea of what you’ll find inside. The Downtown location is a cute, intimate space, featuring a wide variety of books and records. In addition to selling new albums, they’ll also buy records from you, and have an 24 PGHCITYPAPER.COM

interest in a slew of categories like heavy metal, post-punk, R&B, and blues.

Attic Record Store 513 Grant Ave., Millvale. atticrecordstoreinc.com ..................................................

Attic Record Store is a favorite among Pittsburghers. Home to CDs, records, and turntables, the shop has something for every music fan. It carries music from

7614 Frankstown Ave., Homewood. Search “Dorsey’s Digital Imaging” on Facebook ..................................................

Dorsey’s has been around for decades, and is an integral part of Homewood’s history.

It has a variety of underground R&B, jazz, and hip-hop selections.

It also provides a selection of soul and gospel CDs, in addition to serving as a place for converting LPs into CDs or VHS into DVDs.

Eide’s Entertainment 1121 Penn Ave., Downtown. eides.com ..................................................

Eide’s provides records, comics, magazines, movies, and more.

While primarily known for comics, their collectible record stock is also pretty extensive. They carry many classic favorites like Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles, and KISS, and a good selection of 45s.

Get Hip Records 1800 Columbus Ave., North Side. gethip.com ..................................................

Get Hip doubles as a record store and an independent music label and distributor. They have over 20,000 titles to choose from, and we recommend checking out their vast online store. Get Hip launched as a distributor in 1986, but they are dedicated to bringing you the sounds from

SEPTEMBER 10-12, 2021

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

Jerry’s Records in Squirrel Hill

before the ‘80s. In the shop, which opened in 2017, you can find records from Pittsburgh bands including The Cynics, featuring Get Hips’ co-owner Gregg Kostelich on guitar.

collection and allow you to buy, sell, and trade records. A favorite among vinyl collectors of all ages, Jerry’s has a whole section of local music including Billy Price, Diamond Reo, and lots more classics.

Government Center

Pleasant Dreams Records

715 East St., North Side. thegovernmentcenter.com ..................................................

The Government Center is a beloved store on the North Side that carries everything from AC/DC and dvsn to local favorites Come Holy Spirit and Buscrates. You’ve gotta hit up this store in person because, according to their website, they don’t sell records online because they’d “rather talk to people in person because we believe shopping for something as important as music should involve human interaction.”

They also occasionally host live shows from local musicians, and just moved into a new location.

Jerry’s Records 2136 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill. jerrysrecords.com ..................................................

Jerry’s Records was named one of the best record stores in America

by Rolling Stone in 2010.

The original owner, Jerry Weber, sold the business to employee Chris Grauzer in 2017, but the shop’s still going strong after over 40 years. They have an extensive

3138 Dobson St., Polish Hill. instagram.com/ pleasantdreamsrecords ..................................................

Pleasant Dreams is a record store specifically dedicated to the punk genre. That’s not all they carry, though. You’ll find movies and the occasional Kate Bush record, too. In this spot, you can find the record Welcome to Pittsburgh … don’t move here, featuring 14 tracks from the Pittsburgh hardcore scene.

PITTSBURGH

FESTIVAL

Vinyl Remains 692 Washington Road, Mt. Lebanon. vinylremainspg13.com ..................................................

Launched by Pittsburgh transplants, this store brings records to the South Hills. In addition to the kinds of records you wouldn’t be surprised to find at a local spot, Vinyl Remains also has the surprising presence of horror movie soundtracks. The space also houses a small art gallery, showcasing prints, shirts, books, and stickers from various artists. •

#PGHIRISHFEST AT SANDCASTLE

THE LOTS AT SANDCASTLE 1000 Sandcastle Drive West Homestead, PA 15120

PGHIRISHFEST.ORG PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER CITY GUIDE 2021 25

BigFun

for Tiny ‘burghers A kid-friendly tour of the city

BY MEG ST-ESPRIT // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

M

ost families know there is a lot to do in Pittsburgh with kids.

After all, this is Mister Rogers’ hometown. From the Carnegie museums to Heinz History Center and the Children’s Museum, there are many well-known and amazing spots for families. There are also attractions around the city that don’t get as much traction, but are just as wonderful. Take a day to live like a tourist. Pick a spot, find somewhere to eat (there is nothing worse than a hangry child), then explore the area for some local flavor. While there is an endless list of things to try with our tiniest Pittsburghers, this guide is a great start.

Monongahela and Duquesne Inclines 100 West Station Square Drive, South Side. visitpittsburgh.com/blog/how-to-ride-the-pittsburgh-inclines ........................................................................

Most Pittsburghers have ridden one of our two remaining inclines on Mount Washington at some point. Kids love vehicles on tracks — it is apparently in their DNA — so these double funicular railways are pure catnip for tiny ‘burghers. Both inclines take Port Authority ConnectCards, and while the Mon also accepts credit cards, the Duquesne is cash only. They give change in dollar coins, which are a hot commodity for local tooth fairies. Instead of riding just one incline, though, why not both? >> 26 PGHCITYPAPER.COM

CP PHOTO: KAYCEE ORWIG

Kids climb through the lower course at Dragon’s Den in Homestead.

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BIG FUN, CONTINUED FROM PG. 27

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

Susan Stabnau, chair of Bona Fide Bellevue, helps Theresa and her son Colin Denton at the Bellevue Farmers Market.

Park at the bottom of the Duquesne Incline, travel up to peep the famous city view, and tour their small museum.

The railed walkway between inclines is great for spotting trains, bridges, riverboats, barges, and an occasional floating tiki bar. At the top of the Mon Incline are the Shiloh Street shops, where it’s easy to grab a meal, a cookie at Grandview Bakery (grandviewbakery.com), or ice cream from DiFiore’s (facebook.com/ icecreamdelite). Once sufficiently sugared up, venture down the Mon and through Station Square back to the Duquesne.

Dragon’s Den 1008 Amity St., Homestead. dragonsdenpgh.org ...................................................

Located in a repurposed church, Dragon’s Den contains several indoor ropes courses, a climbing wall, and a zip line. There are activities for ages 5 and up, as well as adults. Prices range from $20-35 28 PGHCITYPAPER.COM

per child for standard admission, but community partnerships provide free or low-cost access to kids and their families. Reach out to Dragon’s Den for more information.

While in the neighborhood, stop for lunch at Black-owned 8th Avenue Cafee (8th-avenue-cafe. e. business.site), or Nancy’s B’s (nancybs bakery.com) for awardwinning chocolate chip cookies. Dragon’s ’s Den is located near Frick Park (pittsburghparks.org/ org/ explore-your-parks/regional-parks/ frick-park), which has countless activities for families ranging from hiking to Blue Slide Park, of both rapper Mac Miller and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood fame.

Schenley Plaza 4100 Forbes Ave., Oakland. pittsburghparks.org/park-projects/ schenley-plaza ..................................................

On Friday mornings, story time in Schenley Plaza is followed by a free carousel ride, hosted

by Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy.

The park is bus accessible.

If driving, park once and walk to quite a few activities in the neighborhood. If you can’t make the free ride on Fridays, the carousel is open Wednesdays-Sundays, April through October, from 10 a.m.6 p.m. A ride token is $2, and it is wheelchair accessible.

Check out the lozziwurm climber outside of the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History (free to play on), visit a food kiosk, and venture up the hill past Phipps Conservatory to Anderson Playground. The museums

(carnegiemuseums.org), as well as Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens (phipps.conservatory.org), all participate in museums4all.org, which allows low-cost access for families with EBT or ACCESS. Phipps is a recent welcome addition to the list of accessible museums.

Round Hill Park 651 Round Hill Road, Elizabeth. alleghenycounty.us/parks/ round-hill/index.aspx ..................................................

While not accessible by bus, if you can make it to the far southeast corner of Allegheny County, this county-owned park is a must see. It is free and no reservations are needed.

The park has a constant rotation of free activities, a playground, splash pad, picnic groves, and a working farm. You might be able to see baby piglets, feed chickens, or visit retired county police horses. There are plenty of picnic groves to enjoy a packed meal. For rail-lovers (seriously,

CP FILE PHOTO: MIKE SCHWARZ

The carousel at Schenley Plaza

why are kids so into trains?) the nearby Elizabeth Express Kitchen Car (elizabethexpressdiner.com) serves great food out of an old mess car and The Red Caboose (facebook.com/ redcaboose80) has kid-friendly fare in a repurposed caboose. If you are still craving more farm-based adventures, check out Triple B Farms (triplebfarms.com) for activitiess and a variety of fresh meal options. s.

Pittsburgh Toy Lending Library and Play Space 5401 Centre Ave., Shadyside. e. pghtoys.org .............................................

Opened in 1972, this is one of the oldest continuously operating toy libraries in the country. Due to COVID-19, the library is open only to members on a “pay what you can” scale. Traditionally $30 per year, anyone can now join for as little as $5 per family. Membership includes access to the large, vibrant play space and the ability to check toys out of the library. Located in Pittsburgh’s East End and accessible for families with disabilities, it’s a great year-round option. Follow their social media page, as the volunteer-run schedule sometimes changes. While visiting, hit up several nearby spots to maximize the trip. The playground at PPS Montessori is a popular picnic spot, where families can either pack a lunch, hit up take-out nearby such as Wendy’s and Panera, or the local hotspot BFG Cafe (bfgcafe.com). If your kids eat vegetables (lucky you), at least four people could easily split one of their massive salads for lunch.

Bellevue Farmers Market Bayne Park, 34 North Balph Ave., Bellevue. bonafidebellevue.org/ farmers-market ................................................

This popular farmers market is held on Wednesday Wednesdays from 3-7 p.m. and it’s geared for kids. Featuring a lendin table with piles of toy lending cha bubbles, balls, chalk, fris frisbees, and crafts, th are tons of there op options to keep little on busy while their ones adults sh shop. With a new playgroun skate park, and playground, Andrew B Bayne Memorial y (baynelibrary.org) (ba Library open during the market, kids can either run wild or curl up on a bench with a book. Their local library card works here, too, thanks to the ACLA (aclalibraries.org). Bayne Library is fine-free, and books can be returned to Allegheny County library.

The market switched to feeding neighbors during the heart of the pandemic, and continues to strive for equitable access to healthy foods by doubling EBT dollars at the market.

WIC and senior farmer’s market vouchers are also accepted. If you require handicapped parking, just message the market or alert the volunteers at the entrance. Live music and food trucks each week round out the evening, and a monthly concert afterwards provides ample opportunity for dancing, guaranteeing tired kids and an easy bedtime (Note, on concert nights the library closes at 6 p.m.). • PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER CITY GUIDE 2021 29

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

Rieck’s Ice Cream ghost sign in Wilkinsburg

signs of

the past

A history tour of Pittsburgh through its ghost signs

BY KIM ROONEY // KIMROONEY@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

30 PGHCITYPAPER.COM

g

hosts linger everywhere in the city. Hidden on the sides of brick buildings and peeking over the tops of roofs, signs from decades and centuries past are scattered throughout Pittsburgh. As new development continues, ghost signs are disappearing, but the ones that remain paint a picture of an older Steel City, and allow onlookers to imagine those who stood in the same places years before. >>

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SIGNS, CONTINUED FROM PG. 31

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

Uneeda Biscuit ghost sign above New Amsterdam in Lawrenceville

Looking for more local ghost signs?

Try these sites:

Ghost Signs of Pittsburgh fstop41.com/ ghost-signsof-pittsburgh

Ghost Sign Grrl instagram.com/ ghostsigngrrl

“It’s almost like a keepsake,” says Kelly Bogel Stokes, who photographed about 80 ghost signs around the city for the project Palimpsests: Ghost Signs of Pittsburgh in 2014. “It’s kind of fun to preserve that before they’re gone. Because I feel like they’ll keep disappearing or the walls of a building might be torn down or something might be built next to them ... or they’ll be, you know, gone.”

For those who want to see these momentos from Pittsburgh’s past, here are five to catch before they’re gone:

Association for the Improvement of the Poor Smallman Street and Mulberry Way, Strip District ..............................................

Looming over Wholey’s Fish Market in the Strip District, the faded white

triangle represents the Pittsburgh Association for the Improvement of the Poor. Formed in 1875 in response to the Panic of 1873 and the resulting financial depression, the association helped Pittsburghers with food, money, clothing, and fuel. By 1912, it had expanded to support children through the Children’s Temporary Home and Day Nursery, and its industrial plant employed homeless and unemployed men. Its legacy lives on through Family Resources, which was created when the association merged with the Child Abuse Prevention Center in 1986.

Family Resources is now based Uptown, focusing on child abuse prevention and intervention.

Rieck’s Ice Cream 401 S. Trenton Ave., Wilkinsburg ..............................................

This colorful ghost sign is hidden around the side of a building in Wilkinsburg. It advertises Rieck’s

Ice Cream, which carries a history of entrepreneurship, company mergers, and labor violations. Edward Rieck began a milk delivery company in 1886, and by 1898, he was in the ice cream business. In 1923, Rieck merged with Hydrox, another ice cream business, and formed National Dairy Products, or as we now know it, the food giant Kraft (which has actually since merged with Pittsburgh-based Heinz). The Sealtest brand of ice cream for National Dairy was created in 1935, and a decade later, The Pittsburgh Press would recognize it as “Pittsburgh’s standard of Quality!”

Uneeda Biscuit 4419 Butler St., Lawrenceville ..............................................

The flaking green and white paint advertising 5¢ Uneeda Biscuits is juxtaposed with the vibrant mural of an urban streetscape at night on the side of New Amsterdam CONTINUES ON PG. 34

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SIGNS, CONTINUED FROM PG. 32

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Penn Bowling Lanes ghost sign in Downtown Pittsburgh

bar in Lawrenceville. The temporal and aesthetic dissonance offers a chance to appreciate Pittsburgh’s past and present all at once. While the National Baking Company, or Nabisco, was not a local company, it had a factory in East Liberty.

The factory closed in 1998 and is now Bakery Square, and Uneeda Biscuits were discontinued in 2009, but the memories of the scent of baked goods wafting through the surrounding neighborhoods remain for many Pittsburghers.

E&O Beer E. Ohio Street and Moravian Way, North Side ..............................................

While the sign claims E&O stands for “early & often,” E&O Beer refers to the Eberhardt and Ober Brewery, which opened in 1848, before Allegheny City was annexed by the city of Pittsburgh. Two German brothers-in-law settled in Deutschtown and formed the brewing company in 1870, and in 1883, they purchased Straub Brewery.

The main office and administrative building of the original brewery complex still remains today and is listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. Penn Brewery and the Pennsylvania Brewing Company, which began in 1986, is located on 34 PGHCITYPAPER.COM

the site of E&O’s brewery, and they still use the original lagering caves.

While the brewery is a couple streets over at 800 Vinial St., it’s not a far walk to take in the restored E&O sign and the Pittsburgh history it represents.

Penn Bowling Lanes 942 Exchange Way, Downtown ..............................................

Little information remains on the record about Penn Bowling Lanes, but perhaps that’s fitting for a ghost sign tucked away in a narrow alley between Penn and Liberty Avenues in Downtown. According to a December 1967 article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Robert Hendel was the owner of Penn Bowling Lanes for 25 years. By 1981, the same address was listed as the Loose Balloon, one of many gay bars in Downtown, although an account in “A Social Member in Good Standing: Pittsburgh’s Gay After-Hours Social Clubs, 1960-1990” shows that the Loose Balloon may have been around in the late 1970s.

The address currently belongs to Sienna Mercato, an Italian eatery with a rooftop beer garden and pizzeria. Today, the closest bowling alley to Downtown is Arsenal Bowling Lanes, three miles away in Lawrenceville, which recently announced it’s up for sale. •

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