November 20, 2019 - -Pittsburgh City Paper

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The long fight for redevelopment in Larimer A STORY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PUBLICSOURCE

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 20-27, 2019

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g n i k n i r D r Fo y l b i s n o p s e R . n o s a e S s i th

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FIRSTSHOT

BY JARED WICKERHAM

650 Smithfield Street, Suite 2200 Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412.685.9009 E-MAIL info@pghcitypaper.com

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NOV. 20-27, 2019 VOLUME 28 + ISSUE 47 Editor-In-Chief LISA CUNNINGHAM Associate Publisher JUSTIN MATASE Director of Operations KEVIN SHEPHERD Managing Editor ALEX GORDON Senior Writers RYAN DETO, AMANDA WALTZ Staff Writers HANNAH LYNN, JORDAN SNOWDEN Photographer/Videographer JARED WICKERHAM Digital Media Manager JOSH OSWALD Editorial Designer ABBIE ADAMS Graphic Designers JOSIE NORTON, JEFF SCHRECKENGOST Events and Sponsorship Manager BLAKE LEWIS Senior Account Executive JOHN CLIFFORD Sales Representative KAITLIN OLIVER Operations Coordinator MAGGIE WEAVER Events and Marketing Coordinator BRYER BLUMENSCHEIN Circulation Manager JEFF ENGBARTH Featured Contributors REGE BEHE, LISSA BRENNAN, LYNN CULLEN, TERENEH IDIA, CHARLES ROSENBLUM, JESSIE SAGE Interns JOIE KNOUSE, ELISE LAVALLEE Office Administrator RODNEY REGAN National Advertising Representative VMG ADVERTISING 1.888.278.9866 OR 1.212.475.2529 Publisher EAGLE MEDIA CORP.

GENERAL POLICIES: Contents copyrighted 2019 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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COVER PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM READ THE STORY ON PAGE 6

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Pittsburgh City Paper has partnered with PublicSource, Pittsburgh’s nonprofit digital-first news organization, in bringing our readers more local news stories to our pages.

Read this, and more work

by PublicSource, online at publicsource.org

THE BIG STORY

ARRESTED (RE)DEVELOPMENT Larimer residents reflect on the neighborhood’s history and the long fight for redevelopment

BY REMY DAVISON // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

J

OSEPH MARINELLO IS the last of his family left in Larimer. Now

90, he’s lived his whole life there, and he and his wife Dolores live in the home where he grew up with his two sisters.

Over the decades, the couple has seen blight come to the neighborhood, businesses close down and families continue to move away, including members of what was once a robust Italian community. They watched Larimer gain a reputation of being run down, and its residents felt shunned by others in Pittsburgh.

But much has changed in recent years, largely due to grassroots advocacy from residents to spur development projects like the transformation of the former Larimer School into housing and the

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building of the Cornerstone Village mixed-income housing complex.

Both projects are being funded in part with a $30 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“We deserve it,” Dolores Marinello, 80, said. “We’ve waited a long time. We fought hard to get the money to redevelop, the whole community did.”

She calls the projects “a dream.” But in reality, they’re the result of years of work by Larimer community members who refused to let their neighborhood be forgotten even through hard economic times and lack of government investment. After decades of white flight, the neighborhood between East Liberty and Homewood is majority-Black.

Joe and Dolores Marinello on the front porch of their Larimer home CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

One of the neighborhood’s most vocal advocates, Ora Lee Carroll, formed an organization called East Liberty Concerned Citizens Corp. in the early 1980s to draw attention to problems facing Larimer and nearby East Liberty and Garfield.

“She had a vision of changing Larimer,” said Donna Jackson, chair of the Larimer Consensus Group (LCG). “She was working with the kids, she was working with the gangs … She started the action teams.”

Carroll passed away in 2013, but her advocacy helped bring together a group of residents and community organizations that in 2008 formed the LCG.

To guide the neighborhood forward, the LCG in 2010 created the Larimer Vision Plan, a comprehensive development plan that would eventually form the foundation of a federal Choice Neighborhoods grant application, which dedicates funding to projects in Larimer and East Liberty. The Larimer Vision Plan included a neighborhoodwide land use strategy for new housing and the development of greenspaces, sustainability initiatives, and plans for future business development.

In 2013, city Councilman Rev. Ricky Burgess sponsored a bill that would dedicate $12 million in city money toward the project over five years. This increased the community’s chances of being picked CONTINUES ON PG. 8

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 20-27, 2019

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ARRESTED (RE)DEVELOPMENT, CONTINUED FROM PG. 7

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

A demolished church and its rubble sit inside a gated fence in Larimer.

for the federal Choice Neighborhoods grant, according to Caster Binion, executive director of the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP). He also noted the importance of community involvement to the federal government’s decision-making.

“When they came out and saw our presentation, and saw the commitment from the community… the synergy, you get goosebumps just being there to see this closeness,“ Binion said. “And when they went back to D.C., they said they have never, ever seen anything like this.”

The June 2014 grant award was a game-changer for the neighborhood.

Groups like the Kingsley Association and the LCG could help with “lowhanging fruit,” like helping residents keep their utility bills down, but Jackson said the main need was quality housing, and the community lacked resources to build it.

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An ongoing commitment

W

HILE THE GRANT brought a needed influx of cash, residents stressed the importance of having a say in development, ensuring that the projects would align with the neighborhood’s needs.

One example is the Larimer Homeowner Residential Façade Program, a project that Jackson said came straight from the community. Using money from the federal grant, current residents can update their homes to match the new Choice Neighborhoods development, meaning that current residents can share the benefit of the new construction.

“We got together before the development came in,” Mary Turner, 70, said.

“Some of that money was supposed to have been for the homeowners who’ve been living here in their homes for over 10 to 20 years.”

In the end, the community secured the funds. Residents can obtain grants of up to $20,000 through the Façade program.

Turner moved to Pittsburgh from Georgia with her three kids 47 years ago.

After seven years in Homewood, she moved to Larimer in the late 1970s and raised her kids in a house on Carver Street.

She said the neighborhood gave them a stable foundation, and it’s the reason she’s made Larimer her permanent home.

“I’m building my foundation on, ‘I will never move again,’” she said, describing the security she tried to build for her family. “I’ve made them a home … so if anything went wrong as they grew, come home.”

Throughout the grant process, the LCG has often dedicated its regular meetings to informing residents about the project. According to the 2015 American Community Survey, Larimer had an estimated population of 1,641

people. While residents agree on the need for development, they had differing views on issues like the ratio of housing to businesses and whether Larimer School should restrict housing to senior residents. According to Jackson, meeting attendance fluctuates. October’s meeting on park and greenspace development had about 60 attendees.

The meetings serve as a community touchpoint for local government and developers.

“It’s an ongoing process with community input,” Binion said. “I mean, if I go to the grocery store, somebody will walk up and talk to me.”

Cady Seabaugh, vice president of communications and sustainability for developer McCormack Baron Salazar, said the community has been an important driver of the project. Seabaugh said the developer has regularly met with an oversight committee, comprised of

CP PHOTO: JOIE KNOUSE

Donna Jackson, chair of the Larimer Consensus Group, with the green infrastructure layout of Larimer

residents and stakeholders.

Though built from the ground up, Cornerstone Village is not really all new housing. It is replacing East Liberty Gardens (a now-demolished 124-unit housing development on the border of Larimer and East Liberty) and HamiltonLarimer (a demolished 28-unit public housing complex) with a 334-unit mixed-income development.

Housing authority staff and community organizations such as LCG and East Liberty Development, Inc. worked to keep residents from being permanently displaced.

Residents were given housing vouchers while Cornerstone Village was being built. According to Jackson, students were also given transportation back to Lincoln PreK-5, so they didn’t have to change schools.

JW Kim, director of planning and development for HACP, said they met weekly to discuss the relocation of each household and followed up to make sure they were not evicted from their temporary housing. At the completion of Phase II, 60% of displaced residents now live in Choice housing, according to the housing authority. After the completion of Phase IV, the authority

expects that percentage to climb to more than 70%.

LCG, along with the national nonprofit Urban Strategies Inc., also developed programs focused on subjects such as workforce development, substance abuse recovery, and financial literacy, funded in part by the federal grant.

Looking toward the future

W

HILE THE NEW developments

have been cheered for bringing in new housing, some residents worry it’s not enough.

Frank G. Raucci Jr. and Anthony Mainiero have lived in Larimer since they were children. As they drive up Larimer Avenue, they can point to street corners and new housing and tell you exactly what stood there decades prior. They talk about theaters, barber shops, a shoe store, and bakeries that have all left Larimer or gone out of business.

Mainiero, 99, pointed to Larimer Avenue and Auburn Street and talked about the old Flamingo Roller Rink and the girls he used to dance with in the local dance halls.

For Raucci, 78, his primary concern is CONTINUES ON PG. 10

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 20-27, 2019

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ARRESTED (RE)DEVELOPMENT, CONTINUED FROM PG. 9

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CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

businesses coming back to the area. “A lot of the businesses that you know today started on Larimer Avenue,” he said. He listed Labriola’s Italian Market (now in Penn Hills, Aspinwall, Monroeville and Warrendale) and Moio’s Italian Pastry Shop (now in Monroeville) as examples.

Raucci feels that building new housing only goes so far to revitalize a community. Without the businesses, he said people won’t move back to Larimer.

Rosia Williams, 73, agrees that bringing some business back to Larimer is an important part of building up the community. Williams has lived in Larimer for 27 years and said she always felt like she needed to leave Larimer to do everything from buying groceries to watching a movie.

“I’d like to have a place to go and eat. A sit-down, nice place to go and eat without leaving my neighborhood … a little market. … It would make people spend their money in the community, be in the community, take more pride in their community.”

For Raucci growing up, those businesses created a real sense of community. He recalled a time when he and his friends watched the hot dogs turn on the grill in the original Station Street Hot Dog & Sandwich Shop. He was unable to afford one.

Dena Young-Rivers and Ron Rivers in R-and-D Market

A New Addition Larimer residents now have a new convenience store to purchase groceries, hair products, and fresh coffee. Dena Young-Rivers and her husband Ron Rivers held a grand opening of their new R-and-D Market on Fri., Nov. 8.

“The community has been very welcoming and saying that they need a store like ours,” says Young-Rivers who adds they already know about 20 customers by name.

The pair, who live with their 19-year-old daughter in West Mifflin, aren’t from Larimer themselves but Young-Rivers says her aunt lived on Paulson Avenue for over 40 years.

“I used to visit often growing up, up until she was placed in a high rise,” she says.

Young-Rivers says they hope to sell cold sandwiches in the future, and will soon be giving away kids’ coats and free clothes in the store for those in need.

“The manager came out one time … he says, ‘Hey, you hungry? You want a hot dog?’ Yeah, of course! ... He gave us all the burnt hot dogs.”

“They were all burnt,” Mainiero chimed in with a chuckle.

Mainiero is worried that new development could replace what was already in the neighborhood.

While talking with a PublicSource reporter in Larimer, he discovered that his former church and school, Our Lady Help of Christians, was already partially demolished. The church closed in 2007, and Mainiero didn’t know it was being demolished until he saw it in progress in October.

He and Raucci are skeptical that the new development will do much to attract new people to Larimer.

Despite this, one unifying sentiment from the Larimer community is that they’re not leaving the place they call home. Many residents hope that development will draw a younger, more diverse crowd and ensure a steady future for the neighborhood.

This sentiment was palpable at the Oct. 10 ribbon-cutting for Phase II of Cornerstone Village. The second phase includes 150 mixed-income units in 12 buildings. The final of four phases is set to be completed in 2021, according to the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

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The Cornerstone Village Apartments

At the ribbon-cutting, speakers celebrated the project’s success while reminding attendees of the work that remains. They also celebrated the significant role that the community played in making the project a success.

In his speech, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto spoke of his long-standing relationship with the neighborhood,

dating back to his work as a city councilman representing East Liberty.

“I remember sitting in that little church with Ora Lee Carroll and her having this vision that was put together by her neighbors, and her saying, ‘This is what’s going to happen,’” Peduto said then looked to the sky. “Well, Ora Lee, it’s happened.”

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.FOR THE WEEK OF NOV. 21

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The Louvre Museum in Paris displays 38,000 objects throughout its eighteen acres of floor space. Among its most treasured 13th-century artworks is The Madonna and Child in Majesty Surrounded by Angels, a huge painting by Italian painter Cimabue. When a museum representative first acquired it in the 19th century, its price was five francs, or less than a dollar. I urge you to be on the lookout for bargains like that in the coming weeks. Something that could be valuable in the future may be undervalued now.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian performance artist Marina Abramović observes that Muhammad, Buddha, Jesus, and Moses “all went to the desert as nobodies and came back as somebodies.” She herself spent a year in Australia’s Great Sandy Desert near Lake Disappointment, leading her to exclaim that the desert is “the most incredible place, because there is nothing there except yourself, and yourself is a big deal.” From what I can tell, Sagittarius, you’re just returning from your own metaphorical version of the desert, which is very good news. Welcome back!

I can’t wait to see what marvels you spawn.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Upcoming events may bedevil your mind. They may mess with your certainties and agitate your self-doubts. But if you want my view about those possibilities, they’re cause for celebration.

According to my analysis of the astrological indicators, you will benefit from having your mind bedeviled and your certainties messed with and your self-doubts agitated. You may ultimately even thrive and exult and glow like a miniature sun. Why? Because you need life to gently but firmly kick your ass in just the right way so you’ll become alert to opportunities you have been ignoring or blind to.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Every writer I’ve ever known says that a key practice to becoming a good writer is to read a lot of books. So what are we to make of the fact that one of the twentieth century’s most celebrated novelists didn’t hew to that principle? In 1936, three years before the publication of his last book, Aquarian-born James Joyce confessed that he had “not read a novel in any language for many years.” Here’s my take on the subject: More than any other sign of the zodiac, you Aquarians have the potential to succeed despite not playing by conventional rules. And I suspect your power to do that is even greater than usual these days.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “If you are lucky enough to find a way of life you love, you have to find the courage to live it,” wrote Piscean novelist John Irving. In the coming weeks, Pisces, you will have the power to get clearer than ever before about knowing the way of life you love. As a bonus, I predict you will also have an expanded access to the courage necessary to actually live that way of life.

Take full advantage!

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “Beware of what disturbs the heart,” said Ibn Mas’ud, a companion of the prophet Muhammed. “If something unsettles your heart, then abandon it.” My wise Aries friend Artemisia has a different perspective. She advises, “Pay close attention to what disturbs the heart. Whatever has the power to unsettle your heart will show you a key lesson you must learn, a crucial task you’d be smart to undertake.” Here’s my synthesis of Ibn Mas’ud and Artemisia: Do your very best to fix the problem revealed by your unsettled heart. Learn all you can in the process. Then, even if the fix isn’t totally perfect, move on.

Graduate from the problem for good.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus social critic Bertrand Russell won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1950. He’s regarded as the founder of analytic philosophy and one of the twentieth century’s premier intellectuals. But he went through a rough patch in 1940. He

was adjudged “morally unfit” to accept his appointment as a professor at the City College of New York. The lawsuit that banned him from the job described him as being “libidinous, lustful, aphrodisiac, and irreverent.” Why? Simply because of his liberated opinions about sexuality, which he had conscientiously articulated in his book Marriage and Morals.

In our modern era, we’re more likely to welcome libidinous, lustful, aphrodisiac, and irreverent ideas if they’re expressed respectfully, as Russell did. With that as a subtext, I invite you to update and deepen your relationship with your own sexuality in the coming weeks.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In her poem “What the Light Teaches,” Anne Michaels describes herself arriving at a lover’s house soaked with rain, “dripping with new memory.” She’s ready for “one past to grow out of another.” In other words, she’s eager to leave behind the story that she and her lover have lived together up until now — and begin a new story. A similar blessing will be available for you in the coming weeks, Gemini: a chance for you and an intimate partner or close ally to launch a new chapter of your history together.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Some scientists deride astrology despite being ignorant about it. For example, they complain, “The miniscule gravitational forces beaming from the planets can’t possibly have any effect on our personal lives.” But the truth is that most astrologers don’t believe the planets exert influence on us with gravity or any other invisible force. Instead, we analyze planetary movements as evidence of a hidden order in the universe. It’s comparable to the way weather forecasters use a barometer to read atmospheric pressure but know that barometers don’t cause changes in atmospheric pressure. I hope this inspires you, Cancerian, as you develop constructive critiques of situations in your own sphere. Don’t rely on naive assumption and unwarranted biases. Make sure you have the correct facts before you proceed. If you do, you could generate remarkable transformations in the coming weeks.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): As you glide into the Season of Love, I’d love you to soak up wise counsel from the author bell hooks. (She doesn’t capitalize her name.) “Many people want love to function like a drug, giving them an immediate and sustained high,” she cautions. “They want to do nothing, just passively receive the good feeling.” I trust you won’t do that, Leo. Here’s more from hooks: “Dreaming that love will save us, solve all our problems or provide a steady state of bliss or security only keeps us stuck in wishful fantasy, undermining the real power of the love — which is to transform us.” Are you ready to be transformed by love, Leo?

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Burrow down as deep as you dare, Virgo. Give yourself pep talks as you descend toward the gritty core of every matter.

Feel your way into the underground, where the roots meet the foundations. It’s time for you to explore the mysteries that are usually beneath your conscious awareness. You have a mandate to reacquaint yourself with where you came from and how you got to where you are now.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): It’s natural and healthy to feel both the longing to connect and the longing to be independent. Each of those urges deserves an honored place in your heart. But you may sometimes experience them as being contradictory; their opposing pulls may rouse tension. I bring this to your attention because I suspect that the coming weeks will be a test of your ability to not just abide in this tension, but to learn from and thrive on it.

For inspiration, read these words by Jeanette Winterson. “What should I do about the wild heart that wants to be free and the tame heart that wants to come home? I want to be held. I don’t want you to come too close. I want you to scoop me up and bring me home at night. I don’t want to tell you where I am. I want to be with you.”

Go to realastrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s expanded weekly audio horoscopes and daily text-message horoscopes.

The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700

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.JUST JAGGIN’.

GIMME AN ELFIN BREAK

BY JOSH OSWALD // JOSWALD@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

T

HE HOLIDAYS ARE approaching,

and while planning all the trappings of a jolly Yule is festive and exciting, there are also some unappealing tasks that attach themselves to the season like a suckerfish. Wrapping presents is more difficult than solving a Rubik’s Cube. There will be nonstop parties, featuring nonstop cheese and nonstop booze consumption. And for us suckers with children, there will be The Elf on the Shelf.

My kids are relatively intelligent and skeptical contrarians, which is why I was surprised when they started inquiring about The Elf on the Shelf after years of us keeping quiet about the menace. But there’s no escaping the Christmas Mythological Industrial Complex, and we eventually ended up with not one, but two elves.

If you are not familiar with the concept: Parents prop up little elfin voodoo dolls in their houses, in a different location each night for what seems like 365 days (which is not an easy task when you only have one shelf). The elves sit there and judge your children’s behavior like visiting in-laws who have stayed one day too many. Then, as the heralded “Christmas Tradition” started all the way back in 2005 foretells, the elves report the good and bad back to Santa. Kids who want these elves to

surveil their every move from their judgmental ivory towers perched next to Yankee Candles is just as masochistic as adults who invite Alexa into their home so that Jeff Bezos can listen to them having sex, or whatever pervy thing he does with those transmitters.

I was definitely into the Big Brother quality of The Elf on the Shelf at first — another piece of weaponry in our ever-expanding obedience arsenal. If you don’t get your pajamas on, the elves are going to tell Santa. And that worked probably two times at most. So now we’re left with finding new and hilarious locations to put the elves every night with none of the fear-inducing qualities we were promised. Now, it’s just another job like taking out the garbage, which I forgot to do this morning.

For the most part, the kids forget about the elves and go on with their days in typical fashion. But when you forget to relocate the elves to a different spot in the house one night, out come the wolves. “Why didn’t they move last night?” “Were they tired?” “Are they going to move tonight?” “Why are you drinking so much?” And so forth.

I love Christmas with its togetherness, traditions, and cheese/pepperoni trays, but The Elf on the Shelf is for the birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, etc.

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.RESTAURANT REVIEW.

THE PRETZEL SHOP

BY MAGGIE WEAVER MWEAVER@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

T

HE PRETZEL SHOP in South Side has been slinging its signature twists since 1927, but these days, the menu is a bit more robust.

The pretzels take pretty much every form and flavor imaginable, including parmesan and garlic, cinnamon sugar, jalapeño cheddar, and tomato basil. For lunch, pretzels provide the foundation for steak and cheese, ham and cheese, or a hot dog. For breakfast, order one of the egg sandwiches on a pretzel bun.

(My opinion: These are better than a bagel. Take that, New Yorkers!) There’s also pizza and pepperoni rolls.

THE PRETZEL SHOP 2316 E. Carson St., South Side. thepretzelshop.net

Put simply, there’s nothing The Pretzel Shop can’t, and won’t, do. Want to bake your holiday greetings or eat your favorite Star Wars character? The shop will turn anything into a pretzel.

They’ve created spectacular, customized pretzels in the shape of spiders (with a divot in the center to hold sauce), horses, sharks, and more.

On its website, The Pretzel Shop calls the mid-day menu “fast lunch,” and that’s exactly what it was. It felt almost like a time trial for the employees and I loved it. The two women at the front counter were no-nonsense, working in perfect sync with each other, churning out multiple orders without batting an eye: hot pretzels, pretzel sandwiches, twists by the dozen. I arrived and left with hands full of pretzels in less than five minutes.

CP PHOTO: JOIE KNOUSE

Salted, pepperoni mozzarella, and veggie pizza pretzels from The Pretzel Shop

On their own, I was relatively unimpressed by the pretzels. They were equal to something I could grab from a convenience store: satisfying, but average. But with a topping or sauce, my tune changed.

The cinnamon sugar pretzel was just the right amount of sweet; a parmesangarlic combination was almost more cheese than pretzel, something I couldn’t

complain about.

CP senior writer Amanda Waltz made the perfect connection between the cold veggie pizza — half a pretzel smothered with cream cheese, veggies, and cheddar cheese — to a popular Pampered Chef recipe my mother peppered her marketing parties with in the early 2000s. It was a taste reminiscent of Jell-O salads, enjoyable only for the

FAVORITE FEATURES: Sauces

Sweet treats

Sides

What’s a pretzel without sauce?

Dip in cheese, mustard, ranch, icing, or caramel.

Satisfy your dessert craving with one of the shop’s cookies or brownies.

Pair your pretzel with one of the shop’s sides: broccoli salad, pasta salad, potato salad, and more.

nostalgia. A cheese pizza pretzel brought the same sentimentality, but for pizza boat day in my school cafeteria.

The sandwich special, a club sandwich, was the all-around winner of my midday pretzel haul. As a bun, the pretzel was perfect. It was stuffed with ham, turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise, a fittingly bare-boned sandwich for the simple shop.

The shop has changed significantly since the 1920s, but the pretzels haven’t.

Every pretzel is still hand-twisted and hearth-baked in the 19th-century oven.

They’re an iconic part of Pittsburgh cuisine and a staple for many wandering the neighborhood. The city might change around it, but The Pretzel Shop isn’t going anywhere.

•

Follow staff writer Maggie Weaver on Twitter @magweav

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PGHCITYPAPER.COM

Eating Happily.

Leaving with Smile.

DINING OUT

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

SPONSORED LISTINGS FROM CITY PAPER ’S FINE ADVERTISERS

THIS WEEK’S FEATURED RESTAURANT

LEON’S CARIBBEAN 823 E WARRINGTON AVE., ALLENTOWN / 412-431-5366 LEONSCARIBBEAN.COM

The True Taste of Thai

Family owned and operated since December 2014.

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

BAJA BAR & GRILL 1366 OLD FREEPORT ROAD, FOX CHAPEL 412-963-0640, WWW.BAJABARGRILL.COM The Baja Bar & Grill is the perfect destination any time of the year for dancing to live bands and taking in great entertainment every weekend. In addition, there’s good food along with amazing views of the Allegheny River and the Fox Chapel Marina.

BEA’S TACO TOWN 633 SMITHFIELD STREET, DOWNTOWN 412-471-8361, WWW.BEATAQUERIA.COM Authentic Mexican cuisine in the heart of Downtown Pittsburgh! Bea Taco Town offers tacos, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and much more all with traditional recipes. Slow cooked meats and fresh vegetables prepared daily will have you coming back to try it all.

THE CAFÉ CARNEGIE 4400 FORBES AVE., OAKLAND 412-622-3225 / THECAFECARNEGIE.COM An excellent dining experience from James Beard Semi-Finalist, Sonja Finn featuring a locally-focused menu, full service dining, and espresso and wine bar.

CARMELLA’S PLATES & PINTS 1908 EAST CARSON STREET, SOUTHSIDE 412-918-1215, CARMELLASPLATESANDPINTS.COM Featuring an upscale ambiance, Carmella’s is located in the heart of South Side, serving a variety of refined comfort cuisine for dinner and brunch. The décor features a lodge-like feel with a wood beamed cathedral ceiling, stained glass and open fireplace. A local purveyor delivers fresh ingredients daily, which are crafted into unique and inventive meals, served alongside a curated cocktail list and comprehensive wine selection.

COLONY CAFE 1125 PENN AVE., STRIP DISTRICT 412-586-4850 / COLONYCAFEPGH.COM Whether stopping in for a weekday lunch, an afternoon latte or after-work

drinks with friends, Colony Cafe offers delicious house-made bistro fare in a stylish Downtown space.

EIGHTY ACRES 1910 NEW TEXAS ROAD, MONROEVILLE/PLUM 724-519-7304 / EIGHTYACRESKITCHEN.COM Eighty Acres Kitchen & Bar offers a refined, modern approach to contemporary American cuisine with a strong emphasis on local, farm-totable products.

ELIZA HOT METAL BISTRO 331 TECHNOLOGY DRIVE, PITTSBURGH 412-621-1551, ELIZAHOTELINDIGO.COM Set on the site of former iconic iron works, Eliza Furnace, Eliza is an American Bistro exploring classic Pittsburgh flavors, beloved by those that worked the furnaces, combined with the fresh perspective and seasonal sourcing that define what we eat in our region today. Relax with great food, cocktails, and enjoy live entertainment on the rooftop bar.

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

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

Standards like Pad Thai and Coconut Curry Noodle are sure to please. But

FREE DELIVERY ON OVER $15 WITHIN 2 MILE RADIUS THUR-SUN

don’t miss out on the Ono Kyowsway featuring egg noodle sautéed with coconut chicken, cilantro and curry sauce.

2018 MURRAY AVE. PGH, PA 15217

412-422-6767

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

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

TOOK TOOK 98 2018 MURRAY AVE., SQUIRREL HILL 412-422-6767 / TOOKTOOK98.COM Eating Happily. Leaving with Smile.

The True Taste of Thai. Our goal is to provide the highest customer satisfaction as well as offering authentic Thai street food with Thai environment.

Therefore, we have been working hard to bring exceptional dine-in experience to you. We offer variety of authentic Thai food, drinks, and desserts including smiling full-service with BYOB.

WWW.TOOKTOOK98.COM

Are you tired of tracking down food trucks?

Don’t miss our Weekly Food Truck Schedule!

Available every Tuesday at pghcitypaper.com

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

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 20-27, 2019

15

.ON THE ROCKS.

BEER FOR DESSERT

BY MAGGIE WEAVER // MWEAVER@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

I

FRESH HANDMADE FOOD LOCAL CRAFT BEER DAILY SPECIALS

CRAFTYJACKALOPE.COM

F THE PROLIFERATION of craft beer culture over the past decade has taught us anything, it’s that anything wine can do, beer can do better.

Or at the very least, try. For the latest example of the wineification of beer culture, look to the explosion of dessert brews, which champion sweet profiles with adventurous, sometimes unexpected ingredients.

Making dessert beer is “almost an entirely different universe” from traditional brewing, says Paul Schneider, head brewer at Cinderlands Beer Co. Andy Kwiatkowski, head brewer at Hitchhiker Brewing Co., says the style allows them to push “culinary extremes” not possible in other recipes.

Brewing sweet beer isn’t necessarily always about taking a dessert and incorporating it into the recipe — it’s not adding chocolate cake to an IPA and calling it a chocolate cake IPA. Frequently, it involves blending a mix of flavors that when consumed, reminds the drinker of the beer’s title reference. Cinderlands’ Pancake Galaxy series, for example, uses maple syrup or maple sugar to remind drinkers of pancakes, without actually using them in the recipe.

Kwiatkowski says another approach is closer to eating cereal — when you’re finished eating a bowl of say, Count Chocula, you’re left with what is essentially chocolate milk. The same goes for beer. Add marshmallows into the mashing process, and the beer will extract the sugars, leaving behind a mallow-flavored wort.

Managing sweetness in dessert beers can be tricky, which is why many pastry brews are made into imperial stouts; the style’s strong malt and roast flavor balances out sugar content.

Creating lighter dessert beer is a bit more difficult, but doable. (Cinderlands nails it in the pancake series, Hitchhiker with its Whole Punch: Guava, an IPA brewed with milk sugar and vanilla bean.)

If all this talk has your sweet tooth singing, check out some of our favorite dessert beers from local (and localish) breweries.

Hitchhiker Brewing Co.: Mashmallow This brew is made and conditioned on Count Chocula cereal. Though it’s 8 percent ABV, the brew sips lighter than most stouts. Marshmallow adds a surprisingly subtle and not-too-sweet kick.

Cinderlands Beer Co.: Star Crumb: Pumpkin Pie This brew falls into Cinderlands’ tartshake category, though it is an imperial ale. Drinkers fondly call it “pumpkin pie in a glass.”

Yuengling: Hershey’s Chocolate Porter This beer smells and tastes exactly like “the sweetest place on Earth,” aka Hershey’s Chocolate World. The porter is light — only 4.7 percent ABV — and very drinkable. It drinks like molten chocolate with a hint of malt.

Grist House Craft Brewery: Udderly Toasted Hints of chocolate, graham cracker, and marshmallow round out this imperial stout collaboration with Turner Dairy.

Southern Tier: Nitro Crème Brûlée The nitro effect makes Southern Tier’s imperial milk stout even smoother, bringing out the brew’s notes of vanilla and custard.

•

CP PHOTO: MAGGIE WEAVER

4121 Butler St, Pittsburgh, PA 15201 • Mon-Fri 9am-3pm • Sat-Sun 9am-4pm

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Join Us on Light up Night for a Special 3-Course Prime Rib Experience Friday, November 22nd TWO FLOORS WITH A SHARED MENU OF LOCALLY DRIVEN, SEASONAL CUISINE AND EXPERTLY PAIRED WINES. FIRST COURSE: Lump Crab Salad - Acorn Squash, Candied Pecans, Cranberries, Sherry Vinegar SECOND COURSE: Jubilee Hilltop Prime Rib - Grass Fed, Center Cut, Herbed Red Skins, Garden Vegetables, Red Wine Demi THIRD COURSE: Brown Butter Cake – Blackberries, Whipped Mascarpone, Chocolate

$45 A 3-course wine pairing can be added for $15.

Reservations are strongly recommended by visiting www.revelandroost.com

242 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15222 412-281-1134 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 20-27, 2019

17

THE LOCAL 913: CODY PIPER

BY LIZ FELIX // LIZ@WYEP.ORG

When you grow up with a grandfather who spent over 50 years playing with the Pittsburgh Symphony, and you decide you want to make music, the pressure’s kind of on. You wouldn’t know it from Cody Piper’s calm demeanor, though — he appeared to be quite relaxed in September when he took the stage at WYEP’s singer-songwriter competition finals and won the top spot out of a field of nearly 100 performers.

Maybe he’s chill because he’s had a long time to practice. Piper started learning to play piano at age five and recently started writing and recording his own music. He played all the instruments on his new Bygones EP, although he says STAY UP-TOhe’s still most DATE WITH THIS confident with WEEK’S LOCAL the piano.

MUSIC NEWS Many of the songs on the WITH CP MUSIC EP, including WRITER JORDAN “I Remember” SNOWDEN and “I Realize I Made a Mistake,” AND WYEP immediately bring EVENING MIX Ben Folds to HOST LIZ FELIX mind, but Piper looks back a bit Listen every further for Wednesday his musical at 7 p.m. on influences. He 91.3FM WYEP names The Beatles and Queen as two big ones for him and says he appreciates how they incorporated some elements of classical music into their pop and rock songs.

“My goal with my songs is to try to make them catchy and accessible,” he says.

“But also for a musician, I’d want to listen to it and be like, ‘Wow, there’s a few clever little things and some clever chords and arrangements.’ I hope people notice that kind of thing.”

The judges of this year’s singersongwriter competition certainly noticed, as will anyone who listeners to Piper’s new EP. •

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PGHCITYPAPER.COM

.MUSIC.

FILLING EMPTY SPACES

BY JORDAN SNOWDEN // JSNOWDEN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

D

URING THE WEEKENDS at AK Valley Research Park in New Kensington, music can be heard floating up through the rafters at one of the massive campus’ three under-construction buildings. But it’s not a concert or a warehouse party, there is no audience or ticketed entry. These are sessions for the Empty Space Project, which pairs local bands with unfinished, airy construction sites to shoot live music videos.

“Our motto is, ‘Making something out of nothing,’” says DaeMon Palmer, one of the Empty Space Project’s founders. “That’s the reason we partner with different real estate [properties] that are renovating and creating new things in their buildings. We want to showcase the building we’re working in at the moment, and also bring artists in for a piece of the pie.”

The Empty Space Project, which started in January with “minimal resources,” is a collaboration between Palmer, Matt Palichat, and Khalil Malik. The goal is to “force artists out of their comfort zone and showcase the creativity that can come when you have nothing to depend on but yourself,” through “their natural elements when no one is around, and [then] share their raw, unfiltered, moments with the world.” The performances are followed by short interviews and photo shoots, but there’s more to it than just documenting a song or band; there’s a unique sound and aesthetic to these videos.

TWITTER: @EMPTYSPACEPGH

EMPTYSPACEPROJECT.NET

PHOTOS: DAEMON PALMER

An empty space at AK Valley Park

Sierra Sellers outside one of the AK Valley Park buildings

“Our artistry is the draw, that’s why we use undeveloped real estate,” says Palmer. “Our goal is to be a consistent hub where people can tune in and find out about new talent throughout the city, but also to bring people together of all walks of life, even businesses as well.”

The idea came to Palmer last winter when he went to check out Malik’s new soon-to-be studio space at Community Forge. Still under construction, Palmer asked Malik what the plan was while it was being renovated.

“He was like, ‘I don’t know, I just want to show people the space,’” says Palmer.

“And I was like, ‘Well, why don’t we record artists in here and do live performances?’”

Malik agreed and the very next day Palmer met Palichat at a video shoot for My Favorite Color. A week later, they shot Clara Kent in the space and debuted their first Empty Space music video. Soon after, they recorded My Favorite Color — the video was never released — and then due to financial reasons, the space at Community Forge was lost, never made into a studio, and feeling discouraged, the team put the project on a backburner.

But over the summer, AK Valley Park reached out. Stevie Kubrick, owner of AK

Valley Park, and Tristan Kubrick, property manager, dug the idea of “making something out of nothing” and asked Palmer, Malik, and Palichat to come check out their space-in-progress.

“When people say, ‘I love the space and aesthetic you have,’ that traffic, we direct right back to AK Valley Park so they are able to start building clientele and build events.”

Shooting resumed soon after and The Empty Space Project began releasing videos again in September. So far, artists have included Benji., Lando Ash, Moudebabe (profile on page 34), INEZ, and Deej.

Now, the three founders and a team consisting of Alex Hines (audio engineer), Zach Zampogna (website designer), Erin Slagle and Desiree Wilson (graphic designers), and Myron Francis (research and development) spend almost every weekend producing these videos, sometimes for up to four artists over two days.

Since Empty Space has three buildings to work with, they start the day by walking the property and finding a spot that they believe “vibes” with the musician. From there, the artist shows up — this is the first time the team and talent talk about the vision — they shoot three takes of a song (artists can choose up to

three tracks to perform), the team takes a break, and then they set everything up again for the next musician, shooting two per day on the weekend.

“It’s not premeditated, which comes with its ups and downs because sometimes it might take shoots a little longer,” says Palmer. “But the fun part is being able to collaborate on the spot.”

Palmer expects shoots to slow down over the winter, as the cold weather and undeveloped spaces don’t mix well with equipment and vocal cords. But Empty Space will be with AK Valley Park through at least the beginning of 2020 and have plans to bring in touring artists for sessions in the future so that musicians outside of Pittsburgh have the chance to showcase themselves in a new, no frills way, like Lando Ash rapping in a spare stairwell, Moudebabe’s bright freestyle reminiscent of Childish Gambino’s “Made in America” video, or Benji.’s one-take performance on the outdoor entrance to a library.

With almost limitless possibilities – an upcoming video features aerial silk dancers – The Empty Space Project showcases the true talent of artists that can sometimes be lost in a crowded venue or on produced recording.

•

Follow staff writer Jordan Snowden on Twitter @snowden_jordan PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 20-27, 2019

19

NAME: Nicole Capozzi, Bloomfield WORK: Owner and director of BoxHeart Gallery

CP PHOTO: JOIE KNOUSE

.ART . .

BACKSTAGE

BY LISSA BRENNAN // CPCONTRIBUTORS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

HOW DID YOU OPEN BOXHEART? This was a gallery. My husband, Joshua Hogan, and myself had shown here. It was closing. I said, “This is stupid, we’re delivering papers, selling real estate, cleaning beauty salons, we’re starving.

If we’re going to starve, we might as well starve doing something that we love.” There was a [dropped] ceiling and a rug and one fluorescent light hanging from the ceiling and the landlord said, “You give me money, you stay.” And I was like, “Great, here you go.”

YOU’RE A FINE ARTIST YOURSELF? I was but quit when we started this.

DO YOU MISS IT? NOOOO. HOW DO YOU FIND THE ARTISTS YOU REPRESENT? An open-review process every summer where artists are able to submit just a

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PGHCITYPAPER.COM

link anywhere I can see work digitally.

From that, I select a varying number of artists for representation or exhibition.

Some years I don’t take anybody, some years a few.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? They first thing is, “Did they follow directions?” I’m a super open, friendly, wonderful person that will help in a million ways. I’m not even looking for professional photographs. I just want to see the art. There’s fricking amazingly talented people who do awesome art but only so many exhibitions in the schedule. Sometimes I’m looking at who could I pair for an interesting exhibit, or a local artist [I could pair] with a national or international artist. Then, by default, my clients coming to see the local show are going to get to see this other thing that they would never show up for otherwise.

HOW DOES YOUR OWN PERSONAL

TASTE IMPACT WHAT YOU CARRY? I’m looking at art last. I’m looking at, “Can they communicate with me openly?

Can they turn in the materials I’m asking for? Will they show up on time?”

All these other things before I get to the visual. And if that happens to be great too, then it’s like, “YES!” Sometimes it’s the visual or the story that the artist is telling or something that resonates with you or that you really want to put out there for your audience to see. Because my husband is an abstract painter, we’ve always been kind of known as having a lot of abstract art. That’s pretty much true but at the same time, there’s also really just a wide variety of media and styles.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART? I get to just be in an environment of art that I create. Every month that changes.

It really suits my personality to be able to, every 30 days, totally make a whole

new thing, a whole new world that you can walk into, and I get to sit in it every day and work in it.

WHAT DON’T YOU LIKE? The openings. They’re social gatherings for the artist, which are nice, but it doesn’t really work in the way that people work in the world. Sometimes it snows or people are busy. If you’re focused on this very small specific time frame that you think that all these people are going to rush in here for, you’re wrong. It’s a process that takes years, not days.

WHAT DO PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GALLERIES THAT THEY DON’T? It’s OK to just come in and look. You are welcome any time, and it’s always different. You might hate one exhibition and love another. That is OK and you can even tell me that, but at least come in once or twice and just see it.

•

.LITERATURE.

MASS COMMUNICATION

BY REGE BEHE CPCONTRIBUTORS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

M

ETAPHYSICAL MILKSHAKE, Reza Aslan’s podcast with actor Rainn Wilson, might seem like an unlikely outlet for a scholar of religious studies whose works include God: A Human History and Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth.

But as Varun Soni, dean of religious life at the University of Southern California, stated on a recent episode: kids between 18-22 are the loneliest generation because they talk “with their thumbs, not their tongues.” The podcast gives Aslan the opportunity to bring his world to that demographic in a medium they’re already familiar with.

“One of the things we hope the podcast will do and one of the things I do in my work in general, is try to create openings for young people especially to pursue spirituality without necessarily being tied down by the religious aspects of their parents’ religious roles, and all the baggage that comes with it, that seems

PITTSBURGH ARTS & LECTURES:

REZA ASLAN 7:30 p.m. Mon., Nov. 25.

Carnegie Music Hall, 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland. $15-35. pittsburghlectures.org

PHOTO: PETER KONERKO

to really turn them off,” says Aslan.

Aslan, who will appear Nov. 25 as a guest of Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures’ Ten Evenings Series, describes the show as an opportunity to “go deep, get weird, and search for the meaning of life.” It sounds like two lifelong friends swapping tales at a coffee shop or bar. And that’s exactly the point of Metaphysical Milkshake: to create an online place that provides young

people with a useful forum. “[That demographic is] focused on pop culture,” he says. “So my focus of attention the last few years has been to use pop culture, music, television, and films, to create communities that can at least some measure of spiritual fulfillment.

Because it’s not going to be in church. It’s not going to be in traditional religion.

It’s very, very difficult to tell a 19- or 20-

Follow featured contributor Rege Behe on Twitter @RegeBehe_exPTR

year old to go back to church when that church represents for them 80 percent approval of a president [Donald Trump] who is demonstrably a racist, a sexist, a lecherous, pathological, lying, narcissistic sociopath who cages children. You can’t tell a 19-year old ‘go to church,’ because that’s what church means to him.”

But what of Trump’s support among evangelicals, people who should theoretically share at least some of the same principles as Aslan?

Aslan clarifies that Trump’s support comes from white evangelicals, adding that Trump is “the walking, talking embodiment of everything Jesus railed against.” Aslan notes that 67 percent of evangelicals of color voted for Hillary Clinton, while 81 percent of white evangelicals supported Trump.

“These are people who believe the exact same thing, who have the same theology, who have the same worldview, but have a different skin tone,” Aslan says. “So if we’re going to continue to pretend that race has nothing to do with that overwhelming white evangelical support for this racist president, we’re kidding ourselves. I’m not the first person to say that white evangelicals acted more white than evangelical in their support of the president.”

•

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 20-27, 2019

21

OPENS NOVEMBER 23

Shop now, play later!

Shop the Peoples Gas Holiday Market™ before Thanksgiving and receive a FREE $10 Scene75 game card* CP PHOTO: JOIE KNOUSE

Adrienne Guariglia of Sister Epic

.FASHION.

RED LEATHER, YELLOW LEATHER

BY AMANDA WALTZ // AWALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

W DowntownPittsburgh.com/Holidays

*Terms apply. Purchase required. See DowntownPittsburgh.com/Holidays for details.

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PGHCITYPAPER.COM

HEN LOCAL FASHION entrepre-

neur Adrienne Guariglia had to come up with a name for her new leather goods business, she drew from an unlikely source: her Catholic school days growing up in Chicago.

“My school nurse had the best sense of style,” says Guariglia, who now lives in Lawrenceville. “This woman had every color of the rainbow of leather pump heels perfectly matching every outfit that she wore every day and I was totally enthralled by it as a kid. I could never get enough of it. ... When I tell you every color of the rainbow, I mean, 15 different shades of blue, a million different colors of red. It was wild.”

That nurse’s name, Sister Epig,

became Sister Epic, a name Guariglia feels captures her past, as well as her “go big or go home” attitude. This outlook is reflected in her luxury leather accessories that include hair-on cowhide bags dyed neon yellow and bright red, animal-print clutches, and metallic wristlets.

SISTEREPIC.COM It’s an outlook that carried her from a corporate job designing window displays for big retailers like Zara and AllSaints to Pittsburgh, where she started her own business in 2018.

“I made the leap to come here,” says

Guariglia, adding that she took a “now or never” approach to the situation because she always wanted to start her own business. “It just made sense.”

Her transition was eased, she says, by a network of welcoming, womenowned small businesses and people like former WPXI news anchor-turnedblogger Courtney Brennan, who agreed to meet with Guariglia after they connected online. “[Brennan] pointed me in all of these directions,” says Guariglia. “That kind of open-arm goodness is amazing and something that I did not feel as much in Chicago. It’s really invigorating and exciting because it is hard creating a business and building it from the ground up

PHOTO: SISTEREPIC.COM

Lulu calf-hair cardholder

in a new city with not as many contacts.”

Her penchant for leather started during her senior year of college studying fashion design at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and continued casually in the decade since, as she focused mostly on her corporate career. She fully committed to leather last year despite having no formal technical training in the medium, which she admits can be frustrating at times.

sourced, meaning that the rest of the animal from which it came did not go to waste.

Guariglia plans to take advantage of the upcoming holiday season, including shopping days like Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, with special deals and bundles. Her Business Woman Special will include a journal and cardholder, while Are We There Yet? will give travelers a passport

“I FEEL LIKE I ONLY SCRATCHED THE SURFACE, BUT I STILL FEEL SO SUPPORTED.” “There are just hurdles where my best friend Google comes into play,” she says. Through trial and error, she figured out various leather-craft processes like skiving, which requires thinning out the edges in order to create clean seams.

The Sister Epic website, which officially launched over the summer, features a variety of goods, from handbags and wallets, to leather-bound journals and card cases. Each piece is made from hides procured from vendors in the U.S. and from Italy. Guariglia says she looks for hides that are “super high quality,” easy to dye and work with, and ethically

holder, wallet, and key chain, She will also release an exclusive, limited-run holiday design. “Think sparkles on that one,” says Guariglia.

While she is still settling into Pittsburgh, she looks forward to working with her new local community of fellow women business owners, who have helped her figure out things like wholesale pricing and navigating marketing and networking events.

“I feel like I only scratched the surface, but I still feel so supported,” says Guariglia. “It’s a cool place to be right now, I think.”

•

Follow senior writer Amanda Waltz on Twitter @AWaltzCP PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 20-27, 2019

23

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ELVIS If you love ELVIS, you're going to love Ryan Pelton in concert. He looks, sounds and moves like ELVIS. This talented performer will thrill the audience with live music, a stage show, a live band, back-up singers and five costume changes.

This talented performer plays to sold-out audiences in Branson and now you can see him in Greensburg!

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Saturday 8:00 PM

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 20-27, 2019

25

PHOTO: COURTESY OF ZYNKA GALLERY

.ART . .

THE NOW OF ART

BY HANNAH LYNN // HLYNN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

T

HERE ARE THREE meanings to the

word “current” and Zynka Gallery, a new art space in Sharpsburg, employs them all in its opening exhibit, Current: The Now of Art in Pittsburgh.

Gallery owner Jeffrey Jarzynka was inspired by the proximity to the river, as well as the modernity of the pieces in the exhibit. “And then the idea of electrical current,” says Jarzynka. “There’s something vibrant here. You can feel it.”

The opening exhibit features 17 artists and showcases a variety of media including sculpture, paintings, ink drawing, and textiles. The exhibit opened along with the gallery on Nov. 16 and will run through Sun., Dec. 29.

Jarzynka, who studied graphic design and painting in college, didn’t think he had the knack for becoming a full a time artist, so he went into advertising and design for 25 years. But he had a nagging feeling that he wanted

to be doing something more artistic.

When his dad was diagnosed with cancer, Jarzynka left his day job to take

CURRENT: THE NOW OF ART IN PITTSBURGH Continues through Sun., Dec. 29.

Zynka Gallery, 904 Main St., Sharpsburg. zynkagallery.com

care of him and realized “how short and precious life is.” He curated several pop-up exhibits around town over the last couple of years, including Cara Livorio’s B(L)OOM at Artists Image Resource earlier this year.

After hunting for gallery spaces in the East End, Jarzynka settled in Sharpsburg, pulled in by the borough’s

growing momentum and because that’s where he found an affordable space.

He found the gallery’s building while watching a news story on TV about St. Vincent de Paul closing one of its stores in Sharpsburg. He got in to see it the next day.

The exhibit, which is supported in part by the Andy Warhol Museum, doesn’t necessarily have a theme connecting all of the pieces, but Jarzynka says they are all a high standard of quality. Current features a sculpture

by Vanessa German (on loan from Concept Art Gallery), mixed media collage works by Gavin Benjamin, abstract neon thread work from Terry Boyd, and the visually mesmerizing three dimensional paintings of Su Su, who extrudes globs of paint through mesh.

Many of the pieces in the exhibit go for several thousand dollars, and

Follow staff writer Hannah Lynn on Twitter @hanfranny

26

PGHCITYPAPER.COM

Jarzynka says part of the goal with his gallery is to help artists make money so they can make more art. “Artists are amazing creators and craftsmen, but they often lack the business and marketing skills for themselves, so I was able to take everything I’ve done and everything I know career wise and sort of become this art promoter,” he says. “I’d much rather see an artist in their studio creating work than struggling to promote it.”

While the opening exhibit boasts over a dozen artists, Jarzynka says future collections will feature solo shows, or a collection of two to three artists in exhibits that run for around six weeks at a time.

“The gallery will always strive to put itself in a position that it works with artists at a certain level in quality,” says Jarzynka. “I think there are so many artists in Pittsburgh doing amazing things.”

•

.STAGE.

COLOR WARS

BY JORDAN SNOWDEN JSNOWDEN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

C

“

OLORISM,” A WORD first coined

in 1982 by acclaimed AfricanAmerican novelist Alice Walker (The Color Purple), is different than racism and defined as a “prejudicial or preferential treatment of same-race people based solely on their color.”

The concept might not be discussed as openly as racism, but it’s a significant and insidious issue, particularly among Black men and women dealing with the effects of European beauty standards.

These issues of prejudice and identity are on full display in School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play running now through Dec. 8 at Pittsburgh Public Theater.

School Girls, written by Jocelyn Bioh and directed by Shariffa Ali, is set in 1986 when Ericka (Aidaa Peerzada), a halfwhite, half-African girl, arrives at The Aburi Girls’ Boarding School in Central Ghana shortly before auditions for the Miss Ghana competition begin. The girl who is crowned Miss Ghana gets to fly to Florida and compete in the annual inter-

PHOTO: MICHAEL HENNINGER

Left to right: Atiauna Grant, Shakara Wright, Candace Boahene, Markia Nicole Smith, Ezioma Asonye

SCHOOL GIRLS; OR, THE AFRICAN MEAN GIRLS PLAY Continues through Sun., Dec. 8.

Pittsburgh Public Theater, 621 Penn Ave., Downtown. $31-71. ppt.org

national Miss Universe beauty pageant.

Paulina (Markia Nicole Smith), queen bee of the boarding school, is already certain she will win the Miss Ghana title, as her competition consists of her minions, meek Ama (Ezioma Asonye), studious Mercy (Candace Boahene), plump Nana (Atiauna Grant), and silly Gifty (Shakara

Wright). But Paulina’s confidence vanishes once she sees Ericka whose light skin and eyes and long curly hair are an immediate threat to Paulina’s short, kinky fro and dark complexion. (At one point, Paulina uses bleaching cream in attempts to reduce her melanin concentration, a dangerous practice popular in Africa

that results in serious side effects, such as mercury poisoning and skin ulcers.)

Before heading to the show, I looked at the trailer online and noticed that the only light-skinned actress was Peerzada.

“Do you think they did that on purpose?” asked my editor. At the time I said no.

But after watching the play, I realized the casting choice was very intentional.

Unlike the 2004 Mean Girls, which involves slow-burning sabotage and revenge, the conflict in School Girls bubbles over at the show’s onset. As soon as Ericka shows up to the school the group breaks off into two: Paulina versus the rest. All Paulina sees is Ericka’s outward appearance, which makes her jealous, resulting in her ostracizing Ericka and the other girls rebelling against Paulina for her mean-girl attitude.

Without giving too much away, I left School Girls feeling unsettled. I realized that not much has changed in beauty ideals, most notably the colorism within the Black community, since the 1980s when the play took place. It recalled memories of my younger sister, who had darker skin, idealizing me and my lighter complexion, and the pain and low selfconfidence she dealt with at our mostly white high school. I cried on the way home and am starting to cry as I write this.

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 20-27, 2019

•

27

SEVEN DAYS OF CONCERTS MOON HOOCH SAT., NOV. 23 Fans of Too Many Zooz, mark your calendars: Horns and percussion trio Moon Hooch and special guest Big Blitz are playing Mr. Smalls Theatre. Like the saxophone and trumpet duo of Too Many Zooz, drummer James Muschler and saxophonists Wenzl McGowen and Mike Wilbur got their start busking in the subways of New York City, eventually taking their explosive mix of jazz, funk, and electronic music on the roads with Beats Antique, They Might Be Giants, and Lotus before headlining their own sold-out shows around the U.S. It’s been about two years since the band’s last album dropped, but it’s still releasing new music with 2019 singles “Candlelight,” “Give Yourself to Love,” and “Rise.” 7 p.m. 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. $18. mrsmalls.com PHOTO: JON TRESKO

Moon Hooch

FULL LIST ONLINE pghcitypaper.com

THURSDAY NOV. 21 ROCK/BLUES DAN BUBIEN & THE DELTA STRUTS, CHET VINCENT & THE BIG BEND. Thunderbird Café & Music Hall. 8 p.m. Lawrenceville.

ACOUSTIC THE SHAMELESS HEX. Hop Farm Brewing.

8 p.m. Lawrenceville.

JASON TREUMAN. Mansions on Fifth. 5:30 p.m. Shadyside.

JAZZ ROGER HUMPHRIES. Con Alma.

8 p.m. Shadyside.

THOTH TRIO. Kingfly Spirits.

7 p.m. Strip District.

LUKE WINSLOW-KING. Music Nights On Jupiter.

7 p.m. Allison Park.

ROCK/BLUES

POP

R&B

ROCK

JASON BONHAM. Roxian Theatre.

8 p.m. McKees Rocks.

AJR. UPMC Events Center.

8 p.m. Moon.

DYNASTY. The Bridge Gastropub.

7 p.m. Bridgeville.

MO LOWDA & THE HUMBLE. Club Cafe. 8 p.m. South Side.

UNKNOWN HINSON. Crafthouse Stage & Grill. 7 p.m. Overbrook.

MO LOWDA & THE HUMBLE. Club Cafe. 8 p.m. South Side.

SHANA FALANA, KY VÖSS. Babyland. 8:30 p.m. Oakland.

FOLK/BLUEGRASS

THE KYLE GASS COMPANY. The Smiling Moose. 7 p.m. South Side.

CLASSICAL

CAMP HOWARD. The Mr. Roboto Project.

7 p.m. Bloomfield.

PUNK

PITT JAZZ ENSEMBLE FALL CONCERT. Bellefield Hall.

8 p.m. Oakland.

HIP HOP/R&B J-RED. Creative Coffee & Supply.

7:30 p.m. Downtown.

ELECTRONIC EPTIC. Rex Theater.

8 p.m. South Side.

JAZZ

GUTTERRICH, 13 SAINTS, KING CATFISH. Excuses Bar & Grill.

9 p.m. South Side.

ALTERNATIVE/INDIE

JOHN PIZZARELLI AND CATHERINE RUSSELL. MCG Jazz. 7 p.m. North Side.

JERROD NIEMANN. Jergel’s Rhythm Grille.

8 p.m. Warrendale.

CORY BRANAN. Club Cafe.

7 p.m. South Side.

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PGHCITYPAPER.COM

THE BUCKLE DOWNS. Mr. Smalls Theatre. 7 p.m. Millvale.

THE HAWKEYES (ALBUM RELEASE).

Hard Rock Cafe.

8:30 p.m. South Side.

ROGER BARBOUR JAZZ QUARTET. Fifth Avenue Place.

4:30 p.m. Downtown.

COUNTRY

DAVE IGLAR BAND (CD RELEASE). Moondog’s.

8:30 p.m. Blawnox.

FRIDAY NOV. 22

TERESA HAWTHORNE. Wallace’s Whiskey Room + Kitchen.

7 p.m. East Liberty.

HEMLOCK FOR SOCRATES (ALBUM RELEASE).

Spirit. 9 p.m. Lawrenceville.

CATSCAMS, FIVE FOOT ARM, SKELETONIZED. Howlers.

9 p.m. Bloomfield.

CLASSICAL DAMIEN ESCOBAR. Rex Theater. 8 p.m. South Side.

NICOLE SIMENTAL. St. Paul Cathedral. 7:30 p.m. Oakland.

FROM STRANGER TO NEIGHBOR. Third Presbyterian Church. 7:30 p.m. Oakland.

THE PUMP FAKES. The Park House. 9 p.m. North Side.

FUNK

NOBUNNY, THE SPECTRES, BIG BABY. Rock Room.

8 p.m. Polish Hill.

COUNTRY/FOLK 4TH RIVER NIGHT. Hambone’s.

7 p.m. Lawrenceville.

LAINE HARDY. Jergel’s Rhythm Grille.

8 p.m. Warrendale.

SATURDAY NOV. 23 CLASSICAL UP AND AWAY! (WITH FIDDLESTICKS).

Heinz Hall. 11:15 a.m. Downtown.

METAL

BUFFALO ROSE (EP RELEASE).

THIS IS RED. 7 p.m. Homestead.

JAZZ JERRON PAXTON, JONTAVIOUS WILLIS. Carnegie Lecture Hall.

7:30 p.m. Oakland.

OLGA WATKINS BAND. NOLA On The Square. 8 p.m. Downtown.

HOLY RIVALS, THE BLACK BLACK, MURDER FOR GIRLS. Gooski’s. 9 p.m. Polish Hill.

SCOTT BLASEY (THE CLARKS).

Peppers N’AT. 8 p.m. Braddock.

AVI DIAMOND. Wolfie’s Pub. 8 p.m. Downtown.

SUNDAY NOV. 24

ALTERNATIVE/INDIE

CLASSICAL

AUTOPILOT, HOLOTYPES, THE SHUTOUTS, HONEY PRISM. The Government Center.

8 p.m. North Side.

ALL UNIVERSITY ORCHESTRA. Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall.

4:30 p.m. Oakland.

OFFICE CULTURE, MRS. PAINTBRUSH, COSMIC WIND. Cattivo. 8 p.m. Lawrenceville.

OFF MINOR JAZZ SERIES. City of Asylum. 6 p.m. North Side.

SNOWDONIA, MELLOWPHOBIA. The Mr. Roboto Project.

6:30 p.m. Bloomfield.

JAZZ LATIN JAZZ SUNDAYS. Con Alma. 5 p.m. Shadyside.

PUNK PITT PUNKSGIVING. Howlers. 6:30 p.m. Bloomfield.

ICE NINE KILLS, FIT FOR A KING. Roxian Theatre.

6 p.m. McKees Rocks.

ELECTRONIC

AFRO N’AT. Full Pint Wild Side Pub. 8 p.m. Lawrenceville.

AXIOMA, VARAHA, MEVRIMNA. Black Forge Coffee House.

7 p.m. McKees Rocks.

THE RAVEVOLUTION. Braddock Elks. 8 p.m. Braddock.

THE LAST BISON. The Smiling Moose. 6:30 p.m. South Side.

JAM BAND

COUNTRY

MULTI-GENRE

FOLK

THE COOL FOOLS. Wolfie’s Pub. 7:30 p.m. Downtown.

LUKE COMBS. PPG Paints Arena.

7 p.m. Uptown.

RANDY BAUMANN’S RAMBLE AT THE REX. Rex Theater.

8 p.m. South Side.

OLD TIME MUSIC OF SW PA (ALBUM RELEASE).

Hambone’s. 2 p.m. Lawrenceville.

KIWANO SOUR (SINGLE RELEASE). Cattivo.

7:30 p.m. Lawrenceville.

LEE REYNOLDS. Spirit. 9 p.m. Lawrenceville.

ACOUSTIC

PHOTO: SHERVIN LAINEZ

Son Little

SON LITTLE FRI., NOV. 22

In an exercise of learning to let go and surrender to fate, R&B musician Son Little wrote his newest album, aloha, out Jan. 31 via ANTI- Records, in only eight days. “Letting go can be a scary prospect,” he says. “But there’s beauty in it, too. Everything you leave behind opens up space for something new in your life.” Known for producing and playing every instrument on his previous two releases, New Magic and Little’s self-titled debut, this time around he ceded control to an outside producer, Renaud Letang, to create his “boldest, most self-assured statement yet.” Earlier this month, Little dropped the first single, “suffer,” and perhaps Pittsburgh will get to hear a few other tracks from the striking new album when Little takes the stage at Thunderbird Café & Music Hall.

8:30 p.m. 4053 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $15. roxianlive.com LIVINGSTON TAYLOR. Club Cafe. 7 p.m. South Side.

ROCK DEREK WOODS BAND. Mr. Toad’s. 8 p.m. Greensburg.

METAL BELL WITCH, ALTAR AND THE BULL, COMA. Cattivo. 7 p.m. Lawrenceville.

WORLD DEVILISH MERRY. PointBreezeway.

6 p.m. Point Breeze.

MONDAY NOV. 25 COUNTRY FAIRGROUND SAINTS. Hard Rock Cafe. 8 p.m. South Side.

POP NICK FRADIANI. Club Cafe.

7 p.m. South Side.

JAZZ HOWIE ALEXANDER TRIO. Con Alma.

5 p.m. Shadyside.

ROGER HUMPHRIES TRIO. Savoy Restaurant & Wine Bar. 6 p.m. Strip District.

TUESDAY NOV. 26 ROCK TINY MOVING PARTS. Rex Theater. 6:30 p.m. South Side.

ACOUSTIC STEFAN FINDLEY. Black Forge Coffee House. 6 p.m. Allentown.

STEPH HASTINGS. Bigham Tavern.

6 p.m. Mt. Washington.

JAZZ R&R JAZZ TRIO. The Park House. 8 p.m. North Side.

BLUES THE MATT BARRANTI BAND. Wolfie’s Pub. 6 p.m. Downtown.

WEDNESDAY NOV. 27 ACOUSTIC ACOUSTIC CHRISTMAS. Club Cafe. 6:30 p.m. South Side.

SPENKING, JUDSON CLAIBORNE. The Government Center.

8 p.m. North Side.

ROCK THE S.P.U.D.S. Moondog’s.

7:30 p.m.

Blawnox.

METAL AS I LAY DYING. Roxian Theatre.

7:30 p.m.

McKees Rocks.

FUNK CYCLES & SHAQ NICHOLSON. Thunderbird Café & Music Hall.

8 p.m.

Lawrenceville.

JAZZ CHRIS PARKER TRIO. Kingfly Spirits.

7 p.m. Strip District.

MULTI-GENRE LOOPSGIVING. Mr. Smalls Theatre.

6 p.m.

Millvale.

These listings are curated by Pittsburgh City Paper’s music writer Jordan Snowden and include events from our free online listings. Submit yours today at www.pghcitypaper.com/submitevent PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 20-27, 2019

29

.LITERATURE.

AWARDING AUTHORS

BY AMANDA WALTZ AWALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

T

WO PITTSBURGH writers focused on racism and xenophobia in America are receiving grants to help them complete their current projects, courtesy of the Carol R. Brown Achievement Awards.

Adriana Ramirez, a writer, critic, and performance poet, is 2019’s “established artist” and plans on using the $15,000 grant to explore the legacy of generational conflict in her Mexican-Colombian family. Her nonfiction book uses her grandmother’s story to trace how a civil war that started in Colombia in 1948 led to U.S. interventionist policies in Latin America that still resonate today.

The award’s “emerging artist” is Cameron Barnett, an African-American poet and educator whose work — including his 2017 book of poems, The Drowning Boy’s Guide to Water — explores the lives of Black people in North America. Barnett and Ramirez will be recognized on Dec. 9 during a ceremony at Point Park University.

Originally conceived in 1991 as the Creative Achievement Awards by former Pittsburgh Cultural Trust president Carol R. Brown, the program is now cosponsored by The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Heinz Endowments and provides financial support to two artists, one established and one emerging, each year. Previous winners include artist Alisha B. Wormsley, poet Toi Derricotte, and Bricolage artistic director Tami Dixon.

Unlike many grants and awards, recipients are allowed to use the money as they see fit, an aspect that appeals

PHOTOS: PITTSBURGH FOUNDATION

Cameron Barnett and Adriana Ramirez

2019 CAROL R. BROWN CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS 5:30 p.m. Mon., Dec. 9. Pittsburgh Playhouse, 350 Forbes Ave., Downtown.

Free with registration. pittsburghfoundation.org

to Ramirez. Along with a $10,000 grant she received earlier this year from the Investing in Professional Artists program, she says the award allows her to afford certain services essential to her work, including childcare for her toddler son.

“It’s kind of awesome, because usually when it’s a grant, you have to submit a budget,” says Ramirez. “But in this case, it’s a lot more carte blanche.”

The money will also go toward traveling to Texas, the state where her parents settled after they emigrated to the U.S. from Mexico when she was three months old. She says the trips allow her to gather information for her book from experts at the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University, among others.

For Barnett, the award is a way to inspire his students at Falk Laboratory

School, where he teaches sixth-grade history and seventh-grade English language arts, in addition to helping him pay down his student debt.

“Several of my students are genuinely interested in writing poems and stories,” he says in a press release. “To know that I’ve won an award could make them realize that if someone like Mr. B can do it, their teacher teaching them how to write, then they’re not too far away from something like this for themselves.”

A press release reveals that he, like Ramirez, is also in the process of completing a new work, a second fulllength book of poetry described as centering on “the historical and racial roots of his heritage in the U.S. and Canada, and the histories of slavery, Jim Crow, and the civil rights movement.”

Both recipients dwell on the darker side of American history, something Ramirez believes has become forgotten or white-washed, as evidenced in past interactions with her students at Pitt.

“I remember asking my students, ‘How many countries do you think the U.S. has invaded?’” she says, adding that many were surprised to learn that the U.S. had invaded Panama and Mexico.

“There’s this moment where we tend to block out our own history because it’s kind of ugly sometimes. I’m really interested in that ugly.”

That ugliness, she says, includes driving by the now infamous immigrant detention center in her hometown of McAllen, Texas, during her research trips. In light of seeing the worst of anti-immigrant rhetoric in the U.S., she expresses gratitude to Pittsburgh for providing her with so many opportunities to thrive and try to make life better for the local Latino community.

“It’s so lovely to be supported especially these days when anti-immigrant fervor is at a max,” says Ramirez. “To be a woman of color and an immigrant and to be celebrated is surreal.”

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Shop the Peoples Gas Holiday Market™ before Thanksgiving and receive a FREE $10 Scene75 game card*

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*Terms apply. Purchase Required. See DowntownPittsburgh.com/Holidays for details.

$1,000 Grand Prize Holiday Karaoke!

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Finalists move on to the grand finale, where the winner goes home with a $1,000 grand prize.

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Visit the Käthe Wohlfahrt chalet to enter for a chance to win two tickets** to London on British Airlines. **No purchase necessary. Terms apply.

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 20-27, 2019

31

.STAGE.

ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI

BY ALEX GORDON ALEXGORDON@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

D

ON’T BEAT YOURSELF up if you assumed the premise for One Night in Miami was a work of fiction, or at least, seriously embellished.

It’s the stuff of a heavy-handed historical novel: In February 1964, 22-year-old Cassius Clay celebrates a huge victory over Sonny Liston at a hotel room in Miami with his friends Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown. Yes, these four were actually friends, and this night actually happened, but as the program explains, “outside of those four men, no one knows the conversations that were had that evening, but one can imagine that they were momentous.”

With City Theatre’s production, penned by Kemp Powers in 2003, directed

by Reginald L. Douglas, the conversations are definitely momentous, but also hilarious, tense, and affectionate. In the confines of Tony Ferreiri’s wonderful set — a single-bed suite with a kitchenette, windows looking out into the hallway where two of Malcolm’s security guards stand watch — the four men waste away the hours volleying arguments about Islam, alcohol, Bob Dylan, women, and the music industry.

They also eat ice cream.

Everybody has a lot to say, as each is wrestling with pivotal life and career choices. Clay (a magnetic Thomas Walter Booker) is a rising boxing superstar on

Givieft THE

OF

BR

G

OA D WA

Y

PHOTO: KRISTI JAN HOOVER

Dwayne Washington, Avery Glymph, Quincy Chad, Thomas Walter Booker, Brenden Peifer, Lamar K. Cheston

ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI Continues through Sun., Dec. 1. City Theatre, 1300 Bingham St., South Side. $29-70. $15 for those under 30. citytheatre.culturaldistrict.org

the heels of his Liston knockout and plans to announce his conversion to Islam and name-change (first to Cassius X, then Muhammad Ali). Brown (Quincy Chad) is coming to terms with the imminent end of his NFL career and eying a move to Hollywood. Cooke (Dwayne Washington) is at the height of his career, with his self-formed record label and publishing company. Malcolm (Avery Glymph) is in the midst of breaking ties with the head of the Nation of Islam and mulling his next move.

With these men’s well-documented

fates hanging over every conversation — the presence of the two security guards outside (Lamar K. Cheston and Brenden Peifer) is a particularly unsettling visual omen — Powers’ script pulls off the unlikely trick of stripping the men of their celebrity and ego and letting camaraderie and affection power the actors’ chemistry. They may be discussing career moves, but there’s a busy subtext bubbling underneath all their interactions, namely the challenges of being young, successful, prominent Black men in America in the 1960s.

Follow managing editor Alex Gordon on Twitter @shmalexgordon

Few but the four men in the room know the struggles, fear, and guilt that comes with that burden and you can tell they’re all happy to have friends to commiserate with.

Portrayals of Black male friendship are seldom this nuanced, vulnerable, and loving, so it’s fitting that Douglas calls the play a “love letter to Black men and a celebration of all our differences, perspectives, and opinions.” There is no shortage of horror and heartbreak foreshadowed in the characters’ words, but it’s the warmth captured between these friends on this night that shines through the brightest.

•

SaturDAY 12/7 • 10AM-5PM • Teamsters Local 249 Banquet Hall • 4701 Butler st 15201 • 440-227-8794 A portion of proceeds will benefit girls on the run Featuring all handmade vendors!

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Admission is $3, children under 12 are free.

SUMMER 2020 • Benedum Center

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WED., DEC. 4TH DAVEY KNOWLES 5 P.M. JERGEL’S RHYTHM GRILLE, WEXFORD. Under 21 with Guardian. $12-$22. 724-799-8333 or ticketfly.com.

WED., DEC. 4TH OTHERWISE 7:30 P.M. HARD ROCK CAFÉ, STATION SQUARE. Under 21 with Guardian. $10-$12. 412-481-ROCK or ticketfly.com.

WED., DEC. 4TH PHISH 7:30 P.M. PETERSEN EVENTS CENTER, OAKLAND. 1-800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

THU., DEC. 5TH AARON CARTER

WED., DEC. 4TH POP EVIL 7 P.M. CRAFTHOUSE STAGE & GRILL, SOUTH HILLS. $20.

412-653-2695 or ticketfly.com.

HARD ROCK CAFÉ, STATION SQUARE.

CASHMERE CAT

HANDMADE ARCADE 2019

7 P.M. THE REX THEATER, SOUTHSIDE. All Ages. $23.

412-381-1681 or greyareaprod.com.

11 A.M. DAVID L. LAWRENCE CONVENTION CENTER, DOWNTOWN. All Ages. Free. handmadearcade.com

7:30 P.M. HARD ROCK CAFÉ, STATION SQUARE. $18-$31.

412-481-ROCK or ticketfly.com.

FRI., DEC. 6TH SCRANTONICITYTHE OFFICE THEMED PARTY

SAT., DEC. 7TH MIKE’S DEAD / RYAN OAKES

THU., DEC. 5TH KRAMPUSNACHT IN MARKET SQUARE

7 P.M. HARD ROCK CAFÉ, STATION SQUARE. 21+ Event. $15-$55.

412-481-ROCK or ticketfly.com.

THU., DEC. 5TH AARON CARTER

6 P.M. MARKET SQUARE, DOWNTOWN. All Ages. Free.

THU., DEC. 5TH THE PRINCE PROJECT 6 P.M. JERGEL’S RHYTHM GRILLE, WEXFORD. Under 21 with Guardian. $16-$27. 724-799-8333 or ticketfly.com.

FRI., DEC. 6TH THE HOMELESS GOSPEL CHOIR W/ SONDER BOMBS

FRI., DEC. 6TH CLOSE TO YOU: THE MUSIC OF THE CARPENTERS 7 P.M. JERGEL’S RHYTHM GRILLE, WEXFORD. $25-$39.

724-799-8333 or ticketfly.com.

FRI., DEC. 6TH THUNDERSTRUCK: AMERICA’S AC/DC

6 P.M. SMILING MOOSE, SOUTHSIDE. All Ages $12. 412-431-4668 or ticketfly.com.

SUN., DEC. 8TH GARY RACAN AND THE STUDIO-E BAND 12 P.M. JERGEL’S RHYTHM GRILLE, WEXFORD. Under 21 with Guardian. $20-$25. 724-799-8333 or ticketfly.com.

SUN., DEC. 8TH THE STOLEN 6 P.M. SMILING MOOSE, SOUTHSIDE. All Ages. $12. 412-431-4668 or ticketfly.com.

7 P.M. CRAFTHOUSE STAGE & GRILL, SOUTH HILLS. Under 21 with Guardian. $22-$34.50. 412-653-2695 or ticketfly.com.

SUN., DEC. 8TH SEPTEMBER MORNING WITH LEXA TERRESTRIAL

SAT., DEC. 7TH PENGUINS ON PARADE

7 P.M. HARD ROCK CAFÉ, STATION SQUARE. Under 21 with Guardian. $10.

412-481-ROCK or ticketfly.com.

6 P.M. SMILING MOOSE, SOUTHSIDE. All Ages. $10. 412-431-4668 or ticketfly.com.

11 A.M. PITTSBURGH ZOO & PPG AQUARIUM, HIGHLAND PARK. All Ages $14.95-$16.95.

412-665-3640 or pittsburghzoo.org

MON., DEC. 9TH ABIGAIL WILLIAMS /AENIMUS

FRI., DEC. 6TH

SAT., DEC. 7TH

8 P.M. MR. SMALLS THEATER, MILLVALE. All Ages. $12. 412-421-4447 or mrsmalls.com.

FRI., DEC. 6TH KALI MASI

5:30 P.M. SMILING MOOSE, SOUTHSIDE. All Ages. $12-$15. 412-431-4668 or ticketfly.com.

FOR UPCOMING ALLEGHENY COUNTY PARKS EVENTS, LOG ONTO WWW.ALLEGHENYPARKS.COM PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 20-27, 2019

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CP PHOTO: NICK PAGANO

moudebabe

.MUSIC.

JUST KEEP MOVING

BY JORDAN SNOWDEN // JSNOWDEN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

T

ALKING TO MOUDEBABE on the

phone is a lot like seeing him perform. The rapper, whose real name is Mahmoud Yacoub, specializes in freestyle performances, letting whatever comes to mind make its way from his head straight to his mouth.

Yacoub’s brain works in a stream-ofconsciousness fashion, due in part to his bipolar disorder.

“I feel superhuman with bipolar disorder,” he says. “The way I move is different. The way I think … I can juggle all these thoughts, all together.”

TWITTER: @MOUDEBABE SPOTIFY: MOOD CRU 34

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But the Warren, Ohio native wasn’t always so self-assured. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2014 with a BA in philosophy and English fiction writing, and like many students fresh out of school, Yacoub felt aimless.

“It’s hard when you have a mental disorder and don’t take care of it,” says Yacoub. “At that time, I knew I had things but also didn’t want to be beholden to it.

So, I didn’t take care of myself.”

That summer, Yacoub had a drug-

induced psychotic break and spent two weeks at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital. Yacoub says that Western Psych might be different now, but during his time there he was essentially stuck in a small space and not allowed to go outside, along with 12 others.

“It was a really terrible way to keep people who are sick situated,” says Yacoub. “It was not an environment conducive to healing. But it did give me the space I needed and an opportunity

to heal and get needed medicine.”

After being released and heading back to Warren to live with his family, Yacoub couldn’t look at Pittsburgh the same way. He was angry at the city for putting him in that position, angry at how he saw people treated at Western Psych, angry with the stigma that comes with mental illness, and how his mother didn’t want others to know where Yacoub had just spent two weeks of his life. So, he decided to go to earn another degree, this time in psychology.

Yacoub also started making music.

“I wanted to rebuild my relationship with bipolar disorder,” says Yacoub. “I definitely have personified my mania, my depression, in an effort to reflect and better understand it.”

In Bastards of Babel, an album released this year by Mood Cru — a collaboration of Yacoub, Handamonium, Kaydus, and a few others — Yacoub dispels some of the pent-up feelings he had through the alter ego of Mineal. “[He] was a character I created after psychosis as [an outlet] for all of my anger and distaste for myself,” says Yacoub. “I could write through him with this anger that wasn’t necessarily true to me anymore, but I was able to put it out, excise it.”

PHOTO: DAEMON PALMER

moudebabe performing for The Empty Space Project

Yacoub began working on that album in 2016 after graduating from Youngstown State University with a BA in psychology. Still feeling aimless,

he and his partner spent some time in Palestine, where Yacoub taught English and history for high school students.

While it was a beautiful place to live,

Yacoub felt like he was stunting his growth. In 2018 he moved back to Pittsburgh after realizing he continued to harbor demons and a fear of the city.

“I was still angry that my life got shifted because of the psychosis,” says Yacoub.

“And I put a lot of that on Pittsburgh.”

While studying again for another degree — a master’s in clinical mental health counseling at Duquesne University so he can help improve the care and treatment of those dealing with mental issues — Yacoub began working more on music and found an outlet through freestyling.

“The art is how I sustain myself to be there for [others],” he says.

Now, Yacoub can often be spotted performing around the city, most recently on The Empty Space Project, and at open mic nights like Spirit Sessions, where he challenges himself by asking the band to play whatever they want.

“It’s the purest extension of what I am because, in that moment, there’s no thought,” says Yacoub. “There’s just me with the band. And I’m just rapping my ass off with whatever comes next.

It’s this weird fusion where me and the band are one, and we’re all playing jazz, and I’m just moving. And I think that’s powerful.”

•

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The Mandalorian, a Star Wars show on Disney Plus

T

HE INCREASING NUMBER of streaming services feels like the battle scene in a movie where the gang defeats the first crop of soldiers and breathe a sigh of relief, only to turn around see an even bigger mass of soldiers coming over the hill. I thought I knew how to watch TV, but more just keeps coming.

Last week, the Walt Disney Company launched its long-anticipated streaming service, Disney Plus. Because Disney also owns the Star Wars universe, the Marvel Universe, ESPN, Hulu, Fox, your soul, Pixar, and many others, the streaming service made a big splash. There were months of lead-up, with frequent announcements of original programming and an infamous Twitter thread listing nearly every Disney movie ever made – over 600 – available on the service, including classics, like Cinderella, and some you’ve never heard of in your whole life, like Justin Morgan Had a Horse.

I wanted to see what Disney Plus had to offer, and if its original content had any worth, so I signed up for a free trial. The journey was even darker than I expected.

(Note: This is a review of watching Disney Plus as an adult. I’m sure if I had kids, it would be the best thing that’s ever happened to me). (Second note: Disney made $59 billion last year.)

Disney Plus is powered almost completely on nostalgia and assumes that viewers will be so overwhelmed with the

desire to watch movies from their childhood (and show them to their children) that the whole family will eventually build a shrine to worship their new overlord. Nostalgia is a flimsy feeling though.

While I loved Lizzie McGuire, I don’t actually want to go back and watch a show about middle school that I watched in elementary school (nor do I want to watch a reboot of Lizzie McGuire as an adult, a show coming soon to Disney Plus … The Lizzie McGuire Movie still slaps though.)

DISNEYPLUS.COM I watched three of the original shows available, and all were lackluster. The first was an episode of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. The premise of this mockumentary-style show is that a new theater teacher (who, in this universe, was an extra in the original High School Musical) arrives at the school where they shot the original HSM and announces that the students will put on their own production of HSM. The teens all know the original HSM by heart, which is possibly revisionist history on Disney’s part to brainwash a new generation into loving old material that Disney can then repurpose into new material based on nostalgia they made up. Help!!!

Next up, I watched a show hosted by

a beloved Pittsburgh icon whom I have no affection for: The World According to Jeff Goldblum. In this National Geographic show, Jeff Goldblum explores his curiosity for different topics, like ice cream or tattoos. In the episode I watched, he did a dive into sneaker culture. For something produced by Nat Geo, the show is surprisingly uninformative. Goldblum walks into a massive sneaker convention, having done seemingly no research. He goes to a custom sneaker designer who asks about the earth being flat. The history of sneakers is explained in a oneminute segment about the origin of rubber. It’s a show built on the idea that the quirkiness of Goldblum’s personality is enough to prop up a series, which it’s not. Also, he purrs too often.

Finally, The Mandalorian, a series that is in the Star Wars universe because Disney says it is. It takes place sometime after Return of the Jedi, and follows — you guessed it — a bounty hunter. Of course, there are weird-looking creatures, bartering scenes, cantina scenes, and a baby Yoda hatching out of a robotic egg.

I realized while scrolling through the Disney Plus offerings that, unlike Netflix or Hulu or any of the others, Disney is not going to use its freedom as a streaming service to release any content that isn’t family-friendly. If you are an adult, Disney Plus is a chaste nostalgia machine trying to take over your mind and body. If you are a kid, it probably rules.

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SEVEN DAYS OF ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT

PHOTO: COURTESY OF DAVID ATTIE

^ Thu., Nov. 21: Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart

THURSDAY NOV. 21

FILM Get to know the life and career of Lorraine Hansberry, the playwright best known for her seminal work A Raisin in the Sun. In her work and personal life, she challenged social injustices, including racism, sexism, and class inequality. She even protested the execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg with her husband the night before their

wedding. Learn more about Hansberry with a screening of the 2017 documentary Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart at the Community Engagement Center. 5:30 p.m.

622 N. Homewood Ave., Homewood. sembenefilmfestival.org

COMEDY Ready to get roasted and do a little roasting of your own? Apis Mead & Winery invites the Hurry Up, Say Something Funny comedy crew to rip into the crowd.

But there’s a catch: Each comic has 10 minutes to bust out their best material.

If they’re killing it, they get more time — if not, they have to get off the stage.

To heighten the pressure, heckling from the crowd is encouraged. Day Bracey will host an evening that includes Samantha Bentley, Ian McIntosh, Amanda Averell, Brandon Schell, Jason Clark, Brittany Alexis, and Brandon Johnson. 7-10 p.m. 206 Mary St., Carnegie. apismead.com

ART Pittsburgh-based photographer Mark Perrott has spent the last four decades documenting the

ever-growing tattoo culture in America. Now the Silver Eye Center for Photography will host a talk and signing event for Perrott’s most recent book Tattoo Witness, a collection of intimate portraits of tattooed subjects. In addition to the images, the 135-page hardbound work includes a forward by Linda BenedictJones, Carnegie Museum of Art’s first photography curator, and excerpts from interviews conducted by Tim Azinger and Heather Mull. 7-9 p.m. 4808 Penn Ave., Bloomfield. Registration required. silvereye.org CONTINUES ON PG. 40

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^ Thu., Nov. 21: A Bronx Tale

STAGE Ever watch a mob movie and think, “This should be a musical!” If not, that’s because you’re (probably) not Robert DeNiro or Chazz Palminteri, director and screenwriter, respectively, of the 1993 film A Bronx Tale who brought it to the stage in 2016. (Palminteri also wrote the play on which the film is based.) Aided by music from Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Pocahontas), the play tells the story of “a young man living in the Bronx in the 1960s and caught between the father he loves and the mob boss he’d love to be.” 7:30 p.m. Benedum Center, 237 Seventh Ave., Downtown. $33-115. trustarts.org

STAGE One thing adults tend to forget as their teenage years become more of a distant memory is that small, seemingly insignificant things at that age can mean a lot to the people experiencing them.

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Interactions that seem banal on the surface can have a huge effect on people as they age. In The Wolves, the innocuous setting is Saturday soccer practice and the topics are genocide, menstrual cycles, drugs, boys, literature, and each other.

The play, taking place over six weeks of practice for nine of the players, offers insight into how substantial these little moments can be. Sarah Delappe’s script — a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize — is staged at the University of Pittsburgh’s Richard E. Rauh Studio Theatre. 8 p.m. Continues through Sun., Nov. 24. 4200 Fifth Ave., Oakland. $12-25. play.pitt.edu

FRIDAY NOV. 22

LIGHTS For many, Light Up Night marks the start of the holiday season

in Pittsburgh. Head Downtown on Saturday for a day of festivities, including multiple tree lightings, live music, and maybe (if you’re lucky) a Santa sighting.

Ride a carriage through town, be wowed by gingerbread masterpieces, and ice skate around PPG Place. End the night with two fireworks shows. 12-9:30 p.m.

Multiple locations, Downtown. downtownpittsburghholidays.com

LIT Every year, the Thomas Merton Award honors notable activists for their transformative work. Celebrate 2019 recipient Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor for the Thomas Merton Award with an event at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center. Taylor, a professor of African-American Studies at Princeton University, has written several books on Black liberation, including her latest, Race for Profit: How Banks and the Real Estate Industry

Undermined Black Homeownership.

The event will feature food and drinks, music from Deejay Aesthetics, live performances, a book signing, and more.

5-10 p.m. 980 Liberty Ave., Downtown. $55-65. thomasmertoncenter.org

BEER Get lit — literally — at this year’s Beers of the Burgh Winter Warmer. The brew fest, featuring over 30 Western PA breweries and cideries, will be held inside an amazingly lit holiday wonderland, Lumaze Pittsburgh. The light show is the perfect way to kick of your 2019 holiday season, and with a beer in hand, it’s even better. 6-10 p.m. 31st Street Studios, 77 31st St., Strip District. $25-65. showclix.com

PARTY It can be tricky to find fun social events in the city for people who don’t drink.

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^ Sat., Nov. 23: Pittsburgh FireWalk

to provide comfortable vibes, good music, and house-made non-alcoholic mixed drinks. Sober Social Night at Bantha Tea Bar will feature tunes from DJ Emma Vescio and food from Mi Empanada.

7 p.m. 5002 Penn Ave., Bloomfield. $5 cover. 16 and older. empathpittsburgh.com

SATURDAY NOV. 23

FEST Pittsburgh weather, amiright? The first installment of Pittsburgh FireWalk was supposed to kick off last month until rainy weather canceled the festivities. But what made for a sad October makes for an even better November, as City of Play’s inaugural fire-lit carnival is now a weekend-long event. Inspired by historic fireside traditions, the festival will help visitors embrace daylight savings time with three bonfires spread throughout the North Side in cauldrons designed

by Pittsburgh nonprofit Rivers of Steel.

Musicians, storytellers, and dancers will provide entertainment by the fire, and attendees can also visit a night market with games, arts, and food. In lieu of tickets, visitors can purchase sustainably harvested firewood, laser-burned with a “dedication of your choosing directly into

the wood” to add to the fire. 5 p.m. Also Sun., Nov. 24. Allegheny Commons Park, Allegheny Square, and Buhl Community Park, North Side. cityofplay.org/firewalk

SUNDAY NOV. 24

ART Local artist Liana Maneese presents Adopting Identity Memories and Mirrors, an installation about her experience growing up as Afro-Brazilian-American in Pittsburgh, beginning with her adoption from Goiânia, Brazil in 1985. The show includes a book of short poems and images, a portrait by sarah huny young, and the screening of Leo Cortana’s short film about Marielle Franco, an Afro-Brazilian politician and activist who was murdered in 2018. This event will take place at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in Oakland. 1-3 p.m. 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland. carnegielibrary.org

LIT Kevin Haworth will celebrate the paperback release of Far Out All My Life, his latest collection of personal essays, at White Whale Bookstore. Haworth, who CONTINUES ON PG. 42

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 20-27, 2019

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There are many improvements at the newly renovated Thunderbird Café & Music Hall, but one of the most notable is how much the space suits standup comedy. See for yourself at the Thunderbird Comedy Showcase, featuring standups Suzanne Lawrence, Leslie Cavala, Tim Ross, Samantha Bentley, and Ian McIntosh. 6 p.m. Thunderbird Café & Music Hall, 4023 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $12. roxianlive.com

FashionAFRICANA continues its mission of celebrating the art, music, and dance of the African diaspora with Mario Epanya’s BEAUTIFUL: Portraits of Black Beauty at the Pittsburgh Public Theater. Curated by Pittsburgh Public Theater artist-in-residence Demeatria Boccella and accessible to ticket buyers for School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play, the exhibit pays tribute to the work of Mario Epanya, a Cameroonborn/Paris-based beauty and fashion photographer known for his fictional Vogue Africa covers and his debut photography exhibition, Glamazonia, which premiered at the August Wilson Center for African American Culture in 2012.

Continues through Mon., Dec. 9. 621 Penn Ave., Downtown. $31-81. ppt.org

TUESDAY NOV. 26

ART Casey Sommers and Angela Briggs, the artists behind Desaturated Worlds, create artwork as a team. “Each piece captures the artists’ shared experience of a moment in time,” reads their artists’ statement, and for the duo’s newest exhibit, Watching the Shadows, their shared experience tackles mental illness. Images of bandages and broken sticks, “a commentary on the unsettled mind,” are found throughout the 26 new works, with many pieces in the collection hung as a pair. Visitors can expect a deeply personal exhibit, as the artists consider the creation of these pieces a healing process. 12-10 p.m. Continues through Sat., Nov. 30. The Union Hall above Bar Marco, 2216 Penn Ave., Strip District. desaturatedworlds.com

WEDNESDAY NOV. 27 MAGIC The new show from magician/actor Robert Ramirez was written and tailored specifically for its venue, Liberty Magic, offers “costume changes, song & dance routines, humor and maybe even a disappearing piano.” If you’re unfamiliar, you probably shouldn’t be: Ramirez starred in the national tour of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In The Heights and appeared on Penn and Teller’s show FOOL US. Ramirez did not fool Penn and Teller, but there’s a good chance he could fool you. 7:30 p.m. Continues through Fri., Jan 3. 811 Liberty Ave., Downtown. $40-65. trustarts.org •

OFFICIAL ADVERTISEMENT

THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Bellefield Entrance Lobby, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15213, on December 17, 2019, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for:

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IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-19-13196. In re petition of Josie Mamie McDonald for change of name to Elizabeth J. McDonald. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 10th day of December, 2019, at 9:45 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-19-13149. In re petition of Bryce Diana Cararie for change of name to Bryce Diana Walker.

To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 12th day of December, 2019, at 9:45 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for. Attorney for the Petitioner Salah E. Blaik, Esq. 12090 Freeport Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15238

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-19-13147. In re petition of Brody Nicholas Cararie for change of name to Brody Nicholas Walker To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 12th day of December, 2019, at 9:45 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for. Attorney for the Petitioner Salah E. Blaik, Esq. 12090 Freeport Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15238

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-19-15049, In re petition of Sara Hamel parent and legal guardian of Luci Li Sowers, for change of name to Jake Sowers.

To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 12th day of December, 2019, at 9:45 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-19-14685.

In re petition of Donna Jean Massimino for change of name to Donna Massimino-Walker.

To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 5th day of December, 2019, at 9:45 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for. Attorney for The petitioner David P. Huizdos, Esq., 505 Valley Brook Road. STE 206 McMurray, PA 15317

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-19-14653. In re petition of Richard Thomas Joseph Swartz for change of name to Lucky Munro. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 9th day of January, 2020, at 9:45 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for

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OFFICIAL ADVERTISEMENT THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH

Services are offered to everyone, regardless of identity, income, or insurance status.

Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Bellefield Entrance Lobby, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15213, on December 3, 2019, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for:

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• Asbestos, Lead-based paint, Mold & Animal Excrement Remediation, Mitigation & Abatement including Repair, Restoration & Re-insulation Work • Environmental Abatement Contract Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Bellefield Entrance Lobby, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15213, on December 17, 2019, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for:

• SUBOXONE • VIVITROL • Group and Individualized Therapy

PGH. ALLEGHENY • Boiler Room Upgrade • General, Mechanical, Electrical, and Asbestos Abatement Primes Project Manual and Drawings will be available for purchase on November 4, 2019 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.

Project details and dates are described in each project manual.

We are an equal rights and opportunity school district.

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WASHINGTON, PA LOCATION 95 Leonard Avenue - Suite 203 Washington PA 15301 Phone: (724) 249-2517

SPECIAL K

BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY // WWW.BRENDANEMMETTQUIGLEY.COM

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ACROSS 1. “My pronouns are” word 4. Prepares for some blood work, maybe 9. Verizon high-speed Internet option 13. Bulletin board “material?”

14. “Somebody That I Used To Know” one-hit wonder 15. Some Roths, briefly 16. National Burrito Day mo.

17. Sort of drunk stand-up’s delivery?

19. Jimmy of fashion 21. Hold onto 22. Throw an egg at one of your parents?

25. Landscaper’s workspaces 28. Grunge pattern 29. Most respected 30. On time 33. Where to go 34. “Are we cool?” vs. “Are you a commoner?”

38. Show off one’s engine’s power, say 39. “Not fronting” 40. Fixes, as the length of one’s pants 43. It takes place in the office in “Glengarry Glen Ross” 46. Candidate’s website section

47. “I am totally aware of the latest social issue”?

50. Like a small garage 52. Goes this way or that way 53. How a chainsmoker lives?

57. It comes with Find My 58. Proctologist’s subject 59. Sign up for another twelve months 60. Literary collection 61. Laser-focused on 62. Didgeridoo noise 63. “Over here!”

DOWN 1. Out to lunch, so to speak 2. Old-school music 3. Sign up for 4. Stats for Adam Vinatieri: Abbr.

5. Oath subsidiary 6. Thunder and lightning 7. Like one with a hyper personality 8. It’s five after 16-Across 9. South Pacific islander 10. Burning determination 11. Sturdy wood material 12. Kansas City-to-

Springfield dir.

18. Ben Carson’s alma mater 20. Striped quadruped 23. Filth 24. Studmuffin, classically 26. Tight corner 27. Sign of a sellout 29. Days-in-a-row stat 31. OBs, e.g.

32. Collision sound 34. Kick returners?

35. Campsite amenity 36. Watch part 37. Boxer Luis, nicknamed “King Kong” 38. Reading, and others, in a certain board game: Abbr.

41. Vintner Gallo 42. ___ cute 44. Source of the quote “holier than thou” 45. “We will deal with this in the a.m.”

47. Nalgene bottle fluid 48. College town north of Portland 49. Medium.com posting 51. Guitar string?

53. Blacktop 54. Act ___ hunch 55. Understanding 56. “We Wish ___ a Merry Christmas” (“Shaun the Sheep” episode)

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 20-27, 2019

45

PEEPSHOW A sex and social justice column

BY JESSIE SAGE // PEEPSHOWCAST@GMAIL.COM

A

T MY HUSBAND’S appointment

last week, his doctor turned to us and said, “Do you plan on having any more kids?”

We both kind of stumbled. The fact of the matter is that while we haven’t planned on having more kids, we also hadn’t ruled it out. Despite the fact that I am in my early 40s, the idea of permanently foreclosing the possibility feels big. But unlike many people, we couldn’t just let that option hang in the air — we were being pushed to answer more definitively.

The reason for this pressure is that, just hours before the appointment, we found out that my husband’s cancer is back and that in a matter of days, he’ll be undergoing chemotherapy that will poison his sperm and quite possibly cause lasting damage. His doctor wanted to know if we wanted to bank his sperm before starting chemo, and we had to answer swiftly.

This is the not the first time we were faced with this decision; in fact, the entire experience felt a little like déjà vu. When he was first diagnosed with testicular cancer more than four years ago, we sat in a similar room and were asked if we wanted to bank sperm before the surgery he would undergo to remove one of his testicles ... in three days.

I was pregnant at that time and we decided that this was too much pres-

“DO YOU PLAN ON HAVING ANY MORE KIDS?” sure, and that we should just feel grateful for the baby I was carrying. Several weeks post-surgery he painfully stumbled his way into an ultrasound with me to check on the health of our baby, only to find out the baby didn’t make it; it was the second one we lost that year.

After two pregnancy losses and

cancer we had all but given up hope.

Or, more accurately, we were griefstricken. During this time, we worked to relearn each other’s bodies: his while it was recovering from surgery and adjusting to changes in hormone levels, and mine as it was surviving from the emotional and physical

trauma of two failed pregnancies. In the dark we would slowly, quietly, and often sadly have sex, holding out hope that moving through these motions would push us into feeling like ourselves again.

And to our surprise, within a few weeks of that early recovery I found out I was pregnant again. I didn’t trust this and spent close to the first half of the pregnancy expecting the worst. But the reality was actually the best: our son was so big and strong (10.5 pounds when he was born 10 days early), that we assumed he was determined to survive out of the wreckage of the last year of our lives. We affectionately called him our “big, stubborn baby.”

Our son is now nearing three years old and we find ourselves again trying to decide what to do with my husband’s sperm before he undergoes major medical interventions. We made the same decision as last time; we have made no plans to bank.

We are in a different place in our life now than we were four years ago, and I am not sure that we would even hope for a similar outcome. And yet, being forced to confront the very real possibility of closing the door to more kids also pushes me to confront the seriousness of my husband’s disease and, in a more banal sense, the reality of aging. This happens to us all, I just didn’t anticipate it happening so soon.

•

JESSIE SAGE IS CO-HOST OF THE PEEPSHOW PODCAST AT PEEPSHOWPODCAST.COM. HER COLUMN PEEPSHOW IS EXCLUSIVE TO PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER. FOLLOW HER ON TWITTER @PEEP_CAST. HAVE A SEX QUESTION YOU’RE TOO AFRAID TO ASK? ASK JESSIE! EMAIL INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM. QUESTIONS MAY BE CONSIDERED FOR AN UPCOMING COLUMN.

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