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Pittsburgh Public School board member says signature was forged on letter in support of Amazon bid
When Pittsburgh leaders submitted their Amazon HQ2 bid, $6.7 billion in tax breaks were offered on behalf of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, city of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and Pittsburgh Public School District. This was one of the biggest incentive offers ever to attract a private business. Amazon didn’t pick Pittsburgh, but leaders said the process…
Q&A with Billy Brouse of Papadosio
Constant access to information is putting us in a stimulation coma. Trippy, space rock band Papadosio isn’t saying this is bad, but wants us to acknowledge the impact of technology with its eighth album, Content Coma, which dropped Sept. 7. The 12-track release is a genre-defying concoction that takes advantage of modern advancements with white…
Which Thanksgiving food are you?
They say you are what you eat. In the spirit of the season, find out what Thanksgiving food best represents your unique personality. Loosen that belt, grab a bib, and dig into our latest personality quiz!
Aesop Rock and TOBACCO come together for Malibu Ken
Prepare to have your face melted off. Or, to at least watch someone else’s face melt. Portland rapper Aesop Rock paired up with Pittsburgh’s TOBACCO – from Black Moth Super Rainbow – for a collaborative album Malibu Ken. Aesop Rock posted on his Facebook page that the two artists have toyed with the idea of…
Pittsburgh Public Theater stages the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Sweat
Is it against the law to burn down your own house? That’s a topic of discussion early on in Lynn Nottage’s Sweat, the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama staged by Pittsburgh Public Theater now through Dec. 9. A union worker, deep in debt and losing shifts, burned down his home in an act of drunken desperation and…
Hold the Turkey
People’s Indian Restaurant 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. 5147 Penn Ave., Garfield. peoplesindian.com Try the aloo saag, an herby spinach-potato dish, or the tofu vindaloo, a spicy curry. Sakura Teppanyaki and Sushi 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. 5882 Forbes Ave., Squirrel Hill. sakurateppanyakinsushi.com Warm your belly with a Sichuan-style Tofu Spicy Hot Pot or go for some…
A very vegetarian non-Thanksgiving
It all started with tacos. About four years ago, just days before Christmas, my husband and I enjoyed a casual dinner at the Lawrenceville Mexican restaurant Round Corner Cantina. Though we ate meat, we both ordered tofu to help offset the gastrointestinal misery accumulated from numerous holiday parties replete with rich foods and boozy beverages.…
Try these thanksgiving-adjacent cocktails
This Thanksgiving, give thanks for whiskey. It’s the perfect seasonal spirit: spicy and warm, but versatile enough to please the pickiest drinker. These local bars offer a glass of Thanksgiving, three magnificent cocktails that usher in holiday cheer. Whiskey in a Teacup at The Warren 245 Seventh St., Downtown. thewarrenpgh.com Whiskey in a Teacup is…
Lynn Cullen Live – 11/20/18
Video Archive Lynn and Susan are covering a wide range of topics today. They started out discussing mass manipulation, and how technology and A.I. are only increasing the ability for us to be deceived. They are also talking about the one thing that has survived the five mass extinctions on this planet we know of;…
#MusicMonday Wrap-up: Nov. 19
This was a weekend of changes: new record deals, new music, new shows.
Lynn Cullen Live – 11/19/18
Video Archive Lynn is determined to have a different type of show today. First she is talking about two documentaries she recently watched, and highly recommends: Tricky Dick & the Man in Black and Miss Sharon Jones!. She is also discussing the Wall Street Journal’s Winter entertainment preview which included On the Basis of Sex,…
Top 5 Light Up Night Alternatives
Looking for something to do tonight that doesn’t include joining the masses of Pittsburghers at Light Up Night?
Now Streaming: #NewMusicFriday Nov. 16
Fri., Nov. 16. So much music, so little time. But, CP staff writer, Jordan Snowden is here to help.
Pittsburgh City Paper staffers discuss the changing face of media
How has Pittsburgh City Paper adapted to the changing face of media, and grown from a print alt-weekly to a multi-media company? Listen to the Nov. 16 edition of the Pittsburgh City Podcast as CP’s managing editor Alex Gordon and digital media manager Josh Oswald share behind-the-scene stories and answer questions from a live studio…
Lynn Cullen Live – 11/16/18
Video Archive To kick off the show today Lynn is talking about the surprising news that the Japanese cybersercurity minister, Yoshitaka Sakurada admits he has never used a computer. Sakurada says he doesn’t need to use one, he instructs secretaries and employees to whatever needs to be done on a computer. In addition she is…
Pittsburgh offered $6.7 billion in a failed bid for Amazon HQ2, one of the largest incentive proposals ever
Today, Pittsburgh and Allegheny County leaders released their proposal to lure Amazon HQ2 to the region. Amazon didn’t bite at Pittsburgh and announced this week that it would be creating a split HQ2 in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., and in New York City, in Queens. Regardless, Pittsburgh’s failed bid offered $6.7 billion in combined…
Eat’n Park and Klavon’s Ice Cream team up for a collaboration worth smiling about
Prepare yourselves, Pittsburgh. The Smiley Cookie just got better. From now until Dec. 8, Klavon’s Ice Cream Parlor in the Strip District is selling cookie ice cream sandwiches made with the signature Smiley Cookie from Eat’n Park. These limited-edition treats are part of Eat’n Park’s Caring for Kids Campaign, proceeds benefiting The Children’s Hospital of…
Lynn Cullen Live – 11/15/18
Video Archive Lynn is starting off the show today asking where the antipathy for Nancy Pelosi as speaker of the house is coming from. Is it just age or is it something she did or did not do while speaker previously? Lynn truly wants to know why we wouldn’t want someone with experience in the…
Miniature Railroad & Village cements Donora into its visual history
Cement City was created by Thomas Edison as an answer to the slum-like conditions created by housing shortages common to industrial boomtowns.
Lynn Cullen Live – 11/14/18
Video Archive Lynn is starting off today’s show discussing acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, and the numerous scams and strange claims he has been involved in over the years. He has claimed DNA proof that Bigfoot exists, and time traveling will be possible in the next decade as examples. She is also talking about the…
The Beehive bids farewell with a week of events
After 28 years in operation, the Beehive Coffeehouse and Dessertery is preparing to close for good, putting an end to a Pittsburgh institution that long served as a refuge for local artists and a hip hangout spot for the city’s youth. But it’s not leaving without a bang. From Mon., Nov. 19 through Sun., Nov. 25,…
Bring some gum, a wet wipe, and an empty stomach to Tana Ethiopian Cuisine in East Liberty
At first glance, Tana Ethiopian Cuisine in East Liberty was fairly unassuming. It was quiet. Guests silently munched along to a soundtrack of calm, Ethiopian melodies. The decor reminded me of a sports bar mixed with my grandmother’s kitchen, a clash made more confusing by the flannel-lined vinyl tablecloths. Kitschy lights directed me to a…
Funky Fly Project is growing up
Listening to Funky Fly Project perform with your eyes closed, you would never guess that all the members are 19 or younger. They’re polished, sounding like professionals years older. But three years ago, when they first formed, the group was only able to play about five songs, which they would stretch out during performances. Now,…
Pittsburgh City Paper Holiday Guide 2018
Whether you celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah, or just enjoy looking at all the sparkling lights and smiling faces, the last two months of the year in Pittsburgh are full of fun seasonal activities for all ages. For this year’s Holiday Guide, we’re highlighting some of our favorite things to do, eat, and see in town…
Three unexpected recipes to spice up your holiday season
An internet search for “traditional holiday meals” brings up one thing: turkey. Ditch the turkey this year. Think beyond latkes. Who needs cranberry sauce? Tradition deserves to be re-written. Try one of these three recipes to spice up your holiday season. Sponsored by turkeys worldwide. Thai Curry Curry is low risk, high reward. You…
Archive project at Heinz History Center documents reactions to Tree of Life
The day of the Tree of Life shooting was marked by shock, mourning, and sadness. Then came the vigils and prayers, followed by protests and calls to action. Despite substantial documentation of the event, it’s easy for pieces of the story to get lost. In order to not lose track of the community’s reactions…
Celebrate Hanukkah with your fellow Pittsburghers
Chanukah Bazaar 2018. Get all your holiday shopping done here with time to spare, with a variety of local vendors, homemade fare, and an abundance of latkes. 10 a.m. Sun., Nov. 11. Rodef Shalom Gift Corner, 4905 Fifth Ave., Squirrel Hill. 412-621-6566 or rodefshalom.org Beginner’s Chanukah Encounter. First time? There’s nothing to be nervous about.…
Three hours at the Pittsburgh Whiskey & Fine Spirits Festival
What happens when a bunch of bartenders, bar owners, alcohol vendors, and miscellaneous booze enthusiasts cram into a casino for three hours of drinking? The Pittsburgh Whiskey & Fine Spirits Festival answers that question every year. It unspools like a liquor-soaked three-act play, revealing a wide spectrum of human behavior throughout the evening. If you…
Top 10 not so popular holiday movies
There are only a few movies anyone ever talks about around the holiday season: Love Actually, Elf, It’s a Wonderful Life, Die Hard. Some might call these movies grating, or even terrible. Here is a list of alternative holiday movies, ranging from an animated telling of the Holocaust to Dolly Parton’s life story. 1. When…
Be kind to your Pittsburgh artists this holiday season
For the typical reveler, the holidays mean getting together with family and friends, decking the halls with the finest fake boughs of holly that Target provides, and eating all of the cookies. For artists, however, this time of year means connecting with potential customers looking to bestow upon their loved ones the most unique, handmade…
Winter activities for getting into the holiday spirit
Face it: Pittsburgh in the wintertime is not exactly pleasant. To distract from the harshness of winter’s chill, Pittsburghers have created their own traditions and customs, making the season more bearable, and the landscape more colorful. What would a holiday kickoff be in Pittsburgh without fireworks, night markets, performances, and ice sculptures? This year’s Light-Up…
Holiday Cookie Table
If you’ve been to a wedding in Pittsburgh, it’s likely you’ve seen the glory that is the Pittsburgh Cookie Table. The local tradition typically involves family members spending days baking cookies of all shapes and sizes, presented on a long dining table at the reception. Next to the cake, it’s pretty much the best part…
Your T-Shirt’s Fantastic Voyage: Rethinking the fashion industry
Imagine your favorite navy-blue t-shirt. Soft, well worn, the neckline stretched just enough, the sleeves tight to show off your muscles, or maybe it’s loose, flowing perfectly as you walk, strut, move down the catwalk of life. It is cool; you’re cool. But how did that shirt get to you? No, not where you bought…
Joel Edgerton’s Boy Erased
There is a part in Boy Erased where a “counselor” lines up the boys in a gay conversion therapy program and instructs them to stand with their feet splayed, fists at their waist, like Superman. “Triangles are the strongest shape,” he says, hoping this masculine pose might “cure” them. But the shape is powerful for…
Pittsburgh has some new exciting ways to give for the holiday
Pittsburgh’s holiday season is steeped in tradition. Whether it’s Light Up Night or eating pork and sauerkraut on New Year’s, Pittsburghers love to stick to their routines during winter celebrations. Holiday giving is no different in the region, with many long-standing charities leading the charge to provide for the needy. But Pittsburgh is changing and…
10 local charities worth supporting this season
Toys for Tots Distribution nights: Dec. 14, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Dec. 15, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Location TBD. toysfortots.org Collection bins will be present throughout the region in the holiday season. New toys accepted. Monetary donations also accepted. Project Bundle-Up Polar Bear Jump Jan. 1, 2019, time TBA. Point State Park. projectbundleup.org Hit the icy three…
Rex Theater: Uplifting the South Side community
Ben Penigar, owner of Rex Theater, is one of the reasons Carmi Soul Food restaurant moved to the South Side. While the neighborhood is often stereotyped as a place for college kids to get drunk and party, the section of Pittsburgh has more to offer than just weekend sidewalk throw-up. And Penigar wants everyone to…
Free Will Astrology
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The U.S. is the world’s top exporter of food. In second place is the Netherlands, which has 0.4 percent as much land as the U.S. How do Dutch farmers accomplish this miraculous feat? In part because of their massive greenhouses, which occupy vast areas of non-urbanized space. Another key factor is…
What are Pittsburgh musicians’ favorite ways to spend the holidays?
The holiday season is the biggest travel time of the year. Many leave Pittsburgh, but just as many stay and enjoy the snow, lights, and festive spirit. Pittsburgh City Paper asked a few local bands and musicians their favorite way to spend the holidays in the steel city. Chalk Dinosaur I like to have a…
Q&A with comedy duo/married couple/Arcade Comedy creative directors Jethro and Kristy Nolen
Jethro and Kristy Nolen are the Creative Directors at Arcade Comedy Theater. They perform as the improv duo “Dinner with the Nolens” and are a married couple IRL. Given said experience, I posed some questions to the Nolens about love and comedy. How long have you both been doing improv? Kristy: I started to take…
Bodiography’s longest running dance series is back
After a three-year hiatus, Bodiography Contemporary Ballet’s longest running dance series Multiplicity is back with a twist. The program of repertory works choreographed by current and former Bodiography members runs November 16 and 17 at the Byham Theater. It will be performed for the first time by all three of the organization’s sister troupes: Bodiography,…
Opioid overdoses of high-profile names like Mac Miller re-ignite national conversations about the epidemic
Since 2008, Allegheny County has experienced more than 3,800 overdose deaths. Of those, opioids could be found in a majority of victims. In 2016, of counties with over a million residents, Allegheny County had the highest drug overdose death rate in the nation: 50 per 100,000 residents. On September 7, the region lost a favorite…
Aging in the sex work industry
Sex workers are all too familiar with the question: What are you going to do when you aren’t young and hot anymore? We’re asked it by people critical of our jobs, and, in moments of doubt, we ask it of ourselves. For sex workers, this question is a source of irritation, both because it assumes…
The incomplete feminism of Widows
The film industry is notably dominated by men, and that includes film critics. A 2016 study showed that 73 percent of the top critics on Rotten Tomatoes were men. Director Steve McQueen is aware of this fact to the point that he’s worried it’s harming the reception of Widows, an action-thriller co-written by McQueen and…
Venue Guide: Rex Theater
Heading to a venue for the first time can be anxiety-inducing or at the very least cause inconveniences. Where’s will call? Is there parking? Will you have to hide your expensive bag behind a tree because it’s too big to pass security? Pittsburgh City Paper wants to help make attending shows as easy as possible.…
The TV show holiday episode is better than holiday movies
In the weeks following Halloween, Christmas decorations begin creeping into storefronts, trees pop up in windows, and holiday movies start airing en masse on TV. Everyone has their favorite holiday movies, but what no one will admit is that the holiday special episode of a TV show is better than a holiday movie. A Christmas…
Local musicians discuss their favorite Christmas covers
If you could pick one holiday song, what would it be? CP asked a few musicians from Pittsburgh about holiday songs they have covered, and why. Dan, of Bastard Bearded Irishmen We’ve been lucky enough to perform for the DVE Christmas party for the past few years and that has provided us the opportunity to…
