Edward Albee’s The Goat at Point Park Rep
Every good work of art is about more than one thing, but Albee’s infamous The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? is harder to get a bead on than most. The very premise is disorienting: This is a play, which debuted in 2002, about a man who falls in love with livestock, and it’s not a…
The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
Is there a recreational way to teach how ecosystems work? The destructive and wasteful “economies” we’re always propping up with bail-outs and interest-rate cuts are man-made, but it’s still air, water, soil and sunlight, and the plants and animals they support, that ultimately keep us alive. Our failure to understand natural systems is a kind…
Tuvan throat-singers Alash to perform in Lawrenceville
Just because you happen to live in Pittsburgh doesn’t mean you can’t savor the voices — and we do mean voices plural — of distant lands. Say, those of the republic of Tuva, nestled between Siberia and Mongolia, with its confounding and strangely beautiful tradition of throat-singing. A throat singer manipulates his or her voice…
Pension for Destruction
Is it possible to be appalled by something, and yet not at all surprised? If so, I guess that’s the proper reaction to today’s news that the city’s pension fund has lost $124 million so far this year. As Chris Briem, the resident genius on these matters, points out, none of this is terribly unexpected.…
Is Matthews Haunting Specter’s Footsteps?
Somewhat surprising news today from the pollsters at Rasmussen: If Senator Arlen Specter were facing a challenge from MSNBC Hardball host Chris Matthews, Specter would be lucky to squeak by with a win. According to the poll, Specter leads Matthews, a Democrat, in a hypothetical match-up only 46-43. Arguably, the most surprising thing about this…
Holiday Sack-raments
In the past year, it seems every major retailer has rolled out its own version of the “reusable” shopping bag. And why not? It’s win-win-win-win. Stores make a profit on the bags, which cost pennies to produce. Customers then carry around a bag blazing a store logo. Even the most environmentally challenged big-boxers get to…
Eat and Be Merry
The best part of the holidays is eating, whether it’s an elaborate special-occasion meal, an unexpected side dish or all those sugary treats that put diets off until Jan. 1. We persuaded three local chefs to share their favorite holiday recipes, and, in the spirit of giving, even tossed in one of our own.
Give and Take
Toys break, Christmas trees dry out and are tossed away. But memories of joy last forever — and holiday disappointment lasts even longer. We asked some Pittsburgh figures about their best, and worst, holiday memories, and here’s what they came up with. Rick Sebak, local documentarian Worst holiday memory: “One of my worst…
Santa Claws
The gifting holidays seem custom-made for pets. Excitement! Shiny paper, begging to be clawed! Boxes to curl up in! And many a human has chosen to take things even further — buying actual gifts for the furry set. Ginny Smiley, owner of Smiley’s Pet Pad in Shadyside (215 S. Highland Ave., 412-362-7556) allows that most…
Jingle Bell Jams
The past year has seen dozens of noteworthy local releases, from newcomers to veterans, from low-budget self-released CDs to major-label monsters. The following sample should spark some ideas for music-lovers on your list. Buy direct from the artists, and you might get a stocking-stuffer thrown in — stickers and patches, bottle-openers, even a toothbrush. Or…
Present-Minded
Avoid the crush of foot traffic at the malls: Have a local craftsperson create a one-of-a-kind gift for you instead.
Unseasonable Climate
Let’s face it: This is shaping up to be a tough holiday season, financially speaking. By the time this issue hits the stands, we may be using dollar bills and stock certificates as heating fuel. Local grocery stores could be accepting bobblehead dolls as legal tender. OK, it’s not that bad. But if it were,…
Chronic Conditions
Earlier this year, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center learned that it no longer needed 3,000 of its IV poles — those wheeled, bedside metal stands from which nurses hang drip bags. The hospital had acquired new infusion pumps with bigger LED screens: The pumps would help prevent medical errors, but their weight risked toppling…
Stoke’s Grill
The sandwiches are anything but ordinary at this eatery.
This Just In: December 4 – 11
Highlights from the local TV news: Featherweight reporting on Thanksgiving.
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 22 2007
A poem by Vincent Zepp
An ambitious and controversial new comics anthology is on the road.
Ted May’s “Cradle of Frankenstein” is a weird compendium of allusions to fictional figures, news events and celebrity-killers.
Dance Alloy presents a brand-new take on “Camille” and a riveting — and literally “earthy” — old favorite.
Harris continues her penchant for the unexpected in “The Three Camilles” by casting three different dancers to simultaneously portray the character of Marguerite.
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change
What could be fluff turns out to have some memorable qualities.
Wonder of the World
On John E. Lane Jr.’s wonderful set, DiGiulio directs a thrillingly able cast who play the comedy nearly flawlessly.
Late-bloomer Brian Price releases Tired of Singing in My Car
Price originally intended this recording to go only to his friends and family, but the results were so impressive that they merited a wider audience.
Barak Shpiez leaves town for L.A., releases Beware Fashionable Women
Sharp, complex power pop, refreshingly devoid of garage swagger or indie pretension.
Percussion ensemble Resonance releases instrumental album.
Steel Drum Jazz offers tunes ranging from reggae to funk and jazz standards.
Rostrum Records expands roster with Scott Simons
Simons’ developed melodic sensibilities and production smarts are put to good use on this debut EP.
JCVD
In this meta-comedy-slash-heist-film, the “muscles from Brussels” — Jean-Claude Van Damme (portraying himself) — returns to his hometown, escaping a slew of personal troubles in Los Angeles, only to get caught up in a small-time robbery and hostage situation. Director Mabrouk El Mechri fills the film with various shout-outs and in-jokes for fans of Van…
Film Kitchen
The film’s soundtrack, meanwhile, was performed by a troupe of ethnic Gypsies who lived in North Braddock, Welsh says.
LGBT Rights: Gender identity included in county’s proposed anti-discrimination law
Allegheny County gets ahead of the curve in protecting gender identity from discrimination with new law
Social Services: Group says too many foster kids will never have a permanent home
Are children in Pennsylvania staying in the foster care too long?
Education: Charter schools causing hardship for city schools
The Pittsburgh school district is facing a budget deficit of more than $13 million next year and charter schools are a big reason why.
Emotion Activated
Misty Harvey has become a gay-rights leader by default. When Proposition 8 passed last month in California — taking away same-sex marriage rights given to state residents in May — Harvey, who lives in Erie, sought a way to protest. Within a few days she found herself the organizer of perhaps the biggest pro-gay demonstration…
Athens’ Dead Confederate locks in on Wrecking Ball
They identified what they liked and did well; they turned up the heat and trimmed the fat.
Country legend Loretta Lynn plays the Pepsi Roadhouse
At one recent show, even her 10-year-old granddaughter got in on the act, turning in a no-doubt surreal rendition of Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’.”
Pandemic’s Third Anniversary
“Maybe it’s Jay-Z with Punjabi MC and it’s a Top-10 hit, practically. But maybe it’s some jagoff in his basement in Bulgaria.”
Fe Gallery tiles its walls with works by 250 local artists, and it’s good.
This is as good as it gets, and that’s without grading on a “412” curve.
‘Tis the Season for a Thursday morning news round-up
Here at City Paper, December marks a very special time of year — a time for counting our blessings, and celebrating all that is most sacred. I’m talking, of course, about our annual “Best of” issue, due out next week. I’ll bet you’re all a-tingle with curiosity about the winners, but I ain’t saying a…
Lawrenceville’s Joy of Cookies
Mix holiday shopping and a neighborhood tour with free cookies
Grand Buffet offers all-you-can eat fun at Gravity Nightclub
The time is ripe to for Grand Buffet to land a bigger audience. And some of that “cream-cheese money” they keep going on about.
Birthing Pains
There’s a tired joke that says when the end of the world comes, you’ll want to be in Pittsburgh — because everything happens here five years late. But in a lot of ways, we’re ahead of the curve. We just finished celebrating our 250th anniversary — 18 years before the rest of the country will.…
Savage Love
My girlfriend and I have been on-and-off for almost two years. I took her back after she cheated on me. Now she wants to have a threesome. I am really not down with sharing her, but I am willing to do it because otherwise some other girl will do it for her. I told her…
