Ten Things From Pittsburgh (That No Longer Exist)
Nothing lasts forever—your favorite TV show, a good book, or that particular item on the menu. Change isn’t always welcome, but the city of Pittsburgh has undeniably evolved over the decades. Let’s take a moment to reflect on some of the things from Pittsburgh that now exist only in memories and photographs. 1. Civic Arena…
Pittsburgh, City of Romance?
What happens when you replace a word in a romantic movie with a Pittsburgh work? Magic. Magic happens.
Pennsylvania state House candidate Dan Smith calls out state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe for post insulting Parkland students
Metcalfe implied in a Facebook post that Parkland students were paid protesters, and his 2018 opponent was not happy about it.
High school students walk out in Downtown Pittsburgh in response to Parkland shooting
More than 100 students from CAPA marched through Downtown and joined high school students across the U.S. in calling for legislators to pass gun-control laws.
How could Trump’s infrastructure proposal affect cities and towns in Southwestern Pennsylvania?
On Feb. 12, the White House finally revealed its grand infrastructure proposal and claimed that it would spur $1.5 trillion in infrastructure investments across the U.S. But the proposal only guarantees $200 billion in federal spending, and the White House is hoping the rest will come from states, municipalities and private investors. This discrepancy has…
Get ready for spring this Saturday at the Sixth Annual Seed Swap
Grow Pittsburgh holds the Sixth Annual Seed Swap to help Pittsburgh gardeners prepare for spring.
Pittsburgh City Council candidate Erika Strassburger endorsed by statewide environmental group PennEnvironment
PennEnvironment has thrown its weight to Strassburger, who started her career as an environmental advocate
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Democratic Socialist Kareem Kandil seeking Pennsylvania state house seat in suburban Pittsburgh
Kandil believes his populist policies and Muslim advocacy are an advantage, not a hindrance, in Pennsylvania’s conservative-leaning 30th State House District
MP3 Monday: Night Night Boy
This brief power pop jammer has everything — catchy hooks, a ripping guitar solo and a bouncy chorus to sing along to at the top of your lungs.
Sarah Huny Young and Damon Young throwing Black Panther party Feb. 17 at Ace Hotel
Celebrate Black Panther in style at the Ace Hotel on Feb. 17 at 9 p.m.
Pittsburgh teachers union returns to the negotiating table after unanimously authorizing strike
Last night, the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers voted to authorize a strike “if necessary”
Palm’s Eve Alpert on Philadelphia, working slowly and making weird pop music
Palm plays Club Cafe Sun., Feb. 18 with IT IT and Spirit of the Beehive.
Former border-patrol guard Francisco Cantú to visit Pittsburgh to share immigrant stories
Cantú will read from his memoir about his time as a border-patrol agent at Alphabet City in the North Side on Feb. 17.
Coming up this weekend: The Third Annual Pittsburgh Fermentation Festival
All hail the glob!
Pittsburgh’s Cupid’s Undie Run raises money for neurofibromatosis research
Hundreds of revelers stripped down to their underwear on Feb. 10 and headed to the North Side for a good cause. Cupid’s Undie Run is held annually to raise money to help fight neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition that causes tumors to form in the brain, spinal cord or nervous system. The mile-long run is held…
The five most painful times a Pittsburgh sports legend wore another team’s uniform
We all know the rules about crying in baseball — you don’t do it. But there is no such edict in the world of hockey and football. On a night when former Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury returned to Pittsburgh, and Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier, who suffered a spinal-cord injury in a game last year, stood…
Advocates say Pittsburgh’s drag performers need more latitude to shine
Last week, on the same day the British island territory of Bermuda revoked same-sex marriage rights for its citizens, a dozen people went to Pittsburgh City Council to speak in support of legalizing drag performances. Among the attendees was Max Busch, an 11-year-old drag artist from Mount Lebanon who performs under the name Honey Chuckles. …
City Paper is here to dispel some common drinking myths
As any bartender will tell you, there is a whole lot of misinformation out there when it comes to drinking. Here are a few common myths — and why they simply aren’t true. Beer before liquor, never sicker. Despite a total lack of scientific evidence to support it, the “beer before liquor” myth marches on.…
In the Heat of the Night at Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company
Playwright Matt Pelfrey’s stage adaptation of In the Heat of the Night takes place in 1962 in Argo, Ala., eight years after the largely toothless Supreme Court ordered an integrated society, and two years before Congress finally bit down and passed the necessary laws to begin to make it happen. But really, it takes place…
Graham Cracker Porter, Allegheny City Brewing
“The texture of this porter was incredibly smooth and that lent to it being highly drinkable (be careful!). The graham cracker came through as a little bit nutty and with a hint of cinnamon, and honey made it feel like a treat without being overly sweet.” Recommended by Celine Roberts Graham Cracker Porter is available…
Jim Daniels’ Street Calligraphy
Jim Daniels continues to be a poet of places and people. Like previous work, his latest collection, Street Calligraphy (Steel Toe Books, 90 pp., $12), often centers on the Detroit of his youth, the speaker’s parents leading the way among the cast of characters. It’s a recipe for success, never feeling formulaic. And with many…
Chocolate Moonshine Co. brings (non-alcoholic) fudge treats to Lawrenceville
Chocolate Moonshine Co. 3703 Butler St., Pittsburgh, PA 412-600-7860 website If the term “chocolate moonshine” whets your appetite for a sweet, boozy treat, sorry to say you’re out of luck: It’s just a fun name. Fudge is the focus at Chocolate Moonshine Co., which opened its fourth brick-and-mortar location, in Lawrenceville, earlier this month. (Fans…
Exhalations Dance Theatre weighs in on technology’s impact on humanity in its latest production, Kinetic Emotion
Inventor and author R. Buckminster Fuller once said, “Humanity is acquiring all the right technology for all the wrong reasons.” Whether you believe that, or think technology is humanity’s savior, or its eventual executioner, or something else, that debate continues to inspire artists’ works worldwide. Exhalations Dance Theatre weighs in on that topic in its…
Pittsburgh City Paper Booze Battles: Fire Side Public House vs. Streets on Carson
Each week, we order the same cocktail at two different bars for a friendly head-to-head battle. Go to the bars, taste both drinks and tell us what you like about each by tagging @pghcitypaper on Twitter or Instagram and using #CPBoozeBattles. If you want to be a part of Booze Battles, send an email to…
Fifty Shades Freed
Fifty Shades Freed Directed by James Foley Starring Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan James Foley’s conclusion of the Fifty Shades saga, Fifty Shades Freed, opens with a wedding. The bride, Anastasia (Dakota Johnson), is wearing white lace, the groom, Christian (Jamie Dornan), two days stubble. The ceremony is taking place in what looks like a very…
Critics’ Pick: Mars Jackson, Sierra Sellers and Benji
[RAP/R&B] + FRI., FEB. 16 Club Café is turning into hook city, as three of the finest crafters of earworm melodies and unforgettable bars join forces to throw a toasty winter party. Songwriter Sierra Seller’s dreamy voice and silky timbre will tie your tongue in a knot, get your heart fluttering and your hips grooving.…
The Pittsburgh Pirates have a history of players doing well after they are shipped out of Pittsburgh
With the trade of Andrew McCutchen to San Francisco and Gerrit Cole to Houston, the Pirates have officially re-entered the bad old days. You know, those seasons when the team sucked, had little hope of making the postseason and all the players you loved — the ones who kept you coming to the ballpark despite…
Pittsburgh couple develops a chair to aid in more comfortable sex for all
Bob Kaczmarek designed the Archer Bowchair for the love of his life: his wife, Lisa. A few years ago, Lisa was diagnosed with a pelvic-floor disorder in which her pelvic-floor muscles were constantly contracting. She was experiencing a lot of pain and discomfort, especially during sex. Soon after she started treatment, Bob, a custom-furniture maker…
Dating in virtual reality is here, and it could enrich the online-dating scene.
Dating can be hard. Who hasn’t overheard people at a bar complain to their friends that “there are no good men in this city.” Or heard others at work tell their coworkers, “I just can’t find the right woman.” No matter if people live in giant cities with millions of people, or in small, rural…
How to get a Pennsylvania medical-marijuana card
They’re finally here. On Feb. 1, Cresco Yeltrah’s CY+ dispensary opened its doors in Butler, Pa., making it Southwestern Pennsylvania’s first medical-marijuana dispensary. Then on Feb. 7, Solevo Wellness of Squirrel Hill opened its doors with medical marijuana expected to arrive on Feb. 15. Pennsylvania passed a law legalizing medical-marijuana in 2016 and since then,…
Photography project centers LGBTQ couples
Jenna Houston thought queer Pittsburghers were a myth — that the only people like them were their friends and the people they’ve hooked up with. And who could blame them? In Pittsburgh, queer spaces that aren’t bars or clubs are few and far between. To highlight queer people occupying spaces that are not typically associated…
Critics’ Pick: Spish’s Love Dungeon
[ROCK] + FRI., FEB. 16 Break out the leather harnesses, vinyl skirts and those darling dog collars, baby. It’s time to enter the Love Dungeon. In the basement of Cattivo, Spish are plotting an interactive art installation around the theme of fetishes, complete with live game shows and performance art. In addition to getting to…
Andre Costello and the Cool Minors debut Resident Frequencies at Buhl Planetarium on Sat., Feb. 17
During his high school years, Andre Costello and his friends would pile in a car and travel from Ellwood City, in Beaver County, to the Buhl Planetarium, at Carnegie Science Center, to check out the shows. “One time we came down and saw a Beatles, Radiohead and Pink Floyd show, all three in a row,…
Asexuals can love love, just not sex
Often in television, film and books, love and sex are a package deal — one in the same. But for asexual people in the real world, there’s a whole realm of emotional connections that don’t involve sex. Asexuality is a sexual preference that exists on a spectrum, just like most other types of sexuality. Some…
Pittsburgh burlesque is always changing
Viva Valezz has only lived in Pittsburgh for five years, but she’s already at the top of everybody’s list of favorite burlesque performers in the city. She’s a favorite of Boom Boom Bridgette, another performer, who’s been active for the past eight years. Though Valezz says the Pittsburgh burlesque scene is in its early but…
Life Letters: A historical look at how meaningful correspondence and communication keeps couples together
The original purpose of this story was to examine the lost art of writing love letters. In the age of heart and eggplant emojis, it often seems like meaningful correspondence is a thing of the past. We’ve all heard about the letters our grandparents and great-grandparents wrote to each other during wartime — page after…
The Spirit of the Beehive perform at Club Café on Sun., Feb. 18
Describing what The Spirit of the Beehive sounds like is a beautifully frustrating process. Beautiful in that the Philly quartet’s 2017 record, pleasure suck, is a rare specimen of genre transcendence and sonic peerlessness. Thing is, it’s frustrating for the same reason, especially for a music writer who, often at the cost of occasional pigeonholing,…
Critics’ Pick: WINGTIPS at Brillobox
[WAVE] + SAT., FEB. 17 If dark, catchy synth pop and new wave tickles your fancy in a way you can’t explain, hold onto your butt. Brillobox will be home to a night of goth-y excellence as Chicago’s dancey synth-wave band WINGTIPS hits the stage, joined by the Windy City’s baritone darkwave crooner Panic Priest.…
Minneapolis’ Reina del Cid brings her new record and a new sound to Pittsburgh’s Smiling Moose
There’s something special about songs that use poppy melodies to handle heavy subject matter. That’s the route that Reina del Cid takes on her new album, Rerun City, and it makes for a pretty terrific eight-track journey. Del Cid, of Minneapolis, didn’t create the technique, of course. Classic country-and-western music is filled with such songs.…
Pittsburgh has a secret club for those looking to explore their sexuality
Looking to dip your toe into the BDSM waters? Ever dreamt of getting intimate with your partner in front of an audience? Interested in switching up your relationship by adding a third partner into the bedroom mix? Well, there’s a nightclub in Pittsburgh that can make many of those dreams come true. The location is…
Mark Whitaker’s new book Smoketown: The Untold Story of the Other Great Black Renaissance re-examines Pittsburgh’s past
Local culture vultures know Teenie Harris’ photography from the Carnegie and may have an Erroll Garner LP lurking in their stacks of vinyl. Baseball fans probably know how Cum Posey transformed the Homestead Grays from just another sandlot team into the greatest in the Negro Leagues. But journalist Mark Whitaker is the first to consider…
New Local Release: Soda Club’s Enjoy
Soda Club Enjoy Self-Released Enjoy, Soda Club’s debut EP, is four songs of poppy goodness with vulnerable lyrics, dreamy harmonies and a sound that celebrates cuteness. Vocalist, guitarist and ukulele player Shay Park takes the primary role of storyteller, while Jarrett Krause, when he’s not playing his tenor saxophone, fills the dual vocalist role so…
Love and Sex Issue
Asexuals can love love, just not sex Pittsburgh has a secret club for those looking to explore their sexuality Propose like your future depends on it Dating in virtual reality is here, and it could enrich the online-dating scene Photography project centers LGBTQ couples Pittsburgh burlesque is always changing Pittsburgh couple develops a chair to…
Propose like your future depends on it
Look no further if you’re planning to propose in the near future. City Paper will be giving one lucky reader the chance to pop the question in the pages of our weekly. Write and tell us how your loved one’s eyes will light up when flipping through their favorite publication, or how they told you…
This Week in Pittsburgh Sports History
Feb. 15, 2008 In a move to prove that Pittsburgh Steelers football is the most important thing in the country, U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) calls for an investigation into the NFL’s handling of Spygate. For the three people who don’t know, Spygate involved the New England Patriots improperly videotaping other teams to learn their…
Free Will Astrology
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The posh magazine Tatler came up with a list of fashionable new names for parents who want to ensure their babies get a swanky start in life. Since you Aquarians are in a phase when you can generate good fortune by rebranding yourself or remaking your image, I figure you might…
Three meals at three Pittsburgh-area gentlemen’s clubs
I had never eaten at a strip club before last month, but I’d thought about it: What percentage of guests actually order food? What are the menus like? What’s the etiquette for eating in front of a professional dancer trying to make a living? The chef at Cheerleaders would later tell me that about 20…
Savage Love
I’m a 24-year-old nonbinary person living in Florida. I have two wonderful girlfriends. One I have been with for four years (we live together). The other I have been with for a year and a half. They’re both brilliant, interesting and kind. Both relationships have their issues, but they are minor. They know each other…
Critics’ Pick: Ramona, SOLD at Rock Room
[MISC.] + MON., FEB. 19 Grab your change. It’s Monday night, and there’s a gig at the Rock Room. As you chow down on inexpensive bar grub and knock back cheap beers, you’re guaranteed to have a good time for under 10 bucks. Music tonight will be provided by Philly/Seattle pop punk act Ramona and…
