Bloggers Be Talking Smack

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported the onslaught of Luke Ravenstahl today by many bloggers. I was quite excited when I saw that the Pensblog made it into the third paragraph, not necessarily because they were the cited leaders of the influx of insults.

"Luke invented Crystal Pepsi" is one, and "Luke went to Primanti's...and ordered pizza" is another.

The PG interviewed Ms. Lupinacci, a South Side political blogger, who said in regard to the statement issued by Luke's lawyer, "The threat from the lawyer is so overboard, it actually extended the story. I wouldn't be posting on this story if they hadn't done that."

Gene Grabowski is a Pitt grad and former reporter for the AP who now works with Levick Strategic Communications. He said, "The [blogs and Tweets] are driving the story."

I think it's pretty excellent that not only did Mr. Luke incite the sarcastic Twittering and blogging, but that the Post-Gazette put this article on the front page showcasing the strength that lies in the Blog.

Pittsburgh Music Venue - Club Cafe

Pittsburgh, while it's no Austin, TX or even (gasp) Philadelphia when it comes to live music, they do have a steady stream of artists coming through the city. It's pretty easy to complain about Pittsburgh not having the type of influence over national acts that the aforementioned cities have, but Pittsburgh's main problem is perhaps the advertisement of their shows.

I have found that email newsletters do wonders. Usually I UNcheck that box about receiving email notifications when I purchase something online, but after using ticketmaster, I wanted to squeeze as much, and use as much as I could from that taxing online service. I receive an Opus One email each week that informs me of shows in Pittsburgh and the surrounding area. It's a pretty comprehensive email newsletter that includes shows at the Carnegie in Homestead, Club Cafe, Mr. Smalls, and the Brillobox. Some of the listings go as far as April, allowing the receiver of the letter to plan well into the coming months. Their website provides all of the same information as the newsletter, just a few more clickables and pictures. You can sign up for the newsletter here as well as follow their Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and RSS feeds.

So in light of this brief explanation of Pittsburgh music, I will urge you to check out Jessica Lea Mayfield, who will be coming to Pittsburgh on December 12 at Club Cafe. Club Cafe is located in the South Side at 56 S 12th St, right off of East Carson St. All shows are 21+. Tickets for Ms. Mayfield are only $10, which is pretty gnarly. She plays folky "indie" rock and has made a splash on the national scene. NPR brought her in for a live set which you can listen to here. Plus, she's only 20 (19 when she recorded her breakthrough album). I'm blogging. She's putting out albums produced by the Black Keys' Dan Auerbach - a fellow Ohioan. He lends his musical hand to a few instruments on the record in addition to his production role. Philadelphia band, Dr. Dog, even lends their lead singer (Scott McMicken) for some backup harmonies.

But, jeeze. She released the album when she was 19, after a recording session of two years. So she's been going at it quite seriously and achieving some sort of national notoriety at such a young age. Kind of kicks my butt and puts a little more emphasis back on the seriousness of maintaining this blog. Keep reading, fellow lovers of Pittsburgh. Jay and I will teach you the ways to get the most out of what you have chosen to surround yourself.

About those bakeries...best cupcake?

Well, I guess I didn't do enough stumbling on Pittsburgh because I missed a poll for the best cupcake in Pittsburgh that is going on right now.

The folks over at another Pittsburgh blog, Boring Pittsburgh, are conducting the poll. And the two bakeries battling it out are the two I talked about in our last post: CoCo's in Shadyside and Dozen in Squirrel Hill. Head over there and cast your vote. Maybe we should get into the polling business over here.

That aside, the way I found about this poll was pretty interesting. Getting an RSS feed from IHeartPGH, I was directed to Pop City Media, which eventually gave me the link to the all-important cupcake poll. Crazy how connected blogs are and how information gets passed around.

Local bake shops

So I was stumbling around last night for things about Pittsburgh when I came across this video:



It got me thinking about local bakeries in Pittsburgh. I'm a huge fan of Dozen cupcakes. It's so good and, considering its location in Squirrel Hill, it's a nice place to walk to and then explore the rest of the neighborhood. There are two other Dozen locations in Downtown and Lawrenceville.

The thing that is cool about Dozen is that they don't have the same selection every day. They change it up on both a daily and seasonal basis. I mean, they always have the vanilla and chocolate cupcakes, but their specialty cupcakes change. Right now, they have "28 unique flavors and still creating more." Solid. They also make other sweets like cinnamon buns.

I know there are a lot of locally owned and operated bake shops in Pittsburgh, but I'm still looking. There's CoCo's on Ellsworth in Shadyside. There's also Oakmont Bakery along the Allegheny River in Oakmont.

Does anybody have any others out there worth checking out?

Szechuan Express: Good or bad?

During my sophomore year, I feel in love with Szechuan Express, located in Oakland on Oakland Avenue between Fifth and Forbes Avenue. I mean, feel in love. I would change up my order here and there, but it always came back to Chicken and Broccoli (#35). It was so good and I would get it at least once every two weeks.

It was great but then around the second semester last year, I stopped going there as often. Maybe once every two months. Actually, I hadn't been there since June or July this year until I went tonight. And when I decided that I'd go with #35, I was a little bit disappointed in what I got. I still got a lot of food for a really good price (just over $5) and got it pretty fast, but the quality just wasn't the same as I remember. I don't know what it was exactly.

Maybe it was the quality of chicken or broccoli or spices/sauces they're using, but I wasn't too pleased. Granted, I still at it and it kept me full, but I'm wondering if anybody else thinks the same way. Maybe it was just the fact that I really hadn't eaten that kind of food in a long time and when I decided to tonight, I realized I didn't really like.

So, does anybody else think the same way?

Kids Bike Build-A-Thon

Really great and cool news from Free Ride Pittsburgh recently. For those of you who don't know, Free Ride is a neat little do-it-yourself bike shop in Point Breeze, kinda before you get to Wilkinsburg (it's on a small road right off Route 8). They're only open 3-4 days a week, but they allow people to essentially build (and earn) a free bike through learning how to take care of one. You learn what goes where and how to manage it so the bike lasts longer.


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I was going to do this about two years ago with another friend, but we because of their hours and classes we were taking, it was too difficult to find a good time. But now that we have this blog, trying a project like that would be cool and fit well here.

Anyways...what's going on with Free Ride is a Kids Bike Build-A-Thon. Here's the logistics of helping out:

Please show up during any of these times and we’ll put you to work. Although having mechanic experience helps, it is not necessary. We still need people to help clean the bikes, pump tires etc. Snacks will be provided. If you can’t make these dates, and do have mechanical skills feel free to stop in during regular Free Ride hours this week and next week to help fix these bikes. Also, if you have a truck and are willing to help transport the bikes, please contact Scott at ssssscott@gmail.com.

There are two days if you are looking to help out: Wednesday, Nov. 18, between 6 and 10 p.m and Sunday, Nov. 22, between 12 and 4 p.m.

In the past, Free Ride has teamed up with groups like the Pittsburgh Refugee Center, the Housing Authority and Tree of Hope to distribute the bikes. I'm sure they'll be doing something like that again.

Oakland Cantina

Mi Ranchito is the newest establishment to occupy that revolving door of Mexican restaurants a block away from Mad Mex. Before Ranchito, there was the BYOB La Fiesta. This new restaurant, which now features a full bar is a step up. I went there this past Monday evening to watch the Steelers MNF game against the Denver Broncos. Perhaps the glorious win may be clouding my judgment of this inviting Mexican cantina that literally translates to "My Hut," but let's hope not.

Monday nights have $3 margaritas in the classic flavor, as well as raspberry, strawberry, and even peach. They are certainly not on the same level as Mad Mex's "Big Azz" variety, but what Ranchito lacks in tequila consumption they make up in atmosphere - the owners attempt to maintain a certain authenticity to the bar with complementary chips and salsa on the bar. There is only one TV placed at the end of the long side of the bar (see picture), which made for some mildly awkward neck-straining, but not enough to seriously disrupt the Steelers mojo that flowed through the friendly patrons as freely as the tequila. There are only about four beers on tap although about twenty in bottles. Domestics are $2.50 and imports are $3.50.
If you're trying to get away from the incessantly pounding music and stumbling clientele, try Mi Ranchito for a more low-key bar stop.

Disc Jockeying from your couch

There is an eclectic mix of radio stations on the dials of Pittsburgh residents. Starting on the far left are the public and college stations, where we then move into the meat and potatoes of the frequencies: oldies, top 40, and soft rock. We top it off with a classic rock station, conservative talk, alt/rock, and some country for good measure. Finding little use for top 40, soft rock, and (especially) conservative talk, I usually don't go past 94.5 FM when I'm cruising the dial. Why? Because all the other stations don't play what I want to hear, obviously enough.

But 91.3 FM, WYEP, is attempting to give the listener a little more power over what he or she is listening to. Their program "My 15 Minutes" allows anyone with an email address and internet connection to submit three songs they would like to hear on WYEP's Morning Mix, which airs every weekday between 6-10am. Not only do they simply allow you to pick three songs, but you can include commentary and personal connections to your choices. If your set is selected, the Morning Show DJ, Cindy Howes, will email you the day before it is aired so you can dial in and revel in the sweet satisfaction of being judged by every WYEP listener. The station also suggests you leave your phone number so you can be a guest DJ for the Friday edition of the Morning Mix.

Aside from encouraging you all to achieve temporary rock stardom, I would also encourage you to consider donating and/or becoming a member of the station if you like the music they play. There are tons of incentives that follow, including special "in-studio" sessions about three times per month. These sessions bring in relevant artists to play a few songs and talk about the album and the band. The performance is free to all WYEP members and located at their studio on the SouthSide at 67 Bedford Square right off of E. Carson Street. Membership and donations are all very customizable; you can choose whatever amount you wish to donate, although higher levels afford you more gifts from the station. At $40/year, members receive a yearly periodical, Year in Review; the $240/year level allows members to have access to tickets for CD Live! Concerts before the general public. For all members, there are annual events all year boasting live music, food and drinks, and general community well-being.

Become an active member of your community and a local celebrity with 91.3 WYEP.

No blues after eating at Buffalo Blues

For the first time in a while, Luke and I (and our other roommate, Jack) all found time last night to go out and get some food. It was colder outside and without a vehicle, we made the short walk down Highland Avenue to Buffalo Blues. Luke and Jack had been their once or twice before, but this would be my first time.

Buffalo Blues, located right on Highland Avenue four or five blocks from Fifth Avenue, is known for its wings and once you walk in, you get that feeling: music playing, people drinking at the bar and even some cornhole action going on. It was good place and from whenever we first got there until we left, we all agreed that we were having a good time.

It might even be my nomination for Best Pittsburgh Restaurant, but then again it may be too premature.

We all ordered something different and split a 10-piece order of wings (Howlin' Wolf, the third spiciest wings, and Garlic Parm, which were fairly mild).

Note: if you go to Buffalo Blues on Wednesday, it's all-you-can eat wings for something like $10. This is a solid deal considering how good their wings tasted. They also have a few other specials on different days. Just check out their specials page on their website.

As for our entrees...I ordered a blackened chicken sandwich (Low Down Spicy Blues Cajun Chicken), Luke went with a burger and Jack got a wrap. All of our entrees also came with their house made hand cut chips. They were good, too, and just the right amount.

We agreed that the portions were the right amount and we felt full at the end of the meal, which is good. The prices were fairly reasonable, too, and just what you'd expect for a restaurant like this. Sandwiches ranged from $7 to $10 and full course entrees were around $14. Not too bad. Wings were also reasonable at under a buck per wing (like I said before, wing night is the way to go if you're in the mood for that).

After our trip to Buffalo Blues, it's safe to say that we'll be back.

They also have a nice beer selection for the legal out there with 30+ draft beers on tap.

As for more restaurant reviews, I think we'll have more because all three of us have Tuesday nights open and plan on doing more things like this.

Have a favorite Pittsburgh restaurant?

Then submit it to FoodBurgh for your chance to win a $25 Giant Eagle gift card.

The rules are simple and basically the Giant Eagle gave the blog four gift cards to help promote the new Giant Eagle Market District — there's on in Shadyside, Bethel Park and now in Robinson. For clarity, here's how they winners will be decided:

* Submissions must be less than 200 words.
* Entrants should list their name and neighborhood of residence
* All entries must be received by midnight on Sunday, 11/8.
* Winners will be drawn at random and notified via email.

That’s all there is to it. I’ll randomly select 4 winning entries and Giant Eagle will send a gift card to each of them.

That's why this contest is going on. It's your turn, now, to let them know which is your favorite Pittsburgh restaurant. And while you're at it, why not let us know about it, too? We'd like to check it out and give our thoughts on your favorite place.

All That Jazz (including seminars, live performances, films, etc....)

If you are struggling to fill your Jazz quota for the year, read on.

The University of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh area is in the midst of Jazz Week, lasting from November 3-7 this year. It is the 39th year for the event, hosted by local Pittsburgh celebrity, Nathan Davis. I remember that first fall semester at Pitt, waking up at an abominable 11 AM to attend my History of Jazz lecture from Nathan Davis. He was a relaxed "cat," using the term he threw out multiple times during the 50min I was in the David Lawrence lecture hall, and was a superb change of pace to the biology and chemistry lectures I was attending when I still believed my calling was in the biological sciences (ugh).

The November 7th concert will feature Benny Golson on tenor saxophone and primary celebrity. He has worked on popular movie and TV sitcoms' soundtracks (see: M*A*S*H, Mission Impossible, and the Cosby Show). The event was the "academic jazz seminar in the country to feature international artists connecting with aspiring students in a lecture format, then performing together as an ensemble," as the Pitt Chronicle notes. Tickets for students are only $8 while those less fortunate to own a student ID will have to pay out $18.

Aside from the concert, there will be films on Tuesday and Thursday of this week (Nov 3rd and 5th) at the WPU Assembly Room and Frick Fine Arts Building auditorium, respectively. Friday and Saturday will feature lectures and demonstrations at the Frick Fine Arts Building, which are all free.

BLOGFEST!!!

One of the largest blogs in support of our great City of Champyinz, Pittsburgh Bloggers, will be hosting Pittsburgh BlogFest 19 on November 20 at North Shore restaurant Finnegan's Wake. All bloggers, vloggers, podcasters, and "social media folk of all stripes (and their friends...feel free to bring some even if they don't blog!)" are welcome to attend the gathering, encouraging networking and goodwill towards the Pittsburgh blogosphere. The event will start at 5:30PM and continue to "9:30 and beyond."

The event is also in support of Pittsburgh Bloggers, which turns five years old this November. Pittsburgh Bloggers itself is a great grouping source for Pittsburgh blogs. It is free to submit your blog to inclusion on the site, following the submitted blog fulfills the requirements. There are seriously hundreds of blogs listed on Pittsburgh Bloggers ranging from tea enthusiasts to Pens fanatics to high school sports devotee to those wishing to get their thoughts down on the public forum. There is no need for a Pittsburgh connection other than the author to reside in southwestern PA, so hurry up and submit your blog, which will be posted under the "new blogs" section.