Pittsburgh ranked #1 city to live by Money Magazine
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I walked from a party in Shadyside to a bar in the South Side with no problem. Actually it was a miserable walk
Aldi and Trader Joe's are basically the same concept. And both originated as the same store chain until a family feud caused a split in the company.
I don't have the time now, but I'll try to find some links to back this up. Pittsburgh has been cited as one of the most progressively "green" cities in America. It completely redefined itself over a period of 25-30 years, not only successfully, but dramatically. Of course Pittsburgh has and continues to be progressive. I'm not sure you could find any other city in the county who has managed to transform itself and in the process made it even a better environment, than Pittsburgh. There's a reason Obama selected Pittsburgh for the G-8 conference.
(Edit: Here is at least one link I found quickly. There were more.)
http://www.forbes.com/sites/traceygreenstein/2012/06/29/green-living-in-americas-steel-city/
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Sorry although ALdi's and Trade Joe's may have been built around the same model, NO comparison. At all.
Yeah..we have friends and colleagues who travel to Pittsburgh for conferences..and they always ask where to go to eat..
and my answer is always the same, "I have no idea..I was a broke college kid who lived off of Uncle Sam's and Mad Mex for 6 years, and drank in dive bars like Denny's (now Gene's Place) and the Upstage....and sadly, when we go back now as adults...we still do the same thing".
Yeah, I don't send people to the old mainstays like Primanti's or the Carlton, there are so many more choices.
I am going to try and post this in the most politically correct way. I think one way Pittsburgh is evolving, we have always determined "ethnic" food is Italian, Polish or Eastern Europe, maybe some German and really bad Chinese and Mexican.
Now, Pittsburgh has some really good, authentic Sichuan places and Taiwanese places in Squirrel Hill, the quality of sushi places without the teppanaki dancing knife chefs have improved...but it is in Latino food. We have Mexicans now. We have Latinos. Not as many as other cities, but enough that their culture and food is starting to show throw. There are a few amazing taco stands popping up. There is actually a really good Peruvian place in the strip.
I like my pierogies an' at as much as anyone, but I would enjoy authentic soup dumplings or real tacos. And now we can get them here.
Really has changed in 20 years. Now about the liquor laws.......
I am going to try and post this in the most politically correct way. I think one way Pittsburgh is evolving, we have always determined "ethnic" food is Italian, Polish or Eastern Europe, maybe some German and really bad Chinese and Mexican.
Now, Pittsburgh has some really good, authentic Sichuan places and Taiwanese places in Squirrel Hill, the quality of sushi places without the teppanaki dancing knife chefs have improved...but it is in Latino food. We have Mexicans now. We have Latinos. Not as many as other cities, but enough that their culture and food is starting to show throw. There are a few amazing taco stands popping up. There is actually a really good Peruvian place in the strip.
I like my pierogies an' at as much as anyone, but I would enjoy authentic soup dumplings or real tacos. And now we can get them here.
Really has changed in 20 years. Now about the liquor laws.......
I certainly agree that Pittsburgh has transformed itself compared to 30 years ago. I think that there are progressive entities and progressive leaders, but I don't think that the culture of the city itself has become progressive. Democrat... yes. But not progressive. Most people just don't care, as opposed to Minneapolis or San Francisco or Burlington VT where the culture and people are more progressive.
I think what I am seeing is more top down leadership in this area. That the people in the city are going to have to be progressive weather they like it or not, and I also suspect that there are some big money stakeholders with something to gain, pushing progressive agendas here. I myself am a liberal/progressive, but I take some pause when I see progressive movements happening in a way that doesn't seem organic.
And the article mentions higher education institutions leading the way. I only wish I saw more of this leadership from Pitt. Last year Pitt kicked off their "Year of Sustainability" by freshmen holding up thousands of glow sticks so that it looked like the earth. Nobody seemed to connect that dots of why that could be the exact opposite of what should be deemed environmentally friendly. Pitt along with Clemson (from what I can tell looking at different websites of the institutions), are the only two schools in the ACC that don't have a central office or department dedicated to overseeing the environmental impact of the school. I wouldn't consider that leading by example.
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Primantis is garbage. Only good if you need something to soak up the poison of too much alcohol.
You're over thinking the whole thing IMHO. I cited an excellent example of progression in Pittsburgh and you're complaining that it isn't "organic" enough? Who cares what starts it as long as it happens?
Exactly PG. I think he took the term too literally. Pittsburgh has always been Democratic, Pro Union, but also parochial and beholden to its past. Now enough of us 'burghers have been elsewhere and have come back and brought with it some new ideas. Pittsburgh is still incredibly parochial but in many cases that is fine. This attitude lends itself to not only the fierce pride we have, but an individualism where we have a "I don't give a buck what they are doing in Philly" and so we end up doing our own thing and being happy with it.
I just wish I was 20 years younger now to enjoy this new attitude.
Funny the word parochial. The exact term Mr. Pitt-girl used when we first met as he was sharing his impressions of Pittsburgh as a brand new (and what he thought would be temporary
) resident. Defensive is another adjective he threw out. Both of which are so true and in its own weird way, so endearing.
Not now, though....no similarity. I thought TJ was a later acquisition for Aldi??
I've now adopted Clemson as my #2 favorite school. Progressives (Marxists w/o the balls to declare it.) are the source of our biggest problems. Useless, they should all migrate to Mexico.
Philly fits the old description of "nice place to visit, but I'd never want to live there."
Good points: vibrant night life, great restaurants and museums, awesome historical attractions. (I was pleasantly surprised to see lines formed outside the doors of restaurants after 10 PM. Compare that to Pittsburgh, where so many restaurants are closed after 10 PM....)
Bad points: I found that the stereotype of the unfriendly people is - unfortunately - true. Pittsburgh people are waaay friendlier, and it's not even close.
I escaped Philly in 1967. Most of my family is still there, and I spent about 20 years going back there a lot for business. As I crossed the Susquehanna on the Tpk, I'd start yelling obscenities, just to get in my "Philly" mood. The restaurant scene there is trendier than Pgh used to be, but we're leaning that way. For years, most Pgh restaurants looked & acted like scenes from the Godfather movies. Similar decor & menus all over town. Getting better here, but since we're a Midwestern city, that late-night scene won't fly as well as it does on the East Coast, where everybody wants to be like NYC.
The Pittsburgh food scene has changed dramatically the last 10 years. So many good and innovative places opening it seems almost weekly some times. BTW - did you hear that a new upscale meatball joint is opening soon in The Village of Pine Shops (where GE Market District and Sonic are located)? The location was some obscure Mexican restaurant down from Mama Lucia. They already have a location downtown which gets great reviews. Can't wait.
http://www.siennapgh.com/mercato/ (Choose Emporio on top left.)
I was in Pittsburgh for a couple days in July and ate Primanti's and loved it, and it wasn't my first time. Ate the When Pigs Fly sandwich.
That evening went up to the Incline and seeing the old photos of the city on the walls was pretty cool.
I couldn't believe how bad the smoke was at Rivers Casino. It was worse than any place I've ever experienced and I've been to Vegas over 20 times.
Emporio is starting a location in Pine? Cool. About Pittsburgh being a "Midwest" city, the food scene in Chicago is second only to NY's, and in many cases is more interesting, and places like Cleveland, M-SP, Milwaukee and Louisville have been lauded, so Pittsburgh is following a trend.
I love NTOP's description of what Pittsburgh used to be, basically the same menu that Mike Corleone dined on before he shot Solozzo and the rat cop. So true.
I was amazed at the recent Time magazine article where the writer rode with Philly policemen to get the police perspective. The writer said he was amazed about the number of guns in Philly. His quote " NYC does not have near the amount of guns that Philly does". Philly may have a few more things to do, being one of the largest cities in the country, but it is not worth the negatives.
Yep...."Meatballs"?? El Campesino was in that spot....mediocre joint. Tamari in Warrendale closed, too. I know the developer of that plaza, Eric Ravotti....yes.....nitter/Steeler LB,...was trying to bring in a first-class steak house, but everything got delayed because he couldn't get body shop there to sell, so the corner at Rt. 19 wasn't available. Off the Hook had to expand the bar...it was always jammed. The townhouse rental development across 19 is under way, and that big Apt. complex close to the interstate will provide lots of opportunities there. Warrendale a boom town??
I've been to Sienna Mercato several times. I like it and think it's an interesting concept, but I'm not sure whether it has "legs" to sustain itself for the long haul or it's just a trend?
The food was good and reasonably priced, but the pour that I got on a glass of wine was waaay too short and not worth what they're charging. The open sports bar concept on the top floor - I've only ventured up there once - I saw only about 12 patrons sitting around, yet the sound was blaring so loud that it made normal conversation next-to-impossible. (Maybe I caught it on a bad night?)
The food was good and reasonably priced, but the pour that I got on a glass of wine was waaay too short and not worth what they're charging. The open sports bar concept on the top floor - I've only ventured up there once - I saw only about 12 patrons sitting around, yet the sound was blaring so loud that it made normal conversation next-to-impossible. (Maybe I caught it on a bad night?)
I don't think that people in Pittsburgh aren't any nicer than the average place. We just like to pat outsells on the back about being nice when someone from out of town is confused about the roads and we tell them which way to go.
My biggest complaint about Pittsburgh is the lack of really solid restaurants (especially ethnic) in the suburbs. I am lukewarm on "off the hook" didn't find it to be too exciting. You are right, El Campesino was boring (again lack of authenticism in suburban ethnic restaurants) for example, everyone loves Jimmy Wans, I had their Szechwan Shrimp and it was essentially shrimp in some ketchup sauce. Stop insulting us and give us real food from real regions, stop dumbing it down for us yinzers.
Nope.....much friendlier than any big eastern city....or west coast (SF & LA)....haven't spent time in OR or WA.
Off the Hook oyster bar = outstanding. A bit overpriced, but great. Really the only fish restaurant in the area....unless you count Lenten fish fries.
All of these kind words being said about Pittsburgh are due great leadership of the Democratic Party.
Off the Hook oyster bar = outstanding. A bit overpriced, but great. Really the only fish restaurant in the area....unless you count Lenten fish fries.
I love oysters, they are one of my death row foods, but yeah I found it to be way overpriced. Maybe going their for lunch for a dozen oysters and a beer didn't reflect on the place as a whole.
I like seafood, too. My complaint about local seafood restaurants is that some make the fish more complicated than it has to be. Compare that to the seafood restaurants at the shore, where the food shines in its simplicity.
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Talking about seafood, we literally stumbled upon Luke Wholey's Wild Alaskan Grille last night. We were taken aback by how good everything was. Not an oyster lover myself, but Mr. Pitt-girl got 1/2 doz and said they were terrific. Everything homemade - dressings, tartar, etc. 2 thumbs up!
Yeah been there a lot. Always get oysters there (not the best time right now) and their bisque is friggin awesome. And as a note, you got to get the Bloody Mary there, because it has some sort of like Shrimp Cocktail thingy with a soft shell crab claw on it. Unbelievable.
Where is this joint?? Strip??? (I'll need my passport).
You might try McCormick & Schmick southside for Wed. Happy Hour. $1.00 oysters lots of other apps
Strip - Penn Avenue. Agree - M&S very good, Wholey's better. (Note: This place is VERY casual, nothing like Off the Hook. But we really, really liked it. Can't wait to return.)
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