Pitt Stop

Pittsburgh bridges

Pittsburgh suffers from a lack of awareness (Where? Pittsburgh?) and appreciation (Why would I want to go there? Isn't it all polluted?) But I found it to be a charming city with distinctive good looks, 436 bridges, three mighty rivers, and pierogis (also spelled pirogue, and perogie). C’mon, give it a try. 

We had two goals, we would see the Andy Warhol Museum on Tuesday, and Fallingwater, the Frank Lloyd Wright house, on the way home Wednesday. But the Warhol museum is closed Tuesdays; and Fallingwater is closed Wednesdays. If you decide to take a Pittsburgh jaunt, plan accordingly. 

Grandview Park

We started at the top. We drove to Grandview Park on Mt. Washington  which, as advertised, has a grand view. 

The Steel Mill Saloon

We had lunch at The Steel Mill Saloon which initially felt unwelcoming, we were greeted by a bartender with neck tattoos, serving a solitary drinker. We asked cautiously if they served food, and she said yes. Suddenly the place came alive, a cute waitress brought us a menu that would please any millennial, and the place filled up with diners. Regional favorites included the Mill Worker burger, a Bavarian Pretzel, and Buffalo Pirouges. 

The Duquesne Incline

Riding in comfort on funicular built in 1877

For someone who is reluctant to take carnival rides,  I don't know why I was so eager to jump on the 147-year-old Duquesne Incline.  But what a view!

PNC Park home of the Pirates

Sports venues reign supreme in Pittsburgh and warrant prime property. Both PNC Park and Heinz Field, (I mean Acrisure Stadium) adorn the riverfront. There was a local man on our funicular who instructed his out-of-town visitors never to call it anything but Heinz Field. 

 Confluence point of Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio rivers

Pamela's Diner

Wednesday morning we met Peter and Nila at Pamela’s Diner “best breakfast in the burgh since 1980.” (Is that supposed to sound old?) We had specialty hotcakes-crepe style. They may have been thin but they were huge. And stuffed with either strawberries, blueberries, or bananas, or, if you wanted to break bad, bananas and chocolate chips. 

Peter and friend at Grandpa Joe's Candy Shop

After breakfast we wandered around the neighborhood known as the Strip District, where ethnic grocery stores are taken very seriously. We loved and lingered in Reyna Foods a Mexican food market with small trash cans stuffed to the brim with dozens of kinds of dried chiles; every hot sauce in the world; and every Goya product. Just across the street, the S and D Polish Deli features goodis from Poland, including  sauerkraut and beets. You could also buy everything ever made in black and gold at Yinzers in the Burgh. 

Andy Warhol Museum, Kaws + Warhol show

Darr and I went to the Andy Warhol Museum. The miniseries The Andy Warhol Diaries sparked my interest in Andy.  His famous paintings and friends were all on display in the  largest single artist museum in North America.  The Pittsburgh Andy Warhol grew up in was sooty and dark. During World War II,  Pennsylvania produced more steel than all of the Axis forces combined. There was so much smoke in the air that it looked like midnight at noon. 

But now, no doubt with the help of Andy’s famous Brillo Pads (Shines Aluminum Fast!)  Pittsburgh is  sparkling and bright and worth a visit. 

Bon Voyage to Nila and Peter, moving to San Francisco