Looking to stay connected with Pittsburgh’s vibrant community of writers, creators, and local experts? Here’s a curated list of Substack newsletters by Pittsburgh writers.

Know of another local Substack that we should add to the list? Please let us know by filling out this form!

Directory of Pittsburgh Substack Newsletters

Pittsburgh News, Commentary & Culture

• A More Perfect Region: From Pittsburgh Futures Collaborative, working to make the region thrive.
• Buried Ledes by Bobby Cherry: Curated news and cultural tidbits from a longtime journalist.
• Trumplessness: National news roundup from journalist Annie Saunders.
• Facts Over Fear: Natalie Bencivenga: Commentary from a Pittsburgh journalist and KDKA host.
• You Have Left the Planned Route: Essays, politics, and book reviews.
• Everything In Between: Essays on governance, institutions, and community from a Pitt professor.

Literature, Writing & Book Culture

• The Latest From Littsburgh: Celebrating Pittsburgh authors and literary events.
• Nick Courage: Author newsletter with writing updates and musings.
  • The Loudness, 2015 – Amazon, Bookshop.org
  • Storm Blown, 2019 – Amazon, Bookshop.org
  • Snow Struck, 2022 – Amazon, Bookshop.org
• The Hazards of Love: Writing projects from a queer craft organizer.
• Joyful Chaos with Rachel Ekstrom Courage: From a literary agent and author based in Pittsburgh.
  • Nothing Bad Happens Here, 2025 – Amazon, Bookshop.org
  • Murder by Cheesecake: A Golden Girls Cozy Mystery, 2025 – Amazon, Bookshop.org
• Uncanny Landscapes: Writing from a Pittsburgh native now in the UK.
• Pittsburgh Art Book Fair: News and updates from the annual art book fair.

Food & Fun

• Pittsburgh Pizza News: Your guide to the best slices in town.
• A Good Time with Casey Barber: Local food and lifestyle stories from the author of Pierogi Love.
  • Pierogi Love, 2020 – Amazon, Bookshop.org
• Rootbound: A newsletter on gardening, culture, and interconnectedness.

Pittsburgh Lifestyle & Local Voices

• Breathing Space: Commentary and history from Virginia Montanez, aka Jane Pitt.
  • Nothing. Everything., 2023 – Amazon, Bookshop.org
• Bridges to Beaches: For Pittsburgh and Outer Banks lovers who seek the quirky and hidden.
• Pittsburgh Resource Guide: Connecting locals to local help and services.
• Yinz Vote: Empowering Pittsburghers with accurate voting info.

Tech, Startups & Innovation

• Pittsburgh Tech Beat: Monthly tech news roundup.
• Pittsburgh Startup News: Startup updates, events, and ecosystem highlights.

Art, Illustration & Spirituality

• Never Not Nervous: From the illustrator behind Sad Animal Facts.
  • Sad Animal Facts, 2016 – Amazon, Bookshop.org
  • Let’s Be Weird Together (with Boaz Frankel), 2019 – Amazon, Bookshop.org
• Weed Church: Reflections on art, religion, and cannabis.
• The Modern Rabbi: Weekly thoughts from Rabbi Seth Adelson.

Pittsburgh Sports

• The Only Pittsburgh Sports Page: Longform Pittsburgh sports commentary from Dan Hopper.

Memoir & Personal Essays

• Brian Broome: Personal reflections from a Washington Post columnist.
  • Punch Me Up to the Gods, 2021 – Amazon, Bookshop.org
• Middlebrow: Culture, creativity, craft, and memoir from a middle-aged, middle-class, middle child.

Subscribe to the IheartPGH Substack!

Please take a moment to subscribe to the IheartPGH Substack – Yinzsider Info.

I stumbled across this poem in a very Pittsburgh way. Casey Barber, a Pittsburgher who wrote a book about pierogis, shared a quote from Brendan Leonard’s Substack about the eternal granola bar. I have many eternal granola bars and had to click through to learn more. Brendan writes a Substack newsletter called Semi-Rad. And right below the description of the eternal granola bar, he links to this poem.

Halfway through reading the poem, I stopped to see where Kevin Young is originally from. I knew it wasn’t Pittsburgh, but it has to be close. The only thing that would make this a more perfect poem for Pittsburgh is if the n stuff was… n’at.

Ode to the Midwest – Kevin Young

March 1st is the last day to submit your Act 50 Application to Allegheny County to be able to receive a deduction on the assessed value for your property tax in Allegheny County.

How much can I save on annual property taxes in Allegheny County? $85.14

If the property is your primary residence, you can apply and see a reduction of $18,000 from the assessed value of your property.

Here is the example from the Allegheny County Real Estate website:

Example 1 (Without Exclusion):

A property is assessed at $100,000. The property tax would be $473.00 year:

Assessed Value multiplied by the Tax Rate = Tax Owed

$100,000 x 0.00473 = $473.00

Example 2 (With Exclusion):

The same property receives an $18,000 Homestead Exclusion. This same property now has an assessment of $82,000 and the tax owed is $387.86 – a savings of $85.14:

Assessed Value minus the Homestead Exclusion multiplied by the Tax Rate = Tax Owed

$100,000 – $18,000 = $82,000 x 0.00473 = $387.86

How to Apply for the Homestead & Farmstead Exclusions in Allegheny County

1. Check the Allegheny County Real Estate Website to see if you have already applied. You only need to apply once.
2. Fill out the Act 50 Application and print. You can download a copy of the application here: ACT 50 Homestead Farmstead Exclusion Application.
3. Submit the Act 50 Application to Allegheny County
   1. By MAIL – must be postmarked by March 1
      1. Office of Property Assessments
         542 Forbes Ave., Room 347, PITTSBURGH, PA 15219
   2. By FAX – 412-350-5796 or 412-350-6084
   3. In PERSON – Office of Property Assessments, 542 Forbes Ave., Room 347, PITTSBURGH, PA 15219

For more information, visit the Allegheny County Homestead/Farmstead Exclusion webpage.

If you have been a long-time reader of IheartPGH, you know that this is one cause I support each year.

The Albright Thanksgiving Eve dinner is a free community meal that was first organized by a Boy Scout Troop that met at the Albright United Methodist Church in Bloomfield. Members of the Albright congregation and members of the community have kept this tradition going and 2024 is the 50th Anniversary of the Thanksgiving Eve Dinner.

2024 Thanksgiving Eve Dinner Details

• Date: Wednesday, November 27, 2024
• Time: 5:30 PM
• Location: First United Methodist Church Social Hall 5401 Centre Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15232 (Enter above the Pittsburgh Toy Lending Library)
• All are welcome to attend!
• The dinner is completely free. Just show up.

Volunteer Information

Looking for a place to volunteer? Come join us!

We need help with cooking, serving, dishes, and lots more. Families are welcome to volunteer.

Check out the 2024 Albright Thanksgiving Eve Dinner FAQ for more info.

Want to help? Fill our the Friends of Albright Volunteer form.

Donate!

You can help support the Thanksgiving Eve dinner by making a contribution to the Friends of Albright GoFundMe page. (I am one of the founders of Friends of Albright. Friends of Albright is a project of New Sun Rising, and all donations made to Friends of Albright through the GoFundMe page are tax deductible.)

Help me reach the goal of 50 donors!

I have set a personal goal of getting 50 different people to donate to the GoFundMe campaign in honor of the 50th Anniversary of the meal. If you would be willing to donate $5 or $10 (or more!) that would be great!

Why Pittsburgh specific election information?

1. Information for Pittsburghers. There are so many websites about the election. So much information. Most of it is good. Some of them are great. Some of the sites are not so great. Information is being shared at the national level, at the state level and at the county level. The Pennsylvania Department of State is doing an amazing job sharing election information online. (Please make sure to follow @PAstatedept on Instagram.) The information Pittsburghers need is at the county level. For example, the state and national websites do not always have specific information about where Pittsburghers can drop off mail-in ballots before the election.
2. Searching for Pittsburgh information. If there is one thing I know from almost two decades of blogging about Pittsburgh, it is about Pittsburgh search info. Almost every single election-related website says “Allegheny County,” but most people sit down and search where they live. If Yinz Vote can help one voter searching for info get to their polling place, then the site was worth it.
3. Black & Gold >  red or blue.

Black & Gold > red or blue.

About a month ago, I was sitting on the patio at Cafe Raymond in the Strip District, feeling a little distraught about the state of things in the world. It was the perfect Pittsburgh Sunday morning. Sunny, unseasonably warm, and Penn Ave. was crawling with Steelers fans decked in their best black and gold. (Ok, there were a few Cowboys fans on the street, too. )

Seeing the sea of Steelers fans gave me some hope. Earlier in the week, I was listening to a podcast about how it would take an act of war to bring the country together. I thought there has to be another way to bring people together.

And I am grateful to have been born in Steeler Country. Even if you aren’t a fan of the game of football, you can enjoy the community of Steelers fans. When I tell someone I am from Pittsburgh, and they ask me if I am a Steelers fan. My answer is, of course, that I was born into it, and I say I am a fan of the fans. 

So, I’ve been thinking about the upcoming election. If you live in Pittsburgh, you can’t not think about the election.  Then I was listening to a podcast about pre-suasion, which talked about the importance of unity.

I phoned a friend and asked, “How do we make this election fun.” Thankfully, as Pittsburghers we have sports teams to bring us together. Even if you don’t love the sports, it is hard not to be a fan of the fans. 

So, Yinz Vote was born. This election has been something. Pennsylvania, living up to its name as the keystone state, is the key to this election.

Please follow & share Yinz Vote with your friends

• YinzVote Facebook page (this was the old Vote PGH Facebook page, I dusted it off and gave it a facelift.)
• Instagram @yinzvote
• www.YinzVote.com

Thanks to the support team at Pair Networks for getting us back online.

We’ve got a little more sprucing up to do. For now, please visit YinzVote.com for all the election information. Oh, and you can check out the IheartPGH Substack for updates.

Thanksgiving, well Thanksgiving-Eve, has become my favorite holiday of the year. I’ve posted about this a few times over the years, so I will try to summarize…

In 2012, I was asked via a Facebook post from a friend to volunteer to serve food at a free Thanksgiving dinner. I had no idea when I walked into the kitchen, that I was walking into much more than a dinner.

In 2014, this is what I posted to Facebook after volunteering at the Thanksgiving-Eve dinner:

There are so many amazing people in this city that are Pittsburghers. Sometimes I am lucky enough to get to spend some a few moments with those people. Tonight, I helped a friend clean up from the community dinner that has been organized at the Albright United Methodist Church since the 1970s. The volunteers were led by a man that is 75 and has worked at Ritters for over 40 years. Earlier this year, he left Ritters and now works at Dennys. Today he cooked 9 turkeys and all of the fixings. Tomorrow he will feed 35 people at his house, then go to work at Dennys at 5pm. I have helped with the clean up for this dinner for the past 4 years and never had the chance to hear this story. I’ll gladly wash the pots and pans, and mop the floor any night of the week if I get to spend time with Pittsburghers like this.

On top of that, another kind Pittsburgher saw my post on Reddit about volunteering a the dinner and showed up to volunteer with out having heard of me or my blog. He had taken a quiz on Facebook and learned that today was his 10,000th day alive. To celebrate that, he spent the evening helping a few strangers.

That is just a little slice of Pittsburgh for you.

This year is the 45th Annual Albright Thanksgiving-Eve dinner. It is a free meal, cooked and served by volunteers. The guest are neighbors from across the city – some are hungry, some are lonely, some are there to take home some turkey to eat on Thanksgiving.

Help make the 45th Annual Albright Thanksgiving-Eve Dinner a success

1. Spread the word! Please invite your friends, neighbors, community groups and anyone else in Pittsburgh who needs some food & fellowship to attend. Here is a Facebook event you can share.

2. Donate $10. I’ve set a goal of getting 45 people to contribute to the GoFundMe in honor of this being the 45th annual meal. Click here to donate to the GoFundMe page (Friends of Albright is a project of New Sun Rising). We’ve just crossed the half-way mark and it would be great to get 20 more donors before next week!

3. Volunteer. This meal is 100% volunteers from the cooking to the cleaning. I’m incredibly proud that thanks to volunteers we are now able to use real plates and silverware and have significantly reduced the amount of trash that we produced when the meal was served on paper plates. Sign up to volunteer here.

The race is usually held the Saturday after Thanksgiving, but for 2019, the race has been moved up a month to October!

I’ve updated all of my old posts with new information over on Very Local, everything you need to know about the history of the race and being a spectator is all right here.

We’ve also published a video about Jeremiah Sullivan, he’s the guy who has successfully completed the Dirty Dozen race on a Healthy Ride Bike.

You can watch the video here, on YouTube or Facebook. (PS – we are always looking for more Pittsburgh stories to share over on Very Local. Have a story idea? Send me an email lindsay.patross@verylocal.com.)

This Saturday is also a very special Northside event. Very Local Pittsburgh is hosting Local x Global: Northside.

Tickets are $12 and include a special Northside sandwich from Blue Sparrow Food Truck and a beer from Allegheny City Brewing.

Big Yard Sale Weekend in Pittsburgh

Check out this guide to Pittsburgh Neighborhood Yard Sales.

• Saturday, June 1 – Mexican War Streets Yard Sale
• Saturday, June 1 – Brookline Yard Sale
• Sunday, June 2 – Highland Park Yard Sale

Saturday, May 11, 2019, is the annual Balkan brass band festival in Schenley Park. It is one big, bad, brass band potluck and it is all FREE.

While Pittonkatonk happens one day a year, there are a lot of great things that happen the other 364 days a year to lead up to the festival.

Here are a few of the articles about this year’s festival that are worth your time.

• Pittonkatonk is more than a music festival // Downstream
• Los Mirlos kicks off their first ever US tour at Pittonkatonk // Very Local Pittsburgh – psychedelic cumbia band from Pero kicks off their first ever US tour in Pittsburgh.
• A guide to the Pittonkatonk Youth Showcase // Very Local Pittsburgh – learn more about how Pittonkatonk has helped to facilitate collaborations between bands and high-school students.
• What separates Pittonkatonk from all the other Honks // Post-Gazette
• Pittonkatonk takes a distinctly noncorporate festival approach // Trib

Here is a quick overview of Pittonkatonk…

More Pittsburgh stories…

If you like some of the stories from Very Local Pittsburgh that I’ve linked to above, I hope you will take a moment to like and follow Very Local Pittsburgh on Facebook and follow @VeryLocalPGH on Twitter and Instagram. We share very Pittsburgh stories there every day.

Hello IheartPGH readers,

As you may have noticed over the past few months, there have not been many updates here on the ye olde IheartPGH blog. If you follow @IheartPGH on Twitter, you have likely seen some retweets from @VeryLocalPGH.

I am excited to introduce you to a new Pittsburgh website that I have been working on for the past few months. Say hello to Very Local Pittsburgh.  The Very Local team, along with the help of a crew of writers and video journalists, is dedicated to telling the most Pittsburgh stories.

You are cordially invited to the very first Very Local Pittsburgh event this Sunday, March 3, 2019. Please come skate into spring with us at the $8 Skate Date. 

The Very Local team wanted to put together a very Pittsburgh event for our debut. So we are taking over the MassMutual Pittsburgh Rink at PPG, and we have invited some of our favorite Pittsburgh friends to join us. DJMB who you may know from the In Bed By Ten Dance parties will be providing music, and Zeke Coffee will be serving hot chocolate with marshmallows. Tickets are just $8 for adults and $5 for kids, and all of the ticket sales will be donated to 412 Food Rescue.

Sunday, March 3: Very Local’s $8 Skate Date

Date: Sunday, March 3, 2019

Time: Noon – 3pm

Your ticket includes:

• ample rink time
• complimentary skate rental
• hot chocolate by Zeke’s Coffee
• music by DJ MB
• a warm fuzzy feeling for donating to a great cause.

Grab your $8 Skate Date tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/very-local-pghs-8-skate-date-tickets-55988853167

Tickets are limited and must be purchased before the event!

Facebook Details: https://www.facebook.com/events/630994734008548/

Meet Very Local Pittsburgh

 

View this post on Instagram

 

To begin, begin. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We are a team of Pittsburgh-based storytellers. We aim to guide our fellow natives and locals to the people and places amongst our neighborhoods. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Whether you’re new in town (welcome!) or you’ve been here your whole life, we are excited to be your user’s guide to the steel city. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ We aim to be collaborative and work with our fellow creatives. We strive to listen, take your feedback and create a resource that showcases the grit and kinship felt within the 412. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ To our yinzers. Our boomerangers. To all. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Hello. We are Very Local.

A post shared by Very Local PGH (@verylocalpgh) on Jan 4, 2019 at 2:40pm PST

I am working with the Very Local Pittsburgh team and a great crew of freelancers to publish stories about Pittsburgh people and places. Check out the Very Local about us page for more info.

Here are a few of the recent stories that highlight a few Pittsburgh things you might have missed:

• The music duo Princess is kicking off their world tour at the Warhol Museum on Friday, March 3.
• A guide to checking out the new play “The Legend of Georgia McBride” and where to eat in Braddock before or after the show.
• Future fashion in Pittsburgh? Yes! Check out the preview of Lunar Gala, a fashion show that is produced by Carnegie Mellon students.

The IheartPGH website will stay online, and I will occasionally share stories from Very Local, and I am excited that I get to spend more time writing and sharing some of the best things that Pittsburgh has to offer. If you have a story that you think more Pittsburghers should know about (or you would be interested in doing some freelance writing or documentary films for Very Local), please send me an email: lindsay.patross@verylocal.com.

Astronomy on Tap Pittsburgh – Free science talks for the non-scientists

The next Astronomy on Tap event in Pittsburgh is on Wednesday, February 20, 2019, at Franktuary. See the whole story over at Very Local Pittsburgh here.

Pedal for the Pantry 2018 – Food drive bike ride/race

Sat. 11/17 – for those who like to bike in the cold

This one caught my eye on Facebook because of the image posted on the Facebook event. Pedal around Pittsburgh picking up items for a Thanksgiving dinner and drop those items off at the Wilkinsburg Food Pantry, earn points and win awesome prizes. Check out the Facebook page for some of the very nice prizes including swag from BikePgh and a bike that was donated by Golden Triangle Bike Rental.

• Saturday, November 17, 2018
• The race starts at 2 pm, afterparty at 5 pm
• Register online here. More details here.

44th Annual Thanksgiving Eve Community Meal – Volunteers & Donations Needed

Wed. 11/21: for anyone who can lend a hand or donate a few dollars

This one is near and dear to my heart. A friend who grew up helping with these dinners asked me to help out a few years ago. I showed up late, which ended up being helpful because they needed someone to take over on the dishwashing.  (Life lesson – it is never too late to show up to volunteer). This meal started as an Eagle Scout project – offer up a free, home-cooked Thanksgiving meal.   Last year over 100 volunteers showed up and helped to cook and serve dinner for 200 people. It is a beautiful thing when neighbors come together to share a meal.  Every little bit helps if you want to volunteer for an hour that is great. If you can donate $10 that is helpful too. Last year 64 people made a donation to the GoFundMe page, I’m hoping we can beat that number this year.

• Wednesday, November 21, 2018
• Volunteer – anytime after 10 am
• Dinner 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
• Location: First United Methodist Church Social Hall, the entrance is on Centre Ave above the Toy Lending Library, across from Panera.
• Volunteer Sign Up here – http://bit.ly/2OHsFHv
• Donations can be made on the GoFundMe page here – http://bit.ly/2OHszQ9

YMCA Turkey Trot

Thur. 11/22: for runners/walkers who want to burn a few calories and support the YMCA

• Thursday, November 22, 2018
• 8:00 am – 1-mile walk
• 8:30 am – 5k and 5-mile race
• The races start at PNC Park

Giving Thanks – Thanksgiving Day Yoga + Live Music to Benefit 412 Food Rescue

Thur 11/22: for anyone who needs some gentle yoga before a big meal

100% of the proceeds from this class will be donated to 412 Food Rescue.  This gentle yoga class will be accompanied by live guitar music.

• Thursday, November 22, 2018
• 9:00 am
• BYS Yoga Collective, 1113 E Carson Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203
• See the Facebook event for details

One of the best things about living in Pittsburgh, in my opinion, is the easy access to all of the things a big city has to offer.  The ease of access is not just concerts and the ballet, but Pittsburgh offers lots of opportunities to get involved in local and national events.  Through the magic of Pittsburgh connections (I went to grade school with one of the local conference organizers) this upcoming transit conference is eager to engage Pittsburghers in the conversation. 

Rail~Volution, a conference on transportation will be held right here in Pittsburgh, and the organizers are eager to have Pittsburghers participate in the discussion. Even better, you don’t have to leave your house to participate. PublicSource will be live streaming one of the conference sessions, and you can join the conversation in the comments and on Twitter with the hashtag #TODnumbers.

This weekend, transit experts from around the US and Canada will descend on Pittsburgh to share ideas and best practices around transit and communities.  The conference kicks off of Sunday with a reception at the Pennsylvanian, the best place to host an event for transit folks – an old train station, of course!. The Rail~Volution conference started in 1995, and this is the first time the conference will be held in Pittsburgh.

Rail~Volution & TOD in Pittsburgh

There are over 75 sessions at the conference, and many are focused on Transit Oriented Development, TOD. PublicSource will be live streaming the Tuesday morning session which features two thought leaders discussing questions surrounding TOD.

Point-Counterpoint: TOD by the Numbers

Go completely interactive about the dynamics of transit-oriented development. Bring your questions to fuel a rapid-fire jaunt through the hottest topics. Two thought-leaders posit their opinions on both sides of a topic. Next it’s time for your sentiments. (It’s okay to challenge the prevailing views!) Then it’s on to the next topic: Does TOD cause gentrification? Is TOD a project or a district? Can we really reduce parking in a TOD? (What about those banks?) What does transit do to property values? What’s the minimum density for a TOD? Follow the conversation live on Twitter while bloggers capture the spirit and continue to get more input. (No PowerPoint. We promise.)

Moderator: Sean Brooks, Manager of Real Estate and Property Development, San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, Oakland, CA

GB Arrington, Principal, GB Place Making, Portland, OR

Eric Rothman, President, HR&A Advisors, Inc., New York, NY

Join the conversation about TOD

The organizers of this panel will present ten questions, and each question will be answered by experts and conference attendees. The organizers are eager to hear what Pittsburghers think about Transit Oriented Development.

Here are the questions that the panel will review. Which ones do you think are most applicable to Pittsburgh?

Please share your thoughts on TOD with the organizers by leaving a comment here or Twitter with the hashtag #TODNumbers.

1. What impact does transit have on property values?
2. Does TOD cause gentrification?
3. Is TOD a project or a district?
4. Can we really reduce parking in a TOD (what about the banks)
5. What is the minimum density for a TOD?
6. Can we do it all (retail, public art, placemaking, ped/bike access, space for TNC’s)? how far can we go. How far should we go?
7. Is any development next to transit a TOD? What asset classes should be avoided?  
8. Is having a TOD a community benefit in itself?
9. What would you do differently in an urban v suburban center v a new district?
10. Does mode matter in TOD? (rail, BRT, TNC’s)?

FAQ about the Rail~Volution Conference

What is the Rail~Volution Conference?

The Rail~Volution Conference is an annual event that brings together leaders from across sectors – government, advocacy, and community development to share ideas around communities and how transit plays a role in community development. While there are many conferences which are specific to local governments, community development, and transit. Rail~Volution is one of the only conferences that brings these groups together under one roof.

Who attends the Rail~Volution Conference?

• planners
• community activists
• transit officials
• consultants
• developers
• lenders
• grassroots organizations
• academics
• elected officials
• health advocates
• housing advocates

Some of the Pittsburgh organizations who will have representatives at the conference include Mount Washington Community Development Corporation, BikePGH, The Pittsburgh Foundation, Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce, Pittsburgh Innovation District, Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group, Uptown Partners of Pittsburgh and Sustainable Pittsburgh.

What are some examples of TOD in Pittsburgh today?

• The East Side Bond development in East Liberty was built to be a housing and retail complex that is easily accessible to the East Busway. Read more about TOD in East Liberty in this 2015 story from WESA. 
• The Ashby at South Hills Village is a housing development located at the South Hills Village rail station.

Shred Your Fears will be held from 9a-1p on Sunday, November 4 at Switch & Signal Skatepark located at 7518 Dickson Street in Swissvale.

Organized by Maya Henry, a mind-body coach, the event will feature a full beginner skateboarding lesson, yoga and group coaching sessions, unlimited coffee from Satellite Cafe (Constellation Coffee’s “satellite” location in the skatepark), as well as a full dairy-free, gluten-free brunch, and other goodies.

Intimidated by skateboarding?  Maya sure was at first, but she is growing to love the sport as she practices with her son.  Read more about how Maya got into skateboarding and check out the FAQ’s on the event page.  As of this posting, there are only 5 tickets left.

Pittsburgh artist and author (and DJ) Matthew Buchholz is running a Kickstarter campaign to fund his new Pittsburgh Alternate Histories Book, “Pittsburgh in Olden Times.”  Buchholz published Alternate Histories of The World in 2013; the book is available on the Alternate Histories website and Amazon (pro tip – if you order the book from the Alternate Histories website you will receive a signed or personalized copy from the author).

Not familiar with the book?  You may have seen some of the Alternate Histories prints on the walls the Independent Brewing Company in Squirrel Hill.  Take a look at this blog post on the Alternate Histories website to learn more about the installation at The Independent Brewing Company. It is great to see that many of the frames are from Pittsburgh Center for Reuse.

(If you are a fan of beer and local food, be sure to sign up for The Independent Brewing Company’s email list, an occasional, humorous look at what’s on tap and on the menu. While writing this post, I was inspired to stop in there on Tuesday for dinner, and the guest at the table next to me had such a good time at The Independent’s Dancing Gnome Beer Dinner on Monday, he was back for more on Tuesday.)

Kickstarter for Alternate Histories of Pittsburgh Book

If you would like to pre-order a copy of the Pittsburgh Alternate Histories book or pick up one of these Monongahela Monster t-shirts, head over to Kickstarter and back this project. The project has already met the initial goal of $4000. There is a new stretch goal and eight days left to contribute.

Follow Alternate Histories on Facebook, Twitter @AltHistories & Instagram for more.

Don’t Miss the next In Bed by Ten Dance Party

Be sure to check out DJMB at the next In Bed By Ten Dance party on October 21, 2018 – $10 donation at the door will benefit RAINN – the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. You can learn more about In Bed by Ten in our post about the July dance party.

Regardless of if you are brand new to Pittsburgh or a life longer yinzer, Urban Hike is a great way to learn about a city neighborhood. For over a decade a group of faithful volunteers have been mapping and researching routes around different Pittsburgh neighborhoods.

Carrick Urban Hike

This time we are going to Carrick! We are excited to check out this neighborhood for the first time.

This 3.5 mile hike will have some ups and downs and then ups again since this is a pretty hilly place. Be prepared for steep climbs and a few places without sidewalks. Come if you are ready for a work out–this one isn’t stroller friendly. There may be some overgrowth so bring bug spray too.

As always, we walk rain or shine (or intense heat), so come prepared for whatever the weather may hold.

Meet at the Carrick Shopping Center on Brownsville (2134 Brownsville Rd) near the intersection of Parksfield and Brownsville. There is a Dunkin Donuts if you’d like to come early to grab a coffee and metered on-street parking on Brownsville (not enforced on Sundays).

We will be ending at the Nepali Asian Restaurant in the Carrick Shopping Center and invite everyone to join us for lunch.

Date: Sunday, August 19, 2018
Time: 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: Carrick Shopping Center, 2134 Brownsville Rd, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15210
FREE
RSVP – not required but it is helpful to reply to the Facebook event.

Interested in learning more about Carrick? Follow the Carrick Community Council on Facebook here.

East End Brewery’s Brewpub is a very family friendly space, so this is a great event for the kiddos, too.

Summer Crafts and Drafts
Sunday, July 22, 2018
12-5pm
East End Brewing Brewpub in Larimer, 147 Julius Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15206

Vendors Include:

• 2468 Kids
• Lovett Sundries
• Etna Print Circus
• Flipping Records & Tapes
• Reconstructing Ideas
• Luster Pittsburgh
• HMR Apparel
• MoonGals
• everyday balloons print shop
• Lost and Opinionated

But wait, there is more!

• Info table from Fresh Fest 2018 where you can learn more about this amazing event showcasing black breweries and collaboration beers
• SALE table from us at East End Brewing where you can snap up some shirts for cheap

Can’t make it out for Crafts & Drafts? Shop local online!

You can check out many of the vendors online. Also, Alternate Histories @AltHistories put together this list of local businesses you can support by shopping online.

Do you like to dance but hate to stay up late? In Bed by Ten is the answer to all of your dance party scheduling problems.

What is In Bed By Ten?

Each month, In Bed By Ten hosts a dance party at Spirit in Lawrenceville. There is a $5 cover charge that is donated to a local nonprofit. DJ MB plays the best, most danceable songs from 6-9pm, by 9:30 pm you are on your way home and can be tucked into bed at the reasonable hour of 10 pm.

Last year, In Bed by Ten, raised over $16,000 for Pittsburgh charities. Interested in having an In Bed by Ten support your nonprofit? Fill out this form to apply.

July’s In Bed by Ten to Benefit Prevention Point Pittsburgh

Date: Friday, July 13, 2018

Time: 6-9pm

Location: Spirit Hall, 252 51st Street, Pittsburgh PA 15201 (Lawrenceville)

Benefits: Prevention Point

Learn more about In Bed by Ten Dance Party

Website | Facebook Page | Twitter @inbedbyten | Instagram

You can sign up for the In Bed by Ten email list here.

In Bed by Ten is hosted by Design Crush and DJ MB.  DJ MB is also the creative force behind Alternate Histories, you may have seen these prints hanging at t. (Be sure to check out Alternate Histories July two for one sale!)

One of the most popular posts on the blog is the profile of the Moltrup Steel Mansion, which was for sale in Beaver Falls. Some of the other posts about old homes around Pittsburgh regularly make the top 10 list, so I thought some of our old home loving readers might be interested in the Highland Park House Tour.

2018 Highland Park House Tour

• Date: Sat, May 12, 2018
• Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM EDT
• Location: St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 5801 Hampton Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
• Tickets: $35 in advance and $40 the day of the event.  Tickets are available online here.

Proceeds from the Highland Park House Tour benefit the Highland Park Community Council. 

Visit Baywood/King Estate on the House Tour

While the annual tour is known for showing off some impressive houses in Pittsburgh, this years tour features a stop at Baywood, more commonly known as the King Estate.  Baywood is the large mansion at the end of Negley Avenue right where Negley turns right to go down to the zoo. Baywood was built in 1880 as a residence for Alexander King, was owned by the City of Pittsburgh for man years and was purchased by the current owners in 1994.  The current owners have been restoring Baywood for the past 20 some years.

Photos and more history of Baywood/King Estate:

• Take a rare tour of a 22-room Gilded Age mansion in Highland Park, Post-Gazette, May 4, 2018
• King Mansion, East Liberty Valley Historical Society Newsletter, 2012 [If you are interested in East End history and architecture, be sure to follow the East Liberty Valley Historical Society on Facebook.]
• King Estate’s Victorian splendor restored, TribLive, July 30, 2011
• Pittsburgh’s King Estate Restored to its Second Empire Glory, Curbed, October 13, 2011

Interested in seeing more historic houses and buildings around Pittsburgh?

Join the Pittsburgh Historic Preservation MeetUp group here.