Image courtesy of Tree Pittsburgh

On Sunday, March 6 from 10am to 2pm at the Double Wide Grill on the South Side you get all you can eat pancakes for $10 and your donation goes directly to benefit Tree Pittsburgh – an environmental non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the City’s vitality by restoring and protecting City trees.  Why should you attend?  Well, pancakes are delicious (and there is a vegan option), you get free coffee and potatoes as well, tunes from Big Snow Big Thaw, and street trees are a critical element for a livable urban environment.  Are you one of those people that includes a link on your Facebook page every time Pittsburgh gets voted ‘most livable city’ (possibly including the comment ‘suck it, Portland’)?  Well street trees are a huge part of reducing our City’s pollution* and there is still a long way to go in improving our air quality.  Who knows?  Your $10 just might end up helping to promote Pittsburgh to most livable city in the world!

For more information on Pittsburgh’s urban forest, info on street tree plantings in your neighborhood, and to learn about becoming an official tree tender to help care for Pittsburgh’s trees visit the Tree Pittsburgh’s website!

RSVP for breakfast on Facebook!

*Leaves filter the air we breathe by removing dust and other particulates. Leaves absorb carbon dioxide and other pollutants from the air such as ozone, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide.  In exchange, trees give off vital oxygen.

You have probably walked past many of these house before – now is the chance to take a tour of the insides and back yards of a dozen different abodes in Pittsburgh’s South Side neighborhood.  I know one of the homeowners and she has been working diligently to make sure everything is ready for you to take a peek around her house.  The South Side Home Tour should be extra interesting  -  many of the homes on the South Side look a lot different on the inside than they do on the outside – definitely some hidden gems.

South Side Historic Home Tour
Saturday, May 15, 2010 10am-4pm
Tickets are limited.
Advance Tour Tickets: $14.99
Day of Tour Tickets: $18 (if available)
Order online: http://www.showclix.com/event/9155/ or  by phone: 1.888.71.TICKETS (1.888.718.4253)

Facebook Event Link – http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=115233098500033#!/event.php?eid=115233098500033

I know that last year there were some soup shortages – this year they will be limiting ticket sales to make sure there is lots of soup for all of the soup hoppers.

• Tickets can be purchased online here – http://www.showclix.com/event/8132/
• Soup Goes Green – All of the bowls and spoons are 100% compostable – containers
• A souper t-shirt – the official soup contest shirts will be printed by Commonwealth Press and I think they will be open for screen printing demos throughout the afternoon.
• Proceeds of the South Side Soup Contest benefit The Brashear Association’s Food Pantry. Please remember to bring your canned food item to help stock the Brashear Association Food Pantry.

South Side Soup Contest
Saturday, Febraury 20, 2010 Noon-3pm
Advanced Registration: $12 donation + a canned good
Day-Of Registration (Unless Sold Out): $15 donation + a canned good

Registration is limited to 1,200- There are less than 400 tickets left- Reserve your space in advance!

How It Works: On February 20th, head to one of the 3 check-in sites listed below to drop off your canned good and pick up your punch card, soup maps and ballots.

Check-In Locations:

• SouthSide Works Cinema @ 425 Cinema Drive
• The Brashear Association @ 2005 Sarah Street
• City Theatre @ 1300 Bingham Street

Facebook Event for the Soup Contest and Be a Fan of the SouthSide on Facebook

All day, every Monday, movie tickets to just about any film is $5. This includes new releases, so make sure you buy your tickets early to ensure your showing doesn’t sell out. Some restrictions apply, for instance, Sony Pictures films are not eligible for Bargain Monday pricing for the first 14 days of the release.

If you’re hungry after the show and you’d like to stick with the theme of Bargain Monday, stroll on down to Fatheads (1805 E. Carson St.) for wing night. Wings are 20 cents and you can get as many as you want, and feel free to mix and match flavors. Wing night specials are also available on Wednesday. Seasonal beers including Troeg’s Mad Elf and Great Lakes Christmas Ale are on tap at Fatheads right now.

If you’re on the other side of the river, the AMC Loews Waterfront Theatre offers $5.00 showings all day, Monday through Thursday.

All this talk of movies making you hungry for popcorn? Make sure you print out your Popalot Card from Pittsburgh Popcorn Company for a free small bag of heavenly goodness after purchasing 9 bags of any size. Each week, both Pittsburgh Popcorn Company locations feature different flavors. One is usually seasonal and the other is a bit more non-traditional. Through December 3, 2009, the Strip District (209 21st St) store is featuring Gingerbread Cookie Corn and Spicy Southwest Cheddar. Through December 1, 2009, at the downtown (822 Liberty Ave) store, you can pick up Pumpkin Spice or Dill Pickle. If you feel like sharing the popcorn love, they ship nationwide!

Photo by Jennie Roth.

Homemade Ho Hos, originally uploaded by IheartPGH.

I was finishing lunch with Friend of IheartPGH who suggested that we check out the newest coffee shop on the south side. Big Dog Coffee is located on Sarah street near the South Side works. This place is beautiful – the counter is an old wooden antique, bright walls, comfortable seats (I am sitting in a rocking chair as I write this), there is a patio for outside seating when the weather is a bit warmer. The main room has a lovely fire place – if IheartPGH was a podcast I would be recording the sound of a crackling fire for you.

his place is really that cozy. The desert counter is beautiful and they have homemade ho hos. I think I had forgotten about ho hos, but the idea of a homemade one is amazing. Watch out cupcakes, there is a new tasty treat in town.

For more info on Big Dog Coffee…

• Big Dog Coffee Shop perks up South Side in renovated Sarah St. property, Pop City Media
• Big Dogs, erked 
• Hidden Treasures, Dave and Betsy’s Blog 

Image by mbfulk via Flickr

I just wanted to highlight AlphaLab (they have a blog here).  I mentioned AlphaLab recently because they have a really great office on Carson St. and were kind enough to host the reception for this years PodCamp Pittsburgh.

AlphaLab is a project of Innovation Works that provides support to starting companies, if your project is selected AlphaLab helps with funding, office space, some great advisors as well as other support for a seedling of a business.

The deadline to apply for the Winter/Spring 2009 Cycle is October 30, 2008.  The application is not too tricky, you don’t need a full business plan, just some ideas mostly in the technology area but it doesn’t have to be a technology business.  Check out the AlphaLab FAQ for all of the details.

Know of other resources for new businesses in Pittsburgh – please share!

More reading on starting a business…

• Startup Incubator Roundup
• Great Business Book on Creating a Business Plan
• Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Start a Tech Company in Silicon Valley

Saturday, September 20, 2008 11am-7pm

• Dragon Boat Races
• Learn to Dragon Boat
• traditional Asian music, dance, and food, plus arts and crafts for the children

Visitors are also welcome to try their hand at Dragon Boating. Each ornately-carved boat is 44 feet long and features brightly-painted dragon heads and tails that loom ominously at the fore and aft of each craft. A Dragon Boat seats 20 paddlers, a steersperson and a drummer to sound the beat.

More info is available at :  PittsburghDragonBoatFestival.org

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• Time Lapse Stage Video
• Scenes from The New American Music Union

I am including the race specifics – where to watch the start and finish below. Here is the short version with other activities included. Also check out the Trib’s Spectator Guide -which has lots of helpful info like what each color jersey means (via BikePGH).

• Friday, June 27 – Bedford to Latrobe
  • While you are in Latrobe you might want to take a drive out to Ligonier – the library has an exhibit of Antique Bike Paraphernalia up until July 12, 2008.
• Saturday, June 28 – Ligonier to Pittsburgh
  • Noon – 6pm South Side Celebrates 250
    • Arts Festival, Sidewalk Sales and More
• Sunday, June 29 – Downtown Pittsburgh Criterium
  • Free Bike Valet – Bike PGH will safely watch your bikes while you watch the race.  Park at one of the trail lots and bike downtown for the finish.

Friday, June 27 – Bedford to Latrobe
Start: Bedford, Penn and South Juliana Street
Finish: Latrobe, Ligonier and Alexandria Street
Estimated Finish Time: 1:00 – 2:00 PM Followed by Awards Ceremony

Highmark Healthy High Five Finish Line Festival: 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Lot on Ligonier Street near Alexandria Street

Saturday, June 28 – Ligonier to Pittsburgh
Start: Ligonier, Market Street just off Route 30
Finish: Pittsburgh Southside, Sidney Street right before Hot Metal Street
Official Start Time: Noon Opening Ceremonies: 11:30 AM
Miles: 91 Kilometers: 146
Estimated Finish Time: 2:55 – 3:30 PM Followed by Awards Ceremony at American Eagle Outfitters HQ on Sidney Street right before Hot Metal Street

Highmark Healthy High Five Finish Line Festival: 2:00PM – 9:00PM
28th and Sidney Street in Pittsburgh Southside

Sunday, June 29 – Downtown Pittsburgh Criterium
Start/Finish Line: Blvd of the Allies and Stanwix Street
Official Start Time: 5 PM, Opening Ceremonies: 4:00 PM
Miles: 50 Kilometers: 80.5 (33 laps on a 1.5 mile/2.4km circuit)
Approximate Finish Time: 6:50 PM, Awards Ceremony to follow

Highmark Healthy High 5 Finish Line Festival: 2:00PM – 9:00PM
Blvd of the Allies and Stanwix Street

More Blog Coverage:

• Giro di Keir – this is the blog of one of the cyclists on Team Race Pro – he writes about arriving in Philly.
  
• Urban Velo

Reasons why I think you should attend this event:

1. The People: The Pittsburgh Party for a Purpose people are great. This is a fine group of people that I always enjoy talking to, they have nice friends too and draw a big crowd of good people to benefit good causes.
2. The Cause: I have been a volunteer and cheer leader for the League of Young Voters for as long as the league has been in Pittsburgh. I have been lucky enough to attend 2 of their annual conventions. I read this book which was written by the founders of The League in Dec. 2004 and I was thrilled when Khari convinced them to hold their annual conference here in Pittsburgh. If you really want to support the work of political engagement – the league is the top group.
3. The Location: The Library – the menus are in old books, there is non smoking, it is in a historic building, you can take the bus there, and they have a big patio.  Oh yeah and they have sweet potato fries.  I know that they haven’t updated their website in a while (Jan!) but I am sure they are still open.  Note to businesses that have websites – please update so that we can write about you with the most current info.

$2 Coors Light, $4 Blue Moon and Blue Moon Seasonal, $3.50 well drinks, 1/2 off selected appetizers

DJ Huggy and DJ Poochie LaFever on the tables

PGH Party for a Purpose (PPP) hosts fun, creative, affordable parties for diverse, young-minded individuals while raising funds and generating support for nonprofit organizations in Southwestern Pennsylvania. PPP partners with local artists and venues to throw a great party every quarter, donating 100 percent of all proceeds to a partner beneficiary. In addition to raising support for local nonprofit organizations, PPP provides space for local musicians and artists to share their work with a new audience. By engaging venues across the city, PPP’s event-goers have the opportunity to see emerging new talent in awesome spaces.

PPP is an independent venture and is not affiliated with any organization.