Author Archives: Natalia

Couchsurfing … Pittsburgh style.

I’m back! I’m back! I’ve been away for the past couple months because of travel and sheer laziness, but I’m ready for more backroom political deals and motorcycle-crashin’ Steelers. Thanks for keeping it real, friends.

While I was traveling, I got in a bit of a pinch with European labor strikes, airport delays, and Barcelona pickpocketers. It was *not* a fun experience. But during my adventure, I discovered an interesting site that hooks up travellers with natives … via couches. Well, I’ll let the site explain:

Couchsurfing helps you make connections worldwide. You can use the network to meet people and then go and surf other members’ couches! When you surf a couch, you are a guest at someone’s house. They will provide you with some sort of accommodation, a penthouse apartment or maybe a back yard to pitch your tent in. Stays can be as short as a cup of coffee, a night or two, or even a few months or more. When you offer your couch, you have complete control of who visits. The possibilities are endless and completely up to you.

Just for the heck of it, I searched for all available surfers within 20 miles of Pittsburgh, PA … and I found 94 people! There is even a Pittsburgh community. If you have a spare room, a couch, a backyard, time for coffee or cocktails … and want to share the ‘burghlove, then consider signing up. (The site has some extensive information about the safety of couch surfing, including some info for solo women hosts or travellers. No one has to host a traveller or respond to a request if s/he doesn’t want to, and there is a validation system in place to authenticate the identity of participants. Here’s the FAQ for more info.)

Now … for all you out-of-towners reading this … you have no excuse not to visit Pittsburgh. With free accommodation, $1 bottles at the BBT, and 20 cent wings at Fat Head’s … you can have yourself a trip for under $20 bucks. Cheers!

Pillow Fight!

The Pittsburgh Cacophony Society is at it again …

What: MASSIVE PILLOW FIGHT!
Date: Sunday, June 18, 2006
Time: 8:30pm
Place: Schenley Park, near Flagstaff Hill
(check back before the event for exact location).

The rules of Pillow Fight Club are:
(1) Soft pillows only!
(2) Wait until the signal to begin!
(3) Swing lightly, many people will be swinging at once.
(4) Do not swing at people without pillows.

This event is more fun with feathers.
PJs are optional but recommended.

Stick around after the event for a free screening of “Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory” on Flagstaff Hill at 9:00pm!

Post Yourself! & Cool Space Locator

Thanks to all of the visitors from the Cool Space Locator. IheartPGH.com was featured in the organization’s latest e-newsletter!

This is just another reminder to readers that you too! can post anything that you heart about Pittsburgh. Just check out our FAQ at the top of this page on how to register. It’s too easy. To prevent spam and stupid people, all posts and and comments are moderated, so don’t worry if you don’t see your info right away – we usually get posts and comments up in less than 24 hours.

We here at IheartPGH are completely supportive of CSL’s mission. Well, I’ll let them state it:

mission

Their web site, http://www.coolspacelocator.com, contains a wealth of information; the organization offers seminars, workshops, and moving planning to small businesses who would like to spice up their life and move into cool urban quarters. You can also view the archives of all the e-newsletters here. Check them out!

Pittsburgh reps the 90s.

Thanks to a reader (Hi Rachel!) for just pointing out that Shanice, who hit the Billboard charts in the late-80s and early-90s with songs like “I Love Your Smile” and “Saving Forever For You” is from the ‘burgh. Fact, she is from Hays Manor, in McKees Rocks, PA. So forget H-Town for your early 90s R&B needs, we got SHANICE! She just came out with an album in 2006 … check it out!

Embed from Getty Images

This reminds me of another DIVA who grew up in the ‘burgh. Every few months I put the groovadelic very best of Deee-lite album in rotation. During its most recent pass-through my CD player, I found out that Lady Miss Kier was born in Youngstown, Ohio and then actually spent her childhood in Pittsburgh and Sewickley while her moms went to college here. But unfortunately:

“When she was nine, Kier designed her brownie outfit so that it would include brown bell-bottom pants. The troop rewarded her by kicking her out.”

Oh well. That’s okay because … (I can’t believe this), while doing this search, I found out that Snap! has Pittsburgh roots?! Huh? According to this site:

This Pittsburgh male/female dance duo had a huge international smash in 1990 with “The Power.” London-based rapper Turbo B and his cousin Jackie Harris teamed on “The Power,” with Harris’ curdling vocal elevating Turbo B’s pedestrian rap.

It’s true! Turbo-B was born in Pittsburgh, and was a session drummer for Maze and Chaka Chan; he toured with the Fat Boys. Thea Austin is also from here; she co-wrote some songs for Snap! is still busting out some wicked dance hits today.

I feel like I’ve been violated. How could I have lived my life not knowing that “Rhythm is a Dancer” or for God’s sakes – “I Got the Power!” – started with Pittsburgh angst? Let this code of silence now be broken!

So kids, what have we learned today? Pittsburgh + 90s = Represent. As Miss Kier would say, “Ooh la la, la la-la-la-la-la!”

90s Artist with Pittsburgh Roots

Shanice – born in Pittsburgh
Turbo-B – born in McKeesport
Thea Austin
Lady Miss Kier

Hazelwood: History

I recently saw August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean (which deserves a post of its own!) The work is set in the Hill District 1907, and one of the characters, Selig, mentions setting off to Scotch Bottom. Where exactly is Scotch Bottom?

This is actually part of Hazelwood, and according to this look at history of Scotch Bottom,

“Immigrants from Scotland were the first settlers in this Indian territory, and the area from Four Mile Run to the Six Mile Ferry (four and six miles respectively from The Point) was called Scotch Bottom.”

Hazelwood itself actually derives its name from the hazelnut trees which once covered its site along the Monongahela River. Check out the rest of the history of this neighborhood here!