Category Archives: Books N’at

The Beginning of a Bookstore

You may have noticed a post here on I<3PGH a few weeks ago about the East End Book Exchange.  Book lover and occasional I<3PGH blogger Lesley Rains is exploring the idea of setting up a used book store here in Pittsburgh.

This is hopefully good news for Pittsburgh.  Not so long ago, there were many a book shop to be found in the east end…

  • Sq. Hill Bookshop (which is now Massage Envy on Forbes)
  • Atlantic Booksellers (also on Forbes ave – but I am not sure what is there now)
  • Pinocchio Books (a kids book store that was located in the basement of Shadyside Village on Aiken)
  • Jay’s Book Stall (was located on Forbes in Oakland)
  • Three Penny Books (was located at 1827 Murray Ave)

These little guys were replaced by bigger guys and we said hello to Barnes and Noble and most recently Borders in East Liberty.

The end of a book shop on Highland Ave

Maybe things are coming full circle and back to the little guys.  One of the things I have noticed over the past few years in Shadyside is that Walnut Street – which had become lined with national chains has seen some more independent shops return.  While Max and Erma’s closed – locally owned Elbow Room has moved to Walnut Street and expanded with a new restaurant in their old Ellsworth location.

And things are going well for the Big Idea Bookshop, which is moving to a bigger space in Bloomfield.  Thanks to Karen the Small Press Librarian for the heads up.  Check out Karen’s blog for more info about book shops.

Pop Up Shops

So maybe that means that Pittsburgh is ready for another independent bookshop.  One way to test the waters is with a “pop up shop.”   Pop up shops are popping up everywhere for every product imaginable.  Here is a post from The Thread Austin about a pop up popsicle shop.     John Morris just posted an interesting article about cities and pop up urbanism over on the blog DiggingPitt. Looking for more info on pop up shops – check out this post from Inc Magazine “How to Open a Pop-Up Store“.

The East End Book Exchange will test the Pittsburgh waters with their first pop-up shop at the Pittsburgh Public Market this Sunday.

East End Book Exchange debuts at the Pittsburgh Public Market
Sunday, July 31, 2011
10am-4pm
Facebook Event – http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=238837232805862

Lend some support by stopping by to say hello and to browse some books at their table at the Pittsburgh Public Market.

Can’t make it to the market? Visit their blog and follow East End Book Exchange on Facebook.

For the Love of Travel Guidebooks – Offline Guides to Pittsburgh and Beyond

Obviously we love blogs, and we like Pittsburgh, and we believe blogs can be a pretty good way to learn about a city.  But in this post we take a look at a non digital form of local information – the travel guide book.   Travel books are like blogs, but probably better because someone has taken the time to pick out the best bits of information and compile them into a handy little book that can be used in corners of the earth (or corners of Pittsburgh) that have no cell phone or internet reception (and yes there are still parts of this city that are off the cell phone grid).  We particularly like ones that have a lot of local information from local people.  First up a guidebook to Pittsburgh and then a look a some of our favorite guidebooks to other cities.

If you are a Pittsburgher and currently live here – this might not be so exciting for you.  But if you are new to town, or coming here for a visit – this is hopefully good news.  The 2nd Edition of Moon Pittsburgh, a travel guidebook has just been published.   And we are honored to report that IheartPGH is included in this book as a local blog.  The author of Moon Pittsburgh is Dan Eldridge, who does not currently live in Pittsburgh.  He did live here and was a writer for the Pittsburgh City Paper.  The first edition of Moon Pittsburgh was nominated for a Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Award.

Moon Pittsburgh, 2nd Ed. Powell’s Link | Amazon Link

Good guidebooks can be hard to find here are two that I have found helpful.  Thanks to the Access Las Vegas guidebook I have been to the first pawn shop in Las Vegas.  The Access Las Vegas book also led me to one of the most amazing off the strip dining establishments Carluccio’s Tivoli Gardens at the Liberache Museum.  This place was frozen in time and also held Liberace‘s mirrored piano in the bar area.

For starters, the restaurant was designed and built by Liberace. That fact alone should put the place on the “Vegas locations that need to be preserved” list.

“Liberace bought the shopping complex in the late 1970s,” Hosier said. “First he put the museum in, then in 1983 the restaurant.”

Back then, it was called “Liberace’s Tivoli Gardens, he liked the word Tivoli because backwards it spells,” I-lov-iT”

I know the Liberache museum closed last year (more on the closing from NYTimes here) and it looks like Carluccios has closed this location but reopened in another location.  This is especially sad for Pittsburghers because both the Liberache Museum and Carluccios were located just down the street from Noreen’s Lounge.  Noreen’s is a Steelers bar with an authentic Pittsburgh feel and connection.  I think owner is the niece of the late Pittsburgh mayor Bob O’Connor. I have been to Noreen’s – this place is Pittsburgh – not just because it is painted black and gold but it was just like walking into a bar in Pittsburgh.

And another amazing travel book to check out if you find yourself in Hawaii is Hawaii The Big Island Revealed by Andrew Doughty (Powell’s Link | Amazon Link
).  I read this entire book cover to cover.  Not only was it very well researched but it was incredibly interesting with lots of history and we would have never found What’s Shakin’ and the best smoothie ever .  A good friend of IheartPGH has lived Hawaii for years and this book had plenty of places she had not explored yet as well.

What's Shakin'

What's Shakin' on Urbanspoon

Are there any guidebooks that made your trip a success? Any that should be avoided?

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Elvis the Penguin, Brett Keisel, Books and Kids

Brett Keisel

Image by AxsDeny via Flickr

Well this is a whole lot of random fun wrapped into one event. The Penguin Bookshop in Sewickley is hosting this event to collect books and money for the Homeless Children’s Education Fund.

Penguin Bookshop Children’s Festival

July 16 2011 10:00 am
Location: 420 Beaver St, Sewickley, Pennsylvania 15143-1502

With special guest Brett Kiesel of the Pittsburgh Steelers…

The Penguin Bookshop Children’s Festival is a celebration of summer reading, for, and by children in the greater Pittsburgh community. This event will be an effort to accumulate donated books geared towards teens for the Homeless Children’s Education Fund. Monetary donations will also be accepted.

The festival is a daylong family centered event which will include:

10:00-4:00 It’s a Penguin Party

Come anytime for a plethora of penguin activities featuring:

  • Customers are encouraged to purchase titles appropriate for teens who are supported by the Homeless Children’s Educational Fund
  • Penguin Publishing Group book based art and reading activities for characters such as Lady Bug Girl, Skippy Jon Jones, Spot and Froggy
  • Painting tiles/squares to fit in a larger art piece, titled Kids Read, to be hung in the bookstore and raffled at our end-of-summer auction
  • A visist from Smiley the Eat-n-Park mascot
  • Complete scavenger hunt and choose a prize from the Penguin Bookshop Igloo

11:00-12:00 A visit with Elvis, a penguin from the National Aviary

Elvis is a South African penguin who lives at the National Aviary with his buddies, Sydney, Patrick, and Stanley. Today Elvis will visit and be on hand with a representative from the Aviary to answer your questions.

11:00-2:00 Brett Kiesel visits the Penguin Bookshop

Story time with Brett Kiesel of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who will read two of his most memorable children’s books.

12:00-1:00 An Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social: Make a Sundae on Saturday

Sewickley Patch will provide all the ingredients for awesome sundaes. Penguin Bookshop will serve complimentary advanced reading chapters from popular books series so that everyone can get the “scoop” on what’s next for their favorite characters.

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Bringing Life Back to the East Liberty Borders

I have been excited about this ideas since we first got an email about it last month.  Fleeting Pages is a project to turn the East Liberty Borders – which closed for business a few weeks ago into a pop-up independent book store.  With the help of a lot of different groups – Fleeting Pages will be open for a month.

Fleeting Pages is also putting Pittsburgh on the map – the idea has been covered on national blogs too – GalleyCat and The Consumerist.

You can help get the ball rolling on this project by supporting the Fleeting Pages Kickstarter Project here. They are also still accepting submissions of books and workshop ideas too. You can get all of the details at FleetingPages.com.

Drinking in the Library – Friday, May 20

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Image via Wikipedia

Yes, the Library with books – the actual Carnegie Library on Carson St. – which should not be confused with the bar named “The Library” which is also on Carson St.  just a block away.  The bar has drinks but not many books.

On May 20 you will be able to drink in the actual library library – for their Deconstruction Party.  A fundraiser to benefit the library and a chance to check out the acutal library building which is over 100 years old.

Late Night @ The Library: Deconstruction Party

Friday, May 20, 2011, 7 – 10 PM
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – South Side
2205 East Carson Street, 15203

Spend your Friday night at the library! Join CLP for our second Late Night @ the Library: Deconstruction Party, this time in the South Side. Check out this century old building (which was once a bomb shelter) and help us kick off the upcoming deconstruction with an evening of local cuisine, specialty drinks, an exclusive auction, dance party and more.

Proceeds benefit Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s renovation of CLP – South Side.

  • Food and drinks from some of the South Side’s best eateries (3 drink tickets per guest)
  • Music and dancing
  • Antique Library furniture and memorabilia from the Library’s colorful history at an exclusive silent auction
  • After Party: Drink specials at The Library Restaurant and Bar (2302 East Carson Street)
  • Details and tickets are available here