Category Archives: Blogs

Pittsburgh is for 2nd Homes and Historic Grocery Stores

Null Space, Chris Briem’s blog with lots of interesting info – often about Pittsburgh, links to this blog post from Otherstream – a blog from a North Carolina resident who has just purchased a 2nd home here in Pittsburgh – mostly just because he loves Pittsburgh.  I wanted to share an excerpt of his post Why Pittsburgh

So now on to the bigger and more interesting question of why I would consider a place like Pittsburgh, and how I could assume I might like it better there than, say, San Francisco, given all the relief I felt upon living that particular urban area. It’s a valid question, and it’s one that even my husband asked me at one point.

Pittsburgh gives me that “urban” that I crave. I fell in love with the city on my first visit in 1997, and I love it a little more each time I visit. Unlike most sunbelt “boom towns”, the texture is decidedly urban, with a diversity of building types, people, and incomes. Unlike San Francisco and other “sophisticated urban areas” , the mood is neither expensive nor pretentious. And unlike such rust belt icons as Cleveland and Detroit, there’s an actual economy; in fact, Pittsburgh has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country.

Otherstream has some more great posts about Pittsburgh.  The author also writes a blog about old grocery stores, Groceteria.com, which is very well put together website with tons of interesting information.  There are even some pictures of some Pittsburgh grocery stores on the site – SureSave in Bloomfield, Swartz’s on Carson Street, and Breakers in Dormont.

Congratulations on your new Pittsburgh home! Continue reading

Sourdough Bread is not Mancici's Bread- Washington, DC Chef tries to Recreate Primanti Brother Sandwich

primanti brothers sandwichImage by cygnoir via Flickr

Thanks to the IheartPGH reader for sending me the link to this blog post on Washingtonian.com blog – How to Make PS7’s Primanti Brothers Sandwich.

One regular at PS 7’s in Penn Quarter craves them so much that he schlepped one back to DC for chef Peter Smith. Smith declared it the “best sandwich in the world” and came up with a sopressata-on-sourdough version topped with hand-cut fries and pepper slaw ($7.50) for his lounge and lunch menus. The customer said, “Dude, this is as close as you’re going to get.”

I want to make sure to point out to anyone reading this blog post who has not been there – that Primanti Brother Sandwiches are made with Mancini’s Bread. Mancini’s is a bakery located in McKee’s Rocks that literally makes the best bread ever – there really aren’t words that describe how great this bread is – it is that good. Just writing about the bread is making me thing of driving there to pick up some bread right now.

It is nice that this DC restaurant is trying to help bring a little bit of Pittsburgh to DC – sour dough bread is just not the same thing as Mancini’s bread.

The blog posts includes a video and recipe for the PS7 version of the sandwich.  here is a video of a Happy Pittsburgher showing off a Primanti Brother’s sandwich that was sent to him from Pittsburgh.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kX0nLj0Qgk[/youtube]

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Pittsburgh Signs Project Book

Pittsburgh Signs Project Now Available on Amazon.com

If you are a regular reader you will know that we really like signs (and sometimes climb over guard rails to photograph them) and that we have been following the Pittsburgh Signs Project from its beginnings as a blog to a published book.

Pittsburgh Signs Project Book

The book –  Pittsburgh Signs Project: 250 Signs of Western Pennsylvania – is now available on Amazon.com.  I have a copy and I gave some copies of the book to friends for Christmas.  It is even easier to order a copy for your friends who don’t live in Pittsburgh.

If you would prefer to shop local…

Pittsburgh Signs Project: 250 Signs of Western Pennsylvania is now available for sale at Carnegie Mellon’s University Store in the shop or online, the Mattress Factory Museum (North Side) and Heinz History Center (Strip District) shops.

The book is also for sale at the Carnegie Museum of Art Store (Oakland), Andy Warhol Museum (North Side) and Silver Eye Center for Photography (South Side).

 

Its Blogfest Time – Pittsburgh Blogfest 17 is back on Feb. 20, 2009

Pittsburgh BlogFest 14 sign-in sheetImage by cynthiacloskey via Flickr

Ever couple of months, a group of bloggers gathers for an informal chat at Finnegan’s Wake on the North Side.  It is a laid back event – just show up and grab a name tag.  Great opportunity to chat with some of your favorite bloggers and meet others bloggers.

WHAT: Pittsburgh Blogfest 17
WHEN: Friday, February 20th, 2009, 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM and beyond!
WHERE: Finnegan’s Wake (near PNC Park, 20 General Robinson St., North Shore, 412-325-2601), in the Pub Room
WHO: All local bloggers/podcasters (and their friends… feel free to bring some even if they don’t blog!)
AND: Ephemera Ephemerae , Inner Bitch, My Brilliant Mistakes, and Have a Good Sandwich.

As always, if you plan to attend, please send an e-mail to blogfest AT closkey.com. Blogfest 17 on Facebook.

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