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'

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