Category Archives: West

(Almost) A Sea of Black and Gold

It is 7:oo am on a Thursday morning in early September and I step out of my classroom for hall duty.  For those who do not work in the hallowed halls of education it just means that my colleagues and I watch kids walk by on their way to 1st block.  I am very self conscious about my attire – a black polo shirt and Khaki’s.  It is a bit under-dressed for my Principal’s standards so I anxiously watch the end of the hallway hoping he chooses a different route for his morning greetings. 

As the students file past I am distracted by their attire.  Several different versions of number 86 in white on a black field or black on a white field catch my eye.  I turn my head to answer a question of from colleague and spot the corner of the D in Delhomme on the shoulder of a student who is clearly a freshman.  Wow, I think to myself, that kid has some nerve wearing that to school today.  I silently hope he makes it home safely but not without the appropriate amount of good hearted teasing.  I continue ‘securing’ my little kingdom of the hall way for the next 10 minutes.  As the minutes tick by, I subconsciously check off the Steeler jerseys filing past me me:

34 – Mendhenhall (rookie year take 2) √.     

 92 – Harrison √√.    

7-Big Ben (only 1?)  √.  

43 – (Hey, these kids have good taste!) – Polamalu √√√√√   

10-Santonio Holmes – (does that kid have on gold tennis shoes?  I hope that he makes it across the  threshold of the classroom without having to dive) – √√√

Then I see it: A black jersey running past me in a flash of speed hoping not to be sent to lockout.  I did not have my glasses on . . .  Is that an 88?  I thought they retired Lynn. . . maybe or the life of me I could not remember who was #88 on the Steelers now – (Hey!!!! Give me a break it was 7:00 am and I had been up for 2 hours getting my own fam appropriately dressed for Steeler game day.)   The white number 88 zooms past me and when he passes I see the name – Swann. . .  Of course, a throwback.  Both Swann and Holmes make it to their destinations unscathed.

When the late bell rings, I turn to go into my classroom and look down and see the tri-colored hypocycloids on the black polo shirt I hijacked from my husband’s closet.  It is going to be a great day!

Setting: September 3, 2009  – Suburban high school in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Take the bus … to Beaver County

Speaking of public transit, were you aware that Beaver County was chosen as the ‘American Idol’ of public transit? For the second time in its history, the Beaver County Transit Authority won the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Washington, D.C.-based American Public Transportation Association. This award is considered a once-in-a-lifetime honor.

bcta

According to the op-ed article from the PG:

“Ridership that soared 22.4 percent for the past three years is on track to grow another 9 percent in this fiscal year … far more than any other small or large state transit system …

“BCTA is the first recipient of a state Transit Revitalization Investment District grant, with ‘Elm Street’ residential and ‘Main Street; business components in Rochester, the hub of Beaver County. The epicenter of the development extending to a scenic bluff overlooking the Ohio River is its ‘Grand Central Station,’ a modern transportation center with a park-n-ride, up-to-the-minute electronic message board displaying bus arrival and departure times and convenient connections every half hour for paratransit and bus riders.”

A quick perusal of the BCTA website reveals that they even have a Steelers Express route. Good neighbors make for a good neighborhood. Go SWPA!

Here’s the full article:

Getting around: Beaver County chosen ‘American Idol’ of public transit
Sunday, June 11, 2006
by Joe Grata, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Continue reading →

Pittsburgh Curling Club

So. What are you up to this weekend? Movie? Dinner? Theatre?

Boring! How about pushing granite stones with a broom? ON ICE?

It’s called curling – a sport you’ve probably seen in the Olympics (or at 3am on ESPN). Fun fact: apparently, the Royal Montreal Curling Club, est. in 1807, was the first sports club of any kind in North America. The sport is popular in Canada, Scotland, Japan, Sweden, and Switzerland – and Pittsburgh too!

The Pittsburgh Curling Club is located at Robert Morris University’s Island Sports Center, on Neville Island, just off I-79. Curlers meet most Saturday evenings from October to March. There are two game times – the first is at 6:15 until 8:15 and the second is from 8:30 to 10:45.

But … you are in for a treat! This Saturday (Dec. 10) and next (Dec. 17), the Club offers “Learn to Curl” sessions at 6Pm.

From the web site:

“Just show up or ensure your spot by booking in advance – groups welcome! Equipment provided and instructors available – cost is only $10.00. Wear warm, comfortable clothing and rubber soled shoes – tennis shoes work great. If you have any questions, please contact Sandra at president@pittsburghcurlingclub.com.”

I was impressed with the organization’s well-designed and informative web site:

http://www.pittsburghcurlingclub.com/

I am definitely going to try to make it to one of these events. Maybe there’s some latent talent that has yet to emerge here. In fact, I hope someone reading this takes their kids and wins a gold medal for the hometeam someday. You never know until you try. Go Team Blitz!

Pierogi Madness

Compact, tasty, and filling, pierogies are perfect food for a Polish girl on the go. That’s why they’re my FAVORITE! While I prefer making them at home, I do occasionally have to buy them.

For out-of-towners who have stumbled upon this page:

pie·ro·gi also pi·ro·gi n. : A semicircular dumpling with any of various fillings, such as finely chopped meat or vegetables, that is often sautéed after being boiled.

There are a couple of places I like to buy them in bulk in the ‘burgh:

First up is Pierogies Plus owned by Helen Mannarino, located in a former gas station in McKees Rocks, and staffed by the sweetest Ukrainian and Polish ladies and gents. Second up is Clara’s Pierogies, which is owned by Kathy Davis (daughter of Clara!) The business started out as a catering company and is now located in the South Hills on Route 51.

Both Pierogies Plus and Clara’s have similar menus, offering some crazy fillings like apricot and jalapeno, while staying close to traditional favorites the kraut, potato, and cheese. They also offer kielbasa, potato pancakes, and other fixin’s.

Helpful hints: you can print out coupons from both websites. And and now you can order from Pierogies Plus online! And DEAR GOD, Helen can even show you how to Make Your Own Pierogies on DVD. (Best PGH-esque stocking stuffer EVER Award.) Someone please take away my credit card.

Any other places to stock up on pierogi? Let us know.