Category Archives: Shop PGH

Reverse Keg Ride 2011 Includes Costume Contest for Best PGH Costume!

Image by robjdlc via Flickr

For those of you looking for a way to celebrate Halloween while getting some exercise – think of it as canceling out the candy – or you really love bicycles and beer – this is the event for you. Its time for the annual Reverse Keg Ride.

What is a Reverse Keg Ride?

A few years ago, End End Brewing decided that the best way to get the first keg of Pedal Pale Ale to the bar was by bike. And thus the keg ride was born. And each year a few more people decided to come along for the ride. This spring over 400 people joined the ride to deliver the first keg AND raise money for some local charities.

Since the keg rides have been so popular, in 2009 it was decided that the way to end the pedaling season was with a reverse keg ride back to the brewery – another chance to raise some money, drink some beer and take a bike ride through Pittsburgh with a few hundred people.

Keg Ride, but its Halloween Weekend?

Yes, it is! So the bicycle beer loving folks are holding a costumer contest – and it is a good one. Prizes will be awarded for Best Beer-themed Costume, Best Pittsburgh-themed Costume and Best Overall Costume,

How does this work?

Well, talk about another great example of a Pittsburgh collaboration. East End Brewing is working with the folks at Venture Outdoors to make sure this is a well organized and safe event. East End Brewing knows beer. And Venture Outdoors are experts in organizing large groups of people to do fun things outside.

Reverse Keg Ride Details

Saturday, October 29th. Rain or shine.
Breakfast and Check-in at 9:00am
Depart at 10:00, arrive at 11:00-11:30am
Cost: $15 for pre-registration (on-line), $20 for Day-of-ride registration. This is a charitable contribution that goes to support “Advisory Board on Autism and Related Disorders” (aka ABOARD), a non-profit agency, providing a lifeline of support for families and individuals with autism.
What you get: a continental breakfast, morning coffee, a fun day of riding your bike in a big group… and this year’s very first SNOW MELT WINTER ALE fresh from the brewery.
Get all the details and warnings about hills here. Ready to register – you can do that here.

The Best Beer to Enjoy at Every MLB Ballpark (bleacherreport.com)
More beer-related news (pittsburgh.metblogs.com)
Two brewers battle for rights to historic Pittsburgh beer label (philly.com)

Christmas Already? ALL XMAS Garage Sale This Saturday

Now, now – no need to panic – you still have 85 days until Christmas. But this Saturday – you have one day to stock up on Chrismas decor at this garage sale. Since we have spent much of this week scouring Construction Junction and craigslist for new (well new to us) book shelves. We have had garage sales on the brain. But we have never heard of a TOTAL Christmas Garage Sale! Our source assures me that the items for sale on Saturday are amazing and ALL Christmas (and not all tacky like some of the photos we have added to this post).

TOTAL CHRISTMAS GARAGE SALE

1432 Termon Avenue, Brighton Heights
Saturday, October 1, 2011
8 a.m. until noon

Here is what the elves have to say about the sale.

Come join us for a Christmas-themed multi-family garage sale at 1432 Termon Avenue in Brighton Heights this Saturday, October 1. The sale runs from 8 a.m. until noon and will be indoor/outdoor. You can expect to find an abundance of great stuff for and sold by long-time collectors.

There will be a variety of holiday merchandise available at a discounted price including decorations, table linens, glassware, pottery, art, and more. Come find a new centerpiece for Christmas Eve dinner, browse vintage ornaments, or find a one-of-a-kind snowman to add to your collection.

While searching for some photos to include in this post – we have discovered a treasure trove of holiday fun on the internet. One person’s tacky is another persons treasure. The blog Creative Juice has a whole rundown of hilarious and christmas decor here (we rather like the beer bottle recycled bottle Christmas Tree).

Need some more Friday afternoon fun? You might want to check out…

Photo Credit: Decorations photo via Willamation

The Real Story Behind Charlotte’s Web

Since tomorrow might be gray and rainy… here is a great indoor activity perfect for anyone who loves books. Mystery Lovers Bookshop, located in Oakmont, is whole shop dedicated to mystery books, they also sell other books and can order any book you would like (support your local book shop). On Satruday, Mystery Lovers Bookshop is hosting a Coffee & Crime author event with Michael Sims who wrote the book The Story of Charlotte’s Web: E.B. Whites’s Eccentric Life in NAture and the Birth of an American Classic.

Image via Wikipedia

Michael Sims, Coffee & Crime Oct. 1

If you’ve ever wondered how E.B. White came to write the children’s classic Charlotte’s Web you’ll find all the answers at our Coffee & Crime author breakfast with Michael Sims on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 10 am.

Michael’s newest book, The Story of Charlotte’s Web, is a fascinating exploration of the eccentric life of E.B. White and the events that led this long-time writer for the New Yorker magazine to pen one of the enduring classics of children’s literature.

Tickets are $5 and available online here. You can follow Mystery Lovers Bookshop on Facebook here.

The tale of how a classic was spun (independent.co.uk)
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White (Banned Books Week) (bookjourney.wordpress.com)
Charlotte’s Web (tammycarterbronson.wordpress.com)

Step Up To See the City

Image by peterp via Flickr

Well I was just about to write about the Fineview and South Side Slopes Step Treks. But Diana Nelson Jones and I must be thinking the same thing. She just posted about both of these events on her blog for the Post-Gazeete – Walkabout. So click here to read her post about both of these great events.

This is one of my favorite photos of Pittsburgh that I took on the Step Trek in 2006. That was the graffiti on the wall at the time. I wonder if it is still there…

Fineview Step-a-thon 2011

Saturday, October 1, 8:30 am
1300 Howard Street Pittsburgh, PA
Register here – http://stepathon.org/registration/

South Side Slopes Step Trek

Saturday, October 8, 11am
Josephine & 21^st Streets
Register here – http://www.southsideslopes.org/steptrek/registration

Was it Professor Plum, with the Candlestick … in the Library?

Image via Wikipedia

One of my all time favorite movies is Clue – yes the Clue with Mrs. White, Professor Plum and the singing telegram – so I love that the upcoming fundraiser at the Carnegie Library includes a live action version of Clue. This Friday, September 23, its After Hours @ the Library. The Carnegie Library has been hosting these occasional fundraisers at different Libraries around town – this week the After Hours party is at the library in Oakland. For $25 you can support the library, have some snacks, enjoy some drinks, listen to the musical stylings of Joy Ike AND play live action game of Clue.

What’s Live Action Clue you ask? It is our optional, super low key and awfully fun way to win some cool prizes and help Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh solve a murder mystery. You’ll stroll through the party enjoying your drinks and some great snacks donated by local restaurants and may see Mrs. Peacock, Mr. Green or Colonel Mustard having a fabulous time at the library too. You also may see the rope bartending and the wrench reading a magazine… Your job is to ask these characters if they have a clue for you. Once you get all the clues (or lack of clues, hint, hint), you’ll be able to figure out who done it, with what and in what room. It is easy, fun and optional.

Event Details:

After Hours @ The Library
Carnegie Library in Oakland
September 23, 2011, 6:30 – 9:00 pm