I heart PGH

Category: Uncategorized

  • Pillow Fight!

    The Pittsburgh Cacophony Society is at it again …

    pillow

    What: MASSIVE PILLOW FIGHT!
    Date: Sunday, June 18, 2006
    Time: 8:30pm
    Place: Schenley Park, near Flagstaff Hill
    (check back before the event for exact location).

    The rules of Pillow Fight Club are:
    (1) Soft pillows only!
    (2) Wait until the signal to begin!
    (3) Swing lightly, many people will be swinging at once.
    (4) Do not swing at people without pillows.

    This event is more fun with feathers.
    PJs are optional but recommended.

    Stick around after the event for a free screening of “Charlie
    and the Chocolate Factory” on Flagstaff Hill at 9:00pm!

  • Garden Groove at Phipps

    Looking for some social irrigation? Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is hosting their first of three summer cocktail parties, Garden Groove, in the lush Outdoor Garden next Thursday, June 22 from 6 to 9 p.m. This swanky little event will cost $20 which includes three drinks, free food from area restaurants, free admission to the Conservatory and music by DJimaDJ, (Richard Gartner from Soma Mestizo.)
    Anyway, this should be a fun little shindig and the setting is really one of the nicest watering holes in the city. Future Garden Grooves will be on July 27 and August 24, same time and place.
    You can buy tickets at the garden gate or by calling (412) 622-6915, ext. 6803.

  • Flickr This

    Yesterday – I started playing with Flickr – if you are new to Flickr – it is an online service, that is now owned by Yahoo that lets you store and share pictures online. I set up this little box here on the side bar to show all pictures that have the tag “IheartPGH” –
    Yesterday – a search for I heart PGH revaeled jsut 5 little pictures of Pittsburgh. But now, less than 24 hours since I added the Flickr side bar – there are tons of pictures with the tag IheartPGH! and these are some amazing pictures – I ws trying to avoid the hype about Ben but the picture of the Steeler fan outside of Mercy hospital is just another reason to “heart” Pittsburgh.
    So, if you have pictures, pictures of Pittsburgh – please add the tag IheartPGH.

  • Channel 29 – The (Juke)Box

    On Saturday night I got my dance on at the Pittsburgh Deli Company and I heard sounds for the first time in years. As I waxed nostalgic about the late 80s/early 90s (dear God), I started thinking about The Box. Or as us OGs remember it – The Juke Box.

    Even before I googled it, I remembered The Box as Channel 29 on our non-cable television set. The Pittsburgh Area Radio and TV Stations site tells us:

    29 WIIC-LP IND PITTSBURGH PA
    WBPA was at one time (mid-80’s?) the “Video Jukebox” or just “The Box” – an automated (and low power) UHF station that you could dial up with a 976 number to play videos by request. WIIC broadcasts MTV2 locally originated programming. WIIC-LP was known as W29AV until 2/6/2002. Owned by Abacus Television Network.

    And Wiki sez:

    The Jukebox Network was a cable and satellite television service which allowed their viewers the ability to dial a telephone number enter a code and the latest or a classic music video that was requested was played on their TV. At first all of the Jukebox request lines used a large block of Miami, Florida telephone numbers and callers were only charged for a long distance call, However realizing that they needed to make money Jukebox switched to the pay-per call 1-900 line service in which callers were charged from $1.99 to $3.99 per call to make a request of up to three videos. The company was acquired by MTV Networks and Jukebox’s programming was replaced with a new channel called MTV2.

    had to add the pictureOh, The Box. I was never allowed to call 1-900 from my house, so I always went over a friend’s house, where we’d sneak in requests. I mean, honestly, $3.99 was a lot for a 12-year-old! I remember watching those scrolling lists of videos for hours before something would pop up. But then, of course, when you finally made the freakin’ phone call, you’d have to wait for another 4 hours to see it. Some videos I remember playing over and over from that era include:

  • Young MC – Bust A Groove
  • Wreckx-N-Effect – Rumpshaker
  • H-Town – Knockin’ Boots

    And of course, your R. Kelly, Boyz II Men, and Bel Biv Devoe standards. Am I the only one that remembers these days???

    By the way, I was totally amused to find out that The Box still exists in the UK. And their tagline is still the same: “Music Television You Control.”

    But here’s the thing: since Viacom bought The Box, you can now get MTV2 on all your non-cable television sets. (I didn’t know this, and I remember turning on the TV a few years ago and thinking I was just lucky.) Yep, it’s still Channel 29, but you might need some rabbit ears and aluminum foil for your antenna.

    I hope we all enjoyed this walk down memory lane. This has got me thinking … I really need to have Shanice’s “I love your smile” on call at my wedding. Or LL Cool J – Around the Way Girl. Or maybe Color Me Badd – I Adore Mi Amore …*giggle*

  • Film Premiere this Friday!

    Need something to do this Friday?

    How about attend a film premiere?

    This Friday we are premiering the film, Grace, at the Chosky Theater at Carnegie Mellon University. (The Chosky Theatre is located inside the Purcell Center for the Arts – the drama building on campus.) 100% of the movie was filmed right here in Pittsburgh, and 100% of ticket sales will go to benefit the Western PA School for the Deaf. Also, there will be a wrap party after the screening and your ticket will allow you to get in for the fun festivities.

    All of this for $10.

    Please come out and support a great event and a great cause!

    Movie Website: http://www.grace-themovie.com

    Check out what the City Paper has to say about Grace!
    http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/film/story.cfm?type=Film%20Reviews#6117

    To purchase tickets, call the Purnell Center Box Office at 412.268.2407 or email me at belliott at andrew.cmu.edu.