Beechview – Seldom Seen Greenway

The Seldom Seen Greenway is home to over 90 acres of undeveloped land in the city of Pittsburgh. It’s located off Route 51, near Saw Mill Run Boulevard. It is directly across the street from Brashear High School – right below Beechview and Mt. Washington.

Seldom Seen was actually a small village annexed by the city of Pittsburgh in 1924, and until the 1960s, the area was populated by a few families and farmhouses; families raised their own chickens and canned their own fruit. As people slowly moved out, the area escaped development. The forest has been virtually left untouched and allowed to grow and flourish, but the active Friends of the Greenway organize a biannual clean-up to keep it pristine.

According to a Tribune Review article:

“If you’re agile enough to go under or over the makeshift gate, (it’s there to keep out those who would use the area as a garbage dump) you can leave the noisy highway through the tunnel and stroll in a peaceful valley, with only the gentle lull of Saw Mill Run creek, bird calls and rustling leaves to enhance the silence. Trees hang over the creek from the shadowy cliffs, sheer enough for the Pittsburgh City rescue paramedics to practice rappelling.

“Around the bend is a thicket of trees, better reached from a steep path from behind Brashear High School. Here, Kathy and John Murphy, whose Beechview back yard edges on Seldom Seen, did a bird migration count for the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania last December, identifying 81 birds.

To learn more about the fascinating history of this area, read the rest of Tribune Review article.

There has also been discussion about providing an “Emerald Link” – connecting trails – between Mt. Washington, Duquesne Heights, Allentown, South Side and Beechview. The plan was spearheaded by the Mt. Washington Development Corporation, and you can check out the status of the project or get involved here.

Until then, the trails and wildlife of Seldom Seen, only minutes away from downtown Pittsburgh, remain to be explored.

John A. Hermann Memorial Art Museum

When we think of Pittsburgh museums, we think of the Carnegie, the Warhol, the Heinz History Center. But there are other small, neighborhood museums that have amazing art and historical collections. Take the John A. Hermann Memorial Art Museum in Bellevue. The museum holds over 1000 paintings, as well as ivory and bronze pieces. Hermann (1858-1942) was a millionaire who was also a painter; he never sold a painting, yet he desperately wanted to be recognized for his art. Today, according to art students and curators, his collection is one of the most complete collections of one folk artist in the country. There is also an interesting Post-Gazette article about the museum. (The painting to the left is entitled, “The Nervous Patient, 1890.”)

The museum is located at 318 Lincoln Avenue in Bellevue, PA. Admission is FREE. It is open on Friday and Saturday from noon to 4:00 p.m, on Sunday from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, and closed on holidays. You can also schedule an appointment by calling 412-761-8008.

WRCT

wrct

Ever since I posted about WYEP being a great public radio station, I felt guilty. Why? Because I listen to WRCT 88.3 probably just as much as I do WYEP. Why? Because where else can you hear Democracy Now, Japanese experimental music, the Saturday Light Brigade, yiddish hip hop, and excrutiatingly geeky analysis of R&B lyrics?

WRCT is the radio station of Carnegie Mellon University. It is located in the basement of the CMU University Center and broadcasts from Warner Hall. The station run as free format radio which means that all programming decisions are left to the descretions of DJs and their programs. This means that I can actually drive to work listening to some pumping house music and leave listening to Nina Simone. But there is some convergence: wanna know what the kids are listenin’ to these days? Check out their Top 70 list. (Glad to see local band Modey Lemon sneak in there at #10!) Never heard any of these bands? Well then listen to WRTC! And if you … hate music, then just listen for the promos (which are pretty weird – and funny.)

Like all good radio stations though, ‘RCT offers online streaming, has a handy dandy list of recently played songs and takes requests at 412-CMU-WRCT (268-9728). iTunes users can add it to their playlist as streaming radio. (Just look under Radio/Public/WRCT.)

I remember when I was in high school in the hills of the the ‘Burgh, I had my uber cool band posters, my flannels and my Docs, and I tried to act like I listened to real, live college stations. But the only place I could get it was in one corner of my basement. Luckily for us, the station has come a long way since then! Apparently they’ve expanded (to 1750 “glorious watts”). And get this – the other day, I could hear it all the way out to the airport. So go and program WRCT on your car radio now. And turn it on when you’re stuck in traffic. You might even catch the Brazilian Radio Hour.

CCAC Community Education

CCAC – the Community College of Allegheny County – has some really cool non-credit courses coming up in the spring. I just looked at their web site for Community Education (click on the PDF schedule of classes) and I found neat options like:

Wine Appreciation With Henry Block
Learn about and savor the wonderful French reds and whites of the Burgundy region with wine enthusiast Henry Block. You will gain an appreciation for the subtleties and complexities of fine European wines and develop an understanding of their relationship to New World wines. Cost includes wine tasting samples. Prerequisite: Introductory wine appreciation course or equivalent. ($145)

Asian Wraps
Learn how to make and serve delicious steamed, braised, fresh and deep-fried Asian wraps that will be perfect for first courses or party finger food. We will make and enjoy the following wraps: Peking-style duck pancake, moo shu pork, spring rolls, egg rolls, bok choy rolls, herb and chicken spring rolls, tropical fruit rolls, vegetarian spring rolls, and braised beef roll. ($69)

Basic Repairs for the Helpless Homeowner
Forced to spend hard-earned dollars on professional services or to live with inconvenient, unpleasant, or even dangerous situations in your home because you lack the skills, knowledge, and most importantly, the confidence to tackle even the most basic home repair? This course will equip the homeowner with everything you need in order to complete repair jobs easily, inexpensively, and safely. Fix a lamp, unclog a sink, replace a light switch-tasks that you will accomplish. The course includes hands-on exercises and do-it-yourself homework assignments. ($89)

There are even classes on “Controlling Paper Clutter at Home” ($39), “Beginning Freshwater Fishing” ($99), “Accounting for Small Businesses” ($149), and of course …. Basketweaving ($49).

Classes are usually offered in the evening at CCACs various locations or at local neighborhood centers from Homewood to Bethel Park. You can register and pay for courses online. Check out the web site and register today.

I think some of these sessions would make cool Christmas gifts. What’s better than the gift of learning? : )