This is quite the opposite end of the spectrum from the documentary I wrote about last week. But I am sure there are some Pee-wee Herman fans in town.p Pittsburgh Filmmakers will be showing Pee-wee’s Big Adventure this Sunday, 8pm at the Regent Square Theater.
Tag Archives: Regent Square
Sprout Public Art Preliminary Design Exhibition
The Sprout Fund announces its 2007 Preliminary Design Exhibition!
Thursday May 17, 2007
6:00-8:00pm
Concept Art Gallery
1031 South Braddock Avenue
Regent Square
This year’s preliminary design exhibition features 20 talented local artists, each competing for one of the 8 community mural sites. The showcased preliminary mural designs were created in response to the ideas of subject matter generated by each community group and act as proposals from each artist expressing how he or she might translate these ideas into a work of public art.
Please join us for this exhibition which represents an exciting step in a summer-long interaction of community ideas and artistic vision coming together to change the landscape of Pittsburgh and the surrounding communities of Allegheny County.
Git Aht! – Things To Do This Weekend
(Things to do while trying to figure out how to get into Folino’s without proper ID…)
Friday, October 13
Scitech Spectacular, 5:30 p.m., Carnegie Science Center, North Shore Side
 Correct (left) and then, y’know… not so much. |
“Ride a Freakin’ Segway!” is what this one boils down to. Oh, ok, those guys that did the Mentos/Diet Coke dancing Waters thing are gonna be there too this weekend, (I hope accompanied by a tape of Claire De Lune) but really, this is all about the opportunity to look as White & Nerdy as possible, captaining the device that was supposed to “change the way cities are built” around an obstacle course in the best possible time. If there aren’t prizes, there damn well should be. I dunno, pocket protectors or something… Gold-plated 20-sided dice maybe…
The Scitech Spectacular is full of cool things to do beyond the Segway, like the Rinspeed Senso, a car that ” senses the driver” and looks like the kind of thing you’d hop into to chase down people running away from Carousel. There’s a Hi-Tech (their spelling, not mine, some sort of marketing thing, I think) Sports and vehicles show, river education tours (Like, you get educated, not the river. The river was home-schooled and anyway, it don’t need your education, it don’t need your thought control), and all manner of other events, but allow me to reiterate: Ride A Freakin’ Segway. End of story.
Sound Bytes, 9:00 p.m., Wood Street Galleries, Dahntahn
Wood Street Galleries continues it’s Sound Bytes series, a mixture of Art and Music with Natura Nasa, who are described as sounding like “something like a nightmare and a flying dream”. Gotcha, I dig it. I love flying dreams, personally. Hell, I just enjoy dreams. Like… Anyone else have that dream where you see yourself standing in sort of sun-god robes on a pyramid, with a thousand naked women screaming and throwing little pickles at you? No?
Saturday, October 14
St. Benedict The Moor/Epiphany Nationality Food Fest/Frankie Capri, 2:00 p.m., Uptahn
This weeks winner of the prestigious “Longest Item Title” award…
I received the following important communique from the Dishers…
“The man, the myth, the legend, Frankie Capri is performing at the St. Benedict the Moor/Epiphany Food Fest this Saturday from 2-5. Heck, I thought he was dead. If you haven’t seen Frankie before, it’s a once in a lifetime experience.”
“Ethnic food and the complete and utter lunacy of Mr. Capri. What’s not to like?”
I couldn’t have said it better myself, which is probably why they’re what I like to call “writers” and I’m more of a scribbler. Or a typist with a gift for googling local events. Whichever. The Fest runs all weekend and also has a Tiki Lounge. One more thing, and I have saved the best for last: they will be serving free beer during the Steelers game on Sunday. Lemme say that again: FREE BEER. Do I have to draw you a drunken picture? ‘Cause if I do, it’ll be a charcoal rendering of Sienna Miller. In the style of Renoir, if you know what I mean. Yeah!
Speaking of which, Sienna, baby doll, you never wrote to me. What’s up wit dat? My sweet limey love muffin, you’re only in town for a couple more days, and we need to make the most of it. I can get you into Folinos, no problem. They know me there.
OUTrageous Bingo/Flaming Fall Frolic 6:30 p.m. and whenever, Goodwill, Sahsside, then The Sideways 8 Club, Shadyside
“Drinking For A Cause” makes a strong return this weekend with two events that serve as fundraisers for the Shepherd Wellness Community, a local AIDS outreach program. First on the fabulous docket is something called “OUTrageous Bingo”. Allow me to quote from the release: “A very VERY gay old time with a drag show at intermission.” I’m not sure about the booze level at this first one, since it’s at Goodwill, and I don’t think they’ve got a liquor license yet, but it’s located on the Sahsside, so it’s only a matter of time, really. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., games start at 7:30. $15 at the door. Tickets available in advance are $12 and can be purchased at:
- A Pleasant Present
- Banner Coin Exchange
- Klavon’s Ice Cream
- Tuscany Cafe
And after you’ve had your fill of giggling like Beavis and Butthead every time “O 69” gets pulled from the old ball bucket, (I went to one of those Sunday Night Catholic Church Bingo bashes once, and there was an older lady there who had New Years Eve noisemakers just for when O 69 was pulled), head on up to the Ol’ Sideways 8 Club, which is real life is called the 5801 Video Lounge on Ellsworth (formerly New York, New York just to fully confuse the issue) for the “Flaming Fall Frolic”, where you’ll enjoy $1 off all drinks, free appetizers and the piano stylings of Al Snyder.
Drink and Draw: Burlesque Style , 5:00p.m., Brillobox, Upper Larryville
This one will give me the chance to brush up on my charcoal rendering techniques in advance of my session with Sienna. Brillobox is hosting drop-in model sessions for artists beginning in October, and this is the first one. How it works is, you pay a fee to get in, bring your art supplies, and draw (or paint) the models that will be on hand to pose for you. This session’s theme is burlesque, drawing inspiration from the vaudeville queens and their outrageous costumes. Short description: two models, one in feathers, the other in satin and Lace. No photography or oils, dry mediums and water-based paints acceptable. If the one wearing feathers looks at all like Sally Rand, let me know so I can get up there and propose marriage immediately. Any further questions, call them at 412.621.4900.
(Thanks to Susan for sending this one in… )
Sunday, October 15
Gold Diggers of 1933, 8:00 p.m., Regent Square Theater, Regent Square (Duh.)
I ain’t sayin’ she a gold digger…
This is a film that was shot in the five year period between the advent of talkies and the enforcement of the Hays Code, so it’s something of a groundbreaker and historical oddity. Filled with sex, money, power, it’s the story of how far a good girl can go before she becomes a bad girl. (Short answer: The Firehouse on a Saturday Night)
The opening scene is chorus girls wearing giant gold coins. Sold.
Long Ago And Far Away, 8:00 p.m., Manchester Craftsmens Guild
Billed as “an original interactive performance created by Kim Nazarian of New York Voices”, Long Ago And Far Away doesn’t have anything to do with Star Wars, from what I can gather, but it still seems to be a good thing to do of a Sunday Evening, and the Steelers will be done by the time this starts. (Hell, they might be done done by the time this thing starts if the offense can’t get something going.)
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Got an event planned? Would you like a whole flock of yinzers with disposable income to show up? Let Git Aht know by sending the electronic mail to gitaht@gmail.com.
Mixing it up in Regent Square at Le Mix on Braddock Ave
Update October 3, 2108: Le Mix is still mixing it up in Regent Square and you can follow Le Mix on Facebook here.
Sunday was one of those gorgeous autumn-in-the-city days that just begged for a meandering walk. Being relatively new to Regent Square, I took my time going up Braddock, making mental notes about shops that were closed on Sundays and checking out the ones that were open.
One place that stood out, in particular, was Le Mix (1115 1/2 S. Braddock Ave.), a fantastic and quirky little shop jammed full of gifts and antiques at just about every price range. It’s a great store for an hour or so of browsing, and I ended up walking out with two very random but already beloved items: a hand-blown glass ashtray and a map of the world circa 1626. Highly recommended for collectors, antique buffs, or anyone who likes picking up random curiosities.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with Braddock Avenue in Regent Square, it’s a really nice little area with locally-owned businesses that are off the beaten path, including a movie theater that features a range of foreign, independent, and classic films. Frick Park is also nearby, as well as a host of cafes and restaurants. Definitely, a neighborhood to consider when planning an afternoon or evening out. The main business district is accessible from Downtown, Oakland, and Braddock via the 61B, as well as the Parkway East via the Edgewood/Swissvale exit.
Where are all the gay ladies?
When I moved to Pittsburgh last year from a big city, I have to admit that I was a little concerned about the lesbian scene here, or lack thereof–but I was very pleasantly surprised. Despite what I saw on Queer as Folk, it is NOT all about Liberty Avenue, especially not for women. We do have a regular hangout we can head to if we want to shoot pool, grab a cold one after softball, or get sweaty on the dance floor. OK, it’s not fancy or anything, but everyone knows that they can always head dahn Donny’s when they want to socialize with other dykes. But a lot more is happening outside the local bars…
Regent Square is probably the best place in town to spot lesbians in their natural habitat. Everytime I go there to meet someone, go for a jog or walk the dogs at Frick Park, I can’t go two steps without running into another dyke. I would definitely recommend this part of town to newcomers! While you’re there, step into The Square Cafe for the tasty food and lesbian eye candy, or D’s Six Pax and Dawgs, for a cheap, loaded hotdog washed down with a cold brew from their amazing selection of beer.
And I’ve discovered that some of the best stuff for gay ladies in the Steel City are things that women have organized themselves. Like the monthly Queers! They’re What’s for Dinner gatherings hosted by Ehrrin Keenan at the Gypsy Cafe on the Southside. If you’re new to town or maybe just want to get out there and meet some fresh faces, you should email Ehrrin–she can put you on her Evite list for the dinners, and on her queers mailing list, which will update you about other happenings of lesbian interest around the ‘burgh. You’ll find out about book clubs, game nights, karaoke, singles dinners, political actions, and all kinds of local performances.
Because another thing I love about Pittsburgh are all the talented performers! Soulful local veteran Joey Murphy hosts regular queer singer/songwriter nights featuring well-known acts stopping by on national tours, as well as up-and-coming ‘burghers. Joey also hosts an open-mic night for acoustic singer/songerwiters as part of MySpace Mondays over at Moondog’s. This coming Monday night you can check out the Emmy-winning Carol Lee Espy, get up onstage yourself (there are prizes for participants), or just enjoy a cold drink and soak in the sounds. And it’s not just for the gay ladies–anyone is welcome!
I heart Pittsburgh because of all the gorgeous and talented women who make it such a great place to live. If you want to know more about the local dyke scene, email Ehrrin to get on the mailing list, check out the Pittsburgh Dykes profile on MySpace, and read the Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondants’ newsy and political blog.