Tag Archives: Southside Flats

Weekend Wrap-Up

Alrighty, so it’s 5am on a Sunday morning in the Blitz and even though there’s about 20 hours left to go, I feel inclined to write a weekend wrap-up. Forgive me. I hope every ‘burgher, be they resident, transplant or visitor, had a wonderful holiday.

Here are 3 things I am thankful for this weekend:

1. The downtempo playing at Tuscany Cafe (in the South Side on Carson St.) on the weekends. Smooth. I don’t know why more of you aren’t there on Saturday night! 😉

2. The only graffiti in the women’s bathroom in the Shadow Lounge which reads: “You are infinitely beautiful.” I mean, it’s bathroom graffiti.

3. The ice sculpter we met today at 4am in Tom’s Diner on Carson in the South Side. He specializes in Indian weddings and the goddess of love. (Sorry, we didn’t get his card. But he wears Steelers gear and hangs out at Toms. ) This ice sculptor also moonlights as a chef, and told us about a tasty appetizer: deep-fried bananas … wrapped in bacon. (!) (Yes, this was revealed without any prodding from me.) We’ve got some fascinating folks in this town, I am telling you.

Thanks for a fun weekend, PGH!

Michael’s Pizza Bar & Restaurant

My first visit to Michael’s was only yesterday, but I will definitely be going back. The atmosphere is like any other Pittsburgh bar — Steelers memorabilia on every wall — and the food is excellent. The twisty dough sticks are soft and just the right amount of chewy. Their “small” meatball calzone is enough food for two (and I’m not a dainty eater). Their pizza is excellent, too. They know dough!

On the Southside Flats, it’s easy to forget that there is life beyond East Carson Street. Next time you’re in the vicinity of 26th Street, Michael’s is definitely worth taking a step off the beaten path.

I don’t have a website address, so here’s the old-fashioned kind:

2612 Sarah St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15203-2322

[Editor’s note: they also have pierogie pizza!]

CommonWealth Press

Once upon a time, 2 girls decided they would silk-screen their own I heart PGH t-shirt and set up a little website. Well these girls wanted to be a good business and used sweat shop free t-shirts. We the t-shirts were so popular that these girls were running their own sweat shop to keep up with demand – CommonWealth Press saved the day. I first met Dan when I was looking for a screen printer who 1. actually knew what they were doing and 2. could help me make all the shirts people had order. Dan and I had a long conversation about screen printing and chemicals and the enviroment. Basically screenprinting isn’t soo good for the earth, but everything that Commonwealth Press uses to print t-shirts is as green as it can be.
Dan and Shannon started CommonWealth Press in the basement of their southside house. CommonWeatlh has grown and they are now located in an awesome loft above the beer distributor on 2oth Street in the South Side.
So if you need t-shirts or stickers or a website give Dan and Shannon a call, they will be happy to work with you to get exactly what you need. They can order sweatshop free or organic t-shirts too! They can also help you get other things like stickers and pins made up.

Beehive

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The Beehive
is probably where we first started talking about I heart PGH. This little gem of a coffee shop just keeps getting bigger and better. This was probably the first of the independent coffee shops in Pittsburgh and it continues to be a popular one.
3 reasons why I like the beehive
1. Free Wireless
2. Independently owned
3. They will make me anything I ask for (aka one of the only places to get a smoothie that is not just sugar water and ice)

Yes – we know that sometimes the staff here has a reputation for being too cool. However after spending much time here we have found most of them are pretty nice people.

If you are looking for a place to get a snack and work on your laptop – make this your desitination