Tag Archives: Strip District

The Brazen Kitchen and Yinzpiration Dish it Out for a Cause

Have you heard about No Menu Mondays at Bar Marco in the Strip?  It’s a chance for different chefs to take over the kitchen and offer up their own menu for the evening.  This popular event will be taken over this Monday (April 6), from 5-10pm, by The Brazen Kitchen and Yinzpiration and friends from the Highland Park Kitchen Staples Food Co-op (also one of the 10 yinzpiring things about Highland Park) .

All proceeds from the event will go toward tools and other materials for the Barack Obama High School Cooking Club which is part of Food Revolution Pittsburgh.

There are tons of great sponsors providing support and extra treats: check out the Facebook event page for more info.

Ringing in the New Year with Bar Marco

So the dilemma was this: New Year’s Eve was approaching and I had nothing to do that I hadn’t done before. When suddenly out of the sky falls Bar Marco’s niche bash, including all-you-can-drink, all-you-can-eat, and a burlesque show… problem solved.

Having only been to Bar Marco once, I had only somewhat of an idea what the clientele and drink selections were. I arrived to a swanky cocktail party filled with people dressed to the nines. The upstairs hall was subtly-lit with red spotlights and candles on a bunch of small tables. For the first time in recent memory, this was also a party with music just loud enough, but not too loud to drown out conversation. Kudos to you, sound crew.

Drink and food service was quick and with a smile. I personally can’t imagine having to tend bar on New Year’s Eve, but they did it with gusto. The tip jar overfloweth, and rightly so.

There’s something unique about conversing with total strangers about the merits of gun control and the finer points of Libertarianism, followed by a tasteful burlesque show. The new year was rung in by everyone with much rejoicing and champagne spillage.

The only downside to the evening was the coat situation. No rack or check was provided, which created a bottleneck at the exit at the end of the night. We’ll excuse it for everything else excellent about the party.

I highly recommend Bar Marco’s New Year’s Eve bash for next year, supposing they host again. It was every bit as fun as First Night, only warmer and with burlesque. So, I’d say that it actually one-ups First Night.

2012 Feast of St. Anthony Festival is Sunday

Once again I am out of town for the festivities (I am visiting a Pittsburgh friend in Lawton, Oklahoma) – but a dear friend (who is Pittsburghs biggest non-Italian supporter of Italian events) kindly reminded me that Sunday is the annual Feast of St. Anthony Festival.  It promises to be an amazing time with even more amazing food.

The festival takes place at 21st and Smallman Streets. Here is the line up for Sunday

The Festival runs from Noon – 8 PM.

  • 1:30 – Italian Mass by his Excellency Bishop Emeritus Anthony G. Bosco
  • ~2:30 PM – Procession with the Statue of St. Anthony (immediately following Mass)
  • 3 PM – Performance by La Banda Rossa
  • 4 PM – Performance by The Jimmy Z. Trio
  • 5:30 PM – The Homemade Wine Competition
  • 6 PM – Performance by Mirella the Musician
  • Food, Beer, Music, and Fun all Day
2012 Feast of St. Anthony Festival
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Noon-8pm
One Big Italian Raffle
Raffle Tickets are $5 and we are only selling 1000 tickets.
  • First prize is a dinner for 10 at the private dining room of Merante’s in Bloomfield.  They will cook a feast for you and your guests, wine and limoncello will be included, as well as live music, a gift for each attendee and dessert.  It will be a night to remember.
  • Second prize is a gift basket with a whole prosciutto, an espresso maker, and all kinds of Italian pastas, cheeses, and other foods.
The winners will be based on the June 11th PA Lottery number (3 digit).  The afternoon number is for 2ndprize, the evening number is for 1st prize.

Tree Pittsburgh Presents Arbor Aid 2011

Arbor Aid is an annual fundraiser for Tree Pittsburgh, an environmental non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the City’s vitality by restoring and protecting City trees.  This fundraiser has grown over the years into one of Fall’s more fun and unqiue events.  Art made from salvaged wood is exhibited, food and drink is plentiful, and entertainment this year is provided by Pairdown, and the Armadillos.  And the folks at Tree Pittsburgh know that to make it a true Pittsburgh celebration you need to include an epic Cookie Table … and a Hug a Tree Photo Booth.  So strap on your dancing shoes and head over to Guardian Storage Solutions this Friday, October 28th at 9pm.

The Annual Feast of Saint Anthony – Food, Family and Bon Journey

This is one of those events that I have heard amazing stories about but have not yet been able to attend.  As I mentioned in last years post about the Feast of St. Anthony – I learned about this festival from a friend, who is not Italian – but might as well be – because he is the biggest promoter of Italian cultural events in this city.  I did get to attend a festival of the goat with him earlier this year – it was an amazing time and I can attest there was plenty of wine, homemade wine, served.

The Feast of Saint Anthony Festival
Sunday, June 12, 2011
1:30pm-Dusk
21st and Smallman in the Strip
http://www.stanthonypgh.org/

The Feast of Saint Anthony Festival has an amazing line up this year:

  • delicious Italian foods, music, and dancing all day
  • Mass in Italian at 3 PM at St. Stanislaus Church at 21st and Smallman Streets followed immediately by the
  • Procession with the Statue of St. Anthony down Penn Avenue returning on Smallman Street.
  • Zambelli fireworks
  • music by Bon Journey

Win a Trip to Italy!

As if the food and Bon Journey weren’t enough incentive to get you out of the house on Sunday.  They have an amazing raffle.  Tickets are $10 and the proceeds benefit St. Stanislaus Kotska Church in Pittsburgh’s Strip District and the festival.

2 round trip tickets to Italy (or $1,000 cash in lieu of the tickets). The second prize is a time share in Ft. Lauderdale, FL for a week. Each raffle ticket has 2 four-digit numbers on it. The winning numbers will be based on the Pennsylvania Lottery Big Four Drawings on June 13, 2011. The matching midday number will be for Second Prize. The matching evening number will win the Grand Prize of tickets to Italy. Each ticket has 4 chances to win a prize!

What about those shoes?

You could win those too.  A pair of custom-made Chuck Taylors, like those that appear in the poster – will be put up for a nationwide auction. The winner will Walk with Saints every day they wear them.