Pittsburgh is for lovers
Note: This post is a bit of a backtrack, since S and I went to Pittsburgh two weekends ago (Halloween weekend).
First of all, the ridiculous notion that Pittsburgh is an expired, post-industrial wasteland populated by sports fanatics is just that--ridiculous (well, ok, there are strong leanings in the sports bit). Pittsburgh is, in fact, quite beautiful, cultured, and viable. Did you know it has more bridges than Venice, Italy, the alleged "City of Bridges"? Yep. And despite the poor mass transit situation, driving proves to be rather scenic, considering the major highways are planted with Gingko trees, which were *exploding* in yellow while we were there. I will forever associate Pittsburgh with those trees and the color yellow.
S was a delight. He's a calm, easy going guy to begin with, but traveling with someone who keeps their head is aces. He could have easily become controlling, annoying, or distant, but was--as always--present and centered. Well, perhaps I'm giving him too much credit... he did get a little spaced-out after hours of travel on little food, but I got downright cranky (hey, I'm hypoglycemic). It is also important to note that traveling with ANYONE can be a test of patience for an introvert, and we are both introverts. But I must say, I never wanted to get away and be alone, and when we went our separate ways once home, I felt that tug of missing him.
We were only there for two nights, so I can't say I explored the city to any degree. I did, however, get to catch up with Jim, a fellow ex-pat from B'ham and very close friend of Celeste's. Respectively, S caught up with Kati, an old friend from college. We managed this over drinks, though didn't have a lot of cross-conversation. And despite being new to town, Jim and JT armed me with enough places to eat that S and I had no trouble dining (and well!), vegan and pesc/ovo-tarians that we are. I enjoyed Jim's place of work, Yo Rita's, the most--fancy tacos at reasonable prices. Yum.
You might be surprised to know that I didn't hit the Warhol Museum. Given the choice between the National Aviary and Warhol, I made ol' Andy second fiddle, and we just didn't get to it. S is a huge birder, and I love all animals, so we had hours and hours of fun at the Aviary. I particularly liked the tropical area, where one is part of the birds' habitat--a guest, really. I took TONS of photos, which you can see on Facebook if you're on it. You'll notice I have a thing for flamingos, which partly comes from standing on one leg, prompting my mom to nickname me "flamingo" during my youth. I got to feed all kind of exotic birds, but drew the line at holding mealworms (ew). S was so excited, it was kind of like watching a kid. We also flirted with the penguins, and I lost my mind when the resident two-toed sloth (named "Wookie," squee!) came out of his cubby to drink some water. Afterward, we wandered around the park encircling the Aviary, where I took some serious tree photos (more Gingkoes!) and even climbed a few.
Oh yes, one last bit of strange... on our first morning in P'burgh we wanted to hike, and figured the woods behind our hotel (we were slightly North of the city) would suffice. What did we stumble upon but the Stations of the friggin' Cross! The nearby church had apparently erected them. Creepy, although I did feel more like I was in the South, so there's that. (Sidenote: Birmingham was/is called "Little Pittsburgh" due to US Steel having such a presence in both towns. B'ham's steel industry was established after the success of Pittsburgh, and there still remains familial ties between the sister cities, as Pittsburghers relocated to B'ham during industrialization and ultimately settled there.)
All in all it was a wonderful trip on a fantastic shoestring with a sweet, lovely person. If traveling together is a test, I think we passed. Meanwhile, I think I have a new city in mind, should I uproot myself again; I can really see Pittsburgh as a great, affordable place to run an art gallery/bar/scene.
First of all, the ridiculous notion that Pittsburgh is an expired, post-industrial wasteland populated by sports fanatics is just that--ridiculous (well, ok, there are strong leanings in the sports bit). Pittsburgh is, in fact, quite beautiful, cultured, and viable. Did you know it has more bridges than Venice, Italy, the alleged "City of Bridges"? Yep. And despite the poor mass transit situation, driving proves to be rather scenic, considering the major highways are planted with Gingko trees, which were *exploding* in yellow while we were there. I will forever associate Pittsburgh with those trees and the color yellow.
S was a delight. He's a calm, easy going guy to begin with, but traveling with someone who keeps their head is aces. He could have easily become controlling, annoying, or distant, but was--as always--present and centered. Well, perhaps I'm giving him too much credit... he did get a little spaced-out after hours of travel on little food, but I got downright cranky (hey, I'm hypoglycemic). It is also important to note that traveling with ANYONE can be a test of patience for an introvert, and we are both introverts. But I must say, I never wanted to get away and be alone, and when we went our separate ways once home, I felt that tug of missing him.
We were only there for two nights, so I can't say I explored the city to any degree. I did, however, get to catch up with Jim, a fellow ex-pat from B'ham and very close friend of Celeste's. Respectively, S caught up with Kati, an old friend from college. We managed this over drinks, though didn't have a lot of cross-conversation. And despite being new to town, Jim and JT armed me with enough places to eat that S and I had no trouble dining (and well!), vegan and pesc/ovo-tarians that we are. I enjoyed Jim's place of work, Yo Rita's, the most--fancy tacos at reasonable prices. Yum.
You might be surprised to know that I didn't hit the Warhol Museum. Given the choice between the National Aviary and Warhol, I made ol' Andy second fiddle, and we just didn't get to it. S is a huge birder, and I love all animals, so we had hours and hours of fun at the Aviary. I particularly liked the tropical area, where one is part of the birds' habitat--a guest, really. I took TONS of photos, which you can see on Facebook if you're on it. You'll notice I have a thing for flamingos, which partly comes from standing on one leg, prompting my mom to nickname me "flamingo" during my youth. I got to feed all kind of exotic birds, but drew the line at holding mealworms (ew). S was so excited, it was kind of like watching a kid. We also flirted with the penguins, and I lost my mind when the resident two-toed sloth (named "Wookie," squee!) came out of his cubby to drink some water. Afterward, we wandered around the park encircling the Aviary, where I took some serious tree photos (more Gingkoes!) and even climbed a few.
Oh yes, one last bit of strange... on our first morning in P'burgh we wanted to hike, and figured the woods behind our hotel (we were slightly North of the city) would suffice. What did we stumble upon but the Stations of the friggin' Cross! The nearby church had apparently erected them. Creepy, although I did feel more like I was in the South, so there's that. (Sidenote: Birmingham was/is called "Little Pittsburgh" due to US Steel having such a presence in both towns. B'ham's steel industry was established after the success of Pittsburgh, and there still remains familial ties between the sister cities, as Pittsburghers relocated to B'ham during industrialization and ultimately settled there.)
All in all it was a wonderful trip on a fantastic shoestring with a sweet, lovely person. If traveling together is a test, I think we passed. Meanwhile, I think I have a new city in mind, should I uproot myself again; I can really see Pittsburgh as a great, affordable place to run an art gallery/bar/scene.