ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries F e b r u a ry 1 9 9 5 / 9 5 Pittsburgh: A w a lk around town By M arcia D uncan Low ry Enjoy sightseeing in Pittsburgh during the conference O kay, y u n z ‚ after you r e d d up that hotel room, it’s time to explore the tahn .” What? That is Pittsburghese (not an official foreign lan­ guage) for an invitation to tidy up your accom­ modations and don your sensible shoes for a stroll around town. Barring any language bar­ rier, ACRL’s 7th National Conference in Pitts­ burgh this spring is a great opportunity to ex­ plore some o f the ‘Burgh’s interesting districts and neighborhoods. Whether your interest is shopping, bar hopping, or bebopping— this article will introduce you to a few areas within easy access o f the Convention Center. “ Da hnta hn” Pittsburgh D a h n ta h n Pittsburgh is “user friendly.” Practi­ cally everything is in walking distance o f the Convention Center, and the “T ,” the city’s light rail, is free within the city loop. Rimming Mellon Square, four blocks from the Center, are the big bucks shopping experiences— Saks, Brooks Brothers, Sharper Image, among others. Slightly farther east are Fifth Avenue Place, PPG Place, and One Oxford Center. These are high-rise complexes consisting o f specialty shops, na­ tional chain stores, food courts, and some very nice restaurants. Market Square, adjacent to PPG Place, is the old market center o f the city and offers several taverns and restaurants. Heinz Hall, home to the Pittsburgh Symphony, and the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts are both in the heart o f the city, just minutes from the Convention Center. On the Strip Turning away from d a b n t a h n and heading east on Penn Avenue, it is a brief half-mile walk to the Strip District. The Strip‚ as locals know it, has undergone many changes in the city’s his­ tory. Literally a strip along the Allegheny River, it was once the site o f mills and warehouses, later becoming a neighborhood for newly ar­ rived immigrants. The Strip today is a mile-long mixed bag of shops, restaurants, wholesale food distributors, and trendy nightclubs. To quote a native, “It’s alive. It’s crazy. It’s not hoity-toity. Anyone can com e to the Strip and find some­ thing.” This is the place to sample Pittsburgh’s ethnic diversity. The business storefronts spell this out clearly— Labad’s Middle Eastern Foods, Benkovitz Seafood, Stamooli’s Brothers Grocery, Prestogeorge Fine Foods, Schwartz Bagels, and the list goes on. The Strip can serve as a quick break be­ tween meetings or a couple of hours o f adven­ ture. The place is always busy, but Saturday is a virtual festival. Stop in at the Pennsylvania Macaroni Company (founded in 1902) and sample over 120 kinds o f cheese, or dip into the 24-bucket olive bar. Prestogeorge, noted for its fine roasted coffee since 1942, will also boggle your mind with its selection o f exotic freshly made pastas. “Je e tje t?”— translation “Did you eat yet?” If not, stand in line with the locals at Benkovitz’s or Wholey’s seafood take out for an oversized fried fish sandwich, but get there early. Or sample some shrimp fried rice and satay from one o f the Cambodian street vendors. The Strip is much more than a food fest. At Penn Pottery peruse handcrafted items by Pitts­ burgh potters; drop in at the Butler’s Secret or M a r c ia D u n c a n Low ry is re fer en c e lib r a r ia n a t R obert M orris College, Pittsburgh; e -m a il: low ry@ rm cnet. robert-m orris.edu 9 6 /C & RL News Wholey’s upstairs for a fine selection of cook ery and china (each ethnic market also specia izes in appropriate kitchen ware— woks, past machines, etc). Explore Alafia African Cultur Exchange, Jungle City: A Different Kind of Pla Store, or Dreadnought Wines, Ltd. Nighttime at the Strip offers an equal arra o f choices. The Boardwalk is a floating ente tainment complex on the Allegheny River. includes Donzi’s, a Euro-style nightclub pla ing the latest New York-type dance music, an Crewser’s offers music outdoors during fai weather (April?— w e’ll see!), but food and drin indoors year round. Situated in former war house buildings on Smallman Street are th Metropol and the Rosebud. Industrial dancin and live music for the avant garde describe th Metropol; the Rosebud is much more eclecti hosting music with a softer edge in a coffe house am biance. For a different b eat, tr Mullaney’s Harp and Fiddle Irish Pub offerin Irish music and Celtic dancing. Station Square Yunz ready for some more fun? Then jump o the “T” at Steel Plaza Station about four block from the Convention Center and head for th A view o f th e Strip e a st o f d ow n to w n Pitts­ b u rgh , a m ile-long m ix e d bag o f sh o p s, r e s t­ a u ran ts, w h o lesale d istrib u to rs, an d tre n d y ­ l­ a al nt y r­ It y­ d r k e­ e g e c, e­ y g n s e nigh tclub s.Photo Credit: M. D. Lowry Sou seside (that’s South Side). If you have more time, you can easily walk the approximate three quarters of a mile from the Convention Center across the Smithfield Bridge, which spans the Monongahela River. First stop is Station Square, a renovated freight house and train terminal dating from 1897. The combination o f shops, restaurants, and night spots will put Station Square high on your fun list. Two specialty shops o f particular local interest are the Land­ marks Store and the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts. The Landmarks Store offers all the infor­ mation you could want on the history of Pitts­ burgh, walking tours, and lots o f friendly help. The Pittsburgh Center for the Arts is a gallery shop offering creations by local and regional artists. Station Square is a popular spot for nightlife, as well. Got “dance fever”? Then head for Chauncey’s, a large club that has lasted over a decade, maintaining its popularity by offering a variety of DJ music, including— yes— disco. Although the dress code is casual, “flashy” and “expensive” better describe reality. Jelly Rolls is a quite different scene, spotlighting dueling piano players and karoake Wednesday through Saturday nights. These guys know every song you do and then some. After serious confer­ ence work, perhaps the Funny Bone Club is just the place to be. National acts perform Wednesday through Saturday, but make those reservations. Looking for a little more sophisti­ cated experience? Try the Gandy Dancer Sa­ loon in the old train station for piano music, oyster bar, brass, and dark wood elegance. Before leaving the Station Square complex, treat yourself to a ride on the Monongahela Incline, a designated historic landmark. Day or night, the trip to the top o f Mt. Washington on this cable railway will give you a picture-snap­ ping vista o f the ‘Burgh (see the January cover of C&RL News for a view of the incline). On Carson Street From Station Square a cab is in order for a brief mile ride east on Carson Street. This area of South Side, beginning at 10th Street, is historic old Birmingham. This was the site o f glass fac­ tories soon after Pittsburgh was settled, and later iron and steel mills. Workers made their homes on the ascending hillsides, away from the in­ dustrial pollution. Carson was and is the main street o f this neighborhood. The 13 blocks from 10th Street to the Birmingham Bridge are now being transformed by Generation X. For a walk F eb ru a ry 1 9 9 5 / 9 7 on the eclectic side, this is it. Carson is rife with bars, restaurants, and shops selling used books, vintage clothing, antique furniture, and stained glass from old Pittsburgh homes. The Gertrude Stein Memorial Book Shop is at 10th and Carson (betcha didn’t know this writer was born in Pittsburgh!). Two coffeehouses can pro­ vide the needed caffeine jolt: the funky little Beehive, and Arabica, more to yuppie taste. After dark, Carson can be very crowded, especially on weekends with the twenty- and thirtysomething crowd. As by day, the offer­ ings are quite diverse. Local lore states that Carson has more bars per block than any city in the U.S. In any case, if you don’t like one, there are plenty more from which to choose. Mario’s and the adjoining Blue Lou’s are popu­ lar for food, drink, and talk. Nick’s Fat City has a dance floor and offers music from classic pop to alternative. Margaritaville has, you guessed it, a wide selection o f margaritas, live bands, and lots of Jimmy Buffet music. You might even bump into Pittsburgher Michael Keaton at Shootz Cafe & Billiards, which is described as “upscale.” For a taste of local R&B and jazz bands, drop in at the Blue Note Cafe. The choice is all yours. The tonier part of “ tahn” A tonier part o f ta h n lies to the east in the neighborhoods o f Squirrel Hill and Shadyside. Walnut Street in Shadyside is a 15-minute cab ride from the Convention Center and offers a selection o f restaurants, upscale stores, and a little night music. Old familiars such as Banana Republic, Talbot’s, The Gap, and Victoria’s Se­ cret line this popular shopping street along with local favorites. The best spot for jazz on this side o f the city (other than Foster’s at the Holiday Inn in Oak­ land) is The Balcony. This restaurant, in addi­ tion to having very fine food, dishes up some very fine music. Walnut Street is a fun and busy neighborhood adventure both day and evening. A fun place to be This is just a sampling o f all Pittsburgh has to offer. When you start to plan your free time, grab a copy o f In Pittsburgh, the weekly enter­ tainment paper. Galleries, museums, clubs, bars, sports, opera, ballet, and theater post the offer­ ings for the week. You might just find that you need to stay longer than the conference! After all, it is Pittsburgh with an “h ”—a h e c k o f a fun place to be.