Things to do in Pittsburgh...

Ok, so if you're in Pittsburgh, like baseball and like to do cheap events you should go see a Pirates Game over on the North Shore at PNC Park.

Now...2 main questions that are always asked are going to be answer before we get into the review...1.) how did the Pirates (also known as the Buccos as being short for the Buccaneers) get their name? 2.) Were the Buccos ever good?

Answers:
1.) Highly regarded second baseman Lou Bierbauer, who had previously played with the Philadelphia Athletics of the American Association, was awarded to the Pittsburgh team on the grounds that the Athletics had not reserved him. This led to loud complaints by the Athletics that the Pittsburgh club were "pirates". This incident quickly accelerated into a schism between the leagues that contributed to the demise of the A.A. The colorful epithet stuck with the Pittsburghers, and eventually became the club's official nickname.


2.) The 1901–1903 Pirates completely dominated the National League, in part because they lost few star players to the rival American League. However, owing to injuries to their starting pitchers, they lost the first World Series ever played, in 1903 to Boston. The Pirates recovered from a 3-1 deficit to win the 1925 World Series over the Washington Senators, and reached the 1927 World Series before losing in a sweep to the New York Yankees, who at that time had built the most dominant team in baseball. However, the Pirates' crushing defeats of 1927 and 1938 (they lost the pennant to the Chicago Cubs in the final days of the 1938 season) were tremendous setbacks. The postwar Pirates would have only one winning season until 1958 and the 1960 team featured eight All-Stars, but was widely predicted to lose the World Series to a powerful New York Yankees team. In one of the most memorable World Series in history, the Pirates were defeated by more than ten runs in three games, won three close games, then recovered from a 7-4 deficit late in Game 7 to eventually win. The 1960 Pirates were the only team between 1945 and 2001 to have not succumbed to the so-called "Ex-Cubs Factor" in the postseason. They were also unique for winning a World Series on a home run, a feat duplicated by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1993. In 1970, the Pirates won their first of five division titles over the next six years, and won their fourth World Series in 1971 behind a .414 Series batting average by Roberto Clemente (the first Puerto Rican superstar who was regarded as one of the game's best all-time hitters. The Pirates won a fifth World Series, again in seven games, on October 17, 1979.

Following was a period of decline until the Pirates were regarded as the worst team in baseball during the mid-1980s. The Pirates gradually climbed out of the cellar behind young and exciting players such as "outfield of dreams" Bobby Bonilla, Barry Bonds, and Andy Van Slyke; infielders Jay Bell, Sid Bream, and Jose Lind; and pitchers Doug Drabek and Stan Belinda. In 1988, the young team finished 85-75 and seemed ready to compete for a pennant. The Pirates would indeed win the division three straight times in 1990–92, but the 1989 season was a major setback, with injuries depleting the squad and leading to a 5th-place finish. Among the low points of the season was a game on June 8, 1989, where the Pirates became the first team in major-league history to score 10 runs in the first inning and nevertheless lose the game. Since 1992 the Pirates have been unable to come up with a winning season, accumulating a 14-year losing streak, the longest in any of the country's four major professional sports leagues. 2006 was the first time the Pirates have finished the second half of the season with a winning record since 1992.




Since PNC Parks beginning it has been credited to being one of the best stadiums in the League for one of the worst teams in the League. Built on the shore of the where the Allegheny and Monongahela River merge to make the Ohio River PNC Park is a structure so beautiful you stop in awww the first time you see it. The design was done smartly. You walk up to it to see the architecture staring back at you and once inside you see the same view you see when you first come into Pittsburgh from any angle...the amazing sky line of the City. No matter what seat you get in the Field you have a good seat...you are part of the game... but this is where the draw back is. The games usually aren't too eventful... the only players that make them eventful are Freddie Sanchez and Jason Bay who are the stars of the team.

Most people go to take part in the Festivities rather than to actually watch the game! The workers around the park are very friendly and will direct you where you need to go and give you pointers. This is especially helpful because the food and drinks you like may be in different areas of the Field...which if you do venture out you won't miss much in the game.

But there are a couple things you don't want to miss. One of them is Skyblast Fireworks Night (happens 3 times a year; this year on Aug 16 with Styx in concert, Aug 17 with a Smash Mouth concert and Aug 18 with the Poverty Neck Hillbillies concert). These are the next best fireworks you'll see in the 'Burgh besides the 4th of July.

Another aspect you don't want to miss is the Pierogi Race that features four contestants racing in giant pierogies costumes: Jalapeno Hannah (green hat), Cheese Chester (yellow), Sauerkraut Saul (red) and Oliver Onion (purple). Most of the race takes place as an animated sequence on the video board, showing the pierogies running through different sections of Pittsburgh, and an announcer speaking in Pittsburghese to cover the race. During the video you can cheer for the Pierogi you want to win and they will come running out onto the field in a clanter to announce the winner. And if you're going to Milwaukee to see the Brewers and the Buccos are in town go check out the game where you can See the Pittsburgh Pierogi's race the Milwaukee Sausages!

Also, the Pirate Parrot, who is the Pirates Mascot, will do fun and games and be the teams cheer leader. He will shoot shirts into the crowd...along with an occasional hotdog and they have various games played with the crowd in between the innings.

Another part is the Food (which is expensive, but the cheapness of the ticket will make up for it)...here you can get all types of food from the Pittsburghs own Primanti Sandwich (see my existing review on this) and Quaker Steak wings (also an existing review) to pizza, hotdogs and ice cream and Beer from one of the vendors!

All in all a Pittsburgh Pirates game is a great experience and day out...especially if you are on a budget. You can sit at the Dugout Box for $35 an if that's too expensive the bleacher and grandstand seats are only $9! All to see the nicest stadium in the North American Baseball league!


Some fun Links:

The Pierogi Race: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l37gYmDePs

"THE PARROT" a Sopranos spoof: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZC1jiwKMHc

The Onion Article: http://www.theonion.com/content/node/50814

Ball Park Digest: http://www.ballparkdigest.com/visits/pnc_park.htm

If you are traveling and run across Pittsburgh and crave a beer you have to stop by the Sharp Edge Creek House. There is something here for everyone! Known by Pittsburghers as the place that has over 200 beers on tap we go here to unwind after work, to catch a sporting game with our buddies, for a late night hangout with friends and for a good quality meal at lunch and dinner.

The one thing I like about this place is I got to learn about the different types of beers out there and come to appriciate it. I started off with the more stubtle flavors such as Raspberry Framboise because I didn't really like beer at the time. Now I like to go and kick back with Sam Adams, Stella Artois or a Smithwick's and hang out with my friends.

Their food is also very delicious! My favorite is the Mediterranean Pasta because it has so much flavor and it's absolutely Fabulous! And if you are craving some munchies their Sampler Platter is filled with a never ending surprise of food including honey barbecue Buffalo Bites, provolone wedges, onion petals and vegetable egg rolls served with homemade marinara and sesame honey mustard dip.

Born Andrew Warhola, August 6, 1928, in Pittsburgh. Warhol is best known for his exploration of Pop Art. His most famous works depicted Campbell's soup cans. These cans were enlarged, hand-painted or silkscreened, framed, and hung in an art gallery, to turn the images into ironic "art". He also experimented in media such as film, sculpture, paint, and silkscreen, but perhaps his greatest work was his invention of himself as an international celebrity and pop culture icon.

The Andy Warhol Museum is one of the 4 museums in Pittsburgh part of the 4 Carnegie Museums in Pittsburgh. There is always something to see here as it is always changing and constantly re-defining itsefl in relation to contemporty life. According to the webpage it "is a collaborative project of the Carnegie Institute, Dia Center for the Arts, and The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. Opened in 1994, the Museum features extensive permanent collections of art and archives on one of the most influential American artists of the twentieth century. It is also a primary resource for anyone seeking insights into contemporary art and popular culture."

The one thing that is interesting here is that the museum has so many levels and structures. Once you think you've seen it all you haven't. There are over 12,000 works of art so one room will be an installation piece where the next will be the silkscreens on canvas! It is ever changing and everyone will find something they like. This is also the most comprehensive single-artist museum in the world.

So in 2006 my friends and I went to see the Phantom of the Opera. We wanted to go out to eat before hand but none of us have ever eaten in the cultural district of Pittsburgh. We scoured the internet that would have a little bit of everything for 6 different tastes and a reasonable price. We found Olive or Twist, a pun on martini's, located down the street from Heinz Hall.

We parked in our usual parking garage...it's $5 after 5PM for all night parking. And we walked up and down 6th Street trying to find it...we didn't see it and we thought we were going to miss our reservation. The reason why we couldn't find it is because it blends in with the background. The width of the restaurant is the size of the door and a small window and the awning is what says the name...which we would have seen if we were on the opposite side of the street.

We entered into the restaurant and more than half of it is a bar that specializes in martini's...they have more than 30 types of martinis with names like Georgia Peach; Bikini; Rajun Cajun martini; The Big Cheese Martini, with blue-cheese-stuffed olives; the Sour Apple Martini, which is one of its most popular; and the Simply Acai Martini, a mix between blueberry and pomegranate.

Chef Josh Johnson, a Pittsburgh native, has been at Olive or Twist since it opened in 2001. He has kept the menu simple, with an emphasis on salads and sandwiches. The good thing is everything on the menu is trans-fat-free! Most everybody got a salad except one person...they got an entree...and everything was a delicious blend of flavor that you are sure to savor every bite!

The restaurant doesn't require reservations...but with the limited seating I recommend calling in advance; especially with a larger party before a show at one of the theaters in the Cultural District!

Primanti Bros. Started out in the 1930's with brothers starting a sandwich stand to sell to truckers on the go. They expanded the card to a building in the Strip District of Pittsburgh o accomodate the growing business. A couple of years later a gentleman drove in with a load of potatoes that were frozen. The cook fried them up and the customers asked for them...so he put them on their sandwiches and the rest is history.

With the brothers ailing health they sold the business to a man who decided to expand and now there's 14 restaurants in Pittsburgh and 2 in Florida.

The Restaurants around the city have different feels. The ones in Crafton and Moon Twp are sit down restaurants with watresses and pleasant service. You even get plates and silverware! The ones Downtown are a typical bar restaurant.

Everytime my friend from Brooklyn came out I took her to the one in Crafton because of time constraints (this is her favorite place to go in the Burgh to eat). I told her the next time she came to visit we had to go to one of the ones in town. We went down to the one in the South Side. She thought it was great. We sat down at the bar stools. A grungy guy came up and said what do you want. We ordered our drinks and he plopped them down infront of us. Then we ordered our food...which you can pick from a selection of sandwiches and they put coleslaw and frenchfries on the sandwich so come hungry! The guy behind the bar came over and plopped down the sandwiches as they sat on wax paper and walked away without saying a word. My friend thought it was great! She said it reminded her of NYC!

The one in the Strip is like the one in the South Side. The Strip location is a favorite among late night bar hoppers as the sandwich is like White Castle...it fills you up and makes you feel satisfied with one sandwich after a night of drinking all that beer!

If you can't get to one of the locations in Pittsburgh and you are headed to a Pirate or Steelers game you can still get the great Sandwiches there...they're a little more expensive and there's not as much of a selection but they are still wonderful!

Enjoy!