JAZZAM, a well-known touring act based out of Pittsburgh will be playing Wednesday, June 11 at 5:30 in Market Square at the Arts Festival. I urge all art fest-goers and Pittsburgh music lovers to check them out! JAZZAM, my personal favorite band of all time, has become well-known in the area after a few years playing regional music festivals and a touring stint with Rusted Root. Check them out this Wednesday…

and check out a  few more very cool Arts Fest features!

(In order of appearance)

• Omega Love show, Saturday the 13th at 9:30 at the Market Square stage
• CK9 and the Old-E Allstars, Monday June 16 at 5:30 at the Market Square stage
• Lotus, Wednesday June 18 Wednesday June 18th at 7:30

And, if you are looking for a fun Pittsburgh family activity, check out what the Arts fest has to offer for the young ones!

Enjoy one of Pittsburgh’s fantastic summer activities!  Oh, and speaking of which, my family and I attended the Yonder Mountain String Band concert at Hartwood Acres Park this past Sunday. What a great park and concert site! It ’s very family friendly and we had a blast. Check out the Pittsburgh free summer concert series at the Hartwood Acres Park as well as other locations in and around Pittsburgh. These free concerts runs all summer long, so take an advantage to save some gas money!

MMM-mmm-MUSTARD!

Hello, it certainly has been some time since my last post.  This time I would like to rave about one of the best condiments I have ever laid eyes (and tastebuds) on.  Not THE best, mind you—the best condiment I have ever encountered is El Torito salad dressing.  I mean, my god…it’s green!  How could it not be good??

I digress.  Aside from this amazing dressing, probably the best condiment I have ever tasted comes right from Pittsburgh—and it’s not Heinz!  (Though for the record, Heinz > Hunt’s.  That’s just how it is.)  Anyway—best condiment, local, mustard, yadda yadda:  PENN BREWERY PUB STYLE MUSTARD!  The taste is amazing!

I am not a mustard-lover by nature—as a child I would shy away from mustard, even yellow.  As we all know, though, a person’s tastes change over time.  Within the last few years I have begun to incorporate plain ol’ yellow mustard (French’s, sorry Heinz) into my backyard barbecue palate, all the while staying away from ‘that spicy brown stuff’ that COULD be bottled baby poo.

I don’t know what possessed me to buy Penn Brewery’s Pub Style mustard one day—I think I was at the store with a friend and we were having the spicy brown versus yellow argument.  I backed down and agreed that we would go the spicy brown route—IF AND ONLY IF I was the one who made the final selection.  So amid a sea of spicy brown mustards, I chose the Penn Brewery variety—we’ll just say it was in an effort to stimulate the local economy.  Hey—every little bit helps, right?

BOY, DID I MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION!  This mustard has BEER in it (Penn Gold Lager)—beer makes everything better.  Usually.  In careful moderation.  Ok, maybe beer doesn’t make EVERYTHING better, but it sure as hell makes brown mustard better.  In addition to the beer, the variety of Penn Brewery mustard that I selected is ‘Stone Ground with Peppers.’  That’s good, too!  One thing I noticed about this mustard versus other mustards is that it had richer, tastier-looking color, and the scent is wonderful, as well.  The other mustards were wimpy-wimpy.  This one is HEFTY-HEFTY!

My only rant (and really, this is not a legitimate one—we’ll get to why in a second) is that it only has a shelf life of about two months.  I would have to use mustard three times a day, daily if I wanted to use the whole bottle in that amount of time, as one person living alone and not having people over a lot for mustard-based meals.  However, as I said, this is kind of an unfounded complaint, as a shorter shelf life usually equates to a shorter list of ingredients (and fewer preservatives).  That is true in this situation; the ingredient list is delightfully short and easy to read and pronounce.

Long story short, you should definitely buy this mustard.

So, whomever you are planning on voting for, I just want to say first that I am glad to see the recent wave of political activity and especially that among the younger generation in Pittsburgh and, overall, Pennsylvania. Of course, this has nothing to do with the fact that this is one of the closest Democratic primary elections in years or anything…

Speaking of Democratic primaries… I would like to publicly express my belief that Barack Obama, who is speaking at 9:30 tonight at the Petersen Event’s Center in Oakland, is by far the best candidate for United States President. And, I would like to remind you all to vote - tomorrow!

I just can’t feel comfortable endorsing over 30 years of the same two parties ruling in the United States - I mean, it just feels a little too anti-democratic, if you ask me. Further, after reading Barack’s The Audacity of Hope, I can’t help but feel that even though he may be lacking some experience that others could CLAIM to have, he entirely makes up for it in smarts, logic, and common sense (something we ALL know politicians, especially those TOO caught up in the political system may not quite embrace).

Hopefully, the smear attacks and negative campaigning don’t affect people’s good sense too much and Barack receives the support he so deserves.

For those of you against the man, please read one or both of his books just to hear what he has to say - it’s honestly pretty brilliant. And, those of you for him, please help all of us spread the word! And, if nothing else, at least I was reminded by my friend who told me I said a year ago “You watch out for that Barack Obama…he’s going to be something one of these days soon! Probably the next President” Let’s just see if I was right!

But, no matter what, just VOTE!

A Pittsburgh Parade to Remember…or Forget!

Pittsburgh is well-known for its exciting St. Patrick’s Day Parade [official site] held each year (rain, sun, snow, or shine), which is noticed as one of the largest in the country.  Due to many reasons (my honeymoon, broken leg, etc), I have only celebrated St. Patrick’s Day one time in Pittsburgh - and it certainly was one to remember (despite the fact that I forget most of the day LOL!).

But, a TYPICAL St. Patty’s Day in Pittsburgh may follow a similar schedule to this:

• Wake up - 5:00 AM
• Jello Shots - 5:30 AM
• Party - 6:00 AM
• Keg Stand - 6:30 AM
• 6 Green Beers Later - 8:30 AM
• Head Downtown - 8:45 AM
• Bar - 9 AM
• Wait…was there a parade?

Okay, so this may be an exaggeration (although I’m sure some of my readers could share some crazy stories and schedules that are worse than this one). But, you get the point - this is an adult parade and the Irish like to drink - and so do the Pittsburghers!

I am really excited for this year’s parade and will definitely be capturing some footage to re-post on this site. Be careful what you’re doing downtown when my video camera comes around! The parade starts at 10 AM this year (as always) and you can continue reading this post for more info on the parade this year (and past years too!)

Here are some fun facts about the Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day Celebration: Full Story »

A Pittsburgh Bar For the Kid At Heart

This Pittsburgh nightlife rave is long overdue. My friends and I have been fans of BAR 11 since discovering the South Side long, long ago. The bar, located at 1101 Bradish St [Google Maps], right on the corner of South Side’s 11th St. and Bradish. The bar is hard to find and doesn’t even resemble a business from the outside. If you didn’t know what you were looking for, you’d miss it in a heartbeat. But, once you get inside, it’s hard to imagine that the outside could even contain and conceal the color, noise, and fun that fills the inside!

There are fire-breathing costume-wearing bartenders (oh yeah), toys galore, blacklights, strobelights, and any other kind of lights you can picture and a very eclectic music mix (P-Funk to Backstreet Boys) which suits the very eclectic crowd perfectly. There are LOTS of Pittsburghers here: young and old, hippies and preppies, men and women - all quite drunk - all having the time of their life. And they’re all housed behind a nondescript stone gray wall…

Even better, the bartenders are quick and skilled (and the drinks always pack a punch for a low price). In fact, I asked Rob, the owner, about drink price hikes after the Pittsburgh drink tax - and guess what? Minus a 25 cent increase in mixed drinks, BAR 11 prices stayed the same (which were always very good to begin with) and this equals many very happy Pittsburgh night owls!

My production crew (okay, my girlfriends) and I spent a Friday night at BAR 11 with my banging new camcorder and we got great footage (coming to a Web site near you soon!) and even better, some EXCLUSIVE interviews with the BAR 11 staff: Bartenders Howdy & Dave and Doorman 2T. We heard some uncensored stories and even got the answer as to why they were all wearing raincoats (It was a theme because it was raining outside). Read more to find out what we learned and keep an eye out on Pittsburgh Rants and Raves for the VIDEO Exclusive! Full Story »

So, I just learned upon visiting some of my favorite Pittsburgh blogs that Pittsburgh Blogfest 13 (although it’s only the 3rd year…so I’m still working on figuring that one out) will be held this Friday evening. The details below come from Cynthia Closkey, blogger of MyBrilliantMistakes.com.

I’m excited to go and network with fellow Pittsburgh bloggers and would love to see others (non-bloggers welcome too) who have the interest. Thanks to the organizers for a great idea to get together some smart Pittsburgh minds!

Here’s the info:

“BlogFest is an informal and friendly quarterly gathering of local bloggers, vloggers, podcasters, and anyone who enjoys life on the Internet. It’s more happy hour than meeting: No talks will be given, no credentials required. There may be nametags, but that’s only because I’m terrible at remembering names.

WHAT: Pittsburgh Blogfest 13
WHEN: Friday, February 22, 2008, 5:30 PM to 9:30 PM and beyond
WHERE: Finnegan’s Wake (near PNC Park, 20 General Robinson St., North Shore, 412-325-2601), in the Pub Room
WHO: All local bloggers, vloggers, podcasters (and their friends!) and Pittsburgh Bloggers

Food and beverages will be available for purchase from Finnegan’s Wake, as always. Arrive when you like, leave when you must.

UPDATE/CLARIFICATION: Please note that our events in the Pub Room are smoke-free. The main bar area at Finnegan’s Wake, just on the other side of the door, allows smoking of course.

Please note that we’re gathering on a Friday evening this time around. We’ve received requests to vary the nights of these events, so that people who can’t go out on a work night can join in the fun, so we’re eager to see any new faces. And we’re equally eager to see old faces. Wear whatever face you have handy, and you will be welcome.

As always, if you plan to attend, please send an e-mail to “blogfest@ closkey.com”

Not the amusement park but…your fly?!

I just had to write about a little piece o’ Pittsburghese slang I heard today that I found hilarious!

So, turns out Pittsburghers say “Kennywood’s Open” to let you know your fly is open! I thought I’d write to help those of you who are being told Kennywood’s Open. It doesn’t mean the amusement park…so, look down! And, being that I grew up on the other end of the state, I found this super funny and was hoping someone could shed some light on WHAT this saying means and/or where it came from. Share if you know!

Romantic Pittsburgh Dinner+ Amazing Food = Atria’s

I think one of the sweetest little restaurants in Pittsburgh is Atria’s (specifically, the one located in the South Hills). This small brick building was the initial site for Atria’s restaurant and the family actually lived on the top floor, which is now a part of the restaurant. The food is fantastic and not too pricey, the service is terrific, and altogether, I have never had a bad experience there, or anything close to one.

There are actually multiple locations for an Atria’s restaurant, including the South Hills (Mt. Lebanon), Murrysville,  O’Hara Township, PNC Park North Shore, Richland, Robinson Township,  Peters Township, and Wexford. With a Valentine’s Day menu that includes Surf and Turf, Cedar Plank Tasmanian Salmon, Heavy Aged Angus Prime Rib, and Jumbo Lump Crabcakes and Sesame Seared Scallops, any woman would be glad to be taken to dinner here!

If you’re still trying to make last minute reservations for Valentine’s Day, maybe try Atria’s! It’s one of many amazing restaurants in Pittsburgh, but I think, of all, the one in the South Hills has a great quaint and romantic atmosphere

Cheap Food + 6 Different Beers = One Fun Pittsburgh Night to Me!

I’m a beer snob - I LOOOOVE a good brew - but there is NO way, as a mother and full-time working professional that I can 1. afford the new (good) beer prices (result of Pittsburgh drink tax), or 2. find time to go out.

Luckily for me, a solution rests about 2.5 blocks from my humble abode and that solution is Tom’s Diner and Beer Store. This great little multitasking unit (altogether, there’s a great diner, a bar, and a beer store) can satisfy any beer urge I have. At Tom’s, I can buy individual beers at a much lower cost than at the bar (I estimate anywhere from 50% to 75% less!). Which saves me money, first. AND, is a huge benefit, because as a working Mom, I’d much rather be able to relax with my hubby at home with a cold brew instead of spending a whole ton of money going wild every night (not to say we don’t all enjoy that once in a while though, right?)

Tom’s Beer Store is a narrow room stuffed between the bar and diner and lined with two coolers of some of the best beers I’ve found in this city. AND, did I mention, I can pick individual numbers of them (from 4 to 12) and can mix and match my faves? That’s excuse to RAVE! PS: They just ordered the whole Great Lakes line of beer. Yum!

Speaking of YUM, did I mention that the diner attached to the beer store is seriously amazing too? Great, low diner prices for fantastic food and quick service. Gotta love it. So, if you’re ever in Dormont, stop at TOm’s diner. Follow this link to Google Maps to find it! Now, go eat, drink, and be merry!

Funk It Up with Pittsburgh Band JAZZAM

And, once more, I have to write about my favorite Pittsburgh band, JAZZAM. After the loss of their lead singer a few months back, the future of JAZZAM was uncertain. I spent many a night listening to their “It’s About Time” album and praying to the music gods that the band could work it all out.

Needless to say, as you could tell from a prior post, New Year’s Eve brought this amazing funk jam band back to Pittsburgh. And, you could say that this past weekend has re-established their rank as one of the most popular regional bands in Pittsburgh. Music fans from around the city showed up to Thunderbird’s Cafe this Saturday to see JAZZAM, with Morgantown, WV opener, Symmetrical Kickboxing. In fact, the band was so missed that the Thunderbird sold out + 10 people!!

I’m just glad the band is back and touring again. Keep an eye out for them in the near future in Pittsburgh and other (relatively) local dates. AND, for you festival-goers - keep an eye out for this summer because JAZZAM will be out and about!

1. Molly Brannigan’s - February 8, 2008
2. Docksider’s (Erie, PA) - February 9, 2008
3. The Shadow Lounge (with Ryat) - February 29, 2008
4. The Empty Glass (Charleston, WV) - March 7, 2008
5. The V Club (Huntingdon, WV) - March 8, 2008
6. Agora Theater with Ekoostik Hookah (Cleveland, OH) - March 28, 2008
7. Thunderbird Cafe - March 2, 2008

And stay tuned for more! This is my favorite band in the whole wide world and I want to share them with as many people as possible!