Pittsburgh, PA

The Arts Festival has announced a call for artists, musicians and more for various events and exhibits. They are currently looking for musicians and bands to perform on their Market Square stage during the festival, as well as children’s performing groups to perform during their Family Festival, which features family friendly fun and games.

The festival is also looking for artists to be a part of their “Contained” exhibit. The exhibit is being held in partnership with the Associated Artists of Pittsburgh and involves installations in a 8′ x 40′ x 8′ space. According to the festival, the work can be in any medium and represent any subject. For more information on participating in the Three Rivers Arts Festival, visit their website here.

I’d also like to announce that the fourth issue of the Pittsburgh-based Debris Magazine is out! The magazine is always looking for literary and artistic submissions, so please check out the guidelines and contact info at www.debrismagazine.com. For those of you who are not writers, artists or photographers, check out the Spring issue anyways! It features all new literary talent and a very talented Portuguese painter, as well as a photographer whose goal is to travel the world and capture it all on his camera. Exciting stuff, I promise!

And lastly, I’d like to remind everyone about the Good vs. Evil photography show that will be happening at the Creative Treehouse in Bellevue on May 17th. John Bodnar is still accepting photography submissions for the event, so if you’re interested please email him at jbodnar@gmail.com. For more information, visit my previous post on the upcoming event here.

Pittsburgh, Three Rivers Arts Festival, Contained, Debris Magazine, Creative Treehouse, photography, art

Just wanted to let everybody know that the Wee Beasties exhibit at Zombo is closing this Saturday. Nathan Mazur’s exhibit features over three dozen miniature paintings of various insects, worms and creepy (I say cute), bugs. What makes this event even more fun is the discounted pricing of the remaining beasties after 8pm. There’s also going to be music by the Jim Dandies so definitely check this out!

The closing reception begins at 6pm, with music at 8pm. The Wee Beasties exhibit is located in Lawrenceville at the Zombo Gallery, 4900 Hatfield Street.

If you’re not able to make the event, make sure you check out Mazur’s website to view the bugs anyways.

To read the press release on this exhibit, visit my previous post here.

I also wanted to let everyone know who didn’t, that the Brillobox has Drink and Draw drawing sessions every other Tuesday, with one occurring tomorrow.

Drink and Draw is a live model drawing session, which meets on the second floor of Brillobox at 6pm and runs until 9pm. There is a $10 session fee, but it’s worth it with the various themes the models dress in for the session. According to their Myspace, Drink and Draw is a relaxed, inspiring atmosphere and I’m pretty sure you don’t have to be an expert artist to attend.

And for those of you who may get hungry during the session, downstairs has their Starving Artist Tuesdays with grilled cheese and tomato soup for only $2. Yum. If I didn’t work, I’d go just for that!

Future sessions land on April 1, 15, and the 29th. For more information, visit their Myspace or email Susan at brilloboxdrinkanddraw@yahoo.com.

Before I forget, there are a couple of announcements and reminders I wanted to make before I continued posting bios for Women’s History Month.

First off, the Mueck exhibit at the Andy Warhol Museum is closing this Sunday and I’ve heard it’s something you don’t want to miss.

Ron Mueck is most known for his gigantic sculptures, which feature realistic looking people doing various things, but in enormous proportions. The exhibit at the Warhol includes, In Bed, Spooning Couple, A Girl, Wild Man, Man in a Boat, Mask II and Mask II. You can visit the Warhol’s website to see more detailed descriptions.

The Warhol’s hours are as follows:

Saturday & Sunday, Tuesday-Thursday: 10am-5pm
Friday: 10am-10pm
Closed Mondays

Admission:

Adults: $15
Senior Citizens: $9
Students & Children (3-18): $8
Good Fridays: Half price bet. 5-10pm

The Warhol Museum is located at 117 Sandusky Street on the North Shore.
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Also, I wanted to remind everyone that the City Salon deadline is tomorrow. I posted information on the project in the beginning the month here. For more information on the City Salon, visit the Academy of the South Side’s website.

There is also an arts and crafts expo going on this weekend at the Expo Mart in Monroeville featuring over 180 booths. Visit their website for more information on vendors, hours and more.

And last, but not least I wanted to let everyone know of a poetry reading that is taking place Friday at 7:30 at the ARTspace and Coffeehouse in Point Breeze. I learned of the poet Anita Gevauden Byerly on WYEP the other night and really enjoyed her poetry so I thought I’d pass the information along. Admission is free and there will be signings of her latest chapbook, October Light. I wish I could go!

Pittsburgh, Ron Mueck, Warhol Museum, City Salon, Academy of the South Side, Expo Mart, arts, crafts, October Light, Anita G. Byerly, poetry

Future Tenant is holding it’s annual fundraiser, Pay it Forward at Your Inner Vagabond this Friday, March 21st, which is a great way to support local artists!

There will be a wide variety of entertainment, including belly dancing and music provided by Otantik, HerBow, and Pandemic, who will be mixing world dance music. There will also be prize drawings for artwork and items from local businesses. Food and drink will be provided by Your Inner Vagabond and other local restaurants.

Tickets are $40 for regular admission and $25 for students and those aged 21-25. Tickets can be purchased in advance at Your Inner Vagabond and at ProArtsTickets.org. All tickets purchased at the door will be $40, so it’s a good idea to buy them in advance if you’re a student.

Ticket proceeds go towards a good cause and will benefit artists, performers and curators who are showcased at Future Tenant. Future Tenant is located in the Cultural District and is operated by CMU grad students in the Arts Management program.

Your Inner Vagabond is located at 4130 Butler Street in Lawrenceville and for more information on this great coffeehouse and lounge, visit their website here.

Also going on this weekend is the Steel City Derby Demons season opener this Saturday! The event will feature the Hot Metal Hellions and the Wrecking Dolls. If you have never been to a roller derby outing, this is a great time to start.

Doors open at 5:30 pm, events starting at 6:30. Tickets can be purchased in advance here for $10 and are $15 at the door. The event is being held at Bladerunners in Harmarville, which is north on Rt. 28. For more information on the Derby Demons and their upcoming events, visit their website here.

Have a great weekend everyone and don’t forget to check out the NCECA exhibits going on as well!

Pittsburgh, roller derby, Steel City Derby Demons, Bladerunners, Future Tenant, Inner Vagabond, art, Lawrenceville

So by some strange sort of coincidence, it was St. Patrick’s Day Monday, it’s going to be the first day of Spring tomorrow and of course Easter is Sunday. Wow, what a festive week this time of year!

I especially like that it’s going to be Spring soon and with all the rain, it sure feels like it. So to celebrate this time of year, I suggest going to see the Spring Flower Show at Phipps Conservatory!

Here’s all the info you’ll need, straight from Phipp’s:

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is proud to announce the return of its glorious flower shows! The Spring Flower Show opens Saturday, March 15, 2008, featuring the bright, vibrant blooms and creative design that make Phipps a leader in horticultural display, and a great place to escape the lingering Pittsburgh winter.

This year’s show is traditional and elegant, and visitors will see the Conservatory transformed into a showcase of color and containers. Featuring garden adornments such as pedestals, urns, fountains and statuary, the Spring Flower Show promises to be an eye-catching event. Visitors can stroll through Phipps’ lush rooms and experience the majesty of the Spring Flower Show as the flowers make a triumphant comeback.

Visitors will delight in spring flower favorites, such as lily-flowering tulips, snapdragons, cineraria, hydrangea, cyclamen, delphinium and more. Other special features include a fountain in the Palm Court, cascading waterfalls, a chess board of snappy color combinations, stunning Greek-inspired columns and planters, as well as visitor favorites, like large hanging baskets full of color and the interactive fountain in the Victoria Room.

The Spring Flower Show opens Saturday, March 15 and runs through Sunday, April 13, 2008. Timed-ticketing is no longer required, but visitors may purchase advance passes on Phipps’ website here.

Phipp’s is located at 1 Schenley Park and is open daily from 9:30am-5pm M-F and until 10pm on Fridays. Tickets are $10 for adults, $9 for students/senior citizens and $7 for children ages 2-18.

Don’t forget to visit the Wee Beasties exhibit at Zombo Gallery as well!

Pittsburgh, Oakland, Phipp’s Conservatory, spring flowers, spring

The National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts is holding it’s 42nd annual conference here in Pittsburgh, starting March 19th and ending March 22nd. The conference is titled “CONFLUENCE: Innovation, Community, Environment” and will feature demonstrations, exhibits, lectures and more at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center downtown.

For more information on the exhibitions and presentations, visit the NCECa’s website here.

In addition to the events going on at the Convention Center, there are many other exhibits going on in the city of Pittsburgh that also celebrate the art of ceramics.

Here are just a few courtesy of the Pittsburgh Galleries blog:

McGuinn Gallery, Heinz History Center, 1212 Smallman Street, 412-454-6352.
Out of Madness – Seven Potters Follow Ohr, Georgette Ore, Bart Fetz, Megan Quinn, John Britt, Tony Merino, Lisa Orr, Susan Filley. Features the work of seven potters whose work has been directly influenced by a condition of Mad-Pottery started by Ohr. Organized by Bart Fetz. Mar 19-May 18. Wed 9:00a.m.-6:00p.m., all other days 10:00a.m.-5:00p.m. Reception Mar 19, 4:30-6:00p.m.

Main gallery of the Carnegie Library, 4400 Forbes Avenue, 412-622-8830.
Hanging by a Thread, Alison Carter, Joshua Green, John Hasegawa, Philip Haralam, Eric Kao, Jean Keil, Lily Liu, Susan Ting, Yoko Sekino-Bove, May Wong. This invitational group exhibition is to increase the public awareness of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) conference in Pittsburgh during March of 2008 and to invite the people of Pittsburgh to experience the current trends and diversity in contemporary ceramic arts. All the ceramic work will be displayed on the wall. Organized by Yoko Sekino-Bové. Mar 1-31. Wed-Thu 10:00a.m.-8:00p.m., Fri-Sat 10:00a.m.-5:30p.m. Reception Mar 21, 6:00-8:00p.m.

Fe Gallery, 4102 Butler Street, 412-860-6028.
From the Ground Up, Debbie Quick, HyunKyung Yoon, Akiko Jackson and others. Curated by Jill Larson. Several artists who take a progressive approach to a traditional medium- clay. Feb 22-Apr 18. Daily 12:00-4:00p.m.

Modern Formations Gallery and Performance Space, 4919 Penn Avenue, 412-362-0274.
Americana Refigured, Pavel Amromin, Renee Audette, Thaddeus Erdahl, Magdalene Gluszek, Tammy Marinuzzi, Beau Raymond, Matt Shaffer, Michael Schmidt. Ceramic figurative show focusing on contemporary ideals and what it means to live in todays American society. Organized by Beau Raymond. Mar 7-28. Wed-Sat 9:00a.m.-7:00p.m. and by appointment. Reception Mar 20, 7:00-9:00p.m.

I strongly suggest you check out the rest of the events going on around the city these next couple of weeks. For a good listing of events, make sure you visit the Pittsburgh Galleries blog here where events are categorized by neighborhood.

In the meantime, don’t forget about the two calls for artists/photographers that were posted here earlier this week.

Pittsburgh, NCECA, David L. Lawrence Convention Center, downtown, Oakland, East End, Lawrenceville, art, ceramics, clay, Pittsburgh Galleries

Zombo Gallery is presenting another great exhibit; this time by local artist Nathan Mazur, who has created neat, little pieces of art. Check out the release below for more information:

“Wee Beasties: Miniature Paintings of Nature’s Tiniest Denizens”

Zombo Gallery, Pittsburgh’s home for hip lowbrow art, announces the first solo exhibit by local artist Nathan Mazur; Wee Beasties: Miniature Paintings of Nature’s Tiniest Denizens, opening March 14th, 2008.

Wee Beasties is an exhibit of over 3-dozen miniature paintings (2” by 2.75”) of insects, worms, and other creepy crawlies. They depict everything from the common cockroach, to the cryptic water bear, all in the artist’s seemingly innocent, saccharine-colored, cartoon style.

While browsing through an art supply store, local cartoonist and animator, Nathan Mazur, came upon some tiny canvases about the size of a Zippo lighter. Though meant as a novelty item, he purchased a few and used them to paint cartoony, life-sized pictures of bugs. After casually mentioning the pint-sized portraits to local artist, Wayno, Nathan Mazur was introduced to Michael Devine, owner of the Zombo Gallery in Lawrenceville. Since opening the previous summer, the Zombo Gallery has built a reputation for exhibiting the cool, kitschy and the strange… the perfect fit for the artist’s skewed invertebrate subjects.

Nathan Mazur is a cartoonist and animator from western PA. His work has been described as everything from cute and funny, to somewhat unnerving. His clients include American Greetings, Carnegie Mellon University, Disney Television as well as other smaller companies, independent filmmakers, and private commissions. He is a member of the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators and serves on the advisory board for The Toonseum, Pittsburgh’s museum of cartoon art. To find out more about Nathan Mazur’s work, please visit www.scaredofbees.com.

Wee Beasties runs from March 14th through April 5th, 2008 at the Zombo Gallery, located at 4900 Hatfield St. in Lawrenceville. The gallery hours are Fridays, 5pm-7:30pm. Additional hours by appointment. For more information on Zombo Gallery, please call 412-904-3703.

Oh and make sure you check out yesterday’s post if you’re an artist or photographer who would like to get their name out in Pittsburgh!

And of course, the easiest way to do that is to submit work to my magazine here.

Pittsburgh, Zombo Gallery, Nathan Mazur, Wee Beasties, Lawrenceville, art

The Academy of the South Side is putting out a call for artists and there is a call for photographers that I’d like to mention too.

The Academy of the South Side is doing a “Citywide Salon” as part of the Pittsburgh 250 celebrations. The Citywide Salon will be a month long showcase of local art, with up to 20 artists’ work being displayed in bus kiosks around the city. Sounds like a neat idea! The deadline for submissions is March 28th, so without delay, straight from their website is more information:

The mission of The Academy is to be a resource for painting and drawing, and for CITYWIDE SALON we are seeking artists to submit up to 5 works to be selected by a panel of judges for this highly visible month-long showcase. While there is no specific theme that will unify the selections, preference will be given to representational work. CITYWIDE SALON will be a celebration of artists from all over the Pittsburgh region, and we specifically encourage artists representing the neighborhoods of South Side, Oakland, Shadyside, Bloomfield, Lawrenceville, the Strip District, and Downtown to submit, as those are the neighborhoods we will target for the locations of the bus panels.

We ask that artists submit a Jpeg, TIFF, or PDF image of their work no later than March 28th, 2008. The jury process will take place in April, and the selected artists will be announced in the middle of the month. After the announcement, the selected artists will be responsible for submitting a high-resolution image of their work. Exact printing specifications for the panels can be found below. Please keep in mind the vertical orientation of the panels, as well as the final layout proportion of approximately 7.2 inches high by 5 inches wide. We will have 2 templates that will be used for the bus panels: one that places the text and sponsoring organizations’ logos as a header and footer to the ad, and one that incorporates these elements into the composition, allowing for a larger image. Artists are encouraged to submit a very brief description of themselves (3 - 5 words, e.g. “South Side Oil Painter”), as well as a website and/or contact information for inclusion on the panels. It is worth noting that large black areas tend to not retain their proper color due to light shining through the poster.

On Saturday, July 19, we will hold a finale event at the Brew House where artists will have an opportunity to display their original submission. Artists will also be able to keep the poster that is used in the bus kiosk for future promotional efforts. This is a great opportunity for artists to get widespread exposure throughout the city, participate in an exciting show, and to keep a large poster of their work for future promotional efforts and to commemorate their involvement in CITYWIDE SALON and Pittsburgh 250!

For more information, visit the Academy’s website here.

Another neat idea is John Bodnar’s Good vs. Evil photography show that will be held at the Creative Treehouse on May 17th.

All participants for this event will have to choose a side to represent. Photographs can be in any subject matter, whether you choose to work with images in religion, morality, ethics, elements….your representation of the side you pick!

There is a lot of room with this to be highly creative and experimental in your works.

If interested in participating, please email John at jbodnar@gmail.com.

Good luck everybody!

Also please check out my magazine’s new featured content. You will not be disappointed and I think everyone needs to see Jennifer Maria’s photos of Florida after the weather we’ve been having here. Go here to see my previous post.

Pittsburgh, Academy of the South Side, South Side, drawing, art, Citywide Salon, photography, Good vs Evil, Creative Treehouse, Bellevue, Debris Magazine

There’s still room to reserve a seat for Dr. Sketchy’s Pies, Pirates and Piraro event so hurry up and reserve one now! Here’s all the information you’ll need on the event and about Dr. Sketchy’s school in general.

According to Dr. Sketchy’s site:

On March 14th, 8;00 PM, Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School Pittsburgh will celebrate Pi Day (3.14) with nationally acclaimed creator of the comic Bizarro, and Pie aficionado, Dan Piraro.
Dan will be emceeing the lively burlesque life drawing session with his own unique brand of comedy and cartoons. Dr. Sketchy will pay tribute to Dan’s iconic use of pies in his comic by celebrating “Pi Day” with Pies, Pirates and Piraro! This is his first time hosting a Dr. Sketchy event anywhere!

When many artists think “life drawing,” they think of sterile rooms, bad lighting, and bored, silent, models with nary a hint of personality. Dr. Sketchy’s Anti Art School has changed all that. Dr. Sketchy’s models will don pirate garb, as cartoonists, illustrators, painters and artist of all kinds sketch, drink, and play outrageous games befitting Dr. Sketchy’s irreverent atmosphere.

For those of you unfamiliar with Dr. Sketchy’s, it’s a ’school’ with themed sketch nights ranging from Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves to their Valentine’s Day themed night, Love and Hate. Dr. Sketchy’s Anti Art School was started by Molly Crabapple in New York in 2005 and has spread nationwide since then.

For a small donation, you can sketch exotic models, play games and eat vegan snacks and drink (if you’re 21 of course). The money goes towards supporting the ToonSeum Gallery, a show place for cartoon art. Dr. Sketchy’s is one of the many projects supported in part by the Sprout Fund, who are doing wonderful things for Pittsburgh every year.

To attend you must be 18 and you should also bring paper and any other art supplies you may need. The event is being held at the Brew House in the South Side at 2100 Mary Street and starts at 8pm.

For more information, visit Dr. Sketchy in Pittsburgh’s Myspace here, where you can also reserve your seat. Dr. Sketchy’s is a regularly occurring event, so even if you miss this one, make sure you attend another session!

Also, don’t forget to check out the PCA art shows that are closing this weekend. Refer here for more information.

Pittsburgh, Dr. Sketchy’s, Dan Pirarro, pirates, Brew House, art, sketching, South Side

Even though I haven’t been to the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts since high school, I’ve noticed they have been doing some interesting work there and I thought I’d help spread the word.

Here’s just some of the things I suggest checking out:

Adult & Summer Classes: For anyone who misses art class in high school or college or always wanted to experiment with painting or any artistic medium, these classes could be the solution. The PCA offers both adult and youth classes, as well as hosting a workshop for younger children in the summer.

Adult classes offered include, printmaking and book arts, ceramics and sculpture, creative writing, decorative and fiber arts, jewelry and metal arts, as well as media and photographic arts. Neat!

For a complete schedule of classes offered at the PCA, click here. Even though the deadline for Winter classes has passed, there is still time to register for the Spring classes. For information on the children’s Summer Camp click here.

PCA Shop: The PCA is currently working on building a consignment based media shop, which will feature local books, zines, dvds, cds and other items that fit into this category. It sounds like a really neat idea and a great way to support the local art, music and film scene.

Their website says the deadline for submitting work was February 15th, but the City Paper says February 29th, so if you’re really interested, you may want to contact them and see if it’s not too late to submit work. For more information, go here.

Current Shows:

Icons and Incongruities: Photographs from America’s Heartland by Jim Schafer

The photography show runs from February 8th until April 13th and features photographs of “simpler times” and small mid-western towns. The prints are in color, as well as in black and white and contain images of abandoned buildings, which happen to be a personal favorite subject matter of mine.

Admission is a $5 suggested donation and hours are as follows:
Monday- closed
Tues-Sat- 10-5pm
Sunday- 12-5pm

Pittsburgh Center for the Arts is the bright yellow building located at 6300 Fifth Ave in Shadyside. If you’ve ever been to Shadyside, you probably know where I mean, but to be more specific, it’s at the intersection of 5th and Shady Avenue.

For more information on the AAP show visit my previous post and for the PCA click here.

Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Shadyside, art, classes, photography

I Made It! is having its first evening affair this Friday called the I Made It Fashionable, which will be a combo of a fashion and craft show, as well as featuring local dance and music acts. Sounds like a good time!

The event is being held at the Brew House in the South Side, which if you went to the craft show the last time it was there, you’ll know where you’re headed. If not, it’s on Mary Street by 21st Street. Doors open at 7:30 with the fashion show starting at 8pm. Following the fashion show will be performances by Jazzercize Troop Radical Pittsburgh and DJ J. Malls of The Big Throw Back.

The show is being sponsored by Sugar Boutique, Jet Boy Jet Girl, Jupe Boutique, Philip Pelusi in the South Hills, Penn Brewery, the music and dance acts and the Brew House Association.

Admission is $5 and you must be 21 to drink. I always find really neat stuff at their craft show, so I definitely plan on going!

For more information on I Made It! visit their Myspace or the Brew House’s site here.

Also going on this weekend is David Hare’s Vertical hour at the Pittsburgh Playhouse. Now I’m not just promoting this play, because I graduated from Point Park but because it looks really interesting.

Here’s the summary straight from the REP’s website:

Hot off its successful international Broadway debut, The Vertical Hour is Hare’s contemporary story drawn right from today’s headlines. An impassioned debate between a former American female war correspondent turned Yale professor and her boyfriend’s British father ensues over the American management (or mismanagement) of the Iraq War and international relations. Funny, poignant, and at times disturbing, the encounter takes an unanticipated turn as the discussion ignites a dangerous attraction between the two, revealing the stark revelation that each is in flight from their own lives.

Showtimes are 8pm Thursday-Saturday, as well as a 2pm showing on Saturday and Sunday.
Tickets run between $24-27, with a discount given to Point Park students, which I strongly suggest taking advantage of!

To buy tickets and for more information, visit the Pittsburgh Playhouse’s website here.

And here’s one last reminder that the Chihuly exhibit closes this Saturday so catch it while you can!

Pittsburgh, I Made It Fashionable, Brew House, craft show, fashion, Vertical Hour, Pittsburgh Playhouse, play, war

The artist Wayno is having a neat exhibit at the Gypsy Cafe featuring the Chinese Zodiac and I thought I’d spread the word. I’ve been meaning to go the Gypsy Cafe for awhile, so I definitely think this is my excuse to go. I may even write a review of the cafe; I really need to start doing those!

Press Release:
Following Squaresville, last summer’s sold-out art show at Zombo Gallery in Lawrenceville, local artist Wayno returns with his latest exhibit, Animalia Astrologica: The Chinese Zodiac, opening February 5, 2008 at the Gypsy Café on the South Side.

Animalia Astrologica is a series of twelve paintings, representing the animal signs of the traditional Chinese zodiac.

Late last year, Gypsy Café owner Melanie Evankovich invited Wayno to show some of his work in her funky, Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, and the two collaborated to develop a theme appropriate to the space. “When we settled on an early February date for the opening, I immediately thought of Chinese New Year,” said the artist. “It seemed to fit with the Café’s irreverent mystical vibe.” Evankovich agreed, saying, “We have a Tarot card reader here twice a week, and the Year of the Rat begins on February 7, so when Wayno suggested a set of astrological pictures, I knew we had the perfect motif.”

The paintings, in Wayno’s distinctive cartoon pop style, use a limited palate consisting mainly of the traditional red and gold colors of the Chinese New Year. The animals depicted are anything but traditional – they’re shown behaving like Westerners at New Year’s time. We see a snake drinking champagne, pigs kissing at midnight, a dragon with a hangover, and an ox making a list of resolutions.

Wayno is a cartoonist, illustrator, and writer based in Pittsburgh. His clients include The New Yorker, Nickelodeon Magazine, Rhino Records, McGraw-Hill Books, Entertainment Weekly, The Guardian, Pittsburgh City Paper, Table, and The New York Times. He is a member of the National Cartoonists Society and the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators, and is a founding board member of the ToonSeum, Pittsburgh’s museum of the cartoon arts.

Animalia Astrologica runs from February 5 through March 30, 2008 at the Gypsy Café, located at 1330 Bingham Street on the South Side. The café is open for lunch Tuesday through Friday, and for dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Complete restaurant hours are posted at www.gypsycafe.net

For additional information, call the Gypsy Café at 412-381-4977.

To get a sneak preview of Wayno’s work, visit his website here.

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Just thought I’d remind everyone that there is going to be a lunar eclipse tomorrow night!

For more information on the eclipse and where you can view it around the world, visit NASA’s website here.

Speaking of all around the world, check out the World Traveler blog here. I’m going to be creating a similar website soon, so keep an eye out!

Pittsburgh, Wayno, Chinese Zodiac, Gypsy Cafe, art, lunar eclipse, nasa, travel

Tonight at Belvedere’s is the fifth annual Galactic AssDragon Classic, a battle of electronic music with the winner coming out with a 7 inch single pressed by the No Room for Talent label. There will be a panel of judges judging a wide variety of electronic sounds, from the screeching to the heart stopping bass coming out of anything from labtops to microphones to anything else the entrants have thought up.

Speaking of which, this year’s performers include Deepwinter, Statas, Mike and Ike Jones, Vasculator, Cockmongler, Doverspike and more! Be prepared for crazy stints by Mike and Ike and dead baby props by Doverspike.

The event starts at 9 and only costs $3 for a whole night’s worth of crazy entertainment. This really is a one of its kind event; trust me I know from last year. One word of advice, you may want to bring ear plugs!

Belvedere’s is located at 4016 Butler Street in Lawrenceville.

Also, this weekend is the South Side’s Mid-Winter Soup Contest presented by Iron and Glass Bank. The event is Saturday from 12-3pm and is a wonderful way to sample local soups and provide food for the needy for months.

A $5 donation and a can of soup will get you a map of the South Side and all of the participating restaurants, where you can sample soups galore.

Participants will need to register at one of these three locations:
The Brashear Association, 2005 Sarah St
SouthSide Works, 2629 E. Carson St
91.3fm WYEP FM, 12th & Bingham Streets

For more information, visit WYEP’s website here.

I should also remind everyone that tonight is the 15th annual Guinness Toast, so all of you Guinness lovers should be excited about this one! There are too many participating bars to possibly list them all, but some of my favorites who will be toasting include, 1311 in the S. Side, Bloomfield Bridge Tavern, Buckhead Saloon in Station Square, Caseys, Fatheads and Smokin’ Joes also in the S. Side and the Do Drop Inn if you’re out in my hometown, Natrona Heights. If you’re interested, I suggest visiting your favorite bar’s website (if they have one) and see if they are participating and if not, drink your Guinness anyways. Who needs an event to do that?!

And last, but not least the Fun A Day show is this Saturday at the Spare Room and will showcase everyone’s hard work this past month. For more information on this event, visit my previous post and/or their website.

Spare Room is located at 3923 1/2 Mintwood Street in Lawrenceville.

It looks like I’ll be in Lawrenceville all weekend, hope everyone has a fun weekend!

Pittsburgh, Galactic AssDragon Classic, Belvedere’s, Lawrenceville, music, Mike and Ike Jones, Doverspike, Fun a Day, Spare Room, art, Guinness Toast

So I’m sure in a couple of hours, men and women everywhere will be rushing around to get last-minute flowers and candy for their significant others and even the most wilted flowers will find a home tonight. However, Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be about mass consumerism and can be more about love as it was intended. I know I never really cared about expensive gifts or fancy dinners, although they never hurt! But just spending time with someone you love and showing your appreciation for them does wonders for a relationship.

If all else fails, you can always bake cookies! There’s a great sugar cookie recipe over at the Austin, TX blog here.

And just because you’re single, does not mean you can’t celebrate today. I know it’s a hard day for many who feel unloved, but I suggest for those of you in this situation, that you show someone else love today and I promise, it will eventually be shown to you. <3

And who says Valentine’s Day has to spent with your significant other? Why don’t you take your friends out for some drinks or dinner or even your mom for goodness sakes?!

Besides the usual dinner and drinks, here’s some alternatives for the occasion:

Hustlebot @ Modern Formations Gallery in Garfield

Hustlebot is a local improv group that will be performing tonight at Modern Formations and is a humerous way to spend this otherwise sappy holiday. The show starts at 8pm and costs $5.

The Gallery is located at 4919 Penn Avenue in Garfield.

Battle of the Sexes @ Shootz Cafe in the South Side

If you feel like having a competitive Valentine’s Day, why don’t you head to Shootz and compete with the opposite sex in pool, ping pong, trivia, darts and air hockey? Sounds like a good time to me!

Shootz is located at 2305 E. Carson by the Birmingham Bridge.

Lisdoonvarna Irish Matchmaking Festival @ Harp and Fiddle in the Strip

If you don’t have anyone to celebrate with today, you can always check out Harp and Fiddle’s annual Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival. It’ll be held this Saturday starting at 8pm. Singles will receive a free prize pack and festivities for the night will include, karaoke, games, matchmaking (of course) and specialty drinks. According the Harp and Fiddle website, over 70 couples have met at this affair in the past 15 years. Not bad!

And just in case, no one has said this to you yet:

Hope everyone has a fun Valentine’s Day and remember, you don’t have to be in love with someone to celebrate love today!

Pittsburgh, Valentine’s Day, Shootz, Harp and Fiddle, Matchmaking Festival, Strip District, Garfield, Modern Formations, Hustlebot, improv

Unity Night @ Church Brew Works

Unity Night: A Celebration & Fundraiser to Fight the Allegheny County Drink Tax, is tonight at the Church Brew Works in Lawrenceville. 100% of all the proceeds will be used to finance activities seeking to repeal the 10% Allegheny County Drink Tax, so if this is something you’d like to support, please do!

The event is from 5:30 to 9:30pm and costs $40 per person. Admission includes craft-brewed beers from Pittsburgh Regional Breweries and food provided by local chefs. There will also be local entertainment and a silent auction.

Tickets can be purchased by phone or in person at the Church Brew Works or at the Priory Hotel in the North Side. They can also be purchased online through Penn Brewery’s website here. Ticket holders must be 21 and over.

Church Brew Works is located at 3525 Liberty Avenue in Lawrenceville and can be contacted by calling 412-688-8200 or through their website here.

Prospectus I: Humongulous @ the Brew House

Although you can’t check out this gallery show tonight, maybe you can later on this week! The first Prospectus of the 2007-2008 gallery season, includes works by Maria Mangano, Jairan Sadeghi, and Charlie Wright and focuses on the subject of identity.

Here is some info on the artists, straight from the Brew House’s site:

Maria Mangano is a native of Syracuse, New York. She earned her BFA from Carnegie Mellon University and lives and works in Pittsburgh. Her work is influenced by the natural world and its manifestations in museums, art, and academia.

Jairan Sadeghi earned her BFA from Carnegie Mellon University. She has exhibited at SPACE Gallery, Space 101 at the Brew House, and Modern Formations Gallery.

Charlie Wright is a freelance illustrator and designer living in Pittsburgh. He is originally from Oakland, California and came to Pennsylvania to attend Carnegie Mellon’s BFA program.

While you’re there, you can also check out an exhibition of works by Julius Houser in the Special Projects Gallery. The exhibition is presented in conjunction with the Independent Living Initiative, a program which assists youths who have gone through the Allegheny County Office of Children, Youth and Families. The program provides services, such as housing, mentoring and post-secondary planning.

Gallery hours:
Wednesday: 6-9pm
Thursday: 6-9pm
Saturday: 12-6pm

The Brew House is located at 2100 Mary Street in the South Side and can be reached at 412-381-7767 or by visiting their website here.

Some of you may have already been to the Brew House when the I Made It! craft show was there. For information on the craft show, visit my previous post here.

Pittsburgh, Brew House, Unity Night, Church Brew Works, ILI, Lawrenceville, Prospectus Homongulous, South Side, Stop the Drink Tax