Pittsburgh, PA

The STUDIO for Creative Inquiry at Carnegie Mellon University presents Other Options Pittsburgh, a symposium on alternative economics and value systems April 11-­13 at Goods & Services, 2628 East Carson St. The weekend-long symposium, which explores how local actions relate to global capitalism, includes an art exhibition, panel discussion, macroeconomics workshop, cottage industry expo and Sunday Soup on the South Side as well as guided tours, dinner and a dance party in Braddock.

The symposium is the collective effort of the ReTool Project at the STUDIO for Creative Inquiry; Goods & Services, a project space affiliated with the Carnegie Mellon School of Art; InCubate, a group of arts administrators and arts historians from Chicago; and Braddock Active Arts, an artist collective working in Braddock, Pa.

Other Options Pittsburgh highlights a confluence of thought and activity around economics, resources, and exchange, said Carolyn Lambert, fellow in the Studio for Creative Inquiry. While interviewing people who work off-the-books as part of the informal economy, we met other artists and groups who share our interest in systems of value. The network organizing this symposium represents only a small cross-section of the many artists currently seeking alternatives to mainstream capitalism. We’re using art-based activities as a way to test out tools and strategies that could create real change.

The symposium opens Friday, April 11 from 6 to 9 p.m. with an art exhibition curated by InCubate and produced in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon students at Goods & Services. The exhibition looks at artist groups who are re-interpreting, altering and creating infrastructure that affects their everyday lives and artistic practice. Artists in the exhibition include Robin Hewlett and Carolyn Lambert (Pittsburgh), Forays (New York/Montreal), Phil Orr and Ryan Thompson (Urbana-Champaign, Illinois), Material Exchange (Chicago), and Carnegie Mellon graduate and undergraduate students. The exhibition will continue through May 2.

On Saturday April 12 at 2pm, a panel discussion, Exploring our Options, will showcase four models of community organizing and artistic practice that question dominant value systems and suggest practical alternatives. On Sunday April 13th at 12:30pm, activist Matt Meyer will lead a workshop on macroeconomics, educating participants about the global economic infrastructure and its relationship to small-scale alternative practices.

This symposium is supported in part by the Sprout Fund, the STUDIO for Creative Inquiry, and the Center for Arts and Society at Carnegie Mellon. For more information, contact Carolyn Lambert at 412-398-1122 or visit the ReTool website for a complete schedule of events at http://retool.wordpress.com.

On a side note, don’t forget to check out Debris Magazine’s 4th issue that just came out. Visit my previous post for more info and to see about contributing work to the Pittsburgh based literary/art magazine.

Pittsburgh, STUDIO for Creative Inquiry, Carnegie Mellon, Sprout Fund, Other Options Symposium, global, capitalism, economics

I have to apologize for not posting the film schedule earlier, but better late than never right?

The Jewish-Israeli Film Festival is back in Pittsburgh for its 15th year and is sure to capture the viewing attention of its audience as always. The festival is already in its second week of showing films, but I’d still like to present the film schedule below, as well as ways to buy tickets, showtimes, etc.

There is still time to see:

The First Basket @ SouthSide Works Cinema at 7pm on Tuesday
She’s Got It @ SouthSide Works Cinema at 7:30pm on Tuesday
Arranged @ SouthSide Works Cinema at 7pm on Wednesday

Two young women - an Orthodox Jew and a Muslim - meet and become friends as first-year teachers at a public school in Brooklyn. They soon learn that, despite their religious differences, they have much in common, not the least of which is that they are both going through arranged marriages.

Nina’s Home @ Westmoreland Mall (Greensburg) at 7pm on Thursday
Sixty Six @ SouthSide Works Cinema at 7:30pm on Thursday
The Band’s Visit @ Regent Square Theater at 9pm on Saturday
Nina’s Home @ SouthSide Works Cinema at 1pm on Sunday
Samuel Rosenberg: Pittsburgh’s Painter Laureate @ SouthSide Works Cinema at 4pm on Sunday
The Hope: Rick Recht Film and Concert @ Melwood Screening Room at 7pm on Sunday

I highly suggest you check out the Film Festival’s website to read about each film and see which one or ones you’d like to see.

Tickets may be purchased online up to a day before the screening at the UJF’s website here, except on weekends. Keep in mind that ticket orders are not processed on Saturday or Sundays, so plan accordingly. Tickets can also be purchased at each venue up to 30 minutes prior to the screening and are cash-only. Call ahead to 412-992-5203 to make sure your screening isn’t sold out already.

Ticket prices on opening nights are $35, cash only at the door, otherwise they are $8 for general admission, $7 ages 65 and over, $6 for groups of 12+ purchased in advance and $5 for students.

For more information on the Film Festival and Jewish culture, visit the United Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh’s website here.

The above picture credit is from the movie Love Dance.

Don’t forget to check out “Hips, Rum and Rock and Roll” this Saturday at Zombo Gallery! Check out yesterday’s post here for more info.

Pittsburgh, Jewish-Israeli Film Festival, UJF, films, Melwood Screening Room, Regents Square Theater, SouthSide Works Cinema

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

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

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

Head out to the I Made It! Mine craftshow this Saturday at the Union Project in Highland Park. As always you’ll find a wide assortment of crafts, clothing and household accessories and this time, you’ll also be able to check out the Union Project as well.

The Union Project involves an effort on the part of its members to bring together the surrounding neighborhoods and to promote creativity, diversity and togetherness. Their mission statement is as follows:

The Union Project serves as a highly visible catalyst for neighborhood redevelopment and historic preservation on a large scale – and will develop the hearts, minds and skills of community members along with the physical space. The Union Project represents the best of Pittsburgh’s creative thinking, action and investment. This community-supported project will only exponentially increase its impact as funds are raised and capital work is completed to transform and reuse this important building.

I’ve been wanting to check out this building/project for awhile now, so it looks like I just got my chance!

The Union Project is located at 801 N. Negley and I Made It! is from 12-5. For more information on the craftshow go here and for more information on the Union Project, visit their website here.

This weekend also brings the Associated Artist show, which features 97 works from 66 artists from the area. It’s in celebration of Pittsburgh 250 and is being held at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts in Shadyside. The reception is this Friday from 5:30-8pm, however future viewings will be possible up until March 9th.

The exhibit is located at the Marshall building which is at 6300 Fifth Avenue. For more information, visit the Associated Artist site here, as well as the Pittsburgh Galleries site for other local art events.

And if these two events don’t keep you busy this weekend, you can always go see the Vagina Monologues at the City Theater! For more information, visit last week’s post on the play here.

Pittsburgh, I Made It!, craft show, Union Project, crafts, Highland Park, Associated Artists, Pittsburgh Galleries, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Shadyside, art

For those who are unfamiliar with the tale of the demon barber from Fleet Street, I’m not going to give anything away and will only say I highly recommend you see this play!

It’s only running for a short time between January 29-February 3rd, so buy those tickets immediately. I’ll be out of town or else I would definitely be there!

The schedule is as follows:

January 29-31: 7:30pm
February 1: 8pm
February 2: 2pm & 8pm
February 3: 1pm & 6:30pm

Ticket prices range from $22.50-64.00 and can be purchased online here or by calling 412-392-4900. The performance will be at Heinz Hall in the Cultural District, downtown.

Also playing this week is Eve Ensler’s hit The Vagina Monologues, which is being held at the City Theatre until March 9th.

The schedule varies and is as follows:

Performance Schedule until Feb. 17
Tuesdays at 7 pm
Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays at 8 pm
Saturdays at 5:30 pm & 9 pm
Sundays at 2 pm

Performance Schedule from Feb. 20 until March 9
Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays at 8 pm
Saturdays at 5:30 pm & 9 pm
Sundays at 2 pm

Note: There will be no performance on Friday, Feb. 29 because the Hamburg Studio will be used to workshop a new musical.

Tickets are $35 Tuesdays-Thursdays, $40 Fridays & Saturdays and $5 off for City Theatre subscribers. There is also a limited number of tickets available to students for $15.

There will also be special performance nights, such as Bring a Man in for Free Night (Feb. 13th), as well as discussions, shopping and girl’s night outs, sound off Sundays and more which can be viewed here.

Also playing at the City Theatre is the 13th of Paris, Mat Smart’s romantic comedy about a man who runs off to Paris and discovers the meaning of true love.

Opening night is January 30th at 8pm and the regular schedule is as follows:

Tuesdays at 7 pm
Wednesdays thru Fridays at 8 pm
Saturdays at 5:30 & 9 pm
Sundays at 2 pm

Tickets are between $15-46 dollars, with discounts for attendees aged 25 and under, students and senior citizens.

City Theatre is located at 1300 Bingham Street in the South Side. For more information visit the City Theatre’s website here or by calling 412.431.CITY.

Hope everyone had a chance to make it out the Gallery Crawl Friday! Hopefully the next one will have a tad warmer weather.

Pittsburgh, theater, City Theatre, South Side, downtown, Heinz Hall, Sweeney Todd, Vagina Monologues, 13th of Paris

Bellevue, PA, January 2nd, 2008 — Lights! is a photographic exploration featuring photographic work from local photographers. From natural to controlled, light is all around us from the source of the sun to the simplicity of a light bulb, but there are many and various sources of light around us from day to day. This show puts photographers in a world of never ending light sources to capture their best representation of light. So join in on the fun for an event featuring the works of John E. Bodnar, Sarah Higgins, Chris Maverick, Dawn Zacharias, Sarah Hindman, Lucinda Wiebe, Michelle Mitchell, Michael Flaherty, Dustin McGrew, John Altdorfer, Tamara Barker, Christina Labrise, Jeff Zoet, and Marta Heberle.

Music provided by Andrew James formerly of Dodging August, the Shutouts , the Jim Dandies, and the Dream Intended.

When: January 19, 2008
Time: 7:30PM to 12AM
Price: $5 at the Door, BYOB with Proper ID, All Ages
Food & Beverages:
Non-Alcoholic Drinks and Appetizers will be provided.

For more information, visit the Creative Treehouse’s website or email Jesse Hambley at info@CreativeTreeHousePgh.com.

The Creative Treehouse is located at 517 Lincoln Avenue in Bellevue, above Your Mom’s, a vintage clothing and record store.

Also going on this Saturday is a reception for a poetry and photography anthology titled Along These Rivers, being held at the Silver Eye Center in the South Side. The book features the work of 88 poets and photographers and celebrates the talent found in Pittsburgh and is part of the 250 celebrations this year.

The reception will be held from 2-5pm at 1015 E. Carson Street. If you can’t make it, you can still request poetry readings of the anthology by contacting Judith Robinson at 412-681-3018 or pghdazzler@aol.com, as well as Michael Wurster at 412-481-7636.

The book is also available for purchase without attending the reception for a very affordable price of $19.95 and can be purchased by mailing a check or money order to the address below.

Poets For Humanity
4712 Bayard Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Along These Rivers also has a website here.

To see what else is going on for Pittsburgh’s 250th birthday, check out my previous post here.

Pittsburgh, Bellevue, Creative Treehouse, the Shutouts, Andrew James, Jim Dandies, The Dream Intended, photography, Lights: An Exploration, John E. Bodnar, Along These Rivers, poetry and photography anthology, Silver Eye Center, Poets for Humanity, South Side

I have only been to Diesel once, but the time that I was there I thought it was nice. It reminded me of an 80’s dance club with its giant lighted wall. So I guess Diesel wants its lights to spill out onto the street this holiday season.

Diesel Club Lounge with the support of the South Side Chamber of Commerce and other local South Side Businesses will hold its first Annual “Light up Carson” Event on Wednesday, November 7th from 7pm-9pm. Due to this year’s lack of funds, Diesel Club Lounge has pledged to donate the $5,000.00 balance of the $7,000.00 total cost to install the holiday lights on East Carson Street this year. Diesel has also pledged that all sales and door donations during the event will be used to set up a fund for a Holiday Light installation every year.

The event will also serve as the kick-off night for the South Side’s “Cans & Coats” Charity Drive benefiting the South Side Food Pantry and the Salvation Army. Patrons and residents can bring gently used coats and canned good items to Diesel throughout the Holiday Season to benefit the needy.

“Light Up Carson” will feature performances by a local artist, a Chinese Auction featuring donations from local businesses, as well as hors d’douevres served by South Side Restaurants.

For more information call 412-431-8800 or email info@dieselpgh.com

Wednesday the 7th of November 2007 7:00pm to 9:00pm - dieselpgh.com

Note: I will be posting pictures from the Halloween Event by the end of this week.

Pittsburgh, Diesel Club, Light Up Night, Salvation Army, South Side Food Pantry, charity, holiday, South Side Chamber of Commerce

Starting with today, I suggest everyone check out the Alternative Transportation Festival!

According to the festival’s website:

The Alternative Transportation Festival (ATF) is an event to raise public awareness of alternative means of transportation and advocate for the increased use of public transportation, car-sharing, alternative fuels, fuel efficient, hybrid and advanced vehicles, boats, bikes and other human-powered technologies.

Driven by locally-led innovation and a growing community of activists and operators, Pittsburgh has become a leader in the development of alternative transportation solutions to pressing national and international issues that arise from America’s fossil fuel dependence, including rising fuel costs, air pollution and global warming, economic and National security concerns.

The festival is being organized by Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities with support from Steel City Biofuels, Bike Pittsburgh, Restorative Events and Nakturnal.

If you’ve ridden the bus lately, you should have seen the flyer for this event, but just in case you didn’t, here’s some more info.

The event is taking place in three locations: Market Square, Schenley Plaza and South Side Works. Each location will feature live music and entertainment, as well as information on alternative transportation options and a chance to meet with other like minded individuals.

Schenley Plaza:
11am-1:30pm & 3-8pm
Music of Coz Serrapere, DJ Omar Abdul and the Zany Umbrella Circus

Market Square:
11am-1:30pm & 3-5pm
Music of DJ Zimmie

South Side Works:
11am-1:30pm & 3-8pm
Music by The Metropolitans

I am all for increasing public awareness on this issue. I think it’s nice that we participate in the National Dump the Pump Day and that more and more people are riding their bikes to work and despite most of them doing it to save gas money, it is still saving the environment and this is a step in the right direction.

I’m not sure Pittsburgh will ever be as non-reliant on cars as other cities, just because of how the city is laid out and the suburbs, but a step in this direction makes me happy. And since there’s no way we’re going to eliminate commuting to work via cars, I hope in the future there is at least a trend towards the usage of energy efficient cars.

And as for Saturday…

The Tom Museum is celebrating its one year anniversary!!

The event will be split into two halves; the first being a pre-event fundraiser for the Tom Museum with special guest Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, which will take place from 6 – 7 PM and will be in the lobby of the New Hazlett Theater. (Allegheny Square East)
Admission to this part of the event/fundraiser is $65.00.

After the fundraiser at 7:30pm, there will be a contest that sounds like a lot of fun!

From the Tom Museum’s website:
The New Hazlett Theater will host three teams of artists who will compete to build winning sculptures out of secret materials (read: junk to be unveiled at the event). The only supplies that the teams may bring with them to the challenge are the contents of one suitcase. Adding to the suspense of the evening is the arrival of Team West Virginia, led by WVU sculpture professor and artist Douglas Loewen. Tickets are $10.00 and will be available at the door.

Tom Sarver, Mike Cuccaro, Liz Hammond and Buddy Nutt will host the event. Music will be provided by DJ Mary Mack and Mr. & Mrs. Funky of Unfinished Symphonies. Judges for the event will include Heather Pesanti, Assistant Curator at The Carnegie Museum of Art; Mickey McManus, CEO of MAYA Design; Artist Thommy Conroy; and Karen Hartman from the Brew House Association.

For more information, visit the Tom Museum website.

Have a nice weekend everyone and enjoy the nice weather! I’ll be up at Clarion for their Autumn Leaf Festival, which is always a lot of fun!

And as always, go Steelers!!

Pittsburgh, public transportation, buses, alternative fuels, Tom Museum, art, Olympic Theater, Market Square, Schenley Park, South Side Works