Issue 6 by BOLD Pittsburgh

Issue 6

From the Editor: I love Downtown at night. I sat there the other night at Primanti Bros in Market Square and thought how nice it was to enjoy a sammich and people watch. I sat there with my date and the night was perfect. Not only was it the best sammich in town, but the lights of downtown was shining and the tempature was that autumn breeze for patio dining. I found our cover a few weeks earlier on one of my nights downtown. Seward Johnson sculpture “A Turn of the Century” looked very different at night. It was a romantic sight; the blue lights showed every curve in it’s glory. So if you have a chance to walk around downtown at night check ou the sights. Enjoy the lights and bustle of others enjoying their nights.

BOLD Pittsburgh Interested in advertising in BOLD Pittsburgh? We have Media Kits available. We would love to review your restaurant or plug your event! Contact us at BOLDPittsburgh.com We are always looking for contributors and artists to help out.

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BOLD Pittsburgh Contributors

Amanda Narcisi Chief Editor Layout Designer @alnarcisi

Renee Fisher Writer

Amanda Cooney Co-Editor Writer @spots87

Tim LaVoie Writer @LaVoiePGH

Jen Pizzuto Co-Editor Writer @snark_princess

Annie Fowler Co-Editor Writer

Steven Fernald Editor Support Food Master @stevenfernald

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Issue 6 Contents

5-Farmers Market 8-Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s So Pittsburgh 9-Milosh: Portrait of a Protean Artist

13-Albums of the Month 14-Club Cafe 16-Draai Laag Brewing Co. 19-Filet Mignon and Lobster 22-Golden Triangle Dessert 23-Yinzer Fashion

24-And Fitness 25-Ask Snarky 24

19 4

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Farmers

MARKET By: Amanda Cooney Its official - school is in session, the days are getting shorter, mornings are crisper - fall is upon us. Autumn is by far my favorite season and I am extremely excited about the upcoming seasonal events around the city. However, in Western Pennsylvania that also means winter is not far behind. One thing that I miss the most in winter is fresh fruits and vegetables, so recently I have started to visit farmers markets around the city, stocking up, and canning what I buy. On any day of the week you can find at least two or more farmers markets within the Greater Pittsburgh area; a handful of them are run by Citiparks, but some communities operate their own. A lot of these markets run through October and many vendors now accept credit and debit cards. I have found that the quality of fruits and vegetables at farmers markets are superior to those that are in grocery stores and the prices are more affordable. The first market I visited was in the parking lot at the corner of Carson and 18th streets in South Side. Vendors set up in the lot and sell not only fruits and vegetables, but there are also vendors that sell cheeses, flowers, and baked goods. After scoping out each vendor, I decided to enjoy a Nutella and banana crepe before I purchased some lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, and carrots. I did not can any items from this particular visit, but I did have a fresh, quality salad. I also took a trip down to Bridgeville to Trader Jack’s flea market. Not only do they have vendors selling antiques, collectibles, and any McDonald’s toy you could ever want, but farmers also go there to sell what they grow. I bought ingredients like chili and green peppers, tomatoes, and garlic to make and can

the best and freshest salsa that I have ever tasted (see recipe on the next page). I also picked up some eggplant that I used to make eggplant parmesan. The best part was everything I bought that day cost $11! Fall is also apple season; southwestern Pennsylvania has about a dozen apple orchards in Butler, Beaver, and Allegheny counties. One of my favorite things to make and can in the fall is apple butter (see recipe on the next page). Many local orchards offer several varieties of apples and a few will allow you to pick your own; the fresher the apples, the better the taste. Apple butter is really easy to make and is a great gift; I will make about 7 pints each time, but I end up with one half! Admittedly, I was nervous about canning; it seemed intimidating but after I read through the instructions that came with the water bath canner I felt more comfortable. I purchased a 9-piece canning kit on Amazon that includes the tools you need to preserve and pickle fruits and vegetables and bought some pint jars from Target. Canning is a fun and rewarding hobby that allows you enjoy fresh foods all year; it’s easy too, anyone can do it and there are plenty of resources online. In a few months when the temperature peaks at 10 degrees, there are several inches of snow on the ground, and there’s no green in sight, I can always open up my pantry door and grab some fresh pears or peaches and eat them with a bowl of vanilla ice cream. In addition, given the weather forecasted this winter, I think everyone will want to have a little bit of summer in their home. Why not do as the squirrels do and prepare for the coming months now while the acorns are around! BOLD Pittsburgh

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Preparing jars:

1. Clean jars, rims, and lids in hot soapy water. 2. Place jars, rims, and lids in water bath. Heat to 180 degrees. 3. Remove jars from bath, carefully, and fill with what you make. Place lids and rims on jars. 4. Place filled jars in water bath. Add additional water so that there is 1-2 inches of water above the top of the jars. 5. When water starts to boil, start timing based on recipe. 6. Remove from water and let sit for 12-24 hours. 7. Enjoy!

Farmer’s Market Fresh Salsa: Yields 3+ pints

10 tomatoes 8 chili peppers 2 green peppers 1/2 an onion 2 cloves of garlic 1/2 cup vinegar 2 tbsp lime juice Spices to taste: Parsley Cayenne pepper Basil Oregano

1. Prepare tomatoes - cut an “X” into the tomatoes. Place the tomatoes into boiling water; when the skin starts to split, remove from boiling water, place into ice water, and peel off skin. Remove hull and seeds from tomatoes. 2. Chop tomatoes, green and chili peppers, onion, and garlic. 3. Combine chopped vegetables in a sauce pan then add vinegar and lime juice. 4. Bring mixture to a boil and let simmer for 15 minutes. 5. Transfer to jars 6. Place filled jars in water for 20 minutes.

Apple Butter: Yields 5+ pints

1 (12fl oz) can frozen apple juice from concentrate ½ c apple cider 4lbs apples (McIntosh, Gala, Red Delicious) peeled, cored, and chopped ¾ dark brown sugar 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1. Combine apple juice, apple cider, and apples in a crock pot and set on high for an hour or until apples are easily mashable. 2. Stir in brown sugar and cinnamon. 3. Set crock pot on low for three hours, stirring occasionally. 4. Transfer to jars 5. Place filled jars in water bath for 15 minutes.

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s ’ t a h T SO

h g r u b s t Pit

Submitted by Anant Shergill

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Have you ever seen something and thought to yourself “that is SO Pittsburgh!” If so, share your story with us – parking chairs, knitted pierogies, that guy dahn the street who is a real jagoff – you name it! Send your photos and stories to BOLDPittsburgh@gmail.com. You could be featured in the next issue of BOLD Pittsburgh!

Portrait of a Protean Artist The beginning seconds of “Open” - the first song on Rhye’s debut album Woman - unfurl with an elegant resolve. Strings. Horns. Harp. Two alluring clarinet notes then usher cracks of finger snapping and the tender pulse of bass. Then the voice. That voice. Liturgical, but sensuous. Hushed, soft, yet commanding. “I’m a fool for the shake in your thighs. I’m a fool for that sound in your sigh. I’m a fool for your belly. I’m a fool for your love.” It belongs to Mike Milosh. As half of the steamy alternative-R&B/ neo-soul duo Rhye, Mike Milosh’s pacifying croon found the large audience that it long deserved. While the video for “Open” headed towards six million views on YouTube - “The Fall”, just behind at three million - Woman landed on countless “Best Records of 2013” lists. The humble Toronto native maintains that Rhye continues strictly as a sideproject. His four album deep solo catalogue, and growing non-music projects fortify that stance. Also released in 2013, Milosh’s most recent solo album, Jetlag, displays his considerable talents as

By: Tim LaVoie

an electronic producer and programer, in addition to his proven ability to evoke an emotional response outside of traditional song structures. Woman’s lush instrumentation established new artistic territory for Milosh. Not necessarily part of the grand plan for the record, Milosh admits the catalyst for the luxuriant arrangements as “. . . more practical than that. I made my first record in a tiny medieval town in Holland called Amersfoort. I had no money, so I saved up, brought all my own gear. My second was made between Montreal and Toronto. Same thing, very low budget - no advance or anything. For my third record I flew to Thailand and lived there on an island for a year. I did a record in Berlin that I threw away. No one ever heard it and I just deleted it. I started the Rhye record in Copenhagen with [Danish producer, and Rhye’s other member] Robin Hannibal, then I came to L.A. “There’s this thing in L.A. where there’s tons of really talented people. I found myself for the first time being able to say, ‘Hey, do you want to come over with your BOLD Pittsburgh

harp and play?’ And people are down - ‘Yeah, let’s do it! You’ll pay me to come to your place with my harp and play? Done. I’m there.’ The city has become very industrious when it comes to music. So when we have the idea, ‘hey let’s put a clarinet in.’ Call a clarinetist. There’s an endless supply of musicians here who can’t wait to work, and they have fun doing it.” Rhye released Woman under a cloud of deliberate anonymity. No band pictures that showed faces. No hints at which musicians were involved. Even following Woman’s release, they performed on nearly pitch black stages. Milosh holds they designed the secretive nature of the Rhye project to encourage people to experience the songs on their own; making personal experiences with them. Asked if Woman’s runaway success showed that this strategy worked, or rather, if the record’s popularity caused his artistic vision to “get away from him,” Milosh answered with his ingrained positivity. “When I look at it through that lense, I was artistically successful with the Rhye project. I get on stage and people still don’t know who I am. I often walk around the crowd before we play and I never have anyone recognize me. Then I’ll go onstage and they still don’t know who I am because I dimly light all my performances so people don’t get to take very good pictures of me. People don’t identify with me as a person when they listen to the Rhye record. People write

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to me all the time and they don’t know what I look like. But they way they express their experience - you can tell it’s their own ‘thing’ that they’ve had with it.” Milsoh does not complain that Rhye was supposed to be something else, something more private, more exclusive. “That would make me really controlling. I’m not controlling like that. I just put stuff out there and let people have their experiences with it. I like to think I’m very patient and I listen to the currents in my life. If something feels like the right thing to do, I follow it. The Rhye record did well on an international level too, so I ended up doing 78 shows last year, and we’re doing nine more this fall. Obviously, I wasn’t expecting on playing that many shows, but because there was interest - yah, I’ll play it. As long as there’s the interest, and I can make it work, then I try to do it.” Milosh returned to the crisp, layered electronic production on Jetlag he experimented with on his previous solo work. Though bleaker in this industrial setting, Milosh’s incandescent vocals weave in and out of programed beats and glitches with the same crystalline jocularity heard on Woman. Though hesitant to label himself an “electronic musician,” Milosh finds inspiration and entertainment from modulating his voice and other sounds. “I love tweaking with things. In the moment I just decide to do it. You get to create sounds that are uniquely yours.”

On Jetlag stand-out “Skipping”, he transforms his voice to near robotics. “People tell me I’m a singer. I don’t believe it. People tell me I’m an electronic producer. I don’t believe it. I just like making music. I just happen to sing and happen to love wave synthesis. I don’t have labels, business people, or A&R people telling me what to do. Jetlag is unhinged, and that came from my interest in letting your conscience flow and letting your intuition guide you in the creation of a song. The Rhye record is very formulaic, because I wanted to experiment with a pop structure. Jetlag is something different. It’s for someone with a different mentality - it’s for someone who’s more interested in letting themselves flow with a stream of conscience that was apparent to me in the creation of it. “Artists need to acknowledge the broadening of the public’s artistic pallet to survive and stay relevant.” Milosh continued, “I think it’s an interesting evolution in our culture where people identify with the music they liked, and it helped create this personality/archetype which is kind of created by the industry. But, we’re becoming smarter. People being more critical are some of the negatives of it. We’re becoming very demanding as listeners and we want something that’s stimulating. You definitely now have a split from this archetypal way of looking at music, to people taking pride in being connoisseurs now. Let it be food, wine, music, film. There’s something to be said about this dialogue in our culture.” Beyond music, Milosh looks at photography as another means to explore his artistry. “I really feel the need to express myself in different ways, and you can’t always be making music because sometimes you need to sit back to gain some objectivity. But I still want to make something, so I turn to photography. But it seems to come from a similar place in my mind as the music.” Actress Alexa Nikolas, Milosh’s wife, in addition to earning a production credit on Jetlag, is the sole subject of his photographs. [Available at www. miloshphotography.tumblr.com] “It just came naturally. That’s who I want to shoot. I’m not interested in trying to make money with photography. I’m not networking. I’m not giving out my card. I don’t need to set anything up. I don’t need to have business meetings about it - I just do it and put it online if I want to. It’s become sacred to me in a lot of ways because it’s not mixed with the bullshit of the music industry. I’ve had a lot of frustration with labels, and I don’t want that ever to be what I have with photography.”

Asked if he ever feels an invasion of privacy or awkwardness discussing pictures of his wife with strangers and fans, Milosh displayed more of the artistic maturity evinced in his music. “I don’t think it’s weird, I think the idea of sharing things in your life that are beautiful and intimate is a great example of how sharing is really powerful. You can create this positive reaction in someone just by sharing something that is true intimacy - not sexualizations, but something as simple as a smile. That’s why I share art in general.” Regarding art broadly, Milosh defiantly rejects author Henry Miller’s “The artist is always alone” credo. “That idea is completely false. I think some people who are artists that rely on something like that create their own destruction, or create turmoil in their own lives to derive inspiration from that destruction. That’s out of lack of ability to find inspiration in the most beautiful simple moments. “I was doing a lot of [visual] art as a young person. I was into this very surrealist, stream of consciousness kind of artwork where I would do very elaborate watercolors that were all connected, and subconscious in a lot of the imagery. I’d dedicate 50 hours straight just painting and forget to eat. Now I get that way with music. My friend’s mom who was a painter said, ‘You better be careful, you seem to thrive on sadness for your inspiration. You’re setting yourself up for a very sad life.’ I thought - ‘I’m not a very sad guy at all though.’ I’m interested in sharing moments of my life that have been beautiful, joyous, or expressions of love. I wrap those things into songs and put them out because there’s a deficit of beautiful, loving artwork out there. That deficit is a result of people feeling that you need loneliness to create art - some heartbreak, or destruction. I think, ‘Where’s the other, beautiful side?’ I’m interested in that.” Milosh spoke of art scenes across the world, and noted the opportunity mid-sized cities like Pittsburgh have. “I find that smaller cities have better art scenes. I don’t think bigger cities have great art scenes - they have corporate art scenes. I don’t think there’s an amazing art scene in New York. It’s just so expensive to live there. I don’t know how any artist could justify paying rent in New York. For a small city to harbor and nurture an art scene it has to stay affordable. Artists can’t buy places, they need to rent, but they also need to have space. For smaller cities it’s about preserving what they have. My advice would be to allow and honor spaces that are there BOLD Pittsburgh 11

for people to make art, and be able to showcase it.” To readers whose introduction to Milosh is through this piece, he wants them to know that he is “. . . really interested in the beautiful moments of life as opposed to the negative. I’d like them to understand that I’m interested in, not a religious, but a spiritual element to art. But I like to hide it so nothing’s ever pushed with a heavy hand. Everything I do is very subtle. Everything is about how sacred and how important life is.” Mike Milosh has a diverse and wide-ranging palette of projects in front of him. “I’m working on an EP right now. It’s going to be a ‘Milosh’ EP. I did a song with this guy Nosaj Thing, who’s an amazing producer. It’s basically done, we just have to mix and master it. I’m doing a 4-dimensional sound experience where there’s going to be 40 to 50 speakers set up, and it’s six hours long. It’ll be a recording that you just sit and listen to. This one’s going to be in the desert, then in a forest. We might then bring it to Berlin.” Thankfully, Milosh hinted the end of Rhye is not yet upon us, revealing, “I think I’m going to release some secret material that I’m only going to sell at Rhye shows. I think I might just release some vinyl that won’t even be printed. There’ll be no name on it, no artwork, just some songs on there. We’ll see how people respond to it, see if people figure 12 BOLD Pittsburgh

out that it’s my voice and stuff like that. It’ll be in line with the Rhye sound, but I might put them in record stores not labeled. They might just ‘be’ there.” While unpredictability connects Milosh’s future projects, his yearning to add to the artistic landscape by highlighting beauty and elevating the intrinsic value of life is consistent, unimpeachable, and demands attention. “I live a very joyous, happy, fun life. It sounds cheesy, but it’s beautiful. My life is better than I could have ever imagined it being, and that’s an inspiration for me. I spend 24 hours a day with my wife. I’m lucky.”

Are you in a band or have an album for us to review? Contact us at BoldPittsburgh@gmail. com.

Albums of the Month Pallbearer

Foundations of Burden; Profound Lore Records

By: Tim LaVoie

vocals, and JJ’s trademark American hip-hop references. Though no fault of their own, JJ’s sound isn’t as unique as it was in 2009 when they entered the pop consciousness with jj n° 2. But there’s still plenty to enjoy on V, aided by the great music video for “All White Everything.” Stand out tracks: “All Ways, Always”, “All White Everything”. Grade: B

Shabazz Palaces Lese Majesty; Sub Pop

Arkansas doom metalers Pallbearer follow up 2012’s excellent LP Sorrow and Extinction, with a record so profoundly good, so artfully nuanced, its genre-defining and genre-defying characteristics are cemented before the second track even begins. Pallbearer elevates its already adroit take on early Black Sabbath riffs and in-his-prime Ozzy vocal style with an arresting display of melody and a lion-tamer’s command of slow, plodding tempos. A mammoth recording with Album of the Year potential, Foundations of Burden is an exhausting, yet inspiring display of the force art can wield. Stand out tracks: The future is now for the Seattle experimental, in“The Ghost I Used to Be”, “Vanished”. Grade: A+ tellectual hip-hop duo dubbed the “future of rap” since they stunned with their acclaimed 2011 debut Black Up. Loaded with outer space effects and JJ - V disorienting vibrations, Lese Majesty is even more Secretly Canadian/Sincerely Yours left-field and trippy than Black Up. It takes a willing and patient listener to go along with the truly bizarre aesthetics, but the payoff remains potent. Shabazz Palaces will never be for everyone, but their value is in possessing the ability to prove that limitless creativity is possible while technically remaining within the oftentimes suffocating confines of “hip-hop.” Finally a rap album for those who prefer listening to new music wearing a beret and sipping espresso. Standout tracks: “#CAKE”, “. . . down 155th in the MCM Snorkel”. Grade: A-

The Swedish indie/electro-pop duo JJ return with their third full-length album and a new sense of maturity found by instituting more structured songwriting. Avoiding the pitfalls of the disappointing sophomore effort, jj n° 3, V showcases a rich panorama of danceable beats, dreamy female

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On a day off of work my buddy and I were out playing golf and Bullshitting about what guys bullshit about. Music, cigars, work, and, of course, how bad we are playing or reminiscing about that perfect shot that happened 2 holes ago. Well, throughout the round, the topic came back to music and that a guy we both know was playing at Club Café on the south side that evening. Eric Sommer was set to play some good blues/ Folk/Funk on a solo performance and tonight was a great night to see him. Since I haven’t been to Club Café in at least 8 years I wasn’t sure what to expect about the venue. It was small and intimate with some booths, tables, and a bar that holds twenty people. There is plenty of standing room as well. We were there early enough to take up a few low cocktail tables with a nice view of Eric playing on stage. I really wasn’t sure what to expect for a beverage selection that I could enjoy while watching some nice chill music on the south side with my friends. I have to tell you that I was quite impressed with the choices. At first, I decided on a few beers during the show, and that went out the window when I asked the bartender to see the cocktail list. As I looked it over one drink popped out and said, “Please or14 BOLD Pittsburgh

By: Steven Fernald der me and enjoy!” and so I did. I ordered the house Manhattan: Bullet Bourbon, sweet vermouth, bitters, and luxardo cherries. Let me tell you that I was quite a happy guy and still had full intentions on having just one of the Manhattan’s and then switching to one of the several craft beers that were on tap. The list was nice with several selections that could make the pickiest of beer drinkers happy with drafts such as Bell’s Two Hearted, Blue Moon, East End Big Hop, Great Lakes Seasonal, Sam Adams Seasonal, Southern Tier 2X, Guinness, and Yuengling. If 15 craft drafts didn’t do it for you, the bottle selection has more of your run of the mill selections such as Miller Light, Iron, and Straub with imports of Amstel Light, Heineken and others available. However, in the end the tasty Manhattans were going down nicely that evening. There was no chugging or quick drinking involved, I mean, really, we are here for some good music to enjoy and just sip by. Now lets get back to the cocktail list for a bit. I love bourbon and yea, pretty much 90% of the whiskey out there either solo in a glass or in a nice refreshing cocktail. The cocktail list was geared towards women in my mind. Now my mind isn’t always right, but I’m pretty sure

that a guy isn’t going to be ordering a Lychee Martini with Absoult Rubyred, St Germaine, Grapefruit, and Lychee fruit or a Aperol Spritz including of course Aperol, sparkling wine with soda and a orange. Most of the cocktails that were on the menu were what I would call “chick drinks”, which is good, cause we all know that if our ladies like the cocktails, they will join you for a band. Even if you want to see the band and the lady doesn’t care much for them, they really won’t care because there are drinks to keep them happy, calm and they are out spending a evening with you; happy to see a smile on your face enjoying the fruits of your labor. Also gentlemen, while at Club Café with your lady for a show that she wants to see that you have no or little interest in; there a some beverages that will hit the spot for you. Just remember, a lady doesn’t like a mess to clean up either with your friends and especially with hers. Now, here is a novel idea: Club Café also has a wine list by the glass and also by the bottle. The glass list is just your basic veritals but some know labels nothing fancy here. The bottle list has a few notables included on it for around $60.00 for Elk Cove Pinot Noir from Willamette

Oregon. There are about 10 selections of red and 5 whites by the bottle including the Pittsburgh Winery Malbec (which my girlfriend and I have both had), which is extremely nice and smooth with great fruit, moderate tannins, and just overall tasty located right here in the Strip District. The good thing about wine is that both of you can enjoy and just relax and enjoy the show of whatever band you are listing to. This is an intimate venue, of course, and the music does dictate the drinks that you will consume. I do have to say that I was impressed with the Club Café as a whole for the overall experience and the offerings that it has nestled in the historic South Side of our great city that I’m sure most of us don’t take time to enjoy or appreciate for that matter. Club Café is booked by Opus One entertainment and upcoming shows can be found on their website. Just remember, some of the best ideas start with a day off on the golf course. Have a Bar we can come and check out? Contact us at BoldPittsburgh@gmail.com.

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Draai Laag Brewing Co. Millvale, PA I like to think that upon the unveiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, as mouths gaped open in spiritual and emotional awe, that there was one guy who thought to himself, If I see another painting of a freaking cherub in this town, I’m going to go ape shit. Beer is good, and I have found that I’ve loved every brewery in Pittsburgh, so I went into Draai Laag Brewing Co. expecting more of the same. More of the same would be just fine as I have found that breweries in Pittsburgh are generally incredible establishments with incredible beer and even better people. It would be a good evening with good beer, I was happy. Everything looked as it should inside if not slightly more comfortable. There were a few tables with chess sets or backgammon placed on them, the logo displayed proudly on the wall, taps, a menu, and the familiar hum of genuinely content people sipping beer and carrying light conversation. I took a seat at a bar stool and realized that with the unusually high alcohol content listed in the beers, I would have to choose wisely. Two, I worked out, I can have two without running the risk of getting sloppy at all. I had my boyfriend, John, with me so collectively, we could try four. I was suddenly overcome with anxiety as I read the seducing descriptions of the beers which were written in a packet in such a way that the beers

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By: Annie Fowler

and their descriptions flowed like a story, how could I pick just two? “I want all of them,” I said to no one in particular. The man beside me tapped his glass with his index finger confidently and advised I order the one that he was having. “It’s really good.” Sold. I tried the Goedenacht first. John had the Ragnarök. I began to realize a few sips into my Goedenacht that this beer was different. This was not just a good beer, this was a masterpiece. I sat down expecting to have a damn good beer and what I got was beer that was profoundly exceptional. The aroma was very tropical with hints of pineapple, mango, apple and even grapes and the taste was a complex and whimsical blend reminiscent of cider but with a distinct and very welcome wild beer taste. The Ragnarök was also remarkable: A deep and sophisticated aroma of peat smoke pulls you in romantically. I tasted currants and tart, fresh raspberries first as the beer seemed to gain complexity on my palate and finish slightly bitter and delightfully dry. For the next round, Jaclyn Hock (co-owner) suggested Red Briar for me and Cru for John. The Cru was excellent and tasted hoppy, citrusy, and had great inflections of spice and malt that seemed to melt together in a unique, creamy, and slightly bitter way. Cru was fermented using ‘Wild Angels’, a

strain the brewery has extracted themselves that is indigenous to Millvale. Let me repeat that because it seems like you’re not getting the gravity of the situation. This is a strain that the brewery has named, personally extracted, and comes from Millvale. In case you were wondering, that’s a pretty big deal. I tried the Red Briar which was a stunning berry color and smelled good enough to wear. The taste of fresh raspberries was definitely the big flavor here. It felt almost wine-like while still holding on to that relaxed beer attitude. It was a complex, fresh, and layered take on the lesser raspberry Lambics that I have had in the past. This was the absolute best beer I have had in my life. It was the kind of moment that I will remember. The layers came together feeling vaguely poetic. It was deliberate in flavor but I had the feeling that, like most art, it will somehow be a different experience for everyone. The story behind the brewery itself is almost as good as the beer that it brews. I spoke with Dennis Hock, founder of the brewery, and a man who is alarmingly down to earth for the amount of know-how, creativity, and talent that goes into his beers. Dennis is a combat veteran who was based in Europe and drew a lot of inspiration from local pubs and breweries while he was there. “If you actually stop and listen”, he said of village pubs, “you can learn a lot.” Dennis ultimately decided that he wanted to bring this village pub feel back home to Millvale. He felt that there was (and still is) a lack in market for beers that use quality ingredients to actually integrate flavors in beer from different parts of the world. “Brewers and artists are one in the same, my canvas is a glass… No one makes beer like we do.” Dennis is right, the beer at Draai Laag is a layered and unexpected experience and it is obviously meticulously developed and artfully prepared. Draai Laag strives to be differ-

ent and to give the customer something that he/she is not used to. It is also a goal of the brewery to deliver an exceptionally high quality product that won’t set you back. A nice-sized tulip glass of beer won’t cost you much over five dollars. Want a 22 to take home? The most expensive one on the menu is nine dollars. Now, I’ve paid more than I care to admit for a beer that was not even half as good as the ones I tasted at Draai Laag, I came to find that Draai Laag isn’t about racking up profits (though I would have paid triple for any of the beers I had that night). I asked how this is possible, why keep the price so low? Why not have your proverbial beer-hands in every promotional thing you can? Dennis laughed politely and responded simply, “I’ve done my job if you can say, wow, that’s a good beer, and it’s a memorable experience.” Draai Laag truly delivers a very high quality product for a price that is, actually, affordable. “I’m not a businessman,” Dennis admits, “I’m more of a scientist/ artist.” Draai Laag also keeps the advertising to a general minimum as it is important to Draai Laag to maintain the village pub feel that it was created upon. “We want the beer to speak for itself.” This brewery runs on the assumption that the beer will be its own ambassador and bring people in through word of mouth. Oh yeah, and it is working. Draai Laag doesn’t do tours of the brewery because they feel as though it would be underwhelming and some things they use are from other industries anyway. Everything, however, was engineered and built by hand. “Be wary of a brewery that wants to show you their equipment before you taste their product.” Generally good advice. The process of brewing the beer at Draai Laag is incredibly scientific and creative. The flavors, fermentation, and general composition of each beer is tailored to a very high standard of complexity. “Everything is supporting something else,” Dennis comments, and it is eviBOLD Pittsburgh 17

dent when you taste the beer. The fruit beer alone would be good, but when you pair it with that peat smoke, something else happens. Something good. A quick lesson in yeast for you beer lovers: The bi-products of yeast are biologically different. The recipes at Draai Laag play with that reality and alter the bi-products for the desired flavors. Yeast changes flavor based on the environment, which is one of the ways that the brewers at Draai Laag create the multi-faceted beers that have layers upon layers of complexity. Each brew is special and fairly exclusive. “We only make so much. When it’s gone, it’s gone.” Draai Laag has a distributor in Philadelphia, which has the largest Belgian beer market in the United States. Shangy’s, to be exact, which is known in the beer community as one of the authorities on beer. Shangy’s buys the beer before it is even made because when you know something is going to be perfect, why not? You can also find Draai Laag at Sharp Edge and House of 1000 Beers. Draai Laag means turn coat in Dutch and speaks to the fact that this brewery does things their way. “If you want an IPA, I can tell you three places in a five mile radius who can do that for you.” They’re not trying to do what’s been done already. It’s even tough to peg a style on the beers at this brewery as, really, they are all hybrids. It is important, while you visit, to notice the label art of the beers. Bob (the dude) Cornell does the labeling for the beers. It is a process in which Dennis and Bob talk about the beer and Bob takes it and runs with it. Every label has a story just like every beer in the brewery. There is nothing in this brewery that is not deliberate. Do yourself a favor and notice it all. Dennis Hock, as mentioned, is the founder of Draai Laag. Jaclyn Hock (Dennis’ wife) and Maureen Girty-Risk are the co-owners. The head brewer is Tony Zamperini and the assistant brewer is Nate Hoylman (bravo, boys, bravo). The taproom is located at 501 East Ohio Street in Millvale and is called Saints and Turncoats Public House. If you love beer like you say you do, take that relationship to the next level and visit, taste, enjoy. www.draailaag.com (412) 821-1762 @draailaag 18 BOLD Pittsburgh

Advertise With US! Contact us at BOLDPittsburgh@ gmail.com for a media kit and great opportunities to grow your business!

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Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon with Lobster Tail

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(2) 7 oz Filet Mignon (2) Strips of thick cut bacon (2) lobster tails Macinini’s garlic bread (25) Shrimp (1/2) box of penne pasta salt pepper butter sticks 6 whole cloves fresh garlic basil 2 tbsp olive oil 4 oz white wine

To prepare the Filet Mignon:

Turn oven to broiler setting rack should be two notches from top Wrap one piece of thick cut bacon around each filet and secure with toothpicks Coat both sides in salt and pepper to taste. Place on middle rack and place under broiler for seven minutes per side to make slightly less medium rare

To prepare lobster tails:

Place the lobster tails on the cutting board. With a chef’s knife start at the meat end and cut half way through in order to break the shell and cut the meat With your fingers, massage the meat from the shell from the meat end to the tail. Squeeze shell back together and fluff the meat on top of the shell and remove the vein Season with salt and pepper to taste Place one pat of butter on each lobster tail Place under broiler two racks below coils Broil for 5-7 minutes or until meat is opaque Finish with a squeeze of lemon after removing from oven

To prepare shrimp pasta:

Bring 4 quarts of water to boil with 10 turns of a grinder of sea salt to season water When water comes to a boil, follow instructions for pasta of choice 9-10 minutes for al dente penne Peel and devein and tail off of the shrimp In a skillet combine minced garlic, dried basil, and 20 BOLD Pittsburgh

olive oil Add shrimp into skillet after sautéing and add a stick of butter cut into pats Once butter is melted, add 4 oz of white wine Stir and reduce heat and turn shrimp every three minutes for 6-7 minutes Stand sauce on low heat until pasta is done stir sporadically Strain pasta in colander then return to pot Pour sauce and shrimp over pasta Add parmesan and romano stir Follow instructions on package for garlic bread. I recommend Mancini’s Garlic Bread found in the Strip District.

Cocktail of the Month Keep the summer alive with a Sparkling Watermelon Sangria from Taste Publications: 1/2 cup club soda or sparkling water 1/3 cup citrus vodka 1/3 cup blueberry vodka 1/3 cup triple sec Âź cup simple syrup Âź watermelon, cut into one inch cubes 1 cup blueberries 2 (750 ml) bottles sparkling wine (preferably a dry cava)

Combine ingredients (except the sparkling wine) in a pitcher and refrigerate for two to three hours. Divide the mixture in two. Add the sparkling wine to each batch when ready to serve. Serve over ice.

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Golden Triangle Dessert By: Amanda Narcisi

When you head out on the town and need a great sweet fix there are ample places downtown to grab a great dessert paired with a great beverage. One of the best desserts in the city lays right in the Golden Triangle. Eddie Merlots houses not only the best steaks, but has some of the most interesting desserts out there: S’mores. The campfire treat gets an upgrade; inside of a graham cracker pie shaped crust is molten chocolate covered in a marshmallow toasted on top. Bought by the glass or a whole bottle to share, this dessert pairs well with any of their red wines. On this evening I had the Shatter Grenache, Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes, Roussillon, France, 2010; it was rich and oaky with full jelly notes. They also have classic cocktails and martinis like manhattans and cosmopolitans. If you are more in the mood for a dessert with a show, I recommend the Vanilla Cognac Brownie. Hot fudge, berries and a flamed vanilla Cognac make this dish rich and outstanding. If you travel a bit a bit up Penn Ave, you will find Butcher and the Rye; a great quiet set22 BOLD Pittsburgh

ting to enjoy a cocktail. I recommend the Lions Tail or a Butcher Club, which is made with Pittsburgh’s own Wigle Whiskey. Ten Penny, a new comfort food restaurant offers Peanut Butter Cup that has three types of chocolate with a choice of Jack Daniels Chocolate Ice Cream or Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and with a PDA 9 with its Kahlua, Baileys, buttershots, and coffee it makes for a perfect ending to their already comforting high class food. Dessert can be the best part of the meal or the perfect beginning to the rest of the night: make it count!

Yinzer Fashion

Football season is under way, which means cheering on the Steelers from Heinz Field, your favorite bar, or the comfort of your couch. Whatever your venue of choice, black and gold attire is a must from head to toe... to fingers. Wearing your Hines Ward jersey for the hundredth time is okay, but if you really want to show your support for the Steelers and impress your friends, Steeler themed finger nails are the way to go. Getting acrylics at the salon is an expensive option, but the better choice is getting crafty and doing nail art at home. Follow these steps for fun, easy nails for football Sunday. You will need: Black nail polish White nail polish Gold nail polish Red, blue, and yellow nail art pens or regular nail polish and toothpicks Painters tape (optional) Nail polish remover for any mistakes

I started by painting my ring finger nails with two

coats of white and the rest of my nails with two coats of black. After they dried, I created the Steelers logo on my ring finger nails. Nail art pens would work well for this, but I just dipped a toothpick in my red, blue, and yellow nail polish to draw the diamonds of the logo. I finished it with a black line where the actual logo would say “Steelers.” Kudos if you have the skill to actually spell it out on your nail. Next, I finished off my other nails in French manicure style by painting a half moon of metallic gold nail polish on their tips. I free handed it, but if you have an unsteady grasp, try marking your nails off with painters tape first. You might not need this last step, but if you’re anything like me, you’ll want to dip a cotton ball or paper towel in nail polish remover to clean up the edges where polish might have strayed onto your skin. And voila! In less than 15 minutes, your nails can be ready for the big game.

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and Fitness The Pittsburgh Bridge Challenge

Walking is one of the simplest and easiest forms of exercise there is, and its health benefits are numerous. There’s no need to be in tip-top shape before heading out for a brisk stroll, and yet walking for just 30 minutes burns over 100 calories, reduces stress, increases cardiovascular health, and tones your muscles. This month, strut your stuff not just around your neighborhood or on the treadmill, but across Pittsburgh’s many bridges where you can get the benefits of a workout and see some of the most beautiful views that early fall in Pittsburgh has to offer. Pittsburgh’s three rivers, in addition to valleys and creeks, mean a whole lot of bridges are necessary for connecting the city together. Pittsburgh has almost 450 bridges, which many studies say is the most of any city in the world. Not all of those bridges allow for safe foot traffic, but many provide pedestrian walkways for Pittsburghers who want to take their hike up in the air. How many bridges have you walked across? We’ve been back and forth on quite a few, and seeing the leaves change color by the river might be the greatest site in the world. This month, we’re challenging you to walk across as many bridges as you can; as a starting off point, start with these bridges that all have welcoming sidewalks for walkers: The Smithfield Street Bridge

The Smithfield Street Bridge, built in the early 19th century, is the second oldest steel bridge in 24 BOLD Pittsburgh

the United States. It crosses over the Monongahela River, connecting Smithfield Street in downtown to Station Square. It’s almost 1200 feet long and has two walkways. The Roberto Clemente Bridge

Also known as the Sixth Street Bridge, this bridge is one of the “Three Sisters” that cross the Allegheny River near PNC Park and Heinz Field. You can get great views of the stadiums going across either of its two walkways, which are 885 feet long. The West End Bridge

Crossing over the Ohio River, the West End Bridge offers a breathtaking view of the city when you look upstream and a beautiful look at the rivers meeting downstream. At nearly 2000 feet long, the West End Bridge will definitely get your heart rate up when you walk across the whole thing. The Hot Metal Bridge

The Hot Metal Bridge crosses the Monongahela River and puts you right into the center of Southside’s shopping district. At 1174 feet long, the bridge offers a wide walkway for both pedestrians and cyclists. It offers astounding views of the river and downtown, plus you can reward yourself for your walk with a pint at one of Southside’s many bars (and who can complain about that)? Send us photos of you and your friends taking on the Pittsburgh bridge challenge to boldpittsburgh@ gmail.com, and we’ll post the best ones on our Facebook page!

Dear Snarky, of us only read a few of the chapters.” Experience life from outside the country. Cross an ocean and get spiritual on a beach. If travel isn’t your jam, have an adventure here in the ‘Burgh. A Strip District day is your complete groove kit: there’s chocolate, cheese, coffee, amazing happy hours and tons of shopping. I have to believe that almost everyone has There are probably some churches nearby, as well felt the rage inducing, hope crushing frustration of (or a few desperate Steeler fans): eat, pray and love really bad dates, or starting a relationship, only to all day. watch it fall apart. Then repeat the cycle over and over again. They’re different circumstances with dif- 3. Get by with a little help from your friends. It’s ferent people, but the results are always the same: crucial to have friends who listen and who will hate disgust, mistrust and confusion about why I seem to your ex, just because you say that he/she sucks. Remember when you held your friend’s hair in the be stuck in the same patterns. Southside on St. Patty’s Day? Ask her to return the And that’s where I’d found myself this sum- favor. Get your friends to watch a stupid movie with mer. I was at the bottom of the relationship rabbit you, or watch a game and eat really bad food. Get hole; I’d chased my white rabbit, only to end up all dolled up in clubbing attire and OWN that place. bruised and bloody (and probably scarred). I was Dance your face off and embrace your fantastic self. Everyone loves a good comeback story. After a string of painful dating experiences, I’d wanted to flaunt all of my dazzling resiliency in a triumphant manifesto. The problem, however, is that I’m not so dazzling at present and I’m feeling kind of defeated.

petulantly demanding that the Universe provide an explanation for my incessant failures. In such a precarious state, I did what any jaded, angry woman would do. I made two gallons of Margaritas and watched a chick flick. And THAT’S when it hit me--I needed to “get my groove back.”

4. Create a bucket list...and actually DO IT. Real talk: climbing Mt. Everest might be a cool bucket list addition, but it’s not feasible. I could put it on mine, but we all know that Snarky isn’t dragging her princessy pink self to an icy deathtrap. Be real about it: get peanut butter and jelly ice cream (seriously, do Between laughing and crying about how Stel- that--it’s life changing); go to Kennywood’s Fright la revived her game, I realized that I needed to end Nights; volunteer for a worthy cause; read a stupidly some of my faulty thought patterns, behaviors and long novel; try a new recipe; watch that movie that blah blah blah...long story short, I made a snarktas- you’ve always wanted to see. I’ve gotten you started. Fly little bird. tic list of ways to get one’s groove back: 1. Enjoy singlehood. Being single can be the best gift that you ever give to yourself. Going solo means that you can take care of YOU and learn more about the awesome person you are without annoying distraction. Love yourself first, and then find someone who can love you almost as much. Being single also means that you can date whomever you’d like and not feel guilty about a damn thing. 2. Do the “Eat, Pray, Love” Thing. Travel, drink, eat, meet and experience new people. As a friend of mine is fond of saying, “if the world is a book, most

5. Be kind to yourself. I’m assuming that you have a soul and, therefore, you treat others fairly well. You deserve to give yourself the same level of kindness and consideration that you’d give to everyone else. Have more compassion and patience when you’re dealing with your own emotions. You’re worth it. And when you respect yourself, others will follow suit. Go and claim your groove. E-mail BOLD and let me know how it works out. P.S. A hot little outfit never hurt anyone, either.

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Thanks for the great season!