January 31, 2024 - Pittsburgh City Paper

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PITTSBURGH’S EARLY INVESTMENT IN TECH PAID DIVIDENDS, BUT THE CYBERSECURITY FIELD IS STILL DESPERATE FOR LOCAL WORKERS.

BY JAMES PAUL // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

IN THIS WEEK’S ISSUE: TECH 04 Cybersecurity has been central

to Pittsburgh’s meds, eds, and tech redemption arc

FOOD + DRINK 12 Pittsburgh’s hottest hot toddies will

keep you warm and toasted

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What the groundhog means to Pennsylvania

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024

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TECH

THE BIRTHPLACE OF CYBERSECURITY PITTSBURGH’S EARLY INVESTMENT IN TECH PAID DIVIDENDS, BUT THE CYBERSECURITY FIELD IS STILL DESPERATE FOR LOCAL WORKERS.

BY JAMES PAUL // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

T

he Kremlin had begun to withdraw Soviet troops from Afghanistan, the International Olympic Committee was officiating table tennis as a sport at the Seoul Games, and Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” still topped the charts weekly. The year was 1988, and the first major computer virus was ravaging systems across a network of only 60,000 to 80,000 connected machines.

Robert Morris, a graduate student at Cornell University, had just unleashed the Morris Worm upon the internet, routing it through an MIT IP address to hide his identity. As the rudimentary bug spread across the country, it crashed between 10% and 20% of the computers hooked up to the internet and caused thousands of dollars in damages, exposing the safety flaws embedded in the bull-rush digitization of the ‘80s.

Across the country in Pittsburgh, Richard Pethia got a phone call from the Department of Defense two weeks later.

Pethia sat at the helm of Carnegie Mellon University’s recently fledged Software Engineering Institute, which the Department of Defense had established just four years prior to investigate the quality of the software the agency was buying.

The problems the Morris Worm highlighted required new solutions, so Pethia founded the world’s first computer emergency response team to respond to similar crises in the future. This episode started the field of cybersecurity: what students and professionals call a cat-and-mouse game of attack and defense.

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TRADING STEEL FOR SILICON

PHOTO: COURTESY OF CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSTIY

Matthew Butkovic, the technical director of the Cyber Risk and Resilience Directorate in the Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERT) Division

“We were the nation’s frontline of incident triage and response,” says Matthew Butkovic, the technical director of the Cyber Risk and Resilience Directorate in the Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERT) Division. “We have a legitimate claim that, at least in the network [or] internet security way of looking at it, we are the legitimate birthplace of cybersecurity.”

Professionals and researchers in cybersecurity space say Pittsburgh’s entrenchment within the field helped pull the city out of economic doom and marked the start of the local tech sector’s decades-long climb. But with large companies in other cities vacuuming up graduates from top area programs, some in the industry say they can’t find the

by attaching to 5.25-inch floppy disks.

The impact of the CERT Division wasn’t strictly global. Butkovic muses that the program’s establishment in Pittsburgh gave a lifeline to a city drained of blood.

The post-WWII decline of Pittsburghbased U.S. Steel, once the largest company in the United States, steepened in the 1970s when mills began closing. Pittsburgh’s unemployment rate peaked in the early 1980s at around 17%, marking a city in peril.

Butkovic employs Pittsburgh’s common recovery catchphrase “meds and eds” to describe the conscious decision of city leaders in the ‘80s and ‘90s to bolster the University of Pittsburgh and CMU and invest in healthcare giant UPMC as a means to

“THE CYBERSECURITY WORLD IS JUST BEGGING, BEGGING FOR MORE PEOPLE TO GET EDUCATED AND BE ABLE TO FIGHT AGAINST THE BAD GUYS.”

PHOTO: COURTESY OF RICHARD PETHIA

Left Clinton. Right Richard Pethia, the founder and former director of the Cert Division at Carnegie Mellon University

talent they need to meet the demand.

Since Pethia established the CERT Division, it expanded its focus to include software development and research into cybersecurity defense and has served as a model for hundreds of similar departments globally.

Butkovic noted that the birth of cybersecurity trailed the birth of the internet by mere years — as long as it took for its security flaws to be made apparent. Before the Morris Worm, a 15-year-old high school student in South Hills created one of the first known computer viruses, Elk Cloner, which would infect Apple computer systems

move away from the steel industry.

The rising prominence of CMU as a top school for computer science in the country dovetails with the founding of the CERT Division. Coupled with the spate of local tech startups founded in the following years that continues through today, Butkovic says a more appropriate description of the city’s recovery is “meds, eds, and tech.”

“These things were viewed as the future, and it turns out they were right that meds, eds, and tech really are the lifeblood of much of our economy now right here in Western Pennsylvania,” Butkovic says.

THE BIRTHPLACE OF CYBERSECURITY, CONTINUES ON PG. 6

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024

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THE BIRTHPLACE OF CYBERSECURITY,, CONTINUED FROM PG. 5

GROWING INDUSTRY, GROWING NEED John Kostuch’s interest in computer systems blossomed as a teenager when he was walking through the now-shuttered Century III Mall in West Mifflin and watching people game on newly-minted Atari 400s.

Still in the midst of the over two-decade career as a cybersecurity engineer that followed, Kostuch agrees with Butkovic that tech helped pull Pittsburgh out of ruin.

Kostuch says that initial investment into CMU gave Pittsburgh the technological foundation for further local development of the computer-science talent pool and ultimately attracted branches of tech giants Apple, Microsoft, and Google.

“Are there smart, intelligent people here in the tech space? Absolutely,” Kostuch says.

“Some of those people are some really, really smart people. And I know of a couple of companies that have come out of this area because [those] people were here.”

FORGING THE FUTURE sciences, and environmental technology.

However, with a 521,827-person-sized hole in the United States cybersecurity industry workforce alone in 2023, according to the latest Cyber Workforce Study from ISC2, a nonprofit industry organization, many companies have difficulty finding the employees needed to expand.

As companies across fields migrated their operations online during the pandemic, the need for high-quality cybersecurity in Pittsburgh and elsewhere in the country increased, explains Rick Topping, the vice president of operations for Ceeva, a Pittsburgh-based IT company founded in 1992 that offers a suite of cybersecurity services.

Topping says Ceeva saw its largest uptick in demand in its history in just the last three years. He says what would have been a major growth opportunity for the company was bottlenecked by an inability to attract talent.

“WE HAVE A LEGITIMATE CLAIM THAT, AT LEAST IN THE NETWORK [OR] INTERNET SECURITY WAY OF LOOKING AT IT, WE ARE THE LEGITIMATE BIRTHPLACE OF CYBERSECURITY.” The number of informational technology companies, which includes cybersecurity service providers, in Southwestern Pennsylvania increased from 1,571 in 2013 to 1,874 in 2022, according to annual reports published by the Pittsburgh Technology Council, a membership-funded professional organization for tech companies in the region.

That 19% increase in IT companies is among many positive trendlines in other local tech sectors such as energy, health

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“It’s never been harder for me to hire good people,” Topping says. “The cybersecurity world is just begging, begging for more people to get educated and be able to fight against the bad guys.”

Kostuch calls it the “age-old Pittsburgh problem”: attracting and retaining talent.

He says the talented graduates at the local universities often accept jobs at more prestigious, higher-paying companies in cities like San Francisco or Seattle.

Jay Bosamiya is a hacker and Ph.D. student in CMU’s Computer Science Department focusing on cybersecurity. As a member and former president of the Plaid Parliament of Pwning, the school’s hacking team, he is one of the best competitive hackers in the world.

The team competes and often wins every year at DEF CON, a major annual hacking competition hosted in Las Vegas.

Bosamiya is researching the “mathematical guarantees of security.” That is to say, he wants to make software, or at least certain corners of software, unhackable. “ If you want to defend a system, you have to understand how people break in, and in order to break into a system, you have to understand how people defend it,” Bosamiya says. “The two things are so much more intertwined than most people realize.”

But Bosamiya doesn’t plan on staying in Pittsburgh after he graduates. Instead, he’s eyeing jobs in the cities better recognized as tech capitals.

Audrey Russo, the president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Technology Council, quickly points out that Pittsburgh is not a desert in the eyes of large tech companies and notes that Duolingo was founded in the city.

Yet Russo says she understands why young professionals feel drawn toward cities better lauded for their tech scenes and admits that, for Pittsburgh, it’s not a problem with a simple solution. She says for the city to retain the talent it attracts through programs at CMU, it needs to bring in more, larger companies.

Rohan Viswanathan, a graduate student in the Information Networking Institute at CMU, came to CMU from Texas A&M and plans to pursue cybersecurity after college.

Unlike others, he says he can see himself staying in Pittsburgh.

“Just talking with the other people in the

CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON

Rohan Viswanathan, a member of the US Cyber Team and MS-IS Grad Student at Carnegie Mellon, poses for a portrait on CMU's campus

[Information Networking Institute], I have just heard of so many different companies and opportunities that people are taking up,” Viswanathan, a member of the competitive U.S. Cyber Team, says.

The large number of tech startups and branches of larger tech companies, combined with the “hustle and bustle” of the city, are keeping Viswanathan in Pittsburgh, but CMU and its computer science programming brought him here in the first place. He says CMU is widely considered the best school for cybersecurity in the country and notes how it’s constantly at the forefront of the field.

Thirty-five years after Pethia founded cybersecurity as a field with the establishment of the CERT Division, and seven years after he retired to a life of fishing along the coast of South Carolina, CMU staked another flag in the ground: the school’s Software Engineering Institute announced the formation of one of the world’s first Artificial Intelligence Security Incident Response Team in November of last year to analyze and respond to threats and security incidents emerging from advances in AI and machine learning.

By staying on the cutting edge of the tech world, CMU is aiding Pittsburgh in its decadeslong mission to recover from the steel industry’s collapse, Butkovic says.

“I do think that as a tech center, our story here at CERT is absolutely bound to the larger story of how Pittsburgh reinvented itself,” Butkovic says. •

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024

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ENVIRONMENT

GROUNDHOG HEAVEN

BY AMANDA WALTZ // AWALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

I

n the beginning, they ate him. Any research into the origins of Groundhog Day reveals the culinary fate that originally befell the subterranean weatherman after he performed his yearly duty. Thankfully, those in Pun sutawney, Pa. have never, and will never, sacrifice their most famous tourist attraction, Phil. Whichever groundhog is playing Phil is instead treated like royalty, living a cozy existence in a climate-controlled, light-regulated burrow.

The farm-raised part of me understands the urge to turn these animals into dinner — growing up in central Pa., they were a nuisance, ripping up cropland and digging holes that threatened to break the legs of any passing horse or cow.

Much of my youth was spent filling in, with loose rocks and dirt, any groundhog holes that emerged in the pasture, like some more humane, pre-teen version of Bill Murray’s groundskeeper character in Caddyshack.

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PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE MEADOWCROFT ROCKSHLETER AND HISTORIC VILLAGE

Rocky the groundhog at Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village

Groundhogs were in Pennsylvania way before my family settled here, but they were quickly adopted as part of Pa. Dutch culture and life — the legend goes that either my greatgrandfather or great-uncle could even get these rodents to respond to his whistles (groundhogs are alternately known as Whistle-Pigs because of the high-pitched calls they produce). German settlers practiced the tradition of using animals to predict the weather at the midway point between the spring equinox and winter solstice — known as Imbolc by pagans and Candlemas by Christians — and American groundhogs replaced the formerly preferred European badger.

On Feb. 2, those in Pittsburgh need only to make the 90-minute drive to the small town of Punxsutawney to witness this firsthand. The animal signifies the s t a t e ’s p a s t , present, and, due to its supposed abilities, f u t u re , a n d that extends to western Pa. When I re f e r t o t h e s t a t e ’s p a s t , in this case, I mean the distant past. Just 30 miles outside of Pittsburgh in Washington County, visitors can experience the Meadowcroft Rockshelter, a major archaeological find. The sandstone cliff overhangs a site containing what experts believe to be prehistoric artifacts left by people traveling through the area 19,000 years ago — University of Pittsburgh researchers who excavated the site in the 1970s determined that the discovery predated the Clovis people who, for decades, were considered the first human presence in the Americas.

The incredible site may never have been found if not for the intervention of a groundhog. The story goes that, in 1955, Albert Miller, a farmer whose family had long owned the land on which Meadowcroft sits, found a freshly dug groundhog burrow containing projectile stone points, shell fragments, and other telling materials.

Meadwocroft even has its own designated Groundhog Day on Nov. 12 to honor the date Miller discovered the burrow.

Anyone visiting the Meadowcroft Rockshelter will find an interesting tribute to the site’s original excavator in Rocky, a taxidermied groundhog specimen located in the visitor center. David Scofield, director of the Meadowcroft Rockshelter a n d H i s to ri c Vi l la ge , says that, at one time, Rocky held a replica of what’s called the “Miller Point,” a spear point found at the site believed to be the oldest artifact found in North America.

“We had a copy of that t u cke d i n h i s little hand, but it didn’t stay very long,” Scofield tells Pittsburgh City Paper with a laugh.

Wh i l e n ews o u t l e t s all over the world report on Groundhog Day, it remains a distinctly Pennsylvania holiday (a 2022 Library of Congress article titled “Groundhog Day: Ancient Origins of a Modern Celebration” cites 1887 as the first recorded visit to Gobbler’s Knob), despite other places creating their versions of Phil. Every year, several American and Canadian cities parade out their imposter rodents, including Buckeye Chuck in Marion, Ohio.

As time goes on, and climate GROUNDHOG HEAVEN, CONTINUES ON PG. 10

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024

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GROUNDHOG HEAVEN, CONTINUES FROM PG. 9

change increasingly disturbs weather patterns, Phil’s role feels comfortingly quaint. If only we could depend on a big, toothy rat to predict the once-reliable seasons, as opposed to buckling in, year after year, for whatever roiling mess manmade pollution has in store for us.

A new book addresses this head-on by using Phil to teach young readers a b o u t t h e e ff e ct s o f climate change.

Co-written by Rob Long and Andrew Dolberg, The Great Weather Diviner: T h e U n to l d O r i g i n o f Punxsutawney Phil adds a YA fantasy spin to the famed groundhog, portraying him as a young, magical, anthropomorphic figure who, according to a press release, bands with a group of “legendary superpowered animals” to “save his town, uncover the mysteries of his powers, and discover the truth about his family’s history and their role in the balance of nature.”

Long grew up in Punxsutawney and, in 2008, relocated to Florida, where he now serves as Deputy Vice Mayor of Delray Beach and previously advocated for

environmental protections as chair of Palm Beach County’s Soil & Water Conservation District. He sees The Great Weather Diviner as addressing climate change through the lens of Phil, whose annual holiday has, he believes, lost its traditional celebratory luster due to this issue.

“Weather predictions aren’t fun anymore; they’re kind of scary,” Long tells City Paper. “In a way, I think we do have to reinvent what Punxsutawney Phil means.”

He and Dolberg wrote the book for a middle-school audience who, Long says, “might be the last generation that can really do something [about climate change] before we’re at the point of no return.”

“Frankly, getting kids engaged with this issue in a fun way … we don’t want to scare them, but, the real thing is, kids already know about climate change,” he says. “They’re already well aware of it, and a lot of them are feeling a lot of distress over it, and a lot of them have a lot of resentment that they inherited this from generations before them, and now they have this problem. And that’s very much reflected in the book.”

Ultimately, Long says they wanted the book to feel “relatable” to young readers and validate their concerns.

The Great Weather Diviner kicks off a series of four books (one for each season, as Long points out), as well as a spin-off children’s book that follows a flamingo named Hugo who searches for his family in the endangered Florida Everglades.

While the book takes Phil beyond Gobbler’s Knob, Long believes the creature’s humble celebration still holds significance, and plans on visiting his hometown for the upcoming Groundhog Day. He sees the holiday as a reminder of how Phil has, and always will, represent sustainability, as previous generations used the groundhog as a way to “survive as a society” by working with the flow of nature.

“And I think tying that message into Groundhog Day is a good thing — a message of hope, a message of resilience,” he says. • PHOTO: COURTESY OF MORGAN JAMES FICTION

Cover art for The Great Weather Diviner: The Untold Origin of Punxsutawney Phil

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COURTESY OF TATTOO EXPO

The Pittsburgh Tattoo Expo Will Leave It’s Mark On You

I

THEY’RE BACK!

By: Leigh Frank

couldn’t believe my luck when Pittsburgh City Paper gave me the assignment for my first Studio H article.

“Could you do a piece on the Pittsburgh Tattoo Expo?”

Being a tattooed lady myself, my initial thought was, “How am I going to get out of this without getting another tattoo?” The allure of that buzzing tattoo gun can be hard to ignore.

The Pittsburgh Tattoo Expo is hitting downtown Pittsburgh at the Wyndham Grand February 9 – 11 and promises to bring together an incredible array of artists from across the United States and several extra special appearances by international artists, all hitting Pittsburgh exclusively for the Expo weekend. 2024 marks the first year the event is being presented at the Wyndham, allowing for significant expansion of vendors and tattoo artists.

Anna Carswell, director of the Pittsburgh Tattoo Expo, shared, “I am most excited about the small and local vendors we were able to add to our show this year. It’s an incredible way for these small businesses to get exposure and build relationships in a unique, fast-paced environment.”

Carswell’s fiancé, Greg Piper of Baller Inc., began the Expo in 2017. Originally from Pittsburgh, he sought to bring his formula of successful tattoo conventions to his hometown. The Expo has grown to attract several thousand people over the weekend.

To fully understand what makes tattoo expos so unique, we reached out to two notable artists who will be available to share their unique artistic talents with those brave, committed souls who appreciate and crave their own body art.

Luke Washington, owner of Electric Swan Tattoo in Lincoln City, UK, has been tattooing for 11 years.

Pittsburgh’s own Mohawk Jesse Yunker, has been tattooing professionally for more than 13 years at his studio, Inspire Body Art, located in the South Side.

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selves. It’s a privilege to decorate people’s bodies with my art.

What kind of tattoos do you hate to do?

Luke: None. It’s a craft, and you learn to see the beauty in each you do. It might only be 10 minutes for you to do (the tattoo), but for them, it will last a lifetime. Respect that, and you’ll always be prosperous in this industry.

Mohawk Jesse: I wouldn’t say I hate tattooing of any kind. I do not prefer to do tattoos where the person getting tattooed tries to control many aspects of the tattoo. We are artists and create art for people to wear. The more we work in our craft and hone who we are as artists, the more specific our styles become. It’s difficult when the person tries to take the artistry and creative process away from the artist.

Any tattoos you won’t do?

Luke: For some time, there was a trend where people would ask to have ashes from a relative or loved one to be put in the ink, that there I won’t do, only due to the uncertainty of sanitation, you just can’t be throwing anything in there and hope for the best.

Mohawk Jesse: I do not do walk-ins or walk-up tattoos any longer. I prefer well-composed tattoo projects. I typically spend a minimum of a day set aside in my schedule to create a tattoo composition before the tattooing occurs.

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What do you like about tattoo conventions? What makes them different from tattooing in a shop?

Luke: There is a sense of community in this industry like no other. When working at a shop, they are your home family. Working at a convention is like seeing loved ones you may not have seen for months on end. It’s always great to get to see everyone come together like it’s been no time at all. Also, the buzz of a tattoo convention is electric! It’s pure excitement and adrenaline for artists and the public.

Mohawk Jesse: I enjoy traveling to tattoo convenWhat do you like best about tattooing? tions because seeing new places, meeting new Luke: The connection you have with people. I’m people, and having new experiences are inspirations a huge people person, so being able to meet and interact with new people daily is the absolute best— for the artistic mind. Also, healthy competition can be a gateway to personal growth in one’s artistry. all walks of life, each with a story to tell.

Mohawk Jesse: I like the way my art changes how Wanting to be good enough pushes me to refine my craft and evolve my abilities. someone feels about themselves or views themVisit Pittsburgh City Paper’s website to read complete interviews from the artists, including their most memorable tattoo experiences. In addition to the more than 250 tattoo artists attending, visitors to the Expo can expect to encounter different types of body piercings, tattoo merchandise and supplies, and live entertainment. If you are ready to get inked, visit pittsburghtattooexpo.com to check out the list of vendors, see sample work by artist, and make your appointment!

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024

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PHOTO: COURTESY OF APRÈS SKI BAR

A hot toddy from Après Ski Bar

FOOD + DRINK

SOME LIKE IT HOT PITTSBURGH’S HOTTEST HOT TODDIES WILL KEEP YOU WARM AND TOASTED.

CP ILLUSTRATION: JEFF SCHRECKENGOST

BY AAKANKSHA AGARWAL // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

W

inter is here, but fear not; we’ve uncovered the city’s steamiest secret weapons against the chill: hot toddies that’ll make you forget the frost. The only thing better than a well-crafted cocktail is one that brings the heat e actly when you need it. here s no better way to ward off shivers than by indulging in the city s diverse hot toddy offerings. ere are some of our favorite local spots serving up delish toddies that are perfect for chilly weather, a stuffy nose, or just wanting to have a jolly good time. Cheers to staying warm, one toddy at a time.

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APRÈS SKI BAR 212 6TH ST., DOWNTOWN Let’s be real — the best part of skiing is the après parties up in the lodge, with peppy music and potent drinks. With a prime location in downtown Pittsburgh, Après Ski Bar is a winter pop-up bar at Butcher and the Rye that’ll stay around through February, and it’s probably the next best thing.

With alpine-style decor and artisanal cocktails, it invites you to relive the thrill of hitting the slopes without leaving the city.

Th e i r s p e cia l h o t to d dy, “ Sn ow Bunnies,” is a robust blend of Jim Beam Bourbon, Wild Turkey 101 rye, Braulio Amaro, vanilla, and chai tea. It’s so good that you’ll be pining for the next snow day.

The best part? No lift tickets required.

HARP AND FIDDLE 2329 PENN AVE., STRIP DISTRICT Mullaney’s Harp and Fiddle has been a cherished Irish watering hole since 1992.

Their classic hot toddy features Jameson Irish whiskey, sugar, and a lemon wedge punctured with cloves. It's an authentic taste of Ireland in the heart of Pittsburgh.

While you’re sipping on the toasty drink, take in the live music (they have live music three to five nights a week, including Tuesday Ceili night!), hearty Reuben sandwiches, and that undeniable Irish craic. Sláinte to warmth and good times!

EMERSON'S 435 MARKET ST 2ND FLOOR, DOWNTOWN Emerson’s, located off Market Square in downtown Pittsburgh, is a charming European-style cafe with a curated wine list and an eclectic menu, ranging from tuna poke to burrata crostini to stuffed pork chops.

They also craft an enchanting hot toddy called “Emerson’s Wassail”, a spicy potion with hot apple cider, Old Forester bourbon, lemon, orange, clove, cinnamon, allspice, and ginger. Close your eyes, take a sip, and imagine the snow falling outside.

KAYA 2000 SMALLMAN ST., STRIP DISTRICT Kaya is well-known for its exotic, islandinspired cocktails and Caribbean flair.

While Kaya doesn’t have a specialty toddy, they serve perfectly made traditional toddies if you ask.

While a warm, boozy classic toddy might be all you need, don’t sleep on their tropical paella — it's their coziest winter meal, and is reminiscent of a sunshinesoaked vacation at the same time. A (delicious) study in contradictions.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF EMERSON’S

Emerson’s Wassail hot toddy

HOT TODDIES, CONTINUES ON PG. 14

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HOT TODDIES, CONTINUES FROM PG. 13

DIANOIA'S EATERY 2549 PENN AVE., STRIP DISTRICT Deli and café by day and ristorante by night, DiAnoia’s is a Pittsburgh staple for homemade pasta, pastries, and an atmosphere that feels like Nonna’s kitchen. Go for the robust gnocchi sorrentina bread bowl, and stay for the Toddy Caldo — a warm and flavorful blend of Makers Mark bourbon, Poli Chamomila Miele amaretto, candied walnut, and lemon.

Bar Manager Manami York describes it as a perfectly balanced elixir with bourbon, citrus, floral notes, and a touch of sweetness. Fun fact: their walnut syrup is repurposed from the candied walnuts the kitchen makes for the apple & walnut salad.

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CON ALMA 613 PENN AVE., DOWNTOWN If you’re craving winter warmth with a side of jazz, Con Alma is your spot.

Inspired by a Korean holiday beverage, their sujeonggwa toddy is a soulful concoction of ginger, cinnamon, sugar, and dried persimmon. Steamed to perfection, it gets a splash of soju and a sprinkle of pine nuts on top.

2216 PENN AVE., STRIP DISTRICT Who doesn't like "Warm Hugs"? Bar Marco offers a refreshing toddy-style cocktail by that name — an homage to Frozen — made with Stroh (a special Austrian, rumstyle spirit), honey, lemon, and hot water.

It’s the Olaf of toddies — cute, comforting, and perfect for warming the cockles of your heart.

WIGLE WHISKEY 2401 SMALLMAN ST., STRIP DISTRICT

HONORARY TODDY:

CHURCH BREW WORKS 3525 LIBERTY AVE., LAWRENCEVILLE Former Catholic church turned brew haven — that’s Church Brew Works, and it’s not just about the beers (although they’re heavenly). While they offer hot toddies, their most divine chocolate and espresso martinis deserve an honorable mention for their inherent wintry goodness. Speaking of divine, get their lobster and shrimp mac and cheese. Talk about warming. •

Wigle Whiskey, a craft distillery in the Strip, is a Pittsburgh institution. You can savor their cinnamon hot toddy at the tasting room or better yet, DIY at home with a bottle of their cinnamon whiskey.

(Wigle is kind enough to supply the recipe on their website). This well-balanced drink, with hints of sweetness and spice, is best enjoyed curled up by a crackling fireplace.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF APRÈS SKI BAR

A hot toddy from Après Ski Bar

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024

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STAY WEIRD, PITTSBURGH

PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE GRUSKIN GROUP

Concept art for Spork Island Trading Co. with volcano

CONFLICT ERUPTS ON CARSON

BY RACHEL WILKINSON // RWILKINSON@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

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PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE GRUSKIN GROUP

Concept art for Spork Island Trading Co. with volcano

P

art of life in any city is a litany of ambitious u n re a l i z e d p ro j e c t s .

I’m still grieving the loss of the giant blue lagoon (and Ferris wheel!) proposed as part of a mixed-use development on Pittsburgh’s North Side.

Recently, it looked like we’d be adding another casualty to the list: a volcano on E. Carson St. As reported

by NEXTpittsburgh, the rebranded Spork Island Trading Co. (formerly Double Wide Grill) presented conceptual designs for its new tiki-themed restaurant at a Historic Review Commission (HRC) meeting on Dec. 6, 2023. The “bold” renderings for Spork Island’s proposed exterior at 24th and Carson St. — designed by New Jersey-based architecture firm Gruskin Group — showed a trellised

roof, fence enclosed by mo'ai statues resembling those on Easter Island, palm trees, and, in one corner, a volcano with lava flowing.

The Commission, to put it mildly, did not warm to the idea. Carson St. is part of a city-designated historic district, meaning external changes to properties must be approved in accordance with design guidelines.

Though the former Double Wide building — which sits right at the E. Carson St. Historic District’s boundary at 24th St. — is considered a “noncontributing structure,” meaning that it was not built during the period of architectural significance, the Commission made it clear that it does not want us jet-setting to Spork Island anytime soon.

Commissioners deemed the concept “incompatible” with the

historic district and not in keeping with the desired Victorian-era (1837– 1901) aesthetic, with some members going as far as calling the tiki theme possible cultural appropriation and “not of this continent.” (As far as the volcano goes, lest we forget about Mount Saint Helens!) It also bears reminding that the building at 2339 E. Carson was originally a gas station.

Nonetheless, the HRC voted to outright deny the proposal.

But don’t despair just yet, says Steve Zumoff, owner of Spork Island Trading Co., the former Double Wide Grill, and other beloved East Carson spots including Tiki Lounge, Lava Lounge, and the Beehive.

“It’s not dead,” Zumoff tells Pittsburgh City Paper, “It’s just not happening on the South Side.”

Zumoff explains that he knew

building a volcano and theme restaurant on E. Carson was a long shot.

In his 33 years operating South Side businesses, this isn’t the first time he’s appeared before the HRC in an effort to comport to guidelines.

In 2010, after parking a vintage camping trailer at Double Wide Grill and receiving an anonymous complaint, he successfully pled his case to keep the trailer displayed, receiving a “Certificate of Appropriateness.”

"I've seen people paint the front of their buildings and then they have to strip the paint because it doesn't match the historic look of the street,” Zumoff says. “So we might put a trailer back out there. We'll see.”

Despite past dealings with the Historic Review Commission, Zumoff and business partner Andy Tepper (former owner of Spork) shared CONFLICT ERUPTS ON CARSON, CONTINUES ON PG. 18

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024

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CONFLICT ERUPTS ON CARSON, CONTINUES FROM PG. 17

PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE GRUSKIN GROUP

Concept art for Spork Island Trading Co. with volcano

"an affinity for tiki," and along with architect Kenneth Gruskin, thought they could make a case for the new tropically inspired restaurant. The team went as far as pulling old photographs to show “there would have been a volcano in Victorian times on a property.”

“We were trying to find a way to justify it … but that whole era of tiki and Polynesian, that was after the Victorian time,” Zumoff tells City Paper. (An editorial note that volcanoes have been erupting on Earth for four billion years and there were once Appalachian volcanoes.)

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“We knew it was a possibility it wouldn’t get past, but we were hoping, maybe being a non-historic structure, we’d have a little more leeway,” he says.

The volcano’s failure to launch (or erupt) highlights differing visions about the South Side’s uncertain future. Double Wide’s rebrand comes amidst a wave of recent restaurant closures in the neighborhood including Carmi Soul Food, Hello Bistro, The Vault Taproom (in the former Beehive space), Stagioni, Doughbar, Fudge Farm, Lee's Coffee Shop, and Jimmy John’s, in addition to other

businesses shuttering like Rite Aid and Buffalo Exchange. Discussing Double Wide's rebrand, Zumoff even told the Pittsburgh Business Times his business had "trickled off" in recent years, but the location could still pull in customers with the right concept.

“It would have been a tourist attraction to see the volcano,” Zumoff tells CP. “People were like, this isn't the Las Vegas Strip or a putt-putt golf course … Disneyland. But we thought it'd bring a lot of people to the South Side, which would be nice at this point.”

Moreover, theme restaurants and "eatertainment" are booming, says

Zumoff, pointing to the success of immersive ventures like Pins Mechanical, Coop De Ville, and The Puttery.

If, like some of us, you’re wanting more specifics about the volcano — just off the top: how tall is it? How much lava flow are we talking? Is this a large adult version of your gradeschool science project? — Zumoff tells CP they haven’t gotten that far yet. The initial design was concept art only.

Rest assured, though we'll never see Mount St. Carson, we might just be sipping cocktails and watching a lava stream soon enough. •

pghcitypaper.com

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NEIGHBORHOOD

FRI FEB. ., 2

SEVEN DAYS IN PITTSBURGH

BY CP STAFF

PHOTO: COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES

Groundhog Day with Beer Tasting at The Oaks Theater

THU., FEB. 1 WORKSHOP • NORTH SIDE

Community Craft Night. 6-8 p.m.

Commonplace Coffee. 1501 Buena Vista St., North Side. Free. facebook.com/commonplacecoffee

MUSIC • MCKEES ROCKS

Machine Head with Fear Factory, Orbit Culture, and Gates to Hell. 6:30 p.m. Doors at 5:30 p.m. Roxian Theatre. 425 Chartiers Ave., McKees Rocks. Tickets start at $45. roxiantheatre.com

TALK/ART • OAKLAND

A Panorama on Panorama: A conversation between Amie Siegel and Filipa Ramos.

6:30-7:30 p.m. Carnegie Museum of Art. 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland. Free.

Registration required. carnegieart.org

LIT • BLOOMFIELD

Book Launch! The Black Joy Project by Kleaver Cruz with Marlana Adele Vasser and Bradley Hill. 7-8 p.m. White Whale Bookstore. 4754 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield.

Free. RSVP required. Livestream available. whitewhalebookstore.com/events

MUSIC • SOUTH SIDE

Dichro, Doors in the Labyrinth, and Hemlock for Socrates. 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. Club Cafe.

56-58 South 12th St., South Side. $15. ticketweb.com

FRI., FEB. 2 ART • LAWRENCEVILLE

Opening reception — Oneness: Brie Ruais.

5:30-8 p.m. Continues through May 4.

Contemporary Craft. 5645 Butler St., Lawrenceville. Free. contemporarycraft.org

THEATER • DOWNTOWN

The future of love plays out at Greer Cabaret Theater when Pittsburgh CLO presents the world premiere of The Perfect Mate.

Conceived by David Rossmer and Dan Lipton, the musical rom-com time jumps to 2063 to explore the romance between a woman and “an emotionally savvy humanoid partner.”

But is it an ideal match? See the original production born from Pittsburgh CLO’s SPARK Festival. 7:30 p.m. Continues through March 17. 655 Penn Ave., Downtown. $35-45. pittsburghclo.culturaldistrict.org

WWW.PGHCITYPAPER.COM

FILM • OAKMONT

Groundhog Day with Beer Tasting. 8 p.m.

Doors at 7 p.m. The Oaks Theater. 310 Allegheny River Blvd., Oakmont. $10. theoakstheater.com

SAT., FEB. 3 OUTDOORS • ALLISON PARK

Groundhog Day 5K. 8:45 a.m. North Park Boathouse. 10301 Pearce Mill Rd., Allison Park. $20-95. runsignup.com

CONVENTION • OAKLAND

Prepare for spring gardening and landscaping during a big event at the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. The Native Plant and Sustainability Conference offers a roster of experts speaking on everything from designing a more environmentally friendly greenspace to dealing with invasive insects. Shop book sales, meet fellow plant enthusiasts, and enjoy other activities geared at teaching guests how to be responsible land stewards.

9:15 a.m.-5 p.m. One Schenley Park, Oakland. $90-110. phipps.conservatory.org

FRI., 2 FEB.

MUSIC • DOWNTOWN

Resonance Works presents This Love Between Us. 7:30 p.m. Trinity Cathedral

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Pittsburgh. 328 Sixth Ave., Downtown. $40-50. resonanceworks.org

PHOTO: BRIE RUAIS AND ALBERTZ BENDA, NEW YORK | LOS ANGELES

Oneness: Brie Ruais at Contemporary Craft

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Resonance Works presents This Love Between Us

OUTDOORS • MONROEVILLE

SnowFest. 12-5 p.m. Boyce Park. 901 Centerview Dr., Monroeville. $10 for Mini-Junior Olympics and the Cardboard Box Snow Tubing Derby. Registration required for some activities. alleghenycounty.us

MUSIC • NORTH SIDE

MCG Jazz presents Kaki King. 7:30 p.m.

MCG Jazz Concert Hall. 1815 Metropolitan St., North Side. $42-52.50. mcgjazz.org

MUSIC • LAWRENCEVILLE

Beatles vs. Dead: Eleanor Walrus and Fungus. 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. Thunderbird Music Hall. 4053 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $10-14. thunderbirdmusichall.com

SUN., FEB. 4 MARKET • BLOOMFIELD

Valentine’s Market with PGH Flea. 4-8 p.m.

Trace Brewing. 4312 Main St., Bloomfield. Free. tracebloomfield.com

FILM • LAWRENCEVILLE

Downtown Monongahela Has Amazing Boutiques * Women's, Men's, & Children's clothing

MON., FEB. 5

(Plus Hardware, Furniture, Toys, Horse-Related Items, Appliances, Musical Instruments, and much more)

FILM • DOWNTOWN

All of Us Strangers. 5 p.m. Continues through Thu., Feb. 8. Harris Theater. 809 Liberty Ave., Downtown. $11. trustarts.org

TUE., FEB. 6

* Scented Candles & Soaps

* Purses & Accessories

* Kitchen Linens & Utensils

The Wedding Singer (à la 1980s Pittsburgh Wedding). 7:30 p.m. Row House Cinema.

4115 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $12. rowhousecinemas.com

* Fine & Costume Jewelry * Hand-Crafted Decor & Art

* Primitives & Antiques

20 of our shops are having a "Galentines Day" open house for the gals out there 1- 4PM on Sunday, February 4th

Bring this ad to Little City Coffee, 418 W. Main, that Sunday for a 20% discount on us!

Photo by Jacob H. Ford Photography

MUSIC • MUNHALL

Extreme with Living Colour. 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m. Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall.

510 E. 10th Ave., Munhall. $49.75-69.75. librarymusichall.com

WED., FEB. 7 FILM • VIRTUAL

WED FEB. ., 7

In honor of Black History Month, the Heinz History Center presents a virtual screening of Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People as part of its From Slavery to Freedom Film Series. Described as the first documentary to “explore the role of photography in shaping the identity, aspirations, and social emergence of African Americans from slavery to the present,” the 2014 film takes inspiration from Debora Willis, a photo historian known for her groundbreaking book Reflections in Black.

5:30-8 p.m. Free. Registration required. heinzhistorycenter.org

MAGIC • DOWNTOWN

William Watt in The Hidden Show.

7:30 p.m. Continues through March 3.

Liberty Magic. 811 Liberty Ave., Downtown. $40-65. trustarts.org

PHOTO: COURTESY OF FIRST ONE FEATURES

Heinz History Center presents Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024

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NAME CHANGE

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IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-24-000908, In re petition of Rebecca Mihalik, parent and legal guardian of Gianna Rose Thompson, for change of name to Gianna Mihalik.

To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 28th day of February 2024, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-23-014269 In re petition of Christopher McHenry for change of name to Uma Okorie McHenry Njoku.

To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 28th day of February, 2024, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-23-013419 In re petition of Autumn Nicole Ike for change of name to Autumn Nicole Appel. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 28th day of February, 2024, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.

IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-23-013909, In re petition of Michael and Kristen Kelly, parents and legal guardians of Audrey A. Kelly, for change of name to Jackson A. Kelly. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 28th day of February 2024, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.

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BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY // BRENDANEMMETTQUIGLEY.COM

PO LIV DC E AS T

LYNN CULLEN LIVE 10 A.M. MONDAY THRU THURSDAY AT PGHCITYPAPER.COM

ACROSS

1. “Long may they live!”

5. Babe in the woods 9. Old-school lover, for short 13. Church in country 14. ___ Rhymes 15. Medicated tissue ingredient 16. Learning Thermostat maker 17. Girder piece 18. Has dinner 19. British titled women getting married?

22. Fixed cost 23. Babes in the woods?

24. “Care for a little braised meat?”

30. Stop on a designated time 33. Reason for an “Abort, Retry, Fail?” message 34. “___ seen enough” 35. D-worthy 36. Mindless followers 37. Wine leftovers 38. Actor McShane 39. It comes straight from the heart 40. Didn’t exist 41. “Grub? I’m

going to need more information about that”?

44. G-rated 45. Chest pain 49. Prayer to the “Faust” composer for assistance?

53. Pueblo tribe people 54. Get away from 55. “I might as well be in this meme” 56. Sign of the future 57. Source of power 58. Tit-for-tat 59. Trait carrier 60. Flower holder 61. Zoom meeting runner

DOWN

1. Its year lasts roughly 225 days 2. Adler that Sherlock Holmes called “The Woman” 3. Pop in 4. Saberrattling, perhaps 5. Urban street wear brand 6. “Hang on just ___!”

7. State whose tallest mountain is Kings Peak 8. Talk about who you know 9. Low men

10. Irving Berlin classic with the lyrics “Never saw the sun shining so bright / Never saw things going so right” 11. Apologetic comment 12. Fist pumper’s word 14. Ice creamloving president 20. Put together 21. Nice night 25. ___ jacket 26. Mountain crest 27. Silver-scaled fish 28. All tied up 29. Try out 30. Large in scale 31. He went beast mode in

the Old Testament 32. Admonition to keep shut 36. Like certain sandals that don’t offer much support 37. Waste away 39. Cartoon supplier of dehydrated boulders and anvils 40. Red head?

42. Surfer girl 43. Ready to go 46. Split 47. Spanish uncle?

48. Highly skilled 49. Just a few 50. It’s a novel idea 51. Drug runner 52. Holland export 53. Keep to yourself LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 7, 2024

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