March 9, 2022 - Pittsburgh City Paper

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MARCH 9-16, 2022

E H T T S E B H G P

A O T ” G T N R I E D R Y EXP O C C R A F H S “FI

FIRSTSHOT

BY PAM SMITH

A man walks through PPG Place in Downtown Pittsburgh on Fri., Feb. 25

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MARCH 9-16, 2022 VOLUME 31 + ISSUE 10 Editor-In-Chief LISA CUNNINGHAM Director of Advertising JASMINE HUGHES Director of Operations KEVIN SHEPHERD A&E Editor AMANDA WALTZ News Reporter JORDANA ROSENFELD Arts & Culture Writer DANI JANAE Photographer/Videographer JARED WICKERHAM Editorial Designer LUCY CHEN Graphic Designer JEFF SCHRECKENGOST Digital Editorial Coordinator HANNAH KINNEY-KOBRE Marketing + Sponsorships Manager ZACK DURKIN Sales Representatives OWEN GABBEY, MARIA STILLITANO Circulation Manager JEFF ENGBARTH Featured Contributors REGE BEHE, MIKE CANTON, LYNN CULLEN, TERENEH IDIA Interns TIA BAILEY, PAM SMITH National Advertising Representative VMG ADVERTISING 1.888.278.9866 OR 1.212.475.2529 Publisher EAGLE MEDIA CORP.

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COVER PHOTO: PAM SMITH READ THE STORY ON PAGE 4

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MARCH 9 - 16, 2022

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MAIN FEATURE

MADE WITH LOVE

BY JORDANA ROSENFELD // JORDANA@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

O

N THE MORNING of March 4, the first day of the fourth annual Community Kitchen fish fry, founder and executive director Jennifer Flanagan tells Pittsburgh City Paper they had received about five times more pre-orders than any previous year. Last year and the year before, Community Kitchen only offered curbside pick up, and although they still offer take-out this year, Flanagan says everyone is “super thrilled” to be back in-person.

Their fish fry menu features handbattered haddock. “I know people are very particular about the kind of fish they get at their fish fries,” Flanagan says. “We do hand-battered fish, fresh cut fries. We make everything here that we can. We’re making the cole slaw, we’re making the haluski, we’re making our own tartar sauce. We’re a culinary school, right? So why not do everything fresh?”

Community Kitchen Pittsburgh is not just any culinary school, however. “We tend to support people who have barriers to employment or people who are looking to get back into the workforce,” Flanagan says. Their Hazelwood space offers paid

CP PHOTO: PAM SMITH

Fried fish and fries at Community Kitchen Pittsburgh in Hazelwood

Community Kitchen Pittsburgh is not just any culinary school.

“We tend to support people who have barriers to employment or people who are looking to get back into the workforce."

CP PHOTO: PAM SMITH

A volunteer batters fish at Community Kitchen Pittsburgh in Hazelwood.

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training programs, transitional employment opportunities, apprenticeships, and job placement services to connect students to stable higher-than-entry-level jobs in the culinary industry. According to Community Kitchen Pittsburgh’s website, all programs are free of charge, and they pay their participants.

“Some of our folks are coming out of incarceration, some of them are transitioning out of homelessness,” Flanagan says. “We’ve had women coming out of domestic violence situations. We’ve also had high school dropouts. And then we’ve had people who just need to get back into the workforce. They want to switch careers. So we have a whole case management staff, and we do a lot of work around removing the barriers for people so that they can have successful employment.”

Flanagan says that, in addition to being their biggest annual fundraiser, the fish fry provides a valuable opportunity for students to learn and work in a more restaurant-like environment. “We don’t have a lot of opportunities for our students to learn a la carte,” she says, “which is ticketed meals. You know, fast paced. This definitely gives them that experience, so it’s a really great training opportunity for our students.”

When they’re not frying up fish for sandwiches, Community Kitchen Pittsburgh students learn culinary skills by helping the organization produce about 2,000 meals each day.

“Those meals are going to shelters or other nonprofits, child nutrition programs, basically food-insecure, lowincome, vulnerable populations,” says Flanagan. “And so our students, they’re learning their curriculum in the context of doing all those meals every day. They learn the trade by giving back to the community, which is a really nice full circle.”

Flanagan also wants diners to know that all tips and donations received at the fish fry go into their Student Assistance Fund, which supports students with emergent employment barriers. “That Student Assistance Fund is really critical in the kind of support that we can offer,” she says. “We’ve helped a woman leaving domestic violence get a new apartment, we’ve helped people get driver’s licenses back, helping people with the things that come up for them that are going to impact their ability to get and keep a job.” •

CP PHOTOS: PAM SMITH

Volunteers during Fish Fry Friday at Community Kitchen Pittsburgh in Hazelwood

FISH FRIES AT COMMUNITY KITCHEN PITTSBURGH 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Fridays through April 15.

Pre-orders are encouraged.

107 Flowers Ave., Hazelwood. ckpgh.org/events/2022/3/4/fish-fry-friday or 412-246-4736

Follow news reporter Jordana Rosenfeld on Twitter @rosenfeldjb PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MARCH 9 - 16, 2022

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Q&A

EYES ON THE FRIES A conversation with Pittsburgh fish fry expert Jess Whittington

BY JORDANA ROSENFELD JORDANA@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

J

ESS WHITTINGTON is a fish fry expert.

She’s attended countless fish fries over the years and is very generous with her expertise, posting her thoughts on all things fish fry on her social media accounts throughout the season, which continues this year through Fri., April 15.

Whittington is a friend of a friend, and I have long heard tell of her overwhelming enthusiasm for and knowledge of regional fish fries. A few years after attending her first fish fry in 2010, Whittington started posting reviews of each fish fry she attends. These days, she posts them the same day on her Instagram stories, which you can find at @jessowski.

Jess grew up in Wexford and currently lives in Edgewood with her husband Alan and their Boston Terrier, Boggins.

Pittsburgh City Paper talked to Whittington over email about her great love, church-served fried fish and homemade mac & cheese.

When did you attend your first fish fry?

What do you remember of it?

I actually have an answer for you. I was lucky enough to be asked by Patrick Jordan [founder and artistic director of barebones productions] to be a guest on his video podcast “Alone Together Pittsburgh” last year to talk fish fries (along with Dan Gigler and Kate Romaine), and was asked this same question but couldn’t come up with an answer. After some Facebook sleuthing, I discovered that on March 12, 2010, I posted, “has never been to a fish fry…tonight’s the night! I don’t get it, but it sounds awesome.” And I’ve never looked back! I did not grow up going to fish fries, I don’t even know if I knew that they existed. I LOVE fried fish and I LOVE mac & cheese, so I guess I was just like, f it, let’s check these things out.

How many have you been to?

So many. I really try my hardest to make it to a fry every single Ash Wednesday and Friday of Lent. In more recent years, I’ve tried to check out a new one I’ve never

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Jess Whittington, fish fry expert

been to before each week. Doesn’t always work out, but it’s taken me to some towns I’d never ordinarily find myself in.

When did you realize your engagement with fish fries was more rigorous than average?

When people started coming out of the woodwork to message me asking for advice on which fish fries to hit up.

More and more people reach out each year, which I am obsessed with. I always laugh every time I get a message and am just like, “Is this my legacy?” Usually it’s friends, but occasionally someone I haven’t talked to in years will reach out, and I’m always shocked that they’re paying attention to my posts. In the days leading up to Lent, I get tons of messages, like, “I can’t wait for your posts, I look forward to this every year” and I’m, like, “REALLY?!” I love it. I always post a pic

CP PHOTO: PAM SMITH

Fried fish and fries at Community Kitchen Pittsburgh in Hazelwood

of the meal on Facebook and Instagram and give a rating. My rating system has not been consistent over the years. … It’s all just for fun. This is my season!

What do you look for in a fish fry?

If they serve mac & cheese! It’s almost a non-negotiable for me. You often find cafeteria-style mac-in-a-bag type situations at fish fries, which I know is much cheaper and easier, but nothing beats homemade mac & cheese. Mac & cheese is, no joke, my favorite food, and I think pairing it with fried fish makes it an incredible meal. The best, though, is if a fish fry serves the holy trinity: mac & cheese, halushki, AND pierogi! I mean, seriously, just give me all the carbs. I also look for something I like to call “cronche.”

I prefer a battered fish to a breaded fish — it has a much better cronche, aka crispy batter that doesn’t get soggy.

How would you recommend someone new to the area, or new to fish fries, go about introducing themselves to the scene?

Just go! I remember when I first started thinking about going to fish fries, I thought I had to be a member of the church or something. I literally had no idea how it all worked. It was a little weird and intimidating walking into these places at first, but then you see just how popular and important these are to communities, and you realize everyone’s here for the same reason — to get themselves a beige plate of deliciousness! If you’re having a hard time deciding where to go, a great resource is the Pittsburgh Lenten Fish Fry Map at codeforpittsburgh.github.io/fishfrymap. I use it to plot out my fry destinations and they’re constantly updating it.

I have no idea who runs it. Who are you?!

Thank you for your service! •

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CP PHOTO: PAM SMITH

Fish breaded and waiting to be fried

RESOURCE GUIDE

TOP 5 FISH FRIES

BY JESS BLACKBURN WHITTINGTON // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

W

E ASKED JESS BLACKBURN WHITTINGTON, our fish fry correspondent and a self-proclaimed “fish fry enthusiast,” to list her top five fish fry picks. These are her responses.

1. COMMUNITY KITCHEN 107 Flowers Ave., Hazelwood. ckpgh.org 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Fridays through April 15.

Eat-in or take out.

Community Kitchen in Hazelwood is hands down the best fry in the area. It’s always the first one I recommend when people ask. I love CK because they’re a culinary training program for individuals who typically experience barriers to employment. Pre-COVID, I attended several of their special dinner events and the food, honestly, is excellent, and I just love the premise behind the program. It changes lives and helps find employment for people who were repeatedly told “no” prior to gaining this training. (I promise I’m not affiliated with CK in any way, I just think they’re awesome!) But regarding the food, the batter is perfectly light and crispy (great cronche!) and everything is made from scratch. The staff are always so helpful and it’s extremely well-organized.

2. ALLEGHENY ELKS LODGE 400 Cedar Ave., North Side. facebook.com/alleghenyelks or 412-321-1834. 6-8 p.m. Fridays through April 15. Eat-in or take out.

This is another favorite. Fish portions are enormous and, if you’re lucky, you’ll catch some live music.

3. SWISSVALE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT

www.herbalcarerx.com • 215-554-4044 • HELP@HERBALCARERX.COM

7400 Irvine St., Swissvale. tinyurl.com/ SwissvaleFishFry or 412-271-8787.

11 a.m.-7 p.m. Fridays through April 15.

Limited seating, take-out encouraged.

This is a very reliable standard year after year. They’re super popular and tend to sell out early, so I definitely recommend calling ahead.

4. EMIL’S LOUNGE 414 Hawkins Ave., Rankin. facebook. com/EmilsLoungePA or 412-271-9911 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Fridays through April 15.

Eat-in or take out.

Emil’s is incredible. I know this place has been around a long time and was featured on one of Rick Sebak’s specials back in the day, but it’s newer to me despite living in the East End for several years. I’ll definitely be back for their fish. Great homemade mac, too!

5. THE AMERICAN SERBIAN CLUB OF PITTSBURGH Shout out one of my all-time favorite fish fries — the American Serbian Club of Pittsburgh in the South Side. They haven’t had it in a few years, so I’d like to take this opportunity to beg that you bring it back! • PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MARCH 9 - 16, 2022

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CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

Brandi Taylor, owner of Serenity Bloom

BLACK-LED COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

FLORAL COUTURE

BY DANI JANAE // DANIJANE@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

B

RIGHT, COLORFUL FLOWERS are usually the first signs of spring in Pittsburgh, but waiting for the seasons to change can sometimes feel like an eternity in the Steel City. To help cure the winter blues, some people like to bring a little sunshine into their homes even when it’s still cold out, and Pittsburgh has a great selection of florists, shops, and farms to get fresh cut flowers. Not many of them, however, happen to be Black-owned.

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Brandi Taylor, who owns Serenity Bloom, one of the city’s few Black-owned flower shops, says she’s practiced floral arrangements as a hobby for years.

“I have a friend in Atlanta, Georgia who started her flower business maybe four years ago, and she kept telling me, ‘You should try it, you already know how to do flower arrangements,’” says Taylor.

She didn’t take her friend up on the offer at first, but some time in early 2021, Taylor says she went to see a woman who

did Tarot readings, and she asked her what she was supposed to be doing in her career path. The woman told her she would be doing something creative that involved using her hands very soon, but Taylor dismissed the message.

Flash forward to November 2021, and Serenity Bloom had become an LLC. Taylor was born in Pittsburgh and raised in Hazelwood until she moved to Atlanta in 1998 as a junior in high school.

She stayed in the south, studying early

“I’M JUST HOPING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE START TO RECOGNIZE THAT AND WANT SOMETHING DIFFERENT BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT I WANT TO BE KNOWN FOR, NOT YOUR TYPICAL ROSE ARRANGEMENT OR BOUQUET.” childhood education at UNC Charlotte for a few years, before relocating back to Pittsburgh in 2008 to study organizational leadership at CCAC. Taylor says that while people may be familiar with services like 1-800Flowers, which does on-demand flower delivery from shops around the U.S., she wasn’t interested in partnering with them because she wanted to maintain creative control.

“I’ll never just have a bouquet rose just laying around,” she says. “And if you want something simple, I probably can turn it around in 24 hours. If you want something with specialty flowers, it will probably take a couple of days.”

She likes colors you rarely find, like peach or lilac. Specialty flowers are her favorites, and while she says she’s not particularly drawn to roses, if she does have them, they won’t be the traditional long-stem reds or white ones.

SERENITY BLOOM info@serenitybloompgh.com instagram.com/serenitybloompittsburgh

“So my favorite is greenery,” she adds.

“I will usually use some form of eucalyptus like silver dollar, baby blues, just all kinds of eucalyptus and greenery. I would say one of my favorites would be Aspidistra, which is almost a teal color. I also use a ton of leatherleaf because it’s a great filler.”

Aspidistra are commonly referred to as “Cast Iron Plant” because of their hardiness, as they are able to survive in low light or poor soil conditions. Leatherleaf is true to its name; with a waxy looking coating on the green leaves, they do resemble leather.

Taylor says that while her eye is especially attracted to greenery, she is also drawn to the exotic flowers that often

can’t be found in Pennsylvania. She says she follows a florist who lives in California, who sources his flowers from Ecuador, and so she is planning a trip there herself to see what kind of flowers she can get for her business.

“I want to be able to get the flowers that I absolutely love that you rarely see here, even down to the roses,” she says.

“There is a quality of roses that the wholesaler doesn’t have on hand here.”

In addition to Serenity Bloom, Taylor also runs Solace Consulting, a Pittsburghbased firm that specializes in restorative practice training, consultation, and programming, all trauma and adversity informed. At Solace Consulting, Taylor works in parent organizing, youth and education advocacy, and legislative policy to mental health awareness. She also serves as the Director of Operations at Greenwood Plan and Emerald City.

Taylor runs Serenity Bloom as a one-woman operation, with an office in Emerald City, and fulfills orders out of her floral shop in McKees Rocks, where she takes orders by phone or email, without a storefront.

Since starting her flower arrangement business in 2021, Taylor says the most difficult time she’s had was Valentine’s Day when she got many last minute requests for flowers and bouquets that she, as the sole employee at Serenity Bloom, almost couldn’t accommodate.

While there are other Black florists in Pittsburgh, Taylor is one of the newer shops on the scene serving, as she calls it, “Floral Couture.”

“I think I may be one of a few Black florists in Pittsburgh,” says Taylor. “I’m just hoping that a lot of people start to recognize that and want something different because that’s what I want to be known for, not your typical rose arrangement or bouquet.” •

Follow arts & culture writer Dani Janae on Twitter @figwidow PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MARCH 9 - 16, 2022

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PHOTO: COLLECTION OF KAWS, COURTESY OF THE ESTATE OF MARTIN WONG AND P.P.O.W NEW YORK

Ten Brooklyn Storefronts (Sunset Park Series) by Martin Wong, part of Working Thought at Carnegie Museum of Art

ART

WORK IN PROGRESS

BY AMANDA WALTZ // AWALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

A

RRIVING AT WORKING THOUGHT days before the latest group exhibition at the Carnegie Museum of Art was set to open meant walking into a project in progress. This provided an opportunity to see how the proverbial sausage was made, as employees walked with purpose around the Heinz Galleries, and carts full of tools sat next to installations and sculptures, inadvertently challenging anyone to guess what was art and what was maintenance. Downstairs in the Forum Gallery, an attendant was still adding to “Pictures of Women Working,” a massive wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling collage work by artist Carmen Winant.

The behind-the-scenes look seems highly appropriate given the show’s theme, described as examining “the role of contemporary artists to consider and question the many ways economic inequality and labor have shaped American life past and present.” In short, this is about American labor in its many forms, from the factory to the storefront, from the coal mines to the hair salon, and absolutely everywhere in between.

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The show, which features works by 35 “established and mid-career contemporary artists and filmmakers,” also seeks to “probe the connections between art, economy, and labor” within the larger historical relationship between CMOA, its founder and patron, 19th-century American industrialist Andrew Carnegie, and the city overall. Carnegie, who made his fortune off the toil of steelworkers, created CMOA in 1886 as a way to “bring the world” to the people of Pittsburgh.

Working Thought curator Eric Crosby, who also serves as the museum’s Henry J. Heinz II director, describes the museum as a “readymade frame” for the exhibition, which is intended to take root there in sitespecific ways. As a result, a combination of new commissions and loans are presented alongside works from the museum’s permanent collection, positioning the permanent pieces in a “new light and within the context of the history of Pittsburgh as a capital of industry.”

“When I moved to Pittsburgh in 2015, I was struck by how present the city’s deep history of industry was, not only in the built

environment but also in the museum itself,” says Crosby. “I hope the diverse range of artists and artworks featured in Working Thought will provide multiple points of entry into the timely and relevant social issues that the show addresses, shedding light on the power of art to challenge our most deeply seated assumptions.”

WORKING THOUGHT Continues through June 26. Carnegie Museum of Art. 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland.

Included with museum admission. cmoa.org/exhibition/working-thought

One immediately noticeable aspect is the grandness of many of the works, as if they are literally trying to capture the overwhelming ceaselessness of labor in capitalist America. Beside Winant’s eyeboggling collage, which contains hundreds upon hundreds of magazine and news clippings depicting women in various states of work, is the newly commissioned “Irrational Rest” by Jessica Vaughn, a towering, jungle gym-like structure outfitted

with squares of LED lights that dim and brighten as the day goes on. The squares, which become brightest at night, are meant to mimic the harsh, constant lights of processing facilities like Amazon fulfillment centers, commenting on how these jobs disrupt the natural rhythms of life in the name of profit.

The enormity continues in works like Aaron Spangler’s “The Band Played the Night of the Johnstown Flood,” a carved wood relief meant to capture the 1889 manmade event that killed over 2,200 people, and Andrea Bowers’ “Triumph of Labor,” an expansive cardboard work titled after Walter Crane’s 1891 cartoon dedicated to “the wage-workers of all countries.”

Like Bowers, much of the exhibition showcases materials actually used in the jobs honored here, from the rusted wrenches, rebar, and other bits of Joe Minter’s “Where Is My Hammer?” sculpture to Theaster Gates’ two Long Run canvases, made with the tar the artist’s dad used in his roofing business.

Most notable is “BLACKBODY, WHITE NOISE” by Ricardo Iamuuri Robinson

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he snow is melting and spring is fast approaching – which means that wedding season is almost here! And this season is sure to be as busy as last year. Do you know what you’ll be wearing? Regardless of your wardrobe choices, chances are, you’ll probably need alterations to put the finishing touches on your wedding look.

local tailor or seamstress? As a rule of thumb, we recommend getting your alterations completed within two weeks to a month before the wedding. On average, alterations typically take between 1 to 2 weeks to be completed. With Alterations Express, formal dress alterations are completed typically within 4 days of the initial fitting.

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Bridal Gown Alterations: However, keep in mind that most local tailors and seame’ve boiled down the 5 most important things to know stresses are not like us, and will require you to schedule an about wedding dress alterations for every bride-to-be. appointment for your fitting. Tailors and seamstresses are usually very busy during the spring and fall, so make sure to keep this in mind when you’re scheduling your fitting. We recommend that you call to schedule your appointment at least 6 weeks in advance to make sure your local tailor can accommodate your alterations.

W PHOTO: COURTESY OF CARMEN WINANT AND PATRON GALLERY

“Pictures of Women Working” by Carmen Winant, part of Working Thought at Carnegie Museum of Art

and “Space in Between” by MexicanAmerican artist Margarita Cabrera.

Robinson produced a pair of cubes made of cast iron from the decommissioned Carrie Blast Furnaces, a relic of Pittsburgh’s once dominant steel industry. The cubes act as speakers for audio combining the sound of the metal heating under the sun with commentary on “racial politics and social injustices.”

In one of the most eye-catching, and sobering works on display, Cabrera uses military-green border patrol uniforms to create a series of cacti, all produced in collaboration with Casa San Jose, a resource center for Pittsburgh’s Latino immigrant population.

Much of the show speaks more directly to the issues of American workers and those who fought for labor rights, including a series of black-and-white photographs by Jill Freedman, which capture the Poor People’s Campaign, a 1968 march on Washington, D.C., demanding that the government address the employment and housing problems of low-income Americans. Adding to the show’s powerful photographic imagery is work by Fred Lonidier, whose long, text-heavy piece captures a bygone era in the country

when nearly every sector was unionized (even horse-shoers had a union).

Not to be overlooked are the many films on display, the standout being a more playful 1992 work depicting a “barge ballet” on the Allegheny River.

In addition to artist and curator conversations and other programming, the museum will also present a series of labor-driven film screenings, including Barbara Kopple’s acclaimed 1976 documentary Harlan County, USA and Lightning Over Braddock: A Rustbowl Fantasy, Pittsburgh filmmaker Tony Buba’s look at the city’s steel industry in 1988.

Working Thought highlights an issue that has defined America, from its early days and dependance on slave labor, to the Great Resignation and re-energized union movement. It serves as a reminder that even in the glamorous, seemingly effortless world of art are people hammering, taping, lifting, and measuring to make shows like Working Thought happen. It should be noted that many CMOA staff, like those in other industries across Pittsburgh and the country, have also moved to unionize, adding an awkward undercurrent to this latest show. •

Suit Style & Tailoring:

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edding season 2022 is sure to be a very busy time indeed! So, whether you’re attending 2 or 10 weddings this year, you’ll want to look your best in your wedding day wardrobe. Here are 5 tips for your wedding day suit style & tailoring.

Schedule a Private Fitting: Wedding dress alterations are more complicated than the average clothing alteration. So, make sure to schedule a private fitting with the seamstress that will be performing your alterations. We recommend calling to schedule an appointment for your wedding dress alterations as soon as you receive your gown.

Get! Your! Suit! Tailored!: If we didn’t already make it clear enough, this point is absolutely essential! Find more tips for suit alterations & tailoring.

Get Your Suit Pressed or Dry Cleaned: Nothing says fashion faux pas more than a wrinkled suit jacket. (trust us, people How many Fittings are Required?: Wedding dress alter- notice). Explore our awesomely affordable dry cleaning. ations are usually completed within 3 to 4 fittings. However, depending on the complexity of the alterations, it could be Don’t Choose a Black Suit: We have nothing against black suits, but they’re are too formal to be worn on certain ocmore. casions. Instead, a special occasion suit, elect for a classic What to Bring?: Make sure to bring your wedding shoes and heather gray or navy blue option, maybe even a summer tan? undergarments with you to all of your bridal fittings. We also Just, please, for us, not black. Have some fun! recommend bringing a family member or friend along for Shoes & Belt: Avoid square toe shoes or casual shoes like your fittings to help provide perspective during your fitting. boat shoes; they’ll make your suit look cheap and kill your Cost?: All wedding dresses are different, as are all brides. style. Instead, opt for a classic oxford and find a belt that However, on average, brides could spend anywhere from complements your footwear. $200 to $500 on wedding dress alterations (depending on the amount of work needed).

Use Collar Stays: Collar stays are plastic inserts placed in the collar of the shirt to maintain the shape and point of a collar. We know this one seems less important, but they make Bridesmaid & Wedding Dress Alterations: a big difference to help prevent the collar from flipping up or losing its’ silhouette. ow much do formal dress alterations cost?

The cost of formal dress alterations can vary widely depending on the number of alterations that are being done to the garment, the original construction of the dress, how many layers of fabric the dress has, etc. But, on average, most bridesmaids spend between $45 to $150 on dress alterations.

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Timeline: So, how long before the wedding day should you visit your For more helpful tips about suit style & tailoring, visit the Alterations Express blog at

Follow a&e editor Amanda Waltz on Twitter @AWaltzCP

ALTERATIONS-EXPRESS.COM/BLOG PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MARCH 9 - 16, 2022

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SEVEN DAYS IN PITTSBURGH

IRL / IN REAL LIFE EVENT VIRTUAL / STREAMING OR ONLINE-ONLY EVENT HYBRID / MIX OF IN REAL LIFE AND ONLINE EVENT

PHOTO: MACGILLIVRAY FREEMAN FILMS

^ Ireland at Rangos Giant Cinema

THU., MARCH 10 FRI., MARCH 11 LIT • VIRTUAL

DANCE • HYBRID

White Whale Bookstore welcomes several different authors for Virtual Reading & Conversation: Celebrating Short Story Collections. The event includes a reading

by Christopher Gonzalez, author of I’m Not Hungry But I Could Eat, a collection described as moving “seamlessly between diners, bedrooms, and bachelor parties as its mostly bisexual Puerto Rican narrators indulge in moments of desire, shame, and grief.” Also reading are Morgan Thomas, Leslie Pietrzyk, and Sara Lippmann. 7-8 p.m.

Free. whitewhalebookstore.com

See a selection of choreography from over 20 different countries during the Constructed Sight Dance Film Festival at Attack Theatre. The Pittsburgh-based company Shana Simmons Dance will kick off over a week of over 50 curated short films from around the globe, all showcasing dance covering themes such as mental health, environmental issues, and the pandemic, as well as personal stories.

Audiences can also choose which films, available to watch both in person or online, should win cash prizes. The event will also

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include dance film workshops. 7:30 p.m.

Doors at 7 p.m. Continues through Sun., March 20. 212 45th St., Lawrenceville. $45 festival pass, $15 virtual screenings only. shanasimmonsdance.com/constructedsight

STAGE • IRL The beloved story of three young siblings traveling through space and time to rescue their father is coming to New Hazlett Theater. Presented by Prime Stage Theatre, the stage version of A Wrinkle in Time will feature all of the same themes as the original novel by Madeleine L’Engle, who enchanted generations of readers with her fantastical sci-fi tale. The theater will also have sensory-friendly

performances, and requires proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to attend. 8 p.m. Continues through Sun., March 13. 6 Allegheny Square East, North Side. $5-30. newhazletttheater.org/ events/a-wrinkle-in-time

SAT., MARCH 12 PARADE • IRL Get your plastic green derby and Irish pun shirt ready, the Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day Parade is returning to Downtown.

Touted as the second largest event of its kind in the world, the family-friendly celebration welcomes everyone to enjoy

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PHOTO: SHANA SIMMONS

^ Emily Jaikaran in Cloud Arbor, part of Constructed Sight Dance Film Festival

live music, traditional step dancing, floats, marchers, and more, all honoring Irish heritage and culture. The parade route will begin at the Greyhound Bus Station at the intersection of Liberty Avenue and 11th Street. Visit the event website for a complete parade route map. 10 a.m.

Liberty Ave. and 11th St., Downtown. Free. pittsburghstpatricksdayparade.com

SUN., MARCH 13 FILM • IRL The Carnegie Science Center is bringing Ireland to the Rangos Giant Cinema with a new documentary. Narrated by Irish actor Liam Neeson, Ireland walks audiences through the Emerald Isles with stunning visuals and facts about the country’s culture and heritage. The film also features a tour with Manchán Magan, a famous writer and podcast host, and follows four teens as they explore their own Irish roots. The country will be showcased in stunning 4K and will be available to see in both 2D and 3D. 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Continues through Fri., April 1. 1 Allegheny Ave., North Side. $6-7. carnegiesciencecenter.org/ rangos-giant-cinema

MON., MARCH 14 OUTDOOR • IRL Birding has become more popular as a safe, outdoor activity to enjoy during the pandemic. It not only gives you a new perspective on nature, but inadvertently teaches you about plants and trees as you go. Join Naturalist Educator Stephen Bucklin for Birding Pittsburgh’s Parks with Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. This time, Bucklin will take guests through a birding tour of one of the city’s most trafficked

parks, Highland Park. No prior experience is required and if you don’t have your own binoculars, there will be a pair available for you to borrow. 8-10 a.m. 1467 N. Highland Ave., Highland Park. Free.

Registration required. pittsburghparks.org

TUE., MARCH 15 KIDS • IRL Celebrate the upcoming warm weather with your kids during Bring Spring at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. The event will take place in the museum’s art studio and will allow guests to build and paint a springtime scene using different craft supplies. Large tubes, paint, cardboard boxes, and more will be available to make the perfect art to get the whole family excited for the changing seasons. After you make your craft, take a walk around the rest of the museum and explore the other exhibits, such as the Kindness Gallery and the garden. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Continues through Mon., March 28. 10 Children’s Way, North Side. Included with museum admission. pittsburghkids.org

WED., MARCH 16 MUSIC • IRL Kingfly Spirits presents a night of live music with the Bachelor Boys Band. The group, made up of musicians described as touring with big-name acts like Stevie Wonder, John Legend, St. Vincent, and Kendrick Lamar, among many others, promise to deliver crowd-pleasing music that will lure you to the dance floor. Be sure to grab one of the distillery’s craft cocktails and settle in for a fun night. 7:309 p.m. 2613 Smallman St., Strip District.

Free. kingflyspirits.com/kingfly-events

6 Tips to Keep Your Home Warmer Because it’s chilly out there!

N

ow that winter is well underway, you’re probably more inclined to crank up the heat to keep warm.

But before you do, here are a few helpful tips to keep your home warmer, while saving money on energy.

Tip 1: Change Your Furnace Filter Regularly A standard filter should be changed once a month during heating season. Dirty air filters can cause dust, dirt and grime to build up on the heating components. This makes your furnace have to work harder, which means it’s more likely to malfunction. When in doubt, change the filter! It’s much cheaper to replace an air filter than to buy a new furnace.

Tip 2: Turn Your Heat Down at Night or When You’re Gone During the Day Turning your heat down 6-10 degrees for 8 hours a day from its normal setting could save you up to 10% on your heating bill. You can also turn your heat down at night to save money as well. If you have your favorite heavy sweater or comfy blanket, bundle up and drift into sweet dreams about all the money that you could save.

Tip 3: Check for Leaks in Weather Stripping It might have been a while since you replaced or checked your weather stripping under your exterior doors and windows. If there are rips, tears or deterioration, heat could be slipping out of your home. Here’s a simple test: Run your hands over the door or window frames; if you feel cold air, you need new weather stripping! This simple measure can help keep the heat in your home, where it should be.

Tip 4: Seal Drafty Windows There’s nothing worse than feeling like you are throwing money out the window. Use a heavy-duty clear plastic sheet on a window frame or tape clear plastic film on the inside of your window to reduce the cold air sneaking in. You can also use a caulking gun to reseal any cracks around the window itself.

Tip 5: Turn Your Water Heater Down (or to Vacation Mode) Turning your water heater down could save you up to

3-5% on your energy bill. Most manufacturers set water heater thermostats to 140 degrees, but most households only need them to be set at 120 degrees.

The CDC recommends 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. This will not only save you money on your water bill, but it can also prevent you from scalding yourself. And if you’re going on vacation, your water heater should go on vacation! Before leaving, set your water heater to vacation mode.

Tip 6: Take Advantage of Available Programs If you or someone you know is facing challenges paying winter gas bills, there are several programs available to help lower costs. Peoples offers qualified customers a conservation program to reduce gas usage and a customer assistance program that can lower monthly payments. And, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Grants starting at $500 are available to help pay utility bills. Not sure if you qualify?

Our easy, confidential ProgramFinder tool uses a few simple questions to identify programs you may be eligible for within minutes. If you’d like to fill out the form, or if you want to pass it along to someone you know, you can find it at peoples-gas.com/ assistance/form.php.

Want to help someone you know stay warm this winter?

Peoples also offers programs like the Gift of Warmth. This is a digital gift card that’s applied directly to your Peoples customer account. Through our partnership with ACI Speedpay, you can now purchase a Gift of Warmth digital gift card for any current Peoples customer in Pennsylvania, West Virginia or Kentucky. Maybe you’re hoping to help an elderly parent by taking care of their gas bill this month. Or, perhaps you’d like to give your college student a bit of breathing room. No matter what your reason is, the Gift of Warmth is a personal, practical gift that shows you care. To purchase, visit our Gift of Warmth site through ACI Speedpay at https://internet.speedpay. com/pnggiftofwarmth/. Just fill in the required information, choose your dollar amount, and send your gift of warmth off to someone who needs it! Payments can be made of up to $1,000 per transaction.

Pass this information along to anyone you think may need assistance.

Visit peoples-gas.com/programs or call 1-800-400-WARM to learn more.

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MARCH 9 - 16, 2022

13

I AS IN ILE-DE-FRANCE

BY BRENDAN EMMETT QUIGLEY // BRENDANEMMETTQUIGLEY.COM

ACROSS 1. Expensive party 5. A Tribe Called Quest rapper 9. Peter Parker’s sweetheart ___ Stacy 13. Poem about the 36-Down 15. Evian rival 16. Wildcats of the NCAA, for short 17. Legal job for Pope Francis?

19. Extra stipulations 20. Kind of country played by Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings 21. Fodder holder 23. Forehead application at the start of Lent 24. Teaching coach Hagen 25. One side of a battery: Abbr.

27. Boorish brute 29. iMacs for Steelers legend Bettis?

34. Regarding, in memos 37. Gold Fort 38. Everybody Hurts singer 39. Nativity scene figure 40. Start of a day 42. Some 43. High up in the air 45. Created 46. Mentally with it 47. Naively

14

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simplistic Vokswagen?

50. One who used to attend Temple 51. Hard stop?

52. Product pushers 55. Mass actress Dowd 57. Chest coverings 60. Daily allotment 62. Cheek by ___ 64. Shank on a seder plate?

66. “Right now, no really” 67. Supreme Leader’s country 68. Crimean resort city 69. Stereotypical disaffected slackers 70. Defeated 71. Game played on a map

DOWN 1. Delicate ornament 2. Indigenous people of Alaska 3. Rap relative 4. Schlep with effort 5. Initials in show business?

6. Hermanas de la madre 7. “You’re looking at him” 8. Spanish seafood and rice dish 9. “Liquid Swords” rapper 10. Was successful in every imaginable

way possible 11. Calls it quits 12. Brooklyn Nets coach Steve 14. Steak ___ 18. Moves behind on the dance floor 22. “My dumb mistake” 26. Lose feeling 28. Comprehension 29. Extremely happy 30. Janelle of R&B 31. Oozed forth 32. Electrified weapon 33. Like needlework 34. Key with three sharps: Abbr.

35. Black Friday event 36. See 13-Across

41. ___ out (fades) 44. Letter-shaped hardware piece 48. Faces on screen 49. Vermont Senator Patrick 52. Fish sandwich spread 53. Abstaining advice 54. 4th and inches play 55. 36-Down hero 56. Be a yenta 58. Country that gave us ceviche 59. Graceful swimmer 61. Letter-shaped construction piece 63. They sound so much better than streaming, supposedly 65. Stamping need LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS

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NAME CHANGE IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-22-1037 In re petition of Dori Michelle Gardner for change of name to Mae Ramona Buckley.

To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 11th day of April, 2022, 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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Denied Credit?? Work to Repair Your Credit Report With The Trusted Leader in Credit Repair. Call Lexington Law for a FREE credit report summary & credit repair consultation.

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DENTAL INSURANCE

SAVE BIG on HOME INSURANCE!

SAVE YOUR HOME! Are you behind paying your MORTGAGE? Denied a Loan Modification? Is the bank threatening foreclosure?

CALL Homeowners Relief Line NOW for Help 1-855-4395853 Mon-Fri : 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Sat: 8:00 am to 1:00 pm(all times Pacific) (AAN CAN)

DENTAL INSURANCE from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Coverage for 350 plus procedures. Real dental insurance - NOT just a discount plan. Do not wait!

Call now! Get your FREE Dental Information Kit with all the details! 1-855-385-3879 www.dental50plus.com/ citypaper #6258

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New relief programs can reduce your payments.

Learn your options. Good credit not necessary. Call the Helpline 888-670-5631 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm Eastern) (AAN CAN)

DENTAL Insurance

The University of Pittsburgh’s Alcohol & Smoking Research Lab is looking for people to participate in a research project. You must:

Get the dental care you deserve.

Medicare does not cover dental care1. That means if you need dental work done, it can cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars out of your own pocket.

Get Dental Insurance from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. It helps cover over 350 procedures — from cleanings and fillings to crowns and dentures. Call today to get help paying big dental bills.

• See any dentist you want, but save more with one in our network • No deductible, no annual maximum

• Currently smoke cigarettes

• Immediate coverage for preventive care

Call to get your FREE Information Kit

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• Be 18-49 years old, in good health, and speak fluent English

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• Be right handed, willing to not smoke before two sessions, and to fill out questionnaires

Earn up to $260 for participating in this study.

For more information, call (412) 407-5029

1

“Medicare & You,” Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2020 Includes the Participating (in GA: Designated) Providers and Preventive Benefits Rider.

Product not available in all states. Acceptance guaranteed for one insurance policy/ certificate of this type. Contact us for complete details about this insurance solicitation. This specific offer is not available in CO, LA, NY; call 1-800-969-4781 or respond for similar offer. Certificate C250A (ID: C250E; PA: C250Q); Insurance Policy P150 (GA: P150GA; NY: P150NY; OK: P150OK; TN: P150TN); Rider kinds B438/B439 (GA: B439B).

6255

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MARCH 9 - 16, 2022

15

PRESENTS

Charles McPherson Quintet Terrell Stafford - trumpet Jed Patton - piano Nathan Pence - bass Chuck McPherson - drums

SATURDAY, MARCH 19 7:30PM CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS • 6 ALLEGHENY SQUARE EAST, NORTH SIDE

Tickets: KENTEARTS.ORG or call Box Office: 412.320.4610 FOR MORE INFORMATION: KENTEARTS.ORG OR CALL: 412.322.0292 For our most updated COVID safety guidelines, visit the New Hazlett Theater and Kente Arts Alliance websites.