March 25, 2020 - Pittsburgh City Paper by Pittsburgh City Paper

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MARCH 25-APRIL 1, 2020

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MARCH 25-APRIL 1, 2020 VOLUME 29 + ISSUE 13

Lola's Eatery in Lawrenceville

FIRSTSHOT

Editor-In-Chief LISA CUNNINGHAM Director of Advertising JASMINE HUGHES Director of Operations KEVIN SHEPHERD Managing Editor ALEX GORDON Senior Writers RYAN DETO, AMANDA WALTZ Staff Writers HANNAH LYNN, JORDAN SNOWDEN Photographer/Videographer JARED WICKERHAM Digital Media Manager JOSH OSWALD Editorial Designer ABBIE ADAMS Graphic Designers JOSIE NORTON, JEFF SCHRECKENGOST Events and Sponsorship Manager BLAKE LEWIS Senior Account Executive KAITLIN OLIVER Sales Representatives ZACK DURKIN Operations Coordinator MAGGIE WEAVER Events and Marketing Coordinator BRYER BLUMENSCHEIN Business Manager JUSTIN MATASE Circulation Manager JEFF ENGBARTH Featured Contributors REGE BEHE, LYNN CULLEN, TERENEH IDIA, CHARLES ROSENBLUM, JESSIE SAGE Interns MEGAN GLOECKLER, OLLIE GRATZINGER National Advertising Representative VMG ADVERTISING 1.888.278.9866 OR 1.212.475.2529 Publisher EAGLE MEDIA CORP.

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Galen Moorer, Jr., owner of Happy Day Dessert Factory, puts together an ice cream order for a customer in the North Side.

THE BIG STORY

SERVING IN A CRISIS BY MAGGIE WEAVER // MWEAVER@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

N FRI., MARCH 13, pop-up shop Mi

Empanada opened its brick-andmortar location in Lawrenceville. The following Tuesday, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf ordered all restaurants to close their dining rooms. “It’s a disaster,” says Ivan Gil-Silva, co-owner of the Argentinian eatery. “I’m opening in the middle of chaos.” Mi Empanada started as a low-key, friend-tofriend business. But, eventually, “the empanadas just took over.” The pop-up and catering-only business

became a full-time job, and in 2017, Gil-Silva and his girlfriend Rachel Jenkins turned the business ofﬁcial. Two years later, in July of 2019, they locked in a Lawrenceville storefront and announced a permanent grab-n-go spot to be coming soon. “Opening up has been hell in the city of Pittsburgh,” says Gil-Silva. “We barely scraped by to open up.” “We started in a crisis,” he says. “Every day, it’s been like, ‘Are we going to be shut down tomorrow? Is anyone going to come tomorrow? Is everyone going to be healthy tomorrow?’ We take it day-by-day.”

On the North Side, Galen Moorer Jr. has been waiting two years to open his ice cream shop, Happy Day Dessert Factory. (His father is the former owner of a Rita’s Italian Ice location on the North Side.) The shop’s soft opening was scheduled for March 16 with a grand opening to follow soon after. “I am just happy to say that we are open,” said 20-year-old Moorer Jr. After Gov. Wolf placed restrictions on restaurants and bars last week, Moorer Jr. pushed the grand opening date back. Jason Taylor, owner of popular food truck Pita My Shawarma, has found himself in a similar situation. CONTINUES ON PG. 6

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Empanadas at Mi Empanada on Butler Street in Lawrenceville

In late February, the truck owner announced plans to open a ﬁxed location for his Mediterranean mobile eatery in Lawrenceville. Soon after, Taylor moved all operations to the Butler Street location (formerly Pastisio), using the space as a prep kitchen until his restaurant was ready to open in late spring and early summer. “It’s a catch-22,” Taylor explains. “It’s been a struggle getting a hold of city ofﬁces to see how to still pursue the next steps since now most [businesses] are closed and only some working from home. At the same time, it’s not in my control, so I’m accepting what the situation is and being thankful for the support I already have.” Compared to other food businesses in the city, Mi Empanada and Pita My Shawarma are lucky. Both have been around long enough to rely on strong fan bases, people willing to travel long distances and brave bad weather to eat their food. Gil-Silva says service, even in the middle of a pandemic, has been steady. Not great, but steady. Taylor, regardless of whether Pita

My Shawarma’s new location is ready to open, can serve food from his alreadyoperational food truck. The move has even proved to be somewhat serendipitous; now, though events are canceled, he has a place to park and sell with a prep kitchen attached.

MI EMPANADA 4034 Butler St., Lawrenceville. miempanada.com

HAPPY DAY DESSERT FACTORY 906A Western Ave., North Side. happydaydessertfactory.com

PITA MY SHAWARMA 3716 Butler St., Lawrenceville. pitamyshawarma.com

Gil-Silva and Jenkins are used to operating with unknowns. Operating as a pop-up for two years has taught them how to run a restaurant under any conditions. “We play by different rules,”

says Gil-Silva. “Mi Empanada works well in chaos.” The duo is planning for the best and the worst, stocking non-perishable goods in their store in case Italian imports become scarce. Sourcing has been Gil-Silva’s biggest issue — meat has been practically jumping off shelves — and the restaurant still isn’t stocked with everything they need. Gil-Silva calls this state “warfare.” He doesn’t know, one day to the next, if he’ll be able to find bread, produce, or cheese. But as a takeout eatery without a dining room, they’ve been fortunate enough to hire five employees, all who have been laid off by other restaurants. “We’re swimming, and we’re swimming strong,” says Gil-Silva. “You get frustrated, you have a bad day, and you think, ‘Hey man, I’m moving forward. Did I pass the finish line? No, but we’re taking it one day at a time.’” The opening of Happy Day Dessert Factory is different: Moorer Jr. isn’t backed by a sea of supporters or come with years of experience. He’s launched a completely new eatery — and his

Follow staff writer Maggie Weaver on Twitter @magweav

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Pita My Shawarma on Butler Street in Lawrenceville

ﬁrst solo business — in the middle of a pandemic. And despite these circumstances, the young entrepreneur says the future of Happy Day is looking “extremely bright.” All of his products are made on-site daily. As long as he can source ingredients, Happy Day can remain open. Moorer Jr. is currently working on pint production and making his treats available through a variety of delivery apps. “We have had customers come in and tell us that they couldn’t wait for us to open,” he said. “We are doing extremely well. There hasn’t been a

slow period down here yet.” Unless ordered to by the government, none of the three eateries plan to close, they’ll just keep adapting. As Gil-Silva plainly puts it, “People need to eat.” Taylor, in addition to his truck takeout, is working to add delivery through thirdparty apps. Gil-Silva and Jenkins have added curbside takeout to their menu. Moorer Jr. hopes to open his dining room the second restrictions are lifted and in the meantime, is continuing to offer discounts through social media so Pittsburghers can “quarantine and chill” with his treats.

•

How to support local Pittsburgh restaurants and food services PLAY TAKEOUT BINGO As the food and drink industry transitions to takeout and delivery services, we’re helping you keep track of the local restaurants you’re been supporting with this fun game you can make at home with a pizza box.

FIND OUT WHICH PLACES ARE OPEN We’re continuing to update our list of Pittsburgh restaurants offering takeout, delivery, and special menus. Plus, find out which Pittsburgh breweries are offering cans, crawlers, and growlers to-go.

SUPPORT THE SERVICE WORKERS Read about two fundraising campaigns helping Pittsburgh’s out-of-work food and service workers.

Find those, and more ongoing food and drink coverage, at pghcitypaper.com PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MARCH 25-APRIL 1, 2020

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HEY TOOK EVERY precaution –

disinfecting every surface, telling staff to stay home if they felt sick, limiting class sizes. But in the end, small Pittsburgh arts organizations and spaces are now feeling the same impact of the COVID-19 outbreak as their larger counterparts. What started as affecting events with crowds of 250 or more escalated quickly to a full-on shutdown of “nonessential” businesses, including galleries, performance spaces, and shops. It’s doubly hard for Casey Droege, who runs both the CDCP Project Space in Wilkinsburg and Small Mall, which sells work by local artists and makers. “At first we tried to stay open with heavy focus on hygiene and health safety,” says Droege. “But then we shut down our spaces when [Allegheny County] called for it.” Now, she and her staff have canceled all exhibitions and other events through the end of April, with the hope that they can at least reschedule them for the upcoming summer or fall. She wonders how the shutdown will affect her staff and the artists Small Mall sales helped to promote and support. “Because we’re losing income, the artists that we serve are also losing income,” she says. “We’re hoping that supporters will buy work online from us to keep our ecosystem pumping, but it’s certainly difficult for all of us.” Without audiences, performers are also feeling the brunt of COVID-19. Jason Clark, general manager at the Arcade Comedy Theater in Downtown Pittsburgh, worries how the local comedy community will fare after Arcade, like many comedy clubs across the country, finally went dark last Friday. “Just the understanding that you’re not sure when you’re going to have laughter in the building again,” he says, “it was emotional.” To ensure that Arcade can return, he and his staff, including director of programming, Mike Rubino, are still planning for future shows as soon as May. Clark says they’re also working with the building’s owner and landlord, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, to figure

PHOTO: LOUIS STEIN

Knights of the Arcade

Donate to Assemble (assemblepgh.org/support), Casey Droege Project Space (newsunrising.org/project/casey-droge-cultural-productions), and Arcade Comedy Theater (arcadecomedytheater.com/fundraising)

out how to pay rent down the line. They also launched a fundraising campaign and plan on keeping Arcade in the public consciousness by releasing videos of past shows that the public can enjoy online. But Clark says he and his team mostly worry about the emotional and financial well-being of a community now unable to do what it loves. “We are performers, we are artists, and we have to find a way to get that out,” he says, adding, “That’s the fight in us. That’s why we continue to plan for events throughout 2020, because we have to be here for our artists.” The artists have also been there for Arcade. He points out how Knights of the Arcade, a local improv group that blends comedy and tabletop role-playing fantasy games, has been performing shows virtually and donating any proceeds to the Arcade. Knights member, Brad Stephenson, says they plan on doing live online shows about every two weeks during the COVID-19 response period. Like Clark and Droege, Nina Marie Barbuto, executive director of Assemble, worries how the community that depends on her Garfield-based nonprofit arts space will weather the situation. She says they had to postpone all of their after-school programs and 21+ nights, and are uncertain if they will be open during the monthly Unblurred First Friday Gallery Crawl set for April. “Not knowing what to do and how much we should plan to be shut down for has been the hardest of the stressors,” says Barbuto. It’s especially concerning, she says,

given that Assemble often serves as a safe, welcoming space for local young people. “We are concerned about our youth and their families,” says Barbuto, adding that, beyond the services Assemble provides, many children and teens are without a support system now that area schools have shut down. Barbuto also worries about Assemble’s part-time educational staff, who run the off-site school and after-school programs that are now on hold. “If we are not delivering the program, we are not getting paid and we are unable to pay our teachers with those funds,” she says, adding that she and her staff have been in contact about possible financial resources, such as artistsupport grants and funds, and filing for temporary unemployment. However, she feels thankful for peers who have stepped in to “think about the big picture” and “keep folks informed.” Barbuto has found support as part of a Peer Operations Network that connects local arts and nonprofit leaders, and credits people like Rebekah Jenkins of Grow Pittsburgh, Dana Bishop-Root of the Braddock Library, and D.S. Kinsel of BOOM Concepts and Lawrenceville United for lending a helping hand. She believes the COVID-19 response only enhances what artists and nonprofits have always dealt with together, and encourages anyone dealing with hardships related to the crisis to ask for assistance. “If you need help, ask,” she says. “People are here for you. You are not alone. You still belong.”

Follow senior writer Amanda Waltz on Twitter @AWaltzCP

•

• AHN is providing drive-up collection sites for patients who have been previously evaluated by an AHN provider for COVID-19 symptoms and have received a valid prescription order. The following sites are open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily: 12311 Perry Highway, Wexford; 1010 Higbee Drive, Bethel Park; 4220 William Penn Highway, Monroeville. • At Central Outreach Wellness Center’s drive-up testing sites, willing patients need to present a photo ID and an insurance card to be tested, but people not able to make payment won’t be turned away. Testing begins at 11 a.m. each day at the following: Pittsburgh Zoo main parking lot, 7370 Baker St., Highland Park; 2360 Hospital Drive, Aliquippa.

.NEWS.

CORONAVIRUS UPDATES Important new information for Pittsburghers concerning the spread of coronavirus BY RYAN DETO RYANDETO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

LOT HAS happened since last week’s print issue of Pittsburgh City Paper. Positive coronavirus cases in the state have more than quadrupled, as have cases in Allegheny County. Ofﬁcials expect those numbers to continue to grow as more people get tested. Nationwide, the number of deaths caused by coronavirus has also risen exponentially since last week. Corresponding to the gravity of the global health pandemic, Pennsylvania has instituted strict requirements to businesses, residents, and students across the commonwealth. Here is a list of essentials you need to know. If you have access to the internet, check for updates at pghcitypaper.com.

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

A sign on the door of Arsenal Bowling Lanes in Lawrenceville

Allegheny County has received a stay-at-home order. This has extended school closures for at least two more weeks. It also urges individuals in the county to only leave their homes if someone’s life depends on your leaving, like to purchase food or pharmaceuticals.

Gov. Tom Wolf has ordered the closure of all “non-life-sustaining” businesses to help stem the spread of coronavirus. Some businesses included in the closures are construction projects (except for emergency repairs), textile and electrical equipment manufacturing, insurance carriers,

private schools, accounting ﬁrms, and many retail businesses. Testing for coronavirus is being completed by UPMC, Allegheny Health Network, and local health provider Central Outreach Wellness Center.

The City of Pittsburgh is handing out about 100 pre-packaged meals a day for seniors who are currently registered for normal congregate meal service. Meals are take-out only and can be picked up between 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at the following locations: 945 Roselle Court, Glen Hazel; 720 Sherwood Ave. Sheraden; 12th St. & 1 Bedford Square, South Side; 4600 Butler St., Lawrenceville; 7321 Frankstown Ave., Homewood; 5344 Second Ave., Hazelwood. Pittsburgh Public Schools is providing take-away meals for qualifying students at 30 locations across the city. Meals can be picked up from 11 a.m.1 p.m. on weekdays. Full list of locations can be accessed at pghschools.org.

•

Follow senior writer Ryan Deto on Twitter @RyanDeto

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STOP THE SPREAD OF GERMS

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Wash your hands

CORONAVIRUS EDITION BY HANNAH LYNN // HLYNN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

The coronavirus has taken a toll on everyone, especially __________

Stay at home when you are sick

ADJECTIVE

people. In Pittsburgh, restaurants are only allowed to serve __________. NOUN

Musicians are _____________ concerts online. All the __________ are VERB ENDING IN -ING

PLURAL NOUN

closed so kids have to stay home and play games like __________.

Cover your cough or sneeze b|_ - ঞvv ; Clean and disinfect frequently

NOUN

Last week, Governor Tom Wolf gave another press conference where he asked Pittsburghers to _________ their __________. After watching, VERB

PLURAL NOUN

_____________ became so upset, they drank a whole case of _______. PITTSBURGH CELEBRITY

For updates on COVID-19 in Allegheny County, follow the Allegheny Health Department on -1;0ooh ş $ b ;u Sign up for Allegheny Alerts at alleghenycounty.us/alerts

LIQUID

When that wasn’t enough, they _____________ to clear their head. PAST-TENSE VERB

Finally, they broke down and ate a whole carton of __________. FOOD

Hopefully, things will return to normal in ________________. If not, LENGTH OF TIME

we’ll just have to get used to ________________ from home and VERB ENDING IN -ING

YOU CAN NOW

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.FASHION.

FINDING CHIC COMFORT IN UNCERTAIN TIMES BY TERENEH IDIA CPCONTRIBUTORS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

N THE 1934 FILM The Thin Man, there’s a scene where Nora Charles (played by Myrna Loy) hears someone knocking on the door of the apartment she shares with her husband Nick (Pittsburgh’s own, debonair-fordays William Powell — oh, the list of chic men from Pittsburgh could ﬁll a future column, I drool). But back to Nora: So, Nora hears someone at the door and then there is a bit of a debate as to who will answer the door. A fun, sexy, I-married-my-wittybest-friend debate ensues. I won’t spoil it for you, but someone dons a deep, u-scope necked, fur-lined, satin, medieval, handfasting robe to answer the door. If you guess this is Nora’s ensemble, remember this was the 1930s, you never know who is wearing a satin robe. This elaborate robe was at the foot of the bed just waiting for its chance to literally, well, shine. In an earlier column, I asked women and femmes, “For Whom Do They Dress?” As of this writing in March of 2020, more and more people are starting to work from home and the answers to How, Why and For Whom we dress has changed rapidly. Now that only you, your co-workers or students (via video conference), partner, kids, and/or pets may see you — for whom we dress and what we wear is being reconsidered.

PHOTO: JULIA BETTS

Rona Chang of OTTO FINN and co-owner of Make + Matter, wearing the OOAK Norah Jacket

This question was at the core of the 2012 The Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition entitled Schiaparelli & Prada: Impossible Conversations, which contrasted the work of these two revolutionary Italian designers, women who shaped the style of their

time while often decimating fashion conventions. One of the most interesting areas of the exhibition, especially considering our current time, was the area themed “Waist Up/Waist Down.” “Waist Up” focused on Schiaparelli working in the early to mid 20th-century.

She dressed the women who entertained at home, the ladies who lunch, the cafe society, the during- and post-war life lived mostly indoors. Then there was Prada’s “Waist Down” approach: commuting to work, the stand-up presentations, the allwork up top with a party-at-the-bottom mirror encrusted skirt. Schiaparelli, like many designers of that era and up through the 1960s, was interested in the clothing you wore inside, from intimate negligees, pajamas, and nightgowns to the potentially semi-public entertain-at-home loungewear. For some women, it may have been the ﬁrst or only time wearing trouser-like garments. This style is not condemned to history. Its lines form the basis of the oversized pantsuit style of recent years and could be found in the streetwear and hip-hop styles of the 1990s (think: TLC and Aaliyah) to contemporary designers and inﬂuencers like Yoon Ahn and Aleali May. Our loungewear is our workwear. Our pajamas can be our workout gear or our going-to-the-store wear. Pittsburgh designers like Kiya Tomlin meld sustainable fabric into clothes that can be worn comfortably anywhere — she even has an adult onesie jumpsuit. Local shop Make + Matter’s Otto Finn and Flux Bene take traditional silhouettes, such as the kimono shaped jacket and outdoor workwear, then repurposes them for a contemporary yet comfortable look. They imagine the many places and reasons to dress, with a wellcrafted timeless piece that can serve many purposes. The lounge/work/play wear in 2020 is more practical than the Charles’ marabou silk robe but need be no less elegant. Find the garment to take you from outside to the upstairs, from cooking to writing or a video conference, that presents yourself to you and to others in a way that offers chic comfort in a time of uncertainty.

•

Follow featured contributor Tereneh Idia on Twitter @Tereneh152XX

PODCASTS TO PASS THE TIME BY AMANDA WALTZ AWALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

PGHCITYPAPER.COM

Criminal

thisiscriminal.com Unlike many true crime podcasts, Criminal isn’t just about murder and other violent crimes. Host Phoebe Judge examines the many and varied facets of crime, including everything from faking your own death to dognapping. She also introduces colorful characters who have committed, investigated, or written about crime.

Stuff You Missed In History Class

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Search “Stuff You Missed in History Class” on iHeartPodcast Network

Have you ever wondered why technology works a certain way? Reply All tackles questions, both big and small, surrounding the quirks of living in a more connected world. It also features expert guests with insights on subjects like internet sleuthing, the wild, seemingly lawless world of YouTube, robocalls, and more.

You will always find something interesting to learn about when searching through the extensive archives of Stuff You Missed In History Class, a podcast that looks at the obscure events and people you won’t find in any standard textbook.

gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all

STAY IN AND READ Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh challenges isolated borrowers with new online campaign BY AMANDA WALTZ AWALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

Pittsburgh Public Theater artistic director Marya Sea Kaminski

.STAGE.

TAKING IT TO THE STREAM BY AMANDA WALTZ // AWALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

HEATERS ACROSS Pennsylvania are among the many businesses forced to temporarily shut down, which means many performances will not be able to continue with a live audience. To stay active and bring the stage to fans, local theaters are moving programming online to deliver shows to homebound audiences. Pittsburgh Public Theater recently launched Playtime, a live online reading series bringing “great classic plays and the work of extraordinary Pittsburgh writers right to your living room, computer, or device.” “Although we cannot gather in person during these strange and unpredictable times, there are many ways we can still come together,” reads Playtime’s Facebook page. “Home is not always a place. Home is the people we love, the experiences we share, and the stories we use to connect us across time and space.” The series debuted last week with PPT artistic director Marya Sea Kaminski providing an introduction and reading

excerpts from Shakespeare’s Henry V. The live sessions will continue this Thursday and Friday, beginning at 7 p.m. and accessed through the PPT Playtime Zoom account. The series is free, but donations will be accepted to support the guest artists and cover any other costs related to the program.

Pittsburgh Public Theater Playtime on Zoom at bit.ly/PPTPlayTime Cry It Out virtual performance with City Theatre. Continues through Sun., April 5. Link with ticket purchase. $10-40. citytheatrecompany.org

City Theatre also took to the web with a virtual performance of its latest show, Cry It Out, after the remainder of its run was canceled. Written by Molly Smith Metzler, the comedy follows two very different women as they bond over the challenges that come with being new

moms. Pittsburgh City Paper reviewer Josh Oswald praised the production for its “honest performances and tight writing.” As opposed to going completely dark, City Theatre worked with a video team at the Pittsburgh-based marketing startup, Human Habits, to transition the performance online. City Theatre subscribers and current ticket-holders were sent links, and patrons can still access a link to the performance — now available online through Sun., April 5 — by buying tickets. While Cry It Out will still reach audiences, other productions scheduled for City Theatre’s 45th season are not so lucky. The world premiere of Isaac Gomez’s PerkUp PerKup has been canceled, while F*ck7thGrade by Liza Birkenmeier and ‘90s alt-pop icon Jill Sobule has been temporarily postponed from its original dates. In an email sent on Monday, the theater announced that it will furlough 75% of its staff, including all-part time employees. Seven staff members will remain at reduced salaries.

•

Public libraries have been a reliable haven for people looking for free information, entertainment, and other resources in troubled times. But like other businesses, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh was forced to suspend all in-person services, closing all 19 locations in its system. To help ease this transition, CLP announced it would waive all fines and late fees on already checked-out materials, relax its borrowing policy, and extend due dates. In addition, library managers are also exploring streaming and virtual programming, as well as “brainstorming ways to provide library service in a way that is safe for staff and the community,” according to a press release. To encourage patrons to borrow online, the library has also launched Stay In and Read, a “virtual reading challenge” that encourages library cardholders to use their isolation time to catch up on any books they’ve been meaning to check out. Starting this week, anyone can sign in and start logging any eBooks, downloadable audiobooks, or other digital materials available through CLP’s expansive online collection, which can be accessed through the OverDrive borrowing platform. (Instructions to download material are available on the CLP webpage.) The campaign runs through Thu., April 30. The CLP website says logged books will “unlock achievements and badges and make readers eligible for prizes.” The campaign is similar to CLP’s annual Summer Reading event, which has logged hundreds of thousands of books read by Pittsburgh patrons, who earn rewards like free library swag or books. CLP cardholders can access eBooks and audiobooks, as well as streaming TV and movies, magazines, music, and more. “It’s no surprise that we think this is a great chance to catch up on your reading,” says a CLP email statement. “Plus, we miss seeing you and talking about the books you’re excited about. With our physical locations closed for a while, we want to stay connected.” •

Follow senior writer Amanda Waltz on Twitter @AWaltzCP PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MARCH 25-APRIL 1, 2020

THE LOCAL 913: VICTOR ABENDANO BY LIZ FELIX // LIZ@WYEP.ORG

If you’re reading this right now, you’re probably the type of person who takes solace in your favorite songs. For Victor Abendano, it’s writing and performing music that has brought him comfort. Born in Mexico, Abendano’s family left for Texas when he was a child. Their work visa ran out and they were here illegally for a few years. Now a legal resident, Abendano moved to Pittsburgh to work and to buy a home. Throughout those uncertain times, music has been a constant for Abendano. That was the case when he wrote “Music Is Her Name” — he was going STAY UP-TOthrough a divorce DATE WITH THIS and found WEEK’S LOCAL himself playing MUSIC NEWS in a bar for free, WITH CP MUSIC just trying to WRITER JORDAN maintain his SNOWDEN connection to music. AND WYEP ‘“Music Is EVENING MIX Her Name’ came HOST LIZ FELIX to me like it Listen every was a second chance,” he Wednesday says. “It was at 7 p.m. on winter at the 91.3FM WYEP time and it was winter in my life. I felt depressed, isolated, alone, — like my life was over. Everything I worked for was crumbling, but I don’t necessarily need a woman. It ended up becoming where it was like a duality, like music is a woman to me and it’s something I could pour my love into. That’s my love right there. Music is her name, you know? She’s the one that’s going to save me out of this deep depression that I was falling into.” He did come through that turbulent time, and the song has a positive, sunny outlook. Hear “Music Is Her Name” on Victor Abendano’s new EP Seasons Pass. •

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

Sierra Sellers

.MUSIC.

MEMORY LANE BY JORDAN SNOWDEN // JSNOWDEN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

VER THE LAST FEW years, Sierra Sellers has gotten the same question over and over again: When are you releasing new music? Her ﬁrst EP, a self-titled R&B/soul release, came out in 2017, and since then, Sellers has only put out singles. But that’s because she wasn’t in a hurry, just waiting for the right idea to come to her. “I’m not into forcing a concept, and I really like concept projects,” she says.

The spark came last year when her bass player, Denzel Chismar-Oliver, sent her a beat that he made on a loop pedal. She wrote a song — which became “Ophelia,” the intro and title track for her upcoming EP set to drop March 25 — and a lightbulb went off. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I should make a whole project about Ophelia Street in Oakland because that was a really pivotal time in my life.”

OPHELIA BY SIERRA SELLERS out Wed. March 25 on most music streaming platforms

Sellers spent the summer of 2014 hanging on Ophelia Street, doing something fun and outrageous every day. She says there was no drama, and it was the ﬁrst time where she was out with friends, and oftentimes, lying to her dad about where she was. “It was the best and worst summer of life,” says Sellers. “I had gotten out of a really important relationship and didn’t know how to handle it because I was so young. I was heartbroken but also having the time of my life. It was a really unique time. I don’t think we — we as in the people I experienced it with — will ever be able to recreate CONTINUES ON PG. 18

PGHCITYPAPER.COM

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MARCH 25-APRIL 1, 2020

MEMORY LANE, CONTINUED FROM PG. 16

WHAT FOLKS FROM PITTSBURGH’S MUSIC SCENE THINK YOU SHOULD BE STREAMING Purchase these two local albums on Bandcamp, then read more suggestions at pghcitypaper.com

INEZ recommends Akono Miles: Dust To Go It feels like if you threw a Dilla-head into a blender w/ cassette tapes, a space command station, and a CB radio. Love it!!! Akono is definitely a name to watch for production and sound design!

Hugh Twyman (HughShows) recommends The Childlike Empress: Take Care of Yourself This album and artist has been swirling around the periphery of my radar since being released last fall. I recently had the pleasure of finally listening to this music and was struck [by] how an artist’s image can sway perception. I was expecting some hard-ass doom beats as they were licking a butcher knife with blackened out eyes on the cover. What a surprise it was to hear a plaintive, delicate, emotive, and introspective collection of songs that I cannot stop listening to. What an invaluable lesson I learned. Never judge an album by the cover.

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

Sierra Sellers

that summer.” Ophelia chronicles a night in Oakland, from getting ready with friends to meeting someone new at the end of the night, and “Ophelia” is meant to be the “kickback portion of the evening.” Sellers started thinking about what she needed to encapsulate her vision, and realized she had already written the tracks: “Grown” a song about being treated like an adult, but not having the responsibilities of one; “Good Time,” a track where the title speaks for itself, about going out after a ﬁght and letting go; “The Feeling,” about getting nervous and excited when seeing someone new at a house party; and “Thyme,” the ﬁnal song, about approaching that person and wanting to suddenly make time to get to know them. Originally, Sellers had more to add to the EP, like little skits and transitions, but stripped it back because she wanted Ophelia to truly represent an evening spent on Ophelia Street. After a recent performance in Chicago, a University of Pittsburgh alum approached Sellers to comment on her music. “He was like, ‘Man, we always used to party on Ophelia in Oakland,’’ says Sellers. “And he was really stoked when

he found out that was exactly where I was talking about the whole time.” Focusing on performing is another reason Sellers has been slow to release new projects over the years. Her goal for 2018 and 2019 was to get over her massive stage fright. To do this, she regularly put herself in front of audiences all around Pittsburgh, and beyond, at places like Deutschtown Music Festival, Con Alma, Mr. Smalls, Club Cafe, and more.

“I STILL GET BUTTERFLIES NOW, BUT I LOVE PERFORMING.” “I still get butterﬂies now, but I love performing,” says Sellers. “That was a huge thing to work on. Now one of the goals for 2020 is really focusing on studio work and getting better with recording.” Named one of NPR’s Slingshot: 20 Artists To Watch In 2020 (Benji. received the

title in 2019), Sellers is already stepping up her studio work with the production of Ophelia. It was created with the help of a prominent cast of Pittsburghers. The title track features Buscrates (synths), Brad Brad Fritcher (trumpet), and Feralcat (saxophone). “Grown” has bass played by Jonny Goood and was produced by DropOuts, the production team of Ryan Tedder and Aaron Karsh. Karsh is who produced Seller’s selftitled debut. “Good Time” was produced by Nice Rec, with Charlie Scott on bass and beats from Buscrates. The track also features has Feralcat on saxophone, Brandon Crosbie on trumpet, and Shanyse Strickland on ﬂute. “The part in the pre-chorus that says ‘If you hatin’ you can hit the door.’ and then it echoes ‘by the door,’ that’s actually Buscrates saying that on his vocoder in his home studio,” explains Sellers. For “The Feeling,” Buscrates, who produced the song, made a beat inspired by The Wiz, Sellers’ all-time favorite movie, and “Thyme,” was produced by Seller’s keyboardist, Remy Vega, with the help of Nice Rec and Allen Bell. “The production on this EP is kinda crazy, just by who touched it,” says Sellers.

Follow staff writer Jordan Snowden on Twitter @snowden_jordan

PGHCITYPAPER.COM

•

.FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 26

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY BY ROB BREZSNY // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

ARIES (March 21-April 19):

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):

Your oracle comes from Aries poet Octavio Paz: “The path the ancestors cleared is overgrown, unused. The other path, smooth and broad, is crowded with travelers. It goes nowhere. There’s a third path: mine. Before me, no one. Behind me, no one. Alone, I find my way.” APRIL FOOL! Although the passage by Octavio Paz is mostly accurate for your destiny during the rest of 2020, it’s off-kilter in one way: It’s too ponderously serious and melodramatic. You should find a way to carry out its advice with meditative grace and effervescent calm.

About 2,000 years ago, a Roman woman named Sulpicia wrote six short love poems — a total of 40 lines — that are still being analyzed and discussed by literary scholars today. I bring her to your attention because I think that in the next four weeks you, too, could generate a small burst of beauty that will still be appreciated 2,000 years from now. APRIL FOOL! I lied about the “small” part. The burst of beauty you create in the immediate future could actually be quite large, as well as enduring.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): A century ago, fiery writer Maxim Gorky and hard-ass Taurus politician Vladimir Lenin were listening to a Beethoven sonata together. “I can’t listen to music too often,” Lenin told his companion. “It affects your nerves, makes you want to say stupid, nice things.” This is crucial advice for you to heed in the coming weeks, Taurus. You need to be as smart and tough as possible, so don’t you dare listen to music. APRIL FOOL! Lenin was half-mistaken, and I half-lied. The fact is, music makes you smarter and nicer, and those will be key assets for you to cultivate in the coming weeks. So yes, do listen to a lot of music.

French poet Louis Aragon (1897–1982) was an influential novelist and a pioneer of surrealistic poetry. Much of his writing had a lyrical quality, and many of his poems were set to music. He also had a belligerent streak. Before the publication of one of his books, he announced that he would thrash any writer who dared to review it in print. Success! There were no critical reviews at all. I recommend his approach to you in the coming weeks. Make it impossible for anyone to criticize you. APRIL FOOL! I lied. I would never suggest that you use violence to accomplish your aims. And besides that, the coming weeks will be a favorable time for you to solicit feedback of all varieties, even the critical kind.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

By the time he was 55 years old, Gemini author Thomas Hardy had written 18 novels and many poems. His stuff was good enough to win him two separate nominations for a Nobel Prize in Literature. But during the last 32+ years of his life, he never wrote another novel. According to one theory, it was because he was discouraged by the negative reviews he got for his last novel. I suspect you may be at a similar juncture in your life, Gemini. Maybe it’s time to give up on a beloved activity that hasn’t garnered the level of success you’d hoped for. APRIL FOOL! The truth is, it is most definitely NOT time to lose hope and faith. Don’t be like Hardy. Rededicate yourself to your passionate quests.

I hesitate to be so blunt, but it’s my duty to report the facts. According to my reading of the astrological omens, you should have as many orgasms as possible in the next 15 days. You need to tap into the transformative psychological power that’s available through monumental eruptions of pleasure and releases of tension. (P.S. Spiritual orgasms will be just as effective as physical orgasms.) APRIL FOOL! What I just said is true, but I left out an important component of your assignment: Be loving and responsible as you pursue your joyous climaxes, never manipulative or exploitative or insensitive.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Cancerian theologian John Wesley (1703–1791) was a Christian who embodied the liberal values that Christ actually taught. He advocated for the abolition of slavery, prison reform, the ordination of women priests, and a vegetarian diet. He gave away a lot of his money and administered many charities. To accomplish his life’s work, he traveled 250,000 miles on horseback and preached 40,000 sermons. Let’s make him your role model for the coming weeks. Be inspired by his life as you vividly express your care and compassion. APRIL FOOL! I lied a little bit. Although most of what I just recommended is a good idea, the part about traveling long distances, either on horseback or by other means, is not.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The neurotic but talented French novelist Marcel Proust observed, “Everything vital in the world comes from neurotics. They alone have founded religions and composed our masterpieces.” With that in mind, and in accordance with current astrological omens, I urge you to cultivate your own neurotic qualities in their extreme forms of expression during the coming weeks. You’re due for some major creative breakthroughs. APRIL FOOL! I was kidding. The fact is, you can generate creative breakthroughs in the coming weeks by being poised and composed — not extra neurotic.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo author Leon Edel wrote a five-volume biography of renowned author Henry James. In the course of his research, he read 15,000 letters that were written by James. He came to have a profound familiarity with the great man. In accordance with current astrological omens, I recommend that you choose a worthy character about whom you will become equally knowledgeable. APRIL FOOL! I half-lied. It’s true that now is an excellent time to deepen your understanding of people you care about. But don’t get as obsessed as Edel!

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):

Socially-distancing herself but still broadcasting LIVE every Monday thru Thursday at 10 a.m. at lynncullen.pghcitypaper.com

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Ancient Greek orator Demosthenes was renowned for his skill at delivering powerful, charismatic speeches. While he was still learning his craft, he resorted to extreme measures to improve. For example, there was a time when he shaved just half of his head. It made him ashamed to go out in public, forcing him to spend all his time indoors practicing his speeches. Would you consider a similar strategy right now? APRIL FOOL! I was just messing with you. It’s true that the coming weeks will be a good time to minimize your socializing and devote yourself to hard work on behalf of a beloved dream. But shaving half your head isn’t the best way to accomplish that.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The coming weeks will be a favorable time for you to tell as many lies as possible if doing so helps you get what you want. I hereby authorize you to engage in massive deceptions, misrepresentations, and manipulative messages as you seek to impose your will on every flow of events. APRIL FOOL! I lied. In fact, everything I just said was the exact opposite of your actual horoscope, which is as follows: You have a sacred duty to tell more of the truth than you have ever been able to tell before. As you dig deeper to discover more and more of what’s essential for you to understand and express, dedicate your efforts to the goal of gliding along with the most beautiful and interesting flow you can find.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Fifteen minutes before the Big Bang occurred, where was the matter that now constitutes your body and my body? And if, as seems to be true, the Big Bang was the beginning of time, what time was it fifteen minutes earlier? Questions like these are crucial for you to ponder in the next two weeks. APRIL FOOL! I lied. The questions I articulated should in fact be very low priority for you. In the immediate future, you’ll be wise to be as concrete and specific and pragmatic as you can possibly be. Focus on up-close personal questions that you can actually solve, not abstract, unsolvable riddles.

Go to realastrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s expanded weekly audio horoscopes and daily text-message horoscopes. The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700

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IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-19-13901. In re petition of Kimberly Nichole Boni for change of name to Bonni Nichole Ankeny. 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 March, 2020, at 9:45 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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IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-20-2782. In re petition of Candace Marie Thompson for change of name to Candace Marie Wilson-Shroyer. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the ﬁling of said petition and ﬁxed the 13th day of April, 2020, at 9:45 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-20-3073. In re petition of Winifred A. Thomas for change of name to Wendy A. Thomas. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the ﬁling of said petition and ﬁxed the 17th day of April, 2020, at 9:45 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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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER MARCH 25-APRIL 1, 2020

PEEPSHOW A sex and social justice column BY JESSIE SAGE // PEEPSHOWCAST@GMAIL.COM

every time you want to have sex, you can set up a space in your bedroom, or elsewhere, that is clear of clutter and external stressors.

HE OTHER DAY, my partner and

I were in the living room surrounded by toys with Sesame Street blaring in the background when he stealthily asked if I wanted to go upstairs for a little afternoon romp. Now, I am someone who is almost always game, but in this particular moment I would have had to step over plastic toys in order to get there, not to mention the fact that I was wearing a bathrobe and I couldn’t remember if I had brushed my teeth that morning. These factors weren’t exactly a recipe for a hot encounter — the last thing I was feeling was sexy. But as I was thinking about all this, a wave of panic rushed over me: This is what life is going to look like for the next couple of weeks. The kids are home, stress levels are high, and we can’t even go out to a bar or restaurant to blow off steam and connect over an uninterrupted conversation. But unless we are going to totally give up on having a sex life for as long as social distancing is a thing, we are going to have to learn to negotiate sex amid constant family chaos. This brings up an important question: How are parents supposed to maintain a sexual connection when the kids never leave the house? I am still trying to answer this question for myself, so please take these as mere suggestions, and let me know what is working for you!

It’s OK to let kids watch a movie/ play video games. While many parents have rules about how much screen time their kids can have, these are desperate times. Parents need time to be adults, otherwise they will burn out on kid activities. So turn on their favorite movie, and tell them you will be “napping.” I promise they will be OK. CP ILLUSTRATION: ABBIE ADAMS

Control the noise.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LEARN TO NEGOTIATE SEX AMID CONSTANT FAMILY CHAOS Get dressed up as if you were trying to impress each other. When I wasn’t in the mood, I decided to go upstairs and take a shower, put my makeup on, and wear something nice. While I wasn’t totally sure it would help me switch gears from toddler-play to sexy time, I thought it certainly couldn’t hurt (plus, I should probably shower anyway). And sometime while I was getting dressed I started fantasizing, and then I started snapping sexy selﬁes to

signal I was almost ready. And then voila, I was ready.

Create a space in your house that is just yours. Part of the stressful thing about having the kids around 24/7 is not just the kids, but also their stuff. Our kids’ age-range is huge, so in addition to the plastic toys we also have backpacks, electronic devices, sports equipment, dirty dishes, and laundry. While it isn’t practical to clean the house from top to bottom

While it is easy to close and lock your door, sound travels. You are going to need to do what you can to prevent the kids from hearing you. You can do this by playing music or setting up a white noise machine (we used to keep one of these in the hall closet that separated our room from theirs). You can also just be very quiet; make a sexy game of this! See how much you can pleasure your partner without them making any noise. Cover their mouths if they can’t manage. Gag them. Have sex on a blanket on the ﬂoor if the bed is too creaky. Whatever you do, try to keep things alive. This shut-in is stressful enough, at least maybe we can all have some good midday sex.

•

JESSIE SAGE IS CO-HOST OF THE PEEPSHOW PODCAST AT PEEPSHOWPODCAST.COM. HER COLUMN PEEPSHOW IS EXCLUSIVE TO PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER. FOLLOW HER ON TWITTER @PEEP_CAST. HAVE A SEX QUESTION YOU’RE TOO AFRAID TO ASK? ASK JESSIE! EMAIL INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM. QUESTIONS MAY BE CONSIDERED FOR AN UPCOMING COLUMN.

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