November 13, 2019 - Pittsburgh City Paper by Pittsburgh City Paper

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 13-20, 2019

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pghcitypaper.com PGHCITYPAPER PITTSBURGHCITYPAPER We gave the Steel Army, Pittsburgh Riverhound’s supporters group, 35mm disposable cameras to document this season’s playoffs. Here our are favorite images from what was developed. Congrats to the Riverhounds on a great season!

NOV. 13-20, 2019 VOLUME 28 + ISSUE 46 Editor-In-Chief LISA CUNNINGHAM Associate Publisher JUSTIN MATASE 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 JOHN CLIFFORD Sales Representatives KAITLIN OLIVER, NICK PAGANO Operations Coordinator MAGGIE WEAVER Events and Marketing Coordinator BRYER BLUMENSCHEIN Circulation Manager JEFF ENGBARTH Featured Contributors REGE BEHE, LISSA BRENNAN, LYNN CULLEN, TERENEH IDIA, CHARLES ROSENBLUM, JESSIE SAGE Interns JOIE KNOUSE, ELISE LAVALLEE Office Administrator RODNEY REGAN National Advertising Representative VMG ADVERTISING 1.888.278.9866 OR 1.212.475.2529 Publisher EAGLE MEDIA CORP.

GENERAL POLICIES: Contents copyrighted 2019 by Eagle Media Corp. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Pittsburgh City Paper are those of the author and not necessarily of Eagle Media Corp. LETTER POLICY: Letters, faxes or e-mails must be signed and include town and daytime phone number for confirmation. We may edit for length and clarity. DISTRIBUTION: Pittsburgh City Paper is published weekly by Eagle Media Corp. and is available free of charge at select distribution locations. One copy per reader; copies of past issues may be purchased for $3.00 each, payable in advance to Pittsburgh City Paper. FIRST CLASS MAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS: Available for $175 per year, $95 per half year. No refunds.

COVER PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM HELLO NEIGHBOR MENTOR CLARE WARDWELL WITH THE KNAINEH FAMILY — READ THE STORY ON PAGE 6

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 13-20, 2019

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

Sloane Davidson

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THE BIG STORY

CITIZEN ACTION

How Hello Neighbor is expanding through collaboration in a world of shrinking refugee services BY RYAN DETO // RYANDETO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

N 2017, KHEIR MUGWANEZA, then director of refugee resettlement at Northern Area Multi Service Center (NAMS) in Sharpsburg told Pittsburgh City Paper that “we can use as much support as we can [get]” in terms of supplying assimilation assistance to area refugees. About 19 months later, NAMS’ resettlement division closed down. Since taking office, President Donald Trump has drastically reduced the number of refugees accepted into the U.S. This year, about 30,000 refugees are expected to be resettled in the U.S., which is down from 110,000 in 2016, the lowest since 1980. With funding for refugee resettlement agencies tied directly to the number of refugees accepted in America, NAMS isn’t the only casualty. According to Refugee Council USA, more than 90 refugee resettlement offices have closed nationally since Trump took office. Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh could be due for more closures, since the state and region are also seeing dramatic cuts in refugee arrivals, which will drastically reduce funding for resettlement agencies. About 3,700 refugees were resettled in the commonwealth in the 2016 fiscal year (October 2015 to September 2016). This fiscal year, only about 1,300 have been resettled in Pennsylvania. The Pittsburgh resettlement region (Allegheny, Beaver, Indiana, and Washington counties) is also seeing fewer refugees. The area is down from 651 refugees arriving in 2016 to 235 this year. In addition to the humanitarian concerns of accepting fewer refugees — who by definition are migrants unable to return to their native countries due to safety concerns and a certainty they will be persecuted — the closing down of resettlement agencies also has immediate consequences for refugees currently living in the U.S. CONTINUES ON PG. 8

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 13-20, 2019

CITIZEN ACTION, CONTINUED FROM PG. 7

WANT TO APPLY TO BE A HELLO NEIGHBOR MENTOR? Hello Neighbor is a program that partners native-born Pittsburghers with foreign-born residents with the goals of combating xenophobia and helping immigrants and refugees assimilate to their new lives in Pittsburgh. The program has grown significantly over the years, as more people are participating in the mentor-mentee program. And the group is still accepting application for the programs that will run from March through August 2020. Applications can be completed at helloneighbor.io. Contact info@ helloneighbor.io for more information.

Here is what you need to know before applying: • Application deadline is Nov. 30 • Must commit to an initial sixmonth matching period • Attend mandatory orientation • Live in the Greater Pittsburgh area • Should spend at least 10 hours per month with your mentee • Have open communication with Hello Neighbor staff • Attend Hello Neighbor events • Be a friend to all those in program • Advocate for Hello Neighbor

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CP PHOTOS: JARED WICKERHAM

Bassel Knaineh and Mohammad, a Hello Neighbor family

The main goal of resettlement agencies is to help refugees get housing, find a first job, and other efforts to help them get established in the first three months of arriving. But a substantial amount of the work goes into helping them assimilate more broadly. Refugees, understandably, need a lot of informal help on how to navigate a foreign land, such as how to ride the bus, how to get a credit card, how to shop for groceries, etc. However, a coalition of refugeerelated nonprofits wants to pick up the slack, and they’ll be convening this week in Pittsburgh at City of Asylum to determine the best way to do so. Sloane Davidson, of local refugeementoring nonprofit Hello Neighbor, set the gathering in motion. Her program was created about three years ago when she invited a Syrian-American family over for Thanksgiving dinner. From there, the idea for Hello Neighbor took off. The organization pairs immigrants and refugees with native-born Pittsburghers — sort of like a Big Brothers, Big Sisters program between nativeborn and foreign-born residents. Hello Neighbor started with 25 families from

eight countries in 2017; the most recent class was made up of 95 families from 12 different countries. Over the past three years, most of the refugees coming to Pittsburgh came from Afghanistan, Bhutan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). According to the United Nations, wars and unrest in Afghanistan and DRC have displaced millions from their homes. Refugees from Bhutan were Nepalese minorities in the South Asian country and faced persecution by the Bhutanese government. The initial goal of Hello Neighbor was to help native-born residents combat xenophobia and to help foreign-born people assimilate, but the organization’s expansion has proven to Davidson that there’s a need for even more refugee services, especially after their ofﬁcial 90 days of resettlement guidance ends. “What we have really seen with the mentees, there are some overarching issues,” says Davidson. “Housing, education, health care, and especially for women and children and expecting mothers, are big priorities. But also learning how to get a driver’s license and a library card. And help with moving. Learning a new bus

route. All these things.” She says these needs are reﬂected in Pittsburgh’s immigrant history, where social clubs in immigrant neighborhoods helped recently arrived immigrants navigate life in the Steel City. “If you moved here, you went to the Slovak Club and they had a credit union,” says Davidson. “There were deep cultural neighborhoods, with faith-based social services. That has eroded and that is what Hello Neighbor is bringing back. We get calls for help with birthday parties and dealing with school bullying.” And she says this sentiment is shared with other refugee- and immigrantservices nonproﬁts from across the country. Davidson wants this idea to spread. Since receiving positive press for her efforts, including a segment on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, Davidson has received more than 400 inquiries. Most of them inquired about starting Hello Neighbor chapters for their towns, but instead of trying to start over in a town she didn’t understand, Davidson started communicating online with organizations that work with refugees

The Knaineh family with mentors Clare Wardwell and Ken Hornfeck

in an unofficial resettlement capacity. Eventually, eight organizations joined forces with Hello Neighbor: Dwell Mobile in Alabama, Heartfelt Tidbits in Cincinnati, Homes Not Borders in Washington, D.C., International Neighbors in Virginia, Miry’s List in Los Angeles, Refugee Assistance Alliance in Miami, Soft Landings in Missoula, and Hearts & Homes for Refugees in New York. All of the organizations are led by women. The goal is to learn from one another, take the best practices each group has to offer, and see if they will work elsewhere. Davidson says this might mean a new mentorship program in Chicago or a new job placement push for refugees in Pittsburgh. “Truly selflessly, it was a smarter move and more collaborative, and more authentic to build this together, to get through this together,” says Davidson. Sheryl Rajbhandari, founder of the Ohio refugee support program Heartfelt Tidbits, says her group has received great support from Cincinnati nonprofits, but struggled to find groups doing similar refugee work that they could learn from.

She says the convening at City of Asylum in the North Side will be game changing for her organization.

cation and career experience from their home countries. This means ﬁnding jobs for them with upward mobility is huge,

“IT IS GOING TO MAKE IT MUCH STRONGER FROM AN ADVOCACY. NINETY DAYS JUST ISN’T ENOUGH TIME TO TRULY RESETTLE SOMEONE.” “It is going to make it much stronger from an advocacy,” says Rajbhandari. “Ninety days just isn’t enough time to truly resettle someone.” Kari Miller from International Neighbors in Charlottesville has seen expansion similar to Hello Neighbor, even without a corresponding growth of ofﬁcial resettlement agencies. She says job placement is a big deal for refugees, because many American employers don’t recognize refugees’ edu-

even as most jobs refugees get are in low-skilled positions like dish washing or laundry service. “It’s always disheartening that someone from Iraq who worked with our military and their education is not redeemable,” says Miller. “We need to ﬁnd bosses who welcome the diversity.” Miller hopes the collaboration can generate ideas to tackle this problem. Davidson is conﬁdent the collaboration of the eight organizations will

lead to more structural help for refugee services, maybe even on a level bigger than nonprofit work. According to a research study released by Hello Neighbor of more than 150 survey responses from refugees and native-born residents involved in the eight programs, 97 percent of volunteers said they have continued to advocate for refugee issues with local, state, and federal officials. Jeri Stroade of Dwell Mobile says the networking is going to be “very important” to the Alabama immigrant and refugee nonprofit. Because of the collaborative nature of the event, she is confident refugees and immigrants needs will be front and center, as opposed to the nonprofits. “How are these people going to get to the point where they are thriving?” says Stroade of newly arrived immigrants and refugees. “Our American idea of success is not necessarily theirs. For some of them, success is when they can be home with family, where they are safe. We shouldn’t necessarily change that idea.”

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Follow senior writer Ryan Deto on Twitter @RyanDeto PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 13-20, 2019

PHOTOS: KELLY STRAYHORN THEATER

Half Spring (Sara and Rose Savage)

.LGBTQ.

MY PEOPLE BY HANNAH LYNN // HLYNN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

HEN ADIL MANSOOR ﬁrst moved to Pitts-

burgh in 2010, he wanted to ﬁnd a vibrant queer community on par with the one he experienced in Chicago. He was drawn to events at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater, where he met long-term friends and began attending My People, a yearly arts festival centering the experience of queer and trans

people of color. Now, the festival is in its 11th year, and Mansoor is the curator of My People: A QTPOC Festival of the Arts. “Isn’t that cool?” Mansoor says of his journey from attendee to curator. “[Kelly Strayhorn Theater] was just this place where I, as a new person in Pittsburgh, as a queer POC person in Pittsburgh, was able to ﬁnd

MY PEOPLE: A QTPOC FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS Thu., Nov. 14-Sat., Nov. 16. Kelly Strayhorn Theater, 5941 Penn Ave., East Liberty. Pay what makes you happy. kelly-strayhorn.org

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community. And it really helped keep me here.” Fittingly, this year’s programming centers around themes of family and kinship and how queerness can shift the understanding of those concepts. The festival runs three days, from Thu., Nov. 14-Sat., Nov. 16, and includes live music, documentary screenings, dance, activism, and more. Thursday kicks off with “Finding Kin,” an evening hosted by drag artist Mahogany La PiranHa, and featuring Sharlene Bamboat’s ﬁlm Video Home System, which incorporates autobiography with pop culture and archival footage. Also showing is Lyndale, a documentary by Oli Rodriguez and Victoria Stob, about coming out as

trans that asks questions about family, community, and care. The night will also feature familial music duo Half Spring (twins Rose and Sara Savage), and work from poet Jari Bradley. “One thing I’m really excited about [in] the Pittsburgh scene is [that] recently there’s more and more folks that I am surprised and excited to learn about,” says Mansoor. “The other thing I feel about the city is [that] I think a lot of our grassroots organizers and activists are also artists and cultural producers. That overlap is pretty distinct and pretty fertile and common, and so that I really wanted to also highlight in the festival.” On Saturday, the festival will present Making Home, a day focused on conversations, community, and activism. It begins with a lunch hosted by Bekezela Mguni and the Black Unicorn Project, with food by chef Oliver Pinder. “It invites people to break bread together, share a community, think about food as cultural production, which it is,” says Mansoor. Following the lunch will be a conversation led by affordable housing organizer Celeste Scott, featuring a panel discussion on gentriﬁcation, what can be done to make QTPOC people in Pittsburgh more comfortable, and the infamous “most livable” label.

Mariana Valencia

On Friday and Saturday night, New York-based dancer Mariana Valencia will perform ALBUM, a humorous dance piece that is “her attempt to offer her future biographers a very honest, very

funny crib sheet.” Valencia will also hold a dance and choreography workshop on Saturday. Mansoor says Valencia’s work “beams with hope” and is a refreshing contrast to the heavy sadness that is

Follow staff writer Hannah Lynn on Twitter @hanfranny

common in queer art. While queer people often have complicated or fractured relationships with their families, Mansoor says much of this year’s My People festival focuses on family and kinship, and how the two can have open meanings. “When I was looking at all this work together, one thing that struck me was often we talk about queer family, often we talk about queer folks building their own family, building their own community, being displaced from family potentially, but all these works were actually looking at queers and their families,” says Mansoor. “You know not only are queer communities often in a place of making community, of creating kinship, but we’re also people who I think challenge and critique and question normative notions of kinship in really exciting ways for anyone to think about.” Mansoor deﬁnes kinship as something that deﬁes logic or rationality, giving the example of his brother, whom he describes as completely different from him, but also one of his best friends. “We often attribute that irrational love to family, but I think queerness can also embrace love beyond rationality, love beyond reason, and care within that kind of community.”

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 13-20, 2019

.VOICES.

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H, YOU’RE DRINKING the

OG soju.” Was this a statement or question? I slowly turned toward the sound of the voice; it was a handsome twenty-something man who was sitting next to me at a bar in Manhattan. “Well I am an OG,” was my quick but utterly embarrassing response. I was an OG of what exactly? Original, OK. A Gangsta? Please, SMDH. “You? An OG?” he laughed, increasing my humiliation. “You must be younger than me.” At this point, some of the “OG soju” escaped through my lips, falling in a cascade all over the scallion pancakes the bartender had just placed in front of me. “Wha — wait, you think I am younger than you?” I reached for my wallet. “Ah wait,” his hands and head shook back and forth. “You don’t have to—” “Oh yes, I do, I want to see your face when you see how old I am.” We both laughed. It turns out he was with a group of former college classmates. A weekly gathering of Asian and AsianAmerican alums from a prestigious university. “We are here every week; you should come and hang with us again.” I still remember how happy I was for the invitation from this group of young Asian-Americans to this middle-aged African American, my eyes widened, and my grin spread ear to ear. But I did not have the heart to tell him (or myself) that I was just in New York City for Fashion Week, and I would leave in a couple days. So I just said, “Sure, that sounds great.” Because it did. One of the beneﬁts of living in Pittsburgh is the so-called “low cost” of being out. You’ll see tweets of traveling Pittsburghers complaining about a $30 Manhattan in Manhattan or a $20 Chicago Fizz in Chicago, bragging about how they “can get the same thing for $10 in Pittsburgh.” But the price of the cocktail is not just the liquid in the glass.

SOMETIMES THERE’S A HIGH PRICE FOR A CHEAP DRINK. The price of my “OG” soju included being walking distance from the very cool, Korean-owned and -operated, multiculturally staffed restaurant. I received an expectant and welcoming greeting instead one of surprise or distain. I got a menu within a few moments of sitting down; there was no “I did not see you” no “Black-blindness.” The price also included me not being the only Black or Brown person in the restaurant. My cocktail also came with an amazing mix of hip hop and R&B music playing. The price also included not having to wait for two buses to get home, four buses round-trip. My soju also included a wonderful interaction with someone who initiated a conversation with me, not about the weather, sports, or something about which I had no interest. And while the man I met was too young for me, I cannot help but imagine that there could have been a chance for future romance by spending time in such a welcoming,

friendly, and multicultural space — one where I wasn’t out of place or even worse, “exotic;” where it felt like I belonged, even though it was the ﬁrst time I had ever been there. There are not enough places and spaces that feel this good in Pittsburgh. Black and Brown people, LGBTQIA+, women of all colors, and other under- or unaccommodated neighbors may avoid popular places, even whole entire streets because they are so unwelcoming. Sadly Pittsburgh reﬂects the whitewashing tendency of the United States: our “allAmerican,” our yinzer, our apple pie and pierogis — forgetting the sweet potato pie, samosas, and other equally relevant iconography, symbols, and cultural elements miss so much of the rich multiculturalism of this city. This whitewashing renders me invisible to the broader community and to the waitress, bartender or hostess who just “didn’t see me standing there.” It is a high price to pay for a “cheap” cocktail.

Follow featured contributor Tereneh Idia on Twitter @Tereneh152XX

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THIS WEEK ONLINE AT PGHCITYPAPER.COM

INTERACTIVE RECYCLING RESOURCE MAP LAUNCHED FOR ALLEGHENY COUNTY A new interactive online tool allows people to easily search for both private and municipally run recycling services.

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PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 13-20, 2019

.RESTAURANT REVIEW.

FISH NOR FOWL BY MAGGIE WEAVER MWEAVER@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

ECHNICALLY SPEAKING, Fish Nor

Fowl is an “American eatery,” but in practice that just means they’re not beholden to any particular cuisine. Nothing is set in stone, global influences abound, and the website boasts that the Garfield restaurant’s identity can’t be “defined nor classified.” That willingness to evolve and experiment came to a head in September, when the menu transitioned mostly to pasta from its previous incarnation which was broken down into “small, garden, and large” sections. Those categories are gone and now the menu offers a variety of Italian and Mediterranean dishes, with selections like cacciatore, branzino, and cacio e pepe, and some unexpected dishes, including a crostini section and a côte de boeuf. The restaurant’s name may be a bit open-ended, but inside, it’s translated into a distinct theme. The main floor feels natural and earthen, playing off its wild name. There’s a communal feel from the long tables that take up the majority of the dining room, as if the restaurant knows to make room for the adventurous eaters. Upstairs, a second bar overlooks the dining room. Sipping on the deliciously light gin and tonic made with suze, limoncello, basil, and roasted lemon, I started out with three small plates: a whipped ricotta crostini, a veal tartare crostini, and gnudi. Gnudi (pronounced “nudie”), was made memorable only by its accompanying mushroom Bolognese. The crostinis would be more aptly called toast, not crispy enough and far too thick. Two lushly piped swirls of ricotta — whipped to the texture of light

CP PHOTO: JOIE KNOUSE

Roasted cauliflower cacio e pepe from Fish Nor Fowl

mascarpone cheese — decorated the ﬁrst crostini. Ricotta’s trademark grainy texture was completely whisked out, leaving behind was a creamy, citrusy cheese. The veal tartare, a rendition of the Piedmont dish tonnato, was one of the most well balanced tartares I’ve had the privilege of eating. A light tuna sauce paired well with the mild meat, the mix of capers, garlic chips, shallot, chive, and horseradish rounding out the ﬂavor.

FISH NOR FOWL 5523 Penn Ave., Garfield. fishnorfowlpgh.com

For the ﬁnal course — paired with a pleasantly tart German Pinot Noir chosen off of the long wine list — was mafaldine, a ribbon-shaped pasta tossed with crab, bonito, lobster mushrooms, and spices,

FAVORITE FEATURES: Tiramisu for TWO

Pasta Happy Hour

Plant Wall

This is not your average tiramisu. It’s a bowl-sized dessert, specifically built for two. Eat it alone, I dare you.

Fridays and Saturdays, the restaurant hosts pasta happy hours. Grab a pasta and a wine for half the price.

Exactly what it sounds like. A whole wall of plants.

along with a side of risotto. Gremolata, a garnish made from citrus, parsley, and garlic, changed the feel of risotto. The rice dish was characteristically creamy, but when matched with a layer of citrus, became notably light. When the pasta was delivered, it was moving, the thinly-sliced bonito reacting with the heat. The pasta itself, even without the added cool factor of dancing ﬁsh, was incredible. Unlike other seafood pastas, it wasn’t in a cream sauce — expectedly rich, but in a way more similar to ramen than an Italian pasta. Fish Nor Fowl, as the idiom goes, is neither here nor there. It’s everything and anything all at once, but somehow, it works.

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Follow staff writer Maggie Weaver on Twitter @magweav

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Eating Happily. Leaving with Smile.

DINING OUT

CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

SPONSORED LISTINGS FROM CITY PAPER ’S FINE ADVERTISERS

THIS WEEK’S FEATURED RESTAURANT

THE CAFÉ CARNEGIE 4400 FORBES AVE., OAKLAND 412-622-3225 THECAFECARNEGIE.COM

The True Taste of Thai

An excellent dining experience from James Beard Semi-Finalist, Sonja Finn featuring a locally-focused menu, full service dining, and espresso and wine bar.

BAJA BAR & GRILL 1366 OLD FREEPORT ROAD, FOX CHAPEL 412-963-0640, WWW.BAJABARGRILL.COM The Baja Bar & Grill is the perfect destination any time of the year for dancing to live bands and taking in great entertainment every weekend. In addition, there’s good food along with amazing views of the Allegheny River and the Fox Chapel Marina.

BEA’S TACO TOWN 633 SMITHFIELD STREET, DOWNTOWN 412-471-8361, WWW.BEATAQUERIA.COM Authentic Mexican cuisine in the heart of Downtown Pittsburgh! Bea Taco Town offers tacos, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and much more all with traditional recipes. Slow cooked meats and fresh vegetables prepared daily will have you coming back to try it all.

CARMELLA’S PLATES & PINTS 1908 EAST CARSON STREET, SOUTHSIDE 412-918-1215, CARMELLASPLATESANDPINTS.COM Featuring an upscale ambiance, Carmella’s is located in the heart of South Side, serving a variety of refined comfort cuisine for dinner and brunch. The décor features a lodge-like feel with a wood beamed cathedral ceiling, stained glass and open fireplace. A local purveyor delivers fresh ingredients daily, which are crafted into unique and inventive meals, served alongside a curated cocktail list and comprehensive wine selection.

COLONY CAFE 1125 PENN AVE., STRIP DISTRICT 412-586-4850 / COLONYCAFEPGH.COM Whether stopping in for a weekday lunch, an afternoon latte or after-work drinks with friends, Colony Cafe offers delicious house-made bistro fare in a stylish Downtown space.

EIGHTY ACRES 1910 NEW TEXAS ROAD, MONROEVILLE/PLUM 724-519-7304 / EIGHTYACRESKITCHEN.COM Eighty Acres Kitchen & Bar offers

a refined, modern approach to contemporary American cuisine with a strong emphasis on local, farm-totable products.

ELIZA HOT METAL BISTRO 331 TECHNOLOGY DRIVE, PITTSBURGH 412-621-1551, ELIZAHOTELINDIGO.COM Set on the site of former iconic iron works, Eliza Furnace, Eliza is an American Bistro exploring classic Pittsburgh flavors, beloved by those that worked the furnaces, combined with the fresh perspective and seasonal sourcing that define what we eat in our region today. Relax with great food, cocktails, and enjoy live entertainment on the rooftop bar.

LEON’S CARIBBEAN 823 E WARRINGTON AVE., ALLENTOWN 412-431-5366 / LEONSCARIBBEAN.COM Family owned and operated since December 2014. Here at Leon’s, we take pride in our recipes and quality of dishes. Simple menu with all the traditional dishes! Leon Sr. has been a chef for 30+ years, mastering the taste everyone has grown to love and can only get at Leon’s.

MERCURIO’S ARTISAN GELATO AND NEAPOLITAN PIZZA 5523 WALNUT ST., SHADYSIDE 412-621-6220 / MERCURIOSGELATOPIZZA.COM Authentic Neapolitan pizza, artisan gelato, and an inviting atmosphere are just a small part of what helps create your experience at Mercurio’s Gelato and Pizza in Pittsburgh. It’s not your standard pizza shop; in fact, this isn’t a “pizza shop” at all.

PAD THAI NOODLE 4770 LIBERTY AVE, BLOOMFIELD 412-904-1640 PADTHAINOODLEPITTSBURGH.COM This new café in Bloomfield features Thai and Burmese specialties.

FREE DELIVERY ON OVER $15 WITHIN 2 MILE RADIUS THUR-SUN

Standards like Pad Thai and Coconut Curry Noodle are sure to please. But don’t miss out on the Ono Kyowsway featuring egg noodle sautéed with coconut chicken, cilantro and curry sauce.

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412-422-6767

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SUPERIOR MOTORS 1211 BRADDOCK AVE., BRADDOCK 412-271-1022 / SUPERIORMOTORS15104.COM Thoughtfully prepared food, drawing inspiration from Braddock, its people, its history, and its perseverance. The cuisine best represents the eclectic style which has become a trademark of Chef Kevin Sousa. Fine dining in an old Chevy dealership with an eclectic, farm-to-table menu and a community focus.

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TOOK TOOK 98 2018 MURRAY AVE., SQUIRREL HILL 412-422-6767 / TOOKTOOK98.COM Eating Happily. Leaving with Smile. The True Taste of Thai. Our goal is to provide the highest customer satisfaction as well as offering authentic Thai street food with Thai environment. Therefore, we have been working hard to bring exceptional dine-in experience to you. We offer variety of authentic Thai food, drinks, and desserts including smiling full-service with BYOB.

TOTOPO MEXICAN KITCHEN AND BAR 660 WASHINGTON ROAD, MT. LEBANON 412-668-0773 / TOTOPOMEX.COM Totopo is a vibrant celebration of the culture and cuisine of Mexico, with a focus on the diverse foods served in the country. From Oaxacan tamales enveloped in banana leaves to the savory fish tacos of Baja California, you will experience the authentic flavor and freshness in every bite. They also feature a cocktail menu of tequila-based drinks to pair the perfect margarita with your meal.

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NoRTH SHORE LOCATION 127 Anderson Street - Suite 101 Timber Court Building, PIttsburgh, PA 15212 Phone: (412) 322-4151

WASHINGTON, PA LOCATION 95 Leonard Avenue - Suite 203 Washington PA 15301 Phone: (724) 249-2517 PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 13-20, 2019

.FOOD.

BACK OF HOUSE BY LISSA BRENNAN // CPCONTRIBUTORS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

NAME: Eddie Byas, North Side WORK: Wholesale Manager, Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream

CP PHOTO: JOIE KNOUSE

Back of House is a new monthly feature, highlighting the people behind-the-scenes in Pittsburgh’s food and beverage industry. HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED HERE AND HOW DID YOU GET STARTED? I started about six months after it opened, almost four years ago. I knew Chad [Townsend, co-founder and co-owner with Lauren Townsend, also his wife] from working with him at Salt of the Earth. He called me at the other job I was working and told me, “Come start here now.” I didn’t right away, then he called me a week after that and was, like, “Just quit right now.” So I did. WAS THIS YOUR JOB WHEN YOU STARTED? At ﬁrst I was producing ice cream and helping the production manager. HOW DID YOU GET FROM THAT POSITION TO THIS ONE? Being here and trying to keep improving

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myself, building from where I started. WHAT DO YOU DO EVERY DAY? Make sure everyone is doing what they have to do prep and production-wise, see what wholesale accounts need and what stores need, and making sure those things get done. Lots of phone calls and computer work. DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE PART OF WHAT YOU DO? I don’t think I actually have a favorite speciﬁc part, more the whole experience in itself. Of course, there’s some days that I’m frustrated like any other place, but the overall aspect of it is that I love doing it. WHAT IS IT YOU LOVE ABOUT IT? One of the reasons is looking back and remembering when I ﬁrst started and how different everything was — we had one ice cream machine and one freezer. Building and getting better and improving each day with everything. Even going to different Giant Eagle locations and seeing the pints in stores, that’s exciting.

HOW DO YOU MAKE ICE CREAM? There’s a standard base: milk, cream, sugar, salt, and egg yolks all mixed in a big pasteurizing machine. After about three hours, you have several buckets of that base and from there you’re adding to it, you’re making chocolate or making coffee or making dolce. After you’ve ﬂavored the base, you put it into the smaller ice cream machines and then it gets frozen from there. Once you have the base done, it doesn’t take that long. For a three gallon ice cream bucket, it can be frozen completely in one-and-a-half, two hours. WHERE DO YOU GET THE INGREDIENTS? We have a few main places we get things from. Dairy is from Turner Dairy. We get other things from other farms. HOW MUCH DO YOU PRODUCE? An average of 100 gallons in large buckets per week, and 100 pints average per week. DOES IT SLOW DOWN AFTER SUMMER? The shops are open every day. We’re

sending stuff out every day. During the summer, we’re here seven days a week, but now it’s five or six days. It drops off a tiny bit with our shops, but as for the other accounts, not that much. There’s always enough things to be done that walking around wondering what to do is not ever an issue. About every two months, there’s different releases, ongoing and seasonal. Soon there’s going to be a couple other fall flavors, like Mexican Hot Chocolate and Toasted Oat. ARE YOU INVOLVED IN CREATING THE NEW ONES? A little bit but not as much now because we have a production manager, Rachel, who’s really creative and is able to think of great new flavors. DO YOU LIKE ICE CREAM? I do. I don’t eat it at home on my downtime as much as I used to, but I do. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE FLAVOR? Dulce de leche. That’s always been my favorite.

•

FRESH HANDMADE FOOD LOCAL CRAFT BEER DAILY SPECIALS PHOTO: KRISTIN BOWERS

Maria Yeater and Marcy Sunday

.ON THE ROCKS.

4FOUR6 DISTILLERY BY MAGGIE WEAVER // MWEAVER@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

N THE FIRST DAY of fall, 4Four6

Distillery still had a “Coming Summer 2019” sign in the window. “What can we say? We’re optimists,” the distillery posted online. The new business — still coming soon to Sharpsburg — is a project almost six years in the making. It began with owners/sisters-in-law Marcy Sunday and Maria Yeater having a long conversation with a bartender at a tasting in Las Vegas, and eventually tossing the idea around to start a craft distillery of their own.

4FOUR6 DISTILLERY 730 Main St., Sharpsburg.

Neither had prior distilling experience, so they brought on Jerry Sunday, Marcy’s husband/Maria’s brother, to help them learn. Jerry was new to distilling, but not to the spirit scene. As a former bar owner, he was connected with the founders of Wigle Whiskey and developed an interest in craft distilling. He took distilling classes in New York, Michigan, and Illinois to learn how to build a distillery from scratch, and soon, 4Four6 started coming together. “We asked [Wigle Whiskey] what the hardest part was [about opening],” said Jerry. “They said ﬁnding a location, and truer words have never been spoken.” The 4Four6 crew spent the majority of the past six years looking for the

right location, finally landing in Sharpsburg this spring. Sharpsburg — with Dancing Gnome a few blocks away and a rumored Pittsburgh Winery shop going in across the street — might be the founders’ perfect neighborhood, but their building isn’t exactly conducive for distilling. 4Four6 will be operating on two floors, using a method similar to that of old Kentucky distilleries. The process will start upstairs, moving from the mash tun to the fermenters. The still, however, is downstairs. To get the rough, fermented alcohol into his pot still, Jerry has to drill a hole in the floor. From there, it’s all gravity. Right now, there’s nothing in any of the tanks, but in the next few weeks, they’ll be distilling clear, unaged spirits to get ready for opening with two gins and two rums. Eventually, 4Four6 plans to make gin, rum, whiskey, and bourbon. Yeater is creating a cocktail list that they’ll serve from behind the rustic bark bar along with Pennsylvania beer, wine, and cider. They’re partnering with the pizzeria next door, Gino Bros, on a short distillery takeout menu. And, if you’re curious about the meaning behind 4Four6, any of the founders will gladly tell you when you visit the distillery. Thankfully, they swear their doors will be open soon. Jerry is determined to open before 2020. His mantra: “It’s on the logo, so it has to happen.”

CRAFTYJACKALOPE.COM

LAWRENCEVILLE DEC. 6-DEC. 8 41

This is a free and family-friendly event! Celebrate the season with cookies and pick up unique holiday gifts along the way. Hours for Cookie Stops vary by location. Get all the info about this year’s tour including the map at lvpgh.com/cookietour or call 412.621.1616, ext. 102.

LAWRENCEVILLE

CORPORATION

•

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 13-20, 2019

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

Dream pop is big in Pittsburgh right now, and Victoria Morgan is here for it. She fronts the band Drauve and says there’s one big thing that draws her to dreamysounding music: “The jangly guitars! I don’t have a loftier answer other than that. I’ve just always loved it for that reason.” “Whenever I write,” she says, “I am thinking about The Cure. I am thinking about The Smiths. I am thinking about all the bands that came from that era and incorporate that sound that influenced me so heavily growing up with more of the indie-pop/dream pop sounds of today.” It’s more than just a love STAY UP-TOof those lush DATE WITH THIS ’80s albums that WEEK’S LOCAL drives Morgan, however. Without MUSIC NEWS music, she says, WITH CP MUSIC “I’d just be this WRITER JORDAN big ball of anxiety SNOWDEN and sadness.” AND WYEP Drauve’s new track “Haunted” EVENING MIX HOST LIZ FELIX deals directly with her obsesListen every sive-compulsive Wednesday disorder — she at 7 p.m. on says that, 91.3FM WYEP although she originally never intended for anyone else to hear the song, she hopes that it helps someone who may be dealing with mental health issues. “That line, ‘Tell me why I’m haunted / Tell me why I’m haunted by regret / a face I never met,’ that just kept sticking with me. I hope that people can listen to it and, you know, find some solace if they are struggling — if they, too, feel haunted by something.” Drauve has just two singles out so far; look for more wonderful dreamy vocals and jangly guitar sounds from the band soon. •

PGHCITYPAPER.COM

PHOTO: KEEP PITTSBURGH DOPE

Jordan Montgomery of Driving While Black Records

.MUSIC.

PITTSBURGH RECORD LABEL ROUNDUP BY JORDAN SNOWDEN // JSNOWDEN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

O MATTER HOW ingrained you are in the Pittsburgh music scene, you still might not know just how many record

labels are operating locally. Many of them ﬂy under the radar, but they’re worth knowing. There’s Lemon Tree Records, a punk label that started at State College in 2014 and was drawn to the city because of its strong sense of community and DIY scene, or Point Park University’s Pioneer Records, that helps students interested in the industry learn how to run a label. So, Pittsburgh City Paper decided to create a Pittsburgh Record Label Roundup, featuring larger labels like the North Side’s Get Hip Recordings, to smaller ones like the electronic MISC Records. This list is nowhere near complete, but gives a glimpse into the diverse and plentiful selection of record labels based in Pittsburgh. Follow along with CP’s Pittsburgh Record Label Roundup at pghcitypaper.com. Every other weekday, we will feature a different Pittsburgh-based label until we run out.

BREAK IT DOWN LEMON TREE RECORDS Founding Date/Founder(s): 2014, Bobby Smith Genre: Punk, Emo, Indie Rock Artists/Bands Highlights: Booze Radly, Always Tired, Ghost Music, Anna’s Anchor, and The Eastern Portrait Info: facebook.com/lemontreerecs

MISRA RECORDS Founding Date/Founder(s): 1999, Timothy Bracy, Phil Waldorf, Michael Bracy. Now run by Jeff Betten Genre: “All genres, all vibes. If you make cool stuff, we want to hear it!” Artists/Bands Highlights: Benji., Buffalo Rose, Mars Jackson, Chet Vincent & The Big Bend, Bindley Hardware Co. Info: misrarecords.com

WILD KINDNESS RECORDS Founding Date/Founder(s): 2008, David Pokrivnák. Now run by Jeff Betten Genre: “Similar to Misra, but learns more towards the avant-garde” Artists/Bands Highlights: André Costello and the Cool Minors, IT IT, slugss, Swampwalk, Bat Zuppel, Ancient History Info: wildkindness.com CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM

Owner of A-F Records and drummer for Anti-Flag, Pat Thetic, and label manager, Chris Stowe

DRIVING WHILE BLACK RECORDS Founding Date/Founder(s): 2016, Jordan Montgomery Genre: Hip Hop, but planning to eventually work with artists of other genres. “Our goal is to be known for quality and consistency and to become a label with a signature sound and easily identiﬁable brand.” Artists/Bands Highlights: Montgomery, livefromthecity, Yasin Ali (formerly known as Lucas Akira), Saani Mac (who also goes by his DJ name Jaybee), DJ Aesthetics, JM The Poet Services: “We provide brand management, distribution, licensing, and event planning services to our artists. We have a licensing and distribution deal with Misra Records, which provides opportunities for our artists to expand their audiences outside of the Pittsburgh market.” Info: facebook.com/dwbrecords, not currently taking submissions, but can be reached at contact@drivingwhileblackrecords.com. “We’re always willing to listen or say hi.”

When Montgomery was promoting his debut album, Driving While Black in 2016, he noticed that people were buying the merchandise before even hearing the songs. “Seeing how invested people were in the brand made me realize that I could create a platform for both myself and other artists,” he says. Montgomery felt that there was a plethora of great talent in Pittsburgh, but a dearth of opportunities to help artists further their careers. So he created Driving While Black Records (DWB) to help build an infrastructure for artists in the city. DWB prides itself on showing what can happen when a group of like-minded individuals come together to create opportunities for themselves. “Each member of DWB has had their own successes within their individual careers, but once we started working as a collective, we noticed a trend of great things that started to come,” says Montgomery. “If other artists, labels, promoters, and media continue to collaborate with one another, we can continue to grow the city’s musical ecosystem.” “Our role in the music industry is to continue to expose the world to Pittsburgh music and to restore a feeling of quality and consistency that the industry has been missing. With so many tools

and resources available to independent artists and labels such as streaming services and social media, we can continue to make a name for ourselves and show the world what we have to offer.”

DARLING RECORDS Founding Date/Founder(s): 2015, Nick Faidley Genre: Non-specific. “We’ve released our fair share of indie rock, but mixed in with some experimental electronic, outsider folk, rap, and mainstream pop.” Artists/Bands Highlights: Hales Corner, Stone Irr, Steve Marino, Jeremy Jones, Falcon Jane, Nora Petran, Joey Walker Info: darlingrecordings.com

CRAFTED SOUNDS

A-F RECORDS

Founding Date/Founder(s): 2016, Connor Murray Genre: Sways towards fuzzy garage rock and ’90s inspired indie stuff but genre isn’t the main concern. “If it’s good, it’s in consideration.” Artists/Bands Highlights: BBGuns, Eyebawl (Delaware), Flower Crown, The Lopez, Spooled Up (Baltimore), The Zells Info: craftedsounds.net

Founding Date/Founder(s): 1997, members of Anti-Flag Genre: Punk rock Artists/Bands Highlights: National and international acts. Local highlights include: Anti-Flag, Homeless Gospel Choir, Nightmarathons, Swiss Army, Latecomer, Lawn Care, Worlds Scariest Police Chases

DEVIL INSIDE RECORDS

Inspirations: Asian Man Records, Red Scare, No Idea Records, Chunksaah Records Info: a-frecords.limitedrun.com, currently taking submissions, visit a-frecords.limitedrun.com/contact (Chris Stowe, A-F manager, personally listens to everyone)

Founding Date/Founder(s): 2017, Dakota Horbaczek Genre: “We focus on quality and community first.” Artists/Bands Highlights: Features bands from different states and one from the U.K. Local highlights include Dematus, FUBAR, Standard Broadcast, The Whelming Waters Info: devilinsidepromotions.com

THE VAULT

Anti-Flag took matters into their own hands 22 years ago when they noticed their friends and peers were doing “cool

Founding Date/Founder(s): 2018, Bob McCutcheon Genre: Multi-genre Artists/Bands Highlights: Borstal Boys, Chris Jamison, Jesse Denaro Info: thevaultrecording.com

CONTINUES ON PG. 20

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 13-20, 2019

PITTSBURGH RECORD LABEL ROUNDUP, CONTINUED FROM PG. 19

PLAY ALONE RECORDS Founding Date/Founder(s): 2017, Erica Moulinier, Aaron Grey Genre: Post-punk and similar genres like darkwave, dream pop, and peace punk Artists/Bands Highlights: Shadow Age (Richmond, Va.), Silent Age (Chicago, Ill.) Local Highlights include Wisteria, Death Instinct, Silence, Empty Beings Info: playalonerecords.com

MISC RECORDS Founding Date/Founder(s): 2015, Juan-Augusto Lafontaine Genre: Electronic-focused, “If I had to describe it in words, I would say warm and sincere.” Artists/Bands Highlights: slowdanger, l0h85, Good Dude Lojack, en EETCHIS Info: misc-records.com

GET HIP RECORDS Founding Date/Founder(s): 1986, Gregg Kostelich, Michael Kastelic, Bill von Hagen, then-members of The Cynics Genre: Rock, garage-punk, surf, beat, power pop Artists/Bands Highlights: National and international acts. Local highlights include The Cynics, Nox Boys, Slim Forsythe Info: gethip.com

20 BUCK SPIN Founding Date/Founder(s): 2005, David Adelson Genre: “The ugliest of Death, Doom and various other Heavy Metals.” Artists/Bands Highlights: National acts like Tomb Mold, Spirit Adrift, Cerebral Rot, Witch Vomit, Obsequiae, Vastum Info: 20buckspin.com

SCREWING CROW RECORDS Founding Date/Founder(s): 2008, Eric Corbin Genre: Rock n’ roll, “but we are open to release anything that we like.” Artists/Bands Highlights: The Cheats, Michale Graves (ex-Misfits), Electric Frankenstein, Black Yo)))ga, River City Rebels, Boxcutter Info: screwingcrow.com

PITTSBURGH TRACKS / MACHINE AGE RECORDS / LOVE WHAT YOU FEEL Founding Date/Founder(s): 2011, Preslav Lefterov Genre: Pittsburgh Tracks: dance/club music by Pittsburgh Artists Machine Age Records: rock, experimental music, and other out of the ordinary releases recorded at Machine Age Studios Love What You Feel: house and techno from around the world Artists/Bands Highlights: Pittsburgh Track Authority, Shawn Rudiman, C.Scott, Nice Rec, Santiago Salazar, Kevin Reynolds, Outsideinside, Hidden Twin Info: inthemachineage.com

Don’t see your Pittsburgh Record Label on this list? Email jsnowden@pghcitypaper.com

CP PHOTO: JOIE KNOUSE

Elias Khouri, a freshman at Point Park University selected to be a star for Pioneer Records

things” that other record labels weren’t putting out. So, the band created A-F Records to release the records they thought were important. The label now focuses mainly on manufacturing vinyl for bands and helping them grow to reach a wider audience. “We’re a pretty DIY operation with some of the tools and opportunities of a larger label,” says Stowe. “We still assemble records ourselves in-house and do a lot of handmade stuff while at the same time having distribution for our artists, which is kind of what I strive to do, to be the best of both worlds and make sure A-F Records is as artist-friendly of a label as possible.” “My goal is to give our bands a good footing and the tools they need to grow. The music industry is constantly changing and evolving all around us, so I feel like our role is to keep releasing good punk rock records that we care about and staying true to our DIY ethos, so when the music industry ﬂips itself on its head again we’ll still be here doing what we’re doing.”

PIONEER RECORDS Founding Date/Founder(s): 2015, Steve Tanzilli and Ed Traversari Genre: All types Artists/Bands Highlights: Elias Khouri, Deja Monea, Hannah Jenkins, Chase and the Barons, Gabe Reed, John Rushlander, Alissa Logsdon, SouthWest DFRNT Services: “We have a partnership with Red Caiman Media (recording studio) located on Fifth Avenue, where musicians record their songs. We also have a Talent and Booking Agency (within Pioneer Records) that books our bands, provides CD Release Parties at The Club at Stage AE, and music videos for them produced in collaboration by both our Cinema Department and our Sports, Arts and Entertainment Management students.” Info: facebook.com/ppupioneerrecords, rolling submission (each semester) for “Pioneer Star Search,” email pioneer

records@pointpark.edu for info and dates. After receiving students showed a strong interest in the ins and outs of creating a successful album and navigating the music industry, Steve Tanzilli and Ed Traversari, associate professors in Point Park’s Sports, Arts and Entertainment Management Department, decided to create a student-run record label to give them a chance to learn how to run a record label. Over the course of a semester, students learn everything from signing an artist to music videos and hosting/ promoting album release parties – by dealing with real-life musicians and bands looking to get their start, like CP’s 2017 Battle of the Bands winner, Chase and the Barons. “I love to see them take the project from the very beginning to the time we have the CD release party at Stage AE,” says Traversari. “We are a University with an entertainment program that gives its students as many ‘real-life experiences’ as possible. Pioneer Records happens to be one of them.”

Follow staff writer Jordan Snowden on Twitter @snowden_jordan

PGHCITYPAPER.COM

•

TAKE ME WITH YOU:

A SPECIAL PULLOUT GUIDE

PITTSBURGH

LIGHTS UP FOR THE H OL I D AY S

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PIT TSBURGH OFFICIAL TREE LIGHTINGS AND CEREMONIES

LIGHTS UP MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT COMCAST MAIN STAGE FT. DUQUESNE BOULEVARD AND STANWIX STREET

12:00 p.m. - U.S. Steel Tower Dedication of the Crèche 4:45 p.m. - Allegheny County Courthouse Tree & Tower Lighting

The Comcast Main Stage is where you’ll want to be for exciting, live music all night long, headlined this year by Adam Lambert. Rising to national attention on American Idol and recently touring with rock super-group Queen, Adam Lambert just released his latest album, Velvet, featuring the songs “New Eyes” and “Superpower.” Also on stage, don’t miss

5:15 p.m. - City-County Building Tree Lighting

Pittsburgh icon and Bruce Springsteen collaborator Joe Grushecky as well as up and

5:30 p.m. - PPG Plaza Tree Lighting

coming rockers the Nox Boys.

5:45 p.m. - One Oxford Centre Tree Lighting

6:00 P.M. - THE NOX BOYS

5:45 p.m. - BNY Mellon Season of Lights Countdown

7:00 P.M. - JOE GRUSHECKY & THE HOUSEROCKERS 8:30 P.M. - ADAM LAMBERT

7:00 p.m. - Highmark Christmas Tree Lighting with Rooftop Fireworks & Jumbotron Show

BNY MELLON NEW MUSIC STAGE PENN AVENUE AND STANWIX STREET The BNY Mellon New Music Stage is bringing together some of Pittsburgh’s most talked-about local talent for a night of R&B, funk, and indie rock. Kicking off the night will be Beauty Slap, a crowd favorite that blends traditional brass horns with contemporary dance music. Also on stage: Tribe Eternal, an R&B collaboration featuring vocalist Clara Kent, and Krunk Movement. 6:00 P.M. - BEAUTY SLAP 7:00 P.M. - LIGHTING OF THE HIGHMARK CHRISTMAS TREE 7:30 P.M. - TRIBE ETERNAL 8:30 P.M. - KRUNK MOVEMENT

EQT JAZZMASTERS STAGE EQT PLAZA, 625 LIBERTY AVENUE MCG Jazz Presents: Celebrating the Music of Fred Rogers with special appearances by Daniel Tiger at the EQT Plaza. Experience some of Pittsburgh’s iconic jazz talents including Music Director Daniel May on piano, Dwayne Dolphin on bass, George Heid, III on drums, and vocals by Chantal Joseph.

HOLIDAY MARKET STAGE AT MARKET SQUARE Count down with Santa as he flips the giant switch to the dazzling BNY Mellon Season of Lights with more than 150,000 lights and a 35’ high sphere tree synchronized to favorite holiday music! The light show repeats every half hour alternating with holiday tunes by award winning barbershop singers Vocal Confluence. 5:45 P.M. - SANTA FLIPS THE SWITCH FOR THE BNY MELLON SEASON OF LIGHTS SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

FOR THE

9 DAYS

HOLIDAYS PARTNER ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS

Santaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s First Stop Featuring

The Eagle North Pole Ice Festival! FOOD TRUCKS & ICE CARVING

Friday, November 22 Cranberry Township Municipal Center

FIFTH AVENUE PLACE

4:00 - 9:00 pm

5:00 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 9:00 p.m. Discover a shimmering display featuring Ice Circus Animals with live ice carving shows by Rick Bubin of Ice Creations.

A portion of the proceeds benefit the Cranberry Township Community Chest

7:00 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7:30 p.m. Highmark Unity Tree Lighting with Rooftop Fireworks & Jumbotron Show, countdown with Mr. McFeely. At the Corner of Penn Avenue and Stanwix Street.

each year sant a makes his

VER Y FIRST STOP

ONE OXFORD CENTRE

in cranberry township!

5:45 p.m. Annual Tree Lighting and Santaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Arrival - Join One Oxford Centre for the official

Come help him light the Holiday Tree!

lighting of their 30-foot Christmas tree and to welcome Santa Claus! Santa will be on hand to hear childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s holiday wishes.

Friday, November 22 Games & Activities start at 6:00pm

6:00 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 9:00 p.m. Free Horse Drawn Carriage Rides - Take a ride around the block in a beautiful horse drawn carriage. Pick up will be on Fourth Avenue. (Last ride at 8:45 p.m.)

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6:00 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 9:00 p.m. Santaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Reindeer and Free Activities - Santaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s faithful reindeer are ready to greet you in the outdoor plaza. Enjoy free indoor activities for children such as face painting, balloon art, and live music by Scott and Rosanna.

PPG PLACE The MassMutual Pittsburgh Ice Rink is open until midnight on Light Up NightÂ®. 4:45 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5:00 p.m. Robert Morris University Island Sports Figure Skating - Kick off the holiday season with a dazzling performance. 5:00 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5:30 p.m. East End Kids - This talented group kicks off the eveningâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s festivities with a dazzling performance. 5:30 - 6:00 p.m. American Cancer Societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tribute of Light/Plaza Tree Lighting - The Plaza will glow as more than 300 people carry hand-held Tribute of Light memorials, dedicated to someone touched by cancer. The ceremony culminates with the lighting of the breathtaking 65-foot Plaza Christmas tree. All proceeds benefit The American Cancer Society. 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Guitar virtuoso Bryan Nash plays the sounds of the season. Open until 9:30 p.m. Visit the Spirit of Giving from Around the World Exhibit and admire a display of 16 life-size Santas and original paintings depicting holiday traditions from around the globe. New Location: Two PPG Place and One PPG Place Lobby

%XWOHU &RXQW\ &RPPXQLW\ &ROOHJH Â&#x2021; '0.&* Â&#x2021; )XQ )RUH $OO Â&#x2021; 0RVHV -HZHOHUV 3HQQ 8QLWHG 7HFKQRORJLHV ,QF Â&#x2021; 5 : 0F'RQDOG 6RQV 5RVH ( 6FKQHLGHU )DPLO\ <0&$ Â&#x2021; 7UL 5LYHUV 0XVFXORVNHOHWDO &HQWHUV (OOLV $XWRPRWLYH Â&#x2021; $UPVWURQJ &RPIRUW 6ROXWLRQV Â&#x2021; %HDFRQ +RWHO 6SHFWUXP ,QVXUDQFH 6HUYLFHV Â&#x2021; 6HFKOHU /DZ )LUP //& Â&#x2021; 6DYH RQ %HHU +XWFKLQVRQÂ¶V 'U\ &OHDQHUV Â&#x2021; %XWOHU &RXQW\ 0HPRULDO 3DUN 0DXVROHXP Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER

LIGHT UP NIGHT ®

Kick Off the Holidays at

FIFTH AVENUE PLACE

Highmark Christmas Tree Lighting • 7-7:15 PM Join One of Pittsburgh’s Best Known Neighbors ~ Mr. McFeely and Thousands of Pittsburghers for the Traditional Countdown & Splash of Fireworks to Kick Off the Official Lighting of the

CHRISTMAS TREE! Corner of Penn Avenue & Stanwix Street

Fifth Avenue FREEZE • 5-9 PM Visit Pittsburgh’s Very Own Nostalgic Toyland Frozen In Time! Featuring a Shimmering Display of Ice Childhood Toys Welcoming the Holidays • Take Photos with our Ice Teddy Bear, Train, Rocking Horse & more...

• Enjoy Live Ice Carving Shows by Rich Bubin of Ice Creations

Stanwix Street & Liberty Avenue

Family Fun & Festivities • 5-9 PM • Meet the Cheeriest Raggedy Ann & Delight In our Festive Balloon Artist • Enjoy Holiday Musical Performances, Airbrush Tattoos & more... Throughout Fifth Avenue Place

FIFTH & LIBERTY • DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH • www.FifthAvenuePlacePA.com Join our E-Newsletter! Text FIFTHAVENUEPLACE to 22828. Message & Data Rates May Apply.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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. . . . . . .

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...Mrs. Claus is Checking it Twice

• Enjoy Creative Balloon Art with Santa’s Favorite Elf

• Capture the Season with a Keepsake Caricature

• Display Seasonal Colors with Festive Face Painting

FREE PARKING

FREE FIFTH AVENUE PLACE HOLLY TROLLEY

November 29 - December 21

Every Saturday, Nov. 23 - Dec. 21 & Friday, Nov. 29

Evenings (after 4 PM) & Saturdays

11 AM - 5PM

At the Fifth Avenue Place Garage with any $20 Fifth Avenue Place Purchase

Hosted by Santa’s Little Helpers, Trolleys Circle Downtown Stops every 15 Minutes

See Stores for Validations

Visit www.downtownpittsburgh.com for Stop Locations

.. .

HOLIDAY HOURS Retail:

December 12 -14 • 11 am-Close

See Shops for Details • Limit: One per Person, Please

M - F • 10 am - 6 pm Sat . • 10 am - 5 pm

Food Court: M - F • 10 am - 5 pm Sat . • 10 am - 3 pm Join our E-Newsletter!!

Crystal River Gems DiCello’s Gallery Edina Style Accessories

Katie’s Kandy Laurie's Hallmark Visionworks Welcome Pittsburgh

SEASONAL SHOPS Magnolia On Main The Vintage Valet

CONVENIENCES Fifth Avenue Beanery PNC Bank

. .

GIFT CERTIFICATE BONUS DAYS Buy the Perfect Present & Earn a Fifth Avenue Place Gift Certificate with Qualifying Retail Purchases

. .

FOOD COURT

. . . .

Enjoy the Sounds of the Season with Live Musical Performances

Monday - Friday • November 29 - December 20

SPECIALTY SHOPS

Faber, Coe & Gregg

. .

HOLIDAY LUNCHTIME CONCERTS

Holiday Happenings

• Show your Holiday Spirit with Colorful Face Painting

Beginning at Noon

• Join Mrs. Claus during Holiday Story Time as she Reads the Seasonal Classics you Know & Love!

. .

. . . .

• Share your Holiday Wish List with Santa & Receive a Very Special SURPRISE from Mrs. Claus!

Sat., December 14 • 11 am - 2 pm

Sat., November 30 • 11 am - 2 pm

. .

. .. . .

Santa is Making the List...

FREE Family Fun featuring Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus & Santa’s Elves

Saturday Celebrations .

. .

Flamers Fresh Corner

Rosso Pizzeria Tamarind Express

FIFTH AVENUE PLACE FIFTH & LIBERTY • DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH

Text FIFTHAVENUEPLACE to 22828 @fifthaveplace

Message and Data Rates May Apply.

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For further information, visit www.FifthAvenuePlacePA.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PIT TSBURGH LIGHTS UP FOR THE HOLIDAYS

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS FT DUQUESNE BOULEVARD RIVERFRONT PROMENADE Ft. Duquesne Boulevard between 6th and Stanwix Streets will become a pedestrian promenade, filled with tasty food, vendors, and unique experiences. It’s also the perfect spot to view the fantastic BNY Mellon Fireworks Finale.

BNY MELLON FIREWORKS FINALE Beginning at 9:30 pm, don’t miss one of Pittsburgh’s most spectacular displays by the first family of pyrotechnics, Zambelli Fireworks, synchronized to a live holiday broadcast on Q92-9. Spectator viewing will be best on Ft. Duquesne Boulevard between Sixth and Stanwix Streets.

PEOPLES GAS HOLIDAY MARKETTM The Peoples Gas Holiday MarketTM will open with an expanded diversity of special gifts and every half hour Market Square will be transformed by the musically synchronized BNY Mellon Season of Lights, which kicks off with Santa flipping the switch at 5:45 p.m.

TREE LIGHTINGS AND CEREMONIES A full slate of seven official tree lightings and ceremonies begins at noon with the dedication of the crèche at the U.S. Steel Building and concludes at 7:00 p.m. with the lighting of Highmark Christmas Tree followed by rooftop fireworks and a jumbotron show. Many of Downtown’s buildings and businesses, including Fifth Avenue Place, One Oxford Centre, and PPG Place, will host a packed Comcast Light Up Night® schedule of music and free family activities.

FREE PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CONCERTS The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will open the doors to Heinz Hall for several, free, mini-concerts on Comcast Light Up Night®. Beginning at 6:30 p.m. guests are invited to enjoy holiday classics.

CITY-COUNTY BUILDING TOURS AND GINGERBREAD HOUSE DISPLAY AND COMPETITION City of Pittsburgh is proud to open the doors of the historic City-County Building (414 Grant Street) to the public, allowing a unique behind-the-scenes look at the seat of Pittsburgh’s government when decorated in its holiday best! Plus Pittsburgh’s annual Gingerbread House Display & Competition moves to the Grand Lobby of the City-County Building.

TRUST OASIS Dance your way into the holiday season with live DJ performances in the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s pop-up art experience at 133 7th Street. Dance party is from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.

BLAST! PARTY BLAST! The VIP Party. Hosted by Comcast and thrown by the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, the event will be held once again in the upper lobby of the U.S. Steel Tower. As an added bonus, guests will have the rare opportunity to go ON the roof of the Steel Building (weather permitting) for this ticketed event featuring signature cocktails, fine foods, desserts, and entertainment! Also, with ticket purchase, guests will receive special viewing access for the BNY Mellon Firework finale.

FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD Visitors to Comcast Light Up Night® are encouraged to bring their appetites because Pittsburgh’s best- loved food trucks will be stationed at 3 locations in Downtown. Hungry revelers can find food at EQT Plaza on Liberty Avenue, at the Penn Avenue Extension near Gateway Plaza, and on Ft. Duquesne Boulevard at 6th Street. SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Thanks... for Drinking Responsibly this Holiday Season! Happy Holidays from

RESPONSIBILITY M AT T E R S

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

.DANCE.

THE KITCHEN SINK BY AMANDA WALTZ AWALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

OR ITS 25TH anniversary, Attack

Theatre wanted to do something special. The local modern dance company looked to the avantgarde world of filmmaker David Lynch, specifically to Rebekah Del Rio, the Mexican-American singer/songwriter noted for her Spanish rendition of Roy Orbison’s song “Crying” in Lynch’s 2001 film Mulholland Drive. Del Rio will lend her talents as part of the live musical accompaniment to Attack Theatre’s The Kitchen Sink, a mixed-repertory performance running November 15-17 at New Hazlett Theater. The show will feature three pieces described on the Attack Theatre website as “passionate portrayals of everyday life.” Michele de la Reza, Attack Theatre co-founder and co-artistic director, says using live music has “always been something that’s very much at the core” of the company’s creative process and that Del Rio will add so much to each piece. “We were looking for someone that had the vocal and emotional power to help drive a narrative,” says de la Reza. “Of course in dance, it’s much more abstract. The singer kind of grounds this abstract narrative that we are creating.” Joining Del Rio is Grammy-nominated composer and musician Dave Eggar, along with Luke Notary and Andrew O’Connor, all playing various instruments, including the cello, piano, electric bass, and vibraphone. “There will be a wonderful diversity of sound throughout the performance … and a diverse physical aesthetic,”

PHOTO: MARA RAGO

The Kitchen Sink

THE KITCHEN SINK AT NEW HAZLETT THEATER Fri., Nov. 15-Sun., Nov. 17. 6 Allegheny Square East, North Side. $20-50. attacktheatre.com

says de la Reza. She adds that the music, which ranges from acoustic to “bold and rocking with a large sound,” will act in an “incredible dialogue” with new and reworked choreography by her and Peter Kope, along with current company dancers. For the milestone anniversary season, Daniel Fleegle, audience and communications manager for Attack Theatre, says they wanted The Kitchen Sink to focus on the company’s future while also paying tribute to its past. “Gordian Knot” serves

as a sort of retrospective of the company’s favorite musical selections over the years. “Dressed to Remember” re-imagines an Attack Theatre piece that debuted in 2004 at the New Hazlett Theater. “We were strangers, until we met” will see the return of Jeff Davis and Jil Stifel, two of Attack Theatre’s ﬁrst company dancers. While each piece is distinct, de la Reza says they all hit on the underlying themes of the entire show — connection and collaboration — that she believes are the reasons why Attack Theatre has been

able to operate for a quarter of a century. “The trajectory of the company — the trajectory of the work — is so inﬂuenced by the people that have come in and out of Attack Theatre that bring their personal brilliance, their commitment to the vision, their passion to the work, whether it’s on the stage, off the stage — that really is so clear about how Attack Theatre has continued to not just sustain but also grow, which is really hard in a nonproﬁt arts organization,” says de la Reza.

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Mark Baumer walking barefoot across the country

.FILM.

WALK HARD

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BY HANNAH LYNN // HLYNN@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

S THE EFFECTS of climate change become more extreme, so does the activism fighting against it. In the fall of 2016, Mark Baumer, a Rhode Island artist and activist, began walking across the country barefoot to raise awareness about climate change and to raise money for a local environmental organization. He documented the journey with prolific YouTube videos and blog posts. One hundred days into his journey, Baumer was hit by a car and killed. Baumer had started to gain an online following during his journey, but his message spread even further after his death. Barefoot, a documentary by Pittsburgh director Julie Sokolow, chronicles Baumer’s journey, preserving his work and his message as an artifact that can instill both hope and urgency. The film will have its Pittsburgh premiere at the Three Rivers Film Festival on Sat., Nov. 16 (followed by Q&A with Sokolow, cast, and crew) and on Wed., Nov. 20 (Q&A with Sokolow) at Regent Square Theater. Like many of Baumer’s online followers, Sokolow was devastated by his death because she’d felt like she came to know him well through his vlogs. In the videos (there was one for each day of his trip), Baumer is funny, honest, and personal about his journey. He filmed himself walking along the side of the highway in rain and snow;

he showed the blackened bottoms of his feet; he yells, “I DON’T WANNA LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE PENGUINS DON’T EXIST” into the dark, night sky. His videos have titles like “The purpose of life in Zanesville Ohio” and “Don’t let the advertisements control your mouth.” The project was both a form of activism and performance art.

BAREFOOT: THE MARK BAUMER STORY 8 p.m. Sat., Nov. 16 and 4:30 p.m. Wed., Nov. 20. Regent Square Theater, 1035 S. Braddock Ave., Regent Square. $10. threeriversfilmfestival.com

“Because he’s really funny and smart and whimsical, he made the issue of dealing with climate change and climate catastrophe more approachable for me,” says Sokolow. “It was just an issue that depressed me deeply and was so overwhelming, and the fact that this one person was out there trying to make a difference and doing it in this kind of joyful way really appealed to me.” When Sokolow ﬁrst started watching Baumer’s videos, she thought that he’d be a good documentary subject and considered reaching out to him when he was done. When he died, she contacted his parents, starting with a heartfelt letter telling them what she

admired about their son and why she wanted to make the film. “[I told them] the truth, that Mark was and is a role model to me, that I respect him as an artist and as a filmmaker, and wanted his materials to be preserved and presented to the world in an accessible way,” says Sokolow. The crew began filming in March 2017, two months after Baumer’s death. In the film, we see how Baumer inspired his parents, friends, and complete strangers to continue some of his work. His parents went vegan because their son did. They started a fund in his honor and gave scholarships to student activists. “I admired his fearlessness and wish I could be more like that,” says Sokolow. “Through making the film, I wanted to maybe even learn how to be more fearless in my own life and my own activism and trying to make a difference.” Parts of Barefoot and of Baumer’s life feel almost too on the nose, like part of some cruel cosmic joke. The website he used to blog about his trip had the URL notgoingtomakeit.com. His last video documents the 100th day of his journey, on Jan. 20, 2017. It was also the day of President Trump’s inauguration and Baumer’s last full day alive. He walks along the side of a highway in the rain, yelling into his camera, and at cars and people passing by, “If you support this man, you do not support human life on this planet, plain and simple.”

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Brandon Lambert, Quinn Patrick Shannon, Wood Van Meter, and Zander Lyons in Forever Plaid

.STAGE.

FOREVER PLAID BY LISA CUNNINGHAM // LCUNNING@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

OREVER PLAID is cheesy as hell.

We’re talking grilled cheese sandwich on white bread, dipped in white cheddar cheese fondue, with a slice of cheesecake for dessert. The Pittsburgh CLO production, the very ﬁrst show performed at The Greer Cabaret Theater, where it has returned to kick off its 15th anniversary season, is your mother’s musical theater, which is exactly what it intends to be.

FOREVER PLAID Continues through Sun., Dec. 29. Greer Cabaret Theater, 655 Penn Ave., Downtown. $31.25-56.25. pittsburghclo.org

Directed and choreographed by Guy Stroman, Forever Plaid tells the tale of Frankie (Quinn Patrick Shannon), Jinx (Brandon Lambert), Smudge (Wood Van Meter), and Sparky (Zander Lyons), an allmale singing group killed in a collision with a busload of Catholic school girls on their way to see the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show. The girls survive; the boys aren’t so fortunate. But by the grace of God — or whatever weird purgatory they end up in — The Plaids are granted the opportunity to perform the showthat-never-was, in front of the ﬁne folks of Pittsburgh. (Those ﬁne folks, by the way, were at least twice the age of the cast on the night I attended. If, like me, you’ve never actually seen The Ed Sullivan Show, there will be a few things that go over your head.) The boys perform no less than 30 songs, including classics like “Crazy ‘Bout Ya Baby,” with toilet plungers taking the

place of mics (because that’s how they did it in rehearsals and it helps with stage fright, ya know?). And, what’s likely the all-time whitest rendition of Sam Cooke’s “Chain Gang,” with a spoon banging on a glass ketchup (Heinz, natch) bottle creating the infamous shovels-on-rocks sound effects. There’s not a bad singer in the bunch, and the music — performed live on stage by pianist Catie Brown and a stand-up bassist (alternating between Jeffrey Mangone, Sr. and George Elliot) — is delightful, especially since Brown gets to throw around some pretty terrific acting chops of her own. If any of the actors screwed up during the evening, you’d be hard-pressed to notice. It’s not that the actors are perfect — don’t get me wrong, they’re all talented, and each performs especially well during their solos — but the characters themselves are flawed and easily subjected to screw-ups. Jinx’s nose keeps bleeding, Frankie hyperventilates. These weren’t the stars of the high school football team when they were alive. They were the geeks, the boys still resisting the temptations of the new-fangled rock ‘n’ roll. Chemistry between the actors often fell flat, but improved as the show progressed. (This run continues through the end of December, so I suspect the chemistry between the actors will improve with each performance.) If you’re looking for a theater experience with substance, it’s best to look elsewhere. But if you want a vanilla, feel-good performance with lots of old-fashioned tunes and light-hearted chuckles, you’ll be sure to eat this cheesy sucker up and ask for seconds.

•

Follow editor-in-chief Lisa Cunningham on Twitter @trashyleesuh PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 13-20, 2019

SEVEN DAYS OF CONCERTS SARA BAREILLES FRI., NOV. 15 She’s not going to write you a love song, but Sara Bareilles will sing her heart out at the UPMC Events Center when her Amidst The Chaos tour lands in Pittsburgh. Bareilles’ sixth studio album showcases her evolution as a songwriter and a shift from straight pop to something a little more dramatic. Thanks to her time playing Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert, tracks like “Fire” and “A Safe Place to Land” (with John Legend) feature stirring lyrics and Broadway flare. 8 p.m. 6001 University Blvd., Moon. $72. upmceventscenter.com PHOTO: SHERVIN LAINEZ

Sara Bareilles

FULL LIST ONLINE pghcitypaper.com

THURSDAY NOV. 14 ROCK BETTER THINK TWICE. Crafthouse Stage & Grill. 7 p.m. Overbrook.

JAZZ TONY CAMPBELL AND THE JAZZ SURGERY. Dorothy Six Blast Furnace Cafe. 8 p.m. Homestead. MICHAEL AND PETER FORMANEK. Kingfly Spirits. 7 p.m. Strip District.

INDIE/ALTERNATIVE SINAI VESSEL, ABSINTHE FATHER. Café Verona. 7 p.m. Verona. BIT BRIGADE. Spirit. 9 p.m. Lawrenceville.

ACOUSTIC TUPELO DONOVAN, CARRIE COLLINS. NOLA On The Square. 6:15 p.m. Downtown.

SNAFU, WARDEHNS AND THE CHOKERS. Gooski’s. 9 p.m. Polish Hill. THE SECOND AFTER, ALONE I WALK. Black Forge Coffee House. 7 p.m. McKees Rocks.

REGGAE/SKA THE SCOTCH BONNETS, SOULIOS. Howlers. 8:30 p.m. Bloomfield.

POP KATE DAVIS. Club Cafe. 7 p.m. South Side.

HIP HOP/RAP DJ ASSASSIN. New Amsterdam. 9 p.m. Lawrenceville. J-RED. Creative Coffee & Supply. 7:30 p.m. Downtown.

ELECTRONIC FUNTCASE. The Rex Theater. 8 p.m. South Side.

ALTERNATIVE/INDIE

HIP HOP/RAP

JAZZ

ELECTRONIC

LUCKY HOUSE, FRAME AND MANTLE, SCRATCHY BLANKET. The Government Center. 8 p.m. North Side.

ASIAN DOLL. The Boiler Room. 8 p.m. Downtown.

RML JAZZ. NOLA On The Square. 7 p.m. Downtown.

NICK JORDAN. The Smiling Moose. 6:30 p.m. South Side.

ARIEL POCOCK. Hillman Center for Performing Arts. 7:30 p.m. Fox Chapel.

ANTENES, R GAMBLE. Hot Mass. 12 a.m. Downtown.

POP

JONATHAN BUTLER. MCG Jazz. 6 p.m. North Side.

GARBAGE GREEK, BLUE CLUTCH. Gooski’s. 9 p.m. Polish Hill.

REGGAE/SKA THE FLOW BAND. Wallace’s Whiskey Room + Kitchen. 7 p.m. East Liberty. THE HEMPSTEADYS, INCO FIDO. Howlers. 7 p.m. Bloomfield.

ROCK DIFFERENT PLACES IN SPACE, CHALK DINOSAUR. Thunderbird Café & Music Hall. 8 p.m. Lawrenceville. NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALLSTARS. Mr. Smalls Theatre. 8 p.m. Millvale. JEFFREY GAINES. Club Cafe. 6 p.m. South Side.

DREAMERS. Spirit. 7 p.m. Lawrenceville. ANOTHER MICHAEL. The Mr. Roboto Project. 7 p.m. Bloomfield.

FOLK THE LIVING STREET. Wolfie’s Pub. 8 p.m. Downtown.

METAL MORTIFERUM, RITUAL MASS, RAT-NIP. Pyre Press. 7 p.m. Lawrenceville.

ACOUSTIC DARYL SHAWN. Backstage Bar. 5 p.m. Downtown.

BRAIN DOLZANI, DARYL SHAWN. Full Pint Wild Side Pub. 7 p.m. Lawrenceville.

FRIDAY NOV. 15

KORE ROZZIK, CHIP & THE CHARGE UPS. Mr. Smalls Theatre. 7:30 p.m. Millvale.

HARDCORE

BLUES

ELECTRONIC

HIP HOP

CROWN VIC, PLACE BLAME. Preserving Hardcore. 6 p.m. New Kensington.

MILLER AND THE OTHER SINNERS. Moondog’s. 7:30 p.m. Blawnox.

FIRE-TOOLZ, MUKQS. 3577 Studios. 9 p.m. Polish Hill.

THE GOOD FOOD SHOW. Community Forge. 7 p.m. Wilkinsburg.

PGHCITYPAPER.COM

SATURDAY NOV. 16

TONY CAMPBELL. Wallace’s Whiskey Room + Kitchen. 5 p.m. East Liberty.

ROCK SHA NA NA. The Palace Theatre. 7:30 p.m. Greensburg. THE MOAT RATS, THE TELEPHONE LINE, SIERRA SELLERS. Thunderbird Café & Music Hall. 8 p.m. Lawrenceville.

WORLD EABHAL. Carnegie Library Lecture Hall. 8 p.m. Downtown.

METAL HYBORIAN, MIGRATOR. The Smiling Moose. 8:30 p.m. South Side. TARTAUS, HOT PINK SATAN. Ruggers Pub. 8 p.m. South Side.

ACOUSTIC BRAD YODER. Friendship Perk & Brew. 6:30 p.m. Bloomfield.

SUNDAY NOV. 17 ACOUSTIC PAZ AND UKULELE EDDIE. California Coffee Bar. 12 p.m. North Side.

BLUES CLAUDIO COJANIZ. City of Asylum. 6 p.m. North Side.

HIP HOP DOOBIE. Stage AE. 7 p.m. North Side.

ROCK THIS WILL DESTROY YOU. Spirit. 7 p.m. Lawrenceville.

ROCK JIMMY AND THE BEAUTIFUL MISTAKES. Club Cafe. 7 p.m. South Side.

CLASSICAL UNITED STATES AIR FORCE HERITAGE OF AMERICA BAND. Carnegie Library Music Hall 3 p.m. Homestead.

STORIES PHOTO: SILKY SHOTS

The Disco Biscuits

THE DISCO BISCUITS

THAT AREN’T FROM YOUR RACIST UNCLE

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THU., NOV. 14 AND FRI., NOV. 15 Pittsburgh gets two doses of high-quality jam band vibes when The Disco Biscuits plays back-to-back nights at the Roxian Theatre. Known for spectacular performances and light shows, the Philadelphia band weaves elements of blues, techno, and jazz into an electronic-based rock sound, bridging the gap between jam bands and EDM heads. That diversity is reflected in the lineup of Camp Bisco, the Disco Biscuits’ annual “jam-tronica” music festival held in Scranton, Pa., which has featured acts ranging from Bassnectar and Excision to Umphrey’s McGee and The Floozies. 8 p.m. 425 Chartiers Ave., McKees Rocks. $45. roxianlive.com

LANDMARKS PRESERVATION RESOURCE CENTER - A program of the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation Foundation

JOIN US AT THE LANDMARKS PRESERVATION RESOURCE CENTER FOR ONGOING WORKSHOPS AS WE CONTINUE PROGRAMMING ON ARCHITECTURE, HISTORY, DESIGN, URBAN PLANNING, AND OTHER TOPICS RELATED TO HOW CITIES FUNCTION AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION AS A TOOL OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

REVOLUTION: THE MUSIC OF THE BEATLES. Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. 2:30 p.m. Downtown.

SUFFOCATION, BELPHEGOR. Crafthouse Stage & Grill. 7 p.m. Overbrook.

PENUMBRA. New Amsterdam. 10 p.m. Lawrenceville.

METAL

ROCK

BLUES

DAIKAIJU, VERTIGO-GO. Howlers. 8 p.m. Bloomfield.

JOHN PRIMER. Thunderbird Café & Music Hall. 7:30 p.m. Lawrenceville.

WORKSHOP: PAINTING WOODEN WINDOWS PRESENTER: REGIS WILL

JASON BORN. Wheelfish. 7 p.m. Ross Township.

VESTA HOME SERVICES

GIVE ME YOUR SOUL IX. Onion Maiden. 12 p.m. Allentown.

ALTERNATIVE/INDIE XANNY STARS, JOYFRAME. Gooski’s. 9 p.m. Polish Hill.

POP KEITH HARKIN. Hard Rock Cafe. 7 p.m. South Side.

BETHLEHEM STEEL, THE ZELLS. The Mr. Roboto Project. 7 p.m. Bloomfield.

PUNK NEW FOUND GLORY. Roxian Theatre. 8 p.m. McKees Rocks. LA DISPUTE. Rex Theater. 8 p.m. South Side.

MONDAY NOV. 18

ALTERNATIVE/INDIE

BLUES

COUNTRY

MISS TESS & THE TALKBACKS. Club Cafe. 7 p.m. South Side.

METAL THE HU. Mr. Smalls Theatre. 7:30 p.m. Millvale.

TUESDAY NOV. 19 METAL LEE MCKINNEY. Thunderbird Café & Music Hall. 7:30 p.m. Lawrenceville.

ANDRÉS. The Smiling Moose. 6 p.m. South Side. JIMBO MATHUS. Club Cafe. 7 p.m. South Side. ADAM HAMBRICK. Jergel’s Rhythm Grille. 8 p.m. Warrendale.

JAZZ R&R JAZZ TRIO. The Park House. 8 p.m. North Side.

ROCK WAR STREET. Arsenal Bowl. 9 p.m. Lawrenceville. MOLLY HATCHET. Jergel’s Rhythm Grille. 8 p.m. Warrendale. TELEKINETIC YETI, TOKE. Mr. Smalls Theatre. 8 p.m. Millvale. FRAME AND MANTLE, RUST RING. Gooski’s. 8 p.m. Polish Hill.

ALTERNATIVE/INDIE MACSEAL, I’M GLAD IT’S YOU. The Mr. Roboto Project. 7 p.m. Bloomfield.

WEDNESDAY NOV. 20

COUNTRY

ELECTRONIC

UADA, BURIAL OATH. Black Forge Coffee House. 7:30 p.m. McKees Rocks.

GRAMATIK. Stage AE. 7 p.m. North Side.

CORY BRANAN. Club Cafe. 7 p.m. South Side.

METAL

These listings are curated by Pittsburgh City Paper’s music writer Jordan Snowden and include events from our free online listings. Submit yours today at www.pghcitypaper.com/submitevent

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19 • 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Join us for a demonstration workshop on how to prepare wooden windows for painting. We will particularly focus on where to paint, and what not to paint on your wooden sash windows and frames and also show how to do this with minimal masking and post painting cleanup. ABOUT THE PRESENTER:

Regis Will is a woodworker, craftsman, and owner of Vesta Home Services, a consulting ﬁrm on house restoration and Do-it-Yourself projects. He blogs about his work at The New Yinzer Workshop.

THIS WORKSHOP IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. RSVPS ARE APPRECIATED: MARYLU@PHLF.ORGOR 412-471-5808 EXT. 527. 744 REBECCA AVENUE

WILKINSBURG, PA 15221

412-471-5808

PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 13-20, 2019

.LITERATURE .

CLASS ACT BY REGE BEHE CPCONTRIBUTORS@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

AN A NOVEL about a college profes-

sor have a working-class theme? Yes, if the professor is a former welder/wrestler who teaches creative writing at a community college, as in Dave Newman’s East Pittsburgh Downlow (J. New Books). “It’s a different perspective,” says the Trafford-based author. “There’s always an assumption from within the academy, at least from my experiences, that if you’ve done blue collar work you lack an intellectual life, a spiritual life, and that’s just not true. You may not use the same language as the academics, but it’s just as sincere, if not more sincere.” Newman, who works as a medical researcher serving elderly people, has long explored working-class issues in ﬁction and poetry, including his novel Raymond Carver Will Not Raise Our Children and The Slaughterhouse Poems. Universities, Newman thinks, tend to produce writers who are “PG” in nature,

PGHCITYPAPER.COM

PHOTO: PHELAN NEWMAN

Dave Newman

too cautious due to concerns about tenure and perception. “Once you get outside the academy, you can say whatever the fuck you want,” he says. Newman does just that in East Pitts-

burgh Downlow. His character Sellick Hart teaches creative writing to students who are sometimes politically incorrect, often disinterested, and “know the world is not a great place.” His colleague, Berryman, is a privileged Ivy Leaguer and poet who wants to work with underprivileged students. His star student and the object of his desire, Megan, is a bartender with a penchant for mischief. Lawrence Riggins, a close friend and the greatest collegiate wrestler of all time as well as a former Pittsburgh Steeler, is involved in various illegal activities. Sellick’s mother is self-absorbed, and his grandmother swears as eloquently as Dave Chappelle in concert. Newman cites Celine, the French writer best known for the 1932 novel Journey to the End of the Night, as an inﬂuence in how he writes dialogue. “I started reading some books about Celine that talked about argot ... and how the idea of slang has the same value as any other language,” he says. “That just seemed really important to me, to hang on to that. When you lose the language you start with, you end up compromising yourself and

Follow featured contributor Rege Behe on Twitter @RegeBehe_exPTR

compromising your characters and not telling the truth.” The book’s setting changes from scene to scene, ranging from Johnstown to a few scenes in the city of Pittsburgh. But most of the book is set either in Westmoreland County or the Electric Valley, where companies such as Westinghouse long provided families with life-sustaining paychecks.

RELEASE PARTY FOR

EAST PITTSBURGH DOWNLOW 7 p.m. Thu., Nov. 14. Brillobox. 4104 Penn Ave., Bloomfield. Also featuring Lori Jakiela, Lou Ickes, Megan Tutolo, and Adam Matcho. Free. brilloboxpgh.com

Much of East Pittsburgh Downlow deals with how residents, years and even decades after the demise of the industry, try to survive. “I wanted to write not just a Pittsburgh book but a Western Pennsylvania book that reached out from Downtown,” Newman says. “You can go to the South Side, but you can end up in Wall or Wilmerding or Turtle Creek, those places that kind of get looked over in the Pittsburgh story.”

•

.STAGE.

Are you tired of tracking down food trucks?

BILL’S WILL BY ALEX GORDON ALEXGORDON@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

Don’t miss our Weekly Food Truck Schedule! Available every Tuesday at pghcitypaper.com

IGHT AS I SAT DOWN to write

this review, I received an email with the subject line “New Book Explores Early Shakespeare Authorship Doubts.” My ﬁrst thought was, “Jesus, what is it now?” As a middle-of-the-road Shakespeare fan — read a handful, attended a few shows, butchered the role of Robin Goodfellow in my high school’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream — my interest has never veered into the dude’s personal life. But Vern Thiessen’s 2011 play Shakespeare’s Will, staged by Quantum Theatre through Sun., Dec. 1, probes the mythology of The Bard from the perspective of his wife, Anne Hathaway, and the results are thought-provoking and gratifying. Where many interpretations and theories about Shakespeare’s life mine artifacts and texts for clues, Thiessen’s work more or less tosses out objectivity, academia, and evidence to create a dramatic and entertaining story. Which is ﬁtting, because, you know, Shakespeare.

QUANTUM THEATRE PRESENTS

SHAKESPEARE’S WILL Continues through Sun., Dec. 1. West Homestead United Methodist Church, 515 W. Eighth Ave., Homestead. Prices vary. quantumtheatre.com/will

If you don’t know much about Hathaway, join the club. She’s a pretty mysterious ﬁgure, but the program does include the most veriﬁable bullet points from her life: she was pregnant when they married; they had three children (Susanna, Hamnet, Judith); Shakespeare had a will in which he left Anne only the “second best bed with the furniture.” (For context, he left his sister Joan a sweet apartment to live in more or less rent-free until her death.) This snub and its potential motivations are at the center of Shakespeare’s Will. It begins with Anne (Sheila McKenna) receiving Shakespeare’s will. The majority of the 90-minute one-act play is spent recalling the complexities of their relationship as Anne procrastinates reading her husband’s last testament for fear of what it might reveal. In Thiessen’s vision, Anne and Will have a decidedly modern arrangement, teetering on

THE ATTIC 513 Grant Avenue, Millvale

Record Store Day

Black Friday Friday, November 29th Open @ 8 A.M. 10% OFF New•20% OFF Used

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PHOTO: JASON SNYDER // IMAGE TREATMENT: BOOM CREATIVE

Shelia McKenna in Shakespeare’s Will

platonic, but not without genuine companionship and some form of love. McKenna has the only speaking role in Shakespeare’s Will, and she shoulders the monologues admirably as more of a modern independent woman than the female characters of her husband’s plays; she is not scheming, insane, or weak. Thiessen’s Anne is “at the center of her own story instead of relegated to a footnote in Will’s.” The only other characters on stage are silent: a child (Simon Nigam) and a violinist (Dawn Posey), who provide physical presences for McKenna to work with while keeping the audience squarely in the conﬁnes of Anne’s head. While some of the detours in Anne’s recollections slow things down a bit, the beginning and end are incredibly strong. And though the plot is inventive and the acting is strong, it’s the scenic design by Stephanie Mayer-Staley and direction from Melanie Dreyer that allow the production to really feel alive. The stage is transformed into a surreal setting, with ambitious elements that are best seen in person. And the surrealism works, because like Anne’s dream-like memories of her life with Bill, Thiessen’s play is not of this world, not weighed down by historical accuracy. As he writes in the program, his script plays “fast and loose with the will and its meaning,” which is more revealing and entertaining than any other approach would be.

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Follow managing editor Alex Gordon on Twitter @shmalexgordon PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 13-20, 2019

CP PHOTO: AMANDA WALTZ

Katharine Hepburn: Dressed for Stage & Screen at Frick Art Museum

.ART . .

ALL DRESSED UP BY AMANDA WALTZ // AWALTZ@PGHCITYPAPER.COM

ATHARINE HEPBURN — the late actor noted for her independent spirit, patrician features, and much-impersonated Mid-Atlantic accent — was not a typical Hollywood fashion icon. She existed between two Hollywood ideals, too tomboyish to emulate someone like Grace Kelly, who could

wear a gown like nobody’s business, and too outspoken to match the seductive mystique of her contemporary Marlene Dietrich, who embraced androgyny and deﬁed gender norms by dressing in both tailored tuxedos and women’s wear. However, one look at a black-and-white photo of a young Hepburn lounging

KATHARINE HEPBURN: DRESSED FOR STAGE & SCREEN AT FRICK ART MUSEUM Continues through Jan. 12, 2020. 7227 Reynolds St., Point Breeze. $8-15/Free for members and kids 5 and under. thefrickpittsburgh.org

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on set in a men’s suit, complete with a bow tie and fedora, and she’s suddenly daringly sexy. After all, the photo was taken in the 1930s, a time when it was still taboo for women to even wear pants. That photo is part of Katharine Hepburn: Dressed for Stage & Screen, the new Frick Art Museum exhibit on view through Jan. 12, 2020, celebrating the various dresses, suits, and other outﬁts Hepburn wore over the course of her long career. With 37 pieces sourced from the Kent State University Museum, the

exhibit offers an expansive look at the sartorial artistry encapsulating Hepburn’s career and the careers of over a dozen esteemed costume designers of ﬁlm and theater. As demonstrated in informational placards throughout the exhibit, Hepburn built relationships with huge names like Walter Plunkett, who dressed her from her start in the 1930s up through her professional highs (a silk, off-the-shoulder evening gown he made for her big role in the 1949 ﬁlm Adam’s Rib, in which she starred opposite Spencer Tracy, is on display here). There

are also contributions from Edith Head, the legendary designer who once said, “One does not design for Miss Hepburn, one designs with her.” While the garments are lovely to look at — luxurious fabrics, period-specific details, and over-the-top accents definitive of Hollywood’s Golden Age — they also give credit to the more human, workaday reality beneath the big screen’s glitzy sheen. While the pieces are amazingly well preserved, the intimacy of the exhibit, with everything out in the open and close enough to touch, allows you to catch little snags or wear on costumes, some of which were repurposed and used in multiple films. That the exhibit highlights the star’s own personal style brings the larger-than-life Hepburn down to earth in surprising ways – at one point, as I stared at the clunky leather loafers she often wore, I concluded that we were probably about the same size, and was suddenly overcome with the urge to try them on. One playful gallery centerpiece pays tribute to her preference for pants, with several pairs of her own slacks posed in various ways and a quote from Hepburn that reads, “I realized long ago skirts are hopeless, anytime a man says he prefers a woman in a skirt, I say, ‘Try one. Try a skirt.’” The show also hints at the less glamorous details of her life and the industry through which she achieved fame and fortune. While Hepburn was hailed as a progressive woman ahead of her time, the exhibit does show how she, like many others, committed some of the most egregious sins of early Hollywood, including doing yellowface for the 1944 film adaptation of the Pearl S. Buck novel Dragon Seed. Looking at the many posters and publicity shots on display, it’s impossible to avoid thinking about her long-time, not-so-secret affair with the married Tracy, her co-star in multiple films up until his death following their last project, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, in 1967. Despite the title, Katharine Hepburn: Dressed for Stage & Screen covers so much more than its star who, up until her death in 2003, made a name for herself both on and off-screen. Through the collection, the Frick Museum provides a unique portrait of a woman who continues to fascinate generations of movie lovers and a rarely seen dive into film and design history over the course of the 20th century.

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Follow senior writer Amanda Waltz on Twitter @AWaltzCP PITTSBURGH CITY PAPER NOV. 13-20, 2019

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Pennsylvania and Allegheny County

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Poet Robert Bly tells us that the door to the soul is unlocked. You don’t have to struggle through any special machinations to open it or go through it. Furthermore, the realm of the soul is always ready for you. Always! It harbors the precise treasure you need in order to be replenished and empowered. I bring this to your attention, Scorpio, because I think that during the next two weeks, you should abide as much as possible in the soul’s realm — the cornucopia of holy truths and ever-fresh riches.

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.FOR THE WEEK OF NOV. 14

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

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LANDMARKS PRESERVATION RESOURCE CENTER - A program of the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation Foundation

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14 • 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM LECTURE: THE MATHEMATICS OF STYLE AND TASTE PRESENTER: CHARLES ROSENBLUM WRITER AND ARCHITECTURE CRITIC There’s no accounting for taste, goes the old aphorism, and yet things go in and out of style with almost mathematical predictability. Likewise, style in architecture is a speciﬁc set of historic formal properties in which geometry and precision ﬁgure notably by their presence or absence. These days, new styles may be driven entirely by algorithms and their use. There could be too much math or not enough. This lecture addresses numerical precision across several related topics in historic and current architecture, perpetually discussing mathematics without doing too much of it ABOUT THE PRESENTER: Charles Rosenblum is a journalist, critic, and scholar writing about architecture, art and other aspects of visual culture. For the past 20 years, he has taught history of architecture and art at universities in Western Pennsylvania. His writing has appeared in books and publications nationally and regionally, including several for PHLF. He has won journalism awards for architectural writing in the Pittsburgh City Paper and Pittsburgh Quarterly. He earned a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia with a dissertation on the architecture of Henry Hornbostel.

“Many people will not be honest because they fear loss of intimacy and togetherness,” writes self-help author Henry Cloud. But the truth, he adds, is that “honesty brings people closer together,” because it “strengthens their identities.” Therein lies the tender paradox: “The more you realize your separate identities, the closer you can become.” Living according to this principle may not be as easy or convenient as being deceptive and covert, but it’s ultimately more gratifying. Henry Cloud concludes, “Telling loved ones what is really on your mind and telling others what you really think is the foundation of love.”

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):

CANCER (June 21-July 22):

Many books have been written about Joan of Arc, a 15thcentury teenage peasant girl whose improbable ascent to military leadership, under the guidance of her divine visions, was crucial in France’s victory over the English. Among the many miraculous elements of her story was the fact that less than a year before she led troops into battle on horseback, she didn’t know how to ride a horse. She learned by riding around her father’s farm astride his cows. I foresee an equivalent marvel in your future, Capricorn. By this time next year, you will have developed an aptitude that might seem unimaginable now. (P.S. There’s evidence Joan was a Capricorn.)

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The Divine Comedy is one of history’s greatest literary works. Its author, Dante Alighieri, was 43 when he began writing the Inferno, the first part of his three-part masterpiece. Up until that time, he had published just one book and a few poems, and had also abandoned work on two unfinished books. Early on in the Inferno, the not-yet-renowned author presents a fictional scene in which he meets with the spirits of antiquity’s most famous authors: Virgil, Homer, Horace, Ovid, and Lucan. Those illustrious five tell Dante he is such an important writer that he ranks sixth, after them, in his excellence. I’m going to encourage you to dare indulging in behavior like Dante’s: to visualize and extol — and yes, even brag about — the virtues and skills that will ultimately be your signature contribution to this world.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The Latin word for sea is mare. Flustra is the calm sea. Undisonus means “resounding with waves.” Caeruleus is the sea’s deep shade of blue, aestus is the tide, and aequoreus means “connected with the sea.” My hope is that as you meditate on these lyrical terms, you’ll be moved to remember the first lakes, rivers, and oceans you ever swam in. You’ll recall your time floating in your mother’s womb and your most joyous immersions in warm baths and hotsprings. Why? It’s a favorable time to seek the healing and rejuvenating powers of primal waters — both metaphorically and literally. If there are any potential Aries heroes or leaders or saviors out there, the coming weeks will be a favorable time for you to fully bloom and assert your practical magnificence. The lessons you have learned while improvising workable solutions for yourself are ripe to be applied to the riddles that are puzzling your tribe or group or gang. I want to let you know, however, that to achieve maximum effectiveness, you should be willing to do good deeds for people who may not be able to pay you back.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):

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GEMINI (May 21-June 20):

In my estimation, what you’ve experienced lately has been akin to a fermentation process. It’s as if you’re undergoing a transformation with resemblances to the way that grapes turn into wine or milk becomes yogurt or dough rises before being baked into bread. You may have had to endure some discomfort, which is the case for anything in the midst of substantial change. But I think you’ll ultimately be quite pleased with the results, which I expect will be ready no later than 10 days after your birthday — and quite possibly sooner.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):

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To guide you in this delightful but perhaps challenging work, here are good questions for you to pose. 1. Do you know what help and support you need most, and are you brave and forthright enough to ask for it? 2. Is there any part of you, perhaps unconscious, that believes you don’t deserve gifts and blessings? 3. Do you diligently cultivate your capacity to be refreshed and restored? 4. Are you eagerly responsive when life surprises you with learning experiences and inspirations?

“Maturity is having the ability to escape categorization,” said poet Kenneth Rexroth. That’s the opposite of the conventional wisdom. For many people, the process of growing up and becoming a seasoned adult means trying to fit in, to find one’s category, to be serious and steady and stable. Rexroth, on the other hand, suggested that when you fully ripen into your potentials, you transcend standard definitions; you don’t adhere to others’ expectations; you are uniquely yourself, outside and beyond all pigeonholes and classifications. The coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to practice and cultivate this sacred art.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Is there an event from your past that would be empowering for you to remember in detail? Is there a neglected but still viable dream you could resurrect, thereby energizing your enthusiasm for the future? Are there old allies you’ve lost touch with but who, if you called on them, could provide you with just the boost you need? Is there a familiar pleasure you’ve grown numb to but could reinvigorate by visualizing the original reasons you loved it? The coming weeks will be a favorable time to meditate on these questions.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Catholic saint St. Francis (1181–1226) loved animals and the natural world. According to one folkloric tale, he was once traveling on foot with several companions when they came upon a place where the trees were filled with birds. Francis said, “Wait for me while I go preach to my sisters the birds.” He proceeded to do just that. The birds were an attentive audience for the duration of his sermon, apparently captivated by his tender tones. Seven centuries later, author Rebecca West offered a critique of the bird-whisperer. “Did St. Francis preach to the birds?” she asked. “Whatever for? If he really liked birds he would have done better to preach to the cats.” In the coming weeks, Virgo, I encourage you to do the metaphorical equivalent of preaching to both the birds and the cats. .

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):

Every now and then I authorize you Libras to shed your polite, tactful personas and express the angst you sometimes feel but usually hide. That’s now! To egg you on, read this mischievous rant by Libran blogger Clary Gay (claryfightwood.tumblr.com): “We Libras are constantly thinking about how to make everyone else comfortable and happy. There’s not a minute going by when we’re not worrying about radiating a soothing and comforting aura so everyone can have a good time. If a Libra is cranky, it’s because they snapped! Because of some non-Libra who doesn’t appreciate them! If a Libra is mean to people, it’s their own damn fault!”

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