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Three Rivers Rivalry
BY: COLTON CORESCHI
Pittsburgh’s first big season for women’s soccer is here, and Riveters SC and Steel City FC are going metal on metal
AGARWAL
PHOTO: COURTESY OF KARINA DANDASHI
PHOTO: COURTESY OF TODHUNTER PRODUCTIONS
Dredged in VEG
BY: AAKANKSHA AGARWAL // CWILLIAMS
Pittsburgh might be known for pierogies and Primanti’s, but don’t let its meat-and-cheese reputation fool you — this city knows how to do vegan and vegetarian right. Whether you’re a lifelong herbivore or just dipping your toes into plant-based eating, there’s a lot of delicious dishes out there to be had: from seitan cheesesteaks dripping with melty goodness to cinnamon rolls hefty enough to double as a free weight, Pittsburgh’s plant-based scene is stacked with bold flavors, creative cooking, and zero sad salads.
If you’re after nostalgic comfort food, global flavors, or something fresh and vibrant, these are the vegan and vegetarian spots in Pittsburgh you should be checking out.
THE ZENITH
86 S. 26TH ST., SOUTH SIDE
ZENITHPGH.COM
Walking into The Zenith feels like stepping into a fever dream curated by your eccentric great-aunt who collects mannequin heads and might be a witch. Part thrift shop, part art gallery, part vegetarian haven, this spot surrounds you with mismatched tables, mannequin torsos, and vintage Easter bunnies — all of which are for sale. If you’ve ever wanted to impulse-buy a creepy porcelain doll while eating seitan stew, this is your moment.
The menu changes weekly, but expect deep, comforting flavors that don’t mess around. The portobello stew is a dark, rich blend of mushrooms, carrots, and potatoes over steaming rice. The jalapeño hummus wrap packs a garlicky, zesty kick, and the vegan seitan orange “beef” will make you forget real beef ever existed. Dessert is non-negotiable — the vegan cakes here are legendary. Whether it’s chocolate fudge, lavender-lemon, or peanut butter dream, order whatever’s on deck.
APTEKA
4606 PENN AVE., BLOOMFIELD APTEKA.COM
No frills, no reservations, no apologies. This Bloomfield staple has been redefining plant-based dining since 2016, proving that cabbage, buckwheat, and potatoes can be downright thrilling. Forget boring salads — Apteka turns Central and Eastern European classics vegan without losing an ounce of flavor. The pierogi, stuffed with smoky potatoes, parsnips, and sauerkraut, are little pockets of perfection. The gołąbki (cabbage rolls filled with buckwheat and tomatoes) are the definition of comfort food.
Chefs Kate Lasky and Tomasz Skowronski lean into Tomasz’s Polish roots, reinterpreting them through a plantbased lens with an emphasis on fermentation, smoke, and umami. Their approach extends to the wine list, where funky pét-nats and skin-contact wines pair seamlessly with the food’s depth and complexity.
CP PHOTO: JARED WICKERHAM Apteka
EYV (EAT YOUR VEGGIES)
424 E OHIO ST., NORTH SIDE EYVRESTAURANT.COM
While not strictly vegan or vegetarian, EYV treats vegetables as the main event, skipping processed meat substitutes in favor of technique and creativity.
The broccoli “chicharróns” are lightly fried for an addictive crunch. The butternut squash falafel adds depth with nuttiness and spice. The cabbage pastrami, layered with Thousand Island hollandaise and paired with thick steak fries, proves that plant-based dishes can be just as indulgent as their traditional counterparts.
Dessert keeps the momentum going with a roasted pumpkin roll served with coffee ice cream and caramelmascarpone icing — an unexpected but totally neces sary finale.
MOODZ CO.
2210 E. CARSON ST., SOUTH SIDE MOODZCOMPANY.ORG
Moodz Co. was founded on a simple idea: plant-based food should hit just as hard as the classics. No joyless salads, no obligatory quinoa — just cheesesteak hoagies, candied mac and cheese, and buffalo "chkn" sandwiches that bring all the comfort.
The menu walks the line between indulgence and refreshment. Hearty plates like vegan oxtails and gravy sit alongside lighter, vibrant options like tabbouleh and cold-pressed juices. Smoothie bowls and bubble tea round things out.
ALLEGRO BAKERY
2034 MURRAY AVE., SQUIRREL HILL
At Allegro Bakery, plant-based baking is anything but restrictive. The seitan melt layers spice-rubbed seitan, oat cheese, tangy sauerkraut, and slow-roasted tomatoes between crisp sourdough for a deeply satisfying bite. The avocado sand wich is a study in balance — cucumber for crunch, shiitake bacon for smokiness, tahini for richness, and pickled red onion for acidity.
The pastry case is not to be missed. Rugelach and haman taschen bring old-school nostalgia, while chocolate crois sants and cruffins prove that, yes, vegan pastries can still be gloriously buttery.
CP PHOTO: MARS JOHNSON Allegro Bakery in Squirrel Hill
SHADOBENI
1534 BRIGHTON RD., NORTH SIDE SHADOBENI412.COM
Step inside ShadoBeni, and the air is thick with turmeric, cumin, and slow-simmered coconut milk. Buss up shut aky paratha-style roti arrives at the counter, begging to be swiped through stewed channa, pumpkin choka, and fiery mango sauce. oconut-infused rice bowls are served with roasted vegetables, a mound of earthy bha i spinach choka , and carameli ed plantains. amed after culantro aka shado beni in rinidad , this orth ide gem is a love letter to aribbean avors. wner lric oseph grew up pulling herbs from his backyard, eating honey straight from the comb, and learning that food is medicine, tradition, and connection. verything here is made from scratch, from fireroasted chokas to buttery, melt-in-your-mouth roti. hat started as a farmers market favorite is now a fulledged rinidadian oasis in the middle of ittsburgh.
CP PHOTO: JEFF SCHRECKENGOST ShadoBeni
VIRIDIS
626 SMITHFIELD ST., DOWNTOWN
@VIRIDIS.PGH ON INSTAGRAM
Viridis operates like a well-kept secret — limited hours, no fuss, just straight-up great vegan food. Open Thursday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., it’s the kind of place you plan your day around because once they’re out, they’re out.
The menu reads like a greatest hits of plant-based comfort food. The Crispy Chick’n Sandwich swaps the usual for perfectly fried oyster mushrooms, stacked on a sesame bun with crisp lettuce, tomato, pickles, and vegan mayo. The Reuben takes brined seitan and kraut, slathers it in “Almost Russian” dressing, and tucks it all into toasted rye.
Breakfast is a strong suit. The Pancake Special is as classic as it gets, while the Breakfast Burrito — stuffed with tofu scramble, seitan bacon, avocado, and spicy aioli — keeps things interesting. Pastries are a gamble (croissants sell out fast), but if you see a cinnamon roll or chocolate almond croissant, don’t hesitate. Pair it with a cold brew and call it a win.
A brunch staple, Square Café is as colorful as its plates — both in decor and flavor. Square Café isn’t trying to be a plant-based mecca, but somehow, it’s ended up as one. There are plenty of exciting options for vegans and vegetarians alongside the cafe’s classic brunch fare.
The Very Vegan Square Breakfast is a commitment — plantbased sausage, scrambled ‘ZERO EGG,’ home fries, and a peanut butter pancake rich enough to stand alone. The Vegan Chive Biscuit Breakfast Sandwich delivers on flaky, buttery (but butter-free) comfort, while the Potato Cheese Pierogies stay gloriously old-school, caramelized onions and sour cream included. •
CP PHOTO: JEFF SCHRECKENGOST Viridis on Smithfield St.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF SQUARE CAFE
SINFUL SPRING
Before the current system, baseball players flocked to Hot Springs, Ark. for training — while enjoying the town’s anything-goes atmosphere
BY: DAVID S. ROTENSTEIN // INFO@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
Each year, the Pirates hit the road for spring training in Florida. It’s an annual rite that dates to the 1940s. But the Sunshine State wasn’t always where the Buccos got into shape for the major league season — between 1889 and 1923, the Pirates and their predecessor, the Alleghenies, trained multiple times in Hot Springs, Ark. So did Pittsburgh’s Negro League teams, the Pittsburgh Crawfords and the Homestead Grays.
“Pittsburgh trained at the spa more than any other team,” says baseball historian Don Duren.
Dubbed the “Spa City,” Hot
Springs is famous for its thermal waters, which sparked a robust tourism economy in the 19th century. Industrialists, artists, mobsters, and athletes regularly descended upon the small city in the Ouachita Mountains to enjoy the waters, golf, and gamble. Many well-heeled Pittsburghers spent their late winters in Hot Springs and summers in Atlantic City. Hot Springs was Las Vegas before there was a Las Vegas. There are strong historical ties, from professional sports to organized crime, connecting the Spa City with the Steel City.
PHOTO: COURTESY RICHARD TITO
Joe Tito (far left) and friends photographed at Happy Hollow in 1941.
“HOT SPRINGS REALLY WAS ONE OF THOSE CITIES THAT PERSONIFIED THE NEXUS BETWEEN SPORTS, POLITICS AND THE RACKETS.”
BASEBALL IN THE SPA CITY
Hot Springs is the birthplace of spring training. In 1886, A.G. Spalding (founder of Spalding sporting goods) and Adrian “Cap” Anson brought the Chicago White Stockings (who later became the Cubs) to Hot Springs before baseball season began. It “was the perfect spot for the boys to sober up and work out,” explains narrator Billy Bob Thornton in 2016 documentary The First Boys of Summer.
There had been earlier, intermittent preseason barnstorming trips into the South by baseball players, but these weren’t organized. “They would come down there and play ball and try to get some teams to play so they could get some money to go back up the road,” says Duren in an interview from his Texas home. Duren, 86, grew up in Hot Springs and wrote Boiling Out at the Springs: A History of Major League Baseball Training at Hot Springs.
The White Stockings set a new pattern when they returned to Hot Springs in 1887. Other teams followed, and a new system was born. “They ran the mountains and took the baths and played a little baseball,” says Duren.
By 1910, most of the professional teams, including the Pirates, were training in Hot Springs. Honus Wagner, who played and coached basketball in the offseason, took the Hot Springs High School basketball team under his wing by becoming their coach. After learning that the team needed uniforms and gear, Wagner shipped uniforms (in Pirates colors), shoes, and balls from his Pittsburgh sporting goods store. The high school’s teams, the Hot Springs Trojans, continue to use the black and gold as their colors.
Owners and managers liked that Hot prings offered rural seclusion and easy access to nature — it became the nation’s first federal reservation, a precursor to national parks, in 1832. Despite being illegal, casino gambling ourished there starting in the 1870s. When the White Stockings began training there, Hot Springs was a wide-open city stacked with casinos, brothels, and speakeasies.
By the turn of the 20th century, access to Hot Springs' vice was as much of a determining factor for baseball players’ decisions to train there as the training facilities
themselves. Babe Ruth loved Hot Springs.
“Ruth was a perpetual conventioneer on the prowl. I wish the teams still trained in places like that, where they’ve got brothels and horse racing and gambling and everything,” Ruth biographer Leigh Montvville told an interviewer in The First Boys of Summer. “He got into all of it. I think he just went crazy.”
A MOB FAVORITE
Racketeers also discovered Hot Springs, and they liked to travel there for spring training, too. Betting on baseball games added to the city’s appeal. The ball games complemented the Oaklawn Jockey Club’s racetrack. By the time nationwide Prohibition hit in 1920, Hot Springs had become the nation’s first sin city.
“Hot Springs really was one of those cities that personified the ne us between sports, politics, and the rackets,” says University of Pittsburgh historian Rob Ruck, author of Sandlot Seasons: Sport in Black Pittsburgh and a biography of Steelers founder Art Rooney.
After sporadic visits before 1900, the
PHOTO: COURTESY KLEIN-TOMANIO FAMILY
George Ja e (middle row, third from the left, and Jake Klein, middle row, fourth from the right) with Ja e’s Picaroons ball team photographed in Hot Springs in 1921.
Pirates trained in Hot Springs over two stretches, between 1901 and 1916 and again between 1920 and 1923. The second period coincided with the rise of one of Pittsburgh’s earliest racketeers, eorge affe.
affe owned ittsburgh s only burles ue venue, the cademy heater. e and his brothers, Milt, Morris, and Joe, built a bootlegging and gambling empire in Pittsburgh. tarting in , eorge affe began racking up arrests for running a brothel in the downtown hotel he owned, and on gambling charges.
teelers founder rt ooney and gambler ake lein were among eorge affe s closest friends. he two regularly oined affe on his annual pilgrimages to ot prings. affe typically rented a railroad car and filled it with relatives and associates. Pittsburgh’s newspapers reported on affe s ot prings trips between the early s and s.
n ot prings, the affes and their pals golfed and watched and presumably bet on horse races at the aklawn ockey lub, and mugged it up at an amusement park called appy ollow. Photos taken there show
the affes, lein, and ooney posing for the camera in a fake speakeasy and staged rural hillbilly scenes. ne photo with lein and ooney mirrors a similar one taken a few years later with hicago mobster l apone in the same place.
he affe bunch also played baseball in ot Springs. In 1921, the Pittsburgh Post published a photo of affe s sandlot team, the icaroons. hey were, the paper wrote, the unofficial advance guard of the irates. he lineup included affe and lein.
ooney s ties to ot prings included a friendship with exiled New York mobster wney adden. fter adden moved to ot prings in , he oversaw the local rackets for his ew ork partners, including harles ucky uciano.
ot prings played a bit part in the kidnapping of ilt affe. ccording to newspaper accounts, eorge affe traveled to ot prings to pay a , ransom for his brother. he affes, though, denied the kidnapping rumors and described the episode as an April fool’s prank. “George denies the whole story, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
reported. “He went to Hot Springs, Ark., and met his brother, but it was his regular annual vacation trip there.
SEGREGATED SPRING
In the late 1920s, Negro League ba ll teams began training in Hot Springs. Both of ittsburgh s teams, the rawfords and the omestead rays, were regulars there. n a way, it makes them big league, says Ruck. “Their training and working out and playing in the same area where believe ma or league s uads are, think, heightens that sense of their legitimacy.
But Hot Springs was still the South, and it was rigidly segregated. hey had, guess, a little town out here for them down on alvern venue in ot prings and they had hotels down there, says uren. hey had bathhouses.
he rays, in , were the first ittsburgh Negro League team to train in Hot Springs. hey oined the ansas ity onarchs. wo years later, in , the rawfords began a multi-year run in ot prings. t was the year after rawford rill owner us
PHOTO: COURTESY KLEIN-TOMANIO FAMILY
Jake Klein and Art Rooney (behind bar) photographed at Happy Hollow in the early 1920s.
PHOTO: COURTESY KLEIN-TOMANIO FAMILY
Pittsburgh gambler Jake Klein and an unidentified woman photographed at Happy Hollow in an undated photo.
PHOTO: COURTESY RICHARD TITO
Joe and Katherine Tito photographed at Happy Hollow.
Greenlee bought the team. Greenlee was one of Pittsburgh’s and the nation s leading lack organi ed crime figures. e got his start in bootlegging and graduated to numbers gambling. By the time he died in , he and illiam oogie arris were among the leaders in an informal Black crime syndicate dubbed the National Brotherhood of Policy Kings.
Joe Tito, an Italian American bootlegger and gambler who later introduced Rolling Rock beer to Pittsburgh and beyond was reenlee s rawfords co-owner and partner in the ill istrict s Greenlee Field. Tito family photos from the early 1920s show Joe and his brothers en oying themselves at appy ollow and other ot prings locations.
A YINZER LEGACY
lack and white teams continued to train in ot prings through the s. y , lorida and ri ona had replaced ot prings as ma or league baseball s spring training mecca. he epression economy played a part. The emergence of Las Vegas and Florida as leading tourist destinations also contributed to pa ity striking out and leaving the field.
appy ollow was replaced by a motel. here s a parking lot where the field that abe uth, in , hit a 500-foot homerun ome of the hotels and bathhouses ittsburgh ballplayers and racketeers frequented are still there, including the Woodmen of the nion athhouse and anitarium, where Black visitors stayed, and the Arlington.
ot prings still boasts of the times that onus agner, atchel Paige, and Josh Gibson were part of the community, and there are still places where ittsburgh history may be found in the pa ity. While those days of vice are in the past, the Arkansas hotspot started a baseball tradition that continues to this day. •
PHOTO: COURTESY KLEIN-TOMANIO FAMILY
George Ja e (seated, second from the left) with his “Pittsburgh Delegation” photographed in Hot Springs in 1924.
THREE RIVERS RIVALRY
Pittsburgh’s first big season for women’s soccer is here, and Riveters SC and Steel City FC are going metal on metal
BY: COLTON CORESCHI
With the Pittsburgh Riverhounds organization entering the women’s soccer scene via its brand-new Pittsburgh Riveters SC team, and local grassroots club Steel City FC also choosing to jump to the USL W League after years in the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) and United Women’s Soccer (UWS) leagues, 2025 promises to be a seismic year for soccer and women’s sports in Pittsburgh.
For the Riveters, it’s the excitement of the city’s highly successful men’s soccer club placing a women s team into its structure for the first time. he Riverhounds Development Academy has been producing top-level women’s soccer talent for years, and, as a pro organization with years of top-level experience behind the scenes, the Riveters promise to be a well-resourced, extremely competitive force from their first minute of action there s plenty of bu about impressive season ticket sales and fan engagement already to show for it.
PHOTO: TODHUNTER PRODUCTIONS
Steel City FC plays the Erie Commodores on Jul. 2, 2024.
Internally, as well, there’s nothing but excitement and high expectations for the upcoming year, nowhere more e emplified than by goalkeeper coach and first assistant coach eaghan Duval, herself a veteran of the USL W League’s inaugural season in 2022. didn t know much about the league when I was brought on by the Greenville Liberty,” Duval begins. think it really helped playing for a team with an established men’s pro side because we were treated as equals, which was fantastic. We played all of our home games over at Legacy Early College, which sat around 3-4,000, and we would get a couple thousand people to show up, which felt packed and was awesome.
“The whole atmosphere behind the training sessions, staff, how they treated you, the locker room facilities, all of that was awesome,” Duval adds. definitely think the iveters are going to match that atmosphere, because we also have that men’s pro side. Sitting down with [Sporting irector an isser and iveters Head Coach] Scott Gibson, they’re
“RIVALRY GAMES ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO PROMOTE TO YOUNGER GIRLS … THAT’S HOW YOU SPARK LOVE FOR THE GAME.”
trying to match everything we do on the men’s side and treat our girls equally.”
With Duval and her pioneering compatriots setting a high standard of play and fan experience from the start, the USL W League has grown rapidly, more than doubling from 44 clubs in its first year to 93 participating in . t s a growth re ected across women’s sports nationally in recent years, and one the iveters hope to seize and capitalize on.
think that speaks to the whole structure within the U.S. and the specifically, uval says. ow we don t only have the , but we also have the USL Super League, and think we re going to continue seeing that growth and development.”
“We already have a men’s side and structure to get people to say
‘I want to invest in this, I want to be part of the inaugural season,’” Duval continues. “We don’t have to build a stadium, we don’t have to build new locker rooms or a training facility — we have everything set in place, we have the foundation, and that’s
PHOTO COURTESY OF PITTSBURGH RIVERHOUNDS SC Riveters players practice during a Dec. 2024 team combine.
PHOTO COURTESY OF PITT PANTHERS WOMEN’S SOCCER
Riveters player Lucia Wells is a North Allegheny and Pitt alum.
“IT REALLY HELPED PLAYING FOR A TEAM WITH AN ESTABLISHED MEN’S PRO SIDE BECAUSE WE WERE TREATED AS EQUALS.”
appealing to a lot of already-invested fans.”
With a fan-friendly slate of home matches on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, fans will have plenty of chances to experience the Riveters’ high-quality operation over the course of their season.
Pittsburgh Riveters Schedule
Fri. May 16, 7 PM - vs. Cleveland Force FC
Sat. May 24, 6 PM - @ Flower City 1872
Tue. May 27, TBD - @ Cleveland Force FC
Fri. May 30, 7 PM - vs. Flower City 1872
Thu. June 5, 6 PM - @ Erie Sports Center
Sun. June 8, 5 PM - vs. FC Buffalo
Wed. June 11, 7 PM - @ Steel City FC*
Sun. June 15, 5 PM - vs. Erie Sports Center
at. une , - uffalo
Fri. June 27, 7 PM - vs. Steel City FC*
For Steel City FC, it’s the continued growth to a new level from the bottom up of one of the city’s longest and most storied soccer clubs.
Formed from the merger of the decades-old Pittsburgh Hotspurs and Pittsburgh Arsenal organizations, Steel City has reached new heights in recent years fielding nationally competitive men’s and women’s teams and reaching the vaunted U.S. Open Cup for the first time in . hey ll now take a progressive step into a larger soccer scene within the United Soccer League’s national footprint across the men’s and women’s games. With a robust, community-centric academy system constantly developing high-quality talent, the Steel City women are aiming to match their elevation to a higher level of competition. A consistently strong force since 2015 in the WPSL and then in the UWS since 2022, the team has already announced the return of a strong roster core from recent years, highlighted by homegrown Steel City FC academy graduate Emily Graeca
returning for her fourth first-team season with the club as captain in 2025.
After completing her freshman year locally with the University of Pittsburgh, Graeca is set to continue her collegiate career at James Madison University for her sophomore season. ut first, she s staying home to lead her longtime club into a bright, new era.
“I think it’s a great opportunity, especially coming off a spring season, to have a place to come back and get quality training and meaningful games against quality opponents,” Graeca says of the Steel City organization. “It helps us stay in touch with our game. It’s a vital place for us to come back and get reps and continue to prepare for our fall seasons and develop.”
“I think moving to a new league and the standard increasing and being more competitive, that’s really great for the club,” Graeca adds of the move to the USL W League. “We’re very fortunate to have a super supportive staff and a professional environment that a lot of
PHOTO: RANDY WARNER
Steel City FC’s Emily Graeca dribbles the ball.
kids can look forward to and get a chance to play within. I have played since I was in high school, and it’s been wonderful to keep playing with old teammates after going our separate ways in college.”
That continuity is a vital part of Steel City’s organization. A true grassroots club, Steel City operates from a bottom-up approach, placing community, youth development, and a closeknit family feel as the key pillars that make them a successful club. As a key architect of the organization’s strong, nurturing environment, club director, owner, and women’s team head coach Tommo Ovenden is quick to highlight the importance of keeping the game accessible.
“While a lot of soccer across the country can feel corporate, we are very grassroots for senior club football,” Ovenden explains of the club’s ideals. “Where there’s some real character and culture to what we’re doing, with our own spin and story. There’s a Picasso quote, ‘Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.’ I think the important thing for us, as we get older, is remembering where we’ve come from and sticking to our roots. It’s what soccer in this country needs.”
“We’re built on being club-centric, and we’re thrilled about our league matchups because of how good it’ll be for the local game and getting young girls and families interested in soccer,” he explains. “That higher-level piece is a big driver for the base of our pyramid, so we’re very excited about that. The higher level of play will be amazing from a recruitment standpoint and taking us to the next level.”
Steel City FC Schedule
Sat. May 24, 6 PM - @ Erie Sports Center
Sat. May 31, 3 PM - vs. Cleveland Force FC
Tue. June 3, 6 PM - vs. FC Buffalo
Sat. June 7, 6 PM - vs. Erie Sports Center
Wed. June 11, 7 PM - vs. Pgh Riveters SC*
Sat. June 14, 6 PM - @ Flower City 1872
Wed. June 18, 7 PM - @ Cleveland Force FC
Sat. June 21, 4 PM - vs. Flower City 1872
Fri. June 27, 7 PM - @ Pittsburgh Riveters SC*
Sun. June 29, 4 PM - @ FC Buffalo
Two high-intensity rivalry matches will bring a thrilling atmosphere most sports struggle to provide. With the Riveters playing at Highmark Stadium in Station Square just
south of the Monongahela, and Steel City playing north of the Allegheny at Founders Field, fans get to experience a true cross-river derby for bragging rights across the city. It’s an exciting competitive facet of which both organizations are eager to take advantage.
“Having these local rivalries, everyone will grow to love it,” says Ovenden. “I think it’s not only a good thing for business, but for development as well to have these rivalries in the city.”
“I think that rivalry games are very important to promote to younger girls,” Graeca says. “Getting to show something locally that’s so exciting and competitive and fun, that’s how you spark love for the game.”
“The USLW is in its fourth season, going strong, bringing in 10-20 new teams each year. So not just in Pittsburgh, but all across the country, people want to invest in women’s sports,” Duval explains. “I think the cross-town rivalry is something people are really going to
piggyback on and get invested into — picking sides. The rivalry is fun, catchy, [and] it’ll get people to want to come out and see this game and see who comes out on top.”
Fans will get two chances to see the sides match up in their divisional schedule. The first will be mid-season on Steel City’s turf at Founders Field on Weds., July 11 at 7 p.m. The second is the highlight of the schedule this season — the Riveters’ season finale at Highmark Stadium on Fri., June 27 at 7 p.m. — which has the opportunity to not only have massive playoff implications on the field, but the chance to be one of the most attended and thrilling games across the entire league.
With everything to play for on the field, it remains to be seen who will emerge on top within the city. But one thing is certain: this new experience, and the chance it represents for women’s sports in Pittsburgh, is a win for all of us. •
PHOTO COURTESY OF PITTSBURGH RIVERHOUNDS SC Riveters players practice during a Dec. 2024 team combine.
“I WANTED TO ... BRING THE SOFTBOI LENS TO THE ARAB DAD.”
ONE FOR THE BABAS
Karina Dandashi’s short film Baba I’m Fine is a nuanced love letter to Pittsburgh and immigrant fathers
BY: RACHEL WILKINSON // RWILKINSON@PGHCITYPAPER.COM
Baba I’m Fine , a new short film by ittsburgh filmmaker arina andashi, opens with a scene of teenage heartbreak. high school lunch bell rings, kicking off a tense classroom conversation where very ichelle o cancels a riday date with the film s star, ama ibah bdellatif . ut as the camera pushes in, ittsburgh viewers might find their ga e drawn away from the drama to a map of the city and its three rivers, clipped to the classroom door.
added that there very specifically on purpose among other ittsburgh easter eggs . ," writerdirector andashi tells Pittsburgh City Paper. n the ne t scene, ama rages in a music video-like fantasy se uence in her bedroom, but you can still spot a teelers ag on the wall and a ittsburgh tote bag hanging over the door.
felt like my immigrant parents knew everything about me, but also nothing about me.”
The 13-minute short takes the viewer on an odyssey of Pittsburgh as Sama’s father (Aladeen Tawfeek) attempts to cheer up his lovelorn daughter and salvage her Friday night. There’s an impromptu trip for dinner at Salem’s Market on Penn Avenue — a place Dandashi frequented growing up — and a drive up to the Mt. Washington Overlook. If that seems like a cheesy dad spot, Dandashi confirms she was inspired by her own parents’ love for it, imagining the overlook as the kind of place the film’s father would take his daughter for a “big, bold, grand gesture.”
For much of the film, it’s also unclear how much Sama’s father knows about her relationship with Avery, again reflective of what Dandashi describes as the “idyllic ‘ignorance is bliss’ relationship” she had with her own father growing up
But as the evening in Baba I’m Fine progresses, the parental relationship softens, culminating in a “main character moment” for the film’s father, Dandashi says. There’s also a “little bit” of a visual reference to the famous Fort Pitt tunnel scene from another Pittsburghshot coming-of-age film, The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Dandashi cites Me and Earl and the Dying Girl as another personal favorite).
“I feel like, a lot of times, Arab dads, especially with queer stories, and especially through the Western lens, they’re seen as very onedimensional. The strict dad or the mean dad,” Dandashi says. “I wanted to create a dad that, despite the nuances and the misunderstandings between father and daughter … [is still] silly and goofy and soft, and bring the softboi lens to the Arab dad.”
A Pittsburgh native, Dandashi wanted Baba I’m Fine , which had its world premiere at the South by Southwest Film and TV Festival on March 8, to “capture the texture of Pittsburgh [and] the nostalgia that came with growing up here.”
Filmed in the city and featuring a majority local crew, Dandashi credits producers Stephen Turselli and Dan Duthie from Pittsburgh-based Solano Pictures for helping create “that sort of texture and feeling on the screen to give you a sense of a specific place.”
Baba I’m Fine “explores a father-daughter
story close to my heart and hometown,” Dandashi writes in the film’s synopsis. The coming-of-age short reflects her “complicated” adolescent relationship with her own father, a Syrian Muslim who immigrated to attend the University of Pittsburgh. The family has deep roots in the region — “a melting pot for us,” Dandashi says — with her maternal grandfather immigrating from Ireland to work on the Pennsylvania Railroad.
“I think, for this film specifically, what I really wanted to capture is [a] feeling of frustration,” Dandashi says. “It’s the idea that, growing up, I
Dandashi hopes the short will serve as proof of concept for her coming-of-age feature, Out of Water, also set in Pittsburgh. She’s unsure how the international audience at SXSW will react to seeing Pittsburgh and its “visual gems,” like the neon Heinz sign, on screen. For Pittsburgh audiences, Dandashi has also submitted Baba I’m Fine to local film festivals, and a Pittsburgh premiere is in the works.
“Hopefully, people want to see more,” Dandashi says. “I hope to make future work in Pittsburgh because I think it’s such a great city to put on the big screen. It has such a beautiful specificity to it ... So it would be really special to make more work [here].” •
PHOTO: COURTESY OF KARINA DANDASHI Sama and her father look out over Pittsburgh in Baba I’m Fine
PHOTO: COURTESY OF KARINA DANDASHI Still from Baba I’m Fine
FRI., MAR. 14
IN PITTSBURGH
THU., MARCH 13
ART • OAKLAND
In Conversation: Reading Gertrude Abercrombie. 6:30-7:30 p.m. Carnegie Museum of Art. 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland. Free. Registration required. carnegieart.org
FRI., MARCH 14
ART • NORTH SIDE
The Andy Warhol Museum and Carnegie Mellon University join forces for the first time ever to co-present a new exhibition. Holding Still, Holding On showcases work by students from CMU’sSchool of Art MFA Program, o ering what a press release describes as a “dynamic exploration of contemporary artmaking.” See a wide variety of media that highlights the “distinct perspectives” of five artists in their final year of study. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Continues through April 21. 117 Sandusky St., North Side. Included with regular admission. warhol.org
FILM • LAWRENCEVILLE
Pittsburgh Japanese Film Festival Showtimes vary. Continues through Thu., March 27. Row House Cinema. 4115 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $13.50-62.49. j pgh.org
MARKET • STRIP DISTRICT
Evening Mass Art Market 5-9 p.m. The Dog Penn. 2614 Penn Ave., Strip District. Free. thedogpenn.com
ART • SHADYSIDE
Opening Reception: every speck of dust illuminated 6-8 p.m. Continues through April 18. 6-8 p.m. Tomayko Foundation. 5173 Liberty Ave., Shadyside. Free. tomayko.foundation
LIT • REGENT SQUARE
Lori Jakiela’s All Skate: True Stories from Middle Life Book Launch and Reading 7 p.m. Stay Gold Books. 1104 S Braddock Ave., Regent Square. Free. staygoldbooks.com
THEATER • DOWNTOWN
music acts, including The Low Kings, Bealtaine, Michael Lindner, and others. There will also be a pop-up cocktail lounge and other surprises. 5 p.m. Continues through Mon., March 17. Market Square, Downtown. Free. downtownpittsburgh.com/thaw
PARTY • DOWNTOWN
Back in Bloom: Spring Community Day 12-3 p.m. August Wilson African American Cultural Center. 980 Liberty Ave., Downtown. Free. All ages. awaacc.org
MARKET • GREENFIELD
Spring Dream Pop-Up Market. 12-4 p.m. Alternate Histories Studio. 517 Greenfield Ave., Greenfield. Free. All ages. instagram.com/alternatehistories
MUSIC • LAWRENCEVILLE
Bastard Bearded Irish Fest with Fuck Yeah, Dinosaurs!, Brave the Sea, and The Legendary Hucklebucks 6 p.m. Doors at 5 p.m. Thunderbird Music Hall. 4053 Butler St., Lawrenceville. $19 in advance, $23 at the door. thunderbirdmusichall.com
MUSIC • EAST LIBERTY
Whitney: A Tribute Concert with Dwayne Fulton. 7:30-9:30 p.m. VIP entry at 6:30 p.m. Kelly Strayhorn Theater. 5941 Penn Ave., East Liberty. Pay What Moves You $35-65. kelly-strayhorn.org
SUN., MARCH 16
FRI., MAR. 14
PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh Series presents Annie. 7:30 p.m. Continues through Sat., March 15. Benedum Center. Seventh St. and Penn Ave., Downtown. $38-125. trustarts.org
DANCE • NORTH SIDE
KIDS • PERRY NORTH
Magic Space Mansion. 2-6 p.m. Allegheny Observatory. 159 Riverview Ave., Perry North. Free. Registration required. Open to K-5 kids and their families. observatory.pitt.edu
MUSIC • STRIP DISTRICT
Texture Contemporary Ballet presents Sound in Motion 8 p.m. Continues through Sun., March 16. New Hazlett Theater. Six Allegheny Square East, North Side. $24-34. newhazletttheater.org
SAT., MARCH 15
FESTIVAL • DOWNTOWN
Temps might still dip, but things have warmed up in Market Square with the inaugural Thaw Winter Festival. Presented by the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership and Flyspace Productions, the three-day event celebrates St. Patrick’s Day with Irish whiskey tastings and live performances by area Celtic
Marshall Crenshaw: 40+ Years in Showbiz with James Mastro. 7 p.m. Doors at 5:30 p.m. City Winery. 1627 Smallman St., Strip District. $40-55. citywinery.com/pittsburgh
TALK • DOWNTOWN
Alton Brown Live: Last Bite 7:30 p.m. Benedum Center. Seventh St. and Penn Ave., Downtown. $36.50-126.50. trustarts.org
MON., MARCH 17
LASERS • NORTH SIDE
Laser Symphony of the Stars. 2 p.m. Continues through June 1. Carnegie Science Center. One Allegheny Ave., North Side. $6-7. All ages. carnegiesciencecenter.org
PHOTO: MATTHEW MURPHY, MURPHYMADE Annie at the Benedum Center
FRI., MAR. 14
TUE., MARCH 18
FILM • MILLVALE
See “so bad, they’re good” movies while supporting a good cause when The Funhouse at Mr. Smalls presents the latest edition of its curated Funhouse Film Club series. This month is March BADness, a sports-themed mystery double feature that also includes shorts, vintage trailers, themed cocktails, and more. Attendees are encouraged to bring new and used sporting equipment for donation to the Boys and Girls Club. 7 p.m. Doors at 6:30 p.m. 400 Lincoln Ave., Millvale. Free. 18 and over. mrsmalls.com
MUSIC • NORTH SIDE
Money, Grin Hound, and Larval State 8 p.m. The Government Center. 715 East St., North Side. $10. All ages. thegovernmentcenter.com
WED., MARCH 19
MUSIC • OAKLAND
Nathaniel Rateli and The Night Sweats with The Teskey Brothers 7:30 p.m. Petersen Events Center. 3719 Terrace St., Oakland. Tickets start at $29. peterseneventscenter.com
MUSIC • DOWNTOWN
Lang Lang with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. 7:30 p.m. Heinz Hall. 600 Penn Ave., Downtown. $65-150. pittsburghsymphony.org
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in March
WED., MAR. 19
PHOTO: BRANTLEY GUTIERREZ
Nathaniel Rateli and The Night Sweats at Petersen Events Center
PHOTO: CHANTAL FEITOSA-DESOUZA
Chantal Feitosa-Desouza, part of Holding Still, Holding On at The Andy Warhol Museum
NAME CHANGE
IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-25-000375
In re petition of DeJuan Antane Croumbles Jr. for change of name to DeJuan Croumbles Booker. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 26th day of March 2025, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may showcase, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.
MARKET PLACE
NAME CHANGE
IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-24-008285
In re petition of Mark Anthony Martin Jr. for change of name to Mark Anthony Cameron. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 26th day of March 2025, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may showcase, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.
In The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-25-001242
In re petition of Lydia Christine Lent for a change of name to Lydia Christine Trydent. To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 2nd day of April 2025, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may showcase, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.
NAME CHANGE
In The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-25-001247
In re petition of Bryce Thomas Trygar for change of name to Bryce Thomas Trydent.
To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 2nd day of April 2025, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may showcase, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for
NAME CHANGE
IN The Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: No. GD-21-4118, In re petition of Simfene Williams, parents and legal guardians Shiloh Christopher Carter, minor, for change of name to Troy Christopher Carter Jr.
To all persons interested: Notice is hereby given that an order of said Court authorized the filing of said petition and fixed the 23rd day of April 2025, at 9:30 a.m., as the time and the Motions Room, City-County Building, Pittsburgh, PA, as the place for a hearing, when and where all persons may show cause, if any they have, why said name should not be changed as prayed for.
STUDY SMOKERS WANTED
The University of Pittsburgh’s Alcohol & Smoking Research Lab is looking for people to participate in a research project. You must:
• Currently smoke cigarettes
• Be 18-49 years old, in good health, and speak fluent English
• Be right handed, willing to not smoke before two sessions, and to fill out questionnaires
Earn up to $260 for participating in this study.
For more information, call (412) 407-5029
SWITCHING SIDES
OFFICIAL ADVERTISEMENT
THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION of the SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS
Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Bellefield Entrance Lobby, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15213, on March 25, 2025, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for:
ROOSEVELT EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER
• Finish Floor Replacement and Miscellaneous Work
• Plumbing Prime
Project Manual and Drawings will be available for purchase on March 3, 2025, at Modern Reproductions (412-488-7700), 127 McKean Street, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15219 between 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. The cost of the Project Manual Documents is non-refundable. Project details and dates are described in each project manual.
We are an equal rights and opportunity school district.
ACROSS
1. Band that called itself a computer command to make a delta symbol
5. Involuntary movement
10. Book ID with ten digits
14. Stead
15. “The game of unspeakable fun” board game
16. Sports org. that award 90 di erent championships
17.
CPR pros
18. Fully locked
19. Frosh’s home
20.
Come up with what to call the final Beatles record?
23. “___ on?”
(“Is that my cue?”)
24. Irish dramatist who co-founded the Abbey Theatre
25. Weak guy who delivers cold blocks
31.
Namely
32.
The guys
33. In the past
36.
Pizzeria installation
37. Belong
38.
Made sure the levels were right
39.
Detract from
40. Beignet’s cousin
41. Jeddah resident
42. Angel’s motto?
44. Wiliness
46. “Color me impressed!”
47. Hardliners about stamps?
53. ___ 51
54. Co-star of the Morning Latte skits
55. Place where people get stacks
57. Lab assistant, stereotypically
58. Hudson of the original Ghostbusters
59. Bring to the ground
60. Lorgnette part 61. Checks out chicks?
62. Ragout or ratatouille, e.g.
DOWN
1. Goose Island selection
2. An arm or a leg
3. French bean
4. “Gimme two secs”
5. Having no motion
6. London’s ___ Mall
7. Competent
8. Nursery supply
9. Angel investors
10. Take out choice
11. Adam of Severance
12. Stinging comments
13. Reputation
21. Tag line?
22. Afternoon beverages
25. Bit of physics
26. Fish with a bagel
27. Fancy jug
28. She played Elphaba alongside Kristin’s Glinda
29. Hysterical comedian
30. Teddy Roosevelt’s wife
33. Alternative to robin’s egg blue
34. Diplomas for dropouts
35. Comic strip character who’s only sentence ever said was “I’m hungry”
37. Precedes
38. They grow out of a canal
40. ___ Soul
41. Photographed
42. Stringed instruments played sitting down
43. Bouquet flowers
44. Canyon
45. Apply to
47. Condiment/napkin /menu holder at some seaside eateries
48. French 101 word
49. They grew up with cable TV
50. HOMES lake
51. First-rate to aging b-boys
52. Seep
56. Spot for the devout
LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS
THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION of the SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS
Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Bellefield Entrance Lobby, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15213, on April 1, 2025, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for: OFFICIAL ADVERTISEMENT
PITTSBURGH VARIOUS LOCATIONS
• Emergency Generator Replacement Set 2
• General, Electrical, and Asbestos Primes
PITTSBURGH OBAMA 6-12
• Loading Dock Repairs
• General Prime
Project Manual and Drawings will be available for purchase on March 10, 2025, at Modern Reproductions (412-488-7700), 127 McKean Street, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15219 between 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. The cost of the Project Manual Documents is non-refundable. Project details and dates are described in each project manual.
We are an equal rights and opportunity school district.
