Sensi Magazine - Pittsburgh (February 2020) by Sensi Magazine

ALTHAT L I PITTSBURGH F E B 2020

jAZ

The Steel Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not-so-underground music scene

COLIVING IT UP

Find friends and save money in shared living spaces

OVER THE RAINBOW

How vibrant hues can conquer the winter blues

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PITTSBURGH SENSI MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2020

sensimediagroup @sensimagazine @sensimag

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All That Jazz

The Steel City quietly cements its place in music history.

In Living Color

Seeing red, feeling blue, tickled pink. What you see is what you feel.

SPECIAL REPORT

So SAD

For people with Seasonal Affective Disorder, winter brings more than the blues.

D E PA R T M E N T S

9 EDITOR’S NOTE 10 THE BUZZ News, tips, and tidbits

to keep you in the loop GET YOUR KICKS New book explores the history and industry of running shoes. NEWEST NORMAL Illinois legalizes recreational use. DEBUT DINING Chef’s hotspots

14 THE LIFE Contributing to your

40 THE SCENE Hot happenings and hip

hangouts around town NAILED IT The Last American Hammer will change your mind about opera. CALENDAR There’s a lot to love in Philly this month.

50 THE END

Once you’re done reading about Pittsburgh jazz, go to Con Alma and listen for yourself.

ON THE COVER Pittsburghʼs influential jazz musicians are reimagined in the style of artist Gary Kelleyʼs iconic jazz paintings. PHOTOILLUSTRATION BY JOSH CLARK BASED ON PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICK FINKELSTEIN

health and happiness IN GOOD COMPANY Coliving spaces offer an all-in-one solution to skyrocketing housing prices and the loneliness epidemic. HOROSCOPE What do the stars hold for you?

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A DV I S O R Y B OA R D

AgraPharm LLC Pennsylvania Hemp Production All Life Advanced Care Centers Integrated Health Cresco Labs, LLC. Medical Marijuana Education & Advocacy Dobra Tea Tea Room Glass Gone Wow Glass & Wellness Shop Greenhouse Payment Solutions Payment Processing Green Line Hydroponics Genetics: Clone Propagation

Paint Monkey Painting Studio PittMoss, LLC. Cannabis Nutrients Pittsburgh Brewing Company Brewing Company Shady Grove Local Bar

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FACE BOOK Like Sensi Media Group for the parties, topics, and happenings weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re obsessed with right now.

Green Mill Supercritical Extraction Equipment Healthy Transformations with Heart Epidemiologist & Holistic Healer The Healthy Yinzer Personal Training

T W I T TER Follow @sensimag to stay up-to-date on the latest news from Sensi cities.

Living Well CBD CBD Shop Maitri Medicinals Grower Metro Community Health Center Community Health Center

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I NSTAG RAM @sensimagazine is home to exclusive photos and content.

EXECUTIVE Ron Kolb Founder, CEO ron@sensimag.com Mike Mansbridge President mike@sensimag.com

Tae Darnell Co-Founder, VP of Business Development tae@sensimag.com Alex Martinez Chief Operating Officer alex@sensimag.com EDITORIAL

Stephanie Wilson Co-Founder, Editor in Chief stephanie@sensimag.com Doug Schnitzspahn Executive Editor doug.schnitzspahn@sensimag.com Aaron Bible Managing Editor aaron.bible@sensimag.com Leland Rucker Senior Editor leland.rucker@sensimag.com Robyn Griggs Lawrence Editor at Large robyn.lawrence@sensimag.com Helen Olsson Copy Chief John Shannon, Mona Van Joseph Contributing Writers DESIGN Jamie Ezra Mark Creative Director jamie@emagency.com Rheya Tanner Art Director Wendy Mak Designer Kiara Lopez Designer Josh Clark Designer Jason Jones Designer em@sensimag.com PUBLISHING

EDITOR’S NOTE

Love. How can

one four-letter word

have so many meanings? Being a lifelong skier, I’ve always been fascinated by the fact that the Eskimos have 30 different words for “snow.” wouldn’t it be amazing if we had that many ways to describe love? With Valentine’s Day approaching this month, it’s a great time to reflect on what love means to you. Here at Sensi, we are all about showing love. And we invite you to join us. We’re living and carrying forward the ethos of Sensi as we continue to celebrate a new year and a new decade. “In a world where so many have fought to love one another, February is our month to celebrate that love is love,” Sensi Pittsburgh publisher Gina Vensel told me last month as we were putting this issue together. “And the love we share is compassionate and filled with a giving spirit and understanding heart.” But one thing we know to be true: When you think about love, you think about music. And given that music is one of our greatest loves here at Sensi, we wanted to bring you as much musical inspiration as possible this month. February is also Black History Month, and in this issue, we take a look into the history jazz, a truly American musical genre, forged in large part by African Americans, that many of us feel a special connection to and gratitude for. Thanks for picking up the magazine and for coming along for the ride. We love you.

I’m fascinated by the fact that Eskimos have 30 different words for snow. Wouldn’t it be amazing if we had that many ways to describe love?

Gina Vensel Publisher gina.vensel@sensimag.com Matt Raymond Associate Publisher matt.raymond@sensimag.com B U S I N E S S /A D M I N Kristan Toth Head of People kristan.toth@sensimag.com Amber Orvik Administrative Director amber.orvik@sensimag.com Andre Velez Marketing Director andre.velez@sensimag.com

Aaron H. Bible @ahbible

Neil Willis Production Manager neil.willis@sensimag.com Hector Irizarry Distribution distribution@sensimag.com M E D I A PA R T N E R S Marijuana Business Daily Minority Cannabis Business Association National Cannabis Industry Association Students for Sensible Drug Policy

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CONTRIBUTORS

Aaron Bible, Doug Schnitzspahn

TecnicaĘźs Origin is a high-tech custommoldable trail shoe.

Calling All Sneakerheads In Kicksology: The Hype, Science, Culture & Cool of Running Shoes, author Brian Metzler delves deep into the stories and hype of shoes and brands that have made running coolâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and certain kicks that are collectible-worthy. He examines every facet of this lucrative, innovative, and massively popular industry with insider access, 10 P I T TS BU RG H

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following the rise and innovation of running shoes through major cultural fads, attempts at injury prevention, and techy experiments done in the name of speed and performance. To research the book, Metzler went overseas to factories where shoes are built and into brick-andmortar shops facing extinction. Adding to the wealth of shoe in-

trigue, he interviewed Olympians, ultrarunners, and other celebrities of the sport like Kara Goucher, Scott Jurek, and Deena Kastor, who add personal anecdotes around their own favorites. Metzler is a sports journalist who has tested more than 1,500 pairs of running shoes and has raced every distance from 50 yards to 100 miles.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TECNICA

A new book explores the evolution, style, and intrigue of the running shoe.

BY THE NUMBERS

COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES The number of higher education institutions in the Pittsburgh area

CHEF’S PICK The newly opened Bar Botanico in Lawrenceville is a hip new spot on Butler Street that takes “chef’s choice” to a whole new level. The eatery has no set menu. Diners discuss their likes, dislikes, and dietary needs with their server, and then the chef prepares a custom meal based on those preferences. When the plate arrives, it’s a surprise. For foodies looking for fresh meals and craft cocktails, check out this inventive new hot spot.

SOURCE: visitpittsburgh.com

Illinois Goes Legal

The Prairie State becomes the first state to legalize recreational marijuana by state legislation. The state legislature of Illinois rang in the new year and made history as the first state in the US voting to pass a cannabis regulation and tax act as a piece of state legislation. All other sales legalizations have been passed in their respective states through voter initiatives, so the Illinois state legislature has distinguished itself by being the first to legally support and organize the cannabis industry in such a way. The Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act will help to support the 96,000 and counting Illinois residents who rely on medical marijuana programs, as well as offer an organized atmosphere for recreational users. The act will also provide the state of Illinois with billions of dollars in cannabis sales funds and set a precedent for other states.

“The roughest road often leads to the top.” —Christina Aguilera, singer and Pittsburgh native

RIVERS Pittsburgh owes its existence, early success, and its enduring beauty and character to its rivers: The Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers

Debut Exhibition Sizzles

160 DAYS Number of sunny days per year in Pittsburgh

367 FEET

The height of Mount Washington

Pittsburghʼs blossoming Sharpsburg neighborhood has a hip new gallery called Zynka, owned and operated by Jeffrey Jarzynka. The success of the opening exhibit Current: The Art of Now in Pittsburgh, a collaboration with The Andy Warhol Museum, was so successful that it was extended into early January. F EBRUARY 2020

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THE BUZZ

BILITIES

BY STEPHANIE WILSON, EDITOR IN CHIEF

State to be the first presidential primary in the nation. This election cycle, that goes down on February 11, after which my home state becomes irrelevant for another four years.

2 LEAP OF FAITH While the calendar year is 365 days, it takes the Earth 365.24 days to orbit the sun. Every four years, we add an extra day to the month of February because without it, the calendar would be misaligned with the seasons by 25 days after just 100 years. 3 BORN THIS WAY The odds of being a “leapling”—a person born on a leap day—is 1 in 1,461.

4 RIGHT ON On February 29, some places celebrate Bachelor’s Day or Sadie Hawkins Day—both a nod to the old Irish tradition that gave women the right to propose marriage to a man on leap day. If he declined, he was required by law to pay a penalty, often in the form of gloves so she could hide the shame of her bare ring finger. 5 MODERN LOVE Since we’re not all Irish, but we are all feminists (because we all believe in the equality of the sexes, of course), any of us can propose to whomever our heart desires whenever we want. Except Valentine’s Day. There’s no law prohibiting it but, sweetie, payas-you-go forced romance is anything but romantic.

6 PETA VIOLATION The origins of the canned-love holiday are as cruel as a red rose delivery in February is clichéd. According to NPR, V-day traces back to the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, a brutal fete during which naked men sacrificed dogs and goats—and whipped women with the animal hides. Stop, in the name of love.

“Energy rightly applied and directed will accomplish anything,” —Nellie Bly, 1880s Pittsburgh journalist

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Oleo CBD Brand Plays to the Active Lifestyle

Ideal for athletes, fitness enthusiasts, outdoor adventurers, and anyone enjoying an active lifestyle, Seattle-based OLEO offers a variety of delicious powdered CBD drink mixes that are 100 percent THC-free and are designed to help support total body recovery and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle on-the-go. OLEO is the only CBD company using proprietary and patent-pending micro-encapsulation technology that converts 100 percent THC-free, pure CBD oil into a water-soluble powder known as OleoCBDTM. OleoCBD powdered beverage mix offers double the bioaccessibility in comparison to regular CBD and CBD oil. That means that your body can absorb the highest possible amount of the active ingredient because this proprietary powdered CBD is twice as absorbable. The micro-encapsulation process also removes any bitter aftertaste, allowing OLEO to offer a variety of drink mixes that range from completely flavorless to delicious and rejuvenating flavors. Available in single-serving, on-the-go packets or multi-serving jars, OLEO drink mixes combine the benefits of 25 mg of OleoCBDTM per serving with the power of functional ingredients such as freezedried coconut water and real rooibos and black tea, available with or without caffeine to either energize or unwind. All of OLEO's drink mixes dissolve quickly into cold or hot water (or even in your post-workout smoothie), making it easy to consume at any point throughout the day to help support full body recovery after physical activity. The entire product line not only offers consistent made-in-the-USA quality, but it’s also guaranteed to consistently be 100 percent THC-free with zero intoxicating effects.

PHOTO COURTESY OF OLEO CBD

1 PRIMARY FOCUS A New Hampshire law requires the Granite

THE BUZZ

VOX POPULI

Question: Who needs more love in PGH this year?

SHIRA FEIGELSTEIN C.J. MITCHELL

KENT BEY

JOSH CORCORAN

JESÚS MARTÍNEZ

___________________

Geriatric Home Health PT Stanton Heights

Recording Artist Greentree

Our elderly and chronically ill neighbors! When it’s particularly cold or hot, or after a strong storm, check in and make sure they are safe and have power, water, and food. They may not be able to call for assistance. We are all in this together.

I think trans people need more love this year. The poverty, brutality, and hate they face is not just an LGBTQIA issue. No matter who you are, there’s something you can do to make PGH more beautiful for them as well.

___________________

TRIFECTA OF WORLDLY PLEASURES Indulge your sweet tooth this Valentineʼs Day at Pittsburghʼs first Chocolate, Wine & Whiskey Fest, slated for February 15 at Rivers Casino. A celebration of all things rich and decadent, this festival boasts unlimited tastings of luxury chocolates, fine wines, and smooth whiskeys alongside treats like a fondue fountain and savory bites to balance it all out. Tickets now available at chocolatewinewhiskey.com with both General Admission and VIP options.

President, Project LOVE Coalition, Hill District

We would like to bring people together with veterans to spread more love and build social and economic opportunities in disinvested neighborhoods—through conservation, ecology, trade, and agriculture enterprises.

Founder, Spare Change Irwin

From rock to rap, Pittsburgh music has been thriving in the past few years, and there’s reason to believe 2020 could be the biggest year yet. Love yourself this year by enjoying live local music.

Restaurateur, La Palapa Greenfield

The South Side neighborhood is one of the most safe, family friendly, diverse, vibrant, and chic places to be in 2020!

Celebrated Cannabis Author Speaks Solevo Wellness hosted author Michael Backes in Pittsburgh with a full house on December 16 to discuss medical marijuana and his book, Cannabis Pharmacy: The Practical Guide to Medical Marijauna. Backes lays claim to founding the country’s first evidence-based dispensary over a decade ago, and he remains a leader in the medical marijuana industry. In his book, Backes discusses the crucial differences between unregulated and medical marijuana, how research into the character of the marijuana plant has helped establish safe and specific treatment strategies, and the rumors versus realities of proper medical marijuana practices. Solevo Wellness itself represents a slice of the cannabis industry dedicated to intensive medical marijuana care, and the brand welcomed Michael Backes as a valued partner in the community.

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Room with a Few

Coliving is taking off because it addresses two of our most important social challenges: affordable housing and the loneliness epidemic. TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

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After an artistic breakdown (complete with tequila), serial entrepreneur Mario Masitti cleared out of his townhouse in Venice Beach and hit the road. He spent a year and a half visiting clients, friends, and family, which was fun, but he eventually got pretty tired of Motel 6s. When a business opportunity came up in Denver, Masitti figured he could handle making a six-month commitment to a living space. A 350-square-foot micro-studio in Turntable Studios, a former hotel next to Mile High Stadium, felt comfortingly familiar and provided what he was looking for—affordability and a downtown view—as well as something he had no idea he needed. After he moved in, Masitti started noticing groups of people hanging out and drinking wine in front of the building every evening around 5 p.m. “I was like, oh, fuck yeah,” he says. “Being somebody who works from home, I’m like, this is amazing. I don’t have to leave or set up happy hour with friends. It’s almost like a Hotel California.” Masitti is now part of a 20-something-strong community at Turntable that not only meets

“I’ve lived in plenty of apartment complexes, and I’ve never seen an organically grown community like this.” —Mario Masitti

every evening for happy hour but also regularly sits down to share dinners and conversation, sometimes accompanied by a guitar or two, and casually keeps track of one another’s activities and well-being. An introvert at heart, Masitti loves this fluidity. Even when he’s not feeling hugely social, he can pop outside or upstairs to the community room for quick visits. “I’ve lived in plenty of apartment complexes, and I’ve never seen a place with an organically grown community like this,” Masitti says. “Usually, you just kind

of keep your eyes to the ground. The pool is always empty. No one uses the amenities. This place is the opposite.” The camaraderie has been the balm Masitti’s road-weary soul needed. “Even my mom’s like, ‘You’re so happy again!’” he says. “Friends Are Included” Loneliness is a killer, more dangerous than obesity and smoking. Studies have found it leads to heart disease, stroke, and immune system problems, and it could even impair cancer recovery. A researcher at Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark

Serial entrepreneur Mario Masitti

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THE LIFE

found loneliness a strong predictor of premature death, declining mental health, and lower quality of life in cardiovascular patients, and a Brigham Young University professor’s meta-analysis of studies from around the world found that socially isolated adults have a 50 percent greater risk of dying from any cause than people who have community. That’s sobering, especially when you consider that 40 percent of American adults suffer from loneliness, according to an AARP study. And it’s one reason coliving—a new form of housing in which residents with similar interests, values, or intentions share living space, costs, and amenities—is exploding. Coliving situations run a spectrum, from the resident-driven Turntable model to small homes with a half-dozen or so people to massive corporate complexes like The Col-

“You just don’t hear the crazy stories about roommating with strangers in an unfamiliar city. When people write bad reviews, it’s usually about the Wi-Fi.” —Christine McDannell, Author of The Coliving Code: How to Find Your Tribe, Share Resources, and Design Your Life

lective tower with 550 beds in London. Residents, who stay anywhere from a few days to several years and usually don’t have to sign a lease or pay a security deposit, sleep in their own small private rooms (sometimes with bathrooms) and share common spaces such as large kitchens and dining areas, gardens, and work areas. They’re encouraged to interact with one another, often through organized happy hours and brunches. Ollie, which operates coliving spaces in New York and other cities, advertises that “friends are included.” “Coliving is different than just having roommates, who may be people you found on Craigslist and just happen to share [your] living space. It’s done with more intention,” says Christine McDannell, who lived in unincorporated coliving houses for years before she launched Kindred Quarters, a coliving operator with homes in San Diego and Los Angeles, in 2017. Author of The Coliving Code: How to Find Your Tribe, Share Resources, and Design Your Life, McDannell also runs Kndrd, a software company for coliving managers and residents, and she hosts the weekly Coliving Code

Show every Wednesday on YouTube, iTunes, Soundcloud, and coliving. tv. She has watched— and helped—the industry grow up, and she’s amazed at how few, if any, horror stories she hears. That’s largely because millennials—by far the largest demographic among colivers—are accustomed to sharing and being held accountable through online reviews, she adds. “You just don’t hear the crazy stories about roommating with strangers in an unfamiliar city,” she says. “When people write bad reviews, it’s usually about the Wi-Fi.”

ALL IN THIS TOGETHER Nearly a third of American adults live with roommates. SOURCE: Pew Research Center

From Hacker Houses to Golden Girls As companies fat with funding expand into cities across the globe, coliving is newly corporatized— but it’s hardly a novel concept. Boarding houses provided rooms and shared meals for single men and women in the 19th and early 20th centuries; one of the most famous, the Barbizon Hotel in New York, was a “club residence for professional women” from 1927 until the 1980s. People lived communally throughout most of history until industrialization facilitated privatization of family life and housing throughout the 20th century—with a few disrupF EBRUARY 2020

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THE LIFE

LEARN MORE

Find information, news, and guidance on all things coliving at thecolivingcode.com.

“Coliving is different than just having roommates, who may be people you found on Craigslist and just happen to share [your] living space. It’s done with more intention.” —Christine McDannell

FOURʼS COMPANY Almost half of Gen Zers think itʼs reasonable for four or more people to share a two-bedroom apartment, and 30 percent would move in with roommates they didnʼt know. SOURCE: Credit Karma

tions. In Israel, people have been living in communal villages called kibbutzim for more than 100 years. In the US, hippies attempted to create communes in the 1960s, but they were destroyed by free love, drugs, and egos (which did a lot to discourage coliving, even today). At the same time in Denmark, however, cohousing (an earlier iteration of coliving) was emerging as a way to share childcare. Today, more than 700 communities thrive in Denmark. In Sweden, the government provides cohousing facilities. A handful of cohousing communities following the Danish model have been established in the US, and hacker houses

are common in tech capitals like Silicon Valley and Austin, Texas, but the concept has been slow to catch on until recently. As it becomes increasingly impossible for mere mortals to afford skyrocketing rents in desirable cities, Americans are coming around to coliving and finding creative solutions to all sorts of social issues. Older women are shacking up together following the Golden Girls model. Coabode.org matches single moms who want to raise kids together. At Hope Meadows in Chicago, retirees live with foster kids. The opportunity to pay lower rent (in many but not all cases) and share expenses makes all the difference in places like

New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Los Angeles. When New York–based coliving operator Common opened a development with 24 furnished spaces in Los Angeles for between $1,300 and $1,800 a month, more than 9,000 people applied. McDannell says coliving is exploding because it solves important challenges that plague modern society. “People are signing away their paychecks on rent and feeling increasingly isolated,” she wrote in “Why We’re Building a CoLiving Community Ecosystem” on LinkedIn. “It is due time that HaaS (Housing as a Service) disrupts the antiquated industry of property management and real estate.” F EBRUARY 2020

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mona Van Joseph has been an intuitive since 2002. She is an author, columnist, and host of Psychic View Radio. She created dicewisdom.com, which also has a smartphone app. mona.vegas

HOROSCOPE

FEBRUARY HOROSCOPE

What do the stars hold for you? TEXT MONA VAN JOSEPH

AQUARIUS, THIS MONTH IS ALL ABOUT EXPLORING YOUR OWN POTENTIAL WITHOUT THE BURDEN OF HELPING OTHERS. JAN. 20–FEB. 18

AQUARIUS

Sometimes you do know what’s best for the people you love, but this month is all about celebrating what people can do without your assistance. Explore your own potential without the burden of helping others.

rent situation, your legacy may be better served by considering what the universe is offering. MARCH 21–APRIL 19

ARIES

Concentrate on loving yourself this month. It’s not about proving yourself; it’s about filling yourself up and supportFEB. 19–MARCH 20 ing your unique energy. February resonates with Don’t be surprised if a the signs of Aquarius new job or major proj(power of mind) and Piect presents itself to you. sces (power of intuitive). As reluctant as you may These are the elements be to let go of your curto balance.

PISCES

APRIL 20–MAY 20

TAURUS

You will meet two amazing people. The man is a leader in his industry who has earned everything he has. The woman is unconditional love in action. Pay attention to the impression they leave with you. MAY 21–JUNE 20

GEMINI

You may feel frustrated that some people are questioning your credibility. They may not be the people to align with in the future. However, if

of announcements and commitments to a new future. The unjust element of last year has finally fallen away, and as such, your mojo and energy are (again) being celebrated. AUG. 23–SEPT. 22

VIRGO

Are you being stingy with your power? Have you done for people at the same level that they have done for you? Have you kept your promises? Are you telling the truth (not your version of it)? Balthese people have struck ance the scales: reciproca nerve, that may indicate ity is your gift this month. a skill to hone. SEPT. 23–OCT. 22 JUNE 21–JULY 22

CANCER

LIBRA

Perhaps your dream is Ignore any past “stuff” this about to be fulfilled bemonth. Although you may cause you take an interest feel an innate obligation to in your art or hobby. The heal, it is not your respon- more interested you are sibility to do so. It’s time to in the people who have forget the past and move followed their dreams, the forward. Trust yourself more ideas and inspiraenough to enjoy this life. tion come to you. JULY 23–AUG. 22

LEO

Claim your spotlight this month. This is the month

The grudge(s) you’re hanging onto could hinder the good energy coming toward you. There may be a new career opportunity that presents itself by the end of May, though you may hear about it this month. NOV. 22–DEC. 21

SAGITTARIUS

You’re discovering what love means. You’ve figured out the emotional and financial issues and gotten yourself back on track. Your priorities are moving in the right direction, and you’ve accepted what you can and cannot do. Blessings on all of this! DEC. 22–JAN. 19

CAPRICORN

There’s a mistaken belief that Capricorns are cold and unemotional. Nothing could be further from the truth. You are drawn to puppies and kittens and are incredibly loyal to long-time relationOCT. 23–NOV. 21 ships. You feel things to the core of your being; There are people who de- it’s time to let others see serve your forgiveness. a glimpse of that.

SCORPIO

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Pittsburgh’s best kept secret? The Steel City quietly cements its place in music history.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JOSH CLARK BASED ON PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICK FINKELSTEIN

TEXT JOHN SHANNON

e all know the great legends of the Pittsburgh sports teams and the legendary culinary contribution of Primanti Bros putting French fries on sandwiches, but many people may not be aware that the jazz legacy and heritage of Pittsburgh rivals any other city in the world. Did you know that Pittsburgh– born pianist Mary Lou Williams was one of the first to pave the way for women instrumentalists in jazz? Or that Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington’s right hand man in composing, was also from Pittsburgh? How about that Pittsburgh-born Kenny Clarke took the

drums from being an instrument strictly for keeping time to an instrument of wildly expressionistic purpose, paving the way for other drummers such as Pittsburgh’s Art Blakey and eventually Elvin Jones, who then deeply influenced rock ’n’ roll drummers such as Keith Moon and John Bonham? There are many more stories of luminaries from Pittsburgh who made such an important contribution to America’s classical music. First, though, you have to understand what jazz music is. One way to understand jazz is as the confluence of African rhythmic sensibilities and European har-

monic sensibilities on American soil, which is what makes it one of this country’s great exports. In Pittsburgh, because of the city’s hills and limited transportation back in the day, schools were unable to enforce segregation like other cities were. Therefore, young black children were studying music with white European school teachers, learning European harmony way ahead of the curve, before others of the same age had the chance. Back then, rivers were basically the highways, and Pittsburgh was more directly connected to New Orleans (the number-one jazz city historically) by River Boat culture. F EBRUARY 2020

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PITTSBURGH MADE

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TOP PHOTO COURTESY MCG JAZZ / BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOS BY RICK FINKELSTEIN

The musicians who played aboard the boats frequently stopped off and shared their music culture. Also, because of the steel mill boom, the economy was strong and everybody had work. This led to many popular live music clubs, like the Hurricane and Crawford Grill in areas such as the Hill District and East Liberty, all hosting musicians playing popular music of the day. There are more Steel City legends to celebrate. Pittsburgh Singer Billy Eckstine redefined jazz, singing through his rhythm and lyricism and in 1944 started one of the most important big bands of all time featuring future jazz luminaries Dexter Gordon, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Sarah Vaughan. Pianist Earl “Fatha” Hines, born in Pittsburgh, is regarded to be one of a small number of

pianists whose playing shaped the history of jazz. Two other pianists who many would agree belong on that short list as well are also Pittsburgh natives, Earl Hines and Ahmad Jamal. You can pretty much name an instrument, and there is a jazz musician from Pittsburgh who contributed greatly to its development within the jazz genre. Saxophone? Stanley Turrentine. Upright bass? Ray Brown. Trumpet? Tommy Turrentine. Guitar? George Benson. Trombone? Slide Hampton, and the list goes on. The beautiful thing is that the jazz scene is still alive and well in Pittsburgh today, with world-class players, avid jazz fans, and a growing honor for the city’s jazz legacy. Pittsburgh is still known as a place that holds musicians who “swing hard” and play with deep soul. A friend

told me about meeting world-famous jazz drummer Louis Hayes in New York City. My friend mentioned to Hayes that he was from Pittsburgh, and the drummer responded with one word: “Soulsville.” One of the few remaining jazz drummers from the golden age of jazz is the 75-year-old Pittsburgh native Roger Humphries, who plays every Thursday at Con Alma in Shadyside. To hear Humphries play is to get a real glimpse and feeling of that deep soul and swing that Pittsburgh has contributed to the music. There are also so many important jazz families in Pittsburgh whose third generation musicians carry the torch today, continuing to explore this incredibly important music in a way that is somehow so naturally Pittsburgh. Maybe it’s something in the waF EBRUARY 2020

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ter or in the valley air. Whatever the reason, it’s a part of Pittsburgh’s identity and should not be forgotten, no matter how time rolls along like the lazy rivers that made this town. Some people say it takes a certain marriage of intellect and soul to not only play jazz music but to listen to it. This connects us back to that intersection of African rhythms and European harmony that makes this music so unique to American history and its continuing development. As Pittsburghers, we should be proud of and celebrate this great heritage.

PHOTOS COURTESY MCG JAZZ

THE ANCHOR OF OUR JAZZ COMMUNITY The Manchester Craftsmenʼs Guild (MCG) is a school and guild says the performance series—one of the oldest in the musical preservation group rooted in the common vision nation—is an anchor of Pittsburgh cultural and community born from founder Bill Stricklandʼs personal experience life. Artists frequently return to create unique recordings on that, “Through direct involvement in the making of art and the MCG Jazz label, generously donating proceeds back to through exposure to the masters who teach the guild in support of future programming. and perform it, our lives will be enriched, even Two years ago, the guild produced transformed.” As an extension, MCG Jazzʼs an incredible documentary entitled We mission is to preserve, present, and promote Knew What He Had: The Greatest Jazz jazz, which theyʼve been doing in a unique forStory Never Told that explores the social WE KNEW mat with some of the greatest international conditions and historical events that WHAT names in the genre for more than 30 years. came together to make Pittsburgh one WE HAD In its private music hall near downtown of the leading contributors to the legacy Pittsburgh, MCG Jazz hosts performances of jazz music in the world. This one-hour that the guild says “strengthen the longtime program is packed with interesting interTHE GREATEST JAZZ STORY NEVER TOLD Pittsburgh jazz community and contribute views, historical photographs, and more to the overall cultural and artistic diversity of than 20 live performance clips of the the region.” Its live recordings reach a global Jazz Masters, including George Benson, audience. The guildʼs educational programs allow students Ahmad Jamal, Stanley Turrentine, Billy Eckstine, Kenny to attend sessions at a reduced cost, make artists available Clarke, Art Blakey, Billy Strayhorn, Mary Lou Williams, for master classes, provide internship opportunities. and more—all Pittsburghers. The film was produced for Jazz greats including Joe Williams, Billy Taylor, Dizzy a general audience and captures the spirit of a distinctGillespie, Stanley Turrentine, and Ray Brown have helped ly American art form, the character of a regional locale, create more than 300 CDs in the MCG Jazz Archives, repand the soul of a hardy and determined people. Check resenting the past, present, and future of jazz music. The your local listings and mcgjazz.org for programming. F EBRUARY 2020

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IN LIVING C LOR Seeing red, feeling blue, tickled pink. What you see is what you feel is what you are. TEXT STEPHANIE WILSON

umans have used color to express ideas and emotion for thousands of years, according to color specialist and trend forecaster Leatrice Eisman. As executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, Eisman is the world’s leading authority on the topic of color, authoring many books on the subject. In The

Complete Color Harmony, Eisman describes how even the most subtle nuances in color can result in shades that excite or calm, pacify or energize, and even suggest strength or vulnerability. “They can nurture you with their warmth, soothe you with their quiet coolness, and heighten your awareness of the world around you.

Color enriches our universe and our perception of it,” she writes. According to her research, we all respond to color at a very visceral level, associating specific hues with another time or place. “Color invariably conveys moods that attach themselves to human feelings or reactions,” she notes. “Part of our psychic develop-

ment, color is tied to our emotions as well as our intellect. Every color has meaning that we either inherently sense or have learned by association and/or conditioning, which enables us to recognize the messages and meanings delivered.” It’s with all this in mind that she and a team of experts choose the Pantone Color of the F EBRUARY 2020

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Year, which the institute has named annually for more than two decades, gaining more attention and having more impact with each passing declaration. So this year, expect to see a lot of blue. The 2020 Pantone Color of the Year is known as Classic Blue. Describing the shade as “evocative of the nighttime sky,” Eisman explains the choice: “We are living in a time that requires trust and faith It is this kind of constancy and confidence that is expressed by Classic Blue, a solid and dependable blue hue we can always rely on.” She contends that Classic Blue encourages us to look beyond the obvious, expand our thinking, open the flow of communication. Her comments are rooted in color theory, which says that a good part of the emotions that colors evoke is tied to natural phenomena. Classic Blue is the color of outer space (look beyond), of the celestial sky (look beyond), of the deep ocean (open the flow).

“Part of our psychic development, color is tied to our emotions as well as our intellect. Every color has meaning… which enables us to recognize the messages and meanings delivered.” —Leatrice Eisman in The Complete Color Harmony

One of the earliest formal explorations of color theory came from German poet and politician Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. His 1820 book Theory of Colours explored the psychological impact of colors on mood and emotion. Yellow, Goethe wrote, is the color nearest the light, yet when applied to dull, coarse surfaces, it is no longer filled with its signature energy. “By a slight and scarcely perceptible change, the beautiful impression of fire and gold is transformed into one not undeserving the epithet foul; and the colour of honour and joy reversed to that of ignominy and aversion.” Of red: “All that we have said of yellow is applicable here, in a higher degree.” Goethe’s theories continue to intrigue, possibly because of the

lyrical prose rather than its scientific facts. Today, it’s generally accepted that shades of blue are associated with steady dependability, calm, and serenity. Yellow evokes the color of the sun, associated with warmth and joy. Green connects with nature, health, and revival. White stands for simplicity; black for sophistication. A 1970s study on the body’s physiological responses to colors revealed that warm hues (red, orange, yellow— the colors of the sun) aroused people troubled with depression and increased muscle tone or blood pressure in hypertensive folks. Cool colors (green, blue, violet) elicited the reverse, but the important finding was

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that all colors produced clinically tangible results. It’s not woo-woo science; humans have been using color as medicine, a practice known as chromotherapy, since ancient Egypt. In fact, chromotherapy is as tested a practice as any other alternative medicine— Ayurveda, acupuncture, homeopathy, aromatherapy, reflexology. While it is widely accepted that color affects one’s health—physically, mentally, emotionally—more studies are needed to determine the full scope of impact as well as its potential to help heal. This isn’t a new theory, either. In the late 1800s, rays of color/light were shown to affect the blood stream. Later research found color to be “a complete therapeutic system for 123 major illnesses,” according to a

critical analysis of chromotherapy published in 2005 by Oxford University Press. Today, bright white, full-spectrum light is being used in the treatment of cancers, seasonal affective disorder, anorexia, bulimia, insomnia, jet lag, alcohol and drug addiction, and more. Blue light is used to help treat rheumatoid arthritis. Red light helps with cancer and constipation. And that’s just the beginning.

sions that include color wheels. Colored crystal lights. Breathing in colors through meditation. Infrared saunas with chromotherapy add-ons. There are actually many ways of adjusting the color in your life, and not all of them require a trip to see a specialist. Unlike trying to self-administer acupuncture (don’t do that), techniques can be as simple as putting on colorful attire or getting some bright throw pillows or plants. You can never On the Bright Side have too many plants. When your physical And you should eat more landscape is devoid of plants, too, filling your bright, vibrant hues, your plate with healthful emotional one is affectfruits, vegetables, and ed as well. That’s where spices from every part of color therapy comes in. the spectrum. It has a deep effect on If a lack of sunlight physical, psychological, has you feeling a lack of and emotional aspects of joy, paint your home or our lives, and it comes office—warm, vibrant in many forms: light ses- yellows and oranges showcase excitement and warmth; browns and neutrals decidedly do not. Choose wisely. Painting not an option? Consider temporary wallpaper or hanging large artworks. On a budget? Head to the thrift shop and repurpose an old canvas by painting it white and then adding whatever hues you are vibing with this winter. If it doesn’t turn out well, cover it up with more white paint and start

again. Have fun with it, consider it art therapy. There are also an array of therapeutic options popping up as add-ons, as wellness studios, spas, and alternative medicine practices incorporate chromotherapy treatments into their offerings. Many infrared saunas are starting to offer chromotherapy benefits, and the combination of the full-light spectrum and the heat effectively tricks the brain into thinking it spent a full day basking in the sun, causing it to release those sweet endorphins that flood your body when the warm rays of spring hit your face when you step outside. It feels good And really, that is everything. Color is everything. F EBRUARY 2020

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So SPECIAL REPORT

For people with Seasonal Affective Disorder, winter brings on a lot more than the blues.

TEXT ROBYN GRIGGS LAWRENCE

ou know you need to exercise and socialize, but it’s all you can do to drag yourself to work in the dark, try to focus while you’re there, then drag yourself back home in the dark. Maybe you rely a little too much on your favorite substance to numb your aggro. Maybe you binge on pretzel crisps, then beat yourself up because you should be eating kale chips—or no chips at all. You wonder why you’re even on this cold, bleak planet. Every morning you want to pull the covers over your head and pretend your life isn’t happening. Some days you do. F EBRUARY 2020

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For about five percent of Americans, this nightmare is a recurring reality. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) settles in just as winter does and doesn’t lift until spring. It’s been plaguing humans for centuries—French physician Philippe Pinel noted the onset of mental deterioration in psychiatric patients in his 1806 Treatise on Insanity—but it wasn’t included in the American Psychiatric Association’s official manual until 1987. While studying the impact of light on mental health in the early 1980s, National Institute of Mental Health researcher Norman Rosenthal discovered Seasonal Affective Disorder, a recurrent annual depression characterized by hypersomnia, social withdrawal, overeating and carbohydrate cravings, and a lack of sexual energy that seems to respond to changes in climate and latitude. About 1.5 percent of Floridians have SAD,

Rosenthal found, compared with nearly 10 percent of New Hampshirites. No one knows why some people get SAD and others don’t. There seems to be a link to alcoholism as well as a genetic history of depression and bipolar disorder. Numerous studies have shown a correlation between SAD and the reduced ability to transport the mood-regulating neurotransmitter serotonin. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), people with SAD produce too much serotonin transporter protein in winter, leaving less of the “feel good” hormone available. Rosenthal suggests lack of sunlight throws off circadian rhythm and interferes with the hypothalamus, the part of the brain responsible for hormones. This causes abnormalities in the genes responsible for both serotonin transmission and retinal light sensitivity. Just recently, Johns Hopkins

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researchers discovered a third photo receptor in the eye that syncs our internal clocks with daylight and provides a direct pathway to the areas of the brain that affect mood—backing up the ocular part of Rosenthal’s theory. When your brain stops producing serotonin, it starts pumping out melatonin, the sleep hormone that responds to darkness, instead. This naturally makes you lethargic and groggy, and your brain’s instinct to correct serotonin deficiency could be the cause of your monster carb cravings, according to NIMH. Studies have also found a link between vitamin D, which the skin produces after sunlight exposure, and serotonin production.

In northern climates, rays aren’t strong enough to trigger vitamin D production during winter months. This suggests that vitamin D supplements might help with SAD, but studies have been inconclusive. TORCH IT There is no cure, per se, for SAD. The most prominent treatment is light therapy to replace sunlight with bright artificial light. You need to sit for about 30 minutes in the morning in front of a light box (readily available online) that exposes you to at least 10,000 lux of UV-free cool-white fluorescent or full-spectrum light—20 times more than regular indoor lighting. (You get 50,000 lux on a sunny day.)

Infuse your home with a warm, woodsy scent like cedarwood or cypress when you’re feeling cold and down. SOURCE: Winter Blues: Everything You Need to Know to Beat Seasonal Affective Disorder by Norman E. Rosenthal

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The treatment is not unlike indoor tanning beds (but without the tan), and researchers speculate that frequent tanners might be self-medicating for SAD as much as getting their tans on. (Excessive indoor tanning is now recognized as a psychological disorder.) Red River College in Manitoba, Canada, offers light therapy stations for students who are suffering and also loans out portable SAD lamps. Response to light therapy generally begins within a week or two, and its effectiveness seems to depend on how severe your SAD is. Studies have found that light treatment in the morning causes remission in two-thirds of patients with mild episodes but less than half with moder-

ate to severe cases. Light therapy is also being studied as a treatment for other types of depression, sleep disorders, and dementia, among other conditions. It’s not safe for people with diabetes and retinopathies and may contraindicate with certain medications.

little extra attention. Tell them not to take no for an answer when you try to weasel out of the Mardi Gras party. Find a workout buddy. No matter what, succumbing to the urge to sink back under the covers will only make things worse. Sunlight is most effective against SAD in GREENS AND GOALS the morning, so that’s the Experts will try to tell you time to get out there. An that your best bet for deal- intense morning workout ing with SAD is to get your- can do a lot—but again, be self up and out there, living nice to yourself if you can’t your best life. This is clearly make that happen. Taking easier said than done when a brisk walk whenever you your serotonin-deprived, can—even on cloudy days, melatonin-drenched brain sunlight filters through—is is begging for a long winter powerful medicine. nap. You need outside help. Moving your body, Lean on a good therawhether running or pracpist or coach, in person or ticing yoga, and eating a online, and let your inner diet rich in protein and circle know you need a greens are helpful when

SAD is hovering. It also can’t hurt to give yourself something to live for as the dreary months drag along. Set short-term goals and see yourself reaping the benefits in the spring. This could be as simple as knitting an afghan, reading a classic, or trimming your fall harvest—anything you find worth getting out of bed for. Those instincts to pull the duvet over your head and sleep the winter away aren’t wrong, by the way. Humans evolved to be less active in winter because they needed to save energy when food was scarce, but modern Type A culture never cuts us any slack— even when we’re going to and coming home from work in the dark.

SAD Symptoms In people who suffer from SAD, these symptoms recur at the onset of winter every year. Daily depression No interest in activities once enjoyed Low energy, sluggish Easily agitated, irritable Reduced libido Unstable emotions Sleeping issues Changes in appetite or weight (carbohydrate cravings) Trouble focusing Feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness Oversleeping Heaviness in limbs Suicidal ideation

14 percent of US adults suffer from a lesser form of SAD known as the winter blues, which leaves them feeling less cheerful, energetic, creative, and productive. SOURCE: Winter Blues: Everything You Need to Know to Beat Seasonal Affective Disorder by Norman E. Rosenthal

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Nailed It

Pittsburgh Opera’s debut of The Last American Hammer will change your mind about opera.

Pittsburgh Opera’s production of The Last American Hammer (Feb. 22, 25, 28; March 1) at the Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters in Pittsburgh’s Strip District promises an engaging and surprising introduction to opera for new audiences. With a run time of only 75 minutes, 40 P I T TS BU RG H

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it’s approachable to firsttime operagoers. The Last American Hammer will star current and former Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artists and be performed in an intimate setting. The opera is sung in English with supertitles projected above the stage. The

Pittsburgh events mark only the second set of performances of this opera. It premiered in Washington D.C.’s Atlas Performing Arts Center in September 2018. The action of the performance unfolds in a rural Toby jug museum in rural Ohio, where conspiracy theorist

Milcom Negley holds a rare, 17th-century British pitcher hostage with a hammer. Negley, a one-man militia, rages against the tyranny of federal overreach. Negley is a “Thirteenther”—he believes an obscure, would-be Thirteenth Amendment negates the authority of

PHOTO COURTESY OF C. STANLEY PHOTOGRAPHY OF URBAN ARIAS

TEXT AARON H. BIBLE

SEE IT

Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters Feb. 22, 8 p.m. / Feb 25, 7 p.m. Feb 28, 7:30 p.m. / March 1, 2 p.m. pittsburghopera.org

our government. He occupies the museum because it is the only place left in town to receive federal funds—a grant for the upkeep of a rare 17th-century British pitcher known as “Sir Oswyn.” Although Negley expects to be swarmed by military drones, attention is paid only by Agent Reyes, a young rookie FBI field specialist. Negley explains that the town’s only major source of employment—a hammer manufacturer—has gone under, leaving the residents lost. He is armed with the last hammer to roll off the plant’s line and intends to hold a proxy trial against the US government using Toby jugs as physical stand-ins for a court. Toby Jugs are pottery jugs in the form of a seated person. (The real American Toby Jug Museum is in Evanston, Illinois.) Though many think of opera as a waning 19th-century art form, a tremendous wave of new operas is currently revitalizing the genre with timely stories and fresh approaches. “People have stereotypical views about operas such as: ‘they’re all hundreds of years old, set in other countries, and are performed in large concert halls in a foreign language.’ Those

operas do exist (we are doing two of them later this spring–Carmen and Norma), but The Last American Hammer is different. It’s in English, it premiered last year, it takes place in presentday America, and it’s being performed in a 195-seat venue,” says Chris Cox, director of marketing and communications for the Pittsburgh Opera. “This show could definitely change the way some people think about opera. The art form is actually in the midst of a Renaissance, with a large volume of new works being produced, many of them contemporary chamber pieces—in English—designed for intimate venues like ours.” It’s also notable that Pittsburgh Opera is doing a brand-new production of Hammer. The company will make its own sets and costumes—different from those featured in the world premiere. “That’s also something many folks don’t realize about opera: it’s not a traveling Broadway show that rolls from town to town. These performances will have their own separate cast, musicians, sets, and costumes,” Cox says. “Another little-knownfact about opera is that

the singers don’t use microphones.” The production highlights members of Pittsburgh Opera’s Resident Artist program, which has been a launch pad to international prominence for many young singers. Urban Arias, which commissioned the piece, describes it as “a satirical but heartfelt examination of the fall-

out that occurs when the American Dream fails to materialize. [It] features a bluegrass-infused score that brings American roots to the operatic stage.” Composer Peter Hilliard will attend the Feb. 25 performance and librettist Matt Boresi will be in town through opening night.

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Visitors observe an ancient Egyptian sarcophagus in Mummies of the World: The Exhibition, on display at Carnegie Science Center for a limited time. The exhibition features 40 real human and animal mummies and 85 related artifacts from Europe, South America, and Ancient Egypt.

PHOTOS COURTESY (FROM TOP): CARNEGIE SCIENCE CENTER, BEYOND BOSS

On the Calendar

There’s more to February than date nights and heart-shaped boxes of chocolates. TEXT AARON H. BIBLE

Check out our intrepid roundup of things to do to follow your desires during the month of love. From jazz to opera, classic cocktails, networking sessions, and love-themed events, get out on the town during the month of February. There’s a medical marijuana educational seminar you don’t want to miss, along with a talk on Buddhism and Psychedelics (we’ve added that one to our personal calendars). Whether it’s fashion, music, art, food and drink, or polar plunges you’re interested in, we’ll help you find it. Read on for events to fill your own calendar. Now get out there, Pittsburgh.

Mummies of the World: The Exhibition

Thrice: Vheissu 15th Anniversary Tour

Now through April 19 Carnegie Science Center, North Shore carnegiesciencecenter.org

Feb. 3 Stage AE, North Shore thrice.net/tour

Medical Marijuana Beyond Boss: An Event for Girl Educational Event Bosses Feb. 1 Energy Innovation Center, Downtown/Hill District beyond-boss.co

Feb. 5 Brentwood Library, Brentwood Free Tickets on Eventbrite

Roots of Creation: Grateful Roots Skywatch Feb. 7 Tour Feb. 1 Thunderbird Cafe and Music Hall, Lawrenceville thunderbirdmusichall.com

Carnegie Science Center, North Shore carnegiesciencecenter.org

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THE SCENE CA L E N DA R

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Trixie Mattel: Grown Up

Pittsburgh Fashion Summit

Feb. 21, 7 p.m. Stage AE, North Shore pittsburgh-theater.com

Feb. 24 Union Trust Building, Downtown pghfw.com/pgh-fashion-summit

History Uncorked: ’80s Night Feb. 21, 7:30 p.m. Heinz History Center, Strip District heinzhistorycenter.org

PHOTOS COURTESY (FROM TOP): SPECIAL OLYMPICS PENNSYLVANIA, CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF ART

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s Blockbuster Broadway!

Galentine’s Day Pittsburgh Sushi Rolling International and Sake Tasting Auto Show

Feb. 7–9 Heinz Hall, Downtown pittsburghsymphony.org

Feb. 13 Social House 7, Downtown $55 socialhouse7.com

Market: I Made It! Mine 2020

Pittsburgh Bloody Mary Soulive with Mike Dillon Band Festival

Feb. 8 The Block at Northway, North Hills/McCandless imadeitmarket.com

Feb. 13, 8 p.m. Roxian Theatre, McKees Rocks roxianlive.com

Book Club: Zig Zag Zen: Buddhism and Psychedelics Feb. 10 Code & Supply, Friendship @psychedelicclubofpittsburgh

Tech Elevator Open House Feb. 11, 6:30 p.m. Tech Elevator Pittsburgh, North Side techelevator.com

CMOA pARTy: Valentine’s Day Feb. 14 Carnegie Museum of Art, Oakland cmoa.org

Feb. 14–17 David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown pittautoshow.com

Feb. 15–16 The Pennsylvanian, Downtown Tickets on Showclix showclix.com

CMU Art Lecture: Hilton Als Feb. 18, 6:30 p.m. Carnegie Mellon School of Art, North Oakland @cmuschoolofart

Pittsburgh Opera: The Last American Hammer Feb. 22, 25, 28 & March 1 Benedum Center, Downtown pittsburghopera.org

Hi-Tide Winter Holiday Feb. 22 This is Red, Munhall Tickets on Eventbrite

2020 Pittsburgh Fermentation Festival Feb. 23 Spirit, Lawrenceville fermentpittsburgh.com

Lumineers Feb. 25 PPG Paints Arena, Uptown ppgpaintsarena.com

Lending Hearts Gala Feb. 27 Fairmont Pittsburgh, Downtown lendinghearts.org

Pittsburgh Winter Beerfest 2020 Feb. 28–29 David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown beerfesttickets.com

Pittsburgh Heart Ball Feb. 29, 6 p.m. Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh, Downtown heart.org/pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Polar Plunge Feb. 29 Heinz Field, North Shore specialolympicspa.org

The Ark Band: A Celebration to Bob Marley Feb. 14, 9 p.m. Hard Rock Cafe Pittsburgh, Station Square Tickets on Eventbrite

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Paint Monkey It’s time to bring out your inner artist.

veryone needs to indulge their creative side once in a while. That is the underlying motivation behind Paint Monkey, a do-it-yourself paint and arts studio located in The Waterfront shopping center. The brainchild of husband and wife team Joe Groom and Mary Lou Bradley, Paint Monkey is a large studio that caters to individuals of all ages and abilities. For more than eight years, this mom and pop business has continually evolved to offer local residents classes and paint parties designed to further artistic abilities and let customers take home something they can be proud of. By offering pre-sketched canvases, the

studio allows artists to start with a finished goal in mind. Numerous classes are offered daily, and customers can pick a certain painting to work on, either solo or with a group of friends. For families, it’s the perfect way to spend a day with the kids. In addition to scheduled classes, Paint Monkey offers open studio walkin times daily with 30 different canvases to work on. The staff is always nearby to offer tips and tricks. One of the studio’s coolest offerings is the paint your pet class, which is offered several times a month. Customers send in a picture of their favorite furry friend, and the studio will have a pre-sketched canvas waiting.

For the more adventurous artists, Paint Monkey also offers numerous classes each month on creating fascinating pour paintings, hypnotic water marbling, and Pollock-like splatter paintings. The studio recently added ceramic painting to the mix. To enhance the overall experience, customers can bring in snacks and their own beverages—wine and beer makes everything a bit more fun.

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P R O M O T I O N A L F E AT U R E PITTMOSS

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ou can build the most sophisticated grow system with perfect temps, watering, and lighting, but if the soil in which you plant your plants is substandard, it could all be for naught. Luckily for you, there is PittMoss. An environmentally friendly alternative to peat moss, PittMoss is made from recycled paper and a mix of organic additives that have been tested and shown to improve plant growth. Manufactured in

Ambridge, Pennsylvania, from locally sourced ingredients, it is a fluffy, lightweight growing medium with excellent air exchange that encourages beneficial biological growth. Its superior aeration promotes larger and more even root distribution, while the PittMoss biologicals act as “probiotics” for plants, allowing them to digest and take up more nutrients. Due to its superior absorption, PittMoss requires 2/3 less water and it evenly holds and distributes moisture

throughout. This means less runoff and nutrient leaching, which ensures crops are able to absorb everything you feed them and that they won’t struggle. But that’s only the beginning of the advantages of using the company’s products. The manufacturing process is tightly controlled, and because it’s conducted indoors, there is no opportunity for contamination from spores, pesticides, and other potentially harmful components. The consistency in the particle sizes and the air space between them means roots have plenty of room to access the resources they need to grow faster, more resilient plants. Cannabis growers who are used to growing in coconut coir will be pleased with the new CannaBlend product, which blends high-performing PittMoss fibers with 40 percent coconut coir. Since it is made from sustainable upcycled organic material, you also get peace of mind knowing that you are keeping items out of landfills and helping the planet overall.

PittMoss Eco-Friendly Growing Medium pittmoss.com F EBRUARY 2020

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Con Alma

Visit one of Pittsburgh’s latest and most local locales for food, libations, and jazz.

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Con Alma 5884 Ellsworth Ave. conalmapgh.com

50 P I T TS BU RG H

Opened just last June on Ellsworth in Shadyside, Con Alma is nothing less than a continuation of the great Pittsburgh jazz tradition. This new restaurant and jazz bar is also an embodiment of the booming locavore trend—especially when it comes to consuming local music. “The local movement...we’re doing that with a music genre, championing Pittsburgh jazz and its legacy exclusively. For it to exist on such a world-class level in a city of this size is really unique and special,” says John Shannon, music curator and co-owner of Con Alma. Shannon says they almost exFE BRUARY 2020

clusively book Pittsburgh-based jazz musicians: “Every night of the week, you can hear world-class jazz musicians because they live here. The scene here is really all about playing the music and serving family, or simply existing in a city that’s still livable. There’s really no other smaller city in America that has a jazz scene like this.” Open seven nights a week starting in February, this new jazz bar is quickly becoming the “it” spot—and not just for the music. Shannon says Con Alma, named for the 1954 jazz standard by Dizzy Gillespie, gets is cachet from

the trifecta of its offerings: “It’s the sum of its parts—the music, food, and drink—that creates this other element, the atmosphere, throwing back to the days of an old Pittsburgh spot like the Hurricane or the Crawford Grill.” Partner and chef Josh Ross, of the former Pirata downtown and Pan in Lawrenceville, has created a menu with nods to Mexico, the Caribbean, and South America. Meanwhile, partner Aimee Marshall heads up the beverage program, which features, not shockingly, Prohibition-style cocktails and drinks inspired by Old World Cuba.

PHOTO BY ADAM MILLIRON

TEXT AARON H. BIBLE

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