December 22 Run/Walk: Meet at the Wm. Penn lobby for the annual Dahntahn Holiday Run

We'll go back to the William Penn Hotel Lobby, (map) dear to our hearts, to start our annual appreciation of holiday extravagance in our fair city. 

Last week was.a delightful scamper through Allegheny Commons Park and environs.  Tasteful holiday decor in the Mexican War Streets, a historic garden, Lake Elizabeth slightly frozen over, the condors at the Aviary and a rundown from Tracy who works there, George W. on his horse, and then a cozy gathering at Yinz Coffee, which we hope will survive the encroachment of bigshot Starbucks across the street.  So much to discuss.

• Uncommon holiday movies:  The Holiday Movie, It's Complicated, Something's Got to Give, Love Actually. 
• And old movies:  Meet John Doe, High Noon, Our Town (with Paul Newman - and Grant reminds us he's from Shaker Heights.)
• Pearls - we want them to come back.
• There is a Macbook sale at Costco
• You can get deals on next year's streaming services for Black Friday, which unfortunately is already past.  Maybe still available?
•  Friday Night Lights to reboot soon.  Connie! Her hair!
• When do boys have awareness?  Around 40 was the consensus.
• Why does the text chain for the group have a chili pepper identifier 🌶?

Photos:  Amigas siempre, Olde Allegheny Garden, Loving the Aviary with Tracy, Mitten Found, Decor.

December 15 Run/Walk: Meet at Yinz Coffee, 2 East North Avenue, Pittsburgh 15212

We all fit into the beautiful back area at Big Dog Coffee, moved quickly past Trump's odious cabinet and staff nominees and got down to important business:

For instance, the upcoming holidays.  What do we get the new girlfriend -- well, actually, the girlfriend who's been around for eight months.

    Socks, mittens, candles.

    Mostly socks.

    And if they're moving in together?

    "Nice socks.  Like Bombas."

Or a little traveling jewelry box, something girlie and personal but not too personal.

Or, for a young man, a card holder, bearing in mind that it's impossible to interpret what goes on in the brain of a 20-something boy.

A resounding "no":  

(A Christmas gift for your therapist.)

A responding "Absolved!"

(To Janet, who used Cliff Notes instead of reading A Tale of Two Cities.)

Winner of the Good Neighbor Award:

Endorsements:

For socks that last forever    Bombas  

For computer repair, or if you need to have your passport or identity verified.  Even the state department trusts Kevin's Computers  

Dor sound equipment purchase or repairs.  "That place above Jerry's."  Galaxie Electronics

A Christmas Memory - by Truman Capote

This writer will miss Yinz Coffee and Yinz walkers & runners until 20025. Cheers to everyone!

 

December 8 walk/run at Big Dog Coffee Shop, 2717 Sarah Street

We're meeting at Big Dog Coffee Shop, with its wonderful back room.  If they can't accommodate us post run/walk we'll check out the diner across the street.

Last week we said hello again to Bloomfield, where we got to see bright murals and the childhood homes of Beth's Paul.  Trace Brewery was closed so we convened at Ineffable Cà Phê, which is described on its website as being "too great to be described in words."  

Way more ineffable, at least to me, was getting to see, or to meet for the first time, Elaine's Beth.

Beth is a big fan of "Love is Blind," which features pods of "ridiculously good-looking single people in the US, UK, Argentina, Dubai, and... elsewhere.  

And while we're recommending TV shows, catch "Somebody Somewhere," in its last season.

And "Outlander," that perennial favorite.

And Gretchen, another perennial favorite.  THIS WEEKEND ONLY.  Read below.

Then come home and consider taking a trip to the Outer Banks, (North Carolina), Vieques, (Puerto Rico), and Berlin.  

Bonus Thanksgiving Run/Walk at 7:30 on November 28 at 61C on Murray Avenue AND Sunday 7:00 Run/Walk at Trace Brewery

Sunday, December 1st we'll meet at  Trace Brewing.

We had our first taste of winter on Sunday, when we meandered among the dead in Homewood Cemetery, where segregation persists, even after death. Some of us, paused in front of "Motherless,"  the sculpture of a man holding a small child.  We were silent, perhaps contemplating the awfulness of losing one's mother.  The sculpture wasn't actually the original, Roye told us, and after further research I learned it doesn't memorialize anyone in the Mellon family either.  It was in the garden of James Ross Mellon until his heirs decided to move it elsewhere.   

Next we convened at Five Points for some fantastic post-walk/run treats. This meant we either overcame, forgave, or were uninformed about their mouse infestation, at least until reaching the doorway with its posted notice that acknowledged the "recent Health Department Inspection Report."  The detailed sign set out the management's ways of remediating the mouse problem and affirmed that their "ingredients and production spaces have not been shown to have mouse related issues."

"Mouse related." There's a fine euphemism. 

We made no mention of mouse anatomy.  

Or mentioned mouse poop while devouring the scones, muffins, lemon poppyseed Danish, etc.  

We learned from Virginia that to handle dough you need confidence.  (Actual dough, not "dough," as in money.)

And from Elaine that when you have an intractable computer problem, call IT and it will instantly resolve.  

The story of the 95-year-old woman who plays mahjong twice a week and has all her marbles was cited as proof that mahjong is good for the brain. 

And some endorsements:

From Beth, the Always Pan 2.0, which comes with a steam basket.

For stunning recipes, the beloved Jerusalem cookbook, by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi.

November 24 Run/Walk: Meet at the South Dallas Avenue entrance of Homewood Cemetery

We walked, we ran, we played dead in Allegheny Cemetery in Lawrenceville, and I guess we liked it so much we're heading to the Land of the Dead for our next walk and run.  

Was meandering past all the tombstones the reason why our initial conversation, when we finally landed at Mediterra, was about health insurance, a joy-killer of a topic.  We learned that we're all confused.  Maybe some useful information was shared before we moved onto a happier topic.

Sharon's birthday!

Then a mystery:  Once upon a time there was a crown.  What happened to it?  This, I think, is part of the origin story we newcomers are eager to hear.  (Or maybe it's just this newcomer.)  Like, if it was your birthday you had to wear a crown?   That maybe it had candles and was embarrassing and inappropriate?  Maybe it was made of fabric?  Maybe X stole it?  Maybe photos exist and it had something to do with the Brits?  

Otherwise:

Fantastic baked goods at Mediterra

Check Etsy for all Pittsburgh-related objects.  You can even get bridge earrings.

Mary Ann has a coffee urn she's eager to share.

See A Real Pain at the Manor.

Play mahjong at Roye's.

November 17 Run/Walk: Meet in front of Mediterra, 5202 Butler St, Pittsburgh

We had another gorgeous walk/run in Frick Park.  It was bright and brisk, the trees  still hanging onto their leaves, and there was Gretchen, back on her own two feet. 

Thank you, Janet, for the terrific spread with sweet and savory offerings. Maddie, you were an all-around Good Dog.

It was much more fun talking about food than Trump, so food dominated our conversation.  For instance: we talked turkey.  Virginia cook the turkey in a 20-year-old clay pot, where it is steamed in apple cider and butter.  Want to try the cheesecloth soaked in butter?  That's Linda's method.   Deep-fat frying in the backyard?  Not sure anyone was actually recommending this.

We talked cranberry sauce:  the old-fashioned slimy kind, marked with ridges from the can had a fan (Janet)  Only Jane endorsed Mama Stamberg's Pepto-Bismol-colored cranberry sauce.  

We talked cabbage!  Janet got a cabbage from her CSA, and in extremis, cried, "What can I do with a cabbage the size of my head?"  

We were ready to help.  

Janet retrieved the cabbage.  Friends: it was the size of her head.

We extolled the virtues of cabbage and offered a recipe.  We then moved from green cabbage to green paint chips and weighed in on the perfect green for Janet's kitchen renovation.  

Other endorsements:  Maren Cooke's sustainability salons 

Nancy Silverton's book, The Cookie That Changed My Life: and More than 100 Other Classic Cakes, Cookies, Muffins, and Pies that Will Change Yours.

Ron Donoughe's upcoming open studios.  

The Jimmy Stewart Museum in Indiana, PA

Department of Unanswered Questions:

Does anyone know what alternatives there are to the Camino Trail?

November 10 Run/Walk: Meet in front of Colfax School, 2332 Beechwood Blvd, Pittsburgh.

We'll start our run/walk at Colfax and meet up at Janet's afterward for coffee and  consolation.  Her address is 2815 Shady Avenue.  

Did Sunday feel like it belonged to a different life?  Yes it did.  We were young then, and full of hope.  We were happy hanging out at 61C, even though it lacks ambience and has sub-par pastries.  We got to see photos of Elaine's beautiful mother-of-the-bride dress, which has a short-sleeved jacket and covers the knees.  In that long-ago time, the big question was this:  Do we have to cover our recreation-scarred knees?  Or should we rock them?   

Many agreed that grooms should rent their suits.  

All were outraged that the florist ghosted Elaine. 

Whatever the snag, we knew:  "Hannah can figure it out."

We were cheered to hear that Gretchen is back on both feet.

And never want to hear an anesthesiologist ask:  "How much anesthesia do you want?"  

(At this moment, a lot.)

Endorsements and advice:

Mahjong for the next decade of our lives -- it's social and you have to use your brain.

See Concave before it leaves the Manor Theater.

Always bring your headphones when you have to wait on line.  It makes the waiting... fun, especially when you're listening to a thousand-hour book, or a series like Frozen River, which is highly recommended for fans of Outlander.