February 8 Run/Walk: Meet at the NEW La Prima in Oakland, 3400 Fifth Ave.

We are in search of surfaces conducive to running and walking, and Oakland seems to have employed the best snow removal equipment.  And we want to scope out the new La Prima, at Fifth and Halket, so we'll start there. 

Where did we go last week?  All around Rockwell Park, and whatever goes on there is a mystery.  But thumbs up for Commonplace, which seems to have found the magic coffee/treats/aura formula - just get there early enough to bag a table.  We love:

• Nuns. They're awesome. They powered up the Friday morning ICE vigil. Gretchen organizes a bunch of them. For medieval roots of their glory, read: The Matrix.
• Magical sacred singing in otherworldly surroundings - Compline at Heinz Chapel any Sunday evening at 8.  (Shoutout to RG member Elena!)
• More monastic: Benjamin Britten opera Curlew River at Pittsburgh Opera.
• How to replace Target: Costco! - another RG love affair.  

Resistance action of the week:  You can join fellow ICE OUT demonstrators at 2 p.m. on Sunday, where the Hot Metal Bridge meets Three Rivers Heritage Trail. And if you're a fast knitter and can snag some rapidly disappearing red yarn, you can wear your Melt the Ice Hat.

February 1 Run/Walk: Meet at Commonplace Coffee (near Co-op) 7514 Thomas Blvd. - at 7 (cold warriors) or 8 (schmoozers)

Accuweather predicts an actual temperature of -1° on Sunday morning, and chunks of snow will still be making running problematic, so we have options.  The bravehearts who own Arctic gear can start at 7 and stomp around until 8, and the rest of us can get there however at 8 and start drinking.  (Coffee, unless someone brings a flask).  Anyway, hope to see you there!

Last week, same story, and 4 of us who were, admittedly, not that far away from 61C, made it on foot by 8, and were grateful to Keith and co. for being there.

• The pastries at 61C are best right out of that tiny oven.  Not to imply they are great.
• A wedding ring, lost for decades inside a Barcalounger, was restored.
• We need indoor activities, so watch:  Poldark! (but the old one or the new one? My vote is for Robin Ellis). Also Landman.  Also Victoria.
• Alaska seems normal now: Northern Exposure and dogs riding their own school bus.
• Only a few ways not to get pregnant in the 70's. (Were diaphragms so bad?)    
• Peloton - get a free account at the JCC and get to know Jen Sherman, Sam Yo, or Jon the hot Scottish guy.
• The iconic Squirrel Hill Giant Eagle has nostalgic traffic jams in the aisles.

Resistance activity of the week:  those of you who pestered Fetterman - thank yourselves for your service. Calls & emails count!

January 25 Run/Walk: Meet at 61C Cafe if you can make your way through Snowzilla

Last week, our plan was to meet at The Speckled Egg in Southside Works.  The lights were on at 7 AM and the kind fledglings even opened up the restaurant so RGers could use the bathroom.  But am I right to say when we returned post run/walk it was to Commonplace Coffee next door and not the Speckled Egg?

I don’t know. Maybe I’m wrong.  Whichever establishment it was, we again had a long table with plenty of seats and lots of eats.

From the Department of “I Don’t Know How She Does It?”  we learned how Lainy managed to make lentil soup and matzoh ball soup and bread for her annual neighborhood soup party.  

First:  The New York Times “No Knead Bread” recipe.  Also its Chicken and Chickpea Tray Bake.

Endorsed with great enthusiasm:  

• A dough whisk (manual).  Or a dough hook, a stand mixer attachment shaped like a hook that does everything a person otherwise does (kneads, stretches, folds, massages).  Williams-Sonoma has both.
• New Hazlett Theater performance of BRIGID – A celebration of the Celtic Goddess & Patron Saint of Ireland - was terrific, especially Eileen Ivers and The Brigideens.  
• John Oliver explains Medicare 
• Best practice when your children become parents: learn to shut up (alcohol may be required). Then just enjoy those cuties.
• Not endorsed:  Eat, Pray, Love.  Should be:  Work, Stay, Feed the Kids.

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January 18 Run/Walk: Meet at the Speckled Egg at the Southside Works, 428 S 27th Street.

We met at Biddle’s Escape in what looked like the dark of night.

Post run/walk we waited for coffee and took in the diverse array of stuff, some for sale:  You could pick up some balled twine with your coffee, or a couple of tiny plastic animals.  Whatever: the long table was free and we got down to serious and unserious business.

Joanne celebrated her retirement by getting a manicure at Lotus, on Ellsworth Ave, which is not the RG nail salon -- that honor goes to Pearl Nails on Murray Avenue -- but worth a mention. 

Then she went home and designed her first ever protest sign:  NO ICE BURGH.

By Spring, no newspapers either.  What will we do?

We could try aromatherapy.

Or buy Dubai chocolate – the best price is at Marshalls.  Maybe someone can say why it’s so special.  

Resistance action of the week:  Pull funding from ICE/CBP.  Please call soon - the vote on DHS funding is happening shortly:

• McCormick - Pgh office 412-803-7370
• Fetterman - Pgh office 412-803-3501
• Your House member (Lee, DeLuzio, Reschenthaler) look yours up here.

Tell them to vote NO on any upcoming funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security that doesn't have strong restrictions on ICE's brutal immigration enforcement. More info here.

 

January 11 Run/Walk: Meet at Biddle's Escape, 401 Biddle Ave. in Wilkinsburg

We'll be meeting again at Biddle's, the old favorite, except for the pastries, hope you can get some first at Madeleine's. 

Last week we found new sights in in off-the-beaten-track Swissvale, and its further-off sister, Swisshelm Park (long ago home of Wendy and Beth). We saw spectacular views of the Mon Valley and also discovered a brand new trail leading to our friends at Slagforce.  At the charmant cafe Parisi (actually Italian), many, many things to consider:

• The Mamdani inauguration, something with hope in it, and Bernie too (though he has new mittens.)
• Viola Davis - anything she's in plus her new autobiography, especially on audio.
• Mexico City!
• Paris Baguette in Shadyside - maybe we'll go there soon?
• The Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse - has astonishing things, sometimes for 25 cents.
• Like, fabric-covered vintage buttons.
• Put matching socks in the wash with safety pins
• Listen to:  Rachel Maddow's Burn Order
• Get a custom-sized, or any, mattress from the Original Mattress Factory
• Read: Theo of Golden, but since there are 173 holds on it at the library, maybe go to the endorsed White Whale bookstore

Resistance action of the week:  Call/email Fetterman, McCormick, and Lee relentlessly to tell them to stop the Venezuelan invasion and planned others.  Ask the Senators to vote yes on a Senate resolution coming very soon to block the president from taking further actions in Venezuela. 

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January 4 Run/Walk: Meet at the Parisi Cafe 7107 Harrison Ave, Swissvale... but TOMORROW is New Year's Day Holiday run, 7:30 at 61C

Sunday we'll swing around Swissvale, but tomorrow (sorry, this is a bit late 😬) is the annual New Year's Day holiday run starting at 61C at the late hour of 7:30.

Last week we also had a twofer, on Christmas Day, touring the familiar grace of Chatham campus and surrounding mansions, redolent of the 1%, and then on Sunday, into the strange depths of Lower Bloomfield where apparently there are hobbits (photos below).

Much talk ensued of course, only some of which will appear here.

• Apparently there is a Feast of the Seven Pigs.
• Chatham campus is lit by gaslight at nightime (and some daytime these days).
• We reminisced about when Tom led us on a themed run:  Homes of the Bad Judges.  Tom claims that he has no recollection of this.
• Advice:  work on your core, and use less detergent.
• Watch documentaries:  Jayne Mansfield and Queen Victoria.  
• Watch Rob Reiner's movie The American President, if only for the last speech.
• Read Chris Armitage on Substack for some bracing political commentary.
• There is Senior Tax Relief available from Allegheny County. 
• New bagels in town on Liberty Avenue, judged "meh".

Resistance action of the week:  Try to repair your mental health by not reading any political news for an entire day.  

December 28 Run/Walk: Meet at Yinz Coffee in Bloomfield, 4525 Liberty Ave., and TOMORROW HOLIDAY RUN/WALK, 61C cafe, 7:30

This week there is a holiday run/walk TOMORROW, Christmas Day at 7:30 at the 61C.  And on Sunday, meet at Yinz Coffee in Bloomfield, 4525 Liberty Ave.

Last week we wandered among the ghostly elegant statues of Allegheny Cemetery and thereabouts, dodging the goose droppings and saluting several young bucks along the way (the deer kind.) At the Ineffable, the atmosphere/coffee was fine but the cookies could break your teeth.  If we return, maybe BYOBaked goods.  We were still able to voluminously chat, endorsing:

• The good Felician Sisters, who have two surprise RG connections.
• The special Holiday Tour at the Frick, especially one given by Linda.
• Driftwood Oven Pizza in Lawrenceville - sad they don't open until 11 - this pizza could make a great breakfast.
• Casa del Tequila restaurant in Squirrel Hill - evidently the name says it all because the food is meh but still 2 thumbs up.
• Istanbloom Mediterranean looks adorable - promises a New Year's Eve party.
• Read or watch Hamnet (book, movie).
• Massage guns, available at the JCC - look in the recovery room
• Avoid a bloody horror scene: Aimee shares the right way to peel a pomegranate.

Resistance action of the week:  Tell Rep. Summer Lee (here) and Sen. Fetterman (here) to make publicized oversight visits to the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in central PA, the largest ICE detention center in the Northeast, with about 1600 inmates.  Conditions there are known to be abusive and dangerous, with 2 deaths reported. Rep. Lee tried and failed to enter in August but efforts should be repeated - unannounced prison oversight is a Congressional legal right, and our legislators should be drawing attention to this.