Dec. 30 Run: South Side starting at 18th St. and Riverfront Park (Also Christmas holiday run starting at 7:30 from Commonplace)

Next Sunday, Cheryl proposes a South Side run where we will start around the new dog park at Riverfront Park off of 18^th St. (many runners may remember this from one of our summer runs).   To park, just go over the Hot Metal Bridge, take a right on Carson, and then another right when you reach 18th and head for the river.

Coffee is planned for Big Dog.  Also don’t forget the holiday runs on Xmas and New Years Day, starting as always at 7:30 (the big sleep-in!) at Commonplace.  Am assuming that the normal Wed. & Fri. runs will go at their usual ungodly hour: please alert if not.

Our run yesterday tried to hit all the best local holiday inflatables, though sadly, by 7:30 a lot of them were just puddles of plastic on the cold ground.  Come on, people, take some responsibility!  Deflated inflatables should be outlawed, just like those horrible PVC pipe menorahs, on the grounds of being an offense to civilization. 

SCIENCE was the theme of the day:

1. The Nutcracker:  are ballet dancers’ feet the same as ours?  What is in those shoes?

2. How to get rid of the dreaded midriff pouf?  Answers:

• Buy some Spanx
• Become a crazy rower like Anne Jane
• Stop worrying about it because it actually helps prevent osteoporosis 

3. Segue to:  doctors to see for osteoporosis:  Susan Greenspan, an endocrinologist, who hints at the above statement.  Also rheumatologists.  It is clear that this discussion will go on indefinitely.

4. Food from the Mad Men era (well, cooking is just heat applied to deceased animals and plants, yes?)  Here there was some nostalgia and also groaning:

• Numerous things you can make with Lipton Onion Soup Mix and Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup, too many to count
• Various incarnations of jello, aka congealed salad
• Desserts!  A Passover delectation made with matzo soaked in cointreau and Nutella, bourbon balls made with vanilla wafers, and No-apple Ritz Cracker pie, which is best eaten in an altered state of consciousness.
• Our resident science teacher knows how to cook a rat, or failing that, a mouse

Recipes available on request!

Another idea:  should we get with the social media program and become a Meet-Up Group?  TBC…

Roye

Dec 23 & 25 Runs: CommonPlace & Starbucks

It took numerous false starts and distractions to finally decide that next Sunday it would be best to start at the CommonPlace given that people have out of town guests and other obligations due to the upcoming holiday. Elaine suggested that everyone try and find at least one inflatable that we could visit on the run.

On December 25th the run starts at 7:30AM as it is a holiday. Meet at Starbucks since CommonPlace will be closed.

David Colson lead us through a mostly unknown nature preserve under the new area of CMU's campus. It is small but lovely and you should take the time to read the little signs about the flora and fauna that can be seen there. It is also an excellent place to see the magical Randy Pausch Bridge which for a short time was lit up in red and green lights appropriate for the upcoming holiday.
The next part of the run earned David several points for finding a way through the CMU fence and over the train tracks into the quaint South Oakland neighborhood of Panther Hollow. From there it seemed to be all up hill and then some, through a winter brown Schenley Park. But it was not without drama as a small herd of deer ran with the back of the packers and then emerged to cross the Boulevard. One of them insisted on going a different way than its friends eliciting directional calls from those runners watching - as if the deer would pay attention!

I tried Roye's method of taking napkin notes at coffee but seemed to have lost or recycled one of them but here is what I remember:

• Remember when Brussels sprouts were relatively unknown - now they are the darling of the winter food menus
• Book recommendations: Capital and The Debt to Pleasure both by John Lanchester (Roye- PtB gave Capital to Judy and I hope to borrow it when she is done.).
• What to ingest on long runs. Sarah suggested gummy bears and Stingers
• Hanukkah inflatables - Virginia had a photo of one she saw in Edgewood
• The fancy trick Elaine can do with her new Windows phone
• And I am sure there is more but that is the problem with relying on a lost napkin....

Dec. 16 Run: Commonplace Coffee for a NEW Squirrel Hill run

This Sunday Wendy has offered David’s new Squirrel Hill run starting at Commonplace, which sounds great, and which he will lead assuming she tells him about it.

Last week was the annual holiday dahntahn run, which I had to miss due to bad automotive planning, so I’m just reporting some discoveries that were mentioned:  a cool Rube-Goldberg-ish tree at the Fairmont, another nice one at Market Square, the blah-ness of the new Hilton façade, and the sad news that the magical “sound sculpture” on Strawberry Way is defunct.  We need to bring it back!  Anyone know somebody on the public art board?

MUCH was learned at our coffee-fueled post-run gathering:

·         In the olden days, the best (and only) pregnancy clothes came from Japanese Weekend, which is still around!  But of course now there is Target. 

·         Yi not only told us all about Chinese breakfasts – north vs. south, fried bread vs. noodles -  but he brought some in, from Sakura which is providing them now evidently,  and gave us a taste!  Yum – and somewhat reminiscent of both Funnel Cake and beignets.

·         Galit pointed out:  1. that after Xmas is the BEST time to buy things on Craig’s List because of all the unwanted presents and 2. IF you do buy something on Craig’s List and are arranging a place to pick up and pay, go to Wendy’s (restaurant) because they have the best security cameras. 

·         Wendy came up with a striking metaphor for our shrinking bones (protecting art work from fading) about which many of us are anxious:  Anne Jane will report back from the specialist, and I am counting on yoga.

·         Elaine told us about a hearing aid study that will provide free hearing aids (see attached.)

·         She also reminded us about the Moth storytelling event Tuesday night that this message is, alas, too late for L, but maybe next month we can figure out a group trip. 

·         There are many, many Nutcrackers.  If you are not a ballet dancer, you love them all!  (Well, maybe.)

Dec. 9 Run: PPG Place downtown for annual holiday run

Get out your elf hats for the yearly tour of downtown's finest holiday locales, starting at the Ice Rink at PPG place.  (For you diehards, the R-to-the-R begins at Phipps at 6:30.)  There is evidently some cool new stuff at the refurbished Market Square, a bike-powered light-up tree, more gingerbread houses than can be seen anywhere, and the famous creche of course.  Also the pathetic menorah at the City-County Building  (please get it together next time, Chabad!)

Our run this morning was through the welcome flats and elegant manses of Shadyside, where we started by getting a glimpse of my favorite Xmas lights: translucent floating stars on the corner of Hastings and Selwyn - a block from Susan Hunt's house, starting point for many past runs (Susan, if you're still on the list, we miss you!)

Setting off our chat today was a NYT article this past week on parents dealing with their newly adult children, over which there was much commiseration, until it became clear that it was just as hard for newly adult children to deal with their parents, and then we got on to babies, and epidurals - in fact the whole parent-child thing is just crazy.  But, Elaine reminded us, if you take the power pose you can deal with anything!

Dec 2 Run: Mellon Park parking lot for Shadyside run

Just woke up and thought:  OMG it’s Friday and haven’t sent out the run notice!

So here it is, barebones:  Mellon Park parking lot (at Fifth and Beechwood) for a Shadyside run.  Coffee place TBD.

Quick last week endorsements:

·         Buffs to keep the cold at bay

·         Theatrical Mormons:   Book of Mormon in Pittsburgh and Angels in America at CMU  (Reminds me:  didn’t we hear about some guy named Romney recently?)

·         Need show tickets in NYC?  TKTS booth Wednesdays after 1

·         Silver Linings Playbook – the movie

Have to run – off to explore the AllClad Clearance sale – will report.

Thanksgiving day (7:30) and Nov. 25 (7:00) Runs: Commonplace Coffee on Forbes

Though there was a rebellious attempt to overthrow the traditional holiday starting time, cooler heads prevailed, and the Thanksgiving run will start at 7:30 a.m. at Commonplace Coffee. 

And there was also some uncertainty about Sunday – for some reason I have written down “Forbes and Murray”??  - let’s just say Commonplace again and if anyone has a better recollection, just write in and we’ll do it.

An extraordinary run this week.  (Thank you, Virginia!)  Architectural charm and quirkiness on display in the Biddle St. neighborhood, then a descent down the yellow-leaf carpet of Frick Park , then the sun rising over white-frosted wetlands, then a few of us got lost, and then we all found each other again at the super-adorable Biddle’s Escape café.  Which has a style that somehow combines the 1860’s, 1960’s and 2060’s, covered with many, many beads and taking orders with an iPad embedded in an old whale’s jawbone.  We set up a u-shaped seminar table and chomped on chocolate croissants and other yummy items.   Pam told a Moth-style story about a heroic trip to Atlanta in which we learned many things, i.e. that the Centers for Disease Control have showers but no towels and that Delta stands for “Doesn’t Ever Leave The Airport.” 

Endorsements:

• Little Free Libraries (we saw one!)
• Nordstrom’s personal shopper service, and particularly for shoes
• Lincoln, the movie
• The Moth “True Stories Told Live” local venue, where we should try to go on Dec. 11
• Charles Dickens Exhibit Reception, with Victorian Christmas carols, Tuesday, November 27th (7:00-8:30pm) in Special Collections, Rm. 363 in Hillman Library, U. of Pitt - free and open to the public.  (A post-script, really, endorsed by me.)
• And, everyone is invited to an open house at Pam’s house on Sunday from 3-6 where you can meet her mom and her daughter’s fiancé and watch the Steelers at the same time!  (If you need Pam’s address, let me know at roye.werner@gmail.com and I’ll send it to you.)

Nov. 18 Run: Biddle's Escape at 401 Biddle Ave. (off of Braddock)

Virginia has discovered an intriguing coffee place, Biddle’s Escape, in the Edgewood/Wilkinsburg area that we should try out, and it’s open at 8 on Sunday.  She’ll lead the run around that neighborhood – a new one!  Directions from Braddock Ave. across from the tennis court parking lot:  “turn onto Biddle, go down 4 blocks and Biddle's Escape is on the left hand corner at Trenton. There is a big deck in the front with funky windows. We'll either run around Wilkinsburg/Edgewood or a section of Frick Park, depending upon the weather.”

A fine trademark run last Sunday through the Schenley Park trails was followed by our usual delightful coffee conversation at Commonplace – something to be said for habitual comforts.  So it makes sense that our endorsements tended toward shopping (Boden Clearance Sale and Old Grove City), baking (using chestnut puree), and donuts (all of them.)

Nov. 11 Run: Wendy Bennett Trailhead in Schenley Park

We’ll be back again in Schenley Park on Veteran’s Day – should probably think of some connection there – maybe red/white/blue running outfits? After yesterday I am truly feeling patriotic.   Coffee at Commonplace for sure this time.

Last week our famous downtown 3Rivers/3Bridges run took place under heavily overcast skies – no rain at least, but a little gloomy.  But we did it in what seemed like record time, probably because the fireplace glow of the  Market Square Starbucks was calling.  Much movie talk, maybe because of the opening of the Three Rivers Film Festival  - or perhaps being close to the most recent appearance of the Batmobile.  Endorsed:  Compliance (at the Festival) and The Other Son (at the Manor.)
And in retail news:

• Elite Runners has a new store in Monroeville (closer!), and they offer a free class in “Good Form Running.”.
• Cheap fashion ahoy!  This weekend marathon includes Dress Designer Days AND the Boden Clearance Sale (Convention Center Sat. 10-4.)

Nov. 4 Run: PPG Place downtown for 3Rivers/3Bridges run

Next up (assuming that downtown isn't underwater) is the famous 3Rivers/3Bridges run starting at the fountain/skating rink at PPG Place (aka Tomb of the Unknown Bowler.)  If it is underwater we'll get Anne Jane to give us rowing lessons.  Subsequent coffee probably at Commonplace but not entirely sure.

Our run Sunday was the "Bird" run of sacred memory - all round Squirrel Hill - however, it no longer has any bird related to it, and was in fact done in reverse (thanks PtB) so perhaps could now be called the Drib run.  We did see a fairly weird ghostly inflatable, and as always, the rain held off for exactly our running time.  Our coffee socializing was so extreme that I have covered both sides of a napkin in red scrawls and still despair of getting it all.  So, endorsements:

• Running Group homework - see TED talks:  Your body language shapes who you are - and - Stroke of insight
• Totally comfy Costco running shirt modeled by Galit, so it looked gorgeous, only $24.99
• Kindle-mania:  the Paperwhite surfaced and was marveled at. Apparently if you have Amazon prime, you can borrow e-books as well as buy them.  (But you can also borrow them from Carnegie Library and read them on a Kindle app on any device.)  AND there is such a thing as an Amazon Mom which could be a fierce female warrior giving birth, but also leads to great discounts on diapers.
• Vinyl records, which are coming back.  Is there hope for real books?  Is there hope for real humans?

Elaine confirms, through complex calculations having to do with age of daughters, that RG is coming up on its 20 year anniversary!  Party time again?  You bet.  Much excitement and pre-planning - Schenley Ice Rink?  Brooklyn?  Glasgow?  (We miss you, Anna!) Stay tuned.

Roye