Apr 7 Run: Wendy Bennett Trailhead

First run of April 2013 will be in Schenley Park  - meet at the Wendy Bennett Trailhead (below the Oval, at the intersection of Bartlett and what we think of as the Boulevard but has a different name at that point).

As Judy commented there is a breath of Spring in the form of new beginnings in the air - Passover has just passed and this is Easter Sunday, yesterday the sun came out and it was 50+ degrees.
In honor of the holiday we tried to visit the Shrine of the Blessed Mother - which now has a Facebook Page - but we were stopped by a small deer trapped by the surrounding fence. There were deer on the hillside above and we were not sure how that lone deer made it over the fence but we decided to back out and leave the gate open in hopes that the stray would find its way to is herd. This seemed to have some Easter significance.

We took off into Oakland viewing the apartment house that burned this week, rediscovering Oakland Square with its sweeping views of Panther Hollow and finding a new set of stairs leading down to the small community below. We climbed back up the stairs near the Schenley Park Visitors Center to find people making pancakes on the porch for the attendees of the Sunrise Service being held near the Playground across the bridge (Google maps says it is Dinosaur Park???). It was an eventful run for a holiday and that is not even mentioning the difficulties people had even getting to Phipps due to the buggy race road closures.

In keeping with this unexpected obstacles theme, Common Place was closed, so we went back to Coffee Tree. We had a Seder recap and there were some very interesting ones, strong EE Runner recommendations for Yoga Teachers Linda Meacci and Richard Gartner, a vote for clothes shopping at Target and of course another Costco discussion.

March 31 Run: Meet at Phipps for an Oakland Run

On Easter Sunday, what better place to visit than the Shrine of the Blessed Mother, deep in the heart of Oakland, starting at Phipps Conservatory at 7 of course, though those diehard run-to-the-runners will pre-start at Commonplace Coffee on Forbes at 6:40.

On Sunday we were lucky enough to have Anne Jane back to lead us in, around, and through the maze of Homewood Cemetery, because nobody else seemed to be paying much attention to where we were going: this run for some unknown reason became a marathon of talking.   Which intensified as we waited fruitlessly for Commonplace to open (where were you, fellows?) and then wandered back to our old stomping grounds at the Coffee Tree, where we miraculously found enough tables and chairs to host a stream-of-consciousness seminar on:
branding workshops where strangers call you "shifty"
matzo covers of long ago lost, and afikomen of long ago found (a bit dusty)
software (not softball) teams
Sheryl Sandberg - well sure, if you're Lady Grantham you can lean any way you want
imposter syndrome
how to fill your life

and endorsed:

E2's Sunday Sauce - let's go!  Also - need to set up a Moth evening!

Netflix streaming on iPads, to watch:

Goodnight, We Love You (documentary on Phyllis Diller)

Her Masters Voice, (documentary by Nina Conti, astounding British ventriloquist)

Almond macaroons at Whole Foods (this is an addendum) - and a happy Pesach!

Mar 24 Run: Commonplace Coffee

A request was made to stay close to home next week so we will meet at Commonplace Coffee for a neighborhood or maybe a cemetery run.

While it would seem Roye and I planned our schedules to cover for each other, it was sheer coincidence that I joined the group on a Sunday she was traveling thus being able to fill in as scribe.
Elaine delivered on the Bald Eagles - yes, we really did see the nest and the male bird guarding it thanks to Sharon's binoculars - although some with sharp eyes could see him clearly without assistance. It was a steel gray kind of morning - like those we are too familiar with lately. But it was not raining or snowing and the temperature while chilly was not biting so the run was pleasant enough. It was livened up by three trains, one which blew a greeting whistle and that always spectacular view of downtown from the Hot Metal bridge. Personally I enjoy that flat run by the river, it has a calm feel particularly during the winter.

Only a few of us made it to coffee but informative as always. Subjects discussed:

• The joys of compression socks especially while flying. Elaine keeps a pair in her brief case to prevent swelling
• Exquisite torture, Wendy's evocative description of foam roller usage - which was endorsed by several of us
• Advertising for a Physical Therapist to run with us so we can take advantage of their talents/training 
• Gluten-free vegan dishes for Seders
• The closing of the Pussy Cat - so sudden 
• Red, White and Blue Thrift Store on Route 51 - the best in Pittsburgh, although the Goodwill on the South Side can also yield some treasures
• And from the run, an endorsement for Page Dairy Mart at the intersection of Beck's Run Road and E Carson Street

March 17 Run: Hot Metal Bridge, parking lot off of 2nd Ave. at Bates

Next week, wear your green of course, and also bring binoculars!  We’ll start out at the Thermo Scientific parking lot this side of the Hot Metal Bridge, head over the bridge, and then, following special notification by Lainy, turn left so as to eventually be in the perfect spot to see the nesting bald eagles that have set up house in Hayes!  There was some talk of a run-to-the-run - please check in if so.

Last week our Highland Park run followed a glowing sunrise through the park and especially over the reservoir (photo capturing it courtesy of Teri.)  A parallel walk was taken by Joanne and Judy, a great option to consider for those of us that land on the DL from time to time, or are, ahem, no spring chickens.

Speaking of nesting, and spring chickens, the highlight of coffee hour was a visit from the adorable 6-week-old Greta (and her equally adorable mom Aimee.)  Check out this action photo (thanks, Sarah!) and you'll see that Greta is completely engaged in the conversation and undoubtedly thinking of terrific endorsements to share as soon as she can talk.  So our chat naturally gravitated toward our history in diapers (collectively, tens of thousands of them?) but then on to not-so-secret Hotwire's Secret Hotels and using it to get a great rate at Pam's recommended Belnord Hotel in NYC, job negotiation techniques which hopefully end with staying in our fair city with a better salary, and TechShop Pittsburgh in Bakery Square: we are not sure what it is, but it's super-hip.

March 10 Run: Tazza D'Oro for a Highland Park Run

Next week will bring us back to Highland Park, starting at the Tazza D'Oro café on Highland Ave.  A shout-out to Joanne:  If you lead it, we will come.  Well, I guess we will come anyway, but it would be great to see you.

Sunday we traversed the Strip, and spent a good 5 minutes actually contemplating climbing over an 8-ft. fence blocking the long-closed 31st St. Bridge, but then someone said, "Hey, we don't even like that bridge."  So another potential brush with the law was gone, and the rest of the run was fun but uneventful.  Heading down the long wide industrial stretch of Railroad St. straight toward the downtown towers in the dawn felt like a movie set, UPMC looming above like the Eye of Sauron.

Happily at La Prima there were exactly enough freshly baked almond meles to go around, which went some way to cheer up a discussion of the eventual future of runners -- being walkers.  And also the machinations of hospitals and health insurance companies, as laid out in the recent Time article, Bitter Pill, and confirmed by Dr. Pam. [Long pause in real time here while I became totally mesmerized by that article - really, read it.]  And the question:  why do we have to wait hours to see the dermatologist?  Especially since it seems to take about 5 seconds to diagnose and promptly slice off parts of our anatomy. (If there is a dermatologist on this list, please don't take it personally.)  Finally:  where is Tom?  We miss you.