Dec. 1 Run: Starbucks at the Waterfront. Also don't forget: Thanksgiving Run at 7:30 from Commonplace

On Thursday, for the non-trotters, Thanksgiving holiday run starting at 7:30 at Commonplace.

On Sunday we'll meet at the Waterfront Starbucks - in the middle of what some cynical marketer named "Waterfront Town Square" - you know, the center of every village where can be found ye olde Gap and Victoria's Secret.  I think that the plan is to head over on the new path past Sandcastle, beyond the eagle's nest, wherever that will take us.   And a run-to-the-run starts at 6:30 from the entrance to Blue Slide Park on Beechwood.

Last week was frigid and windy, but no problem for our intrepid group.  Have hotties will travel!  (Being hotties is another story.)  Heading through the strip on Penn Ave., down the Convention Center winding water walkway (sadly not flowing), over the choppy grey river twice, to the Point and past all the cutesy Xmas huts in Market Square, all through dahntahn and back to La Prima where our hearts were broken by the emptiness of the mele trays.  But we filled up with Q and A:

• Guess who has a tattoo? 
• Babies - better than running for meeting friends?  How did the ones raised in the 80's survive their life-threatening cribs and hazardous tiny Fisher-Price people?  
• Are nuts the fountain of life?  Does Jane Brody know all the answers?
• Can we all get standing desks?
• How did we ever find buses before Tiramisu and Google Maps?  
• Is Homeland turning a corner?  Is NipTuck getting too weird?
• Should we all learn Bhangra?  Huge fun but likely hell on the knees.  Is fun worth it?
• Did you watch the Bhangra video?  It's fabulous!  Is this one better: the Russian Police Choir doing a cover for Daft Punk's Get Lucky?  Let's vote next week -

Nov. 24 Run: Strip Run, starting at 21st & Liberty parking lot

It's the time of year when we are thinking a lot about food, so it makes sense that on Sunday we'll be reconnoitering that mecca of Pittsburgh eatables - the Strip, starting at the 21st and Liberty Ave. parking lot.  It's also newly interesting because a chunk of it is being proposed for the National Register of Historic Places - so we should definitely circle that area (15th-22nd sts. between Railroad St. and Liberty Ave), while saluting Parma Sausage, Lotus Foods, Wholey's, Penzey's, PennMac, Enrico's, Reyna Foods, Stamoolis, the Banh Mi lady - ah, I love you all.

The first word of my notes for last Sunday is "water", which could mean a lot of things, but probably refers to the unheard-of occurrence of rain falling on the run, which it did. (The chutzpah!) We circled Squirrel Hill, visiting the infamous "smoking stairs" of Wendy's teen years and the recently liberated-from-vehicles stretch of Pocusset.  Only slightly dripping as we trooped in for coffee, we started talking about food again.
Endorsements:

• Hypnosis
• Audiology and Speech Pathology conferences - party time!
• Return of the Duck (evidently likely)
• Weddings, past, present, and future
• The Squirrel Hill poetry writing workshop
• The word locavore
• Moro - the Cookbook
• New York Restaurants!  La Vara, Blue Hill, the Green Table, and finally from PtB: The Fig & Olive. Meatpacking.  That is SO the place. 

Nov. 17 Run: Commonplace Coffee on Forbes

Hi ya'll

A large-ish group of us convened at Commonplace this past Sunday for a brisk run to the run, which commenced at the base of the Hot Metal Bridge. As usual I was so immersed in conversations that I did not pay attention to where we were. Next week's run will begin at Commonplace.

Some highlights: 

• Sufficiently healed hamstrings, allowing for the r2r
• Cheryl appearing excitedly at the last minute, telling us, that she had a great plan for our route (hey, maybe she should be writing this...)
• Spectacular views afforded by never-before-mounted-by-RG steps leading up to bridge by Duquesne University, enlivened by stories of Cheryl's undergraduate career there

(thanks to Virginia for photo)

Coffee klatching:

• Benefits of rest stopping at Bedford Springs hotel en route East
• Has Homeland jumped the shark and do we like Masters of Sex? (WB: yes to both, especially Lizzy Caplan in MoS)
• Preparing for doomsday at the Greenbriar
• Do people tend to drink more decaf coffee as they age? (take note, Evan from Commonplace)
• 60 minutes podcast per Lainy

See you soon!

Wendy

Nov. 10 Run: Hot Metal Bridge for a South Side run

Next week we'll meet next to the Hot Metal Bridge in the Thermo Fisher parking lot, off of 2nd Ave. near Bates St.  There may be a plan to cover the South Side and Jail Trails - or was it in the other direction?  At any rate, we know where to start.

Just a bulletin this week, since I was in DC and missed all the talk.  I did see some inspiring ancient statues of yoginis, though, at the Sackler Gallery, and found a marvelous cheap lunch with the best pumpkin dumpling ever at the Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe in the National Museum of the American Indian.  (The museum is pretty awesome too.)  OK this is getting longer than a bulletin - just couldn't resist my own endorsement.  See you Sunday!