November 19 Run: Strip District to Spring Garden - meet at parking lot off of Liberty at 21st.

This Sunday we'll go into new territory - yes, there will be hills, but that's obviously not the new part.  Neither is our starting place: the parking lot off of Liberty at 21st St.  But from there we'll head over the river to Spring Garden (who's ever heard of it?) and then try out the coffee at the Smallman Galley around the corner from 21st.  I actually mapped a route!  (Is that cute or what?)  We don't have to follow it though.

If you tuned in last week you know we were heading to "parts unknown" in Wilkinsburg, and I'm ashamed to admit that I was so busy talking that those parts really still are unknown, by me:  I have no idea where we went.  I think we were in Frick Park at some point.  This is particularly bad for someone whose many hours of yoga training were all about "paying attention" and "being aware of the moment."

But I do have notes from the adorable Biddle's on our endorsements:

• Biddle's has the most amazing pastries from La Gourmandine. The almond croissant is, in a word, exquisite.
• Post-Gazette's new podcast: 3 Rivers, 3 Mysteries (also on iTunes) - Sherlock with a Yinzer twist, and it's all true.  I'm hooked.
• "Talk to the hand" - we remember this from our kids in high school, but I had no idea of its movie fame.
• Lainy's foolproof route to North Park:  279 to McNight Rd. to Babcock Blvd.  That's it!
• And go there at night for the Fire Pits at the Cafe
• The Spinnsters - women biking! (I am mad I missed the Ovarian Psycos documentary.)
• Pittsburgh's crossing guards - they're terrific and they have cold hands - they deserve cashmere mittens!