September 29 Run: Biddle's Escape, 401 Biddle Ave., Wilkinsburg

Sunday is the Great Race, so for those of us who aren't racing, we'll try to avoid the street closings by meeting at old favorite Biddle's Escape, 401 Biddle Ave. in Wilkinsburg.  Run can be in any direction.  Afterwards, if the weather is fine and there are enough seats outside, we may decamp to Madeleine's down the street for the unpronounceable scrumptious Kouign-Amanns. 

Two weeks of great runs displaying the housing improvements, or gentrification (depending on how you look at it) of East Liberty and The Strip.  Either way, change is afoot. See photos below for the gorgeous grunge we visited near Railroad St. (Photo credits to Pam and Virginia.) Also, a very different scene from Carrie and Karen, after the marathon in Bar Harbor.

Pent-up endorsements:

• SO much TV (clearly we need an escape from reality):  Netflix's Unbelievable; Nurse Jackie; Fleabag's 2nd series; new seasons of the Great British Baking Show and Queer Eye, Orange is the New Black (already a classic) inspiring the thought experiment, "if you were in prison, which person would you be?" and the ultimate tranquilizer, Animal Babies.
• If you want your kids to call you, change your Netflix password.
• Fun escape read:  Where did you go, Bernadette?
• Oakland:  The Cathedral of Learning, run up the 36 flights, take the elevator down, and then sink into the consolation of the exquisite Heinz Memorial Chapel.
• Borland Garden - funky treasure discovered in the middle of East Liberty
• Farm Camps - there are a lot of these!
• Western River Expeditions Grand Canyon Tour
• Media surveillance - NOT endorsed - we're being watched endlessly
• The women warriors at Fair Districts PA

Sept. 22 Run: Meet at La Prima on 21st St. on the Strip

Short version today due to a computer meltdown.  Also a memory meltdown (perhaps related) because though I know we are meeting at La Prima on 21st on the Strip, I'm not sure why.

But we'll all see!

Parking probably best on Penn since I don't know if the parking lot off of Liberty and 21st is still legit.

Sept. 15 Run: Meet at The Detective Building, 224 N. Euclid Ave. in East Liberty

On Sunday we're going with Wendy's idea from 2 weeks ago:

How about we meet next week at the recently refurbished Detective Building (a 

few blocks from the Ace Hotel) for a run/walk around East Liberty? Then we can check out 

the coffee and treats at The Bureau, pictured below. 

                                          The Detective Bldg

                                          224 N Euclid Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15206

                                          The Bureau

Last week attracted a great crowd!  Delightful weather and the promise of the ever-better Squirrel Hill Farmer's Market may have helped.  We did the Reverse Bird Run with a dramatic detour into Frick Park to rescue Sunny the Adorable Dog.  Theme: love for our fellow creatures.

Top endorsements from the last 2 weeks:

• Upcoming Festival of Combustion at the Carrie Furnace
• Theater:  August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean, outdoors in the Hill and an all-female Julius Caesar in Pittsburgh's Shakespeare in the Parks.
• TV:  Offspring (again! - those who have seen it say "the all-time best"), Mindhunter - filmed in Pittsburgh, The Great Hack, Reese Witherspoon (in anything but you can watch Legally Blonde forever)
• Food:  Turkish Kebab House, on "restaurant row"
• Make your own yogurt - you can start with EuroCuisine yogurt maker 
• Mahjongg - we need to start our group again!  You can learn it from Dorothy at the Pittsburgh Meetup at Panera- sign up here.

Sept. 8 Run: From 61C Cafe in Squirrel Hill to parts unknown

Just a bulletin today - we're starting and coffee-ing at our old standby, the 61C Cafe in Squirrel Hill.  Maybe we'll head towards Greenfield?  We'll see. 

Last week:  The Rollercoaster Trail: