November 28 Run and Walk: Hazelwood Trail (info. in message) at 7; AND Thanksgiving Morning Holiday Run: 61C at 7:30.

 Two runs this week:  

1. The annual T-day holiday run/walk, meeting Thurs. am at 7:30 at the 61C Cafe on Murray Ave.  
2. Sunday at the usual 7 am, meeting in the parking lot off of Technology Drive (near "Bridgeside Point on this map - you can get there by going down Bates St. and crossing 2nd Ave.  We'll examine what's been happening on the Hazelwood Trail since we last visited it in 2019.  We're planning coffee at the Hotel Indigo but may decide differently en route.

Sunday provided a delightful trek through Aspinwall all the way up to Fox Chapel - adorableness, stone turrets, and a killer hill with a view.  Photos of us: obstructing a window holiday arrangement and having coffee under the eye of Mick Jagger at the Beans 'n Cream hippie haven.  Endorsed:

• Wool& clothes - merino can compete with cashmere
• Dates and the boxes they come in from Rancho Meladuco
• City Bonfires - have s'mores will travel
• No-stress Thanksgiving (by yourself actually sounds pretty great)
  
• Having Dr. Sharon explain effectiveness of vaccination boosters and the latest research here.
• Another North Park run on the other side - stay tuned...
• This is important!
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November 21 Run/Walk: Meet at the Aspinwall Riverfront Park

We'll meet at the parking lot of the Aspinwall Riverfront Park, and our local guide Elisa will show us the sights of that adorable neighborhood.  Depending on the weather and our COVID nervousness, we'll either have coffee at Beans & Cream or by the riverside wrapped in blankets.  In case of the latter, bring your preferred warming outfit, a hot drink, and optional treats.  I think the chairs are still there.

Last Sunday we checked out what's happening in East Liberty - a new Whole Foods empire, several living walls, but no sign of life at the Ace Hotel despite promises. Also, at the doorstep to the erstwhile Penn Ave Fashion Hosiery, a vintage tile delight (pictured) that none of us had ever noticed.  (Hard to see but it's a stocking between 2 biting dogs saying "Hard to Tear".) Who remembers stockings? If we do, we're vintage too.

Some of the rather boisterous endorsements:

• Quiet Creek School of Country Living in Brookville for soap making and herbal medicine classes -"Thieves" essential oil smells nice and has some fun folklore associated with it.
• Watch Dopesick (but not if you're having a bad week), Belfast - especially at the Tull Family Theater in Sewickley.
• Passenger rail! Take a ride on the steam engine in York County.  Watch out the window from Jasper to Vancouver or Seattle to Oakland and get served in a real dining car.  And it's going to get better! 
• Model airplanes are flying around and they're jets.
• Pot smoking through an orange.
• Wendy adds:  Karen Carpenter, drumming.
• One more: Text #662# to clock spam calls.  Anything to get rid of them.

November 14 Run or Walk: Meet at the Mellon Park Parking Lot at Beechwood and Fifth

We'll park at the Mellon Park parking lot at Beechwood and Fifth (map), and then head over to explore the new things all around Bakery Square, and have our coffee there (Panera or Starbucks?)  We should also check out what's happening at the replacement for the defunct Ace Hotel (see below.)

Last week was simply luminous in Frick Park as we wandered over the trails (esp. the newish Dinky Bridge Trail).  

Once the leaves are down everywhere, we are encouraged to just leave them there by several of the endorsements expressed at our happy return to the 61B:

• The North Area Environmental Council and its upcoming event on the Lawn to Nature program, Tues. 11/16 at 7 on zoom - email bethdutton2000@yahoo.com for the link
• Wild Ones local chapter - save the world through native plants
• Read: Nature's Best Hope by Doug Tallamy

And a few more:

• Home renovation advice and stuff at Lowe's at the Waterfront 
• Fluvial geomorphology as seen on Nine Mile Run
• Oboz shoes
• Mosaic tilework made by Max
• Rite-Aid on Baum Blvd. for whenever you get a booster shot
• Cedar Creek Park
• New hotel taking over the sadly short-lived Ace Hotel in East Liberty

Nov. 7 Run and Walk: Meet at 61B (the one on Braddock in Regent Square) for an autumn trek through Frick Park

 Thanks to Elaine for this post:

Next week’s run will meet at the 61B Cafe, 1108 S. Braddock, for a fall foliage forage at Frick Park. Don’t forget to change your clocks back (do we still have clocks that require this or do most of our clocks do this themselves?) at 2am on Sunday Nov. 7. Then go back to bed so you can get up at 6 for the run!

The North Side run/walk was splendid, with the usual ceasing of rainfall along the way. Audrey was a main attraction and, as the sun rose, we enjoyed many visual treats:  the beautiful architecture of Allegheny West and the Mexican War Streets, intentional and unintentional spookiness along East Ohio Street, the peaceful paths and fountains of Allegheny Commons, and the lovely new restaurant 40 North and City of Asylum Bookstore at Alphabet City. Coffee at CCAC Starbucks was notable. The running group decibel level remained well below that of the adjacent table of “regulars”… escaping notice of the loudness police.

Endorsements:

• Podcast: Murdaugh Murders: great story, but riddled with an annoying vocal fry.
• The Libby App (probably a repeat) links to the library to download and listen or read audio and ebooks for free. Great for long car rides.
• The most kosher restaurant in Rockland, New York turns out to be at a Walmart…