October 1 Run/Walk: Meet at Commonplace Coffee, 5467 Penn Ave. (across from the Glass Center)

This is a quick note because I got too relaxed after 2 weeks off.  We're meeting at Commonplace Coffee on Penn Ave. (across from the Pittsburgh Glass Center) because it has a table big enough for the whole group.  Many directions to go in from there.  And the coffee's good too!  

Coffee and space were also delightful last week at the other Commonplace across from the Co-op.  We toured North Pt. Breeze and found a public apiary behind the Taj Mahal for dogs and cats.  Several endorsements:

• Ompractice - get your yoga on
• Or, get hold of the rudder at the American Sailing Academy at Key Largo
• Or, get happy at the Teutonia Happy Hour
• Or, get another of those damn tests at UPMC Passavant

September 24 Run/Walk: Meet at Commonplace Coffee by the Co-op: 7514 Thomas Blvd.

Hi all, because it is Great Race this weekend, let's stay out of the fray and meet at Commonplace Coffee by the Co-op.  

Last week, runners and walkers had a fun time exploring Troy Hill.  Such an interesting neighborhood with surprises around every corner! Rialto Street was formerly an Incline-- but no one wants to be dumped out onto Route 28 so now it's just a scary road, especially for those with manual transmissions!

Points of interest included:

Scratch & Co.- great lunch/brunch place!

St. Anthony's where you can see the relics and bones!

And this house, which seemed like the urban version of Swiss Family Robinson!

Endorsements included: getting married in the White Mountains in New Hampshire.💗

Next time we will have to check out the art museum next to De Fer Coffee called La Hutte Royal.  We completely missed it!  A reason to return here...

September 17 Run/Walk: Meet in Troy Hill, De Fer Coffee & Tea at 1800 Rialto St.

Back to Troy Hill - last seen by us in 2019 (pre-pandemic!) One change since then - opening of a De Fer Cafe at 1800 Rialto (map) where we'll meet.  First part of Rialto is pretty steep, but this is Pittsburgh.  (If you want to go up more gradually, you can go over the 16th St. bridge from the Strip - look at the map for how to do it.)

Last week we went the other way on Penn to see its industrial/wholesale/residential side.  We bemoaned the criminal lack of a bathroom at La Prima, so just stopped by Colangelo's for the meles and enjoyed them with the excellent coffee (who knew?) at the gigantic Aslin Beer Co. at the Terminal.  Discoveries and endorsements:

• The AT&T on Penn Ave. (if that's your internet provider) has no waiting and great service.
• the adorable Dash toaster oven recently on sale at Target
• Salem's Market and Grill, for Middle Eastern lunch, catering, shopping - better all the time.
• So is the long-beloved Ali Baba on Craig St.
• D'Anoia's for Italian
• Cousins Maine Lobster for lobster rolls that a former New Englander might start crying over.
• Coughlin's Law Kitchen & Ale 

(apparently all we think about is food.)

 

September 10 Run/Walk: Meet at La Prima Espresso (the original) - 21st off of Penn on the Strip

Some are longing for the delish almond meles and the grungy outdoor seating at La Prima (map), so we'll start there and see what's new on the Strip (Puttshack?)

Last week was a double dip - Sunday+Monday - and we toured Aspinwall and Squirrel Hill.  Actually make that a triple - an RG biking excursion also happened, as far as Leetonia, Ohio.  These are becoming part of the weekend, but as far as I know, we have not yet combined coffee and biking, and/or beer and biking - the next frontier!

Naturally, endorsements surfaced:

• Discover the Burgh blog - so much to do
• Larpers... did you know what this was?  I didn't either.  But it led to many thumbs up for:
• The RenFair (aka the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival) going strong after 20 years, "The King and Queen are pleased to welcome you to another glorious season in the village of Morelandshire!"
• Biking on Ohio's Little Beaver Creek Greenway trail, about an 80 min. drive away.

September 3 Run/Walk: Meet at the Allegheny RiverTrail Park on Sunday at 7, and at the 61C on Monday at 7:30 for Labor Day run.

We haven't been to Aspinwall for a while, and since the RiverTrail Park has been in the news (Brilliant Line) lately, so, about time!  RiverTrail Park map is here (there is parking.)  Checking out the local retail is always a plus. Coffee can happen at Beans & Cream across the street - or BYO and we can sit by the river.  Monday will be the usual holiday run a half hour late, at 61C.

Speaking of which, last week was a homey sojourn around Squirrel Hill and 61C - never gets old.  Numerous RG bikers were at Pedal Pittsburgh so we'll get the update this week.  Lots of endorsements:

• Savage River Lodge (has yurts too!) in a state forest in MD
• The Parlor Dim Sum in Lawrenceville
• Cooking Thai at home (Aimee will give us a class one of these days).  
• Young's Oriental Grocery on Forward Ave. good place to get ready for the above.
• Or if you're up for Italian instead - the homemade raviolis you can get only at the Bloomfield Groceria (formerly Groceria Italiana) in Bloomfield.
• Question to be posed at the next run:  Is The Mindy Project a ripoff of Offspring?  We will discuss.