August 30 Run/Walk: Meet at Five Points Artisan Bakeshop, 6524 Wilkins Ave., Squirrel Hill

We'll meet again at the delectable Five Points, diets be damned.  Oh, right, there will also be a preliminary run/walk to multiple points of interest in the area.  

Dahntahn was at its best last Sunday, and Arts Landing particularly shined.  Several of us had not known about the glowing new pickleball courts.  The De Fer patio and its pumpkin bar were stellar, encouraging ample chitchat:

• We do love the old cookbooks (Moosewood!), but online recipes can be life-changing, most recently with the inimitable Ruhama.
• And you can use those perfect NordicWare sheet pans.
• Public Libraries! From the 19th century glass floors in CLP-Oakland's stacks to the Libby E-book App. 
• Head to NYC and see the World Premiere of Show Trial, written by the playwright daughter of our own Linda Rose, Laura (Zlatos), Off Broadway at The Tank (312 W 36th St.), 10/15-11/8!    
• When something hurts - it's probably your shoes - get a new pair.
• Ah, yes, after 25 years RG has come to this: we are to watch the Anti-Ageist TED talk.  Right on! (But hasn't she had some work done?)

Resistance Action(s) of the Week - take a look at this Action Calendar (put together weekly by the indefatigable Debra Fyock) and find an enormous bouquet of things people are doing and can do here. Just reading it will make you take heart.  

August 23 Run/Walk: Meet at De Fer coffee at 725 Penn Ave. in downtown's cultural district

Meeting at De Fer's downtown was our last-minute idea last Sunday - it's approximately next to the sparkling new Arts Landing where there may be picnic tables.  There should be onstreet parking.  Anyway, we'll figure it out. 

Last week - I think we all were trooping through in Frick Park?  At least the walkers were, bathing in its green glow, a result no doubt of the daily rain torrents. Then we were under the tent at Biddle's, having smuggled in some of Madeleine Bakery's 300% butter pastry.  This inspired us to focus entirely on natural health practices. 

• Endorsements for Dr. Lobur and the Pittsburgh Center for Functional Medicine.  P.S. he's pretty cute. Also, Suma Medicine in Highland Park.
• Sleeping in the woods or on the beach may support your immune system, or result in not sleeping.
• Recipe to defeat your cough:  Bring a pot of water to boil. Add 2 teaspoons of rosemary, 2 teaspoons of thyme, 2 teaspoons of oregano. Put a lid on the pot and let it steep for five minutes. Remove the lid, put a towel over your head breathe in the steam for 15 minutes.  
• Watch:  A Place to Call Home, here Elaine calls on us to love Australia again as we did with Offspring.
• Paddle:  with the Witches at North Park
• Get: a shingles vaccine

August 16 Run/Walk: Meet at Biddle's Escape, 401 Biddle Ave., Wilkinsburg

Starting line is at old fave Biddle's, where the coffee is OK, the decor is quirky, and the ambience is a comfort.  "A couple of thunderstorms" in the Sun. morning forecast, but we have faith.  And umbrellas.  

Last week we wandered around the Phipps side of Oakland - wondering WHEN are they going to finish the Panther Hollow bridge (supposedly this month LOL) but at least we were able to walk over and witness the blooming algae (our very own reflecting pool!) on the pond beneath.  There are various random statues of large men in the vicinity, including a newly uncovered Columbus.

Conversation in the Starbucks plaza brought together some historical themes.

• Collective party planning, reminiscent of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah parties of yore, weddings, birthdays, and graduation celebrations. Thumbs down for Grand Concourse ("sad") but thumbs up for the University Club ("not as stuffy as you think").
• Crazy personal connections - brand new friend Caitlin appearing from Boston turns out to have a Dad known to all of us and who may just possibly have featured Joanne in a novel as the "woman in spandex."
• Read:  Evensong, and Emily Alone by Stewart O'Nan (the Dad featured above.)
• Sunday Line Dancing at Highland Park is back!  If you actually open that link (ahem!) you will see a familiar face.

Resistance action of the week:  Never too early: make sure that you, your friends and family will be able to vote.   Check voter registration here, and if needed, register to vote here.  And in the interest of preparedness, make sure of your documentation: birth certificates, passports, real IDs, etc. 

August 9 Run/Walk: Meet under the tent at Schenley Plaza in Oakland (redux)

Torrential rain again! I say as I wring out every item of clothing I put on this morning.  So the fact that last Sunday the unheard happened: RG was rained out of Schenley Plaza. (For the record, 5 diehards did show up).  This seems to be just part of the new normal. But let's not go there - instead, we forge ahead! Start under the big tent next to the Carousel (map). 

But there was coffee - and Starbucks has real china cups again.  Other things to cheer us up:

• Watch:  The Odyssey, on IMAX if you can (but not in those puffy barcaloungers. OK, I know there is a difference of opinion, but really, just look at this). 
• Read: Land, by Maggie O'Farrell
• Summer events right here - the Frick tours are better all the time.  Make sure you get Linda!
• Also:  The Great Pittsburgh Book Crawl tour of 30! fascinating indie bookstores listed here - oh, well, we missed it this year but keep in mind for 2027!  Especially loved were Beyond Bedtime and City Books.  Speaking of loved - local romance bookstores are multiplying.
• Also: Hollidaysburg PA - it's adorable - who knew?  While you're there, head over to Canoe Creek State Park 10 minutes away.
• Chill with WZUM, Pittsburgh's 24-hour jazz station, which lists a ton of jazz venues (lately including RG fave Small Hours) and also, weeknights, somehow retrieves the long-lost Tony Mowod shows of yore.

And even this will cheer you up - Resistance Action of the Week:  every Sunday, the Substack feature Chop Wood Carry Water features a long list of acts of decency, bravery, resistance, and general upstandingness - see this for the latest, and check back here next Sunday, or daily for other resistance possibilities.