It’s Friday! … Finally

Even if you don’t have a heavy week, sometimes Friday just takes tooooooo long to get there.

It doesn’t matter if you work, don’t work, keep house, hose down pets, etc … weekdays are weekdays even if you are in a coma and sleep through all of them.

Right?

… right.

So we’re in agreement on that one.

Keeping in mind that this weekend is St. Patrick’s Day, so that means extra fun.

We also have the Home and Garden Show.

I know the first thing that comes to mind is the drunks that will out … well, that’s part of it.  But, think further. Since we have the Home and Garden Show going on too, so the festivities really hit once the St Patty’s day crowd finds the Home and Garden Show after the parade.  There’s nothing like watching already tired and weary sales people trying to explain the differences of various garage door openers to drooling, slurring drunk people.

Hmmm …. makes me wonder if they have a dunk tank there.  I believe that alcohol content of about 50% of the attendees on the 13th should make them fairly buoyant (thus making sure they won’t drown and die) … and the thrashing about in water of confused drunk people has always been entertaining (I used to hang out by a lake … so  know this for a fact).

It’s Spring!

Birds are singing.

Snow is melting.

Potholes are blooming.

Green shamrocks are growing in the potholes.

You get the idea … it’s turning Spring in Pittsburgh.

—————

So what other signs of Spring do we have in this wonderful city of ours?

Let’s see:

• The pirates are starting spring training with aspirations to actually become a baseball team again.
• The waters are threatening to crest and carry Pittsburgh’s Primanti sandwiches out to sea.
• The Cultural District smells like a well tuned engine with the performances of Grease (or could that be the oil leaks from the buses?).
• Orange pylons are emerging from winter storage as Pittsburgh’s roadway obstacle courses are set for the Spring and Summer seasons.
• In The Strip, dogs howl as the sweet voices of the Opera blend with the musical tones of the local bird song.
• The aromas from the open doors at Pittsburgh Popcorn enlighten the senses (and unfortunately distract the drivers … that kitty never had a chance).
• Vendors in the strip finally shed their winter garb, thaw out, and begin wakening from hibernation (it was sad how people just stole their stuff when they were sleeping over the winter).
• Oh, and did I mention the potholes?  Well, we’re not going to make fun of the city crew, since this is really going to be a sucky Spring for them … although they fill all probably end up fitter than a fiddle (until St. Patty’s Day … along with everyone else).

-SWB

PS – Yup, Spring is in the air … so is the job market, fuel prices, home values.  Such appropriate crisis’ for the Spring 😉

Strip District Religion

Let’s talk religion.

Nope, don’t worry WORD-FM hasn’t taken over my blog … not yet (the restraints on the doors seem to still be holding).

Well, The Strip District is known (or maybe was) for being the main place for Pittsburgh nightlife.  Conveniently it also has a nice and historic church.  So, think about it … normally the only “religion” going on in the strip late night weekends is people “praying to the porcelain god”, and normally that’s done is a cold club restroom.

Why do that, when you have the comforts of a church (and not to mention God happens to be there … just in case your drinking went WAY to far – which is about the point in life where many finally “get religion” … ie. “Ohhhh Goooooood, I’ll NEVER do this again if you just make the pain stop … I’ll NEVER drink again, I promise …. honest.”)

So, why do that in a cold club rest room, right?  If you think even further, it saves you the heavy embarrassment of your friends remembering you doing the late night porcelain go praying in front of them … because most likely there’s a fat chance their going to be in a church.  There are perks like that to consider when you have religion in the strip district.

Just a thought for the strange.

-SWB

PS – 9pm Friday night to about 1pm Sunday morning is involuntary prayer time in The Strip District.  Since St. Patty’s Day is this weekend, you might want to reserve space.

Art All Night 2010

Captured logo from the Art All Night site – click on it to go there. It’s not here yet, but it’s getting close to the time to start thinking about Pittsburgh and Lawrenceville’s biggest and best art event.

That’s right ….. Art All Night.

They also added a ton of online stuff, so you can check out Art All Night all year long.

This year it is scheduled for April 24-th to 25th ad some place in Lawrenceville. Maybe SWB will take the time this year and submit something in. We were thinking about submitting an actual Screaming Weasel last year, but we figured that the only ways we could get that to work consistently over the whole weekend would have ended up turning Art All Night into a full blown PETA protest.

Having that said, it’s time to get your artwork ready, consider volunteering (it has become a huge event), and prepare yourself mentally for the best art showing in the ‘Burgh!

-SWB

PS – Since you’ve probably used your imagination a little now with our mention of submitting an actual screaming weasel … let us assure you there will be no harm to any animals in the production of our artwork.

BTW – Art All Night is now under SWB Recommends!

Review: Art All Night 2009

Art all night is over, and it was another successful year.

The crew was on top of everything from checking in, entertainment, crowd control, and checkout. This year really proved how they have brought the operations of a large show into being an art form in itself.

As far as the artists this year, SWB believes this is one of the better years for creativity. We noticed far less “copy cat” art and a whole bunch of originality. Everything from a Mr Handy hanging robot to a full “army guy” battle scene was available for view. The table sized chess set was probably our favorite. Well done to everyone from SWB!!

The scene outside of AAN was amazing. The night was perfect for the event, the space was wonderful, and the artwork captivating. The crowd just hanging out added the perfect aura to AAN, and made you already look forward to next year.

Anyways, here is a few pics for yinz to check out:

Click The Pic for the SWB Art All Night Photo Gallery on Picasa

Art All Night Tonight!! Reminder!!

Just a last second reminder –

Art All Night is Tonight!!

Check out Art All Night’s site for more info.

This is open to all artists!

-SWB

Review: The Cork Factory and ULI Award

Capture from The Cork Factory’s site … please click it to go there. Very few times in life do you get to stand photographing a building filled with homeless people on an abandoned site … and then get to live in it after it has become one of the hottest properties in your city. SWB has been able to to that at The Cork Factory and we would like to tell you about it. It’s worth your time.

For those that don’t like to read much: The price is very reasonable for the abundant amenities, square footage, chic look, socialization and contact generation. If you are a wine connoisseur you definitely won’t be disappointed in the place as the juice of the gods never stops flowing (ask the residents) and the quality of the wine as well as the quality of the residents is very high in a living space that is not unobtainable.

The Residents:

The residents are an amazing mix. The Cork Factory attracts all kinds from the typical middle class person wanting a wonderful place to live to those that could possibly buy a small country. The best thing is, unless you have seen one of those residents in the media, you most likely would not know who is who … because it is one of the few places you can live in the nation where you do not get treated any differently by anyone. The residents of The Cork Factory have created a true community … an amenity other apartment complexes have yet to successfully promote.

The Management:

The management has always been very professional and very willing to listen to any concerns. Staff working under then has always been very attentive to the residents and quite courteous. Whether it is just to hear a resident “vent” or listen to a change that really does need to be made the staff does their best to accommodate everyone. I can say I’ve never been brushed off by The Cork’s Staff.

The Amenities:

Pets … they allow dogs (and The Cork has created an amazing pet community within itself), 24 hour accessible library, 24 hour accessible bar/game area, 24 hour accessible concierge, free pool in the summer, free outdoor hot tub, bike storage, boat slips (charged), water taxi service (charged), storage (charged), garage parking (leased), and weekly get-togethers.

The Apartments:

The apartments vary, and you are allowed to request a new paint color, and make approved changed to your apartment that can be removed by you when you leave (in other words if you make changes, you have to have the apartment in original condition by move-out). This is great because The Cork Factory doesn’t limit you to living in a $1200/month cookie cutter box like some other large apartment establishments in Pittsburgh. This is subject to change, so please call the site to verify what is now allowed.

SWB’s contacts at The Cork Factory:

When we lived at the The Cork Factory the Management team was Debbie Roberts and Amanda Kopko. Debbie is still running The Cork Factory and Amanda is project manager of the Chicago project. Click Here for information on that.

Awards:

Recently The Cork Factory has received The Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) Award for Excellence: The Americas. Click Here for the ULI’s website. This is widely recognized as the land use industry’s most prestigious recognition and rewards program. We thank Sara B Moeller for alerting SWB to add this info.

The Development Company:

The Cork Factory was visioned and designed by McCaffery Interests.

Our Rating:

At least a 4.8 out of 5. It’s definitely worth the money, the company, and the fact that you can sip wine on the patio while watching the traffic on Rt28 that you don’t have to be part of.

The Cork Factory is now in SWB Recommends.

-SWB and thanks to Sara B Moeller for contributed information.

Art All Night Friday – Get Registered!!!

Re-Post to Remind Yinz:

Logo from Art All Night’s site – click it to go there

ALERT – ART ALL NIGHT *Friday*!!!

If you are not familiar with it, Art All Night is probably one of the best one day art events in the Lawrenceville and Pittsburgh areas. It was made the best by allowing everyone to have a chance. You are allowed to enter one piece of original art, no matter the age or yourself or your level of artistic experience. People can put in bids for the artwork, and you can possibly sell a piece. This event has gotten to the point where people come from multiple states to view the artwork, and sometimes scout for artists to create commissioned work.

-SWB

Call For Artists – Art All Night Next Week!!

Logo from Art All Night’s site – click it to go there

ALERT – ART ALL NIGHT NEXT WEEK!!!

If you are not familiar with it, Art All Night is probably one of the best one day art events in the Lawrenceville and Pittsburgh areas. It was made the best by allowing everyone to have a chance. You are allowed to enter one piece of original art, no matter the age or yourself or your level of artistic experience. People can put in bids for the artwork, and you can possibly sell a piece. This event has gotten to the point where people come from multiple states to view the artwork, and sometimes scout for artists to create commissioned work.

Check it out – let people see what you can create.

-SWB

PS – SWB is thinking about making a sculpture from weasel feed.

Home Buying In Pittsburgh – A Real Good Time

If you are at all thinking about buying a house how, especially in or near Pittsburgh, you need to check out this article by Sam Spatter of the Tribune-Review. It’s amazing the amount of deals real estate companies and sellers are cutting to get houses sold. Being offered is everything from free appliances to buying your house if you don’t sell it in ninety days. So, if you ever wanted to live in a cool area like The SouthSide or The Strip District, or maybe just want to move to a better school district – now is the time to look.

This is big FYI article, so read!

-SWB

PS – Even SWB is thinking about upgrading from his small Adidas labeled cozy weasel home to a much better Westinghouse appliance box.

Review: La Prima Ethiopia Harrar Unwashed Oromia

From La Prima’s Description: “Our Harrar is light bodied with a singular sweet blueberry taste profile”.

SWB thinks this is a very accurate description.

Tasting method:

Regular tap water heated in a stainless steel sauce pan, coffee ground at brew time, and brewed in an 8-cup coffee press. Measured by La Prima’s recommendations.

Review

General: Light and very smooth

Aroma: Great 5 out of 5

Body: Light – easy to drink

Note: Generally very enjoyable

Overall SWB Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary

Another good roast from La Prima available at La Prima and Right By Nature.

…. it sounds just like a jet ….

Nothing like flying the wild blue yonder ….. re-using an old jet engine may come close.

I used to live at The Cork Factory in Pittsburgh’s Strip District, so I still get the posts from one of their resident forums to keep in tough with friends.

One current one that came up was about a jet-engine like sound possibly coming from across the river. Working in buildings with their own backup generators, I know that some of the newer turbo-charged models can sound like jet engines, so I politely explained that in a post back to the forum. Then, I started thinking ….. construction just started again on Rt28 (affectionately known as “death 28” by Pittsburghers). I’ve also heard that PennDOT has started to employee newer methods to get their workers moving more efficiently – the biggest challenge being the historically significant “shovel leaners”. When I say “historically significant” I do mean that because every picture of roads being built from the discovery of the wheel has included “shovel leaners”.

Anyway … due to the really bad economy, there were rumors that the business jet companies started parting out their planes and sold a few jet engines to PennDOT to get the “shovel leaners” moving. It was the only method that generated enough thrust to get them to move from their pre-planted secured positions at the work-site.

-SWB

PS – I have a great deal of respect for the “shovel leaners” – it’s almost as perfect of a job as a meteorologist.

Major Rant: Jay’s Towing and Service

Why is this a major rant?

Because I ran across Jay’s Towing rushing to a job (which I assume was in the Strip District) around 22nd. This started while SWB was on RT65 going towards Pittsburgh at 12:15pm on he day of this post. My first experience was me seeming like I was standing still while Jay’s Tower blew past me like I was go-kart racing against an F-18. He later go backed up in the other lane, switch almost knocking a few other cars out of the way an almost driving over mine.

That’s not all – when I went to exit on 7c to the Strip District, Jay’s Towing was two cars behind me, pull out, gassed it, and almost took out the right side of my car which at that time included my 8-year old step-daughter. After we started to go across the 16th street bridge, Jay’s Towing blew past me and a very dangerous rate of speed for that bridge and almost hit others. When he turned on the the main street he didn’t even notice two people crossing and almost ran them over.

Here is his website, the vehicle in question is the one that is at the top of the site,, all shiny and new. If you see it – get out of the way – even if you have kids, they could care less.

-SWB

PS – It’s looking by their “client” list and the fact they were showing up in the strip on a call they have contracts with Pittsburgh … guess where this post is going???

The clueless at The Pittsburgh Home and Garden Show

Here is a straight out rant …..l

On our way home from The Strip District we passed the David L Lawrence Convention Center.  We we drove through and the car in front of us decided to stop dead and drop off their passengers right in the middle of he road. This is not a designated place to stop at all in that area, nor for the convention center, and the person behind us with the bus behind them hand to stop dead also.

Here is my question …. are these people idiots, or do they just want to be part of a chain reaction car crash near a high profile place so they can get their “fifteen minutes of fame” ???

-SWB

PS – SWB is of the opinion that all driver’s licenses obtained from Cracker Jack(tm) boxes need to be immediately revoked!!!!

Coffee Addict

…. that’s me.

And I’m not even tryin’ to fix the issue 😉

Anyway …. I just picked up the La Prima “Right By Nature” dark blend today in the Strip District – so I’ll have a review coming up shortly. Right By Nature in the Cork Factory Parking Garage highlights locally roasted coffee. The also have a great line of organic foods.

Come to think of it …. we be in the game if someone would just figure out how to get a car to run off of spent coffee grounds!

-SWB

PS – Coffee is brown, and so is what comes out of my pets ….. I hope you aren’t reading this line during lunch.

….. when you notice senseless juvi humor here you can tell SWB is trying to expand it’s readership.