About to Pop and Professional Wrestling on Grant Avenue
You might remember the post where I wrote how I knew I should ALWAYS carry my camera with me. ALWAYS
Friday night Steve asked if I wanted to grab a bite to eat. It was a long day at school. Sure.
We drove down to Park Brugges and the line was out the door. Plan B. We drove to BRGR and at least a 1/2 hour wait. Spoon, no reservation? A table might open up at nine. Okay.
Plan C. Let’s drive to Millvale and eat at Grant Avenue Bar.
We got to the front of the place and it was Millvale Days! Who knew? There was a wrestling ring and ropes and a referee and oh my goodness a Ferris Wheel and games and booths and bands and people. People all over the place. Snack stands and cotton candy trailers and NO camera. Well the phone.
We walked around and of course, I’d left my camera in my school bag. At home. Oh no.
These were shot with an iPhone with about 13% battery left.
Born on the Fourth of July, 1952, Brooklyn New York
But I really grew up in New Jersey. New York always sounded better to me and I have held onto that fact all these years. Joisey, the Garden State, just didn’t seem as cool.
Yes, it is my sixtieth birthday today. YIKES! We were supposed to drive to Roanoke VA but power outages from the bad storm last Friday knocked that plan out! You’ve seen a lot of my life these past three years on the blog. The art room adventures, some knitting, my pleasure in the eating and making of food, my family, the city, my travels, and as Arlene says, the ordinary- making it interesting!
I have been talking about turning sixty since I turned fifty-nine last year. Go figure.
My friend Mary Ann told me someone asked her if she was afraid to turn sixty and she told me her response was, “I’m afraid to NOT turn sixty” Many are denied the chance.
If you are born on the Fourth of July you receive a lot of red, white and blue presents. One has to post a little red white and blue on the Fourth of July so here are the two free marzipan macarons you receive when you buy the dozen at Jean-Marc in Millvale*
And here is my mom holding me. My cousin Paul sent me this photo last year at Christmas and it is the only baby photo I really have of myself. Looks like I was bottle fed. How about that wallpaper?
And then there is this prize winner of my wonderful haircut and chubby cheeks, I think I was three, This picture is stuck in one of those “magnetic” photo albums- meaning nasty glue that ruins your photo and you can’t remove it- EVER.
And here is what I looked like last week in the heat at the Pirates Game in Pittsburgh with my three year old granddaughter Maura. A nice woman filling the ketchup dispenser came over and asked it I wanted her to take it of us. She enjoyed seeing Maura enjoy her cone and I had photographed her eating it (of course). I don’t get in many photos which is just as well at this point. But when I think about what makes me happy in my life, my family is at the top of the list. I am fortunate indeed.
Here is a picture a first grader drew of me last year which I photographed on my phone. I am so glad I documented this artwork cause on the rough days and the long days of teaching art in the city, I can read her inscription at the bottom.
Ms. Hendricks is my hero.
It doesn’t get any better than that!
And I found this next photo in New York City when I visited my sister a couple months ago. Once I was visiting a family friend, Naomi, in a home and she said told me how she would think of all she was grateful for in her life and when she focused on a theme of gratitude she just couldn’t feel bad about anything. I remember her words and she died shortly after the visit. It is easy to forget to be grateful. Once I read about thinking three things you are grateful for each day, right before you go to sleep and I try to remember.
I am grateful to my family, friends, fellow bloggers and followers and wonderful commenters who have encouraged me in my photography, blogging and writing.
Today is a very happy birthday! I am surrounded by my family who love me.
Thanks everyone. (And Happy Birthday Suzanne who shares the date!)
*Here is a shot of Millvale,PA taken the day I bought the macarons!
Celebrating 39 Years of Teaching!
It’s hard to keep this friend anonymous since her name is on the cake. In chocolate letters!
Ellen is a blog follower and I hope she doesn’t mind….
Colleagues, family and friends gathered together to honor Ellen today. Effusive praise and accolades aren’t what Ellen would wish for but let me just say – there are thousands of students who have benefitted from having been taught by her in her classroom.
I didn’t see the smiley face on the cake until I looked at the photos.
Jean-Marc Chatellier baked this and decorated it so beautifully. It tasted delicious, too.
(You remember the colorful macarons?)
Enjoy your retirement Ellen. You deserve every happiness! A job well done.
Macarons by Jean-Marc in Millvale
Not just motorcycles in Millvale. Took these assorted macarons to the graduation party as a hostess gift.
They’re so colorful. And they melt in your mouth delicious.
Jean-Marc was featured on the blog before. We are so fortunate to have a true French bakery right in Millvale.
Here ‘s what Jean-Marc says about the macarons on his website
“Macarons, or French Macaroons, are GLUTEN FREE meringue-like almond cookies
filled with a buttercream or white chocolate ganache that is infused with natural flavors.
Extremely popular in Paris, Macarons are now available for Pittsburghers who long to
revisit their memories of travel abroad, or for those who want to try them for the first time.”
All Things Harley-Davidson
Meet Donna. She owns the Spirit Ready-Ride Motorcycle Boutique in Millvale PA. The location is a repurposed church which used to be an antique store. I saw it when I left the Millvale Post Office across the street and went in and introduced myself and Donna graciously consented to my blogging the boutique. They don’t sell motorcycles but everything you need to go with your Harley is available and then some. Repairs is a big part of the business. The back part of the place is the service area.
Be sure to “like” them on Facebook click here
Going to return to Millvale soon and add a couple of photos to complete the story. Turns out I missed two important people.
Here is the comment I received from a follower of Ready-Ride :
| Hi Ruth, loved the blog on Spirit Ready Ride but was wanting to see a picture of Matt he is the main mechanic at shop and does a great job and had a big following also. Plus the other owner of the business Honey Sanford would have loved to see her on the blog also. Maybe you could stop back down or grab their pictures and write something on them also because that shop works as a team and they have a great respect and love for each other that’s why it works. Megan Copeland |
And yes, that is a Harley-Davidson Black Leather Couch and Easy Chair in the slideshow.
Meet Richard (from Rhodesia) an ironworker who repairs Harleys and rides.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Blue
One photo, spot on, would be just right. I usually have no problem choosing one image.
Until almost midnight on Monday night. Blue.
Yes, that is a leather bodice. NYC shop window. I was focusing on the shoes but the blue dress caught my eye when I was looking for a blue photo.
Custom Framing for 30 Years and He’s Not Even 50 Yet!
That’s what he told me. And he’s been in business for 25 years! I went over to Panza Gallery in Millvale and owner/artist Mark Panza was busy busy busy. He really didn’t need me there Thursday afternoon but he was gracious. Kept on working. I broke his concentration at first by showing up and wanting to shoot him for the People at Work Series, even though we had talked about it on the phone, when it is actually happening it might not be so convenient.
Let me tell you I have a new understanding of why custom frames are not inexpensive. Lots of steps and precision, measure, measure, measure. Concentration, strength, math, craftsmanship. Thanks Mark for allowing me to capture you working. And remember he’s open Wed-Friday 10-5 and Sat 10-3.
That is a pneumatic stapler and you can hear the compressor gear up!
Jennifer Panza: Emerging Artist
I went to Panza Gallery in Millvale on Wednesday. Took a watercolor to be framed and wanted to shoot Mark Panza the owner as he said he would be happy to be part of the People at Work Series. But something came up and his daughter helped me choose a nice mat and frame for my painting and I asked Jennifer if she would be part of the People at Work series. She graciously agreed after I explained the project. So I photographed her a few times in the gallery and then I asked her if she still made jewelry and she said yes but she said she had some ceramics downstairs. So right then and there I created a new project- I am starting an EMERGING ARTIST series of photographs! If you know any emerging artists who are in the area and would like to be featured on the blog I would be happy to photograph them and some examples of their artwork. Why not? It is hard to get started and I know a ton of people who make, buy and collect art so why not use the blog to show some of their work and them? Jennifer just got her braces off and paid the final payment on them and check out the ceramics with the teeth. Surely her othodontist needs that piece in the office on display!!! If you want to see more of her ceramics or jewelry just call Panza Gallery 412.821.0959.Or leave a comment and she can contact you. Jennifer is still in school AND working at her dad’s gallery, and when I was there she had opened the place, was working on invoices, taking calls and selecting frames and mats. Thanks Jennifer.
What’s Going On Across the River in Millvale, PA?
Didn’t have to dig too deep for this series of shots.
A town about ten minutes away.
As with collections, decorators say to group
like items together.
Of course, as I look at the finished post I am
thinking of a return trip to capture the dinette store,
the modernize your home sign,
and the storefront with items for pet birds.
Seven images of Millvale, PA from the files. Millvale is happening! I love the Beatles painted on the mural by Attic Records and the laundromat.
Millvale,PA home to my wonderful framer Mark Panza at Panza Gallery and the delicious French bakery of Jean-Marc Chatellier. The beautiful St. Nicholas Croatian Church with the Maxo Vanko Murals and Holy Spirit Parish up on a high hill where Marlene’s Aunt Kitty and Uncle Shrimp married years ago.(J & J more recently, too)
Steve and I go to Grant Bar on Grant Avenue for a fish sandwich and sometimes I order tapioca for dessert. You can order a full dinner special for 9.95! Millvale has had a few floods. Check out the high water mark.
Attic Records Round out your 45′s collection at Attic Records
Two previous blog posts you might remember- If you want to see Panza Gallery and the great linoleum floor, click here
And to see the post of Jean-Marc at work frosting a cake click here.
I think I should be on the Chamber of Commerce for downtown Millvale.
There are delicious pancakes at Pamela’s diner next door to the Lanes. The Time to Eat clock is theirs. The hobby shop is where I bought some H&O miniatures illustrating laundry day.
It’s Official- Christmas Comes to Millvale,PA
Just across the river, home of two of my favorite places-Panza Gallery where Mark Panza frames my pictures and makes them shine and Jean-Marc Chatellier’s Bakery, whose excellent brioche melts in your mouth (not to mention the cakes, the shortbread, the tarts, the cookies, the baguettes, the anything
If this doesn't evoke another time, I dom't know what does!
he bakes). Saturday night was the Big Love Art Show at Panza’s and as we left to get into the parked car, I saw this scene outside the Millvale Borough Building. Several of the buildings have water line marks from the years the town has flooded.
Jean-Marc Chatellier’s French Bakery in Millvale PA
Crossed the Allegheny River to go to Millvale. After I went to Panza’s to pick up Joan’s painting I had reframed, I went to get some brioche and a loaf of crusty bread from Jean-Marc Chatellier’s French Bakery. 412.821.8533 Everything in the bakery is beyond delicious. There are samples on the counter of the melt-in-your-mouth butter cookies and a French shortbread called Breton Cake. There are little fruit tarts, apricot tarts and flaky croissants, even Key Lime pie slices. As I was about to pay for my order, I saw him frosting a cake in the back. I asked the young woman waiting on me if it would be all right to take a picture. She said,” Just take it!” So I did. Magnificent artistry in cake making. And delicious. I have eaten memorable wedding cakes made by him. Once I bought a cake there for Laura’s graduation from Marquette and drove it to Milwaukee WI.
Memo to self: Drive across river more often to Millvale and buy delicious pastries from Jean-Marc Chatellier.
Trackbacks & Pingbacks from fellow bloggers. You can check out how they responded to the challenge.
Flat Ruthie got in on it this week, too. Click here