People at Work- Butcher at Schwartz’s Market (now closed)
The market closed a year ago after being open for 83 years! Photo taken 2009
Yikes- You’ve Got to Pull Over, Get Out of Your Car and Shoot It!
In the distance you can see the Cathedral of Learning at Pitt.
The sparkly Christmas Tree caught my eye . St Patricks’s preparation?
And as I returned to my car, I saw the sidewalk/stairs in the shade.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Indulge
Dictionary Reference Indulge-to yield to an inclination or desire; allow oneself to follow one’s will
Isn’t that where we get into trouble?
I thought of fancy chocolates or an ice cream sundae mentioned in so many definitions for indulge. What photo to post? But after school, Friday Mr. K called a Mental Health and Wellness Meeting at the Double-Wide Grill on the South Side. Of course, this post could be for the Weekly Photo Challenge: Regret. What you feel after you eat too many of them. Fortunately, they were shared.
Fellow bloggers varied responses to the weekly photo challenge: indulge are linked here.
Onion Rings and a Draft Beer
Cantilevered House,View 2, Friday on the Way to School
You saw my photo through the foggy school bus windshield. Friday morning there was a train going by as I shot this but the cars were flat. Couldn’t wait for that to change. It was a nice touch, to hear it speeding by on the track above.
I shot this outside the window, not through it and since I was the driver this time, I pulled to the side of the road. Not a lot of time to experiment or revise on the way to school and no time to get out of the car. Oh yes, iPhone camera not regular camera.
You read about this home in the New York Times last week. If you wish to compare the shot from my previous post it is here.
It’s a cool view to see every morning. I watched them build it but didn’t document it. Too bad. One for the regret category. Since most blog readers are out of town and can’t swing by to see this more clearly and are relying on my view, I wanted to show this unusual home in a nice light. And the school bus was parked.
Morning sun instead of rain and fog, clears up the view.
Shot Through the Bus Windshield
You saw Thursday’s post of the passenger photo from the school bus ride to the Carnegie Museum of Art when it was snowing. Here’s another one. We were coming back from the Teenie Harris exhibit headed back to school. This photo has a cool story and link.
My friend R came over in the snow for a bowl of minestrone soup, Friday night. She told me about this cool house on the South Side, featured in the New York TImes. ”A cantilevered house over a glass factory”, she said. I said, “I drive by that house EVERYDAY on the way to school. I watched it being built!” I’ve photographed the trains going by, the weather. I have pulled over there many times and photographed the scene.
On Wednesday I photographed a piece of this unique house through the school bus windshield. You can see a glimpse of their Emerald Art Glass Factory, the school bus yard on the left and the train trestle where I’ve photographed trains in a blur. Up on the slopes is formerly St. Josaphat’s church that’s now closed. If you want to see the house as it should be seen then you will have to go and watch the NYTimes slideshow.
Here is the link and the NYTimes amazing photos in a slideshow of this really cool house in detail. You just see a snippet of the house in my photo in the upper left. After you see the pristine and fantastic photographs at the New York Times you might wonder why I posted my iPhone photo of the same scene?
Southside Flats and Slopes
Night Neon & the Double-Wide Grill
Friday night music was great at the Club Cafe on the South Side. I loved the contrast of the neon’s warm colors of Jack’s and cool blue neon of Club Cafe. I know the “e” is missing but I liked the image of Jack’s going around the corner so I chose this one. I took this shot from across the street as we left to go home.
But wait, we didn’t go right home-
Even though we were exhausted, R invited us to go to the Double-Wide Grill where the onion rings satisfy that deep urge to eat something not really good for you but doesn’t it taste great. (seem to be doing a lot of that type of eating lately) You know I have a thing for old service stations and auto mechanics, right? The old fashioned kind. I did not photograph the food. Hmmmm. But you get a feel for the place.
And when we left I took a shot from the outside and the old gas tank had the amount 37 cents on it. Remember that price per gallon?
Jack's Bar at the corner of Carson and South 12th Street, Southside
Order a basket of onion rings and enjoy!
Vintage gas pump with the 37 cent price- remember when???
A close-up in case your eyes (like mine) couldn't see the 37!
Big Dog Coffee Shop Reflected in Their Nuova Simonelli Machine
It is a stunning and shining beauty of an Espresso machine, the Nuova Simonelli. And as I stood waiting for my coffee, I noticed the reflection of the chairs and wall. I read that they are getting ready to put up some new art so I caught it on a plain green wall day.
I love that Big Dog Coffee Shop opens at 6 AM. They make authentic conversation with you and never seemed annoyed or put out like a coffee shop I used to go to every morning(and the other place doesn’t open ’til 7AM) . I feel welcomed, appreciated. It’s friendly but not fake. And their coffee is delicious, too. They are on the flats of the South Side and I teach on the slopes. Just right.
Once our book club met in the back room. It’s a welcoming space. Pretty soon they will start using the fireplace, too. I like the oatmeal bar for a splurge some days. Big Dog Coffee is more than just the jolt of morning caffeine. It is a joyful start to the day!
Andrew Tosses the Pizza Dough in the Air
He can’t remember how long it took him to learn to do this. I was impressed with the height and ease in which he tossed the dough. We had parent conferences until seven PM so got to go out to lunch. I headed down to the South Side to the bank and stopped in the Blue Grotto Pizza shop on the corner of 19th and Carson. Thom B came by. Told me, “…they really care about their food which is a good thing.” I waited for a slice of Pizza Margherita and you can see by Andrew’s hand that the slice was ENORMOUS!. It was also delicious. It was when I was leaving that I saw his tossing the dough and photographed his expertise. I asked if it was okay to blog and he said, “Sure.” Would have been good to have a tripod and cable remote but the soft capture still conveys the story of his skill. A rhythmic series of the pizza dough tossing is an idea for a future post. Could be in the People at Work series, too.
Cuckoo’s Nest Magic Shop
Last night of class at Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild and my weekly trip to the South Side. Just before the sky grew dark and the giant hail storm arrived. I scoped out The Cuckoo’s Nest Magic Shop in a new location since June.
Juggling supplies,balls, clubs and rings, nests of boxes, a vase filled with wands, colorful balloons you can sculpt into animals- a carousel of Folkmanis and Melissa and Doug puppets, decks of cards and and everything a magician (or clown or bartender) needs to entertain an audience. Matt was nice enough to demonstrate the Magical Block trick for me after I asked what was a good trick for a beginner to learn. You can purchase it for 4 bucks! His masterful sleight of hand changed a penny into a dime, right before my eyes!
Abracadabra
When Mark was in Kindergarten
he was a magician for the talent show
and poured a pitcher of plain water into two vessels
The water changed into blue and red.
It looked magical. I made his a black cape
and he had a a tall hat and a wand.
It’s Halloween Theme Year-Round in this Place– Jekyl (one L) and Hyde on 18th St.
Bought on the internet, filled with concrete so he doesn't "walk"
I’ve been driving by this knight for awhile now. And Wednesday I got my chance to ask about him…
Off the beaten path as they say. Squeezing in another quick peek at an establishment on the South Side. Dave was out posting a sign for St Patrick’s Day festivities and I had always wondered about the rusty knight out front. Bought on the internet it turns out, filled with concrete. There is an Uncle Fester inside under a black light and his boa is wild. VERY dark inside so hard to get a non-grainy, clear pic on the fly. Dave tends the bar and dresses up and there is a “thing” type hand on the cash register, sitting there without being attached to a body. Halloween theme every day of the year. I hear you can get a little skeleton in your drinks. When I was there the place was empty except for the murals and masks and spiders and creatures that decorate the place.
A little creepy to me but I hear he is really popular
And Dave waiting for the beer
delivery.
He was so nice to let me come in and see the Halloween decor. 140 S 18th St.
Jekyl and Hyde info click here
From Ghoulies and Ghosties
and long-leggedy beasties
and things that go bump in the night
Good Lord deliver us. “
I did a crewel stitch of this little prayer
for Mark’s baby room in 1976
(or maybe it was Matthew’s in ’80)
It’s all I can think of to accompany
today’s post.I’ll find the crewel embroidery and
put it on the keep or pitch blog.
Pittsburgh Guitars on Carson Street, South Side, Interior and Exterior Shots
Floor to ceiling guitars!
Two more weeks of class, so two more posts of South Side after my Wednesday late afternoon adventures. It was raining. Had a single slice at Sola Pizza again. Then found my way into Pittsburgh Guitars. Floor to ceiling. Acoustic, Classical, Electric, (even a bright pink one!) and the cutest GuitarLele you ever saw on the wall. The guitar bodies gleam. And of course every accessory for your instrument–metal, nylon strings, capo, picks, gig bags and cases, amps and cords and straps and music and whatever else you might need or want . Did I mention knowledgeable staff? Sam helped me. ALL musicians. You can meet the entire Pittsburgh Guitars staff on their website. Not a big box store. Personalized attention. No pressure, No rush. They know they have a good thing and isn’t it great to handle and play before you buy? Superior to internet ordering. They have a very creative website which is extensive and fun. You can go in and play the different instruments and check out the sound (please ask for assistance! on yellow tags like baby road signs) If you don’t play guitar yet, it is not too late to start!
1305 East Carson St.
Count the Pigeons on a City Rooftop
At first glance you think you are seeing architectural details, all along the roof ledge. There were at least fifty of them. Part of city life- the pigeon. Today’s photo/post evokes the poet Timons Esaias whose chapbook title is The Influence of Pigeons on Architecture For a copy ($8.50) contact Tim via his website.
You may remember Timons Esaias was guest poet on the blog for his poem. By Their Sidewalks You Will Know Them (click here) posted about this time last year.
Birds in the City
Not in a tree this time
or flying above.
People have feelings about them.
Carson Street on the South Side. A beautiful blue sky.
Eljay’s Used Books is Moving from the South Side to Dormont
I asked why and the answer wasn’t surprising. “Economics.”
After 14 years on Carson Street. I bought a James Beard Cooking Lessons volume to read while I waited for a friend. The fiction section was already boxed up and packed. A lot of books to move. A loss for the South Side scene for sure.
Dormont is fortunate. 3233 West Liberty Avenue will be their new digs.
I Love Bookstores
Losing two bookstores in the city.
Just this week.
Borders with the new books-not open lomg
barely two years
and now Eljay’s Used Books on South Side,
Signs of the times.
It’s Happy Hour at the Milkshake Factory on Wednesdays- Half Price!!
Last week I looked in the window and thought some tour or a class must have just let out or everyone is on a field trip at the Milkshake Factory on Carson Street. They were lined up out the door. And I was headed to my Photo class again this Wednesday after school and parked and got out of the car, foraging for dinner somewhere on the South Side and went by the Milkshake Factory and it was PACKED!!! I walked down the street and got a slice of Pizza at Pizza Sola and walked back to the Milkshake Factory. I thought, wouldn’t it be cool to photograph the milkshake machines and see what the crowd is about. Hmmmm. Good excuse. Well, the woman in front of me who confirmed that she was indeed the end of the line said, “Oh it’s Happy Hour- The milkshakes are half off!!” I asked if I could photograph- after I ordered a coffee milkshake. And the smell of chocolates was tempting too. The Edward Marc chocolates are beautiful. They will let you buy a single piece. There were boxes of Valentine’s chocolates half price, too, but I resisted those. Marble counters, a red tin ceiling, white subway tile. A host of milkshake “shakers” acting super pleasant, energetic and patient even with the enormous crowd, filled up the metal cups with loads of ice cream and milk, whatever flavor combination you wanted. And there are some wild possibilities with the flavors. One guy had a drink carrier with four shakes to go! So two dollars and eleven cents later (they had a dish of pennies to help out) I had my milkshake in hand. I mustn’t make it a regular Wednesday stop as I didn’t ask for the nutritional information but calcium is good for bones, right? HA! Named “best historic restoration in the city” according to their website. I am going back to the gym tomorrow after school. The past two Wednesdays have been fat-loading.
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Old Fashioned Milkshakes on the South Side
Scoops and scoops of Ice cream
pour in cold fresh milk,
load it into a tall metal cup
whirred by a sturdy machine.
Thick shake eased into a tall plastic
container with a clear straw–
melting as you sip down to the
grating sound of sucking
when the shake’s all gone,
wishing for a few more sips.
Sweet and satisfying.
P.S. Don’t forget to vote on Keep or Pitch blog today.
What You Should Never Eat- But Tastes Great!
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Hungry
Sometimes you are hungry
for something that is just not good for you.
And you eat it.
And regret doing so.
Or not!
Wednesday nights I take a class at Manchester Craftsmen’s and eat an early dinner on the South Side, driving down the slopes from Arlington. The last two weeks it was Carson Street Deli sandwiches but then I started thinking French fries. Undoing all the work at the gym yesterday.
So I crossed at 16th St and went into Mario’s, the only patron at that off hour but not for long. Cory was hosting and tending bar and took my order for an Alpine burger (don’t ask) and their house cut fries. A tall ginger ale. I asked if I could photograph the stained glass windows. Designed by Williams Stained Glass of Bethel Park. It was a good time to photograph the architectural details. Woshner’s was once “haberdashery” and is now Mario’s. I was too early for Karaoke night. Had to get to class.
Button, Button, Whose Got the Button? ( & Bridal Veils, too!)
1700 Carson Street is the home of a great button store. It fascinates me- Parker Button. Boxes and boxes stacked from floor to ceiling. All colors, shapes and sizes. Like an artist’s palette. Shank or flat. Frogs and belt buckles. Ribbon and trim. Spools of thread to sew them all on for utility or ornamentation. My mother had a glass jar full of buttons. My sister made me the coolest necklace from vintage mother-of-pearl shirt buttons, strung onto embroidery floss. Do you have any clothing missing a button?
The other half of the shop is Clarissa’s Boutique . One word to describe the bridal veils, jewelry and accessories for custom headpieces and wedding necessities- exquisite? lovely? classic? ethereal? They will create a custom headpiece for you but allow three months. Feathers, flowers, jewels, or pearls. Voted the Best of the Knot for weddings 2011.
These Days Buttons are Often a Part of Web Design
Or people push our buttons.
Press the button to call the elevator
or select your floor.
Today’s post is the old fashioned kind.
Two-hole, four-hole or shank.
Metal, plastic, shell or bone.
Beatrix Potter shapes of rabbits.
When was the last time you sewed on a button?
Today marks 500 blog posts and counting!
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Growing up we had a record with the song ( these lyrics are from 1929)
Button up your overcoat, When the wind is free, Oh, take good care of yourself, You belong to me! Eat an apple every day, Get to bed by three, Oh, take good care of yourself, You belong to me! Be careful crossing streets, ooh-ooh, Cut out sweets, ooh-ooh, Lay off meat, ooh-ooh, You'll get a pain and ruin your tum-tum!
Red Sky in Morning from the Birmingham Bridge
Left the house a bit earlier to get to the other side of the city this morning. As I hit the Birmingham Bridge I saw the sunrise. I pulled to the edge, hit the flashers again and sat quietly, and shot the sky over a few minutes time. The other direction I could see cars on the Parkway with their headlights on. A nice way to start the day. But the Red Sky,Sailors Take Warning turned out true as it is snowing (about 3 inches so far) and already they have called for a two hour delay at school. The dark band along the bottom of the photo is the Jersey Barrier. Unretouched photograph!
Finding more beauty in winter.
Who Remembers Kickball?
You have to have a good ball to play. One with some bounce. Similar rules to baseball they say. But you could get the ball thrown at you as you rounded the bases and be called out. Everyone wanted to pitch. I left school Friday afternoon and saw this kickball on the playground in the snow.
The rusting chain link surrounding the playground. The red rubber ball birghtened the scene.
Vinyl 45′s in Paper Sleeves with Plastic Adapter
How old do you have to be to remember what 45rpm means? I had a carrying case for this size record. Down at Excuses again, SouthSide, where King Cobra Blues plays the first Friday of the month. I saw this scene- a guy named John had two old 45′s and was asking Don Hollowood to sign them during the band’s break. I asked if I could photograph the 45′s. He was worried I didn’t have a flash but I managed. John was explaining to me how there was an A side and a B side to a 45. It was dark in the bar. I had about twenty years on him and knew about the A and B side but he said he was used to explaining the concept to his nieces. So the rare 45′s of the band Bon Ton Roulet were Black Diamond(A) and You Excite Me Daddy(B) and the other was Love and War (A) and They Call Us Bon Ton Roulet(B). Check out the MTV Basement Tapes, hosted by Frank Zappa, see the early music video featuring Pittsburgh Band Bon Ton Roulet singing Love and War. John said he bought them at Sunny Jim’s in Emsworth. There is one copy of Black Diamond on Amazon. The plastic insert 45rpm adapter is called a spider.
Rooftop Deck View of City from the Southside
The holiday lights down below give the clue as to the time of year. Two gatherings Friday night. Live music at both. Extraordinary piano playing. Walked up to the third floor and out the door onto the roof. Propped the camera up on the deck railing and shot without the cable release. The lights felt magical. A beautiful cold winter night.
Rooftops fascinate me. A terrific vantage point.
Between the Neon Beer Signs on Carson Street
South Side. There is a house sandwiched between storefronts and bars on Carson. Here is how it looked Friday night. In this view you can’t see the Jockey lawn ornament by the life-size Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Making the season bright!
“You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out”
We watched A Christmas Story (1983) over Thanksgiving.
Friday night I walked by this window on Carson St after listening to Don Hollowood and the King Cobras at Excuses. Saw the display and thought anyone who has seen this holiday movie would enjoy the picture. Found out it was shot in Cleveland. When I was in high school I used to listen to Jean Shepherd on the radio. I never knew anyone whose tongue stuck on a frozen flagpole.
Ralphie in the pink bunny suit sits under the fishnet leg lamp, Red Ryder on the right.
3 Sources of Light on the South Side
Streetlights, headlights, moon. Bedford Square. A stripe of cloud by the moon. Always practicing my night photography. Trying to avoid excessive graininess. Enjoying the time off from work to restore.
Seems like another era when I look at this shot.
” When You Care Enough…
to send the very best.” Slogan originated in 1944. I used to send more greeting cards. They’d be late sometimes. Most times. Some remember every occasion and send a lovely card. Well, one friend in particular I know. And on time, too. I used to read cards as a stress relief. Find an envelope if it was missing.
This display is current not vintage. Schwartz's Market South Side.
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