Category: People at Work

Matt Carries Freshly Baked Croissants

He was headed to Enrico’s Biscotti Company.  I was headed to Ohio.

Wait, may I take your photo?  I wanted to get out the real camera, not the phone.

I was parked just in front of his truck

He was so nice.  His name’s Matt.  He baked these down on 31st Street and was bringing them to Enrico’s Biscotti. If you saw the movie The Bread My Sweet/ A Wedding for Bella, you’ve been inside bakery.

And this is the part you are never going to believe.

I watched that very movie (renamed A Wedding for Bella) not twelve hours before I ran into Matt taking the croissants to the same bakery in the film. If you click on the title above you can read Roger Ebert’s review.  All filmed in Pittsburgh, right in the Strip District.

Matt and his freshly baked croissants

Matt and his Freshly Baked Croissants. 

 

EnricoYou can see the sign for Enrico’s on Penn Avenue in this shot as I got into my car.

 

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Painter of Historic Native American Cultures

Meet fine artist James Ayers, a 1991 graduate of Rhode Island School of Design.

In January, I was introduced to him at the 26th Annual Celebration of Fine Art in Scottsdale, Arizona. If you are in the area, it goes until March 27th.

We were meandering through the exhibited art in the huge white tents and his booth was a standout!

We stopped to chat.

When asked how long a painting this size would take to complete he said “about a week.”  Hours and hours.

He photographs his models and pays great attention to authentic details. It was fascinating to watch him paint the hand on Spirit of the Wise Man- Shoshone Painting. 

(Click the title of the painting or his name above to see more of his work.)

I know my photographing him while he painted  was a distraction but he said it was okay.  Thank you James.

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Certified Chimney Sweeps Chris and Jim

You remember the squirrel (s) in the box gutters post last week?

I needed to have my chimney inspected and cleaned, too.  I thought there might be a family of squirrels enjoying the shelter of the chimney bricks, even though there was a screen on top of it at one point. Living across the park with a ton of trees makes this neighborhood squirrelandia.

A few years ago we had a squirrel in the fireplace. Somehow Steve trapped it in a cage.  Steve took it down the street in a carrier as he sported a winter parka in July and a couple of oven mitts. Not that the oven mitts would have spared him.

These men, Jim and Chris, certified Chimney Sweeps came today and did a terrific job. I found them through google and read all  positive reviews- Advance Chimney- about “professional job….clean up after themselves…courteous… efficient and certified!”

All true!

Not only can my wood burning fireplace  be used again (safely) BUT there were no squirrels making a home in the chimney. No roast squirrels!

There’s some pointing needed in the bottom of the fireplace. Mortar is old and crumbling but nothing major. They’ll come back and do that work when I get on the schedule. They said it would take about an hour. Cure in 24.

As they were leaving, I asked if they’d consent to be part of my people at work series.

They were gracious to allow me to get my camera and photograph them as they were ready to head out to the next job. Good sports.  Thank you.

Jim and Chris Chimney Sweeps Truck

Jim and Chris Chimney SweepsJim and Chris enjoy their work.

p.s.  I shook hands with them both.  Must have been those 1964 lyrics I remember.

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Squirrels Can’t Make a Home in Mine

Sometimes you need to call an expert in their field.

A DIY project, when it comes to wildlife encroaching on your territory, doesn’t work

Living across the street from the park and having beautiful deciduous trees makes it a terrific place for squirrels to live. Great. So long as they stay in the trees!

I am really glad it isn’t bats.

 

The box gutter had a large hole around the downspout, chewed by a critter(s). When I got home from my midwinter break I heard the scurrying of little paws outside my bedroom window but inside the wooden box gutter. It’s an old house.

Yesterday, I had to call Pete Cappa of Cappa Wildlife Control Services. Within 24 hours he arrived to assess the situation.When we were settling up, he told me about being bitten right down to the bone of his thumb by a squirrel and how much it hurt.

I asked him if I could photograph him for my People at Work series and he graciously agreed. Thanks Pete. And you might notice on his website he does not deal with cats or dogs.

“Specializing in the humane removal of nuisance wildlife!”

PeteCappa

He got out this critter in the trap from the back of his truck for the photo. From someone else’s home.

I didn’t want my home to become Grey Gardens.

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Changing Ads in NYC Subway

In keeping with this week’s theme -a NYC Transit worker illustrates Transition–

but two images required. 

Spotted by my sister who alerted me as to what he was doing.  
   
 

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Coffee is Served

Croatia Mall Coffee

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Ellis Has To Miss His 60th Duquesne High School Reunion

This is Ellis whom I met in Cambridge Ohio. I thought he was selling eggs. Cambridge, OH on Interstate 70 is halfway between Pittsburgh and Columbus.

I’d pulled into a Cracker Barrel to buy a giant set of checkers and use the rest room.

We got to talking, he told me about the price range for the various brands of balls but I didn’t need any golf balls.

Turns out he was from my neck of the woods.  West Mifflin, McKeesport, Duquesne-  all in the Pittsburgh vicinity.

He will attend a niece’s wedding and unfortunately that’s the same day as his 60th reunion from high school.  Hope I got that all correct, sir.  Thank you.

Ellis and golf balls

crop ellis

To give you a better perspective on his location- above is a crop of the photo below.

Ellis

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People at Work Series

Not sure what number of the photographic series but Saturday morning I was in Oakland,(Pittsburgh) shopping at Top Notch Art Store for the 40% off sale on the Prismacolor Pencils-

and all of a sudden the driver of a USPS truck is waving at me.

I looked  through the door to the silhouette and and recognized him.

He pulled around to the curb and it was fun!  I’d never seen him at work.  I learned about the

OD green boxes on the corners.  Working all day Saturdays.

Thanks for letting me photograph you, Greg. You are always nice to me about my photography!

Greg Mutinelli USPS

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Meditation Lights Created With Dual Image Photographs

When I went to pick up my order at my favorite framer, Panza Gallery in Millvale, I saw these lights aglow.

They are “lights not lamps“, Mark Panza said.  “You can leave them on all the time and they don’t get hot.”

They caught my eye and I asked Mark about them.  Turns out he makes them and not to share his trade secrets but he uses his signature combined dual images containing architecture, figures, and or nature.  He constructs the base from frame scraps, builds a glass or plexiglass box, adds an LED light  and then Mark lines the box with his image.  Each one is unique.

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In some of the pieces you can see recognizable architectural details from the William Penn Hotel downtown Pittsburgh and Sacred Heart Church Rose Window in Shadyside.

 

 

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They looked even better when Mark switched off the gallery lights.  There was still a lot of daylight from the door but they really glowed.

 

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You may have seen previous posts with Panza Gallery featured.

Mark (and his lovely daughter Jennifer) always do a great job framing my photographs and artwork.

Panza Gallery is “dedicated to the Pittsburgh artist”.

Millvale, PA has a lot happening.

 

 

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A Full Pound in Zeke’s Bag of Beans

You know how I love coffee.  That one wonderful cup in the morning.

This morning I receive a text from a colleague who’s teaching art in a different school this year. 

He texted where to come for coffee in East Liberty.        Zeke’s.       Huh?              I couldn’t picture it in my mind.

 Zeke’s Coffee on Penn Ave at Highland Ave.  Only 1.5 miles from my home.  I found it easily once I made the left turn onto Penn it was right there all the time.

And I’ve driven 50 feet from it several times a day and not turned down that particular block on my route.  

Today was the first time I was introduced to the locally roasted delicious coffee. And they’ve been there since 2011!

I bought two bags for friends and family to try and my car smelled like a roastery when I got home. Mmmmmm.

Owned by Chris and Tom (who were out at Farmers Market selling the full one pound bags of their beans that they roasted themselves) In fact that’s how they started at Farmers Market and now they go to NINE of them. ( I looked it up and there was no apostrophe in Farmers Market) 

 I met Brye the baker (wife of Chris) and Alex was the barista and operated the register.  I asked if I could photograph them for the blog and they agreed. Steve and I plan to return in the morning when they open at 8.  

 

Brye bakes
My friend waiting for me
Alex the barista
Full one pound bags

 

 

 

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