If You’re In Town, Go See OUR TOWN (Pittsburgh, that is)

Just returned home after an unexpected evening at the Pittsburgh Public Theater. Friends called and asked if we would like to go with them. My dad loved this play and I thought of him a lot as I watched it.

Thornton Wilder wrote it in 1938. I’d say it is still going strong!

Directed by Ted Pappas. A really fine performance by all, headed up by Tom Atkins. Act 3 made me cry.

You’ve probably read the play or seen it, the movie or a TV version. Iconic, they say. A classic.

My parents were married in 1939. I have to ask my sister more about their affinity for it but tonight was a dress rehearsal at the O’Reilly Theater.

Opening night is tomorrow September 26th. It will run until October27th.

Everyone stood at the end of the play and gave the cast an enthusiastic, solid standing ovation. Powerful.

Had my cell to shoot this scene outside the theatre. The LION KING was happening at the Benedum and a school bus parked, waiting. A busy night for downtown Pittsburgh, our town.

Anyway, if you live in Pittsburgh, find a time to get downtown sometime in the next 30 days and experience OUR TOWN.

Penn Avenue Shot at Intermission between Acts

September 25, 2013 by Ruth Categories: Night Light in the City, PhotographyTags: downtown, drama, night photography, O'Reilly Theater, Opening Night, Our Town, Pittsburgh PA, Pittsburgh Public Theater, play, postaday, theater, Thornton Wilder, travel 5 Comments

Strip District World Festival

I was going down to the Strip to work on an ongoing photography project I started.

Seemed like a good day to go as I was in town, no school on Sunday and the weather was perfect.

As soon as I neared the Strip, I saw an incredible amount of traffic backed up and some tent tops. Parked immediately instead of trying to get closer and walked the rest of the way. Here’s what I saw

Strip District World Festival- A Community Event

Food-

I ate a delicious Baklava from Taverna 19, a new place with Greek food and dancing at night. (Right across from Primanti’s) I had already eaten lunch at home. Who knew?

Manuela the Caricaturist

Dance to the Music

Steel Dragon Kung Fu members dance the Lion Dance

This note from Chris at Steel Dragon the dance is actually a LION DANCE

I would like to mention that actually we did a lion dance today. The MC confused the name of what we were doing. Our name (as you know) is Steel Dragon (or Gong Lung in Chinese). What we did was a lion dance. The actual name of the one we did today is “Eight Immortals Carry the Mountain to Fill the Eastern Sea”, which is a story from a classic novel called the Eight Immortals Cross the Sea.

Incidentally, Dragons have many more people than lions (7-100 people vs 2 in a lion) and when you see the head, you can tell their different. If you want, you can check out the video we just posted which has clips from lion and dragons dances on it (plus I just edited so I love when people look at it 🙂 ) The link is on our website under videos. (see link)

Look behind you!

Alex and Ben were the Lion with Steeler Colors

Two Pound Pepperoni Roll and Mr. Sunseri

Schorin’s has everything

Mr. Bennett Price

September 15, 2013September 16, 2013 by Ruth Categories: Music, Photography, Pittsburgh PhotosTags: art, Bennett Price, bread, city, downtown, Dragon Dance, food, French fries, Manuela Caricaturist, music, Pittsburgh PA, Pittsburgh Photography, salad, Steel Dragon, Sunday afternoon, Sunseri, travel 11 Comments

Bagpiper on Penn Avenue, Saturday Night

Unexpected bagpipe music emanating from Penn Avenue near the Car Park, on our way to the Fireworks Night at PNC Park-

Steve pulled over to the curb. I got out of the car. Placed a bill in her case on the walk and asked if it would be all right to take a photo. She nodded.

A student at Carnegie Mellon University, piping for the Tartans, practicing, playing cool music for downtown Pittsburgh

AND imprinted on her card-

Bagpiping for Western Pennsylvania, (and doing a great job of it, too)

and at the bottom- Weddings, Funerals, Military Functions, Anniversaries, Birthdays, Social Events, Group and Individual Instruction. Solo and Band Prizes -US Canada and Scotland I believe it!

….. Her name is Liz Cherry and she is skilled in the way of the pipes!

I crossed Penn Avenue and took this view, to capture the surroundings.

September 5, 2013 by Ruth Categories: Music, Night Light in the City, PhotographyTags: bagpiper, bagpipes, Carnegie Mellon University, city, downtown, music, Penn Ave, photography, Pittsburgh PA, PNC Park, postaday 7 Comments

Just Past Midnight- Columbus Ohio

My son Mark drove me and my sister downtown so Mary could catch a 1:10 AM bus to DC to visit some friends. We’ve had a nice couple of weeks together, first in New York City and then with the family in Columbus.

After we dropped her at the Greyhound station, he drove me around the downtown area so I could get a few nighttime shots of the city. The Ohio Statehouse- just a bit of it as I shot it from the car window. Had the 70-200mm Canon L series lens on the camera. I should have gotten out of the car but we were on our way to take Mary. I had envisioned flags flying as they had been the last time we drove by in the daytime, but not even a breeze.

Ohio Statehouse (Greek Revival) Built 1839-1861

Christopher Columbus in front of City Hall- a 3-ton bronze statue- Uncrated Oct 10, 1955 A gift from Genoa

LeVeque Tower- second tallest building- Art Deco with red white and blue lights on it tonight for the upcoming Fourth of July

The Palace Theatre

The Columbus Fire Department Memorial Eternal Flame

(You hear about “noise” in a photograph. This is a fine example of “noise”)

The Santa Maria in Battelle Riverfront Park on the Scioto River

City buses lined up headed north

The Columbus Dispatch Neon Sign across from the State Capitol Building

Thanks Mark for the just past midnight tour of Columbus downtown.

June 30, 2013June 30, 2013 by Ruth Categories: Night Light in the City, Photography, TravelTags: architecture, Art Deco, available light, Christopher Columbus, Columbus Dispatch, Columbus Fire Department, Columbus OH, downtown, eternal flame, neon sign, night photography, Ohio Statehouse, Palace Theatre, Santa Maria, signage, theater, tourist, travel 9 Comments

Bob Rumba- Ventriloquist, Comedian, Balloon Artist and All Around Funny Guy

His card states COMIC GENIUS*

and the asterisk below statement says *Genius Available by Appointment Only.

When Steve and I were downtown at the Gallery Crawl a couple of weeks ago, we were walking in front of the new Arcade Comedy Theater. Kristy was out front distributing info and invited us in. I told her my daughter Laura was taking an improv class in Columbus.

Free beer! Hmmm. Steve thought that sounded good. There was improv going on in the theatre. Lots of good energy in the place.

We promised to return another time when we didn’t have to be somewhere.

We were on our way home but with the free beer and the man in the window motioning for us to come in, too, what else could we do?Just a few minutes.

Turns out it was Bob Rumba, All Around Funny Guy.

Women outside the Arcade Comedy Theater

May 9, 2013May 9, 2013 by Ruth Categories: People at WorkTags: Arcade Comedy Theater, Balloon Artist, Beer, Bob Rumba, city, Comedian, comedy theater, comic genius, cultural district, downtown, Gallery Crawl Pittsburgh, humor, improv, people at work, travel, Ventriloquist 9 Comments

Pyramid of LED Lights on the Gulf Tower, Change with the Weather

Dear Blog Readers,

Thank you for the thoughtful expressions of sympathy, your comments and emails yesterday, on the passing of Murphy the Airedale.

It means a lot to the whole family to read such an outpouring of love, care and concern. Your words offer comfort and understanding. xxoo Ruth

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

For years the Gulf Tower Building ( built in 1930) had a beacon that displayed the weather- red lights for fair or blue lights for precipitation

Now The Gulf Tower has a fancy installation of programmed LED lights that change with the holidays, sporting events and special occasions but still tell the weather at five minutes before the hour. The combination of lights can produce any color.

Designed by Cindy Limauro, professor of lighting design at Carnegie Mellon University and husband, Christopher Popowich, partners in C&C Lighting LLC.

Read more: at the Post Gazette article with a chart telling how to”read” the lights.

This photo was taken from my car window while waiting or my sister to buy her train ticket back to NYC at the AMTRAK station downtown.

April 17, 2013April 17, 2013 by Ruth Categories: Airedale Terrier, Night Light in the City, PhotographyTags: architecture, beacon, Carnegie Mellon University, Cindy Limauro, city lights at night, downtown, lighting, pet loss, photography, Pittsburgh skyline, postaday, pyramid of lights, skyscraper, sympathy, travel, UPMC building, weather 8 Comments

City Rooftop Night View

Thank Kathryn for sharing your hotel room view. I love the night sky and lights.

January 18, 2013January 18, 2013 by Ruth Categories: Night Light in the CityTags: architecture, city at night, downtown, photography, Pittsburgh PA, postaday, Renaissance Hotel, skyline, travel, UPMC building, USSteel 11 Comments

Downtown Alley

The illumination challenge could have kept me going for the rest of the year. I shoot a lot of photos in the dark with lights! When you look at your body of work ( or parts of it) you notice different things and details on different days.

When I was sifting through files, I found this city alley downtown and just liked the perspective, the people, the shapes and lines. Although it was captured in another season, the thermometer went up to 69 degrees ( I saw it lit up on a sign!) and for the second week of January it feels odd.

I think I need to return downtown and shoot some more alley views.

January 13, 2013January 13, 2013 by Ruth Categories: Photography, Pittsburgh PhotosTags: architecture, city, downtown, perspective, photography, Pittsburgh PA, postaday, travel, urban scene 13 Comments

The Music of Michael Jackson, Tuesday Night in Town

A friend had an extra ticket to the The Music of Michael Jackson Tribute with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra who put on a stellar musical performance. People were on their feet, clapping and dancing to the familiar music as the star of the show gave it his all. It was a tribute not an impersonation pointed out the star, James Delisco. It was a fun night and an unexpected outing on a Tuesday evening. Thanks Barb and Penny.

The Heinz Hall was elegantly decorated for Christmas. Single glittery gloves were passed out and kids 13 and under got a chance to come up onstage for the last number, Thriller, and show their moves.

Photos by iPhone again.

Macy’s windows were filled with holiday displays. The giant Nativity scene and the Menorah display were by the old USSteel building, now UPMC. Preparations for the holidays are in full swing in downtown Pittsburgh.

November 27, 2012November 27, 2012 by Ruth Categories: Night Light in the City, PhotographyTags: city, downtown, Heinz Hall, James Delisco, Macy's windows, menorah, Michael Jackson, music, nativity, night photography, photography, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, travel 8 Comments

Snippet of City Skyline

A rainy day. Columbus Ohio. Shot through glass, across the Scioto river from COSI (Center of Science and Industry) A tad underexposed for the trees looking at it now.

The Art Deco building on the left in LeVeque Tower, a half foot taller than Washington Monument. Detail of tower below.

A different city skyline from my usual Pittsburgh photographs.

July 25, 2012July 24, 2012 by Ruth Categories: Light in the City, PhotographyTags: architecture, Art Deco, city buildings, Columbus OH, downtown, LeVeque Tower, photography, postaday, rainy day, Scioto River, skyline, travel, vacation 5 Comments

Tag: downtown

If You’re In Town, Go See OUR TOWN (Pittsburgh, that is)

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Strip District World Festival

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Bagpiper on Penn Avenue, Saturday Night

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Just Past Midnight- Columbus Ohio

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Bob Rumba- Ventriloquist, Comedian, Balloon Artist and All Around Funny Guy

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Pyramid of LED Lights on the Gulf Tower, Change with the Weather

Read more: at the Post Gazette article with a chart telling how to”read” the lights.

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City Rooftop Night View

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Downtown Alley

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The Music of Michael Jackson, Tuesday Night in Town

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Snippet of City Skyline

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Read more: at the Post Gazette article with a chart telling how to”read” the lights.

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