Penn Mac is what everyone calls this place.
While I was in the Strip Districtat the Polish Deli, procuring Pierogies for Polish Christmas Eve, I walked down Penn Avenue.
This crowd caught my eye.
Shot through the glass with a cell phone as I opted to leave the camera home while I ran last minute errands around town.
All their cheese is excellent.
Down in Pittsburgh’s Strip District by the scrap yard and tracks. My car was parked under the old railroad bridge.
Lines, patterns, rhythm, repetition-all those elements we look for in class. Finding these elements everywhere.
I love the light on the cross bar, giving a sense of depth.
This first image is the strongest compositionally. But the others give you a sense of the place.
The hood of my car. Could stand a wash.
Patterns of light on a concrete wall.
While sitting in Pamela’s with Erika’s family I saw someone out of the corner of my eye. I was waiting for two eggs over easy- but pulled out the phone.
When I looked out the window I saw this guy shooting in the alley.
Wondered what he saw.
I have shot the same alley at night.
He was intent. Took his time. Shot quite a few. He seemed to stay in the same spot and did not kneel or step to either side- but I thought to myself that this must be what I look like to others around me.
Have a good week.
Saw this Sunday afternoon in the Strip District on the sidewalk in front of Art of Steel Ltd.
Similar colors. A friend emailed to let me know that the once silver Civic Arena/Mellon Arena roof looked completely red so I drove downtown to capture the progress of the demolition.
I drove to the Strip on a most crowded holiday shopping day. It was Saturday afternoon in the Strip District and I saw a sign painter was painting above the crowded sidewalks. I realized I walked under a ladder. Didn’t think I was superstitious but when I saw this photo for the people at work series, I remembered a tinge of concern. It makes sense to not walk under a ladder as a bucket of paint could spill on you or you could hit the ladder and knock someone off. Need to do some research but not tonight.
I can tell you that the scent of grilled veggies and shrimp was inviting but I’d just eaten lunch. ; – (
Saturday morning I drove down to the Strip District of the city to purchase items for the cookie table for the wedding. Ingredients; pistachios, hazelnuts, almond paste, Portuguese Pignoli Nuts, anise seed,fig jam, and some doilies for the cookie trays. Stopped by the Steeler Nation T-shirt display and told the proprietor his shirts were being worn in Zagreb. I bought them last year. We struck up a conversation and before you know it, Mr. Lenny Moran opened his a guitar case and showed me where Tom Petty had signed it T.P. and then had a well-worn leaflet autographed by Muhammed Ali. Turns out Lenny is a songwriter as well as a Steeler Nation T-shirt entrepreneur. If you’re from Pittsburgh you might have heard his Rock’n the Igloo! Check out his burghnationtees. He had a tablet with wireless capability and I was able to show him the post of the Steelers slide show where he was featured last January. Lenny had placed Steelers folding chairs to save a parking spot for a couple of nuns who came and set up a table to sell Advent wreaths. It was a nice morning. He graciously consented (I hadn’t asked last January) to be on the blog. Thanks Mr. Lenny Moran.
Note to SELF:
Carry good camera at all times
Carry good camera at all times
Everywhere, ALWAYS!!!
All iPhone once again.
Meatless Fridays in Pittsburgh. It’s Lent. Last week in the Post-Gazette there was a list of fish fries all over the city and outskirts but let’s talk Pierogies. You drive by churches with signs out front (pierógi, pyrogy or perogi ) or you can buy them at Pierogies Plus or at the Polish Deli in the Strip. When I first moved here I had never eaten one. I watched Marianne’s mother, Olga make them from scratch. The boys loved eating them. And in time I started eating them, too. Then I wanted to try to make them. Marianne told me how to get the right potatoes and a certain cheese. I made them once for a Polish Christmas party at someone’s home. Last fall I saw Arleen make them at Christmas, by hand, parboil them and freeze them for the holiday.(see below) The whole concept of noodle/pasta dough filled with potatoes did not appeal to me but I was uninitiated. They can be filled with sauerkraut and other fillings but potato and cheese are the most popular. I am not sure how many I could eat in a sitting but the butter and onions really satisfy that urge for hearty meals with fat. One time I shipped a couple of dozen to Florida when the family lived there. Something my mother never cooked when I was growing up. At the baseball games they have Pierogi Races. No kidding. See below.
Just returned to Pittsburgh from Columbus and the light was leaving. Saw the sunset begin so found a spot in the Strip on Smallman Street to pull over and get out and shoot the colors as they changed. Thought to myself- a nice pair for today’s post and yesterday’s-the beginning of the day and the end of the day, both in the Strip.
A two hundred mile ahead of me so getting a bold cup of coffee (and an almond mele) seemed a great start to the trip. The whole block was dark except for the welcoming neon and glass doors and window of La Prima Espresso and the neighboring bakery (Colangelo’s). A standing coffee bar with the best coffee in Pittsburgh. A thought of the day on a chalkboard, written in Italian. Italian TV playing above the barista making espresso, cappuccino, lattes. Fresh squeezed orange juice until 2 PM. You can see the newspaper outside on the sidewalk by the front doors.
One of the most recognizable scents
I remember when I didn’t even drink coffee.
A hot cup in my hand before dawn–
all is right with the world.
Especially if it from La Prima Espresso!
We love our Steelers, win or lose. Here’s some Pittsburgh cheese to acknowledge your win, Packers fans and dear friends! (Rob you were right.) I made Haluski, Pierogies and Kielbasa but no one felt like eating here. Have to post now and get to bed cause I’m driving back to the Burgh for school in the morning, YIKES! We had a fun time together but watching the superbowl was so stressful. Kids dropped off to sleep one by one.
Sportsmanship
What we teach our children.
I thought about posting
a Back to Work theme
(leaving Columbus at 4AM)
or some serious Comfort Food
