Pittsburgh

Empty electrical panel with a cool sticker on top, Braddock PA
Braddock Jr High out my window.
Mary and Liz hanging tough with their shades, 3am PA.
Mary sits for her portrait in Liz's living room.
Pittusburgh at night shot from MT. Washington.

         I left skatopia and headed through West Virginia. The landscape is truly beautiful, rolling hills with blossoming trees along the snaking river. The people on the other hand...what can I say? If you have heard stereotypes about this state believe it, from what I saw they are all based in some truths. I crossed the state line into Pennsylvania and was greeted with a light dusting of rain? No it's a bit heavier, hail? No, shit it's april 6th and it's snowing in Pittsburgh. Apparently, I was conceived in this state, thanks dad I didn't need to know that. I pulled into town and headed straight for Mt. Washington which overlooks the city. It was freezing I pulled out my tripod and shot a few frames of the city from the high vantage. I got off the Mt. and headed down in the city looking for some place to eat and have a beer. Google directed me to the top ten nightspots in this city. I settled on a place called The Squirrel Cage which claimed that it drew college students and locals as well. I was greeted by a friendly bar tender named Bill with a tweed cap and a rolled cigarette hanging from his lip.

"Tonight is Micro night"

"What's that"

"All micro brews are a dollar off"

" I'll have a Guinness" I said with a slight grin. I am a fan of the price slash but I needed something substantial to warm me from the cold.

I put down two beers and a bowl of Beef Vegetable soup. When I looked up there was a interesting looking girl taking a seat a few stools away. The guy next to me immediately started to chat her up. She was not biting. We had already exchanged a look, this guy didn't stand a chance. He finally got the hint and closed out his tab. I took a seat next to her and we had a good time. Turns out Liz is a glassblower and teaches some classes at the glass center in town. I knew this was a pretty small community so I started to drop some names from the glass department at SJSU where I went to college. Turns out she used to live in Aptos (just outside Santa Cruz) and we knew some of the same people. Small world. Liz offered me a place to crash on her floor which was really nice especially since The Cocoon would of been freezing. Frankie, her boyfriend was in Switzerland at a comic book convention. Long story short, we ran into one of her Students, Mary and convinced her to come over as well. Mary provided some good laughs and made the situation less awkward. Apparently, her brothers are in a "sword reenactment club" which was hilarious to hear her talk about at the time.

In the morning Liz put out of good spread consisting of coffee, OJ and a mushroom quiche which was really good. Then she took Mary and I down to the Glass center and gave us a tour of the facility. We meet some of the regulars and watched Liz get ready for a day full of cold work. She used the belt sander to smooth out a piece of glass which she gave to me. It looks like a bulls eye about 2.5 inch diameter. It is along for the ride now with a front row seat in The Cocoon. Mary and I left and headed to the Heinz Chapel. This place is non-denominational with really tall stained glass windows. On one side there is Thomas Jefferson, Newton, etc while the other is filled with prominent women such as Joan of Arc. Having a entire window(80 feet tall) celebrating women in the 1920's was quite progressive for the time. Then we headed over to the Cathedral for Learning which is owned by the university. The building is 42 stories high and houses the international rooms where students take classes. Each room is decorated in the style of the country which it represents. We rode the elevator to the 36Th floor and looked out over the city. The students lounged around the building glued to their laptops. I was a bit jealous, my campus looked nothing like this. I dropped Mary off at her house and thanked her for the tour.

I drove to the Homewood Cemetery and found the Patterson plot. My great grandparents William and Ossie are buried here. I made lunch and hung out with the kin for a bit. Then I drove to Wilkensburg where my father grew up and checked out the neighborhood. It is really run down now. I tried to find another cemetery where the other side of my family is buried. It was snowing really hard, I was driving around in circles and got really frustrated. I headed to Braddock which is a old steel town. This town used to be full of people and energy. The steel mills closed and most of the people moved. The mayor is trying to get the city going again by offering free where houses to artists. Yes, that is free dollars. So all you west coast artists who need space to work Braddock is your friend. It stopped snowing and I got out and walked around and shot some photos of all the abandoned buildings.

That night I went back to the Cage and meet Liz there. She felt like she should go back and let Bill know that the wandering traveler guy didn't slice her up. I meet some of her other friends and then I headed back to her floor. The following morning's breakfast was so damn good. Liz made some fried egg sandwiches with facon bacon, avocado, the works. It felt good to be spoiled I was stoked.

Pittsburgh is a really cool city which surprised me. There are lot's of artists and really cheap rent. This city really took care of me many thanks to Liz and Mary. Next stop FDR.