Won't You Be My Neighbor?

 Not only is this city known for the friendly neighbor icon, Mr. Rogers, but also you may have heard of their football/hockey/baseball teams! 

However, this isn't the neatest thing I found during my time in Pittsburgh. The city, nestled among three rivers boasts the most bridges of any city in the world, 446! Most of them are quite spectacular and are necessary for the city's transportation.

 I also found it pretty cool that many of the bridges downtown are that "Steelers gold" color that is so iconic for representing the city. The color pops against the buildings and makes for a gorgeous cityscape photo.

The history of steel and glass mills are evident in the architecture of the city buildings in which I also found gorgeous. I really felt, after visiting this city for a few days, it is highly overlooked for all the accomplishments Pittsburgh has achieved. This city of prideful and hard working people have made tremendous changes in American history. 

Once an industrial center in Northern America for its steel and plate glass production, Pittsburgh birthed the first ferris wheel, first commercial radio station broadcasting, Polio vaccine, first US public television station which paved the way for Mr. Rogers, first retractable dome and the birth of the ....  :-) emoticon smiley. 

I also learned, this city has a major art scene! I love all types of art and mostly the strange and cool handmade items. There are many galleries and museums around the city for any type of art flavor you would be willing to indulge. I checked out the Mattress Museum that was near where I was staying. It was made up of several small buildings around a block that were easy to get in and out of and find your way to the next stop. They were set up in "reclaimed" buildings that were used in a very neat way to present each piece. It really was neat how you were "in" the exhibit. 

the above photo is of a futuristic land that was all constructed of different materials and put together much like a small dollhouse would be. there were lights and movement and moss. i really fell in love with it!


to the left is a piece that reminded me something out of star trek. it was pretty cool how it was displayed in a dark section of a room (you can see it in the background of the above photos) it gave off this sort of a magical floating ambience, like i was walking through space. 











the picture right is of one of the more famous displays per Yelp! there are several mirrored rooms with lights, dots, etc. that inject you into the art. the mannequins were a bit creepy...!!









Another building was the artwork I was very eager to see. It was by an artist that took staples and yarn to the EXTREME. The (whole) three story building was absolutely covered in black yarn stapled to the floors/walls/ceilings. It was like you were all snuggled up in a bird's nest. 

 Objects from different stages in life and the black string tying everything together seemed to project a sadness, struggle, and loneliness- however, the dark mental space it projected on me did seem cozy...does that make me crazy? I am not sure what the thought was behind this idea, but it was my favorite! I was totally amazed by the amount of time it took to weave this yarn              around the space of the building.  


The children's museum, an Aviary and an Andy Warhol museum are also nearby...but I didn't get the chance to go. Defiantly will have them on my return list! There are also several little craft/handmade stores that feature items from area artists. (I love that stuff)

From the little bit of research I did when planning my trip, I found that Pittsburgh has a very hip, new and upcoming food scene. Now this was defiantly something that I wanted to experience. I watched a few youtube videos and read some articles I found on the web and Pinterest. I decided in my few days there I had a pretty good chance to check out some of the staples of the Pittsburgh palate. One of the first places I visited was the Primanti Bros to eat one of there best selling famous sandwiches. Now, I may go missing after saying this...but it wasn't really that great (to me). Looks amazing but it needed a bit more seasoning and a lot more burger. One place I went downtown to gorge my self was Meat & Potatoes. Holy Cow!! Make a reservation and go there hungry! The meal was amazing! Unfortunately I ate before even thinking about a picture. Look it up on Yelp! and read the reviews. So worth every guilty, sinful calorie. 

  One of the fun things I saw to do in early December was to take a stroll through the gingerbread house display. I left being so jealous of every kid that got to do this growing up! I have no idea why I never experienced making one of these creations, but these people are masters! The middle was set up like a town and had two trains going through tunnels around a huge Christmas tree. The houses were made by elementary school classes, families, individuals, churches and organizations. Was pretty cool to see all the types of candy and the things people think of to design their gingerbread creation. 

If Pittsburgh was never on your list of places to visit...put it on there! The warmer months seem to offer many more things to do outdoors (water tours, city tours, sporting events). Early December was bitter cold and windy and most of the touristy things were closed for the winter. So, won't you please...pack your bags and go experience a strange language featuring words unknown out of the city limits,  overdose on Heinz ketchup (the museum was pretty cool too!), catch a baseball game that has a perfect view of the cityscape, ride up Mt. Washington at sunset, eat tons of yummy food, and explore the city of bridges!