Comments for Here in the Pitts http://freetothepeople.wordpress.com There's no place like home Thu, 10 Sep 2009 06:10:17 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Gee, Twenty by Bill Bartmann_- http://freetothepeople.wordpress.com/2009/08/26/gee-twenty/#comment-140 Bill Bartmann_- Thu, 10 Sep 2009 06:10:17 +0000 http://freetothepeople.wordpress.com/?p=500#comment-140 This site rocks! This site rocks!

]]> Comment on Calling Oprah by J.R. Graff http://freetothepeople.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/calling-oprah/#comment-138 J.R. Graff Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:48:12 +0000 http://freetothepeople.wordpress.com/?p=498#comment-138 As someone raised in the South Hills, lived in downtown Pittsburgh for school (Point Park Univ.) and now living in Charlotte w/ family, I can't tell you how much I miss it. Weather - shmether! Seattle and New York get the grey skies and rain, too, so I don't want to hear it. The difference between NYers and Pittsburghers is that NYers actually open their newspapers and online listings to see what's new and what's happening based on personal preference of activity. Charlotte likes to think that it's progressive but is sadly mistaken since it's arts scene is rather tragic, the GLBT scene less-than-existent and those banks that moved here are failing; the city is now the 4th worst for Unemployment in the U.S. And yet, there are a ton of Pittsburghers here! They even have Steeler bars in Uptown Charlotte. My biggest piece of advise: DO NOT MOVE DOWN SOUTH! Stay in Pittsburgh and work with your communities to bring about change and more opportunities. More than likely, once my financial situation improves, I will be making the move BACK to the 'Burgh next spring - just in time to do that 1/2 Marathon. So to you pessimistic Pittsburghers - open the City Paper, the Thursday WeekendMAG of the Post-Gazette or go online! Having traveled to NY, S.F. and Atlanta, I can assure you, you're just as good, if not even better. As someone raised in the South Hills, lived in downtown Pittsburgh for school (Point Park Univ.) and now living in Charlotte w/ family, I can’t tell you how much I miss it. Weather – shmether! Seattle and New York get the grey skies and rain, too, so I don’t want to hear it. The difference between NYers and Pittsburghers is that NYers actually open their newspapers and online listings to see what’s new and what’s happening based on personal preference of activity.

Charlotte likes to think that it’s progressive but is sadly mistaken since it’s arts scene is rather tragic, the GLBT scene less-than-existent and those banks that moved here are failing; the city is now the 4th worst for Unemployment in the U.S. And yet, there are a ton of Pittsburghers here! They even have Steeler bars in Uptown Charlotte. My biggest piece of advise: DO NOT MOVE DOWN SOUTH! Stay in Pittsburgh and work with your communities to bring about change and more opportunities.

More than likely, once my financial situation improves, I will be making the move BACK to the ‘Burgh next spring – just in time to do that 1/2 Marathon.

So to you pessimistic Pittsburghers – open the City Paper, the Thursday WeekendMAG of the Post-Gazette or go online! Having traveled to NY, S.F. and Atlanta, I can assure you, you’re just as good, if not even better.

]]> Comment on Calling Oprah by Kim http://freetothepeople.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/calling-oprah/#comment-137 Kim Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:50:26 +0000 http://freetothepeople.wordpress.com/?p=498#comment-137 A friend just forwarded me a link to this blog after I posted a link to a 104 year old beautifully restored Victorian WITH central air in Pittsburgh listed for $100,000, on Facebook with a comment about how insanely cheap the real estate market seems now that I've lived in Austin for almost 5 years. (Imagine the sticker shock I had when I moved here after living in the 'burgh for 11 years). I now own a 5-year-old bungalow that is a hair bigger than the basement of the house I owned in Pittsburgh, and yes, paid twice as much for it. Your blog was spot on wrt the things I miss about Pittsburgh. There's also a ton of innovative stuff happening in Pittsburgh that Austinites could stand to learn from. What? Pittsburgh... more innovative than Austin? I blogged about it after returning from a visit in May - http://greenlightsnonprofit.wordpress.com/2009/05/12/learning-from-the-town-of-steel/. The only thing the 'burgh has going against it, honestly, is its weather. But then, that's why everything is so lush and green in Pittsburgh. Try having a vegetable garden in Austin when its 100+ degrees for over two months, and there's no rain. A friend just forwarded me a link to this blog after I posted a link to a 104 year old beautifully restored Victorian WITH central air in Pittsburgh listed for $100,000, on Facebook with a comment about how insanely cheap the real estate market seems now that I’ve lived in Austin for almost 5 years. (Imagine the sticker shock I had when I moved here after living in the ‘burgh for 11 years). I now own a 5-year-old bungalow that is a hair bigger than the basement of the house I owned in Pittsburgh, and yes, paid twice as much for it.

Your blog was spot on wrt the things I miss about Pittsburgh. There’s also a ton of innovative stuff happening in Pittsburgh that Austinites could stand to learn from. What? Pittsburgh… more innovative than Austin? I blogged about it after returning from a visit in May – http://greenlightsnonprofit.wordpress.com/2009/05/12/learning-from-the-town-of-steel/.

The only thing the ‘burgh has going against it, honestly, is its weather. But then, that’s why everything is so lush and green in Pittsburgh. Try having a vegetable garden in Austin when its 100+ degrees for over two months, and there’s no rain.

]]> Comment on Calling Oprah by Sofa King http://freetothepeople.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/calling-oprah/#comment-136 Sofa King Fri, 28 Aug 2009 20:18:47 +0000 http://freetothepeople.wordpress.com/?p=498#comment-136 ...20 something former Pittsburghers, that is... …20 something former Pittsburghers, that is…

]]> Comment on Calling Oprah by Sofa King http://freetothepeople.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/calling-oprah/#comment-135 Sofa King Fri, 28 Aug 2009 20:17:43 +0000 http://freetothepeople.wordpress.com/?p=498#comment-135 Great post...I couldn't agree with you more. Earlier this year, when I was still living in DC (E--I totally agree, DC sucks on so many levels), I sent an email to the PG's Diaspora Report echoing much of the same sentiment. By the time it went to press, much of the sentiment was lost and the reporter largely missed the point, but nevertheless... I just moved back to Pittsburgh 4 months ago, and just bought a house in Mt. Lebanon in July. I've been all over the country, and I can't imagine a much better place to live...especially given the cost of living. The house I bought for under $200k here would've easily gone for close to a million in the DC suburbs. While in DC, I met a lot of folks from other cities who had nothing but good to say about the city, and a lot of young 20-somethings who had a hard time saying anything good. The funny thing was, you'd run into those 20-somethings a few years down the road, and nearly all of them were trying to move back. I guess the grass isn't always greener... Great post…I couldn’t agree with you more. Earlier this year, when I was still living in DC (E–I totally agree, DC sucks on so many levels), I sent an email to the PG’s Diaspora Report echoing much of the same sentiment. By the time it went to press, much of the sentiment was lost and the reporter largely missed the point, but nevertheless…

I just moved back to Pittsburgh 4 months ago, and just bought a house in Mt. Lebanon in July. I’ve been all over the country, and I can’t imagine a much better place to live…especially given the cost of living. The house I bought for under $200k here would’ve easily gone for close to a million in the DC suburbs.

While in DC, I met a lot of folks from other cities who had nothing but good to say about the city, and a lot of young 20-somethings who had a hard time saying anything good. The funny thing was, you’d run into those 20-somethings a few years down the road, and nearly all of them were trying to move back. I guess the grass isn’t always greener…

]]> Comment on Calling Oprah by Dorothee http://freetothepeople.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/calling-oprah/#comment-134 Dorothee Thu, 27 Aug 2009 00:22:24 +0000 http://freetothepeople.wordpress.com/?p=498#comment-134 @E - I appreciate your input about the good things in Austin, and I know there are a whole lot of people there that agree with you. It just wasn't my kind of place. I want to buy groceries at the grocery store, and hear live music at a concert. And maybe if I were more inclined to party with <i>anyone</i>, let alone the best people on earth, I would have never wanted to leave Austin. But I'm a Pittsburgh kind of girl, albeit one with some pretty great memories of breakfast tacos! Oh, and the best ones are at Mi Madre's! @Melanie Evankovich - I love the Gypsy Cafe and am so glad you stopped by to visit me here. You and I already know what hopefully more people are learning - that there's so much more to Pittsburgh than meets the eye, and it can give you everything you want in a home. @E – I appreciate your input about the good things in Austin, and I know there are a whole lot of people there that agree with you. It just wasn’t my kind of place. I want to buy groceries at the grocery store, and hear live music at a concert. And maybe if I were more inclined to party with anyone, let alone the best people on earth, I would have never wanted to leave Austin. But I’m a Pittsburgh kind of girl, albeit one with some pretty great memories of breakfast tacos! Oh, and the best ones are at Mi Madre’s!

@Melanie Evankovich – I love the Gypsy Cafe and am so glad you stopped by to visit me here. You and I already know what hopefully more people are learning – that there’s so much more to Pittsburgh than meets the eye, and it can give you everything you want in a home.

]]> Comment on Calling Oprah by Melanie Evankovich http://freetothepeople.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/calling-oprah/#comment-133 Melanie Evankovich Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:23:46 +0000 http://freetothepeople.wordpress.com/?p=498#comment-133 I own a small restaurant that is occasionally accused of being hip. We seem to get a lot of folks like you in here--I am often told that our place reminds out-of-towners of (insert homey little cafe in your fave city here). I say to them what I will say to you. Welcome home. We missed you, and Pittsburgh needs you. Thanks for your fresh eyes! Melanie I own a small restaurant that is occasionally accused of being hip. We seem to get a lot of folks like you in here–I am often told that our place reminds out-of-towners of (insert homey little cafe in your fave city here). I say to them what I will say to you. Welcome home. We missed you, and Pittsburgh needs you.

Thanks for your fresh eyes!

Melanie

]]> Comment on Calling Oprah by jopa http://freetothepeople.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/calling-oprah/#comment-132 jopa Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:27:23 +0000 http://freetothepeople.wordpress.com/?p=498#comment-132 Wife and I moved to Pittsburgh from Boston twenty two years ago. We got the exact same reaction. Maybe Pittsburghers just don't pay attention. We have bike/running trails to rival Boston, a mellower vibe, cheaper housing, a cool East End and just about as many college students as they do. We have raised two kids here and have no regrets... Wife and I moved to Pittsburgh from Boston twenty two years ago. We got the exact same reaction.

Maybe Pittsburghers just don’t pay attention. We have bike/running trails to rival Boston, a mellower vibe, cheaper housing, a cool East End and just about as many college students as they do.

We have raised two kids here and have no regrets…

]]> Comment on Calling Oprah by E http://freetothepeople.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/calling-oprah/#comment-131 E Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:39:36 +0000 http://freetothepeople.wordpress.com/?p=498#comment-131 I agree that The Burgh is one of the best places on earth, but I also think that Austin is too. Having lived in both places, I can honestly say that Austin is a truly wonderful city for so many reasons. So what if you can't buy pumpkins and the leaves don't change. You can swim in Barton Springs in January, eat breakfast tacos at Guero's, watch live music at the grocery store (and don't forget about SXSW even if it *was* better 15 years ago), buy art at Yard Dog, watch the crazy TX legislature do their "work" at 3am, and party with some of the best people on earth. Each city fed my soul in different ways and I would never speak ill of Austin, Texas. I now live in DC and there are too many ways to talk about how ill this place is!!! I agree that The Burgh is one of the best places on earth, but I also think that Austin is too. Having lived in both places, I can honestly say that Austin is a truly wonderful city for so many reasons. So what if you can’t buy pumpkins and the leaves don’t change. You can swim in Barton Springs in January, eat breakfast tacos at Guero’s, watch live music at the grocery store (and don’t forget about SXSW even if it *was* better 15 years ago), buy art at Yard Dog, watch the crazy TX legislature do their “work” at 3am, and party with some of the best people on earth. Each city fed my soul in different ways and I would never speak ill of Austin, Texas. I now live in DC and there are too many ways to talk about how ill this place is!!!

]]> Comment on Pro-choice by Magnus Patris http://freetothepeople.wordpress.com/2009/06/21/pro-choice/#comment-129 Magnus Patris Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:24:59 +0000 http://freetothepeople.wordpress.com/?p=493#comment-129 Welcome back! I can't believe I missed your return. I agree with you totally. As I tell everyone, you don't really appreciate Pittsburgh until you leave and come back. I lived in Northern Virginia (the land of gridlock and humidity) for over 20 years; going down as a "just-out-of-college, I'm-gonna-rule-the-world-making-$20k" boy who couldn't wait to get out of the 'Burgh. After getting married, having kids, having a plane fly into the building you work in, you start thinking about things like, why do I think this place is so great? My wife (a Virginia girl) was the one who forced the move back and we haven't regretted it for a moment. What do I miss about NoVA/DC? Buying beer in the grocery store, the best gyro ever and nothing else. Welcome home! Welcome back! I can’t believe I missed your return. I agree with you totally. As I tell everyone, you don’t really appreciate Pittsburgh until you leave and come back. I lived in Northern Virginia (the land of gridlock and humidity) for over 20 years; going down as a “just-out-of-college, I’m-gonna-rule-the-world-making-$20k” boy who couldn’t wait to get out of the ‘Burgh. After getting married, having kids, having a plane fly into the building you work in, you start thinking about things like, why do I think this place is so great?

My wife (a Virginia girl) was the one who forced the move back and we haven’t regretted it for a moment. What do I miss about NoVA/DC? Buying beer in the grocery store, the best gyro ever and nothing else.

Welcome home!

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