So You're Moving to Pittsburgh?

I've been thinking about this post for awhile, of things I wish I was told and things I found to be helpful when I first moved downtown and sharing all of that. If you are finding yourself getting ready to move or possibly just now getting there, here are some tips about how to adjust to city-life. And while I'm focusing on Pittsburgh, I'm sure some of these can be used for various other locations.

Know Where You're Moving

This is a "before" moving thought, but when you are looking at places, know what kind of neighborhoods they are in and what the area around them is like. While Pittsburghers are pretty similar at the core, the outside and how they like to live is widely different. If you're going to move to Homestead, you're probably not the same kind of person who would move to the Southside. Know the area and if you can actually see yourself there. If you cannot physically get the the neighborhood to see the place you'll be moving to, at the very least look up the address on Google maps and get a street view. If you're someone who wants to go out at night to do things and still feel safe, make sure the area is a place where that is possible. If you have little kids, you might not want to be in a place with a nightlife scene. I'd highly advise you to spend the day and/or night exploring in the area you want to move to and see if you can really fit there if you can, before selecting a space you might be stuck with.

Figure Out Public Transit

Whether or not you're moving to Pittsburgh with or without a car, at some point you will probably use public transit, so figure it out before you have to. You don't want to be stuck one day because your car won't start and you're late for work because you don't know what bus can get you there. T and incline schedules are pretty easy to figure out but unless you have a PhD in graphing calculations or know the system well, a bus schedule will confuse the pants off of you. And while I feel like an advertiser for Google now that this is the second time I mentioned it, just use Google maps/directions for a bus schedule. Also, get a Connect Card, because cash machines in the city are on their way out and if you're not a regular public transit user, you're going to want one so you don't have to buy a pass.

Get A Bike

I highly suggest this if you are without a car, you have the space to store it, and if you are in one of the awkward parts of Pittsburgh where public transit is limited. You need to be able to get places and the bike culture of Pittsburgh is becoming much more accessible thanks to BikePGH. Just please be careful and follow the "ways of the road" because Pittsburgh drivers are still Pittsburgh drivers and you might be over the age of twelve, but you still need to wear a helmet and have a light, and preferably a bell on your bike so everyone else can see and hear you coming by them. Be considerate of pedestrians and drivers and they will be considerate of you.

Consider Investing In A Zipcar Account

I know I'm talking a lot about transportation here, but it's because it's super important and because getting a Zipcar account was probably the best decision I ever made after moving to the city. If you have a car, you can skip over this part, otherwise, hear me out. There will be days when you want to go to an event or see a friend outside of the city and there will be no other way to get there without driving yourself. And because it's smart to live in Pittsburgh without one that you own, because you'll save on gas, parking and insurance, you'll want something every now and then that is reliable and that you can pretty much customize to your lifestyle. They offer different kinds of accounts based on how much you'll use a car, they have different damage fee waivers if you're in an accident, and are very reasonably priced, and you do not pay for gas. There are only a few simple rules about being a Zipcar member and they have a VERY helpful customer service staff if you ever need to call them. I could not recommend this company enough and they are getting better and bigger in Pittsburgh. 

Explore

Take the time to get lost on a day where you have nothing else to do, whether it's by foot or on the bus. I very literally did this throughout my entire first week of moving downtown. Each day I walked around parts of downtown, going on a different route every time, just to see how to get around different areas and where certain things are located. Granted, during the first couple days I panicked a few times because I seriously thought I was lost for good, and an earthquake happened while I was out the one day, but by the end of the week, I had it all figured out. What alleys lead to major roads, where the shortcuts through buildings are and how to avoid rain/snow for a walk to campus based on who has the best coverage over their sidewalks. Trust me, when I was later on crutches because of ACL surgery, I was very thankful for my week of exploring because I was able to very safely get to and from school, my apartment, work and physical therapy, because I very much mapped out my territory and where the safest ways to go would be. 

Take Time To Find Your Favorites

This goes along with exploring too, but don't take Pittsburgh for granted. There is so much around to be explored. Take the time to really check out the restaurants, shops and bars around you until you declare one your favorite. And while I'm very guilty of just running across the street from my apartment to get Subway real quick on multiple occasions, it was certainly not my favorite sandwich place downtown. It took me a couple months to settle on my favorite places downtown to meet friends for drinks, get pizza or gyros, order Chinese and Thai, sit and sip coffee, or which shops I knew I could find exactly what I'd want for great accessories or greeting cards (because if you know me, I'm picky about my cards haha). But seriously, take your time with this one, because when your 'out of town' friends come to visit, you'll want to show them the best your area has to offer, not just another Panera. Though I do love Panera.

Enjoy It

Pittsburgh is a unique place to be and this is a great time to be there. So much is transforming, we're being recognized for sports and entertainment, health care and education, and this is certainly not the smokey city that it once was and is becoming more energy-efficient and "green" everyday. Enjoy your time living in the 'burgh!

Although products, services, and places were mentioned, all opinions are my own.

Why I Blog

Blogging on my new Mac at McDonald's with a hot fudge sundae ... oh, yeah.

I've been thinking about writing this post for a while now. Mostly because I think about this on a daily basis. Blogging has, maybe this is too obvious to mention, but it's become a bit more challenging now that I have moved an hour away from the city. Although I have kept up with posting and actually have been posting more since I graduated. Since I'm not there to experience different things everyday, it's become harder and harder to find things that are actually in this  blog's "genre." Which is Pittsburgh, if you haven't caught on to that yet.

I started this blog because when I first move into downtown Pittsburgh, I heard A LOT of negative feedback about my choice. Now, I'm not one to sway to other people's judgements of how I live my life, so this didn't bother me too much, but it did weigh on my mind. Living IN Pittsburgh, especially living downtown, was always a dream for me. I grew up an hour north of the city, went to college an hour south of it and really just knew it was fate when I was accepted to Duquesne and Point Park for grad school, because both are downtown in the city I adore. So when I made the move and then heard the not so positive feedback, I knew I had to do something.

That something first, was to live up every moment I was there, but quickly became this blog. Chels & the City was made to catalog my adventures of seeing new art, enjoying a city I have grown up loving, finding new places to eat and to really just show off all the good that comes with living in Pittsburgh. All the fun places to go, interesting people to meet, and just things in general to do. I really love this city.

Which (and I'm sure this goes without saying too) I miss it more than I ever thought possible. How could someone miss a place so much? But I do. I miss the daily wake up call of pigeons on my windowsill and traffic below my building. I miss my huge windows and space of my own. I miss the ability to walk out the door and have everything I need within a short walking distance. I miss stopping into a gallery opening or boutique on my way to a class or a restaurant I've never been to before. I miss working at tourist attractions and listening to people talk about the little things they are slowing learning about our great city. I miss the fountains, the rivers, the bridges and the buildings, new and old. I miss seeing fireworks reflecting off of those buildings out my window every time the Pirates score and the sound of "HEATHHHHHH" coming across the river when the Steelers' Heath Miller makes another impossible catch. I miss the starless sky and the way my heels sound when I walk on different kinds of cement all throughout downtown. Mostly, I just miss being there and knowing from morning to night, I made a dream come true.

And that is why I blog. Growing up being that kid who likes to write, I was always told if you're going to write about something, it should be something you love, something you know well and want to continue a "relationship" with. My "relationship" with Pittsburgh is something I love, something I know well and something I will continue to love and continue to get excited about. So if you start seeing a little more of the Chels side than you do the City for a little bit, just know that soon enough we'll be back together. Woof, this is starting to sound like a cheesy romance novel. Anyway, while I might not be there now, I plan to get back there soon and I plan to continue this blog. So if there is something you're planning and want me to review, let me know. If there is someone awesome in the city doing something you think is really great and deserves attention, send me an email. I'll try my best to get to any events around the 'burgh and certainly to interview people who are making the city an even greater place to be.

I really do love blogging and I love the community, in and out of Pittsburgh, that I've built so far, so let's keep this thing going! Let's continue to show why Pittsburgh is an amazing place to live and play! One of my goals for this year is to make this blog grow like mad, so if you've got an idea, an event, a friend, whatever, that you think needs a mention, let's talk about it. Sorry this post got on the lengthy side, but I'm proud of you if you made it to the end. Which is right here.

Goodbye 7000B

Now that I am no longer living in the previously mentioned "perfect apartment" I feel like I can talk about it, without, you know, feeling like a stalker might come and find me. Paranoia is real you guys. Said apartment was located in Penn Commons, right in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh, and I loved it.

Closet and bed area of my room

To be honest, leading up to me moving in there two years ago, I was nervous as hell. On their website, as you'd be able to easily find out, they have no closets, all of the apartments are shared and they only rent to students. I knew for one, it was going to be hard for me to live without a closet; but also that I really wanted my own space and not feel like I was a child. Well. The no closet business, I got over pretty easily, as you can see what I did instead. However, this is definitely a place for students.

While I knew that this was considered "student housing" before moving in, I didn't realize and wasn't told about some of the strict rules surrounding alcohol and visitation, which if you're interested in those rules, feel free to let me know and I'll let you in on it all. However, despite the rules, this place was still amazing. Management actually cared and knew each tenant, maintenance was fast and very knowledgeable and helpful and the 24-hour security seemed to genuinely care about our well-being. The lead security guard will forever remind me of Ice-T so trust me, you're safe.

My "last" Pittsburgh weekend

I am one for the (over) dramatics. If you didn't know that by now. But as I have hinted at recently on Facebook and Twitter, I am moving soon. My lease (which I have held for two years now) is over on the 31st. And since this building only rents to students and I am no longer, I am giving up this prime location in downtown and moving back in with my parents to save up some money while I start my career. I haven't lived with my parents for longer than a week since I moved out six years ago to start my undergrad at Seton Hill...wow.

Since my brother is graduating with his master's degree on Friday, I plan to be out of here on Thursday so we can just enjoy his day. So this past weekend was my "last" Pittsburgh weekend. And it was fantastic! Thankfully, I had off everyday this weekend so I could really enjoy it, too! (I say last in quotations by the way, because it is silly to say I'll never be back, my parents do not live far from Pittsburgh and yes, I still plan on keeping up with blogging since I will be back fairly often.)

Here's a look at what happened during this wonderful weekend:

Friday - My beautiful friend Heather and I headed to Station Square for a late dinner and drinks to kick off the weekend! We stopped at Houlihan's first for yummy pulled pork sliders and fries and half prices mojitos. Then we realized we were the only locals and the only people under 30, so we headed to a "lesser known" place that is technically called Dirty Hairy's but that everyone really calls Ref's (is it's old name). Which is much more local bar scene and one of our favorite places.

Neapolitan style restaurant in Market Square.

Saturday - Sleeping in for the first time in months (!!!!!!!) and then MJ surprised me by sending me on a mini- scavenger hunt to figure out where we were going to have dinner. Which I assumed from the start was Il Pizzaiolo, a new restaurant in Market Square, where his friend Spencer works. You can bet your bottom dollar that you will soon see a review about this place because it was fabulous! Then we just soaked in each others awesomeness (10 points if you can name the movie I stole that line from) and walked around downtown for a bit, and hung out in my apartment talking for awhile. And then we took a drive around town until we decided we were hungry again and of course, agreed on Eat 'n Park's midnight breakfast buffet in Squirrel Hill.

Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community - logo on one of the church's windows.

Sunday - Eric and I went to church at Hot Metal, as usual. It was PACKED since it was the first week for summer service, meaning only one service per Sunday, instead of the usual two. So many people that it was standing room only. And I was sad that this will be our last service there for awhile, since this church is just indescribably awesome. Afterwards though, we went out for lunch in Aspinwall to use our Chili's gift cards and saw a flea market, so we stopped there on our way back into the city and found some great deals, even though most people were packing up by the time we got there. Eric and I both snagged some vinyl and I also got a great vintage purse and two bracelets.

My flea market finds - vintage purse, Queen Elizabeth coin bracelet, wooden beads bracelet, Frank Sinatra record.

Monday - Appreciation of the freedom we have thanks to those who served and continue to serve our beautiful country and the packing of my apartment went into overdrive and mostly everything is packed up and sorted by now.

I plan on tackling the last bits of my room and the kitchen today, and I should be all done. And later tonight, I am heading to the South Side for dinner with a couple friends and to see Eric perform at an open mic night...the adventure just never stops in the city.

To the Wonder at Harris Theater

Living downtown, everything (except a grocery store) is at my fingertips. Which I love. I will never be able to explain how much I love living downtown. Anyway, I have been hard at work trying to find a job, get to graduation, and design the new Pioneer Magazine. So after all of my magazine spreads were turned in on Monday, I craved some alone time in some place other than my apartment. What better than to treat myself to a movie with subtitles?

This was my first time at the Harris Theater and I have to say, I was impressed. The Harris Theater is just a little baby theater, seating about 200 people. It is a part of the Cultural Trust, is run by Pittsburgh Filmmakers, is the only downtown movie theater, and is open every day of the week. So for being such a little guy, it's doing big things. Also, for those of you who complain about movies being too expensive and blah blah blah, the Harris is not only cheaper than the big movie theaters for tickets, but their concessions are also priced much cheaper than big theaters. My large Diet Coke and box of Cookie Dough Bites came to $3. Thanks for being fair, Harris Theater.

Harris Theater - lovely old marquee!

I sat in the balcony, which made the "me time" even better because no one else sat up there and I was at eye level with the screen. To the Wonder is a film staring Ben Affleck, Olga Kurylenko, Rachel McAdams, and Javier Bardem, and is about love. Love of self, of a partner, an old flame, of God, home, life, etc. It was beautiful. It felt very indie, with atypical camera angles, extreme close ups and super soft lighting. But the storyline was gorgeous.

Ben Affleck plays Neil, who travels to Europe and meets and falls in love with Marina (Olga Kurylenko) and he convinces her, and her ten year old daughter to move with him to America where he is an environmental inspector. In the beginning, like all love stories, everything is perfect. But life begins to "get in the way." Marina turns to Father Quintana (Javier Bardem) for guidance, even though he is struggling with his faith and being able to find the joy in life as well. Eventually, Marina and her daughter return to Paris because of their expired visas, which is when Neil runs into Jane, (Rachel McAdams) his former girlfriend and falls in love with her again. But I'll let you figure out for yourself what happens after that.

Photo Credit

Now, while Olga is really the female lead in this movie and she was amazing and plays a free-spirit perfectly; my girl, Rachel steals the whole thing. She embodies all that is feminine and powerful. She really makes this movie. And though this probably was her most quiet role, she is flawless and beautiful. Not to mention, every outfit she wore, I want in my closet.

Overall, the experience was perfect. The film gave me some perspective on things and the Harris Theater is so charming, and such a wonderful gem for downtown. It was just what I needed to clear out my mind after working so hard on those magazine spreads. I really encourage you to check out this location, whether or not it's for To the Wonder, they do have a few other good looking films coming up that you could see instead if subtitles aren't your thing. :)

Living Pretty in the City

 This is a partnered post but all opinions are my own.

 

As you have probably figured out, I am in love with Pittsburgh. More so now that I live here too. I am living the dream here, although that is probably the most cheesy statement I have ever made. So when I was approached to talk about why people should follow the trend and move to Pittsburgh, I was more than happy to say yes.

Personally, I am living downtown, which is right for me at this time, but I know not right for everyone. But that's the great thing about Pittsburgh, each one of the many neighborhoods has it's own style and vibe to it, so anywhere here can easily become home for you. A way to find out which one would fit you best would be to visit, talk to the locals and actually spend the day in the neighborhood but I understand if you don't have that kind of time. An easy way to find out where you might fit best is through Pittsburgh City Living, and their Neighborhood Match. For me it was very accurate, and listed downtown, South Side and Lawrenceville as places where I would probably be the most interested in living. Spot on. Those are the three areas I am looking at for my next apartment and that is based on really knowing the areas, so if you're thinking of moving here, the match can be helpful.

See this infographic larger, in detail at Heartland Homes.

Although the suburb areas around Pittsburgh have a consistent growth, more people have been coming to live in the city as well. WQED recently aired a special about how growth in the city has been going. This interest in moving to the city is focused on young adults ages 20-29 who are coming to Pittsburgh for proximity to work, livability, and entertainment. For me, those are all the top reasons as well. Proximity to work and school was the reason I moved downtown after deciding on going to Point Park for my master's degree. It is convenient to be able to walk to work, school, shops and restaurants. Just imagine what it's like to not have to worry about parking or traffic. Sigh. So wonderful.

Entertainment is obvious in this city, whether you're a sports fan, music or history buff, theater lover, club hopper, outdoor adventurer, shopaholic...the list goes on, you will not tire of what this city has to offer. And as for livability has become known as the cost of living, variety of living and cultural opportunities and crime rate, and Pittsburgh has been rated the 2nd most livable city in the United States (30th in the world) for a few years running. (That's a big deal, you should live here!)

And I know some of you Debbie-Downers might be saying that this is all nice but that Pittsburgh comes with a high price tag. Well, Debbie's, any place this fabulous should, but Pittsburgh is actually below average in price. The average Pittsburgh home is $162,000 which is below the national average of $264,540 and apartments average at about $789 per month as opposed to the average of $1,087 elsewhere. (And for the record, I have seen great places for far less than that average too.)

But trust me, wherever you live in this city, the experience of living in the "no longer sleepy steel city" will be more than worth what you pay for it. This place is an experience in itself, live here and you'll understand what you've been missing out on and what you can look forward to. This is an exciting time to be living in Pittsburgh. The city is going through a beautiful Renaissance and I, like many other locals encourage you to join in on what we already know. Pittsburgh is the place to be.