Vol. 27, No. 1
The History Center highlights a century of art donated to city schools
Questions of quality, skill or reputation do not really enter into this show
By Charles Rosenblum
Notable art as activism in 2016 Pittsburgh
From Ai Weiwei to Vanessa German, galleries resounded with political messages
By Nadine Wasserman
Reflecting on the past year in Pittsburgh, the heartache, the broken promises and the traffic
What better way to move into 2017 than to use humor to recap a year that made us all die a little inside
By CP Staff
Weird Pittsburgh: Go fine yourself, Thou shalt not wrestle a girl and the Ballad of Crusty Owens
By Nick Keppler
This year sucked, but there were plenty of good drinks to ease the pain
Drinkers in Pittsburgh have never had better options
By Drew Cranisky
2009 Primitivo, Zypora Vineyards, Sierra Foothills, California
Price: $18/bottle
Pittsburgh City Paper Booze Battles: Butterjoint and Dish Osteria
Black Manhattan
By Celine Roberts
Mount Lebanon’s Block 292 combines well-curated market, butcher shop and fine-dining establishment
It’s a top-notch destination for sophisticated yet uncomplicated food suitable to a date, a family dinner or a celebration
By Angelique Bamberg and Jason Roth
Dugout Deli in Mount Washington offers sandwiches with ample amounts of meat
“You’re not just getting a sandwich. You’re basically getting a whole meal.”
By Rebecca Addison
Kielbasa
“For anyone who thinks sausage-making is mysterious and difficult, you will be surprised, with the possible exception of firing up the grill in winter, how easy it is.”
Part Five: The agony and the ecstasy of Pittsburgh Brewing Company, brewers of Iron City Beer
The Lawrenceville brewery goes dark, and untold relics of city history are sold off.
Eight notable titles by local authors this year
These books spanned poetry and comics, fiction and nonfiction
By Bill O'Driscoll
Solemn Pittsburgh Aubade
By Cameron Barnett
City Paper writers look back at music in 2016
The best (or at least most memorable) things we saw and heard this year
As Jack Swing, Pittsburgh musician Isaiah Ross heads out on his own
“I realized I was in that low space and I wanted to fight back and fight through it with my music.”
By Lauren Rearick
Critics’ Picks, Dec. 29-Jan. 4
Devon Goods, Rock Against Trump, and parties at Belvederes, Umami and Spirit
By Meg Fair
Rocky Bleier in The Play at Pittsburgh Public Theater
It’s difficult to imagine a more engaging, comfortable presence than Bleier’s
By Ted Hoover
Seven transportive Pittsburgh dance programs of 2016
From classic ballet to house-music-inspired work, these productions took us elsewhere
By Steve Sucato
Notable ensemble productions on Pittsburgh stages in 2016
Six shows that made the most of big casts
By Michelle Pilecki
Fences
Director and star Denzel Washington does justice to August Wilson’s play
Passengers
Morten Tyldum’s film is a mish-mash of genres and premised on a creepy plot point
By Al Hoff
Assassin’s Creed
Justin Kurzel’s adaptation of the video games wastes a lot of good actors on nonsense
Film Kitchen: The monthly film and video series for local and independent artists
An unusual, semi-cinematic performance highlights this edition
Why Him?
John Hamburg’s R-rated comedy shuffles out a tired premise and hangs it with a slew of witless gags
Pittsburgh sports-media personalities share their best sports moments of 2016
James Conner’s “first touchdown of the season was the moment of the year.”
By Stacy Kauffman
Looking back at some of the best City Paper sports stories of 2016.
“I would never sacrifice a beer for a ball.”
By Charlie Deitch
Besties and Worsties: Mike Wysocki’s year-end Pittsburgh sports awards
The city of Cleveland came within a game of being called the City of Champions
By Mike Wysocki
The re-emergence of Penn State’s football program is still hard to watch
There just aren’t enough roses to cover the smell of what happened at Penn State in 2011
Savage Love
By Dan Savage
Lynn Cullen Live 12/27/16
Audio & Video Archive
Lynn Cullen Live 12/28/16
Short List: Dec. 28 - Jan. 3
Comedian Terry Jones’ CD release; Holidays at the Frick; Highmark First Night Pittsburgh; The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
By Mars Johnson
Pittsburgh’s street trees are free upon request. So why do they often go to the city’s wealthiest residents?
By James Paul
Sophie Masloff seldom talked about her childhood. Were seedy family ties the reason?
By David S. Rotenstein
Mrs. Soffel was a cougar who might still haunt The Shiloh Gastro, pining for her Biddle brothers boy toy
By Rachel Wilkinson
The cassette-tape comeback has reached Pittsburgh's record stores
By Ethan Beck
