Why a small item in Gov. Wolf’s budget proposal is a big deal for Pennsylvania public transit
For years, public transit has competed with state police for funding; the governor wants to end that.
As One brings the story of a transgender person to opera
AS ONE Feb. 18-26. Pittsburgh Opera headquarters, 2425 Liberty Ave., Strip District. $45-50. 412-456-6666 or pittsburghopera.org Composer Laura Kaminsky recalls a newspaper article she read about a New Jersey man who was transitioning to female — and who faced losing his marriage unless marriage equality was legalized in that state. “Oh my god, this is…
Lynn Cullen Live 02/14/17
Video Archive You can listen to the audio archive here. Flynn resigns. Trump hosts open air meeting with Japan’s PM. Omarosa’s dossier on a reporter. August Wilson’s last play popular on Broadway. Audio Only Archive Listen to the Audio Archives on with our new Apple and Android Apps or the computer audio player.
MP3 Monday: The Long Hunt
Okay, people who like minimalist post-rock, sludge, drone metal and repetition, The Long Hunt’s debut is going to make you happy. Wilderness Tales is built on sparse guitar lines on the surface, but anyone who’s spent any time with Earth or Sleep or OM will recognize the heavier — if less distorted — nuances in each…
Lynn Cullen Live 02/13/17
Video Archive You can listen to the audio archive here. Trump strangely quiet after SNL. Man gets roasted in his obituary. Putin in the situation room. Refugees are escaping the U.S. over the Canadian border. Local harassment of black Uniontown basketball players. Audio Only Archive Listen to the Audio Archives on with our new Apple…
The Bitter Truth
Most alcohols started out life as medicines peddled as cures for common ailments. Today, we have a robust bar culture that uses them as cheer-giving intoxicants. Bitters are one herbal tincture that made the switch from service to swilling. This week, we’re exploring the history of bitters with Wigle Whiskey’s Jill Steiner.
Professional wrestler Adam Cole on Ring of Honor’s return to Pittsburgh with Steel City Excellence
Ring of Honor Wrestling invades Stage AE this Saturday
What’s a sneckdown and what does it teach us about Pittsburgh road design?
Bike/pedestrian advocates say the snow that falls on roads showcases how much asphalt is unused by cars.
CP Podcast: Don’t Blake My Heart
CP advertising executive Blake Lewis dishes on dating, sex and apps as a 27-year old in 2017. In part two, Blake will go on a first date — during the podcast.
Sex research can yield unexpected answers
Carnegie Mellon University Sex Study Seeks Participants Participate in a survey on sex (or lack thereof) in long-term relationships conducted by CMU researcher George Loewenstein. Participants must be 18 or older. Here’s a shortened link to the survey: bit.ly/2kxazNo When the sex isn’t what you expect, it’s sometimes a nice surprise. But surprises might be…
Film Kitchen monthly films series returns with horror film ‘Don’t Let the Devil In’
This month, the series detours from featuring local artists to screen Don’t Let the Devil In, a new feature-length horror film by nationally known micro-budget filmmaker Courtney Fathom Sell. In the wake of a miscarriage, a Manhattan businessman and his wife move to rural Maryland, where he’ll oversee construction of a casino. But the locals’…
The boilermaker lives on
Despite what some local old-timers might preach from atop their barstools, Pittsburgh did not invent the boilermaker. In fact, it’s highly unlikely that the simple idea of pairing a spirit and a beer even originated in America. Scots have long enjoyed the hauf ’n’ hauf (a nip of whiskey chased by a half-pint of beer);…
Pittsburgh Left: Why do we love overusing the word love
As you begin flipping through the next few pages, you’re bound to run into City Paper’s 2017 Love and Sex features. As we were putting the finishing touches on it, I realized that, much like the brain of a 16-year-old boy, it’s mostly filled with stuff about sex. Now don’t get me wrong — it’s…
For Pittsburgh dominatrix Aiden Sin Flame, dominance is good business
Aiden Sin Flame didn’t set out to be a career dominatrix six years ago; it actually happened by chance. “Initially, I was on a fetish site that was similar to FetLife [a social-networking site for those into fetishes],” Flame says. “I saw girls, their profile was basically an ad where they were charging for [camera]…
Savage Love
Last week, I spoke at the Wilbur Theater in Boston and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y. Audience members submitted their questions on tiny cards before the show, allowing them to remain anonymous while forcing them to be succinct. Here are some of the questions I didn’t have time to get to at both…
Pilobolus returns with its acclaimed Shadowland
SHADOWLAND 8 p.m. Fri., Feb. 10, and 8 p.m. Sat., Feb. 11. Byham Theater, 101 Sixth St., Downtown. $10-60. 412-456-6666 or trustarts.org Popular dance troupe Pilobolus returns to Pittsburgh for two performances of its internationally acclaimed theatrical production Shadowland, Feb. 10 and 11 at the Byham Theater. This stop on the troupe’s nationwide tour —…
Pittsburgh offers several resources for sex workers, but the industry’s stigma keeps many from accessing them
Last May, while many were caught up in the presidential election, Amnesty International published a call for the decriminalization of sex work. The group joined other international organizations, like the United Nations and the World Health Organization, who have been working to raise awareness about the impact decriminalizing sex work would have on issues like…
Short List: Feb. 8-16
SPOTLIGHT: Thu., Feb. 9 — Stage John Henry was a legend — and he was also a real person. So contends Scott Reynolds Nelson in his 2006 book Steel Drivin’ Man, which located the 19th-century inspiration for the John Henry folk tale in a former African-American Union soldier who, imprisoned for theft, ended up a convict…
For two decades Sassy Sensations adult stores have helped people improve their sexual health
After two decades in the sex-toy industry, there’s one story that still stands out in Sassy Sensations owner Vanessa Fuchs’ mind. Fifteen years ago, a visibly uncomfortable woman came into one of her stores looking for help. But she wasn’t there for herself; she was looking for a sex toy for her daughter that would…
Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh professor applies math to real-life problems in Pittsburgh and around the world
Carnegie Mellon University math professor Po-Shen Loh wants everyone with internet access to think about math as much as they can. His new free website Expii crowdsources math problems and solutions from students, teachers and math enthusiasts from around the globe. Expii gives users the ability to explore math through real-world and pop-culture problems, like…
Checking in with Germaine Williams, the new head of Pittsburgh Filmmakers/Pittsburgh Center for the Arts
Germaine Williams first visited Pittsburgh Filmmakers around 1999, when, new to town, he took a photography class at the group’s then-new Oakland headquarters. In those heady days, Filmmakers was growing, from its real-estate footprint and film-exhibition program to enrollment at its school. In 2006, Filmmakers merged with another venerable arts organization, Pittsburgh Center for the…
Pittsburghers share stories of their first times and their first loves
Sex is awkward, but great. Love is great, but also can be awkward and uncomfortable at times. So if both are great, which is better? What better way to find out than to ask some Pittsburghers which was better — your first time, or your first time with your first love? Day Bracey is co-host…
In Search Of … Personal Ads
Before match.com, Tinder and the like, strangers seeking romantic partners could place personal ads in newspapers, magazines and alt weeklies. At their heyday in the mid-1990s — after the social stigma of placing such ads had eased, and before the internet absorbed all the lovelorn — hundreds of personal ads filled the pages. I was…
The 2017 Oscar-nominated documentary short films screen
Beginning Fri., Feb. 10, Pittsburgh Filmmakers presents three programs of Oscar-nominated short films. The Live Action shorts are reviewed to the left, and the Animated shorts on the following page; those programs begin Fri., Feb. 10, at Regent Square. Also opening are the Oscar-nominated Documentary Shorts in a 154-minute program. These short documentaries often cover…
Critics’ Picks, Feb. 9-15
[COUNTRY] + THU., FEB. 9 She doesn’t always get as much credit as the Shanias and Faiths of the Top 40 country world, but Martina McBride should be considered a genre powerhouse in her own right — she has sold more than 18 million records, after all. Last year’s Reckless, her 13th studio release, found…
Tough Guys
When I was a boy needing an example Of the kind of man I wanted to be, I turned away from the men I knew Who seemed deeply and impossibly flawed And went to the movies. John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Gregory Peck, Bogart, Cagney, and Connery Each taught me with their magnificent shining Presences on…
Lynn Cullen Live 02/08/17
Video Archive You can listen to the audio archive here. DeVos is secretary of education. Pittsburgh Public school students protest appointment. Trump’s list. Elizabeth Warren silenced when trying to read Coretta Scott King’s speech. Putin dissident poisoned. Audio Only Archive Listen to the Audio Archives on with our new Apple and Android Apps or the…
New Releases
Hearken carte blanche Self-released www.hearken.bandcamp.com Hearken is a grunge-rock duo composed of Donny Donovan (Dinosoul, ex. Roulette Waves), on vocals and guitar, and Greg Brunner (ex. Roulette Waves) on drums. Its debut EP is called carte blanche, and as the title suggests, it offers sound and lyrics that urge reclamation, freedom and risk-taking. The attitude…
Despite a second straight loss, don’t count Sammy Vasquez out of the welterweight title picture
I’ve covered a lot of boxing since I started working as a journalist in 1992. I’ve covered kids in headgear fighting for pride in Golden Glove competitions. I’ve covered world champions like Roberto Duran and Tommy Morrison. And, mostly, I’ve covered potential world champions coming out of Western Pennsylvania. That list includes names like Paul…
The 2017 Oscar-nominated Live Shorts
This year’s Academy Award nominees for Best Short Live-Action Film comprise a 130-minute program, with material ranging from the comic to the political. Sélim Azzazi’s “Ennemis Interieur” (France, 28 min.) is a two-hander in which a man is applying for French citizenship. He was born in French Algeria, and has lived most of his life…
A few tips for having public sex in Pittsburgh
People love to have sex in cars. I was researching good places to have sex in public for this issue, and all anybody could talk about was car sex. That’s probably because Americans love sex and Americans love cars, so the math is pretty easy on that one. Secondly, because public sex is technically illegal,…
A quick look at Pittsburgh-area sports happenings
Riverhounds announce home start times Well, the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t make it to the big game in American football, but perhaps the Pittsburgh Riverhounds will fare better at the game recognized as football by the rest of the world when they kick off their 2017 campaign at home on March 25. The Riverhounds, who compete…
Julieta
Julieta Directed by Pedro Almodóvar Starring Emma Suarez, Adriana Ugarte, Daniel Grao In Spanish, with subtitles Starts Fri., Feb. 10. AMC Loews and Manor As Julieta begins, a stylish middle-aged woman is packing up her sleek, art-filled apartment. She is leaving Madrid to relocate to Portugal with her lover, Lorenzo. But during a chance encounter…
Pittsburgh City Paper tries out a few sex toys so you don’t have to
Ancient dildos keep turning up. It’s evidence of how surprisingly modern our forbears’ sex lives were. Even thousands of years ago, our ancestors were making dildos, pornographic sculptures and cock rings — though “dildo” is a bit of a misnomer; “penis-shaped rock” might be more fitting. Today, the sex-toy industry is robust and rapidly expanding.…
Armstrong County is small in stature but comes up big in local talent
Here’s a little-known fact: If you rounded up all the legal citizens of Armstrong County, they would fit into Heinz Field. For a county that still has a drive-in movie theater and a museum dedicated to the ancient radio, every day is Throwback Thursday. There is neither hustle nor bustle in the sleepy towns of…
A monthly performance series Crawling for Culture comes to Zenith on the South Side
CRAWLING FOR CULTURE with Angela Autumn, Millgroves Crossing, Different Places in SPACE, The Uptown Woods. 86 S. 26th St., South Side. Free. 412-481-4833 or zenithpgh.com Crawling for Culture, the new monthly performance series at Zenith, started as an idea for a music video. The event’s curators, Garret Shafer and Supplant, of the hip-hop jazz fusion…
Forget eating healthy this Valentine’s Day
Eating mac-and-cheese on a holiday made for lovers is like eating ice-cream cake after a funeral. At first, it’ll taste so good, you’ll forget how absolutely alone you feel. You’ll savor the flavors, audibly sighing at your ability to cook a basic, yet satisfying meal. This will counterbalance the dread you feel scrolling through the…
Lauded poet Robert Gibb scores with his new collection
When Robert Gibb quotes modernist master Ezra Pound saying, “The natural object / is always the adequate symbol,” in his Poundian poem “Cathay,” it’s a sign that what follows leans heavily on imagery and precise language. Gibb doesn’t disappoint as the poem unwinds in a series of painterly images (“The pleached frazzled asphalt / still…
Pittsburgh City Paper Booze Battles: Soba vs. The Foundry
Each week, we order the same cocktail at two different bars for a friendly head-to-head battle. Go to the bars, taste both drinks and tell us what you like about each by tagging @pghcitypaper on Twitter or Instagram and using #CPBoozeBattles. If you want to be a part of Booze Battles, send an email to…
Woody’s Order at The REP
WOODY’S ORDER continues through Feb. 19. Pittsburgh Playhouse, 222 Craft Ave., Oakland. $10-29. 412-392-8000 or pittsburghplayhouse.com Ann Talman ought to be a Pittsburgh landmark. She grew up here, and graduated from Upper St. Clair High School and Penn State. Moving to New York, she was quickly cast as Elizabeth Taylor’s daughter in the notorious 1981…
N39 Chambourcin, Merlot & Cab Franc blend, Knob Hall Winery
“It’s a really deep, dark, inky wine with cracked-black-pepper flavors. It’s good for smoked gouda, steak salads, Italian food and anything with red sauce. For [winter] weather, it’s great for sitting by the fire and drinking.” — Recommended by Nova Bracey, bartender at Knob Hall Winery N39 is available at Knob Hall Winery, in Shadyside.
Classic sandwiches get great new presentations at Allison Park’s Stak Shak
Stak Shak 2684 Wildwood Road, Allison Park. 412-386-1021 Hours: Mon.-Thu. 4-10 p.m.; Fri. 4 p.m.-midnight; Sat. 11 a.m.-midnight; Sun. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Prices: Starters and sandwiches $7-13; comfort dishes $17-25 Liquor: Full bar Legend attributes the sandwich to the whim of John Montagu, the Fourth Earl of Sandwich in 18th-century England. When the earl was…
Redhawk Coffee moves into a pop-up spot on Meyran Avenue
When the Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority issued a flush-and-boil advisory for tap water last week, Redhawk Coffee was one of many businesses forced to shut down. The pop-up coffee shop had just arrived in Oakland at the start of the year, and already it was faced with its first hurdle. But the temporary setback…
Love and Sex Issue
Sex research can yield unexpected answers For Pittsburgh dominatrix Aiden Sin Flame, dominance is good business For two decades Sassy Sensations adult stores have helped people improve their sexual health Pittsburghers share stories of their first times and their first loves A few tips for having public sex in Pittsburgh Pittsburgh City Paper tries out…
The LEGO Batman Movie
The LEGO Movie was a delightful surprise, an original story that found a lot of organic humor in the very essence of those tiny toy blocks we all thought we knew. Alas, this follow-up, directed by Chris McKay, is something of a bust. It’s enjoyable enough for a rainy afternoon, but make no mistake: It’s…
Josh: The Black Babe Ruth at New Horizon
JOSH: THE BLACK BABE RUTH continues through Sun., Feb. 12. New Horizon Theater at the Falk School, 4020 Allequippa St., Oakland. $15-20. newhorizontheater.org New Horizon Theater celebrates its 25th anniversary with a salute to a Pittsburgh hero. Josh: The Black Babe Ruth juxtaposes the greatness of the future Hall of Famer with the systemic racism…
Oscar-Nominated Animated Shorts
Four quite short animated films (less than 10 minutes each) and one 35-minute work make up this year’s batch of nominees. (The screening program also includes a couple of extra films.) Folks might have already seen the Pixar short “Piper,” about the young sandpiper, but it’s just as charming the second time around. “Pearl” is…
Lynn Cullen Live 02/10/17
Video Archive You can listen to the audio archive here. China, Russia, the States and a win for the courts on the Muslim Ban. Audio Only Archive Listen to the Audio Archives on with our new Apple and Android Apps or the computer audio player.
Lynn Cullen Live 02/09/17
Video Archive You can listen to the audio archive here. Trump on Twitter again. Jeff Sessions appointed. Comparisons between Trump and Hitler. Audio Only Archive Listen to the Audio Archives on with our new Apple and Android Apps or the computer audio player.
Lynn Cullen Live 02/03/17
Video Archive You can listen to the audio archive here. Where is Jared Kushner. Scared, white people move toward group think. Journalist goes to Russian news org. Thought and speech policing. Audio Only Archive Listen to the Audio Archives on with our new Apple and Android Apps or the computer audio player.
