Shadyside

Ah, Shadyside. The land of bourgeouis, swanky shops and ridiculously high rental prices. A one-bed apartment for over $800? For real? I will admit, the architecture of the homes in the Shadyside area are beyond impressive and amazing. As someone who grew up in the cookie cutter world of suburbia, I appreciate the aesthetic beauty that is Shadyside. Many times, I have taken a stroll around the neighborhood just to look at the different types of homes. They are gorgeous and absolutely breathtaking.

One of Shadyside's hidden gems is the store Kards Unlimited. I absolutely adore this store and frequent it often. Whenever I regale others about the wonder that is Kards Unlimited, the normal response is: "Oh, where's that?" People, go to Walnut Street and go to this store. They have cards (duh), novelty T-shirts (hot damn), a children's section to die for, and other assorted gifts. I think you could find a gift for most anyone between the age 18 to 35 at this store.

Moving on, I like the Shadyside area but I don't go there that often. Can't afford it, dude. I do appreciate the assortment of independently owned restaurants located on Walnut Street and Ellsworth Ave. Wing night at Cappys = awesome. I just wish Shadyside wasn't spilling into neighborhing East Liberty. That is pretty much my major beef with this area. Quit trying to take over the less affluent neighborhood with more "high end" stores. Eastside = it's not Easy Liberty and Shadyside coming together. It's pretense and it's not cool.

Downtown

Dear Blog Readers of Mine (whoever you are), Argh, I haven't updated this purdy ole blog of mine in awhile. I resolve to get out and take more neighborhood project photos to fill this blog up to the brim. Sincerely, Lara

Okay, that being out of the way.... I don't know if downtown is technically a neighborhood of Pittsburgh, but is sure is an integral part of the city. From 2004 to 2006, I had the pleasure (?) of working downtown in an office building located in the Cultural District.

I have to admit. I used to be in awe of Pittsburgh's downtown until I went to NYC and then, it just seemed really small to me. Still, the 'Burgh does have a nice downtown in certain parts. I recall that Liberty Ave. used to be home to some seedy strip joints and porn stores. Heh, before they knocked down the buildings on Liberty and Tenth which were home to such seedy joints, I remember waiting at the bus stop across the street and seeing a man passed out cold in the doorway of the strip joint. Someone had already called the police and help was on the way. It just made me chuckle to see such antics at 4:30 in the evening. That's dedication, folks!

My favorite part of Pittsburgh's downtown is the Three Rivers Arts Festival. Oh boy, that is definitely my favorite time of the year. So many free concerts, so little time. Every year, I have made an effort to head downtown as much as I can to attend these shows. This year, moe. played and it was fantastic! I boogied like the little hippy girl I try to be.

The one downside of Pittsburgh's downtown is that it's probably harder than it should be to navigate. I guess that's what happens when streets and what not are based on a triangle, not a classic grid. It took me working downtown for two years to finally find my way around but yeah, that took awhile. So newcomers, beware. I advise you to carefully study a map or invest in a GPS because trying to figure it out, might cause quite a headache.

Although Pittsburgh is no Manhattan (obviously), it still has a lot to offer - shopping, theaters, art galleries, and a confusing layout to navigate. What more can you want? For real, yo.