Service With a Smile

If you haven't tried them yet, perhaps it's time. Specialty services like these are all about making life easier for you. How appealing is that?

Concierge Services

How about someone to tend to all those pesky chores you’d rather not do—from dropping the car off at the shop, to waiting around for a plumber, to haggling with manufacturers about a defective product. While increasingly common at luxury condo buildings, concierge service is about to become more available to anyone who can afford it. “We manage your tasks to free you to follow more appealing pursuits,” says Sandy McKee of McKee Organizing, which just launched the concierge service--which could be the next wave of the organizing industry. Right now he and his wife, Leslie McKee, are offering the service to the downtown area and South Hills but they're open to expanding.   

The affable and unflappable McKees will make your life easier and smoother in any number of ways, from providing preventative maintenance service for your house to scheduling the inspection and registration on your car. Returning from vacation? They'll stock the fridge, turn up the heat and turn down the beds. Drowning in paperwork? They'll file it all, maintain service contracts and even send in rebate slips (you know you wouldn’t get around to that.). Prices vary depending on services.

Wine Tastings

Instead of a party, why not hold a wine tasting as your next event? Mike Gonze, president of Dreadnought Wines in the Strip will present a wine tasting for you and your group of friends in your home. The themes are limitless, from a focus on wines of Spain to a tasting of one grape grown in different regions. One popular choice is great wines under a certain price.

Many people today want to learn more about wines and this is an ideal and fun setting to do so, says Gonze. Depending on your goal, It can be small and informal at your house or large and formal for corporate events like the one he did at Phipps recently where they had different stations for different wines. Cost: Speaker’s fee of $200 and the price of wines which can vary widely.

Remember the seltzer bottles from those old movies? Well they’re still around. Pittsburgh Seltzer Works brings fresh seltzer, in old or new bottles, to your door—to anyone living in the East end. This top quality operation run by three Pittsburghers, David Faigen, Evan Hirsh and Paul Supowitz, offers seltzer that is deliciously refreshing. Bliss in a bottle.

Seltzer comes in one-liter classic glass seltzer siphons and in two-liter plastic bottles (same siphon top) just like those in Argentina. These old squirt bottles lend an air of class and elegance—plus it’s simply fun to squirt a little soda into your brandy, bourbon or pomegranate juice. For the same price—but not the same cachet-- you can get a larger bottle. I get three of each delivered, every two weeks. So buy some bottles to fantasize with, and others just to drink. It’s a simple pleasure, and it makes you feel ever so classy.

The cost is $1.50 / bottle (glass or larger plastic) plus four dollars for delivery. It’s a six bottle (1 case) minimum order, delivered every other Sunday. You put out the empties and they replace them.

Pittsburgh Seltzer Works, (412) 464-0300

Personal Chef

Want to indulge in the ultimate gastronomical treat? Chuck Kerber will come to your home and cook a fabulous dinner for you and your guests. He specializes in fresh, seasonal, Mediterranean-style cooking for small intimate gatherings of six to 20 people. Like filet mignon with organic goat cheese and raspberry balsamic sauce. Or chilean salmon with honey dijon pecan sauce. Or his signature Jack Daniels bread pudding.

A certified nutritionist and executive chef who has worked at LaStrada and Pittsburgh hotels, Kerber comes highly recommended. While costs vary, a rough estimate is $50 per person. To contact the chef, click here.

 
Your Own Personal Shopper

Too busy to shop? Michele Harvey started Pittsburgh Town Shopper last September to fill a void in the downtown market. While she’s focused only on downtown presently, she will buy and deliver groceries, household items and even gifts within a day or two of orders. Special arrangements can be made for faster delivery. A basic fee of $39 covers up to eight bags of groceries with larger orders costing a little more.

Bonded and insured, Harvey is passionate about her new biz and she's planning on adding concierge services later this month. Dog walking. Car drop for repair. Whatever is needed. “I love the city,” says Harvey. “It’s an awesome group of folks.”

Customized Gifts

Need business gifts for your clients, or personalized chotzkes for a big party? Call Ned West at HDS Marketing. A distributor in the promotional products industry, they represent 3500 different suppliers. They have made briefcases with logos for the Rolling Stones Tour, supplied 1500 monogrammed beach towels for Pearl Jam, and those cool light-up necklaces for last year’s Attack Theatre’s Dirty Ball. They’ll develop customized creations uniquely designed for you. 1-800-220-1497, ext. 304.

Sharpening the Blades

Dull knives are the curse of any kitchen. The professional knife sharpeners at Maturi Brothers will do the job in minutes while you wait.

Owner Rick Secola’s motto is,“We keep the world on edge.” As “Pittsburgh’s Number 1 knife sharpening operation,” (another motto), they also hone garden implements and carpenter’s tools and they sell new knives as distributors for J.A. Henckels and Forschner, as well as used knives at terrific prices. Life’s too short for dull knives. 3908 Penn Avenue; 412. 682-5828

Massage Plus

For the ultimate in luxury, try a session with a certified massage therapist, one who has a Ph.D. in psychology and a clientele of athletes and dancers. Mt. Washington-based David Wheeler of RelaxNow.org, specializes in sports, artistic and therapeutic massage. Known for his vast knowledge  and knack for solving knotty problems, Wheeler will even show you how to strengthen the body parts you need to make strong. 

A massage typically runs an hour or more, and costs about $1 per minute. Those whose bodies take a pounding swear by him, claiming he works miracles.  We’re all for that.

Pop City staff contributed to this story.