New Girl in Town: A Perspective on Pittsburgh

When my fellow Pittsburghers hear that we moved here from San Francisco just over a year ago, three questions come up:

“Did work bring you here?”

“Do you have family here?”

“Did you grow up here?”

After they get a “nope” on all three, they look at me with a mixture of puzzlement and disbelief that soon morphs into a sheepish grin.

“Really?!” a woman said to me recently upon hearing my story.  I swear she squealed.  “That's cool.  Maybe more people will do that.”

I don't think our decision was all that revolutionary.  It was common sense.  And, well, when it comes to Pittsburgh, perspective is everything.

In San Francisco, we had a friend who was looking to purchase one half of a two-family building a couple of blocks from our home.  The unit came with only one parking space but on further probing, our friend learned that a second parking space was available – for an extra $185,000.  He bought it.  For a few dollars more, we purchased a two-car garage – with a four-bedroom, three-story brick Tudor attached – in Mt. Lebanon.

Further confirmation on the virtues of Pittsburgh came during a house-hunting expedition in the fall of 2006.  We left our rental car at a parking meter so we could ride with our realtor and completely forgot to feed the meter.  When we returned, we had a parking ticket – for $6.00.

“Bring it ON!” I said to my husband, Fen, who knew exactly what I meant:  a parking ticket in San Francisco will set you back fifty dollars.

While the stars were quickly aligning in Pittsburgh's favor, there was one more acid test – after living my entire adult life in a big city, I wasn't ready to live without a Whole Foods Market and Nordstrom close by.  A quick Internet search turned up a Whole Foods in East Liberty and the promise of a Nordstrom at the Ross Park Mall.  Sold!

Making the Cut
Turns out I needn't have worried about the Whole Foods and Nordstrom, since Pittsburgh's charms (and services) are plentiful and more than compensate for these brand-name forays.  I'd much rather get lost at Hot Haute Hot in the Strip District, where the mish-mash of pillows and jewelry and chandeliers is pitch-perfect and the whole place exudes ornamentation.  At Pavement in Lawrenceville, the owner, Alissa Martin, stocks shoes from Miz Mooz and faryl robin, my favorite brands at Nordstrom.  She further elevates the shoe-shopping experience by carrying boots and rugged yet attractive shoes by J-41, a brand owned by Jeep – yep, the car people.  How's that for fashion-forward functionality?

But it's not just the shoes that have given me happy feet in Pittsburgh.  I'm quick to beat a path to Uptown Coffee in Mt. Lebanon for the best brownies this side of the Mississippi.  The baking at Uptown is largely done by owner Elizabeth Boyd, who isn't much for recipes and can still turn out a pumpkin pie that would make your grandma cry.  More good eats come from Jeannine Hine and two gal pals at Coca Cafe in Lawrenceville.  After a stint at The Inn on Negley in Shadyside, the three amigas opened their own restaurant along up-and-coming Butler Street.  The breakfast menu features challah French toast stuffed with brie, fig jam and berries and every table is topped with a piece of glass art by Jeannine's husband, Drew, who recently opened Vessel Studio on East Carson Street as a place to showcase his work.

I'm quick to hop into my car as well and never tire of the vista as I emerge from the Ft. Pitt Tunnel.  There's something empowering about having the city at your feet.  My eyes invariably focus on the Carnegie Science Center and Heinz Field to the left, PNC Park straight ahead and the gleaming Golden Triangle to the right, PPG Place as its pointy-headed center.  My seven-year-old, Steven, insists that Big Steel, with it's Darth-Vader-like cross beams, is the coolest building in the 'burgh while I always side with the more elegant PPG Place.  The Three Sisters bridges enchant us both and we love having options when crossing over to the North Side.

I look forward to continuing the exploration in the weeks and months ahead and will tell the tales here at Pop City.  Pittsburgh is on the verge of a renaissance and I refuse to be the only one believing it!  There is much to be savored in these parts and, sure, some things that need tweaking (I'd settle for even respectable Mexican and Chinese cuisine) and I welcome the opportunity to engage our readers.

To receive Pop City weekly, click here.To read the article in Pop City about the Labalmes move to Pittsburgh, click here.

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Elaine Labalme is a Mt. Lebanon resident and food and travel writer. She would love to hear from you.  Contact her here.

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Captions: Elaine; Pavement; Coca Cafe.



Photographs copyright Brian Cohen