In The Big City: Dark Sisters, presented by the Pittsburgh Opera

Last night, I had the opportunity to see the Pittsburgh Opera's presentation of Nico Muhly's modern opera, Dark Sisters.  It has taken me several hours to try to process my feelings about it, and I am still not sure how well I am going to be able to convey them.

The opera is about a group of people who belong to the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints, otherwise known as FLDS.  The are a polygamous family; one husband, 5 wives, and countless children.  The opera opens with the group's ranch having been raided by government officials.  All the children have been removed, and we see each wife crying out for her children.  The husband, who serves as the prophet, tells the women he is leaving to ponder God's will, as the women are left behind to seek perfect obedience which will lead to perfect faith.

One of the wives, Eliza, is beginning to doubt the validity of the group's beliefs; when she learns her teenage daughter has been promised to a middle aged man in marriage, she begins to think the prophet is a false prophet.  Most of the other wives are perfectly obedient and accepting of the religious dogma; only Ruth, who suffers from mental illness, does not follow blindly.  Eventually the husband returns home, as we see the wives deal with the jealousy of sharing the person they love the most, in the most intimate way possible.

The second act opens with the wives being interviewed for a national news show.  The women try to emphasize that they only care about the children, and that they are happy and free in their choices.  Suddenly Eliza reveals on national television that she was a child bride, and that she is not free.  As the show closes, we learn that Eliza has sought freedom by leaving the sect, while Ruth has also sought freedom, by committing suicide.

This was an incredibly complex show; the music is complex, the moral themes at play are complex, and the emotions evoked are complex.  I was surprised, first off, to find frequent moments of levity and dark humor in the show.  I think they were perfectly timed, and absolutely necessary.  They helped counterbalance the starkness of the reality of subject matter.

In terms of the topics, as I already said, I am fascinated by the FLDS.  It saddens me to see the women enslaved by the bounds of their religion.  The increase in child brides is tantamount to human trafficking.  I feel for the women who have no choices.  But some women do feel they have a choice, and they are willingly choosing their faith.  This is where the matter becomes sticky for me.  At what point does this stop being a human rights issue, and start becoming an issue of religious freedom?  Are the two things mutually exclusive?  I was glad I went into this experience well read on the topic of the FLDS.  It made me appreciate the extreme attention to detail in the music and staging.  The show was on point with everything I have ever learned about the FLDS life.  And the constant muttering of "keep sweet", meaning to put on a happy face and be a perfect wife, was almost eerie.

Although not my first live opera, this was my first experience with a modern opera.  As a chamber opera, the experience was much more intimate.  It was in a smaller setting, and the minimalist set helped draw the audience into the characters and story.  The music was complex and rich, but what really made the show, for me, was the amount of feeling the performers portrayed from an acting standpoint.  I felt the anguish of these women.  The moment that struck me was when Eliza revealed her child bride status on television, and the wives began to insist she was lying.  Oh, the looks on their faces, it just made that moment so real, so frightening.

I highly recommend the show to anyone well versed in opera, or particularly interested in the topics of polygamy and the FLDS religion.  This was a much different experience than any other cultural event I have ever attended, and now, more than 12 hours later, I find myself feeling like the show makes the concepts of right and wrong much less clear cut.

I received tickets to this show compliments of the Pittsburgh Opera in exchange for my honest review.  All views presented here are 100% original and honest.  All pictures were provided by the Pittsburgh Opera and used with permission.

In addition, the Pittsburgh Opera provided me with tickets to give away to a reader.  Congratulations to Samantha Miller for winning those tickets.

In The Big City: John Hodgman at the Rex Theater

Ever since Hubby and I have been together, we have been big fans of John Hodgman.  In fact, as we were driving to our honeymoon in New York, Hubby read excerpts of one of Hodgman's books aloud to me.  Because that is what nerds do to show their love.  They share nerd culture.

As we have gotten older, and more comfortably entrenched in nerd culture, we have come to an even deeper appreciation of Hodgman's genius, through his books, his recently released Netflix special "Ragnarok", and his amazing podcast, Judge John Hodgman.  About a year ago, I vowed that the next time he came within a reasonable driving distance, I was going to see his live show.  That item got checked off the bucket list this past weekend.

The minute I learned Hodgman was coming to Pittsburgh, I bought tickets.  I then spent 3 months fretting about Hubby's work schedule to insure that he could attend with me (it all worked out).  By the time the big day arrived, I was so excited I could not shut up about it.  I was tweeting and facebooking like a maniac.

We got to the show about 30 minutes before the door opened, and already a line had formed.  This was going to be amazing.  When we got inside, our diligence paid off with second row seats on the right aisle.  Sweet.  The show opened with a 30 minute set by local comedienne Gab Bonesso.  Hubby was familiar with her work, but this was my introduction to Gab.  She did a great job, and it was wonderful to be able to support a local artist.  If you have a chance to see her live, take it, you will not be disappointed.

Then, the big event.  Hodgman took the stage, and for the next hour and a half, I was in heaven.  I knew the show was going to be good, but it totally blew away all my expectations.  I saw a whole new side to Hodgman, and I do not just mean the part where he stripped to his skivvies (more on that in a bit).  I saw a much more relaxed, casual side to him, and I have to say, my love and admiration for him grew.  He talked a little bit about Pittsburgh, some outdated cultural references, a very amusing tale of his recent speaking engagement on April 20th (my birthday woot woot), some amazing stories about his "cats" and even a song or two.

  During his set, I was consciously aware that I was experiencing pure joy.  This is not an exaggeration, I literally paused and realized how happy this show was making me, and said a silent word of thanks, just for being alive to experience it.

The highlight of the show was when Hodgman stripped down to his boxer briefs, donned a dress, and did a bit in character as Ayn Rand.  It was so amazing, and given the fact that one of our dogs' middle name is Rand after this same woman, I suspect it was the highlight of the night for Hubby.  He laughed so hard, and it made me so happy to hear him having a great time.

There were two moments of the night that melted my Pittsburgh loving, media nerd, fangirl heart.  The first moment was when Hodgman ended the show by singing the classic Mr. Rogers closing song, "It's Such a Good Feeling".  The ENTIRE audience sang (and snapped when appropriate) along with him, and it was one of those moments of perfection you only experience when seeing a live performance.  I was kicking myself for not recording it, still am.

After the show, I snuck up to the stage and asked Hodgman if I could have the paper he used for the cultural references bit, and he graciously obliged.  I clutched it in my hand, and we waited in line for the meet and greet, so that I could get it autographed.  When we finally got up to him, Hodgman said "Oh, hello again.  I am John".  I responded "Hi, I am Tiffany, and this is my husband, Steve".  Then the second heart melting moment happened.  Hodgman responded with "Oh, the Harkleroads."

::blink blink::

HOLY CRAP HE KNEW WHO WE WERE.   Turns out he had seen all the support we were both throwing his way on Twitter.  And then, he thanked us for said support.  I was so blown away and flustered that we forgot to get a photo with him.  He proceeded to sign the paper he had given me, and chatted for a few minutes.

Not only was John Hodgman a hilarious and engaging performer, he was humble and gracious.  If I could sum up the entire night in one word, it would be, without a doubt, "magical".

Go support live shows by both local and nationally touring artists.  It is an experience unlike any other.

View the rest of my photos from that night here.

In the Big City: Madama Butterfly

This week, I had the good fortune to win tickets to one of the Pittsburgh Opera's performances of "Madama Butterfly".  It had been many years since I last saw the Pittsburgh Opera, and I had never seen a full performance of this particular opera, so I was over the moon.

"Madama Butterfly" is the story of a young Japanese woman, whose name is Cio-Cio San, but who is affectionately called Butterfly.  Butterfly has fallen in love with an American Naval officer, B.F. Pinkerton.  The marriage broker has arranged a marriage between the two.  To Butterfly, this marriage is a new beginning; she flees from her past as a geisha and embraces a new identity as a wife, an American, and a Christian.  As she rejects her culture and her religion, her family, in turn, rejects her.  But she fears not, for she has love.  However, Pinkerton's view of the marriage is not so steadfast; he sees this as a temporary folly, to sate his desire, until the time when he can have a real marriage to an American wife.

Pinkerton leaves Butterfly, and three years pass.  Butterfly is now poor, and has no family support.  Her only supporter is Suzuki, one of the servants.  In Japan, marital abandonment is tantamount to divorce, but Butterfly refuses to lose hope.  She is certain her husband will return.  Butterfly is visited my the American consul, Sharpless, who tries to tell her Pinkerton will not return to her.  Butterfly stresses that her husband will return, for, you see, he has a son.  Sharpless leaves, without telling Butterfly the truth.  Soon, Butterfly spies Pinkerton's ship in the harbor.  She waits for him to come to her.

Eventually, Pinkerton does come, but not for Butterfly.  Pinkerton, with his "real, American wife" in tow, has come to take custody of his child.  When Butterfly learns this, she is devastated.  She now has nothing.  No family, no husband, no child.  She has lost her will to live, and, after sending her son to play, she commits suicide.  As she lay dying, Pinkerton cries out her name.

The staging of the opera was simply beautiful.  The set was simple with clean lines, which allowed the beauty of the story to be the main focus.  Similarly, the costumes, while beautiful, were understated.  The actual stage aspect that struck me was the gorgeous lighting.  At times, I found myself watching the shadows of the actors projected by the stagelights; the effect was quite haunting.  I also was bewitched by the use of colored lights to convey different emotions.  Red for rage and the heartbreak of Butterfly's death.  The colors of moonrise and sunrise to signify Butterfly's hope for Pinkerton's return.  There were also a few moments that left me breathless, including a moment in Act II when flower petals fell from above as Butterfly and Suzuki decorate the house for Pinkerton's return.

What can I say about the music, other than it was phenomenal.  The orchestra and singers worked in perfect harmony, and the result was magic.  Particularly impressive was Roger Honeywell, a last minute replacement for Pinkerton.  He stepped in to replace an ill cast member, having not sung the role in 14 months.  He was wonderful.  But the stars of the show were Maria Luigia Borsi as Butterfly, and Mika Shigematsu as Suzuki. The depths of the emotion conveyed by both women left me shattered.

After the show, I stayed for the Meet the Artist session.  What a treasure this was.  I loved hearing more about all of the artists, and I have to say, Maria Luigia Borsi is simply enchanting.  Listening to her speak about her love of opera as a child was nearly as beautiful as listening to her sing.  Maria confessed that she cries every time she sings Butterfly.  I am not surprised, for she left me in tears as well.

A note of particular interest: during Act II and Act III the Pittsburgh Opera's general director, Christopher Hahn, was seated just in front of me.  Watching him watch the performance was an amazing opportunity to see the impact of this performance on someone who has spent his life around the opera.  He was as enamored as I was; that is the power of this show.  The Pittsburgh Opera has much to be proud of.

There are two shows left, and I encourage you, if you can, to attend one.  Be sure, also, to check the gorgeous photos on the Pittsburgh Opera Facebook page, and the videos, not only of some performances, but of the Meet the Artist session, on the Pittsburgh Opera YouTube Channel.

Disclosure: I won the tickets to the show from a contest on another blog.  I was not compensated for this review, nor was I asked by the Pittsburgh Opera to write a review.  I simply wanted to share the beauty of this performance with my readers.

In The Big City: East End Book Exchange

Anyone who knows me at least a tiny bit knows I love books, and I never met a bookstore I did not like.  Which is exactly why I was super excited to learn a few weeks ago that I had won a $25 dollar gift certificate to the East End Book Exchange, courtesy of IHeartPgh.  Not only was I going to get some more books (like I really need more), I was also going to get a chance to visit a new used book store and support small local business.  That is a win all the way around!

First thing first, let me tell you how excited I was that the book exchange had Sunday hours, a rarity with used bookstores.  I knew Hubby would want to visit with me, and weekends are our only option.  We were finishing up the paint in the living room the weekend of our visit, so Saturday was out.  It was exciting that we got to have a Sunday morning afternoon date in the city (we visited a few other places while we were there and even got to have brunch!).

If I could sum up the vibe of the East End Book Exchange in one word, it would be "swoon".  I loved everything about the store, and could easily see myself spending an entire afternoon there.  It has a very cozy vibe, with several little reading areas set up.  It would be a perfect place to tuck yourself away on a cold day 

with a great book.  

There was even an area for kids, and I think it would be so cool to host a story hour there!

The book selection had a lot of variety, and the prices were very reasonable.  I took the opportunity to get books I would have never selected for myself normally.  It never hurts to expand one's literary repertoire.  There is a section of rare books, and I found that incredibly fascinating.  I could have spent hours poring through just that section alone!

The store is brightly decorated with artwork, which is a cheerful addition.  They are also going to be continuously adding more cool vintage furniture from a local dealer.  Probably one of my favorite aspects of the decor were these gorgeous book sculptures displayed in the front windows, made by a local artist.  I was seriously drooling, I wanted one so badly!
   

Awesome little finds like the East End Book Exchange really make me miss living in Pittsburgh, and make me all the more determined to spend more time in the city.  After all, it is not that far really.  One thing is certain, however; the East End Book Exchange is now on my list of "must visit" places in Pittsburgh.  As in I "must visit" it each time I am in the city.  And you should too.

Check out the rest of my pictures of the East End Book Exchange here.

Disclaimer: I am not in any way affiliated with the East End Book Exchange, nor was I asked to write this post.  I simply wanted to share a great Pittsburgh find with my readers!

In the Big City: Before I Die

I am a pretty big fan of public art displays.  The Pittsburgh Dinosaurs.  The Erie Frogs. The Garret County Bear Trail.  The Punxy Groundhogs. I love seeing art out in the real world.  But when a public art display is also interactive, meaning I can be a part of the art, well, that just about makes my day.

On Sunday, Hubby and I had an impromptu day date in Pittsburgh.  We went to explore a couple of specific businesses, and ended up driving around and exploring parts of the city as well.  It was something I used to do a lot when I was single, and we did together a few times when we were dating.  While we were driving around, we stumbled into Allegheny Center, and drove past a remarkable building.  It had large squares of chalkboard paint on different spots of the building, and there were sentences written on it.  Each sentence began with the words "Before I die, I want to__________________".  The blanks were filled in on many of the sentences.  We drove by it, and I was so struck by it, visually, that I decided to drive back around Allegheny Center so I could stop and take pictures.

When we got back to the spot, I got out of the car, and started snapping shots.  Some of them are a little hard to read, since it was obvious the chalkboards had been written on many many times.  The remnants of old wishes mingling with new wishes.  Many of the wishes were poignant, many were sweet, many were heartbreaking, and a few were just fun.  I searched and searched until I found a tiny remnant of blue chalk and wrote a wish of my own.  Before I die, I want to write a book.

I have never been a huge fan of the whole bucket list concept.  I am not sure why, but to me it just seems sad.  I would rather live in the moment.  But this public art project took the whole concept of a bucket list and made it into something I found inspiring and incredibly moving.  If you live in the Pittsburgh area, I really encourage you to do some explorations and find this building.  If you live somewhere else, go exploring.  And do a little reflecting about what you want to accomplish during your time on Earth.

See all the photos I took here.  Also see a video about the project here.

In The Big City: The Oven Pizza Co. in Wexford

Having not lived in the immediate Pittsburgh area (read Allegheny County) for more than three years now {has it been that long?}, I am slightly out of touch with where the new, cool places to drink, dine, and socialize are.  Thank goodness I am a part of the Pittsburgh TweetUp group.

You might be wondering, what is a TweetUp?  Well,  it is an event where people who are active on Twitter can get together to meet, socialize, network, and generally have a nerdy and fantastic time.  Often times, these events also involve charitable work or organizations.  We have attended quite a few TweetUps over the past 2 years, and recently, we have been interacting with this group a lot more.  There are a lot of great people in the group, and through them I have gotten to know a lot more about Pittsburgh businesses and organizations.

Last night, we attended a TweetUp event at a business in Wexford called The Oven Pizza Co.  This is a restaurant serving brick oven pizzas as well as so many other delicious foods, and an assortment of drinks.  We had never been to this place, so I was excited that the TweetUp was giving us a reason to go.  First off, the ownership, management, and staff at The Oven were so accommodating and welcoming to our group.  They had prepared a list of specials for us, including some half price menu selections and drinks.  They had a designated area for us, and helped distribute the food to our table.  They even came out after we had eaten and gave us samples of gelato, which was beyond delicious.  Furthermore, the staff came out and interacted with us, being social.  It is people and events like this that really put the "social" in social media.

I just cannot say enough wonderful things about the staff, service, and food at The Oven.  Last night, I tried the gluten free Winter Walnut Fig Pizza.  Holy moly, this pizza was so delicious.  I paired it with a Sweet Potato Bisque, also amazing.  We had a wide array of food at our table, and the consensus among all of us was that the food was incredible.  The atmosphere is warm and inviting, suitable for a family pizza night or hanging out with a group of friends.  Already, hubby is suggesting the place to his coworkers.  All the highest praise.

Now, I know what some of you locals are thinking "Wexford, that is not really in the big city" to which I would say,  technically, you are correct.  But the "In the Big City" series on my blog refers to Pittsburgh specifically, and, to me, Pittsburgh is bigger than city lines.  Pittsburgh is a state of mind, a specific type of person, an incredible combination of great food and great friends.  So, regardless of the fact that The Oven Pizza Co. is located in Wexford, they are Pittsburgh through and through.  Also, it's my blog and I can do what I want :).  But in all seriousness, check out The Oven, both online (their website, Twitter, and Facebook) and in person.  You will not be disappointed.

Also, check out the Pittsburgh TweetUp page too, and hopefully I will see you at a TweetUp soon!

In the Big City: A Night with John and Jonathan

I know, I know, this blog post is way overdue.  I meant to do it last weekend, and time got away from me as we were preparing for vacation.

Shortly after Hubby and I got married, he introduced me to the musical stylings of a guy named Jonathon Coulton.  Jonathan used to be a computer guy, with musical dreams.  He took a leap of faith and left his programming job to follow those dreams.  His early songs contain lyrics that really appeal to the geek culture, on topics such as robots, zombies, and (surprise) computer programmers.  He completed a project called Thing a Week, where each week he wrote a new song, many of which are pure brilliance.  His newest album features songs which seem a bit more mature, deeper, and heartfelt, although the same can be said for many of his older songs as well.

Last fall, we got to see Jonathan open for They Might Be Giants.  While the concert as a whole was great, we totally enjoyed his opening act more than the headline performance.  It was then that we vowed that if JoCo ever came to Pittsburgh as a headliner, we would, without a doubt, go see him.  We found out that JoCo was in fact going to be in Pittsburgh this summer, and despite the fact that his show was a mere 3 days before we were leaving for vacation, tickets were purchased fortwith.  As the days, hours, then minutes to the show ticked away, I could barely contain my excitement.

We arrived at the the venue, Rex Theater, five minutes after the doors opened.  This means we got right up to the stage.  This is an intimate feeling venue to begin with, but being at the front was tantamount to being at a little coffee shop performance.  I could just tell this was going to be amazing.

As the show time arrived, I noticed this guy casually taking the stage, tuning a guitar, and I thought, man, that is a burly looking sound guy.  Silly me, that was no sound guy, that was John Roderick, lead singer of the band The Long Winters, and my new fangirl crush.  He started talking a bit, and really engaged the audience.  He asked for a request for his first song, and someone yelled out "Cinnamon" (video is not from my show, but another show in the tour).  He sang the song, and Hubby and I became instant lifelong fans.  His voice is so pure, and mellow.  And his singing is so earnest, honest, and unrestrained.  He clearly loves what he does, and has fun every time he performs.  Not to mention there is something incredibly romantic about his performance.

  Don't just take my word for it, view the video I shot. I wish I had shot more, he was that amazing.

 

Once he was finished, there was a short break, and then the man himself, Jonathan Coulton took the stage.  I may have squealed a time or two.  Or ten.  I make no bones about the fact that Hubby and I are geeks, but we were in good company, as this was a room full of geeky awesome people, and JoCo was our king.

Jonathan's music is fun, and musically quite intricate.  His songs are really so full of heart, packaged in such a way that us nerdy types will relate.  And a lot of his music is just really really fun.  Again, here is someone who clearly loves performing.

I was happy that he played a lot of his old standards, as well as cuts from his newest album, Artificial Heart. He did a good blend of silly songs and serious songs, playing some of our favorites of each type. He even let "his henchman" sing a song, which was excellent.

 Once again, do not take my word for it that JoCo is amazing. Listen for yourself.

Both John and Jonathan put up with a lot of ribbing from the crowd. Nerd type people often do not realize when a joke has gone too far, and are prone to perfecting the art of beating a dead horse.  As a result, there were way too many jokes about the performers ordering us pizza, based off of John's quip about a burgh based pizzaria named Pizzaburgh, mentioned in the opening act. Still, the guys all took the jokes in stride, and I felt like they both made a real effort to connect with the audience, which contained all ages. I was standing near a father who was with his preteen son and teen son, all three singing the words, and Jonathan spoke to the youngest son during the show. You could tell it made that kid's night.

The show ended with John taking the stage with Jonathan and his band, to sing some songs together, including their duet from the Artificial Heart album, Nemeses.

And then, the best show closer ever, they played a cover of Bad Company's Feel Like Making Love (this video is not from my show but another show during the tour, still, you get the idea).  It was nothing short of amazing, and I am still kicking myself for not recording it.  John Roderick was playing a broken guitar, and he still kicked major tail.

The show was nothing short of pure magic.  We stayed after to meet John Roderick, and buy one of The Long Winters' albums, which he happily autographed.  We wanted to wait for JoCo, but we were exhausted and still had a long drive home, so sadly, we had to leave.

Since the concert, over a week ago, I have listened to pretty much nothing but the Jonathan Coulton station on Pandora (to which I also added The Long Winters), and I cannot wait until I can see both of these amazing performers in concert again.

View the rest of my photos from this night of musical magic here.

In the Big City: Toonseum

I have a whole backlog of topics I have been wanting to write about and just had not gotten around to it, so today I am digging out one of those topics.

As readers know, Hubby and I are always looking for fun things to do in Pittsburgh, since it is only an hour away.  A few months ago, Groupon offered a deal on admission to the Toonseum, and Hubby and I jumped at the opportunity.  We finally went this winter.

The Toonseum is a museum completed dedicated to cartooning, one of only 3 in the country!  One may not realize what an art form cartooning is, but the Toonseum will help to teach this fact.  The first thing I noticed was the place was awash in color and fun.  No stuffy quiet dusty exhibits here.  A lot of iconic cartoon characters and artists are featured throughout the museum, and one room is nothing but prints of Sunday comic strips from the same day, which was probably my favorite part.

We had a complete blast, and Hubby even got to sit at a read cartoonists table and draw a picture.

As some of you may recall, Hubby likes to draw cartoons every so often.

Pittsburgh is chock full of fun, cultural places to visit and things to do. And we love doing these things. But we also like to act like kids now and then, which is why the Toonseum was a perfect place for us to visit. I really encourage all in the Pittsburgh area to visit Tooneseum, at least once, but be careful of the falling anvils!

See the rest of the photo set here!

In the Big City: The Nutcracker

Every year, I always dream about going to see the Nutcracker, but every year before I know it, the performances are over, and once again I have not gotten to go.  Until this year, that is.  Several weeks ago, we purchased tickets for Hubby and I to attend a performance.  Front row center orchestra tickets to be exact.  I was so excited I could burst.  Finally, last weekend, we got to attend.

I was so excited for us to spend a special night celebrating the coming holiday.  We got all dressed up, and headed down to Pittsburgh.  As an extra bonus, the city has made weekend parking free during the holiday season.  I loved walking in to the theater and seeing all the families there with their children.  So many adorable little girls in velvet dresses!  I love that so many families make this a holiday tradition.

We got to our seats with a few minutes before the performance would begin, which allowed me to really take in the beauty of the opening scene's backdrop, already on the stage.  The art director decided to have this year's production set in Pittsburgh, so the backdrop was of one of the gorgeous Victorian mansions that once graced the city.  Suddenly, the lights were dimming, and it was time for the show.

I could go on and on about the glorious scenery.  I could tell you about the tremendous skills of all the dancers.  I could tell you about the awe we both felt at attending our first ballet together.  I could go on and on, but instead I will simply say it was magical.  So much magic, literal and figurative, filled the stage.  We had such a wonderful time, and Hubby and I spent the intermission, and the time at our post theater dinner, talking about the performance.  It was just simply so wonderful, and well worth the wait of all these years.

I think the thing that made it most special, and incredibly romantic, was that Hubby attended it with me.  While ballet is probably not his first choice of cultural activity, he gladly took me to the show.  Because that is the kind of man he is.  He, like this performance, was also well worth the wait of all these years.

In the Big City: Go Pretzel

A few weekends ago, Hubby and I spent a lovely Saturday afternoon in Pittsburgh.  We had several stops planned along Liberty Avenue, so we took the opportunity to stop at a place I has heard about a few weeks ago:  Go Pretzel.

Now, this gal loves some salty doughy soft pretzels.  Many a night the Hubby has made a late night Sheetz run to fulfill my soft pretzel craving, so the idea of a new shop opening in Pittsburgh made me super happy!

When we got there, I was kind of surprised how small the place was.  This is really just a counter, there is no seating.  When the weather is nice, that is no problem, but it was a chilly November afternoon, so I was sad that we could not sit inside and enjoy our delicious pretzel treats.  It would simply have to wait until we walked to the car.

The next thing I noticed was how yummy all the different pretzels looked.  We had a hard time choosing!!  I went with toasted almond pretzel with dutch cocoa dip.  I actually liked the pretzel better without the dip, so I must remember that in the future.  Hubby got the jalapeno, of course.  I tried it, and it was ok, but the peppers were too pickled for my liking.  Hubby really wanted to try the pretzel dog, but decided it would wait until our next trip.

All in all, the place is a winner.  While the storefront and the website are the epitome of minimalism, I hope to see this grow into a franchise, much like some other beloved downtown snack providers have over the past few years.  If you have not tried Go Pretzel, I really encourage you to do so.  I know we will certainly be back, more than once.

So, my final ruling?  Go Pretzel, or Go home.

In the Big City: Changed for Good

For as long as I can remember, I have been a fan of musical theater.  And as long as I have been a fan, I have always rooted for the musical underdog.  I longed to be Eponine in Les Mis ,or  to be Lucy in Jekyll and Hyde, and to always choose the Phantom over Raoul.  So it makes perfect sense to me that I root for Elphaba in Wicked. The surprising part was how utterly and completely I fell in love with her...

Yesterday, I had the supreme pleasure of seeing Wicked on tour at the Benedum Center in Pittsburgh.  We ordered these tickets about 10 months ago, and when we did, it felt like September would never arrive.  I spent the months between ticket purchase and show date reading Gregory Maguire's book, reading several of L. Frank Baum's original Oz books, and pretty much memorizing the original Broadway cast recording, as it has been playing in my car's cd player since about April.  I had never been so excited to see a show in all my life.

My mom and sister were taking a bus tour from Ohio, and I was meeting them at the theater.  I arrived nearly two hours early.  Excited much?  Once we they got there I could not wait to take my seat.  These were, by far, the best seats I have ever had to a show, and well worth the money.

When the curtain went up, and the Time Dragon flapped his wings, I was instantly mesmerized.

The show we saw had the understudies for both Glinda and Elphaba performing, but you would never in a million years know it.  The actress who portrayed Glinda was genius, her comic timing was fantastic.  That is probably the thing that surprised me most about the show, since I was familiar with the story and the music already.  I never anticipated how funny it was.  And the writing for the show is so smart.  Biting wit, subtle foreshadowing, and poignant truths are all revealed in both the lyrics and the dialog of the show.

Elphaba is the one who really steals the show, and this performance was no exception.  I tingled as she took the stage, and wept as she sang of defying gravity.  She is a symbol for all who have ever felt alienated.  She is so different, with her green skin, her magic abilities, and her strong opinions.  She is different, and in her difference she is beautiful, tho her differences are what also make her feared.

The story is a brilliant blend of a love story, the story of the power of friendship, and an eye opening lesson on  how we view good and evil, often myopically.  The story works allegorically in several ways, when viewing public opinion of leaders, as well as the disenfranchisement of various minority groups.  This show contains more than music and laughter, it contains life lessons.

When I was little, I was in love with The Wizard of Oz, and wanted to be Dorothy.  Every year for Halloween, I begged to be Dorothy.  I even had a little dog that looked like Toto, but since she was a girl we named her Muffin.  I was certain I was Judy Garland reincarnated.  As a girl I wanted to be Dorothy, but now, I deeply, desperately, want to be Elphaba.

I promise you two things:

This will not be the last time I see Wicked.

and

If you go see Wicked, you will be changed for good.

In the Big City: Code Monkeys and Mesopotamians

Remember how, for our anniversary, Hubby got tickets for us to see Lady Gaga?  He is not what I would call a fan, but he went, and enjoyed it, for me.  Well, last night, I got to return the favor, and have a blast in the process.

Hubby has been a fan of the band They Might Be Giants since he was a teenager, and he has been to see them twice in the past.  When we found out that they would be playing in Pittsburgh around the time of his birthday.  When we later learned the opening act was Jonathon Coulton, whom we both adore, it clinched our decision to go.

When we arrived at the theater, our first visit at the Byham, I was struck at the beauty of the place.  After taking in all the old, weathered beauty, I noticed the odd conglomeration of people in attendance.  The crown was pretty much a 70-30 split of techie nerds and hipsters, and parents with small kids.  Kids, why?  Well, They Might Be Giants made several kids albums, so parents will bring kids to see them.  Note to those parents, this is not a kids' show.  Kids' shows are at 1 pm on a Saturday, not 8 pm on a Wednesday.  Also, kids' shows do not contain F bombs.  A little look at Jonathon Coulton's lyrics for Hubby's favorite song, First of May, would tell you that tickets for your 5 and 7 year olds for this show would be a bad idea.  But I digress. (Note, JoCo did not play this song last night, thank goodness).

We were so stoked for JoCo, as Hubby calls him, as the opening act.  And he was nothing short of amazing.  He sang a good mix of older songs and songs from his new CD.  His voice, at times, as a beautiful purity about it which one can overlook due to the hilarious and ridiculous nature of his lyrics.  He has a simplicity, a childlike quality that makes his music so enjoyable, he was really a joy to watch.  I was sad when his set was over.

Now, this is the point where I admit I know exactly 3 songs that They Might Be Giants have put out over their nearly 30 year career.  Thank goodness they played all 3 last night, as well as many other great songs.  I was amazed that a group of nearly middle aged men could bop around the stage for 90 minutes and have such a blast.  It was so clear that they were having fun, and it made me have fun as well.  They really pulled the audience into the music, and speaking as someone who was not a diehard fan, this was one of the best performances I have seen in a long time.  The music is bouncy, and you just have to move.

The only complaint I have is the quality of the sound on both acts.  I am not sure if it was the acoustics of the theater, or the settings of the mics, but the vocals were really drowned out by the instruments.  It was if there was too much music layered on top of each other.  It made the vocals sound really muffled.

Otherwise, we had a wonderful evening, and I plan on the next time we see them knowing way more than 3 songs.  Oh, and if you are wondering about why I titled the blog this way, Code Monkey is a Joco song, and Mesopotamians is a song by TMBG.

In the Big City: Burgatory

The latest trend among eateries is upscale burger joints.  Move over Burger King, because Burgatory just might steal your crown.

Burgatory is located in the Waterworks Mall, in the Fox Chapel area of Pittsburgh.  The name is a pun on the concept of purgatory, so the whole place has a heaven and hell theme.  Their slogan claims the place makes a "hell of a burger" and a "heavenly shake".  We were determined to find out.  We previously tried twice to get in, but the wait was to long to fit our schedule.  Apparently the third time really is the charm, and last Friday we got to go.

When you get there, they take your name and cell phone number if there is a wait (ours was minimal), then text you when your table is ready.  I love this concept, since you can venture a little further than those vibrating dodads most places use will allow.  In about 30 minutes our table was ready.

We got inside, and I immediately loved the decor.  Colors are red, black, and white, so fitting for the theme.  And some cute wall art as well.

 But the highlight is definitely the menu.

 Each day or week they make a new special burger and shake respectively.  Shakes can be regular, or "hard" with the addition of some alcohol.  Hubby opted for a burger with cajun seasoning (plain of course), and I tried the special, a burger with kona crust, which is made from kona coffee and seasoning, provolone cheese, mushrooms, greens, and an aioli sauce.  It was ridiculously delicious.  Burgers come with homemade potato and sweet potato chips, again, delish.  And my favorite part was the little pitchforks in the burgers.

We also decided to try the shakes.  Hubby got the Coffee and Donut shake, which had little bits of donut in it.    Holy cow delicious.

I got the Caramel Pretzel shake, and had them add some chocolate syrup.  The little bits of pretzel really made it.

We found the prices to be really reasonable, given the portion size and high quality of the food.  It is comparable, price wise, to chain sit down burger joints, but the quality is miles above.  And the shakes are probably the best we have ever tasted.  The service was really great, particularly given the fact we were there in the middle of happy hour.

So, in short, it would be a total sin (I had to) for anyone in the Pittsburgh area, either for the day or as a resident, to not try this place out.

See more pictures here.