27. Walk across Hot Metal Bridge and see a movie at South Side Works

Okay, so we didn't walk across the bridge on our way to the movie, but we walked across it on our back to Oakland. That counts right? I think so. I went to see "The Company You Keep" with my friends Mel and Chelsy. While the movie was disappointing, the night overall was a lot of fun. We started by getting pizza and beer at Stone Pizza. And okay, I'm not going to tell you to go see the movie, but I am going to tell you to go get a custom pizza from Stone Pizza. I got a cheese-less marina pizza topped with artichokes, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, and kalamata olives. It was SO delicious and fresh. Just take my word for it and go try it out, okay? Good.

One of the best parts of the night was realizing we were about to miss the bus we needed to get to South Side from Downtown. We must have been a sight to see sprinting through Downtown at 10pm, pizza boxes in hand. When we finally caught up to the bus (which we were chasing for blocks) we realized it wasn't ours... yup. That was one of those instantly nostalgic moments I mentioned in my last post though, so wrong bus or not, I don't care.

And of course, the best part of the night was walking across the Hot Metal Bridge at 12:30am with two of my best friends (pizza boxes still in hand), and stopping to admire the illuminated Pittsburgh skyline along the way - one of my favorite views in the whole city.

#29. Take a picture with my friends in our graduation caps and gowns on Mt. Washington

This might have been the most bittersweet part of my last few weeks in Pittsburgh. This is an item I was so looking forward to crossing off for months. But, when the time came to do it I couldn't shake the huge wave of nostalgia that overcame me. I was nostalgic for that moment and it hadn't even passed yet. I can't even count the number of times I got that feeling as my time in Pittsburgh dwindled down. Nonetheless, this was part of such an incredible day during graduation weekend. The pictures we took will accompany the invaluable memories I have from the past four years, with all the best people, and for that I am forever grateful.

Peace, love, and PITT

# 10. Gateway Clipper Fleet

Sorry for the long absence! Now that I graduated I've been settling back into life at home - unpacking, sleeping in late, working a little bit, and of course hanging with my fam. But, I have FOUR bucket list items to tell you all about! I was originally going to write one massive post about all of them, but just trying to do that overwhelmed me. I started to write the post, got about three sentences in, and quit. Instead, I'm going to disect the adventures of my last few weeks in Pittsburgh little by little that way I don't leave any amazing details out (and there are a lot!).

#10. Gateway Clipper Fleet

This may have been my most fun bucket list item so far. Why? Because my parents and brother did it with me. They came to visit for graduation weekend and I thought it would be a fun family thing to do - and I was right. Having my parents in Pittsburgh for a whole weekend for the first time ever was awesome. I got to show them so many parts of the city, and my life, that have become so important to me over the past four years. Going on the Gateway Clipper Fleet with them was so great because they really got a feel for the city I grew to call home.

For those of you who don't know, the Gateway Clipper Fleet is in Station Square. It includes three boats that are used for river tours, parties, dinners, and other special events. We chose the one-hour guided tour. Our guide was awesome - he focused on the historical aspects of Pittsburgh, explaining each important building in the skyline and how it helped Pittsburgh develop from it's steel days to one of the most livable cities in the US it is today. It was also cool for me because I wasn't aware of about half the facts he was spitting out, and it just made me fall in love with Pittsburgh that much more. Oh, and did I mention that the weather was gorgeous? Sunny skies and warm air - a rarity for us.

Here's a picture of me and my family on our tour:

Ps. I made some adjustments to my bucket list. I realized that some of the items I had on it weren't really important to me. So I took some off, and added some on. Check out the updated list on the right side of the page!

Going bucket list crazy!

I have FOUR(!) bucket list items to update about.

Details coming soon :)

#14. Breakfast and a Movie at Hollywood Theater

I finally went to Breakfast and a Movie at Hollywood Theater. It's something I've wanted to do since I first went to the theater earlier this year for the premier of one of my friend's short films. The Hollywood Theater is in Dormont, PA, which is just a quick 10 minute drive from Oakland. It was originally opened as a bowling alley in 1924, but in the 1940s Warner Bros. purchased the building and gutted and remodeled it, turning it into a theater. The Hollywood closed in 1998, but was leased and renovated in 2006 by the Bradley Center, an agency serving children with mental, emotional and developmental disabilities. Unfortunately, it was bumpy ride for The Hollywood and it closed again in 2008, then was reopened in 2009 only to close a year later. So, the Hollywood Theater has been open for 2 years now, its best run in recent years. I sincerely hope people continue to support this historic establishment because it is such a unique place.

I love feeling like I am stepping into a time capsule, and that is the sense I get when entering The Hollywood. It is a single screen theater that plays older films, and indie and B-list movies. The seating is also awesome - traditional isle seating, but also comfy couches and tables. It is a very laid back vibe. Breakfast and a Movie is an event the theater hosts once every month, usually on the third Sunday. For $15 you get a catered brunch and admission to the movie.

Doors for the event open at 10:50am and the little buffet opens at 11am. Brunch was delicious - there were muffins, scones, biscuits, quiches, coffee, and juice. We were able to take our food into the theater and curl up on the couch and watch some cartoons while waiting for the main picture. They also held a little raffle for a purse and some gift cards before the movie, which my roommate, Alex, ended up winning! The film showing that Sunday was Gigi, a hilarious coming-of-age story about a young Parisian girl who falls in love with a rich and well-known bachelor. Breakfast and a Movie was a very refreshing way to spend a Sunday afternoon. If you are into older movies, I highly encourage checking this out.

Here are some pictures of the afternoon:

 

For more information, and to donate and help keep the Hollywood Theater alive, visit their website:

http://www.thehollywooddormont.org/

#26. Unblurred: First Fridays on Penn. Sort of...

Unblurred takes place the first Friday of every month. Galleries along Penn Ave open their doors and invite the public to experience a night of art and live performances. Bars and restaurants along the way also have food and drink specials, and the galleries often have free refreshments - just an added incentive. One of the many cool things about Unblurred is that you get to experience an eclectic sample of mediums, from glass work, sculpture and painting, to dance, spoken word and music.

Okay, now is the time for me to be honest... this one cannot officially be checked off my list yet because I messed it up a little... I was under the impression that Unblurred took place Downtown. I read on the website that it is in the Penn Avenue Arts District, but I guess I should have paid attention to the actual addresses given since Penn Ave. stretches pretty far. Duh, Aziza... Turns out Unblurred is in Friendship. I'll get it right next month...

Despite my absentmindedness, the night wasn't a total fail. I got to explore the Downtown portion of Penn Avenue with my roommate Alex and our friend Kyle. Kyle did a similar art crawl Downtown in the fall, so he had an idea of where some galleries were. The first thing we saw was the Cell Phone Disco. This thing was sick. Its on the side of the Benedum Center and its a large aluminum frame illuminated by over 2,000 LEDs that light up in response to cell phone activity near the frame. I highly encourage checking it out at night when the lights are brightest. We also went to a small gallery where artist, Marc Burgess, was premiering his exhibit, Adult Arcade. We must have been subconsciously attracted to lights and lasers last night because that's just what Marc's inspiration for Adult Arcade stemmed from - a laser. I'll give you a tour of my experience in The Arcade - you walk through a dark curtain, into a darker hallway, which leads into a small, white-walled and dim-lit room. The room is illuminated by a few red lights which are spotlighted on four pieces of textured artwork on the walls. You see a large geometric sculpture in the center. You hear disorienting soundscapes. Then you see the crux of it all - the laser. The impressive thing about this exhibit is that the activity of the lights and laser is contingent on the activity in the room - the more people that walk in and out, the more frequent the lighting changes, so your experience is constantly being altered. For example, when we first walked in there were a lot of people in the room so the lighting was brightening and dimming quickly, but by the time we were leaving we were three of only five people in the room so the lighting remained fairly constant. Pretty genius stuff right there, huh?

 Here are some pictures from our semi-successful night:

And, just so none of you mess up your Unblurred experience like I did, here's the link to the website: http://friendship-pgh.org/paai/unblurred/

#8. Frozen Cosmos at Harris Grill

Frozen cosmos at Harris Grill? Check.

This was such a fun item to cross off my list. I got to check it off with my oldest friend in the world, Tegan. We have literally been friends since birth. Our moms were in the same lamaze class together, then had us both in the same hospital, in the same hospital room. We even have a picture together at one day old. We went to different schools growing up, but continued to keep in touch over the years, and today we go to the same college. Talk about crazy! Anyway, last night I went to Shadyside with my friends Alex, Kyle, and Alex's friend visiting from Chicago, Jasmine. And the frozen cosmos happened...

We started out at Mario's on Walnut Street, but I made it my mission to get to Harris Grill by the end of the night. My friend Chelsy is OBSESSED with their frozen cosmos and has been telling me for months and months that I need to try them before I leave Pittsburgh. And OH MY GOD are they amazing! Seriously, delicious, delicious drink. I don't even know who reads this blog, but if you are 21 and casual drinking is your thing, go get one of these sweet icy cocktails ASAP. I promise you won't be disappointed.

And, since it is my mission to photograph everything on this bucket list, here's a picture of Kyle and I with our cosmos.