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.

#1. Andy Warhol Museum AND #7. See a show at Heinz Hall

Last Friday was a very productive day for me in terms of this bucket list. I got to check off two things! I visited the Andy Warhol Museum during the day AND I saw a show at Heinz Hall that evening. It was such a lovely day with lovely people.

First things first - the Andy Warhol Museum. I saw my first Andy Warhol exhibit at the Allentown Art Museum when I was around 12 years old. My older brother, Andre, who was probably the first person to influence my appreciation of the arts, took me. I recently told this to a friend of mine and he said, "Are you kidding me, you saw a Warhol exhibit 10 years ago? I would have been scarred for life." I didn't know what he was talking about because I always thought Warhol's work, though sometimes controversial, to be an honest expression of popular culture - things we all think about (or maybe even are afraid to think about), but definitely don't say out loud. The awesome thing about the Warhol Museum is that the art collection is so dynamic - there are prints, paintings, sculptures, film and video, and even interactive pieces in this museum. The even better thing is that Andy Warhol was from Pittsburgh, so the culture of the museum is rich.

I visited the museum with my friend Mel, and our new friends, Turner and Antwan, who were in town to perform the musical American Idiot (I'll get to that awesomeness a little later!). Photography on most floors of the museum is not permitted, but Turner sneaked a few awesome shots during our visit. I was less brave and only photographed on the floors it was allowed on. Check em out!

 (Photo credit: Turner)

 (My photos)

(Photo credit: Turner)

This was my favorite exhibit BY FAR. This is the Silver Clouds room. It was by chance that the silver clouds came about. In 1964 Warhol asked scientist Billy Klüver to make a floating light bulb for him. Klüver said,

"I went back to Bell Labs and discussed the problem with my colleagues. We looked into batteries, lights, a material to contain helium, etc. We did some calculation and tests and decided it could not be done without the bulb being very large, because of the weight of the batteries, lights, etc. Meanwhile, Harold Hodges found a material that was highly impermeable to helium and could be heat-sealed easily. Made by 3M, it was called Scotchpak and, we were told, used by the army to wrap sandwiches... We told Andy we could not make the light bulb but showed him the material we had found. When Andy saw it he said, “Let’s make clouds.” ... Andy simply folded the material over and heat-sealed it on three sides and filled it with helium. Warhol’s “pillows” were born."
 (from the museum website).

I read a quote by a six-year old child about the clouds that said somethings along the lines of, "I just like to lay down and watch the clouds pass by." So, that is what I did. I laid down in the middle of the room and just watched as the silver clouds passed over my head, bouncing from Mel, to Turner, to Antwan, to me. 

 (Photo credit: Turner)

 (My photos)

For all things about the Andy Warhol Museum, check out the website at: http://www.warhol.org/

Now for #7 on my list: see a show at Heinz Hall. This is kind of a cheat item. I forgot that I saw Ben Folds perform with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra there my freshman year (which was an insane experience. I wanted to cry because that man has so much talent pouring from him). But, Heinz Hall is too beautiful of a place to not return to. The friends I mentioned earlier, Turner and Antwan, are in the Green Day musical, American Idiot. I actually saw the show a week before in Philly. I was a little iffy of seeing it because when I first heard Green Day was creating a musical I thought, "What the hell is this going to be like?" But, my friend, Mel, who first saw it in London, was such an advocate and convinced me to see the show with her. All I can say is, HOLY CRAP! I was so wrong, and I am embarrassed of my initial ambivalence to see the show. First of all, the cast is amazingly talented, especially for how young they all are. Second, I was hooked by the moment the curtain rose (you'll understand when you see the set). Third, I cried... more than once (but I also laughed my ass off). Fourth, I forgot how much I actually LOVE Green Day's music. Fifth, do I really need to say more? This talented group is touring the US right now and performing in a bunch of locations across the country. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE tell you friends, mom, dad, grandma, hairdresser, dentist, whoever about the show and go see it ASAP!! It is two hours of your life you will want to keep repeating. I mean, I saw the show twice and am already planning on seeing it a third time in a few weeks. It's just that good.

Here is the link to the website so all you lovely people can find the nearest location and experience all the originality and rage and love that is American Idiot: http://www.americanidiotthemusical.com/

I didn't have much to take pictures of with this one, but here are a few (one featuring my beautiful friends Hannah, Mel, Chelsy, and Meg who I saw the show with):

From left to right: Hannah, me, Mel, Chelsy, Meg

# 3 - Phipps Conservatory

Yesterday I visited Phipps Conservatory. This was an extra special bucket list accomplishment because I got to check this one off with my brother, Marc, after he made a surprise appearance in Pittsburgh over the weekend. My roommates, Alex and Jules, also came along. Now I understand what all the hype over Phipps is about. The flora was so beautiful, and with the presence of waterfalls and ponds in most of the rooms walking through the conservatory was almost a therapeutic experience. Next time I visit I want to get fresh juice from Cafe Phipps (which is on the lower level to your right when you enter), take a good book, and just sit in one of the bright rooms and relax. Also, as with the Mattress Factory, admission to Phipps is free with your Pitt ID. So what are you waiting for, check it out!

* Photo credit to Alex and her talented eye for a beautiful picture.

What it's all about...

Hey yinz (I'm not a Pittsburgh native, but I figured I would embrace the local vernacular in this case),

I am a second semester senior at the University of Pittsburgh. Graduation is just three and half short months away, and the cap and gown, diploma, the real world are all haunting me. Where I will be in five months is unclear - where I will be living, what I will be doing for work, all of it. So, instead of dwelling on the uncertainties of the future I have made a decision to embrace the wonderful city I have been living in since 2009 and check things off my Pittsburgh bucket list. These are things that, since freshman year, I have been telling myself I would definitely do (someday). Well, it finally hit me that my time in the Steel City is expiring and that someday is now.

Here it is, the bucket list of a college senior:

1. Andy Warhol Museum
2. Mattress Factory 
3. Phipps Conservatory
4. Falling Water
5. Ohiopyle & Laurel Highlands
6. See Rocky Horror at Hollywood Theater
7. See a show at Heinz Hall
8. Frozen cosmos at Harris Grill
9. Sushi Sake Sunday at Shadow Lounge
10. Gateway Clipper
11. Pittsburgh Ballet
12. Movie night at Schenley Park
13. Ritter’s Diner past midnight
14. Breakfast and a movie at Hollywood Theater
15. Kayak or canoe on the rivers
16. Take a picture by the fountain at Point State Park
17. Three Rivers Art Festival
18. Run another 5k in the city
19. Kennywood
20. Sandcastle
21. Win money at Rivers Casino
22. Go to a Penguins game
23. Ride the ‘T”
24. Go geocaching
25. Frick Park Market
26. Unblurred: First Fridays on Penn
27. Go to East End Food Co-op
28. Walk across Hot Metal Bridge and see a movie at South Side Works
29. Art All Night in Lawrenceville
30. See a comedy show at the Waterfront
31. Take a picture at the Mt. Washington overlook in my graduation cap and gown

Yesterday, with the help of my friend, Jenny, I checked one of those items off my list - The Mattress Factory. I'm sure I'll have this feeling with each new experience, but I was screaming at myself inside for not checking it out earlier. The Mattress Factory is the most unique museum I've ever visited. The exhibits are all room-size and most are very intense, provocative pieces. We started by going up to the 4th floor and working our way down the building, floor-by-floor, room-by-room, though the museum. Some of the exhibit are permanent and others are temporary as part of the feminist installation (lasting until May 2013), but each exhibit was thought provoking and memorable, non disappointed. Plus, free admission with my Pitt ID was nice. Even though I checked this item off, I know I'll be back to visit before my time in Pittsburgh ends. Here are a few pictures to help entice you to visit this wonderful place as well:

 

Peace, love, and Pittsburgh,
Zeez