Happy Tuesday! It’s a restaurant and new menu item palooza this week. I think it’s that first taste of fall that everyone is getting.
The most exciting thing to me is the new Turner’s milk. I have some plans for that with coffee. Speaking of coffee, I got an opportunity to work with Angelino’s, who are a brand I’ve enjoyed for years. Take it from me, a coffee snob; they have good coffee. That’s coming from someone with multiple roaster subscriptions and more coffee appliances/gadgets than my kitchen, and now dining room, can hold. Plus, they help keep the newsletter free and independent!
Your K-Cups Sat in a Warehouse for Months
Grocery store pods spend months going factory → warehouse → truck → shelf, losing the flavor oils that make coffee taste like coffee. Angelino's roasts, packs, and ships within days — 50+ flavors, compatible with Keurig®, from 39¢ a cup. New customers save 15%, no code needed.
Feel Good Stories of the Week
✈️ Presley’s Place at PIT. Did you know that PIT has a replica airplane cabin that kids and sensory-sensitive travelers can visit? Inside, they have a small replica cabin to help kids and those with sensory sensitivities get comfortable with the look and feel of the airplane. It’s perfect for first-time flyers or nervous travelers. They also have soundproof rooms and a specialized restroom. Airports are loud and stressful for everyone, so having a place to familiarize yourself with the experience before you get on the plane is super cool.
🛕Cathedral of Learning in Minecraft. There’s a Minecraft creator on Instagram, Minecraft.Mason, that builds replica cities/landmarks in the game. This week’s feature on his account was the Cathedral of Learning. The work he did is pretty dang remarkable. If you’re not familiar with Minecraft, it’s a video game where you build anything you can imagine with blocks. I’ve played it and believe me, what he did takes real skill. Mike Tomlin was even in the news about it this week talking about how he’s been building a city in Minecraft for the last 12 years.
💯 Elizabeth’s Very Own Centenarian. Sister Mary Geraldine Vargo of the Sisters of Divine Redeemer just celebrated her 100th birthday on Saturday. Her living legacy is teaching hundreds of kids over the years to play piano and passing along her love of music. Fun fact, Pennsylvania has 3 centenarians for every 10,000 residents, the 11th highest rate in the nation. You can watch WPXI’s profile on her here.
New Restaurant Openings
Wok Hei Asian Kitchen - This is a quintessential college-town restaurant. Like Panda Express but better. They’re serving up staples like General Tso Chicken, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Teriyaki Chicken, and more. They’re getting 4.6 stars on Google with 27 reviews so far. If you’re in Oakland, check them out.
Bombing Pot Hot Pot & Sushi - With Fall right around the corner, finding a good hot pot place is a must. It’s my favorite type of restaurant to hit up when the weather gets chilly. We have some really good Hot Pot here, so the bar is pretty high. They’re getting great reviews so far, averaging 4.7 stars with over 170 reviews.
Trivia
What date did the Civic Arena open up in 1961?
Last Week’s Answer: 1935
On The Market
Ultra-modern usually isn’t my jam. And when I saw this, my first thought was “this looks like a visitor center”. But, as a serial real estate listing peruser, I know better than to judge a book by its cover. I wasn’t expecting it to feel like you’re living in nature. The landscaping is almost a part of the house, which I find really cool. I was imagining what the fall or the first snowfall would look like. This is a unique one! See the full listing here.
This Week’s Happenings
🆓 = free/non-ticketed event
💲 = paid/ticketed event
Thursday, September 17th
🆓 City Social - The Downtown Partnership's weekly happy hour at Arts Landing, with discounts at Weeble Wobble, Wallflower, Proper Brick Oven & Tap Room, and The Eagle. This week brings live music from Arie Cole plus a mobile glassblowing demo from the Pittsburgh Glass Center. 4 to 7 pm. More info.
💲Pitt vs Syracuse - Pitt opens up their conference schedule this Thursday against Syracuse. 7:30 pm at Acrisure. Get tickets.
Friday, September 18th
💲Panda Fest - This nationwide Asian food and cultural festival is finally making a stop in Pittsburgh. It’ll run all weekend through the 20th, complete with over 80 Asian food vendors, 200 Asian street food vendors, and 30 cultural marketplace vendors. 4 pm to 10 pm Friday; 10 am to 10 pm Saturday; and 10 am to 8 pm Sunday at the Station Square East Lot. More info.
🆓 Penn Brewery Oktoberfest - The first of two weekends of Oktoberfest! It runs all weekend through the 20th. You’ll find craft brews and authentic German cuisine. 5 pm to 11:30 pm Friday and Saturday. 12 pm to 7 pm on Sunday at Penn Brewery. See more.
🆓 Allegheny Observatory Open House - Your once-a-year shot at looking through the 30" Thaw telescope and touring the historic plate room. Entry is every half hour from 7 to 10 pm. Reservations are required. RSVP here.
Saturday, September 19th
🆓 Hay Day at Hartwood Acres - Allegheny County's free fall festival brings hayrides, a petting zoo, pig races, and inflatables to the Amphitheater. 11 am to 3 pm. More info.
🆓 Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Festival - The city's biggest Chinese community celebration returns to Mellon Park with lion dances, live performances, and a cultural marketplace. 11 am to 5 pm. See more.
🆓 FestPGH - A brand new, all-day music and arts festival makes its debut at F.N.B. Stadium with Switchfoot headlining, plus food, family activities, and a local artist market. Gates open at 12 pm. RSVP.
🆓 Days Gone By Vintage Clothing & Creator Market - Get your vintage clothes, art, accessories, and more. They’ll also have food and drinks. 12 pm to 6 pm at Velum Fermentation. Learn more.
🆓 Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival - They’re taking over Liberty Avenue with Lalah Hathaway, Terri Lyne Carrington, and a lineup of jazz legends and rising stars. Starting at 1 pm, and running through Sunday. See the full schedule.
Sunday, September 20th
💲54th Annual Mexican War Streets House & Garden Tour - The 54th year of the house tour, walking you through beautifully restored historic homes and private gardens on the North Side. 11 am to 5 pm. Buy tickets.
💲Fall Migration Festival - Wildbird Recovery's 15th annual fundraiser at Stormy Oaks Nature Conservancy in Valencia, with birds of prey and a butterfly talk from this year's keynote speaker. Noon to 4 pm. Get tickets.
Remember to tag us @steelcityledger on Instagram if you check out any of these events!
Turner’s Cinnamon Roll Milk - Just in time for Fall! This might make a great milk for a latte…I might just try that…
Bethel Bakery Pumpkin Spice Donuts - They’re back starting today and lasting longer this year all the way through October 17th. Get em while they’re hot!
Lola’s Eatery “Cider, I Hardly Know Her” Slush - Apple cider, bourbon, caramel, and topped with a house-made caramel cold foam. Cold foam is all the rage. It’s about time it made it on an adult bev.
Kennywood Fall Fest Menu - Taste your way around the Lagoon at 5 Fall Fest Tasting Locations. Enjoy specialty food items like a delicious potato kielbasa skillet, chili boule, hot apple dumplings, and maple cinnamon sweet potato fries, along with seasonal beers and wine. Starting September 19th through November 1st.
Page’s Dairy Mart Fall Menu - It’s bittersweet because it means that we’ll soon be without Page’s for a couple of months, but I think they do fall just as well as anyone. Get your ice cream while you still can!
McFarland’s Bar Fall Drinks - They’ve got pumpkin beers, a pumpkin cheesecake martini, a fall spritz, and a seasonal take on an Old Fashioned.
The Photo Desk
Shoutout to u/jnstern on Reddit for this beautiful sunset photo. You always hear about golden hour in California but no one ever talks about Pittsburgh golden hours. We need more credit!
Community Bulletin
Liberty Tunnel Overnight Closure
If you ever drive the Liberty Tunnels between the hours of 8 pm and 5 am, be aware that PennDOT is closing the inbound tunnel starting tonight through Thursday. They’re working to replace the tunnel roof. You can read their full announcement here.
Hazelwood Green is Coming Together
After decades of planning, the redevelopment of the old J&L Steel site in Hazelwood is actually taking off. CMU's Robotics Innovation Center opened this year, Pitt's BioForge facility opens this fall, and Woodlawn Lofts, the neighborhood's first apartment building, with a mix of market-rate and affordable units set aside for single parents in school, opens its first phase in December. The site's development pace has nearly tripled since 2022, and a new park near the football field opens next month. Read more about it here.
Pittsburgh Water’s New Debt Forgiveness Program
Pittsburgh Water rolled out a new debt forgiveness program this month. Eligible customers who make on-time payments on new bills for 24 months will have their past-due balance erased. To qualify, a household needs to be at or below 200% of the federal poverty line (about $66,000 for a family of four). If you're already enrolled in the old forgiveness or bill-discount programs, you're automatically rolled into this one. More info on it here.
The Cat Report
Ghost from Nose 2 Tail Cat Rescue
We just dont get it...
Spooky, Ghost, and Boo have been with us for weeks, and not a single application has come in for any of them.
Zero.
These three handsome brothers came from a large colony in McDonald where they never should have had to grow up. Thanks to some incredible neighbors who stepped in to help, they were given a second chance. Theyve learned that people can be kind, toys are fun, and soft beds beat sleeping outside every single time.
Like many kittens born outdoors, they arent the type to come barreling into your lap on day one. They need a little time to settle in and trust you. But once they do? Theyre sweet, playful boys who love to cuddle, wrestle with each other, and just be kittens.
They do wonderfully with other cats, are great with respectful children, and must be adopted with one of their brothers (or all three together!) or into a home with another young cat.
See Yinz next Tuesday
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