Be careful with these personal assistants like Alexa, Echo, Siri etc. They are always listening, like to hear you call out with a question. What else do they pay attention to? To keep your privacy, turn off the microphone and they can’t listen to you anymore.
Speaking of the jazz series being planned at The Parador this summer, the folks that used to run the jazz show on NPR that is now WESA have been broadcasting made Pittsburgh Public Media and have had an on line and a satellite presence since 2011. In 2013 they started broadcasting on FM again. They just got their 1,020 foot antenna working and you can find them at 101.1. you can tune it in 24/7. It is staffed with all volunteers. Oh, that’s right I hadn’t mentioned the jazz series at The Parador yet. We’re working on a Wednesday in May, June & July with some renown Pittsburgh jazz musicians. Details will follow as we get firmed up.
Shopping malls “the thing” in the mid to late 20th century have been taking a nose dive. People don’t go to malls anymore. They are worth a lot of money and the investors that own them are trying to save them. They have spent billions upgrading food & beverage offerings and adding various entertainment options like performance stages, movie theaters in the mall, instead of as an out building in the mall’s parking lot and even adding things like fitness clubs, grocery stores, health clinics and they have even added things like rock climbing and other amusement options. Other than going to Ross Park Mall for their Apple store, I never go in malls so I wouldn’t have seen any of this.
The 1928 vaudeville theater Roxian in McKees Rocks finally closed in 2002. In 2010 the McKees Rocks community development corporation acquired it and spend almost a million dollar shoring up the roof and installing elevator shafts. Thunderbird Cafe in Lawrenceville’s owner John Pergal recently acquired it and plans on investing $9M and hosting their first concert about this time next year. The venue can seat around 1,000 on the first floor and another 500 up in the balconies and VIP boxes. It will fill a void in Pittsburgh between Mr Smalls, Thunderbird and other medium sized venues and big box stadiums. It should be a huge boon for McKees Rocks with drawing more upscale restaurants and bars to cater to the before and after crowds. Thunderbird is slated to open later this spring after doubling in size in it’s remodel to 400 capacity. Other live music venues in Pittsburgh include Howlers in Bloomfield, Stage AE here on the Northshore, Smiling Moose on the Southside, Brillobox in East Liberty, Club Cafe on the Southside two smaller venues include Neid’s Hotel in Lawrenceville. the Park House on the Northside, Roxie Theater on the Southside, Diesel Lounge also on the Southside James Street Gastropub owners are opening a new venue on the Southside, I don’t recall it’s name on the Southside.
Changing tunes here to sweet shops, the Oakmont Bakery is moving right up the street, the new location will be just after you cross the Hulton Bridge that school is on your right and they will be basically next to it. They are more than doubling the retail from a 3,500 sq ft and production is going from 3,500 to 18,000. It will also include parking from 12 spots to 110, a chef demonstration area and more indoor and outdoor seating. They are in the process of getting permits, etc and hope to start construction later this spring.
You see some of the strangest things in the park down the street from me, the Commons is the oldest park in the city, it was founded when this area was not part of Pittsburgh, but was Allegheny City. The Commons was an innovative idea idea at the time. Back then, people were moving into the cities from farms on the outside. With them they brought some sheep, goat and other farm animals. City lots did not have enough space for grazing. So Allegheny City designated a large swath of land in the middle of the city as a common grazing area. Hence the name The Commons, it has changed over the years and is no longer used for common grazing. When I took da kidz down for their walk a month ago or so. There was three of these in a tree:
A couple of years ago I spoke about the iron buck in the Commons:
Most years someone puts a scarf and hat on the buck. As you can see the buck atomically correct. I was walking da boiz through the Commons one day and lady had a small boy (maybe 4 years old) and he ran over to the buck and grabbed apiece of the buck’s anatomy-if you understand me). Mom got all freaked out and started yelling at him to get away from the statue. 🙂 Razor thought it was hysterical and RJ just grunted.
That’s it for today, keep warm and go Steelers tomorrow,
ed
