Hi,

Tomorrow’s the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor (1941), the 6.9 earthquate in Armenian in 1988 killing 60,000 and Marie Tussaud birth anniversary (1761).

Did you hear that the latest Twilight installment is being blamed for causing people with a certain form of epilepsy to go into seizures?  Supposedly this trigering the seizures at certain scenes with flashing lights as it bounces from one scene to another.  There has been something like nine documented persons going into a seizure in the theaters.  Too weird.

Tis the season of lights and we have the usual drive through exhibits.  Hartwood Acres is probably the best know.  The three and a half mile display has two million lights in more than 100 displays.  The proceeds help Project Bundle Up and other local charities.  It is open weekends (Fridays and Saturdays from six until 11 and Sundays until 10).  The suggested donation per car is $12.  Next weekend there is also a candle lit tour of the Mansion for $6.  More info at their web site or by calling 412.767.9200.  Oglebay, down by Wheeling, has one of the oldest light shows and has been recognized by AOLTravel and hotelscombined.com.  This million light display is six miles long through the park and runs from dusk until ten Sundays to Thursdays and until eleven on Fridays and Saturdays.    Suggested donation is $15 per car and both run through January 8.  More info at 800.624.6988 or by visiting their web site.

Overly’s at the Westmoreland Fairgrounds has a bit different approach to festive outings.  They have a quart mile drive through and then a train display, old-fashioned Christmas village, gift shop, live animal Nativity display, play area and concession stand.  More info at 724.423.1400 or their web site.  New this year, Kennywood is opening up from five until ten Fridays through Sundays until December 18.  They also will be having a light display, holiday themed rides, choir groups and visits with Santa.  More info at 412.461.0500 or at their web site.

Point Park University is teaming up with Rivers of Steel in Homestead in creating an exhibit that looks at the steel industry in Pittsburgh.  (I’ve spoken of Rivers of Steel in the past.  They are the group who’s mission is to keep the memory of the steel industry alive and available.  They are behind the push to develop the Carrie Furnace parcel down the Mon Valley into a lasting tribute).  They have quite the selection on loan from various locations.  One is Edwin Rowe’s lithograph Great Battle of Homestead chronicling the striker and the Pinkerton guards Carnegie bought to break the strike.  There’s paintings by Aaron Gorson, a Lithuanian immigrant that’s know for his nocturnal paintings depicting steel mill’s smoke, ash and fire.  There’s a very detailed E Stonquiet painting that in an odd way makes you think of Escher looking at the interior of a mill and seeing skyscrapers looming over it.  I think the show stopper is Frank Vittor’s “Study for Point Park Fountain”.  It was his entry in the competition to pick for the piece that was to end up at The Point.  His three foot plaster model was to be a hundred foot statue of the allegorical steelworker Joe Magarac with water spewing from two crucibles (one on either side of him)  pouring into a third crucible.  To give you perspective, I think when the fountain is working, that center spray shoots one hundred feet up.  This show runs through December 30 and is open from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 8 until 6 Fridays and Saturdays.  It’s in the University’s Lawrence Hall at the corner of Wood Street and the Boulevard of the Allies.  More info at 412.392.8008.

Here’s some festive holiday pictures of The Parador Inn all dressed up 🙂

 

WWell, I’m having trouble uploading pictures this evening, so this is it for today.  Have a great Wednesday,

ed

1 Comment