Hi,
Obviously, today is Friday the 13th, bee careful. 🙂 Tomorrow is the anniversary of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln (1865), Anne Sullivan’s birth anniversary (1866-Helen Keller’s teacher), Grapes of Wrath were published (1939), the first dictionary of American English (1828) and President Taft started the tradition of the President throwing the first baseball of the season (1910).
So what do you think of this sign?
Betty moved into a senior apartment last year run by the Catholic Church. It’s independent living and the lady that runs the place, Sister Pat, is kind of tough with the residents. And I can understand it, having sixty to a hundred seniors could be kind of challenging I’m sure. When I drove up to visit with Betty a couple of weeks ago and saw that new sign in the parking lot, I did a double take. When I looked closer, the sign doesn’t say the building is guarded with a gun, but by security cameras. But first impression when you look at that sign, it sure looks like a gun. I could envision Sister Pat with a Clock strapped to her hip. 🙂
Tom Wilson, 1931-2011, was originally from Grant Town in West Virginia and graduated from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Heas the creator of Ziggy, that cartoon icon that always has a positive attitude was first published in 1971. To honor Mr. Wilson, The Art Institute is featuring an exhibit, Ziggy: An Island of Humor in a Sea of Trouble in their lobby through this Saturday, April 14. Admission is free and it is open 9 – 5 today, Friday and 9 am until 4 pm. Saturday. The exhibit contains over three dozen original drawings and a half dozen Ziggy inspired artwork by local artists. The Institute is located at420 Boulevard of the Allies, Downtown. More info by calling 412.291.6200.
By price:
Carnevale Di Venezia by the Allegheny General Hospital Auxiliary Gala is o$250 – $300 April 14 at the Carnegie Music Hall Foyer in Oakland. Black ties optional, masks encourages is the word on this sold-out fund raiser. Grammy Award winning opera tenor Gary Lakes will serenade the guests. Info at 412.359.3369.
PNC Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy Spring Hat Lunch $225, May 5 at Frick Park, Squirrel Hill is in it’s 14th year and has raised over $5M for the Pittsburgh parks system. The Kentucky Derby may dominate fashion and mint juleps a little south of us, but this affair has all the boaters, bonnets and bowlers in Pittsburgh. More info at their web site.
A Night in the Woods, Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania is $125 on June 23 at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve, Fox Chapel. Proceeds of this soiree benefits the Shannon’s Camp Fund that helps send underprivileged children in Western Pennsylvania to summer camps. More info at their web site or by calling 412.963.6100.
Full Bloom Summer Dance Party-Kelly Strayhorn Theater is $40 to $125 and being held on June 2 outside The Kelly Strayhorn Theater in East Liberty. Fireworks and dancing in the streets until late at night are a few of the activities. More info at their web site or by calling 412.441.1576.
Let Them Eat Cake! The Midwife Center is $45 – $75 on May 19 at the Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters on Penn Avenue in the Strip. Professional and amateur bakers will ensure all sweet teeth are taken care of. This is their 30th anniversary. More info at their web site or by calling 412.321.6884.
Rivers of Steel, the steel industry historical society, is seeking volunteers to be tour guides at The Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area. This is the Carrie Blast Furnace in Rankin that they’re turning into a museum. Operated by US Steel until 1980 as part of the Homestead Works, the site has an ore yard, car dumper, blowing house, not stoves and cast house. Also located there is the Deer Head, a sculpture completed by artists after the furnace closed down. More info at their web site or by calling Sherris Moreiraat 412.464.4020 extension 46.
The Southside Brew House Association’s Distillery Program has brought together a diverse group of artists for their sixth annual art show. The Brew House Space 101 Gallery is open from 6 – 9 pm Wednesdays and Thursdays, and noon until 6 pm Saturdays. The show, called The End will have an open reception today Friday, from 6 – 9 with an artist who’s work is displayed. There will also be meet and greet with artists featured on May 1 and 3. More info at their web presence or by calling 412.381.7767.
You Don’t Know Dick is coming to The New Hazlett Theatre both this coming Monday and Tuesday at 8 pm. Caravan Theatre of Pittsburgh will be presenting insights into the life of Philip K Dick, famous for blurring the boundaries between perception and reality. He wrote Blade Runner, Minority Report and The Adjustment Bureau. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. More details at the Hazlett‘s web site, showclix site or by calling 412.320.4610.
Gestures: Intimate Friction is the new exhibit at the Mattress Factory Annex through November 30. One local artist, Dee Briggs, created a series of periscopes around the outside of the building so you can get glimpses on what’s inside. The inspiration for this was a number of years ago, Dee was invited to a friend’s opening at the Mattress Factory and brought her two nine year olds and was surprised at the $27 cost for them to enter. So she wanted to offer sort of a free admittance. Architect/artist Jeremy Ficca took a section of plywood floor up and then took similar size pieces of plywood, cut slits in them so he could mold them to look like they are flying over the hole in the floor. Speaking of holes, Nina Marie Barbuto’s Glory Holes are cut outs that expose the interior of the room she was assigned. Finally, architect/artist Matt Huber also cut holes into his assigned room so you can see his creation, since he drywalled the doorway so you can’t enter. In the room, he built an enclosed environment with newspaper he hung on string creating a matrix and then pieces of newspaper have been affixed to the walls creating a well-lit jewel box. Hours are 10 am until 5 pm. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 1 – 5 pm Sundays. More info at the Mattress Factory website or by calling 412.231.3169. $12 admission includes the Mattress Factory proper as well as the Annex.
I know I don’t normally talk about bands, but a group playing at Mr. Smalls tomorrow caught my attention with their name: Trampled by Turtles. I love that name. 🙂
OK, just so someone doesn’t send a mental health professional over to see me, here’s my whining for this post. Bank NY Mellon had a shareholders meeting here this week. The officials ran into protesting shareholders (one was escorted out of the meeting by security) 🙂 The shareholders are upset that Bank NY Mellon is being investigated for ripping off pension funds on foreign currency transactions. Also, they seem pretty concerned about the bank paying “bloated salaries to executives and not paying it’s fair share of taxes.” We need more shareholders like that.
Have a wonderful weekend,
ed
