My blog n'at

I don’t usually write posts as soon as I hear news but this time I have to. Today MegaBus will begin service in Erie and while yinzers may go “Erie? really?” let me point out a few things for you. If you’re familiar with MegaBus you already know that prices start at $1. I’m not joking, ONE DOLLAR! You can’t even get a city block on that much gas in your car. Honestly if you want a great overview of it check out this story from KDKA’s Jim Lokay.

Here’s where it gets good. The total trip is 2 hours long and the drop off point is Presque Isle Downs. It’s a C-A-S-I-N-O with HORSERACING! If you get tired of the casino or you’re like me and don’t gamble, there is Erie’s mass transit which also picks you up at the casino and takes you downtown and to the Bayfront. I encourage anyone who takes the trip to consider making a weekend out of it and in fact the tourism groups for both cities should plan a trip deal around it. “If you’re coming in from “x” via megabus to our city here is what you can do in 1 day..” I think I missed my calling somewhere as a trip planner.

If you’re traveling Pittsburgh to Erie your day can look like this on July 9th for a 1 day trip.

1. Leave from Pittsburgh at 7:15am, arrive in Erie at Presque Isle Downs around 9:35am
2. Stretch, play some slots and hit up the buffet.
3. 3pm is post time for the horse races
4. Catch the 5:40pm EMTA into town
5. 6pm get off at 13th and State Street and walk 2 blocks to BrewErie for dinner and craft beers brewed on site or ride the bus down to the lake and have dinner on the bay while watching the sunset
6. 8pm catch the EMTA back to the casino and you’ll have 1 hour left to gamble before your 9:35pm bus takes you back to Pittsburgh by midnight. If you’re not exhausted yet you still have time to hit up a couple bars in Pittsburgh.

If you don’t want to hit up the casino the EMTA will take you into downtown Erie where you can either walk around or catch a taxi to Presque Isle and spend the day at the beach.  Honestly with this plan there should be some kinda shuttle to Presque Isle from downtown. If anyone in Erie knows of one, leave it in the comments.

total travel price for 1 person – $6.50 (plus bus fare which is $1.10 one way)

If you’re traveling Erie to Pittsburgh your day can look like this on July 9th for a 1 day trip.

1. Leave Erie at 2pm and arrive at 4:10pm in Pittsburgh at 10th St and Penn Ave (Convention Center)
2. Walk around the Strip District or through downtown checking out the city and grabbing a bite to eat
3. 7:05 Pirates vs Cubs
4. Game should end around 9:30-10pm. Post game you can head back into the city for a beverage or a walk around the cultural district. Maybe catch the T for a trip to Station Square and ride an incline to see the city
5. Return to the convention center for your pick up at 11:30pm to return to Erie at 1:45am Sunday

total travel price for 1 person – $6.50

The trip from Erie to Pittsburgh is more ideal if you want to spend a weekend or come down for an event at night and head back. Pirates and Penguins fans will be able to take advantage of this since both PNC Park and Consol Energy Center are walking distance (CEC is a tad of a hike). If there is a show in town that you want to see, the arrival at 4 is perfect to find a place to eat and relax before the curtain raises. If you want good craft beer check out Sharp Edge Bistro on Penn. Its pricey but you’ll have Belgian beers available you’ll never find in Erie.

By no means should you take my suggested schedule as gospel. Everyone has different tastes but this just shows you what is now available at a VERY LOW price if you want to get away for a day or 2.

By the way craft beer loving yinzers, Beer on the Bay is coming up in Erie. MegaBus may give a whole new meaning to beer run and I think SIDT may have a plan for you.

cheers!

My wife and I just recently got into watching Man vs Food hosted by Adam Richman on the Travel channel. I heard of the show a couple years ago when he was in town shooting a Pittsburgh episode and did his food challenge at Quaker Steak by eating Atomic Wings (I can’t believe that was the best he could find here. Its way over hyped). The premise of the show is Adam goes to a city, eats at 3 places and then does a food challenge which is usually eating an obscene amount of food or something that would make your ass pucker. Its almost like a wonder twin version of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives but the appeal comes from the host. Adam is the kinda guy you could watch a game with and have a dog & a beer.  Basically he’s a food version of Should I Drink That.

Last night we watched the Chicago episode which he had some deep dish, yada yada yada and… a Lucky’s overstuffed sandwhich?

Wait a second. Bread, tomato, cole slaw, fries, cheese and meat…That looks REALLY familiar.

Hey, it’s Pittsburgh’s own Primanti sandwich!

Yes I know that these are probably imitated all over the country, it happens, but the fact that not only was it featured on Man vs Food: Chicago but ALSO on Man vs Food: Pittsburgh! You mean to tell me that someone, especially Adam, didn’t say “I think I’ve had this before.” when he was at either place (whichever aired second).  Almost beats the joints in Erie that sell “Pre-manny style sandwiches”. Oh wait it gets better, the menu and vibe of Lucky’s is damn near the same as Primanti’s! If you watch the episode and look at the menu on the wall it’s creepy similar.

Just when I thought it couldn’t get any more bizarro world on me, enter THIS guy

Dude is wearing a Pirates cap! Not only did they rip off the food but there’s a guy pimping the Buccos. if you check the interwebz you’ll see this episode came out a while ago and people have been bitching ever since. Whatever the reason if you get the chance try out both places and make your own judgement. If I ever get to Chicago on a beer tour I’ll make sure to stop here.

Onto the challenge. Adam has to eat 3 sandwiches in 1 hour. The feat originated when some drunk dude (probably the guy in the hat above) came in loaded on cheap beer and downed 3 in one sitting. Adam did this in 25 minutes. Yeah, 25. This is no challenge and in fact next time I go to Primanti’s I’m going to see what its like there. I’ll ask sickpuppy to bring the camera along.

One last thing - Primanti’s (founded 1930′s) > Lucky’s (founded 2004)

All Pirates fans have left is to live in the past. At least we have a good one (not including the last 18 years of course).

Here is the Pirates tribute today to Maz in history.  I was happy to open my morning Post Gazette and find out that the front page was a replica of the World Series paper. For me my favorite Pirates memory was watching the Pirates clinch the NL East for the first of 3 times in 1990 with my dad. I remember jumping up and down in our livingroom when the final out was made and then the following 2 seasons I would be able to see them in person. Little known fact is that I was suited up as the ball boy for the 1994 All Star game but I think it was still that moment with my dad which was the first time I got to celebrate winning.

Tell me, what’s your favorite Pirates memory?

This past weekend was the first time in over a month that I was able to spend a weekend with Lushie and Teaspoon without having any other commitments. Felt kinda weird actually knowing that I didn’t have any impending deadlines to spend more time huddled around a laptop with . I finished up my final for a Flash/Actionscript class I was taking around 9pm on Friday and for the first time felt lost. I wasn’t sure what to do next.

Saturday we came up with a plan, we need new carpeting for Teaspoon’s room and for the nursery. We hit my go to store of Home Depot and wait… and wait… ask for help and wait… and wait… Three workers looked right at us and walked away. I finally get this lady’s attention and show her my measurements of the walls in the rooms. We find a sample we like and she quotes me $860 (incl install and delivery). We’re feeling fairly confident that this is the way we’ll go and before we leave we want to find a gate door for our railing so we can cage Teaspoon in. We’re told to go to gardening and they can help us. We wait, and wait, and wait and finally realize that there are 8 other customers roaming around doing the same. 15 minutes later I found a stock girl and ask her about the gate door which apparently was a HUGE inconvenience since she huff and puffed the whole time. We go to the area where fencing is to find out they sell everything BUT the door! Asked where we could look for one and she says “i dunno, but we don’t have it” then she walks away! Irritation level was at an all-time high so we leave and Lushie is hell bent not to buy our carpeting there. Don’t even mention Lowes because that place is even worse.

On our way home we pass Remnant City and it was like the heavens parted. Not only did we find carpet we liked BUT they also said Home Depot’s measurements of yardage we needed was way off (she showed me the math) and they were going to save us $300. Sold!  I’ll let you know when its installed.

As if that wasnt exhausting enough Teaspoon was sleeping in the backseat so we went for a drive to Bloomfield. Hoping to catch some Italian days we ended up passing on it when navigating through Bloomfield was impossible. It was the first time I had people walking into my car while driving on a major road.  Food smelled good though!

When in doubt on what to do in Pittsburgh, go to the Strip. I’ve been itching to try the new Pittsburgh Public Market since it was first announced they were opening. Its in an area of the Strip that was once occupied by Good Apples (yeah, that was weird walking in and not seeing Griff there) and has been transformed into a market area with vendors from around the area showcasing foods and arts. To be fair we got there around 3:30 and most things were already picked over but I can see the potential of the place if you get there early enough. Don’t bring a stroller though because there are so many people its tough to navigate.

Fact remained we were still hungry and thats when I zeroed in on Rowdy BBQ. In fact as soon as we crossed the threshold to the market I could smell BBQ. I think its a natural reaction, if there is BBQ present I’ll find it. We had passed their store on 51 twice that day while carpet shopping so I knew this was a sign. Be still my heart as right next to it was Gosia’s Pierogies. I got the pulled pork and Lushie got the pierogies for a family buffet at a small hightop table. If you need any reason to come to this place its these 2 dishes. The bbq was some of the best I’ve had in years and the pierogies were melting like buttah… in buttah.

Now here’s the kicker, soon you’ll be able to get your growlers filled by East End Brewing. That’s right Scott Smith is in the process of bringing his delicious craft beer down to the market. Guys, while the ladies shop you can get BBQ, pierogies AND CRAFT BEER!  This could turn into one of the greatest places ever.

I took 3 pics with my crackberry

July
Began the month with recording at the BeerDependence Day celebration at Bocktown. Attended the Penguins Stanley Cup DVD Release Party. Started a contracting job at EDMC that would become the longest month of my life and that’s all I’m going to say. Enjoyed my first ever bowl of Pho. Rocked the Beer on the Bay festival in Erie which the videos are epic and may never be released. End the month being interviewed by KDKA for the Craft Beer Summit.

August
Won a 2009 Mustang! Bees invade our bathroom (landlord still has yet to remove the dead bodies). I got a full-time job in social media/web dev that has turned out to be freaking cool plus I’m on a rockstar team. Threatened Lushie with divorce after she gets rid of the Back to the Future marathon channels.

September
Attended “Best of the Burgh” at the Warhol with sickpuppy, PittGirl, Woy and Rachel. Go big time and hosted Beer School at the Cabaret downtown to a sold out crowd. Teaspoon hits 17lbs.

October
Hosted 2 sessions at Podcamp Pittsburgh 4. Should I Drink That passed 500,000 download mark. Pens start defending the Stanley Cup. Revised Google Maps errors. Celebrate 4 years of marriage with Lushie. Lay the smackdown on poor fact checking by the Post gazette about Erie. Teaspoon goes pumpkin farming.

November
I blogged the whole month. Seriously. Bought a X-box. Teaspoon’s first Thanksgiving. Wonders of fatherhood and a kid who grows like a weed. Craft Beer Dinner with Lew Bryson, Education on the Pittsburgh Potty. Making your own Bacon. BEER AT GIANT EAGLE! Yinz Bowl 2.o

December
Still living it for 5 more hours. Remembering dad on his anniversary. Hosted a Christmas beer sampling at Bocktown. Saw KISS in concert. Teaspoon’s first Christmas. Finished the school year with a 3.65GPA. SNOW!

So what do I have to look forward to in 2010?  Come back tomorrow and find out!

I have to admit that this has been the most life changing year of my life. Some good, some bad and some mind blowing kickass. Here’s a quick recap as I reflect before tonight’s festivities start. I’m splitting this up into 2 sections because lets be honest, no one will scroll through 12 months.

January
Reflected on the first beer I EVER drank and yes, I kept the bottle. Prepare for the end of my 10+ year employment at ForeSystems/Marconi/Ericsson. Bitched about the weather and yinzers inability to drive in snow plus dumb ass snow removal by my neighbors. Both of those still hold true today. Got ready for an unbelievable run to the Super Bowl

February
Steelers won the Super Bowl and became the first ever 6 time champ thus giving every knock off t-shirt maker starry eyes at the potential of “6 pack” shirts. Punxy Phil said 6 more weeks of winter. I was officially laid off, was interviewed for a Post Gazette story on unemployment moments after i was laid off (that never was published), Pens started to turn it around and the biggest shock of them all… Teaspoon arrived 2 months early making me the happiest and most terrified dad. Came in at 4.1lb, dropped to 3.2lb and would leave at 5 in March.

March
It was the month of Teaspoon. Lushie and I spent every minute we could at the Mercy NICU while he got healthy in an incubator. 28 days later he came home. Also witnessed the stupidity of some Hill District parents who think its a hotel in there and the joke that is unemployment system in PA.

April
Went to my first ever Rugby match and got addicted to watching Claire and the girls kick ass. Missed my first opening day of Pirates baseball since 1984 (watched it on TV with Teaspoon and started a new tradition with my boy). Bought a Wii. Enjoyed the greatest comeback in Pens Playoff hockey that I have witnessed as the Pens turned the series around with 1 fight and the Max Talbot shhhhhhh! Saw Beer Wars the Movie with hundreds of other craft beer fans around the world and baked an incredible beer ham for Easter.

May
Should I Drink That turned 3. Pens defeated Washington and Carolina to earn a second trip to the Stanley Cup Finals for a 2nd year. Bought a Blackberry. Joined Sadie’s Soldiers and took some Great Strides. KDKA reads my “tweet of the day” which I WISH they would bring back. The great personalized jersey debate. Meatshield welcomed his first child (i swear it was the year for kids to be born) and we had a cookout with some family. Bowling league ended and we were the undisputed champs.

June
Teaspoon’s first trip to the ER. Coming out of golf retirement after 3.5 year for a day with Yinz Teamer’s Woy, Lokay and Shireman at Cranberry Highlands. The Clarks release Restless Days after 5 years. Pens win the Stanley Cup in 7 games vs Detroit. Pittsburgh floods… again. Unemployed Utensil makes his first appearance as a way to help me get through not working. My first Father’s day and Pirates waste of talent Ian Snell cant take negative people.

up next… July through December.

This is in reply to a piece that Jessica Isner wrote titled “Top 10 Reasons Boston Will Dethrone Pittsburgh as Best Sports City in 2010“. Lets address each of her claims as to why Boston will win.

10. Pittsburgh has no MLS team and no NBA team.
Didn’t realize people actually followed MLS and NBA teams still. That’s SO 90′s. We’ve been too busy to notice down here, you know, winning hockey and football titles. Honestly, if not for ESPN would anyone even know the NBA was around? My bet is that if you throw a bunch of “pro” teams at a city eventually one of them will win.

9. The Penguins may be better than the Bruins, but…
But nothing. Penguins are 5-1, Bruins are  2-3.  No Stanley Cup since 1971-72? Wow that’s almost as pathetic as Toronto. suck it.

8. The Charles River trumps all three rivers in Pittsburgh.
Here’s the part that kills me, “The Charles has history, collegiate regattas and celebrity fans.”. Darlin, you may want to check out the Three Rivers Regatta and Head of the Ohio. Since you’re up on history I’m assuming you know about Fort Pitt? right? What a joke. Did you even fact check?

7. Pittsburgh doesn’t have cool celebrity fans.
What does this have to do with best Sports City? Oh well I’ll humor it. If you could fill your seats on your own you wouldn’t need celebs. That’s why we have waiting lists to get into our games.

6. Sam Adams > Iron City.
Iron City? Really? I like Sam and all but I think you need to have a few beers from East End Brewing. You’ll find the emerging craft beer scene here quite impressive. Take off the beer goggles.

5. Boston is a college hockey utopia.
Granted you have a GREAT hockey program up there but you should check your facts. True that Pitt doesn’t have a  Div 1 hockey team but Robert Morris does and look at the score sheet of the last time they played.

4. After much debate, it’s true: BC football is better than Pitt football.
Debate with whom? the mailroom guy?

3. Fan devotion
Steeler Nation would destroy you and Penguins fans would trample your weak and hurdle your dead Bruins fans. no contest.

2. Speaking of the Patriots and the Steelers …
Yeah speaking of, I forget, which city does your football team play in again? Ours is actually IN Pittsburgh so I was just curious.

1. This is a baseball country, and — shocker — the Pirates just don’t cut it.
Its whatever country you want it to be when you’re trying to grasp for hope. Pirates have lost for 17 straight years and the only person this seems like news to is you. Seriously, we don’t even notice anymore.

I tried to explain the Pirates last 17 seasons to him…

(from a May 16th, 2007 post I made)

I thought about posting on the whole Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson double header death yesterday or even the fact that today is Lushie’s birthday. Instead I’m focusing on an article I read this morning that has me furious. Ian Snell… grow up.

From today’s Post Gazette – “In a bizarre 24 hours for the Pirates’ enigmatic starting pitcher, Snell approached management late Wednesday to request a demotion to Class AAA Indianapolis because of “too much negativity” in Pittsburgh about his performance, specifically from the fans, media and even independent bloggers.”

Before I rant let me point you to Ian’s stats this year – Won 2 Lost 8 with a 5.36 ERA. He’s in the 2nd year of a 3yr 8.6Mil deal. Ian has, in 6 seasons, posted ONE winning season. He has a lifetime ERA of 4.75.

Ian, you whiny spoiled brat. You have been given the gift that millions of boys wish for when they pick up their first baseball. You get to make a living as a Major League ballplayer. To blame the FANS, you know the people whom your employer wouldn’t have a business without, for your emotional state is not only an insult to myself and other Pirate fans but shows your immaturity and lack of respect. Face the facts,you are not a good ballplayer. If I was to perform well below average with my employer and then put blame publicly on our customers I would get fired. I wouldn’t get sent out for rehab or to have sunshine blown up my butt, I would be fired. Count your lucky stars that you are even in the organization.

You complained in 2007 and you’re doing it now in 2009 about “negativity”. You are a professional athlete. If you cant take being a public figure then turn in your glove now and find someone who’s willing to give you a hug and tell you the bad man will go away. You are in Pittsburgh. We are a city and fan base of bust your ass and suck it up to get the job done workers. When a business fails for 16 consecutive years you have NO room, ZERO, ZILCH, to place blame on anyone but yourself.

I’m done with you Ian. Do me and the Pirate fans a favor. Leave. Your contract is being wasted on your five cent head when it could be used for players who don’t make excuses and want to be here.

Today marks the home opener of the Pittsburgh Pirates and since 1984 I haven’t missed a single game… until now (somewhere in my basement or my mom’s attic are the ticket stubs). I’m not missing it out of some bullshit protest or hissy fit on the heels of 17 losing seasons. I’m spending the day home with Teaspoon so we can start a new tradition of watching each game together.

Opening Day 2007 was tough for me because that was the first without my dad (passed the previous december) by my side eating peanuts and chugging cokes. Last season it was obvious that change was going to be coming as Lushie and I went ourselves and could feel that something was missing. So this year I decided I’m staying home and watching it with Teaspoon and starting a new tradition of our own. I have a little Pirates outfit to put him in and we’re going to have hotdogs. OK, he’s having his milk and I’m having hotdogs.

So here’s to the Buccos and hopefully and end to the losing ways. I have faith, just like I have the last 16 home openers.

That’s me on the day the Pirates clinched the 1991 NL East title at 3 Rivers Stadium.

I love today, opening day of baseball. All of that hope for a winning season but unfortunately here in Pittsburgh we haven’t had that enjoyment for 16 years. Dejan, whom I think is the best sports writer ever to grace this town, wrote about things that have happened since the Pirates last had a winning season. On the verge of setting a major professional sports record of consecutive losing seasons at 17 I thought I’d put together a list of my own things that have happened since October of 1992.

• I had 1 niece at the time and she was 2. She’s now in college.
• I was 16 then, I’m 33 now.
• I stopped listening to Boyz II Men when I picked up a CD from this new band called Pearl Jam.
• Dallas Stars played in Minnesota, Colorado Avalanche were the Quebec Nordiques, Phoenix Coyotes still skated as the Winnipeg Jets and the Hartford Whalers never expected to be in Carolina.
• I averaged 15-20 Pirates games a summer while I lived in Erie. Living in Pittsburgh it’s 2.
• I hated computers unless I was playing Oregon Trail. Now, well you can figure that out.
• My best friend Tom and I would watch baseball games with the volume down and record ourselves on cassette tape doing the Play-By-Play. Now I have an internet radio show with over hundreds of thousands of downloads.
• In 1992 I drank my first beer, Golden Anniversary. Today I co-host a craft beer podcast and write beer reviews.

Teaspoon is only 5 weeks old. I hope that I can take him to see a winning team before he’s in high school. Then again I bet my brother said that after is oldest son was born too… 16 years ago.