Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival

This weekend is your last chance to travel back in time to the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival.  Knights fighting, fair ladies, delicious food, and crafts are all waiting for you in Westmoreland County.

Hear ye, hear ye: The annual Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival is nigh -- complete with Washing Well Wenches, goblets of mead, chivalrous knights on brave steeds and tomato tosses.

Starting Saturday and continuing every weekend through Sept. 30 (plus Labor Day), tens of thousands of people will descend on a former farm in Westmoreland County near West Newton for an event that will allow them to forget the 21st century, if only for a few hours.

"Chivalry is not dead," declared the festival's director of marketing, Jim Paradise, whose company, Rocky Mountain Festivals, owns and operates the Pittsburgh festival and a second one near Denver. 

"You'll be able to see knights in shining armor jousting for their fair ladies -- and it's real armor."

Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival

Where: Festival grounds, 6 miles west of New Stanton off I-70.
Times: 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Sept. 30 and Labor Day, rain or shine.
Admission: $16.95 adults, $8 children (age 5-12; children under 5 free). Discount coupons available at Wendy's; discount tickets available at Walgreen's. Free parking. No pets allowed.
Information: www.pittsburghrenfest.com or 724-872-1670.
THEMED WEEKENDS
Saturday-Sunday: "An Adventure to the Past" -- A celebration of music and dance as the royal welcome mat is put out for King Henry and Queen Katherine's arrival at the castle. Buy one, get one free offer at Wendy's restaurants.
Sept. 1-3: Children's Weekend -- Prince, Princess & Pirate Party: Children 12 and under admitted free with a paying adult. Activities include the Prince, Princess and Pirate Costume Contest, the Royal Quest, knighting ceremonies and photos with the King and Queen.
Sept. 8-9: Wine Revelry -- Participate in the Grape Stomp Competitions for prizes, as well as free sampling from local Pennsylvania wineries.
Sept. 15-16: Irish Festivalis -- Irish dancing, music, beer, foods from the Emerald Isle.
Sept. 22-23: Celtic Fling -- Celtic musicians, Scottish pipe bands and madrigal singers throughout the Realm. Also, Men in Kilts Contest.
Sept. 29-30: Oktoberfest: A Final Huzzah -- Join village hosts King Henry and Queen Katherine in an Oktoberfest Celebration and a Farewell to the Festival Season with German foods, dancing and music.

The festival, which is celebrating its sixth year in that location, is all about 16th-century Europe -- at least the nice, non-bloody aspect of 16th-century Europe. Sure, there's theme park food in the form of pizza and nachos, but there's also fish and chips and beer, and, on the Oktoberfest-themed last weekend, plenty of bratwurst and sauerkraut.

"Actually, we're not a re-enactment of a Renaissance world, we're a fantasy kingdom for people to escape from everyday life," Mr. Paradise said. "There is interaction between our Royal Court and our patrons. Our king and queen are hands-on."

There are no beheadings or dragon slayings, but there are bad guys and good guys jousting on horseback (guess who wins) on The King's Field of Honor; games of skill using real axes, daggers and darts; and "Vegetable Justice" in the form of a tomato toss, where participants try to dunk authority figures -- and if they miss, they get a stream of insults.

Renaissance festivals, along with Civil War re-enactments, seem to be a phenomenon unto themselves, with passionate devotees who like to mingle with people in period costume -- whoops, "garb" -- speaking in strangled Olde English and chewing on smoked turkey "haunches." The hit television series "The Gilmore Girls" used these renaissance fests as something of a punchline, but this fair's 350 participants -- craftspeople, musicians, magicians, fairies, bawds -- work very hard to make the experience a magical one, said Mr. Paradise.

"We have an actual blacksmith that does live demonstrations," along with music from a carillon, a medieval instrument -- allegedly only one of two in the country -- made from four tons of bells, played by a masked man and emitting an eerie sound, and a new bagpipe and drum band, Craic, "that I would put up against Bruce Springsteen any day."

Last year, 59,000 people attended the Pittsburgh festival over its 13 days, said Mr. Paradise, whereas more than 200,000 attended the company's other fair south of Denver, attracted, no doubt, not just to the entertainment but the shopping opportunities: booth after booth of handmade jewelry, pottery, bronze sculptures, leatherware, bamboo flutes, dried flower wreaths, chalices, lotions, candles and other gewgaws and frippery.

There are five themed weekends, devoted to children, wine and Irish, Celtic and German culture.

It's not clear if this year's festival will fall victim to a Pirates playoff game or two, but the only competition this Renaissance Fair usually has is "the weather," Mr. Paradise said. "You need good weather."

Now about those Washing Well Wenches: They're a comedy improv duo, and, according to the festival's press release, these two feisty lasses -- Whinny and Izzy -- make doing the laundry funny, providing "rollicking laughter, hysterical comedy and of course, clean clothes!"
Seriously.

"It's stuff you won't see anywhere else." said Mr. Paradise. "If you look at our Washing Well Wenches and watch them and don't laugh, then there's something wrong with you."

Read more at the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

Savor Pittsburgh is September 6th and 7th

Savor Pittsburgh is happening in just two weeks down at the SouthSide works.  This is year seven for the annual event where restaurants all converge on Southside for various competitions throughout the weekend.  You can attend the competitions and events with proceeds going to Magee-Womens Research Institute and Foundation.

 

Join us Thursday and Friday, September 6 and 7, 2012 for the seventh annual Savor Pittsburgh: A Celebration of Cuisine. This scrumptious culinary competition has decided to spice things up and add a 2nd day to the most exciting event in Pittsburgh. Presented by McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant and SouthSide Works, Savor Pittsburgh will benefit the fight against prematurity at Magee-Womens Research Institute & Foundation.

This 2-day event will fill the SouthSide Works with aromas of appealing appetizers, enticing entrees, delightful desserts and copious cocktails. Savor Pittsburgh takes over the heart of Pittsburgh’s trendiest shopping and dining district; SouthSide Works. A sprawling outdoor “urbanesque” landscape is created under elegant white canopies, bringing the best of the indoors to the outdoors for two nights of dinner, cocktails and dancing.

Thursday, September 6th "The Culinary Competition"

A collection of Pittsburgh's finest chefs will share their favorite recipes in an all-out competition for coveted “Dish of the Year” honors. The event blends a scrumptious menu, cocktails, music, dancing, and a silent auction into an elegant fundraiser.

Last year more than 1,000 guests sampled 35 different dishes and danced the night away under the stars to the sounds of No Bad Ju Ju. This year we have even more participating restaurants and are expanding to 1,500 guests. Tickets to the event are only $65 per person and 100% of the proceeds benefit the fight against prematurity at Magee-Womens Research Institute & Foundation. A panel of celebrity and culinary judges will taste and critique each dish and award prizes for the best in several categories including Dish of the Year.”

Friday, September 7th  "THE Great Happy Hour Competition"

New to the mix is THE Great Happy Hour Food and Mixology competition highlighting your favorite restaurants and bartenders battling for top Happy Hour honors. Casual restaurants and bars will be the focus of this competition which will allow us to encompass ALL Pittsburgh food and cocktails. We are putting our own spin to the competition, featuring DJ Nugget on an elevated DJ Booth and Bar bringing together mixes of music and cocktails!

Vote for your favorite Happy Hour foods like sliders, wings, dips and many others while tasting unique cocktail concoctions from the most creative bartenders in the burgh!

How You Can Help

Cuisine and cocktails are the spotlight of this fun event, but the real winner will be Magee-Womens Research Institute & Foundation. In an effort to make the most money, we have several sponsorship opportunities that you can take part in. We have both monetary and inkind sponsorships (i.e. donations of food, wine, beer, and other goods and services) available. To find out more about these opportunities, go to our www.savorpgh.com website for more details. Through these opportunities, we can raise more funds in the fight against prematurity for Magee-Womens Research Institute & Foundation. We sincerely hope that you will take full advantage of this popular event and thank you in advance for your consideration.

 

For more information see Savor Pittsburgh. 

New Restaurant in the Airmall from Celebrity Chef Michael Symon

Delicious homemade food and beer in 30 minutes.  This seems too good to be true.  However, celebrity chef Michael Symon has opened Bar Symon in the Airmall at the airport.  The restaurant has homemade burgers, mac and cheese, and different sandwiches all made from scratch.   The restaurant is modeled after French cafes and breweries with signature dishes from the celebrity chef himself.

Celebrity chef Michael Symon celebrated the grand opening of his new restaurant Monday in the Airmall at Pittsburgh International Airport.

Bar Symon is open for business, modeled after classic French cafes and breweries, with signature dishes from the chef who co-hosts ABC's "The Chew."

Symon told Channel 4 Action News' Sally Wiggin that two of his favorite menu items are the macaroni and cheese with smoked pork butt and the Lola Burger topped with a fried egg and pickled red onions -- plus the Lola Fries with sea salt and fresh rosemary.

"This is a real fun, casual concept for us -- lots of different sandwiches, homemade mac-and-cheeses, a big beer list -- so if you want to get a quick bite, get in and out in 20-30 minutes, you can do that. If you want to kind of relax for a little bit, you can do that too," Symon said.

Monday's ribbon-cutting doubled as a family reunion of sorts.

Symon was born and raised in Cleveland, but has a lot of family in Pittsburgh and enjoys visiting the area often. His father, Dennis, is from Johnstown, and his mother, Angel, is from Monessen.

"She still is a Steelers fan," Symon said. "But like I told her, it's much harder to be a Browns fan. You guys always win."

Already the owner of several restaurants in Cleveland and one in Detroit, why would he choose an airport for his next one?

"It was purely for selfish reasons," Symon said. "As someone who travels a lot, there's nothing that makes me happier than when I go to an airport and get delicious food. We're able to cook our food from scratch, just like we would in the restaurants. We don't use any pre-made junk."

For more information see WTAE.

Inaugural GNC Live Well Race

A few Olympians will be in Pittsburgh this evening for the Inaugural GNC Live Well 1 Mile Race on Liberty Avenue.  The race started because of a movement to return to using the mile instead of meters in American Sports.  There is one of the biggest prizes up for grabs in a race of that distance, and the racers are all hoping for it.

012 USA 1 Mile road champions Miller, Kampf headline; $25,000 prize purse with $4000 for each Open race champion

PITTSBURGH, Aug. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Runners in inaugural races have no race records to break or past champions to beat. At the GNC Live Well Liberty Mile on Friday, 

August 17, top American milers, known for chasing big dreams one mile at a time, are guaranteed to make history in Pittsburgh in the country's newest Mile race.

The 2012 USA 1 Mile road champions Heather Kampf and Craig Miller headline the deep elite field. Miller, who finished 9^th in the 1500 meters at the recent Olympic Trials, will compete against other sub-4:00 American milers, including, AJ Acosta, Cory Leslie, Jeff See, Jordan McNamara, Christian Hesch and Liam Boylan-Pett.

For the women, Kampf will face tough competition from Gabriele Anderson, who finished 4th in the 1500 meters at the Olympic Trials, and Sarah Bowman, who finished 6^th in the 1500 meters at the Olympic Trials.

"For years, GNC has been the leader in providing the fuel for runners to achieve their goals, and we believe it's time that we bring the quickly emerging world of one-mile road races to Pittsburgh, our home town," said Jeff Hennion, EVP - Chief Marketing Officer & eCommerce at GNC. "To make that happen, we are proud to sponsor the inaugural GNC Live Well Liberty Mile and launch it in a way that we expect will immediately make it one of the nation's largest."

The inaugural GNC Live Well Liberty Mile will take place on Friday, August 17, on Pittsburgh's Liberty Avenue. The point-to-point course has a gradual rise for the first half and then rounds a slight curve toward a downhill finish. The race offers a guaranteed prize purse of $25,000 – one of the largest for the distance, including $4000 for the first place finishers in the men's and women's elite heats.

"We are thrilled to host yet another successful race, which will showcase our 'most livable' city to even more visitors and prove that we are one of the world's best running towns," said Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. "I want to thank the Pittsburgh Three Rivers Marathon, Inc. for their hard work and dedication. They continue to raise the bar on just how big of a race town our city can become." 

The Liberty Mile is a partner of the Bring Back the Milecampaign, www.bringbackthemile.com, a national movement to return the Mile to prominence in the American sports and cultural landscape by elevating and celebrating the iconic distance.

For more information please see the Sacramento Bee.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/08/15/4728575/inaugural-gnc-live-well-liberty.html#storylink=cpy

Pittsburgh Restaurant Week

Pittsburgh has a variety of restaurants from Thai to American all though out the city and suburbs. Pittsburgh's Restaurant Week was created for people to explore all the restaurants the city has to offer without breaking the bank.  Restaurants create deals and special dinners for people to example at a fixed low price.   This is the perfect week to try a new restaurant and see what out city has to offer.

Event: Pittsburgh Restaurant Week
 
Location: Various locations around Pittsburgh
 
Date: August 13-19, 2012
 
Time: Various times (depending on restaurants hours)
 
Cost: Around $25-30 for fixed price 3-4 course dinners (some as low as $15!)
 
Description: Pittsburgh Restaurant Week embraces the melting pot of restaurants in our great city in a week-long celebration of dining and food. For the week of August 13-19, 2012, the Pittsburgh community is invited to celebrate the wealth of options in the dining scene by enjoying a wonderful meal at a participating restaurant at a discounted price.  In return, Pittsburgh’s restaurants are celebrating their food, cuisine and livelihood.  Their participation in Pittsburgh Restaurant Week demonstrates their dedication to and appreciation of the Pittsburgh community – a community that has supported their passion for food and dining.

Visit pittsburghrestaurantweek.com for the official listing of participating restaurants. Restaurants are encouraged to visit this site and register their restaurants to take advantage of this opportunity to reinforce their bonds with the community and celebrate the burgeoning food culture in Pittsburgh.
The mission of Pittsburgh Restaurant Week is to highlight the wide-ranging dining options that Pittsburgh has to offer and bring individuals from surrounding boroughs or suburbs to the city to walk the streets and enjoy a dinner at a special discounted price.

For more information please see Living Pittsburgh.

Watch for Construction This Weekend

Everyone is making their weekend plans today, but make sure to take into account traffic for the commute.  There are many road closures and detours happening this weekend in and around the Pittsburgh area.  Here are a list of the main construction areas that could make your commute a little longer than expected.

 Parkway East (Interstate 376): Westbound (inbound) 376 will be closed between Grant Street (Exit 71A) and the Fort Pitt Bridge/I-279 ramps from 9 p.m. Friday through approximately noon Saturday. Crews will be performing repairs in the tunnel that carries Grant Street over I-376. The ramp from Grant Street to westbound I-376 will also be closed. Traffic will be detoured using Fort Pitt Boulevard.

Squirrel Hill Tunnel: Traffic in the westbound (inbound) Squirrel Hill Tunnel on the Parkway East (I-376) will be restricted to a single lane from 9 p.m. to 10 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights for tunnel rehabilitation work.

Parkway West/Fort Pitt Bridge: The far right lane on the outbound (westbound lower deck) Fort Pitt Bridge (I-376) approaching the West Carson Street (Route 837 West End Exit 69C) off-ramp will be closed from 6 to 11 a.m. Sunday. The ramp will remain open. Crews will be inspecting the bridge.

Interstate 579/Crosstown Boulevard/Veterans Bridge: The ramp from the inbound (northbound) Liberty Bridge to northbound I-579 (Crosstown Boulevard) will be closed to allow crews to continue wall rehabilitation from 8 p.m. Friday through 6 a.m. Monday.

Banksville Road: Single-lane traffic will occur from 8 p.m. Friday through 6 a.m. Monday on Banksville Road between the Parkway West (I-376) and Beverly Road/McFarland Road. One lane will be open in each direction. The passing and turn lanes will be closed. Crews will be milling and paving turn lanes and concrete patching in the passing lanes. In addition, short-term closures and traffic stoppages may occur on side streets. Police will assist with traffic control during brief closures.

For more information please see WTAE.

It's Pittsburgh Steeler Time!

The Pittsburgh Steelers play their first game this Thursday.  However, the season for these NFL players started two weeks ago in Latrobe.  Training camp is the prime place for the rookies to get adjusted to the NFL game play, but it is also great for fans to get to meet some of their football idols.

Pittsburgh Steelers Training Camp kicked off two weeks ago for its 47th consecutive season at St. Vincent College in Latrobe. Given a nod as the best training camp in the NFL by Peter King of CNN, Steelers training camp features plenty of action, the opportunity to get player autographs, and a chance to watch first-hand as the players battle for key positions. 

Among those who reported to camp was first-round draft pick David DeCastro, who signed a four-year contract, and is expected to start for the Steelers at right guard this year. Veteran Max Starks was also re-signed and will be battling rookie Mike Adams for the job at left tackle. However, the biggest news was the absence of restricted free-agent wide receiver Mike Wallace from training camp. The Pro Bowl receiver has declined to sign the one-year, $2.7 million tender offer, and the Steelers have now suspended negotiations on a long-term contract until Mike Wallace reports to camp. Also notably absent for only the second time in 15 years is recently retired Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward. 

Training camp will be fun as always for fans, but also not the same without Hines, James Farrior, Aaron Smith, Chris Hoke, Bryant McFadden, William Gay, and Daniel Sepulveda. The 2012 Steelers training camp runs from Wednesday, July 25, when the players first report to camp, through Friday, August 17th, and most afternoon practices are open to the public. The first public practice for Steelers Training Camp 2012 is Friday, July 27th.

For more information see The Steeler Guide. 

21+ Night this Thursday at the Carnegie Science Center

No-Kids Night at the Science Center! 
Thursday, August 9 
6-10 pm

For just $10, you'll have access to four floors of exhibits, including GUITAR: The Instrument That Rocked The World, a planetarium show, scientific demos, and a cash bar with snacks available for purchase. Plus, enjoy a musical saw performance by local band Faithful Sinners! 

Complete the evening with The Dark Knight Rises ($12 non-Members, $11 Members) on Pittsburgh's biggest screen! Showtimes: 4:15 pm, 7:15 pm, and 10:15 pm. But hurry, tickets are selling fast! After buying your tickets to21+ Night, click on CONTINUE SHOPPING to buy tickets to The Dark Knight Rises.

Sections of the T Light-Rail System Down this Weekend

 If you are planning on taking the T this weekend, be aware of some closures to the normal routes.  
From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Website:

"Port Authority of Allegheny County will close the T light-rail system in Downtown and the North Shore for rail repairs all day Saturday and Sunday, the transit agency said Thursday morning....

Closed T stations will include First Avenue, Steel Plaza, Wood Street and Gateway in Downtown, and North Side and Allegheny on the North Shore. Buses will run in both directions between the stations. Transfers from the T to buses will be free for inbound riders at First Avenue."


Read the full article here.