 |
| Entrance lobby of the Andy Warhol Museum |
THE ANDY WARHOL MUSEUM
First on my list was the Andy Warhol Museum. I rode past this place a million times going to and from high school, and I have a lot of respect for Mr. Warhol as an "ar-teest" and fellow Pittsburgher (I actually took art classes at the Carnegie Museum of Art in the same (but renamed) program that he did as a child) so I was excited to go and finally pay my due respects. (Photography was not allowed anywhere past the first floor, so I don't have many art images for you.)
 |
| Andy Warhol cookie! |
Walking in, you get the impression that you are almost walking into an IKEA decorated shrine to Andy- and I mean that in a good way. It's clear that this place is all about him, as evidenced by the ginormous picture of him covering smaller pictures of him when you first walk in. The cost is usually $15 to get in (with discounts available for students, seniors, and a slew of other categories), but thanks to my job I got in for free. A girl with pinkish orange hair told me the best route was to go from the top level on the elevator and work my way down (which I did). Each level was dedicated to different aspects of his life and career- his movies, his books, his sculpture, his advertisements, etc. And there were exhibits by other contemporary artists that effortlessly blended into the style of Warhol while standing out on their own at the same time. A few of the videos weren't working (I'm pretty sure that while Warhol may have painted a few iWarhols had he lived to see the Age of Apple, the company's logo wasn't supposed to be mixed in with the short films), but that's really my only complaint. I thought it was cool that the "kids guide" was an informative coloring book that introduces basic concepts of pop art.The cutest thing were the Warhol cookies sold in the cafe (which was itself very chic with cow hair couches and steel tables for decor). Anyone from Pittsburgh will instantly see the loving similarity between these and the traditional Eat-n-Park smiley face cookies.
 |
| The Mon Incline |
 |
| The Duquesne Incline |
THE INCLINES
Once littered across the steep hills of my beloved hometown, there are now only two operational inclines left: the Monongahela and the Duquesne (muh-non-guh-hay-luh and doo-cane). I know- incredibly shameful that I'm from a place with such an interesting mode of transportation, and I've never rode either one of them. The Mon Incline is a beige color with three tiers of seats in the car, whereas the Duquesne Incline is bright red and is actually one large car with seating on all four walls of the car.
While not expensive to ride (about $3.00 each way on average) it is extremely annoying that not only is it an exact cash only system, but there are scant ATMs and places to get change near the inclines. The Mon was easy enough to find (thanks to a friend that rode them with me who drove to both of them) but the Duquesne Incline was hidden in plain sight as we rode past it twice while trying to find it. Also, maybe because it was a Sunday, but there was no interaction with us as "tourists" once we'd paid our fares. Although I already know the history of the inclines (because when I was a kid Pittsburgh History was a regular part of our education systems) it would have been nice to have someone there willing to talk about them face to face. I'm glad I got on, but I doubt I'll ever ride them again.
EATIN' GOOD: PAMELA'S AND THE ORIGINAL HOT DOG SHOP
I became curious about Pamela's after the Obamas ate there a few years ago and all of my friends began asking if the pancakes really were worth the POTUS flying in the cooks to make him some at the White House. Only thing was, I honestly never heard of this place UNTIL the Obamas ate there! My friends that went to Schenley High School said that they would always go there to eat, and that Pitt's basketball coach often treats his team there (and no wonder, the prices were so cheap I didn't believe them!). Upon the recommendation of my friend who drove us there at 7 in the morning on a Saturday, I got the "Lincoln" special, which included eggs, potatoes, and a breakfast meat of my choice along with the famous Pamela's pancakes (all for $6.25!) Everything was delicious, especially the pancakes. While a bit massive at first glance, they were a velvety, sweet delight with crunchy even sweeter edges. They aren't big and fluffy like I make in my house, but they were amazing nonetheless.
 |
| Pamela's pancakes |
Next was Original's. I know, most of you see Primanti Brothers on all those TV specials, but I am not a fan of that particular restaurant. I've eaten at Original's hundreds of times, but never EVER had the food that they are most famous for: hot dogs. Everytime I ever went, my friends and I always got cheese fries (which I think should be considered a local food specialty since you can get them almost anywhere), cheese steaks, or pizzas. And yes, we DO eat french fries on our sandwiches in Pittsburgh lol! Either way, I trekked out there on Labor Day in the pouring rain on the bus from my grandmother's house, and ordered a beef dog with everything on it (except ketchup because I couldn't be sure if it was Heinz or not- the ONLY brand I will eat!!) Of course I loved the cheese fries (I've been eating them my entire life), but the hot dog was ok too. Mind you, I'm not that big on hot dogs to begin with, but I liked that it was a hefty size and not puny like the ones you buy in 7-11 or the grocery store. The bun itself left much to be desired, but I don't expect then to have aritsan rolls in a joint with hand painted signs and a mascot of a hot dog with a cape on. Take it from me, it was good- and Original's has WAY better food than it gets credit for.
 |
| Original's hot dog and cheese fries- yes that's a fry order for one! |
For more photos from my time in Pittsburgh, please visit my Facebook page (and "Like" it while you are at it!). Also, don't forget to follow me on Twitter. Make sure you subscribe to the blog to catch up with my adventures. I still have to finish Washington, DC, and will post soon about Virginia, New York, and Boston, Massachusetts.
What are your favorite spots in Pennsylvania? Let me know below, and I'll try and check them out when I finish up the state!
