BLOGSKI

If Saturdays in the Strip are not enough of a festival for you, welcome to Strip Fest!  Right by Nature and Cioppino are taking it to the streets with Strip Fest on Saturday, July 31 from 2-6 pm at 23rd and Smallman Streets.  Enjoy a full day of fun including live music, a BBQ pig roast, a beer wagon gig rig, red and white wine, lamb sliders, lobster rolls, product sampling and more!  And, to make it even better, parking is free!

Entertainment will include:
Universal Roots Band  12:00 – 2:00
Randy Elliott Duo   2:00 – 4:00
The Terrance Vaughn Band   4:00 – 6:00

Come down this Saturday and see how the Strip is growing!

A percentage of the proceeds from this event will help support renovations for our historic landmarks, St. Patrick and St. Stanislaus Kostko Churches.

(above, St. Stanislaus, date unknown, from the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh)

News and Updates

On Thursday, July 29, 2010, from 7pm-8:30pm, the Office of City Councilman Patrick Dowd will host a panel discussion at the Teamster Temple, 4701 Butler Street, Lawrenceville, regarding Marcellus Shale drilling and its impact on the urban environment. Doors open at 6:30pm to offer an opportunity for community members to collect information at tables hosted by relevant organizations. More information…

Councilman R. Daniel Lavelle, with Councilman Dowd as a co-sponsor, has recently introduced an amendment to the current City statute regarding how the positions on the Citizens Police Review Board (CPRB) are filled.

The central purpose of the CPRB amendment is twofold: to clarify and define the difference between a vacancy on the board (whenever a board member suddenly leaves their position due to death, move out of the city, etc.) and expiration of a member’s term. It will also serve to provide a more detailed timeline and guidelines for the appointment/reappointment process of board members. More information…

For special note, City Council will be on recess and not meeting from August 3rd through August 26th. The District 7 office will have limited phone and office hours. Please leave a message in the event that we cannot directly answer your call and we will return it promptly.

Upcoming Events

Council to Go

Friday, August 20: 7:30 to 9:00am, Councilman Dowd and staff will be in Lawrenceville at Perk Me Up. 4407 Butler Street.

Thursday, August 26: 6:30 to 8:00pm, Councilman Dowd and staff will be at Morningside’s Morning Glory Coffeehouse, 1806 Chislett Street.

Community Events

Thursday, July 29, 6:30pm: Marcellus Shale Panel Discussion, Teamster Temple, 4701 Butler Street, Lawrenceville.

Every Sunday in August beginning Sunday, August 1, 5-7pm: Reservoir of Jazz, Highland Avenue & Reservoir Drive, Highland Park. Sponsored by Highland Park Community Club.

Every Sunday in August beginning Sunday, August 1, 7-8pm: Summer Soul Line Dancing, Highland Avenue and Reservoir Drive, Highland Park. Sponsored by the City of Pittsburgh.

Tuesday, August 3: 27th Annual National Night Out is an annual celebration held around the country to raise awareness around issues of community building and crime prevention. Please look for the following events in District 7:

Lawrenceville Cookout, Leslie Park, 5-8pm. Sponsored by Lawrenceville United.

Porch parties, various times and locations in Friendship. Contact Emily at missesamick@yahoo.com for more information or to volunteer. Sponsored by the Friendship Preservation Group.

Tuesday, August 3, 6-7pm: Electronic Signs and Billboards Community Meeting, first floor conference room, John P. Robin Civic Building, 200 Ross Street, Downtown Pittsburgh.

August 6th -15th: Bike Pittsburgh’s Bike Fest 2010, various times and locations.

Tuesday, August 10th, 7-8pm: Zone 5 Public Safety Meeting, Union Project, 801 N. Negley Avenue, Highland Park.

Walls Are Bad is an initiative established by over 300 outdoor recreation groups in Pittsburgh that aims to get Pittsburgh residents off the couch and into the great outdoors.  WAB is funded partially by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Venture Outdoors.

Their official mission statement:  ”Walls Are Bad is a movement focused on getting everyone outside where they can enjoy the natural resources of southwestern PA.  Walls Are Bad promotes everything good about outdoor recreation — from biking and hiking to kayaking and climbing.  Walls Are Bad is composed of more than 300 outdoor organizations and receives funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.”

Every Thursday WAB co-sponsors summer concerts downtown in Mellon Square, with BobFM.  The concerts are from 12 – 1pm, with live music, some free snacks, free frisbees and other items.

To find out more about current doings, check out the Walls Are Bad Facebook page.

(above, Frick Park Trail, by Perry Planet from Wiki Travel)

The City is preparing to finalize revisions to Pittsburgh Code regarding the placement and operation of electronic billboards within Pittsburgh.  These changes will affect every neighborhood’s potential to enjoy and protect its scenic beauty.  Hear the latest details from the experts and make sure your neighborhood is represented by attending this important public meeting.  Legal and lighting experts will explain the draft legislation and listen to your feedback at the upcoming meeting to be held at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 4, 2010 at 200 Ross Street.

In recent years, new technology has created many new types of moving, flashing and color-changing electronic signs that were previously not possible. With new LED technology,these signs can often be seen for miles.

As Pittsburgh residents and business owners, how do we use electronic signage and take advantage of new lighting technologies while still protecting our city’s famous scenic vistas, controlling light pollution and maintaining motorist safety? New legislation is being developed to bring the zoning code up-to-date with the new technology.

This community meeting will include the Department of City Planning, legal expert Chris Duerksen of Clarion Associates, and lighting expert Nancy Clanton of Clanton & Associates, Inc.  They will explain the draft legislation for electronic signage and hear your opinion on how to proceed.  All interested and concerned Pittsburgh residents are invited to attend.

Pittsburgh City Council will hold four public meetings beginning Monday, July 26th about Mayor Ravenstahl’s plan to lease the parking assets (garages and possibly meters) in order to fund the city’s pension. The purpose of this series of meetings is for Council to hear the public’s thoughts on the Mayor’s plan. Each meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m.

Dates and locations:
Monday, July 26 – Downtown – in City Council Chambers, 5th Floor, City-County Building, enter on Grant street side

Tuesday, July 27 – South Side – Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers Headquarters — 10 S. 19th Street at the River

Thursday, July 29 – Oakland – Pittsburgh Board of Education headquarters – 341 S. Bellefield Avenue, second floor

Monday, August 2 – North Side – Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School Cafeteria – 50 Montgomery Street – enter by the loading dock

In June, Councilman Dowd proposed a resolution that called for public meetings in September, after the mayor will have announced the final plan, including the company selected and the amount they will be paying. Any alternatives suggested by Council will also be released around this time. The aforementioned resolution passed unanimously. Thus, there will be another opportunity for the public to comment to Council in September.

To learn more about the Mayor’s plan, you can find the written draft agreement here.

If you have comments about the Mayor’s plan, we encourage you to attend one of the four upcoming meetings.

Oh, this sounds like it will be a lot of fun! From our good friends at Neighbors in the Strip…

Join Us…JULY 31st for Strip Fest. Right By Nature & Cioppino’s bring you Music, Food & Fun including a BBQ Pig Roast, Beer Wagon Gig Rig, Live Music and product sampling, and as always, we have FREE parking!

Cioppino and Right by Nature are sponsoring Strip Fest
Saturday, July 31st | 2-6PM
Located at 23rd & Smallman Streets, Pittsburgh PA 15222

Live Music from 2 pm ~ 6 pm
BBQ Pig Roast · Beer Wagon Gig Rig
Red & White Wine
Lamb Sliders · Lobster Rolls
Product Sampling & More
Free Parking!

Also, they are looking for vendors to set up and sell their products during the event. For more info, contact Shona at shona@cioppinoofpittsburgh.com or 412-281-6593.

Come on down to 3138 Dobson Street in scenic Polish Hill for the grand opening celebration of Mind Cure Records, the Copacetic Comics Company and the Lili*Coffeeshop. The grand opening event will run both Saturday and Sunday, July 24 & 25, 2010.

Lili will be serving some of the great treats from their menu. Italian sodas and root beer floats are available on their regular menu to cool you down.

Mind Cure will open at 11am on Saturday and plans to unleash 1,000 previously-unseen used LPs just for this occasion!

Copacetic Comics promises plenty of FREE COMICS along with mind-boggling bargains, special coupons, SURPRISE…S, and, we hope, a pervasive sense of good deals to be had. There will also be special appearances by some of Pittsburgh’s top cartoonists. On Saturday you’ll get a chance to meet Frank Santoro, Jasen Lex, Pat Lewis, and Chris Cornwell. Frank Santoro and Chris Cornwell will grace our fair establishment on Sunday as well, along with Joltin’ Jim Rugg, so there’ll be never a dull moment.

Of special note is a cross promotion between Mind Cure and Copacetic: Buy the latest Reid Paley CD at Copacetic and get a copy of the legendary LP, THE FIVE, for free at Mind Cure (or, vice versa, if you prefer).

Lili*Coffeeshop, Mind Cure Records and Copacetic Comics
Grand Opening Celebration
July 24-25, 2010
3138 Dobson St, Polish Hill

Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato today announced a special celebration marking the 20th Anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The community forum and street festival will take place on Monday, July 26, at Station Square and is hosted by the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS), in conjunction with United Cerebral Palsy/CLASS, Three Rivers Center for Independent Living, City-County Task Force on Disabilities and Consumer Health Coalition.

“The Americans with Disabilities Act has led to greater access and inclusion for people with disabilities throughout our nation and region, and on Monday, we celebrate the ADA’s successes,” said Onorato. “Allegheny County will continue to work through our Department of Human Services and non-profit organizations to improve accessibility throughout our region.”

Monday’s anniversary celebration will begin with a community forum at 1:30 p.m. in the Admiral Room of the Sheraton at Station Square. The forum will focus on the celebration of disability-related accomplishments and recognize past and future leaders. Three Rivers Center for Independent Living President & CEO Stan Holbrook will deliver the keynote address entitled “Forging a New Freedom: Local Response to National ‘Calling on America’ Campaign.” Allegheny County Disability Connection Director Judith Barricella will present the Disability Agenda.

“We commend our Disability Connection and its many partners for the work that has been done,” said DHS Director Marc Cherna. “They have persisted, with much success, to foster a culture of dignity and independence for people with disabilities in Allegheny County. Through them, we’ve realized many positive changes that are cause for celebration, but our work is not over.”

A panel discussion honoring the accomplishments of the first 20 years of the ADA will also be part of the community forum and will feature Disability Rights Network Staff Attorney Paul O’Hanlon, United Cerebral Palsy/CLASS CEO Al Condeluci, ACCESS Transportation Executive Director Karen Hoesch, and ADA Inc. President & CEO Joan Stein.

Those planning to attend the forum are asked to RSVP to judith.barricella@alleghenycounty.us or 412-350-2769. Please let Judith know if any special accommodations need to be made.

A street festival with food, live music, dancing and other entertainment will follow the community forum from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. in Bessemer Court at Station Square.

Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato today announced 13 collection sites for “Gear for Grades,” an effort to collect and distribute school supplies to underprivileged and homeless children in our region. The program is sponsored by Citizens Bank, the Homeless Children’s Education Fund, and Renda Broadcasting’s WJAS-AM.

“In these tough economic times, families are struggling to make ends meet, and we want to make sure that all kids feel the happiness and excitement of going back to school with new supplies,” said Onorato. “Our region is famous for stepping up and helping those in need, and I know we’ll have a tremendous outpouring of support for this important effort.”

The public is asked to bring new school supplies to any of the following County locations:

County Executive’s Office, County Courthouse Room 101, 436 Grant St.;
Court Records Criminal Division, County Courthouse Room 114, 436 Grant St.;
Department of Real Estate, County Office Building Room 101, 542 Forbes Ave.;
Marriage License & Passport Office, City-County Building First Floor, 414 Grant St.;
Court Records Civil/Family Division, City-County Building First Floor, 414 Grant St.;
Human Services Building Lobby, One Smithfield Street; and
Boyce, Hartwood, North, Round Hill, Settler’s Cabin, South and White Oak park offices.

Collection boxes are available weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. through Friday, August 6. Donations are also being accepted at any Citizens Bank branch during regular business hours.

On August 16, Gear for Grades partners will gather at Citizens Bank’s Downtown Pittsburgh headquarters to load 4,000 backpacks with school supplies onto two school buses for distribution to Allegheny County homeless shelters. Citizens Bank will also distribute backpacks to homeless shelters and social service agencies in Beaver, Butler, Erie, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

From Wikipedia –

Hibiscus (pronounced /hɨˈbɪskəs/ or /haɪˈbɪskəs/ is a genus of flowering plants in the mallow family, Malvaceae. It is quite large, containing about 200–220 species that are native to warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical regions throughout the world. Member species are often noted for their showy flowers and are commonly known as hibiscus or sorrel or less widely as rosemallow or flor de Jamaica. The genus includes both annual and perennial herbaceous plants, as well as woody shrubs and small trees. The generic name is derived from the Greek word ἱβίσκος (hibískos), which was the name Pedanius Dioscorides (ca. 40-90) gave to Althaea officinalis. Read the entire article

You can see some fine examples in the side lot of the PHCA at 3062 Brereton St and at Maly Park on the corner of Herron and Dobson.

[EDIT]
Did you know the Rose of Sharon is a variety of Hibiscus? Staffski is so unschooled in the subject of Flora.

[EDIT 2]
You can make tea from Hibiscus blooms. This was just posted to our Facebook –

Just like regular -tea leaves- but you need to dry the flowers well for that….. on hot water you put the dry flowers to brew. The ‘brew’ is quite strong (like a deep-wine color). Save it and put it away. Then, on a pitcher of cold water, put part of the concentrated brew and sugar-to-taste!

You can buy dry Hibiscus flowers at Reynas on the Strip District. In Mexico we call it ‘Jamaica’ .. and it is delish to drink!

Here is a recipe

Courtesy of Lucia Aguirre