What is Pittsburgh Pitschman?

Pittsburgh Pitschman is the product of my quest to have more fun every day and eliminate the idea that there is nothing to do in Pittsburgh. I’ve been spending a good amount of time checking dozens of local businesses and calendars to help plan my weekends. It seemed that writing it all down in one place for everyone to take advantage of would be a useful venture. Enjoy!!

What should you expect?

Most importantly, expect weekly activity updates from all over the Pittsburgh area. Some may be musical events, exhibit openings at various museums, happy hours, fundraisers- the list is really endless.

Every Sunday evening, a list of activities for the upcoming Monday-Thursday will be published. In this post, I’ll also highlight a local event or activity I attended over the past weekend.

On Wednesday evenings, a list of upcoming weekend activities for Friday-Sunday will be published. Here, I will give a glimpse at the activity I will be reviewing in the next Sunday post, too.

Occasionally, you’ll also see small business spotlights, plan ahead calendars, and reviews of kid friendly activities (when I can convince the nephews to humor me).

Most importantly- expect to be exposed to the diverse activities and events Pittsburgh has to offer!

Now, onto more important things. What is there to do this week??

Monday February 1, 2016

Yoga for Runners – Click titles for more information

• Where: Elite Runners and Walkers- McKees Rocks
• When: 7:00pm-8:30pm
• Cost: $10, paid at event
• Get yourself ready for all the marathon training runs by learning some new stretches and yoga techniques!  Make sure to wear some comfortable clothing, and bring your water and yoga mat. You can register for the class online, but payment is due at the event.

 Tuesday February 2, 2016

JazzLive

• Where: Backstage Bar at Theater Square-  Downtown Pittsburgh Cultural District 655 Penn Ave.
• When: 5:00pm-8:00pm
• Cost: Free!
• JazzLive live occurs year round every Tuesday, highlighting some of the area’s best jazz musicians. Always free and always changing, it is definitely worth checking out. This week will feature the George Jones New View Trio

Cabaret

• Where: The Benedum Center- Downtown Pittsburgh Cultural District
• When: Tuesday February 2, 2016-Sunday February 7, 2016- various times
• Cost: Tickets start at $26
• If musicals are your thing, you already know what this one is all about. If not, this is a good one to come check out- it features some of the most well known songs, and it is an all around good time.

The Pines w. special guest Elk Hound

• Where: Club Cafe- 12th Street in the South Side
• When: Doors at 7:00pm, Show at 8:00pm
• Cost: $10
• An indie rock/Americana band from the midwest. They have opened for  Bon Iver and The Arcade Fire, and their album came out to rave reviews. For only $10, this is a must see.

Wednesday February 3, 2016

North Side Mardi Gras Week

• Where: Various restaurants, bars, and businesses on Pittsburgh’s NorthSide
• When: Wednesday February 3, 2016- Tuesday February 9, 2016
• Cost: Varies
• Come out and celebrate Mardi Gras with the Northside’s innagural celebration week. Check the website for the list of food and drink specials and entertainment schedules.

Merging Art Series

• Where: Jergel’s Rhythm Grille- Warrendale
• When: 7:00pm
• Cost: No cover, but donation suggested
• This Merging Art Series features music by Pittsburgh’s Beauty Slap and DJ SMI and art by Baron Batch, former Pittsburgh Steeler. The event is a fundraiser for Community Kitchen Pittsburgh. Go out and have fun for a good cause!

Thursday February 4, 2016

GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays

• Where: Roland’s Seafood Grill & Bar (2nd Floor)- Strip District
• When: 5:30pm-8:30pm
• Cost: Free for GlobalPittsburgh members, $5 for preregistering nonmembers, $10 at the door
• GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays is a monthly happy hour event featuring the opportunity to network and make new friends while learning about different cultures. All are welcome and encouraged to join!

World Cultural Festival 2016- Curtain Raiser

• Where: DoubleTree by Hilton- Green Tree
• When: 7:00pm-8:30pm
• Cost: Free
• This event is one in a series of events all around the world to raise support for the World Cultural Festival being held in India March 11-13.

Boilermaker Night

• Where: The Fire Side Public House- East Liberty
• When: 6:00pm-8:00pm
• Cost: Free, but you must reserve your space
• Flying Dog Brewery  and Wigle Whiskey are teaming up to bring you unique shot and beer pairings. Reps from each company will also be on hand to talk about the spirits and beers are you are tasting.

2016 Great Sports Debate

• Where: Diesel- South Side
• When: Doors at 6:30pm, Event at 7:30pm
• Cost: $10, tickets must be purchased in advance
• This event is hosted by Bob McLaughlin, and the sports debate panel features Mike Prisuta, Mark Madden, Stan Savran, David Todd and DeJan Kovacevic. Sean Collier will start the evening with a short stand-up routine.

Weekend Recap

This weekend I was able to check out a brewery I’ve never been to with some friends and see one of my favorite musicians, Ryan Bingham, at Mr. Smalls, too!

Before the show, we decided to check out Grist House since it was so close to Mr. Smalls in Millvale. This place was unique and had a lot of character. They have an outdoor area with lights, picnic tables, and space for food truck parking. Inside, is a large bar area with plenty of seating and also a view of the brewing process. It was pretty packed for the whole time we were there, and it is pretty obvious why. They have great beer (I personally recommend the Double Vice- I am a sucker for a good Coffee Porter), a laid back atmosphere, and you can bring your dog! There were 2 very friendly dogs that call the bar home, but they didn’t want much to do with me since I wasn’t feeding them. Our group agreed this was definitely a spot to come back to visit.

I’m always thrilled when bands I like finally make their way to Pittsburgh. This was my second time seeing Ryan Bingham but the first time in Pittsburgh. I also get really excited to see that there are other people in Pittsburgh listening to the same stuff as me- the show was sold out! Matt (my husband) and I had a discussion on how to classify his music, and we came up with: a county/rock/blues/Americana mixture…if that makes any sense. Anyway, I highly recommend giving him a listen. His opener, Bird Dog, was also right up my alley as they were more of an alt-rock band. All in all the show was great, and Mr. Smalls is a great venue to see shows. I usually prefer the smaller venue because the artists actually look human sized no matter where you are standing.

Check out the calendar for Mr. Smalls to see what upcoming shows they have, and make sure to grab a beer at Grist House beforehand!

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Well, what do you think of this week’s event offerings? Anything you might check out? Let me know!

If there are any events you want featured or think there is a restaurant/business everyone should know about- send them my way!

Be sure to check back Wednesday evening for upcoming weekend events!!