First up in my Unsung Cities series is Pittsburgh.
Going with Pittsburg for the start of this new series was a no-brainer. I had a great time there in September and would not be averse to making repeat visits. The blank stares I’ve received from people here in London when I say I was recently there (and loved it) suggests the city has a way to go before shaking off any unsung status.
More so, the horrific events of 27 October that led to 11 deaths at Tree of Life synagogue left me dumbfounded after experiencing for myself how friendly and welcoming Pittsburgh residents could be. So if I can spread any cheer at all and encourage good folks to enjoy themselves in Pittsburgh I feel I should.
Not a Quick Read
Pittsburgh came across as a loose conglomeration of neatly defined neighbourhoods and villages bound together as a sprawling urban whole. During my few nights there, I only managed to see a handful of its 80 some odd neighbourhoods.
I thoroughly enjoyed everywhere I went but couldn’t quite get a read of the city. Elements reminded me of the Midwest, Appalachia, the Mid Atlantic and the northeastern United States – all of which Pittsburgh is kind of wedged between without really being fully part of any of them.
Not being able to get a quick read of the city beguiled me. Usually when I visit somewhere I’d never been before, I feel an immediate sense of a place that evolves but tends to stay true to my initial reaction. Having to think a little more about Pittsburgh and piece things together differently than I might normally do added a layer of intrigue to my time there.
Amazing Restaurants
The chief aim of my time in Pittsburgh was to scope out the dining scene for an article I wrote for Metro. You can read that article here:
There’s no need to rewrite what I said in my Metro piece, but I do wish to take this chance to reiterate how amazing the restaurants I visited were. In particular, allow me to big up two place one more time:
- Acorn with its finely crafted comfort cuisine,
- Onion Maiden with its a “punk rock fuelled, heavy metal spawned” vegan eatery with a menu of plant-based versions of East Asian and American comfort foods.
More at acornpgh.com and onionmaiden.com.
Tree of Life and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society
Part of the reason the shooter involved in the October terrorist attack chose Tree of Life as his target was the synagogue’s work with the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. A nonprofit Jewish-American organization, HIAS provides humanitarian aid and assistance to refugees of all religious and ethnic backgrounds. It’s a noble cause – and one that sounds very Pittsburgh based on my short time there.
As Tree of Life begins rebuilding its spiritual community and HIAS continues to reach out to help the tens of millions of displaced people in search of sanctuary, I would like to encourage readers to take a moment to check out what they do and consider contributing to both their causes.
Love the stranger.
Keep an eye out for more posts to come in my series about Unsung Cities.
