Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Tonight I hosted open mic. I honestly forgot how amazing the talent is in my humble neighborhood. Another more important finding is that I am finally out of my depression. Today was a great day. But perhaps the most important, rather, pertinent finding was a photograph print that Rosemary, a regular to the coffee shop and friend, gave to me. I found that behind the sound equipment while cleaning up. It's of a set of city steps from the 1950s. An old wooden set was being replaced with the new concrete steps. There the two sets sit next to one another. the old and the new. sharing a brief moment before the old wooden steps get demolished. It's a beautiful picture. it makes us think of the ever-changing, ever improving mentality we have. Evolve. Those concrete steps still exist today, weathered and overgrown. Worn out. they were once new. Will they be replaced? No. we've found ways of getting around them. We've forgotten them but we have not done away with them. There is no progress to be made on that path. Instead, we let them crumble on their own.
Bennifer Lopez, Bennifer Gray, Bennifer Beals al rolled into one
Nathan took his Nephew, Caden to New Mexico leaving me here to rule over the domain. I vowed to clean the shop in his absence getting rid of all the bull shit that's built up over the last three years that Nate never knows what to do with. There are mountains of it in the shop's basement: broken tables and chairs, musical instruments that no one ever plays, a box of random lost and found clothing, crates full of things we used to need but need no longer yet somehow can't seem to get rid of...Like the 2 broken printers, the broken desktop computer and the broken desk it resides on. In addition there us just a bunch of, for lack of a better word, crap that can't even be categorized. It's all going away. Then, when it's empty, I will get a huge mirror for the wall and a bar and start my dance studio. Specializing in modern interpretive dance. I am also installing a bucket that hangs from the ceiling that I can pull a chain and have it dump on me, just like in "flash dance" it's going to be sweet. Once I get all toned and ready, I'm auditioning for Julliard with this sweet Ballet/hip hop routine that my inner city rapper boyfriend helped inspire. It's going to be hard perfecting my leaps because, well, it's a basement so the ceiling is really low....maybe I should try break dancing instead of modern interpretive ballet hip hop.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Sunshine and rainbows.
It may be of no news to anyone but I am one cynical bastard. I am sultry, brooding, and I don't like people all that much. I like to watch people, it's entertaining. I judge peoples' stupidity yes, and maybe that makes me a bad person. Who is to judge that? I don't believe in god. I don't have faith in humanity, I don't really even have faith in my friends and they are the only people I actually choose to be around albeit seldom.
People in everyday life for me fall into categories.
Let's pretend they're Coins.
Quarters:worth keeping in case you need to pay the meter or buy a gum ball. They come in handy indeed. They are real friends and true in life as well, you only really need 4of them. Any more than that and they begin to weigh you down.
Dimes: thin, flimsy, but get enough of them together and you got a party. They are like Facebook friends that you never speak to in real life. You most likely met them at a party while drunk. You exchanged facebooks on your smartphones and act at the time like you would be true blue till the day the earth stands still. But that is the only time you'll even speak to a dime again. They are the smallest of the coins. acquaintances that you have no intention on ever making friends.
Nickels: thick, usually fat, you sometimes think they're quarters but soon realize their true nature and it ultimately pisses you off. They tend to be the kind of people so wrapped up in themselves that they don't notice you don't even like them and still hang around like Christmas decoration in July. You can put two dimes and a nickel together but you still don't have a quarter.
Pennies: the only thing pennies are good for is making the rest of the loose change accumulating in your jar seem better. Pennies are filler. They are the random people you run in to every day, their worth is subjective...all of these coins worth is subjective really. One nickel may be another D&D player's half dollar. Pennies are the things you don't have time for, the people in the world that you can never expect to know on a quarter basis.
But money isn't everything. As much of a cynical bastard as I am, I am not all that bad. I really like animals too. Not more than people but...they're delicious. And dogs are fun to be around. Cats piss me off. Why couldn't I have been born an animal. Then it would be ok, expected, if I killed other animals.
People in everyday life for me fall into categories.
Let's pretend they're Coins.
Quarters:worth keeping in case you need to pay the meter or buy a gum ball. They come in handy indeed. They are real friends and true in life as well, you only really need 4of them. Any more than that and they begin to weigh you down.
Dimes: thin, flimsy, but get enough of them together and you got a party. They are like Facebook friends that you never speak to in real life. You most likely met them at a party while drunk. You exchanged facebooks on your smartphones and act at the time like you would be true blue till the day the earth stands still. But that is the only time you'll even speak to a dime again. They are the smallest of the coins. acquaintances that you have no intention on ever making friends.
Nickels: thick, usually fat, you sometimes think they're quarters but soon realize their true nature and it ultimately pisses you off. They tend to be the kind of people so wrapped up in themselves that they don't notice you don't even like them and still hang around like Christmas decoration in July. You can put two dimes and a nickel together but you still don't have a quarter.
Pennies: the only thing pennies are good for is making the rest of the loose change accumulating in your jar seem better. Pennies are filler. They are the random people you run in to every day, their worth is subjective...all of these coins worth is subjective really. One nickel may be another D&D player's half dollar. Pennies are the things you don't have time for, the people in the world that you can never expect to know on a quarter basis.
But money isn't everything. As much of a cynical bastard as I am, I am not all that bad. I really like animals too. Not more than people but...they're delicious. And dogs are fun to be around. Cats piss me off. Why couldn't I have been born an animal. Then it would be ok, expected, if I killed other animals.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
El Americano Argumento
The Cafe Americano is defined as watered down espresso. It is a very popular drink in coffee shops around the USA and abroad. The name for this insipid excuse for delicious coffee comes from World War II American GI's that were stationed in Europe. They longed for the brewed black coffee of home but even to this day, European coffee houses only serve espresso. Always inventive and ingenious, the Americans added hot water to their espresso to attempt to produce something that resembled the "Maxwell House" and "Folger's" brands of home. Baristas of Europe probably didn't name the drink Americano so much as mumbled, annoyed, the word in the presence of a military man. "here comes those crazy American's again with their dumb coffee habits...well they did save us from the Nazis." Happy to oblige, the good bartender always gives his customer what he/she wants.
I find myself with this same dilemma. Just as I imagine the baristas of 1940s Europe were frustrated at the ignorant Americans, I am likely more annoyed with Americano drinkers today. Here's why:
1)I spend a lot of energy and care in making perfect espresso. Adding water to it ruins it.
2)There isn't any more caffeine in espresso than a cup of regular brewed coffee. Now if you were to order an entire 16oz cup full with as many shots of espresso that would fit in it, then you'd probably have a heart attack but I couldn't argue with you about what has more caffeine.
3)Coffee in the States hasn't always been great. There was no craft coffee and no places to get espresso. It was just your typical boiled down glass pot of freeze dried crystals reconstituted with city water, fluoride, and chlorine. You'd make it taste better with copious amounts of cream and sugar. Ever had coffee at Denny's or someplace similar? Maybe your grandparents or even your parents still claim they like their coffee that way...sure they do. Therefore the GI's in WWII didn't know any better. Well we for sure know better now. The USA is at the forefront of coffee house culture and consumption, roasting quality, etc. There is no excuse for bad coffee. the rise in coffee culture has a similar arc to the rise in technology and the information age...connected? I wonder. Just as we've moved on from using fax machines, we've moved on from drinking bad coffee...well most of us.
4)Americano's are too much of a pain in the ass for something that tastes like ass. To grind, dose, tamp, clean, and pull two whole shots with a line of people at the counter is nerve-wracking. To do it for one drink is annoying. To ruin both of those carefully made shots by diluting the flavor is maddening. I could argue this same fact about many other drinks that go across my counter but do remember this is just about Americanos.
5) The war is over and your local coffee shops offer regular brewed coffee too: Thanks to the world war for bringing knowledge and love of espresso home to us in the good old USofA. Let's think about the American coffee house's offerings vs. the European coffee house's:
Europe- Espresso with varying amounts of steamed milk. Liquor
USA- Brewed coffee, french press, pour over, chemex, espresso, mocha, white mocha, chai tea latte, cappuccino, latte, breve, cortado, gibraltar, shot in the dark, red eye, decaf, iced espresso drinks, cold-brewed coffee, and the list goes on and on endlessly. some coffee shops in the states have liquor too but more often than not, they don't. sad. Back to coffee.
The American coffee houses' variety aims to replicate the coffee houses of the old country, or should I say countries. See, the French are different from the Italians whom differ from the Spanish when it comes to how they like their coffee too. Some drinks have different names but are essentially the same thing. Like the cappuccino the latte and the cafe con leche. The only difference is where you get them. If you come to the States, all of these drinks exist, sometimes at one coffee shop. Yet they are all different...Why? Because we are a bunch of pretentious idiots over here. We have to have so many choices...ALL the choices. It's like when the sexual revolution happened. We had to have all the sex with everyone that we possibly could. Then we calmed down and went into the 80's.
I've heard said that the cappuccino is just foamier than a latte and that's the only difference. Ask an Italian and they will tell you they are the only people that know how to make a true Cappuccino. Ask the French and they will tell you they don't give a fuck what the Italians think, their coffee is better. Ask the Spanish and they will look at you all stank-eyed and tell you not to worry about things so trivial when the nation is in a financial crisis. I've had the famed Primanti Brothers' Sandwich at the original location but I bet I could make a better sandwich. I'm awesome at making sandwiches and I am awesome at making coffee. So trust me, let the watering down of the espresso STOP! In the future, Americano drinkers, just get brewed coffee. It tastes better and does the same thing.
I find myself with this same dilemma. Just as I imagine the baristas of 1940s Europe were frustrated at the ignorant Americans, I am likely more annoyed with Americano drinkers today. Here's why:
1)I spend a lot of energy and care in making perfect espresso. Adding water to it ruins it.
2)There isn't any more caffeine in espresso than a cup of regular brewed coffee. Now if you were to order an entire 16oz cup full with as many shots of espresso that would fit in it, then you'd probably have a heart attack but I couldn't argue with you about what has more caffeine.
3)Coffee in the States hasn't always been great. There was no craft coffee and no places to get espresso. It was just your typical boiled down glass pot of freeze dried crystals reconstituted with city water, fluoride, and chlorine. You'd make it taste better with copious amounts of cream and sugar. Ever had coffee at Denny's or someplace similar? Maybe your grandparents or even your parents still claim they like their coffee that way...sure they do. Therefore the GI's in WWII didn't know any better. Well we for sure know better now. The USA is at the forefront of coffee house culture and consumption, roasting quality, etc. There is no excuse for bad coffee. the rise in coffee culture has a similar arc to the rise in technology and the information age...connected? I wonder. Just as we've moved on from using fax machines, we've moved on from drinking bad coffee...well most of us.
4)Americano's are too much of a pain in the ass for something that tastes like ass. To grind, dose, tamp, clean, and pull two whole shots with a line of people at the counter is nerve-wracking. To do it for one drink is annoying. To ruin both of those carefully made shots by diluting the flavor is maddening. I could argue this same fact about many other drinks that go across my counter but do remember this is just about Americanos.
5) The war is over and your local coffee shops offer regular brewed coffee too: Thanks to the world war for bringing knowledge and love of espresso home to us in the good old USofA. Let's think about the American coffee house's offerings vs. the European coffee house's:
Europe- Espresso with varying amounts of steamed milk. Liquor
USA- Brewed coffee, french press, pour over, chemex, espresso, mocha, white mocha, chai tea latte, cappuccino, latte, breve, cortado, gibraltar, shot in the dark, red eye, decaf, iced espresso drinks, cold-brewed coffee, and the list goes on and on endlessly. some coffee shops in the states have liquor too but more often than not, they don't. sad. Back to coffee.
The American coffee houses' variety aims to replicate the coffee houses of the old country, or should I say countries. See, the French are different from the Italians whom differ from the Spanish when it comes to how they like their coffee too. Some drinks have different names but are essentially the same thing. Like the cappuccino the latte and the cafe con leche. The only difference is where you get them. If you come to the States, all of these drinks exist, sometimes at one coffee shop. Yet they are all different...Why? Because we are a bunch of pretentious idiots over here. We have to have so many choices...ALL the choices. It's like when the sexual revolution happened. We had to have all the sex with everyone that we possibly could. Then we calmed down and went into the 80's.
I've heard said that the cappuccino is just foamier than a latte and that's the only difference. Ask an Italian and they will tell you they are the only people that know how to make a true Cappuccino. Ask the French and they will tell you they don't give a fuck what the Italians think, their coffee is better. Ask the Spanish and they will look at you all stank-eyed and tell you not to worry about things so trivial when the nation is in a financial crisis. I've had the famed Primanti Brothers' Sandwich at the original location but I bet I could make a better sandwich. I'm awesome at making sandwiches and I am awesome at making coffee. So trust me, let the watering down of the espresso STOP! In the future, Americano drinkers, just get brewed coffee. It tastes better and does the same thing.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Too damn hot
You know how my favorite pass-time(that's the phrase right? something you do to pass the time?) my favorite past time(?) is to make excuses. It's not hard to come up with reasons to not go hiking up giant poison ivy ridden treacherous set of steps. With the heat soaring into the upper 90s, i'd be doing a disservice to my fragile frame if i merely attempted the steps this past week. I can't even get into the car or get up the steps to the house. It's hard and I whine and bitch. I have been plotting routes whilst in the comfort of the air conditioned bedroom of mine. But guess what, my laptop died. It's given up. All I can do now is give up too. I know you're thinking "but Ben, if your laptop died how are you blogging right now?" well, Miss inquisitive, because I have a netbook. Only problem is, it can't run Google Earth. So there. EXCUSES! STOP JUDGING ME!!! I think in the Autumn once all the vegetation is completely burnt dry by the sun's unrelenting berating of toxic invisible death rays, I will once again strap on the hiking tennis shoes, slather on the sunscreen, and get back tot he races. Or maybe I'll find something else to complain about by then.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
City View
Today I made time for steps. Yes, MADE TIME FOR...I hate that phrase. It reminds me of Julia Roberts in "Eat, Pray, Love". I have never actually seen that movie nor have I read the book. All I picture, in fact, is Julia Roberts with that damn spoon in her damn mouth...
"...Today, I am going to make time for my yoplait and make time for myself...I am going to eat this, pray about it, and love it. me time..." I mean, what is she really doing but looking horribly orally fixated. Now, I like to eat, I don't pray, and love is like all other 4 letter words... When you "make time for yourself" you're being an idiot. Savor that activia, Jamie Lee. ALL time is yours, Dummy. Whose else is it?
So ANYWAY...I went to this ghetto-ass neighborhood today to walk steps. I tried going there a while ago but practically got chased away with torches because I don't eat squirrels nor do I have sex with members of my family. (maybe they just smelled the "gay" on me; I don't know.) I just felt uneasy and unwelcome. Only in Pittsburgh will you find back woods hill people living mere yards away from some of the most technologically advanced and cultured people in the world. It's very dynamic to say the least.
Spring Hill/City View. It's technically one neighborhood, folks. Why? Because after literally half of these respective neighborhoods' voting populations decided to hightail it out to Cranberry during the housing boom/bubble in the 1980s, they had to beg/plead to keep their delegation. The only way to do that was to join forces. A merger if you will.
Now I can say from experience that these two completely different, distinct neighborhoods have only a border to share in common. City View by name alone calls to mind a nice part of town with, duh, a good view of the city... and...well...yep. The view is pretty great. IRONICALLY this is also the shittier of the two. While there 5 or 6 really nice houses in City View they are completely isolated from the rest of the neighborhood by topography. There are 5 or 6 beautiful examples of Victorian splendiferousness with yards and gardens and security cameras and all that shit. Then, there are some 50 or so boarded up row houses and a ton of trash lying around, crumbling retaining walls, burnt out buildings, groundhogs, overgrown underbrush, rust, and general decay. It's just silly.
Then Spring Hill appears around the corner. They don't have the view because dumb Troy Hill is in the way, but wow, it's stable, populated, well kept, and full of interesting twists and turns, nice homes, it's airy and clean...I don't get it really. Welcome to Pittsburgh...
So ANYWAY...I went to this ghetto-ass neighborhood today to walk steps. I tried going there a while ago but practically got chased away with torches because I don't eat squirrels nor do I have sex with members of my family. (maybe they just smelled the "gay" on me; I don't know.) I just felt uneasy and unwelcome. Only in Pittsburgh will you find back woods hill people living mere yards away from some of the most technologically advanced and cultured people in the world. It's very dynamic to say the least.
Spring Hill/City View. It's technically one neighborhood, folks. Why? Because after literally half of these respective neighborhoods' voting populations decided to hightail it out to Cranberry during the housing boom/bubble in the 1980s, they had to beg/plead to keep their delegation. The only way to do that was to join forces. A merger if you will.
Now I can say from experience that these two completely different, distinct neighborhoods have only a border to share in common. City View by name alone calls to mind a nice part of town with, duh, a good view of the city... and...well...yep. The view is pretty great. IRONICALLY this is also the shittier of the two. While there 5 or 6 really nice houses in City View they are completely isolated from the rest of the neighborhood by topography. There are 5 or 6 beautiful examples of Victorian splendiferousness with yards and gardens and security cameras and all that shit. Then, there are some 50 or so boarded up row houses and a ton of trash lying around, crumbling retaining walls, burnt out buildings, groundhogs, overgrown underbrush, rust, and general decay. It's just silly.
Then Spring Hill appears around the corner. They don't have the view because dumb Troy Hill is in the way, but wow, it's stable, populated, well kept, and full of interesting twists and turns, nice homes, it's airy and clean...I don't get it really. Welcome to Pittsburgh...
Monday, June 11, 2012
I know it's been a long time since I've posted. I'm sorry to all 4 of you that follow my blog. I try to keep the topic focused on step climbing and I just haven't been doing much of it lately. A shame, I know. I have been so wrapped up with work. I pour a lot of thought and creative energy into both the Crested Duck and Cannon Coffee that i have little to spare for things like exercise. That and my allergies morphed into a gigantic sinus/ ear infection over the last month. I feel like Liza Minelli's character from Arrested development with the loss of equilibrium and all. I'd dare not attempt a step trek and tempt fate to have me topple to my doom all because of a silly inner ear problem.
Pittsburgh's non-existent winter and its super wet spring has caused the vegetation to simply burst with wild new growth. At times, I have felt it necessary to bring a machete just to walk to my house. It's absolutely beautiful, though. The poison ivy is treacherous and everywhere it seems too. I got a tiny bit on my arm already and this is me not even trying to get out and hike steps. I wish I had a nice camera.
Pittsburgh's non-existent winter and its super wet spring has caused the vegetation to simply burst with wild new growth. At times, I have felt it necessary to bring a machete just to walk to my house. It's absolutely beautiful, though. The poison ivy is treacherous and everywhere it seems too. I got a tiny bit on my arm already and this is me not even trying to get out and hike steps. I wish I had a nice camera.
You can never have too much tongue...
Yesterday I ate some of the most adventurous food ever in my life. Kevin is pretty brilliant in the kitchen. He took ingredients ordinarily found on Fear factor and turned them into palatable delicacies; Tongue, liver, raw heart, kidneys, blood. The thought of it all I'll admit made me cringe. But then seeing all of the preparations and beautiful plating and smelling just what was cooking had my mouth watering.
I got to help make sausage. Sausage making is a very hands on like, well, most cooking techniques. I could never have imagined just how it is done. I supposed it was something done with a machine and required an assembly line. I pictured great whole hunks of mystery meat going into a giant hopper only to come out extruded into perfect uniform hot dogs. Like most Americans, I didn't know where my beloved food came from. I ate it and enjoyed it and if you told me what exactly was in it and how it was made, i probably would have spit it out. Then again, there is such a vast disconnect with the process that I'd most likely choose not to believe you and continue eating it. I'd brush off the hearsay poppycock urban legends and go on with my day. I've heard many a mother upon learning that hot dogs are encased in pig intestines vow they'd never feed that crap to their kids again then ultimately once junior refuses to eat anything else, bend to his picky palate. It is the thought of what you're eating that turns you off not the food itself. But there is a saying "if it tastes good, eat it."
We made duck blood sausage. Now if that doesn't make you cringe...
Kevin flavored it with sweet spices like cinnamon, clove, fennel, tarragon, white pepper, and in combination the flavors enhanced the duck-ness. The real meat of the sausage was duck breast. The blood was added not necessarily to bind, but to keep things moist. We then smoked the little buggers which in essence cooked them while adding that je nes sais quoi. If I could eat duck blood sausage every day, I would.
I got to help make sausage. Sausage making is a very hands on like, well, most cooking techniques. I could never have imagined just how it is done. I supposed it was something done with a machine and required an assembly line. I pictured great whole hunks of mystery meat going into a giant hopper only to come out extruded into perfect uniform hot dogs. Like most Americans, I didn't know where my beloved food came from. I ate it and enjoyed it and if you told me what exactly was in it and how it was made, i probably would have spit it out. Then again, there is such a vast disconnect with the process that I'd most likely choose not to believe you and continue eating it. I'd brush off the hearsay poppycock urban legends and go on with my day. I've heard many a mother upon learning that hot dogs are encased in pig intestines vow they'd never feed that crap to their kids again then ultimately once junior refuses to eat anything else, bend to his picky palate. It is the thought of what you're eating that turns you off not the food itself. But there is a saying "if it tastes good, eat it."
We made duck blood sausage. Now if that doesn't make you cringe...
Kevin flavored it with sweet spices like cinnamon, clove, fennel, tarragon, white pepper, and in combination the flavors enhanced the duck-ness. The real meat of the sausage was duck breast. The blood was added not necessarily to bind, but to keep things moist. We then smoked the little buggers which in essence cooked them while adding that je nes sais quoi. If I could eat duck blood sausage every day, I would.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Are you tired, run down, listless...?
Yeah, As I ave said before, I am extremely over extended lately. This week has been a marathon of work. Tuesday was a huge catering gig then closing the shop (12 hours total) Wednesday 10 hours, Thursday 10 hours, Friday, 12 hours, and this Saturday will be 12 again. That's 56 hours in 5 days. Not bad methinks. So this week in total? 70 hours worked. WOW. do I do anything else? No. I have Sunday off and I'd really like to do steps and blog about it but I have to do laundry and hang out with my friends before they forget who I am. There is no relief in sight either. Odds are, we have to hire someone new since the shop has been absolutely slammed, while this may appear at first to be a chance for me to get more time off, I tell you it is not! I have to train this new person requiring yet more of my time. Once they get trained, I am taking a whole week off if I can,
So tomorrow at the Crested Duck Charcuterie, is an Offal Dinner. Offal refers to all the parts of the animal not necessarily considered edible in American tastes. It is all mostly organs and skin or connective tissue. In most parts of the world, the culture is not NOT waste any part of the slaughtered animal. We do our best at the Crested Duck. Items on the menu include: Head Cheese, Elk Tongue, Rabbit Heart Tartar, Elk Tendon Salad, duck liver pot du creme among other pates and things. It was sure fun preparing today with the Kevin, the head chef. We prepared the pot du creme which he sort walked me through. Kevin is most excited about this "flan-like" dessert. Liver isn't traditionally a dessert food but the way he has prepared it is out of this world. The base is a slightly astringent but sweet semi hard caramel, then atop is a pudding mixture of spiced heavy cream, eggs and the pureed liver. God did it all smell amazing. So tomorrow we will be serving 5 courses to a fully booked double seating. I am excited to get to see all of the excitement on people's faces and on Kevin's as we present the dishes.
So tomorrow at the Crested Duck Charcuterie, is an Offal Dinner. Offal refers to all the parts of the animal not necessarily considered edible in American tastes. It is all mostly organs and skin or connective tissue. In most parts of the world, the culture is not NOT waste any part of the slaughtered animal. We do our best at the Crested Duck. Items on the menu include: Head Cheese, Elk Tongue, Rabbit Heart Tartar, Elk Tendon Salad, duck liver pot du creme among other pates and things. It was sure fun preparing today with the Kevin, the head chef. We prepared the pot du creme which he sort walked me through. Kevin is most excited about this "flan-like" dessert. Liver isn't traditionally a dessert food but the way he has prepared it is out of this world. The base is a slightly astringent but sweet semi hard caramel, then atop is a pudding mixture of spiced heavy cream, eggs and the pureed liver. God did it all smell amazing. So tomorrow we will be serving 5 courses to a fully booked double seating. I am excited to get to see all of the excitement on people's faces and on Kevin's as we present the dishes.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
This must be the other side of the rainbow, toto
Something has become abundantly clear this spring. I am out of shape. I couple of times I was out there ascending what very well could have been the stairway to heaven AKA the right amount of heart pumping exercise to give me a massive coronary to make me meet my maker. I am relatively young, fit, and conditioned for this or so I thought. But the last couple of weeks I have been having this weird chest pain. I sharp pain in my left chest cavity, you know, where the heart is. It was so bad at times i figured I should consult experts. Not doctors, mind you. I am too poor for their opinions, but friends whom have worked at hospitals and older people whom very well could have had similar activity in their very own left chest areas. Here is a breakdown of possibilities to my life threatening chest pain:
Gas
Allergies
Stop smoking, Ben
Lack of sleep
heightened anxiety
aliens have implanted me with a chip of some sort
Most of those things I can agree upon. I eat too many fried foods (just when I thought you could never eat enough) I smoke, I haven't been sleeping, and I have always been a bit high strung. And I am sure the aliens put the chip in my brain, not my chest.
So today, I went grocery shopping for heart healthy foods and vowed to turn my irrational fear around of having a heart attack at 29. Though it is possible. I did see a doctor and he diagnosed me with this rare condition that, while it won't kill you, makes me think that you are going to die. It's called Hypochondria. I am looking into joining support groups for survivors and sufferers alike. We can beat this, guys.
I did sleep 12 hours last night. I had prepared to stay up all night as in the last few nights. I got snacks and super-loaded my hulu queue with episodes of "Cummunity" and "Daria". I cooked myself some sauteed broccoli and shrimp in a light olive oil lemon sauce with spices and I settled in. Wouldn't you know I had passed out in my food, ass in the air not even past the opening credits to "daria". The body needs what the body needs. Nate came home at around 1am and fixed me up proper; got me a blanket, ate my food, and watched "parks and recreation" while I slept. I don't even remember that. I do remember waking up at 9:30 all bright eyed and bushy tailed. (hardly)
I am still trying to shake the no energy blues today. I have been dragging ass. I need to wake up proverbially and get really for the witty repartee required of hosting trivia night at Brew On Broadway. someone cyber slap me!
Gas
Allergies
Stop smoking, Ben
Lack of sleep
heightened anxiety
aliens have implanted me with a chip of some sort
Most of those things I can agree upon. I eat too many fried foods (just when I thought you could never eat enough) I smoke, I haven't been sleeping, and I have always been a bit high strung. And I am sure the aliens put the chip in my brain, not my chest.
So today, I went grocery shopping for heart healthy foods and vowed to turn my irrational fear around of having a heart attack at 29. Though it is possible. I did see a doctor and he diagnosed me with this rare condition that, while it won't kill you, makes me think that you are going to die. It's called Hypochondria. I am looking into joining support groups for survivors and sufferers alike. We can beat this, guys.
I did sleep 12 hours last night. I had prepared to stay up all night as in the last few nights. I got snacks and super-loaded my hulu queue with episodes of "Cummunity" and "Daria". I cooked myself some sauteed broccoli and shrimp in a light olive oil lemon sauce with spices and I settled in. Wouldn't you know I had passed out in my food, ass in the air not even past the opening credits to "daria". The body needs what the body needs. Nate came home at around 1am and fixed me up proper; got me a blanket, ate my food, and watched "parks and recreation" while I slept. I don't even remember that. I do remember waking up at 9:30 all bright eyed and bushy tailed. (hardly)
I am still trying to shake the no energy blues today. I have been dragging ass. I need to wake up proverbially and get really for the witty repartee required of hosting trivia night at Brew On Broadway. someone cyber slap me!
Sunday, April 8, 2012
This whole city steps thing has me totally worn out.
Prepare yourselves for some hard core bitching...I work two jobs, haven't had a day off in 3 weeks, don't have a car and port authority sucks so hard, my allergies are bothering me, but...the weather has been so nice lately, I am already half-way done. I have been doing this in my spare time mostly and it gets so difficult. I know that if I had just one day off a week at least, I can be done this summer; early, this summer. So I just need some momentum.
I used to feel so weird when people asked me why I was doing this. I think because when i started, I really didn't know. It was just for fun at first and then it became an addiction, just like when I startedshooting heroin watching "Mad Men."
It has become by comfort, my escape, my feel good happy fun time.
I get my alone time on those steps. I think in the entire time doing this I crossed paths with maybe 5 other people on a set of steps which, incidentally, pisses me off. Usually I am counting and if someone tries to be polite and say hello or whatever, I lose count. During the entire time logging the South Side Slopes, which was last Spring/Summer, I didn't have my counter. I recall one incident in particular where I had just about made it all the way to the top of this big mama set of steps and this Asian couple had just begun to descend. Wouldn't you know they had to ask me in broken English, where the "train" stop was. They were adorable and of course I helped them out but as soon as they were on their way, I was palm of hand to face "doh!"...My car was parked at the top and I was not about to walk down these m f-ing steps just to walk back up. That has happened more frequently than I care to remember.
This one time, this hard-core yinzer with all the bravado and lack of intelligence and tact I've come to expect from some of the "hill people", starts in on me as I am clearly doing what I am doing and decides to berate me with stupid questions. my thoughts in response will be in parentheses...
"Did you walk all the way up here?"
"...yes"(no I got dropped from a helicopter mid-way)
"Them are a lot of steps, man"
"yeah." (clearly out of breath here.)
"I usually walk down em, I never walk up. you're crazy"
"it's good exercise" (clearly, because you're fat, but maybe I am crazy)
I used to feel so weird when people asked me why I was doing this. I think because when i started, I really didn't know. It was just for fun at first and then it became an addiction, just like when I started
It has become by comfort, my escape, my feel good happy fun time.
I get my alone time on those steps. I think in the entire time doing this I crossed paths with maybe 5 other people on a set of steps which, incidentally, pisses me off. Usually I am counting and if someone tries to be polite and say hello or whatever, I lose count. During the entire time logging the South Side Slopes, which was last Spring/Summer, I didn't have my counter. I recall one incident in particular where I had just about made it all the way to the top of this big mama set of steps and this Asian couple had just begun to descend. Wouldn't you know they had to ask me in broken English, where the "train" stop was. They were adorable and of course I helped them out but as soon as they were on their way, I was palm of hand to face "doh!"...My car was parked at the top and I was not about to walk down these m f-ing steps just to walk back up. That has happened more frequently than I care to remember.
This one time, this hard-core yinzer with all the bravado and lack of intelligence and tact I've come to expect from some of the "hill people", starts in on me as I am clearly doing what I am doing and decides to berate me with stupid questions. my thoughts in response will be in parentheses...
"Did you walk all the way up here?"
"...yes"(no I got dropped from a helicopter mid-way)
"Them are a lot of steps, man"
"yeah." (clearly out of breath here.)
"I usually walk down em, I never walk up. you're crazy"
"it's good exercise" (clearly, because you're fat, but maybe I am crazy)
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Numbers
I never liked numbers, ever since I was a kid they've always given me trouble. I failed algebra twice in high school. 
With step trekking, I find inconsistency after inconsistency. I invested in a little clicker counter so I could accurately ascertain the correct numbers. The alleged largest set of steps, Rising Main in Fineview has three different counts; my number, the number stenciled on the pavement by the Fineview Citizens Council, and the number in Bob's book. I double checked my count and I know that I am right. However, I am not going to argue with a community group over it. So how did Bob Regan, author of the only book on the subject of city steps, get the number 331? Who's right about Rising Main Ave? Me of course. I don't mean to discredit Bob Regan by any means. I have read his book a few times in fact and found it to be not only informative but beautifully written, wry, and thoroughly entertaining. I just mean to point out that his facts are wrong. For instance, he has listed the longest sets in Pittsburgh respectively as follows.
(My research is in bold.)
Ray Avenue(Brookline)- 378, 258
Jacob Street (Brookline)- 364, 121 & 124 (there are 2 sets that still don't add up to equal 364)
57th Street (Lawrencville/Stanton Heights)-345, 349
Rising Main (Fineview)- 331, 371
Yard Way (South Side Slopes)- 317, 315
This is Rising Main Avenue in Fineview.
When I read the book for the first time 4 years ago, I was motivated to go find these steps and start a new exercise routine. I live in Brookline so I was thrilled that we had 2 of the largest sets of steps in the city, proud in fact. But how disappointing was it to get to Jacob Street and get only half the steps I thought. How did Bob Get these numbers? Well, in his own words...
"The Author conducted the first complete survey of the city steps in the summer of 1999 using a combination of manual methods and sophisticated computer technology. At the start of the survey, he obtained a nascent database of the steps compiled by the City of Pittsburgh as well as digital maps of the streets and rights of way..."
There is one problem I can see already. How sophisticated was computer technology in 1999 really...compared to now. I can't be critical of that I suppose. My research using google Earth is far easier that I suppose Bob's was. I can however be critical of the fact that he clearly states that he "...walked the steps to obtain a count" when he clearly did not. I'm sure he walked some of them...most of them even, but then again, when you're listing the city's longest sets in a special section in your meticulously researched book, one would think he'd have the numbers right.
I digress. Perhaps it was an clerical error. Maybe while writing the book, all those numbers and facts got mixed up. Who knows? Whether Bob actually walked the steps or not isn't important. He's an older man than myself and I don't blame him. During hot summer days hiking through the South Side Slopes last year, I almost passed out a few times. Bob wrote a great book and did extensive research and that cannot be discredited.
But credit needs to be where credit is due. And Brookline should not have the credit. Fineview clearly has the largest set of steps.
So the real argument shouldn't be about numbers, unless we're talking dollar bills. The only way to preserve the city steps now is to raise awareness.
With step trekking, I find inconsistency after inconsistency. I invested in a little clicker counter so I could accurately ascertain the correct numbers. The alleged largest set of steps, Rising Main in Fineview has three different counts; my number, the number stenciled on the pavement by the Fineview Citizens Council, and the number in Bob's book. I double checked my count and I know that I am right. However, I am not going to argue with a community group over it. So how did Bob Regan, author of the only book on the subject of city steps, get the number 331? Who's right about Rising Main Ave? Me of course. I don't mean to discredit Bob Regan by any means. I have read his book a few times in fact and found it to be not only informative but beautifully written, wry, and thoroughly entertaining. I just mean to point out that his facts are wrong. For instance, he has listed the longest sets in Pittsburgh respectively as follows.
(My research is in bold.)
Ray Avenue(Brookline)- 378, 258
Jacob Street (Brookline)- 364, 121 & 124 (there are 2 sets that still don't add up to equal 364)
57th Street (Lawrencville/Stanton Heights)-345, 349
Rising Main (Fineview)- 331, 371
Yard Way (South Side Slopes)- 317, 315
When I read the book for the first time 4 years ago, I was motivated to go find these steps and start a new exercise routine. I live in Brookline so I was thrilled that we had 2 of the largest sets of steps in the city, proud in fact. But how disappointing was it to get to Jacob Street and get only half the steps I thought. How did Bob Get these numbers? Well, in his own words...
"The Author conducted the first complete survey of the city steps in the summer of 1999 using a combination of manual methods and sophisticated computer technology. At the start of the survey, he obtained a nascent database of the steps compiled by the City of Pittsburgh as well as digital maps of the streets and rights of way..."
There is one problem I can see already. How sophisticated was computer technology in 1999 really...compared to now. I can't be critical of that I suppose. My research using google Earth is far easier that I suppose Bob's was. I can however be critical of the fact that he clearly states that he "...walked the steps to obtain a count" when he clearly did not. I'm sure he walked some of them...most of them even, but then again, when you're listing the city's longest sets in a special section in your meticulously researched book, one would think he'd have the numbers right.
I digress. Perhaps it was an clerical error. Maybe while writing the book, all those numbers and facts got mixed up. Who knows? Whether Bob actually walked the steps or not isn't important. He's an older man than myself and I don't blame him. During hot summer days hiking through the South Side Slopes last year, I almost passed out a few times. Bob wrote a great book and did extensive research and that cannot be discredited.
But credit needs to be where credit is due. And Brookline should not have the credit. Fineview clearly has the largest set of steps.
So the real argument shouldn't be about numbers, unless we're talking dollar bills. The only way to preserve the city steps now is to raise awareness.
They're disappearing fast and I suppose the numbers aren't so important.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Catching up in Hazlewood
I am kind of updating in reverse so forgive me. I did Hazlewood and Greenfield yesterday. In particular was Gladstone street. I have been wanting to find these steps for ages and keep planning a trip out there and never end up making it. Well I finally did, thank god.
Hazlewood is a very historic neighborhood full of history and old things that are...historic. It's also a bit abandoned. But it has the oldest library is Pittsburgh (which is closed) and the oldest house in Pittsburgh (which is shuttered up and creepy)
This is the John Woods house. It was built in 1792 and is an important asset to our rich history, which is why we neglect it, because we're Americans.
So I started in Greenfield and hiked up and over Gladstone street. The steps start by gently cresting the hill and then follow a flat sidewalk for a ways past a lily pond (aka drainage problem) then zigs once, descends, zags once, and descends into a lovely knoll of well kept homes and a great looking urban garden.
The top of the hill is Greenfield, the bottom is Hazlewood. Greenfield is stable, beautiful, safe. Hazlewood is decaying, forgotten, and crime ridden. So sad. Its location is absolutely perfect for revitalization. Midway between downtown and Homestead on the flourishing technology corridor, right next to the Three Rivers Heritage trail and right across the bridge from the Southside. Why is this neighborhood so neglected?
Tullymet Street
There are signs of life in Hazelwood however. The Young Preservationist Association of Pittsburgh are looking to re-purpose the Carnegie Library currently and urban farming has also really taken a foothold. Perhaps if enough interest is garnered, we will see this place turn around.
North
Monday, March 26, 2012
Valhalla
I've been thinking a lot about the parallels of my step climbing obsession and the pilgrimages of world religions to shrines and holy sites around the world. It's a human need I believe to suffer for one's beliefs. To test the will, the heart, and faith by subjecting one's self to a challenge. It has certainly made me stronger not only physically but mentally and spiritually as well. I have grown a great deal of reverence for Pittsburgh's steps. After all, the whole reason they exist was to transport factory workers to and from work. The poorest of Pittsburgh would work 12 hour shifts then hike a sheer 400 foot cliff through thick smoke to get home, to see the end result of his suffering in the clear air above the factory shrouded in its own filth. To see his family safe and taken care of. There is no Valhalla like home.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
I'm getting a bit lazy.
The other day I hiked from Polish Hill, over the Hill district, into Terrace Village, then into Oakland. I took a small break then hiked all the way back to The Southside. It was a long haul but the weather was perfect and I am on a deadline to get 20,000 steps done by the end of the week. I am 300 steps away....oh wait, I missed my deadline. Guess what? I don't care. I have mentioned before, at this juncture in the journey, it's become increasingly difficult to log steps as they are so spread out. For example: the neighborhood of Oakwood allegedly has 3 sets of steps amounting to 57 (allegedly due to the fact that I am using Bob Regan's inaccurate calculations) In the grand scheme of things, me going to Oakwood would be like picking up pennies on the street trying to make a dollar. Oakwood isn't close either! It will take me a whole day just to get out there, find the spread out sets of steps, and get home. At least there are other neighborhoods near by with steps too. I also have to hit Lincoln Place which is by far the most pointless of all Pittsburgh neighborhoods.
View My hike in a larger map In other news; the controversial North Shore Connector is opening today and as soon as I get off of work I am hopping on the trolley which stops right in front of Brew on Broadway and I am riding all the way to the Steeler's Stadium. Oh! The convenience.
View My hike in a larger map In other news; the controversial North Shore Connector is opening today and as soon as I get off of work I am hopping on the trolley which stops right in front of Brew on Broadway and I am riding all the way to the Steeler's Stadium. Oh! The convenience.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Productive
In the last two days I made it my goal to get to 20,000. Right now I am at 18,818. That's pretty close. Problem is, at this point I've covered all the areas with large concentration. What's left is a set here and a set there. LOTS of walking with no step climbing makes Ben a dull boy.
Yesterday I hit Stanton Heights and Morningside.
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Each time I think I've found my new favorite view of the city, I have to think again. The view from the top of Mcandless street is breathtaking. It broadly shows the city but subtly. Centered with a view of Children's Hospital Oakland rises to the left above the height of the downtown skyline to the right. The sun was setting and the hazy spring day with the pastels of magnolia trees and crab apples made it look like a Degas painting. God it was gorgeous.
Morningside reminds me of Brookline; The homes look similar and the street grid echoes Brookline's as well. There are some older homes, though, that look a bit more stately.
Stanton Heights kind of annoyed me. It's really two different neighborhoods rolled into one. there's the side closest to Lawrenceville with turn of the century homes, brick streets on a grid, and some really stellar views. It connects directly to L-ville via city steps, some of the city's biggest sets in fact. But then there is the new Stanton Heights all cul du sacs and switchbacks and senseless cookie cutter homes that confused me endlessly. It's just my cup of tea is all. No offense.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Halfway
I have officially hikes 18,000 different steps in Pittsburgh now. That's nearly half-way. This spring and summer I hope to finish the whole 30,000 feet. When I am done with this, I will know the city like the back of my hand. It's empowering to be able to give directions and especially for a guy without a car that relies on public transit to know the many shortcuts to bus routes and the T. This city has really opened up to me. The steps are great but contrary to the popular saying, in this journey, the destinations are always way more fulfilling that the journey itself. Steps take you places.
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