You may have luck checking with your local library branch. I see a "Writer's Workshop" event at Northland Public Library (in the North Hills) in a few weeks. It's not a writer's group but maybe it'll be of interest or you may be able to make some connections.

Beemster and Uniekass

Haven't had Humboldt Fog is years, but was always a favorite! Might have to grab some soon!

I'd have to respectfully disagree. Of the list above I voted for Cincy having been to all of the cities listed (some many times). Cincinatti and Pittsburgh are really similar. But besides that Pittsburgh, imo, is closer to Cleveland and Milwaukee (and maybe even Columbus) before I'd say Philly or Baltimore.

I'd highly suggest making the Lawrenceville neighborhood your base. There's a Tryp Hotel there and probably some Air BnBs. Walkable neighborhood with TONS of restaurants, bars, bakeries, coffee shops, breweries, etc., etc. LOTS to do, very walkable. Skews older. Definitely a hipster neighborhood, but again it's a great base and you can walk to all these things.

Go to Phipps. It'll be their Orchid and Bonsai show, which is fantastic. You can couple it with some outdoor ice skating in Schenley Park (tip: they have an adult only skate Friday and Saturday nights). Lots of fun. Millvale has a great record store in the Attic, if that's your thing. Millvale also has a couple breweries and really cool little haunt in the Whisper Nest.

TIL Frank Gorshin was from Pittsburgh, and buried here! My kiddo and I are making our way through the Batman TV Series and Frank's Riddler is just chef's kiss!

My father's friend had a cottage there. He may still. Only accessible by boat. Summer cottages mostly. I don't think anyone lives there full-time but I may be very wrong. There may be one or two people who do. We used to go at least once a summer, usually July 4th weekend, boat on rivers and BBQ at the cottage on the island. It was pretty cool to be honest. Just walk from cottage to cottage. It's like one big yard with cottages strewn about. Being only accessible by boat is find it hard to believe people live there full-time because of the need to leave for food and home fuel on some sort. Like I said summer cottages mostly.

Stinky's. Although smack dab in the middle of "hipster" Lawrenceville, Stinky's has some really good burgers and is off the beaten path. Might be a little too nice to be considered "divey, but is definitely casual. Sit in the back / restaurant side.

Nah your perceptions are spot on! The assholes FAR outnumber the good people in Plum. There seems to be a real increase in vocal assholes in Plum the last few years...I mean there's always been an undercurrent and reputation of Plum being that way, but with social platforms and these fucking assholes feeling like they have a forum (as u/Bungalow_Man points out) it's been real bad lately. Someone in my neighborhood is fucking flying a QAnon flag prominently outside their house. What's funny is I live in an older neighborhood and most of my immediate neighbors are older and have lived there for decades and they are good, salt of the earth people.

Me too! Except more like 80s and 90s for me, haha!

Boyce Park!! Used to run there all the time throughout winter. Lots of people, open, gets plowed/deiced regularly.

I know it's a lot further away but there's one in McCandless if anyone wasn't aware.

Was just waxing ecstatic about this rye this weekend as my go to affordable rye that is actually really good! Very underrated!

I pass this tiny little, one man shop often - Guido Bartolacci Tailor on Dorseyville Road. If you google there's an article about him and his family too. Looks like a neat little shop but I've never stopped.

Mmmmm Dark Chocolate Mallo Cups are where it's at too! I think you can tour Boyer (it's in Altoona!)!

Hey-o!

That too! I guess I figured (or wrongly assumed) visitors would be here over a weekend. But yes, this too!

Piling on everyone else but it has to be Phipps, bar none. Absolute greatest display you'll see. Here's a tip, book a late ticket time for Friday or Saturday night - like 8:30 / 9:00 for time. It's less crowded then. But definitely go at night bc the outdoor light garden is spectacular at night. Depending on crowd size and how quick (or slow) you move through Phipps, I'd budget 2 hours to be safe. Can def be done in an hour and a half (and probably an hour if you don't stop at all), but budgeting 2 hours or slightly under gives you time to take your time.

Community has them! A few months ago they had an end cap with several varieties, but this past weekend I only saw, I think, 2 varieties but I cannot remember what they were. If you go and they don't have what you want ask the store manager Corey (really good dude) and if he's not around there's a younger manager, who is tall with a bald head and beard. Really nice people!

Went to Fleming's in New Alexandria (Westmoreland County) this past Saturday to cut our own. Def more expensive this year than last - maybe 8 to 10 dollars more than last year. 6' tree minimum cost. We went with the cheaper spruce and minimum was $72. All the firs started at $84. We cut a tree down every year bc it's tradition, but I'm gonna look around a bit more next year. Then again there's a place up near Sarver/Saxonburg who sold out already and their price was $75, so somewhere around there seems to be market for cut your own tree.

Just to grab a good bite or to watch the Steelers game? If the former, Pasqualino's (Pizza Palace to us old timers, haha) in Penn Hills. Casual homemade Italian, that is the BEST!

They had a lot and several varieties at Community Supermarket in Penn Hills.

Labriola's hands down (RIP Penn Hills location). Especially if you go early and they're still hot with cheese bubbling out!! Sunseri in the strip are really good too. I recently had one from Batch in Saxonburg that was top notch. But Labriola's is the best imo.

I've gotta disagree, slightly. They're pretty good, but overpriced and not truly that great imo. YMMV obviously but while I think they're pretty good they're not worth the price point nor the dickhead employee (at least the same woman who was not nice both times I've gone, maybe she had two bad days, maybe she's not there anymore).

Wow!! Thanks for the memory, we used to call 936-1212 every night before bed so we could get clothes out for school. I knew this number by heart (granted it was not a hard # to remember, but I was a young child).