What the......Frank Curto Park Edition

The little sis was driving to Pittsburgh on her own for the first time a few years back, and was having some navigation issues. We were on the phone with her and asked, "So, what do you see?". She replied, "A giant pile of french fries".

No, little sis was not under the influence or really hungry, she was simply driving past Frank Curto park on Bigelow Boulevard, which sits between Downtown Pittsburgh and Polish Hill. The sculpture, correctly titled "Pittsburgh", was created by internationally renowned Chicago sculptor John Henry in 1976. The park itself was named for Frank Curto, who was the horticulturalist for the Phipps Conservatory collection from 1946 to 1970.

In 1999, Stephanie Flom, a research fellow at Carnegie Mellon, expanded the use of the park by promoting gardening as contemporary art, and many new projects have appeared in the last decade or so.

Regardless of the terrific art, the park will forever be known as the "one with the French Fry Sculpture" to 'Burghers.

The wild turkeys seem to like the park a lot as well, and frequently distract motorists during morning rush hour with their antics. I can proudly say I was witness to an interesting confrontation between the resident turkeys, and the peacock who had escaped (which he apparently frequently does) from the nearby zoo. I'll let your imagination run with that one......

Gobble, gobble.

My Kinda Happy Hour - Wednesdays at the Milkshake Factory!

True Story.
Yesterday, I was making (what feels like) my daily visit to Giant Eagle Market District, one of my top ten favorite places in the universe, and I struck up a conversation with a very nice man in the bread isle (Yes, this is Pittsburgh, and striking up conversations with nice strangers is a daily occurrence here).

The conversation went thusly:

Nice man: Look at this crazy decadent lava cake! Not very good for me I'm afraid.
Me: (interested) Lava cake? Where?
Nice Man: (raising an eyebrow at the contents of my cart): Well, it looks like you have some little ones with a sweet tooth at home.
Me: (humiliated) Just us two fully grown adults.

Yep, we eat like a 5 year old would if you let him go to the grocery store unattended with a credit card. Needless to say, when the kind people from The Milkshake Factory in the South Side forwarded this little tidbit to me, I was a little giddy...

I am already in line. The Milkshake Factory is located at 1705 East Carson Street. For droolworthy posts, you can follow them on twitter here. While you are enjoying your half-price milkshake(s), be sure to pick up a box of the gourmet chocolate covered peanut butter pretzels from Edward Marc Chocolatier. I am physically unable to leave the shop without them.

See yinz there!

The Name That Says It All: Fineview

HISTORY LESSON:

Tucked up behind the North Side and the Mexican War Streets, Fineview boasts a rich and interesting history. Originally called Nunnery Hill (yes, as in "get thee to a nunnery!"), the neighborhood is most famous for its old street car line, the only one in the 'Burgh with a curve in it, which ran until 1899. The "Nunnery" was St Clare Young Ladies' Academy, constructed by the Nuns of the Order of St. Clare in 1828. Remarkably, the area consisted of a series of hills, deemed largely impassible until a renaissance of residential construction began in the mid 19th century. Still proudly standing today is the Henderson-Metz House, pictured above, which was constructed in 1860, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Fineview was originally part of Allegheny City, which was annexed by the City of Pittsburgh in 1906. In addition to Fineview, it included such neighborhoods as Troy Hill, The Mexican War Streets, Allegheny West, and Brighton Heights. Interestingly, the annexation was largely opposed by the residents of Allegheny City, however the residents of Pittsburgh were the overwhelming majority, and the annexation bill easily passed into law. Yep, twenty years earlier and it could have been the "Allegheny City Steelers".

THAT SURE IS A FINE VIEW!

If you are looking for the perfect vantage point to enjoy the prolific fireworks of the 'Burgh, the Fineview Overlook is a hidden gem. Located where Catoma meets Meadville Street, the view below is likely to distract you from the show above!

LIFE IN THE 'VIEW

Residents of Fineview are fiercely loyal to their neighborhood, and homes are often quaint and charming abodes with large front porches, encouraging neighborhood interaction. The Block Watch is active, and volunteers participate every Monday in a "Stroll and Patrol", cleaning up the street and checking in on residents. There is a local community garden, and residents can reserve a plot for only $5 for the season! The Fineview playground is host to many family activities throughout the year, and annual "step-a-thon" is a challenge to urban hikers to master the neighborhood's signature topography. To learn more about the community, you can visit their newly improved website here.

MY DAY JOB

And, it is no coincidence that my newest listing just happens to be in this sweet community. Click here for some more details on 1626 Meadville Street, located only steps from the Fineview Overlook!