Walkin' the 'Line

Originally part of West Liberty Borough, Brookline is tucked neatly up against the southern edge of Pittsburgh, and many a city employee has found that the convenient balance of suburbs meeting city has made for happy living. Brookline proper was absorbed into the City of Pittsburgh in 1908, and early in its existence was primarily a farming community. An in-depth look at the area's history can be found on the the official community webpage, The Brookline Connection, which is a fantastic resource for anyone considering a relocation to the neighborhood.

Like so many areas that our city now encompasses, the technological advancements of the early 20th century brought significant change to Brookline. In 1905, a trolley line was run from the community into the city, and it remained active until 1966. Of course, the rise of the automobile spurred the most significant change for the residents, with the construction of the Liberty Tunnel. To this day, Brookline remains but a hop, skip and jump from Downtown Pittsburgh, making the area popular with commuters. In fact, Brookline can boast that it is the city's second largest neighborhood!

One of the most popular destinations in Brookline is Brookline Memorial Park, once Anderson Farm, located in the east of the area. According the the Brookline Connection, the Andersons were one of the first pioneering families in the area, and much of their history is detailed here. Their story truly chronicles the transformation of Brookline from a farming community, to a bustling city neighborhood.

Another site of note is the Brookline Monument, a huge cannon (in fact, the memorial is more commonly known as "The Cannon") and War Memorial overlooking the Brookline Business District in Triangle Park. Originally erected in 1930, the monument pays homage to soldiers who have fought in conflicts from World War I to the Gulf War. In 1942, the original cannon was taken away to be used in a scrap metal drive, however was replaced in 1946 and rededicated. In 1990, after the Gulf War, the memorial itself was also replaced.

Very recently (November 15th to be exact), WQED ran a half-hour special on the area entitled "Have You Been to Brookline". Calling the neighborhood Pittsburgh's "best kept secret", and pointing out that most would be "hard-pressed to locate the neighborhood on a map", the special focuses on the people and traditions that make this such a special place.

Serendipitously, and perhaps coming as no surprise, I have a brandy new listing in the area! Forgive the diversion into the day job, but here is a home that truly represents the official motto of Brookline: "Character, Charm, Convenience". Enjoy!

Pimmsburgh

The first time I heard someone ordering a Pimm's Cup was several months back while eating at Point Brugge Cafe in Point Breeze. I was well into my third Pom Fizz, a ridiculously girly and delicious mixture of champagne, Grand Marnier, and Pomegranate Juice, when someone sidled up next to us at the bar, and ordered a Pimm's Cup. "What's a Pimms Cup?" I asked. "Good.", said the sidler, and moseyed off. He wasn't being purposefully elusive, it turns out that Pimm's is a mysterious concoction, the exact recipe of which has remains secret to this day.

A few weeks later, we were settled in to our usual Sunday night routine, which revolves primarily around the HBO series "Boardwalk Empire". On this particular episode, Pimm's (or, to be more exact, the lack of the drink) was a central theme

Then, a stop at the Round Corner Cantina last week, where they serve one fine Pimm's Cup, solidified it. To the store we go - momma wants her some Pimm's!

According the the official Pimm's website, there are several recipes to enjoy. Most of them are Pimm's No. 1 with either ginger ale or lemonade, and garnished with everything from mint and fruit to cucumber. The magical thing about Pimm's is that you can mix it with pretty much anything, and it tastes fabulous. Originally, in the beverage's heyday, there were six varieties of Pimm's to choose from. Over the years, most of these have been phased out, including the rum based (No. 4) and rye whiskey-based (No. 5) options. Pimm's No. 1 remains, which is the Gin based concoction, as well as a seasonal version of the Brandy-based No. 4, called the "Winter Cup".

We are now the proud owners of a (now almost empty) bottle of Pimm's No. 1, which we have been primarily mixing with ginger-ale and garnishing with a cucumber to mimic our Round Corner Cantina favorite. I'm also kinda looking forward to The Pimm's Royal Cup, which is made by mixing the good stuff with champagne and garnishing with a strawberry (yeah, I'm getting all girly on you again)

Gotta run! As they say; "It's PimmsO'clock"

KA-BLAM! It's a Joe Wos Interview!

As a wee one, I had a bit of a tendency to the overly-dramatic. I'm sure this made for both entertaining (hours of full-on conversations with imaginary playmates) and frustrating (wild temper tantrums in the middle of department stores) moments for my parents, who wisely guided me down the path of "not taking myself too seriously". As a result, I have a particularly well-developed inner child. I laugh a lot, and I laugh loudly (so I've heard). But, I like laughing. Humor is something I seek out, in situations and in people. So, when I was offered the chance to interview Joe Wos, Founder and Executive Director of the ToonSeum here in the 'Burgh, I was all "Andele, Andele, Arriba, Arriba!". Let's go!

Where did it all Begin?'

One of Pittsburgh's 40 under 40, Joe is a born and bred 'Burgher; from Braddock, PA to be exact. His dad worked in a Steel Mill in the 70's, and for reasons we are all very well aware of, spent a lot of time at home. As a result, he got to focus on a much more important job, cultivating Joe's creativity. They would spend hours simply playing together, creating elaborate stories with figures, and acting them out. Intentionally or not, his father became his biggest influence as a story-teller, and the idea of ToonSeum began to sprout roots at a very early age.
After a brief stint at Carlow College (where, he jokes "I obtained my MRS."), Joe began his career as a cartoonist for the Children's Museum here in Pittsburgh. A storyteller extraordinaire, he illustrated stories as he told them, often on the fly! Many of Joe's stories are original, and he likened the process to improvisational Jazz (hey look - my dad is suddenly paying attention!).
He was such a great success that he went on the road, to venues that included the New Orleans Jazz Festival! Yep, Cartoons and Jazz seem go hand in hand.

A ToonSeum is Born

All of this got Joe to thinking, and when a creative mind gets a-thinking, great things usually come to pass. What better place than his hometown to create a home-base for all things comic and cartoon art-related? According to Joe, staying in the 'Burgh was a no-brainer. Firstly, he was determined. "There is something to be said about proving that it can be done". He also speaks to the tremendous amount of talent in Pittsburgh. "Pittsburgh IS pop art", says Joe, and he points to the fact that there are over 50 working comic book artists and cartoonists here in the 'Burgh. Finally, he credits the amount of support that talent receives through the likes of the Grable Foundation, the Sprout Fund, Heinz Endowments and the Pittsburgh Foundation, to name just a few. In perhaps the most poignant moment of our interview, Joe commented, "You can accomplish your vision here; Children see that Pittsburgh is one of those places where you can make a dream a reality".
So, three years ago, Joe officially opened the doors of the ToonSeum inside the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh. Kicking things off was "From Illustration to Animation", featuring the art of Alice in Wonderland and Charlotte's Web. The basis of the first exhibits were actually pieces from Joe's personal collection, however, the talent in Pittsburgh quickly caught on to the attraction, and the ToonSeum's collection began to grow exponentially. Just last year, after an epiphany that adults seemed to be just as interested, if not more so, in cartoon and comic art, he moved the museum to it's newest and most appropriate location on Liberty Avenue, in the middle of the Cultural District. While children may enjoy the visual entertainment, adults, Joe explains "understand that the characters are also an art form". The museum now boasts a collection of over 3000 pieces, 50-100 of which are displayed at any given time. 30-40 of those are generally from the museums permanent collection, along with additional pieces appropriate for the current exhibit.

KA-BLAM!

So many things to celebrate! KA-BLAM!, Toonseum's third annual fundraiser is coming up this Saturday, November 6th, and of course Joe will be on hand to get the party started, as well as the guest of honor, Carroll Spinney! Carroll is best known as the man behind Oscar the Grouch and Big Bird on Sesame Street, but he is also a very talented artist, cartoonist and illustrator. Attendees of the VIP reception will be treated to a conversation with Carroll, as well as a signed print and ToonSeum membership. Then, the main event will kick off and milling about the crowd will be Jim Martin, who is the one and only Gary Gnu! Who "gnu" he was from the 'Burgh? (Sorry, couldn't resist that one.) The event would not be complete without a "Speedy Delivery"! David Newell, better known as Mr. McFeely from Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, will make an appearance as well. The event also celebrates the third anniversary of Toonseum, and kicks off their latest exhibit, "The Art Of Carroll Spinney"; a retrospective of the artist, reaching back all the way to his early childhood drawings and car designs (turns out Carroll was a mini-gearhead, I love him already!), to his air-force comic strip, and his life on Sesame Street. The exhibit will officially open to the public on November 6th, and will run through January 30th. If you want to see just how much love there is out there for Mr. Spinney, check out this video, where Joe lets a very special guest know that she will have the opportunity to meet her hero live and in person!



If you still have any doubt that KA-BLAM! is the place to be on Saturday, then you are a robot. Here are a few factoids to wrap your mechanical brain around:
1. You can wear your jammies. For real. Although, I think I just might wear this instead.
2. There will be a cereal bar. (Do I still save all of the marshmallows for the end? You have to be there to find out!)
3. I hear tell of a special and magical drink called the "martooni".
4. McCormick and Schmick's Lobster Mac and Cheese. Thatisall.
5. A completely "toon-tastic" silent auction, with prizes including a trip to San Fran (complete with airfare, hotel stay, and fun museum tours), an instant art collection of 12 limited edition prints courtesy of ToonSeum (you'll be bidding against me for this one), a trip to Orlando (including hotel stay, park-hopper passes, and passes to Universal Studios Orlando Resort), many rare collectibles, and much, much more!
6. Did I mention Mr. McFeely will be there?
7. Live music by the Whips!
8. City Council has declared November 6th "ToonSeum Day", so I think that means you are required to be there, or Bill Peduto will come and find you.
9. More silent auction awesomeness, much of which will revolve around beer (courtesy of our own East End Brewing). I therefore amend my above statement to: "Cartoons, Jazz and Beer go hand in hand" (um, in hand).
8. Lots of Laughing...I will be the loudest.

Order your tickets to KA-BLAM now!

Our Rookie of the Year Answers the Big Questions

Excuses, Excuses. I'm full of 'em; Wah - my sister just got married (and looked gorgeous by the way), Wah - my day job is off the hook (which I'm not going to complain about really), and Wah - I'm crazy with this whole complete awesomeness that is KA-BLAM!, the Toonseum fundraiser (tickets people, tickets).
Fortunately for me (because it is my blog after all, and therefore, all about me), we have an incredible guest-blogger working diligently on producing quite an impressive series for us, which means you need wait no longer for a post. Here are Mel's answers to the Big Questions about the 'Burgh!

Rookie of the Year: The Big Question

A few weeks ago, I was asked, “How?” during a casual meet-and-greet conversation, aimed at my response to, “Where do you live?”

For such a simple question, the answer is not all that complex either, but because of pre-conceived notions, I have to explain my situation more so than if I, say, lived in the South Side. I have a place to live, as most people do. When I delve in to what would prompt such a question, it is a universal viewpoint that living downtown is somehow impossible.

I’m not saying that you don’t have to adjust when you move from the suburbs to a downtown neighborhood – because you do – but you get used to certain inconveniences (for lack of a better word) that soon become habit.

Here are the some of the frequently discussed topics that are seemingly foreign in relativity to my residence in an urban environment:

Grocery Shopping Without fail, I am always questioned about where to shop. It is to be assumed that since there is not a Giant Eagle or likewise big box store in the middle of the city, that I will starve to death. I do not find grocery shopping to be any more of an inconvenience than, well, grocery shopping. Frankly, I hate it, but I have to go every week. But just like those who live outside the city, I get into my car, drive to the store – usually the Strip District since we are conscious about buying local – pack up my car, and unload everything into the elevators. The only real inconvenience is that my parking garage is three blocks away, so we pull up, dump off in the lobby, park, then I walk back. Without even climbing a single stair! Now, if I need something in the middle of the week, I walk down to the strip (if it’s a package light enough to carry for some 15 blocks) or stop into the downtown CVS. Oh, and there is a rumor on the street that a small market WILL be opening downtown next year. Myth: busted.

Parking As I mentioned with grocery shopping, my parking situation is a bit inconvenient. But since I have two healthy feet, I’m not so lazy that I can’t walk to my car, when needed. Sure, the garage is not attached to our building, and I quickly became used to that in Cleveland, but, it’s covered for inclement weathers, and I have around the clock security. As far as having a communal shared property for parking: that’s why I have insurance. People will ding your car. People will touch your car. People with bad intentions might even steal your car – but as far as I’m concerned, this can happen anywhere. I have heard complaints about visitors having “no place to park” or parking being too expensive when coming downtown. Again, with growing metropolitans, this is definitely an issue, but you are experiencing a GOOD side effect of a city on an incline. And if parking is a serious hassle, then I recommend adjusting to public transportation – the T is a fantastic method to get from one section of downtown to another. In preventing tows and violations, it is as simple as paying attention to signs and parking accordingly. On a side note, living in Pittsburgh, you could totally go car-free.

Safety Living in the city, awareness is key. In Pittsburgh, I have never felt threatened or unsafe walking around downtown. The city has life now – it’s not some desolate ghost town where crime runs rampant without nary a police presence. I am not naïve to realize that bad things can and could happen in downtown, but just as with the outer ring neighborhoods, always be aware of your surroundings, keep to the brightly-lit main roads, and don’t walk by yourself in weird alleys. It’s City Living 101.

Entertainment My favorite myth to dispel, as there are plenty of things to do/see/eat/drink down here – especially in the Cultural District and Market Square! Downtown has a certain universal vibrancy that I felt Cleveland was lacking, and it doesn’t “die” at 5pm, much like people think.

If you live downtown, what are the big questions that you are asked – and endlessly refute? OR, if you are considering the move to downtown Pittsburgh, what are some of your concerns?