Canada Road Trip: Turning 30 On the Road and into Ontario

The sojourn into Ontario was partly (mostly) in celebration of my 30th birthday. This trip had several itineraries in its planning stages. We went from biking throughout Europe to biking through, like, Luxembourg and Belgium because - guess what! - Europe is bigger than you think. Then we were going to bike to Ontario, via some trail I found on the internet one day. We could never work out the logistics of how we would get started from somewhere other than Pittsburgh or how we would get the bikes home without having to track back.

Finally we decided a road trip was in order. And through Canada is where we make the best road trips. See, we have been up there in the north for road trips before. After crossing Canada by train in the summer of 2008, Rob and I have made several trips up there to drive around. Idiotically, they've mostly been during the winter. You know what it does in Canada in the winter? It snows. We did our first winter trip to the Maritimes - starting in Halifax, driving to Moncton and St. John's during the day, and then continuing the trip with a basically death-defying nighttime drive to Prince Edward Island. We honestly sat there in the car, listening to the last songs we would want to listen to ever, because we were both really uncertain if we could get to our hotel safely. We've done a winter trip to Newfoundland, because that's really intelligent. Then we took some spring trips. Like starting in Winnipeg (I sincerely hope the return of the Jets has helped the denizens of that city get back to something slightly less zombie-like) and driving through Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta - three states our waiter at my birthday steak dinner referred to as "The Gap."

I'm getting off topic. And anyone who came here to read about Pittsburgh is probably seriously confused.

Basically, I celebrated by 30th birthday by going to some places in Canada I have never been before. Sure, there also were normal and previously visited places places - Ottawa, Toronto, Niagara Falls. But that was the back end of the trip. Our first couple days? Small towns with absolutely ridiculous reasons to stop in them.

But, of important note, this drive straight north started directly at the end of the Japandroids show at Mr. Smalls.

I'm Brian. That's David.

These guys. No better way to start the beginning of my birthday celebration than watching these nice Canadians be loud and fun and awesome. At the end of the show, we jumped in the car and were off. I was two hours from thirty.

By the time we got to our Howard Johnson's room in Hamilton, Ontario [please go back and reread that for full effect], I had been in my thirties for three and a half hours. When we pulled up to our classy lodgings for the night, we noticed it was attached to a Yuk Yuks as well as a Hooters. Happy Birthday to Me!

Click for a closer look. It's Hamilton, Ontario!

We slept a few hours, and then it was quickly to the ORIGINAL Tim Horton's, where I had my birthday donuts. I have been to this Tim Horton's location every year for the past three years. There is seriously something wrong with me. Then a day of driving hell began. From Hamilton we drove to Owen Sound, where my objective was to obtain an Owen Sound Attack t-shirt. (Owen is one of my favorite musicians, so this was a legit thing I needed to have.) We bought the shirt, stuck our hand in Lake Huron, and then got back on the road. We stopped off for gas in Peary Sound and stretched our legs walking up a pier.

This was supposed to be six donuts with five candles in each, but this did me perfectly fine after a long night of driving.

First dino sighting.

Canada is such a darling place.

My new plan? Buy a summer place in Parry Sound.

I have a tradition of having a good steak dinner on my birthday. We got to Sudbury, and we couldn't find the steak place we'd looked up online. When I get hungry, I get cranky and impatient. So I made Rob pull into a Super 8, where we went and asked the lady working the front desk about it. She basically told us we were making a mistake for going there for a steak dinner, and she pointed us in the direction of a place called The Keg.

Well, thank you Claire from Super 8 in Sudbury, because this meal was a major highlight of the week. We had the most earnest and happy waiter named Mark, who I think was pretty dumbfounded by our trip. When he learned we had driven there from Pittsburgh, his reaction was "Jesus, what the hell are you doing here?" The steak was good, there was beer, and they gave us free cake, which was actually ice cream in the shape of cake.

Mark's first question to us when he learned we were in Sudbury as "tourists" was, "Have you seen the nickel?!" Seriously. Question mark and exclamation point. We hadn't yet, but it was on our list of things to do in Sudbury. (1. Eat steak; 2. See the World's Largest Nickel.) We got there just as the sun was going down. The sunset looks lovely, which apparently it does every night in Sudbury, because there is so much pollution released into the air by nearby factories!

Dead bugs/beautiful sunset.

Oh, and there was a dinosaur at the nickel, which, brought the total count of dinosaur sightings on my 30th birthday tally to two.

From the nickel it was onward to our next accommodations ..in Sault Ste. Marie.

Here Comes Summer: The Three Rivers Arts Festival

a) How is it already June 4th?
Winter was so long and miserable and awful. Of course summer would officially start by going by in the blink of an eye. Right now I am on overdrive at work, trying to get as much done before my weeklong birthday adventure through Ontario. I look up from my work and it's 5:30 and I can't believe another day is behind me.

b) How is it already time for the Three Rivers Arts Festival??
Oh, right - because it's already June 4th. And the festival starts on Friday!

I took a walk around Point State Park at lunch today to see everything getting set-up for Friday. That's when the festivities start - AND - when the fountain at the point turns back on! It's been hibernating since 2009. So glad to see it come back to life.

Here's a sampling of the music I'm most interested in taking in over the course of the week, but make sure to check out the full listings here.

FRIDAY: Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros - Point State Park, 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.
(Sadly, I'm going to be missing this, because I would rather torture myself by watching another Pens-Bruins playoff game.)

SUNDAY: Cello Fury w/ Joy Ike and the dude from The Clarks - Point State Park, 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.
(Here's another I'll probably miss due to hockey. I don't even want to think about the possibility of catching this, because it means things got REAL BAD REAL FAST for the Pens...)

MONDAY: Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra - Point State Park, 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY: Glen Hansard - Point State Park, 7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.
I've seen Glen Hansard play with The Frames and Swell Season before, and he is quite the performer. I highly recommend this show. Knock on stick, but hockey best not interfere with this one.

If you come to the festival by bike, BikePGH is offering FREE bike valet right at the entrance of Point State Park. I'll be there volunteering to take your bike off your hands while you go have fun. I'll also be there taking pictures of people with their bikes in the I <3 My Bike photobooth.

This will be a totally great weekend to be a Pittsburgher (especially if the Pens figure something out). Now, if I could only squeeze in a few extra weekdays to get all this work done before I scurry north for a week of Canadian people, places and things.

Saturdays with Jerry: A Trip to Jerry's Records

This afternoon Corey and I worked on our first assignment for our Filmmakers course. Carrie and Allie were our willing photography subjects. I ran Allie around and up and down the Hillman Library for mine. Corey's took us to Jerry's Records in Squirrel Hill. It's been a while since I'd been there. I don't have a record player (I live in 2013 and there is Spotify and that's just easier), so record shopping is not a high priority. Though, I do buy records. Specifically Phil Collins records. They're scattered throughout my apartment. Which is creepy, I know.

I'm sure it's news to no one that Jerry's is the place for anyone with any interest in buying records to enjoy. The place is almost cave-like, with a near claustrophobic stairway into the main space. When explored further, there are more rooms and cramped hallways with records packed onto shelves. Here are some photos I took while wandering.  

Ah, yes. The Belly Dancing records.

I would buy a record player to be able to play ridiculous records solely from the Horror section.

Oh, and I'd play all the Phil Collins records.

Only found two "Canada" records. O, America.

Enjoy? I'm on Instagram as everythingbetterpgh. Feel free to follow for more peeks into what catches my eye around town.

Make Some Cookies: The Lawrenceville Cookie Tour

Warning: there are pictures of baked goods in this post, but they are not of cookies. Don't worry. There will be cookies.

The first weekend of December brings things. If you're like me and try to avoid the holidays as much as possible, those things aren't great. For example, Christmas music: unavoidable. It can also bring cold cold weather to town, but fortunately this weekend was incredibly mild (continuing into today; I wore just a t-shirt and leggings home from work). But it will always bring cookies. Up and down Butler street and other nearby locales in Lawrenceville.

The idea behind the Cookie Tour is great: encourage people to shop locally for the holidays by offering free cookies at each shop throughout an entire neighborhood. OMG. This is, like, way better than going to the mall. [hair flip] (Or shopping online. Unless I'm buying my dad tickets to an event, which is generally what I give him for the holidays now, a bunch of weird events in Pittsburgh he might not otherwise get to experience. Remember Strata?) 

The best way to start any holiday shopping venture (cause you can hit up Butler Street any weekend between now and the big day, there will just be fewer cookies along the way) is with a quick carbo-load from La Gourmandine. I picked up a cinnamon roll and a bit of brioche. 

I didn't go for the coffee option here, as I knew Espresso a Mano was down the road and in my future. We hit up a good number of stores on our trip down Butler: 720 Records, Pavement, Pageboy, and one of the furniture stores. At the new record store, Rather Ripped Records, I found what appeared to be an Allison-like heaven:

A corner of used CDs, prices $2 each or 3 for $5, all mostly from the 90s. 

I don't think I even have a working CD player, but I picked up the Spin Doctors, Starship, and an album by a band I don't even know, but the title of the album was Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! What? Don't act surprised.

At Divertido I bought myself a nice-smelling candle, as cold weather brings closed windows, and closed windows bring the constant fear that my apartment smells something terrible. One of my favorite shops in Pittsburgh, Wildcard, was crazynuts inside. Close to panic-inducing crowded. But I braved it and picked up a t-shirt for my brother (don't worry; I don't think he reads this), a bookmark for a faraway friend, and a set of letter stamps and an inkpad for myself! 

What?! Listen. I have to get through the holidays somehow. And, like last year, I'll do it by indulging myself in a new craft. Be prepared to be barraged with photos of stamped/stitched creations soon, friends.

So, where are the cookies? Well, as with the stamped/stitched creations, they are forthcoming all month. I've decided another way to survive December will be through baking cookies. I'm hoping to do two batches a week. Be prepared to be barraged with ooey-gooey cookies soon, friends.

(P.S. Shop local! A list of Lawrenceville's shops is here!)

From Lasers to Lights: Roger Waters performs The Wall

A long while back (so long while back that I actually forgot about it and almost scheduled to go camping instead) my dad asked my brother and me if we would like to go see Roger Waters perform The Wall. To be honest, I agreed to go because I didn't want to say no to my dad. I've never really listened to Pink Floyd and am pretty sure that before the show I'd never heard 90% of the songs on The Wall.

My dad and I were chowing down at Wingharts before the show (because that is just our thing now) and I was telling him about how fun Lasertainment was the night previous. He then informed me that I would probably enjoy The Wall because it is supposed to involve a pretty dramatic light show.

Well, yes. Indeed it did. Though not directly related to Pittsburgh exactly, here are some photos (mostly because being out of town so much at the end of June has left me a little lagging behind blog-wise):

PGH CHEAP: Oh Yeah! We're Going to a Laser(tainment) Show!

Ladies and gentlemen, Fountains of Wayne:

Oh yeah, I went to a laser show. Part of Pittsburgh's 2012 Regatta (you gotta regatta!) was a nightly laser show at Point State Park. Of course, it was free and that fits into my budget for PGH CHEAP this July. I could think of no better way to spend an evening last Monday night, so I biked down the Eliza Furnace Trail toward the city at sunset and took in Lasertainment's highly enjoyable production. I have to admit, right before it started, I wondered if I wasn't about to be very disappointed in my choice of activity for the night. But I was pleasantly surprised, and even a little impressed by the show. 

The small screen was my first cause for concern that this laser show might not be awesome.

Waited for the sun to go down by reading and writing and sitting in the grass.

I cannot recall what song they used this dancing chicken for, but oh my gosh, the laser dancing chicken made my night.

This second video is really where it's at. Lasers and fireballs.

Cost of Lasertainment: FREE.

An Official "Unofficial" Start to Summer: Pirates Beat Kansas City b/w Boyz II Men in the Steel City

A few times this week, I've been walking with someone and felt that wonderful feeling in the air that says "summer is here!" and I've repeated the silent announcement aloud. I've been met, more than once, with the argument of "well, technically it's not summer yet." Yes. I know. I know the technical start date for summer is June 21. But if we take that as an unbreakable rule, my birthday would fall in the spring, and I am a definite and undeniable summer kid. 

Listen. It's summer. Deal with it.

And a great way to kick off the official "unofficial" start to summer? Watching a Pirates game on a cloudless evening and then sticking around afterward for a special performance by Boyz II Men.

Yes. That's right. Boyz II Men. 

No ballpark, no matter where, has as beautiful a view as PNC Park.

My dad and I spent the majority of the game in the standing room section behind homeplate. We actually ended up with a coupe of our hockey game acquaintances, which was a nice surprise. Also a nice surprise was being a section removed from the craft beer stand, where I purchased many Bitter America cans.

I'm so mad that I missed the June 8 t-shirt. Someone make a time machine, please!

The Pirates scored their five runs in a single inning, which was exciting and concentrated and much enjoyed by all. I love Pirate games for the familiarity. No matter how long it's been since my last visit to PNC, it always feels exciting to see the Pierogies race, watch the ridiculous lewdness of the Pirate Parrot, and sit and stare at the skyline (especially during a night game when you get to watch the sunset too) and wonder how somewhere could be so perfect. (Okay, well maybe that last one is just me, but I suspect there are a number of other skyline-admirers/ponderers out there.)

After the game ended, the field was readied for what many believed (myself included, to be honest) was the real entertainment for the night:

Yes. Boyz II Men. My dad and I went back up to our assigned seats and joined two friends of mine for the rest of the night. Boyz II Men played the hits, and, of course, saved Motown Philly for last, so we all went out on a high note of dancing and singing.

Roses were tossed out into the crowd for "I'll Make Love to You."

The next day, I met up with Allie on the South Side for our first softball game. It was a scrimmage. And we (the whole team) was laughably terrible. Which means we should have a good fun time playing ball and drinking beers throughout the summer. Normally our games will be on the North Side, but today's scrimmage was played atop Mt. Washington. I can now check an item off my Pittsburgh to-do list, that I didn't even know existed as a desire until I was right there doing it.