Reflecting on NYC vs. Hometown, Pittsburgh

So I went back to Pittsburgh this last weekend for an old friend's wedding. The wedding, between Rhonda Taylor and Patty Taylor (née Whitaker), was not only the wedding of a friend I have known since the third grade, but also the first same-sex ceremony I have attended.

(Rhonda Taylor, left, and Patty Taylor, right. Congrats to the brides!)

While I was not a bridesmaid, I did have the honor of doing a reading, "Union" by Robert Fulghum. (The last lyrics were changed to just say "wife", clearly!) And, after the very touching ceremony, it was on to a delicious and debaucherous reception.

(Rhonda Taylor, whom I've known since 3rd grade, left, and myself, right)

Not one to spend much time in Pittsburgh since I left for college after high school, I have to say that I always find myself a bit nostalgic and enamored with the city when I visit, even if also slightly out of place and not entirely at home. During this particular visit, at Rhonda's wedding, I also ran into old childhood and high school friends I had not seen in well over 10 years, one of whom I was pleased to learn is even living in New York.

And this instant camaraderie with old familiar faces, as well as with many new friends and acquaintances I met during the wedding weekend, is only one of many aspects that endears Pittsburgh to me.

The spectacular foliage, especially in is autumn splendor, the overall cleanliness and quaintness of the city, the laidback, friendly vibe, and of course that sense of history and easy familiarity with the city that I have, all appeal to me. And so Pittsburgh will always have a special place in my heart, clichéd as that sounds.

The irony is that some of what makes Pittsburgh endearing also makes it off-putting to me. Even airline staff at the Pittsburgh International Airport were wearing Steelers jerseys. Such hometown sports pride is endearing, yes, but is not exactly how I roll (sorry, I'm not a hater, just not a sports enthusiast!). And when we landed in NYC, as passengers gathered around the doorway of the plane to collect tagged luggage, thereby blocking the exit of passengers behind them, the girl in front of me aptly remarked to her boyfriend, after loudly announcing, "Excuse me!" to the gathering crowd, "How Midwestern."

And, like this girl, I find that I too straddle the line between Pittsburgh and NYC, between hometown, small-town friendliness and lackadaisical lifestyle and large, metropolitan "center of the universe" New York attitude.

Blogging About Culture: A Family Tradition?!

It is a little strange to me that even my mom is blogging; and I even find her blog impressive, for a beginner. (Way to go, Mom!) Her blog, titled "Pittsburgh's Art, Dance, Films, Music & Theater" has a layout far clearer than mine (even if her latest link to the Russian film symposium cuts off the text on the left).

Away from NYC!

I am spending the "holidaze" in my hometown of Pittsburgh, dubbed "America's most livable city" by its official city website, Pghgov.com. A much quieter, quainter city than the Big Apple, it has nonetheless been an interesting time here so far.

An excursion downtown (the so-called cultural district of the city) on Christmas Eve made for a festive merry-making night at half the cost of NYC standards.

On Christmas itself, I walked around my neighborhood with my friend to see what would be open, looking in hopes of finding some brunch options. The neighborhood, Squirrel Hill, is predominantly Jewish, so we felt assured that we would encounter several open stores to explore. Lo and behold, the two open stores we found during our 20-minute walk: Starbuck's and Rite-Aid. After standing in the winding line at Starbuck's for 10 minutes and barely moving an inch ahead, we gave up and continued our search, to find that Rite-Aid was open all day on Christmas. Here we bought a dozen eggs, iced tea and other amenities; and upon check-out, we had a distinctly Pittsburgh experience wherein the cashier related a significant, summarized portion of her life story in explanation of why she didn't mind working during the afternoon on Christmas. Oh, Pittsburgh.

I also rode on the Pittsburgh Port Authority (the public transportation system) here on Christmas, which was surprisingly in use on this holiday. My favorite experience of the public transportation here was the light-rail system, the T, which is a two-car train that goes through downton Pittsburgh and neighborhoods south of the city. It is, frankly, adorable compared to NYC. That about sums up Pittsburgh. Most livabe city? I'm not sure about that, but it is laidback and a nice occasional getaway from NYC.