Hi Gang,

Meant to get to this earlier, but a little thing like tax filing got in my way! Now done, I can get on to more important stuff :0(

At any rate, when my wife, a native Pittsburgher, heard that the FF was in her city, she suggested I tell you about her (our) favorite things, in case you have some free time to get out and about. 

FWIW, here you go.

While we normally stay with one of her many cousins (she moved away in 1964), one year we opted for a few nights downtown.  What a joy. We never used our car. It is truly a very walkable city.  If you get a chance and the weather is nice, go out to Point State Park (picnic?) where the rivers merge. 

Or if you enjoy art museums, walk across a bridge (either the 7th Street Bridge or the Roberto Clemente Bridge) to the north side where the Andy Warhol exhibit is. We loved it.  Also PNC Park and Heinz Field are not far from there.

To the east and further out is Carnegie-Mellon, Schenley Park and Frick Park. 

South across the Monongahela from downtown is Mount Washington, a range that runs along the river and thru which the Fort Pitt Tunnel goes. You can walk over (I believe) on the Smithfield Street Bridge and explore Station Square, shops and places to eat along with lots of railroad memorabilia.  On that side also are the funiculars that take you to the top of Mount Washington for spectacular views north towards the city, especially at night. There are also several good restaurants up there (names escape me now). There are also boats that give cruises up and down the three rivers area.

The city really has reinvented itself now since the 70s and 80s, with the mills closing and a renewed emphasis on R and D, medical research, the arts … it is really a neat city.  One of my fondest memories involved the steam cleaning of downtown buildings, removing the carbon deposits due to the mills - now closed.  The streets literally ran with black water, according to the locals. I wasn't there to see it, but the city is very clean, and the locals are friendly!.

Just remember you drink Aaarn (not Iron) City Beer, and root for the Stillers (not the Steelers! 

Hope you all have an enjoyable time and that the weather and the games are great.

Cheers,

Tony Buffa
RPI '64
Go ECACHL!!