#What Is Randyland In Pittsburgh

[pittsburghbeautiful]

Randyland

Randyland: A Colorful Oasis in Pittsburgh’s Urban Landscape On Pittsburgh’s North Side lies a vibrant art sanctuary known as Randyland. An open-air museum that brings together innumerable splashes of color, art, and creativity, Randyland is a beacon of positivity and resilience, attracting thousands of visitors annually. The Genesis of Randyland Randy Gilson, a local artist and community…

[becauseanders]

EDIT: FALSE ALARM, THE URA IS NOT DEMOLISHING RANDYLAND

So I know a lot of Pittsburghers, obviously myself included, panicked when this hit social media:

[ID: A piece of white paper posted over a painted Randyland sign. At the top of the original sign you can read the words, “Keep clean thanks, Randyland.” The paper reads, “Demolition Notice. Randyland Gardens (Established 20 Years Ago). 1400 Block Jacksonia St. and Arch St. 30 Day Notice. June 2, 2023. For more information, please contact Pittsburgh URA.” End ID.]

I even saw a screenshot in the comments on this Facebook post (which has now also been edited) that Randy Gilson himself posted about complaints from a neighbor and saying goodbye to the space, using the words “today the world picks on happy people and happiness everywhere” (except his version was in all caps). However.

The Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority is not taking Randyland down. I don’t know if Randy just panicked about the complaint, as local social media did, or what exactly happened, but there is no need to contact the URA, they did not put up that sign neither are they planning to destroy Randyland.

I had emailed when I saw the “news,” and this is the response I received from Tanika Harris of the Pittsburgh URA:

[ID: A screenshot from an email with the subject line “Randyland/URA Communication.” The body of the email reads, “Good Afternoon, Thank you for reaching out! The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has no intention of demolishing the community garden, affectionately known as Randyland. The demolition sign that was posted on Friday, June 2 did not come from the URA or any of our affiliates. The URA has been in conversation with Randy Gilson, Community Garden Curator and Councilman Bobby Wilson. We are committed to ensuring a safe space for all residents and will continue to work with our partners to bring about clarity, transparency, and community.” End ID.]

So I apologize for the quick reaction, I know I’m not the only one who freaked out and I am sure the URA has been absolutely flooded with emails and phone calls about this. It sounds like Randy is the one who put up the sign and while I still do not fully understand what went down, Randyland is not in danger from the URA.

So spread this word, I guess, especially to fellow Pittsburghers.

[ehghtyseven]

Do you have recommendations for what to do and see in Pittsburgh? And is it easy to get around by bus/subway etc?

anon I’m so sorry, I started replying to this at the airport on my way home then saved it to drafts and forgot to go back and publish, oops! anyway…

ok, please bear in mind I am just a person who has visited a few times so this is in no way exhaustive, and will obviously be coloured by how easy things are to get to without a car and things I personally find interesting!

presented in no particular order…

heinz history centre & sports museum

go for a wander through the strip district

fort pitt museum & point state park

national aviary (fun on its own but would thoroughly recommend the penguin encounter as an extra)

andy warhol museum

carnegie science centre (though I just went to a specific exhibit so I don’t actually know about the museum as a whole but I liked what I visited)

walk the three rivers heritage trail along the north shore & visit the mister rogers statue (and I always enjoy walking over one or other of the three sisters bridges to get across from downtown and back afterwards)

take a trip on the inclines (duquesne is the prettiest and has the best views of the city at the top but personally I like to go up the mon - when it’s not closed that is - walk along grandview then come back down via duquesne)

point of view sculpture (just a bit further along grandview from the duquesne incline)

pittsburgh has a couple of theatres so it’s always worth checking out what’s on during your trip, and pittsburgh has some great restaurants/bars to check out too.

also, not really a “thing to do” but I will never get tired of arriving via the fort pitt tunnel when coming in from the airport and downtown just explodes in front of you as you emerge!

there are some other places I haven’t visited yet but are on my list, including the zoo & aquarium, phipps conservatory, carnegie museums of art and natural history, the frick, and randyland.

on the second question, downtown & the areas close by are very walkable but I find it is pretty easy to get around on public transport, yes. PRT now has an app (ready2ride) that includes a journey planner and live trackers (amongst other stuff), lets you buy a range of different types of pass that you then use by just scanning your phone when you get on, and which covers buses, light rail and the inclines. as someone who lives in london and is used to just tapping my phone to travel on public transport, this was way easier for me than having to think about paying fares every time and took a lot of anxiety out of using buses!

the T (light rail) is also free between downtown and the north shore - all the stops between first avenue and allegheny - which is handy! I also think it’s neat that most bus stops have a QR code you can scan for live arrivals info, which also helps you check you’re at the right stop :)

[iboatedhere]

I'm planning a trip to PIT soon, is there a not so you can rexpensive hotelecommend (or that I should stay away from?) Also always open to recs on what to do / see in general. Thank you :)

[insert gif of deer taking off it’s hooves to wiggles it’s fingers here] 

Under the cut because jesus can I talk about Pittsburgh. 

Depending on the time of the year that you go, hotel prices will fluctuate. I’ve stayed at the Cambria- literally right next door to the arena, and the Doubletree– right down the road from the arena and they’ve been affordable, the Cambria a bit more so. But when we went in mid-October the prices for both places and the hotels around it were literally through the roof just because it was near the start of the season. When I looked ahead a few weeks prices seemed to bottom out to something more reasonable. This time around we stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suites at the start of the Strip District. It’s a little bit further from the arena but still completely walkable and a little bit closer to some other restaurants and of course, the Strip District itself. Idk if you’re driving/renting a car but it’s also the only hotel in downtown with free parking. Huge plus for me. All 3 places were very nice and clean. Zero problems with any of them but the Cambria is the only one of the three with a fridge in the rooms. I find myself longing for cold drinks when I get back to the room at the end of the night and walking down to the ice machine to grab six ice cubes to fill my water bottle isn’t always fun. 

So for breakfast– I’ve never eaten breakfast in the hotel but I’m sure they’re all fine. I’m 99% sure it’s included in your stay at all 3. Personally I like to go out and explore for all my meals. I can recommend DeLuca’s, Pamela’s and Kelly’Os in the Strip. DeLuca’s and Pamela’s get very busy on weekends so get there fairly early if you don’t wanna wait. Also take advantage of sitting at the counter. Sometimes there’s an open spot there. Both those places are cash only. Meals are very filling so if you want to have a big lunch somewhere– literally every meal I’ve had in Pittsburgh is big– and you don’t want to fill up on breakfast go to Colangelo’s in the Strip and pick up a pastry or go to Prantl’s in Market Square and get a burnt almond torte bar. It’ll be the best thing you’ve ever eaten. Trust me. Right now I’m just counting down the days until I can eat another. For coffee/tea- Allegheny Tea & Coffee Exchange. Yummy lattes and that’s coming from someone who doesn’t like coffee. Cheaper than Starbucks too although there are plenty of those around the city too. 

For lunch/dinner go to Primanti Bros. Multiple locations but the one in the Strip District is open 24/7. Sure, it’s maybe not the best sandwich you’ve ever eaten but the vibe is good and you just gotta go at least once. Can also recommend S&D Polish Deli, Bakersfield, Condado, Nicky’s Thai Kitchen.

As far as things to see/do, there’s literally so much. Def go on the incline, either one or both. 5 dollars round trip cash–and exact cash–only. Go during the day, go again during the night. Check out Love, Pittsburgh. Cute little shop with locations downtown and in Mt. Washington. Everything is made by locally and the woman that was working when we stopped in was super nice and didn’t even make fun of me when I asked her what ‘nebby’ meant. There’s Steel City Clothing, of course. Super nice staff and high quality t-shirts. Def check out the Carnegie Museums. Something around 20 bucks gets you into the Natural History Museum (dinosaurs!) and the Art museum (art!). The Heinz History Center is really interesting, with exhibits dedicated to the Penguins and Mr. Rogers and Heinz Ketchup and a whole bunch of other things. The Botanical Gardens is cool and checking out the Cathedral of Learning is fun and free! Just walk on in and poke around. The inside looks like Hogwarts and all the rooms are themed in different countries/cultures. There’s also a pretty good view from the top. On the North Shore there’s the Mattress Factory, The Andy Worhol Museum and the Aviary. There’s also Randyland which is fun and Free! The Science Center is worth it. There’s a submarine in the river you can go in that’s included with general admission or you can check out the mummy exhibit that’s there until April. The Mr. Rogers statue is over there as well. The fountain will probably be off while you’re there–we went around this time a year ago and you could tell the pressure was starting to lower but the Point is still worth seeing. Really good views of the city and the rivers. The Fort Pitt museum is there as well. If you go to the History Center I believe your receipt will get you in free the following day–at least that’s what the guy told us when we went. If not it’s only 8 bucks. A lot of really cool info about Pittsburgh’s early, early, early days. If you’re really lucky you’ll get the volunteer tour guide we got who has lived in Pittsburgh all her life and clearly loves the city. She knew everything and made fun of me for being a Patriots fan. 15/10 love her and think about her lots. Also walk across a bridge, any gold bridge has a foot path which I learned from that awesome tour guide– just to say that you did. 

Pittsburgh is lovely and fun and safe. I don’t know if you’re going alone or not but I’ve walked AROUND that city by myself day and night and never felt unsafe. You’re gonna have a blast no matter what you decide to do. 

Go Pens. 

[zashamalkin]

Heading from the West Coast to Pittsburgh for the first time! What should I do Pens-wise and what should I do city-wise?

Pens- Games are #1. Fantastic experience. Also shopping at Pens Gear, visit PPG on a non-game day and practices are really great.

City-Mt. Washington, the incline, Mr Rogers statue, the Aviary, Phipps, any and all museums, Heinz history center, market square, Warhol, Cathedral of Learning, Strip District, Zoo, Randyland, Mattress Factory and check out as many local food places as you can. The food scene there is AMAZING!!!

When are you going?

[cincydolans]

The trip to the East Coast began with a rolling start. We rolled out of town to head to Marysville to stay with Papa and Yaya for the night. We dropped Mayzie off for her vacation of walks with Yaya. Holli would share in our adventure which seemed like a really bad idea to a lot of naysayers. Maybe I’ll be in agreement at the end of the three weeks, only time will tell. We hung out with the “other” Dolan’s that evening and enjoyed some bourbon.

The next morning we started early for our drive to Youngstown to visit Mimi. We had lunch with her on the Wickshire patio and visited awhile until getting back on the road to head to Pittsburgh for the night. Ryan was flying to meet us after a week with the Hage’s in Atlantic Beach and Raleigh. We looked forward to hearing his stories.

While in Pittsburgh we crossed off our list a visit up the Duquesne Incline. It has spectacular city views. There wasn’t a whole lot to do up top but we found a local bar and had a drink and snack.

After making our way back down, we drove into downtown to visit what may end up being the best place Reilly sees the entire trip, Randyland! As Reilly described it, “this is what it looks like inside my head!”. Randy began creating a place to put smiles on even the grumpiest of people’s faces by assembling the most random, colorful, odd collection of stuff. Chris and I had smiles on our faces as we tried taking it all in and watching Reilly find her happy place among the delightful clutter.

We stopped for a bite to eat at a local Brewery, Southern Tier. Of course it was dog friendly and Holli enjoyed watching her kind wondering about. After dinner, it was a short walk to the river where we took in the Mr. Rogers sculpture which included the famous song “…it’s a wonderful day in the neighborhood”…blasting from nearly speakers.

[Side bar] Seeing Mr. Rogers and listening to the words of the song made me wonder if we were more neighborly then versus now. I guess it would depend on ones perspective based on the type of neighborhood a person grew up in. For me, it feels about the same as it did when I would sit in front of the tube watching this show.)

Our day of adventure was coming to an end as we drove back to our hotel and wait for Ryan’s flight to come in. Holli and I climbed back into the car to reunite with our boy. He had a terrific trip and had many stories to share.

Lights off as we hope to get an early start tomorrow to make our way to the Big Apple. Holli climbed into bed with me and Reilly taking her spot in the layers of blankets.

[asakiyume]

You can grow ideas in the garden of your mind --Fred Rogers.

What’s growing in yours? (photo credits in captions)

[vintagemodeandabode]

Weekend Road Trip: Pittsburgh, PA

Looking to do an easy road trip and catch a game, we decided to drive up to Pittsburgh with our best friend for the Labor Day weekend. I was pleasantly surprised by the options for attractions to visit, so we had no problem finding activities for after the baseball game. If you are looking to take a trip to Pittsburgh yourself, here are my recommendations based on what we experienced…

Accommodations: 

 Honestly, we didn’t even look at accommodations beyond Airbnb, because it is our go to for cheap and pleasant lodging. The Airbnb we chose was in the Perry North area, which is slightly north of downtown Pittsburgh. It was the perfect location, since it was in a quiet suburban neighborhood with easy parking, but was still minutes away from downtown. The Airbnb itself was ADORABLE and well thought out, with its coffee/tea bar, wifi info framed throughout the house, and complimentary toiletries. Jennifer is a great host, so I highly recommend staying with her if you are in Pittsburgh. 

Attractions: 

 We started our weekend with a visit to Randyland, a kaleidoscope of color, found objects and architectural elements assembled together into a quirky outdoor space. Your eye is drawn every which way, and the artist itself in a very enthusiastic tour guide if need be. Photo-ops abound at Randyland! 

 We then ventured over to the PNC Park to catch the Cincinnati Reds vs Pittsburgh Pirates game. Though it was rainy and chilly when we went, it is an enjoyable baseball park with stunning views of downtown and the river. The baseball and football stadiums are situated closely together, so it’s an entertaining area for sports fans, with lots of close options for food/drinks if need be. Be prepared to pay a pretty penny for parking, street parking is non-existent in this area. 

 On our second day in Pittsburgh, we drove over to University of Pittsburgh/Cathedral of Learning area, found easy (and FREE) parking, and enjoyed a pleasant walk through the campus area towards the museums. Take a peek inside the Heinz Memorial Chapel if you walk through the campus lawns. This beautiful gothic church has stunning stain glass and architectural details, and at the time we were visiting had an instrumental concert playing. (St Paul Cathedral is another place to visit for stunning gothic architecture) 

 Though there are a plethora of museums to choose from in Pittsburgh, we chose to visit the Carnegie Art & History Museum. Unfortunately, it’s not cheap to visit each museum, so we wanted the most bang for our buck. With our student IDs, we got admission to the museum for $10 ($20 for adults) and were able to enjoy two museums for the price of one! The exhibits we enjoyed the most were the ancient architecture, dinosaurs, and modern art. 

 After the museum, we drove up the hill to the Mt Washington neighborhood, which has observation decks with gorgeous views of the city. You can also take a ride on the historic Duquesne Incline, which are cute trolleys that slowly scale the hill ($5-7 for a round trip ticket). We popped into the local ice cream shop for twisted cones to enjoy before our trek to the bottom on the incline. The line wasn’t bad waiting for the trolley at the top, but once off, we saw the long line waiting for us from the bottom (so be prepared to wait in line for this adventure). Before getting back in line to return to the top, we explored the shops and restaurants at the Station Square. 

 Restaurants/Bars: 

 We enjoyed some local beers at the baseball game, I recommend trying I.C. Iced Mango, but didn’t venture to any other bars besides the Tiki Lounge. Being a retro enthusiast, one challenge on my bucket list is visiting tiki bars in each city we visit. The Tiki Lounge is in an area of town with plenty of bars to choose from (if tiki isn’t your thing) but I enjoyed it’s fun Polynesian decor and my Blue Hawaiian drink. We enjoyed all the restaurants we visited, which we chose based on local to our attractions and reviews on Yelp (our go-to restaurant rater). Central Ave Slice was a local pizza shop we ate at in the Perry North area. It’s in a town with great small town vibes and has delicious New York style pizza. Stack’d Burgers near the University of Pittsburgh offers a dizzying array of customizable burger choices, and Little Tokyo Bistro has delicious sushi and hibachi grilled food. We also enjoyed some ball park food at PNC Park along with a Pittsburgh staple, a Primanti Brothers Pittsburgher Cheese Steak. 

 All in all, Pittsburgh was a great city to visit and it would be nice to visit again to see some things we missed, like the Andy Warhol Museum. Hope these recommendations help you on your own trip to Pittsburgh!

[sandrachile]

Children's Museum + Randyland, a Pittsburgh wedding straight out of my dreams

Joe+Megan

I had an amazing year in which I photographed some amazing couples, and Joe and Megan were simply the cherry on top.

This last couple proved to me what life is really about, loyalty, compassion, and selfless love.

During the wedding I learned how Joe had been diagnosed with cancer shortly after meeting Megan, and I learned how Megan stayed with Joe through all of this… Did I mentioned they are SUPER young? Megan could have run away after Joe’s diagnosis, but she decided to stick around and this is how their relationship started (awwww <3).

To celebrate their love story, this beautiful couple got married in a ceremony at Duquesne, then stopped for pictures at my MOST favorite Pittsburgh place, the palace of color and happiness: Randyland, where Randy the owner, was kind enough to let us take some pictures and he obviously jumped in a few as well (Thanks, Randy!).

From the time I first visited Randyland I have dreamed to photograph a wedding there. This was a dream come true for me, and I couldn’t have asked for a better couple and their friends to fulfill this dream.

The reception was held at the Children’s Museum, and OMG! What a place for a party that was!  We walked around the museum to take a few more portraits, right before Big Burrito Catering (the happiest catering team I have witnessed) called us to eat.

"Joe and Megan were generous enough to donate the leftover foods from the dinner to the homeless people I visit after every wedding, and that night, their generosity was able to feed  14 people and 1 dog :)"

After the dinner, Dj Jski from Modern Era Weddings KILLED IT with the music. At first, I thought nobody would dance, but to be honest, anytime I go to a wedding where DJ Jski from Modern Era is in charge there is a FIESTA IN DA HOUSE. Even the catering team and I were dancing by the end.

And speaking of dancing, the couple decided to do a bridal dance where the money collected was donated to the Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation and to the Parkinson Foundation of Western PA

It was a joyful ending to a beautiful celebration.

I loved being a part of their day, and I particularly love how this couple took every one of my suggestions to produce social impact with their wedding day. It was truly such an honor to document their day.

Congratulations Megan and Joe on finding each other, on a beautiful love story, but most of all, for the wonderful story that you are writing together.

Behind the scene:

"All my love and gratitude to the Big Burrito Catering team for allowing us to distribute the leftovers from the dinner, for packing it for us, but most of all, for doing it with a cheerful heart and the biggest of the smiles I have ever witnessed

Oh, and by the way, I attest that the food was finger licking good :)

Church: Chapel of the Holy Spirit at Duquesne Venue: Children’s Museum Catering: Big Burrito Catering DJ: Dj Jski from Modern Era Weddings Bride + Bridesmaids: The Exquisite Bride Groom + groomsmens: Tuxedo Junction Florals: Valerie Brooks Hair and Makeup: Salon Ivy Cake: Oakmont Bakery Linens: Mosaic Linens

[homestudycourses]

The Best Thing About Anthony Bourdain in Pittsburgh

Anthony Bourdain is playing bocce in Bloomfield, eating sausage and peppers with Italian elders in a scene from his Pittsburgh episode of “Parts Unknown.” “I tell people, ‘when you come to Bloomfield, don’t talk about anybody because we’re all connected somehow,'” says one of his companions. The man is an old-time Pittsburgher repeating, in his own way, the city’s golden rule.

This is the old vision of Pittsburgh, of course, not the shiny new image that tends to get us national attention. And that old version is prevalent throughout the episode. The edges of pierogies are pressed to perfection and served alongside kraut and sausage. Lederhosen make an appearance in Deutchtown. Rusty old mills cast their shadows.

Still, the episode makes clear what “the new Pittsburgh” is all about, and why it’s America’s darling. CMU is lauded as the tech mecca it is. The faces of well-known chefs and their impeccably plated dishes flash across the screen as they’re served to Pittsburgh titans. The B-roll is rough and gorgeous. Bourdain drinks a lot of Yuengling.

But it’s important to remember that the whole conceit of “Parts Unknown” is to delve into the sides of a city that are rarely explored. The show wouldn’t be the show if it featured the Warhol Museum or Randyland. This episode isn’t, and wouldn’t ever be, a travel brochure for Pittsburgh. It’s a hard look, through the eyes of locals, at who we are.

Certainly, Pittsburgh isn’t a simple picture to paint, but to Bourdain’s credit, he examines the spectrum. He sits down with local author Stewart O’Nan at the Squirrel Hill Cafe, and over cheeseburgers, Bourdain asks him of Pittsburgh, quite simply, “What happened?”

O’Nan points out that Pittsburgh was once (he believes) the sixth largest city in the nation. Now we’re 63rd, he says. O’Nan waxes about what went wrong, citing our population loss, and with it much of our tax base.

Bourdain then asks “what went right” in more recent years. “What went right,” O’Nan replies, “was, weirdly enough, what went wrong.” He explains how attractive our city became to outsiders, how affordable we were and (arguably) still are, and how enticing that is to techy “pencil necks,” as Bourdain calls them.

Read more here...

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