Pittsburgh: Cold Hands, Warm(ish) Pierogies
okay, so pittsburgh. it’s…a lot. i ended up here because a friend of a friend needed someone to housesit and watch a surprisingly judgmental cat named Reginald. honestly, reginald’s the highlight.
let’s talk about the weather first because, wow. i just peeked outside and it’s…actively trying to freeze your face off, apparently. the numbers say -3.41 celsius, feels like -6.12, but honestly, those numbers don’t capture the bone-chilling dampness. the air pressure’s kinda high, 1026, which i guess means it’s stable freezing? humidity’s at 70, so everything feels perpetually slick. i’m pretty sure my eyelashes are forming tiny icicles.
reginald doesn’t seem to mind, naturally. he just stares at me with this look that says, “you’re clearly not equipped for this level of winter, human.” i’ve been spending most of my time exploring, mostly because i’m afraid of what he’ll do if i stay inside too long. i stumbled into the strip district, which is…intense. it’s like a permanent farmers market/ethnic grocery store explosion. i’m pretty sure i accidentally bought a jar of pickled everything.
people here are…direct. i overheard someone at a *coffee shop (there are a lot of coffee shops, unsurprisingly) complaining about the parking situation. “It’s a nightmare, honestly. You gotta circle like a hawk for twenty minutes just to find a spot.” That’s a direct quote. No sugarcoating.
and the hills. oh, the hills. i’m a relatively fit person (i occasionally walk up stairs), but these hills are brutal. i’m pretty sure i’ve developed a new calf muscle just from trying to navigate them. someone warned me about the incline system - apparently, it’s a local tradition to ride these ridiculously steep funiculars. i haven’t tried it yet, mostly because i’m terrified of heights and also, reginald would judge me.
food-wise, pierogies are king. i’ve had, like, six different kinds. potato and cheese, sauerkraut, jalapeño…they’re all amazing. i heard from a guy at a bar that S&D Polish Deli is the place to go, but be prepared to wait. https://www.yelp.com/biz/s-and-d-polish-deli-pittsburgh
if you get restless, cleveland and philadelphia are just a quick train ride away. i’m thinking about a day trip, but honestly, the thought of leaving reginald’s judgmental gaze is…daunting. i’ve been checking out local events on https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g55388-Pittsburgh_Pennsylvania-Vacations.html and there’s a weirdly specific museum dedicated to stained glass. i might check that out.
and the neighbors? well, they seem to mostly consist of college students and people who really, really* like their sports teams. i overheard a heated debate about the steelers that involved a lot of yelling and hand gestures. it was…a spectacle. you can find more info about the city here: https://www.visitpittsburgh.com/ and here: https://nextpittsburgh.com/.
overall, pittsburgh is…unexpected. it’s gritty, it’s cold, it’s full of hills, and it has a surprisingly strong pierogi game. and reginald. don’t forget reginald.
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