Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Since I can't take part in the other "What I _____ about the Burgh" threads...Here's my list of likes and and dislikes
We'll start with my Dislikes
Dislikes:
5 - The Reluctance of Change - Pittsburghers (especially older natives)hate change.....This goes back to when I was in High School...with me always being the forward thinking progressive you can see how there's conflict..
4 - Inept/Incompetent Government - As times change and so does businesses and people, Pittsburgh/Allegheny government still lives in the 1950's with no real leadership to drive change in the way things are governed....the government structure in Pittsburgh and Allegheny county is Non-sustaining in todays economy and Pittsburgh/Allegheny residents are going to be forced to deal with this in the near future...Pittsburgh's pension problem is only the beginning.
3 - Ineffective and increasingly poor Public Transit - You heard me say this time and time again...So once more...If Pittsburgh (Metro) has a prayer of competing with other cities for young minds and businesses to move here it will need a robust forward thinking and securely funded Public Transit system...also a Robust transit system is needed if Pittsburgh has any hope of becoming a Green City or having a near 24/7 pulse...with the way PAT is going all of these progressive measures that Pittsburgh wants to put forth are literally off the table until PAT is made whole again...
2 - Sloooooowwwwwwww Pace of getting things off the ground - Things move too slowly in the Burgh for my liking...Pittsburgh has all this demand for things to happen yet it take EON's to get anything off the ground. If this were other peer cities we'd already have things like, 1 Grandview, Convention Center Hotel, Fifth AV in Uptown and the lead-up to Oakland from the Birmingham well under way with plans and secured funding...Yes some of this can be blamed on the economy recovering, but still I think the slowness in which thing get done in the Burgh has alot to do with it as well.
1 - The Insular/Pessimistic attitudes, the "Everywhere else is better" mindsets - Why I dislike this way of thinking so much is because I used to be one of the same when I was young, never have lived outside of Burgh...I thought everywhere was better than here had to be..Until I start my career that took out of Pittsburgh and allowed me to travel the country...Pittsburgh has alot going for it (as I will outline) comparing to other cities...all it take is some real perspective....
Likes/Loves:
5 - City of Neighborhoods - You've heard me say this many of times, but its never been more true....Pittsburgh is one of the very few cities, where its pulse isn't centered on Downtown you dont need to live downtown to be in the center. I Love that each neighborhood is distinct and defined, so many other cities you go to and you can't tell when you've left neighborhood A and are now in neighborhood B... This is a true asset to Pittsburgh, which is why we need to be careful that while we rejuvenate downtown, we don't try to compete against the vibrant neighborhoods...
4 - Strong Middle Class - Very few cities offer all the amenities of the Big Glamorous cities but still the Middle Class thrives...again this is something I dont think native Pittsburgh'er realize until they've lived elsewhere, alot of ex-Pittsburghers are now noticing which is why we read of so many Boomeranging stories....Love it love it, Pittsburgh is not either you're RICH or POOR....You can be Middle/Working class and afford everything Pittsburgh has to offer, you're priced out of nothing in the Burgh except maybe Steelers and Pens tickets..
3 - Lack of Pretense, Fake, Superficial and suffocating Snobbery - Living in NYC for the last 12 years let me tell you I've about had it with the Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, and Heidi Montague knock-offs that run rampid in this place...This is not the 90's NYC where you'd see a 3-piece suite carrying a conversation with a bag lady or listing and donating to street performers...Those day are long gone....NYC has become a fake plastic oasis, the LA of the east....When i come home to the Burgh GOD I dont want to leave, the people are so real, friendly and engaging....I love how you can have a serious 10 min conversation with a person who you don't even know their first name while waiting for the Bus.
2 - The Amenities to population ratio - Pittsburgh with its 300k population offers the best of both world - Its not crowded and expensive, yet offers the amenities one would find in much more populated cities...I've been to cities that are suppose to be Pittsburgh's peer and they don't come close to surving up the offerings the Burgh has...You come to Pittsburgh and you'd think this city has about a 600-700k population with its offerings.
1 - The Gentrification - I love to see how neighborhoods that were once Crime, Drug infested ghetto's are now taking shape as the city's most desired, most talked about neighborhoods...again I love to see things moving forward, I love progress to see real change...
Last edited by Blackbeauty212; 01-22-2011 at 12:32 PM..
I don't live there yet, but will be soon. I agree on how NYC has changed. To me the place lost it's soul and even the accent is fading away. I hear and see more new yorkers here in south FL than in NY! Pittsburgh seems to have lots going for it. I do hope the public transit improves and I would like to see more diversity. I will be one more latino to add to the 1% that makes up the Latino/hispanic population out in the burgh. Constructive criticism and ideas are always better than just flat out bitc*ing. Nice post
I hope you don't mind a few observations from a visitor to your city. I've been there a few times, and these are some things that I like that you guys may take for granted.
1. Your hills. Who needs a stairmaster when there are so many hills? Many have nice views from the top, too.
2. Your silver skies. I like the way your skies look in the winter. Now granted, I don't have to live with it week after week after week so maybe that makes a difference. But I've always thought grey skies were very pretty, especially against the winter trees.
3. Your local commercials. Especially the ones for Pittsburgh Diesel Institute. They always make me laugh. And that reminds me....
4. The Pittsburgh sense of humor. I've had some great conversations over pierogis there and I think your humor is clever, subtle, and self depracating.
5. The work ethic is alive and well in Pittsburgh. Maybe it's your German roots? Whatever it is, I've had a good experience getting things repaired there, and I get the impression that the work ethic is strong in general there.
Sometimes, doing things differently just for the sake of being different is no better than sticking with what works. "Progressives" seem to forget that not every change is progress.
Sometimes, doing things differently just for the sake of being different is no better than sticking with what works. "Progressives" seem to forget that not every change is progress.
But what if people stick with what doesn't work? That's the problem.
It's nice to say, "there ain't no place like home". After many years in florida, it's wierd how much you miss what we took for granted cause how everyday everything was and is, the same type of people, rolling hills, seasonal weather, pride of pittsburgh, ect....
BB212, totally agree with your #1 dislike. Lots of the Burgh complainers have never lived elsewhere. When they do, in many cases, they realize the grass is not greener outside Pittsburgh and PA.
Excellent idea for a thread! I've now lived here approximately two months after having relocated here from Fairfax County, Virginia (via my hometown in the 'burbs of Scranton, PA) and would also love to share my experiences.
FIVE PROS:
-Friendly and "real" people: Just this morning as I was letting my car warm up and was beginning to scrape my windows to go to work the guy behind me who had just moved here to Polish Hill from Colorado struck up a random conversation with me as he, too, warmed his car up. He chuckled at my quirky and self-deprecating vanity license plate, and I explained the back-story behind it. He then went on to engage me in conversation about the natural gas drilling industry in the region. I ended up nearly being late for work because I lost track of time! Wednesday when I was off from work I walked through the Strip District en route to Alcoa on the North Shore to see my boyfriend on his lunch break. On the way I stopped to buy a bunch of flowers for $3 from my favorite street vendor, and he also began to chit-chat with me for about 20 minutes. While I'm sure individual experiences can and will vary when I was living back in Fairfax County, Virginia it was an effort just to get someone to return a "good morning" greeting as I ran past them on a trail or sidewalk because everyone was in their own oblivious self-absorbed litle world. Here? I'm frequently running late for commitments because EVERYONE has a story to tell and genuinely wants to hear my story as well. I made a delivery to a stately historic home in Edgewood last month, and the woman invited me inside as I marveled at her interior architecture. She then proceeded to tell me her home was filmed as part of a major 1990s movie (the home of Olympia Dukakis!) Everywhere I go people are so outgoing, extraverted, and down-to-earth. I'd have killed to have had the company of "real" people like this back in NoVA.
-Neighborhoods: As was already stated just how distinctive most of Pittsburgh's neighboroods truly are gives it an aura of being unique and special. Liberty Avenue through Bloomfield really does feel like a "Little Italy" (I've been meaning to try out the Pleasure Bar and Tessarro's). Walnut Street in Shadyside reminds me a lot of NoVA with its high-end stores and people with their faces shoved into their smartphones walking into one another while wearing sunglasses on cloudy days. Ellsworth Avenue in Shadyside has a great "gayborhood" vibe to it. East Liberty is now re-emerging as a retail hot-spot in the city, and it's refreshing to meet so many people who have lived in the neighborhood for so long so optimistic about its impending renaissance. From my third-floor loft windows in Polish Hill I can survey the rooftops of other homes all around me and feel like I really am in Europe---the beautiful bells of the huge church a few doors away from me really add a wonderful effect, too. Mt. Washington has probably one of the most engaged and active neighborhood associations I have ever seen (not to mention splendid views!) The Mexican War Streets make me feel like I'm in Old Town Alexandria back in Virginia (except regrettably with far fewer businesses). I made a delivery today to this tucked away corner of Point Breeze I never even knew existed---spitting distance to the intersection of Penn & Braddock yet in a very serene and tranquil setting. Highland Park reminds me a lot of neighborhoods back in my native Scranton, PA with its large stately historic homes on slightly larger lot sizes. Downtown is becoming more and more residential-oriented with each passing year, and we are blessed with having one of the most gorgeous skylines in the nation, in my humble opinion. The Strip District is my dream come true---I love walking down to Wholey's, Yinzers, Spaghetti Warehouse, that French chocolate boutique, Primanti Brothers, Pittsburgh Popcorn Company, and so many other great vendors, stores, and restaurants! Lawrenceville is becoming Pittsburgh's very own version of "La Vie Boehme". Just outside the city there are suburbs like Aspinwall, Sewickley, Mt. Lebanon Township, Dormont, Oakmont, Edgewood, and more that I absolutely ADORE. I could go on and on!
-REASONABLE cost-of-living: Back in NoVA I was earning a salary that would be considered "high" by Pittsburgh's standards, yet I was overextending myself just to afford a non-descript 1-BR apartment in a sterile suburb 20 miles outside the "action" of the city. Everyone told me to "get a roommate." Seriously? You expected me to shack up with a stranger for the "benefit" of living near big-box stores, parking lots, McMansions, and traffic jams? Here in Pittsburgh I live within walking distance of Downtown in an upscale apartment for 40% of what I was paying back in NoVA. I earn less money here, too, but I can pay my bills. AlleghenyAngel bought a gorgeous rowhome in McKees Rocks, a historic community, for $10,000. There's a home in Troy Hill listed right now for $28,000 that I absolutely adore. A middle-class single could NEVER afford a home of their own in a safe walkable urban environment back in NoVA (perhaps a 1-BR condo). I no longer saw the benefit in enduring the stress of living there when I saw myself never achieving my goals there due to the NYC-styled cost-of-living.
-We're a "big small town": Just last week while making a delivery to a hospital in Oakland I was coming down the escalator while my landlady was coming up it on her way into work. While driving through Oakland on my day off a couple weeks ago we were stopped at a red light, and my best friend in my passenger seat waved to her boyfriend who was in the crosswalk in front of us. While driving for work one day I waved to a co-worker of mine who was waiting for her bus. I see that aforementioned flower guy everywhere it seems, and he now recognizes me. While parked Downtown for work a few weeks ago a man tapped on my passenger-side window. I rolled it down, and it turns out he knew my boss and worked for another one of our franchises; he told me to give her his regards and best wishes for a successful new store. I never felt like I was in such a "cozy" atmosphere before. Back in NoVA nobody knew anybody around them it seemed. My efforts to be more sociable with my neighbors were often met with resistance, and the area just felt terribly "transient". I never felt like I belonged. Here? It's a breath of fresh air.
-Ease of accessibility: Contrary to what the "yinzers" whine about there's NO TRAFFIC here! Yes, I've been stuck on Route 28 outbound and the Parkway East outbound at rush-hour. No, I didn't think they were NEARLY as bad as DC's traffic. I've learned all sorts of wonderful shortcuts here (Ellsworth Avenue to more easily access Oakland from East Liberty to avoid Fifth Avenue; East End Avenue through Regent Square to avoid Braddock Avenue; Shady Avenue to avoid oft-congested Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill, Friendship Avenue to avoid Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield AND Penn Avenue in Garfield, etc., etc.) It seemed like there was always only one or two primary ways to get from Point A to Point B back in NoVA, and both would be interminably congested (i.e. good luck commuting via automobile to and from my former North Reston neighborhood to the Tysons Corner neighborhood of McLean at rush-hour).
FIVE CONS:
-If people don't shut up about the Steelers I'm going to bash my head in! Today I had to hear "Here We Go" (the yinzers chanting "Pittsburgh's goin' to 'da Super Bowl!") several times on the radio, followed by some horrible remake of "Bennie and the Jets" on 96.9 BOB-FM to "Big Ben Will Beat the Jets" (or something to that effect) followed by ANOTHER horrible song! Where is the love for the Pirates and/or Penguins in this town? At least play something GOOD (i.e. "Black and Yellow") more often. I NEVER hear that on 96.1 anymore! There are "terrible towels", banners, flags, etc. all over the place. Yes, it's good that this helps to forge more of a "community cohesion"; however, I'm dreading how many cranky middle-aged male crybabies I'll have to deliver to on Monday if the Jets clobber us tomorrow afternoon. It's just a sport, people. Seriously. Stop elevating these people onto pedestals the way you do. What makes football so much better here than any other sport? Yes, I will be watching the game tomorrow with my boyfriend. Yes, I hope we win. So many here worry me though with their obsession. NOBODY ever mentioned the Redskins when I lived in North Reston.
-LITTER, Oh my God, the LITTER! When I think of Pittsburgh I think back to that video showing the Native American male shedding a tear as he surveyed a once-pastoral landscape covered in trash. I can't even shovel snow without finding garbage! I plan to pitch in with some gloves and trash bags to help to my part once the weather improves (or if it improves). I just will never understand how so few people here can take such little pride in where they live. Every other vehicle I follow has someone driving who just chucks their cigarette butts out their windows like it's not a big deal. I will see piles of trash around non-full garbage cans. How lazy can people here be? Back in NoVA you'd never see litter. We live in a FILTHY city!
-The African-American ghettoes: Some on here like to pretend places like Homewood don't exist; however, I drive through there frequently (and deliver there on rare occasion), and whenever I do I feel so sad inside to see so many people suffering in poverty, blight, gangs, and immense violence. Urban prairie is abundant. People just loiter and stare at me as I drive through, especially after dark, as if they're mad at me or something. This city has turned its back on its African-Americans in need, and it's a shame to see. Pittsburgh has a larger black underclass than any other city I've been to, and it would be nice if it would be "politically correct" to discuss ways to help FIX THAT instead of being called a "racist" if you dare imply there IS a problem in Homewood, amongst other areas.
-Urban sprawl: Cranberry Township. Enough said.
-Lack of sunlight: I didn't realize people weren't joking when they said Pittsburgh has about 1 sunny day per week. I've lived here two months, and it seems like I can count the number of sunny days we've had on my two hands. Yesterday and today offered some welcome partial sunlight, but I see there's another accumulating snowstorm already in the forecast in a few days.
Ellsworth Avenue in Shadyside has a great "gayborhood" vibe to it.
Does it? I've never perceived that there. I've never perceived a gayborhood (or its "feel") anywhere in Pgh, really.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RestonRunner86
The Mexican War Streets make me feel like I'm in Old Town Alexandria back in Virginia (except regrettably with far fewer businesses).
That's just wrong. Even back in the '80s, Old Town always felt very rich, "rich" as in Upper East Side of New York, a feeling I've never picked up on in the War Streets.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RestonRunner86
I've learned all sorts of wonderful shortcuts here (Ellsworth Avenue to more easily access Oakland from East Liberty to avoid Fifth Avenue; East End Avenue through Regent Square to avoid Braddock Avenue; Shady Avenue to avoid oft-congested Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill
Also try Wightman Street instead of Murray from Wilkins to the southern end of Wightman.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RestonRunner86
FIVE CONS:
-If people don't shut up about the Steelers I'm going to bash my head in! Today I had to hear "Here We Go" (the yinzers chanting "Pittsburgh's goin' to 'da Super Bowl!") several times on the radio, followed by some horrible remake of "Bennie and the Jets" on 96.9 BOB-FM to "Big Ben Will Beat the Jets" (or something to that effect) followed by ANOTHER horrible song! Where is the love for the Pirates and/or Penguins in this town? At least play something GOOD (i.e. "Black and Yellow") more often. I NEVER hear that on 96.1 anymore! There are "terrible towels", banners, flags, etc. all over the place.
It's especially idiotic this weekend. If they win tomorrow, going out will be insufferable until the Superbowl is over.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RestonRunner86
NOBODY ever mentioned the Redskins when I lived in North Reston.
Maybe if you'd lived in DC, you'd've noticed Redskins fans a little more, but it was never anything like this. There's just so much more going on in DC, sports can only occupy a certain percentage of public imagination. Here, there's no limit.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RestonRunner86
-LITTER, Oh my God, the LITTER!
That's funny. I didn't really notice the litter. What bothered me visually when I first moved here were the electric and cable wiring going up and down the streets, and across streets, and up and down houses. I didn't know whether it was my neighborhood in particular (Dupont Circle), but I just hadn't noticed all those wires outside. Turned out they were mostly in alleys instead of on streets, and that close to the White House, the electricity must have been underground.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RestonRunner86
Every other vehicle I follow has someone driving who just chucks their cigarette butts out their windows like it's not a big deal.
So many more grownups smoke here. Period.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RestonRunner86
-The African-American ghettoes: Some on here like to pretend places like Homewood don't exist; however, I drive through there frequently (and deliver there on rare occasion), and whenever I do I feel so sad inside to see so many people suffering in poverty, blight, gangs, and immense violence. Urban prairie is abundant. People just loiter and stare at me as I drive through, especially after dark, as if they're mad at me or something. This city has turned its back on its African-Americans in need, and it's a shame to see. Pittsburgh has a larger black underclass than any other city I've been to, and it would be nice if it would be "politically correct" to discuss ways to help FIX THAT instead of being called a "racist" if you dare imply there IS a problem in Homewood, amongst other areas.
Did you EVER get to DC?
Quote:
Originally Posted by RestonRunner86
-Lack of sunlight: I didn't realize people weren't joking when they said Pittsburgh has about 1 sunny day per week. I've lived here two months, and it seems like I can count the number of sunny days we've had on my two hands. Yesterday and today offered some welcome partial sunlight, but I see there's another accumulating snowstorm already in the forecast in a few days.
But don't complain about the weather here. Or the Weather Kvetching Police will descend upon you.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I've now lived here approximately two months after having relocated here from Fairfax County, Virginia (via my hometown in the 'burbs of Scranton, PA) and would also love to share my experiences.
Wednesday when I was off from work I walked through the Strip District en route to Alcoa on the North Shore to see my boyfriend on his lunch break. On the way I stopped to buy a bunch of flowers for $3 from my favorite street vendor, and he also began to chit-chat with me for about 20 minutes. While I'm sure individual experiences can and will vary when I was living back in Fairfax County, Virginia it was an effort just to get someone to return a "good morning" greeting as I ran past them on a trail or sidewalk because everyone was in their own oblivious self-absorbed litle world. Here? I'm frequently running late for commitments because EVERYONE has a story to tell and genuinely wants to hear my story as well. I made a delivery to a stately historic home in Edgewood last month, and the woman invited me inside as I marveled at her interior architecture. She then proceeded to tell me her home was filmed as part of a major 1990s movie (the home of Olympia Dukakis!) 
Today I had to hear "Here We Go" (the yinzers chanting "Pittsburgh's goin' to 'da Super Bowl!") several times on the radio, followed by some horrible remake of "Bennie and the Jets" on 96.9 BOB-FM to "Big Ben Will Beat the Jets" (or something to that effect) followed by ANOTHER horrible song! Where is the love for the Pirates and/or Penguins in this town? At least play something GOOD (i.e. "Black and Yellow") more often. I NEVER hear that on 96.1 anymore! There are "terrible towels", banners, flags, etc. all over the place. Yes, it's good that this helps to forge more of a "community cohesion"; however, I'm dreading how many cranky middle-aged male crybabies I'll have to deliver to on Monday if the Jets clobber us tomorrow afternoon. 
When I think of Pittsburgh I think back to that video showing the Native American male shedding a tear as he surveyed a once-pastoral landscape covered in trash. I can't even shovel snow without finding garbage! I plan to pitch in with some gloves and trash bags to help to my part once the weather improves (or if it improves). I just will never understand how so few people here can take such little pride in where they live. Every other vehicle I follow has someone driving who just chucks their cigarette butts out their windows like it's not a big deal. I will see piles of trash around non-full garbage cans. How lazy can people here be? Back in NoVA you'd never see litter. We live in a FILTHY city! 
Pittsburgh has a larger black underclass than any other city I've been to, and it would be nice if it would be "politically correct" to discuss ways to help FIX THAT instead of being called a "racist" if you dare imply there IS a problem in Homewood, amongst other areas. 
Yesterday and today offered some welcome partial sunlight, but I see there's another accumulating snowstorm already in the forecast in a few days.
