Odd Pittsburgh things... (Washington, Swissvale, Millvale: apartment, living in, club)

[Port Pitt Ash]

I guess this post is more nostalgic than anything else, but it seems for as great as people like to say Pittsburgh is not many of its oddities get mentioned.

Like:

Did you know Pittsburgh used to have a big Goth scene? Club Laga, Metropol goth/industral nights, etc.

Lava Lounge. Part Fraggal Rock Cave, part steampunk, and all like being enclosed in a lava lamp. Killer music pit too.

Mount Washington Incline/Stairs. Actually noticed this one mentioned from time to time, but do you know the how to find the secret set of stairs that take you off of the mountain?

Bar 11. A "secret" bar on the SS. Not really all that difficult to find, but it doesn't have a sign. Free candy and stuff with your drinks.

Primanti Brothers sandwich with coleslaw and french fries on it. Not my taste, but somebody must like them.

Randyland. Odd for Pittsburgh anyway.

Mr. McFeely is still around.

The Beehive. For as interesting of a place as this is you'd think it would get mentioned more.

The Cathedral of Learning. Often mentioned, but once you go inside...Hogwarts, nationality rooms, etc.

Eides.

Dixmont Mental Hospital ghost hikes.

The "Crazy" Running Lady. A women in her 70s who usually wore a trench coat, sunglasses, held a giant purse under her arm, and always ran everywhere. Zig zagging across the street and into traffic was one of her hallmarks.

Plenty of others, but that's what came to mind.

What Pittsburgh oddities can you think of/remember?

[tclifton]

Victor (RIP) -- Bloomfield/SQ Hill/etc.

[eschaton]

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by Port Pitt Ash

.

The "Crazy" Running Lady. A women in her 70s who usually wore a trench coat, sunglasses, held a giant purse under her arm, and always ran everywhere. Zig zagging across the street and into traffic was one of her hallmarks.

What ever happened to her? I have so many downtown memories as a youngster and this is one of them.

Does anybody remember the bearded lady with gogo boots? She was a downtown character as well.



The dancing / sign language traffic cop was another downtown character.

[doo dah]

Originally Posted by wpipkins2

What ever happened to her? I have so many downtown memories as a youngster and this is one of them.

Does anybody remember the bearded lady with gogo boots? She was a downtown character as well.



The dancing / sign language traffic cop was another downtown character.

Vic Cianca - I saw him on Candid Camera when I was little (and living in another state) and my parents said, "He's in Pittsburgh!".

Anyone remember that guy who walked everywhere and always had the whitest sneakers, and had long, gray hair matted down his back?

[doo dah]

Thought of another thing - Toynbee Tiles. Not unique to Pittsburgh, but not everywhere.

[norcider]

The shrine to the Virgin Mary on the cliff above the Parkway East. Think it's somewhat intact but it doesn't look like it used to.

[sskink]

[Merge]

Originally Posted by Port Pitt Ash

I guess this post is more nostalgic than anything else, but it seems for as great as people like to say Pittsburgh is not many of its oddities get mentioned.

Like:

Did you know Pittsburgh used to have a big Goth scene? Club Laga, Metropol goth/industral nights, etc.

Lava Lounge. Part Fraggal Rock Cave, part steampunk, and all like being enclosed in a lava lamp. Killer music pit too.

Mount Washington Incline/Stairs. Actually noticed this one mentioned from time to time, but do you know the how to find the secret set of stairs that take you off of the mountain?

Bar 11. A "secret" bar on the SS. Not really all that difficult to find, but it doesn't have a sign. Free candy and stuff with your drinks.

Primanti Brothers sandwich with coleslaw and french fries on it. Not my taste, but somebody must like them.

Randyland. Odd for Pittsburgh anyway.

Mr. McFeely is still around.

The Beehive. For as interesting of a place as this is you'd think it would get mentioned more.

The Cathedral of Learning. Often mentioned, but once you go inside...Hogwarts, nationality rooms, etc.

Eides.

Dixmont Mental Hospital ghost hikes.

The "Crazy" Running Lady. A women in her 70s who usually wore a trench coat, sunglasses, held a giant purse under her arm, and always ran everywhere. Zig zagging across the street and into traffic was one of her hallmarks.

Plenty of others, but that's what came to mind.

What Pittsburgh oddities can you think of/remember?

Good post...it seems like I should have known you.

A few to add:

The Blind guy with the boom box that used to sit along Forbes in Oakland and belt out crazy outsider blues.

The old mural in Thirsty's that depicted the regulars, including one that eventually went postal and ascended to the top of his apartment tower further up N. Craig, and started taking pot shots at folks with a rifle before taking his last dive.

How about all the strange little museums and weird tourist attractions that often flow beneath the radar?

The Center for Post-Natural History
The Relics at St. Anthony in Troy Hill
The Bayernhof, overlooking Sharpsburg
Trundle Manor in Swissvale
Hell, I'll even mention some of the oddest murals in any church ever---- Maxo Vanka in Millvale's St. Nicholas Croatian Church

Pittsburgh definitely has its share...

[norcider]

I remember the roof top sniper on Craig, it was one of those high rise apartment buildings. That happened the year I started working in Oakland. I do not remember the mural though I was in Thirsty's from time to time. Pretty sure the blind operatic singer is still around. Other Oakland fixtures; who remembers Sombrero Man? Ch...ch...ch...change???