By Sean P. Ray | Managing Editor DEUTSCHTOWN — A hallmark of the Allegheny Elks’ annual Mardi Gras party is the crowning of a Mardi Gras King or Queen. This year took a different turn as the crowned royalty was not human, but a pierogi. Jalapeno Hanñah, one of the contestants at the Great Pierogi Ra...

By Sean P. Ray | Managing Editor HISTORIC DEUTSCHTOWN — The banjo might not have a reputation as the most elegant or prestigious of instruments, but for the members of the Pittsburgh Banjo Club, it certainly is among the most fun ways to make music. “It’s the happiest instrument ever made,” Norm Azi...

By Sean P. Ray | Managing Editor *Editor's note: This story was updated on March 12 to correct a factual inaccuracy. DEUTSCHTOWN — A hallmark of the Allegheny Elks’ annual Mardi Gras party is the crowning of a Mardi Gras King or Queen. This year, however, took a different turn, however, as the crown...

By Anna Yoder | Columnist We have experienced a winter this year that has been a bit colder than the last few.  And on one of the coldest nights in January, my husband and I decided to visit an exciting pop-up restaurant on East Ohio Street called tacOcat. We did not know what to expect, yet realize...

By Sean P. Ray | Managing Editor The holiday season is officially upon us, as people across America begin their hunt for the perfect gifts for their friends and loved ones. While the lure of online shopping is ever present, there are many local stores on the Northside that can supply a great, unique...

By Sean P. Ray | Managing Editor HISTORIC DEUTSCHTOWN — Virgin Way has a new, colorful look thanks to a collaborative art project aiming to beautify various spots on the Northside. A collection of artists came together to create murals along the alleyway in October, with their work kicking off on Oc...

By Sean P. Ray | Managing Editor DEUTSCHTOWN — Oct. 12 was a day to celebrate as Northside’s Pumpkinfest reached its 30th iteration, a major milestone. It was also, however, the last Pumpkinfest with Barbara Burns, who co-founded the festival, as the lead organizer. “I’ve been saying for three years...

By Sean P. Ray | Managing Editor HISTORIC DEUTSCHTOWN — Virgin Way has a new, colorful look thanks to a collaborative art project aiming to beautify various spots on the Northside. A collection of artists came together to create murals along the alleyway in October, with their work kicking off on Oc...

By Anna Yoder | Columnist Pittsburgh is famous for so many things that it is hard to compile all of them into a single list. Yet, there may be one famous fact that might not be as well known. It is the connection of the 1952 classic movie “Singin’ in the Rain” to a historic Pittsburgh flower shop. T...

By Sean P. Ray | Managing Editor DEUTSCHTOWN — Oct. 12 was a day to celebrate as Northside’s Pumpkinfest reached its 30th iteration, a major milestone. It was also, however, the last Pumpkinfest with Barbara Burns, who co-founded the festival, as the lead organizer. “I’ve been saying for three years...