Home | Mysite 2

top of page

WRITER + EDITOR + COPYWRITER

work

Contact

GET IN TOUCH

FOR ASSIGNMENTS AND COLLABORATIONS, CONTACT ME VIA EMAIL:

KATHLEENRENDA@GMAIL.COM

FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL

Hosted my book club for a Halloween-themed dinner party, and it was a fright night! 🎃 Shocktail hour featured absinthe, followed by braised short ribs (not shown—still in the kitchen!), and sweet treats from @oakmontbakery, including caramel apples with buttercream leaves and vines. Plus a spirited discussion of Dorothy Sayers’s 1935 mystery masterpiece, Gaudy Night.

#halloweenparty #halloweentablescape #halloween #pittsburgh #oakmontbakery #dorothysayers #absinthe

Hosted my book club for a Halloween-themed dinner party, and it was a fright night! 🎃 Shocktail hour featured absinthe, followed by braised short ribs (not shown—still in the kitchen!), and sweet treats from @oakmontbakery, including caramel apples with buttercream leaves and vines. Plus a spirited discussion of Dorothy Sayers’s 1935 mystery masterpiece, Gaudy Night.

#halloweenparty #halloweentablescape #halloween #pittsburgh #oakmontbakery #dorothysayers #absinthe

A huge shout-out to CeCe Lyra, whose latest webinar completely transformed how I read—and write. Her insights into crafting tension, conflict, stakes, and interiority revealed how skilled authors create propulsive plots from the inside out.

Two of the books she discussed—The Ballerinas and Dial A for Aunties—couldn’t be more different, but both hook readers from the get-go. Now I’m dissecting them scene by scene, and seeing the invisible architecture that keeps a story taut. Feeling newly energized to apply these tools to my own work!

#cecemademedoit #learnwithcece @cece_lyra_agent #noursprize #calliesprize #caitlinsprize #clairesprize @rachelkapelkedale @jesseqsutanto

A huge shout-out to CeCe Lyra, whose latest webinar completely transformed how I read—and write. Her insights into crafting tension, conflict, stakes, and interiority revealed how skilled authors create propulsive plots from the inside out.

Two of the books she discussed—The Ballerinas and Dial A for Aunties—couldn’t be more different, but both hook readers from the get-go. Now I’m dissecting them scene by scene, and seeing the invisible architecture that keeps a story taut. Feeling newly energized to apply these tools to my own work!

#cecemademedoit #learnwithcece @cece_lyra_agent #noursprize #calliesprize #caitlinsprize #clairesprize @rachelkapelkedale @jesseqsutanto

Scenes from Ligonier’s 66th-annual Highland Games—a day-long celebration of Scottish culture, heritage, and athleticism.

We watched piping and drumming competitions, Highland dancing, fiddling and harping demos, spinning and weaving exhibits, and feats of strength: stone-weight lifting, telephone pole tossing (yes, actual poles), haggis tossing (technically, a two-pound sandbag), and keg tossing (farther than you’d think 🍺💪).

Also, food: Scotch pies, steak-and-ale pies, and Forfar bridies (beef, sausage, and onion turnovers 🥧).

And since the Games took place at historic Idlewild Park—founded by the Mellon family in 1878—we wrapped things up with a spin on the century-old carousel 🎠.

#pittsburgh #ligonier #highlandgames #highlandgames2025 #ligonierhighlandgames #idlewild #idlewildpark #scotland #scottish

Scenes from Ligonier’s 66th-annual Highland Games—a day-long celebration of Scottish culture, heritage, and athleticism.

We watched piping and drumming competitions, Highland dancing, fiddling and harping demos, spinning and weaving exhibits, and feats of strength: stone-weight lifting, telephone pole tossing (yes, actual poles), haggis tossing (technically, a two-pound sandbag), and keg tossing (farther than you’d think 🍺💪).

Also, food: Scotch pies, steak-and-ale pies, and Forfar bridies (beef, sausage, and onion turnovers 🥧).

And since the Games took place at historic Idlewild Park—founded by the Mellon family in 1878—we wrapped things up with a spin on the century-old carousel 🎠.

#pittsburgh #ligonier #highlandgames #highlandgames2025 #ligonierhighlandgames #idlewild #idlewildpark #scotland #scottish

Just before guests arrived for my first Diwali 🪔 dinner party! Celebrating the Festival of Lights with family, friends old and new, glowing diyas, and lots of joy. Here’s to brightness and togetherness! 🪔 Happy Diwali! 🪔

#diwali #festivaloflights #pittsburgh

Just before guests arrived for my first Diwali 🪔 dinner party! Celebrating the Festival of Lights with family, friends old and new, glowing diyas, and lots of joy. Here’s to brightness and togetherness! 🪔 Happy Diwali! 🪔

#diwali #festivaloflights #pittsburgh

Last post from London 🇬🇧

* At the Tate, Korean-born artist Do Ho Suh built ghostly, fragile facsimiles of the apartments and houses he’s called home. There were life-size rooms constructed from translucent fabric and a to-scale model of his childhood home, made of mulberry paper and hand-rubbed with graphite.

* Good Night, Oscar starred Sean Hayes (Will & Grace), back in his Tony-winning role as Oscar Levant, the brilliant, neurotic pianist battling addiction and mental illness in 1950s Hollywood. Freed from a mental hospital for one night to appear on The Tonight Show, he’s hallucinating, pill-popping, and creating chaos on live TV.

* Born with Teeth paired Ncuti Gatwa (Doctor Who) and Edward Bluemel (Killing Eve) as Marlowe and Shakespeare in an Elizabethan workplace drama: they drink, fight, and try to co-write Henry VI—until ego, politics, and authorship blow it all up.

* Every Brilliant Thing—a one-man show with audience participation—featured Jonny Donahoe as a boy who starts listing one million things worth living for, hoping to save his suicidal mother.

* And finally, Operation Mincemeat: a true WWII story turned musical comedy. British intelligence fakes a dead officer—complete with love letters and wallet photos—to fool the Nazis about the Allied invasion of Sicily.

#dohosuh #tatemodern #everybrilliantthing #bornwithteeth #goodnightoscar #operationmincemeat #seanhayes #ncutigatwa #edwardbluemel #londonontario

Last post from London 🇬🇧

* At the Tate, Korean-born artist Do Ho Suh built ghostly, fragile facsimiles of the apartments and houses he’s called home. There were life-size rooms constructed from translucent fabric and a to-scale model of his childhood home, made of mulberry paper and hand-rubbed with graphite.

* Good Night, Oscar starred Sean Hayes (Will & Grace), back in his Tony-winning role as Oscar Levant, the brilliant, neurotic pianist battling addiction and mental illness in 1950s Hollywood. Freed from a mental hospital for one night to appear on The Tonight Show, he’s hallucinating, pill-popping, and creating chaos on live TV.

* Born with Teeth paired Ncuti Gatwa (Doctor Who) and Edward Bluemel (Killing Eve) as Marlowe and Shakespeare in an Elizabethan workplace drama: they drink, fight, and try to co-write Henry VI—until ego, politics, and authorship blow it all up.

* Every Brilliant Thing—a one-man show with audience participation—featured Jonny Donahoe as a boy who starts listing one million things worth living for, hoping to save his suicidal mother.

* And finally, Operation Mincemeat: a true WWII story turned musical comedy. British intelligence fakes a dead officer—complete with love letters and wallet photos—to fool the Nazis about the Allied invasion of Sicily.

#dohosuh #tatemodern #everybrilliantthing #bornwithteeth #goodnightoscar #operationmincemeat #seanhayes #ncutigatwa #edwardbluemel #londonontario

Memorable morning @britishmuseum 🏛️: got lucky with a ticket for an exclusive private tour of the Egyptian wing, before official opening hours. The tour was top-notch—our guide shared fascinating historical context and backstories I’d never heard before—and I got to study the Rosetta Stone up close, without fighting the crowds. Totally worth dragging myself out of bed, despite the jet lag!

#britishmuseum #rosettastone #london #egyptology #ancientegypt

Memorable morning @britishmuseum 🏛️: got lucky with a ticket for an exclusive private tour of the Egyptian wing, before official opening hours. The tour was top-notch—our guide shared fascinating historical context and backstories I’d never heard before—and I got to study the Rosetta Stone up close, without fighting the crowds. Totally worth dragging myself out of bed, despite the jet lag!

#britishmuseum #rosettastone #london #egyptology #ancientegypt

Perfect send-off to summer: catching the Saatchi Gallery Flowers exhibit in its final days. There were over 500 floral-themed works displayed across nine galleries, including Rebecca Louise Law’s immersive “La Fleur Morte,” featuring 100,000 dried flowers cascading from the ceiling, and Miguel Chevalier’s digital installation, with room-sized projections that respond to visitor movements in real time.

#saatchigallery #saatchi #flowersexhibition #london #rebeccalouiselaw #miguelchevalier #londongalleries

Perfect send-off to summer: catching the Saatchi Gallery Flowers exhibit in its final days. There were over 500 floral-themed works displayed across nine galleries, including Rebecca Louise Law’s immersive “La Fleur Morte,” featuring 100,000 dried flowers cascading from the ceiling, and Miguel Chevalier’s digital installation, with room-sized projections that respond to visitor movements in real time.

#saatchigallery #saatchi #flowersexhibition #london #rebeccalouiselaw #miguelchevalier #londongalleries

At the V&A for the must-see Cartier exhibit, which showcases over a century of jaw-dropping jewels commissioned by the world’s wealthiest, including kings, maharajas, socialites, potentates, and Hollywood royalty. Light on historical narrative, but heavy on opulence and decadence, with pieces rarely—if ever—on public view. The final room is devoted entirely to tiaras: Cartier made 27 in 1937 for George VI’s coronation—still a record for the jewelry house.

#cartier #victoriaandalbert #london #tiaras #royalty

At the V&A for the must-see Cartier exhibit, which showcases over a century of jaw-dropping jewels commissioned by the world’s wealthiest, including kings, maharajas, socialites, potentates, and Hollywood royalty. Light on historical narrative, but heavy on opulence and decadence, with pieces rarely—if ever—on public view. The final room is devoted entirely to tiaras: Cartier made 27 in 1937 for George VI’s coronation—still a record for the jewelry house.

#cartier #victoriaandalbert #london #tiaras #royalty

From Jenny Saville’s “The Anatomy of Painting” at London’s National Portrait Gallery, which brings together 50 of Saville’s works from the ’90s to now. Forgotten just how imposing and gargantuan her oil paintings and charcoal drawings really are. Also caught the daily Tudor gallery tour afterwards, to hear the backstory of portraits of Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth.

#jennysaville #nationalportraitgallery #london #tudorportraits #anneboleyn #queenelizabeth

From Jenny Saville’s “The Anatomy of Painting” at London’s National Portrait Gallery, which brings together 50 of Saville’s works from the ’90s to now. Forgotten just how imposing and gargantuan her oil paintings and charcoal drawings really are. Also caught the daily Tudor gallery tour afterwards, to hear the backstory of portraits of Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth.

#jennysaville #nationalportraitgallery #london #tudorportraits #anneboleyn #queenelizabeth

Queering Chekhov: for Quantum Theatre’s take on The Seagull, director Joanie Schultz casts Constantine as a lesbian and suddenly … the play’s most insufferable character makes perfect sense! Schultz also trimmed an hour from the production, but all the vodka-soaked Russian misery remains intact—from the unrequited love to the creative frustration to the fear of aging. Even better: the gender-swapping production is staged beside an actual pond at Chatham University, giving it the feel of a dacha on a muggy, buggy summer evening.

#quantumtheatre #theseagull #seagullQT #theaterthatmovesyou #chekhov #chathamuniversity #pittsburgh

Queering Chekhov: for Quantum Theatre’s take on The Seagull, director Joanie Schultz casts Constantine as a lesbian and suddenly … the play’s most insufferable character makes perfect sense! Schultz also trimmed an hour from the production, but all the vodka-soaked Russian misery remains intact—from the unrequited love to the creative frustration to the fear of aging. Even better: the gender-swapping production is staged beside an actual pond at Chatham University, giving it the feel of a dacha on a muggy, buggy summer evening.

#quantumtheatre #theseagull #seagullQT #theaterthatmovesyou #chekhov #chathamuniversity #pittsburgh

First time ever at 🥒 🥒 🥒 Picklesburgh—now in its tenth year! It was a scorcher, but we hit up all the food and drink vendors spanning the Andy Warhol and Roberto Clemente bridges, then cheered on contestants chugging pickle juice, bobbing for pickle slices, and riding an oversized mechanical pickle. But oddly … no pickleball?

Lots of pickle-themed eats. Here’s a partial list of the offerings I noped on:
- pickle sorbet (why?)
- pickle ice cream (double why??)
- pickle gelato (somewhere, Italy is crying)
- pickle iced tea (I have questions)
- pickle lemonade (emetogenic potential = off the charts)
- pickle pierogi (babushka wept)

#picklesburgh #picklesburgh2025 #heinz #heinzpickles #pittsburgh

First time ever at 🥒 🥒 🥒 Picklesburgh—now in its tenth year! It was a scorcher, but we hit up all the food and drink vendors spanning the Andy Warhol and Roberto Clemente bridges, then cheered on contestants chugging pickle juice, bobbing for pickle slices, and riding an oversized mechanical pickle. But oddly … no pickleball?

Lots of pickle-themed eats. Here’s a partial list of the offerings I noped on:
- pickle sorbet (why?)
- pickle ice cream (double why??)
- pickle gelato (somewhere, Italy is crying)
- pickle iced tea (I have questions)
- pickle lemonade (emetogenic potential = off the charts)
- pickle pierogi (babushka wept)

#picklesburgh #picklesburgh2025 #heinz #heinzpickles #pittsburgh

Had no idea there would be a thousand-plus people attending Dr. Zahi Hawass’s A Royal Evening lecture, which promised exclusive info and revelations from recent excavations. Not sure how much I actually learned about new finds at the Valley of the Kings and the ongoing search for Cleopatra’s tomb, but I did discover that his devoted fans are hardcore— dropping hundreds of dollars on his branded books and fedoras, standing up and cheering when he first appeared, and literally running to get a place in line for the post-lecture book signing.

#zahihawass @zahi_hawass
#aroyalevening #ancientegypt #egyptology #egyptianhistory

Had no idea there would be a thousand-plus people attending Dr. Zahi Hawass’s A Royal Evening lecture, which promised exclusive info and revelations from recent excavations. Not sure how much I actually learned about new finds at the Valley of the Kings and the ongoing search for Cleopatra’s tomb, but I did discover that his devoted fans are hardcore— dropping hundreds of dollars on his branded books and fedoras, standing up and cheering when he first appeared, and literally running to get a place in line for the post-lecture book signing.

#zahihawass @zahi_hawass
#aroyalevening #ancientegypt #egyptology #egyptianhistory

For the 50th anniversary of Jaws, I headed to Braddock to catch The Shark is Broken, a behind-the-scenes comedy about the chaos during the filming of Spielberg’s blockbuster. The play charts the weeks-long delays that plagued the 1974 shoot, and all the brawling, boozing, and ego-bashing between stars Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, and Robert Shaw. Alas, the play doesn’t dive much deeper than surface-level celebrity dysfunction, but the actors at Barebones Productions killed it.

#thesharkisbroken @barebonesblackbox #jaws #jaws50thanniversary #braddock #pittsburgh #stevenspielberg

For the 50th anniversary of Jaws, I headed to Braddock to catch The Shark is Broken, a behind-the-scenes comedy about the chaos during the filming of Spielberg’s blockbuster. The play charts the weeks-long delays that plagued the 1974 shoot, and all the brawling, boozing, and ego-bashing between stars Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, and Robert Shaw. Alas, the play doesn’t dive much deeper than surface-level celebrity dysfunction, but the actors at Barebones Productions killed it.

#thesharkisbroken @barebonesblackbox #jaws #jaws50thanniversary #braddock #pittsburgh #stevenspielberg

Twirl around the squirrel!

I know zilch about golf, but when the 125th U.S. Open is being held at the local country club, how could I not get in on the action? So I headed out to Oakmont—which is hosting for a record tenth time this year—for practice rounds and the first day of play, and got up to speed in record time.

#oakmont #oakmontcountryclub #pittsburgh #usopengolf #usopen #golf @usopengolf

Twirl around the squirrel!

I know zilch about golf, but when the 125th U.S. Open is being held at the local country club, how could I not get in on the action? So I headed out to Oakmont—which is hosting for a record tenth time this year—for practice rounds and the first day of play, and got up to speed in record time.

#oakmont #oakmontcountryclub #pittsburgh #usopengolf #usopen #golf @usopengolf

Getting lit!

Pittsburgh’s Book Fest launched Friday night at the historic Carnegie Library with A Novel Evening, a cocktail reception and dinner with some of the weekend’s headliners. At our table: the delightful Laura Piper Lee, a practicing lawyer and rom-com author who regaled us with stories about the writing life and her upcoming books-in-progress. (And because no one could believe I was actually wearing pink: the invite said to dress “with a touch of literary flair,” so I went with a dress and clutch from Rachel Comey’s collab with The New York Review of Books.)

Saturday was a jam-packed whirlwind of readings, discussions, workshops, and seminars—and braving 50-degree temps in Schenley Park’s outdoor tent. Highlights of the day:
* Torrey Peters offering insights into trans life in 2025 while discussing her latest novel, Stag Dance.
* Rachel Khong unpacking the complexities of national identity and belonging in her bestselling Real Americans.
* Jennifer Haigh and Emma Copley Eisenberg comparing and contrasting the plots of their latest novels, Rabbit Moon and Housemates.
* Three cozy mystery queens—Danielle Arceneaux, Vivien Chien, and Rachel Ekstrom Courage—confessing they aren’t always sure whodunit from the get-go and why murder is always on the menu.

@pghbookfest #pghbookfest #greaterpittsburghfestivalofbooks #greaterpittsburghbookfestival #laurapiperlee @laurapiperlee #torreypeters @torreyadora
#jenniferhaigh @missjenniferhaigh #emmacopleyeisenberg @frumpenberg
#daniellearceneaux @darceneaux #vivienchien @vivien_chien_author
#rachelekstromcourage @rachelekstromcourage rrrrrrrachelkhong
#rachelkhong #carnegielibrary #carnegielibraryofpittsburgh #mysteryloversbookstore #riverstonebooks #rachelcomey @rachelcomey
#newyorkreviewofbooks @nybooks #pittsburgh

Getting lit!

Pittsburgh’s Book Fest launched Friday night at the historic Carnegie Library with A Novel Evening, a cocktail reception and dinner with some of the weekend’s headliners. At our table: the delightful Laura Piper Lee, a practicing lawyer and rom-com author who regaled us with stories about the writing life and her upcoming books-in-progress. (And because no one could believe I was actually wearing pink: the invite said to dress “with a touch of literary flair,” so I went with a dress and clutch from Rachel Comey’s collab with The New York Review of Books.)

Saturday was a jam-packed whirlwind of readings, discussions, workshops, and seminars—and braving 50-degree temps in Schenley Park’s outdoor tent. Highlights of the day:
* Torrey Peters offering insights into trans life in 2025 while discussing her latest novel, Stag Dance.
* Rachel Khong unpacking the complexities of national identity and belonging in her bestselling Real Americans.
* Jennifer Haigh and Emma Copley Eisenberg comparing and contrasting the plots of their latest novels, Rabbit Moon and Housemates.
* Three cozy mystery queens—Danielle Arceneaux, Vivien Chien, and Rachel Ekstrom Courage—confessing they aren’t always sure whodunit from the get-go and why murder is always on the menu.

@pghbookfest #pghbookfest #greaterpittsburghfestivalofbooks #greaterpittsburghbookfestival #laurapiperlee @laurapiperlee #torreypeters @torreyadora
#jenniferhaigh @missjenniferhaigh #emmacopleyeisenberg @frumpenberg
#daniellearceneaux @darceneaux #vivienchien @vivien_chien_author
#rachelekstromcourage @rachelekstromcourage rrrrrrrachelkhong
#rachelkhong #carnegielibrary #carnegielibraryofpittsburgh #mysteryloversbookstore #riverstonebooks #rachelcomey @rachelcomey
#newyorkreviewofbooks @nybooks #pittsburgh

Long holiday weekend so far: an evening at Phipps Conservatory to check out the new jungle-themed flower show and the glasshouse illuminated in violet, then off to Chalk Fest to catch two dozen artists using the sidewalks of Allegheny Landing as alfresco canvases.

#pittsburgh #chalkart #phipps

Long holiday weekend so far: an evening at Phipps Conservatory to check out the new jungle-themed flower show and the glasshouse illuminated in violet, then off to Chalk Fest to catch two dozen artists using the sidewalks of Allegheny Landing as alfresco canvases.

#pittsburgh #chalkart #phipps

Saturday night @pittsburghopera for the world premiere of the sold-out Woman With Eyes Closed, inspired by the notorious 2012 Rotterdam art heist. Pulitzer-prize-winning composer Jennifer Higdon transforms the headline-making crime—in which a mother allegedly burned over $130 million worth of stolen masterpieces, including paintings by Lucian Freud, Picasso, Matisse, and Monet, to protect her art-thief son—into an experimental, choose-your-own-adventure opera. The twist? Three possible endings, with each night's audience witnessing a different resolution to the mother’s dilemma.

#pittsburghopera #womanwitheyesclosed #lucianfreud #rotterdamheist #jenniferhigdon #pittsburgh

Saturday night @pittsburghopera for the world premiere of the sold-out Woman With Eyes Closed, inspired by the notorious 2012 Rotterdam art heist. Pulitzer-prize-winning composer Jennifer Higdon transforms the headline-making crime—in which a mother allegedly burned over $130 million worth of stolen masterpieces, including paintings by Lucian Freud, Picasso, Matisse, and Monet, to protect her art-thief son—into an experimental, choose-your-own-adventure opera. The twist? Three possible endings, with each night's audience witnessing a different resolution to the mother’s dilemma.

#pittsburghopera #womanwitheyesclosed #lucianfreud #rotterdamheist #jenniferhigdon #pittsburgh

KAWS might be one my least-favorite artists, but I still checked out his recent collab at the Warhol Museum. I think it was critiquing (or celebrating?) consumerism, commercialism, and the commodification of art? Or something. Anyway, there was a giant Frankenberry sculpture, so that happened.

#warhol #andywarhol #KAWS #thewarholmuseum @thewarholmuseum #pittsburgh

KAWS might be one my least-favorite artists, but I still checked out his recent collab at the Warhol Museum. I think it was critiquing (or celebrating?) consumerism, commercialism, and the commodification of art? Or something. Anyway, there was a giant Frankenberry sculpture, so that happened.

#warhol #andywarhol #KAWS #thewarholmuseum @thewarholmuseum #pittsburgh

From Anila Quayyum Agha: Interwoven, a survey of two decades of the Pakistani-American artist’s works, including large-scale installations, sculptures, embroidery, paintings, and drawings. Using everything from laser-cut steel to upholstery needles, Agha reinterprets classic Islamic motifs to explore themes of cultural identity, mass media, gender roles, and the immigrant experience.

#anilaquayyumagha #anilaquayyumaghainterwoven

From Anila Quayyum Agha: Interwoven, a survey of two decades of the Pakistani-American artist’s works, including large-scale installations, sculptures, embroidery, paintings, and drawings. Using everything from laser-cut steel to upholstery needles, Agha reinterprets classic Islamic motifs to explore themes of cultural identity, mass media, gender roles, and the immigrant experience.

#anilaquayyumagha #anilaquayyumaghainterwoven

Finally caught Ronny Chieng LIVE! His Love to Hate It show is curmudgeonly and caustic and shouty—and I was so there for it. Missed his NYC gigs back in the day because he always hit the stage way past my bedtime, so this was 🔥🔥!

#ronnychieng @ronnychieng #thedailyshow #interiorchinatown #pittsburgh

Finally caught Ronny Chieng LIVE! His Love to Hate It show is curmudgeonly and caustic and shouty—and I was so there for it. Missed his NYC gigs back in the day because he always hit the stage way past my bedtime, so this was 🔥🔥!

#ronnychieng @ronnychieng #thedailyshow #interiorchinatown #pittsburgh

The December 25th trifecta: Christmas + Hanukkah + BIL’s bday!

The December 25th trifecta: Christmas + Hanukkah + BIL’s bday!

Christmas Eve tour at Hartwood Acres, a Tudor-style, 31-room country mansion built in the 1920s by heiress Mary Flinn Lawrence and her husband John.

Filled with British and American antiques, the home’s highlights include a circa-1600 hand-carved mantel and paneling imported from an English castle, a custom 1901 Steinway gifted to Mary on her 16th birthday, and a 16th-century Flemish tapestry.

Mary inherited a fortune worth $24 million in today’s money when her father—a state senator, ward boss, and construction tycoon—passed away in 192.

#hartwoodacres #hartwoodmansion #pittsburgh

Christmas Eve tour at Hartwood Acres, a Tudor-style, 31-room country mansion built in the 1920s by heiress Mary Flinn Lawrence and her husband John.

Filled with British and American antiques, the home’s highlights include a circa-1600 hand-carved mantel and paneling imported from an English castle, a custom 1901 Steinway gifted to Mary on her 16th birthday, and a 16th-century Flemish tapestry.

Mary inherited a fortune worth $24 million in today’s money when her father—a state senator, ward boss, and construction tycoon—passed away in 192.

#hartwoodacres #hartwoodmansion #pittsburgh

Making them spirits bright 🍸 🍾 ! Pre-gaming before the ballet at Miracle On 7th, the retro-kitsch holiday pop-up bar downtown.

@miraclepgh #miraclepgh #pgh #downtownpgh

Making them spirits bright 🍸 🍾 ! Pre-gaming before the ballet at Miracle On 7th, the retro-kitsch holiday pop-up bar downtown.

@miraclepgh #miraclepgh #pgh #downtownpgh

Bough wow! Just some of the Broadway-themed Christmas trees at the 2024 Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra holiday showhouse. Held this year at a 19th-century mansion on Shadyside’s historic Millionaire’s Row, it features 30-plus trees inspired by musicals like Kinky Boots, A Chorus Line, and The Great Gatsby. All the festive Yuletide finery and ornaments on display are from the personal collection of the homeowners, theater-lovers who spent months decking the halls and festooning the firs. Not shown: me doing my best Fosse jazz hands 👐 in front of each 🎄.

@pghsymphony #pghsymphony
#pittsburghsymphonyorchestra #pittsburghsymphony #shadyside #pittsburgh

Bough wow! Just some of the Broadway-themed Christmas trees at the 2024 Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra holiday showhouse. Held this year at a 19th-century mansion on Shadyside’s historic Millionaire’s Row, it features 30-plus trees inspired by musicals like Kinky Boots, A Chorus Line, and The Great Gatsby. All the festive Yuletide finery and ornaments on display are from the personal collection of the homeowners, theater-lovers who spent months decking the halls and festooning the firs. Not shown: me doing my best Fosse jazz hands 👐 in front of each 🎄.

@pghsymphony #pghsymphony
#pittsburghsymphonyorchestra #pittsburghsymphony #shadyside #pittsburgh

From Thanksgiving! 🦃 🍽️ 🍂

We hosted a huge crew of family + friends, and thankfully I was on tablescape duty—not cooking. New favorite traditions: a historical quiz-o-rama (with plenty of debating about the answers) and a sweet send-off featuring chocolate turkeys and pumpkins.

#thanksgiving #givethanks #thanksgivingdecor #thanksgivingtable #thanksgivingtablescape #tablescape #mywilliamssonoma @williamssonoma @sarriscandies #sarriscandies

From Thanksgiving! 🦃 🍽️ 🍂

We hosted a huge crew of family + friends, and thankfully I was on tablescape duty—not cooking. New favorite traditions: a historical quiz-o-rama (with plenty of debating about the answers) and a sweet send-off featuring chocolate turkeys and pumpkins.

#thanksgiving #givethanks #thanksgivingdecor #thanksgivingtable #thanksgivingtablescape #tablescape #mywilliamssonoma @williamssonoma @sarriscandies #sarriscandies

A fabulous evening of celebrating and networking at the Women’s Press Club of Pittsburgh 70th-annual dinner, with guest speaker Priyanka Tewari, host of Morning Edition on Pittsburgh’s NPR station, local legend and badass journalist/professor emeritus Helen Fallon, dessert deliciousness from @benjaminbishoppastrychef, and the custom “Write Like A Girl” tee I created for the event.

@womenspressclub_pgh #womenspressclubpittsburgh #womenspressclub_pgh @rjpri #writelikeagirl

A fabulous evening of celebrating and networking at the Women’s Press Club of Pittsburgh 70th-annual dinner, with guest speaker Priyanka Tewari, host of Morning Edition on Pittsburgh’s NPR station, local legend and badass journalist/professor emeritus Helen Fallon, dessert deliciousness from @benjaminbishoppastrychef, and the custom “Write Like A Girl” tee I created for the event.

@womenspressclub_pgh #womenspressclubpittsburgh #womenspressclub_pgh @rjpri #writelikeagirl

Revisiting a memorable evening at the Frick, when executive director Dr. Elizabeth Barker led members on a private tour of Vermeer, Monet, Rembrandt: Forging the Frick Collections in Pittsburgh & New York. 🎨✨ This landmark exhibition, a collaboration between The Frick Collection in New York and The Frick Pittsburgh, showcases 60 masterworks by Degas, Ingres, van Dyck, Turner, El Greco, Titian, Chardin, Houdon, Fragonard, Gainsborough, and Rubens. Art from The Frick Collection rarely leaves New York City, making this a unique opportunity to see works from both Frick museums displayed side-by-side.

Fun fact about that Vermeer: Henry Clay Frick adored Girl Interrupted at Her Music—which he acquired in 1901 for $26,000—so much that he displayed the painting in the smoking room of Clayton, his Pittsburgh mansion, and admired it while puffing cigars, knocking back drinks, and playing poker with fellow industrialists Andrew Carnegie and Andrew Mellon. 🥃

#frick #frickpittsburgh #frickcollection
#pittsburgh #vermeer #girlinterruptedathermusic #rembrandt #henryclayfrick #degas #ingres #vandyck #turner #elgreco #titian #fragonard #gainsborough #rubens

Revisiting a memorable evening at the Frick, when executive director Dr. Elizabeth Barker led members on a private tour of Vermeer, Monet, Rembrandt: Forging the Frick Collections in Pittsburgh & New York. 🎨✨ This landmark exhibition, a collaboration between The Frick Collection in New York and The Frick Pittsburgh, showcases 60 masterworks by Degas, Ingres, van Dyck, Turner, El Greco, Titian, Chardin, Houdon, Fragonard, Gainsborough, and Rubens. Art from The Frick Collection rarely leaves New York City, making this a unique opportunity to see works from both Frick museums displayed side-by-side.

Fun fact about that Vermeer: Henry Clay Frick adored Girl Interrupted at Her Music—which he acquired in 1901 for $26,000—so much that he displayed the painting in the smoking room of Clayton, his Pittsburgh mansion, and admired it while puffing cigars, knocking back drinks, and playing poker with fellow industrialists Andrew Carnegie and Andrew Mellon. 🥃

#frick #frickpittsburgh #frickcollection
#pittsburgh #vermeer #girlinterruptedathermusic #rembrandt #henryclayfrick #degas #ingres #vandyck #turner #elgreco #titian #fragonard #gainsborough #rubens

Trick or treat yo self! I bought both, because we needed to do a head-to-head Halloween cake taste-off. Brain-oozing Frankenstein’s monster for the win, because sadly the skull was—wait for it!—bone dry.

Trick or treat yo self! I bought both, because we needed to do a head-to-head Halloween cake taste-off. Brain-oozing Frankenstein’s monster for the win, because sadly the skull was—wait for it!—bone dry.

Summer send-off party at Freedom Farms, with a farm-to-fork dinner, fields of flowers, and cows!

Summer send-off party at Freedom Farms, with a farm-to-fork dinner, fields of flowers, and cows!

Fabulous behind-the-scenes tour of Auböck: The Gallet Collection at the Touchstone Center for Crafts, organized by the Pittsburgh Modern Committee.

Fascinating to hear the backstory of the heirlooms, artwork, and decorative objects once owned by Laurel Highlands resident Valerie Auböck Gallet, sister of famed Viennese designer Carl Auböck and the youngest daughter of goldsmith Karl Heinrich Auböck, who founded the family’s iconic metalworking studio in late 19th-century Austria.

The exhibit features lots of pieces by Carl, and after seeing up-close the way he melds modernism and craft—his go-to materials are wood, leather, brass, and horn—it’s easy to understand why he has such a cult following.

#carlaubock #aubock #galletcollection #touchstone #touchstonecenterforcrafts #pittsburghmoderncommittee #pittsburgh #laurelhighlands

Fabulous behind-the-scenes tour of Auböck: The Gallet Collection at the Touchstone Center for Crafts, organized by the Pittsburgh Modern Committee.

Fascinating to hear the backstory of the heirlooms, artwork, and decorative objects once owned by Laurel Highlands resident Valerie Auböck Gallet, sister of famed Viennese designer Carl Auböck and the youngest daughter of goldsmith Karl Heinrich Auböck, who founded the family’s iconic metalworking studio in late 19th-century Austria.

The exhibit features lots of pieces by Carl, and after seeing up-close the way he melds modernism and craft—his go-to materials are wood, leather, brass, and horn—it’s easy to understand why he has such a cult following.

#carlaubock #aubock #galletcollection #touchstone #touchstonecenterforcrafts #pittsburghmoderncommittee #pittsburgh #laurelhighlands

Kicking off Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s 55th anniversary season at Hartwood Acres, with a fundraiser dinner and ballet under the stars. Had a chance to chat with PBT students, then treated to an alfresco performance of classical and contemporary works, including Balachine’s Allegro Brillante, Yoshiaki Nakano’s Violin Pas de Deux, and Susan Jaffe’s ultra-cool Bolero—I mean, how fab are those jumpsuits?

@pittsburghballettheatre #pittsburghballettheatre #balletunderthestars #susanjaffe #hartwoodacres #pittsburgh

Kicking off Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s 55th anniversary season at Hartwood Acres, with a fundraiser dinner and ballet under the stars. Had a chance to chat with PBT students, then treated to an alfresco performance of classical and contemporary works, including Balachine’s Allegro Brillante, Yoshiaki Nakano’s Violin Pas de Deux, and Susan Jaffe’s ultra-cool Bolero—I mean, how fab are those jumpsuits?

@pittsburghballettheatre #pittsburghballettheatre #balletunderthestars #susanjaffe #hartwoodacres #pittsburgh

At the Great American Banana Split Celebration, a.k.a. Bananarama! Held in Latrobe, a tiny town east of Pittsburgh that’s the birthplace of the banana split—and also Mister Rogers.

The day’s festivities included a banana eating contest, a banana baking contest, marching bands and tribute bands, the crowning of the Banana Split princess, rock climbing, a roving petting zoo with a baby wallaby, fashionable festival-goers, and a street legal banana-mobile. Was hoping for a Bluth-run frozen banana stand, but settled for a booth selling iconic banana splits. And of course I crafted a banana-bedazzled hat to vibe with the theme. A very ap-peeling day!

#greatamericanbananasplitcelebration #greatamericanbananasplitcelebration2024 #bananasplitfestival #latrobebananasplitfestival
#latrobe #bananasplit #dole #pittsburgh #theresalwaysmoneyinthebananastand #arresteddevelopment

At the Great American Banana Split Celebration, a.k.a. Bananarama! Held in Latrobe, a tiny town east of Pittsburgh that’s the birthplace of the banana split—and also Mister Rogers.

The day’s festivities included a banana eating contest, a banana baking contest, marching bands and tribute bands, the crowning of the Banana Split princess, rock climbing, a roving petting zoo with a baby wallaby, fashionable festival-goers, and a street legal banana-mobile. Was hoping for a Bluth-run frozen banana stand, but settled for a booth selling iconic banana splits. And of course I crafted a banana-bedazzled hat to vibe with the theme. A very ap-peeling day!

#greatamericanbananasplitcelebration #greatamericanbananasplitcelebration2024 #bananasplitfestival #latrobebananasplitfestival
#latrobe #bananasplit #dole #pittsburgh #theresalwaysmoneyinthebananastand #arresteddevelopment

Another fabulous long weekend at the Cincinnati Open: Osaka winning in three sets; Alcaraz Alcaraz-ing; Taylor Fritz meet-and-greet; themed cookies!; scenes from around the grounds.

#naomiosaka #carlosalcaraz #taylorfritz #cincytennis #cincinnati #cincinnatitennis

Another fabulous long weekend at the Cincinnati Open: Osaka winning in three sets; Alcaraz Alcaraz-ing; Taylor Fritz meet-and-greet; themed cookies!; scenes from around the grounds.

#naomiosaka #carlosalcaraz #taylorfritz #cincytennis #cincinnati #cincinnatitennis

Checking out the colorful, crowd-pleasing Chihuly at Biltmore.

#chihuly #chihulybiltmore #ChihulyatBiltmore @chihulystudio @biltmoreestate #biltmoreestate

Checking out the colorful, crowd-pleasing Chihuly at Biltmore.

#chihuly #chihulybiltmore #ChihulyatBiltmore @chihulystudio @biltmoreestate #biltmoreestate

And the sun sets on another OBX vacation. Spent the week catching up on reading and fishing the pup’s tennis ball out of the surf. Because dropping the ball into the ocean and watching me wade into the icy water to retrieve it is now a certain cheeky poodle’s most-favorite game ever.

#obx #ducknorthcarolina #outerbanks

And the sun sets on another OBX vacation. Spent the week catching up on reading and fishing the pup’s tennis ball out of the surf. Because dropping the ball into the ocean and watching me wade into the icy water to retrieve it is now a certain cheeky poodle’s most-favorite game ever.

#obx #ducknorthcarolina #outerbanks

On the 40-annual Sewickley House Tour, benefitting children’s charities in Western Pennsylvania. Highlights: the cozy Juniper Cottage, built in 1924, with a seamlessly-integrated modern English conservatory addition that was transported from the UK and rebuilt on-site; the sprawling Edgehill estate, with its curvaceous, imported-from-France staircase, sweeping views of the Ohio River, and historic gardens originally designed by Frederick Law Olmsted; and an energy-efficient, new-build contemporary home in the Village, complete with white oak cabinetry and a concrete-topped island in the kitchen, rooftop solar panels, and a blackened larch wood exterior charred with the shou sugi ban technique.

#sewickleyhousetour @chasewickley
#sewickley #pittsburgh #shousugiban

On the 40-annual Sewickley House Tour, benefitting children’s charities in Western Pennsylvania. Highlights: the cozy Juniper Cottage, built in 1924, with a seamlessly-integrated modern English conservatory addition that was transported from the UK and rebuilt on-site; the sprawling Edgehill estate, with its curvaceous, imported-from-France staircase, sweeping views of the Ohio River, and historic gardens originally designed by Frederick Law Olmsted; and an energy-efficient, new-build contemporary home in the Village, complete with white oak cabinetry and a concrete-topped island in the kitchen, rooftop solar panels, and a blackened larch wood exterior charred with the shou sugi ban technique.

#sewickleyhousetour @chasewickley
#sewickley #pittsburgh #shousugiban

For the 160th birthday of legendary local journalist and badass Nellie Bly, the Heinz History Center and the Women’s Press Club of Pittsburgh hosted author, journalist, and Bly biographer Brooke Kroeger to discuss her sixth book, “Undaunted: How Women Changed American Journalism.” Lots of insidery info on how trailblazers in the field overcame sexist treatment and beliefs to do groundbreaking reporting.

Following Kroeger’s talk and a panel discussion with members of the Press Club, I checked out the HHC’s newest exhibition, A Woman’s Place: How Women Shaped Pittsburgh. On display: Bly’s super-compact Gladstone bag—just 16 inches wide and 7 inches high!—that she carried on her whirlwind 72-day trip circumnavigating the globe. Note to any editors who might assign me a story to replicate Bly’s record-breaking trip: while I can pack light, I may require more than a single piece of hand luggage on my travels.

#brookekroeger @historycenter #heinzhistorycenter #awomansplace #womenspressclubofpittsburgh
#nelliebly #pittsburgh #pittsburghistory

For the 160th birthday of legendary local journalist and badass Nellie Bly, the Heinz History Center and the Women’s Press Club of Pittsburgh hosted author, journalist, and Bly biographer Brooke Kroeger to discuss her sixth book, “Undaunted: How Women Changed American Journalism.” Lots of insidery info on how trailblazers in the field overcame sexist treatment and beliefs to do groundbreaking reporting.

Following Kroeger’s talk and a panel discussion with members of the Press Club, I checked out the HHC’s newest exhibition, A Woman’s Place: How Women Shaped Pittsburgh. On display: Bly’s super-compact Gladstone bag—just 16 inches wide and 7 inches high!—that she carried on her whirlwind 72-day trip circumnavigating the globe. Note to any editors who might assign me a story to replicate Bly’s record-breaking trip: while I can pack light, I may require more than a single piece of hand luggage on my travels.

#brookekroeger @historycenter #heinzhistorycenter #awomansplace #womenspressclubofpittsburgh
#nelliebly #pittsburgh #pittsburghistory

The best part of An Evening with David Sedaris: hearing the essayist, humorist, and raconteur read from still-in-progress pieces, with his pencil poised above the page so he could tweak in real time. Including a draft of a New Yorker essay about going on safari in Africa, with quips the magazine wanted cut/changed—very curious to see how his editor(s) shaped the final text!

@davidsedarisbooks #davidsedaris #aneveningwithdavidsedaris

The best part of An Evening with David Sedaris: hearing the essayist, humorist, and raconteur read from still-in-progress pieces, with his pencil poised above the page so he could tweak in real time. Including a draft of a New Yorker essay about going on safari in Africa, with quips the magazine wanted cut/changed—very curious to see how his editor(s) shaped the final text!

@davidsedarisbooks #davidsedaris #aneveningwithdavidsedaris

To celebrate National Volunteer Week, the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History treated volunteers to exclusive curatorial presentations and behind-the-scenes tours, including the new exhibition The Stories We Keep: Conserving Objects From Ancient Egypt. We got the inside skinny on the year-long exhibit, which details the preservation and restoration of the museum’s wide-ranging collection of Egyptian artifacts, from a lidded kohl pot to a mummified cat to a child's bracelet.

The headliner: the 4,000-year-old Dahshur funerary boat, one of just four in existence, which was used to transport royal corpses and mourners to burial sites. Purchased by Andrew Carnegie in 1901 for $476, the 30-foot-long cedar boat is being disassembled, analyzed, and cleaned plank-by-plank, before going back on permanent display in 2026.

Bizarre to learn from head honcho conservator Gretchen Anderson that in years past, museum-goers were able to touch the boat and even climb aboard—which definitely will be a no-go in the future.

#carnegiemuseums @carnegiemuseums #carnegieMNH @carnegiemnh
#carnegiemuseumofnaturalhistory #pittsburgh #ancientegypt #dahshurboat

To celebrate National Volunteer Week, the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History treated volunteers to exclusive curatorial presentations and behind-the-scenes tours, including the new exhibition The Stories We Keep: Conserving Objects From Ancient Egypt. We got the inside skinny on the year-long exhibit, which details the preservation and restoration of the museum’s wide-ranging collection of Egyptian artifacts, from a lidded kohl pot to a mummified cat to a child's bracelet.

The headliner: the 4,000-year-old Dahshur funerary boat, one of just four in existence, which was used to transport royal corpses and mourners to burial sites. Purchased by Andrew Carnegie in 1901 for $476, the 30-foot-long cedar boat is being disassembled, analyzed, and cleaned plank-by-plank, before going back on permanent display in 2026.

Bizarre to learn from head honcho conservator Gretchen Anderson that in years past, museum-goers were able to touch the boat and even climb aboard—which definitely will be a no-go in the future.

#carnegiemuseums @carnegiemuseums #carnegieMNH @carnegiemnh
#carnegiemuseumofnaturalhistory #pittsburgh #ancientegypt #dahshurboat

On Indie Bookstore Day, a shout-out to some of my favorite independent booksellers, including NYC’s McNally Jackson and the Strand, Pittsburgh’s City Of Asylum, Material Books, and Penguin bookshop, the Island Bookstore in Duck and Corolla, and Manteo’s Downtown Books.

Love them all, but McNally Jackson will forever have my heart. I clocked countless hours at the original Soho location, writing in the cafe, wandering the stacks, and buying armloads of cut-price books in the bargain basement. Still have lower back twinges from lugging home way too many oversize art books from their annual sale, but no complaints!

#indiebookstoreday #mcnallyjackson @mcnallyjackson #strandbookstore @strandbookstore @cityofasylumpittsburgh #cityofasylum @penguinbookshop #material.books #sewickleyshops #shoplocalbookstores #littsburgh #lawrencevillemarkethouse @lvmarkethouse #downtownbooks @downtownbooksmto #manteo

On Indie Bookstore Day, a shout-out to some of my favorite independent booksellers, including NYC’s McNally Jackson and the Strand, Pittsburgh’s City Of Asylum, Material Books, and Penguin bookshop, the Island Bookstore in Duck and Corolla, and Manteo’s Downtown Books.

Love them all, but McNally Jackson will forever have my heart. I clocked countless hours at the original Soho location, writing in the cafe, wandering the stacks, and buying armloads of cut-price books in the bargain basement. Still have lower back twinges from lugging home way too many oversize art books from their annual sale, but no complaints!

#indiebookstoreday #mcnallyjackson @mcnallyjackson #strandbookstore @strandbookstore @cityofasylumpittsburgh #cityofasylum @penguinbookshop #material.books #sewickleyshops #shoplocalbookstores #littsburgh #lawrencevillemarkethouse @lvmarkethouse #downtownbooks @downtownbooksmto #manteo

Finally saw Fat Ham! Missed the sold-out NYC run of James Ijames’s Pulitzer Prize-winning reimagining of Hamlet, but caught the Pittsburgh premier at City Theatre and it was genius. Because revenge is mad hard, whether you’re the Prince of Denmark or a queer, Black college student dealing with a new stepdad/uncle. Plus an intriguing post-show talkback that touched on everything from the gayness in Shakespeare’s plays to the legitness of spectral visitations.

#fatham #hamily #jamesijames #citytheatre @city_theatre #pittsburgh #hamlet #shakespeare

Finally saw Fat Ham! Missed the sold-out NYC run of James Ijames’s Pulitzer Prize-winning reimagining of Hamlet, but caught the Pittsburgh premier at City Theatre and it was genius. Because revenge is mad hard, whether you’re the Prince of Denmark or a queer, Black college student dealing with a new stepdad/uncle. Plus an intriguing post-show talkback that touched on everything from the gayness in Shakespeare’s plays to the legitness of spectral visitations.

#fatham #hamily #jamesijames #citytheatre @city_theatre #pittsburgh #hamlet #shakespeare

I built Enzo Mari’s iconic Sedia 1 chair! All thanks to the super-talented Brittany Reilly and Jason Tracy of @hongkongtrees, who hosted the workshop/social and made construction as painless as possible. We hammered, discussed the famously contrarian, anti-consumerist Italian designer, nibbled on an Italian-inspired snack spread, and admired all of the Mari furniture designs built by the studio. Eccezionale!

#hongkongtrees #enzomari #sedia1chair #pittsburgh

I built Enzo Mari’s iconic Sedia 1 chair! All thanks to the super-talented Brittany Reilly and Jason Tracy of @hongkongtrees, who hosted the workshop/social and made construction as painless as possible. We hammered, discussed the famously contrarian, anti-consumerist Italian designer, nibbled on an Italian-inspired snack spread, and admired all of the Mari furniture designs built by the studio. Eccezionale!

#hongkongtrees #enzomari #sedia1chair #pittsburgh

Totality in Erie was … eerie. Birds going silent, a rapid drop in the temperature, then chilly darkness in the daytime. Absolutely a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so worth the trip and the traffic!

#eclipse #totality #erie

Totality in Erie was … eerie. Birds going silent, a rapid drop in the temperature, then chilly darkness in the daytime. Absolutely a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so worth the trip and the traffic!

#eclipse #totality #erie

Planned to celebrate leap year by leaping out of a plane on February 29th. Alas, OBX’s only skydiving school was closed for the season—really, who could have known?—so settled for walking on the beach, jumping on the tennis court, and writing in my version of the corner office. Same, same!

#obx #ducknorthcarolina #northcarolina #skydiving #leapyear

Planned to celebrate leap year by leaping out of a plane on February 29th. Alas, OBX’s only skydiving school was closed for the season—really, who could have known?—so settled for walking on the beach, jumping on the tennis court, and writing in my version of the corner office. Same, same!

#obx #ducknorthcarolina #northcarolina #skydiving #leapyear

Shakespeare’s OG First Folio at the Frick! Printed in 1623 and clocking in at 900 pages, it gathered together all 36 of the Bard’s plays in a single volume for the first time. Without the First Folio, half of Shakespeare’s plays—including Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Twelfth Night, and The Taming of the Shrew—would have been lost, which is why historians regard it as the most-important secular book ever. Of the 750 copies published, only 233 survived, but newly-discovered Folios still turn up on occasion and fetch in the millions at auction—no surprise that Saltburn namechecked a Folio during the long gallery scene. The @frickpittsburgh exhibit also includes very cool later Folios from 1632, 1663, and 1685, all on loan from the CMU Libraries.

#firstfolio #shakespeare #frick #frickpittsburgh #cmu #cmulibraries #saltburn #saltburnmovie

Shakespeare’s OG First Folio at the Frick! Printed in 1623 and clocking in at 900 pages, it gathered together all 36 of the Bard’s plays in a single volume for the first time. Without the First Folio, half of Shakespeare’s plays—including Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Twelfth Night, and The Taming of the Shrew—would have been lost, which is why historians regard it as the most-important secular book ever. Of the 750 copies published, only 233 survived, but newly-discovered Folios still turn up on occasion and fetch in the millions at auction—no surprise that Saltburn namechecked a Folio during the long gallery scene. The @frickpittsburgh exhibit also includes very cool later Folios from 1632, 1663, and 1685, all on loan from the CMU Libraries.

#firstfolio #shakespeare #frick #frickpittsburgh #cmu #cmulibraries #saltburn #saltburnmovie

Guten Tag, 2024! First time ringing in the New Year in the historic hamlet of Harmony (population: 921), and it was like stepping onto the set of a Hallmark Channel meet-cute holiday movie. As an homage to the town’s 19th-century Germanic roots, the day is chock full of Old World traditions, from a Christmas tree tossing contest to a screening of the cult comedy short film, Dinner for One, in the museum’s wine cellar. The best part of this NYE celebration: the ball drop and fireworks commence at 6 pm—which is midnight in Germany—so we were all home in time to take a disco nap before heading out to a friend’s 123123 party, with a very blinged-out @oakmontbakery cake in tow. Wunderbar!

@butlercountypa #butlercountypa #harmonypa #newyearseve #newyearseve2024 #hallmarkchannel #dinnerforone
#oakmontbakery #pittsburgh

Guten Tag, 2024! First time ringing in the New Year in the historic hamlet of Harmony (population: 921), and it was like stepping onto the set of a Hallmark Channel meet-cute holiday movie. As an homage to the town’s 19th-century Germanic roots, the day is chock full of Old World traditions, from a Christmas tree tossing contest to a screening of the cult comedy short film, Dinner for One, in the museum’s wine cellar. The best part of this NYE celebration: the ball drop and fireworks commence at 6 pm—which is midnight in Germany—so we were all home in time to take a disco nap before heading out to a friend’s 123123 party, with a very blinged-out @oakmontbakery cake in tow. Wunderbar!

@butlercountypa #butlercountypa #harmonypa #newyearseve #newyearseve2024 #hallmarkchannel #dinnerforone
#oakmontbakery #pittsburgh

Saw the zoo in a whole new light at the illuminated winter safari: the hand-crafted, silk-and-steel sculptures depict fantastical creatures and endangered + extinct animals.

#pittsburghzoo #pittsburghzoolights

Saw the zoo in a whole new light at the illuminated winter safari: the hand-crafted, silk-and-steel sculptures depict fantastical creatures and endangered + extinct animals.

#pittsburghzoo #pittsburghzoolights

Topping my best-of theater list for 2023: Akutagawa, a bunraku-inspired puppet play about Ryunosuke Akutagawa, the father of the modern Japanese short novel and textbook tortured writer. (A self-loathing, insomniac depressive, he committed suicide in 1927 at age 35. So … yeah.) But! Told through kuruma ningy�ō—a 170-year-old style of puppetry in which the puppeteer sits on a tiny wheeled cart and manipulates the puppet—by creators Koryu Nishikawa and Tom Lee, the multimedia vignettes find the hopefulness in Akutagawa’s bleak, bizarre stories.

#ryunosukeakutagawa #akutagawa #rashomon #koryunishikawa #tomlee

Topping my best-of theater list for 2023: Akutagawa, a bunraku-inspired puppet play about Ryunosuke Akutagawa, the father of the modern Japanese short novel and textbook tortured writer. (A self-loathing, insomniac depressive, he committed suicide in 1927 at age 35. So … yeah.) But! Told through kuruma ningyō—a 170-year-old style of puppetry in which the puppeteer sits on a tiny wheeled cart and manipulates the puppet—by creators Koryu Nishikawa and Tom Lee, the multimedia vignettes find the hopefulness in Akutagawa’s bleak, bizarre stories.

#ryunosukeakutagawa #akutagawa #rashomon #koryunishikawa #tomlee

Best post-holiday stress reliever: exploring the blooming botanicals and Victorian-era glass house architecture at Phipps Conservatory.

#phipps #phippsconservatory @phippsconservatory #pittsburgh

Best post-holiday stress reliever: exploring the blooming botanicals and Victorian-era glass house architecture at Phipps Conservatory.

#phipps #phippsconservatory @phippsconservatory #pittsburgh

.pro-gallery-wix-wrapper {display: block !important;} .pro-gallery-wix-wrapper .gallery-item-container {opacity: 1 !important; display: block !important;}

bottom of page