Happy Birthday to my Cousin Rachel Carson

Rachel Carson Family Tree

Rachel Carson is my cousin and I’m pleased as punch. Today, May 27, is her birthday so I am finally publishing my little tribute to our family connection. I’ve spent most of my life having little to no information on the family of my great-grandmother, Jane Rice Remley. Her story was a mystery of half-hidden […]

Read These Northside #AMPLIFY Stories

Pittsburgh map - Northside highlighted in pink

We are in the midst of a fundraiser to organize AMPLIFY outreach throughout the 18 neighborhoods of the Northside. This will include working with the GSA at Perry Traditional Academy and other community groups. Now the Q&A does not ask about specific neighborhoods; we simply ask people to identity their county affiliations. But some people […]

Review and Q&A with Motive Salon on #NorthsidePgh

While I was recovering from my hysterectomy, I had to find a new hair stylist. So I turned to Facebook and asked for a referral to a stylist who was queer friendly and used organic, cruelty free products. That spawned a huge discussion. Some people thought gay friendly was the same as queer friendly (it […]

Can We Find 11 New #AMPLIFY Donors to Celebrate 11 Years on Facebook?

Tuesday, July 19 will mark 11 years since I joined Facebook. This past May, I celebrated 10 years on Twitter. That’s a lot of content created and shared.  In that time, I’ve gone through three laptops, a tablet, and six phones. I took a closer look at the OP I shared and was (not) surprised […]

Amplify LGBTQ Voices from Pittsburgh’s Northside Because We Believe In Our Back Yards

We have a very special opportunity right now to receive a 100% match from the Buhl Foundation for a one-time hyperlocal AMPLIFY blitz. This is an extension of the One Northside project. A few weeks ago, I was asked to identify LGBTQ resources on the Northside – from any or all of the 18 neighborhoods. […]

Fish Fry Friday: Riverview Presbyterian Church (Perry North) – Part One

Welcome to Fish Fry Fridays, 2018 Edition! Click here to learn more about this project. Name: Riverview Presbyterian Church (Perry North) Date: February 23, 2018 Time We Ate: really late Random review of #fishburgh adventures during Lent. Find a fish fry on this map! You can also follow them on Facebook and find tons of reviews and suggestions. And vote in The Incline’s […]

Kierra Darshell’s PittsburghDrag Brunch Wraps Up James Street Run, Plans to Relocate

Drag Brunch Pittsburgh

I have been a longtime fan of Kierra Darshell, Pittsburgh’s First Lady of Drag. When she brought the region’s first regular drag brunch show to the Northside in 2015, I was very happy. I’m a daytime gal, not a nightlife lady (are those things?) so drag at noon is my idea of fun. Soon it […]

I Owe Allegheny West Neighbors an Apology

I Owe Allegheny West Neighbors an Apology

On October 19, I wrote a blog post about the looming closure of James Street Tavern, loosely based on a FB post I had created the night before. In that post, I incorrectly identified the James Street neighborhood as Allegheny West. I was wrong – it is East Allegheny. And that matters because each neighborhood […]

Bier’s Pub to Host Happy Hour Supporting SisTers PGH, AMPLIFY on Friday, November 17

The folks at Bier’s Pub invite the LGBTQ community and allies to an evening of fine craft brew, drink specials, and appetizers, hosted by Northside neighbor Brian O’Neill columnist with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The Happy Hour proceeds will benefit two important LGBTQ projects. SisTers PGH focuses on the needs of homeless transgender neighbors throughout the […]

Impact of the Closure of James St Gastropub and Speakeasy – My Opinion

Impact of the Closure of James St Gastropub and Speakeasy – My Opinion

Wednesday, James Street Gastropub and Speakeasy announced that they are closing permanently on November 11, 2017. You can read more details in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette piece. I’ve been reading a lot of responses on Facebook and beyond. I’m struck by the power of the clash between those who see this as a personal decision and those […]