Invitation: Creative Collective

I have an idea, but it requires your help and contribution for it to become a reality.

As I have been building my networking base for On The Vine, I've met so many cool cats with an awesome skill set within their respective niche of the creative field. It is those said niches that are the basis of my idea -- the formation of a creative collective.

Recap: Day #2 of Polish Hill Arts Festival

I was sooo thrilled to be able to attend Day#2 of the Polish Hill Arts Festival and meet so many amazing folks at the artist market and at the Civic Association. I'm sold and definitely want to take up residence in this wonderfully eclectic and friendly, community-oriented neighborhood.

Recap: Day #1 of Polish Hill Arts Festival

(Beautiful sunset view of neighborhood by Polish Hill’s Mark Knobil; postcards available at: http://www.phcapgh.org/phca-gear.html)

I had a beautiful afternoon yesterday on Polish Hill for their 3rd Annual Arts Festival. This year, lots to do and see with the addition of Free4All Music Festival by Project 53 and all the new local businesses -- Urban Gypsy, Lili Coffee Shop, The Copacetic Comics Company & Mind Cure Records. Pop City said it best: Punks, nuns and pierogies: Polish Hill is not just for kielbasa anymore.

Recap: Rivers of Steel - Babuskas & Hard Hats Tour

Photo from Rivers of Steel Archive, Mark Fallon Collection, women in Babuskas posing in front of the Carrie Furnaces: http://riversofsteel.pastperfect-online.com/32278cgi/mweb.exe?request=record;id=90FC3B9A-66DE-4DDF-9308-118872677844;type=102 (Beware: clicking on 'Random Image Search' may result in the loss of several hours to viewing thousands of fascinating images:)

Ever wonder why there is an abnormally high amount of hometown & neighborhood pride in Pgh? Or, why the love of the Stillers is in the DNA of every homegrown & transplant resident alike? Or, why there are so many bars in South Side? Or, why Pgh weddings have a cookie table? Or, the history behind the Hot Metal Bridge and its namesake? Or, what all those industrial relics are called and what they were originally purposed for that line our city's trail system and reclaimed brown areas (like Station Square, The Waterfront, South Side Works, etc)?

Then, I highly recommend taking the Rivers of Steel Babuskas & Hard Hats Tour. In addition to answering to the aforementioned questions, you'll also quickly discover that our great city was build with the blood, sweat and tears of several generations of men & women in this geologically and culturally unique, mini-melting pot of a region where the Three Rivers meet.
http://www.riversofsteel.com/things-to-do/event/babushkas-and-hard-hats-tour/

Celebrating the 1st Amendment Right to Freely Rant... er, I mean, Freedom of Speech

Happy fireworks day, On The Vine readers! Hope that you enjoy all the oohs-n-aahs (pretty lights and resounding boom-booms) of this most monumentus day in the history of our country.

This post is a recap of and expansion upon a conversation had while road-tripping for this holiday weekend. One of the topics that got my blood pumping was the lack of etiquette of written communication via the internet, specifically via social media outlets. Some are the results of the etiquette that is still evolving around social media, others are just the omissions of well-defined/established etiquette because it's being used in a new medium. Still others, are just the virtual manifestation of some people's strange and off-putting communication idiosyncrasies; their general lack of people skills that now weird you out online as well as in-person.

To (possibly) help along the continued evolution of said etiquette and shed light on/create awareness for the poor uses and neglect of it, --  hence, restoring a shred of my sanity from the many irritations of poor communication habits -- I present you with this post on social media pet-peeves, in no particular order (for now). Enjoy... or feel free to skip if you're up to your eyeballs in people ranting already:)