Pittsburgh Orbit

4 min read 2023-01-01 20:46:11

The Party’s Over: Sad Balloons

“L” is for Lying face down in the gutter under a bridge on the South Side. A sad balloon in its natural habitat. Is it lying or laying? I’ve

3 min read 2022-12-18 20:42:37

Li’l Red, rockin’ the flock. One of a slew of city chickens that roosted in Polish Hill throughout 2022. Something was brooding this year.

10 min read 2022-12-04 20:17:27

Have you seen the back? “Apt 2 in back”! (in the back). One of many terrific handmade or otherwise extraordinary address markers.

5 min read 2022-11-24 20:36:21

Be Thankful or BET HAN KFUL, your choice. Wall art, The Run Be Thankful. Those two words—or possibly three when rendered as BET / HAN / KFUL—are

5 min read 2022-11-13 20:55:40

Lovely Mary, meter maid. One of many “bathtub Marys” in greater McKees Rocks/Stowe Township To bathe, or not to bathe. That is the question. OK,

6 min read 2022-11-06 19:27:21

One of two sheet metal work sheds painted by the artist Coker, The Wizard of Perry South A blast of color. Soft pinks, big reds, cool blues and

4 min read 2022-10-23 19:34:25

“If the abundance of toppings is too much, ask for light toppings.” A pepperoni, sausage, and (half) green pepper pizza from Shelly Pie, Turtle

6 min read 2022-10-09 20:18:14

The Living Dead Museum: a cultural attraction that won’t cost you an arm and a leg Monroeville Mall is largely populated—if suffering the same

4 min read 2022-10-02 19:57:39

Brick/collage: the back side of a row house block with a lot going on. Lawrenceville Don’t tell Ms. Orbit, but your author has had a long-running

5 min read 2022-09-18 19:27:26

Love is for us old people, too. A “Crone” heart, Lawrenceville Aging, your author’s bluntly-honest, not-entirely-tactful, and dearly-missed

7 min read 2022-09-04 19:57:31

Zeppelin, baby! In stereo!! “The Maiden Flight of the ‘U.S.S. Akron.’ Sept. 23, 1931.” A stereoscopic view card with its characteristic

7 min read 2022-08-18 19:04:06

Artist Nathan Van Patter with his sculpture Moving Day 15104 We know it when we see it. And if you live in Pittsburgh, you see it all the

5 min read 2022-08-14 20:26:04

Every meal is a bowling banquet—with or without the 40s of Colt—when you dine on Ohio Valley pizza. Photo from the men’s room at Ricky

6 min read 2022-07-31 19:18:05

The Sistine Chapel of mixed-media DIY home repair. Etna With apologies to Joni Mitchell, I’ve looked at life with both sidings nowFake stone,

8 min read 2022-07-17 19:29:55

Pretty sure that’s not a barber school, but now we have to question everything. A mystery sign in Kilbuck Township So many questions! One chunk of