Over the Hills and Far Away

Dancing through life

2011-05-24T09:49:00.000-07:00

I'm about to quote a Wicked song for the second time on this blog, so non-Broadway geeks beware!

"Dancing through life Skimming the surface Gliding where turf is smooth For the brainless Why think too hard? When it's so soothing Dancing through life"

Did you notice the third line of that song excerpt? Gliding where turf is smooth. I think this line perfectly describes Pittsburgh's favorite Dancing with the Stars competitor, Steelers' wide receiver Hines Ward. Lately, #86 has been gliding on relatively smooth turf (aha, football reference!) while dancing through his life off the field. This season Hines has been more than just a participant on the long running reality show. He has consistently been one of the highest scoring competitors, and the only other celebrities left to compete against him are actresses Chelsea Kane and Kirstie Alley.
I'll be the first to admit that I have not been following Hines regularly during his run on DWTS. I had never been an avid fan of the show prior to his appearance, and I just couldn't find the time to watch one of my favorite Steelers shake his booty on the dance floor. Additionally, it seemed that every time I turned to the show some random celebrity that was not Hines was dancing. Frankly, I didn't care to see Kendra Wilkinson pathetically try to ballroom dance!
Now, before you navigate away from my blog because of my lack of loyalty to Hines, read this next sentence. Recently, I've been paying a lot more attention to Hines and his dancing escapades. I started tuning in once I discovered that his partner, professional dancer Kym Johnson, had been injured during practice. I wondered how the pair would come back from Johnson's potentially serious injury. (Hines practically dropped Kym on her head during rehearsal...ouch!) So, I tuned in, and I was not disappointed. I learned what many other Burghers had known for awhile: Hines was pretty darn good at this whole dancing thing. Heck, he could even try out for the part of Fiyero. (Virtual high five if you got that Wicked reference). Now that Hines is in the top three, I'm hooked. My competitive spirit that is so present during Steelers' season has returned with a vengeance. A loss by Hines is simply not an option. Tonight, I'll be waving my Terrible Towel at my TV, while hoping and praying that Hines comes out on top. What better way to cure my depression from the Steelers' Super loss than a wicked win by Hines?!

P.S. This Wicked themed post was inspired by my excitement over the musical's return to the Burgh! Galinda and Elphaba will land in the Steel City on September 7, and they won't fly back to Oz (actually, they'll fly to their next tour stop: Atlanta) until October 2. As you can probably tell, Wicked is my very favorite musical, and I am determined to find a way home from college to see the show. When I do see it for the second time (I saw it for the first time last year in New York), it will be one fine day! (aha, another reference!)

A Steeler worth rooting for:

2011-05-04T12:12:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you have heard the uproar that Steelers' running back Rashard Mendenhall has created with his recent Tweets about Osama bin Laden's death. Unfortunately, "Rush hard" has done a pretty good job of making both himself and the Steelers organization look purty bad. He's certainly not the first Steeler to get himself on a prime spot on the "naughty" list (Ahem, Big Ben and Santonio Holmes). But, I'm here to assure you that the Steelers aren't full of silly gooses. Of course, we usually only hear about the silly gooses that make the headlines for their mistakes. Pittsburgh's favorite football team is full of great guys who truly make a difference in their community. Such as,
A.) The 'Burgh's favorite Dancing with the Stars contestant, Hines Ward. Pretty much everyone in Steeler Nation loves #86 and apparently so do the ballroom dancing star's judges.
B.) Head and Shoulders spokesman Troy Polamalu. Pittsburgher's love Troy's flowing locks and his humorous spots for the shampoo company.
But, now, I have another player to add to the Steelers' list of players on the "nice" list. During the recent NFL draft, the team selected former Texas Tech running back Baron Batch. I have to admit that I dislike the draft almost as much as I like the Steelers. I simply don't understand why it's made into such a huge media circus, and quite frankly, I pay very little attention to the whole thing. In fact, before reading a recent post on That's Church, I didn't even realize that the Steelers had drafted Batch. Although, even those diehard fans who watched every second of the draft might not have realized that Batch was drafted. The running back was selected in the seven round, and he will face a tough path the next few months to make it on the team. But this will certainly not be the first time Batch has faced tough circumstances. Simply take a glance at his blog to take a peek at his amazing and inspiring life story. I can almost guarantee that you'll stick around the blog for awhile. He's a phenomenal writer with a great, big heart, which is very evident through his posts. One thing is certain -- I'll be keeping up with his blog even if he doesn't make the team. In fact, I'm certain that even if he doesn't have a successful football career he will find something positive and inspiring to do with the rest of his life!
Go Baron! I mean, how can you not root for him?
(And you, go read his blog!)

Sunshine > Winning

2011-04-24T16:39:00.000-07:00

Demolished.
That's a pretty good word to describe the result of the Pens' playoff game on Saturday. They were shut out for most of the game, but managed to score two measly goals by the final buzzer and lost 8-2 to Tampa. My co-worker and I had sneakily changed the radio station to 105.9 (the radio home of the Pens), but we reverted to our usual station once the enemies scored their fifth unanswered goal. We refused to suffer through any more of that nonsense! Of course, I was shocked and saddened by the result of the game. The Pens could have clinched the series with a win, despite the absence of the two-headed monster. Now, they will attempt to clinch tomorrow night back in sunny Florida.
After a few minutes of mourning, I quickly realized the reason behind my favorite team's lack of motivation: sunny Florida. Surely, the guys understood that a loss meant another trip to south Florida. They probably salivated at the thought of one more chance to soak up some rays in Tampa and look up at a sunny, blue sky. I can hardly blame them. At this point, I would do almost anything to get away from this gloomy excuse for "spring weather" (see below post). Given the chance, I think I would choose another day staring at the Florida sunshine over a few more days staring at the gray clouds here, too. So, if the Pens clinch the series tomorrow and stop the Lightning with some Flower power, I'll feel a little better about their Saturday suckitude. After all, I would probably choose sunshine and a Game 6 win over continued torture from Pittsburgh's weather gods.
Now, excuse me while I search for the next flight to the Sunshine State...

I love Pittsburgh, but...

2011-04-08T10:02:00.000-07:00

...I can't take this crazy weather anymore!

Rain. Snow. Clouds. Hail. TORNADOES.

This is certainly not the weather I have been hoping and praying for months. According to the calendar, we're eight days into April and it's officially spring. By this time of year the sun should be shining and the temperatures should be steadily climbing. Instead, the sun seems to be hibernating and the temperatures seem to be dropping, not rising. Perhaps Western Pennsylvanians did something to offend Mother Nature? Mother Nature, I hope you read this blog, because I just wanted to tell you on behalf of all Pittsburghers that WE'RE SORRY. Now, can you please send some springy weather? Pretty please? With sugar on top and a cherry?

Because as much as I love Pittsburgh, I want nothing more than a plane ticket and hotel reservation in somewhere like this...

Hawaii

Turks and Caicos

Hmm, maybe my apology was accepted, because it seems that the weather will be getting a little brighter over the next few days.

Ok, well maybe just on Sunday. 80 degrees...woooohooo! Severe thunderstorms you say? But it will be warm! That's a step in the right direction! I do realize that April is a crazy month for weather and is known as the "rainy month," but come on! I think I can speak for all Western Pennsylvanians when I say BRING ON SPRING!

Please and thank you.

It's official!

2011-04-05T09:55:00.000-07:00

Today, director Christopher Nolan officially announced that he will be filming part of the next installment in the Batman series in Pittsburgh! Rumors have been swirling about Batman in the 'Burgh for months, and I've even blogged about them myself. I was beyond thrilled to learn that the rumors have been confirmed! In case you haven't heard some of the upcoming movie's stars will be...

Christian Bale

Anne Hathaway

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Marion Cotillard

Tom Hardy

When you're in the city this summer, keep an eye out for the Batmobile flying down Fifth Avenue!

A bit of heaven in the 'Burgh

2011-04-02T08:31:00.000-07:00

About 30 minutes east of downtown Pittsburgh there is a bakery that has been sent from above. Sweet is primarily known for its ice cream, but I recently discovered their cake balls. AKA pieces of heaven here on Earth. Imagine for a second...your favorite kind of cake mixed with icing, covered in chocolate. Is your mouth watering yet?

I chose the peanut butter (on right) and red velvet flavors. I would highly recommend both. Like I said, they're heaven on earth!

Even though I only recently tasted Sweet's delicious cake balls, I'm no stranger to the idea of them. I've been a longtime follower of the blog Bakerella, even though my attempts at creating the site's treats have always failed. The blogger always makes my mouth water with the pictures of her delicious desserts! While reading her blog one day I discovered her recipes for cake balls. I experimented with the recipe for red velvet cake balls, but it failed miserable. Let's just say that baking is not my forte. Anyways, Bakerella eventually came up with a recipe for cake pops that has become world famous. She wrote a book about them, and they are now sold in Starbucks cafes! I'm almost certain that Sweet got the idea for cake balls from Bakerella, and I'm so thrilled that I finally got to taste the delicousness I have been reading about for years!

So here I am recommending even more unhealthy food for you! But just like Pamela's pancakes, Sweet's cake balls are simply delectable. Go to sweet right now and taste one of the closest things to heaven on earth!

Penguins & Cheescake

2011-03-25T10:02:00.000-07:00

The weekend is almost upon us, and I can't wait for it to begin!

I have a very busy and exciting weekend ahead of me, including an entire day spent downtown on Sunday. My dad and I have tickets to the Penguins game, and afterwards, we'll be eating dinner at the Cheesecake Factory in the South Side Works (pictured at left). Mmm, hockey and cheesecake. Two of my absolute favorite things!

I love watching hockey games at the Consol Energy Center and chowing down on delicious cuisine, but I also love simply being downtown. It's no secret that I love the 'Burgh, and I truly enjoy every opportunity I get to hang out in the city. I love watching all the fans walk towards the arena on a "hockey afternoon in Pittsburgh." While the sports are certainly one of the best things about the 'Burgh (besides the baseball team that shall not be named), I think the unity the teams cause is even better. Thousands of people joining together and cheering for their favorite team in a beautiful new rink is an amazing thing to see. Sure, sports teams in all cities bring fans together, but the unity of fans is even more apparent in the 'Burgh.

Meanwhile, the Cheesecake Factory brings people for different reasons, such as hungry tummies and chocolate cravings. My mouth starts watering simply thinking about their food, but I also look forward to walking around the South Side Works. All of the shops are unique and interesting, and they provide a great distraction while waiting for a table at the restaurant. Additionally, the views of the skyline from across the river are some of the best in the 'Burgh!

I'll be posting some pictures from my Sunday in the city next week, so stay tuned!

Craving Pamela's.....

2011-03-13T11:43:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite places in Pittsburgh is Pamela's Diner. The pancakes...crepes...home fries...ahhh it's all so good! If you have never been there, you need to go! Right now! Drop everything and go to Pamela's! Ok, you probably can't do that, but you really should make plans to stop by Pamela's for breakfast or lunch sometime soon. There are six locations in the Pittsburgh area so I'm sure you can find one close to you!

My inspiration for this very tasty blog post strangely came from a Denny's commercial that I saw last night! Denny's must have paid NBC some serious dough for all the commercials they ran during Saturday Night Live last night. Anyways, after I saw all the commercials last night I got a craving for pancakes. Not Denny's pancakes, Pamela's pancakes! I guess the commercials' didn't have the effect on me that they were meant to. Unfortunately, I had to settle for King's pancakes this morning, which are not even comparable to the delectable hotcakes at Pamela's. But my dad did promise a trip to Pamela's very soon, and I can't wait! I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!

The home of the best pancakes in the 'Burgh gained national attention when President Obama stopped by on a campaign stop in Pittsburgh. The future Commander-in-Chief was so fond of the Pamela's pancakes and home fries that he asked the diner's owners to prepare breakfast at the White House! After overcoming some obstacles (like the differences between the grills at Pamela's and the grills at the White House), they made a delicious breakfast for a Memorial Day event in D.C. Apparently 'Burghers aren't the only ones who love eating breakfast at Pamela's!

I hope I made you very hungry! Now, go mark "breakfast at Pamela's" on your calendar :)

Yada, yada, yada

2011-03-04T10:07:00.000-08:00

He was the star of one of the most popular sitcoms in television history, and now he's coming to Pittsburgh! Jerry Seinfeld won't be bringing George, Kramer and Elaine with him, but he will be bringing his hilarious sense of humor. One of America's favorite stand-up comedians will be in Pittsburgh on April 23 for two shows -- one at 7:00 and the other at 9:00. The first show sold out quickly so the second show was added to accommodate all the Pittsburghers who want to see the Superman obsessed comedian.

Even though I was a young tyke during the iconic show's run, I'm still a huge fan. I grew up watching reruns of the show with my parents, especially my Seinfeld obsessed dad. For a "show about nothing," it has left a pretty big impact on my life. I always look forward to watching the show with my dad and cracking up at the gang's crazy antics. I really, really want to go see Seinfeld live with my dad and bond while laughing over his jokes about everyday life! Looks like I better get my tickets fast before they're sold out for the second show...

Simply Golden

2011-02-27T12:12:00.000-08:00

Normally, I don't get very excited about the Academy Awards. Of course, I enjoy seeing all the celebs' gorgeous dresses and all the men looking dapper in their suits but typically the Oscars are a long, boring affair that I could care less about. Here's a few reasons why:
-They start too late and take WAY too long.
-All the movies are "critically acclaimed" pieces that real people don't actually see (usually).
-The winners' speeches are ridiculously long and boring.
-I just don't care.

However, this year is different because of two major factors:
Factor A) The hosts -- James Franco and Anne Hathaway. They're both young, attractive and likable actors, and I am truly looking forward to seeing them host Hollywood's biggest night. For those reasons, I think the Academy's selection of the two actors was superb. And of course, having them as hosts will bring in a slew of young viewers who wouldn't normally watch the Oscars -- like me!
Factor B) The movies -- For the first time ever, I have seen three of the movies nominated for Best Picture. The King's Speech (Simply superb, Colin Firth better win that Oscar), The Social Network (It was so much more than just "The Facebook movie" and also, Andrew Garfield is REALLY attractive) and of course, Toy Story 3 (best. movie. ever.) I genuinely care about the biggest award of the night because I want one of the three movies that I've seen and fallen in love with to win. And while I haven't seen Black Swan (and never plan to) or 127 Hours, I care about those movies because I like the actors who star in them (Natalie Portman and James Franco respectively). Granted, I like Natalie Portman because I loved No Strings Attached and I like James Franco because he's gorgeous, but hey, I'm still rooting for them.

I know that the Oscars don't have a lot to do with Pittsburgh, but I didn't title this post Far Away from the Burgh because one of the Best Picture nominees has a big connection to the Burgh. The hiker portrayed by James Franco in 127 Hours is Carnegie Mellon graduate Aron Ralston. He will give the commencement speech at the university's graduation ceremony on May 15. That's another reason to root for James Franco and 127 Hours! Look for more posts about the Burgh later this week, and until then enjoy all of the Oscar hoopla!

Left: James Franco and Right: Aron Ralston (Yes, I managed to get two pictures of James Franco in one post.)

P.S. Check out collegehumor.com's hilarious article "Honest Movie Titles: Oscars 2011." My personal favorite is their Toy Story 3 title. So. True.

Don't you want a blog post?

2011-02-24T15:05:00.000-08:00

Hello, Internet. It's been awhile!

When I realized that it's been a week since my last blog post, I knew that I had to post immediately! Not much has happened in the 'Burgh in the last week, and lately I've had a minor case of writer's block. So here's some randomness from the City of Champions...

*Wait, did I just type that "not much has happened in the 'Burgh in the last week"?! Oops! FAIL. Unless you have been living under a rock somewhere in Boyce Park the last seven days, you know that the Penguins made some blockbuster moves. A) Defenseman Alex Goligoski was booted to Dallas in exchange for left winger James Neal and defenseman Matt Niskanen. B) Alex Kovalev is headed back to the 'Burgh after he was acquired from the Senators for a conditional 2011 7th round draft pick. Woot, woot! If only Siddo and Geno were healthy...
But wait! Because the Pens don't have enough star players on the injured reserve list (yep, that's Internet sarcasm), defenseman Brooks Orpik will now be out four weeks with a broken finger. First my Sidney, now my Brooksy! Oh my, being a Pens fan is truly an exciting, yet stressful time right now! Because we can't seem to remember how to win either.

Anyways...

*Looks like that whole "new Batman movie filming in the 'Burgh" thing is pretty legit. One of the recent posts on That's Church posted a picture of Dark Knight producer Christopher Nolan chilling on Smithfield Street. Not a big deal. (Again with the Internet sarcasm) Now, with all the current drama with the Pittsburgh film office, this whole thing has still not been confirmed. But the director's chilling in the 'Burgh which sure seems like a good sign. Cue the Batmobile!

And that is all. Hope your Over the Hills fix has been satisfied!

P.S. Yes, this post's title was inspired by this week's episode of Glee. Lea Michele and Darren Criss sang an awesome version of "Don't You Want Me." Oh, to sing as well as those two can...
Check the full scene out below:

...And that's really all!

The Off Season

2011-02-17T10:14:00.001-08:00

Now that their season has come to an end, the Steelers have begun their six month off season. But they're not the only ones in Pittsburgh relishing in the offseason.

It's also the off season for Pittsburgh's three amusement parks - Kennywood, Idlewild and Sandcastle!

Today's issue of the Tribune Review featured an interesting article about Kennywood and the other parks in their winter off season. It was very cool to read about what workers at the parks do during the winter and how they prepare for the upcoming summer months. Be sure to check out the article while you're waiting for Kennywood to open once again!

Pittsburgh = Gotham City

2011-02-14T13:11:00.000-08:00

Da na na na na na....Batman!

Looks like Batman will be landing in the 'Burgh to film the latest installment of the movie series, The Dark Knight Rises. The movie will be filming in both Pittsburgh and Los Angeles this summer and will wrap up in New York in November. Christian Bale will be reprising his role as the title character, Bruce Wayne, and big name stars Anne Hathaway and Joseph Gordon-Levitt will co-star in the third movie in the series. Hathaway is set to play Catwoman, but Gordon-Levitt's role is yet to be determined. Although, MTV has some ideas about who he could play. Stay tuned for more info on the 'Burgh's transformation into Gotham City!

Concussed

2011-02-11T10:22:00.000-08:00

See this guy on the left? You might recognize him. His name is Sidney Crosby. He plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins, but for the last month he's been M.I.A. When I first heard that Sidney had a concussion way back in January, I thought he'd be back in a few days or weeks. Oh, how wrong I was. He has now missed 15 games, and his return isn't in sight. In a press conference yesterday, he announced that he is unsure if he will even play again this season.

Let's go wayyy back to January 6. You'll recall that on that day Sidney was diagnosed with a mild concussion and was projected to be out for about a week. Apparently, that projection was wrong.

At first, I was upset about his prolonged absence. Even though we have been playing relatively well without him, it's never good to have your captain and star player out of the lineup. However, I realized that this was not just any old injury. It was a brain injury. Rumor has it that Sidney suffered two brain injuries in consecutive games against the Capitals and Lightning. Brain injuries are serious business, and you don't need to be a neurosurgeon to figure that out. To learn more about Sidney's injury, I headed to WebMD and read their article on concussions. The article says "Some symptoms last for just seconds; others may linger." Obviously, in Sid's case the symptoms have lasted a lot longer than a few seconds.

I'm a hockey fan, but I'm also a caring and compassionate person. I want Sid to come back for the good of the team, but I realize that his health is much more important than winning or losing. After all, losing a few games is a lot better than losing a great player like #87 forever. So, get well soon Sidney, and don't come back to the ice before your noggin is ready! :)

Far away from the 'Burgh...

2011-02-08T12:14:00.000-08:00

400 miles south of Pittsburgh is the city of Winston Salem, North Carolina. The city is home to Wake Forest University, and one amazing college baseball coach. The Demon Deacons' head baseball coach, Tom Walter, put his belief that a team is like a family into action. Check your pulse if this story doesn't bring you close to tears and/or restore your faith in humanity!

I'm sending a virtual high five to Mr. Walters for being an amazing coach and an even better person. During the upcoming college baseball season, I'll be keeping a close eye on Wake Forest and cheering the team and their awesome coach onto victory!

Depressed, yet Optimistic

2011-02-06T19:28:00.000-08:00

What is this feeling so sudden and new? I felt the moment the clock struck 0:00. My pulse is rushing, the tears are coming, oh what is this feeling? Painful as can be, does it have a name? Losing. Losing. Losing. Losing. Losing.

Well, that was rough. As a Pittsburgher, I am not familiar with this strange emotion called.....losing. I don't like it. I want it to go away. I want to hop in Michael J. Fox's time capsule and change the result of the game. I want the Steelers to be lifting the Lombardi trophy. I want Roger Goodell to be handing Big Ben the MVP award. But, alas, I am being too greedy. I can't go back in time and change the final score. Green Bay played a good game, and unlike the Steelers they didn't have any costly turnovers. Despite the loss, the Steelers still have more Super Bowl victories than any other team in the NFL. They may not have reached 7th Heaven, but they still proudly represent Sixburgh. As my dad consoled my broken heart after the game he reminded me of that fact. And that we still have the Penguins and the Stanley Cup playoffs to look forward to. Like a bad breakup, this loss is going to be hard to recover from, but as a Pittsburgher I know that I can persevere. After all, I've dealt with an entire lifetime of losing from the Pirates. And after being so blessed sports-wise in recent years, I guess it's time that the City of Champions share the thrill of victory with another city. At least until it's time for Gary Bettman to hand the winning captain the Stanley Cup...

...then I would like to be the City of Champions once more.

Glass half full.....glass half full.....

TK & the Terrible Towel

2011-02-05T10:38:00.000-08:00

#Pens Kennedy with the Terrible Towel during an intermission ... on Twitpic

TK cheering on the Steelers! Here we go!!!

Walking in Pittsburgh

2011-02-05T07:34:00.000-08:00

I LOVE this song/video! It details so many of the things that make the 'Burgh great, and it also showcases CMU grad Tim Ruff's amazing voice. As a writer, I'm also very impressed with the creative way Ruff re-wrote the lyrics to the popular song "Walking in Memphis." This is the perfect song to get Steeler Nation pumped for the biggest game of the year and remind everyone what's so great about the 'Burgh!

Don't forget to get the free download of "Walking in Pittsburgh," and check out Ruff's debut CD!

P.S. The video already has over 81,000 views on YouTube! Be sure to share it with all the 'Burghers you know to get that number even higher :)

2 more days!

2011-02-04T12:41:00.000-08:00

After two weeks of waiting, Super Bowl XLV is now only two days away! After all the hype and intense media analysis surrounding the big game, it is a little over 48 hours away. According to my estimations, at least 75% of the student and faculty population at my high school was decked out in black and gold -- jerseys, t-shirts, jewelry and terrible towels! It was an awesome sight to behold. Hopefully, we'll all dig out more black and gold apparel on Monday amidst our joy over the team's seventh Super Bowl victory. And if the Steelers don't reach 7th Heaven...well, Western Pennsylvania will be one very down and depressed place. So let's cross our fingers and hope for the best!

Some random notes about the black and gold...

*Of course I'll be cheering on the Steelers on Sunday, but I'm sure there are some football fans without ties to either team who are still wondering who to root for. ESPN columnist Rick Reilly (one of my favorite sportswriters) says that the Steelers and Packers are the exact same team, which makes it hard to pick a side. Check out the article and try to read it from an unbiased perspective ;)

*Meanwhile, the unexpected wintry weather continues to wreak havoc in Dallas, which is hosting the Super Bowl. Pictures of the icy weather look like scenes from Pittsburgh, not north Texas!

*I stumbled upon a website featuring NFL soccer jerseys. If these jerseys really existed I would definitely be ordering one instead of writing this blog post! Check out the Steelers' soccer jersey:

I hope you enjoyed the links! Try not to go too crazy waiting for kickoff on Sunday! And of course...Go Steelers!

More super gleeful news!

2011-02-02T11:52:00.001-08:00

Here's some more Glee/Super Bowl news...

Glee star Matthew Morrison, who plays the glee club director, revealed who he thinks will win the big game on Sunday. Drum roll please...

Morrison picked the Steelers! He said that he thinks they will win because of their defense and key player Troy Polamalu. Morrison also boldly predicted that the black and gold will win by 17 points. I sure hope he's right! He may not be a permanent member of Steeler nation like Seth Meyers (see below post), but it's nice to see another one of my favorite celebrities supporting the black and gold.

In other news, the Penguins are now without three of their four centers. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin remain out of the lineup with injuries and now Mark Letestu has injured his knee. Jordan Staal is the only starting center left standing, and luckily the NHL did not suspend him after he was given a match penalty for punching an opposing player last night. Here's to hoping the other three centers will return to the ice soon!

Live from Pittsburgh...

2011-01-31T18:08:00.001-08:00

Did you know that Saturday Night Live cast member/head writer/Weekend Update host Seth Meyers is a Steelers fan?! As a huge fan of both SNL and the Steelers, I was elated when I discovered that Seth is a member of Steelers nation!
If you're not familiar with Seth's comic genius -- well, you've really been missing out. So check out his latest Weekend Update segment, 2010 monologue at the ESPY awards and this review of his visit to Happy Valley last year. I'm crossing my fingers that he'll return to Happy Valley sometime during my upcoming four years there!

Here's a snippet from an interview with Seth in the Post Gazette about his loyalty to the black and gold:

Go Steelers!

wordle, wordle, wordle!

2011-01-31T10:31:00.001-08:00

Today, I was introduced to the website Wordle. The website creates word clouds from provided text. You can create a Wordle about anything you want -- your personal interests, an interesting article, your favorite sports team's roster, etc.

Here's a Wordle all about me...

Here's another Wordle that features the Pittsburgh Penguins' roster...

You can click on the images to make them bigger and easier to read. Enjoy!

Here We Go!

2011-01-30T16:28:00.000-08:00

Here's the 2010-2011 version of the Pittsburgh Steelers' fight song!

Lyrics:

Here we go
Here we go
Here we go, Steelers
Here we go
Pittsburgh’s going to the super bowl
Here we go

Cheer the Steelers
Black and the gold
Here we go
It’s town of Pittsburgh’s heart and soul
Here we go
The Steelers nation has the best fans
We are from Pittsburgh the six time super bowl champs

Here we go
Here we go
Here we go, Steelers
Here we go
Pittsburgh’s going to the superbowl

Coach Tomlin is ready to win
With Ward, Miller, Wallace and Ben
We’ll go to Mendenhall to get a touch down
And if you get in his way he’s going to knock you around

Here we go
Here we go
Here we go, Steelers
Here we go
Pittsburgh’s going to the superbowl

Now the offense is ready to score
And there’s one thing we know for sure
If we don’t get it in the end zone
We’ll get 3 points off of Suisham’s toe

Here we go
Here we go
Here we go, Steelers
Here we go
Pittsburgh’s going to the superbowl
Here we go

We’ve got Harrison, Smith and Hampton
Polamalu, Ike and Timmons
The other team won’t gain any ground
Because the defense is gonna bring the steel curtain down

Here we go
Here we go
Here we go, Steelers
Here we go
Pittsburgh’s going to the superbowl
Here we go

Super Gleeful news!

2011-01-30T10:06:00.000-08:00

Next Sunday just got even better!

In addition to my hometown team playing in the Super Bowl, one of my favorite singers/actresses will be performing during the pre-game festivities. Singer/actress Lea Michele from the hit TV show will be singing "America the Beautiful" before the big game. Singers such as Faith Hill, Mary J. Blige and Ray Charles have previously performed the song at the Super Bowl. Not only will Michele be singing at the game, her hit show's much hyped sports themed episode will air post-game!

On Michele's Twitter, she wrote "So excited to sing at the Superbowl!!!! It's gonna be so much fun!!! See you soon Dallas!!!"

If the Steelers win their record seventh Super Bowl, next Sunday night will truly be a gleeful occasion!

Born Into Steeler Nation

2011-01-29T08:30:00.001-08:00

Newborns at St. Clair Hospital in Mt. Lebanon, PA
Credit: Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Bob Crytzer

Awwww! Here's a picture that oozes both cuteness and black and gold pride!

Congratulations to the parents of the newest members of Steeler Nation, and of course, Go Steelers!

Weekly Hat Trick

2011-01-28T10:22:00.000-08:00

On the Pens...

Despite the absence of superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin from this weekend's NHL All Star game festivities, other superstars will be introduced. You're probably thinking: Of course! There will be many other NHL all stars in North Carolina! Sid and Geno aren't hockey's only stars. But I'm not talking about hockey players. I'm talking about the new superheroes that will be introduced the day before the All Star game. The league partnered with Marvel Comics and legendary artist Stan Lee to create Marvel-esque characters for each of the 30 NHL teams. The project has been dubbed the Guardian Project, and eventually books, cartoons and other merchandise will be created related to the characters.

Here's a look at the Penguins' character:

I've never been a huge fan of comics, but these characters are pretty awesome! It's also an interesting way to reach a new demographic of NHL fans.

Here's a link to the Guardian Project's official website:
http://www.guardianproject30.com/

Also, check out this Pittsburgh Post Gazette article about the Project:
http://postgazette.com/pg/11028/1121125-61.stm

Go Pens!

Links N@

2011-01-27T11:58:00.000-08:00

Once a week, I will be posting a link (or two...or three...) to cool news about the 'Burgh, articles about the black and yellow, online shops, etc. Be sure to follow the weekly link(s) for even more cool stuff about the Steel City!

This week's link will take you to an awesome online store featuring unique Steelers tees. I discovered this store on one of my favorite Pittsburgh blogs, Virginia Montanez's That's Church. These tees are the perfect way to display your black and gold pride and support the team on their road to the Super Bowl! I'll probably be ordering one or two of these tees for myself in a matter of minutes...

The perfect tees to cheer on your favorite team!

Far away from the 'Burgh...

2011-01-26T19:28:00.000-08:00

While this blog is predominantly about the 'Burgh, I'll occasionally highlight my other interests and hobbies. Hopefully, you'll enjoy these posts about topics far away from the 'Burgh! This week's post focuses on one of my favorite TV shows and one of my current obsessions:

OK, so I'm slightly addicted to the teen drama One Tree Hill. While the show is extremely over dramatic and slightly unrealistic, it still provides some valuable life lessons. You can definitely apply these lessons to your life, even if you're not a fan of the show! Check 'em out...

Life Lessons from One Tree Hill

1. People always leave but sometimes they come back.
2. Sibling hatred and rivalry doesn't last forever. The sibling you despise today may become your best friend tomorrow.
3. Rain is always a good thing.
4. People can always change for the better.
5. Dealing with your parents' divorce can be really rough but with good friends you can get through it.
6. Don't ever forget about your dreams.
7. Always protect and defend your loved ones.
8. Marriage is full of obstacles and hardships.
9. Dreams come true everyday.
10. And of course, true love never fails.

P.S. Yes, this was my second post of the day. BUT I'm new to this whole blogging thing and I'm slightly addicted! ;)

Top 10 -- Pittsburgh

2011-01-26T12:35:00.000-08:00

David Letterman has his nightly Top 1o lists. SportsCenter has its daily Top 10 plays from the sports world. And the Over the Hills and Far Away blog has its own version of the Top 10. Today's OTHAFA Top 10 is all about this blogger's favorite city -- Pittsburgh.

Check out the Top 10 List of What Not to Miss on a visit to the 'Burgh:
1. PNC Park -- This stunning gem on the Allegheny River is the home of the perpetually pitiful Pittsburgh Pirates, who hardly deserve to play in such an amazing facility. PNC was called one of the "top ten places to watch the game" by author Jay Ahjua and has also been named one of America's 7 Best Ballparks. So next time you're in the 'Burgh be sure to stop by its ballpark for a game, concert or other event.
2. The Riverwalk -- It may seem like a simple sidewalk adjacent to the Allegeny, but the Riverwalk is so much more. It serves as a pathway to PNC Park, the Steelers' Heinz Field and numerous restaraunts and office buildings. It also serves as an excellent walking and biking trail for outdoors enthusiasts. Perhaps most importantly it provides stunning views of the city skyline.
3. The Waterfront -- Located just outside of the city in Homestead, PA the Waterfront is the site of a former U.S. Steel Plant that has been transformed into a modern day shopping mecca. The steel plant closed its doors in 1987 and twelve years later the Waterfront shopping complex opened. In addition to the stores, the open hearth stacks from the steel plant remain in homage to the site's former occupant.
4. Station Square -- This 52 acre riverfront complex is located on the shore of the Monongahela river. At the heart of the complex is Bessemer Court, which is home to a magnificent fountain, as well as shops and eateries. Here you can shop, eat, party, walk the scenic riverside path or take a voyage on one of the Gateway Clipper boats.
5. The Inclines -- For unforgettable views of the skyline, take a voyage on one of the city's two remaining inclines. The 'Burgh was formerly home to fifteen inclines, but today only the Duquesne and Monongahela inclines remain. Access the Monongahela across the street from the Station Square complex and the Duquesne from West Carson street.
6. Pamela's Diner -- The diner became nationally recognized when President Obama ate pancakes there on a campaign stop and later invited the owners to cook at a White House event. There are six locations in the region so be sure to stop by one of them and enjoy a delectable breakfast.
7. The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium -- I may be slightly biased, but the 'Burgh's Zoo truly seems like one of the best in the country. Highlights include the polar bear exhibit, Kids Kingdom and the high-tech aquarium.
8. The Cultural District -- Located downtown, this region is home to the city's theaters. From plays to musicals to ballets to operas there's something for everyone. Theaters include the Benedum, O'Reilly, Pittsburgh Public Theater and more.
9. Fallingwater -- As a Pittsburgher, I'm ashamed to admit that I've never visited this architectural wonder. It's certainly on my personal list of places to visit, and it should be on yours too. Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece is located just 50 miles southeast of the city in Fayette County.
10. Heinz History Center -- Just one of the city's many museums, this one has the distinction of being the largest museum in the state. Located in the Strip District, the museum is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and is also home to the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum. It's certainly a must-see for history buffs visiting the 'Burgh!

This is just a sampling of the many wonderful sights in the 'Burgh! Check out visitpittsburgh.com for more info on my favorite city!