10.2021 Life Recommendation // Visit Pittsburgh's Historic Northside

As some of you may know, I have been a Northsider for awhile now. I moved there for the ability to be close-ish to work (as far as those pesky bus routes are concerned) and close to all the exciting amenities of the of the city. But what I didn't realize was how much I'd fall in love with the Northside itself! So today, I want to recommend some neighborhood highlights and things you should do if you make the journey across two whole rivers:

• Mayfly Market - a little corner market and deli; check out local favs Gilligan's Sorbet and Brothmonger soups available there (and follow @brothmonger on Instagram to have your mouth water daily!)

• Huszar - a family-owned Hungarian restaurant; come for the Goulash, stay for the Chicken Paprikas!

• Sampsonia Way - Take a stroll down Sampsonia Way to see the City of Asylum painted houses, visit the Mattress Factory Museum, and stop and smell the roses at the CoA Alphabet Garden, as well!

Finally, I recommend that you come visit me at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh! You heard that right... I will sadly be leaving Crafton at the end of the month for a position as a Children's Librarian at CLP-Allegheny. I am sad to be leaving, as I have met so many wonderful people here and have felt so honored to serve the Crafton community over the last nearly 3 years. But I am also excited for where this new journey will take me. So if you're ever on the Northside, please don't hesitate to stop by the library and say hello!

11.2019 Music Recommendation // Buffalo Rose

I'm a big supporter of live music, particularly local music, and one of the coolest experiences in my opinion is getting to follow and support local acts as they come up and find their success. One particularly talented local band that I have had the honor to see many times over the last couple years is Buffalo Rose. They are a folksy, six-piece ensemble from Pittsburgh, and their music features chillingly beautiful three-part vocal harmonies spread over a lush landscape of strings to make an incredibly uniquely evocative blend of modern soul and classic bluegrass Americana. They just recently got signed to a record label and have been touring as far and wide as Chicago, New Orleans, and New York, so I am very happy for them as their success continues to grow! I would recommend checking out their tracks Natural Disaster, Born, and I Feel So Good, which you can find on Spotify, Youtube, or the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's database of local musicians, STACKS.

Staff Recommendation published in Crafton Public Library's monthly newsletter.

10.2019 Life Recommendation // The Black Cat Market - Pittsburgh, PA

I love cats. Many people have probably heard me talk about my adorable and loving cat Snickers who has been living with me about a month now. But before I had my own kitty companion, I loved going to play with the cats at the Black Cat Market in Lawrenceville! $5 gets you 30 minutes in the cat room to play with the friendly and totally adoptable cats, so whether you're looking for your own furever friend or just want a short feline therapy session, I highly recommend paying them a visit!

Staff recommendation published in Crafton Public Library's monthly newsletter.