Hopefully NY travel restrictions will be relaxed by then, but they are still very strict with heavy fines for non-compliance.
At present you would need a negative Covid test within three days of leaving, have to go directly to your motel and quarantine there for three days, and then get another Covid test. You would not be allowed to leave your room except for testing. and have to order food to be delivered. A Traveler Health Form is required to be filled out. No exception if you have been vaccinated that I can see.
Definitely Aiello’s! Yes, as a longtime (though not born here) Yinzer, I know the tale of the Mineo-Aiello kerfluffle (former employee opening a competing pizzeria 6 shops up the block). Even during the years my brother lived in Hoboken NJ and worked in Manhattan, he would want to get slices at Aiello’s on every visit back home – in fact he still does to this day. It’s kind of a family joke that he comes to visit me in Pittsburgh just to get Aiello’s pizza, and that I go to visit him in Saratoga just to get Harvest and Hearth pizza.
My sis and brother-in-law live off Highland about 5 blocks from the park. The BIL walks every morning up and around it and the reservoir. He’s a professional fine arts photographer – if you are nostalgic, you can see some of his photos of the Park (and many other sites around the 'Burgh) scattered in his on-line albums: daschkenasphoto.com
It is funny what happens over time. A year ago my wife and I did a side by side taste test where we got cuts from each and though I had be an Aiello fan I must admit I am all in now for the original Mineo’s.
Your brother in law is a very talented photographer. What i found interesting is he did a lot of shot of them demoing the Civic Area. I remember when they built it and besides a lot of hockey games I did see the Beatles there, not to mention many other concerts.
Hmm, maybe I will have to give Mineo’s another shot. Being in such direct competition probably keeps them both on their toes in quality and service. Aiello’s has done a bunch of remodelling over the past 5 years so it’s more pleasant to eat inside so maybe Mineo’s was losing ground and had to step up their game. One reason I didn’t prefer them was they tended to overbake their pies so the cheese would get brown and leathery. I’ll check them out and let you know if I become a convert.
David ( my brother in law) was contracted by the Civic Arena to document the destruction of the iconic arena and he published a book of the photos. More recently he and a local music journalist published another book documenting the many renowned jazz musicians still living in Pittsburgh. He’s won awards including first prize in the annual Nikon competition and his prints are in many museum collections. My lucky sis gets to travel with him to Europe a couple of times a year where he shoots more images for his gallery shows and portfolios. Most of the trip costs are tax deductible as work expenses and because of his credentials he gets access to historic places and contract assignments to document them.
I received my introduction to folk, jazz and blues listening to a station from Shadyside on my first FM transistor radio back in (maybe) '64 - 65 or so. Good stuff!
Hmm, now that I think on it since you said Shadyside it might have been the station broadcasting from Carnegie Mellon University, WXX-something.
There is a new all jazz station, WZUM broadcasting on 101.1 FM on the north side – I have yet to check it out. Playlists show a bit of everything, old and new.
I’ve been hooked on indie eclectic WYEP since they started in 1974. I only was able to bear taking a job in Grand Rapids, MI, for 8 years because they have a nearly identical listener-supported station, WYCE. Radio is such a constant background companion to my days that I tracked them down and called them from Pittsburgh to find out what their typical playlists were before I would commit to the compsny trying to recruit me. I have “tithed” to either of the stayions yearly for 47 years now.
Nothing like (thank god) being a 15 yr old outsider kid with crappy social skills holed up in your room grooving on music that the kool kids wouldn’t understand let alone like (or so you thought). Lots of good stuff on after 10 PM as I recall.