News Around the Neighborhood

May 9th: Pittsburgh’s Legendary Chanteuse, Etta Cox

City of Asylum (2017)

Etta Cox

Sunday, May 9th 8:00 pm

Etta CoxPowerhouse jazz/cabaret singer Etta Cox has been voted “Best Jazz Vocalist” in Pittsburgh for 8 consecutive years – and if you have ever seen her in concert, this should come as no surprise! Etta thrills audiences with her intoxicating, smooth vocals reminiscent of a bygone era. Etta has opened for such legends as Ray Charles, Doc Severinson, and Debbie Reynolds. She has appeared on Broadway, on television and in films, co-hosted the television talk show Citylife and performed in many local theater productions at the City Theater and Pittsburgh Public Theater. Etta is one of Pittsburgh’s “living treasures”. Don’t miss this chance to be at her City of Asylum @ Alphabet City debut!

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Did you know that there is a restaurant in City of Asylum @ Alphabet City? During these events, Alphabet City will be set up so that you can have dinner during the event (or simply order drinks).

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Kente Arts Presents: Terell Stafford Quintet featuring Tim Warfield

Terell Stafford

Terell Stafford Quartet

Saturday, April 29th
8:00 pm

Terell Stafford, acclaimed trumpet player based in New York, has been hailed as “one of the great players of our time, a fabulous trumpet player” by piano legend McCoy Tyner. Stafford is recognized as an incredibly gifted and versatile player, he combines a deep love of melody with his own brand of spirited and adventurous lyricism. Stafford’s exceptionally expressive and well defined musical talent allows him to dance in and around the rich trumpet tradition of his predecessors while making his own inroads.

Since the mid-1990’s, Stafford has performed with groups such as Benny Golson’s Sextet, McCoy Tyner’s Sextet, Kenny Barron Quintet, Frank Wess Quintet, Jimmy Heath Quintet and Big Band, Jon Faddis Jazz Orchestra, Carnegie Hall Jazz Band and Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Alumni Band.

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Stephan Crump’s Rosetta Trio comes to Alphabet City May 7th

City of Asylum (2017)

Stephen Crump Quartet

Sunday, May 7th
8:00 pm

You may recognize the name “Stephan Crump”. He has played here twice before, with different musicians: in Henry and Diane’s living room with Mary Halvorson and in our 2015 Jazz Poetry Concert with Vijay Iyer.

Rosetta Trio has been playing together since 2005. It is a most unusual jazz group – with no drums or percussion. In addition to Stephan on bass, it includes guitarists Liberty Ellman and Jamie Fox. The group is widely praised for its profound, sometimes playful and always honest music.

The trio will explore pieces drawn from their three ground-breaking albums, in addition to several new works in development.

Not to be missed!

Steven Crump Jazz Trio

“Some groups just have chemistry… Something about them just works. Stephan Crump’s Rosetta Trio is one such group. Comprised of two guitarists–one electric and one acoustic–plus Crump’s own resonant acoustic bass, the Rosetta Trio straddles the worlds of jazz, avant garde, and modern folk music with consummate ease and some seriously deep virtuosity.”
– All About Jazz

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Did you know that there is a restaurant in City of Asylum @ Alphabet City? During these events, Alphabet City will be set up so that you can have dinner during the event (or simply order drinks).

[ebor_button style=”concrete” url=”https://www.opentable.com/r/casellula-pittsburgh”] Reserve a Table for Your Visit [/ebor_button]

Healthy Kids Day is Almost Here! Join us Saturday, April 29th

Healthy Kids Day

Charge into Summer with Healthy Kids Day® and the Allegheny YMCA!

When

Saturday, April 29th from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Location

Allegheny Commons Park
W North Avenue and Palo Alto Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15212

Activities

Join us for a fun filled day in the sun complete with 2 bounce houses, photo booth, Fire dog and police dog demos, Family Zumba and Yoga, face painting, science experiments and more! Open to the public.

Summer is the time for kids to get up, get out and grow. But for some kids, exposure to activities that stimulate the body and mind ends with the school year. In fact, research shows that kids are prone to gain weight and fall behind in studies. On April 29th, the Y will celebrate Healthy Kids Day®, our national initiative to improve the health and well-being of kids.

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PHLF: Managing and Administering Construction Projects

PHLF Resource Center
Join us at the Landmarks Preservation Resource Center for our ongoing programs on house restoration, architecture, history and other aspects of historic preservation, community development, and urban planning.

Location: Landmarks Preservation Resource Center, 744 Rebecca Avenue
Date: Thursday, April 27th
Time: 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Contact: marylu@phlf.org or (412) 471-5808 ext. 527

We provide an overview of construction contracts, change orders, requests for information, insurance requirements, quality control inspections and other administrative and paperwork aspects of construction. This workshop is helpful for both homeowners and young contractors, and it will include discussion with enough real-world examples, and focus on how horror stories in simple house construction projects happen and how to avoid them.

About the Presenter

Ian Miller has been a general contractor since 2003 with projects ranging from changing a doorknob to building a $1.5 million house for fifteen retired nuns. He is the owner of Zambano & Sons, a residential remodeling company, as well as partner in the HL2M Group, a design/build firm focused primarily on modular and shipping container construction. Ian and his family live in a 100-year old house in Friendship.

All lectures are free to PHLF members. Non-members: $10

RSVPs are appreciated: marylu@phlf.org or (412) 471-5808 ext. 527

Check out http://phlf.org/events/ for more PHLF tours and events.

Springing Into Preservation with YPA

YPA May Mixer

Pittsburgh is welcoming the Main Street Now Conference this May!

May is also National Historic Preservation Month, so we’re hosting a special happy hour in downtown Pittsburgh on Tuesday May 2nd @ The Original Oyster House.

Join us to meet and mingle with YPA representatives, local preservationists and conference attendees.

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PHLF: An Evening with Jonathan Davis

Twentieth Century Club Event
The Twentieth Century Club cordially invites PHLF members to an evening reception on Monday, April 24th, from 6:00 to 8:30 pm, with Jonathan Davis, CEO of the Davis Companies, who is responsible for the spectacular $100 million-plus restoration of the Union Trust Building in Downtown Pittsburgh.

A native of Pittsburgh, Mr. Davis has spent the majority of his adult life in Boston where he has been responsible for more than $2 billion in developments in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Florida, Colorado, Illinois and Pennsylvania. Over the years, he has been recognized as Entrepreneur of the Year for New England and with the Leader in Philanthropy Award. He is a graduate of and sits on the Board of Brandeis University and is the Board Chair of The Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston. Mr. Davis’s talk will begin at 7:00 pm, following the cash bar and hors d’oeuvres.

Location: Twentieth Century Club, Oakland
Date: Monday, April 24th
Time: 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Contact: Pam York or (412) 621-2353 ext. 512

About the Event

6:00 pm: Reception (heavy hors d’oeuvres and cash bar)
7:00 pm: Mr. Davis’ presentation with Q & A
8:00 pm: Coffee and dessert

35.00 per person (cash or checks, payable to The Twentieth Century Club, mailed in advance or given at the door)

Parking is available at Soldiers and Sailors or Wyndham (UPMC) garages
RSVP by Friday, April 21, 2017

Check out http://phlf.org/events/ for more PHLF tours and events.

Independent Bookstore Day Festivities at Alphabet City

Independent Bookstore Day

11:30 am

All-ages children’s puppet show, The Girl Who Swallowed the Sun, with Felicia Cooper and story hour with Bookseller Jen.

1:00 – 3:00 pm

Book signing with City of Asylum exiled-writer-in-residence, Osama Alomar. Alomar has recently published his new poetry collection, Teeth of the Comb. Copies will be available for purchase.

1:00 & 2:00 pm

Tours of the Alphabet City building (and optional apartment tour).

4:00 pm

Raffle drawing

5:00 pm

Casellula @ Alphabet City opens for dinner

Throughout the Day

Surprise discounts, scavenger hunt for kids, free coffee, and half-price espresso, lattes, and pastries.

City of Asylum Bookstore will also offer exclusive merchandise created especially for Independent Bookstore Day by major publishers and authors. Of note are the exclusive, limited edition chapbook by Michael Chabon and signed artwork by Oliver Jeffers and Jenny Lawson.

Lauded Author Porochista Khakpour Debuts Manuscript

City of Asylum (2017)

Porochista Khakpour

Friday, April 28th
8:00 pm

Award-winning author Porochista Khakpour (Iran) will present her forthcoming work, Sick: A Life of Lyme, Love, Illness, and Addiction. The book is being published by Harper in 2018, and this is the first time it will be presented by the author.

Best known for her groundbreaking works of fiction, Porochista breaks new ground with this memoir of chronic illness, repeated misdiagnosis, and addiction. Her book feels especially timely in the context of the conflict over the Affordable Healthcare Act.

Porochista Khakpour

Porochista’s previous novel The Last Illusion was a 2014 “Best Book of the Year” according to NPR, Kirkus, Buzzfeed, Popmatters, Electric Literature, and more. Her first novel Sons and Other Flammable Objects was 2007’s California Book Award winner in “First Fiction,” one of the Chicago Tribune’s “Fall’s Best,” and a New York Times “Editor’s Choice.” Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, Al Jazeera America and many other publications around the world.

Porochista’s visit to City of Asylum was made possible by author Mia Alvar, who read at COA in 2015 and is a member of our national Advisory Board.

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Did you know that there is a restaurant in City of Asylum @ Alphabet City? During these events, Alphabet City will be set up so that you can have dinner during the event (or simply order drinks).

[ebor_button style=”concrete” url=”https://www.opentable.com/r/casellula-pittsburgh”] Reserve a Table for Your Visit [/ebor_button]

PHLF: Maintenance & Restoration of Wooden Windows

PHLF Resource Center
Join us at the Landmarks Preservation Resource Center for our ongoing programs on house restoration, architecture, history and other aspects of historic preservation, community development, and urban planning.

Location: Landmarks Preservation Resource Center, 744 Rebecca Avenue
Date: Thursday, April 20th
Time: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Contact: marylu@phlf.org or (412) 471-5808 ext. 527

In this workshop, learn the parts, terminology, and disassembly methods for wooden double hung windows. Stabilizing and repairing failing sash and frame components will also be covered. Interested participants that missed the exterior woodwork presentation in February may wish to attend this workshop because many of the same wood repair techniques will be revisited in the context of window repair.

About the Presenter

Regis Will is a woodworker, craftsman and owner of Vesta Home Services, a consulting firm on house restoration and Do-it-Yourself projects. He blogs about his work at The New Yinzer Workshop.

All lectures are free to PHLF members. Non-members: $10

RSVPs are appreciated: marylu@phlf.org or (412) 471-5808 ext. 527

Check out http://phlf.org/events/ for more PHLF tours and events.