PITTSBURGH RETREAT

It’s not surprising that shopping is, in a sense, what led me to the highlight of my stay in Pittsburgh. While Kaufmann’s is no longer the deptartment store it was (offering couture fashions that can still be found in antique shops around town),it’s this family, ironically escaping Pittsburgh, who commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to build their summer retreat. For those familiar with Fallingwater, it’s something like the Coliseum in Rome.

Unlike photographs, the breadth & genius behind the design take new shape as you hike toward the entrance, surrounded by a perfect balance of hard rocks & soft flowers. Not only is the house built on a waterfall, it is also cantilevered over the stream, appearing as if it could float away.There is nowhere that the sounds of the waterfall cannot be heard. It is quiet; and I imagine the only intrusion in these small towns, is the passing of our cars on the way to Fallingwater.

If you are an antique collector, enjoy rummaging through slices of history, or would just like to meet the 2 very nice owners of a great antique store, be sure to stop at the shop on your right immediately before the Yogi Bear Campgrounds. Take a seat on their lemonade porch or SHOP, like I did!

Stay at the Westin William Penn. Unlike the Hilton (also downtown), you will feel transported to another time. Elegant chandeliers and romantic oil paintings greet you at the entrance and follow you, to varying degrees, throughout the hotel. Be sure to have breakfast at the hotel restaurant. It is a rare treat – a place to take time sipping your tea and to order something grand!!

Note: The Westin is a Starwood property, so give your frequent flyer number at check-in & take advantage of one of the great joys of travel.

While staying downtown, I recommend Palomino. It is a chain not usually found on the East Coast – a fun place with surprisingly good food! I go for the crab & artichoke dip, but there is truly something for everyone.

The atmosphere is perfect for a celebration, business dinner or even dining alone. With lamps shaped like the tops of martini glasses, what could be bad??!!

Also, every meal concludes with a philosophical thought in the form of a fortune, so you can even take a piece of this place home.

(*I recommend reservations for the dining room, but there is plenty of seating in the bar, in case the restaurant is full. Feel free to order food from the dining room menu anywhere in the restaurant.*)

The Andy Warhol Museum is a great stopping point for those interested in contemporary art or popular culture. Through the glass doors, staring out as each person enters, is a magnificent self portrait of Andy Warhol. It is an example of one of his more recognized styles, using silkscreens to create portraits from photographs. He is almost daring you to come in – daring you to make the most of your trip to his museum. I imagine this is true with most museums – the trip is what you make it, but somehow it is even more so here.
The museum offers art, archives, interactive exhibitions, and exploratory activities. My favorites were the collection of celebrity paintings including Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Elvis Presley, and Marilyn Monroe & his memorabilia (Andy Warhol saved EVERYTHING) from Interview magazine. However, my very favorite experience here was entering the small room on one of the upper levels of the museum. This room is a re-creation of an Andy Warhol gallery, based on experimentation with what he hoped would result in floating lights. The end result was actually a room full of silver helium rectangular "pillows." Ultimately, the helium balloons float slowly through the room. Visitors are encouraged to enter and explore the space. Every "pillow" moves at its own speed and in its own direction. Examine how different people enter the space - some disturbing the flow of the "pillows" while others move out of the way, avoiding any change to their pre-determined direction.
Certain activities are only available at certain times or dates -- It is worth calling ahead (412/237-8300) to make sure you don’t miss out. This is especially true of the Resource Center, where visitors are welcome to take advantage of all sorts of mediums to create their own art.

In the Oakland section of Pittsburgh, enter the many wonders of the world!!

On the University of Pittsburgh campus & only 5 or 10 minutes from Downtown Pittsburgh, you will find the "Cathedral of Learning". This is the language building for the college & it is very interesting to walk through. The building is actually a tower. The first and third floors include approximately 20 "nationality" classrooms decorated in styles ranging from Romanesque to Tudor-- all under one roof!

(Note: Saturday & Sunday are the best times to visit. Also, the Cathedral is especially nice to see in mid-to late-December when the rooms are decorated in the holiday tradition of the nation being represented.)

This is an interesting (and common) stop on the way to the Carnegie Museum (about 3 blocks away @ 4400 Forbes Avenue).