This past weekend, I traveled to Pittsburgh, PA for my niece’s wedding.
It was a big one, IMHO. Two hundred and fifty people.
Half were my family.
Go ahead, let that one sink in.
Although I only had a few days to catch up with my wild and crazy Irish clan, I made the most of my time. We’d enjoyed the beautiful, albeit chilly, outdoor wedding ceremony. We’d danced, laughed, caught up on families and even got tipsy on free, cheap wedding booze. We’d shared stories, meals, watched Steeler football and high school Powder Puff football.
I love weddings.
One of my favorite things to do in Pittsburgh, other than hang with my family at a wedding, is to visit the Strip District, Pittsburgh’s infamous market. I don’t always get the chance to go, but this trip, I thought there might be a window.
So I’d asked my favorite sis, Eileen, if she wanted to sneak away for a few hours the day after the wedding.
The weather was warm for October, perfect for strolling the bustling city streets of the Strip.
The Strip, as it’s known by locals, is a one half square mile just north of downtown. It’s a food-lovers paradise.
But it wasn’t always.
Since the 1800s, this area was home to the industrialists. Steel, iron and aluminum factories flourished.
But as time changed, so did the Strip.
In the 20s, the Strip became the place to build produce warehouses and homes.
The Strip would morph and change with the Depression, the 1936 Pittsburgh flood, WWII, and then into the 50s. By then, in the Strip was in a full-blown slump.
But today, after decades of change and growth, the Strip is alive and thriving again. It’s known for its boutique shopping, fresh seafood, restaurants, coffee shops and ethnic markets.
I, of course, visit the Strip for the seafood.
And although I only had a few hours, I met Henry (pictured above holding the John Dory), the owner of Penn Avenue Fish Co. where the fish is fresh, and its Top 10 reasons to eat seafood ROCKS! I’d slurped a few raw Blue Points & Well Fleets and munched on a couple of crab tacos. But most important, I got quality time with my sis.
I can’t wait for the next family wedding. We have four couples in our Irish family in line for future nuptial vows and bliss.
Have you been to the Strip District in Pittsburgh? What’s your favorite shop?
