Hey Cordelia, you studied in Pittsburgh, right? I’m going to be there all by myself for a couple of days, can you suggest me something nice to see or do? Thanks! P.s. I’m re reading can’t hide from me on the flight and I totally miss Angel and Charles (nev

Yes, I went to the University of Pittsburgh for both undergrad and my master’s! I lived in Pittsburgh for seven years, and I loved it - I would have liked to stay, actually, except it was too far from my family.

I haven’t been back since 2013, so I’ll only suggest things that I know would still be open. On a hunch, I looked up a cafe I used to love in Little Italy, and it was closed. :-(

First off, if you’re not afraid of heights, definitely take the Duquesne Incline up Mt. Washington and walk along Grandview Ave for the most amazing view of Downtown Pittsburgh you’ll ever see. (OMG, I just got the name of the street. *headdesk*) It’s particularly great at night, when everything’s lit up.

In fact, I’m pretty sure the lower station of the Incline is near Station Square, which is this eating/shopping area along the river that I’d also recommend at night. I go to the Melting Pot for my birthday every year, no matter where I’m living, and this is the one I went to for all 7 Pittsburgh birthdays. Of course, they have less expensive restaurants as well!

During the day, check out the Carnegie Science Museum. I get bored in any kind of museum except these types of interactive learning ones, and I remember this one being really fun. I don’t know what exhibits they’re running these days, but they have a real decommissioned submarine that you can go inside, and I’m sure that’s still there.

The Strip is also great during the day - this is a literal strip that used to be an industrial area, but now it’s a shopping and dining district that’s particularly great if you’re a foodie.

I’m jealous, because when I lived in Pittsburgh, services like Uber and Lyft weren’t a thing yet. Pittsburgh is really spread out, so if you didn’t have a car, you had to either take an expensive cab or rely on the bus system, which is… not the best. But these days, I’m sure you can get around the city no problem and not too expensively. Pretty much anywhere you go, you’ll find interesting things to do. I hope you have fun!

And yes, I can certainly plan some future Patreon Bonus Features for CHFM! ;-)