Author: Rick Sebak
Toonful Talent
The Pittsburgh connection of Jackie Ormes, one of America's first African American female cartoonists.
A Different Drummer
In the premier edition of Secrets of the City, Rick unwraps a locally-made toy gem.
Greetings From Our House to Yours
And other traumatic traditions of the holiday season.
Killer Hills
Discover the origin of the Dirty Dozen, 13 of Pittsburgh’s biggest, baddest hills.
Watch This
Did you know that the world's largest watchmaking school was once located in the North Side?
Fortified!
A visit to the Fort Pitt Museum gets to the heart of Pittsburgh’s Semiquincentennial.
School’s Out Forever at Bethel Park
As Bethel Park High School is set to be demolished, one alum is getting a bit misty-eyed.
City Guide: Strip District
If you want visitors to love Pittsburgh, you take them to the Strip District, ideally early on a Saturday morning.
City Guide: Regent Square
Things have worked out well for the East End neighborhood called Regent Square. The solid middle-class homes built here have held up well.
We All Scream for Dave & Andy’s!
This Oakland ice creamery just might serve the best summer treats in town.
Unexpected Art in the Mon Valley
Rick finds art in an unexpected place at the Melega Art Museum.
Kennywood Memories
At Kennywood, school picnics used to mean real picnics.
From Here, You Can See North Park
The view from North Park's observation tower provides visitors the chance to see lovely scenery surrounding the large mass of nature.
How I Celebrate Record Store Day … Every Day
After work, when I’m tired and grumpy and can’t face traffic, instead of stopping in a bar, I like to visit a record store. Sometimes, I head for Bloomfield to Paul’s CDs at 4526 Liberty Ave., basically catty-corner from Tessaro’s.
The Millers Lived Here
Oliver Miller and his family produced whiskey from their homestead in South Park.
Wait ‘til the Last Chapter
Jay’s Book Stall will become one more distinctive Pittsburgh thing that won’t be there anymore.
Nuclear Nostalgia
Going in search of what’s left of America’s first commercial atomic power plant at Shippingport.
The Carnegie Library
The children’s department at Carnegie Library’s main branch has always been a wonderous place. This month is Library Lovers’ Month, so go check it out.
An Original Road Master
The journey for this bicycle starts and ends in Troy Hill.
Take Me to Kaufmann's: The Big Store
Kaufmann’s department store made itself part of many holiday seasons in Pittsburgh.
'Lotta Terra Cotta
A downtown parking-garage courtyard provides a home for charming statues.
A Smashing Piece of History in Forest Hills
It looks like an upside-down lightbulb, but this curiosity recalls visionary research by Westinghouse.
Crazy for Baseball
Going to bat for our National Pastime.
I’ll Have a Couple of Those Original Oysters
Come downtown for a beer, some seafood and a special celebration this month at the Original Oyster House.
Think Back
Traveling back in history for the new year of Pittsburgh’s 250th birthday
The Hot Dog Place Under the Bridge in Brownsville
Fiddle’s Confectionery gets set for a centennial.
Curse You or Bless You, Robert Garland
This Pittsburgh city councilman helped initiate the shifting of time in America.
The Biddle Boys Stop for a Bite
Six ham sandwiches and a pint of whiskey add a footnote to the tale of the notorious brothers and Mrs. Soffel.
The 'O' Turns the Big 5-0
Frankly speaking, there's half a century of hot-dog history located at the corner of Forbes Avenue and Bouquet Street in Oakland.
Old Amusement Parks Never Really Die
Summer fun may end, but pieces of the playful past endure in the forest.
The Possibilities of an Excellent Breakfast
There are lots of local places for eggs, bacon and wonderful surprises.
Some Things I Love to Eat Around Here
Discover some of Rick's favorite local bites.
Pittsburgh was the Coffee Capital of America!
Arbuckles’ was a big brew when Starbuck was just the name of a character in "Moby Dick."
Going Underground in the Strip
The Rev. James Cox had catacombs at St. Patrick's in the 1920s and '30s
Mrs. Thompson's Pies
Mrs. Thompson’s Pies has been serving up little goodies since the 1940s.
The Joys of Toys
The Marx Museum in Moundsville is Rock'Em Sock'Em Magnificent
July 4 is Dormont Day! Among Other Things
This year the classy little borough turns the Big 1-0-0
Take the Ferry at Fredericktown
Even near the City of Bridges, there are other ways to cross a river
Look for Art-Deco Pylons & London Plane Trees
Two busy riverside boulevards still have bits of their beauty.
A Sparkling Local Tradition
You can celebrate all year long with old-fashioned bubbles from Pittsburgh Seltzer Works.
The Art of Shipbuilding
A Portrait of the Artist Thomas Hart Benton in Ambridge During World War II
A Coal Miner in Bethel Park?
A statue can artfully remind you of local history.
