The reach of the Pittsburgh community is expansive, so it should be no surprise that the city’s online community is just as vast.
For those New to the ‘Burgh, here’s a rundown of some blogs that will help you figure out where to go, what to do, and — perhaps most importantly — what to eat.
I Heart PGH: The website bills itself as “a blog about all things Pittsburgh,” and it is easy to see why that moniker was born. The blog features a healthy combination of upcoming events and bite-sized pieces on Pittsburgh’s goings-on. The posts stay casual as well as informative. Check out this guide to the summer’s classes and workshops if you feel like you have been spending too much time lying in front of your air conditioning. The real appeal of the site, however, is in its tone. I Heart PGH is pure optimism, from its description of how to keep loving the Pirates to the Pittsburgh-themed Steel of the Week features.
Pitt Girl: Humor is stamped all over this blog, and while it might be less informative than some other blogs on this list, Pitt Girl strikes back against it with a firm grasp on entertainment. Virginia Montanez’s blog is deeply in touch with the city’s heart, and for a new Pittsburgher who’s only just beginning to understand what living in the Steel City is all about, her words will help inspire the sense of camaraderie already possessed by many of its citizens. Her post voicing reluctance to share the legacy of Mr. Rogers with Canada is both amusing and dripping with Pittsburgh’s local character. As an introduction to local culture, Pitt Girl has a lot to offer someone new to the 'Burgh.
EatPGH: The varieties of food in the city can be overwhelming due to the sheer quantity of options, especially for an area newbie. EatPGH is a high quality answer to a common problem. The site offers reviews for all types of food, which you can organize by relative location if you don’t feel like traveling too far from home. Their selection of reviews is not exhaustive, and it might be more accurate to refer to the quick reviews as “recommendations,” but that does not detract from the quality of the posts. A few minutes of looking at EatPGH’s appetizing pictures will make your stomach cry out for attention — just try to read their post on Northside’s Sandwich Week without drooling on your keyboard. For a new-in-towner, or for an old head looking to expand his or her horizons, this site has a lot to offer.
The Nonsensical Roads of Pittsburgh: The source might seem to be suited for a dry, humorless and analytical report, but the blog itself is actually entertaining. Founded to highlight the strange and bizarre road planning of our fair city, NRP accomplishes this goal with a heavy dose of sarcasm, a not-too-excessive amount of puns and moments of genuine hilarity. Why exactly do we have parking spaces in the middle of some roads? For the new Pittsburgher, however, Nonsensical Roads points out several driving danger zones throughout the city. It would be impossible to memorize all of the system’s flaws, but it is nice to have a heads-up for that time in the future when you will need to merge across four lanes of traffic at the last minute.
After Dark: While it doesn’t quite have the seedy-underbelly feel that one might want from a darkness-inspired blog, Sean Collier’s blog focuses on Pittsburgh’s nightlife and all that you’ll need to know to partake in it. From lists of free concerts playing throughout the summer to instructions on where and how to watch this year’s Pittsburgh marathon while drinking beer, After Dark provides its readers with a snapshot of a different kind of Pittsburgh. Collier’s Pittsburgh isn’t dirty or raunchy, but it is fun, casual, and filled with a strong sense of community.
Are you new in town? Or are you a Pittsburgh lifer? Either way, share with us your sources for Pittsburgh Internet life on Twitter and Facebook: #new2theburgh
