Shadyside Archives - Pittsburgh Quarterly

Little Flower stands with stately elegance where it has always stood, on a small bluff overlooking Woodland Road in Shadyside. Built in 1910 by Daniel Clemson, a steel executive who lived at Highmont on the corner of Fifth and Shady, it was a gift for his son, Ralph. With nine bedrooms and a large carriage …

Little Flower Blossoms Read More »

History

Loaves and Fishes

by John G. Hennon

In April 1966, the Pittsburgh Zoning Board of Adjustment held a routine hearing to consider a plan from four East End churches (Calvary Episcopal, First Methodist, Third Presbyterian and Shadyside Presbyterian) to open a coffee shop for young people at 709 Bellefonte Street in Shadyside. Unlike some board hearings where neighboring property owners angrily opposed …

Loaves and Fishes Read More »

Homes

A Colorful Life

by Marylynn Uricchio

The Shadyside home interior designer Colleen Simonds created for her family seems to radiate with vibrancy and joy. A riot of color, light, pattern and design envelops the residence, which was formerly a traditional, 1911 Colonial. At once youthful and sophisticated, the home is unabashedly personal. “It’s kind of a family joke. When we bought …

A Colorful Life Read More »

Architecture & Neighborhoods

A Bauhaus Masterpiece

by Charles Rosenblum

Is a house private or public? Like any compelling opposites, each really only exists with measured dollops of the other. Choices of how to eat, sleep, bathe and relax are very private. Yet the artistic movements or common practices inflecting those selections are very public—from publications and exhibitions to the sprawling possibilities of the design …

A Bauhaus Masterpiece Read More »

Events

Four Winds Gallery Celebrates Anniversary with “Form and Spirit” Exhibition

by PQ Staff

Four Winds Gallery celebrated their 45th anniversary on Walnut Street with “Form and Spirit,” an exhibition of resident metalsmith Carol Krena’s latest jewelry creations and the innovative work of Pittsburgh sculptor Ken LeDonne. The show drew over 75 attendees to its opening night on December 6, 2019, and will run until February 1.

American Spirit

The Singing Barista

by Kate Benz, photography by John Altdorfer

No one complains when they come into Jitters Café in Shadyside for their frappuccinos and cappuccinos and caffeinated hot/iced whatevers and barista Liz starts singing. Deas Vail, Mew, Jon Bellion, Issues…artists with melodic vocals that she can harmonize with while she’s working behind the counter, pouring things like Lavender White Mochas and Gingerbread Chai Lattes …

The Singing Barista Read More »

Travel

Cleaner to the Stars

by Barbara Eichenlaub

It’s time to don your best apparel for holiday parties, dinners and events. And then, of course, you’ll need to have those clothes cleaned. There are countless options, but Jerry Montesano’s Shadyside Valet is a standout. Jerry was born into the business—his father owned a dry cleaning company in Penn Hills and then sold dry …

Cleaner to the Stars Read More »

Region

Voyaging through the hollow

by Adam Eisenstat

Pittsburgh’s Martin Luther King Jr. East Busway doesn’t exactly rank among the eight manmade Wonders of the World. It may not even rank among the eight wonders of Pittsburgh. But even busways have birthdays, and its 30th is a fine occasion to consider this distinctly local specimen of infrastructure and urban curiosity. It’s basically a …

Voyaging through the hollow Read More »

Homes

A Southern Patina

by Marylynn Uricchio

The homes on this leafy street are quintessentially Shadyside, which means an eclectic mix of periods and styles. Though all are grand, one stands apart from the rest with quiet dignity. Painted white from top to bottom, the pristine exterior accentuates the symmetrical lines of its columned entrance, the three sets of French doors, and …

A Southern Patina Read More »

Architecture & Neighborhoods

Song of Shadyside

by Barry Paris

The word “trendy” has been surgically attached to the word “Shadyside” since days of yore—far more yore than you think. That most elegant and affluent neighborhood in Pittsburgh’s East End is home to what Andy Warhol dubbed the Beautiful People, and the upscale shops that cater to their needs. In search of a certain high-end luxury item? You can find …

Song of Shadyside Read More »