Three minutes is a painfully long time when you are staring at a camera. That’s one thing I learned during my brief time in Pittsburgh where a highlight was visiting The Andy Warhol Museum and creating my own screen test.
My first visit to Pittsburgh included a look at its past at the Heinz History Center (hello, giant ketchup bottle made of ketchup bottles) and a foray into the renaissance of its culinary present with lunch at the Novo Asian Food Hall.
Our walking tour included the Strip District and the Cultural District neighborhoods for a taste of the multicultural arts scene.
Here are a few places I suggest you check out on your next visit.
The Andy Warhol Museum
Sure, I knew a fair amount about one the most famous artists of the 20th century. I learned much more about this fascinating artist who was born and raised in Pittsburgh at The Andy Warhol Museum, a seven-floor museum with the largest collection of his works in the world.
I marveled at the artistry of his portraits and chuckled at the piece that was made of S&H green stamps, which I remember my mother collecting from the grocery store. It was my job to carefully paste them into the savings book for her to then redeem for items from a catalog.
One of the most fascinating facets of his career was his artistic collaboration and relationship with Jean-Michel Basquiat. They took turns adding layers to each other’s work, with colorful and intriguing results.
Andy Warhol was a prolific filmmaker and the museum houses more than 400 of his films. Warning: not all of them are for family viewing. He also produced several TV series.
One of the interactive exhibitions is the “Create Your Own Screen Test,” a tribute to his series of around 500 films, “Screen Tests,” which he filmed in black and white for 2 ¾ minutes then slowed down to a four-minute video.
He wrote about the tests, “What I liked was chunks of time all together, every real moment… I only wanted to find great people and let them be themselves and I’d film them for a certain length of time and that would be the movie.”
The museum was not too crowded on the weekday afternoon of my visit, so I sat down to make my own screen test, unobserved. I sat in the chair and when instructed, stared at the screen for what seemed like at least 30 minutes, but was in reality less than three.
I later received a link for my viewing pleasure (?), one that will never be shared. Let’s just say, if I ever did a real screen test, which is about as likely as me trying out for the Olympic gymnastic team, there would be professional hair, makeup and lighting people involved.
The Heinz History Center
I had two favorite exhibits at the six-story Heinz History Center, a Smithsonian-affiliated museum devoted to the history and heritage of Western Pennsylvania and housed in a former ice factory.
The first was the Heinz exhibition where I learned the Heinz company was started by Henry John Heinz in 1869 as a horseradish producer in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania. It first sold ketchup in 1876. Heinz merged with Kraft in 2015 and the company is worth around $38 billion.
The exhibition tells the story of the family and the company, with photos, videos and memorabilia. My favorite was the 11-foot-high ketchup bottle made with 400 bottles of ketchup.
But as the museum claims on its website, the Heinz is more than a ketchup museum. My other favorite exhibition was “Mister Rogers Neighborhood.” Fred Rogers was from Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and filmed his beloved show in Pittsburgh.
The set of the TV show features a life-size figure of Mr. Rogers, King Friday XIII’s castle, the Great Oak tree and a display case with one of his iconic sweaters handknit by his mother that he wore on the show.
Brunch at Sally Ann’s
I fell in love with the whimsical exterior of Sally Ann’s even before stepping inside. The exterior had adorable flower boxes and flowers painted on the white brick walls. Located in the Cultural District, this charming café serves breakfast, brunch and lunch.
In addition to an extensive coffee menu, it has yummy dishes like egg sandwiches, chicken and waffles, pastries and sandwiches. I opted for the quiche Lorraine made with egg custard, caramelized onions, bacon and Swiss cheese – delicious.
Walking tour through the Cultural District and the Strip District
Pittsburgh is a walkable city and the best way to explore many of its 90 neighborhoods is by foot. After our brunch at Sally Ann’s, we headed out to explore more of the Cultural District, a 14-block area with parks, art galleries, retail shops and seven theaters.
Founded in 1984, the former red light district was transformed by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and now attracts 2 million visitors a year to experience its vibrant arts scene.
We continued our walk to the Strip District, a half-square mile neighborhood east of downtown known for its amazing food options, from ethnic grocery stores and sidewalk vendors to the original location of Primanti Bros., founded in the 1930s and makers of an iconic sandwich. Devotees flock to indulge in the dish piled high with meat and cheese on Italian bread. What makes it stand out is the addition of French fries and coleslaw inside the sandwich, created for blue collar workers to enjoy during a short lunch break.
We had an informal tour, but to book your own tour, try Burgh Bits and Bites in the Strip District and Walk the Burgh and Bike the Burgh in the Cultural District.
Lunch at Novo Asian Food Hall
I love visiting food halls, although I often have to make multiple rounds before deciding what to eat. I wandered around the seven locally owned and family-run restaurants at the new Novo Asian Food Hall for a while before finally opting for the delicious tuna poke bowl at Mola. Other options include sushi, dumplings, noodle soup and Korean BBQ.
The Novo Asian Food Hall is in the Strip District in the Terminal Building, a five-block long former product market. The colorful 8,600-square-foot space also has a full bar.
Where to stay in Pittsburgh
The location of Embassy Suites by Hilton Downtown Pittsburgh was perfect for me to explore the downtown area by foot. Housed in the historic Henry W. Oliver building, the hotel featured a heated indoor pool, free breakfast and evening reception with a friendly bartender.
For more information, go to Visit Pittsburgh.
– Jan Schroder, Editor-in-chief