In Search of Lost Steel City Time

I suppose it is fairly silly to even pretend that this weekend is about MLS, or soccer. No, this is Super Bowl weekend, and I would be a fool to pretend otherwise. What's more, I don't want to. Unlike many SuperBowls of the past, where I had no connection to either of the teams playing, I am actively supporting the Pittsburgh Steelers this time around. There are many Pittsburgh ex-pats in the DC area, and the fervor to which they remember the Steel City surprises many from other parts of the nation. Hell, it surprises me. I only lived in Pittsburgh four and a half years, so I certainly can't pretend to be a yinzer. But there's something about Pittsburgh that infects you while you are there. It's not that the people are especially welcoming and inclusive. They are, but so are most people. Rather it is the fact that Pittsburgh has a unique culture that is not the product of intent or artifice. The Seattle music scene, and hipsters in general, made a fetish out of authenticity. In so doing, in trying to be authentic, they failed. Pittsburgh doesn't care about authenticity, or keeping it real, or any of that. It is what it is, and you accept that or you don't.

It is a surprisingly beautiful city, especially after you are prepared for it by people who were last there in 1962. There are tons of small nooks and crannies to lose yourself in, and they aren't segregated into some ethnic area but rather are spread throughout the city, though there are certainly areas where one culture may be more dominant than others. I lived in Shadyside for most of my time there, and loved every moment. My room in my apartment was a sun room overlooking Walnut Avenue, so the gay pride parade marched right by my windows, and the concert series held over the summer made it feel almost like a sky-box. The 2 bedroom apartment cost $800 a month, which was split three ways. For those that are around DC, Shadyside would probably remind you of a slightly nicer Takoma Park. It was wonderful.

Like many, I left Pittsburgh. The excuse we all give is that there were no jobs. The truth is closer to "There weren't any jobs that I wanted to take." So I returned to the DC area where I could make more money in a cushier job even after cost of living adjustments. I think many Pittsburgh ex-pats have a sense of guilt about this. The city needs people, younger people especially, to stay and work and keep it going. And we've abandoned it. So as an act of atonement, we carry black and gold around town, wave our terrible towels, and search for cases of Iron City. One day perhaps we'll go back. One day.

Photos from Wikipedia under Creative Commons License.