Andrea Polli's masterpiece in the heart of the Cultural District is an absolute gem of immersive…read moreart! A place I would often take visitors to our great city and a spot I still swing by whenever I'm home. The canal aka Garrison Place was originally a dank and dark alley (Garrison Alley) that transformed with the Cultural District coming into fruition. The LED art installation wasn't unveiled until 2018 but is still considered a vital and iconic piece of Pittsburgh art & history. The idea of the artwork is to mimic swimming under water. The lights change colors depending on weather. The animated waves also shift & change around the weather. If you're visiting Pittsburgh, be sure to check it out (after the sun goes down) in the 900 block of Liberty.

"Garrison Canal" is a piece of artwork that was designed by artist Andrea Polli and installed in…read morethe Garrison Place alley between Liberty Avenue and Exchange Way. The artwork consists of thousands of lights that were recycled from the "Energy Flow" art on the Rachel Carson Bridge. According to the website for the artwork, Polli describes the artwork as waves of big-data lights under which visitors "swim." The lights change color in response to the weather. Recently late in the evening, my husband and I walked under this artwork. The shimmering lights looked very beautiful. Unfortunately, a man stopped and really stared at us, and even my husband felt worried that we would be robbed. We were not harmed at all (phew!), but I recommend that people walk with a buddy and keep a safe distance from others.

You don't have to shell out any Dough to visit the Doughboy, because of course it's free…read more This is a popular little roundabout with an ice sculpture in the middle of it... actually it's a "nice sculpture" but google dictate hates me. Having said that, an ice sculpture would probably survive here for several months a year in icy Pitt. So it's pretty awesome, and one which is located in Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville neighbourhood. As you can see Barbie came here, and like her, it adds a nice little bit of culture and artistic flavour to the neighbourhood.

One of the best things about living in Bloomfield was being able to take a quick walk to The…read moreOctopus Garden in Friendship. Professor Hughes from CMU started the garden back in 2009. The idea was (and is) bringing community together through art and gardening. Octavia (the octopus) is loved by kids and adults alike. There's a little free library onsite too. This is a fantastic community urban garden growing veg to share with neighbors. It's also off the beaten path and mainly known to neighborhood folks. If you're visiting my hometown of Pittsburgh and wanna see quirky things, check out this garden.

I moved nearby recently and had no idea this was here. What a lovely surprise!…read more It's not the biggest park but you can tell that a lot of love created it and sustains it. Activities looked fun for any age--a little free library, chalk and chalkboard, glittery octopus statue. I have not looked into the plant stuff yet but can already say I enjoy the park.

One of the great things about art is that the message it is conveying can be absolutely timeless…read moreand relevant, even almost 100 years after it was initially completed. The murals, lovingly painted by Maxo Vanka were completed in a surprisingly short time period. Basically every wall and space in this church is covered with art packed with meaning. Even in scenes that were straight out the Bible, Vanka packed a social justice and workers rights message into them. The one that stood out most to me was a gorgeous one behind the altar called "Mary, Queen of Croatia" Mary is often depicted as somewhat meek or even small, and this depiction is is strong, muscular and clearly showing confidence. It was just striking and I connected with it because I've always viewed Mary in that way (a strong, bad a**). I took a tour which was extremely informative and provided a great mix of the history and the art. Speaking with the tour guide, she stated that while the basic information is the same on every tour, each guide provides their own unique spin on what they focus on. I definitely recommend a guided tour, but even just visiting and taking them all in on your own is worth it.

We are so lucky to have this local gem here to see. It's a hidden treasure in Millvale that I wish…read moremore people knew about. I have been lucky enough to gonna tour a few different times to see the church and murals at different times per year. Christmas is the best time to see them. The church is so beautifully decorated that time of year. The guides do such a wonderful job of telling the story of Maxo Vanka, how he got to the US, and what they represent to his culture and people. He did such a great job of telling the story of Croatian history, its ups and downs and how strong their people were in getting through it all. The preservation society does an amazing job of working with art restorers to keep these murals alive and so vibrant. I also love the lights they put on them to further highlight them. Do yourself a favor and check these murals are. We're so lucky to have these works of art here in Pittsburgh.

4.5 stars. Songbird Artistry is a local, family-owned business that sells merchandise that is made…read moreby over 50 local artisans as well as art classes. The merchandise includes jewelry (e.g., necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and pins), apparel (e.g., gloves, hats, t-shirts, onesies, and bibs), bath products (e.g., soaps, beard balm, aftershave, and shower steamers), foods (e.g., olive oil, vinegar, seasonings, and dog and cat treats), stationery (e.g., stickers, greeting cards, and magnets), and home decor (e.g., candles, coasters, prints, and knick-knacks). I bought one pierogi magnet for five dollars. This magnet sticks well to my refrigerator in my kitchen, and it looks cute.

I've had my eye on this shop for some time now and was very glad to see them represented at the…read moreMingo Creek covered bridge festival. Their jewelry is locally hand made and goes anywhere from traditional to whimsical motifs including Harry Potter, Disney, Hamilton the musical, mosaics, and even dried flowers! Their booth only carries a limited selection of what's in the store where they have partnered with local food vendors such as Olive and Marlowe, as well as other Pittsburgh vendors to sell you almost anything. You can find stickers, clothing, caps, coasters, keychains, soap, candles and so much more! I was able to chat with Jenny who is one of the owners of the business who told me that they offer various craft classes in the store as well as unique themed parties such as Harry Potter for kids. If attending a class is not your bag because of the pandemic then on occasion you can purchase a craft kit in store and arrange for a Zoom class on a particular day to make your craft. They are very flexible when is comes to meeting people exactly where they are. You can find most anything on their website. Have something in particular in mind? Just contact them and they will accommodate your every need. During my visit I picked up two pairs of earrings with surgical steel backs. Jenny gave me some rubber stoppers with my purchases to insure they won't get lost. I purchased a pretty teardrop stud earring set and the Hamilton inspired earrings. I'm all set to enjoy one of my favorite Broadway musicals-"Hamilton." I also learned they do "Wicked the musical" jewelry if you are fond of that show. It's a great place to buy local made arts and crafts showcasing Pittsburgh. Although they are based in Lawrenceville across from Children's hospital, you may run into this business at various events with the last one I saw them at was VegFest. They were also at Picklesburg. Jenny told me that If I ever make to the shop itself the cheapest parking is at Children's Hospital across the street for $3.00. Not a bad deal if you are looking for parking in the area. Will be looking forward to visiting their store this fall to check out their other offerings.

The City of Pittsburgh has several dinosaur sculptures in downtown, Oakland, and other…read moreneighborhoods. Alphabetosaurus sits proudly on Forbes Ave, right across the street from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Carl Goldman (art teacher at Phillips) along with K-5 students and teachers painted and designed the letters of the alphabet proudly displayed on this eye-catching dino. Alphabetosaurus is a part of the Oakland landscape and you'd be hard-pressed to say anything negative about it. Just another piece of beautiful art the city can be proud of.

4.5 stars. The Alphabetosaurus dinosaur is a sculpture that is located across the street from the…read moreCarnegie Museum of Natural History. Years ago, the Grable Foundation donated a DinoMite Days dinosaur for the teachers and students at Phillips Elementary School to decorate. The teachers and students created colorful alphabet letters and applied them to the dinosaur. This decorating was intended to support children's learning of language. This dinosaur is free for everyone to see, touch, and photograph. If you happen to be in the Oakland neighborhood for other activities, then I recommend that you quickly stop by to see Alphabetosaurus. Tip: Another dinosaur sculpture, Dippy, a Diplodocus, is located a short walk across the street, and his decorations change throughout the seasons.

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea sponge bob gangster pants. That being said here's gangsta…read moreBob his Homie Cookie Monster that looks like Oscar but is the color Cookie Monster so there's a lot going on here. Another cool Pittsburgh mural that I had to take pictures of an ad on here because I hope others get to see it because it's pretty cool.

Awesome display of color and emotion in this mural we saw while we were in Pittsburgh. We love…read moremural and public art. And something we love doing is traveling and seeing murals in other cities. This is a great looking mural that displays a good message. Definitely one to check out and visit,

In an otherwise unassuming house you walk in through a chilly hallway, down some stairs to the…read morebasement and are immediately greeted by a... lighthouse. The lighthouse is the structure of this otherwise previously dilapidated home, where you can see remnants of its past... look up from your spot in the basement and you can see tile from the kitchen and the opening for where the pipes were once attached. Enter the lighthouse and feel how real it is -- save for being hidden from the world outside rather than visible for all travelers, lighting their way. Enjoy the living space in the middle complete with a curved bed and cooling area and a few books to make the time go by. Travel higher to the attic, and see the top of this lighthouse, going round and round and shunting light like a kaleidoscope through an intricate glass 'shade'. Make your way partway back down to what used to be a bathroom, fit with a clawfoot tub and tacky retro curtain to match the typical pink tile if the time. Then venture outside and down the stairs after contemplating the black color of the semi-burnt (deliberately) wood to honor the history of the home. Take a loop in the backyard flush with coastal grasses growing wild around a massive orange cone. Bottom line: Weird, authentic-feeling to lighthouses and the coast (although I wonder if the non-native species are okay...?), and worth a stroll.

The latest of 3 art houses in Troy Hill, Darkhouse, Lighthouse has generated substantial excitement…read moreand acclaim by imbedding a lighthouse in the middle of a house. As you move your way through the house to the top floor, you are able to see the authentic Fresnel Lens, which is both beautiful and compelling. Touring the art houses is free, and the online booking has made the process easier than ever. It's difficult to describe, however a visit to Darkhouse Lighthouse is experiential, self reflective, and fun.