Trip Highlights Part 2

The Andy Warhol Museum is “Very Cool.” Hey, we heard that term so much from Roadshow Experts and the attendees around us it wore off. Actually, the museum is not big but it is interesting. I know him more from his iconic pop art and silk screenings. I didn’t know he was a prolific film artist.

Our favorite room was this…

pictures currently being held hostage on piece of shit iPhone

Full of helium filled mylar balloons in the shape of big silver pillows and a bunch of fans blowing them around. The unintended downfall of this room is that there is a sort of closet in the back of the room where the pillows tended to congregate. A lot of people walked into this room and only saw a couple of balloons floating around and left. Ted and I promptly went to the back and encouraged the balloons to come out of the closet. We were grabbing them and throwing them at people in the room. It was an interactive exhibit after all. Walking into this room with 20 pillows floating versus only 2 made a huge difference. People were delighted. We made it such a hit that the docent didn’t even mind when we blatantly ignored the “no photographs whatsoever” rule. Hey, I figured we weren’t photographing any of the actual art…just a conceptual piece that was meant to be enjoyed by all.  Too bad it can't be enjoyed by our blog followers right now.

We also had fun hanging out in bars all day while the entire dowtown of the city was being held hostage by...

The Batmobile

The people who live in Pittsburgh are over it.  Everytime we were delayed by filming, we just hung out in the closest bar to wait it out.  We took some video, but we really shouldn't drink and film so I'll leave the award winning documentary stuff we shot off the blog.

The next morning we decided we had seen all of Pittsburgh that there is to see, so we left. They say taking the Road Less Traveled is rewarding, we decided to take the Road Less Expensive. Coming to Pitt, we took the PA Turnpike…a straight shot. We were treated to a toll of $20.25. The quarter was to add insult to injury. I have a rant that I’ll save for a later date about the tolls on the turnpike paying for the $150,000 annual salaries of 7 Turnpike Commissioners “necessary” to making essential decisions about the turnpike and paying for their river view offices at the state of the art Turnpike Commission Building. Not to mention all the perks that they must have as state employees. There are constantly cones, barrels and signs indicating a work area is ahead. There is no actual work ever going on.

We set Sybil on a destination home avoiding highways and tolls. We had prior knowledge despite Sybil that when we got on Route 30 East, we were staying on Route 30 East. You know what they say about the best laid plans.  Our intelligence gathering told us that we couldn't completely avoid tolls and highways.

First off, setting Sybil with the above avoidances and promptly ignoring her, meant she directed us immediately through the ghetto.  We weren't just through a main street in the ghetto.  Oh no, no, no.  Sybil had us down in alleys and shit. I must say, the early morning ghetto experience is delightful. I know, Right? Whatever. What is now the wrong side of the tracks usually ends up with some incredibly beautiful buildings and architecture because it was more than likely once "the place to live."  A lot of these neighborhoods, like Harlem, are now becoming fashionable again. You see some incredible art whether it be sculpture or parks or wonderful architectural elements on a building in a long neglected area or graffiti and murals on the side of a building. You see some interesting people. And different from a normal city setting, you see people interacting rather than just walking to the next place they need to be. Anyway, we always find ourselves leaving a city this way due to the irrational GPS.

We did not see FallingWater. Upon further online research about itinerary yesterday, I discovered that I misread the rules. I thought they only required online reservations for group tours. It turns out folks, if you want to tour a Frank Lloyd Wright house you need to have reserved regular tickets online. Bummed, but happily I realized that before we drove there expecting admission. We’ll do it next time.

What we did do was further piss off Sybil by taking a side trip to Gettysburg. Wow, she really paid us back for THAT.

Next...Thanks for directing me into a parking lot Sybil, but I can't turn right and drive through a damn building.  The Wannabes see Gettysburg.  And I think the poll is done for this week, so we'll get a new one going up.