the people
exceedingly (and sometimes annoyingly) unpretentious, passionate, and unflinching, they remain the best part about the burgh. i’ve been to thirty-six states, four countries, and two continents, yet i haven’t seen a group of people with the same combination of folksy wherewithal and metacognitive sincerity. a place where, since everybody knows their own name and what the hell theyre supposed to be doing, there’s no need for wolf tickets and disingeniousness. no flashes in the pan. just fries. with everything…
…cause if you spend your entire life with your heart on your sleeve, theres no shame in it attacking you when its time to go.
the radio jingle for davids shoes…which every black pittsburgher can recite on demand
” i get my shoes from davids. davids shoes in east libetttttttttttttttttty”
kennywood day
quoting sully:
“Kennywood is a Pittsburgh tradition and historic landmark founded in 1898. Completely ingrained in the Pittsburgh culture, it’s practically assumed that every school districy, township, borough and several companies will host an annual Kennywood Day.
Virtually every Pittsburgher visits Kennywood each year and many more than once. Many end up working there at some point. I currently work with at least 2 ex-Kennywood employees, one of whom is married to an ex-Kennywood employee. Having lived in other cities, I can think of no other amusement park as completely ingrained in a cities identity as Kennywood.”
the friday before a steeler game
from baby’s with big ben bibs to sweet and senile grandmothers spewing savages swears at the mere mention of a seattle seahawk or baltimore bird, the entire city becomes a single-minded molitov cocktail: the borg with black and gold fangs
put it this way: downtown pittsburgh the friday before a steeler game is the only place in the country you’ll see lawyers rocking polamalu jerseys underneath $200 dollar jones new youk suits from burlington $3,000 zegna suits.
thats enough about me. tell us, people of verysmartbrothas.com: where are you from, and what about it makes you smile?
—the champ