Milk Crates of Florence

This past July I was able to travel to Florence, Italy for a 20th anniversary reunion with a group of study abroad alumni. The trip involved a potent mix of nostalgic recollection and eye-opening discovery of how much the seemingly timeless city had changed since my last visit. One of the internal changes that colored … Continue reading Milk Crates of Florence

City Scenes: Jeff Rosenstock at Nashville’s Eastside Bowl

With the first three weeks of the Fall semester having faded into the rearview mirror with nary a road bump or pit stop, I figured the coast was clear for a quick getaway. So with a jetsetter whimsy entirely at odds with my actual socioeconomic station I caught a Friday flight from Pittsburgh to Nashville … Continue reading City Scenes: Jeff Rosenstock at Nashville’s Eastside Bowl

A “September Sax” playlist

It’s September, which everyone knows is prime saxophone season. So to mark the month here’s a little playlist to celebrate the sax. Things kick off with an imaginative mash up of The Stranglers and the Dave Brubeck Quartet, go on to sample some contemporary artists, and also include a block of some personal favorites selected … Continue reading A “September Sax” playlist

Buff Zone: Color Park controversy

A couple of weekends ago I went for a run along one of my usual routes on the South Side stretch of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail. While crossing beneath the span of the Birmingham Bridge I noticed the words "Buff Zone" graffitied onto the pile foundations and sporadically spotting the asphalt of the trail … Continue reading Buff Zone: Color Park controversy