I Shall Always Love You Isaly’s

Take a walk through Isaly’s history to learn why so many Pittsburghers have fond memories of the company, why its ice cream and chipped ham are still regional favorites, and how Isaly’s Klondike bar became the world’s best-selling ice cream novelty.

Along the way, we will see some vintage ads and cool product packaging.

When you register on Patreon through the button below, you gain access to all of our Virtual Storytelling On-Demand recordings for $10 per month.  Cancel at any time. 

This story was recorded on April 1, 2021.

Your Storyteller

Brian Butko, who has written more than a dozen books on popular culture topics like Diners, Kennywood, the Lincoln Highway, and Roadside Attractions. His next book is a sequel: Isaly’s Chipped Ham, Klondikes, and other Tales from Behind the Counter. Brian has been voted Best Local Author by the Pittsburgh City Paper multiple times and has more history-themed books underway. Since 2001, Brian has served as Director of Publications at the Senator John Heinz History Center, where he oversees a quarterly journal and book publishing. He designs books and magazines too.

Culinary Journey from Portugal to Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh has evolved in all things having to do with food and culinary.  With humble beginnings dating back to the produce terminal in the Strip District to Pittsburgh being a culinary destination for locals and tourists alike.

We have our small, but mighty, diverse immigrant population to thank for our culinary choices and history in Pittsburgh.

Celebrate this fact as we travel to the Azores with Elsa Santos from the Azorean Cafe. The Cafe is one of the favorite stops on the Burgh Bits and Bites Bloomfield food tour.

Elsa shares stories about the beautiful Portuguese islands she calls home. Cook along with Elsa as she makes a Traditional Portuguese Kale Soup.

Not only will you hear about the Azores, but you’ll also learn the history of Bloomfield, Pittsburgh’s Little Italy where the Azorean Cafe is located.

When you register on Patreon through the button below, you gain access to all of our Virtual Storytelling On-Demand recordings for $10 per month.  Cancel at any time. 

This story was recorded on March 29, 2021.

Presented by DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh and Burgh Bits and Bites Food Tours/ Hosted by The Azorean Cafe.

Pittsburgh Astronomer’s Tiny Abode

Ever wonder what it might be like to live in a “tiny house?” 

DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh invites you into a Pittsburgh astronomer’s tiny house. 

This 500-square-foot house was built by ex-cons and assembled in a warehouse on South Side. It was driven through Pittsburgh at five miles per hour on an escorted, cross-city journey that took nine hours until it reached eight acres of woods off a dead-end road in the City of Pittsburgh.

Learn more about this tiny house, from the owner Diane Turnshek, as she invites us in for a virtual tour.

When you register on Patreon through the button below, you gain access to all of our Virtual Storytelling On-Demand recordings for $10 per month.  Cancel at any time. 

This story was recorded on March 22, 2021.

Your Storyteller

Diane Turnshek is an astronomer in the CMU Department of Physics and the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Pittsburgh. She coordinates astronomy activities in Western PA through her Astronomy Enthusiasts newsletter (sign up at dianeturnshek.com). Her research on light pollution has gained worldwide attention. At last count, the total combined subscriber base of the networks that have featured her is upwards of 1.2 billion.

Lost Treasures of Pittsburgh

Get nostalgic and reflect on the lost treasures of Pittsburgh with local author Rossilynne Culgan who is writing a book about the lost treasures of Pittsburgh.

Rossilynne will share her research on five beloved Pittsburgh places lost over the years–Raywell’s Restaurant in the Skinny Building, the iconic Isaly’s around town, the Syria Mosque’s original location, Kaufmann’s Downtown store, and Market Square in an era you won’t recognize.

When you register on Patreon through the button below, you gain access to all of our Virtual Storytelling On-Demand recordings for $10 per month.  Cancel at any time. 

This story was recorded on March 15, 2021.

Your Storyteller

Rossilynne Culgan is a writer and editor who is enamored with her hometown of Pittsburgh. Rossilynne is the author of 100 Things to Do in Pittsburgh Before You Die (www.100ThingsPittsburgh.com), a book that promises to become the ultimate Pittsburgh bucket list and to provide new ideas for your next visitors.  Passionate about local journalism, she helps to lead The Incline (www.TheIncline.com) and its sister sites across the United States.

Theatres of Downtown: A 100-Year Story

Did you know that Pittsburgh represents the birth of the “movie theatre?” 

This story begins in 1896, on the day that an image first flickered on a screen in Downtown Pittsburgh and visits every Downtown theatre that ever played a movie. Learn about the theatres that once dominated the entertainment scene in the Golden Triangle. Hear fun history, trivia, and stories as we usher you through an era that is long-gone and stir up some fond memories. So, reserve your seat and don’t forget the buttered popcorn!

When you register on Patreon through the button below, you gain access to all of our Virtual Storytelling On-Demand recordings for $10 per month.  Cancel at any time. 

This story was recorded on March 8, 2021.

Your Storyteller

Jim Kastner was a 70-year resident of Pittsburgh. Born and raised on Spring Hill and schooled on Troy Hill, he spent most of his free time as a kid in the Northside’s old East Street neighborhood, known today as the Parkway North. He saw his first movie at the Garden Theatre in 1955.

It was his fondness for theatres and movies that led to his publishing Where the Movies Played in Downtown Pittsburg(h), which begins with a tribute to his Northside roots when he and all the neighborhood kids walked to the movies. Jim is now retired and living in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is honored to share this journey with DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh ticketholders and patrons.

Behind the Beer: A Peek Inside Penn Brewery

Let us take you on a behind-the-scenes tour of Penn Brewery where you will learn the fascinating history behind our 19th-century building, as well as show you how we make our award-winning brews.

We will also give you a brief “Penn Beer 101” so you can enjoy the brew that is right for you!

When you register on Patreon through the button below, you gain access to all of our Virtual Storytelling On-Demand recordings for $10 per month.  Cancel at any time. 

This story was recorded on March 2, 2021.

Frank Lloyd Wright in Pittsburgh

Frank Lloyd Wright was the most talked about “starchitect” of the mid-20th century and inventor of Prairie style architecture.

He had a twenty-year relationship with Pittsburgh. Fallingwater was only the beginning.

Wright’s on and off friendship with retail magnate Edgar Kaufmann yielded innovative designs–and plenty of controversy. Apprentices who trained at FLW’s Taliesin program carry on his legacy into the 21st century.

When you register on Patreon through the button below, you gain access to all of our Virtual Storytelling On-Demand recordings for $10 per month.  Cancel at any time. 

This story was recorded on March 1, 2021.

Your Storyteller 

Paul J. Tellers is an architect and planner.  He was the University Architect at Carnegie Mellon University, the Director of Planning at WTW Architects, and a Project Manager for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.

The Hidden Jewish Neighborhoods of Pittsburgh

On this fast-paced virtual tour, we will visit 12 city neighborhoods. With an eagle eye and help from archival records, we will find Pittsburgh’s Jewish history hidden in the cityscape.

Pittsburgh neighborhoods are often identified by their past and present ethnic identities, but neighborhood life has never been that simple. Even the most seemingly homogenous neighborhoods can have small communities living as minorities among their neighbors.

Today, Squirrel Hill is known as the “Jewish part” of Pittsburgh, but historically, the Hill District was considered a Jewish neighborhood. A century ago, at least a dozen other Pittsburgh neighborhoods were home to Jewish communities. Each enclave supported synagogues, religious schools, Jewish clubs and charities, and Jewish-owned businesses.

When you register on Patreon through the button below, you gain access to all of our Virtual Storytelling On-Demand recordings for $10 per month.  Cancel at any time. 

This story was recorded on February 22, 2021.

Your Storyteller

Eric Lidji is the director of the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center. He is a child of Squirrel Hill and a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh. He spent 15 years as a journalist before joining the Rauh Jewish Archives–first as a volunteer, then as a researcher and for the past three years as its director. He curates its Jewish history website–the Jewish Encyclopedia of Western Pennsylvania, oversees its Small Towns Jewish History Project, and hosts its podcast The Cornerstone.

He writes and speaks extensively about the Jewish history of Western Pennsylvania. He is the author of The Seventeenth Generation: The Lifework of Rabbi Walter Jacob and a coeditor of the anthologies Her Deeds Sing Her Praises and Bound in the Bond of Life.

Significant African-American Buildings in Pittsburgh

Explore the region’s historically-significant buildings which document the accomplishments of Pittsburgh’s African American Community. We share the architecture and more importantly the pride, perseverance, and perspective of resourceful and creative local leaders who had a national impact.

When you register on Patreon through the button below, you gain access to all of our Virtual Storytelling On-Demand recordings for $10 per month.  Cancel at any time. 

This story was recorded on February 1, 2021.

Your Storyteller

William Bates has a long history of international development experience in corporate real estate and construction. He is an adjunct faculty member in Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Architecture and was recently elected Vice President of the American Institute of Architects’ national board.

Nellie Bly: How a Sassy Girl from Pittsburgh Became a Legend

This is the story of a girl from Pittsburgh who proved her mettle one front page headline after another. She took on prickly social issues. She went undercover when undercover was only “for the boys.” This is the story of how one woman changed the world.

When you register on Patreon through the button below, you gain access to all of our Virtual Storytelling On-Demand recordings for $10 per month.  Cancel at any time. 

This story was recorded on January 25, 2021.

Your Storyteller

Pamela Gianni, MD is a native Pittsburgher and second generation Italo-American, who loves all things Pittsburgh. She joined DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh as a volunteer tour curator, and now virtual storyteller, in 2019. In her day job, she’s a Medical Consultant to the Social Security Administration.

Clemente Museum: Telling the Humanitarian Story

We commemorated MLK Day 2021 by celebrating Roberto Clemente, a black Latino, known as The Great One. Incensed by the injustice, inequality and racism, Clemente extended his humanitarian activism to the African American community. 

His impact beyond baseball is best depicted by the inscription on his cenotaph, Son of Carolina, Exemplary Citizen, Athlete, Philanthropist, Teacher, Hero of the Americas and the World. Clemente, a black Latino, regarded his career in baseball as an opportunity to help disadvantaged Latin Americans and serve as a role model to Latin American children and baseball players.

When you register on Patreon through the button below, you gain access to all of our Virtual Storytelling On-Demand recordings for $10 per month.  Cancel at any time. 

This story was recorded January 18, 2021.

Western Penitentiary: Life and Death Inside the “Wall”

This is a story of life and death inside Western Penitentiary, also known as “Western Pen” and “The Wall.”  Thousands of convicted persons through the years have lived and worked in this sprawling 21-acre, high-walled, barb-wired city within the city of Pittsburgh, yet most Pittsburghers would be hard pressed to tell you where it’s located.  Stories of escape, madness, and brutality are part of its legacy.

When you register on Patreon through the button below, you gain access to all of our Virtual Storytelling On-Demand recordings for $10 per month.  Cancel at any time. 

This story was recorded on January 11, 2021.

Abandoned Pittsburgh: Gears & Ghosts

Join photographer Chuck Beard for a look inside some of Pittsburgh’s iconic and historic sites, including Duquesne Steel Works, Carrie Furnace, St Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church, Overholt Distillery, Hazelwood Brewery, J&L Roundhouse and Pumphouse, Western Penitentiary and more.

This will be a curated presentation by Chuck of some of the most popular and interesting photos and sites from the Abandoned Pittsburgh project.

When you register on Patreon through the button below, you gain access to our entire Virtual Storytelling On-Demand recordings for $10 per month.  Cancel at any time. 

This story was recorded on January 4, 2021.

Holiday Cheers! A Truly Unique Winery Experience

Join head vintner, Duane Rieder, on-location at the Engine House 25 Wines, a discreet and private wine cellar under the Clemente Museum. 

DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh gives you an on-location tour virtually inside this unique space. Learn about their winemaking process, the varietals, and how this amazing winery came to be!

When you register on Patreon through the button below, you gain access to all of our Virtual Storytelling On-Demand recordings for $10 per month.  Cancel at any time. 

This story was recorded on December 21, 2020. 

Bayernhof Museum: Music Boxes & Other Obscure History

We invite you for a virtual on-location peek inside one of Pittsburgh’s most unusual mansions–the Bayernhof Museum.  This mansion contains a world-class collection of music boxes and other antique automatic music machines, as well as many other fascinating items.  Join us for this truly one-of-a-kind adventure, that will leave you wanting to see more in-person later!

When you register on Patreon through the button below, you gain access to all of our Virtual Storytelling On-Demand recordings for $10 per month.  Cancel at any time. 

This story was recorded on December 14, 2020.

To Pittsburgh, from Germany with love: Holiday Markets

German Christmas markets date back to the 1400’s. Did you know that many of our beloved Christmas traditions evolved from these markets? We uncover the stories and magnificence of these traditions, igniting the Holiday spirit in all of us!

When you register on Patreon through the button below, you gain access to all of our Virtual Storytelling On-Demand recordings for $10 per month.  Cancel at any time. 

This story was recorded on December 7, 2020.

Daniel Burnham: Made No Little Plan in Pittsburgh

Did you know that, outside Chicago, no other city has more Burnham buildings? Learn more about this man and the buildings he built in Pittsburgh from local author and historian, Mark Houser.

When you register on Patreon through the button below, you gain access to all of our Virtual Storytelling On-Demand recordings for $10 per month.  Cancel at any time. 

This story was recorded on November 30, 2020.

Your Storyteller

Mark Houser is a Pittsburgh writer and speaker and author of the new book MultiStories: 55 Antique Skyscrapers & the Business Tycoons Who Built Them. He has traveled across the country and beyond in search of the world’s best landmark tall buildings, and he regularly offers a popular Antique Skyscraper Rooftops & Views tour for DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh. Houser has appeared on NPR, CNN, and FOX and given a TEDx Talk about the history of bridges and life of John Roebling. His website is HouserTalks.com.

City Stairs: Stepping Back into Pittsburgh’s History One Staircase at a Time

City steps were the first mass transportation system, designed to bring workers from the hills to the mills.  Did you know that Pittsburgh has the most stairways of any other city in the U.S?  Step back through Pittsburgh’s history of these staircases with author Laura Zurwoski.

When you register on Patreon through the button below, you gain access to all of our Virtual Storytelling On-Demand recordings for $10 per month.  Cancel at any time. 

This story was recorded on November 23, 2020.

H. J. Heinz — Secrets of a Pickle King

We all know about the ketchup and pickles. But what do we know about H.J. Heinz the man?  Sunday schools and opulence, alcohol and purity, love, and betrayal. This is that story.  Grab a pickle, take a seat, and join us for the story behind the man.

When you register on Patreon through the button below, you gain access to all of our Virtual Storytelling On-Demand recordings for $10 per month.  Cancel at any time. 

This story was recorded on November 16, 2020.

Your Storyteller

Pamela Gianni, MD is a native Pittsburgher and second generation Italo-American, who loves all things Pittsburgh. She joined DOORS OPEN Pittsburgh as a volunteer tour curator, and now virtual storyteller, in 2019. In her day job, she’s a Medical Consultant to the Social Security Administration.

Behind the Stage Doors: Shama Lama Ding Dong

If you are a music fan who grew up in Pittsburgh over the last 50 years, you know the name Johnny Angel.  Johnny invites you into his museum, Ginchy Stuff, to take a stroll through music history where you will recognize Chubby Checker, Little Richard, many performers from the Motown era, and Pittsburgh legends as well like the Skyliners.

When you register on Patreon through the button below, you gain access to all of our Virtual Storytelling On-Demand recordings for $10 per month.  Cancel at any time. 

This story was recorded on November 6, 2020.