TRASHionals: The Lay of the Land

• From: theponchokid <no_reply_at_yahoogroups.com>
• Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 04:16:38 -0000
• Message-ID: <d3i6f9+v633_at_...>

Ahoy all, in particular those of you coming into Pittsburgh this
weekend. Here's a bit (a lot), some of which may actually make your
TRASHionals experience go that much more smoothly.

If you're flying in, the 28X Port Authority shuttle goes from the
airport through
Downtown and through into the Universities in Oakland. Here's a
schedule: <http://www.portauthority.org/ride/pdfs/28X.pdf>

The Hilton is downtown right next to the park at the Point. If you're
 walking into the city along Gateway Center, to the right is Market
Square with many interesting restaurants, there's a Eckerd for light
groceries up and to the left on Penn, and a liquor store straight
ahead on Liberty. You're also right in the Cultural District
<http://www.culturaldistrict.org/>, which is fun.

Hotels will have shuttles, but in case of randomness: the Port
Authority has bus lines that go from downtown into Oakland: 61A, B,
and C; 71A, C and D; 500, and the 501. These have stops at Forbes and
Stanwix, which is 2 blocks from the Hilton (see www.portauthority.org
for more info). Fares are $1.75.
<http://www2.sis.pitt.edu/aboutSIS/parking_map.html> is a good guide
to Campus parking lots and rates, except for the fact that Schenley
Parking Plaza is currently torn up.

Other people are probably staying in Oakland next to the University:
The Wyndham and Quality Inn are in South Oakland, the Holiday Inn is
right
next to the Cathedral. There are plenty of restaurants on Forbes and
south down Atwood street, and a CVS and a Rite Aid are that direction
for light groceries. You'll be in the middle of student apartments, so
feel free to check out a house party or the goodly number of bars
around. Here's a more general Campus Map:
<http://www.umc.pitt.edu/tour/tour-firstmap.html>

There are also Carnival festivities going on at Carnegie Mellon right
down the street from us: <http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/org/carnival/>

PA liquor laws: are a pain for everyone not from Pennsylvania. Alcohol
is only sold in state stores, the liquor outlets close at 9PM (I saw 7
downtown) and you
have to buy a case of beer at a time. In Oakland there is a liquor
store and a beer distributor near Forbes on Atwood. You can purchase
6-packs in pubs, feel free to ask around.

The North Side (near downtown) has: slightly more upscale restaurants,
stadii, and the Carnegie Science Center (which has Pink Floyd laser
shows Saturdays at midinght!).

If anyone has additional questions, email me at mfb18 *at* pitt *dot*
edu

Mike Baker
President, Pitt Quiz Bowl