I had a day full of delights relating to the Denis Theatre yesterday (see, not even open yet and already the Denis is bringing joy to Mt. Lebanonites.) As a volunteer for the Denis Theatre foundation, I am occasionally included in opportunities to help plan for the future. One of the such opportunities was yesterday at a local coffee shop. We met with the head of another Pittsburgh organization with which we may be able to synergize some efforts. The head of the organization, a man in his early forties, very smart and very funny, gave us some great advice on different things to consider. When one of our board members noted that there's such a magnetism to Mt. Lebanon, the South Hills and Pittsburgh, that folks grow up and leave but often come back, both the head of the organization and another of his team who was in attendance noted that they each had grown up in Mt. Lebanon (Crystal Drive and Austin Avenue, respectively), left and returned to Pittsburgh later once their careers were well-established.
At that point my spider sense started to prickle. Crystal Drive is in Sunset Hills, where I lived until age fifteen. I asked the man if he'd gone to Howe, as I did. He had. I didn't recognize his name so I asked him the year he graduated to see if we had been classmates. He said he didn't graduate from Mt. Lebanon, that his family moved to Edgewood before high school. "Moving to Edgewood" tickled the waaaaayyy back portion of my brain. I remembered there was a boy who moved to Edgewood, breaking my heart, when I was in fifth grade. He also happens to be the first boy I ever kissed. I dredged the memory banks and pulled it up. His name was Erik, we'll call him Erik Larsen, though I'm making up the last name. And suddenly I realized the man I'm talking to, the head of this organization, is named Larsen too!
Unable to focus on anything but my need to determine if this amazing coincidence is so much more, I interrupt the higher level strategic discussion to say, "Are you by any chance related to Erik Larsen?" The man stops, smiles and says, "Erik would be my brother, yes."
There I am, talking to Erik Larsen's younger brother! What are the odds?
Then, last night my husband and I strolled Washington Road during the always-fun First Friday event. Not only did we see a busy stream of stoppers-by at the Denis Theatre Foundation table we took an opportunity to let the Mt. Lebanon commissioner staffing the Main Street Economic Development Task Force table know that not only do I want a bookstore on Washington Road for my post-movie stroll on a Friday or Saturday, I want a cupcake shop. He had me repeat "cupcake shop" twice, partly because it was hard to hear over the din of music but partly because he wasn't used to someone expressing such detailed needs, but, hey, I always say, if you really want something, it doesn't hurt to be clear about it.
What are you looking for in your pre-Denis or post-Denis stroll?
Gwyn
2 comments:
I'm looking for places that will stay open past 4 PM on Sunday evening.
It does seem odd, doesn't it? I know Mt. Lebanon has a fairly busy night life. I see folks walking to or waiting in front of all the great restaurants we have. It seems like there would be a pretty solid base of customers for stores that stayed open until 8 or 9. It wouldn't work for every sort of business, of course, but I personally would love to stroll and shop after a dinner (don't get me started on cupcakes.) Perhaps we can convince some stores to test later hours on Friday and Saturday and, if successful, add another day, like Shadyside (and Shadyside doesn't even have a theatre.) But if we are able to bring about a test, the burden would really be on residents to throw their support behind any business that gives it a try.
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