Summer @ CMU Newsletter: Issue IV

It’s hard to believe, but this is our final newsletter of 2018. The summer is really flying by! We’ve loved spending our time on campus with all you wonderful folks. In this issue, we’ll give you the usual run-down of on and off campus activities, take a look forward to fall 2018, and spotlight two exciting neighborhoods: Bloomfield and Garfield.

Let’s swing into action! (Get it??) Photo above is courtesy of CMU Flickr.

New Dining Options for July 2018 & Beyond

There are some exciting changes coming to campus dining this year. In May, Dining Services announced Chartwells as their new primary vendor. Over the next six months, a number of refreshed dining options will be made available to the CMU community. Many of these locations will feature locally sourced food and a greater variety of vegan and vegetarian options. Dining Services and Chartwells are also partnering on exciting sustainability initiatives, including compostable takeout containers in all Chartwells locations.

A number of new dining locations have already opened for business, including…

• Jack & Olive: Chartwells’ grab-and-go option, Jack & Olive features ready made artisan-style sandwiches and upscale salads. Keep an eye out for Jack & Olive cases in various locations around campus.
• Back Bar Grill: Located on the second floor of the CUC, Back Bar Grill offers sandwiches, beef burgers, and veggie burgers, all on house-baked artisan buns and served with a selection of local cheeses.
• Bibimbap: Also located on the second floor of the CUC, Bibimbap is named for the famous Korean rice bowl. You can build your own bowl or lettuce cup, or try one of the rotating specials. Bibimbap will feature certified Halal meats.
• Rohr Commons: Located in the Tepper Building, Rohr Commons will be run in conjunction with AVI Pure, a long-standing university partner. Rohr will function like a food court, providing a diverse array of options, including sandwiches made from house-roasted meats, specialty burgers, a salad bar, and campus favorite, Tazza D’Oro.

“It’s all about natural and wholesome ingredients,” said Chris Nelson, AVI’s executive vice president. “Our skillfully prepared selections will be free of artificial colors, artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, and the use of antibiotics and growth hormones.”

In order to refresh the dining venues for the upcoming academic year, some locations will be closed at the end of July and beginning of August. For up-to-date information about dining locations and hours of operation, please visit cmu.edu/dining. You can also check out Issue III of our newsletter for a list of great restaurants near campus.

Neighborhood Spotlight

Bloomfield & Garfield

For our final Neighborhood Spotlight, we’re focusing on Bloomfield and Garfield. Both are a short bus ride from campus, and both have an amazing amount to offer. Once you’ve spent time in Bloomfield and Garfield, it’s hard not to love them.

And when you journey off campus, remember to take photos of your adventures and tag them with #CMUsummer to enter our Instagram contest!

Bloomfield

Known as Pittsburgh’s Little Italy, Bloomfield is famous for its annual summer street festival, Little Italy Days. There’s plenty to do in Bloomfield year-round, however. Here are some of our favorite neighborhood spots:

Bitter Ends Garden & Luncheonette is an exciting new addition to Liberty Avenue. Founded in 2017 by organic farm owners Becca Hegarty, Jason “Joddo” Oddo, and Lou DeVito, Bitter Ends keeps things clean and simple. The restaurant, which only seats 17, serves sandwiches, soups, salads, and pastries. All ingredients are fresh and beautifully prepared, a testament to Hegarty’s skill as a chef: in 2017, she was named one of Zagat’s 30 under 30 National Chefs. She has also been nominated for a James Beard Rising Star Chef award. Photo courtesy of Bitter Ends.

If you want delicious Thai food, Thai Gourmet is the place to go. Thai Gourmet has been a Bloomfield staple for years. They’ve even received props from celebrities like Drag Race winner and former Pittsburgher, Sharon Needles. In addition to delicious curries and noodle dishes (we recommend the green curry and the fresh rolls), Thai Gourmet serves up a funky, eclectic atmosphere that makes dining in extra fun. While they don’t deliver, there’s a chance you’ll receive a free desert if you journey to Bloomfield to pick up your order in person. Photo courtesy of Thai Gourmet.

White Whale Bookstore is the place to go for Pittsburgh book lovers. Formerly the East End Book Exchange, White Whale offers a wide selection of new and used titles. There are hand-written staff recommendation cards taped to the shelves to help browsers choose the perfect story. White Whale also hosts free readings by locally and nationally recognized authors. On July 31, actress, director, writer, and activist Amber Tamblyn will read from and discuss her book, Any Man. Photo courtesy of White Whale Bookstore.

Garfield

Garfield is separated from Bloomfield by the cute, residential neighborhood, Friendship. Garfield’s main business drag, Penn Avenue, has undergone a renaissance in recent years. The street is crowded with thriving restaurants, galleries, and creative spaces, all of which open their doors to the community on the first Friday of every month during Unblurred.

If you’re interested in the creative and performing arts, check out Level Up Studios. Operated by Patrick Everett, Shaun Mbateng, and Mario Quinn (shown in photo at left), Level Up offers dance classes, martial arts training, piano lessons, and creative writing classes for children and adults. Registering for one class allows you to take a second for free. Level Up was “created out of a passion for community reinvestment…Here we encourage students to explore their ideas through experimentation in the arts while building the skills to develop career interests, self confidence, and cultural awareness.” Photo courtesy of Level Up Studios. 

Spak Brothers is a Garfield staple. They specialize in pizza, hoagies, and wings, with options for both meat eaters and vegans/vegetarians. You can even play pinball on one of the vintage machines while you wait for your order!

If you’re in an adventurous mood, head down to Apteka and sample their menu of vegan Polish food. That may sound odd, but trust us, it’s delicious. If you’re not sure where to start, we recommend the pierogis, which have a crispy fried shell and tasty filling. Photo courtesy of Apteka.

There are a ton of other things to do in Bloomfield and Garfield! You should also try…

• Baby Loves Tacos - Serves both traditional taco styles like chorizo and more experimental options like BBQ cauliflower. Note that Baby Loves Tacos is not a sit down restaurant—most people either eat standing at the counter or take their food to go.
• The Big Idea Bookstore - An “anti-profit” book store/café run by an Anarchist collective.  
• Constellation Coffee - Some of the best coffee in Bloomfield, Constellation offers a low-key, atmosphere that makes it perfect for relaxing with friends.
• Clothes Minded - Like shopping for second-hand and vintage clothes? You’ll love the affordable, trendy selection at Clothes Minded.
• Juke Records - This place is a dream for music lovers. Though Juke is small, they have a wide selection of new and used music to explore.
• Irma Freeman Center for Imagination - There’s guaranteed to be something interesting going on at this art gallery, performance, and event space. Photo courtesy of Irma Freeman Center.
• The Mr. Roboto Project - This small venue across from Spak Brothers hosts some of the most exciting indie music in Pittsburgh.