Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Positively Pittsburgh Live News 1-9-12


MakeShop Announces Micro Grant Opportunity
The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, with funding from the Grable Foundation and support from The Sprout Fund and The Pittsburgh Foundation, will provide "Maker" micro grants to organizations who work with children and youth. Micro Grants of up to $5,000 are available to support programs that engage Youth Makers, children aged 7 to 17, in the hands-on design and production of objects that respond to two themes: Wearables and Rideables. Youth Makers will be encouraged to think broadly about the themes and create items as diverse as a wearable gaming system or cupcakes on wheels.

Download a Micro Grant Application and get started on your MakeShop idea today!
Micro Grant applications are due on Monday, January 30, 2012.

Micro Grants will be awarded through public selection using an online voting process developed by The Pittsburgh Foundation. The general public will have the chance to vote on their favorite projects and thereby select the final Youth Makers for grants.

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"Networking Center Stage"
Byham Theater
101 6th Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Wednesday January 18, 2012 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Networking Center Stage
The Pittsburgh Social Exchange in partnership with The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, invites you to attend “Networking Center Stage.” Event closes at 300 registrants. Take advantage of the early bird registration prices and enjoy complimentary hors d'oeuvres, business networking on actual stage at the Byham and a cash bar. Register Now!



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The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust in association with The Andy Warhol Museum performance series: Off the Wall

Steve Jobs
Presents Mike Daisey's The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs
Created and Performed by Mike Daisey
Directed by Jean-Michele Gregory

Read the entire release here.





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Pop Goes The Rock by Cirque Dreams
Heinz Hall
600 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15222
February 21-26

Pop Goes The Rock
Pop Goes The Rock is a roller–coaster ride of Twists, Turns and Wows! … a new musical of unexpected sights and sounds that explode on stage like a Rock n’ Roll party set in a carnival funhouse. Created and directed by Neil Goldberg, along with world-famous Cirque Dreams entertainment, this one-of-a-kind variety show spans decades and unites generations. Re-live popular and timeless tunes with a kaleidoscope of Cirque Dreams talent, extravagant costumes and theatrical mayhem. An international cast of singers, dancers, acrobats and musicians inspire crazy feats and off-the-hook beats on stage, in the air and way off the charts. Purchase tickets online at http://www.trustarts.org/, call 412-392-4900, or visit the Box Office at Theater Square. Groups 10+ Tickets call 412-471-6930. Purchase tickets before they go on sale to the public Friday, Jan. 13! Use promo code HITS.

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Pittsburgh Fashion Week
Nominations are being accepted for the third line of inductees into the Pittsburgh Fashion Hall of Fame at Pittsburgh Fashion Week this fall. Are you considered a fashion icon or know someone who is? Pittsburgh Fashion Week (PFW) is looking for individuals who have impacted Pittsburgh through fashion, style and beauty.

The public is invited to nominate anyone with roots in Pittsburgh for the award. Nominations must include the name of the nominee, explanation of why the person is deserving, and contact information of the nominee. Nominations are due February 15 and may be submitted via email to halloffame@pittsburghfashionweek.com or by snail mail to Pittsburgh Fashion Week, P.O. Box 17947, Pittsburgh, PA, 15235-7947. Please keep submissions brief. Bullet points are preferred. Visit www.pittsburghfashionweek.com  for all the details.

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Jessica Lee
Vocalist Jessica Lee & Friends
Little E's Jazz & Blues Club
949 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
2nd Floor above Mahoney's Restaurant
5:30 pm - 8:00 pm
412.392.2217

LIVE RHYTHM, JAZZ & BLUES: "Jessica Lee's Entrepreneurial Thursdays"
Musical Networking Happy Hour
EVERY THURSDAY!!! Cover Charge: Only $5.00!

Pre-show networking session at 5:30 pm:

Informal matchmaking for job seekers, employers & new entrepreneurs! Live music starts at 6:00 pm.

"Business of Communications - Traditional & Leading Edge"

Co-host Hank Walshak - Walshak Communications Inc.
Hank assesses how you convey your expertise to add value to customers and prospects. He provides a detailed, objective assessment of your traditional and social-media communications and how they support your vision and margin-dollar growth. Hank works with you to design and implement a program to deliver expertise-related content. With his help, your program creates and sustains tailored communications about your expertise to clients and prospects.

Jay Speyerer, Owner, Legacy Road Communications (http://www.jayspeyerer.com/)
Jay will transform the people in your company into better communicators in the areas of e-mail, body language, cross-cultural communications, and presentation skills.

Bernard T Martin, President - Rapid Production Marketing (http://www.rpmconsultants.us/)
A Marketing, Management, Social Media and Business Intelligence Consulting firm focused in the Automotive, Industrial & Manufacturing segments. We build Social Media Brands!"

Manfred Woodall, Principal, Creative - Group16 (www.group-16.com)
Group16 is full-service creative marketing, design, and communications firm.

Malcolm Handelsman, Managing Partner - Do It Right LLC - "Helping Entrepreneurs become Businessmen"
Malcolm Handelsman is a lifelong entrepreneur who has owned two businesses and is starting his third venture. Do it Right LLC helps entrepreneurs and start up businesses find capital to finance and grow their business. In addition, they will assist in providing patent help, writing business and marketing plans and helping entrepreneurs "Do It Right" so they can avoid the costly mistakes many entrepreneurs make in starting a business. Do It Right's goal is to take an idea and make it a thriving, successful business.

Mark Baldauf, Principal, Catalyst Advertising (http://www.catalyst-adv.com/)
Catalyst Advertising wants to you create preferences for what you do. And help you build strong customer relationships because of who you are. Whether your enterprise is healthcare or high-tech, widgets or e-commence, financial services or cleaning services, we operate from a simple, no nonsense platform: The whole idea is to sell something.™

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PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh presents Billy Elliot the Musical
Benedum Center
719 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
January 31 through February 12, 2012

Billy Elliot
The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh announce that NETworks Presentations, LLC will bring the multi-award-winning Billy Elliot the Musical to Pittsburgh’s Benedum Center from January 31 through February 12, 2012. Based on the international smash-hit film and featuring music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, choreography by Peter Darling and direction by Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot the Musical has earned critical acclaim on Broadway including 10 Tony Awards. Read the entire release here.
 
 
 
 
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NAWBO Greater Pittsburgh Presents: Becoming a Certified Woman Business Owner
Piatt Place, Room 3023
301 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
$15.00 includes lunch
Time: 12:00 to 1:30 pm
(Registration will start at 11:45)


The New Year is here! Is one of your resolutions is growing your business? Becoming a Certified Woman Owned Business (WOB) is one of the ways to help you grow. Join Ruth Byrd Smith, director of the Allegheny Office of Minority, Women and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise as she presents an overview of the Pennsylvania Unified Certification Program criteria and doing business with Allegheny County.

Four Reasons to become a certified Woman Owned Business:
1. It gives your business credibility. It is a way of defining the difference between you and your competition.
2. It’s Good PR For You: Being a certified WOB allows you to be registered in multiple resources where contracting officers can learn about your business.
3. It’s Good PR for Companies: Many companies solicit business opportunities from women-, disadvantage-, and minority-owned business. Their motivation is not necessarily government-driven, but a desire to help building their own local communities. No matter what the government may require, or not require, large corporations still like to be seen as “do gooders.”
4. Being WOB Leads to Funding Opportunities: There are many lending institutions that only work only certified business owners. The SBA backs financing of loans made to WOBs through these lending institutions. Being formally identified as a WOB can make it easier for you to obtain financing.

NAWBO has a Strong Voice. Women's advocacy groups, like NAWBO, continue to put pressure on the government to open doors for women entrepreneurs. The more women who certify their businesses, the louder this voice becomes. Vist the NAWBO Pittsburgh Chapter website here.

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Roving Pittsburgher Report


The Cozy Café, 400 South Main Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15220, West End Village, www.thecozycafe.net/
This café is run by the husband and wife team of Adrian and Lindsey. They had wonderful sandwiches. I had the Shroom and Feta with portabella mushrooms, roasted red peppers on fresh wheat bread from the Breadworks, their vegetarian specialty. It was tasty and delicious. But I saw a Chicken Philly go by that looked huge and delicious, as well. Make sure you go early because they close at 3:00 pm for private parties and catering. They are open Monday through Saturday and they offer free wifi.

Super Wendy’s, 2410 West Liberty Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15226
This is a really interesting twist to the everyday fast food joint. This Wendy’s houses a fireplace, TV and cozy chairs, along with a super drink machine with over 100 choices of beverages. There is also a mini dessert selection that rivals Panera’s. A must-see and a cool environment right here in the City.

Charlotte’s Web Review
"Charlotte's Web" is a classic children's book by E. B. White, relaying the story of a young girl named Fern and her relationship with a pig named Wilbur, who is saved from the slaughterhouse by the heroic efforts of an amazing barn spider named Charlotte.

Six characters are on stage dressed as either farmers or farm animals. We were in general admission in the very back row. Shame on me, did not know that general admission had no seating arrangements. But from the second to last row in the balcony my granddaughter and other children were mesmerized. I was concerned that she would not be able to imagine that the people dressed like characters were the same as in the story, but she got it because of the talented voices of the actors and the crazy antics of Wilbur the pig and Templeton the Rat.

The cast is small, “six actors,” under the direction of Rob Barron. In addition to Charlotte, Wilbur and Fern, there is Templeton the Rat and Fern's Uncle Homer. There is also a menagerie of assorted farm animals and bit parts which the cast of characters double and triple in with a marvelous, fun geared towards everyone, including the adults. You have got to see this to believe that some actors running around in adapted animal costumes can keep the attention of both children and adults and still get across the point of the story.

Giovanni’s Pizza and Pasta 123 6th Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222( two doors from the Byham Theatre) www.ilovegiovannis.com/
This doesn’t look like much but a disheveled little pizza shop even though they have excellent vintage photos of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh sports on the wall. But the food is pretty good. You can get salads and wraps and calzones. My granddaughter said, “this is the best pizza.” Well for a kid it is the best pizza because their traditional thin pizza is extra saucy, but for my money I think you should eat dessert for lunch. They have a twist called the “sweet twist” but the marketer that I am, I would call it a cream pug calzone. It is filled with delicious sweet cream, baked in their amazing pizza crust and drizzled with caramel and chocolate syrup or glaze, if you will. And as a marketer, I especially like their website which is www.ilovegiovannis.com. Just checking out their menu you will see that they have a couple of Reader’s Choice Awards and Best Pizza Awards. Not bad for a little no frills pizza shop on Sixth Street. It’s good to see that Old Pittsburgh is alive and well here.

Steeltown Hero
It’s that time again to start thinking about the everyday people in your life and community who are doing extraordinary things as volunteers. Once again the National Association of Women Business Owners will be presenting their Make the Connection Awards. Every one is a winner; you have just got to get those nominations in before the deadline. Honoree applications will begin to be accepted on January 20, 2012. The Make the Connection Gala will be held on April 11, 2012 at Sheraton Inn in Station Square.

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This was reported as a reproduction of PositvelyPittsburghLive news done by Joanne Quinn-Smith. Listen to the show here. (c) Joanne Quinn-Smith and PositivelyPittsburghLive(TM) 2012 All rights reserved.

Tara Darazio is a Positively Pittsburgh Live reporter, an independent copywriter, blogger, article writer, and social media strategist. If you are in need of writing assistance, or need help with your social media efforts connect with Tara on LinkedIn here.

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