On a lovely day in early March, I received a message on Instagram from Rick Sebak asking me if I would be interviewed on his upcoming podcast. After a couple of conversations, I sat down with him at WQED for a conversation on camera. Up to this point, Rick and I had spent the last few years growing a chef/customer relationship that developed into a friendship. Only in Pittsburgh do I get to be good friends with Rick Sebak. A man who I, and most of my peers, have known since we were children. A man whose voice is as synonymous with Pittsburgh as steel. A man who is cherished by our entire city. After our interview, he gave me a tour of WQED, including Mr. Rogers neighborhood, and we had lunch together at Yu Bei Wei in Squirrel Hill. It was one of the better Tuesday’s of my adult life.
During our interview, Rick asked me what I love about Pittsburgh and why I live here. Sometimes I hate Pittsburgh. Like every time I get behind the wheel of my car and have to drive down 28, 51, Penn Avenue, or Banksville Road. I hate Pittsburgh when I want to go to my favorite restaurants on a Monday night or eat a great taco at 2 AM. I hate that there’s no Texas Hot here and that I can’t swim in the rivers. I hate that my favorite bars and pieces of land have been sold, ripped apart, left vacant, and/or turned into ugly condos. Sometimes I hate the fact that I can’t leave my house without seeing someone that I know. I hate Pittsburgh the way that I sometimes hate my sister. It’s a deep feeling that develops when you’ve loved a person or place so long that you know everything about them. Sometimes I want to punch my sister in the face. But anyone else better think twice before disparaging her in any way, lest they have me to deal with.Â
To live in Pittsburgh had always been a part of my plan. I had long known that my small town life would end when high school did. When I moved here at eighteen, the city fit me like a warm sweater. It was exactly what I needed as I transitioned into adulthood. I was where I needed to be and I’ve never stopped feeling that way. The best thing that Pittsburgh has given me is a community. It’s given me a neighborhood. The friends, family, and neighbors that I have met in my fourteen years living here are truly astonishing to me. I want to cry thinking about them. Pittsburgh is my home. It’s a part of my personality. Pittsburgh is my family and I love it so much that sometimes I hate it.
I’d like to express a sincere thank you to Rick for having me on the podcast and allowing me to be the first episode. I love you, Rick. You can listen to my interview on Gumbands with Rick Sebak here.
You can watch it here.
During our interview, we shared a bowl of clam chowder. My clam chowder recipe can be found here.
There will be no soup from me this week at Thyme Machine. I’ve had a death in the family and will be out of town. If your grandma is still with us, make her some soup this week.
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-the BMer