Good news for food truck lovers! The city just made it easier for mobile vendors to set up shop. Host Megan Harris and executive producer Mallory Falk share why new rules could open the door for taco trucks, mobile pizza ovens, and more in your favorite city park. Plus, they dig into new reports about Pittsburgh's hottest housing markets and richest neighborhoods, explain why it's not entirely a good thing that we lead the nation in home inheritance, and discuss a proposed cell phone ban in Pittsburgh public schools.

Notes and references from today’s show:

Learn more about the sponsors of this November 21st episode:

Pittsburgh Cultural Trust

Handmade Arcade

The Frick

Family House

AIDS Free Pittsburgh

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'Tis the season for grabbing a festive cocktail at one (or 10) of Pittsburgh's holiday pop-up bars. With so many to choose from, how do you decide what's worth a visit? Food influencer Karen Hoang joins host Megan Harris to share her favorite spots and tips for planning the ultimate festive night out – or even an elaborate bar crawl.

Want even more recommendations? Check out our full list of local holiday pop-up bars and small business markets. 

Learn more about the sponsors of this November 20th episode:

Pittsburgh Cultural Trust

Handmade Arcade

The Frick

Family House

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Does "Die Hard" count as a Christmas movie? We're stretching the definition of "Pittsburgh holiday movie" to its limits and talking about the many films loosely connected to our city this festive season. Host Megan Harris is with Josh Axelrod, a founding member of the Pittsburgh Film Critics Association and director of communications at The Lindsay Theater and Cultural Center, to talk about the most famous holiday movies, the one corner of Sewickley popping up over and over in Hallmark films, and why one small part of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" makes it a Christmas watch. 

The Lindsay Theater is screening holiday classics from December 19-25. Check out the full schedule here.

Learn more about the sponsors of this November 19th episode:

Pittsburgh Cultural Trust

Handmade Arcade

The Frick

Family House

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If you step outside of Pittsburgh, our region is becoming increasingly red. More and more voters are registering as Republicans, and Democrats have lost their advantage in places like Beaver, Washington, Fayette, and Westmoreland counties. Host Megan Harris is sitting down with Eugene DePasquale, chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, to discuss his plan for winning back voters (and attracting new ones), where he thinks his own party messed up, and what some big Democratic wins in Pennsylvania this month signal for 2026.

Learn more about the sponsors of this November 18th episode:

Pittsburgh Cultural Trust

Handmade Arcade

The Frick

Family House

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It's the perfect time of year for cozying up with a good book, but if you're looking for other activities, the library still could be the place to start. The Carnegie Libraries offer everything from power tools to ukuleles. Plus, if you're thinking about baking, consider borrowing holiday cookie cutters instead of buying your own. We're bringing back a conversation between City Cast's Mallory Falk and Francesca Dabecco, where they dive into everything the library has to offer — besides its books. 

**This conversation originally published on May 30, 2023.

Learn more about the sponsors of this November 17th episode:

Pittsburgh Cultural Trust

Handmade Arcade

The Frick

Family House

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We have finally have a state budget, our national government is opening back up, and Sen. John Fetterman just dropped a new memoir spilling the tea on why he and Gov. Josh Shapiro no longer speak. Host Megan Harris, executive producer Mallory Falk, and producer Sophia Lo discuss the latest political news. Plus, they explain why the Post-Gazette's three-year-long strike isn't necessarily over, despite lots of celebration.

Read the court rulings we referenced about the P-G labor dispute here and here.

Notes and references from today’s show:

Learn more about the sponsors of this November 14th episode:

Fulton Commons

Heinz History Center

Pittsburgh Opera

City Theatre

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The Washington Post just wrote a whole article about how we're one of the most affordable cities for home buyers, but if you already live here and aren't moving from a more expensive place, the sticker price and repair costs of our extremely old homes can be completely overwhelming. We're revisiting our conversation with Anne Schwan, a homeownership counselor at NeighborWorks Western Pennsylvania, about what you need to know before you start browsing Zillow and what kind of financial support is available in our region. Plus, she explains how a Pittsburgher started a national housing movement.

Check out NeighborWorks' resources for homebuyers and homeowners.

**This episode originally aired on July 21, 2025.

Learn more about the sponsors of this November 13th episode:

Fulton Commons

Heinz History Center

Pittsburgh Opera

City Theatre

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Planning your Thanksgiving meal doesn't need to be stressful. Whether you're hosting a big family gathering, bringing a dish to a Friendsgiving celebration, or even just enjoying a meal by yourself, Pittsburgh restaurants have you covered this year with your holiday dinner. Host Megan Harris and newsletter editor Francesca Dabecco are sharing a ton of local options for delicious dishes, sweets, and whole meals for meat-lovers and vegans alike. 

Learn more about the sponsors of this November 13th episode:

Fulton Commons

Heinz History Center

Pittsburgh Opera

City Theatre

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As Pittsburghers, a lot of us are really proud of our city. Who doesn't love showing off our skyline coming out of the Fort Pitt tunnel? Plus, we've laid claim to everything from the labor rights movement to all of Heinz's tasty condiments. But Pittsburgh isn't for everyone, and today, Host Megan Harris is with Pittsburgh City Paper’s Ali Trachta and Stacy Rounds to talk about the 13 people who ain’t gonna make it in Pittsburgh.

**This episode originally aired November 18, 2024.

Learn more about the sponsors of this November 11th episode:

Fulton Commons

Heinz History Center

Pittsburgh Opera

City Theatre

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Flying is kind of a nightmare right now. Even though Pittsburgh International wasn't on the list of airports needing to cut flights because of the government shutdown, it could still be harder to get your destination. If all this has you rethinking your air travel plans, now is a great time to consider a staycation. Freelance journalist Aakanksha Agarwal and City Cast contributor Meg St-Esprit join host Megan Harris to make the case for booking a room in your own city, share some of their favorite staycation spots, and help you plan the perfect itinerary.

Check out Aakanksha's roundup of historic staycation spots in City Paper.

Learn more about the sponsors of this November 10th episode:

Fulton Commons

Heinz History Center

Pittsburgh Opera

City Theatre

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