Ep 26 Since 2011, Lou Kroeck has been exploring Pittsburgh happy hours

Bars might be temporarily closed, but that doesn’t stop the Pittsburgh Fine Drinking Society from meeting on Thursdays

by Stephanie Brea | May 5, 2020

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Direct download Ep. 26 (right-click to download)

Lou Kroeck is the president of the Pittsburgh Fine Drinking Society. Since 2011, the weekly happy hour group has been convening (almost) every Thursday at 6 p.m. Lou and his team of designated administrators choose spots, come up with themes, and uncover some of the best happy hour specials all over the city. There are no rules for membership — just show up and drink if you can; if not, they’ll see you next week. It was just that simple until the bars closed due to COVID-19. But, that didn’t stop the group. They quickly pivoted to online gatherings, and with the help of some unemployed bartenders, they now meet virtually every Thursday. There’s even still themes, such as “Homemade Halloween,” where attendees made a costume using what was in their houses, and a formal dress party.

Join the Pittsburgh Fine Drinking Society

If you want to join one of the upcoming Thursday festivities, follow the Pittsburgh Fine Drinking Society on Facebook. Their Zoom happy hour event links are posted.

To read Lou’s bar and restaurant reviews dating back to 2011: PittsburghHappyHour.com

Pay and press play to support local movie theaters

If your Netflix queue is getting a little short, or you have the means to spend a little money to support local businesses, this is a reminder that local movie theaters are showing movies online. Purchase an online ticket from Row House Cinema or the Parkway Theater, make some popcorn, settle into your couch, and they get 50% of the ticket price. The Oaks Theater is streaming “Free Movie Mondays” from their Facebook page, and the films are typically preceded by an hour of classic cartoons.

Puzzles for a purpose

“Bridging the Gap” puzzles feature bridge and cityscape photography from three local artists: Brad Berkstresser, Franklin Carpio, and Lori Rea. Puzzles cost $35, and $5 goes to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Western Pennsylvania and $5 to support out-of-work bar and restaurant workers.

You can order puzzles here.

And if you want to reach out and nominate someone in the service industry to receive some of the funds, you can do so on their Facebook page: @BridgingTheGapPGH

https://www.facebook.com/BridgingTheGapPGH/posts/106006054431839?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARAJZTlhwhgC11pqXC_Rg943N9WqR2Ke4Y0LTfnMxLFDks89tbE0veQvdJb8eQmhAfJ6J4o6KZXMWyVzmeKE4CrbSo71q9yuexBl946iyiqfSdXtizENPWc99x5QCBvCSBZnT3TdJeeP5ySoulcFQSPkTrbWJvLLxjeANEfOtp9t5BUmNuO06HddivsIRXclV-xCOmlyObnCw_m9AfJ1Jpi1ytqLDMx1luQuom4VhwxN8AgCcD3O-n5m2MF0JH1DtrGi4aORnfTZbtNzt6mZyoLy92z1CLRNf-0QOPSybyUbu8mw4omAncUi3KnW0xvogCfdk2p-r14b8BRpCMHRaVA&__tn__=-R

Looking to upgrade your home happy hour?

Looking for a new cocktail or local beer to try? You might find one of these stories helpful.

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Stephanie Brea

Stephanie has been organizing events since 1998, starting with a series of motorcycle rides through the Arizona desert to support her father’s business. She’s probably crossed your name off a presale ticket list or served you a beer somewhere around town.

An undergrad degree in poetry means she has lots of unpractical knowledge about iambic pentameter, while a brief stint as a copy editor for Alternative Press taught her that twenty one pilots is stylized in all lowercase letters.

Wanna throw a party in a vacant parking lot? She’s interested.

At the onset of COVID-19, Stephanie took on the role of podcast producer for The Slaw. She’s pretty familiar with a microphone, thanks to that aforementioned poetry degree, and she’s got the wherewithal to ask Epicast Studios for help. She listens to too many true crime podcasts, and currently records from her bedroom.

If you know of someone who would be the perfect podcast guest, send her an email.