Things to Do in Wilkinsburg

Wednesday-Night Wine Flights merge science and education, two ideas that have been divided since a series of high-school chemistry teachers was arrested for dancing on laboratory tables in 1987. Sample three wines that have been hand-selected to complement three Cassis appetizers. Small-plate possibilities from the menu of French-influenced American fare include dumplings, baked brie on toasted baguette slices, and black-olive tapenade with sliced radish dippers. The owner and head chef selects wine and food pairings a week prior to each flight, so if you'd like to know what comestibles are coming, check the Cassis Facebook page on Tuesday evening, or simply call ahead.

A team of PADI (Professional Association of Diving instructors) -certified diving instructors makes up Splash Water Sports, where they help customers learn and discover the arts of scuba diving. They offer a variety of different courses, ranging from pool-based introductory classes to certifications, emergency training, and extreme training for areas such as caves. Additionally, Splash Water Sports has the only instructor-development course in the Pittsburgh to be rated 5-stars by PADI.

By encouraging everyone to participate in outdoor recreational activities, Venture Outdoors promotes Pittsburgh’s unique natural amenities, highlights the region’s excellent quality of life, fosters a greater appreciation for the environment, inspires an active lifestyle and creates a shared sense of community.

A nonprofit arts organization, Pittsburgh Musical Theater has energized the tapping of toes for more than two decades. The historic Byham Theater dates back to 1903, when the venue was originally erected as the Gayety Theater, and now fills its flashing marquee with Broadway shows, dance troupes, and films.

Nestled inside a 100-year-old studio with exposed brickwork and the original tin ceilings, Verve Wellness and the Verve 360 studio boost holistic wellness with an expert staff of fitness instructors, massage therapists, and aestheticians. The weekly schedule brims with an assortment of yoga sessions intended to refocus thoughts and inner energy and bolster the stamina and flexibility that students need to race hamsters through air vents. Patvan yoga classes dangle students in harnesses anchored to the Carnegie Steel beams that honeycomb the rafters, buoying attendees slightly above the ground for an innovative approach to yoga that doubles as NASA astronaut training. Designed to craft lean, slender muscles, Pilates sessions welcome students of all skill levels to core-sculpting mat classes and BOSU ball sessions, which push the intensity of traditional mat practice by introducing controlled stretches in addition to the alignment-centered exercises and soothing naptimes.

2012 was almost the Pirates' year. They began the season with a team ERA of 2.78 in April—the 3rd best in the league, and by the start of July, they were neck-and-neck with the Cincinnati Reds for the top spot in the NL Central. Though a late-season slump derailed their return to glory, the 2013 campaign offers another shot at a division title, especially since the MLB no longer prohibits forcing opposing players to walk the plank.

Pittsburgh Pirates

In the Pittsburgh Alleghenies' first National League game in 1887, the rag-tag squad amassed six runs against the mighty Chicago White Stockings, establishing the team as a force to be reckoned with for decades to come. Today, through more than 130 years, five World Series titles, and four previous stadiums, the Alleghenies—now the Pirates—make their home at PNC Park, where pop flies soar amid views of the Clemente Bridge and Steel City skyline sprawling in the background. Located only 443 feet away—or, by official MLB measurements, 807.3 half-eaten hot dogs—the Allegheny River waits for home runs to splash down after sailing over the right-field wall, which stands at 21 feet high in honor of legendary Pirate Roberto Clemente. Off the field, the stone archways lining the entry-level façade tip their cap to the club's former longtime home, Forbes Field, and an outdoor terrace and riverwalk cool down fans enjoying the game on warm summer nights.