I came for a Pitt basketball game back far back in winter 1999-2000 which is saying a lot as ever…read moresince then, I've thought regularly about this venue namely since it is so large, heavy, and bulky of a building perched seemingly precariously up so far so high on the hill overlooking the Oakland district in what's locally formerly known as the Hill District now more so by its more historical names of Middle Hill and Terrace Village. Ticketing at the will call window as I recall way back when was very easy with just id and get your ticket. This was in the beginnings of online ticketing thus wasn't as big a thing. Entry and security were thin and light as I recall more innocent days of our nation's history with cursory checks and no real worries. The interior was surprisingly massive with a very airy feel fit for a Div I men's basketball (now that seems so sexist, but was a term said without weight, implication, or reconsideration back then) arena. Flow and foot traffic were decent since the very brisk wintertime and far-away-from-campus location kept attendence below max with whipping winds chasing us all the way up the walk from Fifth Ave below. There isn't much atop the hill here but this building with just a darkness ominuous beyond the campus border, at least relative to a not-from-here undergraduate student. That feeling still sits with me to this very day, partly also since it was such a formulative time of my life. The amenities as I recall were many with a varied array of vendors for fan paraphernalia (but similar pricing to official fan stores and campus bookstores) and food (relegated to stadium-like staples, back then during the early days of food awareness). Bathrooms were where the building's historic nature showed which were then unupdated. And that's all I can recall! A historic storied place for sporting. I believe years later they moved to the shiny Petersen Place leaving this for practice.

This field house is an athletic event facility that normally hosts University of Pittsburgh…read morewrestling, volleyball, gymnastics, and indoor track events. I come here almost every year for one event held in March. The event was previously called the Dapper Dan although it is now called the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic. This event features talented high school wrestlers; half of which are headed to college to wrestle at elite schools. The overall quality of the maintenance is the best part of the facility. Things aren't left in disrepair and abandoned here. The university has put effort into maintaining and/or improving the current space they have. My issues with the facility are minor and I don't really want to harp on them too much. I'm not a fan of the entrance, as I think it should have more structure (aka: security). The other thing I don't really like is the snack bar selection, which is the normal crap you get from a snack bar. Think mini pizza, nachos, popcorn, pop, hot dog, and some other stuff. I think the selection could be varied from the norm to spice things up while still turning a profit.

I had an amazing time playing tennis during the 2022 summer with the Pittsburgh Tennis League. It…read morewas my first time playing this league. It had a lot of players eager to play, so there were plenty of playing opportunities. The website and app of the league made it really easy to find players, see their home courts, get their contact info and reach out to schedule matches. I loved the features for submitting scores after each match and following the leaderboard as the league progressed. I got the opportunity to travel to many different parts in and around Pittsburgh during the course of this league. It allowed me to learn about different neighbourhoods, and their communities, parks and sporting facilities. But the best thing about this league was the amazing and diverse group of players I met. In short, the league is well organized, the website and app makes it easy to schedule matches and the playing environment is fantastic. I will highly recommended it to anyone looking to play tennis regularly with a jolly group of players!

The Pittsburgh Tennis League is a great way to meet local tennis players of the same skill-level…read morefor some friendly competition. The program is very user-friendly and easy to participate in. I recommend it for any one who wants to play tennis with a variety of people.

We just joined the club. It's a great place, I'm impressed with everything that is available. They…read morehave state of the art services available. It's been since 2019 that I've been in the club. I was a 10 year member at LA Fitness, then the pandemic happened and I never went back. This layout is different and I like the experience and what is available. How about the basketball court on top of the roof with awesome views. It's early but overall impressed what they have available thus far. It will work out well with my work place.

The best gym Pittsburgh has to offer in every way!! Etage is huge and filled with every equipment…read moreand weighted dumbbells/bars you could wish for. Complimentary attached garage parking is available, along with rooftop court, and even relaxing massage chairs equipped with your own personal television entertainment. This facility even offers specialized personal/nutritional coaching and exciting "pop up" classes. The classes range from rooftop yoga to upbeat cycling. My personal favorite part about the gym is the qualified, friendly staff/management and the floor to ceiling windows that view downtown on the second floor!!

The EWL was founded in the early summer of 2011 as a way to bring Wifflers from around the city to…read moreone central location. Four teams of 4-5 players each have been coming together Tuesday nights to compete for the Wiffle Ball crown. Although the traditional Wiffle Ball and classic yellow bat aren't used in the EWL, the teams keep it interesting by mixing in a number of different bats and using a small, foam-like ball that takes an unpredictable path off the bat. All games are played in the small Liberty Park directly on Ellsworth Avenue. The park dimensions lend themselves perfectly for use as a Wiffle diamond. The tall fence makes sure that, although home runs are always in play, batters must make good contact to put it out. Members of the EWL have been competing for the past 10 weeks of regular season play, and the first week of the 2011 playoffs. This coming Tuesday 7/19 marks the second week of playoffs, when 2 teams will be eliminated and 2 will go on to the best-of-seven EWL Championship Series. The conclusion of the EWL season is sure to be a thriller.

I love working out. The gym has everything I need. The facilities are fine. Certain aspects could…read morebe altered. For instance, the hours could be later. The gym could smell nicer. The guards could be friendlier. The equipment could be newer. The place isn't bad for what it is though. It will encourage more exercise & that should always be encouraged.

I've recently started going to Bellefield to swim laps, and it's exactly what I expected: A…read moreno-frills campus rec center. The pool consists of four lanes, and if it's busy, you can share a lane with someone--to be courteous, I always stand at the end and ask permission to do so to avoid surprising them in the middle of the lane. The pool ranges from 3.5'-4' in depth, so diving is prohibited, and jumping in isn't advisable. The pool and the room that it's located in are a good temperature--warm enough to be comfortable, but cool enough to feel refreshed while swimming laps. For safety's sake, there is always at least one student lifeguard stationed at the side of the pool. The locker rooms are reasonably clean and well-kept, and include all of the amenities that you'd want, including showers, bathrooms, hairdryers, etc. (Full disclosure: I don't shower there since I live two blocks away.) You can rent a locker for the semester if you wish, but I always use the transient lockers reserved for day use only, which are quite convenient. Compared to the pool room, the locker room is quite a bit cooler, so be sure to towel off as much as possible after your swim! The locker rooms are segregated by sex, and are for use by both pool and fitness center users. I haven't used the exercise room yet, but it's on the smaller side, consisting of only one medium-sized room. It contains your typical basic cardio equipment (treadmills, ellipticals, erg, etc.), as well as a few free weights. At the times that I visit (after work, around 5:30), there are usually at least a few people using it, but there's usually enough room for a few more people to work out. The same is true for the pool. In addition to the pool and exercise, there's a gym above the pool for intramurals, which provides some interesting rhythmic background noise when people are playing basketball. The fitness facilities at Bellefield are for use by Pitt employees only (students, faculty, and staff), so be sure to stop by the security guard's window to the left with your ID when you enter to be scanned in. Since the location and the price (free) are right, I'll be back soon when I don't feel like cycling and want to get my workout on! 3.5 stars.

The fitness center is convenient whenever I can not make it all the way to my other gyms. The hours…read moreare good and the facilities are spacious. With the rising obesity epidemic, it is rewarding to know that many are attempting to lead healthier lives. The gym could use some improvements, mainly flooring and updating the locker rooms, but it is still better than sitting down on the couch.

Schenley Oval can be considered a center for sports and recreation for Oakland and Squirrel Hill…read more It features a 1 km-long oval, a 400m track, a couple of soccer fields, and tennis courts (free!). In a weekday evening or on weekend, expect to see many people enjoying the oval: jogging, playing soccer, frisbee, and tennis. The oval has two water fountains, and surprisingly one keeps running through the winter. There are restrooms in a small brick building and usually portable restrooms nearby. Schenley drive goes near the oval, providing ample space for free parking. Although this is a friendly and safe area, be careful leaving items there: my book was stolen when I left it for five minutes on Sunday night.

By Ed Skirtich…read more Freedom to dream, sunbath, read and play frisbee at the Schenley Park Overlook plus walk, jog, sprint, and play tennis and football at the Oval and inner track happen on a sunny day. On the benches outside the inner track and outside the oval, friends reunite with each other. Also, while walking along the oval mom and dad's hold their child's hand while walking, young adult joggers slowly trot, mildly jog, jog, and sprint. In Bob O' Connor's Tennis Courts, young adults toss the tennis ball back and forth. They play tennis quietly and patiently with each other. Regardless of your disability, race, gender, and age and size, no one bothers you when you do your activity at Schenley Park. Children's imaginations can flourish at Schenley Park. At the Overloook, a young boy flies his kite while other youth catch frisbee. Also, a young girl kicks a soccer ball with family. Runners are fun to watch because they sweat, pant, or just slowly jog, trot, and and walk. Small tall, skinny, and fat, the runners get their job done. Tennis players don't care what their score is, they just like to have fun and relax. Another interesting thing was a hip drum beats could be heard while going around the oval. Finally at the Overlook, you can read, write, sunbath, or just admire the Downtown Pittsburgh skyline.

Great staff, very welcoming and good presentation. Definitely for the more serious golfer. There…read moreare a few other mini golf spots along the strip which are fun too. But when you're a little more established at the game this is where you'll end up. cost is relative, no substitute for getting out there on the real courses and hacking out of the rough though. It has a few sims, a bunker practice and a I'm told a 86K undulating putting green,rad. Disappointed there isn't an overall package. You pay for putting, pay again for the bunker and then you pay for the sim. The cost mounts and this could be a $200 game, and you know the real game wouldn't cost you that. This will need work, but a great place to try. Swing good

Family of 4 and went to Onpar to celebrate a birthday. The kids had SO much fun!! They've seen…read morethis on YouTube and thought it was even more fun and "cool" in real life. Kids were ages 9 and 12. There is a suite of "games" you can golf and they were so much fun - how far can you hit a ball, knock out cars with your call, hit a target, etc. We rented for 1 hour and it went too fast! Ideally you'd rent for 1.5-2 hours. On par had golf clubs there for you so you don't need to bring your own. We will definitely be back!

I have attended several fundraisers and a few conferences at the P.A.A. and I love the sense of…read morestyle and grandeur from the fireplaces, paintings, chandeliers and tall ceilings. The staff is very attentive, and the food is delicious. Some interesting details include a plaque on the side of the baby grand piano that states the great Byron Janis played here on this lovely old Steinway. On my last visit there were some problems with the heating in the dining room, it was terribly cold and they seemed unable to fix it, however it was extremely hot upstairs. I was surprised, because everything else seemed to be in proper order. There's parking in the back, so don't bother pulling up to the front of the building, enter on Lytton Ave. There's a coat check room in the front, across the registration room. There's a dress code for the dining room, and I believe it is enforced.

Wow. I've been at the Pittsburgh Athletic (PAA) a few times for various business breakfasts, and…read moredinners. It's a private city club, and the place is awesome from the minute you approach the building, which is a copy of a Venitian palace and sits on an entire city block. All cut stone is found in the lobby with high carved, coffered, and frescoed ceilings, paintings, a hugh stone fireplace, and polished brass elevator tambors. If someone invites you in, make sure to look at the main lobby ceiling. It's got carved wooden seals of all of the private men's athletic clubs that existed in the US, when the club opened. The club was founded in 1908, as a large brass plaque says, and on one of them is a list of past presidents, where I recognized a person my high school was named after. Cool. The dining service involves a lot of sterling silver and several forks, and turtle soup with sherry. If you want something not on the menu, they'll make it. It seems that there are always two or three dining areas to eat in, from one requiring coat and tie, to nothing but a jogging suit. My favorite is the Tudor Grill Rm, with it's vaulted molded plaster ceilings, that I'm told was once covered in tooled leather over the moldings. There's a hugh bowling alley, that includes duck pins, a gym with a canted track around the upper level, squash and handball courts, a large fitness center--never had to wait, large steam rooms-the kind in movies where deals are always done, saunas, massages, a barber shop with manicures, and a magnificent marble pool on an upper floor, with a walking track around it. And if you want to have lunch in the locker room, you can order and it is delivered. There are also sleeping rooms if you want to stay overnight, which we did after a late birthday party in one of the private dining rooms they have. There are even people who are full time residents. Like all private clubs there is a dress code (no denim for sure, on 1st floor and lobby), and no cell phones in the dining rooms, but I sort of like that. No one sits at the bar with a cap on. If you have jeans on, then you can eat in a sports bar downstairs off the bowling alleys, which is actually pretty nice. I'm looking into joining in a few months. You just need two sponsors who are members to write letters and say you are a good guy, etc etc. Meantime, I'm waiting for my next invitation to a workout and lunch.