Yo: I’m giving away 2 copies of TWENTY-SOMEWHERE on That Hapa Chick’s blog as part of the “All Things Asian” celebration. It’s an honor to join in the festivities, and the interview was a lot of fun. It includes 2 pictures of me as a kid, with bonus embarrassing hat!

Andy and I spent this past weekend back in Pittsburgh. It’s where we went to college, where we met, where we fell in love. The city is a beautiful mix of brick, metal, and glass — of old and new — of buildings short and tall, all standing shoulder to shoulder, dotting the hillsides. Nearly a dozen bridges lace back and forth across the river, and on a clear night, the downtown lights shine like fireflies.

(Unfortunately I didn’t get any good pictures of the skyline, so you’ll have to take my word on all this.)

It was nice to visit again, after so many years. But also weird. The trip stirred up a lot of feelings and memories, both good and not-so. I’m not even sure how to put it all into words… so for now, I’ll use photos and focus on the good.

The food — Pamela’s, Primanti Bros, Fuel & Fuddle, Coca Cafe

Marci & Teo's wedding 005

Marci & Teo's wedding 037

The fun — Penguins playoff game, the Toonseum

Marci & Teo's wedding 031

Marci & Teo's wedding 046

The fabulous — two of my dearest friends getting married to each other

Marci & Teo's wedding 153

Marci & Teo's wedding 165

Marci & Teo's wedding 189

Marci & Teo's wedding 170


18 responses to “Don’t ask about the pineapple”

  1. mandy Avatar

    d’awww!

    But I really do wanna know about the pineapple.

  2. Joelle Wilson Avatar

    Okay…but I’m very intrigued now. Pineapple? lol Great pics and it looks like you had a great time.

  3. T. S. Bazelli Avatar

    I had to look twice to spot it! :D That sandwich looks amazing too.

  4. Shari Avatar

    It sounds – and looks – like a lovely trip! And you know, even though you didn’t get any skyline pictures, you describe it so beautifully, it’s like being there and seeing it in person :)

  5. Rachele Alpine Avatar

    That’s a great picture of you and Andy! I only live about 90 minutes from Pittsburgh, and I’ve only been there once. For about two hours while we shopped at Ikea. I keep telling my husband that we need to spend some time there!

  6. Trisha Avatar

    I used to get car sick riding from New Castle to Pittsburgh from the smell. And, what’s with the pineapple?

  7. Margot Avatar

    Love these pics!

  8. Kristan Avatar

    Lol sorry guys. The pineapple is really a long story that doesn’t directly involve me, so I probably couldn’t even tell it right. I just know we had that thing hiding under the table for most of the night.

  9. Marci Avatar

    The pineapple was a drunken frat party joke…a friend used to go around poking girls with the pineapple top and saying it was a fertility pineapple and now you would get pregnant…girls didn’t appreciate it, but it was hilarious. Since apparently kids are the next step after marriage, he brought it to the wedding.

    The pics look great Stan! Hope you had an amazing time, we were happy to have you and Andy there. And I get the good/not-so-good thing…but I sorta feel that way about every place I’ve lived. If I dont have good and bad memories from the place I havent really LIVED there, ykno?

  10. Juliann Avatar

    I know how you feel about revisiting your alma mater AND that time in your life. It’s familiar yet strange at the same time. My husband and I met at UC and we love to go back down there, but it’s just not the same.

  11. Kristan Avatar

    Marci-
    Good point. Very good point.

    And no worries, we did have an AMAZING time at your wedding. I teared up going through all the pics and video! I can’t to see what the professional team got. :)

    (And btw, I could have written a novella to you and Teo about all our times together, but I decided to spare y’all. :P)

    Juliann-
    Aww!

  12. Sonje Avatar

    It is weird going back somewhere that you lived as you were forming yourself. I think the weirdness comes, not so much from the place, but from seeing the ghost of your former self walking around–and you know what’s in store for her.

  13. Carol Avatar

    Kinda unique. pineapple? hmm this is very intriguing post but I love it!

  14. Kristan Avatar

    Sonje-
    That’s a good point/perspective too. I kind of like thinking of it that way.

    Carol-
    Thanks!

  15. hena tayeb Avatar

    hmmm.. I’m intrigued.. reminds my of an episode of How I Met Your Mother and the mystery of the pineapple.

  16. Adam Avatar

    Congratulations to Marci and Teo! It is always interesting knowing people before they meet!

    Is the toonseum new?

  17. Kristan Avatar

    hena-
    I kept thinking about HIMYM too!

    Adam-
    From when we were there, yes. They said they’ve been there for about 2 years.

  18. Aisha Avatar

    That is a really cute pic of you and Andy! :)