Ladies of Lawrenceville

Kyndall and Simone

No description of our trip to Pittsburgh would be complete without mention of our gracious hosts -- the very people we came to see during our six-day five-night visit.

It was great to see Simone and Kyndall again, as well as their sweet little dog Quimby. By chance, Simone had minimal commitments at school -- a study group, some homework and preparation for an exam she took Tuesday, the day we left -- so she was able to join us much of the time as we ate meals out and toured the city. Kyndall picked us up at the airport, drove us around to different neighborhoods and rose early Tuesday to deliver us back to the airport before the sun even came up.

We spent our first full day with Kyndall, riding the Duquesne Incline, lunching at a hilltop restaurant with a spectacular view  of the Ohio River and its tributaries, and walking along East Carson Street in the South Side district, ending our trek at a Goodwill store where, shockingly, none of us purchased a thing.

Lori and I spent two nights in a residential hotel, two nights in a bed-and-breakfast and one night in between with Kyndall and Simone, which allowed us to get a glimpse of the real Pittsburgh, from a decidedly blue-collar perspective. They live in the Lawrenceville neighborhood, one block from the main thoroughfare, Butler Avenue, and a short walk from a neighborhood park where Quimby is a regular visitor.

Butler Avenue is the lifeblood of the neighborhood, offering a mix of taverns and pizza joints, new restaurants, art galleries and other businesses. The girls live in a two-story brick house, likely a hundred years or older, with a fenced backyard that leads to an alley. I'd describe their place as gritty but functional, with lots of natural light and a spacious kitchen. We met a handful of their friends and they seem like very nice folks.

On Saturday, we all went down to the Strip District, a collection of shops, restaurants and warehouses, where two days later Vice President Biden came to schmooze at Klavon's Ice Cream Parlor on behalf of a Democratic Senate candidate. On Sunday, we went to Arsenal Bowling Lanes, an old school bowling alley that was offering 50-cent hot dogs, 50-cent soft drinks and 50-cent games. Very cool.

Simone and Kyndall seem to be adjusting well to their new city. They will be in Pittsburgh for two years while Simone pursues her masters in public policy and management at Carnegie Mellon while also working a few hours a week at Pittsburgh Public Schools. Kyndall is being deliberate about looking for work and, in the meantime, is volunteering at a community radio station and some nonprofits.

As good as it was to see them, it will be even nicer to see them again in Portland. They will arrive in mid-December for a month-long stay between semesters. Based on what I saw, their time in Pittsburgh will be well spent and yield lots of fond memories. I've already come home with some fond memories of my own, thanks to our daughter and her wonderful partner.

A scholarship for Simone

Today we had the honor of attending a scholarship awards luncheon for Simone while she heads back to school in Pittsburgh.

She got notice late last week that she'd been selected as one of four recipients of a scholarship from the Portland Area Business Alliance, the city's gay and lesbian chamber of commerce. If she couldn't attend, she could send someone on her behalf. Of course, we were delighted to represent.

We met several members of the scholarship committee and all were so gracious in offering congratulations and commenting on the strength of Simone's application. I know it means a lot to her as a self-described "queer Latina" to have won scholarships from both the Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber and now PABA.

I got up to say a few remarks about Simone and noted that today was the third anniversary of being with her partner. Meanwhile, Simone's e-mailed remarks, written in the third person, cut to the chase:

"She is grateful to the Portland Area Business Association for their generous financial assistance, her family for their unconditional love and support, and her partner, Kyndall, for instilling in her the confidence to pursue her dreams."

Lori and I were inspired by the personal stories of the other recipients: two first-generation college students who come from Vietnamese and Hmong families and a third-year medical student who's studying to become a rural health practitioner. We were particularly touched by the young Hmong woman, a vivacious person who comes from a Southeast Asian "hill tribe" culture where formal education is rare and whose parents, sadly, have issues with her sexual identity.

The scholarship committee chairman, Michael Traylor, was especially warm in welcoming us to the event and told me that not all families are as supportive of their gay sons and daughters as we are. While the comment made me feel good, it also made me feel sad for those who don't have their family's support.

At this point, Simone and Kyndall are halfway across the country, intending to spend the night in Des Moines. Two more days to go, if my estimates are on the mark.

Ladies of Lawrenceville

No description of our Pittsburgh trip would be complete without mention of our gracious hosts -- and the reason for our visit in the first place.

Simone and Kyndall were great to be with. And so was their little dog, Quimby. Simone had only minimal obligations at school -- a study group, some homework and preparing for an exam Tuesday, the day we left -- so she was able to spend a fair amount of time with us as we ate, shopped and played during our six-day, five-night stay.

Kyndall was a near-constant companion, picking us up at the airport, driving us to different parts of the city and hanging out with us, and rising early Tuesday to deliver us back to the airport long before the sun rose. We especially enjoyed her company on our first day of touring, as we rode the Duquesne Incline, had lunch wiith a spectacular view of the Ohio River and its tributaries, and then walked along East Carson Street in the South Side district, ending our trek at a Goodwill store where -- shockingly -- none of us purchased anything.

Lori and I spent two nights in a hotel, two nights in a bed-and-breakfast and one night in between at Simone and Kyndall's place in the up-and-coming Lawrenceville neighborhood. During those 24 hours, we got a true glimpse of lfe in the city, from a decidedly blue-collar perspective. The girls live in a two-story brick house, with a fenced backyard, that I'd describe as gritty but functional. They are just a block from the main thoroughfare, Butler Avenue, and a short walk to the neighborhood park, where Quimby is a regular visitor. Along Butler, there is a mix of taverns and pizza joints, new restaurants and art galleries, and a smattering of other businesses.

On Saturday, we hung out in the Strip District, where two days later Vice President Biden did some campaigning for a local politician and schmoozed with folks at an ice cream store. On Sunday, we all went to Arsenal Lanes, an old-school bowling alley offering 50-cent hotdogs, 50-cent soft drinks and 50-cent games. Very cool.

Simone and Kyndall seem to be adjusting well to life in their new hometown. We met a handful of their friends and got a feel for their day-to-day life. They will be in Pittsburgh for two years as Simone pursues her masters in public policy and management while also working a few hours a week at Pittsburgh Public Schools. Kyndall is being deliberate in scouting out job opportunities and, in the meantime, is volunteering at a radio station and some nonprofits.

As good as it was to see them, it will be even nicer to have them home again. They'll arrive in mid-December for a month-long stay between semesters.