I know it’s still a bit far off, but I’m curious: is anything here planning, or just considering, a trip to this year’s Narrascope?
I have tentative plans to do so since I live within 5 hours drive of Pittsburgh. Anyone else?
1 Like
I mean, I’ll be there. :)
3 Likes
I meant people other than zarf. Also feel free to reply if you’re not going 
1 Like
I’d like to. I had time off work already requested, but that is sorta irrelevant now.
3 Likes
My talk on According to Cain was accepted, and I’m planning on attending. I’ve never been to Pittsburgh (except this one), or Pennsylvania for that matter, and am looking forward to the trip.
East Coast folks: I’m divided between spending my vacation time in Pittsburgh or taking a train or car to Philadelphia for the remaining days. What would you recommend?
7 Likes
Pittsburgh to Philly is a six-hour drive or an all-day train ride. Just so you know. It’s a wide state.
(Washington DC is actually closer to Pittsburgh, if you just want to do East Coast stuff.)
Pittsburgh has some great museums, and the food tourism is excellent too.
2 Likes
Oh, cool! I’m not able to join this year but will look forward to checking out the talk assuming it’s recorded and youtubed later on.
3 Likes
I have too much going on this summer including a move back to Chicago proper, Vegas trip for poker tournaments, and work stuff, otherwise I’d be there in a hot minute. The 2019 MIT event was spectacular. The online presentations are pretty great too and that’s where I’ll be this year.
1 Like
I would love to attend Narrascope and listen to the IF luminaries in person. It is on my bucket list but travel is physically difficult for me.
4 Likes
In Pittsburgh, I recommend the National Aviary. My gf and I went there, and we opted for the “private tour” option. Wasn’t super expensive and very much worth it – got to spend time hanging out with a penguin named Disco, had a hawk fly back and forth between us, fed a vulture some truly unmentionable things, and best of all got to feed a flamingo. Flamingos are kind of hilarious when they eat. And baby flamingos have thick hotdog legs. Everything about them is funny.
Can’t recommend it enough.
2 Likes
Do you like trains? The PA Trolley Museum (about 30 min drive from city center) is pretty cool, packed with vintage Streetcars, some of which still run and you can ride. Also, Altoona isn’t too far and has the excellent Railroaders Memorial Museum. You can snag a ticket that also grants you a pass to the Horseshoe Curve not far away.
In fact, there’s an Amtrak that runs to Altoona from Pittsburgh every morning and another train that runs the reverse every evening. You could spend the day in Altoona for a roundtrip ticket of $46.
Of course, you may hate trains, lol. In that case, nevermind.
ETA: Also, all of these places are much closer than Philly and are worth a visit if you haven’t been:
Niagara Falls
Cleveland, OH
Buffalo, NY
Charleston, WV
Washington DC and Baltimore start hitting the 4+ hour drive mark, but are definitely worthwhile.
Philly is definitely cool though, but I’d like to point out that Toronto is the same drive from Pittsburgh.
ETA x2: If you do go to Philly, the cheesesteaks from the cornerstores are just as good if not much better than the tourist traps of Pat’s and Geno’s (although, if you insist, Geno’s is slightly better than Pat’s). Also, when they ask you “wit or witout,” they’re asking if you want onions (Meaning literally, “Would you like this hoagie with or without onions?”). I recommend “wit” unless you’re averse to onions. Also, you typically name the cheese unless you want to chance them defaulting to cheese whiz, literally. Typically, the cheese options are Whiz, American, or Provolone. I prefer the Provolone, but many like the American. The Whiz is an acquired taste. A typical order might be, “One provolone, wit (or witout).” Alternatively, “One American, witout (or wit)" or even "Two Whiz, wit (or witout)” would be just as valid.
ETA x3: (Oh, and if you like the cheesesteak. I recommend the Philly Taco. You’re welcome. 
)
ETA x4: Oh, and even if you aren’t adventurous enough to leave Pittsburgh proper, I recommend the Duquesne Incline. It’s got some great views of the city, a round trip is only $5, and there’s a cute little museum at the top:
ETA x5: (Context: I’ve visited all of these places, but I lived in Philly for several years. Fishtown area for anyone that knows.)
3 Likes
If you are a food person, it’s worth heading down to Pittsburgh’s Strip District – not what it sounds like – it’s all food stalls and markets.
The conference will be at Pitt (the William Pitt Union building), which is adjacent to the Carnegie Museums (art and natural history). Downtown is the Aviary, the Science Center, the Warhol Museum, and the Children’s Museum. Also a modern art museum called the Mattress Factory, which I like.
3 Likes
Be aware: Pennsylvania considers highway repairs completely optional.
2 Likes
Then how come highway repairs are in progress 365 days a year, seven days a week? Answer me that.
5 Likes
I lived in New Hampshire for a couple years, where we had four seasons – starting paving, paving, still paving, and winter.
6 Likes
Okay, I’ll revise my assessment. PA considers effective highway repairs completely optional. In the 90s, when I first drove I-78 between Harrisburg and Easton, the sound of the pavement was “badumpbadumpbadump”. When I drove it last week, it had changed a little bit: “bah-dump bah-dump bah-dump”. So I think the impressively regular humps in the asphalt have maybe gotten farther apart in the last 25 years. I’m not sure how they accomplished that. At least they got rid of the awful buzzy pavement they used to have around Harrisburg.
2 Likes
I’ll be watching some of the livestreamed talks, but that’s as close to attending as I’ll get.
3 Likes
I’m thinking about going. Probably about 75% sure. I attended the online version last year and saw some interesting stuff. Might be fun to get out of the house and meet some new people too.
2 Likes
I signed up to watch the virtual presentations again this year.
4 Likes
Also signed up for virtual attendance, looking forward to it!
5 Likes