Virginia Montanez
@ginny.bsky.social
Author (Nothing. Everything. 2023), historian, columnist, essayist, founder of Make Room for Kids at Mario Lemieux Foundation and pghremains.com
Everybody shut up. Commonwealth Press made a Pittsburgh card game/conversation thingy and I love it. Not an ad! www.compressmerch.com/collections/...
January 18, 2026 at 2:32 PM
Everybody shut up. Commonwealth Press made a Pittsburgh card game/conversation thingy and I love it. Not an ad! www.compressmerch.com/collections/...
Pittsburgh news entered 2026 and immediately chose violence. The P-G is shutting down, Steelers crash out, Mike Tomlin is done …
a man in a suit and tie stands in a kitchen
ALT: a man in a suit and tie stands in a kitchen
media.tenor.com
January 13, 2026 at 7:25 PM
Pittsburgh news entered 2026 and immediately chose violence. The P-G is shutting down, Steelers crash out, Mike Tomlin is done …
Goodbye, Aaron Rodgers. Don’t let the door hit you in the bag of expired horse dewormer when you go.
January 13, 2026 at 1:10 PM
Goodbye, Aaron Rodgers. Don’t let the door hit you in the bag of expired horse dewormer when you go.
Pittsburgh. Best stargazing night in recent memory. Jupiter currently near the twin stars of Gemini. Orion and Sirius showing off. The sky is brilliant with stars. Get out and sneak one quick peek for me.
January 13, 2026 at 1:59 AM
Pittsburgh. Best stargazing night in recent memory. Jupiter currently near the twin stars of Gemini. Orion and Sirius showing off. The sky is brilliant with stars. Get out and sneak one quick peek for me.
January 11, 2026 at 8:25 PM
Friends gifted me with the complete four-volume set of Pittsburg and Her People from 1908 🥹
(Photo with bonus dog)
(Photo with bonus dog)
January 10, 2026 at 7:20 PM
Friends gifted me with the complete four-volume set of Pittsburg and Her People from 1908 🥹
(Photo with bonus dog)
(Photo with bonus dog)
The Blocks' statement said they "will exit with [our] dignity intact." Wanna bet, you weirdos? I have time today.
January 8, 2026 at 2:35 PM
The Blocks' statement said they "will exit with [our] dignity intact." Wanna bet, you weirdos? I have time today.
Lots of emails in my inbox this a.m. saying “remind me never to get on your bad side.” My friends, you have no idea. We’re all lucky my only weapon is my words 😂
January 8, 2026 at 1:01 PM
Lots of emails in my inbox this a.m. saying “remind me never to get on your bad side.” My friends, you have no idea. We’re all lucky my only weapon is my words 😂
I had to get it out of my system. My open letter to the Block family in light of today's news they are shutting down the storied Post-Gazette. I am just so very angry.
open.substack.com/pub/breathin...
open.substack.com/pub/breathin...
An open letter to the Block family
[inhale]
open.substack.com
January 7, 2026 at 9:50 PM
I had to get it out of my system. My open letter to the Block family in light of today's news they are shutting down the storied Post-Gazette. I am just so very angry.
open.substack.com/pub/breathin...
open.substack.com/pub/breathin...
The Blocks can rot. As a historian, I hope not a one of them believes they'll leave this earth with a legacy worth honoring. As a Pittsburgher, I hope they leave and never come back, every last one of them. Never let them dine in this town or walk our streets in peace again.
January 7, 2026 at 7:02 PM
The Blocks can rot. As a historian, I hope not a one of them believes they'll leave this earth with a legacy worth honoring. As a Pittsburgher, I hope they leave and never come back, every last one of them. Never let them dine in this town or walk our streets in peace again.
Wedding this weekend at the Carnegie with the besties meant I got dressed up like a real girl ❤️
January 6, 2026 at 2:53 AM
Wedding this weekend at the Carnegie with the besties meant I got dressed up like a real girl ❤️
You guys, shut up. The Dread Lord Zober has returned.
I love a good sequel.
I love a good sequel.
January 5, 2026 at 1:11 PM
You guys, shut up. The Dread Lord Zober has returned.
I love a good sequel.
I love a good sequel.
Reposted by Virginia Montanez
Whether you loved City Paper or loathed it (and those of us who worked there often did some of each) this is a goddamn shame. But the fact that Pittsburgh's alt-weekly survived so long is a testament to its community, and to its staff and contributors over the years, including those let go today.
Well folks, some news. Ownership is folding @pghcitypaper.com. I wish I could say this was more surprising. I'll be on the lookout for new roles while I continue to teach and hopefully find places to publish some stories I haven't finished. In the meantime, I'm all ears for opportunities.
December 31, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Whether you loved City Paper or loathed it (and those of us who worked there often did some of each) this is a goddamn shame. But the fact that Pittsburgh's alt-weekly survived so long is a testament to its community, and to its staff and contributors over the years, including those let go today.
My annual roundup is here! The 10 Best Things That Happened in Pittsburgh in 2025. Soccer, golf, housing, crime, helpers. Dig in and get ready for whatever 2026 has in store for us. breathingspace.substack.com/p/the-10-bes...
The 10 Best Things That Happened in Pittsburgh in 2025
And just like that ...
breathingspace.substack.com
December 31, 2025 at 2:29 PM
My annual roundup is here! The 10 Best Things That Happened in Pittsburgh in 2025. Soccer, golf, housing, crime, helpers. Dig in and get ready for whatever 2026 has in store for us. breathingspace.substack.com/p/the-10-bes...
Merry Cookie-mas, Pittsburgh ❤️💚
December 25, 2025 at 2:25 AM
Merry Cookie-mas, Pittsburgh ❤️💚
The cover of the latest Western Pennsylvania History journal by artist Dylan Macko is a keeper and I’ll probably frame it. Zoom in for all the little Burghy details. I love it so much. Let’s hug. 🥹
December 24, 2025 at 5:04 PM
The cover of the latest Western Pennsylvania History journal by artist Dylan Macko is a keeper and I’ll probably frame it. Zoom in for all the little Burghy details. I love it so much. Let’s hug. 🥹
Had to go into Giant Eagle today. Five days before Christmas. Team, it was the Book of Revelation come to life in there. I need a drink, a hug and maybe an exorcist.
December 20, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Had to go into Giant Eagle today. Five days before Christmas. Team, it was the Book of Revelation come to life in there. I need a drink, a hug and maybe an exorcist.
They seem minor, but historians read of the deadnaming of Rachel Levine on the walls of HHS and the “renaming” of the Kennedy Center, and we foresee how future historians will use them to rightfully build the consensus that this past decade was one of America’s most problematic eras. It will happen.
December 19, 2025 at 12:48 PM
They seem minor, but historians read of the deadnaming of Rachel Levine on the walls of HHS and the “renaming” of the Kennedy Center, and we foresee how future historians will use them to rightfully build the consensus that this past decade was one of America’s most problematic eras. It will happen.
My latest column for Pittsburgh Magazine argues that the Steelers and Pirates teams of the 1970s helped save Pittsburgh from crumbling to dust during the collapse of the steel industry. @pittsburghsteeler.bsky.social @pirates.com
www.pittsburghmagazine.com/dahn-memory-...
www.pittsburghmagazine.com/dahn-memory-...
Dahn Memory Lane: Why Pittsburgh Needs To Be 'The City of Champions'
Columnist Virginia Montanez explains that the city’s connection with its sports teams is more than mere fandom — it’s a relationship forged during Pittsburgh’s darkest days.
www.pittsburghmagazine.com
December 11, 2025 at 9:16 PM
My latest column for Pittsburgh Magazine argues that the Steelers and Pirates teams of the 1970s helped save Pittsburgh from crumbling to dust during the collapse of the steel industry. @pittsburghsteeler.bsky.social @pirates.com
www.pittsburghmagazine.com/dahn-memory-...
www.pittsburghmagazine.com/dahn-memory-...
The latest episode of City Cast Pittsburgh has me chatting about my gift guide (yes, this is the most media requests I’ve gotten since I started the guide 16 years ago) and giving tips on how to avoid AI-generated art as you shop.
pittsburgh.citycast.fm/podcasts/gif...
pittsburgh.citycast.fm/podcasts/gif...
Gifts To Buy a Pittsburgher Right Now - City Cast Pittsburgh
We are inching closer and closer to the holidays, and if you've been putting off your shopping, we want to help you find the perfect Pittsburgh gif...
pittsburgh.citycast.fm
December 8, 2025 at 5:56 PM
The latest episode of City Cast Pittsburgh has me chatting about my gift guide (yes, this is the most media requests I’ve gotten since I started the guide 16 years ago) and giving tips on how to avoid AI-generated art as you shop.
pittsburgh.citycast.fm/podcasts/gif...
pittsburgh.citycast.fm/podcasts/gif...
Had a lovely time sharing some of my favorite things on my annual Yinzer Gift Guide with Heather and Boaz on Talk Pittsburgh on KDKA yesterday. Watch it here! www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/v...
December 6, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Had a lovely time sharing some of my favorite things on my annual Yinzer Gift Guide with Heather and Boaz on Talk Pittsburgh on KDKA yesterday. Watch it here! www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/v...
Happy Handmade Arcade weekend to all who celebrate. My bank account already took some damage. Tomorrow is the big day while tonight is sensory friendly and preview. Not an ad!
December 5, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Happy Handmade Arcade weekend to all who celebrate. My bank account already took some damage. Tomorrow is the big day while tonight is sensory friendly and preview. Not an ad!
Good evening, Pittsburgh. Jupiter is rising in the east right now and he is stunning. An added bonus is the full moon shining overhead. A gorgeous night out here right now. 💛🖤
December 5, 2025 at 1:41 AM
Good evening, Pittsburgh. Jupiter is rising in the east right now and he is stunning. An added bonus is the full moon shining overhead. A gorgeous night out here right now. 💛🖤
The Winter Lights at Phipps might be the best ever this year, and I go every year. I don’t want to spoil the theme of the train room for you, so just go and see it. Not an ad!
December 4, 2025 at 2:36 PM
The Winter Lights at Phipps might be the best ever this year, and I go every year. I don’t want to spoil the theme of the train room for you, so just go and see it. Not an ad!