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
This year's Yinzer Holiday Gift Guide (now in year 17, I believe) is a fun read and is full of dozens of local goodies such as these. Get in on the shopping fun, Pittsburgh! Nothing is an ad! I have extremely good taste! breathingspace.substack.com/p/2025-yinze...
November 18, 2025 at 12:43 PM
This year's Yinzer Holiday Gift Guide (now in year 17, I believe) is a fun read and is full of dozens of local goodies such as these. Get in on the shopping fun, Pittsburgh! Nothing is an ad! I have extremely good taste! breathingspace.substack.com/p/2025-yinze...
Dearest Pittsburgh, it’s the most wonderful time of the year! Dig into my 2025 Yinzer Holiday Gift Guide for dozens of local items for everyone on your gift list. Nothing is an ad. Share far and wide! 🖤💛
breathingspace.substack.com/p/2025-yinze...
breathingspace.substack.com/p/2025-yinze...
November 14, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Dearest Pittsburgh, it’s the most wonderful time of the year! Dig into my 2025 Yinzer Holiday Gift Guide for dozens of local items for everyone on your gift list. Nothing is an ad. Share far and wide! 🖤💛
breathingspace.substack.com/p/2025-yinze...
breathingspace.substack.com/p/2025-yinze...
When you check in to see how the Steelers game is going and you see a hockey score
November 10, 2025 at 2:15 AM
When you check in to see how the Steelers game is going and you see a hockey score
What in the AI hell is this "Pittsburgh skyline ornament" being sold on Etsy by a Carlisle, PA-based shop? Is the Pittsburgh skyline in the room with us right now? Straight to jail.
November 3, 2025 at 12:56 AM
What in the AI hell is this "Pittsburgh skyline ornament" being sold on Etsy by a Carlisle, PA-based shop? Is the Pittsburgh skyline in the room with us right now? Straight to jail.
Had a fantastic time teaching the Great Fire of 1845 to a capacity crowd at South Park Township Public Library this week! (Photos courtesy the library)
October 10, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Had a fantastic time teaching the Great Fire of 1845 to a capacity crowd at South Park Township Public Library this week! (Photos courtesy the library)
How is Pittsburgh going to create a whole Walk of Fame and not include Gene Kelly in the first class?
October 9, 2025 at 8:53 PM
How is Pittsburgh going to create a whole Walk of Fame and not include Gene Kelly in the first class?
An extremely Pittsburgh post: Today I learned that Zachary Quinto‘s great-grandfather was none other than P.J. McArdle. 🤯
October 2, 2025 at 12:32 PM
An extremely Pittsburgh post: Today I learned that Zachary Quinto‘s great-grandfather was none other than P.J. McArdle. 🤯
Spoiler alert: The 2026 Pirates don’t have a chance, and everyone including Bob Nutting knows it
September 29, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Spoiler alert: The 2026 Pirates don’t have a chance, and everyone including Bob Nutting knows it
In Altoona today. Did you know if you go to the Boyer candy company factory, you can get a bag of Clark Bars in the form of “imperfects”? So good! Not an ad. (No, I’m not eating Altoona-style pizza while I’m here, because I don’t hate myself.)
September 21, 2025 at 4:05 PM
In Altoona today. Did you know if you go to the Boyer candy company factory, you can get a bag of Clark Bars in the form of “imperfects”? So good! Not an ad. (No, I’m not eating Altoona-style pizza while I’m here, because I don’t hate myself.)
So much fun supporting my pals at the Lemieux Foundation last night at Steve Byrne’s comedy jam. Laughed my face off at Billy Gardell, Bill Crawford and more. The Mandalorian, Brendan Wayne, was there too! And I’m officially old enough that front row seats means your friend handing out ear plugs 😂
September 13, 2025 at 11:26 AM
So much fun supporting my pals at the Lemieux Foundation last night at Steve Byrne’s comedy jam. Laughed my face off at Billy Gardell, Bill Crawford and more. The Mandalorian, Brendan Wayne, was there too! And I’m officially old enough that front row seats means your friend handing out ear plugs 😂
Mad world. Good dogs. ❤️
September 10, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Mad world. Good dogs. ❤️
What a gorgeous morning in the City of Pittsburgh to launch the Allegheny Cleanways Immaculate Collection litter cleanup initiative with the mayor and county executive! Stop littering and illegal dumping, you jags 🖤💛
September 10, 2025 at 2:54 PM
What a gorgeous morning in the City of Pittsburgh to launch the Allegheny Cleanways Immaculate Collection litter cleanup initiative with the mayor and county executive! Stop littering and illegal dumping, you jags 🖤💛
Got a sneak peek at the Pittsburgh Glass Center’s Art on Fire auction items and, you guys, i am always amazed at what humans can create.These two stunning vases are my faves. Go check it out. Not an ad!
September 5, 2025 at 2:06 AM
Got a sneak peek at the Pittsburgh Glass Center’s Art on Fire auction items and, you guys, i am always amazed at what humans can create.These two stunning vases are my faves. Go check it out. Not an ad!
If you’ve never seen me teach history, you’re in for a fun treat. I’ll be presenting on the Great Fire of 1845 at South Park Library on October 8! Join us!
southpark.librarycalendar.com/event/munch-...
southpark.librarycalendar.com/event/munch-...
August 29, 2025 at 6:38 PM
If you’ve never seen me teach history, you’re in for a fun treat. I’ll be presenting on the Great Fire of 1845 at South Park Library on October 8! Join us!
southpark.librarycalendar.com/event/munch-...
southpark.librarycalendar.com/event/munch-...
In which I share the screamingly dramatic local newspaper headlines from lesser-known disasters in Pittsburgh history. Fire, flood, storm, explosions, and of course, escaped monkeys. "A Day of Riot and Carnage," indeed.
www.pittsburghmagazine.com/dahn-memory-...
www.pittsburghmagazine.com/dahn-memory-...
August 28, 2025 at 1:51 PM
In which I share the screamingly dramatic local newspaper headlines from lesser-known disasters in Pittsburgh history. Fire, flood, storm, explosions, and of course, escaped monkeys. "A Day of Riot and Carnage," indeed.
www.pittsburghmagazine.com/dahn-memory-...
www.pittsburghmagazine.com/dahn-memory-...
Accidentally took a perfect picture
August 25, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Accidentally took a perfect picture
At the Oddities and Curiosities convention downtown and accidentally dressed too normal and now I look ridiculous among all the badassery
August 23, 2025 at 6:22 PM
At the Oddities and Curiosities convention downtown and accidentally dressed too normal and now I look ridiculous among all the badassery
When I started Pittsburgh Remains to be Seen, I said my goal was to create walking tours of the mapped artifacts. That project became the PastFinders app and today there are now four walking tours that highlight visible artifacts of long-gone structures and places! Give them a try!
August 19, 2025 at 5:23 PM
When I started Pittsburgh Remains to be Seen, I said my goal was to create walking tours of the mapped artifacts. That project became the PastFinders app and today there are now four walking tours that highlight visible artifacts of long-gone structures and places! Give them a try!
While building out Atlanta in the PastFinders app, I discovered this cool monument to higher education made from salvaged remains of a Carnegie library that was razed for a larger (ugly) library a few blocks away. Love this! Photos of monument and original library are here and in the app!
August 17, 2025 at 1:16 PM
While building out Atlanta in the PastFinders app, I discovered this cool monument to higher education made from salvaged remains of a Carnegie library that was razed for a larger (ugly) library a few blocks away. Love this! Photos of monument and original library are here and in the app!
I had a wonderful time reading from my novel at the Hemingway Series last night at Hop Farm Brewing (their sour beer is so good/not an ad). My unfailingly supportive pals came out to hear me read ❤️
August 13, 2025 at 12:55 PM
I had a wonderful time reading from my novel at the Hemingway Series last night at Hop Farm Brewing (their sour beer is so good/not an ad). My unfailingly supportive pals came out to hear me read ❤️
Lorelei in East Liberty is currently having an Alpine Tiki takeover by Hidden Harbor and the drinks are so good and so cute. Not an ad!
August 8, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Lorelei in East Liberty is currently having an Alpine Tiki takeover by Hidden Harbor and the drinks are so good and so cute. Not an ad!
I saw this on Sunday and it’s so good and the setting is perfect. Not an ad.
July 31, 2025 at 6:08 PM
I saw this on Sunday and it’s so good and the setting is perfect. Not an ad.
She snapped a few photos while she was up there 🖤🛩️💛
July 30, 2025 at 11:41 PM
She snapped a few photos while she was up there 🖤🛩️💛
My son, now a flight instructor, took my mom up today to fly around over downtown Pittsburgh and boy did she have a great time 🥹
July 30, 2025 at 11:31 PM
My son, now a flight instructor, took my mom up today to fly around over downtown Pittsburgh and boy did she have a great time 🥹