Continuing a Christmas Tradition

Does doing something for three years in a row qualify it for being a "tradition"?  If so, then Marilyn and I continued a Christmas Tradition of ours today:  Sunday Brunch at the Terrace Room of the William Penn Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh.

Prior to brunch, we visited the beautiful creche set up in the plaza of the US Steel Building....

Took in the lobby decorations at the Hotel...

Sadly, they just don't make hotel 

lobbies like this anymore.

Had our picture taken by the nice lady who was seated next to us...

Merry Christmas, everyone!!!

And I topped of my delicious breakfast of Eggs Benedict with a traditional Christmas desert, a root beer float....

As I mentioned, this is the third year that we have done this, and it is a real treat, and as I say every year, they just don't build hotels like the William Penn, now in it's 101st year, anymore. Really classic and elegant.

This is the first year that we have done this on a Steelers Sunday, and that made for an interesting twist.  The lobby filled with people decked out in Steelers gear, and not an insignificant number in Patriots gear as well.  In fact, while visiting the creche at the US Steel Plaza, we took photos for a number of people who were in town from New England for today's Big Game.  Very nice people and it was nice exchanging pleasantries with them.  Also in the theme of a Steelers Sunday, also dining with us today in the Terrace Room, albeit not at our particular table, were Steelers Hall of Famers Franco Harris and John Stallworth.

We just love this new tradition of ours.

"The Thin Man Comes to Pittsburgh"

I had mentioned earlier today that Marilyn and I were headed down to the William Penn Hotel for Sunday Brunch and to be  apart of the studio audience for the performance of a radio play of Dashiell Hammett's "The Thin Man".

It was fun experience.

Right off the bat, I have to tell you that attending an event at the William Penn Hotel is really a cool experience.  For those readers outside of Pittsburgh, the William Penn Hotel was built in 1915, and it really epitomizes old style class and luxury in a way that just isn't done any more.

For example, do they build hotel lobbies like this these days?

I don't think so.

Sunday brunch in the hotel's Terrace Room - very nice.  By the way, I am convinced that opulent brunch buffets in fancy hotels is one of the reasons why the rest of the world hates America, but I digress.






We had some time to kill after brunch, so we enjoyed the stylings of a piano player in the lobby while we sat there and enjoyed the atmosphere.

We then proceeded to the Three Rivers Room where the radio "studio" was set for the performance.

Pre-show entertainment was provided.

And then the radio play version of "The Thin Man" was presented.  

The script for this play was adapted from the Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich screenplay for the 1934 film version of "The Thin Man".  The trick here was that this radio script was adapted for a Pittsburgh setting.  For example, Nick and Nora were in Pittsburgh in 1934, not New York, and were staying at the William Penn Hotel.  Professor Wynant did his scientific research for the Mellon Institute. Gilbert Wynant was a student at Duquesne University. The story was interrupted a few times for "commercials" featuring products that played upon Pittsburgh stereotypes (Yinzer Beer, for example).  You get the idea.  The actors played multiple parts, and changed or added small articles of clothing - a scarf or a hat - when they changed characters.  One of the actresses even played Asta!  However, unlike the true old time radio days, all sound effects (ringing phones, doors slamming etc) were provided by the stage announcers lap top!

If you're familiar with the William Powell-Myrna Loy movie version, then you could follow the story.  Like the movie, it was not as gritty as Hammett's original novel, but it was a fun,  breezy, and entertaining show.  A new and different experience for us.

I was able to get this picture of Nick and Nora, as played by husband and wife Chuck and Jeannine Lanigan.

Special kudos go out to Chuck Lanigan as well as he both wrote and directed this play for live radio.

A great start to the Holiday Season!!!

Sunday Plans

Marilyn and I officially kick off our Holiday Season today when we head on down to Pittsburgh's tres chic William Penn Hotel 

for Sunday Brunch,  which will then be followed by being in the audience a performance of a radio play version of Dashiell Hammett's "The Thin Man".  

The "performance" of the radio play will also take place at the William Penn.

I am thinking that this experience will be kind of like stepping back in time to "cafe society" days when Radio was King.

Should be a fun experience.