Photo by Tracy Certo for NEXT Pittsburgh

The Canadian-based Travel Industry Today tells readers that Pittsburgh is now clean, green and lots of fun after an extraordinary urban environmental transformation.

The author touches on food, culture, sports and green spaces in the following reviews of Pittsburgh locations.

Surprisingly, Primanti’s didn’t fair well. “It’s hard to get your jaws around and quite tasteless. Even the pastrami needs salt. And who wants fries smashed on top of your sandwich?” the author asks. Instead, she steers readers to the Thin Man Sandwich Shop in the Strip for its Thin Man and Il Bastardo sandwiches and Conflict Kitchen for a thought-provoking dining experience with rotating cuisine from countries with which the U.S. is in conflict.

The Strip District is hailed as “Pittsburgh’s funky, foodie heaven,” where visitors can make pierogies at S&D Polish Deli, have a drink at 21st Street Coffee, smoke a cigar at Leaf and Bean, shop the street vendors, or go out at night to see the “hip young crowd.”  And of course, tourists are encouraged to ride the Duquesne Incline for the great views of Pittsburgh and the rail car’s 137-year history.

Green space fanatics are encouraged to visit Phipps Conservatory’s Center for Sustainable Landscapes, which is one of the greenest buildings in the world and was designed to function as efficiently as a flower.

For those who want to splurge, the author recommends Butcher and the Rye which has more than 350 types of whiskey and bourbon in addition to handcrafted cocktails.

For history and whisky, Wigle Whisky, named after Phillip Wigle of the Whisky Rebellion, has a selection of homemade spirits including, “rye and wheat whisky, flavored bitters, ginever gins and buckwheathoney rum-like spirits.”

For a relaxing day, visitors are encouraged to go to the Fairmont for a signature pedicure consisting of Turkish sea salts and a eucalyptus bath followed by paraffin wax treatment and soothing balm.

Read the full article here.

A recent grad of Pitt's Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, Ryan also has a degree in journalism. He has a passion for innovative ideas in Pittsburgh, green urban spaces, music and the outdoors. Thus far, Ryan has lived as a musician and freelance writer and works for the Hear Me project at the CREATE Lab at CMU, with hopes of changing policy based on the ideas of young people.