Monday, August 24, 2015

End of Summer Specials




Our Priory Hotel is offering some great end of summer specials, pairing up with many of our attraction and restaurant partners to offer some unbelievable values for an end-of-summer getaway.  Partners include the Rivers Casino, Warhol Museum and Heinz History Center, as well as restaurants such as the James Street Gastropub and Cioppino.  Special package rates are available for a limited time -- August 30 through September 3!

Our "Casino Royale" package, for instance, offers two $10 slots vouchers to the Rivers Casino, transportation to the casino in our hotel shuttle, a $100 gift card to Andrew's Steakhouse in the Casino, and two complimentary vouchers for well cocktails in our Monks' Bar.  The rate for this fun package is $199 per night, plus tax, per double occupancy.  

Rates for other packages range from $199 plus tax to $209 plus tax, per double occupancy.

Find out more about these great packages here.

North Side Versus the Outside Boxing Event




We're pleased to be hosting a boxing event for Steel City Boxing Club, located here on our own North Side.  The event will feature about a dozen Steel City amateurs facing off against fighters from other gyms around the city.  Tickets are $20 for general admission and $40 for ringside seats.  The event date is Friday, September 4.  Doors open around 6:00 p.m.  Food and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be available.  Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling (412) 759-6680.  Proceeds benefit the capital campaign to repair Steel City's gym roof.  You can see the event's Facebook page here.

As an aside, the main man behind Steel City Boxing, Jack Mook, has an interesting story which made national news late last year.  Jack, a city police lieutenant, adopted two boys who had been in foster care while working out at the gym.  Jack became concerned about the boys when they stopped coming to the gym, and subsequently became the boys' foster father (as a single dad) and then adoptive father.

Here's an ABC News story about Jack and his sons' uplifting story.

Thursday, August 6, 2015

"Southpaw" Released


The new film "Southpaw" featuring Jake Gyllenhaal, Forrest Whitaker and 50 Cent was released recently.  A critical boxing scene was filmed last summer at our Grand Hall at the Priory, including the "knockout" scene here between washed up fighter (Jake) and coach (Forrest).  See the clip here.

Some Interesting Views




One never knows where one might find a cool or interesting thing around the City of Pittsburgh.  I happened to park in the Sixth and Penn Garage run by Alco Parking the other day, which, not surprisingly, is at the corner of Sixth Street and Penn Avenue.  I parked on the fifth floor and was treated to some great views of downtown Pittsburgh, one looking toward Market Square and the other looking east down Liberty Avenue.  The views are above.