August will mark the seven-year anniversary since I moved to Pittsburgh. For six of those years I was in graduate school and spent more time thinking about New York City--where I moved from, and the subject of a vast chunk of my dissertation--than about Pittsburgh. During the first few months I did the obligatory touristing, like shopping for specialty groceries in the Strip District and visiting the Warhol Museum and attending a Pirates game. But in the intervening years I slacked off; my heels dug ruts in the sidewalk as I walked between my apartment and my office each day, with detours to the grocery store and coffee shop.

So I devoted June to visiting the sites I've missed, sites that are pretty quintessentially Pittsburgh. Some are characteristic of old Pittsburgh, and some represent a vision for Pittsburgh's future. Some are both at once.

The result is Brisket Vol. 1, No. 4, which contemplates urban citizenship. Over the course of July, I'll be releasing a travelogue each Wednesday. These essays will bring Brisket's readers along on the adventures I took to explored the questions of the month: what does it take to become “of” a place where you live? And, ironically, how much tourism is required to reach that point?

If you're interested in tasting Brisket, I've made the introduction free to read on Patreon! I hope you enjoy the sample. If so, I invite you to become a Brisket patron and continue reading.