Do widzenia, Polish Hill

Goodbye, Polish Hill.

Marian and I departed for the airport early this morning. I knew it would be a choker. I think I fell in love with everyone I met here. It was one of those trips.

A good "caption" photo!

Joanne I fell in love with instantly and having to say goodbye so soon would be hard. I had heard about "Marian's little sister" for years and it was so great to finally meet her, but saying good bye was sad. A good sign if you really think about it.

And there was Paul and Jordan and Lily! Funny how you are almost like a foreign exchange student and your host family who has never met you puts you up and you fall for them. What great guys and great pup! Jordan will be in NYC soon so I will get to see him and I hope Paul will come this way as well. I cannot thank them enough.

And almost like the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz, it was saddest to say Do widzenia to my good pal, Marian. He made this trip possible and has been such a good friend to me over the years. To be able to share Pittsburgh with each other was amazing. To see where he grew up, where he was BORN! To just be around his love and wisdom was priceless.

Hey Marian, let's do it again!!!!

Smacznego!

That is Bon Apetit in Polish.

For our last night in Pittsburgh, Joanne made a Polish feast. It was a dream come true for me to be dining there on Polish Hill in a Polish house with such great people. I love the ethnic food and rightfully I was made fun of for my gushing, but I think it has to do with the heart and emotion that goes into it. And I feel that. Truly. There is something powerful about sharing a meal with people, but when you know someone put in such effort because you were there and made this to please you it is extra special.

Joanne's son Rich and his wife Karyn were able to stay for dinner which made it even better. (After Primanti's - 'Bring it on!!!")

We started off with HOMEMADE Czernina which is essentially Duck Blood Soup. It was wonderful. Sort of a hunter-style soup with duck and noodles and prunes and well, duck's blood. The soup's name derives from the word czarny which means "black."

Then we had HOMEMADE pierogi with dried cottage cheese. It was heaven. I had about 4 huge ones. I will think of these often. Karyn remarked that they were Joanne's best! They were great. We also had Polish spareribs and Polish broccoli with Polish Cheddar cheese and Polish carrot cake to finish.



Oh and I polished off a "Pittsburgh's Own" Klondike Bar! Have you had one lately? They are amazing.

It was a lovely meal and then it was time for the Steelers game!


Richard, Joanne, Marian, Karyn, and Rich

Rich and Karyn. They will go on my "Top Ten Couples of the Year" list this year. (Along with Paul and Jordan from next door, of course!) I could do a whole blog post on them frankly. But it would be gushy on my part! Wonderful people. We had such a good time today.

Polish Hill Civic Association

Next to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church is the Polish Hill Civic Association. As part of our Polish Hill tours Marian and I went in to see what we could see.

A very nice lady greeted us and right away she said, "Do you blog?" I was kind of taken aback as it seemed so out of context. "Yes," I said. "We read your blog!" Susan Constanse said. I had written about Polish Hill and she recognized me and Marian from my blog! Here I was in Pittsburgh and I am read!

It was wild and a lovefest began inside the cozy offices of the PHCA.

Susan is the blogger for the Association. The name of the blog is SO perfect for this Polish Valhalla looking over Pittsburgh. It is called Blogski!! You must check it out.

Susan taking a picture of me taking a picture of her. Check out her handiwork here.

The brain center of Polish Hill.

They have so much wonderful archival information and Susan and Leslie Clague were there to help. They sell postcards and t-shirts. Check them out here. Leslie showed Marian the archival photos and he recognized faces from his past and was shedding tears. It was amazing.

Finally, Marian signed up to be a member of the Association. For $5 you can be a full member. Marian as of this writing is the farthest away member of the Association.

In the middle of our laughter and tears, Terry Doloughty, the President of the Polish Hill Civic Association happened in. He was Marian's nephew's best man. I can't stand it!

Well I asked Terry as President if he would present Marian with his membership card. He gladly obliged.

It was good day here in Pittsburgh when native son, Marian Sarnowski, returns to the hill is becomes a member in good standing!

The Sarnowsky's of Polish Hill

"Welcome to Polish Hill" it says in a mix of English and Polish. And welcome I have felt since I landed high atop this hill. From Marian's amazing sister Joanne to my most wonderful and gracious hosts Paul and Jordan who live next door. This is going to be a hard one to leave I can tell. Because it is a place you feel in your bones. I know that sounds corny, but it is true. There is love, there are neighbors who care for each other, there is community and there are bells that ring from the church so you know to go to Mass or take your chicken out of the oven.

The last 3 siblings in front of the house they were born and grew up in. (L-R Joanne, Marian, Sister Florence.)

Immaculate Heart of Mary Church/Kościół Matki Boskiej


Marian looks at his brother Raymond Sarnowski's name on the war memorial outside the church.

Seeing this hill through Marian's eyes has been amazing. You half expect the whole place to turn sepia and for the store fronts to go back as they were and the fashions to take on a 1940s look.

"Over there were two candy stores. And here was the shoe store. My best friend lived in that house." etc.

I can tell this hill is special to so many people. So many lives have begun and ended on this hill. So many stories, so many births, a blackout, a flood below, so many homemade pierogis and some good laughs.

I know more and more that we are just leasers on this planet and life was going on before us and it will continue after us and it is just a hope for each of us to have and treasure a Polish Hill of our own.

Because it is all over quick.

Polish Hill

Marian and baby sis, Joanne in front of house they were born in on Polish Hill

Ah, Polish Hill. This is the neighborhood in Pittsburgh where Marian Sarnowski grew up. For me it was quite emotional to see I have to say. I am a sucker for ethnic neighborhoods and immigrant stories and the past in general. I feel the ethnic experience so deeply no matter if is something other than my own. It is because of my own story that I get it, I think.

This is Marian with his baby sister, Joanne, in front of the house that Marian not only grew up in, but was born in! I saw the room where all the kids were born. Now it is the TV and sitting room where Joanne and her husband watch Steelers games and "Two and a Half Men."

Wow. More on Polish Hill as I go on, but here I am and I am so glad.

My first home cooked meal in Pittsburgh. Stuffed Cabbage and mashed potatoes. (potatoes not pictured.) It was Polish manna. Joanne says she will make pierogi for me!