Liam Duncan of Regent Square and his partner Kaitlyn Lander of North Side stretch during ASCEND’s free yoga event on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, at Velum Fermentation in South Side. (Photo by Anastasia Busby/PublicSource)
From Black Cat Market to Randyland, Pittsburgh and Allegheny County offer plenty of options for escaping the polls and punditry.
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Research shows that too much stress can have negative physiological effects, but mindfulness interventions to decrease stress and boost well-being have the potential to improve health.
The stressors that come with being a college student inspired Emily Lindsay to start incorporating yoga and meditation into her life. Now an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh, Lindsay studies how psychological and biological pathways relate to stress.
“Mindfulness interventions, particularly those that focus on acceptance skills — welcoming your experience, having a non-reactive, non-judgmental, open and receptive attitude towards the present moment — [can] reduce biological stress reactivity,” Lindsay said.
Taking the time to prioritize a mindful practice takes dedication, Lindsay said, but finding an outlet to cope with physical and mental stress can be beneficial in the long run.
PublicSource spoke with community members and compiled a list of low- to no-cost activities and resources around the region to help alleviate stress and boost well-being.
Cat lounges and cat cafes
A great way to get your mind off the news is to enjoy time with furry creatures that couldn’t care less about it. Research shows a connection between petting animals and reductions in levels of cortisol, a hormone that causes feelings of stress, and many pet owners have reported that being with their animal positively impacts their mental health by providing a calming presence.
Olivia Ciotoli, owner of The Black Cat Market cat cafe in Garfield, sees the positive effect her shop’s cats have on customers first-hand.
“Almost everybody walks out with a nice big smile on their face, even if they just sat and petted some cats for a bit,” Ciotoli said.
Most cat cafes and lounges allow visitors to adopt cats they fall in love with, a practice Ciotoli described as a “symbiotic relationship where everyone wins.”
“[We’re] helping cats find their forever home and helping people find their new best friends,” she said.
If you want to hang out and play with rescued cats who are looking to be loved and adopted, visit these three locations.
Rescue and Relax
Cost: Pay what you can
Address: 104-106 E. Swissvale Ave., Edgewood
Hours: Fri-Sun 3-8 p.m.
After a long week, Rescue and Relax provides the perfect place for people of all ages to mingle with a cast of around 15 cats. Entry into the lounge is free because the location uses a “pay what you can” model, meaning donations are encouraged, but not required to spend time with the cats. Reservations aren’t necessary either, just stop by and relax with free snacks, beverages and cat-themed books and games.
Kitty Queen Cat Rescue
Cost: $5 for an hour in the cat lounge
Address: 4552 McKnight Rd., Suite 400, Ross
Hours: Tue-Fri 4-7 p.m. and Sat-Sun 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Another great place to meet some furry friends is in Kitty Queen Cat Rescue. For $5, adults and kids can reserve an hour to visit a room with more than 30 cats and kittens. Walk-ins are available, but reservations are recommended. They provide a variety of snacks and beverages, plus cat toys, wands and scratchers to engage with the cats.
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Olivia Ciotoli helps a visitor check in on Oct. 27, at The Black Cat Market in Garfield. (Photo by Anastasia Busby/PublicSource) -
A cat licks its lips at The Black Cat Market in Garfield. The Black Cat Market charges $8 per person for 30 minutes of play time in the cat room. (Photo by Anastasia Busby/PublicSource) -
Addie Stoy, 6, of Canonsburg plays with a cat on Oct. 27. There were 16 cats in the room, most of them sleeping. (Photo by Anastasia Busby/PublicSource) -
A cat sleeps in the cat room on Oct. 27, where, according to the market’s owner, cats develop trust and socialization skills. (Photo by Anastasia Busby/PublicSource)
The Black Cat Market
Cost: $8 for 30 minutes in the cat room
Address: 5135 Penn Ave., Garfield
Hours: Mon-Fri 11 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sat-Sun 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 5-7 p.m.
If you need some caffeine to go with your cat time, The Black Cat Market has complimentary drip coffee or tea and charges $8 to spend half an hour in the cat room. Reservations are recommended, but walk-ins are accepted if space allows. Before you visit, check out their website to see their 10 to 15 current cats and learn their personalities before you meet them. If you purchase a frequent visitor pass for $18 per month, you can access the cat room for as long as you want during business hours.
Strumming and stretching
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The Pittsburgh Banjo Club performs on Oct. 23, at the Elks Lodge, in East Allegheny. The band mostly plays music from the 1920s. (Photo by Anastasia Busby/PublicSource) -
Linda Nehrer sings in the Pittsburgh Banjo Club. Nehrer’s favorite song to sing is “Blue Skies” by Irving Berlin. (Photo by Anastasia Busby/PublicSource) -
Jennie Weiss and her fiancé Nate Phillips dance to a song at the Elks Lodge. Weiss’ dad, Hal Weiss, has been in the band for 33 years. (Photo by Anastasia Busby/PublicSource) -
Joan Dickerson plays her banjo in the Pittsburgh Banjo Club on, Oct. 23, at the Elks Lodge. Dickerson is also a singer for the band and sang two songs for her friends in the audience. (Photo by Anastasia Busby/PublicSource) -
Tim Halloran looks up at singer Linda Nehrer as she finishes a song. The Pittsburgh Banjo Club plays four string banjos. (Photo by Anastasia Busby/PublicSource)
Engaging the senses and the body are two surefire ways to ease the mind.
If you’re looking for a fun night with free entertainment, look no further than the Pittsburgh Banjo Club’s weekly practice. For the past 19 years, the club has held public rehearsals every Wednesday night at the Allegheny County Elks Lodge #339. Around a dozen banjoists perform music from across the 19th and 20th centuries, from bluegrass to the Beatles.
Pittsburgh Banjo Club
Cost: Free admission, food and drinks available for purchase
Address: 400 Cedar Ave., East Allegheny
Hours: Wed 7-11 p.m.
The club plays from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. with a half-hour break. The kitchen and bar are open if you’re looking for a low-cost meal.
Norman Azinger, who has played in the club since its founding in 1988, encouraged anyone to visit and listen to “this great banjo music that we play.”
“We have a lot of young people come, a lot of gray-haired people come, it’s such a mixed crowd,” Azinger said. “Sometimes they’re playing cards or parcheesi, but in the background there’s always good music for them to listen to.”
He added that banjo nights are a politics-free zone and are meant to foster a fun and relaxed atmosphere.
“Come on down. If you don’t like banjos you can leave,” Azinger joked.
Yoga, a 3,000-year-old practice, has proven therapeutic effects in reducing stress and anxiety by connecting the mind and body. However, cost barriers associated with yoga can often make routine participation difficult.
Big Free Yoga [BFY] classes are open to all ages and skill levels. Participants are encouraged to bring their own mat and a friend. Advanced registration is available online, and all participants must have a waiver on file with ASCEND Climbing Gym.
ASCEND Climbing Gym Big Free Yoga
Cost: Admission is free. BONUS: stay and climb for only $15 (rental shoes are included)
Address: Velum Fermentation, 2120 Jane St., South Side Flats
Hours: Meets monthly for one hour on the weekends
To help make the practice more affordable and accessible for all, ASCEND has partnered with Velum Fermentation.
ASCEND has two locations in Pittsburgh, but October’s BFY class took place at Velum Fermentation, adjacent to ASCEND South Side.
Taylor Solomon, a yoga instructor at ASCEND, was introduced to yoga as a way to reduce physical stress after an ankle break in college. Turns out, it helped with her mental stress as well.
“It [yoga] was huge for my mental health in grad school. I was able to focus more because I knew I have this thing where I get to go after my classes and take care of myself,” Solomon said.
Solomon leads restorative and BFY classes at ASCEND in addition to her full-time job as a therapist. Before she begins a class, Solomon’s favorite thing to do is “read the room,” a tactic she uses to tailor her instruction to the needs of her students.
“If I see someone with an injury or someone comes up to me and says, ‘Hey, my knees aren’t feeling really good’ or ‘I just had surgery a few weeks ago, but I really want to do this,’ I slow my pace down, and I think people really appreciate that,” Solomon said. “I really love encouraging a slow, powerful class that encourages that restorative [practice] at the end.”
Libraries: Books, but also activities
Pittsburgh is home to a plethora of public libraries which serve as peaceful spaces to relax and unwind. Libraries not only provide access to literature and media offerings, they provide resume and career development resources and free access to the internet and printing services. Many libraries offer educational programming, including opportunities for children and teens. Library cards are free to residents of Allegheny County, and all Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh [CLP] locations are fine free. If you can’t make it to a physical library, Allegheny County’s eLibrary provides access to library resources from the comfort of your own home.
Cost: Free with library card
Address and hours: Varies, see below
- Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has 19 locations in the city. CLP staff members curated a Here to Help booklist to provide information on how to cope with anxiety and depression.
- Mt. Lebanon Public Library offers a board game night every Tuesday from 7-8:45 p.m.
- Penn Hills Library allows patrons to reserve meeting rooms for community events or gatherings.
- Green Tree Public Library loans WiFi hotspots, kitchen tools, nature backpacks and more to library cardholders.
- Clairton Public Library holds a line dancing class every Thursday from 10-11 a.m.
To find your nearest library, search by ZIP code through the Allegheny County Library Association.
Local parks
Disconnect from the news and reconnect with the outdoors by visiting one of Pittsburgh’s 176+ parks and parklets. Getting outside has mental and physical health benefits ranging from reduced blood pressure and cortisol levels to decreased anxiety and better sleep. Use the Pittsburgh Parks wellbeing guide to elevate your relaxation, and follow their seasonal tip sheet for ideas on how to prepare for the weather and make the most of your time outside.
City of Pittsburgh Parks
Cost: Free
Address and hours: Varies, see below
The city’s five regional parks – Emerald View, Frick, Highland, Schenley and Riverview – boast almost 2,000 acres of land brimming with trails, bike paths, sports courts, dog parks and more.
If you’re looking to spend time by the water, visit one of Pittsburgh’s riverfront parks. These five parks feature public art, walking paths, shops and more along the three rivers.
To find a park near you, enter your address or neighborhood on Pittsburgh’s Citiparks website or explore Pittsburgh Parks’ interactive map.
Allegheny County Parks
Cost: Free
Address and hours: Varies, see below
The county also has an array of parks from large to small, including the big nine: Boyce, Deer Lakes, Harrison Hills, Hartwood Acres, Round Hill, Settlers Cabin, White Oak, and North and South parks.
Pittsburgh museums and art galleries
Visiting a museum and interacting with art can positively influence mental health. To help increase accessibility, several Pittsburgh museums are free of charge.
Randyland
Cost: Free
Address: 1501 Arch St., Central Northside
Hours: Mon-Sat 10 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sun 12-9 p.m.
Randyland goes beyond the traditional idea of a museum. Through found object art, Randyland prioritizes the power of the imagination to transform everyday objects into works of art through upcycling. The museum’s commitment to free admission ensures that art remains accessible to everyone.
The Frick Art Museum
Cost: Free
Address: 7227 Reynolds St., Point Breeze
Hours: Tues-Sun from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
The Frick Art Museum offers a permanent collection of art that is free to the public. French and Flemish tapestries and Chinese porcelains are among the many timeless works visitors can admire. In addition to the permanent collection, a section of the Car and Carriage Museum is also free.
Pittsburgh Cultural Trust art galleries
Cost: Free
Address: Varies, see below
Hours: Wed-Sun from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and closed from 1-1:30 p.m.
Operating in five distinct exhibition spaces in downtown Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust art galleries are open to the public. Visitors can view contemporary art by regional, national and international artists. To find a gallery near you, check out the Cultural Trust’s website.
Amber Frantz is an editorial intern at PublicSource and can be reached at [email protected].
Spencer Levering is an editorial intern and studies communications and psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. He can be reached at [email protected].
This article first appeared on PublicSource and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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