where the locals go
The CBL Blog: honest city experiences from the drivers and riders who actually know the place — transportation, travels, eats & drinks, and attractions, one city at a time.
Yes, it's the postcard. It's also the first place every Pittsburgher drags an out-of-towner — and there's a right way to do it that has nothing to do with standing at the rail for five minutes and leaving.
The view is the start of Mount Washington, not the whole thing. Here's how locals actually do it — ride the inclines up, walk Grandview at golden hour, and skip the view-tax fine dining.
Keith Schmiedlin · Pittsburgh
Brunch in the Strip, art on the North Side, rooftop drinks at golden hour, and a dinner table we actually got a reservation for — one full Pittsburgh Saturday with zero parking and zero driving, every leg handled in advance by our own CBL driver. Here's the whole playbook.
One full Pittsburgh Saturday — brunch in the Strip, art on the North Side, golden-hour rooftop drinks, and a dinner you actually booked — with zero parking and zero driving.
Keith Schmiedlin · Pittsburgh
The app says one price, the meter says another, and half the time they've swapped places since last week. Here's what a driver sees — and the option neither one puts on your screen.
Rideshare used to be the obvious cheap option. In 2026, riders aren't so sure — a Pittsburgh driver breaks down rideshare vs. cabs vs. the third path most people forget they have.
Brian Uhler & Keith Schmiedlin · Pittsburgh
On Frenchmen Street — a few blocks and a whole world away from Bourbon — there's a tiny room where the band plays for tips and the city shows you who it really is. We went in for one set and stayed for three.
On Frenchmen Street, three blocks from Bourbon, a tiny room where local musicians play for tips and the city shows you who it really is.
Keith Schmiedlin · New Orleans