Of course, I am not actually escaping Pittsburgh with my 10 minute walk down 5th Ave.  But, there is that feeling of escaping the CMU "bubble" that helps me to regain my sense of identity (and even sanity at times too).  So, heading over to the neighborhood of Shadyside is enough of an escape for me.

Shadyside's form of main street, Walnut Street, is home to an eclectic grouping of stores and shops.  The small mom and pop variety store and markets give you the comfort of walking down a suburban street right out of a 60's movie---the only thing missing is my white picket fence and home baked cookies. However, there is a sprinkling of modern and higher end stores such as Sephora, Apple and Coach, which also appeal to any college aged female's shopping senses.  And for this (temporary) NYC transplant, shopping, good food and a sampling of the cute small stores provide all that I need for a great Saturday.  Not to mention, the Shadyside nightlife can be a fun environment to watch a Steelers game or to take a friend out for a birthday dinner.

So, whenever the CMU grind has gotten a bit overwhelming, remember, your most needed escape maybe be closer than you think.