Best Of: The ‘Burgh

Mascot: Roc

The symbol of the Pittsburgh Panthers — named after… Mascot: Roc

The symbol of the Pittsburgh Panthers — named after Steve Petro, a player, coach and administrator considered to be the “rock” of Pitt athletics — has entertained crowds for more than 100 years and is still going strong. (Fittingly, petra means ‘rock’ in Greek.) Rumor has it that Roc is pursuing a master’s in zoology. This cool cat also excels at crowd surfing, break dancing, slam dunking and — fortunately — clipping his own nails.

Editors’ Pick: The racing pierogies at Pirates games

Pittsburgh sports team: The Steelers

Need we say more? This team has the most Super Bowl rings in the NFL. That’s right cheeseheads, the Steelers are the best in the league. Black and gold are more than colors in the Steel City — they’re a faith. If you walk into a restaurant without sporting team decor, you’re not in Pittsburgh anymore, Toto.

Editors’ Pick: The Penguins

Free entertainment: People watching

If there’s something distinctive about Pittsburgh, it’s the residents. People watching can provide hours of enjoyment. Sit on basically any corner in Oakland and you’re bound to see a first. Pitt even makes it easier for you. Log on to one of the remote control webcams atop the Cathedral and you’ll get an aerial view from the comfort of your laptop.

Editors’ Pick: Watching the walk of shame

Radio station: 96.1 (KISS)

Airing daily doses of schoolgirl heartthrob and professional small person Ryan Seacrest, it’s no wonder that Pittsburgh radio station WKST-FM, informally known as “Kiss 96.1” has captured Pitt students’ hearts and ears. Kiss specializes in top 40 and pop music, making it especially conducive to spontaneous dance-sesh study breaks. But the entertainment doesn’t stop there — who wouldn’t rocket from their beds to a wake-up program titled “Morning Freak Show,” hosted by Mikey and Big Bob?

Editors’ Pick: 92.1 (WPTS)

Local band: MH the Verb

As a former Pitt student, Marcus Harris, known on stage as “MH the Verb,” lays down hip-hop beats that reverberate with his former campus. In 2010, Harris’ group, the BNVz, won the Pitt Program Council’s Hip-Hop Battle and the chance to open for Kid Cudi that same year. MH the Verb attracts so much attention because, at least in our opinion, he is willing to incorporate electronic media with live instruments. Or perhaps it’s his crafty rhymes and lyrics.

Editors’ Pick: Legs Like Tree Trunks

Local TV station: KDKA

No four letters say “Pittsburgh local television” better than KDKA. Competing for local viewers with worthy rivals like WTAE and WPXI, this CBS affiliate often wins out, as its news reports gather the plurality of viewers from noon to 6 p.m. on weekdays, according to 2010 Nielsen ratings data. And there’s good reason for KDKA’s dominating local broadcasts; operating in a town draped in black and yellow, KDKA regularly airs Pittsburgh Steelers games.

Editors’ Pick: Pittsburgh Public Broadcasting

Pittsburgh neighborhood: Shadyside

From the shops of Walnut Street, Highland Avenue and Ellsworth Avenue to old and elegant houses on tree-lined boulevards, Shadyside combines the contemporary with the classic. Easily accessible by buses on Fifth Avenue as well as the East Busway, the neighborhood is both the home and the watering hole of many Pitt, Carnegie Mellon and Chatham students.

Editors’ Pick: Strip District

Movie theater: South Side Works

Located mere steps from the Monongahela near the Hot Metal Bridge, this movie theater is conveniently close to South Oakland and located on the 75 bus line. It is also located in the midst of a wide variety of different eateries — ideal for “dinner and a movie.”

Editors’ Pick: AMC Loews Waterfront 22

Live theater: Benedum

Whether for a night at the opera, the ballet, the best of Broadway, stage plays or rock concerts, the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts is the favored destination for lovers of live theater. Formerly the Stanley Theater, the Benedum was built in 1927 to screen movies and reopened to the public in 1987 after being renovated at a cost of $43 million. The decor of refurbished original mirrors and chandeliers, as well as brass railings and marble, recalls the public spaces of a bygone era.

Editors’ Pick: Pittsburgh Opera