pittsburgh - Beard Blog

As an avid explorer, I’ve compiled a thrilling top 10 list of the best cities I’ve had the pleasure to visit, and I would seriously consider calling my home. Buckle up as we embark on a journey through my favorite urban gems. Now, before I reveal the numero uno, let’s set some ground rules. These cities are not just passing vacation spots; they’ve left a lasting mark on my heart:

1. Extended Stays and Vibrant Vibes: To qualify for my list, I must have spent more than just a fleeting moment in these cities. I’ve truly immersed myself in their cultures, experiencing their pulse beyond the surface.

2. A Thriving Metropolis: All contenders boast a bustling metropolitan area, teeming with life and energy. The hum of city life is part of their charm.

3. Population Power: Only cities with populations exceeding 200,000 made the cut. The more, the merrier!

Without further ado, let’s unveil my top 10 picks:

10. Las Vegas, NV

In the bustling city of Las Vegas, there’s an abundance of excitement and activity. Although their former slogan was “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas,” I wouldn’t choose to be the one who remains in this vibrant city.
Pros:
A lot to do including gambling, shopping, and eating
Some of the best restaurants in the world
They now have sports teams

Cons:
Crime
Weather
Tourist and party destination

9. Cleveland, OH

“Cleveland Rocks!” is the catchphrase, but does it live up to the hype? When the weather is pleasant, it’s not a bad place to be.
Pros:
Along the lake
Sports and music
Small city vibes

Cons:
Rust belt
Winters
Sports fans

8. San Diego, CA

Southern California boasts a reputation for its rainless days, yet this comes with the trade-off of potentially limited drinking water. Nevertheless, nestled along the coast, it remains a city blessed with some of the finest weather in the entire United States.

Pros:
Weather
Near the ocean
Culture and jobs

Cons:
Natural disasters
Homeless issue
Sports teams are leaving

7. Venice, Italy

A city of canals, where boats are your main mode of transportation. It’s a dreamy and romantic destination to visit, but does its charm hold up for those who choose to call it home?

Pros:
Food
Uniqueness of a city on water
Italian culture

Cons:
Living on the water
Access to the mainland only via boat
Job opportunities

6. Memphis, TN

While it’s a legendary city known for its musical heritage, residing here might just be the primary reason to find yourself singing the blues.

Pros:
Food
Music/Culture
Along the Mississippi

Cons:
Crime/Shrinking population
Sports
Weather

5. Nashville, TN

Nashville, the other music city in Tennessee, leans more towards country tunes than blues. With each visit, Nashville has been nothing short of fantastic to me.

Pros:
Music/Culture/Sports
Food
Weather

Cons:
Tourist/aspiring musician destination
Increasing population
Traffic/publica transportation

4. Boston, MA

Undeniably one of the most popular cities on the East Coast, rivaling even NYC. But the big question remains: if you reside there, is adopting the distinctive Boston accent a must?

Pros:
Public transportation
Sports
Culture/Safety

Cons:
Winter
Cost of living
Big city

3. Austin, TX

A delightful slice of the North nestled in the heart of the South. When you’re in Austin, you’ll be surprised at how it defies the typical Texan stereotype. No wonder it attracts numerous California transplants; there’s a compelling reason behind this magnetic draw.

Pros:
Food/Culture
Not a typical southern Texas city
Job opportunities

Cons:
Politics
Weather
Climbing cost of living

2. Denver, CO

The mile-high city, where you can simultaneously soar to a mile above sea level and experience a different kind of elevation. Surprisingly, Denver is often overlooked as a fantastic place to call home, but its unique charms make it a hidden gem worth considering.

Pros:
Food/Culture
Sports
Mountains

Cons:
Crime
Winters
Climbing cost of living

1. Pittsburgh, PA

Famously known as the Steel City in the Rust Belt. However, don’t be deceived by its industrial past, for it is rapidly evolving into a favored technology and Hollywood hub. Despite its modest size, Pittsburgh boasts all the advantages of larger metropolises while gracefully sidestepping many of their downsides. Embrace the charm and possibilities that this dynamic city has to offer!

Pros:
Culture/Sports
All my family is nearby
It’s the only place I’ve ever lived
Food/Beer

Cons:
Public transportation/air travel
Lack of sunshine
Traffic

And that’s a wrap! Surprised, huh? Turns out, the very place I’ve called home all my life takes the crown as the best city in the world to reside in. Pittsburgh, nestled in western Pennsylvania, boasts an array of reasons that make it an ideal place to live and raise a family. The absence of natural disasters, milder weather, affordable cost of living, and, of course, the world’s finest sports teams and passionate fans are just a few of the reasons why Pittsburgh shines as a cherished haven.

Here are some honorable mentions, cherished places I’ve explored but didn’t quite make it to the top 10 list. While they remain attractive for a return visit, they fall short of being the ideal cities I’d call home.

Indianpolis, IN
New York, NY
Washington, DC
Orlando, FL
New Orleans, LA
Detroit, MI
Seattle, WA
Rome, Italy

Other considerations that didn’t make the population minimum:

Outer Banks, NC
Paradise Valley, MT
Ann Arbor, MI

If you’re a cord-cutter you probably already understand the frustration of trying to stream live sporting events or other live events like awards shows, press conferences, or concerts. The streaming world, even in 2022, is still not friendly to live events. Some organizations, like the NFL, have been really good about streaming games or selling streaming rights. If you’re a baseball or hockey fan, it’s a barren landscape. Sure you can buy the leaugue’s streaming package and watch probably every game but the one you actually want to watch. Why is this the case? Local sports teams make exclusive deals with local TV broadcasters which means the national streaming packages black out the team(s) in your local area. If you’re a fan of your local sports team, you have to watch that team on the TV network they signed the deal with, and that network only.

My favorite sport is professional ice hockey and my preferred team is the Pittsburgh Penguins and because I live close enough to Pittsburgh, streaming through the NHL’s provided streaming service will result in a blackout of all Pittsburgh Penguins games. In this scenario I have three options to watch a live Pittsburgh Penguins game.

Option 1 – Cable Subscription

The easiest and most straight forward option is to subscribe to traditional cable. This requires contacting one of the local cable companies (Verizon or Comcast in my area). The Penguins games are on AT&T SportsNet which could be a higher package than a basic cable setup. A package that let’s your select AT&T SportsNet through Verizon costs about $70/month, on top of my existing internet service. In addition to the monthly cost some cable packages require long-term agreements and equipment rentals, so this isn’t the preferred solution for something looking to cut that cord.

Option 2 – OTT TV Subscription

An over-the-top or OTT TV subscription is similar to a normal cable subscription, but it’s all internet-based. Instead of a set top box connected to cable, you can stream live TV to your streaming device of choice, including smartphones and tablets simultaneously. Every market is different with the OTT options and local sports stations, but luckily AT&T Sports Pittsburgh has partnered with FuboTV to bring their content to OTT streaming. This option is good for families that want to watch different programming on different screens at the same time. AT&T SportsNet is available on the base Fubo package, which is about $65/month, with no commitment. This is the perfect option for sports fans that may not want to commit to a year or multi-year cable subscription. It’s easy enough to cancel when you don’t need it and start it back up during the sports season.

Option 3 – Bypass the Blackout

Disclaimer: this option has a few more moving parts, is not for the non-tech-savvy person, and could violate the terms of agreements with your streaming and/or internet provider.

There are two parts to getting around blacked out sporting events. I’m going to speak specifically to my situation where Pittsburgh Penguins games are blacked out in my home region. The first part is getting a streaming service where you can watch the games. NHL hockey on ESPN+ is new for the 2021-2022 season, whereas before NHL.tv was the streaming provider. Thankfully, ESPN+ is a cheaper service than NHL.tv and can even be bundled with Disney+ and Hulu. You’ll need an ESPN+ subscription to watch Pittsburgh Penguins games in any market, but it also gives you access to stream almost every other NHL game as well as a large variety of other sporting events.

Once you have the ESPN+ streaming service and try to watch a Penguins game near Pittsburgh, you’ll get a notice that the game is blacked out in your area. Here’s where part two comes in.

The easiest method I’ve found to bypassing these blackouts is using a DNS proxy service. This is another subscription you must pay for in order to use it, but it’s relatively inexpensive. You also need a device to stream the games on. Any device with a built-in GPS, such as smartphones and tablets. will not work with a DNS proxy as the ESPN+ app will use the GPS to determine your location. After signing up for a DNS proxy service like smartdnsproxy, you’ll be given one or two DNS IP addresses to input on your device. Most of the DNS proxy services provide per-device instructions that can show you specifics to your device. I use an Amazon Fire TV Stick to achieve this. When setting typing in the Wi-Fi password for my home network, there is an advanced button at the button of the on-screen keyboard. This will allow you to manually enter the IP details instead of automatically pulling it from your router. Entering the provided address from the DNS proxy and a reboot is all it takes to get it configured. The streaming apps will then see your location as the DNS proxy thus allowing you to watch blacked-out games.

Let’s see how cost effective this solution actually is:

ESPN+ = $70/yr
SmartDNSProxy = $48/yr
Total 1 year = $118
vs
Cable/Fubo 1 year = $840

That may sound simple and a no-brainer, but it’s not the whole story.
The new NHL TV/streaming rights are weird, so not every game is on ESPN+.
Here are the number of games per network for the 21-22 Penguins season:

69 – televised on AT&T SportsNet and streamed on ESPN+
- Games on AT&T SportsNet and ESPN+ can work with options 1, 2, and 3 above.
5 – televised on TNT only
- Games on TNT only work with option 1 provided you have TNT in your cable package.
  TNT is not included in any Fubo package.
4 – streamed on ESPN+ and Hulu
- Games on ESPN+ and Hulu only work with option 3 as you need a streaming subscription to watch these games.
3 – televised on ABC only
- Games on ABC only work with option 1 as even the ABC streaming app requires a cable subscription.
1 – televised on ESPN only
- Games on ESPN only work with option 1 as the base ESPN channel and ESPN+ do not overlap.
  You need an active cable subscription to watch ESPN.

As you can see, there is no one option that can make all games watchable. If you’re concerned with watching every single game, a combination of option 1 and 2 is the best bet.

Devices

Using a DNS proxy to bypass a blacked out sporting event works on most streaming devices that do not have a built-in GPS, like I mentioned above, with the one giant exception being Roku devices. Roku does not allow you to change the DNS server on your device as they use their own DNS servers and give you no way to change it. You could set the DNS server at your router/gateway level, but then every device on your network would be pointing to that DNS proxy. This is not recommended. I recommend using an Apple TV or Amazon Fire streaming box for best compatibility. It also works on Playstation and Xbox consoles, but be aware that changing your DNS on game consoles could impact online gaming.

I suspect that all of this confusion is somewhat intentional to make you just order that cable subscription and be done with it. If you’re an avid watcher of all local sports, I’d say a traditional cable subscription is best since you’ll be able to watch the most amount of games no matter what sport is in season.

The Best City in the World: A Top 10 List