Coming from a family of Pitt grads, Hem's will always have a place in my heart. This was a go-to for (likely ill-advised) late Wednesdays starting with those infamous shot pitchers and ending with a $5 pizza picked up on the way home and eaten happily on a friend's porch, pre-night class grilled cheeses (seriously, so delicious) during senior year of college, and a frequent stop on birthday nights out on the town. I've had the opportunity to go back twice now in my 5th (...ergh) year out of college: once, solo, to linger over a beer (I believe a not-too-shabby IPA that was on draft) following a Drue Heinz lecture on an unseasonably warm December night, which made for a beautiful evening of people watching as the hazy Christmas lights above the bar twinkled, as well as a milestone celebration with a dear friend and former college roommate on a "throwback Thursday" (ugh, that makes me sound old) which did involve a shot pitcher (or two). I think Hem's still hosts poetry on summer weeknights here and there, which was another highlight of Oakland summers in between semesters. Hem's is definitely the site of more than a few of my favorite Pitt memories.