ENTERTAINMENT

Best Place to Sip Hot Tea in the Dark: Maybe you're hoping to improve your Italian at a foreign film. Perhaps you're channeling your "indie" side or looking to get caught up in a classic story. Whatever the case may be, you'll find a film to match what you're looking for at the Regent Square Theater. (Sorry, current Hollywood blockbusters don't make the lineup here.) One of the most appealing things about the theater is found behind the concession stand, where you can get fresh-brewed hot tea for $1. Part of Pittsburgh Filmmakers, the theater shows only one film per day, sometimes with multiple screenings, so check the Web site for show times before making the trip. 1035 S. Braddock Ave., Edgewood. Adults, $8; students, $6. Info: 412/682-4111, pghfilmmakers.org. - N.D.

Best Mystery of Pittsburgh: In the world of handlebar mustaches, wooden pipes and funny-looking plaid hats, Mystery Lovers Bookshop reigns supreme. With more than 10,000 mystery titles filling the shelves, this place has more private eyes and plot twists than a season of "Magnum P.I." Bookshop regulars and other fans of the whodunit come together each year at the store's annual "Festival of Mystery," now in its 14th year, when loyal readers can meet their favorite mystery authors. The next Festival of Mystery will be held Mon., May 4, 2009. 514 Allegheny River Blvd., Oakmont; 888/800-6078, mysterylovers. com. - Colleen Heavens

Best Thing Left Behind: 2007's "Year of Glass" may be over, but Pittsburghers won't soon forget it, thanks in part to the magnificent Dale Chihuly glass chandelier hanging from the rotunda in the foyer at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Named "Godenrod, Teal and Citron Chandelier" and featured in the glass exhibit "Chihuly at Phipps: Gardens & Glass," which ended in February, this 12-foot beauty, with long spirals of yellow, orange and blue glass and a handful of glass flowers, was designed by Chihuly specifically for Phipps. In July, Phipps brought back eight more Chihuly pieces, now displayed in its Palm Court room. 1 Schenley Park, Oakland. Mon.-Thurs., 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; Fri., 9:30 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. $10; seniors, students, $9; children 2-18, $7; under 2, members, free. 412/622-6914, phipps.conservatory.org. - N.D.

Best Pittsburgh Export: This is art. Crazy, brilliant, athletic art. Art your 5-year-old will understand. Part Mummenschanz. Part Cirque du Soleil. Part mysterious Gypsy troupe passing through town. But this troupe is an organic product of Pittsburgh. And, these days, on tour a lot of the time. Just imagine a bunch of citizens in Albuquerque taking in the Zany Umbrella Circus at a cool, local festival. Transfixed, they watch the acrobatic performance take shape. A set made of found objects and high wires. The players, an assortment of elastic young people in slightly tattered costumes. The intriguing stories unfold. Mystical. Mysterious. Zany. They're from Pittsburgh? Oh, yes. Info: 412/390-4054, zanyumbrellacircus.com. - B.B.

Best Dance Floor: Ironically, it's not about the floor at all. It's about the wall: The two-story wall of LEDs that light up a rainbow of colors to the music flooding through your ears and the bass beats reverberating through your bones. The stairs on both sides ascend to second-floor balconies that overlook the action. You're at Diesel - the closest thing Pittsburgh will see to a reincarnation of the famed yet ill-fated Studio 54. Maybe not. But if you're looking to dance, this is the floor to do it on. 1601 E. Carson St., South Side; 412/431-8800, dieselpgh.com. - M.L.

Best Frame Up: Joy Borelli-Edwards' Be Galleries holds three galleries inside its large Lawrenceville gallery space. Two display ceramics, photography, paintings and mixed-media art and the third is a Japanese-print gallery. B.G. also offers services such as framing - including a line of eco-friendly moldings made of bamboo and sassafrass - fine-art appraisals, estate sales, general and archival framing, installations and print and painting restoration. 3583 Butler St., Lawrenceville; 412/687-2606, begalleries.com. - R.R.

Best Room With A View (for Guys): It could possibly be the best bathroom in the country - literally. The men's room at Jerome Bettis' Grille 36 is one of the 10 nominees for the coveted "America's Best Restroom" award presented by Cintas Corp. No lie. Sure, the marble tile is nice, but the one-way mirror above the urinals enables patrons to monitor the 50 hi-def TVs in the bar... and if anyone's hitting on their dates. What sort of evil genius would combine voyeurism and relieving yourself? The sort that doesn't want you to miss any action on the multitudinous big screens - or leaning against the bar, presumably. Mother Invention would be so proud. 393 North Shore Drive, North Shore; 412/224-6287, jeromebettisgrille36.com, bestrestroom.com. - Mike Lee

Best Way to Blow Your Stimulus Check: $295 a head may seem expensive, unless you realize what you're getting. Dinner at award-winning Lautrec is one of the hallmark experiences at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa, and the Grand Tasting Menu is as good as it gets. Exquisite dishes prepared smartly by chef Dave Racicot and his staff are presented by a wait staff choreographed with military-like precision. Combined with wine selections from one of the region's biggest and best wine cellars, this is a dinner to be savored over hours. Economy, taste buds: stimulated. That was easy. 1001 LaFayette Drive, near Farmington, Fayette County; 724/329-8555, nemacolin.com/lautrec. - M.L.

Best Authentic Norebang: Walk through the kitchen and up a narrow staircase at Korea Garden in Oakland, and you'll find a set of small rooms equipped with big-screen TVs, microphones, disco balls and tables big enough for you and your 10 closest friends. In Korea, this is called a norebang - a room you can rent to eat authentic, family-style Korean food (try the kimchi and bi bim bap) and sing karaoke. Belt out tunes as loudly (and as off-key) as you want because here, unlike at a typical karaoke bar, the only people listening are the ones you invited. To add to the quirkiness, Korean soap operas play on the big screen while you sing. 414 Semple St., Oakland; 412/681-6460. - L.D.

Best After-Bar Eats: It may just be the best eating establishment you've never heard of. Those who know have undoubtedly been witness to the breakfast food at JoJo's, which can most accurately be described as a life-altering dining experience - especially at 2 a.m. Late-night party-goers, club-hoppers, insomniacs and truckers are the regulars at this spartanly decorated diner, which opens at 11 p.m. and closes at noon. 110 24th St., Strip District; 412/261-0280. - M.L.

Best Mojito: The simplicity of good ingredients and freshness always wins. Mint, limes and real pomegranate juice in a simple syrup are combined with delicious 10 Cane premium rum for Seviche's 10 Cane Pomegranate Mojito. Top it off with soda, and what you have is an artfully refreshing and smooth concoction. Just what a mojito is meant to be, in a place properly designed to serve the Cuban classic. 930 Penn Ave., downtown; 412/697-3120, seviche.com. - M.L.

Best Selection of Beer: Throughout the meccas of beer-worshiping temples, there is one shrine that shines slightly brighter than the rest. Many have the cavalcade of taps extending the length of the bar, but no one has the "Beer Cave" you'll find at D's Six Pax & Dogs, home to nearly 1,000 brews, including the truly obscure and rare. The different permutations of mix-and-match six packs are mind-blowing and will take your decision-making abilities to the brink. 1118 S. Braddock Ave., Regent Square; 412/241-4666, regentsquare.net/ds6pax.html. - M.L.

Readers' Poll: Best Cigar Bar: Milk and cookies, tea and crumpets, coffee and... cigars? OK, so that might not be the most likely combination. But the brains behind Leaf and Bean cigar and coffee shops have seen the potential in the unexpected pairing and have created an attraction that's downright smokin'. With a walk-in humidor featuring scores of cigars, fresh roasted coffee, live music on Saturdays and free WiFi, Leaf and Bean offers something for everyone, even some in Iraq. Curiosity burning? Through its care-package service, you can send cigars, coffee and other novelties to American troops overseas. 2200 Penn Ave, Strip District, 412/434-1480; 3525 Washington Road, Peters Township, 724/942-6670; leafandbeanstrip.com. - B.S. Readers' Poll: Best Place for a First Date: Sweaty palms, a beating heart, an awkward laugh. Oh, the joys of a first date. At least you don't have to worry about how you're going to impress your date, because the city, namely the view from the Mount Washington lookouts, is already doing that for you. A quick jaunt up to Grandview Avenue gets you a full view of the downtown skyline, Station Square, our famous rivers and bridges, PNC Park, Heinz Field - really, this list could go on forever. There's no cover charge (lucky you), and this spot is always a winner, especially if your date happens to be an out-of-towner. Who knows? If things go really well, after many more dates, maybe you can check out the same view from a slightly different, pricier angle, say, from LeMont restaurant. - N.D. Readers' Poll: Best Local Blog: An interactive repository of great things about our town, IheartPGH.com encourages lovers of Pittsburgh to "spread the word about its awesomeness." The site says it best: "IheartPGH.com is a place to showcase all the people, places and things we love about our hometown. Sometimes the things we love about Pittsburgh are not so easy to find, and we hope this site can help uncover some of those hidden gems." The site is always looking for more written contributions, so sign on and speak up! - J.W.

Best VIP Table: If highly conspicuous exhibitions of your pimpitude and crowd scoping are your bag, best to chill first floor, center, VIP-style at Privilege Ultralounge. All of the standard VIP accoutrements such as bottle service, frequent waitress visits and even your own velvet rope are standard, but the real luxury here is the amount of space you get to comfortably seat and host your bevy of BFFs with your six-hundy bottle of Cristal champagne. 1650 Smallman St., Strip District; 412/253-7330, privilegepgh.com. - M.L.

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