The Post-Gazette's summer interns have launched a blog -- "SummerBurgh" -- that chronicles life in the Pittsburgh region. Selections of their work will appear in Portfolio from time to time. Jess Eagle will be a senior at Duquesne University in the fall.

Our humble city has recently been dominating some of the country's "best" lists: It's the most livable city, apparently has some pretty courteous drivers, and the tourist-magnet Mount Washington overlooks were listed in the top 10 greatest places to stand in the U.S.

As for the first, I'd have to agree that this place is livable. After all, I've lived here for three years and am still very much alive.

To the second, I have this to say: Ever heard of a "Pittsburgh left?"

If not, I'm sure you've at least seen it: You're sitting at a red light, waiting to go straight through the intersection. The person across from you has his turn signal kindly signaling intent to turn left after you -- and any other straight-goers behind you -- pass through.

Instead, as soon as the light turns green, the left-turner blatantly dismisses the rules of the road, making a left and cutting you off in the process. Naturally, you're left thinking (or shouting), "Excusez moi, Mr. I-don't-have-to-follow-the-rules-of-the-road, I thought I had the right of way here!"

I tend to disagree with the AutoVantage voters on that one.

And for No. 3, well, it's pretty hard for me to think of anywhere greater to stand than one of those round Mount Washington outlooks. But I've recently come up with another "best" for Pittsburgh, one that, while it's been appreciated for quite some time, still rivals Mount Washington's victory: Best Overall Viewing Experience in the World.

And the winner is: Driving out of the Fort Pitt Tunnel.

So, it's not original. After all, brochures and travel books everywhere eagerly inform you that Pittsburgh is "the only city with an entrance."

But it really does beat standing on a concrete slab on Grandview Avenue, and some of Pittsburgh's finest feel the same mixture of awe and excitement that I do when speeding out of the tunnel, over the Monongahela River and into the heart of Downtown.

Former Pirates slugger Willie Stargell immortalized the feeling created by this experience when he drove into Pittsburgh for the first time: "Last night, coming in from the airport, we came through the tunnel and the city opened up its arms, and I felt at home."

While Willie's bear hug is a decent description, I've always felt it was something more akin to getting smacked in the face with a palm full of Pittsburgh.

But only in the very best way possible.

I actually read about this view before experiencing it, and didn't realize it until I'd driven through the tunnel at least a dozen times. In his novel "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," author Stephen Chbosky describes the experience through his narrator -- awkward, teenage Pittsburgher Charlie -- like this: "And in that moment, I swear we were infinite."

Charlie and his friends are driving Downtown on a summer night in a pickup truck. One friend, Sam -- who Charlie is in love with, of course -- crawls out the back window and into the bed of the truck to stand up as it speeds through the tunnel. "Landslide," by Fleetwood Mac, comes on the radio, and, as they fly out of the tunnel, Sam can't help but let out an excited scream.

Driving out of the tunnel, where you're surrounded by dark walls and a vacuum of sound, and out above the river -- the Monongahela stretched out on both sides, and the silvery, shimmering heart of Pittsburgh suddenly exploded open in front of you -- I'd say "infinite" is an accurate description of the feeling, too.

If you've gone through this now award-winning• experience and haven't felt overwhelmed or speechless, you need do it again. This time, do it at night, and turn on one of your favorite songs -- in fact, crank it up -- and soak it in. I promise you'll change your mind.

• The Jess Eagle Best Overall Viewing Experience in the World is an entirely made-up award, and in no way should be taken seriously by anyone, anywhere.