Pittsburgh 2017

Woo hoo!

We know how to party!

For fall break this year, we said "no go" to California and Florida.

G turned two in San Diego and we visited Disneyland, and then we went to Florida when she was 3 for fall break.  Last year we partied it up in Newport Beach and Anaheim on fall break.

This year we didn't pull any punches.

We charged right to the Steel City.

Nothing says sun and glamour like Pittsburgh.

Now all jokes aside, T had a conference the first week in Pittsburgh, so the ladies decided to tag along and see all that PA had to offer.  Wellie lives less than two hours from there, so we embarked for a week in the grand state of Pennsylvania.

We made a pit stop at Jeni's Ice Cream and the Lego store in Columbus, Ohio.

I don't love ice cream, but I do love Jeni's.  I had dark chocolate, T had some horrible expresso flavor, and G had vanilla.

We stayed at the William Penn hotel downtown.  It is old and traditionally pretty.  G told us she wanted to pretend she lived there like Eloise at the Plaza.

On Tuesday morning we visited the Heinz History Center and there was a lot to see.  

I love a good museum, and G does too.  

My grandmother is originally from McKeesport, PA, so Bob has many childhood memories of visiting Pittsburgh.

He was excited when I sent a picture of G in this old Kennywood racer car.

Howdy Doody welcomed her aboard.  

One of my favorite exhibits was the history of Pittsburgh.  We learned about canaries in coal mines and just how dangerous that industry was.  Again, my Polish ancestors were coal miners.  Just call me Sissy Spacek, as I'm the coal miner's great-granddaughter.

They had a typical home from the 50s, and G took a picture.

It reminded me of my grandparents' home in Anderson, Indiana.

There was a Mr. Rogers' exhibit as well.  Fred Rogers was such a gem.  

G watches Daniel Tiger on PBS and she has watched a few episodes of Mr. Rogers.  

I'm a blurry giant next to the tree!

G said, "why do you like this old man so much?  He just changes his shoes!"

Shut it, kid, before I give you the backhand.

He defined my childhood!

Her little floral belt was all cute when I tied it like an empire waist.

After tromping through the museum it slid down and she kind of looked like a tiny Rasputin.

If I have not mentioned this before, G and her father get Joe Pesci hangry at the most inopportune times.  I packed granola bars in my purse for the likelihood of a hunger meltdown, which occurred.

We relished the Charlie Tuna exhibit.

Get it?  Relished?  Like pickle relish in tuna salad?

That was another original Betsy pun.

I tried to explain to my child that tuna fish was a childhood staple.  It's a wonder we didn't die of mercury poisoning, as Jane served it so often we probably ingested more on a weekly basis than if we had crushed up antique thermometers and ingested their contents.  

G lost her marbles after 2 hours in the history center.  She took the health challenge that was offered and we climbed 6 flights of stairs rather than the elevator.  By the time we left she was claiming she was unable to walk!

Total meltdown in the elevator of the hotel:  

On Wednesday we dolled up for tea at the hotel.  

I don't enjoy traditional tea, so I had a champagne cocktail instead.  The waiter brought G her own sparkly ginger ale.  

That evening we took our working man to a restaurant called Meat and Potatoes.  

It lived up to its name.

Now there's nothing sexier than watching your man consume a whole side of beef.

Oh wait, there is.

Not watching this spectacle.

I had a salad and G had macaroni and cheese.

On Thursday it rained.

Genevieve was ready.

We ate lunch at S&D Polish deli.

Genevieve had pierogis, T had kielbasa, and I had golabki.

Again, I had not eaten food like that since I was probably around 6 when my grandma made it.

G had a hilarious encounter at the National Aviary.

I like birds, but this was crazy.

They were everywhere.  Flying around your head.  I nearly shat myself a few times.  

Does this not look like a damn Muppet?

It was very real, let me assure you.  

We enjoyed lunch on Thursday at The Commoner restaurant.  It was good and if I was cool I would redo my kitchen in marble, brass, and lacquered green.  

We stopped at a fabulous spot called The Farmer's Daughter for flowers for Wellie, the birthday girl.  

On Friday we went to the Pointe park, where 3 rivers converge.  

We rode the Incline for views of the city.

Pittsburgh isn't exactly California, but it was fun and we learned a little bit!