The week before Christmas I sent Ben off to California and prepared for my own Pittsburgh holidays. Every year, the traditions are the same – Christmas Eve party with my dad’s side of the family, Christmas morning with the immediate family, Christmas afternoon with my mom’s side of the family, and a quiet dinner with my dad’s parents.

My mom hosted the Christmas Eve party this year and put on quite a spread. Antipasto platters, fruits, dips, ham, cheesy potatoes.  I ate way too much of course. We also had a visit from Santa. This was the first year for that tradition and judging by the terrified faces of the little ones at the party, it may have been the last.

(They did eventually warm up when bribed by presents – see photo above)

Christmas Day was great. I was really struck by the time and energy that went into all the gifts I received. Every gift I received this holiday season was thoughtful and given with love. To any gift givers reading – thank you, thank you, thank you!

Early the morning after Christmas, I left on a plane for Sacramento! After a super long travel day, I arrived at Ben’s parents’ house. It was full of welcoming family and friends and I settled into a wonderful Chico visit. We spent time with Ben’s family, squeezed in some yoga and hiking, ate great food (seriously enjoyed the 5th Street Steakhouse), and relaxed.

We also managed to fit in a quick overnight trip to Lake Tahoe. Amazing.

Lake Tahoe was actually pretty much deviod of all natural snow. Too bad for the skiers, but not so bad for the sight-seers.  We saw Donner Lake and Emerald Bay and Heavenly Ski Resort and Feather Falls and Echo Lake. As we toured around, I realized this was my first visit to true mountainous terrain. I tried my best to capture the majesty of my surroundings via photos, but I am not sure I succeeded. Actually, I am not sure its possible.

After Tahoe, we drove back to Sacramento and spent New Year’s Eve at Ben’s sister’s home. Pretty tired and needing to pack for the long journey home, Ben and I opted out of a neighborhood party and spent the night eating snacks and drinking champagne. We rang in the New Year with the East Coast and went to sleep. Pretty tame but kind of just what we needed

This holiday season was so full of genuine love and fun and happiness. I think my car incident last Christmas really clouded my enjoyment of the holiday. Although having my car broken into was a pretty small incident, it was a mini trauma that reminded me not to take things for granted. I cherished every moment of my lovely break and all the friends and family that made it special.

On to 2012!

Unfortunately, 2012 is going to kick off with some really long work weeks. The good news is that I still plan to eat  . I hope to be back soon with more foodie news.

Ben and I had been trying to coordinate a double date with some other med school friends for awhile when we finally got together over dinner at Cibo. I read some varied online reviews of the space but was ready to give it a try due to the lovely company and the proximity to Ben’s apartment. 

Unfortunately, the night got off to a bit of a rocky start. We arrived on time for a 9PM reservation. As I scanned the small space, I didn’t see any tables that were near completing their meal – not a good sign. The host was very nice but did inform us that they were running behind. He handed over some drink coupons for The Loft (a bar above D’s Six Pax and Dogz that I did not know existed) and took down our cell phone number. As we were in no particular rush, we took it in stride and met our friends at The Loft. After a round of drinks, we released it was nearly 9:40PM and we still had not been called. We decided to walk back over to Cibo to investigate.

As we arrived, the host rushed over to tell us they were just clearing a table. We were seated and offered a complimentary meat and cheese plate due to our inconvenience – a very nice touch. Our group was in good spirits and took the wait in stride. However, I could see circumstances where this wait would not be acceptable. However, everyone we encountered was very friendly and helpful and I understand how the small space could get backed up and affect a late reservation. I know Ben and I are abnormal in making 9PM dinner reservations in the ‘burgh. Someday we will learn.

Our waiter did not rush us at all, which was appreciated. Unfortunately, they were out of a few things on the menu though. I ended up ordering the Zuppa de Pesce which was a huge portion of juicy shrimp, clams, mussels, and lovely white fish in a light garlickly broth. To be honest, I am not sure what the others ordered although everyone else ended up with pasta. And everyone cleaned their plates. Plates with big portions of pasta on them. Could have been the hour, could have been the drinks (Cibo is BYO, yay!) - but everyone was happily slurping through their meals. I tasted Ben’s pasta and it was perfectly al dente.

I give Cibo a definite thumbs up, despite the reservation issue.  They handled the mishap with as much hospitality as possible (we had all but forgotten about it by the end of the meal which I think it a great sign of customer service) and in the end served us a solid meal. This place is a step above the normal Pittsburgh Italian American food but still serves big portions in a casual environment. I would definitely recommend Cibo to others but please do make a reservation. The space is small.

Las Velas (Market Square – Downtown) –

I have been trying to get to Las Velas for awhile. I believe I bought a Groupon (maybe LivingSocial?) for the spot in 2010. Then Las Velas experienced a devastating fire which forced the restaurant to temporarily close. And then my Groupon expired before they reopened (which I still probably look into – never got my money back on that).

And so, I made my first trip to Las Velas about 2 weeks ago for lunch. I was with a group of six so we tried to arrive on the early side to get seated and attempt to avoid a bit of the noon rush. We were seated quickly but unfortunately things went downhill a bit from there. It probably took 10 minutes to get drinks, another 10 to order, and then a good 25-30 minutes before the food arrived. And then we had no silverware. Hmmm. This didn’t seem to be a well polished lunch service. I ordered the carnitas tacos and they were just ok.

Although I think I would return and give this place another try for dinner (I have seen positive reviews!) I know the other people I was dining with were not impressed and likely will not return. That’s a bit of a shame. I know lunch hours can be crazy but this just seemed like too much disorganization and wait time for average food.

http://phipps.conservatory.org/

(Also see my visit to the Phipps Spring Flower Show here)

This season has been flying by. I am going to try to get some cookie baking underway this afternoon. I plan on making the following:

Lofthouse Style Frosted Sugar Cookies (Brown Eyed Baker)

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (Iowa Girl Eats)

Triple Ginger Cookies (Bon Apetit)

While I am baking cookies, I also plan to throw a pot roast into the slow cooker. I’ve used this recipe in the past and it’s a winner.

I hope to be back later in the week with some new retaurant visits (Cibo and Las Velas) and other holiday related things.

Happy baking, wrapping, football watching, or whatever else you might be doing on this chilly Sunday

Park Bruges (5801 Bryant Street – Highland Park):

Ben and I had Sunday brunch here about a month ago. This is a sister restaurant to the popular Point Brugge in Point Breeze.

For brunch, I had a lovely butternut squash and goat cheese frittata and Ben had an Italian breakfast sandwich. Service was friendly (although we did wait awhile for the food) and the space is really bright and lovely. This would be a great place to catch up with family or friends. This is a spot that is much more polished than a diner but not prententious or unapproachable or anything like that. Also, as I am a huge fan of moules and frites, I would like to return for dinner and try those dishes. A solid addition to Bryant Street and Highland Park.

Meat and Potatoes (649 Penn Ave – Cultural District – Downtown):

Ben and I joined another couple for dinner here on Light Up Night. As I had read about service issues in several reviews, I was a little concerned about what we might encounter on Light up Night, a sure-to-busy evening. Meat and Potatoes bills itself as a gastropub. The menu is small but predictabley very meat heavy.

I was pleased to find we had no service issues. Drink orders were promptly taken. My wine was served in a jelly jar type glass – not sure how I feel about that but I rolled with the gastropub-ish theme. The bar here is beautiful. I would gladly return here for a drink before any downtown event. They had an interesting and unique cocktail list. The bar was all light marble and black accents and pretty bottles. Casual but sexy.

For dinner, I ordered the tacos. They were quite tasty. Deliciously tender brisket meat and salty/sweet/spicy accompaniments. The order came with 3 well stuffed tacos. Two others at the table went for sandwiches and the other got the fish and chips. We also ordered the poutine (fries topped with gravy and cheese curds) as an appetizer. This was a ton of heavy/borderline greasy food – portion sizes were large. While everything tasted really good, I think we all left feeling weighed down and parched. I admit my insistence on briskly hiking up to my Steel Building office minutes after signing for the bill may have added to this feeling. But what better way is there to view the fireworks?

Not sure I would rush back to Meat and Potatoes. To be fair, this is mostly due to my veggie leaning tendencies. However, although everyone liked their meals but no one seemed overly wowed.

calvary episcopal

squirrel!

thanksgiving set up

 It was a lovely holiday, full of family. Both sets of my grandparents were there. I always feel so thankful and blessed when I have them all in the same room. Makes me heart happy.

We had all the staples – turkey, green bean casserole, vegetables, corn, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes. My addition was roasted brussel sprouts with a bacon/mapple glaze.

I plan to spend the rest of the break relaxing, seeing friends, decorating for the holidays, and (maybe) shopping. I hope your holiday has been as lovely and enjoyable as mine. I truly have so much to be thankful for.

shenandoah national park

The drive from Pittsburgh is about 4 hours. Fairly scenic. In the daylight. Not so much at around 8PM on a Friday night but such is life.

We stayed at the Stonewall Jackson Inn. Lightly civil war themed, this bed and breakfast was pretty nice. A big airy light filled room, good food, and a cool old house with interesting architecture.

When considering staying at a B&B, I always imagine myself conversing with the innkeeper and other guests and joining in the social scene of  the B&B. But then I get there and remember sometimes I don’t like to be social. Oops. Everyone we came across was very friendly but we stuck mostly to our private room when we weren’t out and about.

Stonewall Jackson Inn did put together some pretty killer breakfasts. We had eggs benedict one morning and croissant french toast the next. I cleaned my plate both mornings.

foyer of Stonewall Jackson Inn

Our main point of interest in the area was Shenandoah National Park.  On Saturday, under a shockingly blue sky, we drove along Skyline Drive.

skyline drive

We stopped at overlooks, took lots of pictures, and hiked a very small part of the Appalachian Trail.  Here is Ben posing enthusiastically next to a trail marker.

appalachian trail

We have both recently read Bill Bryson’s ‘A Walk in the Woods’ – a book in which he chronicles his attempt to hike the enitre AT. The AT runs from Georgia to Maine.  Based on Bryson’s trials and tribulation in the book, I think I saw plenty during our quick walk.

After beautiful Shenandoah, we made our way to CrossKeys Vineyards. In an ideal world, I would always schedule a wine tasting as a follow up to a nature based event.  The winery and tasting room were very nice (bigger and more modern that I expected) and CrossKeys has an amazing patio overlooking the rolling hills of Virginia where you can sit and enjoy a bottle or glass of wine you have purchased inside. Loved this place.

cross keys winery

During our weekend we also had dinner at the Joshua Wilton House and explored downtown Harrisonburg. All 3 blocks of it

It was a lovely and relaxing weekend. Great thanks to my sweet Ben for planning it

 On the drive back we passed Bedford Springs and I decided that is the location of our next random getaway…

Until then…

chop chop

It turned out pretty good.  I did puree it and it was smooth and creamy and well balanced (although I did add a little more broth/apple cider I had on hand to thin it out). Sometimes soups like this can leave me a bit gaggy to be honest – too thick and one note. However, when served with some greek yogurt and chopped walnuts, I wolfed this right down. As did Ben.  I served this with a salad and some hearty crackers. Another great fall dish.

Work has calmed down and I am finally back in the kitchen and realizing how much I missed it

Vivo – Sewickley

I ended up at Vivo (432 Beaver Street, Sewickley) after a classmate of Ben’s (hi Wynne!) discovered my blog and was surprised to see Ben’s smiling face plastered amongst the pages. She extended an invite to try Vivo on a recent Friday night. Ben and I made the drive to Sewickley, easily found parking, and found Wynne and her husband seated at a great table. I loved the vibe of Vivo – somewhat minimalistic (whites, blacks, greys) but warm, with great light fixtures and a pretty backlit bar. Even though Vivo does have a liquor license, they welcome you to BYO, which is what we did.

To start, Ben and I ordered the short rib appetizer to share. This was really good. The portion was hearty and a great thick, slightly sweet, gooey, crunchy crust covered the meat. The table also tried to the marrow appetizer – it was novel, tasty and rich but not something I think I could eat alot of!

For my entree, I ordered the scallops. The meal came with roasted baby carrots and a black bean/succotash-like side (note: we dined about a month ago and it seems the menu has already changed, FYI). While my meal was very good (the roasted carrots were exceptional – sweet and perfectly crisp/tender), I think it fell a little short of my expectations after the appetizer. Nevertheless, the conversation, ambiance, and service were great and I thoroughly enjoyed my evening at Vivo. If I lived closer, I would definitely give it another try – just not sure it’s worth the drive from Shadyside on food alone. There was also an outdoor seating space that looked pretty amazing though. Maybe I’ll head back next summer

Gypsy Cafe – Southside

A month or so ago, Ben and I enjoyed a Thursday night meal at Gypsy Cafe  (Corner of 14th and Bingham Street, Southside) using an about to expire Groupon. We arrived around 6PM and were barely seated due to reservations. This place must be more popular than I thought!

After getting settled and ordering drinks (a Magic Hat and a zinfandel) we perused the menu. According the their website, the Gypsy Cafe menu offers “a path through Europe, offering an eclectic selection of homestyle dishes“. Fair enough. I ordered the Szekely Goulash, a dish of slow cooked pork, onions bacon and saurkraut, spiked with Hungarian Paprika and served over noodles. Ben ordered a pasta, peppers, and sausage based dish that no longer appears to be on the seasonal menu.

Our meals arrived quickly and I enjoyed my comforting bowl of noodles and slowly braised meat. The dish had a slight kick but nothing overpowering. The portion was very generous. Our entrees came with a nice little house salad.

I am not sure Ben was overly enamored with his dish – it was a bit spicier and contained almost too much sausage. Overall, I am not sure how I feel about Gypsy Cafe. I liked my dish but it’s not something I would generally crave or seek out. The space was a bit more sparse and casual than I anticipated.

Nevertheless, I am glad we tried Gypsy Cafe and would love to go back for dinner and a tarot card reading. There was nothing really wrong with the food and it is certainly a unique spot but I am just not sure where a Hungarian leaning restaurant fits into my normal dining out routine.

Also, I recalled recently reading something about the Gypsy Cafe closing or being for sale. A little googling turned up this Pittsburgh Business Times article from August that speaks to the possible sale of Gypsy Cafe. I am not sure of the status of the sale at this point. In anyone has any info, drop me a note in the comments!