Where to next?

Hello Readers,

My mom's in town from Jersey this weekend and we're looking for a new eatery for Saturday night before going to the IMPROV.

Here's your chance to dictate my next posting...

Write in the comments where you think I should go and why -- Thanks for your input!

Cheers,

Kelly the budding Foodie

Week 4: Oh Yeah!

Today is bonus day. What's bonus day? It's the Sunday of a three day weekend, when the day before was Saturday, the day after is fake-Sunday (when you have to worry about to-do lists, etc). Bonus Day is where you can do whatever the heck you want...as a free bonus!

What did I do with my bonus day this Labor Day weekend? Well, I woke up this morning with my new favorite Regina Spektor stuck in my head ("You Don't Know Me" with Ben Folds), the rehearsal version, so you can kind of hear them talking and having fun in the background. Based on this song, you can tell that I was in a whimsey, fun mood that is common on bonus days. I decided to go to my favorite coffee shop, Enrico's Tazza D'Oro, in Highland Park (sadly, this cannot be a subject of my blog as it breaks the rules that require me to visit new places). En route, I passed Oh Yeah!, a coffee-waffle-ice cream place in Shadyside on Highland; it has caught my eye before, but this time I stopped in (because it was bonus day, I could go wherever my whims took me).

I entered Oh Yeah! ready to abandon all sense of what was healthy and go all out --- this place served coffee, waffles, and ice cream together for a reason, and I was determined to find out why!

I ordered a Belgian Waffle with a brownie mix-in, topped with coffee and cookie dough ice cream. Suddenly the name of this establishment became very clear to me --- the only thing that I could think while taking a first bite was, "Oh, YEAH!"

But the food isn't the only thing that this place has going for it:

- The staff is really witty and sarcastic, adding some banter to your visit --- excellent!

- The decor includes books that you can "rent" during your visit, and liscense plates from what I believe was every state in the union (note that you can give them a book of yours to keep on their wall for a free coffee --- adorable).

- And it's convenient! There are power strips everywhere for your laptop needs, and free unlimited wifi (if you're into that kind of thing --- that is mixing business with waffles). I was in this case, I believe that the environment allowed me to go into a completely clear mental state and allow me to have a breakthrough on my Simulation homework. So, I left well-fed and well-studied!

- If the weather is nice (record streak of sunny days in Pittsburgh right now), you can sit outside at the picnic tables and people/car watch on the bustling Highland Ave.

Bottom Line

I've had the best waffles in the world in Belgium, and this place took me back to that experience --- different type of waffles, but same *warm inside* feeling. Just go! --- who knows? Maybe the mental clarity that you have when you leave will suddenly allow you to get that big promotion!

Oh, and the cost --- I actually was too busy paying attention to how deliscious my waffle was to notice the total...very embarassing for me. I can say that my coffee and waffle were less than ten dollars (because that's all of the cash that I had on hand). This place is well with in the budget of a college student's once a week spending limits (although your love handles may hate you if you go once a week).

http://www.customswirl.com/

Week 3: Patron Mexican Grill

I love Mexican food. 

But before we get into that, I can't help but write this entry with a side comment about the similarity between all types of Mexican food (I'll allow Jim Gaffigan to comment --- see minute 5).

Although I'm no stranger to chain Mexican restaurants, I do love a good authentic meal, and that is just what I found at Patron Mexican Grill on RT 19 in Wexford (leaving the Pittsburgh zip codes for a bit).

I went to Patron last week for lunch with some coworkers; here's the run-down:

-          The atmosphere is amazing --- floor to ceiling in authentic Mexican decorations.  The booth that we sat in had to have been shipped in from Mexico: carved wood (each booth includes a different landscape) and hand painted. 

-          The meal comes with warm chips and homemade salsa, but don't eat too much before hand!

-          I ordered a quesadilla, very enjoyable and well within the budget of a once a week place for lunch.

That's all for now --- short one today.  I'll be busy getting ready for classes to start tomorrow!