Year: 2019

5 Places to Enjoy Frank Lloyd Wright in the Laurel Highlands

For those who have explored the Pittsburgh region, odds are good you know about the iconic building, Fallingwater, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the Laurel Highlands. It is one of the most stunning houses in the area, and one of the architect's finest works.

But there are actually several spots where you can see buildings designed and inspired by Wright in the Laurel Highlands, as well as a few from a student of his as well!

In this one, we wanted to share all of the spots where you can enjoy some Frank Lloyd Wright tourism fun on an outing (or two) in the Laurel Highlands.

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The Dream BBQ Review – Delicious Flavors But Lacking Tenderness

I have to admit, I had The Dream BBQ in Homewood on my to-do list for quite some time. It was always one of those places I wanted to go to, but for many reasons would not end up working out. But one day I got frustrated by not working it in with an outing and made an expressed trip to try out their meats and sides.

While I ended up quite enjoying the ribs and the greens, the tenderness of the meat and wings overall fell a bit flat.

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Sliders Curling Offers an Hour of Ice Curling Fun

I'm always into unusual sports, and when Lumberjaxes in Millvale announced the opening of Sliders Curling, their on-site variant of the popular winter sport, I knew I had to go.

So shortly after opening a friend joined me in one of the most unusual outings I've had in a while- going ice curling in Pittsburgh.

As it turns out, this one may be a bit different from what you are expecting.

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Lola’s Eatery Review – Affordable Brunch at Engine House 25

We'll never say no to more options for brunch in Pittsburgh, and in late 2019 Lola's Eatery opened in the stunning Engine House 25 in Lawrenceville (home to the winery of the same name as well as the Clemente Museum) to help satisfy that need.

Naturally, I had to check this one out as soon as possible and was joined with a friend for a rather affordable, and delicious, dining experience.     

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Topgolf Pittsburgh Offers Games at the Driving Range

As a non-golfer, I generally stay clear of driving ranges (and most courses for that matter) as I'll very clearly make a fool out of myself within minutes of picking up a club. But I made an exception to this rule to make a trip to Topgolf Pittsburgh. 

This one goes beyond your conventional driving range and adds on many interactive game elements into the mix. The best part of all? By the end of my first outing, I was doing quite well and enjoying it!

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Salem’s Halal Market and Grill Review – A Middle Eastern Feast

Salem's Halal Market and Grill in the Strip District is one of those restaurants that was always on my list to try but was one I never quite made it to. After finally making it in after many years of saying “I should go”, I have to say, I regret waiting so long.

From the huge menu, the delicious Middle Eastern food, to the reasonable prices, this one really has everything we look for in a restaurant.

But in reality, simply visiting once barely does this one justice. So before my first meal was over I was already thinking about my return trip!

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Drinking Your Way Around PA at Pennsylvania Libations

Pennsylvania liquor laws are weird. In fact, we'd go as far as saying they're awful. Between the state-run liquor stores, limited accessibility of beer and wine outside of producers and select sellers, and other oddities, finding a good bottle to enjoy in Pennsylvania does not come without its challenges.

Thankfully, some of the most archaic of regulations have been changing in recent years, and one such change has allowed for the creation of a unique store in the Strip District called Pennsylvania Libations (now with a second location in Shadyside, too!).

Their products? 100% Pennsylvania-made spirits.

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Our Working Theory as to Why Driving in Pittsburgh is Awful

We will be the first to admit that driving in Pittsburgh is not the best. While our rush hours are nothing compared to other major cities in the country, there is something about Pittsburgh that makes driving here more difficult than it should be.

It would be easy for us for simply blame this on the tunnels, bridges (446 at last count), and potholes and be done with it. This is certainly a factor, of course, but our working theory goes just a bit beyond that as well.

So, why do we think driving here is not the best? We have two styles of drivers, and they are conflicting when on the road together.

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South Side Neighborhood Guide – Attractions and Dining

Pittsburgh's South Side is often known as its bar crawl neighborhood, and you do not need to spend much time exploring this one to understand why that is- the bars are everywhere.

While this one is incredibly popular for college kids looking for a cheap drink and anyone in need of a night out with libations, there is actually quite a bit going on in the neighborhood beyond your typical bar. For us, while we visit this one for a periodic adult beverage ourselves, we often visit for other reasons, and wanted to highlight some of our favorite attractions, restaurants, and of course, bars in this neighborhood guide!

It is worth noting that the following is not a collection of every business in South Side. This article only features businesses that we personally visit when we explore the neighborhood. As such, it should only be taken as a starting point and is certainly not a list of every establishment. If you see an interesting business while exploring the South Side, do yourself a favor and go inside!

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10 Specialty Stores for Shopping Outside of the Strip

When it comes to boutique shopping in Pittsburgh, it is really easy for us to simply direct you to the Strip District and (almost) call it a day. This neighborhood has so many specialty stores that you can find a great number of products all within a ~10-block shopping district.

That being said, leaving the shopping discussion to purely the Strip District would be doing you a disservice as there are many other boutique and specialty stores in the Pittsburgh area. 

In this one, we wanted to share a few of our favorites all with one thing in common- none of these are located in the Strip District. So if you're looking for a store to go deep into a particular style or item, these are a few great places to start!

Note: We know that there are way more than the following in the metro area. As with everything on this site, we will add more great stores as we visit them!

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