Year: 2019

Explore Westmoreland County with the Heritage Passport

Passports are becoming the next big thing in destination marketing, and in southwest Pennsylvania it seems like they're just about everywhere. From breweries to coffee shops, attractions and more, if there is an abundance of something with a common theme in a geographical area, there is likely a passport for it.

Westmoreland County (Allegheny County's neighbor to the east) is getting into the passport fun with a free booklet that contains 34 stops in the region. Some attractions in the guide are paid, while others are free, but those who complete the passport by the end of 2019 will not only have a great experience in the county but will also be entered to win a wonderful prize!

So, are you ready to get out and explore Westmoreland County? The Westmoreland Heritage Passport is calling for you.

This post is sponsored by Westmoreland Heritage.

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Southern Tier Pittsburgh Offers an Array of Options on the North Shore

Southern Tier Pittsburgh is one of a handful of breweries that did not originate in the city but expanded here due to the producer's popularity in the region.

Originally from New York, this brewery expanded into Pittsburgh in early 2017 and has been a popular spot in the North Side ever since. While we are often frequent visitors to this brewery for the beer, we were recently invited out as guests of the brewery to try more and to sample a bit of the food menu as well.

As a result, this guide to the brewery was born!

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Spill Wine Bar Review – A Welcoming Ambiance in Bloomfield

Every so often we'll open our mouths and say that we need more wine bars in Pittsburgh, and whenever we do one seems to open the following week.

This was the case for Spill, a wine bar that opened in Pittsburgh's Bloomfield neighborhood in early 2019. Naturally, I rushed over to it during their soft opening to try it out as quickly as possible- and I was hooked.

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Soju Review – Delicious Korean Fare and Craft Cocktails in Garfield

Soju is a semi-casual Korean spot in Garfield where you'll find Korean barbecue dishes, classic bi bim bap, and a few other tasty surprises like poke bowls and chicken katsu. Throw in some great happy hour deals as well as creative and surprisingly delicious cocktails, and it's easy to see why this place nearly always has a line out the door.

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Pizzeria Davide Review – Delicious Pizza But a Confusing Menu

Pizzeria Davide is the long-awaited pizza shop from the team behind the highly acclaimed Italian restaurant, DiAnoia's (one of our personal favorite restaurants in Pittsburgh).

The shop is located just next to the main restaurant in the Strip District and offers a walk-up window for slices and pies to go. In being big fans of the restaurant, you know I had to hit up this spot in the first week it was open. 

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Colangelo’s Review – A Strip District Gem Serving Pizza & More

Colangelo's is one of many spots in Pittsburgh's iconic Strip District that is tucked away and easy to miss. Located right next to popular coffee roaster La Prima, this spot serves up an array of baked goods, sandwiches, pizzas, soups, and more.

But if there is one thing this bakery is known for, it would be their pizza, and that is exactly what I was looking to try on my first visit.

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The Traveler’s Rest Hotel Review – Rooms for Groups and More

Note: We stayed at The Traveler's Rest Hotel when it formerly operated as a hostel. Now the hotel has overhauled its offering to offer private rooms for various group sizes with shared facilities and is much more in line with a traditional boutique hotel. As such, we have updated the language of this article accordingly.

As avid travelers, we've done our fair share of overnight stays in hostels and boutique hotels- from $3 hole-in-the-walls in central China to high-end lodge-esque accommodations dedicated to hikers in Patagonia. Whenever we need to travel economically, we look toward shared dorms and private rooms in order to meet our travel goals.

One thing that always bothered me about the Pittsburgh hotel scene is that our budget and boutique hotel offering is much more limited compared to chain offerings.

Traveler's Rest is one boutique hotel that opened up in South Side near Station Square and it certainly fills a need!

I was invited to the hotel for an overnight stay and wanted to share a bit more about this hidden gem in the South Side.

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