Year: 2023

Phipps Conservatory’s Winter Flower Show – Holiday Magic

When it comes to holiday festivities, one of the best places in Pittsburgh to visit is Phipps Conservatory. Their winter flower show, which begins the Friday before Thanksgiving and runs until early January, is a celebration of the holiday season with festive art pieces, an array of gorgeous winter flowers, and some of the most beautifully decorated Christmas trees in Pittsburgh.

The 2023-2024 flower show is themed Holiday Magic and takes an elegant look at all things Christmas. With traditional decorations and subtle design elements, this one is simply beautiful.

As members of the conservatory, we got the chance to visit this one on opening weekend this season (running until January 7th, 2024) and wanted to share a few of our favorite rooms here!

Note: The outdoor garden shots were from a previous show while indoor shots were from the 2023-2024 show. As such, there may be some differences outside when you visit this year.

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6 Unique Fruits You Can Grow in Pittsburgh

Being located in Zones 6 to 7a, Pittsburgh has an interesting climate. 

The warm, often humid climate in the summer presents great growing conditions for numerous plants, but the cold winters with periodic deep freezes can be quite challenging for non-cold hardy plants to make it through.

So, while you may be used to growing common fruits like apples, berries, peaches, and more, there are actually a ton of fruits that could grow in Pittsburgh that you may not know about.

In this one, we thought we'd share some of the more unique fruits we've found that can thrive in our climate, plus give some tips we've found from our own trees for special considerations to keep in mind (when applicable).

Notes: We presently are growing (or plan on growing) most all of the fruits listed in this article. However, all of our plants are still young and not quite producing just yet. As such, first-hand maintenance information may be limited until our plants grow more. Likewise, only specific varieties of any given species may grow in our area (e.g. brown turkey figs and not mission figs). This will be a recurring theme, but always check growing zone ratings before purchasing any plants- especially if you want to plant them outside permanently.

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Lilith Review – A Treat in the Heart of Shadyside

Lilith is the newest venture from Pittsburgh Chefs Jamilka Borges and Dianne DeStefano. Located in Shadyside, this cozy little spot is allowing them to showcase their talent and creativity in very delicious ways. Our recent visit for dinner had us savoring the satisfying and interesting flavor combinations of their entrees, and left us wanting to return immediately.

In short, this is honest-to-goodness delicious food that's also beautifully plated, served up in a delightful dining space.

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Ritual House Review – Not Quite What We Expected

Ritual House is an upscale modern American restaurant in the Union Trust building in downtown Pittsburgh. On our recent visit for dinner, we had excellent service, although we were a bit let down by the food and drinks.

We thought the menu descriptions of the food and drinks didn't align with what we thought we were ordering, namely in terms of the flavors and presentation. Overall, the proteins in the dishes we ordered were cooked well, but we just thought the flavors had a recurring theme of being far too sweet.

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Space Bar Review – Exploring the Cosmos with a Cocktail

Pittsburgh really is becoming a space city, and the molecular mixology cocktail bar, Space Bar, will help everyone explore the universe- with tasty libation in hand.

Located right in the heart of Market Square (aptly referred to as the holodeck when onboard), the cocktail lounge is the resident bar of the SS Oasis ship which travels distant worlds and services locals of the various systems visited with tasty cocktails- some familiar, some simply other-worldly.

We were fortunate enough to visit this one during its soft open in fall 2023, and share some early thoughts of what you can expect in this one!

Disclaimer: We are friends with the owners of Space Bar, provided consulting during start-up, and attended a preview event at opening. We have also purchased the cocktails discussed below outside of these instances. As always, all opinions are our own.

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11 of the Best Places for Christmas Lights in Pittsburgh

There are many reasons to love the holiday season in Pittsburgh, and perhaps one of the most amazing ones is your ability to see many beautiful Christmas lights all over the region.

From the holiday displays downtown, to the many drive-thru light shows, and more, there really is no shortage of impressive Christmas lights in Pittsburgh. So in this one, we wanted to curate all the best places where you can see holiday lights and decorations in the region!

Note: Many of the experiences below are drive-thru light displays such that you can enjoy the holiday lights and decorations from the comfort of your own car. However, we felt we would be doing you a disservice if we didn't mention a few other light viewing opportunities that take place outside of your car as well!

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10 Christmas Bars in Pittsburgh to Visit During the Holidays

The holiday season is a wonderful time of year, and Christmas in Pittsburgh is truly a sight to behold.

But as the holiday season is as much about spreading goodwill, taking in the decorations, and the like, Pittsburgh also has another avenue for enjoying the holiday- via its libations scenes!

In fact, there are several Christmas bars in Pittsburgh to enjoy during the holiday season, ensuring that you'll have some holiday cheer from Light Up Night (or in the case of a few of the pop-ups, Black Friday) to New Years. Check them out below!

Please Note: We are featuring all of the holiday popups we are aware of in this guide, whether we have personally visited or not. As such, experiences may vary. When available, click the link to read our full review of the bars we have visited!

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25+ Pittsburgh Black Friday Deals to Check Out in 2023

Who doesn't love a great discount? Naturally, the Black Friday to Cyber Monday shopping weekend presents a wealth of shopping opportunities with discounted prices.

Naturally, Pittsburgh businesses and attractions are getting in on the Black Friday celebration as well.

So in this one, we thought we would share some of the best deals that we see popping up on our feeds to help you get the most out of exploring the city. From annual memberships and season passes to special releases at area breweries and distilleries, we've found some gems!

Note: The following is a quick summary of some of our favorite deals we have found so far. Black Friday deals tend to come out on an on-going basis and we will be updating this article over time as we find more. Additional terms and conditions may apply that are not included in our summary, please read deals in full prior to purchasing. Some discounts may be available now, while other promotions may only occur on Black Friday or Cyber Monday.

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10 Reasons to Visit Pittsburgh in December – Holiday Time

While Pittsburgh in December marks the start of winter, the city itself is in holiday mode more than anything. We have just come off the heels of Light Up Night, and our Christmas markets, numerous Christmas events, and other festivities are at their peak.

Of course, as with all of our other monthly recommendations list, we also have a few great places to drink and museums to explore on the exceptionally cold days that are coming into the city because, let's face it, winter is coming and sometimes you just want to be inside.

So if you are looking for things to do in Pittsburgh in December, check out the following options.

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Courtyard by Marriott Downtown Review – Central Location

When it comes to hotels in the Cultural District in Pittsburgh, it is hard to beat the Courtyard Marriott Downtown.

Part of this is because the hotel is right in the middle of the Penn Avenue business district, but the other part is simply that the hotel is within just a few blocks of the theaters, the convention center, Market Square, and so much more.

But the real perk of this hotel is that if you are lucky, you may also find a room rate that doesn't break the bank. A reasonable price with a location to match? That is a winner- even if this hotel doesn't stray too far from the mold of the chain.

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