This one should go without saying, but we love lamb. It is one of our favorite meats, and we are spoiled here in western Pennsylvania to have so many fantastic producers that raise lambs.
As such, it should be no surprise that there is a festival that celebrates all things lamb, and the Western PA Lamb Fest does that and then some at the annual event!
Duo's Taqueria in East Liberty is a fun and delicious concept restaurant by Duolingo, where you can eat delicious Mexican food and also learn and practice Spanish. This spot has a colorful, upbeat, casual vibe that serves up delicious tacos on homemade tortillas as well as other Mexican specialties.
Duo's Taqueria was just a walk-up taco stand at the Duolingo building. We visited many times and judging by the long lines, we knew this concept was going places. And rightfully so, with Chef Marcella Ogrodnik at the helm. Chef Marcella was the owner of Cafe Agnes, an El Salvadorian pop up that served amazing pupusas and tamales at farmers' markets around the city. We are so excited that she is now at Duo's, bringing her skills for making fresh masa for tortillas and her knack for creating amazing flavor combinations.
Duo's recently built out an interior space in the building to change the restaurant to a sit-down concept (the walk-up window is now, sadly, closed). We visited shortly after re-opening to check it out and practice our Spanish.
ECHT Coffee House in Mount Oliver is more than just a coffee shop. In addition to roasting their own coffee and serving up cafe-style food, this sleek and design-focused spot will also soon be home to a distillery and cocktail bar giving the neighborhood a must-visit spot that will soon be enjoyed morning, noon, and night.
While we visited this one to get our coffee fix on, we ended up staying to enjoy the food menu and exploring the soon-to-come additions on the building's lower level.
You will be wise to do the same when you visit as well!
Chatham Baroque is a period music ensemble that was founded in Pittsburgh in 1990 that performs their own concert series in the city, in addition to collaborating with other groups in Pittsburgh and touring around the country and world. Artistic directors Andrew Fouts, Patricia Halverson, and Scott Pauley invite other musicians from around the world to perform with them, making their concerts special and unique.
We were first introduced to Chatham Baroque when they accompanied the opera Idaspe, put on by Quantum Theater in the fall of 2022. I don't think we had ever seen instruments like the viola da gamba or the theorbo played in person before. We were instantly drawn to their unique look and sound, and knew we had to learn more about this interesting ensemble.
Cut to early 2023 and we were able to check out Chatham Baroque play their final concert of the season, The Joy of Bach!
If you've been following us on social media for a while now, you have likely seen us post about the Bayernhof Museum in O'Hara Township. This gorgeous mansion was once the home of Charles Brown III, a local business owner who created a rather unique property full of intricate designs, an observatory, an underground cave, and more and began collecting self-playing music machines for good measure.
The house is now open for tours to see all of these great highlights, and we have visited several times over the years as there is always something new to see at this hidden gem.
In this interview, we are fortunate enough to have not one but two interviewees! Dave is chairmen of the board of the Bayernhof Museum, managing the trust and upkeep of the property, and Johnny helped build and maintain the Bayernhof over the years. Both were close friends of Charles Brown III with many stories to tell.
Note: Historic photos included in this post were taken by Johnny and are shared with permission of the Bayernhof. More recent photos were taken from one of our many visits to the museum.
We will be the first to admit that when we have to go shopping to the big box stores on McKnight Road, we immediately get filled with a sense of dread.
Not so much because we have to shop at the big chains, but rather that driving on McKnight Road to our destination is, shall we say, a form of torture– and that is putting it kindly. From the abundance of red lights, never-ending traffic, and overall frustration of reaching our stops, we find that we need to give ourselves a little reward to get through it all.
So in this one, we thought we'd share five of our favorite spots on (or just off of) McKnight Road that you should consider stopping at to help save your sanity when shopping!
Note: Businesses featured below are organized from north to south along McKnight Road between McCandless and Ross Township, specifically.
When we travel, we often try new snacks and beverages that we rarely see again. From weird flavored potato chips to an unusual sparkling beverage or candy, these random food items tend to make a lasting memory we wish we could enjoy once more at home.
At Vendor Bender in Squirrel Hill, you get just that.
This dedicated vending machine store does not just have a load of snacks and drinks for customers to enjoy, but the vast majority come from countries all over the world!
So if you're looking for a highly sought-after treat or beverage you've enjoyed while traveling, Vendor Bender is for you.
Alchemy seemingly closed in 2024.
Alchemy Bar + Kitchen brings fine dining and craft cocktails to an intimate space in downtown Pittsburgh's Market Square. We're always excited when new businesses open downtown, so we knew we had to make it in shortly after Alchemy opened to check out their offerings.
While this one brands itself as a molecular gastronomy-themed fine dining restaurant, we left a bit unsure of the molecular gastronomy element but big fans of the food at large all the same
Southern Yanks closed in April 2023.
Southern Yanks Smokehouse in Washington, PA, is the kind of spot we love to find.
This unassuming restaurant right in the heart of downtown Washington screams homemade barbecue where the main focus is, as it should be, entirely on the food.
While we left this one satisfied and stuffed from all things delicious meat, it was also speaking to the owner that showcased why this one was a gem.
Chicken Latino is a casual Peruvian restaurant in Beechview (formerly in the Strip District) known for rotisserie chicken. With huge portions and affordable prices, a homemade chili sauce that is seriously fiery and delicious, and weekend specials, Chicken Latino is a great restaurant for takeout or a low key lunch.