Year: 2025

The Distillery Complex Offers Libations With Skyline Views

The Distillery Complex by Big Spring Spirits was many years in the making. 

We have been following along with their restoration efforts of the Joseph S. Finch rickhouse building in South Side with great interest, as it is our personal opinion that Pittsburgh could use way more bars and restaurants with city (and river) views.

When we found out that the space was finally going to be open for visitors in July 2025 (thanks to a tip-off at the Allegheny County Wine & Spirits Festival the week prior), we knew we had to get in right away. So we watched for an official announcement on social media, found details on their relatively quiet soft open, and made our way over to this great new spot just a few minutes later.

This one was worth the wait!

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Allegheny County Wine & Spirits Festival Celebrates Local

We love how many festivals we have in southwest PA focusing on our regional libations.

For those who like wine and spirits and want to check out a festival with a relaxed vibe, don't overlook the Allegheny County Wine & Spirits Festival each July. This one brings roughly two dozen local producers to the stunning grounds of Hartwood Manor, and was quite the fun event.

We were invited to check this one out by Allegheny County Parks, and share more about what you can expect in this review!

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Touchstone Center for Crafts is an Arts Oasis

Touchstone Center for Crafts in Farmington, PA, is an artist oasis in the heart of the Laurel Highlands, about 90 minutes outside of downtown Pittsburgh

After many years hearing about this one, we made our way down for a Friday Date Night ceramics class as guests of the center, and truly regret waiting so long to get to this stunning facility!

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5 Places to Park in Downtown Pittsburgh for Cheap

One complaint we hear on a regular basis about exploring downtown Pittsburgh is that it is expensive to park.

We always thought this was an interesting statement, given that Pittsburgh's parking garages are, in our experience at least, much, much cheaper than most major cities.

The complaint about parking downtown has a kernel of truth, however. Some garages do charge $20, $30, $40, or more to park- typically the result of extreme surge pricing whenever popular events are going on. These private garages are often able to price on a whim and get unsuspecting visitors to pay because, well, that's the price.

But here's the truth- many garages do not charge this much, and, dare we say, are quite reasonable. If you know where to park, particularly in many of the Pittsburgh Parking Authority garages, you will likely never pay much more than $8 after 4 pm and on weekends, or sub-$20 for a full-day during the work week.

So in this one, we thought we'd share five places to park in downtown Pittsburgh that won't break the bank. These are, for us at least, the only places we will ever park- and we reap the reward in the form of massive savings every time.

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Hyeholde Review – Fine Dining in a Beautiful Castle

Hyeholde is a Pittsburgh fine dining institution housed in a castle in Moon Township.

Built in 1937 originally as a combination restaurant and living space, the ambiance here is hard to beat with dining tables tucked into dozens of nooks and rooms around the castle. It's a special occasion spot for sure, serving up seasonal, high-end food and drinks.

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Palm Palm Review – Coastal Vibes and International Tapas

Palm Palm is a vibrant small plates restaurant located in Shadyside near East Liberty. The restaurant, the second venture from the folks behind Ritual House, aims to blend the vibes and food from Palm Beach and Palm Springs, along with nods to other cuisines from around the world.

With good flavor combinations in the dishes, tropical-leaning cocktails, and coastal vibes, the spot has a feel-good ambiance that's sure to draw crowds.

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Kayak Pittsburgh Makes for Perfect River Exploration

One of our favorite on-the-water activities is kayaking. But when it comes to kayaking around the Point, we could never make the logistics work. When we were free, the river would be running too fast, or it would be abysmally hot. 

Then, Kayak Pittsburgh closed its rental location next to PNC Park to work on an upgraded dock near the convention center, which opened in the summer of 2025.

So we resolved to check this one as soon as it opened, and we are really glad we did- this kayaking launch site is a dream come true!

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6 Awesome Places to Enjoy Sunflowers Near Pittsburgh

When it comes to enjoying fields of sunflowers near Pittsburgh, we have to admit that we're quite spoiled. Between the many farms open to get photos within a field and others open for pick your own bouquets, you really have a number of options to get out and see these gorgeous flowers in southwest Pennsylvania. 

But there is one caveat- most of the fields require a bit of a drive outside of the city.

In this one, we wanted to share a few fields you can visit as well as give you an idea of costs and their respective opening dates as these flowers can have quite a limited blooming period!

Note: We are updating this article for 2026 dates and pricing as they become available, but note that many listings still include 2024 information. Please reconfirm at the farms directly via their respective links below as prices, dates, and times are liable to change based on bloom progress. Most of the farms below are cash only.

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Shore Thing is the Perfect Pittsburgh River Experience

If there is one thing we want more of in Pittsburgh, it would be more amenities on the rivers.

Yes, we have great bike trails and numerous boating opportunities to get out on the water, but it often feels like businesses (like restaurants) and public spaces to relax along the shores are lacking at times. With three rivers, we would love waterfront amenities everywhere you look.

So when Riverlife announced that they were bringing a new concept to the Allegheny River in 2025, called Shore Thing, we were in. Not only was this one set to be a space for everyone to get out and enjoy the views of the water for free, but they went one better- it is built on the water!

We went to this one on opening day and loved it so much that we returned the next day for more. It is just that good.

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10 Excellent International Grocery Stores in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh's regional grocery store scene leaves a lot to be desired, we have to admit. 

Thankfully, we have a lot of international grocery stores in the region that fill in the gap and provide unique food options that you may not get at a conventional grocer (with many at prices at, or better than, our local chains!).

So in this one, we thought we'd take a look at ten international grocers that have some of our favorite selections in the city. Whether you're looking for Asian, Italian, Greek, Middle Eastern, Indian, or Eastern European, we've got you covered in this one!

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