Spirits & Tales Review – Elevated Dining With a View in Oakland

Spirits and Tales is a modern brasserie-style restaurant on the top floor of The Oaklander hotel. The restaurant holds it own, though, and is more than just a place to eat while staying at the hotel. With craft cocktails, seasonal house made pasta and entrees, and stunning views, it's a destination in its own right for some solid upscale dining in the Oakland neighborhood.

We have dined at Spirits and Tales a few times, but most recently when we were staying at the hotel as guests of the property. On a week night during the Christmas holiday season it was packed full, so we ended up sitting at the bar. A reservation is a good idea here, especially on the weekend and during the holidays.

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The Oaklander Hotel Review – True Luxury in Oakland

We are lucky to have many hotel options available in Pittsburgh, with several neighborhoods offering great accommodations for visitors.

Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood, home to college campuses like the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon, is one such neighborhood. For those looking for a high-end experience with luxury at every corner, a stay at The Oaklander is a must as it offers lovely amenities all while being steps away from the highlights of the neighborhood that gives the hotel its name.

We got the chance to stay at this one overnight as guests of the hotel and had what may go down as arguably one of the best experiences we have had at any Pittsburgh hotel to date!

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The Pittsburgh Glass Center is a Hub for All Things Glass

The Pittsburgh Glass Center has been a hub for all things glass art and glassmaking in Friendship for several decades now, and in 2024 the facility recently upgraded its facilities in a beautiful expansion.

While you may be familiar with this one for its numerous glassmaking classes on offer, this one has come together to be a facility that is three spaces in one. One part museum, one part artist space, and, of course, one part for glass classes for the public!

So be sure to plan an afternoon visiting this one to check out their museum-caliber exhibits, tour the facility, and take a class!

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Beercode Review – Gastropub With Local Beer at PIT

We've often wanted more local options at Pittsburgh International Airport, and whenever a business with a local connection gets announced, we visit it as soon as we can the next time we're at the airport.

Beercode was no different, and this gastropub took over the former Bar Symon space right in the heart of the airside terminal.

True to the name, this one is focused on all things beer and has a rather impressive lineup of local brewers alongside some national favorites.

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Butler Ballooning Takes Flight North of Pittsburgh

We've been fortunate enough to take a hot air balloon ride in Tanzania, and we always wondered what a flight in the Pittsburgh region would be like.

In 2024, we got to find out that Butler Ballooning opened up just north of the city to provide sunrise hot air balloon rides high above Butler County.

We were guests of Butler Ballooning to check out what a flight is like shortly after this one opened, and we have to admit, this one is quite the experience well worth getting up early for!

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Traveler’s Rest Hotel Review – Boutique Hotel on the GAP

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 offerings are much more limited compared to higher-priced chains.

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.

Note: I was a guest of Traveler's Rest Hotel for this review and have since returned for a tour after the property was upgraded to take updated photos and see the changes first-hand. As always, all opinions are my own.

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Puttshack Brings Novel Tech to the Mini Golf Experience

We are big fans of all things mini golf in Pittsburgh, and always get excited when more courses open in the city.

The Strip District is becoming a hub for modern mini golf, with two companies offering unique, themed experiences indoors right in the heart of the city.

Puttshack inside The Terminal building is one such golf company, and this one introduced some fun and smart technology into the mini golf experience to really make for a unique round. We were invited by Puttshack to check out their facility for their anniversary party, and we wanted to share more in this review!

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Sunset Kayak with L.L.Bean Outdoors at North Park

We love our area parks, and one of our absolute favorites is North Park in Allison Park, about 20 minutes north of the city.

One of the reasons why we love this park so much is because it has something for everyone, be it for walking, running, biking, hiking, kayaking, and so much more.

While we normally go on outings in this park on our own, we were invited by L.L.Bean to check out a sunset kayaking tour as part of their Outdoor Discovery Program to explore North Park Lake on a more intimate guided experience as the sun goes down.

For those who want to take a different look at the lake and park at large, the kayak outing is a must-experience.

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Mattress Factory’s Garden Party is a Must Attend Fundraiser

Many of our local Pittsburgh museums know how to put on a good party or gala. Not only are these events a fun way for the community to enjoy a museum in a different ambiance, they also serve a valuable purpose for the museums themselves- fundraising.

Raising funds while having a great time with a few hundred new, like-minded friends? Well, it is hard to say no to that.

The North Side's contemporary art museum, Mattress Factory, is one such museum that hosts an annual fundraiser party, and their themed Garden Party (often taking place in late spring) is an event not to miss.

We were guests of Mattress Factory to check out the 2024 Garden Party, themed MAKE/BELIEVE, and we thought we'd share a bit more about what it was like for those looking to attend the event in the future!

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Walk the Burgh’s Beers in the Burgh Shares Brews and History

We love a good walking tour, especially one that revolves around a great brew.

With Walk the Burgh's Beers in the Burgh tour of Lawrenceville, you get just that as you explore several breweries and beer bars in this popular neighborhood in the heart of Pittsburgh.

We were fortunate enough to jump on this one as guests of Walk the Burgh, and we wanted to share a bit more about what the tour was like here!

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