North

Ross Cafe Review – Approachable Turkish Fare on McKnight

Ross Cafe on McKnight Road initially opened as a breakfast and brunch spot, focusing on items like omelettes, waffles, and crepes. We're always looking for bright spots on McKnight to invigorate our mundane shopping trips, and this spot seemed like an interesting break from the mold.

Our interest was piqued even further when we saw a few Turkish options like Menemen (a scrambled egg dish with tomatoes and peppers) and Sigara Boregi (rolled phyllo dough stuffed with cheese and fried). Shortly after opening, we checked out their menu again online and noticed that they had started serving dinners, too, focusing on Turkish dishes like kebabs, wraps, and pide (Turkish-style pizza). 

We went in for a meal right away and are already planning our return.

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Zombies of the Corn Offers a Family-Friendly Haunt

Everyone wants to shoot a zombie horde during Halloween, right?

If this is something you have always wanted to try, you are in luck! Zombies of the Corn in Freedom, PA, offers a chance to contain a zombie apocalypse armed with glow-in-the-dark paintballs!

Although the star attraction at this one is indeed the Zombie ride, the grounds are home to four haunted attractions and makes for a fun, (mostly) family-friendly haunt north of the city.

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Hiking Through the Eliza Fox Trail and Riding Meadow Park

When it comes to hiking at the many parks in and around Fox Chapel, the trails feel a bit disjointed but also connected at the same time.

Running north to south, the loosely connected Eliza Fox Trail network starts at Beechwood Farms, passes through Hardie Valley and Riding Meadow, and later continues through Scott, McCahill, Salamander, and Fay Parks before reaching O'Hara Township.

Although we were not able to hit every park in the above list in our first outing, we managed to take in a roughly 3 1/2 mile out-and-back hike starting at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve through to Riding Meadow and back and made for an enjoyable morning out!

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Three Brothers Bagels Review – Fast Casual in Glenshaw

Pittsburgh's bagel scene has been rapidly improving in recent years with the opening of many great shops with house-made bagels, bagel sandwiches, and more.

Those in the North Hills looking for a delicious bagel received one more option in the form of Three Brothers Bagels, which opened in Glenshaw in mid-2023.

The popularity of this one skyrocketed overnight, with frequent early sellouts, so of course, we had to visit shortly thereafter to check it out. For those who need a bagel, this one is a treat!

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Wine & Cheese Tasting with The Indian Somm and Nosh & Curd

We love good wine and cheese pairings and must admit that for how much we are into wine, we have not taken many formal classes that showcase this epic pairing outright.

It wasn't until our friend Kanika, The Indian Somm (whom I've been studying WSET Diploma with), started wine and cheese classes with Nosh & Curd in Mars that we made this a reality. 

Wine and cheese pairing from experts in the respective fields? We're all about that!

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6 Places to Make a McKnight Road Shopping Trip Enjoyable

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.

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A Quick Trip Into Nature at Girty’s Woods Near Millvale

When it comes to parks in Pittsburgh, many of the staples have been protected for decades and even generations. But that doesn't mean the work to protect our area green spaces is finished.

Groups like the Allegheny Land Trust are working hard to protect great nature spaces in the region and regularly purchase land to pursue their conservation efforts.

Girty's Woods near Reserve Township and Millvale is one such green space, and the trust purchased 155 acres in just 2021. So, naturally, we decided to pay this somewhat wild park a visit to see what it is all about!

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Taking a Jet Ski for a Spin With Steel City Jet Ski Rentals

When we started our quest to do everything in Pittsburgh, if someone would've said that one of the most enjoyable river activities is taking out a jet ski, I would've had some contrarian thoughts.

But after taking a jet ski for a spin on the Allegheny River and around Point State Park as guests of Steel City Jet Ski Rentals, I have to admit, I'm a convert.

Not only is riding a jet ski immensely fun, but it is also a great way to see a number of river highlights in a craft that you are able to control outright. The adrenaline junkie in me was thrilled with the speed element, and the photographer in me even more so as it made for wonderful city photography too!

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The Armstrong Trail Offers 35 Miles on the Allegheny River

The aptly named Armstrong Trail in Armstrong County is a 35-mile rail-trail that runs north to south along the eastern bank of the Allegheny River.

During our first visit, we biked half of the trail (approximately 16 miles one-way out of Ford City) and were able to see many highlights including river views and adjunct river developments like power stations, dams, an iron furnace, and more.

So in this one we wanted to share a bit about what you can see when exploring the Armstrong Trail and also give some tips for making the most out of your ride on this exceptionally flat trail.

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Kayak Pittsburgh Brings Fun to the Allegheny River in Sharpsburg

For many years, Kayak Pittsburgh operated a rental location right on the Allegheny River just below the Roberto Clemente Bridge on the North Side. We always tried to get a rental here, but the days we were free often were met with extreme heat or super high river levels (read: incredibly fast flow) such that we missed our chance before they closed.

So when the company moved upstream to a new location at the James Sharp Landing in Sharpsburg in 2022, we knew we had to go as soon as it opened.

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