Archive for May, 2010
Little of This and That
May 27th
Right now I miss work for a few reasons. #1 I miss the money cause unemployment isn’t covering it all. #2 I miss talking to people every day. That’s about it. If I could make a living staying home and blogging your damn right I would. But I sure don’t miss not being home when my kids got home.
My sister is laid off from work too. Sucks for her but great for me. I don’t drive, she does. Love ya! 
I think were gonna spend alot of time together. As if we don’t already LOL
I think were gonna spend alot of time together. As if we don’t already LOLYesterday she picked up me and my mom. First we went to lunch at Bob Evans near Century III Mall. Those of you on twitter probably saw my post that the server was getting on our nerves. She asked over and over if we were ready to order and we kept telling her no. Lady get a clue if were still engrossed in our menu’s leave us the hell alone! Apparently we got on her nerves too cause she switched areas with another girl LOL I wasn’t very hungry so I had one pancake and some fruit. I was thankful they had WiFi there though. While I was twittering my mom asked what I was doing. I showed her and she went on about how I better not mention her name. I reassured her that I only said “mom”. She was pretty adamant that she doesn’t want her picture or name mentioned online anywhere. She doesn’t seem to understand why I would bother telling anyone my business at all (Twitter, Facebook, This Blog). Yeah if you couldn’t tell my mom doesn’t have a computer hell she can barely figure out texting. So I guess I won’t share the pic of my mom and me on here.
We spent a few hours in the mall looking around. I am picky when it comes to clothes and my mom and sister don’t have the same taste I do. It’s difficult to shop when you get looks about the stuff you would wear. Normally I don’t give a shit what people think but when your family says shit it’s harder to swallow. That doesn’t mean I agree with them. I did find an awesome dress at Macy’s. Thank you Mom!
This dress even has pockets it’ awesome! My mom just loved my socks, Not! LOL Now I need to go somewhere I can wear my dress 
I will probably spend alot of the summer in it. Oh and Macy’s apparently doesn’t have locks on the dressing room doors. I have a tip for other fellow dressing room people. If the door is closed someone is probably in it. If your not sure please knock. DON’T F’ING open the door! Yeah, I had someone open the door on me while trying on this dress.
I will probably spend alot of the summer in it. Oh and Macy’s apparently doesn’t have locks on the dressing room doors. I have a tip for other fellow dressing room people. If the door is closed someone is probably in it. If your not sure please knock. DON’T F’ING open the door! Yeah, I had someone open the door on me while trying on this dress. 
Roxy’s Skillet Pork Chops
May 26th
Often I cook without a recipe. I just look in my cupboard and see what I have that I can throw together. In doing this you want to watch using things you aren’t sure would taste good but generally I play with spices alot and it works out pretty well.
-
-
Most people use something wet before dipping meat in something. Well, you don’t have to. It might not be a thick crust but it’s still not necessary. Here I mixed seasoning with bread crumbs and dipped my boneless pork chops in it. I made sure to not only do the top and bottom but the sides as well.
-
I then browned them on both sides in some butter. I use I can’t believe it’s not butter but whatever you use would be fine.
-
Once both sides were browned I put a lid on and turned the heat down to low for about 10-15 minutes. You have to make sure they don’t burn. When they were done they were nice and juicy.
-
The seasoning I used on these particular pork chops was Garlic, Garlic & Dried Tomato and Garlic Pesto from Tastefully Simple. The Pesto has dried tomatoes, dehydrated onion and garlic, basil, parsley, salt, black pepper and other herbs (they won’t tell you all of them). I purchased it and didn’t like it as a dip so I use it many of my meat and pasta dishes. You could just go into your herb cupboard and get basil, parsley and anything else you want to add yourself.
-
Another version I have done is by mixing flour, salt and pepper and dipping the chops in that first. Then you dip it into about 3 tbsp. of mustard mixed with 2 tbsp. of water. Last dip in a mixture of bread crumbs and Italian seasoning. -They are cooked the same as above in a skillet. With those ones I browned in hot oil instead of butter.
-
-
My old standby is to slice onions and put into a pan in butter with the pork. I toss some Season All or Italian Seasoning on top of them. Cover and cook until no longer pink inside. Take lid off and brown both sides of pork.
Best Restaurants Party
May 25th
First, I would like to thank Pittsburgh Magazine. I won two tickets to The Best Restaurants Event last night in a contest they held. I had never been to an event like that before. I went over my sisters house early to try on dresses and get ready considering I am not a dressy person. I assumed it was a very dressy affair and I think for the most part it was. There were a few people in jeans and tennis shoes and one girl in boots and fish nets. They sure made me wish I had dressed down at first as the heels were killing my feet. In the end I don’t think it was a jeans event and what I was wearing was more appropriate no matter how much I wished I wore something else.
-
-
When we first walked into the room it was pretty overwhelming at how many different booths there were to go to. I had no idea ahead of time what to expect. There were people everywhere in line at the various booths to sample all the wonderful food.
It didn’t occur to me until halfway through my evening to keep track of where I was taking pics from. Thank you to my sister for suggesting it!
-
-
In the very first line I realized Chris Fennimore was in front of me. I have been watching him on WQED for years and was excited just to be in the same room.
-
On to the food. I am not a raw fish person at all so I avoided anything of that nature. Unfortunately there were many of them. Raw salmon, tuna, and sushi of all kinds. I just can’t stomach it and that isn’t a place I wanted to get sick in. I am sure everyone there appreciates that. I also stayed away from the alcohol with one exception. I tried a drink from Mad Mex that had an enormous amount of alcohol in it but good. If I wanted to keep eating I couldn’t keep drinking. They had various wine’s and I noticed Penn Brewery was there.
-
-
Desert first? Sure, why not. These little yummy treats came from the Sweethouse Bake Shop in Mars, PA. I tried the Brownies with cream in them and they were yummylicious.
-
-
I have eaten at a Japanese Steakhouse before but had yet to make a trip to Nakama in the Southside. They had a few tables with different items. I believe one was Sushi. I ate the item below minus the portion of meat on one side of the plate that I asked them to leave off. What I did try was very good. I wish I had asked what it was.
-
-
One table looked like a marshmallow haven by (The) Common Plea Restaurant. I heard them mention that one of them had a kick of cayenne in it. I am not sure exactly what they were but they were yummy dipped in chocolate.
-
-
Cross Keys Inn had potato pancakes. They topped them with creme and salmon. I had one, hold the salmon. I love potato pancakes and this one sure was good.
-
-
A place I heard about before, I thought from someone on Twitter but I am now thinking it was on a WQED show. Regardless I have wanted to try it ever since. Franktuary in Downtown. I tried a Veggie frank that looked like a regular hot dog, taste wasn’t too bad. I also tried Locavore which is organic, grass-fed and made locally. I am trying to eat better and buying more organic but sometimes I am having a hard time liking the food. This frank was outstanding!
-
-
Another place I adored was Wooden Angel from Beaver.
Why, oh why do they have to be so far away? I watch alot of food tv and see chefs make Risotto all the time but have never eaten it. This restaurant had pork and bacon on risotto and it was divine! I was so close to licking my plate or asking for another. I definitely want to make a trip here for dinner sometime soon.
-
-
Ok. Yo Rita in Southside was there with some drink concoction. They managed to get me to try it by not telling me what it was but encouraging me to drink it first. I never found out what it was called nor what was in it. I don’t think I want to know. I’ll be nice and just say I didn’t finish it. Sorry.
-
-
I found another yummylicious dessert from Gullifty’s in Squirrel Hill. It was an apple cake with cheesecake in the middle and drizzled with caramel. First off, OMG yummy! Second. I have an apple cake recipe that tastes so much like theirs it just might be the same recipe. I got the recipe when I was in 7th or 8th grade in home ec class.
-
-
Jac’s Cafe in White Oak had two different kinds of soup. I love wedding soup and it is difficult to find good wedding soup so I choose that. Other than a need for some parmesan cheese it was pretty good.
-
-
Dinette in East Liberty had a good Rice Pudding. They use local, seasonal and organic ingredients in their foods.
-
-
The Claddagh Irish Pub in Southside Works is somewhere I have been wanting to try. They had an Artichoke and Spinach dip that was very good.
-
-
The last dish I will comment on was from the Square Cafe from Braddock Ave. This was a cheddar and chorizo biscuit. It was pretty good but I have to admit I had to ask my sister was chorizo was. I think after many of the spicy foods I did try and bold flavors I can say I expected more flavor from it, although it was a good last food to stuff into myself before going home.
-
-
-
I am not sure when I can wear my jeans again after all I ate. My sister kept asking me, “Do you think you can eat more?” As small as I am I said Yes LOL I do want to mention that some of the restaurants portions were probably a bit too large. I expected a tasting. It is very difficult to taste everything with such big portions and I didn’t like to waste, especially if I didn’t like it. I did see a Twitter message from Pittsburgh Magazine this morning that leftover food was being donated.
I’m not sure how much was left over though as many booths had to close down before 8pm as they were out of food.
-
-
Here is a picture of my sister and I sitting on the floor. We could barely walk at this point. I wanted to throw the heels in the garbage and kept dreaming of walking back to the car barefoot. I did walk back to the car barefoot. I didn’t even make it down the escalator before taking them off. Thats my sister on the left and me on the right. Stupid glare in my glasses.
-
We did get to take the June issue of Pittsburgh Magazine home as well as a glass with the event name on it. I feel bad for the many people still in the room who wouldn’t get a glass because some greedy people were taking up to 4 glasses each. I’ve already read my issue of the magazine from front to back. I think I may subscribe again. There was a year I started receiving it out of the blue. No one would fess up to sending it to me so I chalked it up that they used a recipe I submitted years ago as they used to give a subscription if they used it in something.
-
-
I had a great time and want to thank Pittsburgh Magazine again for the tickets! I hope to attend again.
-
-
To end this very long blog here are some pictures of some of the other booths I didn’t write about.
Random Musings
May 22nd
Just some ramblings to share with you.
- I updated my goals post today. Getting more accomplished but still have a ways to go.
- Today two nice young adults were going around the neighborhood picking up garbage. They handed me a business card for a new church. I have no idea what kind of church it is.
- I think Apple needs to come out with some technology for the Ipod Touch such as the IPad has to get WiFi anywhere. I need a new router so I can’t get online with it anymore at home and I realized how little WiFi Pittsburgh has. The IPad seems just to big and clunky to carry around like an IPod Touch. Besides I would worry about busting the screen.
- A biggie. I won two tickets to Pittsburgh Magazine’s Best Restaurants Party from a contest the Magazine was running! I have to borrow clothes to wear. I have never been to such a big event before but am VERY excited! Of coarse I will have my camera to blog all about it.
- I have more blogs to write about places I have been this past week. I am trying to keep my negative thought blogs to myself for now but eventually they may come out.
- It’s a rainy weekend here in Pittsburgh. I usually hibernate when its cold and rainy so we shall see if I get out to grocery shop today. I need food in my house!!!!!!
Pittsburgh Flea
May 21st
Get your mind out of the gutter. I’m talking about the Strip District. If you have never visited you really must. They have everything from local grown foods, to a natural grocery store, a store you can buy all your Steelers and Penguins stuff. If you haven’t visited it can be a bit overwhelming. I won’t focus on the entire Strip in this post but will have future posts about other things to do there.
Why don’t I take you on a mini tour of my trip to the Strip District’s Pittsburgh Flea. This is a new attraction to the Strip that started in April and takes place every Sunday from 8am-3pm. It takes place at 21st & Railroad Streets. We had been waiting for the weather to be nice to spend a day there and boy was it ever. It wasn’t too hot or too cold. The Pittsburgh Flea is so new that there aren’t many vendors, well if you compare to other flea markets. There were about 4 rows to walk down and I am hoping to see that grow.
Parking in the Strip can be an issue. The Pittsburgh Flea is right behind a parking lot that charges $5. We parked about 4 blocks up and walked down. On a nice day, why not.
One of the vendors had some handmade wind chimes. Probably the neatest ones I have seen yet. They are made out of kitchen items. She also had other do dads made out of typical kitchen items available.
One lady had bowls made out of records in her section of handmade items. The sign in the box reads “These useful bowls were my ex’s record collection! Enjoy.” I just had to laugh.
So you can see there are a variety of vendors that come. You can get some one of a kind handmade items, some antiques, and some basic garage sale type stuff that people just don’t want. So I think there is something for everyone really.
There were a few food vendors. I recall someone selling hot dogs and someone else making crepes.
The one my husband wanted to stop at:
Gotta love chicken on a stick.
So thats it for my visit to the Pittsburgh Flea. Hopefully future trips will consist of more vendors. I am always on the lookout for neat stuff. Who knows maybe we will get up the nerve to sell stuff there
