The Holidays are here...

We all have horror stories of shopping nightmares, gifts impossible to find, and shopping mishaps that ended in anger, frustration, and/or tears.  The holidays can be so stressful, which is why I choose to online shop as much as possible.

But the holidays are more than just tangible gifts.

Last Christmas was probably one of the worst, as shopping was difficult because my grandfather was so sick.  I got everyone a gift, but thoughtfulness was not a priority.  Gift cards (which I personally don't mind, but many of my recipients have the mindset that you have to "open something") were the gift of choice for many of my recipients.

However, there was a lot of generosity given to my family at this time.  When I needed to leave work at Kennywood because we weren't sure what was going to happen to my grandfather that night, my co-workers stepped up without complaint, filling in on a whim.  When he eventually passed away (5 days before Christmas), I was given the time off of Kennywood and school without issue.  When we needed pierogies for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner, and no one in the family had time to make them, friends stepped in with dozens of their own - in addition to other foods, such as cookies upon cookies upon cookies.  When we needed friends and other family members for comfort after his passing, they were there.

Christmas wasn't the same, but it could have been much, much worse.

Knowing that there are people out there who deserve nice things when bad things happen, I decided to do something nice for someone else.  A "pay-it-forward" of sorts, I felt compelled to do this one thing for a very dear friend:

Part of Matt's Facebook message to me, where I found out about his wish.

Matt is the nicest guy you'll ever meet - with bad luck of his own.  I won't put his personal business out there for the world to see, but he deserves better in his life.  Not that he doesn't have wonderful people in his life already, but...to put it simply, I think he should have everything that he desires, because he deserves it so much due to the passion, creativity, and talent that he has.  I felt like I was destined to get what he wanted so, so badly.

This wasn't going to be easy for me, personally.  I HATE crowds and traffic, and Light-Up Night in Pittsburgh is a madhouse.  I had a game plan - go downtown right after school (2:30), park, and explore the city until a line started to form.  I even called the downtown Macy's to be sure that I wasn't going to get kicked out of the store before the autograph signing (they said that I wouldn't).

My plan started off well - I parked in the garage on the Boulevard of the Allies across from Point Park University, found an awesome spot on the 3rd floor right by the elevator, and set off to Macy's.  I found where the autograph signing would take place, then left to go out into the city.

The entire time I was out-and-about, I took short video clips of what I was doing.  You'll see why in a bit.

I needed to eat (otherwise, there was no way I was going to make it), so I stopped at Chipotle in Market Square to fuel up.  This killed some time.

I went back to Macy's to make sure that there were no crazy Gloria Gaynor Stalkers in line already (there weren't), and explored the city some more.

After awhile, and since it was raining, I decided to contain my exploration to Macy's.  I played "Musical Chairs" among the seats on different floors so I didn't seem crazy for sitting in one place for too long. While I sat, I edited the video clips together (again, you'll see the result soon). Around 6:00pm, an announcement was made that Rick Sebak was on the 5th floor, so I went to visit him for a bit.  When I came back down to the 1st floor where the autograph signing would be taking place, there was a man in line.

It was about 6:30pm by this point, and I figured I could stand there for 45 minutes.  I asked the woman at the register what I needed to do to get the autograph, and she pointed out the CDs on the table.  I bought one, and got in line - I was #2.

More people got in line shortly after, and then after Ms. Gaynor's performance, a rush of people came through the doors and formed a much longer line very quickly.  Promptly at 7:15, Ms. Gaynor arrived.

She didn't say much besides "Hello", but I informed her that this autograph was for a friend who was going to be ecstatic about receiving it.  Not only did she sign the CD, but also an 8x10, which read:

"To Matt ********, You will survive! Love, Gloria Gaynor."

(******** being his last name, of course)

I failed on the "Hey! Hey!" part, but I took what I could get.

I thanked her and her security personnel profusely, then finished editing the video and uploaded it to Facebook (thank you, free Macy's Wi-Fi).  I mentioned Matt in a comment, hoping he would see it.

Other people did - including Rick Sebak - and started to comment...but not Matt.  I had to take matters into my own hands, so I called him as I drove home.

I told him to check Facebook - and this is what he saw:

The reaction?  Priceless.  Besides feeling like this was something that I was destined to do, I knew that hearing that reaction out of him would be worth more than any issues that I had obtaining the autograph - yet, I had NO issues. It was actually fun!  I saw things I probably would not have seen otherwise (as I have never been to Light-Up Night before), and I made my dear friend happier than I have ever seen him before.  

Maybe I WAS destined to do this.  I'm so glad I did.

I stopped by his house and gave him both the autographed CD and picture.  The elation on his face was amazing.  Seeing him so happy made me even happier.

All worth it.

The moral of the story? If you have the chance to do something nice for someone - do it.  The reward to yourself is as big as the reward for that person. 

Although, I don't know how I'll ever top this...

You, however, have the opportunity to "pay-it-forward" by helping children have a Merry Christmas of their own.  Many of them would not receive any gift - not one - otherwise; even just one gift would seem like the best gift in the world to them because someone was thoughtful enough to think of them during the holiday season. To learn more about the CHS: Holiday Gift Project and how you can get involved visit: http://bit.ly/CHSHoliday2013

This post was written from a prompt by Community Human Services Holiday Gift Drive in partnership with Pittsburgh Tweetup.

Kelly O's Diner

I find it funny that breakfast has become a priority in my life.

Growing up, I rarely ate breakfast.  There was no time.  Breakfast meant getting up earlier - something I was NEVER willing to do, especially given that if I didn't HAVE to get up, I'd be in bed half of the day.  My students come to school and complain that they're hungry, and I ask, "Didn't you eat breakfast?"

No.  Of course not.  They feel the same way I did when I was their age - no way am I getting up any earlier than I have to.

When I started dieting, skipping breakfast wasn't an option.  I had to have SOMETHING for breakfast.  And you know what?  I came to love breakfast time, and moreover, I FELT so much better eating breakfast - I had more energy, I was more awake, and I didn't feel like taking a nap by noon.

So on Saturday morning, when I found myself in the Strip District super early (because James had to get moving on the taco truck), I needed to find someplace to have my breakfast.  I left it up to Twitter to seal my fate, and the perfect suggestion came from one of my followers - Kelly O's.

Kelly O's Diner

The diner was once featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, a popular Food Network program, and it's easy to see why - quaint, traditional, and even more importantly, FRIENDLY.  Because I was solo, I sat at the counter, and was immediately offered a menu and a chance to order a beverage.

Coffee.  No doubt.

I searched the menu for the perfect item to get me through my shopping - I didn't want to be weighed down by pancakes or French toast, so I went the omelette route - but which to choose?  I was then inspired by another diner aficionado from Pittsburgh - Rick Sebak - and a conversation we had recently (of which I will not divulge the details) - I chose the Crab and Asparagus Omelette.

Crab and Asparagus Omelette (lots of hollandaise)

A closer look inside the Crab and Asparagus Omelette

Don't ask.  I won't tell.

The omelette was served with a side of homefries (which I chose over the shredded potatoes) and thick, toasted Mancini's Italian bread.  The potatoes were slightly garlicky, and I did not opt to add peppers and onions to them.  It was a lot of food, indeed - so much that I couldn't even finish all of my toast nor potatoes (this is rare, by the way).  This was, by far, typical diner food.  I certainly see why this diner was featured on a national TV program - it is an American classic, with tradition in mind.  Funny, quirky signs, bright colors, and most importantly - a very, VERY friendly staff (definitely friendlier than the Hot Metal Diner staff - they come off a bit "rough around the edges"), catering to your food needs as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Great sign in my line of sight

By the time I left, the place was packed, and there was a wait for a table.  Most (good) diners have a line, and this was no exception.  Get there before 9 AM if you want to guarantee a seat on a weekend, for sure.  

But - even if you do have to wait for a table, the food is worth that wait.

And take this advice - get up "early" (for a weekend, at least), have a fantastic breakfast, and you'll have the whole rest of your day to enjoy (and the Strip District is an ideal place to enjoy the day!)


Kelly O's Diner
100 24th Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222 (Strip District)

Website: http://www.kellyos.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelly-Os-Diner/131821080195295

Hot Metal Diner

It's sad how many businesses have left West Mifflin.

I remember being young and realizing that everything that we could ever need was right in our little borough - a mall, an amusement park, plenty of restaurants, and even an airport.  Going shopping someplace else was an excursion - Monroeville Mall was a treat, South Hills Village was like going to the high-end markets, and Ross Park...no one went to Ross Park (too many bridges to cross).

I've also mentioned that this is why I never went to restaurants other than chains, as the Century III Mall area was full of them - Applebee's, Chili's, Denny's, Bob Evans.  Any national chain that you could think of was within 5 minutes of the area (yes, including Taco Bell).

Unfortunately, so many things have changed.  Pretty much every Pittsburgher knows about the decline of Century III Mall, which is supposed to be changing now that Simon Malls no longer owns it.  However, its assessments have declined DRAMATICALLY over the past several years, therefore cutting a deep hole into West Mifflin's tax base.  In addition, P.J. Dick & Company pulled out of West Mifflin, along with many smaller businesses.  I thought that it was devastating when the penny candy store behind my house closed when I was about 7 years old, but these businesses leaving our borough have done much to drain our financial resources.

This is why it is so important to patronize businesses in your own hometown - without stimulating your (very local) economy, it will only cause tax increases, program cuts in your town and school district, and overall business collapse.  I know.  I've seen it first hand from many angles.

Knowing this, I found it important to have my usual Sunday brunch at a West Mifflin business - and what better place to do so than the well-revered Hot Metal Diner.

Hot Metal Diner

Recently, Rick Sebak featured the diner in his PBS special, Breakfast Special 2: Revenge of the Omelettes (the segment can also be seen on the Hot Metal Diner's webpage as an In Pittsburgh special).  I was happy to see something so local on TV, but I was surprised to see my 7th grade Science teacher (who is now retired) talking to the camera.  Wow.  Talk about keeping it local.

A friendly warning as you enter

James and I arrived late in the morning, and the entrance was full of people.  However, tables were being turned over quickly, and the line was reducing just as quickly.  An older couple was in front of us, and the hostess offered to seat the 4 of us together at a bigger table.  "You don't even have to talk to each other," she offered.

Counter seating with more humorous decor

The older woman declined.  "We'll wait."  Oh, ok.  Thanks, lady.

Luckily, the younger couple behind us had no problem co-habitating a table with us, so we sat at a table for 6, with this looming over the wall cut-out from the private room next door:

The Chicken Creeper next door

We made our introductions to the couple across from us - they are from Carrick, and he is a Pittsburgh Firefighter.  They had been to the diner once before and knew how the place worked.  James struck up a conversation, as he is so good at doing, making the awkwardness of dining with complete strangers disappear completely.

As we reviewed the extensive menu, the table to our right received their order - including a massive pancake.  I had wondered why one single pancake a la carte would cost $3.00...well, this was definitely $3.00-worth of pancake!  James and I decided to split one as an "appetizer":

One pancake.  Yes, one.

Oh, yum, pancake!  Very fluffy, and definitely split-able.  With some syrup (which you can also request hot), it was scrumptious.

For my "entree", I ordered the BB Breakfast (formerly known as "The Hog"): 2 eggs my way (over easy), home fries, bacon (my choice), and Italian toast.  When the waitress took my order, she literally said, "homefriesItaliantoastsayyes", to which I replied, "I'm sorry?" and she repeated, "home-fries-Italian-toast-say-yes".  How dare I say no (I wouldn't have any way!)  The waitresses describe themselves as a bit "saucy"...but I wouldn't ask for extra sauce.

BB Breakfast (aka "The Hog")

It was a classic diner breakfast - not overpowering on flavor, but not by any means bland.  Greasy - a bit, but I've had much greasier at Denny's (it IS breakfast, after all!).  I don't know HOW they cook their bacon, but I wish I did, because it was crispy and AWESOME.  The Italian toast was great for dipping into my egg yolks.

James decided to go the lunch-route and ordered the Best Burgher Ever with the whole kit and caboodle: bacon, cheese, onions, mushrooms, and BBQ sauce:

Best Burgher Ever with the whole kit and caboodle

I tried a bite, and it was one darn good burger.  It was served with potato chips - not a favorite of his nor mine, so they went untouched.  We sat in fear that we might get yelled at for not eating them, but...we didn't, thank goodness.

While eating and still conversing with our table mates, Wendy, the owner, decided to play some music on the Touch Tunes machine to liven up the place.  Well, heed this warning, which is at the register:

It even says "True" in the top left corner...

Her song selections included a polka classic, "Grab Your Balls (We're Going Bowling)", followed by "A--hole" by Dennis Leary.  Not exactly a family atmosphere, but if you want to dine there, you'd better get over it and find a sense of humor.  I've read reviews online about the "horrible service" that people received - well, we got our food quickly and without any mistakes on a busy Sunday morning.  The staff did their best to seat us quickly, and we ended up meeting a very nice couple and having a nice conversation.  So you know what?  Thumbs up to the Hot Metal Diner.  I hear and deal with much worse as a high school teacher, and I'll deal with your waitresses - along with having a great breakfast.

Do as I tell my high school students - follow the rules, and you'll be fine.

The Rules

Hot Metal Diner
1025 Lebanon Rd.
West Mifflin, PA 15122

Website: http://www.hotmetaldiner.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hot-Metal-Diner/236685476442536?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hotmetaldiner

Savor Pittsburgh 2012: THE Culinary Competition

It's so hard to try a lot of different restaurants.

I was SO BUSY this summer that I really didn't get out to many new places.  In fact, the majority of my writing this summer was about Kennywood, the place where I spent the majority of my hours this past summer, working away, answering phones, making announcements, filing papers....

...I guess I didn't SPEND as much money that way.  More to spend in the winter months!

Savor Pittsburgh is a fantastic way to sample what many of the best restaurants in Pittsburgh have to offer.  Although it's a sampling, it gives you an idea of how creative our local chefs are, and how lucky we are to be in Pittsburgh - a city with more to offer than I could ever cram into this little blog post.

Pittsburgh = Awesome.

I attended the event last year with my brother, as he bought my ticket for me for my birthday (awww!). This year, I was fortunate enough to WIN two tickets from the Savor Pittsburgh organizers though a Facebook competition.  I would have probably gone anyway, but it was VERY nice to save money (again) on the price of the ticket.

I got more than my money's worth, even if I had paid!

I sampled from every restaurant, with myself and Burgh Gourmand, my date for the evening (duh), alternating getting small plates for each other, while the other saved a place at the table we had staked out with another couple.  Here are just a few of the foods that I tried:

From Verde Mexican Kitchen & Cantina: Carnitas Tamales with Mango & Jalapeno BBQ

From McCormick & Schmick's, South Side: Seared Ahi with Creme Fraiche in a Sesame Cone 

From Jackson's, Moon Twp: Short Ribs with Roasted Apple, Root Vegetables, and Natural Reduction

From Walnut Grill: Tuna Tostado

From Cafe Chocolade: Gluten-Free Crab Cake with Mascarpone Aioli

 Although I didn't get pictures of everything I ate, I did want to mention a few standouts - the Beer-Cured Salmon from Church Brew Works was a favorite of mine, as were the Vanilla Bean Scallops from The Wooden Nickel.  I can never guess who the actual winners will be (not to mention that I couldn't eat a few of the dishes, because they were pork/rib dishes...grrrr), but here they are:

Best Appetizer: "Chocolate Ravioli" - SAVOY Restaurant & Lounge

Best Entree: "Short Ribs with Roasted Apple, Root Vegetables & Natural Reduction" - Jacksons-Restaurant-Rotissiere-Bar-Moon Twp 

Best Dessert: "White Chocolate Cappuccino Cannoli with Balsamic Glazed Strawberries" - Grand Concourse - Pittsburgh (yeah, that was pretty good, too!)

Dish of the Year: "Smoked Pig Wings" - Meat & Potatoes (yup, didn't try that pig dish!)

People's Choice Award: SAVOY Restaurant & Lounge  (You can never go wrong with chocolate!)

However, the people also make the event so fantastic.  The entertainment was courtesy of "No Bad JuJu", a band that rivals any band you could ever find in any big-city venue.  With great sound and powerful voices, they kept the party going all night!

A shot of the crowd, with No Bad JuJu performing on stage.

And I FINALLY got to meet Leah Lizarondo of Brazen Kitchen, which is featured monthly in Pittsburgh Magazine.  She and I had exchanged Tweets and talked on the phone before, but had never met in person.  I made it a point to meet her, knowing that she was judging the competition.  What a sweetheart she is!  I hope we can work on something together in the future!

And...AND...I also met the man, the myth, the legend - Mr. Rick Sebak himself.  We have played Scrabble via the iPhone/Facebook application for awhile, and I am - of course - one of the current "Voices of Kennywood", so it was only appropriate that this meeting occurred.  He is a class-act, an all-around Pittsburgh legend.

And I swear this pic is NOT Yinztagrammed!  It's not even the right colored shirt for it to be so:

The Voice of Kennywood + Rick Sebak.  It was meant to be.

Savor Pittsburgh will be an annual tradition for me, for sure.  No doubt about it.  I sampled foods from more new restaurants in that evening than I have in many, many months...

...but that needs to change.  Guess I'll be spending that money I saved at more restaurants soon!  Stay tuned!

Savor Pittsburgh

27th & Sidney Street

Pittsburgh, PA 15203 (South Side)

Website: http://www.savorpgh.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SavorPGH

Twitter: http://twitter.com/SavorPittsburgh

Kennywood Nationality Days: Native American Day

I've worked at Kennywood Park for half of my life. 

Starting to work there when one turned 16 was quite the tradition back when I was in school, since my high school was (and still is) a stone's-throw away from the park.  Now, kids can work there as early as age 15 - some only make it a few months, or weeks, or even days, but then there are a few who are there for their entire working careers.  Some become full-timers, while others work part-time (like me) while maintaining other careers.  Regardless of the situation, working at an amusement park carries with it a certain amount of respect - long days, hot temperatures, and temperamental guests are not easy situations to endure.  Working there is a positive learning experience - one that not I, nor any other teacher, could teach in a classroom. 

I'm ashamed to admit, though, that it was only last year, during year 15 of my tenure, that I discovered how awesome and exciting the Nationality Day kitchens are.  Most people probably do not realize that on Nationality Days, most groups sell foods native to the culture in Pavilion 4, located behind the Skyrocket and Garfield's Nightmare (right next to the "big" pavilion, #5).  

Most Pittsburghers know about Italian Day, largely in part to its feature in Rick Sebak's 1988 WQED documentary "Kennywood Memories".  It is Kennywood's most well-known Nationality Day, and for good reason - Pittsburgh has a large, proud Italian population; moreover, people from other backgrounds embrace Italian culture, especially the food.  The Italian Sons & Daughters of America (ISDA) have turned Italian Day into a celebration of what it is like to be Italian in Pittsburgh - and it's awesome!

However, there are many, MANY other ethnicities that are celebrated throughout the season every year at Kennywood.  Here is the 2012 Nationality Day calendar (also viewable on Kennywood's website).  The phone number listed is the number to call for information on tickets and events for each particular picnic, as advance tickets are sold through the group (not at Kennywood):

Asian Day	May 13, 2012	412.498.8411
Native American Day	May 27, 2012	724-420-8392 724-628-4918
Carpatho-Russian Day	June 28, 2012	412-766-3460
Irish Day	July 11, 2012	724-864-2228
Italian Day	July 17, 2012	412-261-3550
Slovak Day	July 19, 2012	412-243-0438
Serbian Day	July 20, 2012	412-642-7372
Slovene Day	July 23, 2012	724-695-1100
Greek Day	July 24, 2012	412-824-5540
Byzantine Day	July 26, 2012	724-495-3400
Hungarian Day	August 1, 2012	724-864-0042
Shrine Family Day	August 3, 2012	724-274-7000
Polish Day	August 7, 2012	412-486-1605
Jewish Community Day	August 19, 2012
Croatian Day	September 1, 2012	412-823-8677

Some other picnics are well-known for certain foods - on Serbian Day and Croatian Day, lamb is sold at the kitchen (and they often run out - I learned that the hard way during last year's Serbian Day, and I was very sad).  I was able to redeem myself on Greek Day, though, by purchasing the Greek Platter, which included lamb, feta, olives, and stuffed grape leaves, while also adding some delicious baklava for a sweet dessert.  Polish Day is well-known for its stuffed cabbage, while cheregi is the popular item on Slovak Day.

I have been let down twice on Asian Day, but not due to the group itself - I was supposed to work late on Asian Day both last year and this year, and on both days, it rained.  The park closed early, and I was called off of work. 

Any ethnic group can plan a Nationality Day at Kennywood - they just have to plan it and arrange for it through the Kennywood Group Sales Office.  This was the first year that a Native American Day was celebrated at Kennywood, and I was so very, VERY excited when I saw the activity sheet, which stated that BUFFALO BURGERS would be sold at their kitchen!  I haven't had a buffalo burger since I attended a Pow Wow, planned by the same Native American group, that was held near Pitt-Greensburg when I was in college.  

I knew what I was having for dinner.

When I got to work, I became even MORE excited, because I found out that in addition to buffalo burgers, the group was also selling buffalo dogs and - wait for it - INDIAN TACOS.  I had no idea what that meant, but I knew I had to get one.

I had made several announcements about the Native American kitchen throughout the afternoon, at the direction of the Group Sales Office, and there were a few people back at the kitchen when I went on break, but not many.  I was lucky to score one of the last buffalo burgers before they packed up for the day.  Thank goodness, because it was just as I expected - delicious:

Buffalo Burger (not exciting in the picture, but WAY better than meat from a cow!)

 I had to find out what this Indian Taco was - turns out it is taco meat (ground meat in taco seasoning), lettuce, tomato, and cheese on fried dough.  Uh, yes please!:

Indian Taco

 Though a different wrapping from a "regular" taco, I really did enjoy the fried dough (and it made it seem appropriate for Kennywood - fried dough is a popular amusement park food).

The food on Kennywood's Nationality Days never disappoints.  Made by the members of the group that organizes the day, the foods are obviously made with love and care, for all who may or may not be of that particular background to enjoy.  If you visit Kennywood on a Nationality Day, whether on purpose or by accident, a stop at Pavilion 4 is definitely in order.  Don't feel cheated out of Potato Patch Fries, or a funnel cake, or a corn dog - those aren't going anywhere any time soon, and you'll probably eat more than once throughout the day (funnel cakes are great to take home, too).  Nationality Kitchens come but once a year.  Indulge.  Enjoy.  

Try something new.

Kennywood Park

4800 Kennywood Boulevard

West Mifflin, PA 15122

Website: http://www.kennywood.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KennywoodPark

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Kenny_Kangaroo