There is a saying that goes something like this:  “Instead of worrying about the destination, focus on the journey… for it’s the journey that is truly important.”  So in that spirit, I’m going to focus on a fun way to journey across PA, wherever your final destination may be:  traveling via Amtrak.
Spring fever sent my [...]

If you are around Pittsburgh and looking for a great place for a baby shower gift, child’s birthday party or even a little something for yourself, visit The Picket Fence in Shadyside.  This quaint boutique is filled with children’s toys and apparel, gifts for the home, women’s clothing and accessories, and gifts for a special [...]

Last weekend I stopped by the Shadyside Arts Festival and found two great new clothing stores.
Francesca’s Collections- Walnut Street.  Housed along other such chain stores as the Gap, Apple Store, J. Crew and Banana Republic, Francesca’s Collections is the only location of this store in Western Pennsylvania.  Filled with moderately priced clothing, gifts and accessories, [...]

I checked out the debut of the Pittsburgh Visionary Arts Festival this past weekend at Schenley Plaza in Oakland. I was blown away! There were more than 50 local artists–each offering his and her own artistic perspective and experience.
Here are a few of my favorites. Kyle Ethan Fischer created sculptural people out of mixed media [...]

Recently friends from Portland, OR visited my husband Dave and me. Architects like Dave, they wanted to see some of the architecturally interesting highlights of Pittsburgh. We printed out guides from Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation and headed Downtown for a walking tour.
We started in the Cultural District on Penn Avenue—the Penn-Liberty area is designated [...]

I work in Oakland and love spending my lunch hour exploring. I typically start my walk on Craig Street and Forbes Avenue, right by the Carnegie Museum of Art, and walk towards the Cathedral of Learning.
I love seeing Dippy, the huge sculpture of a Diplodocus dinosaur outside the museum, where I turn left and go past [...]

I lead a privileged life. Maybe not privileged on typical terms, but on my terms. Almost every day I get to walk across the Smithfield Street Bridge. And while that may not seem like a  privilege, it is my friends. It is.
The Smithfield Street Bridge leads from downtown to Station Square. Or from Station Square [...]

If you are in Downtown Pittsburgh and looking for some retail therapy, check out Chick Downtown.
With famous designers and luxury brands, such as Alice & Olivia, Diane von Fursterberg, Milly, Trina Turk and Rebecca Minkoff, to name a few, this store has it all—handbags, jewelry, elegant dresses and sportswear. This quaint boutique, housed in the [...]

I know I’ve talked up Klavon’s Ice Cream shop several times but how can I not mention this? Nothing  is more spectacular than a triple… no…. quadruple chocolate treat mid-day. That is exactly what I dove into a few weeks ago. I had a mid-day craving for something sweet and lucky for me, there is [...]

My mom and little sister, Erin came up to Pittsburgh to visit for the afternoon and after a fun-filled day in the Strip we decided to eat dinner at Khalil’s with my brother (who was filling in for a friend and washing dishes that evening). We were seated in a room with only a few [...]