{Photo Blink} of the Finger Lakes

I've got dinner in the oven for our first fall dinner party, and am taking a break from tidying up the house to write a {Photo Blink} of our travels in Erie, PA and the Finger Lakes region of NY.  Enjoy!

Stones on the shore of Presque Isle.

Blogger Past & Future

Several years ago, I started this blog as a way to connect to others around me, mostly those I knew, in order to draw them in and have a stronger friendship. Somehow, through difference choices and avenues I’ve taken, it’s become more of a way for me to connect with my surroundings – in a strange way, it’s an out pour of myself to reach out to others I may not know or will ever know. Similarly, it’s also become a way for me to keep in contact with those I love and am not able to see each week, or even each month. 

{Guest Post} Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week

Our friend James was in town this past weekend for Pittsburgh's first Craft Beer Week.  How advantageous that our most knowledgable beer buddy would visit PGH while this craft beer celebration was going on! It must have been fate. Either way, since I don't know much about beer {other than it tastes good!}, I've asked him to write a short guest post on the subject. Without him by our side, we would have been full of questions about the beer menus.  Thanks for accompanying us, James, on a week we hope to replicate many times over!  

I was lucky enough to visit Pittsburgh on their inaugural craft beer week. While we didn't do too many of the events, we still had fun. We got a sneak peak of the Dogfish Dinner at Shiloh Grill and went to Hofbrauhaus for their party/trivia event. I also got to try a ton of new beer {he can't get in the South}, so it was a successful trip.

Here is a little Q&A from Ashley.

Questions:

1. What is the difference between craft beer and regular beer? How is the process different?

Craft beer is brewed on a smaller scale with more thought and stories behind the beer. The process of brewing doesn't change materially but the ingredients and the style varies. I would compare it to the local restaurant vs the mega-chain.

2. What are some of the most 'known' craft beers? Or are there any?

Sam Adams' Boston Lager, New Belgium's Fat Tire and Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale are probably the top 3 most recognized craft beers. The more well-known craft breweries are Sam Adams, Dogfish Head, New Belgium, Sierra Nevada, Rogue, Avery, and Stone among others. (Shiner for the people in Texas.)

3. What are the types of craft beer {i.e. hoppy, stout, etc.} What do they taste like?

There are way too many styles of beer. There are also people like Sam Caligione at Dogfish Head that pretty much invents a style each time he brews a new beer. You have your popular styles like Pale Ale (semi-hoppy), IPA-India Pale Ale (very hoppy), Stout (dark and thick), Lager (clear and crisp). I maintain that there is a beer/style for every palette.

4. What are some of your favorite craft beer makers?

My favorite brewery right now is Great Divide out of Denver. They make an incredible stout (Yeti) and even a good fruit beer (Wild Raspberry Ale), among other solid beers. Dogfish Head is another favorite. They brew from the tiny state of Delaware and they are known for stretching the boundaries of beer. Of note is their line of Ancient Ales, recipes researched by historians to get close to historic as possible. Also their Music line, with ales brewed for greats such as Miles Davis, Pearl Jam and Robert Johnson.

James in the background texting his Beer Buds about Hellhound.

5. What are some of your favorite local/PA/PGH craft beers?

Yuengling is a great representation of what a macro pale lager (Bud/Miller/Coors) should be. The Troegs bros also make some great brew.

6. Can you give some recommendations for those of us novices on ordering craft beers we'd like? (ex. if we like red stripe/dos equis/stouts, what should we order?)

My first piece of advice is to try a lot of beer. You will most likely find you don't like before you find the one you love, don't give up so early. If you are used to the lighter macro brews then try a lager/pilsner/golden ale from a craft brewery. If you are a Guiness Fan then go for the stouts/porters/barleywines. If you are a Shiner fan then gravitate towards the bocks/swarzbiers/ambers. If you are a Blue Moon person then try the hefeweizens and fruit beers. The only beers that I suggest new craft beer drinkers avoid are sours and IPAs. They have very strong tastes and can be quite a shock to the palette. Brooklyn Brewery and New Belgium are both great breweries for you to try as they aren't too crazy with their normal selection.

7. How many craft breweries have you been to, and where would you like to visit next time you're in town?

I've been to way too many craft breweries to count. {I see a trend here!} Next time I visit Pittsburgh I want to hit up their version of a flying saucer. I want to see a bar with a diverse selection of east coast brews.

If you aren't a beer fan then maybe craft sodas are your take? If so, then check out Maine Root or Jones (Nationally). For the Texans, hit up Dublin Bottling Works(former maker of Dublin DP) or Armadillo Ale Works.

Thanks, James! 

Readers, if you have questions about craft beer you'd like answered, leave them in the comments!

PGH Dining: Alchemy N' Ale

Lucky you. You get to read yet ANOTHER post about a Lawrenceville restaurant. However, this one features beer and Frito pie. So, can you forgive me?

Alchemy N' Ale is located on Butler Street, and just three blocks away from our doorstep. This can be a bad combination at times, but we've restrained ourselves to only visiting A&A three times. We went with our new friends, an adorable couple that I'll call Vanna for kicks, and began our meal with beer. A&A has a good selection, as they tout themselves as a gastropub. We ordered two Rogue Dead Guys, a Red Stripe and a Lindeman's Framboise.  

The menu was basically the same as it was in December {it is still winter}, so we were able to order a few of the dishes we weren't able to last time.

A green-leafed wall, with table setting. 

We ordered many things on the menu, including the mac and cheese and Alchemy fries {complete with a jus-like gravy and fried herbs.}

Macaroni and Cheese.

"Herbed" Alchemy Fries.

Both appetizers were good, but the fries were taken to the next level with that jus gravy. If this is what the Northeast calls Disco Fries, I'm all over it!
Next, we'll move on to entrees. I ordered the Frito Pie, a dish I'd been queuing up for my next visit to A&A. Husband ordered the Fried Chicken, and Vanna ordered a Frito Pie {too} and Mizalini Pasta.

Frito Pie, complete with a fried egg.

The Frito Pie hit the middle of the score charts for me because of two factors: the meat and the consistency of the Fritos. The meat was similar {if not the same} as the brisket used in the Shepard's pie. Smoky, without tasting smoked, and tender. The Fritos, however, were 90% soggy. I am from the South and grew up eating Frito Pies at home. If the Fritos are soggy, it's over. You have to have that texture, that crunch, in an otherwise piping bowl of magma. The cheese, was the bonus, and set the Frito Pie on the path to redemption.

Husband's Fried Chicken.

As I've said before {as an original Southerner}, I knew not to order the Fried Chicken. Husband went against his gut and ordered the dish, and was served chicken fingers. He ate every bite of the chicken, mashed potatoes and greens, but I took two bites {I had to give a second chance!}, and was done. This chicken was skinless, and boneless, leaving the end product seeming more like something from Kentucky Fried Whatever than from an awesome gastropub. The table differed on the opinion of the chicken, but I'm the one writing this blog...so mine wins out. The greens were delicious though! They still had the tiniest bit of crunch along the stems, and had a good amount of heat.

Vanna went with a pasta dish, which tasted of summer. The pasta was flecked with basil, and the tomato sauce was not overpowering in the least. Great dish!

As we were finishing our dinner, we noticed some drinks being served at the table next to us in what looked to be a mule mug. Sure enough, they were Ginger Mules {a vodka and ginger beer cocktail}. I'm not a big fan of any drink made with ginger beer, so Vanna and Husband each ordered one. I was coerced  into a sip, and it wasn't bad! Both the vodka and ginger beer were toned-down, and it turned out to be a relaxed but refreshing drink.

Vanna enjoying their Ginger Mule.

We ended the meal with desserts, which Husband and I had never ordered at A&A before. {We were always too full!} We ordered the Berry Torte, and Vanna ordered the Chocolate Sorbet. Our server told us that these desserts were made by the pastry chef at La Gourmandine. Those are some big shoes to fill!

Berry Torte

I should have known that the berries of choice in this dish would have been blackberries. Crunchy, seedy sweet goo. The custard was layered well, and had a good thickness. I was fifty-fifty on this one.

Our friends' dessert was a sight to behold. They claimed it looked like a dinosaur's... dropping. I can't blame them. The server made sure to let them know not to eat the shell.

The sorbet had rich chocolate flavor, yet was too icy for me. Husband said it had a similarity to the beloved Blue Bell Ice Cream. 

If these were La Gourmandine desserts, I'm not sure I want to have any of their non-pastry offerings again. 

Alchemy N' Ale has its ups and downs. We like their beer selection and hearty food selection, but some dishes fall short for us. We enjoy the atmosphere and jovial attitudes of the manager and servers. A little tweaking of the food output will put A&A over the top!

What I Wore Today {Men's Winter Version}

It's time for another edition of "What I Wore Today," but this time, from the northeastern male perspective! Husband let me take these photos of him last weekend {after it snowed}, on our weekend walk through the Allegheny Cemetery {or park. whichever.}.  

This 'outfit' is typical for him on the weekends.  Just trade the jeans for slacks, and you have his morning attire for going to work. Also note, this is Husband's first modeling gig, so give him some credit.

Walking up the path to the perfect "modeling spot," as deemed by me.

 Model shot #1, showing off the full ensemble.

Hat {Similar} & Jacket: The North Face | Scarf: Lacoste
Jeans {Similar}: Citizens of Humanity | Boots: Sorel

GQ Shot.

Smiley shot.

This particular jacket is a Tri-Climate style, which can be worn three ways. There is an inner 'dry shell' coat and an outer layer coat, too. The two can be worn together to create a whole other coat, which is very warm.

A warm scarf is a must.

Overall, I think he did a great job! Thanks, Husband, for being my model! 

What types of winter clothing do the males wear in your life?  Guys, what are your favorite things to wear to keep warm?

If you're interested in purchasing any of the items Husband is wearing, check the links underneath the third photo. You're welcome!

What I Wore {to the Movies!}

I wanted to share a quick outfit post with y'all before continuing to apply for jobs. I've been having interviews and second interviews {!}, so I hope to have good news soon. Keep your fingers crossed!

Sunday evening Husband took me to the Manor Theater in Squirrel Hill to see The Iron Lady, a movie about former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. I enjoyed the movie, although it wasn't a true biography, but was done as more of a flashback. Also, I had no idea Thatcher was in ill mental health. Shows you just how much this American knows about English public figures. She is an inspiration, nonetheless. {4 out of 5 stars.} As far as the theater goes, I love it! It had a great feel.

It was snowing on Sunday {it's melted now}, so you get to see a rare glimpse of what the Northeast {MIGHT} be like! It's supposed to snow tonight, so it may be back sooner rather than later.

I paired my grey, knee-length Espirit coat with this outfit, but took it off for the photos. {No, I'm not crazy!}

Tunic: Michael Kors | Jeggings: J Crew | Boots: Ralph Lauren

What are some of the movies on your short list? There are so many out {or coming out soon} that I want to see!

P.S. - Have you become an official follower of {A Dash of Spectacular}? There's a button on the left side of the page especially for that! Click on "Join this Site" as soon as you possibly can! Thanks, y'all!

What {I'm Wearing this Winter!}

Prior to moving here, I used to poke fun of people, especially women, who wear the puffy, ill-fitting, down-filled coats. It was mostly about fashion {...or the lack thereof} and the fact that I've never once seen a Texas winter where the weather required them.

Then, it hit me. The snow, that is. It's cold, albeit beautiful, and you {MUST} to protect yourself! On an outing at a local outlet mall, I found one of these heinous coats, tried it on, and bought it. And let me tell you, I take back EVERYTHING I've said about these coats. {Except the ones that are ill-fitting, but that's a crime in almost every coat.}

All suited up!

The collar can be cinched up to shield your face from the icy wind.

Then, folded down to reveal that face!

Warmer days mean more buttons undone.

See the cinch-strings?

Coat: Guess

Back View. 

What do you think? Have I crossed over to the {other side}? :)

P.S. - I bought this $300+ coat for $45. The deals you can get at outlet malls! {And no, this had NOTHING to do with the ease of this purchase! Not at all.} 

Snow! Outside!

For this Texan, snow is a beautiful thing. I've lived through winters of yellow, dead grass or dirty icy snow storms for many years, so naturally, I smiled and ogled at the several inches of snow fall we just got here. 

Incredibly fluffy and gorgeous snow. 

Across the street neighbors. 

I open my door, and this is what I see!

And this!

I know these photos aren't much to speak of, but all around me are white birch trees, houses on hilltops, and mountains covered in this glorious white blanket. 

I keep having to remind myself I don't live at a ski resort. 

I'll try to take better photos as winter progresses.