Happy Halloween!

Source: johannaparkerdesign.blogspot.com via Lori on Pinterest

Source: hawaiikawaii.net via Karin on Pinterest

{Over The Weekend} Games, Scones & Hurricanes

Well, people, we're still here and we haven't floated away...yet. The rain is coming down, and has kept coming down since yesterday late afternoon.
This weekend was mostly a lazy one.  We started things out with a college football game at Heinz field, which thankfully wasn't rainy {however, the threat was there!}. Then, my wonderful baker of a Husband decided to crack open his new cookbook, Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery,  and bring out his new food scale. He's subscribed to the notion that everything in baking needs to be measured by weight, or it won't come out right. Psssh, fine, leave that to him! {I prefer cooking, where I can just play things by ear and throw things in as I please.}

He flipped to the section on scones and announced that he was planning to make cinnamon honey scones. I about died. His first choice on what to bake happened to be one of my all-time favorite baked goods. And, these did not disappoint.

{Travel} NYC Part 3

Day three of our anniversary trip started with a 'breakfast' at Laduree, which specializes in French macaroons. This was a must-stop on our Upper East Side list.

{Dining} Finger Lakes Food

Per usual, our recent travels to the Finger Lakes in upstate New York centered around nature and the local food that results from those surroundings.  Both were gorgeous.  

Our weekend trip started in Northwest PA, but that evening we made it to our destination.  We started the night off with drinks and small bites at Dorothy's Music Room in Trumansburg, NY. {T-burg to the locals.} We sat down at the bar and was greeted by Dorothy herself.  As our first stop in the NY wine country, Dorothy did a fantastic job of setting the stage for the wines of the region.  After pouring us what seemed like our own local wine tasting, we chose glasses of Hosmer's Estate Red and one of Lamoreaux Landing's reislings {easily my favorite winery of the trip}. We listened to a truly unique band, Technicolor Trailer Park, a duo who sang everything from Alanis Morrissette to their own songs about squirrels. Loved them.

Patisserie Show & Tell

It's Friday!  How did it get here so fast?  I'm not complaining, because this is going to be an excellent weekend. We're planning to go to a college football game, make soup, and generally be lazy.
This morning we treated ourselves to a breakfast at La Gourmandine Bakery.

The love affair continues.

For those in the area, you should know that La G is making pumpkin tarts for the holidays. 

And, they've made smaller, dainty versions for those that won't allow themselves to eat a whole tart. Bless them.

If pumpkin doesn't float your boat, they still have these other lovelies:

No, this is not a sponsored post. I just truly love La G.

We each bought croissants: almond for him and chocolate for me. Such is love.

I gave a parting glance to the raspberry-filled cookies, and sighed. Can I have one? 

Of course!

You guys, I don't know what I'd do if I actually made it to France.  I would probably spend all of my time in tiny patisseries, admiring the delicacies. 

PGH Dining: Del's Bar & Ristorante DelPizzo

Today, the Lunch Bunch headed over to Del's Bar & Ristorante DelPizzo, otherwise known as Del's {or that place that was on Restaurant Impossible.} Screaming ladies aside, we had a good time.
The four of us each ordered off the lunch menu, where most items were priced at $7.95 {and came with a side dish}.  We sat down at a table near the large windows and ordered caffeinated drinks. It was a must. It's only Tuesday after all! We munched on room-temperature bread while chatting. There's nothing wrong with room-temperature bread, I just thought it was a detail worth mentioning.

Obliterated bread basket.

{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.

{Shop Love} Neiman Marcus + Target Collection

You guys, the southern girl in me has emerged in giddy smiles.
I got a very exciting email today from Target.
Not personally, but you know what I mean. 
They are launching a partnership with Neiman Marcus {read Stanley Marcus, of hometown fame} this December.  They've brought in designs and products from some of Neiman Marcus' best designers and lines, and there's some pretty fabulous items for the home and travel.

Take a look at the collection here.

A few of my favorites:

Source: target.com via Cristin {Ashley} on Pinterest

Source: target.com via Cristin {Ashley} on Pinterest

Source: target.com via Cristin {Ashley} on Pinterest

Source: target.com via Cristin {Ashley} on Pinterest

Source: target.com via Cristin {Ashley} on Pinterest

Source: target.com via Cristin {Ashley} on Pinterest

These lovelies are available in both Target and Neiman's, and can be found online - all on December 1st. What can't you live without this holiday season?

Over the Weekend {Again.}

We're back! I surprised Husband with a weekend in the Finger Lakes region of New York state for his birthday.

The view from our B&B near Cayuga Lake.

Per usual, I'll write about our comings and goings when I get some downtime. I hope your week is going well!

Over the Weekend

 I realize it's very close to the next weekend, but the Three Neighbors had a wonderful weekend just a few days ago. The Three Neighbors is a nickname I've given us, and 'us' refers to me, Husband, and our friend {and neighbor for many years}, Ingrid. Over our time in Dallas, we had many "Neighbor Dinners," always on Sunday nights, at one of our apartments. She would cook the main dish, and we would bring sides to accompany, then switch for the next.  When we lived literally next door to each other, we usually had more than one bottles of pinot during and after dinner, and then walked home. It was a very family-style type get-together, and we became very nostalgic when the last dinner in Dallas came last November.

Luckily, Ingrid has family in Pittsburgh, so we knew we'd see her again...and possibly for a Neighbor Dinner in the future. She came in over the last weekend to visit family in Ohio, and then meet up with us over the last part of the trip. We had dinner at a family friend's restaurant here in Pittsburgh, then she stayed with us until dinnertime the next day.  Among having brunch and the many things we did that morning/afternoon, we walked a few bridges, and ended up at the Roberto Clemente statue at PNC Park.

This statue is somewhat personal to Ingrid for a reason that's too funny not to laugh at.  She and her father ended up walking around the field so many times to find this statue, finding out later that it hadn't been moved yet. I think they walked around the park 4 times to find it. She told us this story right after we revealed we were moving to Pittsburgh, and we silently promised ourselves to take her to see the statue one day!

Later that afternoon, we went to the Andy Warhol Museum to see the I Just Want to Watch exhibit on Warhol's media art {but don't worry, it's there until 2017!}.

It was interesting to say the least. It made for some great discussions that evening, when we headed out to the woods to have dinner with Ingrid's family.

Neighbor Dinner was revived!  We were hosted by a lovely couple {Ingrid's Aunt and Uncle}, in their little dumpling of a home just north of the city.  I'm fairly certain I saw a beaver on the way to their home. 

But, the food.  Her Aunt made a fall feast of pork loin, fruit compote, smooth squash and apple soup, fall-style coleslaw, a garlicky grain salad and other fabulous dishes.  I'll post a few photos when I grab them off Husband's phone.  I don't know what made us so lucky to be served that dinner!  Dinner conversation, wine and laughs were all we needed with that meal. It was perfect!

 

I can't believe I have to wait until next year to see Ingrid and her family again! Can't come soon enough.

{Travel} NYC: Part 2

It's back on you guys - I've written another NYC post! Enjoy.

Day two of our anniversary trip to NYC started with a tiny breakfast {aka coffee}, showering, primping and taking our time. After the previous day, we needed to take a few minutes longer getting ready. We hopped a subway to Chelsea, where Husband had a surprise activity planned.

Surprise! We went on a tour of Chelsea Market!

A Study in Pizza

via my Instragram {find me: ADashOfSpectacular}

I've had my nose in my Financial Management book SOLID this week. I have a test tonight {My first EEK!}, so this is where the rubber meets the road.  After this is over, I will be in a very happy, mellow place.  It will be nice to get more than 6 hours of sleep.

This roasted acorn squash and three-cheese pizza we made on Sunday night helped, though. Tremendously.
Making a 'nice' meal on Sunday night is becoming a tradition for Husband and I. There's just something about settling into an evening of slow cooking, with a big payoff at the end of a delicious, homey dish. This pizza probably took about an hour to make, from roasting the squash with a little {ok, a lot} of dark grade maple syrup, to melting all of the cheeses slowly onto the wheat crust. Deliciously slow.