Summer Pittsburgh Restaurant Week Picks!

It's here again! The week that is all about discounted delicious food around PGH - Pittsburgh Restaurant Week. This summer it's held during August 12th through 18th, and there are few new faces in the lineup of participating restaurants - however, I'm disregarding those for a handful of places with menus that put them on my short list.

My top choices {tune in Husband!} for this PRW edition:

Lidia's {Strip District - $35 Four-Course Fixed Price Meal}

Via Lidias-Pittsburgh.com

Insalate

Caprese Salad {Local Heirloom Tomatoes, House Made Mozzarella, Red Onion, Basil & Aceto Balsamico} Or Insalata di Barbabietole {Roasted Red and Gold Beets, Apples, Fresh Goat Cheese,  Frisee}

Primi

Cacio e Pere Ravioli {Cheese and Pear Ravioli with Cracked Black Pepper Butter}

Secondi

Pollo al Limone {Scallopine of Chicken Breast with Roasted Lemon, Capers and Olives} Or Saltimbocca alla Romana {Pork Scallopine, Fresh Sage, Prosciutto San Danielle and Wilted Spinach and Arugula Salad}

Dolci

Lemon Basil Crostata

Lola {Northside -$30 Three-Course Fixed Price Meal}

Via www.pghcitypaper.com

1st course

House made goat milk ricotta and sweet pea ravioli

2nd course

Lomo mix salad. {Mixed greens, Dijon oyster mushrooms, pickled red onion, hazelnuts}

3rd course

Portuguese seafood stew {Saffron fume, heirloom tomatoes and peppers, fingerling potato, bruschetta}

James Street Gastropub & Speakeasy {Northside - $30 Three-Course Fixed Price Meal}

via jamesstreetgastropub.com

Salad

House Salad with Fresh Garden Vegetables,

Peppered Bacon and Candied Onion Or Spinach Salad with Toasted Almonds, Craisins, Fresh Apple

Entrée

Chicken Breast with North Side Farmer’s Market Peaches {Balsamic Basil Cream Sauce, Jasmine Rice} Or Cajun Grilled Shrimp & Grits {Black Tiger Shrimp, Creamy White Cheddar Grits, North Side Farmer’s Market Seasonal Vegetable}

Dessert

Crème Brulee Or Strawberries & Cream Cake

My picks aren't  'new restaurants,' but the menu choices just drew me in.  Lemon basil crostata? Goat Milk ricotta and sweet pea ravioli? White cheddar grits? Yes. If these three don't start your stomach rumblin', check out the full listing here.

What are your choices for this summer? Any surprises on your list?

We're Back!

We're back from Canada!
What a trip - we barely had time to have a few eats, jot off a post card or two and get to the concert before having to leave.

More to come soon*!

{*First, a mentor interview, fellowship meeting, Craigslist deal, and lots of work. Cross your fingers I can update soon!}

Off to Toronto!

As the summer semester winds down for husband {mine is ramping up!}, we are planning to use our weekend the best we can.  He'll be studying in the car for his financial accounting final exam, but hey, all eyes will be on our destination:

Shapes of Toronto, print available here.

Starting dark and early on Sunday, we're road tripping to Toronto, Ontario {Canada, y'all}. It's so close to Pittsburgh {< 5 hours, around 300 miles}, and we've been dying to go check it out some weekend. We've cut back on a few things so that we could go this year, what with two graduate school tuitions, moving, mandatory? holiday travel, the usual anniversary hullabaloo, etc.

We scored some good tickets to an unmentioned-until-husband-approves concert on Sunday night, so that'll be the main event. Since it's such a quick trip, I have a few things lined up that we may or may not have time to do - so everything will be shrouded in secrecy until we come back to PGH.

If I don't see y'all before then, have a wonderful weekend! See you guys Tuesday!

{Over the Weekend} House Righting

Even if it's Wednesday, I still feel the need to tell you guys what we did over the weekend: house-righting.  As in, getting everything in the new home just right. Hanging picture frames, rearranging the furniture, rethinking kitchen tool placement, washing pillowcases until they just about shine - you get the idea.
It was a madhouse, and we had to take a break at one point. I calmly sat on the couch with a good book and a tall glass of ice water. Husband and cats on the other hand...well...

{Home} Houseplants = Happiness

Whoa. So, where did July come from? Time certainly can slip away when you're busy making life happen!

Big news. We've finally moved. Finally. It felt like such a long time coming {we had to give notice to our property managers in late February!}, and we're beginning to get settled in our new apartment in Shadyside. It's quite a different feel from UpLa, that's for sure. We've walked to a few dinners, caught a sale on Walnut Street, and have watched the sunset from our 7th floor view. I'm in love.

Once we have everything out of boxes and somewhat in order, I'll take you on a tour of the new place. For now, let's talk about my new favorite part of the apartment.

The addition of these beauties: houseplants.

My apologies for the iPhone photos. Who knows where the real camera is? In a box? Down by the river?

I'm sure you've heard how good houseplants are for your indoor air quality, but if you haven't: Nerdy Version. Non-Nerdy Version with HuffPost.