Sept 24, 2017 – Penn Brewery Oktoberfest 2017
We got to Penn Brewery about 4:00 which meant that we beat the post-game rush and only waited about 15 minutes for a table. The crowd was in a great mood which lent to the boisterous ambiance of the restaurant. After being seated at the booth with a view of the brewery we began our meal with an appetizer of Pretzel Sticks. There are four nicely sized pretzel sticks with three dips: Bier cheese, Heidelberg Mustard and Obadzda Dip (a tasty mix of Penn Pilsner beer, Brie, Muenster and cream cheeses). The pretzel sticks were warm and chewy and I found I preferred the Obadzda Dip with mine. My main entrée was Sauerbraten, a dish that I like to indulge in when given the opportunity to have German food. Presented with a colorful mixture of gold potatoes and vegetables, the Sauerbraten was nicely layered and plated. The main dish was quite tasty with a middle of the road flavor – not bland by any means but not as mouth-popping or tender as I prefer. I would definitely try it again on a more quiet evening, as I found the Brewery to be a quite nice destination for a meal with friends. Parking seemed to be a bit hit or miss so keep that in mind if you go.
Upcoming Reviews from 2017
Pittsburgh Irish Festival – Sept 10, 2017
What a beautiful site along the Monongahela River to spend a Sunday afternoon under blue fall skies surrounded by natures’ autumn palette of color in the changing of the leaves and Irish music wafting through the air.
University of Pittsburgh – Nationality Rooms – Holiday decorations from each country.
We had a very knowledgeable docent who gave a quick but comprehensive look at each room. The tour was a bargain at $4.00 a person and we covered the world in 90 minutes. The rooms are located in the gothic-inspired Cathedral of Learning on Pitt’s main campus. The last week of the year during the holidays is one of the best times to visit a college campus area as not only are the students on break, so too are the worker bees who keep the place humming. All of which comes together to allow easy parking to be found in Oakland. The Cathedral itself is imposing once you come in the doors; gothic arches break up the interior of the first floor into multiple alcoves, great rooms and corridors. The gift shop is filled with trinkets reflecting the countries of the nationality rooms, and this is where you get your tickets and begin the tour. Many of the rooms are locked this time of the year they are only being used for the tours, but the docent explained that most of the rooms are still utilized for classrooms when school is in session.
Foodie Review – Rivers Casino – Wheelhouse Restaurant
We decided to give the Wheelhouse at the Rivers Casino a try on a Friday afternoon to see how we liked it. We have been many times to the Grandview Buffet and for the most part find it to be one of the better buffets in Pittsburgh. We were seated quickly as there were only two of us and the waitress came by and took our drink order. She returned with our drinks, took our food order and then apparently my table disappeared into another dimension as she never saw us again. The three tables around us cleared, were cleaned, had patrons seated, had their food served and our waitress cruised as far from our table as possible. We finally asked the hostess for help and she went in search of our food – a salad and bowl of chili. When someone from the kitchen delivered these to our table, the chili was as cold as the fries on top of the salad. Our waitress did stop by to ask if we wanted more to drink and leave the check. The food was good and the location and atmosphere quite nice, and I would go again as I have to think that this particular waitress just didn’t see us – a phenomenon known to many grown women as ‘being invisible’… hahaha… a silly position to take for many reasons.
Long Range Wench on the Go – October – November, 2017
Touring the SouthEast states; Virginia, North Caroline, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Kentucky and West Virginia
I left on a mucky Pittsburgh day, heading out of town with destinations in mind but no real itinerary other than to eventually circle home. The trip began with lots of anxiety and trepidation and ended with relaxed and long needed attitude realignment. My favorite spot and one I will recommend for a group tour was Ft Walton Beach in Florida. As it is on the Gulf Coast, Ft Walton Beach boasts the sugar white soft sand and turquoise waters which brings folks from far and wide to enjoy the ‘Redneck Riviera’.