A Few Days in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh is a special place, I've said it before. Kyle and I have a history here, and gosh if my close friends here don't steal my heart every time I see them. We first visited Kyle's grandma and great-grandma, going out to the Silk Road for Chinese New Year and helping navigate some new technology. The next day we headed in to Oakland in the afternoon, wandered around campus, met up with friends, and went to Hofbrauhaus for dinner and drinking fun. It happened to be contest night, and four of our group participated in the strudel eating contest (hands behind your back, first to finish wins), which Tracy won, beating all the boys. The weather was nice and grey and rainy, classic Pittsburgh. We went to Pamela's for breakfast before heading back to State College. Yum!

 the strudel eating contestants-  Toby, Kyle, Jake, Tracy

 Cathy in the distance.

 Pam-Pam's. French toast.

 gifties from my friends. I love them.

We are heading out early tomorrow morning to drive back to Texas. It's been a nice trip back up to where there are mountains and snow, but I am definitely ready to be back home in our little house, go back to wearing flats and flip flops, finish up my last grad school application, resume wedding planning, and really get into figuring out life in Texas. 

- Mrs. M

Off to Pittsburgh

Kyle and I are headed to Pittsburgh for a few days! Hooray!

via

- From the desk of Mrs. M

GRE-Free

The GRE is done! My attitude about standardized tests is that they are for the most part stupid and not a testament to what you know and can do. I feel like I studied enough for the GRE though I didn't study excessively. I don't get stressed or anxious about tests, so it was all very ho-hum leading up to it. My main concern was not understanding why everybody seems to think that the GRE is quite actually the most sinister and evil creation on earth and it would most definitely ruin my life and spirit, because I never got that sense while studying and preparing.
But I am glad it is over! And it was nice to hang out with friends a little bit back at Pitt. We had breakfast at Pamela's, home of Michelle Obama's most favorite pancakes (they are very good).

 Pam-Pam's menu and The Pitt News

 colorful floors

 food! 

I got to start the test over an hour early, so I was able to get done and out of Pittsburgh earlier than expected! Time to relax, have a glass of the wine that I got in Annapolis, make some dinner, and hang out with the kittens. :)

- Mrs M

PS- Husband, I really miss you. I wish you could have a glass with me. 

Weekend in Pittsburgh

On Friday evening I discovered that I unexpectedly was not scheduled to work Saturday or Sunday. I quickly thought that I should take advantage, since it is unlikely I will have two days off in a row again any time soon. So, I took a little trip to visit a couple of my friends and bridesmaids in Pittsburgh! They start classes tomorrow and recently moved into their new apartment, so I got to pretend (very briefly) that I too was going back to school and not an old grown up lady. The trip was very nice, I got a couple belated birthday gifts, ate at a restaurant in Oakland I'd somehow never been to before, hung out on the fire escape, chatted with some of the drunk neighbors (they decided to salute me when I told them I was married and husband is in the Army), helped steal a desk off the street in the middle of the night, soaked up some sun in the backyard, had some drinks, played some games, decorated some cupcakes, laughed a lot, and avoided having to parallel park. Good times all around!

 Christy made this. Isn't it awesome?! 

 Oakland has a lot of charm. and trash. 

 dinner

 margarita time in my moose glass

Kings

Side note, the kittens are six months old today! Happy half year Birthday cuddle bugs.

- From the desk of Mrs. M

PITT

I do miss it. Especially Pitt + husband.

- From the desk of Mrs. Sarah McPherson

It's Hardly Ever Sunny in Pittsburgh

It was, however, sunny yesterday! I went on a day trip back to Pittsburgh, for my friend Christy's 21st birthday! It was a good trip: we saw a deer right across the street in South Oakland, tempted three street kittens to the end of the walkway with some tuna, enjoyed not having to take the bus to and from the Waterfront, and tried halfheartedly to get Jon the waiter to notice us at Red Robin. He didn't.

The birthday girl in the shirt I got her. She loves cephalopods, particularly squid. 

I had this and actually thought it was pretty good. And that is the extent of my review. 

Never too old for dinosaurs! 

Dino detail on the cake Tracy made. 

- From the desk of Mrs. Sarah McPherson