Tag: Pittsburgh PA

The Steel Valley Yarn Crawl Continues

Two stops today for The Steel Valley Yarn Crawl.

The Pittsburgh Yarn Company

and Yarns by Design in Oakmont

Meet Kristi Howard – Pittsburgh Yarn Company, 
established a year ago

The screen printed bags are by Danielle Clemons – two designs  Yarnivore  and Carpe Filum

SUPPLIES FOR SPINNERS
This holds the yarn when being spun
How fun are these cans of gourmet crochet?
Crochet Animal kits include a hook and are rated in different levels

Yarns by Design in Oakmont Pennsylvania Established in 2006

Meet owner Sandra Donatelli standing by the Woolfolk Yarn display.

Trunk Show Guest Christina Danaee knitting
Knitting Designer Christina Danaee of Ashville NC

Trunk Show guest Christina Danaee  website 

Her book “Modern Heritage Knits will be coming out September 24th. Check out her patterns available on Ravelry.

Steel Valley Yarn Crawl bag  All eleven stores buttons on display at Yarns by Design in Oakmont

Soldotna Crop(Caitlin Hunter Design) expertly knit by Natalie Belmont
Natalie Belmont on left with her best friend
Knitters gather in Yarns by Design
Yarns by Design in Oakmont

*If you missed the first post of the Steel Valley Yarn Crawl see Kathy’s Kreations in Ligonier and McWalker Yarns of Millvale at this link 

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Susan Middleman At Spinning Plate Gallery

Artist Susan Middleman’s paintings and collages on the last day of her show at Spinning Plate Gallery.

Bold, colorful, and alive is how I’d describe her paintings. The dancers look as if they could dance right off the wall.

Click here to see more  her work  – Art Gallery Show  and a photo of Susan with Carnegie Tech classsmate (1965)Joan Brindle 

follow her on Instagram @susan_middleman 

 

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Geppetto Café in Lawrenceville

At noon, I met my former teaching colleague and friend Jennifer for lunch. Her suggestion. My first visit to Geppetto Café –  Butler Street in Lawrenceville neighborhood ofPittsburgh. Open for breakfast or lunch. It is a delightful place to eat and the service was excellent.

Coffee,latte, espresso, teas, milkshakes (a Nutella milkshake was on the menu) and ice cream. too.

Savory crepes, sweet crepes, eggs, fruit, waffles, paninis and salads. Mmmm. I had the Challah French Toast. Jen ordered The Bonjour pictured below- scrambled eggs and Brie in a crepe with fresh fruit on the side and Applewood Smoked bacon on top. A leaf shaped  dish of maple syrup.

Patrons have contributed much of the decor. I didn’t count all the wooden Pinocchio figures but the owner graciously showed all the items that people have brought in- the books, paintings,wooden Pinocchio puppets and marionettes.

Margaret Welsh wrote a wonderful review in City Paper calling Geppetto Café a “European-style breakfast nook.”

Hospitable Owner Evren Karabacak

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How about all these books suspended in net from the ceiling?

A snowboard bench in the front.

P.S. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinocchio_(1940_film) “PInocchio is a 1940 American animate musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Productions based on the Italian children’s novel The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. It was the second animated feature film produced by Disney, made after the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)”  Geppetto was the wood carver/carpenter who created the wooden puppet Pinocchio who can” become a real boy”

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Greens and Beans at Cucina Vitale

The perfect beginning to a lovely birthday dinner.

Greens and beans. “Escarole, Northern Beans, Garlic, Shallots, White Wine, & Parmesan”

My friend V and I shared this delicious appetizer.  You might have seen it from our last visit to this restaurant on the Southside, Cucina Vitale. Know it’s cash only, BYOB and reservations are necessary for dinner.

Bon Appetit article

 

Travel with Intent blog sponsors Six Word Saturday

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Sam Barsky and His Famous Landmark Sweaters Arrive in Oakmont

An April 2018 New York Times Article by Laura M Holson  It’s Sweater Weather Forever states:

“Samuel Barsky has gained a measure of fame online for posting photographs of himself in front of famous landmarks with his handmade sweaters.”

Thursday afternoon, Yarns by Design, a local yarn store in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, hosted

Mr. Sam Barsky, a Baltimore native.

Traveling with him and on display were some his famous landmark sweaters.  You may have seen him on the internet, posing in front of famous landmarks, sporting the sweater he designed and knit of that very landmark.  He showed one sweater he knit with Ellis Island on one side and the Statue of Liberty on the other side.

He’s even knit a sweater for himself and a matching dress for his wife, too.  Click his name in the beginning of the above paragraph for link to see a photo.

The attentive audience got to ask Mr. Barsky questions after his presentation, showing his artistic hand knit sweaters which on average take him a month to complete. He said knitting has really helped him in his life and health.

After the photos were taken, he was teaching a two hour workshop on his technique.

Here are some photos of the event.

Natalie and Michelle of Yarns by Design with artistic knitter Sam Barsky and his sweaters

Posing with Sam (in his Pittsburgh sweater) and Deborah (his wife seated on left), with the audience modeling his colorful knitted sweaters

 

 

 

 

The famous HOLLYWOOD sign on the left and the Eclipse of the Sun on the right.

Thanks for inviting me, Natalie.  Got home just in time to have fun capturing Mr. Barsky and his colorful knitted sweaters.

 

Here’s Natalie Belmont with her latest knitting Work in Progress in hand. 

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Stegosaurus Selfie

My son-in-law taking a selfie with the Stegosaurus. Carnegie Museum of Natural History. His favorite dinosaur when he was growing up. It was fun to see him enjoy the exhibit as much as his son Charlie.

Here’s Laura and Charlie by the T-Rex

 

Laura with the Triceratops 

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Memorial Day Compendium

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Watching her father as Taps played- 2016 Memorial Day Etna, PA

A Day of Remembrance- Originally blogged May 31, 2010   Reblogged in 2016

Screen Shot 2017-05-28 at 9.46.08 PMMuskingum County   World War II/Korean War Memorial     Zanesville, Ohio

 

Family members plant flowers, trim grass, pull a few weeds, decorate graves of loved ones with wreaths.

One time Mary and I scrubbed lichen off the granite with our toothbrushes.  I saw a watering can hang from a spigot, a metal pipe in the ground.

Boy Scouts place American flags by white marble veterans’ graves.

I remember when Bill played taps and as the clear notes sounded, the wind kicked up, blew swirls of dust and leaves, the sky got dark. And we all felt  a shivering chill.

Each helmet bears a soldier’s name.

Memorial Day 2013 Guest Blog by son Mark Memorial Day 2013 Guest Blog by son Mark

 

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Photo by Mary upstate NY

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Photo by Mary from upstate NY
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Neighbor’s Memorial Flags for Each War

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Poppy

from Memorial Day 2014

Twenty four notes. Taps. 

The Origin of Taps, The Bugler’s Cry  by  “Jari Villanueva, a former ceremonial bugler at Arlington National Cemetery”

from Memorial Day post 2015   Poppies  for Disabled Veterans Assistance Programsimg_6663

 

 

May they all rest in peace and may we never rest until we make peace last.
Thanks for this, Ruth. Too many helmets!
Love, L

Here is a link to Lois’ obituary 2013

 

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Cucina Vitale Dinner on the South Side

We finally made it for Saturday night dinner on the South Side.  We’d been meaning to go eat at Cucina Vitale ever since Vincie discovered this dining gem in a Post-Gazette article by Dan Gigler in late January.

Cucina Vitale 

White tablecloths, cut red roses in glass vases, excellent service, delicious food cooked to perfection and served expertly.

Our Antipasti started with black and green olives, Roasted red pepper hummus-like spread and garlic infused olive oil in which to dip the crusty bread. Every bite was delicious. A dish of Greens and creamy Beans was shared. There are no words! What other descriptor can I use besides DELICIOUS?

Followed by the soup of the day which was Tomato Bisque with Basil  (Traditional Wedding Soup is always on the menu)

The specials were Chilean Sea Bass and Lump Crabmeat with a Lemon Caper Compound Butter with sides of Broccoli Rabe and Roasted New Potatoes.

And I ordered the  Cheese Ravioli topped with Medallions in Gorgonzola Sauce with a drizzle of Balsamic.

Tempting house made desserts of Cannoli, Lemon Cheesecake, Chocolate Cake, Burnt Almond Torte or Tiramisu were offered but we hadn’t left enough room.There are a few things to know if you plan to go-

Reservations are essential. BYOB if you desire and it’s Cash Only.  


GREENS & BEANS                                                                                                                            Escarole, Northern Beans, Garlic, Shallots, White Wine, & Parmesan


The Chilean Sea Bass with Lump Crabmeat and Lemon Caper Compound Butter

The Tomato Basil Soup with a touch of Parmesan

Chef Frank Vitale learned to cook from his Grandmother, in the photo on the restaurant wall.

Shot from across the street as we got into the car.

 

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