Where did September go?

So this month I went back to work and started grad school. Let me clarify that I started back to work full-time teaching and started grad school full-time. So basically Monday through Thursday I leave the house at 7am and return at 9pm. So that would be my excuse for not blogging. But even though I haven't been blogging I have still been eating and drinking, well sort of. So the brief rundown of the month. 

Bettis' Grille 36 - Went with the teaching staff for a work lunch, had a great chicken sandwich. Thanks Favorite Boss! They pay for lunch the whole week of inservice which is just really nice of them. 

I should stop and interject here that with my new schedule I have little time for cooking or baking and most of the time I have gone out this month is for happy hour. Not that my drinking has increased but my stress level has so the need to relax is definitely evident. 

McFadden's- for happy hour on Fashion G's 25th birthday. I spent my 25th birthday at McFadden's a year and a half ago and ended up in the ER. Met this cute attorney from the South Hills he bought me a few drinks (3 total)... was a good girl and went to the bar with him. But I looked away for a second and something must have been slipped into the shot cause I was done for. That's the only time I almost got arrested. I was so drugged I needed my friends to come into the restroom pick me up off the floor and carry me outside into a cab. Cops were everywhere and the bouncers were like get her out of here quick. The cab took me and my friends to AGH where I proceeded to fall out of the cab and out of the wheelchair in the waiting room. I have no recollection of any of it. Now I am by no means a lightweight and 2 and a half drinks has never put me over the edge so there was no way it was just alcohol. The guy called the next day and when I accused him he didn't even have a defense. Thank God for good friends who knows what he might have done to me otherwise. Thankfully Fashion G had a much safer night. 

Also went to Fox & Hound on McKnight Road in Ross Twp. which I had never been to before on a Saturday night a few weeks ago. We all got fun cocktails and scoped out the cute bartenders. It was a fun night and I was impressed by the size of the place. The waitress was a flake but the crowd was interesting. I would definitely go back again. 

Carson City and S Bar on Friday night. 1.50 shots of SoCo with B and Fashion G makes us all happy girls. The problem is by 11:00 on a Friday night I am exhausted because of my crazy schedule during the week. So I think I was out of the southside and on my way home by 11:30. Carson City is such a strange place, the girls working there have the strangest sense of style and the crowd isn't particularly friendly but they have decent drink specials so. I ended up there twice in the last month. 

Bar Louie - They have this hummus and tabbouleh and tzatziki dip with cucumbers and flatbread. It is so delicious AND their chicken fingers, hand breaded and just perfect. Fashion, Double D and I were all in need of a drink but because of our schedules we started early 4:00 we went from Bar Louie to the southside. 

Hit 1311 and then Carson City but was an early night once again and I was home by ten. 

Crepes Parisiennes- P&K with their new bundle of joy met me for crepes at their Oakland location. I love crepes! My parents have decided they should open a crepery and I am in full support. But P&K and I haven't seen each other in awhile. We planned on meeting in Shadyside but P found out my ex was on his way to the same location at the exact same time. Weird. Strangely we are still connected by some cosmic force. Too bad he is a cheater and a jerk. We spent the day strolling through Oakland then ran over to Whole Foods for some groceries. 

Went kayaking last Sunday once again. RADical Days is going on in Pittsburgh and they offer all sorts of free events. FH and I took advantage of the gorgeous weather on the last day of summer and hit the water. We kayaked for an hour it was his first time and we had great fun. Then we were hungry so we ate at Atria's in PNC Park. I know I said a couple of posts ago that I wouldn't go back because there service was so bad. But this time it was excellent. FH got the chicken parm and I had the steak salad. I was so happy to be outside and eating with such good company. FH is a new friend and I am kind of hoping he sticks around. 

Hit up Bistro-To-Go on East Ohio Street once again. Had their balsamic chicken, red potatoes and ho-ho cake. I was definitely having a GIVE ME CHOCOLATE AND NO ONE GETS HURT kind of day. Ho-ho cake definitely does the trick. 

Ok so that is the rundown of where I've been in a nutshell at least what I can remember. I'll try to update on what I have been cooking and baking cause I made these delicious veggie cookies. i know sounds weird but they are soft chewy and tasty. 

Pittsburgh Bottleshop Cafe

So Fashion G and I did a little back to school shopping for teacher stuff- nothing fun like clothes. Then decided to stop at this great place in Bridgeville for a late lunch. The Pittsburgh Bottleshop Cafe is your typical local bar. Clean and well decorated, nice bar and excellent choice on drinks. Menu was just right not overwhelming, with a good selection of bar food. Fashion G got the Veggie Wrap which had this really great hummus. I had the Chicken Salad with Buffalo style chicken. I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't breaded. Food was delicious, service was good. Even though we were there in the afternoon I am sure they get a decent happy hour and weekend crowd. I'll visit again. 

The Pittsburgh Bottleshop Cafe

1597 Washington Pike

Bridgeville, PA 15017

Not ready to start back to work in a week. Just hoping to enjoy my last few days of vacation. 

Shish Kabobs

I haven't cooked for just me all summer long. But I was feeling a little hungover from Friday night and decided to make dinner. Friday night Queen Kittanning and her hubby were having a picnic and since she is 6 months prego I drove up to help with the food and hang out. I love their new house and being around them, definitely two of my favorite people in the world. So we had good food and drank way into the wee hours of the morning, well not prego but her husband and his coaching buddies.

But that's that. I figured my hangover meal should be shish kabobs. Picked up a nice hormone free round top steak and some rye bread from the market. 

Cube the steak 

Marinate for 45 minutes- I love Adolph's meat marinate but it's hard to find. 

Sliced into large chunks peppers and onions. 

Skewer and grill until cooked. 

With it brown rice, tablespoon of butter, 1/4 cup of chopped onion and organic chicken broth. 

Sat on the back porch and enjoyed. My neighbors I am sure can't figure us out. We have only lived here a month and a half but being summer we're rarely here and especially at the same time. I swear I felt their eyes upon me as I sat on my porch eating alone. Oh well, the night was nice and the food simple and filling.

Later went to Tilt in Gibsonia, crazy local bar with the roomies sis. Amusing to say the least.

Camping

Headed up to Breakneck Campgrounds in Portersville for a few days of wilderness fun with some girls from college. We did well despite some of the girls husbands believing we couldn't handle ourselves. The first night we cooked chicken marinated in italian dressing, on the fire and baked potatoes with onions, sour cream and cheddar cheese. A simple green salad and garlic bread completed the dinner. Smores for dessert. I love cooking on an open fire. Something about being in the woods, crouching low, avoiding the smoke and hoping that the flame stays consistent as you cook your food, just love it. We did eggs, hashbrowns and bagels for breakfast. Biking, swimming and a picnic lunch at Moraine State Park. Even Stacy 6 months pregnant got on the bike and did 6 miles. She probably did better than the rest of us. Hot dogs, green salad, and potato salad for dinner. I will only eat hot dogs when I can roast them over the fire on a stick. They just taste better that way. And once again smores for dessert! We did a cold breakfast of pop tarts, grapes and bagels before packing up camp and heading to McConnell Mills for a hike. 

It was nice just to reconnect with women who were such a big part of my life for four years. We supported each other through everything. Even though we now live far apart and our lives seem to be headed in different directions I appreciate the fact that we each made it a priority to be there. I love these girls and am so thankful for them. 

Kayak

I went kayaking today! It was so fun. Kayak Pittsburgh lets you rent kayaks for $15 for the first hour. We had a great time. I am hoping to go again soon. We did lunch at Atria's at PNC Park... seriously horrible service and food. I don't know if restaurants on the North Shore think that because of their location they can disregard service and quality of food. Really though they shouldn't. 

I also called 911 today and maybe saved someone's life or stopped a crime or something. I thought my new neighborhood was safe but now who knows. My roommate is gone for a few days. I decided not to go to the the beach because just about everyone backed out. Damn marrieds. And I ordered my books for grad school! I am starting to get excited about starting classes and nervous about the work. I know it will be a challenge and I am a bit crazy, I just hope I am strong enough to handle it. 

blueberries

My parents have had just a few blueberry bushes for as long as I can remember. Some years the crop was good and other years not so good. Some years my dad would create this crazy net contraption to keep the bird and deer away. For this the whole family would need to help in the yard. With the net thrown over us like trapped animals, waiting for my dad to secure it in place.

My dad is famous for his blueberry pancakes, growing up the neighbor kids always wanted to sleep over on the weekend, just so that they could be here for breakfast. Even as a teenager this was still true. We still have pancakes on a weekend morning but now babylove is old enough to have them and this morning I tried my hardest to out eat the baby of 19 lbs. I was only successful because her mother cut her off and we were able to tie at 3. But if she had her way I wouldn't have stood a chance. 

Independence Day

I like my independence. When I think about how I live my life as a 26 years old single female. I know I have more freedom than many women around the world or throughout history. I am thankful. 

East Aurora always does their fireworks the night before. My aunt and uncle have the perfect spot and we always know right where to find them. A bunch of the cousins were in from out of town so we started last night and continued the party today. It was good. 

Our picnic was a collaborative affair however my aunt and uncle carried most of it, wonderfully. My uncle did ribs- slow cooked, they were fall off the bone melt in your mouth delicious. I think I need to try making them, I never have. We played badminton, silly relay races and watched fireworks from the front yard. It was one of the best Independence Day's in a long time.