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Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Wine Room: Market Street Grocery

Snacks!
Having lived in Pennsylvania for the majority of my life, I am not accustomed to the luxury of enjoying a glass of wine when visiting the grocery store. Such an experience seems like an extravagance reserved for Parisians -- or, you know, people located basically anywhere else in the United States like say, New Jersey.

Eating an entire chicken by yourself has never been more classy or acceptable.
One of the really cool benefits of drinking in the Wine Room at Market Street Grocery is that you are allowed to go purchase and sample whatever you want from the grocery while you are downing the vino! In addition to all of the wonderful appetizers provided by Wine Room, we indulged in two rotisserie chickens and a number of tasty macaroons. There is honestly nothing better than paying grocery store prices for an entire chicken while you have some drinks with your friends.

So many meats.

The Wine Room at Market Street Grocery offers a variety of cheese and meat through a small menu available in the Wine Room. I believe we sampled some blue cheese, gouda, manchego and a soft sheep's milk cheese. All were fantastic and well priced for snacking. The prosciutto was the first to go, followed by our sobriety. The staff also graciously provided the entire bar with some soft pretzels close to closing time.

Don't whine, wine.

The wine at Market Street comes from Collefrisio Wines. The night we visited I had the opportunity to try a number of different montepulcianos. The wine menu itself is rather limited as all offerings are exclusively from Collefrisio. However, this is also works to the benefit of the casual wine drinker as bottles were very reasonably priced, with happy hour pricing many of the different bottles could be purchased in the $16-$25 dollar range. Although I do not pretend to be a wine connoisseur, I can say that I enjoyed the Collefrisio wine as I purchased several bottles.

Overall I highly recommend visiting Wine Room for the intimate atmosphere, the great staff and the wonderful opportunity to eat your groceries while you drink!

Saturday, November 14, 2015

The South Paw - Southside

Pizza for days.
I've been hanging around the building that houses the South Paw for at least the last decade. I remember attending an Unlimited Magician show there once when it was a hookah bar called "H-khan" and I spent many blissful evenings there when it came to be known as the Blind Pig.

I was disappointed to hear that the Blind Pig didn't make it, but the South Paw is a worthy successor. Drinks are reasonably priced ($2 draft beers) and the food was great.

I was very impressed by the "Guido Gati" large pizza ($14 pictured above.) It came absolutely piled with toppings and cheese. Hearty heaps of sausage,  peppers, garlic and chopped tomato. I particularly enjoyed that they used a cheese blend as opposed to just mozzarella. As a side not, garlic may be the most underrated pizza topping of all time perhaps only surpassed by bacon.

The Guido Gati is easily one of the better pies on East Carson which myself and food economists have dubbed a recovering pizza desert. ( Google defines a food desert as, "an urban area in which it is difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food." A pizza desert is a much more extreme first world problem that the media is afraid to discuss.)

I'M SO HAPPY TO EAT THESE WINGS

In addition to pizza, sandwiches and appetizers, the South Paw also specializes in smoked wings. Old Mendo was having a great time wolfing them down! I tried one myself and although I'm not really a smoked wing guy, I have to say they weren't bad. They even had a good 15 different flavors.

Overall a really great bar with some delicious food. Not much of a crowd though on a Thursday night, so be sure to bring some friends to help you finish the large food portions and listen to your sad stories about how you have been hanging around the same building on East Carson for the better part of a decade.


South Paw Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Friday, October 30, 2015

The Yard - Market Square


Mayor McCheese

I am very happy to say that only one week after I had a terrible patty-melt, I had a fantastic hamburger at The Yard in Market Square. The place is located in a rather peculiar building close to NOLA on the Square. It used to be this strange old Italian restaurant that never had any patrons, now it is a vibrant hangout for bankers and office jockeys with several large televisions.  Also, I must mention that it is very loud. They really need to do something about the acoustics of the space. This was either an extremely serious issue or I am aging rapidly.  

On Thursdays The Yard runs a, "burger and beer" special that is pretty special. You get a Mayor McCheese hamburger and a draft beer for $10. Considering the burger typically runs for $11, I approve of this special. In addition to daily food specials, they also offer a half off appetizer special during happy hour. Again, I approve! 

The Mayor McCheese sports two four ounce beef patties, American cheese, greens, tomato, onion and garlic aioli on a brioche bun. I assumed they were going for a McDonalds Big Mac vibe.While the burger was remarkably tasty, it was not entirely in the style of a Big Mac. Where are the pickles? Where is the sesame seed bun and how about that middle piece of bread and the nondescript pink sauce?

In all honesty the brioche bun was better than a McDonald's bun. It was very fresh and wonderfully toasted with a buttery exterior. The beef was also considerably better than the beef you would find on any Big Mac. For my tastes, it was cooked perfectly. Medium with lots of pink in the middle. Considering I was not asked how I wanted the burger cooked, I was extremely pleased by the result. This gave me some concerns regarding consistency. I will be sure to investigate on my next visit.

                                                                                         SAVE THE MAYOR                                                                                 (This sonofabitch spawned a million dollar lawsuit when H.R. Puffnstuff came after McDonald's for copyright infringement)

I only have two complaints regarding The Yard. IT WAS WAY TOO LOUD! Get it sorted guys. I'm only reiterating this because it was deafeningly loud. Also, I had to send my check back so that my burger and a beer special would be honored. They were very apologetic.

 Below I've included a video of some absolutely crazy woman making Big Mac's at home! She's nuts but enticingly sexy in a strange way. Maybe I get turned on by food? Yep, probably.




 The Yard Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Bill's Bar and Burger

Garbage Melt

I hate disappointment. I would say that it is easily one of my least favorite emotions, second only to jealousy. Boy was Bill's Bar and Burger a massive let down. New York Magazine gave Bill's a glowing review and rated them 7/10. My esteemed colleague, The Steel Trap, said, "One bite of the burgers, and it's clear why they're so decorated with awards and recognition; the praise is warranted."

In addition to all the critical praise, the very stylish renovations and the reasonable prices, Bill's is located in a primo spot at the Westin hotel downtown. When a restaurant does so well in New York that they make it to Pittsburgh, I believe that high expectations are entirely reasonable. *Begin Rant*

Although the one bartender was extremely nice, service was disgraceful. At times it took upwards of 10 minutes to get a drink at a bar that was not even close to being  full. The space is easily equipped to handle well over 200 patrons, but the staff was ill equipped to handle 30.

Drinks were mislaid, tabs were mishandled and bar guests were forced into the shackles of sobriety. At the end of the night I even had to remind them to place an entire round of drinks on my tab that they had seemingly forgot about. (I know, I'm a total moron.)

THAT WASN'T EVEN THE WORST PART. My patty-melt was a garbage-melt. The greasy, butter-laden bread created the sensation of eating a sandwich dipped in vaseline. The meat was extremely salty and over-cooked and worst of all  -  I bit into a giant onion skin that I had to pull out of my mouth.  I don't say this lightly. I would rather eat at Arby's.

As a side note, the charred broccoli wasn't bad.  *End Rant*

 Bill's Bar & Burger Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Friday, October 16, 2015

Blush Sports Bar

The Steak
It probably only happens two or three times a year. But occasionally I am absolutely shocked by the quality of food I receive from some bizarre eatery located on this planet. In 2012 I did my first review of Blush. At the time the only choices on the menu were french fries, chicken tenders and pizza. All cooked in a microwave.  While the girls at Blush never change, the menu has certainly improved.

Blush recently opened a "sports bar" on their third floor. There are quite a few perks compared to your typical gentleman's club atmosphere. It is nice a roomy, there is no cover, there are several televisions, there are a few dartboards and the food is quite good and reasonably priced. This was a very unexpected surprise from an establishment that offers dishes with adorable names like: the "home wrecker", the "tip rail" and the "lap dance."

I have to say I was absolutely thrilled with my hanger steak. It was perfectly cooked, very flavorful and it had a lovely texture. I particularly enjoyed the horseradish cream sauce and the healthy servings of wilted arugula and crisp potato wedges. It was quite a bargain as well at $18. What an age we live in where you can get a steak dinner cheaper than a lap dance!


Now, you will notice that I described Blush's new venue as a "sports bar."  That is because they barely even played the game audio for a prime time Steelers game and there are naked girls dancing in the corner on a small stage. I'm not really much for strip clubs. I don't like the pressure of girls trying to make me buy them drinks or pay for private dances. (Feminists claim that such venues exploit women. I believe they are exploitative of both sexes.) I'm down with some casual "sports bar" nudity, but I would prefer to hear the Steelers game. Sorry girls. 

Crab Cakes

All around, I had a great dining experience. I don't think I've been so pleasantly surprised by a meal in ages. Drinks were a little on the pricey side, but hey, like I said, there was lots of nudity and the steak was cheap.

Monday, September 28, 2015

Lucky's/Gaucho Parrilla - Strip District


They don't really make a "Sorry your dodgeball coach just got crushed by two tons of irony" Hallmark card.
I have been walking by Lucky's for several years wondering what goes on under the giant green shamrock.

Let me give you a quick rundown of what Lucky's was like during the early evening on a sunny Thursday. The bar was scarcely populated, the bartender was fantastic, the room was smokey but permeated with late summer sun and drinks were priced for consumption! (Well drinks and draft beers were both $1.75 from 5:30 to 7:30)

Now I've come to expect the occasional $2 well drink special in this wonderful city I call home, but that extra 12% savings is quite the selling point! For an establishment located within city limits of a moderately large city, I would estimate that this deal is in the 95th percentile of all time happy hour specials available nationwide.

While I loved Lucky's, I could not properly recommend dining there. This toaster oven pizza was quite a steal, but, after all, it was cooked in a toaster oven and sadder than a dying grandma on her birthday. Great news though! You can walk right down the street to one of Pittsburgh's best restaurants, Gaucho Parrilla.

The saddest pizza of the lands.
I've dined at Gaucho a number of times, but only recently did I have the opportunity to meet the charismatic owner, Anthony Falcon. In addition to being a total badass, Anthony is a real salt of the earth guy. When I ran into Anthony at the King of the Wing Festival he was talking about how disappointed he was that he had to wait in a huge line at Gaucho the night before. What a great guy he is to wait in line at his own restaurant! (The line can be pretty substantial, but it moves quickly.)

BURGER

Every meal I have had at Gaucho has been world class. I was extremely excited for the burger due to the high rating from Pitts-Burgers, but I feel that in the future I will opt for my favorite Gaucho dish. The meat platter! You can never go wrong with a meat platter featuring steak cooked over oak wood and a plethora of fantastic homemade sauces. Always go with the steak, eat bread at home.

The burger was just a bit too pedestrian for my tastes at a restaurant specializing in steak.

MEAT
Don't skimp on the chimichurri and never forget that Gaucho is BYOB.

Gaucho Parrilla Argentina Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Saturday, September 5, 2015

MUSIC TO MY BEERS!!!

Remember earlier this year when Stage AE and Coors Light teamed up to give away tickets to every show at Stage AE. It is happening again! Just enter to win at http://musictomybeerspgh.com/, let them know where you are partying and be sure to use #MusicToMyBeers. Winners will be announced September 25. Let me know if you win so I can demand that you take me to see String Cheese Incident! My #MusicToMyBeers pick is the Pretenders with Back on the Chain Gang.


Bettis Grill




The pierogie flatbread at Bettis is certainly something different. Who would think of using mashed potatoes as a pizza base? What clever bastards. They list this appetizer  as one of their signature dishes and I understand why.  If you aren't from Pittsburgh, pierogies are entirely a novelty. This is easy to overlook once you have lived in this city for several years. I would say that at least forty percent of bars in Pittsburgh have pierogies on the menu. We might have more places to get pierogies than some large cities in Poland. This is very shocking when you consider the word pierogie has no entry in most spell check dictionaries and indeed no standard spelling at all. See perogi, pierogy, perogy, pierógi, pyrohy, pirogi, pyrogie, or pyrogy.

 In my opinion the dish was more like eating a potato skin than a standard flatbread. However, I appreciate the novelty and I found the flatbread quite enjoyable with the addition of sour cream. If you stop by Bettis Grill, be sure to visit the men's room. There is a one way mirror that allows for a pleasant view of the dining room while you relieve yourself at the urinal. Bon a petit!



Click to add a blog post for Jerome Bettis' Grille 36 on Zomato

Friday, July 31, 2015

Arsenal Lanes

Grilled Cheez
In my heart, nothing screams Pittsburgh like bowling alley food.

Amidst all the articles and blogs claiming we are the new Mecca of haute cuisine, I'm honored to review a grilled cheese at a smelly bowling alley in Lawrenceville.

If you haven't been to Arsenal Lanes, it is certainly worth the visit. Bowling alleys are increasingly harder to find in urban areas, particularly older lanes that are well maintained. Arsenal Lanes has many strange rules you ought to know about.

You can only purchase pitchers of beer if you are a league bowler. Roughly half the lanes are reserved for league bowlers, so don't just expect to waltz in and go bowling because the staff will treat you like garbage.

Smoking is no longer allowed. (I know that this is becoming increasingly common but it just doesn't feel like a bowling alley without the thick wafts of smoke.) If you start bowling at a particular time that does not please the staff you will be rushed out to make way for hoards of hipsters who are most likely doing designer drugs before cosmic bowling.

 As for the bowling alley restaurant you have your choice of: hamburgers, pizza, chili, fried chicken, grilled cheese, appetizers and hot dogs. Although the food may not be featured in any magazine, the prices are a reminder of a simpler time when you were allowed to chain smoke Pall Malls in any bowling alley throughout these great United States. A hot dog will run you $2.95 and the grilled cheese is really priced to sell at $3.25.

My grilled cheese was absolutely drenched in butter and entirely delicious. The clever re-purposing of the hamburger bun stole the show. You could probably order every item on the Arsenal Bowling Lanes menu and spend less than dinner for two with drinks at a number of downtown eateries. Bon appetit! 


Arsenal Bowling Lanes
http://arsenalbowl.com/
Address: 212 44th St, Pittsburgh, PA 15201



Aresenal Bowlin Lanes Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Biergarten - Hotel Monaco


Prost
You pay for a nice view, but I have to say that the view at the Biergarten is fantastic. Although the space is very small, it provides an entirely unique view of downtown Pittsburgh. Because our city has so much open space around the edges, most roof top views provide you with the feeling that you are isolated. Biergarten is situated right in the heart of the city so the view actually creates the facade that you are in some type of booming metropolis rather than the 62nd largest city by population in the United States.

Now when I say you pay for it, I mean it. The cheapest beers at Biergarten will cost you around $7 or $8. And don't think you can get off easy ordering a Miller Lite, because there isn't much of a discount. Considering the ABV of many of the German beers, you are better off going with a Spaten Optimator or Paulner Hefewiezen in order to optimize your buck. Also, don't count on happy hour discounts as none exist.

Salad
This cucumber salad with onions and pickled eggs came with a delicious tangy vinegar dressing. It was the perfect dish to stimulate my desire for thick German beer. Also, it was appropriately priced at $5. If you want to sit down and eat at Biergarten, be sure to arrive early. We were the first ones on the roof when it opened and every seat was probably filled within 15 minutes. The cost to reserve a table is exorbitant. I believe they wanted roughly $1000 to reserve a table for 12. OUTRAGEOUS! I could probably buy a liquor license in Homstead for that price.


Sauerbraten

The large tables at Biergarten are shared, similar to what you see at any German beer hall. Some fat hog sat down next to me and ordered the sauerbraten and proceeded to send it back two times because the meat was too fatty. I'm guessing that she was not familiar with brisket. This sauerbraten dish consisted of vinegared beef brisket, mashed potatoes and sauerkraut. I thought it was fantastic. Although fatty (as brisket should be) the meat was extremely tender. The portion was awfully small for the $14 price point, but I've already explained that you will be paying dearly for the wonderful view. 


Currywurst

This is my friend Eric. Eric ordered the Currywurst and smoked mussels. I believe he had a pretty nice evening until he got stuck in one of the Hotel Monaco elevators on his way out of Biergarten and was stranded for almost an hour. (The elevator situation is not ideal.) I have scarcely seen him since and I'm pretty sure he blames me for his misfortune.

Overall, Biergarten is a must visit. Arrive early and enjoy a glass of wine at no charge in the Hotel Monaco lobby from 5-6. This will help defray your beer expenses later in the evening.


Click to add a blog post for The Commoner on Zomato

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Hough's - Sweetwater Brewing Night





Special thanks to guest correspondents, Simon and David! 

Sweetwater put on a great show on Wednesday at Hough's. There were over 40 people in attendance and they had some fantastic snacks including pulled pork tacos and some delicious seared ahi tuna. Phil from Sweetwater told us that they are planning on expanding this year to the Pittsburgh region from their home town of Hotlanta.



Sweetwater beers are unfiltered  so you can expect to see more draft offerings as opposed to bottles. The pilsner was the crowd favorite but we expect that the 420 ale with its hoppy flavors will have a great following as well. Look for their blueberry beer to launch soon!

I can't wait to see what Sweetwater has in store for us in the coming months.


Monday, May 25, 2015

Mitchell's Bar and Restaurant

Cheez
SO I have some great things to say about Mitchell's. First of all Matt Mitchell is the man. The restaurant has been in his family for four generations and he brings an exciting new energy to the space. Secondly, the specials are pretty great for a downtown bar. During happy hour on Thursday you can enjoy half off the appetizer menu, bar trivia and $3 craft bottles. Considering that some of the craft bottles were in the range of 9% ABV, we all got a little toasty. (Bell's Two Hearted, some nice Belgium's and a number of IPAs.)

Mitchell's menu has a number of  standard bar offerings. Nothing was flashy, but everything was well prepared. I really enjoyed my hand-breaded friend cheese. Also, Mitchell's placed free food all over the bar throughout the evening including soft pretzels, onion rings and fried zucchini. Overall Mitchell's is a top-rate bar for a cheap downtown happy hour. Although it is possibly not well suited for the cosmo-drinking Sex in the City crowd, it is certainly my type of joint.

Burger Model
Can Rashan has Cheezburger?


Mitchell's Restaurant, Bar and Banquet Center on Urbanspoon

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Howl at the Moon

WOLF WOLF

Howl! Not only is it a fantastic poem by some beatnik, but now it is also a piano bar downtown. Howl was kind enough to invite our entire group to check out their place for their soft opening in April. It was really a great space and we also loved the staff!



Expect to see some talented artists perform! My neighbor Annie was among the many vocalists and pianists featured throughout the night. Most of the music was modern rock with a few classics tossed in for good measure. I've heard that the place has been swamped the last few weekends, so you might consider a reservation.

Food Model Riesa
On the night of their opening Howl offered us a wide variaty of tasty treats such as chicken skewers, egg rolls, fried mac and cheese, crab stuffed mushrooms and all sorts of other standard party foods. It is not clear from their website if they regularly offer food or if this was a one-time special offering.



Here's a bucket of drinks! In addition to a full bar, Howl has all sorts of crazy cocktails that are perfect for girls in their early twenties or extravagant moms out for a night on the town. (I enjoyed trying the bucket drink, but I just can't drink the sugary stuff anymore because I have the gout.)




Howl at the Moon on Urbanspoon

Archie's

Wingz
Let me tell you something, Archie's has stepped up their wing game. The last time I tried wings at Archie's I was not entirely impressed. I thought the wings were pretty average.

However, upon my last visit I am thrilled to report that the wings were arguably some of the best in the Southside. Some of the flavors I enjoyed included spicy thai, spicy parmesan, cajun, hot and spicy ranch. All were fried to perfection and perfectly sauced!

Archie's real selling point is that you can enjoy 35 cent wings Monday through Thursday. (They jack up the cost on the weekends for all the tourists.) I believe this is what they call a lost leader. Boss man Archy gets you in the door with cheap wings and profits on your need for alcohol. Because, let's be honest, you can't eat chicken wings and not have a beer.


 Archies on Urbanspoon

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

MUSIC TO MY BEERS!

COORS
GUYS!

This is your final reminder to enter for the Music to my Beers Coors Light competition to win a season pass to every concert at Stage AE through October 1. All you have to do is Tweet, Instragram or post on Facebook using hashtag #MusicToMyBeers along with your favorite summer song. Mine is absolutely Me and Julio Down by the School Yard by Paul Simon. You can also enter at http://musictomybeerspgh.com/

Also, if you win, you have to take me to at least one concert.

HAPPY SUMMER


Thursday, April 16, 2015

William Penn Tavern


Wade is an amazing food model.
The William Penn Tavern is a staple of Shadyside debauchery.  Unlike many of the larger and more corporate Shadyside establishments, the William Penn is more of a neighborhood bar. The staff is friendly, helpful and often extremely busy. (Good luck getting a drink on a crowded night.)

The William Penn is known for their chicken wings. I have no problem calling them the best wings in Shadyside, as it is actually quite difficult to think of another serious contender in such an upscale anti-chicken-wing neighborhood.

The go to William Penn Tavern wing sauce is one of those everything sauce varieties they call, "kitchen sink." Kitchen sink sauce tastes of garlic, celery salt and onion powder. There are probably lots of other ingredients as well, but they were hard to discern. The sauce has just the right amount of kick and the wings are almost perfectly crispy every time.

Thursday happens to be taco night and these tacos were worth exactly what I paid for them. (Maybe a little bit more.) They reminded me of the tacos my mother made in the 1980's from the Ortega kit. Cold tortillas, salty meat, iceberg lettuce, mild cheddar and some limp tomatoes. Not great, but absolutely worth $1.25..

TACO NIGHT


William Penn Tavern on Urbanspoon

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Claddagh Irish Pub


Spinach Chicken Melt

I think Irish food and English food get a bad rap. I always had the impression that the food of the Isles was lousy. It is my belief that this American view is largely manufactured based on perceptions from WWII. The BBC America tends to support my point of view and states that, "Many observers say that British cuisine’s fall from grace had much to do with the residual effects of two world wars and strict rationing."

When I was in Ireland last year I was shocked by just how much I enjoyed many of my meals. Lots of hearty bread, well prepared seafood platters and wonderful curries.

Similarly, while I expected to be disappointed by Claddagh, I was somewhat impressed by the quality of the food. (I always expect to be disappointed by chain restaurants.)

Against my better judgement, I allowed the waitress to talk me into the spinach chicken melt over the monte cristo.  Grilled chicken breast layered between house spinach dip with cheddar, roasted red peppers and tomato. The chicken was very well prepared and the spinach dip and cheese provided that extra flavorful cheese kick that gets me out of bed in the morning.

My favorite part of the Claddagh dining experience was that they allow you to substitute your french fries for any side of your choice - including some fantastic roasted brussels sprouts with bacon! The sprouts were so good that I'd expect to pay about $7 for them at a nicer restaurant downtown. 

Dreams



The night we visited Claddagh was offering this fancy tasting menu which was paired with various shots of whiskey. I'm woefully sad that I could not partake.


Claddagh Irish Pub on Urbanspoon

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Cultural Trust: Arts & Drafts

Guest Post by: Melinda Urick -http://www.30somethingtherapy.com/
Special thanks to Melinda and Alex.






I’m a sucker for a weekday happy hour, especially when it takes place near my office downtown and I can still walk home during the last moments of daylight (thanks, Daylight Savings Time). This Monday, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust hosted the first happy hour of a new series called “Arts & Drafts.” These happy hour events are meant to connect people with up and coming artists, with proceeds benefiting the organization. The purpose of the event is to help people realize downtown Pittsburgh as a vibrant work-play destination. 

Arts & Drafts admission cost $25 per person, and I purchased tickets in advance online anticipating a sell-out (for this night, there were some tickets still available at the door; I don’t anticipate that happening again). Held at The Cabaret at Theater Square, the ticket price included light bites and two free drafts (or cocktails, for those of us non-beer drinkers) AND a one-year Partners membership to the Cultural Trust (which can get you discounts at future shows and other member benefits and invites to other cool parties (and I’m pretty sure I received some other “freebies” coupons in my membership packet).



The space was immediately energized from the lively electronic-meets-jazzy local group Beauty Slap – a trombone and trumpet quartet complemented by a lead guitarist and DJ-like production and mixing. Even more awesome: while the band played, live art was created on-stage in the background courtesy of Baron Batch – an impressive and colorful piece was later raffled off to a patron. 

Batch also spontaneously painted one of the musician’s jackets. These two elements together (and you know, the “drafts” part of the theme) made for a seriously fun happy hour. The Cabaret space is great for this type of event too, aside from having to get my drinks at the bar. Tables were set up around the perimeter of the space with a substantial place for dancing in the center – too bad the crowd didn’t use it much until the encore. Don’t get me wrong, I was definitely thinking about dancing. But you know, Mondays.

Appetizers were provided by Mad Mex and looked to be heavy on the salsas but there were a few other chafing dishes of food available; unfortunately, I was preoccupied with redeeming my drink tickets among the crowds gathering at the Backstage Bar and pretended not to see the growing buffet line behind me. Maybe a better placement for the food next time?

I look forward to checking out upcoming A&D events to see how well the Trust combines art and music (and, naturally, the drinking) for growing its membership base. 




Links to other #pghGBE posts below!