Pittsburgh With A Yinzer and A Jersey Girl

The Pittsburgh airport does it right! They have a bar/restaurant available outside of security - so we started the weekend strong with a morning snack and a catch up as we waiting for Meghan's workday to end and Kristen and my flights to arrive. I'm surprised that more airports haven't done this, considering you haven't been able to meet someone at their gate for the last 22 years.

We drove to Meghan's incredible family farm in the highest of high fall color season. We had a lovely, home cooked lunch and got a small glimpse into the world of dairy farming.  It could have been a more perfect fall day. 

After lunch, we went back to Meghan's house and spent the evening catching up with friends at their kids. 

On Friday we moved into our Air BnB on the North Shore and got ready for our fancy night out. In swanky Mount Washington. To get there we took the Duquesne Incline, this crazy looking train-meets-ski lift transport which was opened way back in 1877. The view on the way up - and again at the top - are well worth the $5.00 round trip fare. Just be sure you bring cash. At the top we had dinner at LaMont, another place with a killer view of the 'Burgh.

Pittsburgh! Beautiful!

The next day we took on Pittsburgh by foot and logged over five miles around the city. We started with coffee at Commonplace in the Mexican War Streets district, and wandered through stadium parking lots and parks and riverfront. 

The strangest and most colorful place, RandyLand, is both born from dreams and the thing of nightmares.  
RandyLand is an abandoned lot turned art installation. There are potted gardens and painted bricks. The majority of the lot is painted and repurposed trash that tells a story and causes more than one double-take.

It's certainly nicer than an abandoned building lot!

We finished touristing in the most touristy way possible, on the Gateway Clipper boat tour! With a bar and a view and a place to have uninterrupted conversation, this was a clear win to finish off our trip. Thank you Meg for touring your friends around your hometown, we'll be back!

Alex is NINE

Alex continues to be the most original, thoughtful and sensitive guy around. The way he sees the world, and the even more unique way that he expresses what he sees brings us joy everyday. 

Alex is a skilled and constant reader, goofy and sensitive and prides himself on constantly being cold. He loves hanging out with friends, playing baseball and video games. 

This has been a year of growth for him, not just in height, but in independence. He is now allowed to play at the neighborhood "fort" with other kids, no adults. He can ride his bike to friend's houses, though he hasn't mastered the art of coming home at the agreed upon time. He still sleeps more deeply than anyone else in our family, I can only think of one time that he woke up on his own for school. Even though he has an alarm. This is probably because he is constantly in motion. Hopping around on the couch, tracing invisible patterns on the kitchen floor tiles or dancing on second base while he waits for a chance to run. 

 

He loves music and chess, he joined choir and started piano lessons. He had a blast at the Imagine Dragons concert over the summer, singing along loud and proud. 

We still get to see moments of little-boyhood from him, but his patience, maturity and emotional awareness are more aligned with those of a *big boy*. We love this goofball and it's hard to believe he is nine!