b l o g o r e l l i

36 Hours in Heaven

Ok, let's just pretend that my allusion to adolescence worked there in the title and get to the big news: The New York Times featured Pittsburgh in this past Sunday's "36 Hours" column!

Though a bit Strip District-centric, the article covered most of the essentials, including the Warhol Museum, Duquesne Incline, Oakland's universities and museums, and PNC Park. One definite oversight -- eating the classic Pittsburgh sandwich at Primanti Brothers. I am, however, interested to check out 16:62 Design Zone when I return home in August for my cousin Kris' wedding to the lovely Melinda (on their farm in a classic airplane hangar they're redoing for the reception, which is so cool.)

I think this part of the NYT article says what I've been preaching all along:
"Pittsburgh has undergone a striking renaissance from a down-and-out smokestack to a gleaming cultural oasis. But old stereotypes die hard, and Pittsburgh probably doesn’t make many people’s short list for a cosmopolitan getaway. Too bad, because this city of 89 distinct neighborhoods is a cool and — dare I say, hip—city."

WOO-HOO -- go PA!

(photo from Flickr, by NearDC...see more of his Pittsburgh shots here. Thx to JennJ for the heads up in the Comments, although I amazingly and coincidentally did see the actual printed article.)

Real Women Wear Orange, Natch, Deodorant

We have returned from our weekend away in NY, and are sitting in our non-air conditioned apartment watching the Celtics game. The past fews days were truly fun and a special way to kick off 2008's wedding season.

Upon our arrival at the Renaissance Marriott downtown, I was psyched to find out that the hotel was not only circular (there was a circular hotel in Cinti that I always wanted to stay in), but that our room had a giant flat screen television mounted on the wall and the famous Marriott Supreme Plus bed that I've read about, with "713 of the world's best coils for a premium sleep experience." Although I'm usually anti-extreme air conditioning, I gladly let The Prof crank the temp down to 65, since the weather outside was a muggy 90+ with mucho humidity.

After a short rest, we headed to Dinosaur BBQ, a juke joint and biker bar whose reputation in Syracuse is akin to Skyline's buzz in the 'Nati. I guess that I (or the Taste of Syracuse, happening a block away) was a good luck charm, because we got seated immediately and commenced eating the most delish BBQ I've had in years. To ward off food coma, we walked around "The Taste" and had some local beers.

  

Saturday morning meant a little fitness walk/run around Green Lakes State Park. To be fair, The Prof and friend Steve ran while wifey Jenna and I walked and discussed real estate. Luckily for the blogosphere, I didn't have a camera, as the temps reached toward to 90s (with, yep, high humidity) and I only brought pants = unusually SWEATY Blogorelli. After dropping Steve+Jenna off at the hotel, we headed back to a great area full of old signage so that I could take photos. The Little Italy area of Syracuse (specifically North Salinas Street) is experiencing a revitalization. I'd live there in a quick minute, specifically in this building (which I, predictably, formed an immediate crush on AND it's for sale!):

Click here to see my complete set of photographs from the Lil' Italy walk.

After taking the photos, we headed back to the hotel to freshen up for the wedding, which will be part 2 of this Syracuse series. I should explain the post's title, though: in the 90 degree heat and rush to get to the ceremony site, I forgot to wear deodorant. OOOF! Luckily, we took it easy during the dance party and also sat at a table with a nice cross-breeze.

We did bring home some local "souvenirs" from Wegmans, however...

Land of the Rising Sun

Did someone forget to tell me that 2008 is the "year of travel to Japan"?  First Jeffé + Ms. Clairvoyant, now The Dairy Queen/Skydiving in Stilettos. Here's wishing her safe travels and fun times on her vacation -- she leaves tomorrow! Hopefully, she'll ride the subway at a non-rush hour...

Freeze Frame: Asheville

Hearing about some of the trips others are taking these days (Jeffé's Harajuku Adventure in Tokyo and Jerri+Mark's Babymoon to Puerta Vallerta) motivated me to finally sort through the hundreds of digital photographs that I took in Asheville.

If you'd like to see what I saw (ok, months ago, but still)...then click below on the post continuation!

Places to Go-Go + 2007 Travel In Review

The New York Times released their 53 Places To Go in 2008. I really enjoy perusing these lists because the choices are somehow hopelessly lofty and weirdly inspriring all at once. I doubt I'll make it to Laos (#1) this year...but if the NYT thinks I could go there, then maybe I will...riiight?

I definitely don't plan, or even want, to visit Libya (#10) in 2008, but I am determined to get to "old reliable" New York City (#53) sometime in the next 11 months, especially since Muji's Soho store is now open.

A few other spotlights from the list:

#12 PUERTO VALLARTA
"Maybe it is the lasting memory of the gay icon Elizabeth Taylor's scandalous affair with Richard Burton during his filming of "Night of the Iguana" in the early 60's, but Puerto Vallarta is becoming gayer by the year and is now poised to overtake Acapulco as Mexico's leading gay beach."
(BLOGORELLI: I dunno, does anyone else thing this place just sounds...fun?)

#14 Prague
(BG: Hey, Prague is the new Prague! Tee hee. Ok, I lifted that from the article.)

#26 Oslo
(BG: Been on my "want to go-go" list for the past, um, 3 years now.)

#27 Buenos Aires
(BG: Made my 2007 list AND P. Natty and Lil' Kim already beat me there!)

#34 Lombok
"A low-key Indonesian island east of Bali, is coming out of the shadows."

40. DETROIT
(BG: Cho, when are we going on our "ladeez getaway" to the Motor City?!?)

52. TOKAJ, HUNGARY
"Backpacking wine tours? The Hungarian wine region of Tokaj is regaining its reputation for quality whites, especially wheat-colored dessert wines made from furmint grapes."

The NYT's 53 Places is also an excellent prompt to follow Kottke's lead and type out "My List of Cities 2007".

Here A, There A, Everywhere A Blogorelli
(My List of Cities 2007)

1. Providence, RI
2. Pittsburgh, PA
3. Ludlow, VT
4. Lake George, NY
5. Cincinnati, OH
6. South Yarmouth, MA
7. Provincetown, MA
8. Meredith, NH
9. Newport, RI
10. Asheville, NC

My year of travel was fairly localized. What about y'all, Inter-net?

(above, one of my favorite views of 2007...from Chimney Rock, NC)

ONE Day To Asheville!

Call it Murphy's Law (which now seems odd to say, considering that I'm cohabitating with someone whose last name IS Murphy)...things get extremely hectic this week at work, frosty temps in The Bean  force us to use our precious-as-gold heating oil supply, and I catch a head cold right in time for my "solo 30" adventure. Waaah! Luckily, Asheville's temps look to be in the 60s for most of next week and I am getting so excited for my trip!

In a move completely unlike myself, I have yet to plan one thing that I'll do or explore in the greater Asheville area. I did, however, confirm my hotel hostel and rental car reservations because, come on, I haven't turned into an alien version of myself. A quick look at ExploreAsheville.com offers relief by letting me know that I can still catch some beautiful fall foilage in the mountains or, perhaps even more tempting, get into the Christmas spirit early with Christmas at The Biltmore, by checking out the National Gingerbread House Display, or avoiding holiday season shopping rage by grabbing up a bunch of gifts during the River Arts District Studio Stroll. I'm also pretty euphoric in finding out from my limited research that there are at least *6* quality thrift stores to check out in Asheville. GoogleMap me to the nearest post office because Mama's mailing home boxes of goodies!

In all honesty, I'm mostly looking forward to just relaxing and reflecting. This past year has been a complete roller coaster. I could use a little quiet time operating on my own clock. And even though I've threatened not to return to The Bean (as I have many, many times before,) now I have to -- The Prof bought us Saturday matinee tickets to see Moscow Cats Theatre!

More tomorrow...

 

Fall In Heart With Warsaw

According to CNN, Warsaw is so hot right now. The Eastern European city, mostly destroyed during WWII and meticulously rebuilt according to its original plans, is gearing up to be the IT girl of "undiscovered" European travel destinations for 2007.

From the CNN article:
"To get a feel for the city that was known as the Paris of Eastern Europe before World War II, stroll down Nowy Świat Street, lined with restaurants, cafes, bookstores and small shops. It's part of what's known as Warsaw's Królewski Trakt, or Royal Route. On a recent visit, the music of Frederic Chopin wafted down from an open window of one of the elegant apartments occupying the upper floors.

The street is also home to a sweet Warsaw tradition. Blikle, one of the city's best-known confectioners, has been serving up cakes and pastries since 1869.

It's probably most famous for perfecting the Polish version of the donut: Fist-sized balls of sweet, fragrant yeast dough fried until they're golden-brown and covered with icing. But it's what's inside that gives them their unique taste: A filling of preserves made from pureed rose petals and sugar. They're best when they're still warm, when it's especially hard to eat just one."

Boy, do I ever love a fresh doughnut right before a busy day of sightseeing! I actually considered Warsaw for my solo *30* trip, but decided that I might like Budapest better, what with the baths and all. However, from everything I've read independently and on Warsaw's official web site, I could totally spend some time in Warsaw. The city seems fairly easy to traverse, with lots of sights, shops, and little nooks to discover. Perhaps I've found a contender for the 2008 GO-GO travel list?

Any Way I Like It

Well, Inter-net, I've decided on the location of my decadent *30* solo trip:

Asheville, North Carolina! Also known as the "Paris of the South," "Santa Fe of the East," "New Age Mecca," and "Land of the Sky," America’s "Happiest City" (Self Magazine,) and one of the "Best Places to Reinvent Your Life" (AARP.)

Naturally, I managed to fret over where to go (as I watched the US dollar divebomb) just long enough to realize the whole point of a birthday retreat (or any vacation, for that matter) is to relax. So I took a deep breath, tucked Budapest into the back of my mind, decided Barcelona might just be a richer trip with some company along for the ride, and booked my ticket on Friday afternoon.

I've wanted to check out Asheville for some time, plus I have a rental car with unlimited mileage AND a reservation for a single, solo room in a hostel named after two deceased goldfish to save money. Did I mention the hostel has a hot tub?

Italia: Inestimabile!

Tara + Hal The Norwegian are currently wrapping up their glorious year of life abroad with a visit to Norway, but I thought I would share a few of my favorite photos that they sent in the past months. Now, say the country shaped like a boot did an "Italian Fabulous" version of those Mastercard:Priceless commercials, well, I think there are some strong contenders below...

Italia: Inestimabile!

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Italia: Inestimabile!

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I think anyone can see where I headed with this one. And one more thing: put those fruity Euro-cocktails down and COME HOME SOON, you two -- the local flavor here misses ya!

Study in Contrast

And I thought my Easter was pretty great, but as Tara's photo of the Duomo plaza on Sunday morning shows -- Italians trumped us American Catholics once again...by setting things ON FIRE: