1st Down

Goki and I visited Pittsburgh last weekend. Met up with Viks and Aruna.

When I studied at Ohio State, Goks and I would drop in on Viks a few weekends every football season. We used to have ourselves virtual tailgate parties in front of the television, complete with frozen pizza and beer. (Hey, living with guys makes u crazy...there was a time I actually enjoyed watching 300 pound men try to kill each other every monday nite).

No trip to Steeler City was complete till we paid our respects at the Venkateswara temple. Typically, we would bypass 'darshan' and head straight for the kitchen to pick up dozens of boxes of puliyanshadam and curd rice to cart back to Columbus.

This weekend however, things were a lil different, no doubt, due to the addition of a lady to the party. (not me, I promise)

We went hiking at the McConnells Mill state park, visited the Viva Vetro! glass exhibition at the Carnegie museum of art, spent a few hours with 'Pulitzer Prize' winning photographs at the Heinz History center and watched 'Babel' without subtitles. I also managed to read 'The Emerging Mind' in snatches and watch lots of Russell Peters (incredible Indian-Canadian stand up comic) on U Tube.

The highlight of this trip had to be a visit to the Church Brew Works, housed in an old church (how did the conservatives let this happen?!!) converted into a restaurant/microbrewery which goes by the tag line- "On the 8th day, man created BEER". The church is magnificent, with tall ceilings, carved doors, winged angels, stained glass windows, even a pipe organ and an altar. No Jesus though...just stainless steel tanks containing fermented specialty beers. A spiritual experience nevertheless.

Unfortunately, the sample beer selection proved beyond my capabilities but I did meet the dish of my dreams.......a luscious strawberry Crème brulée....heavenly!!!

All in all....amaazzzin weekend. Happy, Happy :)