Beanz Meanz Heinz

Meanwhile in the 'Burgh...

 ...a new lunch-venue was discovered :)

Hot Dogma

Yeah, it's the cheesiest name ever - but appropriate given that it is located in the basement of an Episcopal Cathedral - super!
The dogs weren't bad, but the atmosphere more than made up for any nutritional inadequacies (a severe lack on french fries... alas!).  It's fun - as best demonstrated by the Michael Angelo Hand of God with it's (not-so-)subtle hot-dog addition. 

Tasty indeed and evidently gaining some notoriety - the I ♥ PITTSBURGH reviewer was there today too...

Macaroni and... urmmmmm

CHEEEEEEEEEEEEZ

Yes, that's how cheese is spelt over here... or at least, when the cheese isn't quite cheese.

Tonight, I had my first* experience (I think it was my first, at any rate) of 'cheese product' in the form of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.

I took my first mouthful, and Sarah noticed my expression and asked,

Well, what do you think?

*chewing*

*swallowing*

It's sort of like.... Cheetos.

Why... yes!  It's a bowl of warm, squishy Cheetos!

*silence*

Umm... is there any more tomato soup?

*I think it was my first experience.  Given the omnipresence of 'cheese'  in American cuisine, one never knows....!

Ethiopian Food tastes good!

I've had rather an extravagant week of eating out... (hence the lack of posts - have been far too busy eating *licking lips*)

Monday was the plush Palamino's

Thursday was a good ol' American Grill

But the pick of the bunch was Wednesday evening's meal at Abay, a lovely lovely Ethiopian restaurant that, as my colleague Jeff put it:  "everyone knows about but no-one knows anyone who's actually eaten there".  Maybe we're slightly put off by the prospect of cuisine from a country so famous for famines?  Nevertheless, I'm now happily proclaiming it as my new favourite place to eat in Pittsburgh - mostly because I get to eat with my ~~~~~~~>

:")

Sweeeedish Meatballs

ahhh the beauty of IKEA - and the associated pit-falls...!

You just can't beat the gravy smothered quasi-Swedish meatballs... mmm...

and after the wonderful nourishment I felt in the perfect mood to spot everything I absolutely* needed for the apartment - clocks, lamps, covers, racks, chopsticks... it's all there :)  all along with my credit-card, which was none-too happy.  Oh well, at least on this visit I can justify purchases in the "things I'd eventually require for my place" category.

*'absolutely' in IKEA terms, that is. For them, a mesh-metal dish 2-inches square is 'essential'... mhmmm... gotta have those mesh-metal dishes.