Monthly Archives: May 2019
Pittsburgh: Health, Wellness, Tech, and Food!
When we used to think about Pittsburgh, PA we would imagine a city that was a center for heavy industry, steel mills, but those days are long gone. These days the city is clean, green, focused on sustainability, filled with warm people, a vibrant food scene, artist community and of- course lots of professional sports teams.
Recently voted America’s “Most Livable City, Pittsburgh has many affordable housing options, premium healthcare facilities and top notch universities including Carnegie Mellon and University of Pittsburgh. As a matter of fact, the city is so tech savvy, second only to Silicone Valley, that is has been dubbed Silicone Valley of the East. On occasion, one can witness a self driving car whiz by, being tested as commissioned by Uber and Lyft, etc.
Health and Wellness is at the forefront of life in Pittsburgh. Planned green spaces designed for outdoor recreation and exercise are everywhere. Food choices are many and it seems that vegetarian and vegan restaurants are popping up in many of the 90 neighborhoods.
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is a 15 acre mecca of gardens, seasonal flower shows and exhibits. The focus and research is on sustainability and the effects of plant life on our environment. Exotic plants abound including orchids and bonsai trees. Summer camps and year round learning possibilities available for children.
The Fairmont Pittsburgh opened in 2010 and has led the way to offer luxurious and certified “Green” accommodations for business and leisure travelers. Located in the heart of downtown, the “LEED” certified gold level property serves delicious American fare at FL.2, cocktails & jazz at Andy’s wine bar, a spa and health club, plus lots of meeting space and weddings. The gorgeous grand ballroom can hold a wedding of up to 450 guests and the hotel staff can help orchestrate the perfect wedding of any size.
Where to EAT in Pittsburgh:
The Vandal, a trendy locally owned restaurant in the Lawrenceville neighborhood. Locally sourced, farm to table seasonal cuisine and is BYOB.
Gluten Free Goat, A neighborhood cafe in Garfield. Gluten Free fare, fresh bread, pastries, breakfast & lunch options plus new dinner menu.
Legume Bistro, Located in the Oakland neighborhood. Ingredient focused restaurant with the freshest seafood and meats sourced locally from Western, PA.
The Porch, Located on the University of Pittsburgh campus, lively atmosphere, seasonal menu, casual cafeteria style eatery.
Apteka, Contemporary restaurant known for its vegan Eastern European Fare. Favorite dishes include vegan pierogis and potato pancakes!
FL.2, On the second floor of the Fairmont Pittsburgh. Modern American cuisine with a huge breakfast menu. Elegant space, carefully created dishes using the finest ingredients.
Primanti Bros, Iconic Pittsburgh Sandwich shop, huge portions. A must try for any visitor to Pittsburgh.
Things To Do in Pittsburgh:
Ride The Duquesne Incline From Mount Washington ride the century old cable car opened in 1877. Visit the museum, check out the gift shop and the views are amazing.
Visit The Love Pittsburgh Shop : Located on Mount Washington the store showcases local makers, artists, and craftsmen. Walk out with unique one of kind gifts. Owned and run by women entrepreneurs.
Peace, Love and Zen Spa: Visit this popular spa in the East Liberty neighborhood offering a variety of services. Our favorite was the ultra relaxing and healing Himalayan Salt Cave.
Walk The Burgh Tours: Walk through Pittsburgh with knowledgable, friendly and experienced tour guides. See the sights and learn the history.
Other sites to visit: Market Square, Point State Park, The Andy Warhol Museum, Mattress Factory Museum, National Aviary, Heinz History Center
Mia Wagner Salon: Color and Style Experts in the heart of Midtown @MiaWagnerSalon
The Mia Wagner salon is located on an exclusive block at 15 west 55th street occupying the second floor of the Domenico Vacca retail store and club. Husband and Wife team Gary and Kelly Wagner, who hail from careers at Frederic Fekkai, are known for their expertise in color, balayage, and styling.
Colorist Joseph Velez did a single process on me as well as lighter hilites and balayage to freshen my look and get my hair ready for summer. He followed up with a deep conditioning treatment and a terrific blowout.
The salon is full service with hair, facial, waxing, and nail services as well as a traditional barber shop located on the other side of the salon.
Mia Wagner Salon 15 west 55th street New York, NY 10019 (212) 651-0312
Taste Of The Upper West Side 2019 @TasteUWS #TasteofTheUpperWestSide
The Taste of The Upper West Side is a 2 night affair starting with “Summer In The City” on Friday night. Several restaurants made their Taste of UWS debut with tastings from Fish on The Fly, Friedman’s Restaurant, Melba’s Restaurant, Big Gay Ice Cream, Miznon, Mokum, Mojo Desserts, Solomon & Kuff and Tacombi Upper West Side. Event favorites such as 5 Napkin Burger, Shake Shack, Bodrum, Gabriela’s Restaurant & Kitchen, Playa Betty’s, Olma Restaurant & Bar, Sarabeth’s and much more offered their popular dishes and guests were treated to signature cocktails, beers, wines, and desserts.
The main event is Saturday Night’s “Best of The West”. The event began with an hour long VIP hour for guests to sample the elevated cuisine in a quieter more exclusive environment. Some of the restaurants present were Elea, Tavern on The Green, Lincoln Center Kitchen, RedFarm, Calle Ocho, The Mermaid Inn, Shake Shack, Boulevard Seafood Company, Burke & Wills, Carmine’s, Magnolia Bakery, Orwashers Bakery, and Insomnia Cookies. There was a dedicated mixology section sponsored by Park West Village Apartments, where one of a kind craft cocktails were created by 67 Orange Street, Da Capo, Manhattan Cricket Club, Maison Pickle, Nobody Told Me Cocktail Club, Tiki Chick, and Tito’s Vodka.
Project Orange Music provided the musical entertainment and had guests dancing to their tunes, much needed to burn off all that yummy
Shun Lee West: Authentic High End Chinese Fare on the Upper West Side @ShunLeeNYC #ShunLeeNYC
Shun Lee West is the sister restaurant to the original and very popular Shun Lee Palace on the upper east side. Across the street from Lincoln Center the pre-theatre crowd can get their food and drink on with authentic chinese cuisine in an elegant setting.
We dined on some classic favorites and specialties including their famous general Tso’s chicken, Crispy Whole Sea Bass, Grand Marnier Prawns, Fried Rice and Bok Choy. We paired our meal with a classic Mai- Tai, made with premium rums.
Shun Lee West is very family friendly and a go to for a special dining experience on the upper west side. The eatery is pricey but the portions are large and can be shared.
Shun Lee West 43 west 65th street New York, NY 10023 (212) 595-8895
Bay Gardens Beach Resort and Waters Edge Villas Gros Islet, St. Lucia #BayGardensBeachResort @baygardensbeachresort
Located on Réduit Beach, an expansive white sand beach that is adjacent to Splash Island Water Park, which is complimentary for hotel guests, Bay Gardens Beach Resort is a kid friendly resort that caters to families with spacious guest rooms, a lagoon shaped pool and a kids club. The resort is close to Rodney Bay, which offers a multitude of dining and entertainment options.
The guest rooms and suites are spacious with modern French caribbean decor, resort, pool or ocean views and offer free wifi, mini fridges and tv’s with dvd players.
The resort offers an all-inclusive package for those who want to be cash and hassle free or a European plan for those who want to explore the area and experience the local dining scene. The Hi-Tide Restaurant and Seagrapes Beach Bar offer local and regional delicacies as well as cocktails, a wine list and local beers.
Daily activities include non-motorized water sports, access to the waterpark, motorized waterspouts for a fee and the La Mer spa which offers massages, facials, and much much more.
For the ultimate luxury experience on Rodney Bay Marina, the newest addition to the Bay Garden’s Resort’s portfolio are the Waters Edge Villas these 2 ultra chic four thousand square foot villas feature 4 bedrooms each, living rooms on each floor, private pools overlooking rodney bay marina, Alexa Villa concierge service, exchange privileges between all four Bay Gardens properties, complimentary water park access, unlimited non-motorized water sports, shuttle service, and free wifi.
The villas can be booked for private events and weddings for a truly special experience in beautiful St. Lucia.
Getting to St. Lucia has never been easier with daily service from JFK to Hewanorra International Airport, about an hour and 20 minute drive to the resort. JetBlue has been a long time favorite ours for travel everywhere, especially in the Caribbean because of their convenient schedules, free entertainment, snacks, and wifi when in the coverage area.
FashionsWeek: Beauty, Fashion, Travel, Tech & Dining By Maya Litovsky 