Light Up Night!!!

I've had a really authentic Pittsburgh week it seems! Last night Marissa, Christine, Gabe and I went down to the Strip to meet Joan for Light Up Night. What is Light Up Night, you ask? It's the kickoff to the holiday season in Pittsburgh. There are all kinds of holiday events downtown and in Station Square. The 65 ft tree in PPG place is lit up, the ice rink opens, there are carriage rides, face painting, booths set up all over Market Square, a gingerbread house contest, carolers, other performances, etc. Of course it had to be snowing and like 15 degrees...but who needs finger tips, right?

We kicked off the evening by meeting Joan in station square at some sports bar (which, btw, I hated) and Gabe happened upon Kris who then tagged along with us for the festivities.

My bitches at the bar:

Then we took the painfully cold walk down Penn Ave to Market Square...brrrrr!!! We got to check out the gingerbread houses, the big tree, and most of the festivities.

Unfortunately the line for the carriage rides was REALLY long and apparently it only took you around the block so we decided to nix that idea. However, we are going to make our own gingerbread house after tday when we are all back in town and it will far surpass the other houses in awesome-ness. For sure! Ya know what I was thinkinging...there should be a gingerbread beer. Im sure somewhere there's one. They have pumpkin beer...and its pretty tasty. Why not gingerbread? I think my brother should get on that, no?

Well I've gotta go work on some lunch before work...recipe to follow perhaps.

Here's a gratuitous snow picture for my mama: