Barry Manilow

If you know me, you know this. If you don't know me here is Lesson #1. I am a Fanilow. It isn't a closet addiction - I'll tell anyone.

Most recently I attended Barry's show in Las Vegas during the PBS Special taping. 3rd row. I'm going back next month for my birthday, April 26. I have a 2nd row seat. This will be my 17th or 18th concert of his. A little trivia - the first concert I attended in Red Rocks, Colorado had a ticket price of $12.50. I have attened his concerts in Red Rocks, Denver, Portland, Puyallup, Seattle, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. A couple of years ago I hopped a plane and attended in Phoenix - life goal #32 fulfilled.

My hope upon hope - to meet Barry next month. I could scratch off life goal #101.

Thank you Barry for all the variety and memories.

Your #1 Fan!

Pittsburgh Churches

Pittsburgh is very diverse when it comes to religion. The choices I observed were Catholic or Catholic. Now for me, being a Catholic, this is very nice. Church talk at work is as prevalent there as LDS talk is here in Utah. There is one major difference that I discovered though.

The picture to the left is the church I attended for Mass on Sunday.

The church shown on the right is the one I visited for dinner. Some creative soul bought a used Catholic church and turned it into a brewery.

http://www.churchbrew.com/

My drink? Absolution Ale. Pat's? Pious Monk Dunkel. Yes, that is a brew house where the alter used to stand. Pews are part of the table seating. Cheers!

Dungeness Spit

This is one of my favorite hikes in Washington State. It is a five mile long sand bar with a lighthouse at the end. Sometimes is it a sandy walk, sometimes rocky. Sometimes you have to climb over downed trees. And the best times are the ones where you have to step out into the water so the deer can pass you.

The little seals follow you in the water along the shore and seem to play hide and seek as you make your way to the tip.

P.S. The destination is the l-o-n-g "finger" toward the middle of the page. The light house is behind the trees clear out there.

Moose

This was the first Moose I've ever seen. He was just a few yards away.

The photo opp was the conclusion to a perfect day in Craig's private world. A place he wandered while he was growing up. I treasured the glimpse into his special world and felt that not appreciating every single sensory opportunity of the day would be a terrible waste.

Mormon marble is quite facinating.

Atlanta

I'm having a hard time with this blog. Do I post pictures of the city or the flora and fauna? In looking, I have some fabulous memories of both. I guess it all depends on if I'm looking down or up eh?

Georgia has become one of my favorite states. I've seen more of it than Utah!

Lovin' my life. No question about it.

Key West

Key Lime Doggy.

Key West was so interesting. 90 miles from Cuba, walking the island with glasses of sangria, six-toed cats, chickens and roosters everywhere.

Jules "forced" me to go and I'm so glad. What a fun road trip (from Miami) and an unforgettable day in paradise.

Dallas

This was a bulding I visited in Downtown Dallas last year. I'll look up the name of it sometime when I'm home. It was a beautiful sunny day and looking "up" into the tower and seeing the corkscrew ceiling with the stained glass was breathtaking. 

Pittsburgh

Everyone always asks me where I am. This site will keep everyone informed - even when I don't.
Welcome to Pittsburgh.

I came out a day early so I could poke around and see what there is to see.

I do a few things in the cities that I visit: I explore on foot (I rarely rent a car). I find a local yoga or Jazzercise class. I look for the HardRock Cafe. And I seek out the local Catholic church.

I also look for the zipper pulls that are license plates or little city depictions with Nicholas' name on them. I'm collecting them for him until he's old enough to care. Then we'll have a geography lesson.

I'll backtrack and cover some trips in future blogs and you, gentle reader, can see what all I've seen in recent years.

I got a great tour of Downtown Pittsburgh today from the shuttle driver. He showed us where the three rivers converged, where the HardRock Cafe is :) and gave me instructions on how to there from my hotel. He had the local steelworker accent.

Pittsburgh has the most bridges in the U.S.A. and second only, internationally to Venice.

My co-workers said a "must see" place to eat was the Oyster House. I was told to order the fish sandwich. Out came a Whopper-sized bun with this huge piece of breaded fish lopping over the sides. (Imagine a fish with a bun around it). It was the BEST fix sandwich I've ever had.

Credit for the photo at the top goes to Pat. To the right: Internet

Winged Things

I love angels. I believe in angels. They take care of my friends, my family and me. Get to know your angels. You'll be glad you did. 

In Flight

I travel for my work. I love getting on airplanes. I love seeing new places. I love having the option to get away - even if it is work. I love exploring alone (thanks Dwight for teaching me this).

My flight is paid for.
My hotel is paid for.
My food is paid for.

What is better than that?

Grab your boarding pass and come aboard.