playing tourist in my own city: hotel monaco

There are few things I love more than exploring old and new places in the city that I call home, Pittsburgh, Pa. I like to think of it as playing tourist in my own city. A few weeks ago, some co-workers and I headed downtown for a networking event at the newly-opened Hotel Monaco. I was in awe of the super-chic, colorful and quirky decor, as proven by my three Instagram posts that night. [Isn't there an unsaid rule against that or something?] This is not your cookie-cutter, run-of-the-mill hotel; it had a very uniquely grand feel.

The colorful floral chandelier was so perfectly perched above the hotel lobby. Is this fixture to die for or what? I pretty much need one for my apartment, even though something tells me it wouldn't quite fit. Also, take a peek at the tufted yellow couch in the background. Swoon.

I had to take a photo of this book, because obviously. As you can tell, no detail was overlooked in the lounge areas. Beautiful artwork on the walls, gorgeous patterned rugs, and coffee table styling. This was a form of heaven for me.

We decided to ride the elevator to the top floor, in search of the penthouse suite. The geometric carpet mixed with floral wallpaper in the hotel halls were perfect. The added pop of color on the doors had me sold! Even the bathrooms were gorgeous, and I don't think I've ever called a bathroom pretty before.

Much to our surprise, we actually did get a peek at the penthouse suite [we think]. Because this was the week of the hotel's soft opening, some items weren't fully complete yet - like the knobs on the double doors of a room at the end of the hallway. Naturally we looked through the hole and snuck a few pictures, and I dreamed of one day staying there.

There were countless other areas that I wanted to photograph, but I didn't want to look like too much of an overly-excited tourist. If you decide to go, I promise you won't be disappointed. Needless to say, I will be paying Hotel Monaco another visit in the near future. I am dying to go to brunch or happy hour at the hotel's restaurant, The Commoner, so be sure to keep a look out for that post in the future!

Do any of my Pittsburgh readers have favorite places they've visited recently? Please let me know in the comments below!

xoxo,
G

yes way rosé

Weekends are the perfect time to try something new with old friends. I knew I was going to meet a few friends for drinks on Friday night with no real destination in mind. After a recommendation from my best friend, I suggested Casbah, simply because I heard they have wine flights.

Casbah is a Mediterranean restaurant and wine bar located on S. Highland Ave, right in between Shadyside and East Liberty in Pittsburgh. A couple friends and I sat in the downstairs dining room, complete with a view of the wine cellar. We decided to only order a few flights of wine and one appetizer after realizing that the menu was prettyyy pricey. My friend and I split the bruschetta - a lovely combination of butternut squash ricotta, pomegranate, currents, and hazelnuts on grilled sourdough. It certainly wasn't your typical bruschetta but I thought the flavor combination was delicious. [Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of it!]

Okay, now on to the important part - the wine.

After feeling slightly disappointed that they were out of the "Bouquet of Rosé" flight [as advertised on their website], I chose to order the "Sparkler" flight - a medley of brut champagne, rosé and prosecco [$12]. This combo did not disappoint and also made me feel super fancy [insert girl-with-hand-out emoji here]. I liked the rosé so much that I decided to order the full glass once we were done with our flights.

If you're going out for a special occasion, or you're just in the mood to feel fancy, I would recommend going to Casbah to try a wine flight or two. I think next time I'll try lunch... That menu's prices seem a bit more reasonable.

Oh, did I mention that Yes Way Rosé liked my Insta from Friday night?! Day. Made.

Cheers,
G