Image via WikipediaTweet Up at the Matress Factory

• To kick off their newest exhibit which looks at the effects of all of this digital communication, the Mattress Factory is inviting all people who use facebook, twitter, blog and anything else that your friends call geeky to the Mattress Factory.
• Friday, November 14, 8-10pm – Sign up here and get into the event for free.

Pittburgh Brewfest

• hosted by Pittsburgh Rugby Club to raise money for PLEA, an organization that helps families with children who have developmental challenges
• November 14, 2008, 6-9pm at Saddle Ridge in Station Square

German Christmas Market

• Saturday and Sunday in Historic Harmony Village
• German food, song and dance, dulcimer playing
• Father Christmas will be stopping by to greet the kids

Thanksgiving 10 days Early

• Dozen Bake Shop in Lawrenceville is serving up Thanksgiving Dinner this Friday and Saturday
• $14 gets you turkey, all the fixings and desert.

Three Rivers Film Festival

• Runs through November 22nd – multiple films daily
• Sunday, November 16 – Check out the 1928 Film The Last Command which will be shown with live music from the Alloy Orchestra

Keep It Slick: Infiltrating Capitalism with The Yes Men

• Opens Nov. 14, 2008
• 5pm How to Be a Yes Man
• 6-8pm Business Casual Reception

Lawrenceville, PA has everything I love about Pittsburgh right in a row. Cupcakes at Dozen, pizza at Piccolo Forno, vintage gems at the several thrift shops and great art in a collection of galleries. I lunched at a new eatery today, Coca Café and can safely say it is one of my favorite restaurants in the city. Just a few doors down from Piccolo, Coca Café sits comfortably on the corner with a trendy red and blue paint job. The specials were written on the sign outside and my eye went directly to the pumpkin bisque, YUM! The eclectic chairs and tables made the shop just funky enough without trying too hard. I ordered the chicken and artichoke wrap, which was a great combination of warm and toasty yet light and fresh. Of course, I had to do a cappuccino and biscotti afterward. I couldn’t decide what kind to get, so I had our lovely server choose her favorite, which turned out to be vanilla apricot, YUM again! The music was just loud enough to get you groovin’ in your seat without inhibiting conversation. And something I love about local places; they accept local artwork that they display, which gives them an extra gold start in my book. Yet another Pittsburgh gem that dazzled me to the point of blogging, check them out online!

I work downtown and one of my favorite parts of the job is deciding where to have lunch every day! My co-workers and I started keeping tabs of all the great eateries in Pittsburgh last year and have hit up quite a few of them since then. I’ll admit, most of my favorites are places that offer pizza… because I am simply obsessed. Our latest lunch-time outing was to Piccolo Forno in Lawrenceville. We had been there a few times before but this time I was due for pizza. I love the atmosphere of Piccolo Forno, it is bright and airy throughout with brick walls, high ceilings and modern lighting. It isn’t very big, which I like… it gives you the feeling you are in a huge city and you are just thankful you get to be a tiny part of it! The staff is super friendly and you can watch them making your pizza in the fire oven right in front of you. It can be a place to go for a quite, relaxing lunch or somewhere to hang out with friends after work. You can even bring your own bottles of wine. How great is that? This trip, I ordered a pizza and I am not ashamed to admit I ate the WHOLE thing (don’t judge). I can’t wait until I get a craving for pizza again, or tiarmasu or panninis or a great salad (need I go on?) because I’ll be right back at Piccolo Forno enjoying every second of my meal. Stop by Butler Street and take a seat. Then be sure to let me know how you liked it… also, I’d like to know if I’m the only one who finishes an entire pizza BY MYSELF!

Here are some links/articles/blog posts that are worth a look:

• $5 Kayaking for College Students in October! – College students will be able to kayak for $5 with their student ID and Kayak Pittsburgh coupon (pictured right) on weekends throughout the entire month of October.

  This college student discount is offered as part of Pittsburgh Connections, a project sponsored by Venture Outdoors, Richard King Mellon Foundation and the American Eagle Foundation

• Good Night States at WYEP – FREE SHOW – Thursday October 16, 2008
• Sierra Club Allegheny Group » Dudley Edmondson Nature Photography Show – Oct 8 – This looks like a great event with a great lineup of panelists for a discussion of the challenges and benefits to the minority community of expanding participation in outdoor activities.
• Equita – Essentials for Ethical Living – Pittsburgh Shop – Congratulations to Equita – this award winning Pittsburgh shop is moving from the Ice House to a new retail location on Butler Street. Sustainable shopping just got easier. Equita also has a full online shop. Look for the new shop to open Oct. 1, 2008.

Click here to see more links we like.

Image via WikipediaIt is Cupcake Week at Dozen Cupcakes! Dozen Cupcakes is located in Sq. Hill and they also have a bakeshop in Lawrenceville where they serve lunch, brunch and other treats.

They have been celebrating the cupcake all week and on Friday they will host a cupcake eating competition at the Dozen Bake shop in Lawrenceville.

Friday, September 26: How many cupcakes can you eat? The cupcake eating contest, benefitting the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank will take place at 7 p.m. at Dozen Bake Shop with the winner receiving a dozen cupcakes a month for one year and a whole bunch of other prizes from other area businesses and the honor of being named Dozen’s Official Cupcake Contest winner. Want to be a contestant? Email to let us know why you should be a contestant!

Check it out: Dozen has one of the top cupcakes in the country by MSN city guides. Read more here.

Here are some links/articles/blog posts that are worth a look:

• Boyd & Blair Vodka Distillery | Dave and Dave’s Excellent Blog – Dave and Dave blog about their visit to a Pittsburgh vodka distillery.
• Pop City – Luke & Eloy Gallery joins Lawrenceville's Butler St. commercial district – New gallery opens in Lawrenceville!
• Dirt Rag Magazine Blog » Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew Seeks New Team – Thanks to Dirt Rag Magazine (based in Pittsburgh but covering biking all over the country and beyond) for posting a link to this amazing job opening! Do you think they want a blogger to come and write about the trip!
• Apartment reopens! – Normal store hours: Tuesday thru Saturday : 1:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m..

  It has been near one year since we've been closed our ZETO's Flagship store, "APARTMENT" on East Carson Street.
  Some of you may have noticed the resident artists Brian Holderman's work through Sprout funds project, Three river arts festival, and
  Down town partnership murals etc. and ZETO brand to be discovered in other cities. We've been extended our wings for national distribution
  channel, but we are finally calm and ready to re-connect our favorite clients in Pittsburgh!

  APARTMENT has many new HOT styles (designed by Nami Ogawa made in Pittsburgh) are lined up and offering for 30 – 60% discount price
  from retail price*. You can only find ZETO clothing at APARTMENT in Pittsburgh, and prices are exclusive.

Click here to see more links we like.