Posted on 4 September 2007

To my dad’s house

The plan was to have dinner with my dad, so I figured I would ride my bike, leaving while the boys were still napping. I took the indirect route, along Freeport Road, across the river to New Kensington, then up and over Logan’s Ferry to Murraysville.

I’m really not a fan of Freeport Road. I can tolerate it, certainly, and it is the gateway to many, many good rides, but gosh, why would you want to just ride Freeport. The scenery changes rather abruptly once you cross the river and leave New Kensington proper. Oscar Swan gives the Logan’s Ferry climb three stars, and it certainly deserves it. Long (for these parts), with a few switchbacks for good measure. No part of it is really steep, but the grade is constant, and its length catches up with you. Though the road to the summit is relatively narrow, I was passed by only a single motorcycle. Once over the summit, and the road switches to typically Pittsburgh ridge rollers–up and down, up and down, with no single stretch longer than a half of a mile. The road winds through farmland and into the suburbia of Murraysville.

I rode the Bianchi, and some part of the drivetrain is not happy. Any pressure on the pedals results in click-click-click. Humm. I thought it might be the wobbly carbon cranks, but the likely culprit is either the rear mech or the cassette (which, coincidently, doesn’t click when I coast. This is marginally scary.). A new rear wheel will likely be on the horizon. I am tempted to find an old Shimano Ultegra hub and build it myself, but the added trickery of dishing a wheel built around a cassette hub will drive me to buy something pre-built.

Posted on 1 September 2007

Jen has posted her thoughts on the trip.

Posted on 17 August 2007

This will be a somewhat brief review of all food and drink consumed in New Amsterdam during our weekend there. I suppose we’ll start at the beginning….

Saturday Lunch: EJ’s Luncheonette (on Amsterdam, I think). More than adequate diner food. We wandered around for about an hour trying to pick a place. Brunch is apparently a Big Deal in the Upper West Side, so it was hard to find a place where we could get a sandwich. I had a tuna melt (after being asked if I wanted the bread toasted, which still boggles the mind a bit–how do you, umm, make a hot sandwich without toasting the bread?), Jen had a caprese-esque sandwich with fresh mozarella, basil and tomato. We split a tasty plate of sweet potato fries. The coffee was mostly disappointing though. Very affordable, though (sandwiches hovered around $7 each), and the wait staff was quite nice (albeit slightly hung over).

Saturday Dinner: Bettola, on Amsterdam. Our first choice was Gennaro, further up Amsterdam, but after walking around a bit too much after lunch, the 13 block hike up Amsterdam wasn’t very appealing. We managed to get a table right next to the windows, though we would have liked to sit on the sidewalk. I had read some favorable reviews of Bettola online before we left, and one thing everyone noted was how dark it was. Indeed it was. Hard to read the menu, but hardly a deal breaker. We split some sort of asparagus appetizer. Jen had roasted chicken stuffed with spinach and cheese, and I had salmon. Both were very tasty, and again, very affordable. We had a bottle of San Giovese wine, and split crepes with Nutella and bananas for dessert. The wait staff was very reasonable, and despite the crowd, we were in no way rushed (in fact, we had to ask for our check).

Sunday Breakfast: Nice Matin (connected with the Lucerne). Probably the most expensive eatery of the trip, but we had discounts thanks to staying at the Lucerne. I had their house-made granola with yogurt, and Jen had some sort of crazy French Toast. Both were tasty, and the coffee was quite good. Service was quite fast, and then the usual pokiness in getting our check.

Sunday Lunch: Planet Sushi, on Amsterdam. We were too lazy to walk to Vincent’s Pizza after the Guggenheim, so we ate here, relaxing in the shade on the sidewalk. I had a roll entree (tuna, California, salmon), and Jen had a spicy tuna roll and a few pieces of salmon and yellowtail sashimi. Inexpensive, and tasty. Friendly service, too.

Sunday Dinner: Bocca Lupo, Henry Street in Brooklyn. We went an old friend of mine and his wife. This is a relatively new tapas bar. Very cozy, with friendly, helpful service. The size of the portions was perfect, and we shared, oh, six or seven dishes, every one of which was very good. This place was immensely affordable, too. The tally on the bill was shocking, really.

Monday Breakfast: Nice Matin, again. Jen had a bagel, and I had an omelette with goat cheese. Again, good, though, oddly, when we actually had to be timely, the service was really slow.

A few general notes on the eateries. Nearly everyone did what they could to cater to families. Bocca Lupa went so far as to have a kids’ menu. Nearly every little Italian place in the Upper West Side had parents with kids in them. This was somewhat shocking–I can’t imagine a place like Enrico’s (in Shadyside), or any of the little eateries in Squirell Hill, or Cafe Du Jour tolerating families (I suppose an exception to this would be Pino’s cafe in Point Breeze). And, as noted above, we were pleasantly surprised by how reasonable the prices were.

Posted on 16 August 2007

A rather pitiful selection of photos from our NYC trip is available here.

Posted on 15 August 2007

Pictures and details will be forthcoming, but here’s the quick rundown of our 48 hours in the Big City. Saturday, after getting picked up at the airport by a driver (swanky!), we arrived at our hotel, the Lucerne, in the Upper West Side. Very nice place. Small rooms (typical, I think), but very nice, and very quiet. Our room overlooked the corner the Amsterdam and 79th. From there, we reconnoitered the neighborhood, and eventually had lunch at EJ’s Luncheonette, a neighborhood dinner. Tasty sandwiches (the sheer number of eateries in the West Side, within five blocks of the hotel, is mind-boggling). From there, we toured Central Park, and walked down 5th Avenue to Times Square. We stopped in FAO Schwartz, but we were both overwhelmed by the number of people there. Nutty. Also, the Apple store in Rockefeller Center is very weird. So weird, in fact, I forgot to take a picture. Times Square was nutty. Far too many people. But hey, at least we saw it. From there, we took the subway back to the hotel, got cleaned up, and had a fine meal at Bettola, half a block away from the hotel. Very nice.

(At this point, it should be said that rumors of high food prices in New York are greatly exaggerated. At Bettola, we had very fine entrees, shared a bottle of wine, an appetizer, and dessert, and paid $100, including tip. The service was good, and at no point did we feel rushed. In fact, we had to remind the waitress to give us our check.)

Sunday morning started with breakfast next door at Nice Matin. From there, we went to the Guggenheim, which was very nice, and we wandered around the park for a bit afterwards. Lunch was at Planet Sushi (again, within a block of the hotel). Good fish, excellent prices. After a short nap, we took the train to Brooklyn to see an old friend. The train ride, thanks to various service changes, was an adventure, and took nearly two hours. Ironically, people were asking us for directions. I figured we looked completely clueless, but apparently not. After some conversation and food at their flat in Brooklyn (Carroll Heights, to be exact), we walked to a newly-opened tapas bar on Henry Street (the name escapes me). Again, very tasty and very affordable. From there, we walked to the Brooklyn Promenade, where we were treated to the best view of the city, illuminated as it was in the darkness of midnight. Our train ride back to the Upper West Side passed without incident.

On Monday, following another breakfast at Nice Matin, we made our way back to the airport, and shortly thereafter, returned home.

Posted on 14 August 2007

To celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary, Jen and I are leaving this morning for New York City for two days. The boys are staying with Grandma and Pop-Pop. This marks the first time we are leaving the boys overnight (and the first, I think, that I have ever left them–that 2:00AM work night notwithstanding). We are, understandably, nervous and a bit apprehensive, but the break will do us good.

We have no real plans for NYC, outside of visiting and old friend who lives in Brooklyn. We are staying at the Lucerne in the Upper West Side, so I suspect we’ll spend time at Museum Row and Central Park. Details and photos when we return.

Posted on 11 August 2007

And I dont know how I survived those days
Before I held your hand
Well I never thought that I would be the one
To admit that the moon and the sun
Shine so much more brighter when
Seen through two pairs of eyes than
When seen through just one

Have you ever seen a sight as beautiful
As a face in a crowd of people
That lights up just for you?

Have you ever felt more fresh or wonderful
As when you wake
By the side of that boy or girl
Who has pledged their love to you?

Well I have known all these things
And the joys that they can bring
And now every morning theres a cup of coffee
And I wear your ring

From “Anniversary Song” by the Cowboy Junkies

Posted on 9 August 2007

How many times have I come to you out of my head
with joy, if ever a man was,
for to approach you I have given up the light
and all directions. I come to you
lost, wholly trusting as a man who goes
into the forest unarmed. It is as though I descend
slowly earthward out of the air. I rest in peace
in you, when I arrive at last.

From “The Country of Marriage” by Wendell Berry

Posted on 9 August 2007

The rain started before I could leave, and I nearly scrapped the ride in a fit of grumpy indignation. I got myself motivated, put the half-fenders on the Bianchi, and headed out. I’m too lazy to map the ride, so here it is:

Freeport Road to Guys Run, then Fox Chapel Road to Dorseyville to Squaw Run to Fox Chapel Road, then home. Distance is probably 25 miles or so. I’ve heard people call Guys Run a classic climb, and it really is. Long(-ish) for so close to the city, and a nice kicker at the end. I was expecting the ride in the rain to be an exercise in patiently suffering the conditions, but it was actually quite fun, and certainly more comfortable than riding in the stupendous heat we’ve had lately. I do, however, really wish I could fit full mudguards on the Bianchi, but I just don’t think it’s to be. I’ll be replacing the Planet Bike fenders on the Surly soon, so perhaps I’ll try and chop them to make them work.

Posted on 5 August 2007