City Sights and Smells and The Saint Patrick's Day Parade

Yesterday we decided to go to the PX at the local army base near the Pittsburgh Airport. Often you can find items there cheaper than elsewhere. I found a nice pair of binoculars among other things. Then, we thought we'd drive downtown to visit the famous marketplace known as "The Strip District." Getting there proved a little more challenging from the south of the city. Especially as we encountered the detours and traffic and revelers from the St. Patrick Day Parade. (Probably the 2nd largest such parade in the USA.)

A couple of times enroute after detour after detour we'd abandoned our hope of getting to "The District," when another route would open up. We finally made it. We'd planned to eat the famous fish sandwiches at Wholey's for lunch after we'd parked the car. But enroute, we agaain took a detour by eating at my nephew's favorite eatery called Pamela's Diner. Great food!

The Strip District is loaded with the aromas of every kind of food imaginable. We managed to bring home some fresh fish from Wholey's, fresh ground coffee from the Prestogeorge coffee emporium, spices from Penskey's and great visions of walking through the Macaroni House of cheeses, and nuts and oils pastas and olives from around the world. We finished off the afternoon with a really bold cup of coffee from the 21st Street Coffee Shop where each cup is individually brewed. Dee had their El Diablo and I had the El Cuervo -- Outstanding.

After the trip home I took Bonz for an extra long walk down to the clubhouse and back. Then, later Dee and I went to the Boy Scout spagettti supper being held at the church we've attended several times. Dee noted that church fellowship halls all seem to have terrible acoustics where the sound echo's off the hard walls, floors and tables. It was good to see so many young families and so many youths and teens who were part of the Boy Scout organization. The place mats listed the Boy Scout Oath and the values of loyalty, honesty and integrity they try to instill in their members. The food was adequate, but the experience and cause were worth the trip.