Pittsburgh is a Great City…..See?????

I say all the time about how great a city Pittsburgh is………….but you have to read this blog from an “outsider” about how great it is!

And how about those Penguins last night?   LET’S GO PENS!!!!!

http://goingfivehole.blogspot.com/2008/05/my-day-in-pittsburgh.html

LET’S GO PENS VIDEO!

Great video thanks to Eat ‘n Park!

Mellon Arena – Penguins – Stanley Cup Playoffs – WE WERE THERE!

We left the Pirates game and walked to Mellon Arena to watch the Penguins game and the only bad thing was they lost..but the experience was incredible!

Madness at Mellon Arena
 
The Times
 
By Bill Vidonic, Times Staff
Published: Saturday, May 24, 2008 11:00 PM EDT

PITTSBURGH — It didn’t matter a single bit that the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings weren’t in Mellon Arena Saturday night.

The fans screamed so loud, their eardrums vibrated.

They clapped so hard their hands grew sore.

They hooted and hollered until their throats were raw.

And when the words “It starts now” appeared on scoreboard television screens, they thundered with a roar that probably could be heard all the way to Detroit.

It was a hockey night of historic proportions in Pittsburgh in the opening round of the Stanley Cup finals Saturday. Although Game 1 was being played in Detroit, the Pittsburgh Penguins opened up Mellon Arena so that fans could watch the game on the scoreboard that hangs at mid-ice.

Folks paid $5 a ticket, with all proceeds going to the Mario Lemieux Foundation.

It was a decision that no one regretted. Nearly 30 minutes after the puck was dropped, fans were still buying tickets and streaming inside. Club officials estimated at least 13,200 general admission tickets had been sold.

Some fans lined up before 2 p.m. to ensure they’d get the best seat in the house.

For Danielle White, 24, of Robinson Township, the night at the Igloo didn’t quite have the same ambiance that she gets during a regular game, when she has tickets in the front row, near one of the goals.

Saturday, she was in the front row once again, but she smiled as she said she’d make do without hearing the hiss of the skates on ice or the thuds of bodies hitting the boards.

“If we need the feeling, we’ll throw someone against the boards and make them shake,” said White, who attended the game with her brother, Chad White, 16, of Murraysville.

For Jim and Susan Weido of Beaver, it was a cheap family night, spending $30 for six tickets. If they had been trying to buy a ticket to actually see the Pens and Red Wings in the arena, that $30 wouldn’t even have come close to paying for a single seat.

“We would have paid $1,500 for a ticket,” Susan Weido said. “We’re diehard fans.”

They, along with their kids, Louis Didio, 19, Andrew Didio, 16, and Jordan Didio, 12, and Louis’ girlfriend, Rachael Curtis, 17, of Brighton Township, did the night up in true Pittsburgh fashion, eating at Primanti Bros. before heading to the arena.

Louis Didio described the atmosphere of the night as “electric.”

Even before fans got inside the arena around 7 p.m., they partied outside, the smell of beer filling the air as several people hoisted an aluminum foil copy of the Stanley Cup and started the chant, “We want the cup!”

Told they couldn’t bring the cup into the arena, they ended up batting the cup around over the heads of fans until it broke, with bystanders laughing and booing at the desecration.

With the team not in town, why head to the arena? Why not head to a favored bar or stay at home on the couch, to check out the game on a high-definition television?

Ashley Frioni, 24, of Hopewell Township, said simply, “That’s just the way it is.”

She was with Jessica Egan, 26, of Monaca, who was at her first Penguin game.

Neither of them cared that Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin weren’t in the house, though.

“It’s an adrenaline rush,” Egan said. “I’m here to show my support for the team.”

Jesse Edwards, 16, of Hopewell, said, “It’s just the feeling of being around the fans. There’s nothing else like it.”

He added, “Pens fans are the best. They’re like no others.”

Tickets are also being sold for fans to watch Monday’s Game 2 inside Mellon Arena. The Pens will return to Pittsburgh for Game 3 on Wednesday.

Bill Vidonic can be reached online at bvidonic@timesonline.com.

LET’S GO PENS

DAVID WON!!!!

Okay, so David Cook won American Idol……….and I really thought David Archuletta was going to win……….but I am okay with it for two reasons.

First, they were both good. It was almost like comparing apples to oranges because they were just different types of singers. But it all comes down to probably who has the biggest phone banks from what I hear.

But second, they will both probably get recording contracts and they both got cars. And all of the top ones will be touring for a year.
So does it really matter who won?

Chris Doughtery is doing just fine…………Clay Aiken………..Bo Bice…………..to name a few. So yeah, it’s okay………and I hope a few of the other top ones from this season do good, too…………and I hope some of them don’t (Brooke, Jason, the biker chick).

As for the show last night………….YUCK! They compete for just one hour on Tuesday night but then drag the results show out for TWO HOURS!!!! Some of it was just awful! They just HAD to bring the YOU ARE MY BROTHER guy back, didn’t they? And with the school band with him………ARGH! The whole show just dragged on and on and some of it was so bad it made it seem longer!

I think Idol needs to think about some of the stupid things they have done this year! I heard they aren’t going to show the audtions next year.
IS THIS TRUE? That’s nuts! They will lose a huge fan base of people who mainly only watch it because of that and sometimes hang on to watch it after that! Heck, even some of the PIttsburgh Pirates players said during Q&A the other night that they watch it for that!

Oh…………and I was waiting for Paula to pop out of her dress……….but it didn’t happen! I think that when she went up on stage dancing with the brother guy that they cut to a commercial quick because of that though, don’t you?

Well anyway………..it’s over for another season and here’s to David……….and David…………..GOOD LUCK and I’ll buy a CD when it comes out!

Ben Roethlisberger Gets Stanley Cup Fever!

Steelers Notebook: Big Ben gets Stanley Cup fever

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Steelers running backs engage in drills during voluntary spring practice yesterday at the team’s Southside facility.

Ben Roethlisberger will try to bring home another champion in Detroit.

This time, the Steelers quarterback will do it in the supporting role of a fan when he roots for the Penguins in the Stanley Cup final at Joe Louis Arena against the Detroit Red Wings.

“I plan on making a trip to Detroit and plan on being at all of the home ones if I can,” Roethlisberger said after practice yesterday.

He, coach Mike Tomlin, football operations boss Kevin Colbert and other Steelers players have attended many of the Penguins’ NHL playoff games, in addition to regular-season games at Mellon Arena.

“I love watching them play,” Roethlisberger said. “They have a great chance. It will be a good series. I don’t want it to go to seven because I hope they can sweep it, but a Game 7 and us winning it would be pretty sweet.”

Roethlisberger became the youngest quarterback to lead his team to a Super Bowl victory when the Steelers beat the Seattle Seahawks two years ago in Detroit, where Steelers fans were estimated to make up 75 percent of the neutral-site crowd.

It will be a little different this time, since the Red Wings make their home in Detroit.

“I know they will be there in full effect,” Roethlisbeger said of Penguins fans. “It was great for us because there were so many fans there. It’s so close. It will be good for the fans.”

Tomlin said he quickly became a Penguins fan since arriving in Pittsburgh last year. He attended one of their games, in fact, during one of his interviews for the job.

“It’s awesome. I’m like another emerging hockey fan. My boys enjoy it, we enjoy going to the games. Man, they have an opportunity to win the Stanley Cup, and I’m excited like everybody else is in Western Pa.”

American Idol………..David……….or David?

Well, it’s over…………the final competition for this season of American Idol.

I said weeks ago it would come down to David Cook and David Archuleta and it did.  A rocker bartender against a young 17-year-old……what a match up!

Round One:  These songs were picked by Clive.  David Cook sang “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” and I was very impressed.  But then David Archuleta sand “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” and I was about in tears.  He really gave it his all and it showed.  I had to agree with Simon that he won Round One, however if I truly had to vote on one or the other at that point it would have been VERY hard.

Round Two:  They each picked a song from the songwriter’s competition so I wasn’t familiar with either song.  Cook did okay but again, Arch really did better by picking a better song and putting his heart into it and showing so much feeling.  He was really singing better than he sang the whole season and Cook was just kind there……..he was good, but as Simon would say, not a memorable moment.  Round Two goes to Arch, too.

Round Three:  They each sang a song of their own choosing.  David Cook sang :”The World I Know” by Collective Soul and again, even though it was good, it was nothing special.  David Archuleta sang “Imagine” and wowed the audience again.

Bottom line, I have to agree with Simon that it was a knockout………..Arch won.  It seemed to me that Cook either didn’t want it bad enough or he just figured the win was his.  However, Arch acted like he wanted it and stepped it up for the finals and showed that he could be a winner.

We won’t know until tomorrow night, but my  money is on David Archuleta………but I hope David Cook gets a contract, too, because he does deserve it.

What do YOU think???

American Idol Finals – David….or David?

Well tonight is the night………..the American Idol finals for this season.  David Cook versus David Archuleta.  Who will win?  Who do YOU think will win?

I’m not sure who will win……….and I’m not sure who I want to win.  I want DAVID to win!  HAHAHAHA  Just not sure which one!  I said weeks ago it would be David versus David in the finals and now that it is here, I can’t decide who I want to win. 

As usual though, does it really matter?  Both of them will get recording contracts, right?

Maybe I will write again tomorrow after they perform tonight and see which one did the better job in the end.

All I can say is that I am thankful the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Philadephia Flyers the other night (SIX TO NOTHING, mind you!) so that they aren’t playing tonight and I can watch the American Idol finals as they happen, not a recording after the fact!

So GO DAVID………..and GO DAVID…………and GO PENS!  LOL

WHY DAVID COOK WILL WIN:  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24668992/?GT1=43001

WHY DAVID ARCHULETA WILL WIN:  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24668561/?GT1=43001

Elliott’s Off Broadway Restaurant & Deli – PNC Park – Pittsburgh

If you are looking for a great place to hang out before a Pittsburgh Pirates or Pittsburgh Steelers game…..try Elliotts’ Off Broadway Deli & Restaurant right at PNC Park! This is our place to hang before the game!  If you go there enough, they get to know you and it’s kind of cool!  Their prices are totally reasonable and you know that nasty Allegheny County drink tax?  Well they didn’t raise their prices!  Bet you can’t find many other places like that!  Anyway, check them out if you are in the area and tell them Doug and Bonnie from Murrysville sent you!  Here are some pictures of Elliott’s:

 

Elliott’s Off Broadway Restaurant & Deli

Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Zoo, Erie PA, Ligonier, Beaded Banners, and Stuff

Well……….it’s been a while I guess so I am going to catch up on blogging about my life.

How about those Pittsburgh Penguins?  What an awesome team!  Not only did they win game five to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals, but they did it with a HUGE win over the Philadelphia Flyers beating them SIX to NOTHING!  Congrats to the Pittsburgh Penguins and good luck in the finals!  We will be there, as always, watching EVERY GAME!

Took an emergency trip last week to Lawrence Park/Erie, Pennsylvania.  Got a call early Monday morning that my Mom was taken to the hospital by ambulance.  Long story short she came home later that morning but was weak and tired and needed some help for a couple days so hubby headed back home here to Murrysville/Pittsburgh and I stayed up there to help Mom until Wednesday.  My good friend was willing to drive me to Grove City on Wednesday evening to meet Doug halfway so he didn’t have to drive all the way up to get me so that was a huge help.  THANKS WILMA!  I checked into taking a Greyhound bus and although it was cheap (only $25 from Erie to Pittsburgh………can’t drive it for that these days!) and even though it was only a 3 hour trip (only a half hour more than when we drive it), I couldn’t make the last bus of the day and since I had already missed 3 unexpected days of work I really needed to get home that night.  Mom is thankfully doing better with some symptoms still, but overall much better.

Our first week at the Country Market in Ligonier is fast approaching.  Too fast………it snuck up on me and I am not ready!  So I am frantically trying to design some smaller beaded banners to make up some beaded banner kits to sell in hopes that people will be looking for some summer activity ideas for their kids.  I also think the mini banner kits will be good for people that want to try making beaded banners but want to start with something smaller than a full size banner.  Hope to get them posted online soon, too!  So many ideas, so little time!

I suppose I should make up some more Pittsburgh Penguin keychains for the sale, huh?  I have a few made up but unless the Pens take the Detroit Red Wings in a four game sweep, people may want to show their Pittsburgh Penguins pride.  And of course if they DO sweep the Red Wings, they will want the keychains anyway!  Yeah, I better get hustling!

We went to the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium this past Saturday.  Neither Doug nor I had been there in years and we hadn’t seen the new polar bear exhibit yet and since we had just purchased a brand new camera the night before and the weather was cool, this was a great time to go.  We had a blast and love the new camera!  Check out the pictures: 

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=18969&l=fa686&id=559709463

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=18968&l=92d3e&id=559709463

And while you are at it, we went to The Strip, downtown Pittsburgh, and Southside a couple weeks ago and I took some pretty awesome (if I may say so myself!) pictures of this great city of Pittsburgh:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=18393&l=727d1&id=559709463

So it looks like we will be watching the Pirates game from the Hall of Fame Club restaurant at PNC Park again this Saturday.  This is the fifth game this year we have Pirates tickets for and the third one that conflicts with a Penguins playoff game!  GO FIGURE!  Anyway, we will just do what we did the last two times and get a great table right in front of two huge tv screens and watch both games and never see our seats at PNC Park!  Hey, if you haven’t checked out the Hall of Fame Club restaurant at PNC Park (formerly Outback), check it out.  Unlike Outback where you had to have a special ticket, you only have to have ANY game ticket to get in.  Great food, lots of huge tv screens, and great service!  And after the game a band plays a lot of nights.  Oh and you have to try out the frozen chocolate covered cheesecake on a stick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay so that’s about it for now………..busy, busy, busy and wishing the weather would get better!  COLD AND RAINY is for the birds………….or the polar bears……….or something………but not for me!