Now that Easter is over I guess the Pretzel Shop is looking forward to Christmas.
I took this picture at the Pretzel Shop this morning while I was picking up lunch. The Pretzel Shop is THE BEST place ever. I bought lunch for five and 6 rice krispie treats and the whole total was less than $20. Check out Alik’s rave review of the Pretzel Shop here.

In my prior entry about cupcakes, “Kate” from CMU urged me to visit the Sweetie Sweetie Bakery in Regent Square. I have gone, and I can report that these are indeed excellent cupcakes; better than Giant Eagle, and only $1 each. Plus, the bakery has one of those “Zoltan” style mechanical fortune-telling machines. Despite the fact that it predicted gloom and doom for my near future, I must say that $1 for a cupcake and my fortune is a darn good deal.

Cupcakes are in. You know cupcakes are in, because even our not-quite-bleeding-edge city has recently seen the opening of not one, but two cupcake-only bakeries in the East End. I’ve been to Dozen because it’s almost on my way home from work, and they are indeed good cupcakes. The problem is that they’re not $2 worth of good, at least not at my income level.

I am therefore gratified to find that the PG’s anonymous test panel agrees with me that if you want a pretty good cupcake and great value for your money, you may as well skip the upmarket bakery and even the Whole Foods and go straight for the Giant Iggle n’at. They ain’t fancy, and they ain’t always much to look at, but apparently they know what Pittsburghers like. (It’s either that, or we’ve just all been conditioned to believe that grocery store cake and frosting is what those things are supposed to taste like.)

For me, one of the highlights of my rare trips downtown during business hours has often been a stop at the Jenny Lee Bakery in Market Square. The store closed indefinitely last year due to a massive fire at the bakery, and I feared that yet another local icon was gone for good.

Today in clinic, there was a loaf of Jenny Lee cinnamon bread on the break room table, brought in by one of the nurses whose relative works at the bakery. (Apparently, they’re selling them through word of mouth to announce that they’re back in business.) The P-G reports today that the Market Square store will soon reopen. I am a very happy person.

If you’ve never been before, drop on by the next time yinz are Dahntahn n’at. The staff are friendly, the product is excellent, and they could sure use the business.

I took the advice of a poster here to check out one of the Burgh’s newest touch of awesome, Sunday Night Supper’s With Lauren at Brillobox.

I went at around 8, and heard later that a PG story had generated a line outside the door at 6. For that reason, the chickpea, kale and tomato stew with Orange and ginger over giant garlic sourdough croutons was made with cabbage that that stood in after the Kale ran out. There was also a nice, small organic green salad thrown in with red onions and walnuts.

To break the suspense, I rate the stuff as some of the tastiest things I have had in Pittsburgh. The stew’s dominant flavor was slightly tart/tangy from the tomatoes and a very slight hint of ginger. Each ingredient shined with it’s obvious freshness and the huge sourdough croutons added a great touch with plenty of garlic but not too much.

The meal did however play into the stereo-type of “rabbit food”, as being not quite a full meal. In spite of ample portions, I needed more to feel satisfied. The price for the flavor sensation made it an amazing deal.

The chief came out a few times and I felt morally obligated to check her out, to see a real, starved carrot eating vegan in person. Lets just say that she looks very healthy and leave it at that. I also brought along a Slim Jim, just in case there an antibody reaction consuming all those vitamins at once.

People from other cities often ask me why I’m happy about having spent so many years here. I often tell them stories like this one. Local woman can’t find good vegetarian on a Sunday night, gets Brillobox to let her borrow their kitchen, suddenly starts weekly event. (An event that’s sorely needed, since Quiet Storm’s Supper Club ain’t what it used to be.) This is the amazing do-it-yourself spirit of Pittsburgh that produces so many of our local awesomenesses. I, for one, intend to hit Brillobox this Sunday and am trying to round up friends to join me.

Tomorrow Starbucks all over the country, Pittsburgh included, will be handing out free cups of drip coffee from 10am until noon. Sure, I prefer to hit local coffee shops like the Beehive to get my fix, but hey, it’s free. Free! Drink up! (via and via)

The annual Empty Bowls Dinner is this weekend - don’t miss it. The proceeds benefit the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and Just Harvest. For the price of admission, you get to choose your own handmade bowl, you get soup from a local restaurant and great bread, water, and live entertainment. It runs from 3 to 7 p.m., at the Rodef Shalom Congregation, Oakland.

The bowls are all made by local potters and art students around the region. Here are a few we’ve acquired over the years:

There’s usually a silent auction for the more serious ceramics collector (great finds there, but I’m generally outbid) and there are always activities for kids.

Crazy Mocha in Lawrenceville has a lot going for it. I can walk there. It has wifi. Coffee, of course. No smoking, which differentiates it from the Crazy Mocha in Bloomfield. With three areas — the main space, upper level and back room — it naturally develops a quiet space/chatty space division so you can have a small meeting or really concentrate, depending. In fact, it’s a lovely, nearly-perfect coffee shop.

Its main imperfection? Mr. Nasty Barrista.

He’s clearly the unhappiest coffeeshop worker ever, and if you happen to be as audacious as to go there while he’s on duty, he will take his misery out on you. Months ago I witnessed a customer saying that one of his coffee drinks was OK but the other tasted awful and they might want to do something about it. Mr. Nasty Barrista (MNB, for short) responded that he didn’t care, because he was quitting soon. He didn’t say sorry. He didn’t say thanks for your feedback. He said he didn’t care. He planned to quit. Alas, this quitting hasn’t happened.

MNB also vaccuums hours before closing in a clear effort to drive people away, told a customer who phoned for directions to go to the Bloomfield shop instead, and just recently has killed time by telling customers how much he loathes his job.

Now I’ve worked at a coffeeshop and I have to say that it’s NOT the worst job ever. The dishroom of the cafeteria in high school — that was bad in a gross way. A nanny for a rich and neurotic family, in which the son was 3, the mom was 35 and the dad 72 — bad in a psycho way. I’m sure you’ve had a shitty job or two.

MNB, it’s OK to move on. The other workers at the Lawrenceville Crazy Mocha seem perfectly happy — I’m sure they could pick up your shifts.

One of Pittsburgh’s best places for coffee and vegetarian food has gotten wired. As of this month, customers at The Quiet Storm can eat, caffeinate and use the free wifi. Which totally works.

The Quiet Storm’s final music show was on December 30, 2006, so maybe they’re stretching their coffeeshop wings. But it is certain they want you to show up with a laptop; if it’s crowded, they recommend the cozy lounge in back. Order whatever you want: it’s all delicious.