February Was For French Fries

The new "breaking bread" with friends is ordering a side of fries.

My early 20s mantra: Fries before guys.

My late 20s mantra: “Can we do an order of fries for the table, please?”

My latest photodump from February featured a lot of meals I enjoyed with great company — new friends, friends I haven’t seen in a while, my boyfriend, etc. It was also brought to my attention (in a casual, supportive way) that many of these meals included french fries in some form.

And that got me to thinking… in a time where things are constantly uncertain, stress is at an all-time high, and we’re battling the depths of Pittsburgh’s fake spring, maybe a daily dose of fries (aka a vehicle for ketchup and truly any other sauce they come with) is precisely what we need. Or, rather, what I need.

And how lucky are we that Pittsburgh has so many spots doing the ‘fry’ well?!

I’ve gotten a lot of messages about starting dedicated food series for our favorite foods. It’s on my list (though I have multiple lists that vary in length), however, here’s where the requests are at:

1. Pizza

2. Burgers

3. Diners

4. Caesar Salads

And now, I’m self-nominating French Fries to the list.

You *may* see the first two subjects crossed off soon… with that said, hit me with your favorite Caesar Salads.

And the takeaway here is: never deprive yourself of a side of fries. Ever.

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Hot List O’Clock

The second hotlist of the year is here, and as usual, it’s about to be filled with everything from restaurants to shopping and just general things I am obsessed with. Would love to know what’s on your hotlist in the comments.

1. First and foremost, it’s March, which means it’s Women’s History Month, and International Women’s Day was on Saturday. Let’s step into the energy of supporting and uplifting women today and every day, whether by supporting women-owned businesses, uplifting the women in your lives, or donating to a non-profit that helps women in some way. You’re supporting a woman right now by reading this newsletter, so thank you <3

2. I’ve been obsessed with bar food recently; so many spots are doing great food well at prices that won’t break the bank. Either for a late night spot with friends, while craving a good burger, or you want to watch sports, I recommend Lot 17, Monterey Pub, & Piper’s Pub.

3. I’ve been stepping into moving my body in new ways, which is how I’ve developed a relationship with the reformer and Pilates. I’m still very new to it, but it’s been an incredible way to learn more about my body and how I can move it!

4. I got a toaster oven for Christmas, and it’s been the most significant asset in my kitchen. I’ve been making all of the pizza bagels my heart desires, so much so I even had a pizza bagel party with a friend recently.

5. eBay. While this may be a somewhat dangerous game, I scored one of my dream bags on eBay last month! There’s something to be said for bidding on items and knowing exactly how to do it (feel free to message me for some tips and tricks I’ve learned).

6. Chobani. As I approach my 30th birthday, I find myself obsessed with my protein intake (and it dominates many conversations with acquaintances). I love their protein yogurt smoothies as I’m always on the go. I’ve also been exploring their coffee creamers, which have been hyped up on the internet.

7. Nuuly. Worth the $98 and the compliments I get. It’s also a great way to try pieces before committing to buying them. I don’t plug affiliate links often, but here’s $30 off your first month if you’re interested.

8. Having fun on social media. Aside from my client work, I’m trying to balance being silly online (like sharing memes again).

9. Great dates don’t have to be complicated. While I love a fancy dinner and getting dressed up, I spent Valentine’s Day doing a pizza crawl followed by milkshakes. I highly recommend Pizza Lupo.

10. French fries, obviously. Some as seen in my photodump and not yet mentioned: Fet Fisk, Balvanera, Nanban.

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Quick Recipe Time

I posted this on my story and got SO many messages asking for a recipe. I was a little surprised! It’s not fancy, it doesn’t look “professional,” but I think that’s why it grabbed so many people’s attention. It was approachable and I’m trying to remember that! ((In no way am I claiming this as an authentic recipe in any way, btw.))

I was inspired mainly by a TikTok photo about easy recipes to make at home, so I’ll give a loose grocery list and minimal instructions:

1. Rice of your choice.

2. Chicken (I used thinly sliced chicken breast) diced.

3. Teriyaki sauce.

4. Cucumber.

5. Avocado.

6. Lime.

7. Green onion.

8. Sesame seeds.

Marinate the chicken in the sauce for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Cook it in a pan while you cook the rice simultaneously. Dice your veggies and onion. Place rice in the bowl, arrange veggies on the sides. When the chicken is finished cooking, place it on top of the bowl. Finish with sesame seeds, green onion, and lime.

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That’s it for now, see you in a few weeks. Thanks for reading!