Okay so do I say 10 Hail Mary's when I walk in or order a Bloody Mary???

Yes weird title for this entry I know but um, even more weird reason for the entry.

I have been traveling on business in Pittsburgh for most of this week. Pittsburgh is like the land of National Chain Restaurants. It is a land where for some reason they feel independently owned restaurants are passe and chains rule... seriously. I asked a gentleman for a good steakhouse he answered "Oh! There is this great place that cooks to order, its the um, Golden Corral. We also have an Outback." Okay look nothing really major against either place, but I was looking for something with more of a cultural setting. Then a young lady came swooping in and said "Cultural. Hmmm, something unique to Pittsburgh that serves steaks. Oh 'Brew Works' in Lawrenceville on the city's edge. Try there." So we did.

Its full name is The Church Brew Works. No Church is not a last name or area, it means Church - Brewery. An old, old church - it was built in 1901. Since then it has been turned into a Brewery and Restaurant. Yes - you eat, drink & be merry amongst the pews, stained glass and confessionals.
Actually the confessionals lead into the kitchen. You eat on church pews. The altar now houses the main brewhouse containers. Yes, the pulpit has been replaced by beer. The most amazing thing is that we learned that just abou everything from the original church has been reconstructed in order to be functional today. The bar is made from the planks of some of the old pews, the tables on the dining side feature 'benches' (shortened pews), the choir chairs are around free standing tables. The rose window on the front of the building shines above the pipes of the old organ. There are elaborate stained glass windows everywhere and if you could see the hand painted cathedral ceilings that are braced by tall columns... oh so gorgeous.



It was a surreal experience. I had this internal turmoil over feeling if this was not the coolest - weirdest atmosphere ever & then it tied with a weird feeling of 'is this sacrilege?' To be honest the battle has yet to be complete, but I will say it in no way makes fun or desecrates anything, really. If anything it allowed an amazing architectural structure to be kept. In a city like Pittsburgh where more often than not you see beautiful architecture with boarded windows and signs for lease or demolish, it is nice that this was preserved.


As for personal feelings on how it is being used, well, it could be worse. ;o) It is definitely worth seeing at least once if you are ever in the area. Check out the website: http://www.churchbrew.com and enjoy the pics I took - sorry they were with my cell phone - I was not prepared for it to be what it would be like. Oh and by the way - yeah did not order a Bloody Mary, but did silently wonder about those Hail Marys........ ;o)

Adapting my vision...

What a week. Nothing of major note occurred but I can feel this shift in my life. I promised myself at the beginning of January to be an 'eyes open' person. You know the ones, those people that seem to truly see & appreciate their lives. I mean who doesn't appreciate being alive, but sometimes it is hard to see the greatness in the chaos of our own every day.
I felt the shift probably the most on Tuesday night. Nothing major, we were just watching Privileged on the CW (great show by the way), and a background song came on. I have been following Priscilla Ahn for awhile; waiting for her to hit mainstream music. As Megan (character on show) sits in a restaurant/bar waiting for her best friend the song Dream began to play. This song is a snapshot of me. It is very simple in its lyrics, but the melody will sweep you through childhood flashbacks, current excursions and a contentment you may hope for in the future. Marcus looked over and said "Hey! That's your song." Yes it is. I found myself humming the lyrics for two days after that. I also found myself smiling at the oddest times & even just laughing out loud when I was driving with no one else in the car. Those little spurts of positive energy make the whole 'eyes open' thing like breathing.
As for my physical attention to being eyes open & am taking a practical but really fun approach. On Friday, after an EXTREMELY stressful workday, I came home and did 30 minutes of yoga & 30 minutes of aerobics. I know - aerobics??? But the yoga. I have found a real love for this. Yoga makes me breathe. I calmed down and was a much nicer person than I was when I had first arrived home. As I got ready for dinner I told Marcus how much those 30 minutes of Sun Salutation, Half Moons, Palm Trees & Warrior movements made me feel good. He grinned for a minute, then puffed up his chest and said: "yes my flower child wife - it seems all the new agey stuff makes you nicer." He quickly kissed my cheek ready for a smart return or smack :) Instead I asked: "Can you tell a difference?" The smile stayed as the answer of "Actually yes. The last few weeks have been really different." He could not explain how but I was pleased that he informed me it was a pleasant different.
You see, I am actively trying to see myself, my surroundings and my actions with more clarity. For the first time ever, I am actually doing something about my vision. I don't mind if the aerobics makes me healthy, if the yoga makes me more flexible, I am honestly doing it because I am enjoying it. I found a way to not make it a chore. Nothing spectacular, no miracle movements, no major jewelry at a certain point - I just decided to open my eyes and give something a whirl. If I stop enjoying it, I just have to not get defeated, maybe I will try something else. No matter what - I matter & my view of my life matters. To be honest the view from here is pretty good......(sore, but good :) )