Nikki's Noodles: Tourist in My Hometown

Well, Lauren got here safe and sound Thursday evening. Its so exciting to meet a friend you have talked with for over a year on the internet in person finally! While Tony was deployed last year, there were some days I thought I'd go crazy and Lauren would help me cheer up and stick it out. Thanks Lauren!! :)

So Thursday was also the day the tornado touched down in the city and damaged the Carneige Science Center. I saw the aftermath of the storm, pretty impressive. Lauren and I drove out to the barn to see Fanny Thursday evening. It was a quick visit since more storms were on the way and my tires are pretty bald! We brushed her, clipped her fuzzy whiskers, then gave her some goodies and put her back to bed.

Friday we went to the mall for most of the day. We spent hours there but only left with books! Pretty amazing, haha! Then we went to dinner at Monte Cellos with my parents and my brother. Yummmm! We were saying how we wanted to get cute shoes and shirts then go out somewhere for drinks. So we ventured to Target and got some awesome shoes. Then we ventured back home and got all ready. We settled on Sam Morgan's - a bar near Harmarville. So my mom, Lauren, and I boogied down to the bar. They had a DJ and some interesting characters there to say the least! Lauren was a hit with the bandanna man! OH MY! He sure liked her, hahahah. But it was a great time! I don't get out that often so it was really nice to get dressed up in something more flattering than my Blockbuster gear and go somewhere with good people to have good drinks and a good time! I DDed so of course I stuck to my 2 drink max. We were bumpin' the music on the way home, oh good times good times!

Today we headed down to downtown Pittsburgh to do the "tourist" thing! I love it though! My dad took Lauren and I down to Station Square. He had already arranged reservations for the three of us on the Ducky Tour! It was a blast. The tour was about an hour long. They drove us all around downtown Pittsburgh -- showing us some of the most interesting landmarks and giving a history lesson as we went. I was excited because I knew a lot of what they told us from my History of Pittsburgh course I just passed this summer! Then we drove the tour bus INTO the river! Its a boat too! It was so fun...we floated up and down a part of the river. We got to see Point Park, Heinz Field, PNC Park, the Science Center and its submarine, and so much more! After that the boat floated back over to the bank of the river and we drove up onto the path and back over to Station Square. It was really a great tour of the city from both land and river. Highly recommended! I am definitely taking Tony when he gets home! After our Ducky Tour, Lauren and I took the Duquesne Incline to the top of Mt. Washington. She was psyched! The view up on Mt. Washington is spectacular, I never get tired of seeing it! My dad sat out the Incline ride, he isn't one for heights! After the Incline we headed up to Oakland to see Pitt and show Lauren around campus. We ate lunch at Peter's Pub, stopped in the Pitt Shop, got some shirts at the corner shop down the road, looked around the Cathedral of Learning, and peeked in Heinz Chapel (where I will be married in 9 months). It was a busy day but the weather was perfect for it. I love my little city of Pittsburgh and all of its gorgeous landmarks and historical past. I had a blast being a tourist in my hometown! :)