Tesla Motors in Pittsburgh!

We were extremely excited to have worked with Tesla Motors in providing demonstrations and test drives of their fantastic electric cars last summer.  We had two of the Model S available for inspection.  These cars are not only beautiful, they perform as well as any sports car.  It was a fun day and it was our pleasure to host Tesla.

New York Times and the Priory Hotel

We were proud and pleased that our Priory Hotel and Grand Hall were the subject of discussion of a recent New York Times article, "Former Churches Blessed with New Lives in Pittsburgh."  The article discusses the re-purposing of churches and religious buildings in Pittsburgh, and highlighted our "pint-sized" Monks' Bar, as well as our "sumptuous" Grand Hall event space.  It's a treat to receive such national recognition, particularly along side of my buddy Sean Casey's Church Brew Works in Lawrenceville!
  

Team Tassy Blackjack Spectacular Photos!

We were pleased and proud to have hosted the inaugural Team Tassy Blackjack Spectacular.  Team Tassy, an organization which helps families in the poorest neighborhoods of Port Au Prince escape devastating poverty by assisting them in finding employment.  The Blackjack Spectacular featured 10 blackjack tables and one roulette table with a chance to win some great prizes if you did well at the tables.  Our chefs came up with some excellent Haitian cuisine that Tassy Fils-Aime, the namesake of the organization, himself pronounced to be exceptionally authentic.

See the Team Tassy Facebook page here, which features some additional shots of the event along with some shots of our recent (October 30-November 3) trip to Haiti to meet with the Haitian families Team Tassy is assisting.

Below you'll see a shot of Tassy himself and of our emcee, WTAE special reporter and former anchor Sally Wiggin.  You'll also see some shots of our intro band, the Ambridge High School Steel Drum band, and our main act Bethany James and the Express.  A great night for a great cause.

Photos by Catherine Skolnicki.

Mellon Square Park Redux

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In the heart of upper downtown Pittsburgh, Mellon Square Park has for years been a fixture for people to take a break from the office and eat lunch or just catch some fresh air.  Opened as part of Pittsburgh's Renaissance I project, it's had fallen into disrepair in recent years, and was closed for renovations for nearly two years.  It's re-opened recently, and adds an oasis of calm in the hustle and bustle of center city.  If you're wandering downtown, it's well worth a trip to the Park, which is near the William Penn Hotel on William Penn Place and Sixth Avenue.  

Above is a shot of the park I took during a mid-September walk downtown.

For an interesting article on the re-birth of the park, click here.  

Vice Chairmanship of the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association

I was pleased and very proud to be installed last week at the Vice Chair for the statewide Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association.  It was and is a real honor to have the confidence of peers in the hospitality industry, and I look forward to helping a great and effective organization move forward.

With me in the photo are, from left, Steve Musciano of Aramark (new Treasurer), Jeff Cohen of the Smallman Street Deli and Weiss Provisions (new Chair), and Rick Sell of Metz Culinary (outgoing chair).  All three new officers are from the Pittsburgh area, which recognizes, I think, our region's strength in being on the cutting edge of defending the industry and encouraging its development and growth.

Pittsburgh Donnybrook Returns to the Priory

We're pleased to be hosting the second annual Pittsburgh Donnybrook, a charity boxing match featuring fighters from Dublin, Ireland matched against Pittsburgh's best amateurs.  Last year's event sold out weeks in advance, so keep your eyes open for when tickets go on sale.  The event is, of course, on March 17!