tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57586681810738930042024-03-13T00:21:28.739-04:00Cassandra LillianAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02739111386267673409noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758668181073893004.post-53756887187268632742014-10-06T10:09:00.000-04:002014-10-06T10:09:48.511-04:00Apple n' Arts Festival<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Good morning! I hope everyone survived the chilly weekend (if you're in the Pittsburgh area of course). I apologize for the lack of blogging, but I can explain! Here at Pitt (and elsewhere I would assume), there isn't a mid-terms week per say, more like mid-terms weeks! This past week happened to be the start of the chaos of exams and papers. Unfortunately, it will continue for the next couple of weeks as well for me.<br />
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I was able to get away from the chaos for a short weekend back at home. Living in the city has been an absolute dream come true for me, but the concrete jungle is a bit disappointing during this beautiful time of the year. I really enjoyed getting back into the country to see the leaves changing. Every fall, Delmont, PA, hosts the Apple n' Arts Festival at Shields Farm. It is honestly something that I look forward to every year.<br />
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The name is no joke (Apple n' Arts), as it is hard to leave there without anything and everything apple that you can get your hands on. I left with 1/4 peck of apples, apple butter, apple cider and an apple dumpling. The historic cider press which has been running since 1907 makes the most amazing and fresh apple cider that you will ever taste. Best of all, they make it right in front of you so it is guaranteed fresh!<br />
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Being a farm, the atmosphere is very country feeling. The buildings on the land are all used for the ultimate experience. The field is lined with crafters and food stands. There is also an amphitheater where live bands play throughout the day. Children can enjoy a bounce house, petting zoo, pony rides and ceramic pumpkin painting. <br />
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It is really a super special event and especially dear to me because I have been going since before I can remember. I so look forward to bundling up (it was only about 35 degrees this year!!) and trekking the fields to come home with tons of goodies and everything apple of course!<br />
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If you are ever in the Delmont area (about 25 miles east of Pittsburgh) during the first weekend in October, you absolutely have to make a special trip to the Apple n' Arts Festival. It is a perfect way to get into the autumn spirit!<br />
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Above is just a photo of all of the goodies we came home with: apples, apple cider, apple butter, an apple dumpling, truffles, snails, maple candies, and a cute little pumpkin.<br />
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I hope you enjoyed this post and that it gets you into the fall spirit! Next weekend I'm taking a trip to Sandusky, Ohio and I can't wait to share my experiences with you!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02739111386267673409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758668181073893004.post-67728757740061279762014-09-16T15:25:00.001-04:002014-09-16T16:00:26.830-04:00City Living<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Good afternoon bloggers! A few weeks ago my roommate Britnee and I moved into our new apartment in the city. We worked really hard on decorating and furnishing it and I wanted to show it off! </div>
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Every piece of furniture was either bought at a consignment shop, thrift store, craigslist, or given to us by family members or friends. We were so excited to really make the apartment our own by customizing and mixing the pieces that we scored on. </div>
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One of the best ways to mix and match thrift furniture is by painting it. The table and chairs, which were actually bought from two different places, were easily matched by painting them with the black and white finish. Believe it or not, the chairs were originally a baby pink.</div>
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The couch was one of our best finds. Originally a $249.99 Ikea couch, we found this gently used on craigslist for $50 (and she even included the two pillows!).</div>
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All of the extra decorations were picked up from different stores at bargain prices and thrown together to create this awesome look. We wanted to keep a theme color of red in mind. It also helped to have a beautiful apartment with this old brick fireplace. </div>
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It's quite easy to keep houseplants if you pick the correct ones. I like to pick plants that have easy upkeep. The tall green one pictured above is a Money Tree from Ikea. It only has to be watered about once a week and isn't picky about sunlight. I would love to be able to have some beautiful fresh flowers but unfortunately that can become expensive. Therefore, I decided to make these flowers made out of crepe paper. Zero upkeep and they look awesome!<br />
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I hope everyone has a wonderful evening. Don't be afraid to buy things from thrift stores and yard sales. You sometimes can find the best things for even better prices and create the best spaces!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02739111386267673409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758668181073893004.post-3854535425807054742014-09-11T17:35:00.002-04:002014-09-11T17:35:44.267-04:00#NeverForget<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm not one for hash tags. In fact, I kind of despise them. This is mostly caused by the overuse of them in social media.<br />
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Today is different. Today marks 13 years since the attacks on NYC and Washington D.C. To see that <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NeverForget?src=tren" target="_blank">#NeverForget</a> is trending on Twitter brought me a lot of joy. I love seeing that a country that has so many differences and issues can still come together to mourn for people that many of us have never met. <br />
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I was only in first grade when the gruesome day brought chaos through our country. I don't remember much, just that everyone was scared and parents were coming to get there children from my little elementary school out in the sticks and others across the US. <br />
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Although I was not affected directly, no loss of loved one's or friends, it was still brought close to home. Literally. I say this because I live just 60 miles, about an hour drive, from the crash site of United Airlines Flight 93. I actually wrote a <a href="http://cassandralillian.blogspot.com/2014/09/a-final-summer-hoorah.html" target="_blank">post</a> about my trip there about a week ago.<br />
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This post is fairly short, partially due to the fact that I still have to be a college student and go to classes today. But also because I feel that little needs to be said about this matter because it speaks volumes on its own. <br />
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I have my own opinions on the events of the day and I know that other people may share my opinions or have radically different ones. Either way, today is for mourning, today is for remembering, today is for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NeverForget?src=tren" target="_blank">#NeverForget</a>ting.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02739111386267673409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758668181073893004.post-83119885298045440202014-09-05T18:09:00.001-04:002014-09-05T18:14:38.090-04:00Sausage Tortellini Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Friday everyone! I've decided to stop focusing simply on photography and rather blog about everything. When I say everything I honestly mean it. I'm going to blog about whatever I feel like. This blog has officially gone from just a photography blog, to a lifestyle blog. I hope you enjoy and please give me feedback!<br />
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I happen to absolutely love cooking and baking. Now that I'm living in my own place, it is up to my roommate and I to fend for ourselves when it comes to food. Fortunately for her, I'm not too bad at it. <br />
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Being that I don't have class on Fridays and it ended up being a lazy laundry day, I decided to cook up some sausage tortellini soup. Before moving here, my mom and I made tortellini soup often. It was definitely a household favorite. I decided to take mine to a new level by adding some Italian sweet sausage to it. It really tastes amazing and it's a very good comfort food for lazy days like this one.<br />
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<strong><u>Sausage Tortellini Soup</u></strong></div>
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<em>(Makes About 6 Servings)</em></div>
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong></div>
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1 lb. Sweet Italian Sausage</div>
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2 tbsp. olive oil</div>
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2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes</div>
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3 c. frozen spinach</div>
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4 c. chicken stock</div>
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salt and pepper</div>
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1 tbsp. dried parsley (or fresh if you have it!)</div>
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1 (16 oz.) package of cheese tortellini's</div>
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parmesan </div>
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<strong>Directions:</strong></div>
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Carefully remove the casing of the Italian sausage and form small balls. Brown in a skillet at medium heat with the olive oil. In a medium-sized saucepan, add tomatoes, spinach, chicken stock, parsley, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Add the cooked sausage. Simmer on low for 20 minutes or until the flavors have formed. While the soup is simmering, in a separate large saucepan, boil water for the tortellini's. I like to keep the tortellini's and the rest of the soup separate so that they do not get soggy. Once the tortellini's are done, spoon some into a portioned bowl and ladle the soup over top. Finally, garnish with some parmesan and parsley.</div>
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A few days ago, my roommate and fellow blogger, Britnee, and I made <a href="http://themodelcachet.blogspot.com/2014/09/britnee-bakes-apple-cinnamon-hand-pies.html" target="_blank">Apple Hand Pies</a> (you can find the recipe for these on her blog, <a href="http://themodelcachet.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Model Cachet</a>). Fortunately, they're not gone yet and I'm going to enjoy one warmed up with some ice cream for desert while I relax on the couch. Please check out the recipe because they are truly delicious and a perfect way to jump into the fall season (my fav!!).</div>
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<a href="http://themodelcachet.blogspot.com/2014/09/britnee-bakes-apple-cinnamon-hand-pies.html" target="_blank"><img alt="http://themodelcachet.blogspot.com/2014/09/britnee-bakes-apple-cinnamon-hand-pies.html" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-horQLsUNdoE/VAosqmmYyXI/AAAAAAAAAuA/6ddg6lSkHko/s1600/IMG_0133_withwords.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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I hope everyone enjoys this new spin on the blog! I love cooking and I really loving sharing my own recipes and cooking experiences. I hope you all enjoy the weekend. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02739111386267673409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758668181073893004.post-30416810275666612582014-09-01T21:47:00.001-04:002014-09-04T11:23:51.475-04:00A Final Summer Hoorah<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello bloggers! I realize that it has been way too long since I blogged and I really need to apologize. My first year of college ended and there were a few bumps along the way. I couldn't wait to just be home and be able to relax. Needless to say, I did a little too much relaxing and before I knew it, summer was over. I'm now moved into my first apartment and have started my second year at Pitt!<br />
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So what'd I do this summer? Like I said, a whole lot of nothing. I spent a ton of time with my friends and family just hanging around. I rarely went anywhere blog worthy. I was, however, fortunate enough to go to Myrtle Beach, SC with one of my friends and her family which was a blast.<br />
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As a last summer hoorah, my family and I went for a swim at a semi-local state park. This was a few weekends ago so it was still a beautiful summer day. Exactly what we all needed to end the summer off right.<br />
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We visited Shawnee State Park in Schellsburg, PA. It's a very large park with a very large lake nestled in the middle of nowhere basically. It took us a little over an hour to get to, but the drive was not a hassle considering we got to drive through the beautiful Pennsylvania mountains. <br />
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On the way to Schellsburg we passed the Flight 93 Memorial which we decided to visit on the way home. Although I've lived near the site of the horrible plane crash which took place on September 11th, 2001, I've never taken the opportunity to visit. Seven crew members and thirty three passengers gave their lives to save many others as United Airlines Flight 93 plummeted into an open field in Somerset County, PA.<br />
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If you are ever visiting in the Western Pennsylvania area, I highly recommend visiting the memorial. They're currently remodeling and adding to the area so in some time it will be even more beautiful than it already is.<br />
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Although school started back up last week, this week will officially be the start as last week entailed introductions and syllabi. I'm very excited for the weeks to come and to be back at Pitt!<br />
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I'm sorry I've been such a terrible blogger lately and I PROMISE that I will make it up to all of you!!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02739111386267673409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758668181073893004.post-60736815337954130552014-04-20T23:23:00.004-04:002014-04-20T23:23:44.937-04:00Here Comes Peter Cottontail!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Easter everyone! I've been so excited to do this post! I hope everyone enjoyed this beautiful Sunday with their family and friends by their sides in the sunny weather.<br />
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Did you all find your Easter baskets? I will never be too old for the hunt! One of my favorite things to eat at Easter time are those wonderful peanut butter eggs. For about a year and a half I worked at the local candy store in my town where Easter is the busiest time of the year.<br />
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Gene & Boots Candies is located in Perryopolis, Pennsylvania off of Route 51. The store in Perryopolis is also where the factory is located. From there you can find other local stores or even order online! The location I worked at is right off of Route 22 in Delmont, Pennsylvania.<br />
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Now Gene and Boots doesn't just hold a special place in my heart because I have a sweet tooth, but also because of my family. When my mother was in high school, she worked at the store, I worked their in high school, and recently, my grandmother has taken over my position in the shop.<br />
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Every year, the factory sends the store TONS of chocolate bunnies and eggs in every shape and size imaginable. Some people just come to see the store all filled up! At the counter (pictured below), there is always a MASSIVE chocolate bunny which weighs in at almost 25 pounds!! That is over $400 worth of chocolate!<br />
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As you'll see in the photos, the store is filled to the hilt at this time of year!! And I even took the photos today, which means that everyone had already bought all of their Easter candy.<br />
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I hope you all had a wonderful Easter and were able to spend it with the ones you love! I'll be super busy this week as it is finals week!! I cannot believe that my summer is less than a week away. Enjoy the beautiful weather!</div>
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<a href="http://www.geneandboots.com/" target="_blank">Here's a link to the Gene & Boots website if you want to check it out!</a> I can tell you from personal experience, they're chocolate is AMAZING (and I'm not just saying that because I worked there)!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02739111386267673409noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758668181073893004.post-38393100315066602802014-04-14T16:01:00.000-04:002014-04-14T16:01:04.653-04:00A Quick Message to the ReadersHappy Monday everyone! I wanted to write this quick post for two reasons. The first reason is that I would like to apologize for not being the best blogger lately. I've been really busy and unfortunately, I will continue to be super busy for the next two weeks. As you all know, I'm a student at the University of Pittsburgh. Two weeks from today marks the beginning of finals week. Because of that, I will be very busy studying and will not have much time to go out and take photos.<br />
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My second reason for this post goes hand in hand with my first. Not only do I have preparations for finals and finals themselves in the next two weeks, but I've recently been through a very tough moment in my life. I've talked about him before, my boyfriend of almost five years. I don't want to go into detail, but the relationship has ended and I'm not taking it very well. Needless to say, my blogging will slow down as my healing takes place. I hope you all understand.<br />
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This past weekend I headed home to get some comfort from my family. Both Saturday and Sunday were absolutely beautiful so we went to Keystone Park. I've included a few pictures below from our trip (I used my phone so not the best quality!).<br />
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I hope you all have a wonderful week. I'll try my best to blog as much as I can.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02739111386267673409noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758668181073893004.post-9272391954423890172014-04-04T13:25:00.001-04:002014-04-04T13:25:25.973-04:00Photoshop Actions<div style="text-align: center;">
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Happy Friday everyone! I wanted to take the time to share some really good photo effects that I found through one of my favorite blogs, <a href="http://www.abeautifulmess.com/" target="_blank">A Beautiful Mess</a>. <br />
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I've always admired this blog, run by two sisters, Emma and Elsie. I was just playing around, reading posts and looking for design ideas when I found a <a href="http://www.abeautifulmess.com/2014/03/abm-actions-mini-packs-for-elements-lightroom-too.html" target="_blank">post</a> about Photoshop actions. After reading the post, I found that they actually sell these actions and they are easily downloadable. I thought, why not? <br />
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I use Photoshop Elements 6 for everything when it comes to editing. They provide a small starter package specifically for Photoshop Elements, <a href="http://shop.abeautifulmess.com/product/elements-collection/" target="_blank">The Elements Collection</a>. They also offer starter packs for Photoshop, <a href="http://shop.abeautifulmess.com/product/mini-collection/" target="_blank">The Mini Collection</a>, and Lightroom, <a href="http://shop.abeautifulmess.com/product/lightroom-collection/" target="_blank">The Lightroom Collection</a>. Each collection has ten of some of their most popular actions to boost the professional look of your photos, and each collection costs only $10! <br />
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Of the group of ten actions which I received, my favorites include Millie, Harper, Nico, Mia and Wendy. One of the best parts about these is that you can overlap them to create unique effects.<br />
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Take a look at some of my own before and afters!<br />
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Let me know if you guys like posts about photography itself rather than just on places and be sure to check out <a href="http://www.abeautifulmess.com/" target="_blank">A Beautiful Mess</a> and their shop <a href="http://shop.abeautifulmess.com/" target="_blank">A Beautiful Mess Shop</a>. Have a wonderful day and enjoy the weekend!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02739111386267673409noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758668181073893004.post-39165963999493253182014-04-01T11:35:00.000-04:002014-04-01T11:35:47.240-04:00CaricaturesGood morning! I have to do this quick post because I promised I would. As you all know, I'm a student at the University of Pittsburgh in Oakland. Every year when the weather starts to change, Pitt hosts a small Spring Carnival in what is known as the Schenley Quad. My friend Britnee and I, whom I have mentioned before with <a href="http://themodelcachet.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Model Cachet</a>, couldn't pass up the idea of getting a caricature done of the two of us. <br />
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Ron Kantrowitz of <a href="http://www.mugshotzonline.com/" target="_blank">Mugshotz Art Studio</a> and his buddy Adam Pate were hired to come to our carnival and draw caricatures for the students. While he was drawing my picture, we talked about the blog and I promised him that I would blog about it and tweet him!<br />
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You'll see below that Ron did an awesome job. Britnee and I are planning on framing the drawing and we're going to hang it up in our apartment next year as our cute little family photo!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02739111386267673409noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758668181073893004.post-65122428282256676202014-03-29T17:08:00.000-04:002014-03-30T13:42:46.892-04:00PPG Place & Tower<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy Saturday blog readers! It was a perfect day to take the bus downtown and enjoy the comfortable temperatures, so that is exactly what my best friend <a href="https://twitter.com/britneemelissa" target="_blank">Britnee</a> and I did. We hadn't been down to PPG Place and Market Square since the holidays so it was the perfect place to visit. I also have to complete an essay for my art class and I'm going to use the building as my subject.</div>
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For those of you who don't know about PPG Place, it was designed by Philip Johnson and John Burgee. The entire complex is made of six buildings, building number one being the tallest at 40 stories (that's 635 feet tall!). It takes up a total of about five and a half acres of the downtown Pittsburgh area. Construction started in January of 1981 and the buildings were finished between 1983 and 1984.</div>
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During the summer months, the plaza houses a fountain surrounding the sculpture in the center. This is great place to bring children because they can freely run through it and cool off in the hot temps. When the temperatures change and we have to break out our winter clothes, an ice rink is built around the sculpture which is turned into a giant Christmas tree. What says holiday spirit more than ice skating in circles around a giant Christmas tree all while being surrounded by a beautiful city?</div>
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Britnee happens to also be a blogger (she was actually my inspiration for starting this one). While I took photos for my blog today, I also took photos of her which she will be posting today. Once you're done reading my post, be sure you head over to <a href="http://themodelcachet.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">The Model Cachet</a> to check out her post and fashion blog.</div>
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<a href="http://themodelcachet.blogspot.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="http://themodelcachet.blogspot.com/" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LWE8JaE4-wE/UzcpUtn8yNI/AAAAAAAAAck/5mibI1zEmIU/s1600/IMG_0032_final.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Pictured above is Britnee...this is one of her photos for her next blog post!</div>
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<a href="http://www.ppgplace.com/" target="_blank">Check out the PPG Place website for more information!</a></div>
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I hope you enjoyed my post and be sure to check out Britnee's blog which is also featured in my sidebar. </div>
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Have a wonderful evening!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02739111386267673409noreply@blogger.com1PPG Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, USA40.4399944 -80.00375000000002540.439238900000007 -80.005010500000026 40.4407499 -80.002489500000024tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758668181073893004.post-81014750838990397182014-03-25T11:15:00.001-04:002014-03-25T20:42:43.811-04:00A Birds Eye View<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Good morning everyone! I hope you all enjoyed my post about the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium which I went to before my spring break started. Now I'm on to the National Aviary on the North Shore which I went to with my family over spring break.<br />
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Prior to this, I had never been to the aviary (my mom happens to have an unusual fear of birds). I was never really interested in going when I was younger, so she never had to torture herself. My little brother, however, is a much different story. Joel loves any and every living (..and dead) creature imaginable. Typical boy I guess. Needless to say, he was more than excited to go.<br />
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The aviary is set up with seven different areas with unique kinds of birds and one area which had Wookie the sloth. When you arrive, you receive a schedule which gives you times for different feedings and other events of the day. One of the first things we did was go straight to the tropical rainforest area where Joel was able to "feed" the birds (pictured below). I say "feed" because he really didn't have the patience for it.<br />
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I really enjoyed seeing all of the animals and hearing the bird experts talk about them. All of the birds at the aviary have their own names (the penguins literally have their names attached to them!). One of the really fun things that I was able to do was feed the Lorikeets. I walked into the room of a birds with a cup of nectar and they immediately swarmed me, standing all over my arms and head. I actually was pooped on during this moment (EWWW), which happens to be something which the bird people think is very special. I was told I was very lucky!!!<br />
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I really learned a lot in those hours that I was there and my mom, brother and I really enjoyed our visit. If anyone is in the area of the National Aviary (which is located on the North Shore near downtown Pittsburgh), I highly recommend a visit, especially if the trip includes children!!<br />
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<a href="http://aviary.org/" target="_blank">Check out the National Aviary's website for more information!</a></div>
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I hope you all enjoyed this bird filled post! Have a wonderful day and be sure to bundle up if you're reading this from the Pittsburgh area!!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02739111386267673409noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758668181073893004.post-28490929930270463282014-03-20T15:16:00.003-04:002014-03-25T20:42:05.917-04:00Lions and Tigers and Bears....OH MY!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy first day of Spring everyone! So I have to apologize, I've been a terrible blogger the last few weeks. Last week was spring break for me and getting back to school this week has been hectic. The Friday before break, my boyfriend, Tyler, came to visit and it was such a beautiful day that we couldn't just spend it in my dorm room. After much deliberation, we decided that the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium would be perfect.</div>
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As children, both Tyler and I loved coming here with our families...honestly, what child wouldn't? It's amazing really how they have managed to make you feel like you're in a whole other world when downtown Pittsburgh is just minutes away. </div>
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Upon entering, visitors encounter all of the typical zoo animals: leopards, tigers, rhinos, elephants, lions and giraffes. Because it was still a bit chilly outside, the elephants and giraffes were inside rather than in their African Savana-like habitat. After these exhibits, visitors reach a building which houses all of the monkeys (my favorite!!). Although it's hot and sticky inside (mimicking a tropical rain forest), I really enjoy watching all of the different kinds of monkeys swinging around on their branches and vines. </div>
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Tyler is absolutely obsessed with the western lowland gorillas (thanks to Tarzan of course!). We spent a good 30 minutes at the exhibit where mother, Moka, was showing off her nearly one year old baby. He is just so adorable and loves every bit of the attention that he gets.</div>
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Finally, we visited the aquarium where many different kinds of fish and other water creatures are housed. One of my favorite parts of the aquarium is seeing the penguins. They're always swimming around and doing funny things. After you exit the aquarium, the polar bears and sea otters are dancing around and having a good time. It's a particular treat if you get to see one of the polar bears in the water playing with their toys. After seeing them outside, you can go back into the aquarium to see the water from below. This is also where the sharks are. Fun fact, I happen to be absolutely terrified of sharks.</div>
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Although Friday was beautiful and one of the only days where I was able to really enjoy the outdoors in a while, it still wasn't warm enough for many of the animals. Those who were outside, spent most of their time basking in the rays rather than walking around. From experience I've learned that one of the best days to visit the zoo is when it's a little warmer or when there is a slight sprinkle of rain coming down.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">** The logo posted at the beginning of the page is not mine.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.pittsburghzoo.org/" target="_blank">Check out the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium's website to learn more!</a></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Hope you all enjoy the photos! Stay tuned for a post about the National Aviary in a couple days. Thank you for reading and enjoy the rest of your day!</span></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02739111386267673409noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758668181073893004.post-32897297599314211352014-03-16T21:04:00.003-04:002014-03-16T21:04:35.433-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Good evening everyone!! Who else is not ready for tomorrow? Blaaah...dreaded Mondays. I know I'm especially not ready to go back to class as my spring break has officially ended as of a couple hours ago. While I spent most of my break relaxing with my family and friends and enjoying the break from college, I still did some blog worthy things like go to the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium and the National Aviary. I took tons of photos and I'm currently in the process of getting the posts together so stay tuned!</div>
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With the weather finally changing into spring, I'm hoping to have some wonderful moments to take photos and share here with you all. Stay tuned for some fun and exciting things!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02739111386267673409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758668181073893004.post-82242192760839164562014-03-01T21:31:00.002-05:002014-03-03T12:00:01.322-05:00A Day at the Strip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Good morning everyone! One of my favorite places to get up early and drive to on a Saturday morning is the Strip District on the outskirts of downtown Pittsburgh, or as us Pittsburghers like to call it...the Strip. I love everything about the couple of blocks (roughly a mile) that house some of the most interesting food stores that I have ever been in which could easily satisfy any foodie. I cannot forget to mention the many stores selling Pittsburgh merchandise like t-shirts with the Pittsburghese dictionary and 'yinzers' displayed everywhere. Finally, the Strip is particularly special to me because it is always a family event when we go and a time for my mom and I (both crazy foodies) to bond over some amazing cuisine.<br>
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We started our morning at Stan's Market where we left with four overflowing bags of fruits and vegetables adding up to only $20! From there we made our way down the street and stopped in any store which seemed interesting. The atmosphere there is simply amazing because of the many street carts and the massive, shoulder to shoulder crowd. There are usually street performers around and scents of savory food.<br>
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Wholey's is one of the most famous stores of the strip. The moment anyone walks through the doors, they are immediately bombarded with a wall of seafood stench and although it's not very pleasant, it is most certainly part of the experience. With tanks full of live fish and lobster and professionals cleaning and cutting them right in front of you, it is definitely more than just any grocery store and although they sell more than just seafood, it is what they are famous for.<br>
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Also in the strip is the Macaroni Company which specializes in Italian food. There's a massive room which houses the deli where you can get tons of fresh and amazing things like sausage, mozzarella, all kinds of olives and so much more. Every time that I come to the Macaroni Company I like to try a different kind of pasta. This time it was Orecchiette, which are tiny noodles that resemble elephant ears (they are adorable!). The Macaroni Company is also the place to get some wonderful and delicious bread...all kinds in fact. Today I left with a giant loaf of raisin bread.<br>
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In total, we spent about two and a half hours at the Strip and only made it through about half of the stores, if that. I realize that I've only mentioned three stores in particular, but don't let me fool you, there are plenty more including a grocery store for nearly every ethnicity. There's also a store devoted only to chocolate from all over the world (it's a must see!). If I took the time to tell you about every single store, I would take up your entire day! I guess you'll just have to come see for yourself.<br>
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One last thing, for lunch, we went back to Wholey's (they serve hot, ready to eat food as well) where my mom and I shared some sushi which was made right in front of us. The always charming, Andy Nguyen, is in charge of the sushi station and is amazing at what he does. Part of the enjoyment was just talking to him and of course, the absolutely to die for Eel Roll and Sapporo Maki that he made.<br>
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**An original to Pittsburgh, Primanti Bros. is home to the sandwich piled high with homemade coleslaw, tomatoes, fresh cut fries, provolone cheese and your choice of meat. The Primanti Bros. pictured at the beginning of this post is actually the original. Before the restaurant was there, Joe Primanti had a cart where he sold his famous sandwiches on the side of the street in the Strip.</div>
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Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend! Thanks for reading!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02739111386267673409noreply@blogger.com0Pittsburgh, PA, USA40.440624799999988 -79.99588640000001840.24723929999999 -80.318609900000013 40.634010299999986 -79.673162900000023tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758668181073893004.post-14699601590466428972014-02-27T02:55:00.000-05:002014-03-01T19:14:01.251-05:00All About the Arts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Welcome to my first ever blog post! We've had a brutal winter here in Pennsylvania and fortunately, today has been perfect. With blue skies, the sun shining, and temps reaching almost 50 degrees, I thought it would be a perfect time to start my blogging journey. When I decided to start this blog, I thought long and hard about what my first post would be about. Then it occurred to me, what better place to start than my absolute favorite building on campus, the Henry Clay Frick Fine Arts Building. </div>
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I first stepped foot in this building because my class schedule told me to go here. The moment I entered, I fell in love. (Funny story... I immediately thought I was in the wrong building because it is way too beautiful to house a classroom!) The class which I was taking in this building was ironically Introduction to Western Architecture where we actually learned about this building! </div>
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The main area of the building houses its very own art collection and a cloister surrounding an outdoor garden which is enclosed with glass walls and columns. The outdoor element brought inside creates a very serene and calm atmosphere. Not matter the weather outside, the view from inside is always perfection. I particularly love when it snows because it creates a life-size snow globe!! During the warmer months of the year, the fountain at the center of the garden is on and running making the area even more relaxing.</div>
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If you ever find yourself on the University of Pittsburgh campus and in the heart of Oakland, stop by this building. I promise that you will not be disappointed!</div>
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Fun Fact: The fountain situated in the front of the building was actually designed by the same artist who sculpted Abraham Lincoln on the US penny. His name was Victor Brenner.</div>
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Thanks for reading!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02739111386267673409noreply@blogger.com0Pittsburgh, PA, USA40.440624799999988 -79.99588640000001840.24723929999999 -80.318609900000013 40.634010299999986 -79.673162900000023tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5758668181073893004.post-43917441398457448662014-02-27T00:05:00.000-05:002014-03-21T22:37:32.794-04:00Welcome!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My name is Cassandra. I'm a marketing student at the University of Pittsburgh. My passion for photography started in high school where I was a member and editor of the yearbook. I've recently realized that since college, I have hardly touched my camera. With this blog, I'm hoping to get back into my love for photography and give you all a taste of western Pennsylvania and beyond. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter (@casslillian)! Stay tuned for posts and thank you for visiting!</span></div>
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