A Perfect Little Getaway

I headed to Pittsburgh last Friday to visit Erin.

(This was the view from my hotel window.  That's the Cathedral of Learning on the nearby University of Pittsburgh's campus.  You can see it from everywhere in town.) 

Erin moved to Pittsburgh 4 years ago - right after she graduated from college - for a graduate program at Carnegie Mellon University.  She ended up liking Pittsburgh a lot, found a job there after her graduation, and stayed! Pittsburgh is only a 6 hour drive from Kalamazoo.  Just long enough to make it a bit of a pain in the ass, but short enough to be do-able for a long weekend.  Although Erin makes it back home a couple of times a year, I haven't been to visit her in Pittsburgh for a long time.

Time for a getaway!

I arrived early enough to visit her at work.

(And embarrass her.)  
(Oh, god, Mom.  Photos?  Really???)  
(Yes. Because that's what Moms do. . .)

We had a great time!  Shopping, sight-seeing, Kon-Mari-ing Erin's apartment, eating.

Erin took me to the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden . . .

So . . .

much . . . 

awesome!

(As a child, Erin was not interested in plants or gardening at all.  But . . . I notice that's changed!)
(I can't imagine she'll ever knit, though.)

 Erin took me on a quick tour of the Carnegie Mellon campus.

(Erin got her Masters at Carnegie Mellon a couple of years ago . . . Literature & Cultural Studies.  Although I'd driven by with her before, I'd never had a full tour.  She got a little nostalgic.  Just a little.)

We even stumbled onto a yarn bombing!

(And found a little dinosaur bridge stenciling, too. . .)

Pittsburgh is a great place - no wonder Erin likes it so much.  

And - if you're ever in Pittsburgh - make sure you visit Burgatory . . . for the BEST burgers EVER!

What a perfect getaway!!!  (Thanks Erin and Keith!)