Pittsburgh's Light Up Night

Randy and I got to go enjoy Pittsburgh's Light Up Night last Friday. Our friend's parents got these bus tour tickets but they couldn't use them because they ended up booking a trip to South America instead. Hmmm... Pittsburgh on a cold November night or a cruise to warm South America? Yep, can't blame 'em, and we were happy to take their Light Up Night tickets. Their daughter, Marta, and her boyfriend had tickets too. It was a night out without the kids... woohoo!

After a not-so-planned 40 minute detour through the city to avoid traffic, we started out with dinner at the Grand Concourse in Station Square. Then we were off to see the Nativity at the USX building. If you ever get an opportunity to see this - go! It is enormous and beautiful. This amazing piece of artwork is a replica of the famous nativity scene erected in St. Peter's Square in Rome, Italy. Usually there is a choir singing, too. Next we were off to park the bus near Heinz Field to get a good spot to watch the fireworks and lighting of the tree near the fountain at The Point. We had an excellent view. Finally we ended the evening with a ride up to Mount Washington to view the whole city.

It was a very nice evening out. The bus ride was a humorous experience. See... the group on the bus was a much older crowd. We were warned that we would be by far the youngest. We kept cracking up over the conversations around us. There was about a half hour to kill when the bus parked at Heinz Field before the fireworks. When the DVD of the Statler Brothers Christmas Special started playing we politely excused ourselves and headed over to Jerome Bettis' Grill 36. Besides, the heat on the bus was stifling.

I'm glad we got to go. It was nice to hang out with adult friends without our kids running around. Don't get me wrong - I love my kids but it's nice to get away if only for an evening.

My camera is "in the shop" getting fixed so I took these pictures with my cell phone. (I hope I get my camera back before Christmas...!)