Another iPhone app that I’ve discovered!  And you know how I love my apps.  This one is handy for use at home and while traveling, and appeals to the foodie and wine lover in me.
The new Drinks Matcher, from Nat Decants, is a combination wine sommelier and bartender, all in the convenience of your smart phone.  You can quickly choose a wine whether you’re sitting at a restaurant, lounging poolside, or shopping at the supermarket or liquor store.  Since the app doesn’t require an internet connection, you can even use it when you’re dining on the patio and some …read more

Pittsburgh bows to the gods of beer with the fun brew pub, Church Brew Works.  As the name implies, it’s set inside a church.  Well, a former church — St. John the Baptist — in the Lawrenceville part of Pittsburgh (3525 Liberty Ave, corner of Liberty & 36th).
After the church was abandoned in the early 1990’s, a rehab project began that would turn the unique venue into a restaurant.  The transformation made for a beautiful restaurant and brew pub, with many of the original pieces of the church re-purposed for a new use.
The original pews have been turned …read more

Today’s Matchbook Monday comes from La Tomate, a family owned Italian bistro in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington DC.
A friend sent me this matchbook and reminded me of many an evening we had spent there with a bottle of wine and a lively conversation.  I’m not sure that we ever had a meal there; we’d mostly stop in for a little music, conversation, and the people watching that the neighborhood is known for.
The restaurant and bar was always busy, whether from it’s location, reputation, or food, I’m not certain, and at times it could be a bit on …read more