It's official! The 2008 RT convention will be in Pittsburgh April 16-20!
Kathryn Falk and I just returned and I must say I am smitten with Pittsburgh.
It's a lovely, thriving, beautiful city with a quaint mainstream America appeal. The architecture and old-money mansions are to die for. And the multitude od neighborhoods run the gamit from cosmopolitan to charming.
The hotel stands facing the three rivers adorned with the cutest little bridges that add to the charm and ambiance. The downtown area, which is a two minute walk, has theater and cultural events and lots of old skyscrapers built when it was a booming steel town in the 1920s.
The Convention and Visitors center representative, Mont, wined and dined us and we ate at some of Pittsburgh's finest restaurants. Our favorite was the Grand Concourse at Station Square, an historic station that served the Erie R.R. I had a lobster and brie grilled cheese sandwich that was to die for!!! The building is nothing short of magnificant! All dark mahogoney with a domed stained glass ceiling, not to mention the abundance of stained glass windows throughout. Even the ladies room was fantastic. It was like stepping back in time. Simply wonderful!!
Since Pittsburgh is so ethnically diverse Kathryn is planning a culinary day tour, stopping at many of the ethnic neighborhoods and sampling the foods, as part of the pre convention tour.
Three specialities of Pittsburgh are perogies, pretzels and a dessert called gobs which is this gooey concoction of incrediable cream sandwiched in betweed two oreo-type large cookies—all of which unfortunately we did not have a chance to sample.
The family owned pretzel shop has been there for over 100 years and a visit to it will be on the tour.
We did, however, sample the best french fries ever—and coming from a New Yorker that's saying something. They are from the Big "O" which is a deli-type restaurant in the middle of a huge college town. They are twice fried and made with REAL potatoes and you could eat a few days on one portion. Yummy!!! I don't think Mont will ever get the smell of french fries out from his car.
Also on the preconvention tour you will go to several historic homes begining with the Frick house and museum. This Victorian mansion has been preserved complete with all of the family's belongings which brings a special authentisity to it not found in many historic homes that have been recreated. The children's room has the Frick kid's beds, bedding, toys, furniture, photographs and clothes. In fact, all of the rooms are brimming with the Frick family's belongings. I just loved the special children's entrance leading in to a mudd room (brilliant idea) with kiddie boots and shoes lined up against the wall. Since George Westinghouse lived down the street the Frick house was the second to have electricity!
Famous works of art can be seen throughout the entire house. Frick was an avid collector of great artwork and many pieces can be seen in the New York Frick museum as well.
This is the closest thing you will ever get to traveling back in time to the gilded age to see how the rich lived.
The hotel is very excited that we are coming and everyone we spoke to was a reader. They are also looking forward to the Mr. Romance Competition but then again every hotel we go to is.
Just wanted to give you a snapshot of what you can look forward to in 2008!
Additional information coming soon! Visit www.rtconvention.com for further details.
Who I'd like to meet:
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Hotel information:
The Hilton Pittsburgh hotel is one the city's largest, most recognized hotels, ideally located in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and adjacent to Point State Park and Pittsburgh's famed Three Rivers. Our Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Hilton hotel is also near the Convention Center and across the river from Heinz Field and PNC Park. At the gateway to the Cultural District, the Hilton Pittsburgh hotel is the hub of activities for sporting events, The Arts Festival, The Regatta, Fourth of July Fireworks, Light Up Night, Galas, Meetings and Conventions.
All 713 hotel rooms, including 22 suites provide breathtaking views in every direction. The hotel rooms are beautifully appointed with ergonomically designed work areas, dual-line speakerphone with voicemail and complimentary wireless high-speed Internet access. For hotel guests expecting the highest levels of service and amenities, our downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania hotel offers exclusive Executive Level hotel rooms, Luxury Suites and a private Executive Level Lounge.
The Hilton Pittsburgh hotel is able to host the most elaborate conventions and galas with our 40,000 square feet of flexible meeting space and the largest committable group room block in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Two floors of meeting space at Hilton Pittsburgh hotel allow large events to be on the Ballroom level while separating smaller events in our Lobby Level Conference Center locations.
The Hilton Pittsburgh's Event Services team has earned the Successful Meetings Pinnacle Award, Hilton's Meeting and Convention Team of the Year, and consistent Top Loyalty Scores from meeting professionals who have recently experienced the Hilton Pittsburgh hotel.
As fall arrives, I just wanted to leave you a note, wishing you a great halloween season! It's time to decorate, so get out the pumpkins, the spider webs and the skeletons!
We all love free books. So check out my contest at www.lindaciletti.net I’m giving away 2 romantic adventure books to one winner--a historical and a time travel either in ebook pdf format or trade paperback. (if outside the continental US, winner gets pdf copies) The historical is a 2009 Eppie Winner.
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