Holy Heck, it’s the Holidays!

Holy Heck, it’s the Holidays!

Well, we’ve quickly gone from “the season is upon us” to “here we are all up in it”! This time of year moves so fast. There’s a growing pile of stuff in the corner of my desk to be put away. It includes a metal pumpkin decoration and a Halloween make up kit! The good news is, the purple snowflake tree ornament that’s been sparkling quietly in my desk drawer all year finally looks in place!

Busy, busy, busy. Let’s get down to business, shall we?

ANNUAL GYPSY GIFT CERTIFICATE SALE
Starting today, December 10, $50 Gypsy gift certificates sold will include a special bonus gift Christmas ornament! What better bauble represents Gypsy Cafe and our loves of home, family, tradition, AND shiny things? Imported by the local company Palko Imports, while they last, our gift to you is a beautiful blown glass German golden acorn symbolizing life and luck, or a funny green pickle to hide on the tree for the kids! INFO: http://www.xmasdays.com/store/legends.html

Folks purchasing a $100 gift certificate receive a pound of Friends Blends Coffee from our dear “Friends of the Tamburitzans” group. Their yearly specialty coffee sales program benefits the Duquesne University Tamburitzans! INFO: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08329/929811-34.stm (Plus a new flavor this year: Volim Te! (I love you! Chocolate and Cherry)).

Come in to Gypsy to pick up your gift certificate and receive these gifts—those ordering over the phone will get a little Gypsy kick back Gift Certificate instead!

GOULASH TO GO
And another thing—to help you in your holiday party-going and party-contributing, Gypsy is offering a special take out deal. Half-pans of our signature Szekely Gulyas (pork, bacon, and onion slow-stewed in paprika and finished with sauerkraut and sour cream over egg noodles) hot and ready or cold with heating instructions, for $25. An even more special deal is available for $40—complete the package with a half-pan of our Hungarian Caesar salad AND a pound of Friends Blends Coffee benefiting the Duquesne Tamburitzans!

FRIENDS BLENDS COFFEE
PS: We’re not just giving Friends Blends away and selling it with goulash—it’s for sale on it’s very own again this year at Gypsy for $10 regular/$11 decaf in all flavors, info available on our website, www.gypsycafe.net . We’ve all gotten into super fancy-shmancy coffee—why not have your coffee purchase go toward a good cause? Makes a great gift, too! INFO: http://www.tamburitzans.duq.edu/supportorgs.html


GHOST TOUR, CHRISTMAS EDITION!
Haunted Pittsburgh Ghost Tours are BACK! HP returns for the Holidays with Victorian Ghost Stories! The Victorians LOVED to scare their Yuletide guests into moral and social submission. (Think "A Christmas Carol") Join us for a special dinner event Wednesday, December 16th and a very special Christmas Tea Saturday, December 12th! Details below, and follow the link to a PG blog on this scary subject! Call 412.381.4977 for Reservations!http://community.post-gazette.com/blogs/radicalmiddle/archive/2009/12/08/there-ll-be-scary-ghost-stories.aspx

Dinner with Shivers!
Have a great dinner (try the GHOULash!) and then wile away the evening with tales of torture and torment, Victorian-style!Wednesday, December 16th at 8:00
$30 / person includes 3 course pre fixe menu and entertainment.
Christmas Tea!
All the spooky goodness of our Haunted Pittsburgh Ghost Dinner with a festive infusion of Christmas creepiness! Enjoy a proper tea with a Gypsy twist and spooky holiday tales to stir your cup!
Saturday, December 12th, 1PM
$22 / person includes Christmas Ghost Stories by Haunted Pittsburgh and afternoon tea fare of light lunch items, pastries, and featured tea.

Call for Reservations!

KODACHROME CHRISTMAS
Need a group-friendly event for friends, family, co-workers? Don’t forget our lovely neighbors 100 feet to the West, City Theatre! Premiering this year is a great new fun feel-good show about what we all miss most about the Christmases of the recent past!
Call City for tickets 412.431.CITY (2489) or visit online: www.citytheatrecompany.org

NEW YEARS EVE
I know it’s not even Christmas yet, but remember it was not even Halloween when all the Christmas stuff started to fill the aisles, so at the risk of rushing you, let’s talk about New Years Eve.

I’ve been talking to people and trying to gauge the general mood as I plan this year’s NYE, and I’m getting that folks are feeling a little subdued. Last year felt frustrated; it seemed most were tired of the general anxiety 2008 had brought and eager to leave it behind and start anew. Seems this year “Caution” is the word. I keep hearing that people are looking for a place to feel safe for New Years. 2009 has been about hunkering down—and instead of feeling frustration over that, we seem to be reflective; thankful for what we have, for the company we keep, for the people and places we love. Last few years we’ve been offering a two-part New Years: Early for dinner and then home, and Late for bringing in the year. This year, we’ll be just a little more subdued as well, offering an extended dinner seating with music from a romantic, 3-piece Gypsy Strings playing until 10:30. Enjoy an intimate dinner as a couple and still make it home or meet up with friends by Midnight! Or, something else—since we’re all feeling thankful for close friends and family, we’ll also be offering our special NYE menu Family Style—if you’ve got a group dining, we’re happy to feed you like the family you are, passing plates to share around the table. Of course, you’re welcome to stay with us to ring in the New Year, too. The Gypsy Krewe is a nice family of friends ourselves and we’re happy for more!

CALENDAR
Saturday, December 12th 1 PM: Haunted Pittsburgh Ghost Tour Christmas Ghost Tea, $22/person

Monday, December 14th: Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School. Theme: HOBO-erotica! Doors open at 7; Drawing begins at 8. $10

Wednesday, December 16th, 8 PM: Haunted Pittsburgh Ghost Tour Christmas Ghost Dinner, $30/person

Saturday, December 19th 8:30 PM: Live Jazz with Don Aliquo, Mark Perna, and special guest

Sunday, December 20th: CLOSED FOR DINNER for Private Party. Brunch service 12-3 as scheduled

CLOSED FOR HOLIDAY Thursday, December 24th and Friday, December 25th OPEN for regular schedule Dec 26th and 27th

UP & COMING!
Saturday, January 9th 7:30: Live Middle Eastern Music and Bellydance with Ishtar and Berna! We are excited to welcome Ishtar for an inaugural performance here at Gypsy—and the lovely Berna bellydancing is always an exciting treat! We will offer a special Meze menu in addition to our full menu!

Advance Notice: Coming up sometime later in January, Gypsy is happy to host an exclusive Croatian Wine Tasting with Nezic Winery. Diana and Dubrovka, the cousins who import their families’ wines, are just waiting for the new vintages to clear US Customs!

Thank you for helping us to make this little place possible.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Melanie and Chef Jim

The Goulash Gauntlet

Gypsy Quickie!
Try as I might, I just can’t seem to get the long-winded Gypsy email you’re all accustomed to written and out the door, so here’s just a little quick how-do-you-do with a wee present for you at the end! Longer letter later, with details of Gypsy’s brush with Hollywood as we (sort of) took part in the filming of “Love and Other Drugs” to come!

Gypsy CLOSED Turkey Day and Friday!
Once again, the immediate Gypsy family and friends who can’t make it home will be having pot luck Thanksgiving here at the restaurant. We’re closed for service, and also closed for service Friday, November 27th for our own Miss Katie’s wedding!

Are you stuck with side dish duty? Chef Jim and I will be here all day Thursday for your Goulash Procurement Needs (see below!)

The Goulash Gauntlet
Need a main or side dish to take to Turkey Day or any holiday gathering through New Year? We're offering half pans of our slow-stewed pork, bacon, onion, spicy Paprika, sauerkraut, and sour cream Szekely Gulyas to go, hot or cold, for $25. Feeds 4-6 as a main course, 8-10 as a side dish! Call 412.381.GYPSY!

Add a half pan of Hungarian Caesar Salad (Romaine, red cabbage, Feta, dilled croutons, Hungarian Vinaigrette) for $10!

Tammie Coffee
Here’s another great party gift. Grab a pound of gourmet coffee for a good cause!

Gypsy is proud to once again offer the Friends Blends Coffee Line, a fundraising endeavor by the Friends of the Tamburtizans and benefitting the Duquesne University Tamburitzans for sale. Available in 1 pound packages, $10 regular; $11 decaf:

Dobro Jutro (Good Morning!) Breakfast Blend
Tamburitzan Private Blend (full bodied/smooth)
Palachinka (sweet custard flavor)
Apple Strudel (cinnamon and clove)
Volim Te! (I Love You!) (chocolate and cherry)

Also available: Prijatno! (Greetings!) Apron $13

Gypsy Calendar:
Haunted Pittsburgh Ghost Tour Christmas Tea
Saturday, December 5 and December 12, 1PM
$22 includes Christmas Ghost Stories by Haunted Pittsburgh and afternoon tea fare of light lunch items, pastries, and featured tea. Call for Reservations!

Haunted Pittsburgh Ghost Tour Christmas Edition Dinners
Wednesday, December 9 and 16th, 8PM
$30 includes an hour of Christmas Ghost Stories by Haunted Pittsburgh Ghost Tour and our 3-course prix fixe dinner menu. Call for Reservations!

Toonseum Brunch
Sunday, December 6th, NOON-3
Gypsy is a proud associate of the Pittsburgh ToonSeum, newly relocated to its very own space at 945 Penn Avenue. Join us for a special brunch dedicated to the Pittsburgh ToonSeum featuring a storytelling and drawing performance by curator Joe Wos with a special “Cereal Cels” art show courtesy of the ToonSeum graces our walls!

CHRISTMAS PARTIES!
Christmas party space is filling up right quick, but we’ve still got some dates for private parties available, and we’re happy to host your group or office luncheon—with City Theatre next door and entertainment available, we’ll open up for your group of 12 or more! Call Melanie: 412.381.4977

With THANKS,

Melanie and Chef Jim

PS: Our present for you!

Here’s a little cocktail recipe. Schlepp these ingredients to your family/friend affair, and be the toastest with the mostest!

Thanksgiving Turkey Cocktail
(Equal Parts, in a Rocks Glass)
Maker’s Mark Bourbon or Wild Turkey Rye
Orange Juice
Limonata (Italian Sparkling Lemonade) or Lemonade
Over ice
Top with Ginger Ale
Garnish with fresh cranberries!



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Housekeeping:
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Halloween events: Welcome to the scary season - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Halloween events: Welcome to the scary season - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

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A Night in Budapest Press Release 9-12-09

A NIGHT IN BUDAPEST
An evening with the rare Hungarian Cimbalom at Gypsy Café.

On Saturday, September 12, 2009, South Side’s Gypsy Café will host “A Night in Budapest”, an evening of Hungarian music and food featuring the seldom-seen Cimbalom. Pittsburgh’s George Batyi and Bob Sestili of The Gypsy Strings and special guests will join Chicago Cimbalist Alex Udvary for an intimate dinner and private concert.

Few people can define “cimbalom” let alone describe one. This uncommon musical instrument is of the Dulcimer family, a kind of piano-xylophone hybrid, stringed, but struck with hammers. Although smaller traveling versions of the cimbalom exist, Mr. Udvary’s nearly full-size cimbalom is a rarity outside of Eastern European concert halls.

Centuries ago, the Cimbalom was adopted by Romani (Gypsy) musicians, and the instruments traveled with them throughout Europe. Cimbalom (tsimbal) is also an important instrument in Klezmer orchestras.

The musicians will play “European Style” through the dinner courses, starting with sets on the stage and continuing to individual tables to solicit requests. It is customary to tip the orchestra, especially for playing requests.

Reservations are necessary and seating is limited. $35 per person includes the three-hour show and a three-course Hungarian meal including dessert, soft drinks, and coffee. Tax and tip are not included. For more information, visit www.gypsycafe.net or contact Gypsy Café at 412.381.GYPSY (4977).

Composers noted for their use of the cimbalom include Zoltan Kodaly, Igor Stravinsky, Pierre Boulez, Peter Eotvos, Gyorgy Kurtag, Louis Andriessen, Henri Dutilleux, and even Elvis Costello.

Gypsy Café is an intimate neighborhood café featuring the cuisines of the Mediterranean and beyond. Full bar; non-smoking. Reservations necessary. A second show may be added Friday, September 11, 2009
###

For more information, or to schedule an interview with George Batyi, violinist, contact:
Melanie Evankovich George Batyi
Gypsy Café Gypsy Violinist
412.381.4977 412.853.3569
gypsy@gypsycafe.net gbatyi@aol.com


Melanie EvankovichJim DietzGypsy Cafe1330 Bingham Streetcorner of Bingham and 14th StreetsPittsburgh, PA 15203412.381.GYPSY (4977)www.gypsycafe.net

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Gypsy Update 9-4-09: September (does not) Slow Down!

Hey fans, friends and family of Gypsy! Chef Jim here at the very precipice of seasons as we prepare to tumble into fall and reflect on the summer we’ve had. We’ll start by forgiving what turned out to be not such a good summer for tomatoes* and focus on what a great summer it was for peppers of all kinds. Once that run is done, we’ll focus on squash and pumpkin and the bounty of late harvest as the minions here in the Gypsy kitchens work feverishly to get a Fall Menu together worthy of last year’s.

*A notable exception to this summer’s tomato tragedy is our South Side neighbor Farmer Jody of Lab8 and BYS Yoga fame, who, in a garden plot the size of a kiddie pool, brought forth a gargantuan 2 lb, 14oz tomato, respectfully dubbed “Urban Warrior”! (Now on to the backyard hop harvest!)

We here at Gypsy have a few items of note to pass on to you…

From the Patting-Ourselves-on-the-Back Department:
Seems we have been the center of a little attention storm here at the café. China Millman of the Post-Gazette was kind enough to mention us in a feature about restaurants that offer vegetarian fare (8/20 http://www.pittsburghpostgazette.com/pg/09232/991956-34.stm) and we decided since the spotlight was on our meatless dishes that we should bring a veggie dish to the Sprout Fund’s Hot House event last Saturday. This paid off as our “Morocco Tacos”, flour tortillas filed with a black-eyed pea, caramelized onion, kale and toasted cumin rice pilaf mixture and topped with tahini/eggplant sauce, garnered us another teeny mention in the PG, this time in the Seen column (9/1) coverage of Hot House. Considering our advertising budget only exists in theory, two mentions in the paper are huge for us. Thanks for the exposure!

In shiny paper news, Pittsburgh Magazine named us “Best Tarot Readings While You Eat.” Although this is kind of like Melanie’s Dad declaring her his “favorite daughter” when she’s the only daughter, we appreciate our eclectic little place being presented with a fittingly eclectic award. Thank you Pittsburgh Magazine, for noticing. Thanks also to our dear resident Tarot reader Rebecca for being a part of Gypsy, and Kudos for her recognition. We and all the folks who visit with her think she’s great, and now PM gives a nod as well. Rebecca is available most Friday and Sunday nights to our dinner guests for readings, but her time does fill quickly, so be sure to make an appointment for a 15- or 30-minute reading when you make your dinner reservation. http://www.wqed.org/

From the Cool Stuff Coming Up Category
Y’know up until the first performance here at Gypsy, I had no idea what a “Cimbalom” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cimbalom was, but this unique Hungarian instrument has a resonance and sound all its own that is worth seeking. Imagine a member of the dulcimer family crossed with the sounding board of a wind instrument and the fluidity of a harp. That puts you in the same neighborhood as a Cimbalom, but doesn’t quite do it justice. Outside of Europe, this rare and venerable instrument has only a few living masters, and one of them, Alex Udvary, will be performing with The Gypsy Strings’ George Batyi, Bob Sestili, and Jerry Grcevich in our third annual “A Night in Budapest” celebration. Please call to make reservations now for Saturday September 12th (a second night, Friday, September 11th may be added according to demand) to enjoy this rare music and a 3 course Hungarian menu for only $35. The menu will be listed on our website shortly. Another PG mention! http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09246/995023-484.stm

Gypsy will be in two places September 12th as we will also be participating in WYEP’s annual Rock the Block event just down the street in South Side’s Bedford Square. Rock the Block is a terrific fundraising event for WYEP and has in a very short time become on the best events of summer. http://www.wyep.org/

What am I excited about this fall, other than the fall vegetables and fall menu looming large on the near horizon? Why Pittsburgh Comicon, natch, as anyone who knows me knows I am as big a comic book geek as I am a foodie. In order for me and my Geek Brunch staff to make it out to the Con this year (or as I like to call it, the “Nerd Prom”) and to allow us to recover from a weekend full of the events above, we will unfortunately be closed for brunch on Sunday, Sept 13th. We will be back the following Sunday at our regular time and hours for brunch, geekier and brunchier than ever, and we apologize in advance for the inconvenience. My comic book podcast Legion of Dudes (http://www.legionofdudes.com/) will be at the Con when I can’t, so if you see them there give them a wave and a hello. They are mostly harmless if properly medicated…

Classic Literature Brunch—and Birthday Celebration--this Sunday, September 6 NOON-3
One of our dear Gypsy pals and rabid brunch fan, Chad Shannon, wanted to celebrate his birthday with Brunch at Gypsy, but wanted to make it mean something to everyone who came in for brunch, so we came up with a plan. We’ve chosen a brunch theme near and dear to Chad, and in return to dedicating the Brunch to his love of Classic Literature, he has pledged to make a donation to the Susan G. Komen foundation for every one of his “pet” brunch dishes sold. Classic Lit fan; classy guy! Celebrate with Chad this Sunday and feed your belly for a good cause!

BOOOO! Ghosty Stuff!
The Haunted Pittsburgh crew continues to haunt Gypsy Café and we are eerily delighted to partner with them, offering a special 3-course prix fixe menu to fill you and an hour or so of storytelling to thrill you here at Gypsy Wednesdays September 9, 16, 30, and tentatively, 23 (G-20 et al might be scarier on the 23rd!)

We’ve also got some really cool special events coming up with the Haunted Pittsburgh to be announced, and they’re just about to launch their Walking Tours here in South Side! For more info: http://hauntedpgh.blogspot.com/ and a discussion about HP http://pittsblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/ghosts-in-pittsburgh.html!

Mark Your Calendars! Saturday, September 19th—Two Great Events!
Next on our upcoming events list, on Saturday afternoon at 1PM on the 19th, Gypsy is proud to welcome Sherrie Flick, (http://www.sherrieflick.com/) South Side Slopes farmer, Literary Innovator (founder of Gist Street Reading Series and sponsor of ISReads) former pastry chef, and most importantly AUTHOR, as she introduces her newly published novel, Reconsidering Happiness at a luncheon event here at Gypsy in her honor. The Pittsburgh Post Gazette recently reviewed her newest work:

Fiction: "Reconsidering Happiness," by Sherrie Flick. Pittsburgh novelist finds right recipe for life's lovely moments Sunday, August 30, 2009By Sherri Hallgren
and you can read about it here: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09242/993906-148.stm

The event is $20 per person and includes lunch and time with Sherrie in our intimate café. Please call for Reservations!

Jazz with Don Aliquo and Mark Perna!
Saturday night the 19th, join us for dinner with the sweet sounds of Jazz with saxophonist Don Aliquo and bassist Mark Perna starting at 7:30! Please call for Reservations!


As always, thank you for your interest in our little café.

Chef Jim

Call: 412.381.4977Email: gypsy@gypsycafe.netFax: 412.381.4979
Gypsy Café1330 Bingham Street, South Side!http://www.gypsycafe.net/

Gypsy Update 8-7-09: Gypsy hosts Ghosts, Posts, and GruVee Austrians!

Hey everybody! Chef Jim back again to clue all of you in on what’s going on at Gypsy Café here in the (pretty doggone mild) dog days of summer. My grandfather Virgil in Ohio used to grow strawberries every summer as a sideline, and, after they had all been harvested, sold, and in some cases made into my grandmother’s heavenly preserves, I knew it wouldn’t be much longer until I was back in school. Strawberries heralded the beginning of summer and their departure making way for peach season was always the beginning of the end of my summer as a boy. Time’s running out people! Better get out there and enjoy some summer while its still around, or sit in your frozen house all winter and regret it…

More of an IN-doorsy type? Well, may I suggest catching one of the final few performances of “Late Night Catechism 3: Til Death Do Us Part” a humorous and nostalgic look at what Catholicism hath wrought—I mean, taught--on the Sacrament of Marriage and all the issues implicit within it. Sister will impart to you the wisdom of the teachings of the Vatican and find out just how well you and your betrothed know each other with a Newlywed game as well as chide you for being tardy or chewing gum. And, if you are predisposed to such things, she’ll also make you laugh out loud. These are the last few weeks of this comedic show @ City Theater, so get tickets now or forever hold your peace! www.citytheatrecompany.org

Another great way to shake up a quiet Summer night is our popular dinners in conjunction with Haunted Pittsburgh Ghost Tours, “Dinner with Shivers”. You get to relax with a delicious 3-course prix fixe dinner menu followed by an hour of chilling tales of the best ghost stories from Pittsburgh’s past. Even if you don’t believe in the hoary hosts of the netherworld, the stories are fascinating glimpses into Pittsburgh’s sometimes sordid past and some of its most interesting personalities. Dinner and storytelling is only $30 in advance and we will be having these special events on August 12th and 26th. Please call for reservations as early as possible! $35 at the door.
http://hauntedpgh.blogspot.com/
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/columns/heyl/s_634051.html

GYPSY READS!
Great News from Melanie!

Hey there! I am pleased as punch to report that Gypsy is a site for ISReads.

Excerpted from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 7/27/09:
Words -- prose and poetry -- are appearing around town starting today when the national IsReads: The Journal Outdoors project begins here.
It's part of the Small Press Festival organized this month by Open Thread. Co-sponsors of IsReads are the Gist Street Reading Series and Keyhole magazine.
Pittsburgh City Council has joined in as well, declaring last Tuesday as "Journal Outdoors Day" in a proclamation issued by Councilman William Peduto.
Read more: http://www.pittsburghpostgazette.com/pg/09208/986624-44.stm#ixzz0NWn5TbQ6
Temporarily affixed to one of Gypsy’s violet walls, just to the left of a statue of our patron Pan, is a poem by Joseph Goosey, “Marlboros on the Bench”.

The goal for all the posted poems city-wide is to somehow match them to their host home. Sherrie Flick, Artistic Director of the Gist Street Reading Series, proud Slopes backyard farmer, ISReads Pittsburgh collaborator and author of a brand new book, Reconsidering Happiness,* helped to choose our adopted poem. She told us she was particularly happy because the poem mentions hummus, one of her favorite things to order when she dines with us!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

*Author Luncheon with Sherrie Flick Saturday, September 19th
Sherrie Flick, mistress of many, many things, especially of the literary persuasion, will be our guest of honor for an Author Luncheon celebrating her newly-published novel, Reconsidering Happiness. Details TBD, but save the date now for an intimate afternoon with one of Pittsburgh’s best-known young literary figures!

Monday, August 17th: Dr Sketchy “Dysfunctional Family Backyard Barbeque” at The DoubleWide Grill
Gypsy is the host site for on-going Dr. Sketchy events, but every now and again the Dr. wanders off the hospital grounds. August’s event will take place at our neighbor’s place, The DoubleWide Grill 2339 East Carson Street.

Think you’ll miss the Gypsy too much? Fear not! Yours truly, mistress Melanie, Gypsy’s Ambassadoress of Classiness, will be a FEATURED MODEL. I’m not so much Vogue material, or even Sears Catalog material, but I think I’ve got a real shot at rockin’ the runway at Crazy Aunt Mel at the DoubleWide! Yee Haw! http://drsketchy.blogspot.com/

BONUS: Summer Wine Find! Grüner Veltliner
The hot summer wine in hipster circles is Grüner Veltliner, an Austrian varietal making a splash in the US. Light with tart fruit and a decent amount of spice and pepper, plus a dash of happiness in the form of slight effervescence, GV in flavor is kind of like Pinot Grigio meets Vinho Verde and fans of either will LOVE this wine, affectionately known as GruVee! We’re featuring it this summer here at the Gypsy, but select PA premium collection stores are carrying some labels. Here’s your chance to be instantly in at your next summer soiree!

Thank you, as always, for being our friends and patrons!

Melanie and Chef Jim

Gypsy Café
1330 Bingham Street, South Side!
www.gypsycafe.net

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Happy Summertime everybody!

NEW SUMMER MENU
Chef Jim here @ Gypsy Café and summer, to me, means produce. Sweet smelling tomatoes and even sweeter basil with an almost licorice aftertaste, plump meaty eggplant, and a whole rainbow of fresh peppers from sweet to atomic--this for me is the best part of summer. It gives me a lot of satisfaction to know that I am presenting to you, via our new Summer Menu, all these flavors and tastes that speak so well of the season. Not only have we brought back some summer favorites our customers have been asking about since last summer, like our layered Eggplant Caprese and our Pomegranate Barbecue Pulled Lamb “Gyro”, but we have also rolled out some new dishes for your enjoyment as well, including Sous Chef Brian Conan Doyle’s pillowy and delicious Roasted Garlic Gnocchi served in a plum tomato cream sauce and Gypsy Chicken, featuring fresh red, green, and Hungarian wax peppers in a smoked Paprika sauce over creamy polenta. To see the full menu, visit www.gypsycafe.net and click the “Dinner” tab, or better yet, just come on in for dinner. You are bound to find something to your liking.

PITTSBURGH GHOST TOUR
Another new thing we are trying this summer are a series of dinners with the Haunted Pittsburgh Ghost Tour. Storytellers will spin Pittsburgh’s best ghost stories while we serve a 3-course prix fixe menu for an all-inclusive price of $30 in advance or $35 @ the door (Bar beverages are extra). Sometimes the best way to cool off is with shivers down your spine and even if you ain’t afraid of no ghost (Bustin’ makes me feel good!) the history behind each of the stories told is fascinating in and of itself. The July dates for the Haunted Pittsburgh Ghost Tour dinners are Wed. July 15th and Wed. July 29th , with more dates to be announced. Both events start at 7:30 pm and we do recommend reservations. BOO!

DON KNOWS COLE
If your tastes run a little more to the jazzier side of he street, then check out our very own Main Man of Saxophony, the legendary Don Aliquo as he appears July 25th @ Gypsy in a special show featuring the works of the equally legendary Cole Porter. So if its “Too Darn Hot” to stay home come on down to a “De-Lovely” night of jazz with Don, Mark Perna, and his hepcat friends. The show starts @ 8 or so and if you don’t want to be considered L7 and make the scene then I would suggest making some reservations, you dig? Nuff said.

SHE KNOWS WHEN SHE NEEDS A BREAK…
Finally, one quick note to mention that our intuitive Tarot reader Rebecca has been taking the opportunity to take a few days off here and there. She will not be in this Friday July 17th, but will be back and available next week, well rested and ready to read.

DUDES CELEBRATE 50
And finally finally, if you are a fan of our Geek Brunches then you might want to check out my podcast, The Legion of Dudes, every Thursday @ www.legionofdudes.com. On August 2nd @ 9PM EST we will be celebrating our 50th show with a live Stickam feed (live.legionofdudes.com) and giving away all kinds of prizes live during the show. If you are geeky and you like free stuff check it out. It will be ridiculously easy to win something cool.

That’s all from Muppet Labs…I mean the Gypsy Kitchen this week. Get out there and enjoy that weather people! See you at the Flea Market; I’ll be the big guy in black flipping through the comic books!


Chef Jim

PS. Follow Gypsy Café on the Twitter at GypsyCafe and watch us unveil the new summer menu a dish a day via our tweets. Technology is our friend!

PPS: Now playing at City Theatre (www.citytheatrecompany.org) --the amazing Kim Richards returns in “Late Night Catechism 3: Till Death do us Part” and the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble (www.pnme.org) returns with brand new works for a brand new season!

Gypsy Quickie: Father's Day Weekend

June’s really blown by. I keep thinking we’re still in the first few days of it, and instead I find myself shocked to see how scary full-up my July calendar is already!

Father’s Day Weekend
On that note, here’s a little PSA from me. If you haven’t realized it yet, SUNDAY is Father’s Day. Yes, this Sunday. You don’t want to find yourself at Giant Eagle 11PM Saturday night sorting through the picked over cards…if you give Dad a “Grandfather” card with the “grand” scratched out, he’ll notice, trust me!

As always, Gypsy’s here to help with your plans. If you’d like to show up your big sister who never forgets a holiday or birthday and makes pies from scratch, beat her to the punch and take Dad out to dinner Saturday night. We’ve got Jazz with the legendary Don Aliquo starting at 8. Don’s a master Saxophonist who just happens to be pretty hot on the flute, too. As a matter of fact, we saw Don last night here at Gypsy with a nice young man named Jeff Coffin who just happens to play Saxophone with the Dave Matthews Band. We joked that he had come to town for lessons! Don and bassist Mark Perna start at 8! Here’s a clip of Don with a bass solo from Mark also joined by Victor Garzotto and John Schmidtt. www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQmGY_gwGoQ Please call for reservations.

Now, if you DO end up buying that card late Saturday night, you can still show up Big Sis by taking Dad out to Brunch long before her special dinner hits the table. Our annual “Famous Fathers” Brunch runs NOON-3. You and Dad can dig in to a big plate of “Homer Fries” or a “Fred Flintstone Frittata” with a side of “Vader Taters” all washed down with a complimentary “Bloody Larry” for Dad!

Gypsy Gets Glossy: Table Magazine!
Be sure to pick up the Summer issue of Table Magazine—Chef Jim and I are the subject of this issue’s “One Passion” feature where we discuss our love of all things Paprika! Many thanks to Charlene Campbell and Christina French for thinking of us! http://www.tablemagazine.com/

Gypsy Calendar
There’s still a bit of June left before we get into already-crazy July, including:

Summer Hours
We’ve started Summer hours here at Gypsy, which mostly means we’ve suspended Tuesday dinner service until Fall. Service Hours are:
Wednesday Dinner 5-9
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday Dinner 5-11
Sunday Brunch NOON-3
Sunday Dinner 4-9

Haunted Pittsburgh 6/24
We’re very excited to be working with a new venture called “Haunted Pittsburgh Tours”. Our introduction to these folks happened last Fall when South Side Mover/Shaker Christie Smith (thanks, Christie!) sent her friend Michelle, who was doing research on haunted places in Pittsburgh, our way. We told Michelle all about our own little incorporeal friend (we call him Nick), and at that time she planned to include Gypsy on Haunted Pittsburgh walking tours to come. This year we’ve got even more going on. Haunted Pittsburgh is offering Ghost Story dinners here at Gypsy with the first event happening this Wednesday, June 24th. Tickets are $30 and include three-course prix fixe dinner, soft drinks, and an hour of chilling tales of the murder, mayhem, and the macabre in our midst! Please call Gypsy for reservations!

Friday Closures 6/26 and 7-3:
We’ve got private events scheduled two successive Fridays, June 26th and July 3rd. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you, but keep in mind that Gypsy is available for private events, business meetings, showers, rehearsal dinners, and all kinds of other stuff. Give us a call; we’re happy to work with you.

We had a crazy night with The Gypsy Strings last night, so I’m off to the Strip for provisions. Have a tremendous weekend, and DON’T FORGET ABOUT DAD!

Cheers!

Melanie

BONUS: Here’s a quick Father’s Day Gift Idea. Gypsy’s featuring a beer new to the area that seems to be making everyone, girls and boys, very Summer-happy. Pick up a case of “Buffalo Bill’s Orange Blossom Cream Ale” out of California. Brewed with honey and orange peel and added orange extract, it’s light and refreshing, and for some reason hasn’t really angered too many “real” beer drinkers. It’s not a corner store find, so you might want to call around for it. For city kids, I suggest West Liberty Beer (412.561.BEER) or McBroom’s (412.241.2500).



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The SSLDC Board of Directors Wants You!

I am officially a board member of the South Side Local Development Company. Tonight was the annual meeting, and luckily I had just donned my Royal Order of Water Buffalos hat when the crazy storm that blew through South Side--and is continuing to wreak havoc--hit. Tonight's guest speaker talked about South Side Park. Did you know we had a park? Not a whole lot of people do, I'm afraid, but it's kind of like finding a surprise cream center in your cupcake to realize that my beloved SSide is filled with a magical green space just begging to be discovered. I scribbled down lots of ideas before the Sam Adams Summer Ale started to kick in!

Ghosts and Gulyas.

Get it? GHOUL-ash?

Last night we had an inaugural event with a new organization in Pittsburgh called "Pittsburgh Ghost Tours". I'm excited about working with them, and I think the work we do together has great potential. It went like this.

For last night's event, we started with appetizers at the bar for their guests and then moved on to a family style dinner. After dinner, their storyteller, conveniently also named Melanie, told an hour's worth of stories about the seamier, scarier side of our fair city. She started with stories we had told her about Gypsy Cafe's own ghosty guests and then went on to tell tales from all over the city and out into the tri-state.

It was the first event and kind of a dry run with friends in attendance, but I think this will be great. The cafe is a perfect spot for stuff like this. We've got our little stage and our parlor-like atmosphere and not a bad spot in the room for sight and sound. And, as mentioned, we've got our own ghosts!

We punted with the family-style service--and I really liked the outcome. Family style compels people to make connections in a very human way. You're passing plates and sharing food, and the concept of willingly sharing, in my mind, had to be a pretty big marker in the development of society. The side effect of this is that when sharing, those instant connections you've made with strangers establish instant empathy. Now you find yourself in a room full of people you feel comfortable being scared with!

The next event is coming up quickly, on Wednesday the 24th June at 7:30. This will be a different take on things since the cafe will be open vs closed for a private event. We're offering a special prix fixe menu with appetizer, salad, and choice of entree, so the feel will be much more "dinner and a show". The idea is to see what format works best, closed for an event vs open with entertainment. Tickets are $30 for dinner and show. (Call for reservations! 412.381.4977!)

I'm especially excited about the potentials of the private events. We can bring in Tarot and mediums and really build up the atmosphere. Stay tuned for info on those--they may be invite-only!

Why We don't Serve Fried Eggs at Thanksgiving

We’ve finally, after 5 years, been mentioned in the Post-Gazette for our brunches. (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09134/969923-242.stm)

Brunch is kind of a departure for us—so I surmise that past reviewers of Gypsy have chosen not to touch on our Brunch because it might seem a little far afield within the text of a dining review. Also, if anyone has tried to mention it, I’m guessing its “subject apart”-ness was an easy space cut for an editor on the prowl!

The following is also a cut from an editor—that editor being me. I got off on a tangent as I thought about why Brunch can be such a challenging mealtime for even the most seasoned cook. The short answer is—because it’s different. Different ingredients, different technique, different pace altogether…..

Why We Don’t Serve Fried Eggs at Thanksgiving

It’s Thanksgiving at your house and you’re tasked with all the last minute stuff just before dinner is served. Make the gravy, carve the turkey, check, top, and finish all of the casseroles, whip the potatoes...you know how hectic that is, right? Now make it interesting. Your family prefers to be served their choices on individual plates. Now tacked to the refrigerator right in your eye line appear 20 handwritten slips dictating each person’s choices. So now you must carefully arrange and portion—don’t want Aunt Mary getting more Turkey than Aunt Martha—all of those plates to be served at once, hot. And don’t forget the cranberry garnish!

Now, pretend Thanksgiving happens at your house every day.

It’s Thanksgiving every day in a restaurant kitchen, except you’re offering those 20 different dinners and a hundred possible plate combinations. And people are talking to you and asking you questions the whole time and the tickets don’t make sense sometimes and it’s hot and loud…and your whole family has to leave for the theatre at the same time. But you’re used to this. You do it all the time. You’d get pretty good at it, right? After a while, you’ve got your rhythm down, got everything working smoothly…but here’s where we ratchet up the craziness. Just when you think you know what to expect, in the midst of all this, Uncle Arthur wants two fried eggs. Now.

Here’s where a simple egg in a pan becomes a challenge. Eggs aren’t always as easy as they look, especially in a professional kitchen going full tilt. Eggs aren’t forgiving. Eggs don’t let you walk away to do something else. Eggs demand your attention. All those rhythms you’ve got down? Gone. Because now you’ve got a very different menu to prepare. Now 6 days a week you offer Thanksgiving, and one day a week you have to change everything over to Easter Brunch.

I put in quite a few hours at a very fine restaurant in Pittsburgh well known for everything it does—including Brunch. The food, the facility, the talent—all top notch then, now, and always. But I have to tell you, if at any time that kitchen had a problem—or God forbid went down for a minute, it happened at Brunch.

There is a story about a Chef I know. He’s at a country club now, but I knew him back in the day. He was the Chef cooking French with a strong classical background, a demanding Continental menu, and a “take no prisoners” personality. His waitress girlfriend told me a story about a day he just broke down in the middle of the line. On this particular hectic Saturday, she had a rare table with a child in the upscale restaurant. She put in an order for a grilled cheese for the child…and the Chef stared at her blankly. He had no idea what she meant by “grilled cheese”. She tried in vain to explain the concept of melted cheese on toasted bread, to no avail. He simply didn’t get it. He tried vainly to cross-reference her order against his Continental menu, his high French background, and nothing. She got behind the line, pushed him aside, and fried up some kid-friendly grilled cheese. When he snapped out of his confused stupor, of course he knew what she meant! Grilled cheese! Like grade school cafeteria simple as it comes regular old GRILLED CHEESE! Was he crazy for not understanding her? Only in context. Only in the context of pressured, Saturday night, classical fine dining. It was just too hard to shift gears.

In the PG article, China Millman quotes Chef Anthony Bourdain as describing Brunch as “punishment block for the B-team cooks." But it’s more than punishing your B Team by making them show up at an un-Godly early hour. It’s a psychological challenge for a seasoned cook, accustomed to a pattern, a progress, a reliable outcome on a menu she knows well enough to cook in the dark. It’s shifting gears, and fast. That is why great restaurants with great Chefs hate Brunch and the unforgiving Eggs that expect unwavering attention, that cook at a different pace than anything else one sautés, that can’t be stopped and restarted or fixed once past fixing.

And that’s why every Chef who knows anything at all respects the hell out of a good short order cook.

And that’s why we don’t serve fried eggs at Thanksgiving.

Gypsy Invite: Gypsy Celebrates 5 Years!

GYPSY TURNS 5
I remember it was a cold, dreary, rainy day in February when I first got a look at what was to be Gypsy Café. It had been a coffeehouse before, closed for several years, and was being used for storage space by the landlord at the time. Everything was dirty, dusty and disused. The walls were uniform bland beige and all the kitchen equipment was crusty. I remember distinctly after my first reconnaissance thinking, “Man, this is going to be a lot of work…” Little did I know, it was going to be both the hardest and most rewarding thing I had ever done.

We literally did everything on a shoestring. If I told you how much starting capital we began with you’d laugh at me in disbelief and rightfully so. Our friends were and still are, our biggest assets. It was our friends that made Gypsy happen and it’s the reason we are still here today.

That’s why now, 5 years later, we are having an anniversary celebration not for us, but for you, our friends, without whom Gypsy would never have been more than just a dream. We’re going back through all of our past menus to pull out some old favorites for a 5 course, $25 prix fixe menu showcasing some of our “greatest hits” with $5 wine pairings to match, and we will be hosting The Continental Dukes, a local band that specializes in Pan-European styles, just like we do.

Its all happening this Saturday night, starting around 8, and, like all of our events, we suggest making reservations as soon as possible.

MAY EVENTS
May is going to be a busy month here at Gypsy Café. In addition to our ongoing events, Gypsy Strings each Thursday, Readings by Rebecca each Friday and Sunday, and our biweekly Saturday visits from Jazzmen extraordinaire Don Aliquo and Mark Perna (This month it’ll be a pre-Mothers’ day show on May 9th and then again on May 23rd), we will also be participating in a fundraiser for the Women’s Crisis Center North on Thursday May 7th (www.crisiscenternorth.org/events.php) and the Silk Screen Asian Film Festival (http://silkscreen.bside.com/2009/) kicking off May 8th

Mother’s Day
Next weekend is already Mothers’ Day (Sunday, May 10th), which we will celebrate not only with our Fifth Annual Famous Mothers Brunch (Complimentary Mimosa for each mom!) but also with a special prix fixe menu in the evening. Plus, as a warm up, Gypsy hosts Jazz with Don Aliquo Saturday May 9th starting at 8 so that you can plan a pre-Moms’ Day date night with the favorite lady in your life. The kids can have her Sunday! Get your reservations in for any of our Mother’s Day weekend events post haste. You don’t want to end up showing your appreciation for the most important lady in your life by taking her to Mickey Ds do you? Certainly, your mother raised you better!

The following day, Monday, May 11, Gypsy will participate in the Annual Celebrate Life / Celebrate Art Event benefiting the Persad Center (http://www.persadevents.org/clcaa.php)

South Side Historic Home Tour (& Brunch at Gypsy!) Saturday, May 16th
We’ll cover the second half of the month next time, but we must mention the Historic South Side Home Tour Saturday May 16th from 10am till 4pm. Pittsburgh’s South Side, while being famous for more notorious reasons, is also famed for having some of the best examples of architecture in the city. Gypsy is partnering with the South Side Local Development Company to offer a brunch buffet to go along with the Home Tour. Advance tickets for the Tour and the buffet are $40. This is a must for anyone who enjoys great architecture, great food, and one of Pittsburgh’s greatest neighborhoods. You must purchase tickets for the brunch and tour in advance through the SSLDC: www.southsidepgh.com

Be sure to check out our new blog, the Caravan Chronicles at www.caravanchronicles.blogspot.com to get a glimpse behind the scenes here at Gypsy. We finally have a blog. Maybe in another couple of years we’ll get around to Twittering.

Thanks for reading this bulletin, and thanks for helping Gypsy make it to our Fifth Anniversary. As clichéd as it may sound, we honestly couldn’t have done it without you.

Chef Jim

Gypsy Café
1330 Bingham Street, corner of 14th Street
South Side, Pittsburgh 15203
www.gypsycafe.net


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Overdoing it...sorry for the inconvenience!

We had a hell of a weekend. It was Steel City Comicon, so Chef Jim had a weekend full of Legion of Dudes (www.legionofdudes.com) activities PLUS the restaurant. To complicate things, Brian, our sous Chef, had his brother's wedding this weekend, so in a simple equation: (Gypsy+Comicon)-Brian=Exhausted Jim. And Exhausted Melanie, too, still getting over a head cold. So we had to close for brunch today. The guilt is formidable. We have a mission that involves being available to feed people when we say we'll be there--plus, we passed out Geek Brunch flyers all weekend at Comicon--but, there's this whole problem of one's body just not agreeing with one's mission sometimes. Unfortunately, we are a just small place staffed by regular old humans. (We left all the superhumans at Comicon.)

We'll be in early for dinner, though, we promise.

Okay, here it is: Work of Art Awards

http://pittsburghartscouncil.org/workofartawards_finalist.htm

Creative Arts and Business Partnership Award recognizes a successful collaboration between an arts organization and a business that furthered the interests of both parties. This award is sponsored by BNY Mellon.

Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School (ToonSeum) & Gypsy Café, who partnered to host the Pittsburgh chapter of a world-wide movement that brings together artists, musicians, burlesque performers and unique models in a quirky, social atmosphere of drawing and imagination.

Passports Art Diversity Project & McCormack Baron Salazar, who collaborated to place original work by local artists in three McCormack, Baron, Salazar, Inc. housing sites-a model of how local developers can work with Pittsburgh artists to complete interior design projects.

Quantum Theatre & Seagate Technology, who created the Seagate Tech Circle of donors, in which Seagate committed to a financial match for donations by other tech-based companies, giving emerging companies a way to support and experience the arts in Pittsburgh.

Hmm. Not sure how we'll fare here as far as winning is concerned, but the recognition alone is worth it for me. Now I need to contact the food organizers (one of the peeps on the committee was a good friend of my little brother's in HS--aah, Pittsburgh!) and tell them we'll be in attendance so we might just be schlepping butlered food along with us....

Work of Art Awards! Big News!

11:45 AM

Gypsy is a finalist in the "Creative Arts and Business Partnership" category for this year's Work of Art Awards for our partnership with Joe Wos' Dr. Sketchy events benefiting the Pittsburgh ToonSeum.



At first, I was told not to say anything about this when it was still an unsubstantiated rumor, being that the information is yet to be announced, but the announcement date of April 15 is come and gone and my promise to keep mum gone with it.

I have to tell you I am really excited about it. I am familiar with the WofAA because we attended as representatives of City Theatre's "Cast of Caterers" with City in 2007. In that case, CT applied for this nomination--in this case, I don't know who nominated our partnership with Dr. Sketchy/ToonSeum. I am told that the representative from WofAA said they were happy to see us as part of this because "there is always something creative going on" at Gypsy and they were pleased about our willingness to partner with Arts orgs.


Lots of mixed feelings here, but all in a good way. First is that it brought tears to my eyes to think that someone had noticed that we take a creative approach to our place in the community. We are creative people, I suppose, and this proves it. Second, I suppose I may naturally have a more community-oriented focus than most--but it kind of makes me a little sad to think that this category needs to exisit. Shouldn't we all be working together all of the time? That's a little blue sky I suppose, but my mantra is always that if we don't do it together, we'll never do it alone. I suppose I should blame all those Social Democracy ideals I loved in college. (...so nice if it could work!)


So I won't post this just yet--I will wait for the confirmation of the rumor--funny thing is, they've contacted us to provide some food at the event also--I'm kind of waiting it out so I can see what we'll be availble to do if we get to attend as guests!

Gypsies in Geneva (on the Lake)

So Chef Jim and I went away last weekend. We left our little Gypsy under the watchful eye of her many doting aunts and protective uncles and headed to Ohio Friday morning.

Jim and I are Gypsies who like to collect many and varied treasures, which makes us flea market people, so we gassed up the Magical Mystery Caravan and headed out to our first stop in Rogers, OH, home of pretty much nothing other than the sprawling Rogers Open Air Market and Community Auction (www.rogersohio.com). Although the relentless rain and early date kept all but the most stalwart outdoor vendors (Go buy plants NOW! Herbs are GORGEOUS!) away, we still scored some sweet swag.

My favorite score was a gift for Dubi our bar manager, better known as “La Diabla” of Steel City Derby Demons fame. I found a 50’s era blue and red metal roller skate case, complete with hand-lettered name of owner (“Property of… Jane Rufus”) and tiny brass key still attached. We also scored some awesomely Amish provisions for the weekend including maybe the best Amish jam ever——a magical concoction called “FROG Jam”. No frogs were harmed; the jam contains only Fig-Raspberry-Orange-Ginger. FROG combines happy, homey raspberry with fancy/thoughtfully gourmet fig and orange peel ratcheted up to Amazing via very present ginger. This stuff now officially rivals my obsession with Cherry Butter that emerged during our honeymoon in WVA. Know what goes great with a little FROG? Goat Gouda, another new obsession, also Amish (that’s what the label says anyway). But what really kept us alive all weekend--while killing us slowly--was the scrapple and cornmeal mush. With smoked hot pepper Amish cheese and eggs from the farm, of course. Scrapple. A conveniently-shaped, spam-like block of unmentionable bits of magical mystery meat. I’m not a big fan of the organ meats, or offal of any DISCERNABLE kind, but once you grind it up and jam it all together…Heaven. (Holy crapple, I love scrapple!) Amish Honorable Mentions: the “It really is that good” Amish butter, and Jim’s fave chocolate chip-peanut butter cookies.

So we left the rains down in Rogers(ica) and headed NW to our destination, Geneva-on-the-Lake, OH. A few years ago, Bob Batz Jr. of the PG wrote a big weekend travel piece on Geneva, which inspired our first visit just shy of Labor Day ’06. Here’s a quiz. What natural disaster occurred back then? Answer: Hurricane Katrina. And what natural disaster occurred this past weekend? Giant Earthquake in L’Aquila, Italy. Hmm. Although I don’t WANT to see a connection with my going on vacation and natural disasters, when I do leave this world, it might be appropriate to bury me at a crossroads, or upside down on my horse or something, just in case. So we spent much of Saturday in our tiny cabin, again, watching grainy CNN reports of an earthquake this time around, and of course, the disaster much closer to home, the city-shattering loss of the three police officers we remember today, and will not forget any day soon.

Our wee little cabin, “Gia” part of “Our Gang Cottages” was about the size of a dorm room, and just what we needed. The living room, which contained a chair meant to recline, but unable to, a futon couch, and a wee hexagonal table with a TV, was about half the size of the kitchen, which contained a tiny round table with 3 chairs, a surprisingly full-size refrigerator, the necessary countertop appliances crowded on a wee isthmus of counter space, and a stove that had to be original to the cabin, circa 1940’s. It was a direct-light black and white enamel jobbie with THREE burners and the tiny oven barely accommodated the Stouffer’s frozen lasagna we picked up at the Geneva Giant Eagle on the way in. The kitchen was equipped just fine, I thought, until I volunteered to cook up our scrapple ‘n eggs Saturday morning. What the kitchen lacked was a decent pot or pan. There were three tiny frying pans from which to choose. Two of the thin-as-aluminum-foil-might-as-well-put-your-food-DIRECTLY-in-the-fire variety, and one tiny cast iron guy who had been terribly mistreated and wasn’t exactly well-seasoned. Luckily, we had a big bottle of vegetable oil that we’d purchased for popcorn (just try to make popcorn in a 1 ½ inch-deep cheapie skillet, I dare you.) By the way, just in case you’re still concerned about using non-stick pans in your home, fearful that Teflon is flaking off into your food and killing you, realize that a flake or two of Teflon can’t possibly kill you as quickly as essentially having to deep-fry everything you cook in tons of vegetable oil to keep your food from permanently bonding to cheap pans. Yes, I “deep-fried” SCRAPPLE. And it was DELICIOUS. Jim’s note: The frying of scrapple, mush, and eggs was also infinitely complicated by another notably absent item—a spatula. Nothing like trying to gently turn a block of stuck cornmeal mush with a plastic slotted spoon….

Saturday night we heard about a psychic fair happening at “The Lodge” of Geneva, which is a giant hotel and trade show complex just as you enter Geneva on the Lake proper. Being that we’re hosting our own Rebecca’s “Spring Psychic Symposium” here at the café Saturday, I felt destined to check it out. Jim said his impression of the Psychic Fair was that it was kind of like a Comicon—but with different kinds of Geeks. This is true of any such event I think, and the energy is kind of “the same but different” too. Enthusiastic, like-minded people sharing ideas like schools of fish moving through open water. I did a little recon and then got a very insightful Tarot reading from a very kind lady. There’s something to be said for a complete stranger opening a conversation with me by saying, “You’re surrounded by people in a social setting. I feel it’s your calling, but also your actual job. You’re very strong minded, though, and if you don’t have your own business that involves working with people every day, you need to start one.” Check.

Afterward, we drove over to Coventry, on the outskirts of Cleveland proper. Coventry is a neighborhood where Jim once hung his hat, and we checked out his old haunts. Two important ones, The Grog Shop, where a Kent State student version of Jim traveled for shows, is now located on the corner, but still there. Mac’s Backs Bookstore, where Jim was a poet-in-residence back in the day, now shares space with Tommy’s, a landmark veggie-friendly café we visited for lunch. (Lots of creative and messy sandwiches. And delicious Kuchen.) Record Revolution has gotten smaller, but still has an awesome collection of vintage vinyl. (When’s the last time YOU saw an “Amazulu” record?) And Big Fun is just the same—think South Side’s Groovy with a giant selection of Archie McPhee goodies and a photo booth.


By Monday the weather had degraded to snow, and it was time to head home. Both of our visits to Geneva have happened in the off-season. It’s early spring and the weather’s still crappy and cold. It’s windy as all get out. Geneva is a ghost town; we’re here too early even for visiting fishermen. But depressing as a still-boarded boardwalk arcade is, we’re here precisely for the lack of activity; for the peace of it all (and the super cheap rates). The true call of this place for me is the lake itself, as close as I dared get to it. The swift, sharp breezes whipping over the lake and whirling through town constantly remind you that just over the lip of the cottage-clustered cliff is the immensity of Great Lake Erie in all its ship-grounding tempestuousness. There is something very important to me about water, and the perspective it gifts you. The best part for me about our weekend away was the opportunity to get grounded again, to be reminded that there is a forever beneath our feet and over the horizon, so important to remember, especially compared to the uncertainty of the fragile things we’ve built on top of all that forever. We all need that, sometimes, I think.