Monday, December 14, 2009

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

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