Food in Pennsylvania: as told by the NSA

Anyone who knows us girls know that when it comes to food, we don't mess around.

Especially when it gets down to pizza...

...pizza topped with pepperoni, sausage, ham, bacon...

...and mushrooms (cause you've got to have your vegetables in there). 

So glad that the Primanti Bros in PA had some deliciously greasy pizza that was just big enough for us three girls (and maybe a few leftover slices for breakfast snack the next morning).

Thank you so much to our Pennsylvania host Bryan who helped us find some interesting places to explore...and some great places to eat! :)

He was also the first in PA to answer our question! 

"Because if you aren't living, you're dying."

"For my mom and my beautiful sister."

"For my family, boyfriend, and my future."

We wandered into Grandpa Joe's Candy Store in Pittsburgh, a quaint shop themed after the Willy Wonka movie 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'. 

The store was complete with autographed pictures of the cast and the original film playing on a television in the back. 

Working there was a woman named Joy, who helped us understand a little bit of the Pennsylvania area culture, including some slang such as 'Yinzer'.

"Because my alarm goes off?"

According to a shirt we found at a sidewalk store later, Yinzer means the same as 'yous' to the east, and 'y'alls' to the south. 

The Pittsburgh strip was filled with indoor and outdoor markets, quaint stores, and many food shoppes. 

"A new day, a new start.

Making art and healing hearts."

For lunch we stopped in at the original Primanti Bros restaurant for the famous Pittsburger!

Layers of sensational cheese steak, tomato, thick cut fries, and cole slaw wedged between two toasted slices of Italian bread. 

Back in the early 1930s, Joe Primanti began selling sandwiches to the hungry truckers that would come at all times of the night. Because they needed something that they would be able to eat with one hand while on the road, and still fill them up, he created a sandwich that was basically a meal between Italian bread. Now, all of the Primanti Bros' sandwiches are served this way---and are every bit of delicious gooey-ness.

"Because I start work, at 7 a.m.. Love my job!"

---The NSA---

Pat looked at Rick jokingly, "You were the one who chose this coffee shop."

During our afternoon of exploring Pittsburgh, we decided to duck into a coffee shop on the strip. After sipping on an iced mocha and chatting, we were ready to head back out once again.

Over the last hour, everyone in the shop had slowly trickled back into the city except for ourselves and one other man who was dressed for business with his light pin-striped shirt and glasses.

Never missing a moment, we took the opportunity to ask our notorious question. 

"To live life in the image of God."

No sooner had he written his answer in the book than another man in a suit walks through the shop doors.

"Come here Rick!", the man in the glasses called to his friend, "These girls have a question for you."

'Rick' walks over, his face lit in an enormous smile from the sweet way in which his friend had just put him on the spot. 

"I love mornings!"

Answers were written, pictures were taken, and so finally we asked permission to use their information online.

Rick replied back laughing, "Yes, that's fine."

And then as he thinks about it for a moment he look at us again, "Watch this end up on the FBI websites most wanted list....NSA...."

Pat chuckles and teases his friend, "You were the one who chose this coffee shop."

Rick shoots back, "How did you find us? There's usually no one in here...especially at this hour."

And Jennifer chimes in, "Oh remember, we're the NSA, we know exactly where to find you anyways."

God Bless the U.S.A.,

Love,

The Crew

P.S. 

Dear National Security Agency, 

We know you're watching. 

We know you're listening. 

We know you're screening our blog posts.

So we only have one thing to say to you....

"Why do you wake up in the morning?"