Today’s Stylish and Hungry segment takes me to Murrysville where I’m having lunch at Burgatory. This completes my Murrysville Trifecta, though I’d love to try First Watch sometime for Brunch.

I’m no stranger to Burgatory as I have eaten here twice before with Mr. Clougherty for my birthday meal. It is definitely not your parents’ drive in hamburger stand of the 1950s or the Park Classic Diner. The milkshakes are Eat’n Park’s on steroids (and alcohol), this a hard shake.

Menu—You have unlimited options. You can order a burger from the menu or custom make your own. Great choice of shakes (classic or hard 🥃). Cocktails and appetizers look all right. But seriously, order the milkshake hard if you want some alcohol. I give it a 9.25/10

Service—I was taken care of in a timely manner. I got seated and my waitress took my order quickly. I did need a little time to decide on the shake and how to custom make my burger. She was very patient as I made my culinary decision. My burger and shake got here very quickly. My waitress also took an interest in what I was reading. I thought that was very nice. I had excellent service and that’s what makes me and other people coming back. I don’t usually give 10s, but service gets a perfect ten. My server’s name was Tiffany and I made sure she got a great tip for her work today.

Food—I ordered the campfire s’more milkshake and it is to die for. I put some peanut butter on for my topping. I think I may be good for the day once lunch is over. The burger I ordered was the Fiddy Fiddy on a pretzel bun. The rub means everything when it comes to great flavor and this Texas BBQ makes it stand out. The cheese was As Gouda As It Gets (Bob’s Burgers reference). I got the Chipotle Horseradish Sauce. I could have had the Truffled Shallot Aioli (Hit Me With Your Best Shallot). You have your choice of $1-2 toppings but I stayed with the free ones.

I got my money’s worth out of everything, and I give the food a 9.5/10.

This place along with North Park Lounge and Moe’s gets a lot of business. It also helps that Murrysville has a lot of income so that keeps people coming back. For all three restaurants I’ve attended in this trifecta I’ve had excellent service. I’ve had a great dining experience and the food has been spot on.

Out of the three I eat at in this plaza, I will say it’s a tie between Burgatory and North Park Lounge that win it for me for the best service. North Park Lounge wins for best food hands down. Burgatory wins for most creative menu. Make your own burger? How about those milkshakes? Moe’s had the best decor with Burgatory coming in second. Burgatory had the best atmosphere with North Park Lounge and Moe’s not trailing by much.

North Park actually takes the title even though I felt Burgatory was the better experience. That wraps up this edition of Stylish and Hungry. See you next time (in my little Stars Hollow).

Overall grade: A

Ligonier next week as I try out The Kitchen on Main for brunch.

Friday, September 24

We’re not going to call a spade a spade ♠️. This is not a phase. Mom and Aunt Sue and I talked this week about some things that happened to me over the weekend. They told me to make my own decisions and I’m going to do just that. I talked about it briefly in my blog on Sunday but I don’t want to say much more. Because I’m going to make my own decisions concerning my lifestyle, I can go ahead with today’s blog which I’m looking forward to sharing.

For me, 2021 has been the year of gender nonconformity and dressing non traditionally. I’ve rocked my Coach purse and looked amazing in my leopard print cardigan and my blazers. Sara and I will rock ours when we go shopping in the not too distant future. I style my floral blouses with my skinny jeans and a tank top underneath. I’ve worked hard to develop my fashionable image and establish my definition of style. I almost gave it up because some people complained. My family and friends have come through for me and I’m going to continue being Fashionable 4EVA. However it won’t come without some changes.

Today’s blog highlights my “Journey to Being Fashionable 4eva”. It started on an overnight work trip in Ashtabula. We were all staying at a nearby Red Roof and we were in one of the rooms waiting to go to dinner.

Two of the girls from Uniontown walked into the room. The redhead looked casual in jeans and a T-shirt. The blonde looked stunning in a pink cherry dress. Here I was looking frumpy in my gym shorts and a T-shirt while Emily looked gorgeous. I was going through a period of loneliness as well since my Grandma passed away and that night exacerbated it even more.

I had that night on my mind for two months and spilled everything to Mr. Clougherty as well as Maura and Ashley when we met up for dinner at Bud Murphy’s just before Thanksgiving. At least they were all understanding about what I was going through. This experience opened my eyes to dressing better.

In 2020 when COVID hit, I began supporting small businesses and developed a huge following on Instagram. I started to buy accessories but for the longest time I was hiding them because I wasn’t sure how my family would react. I constantly asked for approval from my friends and from my family about my accessories and even my Gilmore Girls attire. I was that insecure.

I followed bloggers and learned more about them. I also followed local clothing boutiques like Wight Elephant and Lizzie’s and supported them in person and through social media. I fell in love with Ligonier and called it my little Stars Hollow. I reconciled with Sara and finally got to meet her husband Rob one night for dinner at the Ligonier Tavern. It was during the holidays. Sara has become a huge fan of my blog and my fashionable attire.

2021 has had its good moments and bad moments. I dealt with a health scare that could have been fatal had it not been taken care of. I lost a beloved family member to heart disease. I helped my sister move into her first house. Plus I celebrated my 40th birthdays at Jean Bonnet with family as well as with Sara at the Olive Garden.

But what is the best thing to happen in 2021? That would be coming into my own with my fashion sense and definition of style. I was so excited to go to the Coach outlet and buy my Coach bags. My interest in Coach came from my coworker last Fall when she brought her big Coach purse to work. The same girl who wowed me with her cute pink cherry dress the year before. That, plus all the advertising from social media, and encouragement from Paula and Sara. Thus, I had a really great brand of designer bag.

I have become more confident as I embarked on my gender nonconforming adventures in my fashion. Everyone is on board with my dressing non traditionally, well most everyone. I’m working through the negativity and making it work for me. If it makes me happy, then that’s all that matters. Along with Harry Styles and Hunter Schafer, we are some of the best dressed people around.

Working in Carmichaels on Wednesday reminded me of how far I’ve come in the last few years with my blog, my confidence, and my sense of style. Two years ago I was transitioning and trying to figure things out.

I like the person I’m seeing in 2021.

Good afternoon! Here is your weekly dose of District 13 Toastmasters News and Notes.

It’s the Toastmasters Public Service Announcement that keeps on giving. Dues are due. Reinvest in your future by renewing your membership with your Toastmasters club. Make your checks payable to the club or treasurer of your club. You have until September 30.

Save the date! The District 13 Fall Symposium (held virtually) will be on October 16 from 9:30am to 3pm. Registration will be coming soon. Details will hopefully be coming soon too so I can share them on a future blog post.

Want to be a future broadcaster, lawyer, politician, etc.? Elk County Toastmasters will be holding a Youth Open House on October 21 at their meeting location, St. Boniface School, in Kersey. It will be a hybrid open house. This program offers many benefits. The name of the program is “It’s Debatable” and will be offered to youth who are interested in learning about and participating in debate. The program starts Tuesday, November 2 at the same location and will be held from 4:00 to 6:30pm.

Elk County Toastmasters meets on the first and third Thursday of every month at the location listed above.

Here’s today’s Toastmasters throwback.

District 13 continued growing clubs as the War came to an end. They began 1945 with nine clubs and were poised to get that number into the double digits. The District started sponsoring and promoting speech contests at local high schools within the District. Scholarships were even offered. The original Greensburg club set the gold standard for how clubs should treat their guests.

The man who helped form District 13 and who was a charter member of Original Greensburg was in his second year as International Director. If Dr. Carroll Freeman were still alive today, he’d be very pleased to see what our District has become today.

I’m really hoping that I can attend this event on November 9. This red carpet event is not to be missed. RSVP early, space is limited. I’ve been really wanting to attend a club meeting but it’s been hard to with my work schedule. Regardless of whether or not make this event, I plan to attend a regular meeting on November 23.

I had the opportunity to meet the faces behind this new Toastmasters chapter in Fayette County at the DTM Gala held at Westmoreland County Community College. They’re a budding club and i hope they have continued growth in this Toastmaster year.

Can Laurel Highlands Toastmasters accomplish this goal by September 30? This is a challenge to the Club and the Community. Help this new club achieve this goal and in the process, you will be part of history!!! The first five people to join as members and help the club achieve the Smedley Award will be part of the history making Laurel Highlands TM Club. Can they do it?

Laurel Highlands Toastmasters meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays at 6pm at the Connellsville Canteen (regular location).

After a week off to commemorate the 20th anniversary of September 11, Stylish and Hungry is back. This week’s segment takes me to Jaffre’s on East Pittsburgh Street. Before I do my review, here’s what I know about the restaurant.

It’s located off of route 130 in front of Hillview Bowling Lanes across from Primanti Bros. There’s construction going on at the moment next door so it might be a hassle getting into the place. It just recently opened a few years ago if I’m aware. There’s not much information I found on the website pertaining to the place.

They have outdoor seating and also, an upper deck for dining. This is perfect for summer but not so much in the colder winter months (I’m sure it’s closed off for a certain time period). There’s a bar area and tables for dining. They also do a good takeout business (which came in handy during COVID-19).

Here’s my dining experience from today.

Service: I had no problem getting seated. The greeters were on it. I asked about eating outside and they were very courteous. I probably could have taken that one back though because it was a little bit warmer that I’d have wanted, but that’s on me. My server took care of me as well, getting my food to me in a timely manner. She was patient as I decided what I wanted and very polite. I give service a 9.5/10.

Menu: Jaffre’s has some great options for food. Not too much and not too little. Plus you have your choice of salad, pasta, pizza, sandwiches and entrees. I’d love to come back sometime and try the bigger entrees. Hello 12 oz. New York Strip Steak 🥩 or Filet Mignon. I should come back for the Pumpkin Ravioli sometime this Fall if they have it, or any special they have. It’ll be for dinner too. I give the menu a 9.75/10.

Food: The comments weren’t lying when they said you get a lot of food. I ordered the Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken. It was served on a big 14” plate with Parmesan cheese and some parsley. You definitely get your money’s worth or at least I did today. The flavor was amazing too. Salad was good and she even gave me an extra bowl of bread. It’s not easy for me to do but I asked for takeout, which never happens when I eat at a restaurant. Food gets a 9.5/10.

Ambience: From where I was sitting the atmosphere was nice. Inside looked pretty relaxing too. Nice bar area for sitting and the upstairs is probably hopping. The upper deck is kind of reminiscent of that place (Harry’s) across from the usual hotel we stay at in Cape May. I’ll definitely be dining inside next time (obvious because it will likely be much colder than it was today). I give Ambience a 9.25/10

Decor: The decor I saw made the outside dining experience worth it. It’s a bar so there’s TVs playing with a football game on. It is that time of year now for football so a majority of customer will be watching the Steelers and Pitt. I give Decor a 9/10.

Will I return to Jaffre’s for a second trip? I think the answer is yes. Great staff and great dining experience all around. Final grade: A.

Overall grade an A.

So far this weekend has gone good. Yesterday after work (in Everett) I had a little Sheetz Picnic at Shawnee and then walked the entire lake (around 3.5 miles to be exact). I walked past the cottage where we’ve had many good camping trips over the years and reminisced on many Mother’s Day picnics from the past.

On my way home down the mountain, I stopped in my little Stars Hollow for a brief recharge and had a twist cone from the Ligonier Creamery. I’ll be back in a few weeks for the first of two of my Stylish and Hungry posts.

We closed down the pool for the season last night. This year and this summer have flown by quickly. Hard to believe that Tuesday is the first day of Fall 🍂.

We had a great Council meeting this morning. We have an extraordinary team in place in District 13. Attendance between the District Trio, Division, Area, and President and VPs of Education totaled in the 70s. We voted on two key things, the slate of officers and the budget for 2021-22. We heard outstanding reports from our District leaders.

I’m starting the first of four Stylish and Hungry segments on the blog. Today I’m headed to Jaffre’s and then next week is Burgatory 🍔 😈 completing my Murrysville restaurant trifecta. The first two weeks of October I’m headed to my little Stars Hollow for brunch at The Kitchen on Main and Carol and Dave’s Roadhouse (think I’ll do the latter when I’m there for Ligonier Days).

Last night at church, Deb Close and I had our small group (just three of us reviewing the sermon from the week before). She even provided cheese and crackers and bottled water. Pastor Donn gave a great sermon and it really spoke to me. We’re going to have a great small group discussion coming up this week.

I had a discussion with one of the staff members when I arrived before I met with Deb. The way I dress came into question and he asked me how the Bible would want me to represent myself. 2021 has been a crazy year with COVID, my health scare, and being gender neutral. He said that I need to dress more conservatively when I serve at church and I would eventually agree with him. I dwelled on it for a while and though I don’t want to admit it, I’m going to chalk it up to a phase. I’ll talk more about in my next blog post.

Tom wanted to set up a meeting with a pastor and while I said no to it last night, I’m going to agree to it next time we talk.

We had an open house at Achievers and discussed Pathways. Three of the members talked about how to navigate Base Camp and how to get awards sent. JR, Fred, and Joe all had great insight on Pathways. Carol did a great job moderating the panel discussion and everyone had great questions to ask the panelists. I even got some motivation after Fred talked about accessing the reports. Sue Ellis in Cranberry High Noon is just amazing with nine awards.

My weekend is wrapping up with some football and thinking about last night’s sermon. We need to be careful with our mind and where we let it wander. I won’t be attending the March for Life on Harrisburg on September 27 but I pray for all those who will be going. I had the opportunity to attend back in 2016 and it was a great experience. I’m going to send in my baby bottles 🍼 before the deadline, and I’m going to pray for the Women’s Choice Network and Life Way Pregnancy 🤰 Centers.

On Monday at the Cranberry High Noon meeting, Toastmasters Tina Kramer and Kim Santillo were honored with their Distinguished Toastmaster awards. What a crowning achievement for the hard work these two have put in during their Toastmasters journey. It’s also a crowning achievement for the Cranberry High Noon club which now has nine Distinguished Toastmasters. Since its inception in 2013, the club has achieved the high honor of being Presidents Distinguished every year and I have no doubt this upcoming year will be no different. The members are always supportive and it’s not surprising how successful this club is.

Promasters held their first hybrid meeting Monday night and it was victorious. Two great speeches were given including an icebreaker. Russell Drake came up with some good table topics. Credit for the successful hybrid meeting can be given to Club President Stephanie Scott and Treasurer Russell Drake, two successful past district leaders. Area 13 Director Tina Kramer visited along with her assistant AD Darlene.

It’s celebration 🎉 time at Penn Hills. That same club which went From Extinguished to Distinguished (credit to Nate Stephens for putting together a great YouTube video on how that was executed). The chapter is celebrating its 20th anniversary this Saturday with a picnic at Boyce Park. There will be food and drinks served and the weather forecast looks good for the event.

Now onto this week’s Toastmasters Throwback. Just like the USA winning in World War II, so did District 13 Toastmasters. If not serving in uniform, our Toastmasters served the clubs with spirit and pride. This Toastmasters Resolution would be a perfect speech topic for an upcoming Toastmasters meeting.

The Steubenville club faced its own challenges head on and was better off in the long run for them. Wilkes Barre was learning the ropes in 1944, and early next year hosted the first theme meeting. The Biggest Show on Earth was a play on the Ringling Bros. Circus 🎪. The meeting itself was patterned after a circus. How about the Greatest Organization on Earth as a good nickname for Toastmasters?

Your semi-annual dues are due by the end of the month. Reinvest in your growth by renewing your Toastmasters membership. Encourage your clubs to bring their checks to the next meeting. Here’s the suggestion Greensburg’s VP Membership came up with:

Let everyone know that dues are due by the date of the next meeting instead of September 30. This will prompt everyone to make their dues payment a priority–and steer people away from thinking that they can delay writing a check until the last day of the month, which is the date by which the club treasurer has to submit dues to International. This will just make dues collection easier and less of a last-minute scramble for the Treasurer. When you send in your dues, you can post this on your Facebook.

That’s my Toastmasters News and Notes for this week. Check back again next Thursday, September 23 for more of what’s cooking in District 13.

On the day after the 20th anniversary of the worst terrorist attack our nation has ever witnessed, let’s live every day like it’s 9/12.

Our nation is dealing with a whirlwind 🌪 of craziness. Pandemics, political unrest, riots, and worrying about how someone lives their life. It’s too much to think about. Here are some ways we can live like it’s 9/12

Check up on your neighbor to make sure they’re all right. They may be lonely, handicapped, or elderly.

Treat someone to a cup of coffee, a home cooked meal, or a piece of pie.

Take a long walk around your neighborhood or at a local park. Play some worship music and sing along (or whatever genre suits you).

Love your family and share a meal at the table with them.

Plan a family movie night. With a eight year old we like Hotel Transylvania 🧛‍♂️.

Take no part of your day for granted.

What matters more is what unites us, not what divides us.

On this day 20 years ago, 246 people went to sleep in preparation for their morning flights.

2,606 people went to sleep in preparation for work in the morning.

343 firefighters went to sleep in preparation for their morning shift.

60 police officers went to sleep in preparation for morning patrol.

8 paramedics went to sleep in preparation for the morning shift.

None of them saw past 10:00am on September 11, 2001.

We all knew where we were on that morning. The day that the towers fell in New York City, the day that the Pentagon was attacked, and that a small rural town in Somerset County was put on the map for all the wrong reasons.

Where was I that morning?

I was in my math class at the local community college that was attached to the Hiram G. Andrews Center. As I left class that morning, I got word of what’s going on. A plane has hit one of the towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon has sustained extensive damage, and there’s a plane down in a rural town in Somerset County.

I retreated down to my dorm lounge to watch news of the events that had recently unfolded. When the second plane hit the South Tower, I knew it was going to be that kind of day. I knew that our country was being attacked by someone who hated America. Everyone at HGA was called to the cafeteria and the higher ups talked to everyone about what was going on. We were in a panic over what might happen next.

I called home to make sure everyone was safe and they were. The rest of the week felt like a year, as we mounted the losses of those who perished in the attacks. Classes went on, activities continued, and everyone went about their daily lives. Churches opened their doors to those who felt lost or who were questioning their faith over the events of 9/11. Red Cross centers were open to those who wanted to give blood because it was in need.

That Friday was a National Day of Mourning and HGA held an assembly that everyone attended. We sang “God Bless the USA” and proudly displayed our patriotism. That week, whether or not we lost loved ones in the most horrible attack our country has ever seen, we all came together.

Here is the Flight 93 Memorial from Slippery Rock University. This monument was dedicated to graduating class of 2005. They entered The Rock just before the events of September 11, 2001.

In one single moment life may never be the same. As you live and enjoy the breaths you take today and tonight before you go to sleep in preparation for your life tomorrow, kiss the ones you love, snuggle a little tighter, and never take one second of your life for granted.

We will never forget.

The Woman 2 Woman Toastmasters club in it’s young existence in District 13 has been a very successful club. Just recently, they achieved Presidents Distinguished honors and one of their members received her Distinguished Toastmaster award. Sonia McKoy also serves as Division D Director. Past Area 34 Director Isabelle Billig completed all five levels of the Innovative Planning path and earned her award which will count toward what we hope is another Presidents Distinguished year in W2W.

In a recent testimonial, the club has received praise for being a caring community of sisters and Toastmasters. They cherish every individual who at some point has had involvement in the club. Member Katie Wooten is representing the District as Area 1 Director in the 2021-22 Toastmaster year.

Now on to today’s Toastmasters Throwback.

1944 was a great year for District 13 Toastmasters. The man who had an instrumental part in the formation of the District was appointed the first International Director. Dr. Freeman served alongside the founder, Dr. Ralph Smedley, and the International President, Robert Switzler.

The Waynesburg Club’s newsletter, “Toasties”, was featured in Toastmaster magazine. Toastmasters also came to the Ohio Valley with chapters being formed in Steubenville and East Liverpool in the early 1940’s. Those clubs would be adopted by District 13 from neighboring District 10 in 1944.

Dues are due by September 30. Reinvest in your growth by renewing your Toastmasters membership. Have your checkbook handy and make that check out for the right amount to ensure continued involvement in your local Toastmasters club. Help keep your club remain a healthy one by paying your dues.

It’s been a perfect weekend. It all started with my shopping adventure at Tanger. I bought my fall line of fragrances and lotions at Bath and Body Works. I also shopped at Coach and bought myself two more cute bags. I do love my totes (I now own two from Coach) and I’ll love my satchel.

Saturday I celebrated Aunt Sue’s 6️⃣0️⃣ at Nyko’s. We enjoyed lunch outside on the patio. Friday night I had a breakthrough. I showed my mom my purchases and she was pleased. As long as I like it, that’s all that matters to her. All this time, I was worried that my parents would have a problem with my Coach obsession and my definition of style. Now her and Katie didn’t like my pink satchel, but I didn’t let that sway me. I’ve come a long way haven’t I. Just a few years ago, hearing this would have discouraged me.

Today we had a picnic for Aunt Sue’s birthday. The weather could have been somewhat better but we still had a great time. The cake was from our local Giant Eagle and it was great. Aunt Sue loved her birthday and retirement gifts. We capped off the night by watching Toy Story 4 before her and Benny made that trip back up the mountain 🏔.

I also did a try on with my stylish Stars Hollow themed sweatshirts. Two I already own and one I just bought. I also showed off my new Coach purses I bought Friday at the Tanger Outlets. Here’s a few of my best shots. I even included some ideas for nice fall trips.