Day 3 Nicaragua

Hola!!! Day 3…Nicaragua….today we went to a small village outside of Nicaragua and ran a health clinic. We took vitals and gave out medications to help the local residents. We also gave all the children stuffed animals and candy!!

Seriously…how cute!!!!!

We made a home visit to a gentleman that has recently become a widow and has been feeling sick. This is the gated entrance to his home. Almost everyone that has a home has barbed wire and a large gate around it. 

This is just a view looking down the street in his neighborhood.

This is a view looking up the street.



As a thank you for the home visit; the gentleman’s daughter made everyone an amazing fruit salad cup using the fruits from their yard. You can see my mom holding hers in the picture below. It was delicious!

We stopped at the store again and replenished our supply of candy, toys and medicine!

Then we returned to Seeds of Hope and each one of us took a turn and talked to the kids about why we wanted to be a nurse and how they should work hard in life and they can be whatever they choose to be. This is how we found the kids when we arrived…lol!!!

As you can see here, my mom went first…

Here’s a closer view…

And then I went ( don’t have a picture of me) and then Jeremy … he is in my nursing class.

And then Mr. Collins went. And the Shawne went.

We also demonstrated basic first aid and what to to help if you ever see an accident or injury in public. The kids enjoyed listening to Shawne’s heart with the stethoscope.

Afterwards we returned to the hotel and realized that the babies had left the pot nest…here is Jeremy sitting next to one of the newly fledged babies (see him on the window ledge)?

Closer view…


In the evening we went for a nightcap at Q’tal. The others, mom included, wanted to try the local rum called Flor de Cana. They all had a shot and beer…I had tea!! Lol

Here’s the cheers…

We watched as this dog waited patiently for any scraps. Animals without owners are ALL over Nicaragua. It is heartbreaking…very hungry dogs and cats. Also cows and horses are tied to the roadside and sometimes just left wandering to survive on their own. Some children too.

She slipped him a little something when she was finished…melted my heart!!

For dinner we ate at Pan De Vita in Granada. The restaurant was just a few blocks down from our hotel and we heard they had filtered water so it was safe for Americans to drink. The food was delicious!! When we first arrived we saw a couple at a table next to us getting their food. It looked delicious so we politely asked what they were eating. We ended up chatting with them and found out they were from McKeesport, PA which is a suburb of Pittsburgh! Turns out they were neighbors with us all until they retired and they now live full time in Nicaragua. Meet Barb and Ralph!!! Such a small world!! This picture around the table starting in the front…my teacher in the brown shirt, mom, me, Ralph, Barb, Jeremy, and Shawne.

I hope you all are shaving a phenomenal week! Sending so many hugs and so much love!!

Northpark Lounge

In Pittsburgh, we have a restaurant chain called Northpark Lounge. They have really good bar food and big salads and soups. It’s a chain so there are five locations around Pittsburgh. 

This location near McKnight Road did something really neat when Covid started! They created a whole outdoor, socially distant dining experience!! So you know we had to go check it out!!!

Last week I met up with two girlfriends of mine. We used to do all kinds of volunteer work together for CysticFibrosis but alas, due to Covid, we haven’t had any fundraisers to volunteer at this year. We have a meeting about once a month for dinners just to keep in touch. Here is the view of the greenhouses from the parking lot. Sooo cute!

There is between 8 and 10 of these little green houses outside of the building. There’s a picnic table inside each greenhouse so your little group is socially distance from everyone else. They’re cleaned every time someone new moves into them. They also have a 90 minute time limit to keep people from sitting in them for excessive length of time and not allowing others a chance to dine there. Along with the houses, They have also set up a ton of other picnic tables and chairs outside of the restaurants there are many options to eat outside there.

I should have taken a picture of our food because it looked and tasted amazing!  We all got very different things but they were all delicious!

And here we are!!! As you can see my weight has skyrocketed during Covid but I am working on getting it under control ASAP. At least it is headed in the right direction now. Ugh-I think it is officially a lifelong battle! Ha! Ha!

If you’re in the Pittsburgh area you should definitely check this out. It’s a lot of fun and a great way stay safe while eating out!

So, I am trying to stay positive and also trying to stay busy and keep up with friends. I have a few interviews scheduled and I will definitely keep you guys up-to-date on what happens.

I’m so happy to be back with you all in blogging again! Hugs to each and everyone of you and stay safe out there!

Greek with Mom - Review

It pains me to write this entire post...I am so torn! Seriously...

I went to dinner and a show the other night with my mother. She came into town to see Hamilton with me (saving that for another post) and we planned to have a nice dinner in town before the show.

We went early since Hamilton was being performed at the Benedum in Pittsburgh. They have bumped up security (long time overdue, in my opinion) and they now have metal detectors and lines to enter the venue. All this said, you have to get there a lot earlier to get through the security lines. One tip: do not take a purse or a bag and there is an express lane. I just put my cards and ID in my coat pocket and we got right in.

Back to dinner...

I had been wanting to try a certain restaurant in Pittsburgh for a really long time! I love Greek food! I have heard so many great things about Christos! It has been in business in Pittsburgh for 40 years and the owner was a personal chef to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis! He created her favorite dessert and they serve it at the restaurant. It is called the Jackie O.  We walked up the the restaurant and a gentleman standing outside the restaurant started telling us that this was the best Greek food in Pittsburgh and we had to eat there. I almost wanted to leave because it was just too aggressive. But we went in.

We walked in and there was only one other table in there with one person seated at it. We were early (5:30 PM) so we thought we beat the rush.

The restaurant is cramped and APPEARS very worn. It may actually just be aged but it APPEARS old and dusty and that is never good when appearance is EVERYTHING! The tables are covered with blue plastic sheeting, old and sticky. The walls are covered with pictures in old and dirty/dusty frames. The pictures themselves are amazing as they are all of Christos old family pictures from Greece.

We were waited on by the owner himself and he is a really lovely, friendly man!  My mom and I got the hummus and pita appetizer to start! The hummus was definitely homemade and it was delicious!

Salads came and although we loved the dressing; the salad was iceberg lettuce, one olive and a small sprinkle of feta cheese. My mom found a slice of banana in hers and when we asked; the owner stated that Jackie O used to have him add a slice to each salad. (I must have eaten mine and not even known). The salad was just so-so. 

Then we ordered the main dishes. I got the chicken kabob and Mom had a Salmon dish. The food itself was good but each was served with white rice (not any additional flavoring) and veggies. The veggies tasted like canned green beans with onion and some kind of sour flavoring (we guessed vinegar). I am sure this is a Greek recipe but the fact that the beans were mushy just threw me off.

We did not try the signature Jackie O. dessert this trip.

A few things to note: the restroom (singular) is in the back...around the counter, through the kitchen, down two steps and around a corner. It is a clean restroom and they try to make it feel like you are part of their family so you don't even mind so much when they say "Someone is in the right now; we will let you know when it frees up." HA - HA!!! This really happened.

Also, to pay...they will not bring you a bill. You must go up to the front counter and someone brings up a handwritten slip of what you had and adds it all up. And, you will not get an itemized bill. They just go down the list add it all up and tell you your total.

This is a very casual, family owned restaurant. I am going to be very honest...I would not go back.

The food was okay and the prices were okay but I question the cleanliness and quality a little. Like I said...I wanted so bad to love this place! I have heard SO MANY great things and there are so few restaurants that are family owned and operated!!! I wanted to love it! While we were there (which was a show night) so many of the restaurants get totally full; we only saw about three other tables of people come in that night.

I believe if they got a crew in there to give it a fresh scrub down and a fresh paint job...even scrub the pictures and get a few new frames...the place would look 100% better. Unfortunately, appearance really is everything! There is a Mediterranean chain restaurant across the street and next door and they were both very busy.

Very sad...