Beauty, Food and Art Students!

My plan for the day was to shop at Sak's Fifth Ave, eat, check my e-mail and maybe catch up on my unpublished blog postings.

Well for the past four hours I've accomplished more than I intended. After reading the City Paper I came across a coupon for a little eatery called Hotdogma. Then in the far recesses of my mind I remember seeing that name, but where was I. Then it came back to me...I was looking for an open hotspot to check my email. I made a mental note to come back later on my next visit to Downtown Pittsburgh. Well it's two months later. I checked their website, nice, clean and green. It was an invitation to go back to a time of many walks to Gray Papaya's in the West Village to have two hotdogs and fresh juice, and an additional six hotdogs for my family in Jersey.

I must skip across the street from Sak's to have one. Will they match my memories at Papaya's, or will this become a new experience. What a shock! Located in one of Pittsburgh's oldest churches is a bright place to eat. The art of hotdog's is everywhere from articles of it's opening, to a WQED Hot Dog Special poster signed by producer/commentator, Rick Sebak. However, the most memorable items were the table tops of original art, and all the places to recline. From tall cafe tables, a couch or your squares. The variety of hotdogs amazed me. I went for a tried and true. I had a veggie hotdog and The New Yorker. Great eating, but yes a difference exists. Why it's a Boar's Head not Sabrett's. Yet it was great because of the brown mustard.

All kinds of people come to eat here from the local charter school students, which appeared to me to be a college student due to her maturity in conversation. Local busineswomen and men, and attorneys rushing to their next meeting with briefcases in tow. The greatest visit, other than the free wifi, the hotdogs, and the 80-90's pop music was meeting a fellow NJ residents who has partnered with two friends to bring some clean 'Hot Dog' culture to downtown. Kudos to the gang at Hotdogma for proving the local elders incorrect.

Young college graduates are sticking around to create new businesses, but the entire community must help them along to return this city back to prosperity. My part of the plan do as the French do. Eat then walk.

I'm in the mood for 'The Italy' hotdog.

For Jersey nothing's better than an Italian hotdog down at the shore.