 Burghologie is officially 365 days old. I can say with confidence that I am very happy I took the jump and brought this blog to life. It's been a year full of eating, drinking, connecting, exploring, and learning. I've learned so much about myself, about Pittsburgh, and about the local creative community we have here. Looking back, I'm proud of what Burghologie has become. It's a amazing feeling to know I have something that is truly mine— from top to bottom. I'm not an "expert" by any means, but there are some essential things I've learned in the past year. If you're thinking about making the jump into the blogging world, here is my advice. 1. just get the picture.Stand on the chair, wait for someone to move, get low, rearrange the table... whatever it takes. Photos are so important in the blogging/social media universe and I promise you'll regret walking away way more than you'll regret the 5 seconds you felt awkward. You'll feel uncomfortable and even embarrassed at first, but the reality of it is... who cares? 2. Speak up, ask questions, and reach out.Don't be afraid to talk about your blog or business when it's appropriate. Don't be afraid to send an email. Don't be afraid to ask someone for advice or help. Don't be afraid to introduce yourself. The worst thing that can happen? You get a "no". A "no" is not the end of the world. 3. Be a perfectionist.Because sometimes that just makes the difference. 4. forget what everyone else is doing.You have to be you. Replicating something that already exists isn't exciting. It isn't unique. It isn't you. Find your vibe and create something that's 100% authentic. 5. find your people.The people more than willing to throw you a like, a share, a comment, a "Hey, you are killing it." The people that will help you take photos and not complain or think twice about it. The people that just get it and appreciate your hustle. I've found that connecting and working with fellow bloggers and creatives is so incredibly energizing and refreshing. If you've been thinking about starting a blog, hit me up. Let's grab a coffee and chat about it. I'd love to help and I'm sure I can learn something from you along the way. My DMs are always open!
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 No. 1 - If I have to narrow it down, I think my favorite food is pizza. No. 2 - I’m very indecisive. No. 3 - I absolutely love Christmas, but absolutely hate everything else about the winter season.  No. 4 - I’m a huge dog person, but I’m not a cat person at all. No. 5 - I grew up in the tiny little town of Clarion, PA. No. 6 - I really love documenting my life in photos. No. 7 - I graduated from Pitt in 2016 with a business degree. No. 8 - My family means the world to me.  No. 9 - I love music. Everything from country to EDM. No. 10 - I work full-time as Fitt’s Content Coordinator. No. 11 - My birthday is November 16th (I was almost born on my mom’s birthday. Her birthday is November 15th!) #ScorpioSZN No. 12 - I can’t stand Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, or Ariana Grande.  No. 13 - My number one bucket list destination is Greece. No. 14 - I hate whipped cream. No. 15 - The more dry the wine, the better! No. 16 - I love chocolate. No. 17 - I can be extremely stubborn. No. 18 - My all-time favorite snack is popcorn.  No. 19 - I’m not a big fan of movie theaters. No. 20. I’m pretty crafty. I love DIYs. No. 21 - My favorite flowers are sunflowers. No. 22 - I really, really love avocado toast. No. 23. I’m terrified of driving in the snow.  No. 24 - I’m left-handed. No. 25 - I’m a bit of night owl. Mornings are not my friend.  No. 26 - 2 drinks and home by 11pm is my kinda Friday night.  No. 27 - I’m a bit of a chicken nugget connoisseur. #TeamWendys  No. 28 - RENT is my all-time favorite musical.  No. 29 - I have one younger sister. No. 30 - I'm a 40-year-old woman stuck in the body of a 25-year-old.   Every January my mom's side of the family comes together for a tradition that we all hold near and dear to our hearts... Filled Noodle Day. The Priatkos and the Kucics team up to make tiny little pockets of love that we know as "filled noodles." This Mueller family recipe is a variation of German stuffed pasta and it is absolutely delicious. Who would guess that some noodle dough, sausage, and stuffing could taste so amazing? It really doesn't get much more German than that. Taking it way back, the dish comes from my grandmother's German roots. My great grandma taught my grandma, who taught my mom and uncles, who then passed the experience (and the recipe!) along to me, my sister, and my cousins. And it's not just our family, according to Google this is a common German dish that has taken on many different variations through the years. If you search "German Filled Noodles", there are 5,790,000 results. This has been a tradition in our family for well over 50 years, but I think it's safe to assume the history goes back much farther. A "filled noodle" looks and feels a lot like a dumpling. Homemade noodle dough is mixed, rolled out, cut into circles, stuffed with a mixture of ground sausage and homemade stuffing, pinched like a pierogi, boiled, and cooled. When it's time to dig in, the noodles are warmed and served in hot broth. The number one noodle day rule? No one eats the noodles... yet. They're eaten on a Sunday in February when the entire family can come back together for Noodle Day: Part II. This time without the chaos of a messy kitchen. It's the kind of meal that requires an after-dinner nap, but nonetheless it's one of my favorites. When I sit back and think about it, there's really something special about this tradition. It's more than the food. It's about keeping my grandma's memory alive and appreciating the gift of family. Gram passed away when I was just a junior in high school. I have missed her everyday for the past 8 years, but I know she's smiling from ear to ear when that dough roller comes out every January. She spent a large portion of her life in the kitchen cooking for the family, teaching others how to cook, and even using her talents to run a catering business. From filled noodles and homemade pierogi recipes to holiday traditions and "The Sound of Music" sing-alongs, I'm thankful she was able to leave behind little pieces of herself to remind us of the love she had for this family. I hope we're making you proud, Gram. ♡ |
