The Carlton Restaurant

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Please join us on Friday, March 12 for our “Best of California” Wine Dinner showing the wines from the outstanding portfolio of Vintage Imports.  We will be sampling wines from Monterey, the Central Coast, Russian River Valley, Napa Valley and Paso Robles with three courses of wine comparisons.  Most of our offerings this evening are expensive and highly rated.   Talbott’s Kali Hart Chardonnay is a rated 90 points and has become the favorite wine by the glass sold at The Carlton.  Hansel’s Cahill Lane is a small production Pinot Noir that sells for $47 in Pennsylvania and has been rated “93″ by Stephen Tanzer.  The Cabernet course with Frank Family Vineyards ($49 in PA.) and the “91″ rated Cade Cuvee Napa ($68 in PA) should be a blockbuster comparison.  Lee Kuehn will be Vintage’s expert host for this great evening!



Know someone getting married this spring or planning a wedding for yourself?  Here’s a website with some great ideas for the wine lovers in your life on their (or your) special day!  From wine glass candles to personalized wine labels, this site has it all!

And most of the items are very affordable, so even if you’re ordering for a few hundred people, you can still afford these adorable wine favors!

It’s officially National Fresh Squeezed Juice Week!  There are tons of health benefits to drinking fresh squeezed juice and it’s a great way to detoxify your body after the holidays.  We encourage everyone to take part in this week and save some of your fresh squeezed juice for later, so when you need to get off the health kick for a bit you can make some fantastic Mimosas!  Mimosas are simply champagne mixed with juice and make great drinks to have with a late breakfast or brunch.  Here’s a simple Mimosa recipe to try out with some fresh squeezed orange juice:

Champagne
2 ounces of cold freshly squeezed orange juice
Orange slice for garnish – optional

Pour orange juice into a champagne flute. Add champagne to fill the glass. Garnish with a slice of orange if using a glass if using a wine glass.

Enjoy!

Here are The Carlton’s Quick Picks for the week of January 18.

Remember, you can always find more events on the Post-Gazette’s Event Calendar as well as the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership’s Calendar.

These are just a few of our favorites!

King for a Day. Honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day Jan. 18th by heading over to the Children’s Museum for it’s King for a Day.  The local radio show “Saturday Light Brigade” welcomes children, families, adults and community members to a public reading of the speeches of civil rights pioneer Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968).

A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Starting this week, visit the O’Reilly Theater for a A Midsummer Night’s Dream!  This comic extravaganza brings together the vibrant fairy kingdom, a quartet of mismatched lovers, the bewitched Bottom, and a band of bumbling rustics in the world’s most magical play.  Starts January 21st.

Pittsburgh Penguins Hockey. Don’t miss this match-up when the Pens take on Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals on January 21st at the Mellon Arena.  Stop by The Carlton for a pregame drink or meal or stay for the entire game!

Here are The Carlton’s Quick Picks for the week of January 11.

Remember, you can always find more events on the Post-Gazette’s Event Calendar as well as the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership’s Calendar.

These are just a few of our favorites!

An Evening at the Academy Awards. Walk the red carpet and enjoy an evening of music from past and present Academy Award® nominated films, as well as other popular film scores, at Heinz Hall Jan. 14th – 17th.  Bill Conti, composer and conductor, gives a behind-the-scenes look at the Oscars. Enjoy this year’s nominations for best musical scores as well as some of Conti’s own compositions including music from The Right Stuff, “Gonna Fly Now” from Rocky, and the music from the James Bond film, For Your Eyes Only.

Sesame Street Live. If you have children, this show is almost a must!  Head over to the Mellon Arena this week (Jan. 13th – 17th) to see Sesame Street Live: Elmo’s Green thumb.  The entire family will love this live touring show inspired by the awarding PBS television series, “Sesame Street”. Show times and tickets are available from Ticketmater by calling (412) 323-1919.

Beatles Tribute: Come Together for Charity. Listen to all your favorite Beatles’ songs for a good cause!  Stop by the Hard Rock Cafe on January 15th to support the Spirit of Health initiative, a mobile wellness and disease prevention outreach program that provides clinical care, screenings and health education in underserved local neighborhoods.  Tickets to this age 21+ show are $8 in advance and $10 at the door.

Pittsburgh Panthers Basketball. Cheer on your home team by heading over to the Petersen Event Center on January 16th for the Pittsburgh Panthers’ basketball game against Louisville.  Game starts at 12:00 p.m.

Step Afrika. Check out Step Afrika! at the Byham on Sunday, January 17th.  Linking African and modern dance traditions, this troupe uses kicks, stomps, claps and chants to create a high-energy performance that is a feast for the eyes and ears. Tickets start at $20.50. To order, call (412) 456-6666.

It’s winter.  Whether you love it or loathe it, you can warm up with a big hearty meal paired with a wonderful red dinner wine.  Here are some January wine recommendations from WineryAdventures.com.

1. Red Zinfandel: The Winery at Raven’s Glenn in West Lafayette, Ohio. A delicious wine with a big, bold taste. The winery recommends pairing with roast beef, although we shared a bottle over a steak dinner.

2. Hopewell Red: Flint Ridge Vineyard in Hopewell, Ohio. A medium bodied blend with earthy aromas. Great with steak.

3. Kentucky Chambourcin: Acres of Land Winery in Richmond, Kentucky. An unforgettable semi-dry red with ripe fruit flavors. A great accompaniment to you meal.

4. Steuben: C.T. Miller Vineyards in Avella, Pennsylvania. A great Steuben that we find goes very well with Chinese food.

5. Syrah: Flint Hill Vineyard in East Bend, North Carolina. Aged over 10 months in French oak, this wine is a wonderful complement to steak or BBQ.

Here are The Carlton’s Quick Picks for the week of January 4.

Remember, you can always find more events on the Post-Gazette’s Event Calendar as well as the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership’s Calendar.

These are just a few of our favorites!

Cirque Dreams Illumination. If you’re looking for a fun show for the entire family, head over to Heinz Hall this week from January 5th – January 10th for Cirque Dreams Illumination. This amazing show shows an all new journey of nighttime dreamers whose imaginations are ignited within a landscape of towering buildings and infinite possibilities.  Stop by The Carlton for dinner and get a free limo ride to the show!

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Atlanta Thrashers. The defending Stanley Cup Champs play their first home game of the new year against the Atlanta Thrashers on Tuesday January 5th.  Stop by the Carlton to help us cheer on the Penguins as they head towards another Stanley Cup!

Behind Our Scenes. The 34 individuals showcased in “Behind Our Scenes” are artists whose work ranges from museum customer service representative to curator, installer to art educator. Each has worked to coordinate both internationally renowned exhibits as well as local showcases celebrating Pittsburgh’s artistic diversity. Stop by Space on Liberty Avenue to check it out now through February.

Pittsburgh Improv Jam. Head over to the Backstage Bar in the Cultural District on Thursday, January 7th to check out this fun show featuring comics performing unscripted scenes in this fast & frenetic improv jam.  Admission is only $3.00 and it plays every Thursday, so no excuses not to check it out!

Salsa Fridays. Work off that holiday weight by attending the Cabaret at Theater Square’s Salsa Fridays.  The city’s best Salsa disc jockeys heat up the cabaret’s dance floor. Popular across Latin America, salsa music and dance incorporates multiple styles and variations. Dip, spin and dance your way all night long. Admission to this age 21+ event is $5 at the door and includes a free dance lesson. For more information, call (412) 456-6666.

We hope you had a great Christmas!  One of my favorite things about Pittsburgh, is that no matter what time of year it is, there are always so many fun and unique events in and around the city.  Now that Christmas is over, here are som events to get you ready for News Year’s Eve and 2010!

1. DREAMGIRLS. You know you loved the movie, now see it on the stage at Heinz Hall starting Tuesday, December 29!  CATCH THE DREAM! Direct from the world famous Apollo Theatre in New York City, DREAMGIRLS tells the rags-to-riches story of a 1960s Motown girl group and the triumphs and tribulations that come with fame and fortune. With music by Academy Award® nominee Henry Krieger and book/lyrics by Tony® and Grammy®-winning Tom Eyen, DREAMGIRLS features the unforgettable hits “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” “One Night Only” and “Listen.” Broadway director/choreographer Robert Longbottom and co-choreographer Shane Sparks (TV’s So You Think You Can Dance), re-envision DREAMGIRLS so it sparkles like never before!  Join us at The Carlton beforehand for dinner and enjoy a free limo ride to the show!

2. Noon Year’s Eve Celebration. What better way to get the kids involved in New Year’s than with a NOON YEAR’S EVE Celebration at the Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium?! Ring in the New Year with the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium and Radio Disney. Come to the PPG Aquarium from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for a Noon Years Eve Celebration of Time Square proportions. Count down to 12 o’clock noon with Radio Disney disc jockeys, make noise makers and party hats, enjoy live entertainment, and help count down for a special ball drop.  Also perfect for those of us have a hard time staying up until midnight (not me, of course!)

3. First Night Pittsburgh. Join your fellow Pittsburghers on New Year’s Eve throughout the Cultural District for Pittsburgh’s biggest New Year’s Eve celebration. Enjoy the grand First Night parade, plus an eclectic showcase of live music, dance and entertainment. Kids young and old will delight in this festive evening. The celebration concludes with spectacular fireworks and the exciting First Night finale, The Future of Pittsburgh, Countdown to Midnight, courtesy of Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield.  If you need to warm up, visit us at the Carlton for a cocktail and/or meal!

4. Gateway Clipper New Year’s Eve Cruises. For a different kind of New Year’s, join the Gateway Clipper Fleet for one of three spectacular New Year’s Eve Cruises!  Enjoy live entertainment, food and beverage, and the beautiful view of Pittsburgh!

5. Make a New Year’s Resolution. What’s yours going to be for 2010?

Well, it’s hard to believe but it’s the LAST weekend before Christmas.  For those of you that have everything done, maybe this is the weekend for you to sit back, relax and watch a few Christmas television specials.  However, if you’re one of the many that has yet to start shopping and plan on venturing into the “mall madness” this weekend, we wish you luck – lots of it! Here are just a few ideas for our last minute shoppers out there looking for something simple, inexpensive and don’t involve waiting in enormous lines:

Gift Certificates. Okay, I know sometimes it seems like gift certificates are an easy way out, but honestly, you’ll save so much time and stress by purchasing them and your loved ones will appreciate the extra so-called pocket money.  And, better yet, when you purchase them from Giant Eagle, you receive fuelperks!

Together Time. There are many great attractions around the Pittsburgh area, so grab some tickets to a show, sporting event or other special event and make it an evening.  Spending time together is a great gift for both you and them!  Something else to consider is purchasing a special hotel package that includes a massage, bottle of wine, dinner, etc. for the two of you to enjoy together.

Food. Whether it’s your famous dip or irresistible chocolate chip cookies, food is also a great option for a quick, last minute gift.  It shows them that you took time to make them something really special.  Try to personalize it as much as possible – add their favorite toppings, write their name in icing, etc.  It works every time!

Charitable Donations. Sometimes people really don’t need anything.  A great way to give back to the community and give them a meaningful gift is through charitable donations. Find something they are really passionate about and make a gift in their name.  If you and your group of friends can’t decide what to get each other, team up and make a donation to your favorite organization.