Have Yourself a Very Swanky New Year
Toast the arrival of 2009 at posh spots in and around the city. They all offer special celebration packages this New Year's Eve - and are all little-black-dress-approved.
By Colleen Heavens
Ringing In Romance: Isabela on Grandview
1318 Grandview Ave., Mount Washington
412/431-5882, isabelaongrandview.com
No one doubts Isabela's sweetheart appeal, with its two cozy floors of intimate seating overlooking unmatched views of the city from 12,000 feet above sea level. Add a little bubbly and you've got yourself a New Year's Eve made for lovers. For $150 a person, you can choose seven courses from a menu created specifically for New Year's Eve. Ticket price includes a champagne toast, the perfect accompaniment to downtown's fireworks.
Tonight We're Gonna Party Like It's 2009: The Firehouse Lounge
2216 Penn Ave., Strip District
412/434-1230, firehouse-lounge.com
The Firehouse offers classy clubbing, with space to grab a partner and dance or grab a 'tini and chat. This year's package costs $135 per person ($250 per couple) and includes a premium open bar from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. There will be savory sweets and light hors d'oeuvres such as artichoke fondue and savory stuffed mushrooms. DJ Strobe will mix house beats, and local soul band CK9 will perform live. After busting out the bubbly for a midnight toast, the Firehouse will even serve up your first breakfast of the New Year starting at 1 a.m.
A Countryside Countdown: Green Gables Restaurant and Huddleston Court
7712 Somerset Pike, Jennerstown, Somerset County
814/629-9201, mountainplayhouse.com
About an hour and a half outside of the city in the pastoral Laurel Highlands, Green Gables is offering a more peaceful start to the New Year. There will be a five-course tasting menu for $50 a head, with a choice of appetizer and entrée. For $85, you'll also be served champagne and wine pairings with your meal. Or, opt for the whole package, with wining and dining plus an overnight stay in one of Huddleston Court's rooms, suites or cottages and a breakfast basket for two. These all-inclusive packages range from $285 to $350 a couple. So take a drive away from the city lights—that is, if you're looking to trade in those glittery noisemakers and cardboard top hats for scenic terraces and warm fireplaces.
Bringing Times Square to You: Mio Kitchen and Wine Bar
225 Commercial Ave., Aspinwall
412/781-3141, mio-pgh.com
This upscale restaurant with a Manhattan vibe offers a New York-esque New Year's while maintaining a safe distance from the ball-drop mayhem. With its deep-red and gold color scheme and wrought-iron features, this spot will let revelers will toast in style. For $125 a person, you'll receive five courses of gourmet choices such as lobster salad, foie gras and rack of lamb. The first course will be fresh-shucked blue point oysters, and there will be three choices for each of the remaining four courses and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. Known to treat wine as food's equal, Mio will be offering two wine pairings, a house and a premium. Cheers to 2009!