Sometime before 9am, on a Saturday Morning, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Men shout loudly to one another, and as shrill as this may be, it is soon overshadowed by their next move: plunging a jackhammer into a two-foot slab of concrete. They celebrate their progress by heaving boulders of said concrete into the bed of a metal truck. Concrete rambles, metal slams, voices shout. Rinse. Repeat.
On a weekday, I might summon sympathy for their early work hours, or embrace this jarring wake-up call as a means to starting my day. However, on a Saturday, on a SATURDAY, a jackhammer is sacrilege! It’s a loud, reverberating reminder that my bedroom nest is an urban one. Then there are mornings like this, when you can practically feel the silence…
Mid Morning, Beaverdam Creek Cabin, Jennerstown, PA
I love cities. I love the bustle. I love people watching. I love their food scenes and the convenience of a coffee shop within a block of my apartment, but every now and then (and definitely not as much as I would like), I love escaping to the quiet. I love sinking into bed, in dark stillness, far from the lights of streets and my blinking router. I love watching Julep’s inextinguishable joy as she bounds through the woods and even dares to plunge into an icy creek. I love watching the Urban Farmer nestle into a couch and nod off contentedly.
I love when my priorities are simpler: cooking just to enjoy cooking, walking, sipping coffee, gazing through a wintry window, building a fire, finding the perfect playlist, and drinking champagne at any hour of the day. These were our priorities for a little getaway at Beaverdam Creek Cabin, just a quick jaunt from Pittsburgh. If two words described this mini retreat, they would be “at ease.”
Aside from the general desire to slow down, our cabin stay was a way to celebrate my birthday- 33 years on this planet! For years, I’ve been wanting to escape to the woods to celebrate, but this time, I transcribed it at the beginning of the month in my planner, “Places to Go: A Cabin” and willed it into motion, and I couldn’t have asked for a more idyllic, rustic cabin.
When it comes to my dream cabin checklist, this little slice of wintry heaven covered all bases:
- A fireplace (that also served as a foot warmer en route to bed!)
- A kitchen complete with a stove and a little hutch that was just right for our getaway’s stores
- Modern bathroom amenities
- A sense of removal (without feeling like the plot of a horror movie)
- Dog friendly
- Cozy
- Rustic wood accents…
In short, we began to plot how we could own such a sweet, relaxing slice of the pie.
The Beaverdam Creek Cabin is part of Green Gables Restaurant & Huddleson Court, a collection of charming cottages with a history-steeped restaurant and playhouse at its heart. In the true sense of “BnB,” each morning begins with breakfast in the restaurant, with a fire crackling in the immense hearth (more on that to come!). The rest of the menu I planned around the idea of using ingredients efficiently without cramping variety. It was, after all, a way to celebrate my birthday, which meant I was entitled to a little culinary excess.
I’ll be sharing a Green Gables Restaurant Recap and the Cabin Menu Recipes in subsequent posts, but for now, a Two Night Cabin Menu for Two is below, so you can start scheming and dreaming.
In the meantime, hurry up and book your stay to balance the jackhammer-laden Saturdays of city life. Your mind, body and spirit will thank you, and if you follow my menu, so will your stomach! Now more than ever, we have to balance hard work with plenty of self care, and this cabin is just that.
Disclaimer: Our stay was sponsored by Green Gables Restaurant & Huddleson Court, but all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that support With The Grains.
A Two-Night Cabin Menu for Two
About this Menu: Perfect for a weekend getaway or even weeknight meal planning, the core of this menu is the roasted chicken and vegetables. Leftovers are easily reinvented as lunch and dinner the following day.
Day One (Arrival)
Dinner
Spicy Pepper Roasted Chicken & Vegetables
Sourdough bread
Red Wine
Dessert
S’mores with Dark Chocolate & Artisanal Peppermint Marshmallows
Champagne
Day Two
Breakfast at Green Gables Restaurant
Alternate: Sourdough Toast w/ Jam or Avocados & Black Pepper
Lunch
Roasted Chicken Salad on Croissants
Veggie chips
Dinner
Roasted Chicken & Veggie Tacos with Purple Cabbage & Greek Yogurt
Hearth-roasted potatoes
Dessert
Cookie Dough “Contraband”
Day Three
Breakfast at Green Gables Restaurant & Depart
Alternate: Croissants with jam or eggs/bacon
That must have been a huge chicken to feed you three times! LOL I love your tiny home! I found the old cabin foundation interesting. Not much room for a bed and table with that floor plan. And the roof line like an A frame house. I have no idea how it was made since it had a square roofllne at the other end? So comfy your place is.. Enjoy! I live in NEPA, don’t know where your place is.
ha! It was your average-sized full chicken (at least by American standards), raised on grass and goodness. I wish we owned the little cabin, but we were just guests. It’s available to rent in Western Pennsylvania. The bed was lofted above the fireplace, which made for a really cozy, warm sleep. I love A-Frames and am hoping to stay in one of those soon too. There was a really adorable A-frame in the same neighborhood.
I love tint houses myself. I live in a 900 square foot house, which is small. Did you notice how the cabin sits almost sitting at ground level on the foundation? Lots of old homes do, and the siding was damp down there in your photo, but the inside looks dry and comfy!
I hadn’t really looked at the wet foundation, but you’re right, it was damp. We were dry and cozy on the inside though. 🙂
OMG i am so envious. Not only do you have a very hunky guy to share that cabin with but it was amazing looking. I love the fact you , like me, had to pre plan the trip. Not many places like that, here in australia , will take dogs. I googled the location. I love it. so addiing it to my USA bucket list of places to visit… I made your pie w oat crust. it was delicious. thank you. quelcy.
He is pretty hunky, huh? Maybe I can make him blush ever so slightly and tell him he has an admirer in the land down under. 🙂 One day, we’re hoping to check out the honey scene in Australia. Glad you liked the pie!