Hey friends! If you’ve been following me on instagram stories, you already know that I went to Fallingwater last week. After seeing Taliesin West in Scottsdale, I knew I had to visit. I’ve been spending quality time with my parents in Pittsburgh so it made sense to go since it’s only an 1.5 hours away. I booked two tickets for their guided house tour online, and it was $30 per person.
Fallingwater’s open daily from 10-4 except on Wednesdays. They have more expensive tours available (ranging from $80-$1200), but the basic walk through’s probably fine for most. It lasted for an hour, and our guide did a wonderful job walking us through all the major rooms. I was bummed that photography was prohibited, but I guess that just means you guys have to go experience it firsthand.
There’s a reason why this place is listed among Smithsonian’s “Life List of 28 Places to Visit Before You Die.” Frank Lloyd Wright was a visionary! In fact, I still can’t believe this house was built in the 1930s. It was designed as a weekend home for EJ Kaufmann Sr, the owner of Kaufmann’s department store, and it was built over a waterfall in the Laurel Highlands. Hence the name, Fallingwater. It’s amazing to see how he drew inspiration from the outdoors – it’s almost like the interior and exterior are one – and it’s easy to see how and why it’s a prime example of what he called, “organic architecture.”
We were starving after the tour, so we decided to grab lunch at Out of the Fire Cafe. Located on 3784 State Route 31, they’re open Tuesday – Sunday from 11-9. We started our meal off with a bowl of their signature roasted mushroom soup ($6), and it was a winner. We seriously contemplated buying a tub to go because we couldn’t get enough. We had high hopes after their soup, but their entrees weren’t as satisfying.
We got their pan seared jumbo lump crab cakes ($16) and Jeff’s special sandwich to share. The crab cakes came with cornmeal dusted fried green tomatoes, fire roasted corn salsa, romesco, avocado mousse, scallion curls, basil and cilantro, while the sandwich had hickory smoked chicken, bacon, sautéed portabella mushrooms, roma tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, field greens and came on freshly baked ciabatta with a side of french fries.
The crab cakes were underwhelming. There was too much going on, and I wanted more crabmeat. I’m definitely biased though since I live in a city where crab cakes reign supreme. The sandwich was much better, but I still felt like something was missing. Now don’t get me wrong, everything was really fresh, but it was a little bland for my taste. The fries were delicious though, and I’d still come back to try their other offerings. They’re apparently famous for their smoked salmon, but unfortunately, I don’t eat fish anymore, which means you guys have to try it for me!
Afterwards, we drove to the Lenox Factory Outlet located on 402 East Main Street in Mount Pleasant. They had a huge selection of high quality dinnerware in addition to beautiful frames, trinkets and more. If you’re looking to spruce up your place, definitely pay this store a visit! Everything’s heavily discounted so it’s a mecca for bargain shoppers like me. I left with a bunch of new items, and I can’t wait to go back again.
Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed reading about my latest adventure to Fallingwater. Do any of you like architecture? Definitely let me know by leaving a comment below, friends. To browse more travel content, click here. Until next time!
