Joyce Hanz stories, Page 66
Aspinwall’s Farmer x Baker gives different meaning to ‘food from a box’Video
A unique waterside dining option is open inside Aspinwall Riverfront Park. Farmer x Baker, a repurposed shipping container-turned-café nestled along the Allegheny River in the scenic 10-acre park, is the first of its kind in Pittsburgh. All 160 square feet of it. The eco-friendly creation of owner Jennifer Urich, Farmer...
‘BEEP for B’man’ a great reason to lay on your hornVideo
Motorists have a great excuse to lay on their horns in O’Hara. Fourteen-year-old Bill Carney, also known as B’man, sits at the corner of Fox Chapel and Freeport roads in Fox Chapel Plaza several evenings a week. His mission? Soliciting honks, beeps and waves from the driving public. A large...
Armstrong County cat bucks stereotype, spends summers in the poolVideo
The dog days of summer are upon us here in Western Pennsylvania. Just don’t tell that to Tissy, a cat with a penchant for swimming. The fluffy, orange Maine Coon cools off weekly in the Herr family pool in Brady’s Bend , Armstrong County. Tissy even has a tiny custom...
Luxury Lumiere condos to open this fall in Downtown PittsburghVideo
Lumière, a new luxury condominium complex in the heart of Downtown Pittsburgh, is nearing completion. The 86-unit building is the first new high-rise condo project Downtown in a decade. Developed by Millcraft Investments, it’s the second phase of the project on the site of the former Saks Fifth Avenue. The...
At Gino’s Petit Dejeuner in Harmar, a not so little breakfast with a French infusionVideo
An international trifecta of culinary flavors unite at Gino’s Petit Dejeuner in Harmar. The cozy French-inspired bistro, located in Harmar Shopping Plaza, blends American and Turkish influences on an extensive breakfast and lunch menu. In French, “petit dejeuner” translates literally as “little lunch” but means “breakfast” — which is the...
Andora offers historically modern dining in 2 locationsVideo
Dining at a former stagecoach stop, speakeasy, alleged brothel and hotel? Yes, please. The history’s all there at Andora Restaurant, tucked along a wooded residential section of Dorseyville Road in Indiana Township on the Fox Chapel border. Actually, there are two locations. An Ohio Township site opened 20 years ago....
Daytrippers: Head to historic Harmony
Looking for a day trip replete with history, food and maybe a little weaving? Look no further than the little town of Harmony. Packed with early American history, Harmony offers visitors old-world German charm amidst specialty shops, eateries and preserved buildings. Tourists frequent annual Harmony events including a German Christmas...
Pittsburgh’s Amateur Astronomers share their passion for night sky
It’s a party with a plethora of stars. But not the celebrity kind. Explore the night sky and learn about astronomy at star parties. They are sponsored by the Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh at its two observatories — Nicholas E. Wagman in Deer Lakes Regional Park (Allegheny County) and...
Leechburg Cemetery Co. seeks assistance with grounds maintenanceVideo
The Leechburg Cemetery Company doesn’t have enough volunteers to maintain the grounds that command a hill off of Pershing and Evergreen roads. Knee-high grass and weeds compete with numerous Memorial Day flags recently placed on tombstones at The Leechburg Cemetery. Volunteer and borough resident Larry Boehm squeezes in time mowing...
Winfield Winery is a hidden gem in CabotVideo
Combining heritage with hobby is the concept behind Winfield Winery in Cabot. Italian winemaker John Ricchuito opened his rural winery on the grounds of his Winfield Township home he shares with wife, Linda, in 2006. “I read a lot, learned things off of the internet and decided I was going...
Oakmont pub crawl raises money to fight multiple sclerosisVideo
Cheers, beers and charitable endeavors are on tap in Oakmont. The 20th annual MS Pub Crawl fundraising event is set for Saturday . A pub crawl is when individuals drink in multiple pubs or bars in a single day, or night, or both. All proceeds benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis...
Cranberry’s Rollaway Dog Cafe serves up treats on the goVideo
Pittsburgh-area pups have something new to wag their tails over. The Rollaway Dog Cafe, based in Cranberry Township, Butler County, is the only mobile dog food and treat truck around. “We specialize in treats your dogs can come to the window to order and eat right on the spot,” says...
Valley set to put on colorful ‘Dreamcoat’
Valley High School Drama Club junior Adam Richardson will be making his stage debut in the lead role of Joseph, donning the iconic coat of many colors in the musical in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” April 11-14 at Valley High School. “I love the coat. I love how...
St. Joseph High School stages Lin-Manuel Miranda’s ‘In the Heights’
St. Joseph High School tackles a “new classic” — “In the Heights.” Before “Hamilton” swept the musical theater world by storm there was “In the Heights.” Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote the music and lyrics, starring in both. “In the Heights” garnered numerous top industry honors including Best Musical, Choreography, Original Score...
Join in the fun with Burrell’s ‘The Mystery of Edwin Drood’
Audience participation is not only expected as Burrell High School presents “The Mystery of Edward Drood,” it’s required says Burrell musical director Martin Connolly. “The audience gets to vote and decide who the murderer is at the end of the show,” Connolly says. “And then based on that we will...
Springdale takes a chance on ‘Mamma Mia’Video
The global sensation “Mamma Mia” lands on the Springdale Jr./Sr. High School stage March 29-31. “I like the fact that this musical is contemporary. We can do a lot with that,” says Emily Plunkett of her lead role as Sophie. The global smash hit musical takes place on a tiny...
Highlands High School presents ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’Video
Highlands High School presents the only Pittsburgh area high school musical production of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” March 29-31. Based on the French novel by Victor Hugo and songs from the Disney animated feature, this production is the largest to grace the Highlands stage under the direction of Highlands...
Kiski Area goes classic with ‘The Sound of Music’Video
Everyone’s favorite singing nun returns as Kiski Area High School presents “The Sound of Music” March 27-30. “Coming off the heels of a no-dialogue show like last year’s “Joseph,” this year’s show will provide audiences with a nice contrast as we return to a more traditional and classic musical favorite,”...
Fox Chapel tackles challenging ‘Les Miserables’Video
Fox Chapel Area High School presents “Les Miserables School Edition,” on March 14-17. This adaptation of the classic musical by Alain Boubil and Claude-Michel Schoneberg, based on the French novel by Victor Hugo, is the world’s longest running sung-through musical and the third longest running musical in Broadway history. Winner...
Leechburg Area High School presents ‘Anything Goes’Video
Leechburg Area High School sets sail with “Anything Goes.” Director Alyssa Bruno Walls said she chose “Anything Goes” because the student talent is “so there” this year for the nautically themed classic that includes music and lyrics written by Cole Porter such as “It’s Delovely,” “I Get a Kick Out...
Freeport thinks pink with ‘Legally Blonde’Video
“Omigod! Omigod you guys.” Freeport Area High School thinks pink as it presents “Legally Blonde: The Musical” March 14-17 at the Freeport Middle School. Based on the smash comedy 2001 film starring Reese Witherspoon, it’s the story of a rich sorority girl named Elle Woods and her creative mission to...
Apollo-Ridge presents the upbeat ‘The Music Man’
Apollo-Ridge High School presents “The Music Man” Feb. 28- March 2. Trouble comes to River City when a fast-talking con artist salesman falls for Marian the town librarian in the classic six-time Tony Award-winning musical comedy. Musical director Bethany Greenlee said she chose “The Music Man” to showcase the talents...
Cooper Station Restaurant abruptly closes in Winfield TownshipVideo
The landmark Cooper Station Restaurant has abruptly shut down. The popular restaurant along Route 356 in Winfield Township posted a closing notice Monday on its Facebook page. “Effective immediately, Cooper Station Restaurant will be closed indefinitely. Thank You, Management,” the notice read. The signs posted on the locked double doors...
Customers flocked to opening of Allegheny Township chicken jointVideo
There’s a new chicken joint in Allegheny Township. Big Shot Bob’s House of Wings opened last Monday, Feb. 11 in Kiski Park Plaza. Customers were lined out the door, according to co-owner Kara Jo Brank. Brank and her husband, Frank, left the corporate world for the culinary scene. After downsizing...
Highlands senior champions ‘feeling good in your own skin’Video
“Let me take a selfie.” That familiar phrase is a daily norm for Highlands High School senior Olivia Grace Fertig. Fertig, 18, of Tarentum has almost 12,000 followers and subscribers on her Instagram and YouTube social media accounts. “I post a lot of make-up, fashion and daily life on there,”...

