Lifestyles category, Page 101
Great Allegheny Passage ranked among top long rail trails in U.S.
Cyclists from Western Pennsylvania to Washington, D.C., certainly know the power of the Great Allegheny Passage — or GAP for short. But it’s always good to know that others are hearing its praises as well. The 150-mile trail from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Md., was recently named among the Best Long...
Iconic Necco Chocolate Wafers will soon return to store shelves
The iconic Necco Wafers returned to stores last summer after a two-year absence. This spring, Spangler Candy Company has announced it will return the Necco Chocolate Wafer Rolls, too. “Once we brought back the original assorted roll of Necco Wafers this past summer, the demand for the Chocolate Roll was...
Going beyond the traditional window-box garden
The gardening world has a tried-and-true formula for the perfect window box: a thriller, a filler and a spiller. You simply can’t go wrong with a tall red geranium amid a tranquil bed of white impatiens and cascading vines of ivy. But maybe you’re an experienced window box gardener looking...
Living with Children: Kids should be taught to keep feelings private
One of the more unfortunate consequences of relying on advice from mental health “experts” concerning parenting matters has been a one-dimensional understanding of child discipline. Because of the infiltration of psychological theory into child rearing, most parents conceive of discipline as being all about correcting behavior. Indeed, a child’s behavior...
4/20 munchies? Gobbleritos on the menu at Mad Mex
You’ve heard of Christmas in July. How about Thanksgiving in April? Mad Mex, the regional restaurant with 12 locations in the Pittsburgh region, will be selling its signature Gobbleritos on Tuesday. The Gobblerito is among the biggest burritos crafted at Mad Mex, the flagship of Big Burrito Restaurant Group, and...
Starlite Lounge in Blawnox to be back on Food Network’s ‘Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives’
For the second time, the Starlite Lounge in Blawnox will be on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” “It’s pretty cool,” said Starlite owner Ron Esser. “We really appreciate this. The show is popular. So many people I know watch it.” Esser, whose nickname is “Moondog,” also owns Moondog’s...
Craft beer makers look to region’s farms to grow grainsVideo
The only local thing about regional craft beer right now is the water, according to farmer Vince Mangini of Crabtree. For example, at All Saints Brewing in Hempfield, founder Jeff Guidos typically gets his malt from German and other European companies. Through Food21’s “Farm to Tap” program, Mangini wants to...
Grants help grow community gardens across Western Pa.Video
A community garden can bring together residents who never met, and its bounty can help feed the growers and others through donations. That’s why several community garden organizers throughout Western Pennsylvania were so happy to receive grant funding or in-kind donations to get their gardens started. “We got some help...
Spring has sprung indoors — at Art in Bloom photography show at Pittsburgh MillsVideo
Spring is more than in the air, with 60 photos and pieces of artwork depicting spring flowers at the Art in Bloom floral and photography show at the Pittsburgh Mills mall in Frazer. The art is being displayed until May 15 at Focus on the Arts Gallery in the mall....
Belle Vernon collectibles business gets ‘Remixxd’ as it expandsVideo
People will collect just about anything. Just ask Don Spagnolo, owner of an an online collectibles marketplace based in Belle Vernon. Last year, he bought fixtures from a bar that was going out of business, and the beer tap handles turned into a surprisingly hot seller. “They’ve been in such...
Here’s how to make the most of that deck, patio, backyardVideo
Necessity is the mother of invention — and that’s never been more true than during the pandemic, as people have ramped up their outdoor living and entertaining options. From using what they had to building grand new spaces, homeowners and renters adapted to recommendations to avoid indoor gatherings. With the...
Check out the Garfield tiny house, selling for $195KVideo
A queen-size bed folds out of the wall. Four steps away sits a small table and three chairs. Under the window is a loveseat. The compact kitchen nearby contains a refrigerator that’s half the size of a standard appliance, a cooking range, sink and dishwasher as well as one combined...
Signature Dishes: The ‘Blackenzola’ steak at Hoffstot’s Cafe Monaco in Oakmont, a tribute to late ownerVideo
This is part of an ongoing series highlighting Signature Dishes at locally-owned restaurants in the region. See Trib Total Media’s new online directory of restaurants, Dine Local, at dinelocal.triblive.com. Danny Monaco’s legacy lives on through his family, his restaurants and in every bite of a specialty steak dinner. The well-known...
Dog-loving runners needed for Westmoreland businessVideo
Somehow, Donna Highlands’ dog Max knows when it’s his day to run. The 3-year-old mixed-breed canine with lots of energy sits by the door of his Jeannette home three times a week and waits for the runner at the other end of the leash to arrive. Highlands said the canine...
Forbes Road yarn shop offers haven for fiber arts fansVideo
When Toni Ridella’s mother suggested that she open a yarn shop in the empty half of her Forbes Road duplex, she was skeptical. She liked the idea, but wasn’t sold on the location: “I thought, ‘Who’s gonna find me in Forbes Road?’” Nevertheless, the avid knitter took the plunge and...
Round and round: PNC Carousel reopens in Oakland’s Schenley PlazaVideo
The eagle’s wing was cracked. There were dents in the rabbit’s face. The giraffe’s ear was scraped. Those damages have been repaired — and the animals on the PNC Carousel are ready to go. Over the course of the past year, they’ve been refurbished in anticipation of the 15th anniversary...
Ligonier Highland Games to return as 1-day September event
Let the games resume. After a pandemic-related hiatus in 2020, the Ligonier Highland Games will return to Idlewild & SoakZone in Ligonier Township on Sept. 18. Normally spanning two days, the 62nd version of the games will be a single-day event this year. “We talked that out for a long...
Handmade Arcade hosting virtual spring event, other happenings in 2021
Adam Nelson grew up in nature. His father, Doyle Nelson, was a national park ranger in California, Wyoming and Pennsylvania. He was recently chief ranger of the Delaware Water Gap in Pennsylvania. “We spent a lot of time in the outdoors,” said Adam Nelson, of East Liberty, who came to...
Ralph Lauren unveils crisp white Team USA Olympic uniforms
With a crisp white graphic look and roomy pockets, the uniforms to be worn by Team USA at the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics were unveiled Wednesday by official outfitter Ralph Lauren. The uniforms, along with Ralph Lauren-designed Olympic Village attire for the American athletes, had been ready to...
Living with Children: Parents of bullies can (and should) stop the cycle
A sixth-grade teacher recently shared the following story with me: Two girls in her class were making fun of a classmate whose family was struggling financially. The girl was socially awkward and had no friends. The mocking was taking place both at school and on social media. As I read...
Sidelined last year, the Met Gala is returning twice
The Met Gala is coming back. Actually, twice. The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced Monday that the annual high-wattage celebration of both fashion and celebrity — canceled last year because of the pandemic — will return in person, first in September, then again in 2022 in its usual slot of...
Pandemic stress causing spike in emotional shopping sprees
With the stress of the covid-19 pandemic and resulting restrictions, it’s no surprise that people are looking for ways to cope. For many in Pennsylvania — and across the country — shopping has become one of those coping mechanisms. Nearly half of Pennsylvanians admitted to “emotional spending” during the pandemic,...
Here are 5 must-see vehicles at Pittsburgh World of Wheels this weekendVideo
If it can be chopped, chromed or customized, some vehicle enthusiast will do it. And the results are likely to end up in the MAXMotive World of Wheels exhibition. The 60th annual premiere custom car show rolled into the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh on Friday for...
‘Ice ball man’ Gus Kalaris is back on the North Side
The “ice ball man” is back on the North Side. Gus Kalaris has been manning the bright orange ice ball cart under the rainbow-colored umbrella near West Park on Pittsburgh’s North Side for seven decades. The stand opened for the season on Wednesday, just in time for the Pirates home...
Bicycle industry still booming a year into the pandemic
Bicycles continue to spin out of stores in record numbers. Last March, people began purchasing bicycles at the beginning of the pandemic. A year later, the industry continues to see an increase in sales — to the point where manufacturers are struggling to supply product, experts said. “We used to...
