Lifestyles category, Page 115
Spruce Flats Bog plant species include 2 insect-eaters
The soil in a bog consists largely of slowly decaying plant matter. Along with being acidic, it is oxygen- and nutrient-poor, limiting the types of plants that will thrive there. Sphagnum moss provides the living plant layer atop the waterlogged environment. Other common bog plants include reeds, sedges, cranberries, blueberries...
Spruce Flats Bog an often-overlooked natural wonderVideo
Paul Nieman of Ligonier and his yellow Lab, Lily, hike all around Forbes State Forest, but one spot they visit repeatedly is Spruce Flats Bog. On a late summer trek around Laurel Summit State Park, Nieman was going to skip it, but Lily insisted on leading him down the ¼-mile...
Fragrant dish captures Moroccan tagine flavor without hours of work
Vegetables mixed with fragrant spices of cinnamon, ginger and turmeric make a savory Moroccan tagine. A tagine is a dish made in a glazed earthenware dish with a conical lid, which is also called a tagine. Steam gathers at the top of the lid and falls on the food, keeping...
Delicate scallops and hearty bacon make flavorful grilled dish
Like most non-vegan Americans, I really enjoy bacon. As a kid, when mom made BLTs for all of us, I asked her to hold the L and the T. Mmmm, bacon sandwich. But apparently, unlike most, I find the trend of putting bacon on everything a bit much. It has...
‘How much blood do you want on your face?’: Haunted-house performers revel in rolesVideo
“Do you want me to dress like this for the wedding?” Holli Stiltenpole asked. Fake blood was splattered all over Stiltenpole’s straitjacket, one eye appeared glazed and useless thanks to a colored contact lens and a cross was crudely “carved” into her forehead with makeup. Tiarra Shank of Ligonier started...
Artist (s-l-o-w-l-y) at work: Guests can experience Valentino, the National Aviary’s painting slothVideo
Hanging upside, he paints. His strokes in red and gold hues are small, and mostly in an up and down motion. There are a few swirls, too. A few times he drops the brush, usually when he’s being handed a treat. After about 20 minutes, he moves slowly, grasping the...
Celebrity chef Guy Fieri dishes about why he chose Hempfield casino for latest restaurantVideo
Pittsburgh has the perfect mix of ingredients for Guy Fieri. “There are multiple reasons I chose Pittsburgh,” Fieri told the Tribune-Review about plans to open American Kitchen + Bar this year inside Live! Casino Pittsburgh, which will open before Thanksgiving at Westmoreland Mall in Hempfield. “It’s an All-American city, a...
Dianoia’s Eatery in Pittsburgh’s Strip District serves up Italian pumpkin dish
Gnocchi is the treat inside this pumpkin. DiAnoia’s Eatery in Pittsburgh’s Strip District has brought back its famous Gnocchi Pumpkin Bowl for a third year. The homemade Italian pasta is usually served in a “hearty” bread bowl, but chef and co-owner Dave Anoia adds what he calls a “festive flair...
Square Café’s East Liberty opening delayed
The opening of the Square Café in East Liberty has been delayed until early next week. The new location was scheduled to debut Thursday, but a final inspection detected a problem with the ventilation — the fire suppression system, to be exact — at the site. The restaurants Spoon and...
Stanton Heights mom runs uneven path to create smoother 1 for daughter
Gina Mannion prefers to run on trails. Jogging courses of rough terrain represent the ups, downs, hurdles and rocky roads she’s been navigating since the birth of her oldest daughter 14 years ago. Maeve Mannion was born with Down syndrome. Her mother uses running as a means to get her...
TribLive Taste Test: McDonald’s Spicy Chicken McNuggetsVideo
As the weather got cooler, McDonald’s started heating up with the announcement that it would serve a spicy version of longstanding favorite Chicken McNuggets, along with a special “Mighty Hot Sauce,” for a limited time. TribLive Taste Test correspondent Patrick Varine is working out of “The Dungeon,” aka his basement...
Laurel Highlands Pour Tour relaunches with added locations
Thanks to interest in the region’s thriving craft beverage industry, the Laurel Highlands Pour Tour is returning for a second year. Since the tour launched in the fall of 2019, numerous new craft beverage locations have opened in the region, allowing version 2.0 to expand from about 30 to 45...
Cold weather means new challenges for struggling restaurants
U.S. restaurants are moving warily into fall, hoping their slow recovery persists despite the new challenge of chilly weather and a pandemic that’s expected to claim even more lives. New York opens indoor dining on Wednesday, restricting capacity to 25%. San Francisco may do the same as early as this...
Carnegie Museums’ new online shop features exclusive merchandise
Exclusive items from the shops of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh are now available at patrons’ fingertips, via a new online shop. “This makes our products more available to our supporters,” said Betsy Momich, Carnegie Museums director of communications. “Obviously, online shopping itself is not new, but it is...
Cycling clergyman the Rev. Doug Boyd rolls through PittsburghVideo
At 6:58 a.m. on Tuesday, the Rev. Doug Boyd got on his Trek bicycle. It wasn’t yet light out, as he made his way down Liberty Avenue in Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield neighborhood to his destination of UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital in Oakland. The 2 ½ mile ride took him past St. Paul...
Living with Children: Don’t fall into this trap
Question: My husband and I are not on the same page when it comes to our just-turned 4-year-old son. He thinks our son’s behavior is a phase that he will outgrow. To me, his defiance and tantrums are alarming and need to be dealt with now to prevent them from...
Cool beans! Get some free perks on National Coffee DayVideo
Grab your cold press, your K-cup, your cafetiere — or hit your neighborhood cafe — it’s National Coffee Day. It’s a great time to be a coffee drinker, with the recent proliferation of coffee shops and at-home coffee- brewing equipment offering something for even the most discerning coffee palate. “Coffee...
Doors Open Pittsburgh offers inside look at iconic city buildings
Being nebby isn’t always a good thing, but Doors Open Pittsburgh encourages it. On Saturday, the annual event will give visitors an inside look at 22 iconic, historically significant or just plain interesting structures in Downtown Pittsburgh and on the North Side. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; individual...
Western Pa. restaurants recognized for diverse wine selections
Pour a glass of wine and raise a toast. There are 17 Western Pennsylvania restaurants within a 50-mile radius of Pittsburgh that have been recognized — some for the first time — in Wine Spectator’s 2020 restaurant awards. Wine Spectator is a wine magazine that honors the world’s best wine...
Ligonier Valley Rail Road Association gets a Doodlebug
A mini trolley car that children rode at amusement parks will get new life at the Ligonier Township railroad museum, along with a new coat of paint and complete refurbishing to get it back running next year. “We hope this Doodlebug will rival our main attraction — the (1905 Bobber)...
Here are the best spots to see fall foliage in the Pittsburgh regionVideo
There’s a nip in the air and some tint in the trees. It’s time to start planning your fall foliage viewing, and the Laurel Highlands is the perfect place to start. Don’t take our word for it, though. That’s the verdict from voters for the Best Destination for Fall Foliage...
One Brilliant in Aspinwall can style you and your homeVideo
Customers can feel at home shopping at One Brilliant in Aspinwall. The women’s clothing and accessories boutique launched “One Brilliant Home,” a stylish line of products to spruce up an abode as well as leisure wear such as comfy bathrobes, soft pajamas and cozy slippers for those whose office is...
Mr. Smalls in Millvale switches focus to food, outdoor concerts
The scent of grilled burgers and Mexican street corn will fill Butler Street in Millvale on weekends as Mr. Smalls Cafe takes over the road for socially distanced food, friendship and live music. It is the latest move by the music venue to stay afloat after being hard hit by...
TribLive Toe Test: NakeFit Sole PadsVideo
For today’s TribLive Taste Test, we abandon the tasting and go straight to the toes! That’s right, it’s a TribLive Toe Test, as staff writer Patrick Varine tries out NakeFit L’Originale, adhesive foot pads that allow the wearer to enjoy the outdoors “barefoot” with what the company bills as a...
Girl Scouts offering new virtual troop membership option
Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania opened registration for new members this fall with a new virtual troop option, along with troops meeting for in-person activities. “While in-person adventures and troop meetings continue under current local and CDC guidelines, the addition of a virtual troop option is the final piece to create...
