Lifestyles category, Page 148
Out & About: Trees turn DAR headquarters into holiday wonderland
What exactly do you do with an ugly yellow, 8-foot artificial Christmas tree? Members of the Braddock Trail Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution weren’t sure after they bought it several years ago at a summer clearance sale at Brilhart Ace Hardware in Scottdale. “It really is an...
Out & About: Annual Christmas Market draws shoppers to Ligonier
Even when nothing special is going on, downtown Ligonier has the aspect of a quaint little movie set. Add holiday decorations, music wafting from the gazebo on the Diamond and shoppers strolling the streets, and it’s picture-perfect — as it was on Nov. 30 as crowds took advantage of free...
Out & About: Compass Inn Museum hosts holiday candlelight tours
Early American Christmas traditions varied from place to place and among various religious denominations. For some, it was a solemn observance of the birth of Christ. Others made it a time of celebration. Still others saw it as just another day. Many European immigrants carried their Old World holiday customs...
Remember When: Dec. 2
100 years ago Wage increase rejected by Valley miners Although a 14% wage increase has been posted at the pitmouths of local mines, no men have reported to work. Mines in Creighton, Russellton and Valley Camp are said to be closed, despite the pay hike offer. 75 years ago Springdale...
Binge-worthy options for holiday gift season
Chances are there’s at least one TV binger on your gift list. Why not go all in for the holidays and wrap up something on-point? Some ideas: Popcorn So many gifty options are out there, including sets of seasonings and artisanal corn. But nobody loves popcorn quite like Questlove. Among...
Daughter in admissions scandal returns to YouTube channelVideo
LOS ANGELES — Social media star Olivia Jade Giannulli on Sunday posted her first YouTube video since the arrest of her parents, actress Lori Loughlin and fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, made her one of the most visible figures in the college admissions scandal that ensnared dozens of wealthy parents and...
How to tame that intimidating winter squash
Hard winter squash is a delicious and versatile vegetable that can be used as a side dish, in fillings for ravioli or lasagna, as a noodle alternative, in soups, salads, stuffed and so on. This time of year, I crave a hot, buttery butternut or acorn “squash mash” — think...
Living with Children: How much help do children need with schoolwork?
After a recent talk in South Florida, women came up to me in droves asking, “How much should I help my children with their schoolwork?” That not one man asked the question speaks loudly to the state of parenting in postmodern America. Men don’t ask the question because they know...
Vintage holiday display lights up Ligonier Valley LibraryVideo
During a tour of the Ligonier Valley Library’s Pennsylvania Room, where he has set up a large selection of his vintage holiday decorations, Don Lachie is a fount of Christmas light history. Lachie, 60, who has residences in Youngwood and Ligonier, has displayed his collection at the library several times...
How to keep root crops in the ground for winter harvests
There’s nothing quite like pulling a homegrown carrot from the soil for a winter meal. If you’ve never managed this feat before, perhaps this will be your year! Overwintering root vegetables is easier than you think, if you employ a successful overwintering strategy. While many gardeners store harvested root crops...
Yinzer candy bars are back — with more Pittsburgh themes
Those sweet chocolate bars Canonsburg’s Sarris Candies produces year-round come wrapped in Yinzer themes for Christmas, as Yinzer Bars make a holiday return. A collection of milk chocolate candy bars, Yinzer Bars come from the somewhat twisted minds of the creators of Yinzer Greeting Cards. Pittsburgh comedian Jim Krenn, radio...
Nemacolin’s Holistic Healing Center offers well-being journey with latest offeringsVideo
All of the fun the holiday season brings — the shopping, the parties, the traveling, the gifts — is often accompanied by an unwelcome visitor: stress. Eating, sleeping and work schedules tend to be disrupted as we tackle “to-do” lists. Nemacolin Woodlands Resort’s Holistic Healing Center, along with its spa,...
Former Fallingwater cook Elsie Henderson, 106, dishes on serving Pittsburgh royaltyVideo
Elsie Henderson spent decades cooking for American royalty. She’s still dishing about her culinary journey. Henderson, who is 106 years old, was hired by several prominent Pittsburgh families, including the Heinzes and Mellons. Her most notable position was as the Kaufmann family’s cook, baker and meal planner at Fallingwater from...
Holiday cards benefit a variety of local charities
The holiday season is all about sharing warm sentiments with family and friends. There’s still something special about sending holiday wishes “the old-fashioned way” — with a paper card and a handwritten note delivered to loved ones’ mailboxes rather than an email message sent to their inboxes. Even more special...
Greensburg Garden Center’s greens sale is a holiday traditionVideo
On the ground floor of the Greensburg Garden and Civic Center, there’s a room stocked floor to ceiling with holiday decor items, from artificial trees and glittering bulbs to colorful ribbons and bows. From this work space, members of the Greensburg Garden Center craft one-of-a-kind items to sell at the...
Phipps’ winter flower show, light garden is holiday tradition
One of the most beloved winter holiday symbols — decorated and brightly lit trees — will take center stage in “Holiday Magic! Winter Flower Show and Light Garden” at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. It’s not only traditional Christmas trees that will fill the exhibit rooms at the Victorian glass...
How to care for a frost-damaged lipstick plant
Question: My daughter lives in Georgia and has had a healthy, blooming lipstick plant for years. Primarily it lives inside, but she puts it on the patio in summer. A few days ago while daytime temps were in the 70s, they had a frost or freeze while she was out...
How to plant that live Christmas tree in your yard
There’s an unmistakable pine scent released when brushing against the evergreen trees lined up outside of Best Feeds Garden Center’s location in Ross. That aroma conjures up childhood memories of sleepless nights and presents under the tree the next morning. Owner and manager Dwayne Evans is getting ready for the...
Phipps’ winter flower show, light garden is holiday tradition
One of the most beloved winter holiday symbols — decorated and brightly lit trees — will take center stage in “Holiday Magic! Winter Flower Show and Light Garden” at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. It’s not only traditional Christmas trees that will fill the exhibit rooms at the Victorian glass...
Annual holiday Festival of Lights warms historic Mt. Pleasant mansionVideo
The Braddock Trail Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, will host its 30th annual Festival of Lights, offering 45 decorated trees for visitors to enjoy in the historic Samuel Warden Mansion in Mt. Pleasant. Upstairs and down throughout the 132-year-old Victorian house, guests can admire the trees and...
Caliente’s, Sheetz jump on Black Friday ‘special’ bandwagon
For those uninterested in Black Friday shopping, or who need a little liquid courage before — or after — Caliente Pizza & Drafthouse will open its 4624 Liberty Ave., Bloomfield, store at 7 a.m. On tap will be five Goose Island Bourbon County beers available at Caliente this year, including...
Warm the holidays with boilo, a favorite of coal miners in eastern Pennsylvania
Earlier this month, HangoverCure.org surveyed 1,000 drinkers and came up with a list of iconic state drinks. The answer in Pennsylvania turned out to be a bit of a mystery, at least on the western side of the state: boilo. So what is it? “Here in the anthracite region, boilo...
Singer Goo Hara’s death shines light on dark side of K-popVideo
The death of South Korean singer and actress Goo Hara, whose body was found at her home in Seoul this week, has again shone a spotlight on pressures that stars, especially females, face in the cutthroat K-pop industry and in deeply conservative South Korean society. Goo’s death at age 28...
6 biggest mistakes when baking pumpkin pie
Pumpkin pie, with its thick, pumpkin-y custard, fragrant spices and flaky pastry crust, is about as delicious as Thanksgiving gets. Served with a dollop of homemade whipped cream, there is no Thanksgiving dish that arrives with such anticipation. Yet, even the most seasoned bakers know a truly perfect pumpkin pie...
Top Tips From The Wine Cellar: Not all Rieslings are ‘too sweet’
No wine variety suffers more stereotyping than Riesling. Both casual drinkers and experienced wine enthusiasts often pigeonhole Riesling wines as being “too sweet.” Not true. Certainly there are mass-produced, cloyingly sweet white wines labeled as “Riesling” and ofteen seen in either “jugs” or “bags-in-boxes.” These flabby, uninteresting selections appeal to...
