Lifestyles category, Page 183
Travel tip: Take a jaunt across Pennsylvania’s back roads
Remember when families piled into the car and took a leisurely Sunday drive along the back roads? No? Well, then maybe it’s time to revive that tradition. At takebackroads.com, there are suggestions for seven back-road jaunts across the Keystone State. Of course, the Laurel Highlands Scenic Byway, traversing routes 381...
How should I respond to people who pity me for not having kids?
Hi Carolyn: I was making small talk at a work function when a woman asked if I had children. I said no. She expressed pity that I hadn’t experienced life’s greatest joy and said she couldn’t understand why women these days prioritize careers over family. She added that parenthood is...
Plan before leaving home to keep kids safe while traveling
We were visiting Thailand when I encountered my worst parenting nightmare — my 5-year-old daughter disappeared. She was with us in the courtyard of the guesthouse, until she wasn’t. My husband and I spent 35 terrifying minutes trying to locate her. She eventually returned safely on her own from what...
Get your Memorial Day grill on with LongHorn’s expert advice
Don’t leave the results of your Memorial Day grilling to chance. The LongHorn Steakhouse GRILL US Hotline will be available 10 a.m.-4 p.m. May 27 to assure success on one of the biggest grilling holidays of the year. To get advice from LongHorn’s Grill Masters, call 855-LH-GRILL. This marks the...
Try this guilt-free banana hummus, yes, banana hummus
I admit that the name “dessert hummus” is sort of baffling to the mind and the taste buds. You can imagine the slightly gritty, savory texture of pulverized chickpeas in traditional hummus but can’t quite image how “sweet” can come anywhere near this popular appetizer. Two weeks ago, I was...
California fish tacos are a light, fresh surfside treat
A surfside treat, California fish tacos feature battered and fried crispy white fish and sprightly pickled vegetables. When done right, they are light and fresh, with a lively mix of textures and flavors. This recipe may look involved, but the components come together quickly, so invite your friends to help....
Living with Children: You’ve tried ‘everything’? Think again
Concerning major behavior problems, parents often tell me they’ve tried everything. In more than 40 years of doing this “parenting expert” gig, I’ve never run across a parent who was telling the truth about that. Since the 1960s, we’ve drifted so far away from a commonsense understanding of the fundamentals...
The reasons clover and lawns go hand in hand
If you’re a “lawn lover” who’s been trying to get rid of the clover in your lawn, it’s time to change your tune. Up until the 1950s, white clover was included in every lawn seed mixture. Clover and turf grass went hand-in-hand. Having a lush, clover-infused lawn was thing of...
Bethel Bakery, Spoonwood brew up new chocolate raspberry cake stout
You can now have your cake and drink it too. So says the motto for the Retort Chocolate Raspberry Cake Stout, a new beer brewed up through a collaboration between South Hills-staples Bethel Bakery and Spoonwood Brewing Co. The beer, which made its debut on May 24, combines Spoonwood’s traditional...
Sled dogs, art for all at Ligonier Country Market
Ligonier Country Market’s special features on May 25 will include Spirits of the Mountain Sled Dogs. The dogs include four Alaskan huskies, three Alaskan malamutes and 10 Siberian huskies. They were in shelters or surrendered by their owners. The dogs train in the Laurel Mountain and surrounding areas and run...
Make National Wine Day one to remember
Red or white or rose — just grab a glass. May 25 is National Wine Day, according to the National Day Calendar. It has a sister holiday in February — National Drink Wine Day. And, there’s more. June 8 is National Rose Day. Wine is called “bottled poetry” by novelist...
Do-it-yourself fun to keep kids amused this summer – May 24, 2019
If they aren’t out of school already, kids will be starting their summer vacations soon. It won’t be long before parents start hearing that age-old refrain — “There’s nothing to do!” What’s the over/under on that? Probably about one week. The best way to avoid the whining is to be...
Mon Incline makes list of world’s coolest public transit rides
We in Pittsburgh know how cool the Inclines are. Now, maybe the rest of the world will get clued in. Atlas Obscura, one of the web’s neatest travel sites, has released a list: 18 of the World’s Most Wondrous Public Transportation Options. “One of the greatest ways to experience a...
Altoona’s Lakemont Park, with world’s oldest roller coaster, is back open for rides
No doubt, Pennsylvania’s got some amazing things. But the world’s oldest wooden roller coaster? Yep, we got that — it’s Leap the Dips at Lakemont Park in Altoona, which reopens to the public after more than two years of renovations. In March 2017, Lakemont announced it was closing for renovations....
The best small flowering trees for Western Pennsylvania
Question: We are looking to add a small flowering tree to our front garden. The area gets sun throughout the early part of the day, but is shaded by a larger tree in the late afternoon and evening. Do you have any good suggestions? Answer: There are many lovely small...
Succession planting will diversify the garden, extend harvest times
The temptation to plant early is an urge that seduces all gardeners. It fools the most knowledgeable and thoughtful growers and turns them into careless dreamers who throw caution to the wind in the quest to see the first bloom or harvest the earliest fruit. In March, while visiting Chapon’s...
TribLive Taste Test: Steeped CoffeeVideo
Coffee. It’s the lifeblood of office drones the world over. That includes many of us in the Tribune-Review newsroom as well. This week we received samples of a new type: Steeped Coffee, a company out of Santa Cruz, Calif., which is made using the same steeping process as tea. We...
Rihanna feels the pressure as she makes fashion history
Rihanna may have looked cool and collected next to the debut collection for her new fashion label, Fenty, donning a brilliant white tuxedo dress and a 1,000-watt smile. But on the inside it was another story. “It’s all a facade,” said the Barbados-born star who has become the first black...
Outer Banks’ Ocracoke beach places 2nd on ‘Dr. Beach’ list
Heading to the Outer Banks this summer? The roads might be even more crowded this year as one of the OBX beaches made an annual list of best beaches. Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach on North Carolina’s Outer Banks placed second on the annual ”Dr. Beach” best beach list. The list is...
Craft brewers release beer to support Pennsylvania Veterans Foundation
Just in time for the holiday weekend, beer lovers can lift a cold one to their favorite veteran and know that proceeds from a new IPA on tap today at 22 craft breweries statewide will go to the Pennsylvania Veterans Foundation to support services to veterans. Breweries in Pennsylvania, an...
Celebrity chef Mario Batali facing assault charge in Boston
BOSTON — Celebrity chef Mario Batali is facing a criminal charge on allegations that he forcibly kissed and groped a woman at a Boston restaurant in 2017. Batali, who recently gave up financial stakes in all his restaurants, is scheduled to be arraigned Friday on a charge of indecent assault...
There are plenty of festivals this summer
From ribs to wine to bluegrass music, this summer proves to be an opportunity to get outside and have some fun. There are plenty of festivals to enjoy good food, entertainment and something for the entire family. The festival season kicks off May 23-25 with the 25th annual Greensburg Community...
Busch beer wants to sponsor your wedding with $25,000 prize
Are you getting married soon? Do you like Busch beer? Would you like them to sponsor your wedding day? Busch says that the beer is the guest of honor at thousands of weddings, as “Busch guys and girls” across the country have brought the beer into their big day. So...
Aldi is looking for wine tasters to drink free bottles
Aldi. Free. Wine. You know there’s gotta be a catch, right? Well, if you’re a resident of the U.K., then … there’s no catch. The German supermarket is looking for 30 people to become part of its Aldi Wine Club. “Know a thing or two about your grapes?,” the store’s...
Salsa Sam’s brings flavor of the West Coast to IrwinVideo
After years of perfecting their salsa recipes, Sam and Jodi Murray are expanding from farmers markets to their very own Irwin restaurant. The pair has opened Salsa Sam’s Eatery, at 209 Third St. “I retired (from the Allegheny County probation department) on St. Patrick’s Day. We opened on March 21,”...
