Lifestyles category, Page 186
Fox Chapel Plaza’s Alta Via offers a food tour of northern ItalyVideo
Traditional Italian food step aside. The newest addition to Pittsburgh’s impressive Big Burrito Restaurant Group whisks one off to the Dolomite region in northern Italy. Alta Via is a globally recognized walking trail through the Italian Dolomites, hence the name. “The food is simple, clean, fresh and ingredient driven,” says...
Out & About: Cinco de Meowo benefits ‘los gatos sin hogar’
“Los gatos sin hogar necesitan tu ayuda.” That translates from the Spanish as “The homeless cats need your help,” according to Google. It also was the message of the annual Cinco de Meowo party held, appropriately, on Cinco de Mayo (or May 5) in the Youngwood Fire Hall. Hosts were...
Out & About: Westmoreland Walks satisfies passion for fashionVideo
Westmoreland Walks organizers displayed their passion for fashion — and for their cause — at the second annual Passionately Pink Fashion Show, held May 11 in the Christ Our Shepherd Center in Unity. Close to 100 ladies and a few gents gathered to see what’s hot this season from Betsy’s...
Out & About: Feeding the Spirit gala draws more than 300 guests
Welcoming guests to the annual Feeding the Spirit fundraiser, founder and board president Deborah Thackrah said when the group served its first free community meal in 2011, “People didn’t know that we would be around in a year, but here we are in our eighth year.” The event was held...
How to design, decorate poolside
Ask Elizabeth Stuart Design founder Muffie Faith about how to decorate around a backyard pool and she’ll answer you with a question of her own: How are you going to use it? “I know the obvious answer is ‘swim and enjoy the cool water,’” says the South Carolina-based interior designer....
Out & About: Supporters get sneak peek at Lamp Theatre diner
Supporters of Irwin’s Lamp Theatre have dubbed it “the little theater that could.” The historic theater opened in 1937 as a movie house. After closing in 2005, it changed hands several times until the borough of Irwin bought it in 2013. With lots of volunteer help, it reopened as a...
Out & About: More kudos for retiring Pitt-Greensburg president
Friends and colleagues of Sharon Smith, retiring president of the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, won’t just let her slip away quietly. Accolades and appreciation were bestowed during a surprise celebration April 16, and a celebratory open house followed May 7. Traveling from the university’s main Oakland campus for the...
Yoga’s benefits include boosting mood, healthier eating, flexibilityVideo
The lights are dim and soft music plays as newly minted yoga instructor Tony Ranieri, 69, of Hempfield, teaches a beginners’ class at Greensburg’s Red Brick Yoga. “I’m going to ask you for the next hour to be mindful, not focus on things you can’t control,” he tells the group....
Sheet-pan suppers are easy, adaptable way to get it on the table fast
Sheet-pan suppers. You’ve seen the cookbooks, the blogs, the artfully arranged Instagram snapshots. It can be easy to roll your eyes at the ubiquity of the concept, but there’s a reason — quite a few actually — why these all-in-one dinners are so popular. Cookbook author Molly Gilbert found the...
Ohio roundhouse displays a century of locomotive history
Jerry Jacobson was a young boy in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, living near the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, when he first fell in love with steam trains. Fast forward more than 50 years, and dozens of objects of Jacobson’s affection are on display in a new tourist attraction, the Age of...
In a labyrinth garden, every path is the right one
A labyrinth garden should not be puzzling — that’s a maze. A labyrinth and a maze were once the same, but the labyrinth has recently grown to become a totally different animal. Enter a labyrinth and every turn you make is the correct one, leading you to the center. The...
Travel tip: Edinboro festival highlights Appalachian roots
The Edinboro Art and Music Festival is an annual showcase of Appalachian-roots art, music and culture. Scheduled for May 16-19 at venues throughout the Erie County borough, the festival includes live music, stringed instrument workshops, health and well-being workshops, professional and student art shows, food and beverage vendors, art market...
I’m mad my sister invited her stepson’s ex-wife to family reunion
Dear Carolyn: I am the middle sister of three. My older sister suggested we have a family reunion, and we decided we would have it at my house. We also decided to make one day a surprise celebration of the youngest sister’s retirement. There will be approximately 16 people, including...
Braising can maximize the freshness of spring vegetables
While raw and roasted vegetables certainly have their place, braising is a great technique for cooking even the most delicate vegetables. You may think braising would turn verdant spring vegetables drab and watery but, in fact, braising can maximize their freshness and make them taste more like themselves. To turn...
Living with Children: Grandparents — the glue that bonds the family
“When are you going to write a book on grandparenting?” is a question asked of me by lots of folks, most of whom — no surprise here — are grandparents. My stock answer: “I might, someday that is, but right now I’m working on some other projects that are taking...
1 baby or more, mom of triplets says ‘you’ll get through it’
“You will get through it.” It’s a phrase new mothers often hear (and sometimes don’t quite believe). But if taking care of one newborn is a lot, imagine having two or three — or more. When Lisa Blahovec of Youngwood found out that she and her husband, Alan, were expecting...
Cheerleaders will take over Latrobe basketball game to help animal groups
High school students from Greater Latrobe and Ligonier Valley will face off for a good cause May 17 in a role-reversal basketball game in the Greater Latrobe Senior High main gym. For the “Playing for Paws” game, cheerleaders will become players and players will serve as cheerleaders. Doors open at...
Non-famous twins deserve some extra love on Mother’s Day
Moms of twins have double the pleasure, double the fun, on Mother’s Day. Imagine if those twins are famous, to boot. That’s double the bragging rights and, no doubt, double the pricey Mother’s Day gifts. We’ve all heard of celebri-twins Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, who started in television at...
Get creative, sentimental and celebrate Mom
Mother’s Day is an opportunity to show your love and care to the woman (or women) who helped you become the person you are today. Even if there has been upset or discord, you would not be here if not for her, so let the gratitude start there. You don’t...
How to grow cucamelons
If you’re looking to try something new in your vegetable garden this season, perhaps the tiny but mighty cucamelon would be a good fit. Cucamelons ( Melothria scabra) are also called Mexican sour gherkins or mouse melons. They’re closely related to cucumbers and other cucurbits. They’ve been grown as a...
‘Fashion for a Cause’ features a runway show in Upper St. Clair
The fourth annual “Fashion for a Cause Style Under the Stars” runway event is from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday at St. Clair Country Club in Upper St. Clair. Fashions will be provided by Cycletique, Snowwater Boutique, Vintage Valet and Ice and Elegance, and a special showing of Beth Shari’s...
In France, McDonald’s ditches fries for cucumbers in Happy Meals
Hopefully, the irony isn’t lost in translation. Instead of french fries in its Happy Meals, young diners at McDonald’s restaurants in France will be getting Petits Concombres (“little cucumbers”), reports VegNews. It’s all for the health of it’s customers. “The arrival of the Little Cucumbers is fully in line with...
Looking beyond brunch to make Mother’s Day special
Not many moms will pass up a lovely brunch or dinner out on Mother’s Day. The annual holiday also tends to be one of the busiest in the restaurant industry. So if you haven’t made those Mother’s Day reservations yet, there are plenty of options for a fun, relaxing celebration...
Landreth Seeds brings back old varieties for the modern gardener
When David and Cuthbert Landreth founded the D. Landreth Seed Co. in 1784, they never could have imagined the ups and downs the company would see over the centuries — sold during World War II, changing hands over the years several times and even fading away until recently being purchased...
How to grow morning glory vines
Question: I’d like to grow morning glories in my garden, but I’ve trouble growing them in the past. People say they can be invasive, but I can’t even get mine started. I planted the seeds in peat pots filled with potting soil inside two years ago, but when I moved...
