Lifestyles category, Page 216
Living with Children: Don’t put too much stock in feelings
Feelings are a wild card. On the one hand, the ability to experience deep emotion is one of the things that defines us as human. On the other, feelings can be and often are destructive to relationships and even to self. Like thoughts and behavior, feelings begin in chaos (check...
Should a mother leave her son with his father to take a far-flung job?
Dear Carolyn: I immigrated to marry a man I’d dated for four years. It was an incredibly toxic and abusive relationship, and I finally managed to leave after 11 years. I was unemployed and without family or friends. After two years, I’ve found an amazing job and have done brilliant...
No-knead focaccia is a gateway into the world of baking bread
One of the wonderful things about living, breathing and working in food is all that is new, or at least new to me. New recipes to try, new photos to drool over, new cookbooks to peruse. My desk is piled with those cookbooks, stacks about as stable as a Jenga...
Make tomato sauce and cook spaghetti squash in one pot
Delicately flavored spaghetti squash makes for a fun and interesting vegetarian main, but often the squash must be roasted in the oven while a separate sauce is made on the stove. In the multicooker, however, we could make a simple fresh tomato sauce and cook a large 4-pound spaghetti squash...
Leechburg Area Media Center moves library in new direction
Leechburg Area School District has turned the page on a new library. Renovations are almost complete on a new Leechburg Area Media Center library and superintendent Tiffany Nix says this latest project is moving the district one step closer to providing a 21st century learning environment for students. “We are...
Friend’s effort to always look at the bright side is annoying
Adapted from a recent online discussion. Dear Carolyn: A good friend has a habit that makes me crazy and I’d love to deal with it better. Whatever anyone says, she tries to put a positive spin on it. I realize I sound like a monster for being annoyed by this,...
Bask in final days of ‘Holiday Magic: Let It Glow’ at Phipps
Jan. 6 is the last day to catch Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens’ “Holiday Magic: Let It Glow!” light show. Visitors meander through the elaborately decorated rooms inside, stopping frequently to take and pose for photos. The show, which has been open since late November, pays tribute to Phipps’ 125th...
Outdoor skating is a winter tradition that’s worth the wait
The holidays are over, but there’s still plenty of winter left to celebrate. It’s the perfect time to head outside and hit the ice at any of the outdoor skating rinks in the region. If Old Man Winter sends a little chill our way, that is. Those rinks that were...
Black walls make a quiet comeback
There was a time when black walls were mostly the purview of goth teens and indie movie theaters. But the color has been quietly cultivating a broader following among designers and homeowners who want a cozy, enveloping ambiance that still has theatrical flair. Bedrooms, libraries and bathrooms clad in inky...
Boyfriend couldn’t live up to girlfriend’s married ex
Dear Carolyn: What is it about single women and “dating” married men? I just broke up with my girlfriend of two years because I could not live up to her past married “boyfriend.” I was not as funny, charming or fun as he was. Funny thing, they never did anything...
Senior socials slated in Pleasant Unity
Unity Township is continuing its monthly senior socials in 2019. Weather permitting, the events will be held at 2 p.m. the first Monday of each month at the Country Cafe, 2082 State Route 130, Pleasant Unity. Senior citizens are invited for an afternoon of free bingo, door prizes and refreshments,...
Husband routinely makes plans without consulting his wife
Adapted from a recent online discussion. Dear Carolyn: Without consulting me, my husband committed himself, me and our infant to spending a week at the beach with his sister and her family next summer. The sister made plans and spent several hundred dollars preparing for this trip. My husband only...
Smithsonian and National Gallery held on as long as they could, but they’re closed
Funds that kept the Smithsonian Institution and the National Gallery of Art in Washington open since the beginning of the government shutdown have run out. That means that all 17 of the District’s Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo and the National Gallery and its popular skating rink in the...
Get ready for Westmoreland’s Wine Shine ‘n Spirits Palooza
Westmoreland’s Wine Shine ‘n Spirits Palooza will be held noon-4 p.m. Jan. 19 at the Ramada Inn Hotel and Conference Center, 100 Ramada Inn Drive, Hempfield. Participating wineries and distilleries, according to the event’s Facebook page, include Bee Kind Winery, Big Spring Spirits, Black Dog Wine Company, Bushy Run Winery,...
Make a hearty chicken and sausage gumbo without all the work
This classic New Orleans specialty is built on a roux — a cooked mixture of fat and flour that must be stirred constantly, sometimes for an hour or more, until it is deep brown. To get the same depth of flavor with much less hands-on work, we turned to a...
For foolproof poached chicken, turn to sous vide cooking
Poached chicken gets a bad rap for being tough, dry and a little squeaky between your teeth. But that’s probably because poaching is a relatively imprecise cooking method. If your poaching water’s too hot, the meat overcooks; if you leave the meat in the water too long, it overcooks; if...
The secret to crisp, fast and gluten-free vegetarian pizza? Chickpea flour
My favorite recipes are those that open up a new lane of cooking and prompt me to imagine that lane leading in all sorts of new directions. Take the Pesto Socca Pizza I came across recently in “The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook,” a collection of more than 600 recipes by seven...
What’s Brewing? Craft beer rules for your waistline (and your tastebuds)
Keeping your waistline in check throughout the year can be a challenge even without the holiday season’s cookies, cakes and festive beverages. However, at the end of the day, it’s about adjusting your habits and consuming in moderation for a healthier lifestyle. Knowledge is power, and knowing the things that...
Is her ticking biological clock sabotaging her relationships?
Adapted from a recent online discussion. Dear Carolyn: How do women in their mid-30s, who hope for biological children, date without obsessing over looming questions about the future? I have seen two relationships crash and burn because my partners rightly suspected I was trying to suss out where things were...
Should she date an old flame even if he’s still married?
Dear Carolyn: I rejected “Sam” years ago in favor of “Aaron.” Aaron and I are newly divorced — initiated by me — after 25 years of marriage and three kids. Sam has been alienated from his wife for many years and moved out five years ago at her insistence. Sam...
