Lifestyles category, Page 218
‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ looks to silver linings, second chances on NBC
In a fitting setup even he couldn’t have written, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” co-creator Dan Goor was in the bathroom when he got the call that Fox had canceled the comedy after five seasons. There had been rumblings about the fate of the show, but as Goor will tell you, there’s always...
Pittsburgh Travel Showcase offers one-stop vacation planning
The Pittsburgh Travel Showcase, set for Jan. 11-13 in the downtown David L. Lawrence Convention Center, promises one-stop shopping for all vacation planning needs. Presented by AAA Travel, the third showcase will offer presentations from industry experts and travel agency services, along with prizes and giveaways. “The Showcase promises to...
La Riviera will operate ‘to go’ soup kitchen on February Mondays
Every Monday in February, French bistro La Riviera will operate as a to-go soup kitchen for people in need in Pittsburgh, according to a news release. The restaurant, at 5925 Baum Blvd., will be closed for regular business hours on Mondays, however, the soup kitchen will be open from 2-5...
My ex, who never believed in marriage, is marrying
Adapted from a recent online discussion. Hi, Carolyn: I’m finding myself in one of those surreal stories where I invested years (six of them) in a relationship with someone who insisted he did not believe in marriage and finally ended things with me so he didn’t deprive me of what...
Out & About: Fort’s Twelfth Night guests party like it’s 1776
Fort Ligonier’s second annual Twelfth Night Celebration was a blast from the past, with guests in their Colonial best dress partying like it was 1776. The Jan. 5 soiree in the fort’s Center for History Education laid the holiday season to rest, after one last hurrah including food, drink, music...
Greensburg girl earns PA Farm Show fashion honors
Emily Jumper, 17, of Greensburg took Best in Show honors Saturday in the 4-H Fashion with a Flair competition at the 103rd Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. Jumper topped the field wearing her pink formal-wear dress with a wrap and trumpet skirt she made from a matching rainbow-patterned fabric. She...
Low, slow is the way to go when making this fish dish
Low and slow is the way to go when it comes to making this yummy fish dish. A low-temperature oven (set to just 300 F) ensures that the fish cooks slowly, without drying out. Crispy, buttery, garlicky panko bread crumbs get a head start in a skillet so they’re golden...
Make like Yukon Cornelius with Arctic Paws Dog Sled Tours
Get ready to unleash your inner Yukon Cornelius with the Arctic Paws Dog Sled Tours in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains. Operating Saturdays and Sundays until March out of Manor Sports at Pocono Manor Resort and Spa in Monroe County, the tours are not for the timid. “Dog sledding is like mountain...
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...
