Lifestyles category, Page 37
Tips for a tidy native-plant garden
For decades, native plants were relegated to the “weed” section of many American gardeners’ minds. Most nurseries didn’t stock them. But that’s slowly changing. Native plants provide food and shelter for bees, butterflies, birds and other beneficial critters. They effortlessly grow healthier and stronger than exotic species, seldom need fertilizers...
Plan a budget-friendly picnic date in the great outdoors of Western Pennsylvania
Nothing screams summer like a scenic alfresco picnic. Take your sweetie on a “datecation” outdoors for a fresh-air experience that doesn’t break the bank. Outdoor-inspired destinations abound in Western Pennsylvania, and those seeking an adventurous date are sure to find the perfect picnic spot. So pack a picnic, pile into...
Three Rivers Arts Festival gets 2nd day of sunny skies
The Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival entered its second day under sunny skies in Pittsburgh’s Cultural District Saturday. The 10-day festival began Friday and runs through June 9. The festival features performances on multiple stages, gallery exhibitions, public art installations, activities for all ages and an Artist Market open...
Activist Richard Parsakian named Pittsburgh Pride Parade grand marshal
For Richard Parsakian, a queer activist and artist in Pittsburgh, Pride is a celebration. “I feel like it’s an expression for us to acknowledge that we are still here — we are part of everybody’s life,” he said. He’s been marching in the Pride parade for more than 25 years....
Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival kicks off
Artists from across the region — and nation — will converge starting Friday on the 14-block Cultural District as the Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival kicks off, ushering in 10 days of free art and music. The festival, now in its third consecutive year of festivities relocated from around...
Pittsburgh is hosting Chesney, Pride and Arts Fest on Saturday. Here’s how to navigate them
Call it the trifecta, the triple whammy or, like Pittsburgh parking magnate Merrill Stabile, the perfect storm. However it’s described, Saturday is shaping up to be epic for Pittsburgh, as the city hosts three major events Downtown and on the North Shore that are expected to draw hundreds of thousands...
Here’s where you can celebrate Pride in Western Pennsylvania this June
LGBTQ Pride Month is almost here, and with it, numerous events and festivals are coming to Pittsburgh and the surrounding area. The yearly, monthlong celebration in June honors the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan, which was a tipping point in the Gay Liberation Movement, according to the Library of Congress....
On patrol: Mounted police officers create a presence
Their steps are choreographed, part of the job training the horses and their riders go through. The majestic animals are stationed in stables across the city, county and state. They perform details throughout the year, but spring is when you begin seeing them more often. Typically January through March there...
Mounted police units offer tradition, spectacle and service in modern law enforcement
On Monday, the Allegheny County Mounted Police Unit will add a touch of tradition and spectacle to the South Hills Memorial Day Parade. While officers on horseback are a rarer sight than those in cars or on motorcycles, “They definitely create a presence,” said Sgt. Jason Donaldson of the Allegheny...
Sam Butcher, artist who created Precious Moments figurines of teardrop-eyed children, dies at 85
CARTHAGE, Mo. — Sam Butcher, the artist who created the Precious Moments figurines depicting angelic teardrop-eyed children, has died. He was 85. The company said in a Facebook post that he died early Monday surrounded by family. It said his life’s mission was “to share God’s gift of love with...
Remember last year’s Memorial Day travel jams? Chances are they will be much worse this year
You didn’t think summer travel would be easy, did you? Highways and airports are likely to be jammed the next few days as Americans head out for Memorial Day weekend getaways and then return home. AAA predicts this will be the busiest start-of-summer weekend in nearly 20 years, with 43.8...
Steelers, UPMC Magee hold SteelHERS Social at Acrisure Stadium
Mary Beth Shaw ran a route, caught a pass from Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Rodney Williams and gave wide receiver Calvin Austin III a little shove to reach the end zone for the touchdown. Shaw was one of 1,000 women on the Acrisure Stadium field Wednesday evening. It was the...
For some digital detox, look to the latest in craft kits
Digital diversions may have us tethered to tech, but screen fatigue is real. Even my digitally native, young-millennial kids prefer printed books these days. And a recent weekend together at home had us busting out some craft kits. There might have been Netflix in the background, but everybody’s hands were...
Shake Shack opens Pittsburgh location, 2 more in the works
Emily Spooner turned 24 Monday. To celebrate her birthday, she headed to Shake Shack’s official opening day in Pittsburgh’s Strip District. The New York-based popular chain is known for its burgers, crinkle-cut fries and desserts including custards and milkshakes. Pittsburgh’s new location will also serve beer and wine. Originally from...
Sour Patch Kids Oreos? Peeps Pepsi? What’s behind the weird flavors popping up on store shelves
Van Leeuwen Ice Cream usually draws customers with gourmet takes on classics like vanilla and pistachio. But occasionally, the artisanal ice cream maker headquartered in New York slips in what it calls a “shock flavor,” like Hidden Valley Ranch or pizza. Surprising flavor combinations—think gravy-flavored Jones Soda or Sour Patch...
Prom is still a fun and glamorous rite of passage in 2024
Now that prom season is in full swing, some clear trends in fashion, music and overall prom experiences are emerging. Here’s the scoop on how kids today are having fun at the big dance. The fashion Finding the perfect gown is an essential part of the prom process for young...
Alyssa Lyon champions environmental justice through community activism, education
Alyssa Lyon wants people to stay connected to the environment, each other and themselves. Growing up in the Bronx, Lyon considers herself a “stoop kid” — afternoons after school were often spent playing on the block, with the sounds of laughter and running children behind her. Now the director of...
Mixtape in Garfield using space for different entertainment experiences
Mixtape, the music-themed cocktail lounge in Garfield, continues to transform. It’s been a Halloween-inspired space dubbed House of Burton, a holiday bar called Tinseltown and The Tipsy Elf, an “Alice in Wonderland” venue with the moniker Wonderland: An Immersive Adventure, and is currently decked out as a 1980s retro arcade,...
McDonald’s plans $5 U.S. meal deal next month to counter customer frustration over high prices
McDonald’s plans to introduce a $5 meal deal in the U.S. next month to counter slowing sales and customers’ frustration with high prices. The deal would let customers get a four-piece McNugget, small fries, a small drink and either a McDouble burger or a McChicken sandwich for $5 in most...
Pancake tacos lead the lineup of sweet eats at G&G Restaurant in Vandergrift
A random plastic taco holder in Pittsburgh’s Strip District served as inspiration for a quirky, tasty twist on traditional pancakes at G&G Restaurant in Vandergrift. “I just looked at it and thought that would be cool to stick a pancake into,” said G&G co-owner Chris Kakias, creator of a variety...
Stuntpig parks food truck for permanent shop in Squirrel Hill
Stuntpig has announced it is trading in its food truck wheels for a more permanent location — a sandwich shop in Squirrel Hill. The announcement came this week on the food truck’s social media pages, eliciting many reactions from excited Pittsburghers. The shop will be located at the former Bull...
Carnegie family’s Migdale Castle set for public auction
A sprawling British-inspired castle owned by the Carnegie family is up for auction in New York. Migdale Castle, the mansion Pittsburgh-based steel magnate Andrew Carnegie constructed in 1927 for his only daughter Margaret “Midge” Carnegie, is being sold with no reserve. Midge was the sole heiress to Andrew Carnegie’s vast...
If your soil’s no good or you don’t have any, grow your garden plants in straw bales
If you’d like to install a raised bed but don’t have the resources to build one, you can achieve the same effect by growing your plants in straw bales. It’s also a great option for those with poor soil or who don’t have a patch of dirt to call their...
There’s bird flu in U.S. dairy cows. Raw milk drinkers aren’t deterred
Sales of raw milk appear to be on the rise, despite years of warnings about the health risks of drinking the unpasteurized products — and an outbreak of bird flu in dairy cows. Since March 25, when the bird flu virus was confirmed in U.S. cattle for the first time,...
Healthy Athlete program aims to prevent tragedies from happening
Last summer, Bronny James, son of NBA star LeBron James, went into sudden cardiac arrest during a basketball workout at the University of California Los Angeles. He was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect and back on the court five months later. But not all situations end up with the...
