Lifestyles category, Page 5
What’s cooking at WCCC? Culinary students serve meals at campus’ Chef’s Bistro
Fall aromas filled Westmoreland County Community College’s health and culinary center last week as students sauteed vegetables and piled fresh baked rolls with roast beef. Students and community members filed into The Chef’s Bistro — a restaurant tucked into the college’s Hempfield campus. About 25 culinary and baking students are...
Get hooked: Rug-making craft event to be held at Shaler North Hills Library
Some people retire to play golf or travel. Fritz Mitnick left her job because she was hooked on another pastime — literally. Mitnick does rug hooking, a craft where rugs are made by pulling loops of yarn or woven wool cut into strips through a backing or foundation cloth. “I...
Glamping coming to some Pennsylvania state parks next year
Those looking to enjoy Pennsylvania’s state parks will no longer have to choose between comfort and roughing it. The commonwealth next year will offer glamping — glamorous camping — at eight state parks. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will offer “glampsites” at Poe Valley, Hills Creek, Laurel Hill,...
2-tank trip takes Western Pennsylvanians to hobbit resort built by Penn State gradVideo
PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. — It’s an eight-hour, 500-mile drive from Pittsburgh, but for fans of “Lord of the Rings” and “Harry Potter,” a visit to a Middle Earth-inspired mini-resort might fit the bill, especially as leaves burst with fall color. Mountain Shire offers travelers perhaps the best approximation of J.R.R....
Asking for a Friend: Should I talk to my child’s coach about playing time?
Q: My son’s soccer coach only plays the best players and hardly ever gives playing time to my son. He isn’t a top athlete, but he’s also not that bad. What’s the best way to approach the coach about this? Or should I stay totally out of it? Asking for...
Inside-out: Open space outside, privacy inside become homebuyer priorities in wake of pandemic
Editor’s note: This is part of an occasional series on real estate market trends in Western Pennsylvania. The pandemic may have ended, but its impact on how people live — and buy homes — hasn’t. Real estate agents say the once-coveted “open concept” is not as popular as buyers reshape...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Oct. 17-19
While it’s still pretty warm outside — especially for late October — why not venture out and try something new? New music, new food and new fun await in Pittsburgh this weekend. Monster Pumpkins Festival You may have seen plenty of pumpkins already this October, but you probably haven’t seen...
Sewickley Public Library celebrates new outdoor space Broadside Terrace
When the Sewickley Public Library was partially flooded last month, patrons could be found sitting outside reading books on the new terrace. ”People gravitated out here,” said Carol Schurman. “That is community. It is about more than books.” Schurman, with her husband Gary Schurman, was honored at the library on...
Aldi releases cheaper Thanksgiving meal deal this year. Here’s what you get for $40
Aldi’s Thanksgiving meal bundle this year feeds 10 people for just $40, a noticeable markdown from last year’s deal. The grocery retailer launched the deal Wednesday. While centered around traditional Thanksgiving dishes, the offer will be available to purchase through Christmas Eve. The bundle comes with a total of 21...
Trader Joe’s ‘Trick-or-Treat Mini Canvas Totes’ are the moment. But for how long?
Trader Joe’s Halloween-themed mini tote bags are having a moment. Since the “Trick-or-Treat Mini Canvas Totes” became available for purchase at Trader Joe’s stores nationwide on Oct. 8, customers have been posting reviews, customizing their bag on camera, or simply fangirling on social media. The viral bags, despite Black Friday-like...
What are this year’s Halloween costume trends?
With Halloween quickly approaching, costume pieces are starting to be snatched up. Spirit Halloween, the largest North American Halloween retailer, revealed the top costume trends for 2025 — with “KPop Demon Hunters”-inspired outfits taking over. Released in June, the Netflix movie quickly became a cultural phenomenon, becoming the platform’s most-watched...
Sushi Tomo opening a location on Pittsburgh’s South Side
The sushi scene is rolling along in the South Side. South Side resident and owner Keresty Kelly is expanding with a second location of Sushi Tomo in the former Little Tokyo Bistro along the East Carson Street business corridor. A staff of nine, including Kelly, who does “whatever needs to...
Downtown Pittsburgh revitalization pushes holiday market to new location
The annual holiday market that usually fills Market Square will move to Pittsburgh’s Cultural District this holiday season. It’s the latest annual event to be relocated as part of a Downtown revitalization effort that has limited use of public spaces like Market Square, which is undergoing a facelift ahead of...
Sewickley-based Inca Brands creates fashionable, functional looks made of alpaca
When Kim Brooks opened an email in 2006 asking for sock donations for troops in Iraq, she didn’t hesitate. The request came from The Sock Brigade, a project launched by an Oregon alpaca farmer after her Army sergeant son told her his unit needed warm alpaca socks for the bitter...
Season of the Witch: Exploring the magic of Western Pa.’s metaphysical shops
The word “witch” may conjure images of green skin, pointy hats, hook noses and levitating broomstick rides silhouetted against the full moon. But for real-life practitioners of the mystical and magical arts, there are many more candles, crystals and herbs involved. While the number of Americans who identify with paganism...
Who pulled the rubber duck prank on Canonsburg?
You’re not imagining things — thousands of rubber ducks have taken over Pike Street in downtown Canonsburg. And a local candy shop is taking the blame. Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop, a 19-store chain with a location on Pike Street, placed 2,000 small rubber ducks around the Washington County borough on...
Here are 5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend, Oct. 10-12
If you’re an animal lover, a music or film nerd, a history buff or just looking for a good time, Pittsburgh’s got lots to offer in the next few days. Here’s just a sample of what’s going on around town this weekend. International African Penguin Awareness Day Pittsburgh is a...
Sewickley Valley Sitters partners with Ringlet app to connect parents to childcare
When Rachael Wonderlin and Darla Whitlock need a babysitter they know where to look — their smartphones. The moms are taking part in a soft launch for an app that connects parents to the Sewickley Valley Sitters, which offers a network of childcare for local families. Ringlet was created by...
Arnold Schwarzenegger gets real about aging, joint pain. Does he regret Mr. Olympia training?
In the 1977 film “Pumping Iron,” Arnold Schwarzenegger famously described “the pump” − or when blood flows into your muscles during a workout − as “the greatest feeling.” Akin to sex, even. Now, at 78, Schwarzenegger says he stands by this description − but he’d like to add some important...
Trio win Nobel chemistry prize for developing ‘Hermione’s handbag’ materials
STOCKHOLM — Scientists Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar Yaghi won the 2025 Nobel chemistry prize for developing a new form of molecular architecture, yielding materials that can help tackle challenges such as climate change and lack of fresh water. The three laureates worked to create molecular constructions, known as...
Monopoly is back at McDonald’s. Here’s how to play.Video
Monopoly has officially returned to McDonald’s after a decade-long absence. Starting on Monday McDonald’s customers can “rediscover the thrill of the peel” based on the popular board game that dates back to 1935. Unlike that 2015 version, this time, the company is switching things up a little by introducing “digital...
Yoga in Sewickley fosters wellness and communityVideo
Yoga in Sewickley is a place to relax the body and the mind. Sharon Beddard Hess always tries to start each class with an intention, something to focus on because, to her, teaching yoga isn’t just about “going in there and exercising.” “This is a body, mind, practice,” Hess said....
Developer promotes nature-inspired luxury living in Fox Chapel, O’Hara
Tranquil woods, waterfalls, streams, wildlife and plenty of room to roam are just a few of the natural amenities at two niche luxury residential developments in Fox Chapel and O’Hara. Described as “ultra-private,” The Oberoi in Fox Chapel and The Cascades in O’Hara are the culmination of years-long research and...
Feed your cookie monsters with easy, at-home takes on Crumbl bakes
Cookies are cool right now. Or are they hot? At trendy bakeries like Crumbl, they’re both. They feature fist-sized cookies sometimes served warm from the oven with oozing melty chocolate or chilled to keep smooth frostings at a perfect cream-pie temperature. But just like the cupcake shops that came before...
Pennsylvania apple growers more concerned with weather than tariffs
Thousands of people are descending on the Delmont area this weekend for the annual Apple ’n Arts Festival, drinking cider, eating apple pie or just enjoying the crispy crunch of a fresh apple in autumn. And while there is no shortage of apples to go around, the larger industry has...
