Lifestyles category, Page 53
Out & About: TGIS summer concerts return to The Palace Theatre
Westmoreland Cultural Trust hosts its signature Party at The Palace every winter at The Palace Theatre in Greensburg — but that doesn’t mean there’s not a party going on at other times of the year. A festive atmosphere prevailed as the TGIS series of free summer concerts returned to the...
Out & About: The Westmoreland celebrates community with ‘Block Party’
The Westmoreland Museum of American Art is joining in the Westmoreland 250, a yearlong celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of Westmoreland County, with the exhibit,“Block Party: Community and Celebration in American Art.” Running through Sept. 17, the exhibit takes inspiration from the World War I-era innovation of...
Ohiopyle ‘Hobbit House’ rental entices visitors to outdoor adventure
Whether Gollum haunts the premises remains to be seen, but Gandalf greets visitors at the Ohiopyle Hobbit House. The “Lord of the Rings”-themed vacation rental property is newly open amidst 60 wooded acres southwest of the popular Fayette County adventure destination. A larger-than-life-size statue of the wizard character of J.R.R....
Anthrocon attendees have added concerns with heat and smoke combination
Wearing a 30- to 50- pound fur suit in temperatures in the mid-80s with high humidity can be uncomfortable enough. Add in the smoke from the Canadian wildfires, and breathing can be a challenge. “There is always a concern about inclement weather of every type,” said John “KP” Cole of Orlando,...
For barbecue season and the Fourth of July, grill a whole spiced chicken
A grilled whole chicken that’s deeply and perfectly browned yet still juicy can be hard to pull off at home. But a couple easy tricks ensure success for your Fourth of July barbecue. First, we spatchcock the bird, which involves cutting out the backbone of a whole chicken and pressing...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County this weekend: June 30-July 2
Big bang The pre-Fourth of July weekend starts with a bang at Cannons and Cocktails, from 5:30 to 7:30 Friday at Fort Ligonier, routes 30 and 711 in Ligonier. The casual outdoor event will feature artillery firings, music by fiddler Andy Bronkaj, appetizers by Carol and Dave’s Roadhouse and spirits,...
Record travel numbers expected by air, roads for July 4 week
If you’re planning to travel during the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, you will be far from alone. Whether by air or on the road, a record-number of people are expected to be on the move during the long weekend. The Automobile Association of America is projecting 50.7 million people...
Couples ditch traditional wedding dress codes in favor of out-there themes
NEW YORK — “Space Disco Cowboy.” “Yacht Shabbat.” “Burning Man Formal”? More couples are tossing tradition when it comes to what wedding guests should wear, to some befuddlement among invitees. Maggie Long, 34, recently attended the nuptials of a close friend in a low-key Denver lounge. The suggested dress? “Dive...
They’re back: Furries frenzy arrives in Pittsburgh
Instead of the Kaufmann’s Clock, Pittsburgh will have a new meeting spot this weekend — “Meet me at Anthrocon Avenue and Furry Way.” The Downtown intersection of Penn Avenue and 10th Street has been renamed in honor of the annual Anthrocon convention at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Every...
Hills Snack Bar food truck gets OK from health inspector
The return of the Hills Snack Bar is now one step closer to becoming reality. Just last year, Jason Powell of Aliquippa revealed he was bringing back a version of the famed snack bar from Hills department stores in the form of a food truck. On Tuesday, Powell announced that...
A wall painting found in Pompeii doesn’t depict Italy’s iconic dish
MILAN — A still-life fresco discovered recently in the Pompeii archaeological site looks like a pizza, but it’s not, experts at the archaeological site said Tuesday. They noted that key ingredients needed to make Italy’s iconic dish — tomatoes and mozzarella — were not available when the fresco was painted...
With increased interest in self-defense classes, instructors focus on situational awareness
Fourth-degree black belt Bob Makowski doesn’t mind scaring students in his self-defense classes. The harder he grabs their attention, he said, the better chance they learn tools that can thwart danger. “About 65% of assaults occur with someone you know and also happen indoors,” said Makowski, owner of a martial...
Flight canceled amid bad weather? What you need to know
WASHINGTON — Amid peak summer travel, thousands of air travelers faced flight cancellations and delays this weekend and Monday as thunderstorms rolled in across the U.S. East Coast and Midwest. In addition to bad weather, a technology failing also contributed to to airline disruptions. The Federal Aviation Administration briefly paused...
Out & About: WSO plays ‘Classics on the Rocks’ at West Overton
Classical music lovers were presented with a casual concert experience at “Classics on the Rocks,” presented June 8 at West Overton Village in East Huntingdon. The “classics” part of the event was the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra’s cello ensemble playing a program of music by familiar composers such as Bach, Debussy...
Out & About: The Westmoreland’s Pride Prom celebrates self-expression
A popular disco-era song said, “Express yourself/You don’t ever need help from nobody else/All you got to do now/Express yourself.” Sung by Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, the tune could have been the anthem of Pride Prom, held June 17 at The Westmoreland Museum of American...
Out & About: Hempfield Park concert ‘amps up’ Vogues fans
There’s something about the music you like when you’re young that just sticks with you. So it was with the crowd who came to hear Chuck Blasko and The Vogues at the Amp Up Your Summer concert on June 18 in Hempfield Park. Many of them were fans of the...
The Grandeur Estate boutique hotel opens in historic Greensburg mansion
Tony and Julia Taneja liked road trips that took them about four hours from their home in the northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C. One of those trips took them through Greensburg, where they came upon a stately property for sale — a three-story brick edifice near downtown built in...
Pittsburgh Roller Derby hosting tournament in Harmar
When Heather Groll was 12 years old she made sure to do all of her homework after school, especially on Wednesdays. “If my sister and I finished our homework, our dad would take us roller skating,” said Groll, of those times at Roll R Skate in Canonsburg. “We would meet...
Observatory Hill House Tour features 12 homes
Jeremy Lawler was taking down his Christmas tree in February when he noticed two cars pull up and people get out to take pictures in front of his house. “Thinking that was odd, I went outside to see what was going on,” Lawler said. “I spoke to one of the...
The U.S. has tons of leftover food. Upcycling seeks to turn would-be trash into ice cream and pizza
LOS GATOS, Calif. — At Tyler Malek’s ice cream parlors, one cook’s trash is another chef’s frosty treat. The head ice cream maker at the Portland, Oregon-based Salt & Straw uses the whey leftover from yogurt makers in upstate New York to make his lemon curd flavor. For chocolate barley...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County this weekend: June 23-25
Something good Two big names in music take the stage this weekend at The Palace Theatre in Greensburg: • Ben Folds, 7:30 p.m. Friday. Best known for songs like “Brick” and “Underground” with the alt-rock trio, Ben Folds Five, the singer/songwriter/pianist is touring after his fifth solo studio album,“What Matters...
Is it chicken? Here’s how the first bite of ‘cell-cultivated’ meat tastes
When I told friends and family I was reporting on the first chicken meat grown from animal cells, their first comment was “Eww.” Their second comment was: “How does it taste?” The short answer (you’ve probably heard this sentence before in other contexts): Tastes like chicken. The longer answer, which...
Know how to shop at a farmers market
Shoppers come into markets hoping to gather fresh ingredients for their families and to support small businesses in the area. But shoppers shouldn’t walk into a farmers market thinking only of finding the freshest ingredients and nothing else. Just like any shopping trip, it’s important to go into a farmers...
Farm fresh? Yes, but farmers markets offerings are months in the making
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the days, times and location for the Central Westmoreland Farmer’s Market near Greensburg. Kira Karpinski’s farmers market offerings in June take root six months earlier in a sun-drenched room in her house. Not a greenhouse — her actual house. “I start...
Good things come in small package at Ligonier Valley Home Tour site
A house doesn’t need to be a McMansion or historical edifice to merit a spot on a home tour. One of the properties featured on the 17th Annual Ligonier Valley Home Tour, set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, is small in size but big on style. Just blocks...
