Lifestyles category, Page 56
Supreme Court chews on Jack Daniel’s dog toy dispute
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court is hearing a spirited dispute Wednesday between whiskey maker Jack Daniel’s and the manufacturer of a squeaking dog toy that parodies the liquor’s bottle and label. The question for the court has to do with whether the toy’s maker infringed on Jack Daniel’s trademarks. Arizona-based...
Coconut? Marshmallows? Feelings run hot for ambrosia salad
NEW YORK — “My name’s Joyce,” drawls a neighbor to Edward Scissorhands, “and I noticed that you have not tasted any of the ambrosia salad that I made especially for you.” Johnny Depp’s character in the 1990 cult film opens wide to receive a giant spoonful of the fluffy pink-tinged...
Top 10 places to see cherry blossoms around the world
Sure, tulips are lovely, and roses sublime. But the pale pink froth of sakura — or cherry — blossoms is extraordinary. Tripadvisor recently ranked the best spots around the world to see these blossoms — and it’s hardly surprising that two Japanese cities top the list. These beautiful cherry trees...
Paul Newman’s camp for sick kids rises from the ashes
ASHFORD, Conn. — Amarey Brookshire was devastated when she heard about the fire at the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp for seriously ill children — her camp. The February 2021 blaze destroyed much of the retreat in the woods of eastern Connecticut, which was founded by the late actor...
For a golfing vacation, Branson, Mo., is a ‘world-class destination’
BRANSON, Mo. — Kirk Elmquist wants Missouri golfers to know how lucky they are. “I think the world has recognized Big Cedar as one of the top resorts to play golf, and it’s right here in your backyard,” says Elmquist, the executive director for the Branson/Lakes Area Tourism Community Enhancement...
Comforting Syrian soup pulls almost everything from pantry
The Syrian soup shurba w’kibbeh is pure comfort food, a rustic mixture of meatballs and rice in a simple tomatoey broth that’s redolent with warm spices. It’s also a prime example of the complex flavor you can build by drawing on ingredients already in your pantry. This recipe from our...
Penn Township couple readies to open ice cream shop in Murrysville
A Penn Township couple is opening a franchise of a popular Pittsburgh-based ice cream maker. Brian and Lori McBarron will operate the 10th location of Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream at the Blue Spruce Shoppes in Murrysville. “It’s close to home,” said Lori McBarron of Harrison City. “With the traffic that...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County this weekend: March 17-19
Slainte! Don your best green garb for “Shamrocks and Shenanigans,” a St. Patrick’s Day-themed Art on Tap 2.0 planned for 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at The Westmoreland Museum of American Art, 221 N. Main St., Greensburg. The 21-and-older happy hour will feature a specialty cocktail, locally brewed green beer,...
Sewickley couple launches Burgh Bus — interactive comedy show, party ride
The Burgh Bus takes riders on more than a trip to and from school — owners Nick and Kat Walker refer to it as a form of “Pittsburgh transportainment.” “It is different than anything else you can do in Pittsburgh,” said Ryan McBride, of Bellevue, who has ridden several times....
Beloved and debated, French bulldog becomes top U.S. dog breedVideo
NEW YORK — For the first time in three decades, the U.S. has a new favorite dog breed, according to the American Kennel Club. Adorable in some eyes, deplorable in others, the sturdy, push-faced, perky-eared, world-weary-looking and distinctively droll French bulldog became the nation’s most prevalent purebred dog last year,...
U.S. government ponders the meaning of race and ethnicity
Nyhiem Way is weary of people conflating African American and Black. Shalini Parekh wants a way for South Asian people to identify themselves differently than East Asians with roots in places like China or Japan. And Byron Haskins wants the U.S. to toss racial and ethnic labels altogether. “When you...
1-minute garlic pan sauce transforms spicy chicken traybake
When you’re roasting food, air circulation is everything. That’s why we prefer low-rimmed baking sheets over roasting pans. They accelerate cooking and boost browning in our weeknight traybakes. But in some instances, a bit of crowding on the pan can be beneficial, such as in this spicy chicken alla diavolo...
Spring garden prep: What to do before growing season gets underway
It’s been a pretty poor excuse for a winter in Western Pennsylvania, but Mother Nature still could have a few frosts and snowflakes up her sleeve. That means gardeners eager to get out there and get planting need to exercise a little patience. “The biggest thing I can tell people...
Out & About: Young artists display talent in SAMA-Ligonier Valley show
Madeleine Cooper started with 20 dots placed randomly on a piece of paper and ended up with artwork fit for a museum exhibit. A second grader at R.K. Mellon Elementary School in Ligonier, Cooper is among more than 150 young artists chosen by their teachers to participate in “Artists of...
Out & About: NAACP prayer luncheon seeks peace amidst storms
After high winds and heavy rains on March 3 left damage and power outages across Westmoreland County, members of the Greensburg-Jeannette NAACP and guests gathered the next day to find “Peace in the Midst of the Storm.” The theme was chosen prior to the forecast, but it turned out to...
‘Westmoreland Has Talent’ fundraiser to feature ex-Steelers QB Charlie Batch
Former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch will be the special guest at Westmoreland Diversity Coalition’s annual karaoke fundraiser. Just don’t expect him to pick up the microphone. Batch will be signing autographs and taking photos with guests at Westmoreland Has Talent, set for 6 p.m. March 25 in the event...
Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired home in Swan Acres in Ross on the market for $425K
A stone gargoyle stands guard outside the house, and it’s one of the first sights you see as you approach the residence in Swan Acres in Ross. “I like the gargoyle,” said Patty Helwich, realtor with Howard Hanna Real Estate Services. “It’s a unique detail. Gargoyles are protectors.” The home...
Versace reaches for the stars with glittery Hollywood show
LOS ANGELES — Decamping from her usual base in Milan to show her wares in Los Angeles — only three days before the Oscars — Donatella Versace says she was inspired by the energy, glamour and power of Hollywood. She had plenty of that, but needed one more thing to...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County this weekend: March 10-12
Through the wardrobe Journey to the land of Narnia as Keystone Contemporary Ballet presents a full-length ballet version of the C.S. Lewis classic, “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.” Performances will begin at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday in Science Hall Theater at Westmoreland County Community College, 145 Pavilion...
Sewickley Valley Historical Society celebrates 50th anniversary
Joe Zemba stepped inside the Sewickley Valley Historical Society to research a property he’d purchased in the neighborhood along Beaver Street in 1996. His interest in the home led to him being invited to join, which he did the following year. “I love Sewickley, and I love this organization,” said...
As bourbon booms, thirst for rare brands breeds shenanigans
SALEM, Ore. — Buttery, smooth, oaky. These are characteristics of the best bourbons, and a growing cult of aficionados is willing to pay an astonishing amount of money for these increasingly scarce premium American spirits — and even bend or break laws. Premium spirits have always been expensive and sought-after....
WeightWatchers gets into prescription weight loss business
WeightWatchers’ stock soared Tuesday after the company said it is getting into the prescription drug weight loss business with the acquisition of Sequence. Sequence is a telehealth provider that offers users access to drugs used to treat diabetes and obesity under the brand names including Ozempic, Wegovy and Trulicity. The...
Hershey debuts plant-based Reese’s Cups, chocolate bars
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are getting the vegan treatment. The Hershey Co. said Tuesday that Reese’s Plant Based Peanut Butter Cups, which go on sale this month, will be its first vegan chocolates sold nationally. A second plant-based offering, Hershey’s Plant Based Extra Creamy with Almonds and Sea Salt, will...
Tap-It Brewery & Grill brings the heat with popular habanero beer
It took Shane and Kari Hissem a couple of tries to get the heat index just right when they started brewing habanero beer at their Tap-It Brewery & Grill, near the Mt. Pleasant Township village of Norvelt. “How much bite depends on how much habanero oil goes in,” Shane Hissem...
Building the Valley: Redefined @ 4th in Tarentum is a picker’s paradise
A self-described cross between a treasure-seeker and a scavenger, Meridith Ross has found the perfect profession. The owner of Tarentum’s newest second-hand store, Redefined @ 4th, Ross said the business allows her inner artist to shine. “I love to pick, and I’ve always loved to refurbish,” said Ross, a 1991...
