Lifestyles category, Page 58
Mattel introduces first Barbie with Down syndrome
WASHINGTON — Toy company Mattel revealed its first Barbie doll representing a person with Down syndrome on Tuesday. Mattel collaborated with the National Down Syndrome Society to create the Barbie and “ensure the doll accurately represents a person with Down syndrome,” the company said. Design features of the new Barbie...
Flaming dragon in ‘Fantasmic’ show is latest in a series of Disneyland mishapsVideo
LOS ANGELES — Certain fire effects at Disney properties will be temporarily suspended after an animatronic dragon used in Disneyland’s “Fantasmic” show burst into flames Saturday night, startling the audience and prompting evacuations. Disney officials say similar fire effects will be temporarily suspended at company theme parks across the globe,...
Eat’n Park’s strawberry pie inspires 2nd round of Grist House sour ale
Strawberry Pie Forever sour ale, a collaboration between Eat’n Park and the Grist House in Millvale, returns Wednesday for its second annual limited run. “We were blown away by the incredible response to Strawberry Pie Forever last year,” said Grist House marketing manager Bailey Allegretti, noting it sold out in...
Murrysville sisters turn creative energy into Etsy shop Carefree Critters
As the covid-19 pandemic pressed on into 2021, Anna Pinto wasn’t able to attend her high school in Highland Park, and her younger sister, Gia, wasn’t able to attend the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. Both were at their Murrysville residence being home-schooled — and ended up taking the...
Interactive mystery event uses downtown Greensburg as game board
A valuable painting has been stolen, and the artist is dead. Who dunnit? Amateur sleuths can trek the streets of Greensburg and solve the crime during Westmoreland Community Action’s second annual “WHO DUNNIT?” event Saturday. The story will unfold beginning at 11 a.m. at the scene of the crime —...
Penn-Tucky connection: Project blesses Harrison City church, aid recipients
There’s a proverb that says if you want to be blessed, be a blessing to someone else. Volunteers with the Kentucky Project at St. Barbara Catholic Church in Harrison City have proven that to be true. Since 2006, the group has assisted poor rural families in eastern Kentucky by providing...
Out & About: Latrobe Art Center serves up ‘Taste of the Neighborhood’
Offer a group of people a dozen things to eat and everyone will have a different favorite. So it was at the annual Taste of the Neighborhood: Pizza, Brews & More, on April 14 at Latrobe Art Center. The overflow crowd spilled out of the center onto Ligonier Street with...
Diocese of Greensburg presents 23rd Salt and Light Awards
Recipients of this year’s Communities of Salt and Light Awards, bestowed by Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Greensburg, are “folks who have really lived the mission of Catholic Charities, the diocese and the Catholic Church itself,” said Bishop Larry Kulick. Presented for the 23rd year, the awards recognize individuals...
Hawaii blocks some Waikiki sands for seal pup
HONOLULU — The birth of an endangered seal at Hawaii’s most popular tourism hubs is highlighting the tension between protecting the islands’ fragile ecosystems and maintaining access to the pristine white sand beaches that attract millions of visitors each year. Hawaii officials this week fenced off a large stretch of...
Book invites kids to turn native gardens into national park
Doug Tallamy, the wildlife ecologist and entomologist who urges home gardeners to join forces and create a pollinator-friendly “Homegrown National Park,” is now bringing kids into the effort. Tallamy has become a leading evangelist for the return of native plants and trees that can support birds, bees and other essential...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County this weekend: April 21-23
Chinese musicians “A Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix,” a free concert of traditional Chinese music, will begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Robert S. Carey Performing Arts Center at Saint Vincent College in Unity. Featured musicians will be Yazhi Guo on the suona and Zhou Yi on...
New to volunteering? A how-to guide to find the right fit
Over the last 20 years, fewer and fewer people in the U.S. have donated their time through volunteering with nonprofits. While it’s not the only way to give back to your community, volunteering through nonprofit organizations is a powerful way to make a difference. Nonprofits support many of our society’s...
Flower Magazine founder to share floral expertise at Carnegie Museum of Art
Margot Shaw doesn’t buy flower arrangements anymore. Once a self-confessed “call and order flowers girl,” a watershed moment came when planning her daughter’s wedding. Working alongside the floral and event designer, she became inspired and did an apprenticeship with that creator of beautiful blooms. Shaw will present her artistry at...
Former Bella Luna space to reopen as The Coxcomb
As he stood behind what will soon be a finished bar top, Will Patterson of Monroeville heard someone driving past the open door of the former Bella Luna restaurant at the Murrysville/Monroeville border. “Are you open?” the woman asked through her passenger side window. “Early June, hopefully!” Patterson shouted before...
Building the Valley: New Kensington native teams with Strange Roots, Common Oven to offer downtown brew pub
Tony Vigilante isn’t a master beer brewer or a professional pizza chef. But he sure loves a great pint to wash down a tasty pizza. So when the New Kensington native saw the chance to share his penchant for brew and pie in the town where he lives and works,...
Buffalo Township woman crowned queen of weight loss
Michele Malkowiak loves being called a loser. The Buffalo Township grandmother and homemaker shed more than 100 pounds over a two-year period during the pandemic. As a result, she is Pennsylvania’s reigning 2021-22 Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS) queen. “I was blindsided,” said Malkowiak, 56. “I found out the day...
Out & About: Greensburg Christian businessmen host Good Friday breakfast
It’s good to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but there’s an even higher hall of fame to aspire to. That was the message from guest speaker David Baker to attendees at the Good Friday Prayer Breakfast, hosted by the Greensburg Christian Business Men’s Connection on April 7...
David’s Bridal could lay off more than 9,000 employees as company explores sale
Pennsylvania-based David’s Bridal, which sells wedding dresses and other clothing and accessories for special occasions, could lay off thousands of people across the country and is exploring a sale of the company. The company filed a WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) notice with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor &...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County this weekend: April 14-16
Music for a new day The Pitt-Greensburg Chorale and Chamber Singers will present a spring concert, “One Day, A New Day,” at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Campana Chapel at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, 150 Finoli Drive, Hempfield. The Chorale will sing music by various composers, including Elton...
When planting a meadow, heed conditions in your garden, yard
Wildflower meadows have been growing in popularity among gardeners, and for good reason. They’re low-maintenance and drought-tolerant, provide food for birds, wildlife, pollinators and other insects, and they’re pretty. Wildflowers are native plants, so your options will vary according to where you live. Start your search on the Lady Bird...
Home-based workers became younger, more diverse in pandemic
People working from home became younger, more diverse, better educated and more likely to move during the worst part of the covid-19 pandemic, according to survey data from the U.S. Census Bureau. In many respects, the demographic makeup of people working from home from 2019 to 2021 became more like...
Mobile home park residents form co-ops to save their homes
PORTLAND, Ore. — When Gadiel Galvez learned that the owner of his mobile home park south of Seattle was looking to sell, he and other residents worried their largely Latino community would be bulldozed to make way for another Amazon warehouse. So, they decided to form a cooperative and buy...
Out & About: Greensburg Art Center goes Gallic for wine gala
The invitation said, “Come to Paris with us,” as Greensburg Art Center created a Moulin Rouge theme for its April 1 Art on the Vine fundraiser. The trip was a long time coming, with the party originally planned for 2020 and put on hold by the pandemic. A papier mache...
Building the Valley: Moonlight Inn restaurant in Vandergrift stands test of timeVideo
Jim Baker of Carrick doesn’t mind taking a road trip for a hearty meal. Baker recently drove 40 miles to meet with former classmates from his 1973 Kiski Area High School graduating class for an evening of food and fellowship at Moonlight Inn in Vandergrift. He ordered a Franco’s Ribeye...
Top it off: Hats complete the look for Easter, Passover and spring events
Lana Neumeyer pulled a wide-brim hat with a bow out of a large bag. She reached inside another bag and grabbed a few decorative silk flowers in shades of pink and red. Then, she pinned them on the headpiece. “I like to dress up for special occasions,” said Neumeyer, an...
