Lifestyles category, Page 67
Report: Theme park attendance was a roller coaster in 2021
ORLANDO, Fla. — Last year was a roller coaster ride for theme parks worldwide, with U.S. water parks approaching pre-pandemic levels and parks in China struggling with lockdowns, according to a new report. The speed of recovery was greatly influenced by the level of government restrictions, the success of vaccine...
Fighting financial insecurity: When pinching pennies isn’t enough
Scaling back streaming subscriptions is solid savings advice for some. But what if the choice you’re faced with is not whether to pay for Netflix or Hulu, but whether to pay for food or electricity? Millions of Americans face food, housing and general financial insecurity every year, according to data...
What goes around comes around: Roller skating’s retro appeal
At a nondescript, basketball court in Waltham, Massachusetts, the leaves take on an autumnal glow and the air is crisp. But there are no pickup basketball players. This is now a spot for people who roller skate. “I had my eye on skates for a while — I saw they...
The next invasive garden threat? A slithering, jumping worm
Just when you think you’ve become accustomed to the spotted lanternfly invasion, along comes another menace to the ecosystem: the Asian jumping worm. Allow me to introduce you to Amynthas agrestis, also known as “Alabama jumper,” “Jersey wriggler” and the rude-but-accurate “crazy worm.” Unlike garden-variety earthworms, these flipping, thrashing, invasive...
Out & About: The Westmoreland’s new exhibitions explore meaning of ‘American’
The Westmoreland Museum of American Art has a historic first with the simultaneous opening of three exhibits exploring the meaning of the word “American” in the museum’s title. At a Saturday evening preview for members and special guests, Chief Curator Jeremiah William McCarthy said, “It’s really not just a word...
Soup’s on: warm and comforting recipes
Fall ushers in more than just cardigans and colorful foliage. For many, cooking up a big batch of their favorite soup combines a little tradition, comfort and come-back-for-more goodness. Tortellini tribute Joe Reskiewicz of Brackenridge was a college freshman at California University of Pennsylvania when his father died suddenly of...
FSHD Society Western Pa. chapter gets ready to ‘Drum & Roll’
Members of the FSHD Society Western Pennsylvania chapter are getting ready to rock ‘n roll for the second annual Drum & Roll to Cure FSHD event. Set for 4 to 6 p.m. Nov. 5 at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall in Carnegie, the event will feature African...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Oct. 14-16
Good music, good food, giant pumpkins and giant bats are on the slate for this weekend’s events in and around Pittsburgh. Shostakovich and Sibelius The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will present Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 1 during concerts at 8 p.m. Friday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday in Heinz Hall, 600 Penn...
New York’s Hamptons offer a feast of indoor, outdoor art
On the eastern end of Long Island, New York, lies a trove of art venues and a rich cultural scene to explore at leisure. You can find works in lush gardens and meadows, on manicured lawns, around ponds with waterlilies, by marshy creeks, and in historic Hamptons buildings. The list...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County this weekend: Oct. 14-15
Rockin’ at The Lamp Rock ‘n’ rollers have a choice of two concerts this weekend at The Lamp Theatre, 222 Main St., Irwin: • Floyd Live, 8 p.m. Friday. Billed as having “the authentic sound of Pink Floyd,” along with a Floyd-worthy light, laser and projection show, the tribute band...
How to change Medicare plans — and why you might want to
Medicare open enrollment starts soon, but 7 in 10 Medicare beneficiaries say they don’t compare Medicare plans during this period, according to a 2021 analysis by KFF, a health policy nonprofit. That’s not great, since Medicare Advantage plans — which operate much like the private insurance you may have had...
TribLive Taste Test: Cam Heyward’s Blitz MixVideo
This week we’re dipping our toes into the water of athlete-branded snack food, with Cam Heyward’s Blitz Mix, a snack mix blend sold exclusively through Giant Eagle and PLB Sports & Entertainment, the company that brought us Flutie Flakes, Patrick Mahomes Magic Crunch, Stefon Diggs Hot Sauce and yes, even...
6 tips you can use to help improve your credit score
NEW YORK — Credit scores are complicated and because rating agencies consider many factors, the process of improving them can look different for everyone. When Willard Carpenter, 68, wanted a loan to open a new business, he realized that his credit score was not high enough to get approved. After...
Finding delicious common ground in the jollof rice ‘wars’
One of the iconic dishes of West Africa, jollof rice is vibrantly colored and heavily spiced. And it reflects how cultures across continents blend with delicious results. It began in the ancient Wolof Empire, the first society in Africa to establish trade with European powers in the 1400s. New World...
Fall cruises available at rock-bottom prices as cruise lines work their way back to profitability
MIAMI — Multi-night cruises for the price of a single night in a luxury hotel? You heard right. Cruise lines, still struggling to pull themselves back into profitability after the prolonged covid shutdown, have deeply slashed fares for hundreds of voyages this fall. Here’s how cheap your next cruise could...
3 days in Yosemite: How to see the park’s many wonders on a weekend trip
LOS ANGELES — I recently ventured to California’s most-visited national park — Yosemite — for a whirlwind 48-hour tour. Turns out, there’s a lot you can do and see in the land of the Ahwahneechee over a couple days. Here’s my suggested itinerary, if you decide to make a quick...
The spritz evolves from Italian aperitif to global cocktail
VENICE, Italy — A glowing sea of bright orange and red cocktails has become a common sight in bars and restaurants across Europe and beyond as the Italian-born spritz continues to find new fans. This wine-based cocktail was served as an aperitif in northeast Italy for decades, and drunk with...
‘Bucket list’: White House garden tours prune a U.S. divide
WASHINGTON — There were the young women in fresh fall coats, a guy in a suit, hoodied parents with kids, all maneuvering for selfies with the White House south facade. The plant fans and the history fans leaned in to admire the perennials and centuries-old trees on the lawns where...
Out & About: 4 artists share ‘Love of Art’ in Greensburg exhibition
Will Vega of Hempfield discovered the joy of painting by watching the long-running PBS show by that name, hosted by the late artist Bob Ross, who encouraged his students by saying, “We don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents.” “I studied his technique, and he convinced me that I could...
Monster Pumpkins Festival returns to Strip District
It turns out that pumpkins can be intimidating even before they are turned into jack-o’-lanterns. Especially when they grow to be more than 2,000 pounds. At this year’s Pittsburgh Monster Pumpkins Festival, there will be 10 such one-ton pumpkins, according to festival manager Michael Dongilli. The fifth annual festival is...
New specialty mobile coffee cafe opens in Gilpin
A one-woman barista is stirring up the coffee scene in Gilpin. Gilpin native Damia Lorenz, 29, opened The Caffeinated Co., a mobile coffee cafe, on Aug. 21. On most days, you’ll find the trailer parked and operating from a vacant lot next to Stu’s Truck & Auto at 352 Route...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Oct. 7-9
This weekend sees the return of the nation’s longest-running fall flower show and a perennially popular art exhibition, the start of a new season of ballet and opportunities to celebrate or contribute to good works in the community. Storytelling in dance Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre opens its 2022-23 season this weekend...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County this weekend: Oct. 7-9
Rockin’ at The Lamp It’s all rock ’n’ roll all weekend at The Lamp Theatre, 222 Main St., Irwin: • Rattle and Hum: A Tribute to U2, 8 p.m. Friday. Based in Charlotte, N.C., the group has been playing the greatest hits of Bono and company for more than 14...
‘Best Before’ labels scrutinized as food waste concerns grow
As awareness grows around the world about the problem of food waste, one culprit in particular is drawing scrutiny: “best before” labels. Manufacturers have used the labels for decades to estimate peak freshness. Unlike “use by” labels, which are found on perishable foods like meat and dairy, “best before” labels...
Out & About: Greensburg Garden Center event features tips from radio’s ‘Handy Andy’
Hardware store owner and all-around handyman Andy Amrhein said he likes presenting programs for the Greensburg Garden Center. “You have a lot of questions, and I have a lot of answers,” he told about 80 attendees at the group’s annual Meeting Out on Tuesday at Greensburg Country Club. Amrhein, who...
