Editor's Picks category, Page 170
TV Talk: Gift ideas for fans of ‘Bluey,’ ‘Call the Midwife,’ ‘Donkey Hodie,’ ‘Stranger Things,’ ‘Yellowstone’
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen offers gifting tips for TV fans this holiday season. For the TV fan on your gift-giving list, consider one of these options (prices listed are rounded to the nearest dollar, standard retail prices but many items sell for less, particularly when purchased online):...
Display of vintage Irwin buildings was labor of love for borough native
Melvyn Rasel dedicated countless hours and money over four decades to create an homage to his hometown, building small plastic replicas of Irwin landmarks from his childhood in the 1950s as part of an extensive model train layout in his Plum home. His family is now sharing this labor of...
Pittsburgh Pop podcast: Golden Globe nominations, gifts for TV fans, ‘Monk’ returns, holiday films
In this episode of the “Pittsburgh Pop” podcast, host Tim Benz and TV Talk columnist Rob Owen discuss Pittsburgh pop culture news of the moment, including the Golden Globe Award nominations with local ties. Partially Pittsburgh-set “Daisy Jones & the Six” (Prime Video) received a best limited series nomination and...
Forget the surprise if you’re thinking of giving a pet as a holiday present
NEW YORK — Adriene Mishler was still grieving the loss of her beloved blue heeler mix when her boyfriend at the time surprised her with a Christmas puppy that was nearly identical. “I wasn’t quite ready to fall in love with another animal,” she said. “At the same time, looking...
Stew Wood Fire Fusion opens in former Fuel and Fuddle space in Oakland
Stew Wood Fire Fusion is set to open Monday, bringing an eclectic mix of meats, sandwiches — and yes, stews — to Oakland. It’s not the first restaurant venture for owners Karen Perdomo and John Ortiz. The couple opened The Colombian Spot in Pittsburgh’s South Side in 2017 and added...
Rare Raymond Chandler poem is a tribute to his late wife, with a surprising twist
NEW YORK — Near the end of 1954, the wife of Raymond Chandler died after a long battle with lung disease. The famed crime novelist fell into near-suicidal depression from which he never recovered. He drank heavily and died just five years later, at age 70. Chandler completed no major...
Teachers have been outed for moonlighting in adult content. Do they have legal recourse?
At a small rural Missouri high school, two English teachers shared a secret: Both were posting adult content on OnlyFans, the subscription-based website known for sexually explicit content. The site and others like it provide an opportunity for those willing to dabble in pornography to earn extra money — sometimes...
‘We needed something like this around here’: Hempfield entertainment venue opens doors
For Davin Ruzina, the 814 Lanes & Games in Hempfield opened its doors for business just in time. Ruzina, of Hunker, celebrated his 13th birthday Saturday and went to the new entertainment venue with his family and friends Sunday. Bowling and laser tag were the highlights of their day. “We...
Celebrate the holidays with these quintessential Pittsburgh attractions
While Kaufmann’s department store decked out for Christmas in Downtown Pittsburgh isn’t on the list of Pittsburgh holiday musts anymore, there are still plenty of things to see and do during the holidays in the city. These are the places and events that are quintessential Pittsburgh at Christmastime. “A Musical...
TV Talk: Carnegie Mellon grad Matt Bomer talks ‘Fellow Travelers’
Matt Bomer (“White Collar”), a 2001 Carnegie Mellon University graduate, is winning accolades for his role in the often risqué, queer love story “Fellow Travelers” (9 p.m. Sunday, Showtime; streams on Paramount+ with Showtime). The series is written by Southwestern Pennsylvania native Ron Nyswaner, who grew up in Clarksville, Greene...
Rapper Travis Scott creates ‘UTOPIA’ in Pittsburgh concert
Rapper Travis Scott didn’t let some bad tacos get in the way of his sold-out Pittsburgh show Friday night. Saying he received two IVs after battling the stomach woes for about a day, Scott had no intentions of following the medical advice he received. “The doctor told me if I...
Vento’s Pizza in East Liberty reopens under new family ownership
Vento’s Pizza, the East Liberty restaurant that has been home to “Franco’s Italian Army” for decades, is up and running again. After its longtime owner retired and closed the pizzeria in February, a new family has taken over. They’re working with the Vento family to keep the spirit of the...
McDonald’s bringing back McNugget Buddies in adult Happy Meal
As a child, seeing which mini-toy was inside a McDonald’s Happy Meal was always a thrill. Getting all the miniatures in the collection was a must, which meant multiple trips to the Golden Arches fast-food restaurant. McDonald’s is bringing that sense of wonder back — for kids and adults. “This...
Leona’s ice cream to open scoop shop in Lawrenceville
Ice cream wholesaler Leona’s is moving into the brick-and-mortar world and is set to open a scoop shop in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighborhood next year. Co-owner Katie Heldstab said Leona’s has agreed on a spot inside the soon-to-be-complete Lawrence Hall on Butler Street in Lawrenceville. She said the location is perfect...
Asteroid will pass in front of bright star Betelgeuse to produce a rare eclipse visible to millions
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — One of the biggest and brightest stars in the night sky will momentarily vanish as an asteroid passes in front of it to produce a one-of-a-kind eclipse. The rare and fleeting spectacle, late Monday into early Tuesday, should be visible to millions of people along a...
CMU grad and Hollywood icon Ming-Na Wen to be at Steel City ConVideo
Hollywood icon and Carnegie Mellon University grad Ming-Na Wen returned to the Pittsburgh area this week to cheer on her beloved Steelers and meet with fans in Monroeville. She will be among the celebrities at Steel City Con at the Monroeville Convention Center Friday and Saturday, the first two days...
Luminary Night gathers holiday cheer in downtown Greensburg
The streets of downtown Greensburg were transformed into a holiday wonderland Thursday evening, complete with elves, cookies, hot chocolate, horse-drawn carriages, a live Nativity , and a visit from Santa for the 54th annual Luminary Night. Hosted by the nonprofit Greensburg Business and Professional Association, the event gathers local organizations...
Local musicians will take the stage in A Very Yinzer Christmas concert
Certain holiday music is often associated with a specific singer — such as Andy Williams’ voice in “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” What if the sounds of that song brought to mind one of Pittsburgh’s well-known musicians? Well, they just might because Scott Blasey, lead vocalist of...
Monessen native Michael Moorer along with Hatton, Calderon, Corrales elected to Boxing Hall of Fame
CANASTOTA, N.Y. — Monessen native Michael Moorer, the first left-hander to win the heavyweight title, and fellow two-division champions Ricky Hatton and Ivan Calderon were elected Thursday to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Diego Corrales, who died two years after winning a 2005 bout voted “Fight of the Year,”...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County: Dec. 8-10
Chestnuts are roasting on the open fire, and Jack Frost is already starting to nip at noses. If that isn’t enough to get you in the holiday spirit, there are plenty of activities that will this weekend in Westmoreland County. Free improv workshop Leaders of StoryZ, a nonprofit theater and...
Def Leppard, Journey, Steve Miller Band coming to PNC Park
It seems like a rock music lover’s dream: Def Leppard and Journey on the same bill, with the Steve Miller Band thrown in for good measure. Well, that dream is headed to Pittsburgh’s PNC Park in July. The concert, part of Def Leppard and Journey’s 23-city Summer Stadium Tour in...
Boyz II Men set to return to Pittsburgh at Rivers Casino
Boyz II Men, the powerhouse R&B act that ruled the charts in the 1990s, will return to Pittsburgh for a performance at Rivers Casino in February. The trio, known for their hits “End of the Road,” “I’ll Make Love to You,” “One Sweet Day” (with Mariah Carey) and “Motownphilly,” is...
TV Talk: ‘Monk’ back on the case; ‘Archies’ vs. ‘Archie’Video
TV reboots get built on ricketier foundations than “Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A ‘Monk’ Movie,” streaming Friday on Peacock. On the 2002-09 USA cable series, Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub) was known as the germ-phobic, “obsessive-compulsive detective.” So it wasn’t that deep into the covid-19 pandemic before Shalhoub, who got covid...
‘At the right place, at the right time’: Go Laurel Highlands recognizes 9 photo contest winners
For Connie Weyant, the photograph that placed her in the top nine of Go Laurel Highlands’ annual photo contest took years of patient waiting. Weyant, of Somerset, has been observing Somerset Lake for about eight years in search of a bald eagle. She’s received countless calls from friends, pointing her...
Norman Lear, revolutionary TV producer of ‘All in the Family,’ has died at 101
Norman Lear, the writer, director and producer who revolutionized prime time television with “All in the Family” and “Maude,” propelling political and social turmoil into the once-insulated world of sitcoms, has died. He was 101. Lear died Tuesday night in his sleep, surrounded by family at his home in Los...
