Lifestyles category, Page 110
Holiday symbols represent the meanings for the season
They are the universal symbols of the holiday season. Menorahs and dreidels, wreaths and trees, unity cups and bowls of fruit — all integral parts of Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa. While each has its own customs and meanings and ways to celebrate, all three share one thing in common: light....
Downtown Greensburg Project sets up virtual tip jar for food service workers
We’ve all heard of ways to help food and beverage industry workers through the second round of pandemic shutdowns: order takeout, buy gift cards and post positive reviews on social media. That’s good as far as it goes, said Downtown Greensburg Project founder Jessica Hickey, but it doesn’t help everyone....
Landmark Unity farmhouse opens as home furnishings storeVideo
A landmark of Westmoreland County’s farming tradition is entering a new chapter as a home furnishings store. Just in time for Christmas shopping and, unfortunately, new pandemic-related restrictions on retailers, Frye Farm Place had a soft opening last week on Frye Farm Road in Unity. Operated by Unity residents Dave...
Living with Children: Tantrums and bribes
Question: Our 14-year-old daughter desperately wants to begin wearing makeup, which all, and I mean all, of her classmates are allowed to do. We have held off not only because of our beliefs but also because of her immaturity. Up until recently, for example, she has continued to throw magnificent...
Crocs, the kicks you love to hate, are 2020’s cool shoe
In late October, Crocs, the Colorado-based brand known for its lightweight and bulbous clogs, reported its quarterly earnings. It was a stark contrast to other fashion brands hobbled by the ongoing pandemic — think J. Crew and Brooks Brothers, two gentlemen’s clothiers from another era that both filed for bankruptcy...
Bethlehem Project sees increased need for housing support
Not surprisingly, requests for assistance from the Bethlehem Project are up substantially this year. A partnership between Blessed Sacrament Cathedral and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Greensburg, the Bethlehem Project provides funds for emergency shelter or rental support, along with assistance to residents of three Westmoreland County shelters as...
Pittsburgh’s Menorah Parade traveling an alternate route
Look for the festive line of vehicles with illuminated menorahs driving through Pittsburgh at 5 p.m. Tuesday. The annual Menorah Parade to celebrate Hanukkah will go on, but with some changes to its destination based on Pennsylvania’s latest covid-19 restrictions. The procession will begin at Rodef Shalom in Shadyside and...
Philadelphia Flower Show to move outdoors for 1st timeVideo
For the first time in its history, the renowned Philadelphia Flower Show will be an outdoor event in 2021. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society said the long-running exhibition is being re-imagined to provide a new, safe experience for visitors. “We are thrilled to be able to celebrate the outdoors and offer...
Play it Forward Pittsburgh Toy Drive changes game plan because of Wolf’s covid-19 ordersVideo
The plan to distribute toys to 200 families on Friday and 300 on Saturday turned into 500 on the same day. That doesn’t sound like fun, but organizers of the Play it Forward Pittsburgh Toy Drive scrambled to make sure bicycles, trucks, dolls, stuffed animals and more get into the...
Regent Square’s Frick Park Tavern on ‘pause’ until spring
Even before Gov. Tom Wolf announced new covid-19 orders on Thursday, Jimmy Brown planned to temporarily close his Regent Square restaurant. “It doesn’t make sense to stay open the way things are,” said Brown, owner of the Frick Park Tavern on Braddock Avenue. “We are a sit-down and enjoy kind...
Downtown Pittsburgh ice rink still open with capacity changes
The Rink at PPG Place in Downtown Pittsburgh plans to stay open, but with capacity changes, in light of Gov. Tom Wolf’s new pandemic restrictions. Outdoor gatherings are limited to 50 people. “The ice rink will be open and abiding by the state requirements,” said Byron Sharp, president of Magic...
Gifty new and unusual pandemic-proof games for the holidays
The pandemic has proven there’s no shortage of games to keep families, couples and kids amused. The classics are ever-present, but a range of new or off-the-beaten-track gift entries are available. A sampling: Tragos It’s a party card game focused on Latino pop culture that comes in a variety of...
Holiday Market in Downtown Pittsburgh to close in response to Gov. Wolf’s covid orders
The Peoples Gas Holiday Market and Santa Zoom Experience in Market Square are closing Friday night, the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership announced. The Merry Market Pop-Up scheduled to open this weekend will not take place. News of the cancellations came after Thursday’s announcement by Gov. Tom Wolf. His orders amid the...
Pennsylvania among the booziest states during holidays, surveys sayVideo
Pennsylvanians and booze at the holidays go together like Santa Claus and his red suit, according to a couple of recent surveys. The Keystone State is one of the drunkest places in the U.S. during the holiday season, with the average Pennsylvanian quaffing four alcoholic beverages a day, according to...
Play it Forward Pittsburgh Toy Drive gives new meaning to children’s fun
Miniature cars are lined up ready to roll. Kitchen sets await that first pretend meal. Bicycles sit ready for that ride around the block. And teddy bears and baby dolls long for that much-needed hug. These are some of the items that will be given to children as part of...
Virtual menorah lighting, scaled-back parade set in Pittsburgh to celebrate Hanukkah
Dark times need illumination. At 5 p.m. Thursday, 1,000 homes in the Pittsburgh area will light the first candle on their menorah celebrating the opening of Hanukkah, the festival of lights. They will do it virtually because of the pandemic. “It is so important that people stay connected,” said Adam...
O Cannoli Tree, O Cannoli Tree: Harmar baker has new holiday confection
Forget about those sugar plums dancing in heads this holiday season and make way for a new Yuletide treat: the Cannoli Christmas Tree. A cannoli tree may seem like something out of a debaucherous dessert dream. But Char Hixson, proprietor of Char’s Creative Confections in Harmar, is baking them up...
Holiday window display competition in Pittsburgh to support artists, causes
The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership is adding a twist to holiday window displays with a contest this season. “As a retail store, your window displays are one of the most important marketing tools you have,” said Suzanne Mauro, a Pittsburgh-based retail consultant. “They can make someone passing by, enter your store...
Get a pair of rare, collectible sneakers in newly opened Neecs Sneaks in GreensburgVideo
Silver and gold, stocks and bonds, are all tried-and-true investments. But Nico Giannilli of Unity is betting his financial success on another hot commodity — sneakers. Not the worn-down, smelly footwear you schlep around in, but the pricey, celebrity-endorsed kicks that go for big bucks. Giannilli, 24, has been amassing...
For baking season, a primer on an essential: vanilla
I used to take vanilla for granted. Then, I was making chocolate chip cookies one day and ran out of vanilla extract. So I left it out. It was like leaving salt out of the recipe. The cookies lacked the round, full flavors they usually had. I realized vanilla was...
Living with Children: What ‘Hand in Hand’ parenting gets wrong
“Hand in Hand” parenting is the latest iteration of progressive (nouveau, unverified) childrearing. I became aware of HIH several weeks ago, courtesy of a grandmother whose daughter and son-in-law are practitioners. She was both amused and appalled. Intrigued, I went to the HIH website (handinhandparenting.org) to see for myself. The...
Some Pittsburgh-area restaurant owners have outdoor dining covered amid pandemic
With the colder weather here to stay, many Downtown Pittsburgh restaurants have decided to cover outdoor spaces for continued dining to help accommodate state-mandated capacity requirements. Some outdoor dining structures resemble mini-greenhouses. Others look like plastic domes. Bakersfield Pittsburgh has tents, heaters and picnic-bench seating on Penn Avenue. At Bourbon...
Stay in the car to see Santa during holiday happenings
Pandemic precautions mean kids may not get to sit on Santa’s lap this year. But there are several area options for families to have a drive-thru encounter with the jolly old elf, in a socially distanced take on the holiday tradition. Unity Instead of its usual Deck the Tree holiday...
Where to find cut-your-own Christmas tree options around the Pittsburgh region
Still looking to cut down your own tree this Christmas? This interactive map shows some of the places in the Pittsburgh region growing real trees you can select and cut your own fresh evergreen. Those on the hunt for a tree are advised to call first or check the location’s...
Prantl’s has new owner, plans new location in North Huntingdon
The last five years have been quite a ride for those baking Prantl’s famous Burnt Almond Torte — also known as “the greatest cake America has ever made.” The Huffington Post made that declaration in 2014, a year before a string of new developments at the business, which now has...
