Lifestyles category, Page 124
Living with Children: Children need to learn that good behavior is its own reward
Question: My wife has a habit of giving our very stubborn and dramatic (lots of whining, moping, and tantrums) 6-year-old daughter “prizes” for doing what she is told. Last Sunday, for example, Carrie didn’t dress appropriately for church. We told her she had to change. She had a meltdown. She...
Cedar Point to reopen in July, starting with season passholders
Cedar Point announced Tuesday it will begin a phased reopening for the 2020 season, starting with Season Passholders only. In a statement on the park’s website, the company said it “has put stringent health, safety and hygiene protocols in place to allow a safe opening.” On July 9 and 10,...
Virtual PizzaFest to showcase 4 Pittsburgh pizza artisans
Four of Pittsburgh’s best pizza artisans will show their stuff during this year’s virtual PizzaFest – A Slice Of Delish! The event, which welcomed a sold-out crowd last year, will take place at 6 p.m. Sunday on Zoom. In addition to watching as chefs give demonstrations, tips and recipes from...
Create delicate ribbons without a pasta maker
If you are using your extra time at home to improve your cooking skills, America’s Test Kitchen has a new cookbook that can help. Called “100 Techniques,” it’s the first technique- focused book from the Boston-based media company that produces a public television cooking show, several magazines and countless cookbooks. Along...
June is the month to make emergency plans for your pets
We’ve heard about “go bags” and other types of preparation for both man-made and natural disasters. But when you’re planning a quick exit from danger for yourself and your family, you also need to think about your pets. We’ve all seen heartbreaking photos and videos of animals left behind in...
Out & About: Greensburg Garden Center opens butterfly garden
The Greensburg Garden Center’s butterfly garden is now open for the season, even though caretakers have yet to see many of the delicate lepidopterans flutter by. At a Thursday reception in the garden, members said they’ve seen one or two, but they’re working to make the premises more welcoming as...
Glazed, powdered or jelly? Yes, yes and yes — it’s National Doughnut Day
Friday is National Doughnut Day. It’s the perfect way to celebrate as Allegheny, Westmoreland and surrounding counties are headed into the “green phase” of the state’s coronavirus action plan. Always the first Friday of June, National Doughnut Day highlights everyone’s favorite cylindrical breakfast treat. Oakmont Bakery owner Marc Serrao said...
Out & About: Ligonier museum hosts plein air painting session
In anticipation of reopening to the public, the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art at Ligonier Valley invited area artists to a plein air painting session Wednesday. Fortunately, lowering clouds and a few rain drops gave way to sun as artists set up easels on the wide back lawn, under shady...
Brewery looking for someone to hike Appalachian Trail and drink beer
A Virginia brewery is looking for someone to take on the Appalachian Trail and drink beer. As “Chief Hiking Officer” for Devil’s Backbone Brewing, based in Lexington, Va., just a few miles from the AT, the candidate will hike the entire trail in 2021 and get “some big ol’ beer...
Allegheny County to offer music on TV, online and movies in the park
To hear the music of the Allegheny County Summer Concert Series, tune into Pittsburgh’s CW. The entertainment usually heard at South Park and Hartwood Acres Park amphitheaters has moved to television because of the pandemic, the county announced. Presented by BNY Mellon, performances by local musicians and artists will be...
Business is boomin’ for bike sales — but will interest last?Video
June 3 marked World Bicycle Day and, to borrow a phrase from a former, lamented Pittsburgh Steeler, the bike business is boomin’. Bike sales soared when covid-19 restrictions shut down many other forms of exercise and entertainment, and people took to the outdoors for a little fun. “This is unprecedented,”...
Living with Children: The power of ‘no’
In 1972, a Stanford University psychologist conducted a study in which young children, individually, were offered either a small but immediate reward (a marshmallow or a pretzel) or a doubled reward if they were able to wait for 15 minutes. In follow-up studies, researchers found that children who were able...
Churches opting for virtual vacation Bible schools this summer
Like sports and art camps, vacation Bible schools are a big draw for children during the summer. “It’s a major program for us,” says Rachel King, youth coordinator at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Hempfield’s West Point section. “Most churches do a vacation Bible school, and a lot of kids...
Choolaah Indian BBQ to open 2nd location in Pittsburgh region
Choolaah Indian BBQ, a fast casual Indian barbecue-style restaurant, is opening a second Pittsburgh-area location. The newest location will open June 9 in North Fayette. The first area Choolaah opened in East Liberty in 2018. Choolaah means “oven” in Hindi. Jay Nesbitt, chief creative officer for Choolaah Indian BBQ, said...
Laurelville Retreat Center pool will open to the public
With many pools remaining closed this summer, swimmers will have one more option for water fun. The new pool at Laurelville Retreat Center in Mt. Pleasant Township will open to the public by June 15 for two daily swim sessions. The pool will operate with limited crowd capacities and distancing...
Necco Wafers returning to store shelves this summer
Good news for people who like their candy crunchy and slightly chalky — Neccos Wafers will soon be back on store shelves after a 2-year absence. Spangler Candy Co., which now owns the iconic brand, says the candy will return in all its multicolored glory beginning this month. “Major drugstores...
Gateway Clipper to resume some cruises this weekVideo
The Gateway Clipper Fleet will resume sightseeing tours this week, officials announced on their Facebook page. The tours, which last about an hour, will resume Friday when Allegheny County moves into the green phase of Gov. Wolf’s reopening plan, lifting heavy restrictions put in place to help curb the spread...
Pull out that wok for 5-spice-pork and rice stir-fry
Five-spice powder is the base for this sauce that glazes the meat and vegetables with an aromatic and exotic flavor. It is a blend of many spices, usually, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed and Szechwan peppercorns. It can be found in the spice section of the supermarket. You only...
Want a bright start to each day? Bake this easy yogurt lemon loaf
What makes this lemon loaf stand out is the addition of orange blossom water. Distilled from orange flowers, it encapsulates the heady scent of blooming citrus trees. It’s that perfumed air you catch on some sunny Southern California mornings, that happy smell that transports you to bucolic groves and wide-open...
Documentary focuses on unlikely champion of Mexican cuisineVideo
If you add garlic to your guacamole, we have bad news: You’re not doing it right. Do you mince the onion? That’s also a no-no. And, please, leave the avocado lumpy. So says 97-year-old Diana Kennedy, a foremost authority on traditional Mexican cuisine. Over many decades, she has mastered, documented...
Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh plans 10 weeks of virtual summer camps
Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and MuseumLab will offer 10 weeks of virtual summer camps and studios for children ages 3-13. Registration is open for Summer Camps @ Home and Summer Studios @ Home, week-long programs starting June 15. Each week will focus on a different theme and learning goals. Camp...
Ligonier Country Market plans crafters’ return, new night event
Craft vendors will set up shop again at the weekly Ligonier Country Market beginning June 6. “(Their return) signals the next step in us returning the market to full operation in light of the pandemic,” said LCM executive director Cari Frei. “Offering everything from handmade jewelry and wood crafts to...
‘Quarantine Barbie’ is keeping it real (and hilarious)
The folks at Mattel did their part to lighten the mood for children and support frontline workers in the fight against covid-19. Earlier this month, the company introduced its #ThankYouHeroes Barbie program. For every career doll sold between May 14-17, Mattel donated a doll to the First Responders Children’s Foundation....
Pizzeria Davide to open locations in Robinson, Carnegie
Pizzeria Davide plans a June opening in Robinson Town Centre. It’s the sister restaurant to the Strip District-based DiAnoia’s Eatery. A third location is expected in Carnegie this fall, according to a news release. The Robinson Town Centre pizzeria will offer take-out only, in accordance with Pennsylvania’s covid-19 guidelines. Order...
Disney plans to reopen parks beginning July 11Video
Looks like a lot of people are about to get a whole lot happier. Disney announced Wednesday it is hoping to reopen all four of its parks — the Happiest Place on Earth — in Orlando, Fla., by mid-July, the Orlando Sentinel reports. The phased reopening would begin July 11...
