Lifestyles category, Page 145
Laurel Highlands lands on Travel Lemming’s Top 5 list
What do the Laurel Highlands; Lausanne, Switzerland; Prince Edward Island, Canada; McLaren Vale, South Australia; and Nova Scotia, Canada, have in common? They are the five winners of the travel site TravelLemming.com’s annual Reader Awards, following an online competition among 30 emerging travel destinations on the site’s annual list of...
How to avoid giving bad holiday giftsVideo
We’ve all been there – heading to the store to return a gift the day after Christmas, because it was the wrong size, the wrong color, or the just plain wrong present. Nobody wants to be the person who gives the bad holiday gift. But how is it truly avoidable?...
Snap a photo with Santa and a penguin at National Aviary session
Talk about being poles apart — Santa Claus hails from the North Pole, while penguins hang out at the South Pole. But on Dec. 21, they’ll come together for a photo opportunity at the National Aviary. Photos With Santa and a Penguin is scheduled for 11 a.m.-1 p.m. that day...
How to host a holiday party on a budget
’Tis the season to eat, drink and be merry! That being said, when you’re hosting friends and family for the holidays, your grocery bill can easily double or even triple in no time. All that extra spending can add to the stress of the season, especially if you still have...
How not to ruin that pricy piece of meat in the holiday meal
Nothing says “celebration” like a ridiculously expensive piece of meat. Well, that’s not really true, but this is the time of year for splurging, in dollars and eating. And with apologies to all the vegetarians out there, few things are as impressive an anchor to a festive meal as an...
What’s Brewing? Beers for holiday cheers
There’s a chill in the air and the holiday season is in full swing. Pumpkin and Oktoberfest beers have been cleared off the shelves and out of the taps to make way for the seasonal varieties and Christmas ales we enjoy each year. Holiday brews, which are sometimes referred to...
TribLive Test: Squeak natural cleaning productsVideo
This week, our TribLive Taste Test, well, it doesn’t involve any tasting. If it did, we’d probably be testing the effectiveness of our local emergency room staff, since this week’s test was on all-natural cleaning products from Squeak. The Squeak line of products was created by a mother of three...
Kennywood’s Steel Curtain finishes 10th in coaster rankingVideo
Kennywood’s newest roller coaster made the list of best steel coasters of the past decade — barely. Coaster101.com last week ranked the top steel roller coasters that opened from 2010 through 2019 and Pittsburgh’s Steel Curtain took the tenth spot. The coaster’s nine inversion are a North American record and...
2nd Alta Via to open in McCandless; new Big Burrito eatery coming to Lawrenceville
Big Burrito Restaurant Group continues to expand. The company announced Tuesday it planned to opened a second Alta Via restaurant in McCandless and had another eatery in the works for Lawrenceville. The first Alta Via, an Italian restaurant, opened in April in O’Hara. The second location will be at 5300...
Study: Americans will spend more than $5.5B on Christmas trees in 2019
Martins Christmas Tree Farm is getting a bigger share of more than $5.5 billion Americans will spend on Christmas trees, and the Rostraver business has been a victim of its own success. “Last year was our best year,” said owner Brad Martin, who recently took the farm over after his...
Out & About: Magic of ‘The Nutcracker’ returns to The Palace stageVideo
A girl receives a nutcracker on Christmas eve, and the gift comes to life and wages a battle against an evil rat king. It’s an 1816 tale from Prussian author E.T.A. Hoffmann, adapted into a well-loved ballet in 1892 by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and choreographers Marius Petipa and...
Out & About: Stars come out for Civic Theatre’s ‘A Starry Night’ gala
Greensburg Civic Theatre’s annual gala always features entertainment provided by talented folks associated with the organization. At “A Starry Night,” held Dec. 11 in the Greensburg Garden and Civic Center, that included scenes from “Disney’s Frozen Jr.,” with three performances scheduled Dec. 20-21 in the civic center’s auditorium. During the...
Design-friendly holiday gifts sure to be loved
Home decor accessories can make great hostess gifts or holiday gifts, but how do you choose something you know the recipient will want? Unless you’re sure of someone’s personal style, it can be hard to choose larger things like vases or candlesticks, says New York-based interior designer Jenny Dina Kirschner....
Out & About: It’s a ‘Swingin’ Christmas Spectacular’ with Glass City
For folks who like Frank Sinatra, big band music and Christmas, Ferrante’s Lakeview was the place to be Dec. 13 for “A Swingin’ Christmas Spectacular” with Glass City Swing Band. Event host was GCSB Arts, Education and Wellness, the band’s sponsoring organization. The band set up in a cheerfully decorated...
Remember When: Dec. 16
100 years ago Robbers load cows on truck and disappear Boldly driving up to the barn of H.C. Moon, near Dorseyville, in an auto truck, thieves went to the stable, collected two cows, loaded them up onto the machine and disappeared. Police warned butchers to question anyone selling livestock. 75...
‘Pioneer Woman’ sticks to her groove with new cookbook
Ree Drummond — known for her Food Network cooking show, “The Pioneer Woman” — won’t follow diet trends to sell cookbooks. “I have found that I have to be authentic to me, otherwise it won’t work. My interest will fizzle. I stay most passionate when it’s something that’s really going...
Flavors of the season dominate holiday cocktails
When preparing holiday cocktails for friends and family, make the bar cart extra special by offering recipes such as Snowflake Martini, Blitzen’s Bubbles and Vanilla Pear Sangria. Fine Wine and Good Spirits is dreaming up concoctions with eye and flavor appeal, just right for chasing away those cold winter temps....
Travel tip: Visit Santa’s ‘official hometown’ in Rovaniemi, Finland
Where is Santa on the 364 nights of the year when he’s not delivering gifts? At home in Rovaniemi, Finland, the self-proclaimed “Official Hometown of Santa Claus.” Travelers to the remote Arctic Circle city, capital of Finnish Lapland, will find themselves immersed in a winter wonderland where snow falls from...
Living with Children: What is co-dependency?
“You’ve accused mothers of being in co-dependent relationships with their children,” she (a journalist) said, then asked, “What is co-dependency, exactly, and how does it apply to today’s mothers?” Great question! One that cuts right to the core of America’s parenting problem. A co-dependent relationship consists of a well-intentioned enabler...
Before you travel, take steps to ensure a happy homecoming
People tend to spend a lot of time planning their holiday travel but not a lot preparing for their return home. But returning to a mess — minor bummers like an empty fridge or stinking garbage can, or major problems like frozen pipes — can make it difficult to savor...
Great greens for starting early in the season
I know spring seems so far away, but now is a great time to start planning your veggie garden for the coming season. Before you know it, March will be here and it will be time to plant cool-season crops such as peas, lettuce, radish and greens. Today, I’d like...
Ring in 2020 at the Quality Inn ballroom in New Kensington
Welcome 2020 in style. The grand ballroom inside the Quality Inn in New Kensington will be dressed up for a festive New Year’s Eve celebration. The event has returned after several years’ hiatus thanks to Brenda and Daniel Leo of Leechburg, owners of the food and beverage and banquet facilities...
Winter classes, activities help dogs (and their people) fight cabin feverVideo
Cabin fever — it’s not just for humans. Your canine companion might feel cooped up during the wintertime, too, when snow covers the yard, sidewalks are icy and temperatures fall below freezing. Who wants to go out for a walk in those conditions? Even a well-trained dog might get a...
Bring spring indoors early — very early — by forcing bulbs
Daffodils sitting on a windowsill against a backdrop of white snow make a fragrant and pretty midwinter scene. This picture, with bulbs “forced” for early bloom, takes planning that should start now. Choose plump, fresh-looking bulbs from those now on display at garden centers, hardware stores and supermarkets. Prep the...
Grow fresh herbs on your windowsill all winter long
Question: I’d like to grow some herbs on my windowsill in my kitchen this winter. Can I use any herbs, or do they have to be a special type for growing indoors? Any tips for success? Answer: Herbs are some of the easiest plants to grow in containers and many...
