Lifestyles category, Page 160
Living with Children: The ‘Doctor’ is in
I have good news for parents: You do not need more than a few tools in your disciplinary tool-bag. One especially valuable tool, one that belongs in every modern home, is the “Doctor.” The Doctor is akin to a genie — an invisible parenting sprite, so to speak — whom...
How to grow figs, pick the best varieties for cold climates
You might be surprised to learn that figs (Ficus carica) thrive in Western Pennsylvania, with a little help and winter protection, of course. Though many varieties of this fruit have been selected for improved cold hardiness and early ripening, you’ll want to select a warm location with southern exposure to...
Breast cancer walk in North Fayette to help raise money for research
The “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk” is Saturday morning at Settlers Cabin Park in North Fayette. More than 1,500 cancer survivors, their caregivers, family, friends, and supporters are expected to attend. This October, use or RT the hashtag #IDriveFor & @Chevrolet will contribute $5 to the fight against #breastcancer...
Fashion show lets Down syndrome models strut their stuffVideo
One model sashayed down the runway with a leather jacket and a guitar, basking in applause from the crowd. Another danced and strutted in a multicolored bomber coat. A toddler had a little help with her modeling turn, holding on to an adult as she wore a peach outfit with...
Tree of Life survivor among ‘A Gathering of Authors’Video
An author alone in a bookstore bothers Francine Costello. “I hate to see authors sitting in a bookstore waiting for people to come and buy books so they can sign them, and no one is there,” said Costello, co-owner of Word Association Publishers in Tarentum. “They are all by themselves....
Phipps’ annual fall flower takes ‘Japanese Inspirations’Video
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens’ fall flower show is like the season itself — a brief but welcome respite before the return of a long and cold winter in Pittsburgh. “Japanese Inspirations” is the theme of this year’s fall show, which celebrates not only the nearly 2,900 chrysanthemums that dominate...
Pick the best native shrubs for birds
Question: We have a new area to plant along the property line with our neighbors. We’d like to plant some native shrubs that produce berries because we’d like to help feed the birds in the wintertime. Do you have any suggestions of berry shrubs we can include in the border?...
Dahlias hold special significance for Ross gardener
It is a yearly ritual for me to photograph Amy Krut’s dahlia garden at the end of the season. We became friends on Facebook, and after seeing just about every inch of her landscape filled with the late blooming beauties, I knew I had to photograph them. The low angle...
Greensburg Art Center opens exhibition, plans ‘GIFTing’ event
The Greensburg Art Center is wrapping up one program and gearing up for the busy holiday season with another . Latrobe artist Rachel Wheeler is the final exhibitor in this year’s “Picture This at the Library,” a joint venture between the art center and the Greensburg-Hempfield Library, 237 S. Pennsylvania...
Cherry Springs State Park among top 10 best stargazing spots in world
Are you looking for a better view of the stars and other celestial bodies? A nearby place might be worth a visit. Cherry Springs State Park made the list as one of the top ten best places in the world for stargazing. The park, located in north-central Pennsylvania just outside...
Start your Thanksgiving off with Greensburg’s annual Turkey Trot
For nearly three decades, determined walkers and runners have laced up their sneakers and headed out on Thanksgiving Day morning to take on the streets of downtown Greensburg, before they take on Thanksgiving dinner. The 28th annual Greensburg 5K Turkey Trot, sponsored by Big Brothers Big Sisters Laurel Region, will...
Poll: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups most popular candy
People — and this time of year, trick-or-treaters — really like peanut butter cups. Far and away the favorite candy bar in a new poll was Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, with 36% of respondents picking it as their favorite. Snickers are OK, too, with 18% picking that as their favorite....
Laurel Highlands Meadery sweetens production with expansion in South Greensburg
What began as a home hobby about 15 years ago has grown into an expanding business for Matt Falenski, with the recent opening of a second Laurel Highlands Meadery location. Falenski and his wife, Mandy, began manufacturing at their previous homes in Herminie and South Greensburg around 2010, selling their...
Norwin student-run formal-wear sale continues todayVideo
High school students — and their parents — know how expensive it can be to attend a formal dance. Norwin High School has a way to cut down at least some of the cost, by holding a semiannual formal wear consignment sale. Begun in 2015, the sales are held in...
Make your own applesauce … in a slow cooker
October is National Apple Month, but we don’t need an official title to tell us that. Apples are everywhere — grocery stores, local shops, farmers markets. I’ve seen whole bushels for sale for just $6. They’re probably piling up in your fridge drawer by this point, and you may be...
Heinz History Center celebrates all things ‘Hometown-Homegrown’
Foodie fun at this year’s Hometown-Homegrown celebration Oct. 19 should include plenty of Heinz ketchup and Heinz pickles on the side. The Senator John Heinz History Center is mashing its annual food festival with its current “Heinztoberfest” celebration that marks the 150th anniversary of the H.J. Heinz Co., which grew...
Top tips from the wine cellar: A few to sip, savor during Pa. Wine Month
With glorious autumn colors unfolding across the commonwealth, commercial wineries have plenty of fun events planned to attract visitors as part of Pennsylvania Wine Month throughout October. In Pittsburgh, two restaurants, Cinderlands 3705 in Lower Lawrenceville at 3705 Butler St. and The Allegheny Wine Mixer at 5326 Butler St., are...
Threadbare Cider & Mead opening a tasting room inside Ross Park Mall
Threadbare Cider & Mead is expanding with a tasting room next to Wigle Whiskey inside Ross Park Mall on Friday. Threadbare produces alcoholic ciders and mead from regional apples, pears, berries and honey. Wigle Whiskey opened a tasting room and bottle shop at the mall last November. Wigle, based in...
Yough recognizes trio of homecoming queens, 50 years later
Fifty years ago, three young women attending rival high schools simultaneously shared the title of Yough School District homecoming queen. During Yough’s homecoming festivities on Friday, Oct. 18, that honor will again be recognized with a special ceremony on the high school football field. The event marks a half century...
Some tips to make Halloween decor less scary for wildlife
Fake cobwebs and some other spooky, outdoor Halloween decorations meant as harmless fun can do real damage to wildlife. Halloween spending has skyrocketed in recent years, and the National Retail Federation says Americans are expected to spend $2.7 billion on Halloween decorations this year. Wildlife organizations say they also have...
Take a mouthwatering journey through time at new Pitcairn restaurant
Pitcairn has a new restaurant, and “Great Scott!” the wings are hot. The dining spot, Back to the Foodture, doubles as a pop culture museum. The place, inspired by the 1985 movie “Back to the Future,” is an entertainment time capsule filled with toys, gadgets and memorabilia from decades past....
Goddesses get their groove on at ‘yoga and more’ retreat
Goddess Groove Mountaintop Yoga and More Retreat offers men and women a chance to relax at Christian W. Klay Winery, with overnight accommodations available at the Cottages at Fayette Springs, both in Fayette County. The Oct. 26-27 event features members of the yoga community mingling with artists, wellness and fitness...
Out & About: Women in NAACP fashion show is ‘Unforgettable’Video
If you won a door prize at the Greensburg-Jeannette Women in NAACP (WIN) fashion show, you had to walk the runway to pick it up. That was the rule laid down by commentator Melinda McCoy. “If you don’t know how to walk the runway, I’ll come down there and show...
Out & About: Westmoreland Chamber bestows annual awards
In the old “Stone Soup” folk tale, some hungry travelers entice a group of villagers to combine their meager provisions into a hearty pot of soup big enough to feed everyone. The Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce borrowed the theme for its annual business meeting and awards luncheon, held Oct....
Out & About: You Are Here gallery packs ’em in for show opening
When you’re hanging a show featuring 41 artists, it pays to have some help. At the well-attended Oct. 12 opening of the Second Annual Invitational at You Are Here in Jeannette, curator Dan Overdorff said it took “a total team effort” to create a harmonious arrangement of all the featured...
