Lifestyles category, Page 209
Living with Children: The children-need-lots-of-attention myth
One of the more difficult facts for today’s parents, as a rule, to wrap their heads around is the … I’ll say it again, with emphasis … FACT that children do not need (as a general rule) a lot of attention. I was there, working as a journeyman psychologist in...
Sometimes even the weariest traveler must refuse a hotel room
As a travel seller, I’d hear it from time to time: “That hotel was totally unacceptable.” But you slept there, right? Travelers often abandon rational thinking in pursuit of a travel objective. It’s difficult to make significant emotional investment selecting and booking a hotel, long anticipating a safe, quiet sanctuary...
Travel tip: Get your ‘Phil fix’ during Groundhog Day festivities
Standing in the freezing cold in the middle of the night, waiting for Punxsutawney Phil to emerge from his Gobbler’s Knob burrow, is only a small part of Groundhog Day fun. The Jefferson County borough after which the woodchuck weather forecaster is named has two days of nonstop activities, starting...
Greensburg salon owner tapped as a cut above by Intercoiffure America/Canada
Hair is more than strands on your head. “Your hair is your No. 1 accessory,” says Jesse Peles, president of Peles Salon with locations in Johnstown and Greensburg. “It truly identifies and defines you.” His head of thick, expertly coiffed hair is one of the first details you notice when...
Son struggles with intimate relationships after death of father
Dear Carolyn: My adult son, now 29, lost his father in a freak accident the day before he turned 13. For more than two years after the accident, his dad lingered in a near vegetative state. A grief counselor I consulted back then told me that as a result of...
Dealing with a ‘Debbie Upper’
Adapted from a recent online discussion. Dear Carolyn: I have a dear friend who won’t allow anyone to say anything bad about ANYONE. My youngest son was trying to make a point about one of his teachers, who treated him like dirt — we as parents got involved as well...
Boyfriend from Brooklyn won’t cater to her communication style
Dear Carolyn: I would love some perspective on how to accept my significant other’s communication style. For 20 years I have told him I would appreciate it if he would initiate conversations about what’s going on in my life and ask me how/what/why questions instead of yes/no questions. At this...
Most popular conversation hearts won’t be available this Valentine’s Day
The conversation is over. At least this Feb. 14. America’s most beloved Valentine’s Day candy — SweetHearts, those cute conversation hearts with phrases like “Cutie Pie,” “Say Yes” and “True Love” — won’t be on the shelves this year. Why? Well, despite SweetHearts being the No. 1 Valentine’s Day candy,...
Flaky deep-dish pizza worth the time it takes to make at home
If you’re from the Northeast, or if you haven’t been to Chicago, you may dismiss deep-dish pizza out of regional pride. That would be a mistake. Real Chicago-style pizza is certainly thick, but its texture and flavor are something special: Instead of being bread-like, the crust offers the contrast of...
Greensburg antique show and sale promises items for all tastes
Whether you have $5 or $25,000 to spend, you should be able to find something you like at the annual antique show and sale at the Greensburg Country Club, says organizer John Mickinak. “Not everyone has the same taste, so there’s something for everyone,” he says. The show, which benefits...
Pittsburgh makes BBC Good Food’s 2019 foodie destination list
What does Pittsburgh have in common with Matera, a town perched on a rocky hilltop in southern Italy? According to BBC Good Food, both are Top 10 foodie destinations for 2019. Matera ranked No. 1 on the list compiled by the global food media brand that has a monthly magazine,...
Feeling relief, not grief, about her beloved father’s death
Adapted from a recent online discussion. Dear Carolyn: It was the 15th anniversary of my dad’s death recently. I know it should have been a day marked by profound grief, but instead the primary feeling I had was … relief. This sentiment would have been easier to accept if he...
Gentle cooking is the key to ultra-tender white bean soup
The people of Tuscany are known as mangiafagioli, or “bean eaters,” a nod to the prominent role beans play in their cuisine. Cannellini (white kidney) beans are the region’s most famous legume, and Tuscan cooks go to extremes to ensure these beans are cooked perfectly, from simmering them in rainwater...
‘Flip or Flop Vegas’ star to give tips at Monroeville Home Show
Aubrey Marunde has a knack for turning neglected properties into paradises that often are over-the-top Vegas-style transitions. She and her martial arts champ/handyman husband, Bristol, have made HGTV’s “Flip or Flop Vegas” one of the cable station’s hottest home improvement and real estate shows. The show has been renewed for...
Cheesy nachos turn after-school snack into a fiesta
These nachos are a cinch to make and can turn after-school snack time for a few kids into something of a fiesta. Or double the recipe and use a 13-by-9-inch baking dish, and you’ll have enough nachos to really get the party started! If you like your nachos spicy, layer...
University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg hosts one-woman ‘They Call Me Q’ show
The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg will present “They Call Me Q,”a one-woman show written, performed, and co-produced by Qurrat Ann Kadwani, at 8 p.m. Jan. 24 in Ferguson Theater on the Hempfield campus. The event is free and open to the public. “They Call Me Q” is the story...
Add creamy avocado to that next egg salad sammy
This avocado and egg salad is one of my favorite homemade lunches because it’s healthy, tastes great and uses Greek yogurt instead of mayo. Tuna salads and egg salads are often passed off as healthy, but they’re so loaded with fatty mayo that you might as well have opted for...
Girlfriend doesn’t want biological kids
Hi, Carolyn: My girlfriend of three years does not want biological kids, whereas to me it’s very important. She thinks I’m naive and don’t understand how completely life-altering and difficult childbearing and child-rearing are. I feel I understand all that, and understand the greater biological burden on her, but it’s...
North Hills restaurant Willow transitioning to events center
Willow, an events center and restaurant at 634 Camp Horne Road in Pittsburgh’s North Hills, is transitioning to a full-time events center. Daily restaurant service concluded on Jan. 19. This focus allows Willow to host new and different events on its recently renovated first floor, representatives say. Flexible catering options...
Watershed group plans trip to view bald eagles near Saltsburg
The Loyalhanna Watershed Association is sponsoring a Feb. 6 trip to Loyalhanna Dam, near Saltsburg, to learn about and view bald eagles. Bald eagles are known to frequent the dam outflow in mid-winter. More than 20 of the birds of prey were found congregating there at a given time two...
9 brains, 3 hearts: Some wild facts about octopuses
Mythology and superstition have portrayed octopuses as alien beings or evil creatures dwelling in the terrifying dark depths of oceans. Little wonder, considering they are a bit unusual. The giant Pacific octopus has three hearts, nine brains and blue blood, making reality stranger than fiction. Things to know about the...
New Oakmont Bakery promises more great food, expanded service
Loyal customers of Oakmont Bakery can almost smell the freshly baked bread, bagels and rolls and taste the buttercream frosting and chocolate ganache as they drive past the soon-to-open facility just off the Hulton Bridge. The new building, located about a half-mile from the bakery’s current location on Allegheny Avenue...
Commuter’s ‘delay scarf’ bought by German train company
BERLIN — Germany’s biggest rail company, under fire for its unpunctual service, is trying to mollify one disgruntled commuter by buying her “delay scarf.” Deutsche Bahn, which on Thursday announced plans to hire 22,000 more staff, bought the hand-made scarf in an online auction for 7,550 euros ($8,600). The money...
Parents need to get on the same page to address daughter’s meltdowns
Adapted from a recent online discussion. Dear Carolyn: My usually calm daughter, 6, has recently started melting down every time something doesn’t go her way — big or small. My spouse and I can’t figure out the best way to handle it. He says I’m too easy on her because...
Armed with affection, octogenarian is an ‘octopus whisperer’
BOSTON — Wilson Menashi palmed a squid in his left hand and extended his arm into an aquarium tank, watching as a giant Pacific octopus stretched out arms to greet him like a friend. Freya latched some of her 2,240 suction cups onto Menashi’s arm, using their powers of taste...
