Lifestyles category, Page 212
She wasn’t welcomed by in-laws until she had kids
Dear Carolyn: My in-laws, sister-in-law included, made it crystal clear they only invited me to things because they “had to” — their words — once my husband and I were married. I was even told point-blank that I ruined Christmas by being present. Well, now everyone wants to be around...
Pittsburgh Restaurant Week — how it works
Intrigued by Pittsburgh Restaurant Week? If the event, scheduled for Jan. 14-20, already has you salivating, just call or click. It’s really that simple. “Several of the restaurants do offer reservations through Open Table, which is on our website,” says Brian McCollum, now directing his 15th culinary event.“Those that don’t,...
Pennsylvania resorts offer Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month specials
January is Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month, with more than 140 resorts nationwide — including 21 in Pennsylvania — participating As part of the special month, in its 11th year, Pennsylvania ski resorts will join with others across the country to celebrate Jan. 11 as National Learn to Ski...
Ligonier’s traveling soup sampling returns in March
Ligonier Valley Chamber of Commerce is planning its 10th annual “Soup’s On” event, set for 11 a.m.-2 p.m. March 23. The popular winter activity lets participants walk around the borough and visit its merchants, as local restaurants serve samples of their soups. Visitors are encouraged to check out the town’s...
7 new spots to try for Pittsburgh Restaurant Week
Meal deals will be on the menus of more than 50 popular dining spots during the Winter 2019 edition of Pittsburgh Restaurant Week, Jan. 14-20. Pittsburgh is one of several cities that offer Restaurant Week promotions in January and August to help boost business during typically slow months in the...
Meadow is newest color for signature Fiesta dinnerware brandVideo
Homer Laughlin China Co. has introduced a sign of spring during the darkest time of winter. In what has become an annual rite of early January, the maker of Fiesta dinnerware announced its newest color — Meadow, a light green — Tuesday morning from the Atlanta International Gift & Home...
Widower’s daughter still misses mom, but shouldn’t punish stepmom
Adapted from a recent online discussion. Dear Carolyn: My husband is a widower with three kids. His youngest daughter, “Danielle,” is getting married. My two stepsons have been much more welcoming to me since I entered the family than Danielle has. I approached this by being loving to Danielle but...
‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ looks to silver linings, second chances on NBC
In a fitting setup even he couldn’t have written, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” co-creator Dan Goor was in the bathroom when he got the call that Fox had canceled the comedy after five seasons. There had been rumblings about the fate of the show, but as Goor will tell you, there’s always...
Pittsburgh Travel Showcase offers one-stop vacation planning
The Pittsburgh Travel Showcase, set for Jan. 11-13 in the downtown David L. Lawrence Convention Center, promises one-stop shopping for all vacation planning needs. Presented by AAA Travel, the third showcase will offer presentations from industry experts and travel agency services, along with prizes and giveaways. “The Showcase promises to...
La Riviera will operate ‘to go’ soup kitchen on February Mondays
Every Monday in February, French bistro La Riviera will operate as a to-go soup kitchen for people in need in Pittsburgh, according to a news release. The restaurant, at 5925 Baum Blvd., will be closed for regular business hours on Mondays, however, the soup kitchen will be open from 2-5...
My ex, who never believed in marriage, is marrying
Adapted from a recent online discussion. Hi, Carolyn: I’m finding myself in one of those surreal stories where I invested years (six of them) in a relationship with someone who insisted he did not believe in marriage and finally ended things with me so he didn’t deprive me of what...
Out & About: Fort’s Twelfth Night guests party like it’s 1776
Fort Ligonier’s second annual Twelfth Night Celebration was a blast from the past, with guests in their Colonial best dress partying like it was 1776. The Jan. 5 soiree in the fort’s Center for History Education laid the holiday season to rest, after one last hurrah including food, drink, music...
Greensburg girl earns PA Farm Show fashion honors
Emily Jumper, 17, of Greensburg took Best in Show honors Saturday in the 4-H Fashion with a Flair competition at the 103rd Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. Jumper topped the field wearing her pink formal-wear dress with a wrap and trumpet skirt she made from a matching rainbow-patterned fabric. She...
Low, slow is the way to go when making this fish dish
Low and slow is the way to go when it comes to making this yummy fish dish. A low-temperature oven (set to just 300 F) ensures that the fish cooks slowly, without drying out. Crispy, buttery, garlicky panko bread crumbs get a head start in a skillet so they’re golden...
Make like Yukon Cornelius with Arctic Paws Dog Sled Tours
Get ready to unleash your inner Yukon Cornelius with the Arctic Paws Dog Sled Tours in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains. Operating Saturdays and Sundays until March out of Manor Sports at Pocono Manor Resort and Spa in Monroe County, the tours are not for the timid. “Dog sledding is like mountain...
Living with Children: Don’t put too much stock in feelings
Feelings are a wild card. On the one hand, the ability to experience deep emotion is one of the things that defines us as human. On the other, feelings can be and often are destructive to relationships and even to self. Like thoughts and behavior, feelings begin in chaos (check...
Should a mother leave her son with his father to take a far-flung job?
Dear Carolyn: I immigrated to marry a man I’d dated for four years. It was an incredibly toxic and abusive relationship, and I finally managed to leave after 11 years. I was unemployed and without family or friends. After two years, I’ve found an amazing job and have done brilliant...
No-knead focaccia is a gateway into the world of baking bread
One of the wonderful things about living, breathing and working in food is all that is new, or at least new to me. New recipes to try, new photos to drool over, new cookbooks to peruse. My desk is piled with those cookbooks, stacks about as stable as a Jenga...
Make tomato sauce and cook spaghetti squash in one pot
Delicately flavored spaghetti squash makes for a fun and interesting vegetarian main, but often the squash must be roasted in the oven while a separate sauce is made on the stove. In the multicooker, however, we could make a simple fresh tomato sauce and cook a large 4-pound spaghetti squash...
Leechburg Area Media Center moves library in new direction
Leechburg Area School District has turned the page on a new library. Renovations are almost complete on a new Leechburg Area Media Center library and superintendent Tiffany Nix says this latest project is moving the district one step closer to providing a 21st century learning environment for students. “We are...
Friend’s effort to always look at the bright side is annoying
Adapted from a recent online discussion. Dear Carolyn: A good friend has a habit that makes me crazy and I’d love to deal with it better. Whatever anyone says, she tries to put a positive spin on it. I realize I sound like a monster for being annoyed by this,...
Bask in final days of ‘Holiday Magic: Let It Glow’ at Phipps
Jan. 6 is the last day to catch Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens’ “Holiday Magic: Let It Glow!” light show. Visitors meander through the elaborately decorated rooms inside, stopping frequently to take and pose for photos. The show, which has been open since late November, pays tribute to Phipps’ 125th...
Outdoor skating is a winter tradition that’s worth the wait
The holidays are over, but there’s still plenty of winter left to celebrate. It’s the perfect time to head outside and hit the ice at any of the outdoor skating rinks in the region. If Old Man Winter sends a little chill our way, that is. Those rinks that were...
Black walls make a quiet comeback
There was a time when black walls were mostly the purview of goth teens and indie movie theaters. But the color has been quietly cultivating a broader following among designers and homeowners who want a cozy, enveloping ambiance that still has theatrical flair. Bedrooms, libraries and bathrooms clad in inky...
Boyfriend couldn’t live up to girlfriend’s married ex
Dear Carolyn: What is it about single women and “dating” married men? I just broke up with my girlfriend of two years because I could not live up to her past married “boyfriend.” I was not as funny, charming or fun as he was. Funny thing, they never did anything...
