JoAnne Klimovich Harrop stories, Page 78
Pittsburgh Piano Day literally drives music to the cityVideo
Peter Stumpf is Pittsburgh’s “piano man.” He and a group of other musicians will take to the road Saturday and Sunday to bring music to the streets for “Piano Day Pittsburgh.” Stumpf, a piano technician, launched the annual event in 2016. They will strap an 800-pound, seven-foot concert semi-grand Steinway...
Smiles From Sean brings emojis to UPMC Children’s Hospital
These emojis are aimed at creating real smiles. Bright yellow pillows, cinch bags, stress balls and key chains decorated with smiling faces will be given to kids at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in Lawrenceville. Sean Rovers, 11, of Bethel Park came up with the idea to create happiness for...
Groceria Merante celebrates 40 years in OaklandVideo
The atmosphere hasn’t changed much in four decades at Groceria Merante, nestled at the corner of Bates and McKee Place in Oakland. The popular Italian grocery store turned 40 this month. A big celebration is planned for Saturday. There will be food and sweet treats, street vendors, cooking demonstrations, bocce...
Shadyside Arts Festival features creative twist on animals, food, boxes
One artist paints endangered animals. Another’s work showcases Pittsburgh through images of food. And a third transforms vintage crates. The trio will be part of the 23rd annual Shadyside … The Art Festival on Walnut, Aug. 24-25. The event features 150 local, regional and national artists and includes an array...
Vigilance Theater Group produces immersive theater
There is a theater experience where guests become part of the show. “Welcome to Moonside” is a production of the Vigilance Theater Group where there is no stage, no curtain. You, who attend, will be asked to assist evil spirits who are from a place called Moonside. Some of them...
‘Short Edition’ dispenses words of wisdom at Carnegie Mellon UniversityVideo
This vending machine dispenses food for thought. “Short Edition” is based on the concept of pressing a button and, instead of drinks or snacks coming out, the user receives a story or a poem. It prints quickly. The paper is biodegradable. It’s available 24 hours a day. There is no...
Traditional procession held at Bloomfield’s Little Italy DaysVideo
The tradition continued on Sunday. After an Italian Mass was celebrated at St. Maria Goretti Church in Bloomfield, the statue “The Madonna della Civita” was carried from that worship site to a sister church on Liberty Avenue. Members of the congregation formed a procession behind men carrying the statue of...
It’s that time of year: Back-to-school shopping
Classes begin shortly for students, but there is something worth studying before the first bell rings. Doing research on what to buy for back-to-school can help save money. According to the National Retail Federation, which follows and supports the retail industry, the average household is expected to spend $685 on...
Pittsburgh rehab center worker celebrates 70 years of serviceVideo
Nora Morant was ready to quit her job after the first day. Instead she stayed for 70 years. Morant has worked seven decades for the Jewish Association on Aging. She hasn’t finished the job yet. “Cheers to 70 years!” was a fitting theme on Friday at Charles Morris Nursing and...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Aug. 16-18
There’s still a bit of summer left in Pittsburgh. Embrace it. Mid-August means it’s time for Little Italy Days in Bloomfield. Here are some options for the weekend in the city: Italian flair Little Italy Days in Bloomfield features authentic Italian food and entertainment as well as traditional bocce competition...
Fashion forward: Style Week Pittsburgh hosts 3 days of chic events
Pittsburgh will show off its fashionable side with Style Week Pittsburgh, running Friday through Sunday. The annual event kicks off with the style awards from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday at Hotel Indigo in the Technology Center, South Oakland. The night will recognize the region’s leaders in fashion, business and...
Pittsburgh man parlays fashion sense into online businessVideo
Being on top of his fashion game wasn’t always a priority for Jon Shanahan. When he was growing up, baggy clothes and worn-out footwear were just fine. Now, Shanahan runs a fashion tips company, The Kavalier, where he shares knowledge of “what it means to be a modern gentleman.” The...
Puppet Slam in Pittsburgh features marionettes, giant puppets and moreVideo
Colorful puppets will perform at the Puppetry Guild of Pittsburgh’s fourth annual Puppet Slam on Saturday at Workingmen’s Beneficial Union in Spring Hill on the North Side. A puppet slam is a showcase of short, contemporary puppetry. The main performances will include marionettes, giant puppets, hand puppets and shadow puppets,...
ScareHouse to create Scream District in Strip District
Pittsburgh’s popular haunted attraction ScareHouse is transforming. The creators of ScareHouse, formerly housed on Locust Street in Etna, will present a new attraction called “The Scream District” in a new temporary home in the Strip District. An exact location has not been revealed. The new iteration of the ScareHouse will...
Sandcastle to add a new water slide: Bombs Away
There will be a new way to cool off at Sandcastle next summer. The West Homestead park announced it will next year debut Bombs Away, described as “a high altitude, looping free-fall body slide.” The park said the slide will take riders up more than six-stories. “Riders will enter the...
It’s time for wine at the annual Penn’s Colony event
Enjoy a glass of wine on a summer day underneath a shade tree. The annual Wine Time at the Colony, set for 1-6 p.m. Aug. 17 at the Penn’s Colony grounds in Saxonburg, Clinton Township, will feature vinos from Pennsylvania and New York. The annual event had previously been held...
Macy’s Backstage coming to Ross Park Mall
Macy’s will open its fourth Western Pennsylvania Backstage location on Saturday. Ross Park Mall will join South Hills Village, Monroeville Mall and Westmoreland Mall as regional locations with Backstage stores. Backstage is an extension of the department store and offers merchandise at significant savings. This latest shop is approximately 12,000...
After 18 years, Lidia’s Pittsburgh to close
Lidia’s Pittsburgh, a longtime staple in the Strip District, is closing. The expected closing date is sometime in September, said Gregg Perelman, CEO and managing partner of Walnut Capital, owner of the restaurant’s building at 1400 Smallman St. He said he is awaiting specifics from the restaurant’s general manager. “There...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Aug. 9-11
It’s the weekend and we’ve got a fresh beer fest in town, plus lots more going on. Make sure to brace for pregame preseason Steelers traffic Friday night (kickoff is 7:30 p.m.). Here are some suggestions for what to do. Beer here, it’s fresh! The nation’s first “Black Brew” festival...
Kingfly Spirits hires Jeremy Bustamante from Superior MotorsVideo
Jeremy Bustamante, the respected bartender who poured drinks at Superior Motors restaurant in Braddock since it opened in 2017, has a new gig. He’s the the food and beverage director at Kingfly Spirits, a craft distillery, in the Strip District. Bustamante worked for Superior Motors chef Kevin Sousa since 2010...
Freeport Theatre Festival performs classic ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’
“Arsenic and Old Lace” is one of those killer classics. Written by Joseph Kesselring, two maiden aunts, Abby and Martha Brewster, have a curious charity. They poison lonely, elderly gentlemen with homemade elderberry wine spiked with arsenic, in order to put them out of their misery. Set in 1941, the...
Martorano’s Prime steakhouse coming to Pittsburgh’s Rivers Casino
A juicy steak will soon be a sure bet at Pittsburgh’s Rivers Casino. Celebrity chef Steve Martorano plans to bring his high-end steakhouse Martorano’s Prime to the North Shore casino. The restaurant is scheduled to open later this year. “Pittsburgh is absolutely a foodie town, plus it has a strong...
‘Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood’ piano finds harmony at Manchester Craftsmen’s GuildVideo
Many tunes were played on the special piano, and many more will be played in its future home. The 1987 Steinway B piano was the instrument of choice for renowned jazz musician Johnny Costa on the set of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” inside WQED Multimedia studios in Oakland. Unveiled Tuesday, it...
Football, ribs, music combine at Heinz Field Rib Fest and Kickoff
Chomping on award-winning ribs and watching some football is not a bad way to spend a late-summer day. The 16th annual Heinz Field Rib Fest and Kickoff is Aug. 29 through Sept. 2 on the North Shore. The event features ribs and brisket vendors from all over the country. The...
Lincoln Avenue Brewery hoping to be ‘Cheers’ of BellevueVideo
Grant Saylor learned to brew beer on his back porch. Now he helps run Lincoln Avenue Brewery in the once-dry borough of Bellevue, where a May 2015 referendum overturned the longtime ban on liquor licenses. “We know it’s a leap of faith to try this business in a once-dry town,”...
