More Lifestyles category, Page 29
Pandemic-era design solution from the past: The Murphy bed
When the vast majority of your life is happening within the four walls of your home, every square foot counts. So the past two years have inspired some serious, space-saving creativity. “Everybody all of a sudden was just surrounded by their environment, just sort of thinking, ‘If I’m going to...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County: Jan. 21-23
Boogie (some) more Southern rock fans, don’t flirt with disaster by missing Molly Hatchet at 7 p.m. Friday at The Lamp Theatre in Irwin. Formed in Florida in 1971, the band had its heyday in the late 1970s and early 1980s, releasing the platinum-selling hit records, “Molly Hatchet” in 1978,...
Phipps Conservatory orchid, bonsai show highlights prized collections
An orchid that recently was awarded the American Orchid Society’s Certificate of Cultivation Excellence is among specimens displayed in “Orchid and Bonsai Show: An Ocean of Color,” running through March 6 at Phipps Conservatory. “Plants receiving this award represent the highest level of orchid culture,” said Adam Haas, interpretive program...
A new look for New Year’s resolutions as Sewickley gym goers navigate pandemic
The New Year’s resolution to get back in shape is taking on a different look in 2022. While January traditionally has been a time for setting new goals and a new start on a healthier lifestyle, living through a pandemic for nearly two years has had an effect on our...
When it comes to resolutions, don’t forget your home
At the start of a new year, you make resolutions to get in shape, save money, travel or spend more time with family and friends. But what goals do you set for your home? In the spirit of new beginnings, the Spruce has compiled a list of the best home...
Special rescues help ailing owners find pets’ next home
NEW YORK — Who will take your pet when you die? The question often doesn’t have an easy answer, especially for ill or older people headed to residential nursing care or assisted living. During the pandemic, specialized rescue, advocacy and adoption services run by volunteers are trying to fill the...
How to have the wedding you want for less
This one goes out to all you lovebirds who got engaged over the holidays and are now left planning a wedding with zero event-planning experience. Somehow you’re expected to craft a day that’s traditional, yet modern. Well-attended, yet intimate. It’s about you as a couple, but also shouldn’t be offensive...
3 eating and drinking habits that aren’t good for your brain
Brain health is important at any age. To maintain it, you have to be mindful of what you consume. “There is growing scientific evidence that healthy behaviors, which have been shown to prevent cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, also may reduce risk for (subjective cognitive decline),” the Centers for Disease...
How to attract busy contractors to your home remodel
Brian Gawthrop has waited over six months to remodel his home. The Washington state-based certified financial planner and his wife have a long enough wish list to keep a contractor busy: a kitchen remodel, new flooring, a new deck and many other upgrades. They did a cash-out refinance last summer,...
‘Mudi’? Try a toy: American Kennel Club adds 2 dog breeds
NEW YORK — An athletic Hungarian farm dog and a tiny pet of bygone Russian aristocrats are the latest breeds in the American Kennel Club’s purebred lineup. The club announced Tuesday that it’s recognizing the Russian toy and the mudi. That means they’re eligible to compete for best in show...
‘Pooh,’ ‘Sun Also Rises’ among works going public in 2022
WASHINGTON — “Winnie the Pooh” and “The Sun Also Rises” are going public. A.A. Milne’s beloved children’s book and Ernest Hemingway’s classic novel, along with films starring Buster Keaton and Greta Garbo are among the works from 1926 whose copyrights will expire Saturday, putting them in the public domain as...
‘Wait, what?’ quip tops school’s annual banished words list
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. — The judges of a Michigan university’s cheeky annual “Banished Words List” have a message for texting and tweeting Americans: Your “wait, what?” joke is lame. The phrase topped Lake Superior State University in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula lighthearted list of 10 “winners” chosen from among more...
Switched on Christmas: Collector exhibits vintage holiday lights at Ligonier libraryVideo
Tiny bubbles at the holiday season may bring New Year’s Eve champagne toasts to mind. Don Lachie delights in bubbles of a different type — ones that are enjoyed by viewing instead of imbibing. Christmas tree lights that bubble instead of twinkle came into vogue in the late 1940s and...
Santa’s on his way: Here’s how to track him
All eyes are on the guy dressed in red and white. It’s time for Santa Claus to shine, and there are a few ways to track his gift-giving progress — with the help of nine flying reindeer, Rudolph included of course — before he makes it to rooftops across Southwestern...
Hallelujah! The remarkable story behind this joyful word
It begins with the violins — orderly and baroque. The choir rises. The audience rises. And before you know it, the concert hall, church, rec center or school auditorium fills with the triumphant sound of one of the most beloved musical works of the season: Handel’s “Hallelujah” chorus. Over the...
Practical presents: These gifts serve needs without taking up space
If you’re running out of time to find that special gift for that special someone, this could be the year when the thing to give is not a thing at all. As Christmas bears down upon us, here are a few ideas for practical gifts that can make life easier...
Fresh-cut Christmas trees in short supply this season
Where are the fresh-cut Christmas trees? That’s what some Alle-Kiski Valley businesses are asking as fresh-cut trees are in short supply — or completely sold out. A large vacant lot has been empty for weeks at Kiski Garden Center in Allegheny Township. In previous years, it still would be offering...
Kennywood investing in new look for 125th birthday
The planning has begun. Kennywood is preparing for a really, really big party. The West Mifflin amusement park turns 125 years old on Dec. 18, 2023. And it wants to look its best. Like most celebrations, in order to be ready for the soiree, the park will need time to...
Porch pirates love this time of year. Here are some tips to protect your packages
With an estimated $207 billion expected to be spent online by shoppers this holiday season and a record 20 billion parcels shipped to U.S. addresses last year, it’s not a surprise that thieves see all those packages on the porch as opportunity, too. Most people don’t report stolen deliveries to...
What’s your religion? In U.S., a common reply now is ‘None’
Nathalie Charles, even in her mid-teens, felt unwelcome in her Baptist congregation, with its conservative views on immigration, gender and sexuality. So she left. “I just don’t feel like that gelled with my view of what God is and what God can be,” said Charles, an 18-year-old of Haitian descent...
Resale is making gains in December holiday gift shopping
NEW YORK — Second hand. Like new. Thrift. Buy Nothing. Gently used. There are lots of ways to describe consumption in the booming resale market. Add “Merry Christmas!” to the list. Resale has taken off among those looking to save the planet and spend less on gifts during what can...
Time to finish: Deadline approaching to get gifts under the tree by Christmas
Hey procrastinators: If you think you’ve still got plenty of time to shop for Christmas and get those gifts mailed so they’ll be under the tree come Christmas morning, think again. There are only a few days left if shoppers want to ensure that gifts will arrive on time, and...
5 things to do in Westmoreland County: Dec. 10-12
Mac attack If you’re a Fleetwood Mac fan, you need to get yourself to the Lamp Theatre this weekend. Tusk, the band billing itself as “The Number One Tribute to Fleetwood Mac,” will play shows at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the downtown Irwin venue. Tusk promises note-for-note renditions...
Newly reaccredited National Aviary boasts seasonal activities
The National Aviary has received an early Christmas gift, with renewed accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Glad tidings from the facility on Pittsburgh’s North Side also include the return of special holiday events after a hiatus in 2020 due to the pandemic. “AZA accreditation is the gold...
White or multicolored holiday lights? Trib readers have strong preferences
Joe Weltner’s 90-year-old grandmother still tells the story. Back in the day, she and her husband were driving the grandkids around to look at the neighborhood Christmas decorations. From the back seat, young Joe — probably 6 at the time — was heard to mutter, “I hate white lights.” “From...
