More Lifestyles category, Page 42
Living with Children: The correlation between food and behavior
A headache does not mean one has a brain tumor, but some brain tumors do cause headaches. Likewise, ADHD behaviors do not mean one has a food allergy, albeit some food allergies cause, in some children, behaviors that are on the official list of ADHD symptoms. (Mind you, I believe...
Pittsburgh Irish Festival to hold virtual St. Brigid celebration
Just about everyone knows who St. Patrick is, but few it seems have heard of St. Brigid. The folks at the Pittsburgh Irish Festival are hoping to change that. The organization has announced a “Celebration of St. Brigid” on Feb. 1 — the official holiday for St. Brigid, just as...
Santa lookalike from Robinson vies for prizes on ‘Let’s Make a Deal’
Check out the Santa Claus lookalike on the Jan. 29 episode of “Let’s Make a Deal.” That’s Michael Murray of Robinson, vying for big prizes on the long-running game show, airing at 10 a.m. on CBS. Murray teaches health and physical education to Pittsburgh Public Schools students from kindergarten through...
Living with Children: Unhappy tyrants are everywhere
Making children happy became a parenting goal in the early 1970s. The paradox, as everyone with a modicum of commonsense knows, is that the more effort parents put into making a child happy, the more unhappy the child becomes. Underneath the cute appearance of an infant lurks a tyrant. I...
Historic National Opera House in Homewood wants to be heard
Jonnet Solomon wants to hear voices bellow from the stage again. “I want to give people access to music once again,” said Solomon, of Mt. Washington, referring to the National Opera House, formerly known as the National Negro Opera House, in Homewood. The iconic building sits empty at 7101 Apple...
National Aviary offering in-person, virtual programming
Travel may not be an option right now because of the coronavirus, but visiting the National Aviary can make you feel like you’re on a tropical retreat, said Jennifer Torpie, the aviary’s curator of education and public programs. The aviary’s in-person and virtual programming allows visitors to see unusual bird...
Irwin gallery exhibit says ‘check yourself’ for mental health struggles
Kade Ellinger is using personal experience with depression and anxiety — along with his artistic talents — in the hope of sparking a conversation about mental and emotional health. His exhibit, “Chiggity-Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself,” is showing through February at Feathers Artist Market and Gifts in Irwin. “Check...
Pandemic brings importance of pets into focusVideo
People aren’t the only ones in the house affected by the pandemic. The lives of pets are subject to disruption, too. At the start, the change has been good for pets: With many owners working from home, or at least spending more time at home, dogs and cats have welcomed...
Carnegie Museum of Natural History offers new virtual field trips
The popular “Dinosaur Armor” exhibition is one of four virtual field trips now being offered by the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, joining the museum’s growing library of virtual experiences. The experiences are available to individuals and educators, with more products slated in coming months to meet growing demand for...
Somerset Fire & Ice Festival to feature self-guided activities this weekend
“Roaring ’20s Rise Again” is the theme of the 26th Annual Fire & Ice Festival, beginning Friday in Somerset — although organizers say the word “Festival” is being swapped for “Showcase” to better describe this year’s activities. “This year will be simple, classic, charming and all outdoors,” said Regina Coughenour,...
Tylers Bakery & Cafe brings bubble tea, kombucha on tap to LigonierVideo
Have you ever strolled the streets of Ligonier, thinking, “I could really go for a bubble tea right now”? Until recently, you might have been out of luck — but now you can stroll up East Main Street to Tylers Bakery & Cafe to satisfy your craving. The eatery specializes...
Ligonier Ice Fest to celebrate ’30 years of cool fun’
This year’s Ligonier Ice Fest will celebrate “30 years of cool fun,” said event chair Cindy Purnell. The frozen festivities are scheduled for Jan. 23-24 in Ligonier Diamond Park and the surrounding downtown area. Whether it’s 7 degrees or 70, Purnell said, the event will have all the visitor favorite...
Greensburg Restaurant Week will showcase dine-in, takeout options
Greensburg-area eateries are cooking up special menus for Greensburg Restaurant Week, scheduled for Jan. 25-31. About 20 restaurants are expected to participate, according to Ashley Kertes, executive director of Greensburg Community Development Corp., which organizes the semiannual event. During the week, local restaurants typically offer reduced or fixed price menus,...
Living with Children: After 45 years, I keep right on truckin’
2021 marks the 45th year I’ve been writing this column. I’ve been told it is the longest-running syndicated column written continuously by one author. That takes “Dear Abby” out of contention. In the beginning, I was four years out of graduate school, directing a community mental health program for children...
Snap a picture of your dog for chance to be in Biggies Bullies calendar
Have your furry friend strike a pose for a chance to have his or her picture in a calendar. The search is on for 13 dogs to be featured in the 2022 Biggies Bullies pet calendar. The contest begins Monday and is a fundraiser for the organization, which is a...
Double duty: Gift cards help businesses, Pittsburgh’s Jewish Community Center
Cathy Reifer and Cheryl Gerson could not bring themselves to ask local, family-owned businesses to make a donation to support an upcoming gala. So they decided to do the opposite. They devised a plan to give money to the businesses through purchasing gift cards. The “Gift Card Give Back” idea...
Thin mints or Trefoils? Girl Scout cookie sales set to begin
Thin mints or Trefoils? Do-si-dos or Tagalongs? It’s time to decide which Girl Scout cookies you’re buying this year — and how many boxes. Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania will launch their 2021 Girl Scout Cookie Program on Friday, hoping to bring smiles to the faces of their customers during a...
Animal Friends executive director Kelli Brisbane getting hands dirty in new post
Kelli Brisbane is getting her hands dirty in her new job. There’s nothing nefarious about it — it’s just part of being the new executive director at Animal Friends of Westmoreland. Since taking over the role on Dec. 14, Brisbane already has fostered a dog and pitched in at the...
Phipps Conservatory extends run of annual Winter Flower Show
The Winter Flower Show: Home for the Holidays has been extended through Jan. 17 at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh. The extension offers visitors an opportunity to view the annual show that they might have missed due to the site’s recent pandemic-related shutdown. “We wanted to give everyone...
Living with Children: Advice for preschool teachers
Question: I teach 3- and 4-year-olds in a childcare center in Australia. I always have a few difficult children in any group and the book in which you describe Alpha Speech (“The Well-Behaved Child”) has been very helpful. My disciplinary options are limited to separating a misbehaving child out of...
The clock will strike midnight later in 2021 for the Cinderella BallVideo
The daughters and dads dance will have to wait. The 95th annual Cinderella Ball has been moved because of the pandemic. Traditionally held in January at the historic Omni William Penn Hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh, the committee decided to host it on June 26 at the Allegheny Country Club in...
Chewy sends pet paintings to keep customers from straying
NEW YORK — Danielle Schwartz didn’t ask for an oil painting of her cat. But she loves the portrait of Stinky that hangs in her upstate New York home, a surprise gift from an unlikely place: an online pet store. It’s one of the more than 1,000 free paintings that...
Modern farmhouse decor seamlessly blends best of diverse stylesVideo
Brothers David and Will Franicola of Madison took on a big project in June when they bought an old farmhouse on 115 acres in East Huntingdon. Built around the turn of the 20th century, the house needs a lot of work before it will be move-in ready. “Everything is pretty...
Make a new year’s kindness resolution with Children’s Museum of PittsburghVideo
How can you ensure a good start to the new year? At the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, staff members think we can make 2021 a brighter year by sending more expressions of kindness into the world. “To make this happen, we’re inviting kids and families to make and share resolutions...
Living with Children: Beware of ‘The Protocol’
Question: Our son is 7 years old and in the second grade. His school went virtual this past spring and we see no end to it, not in the near term at least. When he was going to a brick-and-mortar schoolhouse, he did very well. Close to the top of...
