Lifestyles category, Page 20
Sheetz creates playable Fortnite map, contest with $25K in prize money
You can already go on a “Sheetz run” in real life and earn points using the convenience chain’s rewards program. But savvy Fortnite players will soon be able to go on a virtual Sheetz run and compete for up to $10,000 in prize money through a custom map in the...
‘Onyx Storm’ book release sends ‘Fourth Wing’ fans into frenzy online
For “Fourth Wing” lovers, Tuesday was a big day. Basgiath War College is back in session, but not for Violet Sorrengail and Xaden Riorson. Rebecca Yarros’ third installment, “Onyx Storm,” of the viral Empyrean romantasy series was released, and fans can’t contain their excitement. Readers took to the social media...
Pup pet service debuts in Sewickley
Michelle Cook has gone to the dogs, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. “I talk to dogs more than I talk to people,” said the pup walker, trainer and caretaker. Cook, 40, resides in Sewickley and opened Sky’s The Limit this month. Dog walking is the most requested...
What other apps can you turn to with TikTok ban just days away?
With a possible TikTok ban just days away, many U.S. users are looking for alternative social media platforms to help them keep up with pop culture or provide the type of entertaining videos that popularized the short-form video app. The Supreme Court on Friday unanimously upheld the federal law banning...
Bell Acres attorney, Pitt alum honored by university’s Varsity Letter Club
Beth Tarasi has always been one to hold her own on — and in — the court. The attorney is always willing to do what she needs to do to earn a win, whether making a good pass to a teammate on the basketball court or representing a client in...
Centuries of fusion predate the marriage of ingredients in this Japanese Italian Wedding Soup
When Sonoko Sakai’s mother snuck a little miso into her lasagna, she wasn’t thinking of the kind of Japanese fusion that became an American dining craze in the 1980s. Rather, she was doing what Japanese cooks had been doing for centuries, adapting to outside influences. Many dishes now thought of...
Dry January can be a gateway to sobriety
We’re halfway through January — which is the time many people start to slack on their new year’s resolutions or forgo them altogether. In fact, the second Friday in January is known as “Quitters Day,” the day that most people give up their resolutions. One common resolution that has gained...
Sherree Goldstein talks about opening Title 9, Pittsburgh’s first women’s sports bar
In 1972, a federal law was passed barring sex discrimination in government-funded education programs, including sports. Sherree Goldstein took inspiration from the common name for that law — Title IX — when naming her new venture, Title 9, an East Liberty bar that will exclusively show women’s sports. “Title IX,...
Mobile party staffing business a fixture for 35 years in Pittsburgh
Tami McQuaid never thought she’d make a career out of being a hostess with the “mostest.” But 35 years later, Great Gatherings, a mobile professional staffing business owned by McQuaid, provides professional servers, bartenders, cooks and event promoters for private and corporate events in the Pittsburgh region. “My parents, Robert...
Cardinal Coffee opens cafe in Jeannette, continues legacy of owner’s deceased son
The past 15 years of Robert Zollinger’s life would undoubtedly look different if it weren’t for the dream of his son, Jason. Jason Zollinger envisioned running his own coffee roastery — a vision he put into motion through Cardinal Coffee Co. in 2010. Inviting his dad to join in on...
U.S. TikTok users flock to Chinese app Xiaohongshu in protest with TikTok ban looming
HONG KONG — As the threat of a TikTok ban looms, U.S. TikTok users are flocking to the Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu — making it the top downloaded app in the U.S. Some of the “TikTok refugees,” as they call themselves, say the TikTok alternative, a Chinese app, is...
10 restaurants, stores and chains we’d like to see come to Pittsburgh
A long-sought Wegmans will finally be coming to the Pittsburgh region, with the grocery store chain on Monday announcing plans to open a location in Cranberry. Other coveted regional chains have popped up locally in recent years, with Raising Canes opening its first location in Oakland in 2023 (followed by...
Too early to prep the garden for spring? Nope
As I write this, snow is falling outside my suburban New York window, and I feel like I just stored my gardening tools and patio umbrella for the season. And yet, with the winter solstice in the rearview mirror, it’s already time to start preparing for spring. Testing Seeds This...
Wooden bouquets among the attractions at cultural trust’s wedding expo in Greensburg
Wedding bouquets designed by Grace Stickle never wilt. They are all made of wood. Struggling to find affordable fresh flowers for her own wedding, Stickle learned to make the unique bouquets. Friends and family began asking her to make their wedding flowers, and Stickle Stems was born. Bouquets of the...
For some, Dry January leads to full-time sobriety
For Scott Page, Dry January goes year-round. At the beginning of his sobriety journey, he avoided even being in bars where other people were drinking alcohol. “I was worried it could be triggering,” the South Side resident said. “For me, one drink is too many and 100 is not enough....
Sewickley United Methodist Church pastor lives the message of ‘do the good that is yours to do’
A stack of umbrellas sits in a container at the entrance to Sewickley United Methodist Church. While they represent a functional use, they also have a deeper meaning. To demonstrate that deeper meaning, the Rev. Hannah Loughman stood holding an open umbrella during a recent rainy Sunday at a service...
TikTok could be banned this month. Here’s what users can do to prepare
TikTok has cemented itself as a quintessential entertainment app, offering everything from funny skits and makeup tutorials to social commentary and news. The platform, though, could vanish from U.S. app stores by Jan. 19 if the Supreme Court does not step in to block a federal law that forces TikTok...
Family ties: Jack and Jill Ball is a cherished tradition throughout generations
In 1981, Judith M. Davenport’s daughter, Allison, was a senior at The Ellis School. Her friends were talking about a local debutante ball where young women make a formal entrance into society. Allison submitted her name but was not invited. So Davenport reached out to other members of Jack and...
Red dye could be banned in food, drinks
Are you a fan of red-colored bubble gym, candy or fruit cocktails? Valentine’s Day is almost here, bringing with it bright red- and pink-themes. But the bright cherry-red dye, red dye No. 3, used in drinks and snacks could be banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the...
Smart bird feeders gain popularity and spark interest in bird-watching
CONCORD, N.H. — Marin Plank truly had no interest in birds when she gave her husband a camera-equipped bird feeder for his birthday. But by Christmas, she had become so obsessed with birds that most of the gifts she received this year — books, stickers, notecards — were related. “This...
How to talk to your family about inheritance
Beyond the general discomfort of talking about death, the topic of inheritance brings in a whole other set of sticky issues. Research finds that parents’ and children’s expectations for bequests are rarely aligned, even among those who have a good relationship, which is why it’s so important to get on...
New labels will help people pick devices less at risk of hacking
WASHINGTON — The federal government is rolling out a consumer labeling system designed to help Americans pick smart devices that are less vulnerable to hacking. Under the voluntary program, called the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark Initiative, manufacturers can affix the label on their products if they meet federal cybersecurity standards....
Houseplants that don’t require soil and can be displayed any which way? Look to air plants
If you’re looking for a houseplant that’s as unique as it is low-maintenance, let me introduce you to air plants, members of the Tillandsia genus in the Bromeliad family. I first became acquainted with Tillandsia circa 2007, when I was invited to tour the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival at...
Craft breweries adjust to industry change as closings outpace openings for 1st time in 20 years
Thirty years ago, if someone said, “I’m going out to grab a craft beer,” the person they were talking to might not have known what that meant, let alone where they would go to get it. Today, in Greensburg alone, it could mean eight different taprooms, and that’s not counting...
Western Pennsylvanians react to U.S. Surgeon General’s call for cancer warning on alcohol
On Friday, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said that because alcohol is a leading cause of cancer, warning labels should be on all alcoholic beverages. Murthy said in an Associated Press article that Americans should be better informed about the link between alcohol and cancer, in particular, noting alcohol consumption...
