Since my daughters’ orthodontist was located in the Bloomfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh, I’ve spent many hours, wandering around the area waiting for various dental appliances – expanders, retainers, braces – to be put in and taken off. So one would think that I would’ve explored every nook and cranny of this primarily Italian neighborhood.
But last [...]

Growing up near the big steel mills of Pittsburgh, words like coke (not the soda or the sniffy kind,) Bessemer oven and Carrie furnace were part of the local vocabulary, but I admit I didn’t really know what they were . . until yesterday.  The Babushkas & Hard Hats tour, sponsored by Rivers of Steel, [...]

A few months ago, I went on a search for some real Pittsburgh “church lady” pierogies. You know, the type  made by hand by devoted church members in their parish basement.  The kind that don’t come from a cardboard box in the freezer section of the supermarket. Tender, butter and onion topped,  potato filled packets. [...]

Oh friends, all hail the Farmer’s Market.  It is a haven for budget-conscious cooks and restaurateurs alike.  You’ll find the best, newest, shiniest and most delicious veggies in the city. My local market is Wednesday night at Carrick Shopping Center, but I’m not a one market gal.
Just this year I’ve also visited the market on [...]

I’m a Northwestern PA sort of guy born and bred, but summer is road trip season. So, I found myself headed south to St Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church in Millvale to check out some of the most emotionally stirring art I’ve ever experienced in my life.
Born in Croatia, Maxo Vanka was commissioned by the [...]

On a rainy Saturday in Pittsburgh, I wasn’t in the mood for dodging umbrellas in the Strip District or jumping puddles at an outdoor farm market in order to get my farm-fresh fix.  But all was not lost.
The Farmer’s Cooperative of East Liberty (344 Sheridan Avenue,) a year-round indoor market in the East End, rescued [...]

Sugar and spice and everything nice. That’s how the poem goes, but it’s also the smell that flows out onto the street every time I pass The Enrico Biscotti Company in Pittsburgh’s Strip District.  Even when there’s nothing I need, I loop through the shop just to get a more intense whiff of the sweet [...]

There is a saying that goes something like this:  “Instead of worrying about the destination, focus on the journey… for it’s the journey that is truly important.”  So in that spirit, I’m going to focus on a fun way to journey across PA, wherever your final destination may be:  traveling via Amtrak.
Spring fever sent my [...]

If you are around Pittsburgh and looking for a great place for a baby shower gift, child’s birthday party or even a little something for yourself, visit The Picket Fence in Shadyside.  This quaint boutique is filled with children’s toys and apparel, gifts for the home, women’s clothing and accessories, and gifts for a special [...]

Last weekend I stopped by the Shadyside Arts Festival and found two great new clothing stores.
Francesca’s Collections- Walnut Street.  Housed along other such chain stores as the Gap, Apple Store, J. Crew and Banana Republic, Francesca’s Collections is the only location of this store in Western Pennsylvania.  Filled with moderately priced clothing, gifts and accessories, [...]