JoAnne Klimovich Harrop stories, Page 21
Pittsburgh Museum of Illusions offers exhibits that challenge the eye
Walking through this museum may cause you to look twice and think, “Did I just see what I thought I saw?” The Museum of Illusions, which opens Thursday on Pittsburgh’s North Side, offers various optical illusion experiences. “Optical illusions have been around forever,” said Stacy Stec, director of sales and...
Jak’s, a traditional Bulgarian bakery, opens in Bloomfield
As a freshman at what is now called the Professional High School of Tourism in his native Bulgaria, Zhelyazko “Jak” Latinov studied the standard math, geography and history. He studied English but it wasn’t a core subject. In addition to his regular classes, he attended a technical school where he...
Mancini’s Italian Bakery creates the leg lamp from ‘A Christmas Story’ out of bread
This piece of art weighs 190 pounds and is 4 feet high and 4 feet wide — and it’s edible. Mancini’s Italian Bakery co-owner Nick Mancini Hartner created a leg lamp made of dough to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the iconic film “A Christmas Story.” The masterpiece reflects the...
How Pittsburgh Public Theater brought ‘A Christmas Story’ to the stage
Tim Mackabee walked into the O’Reilly Theater in Downtown Pittsburgh and sat in the front row. The New York-based set designer looked at the space in front of him trying to envision a creative way to bring the show made for the screen, “A Christmas Story,” to life on the...
Cup of cheer: Holiday bars are popping up all over Pittsburgh
Holiday pop-up bars are limited-time establishments with creative cocktails and mocktails — some also offer food — with a backdrop of decorations, perfect for posting photos on social media. Western Pennsylvania has plenty to choose from of these bars, which have become popular in recent years. Tinseltown Tinseltown, formerly The...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Dec. 15-17
Maybe you’re looking to get crafty. Maybe you’re looking for some holiday music with lasers. Or maybe you’re just looking for some Christmas cookies. Whatever you’re looking for this weekend, Pittsburgh has some fun things planned. Art and craft shows The Pittsburgh Winter Avant-Garde Art and Craft Show is from...
Prantl’s Terrible Torte — what it is and how you can get one
Prantl’s Bakery has created a version of its popular burnt almond torte inspired by Pittsburgh’s black and gold. This newest flavor is the Terrible Torte, which will be available by pre-order only for a limited time starting Friday. “It’s called the Terrible Torte, but it’s actually delicious,” said Prantl’s president...
Nativity scene heralds presence of Nativity Lutheran Church in Hampton
Nativity Lutheran Church in Hampton is recognized by its 8-foot-tall figures of Mary and Joseph behind a manger, surrounded by three wise men and shepherds. There is an ox, a camel, some sheep and a manger as part of the display on the grass in front. The Nativity, which portrays...
Celebrate the holidays with these quintessential Pittsburgh attractions
While Kaufmann’s department store decked out for Christmas in Downtown Pittsburgh isn’t on the list of Pittsburgh holiday musts anymore, there are still plenty of things to see and do during the holidays in the city. These are the places and events that are quintessential Pittsburgh at Christmastime. “A Musical...
McDonald’s bringing back McNugget Buddies in adult Happy Meal
As a child, seeing which mini-toy was inside a McDonald’s Happy Meal was always a thrill. Getting all the miniatures in the collection was a must, which meant multiple trips to the Golden Arches fast-food restaurant. McDonald’s is bringing that sense of wonder back — for kids and adults. “This...
Everyone had ‘a seat at the table’ at Best Buddies’ Tastebuds
The David L. Lawrence Convention Center’s grand concourse overflowed with love on Monday night. Pittsburgh area chefs and their helpers laughed and smiled at the sixth annual Tastebuds event, an evening to showcase the culinary talents of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The fundraiser for Best Buddies Pennsylvania, an...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Dec. 8-10
It’s the weekend. Here are some ways to spend it. Lawrenceville Cookie Tour The Lawrenceville Cookie Tour is from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Transforming the Lawrenceville business district along Butler Street and Penn Avenue into a 30-block-long cookie table, the tour highlights holiday shopping at nearly...
Local musicians will take the stage in A Very Yinzer Christmas concert
Certain holiday music is often associated with a specific singer — such as Andy Williams’ voice in “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” What if the sounds of that song brought to mind one of Pittsburgh’s well-known musicians? Well, they just might because Scott Blasey, lead vocalist of...
Bloomfield home will be fabricated with shipping containers for $825K
Six shipping containers stacked and welded together will become a house in Bloomfield. You read that correctly. Rebekah Siegel and Eric Smooke of Siegel Smooke Holdings LLC, both Allderdice High School graduates, ran into each other two years ago in Shadyside. They embarked on developing the property. “This is not...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Dec. 1-3
It’s the first weekend of December. Here are some ways to spend it. Open house The 32nd Nationality and Intercultural Exchange Programs Holiday Open House is from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Nationality and Heritage Rooms inside the Cathedral of Learning on Pitt’s campus in Oakland. Guests are...
Holiday Lights Trolley takes guests on a 3-hour tour of festive locations in Pittsburgh
Sparkling lights have always brightened Molly Shaheen’s holidays, so much so that she founded a company — Holiday Lights Trolley LLC — to bring that festive feeling to others. Pittsburgh is her most recent city stop. Guests will board a trolley or bus and take a tour around the city,...
Slice it up: Italian Village Pizza near Aspinwall serves pieces of the pie
It all started in 1980 with one slice of homemade dough with fresh tomato sauce and melted cheese cut into a triangle. Now, 43 years later, the 16 Italian Village Pizza shops in Western Pennsylvania have hit the 100 million mark — a 100 million slices of pizza sold. “That’s...
Local celebrities make guest appearances in Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s ‘The Nutcracker’
Kristine Sorensen recalled going to see the performance of “The Nutcracker” with her sister and their mother, Barbara. “It is one of my favorite holiday traditions as a child,” said Sorensen, anchor of the 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. KDKA-TV newscasts and Kidsburgh reporter, via email. “Then I performed in...
Highmark First Night Pittsburgh turns 30 this year
Pittsburgh’s annual New Year’s Eve celebration turns 30 years old on Dec. 31. It’s a six-hour arts-focused family-friendly free production of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. The event takes place in a 14-block area of the Cultural District, Downtown. Live music, dance, theater, visual arts, magic, kids’ activities and a community...
3rd annual Wreaths Across America event scheduled in Bethel Park
Lisa Jenkins’ father, David Schmitt, was a U.S. Army tank driver in Korea. He is her inspiration for becoming co-coordinator of Bethel Park Wreaths Across America with her husband, Jim Jenkins. Wreaths Across America started in 1992 when the owner of a company in Maine arranged for placement of wreaths...
Pittsburgh Botanic Garden in North Fayette hosts ‘Dazzling Nights Pittsburgh’ through Jan. 1
Pittsburgh Botanic Garden is blooming with a field of 2,000 illuminated flowers. “Dazzling Nights Pittsburgh” is a winter display featuring a million lights throughout the garden. Guests can stroll under dozens of handmade Moroccan lanterns hanging from the treetops, a new feature this year, and through a tunnel of giant...
Ben Avon Holiday House Tour highlights Victorian architecture
A 42-inch wreath hangs above a fireplace fashioned from colorful vintage ornaments from the owners’ moms. “They are cool memories,” said Jackie Piccini, who made the wreath. “I found those ornaments in a box and wasn’t sure what to do with them. So I decided to attach them to a...
Crescent Hills Holiday House Tour supports Penn Hills park
Grace Edwardo was on a holiday house tour in Oakmont in 2022. She recalled one home where the kitchen was transformed into the children’s game Candyland. “The decorations were all red and white, like peppermint star candies,” said Edwardo. “The kitchen table was set up with red and white dinnerware,...
Award-winning costume designer Paul G. Tazewell to be honored at FashionAFRICANA’s inaugural gala
A costume is more than a piece of clothing to Paul G. Tazewell. The fabric is a part of the character. “I love the process, and I love collaborating with people,” said Tazewell, who has been designing costumes for Broadway, regional theater, film and television, dance, and opera productions for...
5 things to do in Pittsburgh this weekend: Nov. 24-26
It’s finally the weekend. And after you’ve completed your Black Friday or Small Business Saturday shopping, here are some other fun things you can get yourself into. Zoo Lights Zoo Lights returns to the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium in Highland Park for the fourth year on Friday. The drive-thru event...
