Halloween Recipe

Do you want a quick delicious Halloween treat for the weekend? Martha Stewart has come up with some delicious crackers to make for your Halloween festivities. Try this recipe, and let us know what you think! You can learn more here.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

Halloween Fun Fact: 

Jack o’ Lanterns originated in Ireland where people placed candles in hollowed-out turnips to keep away spirits and ghosts on the Samhain holiday. Learn more here.

Reilly's Farm for the Harvest Festival

This weekend head to Reilly's Farm in the North Hills for their annual Harvest Festival. The event is being held every Saturday and Sunday in October from 10am-4pm. The event has food, entertainment, games, and rides. You can learn more at Living Pittsburgh.


Every Saturday and Sunday in October from 10am until 4pm, Reilly’s Summer Seat Farm in the North Hills holds it’s annual Harvest Festival for just $6.50 per person.

Take a hay ride to the Pumpkin Patch to pick your own pumpkin. After that, you can head to the New Boo Barn with added excitement, the Cornstalk maze, Marshmallow roast, Balloon Typhoon, Pedal Go Carts, and much, much more. Visit the website for specifics.

Wagons depart every 15-20 minutes between the hours of 10am – 4pm. Children under 1 are free, and pumpkins from the patch are extra.

Reilly’s Summer Seat Farm
1120 Roosevelt Rd
Pittsburgh, PA , 15237
412-364-8270 or 412-364-8662

Pittsburgh Opera Season

The Pittsburgh Opera wants everyone to be able to enjoy the shows they produce every year. This is why they are including some new prices and shows for everyone in the tri-state area. This is perhaps one of the best deals in the city for the performing arts. You can learn more at Living Pittsburgh.



The Pittsburgh Opera is proving to our city that high caliber culture doesn’t always have to come with high ticket prices.

“As part of our ongoing mission to enrich Pittsburgh and the tri-state area, Pittsburgh Opera strives to make opera intellectually and financially accessible to a diverse audience, offering both high quality opera productions and several free community events throughout the season.”

In September of 2008, they moved their home to Pittsburgh’s historic Strip District into the building that was built as George Westinghouse’s original air brake factory in 1869. We caught a Brown Bag Concert Series performance last season and were lucky enough to get a personal tour of the massive facility thanks to Allison Ruppert, Marketing and Community Relations Manager at the Pittsburgh Opera. At 45,000 square feet, the building still manages to create an inviting sense of warmth and coziness, which is likely due to the pronounced “green” atmosphere. They are currently seeking LEED certification, and that should give us all yet one more reason to think that The Pittsburgh Opera rocks!

This is perhaps one of the best culture deals in the city, so do yourself a favor and check out some of these performances. You just can’t ask for a better ticket price!


Brown Bag Concert Series – FREE

In the George R. White Opera Studio at Pittsburgh Opera’s headquarters in the Strip District, friends, families and Pittsburghers of all ages are invited to enjoy intimate concerts of some of opera’s most popular arias as well as a mix of Broadway, musical theater and other surprises. These concerts are a wonderful opportunity for an informal introduction to opera. Guests can even meet the performers after the show!


Opera Up Close – $5

An in-depth look at the upcoming production, with the artists that make them happen at Pittsburgh Opera’s headquarters in the Strip District, at 2:00 PM on Sundays before the opening of each production.


Art Song Recital Series – $5

In the George R. White Opera Studio at Pittsburgh Opera, Art Song Recitals are high-level, one-hour performances of art song literature by the Resident Artists of Pittsburgh Opera. These recitals are free and open to the public. The Pittsburgh Opera Guilds from Sewickley, Fox Chapel, South Hills and the City serve as reception hosts at these events.

Here is their full listing of FREE performances for the 2014-15 season.P

Soergel Orchards Fall Festival

Make sure to head to Soergels before October 26th.  You can participate in their fall festival.  This annual event includes games, food, and pumpkins!  You can learn more at Living Pittsburgh.

Event: Soergel Orchards Fall Festival

Location: Soergel Orchards, 2573 Brandt School Road, Wexford, PA 15090

Date: Saturdays & Sundays September 20 through October 26, 2014

Time: 11am – 5pm

Cost: FREE (items and additional activities available for purchase)

Description: Starting this weekend and throughout October, Soergel Orchards is holding Fall Festivals each weekend. Pick out a pumpkin (additional cost), enjoy kid’s activities, games, hayrides, great food (additional cost) and more! Each ticket is $1, with activities ranging from 1 ticket to 5 tickets. The pirate ship and tiny town play areas, the straw sack, and visiting the farm animals are free. Many activities are only 1 ticket!


More info online at : http://soergels.com/events/fall-festival/


Soergel Orchards2573 Brandt School Road

Wexford, PA 15090

724-935-1743

Secret Uses for Wax Paper

We love secret uses for everyday household items. There are many items in your home that can be used for more than one purpose. Here are ten great uses for wax paper in your home. There are problems on this list that wax paper can solve easily! You can learn more at Apartment Therapy.



Add wax paper to the long list of items with surprising applications and usefulness well beyond their original purpose. Wax paper (as opposed to parchment paper) has a thin layer of wax on each side, and was designed to keep food fresh longer. Its both water resistant and non-stick — two attributes that make this handy item versatile and helpful, even outside the kitchen.



Rub a sheet on the teeth of a zipper to discourage snags.


Roll it up and insert in the neck of a bottle, and use as an impromptu funnel. The wax keeps the paper stiff.

Rub it on bathroom and kitchen faucets to both buff the metal, and make them more resistant to future water spots.

Layer the tops of kitchen cabinets with the stuff, and replace every so often instead of dusting that hard-to-dust spot.

If you have a door that stubbornly sticks, rub the edges to keep it from jamming as much.

Keep wooden salad bowls and cutting boards in good shape by giving them an extra layer of wax protection.

Protect the fridge from spills by covering the shelves. It makes it infinitely easier to clean.

Lost your wine cork after opening a bottle? Make an plug out of a wad of paper, and stick it right in there.

Cover bowls and plates when you use the microwave to prevent splatter.

If your shower curtain has trouble moving over its rods without squeaking or catching, a light rub with wax paper will help it move smoother.

Use it as drawer liner in your dresser.

Before you close up paint cans, add a sheet over the top of the paint to keep skin from forming.

Swipe non-stick appliances , to give it a little more non-stickiness.

Wrap up paint brushes to keep them from drying out in between coats.

If you have drafty windows in winter, use it to plug up holes. Again, the wax wards off precipitation.

Wrap up any delicate fabrics when you store them. The wax keeps out light and keeps colors from fading or turning yellow.

If you are out of kindling, wax paper makes a good fire starter.

Five Tips On Non Stick Cookware use

Are you cooking with non stick cookware? These five tips will help you preserve your cookware and make it last longer. Make sure to avoid making these mistakes when cooking your favorite dish. Keep reading and you can learn more at The Kitchn.


1. Cooking over high heat
Cooking over high heat should be avoided for a few reasons. First, the higher temperatures are bad for the nonstick coating on the cookware. Over time exposure to high heat will deteriorate the surface. Also, depending on the type of nonstick coating on your pan, cooking over high heat can lead to the release unhealthy, potentially toxic vapors.

→ Follow this tip: Cook over low and medium heat with nonstick cookware.

2. Using nonstick cooking spray
Using nonstick cooking spray on nonstick cookware is a big no-no. Here's the problem with it — after a while your pan will get a sticky buildup of the spray that doesn't burn off during cooking. This usually happens around the sides of the pan. Scrubbing this sticky film off takes some serious elbow grease and doesn't happen very easy.

→ Follow this tip: Use whole fats, like oil or butter, instead of cooking spray.

3. Failing to season your pan
Just like cast iron, it's helpful to preseason and re-season your nonstick cookware. Not only will this help your pan last longer, it will also improve the way food cooks in it.

→ Follow this tip: To preseason your pan, simply rinse and completely dry, then use a paper towel to rub about a teaspoon of oil (any type will do) around the inside of the pan. It's also a good idea to re-season the pan by rubbing it will a small amount of oil each time before using it.



4. Using sharp or abrasive objects anywhere near your nonstick pan
This goes for both cooking and cleaning. Using sharp objects like, knives or metal spatulas to stir food or remove it from the pan, along with things like steel wool for cleaning, can scratch and damage the coating on the pan. Once the coating on nonstick pans starts to peel or gets pitted, it's best to replace them.

→ Follow this tip: For cooking, stick with wooden spoons or silicone spatulas for stirring food. When it comes time to clean, use a soft dishrag or non-metallic sponge or brush.

5. Cleaning nonstick cookware in the dishwasher
True, many nonstick pans claim to be dishwasher safe, but the super hot water and harsh detergents aren't good for the nonstick coating. Over time this will cause the pan's coating to deteriorate much faster than washing by hand.

→ Follow this tip: Wash non-stick cookware by hand. It will help your pans last a lot longer.

Have Priced Pizza

Pizza is a staple no matter how old you are. However, that does not mean you need to pay a lot for a good pizza. Pittsburgh has some great half priced pizza deals throughout the week. You can learn more at Living Pittsburgh.







1/2 Priced Pizza Time!


If you’re looking for half-priced pizzas in Pittsburgh then look no further because we’ve started (yes, just started) our list of local half priced pies. Of course we always love to add to our lists, so if you know of other great half priced pizza deals, please send them our way at info@livingpittsburgh.com.

Joe Mamas – half priced pizzas daily from 4-5pm, dine in only
3716 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
(412) 621-7282

Fuel & Fuddle – half priced pizzas from 11pm until 1am every day
212 Oakland Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
(412) 682-3473

Lupi’s Famous Pizza – BOGO pizzas (even the toppings)
2311 Babcock Boulevard
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
(412) 931-0666



Juliano’s – half priced pizzas on Mondays. Dine in only. Excludes gourmet pizzas
5476 Steubenville Pike
Robinson Township, PA 15136
(412) 787-2959

Bites and Brews – half priced small pies Monday through Friday from 5pm until 7pm
5750 Ellsworth Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
(412) 361-4425

Sharp Edge Beer Emporium - half priced 9 inch pizzas from 5pm until 7pm Monday through Friday. Dine in only.
302 S. St. Clair Street
Pittsburgh PA 15206
(412) 664-3537

Elements Contemporary Cuisine - half priced pizza during happy hour M-F 4pm until 6pm. Dine in only.
444 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
(412) 251-0168