Holidays In The City

Image From Pixabay

Pittsburgh is a beautiful city. We have a gorgeous skyline and a bustling restaurant scene. There are always a ton of events going on in the city and the surrounding areas. This month is no different. With the holidays coming up on us, there are sure to be tons of things going on. Pittsburgh has what you need:

Before the holidays, you can brush up on your hot holiday drink repertoire with Wigle Whiskey. Join them as they teach you some delicious holiday cocktails that will shake the winter chill out of anyone. Swing by for a free hot toddy, mulled cider or spiked cocoa. The event is free so stop by if you’re of drinking age.

Saturday the 28th you can enjoy a little storytelling. Yinz'r Scrooged is a family friendly comedy set in Pittsburgh during the holidays. This comedy is based off of Charles Dickens' classic The Christmas Carol. Buy your tickets online here.

If you’d like to feel a little fancy you can head to the Byham on for a holiday show to really get you into the spirit. A Musical Christmas Carol is an annual tradition from the Pittsburgh CLO. There are various dates and times through December that you can attend the show. This show is great for the entire family, and a perfect new tradition to start with loved ones. You can find out more information here. 

Everyone is getting all geared up for the brand new Star Wars movie, coming out December 18th. But if you didn’t manage to snag yourself tickets to opening night (it’s okay, we didn’t either) you won’t want to miss the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s rendition of some of the most popular tunes from the franchise. Show up when doors open at 5:30 for Star Wars music played by a 14 piece trombone choir. The real show isn’t until 7 so you have plenty of time to get a drink and enjoy the opening act. Get your tickets here.

Thanksgiving in Pittsburgh

Image From Pixabay

The holiday season starts tonight in Pittsburgh. Light Up Night is the official start of holiday activities all throughout the city. As everyone starts to get into the holiday spirit, Grandview Pointe is in the perfect location to watch the tree being lit. Here are a few more activities you can experience tonight or throughout the holiday season.

First, Macy's may be gone, but the windows will still live on at 6:30pm tonight. Various organizations including Macy's have chipped together to light up the windows in the old Kaufman's building. After you walk by the windows, head the the Clemente bridge for various performances throughout the night. These include recording artists JOJO and Mt. Lebanon native Daya.

Finally, end your night by heading to the point to see the 80 foot tall Duquesne Light Christmas Tree. The point will start its Santa celebration at 5pm with various performances throughout the day.

After Light Up Night, you can still enjoy many holiday activities downtown. The PPG Ice Skating Rink is open daily starting today. Make sure to check the website for times and fees.

After you are tired from skating, head to market square for a little holiday shopping. The People's Gas Holiday Market is up and running with unique and hand-made gifts from around the world. Each day there will be different entertainment as you walk through the shops around the inner square.

If you want to start a relaxing holiday tradition, Phipps Conservatory is where you need to be. The Winter Flower Show and Light Garden is open everyday from 5pm-11pm. As you tour the gorgeous lights through the conservatory, you can also see model trains and various flowers from around the world. You can also participate in a Toys for Tots drive by dropping your toy off at the conservatory until December 13th.

There are so many great events around Pittsburgh, that you will have something to do every weekend from now until New Years. What is your favorite Pittsburgh holiday event?


Sources:
PPG

Make Your Room Perfect

Image From Pixabay

Did you recently redecorate a room? This process can be time consuming and frustrating, if it is not coming out the way you want it to. This is why Apartment Therapy has some great tips on how to figure out why your room is not coming together. Try these six steps below and see if you can make your room the one you pictured in your head.


1. Compare it to your inspiration
Whether you tried to copy a room you saw on Pinterest piece by piece, have always just wanted a room that feels like Kelly Wearstler designed it or looked to a piece of art for color palette inspiration, go back to that inspiration and compare. What do you have in your room that's not in the inspiration? Whatdon't you have? It might be a case of you trying an extra element that's fighting the harmony of the original inspiration, or you may have forgotten to include a vital element that makes your inspiration work.

2. Try taking things out
Take out a big element. Yes, even something big like curtains. Now step back and look at the room again. Even if the room feels a little emptier, you might be able to see the potential of where the design needs to go. You might not be able to see what your room is missing because there's something that doesn't belong in there already, blocking your ability to see the room's potential.

3. Focus in on a spot, corner or wall that you do love
Why do you feel like that spot is working? What is it that you love? Take what's working and spread it out around the room a little more. Maybe it's a color you only used a touch of that could be maximized more in the space. Maybe it's a style of furniture you played around with on a small scale that the room could use more of. See what adding more of what you love in the room does to the feel of it.
4. Shake up your style
Grab something from another part of the home, from a friend's home or find a free thing — just make it something that seems surprising to add to the space. As we've mentioned before, sometimes bringing something that you think obviously doesn't go can produce one of two equally favorable outcomes: either it surprises the heck out of you by working in the space, or it points you in the right direction to go in by being so mismatched!


5. Take a picture (or two or three)
And then leave the room you're trying to figure out. Like, go to a coffee shop or somewhere else. Look at the photos you took on your phone and scroll through them. Look at the photos on a small scale; small thumbnails that let you see the whole space. Put some mental distance between the fact that this is a room you live in and see every day and instead view it like a room you'd be spotting on a blog somewhere. And then immediately listen to your gut on what you think the room might need (or need taken out).

6. Doodle
Those pictures you took earlier? Print them out if you can (or turn to a digital photo manipulating tool) and start doodling. Drawing patterns. Drawing furniture pieces. Squares where you think more art could go. Doodle stuff you wouldn't do in your right mind with actual items. That you can't do financially. Play. And when you hit on something that feels like it clicks, figure out how to make it work on your budget and in your space!

Who Loves Cookies?

Image From Pixabay

We love cookies almost as much as cookie monster. This is why October is one of our favorite times of year. This month you can enjoy Halloween, fall and National Cookie Month. We have found a great cookie recipe from The Kitchn to help celebrate one of our favorite times of the year. Comment on our Facebook page with your favorite cookie recipe!

Chunky Monkey Cookies

Makes about 36 cookies

3/4 cup walnuts

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon banana extract, optional for stronger banana flavor

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks (or 1 6.5-ounce chocolate bar, roughly chopped)

3/4 cup banana chips, roughly chopped (see Recipe Note)

Heat the oven to 375°F. Scatter the walnuts over a baking sheet and toast in the warming oven until fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes. Roughly chop the walnuts while they're still warm and set aside.

Combine the granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Mix with a spoon or spatula until thoroughly combined and no lumps of brown sugar remain. Add the softened butter to the bowl and work it into the sugar until you form a gritty, sugary paste. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, until no more egg whites remain. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Whisk together the salt, baking soda, and flour in a small bowl. Add this to the wet ingredients in the mixing bowl, and stir gently until you've formed a thick dough and you see no more dry flour. Add the chocolate chunks, banana chips, and chopped walnuts, and use a folding motion to incorporate them into the dough. It's OK if some of the chunky pieces fall out.

Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon measure to portion ping pong ball-sized gobs of dough (roughly 2 tablespoons) onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced an inch or so apart. If any chunky pieces fell out while you were making the dough, press them gently into the tops of the cookies (or just use some extra leftover pieces if you'd like a chunkier appearance!). Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies look puffed and the edges are turning a darker shade of toasty brown.

Let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. As they cool, the cookies will collapse into craggy, cracked, chunky cookies. Continue baking the cookies in batches until all the dough has been used.

These cookies are best the day they are made, but will keep in an airtight container for about a week.

Recipe Notes

Finding banana chips: Look for banana chips in the bulk bin section of grocery stores, or along with the dried fruits. (I found the banana chips for this recipe at Trader Joe's.)

Freezing cookie dough: To freeze unbaked cookie dough, portion the cookies out onto a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer container. Freeze for up to 3 months. See here for more details: How To Freeze Cookie Dough.

Care Packages

Image From Pixabay

Whether you are sending a care package to a family friend or a college student, they are always appreciated. Food was always a good choice when choosing what to put in a care package. Apartment Therapy has some great recipes for you to remember when planning you next shipment.



It's been a while since I was in college, but when it comes to care packages, I'm quite sure things haven't changed very much.

A few favorite store-bought things are always nice, but the very best things will always be freshly made snacks and treats. They're a nice reminder of home and help fuel late-night study sessions and tough exams.

Pin it
1. Smoked Almond Snack Bars

This recipe for nutty, KIND-inspired snack bars is for those of you who prefer savory over sweet when the afternoon doldrums have you yawning.
Pin it
2. Muesli Snacking Cookies

These baked gems are a play on classic oatmeal cookies. A few fun ingredient swaps make them healthier and even more delicious.
Pin it
3. Birthday Cake Popcorn

You don't need a birthday to celebrate with this festive treat! It's sweet, salty, and covered with sprinkles — you can't go wrong!
Pin it
4. Sweet and Savory Roasted Cashews

Take your pick: sweet or salty. Neither recipe takes more than a few minutes to bring together, and they're both perfect study snacks.
Pin it
5. Peanut Butter & Chocolate Energy Bars

These bars slip into that magical niche of snacks that seem — and taste — like candy but are still, at least ostensibly, healthy. They are made without refined sugar, require zero cooking, and can last in a backpack all day.
Pin it
6. Banana Bread

Whether your favorite college student eats this as breakfast or an afternoon snack, one thing is certain: it's gonna go fast.
Pin it
7. Cherry Pistachio Granola Clusters

This right here is "snacking granola." We're talking about big, chunky clusters of lightly sweet granola studded with pistachios and dried cherries.
Pin it
8. Chocolate Chip Cookies from Scratch

Classic chocolate chip cookies are timeless — and they just might be the very best thing you could find when you open a care package.
Pin it
9. Hazelnut & Cherry Whole-Grain Crackers

These homemade hazelnut and cherry crackers are such a great on-the-go snack. Plus, they're easy to make and stay fresh for weeks.
Pin it
10. Pumpkin-Spiced Caramel Corn

If you just can't resist the pumpkin spice craze, this lightly spiced caramel corn will be right up your alley.

Fall In Pittsburgh

Image from Pixabay

Fall is here and that means it is time to bundle up and enjoy the city. There are plenty of fantastic fall art exhibits around the city this time of year. Keep reading to learn about what events are coming throughout October and November. You can learn more at the Post Gazette. 


CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF ART: “She Who Tells a Story: Women Photographers from Iran and the Arab World” continues through Sept. 28; “Jacqueline Humphries” through Oct. 5; and “CMOA Collects Edward Hopper” through Oct. 26. “HACLab Pittsburgh: Imagining the Modern” opens Sept. 12 and “Hot Metal Modern,” Sept. 26. Look for the big Christmas trees and the Neapolitan Presepio in December. (412-622-3131)

THE ANDY WARHOL MUSEUM: “Warhol By the Book,” Andy’s book works, opens Oct. 10 and continues through Jan. 10 with accompanying programs including food historian Susan Rossi-Wilcox (Nov. 7), art historian Lucy Mulroney (Nov. 14) and author nephew Jamie Warhola (Dec. 5). (412-238-8300)

THE FRICK ART MUSEUM: “Forbidden Fruit: Chris Antemann at Meissen®,” work by the internationally known ceramist and Johnstown native created in residence at the German artCAMPUS of famed porcelain house Meissen. Opens Oct. 2, continuing through Jan. 10. (412-371-0600)

MATTRESS FACTORY: Part II of “Factory Installed” opens Sept. 18 and will stay, with already installed Part I, through May 31. The ongoing house-sized installation “Chiharu Shiota: Trace of Memory” marks its second year this month. (412-231-3169)

PITTSBURGH FILMMAKERS: ‘In the Air: Visualizing what we breathe,” photographers Brian Cohen, Scott Goldsmith, Lynn Johnson and Annie O’Neill look at air quality in Western Pennsylvania through the people and places effected, opening from 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 17 (through Feb. 26). (412-681-5449)

PITTSBURGH CENTER FOR THE ARTS: “2015 Artist of the Year: Dennis Marsico;” “2015 Emerging Artist of the Year: Seth Clark;” “Printmaking 2015,” a group show juried by Kim Beck; and “Precarious Balance” by Talia Greene and “TIME TRAVEL” by Myung Gyun You, both from the Center for Visual Artists in Philadelphia. All exhibitions through Nov. 1. (412-361-0873)

SOCIETY FOR CONTEMPORARY CRAFT: “Mindful: Exploring Mental Health Through Art” brings together the resources of an art exhibition, programming and community partnerships to debunk stereotypes and explore creativity’s healing power. The opening weekend includes a reception Sept. 18; dialogue with the artists and the Pittsburgh premiere of the Depressed Cake Shop Sept. 19 (through March 12). (412-261-7003)

WOOD STREET GALLERIES: Exhibitions of work by videographer, photographer, sculptor and performer Hetain Patel and photographer Nandini Valli Muthiah open Sept. 25 during the quarterly Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Gallery Crawl and continue through Dec. The exhibitions are part of the Trust’s “India in Focus” programming, as are those at the following three venues. (412-471-5605)

SPACE: Four artists use contemporary technology and methods of art production while embracing aspects of traditional Indian visual culture, Sept. 25 - Nov. 22.

707 PENN GALLERY: “Birth Series,” photographs by Gauri Gill, through Nov. 29.

709 PENN GALLERY: “A Million Marks of Home,” installation by Sarika Goulatia, through Nov. 29.

SILVER EYE CENTER FOR PHOTOGRAPHY: “Dandy Lion: (Re)Articulating Black Masculine Identity” opens from 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 18 with a curator’s talk at 6:30 p.m. (412-431-1810)

THE PITTSBURGH GLASS CENTER: “Indagare,” an exhibition and installation created by seminal contemporary glass artist Therman Statom while in residency this summer, opens from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 2, continuing through Jan. 19. (412-365-2145)

MILLER GALLERY AT CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY: “Aftersound: Frequency, Attack, Return,” sound as a medium of contemporary art, through Nov. 22 with a performance and reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 25. (412-268-3618)

HUNT INSTITUTE FOR BOTANICAL DOCUMENTATION: “The Mysterious Nature of Fungi” opens with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 17 including brief curators’ talk (through Dec. 17). (At CMU, 412-268-2434)

WESTMORELAND MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART: The Grand Reopening Celebration includes VIP and Dance Parties Oct. 24, and a free Community Day Oct. 25. In addition to reinstallation of the collection in the new galleries, exhibitions opening are “A Collector’s Passion: Selections from the Richard M. Scaife Collection Bequest,” through Feb. 14; and “All About Color and Geometry: Selections from the Diana and Peter Jannetta Gift of Art” and “Making The Westmoreland Museum of American Art,” both through April 17. (724-837-1500)

SAINT VINCENT GALLERY: “Monk­-Artists of Saint Vincent” runs through Oct. 5. Artist Roman Verostko will give the Threshold Lecture, “From Art by Hand to Art by Code,” at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 22, followed by a reception for his exhibition “Algorithmic Transformations” (through Nov. 23). “Striking Images: Lifetime Work of [photographer] Terry Deglau” opens with a 6 to 8 p.m. reception Dec. 4. (At Saint Vincent College, Latrobe; 724-805-2107)

SOUTHERN ALLEGHENIES MUSEUM OF ART: Highlights of exhibitions at the four SAMA branches are:

Large solo shows by regional art stars Kevin Kutz (through Oct. 10) and Kathleen Cochran Zimbicki (through Dec. 5) continue at Loretto, where a “Bubbles and Brie” artists reception will be held Sept. 17 ($25, reserve by Sept. 14). Arriving Oct. 23 are Mohawk Nation artist Will Espey and feminist pioneer Cynthia Nixon, and the late Adolf Dehn’s Pennsylvania scenes, Dec. 11. (1-814-472-3920). The 7th Paint Out will be held Sept. 18-20 concluding with an exhibition and sale at Ligonier Valley; the Southwestern Pennsylvania Council for the Arts 20th annual juried exhibition of regional art opens with a Nov. 21 reception (through Feb. 7). (724-238-6015). Leonard Baskin prints from the permanent collection are at Altoona through Jan. 16, and the Annual Juried Exhibition of regional artists arrives Sept. 25 through Jan. 9. (1-814-946-4464) The Allied Artists of Johnstown 83rd Annual is at Johnstown through Dec. 11 (1-814-269-7234).

BUTLER INSTITUTE OF AMERICAN ART: California artist Gisela Colon will attend a 1 to 3 p.m. artist reception Sunday sept. 13 to open an exhibition of her Glo-Pod series, large color and light filled wall sculptures made of molded and layered acrylic (through Dec. 31). “California Impressionism” arrives Oct. 4, though Nov. 29. (Youngstown, Ohio, 330-743-1107).
]

Mythbusters: Home Edition

Image From Pixabay

We all have the myths that we believe about apartment living. However, many of these myths are false. Living in an apartment has some great benefits and with a little creativity you can do everything in an apartment that you can do in a house. Apartment Therapy is here to bust those apartment myths that you have always believed.

Myth: You can't share a small space

Think you have to live solo if you're calling a studio or small space home? Not so! Plenty of couples, housemates and families have created the room they need in a small home. The trick seems to be customized storage, regular decluttering, good communication and a way to mentally "get away" from the person or persons you're sharing your small space with when you need some alone time. Not convinced? Check out real-life examples of multiple people making it work in small homes:


→ Inspiration for Livin' Large In Small Family Homes
Myth: You can't entertain in a small space

We're not saying it's super easy to entertain when you have a super small space, but it's not impossible. You can always rearrange your home to fit a dining table (or temporary table) in the living room (using the sofa for one side of eating and chairs from around the house on the other sides). Or you can just feature a bunch of plates and trays of snack food sprinkled around your small space as guests mingle around.


→ How to Entertain Big in a Small Space
Myth: Bigger is always better

There's the false notion that having more room is always the best choice. Like if you have the choice between a big home and a small home (and could afford both), why wouldn't you choose the bigger option? Take it from me and my personal experience, yeah it's luxurious to have a lot of room and extra bedrooms for guests, but it's also a lot more room to fill up with stuff and more square feet to keep clean. Nancy also shares why she's learned to love living small:


→ How Living in a Tiny Apartment Made Me Happier and Saner
Myth: All your furniture has to be small to match

It's true, you have to consider proportions and balance when you're bringing in furniture to your small home. And there are some instances where keeping the furnishings small can really help a small home feel airy and open. But it's not the law. You can totally sneak a sectional in a tiny living room or have a bedroom that's all bed if you're going for a cozy vibe.


→ Trick of the Trade: Sectional Sofas in Small Spaces
Myth: You can't fit hobbies or work in a small space

Feel like you can't do anything fun in your small space because you've got to make room for like, living? Not true! You can fit a small workspace and a little storage in even the smallest of homes to give yourself a work surface and a dedicated spot for work or hobbies. Like anything, you've just got to declutter the spot regularly so it doesn't take over the rest of your space.


→ Yes, You Can Fit A Home Office Into Your Tiny Home
→ How To Sneak a Home Office into ANY Room
Myth: You have to be a minimalist to live in a small space

Hey, the less stuff you have, the easier it is to live in just about any sized space. But you don't have to consign yourself to a minimalist lifestyle to live in a small space if it's not your thing. You've just got to get creative to customize your small space so it works for your lifestyle (and yes, maybe declutter regularly so you don't have too much stuff).