Make your own festival fare at home with hot oil and skewers
This year, with fairs and festivals canceled around the city, bring the fairgrounds to your backyard by making your favorite overpriced, fried, and delicious treats at home. Most of these are easy to recreate outside of a fair, as long as you have lots of oil on hand and a container to fry in. And…
What you’ll need to throw your own music festival this summer
What was the point at the start of the pandemic when you had that, “Oh snap, this is serious!” realization? For me, it was when South by Southwest was canceled, the first major festival in the U.S. to do so because of coronavirus concerns. It was the first time in SXSW’s 34 years of existence…
An ode to Pennsylvania’s unappreciated treasure: The state parks
Earlier this month, I spent part of an afternoon walking among families listening to music on portable speakers, kids playing games in the grass, and parents prepping for outdoor barbecues. It was midweek, and it was as relaxed as I had seen people act since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Everyone was social distancing…
Replicating the pool experience at home without a pool
It’s still only June, but already temperatures have hit the mid-90s. On a hot day, nothing feels better than a cold dip in the neighborhood pool. But now, with public pools closed for the summer due to coronavirus, getting near a pool is only fantasy (unless you have a rich friend with a pool, the…
Explore summer popsicle possibilities with tips from an ice pop pro
Let’s be honest: This is not the summer we were expecting. I’ve been trying to find things to keep myself in the spirit of the season and discovered the answer a few weeks ago when I saw popsicle molds online. I immediately ordered them and have been brainstorming, concocting, and eating popsicles on a daily…
Paddleboarding offers socially distant escapes on Western Pennsylvania waterways
Three years ago, I bought an item totally on a whim that has since completely changed my quality of life — a stand-up paddleboard, or SUP for short. Although I had kayaked and whitewater rafted numerous times, including the Ocoee River in Tennessee and nearby Ohiopyle, I had never even stood on a paddleboard. I…
Summer Survival Guide
Just because your favorite events have been canceled doesn’t mean the next three months have to be a wash. With a little creativity, a kiddie pool, and some hula hoops, we’re here to help you earn these badges and get through the longest summer ever. An ode to Pennsylvania’s unappreciated treasure: The state parks Paddleboarding…
Spend the season exploring murals and statues with this Public Art Summer Scavenger Hunt
We’re counting the days until all of the city’s museums and galleries reopen, but we’d be remiss not to mention how bummed we still are about missing all of the great artwork at outdoor festivals like the Three Rivers Arts Festival. So how can art lovers do their thing outside this summer? Try Pittsburgh City…
