8 oz (225g) pasta (such as fettuccine, linguine, or spaghetti)
2 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup (240ml) heavy cream
1 cup (about 100g) grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions:
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Set aside.
In a large skillet or saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
Pour in the heavy cream and bring it to a simmer. Let it cook for a few minutes until it starts to thicken slightly.
Gradually add the grated Parmesan cheese to the cream sauce, stirring constantly until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. If the sauce is too thick, you can add some of the reserved pasta cooking water to thin it out to your desired consistency.
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the sauce, tossing gently to coat the pasta evenly.
Serve the creamy garlic Parmesan pasta hot, garnished with chopped fresh parsley if desired. Enjoy your delicious homemade meal!
This recipe is quick to prepare and requires just a few simple ingredients, making it perfect for a meal at your apartment. Feel free to customize it by adding cooked chicken, shrimp, or vegetables if you like. Enjoy your meal!.
Even if your apartment living room is small, that doesn’t mean you can only pick petite plants. Sometimes, opting for one big-leaf houseplant as a statement piece in a minimalist space is the way to go. And nothing makes for a better or more on-trend focal point than a Monstera deliciosa. The large, fenestrated leaves add a tropical touch, and the plant can reach up to 10 feet tall when mature—perfect if you have high ceilings.
While it likes bright, indirect light, too much direct sun can scorch the impressive foliage, so positioning will be the biggest challenge. And be aware it’s toxic to pets when ingested.
When cooking for someone who is picky, it’s often a good idea to stick with simple yet flavorful dishes. One option that tends to be universally enjoyed is a classic pasta dish like spaghetti aglio e olio. This is a simple pasta dish with garlic, olive oil, parsley, and optionally some red pepper flakes for a bit of heat. It’s easy to prepare and very customizable.
Here’s a the easy recipe:
Ingredients:
8 ounces spaghetti
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Grated Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)
Instructions:
Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown and fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
If using, add the red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, along with a splash of the reserved pasta cooking water. Toss everything together until the pasta is well coated with the garlic-infused oil. Add more pasta cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce.
Season the pasta with salt and black pepper to taste. Stir in the chopped parsley.
Serve the spaghetti aglio e olio hot, topped with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
This dish is quick to prepare and packed with flavor, making it an excellent choice for a date night meal. Plus, you can easily adjust the amount of garlic and spice to suit your date’s preferences. Enjoy your meal!
Nestled amidst the rolling hills and winding rivers of western Pennsylvania lies a city that pulses with history, innovation, and a vibrant spirit. Downtown Pittsburgh, often hailed as the heart of the Steel City, beckons visitors and locals alike with its rich tapestry of culture, architecture, and culinary delights. Join me as we embark on a journey through the bustling streets and hidden gems of this dynamic urban center.
A Tale of Two Rivers: At the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers, Downtown Pittsburgh rises majestically, offering breathtaking views and endless opportunities for exploration. Take a leisurely stroll along the picturesque riverfront trails, where historic bridges frame the skyline and the soothing sounds of water transport you to another world. Whether you’re kayaking along the waterways or simply soaking in the scenery from a riverside cafe, the beauty of Pittsburgh’s riverfront is sure to captivate your senses. Rent a kayek, and explore the Allegheny river. Bike to the strip district, and stop at the wonderful restaurants, and specialty stores.
From towering skyscrapers to charming row houses, Downtown Pittsburgh boasts a diverse array of architectural styles that reflect its storied past and vibrant present. Marvel at the grandeur of landmarks like the neoclassical Allegheny County Courthouse and the iconic PPG Place, whose shimmering glass towers sparkle in the sunlight. Wander through the charming streets of the Cultural District, where beautifully preserved historic buildings house theaters, galleries, and boutiques, offering a glimpse into Pittsburgh’s rich cultural heritage.
Art and culture abound in Downtown Pittsburgh, where world-class museums, theaters, and galleries await around every corner. Immerse yourself in the masterpieces of the Andy Warhol Museum, the largest museum in North America dedicated to a single artist, or catch a live performance at the historic Benedum Center for the Performing Arts. With a vibrant arts scene that spans everything from avant-garde exhibitions to classical ballet, Downtown Pittsburgh offers endless opportunities to indulge your creative passions. You are here! http://www.StarloftsPgh.com
No visit to Downtown Pittsburgh would be complete without savoring its delectable culinary offerings. From upscale fine dining establishments to cozy neighborhood eateries, the city’s dining scene is as diverse as it is delicious. Indulge in mouthwatering pierogies, a beloved Pittsburgh specialty, or sample innovative farm-to-table fare crafted by visionary chefs. With an abundance of locally sourced ingredients and a melting pot of culinary influences, Downtown Pittsburgh is a food lover’s paradise waiting to be explored. The highly rated Proper Brick Oven and tap room, are downstairs from your home.
You are living in the vibrant streets and hidden treasures of Downtown Pittsburgh, you will find that one thing becomes abundantly clear: this dynamic urban center is a place like no other. From its stunning riverfront vistas to its rich cultural tapestry and mouthwatering cuisine, Pittsburgh’s downtown district offers a truly unforgettable experience for visitors of all ages. So come, wander through the heart of steel, and discover the magic that awaits around every corner in this remarkable city.
First Night features live music, dance, art exhibits, kids’ activities and more in dozens of indoor and outdoor venues throughout the Cultural District. It still starts and ends with fireworks, with a big community parade down Penn Avenue in between.
Dancing
And as has been the case since 2021, this Pittsburgh Cultural Trust event, sponsored by Highmark, is free. Last year’s First Night welcomed an estimated 10,000 attendees, said Sarah Aziz, who directs First Night for the Trust.
Notable novelties include the ribbon-cutting for the reopening of the Clemente Bridge, which has been closed for renovation for nearly two years. The ceremony includes the launch of a new lighting project on the Three Sisters bridges.
A new work of public art will also premiere in the Backyard at 8th and Penn. Local artist Duncan MacDiarmid’s Firetree Project is a 24-foot-tall copper and steel sculpture incorporating bells and meant to symbolize hope for the future. Aziz said visitors will be encouraged to write their wishes for next year on pieces of paper. “All those wishes will go into the Firetree project, and there will be a show where it is lit,” she said.
Other highlights include music headliner Lyndsey Smith, a Pittsburgh native and soul singer formerly of Lyndsey Smith & Soul Distribution. Smith moved to New Orleans in 2019, but she’s back for the holidays and will take the main stage at Penn and Stanwix from 10:45 p.m. to midnight. Other mainstage acts include reggae group The Flow Band and Zuzu African Acrobats.
First Night begins at 6 p.m. Other attractions include the annual Sing-Off Competition; continuous screenings of vintage cartoons featuring Betty Boop, Popeye and more at the Harris Theater; entertainment by Giggles the Clown and O’Ryan the O’Mazing; Japanese sword-dancing by Tadashi Kato; and street magic with Mr. Messado and the Harmon Brothers.
Other musical acts include Dwayne Dolphin at the newly renovated Greer Cabaret Theater and Lounge, and the South Hills School of Rock outdoors at the Backyard at 8th and Penn.
There are also guided backstage tours of the Byham Theater and Benedum Center. And Trust art galleries, including Wood Street Galleries, Liberty Gallery, and 707 Gallery, will be open.
The evening concludes with the countdown to midnight and Future of Pittsburgh Ball rising, with fireworks to follow.
In Edwardian London, Eliza Doolittle is a flower girl with a thick Cockney accent. The noted phonetician Professor Henry Higgins encounters Eliza at Covent Garden and laments the vulgarity of her dialect (“Why Can’t the English?”). Higgins also meets Colonel Pickering, another linguist, and invites him to stay as his houseguest. Eliza and her friends wonder what it would be like to live a comfortable life (“Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?”).
Eliza’s father, Alfred P. Doolittle, stops by the next morning searching for money for a drink (“With a Little Bit of Luck“). Soon after, Eliza comes to Higgins’s house, seeking elocution lessons so that she can get a job as an assistant in a florist’s shop. Higgins wagers Pickering that, within six months, by teaching Eliza to speak properly, he will enable her to pass for a proper lady.
Eliza becomes part of Higgins’s household. Though Higgins sees himself as a kindhearted man who merely cannot get along with women (“I’m an Ordinary Man”), to others he appears self-absorbed and misogynistic. Eliza endures Higgins’s tyrannical speech tutoring. Frustrated, she dreams of different ways to kill him (“Just You Wait”). Higgins’s servants lament the stressful atmosphere (“The Servants’ Chorus”).
Just as Higgins is about to give up on her, Eliza suddenly recites one of her diction exercises in perfect upper-class style (“The Rain in Spain“). Though Mrs Pearce, the housekeeper, insists that Eliza go to bed, she declares she is too excited to sleep (“I Could Have Danced All Night“).
For her first public tryout, Higgins takes Eliza to his mother’s box at Ascot Racecourse (“Ascot Gavotte”). Though Eliza shocks everyone when she forgets herself while watching a race and reverts to foul language, she does capture the heart of Freddy Eynsford-Hill. Freddy calls on Eliza that evening, and he declares that he will wait for her in the street outside Higgins’ house (“On the Street Where You Live“).
Eliza’s final test requires her to pass as a lady at the Embassy Ball. After more weeks of preparation, she is ready. (“Eliza’s Entrance”). All the ladies and gentlemen at the ball admire her, and the Queen of Transylvania invites her to dance with the prince (“Embassy Waltz”). A Hungarian phonetician, Zoltan Karpathy, attempts to discover Eliza’s origins. Higgins allows Karpathy to dance with Eliza.[1]
Act II
The ball is a success; Karpathy has declared Eliza to be a Hungarian princess. Pickering and Higgins revel in their triumph (“You Did It”), failing to pay attention to Eliza. Eliza is insulted at receiving no credit for her success, packing up and leaving the Higgins house. As she leaves she finds Freddy, who begins to tell her how much he loves her, but she tells him that she has heard enough words; if he really loves her, he should show it (“Show Me”).
Eliza and Freddy return to Covent Garden but she finds she no longer feels at home there. Her father is there as well, and he tells her that he has received a surprise bequest from an American millionaire, which has raised him to middle-class respectability, and now must marry his lover. Doolittle and his friends have one last spree before the wedding (“Get Me to the Church on Time“).
Higgins awakens the next morning. He finds himself out of sorts without Eliza. He wonders why she left after the triumph at the ball and concludes that men (especially himself) are far superior to women (“A Hymn to Him”). Pickering notices the Professor’s lack of consideration, and also leaves the Higgins house.
Higgins despondently visits his mother’s house, where he finds Eliza. Eliza declares she no longer needs Higgins (“Without You”). As Higgins walks home, he realizes he’s grown attached to Eliza (“I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face“). At home, he sentimentally reviews the recording he made the day Eliza first came to him for lessons, hearing his own harsh words. Eliza suddenly appears in his home. In suppressed joy at their reunion, Professor Higgins scoffs and asks, “Eliza, where the devil are my slippers?”
TIMELESS COMEDY RETURNS TO PUT YOU AND YOURS ON THE NICE LIST THIS HOLIDAY SEASON Back by popular demand, last year’s holiday hit becomes your newest yuletide tradition as Ralphie Parker and company make their triumphant return to the O’Reilly Theater stage. The amazing memories and moments made famous by the movie, from disastrous family meals — to sticky situations in the schoolyard — to fateful and funny visits to Santaland come to life, sparking nostalgia for ages 9 to 99. This production is not just a Christmas story, it’s our Christmas story. O’Reilly Theater
In the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic years, Laura Karet sounds fully confident about the prospects for Giant Eagle today.
“We have big aspirations to grow,” said Karet, who spoke Tuesday before a sold-out audience at a VisionPittsburgh luncheon at the Duquesne Club downtown.
Amid an ever-crowding competitive climate in which everyone from Aldi to Amazon.com Inc. is selling groceries, Karet spoke as the CEO and chairwoman of a retailer that has grown to more than 470 stores and annual revenue of $11.1 billion for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2022.
In a fireside chat led by Pittsburgh Business Times Publisher Evan Rosenberg, Karet talked about Giant Eagle’s origins. The company was started by five families during the Great Depression and its ownership continues on today in a retail industry often dominated by publicly traded national chains.
Karet’s story of Giant Eagle’s ongoing growth and expansion came in two distinct parts, the first fueled by petroleum sales and the company’s decision to diversify its store types, the second by the pandemic.
“Twenty-five years ago, we realized customers were starting to change their shopping habits,” she said.
She recalled how about 20 years ago Kroger, the Cincinnati-based grocery chain that doesn’t operate in the region, started putting gas pumps in their parking lots and how quickly Giant Eagle decided to do so as well.
The result soon led to the launch of the company’s GetGo convenience store chain.
Karet recalled how quickly establishing gas pumps at Giant Eagle stores as well as for the new GetGo locations resulted in major boosts in sales for everything else.
“We started buying gas pumps as fast as we could,” she said.
She added GetGo is now differentiated by its approach to food, noting there are now more GetGo locations than there are traditional Giant Eagle stores for what’s become a major growth vehicle for the company.
Giant Eagle also was able to benefit from the major societal disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, a global health crisis in which the grocery chain operated as one of the few places people were allowed to shop amid the wave of government-required shutdowns.
“When Covid happened, our business grew enormously overnight,” she said, adding Giant Eagle quickly worked to roll out an online delivery service that had been in the works.
That was as much of a challenge as an opportunity.
With GetGo expanding and the company also rolling out more and more Market District-branded stores, including in smaller formats, Karet sounded as though Giant Eagle has carved out a sustainable niche and territory for itself.
That’s despite sometimes jarring industry consolidation.
“When Amazon bought Whole Foods, it was like a bomb went off in the industry,” she said at one point.
Yet Karet doesn’t expect any changes to the competitive landscape to come any time soon from the proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons. Roughly handicapping it as a 50/50 proposition to go forward, Karet expects such a merger to take years to fully pull off and integrate.
“We’re pretty big but really small compared to them,” she said of the two chain grocers.
She sees lots of opportunity for Giant Eagle to grow and expand as it becomes more difficult for smaller operators to compete.
“There’s too many opportunities, which, by the way is a good problem to have,” she said.
Karet noted how the company is active in converting established Giant Eagle stores into Market District stores, establishing new smaller-format Market District locations, as well as expanding its WetGo car wash business along with GetGo as a now proven store model.
“We’re pretty convinced we have a unique model that will allow us to compete in this hard changing world against people who are much bigger than us,” she said.
Karet recalled her early days in her career when she said she had “no interest in coming back to the company,” wishing instead to chart her own course, working early in her career for such companies as Procter & Gamble and Sara Lee.
Now, after taking on the title of chairwoman at Giant Eagle last year, Karet expects she’s worked in just about every position at the company, outside a few, such as chief information office and in the real estate department.
However, none of them equaled the kind of grounding she received actually working in the stores.
“The best training by far was working in the stores growing up,” she said.
There seems to be a lot of confusion online about what expectations are when someone is moving out of a rental home. We want to help save you money at move-out by providing these tips for passing a move-out inspection without incurring extra fees. Did we miss any tips? Let us know!
1. If you’re doing DIY cleaning, do it thoroughly (This is one time when hiring a professional might be a good idea)
Doing your move-out cleaning yourself is a great way to save money, but there are pros and cons here like with anything else. Having a professional cleaning company perform the service not only takes some of the stress of moving off of your shoulders, but also enables you to obtain a letter from the company that may come in handy if you run into a dispute with your landlord. Still, if you choose to do the job yourself, it’s even more important you are very thorough and take photos when you’re finished so you have documentation. One major tip if cleaning yourself? Remember to do the floors last, or you’ll have to do them twice.
2. Clean cupboards, around handles, appliances, etc.
I was putting some groceries away the other day when I noticed some light discoloration around the cabinet knob. It wiped away immediately, but we forget that the cupboard-pulls get dirty over time as we are cooking. We may have a little flour or seasoning on our hands when we open that cupboard for the next ingredient, so it’s a good idea to do a special cleaning around all handles and doorknobs in your apartment, and wipe down the cupboards and doors themselves at the same time. This also applies to your fixtures including taps, which you want to leave in the best possible condition. Once you’ve emptied your cupboards, remember to wipe down the shelves to ensure you’re leaving them like new.
3. Patch those holes, even just nails
Once you’ve packed away your photos and other things you’ve had hung on your walls, it’s time to remove the nails or pins and thoroughly check each wall in your suite for holes or related damage. A quick Google search will turn up many instructional videos on how to perform these easy and minor repairs. Doing so correctly will ensure your move-out bill is lower, and your landlord is happy!
4. Baseboards, corners, and crevices
Baseboards, corners, and crevices are easy spots to miss, but important to clean nonetheless. Start with the baseboards and the corners, then move on to the crevices. A vacuum wand may be required to help clear things out for tricky spots. As mentioned previously, it’s important to do this cleaning before you clean your floors, as this will kick up some dust and dirt. This is also a good time to wash the walls, ensuring the cleaner you use is paint-safe and won’t cause any issues.
5. Use the right product for the job
As we mentioned regarding washing your walls, it’s important to use the right cleaner for the right job and to ensure the cleaner is safe by testing it on a small patch before deploying it throughout the space. This is pretty straightforward: for example, ensure you use oven cleaner and not Pine-Sol to clean your oven, this will avoid damaging an appliance you could end up paying a lot for. Don’t mix your cleaners, and ensure your area is well-ventilated while using the chemicals.
6. Repaint and repair
If you’ve made your apartment your own by painting some walls, now is the time to talk to your landlord and work with them to get the unit returned to the color and condition in which you received it. Ideally, you will have spoken to your landlord before having painted the wall, but either way, you will need to speak to the landlord to get the proper type of paint to ensure an exact match. Try for “close enough” or “good enough” and you will find that you’re on the hook for that bill anyway. Most landlords will appreciate your honesty and willingness to return the unit as you received it, so this should be painless.
7. Carpet Stains
If you have stained your carpet during your time in the rental, you will be billed for its cleaning or replacement. By dealing with it yourself, either by hiring a carpet cleaner or by trying to do it yourself with rented equipment, you may be able to avoid significant fees. For instance, if the landlord or their employee determines the carpet stain isn’t worth trying to fix, you could be on the hook for a full carpet replacement. By dealing with the problem yourself, you eliminate that risk.
8. Wash your Windows
This is a simple one, but many people forget to do it. It’s important to wash your windows before you move out. Depending on your apartment, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to clean the exterior but you will be responsible for ensuring interior windows are clean. For everything in your apartment, remember this rule: if you don’t clean it, your landlord has to pay someone else to clean it, and they will have no option but to pass those costs on to you.
9. Empty the Fridge and Cupboards: Leave NOTHING in the Unit
Not a box of baking soda in the fridge, not a shaker of salt in the cupboard. As we just mentioned, anything that the landlord has to pay someone else to do – even removing a handful of small items – can incur an extra move-out charge. You must take your garbage out; you need to ensure you don’t even leave hangers in the closet. If you brought it in, it must leave with you. Making it somebody else’s problem will simply make that a problem dealt with at your expense
Pittsburgh's Theater District Star Loft Apartments 