With the popularity of Dancing with the Stars and hit films like Step Up is it any wonder more people are taking dance lessons? Luckily, from ballroom to hip-hop, you name the dance and Pittsburgh provides the dancefloor.
Absolute Ballroom and Dance on Hamilton Avenue in East Liberty has over 2,500 square feet of hard-wood dance floors (air conditioning included) and a spacious, comfortable atmosphere. Anyone can dance, from the beginning bumbler to the advanced athlete. And with no contracts, you pay as you dance. They offer Latin, Ballroom, Salsa, Argentine …

As a daddy’s little girl, there were always three movies that I could watch over and over again with the papa bear: Grease, Rocky and The Karate Kid. Completely neglecting the fact that those three movies have nothing in common and my dad still loves all three, let’s focus on the bigger picture. How in the world does the kid do it? Each time I watch The Karate Kid, I can’t help wondering. I mean, I can watch the movie over and over again, watching his training in slow motion …

In today’s busy world, it’s difficult to find time for yourself. Time to relax and unwind. When I’m under a lot of stress, I turn to the city’s spas to recharge. With an assortment of stress relieving techniques including massage, facials, manicures and pedicures, herbal remedies, skin treatments, and meditation, it’s easy to find ways to bring your mind, body and soul into balance. Here’s a small crop of spas worth looking into, each with it’s own take on the pleasures of therapy and relaxation.
Recently, as I walked along Ellsworth …

After a sweaty workout, a long day at work, a rough night’s sleep, I enjoy nothing more than a shower — or long bath — to pamper my skin and rejuvenate my senses. The only way this daily ritual can get any better is by adding hand-made soap and body products and luckily, Pittsburgh boasts a number of locally-owned specialty bath shops.
In its two convenient locations, Library Road (Castle Shannon) and Station Square, Loova offers an assortment of home-made goodies. More than just a soap store, Loova features body washes …

It was red, white and blue, hung on a wall and hypnotized me like the Penguin’s umbrella in Batman Returns. It ruled me, and apparently every other man in the neighborhood, as well.
I said, “Dad, what’s that? A candy shop?” as I pointed to the twirling candy cane across the street. “No, a barbershop”, my father said.
We walked through the door and sat down along the row of chairs. Tony, the owner, greeted my father with a friendly, “Hey Tom,” while I shied away into my seat.
My father went first. …