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 …

A few years ago it was the summer of weddings. Friend after friend of mine got engaged and then invitation after invitation for their nuptial celebrations. It was like the plague. An epidemic of matrimony surrounded me. And coming up with meaningful, personal, and creative gifts taxed me. But somehow I made it through and was glad to be done with it.
Now, an epidemic of another sort descends. Babies. They’re everywhere in my life. Cute, adorable, slobbering bundles of joy. And so, my gift-giving predicament has begun anew. I want …

One of the best cardio exercises ever created is spinning. Popular since the 1980s after Jonathan Goldberg developed a way for racers to train indoors, spinning has spun right into households across the county. Burning an immense amount of calories (450 in 45 minutes — that’s more than an entire chocolate croissant), spinning makes a work-out routine enjoyable no matter what your level of fitness because there are no complicated moves to learn or memorize. The beauty of this form of aerobic exercise is that you control pacing and level …

Pizza. As the quintessential comfort food, just the name itself conjures feelings of warmth, harkening back to earlier days of sleepovers, summer picnics, and late nights in college. Handheld, convenient, and oh-so-delicious, pizza — that glorious meld of piping-hot toppings and sauce — is like a little dose of love in a slice.
But the dish has come far since its unassuming tomato-sauce-and-cheese beginnings, elevated to the gourmet with the use of fresh ingredients and complex flavor combinations.
Luckily, in Pittsburgh, options aren’t limited to mass-produced pizzas from national chains, and our …

There is no question about it — Pittsburgh’s a food town. From classic dishes to experimental delicacies, regional restaurants are serving up tastes we crave with a fresh twist. More chefs are turning to local farmers to provide them with only the freshest seasonal local and organic produce for their menus and at this time of year, there is an abundance.
One of my early summer favorites is arugula. Originating from the Mediterranean region, arugula is a spicy green often added to salads to give them a peppery kick. This flavor-packed …