Pittsburgh's Summer Living Guide

Make sure to check out the Summer Living Guide from Living Pittsburgh.  This blog below has some great summer events that are happening throughout the city.  There is something almost everyday, and there are things for all ages. Keep reading to learn more.

Summer is here and you won’t believe how many things there are to do, see, and enjoy around Pittsburgh and Allegheny County….without needing to spend a dime! To make things easy for you, we’ve put together this handy-dandy “Free Summer Fun Guide” filled with some of Living Pittsburgh.com’s FREE fun picks for this summer in the ‘Burgh. And keep in mind, this is just the free stuff! There’s plenty more low cost events and activities to do this summer, so be sure to check out our Events Listing for even more summer fun on a budget.

Keep checking back though (this guide included), because we add new free & affordable events, deals & bargains EVERY DAY during the week. If you’re new to Living Pittsburgh, here are some suggestions so you get the most out of the site and don’t miss a thing! The best way to keep current is to sign up for our daily emails (enter your email address to the right of this page, right below our Events Listing box), like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and sign up for our weekly LP Newsletter.

Now, on with the summer fun!
Live Music

Deutschtown Music Festival - 40+ bands will rock Pittsburgh’s Northside at this FREE all day event!

Southside Works Summer Concerts – Enjoy free live music outside at South Side Works’ Town square this summer, going on now through September.

Mellon Square Summer Concert Series - Free noon concerts at Mellon Square to enjoy during your lunch hour downtown this summer. More info coming soon!

JazzLive at Katz Plaza – This fun free jazz concert series take place outside on Katz Plaza downtown throughout the summer months.

Reservoir of Jazz Series – Enjoy live jazz music in Highland Park this August. More info coming soon!

WYEP Summer Music Festival - Free summer music concert at Schenley Plaza, complete with kids activities and an indie craft marketplace.

Lunchtime Music Series at Schenley Plaza - Free lunchtime entertainment can be found multiple times per week at Schenley Plaza.

Bach, Beethoven and Brunch – You can pack your brunch and enjoy free classical concerts every Sunday morning at Mellon Park. More info coming soon!

Allegheny County Summer Concerts - Take advantage of free live music at Hartwood Acres and South Park all summer long.

Stars at Riverview – You can enjoy free live jazz concerts in Riverview Park throughout the warm summer months.

WYEP Final Fridays – Even more FREE live music this summer at Schenley Plaza! More info coming soon!

Monroeville Summer Concert Series – This find includes free live music, followed by a free movies in Monroeville Community Park.

Summer Jams on Walnut – These free annual block parties include loads of local live bands!
The Arts



Gallery Crawl in the Cultural District – The Gallery Crawl is a quarterly free showcase of art and entertainment.

Unblurred: First Fridays on Penn – The First Friday of each month, various galleries in the Penn Avenue Arts District showcase a variety of artwork and performances to view for free.

Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival - This premiere Pittsburgh event features free activities for the whole family, live music, art exhibits and so much more.

Taming of the Shrew presented by Poor Yorick’s Players – Bring a blanket, chair, or even a picnic to see Poor Yorick’s Players return in 2013 with their seventh season: All is fair in love and war!

Squonk Opera’s Go Roadshow - An amazing and spectacular performance unlike any other! Think circus meets performance art meets holiday parade – all for FREE! More info coming soon!
Dancing

Summer Soul Line Dance Classes - Experience not required for these free fun outdoor dance lessons.

Free Dance Lessons at Saddle Ridge - You’ll find complimentary line dancing lessons at Saddle Ridge on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Salsa Around the City - Salsa Pittsburgh offers Salsa dancing lessons all around Pittsburgh, many of which are absolutely free.
Movies

Cinema in the Parks – TONS of free outdoor movies in Pittsburgh’s local parks this summer.

Summer Movie Clubhouse – Not free, but for as little as 50 cents per movie, it’s pretty darn close!

Movies by Moonlight - Free flicks at the Tall Trees Amphitheater in Monroeville

Denis Theatre’s Last Saturday Cinema - Last Saturday Cinema is a FREE outdoor film series. Come experience great movies while surrounded by shops, bars and restaurants – just a few steps from the historic Denis Theatre.
Festivals



Pittsburgh Neighborhood Community Festivals - Various neighborhoods in Pittsburgh hold FREE festivals throughout the 2011 Summer and Fall season.

African Arts in the Park – Free cultural event at Point State Park this August. More info coming soon!

Lawrenceville Garden Tour - Find out how gardens grow on this FREE annual garden tour in Lawrenceville!

Three Rivers Regatta - This is the largest inland regatta event in the United States, and ALL activites and performances are free to attend.

Wings Over Pittsburgh – Celebrate patriotism, and enjoy this spectacular September show for free, oh- and parking is free too. More info coming soon!

A Fair in the Park - A Fair in the Park is an annual contemporary craft festival held in early September, presented by The Craftsmen’s Guild of Pittsburgh. The fair features high quality art and craft displays and demonstrations ,a concert weekend, a children’s activity and project area and a variety of Pittsburgh’s fabulous foods. More info coming soon!

South Side Works Exposed – This annual event has free live music, food vendors & lots of family fun activities.

Red, Ripe & Roasted: Tomato & Garlic Festival - Enjoy free admission to this yummy summer food festival AND Phipps Conservatory with your fresh produce donation this August. More info coming soon!

WYEP Summer Music Festival - Free summer music concert at Schenley Plaza, complete with kids activities and an indie craft marketplace.

Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix – check out the largest road race in the United States this summer… for free!
Family & Kids

Pittsburgh Spray Parks - Cool down this summer with these free city spray parks - no swimming required!

Roving Art Cart - Kiddos take can take advantage of free arts & crafts… in various locations around the ‘Burgh.

Blue Slide Park - Be sure to check out this great freebie for kids, as well as some of our other great free finds!

Reading Room at Market Square - Books aren’t free, but browsing is… and books are just $1-$2.

KidsPlay at Market Square - Free stories, crafts, treats, and special guests for kiddos at Market Square in Downtown Pittsburgh.

Mini Golf at Schenley Park - Play a round of mini-golf at Schenley Park’s ice skating rink, for a very affordable price!

Learn-to-Swim Camp - Free swimming lessons at select City of Pittsburgh pools this summer.

Swim Lessons at Allegheny County Pools - FREE swimming lessons for kids ages 5 and older. No pre-registration required!

Allegheny Observatory – Take a FREE tour of the Allegheny Observatory this summer and learn about celestial objects & more.
Sports & Fitness

Pirate $10 discount - Use your GE advantage card for $10 Pirates Sunday home games this summer.





Fish for Free - No fishing license required to enjoy fishing on these two specially designated days of the year.

Free Kayak and Stand Up Paddle Board Demos - Enjoy this free demo opportunity for a brief paddle on the Irwin Run Pond (Lagoon) of North Park Lake.

Yoga in the Park- Free Yoga for the fitness enthusiast, starting in June.

Tai Chi in the Park - Reduce stress and gain focus before the work week starts with FREE Tai Chi at Schenley Plaza

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Gmail Tips and Tricks

Do you have a Gmail?  Did you know there are tools and tricks to help keep your inbox as organized as possible.  Keep reading the blog below to learn how to make your Gmail inbox more efficient.  You can find out more information at Apartment Therapy.



Efficient Gmail Inbox Habits

Sort as emails come: The best way to stay organized is to start from the get-go. Don’t let emails pile up throughout the week, believing you'll get to sorting and reviewing them "later". As emails start to flow in, at the least, organize them with designated labels ("followup", "family", "response needed", etc).

Labels: Back in 2011 Gmail began offering “smart labels”, a feature which automatically labels incoming bulk, notification, and forum messages for easy sorting and review. If you're the type who subscribes to regular email newsletters, store/sales notifications, or other group-wide correspondence, smart labels could be helpful in keeping the inbox trim and slim.

Color Categorization: Color categorization with labels: use it. If you’re someone who has to keep tabs on multiple tasks (who doesn't?) or juggle different groups of friends, categorizing incoming email by color will greatly simplify inbox reviews, creating color associated connections between senders and their emails. Assigning a color for emails sent from close friends and family is practically a must for anyone with a busy inbox.

Filters: After you’ve created labels and assigned colors, using filters is your next line of defense in streamlining an email inbox. In the Settings menu, select Filters and click, Create a new filter. Here, you'll be able to assign search criteria used to scan incoming emails and assign specific actions, including, "Skip the Inbox" or "Mark as read”.

Tools

Gmail offers an additional wide range of tools to help users stay organized and efficient in regards to their email needs:
Drag and Drop files: Instead of manually clicking “Attach a file” simply drag and drop files directly into the message.

Apps search: By activating “Apps search” you can extend your searches beyond the inbox into Google Docs and Sites.

Offline Gmail: Compose emails even without internet connection.

Tabs: the latest Gmail feature update takes something we're all ready used to while using browsers – tabs – and integrates them as a feature for easier viewing/sorting right from the Gmail inbox.


Users can turn on this new feature by clicking on the Configure icon (the little cog icon in the upper right), and choosing "Configure inbox". From there, optional tabs can be turned on or off, and once set, Gmail will automatically categorize the inbox by appropriate tab for segregated and tabbed viewing.

At launch, Google only offers five tabs categories:

Primary (messages from friends and family)

Promotions (sales and deals from retailers)

Social (social network sites)

Updates (online statements, verifications, receipts)

Forums (mailing lists, discussion board exchanges)Messages can be drag-and-drop between tabs, with specific senders set to always appear in a particular tab, and star messages so that they also appear in the Primary tab. Depending upon your workflow, this new tabbed view can help prioritize the process of viewing, responding, or archiving emails.

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Pittsburgh Pirates Schedule

Have you been to a Pittsburgh Pirates game yet this year?  We just started the second half of the season with the first game this Friday!  The Pirates have an excellent record, and tickets are selling fast.  Check out the schedule below to see what game you want to go to.  You can find out more about the games at MLB.com

Fri, Jul 19	@ Cincinnati	7:10 PM
Sat, Jul 20	@ Cincinnati	4:05 PM
Sun, Jul 21	@ Cincinnati	1:10 PM
Mon, Jul 22	@ Washington	7:05 PM
Tue, Jul 23	@ Washington	7:05 PM
Wed, Jul 24	@ Washington	7:05 PM
Thu, Jul 25	@ Washington	12:35 PM
Fri, Jul 26	@ Miami	7:10 PM
Sat, Jul 27	@ Miami	7:10 PM
Sun, Jul 28	@ Miami	1:10 PM
Mon, Jul 29	vs St. Louis	7:05 PM
Tue, Jul 30	vs St. Louis	4:05 PM
Tue, Jul 30	vs St. Louis	7:05 PM
Wed, Jul 31	vs St. Louis	7:05 PM
AUGUST	OPPONENT	TIME (ET)
Thu, Aug 1	vs St. Louis	7:05 PM
Fri, Aug 2	vs Colorado	7:05 PM
Sat, Aug 3	vs Colorado	7:05 PM
Sun, Aug 4	vs Colorado	1:35 PM
Tue, Aug 6	vs Miami	7:05 PM
Wed, Aug 7	vs Miami	7:05 PM
Thu, Aug 8	vs Miami	12:35 PM
Fri, Aug 9	@ Colorado	8:40 PM
Sat, Aug 10	@ Colorado	8:10 PM
Sun, Aug 11	@ Colorado	4:10 PM
Tue, Aug 13	@ St. Louis	8:15 PM
Wed, Aug 14	@ St. Louis	8:15 PM
Thu, Aug 15	@ St. Louis	1:45 PM
Fri, Aug 16	vs Arizona	7:05 PM
Sat, Aug 17	vs Arizona	4:05 PM
Sun, Aug 18	vs Arizona	1:35 PM
Mon, Aug 19	@ San Diego	10:10 PM
Tue, Aug 20	@ San Diego	10:10 PM
Wed, Aug 21	@ San Diego	6:40 PM
Thu, Aug 22	@ San Francisco	10:15 PM
Fri, Aug 23	@ San Francisco	10:15 PM
Sat, Aug 24	@ San Francisco	9:05 PM
Sun, Aug 25	@ San Francisco	4:05 PM
Tue, Aug 27	vs Milwaukee	7:05 PM
Wed, Aug 28	vs Milwaukee	7:05 PM
Thu, Aug 29	vs Milwaukee	7:05 PM
Fri, Aug 30	vs St. Louis	7:05 PM
Sat, Aug 31	vs St. Louis	7:05 PM
SEPTEMBER	OPPONENT	TIME (ET)
Sun, Sep 1	vs St. Louis	1:35 PM
Mon, Sep 2	@ Milwaukee	2:10 PM
Tue, Sep 3	@ Milwaukee	8:10 PM
Wed, Sep 4	@ Milwaukee	8:10 PM
Fri, Sep 6	@ St. Louis	8:15 PM
Sat, Sep 7	@ St. Louis	7:15 PM
Sun, Sep 8	@ St. Louis	2:15 PM
Mon, Sep 9	@ Texas	8:05 PM
Tue, Sep 10	@ Texas	8:05 PM
Wed, Sep 11	@ Texas	2:05 PM
Thu, Sep 12	vs Cubs	7:05 PM
Fri, Sep 13	vs Cubs	7:05 PM
Sat, Sep 14	vs Cubs	7:05 PM
Sun, Sep 15	vs Cubs	1:35 PM
Mon, Sep 16	vs San Diego	7:05 PM
Tue, Sep 17	vs San Diego	7:05 PM
Wed, Sep 18	vs San Diego	7:05 PM
Thu, Sep 19	vs San Diego	12:35 PM
Fri, Sep 20	vs Cincinnati	7:05 PM
Sat, Sep 21	vs Cincinnati	7:05 PM
Sun, Sep 22	vs Cincinnati	1:35 PM
Mon, Sep 23	@ Cubs	8:05 PM
Tue, Sep 24	@ Cubs	8:05 PM
Wed, Sep 25	@ Cubs	2:20 PM
Fri, Sep 27	@ Cincinnati	7:10 PM
Sat, Sep 28	@ Cincinnati	4:10 PM
Sun, Sep 29	@ Cincinnati	1:10 PM

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Jazz Music and a Movie in the Park

Are you looking for something to do this summer?  Check out this great series in the city.  You can check out some great jazz musicians, and then stay to catch a movie after the concert.  These events are held Saturdays at Riverview Park.  You can find more information at Living Pittsburgh.



The Stars at Riverview Jazz Series hosts live jazz performers every Saturday night this summer. These FREE concerts are held at Riverview park every Saturday from 7 until 8:30 pm starting June 8 and continuing through August 31, 2013.

Here’s the 2012 list of performers:
June 8 – Charles Wallace Band
June 15 – Mark Lucas
June 22 – Colter Harper
June 29 – Roger Humphries
July 6 – Eric Johnson
July 13 – Jeff Grubbs
July 20 – Spanky Wilson
July 27 – Chelsea Baratz
August 3 – Kevin Howard
August 10 – Elevations
August 17 – Marty Ashby Quartet
August 24 – Salsamba
August 31 – Kenny Blake

For more information, call 412-255-2391 or visit the City of Pittsburgh website.

Make sure to stay after the concert because you can catch a free movie afterwards at Cinema in the Park.

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Happy Independence Day!

We hope everyone has a great holiday!  What are you doing to celebrate the fourth?

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Festivals in the City

The next month in Pittsburgh is full of festivals for every member of your family.  Fireworks, crafts, food, and heritage are all covered in these events throughout the area.   Check out the list below to see what festivals you want to take your family too.  You can find the complete list at about.com

Celebrate America Festival
June 30 – July 5, 2011
Kennywood Amusement Park, West Mifflin, PA
Enjoy a weeklong salute to our great country and its people with special featured entertainment, stunt shows, strolling performers, face painting, fireworks and evening fireworks at Kennywood. $10 off admission coupons available for Celebrate America week from Giant Eagle locations.

Ellwood City Arts, Crafts & Food Festival
July 1–3, 2011
Ewing Park, Ellwood City, PA
This annual Lawrence county festival features more than 200 art and craft booths, plenty of live entertainment and, of course, food! Plus, a fabulous Zambelli fireworks finale.

Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival
July 1-4, 2011
Twin Lakes Park, Greensburg, PA
The acclaimed Westmoreland Arts & Heritage Festival offers something for everyone's tastes, from visual and live performing arts to exciting ethnic foods. This annual free summer celebration marks its 37th year in 2011.

Big Butler Fair
June 29 - July 7, 2012
Route 422, Prospect, PA
Billed as the largest fair in Western Pennsylvania, the Big Butler Fair has been operating for 156 years! Enjoy nine big days of food, animals, concerts and fun.

Battle of Fort Necessity Commemoration
July 3, 2011
Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Uniontown, PA
Join the National Park Service in commemorating the 257th anniversary of the Battle of Fort Necessity with living history, camp life, and artillery firing demonstrations.

Pittsburgh Regatta & 4th of July Fireworks
July 2–4, 2011
North Shore Riverfront Park, Pittsburgh
The all new Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta adds an extra day as it returns to Point State Park and the North Shore, bringing with it the return of the North American Powerboat Championships. A plethora of water and land activities are packed into three days, along with the famous Fourth of July Pyrotechnico fireworks celebration!

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5 Beautiful Flowers You Probably Didn't Know You Could Eat

Summer flowers are in bloom, and boy do they smell good! You might enjoy more than just the smell, as some of them are literally good enough to eat! Check out "5 Beautiful Flowers You Probably Didn't Know You Could Eat" below and add some petals to your plate!

Candied rose petals on cakes and stuffed squash blossoms are yesterday's news! Here are five edible flowers that will make you look at your flower bed in a new and delicious light.

I have been slightly obsessed with edible flowers ever since picking up a copy of Cooking with Flowers by Miche Bacher. The pages of this book are full of ideas that bring bright colors and new flowery flavors to almost every meal of the day. These five have me particularly excited:

1. Daylilies: Bacher says all parts of the daylily are edible, from the blooms to the roots, and they have a fresh "sweet lettuce" flavor. Add them to salads for a pop of color or use them in stir fries.

2. Lilacs: Oh, yeah! That heady, sweet, floral fragrance that turns heads apparently translates directly onto the plate. Use only the blossoms themselves, and infuse them into sorbets, ice creams, puddings, and even jam. My first project is going to be an infused simple syrup for use in cocktails.

3. Orchids: Although these flowers might seem too pretty to eat, you definitely should. Bacher describes their flavor as a mix "cucumber and endive." She recommends using them in stir fries or candy them for cake decorations.

4. Sunflowers: I love sunflower seeds, but never thought about the petals! They have mild grassy flavor. Pluck those petals and fold them into grain salads or bake them into a loaf of bread (Bacher's recipe in the book uses both the petals and the seeds for a double dose of sunflower!)

5. Tulips: Tulips have a cucumber flavor like orchids, but without the spiciness. Given their cup-like shape, they are nature's original edible container. Bacher suggests using them as ice cream bowls, but I also like the idea of packing them with a grain salad and taking them on a picnic. Remove the pistols and stamens before using.

Whenever you're cooking with flowers, make sure you only pick or buy flowers that have been grown organically and without pesticides. Many flowers intended for floral arrangements are sprayed with pesticides and insecticides that aren't always safe for consumption.

(Image: kikolinakika/Shutterstock)




Original Article Here: http://bit.ly/16dieAH

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