After dining on a satisfying meal of American Chinese cuisine earlier this week, I cracked open my customary fortune cookie to discover the tidbit of knowledge contained therein. The tiny slip of paper read: “In all matters of opinion, you always say it better.” Given my profession, and the reason I had visited the eatery in the first place, I was particularly amused by this fortune. I’d gone there to do a restaurant review, and, now, my complimentary confection was trying to butter me up with a compliment! I’d like to thank that fortuitous food for its faith in me, and I hope that this piece…

This week’s Great Escape takes us to the thrift store of your choice. But we’re not going there to shop. We’re going there to donate. As fall weather sets in and you exchange the summer clothes in your closet for warmer ones, ask yourself a question for each garment you place at the back of your closet or in storage: Am I ever going to wear this again? If the answer is “no,” don’t box the item or toss it in a pile. Instead, donate it to a local thrift store. In doing so, you’ll benefit yourself and others in numerous ways. With each donation, you’ll lessen the clutter in your home, decrease …

This week’s Great Escape takes us to Harry’s Pizza in Waterdam Centre. It’s a child-friendly eatery that offers incredible food at reasonable prices. Harry’s’ menu is very approachable and unintimidating. It is just over two pages long. On the interior, pizzas are on the left and salads and beverages are on the right. A wine list carries over onto the back of the menu. Pizza selections include mozzarella pizza; combination pizza with any variety of toppings; and five specialty pizzas. Only two salads—a house salad and chicken salad—are listed on the opposite page. Sodas, soft drinks, beers …

This week’s Great Escape takes us to Sew Much Fun in McMurray, which owner Sue Gates has tagged “the place (to go) for sewing and fun.” As both a store and a learning center, Sew Much Fun lives up to its tagline by providing sewing enthusiasts with a one-stop shop where they can buy, learn and create.   Located on W. McMurray Road, Sew Much Fun offers a wide variety of classes, most of which are taught by Gates herself. Classes are offered daily throughout the year, in both a day and an evening format to accommodate the needs of different lifestyles. The classes are each themed around a …

This week’s Great Escape takes us to The Frog N’ Princess on Route 19, where you can escape department store labels and find truly unique wardrobe selections for your child. The Frog N’ Princess isn’t your ordinary clothing store, by any means. Owner Renee Lingle prides herself on carrying only fashion-forward clothing and accessories from high-end, exclusive labels that you won’t find in department stores. And, Lingle’s customers seem to like what she has to offer, too. The Frog N’ Princess has been a Peters staple for approximately 18 years, drawing customers from across and outside the …

Before you can plan any fun-filled great escape of your own, you want to make sure that your child will be safe and happy while you are away from her. That’s why this week’s Great Escape takes us on the hunt for a qualified, quality babysitter. Some folks get grandparents, members of their extended family, or in-laws to sit with their kid. Others ask a fellow parent to watch their child or to recommend a sitter. Unfortunately, not all parents have these options available to them. If you don’t have such options, finding a great babysitter can be a very daunting task. There are so many things …

If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen. Seriously. Get out of the kitchen! This week’s Great Escape takes us to Ollie’s Pizza in McMurray, where you’ll find quick, affordable and tasty meal options that can help you beat the heat and stay out of the kitchen while satisfying your cravings for a hot meal. With temperatures in the 90s, words like “oven” and “stove” are very unpopular in most homes. Many people are settling for cold sandwiches or salads, or zapping things in the microwave, rather than turning on their ovens to overheat their homes and themselves. But, it is possible …

This week’s Great Escape takes us to the silver screen—and, it takes us back in time. We’re going to the drive-in theater. Once upon a time, drive-in theaters were all the rage. Nowadays, they’re mighty hard to come by. But, just because they’re hard to come by, that doesn’t mean they’re not worthwhile. These outdoor cinemas have been around since the 1930s, with peak prevalence in the 50s and 60s. Over time, the economy and real estate market made drive-ins less and less feasible, and technological advents diminished the need for what soon became seen as nothing more than a novelty form of …

This week’s Great Escape takes us to Touché Nail Spa on Washington Road in McMurray. We’re going there to enjoy some of the premium manicure and pedicure treatments that set Touché apart. Touché offers an extensive menu of nail enhancement, manicure, pedicure and waxing services in a very clean and relaxing environment. The spa’s seven full-time technicians are each well-versed in their trade, and are particularly skilled at free-hand nail art. They use only high-end products, polishes and lacquers, including brands such as OPI, China Glaze and Essie. Touché caters to a diverse clientele that…

This week’s Great Escape takes us to Luma Restaurant in Mt. Lebanon. Located on Castle Shannon Boulevard, this upscale eatery offers mouthwatering contemporary cuisine that’ll nudge some of those grown-up tastebuds you have been neglecting. Sure enough, one of the greatest sacrifices that we parents make for our children is giving up fine dining and fine foods. We don’t want to cart our babies, toddlers and young children into fancy food places—and, the patrons usually don’t want us to either. Even if you have a well-mannered youngster, or are able to temporarily subdue her into culinary …

This week’s Great Escape is one for the entire family. It’s about helping mom, dad and the kids keep their bodies in shape and improve their general health and well-being. We’re going to the gym! But we’re not going to just any gym. We’re going to Strive Family Fit Zone on Valley Brook Road. It’s a unique family-friendly fitness facility, which offers state-of-the-art equipment, skilled instruction, 24/7 access and much more. And, for a very limited time, Strive is offering a promotional deal that you won’t want to miss. New members receive one month of free membership with a coupon. The …

This week’s Great Escape takes us out of Washington County, but definitely keeps us in the mix. We’re going to the Hometown Music Fest at South Park Amphitheater, where we’ll find a variety of bands across different musical genres. On the evening of Friday, June 17, four amazing bands will be ready to punch out some tunes for the South Park Amphitheater audience. The show starts at 6:30 p. m., and the lineup includes headlining act Lovebettie. Lovebettie is a four-piece Pittsburgh-based group, priding its members as the “pioneers of Swagger Rock.” Lovebettie mixes and bends multiple genres to…

This week’s Great Escape will help you find a new appreciation for bling. Whether you’re in the market for custom handmade jewelry, looking for a new and exciting way to entertain your friends or planning a birthday party for your daughter, Simply Stranded can hook you up! Simply Stranded is the brainchild of Peters Township resident Emily Ray. It’s a unique jewelry creation service that allows girls and women of all ages to order or create one-of-a-kind heirloom-quality jewelry. Simply Stranded started some 10 years ago when Ray met a friend who created her own jewelry and was inspired to do…

This week’s Great Escape takes us on an amazing adventure of your choice. It’s all about nearby amusement parks, and some things that kids of all ages will want to consider when planning their day in the sun. Nothing says “summer” like a trip to an amusement park. It’s something that our kids look forward to each year, and have come to expect as a reward for successfully completing another year of school or childhood. But, let’s be honest here—we parents look forward to hitting the amusement parks too! It’s very rewarding for us as well. We get to enjoy the parks’ attractions and the smiles …

This week’s Great Escape takes us to the Peters Township Community Recreation Center. In 2010, more than 20,000 participants took part in CRC programs and activities. Chances are you were one of those people. So, you probably already know about some of the spectacular summer activities slated to occur over the coming months. But, just in case you don’t, you’ll want to take note of the following annual and seasonal events. On June 11, wake up at the crack of dawn, grab your running shoes and hit the CRC for the annual Peters Township 5K Race. The race begins at 9 a.m., with on-site …

This week’s Great Escape takes us on a stroll through the personal history of a Peters Township resident dedicated to helping area women find effective and affordable skincare products. When stay-at-home mom Lyn Dempsey went to a friend’s open house last year, she never expected to leave with a skin solution, let alone with a new career. Dempsey had spent the majority of her life looking for a skincare system to deal with her problematic skin. Time after time, she was disappointed by products that didn’t work in the first place or stopped working after a couple of weeks. On a fateful day last…

This week’s Great Escape takes us to the farthest stretches of your imagination. Local author Alison Kartevold shares her opinions on how writing can help you escape the stress and monotony of your daily routine, as well as help you create a legacy for your children. Kartevold’s offering to the literary world is a fantasy adventure entitled “KenKarta: Battle of the Onoxmon.” Even though the byline on the book jacket recognizes only Alison Kartevold as the author, the story would not have existed if not for aid of Kartevold’s two daughters, Veronica and Sophia. The tale of how Kartevold’s …

This week’s Great Escape takes us into the world of music instruction and performance. We’re headed to U Rock Music Center on E. McMurray Road. You’ve probably heard of U Rock before. In November 2010, it sponsored the celebrity appearance of Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith at Peters Township High School. But, we’ll talk more about that later. First, let’s see how U Rock will help you rock. Actually, you don’t have to “rock” if you don’t want to. According to Vincent Nemeth, owner of U Rock, the center embraces all music types and offers individualized lessons to accommodate a wide …

This week’s Great Escape takes us away from Peters Township. But, don’t worry; we’re not going too far. We’re just heading up Washington Road to The Pie Place in Upper Saint Clair. The Pie Place is located at the corner of Route 19 and North Highland Road in Norman Center II, near South Hills Village Mall. As its name indicates, it’s a place that makes and sells pies. Fruit pies. Cream pies. Meringue pies. Custard Pies. Pies, pies, pies! The Pie Place makes every type of pie imaginable. Its extensive selection of pies is not limited to those items printed on its menu. The bakers make many …

We interrupt your regularly scheduled Great Escape to bring you a special announcement. There is a mother who desperately needs our help. She’s running low on resources and having trouble staying clean. Her name is Mother Earth and she deserves a break. It’s our job to give her one. Earth Day is celebrated on April 22 each year. The Earth Day Network refers to it as a day for “individuals and organizations worldwide to demonstrate their commitment to environmental protection and sustainability.” Earth Day isn’t breaking news. It’s been around for over 40 years. The first national Earth Day …