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Places to Stay

The Oaklander

Easy access to museums, parks, eds and meds — plus a swish bar and comfortable rooms — makes this the perfect Oakland nest.
Hal B. Klein,

PHOTOS COURTESY THE OAKLANDER Considering Oakland’s historical importance and centrality to Pittsburgh’s two most significant talking points — eds and meds — it was a longtime oversight that there wasn’t a top-flight place for people to stay in the neighborhood. Enter The Oaklander Hotel, part of the Marriott Autograph Collection, which opened in a new building last year. Ascend 10…

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Places to Stay

The Priory Hotel

Appreciate history with a twist at a classic and quaint hotel on Pittsburgh's vibrant North Side.
Cristina Holtzer,

PHOTOS BY LAURA PETRILLA The North Side’s Priory Hotel, built in 1888, is comfortable in the most home-away-from-home sort of way. Staying at the former monastery-turned-42-room hotel, which retains many of its original features, feels like staying in a small European inn — or even the stately home of a distant relative.   Aside from Monk’s Bar, a three-table bar…

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Things To Do

Cook Forest Field Guide: Overnight Camping

So you want to go camping? Here are 20 camping essentials to make room for in your backpack, bikepack or car trunk.
Huck Beard,

PHOTO BY CHUCK BEARD If you’re a hard-core camper with antifreeze in your veins and crickets as your noise machine, you’ll want to pitch a tent at one of Cook Forest’s 210 campsites. Each has a picnic table and fire ring, and pets are permitted for an additional fee. Full-hookup campsites have on-site water, electric (50-amp) and sewage; electric-only sites…

Pittsburgh Wedding Photography 117
Best of Design, HOME + Design

Best Renovated Home

Laken Design puts family — and lighting — first in a stunning home renovation.
April Johnston,

PHOTOS BY TYLER NORMAN Like nearly all of the projects Laken Design has tackled in its 18 months of existence, the renovation of a 9,000-square-foot home on 52 acres in New Wilmington began with the lighting. “Lighting isn’t just there to provide light,” says Laken Design co-founder Kate Tomalis. “For us, it’s a statement. We build off of it.” For…

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Best of Design, HOME + Design

Best Renovated Kitchen

Studio d’ARC transformed a separate kitchen and formal dining room into a spacious, Scandinavian-inspired space.
Jesseca Muslin,

PHOTOS BY ED MASSERY When Rob and Barb Spagiare told Debbie Battistone, the project manager at Studio d’ARC on the South Side, and Gerard Damiani, the design principal, the goals for their kitchen renovation, the two knew how to give the Spagiares their dream kitchen — and their future dream home. It involved knocking down walls. “We set up a…

Murrysville Residence Photo Credit Anthony Musmanno 3
Best of Design, HOME + Design

Best Room

mossArchitects took advantage of sloping topography to design a dream home, including a two-story great room with a stunning view.
Jessica Sinichak,

PHOTOS BY ANTHONY MUSMANNO For years, the triangular, sloping lot in a well-established Murrysville neighborhood sat empty — passed over by buyers. While others may have seen difficulty in developing the unique lot, Darren Lloyd, associate principal at mossArchitects in Garfield, and his clients — Joanna Fong and Justin Isariyawongse — clocked something else. “We saw potential in it,” Lloyd says….

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HOME Sponsored Content, House of the Week, Sponsored Content

House of the Week: Bright Log Home in Butler

This home sits on over 11 acres and features an in-ground pool and walking trail.
Content Provided by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty,

116 Barnes Ridge Lane, Butler, PA 16001 This log house is located in Butler, just 30 minutes from Cranberry and 40 minutes from Pittsburgh.   The kitchen features top-of-the-line appliances including a Subzero refrigerator.   The kitchen shares a double-sided fireplace with, and is adjacent to, a large dining area.   Spacious ceilings accompany the open living area accented by…

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Ultimate House

Ultimate House Designs: The Study Room

See what the design team from PG&H has come up with for the Study Room of this luxury penthouse.
PM Staff,

In their own words, the designers explain their vision for this very special room. “When designing the Ultimate House Study Room, we wanted the room to reflect our store mission of ‘bringing together the Best Makers in Pittsburgh and placing their heart and skill into your own home’. Each piece was harmoniously designed to speak individually to you as you…
HOME Sponsored Content, House of the Week, Sponsored Content

House of the Week: Brick Colonial in Cranberry Township

This four-bedroom home features 9-foot ceilings and custom built-ins.
Content Provided by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty,

         119 Southridge Drive, Cranberry Twp, PA  16066 This house is located in the community of Southridge Estates in Cranberry Township.   The open-floor kitchen has granite countertops, 9-foot ceilings, and access to a pantry.   Connected to the kitchen is an open family room that has a gas fireplace.   The second floor contains four bedrooms…

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The 412

Drive-Through Ashes Speed The Faithful on Ash Wednesday

For the sixth year running, visitors to a small church in White Oak received ashes without having to get out of their cars.
Jared Murphy,

A small church on Lincoln Way in White Oak caused a traffic jam early Wednesday morning. For the sixth year running, Faith Lutheran Church held its annual “drive through ashes,” where people could receive ashes for Ash Wednesday, in the front parking lot of the church without having to leave their cars. Pastor William B Meekins Jr. of McKeesport Shared…
HOME Sponsored Content, House of the Week, Sponsored Content

House of the Week: Unique Colonial in McCandless

Features include a gourmet kitchen and plenty of inside and outside entertainment space.
Content Provided by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty,

9727 Harmony Drive, McCandless, PA 15237 Rustic meets luxury in this four-bedroom home nestled in McCandless.   An eat-in kitchen spans almost 30 feet and includes an island, six-burner stove, a warming tray and two dishwashers among other highlights.   Beamed ceilings expand from the kitchen to a casual dining area accompanied by a fireplace.   The large dining room…
Ultimate House

Ultimate House Designs: The Bedrooms

See what the PerLora design team has dreamed up for the sleeping areas of this luxury penthouse.
PM Staff,

As you might imagine in a $2.65 million luxury terrace penthouse Downtown, the bedrooms are amazing spaces. “Using the glorious nearly 360-degree view enveloping this pied-a-terre in the sky, our team envisioned bringing that sense of openness to the bedrooms; using glass legs, expansive headboards and creatively shaped pieces, we evoked a sense of serene, sensuous luxury,“ says the PerLora…
HOME Sponsored Content, House of the Week, Sponsored Content

House of the Week: North Hills Colonial

This five-bedroom home is located minutes from Mt. Nebo Pointe and interstates 279 and 79.
Content Provided by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty,

163 Overlook Drive Pittsburgh Pa 15237 Located on a half-acre lot, this spacious home is in the Avonworth School District.   Visitors are greeted by a 19 X 6-foot concrete porch.   The entire house has just been professionally painted.   The home features a light and airy flow, with new, high-end light fixtures.   The kitchen includes new stainless-steel…
The 412

Surprise Proposal Delights Crowd of Cupid’s Undie Runners

600 runners took to the North Shore to raise thousands for charity. Along the way, two of them got engaged.
Jared Murphy,

PHOTOS BY JARED MURPHY Saturday’s weather wasn’t exactly ideal for a run in your underwear. But temperatures barely above freezing did not deter more than 600 runners from taking part in the 6th annual Cupid’s Undie Run on Pittsburgh’s North Shore.  The one-mile run helps to raise awareness and find a cure for neurofibromatosis, a genetic tumor condition affecting one…
The 412

First Significant Snow Triggers Memories of Snowmaggedon

A decade after one of the heaviest snowstorms in Pittsburgh, we reflect on the good and the bad.
Garret Roberts,

PHOTOS BY RICHARD COOK On Feb. 2, 2010, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter. What Phil, and many meteorologists, didn’t predict was the massive winter storm three days later. Burying Pittsburgh in 21 inches of snow over Feb. 5 and 6, “Snowmageddon” was the fourth largest winter storm to ever hit the Pittsburgh area. 10…
House of the Week

House of the Week: Roomy Fox Chapel Colonial

This home features high quality features and finishes throughout.
Content Provided by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty,

412 N Pasadena Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15215 This five-bedroom home is set on a private lot in Fox Chapel.   The expansive gourmet kitchen, den and screened-in porch are an entertainer’s dream. The kitchen features high-end stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and terracotta tile   A fireplace is the focal point in the spacious family room featuring a wet bar…
Ultimate House

What Makes the Ultimate House Ultimate?

There’s a long list.
Cristina Holtzer,

How many people can stand comfortably inside your closet?  At Lumière, our 5th annual Ultimate House, the answer is 15 and counting. Inside the $2.65 million penthouse at 350 Oliver Ave., everything is big and beautiful. Soon you can see it for yourself.  The multiple walk-in closets inside the 3-bedroom, 3.5-bath condominium will be custom-made by Closet Factory and valued…
Community Feature, From the Magazine, Hot Reads

6 Important Buildings from Pittsburgh’s Black History

Despite efforts to preserve noteworthy African American architectural sites, many continue to deteriorate.
Mark Houser, Photos by Huck Beard,

THE NEW GRANADA THEATER When she leads visitors on tours of the Hill District, Kim Ellis likes to point out the state historical marker recognizing August Wilson’s birthplace. She is even more pleased to show them the simple brick building behind it, which is where the celebrated playwright — who was also her uncle — grew up. Surprisingly, the Pulitzer Prize…
The 412, Ultimate House

Why Was Our 5th Annual Ultimate House Delayed?

The luxury space at the former Saks Fifth Avenue site was supposed to be open for public tours in September of last year. Find out what happened.
Cristina Holtzer,

Lumière at 350 Oliver Avenue on January 6, 2020. Lumière, Pittsburgh Magazine’s fifth annual Ultimate House project, is nearly ready to open its doors. Originally scheduled to be the September 2019 Ultimate House, public tours inside Lumière had to be postponed due to construction delays. Lumière, developed by Millcraft Investments, comprises 86 residences with views of the city in a…
Community Feature, From the Magazine, Hot Reads

Reviving History: The Fight for the Old Stone Tavern

The building originally operated as a tavern, tollhouse and inn on the Washington Pike. It had served patrons for more than 220 years before closing in 2008.
Mark Houser,

AN ARTIST’S RENDERING OF HOW THE REVITALIZED TAVERN COULD LOOK | PHOTOS COURTESY PITTSBURGH’S OLD STONE TAVERN TRUST INC. The fate of Pittsburgh’s oldest commercial building, a West End tavern where Whiskey Rebellion conspirators once hatched their plans, ultimately rests on whether someone is willing to bet a couple million dollars on reopening it. The Old Stone Tavern, at 434…
From the Magazine, HOME + Design, Hot Reads

My Favorite Room with Richard DeShantz

Much like his food, the celebrated chef’s home in Pittsburgh’s Allentown neighborhood is a work of art. 
Jessica Sinichak, Photos by Huck Beard,

Richard Deshantz is one of Pittsburgh’s most celebrated and prolific chefs — that’s no secret. But perhaps a lesser known tidbit about the co-owner of the Richard DeShantz Restaurant Group — whose restaurant portfolio includes Meat & Potatoes, Butcher and the Rye, täkō, Pork & Beans, Poulet Bleu and Fish nor Fowl, plus the upcoming Coop de Ville and gi-jin…
The 412, Things To Do

A Grand New Addition to Pittsburgh Miniature Railroad Display

An iconic Downtown department store is now part of the train display at the Carnegie Science Center.
Lauren Davidson,

PHOTOS COURTESY CARNEGIE SCIENCE CENTER Each year, the Carnegie Science Center adds a structure to its intricate Miniature Railroad & Village exhibit depicting scenes from the history of western Pennsylvania. For the railroad’s 100th anniversary, it needed to be something grand. “Grand Depot,” the original Kaufmann’s Department Store Downtown, complete with the iconic clock, now sits between the Second Indiana…

Holiday Gift Ideas from Wendell August Forge

New this year: the Pittsburgh Steelers collection.
Content Provided by Wendell August Forge,

Crafted just outside of Pittsburgh for nearly a century, Wendell August gifts are unique symbols of the stories, traditions and milestones that bind us together. Using hand and hammer, our master craftsmen work tirelessly to ensure every piece we forge is special. From our new Pittsburgh Penguins Players Edition Coaster Set, to our stunning new Pittsburgh Steelers Collection featuring a…
Hot Reads, Things To Do

Largest Exhibit of Real Mummies Comes to Pittsburgh

Walk like an Egyptian to “Mummies of the World” at Carnegie Science Center.
Mike May,

COURTESY CARNEGIE SCIENCE CENTER “May I look upon my soul and my shadow?” — The Egyptian Book of the Dead Mummies are wrapped in mystery and shrouded in silence — literally and figuratively. They intrigue, captivate and frighten us, turning up everywhere from high-culture museums to pop-culture resurrections on the silver screen. (A rollicking take in 1999 had a cocky…