About this column:
Editor Jessica Bruni Sinichak has something to say -- sometimes. Welcome to her occasional column.I'll admit it, as a child, I really didn't appreciate taking part in The Feast of The Seven Fishes, the traditional Italian-American meal served on Christmas Eve that involves no meat. I was a picky eater, and the mere thought of dining on eels, smelts and a variety of other exotic creatures from the sea was enough to make me cringe. Instead, I stuck to salads and plain bowls of buttered noodles as I wondered why we couldn't have a ham or turkey like everyone else I knew. As I got older – and became more open to other foods -- I began to appreciate the tradition behind the meal, which, in …
Wow, where has the time gone? Today, we celebrate two years of Cranberry Patch in the community—and my how we’ve grown. After launching on Dec. 14, it took months of introducing Cranberry Patch to the community for people to learn what the site is really all about—you! These days, I’m elated every time I overhear someone say “Oh, I read it on the Patch,” or when I meet someone who tells me they read Patch every day—and they love it! Here at Patch, we really strive to bring you all the changes, news and developments that are going on in the community—the things you care about most!—and give …
I have to confess, as I was writing and editing the Cranberry Patch site last week I was in absolute misery. Not because of anything work related, mind you, but because I—like many others in the area—was suffering from my first seasonal cold of the year. You know, the one you get as soon as the weather turns cold, or warm…or whatever (This is Pittsburgh weather we’re talking about here). Desperate for relief—my nose only would get stuffier every time I blew it—I asked readers on the Cranberry Patch Facebook page for their best cold advice—and they didn’t disappoint. In the interest of paying …
When it comes down to it, behind just about every small business is an entrepreneur hoping to turn their passion into a paycheck. But, as many wise business advisers have noted: Hope is not a strategy. Business owners need support to turn dreams into reality. That's why Patch is pleased to announce a new partnership with SCORE, a nonprofit organization with 12,000 business experts nationwide who provide free mentoring to small business owners. The partnership makes sense because we believe that when local commerce grows, the whole community gets stronger. Patch already provides free listings …
One the first albums I ever got was Whitney, featuring I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me). It was a gift from my dad (also a Whitney fan) and I could hardly wait to get home to play the record. And yes, I do mean record. After all, this was the mid-1980s. My grade-school-aged girlfriends also loved the singer, and we would blast her songs on the stereo whenever they came over to my house. Whitney got in my head again with I Will Always Love You—a great song to sing in the shower!—from The Bodyguard soundtrack and (my personal favorite) My Love is Your Love. When I logged onto Facebook…
Well, 2012 is here. It’s time to cast off last year’s highs and lows and start fresh. With that in mind, what are your New Year’s resolutions? As always, after a month of glutinous eating around the holidays, my vow at this time of year is to eat healthier and exercise more. I think that resolution lasted for about a month in 2011. OK, maybe it was more like two weeks. I’m sure there are far more interesting resolutions out there, and we’d like you to share them. Leave your vows for 2012 in the comment section below. While you’re at it, feel free to comment on your hopes for the New Year. …
I'll admit it, as a child, I really didn't appreciate taking part in The Feast of The Seven Fishes, the traditional Italian-American meal served on Christmas Eve that involves no meat. I was a picky eater, and the mere thought of dining on eels, smelts and a variety of other exotic creatures from the sea was enough to make me cringe. Instead, I stuck to salads and plain bowls of buttered noodles as I wondered why we couldn't have a ham or turkey like everyone else I knew. As I got older – and became more open to other foods -- I began to appreciate the tradition behind the meal, which, in …
It’s a given that parents love to celebrate the milestones of their offspring. And today, the Cranberry Patch site, which has been my baby for the last year, turns one. We’re so excited! Cranberry Patch took its first tottering steps into the community on Dec. 14, 2010. On that day we brought you a story on a rain barrel project completed by students at Haine Middle School and an article on holiday fashion tips from local retailers. My, how we’ve grown. With that said, here’s my take on some of the biggest and best stories we’ve covered at Cranberry Patch. Along the way, I’ve met some really …
I’m going to go ahead and admit it; I’m a little bit thrilled that I own the same T-shirt as Jerry Ferrara – enough that I’m going to share it with Cranberry Patch readers! Better known as “Turtle” from the hit HBO show Entourage (which just concluded its last season), Ferrara showed up sporting a Patch shirt before an appearance on ESPN’s College GameDay. Ferrara was a “picker” on Saturday’s show. I’ve heard from Patch headquarters that Ferrara keeps tabs on his hometown in Brooklyn via the New York-area Patch sites. All I can say is way to spread the word about Patch Turtle! Can I get you …
We recently launched a new look for our local listings pages, changing the name from "Directory" to "Places" on our navigation bar. You'll notice on our Places page an increase in featured local listings as well as an easier way to rate and review listings you have visited. Here are a few things to check out: - Rate your neighborhood right from our Places page and quickly reshuffle listings by clicking "Get More" at the top or bottom of the page. - To rate a listing, simply click the number of stars under the business name. - Have something to say about a listing? Write a review by clicking "…
My grandparents often tell me that my dad just couldn’t stop smiling on the day I was born. I was my parents’ much-desired first child. Labor and delivery was rough, and I know that when I finally, finally, arrived (all 10 pounds of me) I looked a little less than perfect. That didn’t stop my dad from proclaiming to everyone within the hospital waiting room that I was going to be a supermodel … or possibly a movie star. If you’re reading this, you know I didn’t grow up to be a supermodel (or a movie star). I’m the editor for this site. But really, is there a dad out there who doesn’t think …
It’s time to say good-bye for hundreds of Seneca Valley students tonight as they graduate from high school and on to their next adventure. Traditionally, the valedictorian, educators and maybe a few community members make remarks to the students about their future now that they are important high school graduates. I vaguely recall the valedictorian from my own graduation (I’m not telling you the year) calling us some of the strangest people she’s ever met. The class members responded by pulling out the silly string and beach balls they’d been hiding under their voluminous gowns and slowly …
So here it is, gang. The day that we’ve all been looking forward to since the Steelers grounded the Jets in the AFC Championship game in January finally is here. It’s Super Bowl time. I’ll be watching the game in Cranberry (naturally) and I want keep you loyal Patch readers up-to-date on what’s happing, especially those of you who joined our little contest for the chance to win a $100 Visa gift card. Folks who entered before 6 p.m. sent us their predictions on the following: Final score What player will score the first TD? The first half point total (Steelers and Packers scores combined) The …
Want headlines from Cranberry Patch delivered directly to your blog or website? Thanks to several changes made to the Cranberry Patch site last week, you can now stream all the news from Cranberry Township — or just certain categories — directly to your personal page for you and your visitors to check out. Those aren’t the only fun – and free – new features added to the site. Add your classified ads to the site at no cost and enjoy our new news feed featuring stories from nearby Patch sites. We also got a widget. With this new feature, you can create a box that's easily insertable into …
We at the Pittsburgh area Patch sites (all 12 of them) are pretty sure Ron Cassie is hanging his head in shame today. A local editor for the Dundalk Patch in Maryland, which is located right outside of Baltimore, Cassie yesterday wrote and posted a list of 10 reasons to hate the Steelers. And, after our team’s 31-24 victory over the dirty birds Saturday, we have one thing to say to him … Stairway to Seven, baby! Yeah! Ahem, but back to his list. Cassie’s first and second reasons for hating on the Pittsburgh Steelers were team mascot Steely McBeam and team quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Eh, …
If you’ve ever wondered what goes into creating a weather forecast, Patch has your answer. Jenna Staul, editor for Moon Patch, paid a visit to the National Weather Service center, which, surprisingly, is located on a tree-lined suburban street in Moon. Once there, she learned all the secrets to predicting the weather. And no, it does not involve a crystal ball. Instead, a half-dozen or so technicians and meteorologists sit at work stations where glowing computer screens in front of them display multiple, up-to-the minute satellite and radar images. With that, they really can predict your …
OK, so the NHL's Winter Classic held at Heinz Field Saturday will hardly be a classic – and least not in the minds of loyal Penguins fans. Yes, we lost to the dreaded Washington Capitals, but still, attending the festivities -- and getting to see hockey legend Mario Lemieux take the ice one more time at Friday's alumni game – had to be worth something, right? For many, this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience … And we hope you documented it. In this day and age, when even the most basic cell phone has a camera, there's no excuse not to snap a few photos. Cranberry Patch is all about being …
And now, a public service message from editor Jessica Sinichak ... Everybody likes to celebrate the arrival of a new year, usually with shots of tequila, whiskey or Jagermiester. However, it's important to think before you drink, and that means finding sober transportation to and from your party destinations. Since that's not going to be me (I'm sticking to a neighborhood party) and we don't want to lose any of our precious readers, here are numbers for a few cab companies around the area. Enjoy and have a happy -- and safe -- 2011 from all of us at Patch. Cranberry Taxi Service -- 724-282-…
OK, so some of you may have noticed that I put the call out there for Cranberry residents to share their New Year's resolution with the rest of Patch nation. Since I haven't gotten any responses yet, I thought I'd share mine first. So, here it goes; my resolution in the New Year is to make healthier eating choices. Admittedly, I had the same resolution last year – and stuck with it for, oh about a month – but I'm ready to really commit to it in 2011. I'm also going to exercise more. I swear! Not sure if it's just me, but keeping these resolutions is hard work. However, once 2011 rolls …
