If you’ve walked the streets of Disney Parks, you’ve probably come across the refreshing, pineapple soft-serve Dole Whip on those hot days. The good news is, you don’t have to go all the way to Disney to recreate this treat and you can even upgrade it to a cocktail for the adults in the room.
First, you whip up a quick sorbet made of frozen pineapple, cream of coconut, tequila, honey, and lime. You spice it with a bit of Aleppo pepper. Please refrain from eating this goodness right out of the bowl of your food processor: it is designed to float atop a fizzy mix of grapefruit or pineapple soda, tequila, honey, and lime juice. The finished drink is truly a masterpiece.
What is Dole Whip?
Dole Whip is a tropical soft-serve frozen dessert created by the Dole Food Company and made famous after being introduced at Disney Parks, where it has become an iconic treat. The classic pineapple version is dairy-free, vegan, and each bite fills your mouth with a creamy texture and refreshing flavor. Though it also comes in other fruit varieties like mango, raspberry, strawberry, lemon, lime, orange, and cherry.
There’s something about an Espresso Martini that just makes every occasion better. Whether it’s a quiet evening reading alone or a celebration dinner with friends, this cocktail is the center of enjoyment. To make this trendy drink of our time reach new heights of tropical flavor, this recipe adds in the ingredients that make tiki-style drinks so delicious. Plus, a quick blend creates a frozen texture that’s brilliant for cooling off too.
Spiced rum and Licor 43 bring their aromatic charms into the mix, sweetened with banana liqueur and cream of coconut. This bewitching beginning is just begging for the frozen electricity of freshly brewed coffee made into ice cubes. It all goes into the blender, rendering it into a chilly, fascinating, energizing jolt of a drink.
Pour freshly brewed coffee into ice cube trays and freeze overnight.
Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Add as few or as many coffee ice cubes as desired for consistency. Pour into a coupe or martini glass and enjoy!
Recipe and Styling by Rachel Sinagra at Fig and Ash Story by Keith Recker Photography by Dave Bryce
When the weather heats up, few drinks are as refreshing as a Frozen Sauvignon Blanc Cocktail. Blended into a smooth, icy slush with bright citrus flavors and a spicy touch of jalapeno, this easy cocktail is perfect for summer gatherings, backyard barbecues, or relaxing by the pool.
You can’t imagine the flavorful qualities of this gorgeously slushy concoction until you try it. Sweet enough for the gals and spicy enough for the guys, it’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Pretty enough to be a perfect welcome drink, it’s versatile enough to sip all the way through your next hot dog and hamburger cookout.
When summer melons are at their peak, there’s no better way to celebrate their naturally sweet, refreshing flavor than in a frozen cocktail. This Frozen Melon Gin Spritz blends juicy cantaloupe (or honeydew, the choice is yours) with fragrant elderflower liqueur, bright lemon juice, fresh mint, and a splash of bubbly prosecco for a drink that’s equal parts elegant and easygoing. Whether you’re hosting brunch on the patio, relaxing by the pool, or winding down after a warm afternoon in the garden, this frosty spritz is a beautiful way to savor the season’s freshest flavors.
The familiar sweetness of farm-fresh summer cantaloupe is made enchanting with this recipe. Pick a shady spot. Linger over this cooling treat with a friend. There are few summer joys that are sweeter! And just in case melons are already out of season, you need to freeze the cantaloupe in this recipe anyways so you might as well from some already frozen from the store.
Pick up a melon from a local farmstand. Slice in half and scoop out the seeds. Use a melon baller to create small melon balls. Place the balls on a flat tray and freeze overnight.
Combine all ingredients except prosecco in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add extra frozen melon balls to thicken the mixture, if desired.
Pour 2 oz of prosecco into wine glasses and top with frozen mixture. Garnish with fresh mint
Recipe and Styling by Rachel Sinagra at Fig and Ash Story by Keith Recker Photography by Dave Bryce
Dirty martinis have enjoyed a major resurgence in recent years, but this Frozen Dirty Martini gives the cocktail an entirely new personality. Instead of serving it straight from the shaker, this recipe combines freezer-chilled dill-infused vodka with a light, flaky pickle juice granita for a drink that’s equal parts cocktail and frozen treat. Every spoonful and sip delivers the bold, briny flavors martini lovers crave, while the frosty texture makes it especially refreshing on a hot summer day.
This very grown-up bevvie will find a place in your freezer until cool weather hits at the end of October. Infuse a bottle of vodka overnight with dill sprigs and then pop it in the freezer. Craft a wonderful granita made of dry vermouth, pickle juice, and water. Garnish with a gherkin and a sprig of dill. The briny, tart result of this process will tingle the taste buds even as it cools you down.
Equal parts playful and sophisticated, this Blackberry Bourbon Bramble turns a nostalgic popsicle into an interactive summer sipper. Because we’re all kids at heart, everyone at TABLE perks up when they see a popsicle garnishing a cocktail. Surely you feel the same way! This beauty starts with a blackberry and lime paleta and a brew of bourbon, hard cider, lemon, honey, orange bitters and frozen blackberries to make a bramble. As the blackberry popsicle melts into the drink, it subtly changes the flavor, making each sip its own kind of treat.
Bourbon lends its signature notes of caramel and vanilla, while crisp hard cider adds brightness and effervescence. Fresh lemon juice, honey, orange bitters, and frozen blackberries round out the cocktail with a balance of sweet, tart, and juicy flavors that feel right at home on a warm afternoon. Are you heading to your freezer yet?
The forecast for this weekend of August 3-9 in Pittsburgh is smooth, with two nights of mood-boosting music to keep your summer rolling as long as you have tickets in hand. Before we make it to Saturday, though, fill your week with movies, theater and more — including, if you dare, a chance to re-evaluate one of the 21st century’s most divisive movie franchises (are you Team Jacob or Team Edward)?
Fill Your Week With Tickets to These Events Around Pittsburgh August 3-9
Monday, August 3, Also Weekly on Monday Nights, Funhouse at Mr. Smalls
The world contains two kinds of open-mic nights: Practice sessions best suited to performers only, and professionally run evenings that will actually entertain a civilian. Acousticafe is definitely in the latter category; one of the longest running open-stage events in the city, the Monday tradition at the Funhouse at Mr. Smalls offers professional sound, a house band and a rotating lineup of guest hosts. If you’re looking for Monday-night entertainment, it’s a good bet — and if you’re looking for a stage, you’re in good hands. (Also keep an eye out for the comedy open mic, held most Tuesdays in Mr. Smalls Cafe.)
Criterion calls the landmark 1991 drama “a harrowing and compassionate immersion into the lives of three Black teenage boys grappling with the uncertainty of their futures.” The film launched the career of John Singleton, netting the auteur a pair of Oscar nominations; see it as part of the Nine on ’90s series at Sewickley’s Lindsay Theater.
Now that Robert Pattinson has become a Hollywood darling known for bold and nuanced performances — including his villainous turn in megahit The Odyssey — and Kristen Stewart has emerged as a fascinating indie director and performer … are the Twilight movies worth re-evaluating? Dismissed either as uncomplicated pulp or romantically irresponsible bad influences upon their release, the series has plenty of longtime fans who will gladly argue their merits. See for yourself: New Moon, the chapter that established the series’ oft-debated love triangle, returns to select theaters as part of the Flashback Cinema series.
Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, which celebrates its centennial this year, is a quintessential whodunit: a small village, a dead bigwig and a list of suspects to be unraveled by Hercule Poirot. Mark Shanahan’s stage adaptation of the novel makes its local professional premiere in a production by Kinetic Theatre Company, who have assembled their own murderer’s row of performers, including Helena Ruoti, David Whalen, Sheila McKenna and Sam Tsoutosouvas.
Friday, August 7, Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Want to enjoy all that Carnegie Museum of Natural History has to offer without any kids getting in the way? The dinosaurs, gemstones and much more are all yours at Camp Carnegie, a themed evening of events and activities exclusively for grown-ups. Grab camp-themed snacks and beverages — including a s’mores cocktail — and explore a bevy of programming, including soccer instruction from Pittsburgh Riverhounds players, a massive scavenger hunt and much more.
Ever since yacht rock — that smooth, late-’70s rock sound best typified by acts like Steely Dan and (the latter phase of) the Doobie Brothers — entered the lexicon, game musicians across the nation have been grabbing their captain’s hats and putting on tribute shows. Not all evenings of yacht are created equal, however, and Yacht Rock Revue has emerged as one of the top touring purveyors of smooth sounds. Expect familiar hits including Ride Like the Wind, Steal Away and — with any luck — Rosanna.
Here’s a different genre with just as much musicianship — and perhaps a bit more energy. Swing-revival standouts Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, known for upbeat hits like You & Me & the Bottle Makes 3 Tonight (Baby) and Go Daddy-O, will play a free show at Hartwood Acres. Fun fact: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy are, officially, former Super Bowl Halftime Show performers. (It used to be different.) The Penna Players will open up the show; it’s part of the Allegheny County Summer Concert Series.
Plus, check out our calendar for other events this week and beyond!
The New Hazlett Theater is doubling down on its commitment to new, local art and artists — and it has named a new leader to take charge of that effort through the role of Artistic Director.
Welcome Melissa Cardello-Linton as New Hazlett Theater’s First Artistic Director
Melissa Cardello-Linton, a Pittsburgh native who spent the early part of her career working in live performance in New York, has been named the Artistic Director of the North Side theater. It’s a first for the institution; in the 20 years since the New Hazlett Theater became its own organization, it has never had an Artistic Director.
Melissa Cardello-Linton
“Her promotion to our first-ever Artistic Director is the catalyst [the New Hazlett] needs to take us to the next level,” says René Conrad, the theater’s Executive Director. “Her previous producing experience makes her uniquely qualified to connect Pittsburgh’s deep pool of local talent with national producers.
“Plus — she is super fun to work with! And as you know, theater is really all about the people.”
Concurrently, the New Hazlett announced the launch of ForgeWorks, a creative development pipeline for ambitious new performance work. ForgeWorks will partner with established producers, cultural institutions and creatives from Pittsburgh and beyond, providing a cost-effective environment where projects can be built, tested, refined and previewed.
“For artists and producers, ForgeWorks provides the time, space and resources needed to advance projects thoughtfully and strategically,” Conrad says. “For audiences, it offers a rare opportunity to get a peek behind the curtain, experiencing innovative new work at a pivotal stage in its development.”
How the Theater Came to Be
Built in 1889 as the Carnegie Music Hall — the first performance space with that name — the New Hazlett occupies half of the building dedicated as the Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny, one of the earliest such libraries. It survived a proposed demolition in 1967 and eventually became the home of Pittsburgh Public Theater until that company moved Downtown in 1999.
New work, however, has always been paramount at the New Hazlett — and that’s a boon for Pittsburgh, Conrad says.
“Development and professional production opportunities generate meaningful work for Pittsburgh-based performers, designers, technicians and stage managers, while creating pathways for local artists to collaborate with nationally recognized producers and creative teams.”
The Future of New Hazlett Theater
Appointing Cardello-Linton as Artistic Director, Conrad says, reaffirms that commitment. Cardello-Linton, who has developed works for PBS and off-Broadway stages, began working with the New Hazlett in 2024, focusing much of her effort on the Community Supported Art series and other efforts to bring more voices to the stage.
“In the two years Mel has been at [the New Hazlett], she has already elevated our internal programming — from deepening relationships with our emerging [Community Supported Art] artists, to adding new programming such as Sound of the Seasons, to forging new relationships with other cultural institutions,” Conrad says.
The New Hazlett will officially unveil Cardello-Linton’s appointment and updated branding this Friday. Meanwhile, the calendar at the theater is full: the documentary Making Space: The History of the New Hazlett Theater, produced in partnership with WQED, will receive a premiere screening on July 30; Urban Impact Foundation’s dance and music production Steadfast runs August 6–8; and Front Porch’s next production, Come From Away, is set to open August 14.
This week’s movie review roundup features two films: Motor City, now playing in theaters, and The Dink, available to stream at home.
Fists Speak Louder Than Words in Motor City
Motor City is a film that has risen slightly above the fray on the strength of a gimmick. Were it not for a curious, creative flourish, it would be destined for the streaming graveyard of unheralded action flicks — the sort of film that would live in DVD bargain bins, when that was still a thing. Instead, it has managed a theatrical release and a quiet bit of buzz for one reason: In this movie, no one really talks.
There are scraps of language here and there — most often exclamations, vulgarities and brief interrogatives. And characters are seen talking, but the audience is usually not privy to these conversations; they take place behind a window or off in the distance. The story in Motor City is delivered almost purely in action and grimaces.
Set in 1970s Detroit (though filmed almost entirely in New Jersey), Motor City concerns the plight of John Miller (Alan Ritchson), an everyman — albeit a hulking one. Miller is recently off of probation and has proposed to his girlfriend, Sophia (Shailene Woodley), a diner waitress with mysterious connections to a vengeful drug kingpin (Ben Foster).
Our capo has no intentions of letting his ex (or whoever she is) get hitched to a common brute, so he frames Miller for drug trafficking, leaning on a crooked cop (Pablo Schreiber) and putting Miller in jail for 25 years. When Miller learns that his rival has conned his way back into Sophia’s heart, he hatches a plan for a prison break and bloody revenge.
Cliches Among the Quiet
Motor City is rife with action-movie cliches and tired tropes, many of which should’ve stayed in the 20th Century. It could be argued, perhaps, that leaning on broad signifiers makes a wordless film easy to follow — and, admittedly, it’s never unclear what’s going on. Still, anyone unwilling to thoroughly discard their standards will have a tough time enjoying the film.
Even with that caveat, it’s a tough nut to crack. Director Potsy Ponciroli leans heavily on montage and slow motion to maintain the ineloquent action; the result feels like watching a 100-minute music video. (In many cases, this is literally true; recognizable songs including Night In White Satin, I Feel Love and The Chain play, in full, over collections of overdramatized shots.) It’s different enough to be intriguing, if not quite good enough to be … well, good.
Still, it’s an ambitious and notable effort. This isn’t a movie you walk out of feeling impressed or even narratively satisfied; it’s one that leaves you saying, “I guess it’s possible to do that.” After 125 years of cinema, doing anything that feels somewhat new has to count as something of an achievement.
Watching Apple TV’s The Dink? You’ll Laugh — Even If You’re Alone
In The Dink, the endlessly likable Jake Johnson undercuts his natural charisma to star as a washed-up tennis pro forced to do the unthinkable: convert to pickleball. (As co-star Andy Roddick describes it, it’s “like tennis, but easy.”) It’s the sort of role Will Ferrell would’ve once played — but with a hint of reality often missing from those over-the-top Ferrell/McKay comedies.
Unlike many streaming-first comedies, The Dink has an essential ingredient: actual humor. If that sounds like damning the film with faint praise, it counts as exceptional in the modern environment; while many fine dramas and genre films go straight to streaming, the number of laugh-out-loud feature comedies that have debuted on the small screen is small.
The setup is sturdy: once-promising tennis player Dusty Boyd (Johnson), always flanked by earnest acolyte PJ (Aaron Chen), is trying to hold on to the glory days while toiling at a prestigious tennis club owned by his father (Ed Harris). When he re-injures his wrist while ostentatiously celebrating a win, his doctor (Ben Stiller) suggests pickleball for recovery. He tries a small court, striking up an unlikely friendship with his doubles partner (Mary Steenburgen), all while hatching an unlikely comeback plan.
In many recent comedies, a certain lack of passion is palpable. (I don’t want to name any names … no, wait, I do: Kevin Hart.) Here, enthusiasm — and a genuinely witty script, from Sean Clements — make for a winning result. What’s more, I felt something like genuine care and concern for the characters. That’s another rarity in modern feature comedies.
Set against the whimsical backdrop of the summer flower show, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, guests strolled through eight immersive rooms alive with music, art, fashion, and breathtaking botanicals. Operatic performances, live art, and earth-conscious fashion displays by Brian David, Michael Kouri, Lana Neumeyer, Patricia Gallagher, Patti Fowler, Suz Pisano, and Virginia Nicoll, transformed the historic glasshouse into a sensory wonderland. French-inspired “petits plats” by Kate Romane of Black Radish Kitchen beautifully nourished the guests, while signature cocktails from Lucky Signs Spirits added to the festive spirit. Presented by Dollar Bank, La Fleur has quickly become one of Pittsburgh’s most celebrated sustainable soirées — and this year did not disappoint.
La Fleur at Phipps by Pittsburgh Earth Day and The Green Voice, June 11, 2026
Buffet by Black Radish Kitchen
Dancers from Confluence Ballet
Hosts and emcees Amanda Gorecki of Y108, Daisy Jade of Pittsburgh Today Live and Channing Powell of Made in PGH
Designers Brian David and Lana Neumeyer, Marcy Metelsky, Genesis D. Almodóvar, and a friend
Gypsy Stringz performed live
Model Lisa Giallanardo in a Patti Fowler design
A Lucky Sign Spirits cocktail
Guests enjoying La Fleur at Phipps
Models Makenna Galati, Ava Bialon and Jordann Versaw in designs by Patricia Gallagher
Model Hector Santos showcases a design by Virginia Nicoll
Story by Keith Recker Photography by Justin Hreha, Elan Mizrahi, and Aaron Sheedy Styling by Brian David, Michael Kouri, Lana Neumeyer, Patricia Gallagher, Patti Fowler, Suz Pisano, and Virginia Nicoll Hair by Izzazu Salon, Spa, & Blowout Bar
