Welcome to my Spotlights
a collection of stories celebrating the people, places, and practices that shape this city’s spirit.
From local makers and small business founders to creative experiences that feel distinctly Pittsburgh, this space highlights the heart of community and the ways folks build, move, connect, and create here. Each spotlight is an invitation to discover something real, authentic, and worth exploring.
DO SOME LIVING:
The Beauty of Community and Movement
I’m not someone who cries a lot. But Saturday’s Yoga in the Park at Allegheny Commons West with Counseling & Wellness Center of Pittsburgh brought tears of happiness to my eyes. As I looked around the park, I saw mothers nursing babies beneath the trees. Toddlers climbed on their respective adults, weaving in and out…
Why Core Pillars Are the First Thing I Build — In Business and in Life
Branding isn’t just how things look. It’s how decisions get made. When people come to me for branding help, they often think they need a logo refresh, new colors, or a better Instagram grid. And yes — visuals matter. Messaging matters. Consistency matters. But none of that works if there’s no clarity underneath it all.…
Turning Inward: Why Yoga Feels Different Without Mirrors
Guest Essay by Kayla Thrower with an introduction and closing thoughts by Caitie YOCO From Caitie This piece belongs to my close friend Kayla Thrower. She has a way of naming the quiet, internal experiences of yoga—especially the ones that surface when we remove distractions like mirrors. When we’ve talked about why mirror-free spaces feel different, her words have…
For the Yinzers Who Love a Good Tchotchke
If you grew up in Pittsburgh, there’s a very good chance you understand the emotional value of a totally impractical object. A ceramic goose with seasonal outfits.A slightly haunted lamp.A Steelers glass you never drink out of.Something that makes no sense… but feels wrong not to keep. Yinzers love tchotchkes (or chatchkis, nicknacks, treasures, junk-with-a-story…
Scratch & Co.: A Place We Always Return To
There are places you go because they’re good.And then there are places you return to because they feel like home. For my husband Mark and me, Scratch & Co. is the second kind. Over the years, it’s become our place for celebrating the moments that matter — the big milestones, the quiet wins, the “we…
Slow Sunday Vibes: Grandview Park & Restorative Yoga
Sundays in Pittsburgh ask for a different pace. Not rushed. Not overplanned. Just enough structure to feel grounding, and enough openness to let the day unfold gently. One of my favorite ways to spend a Sunday is simple: start with a visit to Grandview Park, then end the day on the mat at YOCO Yoga…
A Pittsburgh Winter Day: Cold Air, Hot Yoga & Chicken Latino
Winter in Pittsburgh isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s gray, it’s windy, and it will absolutely humble you if you’re not dressed correctly. But if you lean into it—really lean in—it can be kind of magical. One of my favorite winter days follows a simple formula: get very cold on purpose, thaw out completely,…
What YOCO Is — and Why It Exists
YOCO Yoga Collective is a locally owned, independent yoga studio in Pittsburgh, built and sustained by a group of dedicated teachers/Partners who believe yoga should feel accessible, supportive, and human. YOCO exists because we wanted something different — a studio rooted in integrity, community, and consistency rather than perfection. It’s a space where people can…
A Perfect Pittsburgh Summer Day: Yoga, Bikes, River Trails & Cold Drinks
I’m having major nostalgia for weather that isn’t gray.. There’s something about Pittsburgh in the warm months that just hits differently. The city softens. The rivers shimmer. Neighborhoods feel stitched together by trails, bridges, and shared rituals. One of my favorite ways to soak it all in is through a day that blends movement, sunshine,…
