SIMPLE SOL OPENS When Parkview Drive resident Kate McGinley was a little girl and started school full time, her mother, Nancy, opened an interior design studio on Washington Road across from The Saloon. Now that Kate McGinley Cain’s youngest child is starting school full time in the fall, she is following her mother’s example by opening Simple Sol, a yoga and Pilates studio at 520 Washington Road in the former Bernie’s Flowers location across from the public safety center.
A yogini for the last four years with a following built from several local fitness clubs, Cain will be active in teaching the dozen or so classes per week. The classes, all of which cost $10, have fun names, with such as “Yoga with a Twist,” “Go with the Flow” (Vinyasa Yoga), Abs-olutely Fabulous Pilates and body sculpting. Instructors Gina Grosso and Lynn Lebowitz are on board with more staff to be announced later.
In addition to the fitness classes, Simple Sol will have two Pilates reformer machines—spring-loaded exercise machines that help isolate muscle groups, especially the core. Clients can book private or semi-private sessions without signing long-term contracts. Cain’s studio, which will be open six days a week, also will carry clothing. Aaron Panczyk of Sunburst Sportswear on Castle Shannon Boulevard designed Simple Sol’s mural and shirts. Cain is excited about her Washington Road location: “I wanted my kids to be able to walk to me. I love it.”
For details: www.mysimplesol.com, info@mysimplesol.com or 412-388-1100.
HAVE IT ALL Driftwood Drive resident Nancy Murray says life is “all or nothing.” That philosophy guides her work as a runner, triathlete, artist and owner of Mt. Lebanon-based TriGallery, an online art gallery that caters to elite athletes.
Murray, who began running in 2000 and conquered her first triathlon in 2006, started the gallery when she realized there was very little artwork for runners. “There was nothing out there that you could hang in your home that wasn’t a poster. I wanted something more tasteful,” says Murray, whose classic art background is in sketching and oil painting with work in three dimensions.
Murray offers several different collections that include her interpretations of triathlon’s iconic symbols, from buoys and inflatable finish lines to bicycle parts. Rich with symbolism, abstract pieces also reference stages of races. On the backs of some pieces, she includes mounting of the racer’s bib, medals and other race memorabilia.
Murray moved to Mt. Lebanon with her two young children for the strong school district but has been pleased to find a big core group of runners here: “I’m not sure if there are more runners here than in other places, but the running is definitely tougher” because of the hills.
Triathlons are a niche right now but are growing in popularity, she says: “People are just talking about it—Lance Armstrong coming back to the triathlon world will definitely influence its popularity.”
Murray is training for the Ironman Competition, a brutally tough combination race of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bicycle trek and a standard 26.2 mile marathon. Aptly, she has an art line dedicated to the Kona competition, the world Ironman championship in Hawaii this fall.
Her gallery has been operating as an online business since 2011, but Murray is looking for a storefront in or around Mt. Lebanon. To see and order artwork log on to www.TriGallery.com.
SKIN CENTER THRIVES The Skin Center on Swallow Hill Road is celebrating 30 years in business. The center, which specializes in cosmetic surgery and medical spa procedures, has grown as cosmetic procedures have become more mainstream. When Jerry Brandy, president of the Skin Center, and his brother, Dr. Dominic Brandy, opened the center in 1981, cosmetic surgery was not as accepted by the general public as it is now, Jerry says. He attributes the growth in the industry to heightened interest from the large number of people entering their mid-50s, more of whom are turning to medical procedures to help with wayward wrinkles and age spots. A third of the Skin Center’s business is cosmetic surgery, with the rest coming from various medical spa technologies, such as Botox and laser hair removal.
The Skin Center originally opened in Green Tree, but moved to Mt. Lebanon because Brandy believed it would be a better “fit.” The center also has offices in Wexford, Shadyside and Columbus, Ohio. www.theskincentermd.com.
NEED A SENIOR PORTRAIT? Kellie Healy, owner of TSS Photography and Persona Portraits, operated her business out of her Linda Lane home for 11 years, providing photos of sports teams and other school groups, corporate events and family portraits. She has moved to a new storefront at 1569 McFarland Road and now also offers senior portraits. To schedule a sitting, visit www.tssphotography.com/pittsburgh.
CONGRATULATIONS, NAM’S Nam’s Korean Karate School, founded in 1979, is celebrating 20 years at 256 Washington Road. Grandmaster Taek Ho Nam has more than 50 years of teaching and training experience in the ancient martial arts of Tang Soo Do, Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido and various other art forms.. Certified and experienced master instructors offer classes for adults and children. Call 412-344-5557 or visit www.namskoreankarate.com.
