Better Makers: Union League Boys & Girls Clubs 'Leaders in the Making'
Union League Boys & Girls Clubs reintroduces its in-person gala and honors those who bring the most meaning to this 102-year-old nonprofit—its 15,000 youth members.
31 of the Best Things to Do in Chicago and the Suburbs This December
This December, prepare to celebrate the best Chicago and its suburbs have to offer, as the weather gets colder and 2022 draws closer. Whether it’s a holiday-themed performance or a chance to learn something new, you won’t struggle to find something to do this holiday season. Here are 31 of the best things to do […]
The Story Behind Marin County’s Namesake, “Chief Marin” — How the Coastal Miwok Left a Cultural and Physical Legacy That Lingers Today
By now most residents of Marin County have heard the name of the legendary Miwok leader “Chief Marin,” for whom the county was named. But Marin was neither his Miwok name, nor the one that the Spanish missionaries gave him. His original name was Huicmuse (pronounced hwik-moose), and the Spanish gave him the name Marino […]
31 of the Best Things to Do This October in Chicago and the Suburbs
This October, enjoy the beautiful fall season with events like Lincoln Square’s Apple Fest, cheering on runners at the Chicago Marathon, Highwood’s Great Pumpkin Festival and more. Here are 31 of the best activities October has to offer. Don’t forget to tag us in your posts on Instagram @betterchicago! All Month Trick or Treating for UNICEF Starting […]
A Safer Ride for Kids: How the Environmental Law and Policy Center Plans to Replace School Buses with an Electric, Cleaner Alternative
Efforts are underway to make those big yellow school buses we’ve known all our lives cleaner, quieter and safer for the kids who ride them. The Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC), a Midwest-based environmental organization, has been working to see electric school buses replace the traditional buses. The goal is to see the nearly […]
Marin is in the Worst Drought in 140 Years — What We Can Do to Conserve Water
The signs are everywhere. And not just the “Drought is Here Conserve Water” Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD) signs posted throughout Marin. The Nicasio Reservoir and Phoenix Lake were nearing pondlike status by March and April. From Horse Hill in Mill Valley to Novato’s Mount Burdell, the vibrant green of the spring grass had already […]
A Sanctuary for Thought-Provoking, Society-Changing Writing: Mesa Refuge in West Marin
On a bluff overlooking Tomales Bay estuary lies a little-known cultural treasure: an extraordinary house that, since 1997, has given more than a thousand writers the time, silence and freedom to do their most thought-provoking, society-changing work. Designed by West Marin architect Jon Fernandez and built in 1989, the cedar-and-redwood writers’ retreat known as Mesa […]
View from the Team: Better’s Fall 2021 Issue Is Here!
This is our favorite time of year at Better, and it’s not just because the leaves are about to paint the Midwest in beautiful hues of yellow and red. What we really love is producing this issue each year and celebrating the winners of our annual Best Of competition. We were blown away by the […]
When the Headlands Had Warheads: Reconciling Marin’s Nuclear Past While Looking to the Future
A web of narrow pathways winds up from Rodeo beach, through pink ice plant blooms and over rugged, sandy outcroppings, to hilltops with 360-degree views of the San Francisco skyline, velvety green cliffs, and a royal blue sky arching over the wild ocean below. The Marin Headlands offer visitors a front row seat to the […]
A New Exhibit at the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center Explores the Struggle for LGBTQ Rights Through the Stories of Those Who Fought for Change
The Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center is hosting a groundbreaking new exhibit, Rise Up: Stonewall and the LGBTQ Rights Movement, which explores the struggle for LGBTQ rights over the past 50-plus years. The show, which begins on Oct. 17 and runs through May 8, is very much in keeping with the mission of the […]
